Paltio, along with Kilibur and Paris, transformed into Mok and Pax respectively, began walking through the streets of the realm. The guards watched them but said nothing; thanks to Zor's orders, they had permission to move freely.
The trio headed toward an abandoned barn, the place where Paltio had seen the scepter piece located. Upon arrival, a group of guards blocked the entrance. One of them approached with a warning expression:
"What are you doing here? This place is dangerous. That's why it's closed."
"I must go in. The scepter piece I need is inside," Paltio responded with determination.
One of the guards let out a mocking laugh:
"Alright, if you want to go in, we won't stop you, 'little prince.' But don't blame us if you get hurt or die."
Paris, still disguised as Pax, asked curiously:
"But what exactly is in there?"
Another guard replied seriously:
"It's something unknown… and feared even by the strongest warriors. That's why it was sealed off."
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm going in anyway," Paltio said firmly.
The guard who had mocked him earlier added sarcastically:
"Good luck, foolish prince. You'll need it. Don't say we didn't warn you. We just hope you come out unscathed."
With one last laugh, the guards left, leaving the group standing before the barn's entrance.
Paris, now visibly nervous, looked at Paltio:
"Are you sure you want to go in?"
"Yes, no problem as long as we're all together. Besides, we have Golden, Kilibur, and Chiki on our side," Paltio replied confidently.
Rykaru, floating near him, innocently asked:
"And me?"
"Yes, you too," Paltio said, smiling as he patted the little creature's head.
They entered through a small, rusted crack that seemed to have been forgotten by time. Once inside, Paltio activated the lights on his boots, illuminating the dark space.
"Wow… This barn looks very neglected, but it seems to have four floors, like a house. It even seems bigger than where I used to live," Paris commented, impressed by the unexpected size of the place.
"Stay alert, in case something attacks us," Paltio warned, cautiously scanning their surroundings.
"Hey, Golden, why are you in the prince's seed? I thought it was a trick, but I see you only come out occasionally. What happened?" Kilibur asked curiously.
Golden sighed before responding:
"It's a long story, my friend. The short version is, I don't know how I got here, but I need to ask Avocios if he knows how to get me out of here."
"I think I understand," Kilibur said, nodding slowly.
Suddenly, Paltio raised a hand, signaling for silence:
"Wait… I just heard something."
Chiki, ever sarcastic, whispered:
"Wow, the prince is serious. I thought he was afraid of ghosts or demonic entities."
Golden quickly corrected him:
"Yes, he does. But it seems like he's gathering strength because his friends are in danger. Look at him… He's trembling like jelly."
"Ah, yes, I see it now. He looks like a walking jelly. I hadn't noticed before," Chiki added with a mischievous smile.
"Let's move forward," Paltio instructed, trying to maintain his composure.
Kilibur, noticing the tension in the young prince, approached and gently took his hand, whispering:
"Calm down, I'm with you. Everything will be fine."
Kilibur's words managed to soothe Paltio, giving him encouragement and strength to keep moving forward without being overwhelmed by fear.
They ventured deeper into the barn, where only scattered hay, broken-down vehicles, and other abandoned items filled the space. At the back, old stairs stood out in the dim light. They looked fragile, as if they hadn't been used or maintained in years.
Each time they climbed a step, the wooden planks creaked ominously, as if they might collapse at any moment. This frightened Paltio, who clung tightly to Kilibur's hand. The little fox looked at him with a reassuring smile, though the grip was starting to hurt. However, Kilibur said nothing; he knew Paltio was going through too much and needed that silent gesture of support.
Behind them, Chiki walked along, chatting animatedly with Paris, who was reading a book thanks to the light emanating from Paltio's boots. Suddenly, the prince stopped, pointing at something that had moved quickly in the darkness:
"I saw it! Something moved over there!"
But no one else managed to see it. Chiki muttered mockingly:
"What a coward."
"Be quiet!" Kilibur responded firmly, shooting him a stern look.
Rykaru jumped off Paltio's arm and glared at the dog angrily:
"My daddy is not a coward!"
Golden emerged from his hologram, stepping in to calm everyone down:
"Everyone, relax. Let's keep going."
Paltio, ignoring Chiki's comments, continued advancing, his voice subdued:
"Yes, let's keep moving."
Upon reaching the second floor, they found more hay and piles of hay covered with sheets.
"Is that what we're looking for here, Paltio?" Kilibur asked, carefully observing the area.
The boy shook his head:
"No, it's not here."
They kept climbing but found nothing on the third floor either. Finally, they reached the top level of the barn.
"It's not here either," Paltio said, frustrated.
Chiki, annoyed, crossed his arms:
"So where is it? Why did we come here for no reason?"
"It has to be here! I saw it on the search plane!" Paltio repeated to himself, trying to stay calm while his thoughts swirled around the missing piece.
Suddenly, something enormous struck the ground with tremendous force, causing everything to start collapsing. The already weakened floors gave way one after another. The group members tried to keep their balance, but it was futile. They tumbled uncontrollably until the first floor completely cracked open, revealing a massive dark hole. Everyone screamed as they plummeted into the void, swallowed by darkness.
Meanwhile, Mok and his team continued advancing through the underground tunnels. After a quick reconnaissance, Toco-Toco returned with valuable information:
"The tower… I saw it. It's heavily guarded," the cat reported, his tail flicking energetically. "Also, the place is a bit far from here."
Everyone followed him along the path he had discovered. They passed through several tunnels, some wide, others narrow, until they finally reached the designated location.
"This is it," Toco-Toco announced confidently, stopping in front of an exit.
Mok and Nakia climbed up behind the feline. Upon emerging, they all froze, staring at the landscape before them.
"Where did you bring us? Is this some kind of demolition site or something?" Lukeandria asked, confused as she took in the sight of rubble and abandoned structures.
"I swear to you! The tower was right here, meow," Toco-Toco insisted, scratching his head with a paw.
"It can't be… If this is the tower, what happened here?" Mok asked, visibly bewildered as he looked around, trying to process the state of the area.
"Everything's destroyed. Are you sure about this, cat?" Lukeandria said skeptically, crossing her arms as she surveyed the debris.
"It can't be! Just moments ago, there was a contingent of guards and a sturdy tower structure here," Toco-Toco replied, nervously twitching his tail as he tried to explain the situation.
Suddenly, in the distance, they heard a loud commotion. A different alarm began to blare, echoing throughout the area:
"Emergency, emergency! We are under attack. All guards in your positions. Defend the realm!"
The group stood frozen, exchanging bewildered glances.
"But what the hell is going on?! The tower was just here a few moments ago, meow!" Toco-Toco exclaimed, shaking his head back and forth as if searching for answers in the air. "I'm not crazy… What could have happened in such a short time?" he muttered, utterly perplexed, his tail twitching nervously.