The carriage had a braking system, commonly known as a 'hand brake,' situated within reach of the coachman, functioning similarly to the handbrake in a car. Avitu, with one hand clenching the reins and the other forcibly pulling up the brake handle, abruptly stopped the four horses and the carriage with a screech.
The noise was quite startling, immediately waking the passengers inside the carriage.
"What's happening?"
"Have we arrived?"
Several people leaned to the carriage windows and looked forward, only to see a thinning forest with more rocks in sight, but no building whatsoever, let alone the towering Eibek Castle from the tales.
Instead, up ahead, Ashis is incessantly barking in one direction.
