The winds had quieted. The scent of scorched earth and fading enchantments still lingered in the air as Adam, Ryan, and Jasmine moved forward. Their bodies ached from battle, their souls worn from near-death escapes, yet their spirit remained—untouched.
They had emerged from the cursed castle, leaving behind a shattered queen, stripped of her illusions, her spellbroken fortress turned to dust. Now the road led them deeper, closer to the heart of Adam's buried past.
As they trekked across the narrowing trail, dense mist curled around the path like fingers from a forgotten memory. Suddenly, Adam halted.
"I know this place," he murmured, eyes scanning the forest. "I've been here before... but when?"
Ryan and Jasmine exchanged glances. His voice trembled not with fear—but remembrance.
"I think this is the right way," Adam added, more to himself than to them.
The trail opened to a field, and there—like a monument untouched by time—stood a grand castle. Its towering pillars and golden spires shimmered in the dim sun.
Adam's breath hitched.
"Luca," he whispered. "Jonah's father..."
A thousand memories crashed into him like waves. Jonah—his dearest friend, lost to war and time. A promise left unfulfilled.
Adam turned to his children. "I promised him I'd tell his father what happened. And now... I will."
As they approached the gates, Adam recalled Jonah's words—spoken in a fading whisper before their last farewell:
"When you see my father again, find the blacksmith. Strike the iron until it burns red."
He did just that.
Confused, Ryan and Jasmine watched their father hammering at an old iron post. Sparks danced into the air until the metal blazed crimson.
And then, the great doors creaked open.
The castle welcomed them not with swords, but silence and awe. A voice echoed from the throne room:
"You've returned."
Seated atop the obsidian throne was King Luca—older, eyes clouded with blindness, yet still carrying the strength of a god among men.
Adam fell to one knee. "Your Majesty. I've come to honor a promise."
King Luca's breath faltered. "Jonah... my boy..."
Adam recounted it all. The war. The sacrifice. The final words. Luca wept—not with weakness, but with the might of a grieving titan.
"What brings you back, Adam?" Luca asked, voice strained.
"I'm heading to Varnok," Adam replied.
Luca's expression froze. The name alone chilled the air.
"No man with a soul should step foot in that cursed land," he warned. "It is pure evil—older than kings and darker than gods. Even I... I dared not challenge its horrors."
Adam smiled softly. "Fate calls me there. And... I believe the king of that cursed land is my grandfather."
Silence. Then the king leaned forward. "Then heed my warning. Evil runs deep in bloodlines. Protect your children... and yourself."
Adam bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I ask one more favor. A trap... for a mouse that's been shadowing us."
Luca chuckled. "Anything for you. Set your trap."
Then he turned his head slightly. "And Adam... I may be blind, but I sense strong auras. Your children... they're your pride, aren't they?"
Ryan and Jasmine stepped forward and bowed. The king smiled and nodded.
That night, under cover of darkness, the plan was set.
Adam and Ryan staged a fierce argument in the courtyard. Swords drawn, voices raised—
"You betrayed us!" Ryan shouted.
"I did what I had to do!" Adam roared.
From the shadows, a cloaked figure moved—drawn in by chaos.
And then—steel to throat. A whisper.
"What do we have here?" Jasmine smirked. "Curiosity... always kills the cat."
The cloaked man froze, trembling as Adam and Ryan closed in.
Bound, beaten, interrogated—until truth spilled like blood. He'd been sending their locations. The enemies in Varnok already knew they were coming.
Adam knelt before him, gaze cold.
"You failed. You won't see, speak, or write again. Let your silence echo what your lies once screamed."
Jasmine's blade danced. Ryan whispered, "Death suits you."
The traitor's last breath was one of regret.
As dawn neared, Adam stood over the corpse.
"We leave at first light," he said. "We go in disguise—hidden in plain sight."
In the shadows of Varnok, Sahabi's uncles waited. No message had come. Their impatience grew. They had heard of Adam—but never seen him. Never known the fire that now approached.
And that was Adam's greatest weapon.
The flame they feared was already at their gates.
Before they could continue their journey, Adam and his children returned to bid a proper farewell to King Luca. The old giant of a man welcomed them warmly, his large hands resting heavily on Adam's shoulders as if trying to hold on to an old memory before it faded into time.
Luca leaned forward and whispered, "I may never see you again, my boy. May fate smile kindly on you."
Adam bowed deeply. "Your majesty, thank you—for everything."
Ryan and Jasmine also bowed, showing respect for the mighty king who had treated their father like a son. The air between them was warm, but beneath it stirred the chill of destiny.
As they stepped outside the towering palace gates, Adam paused. His children noticed his solemn expression.
"There's something I need to do," he said softly.
They exchanged confused glances, but Ryan nodded first. "We'll wait here, Father."
Jasmine added, "Just don't take too long. We'll make sure everything is ready."
Adam gave them both a reassuring nod before turning toward Maximus, who stood still like a shadow waiting to move with purpose. Mounting his loyal horse, Adam rode off into the distance.
The wind howled gently through the trees as he galloped across rolling hills and fields long forgotten. After nearly an hour, he reached a small rise hidden behind thick brush—a place only he could find.
There, covered in moss and cracks from the harsh passage of time, stood a rock-like chest. It was not just any marker—it was the resting place of his friend Jonah.
Adam dismounted slowly, removing his hood as if to show respect to the wind itself. He stepped toward the chest, his footsteps heavy with memories.
"Hello, old friend," Adam whispered, his voice raw with emotion.
Beside the chest lay the skeletal remains of a horse, curled in eternal sleep beside its master. The sight broke something inside Adam. That bond of warrior and beast, of friend and brother—it had not died alone.
He knelt and rested his hand gently on the stone. "I told you I'd come back," he said, his voice trembling. "I kept the promise… I told your father what happened. He wept for you, Jonah. And now… I ride to a place even fate fears to tread."
The wind picked up again, swirling around him like whispers from the past.
Back at Luca's palace, Ryan and Jasmine had used their time wisely. They stocked their bags with dry rations, healing herbs, sharpened weapons, and new cloaks made from thick animal skin. The traders warned them: "Beyond the frost line, the cold can freeze your thoughts before your blood."
Jasmine inspected the knives strapped to her thigh. "We're going deep into the North," she said. "We'll be ready."
Ryan nodded. "He'll be back soon. I can feel it."
And he was right.
Just as the sun struck noon and cast gold over the palace walls, the silhouette of a lone rider appeared from the horizon. Adam rode toward them, eyes firm, heart calm.
He dismounted with grace and looked at both of them.
"It's time," he said. "Let's ride."