Griffin carefully lifted the cloth, revealing the hidden compartment beneath the shrine. Inside, they found not a scroll or ancient artifact but rather a small, intricately carved box made of polished wood.
The box had an air of mystery about it, with delicate engravings of cherry blossom branches and intricate symbols that none of them could decipher. It felt like a puzzle waiting to be unlocked.
Zenerius, always curious and eager to prove his worth, reached for the box and picked it up. As he held it in his hands, a strange sensation washed over him, almost as if the box was resonating with something deep inside him.
"It feels... warm," Zenerius muttered, his brow furrowing in concentration.
Griffin, intrigued by Zenerius's reaction, leaned closer to examine the box. "This might be more than just a box. It could be the key to understanding the 'white color of peace.'"
Ignius, who had been watching with a skeptical eye, couldn't help but be drawn into the mystery. "So, what's inside? Should we open it?"
Before anyone could respond, a gentle voice interrupted them. It was a wise-looking elderly woman with silver hair, dressed in traditional robes. She had been silently observing the group's exploration of the shrine.
"You've found the Box of Serenity," she said, her voice soft but filled with authority. "It holds the knowledge of the 'white color of peace,' a sacred secret of our village."
"Wait a second, it has a scroll in it." Ignius said curiously. She gently opened the box.
"Hand it over I'm the best at solving puzzles" Zenerius said holding his hand out expecting Ignius to place the box inside his hands, which she did.
"What's that language?" Aspen said leaning in slightly attempting to see the text. The proximity between Aspen and Zenerius made Griffin's fists clench in anger.
Meanwhile Nathaniel was still being entertained by Jess.
"So Nate... you stopped visiting and you haven't even apologized" Jess said playing with his collar.
Nathaniel gently pushed Jess away and placed his hand on his head in nervousness. Does he like her or just straight up hate her?!
"Heh... yeah sorry 'bout that" Nathaniel said backing away a step at a time.
Jess was about to ay something when she saw Nathaniel flinch. Connor had Violet in his arms Nathaniel's brotherly instincts kicked in as he ran towards his sister and pushed Connor into a pile of brown stuff that definitely was not mud. The brown stuff was all over Connor's face.
"NATHANIEL!" Violet yelled as she ran to help her 'boyfriend'.
She was trying to help him but the brown stuff was very sticky and sure enough Violet didn't want to touch it. As Connor tried to get up, he realized he was stuck.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! WHY AM I STUCK?!" Connor yelled.
"Its Saku Bat dung. These bats are much bigger than ordinary bats and have a special rosy colour, we use it as glue its extremely strong especially on fabric." Jess came closer and said, giggling while looking at Connor.
"This is not funny! How am I supposed to get out?!" Connor said as he tried to get up when he heard a rip.
"Nathaniel, your clothes look dirty... you and your friends can use the spare house that we have for travellers! We can get you some clean clothes as well." Jess suggested looking excited.
"Really? Gee thanks Jess!" Nathaniel said.
"Get mine quick." Connor blatantly said not realizing he was being very rude and arrogant.
"You're not my friend." Nathaniel said, walking to the temple where his friends were.
He walked up to his group of friends and explained Jess' offer, which they all seemed excited for.
"A shower and free food? HELL YEAH!" Griffin seemed excited.
They all went over to Jess who guided them to their stay houses.
"No need Jess I'll stay in Connor's house." Violet said.
"No way! You're staying with Aspen." Nathaniel angrily said.
They continued to argue until Violet finally let in and went into the house with Aspen.
"So Griffin you want to be my housemate?" Nathaniel said hopefully.
"I'm with Zen." Griffin said.
Both of those boys went into their room and you could hear their giggling and murmuring. Ignius looked at Nathaniel with widened eyes. Nathaniel's eyes too widened when he realized the only other housemate who was available. Ignius soon shook it off and opened the house. Ignius froze as she saw the bed.
"Hey whats wrong-" Nathaniel was saying when he saw the bed.
There was only one bed, how were both of them supposed to sleep? There was no space to place another mattress.
"Forget about that for now I'm gonna go shower. I need it." Nathaniel said grabbing a towel and going into the bathroom.
Ignius sat on the bed and pulled out the book which was the cause of all of this. Her attention came to one of the chapters. 'Deaths - The Heart's Ending' She flipped the pages and started reading.
"In the twisted town of Magacon, nestled deep within a mystical forest, a legendary artifact known as the Firestone held great power. It was said to unlock unimaginable magic.
But the forest was no ordinary woods; it was alive, its ancient spirit sensing the greed and ambition of the townsfolk. The Firestone was coveted by all, including Jackson Coris, who dreamt of ruling the world.
Yet, in Magacon, death was not an end, but a transformation. The ex-king became a siren, and the death of Princess Alliana turned her father into a fearsome werewolf.
Amidst curses and ambitions, the forest stood sentinel. Its secrets, like the Firestone's, were intertwined with life, death, and the eternal pursuit of power in the twisted town of Magacon."
"Woah." Ignius whispered to herself. Had she died when she got her powers? Is her death yet to come and the fire was just a symptom.
Nathaniel came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, he sat opposite to Ignius on the bed, and started wearing his clothes.
athaniel, fresh from his shower, began dressing, trying to ignore the unusual arrangement. He couldn't help but overhear snippets of what Ignius was reading, and his curiosity got the better of him.
"Quite the story you've got there," Nathaniel commented, trying to make sense of the bizarre tales of transformations and forest spirits.
Ignius glanced up from her reading, her face pensive. "It's more than just a story, Nathaniel. It feels like... a part of this place, like the forest itself holds secrets."
Nathaniel nodded, not fully comprehending but sensing the gravity of their situation. "We've got a lot to do. But for now, we should get some rest. We've had a long journey."
With a shared sense of unresolved mysteries and a growing connection between them, they settled down on the single bed, each lost in their thoughts, and the night descended upon the tranquil Saku Village.
Little did they know that this picturesque place held secrets beyond their wildest imagination, and their quest for answers was only beginning in this enchanting land of cherry blossoms and hidden magic.
Without their knowledge, this serene village concealed unimaginable secrets, and their quest had just begun in this magical land of cherry blossoms.
YOU ARE READING
The Dead Kingdom
FantasyBorn with the ability to control fire. Surely that won't backfire! Daughter of the Elegros' that left her and her brother in a orphanage, Ignius Elegro. Ignius was an orphan who wanted to explore the outside world. On her sixteenth birthday, she got...
