Several disappearances and unexplained events have been registered shorty after the commercialization of an ancient statue linked to some legends from a mysterious place called "Reich der Finsternis" in eastern Germany, there is no know route leadin...
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In search of the crown
The overwhelming information about the consumption and transfer of blood still echoed in Liz's mind; she couldn't imagine a scenario where this would be useful to her. Although the story had offered her a new angle on the mission, young Florian's revelations had triggered an anxiety she had never felt before and was struggling to keep in check. Deep down, she had a powerful urge to release the frustration and sadness gnawing at her. She knew she could count on Bernard, with whom she had developed a strong friendship since joining his team, and Chris, for whom she had quickly gained respect and admiration, despite the brief time they had worked together. However, Florian's unpredictable nature kept her from saying anything just yet.
The villager, calm and unaffected, was already heading toward one of the horses. With a smooth leap, he took control of the animal, which was still focused on its feed. The agents exchanged uneasy glances, still haunted by the image of riders storming toward them earlier, spreading fear and death wherever they went.
"Relax," Florian called over his shoulder from atop the horse, "these horses are clean—they won't attack you."
Liz knew that without their van, it would take hours to reach their next destination, exposing them to countless dangers lurking in the Forest of Doom—dangers that would only grow worse as the night fell once more. Her greatest hope was to locate the queen's crown and then make a beeline for the library, their one shot at salvation.
Resolute and focused, she approached the largest of the horses, its coat a deep, dark brown. As she drew closer, childhood memories of her grandfather's ranch flooded her mind—afternoons spent caring for horses under his watchful eye. She reached out tentatively to stroke its head, unsure of how it would react. But her instincts kicked in. This was just a regular horse, one that would respond calmly to a gentle hand, just as she had learned long ago. Her confidence grew as she realized it was free of the decay they had feared. With practiced ease, she mounted the horse, taking the reins as if it were second nature. Chris and Bernard stared, amazed.
"Wow, I didn't know you could ride," Bernard said, looking at the horse as if it was some kind of mystery he had to solve.
"There's a lot you don't know about me," Liz replied, flashing him a faint smile.
Being on horseback again reignited her determination to fight. It was a connection to her past she hadn't revisited since her grandfather passed—the man who taught her everything about horses. At the same time, a wave of nostalgia hit her, and the thought crossed her mind that she might not survive this mission to fulfill her dream of traveling to England and exploring her family's roots.
It was then that Liz realized how much of her life she hadn't shared with Bernard. She noticed him glancing at the other horse, clearly wanting to ride but hesitating.
"Come on, get on already," she teased, trying to encourage him. "You threw one of Holzmann's killers into a river. Don't tell me you're scared of a horse."
