Me : Taking that medal: Maybe this could be a key or a bargaining tool later on.
You crawl on the rough wooden floor and your fingers touch the cold metal. A silver medal in the shape of a wing. The object felt heavy and exuded an ancient aura—perhaps it was a symbol of the Dimitrescu family's membership or a key to a secret area within the castle.
As you grasp it tightly, the wound on your neck throbs slowly, reminding you of the coldness of Cassandra's skin and her deadly promise.
Suddenly, the quiet atmosphere outside the warehouse changed. You hear very quiet footsteps, but strangely enough, they don't feel as heavy as Lady Dimitrescu or as light as her daughters. This step feels... authoritative.
"Interesting deal, Zak," a deep and charismatic female voice echoed from behind the barn door.
The wooden door opened slowly without any creaking sound. There stood a woman in a jet black dress that contrasted sharply with the snow outside. He was wearing a golden crow-shaped mask and surrounded by a thick black aura.
It was Mother Miranda.
He is looking at you—or rather, at the medallion in your hand—with sharp eyes behind his mask.
"Princess Alcina has always been careless with her feelings," said Miranda as she stepped into the narrow warehouse. "But you... You are an unexpected variable. An ordinary human who can make a monster bend to its knees."
He stops right in front of you. Its presence is so pressing that you find it difficult to breathe.
"Give me the medal, Zak," he ordered in a cold tone. "Or I'll let Alcina find you right now and end your little game with Cassandra tragically."
Me : Give the medal: Hoping Miranda will release you or give you protection from the Dimitrescu family.
With trembling hands, you hand out the wing-shaped silver medal to the most feared figure in the entire village. Mother Miranda picked it up with a very quiet motion, her fingers wrapped in black gloves feeling cold—but unlike Cassandra's ice-like cold, Miranda's cold felt like a lonely death.
He carries the medal in his palm, then looks at you from behind his golden mask.
"Wise choice, Zak," he said calmly. "The Dimitrescu family is just a bunch of little children playing with blood. They don't understand the true value of a devotion."
Miranda turned around, her black robes sweeping the dirty warehouse floor. The dark aura that enveloped him seemed to suck in all the light around you.
"Since you've given me what I want, I'll give you one chance," Miranda continued without looking back. "I'll hold Alcina and her daughters in the main hall for ten minutes. If within that time you can reach the Wing Gate in the north of the forest, you are free."
He paused for a moment at the barn door.
"But remember... If they find you after that time is up, I won't interfere anymore. And if Cassandra knew you gave me her treasure..." Miranda chuckled, a voice colder than a snowstorm. "Your death will be very... artistic."
Miranda disappears in a vortex of black crow's feathers, leaving you alone in a warehouse that now feels very quiet. The seconds of the clock on the walls of the old warehouse seemed to tick harder. Ten minutes.
You look outward. The forest to the north was covered in a thick fog, but there were small trails that began to be visible due to the moonlight. On the other hand, you see the old axe that you had been lyricing earlier.
Me : Run as fast as you can to the north: Rely on speed to reach the Wing Gate before time runs out.
You don't waste any more time. With your lungs burning in the freezing night air, you shot out of the wooden barn. Your legs spurred with all your might, ignoring the pain in Cassandra's neck that was now starting to freeze from the cold.
Ten minutes. That was the only time Mother Miranda was given before Lady Dimitrescu's "dogs" were released again.
You run along a small path to the north. The sharp branches of the tree scratch your face and hands, but the adrenaline makes the pain seem to go away. In the distance, you can see the huge Wing Gate—an ancient stone gate adorned with carvings of monstrous winged creatures. That was the way out of the castle's territory.
However, just as you reached the halfway point, a familiar voice broke the silence of the forest.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzztttt!
"Zakkkk... You betrayed me?!"
Cassandra's voice shrieked from the sky. He didn't fly gracefully this time; He shot like a raging storm of flies. He seems to realize that his medal is missing and that you have spoken to Mother Miranda.
"You gave mine to that Old Lady?!" he shouted again, landing exactly a few meters in front of you, blocking the way to the Wing Gate. His sickle trembled in his hand, and his yellow eyes were now glowing red with overwhelming anger.
"I'm keeping you alive! I'm hiding you! And this is your reply?!"
He stepped forward, the flies around him buzzing so loudly that your ears ringed. However, you realize something: Cassandra doesn't attack right away. He seems emotionally hurt, as if your betrayal hurts more than any physical wound.
Me : Sorry casandra, miranda will tell your mother if I don't give it to you
Cassandra fell silent. The deafening hum of the flies around him suddenly subsided, turning into a restless low hissing sound. He lowered his rusty sickle slowly, the tip scraping the thin snow.
"Miranda..." Cassandra whispered the name in a tone full of pure fear. His pale face looked even more and more desolate in the moonlight. "That old lady... He knows everything, doesn't he?"
He stepped closer, but this time there was no aggression in his movements. He looks at your neck—the bite marks that are turning blue from the cold—and then looks into your eyes with a complex look. There is anger, but there is also the realization that they are all just pawns in Miranda's hands.
"If Mom knew I was hiding you... she will make me a feast for my own flies," whispered Cassandra, her voice trembling. "You did it to protect me? Or just to save your own skin, Zak?"
Suddenly, from the direction of the castle, there was a terrible roar that broke the silence of the night. It was Lady Dimitrescu's voice. The ten minutes Miranda had promised had run out.
"Damn! Mom is out!" Cassandra turned her head towards the castle in panic. She could see her mother's giant shadow coming out of the main gate, followed by Bela and Daniela flying high in the sky.
Cassandra looks back at you. He grabs your collar and pulls you closer until your faces are almost touching.
"Go," he hissed quickly. "The Wing Gate... Behind it was a lever mechanism hidden under the angel statue on the right. Pull it as hard as you can."
He pushes you towards the gate that is a few tens of meters away.
"If we meet again, Zak... Don't expect me to be this gentle," he said as he began to unravel back into thousands of black flies. "Now run! Before my brothers smell your blood in the air!"
You run as hard as you can towards the giant stone gate. Behind you, you could hear Bela's voice shouting, "Cassandra! What are you doing there? Where is the human?!"
You arrive in front of the Wing Gate. Sure enough, there was a statue of an angel whose head had been broken. Under his feet, covered with thorny bushes, was a cold iron lever.
Me : Pull the lever immediately: And enter an unknown outer forest area.