Another day passed on Paltio's clock, and it was time to return to the real world. Golden informed them that they were close to the next kingdom. Paltio, Ron, and Alita awakened from the mental plane; for them, two months had passed, but for Mok and Lukeandria, only two days had gone by.
Upon waking up, everyone was startled to see a white creature with enormous eyes next to the prince. They thought it was some kind of monster that had managed to sneak in while they slept.
Paltio had to intervene quickly as his friends stepped back in fear. "Wait!" he exclaimed, stopping them just as the creature began to yawn and greeted them in a sweet voice: "Good morning."
The prince proceeded to explain that this was the being that had been inside the egg and had just been born. He recounted what had happened in Golden's mental plane and the name he had decided to give the newcomer.
"Wow! All the cool things always happen when we're not around you," Ron commented with feigned indignation. "I wanted to see this creature being born."
"But it's adorable," Alita said after observing it for a moment. Lukeandria thought the same, though she preferred to keep it to herself due to her reserved nature.
"You're right," Ron agreed. Then, addressing the creature, he added: "Sorry, we didn't know you weren't a thing... What's your name?"
"I'm not a thing. My name is Rykaru," the being replied innocently.
"That's right, with all the commotion, we forgot," Ron interjected, scratching his head.
"A new member, huh?, young master," Mok commented with a faint smile. The boy nodded.
Everyone laughed when they heard how Rykaru called Paltio "Daddy," echoing the joke Toco-Toco had made earlier about the matter.
Rykaru approached Paltio and climbed into his arms to be carried. Although the prince was confused about how the creature had managed to return to the real world, he couldn't help but smile at its enthusiasm.
Before they could say anything more, the carriage emitted a sound and displayed on a small screen that they were nearing Pinkertalia.
"We've finally arrived! The fourth kingdom," Paltio announced excitedly.
The carriage continued along the path until they reached walls that weren't as sophisticated as those of the previous kingdoms. These appeared to be made of wood, fragile at first glance, but when Ron touched them, he felt as though he were hitting a solid rock.
In the distance, a river crossed the kingdom. Suddenly, lights began to illuminate the area, brightening the scene as if it were an ordinary day. They remembered that Tejod had darkened the sky, leaving only perpetual darkness, except during the night when the moon made its appearance.
With everything illuminated, they could see boats floating on the river. Avocado-like people fished peacefully with nets, accompanied by soldiers dressed in armor. On the sails of the boats fluttered the symbol of the shadows, though these were a distinctive shade of purple.
This river, apparently, flowed into the sea, connecting the kingdom to other territories. However, it was clear that they weren't alone; the soldiers kept a vigilant watch, ensuring control over the area.
One of the ships approached the carriage, and a man in armor shouted from the vessel: "What kind of contraption is that you're riding? It has no driver or horses... Is it magic? Magic is forbidden here; only high-ranking officials are allowed to use it. Identify yourselves!"
The man leaped off the ship, revealing a humanoid face resembling an olive, with straight green hair and an imposing demeanor. He unsheathed his sword as other soldiers followed him, surrounding the carriage and blocking its path.
Lukeandria had to stop the vehicle and quickly donned her suit, resuming her identity as Pax. As she stepped out of the carriage, she raised her hands in a gesture of peace and calmly responded: "This isn't magic, just technology. Greetings, I am Pax, emissary of Tejod, and I'm accompanied by Prince Paltio. We're here to find the scepter piece that resides in this kingdom."
"Technology is also forbidden," the man retorted, appearing to be the leader of the legion. The soldiers advanced, ready to arrest the group.
Just as the situation seemed tense, a loud voice echoed through the air: "Halt!"
All the soldiers stopped their advance, and in an immediate act of respect, they knelt. From the shadow of the nearby trees emerged an elderly humanoid badger, purple-skinned, with white hair and a staff in hand. Though he didn't seem to need it for support while walking, his figure was imposing and muscular, though not as tall as Tejod.
"Did you say Pax and Paltio?" the elder asked seriously.
"Yes, sir," replied the leader of the soldiers, still kneeling.
"Fools! I have already warned you that if you encounter people with those names, you should let them pass immediately. I don't want any trouble with Tejod," the elder said authoritatively. Then, addressing the leader of the soldiers, he added: "General Tredus, you're the one who should be most aware of this."
The elderly badger approached Paltio's group with slow but firm steps. His body, though belonging to an elder, appeared sculpted like that of a well-trained youth, highlighting his strength and presence.
"Relax," he said with a kind smile. "Sometimes my men can be like that... Technology and magic are forbidden in my Shadow Legion, but well, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself: I am Mejod."
Paltio extended his free hand to shake the elder's, as he was holding Rykaru with the other. "The pleasure is ours," the prince replied courteously. Before the elder could notice, Paltio quickly whispered to Rykaru: "Don't talk and act like an inanimate stuffed animal."
"Wow, I didn't think a prince your age still played with stuffed animals," Mejod commented with a mischievous smile, glancing at Rykaru in Paltio's arms.
"It's his emotional support plush," Pax interjected quickly. "After what Tejod did to his parents, he needed it... a lot."
The elderly badger nodded slowly, understanding the gravity behind Pax's words. With a kind gesture, he said: "Please, come in."
The soldiers began igniting their flames, a black fire that danced in their hands, illuminating the path toward the entrance.
"Great," Pax thought to himself sarcastically. "We've run into a group of fools who dislike both magic and technology."
General Tredus signaled the guards to lower the drawbridge, a metallic structure connecting to the main entrance. As they did so, a resonant metallic noise echoed while the metal gates opened slowly, revealing the interior of the kingdom.
Mejod spread his arms in a welcoming gesture and announced in a firm yet warm voice: "Welcome to my kingdom, Pinkertalia."