The Royal Knight Academy

Chapter 32: Potion's with a Plot Twist

The order for the King had finally been completed at last. We had officially found all of the ingredients needed for the King's potion. After delivering the stone to Duke a little hesitant and confused, I spent the rest of the night in my bedroom laying in bed. My thoughts were focused on Dusk and Dawn's story and the significance of the magical stone they had helped me get. That night it felt like I never fell asleep, instead thinking about who the mysterious figure was in their memory. Was it the King himself who sent us on this mission? Thinking about it more, something didn't quite add up. Why would the King request something that he already had? If he had the Sun and Moon Stone, then he wouldn't need us to get it. There was something I was missing. If only I had a little bit more information, then I would be able to figure out who really stole the stone and maybe even figure out the mystery of the potion.

The next day was supposed to be a normal training day. Even if we just finished a major mission, our training was not done. I decided to take a different path to the training room for a change in scenery. Everything in the castle looked familiar so I was not shocked when I found myself accidentally down a hallway I had never seen before. Trying to figure out where I was, I tried finding a name on a door or anything to help tell what this hall was. As I was looking at all of the closed doors, I noticed I could hear someone talking behind one of them. I put my head closer trying to make out what was being said. I realized the door was ajar. If I got close enough to the slight gap, I might be able to see who was inside. I wasn't at all expecting to see what I saw inside.

The room was filled with colorful vials and in the center was a black iron cauldron. There next to the pot was Duke. I wondered what Duke was doing in this strange room until I saw him adding all of the ingredients we had gathered on our missions. He was creating the King's potion. Right in front of my eyes, he added each item into the giant pot, stirring it exactly twenty times clockwise, just as the old book in the library said. At the end, he spoke something that I couldn't understand and then there was a puff of thick smoke. The scent of it wafted towards me, with a pungent scent of pepper and a hint of cinnamon and ginger. As Duke poured the potion in a tiny vial, I decided I should get out of there quickly. I was sure I was not supposed to be watching and I needed to get to the training room before he did. I swiftly turned around, and went back the way I came.

Back in the training room, I joined the others who were already there waiting. Only moments later, Duke opened the door behind us and appeared to be holding something in his hands.

He suddenly announced to all of us in a booming tone, "Congratulations to all of you for officially completing the King's royal assignment! All of your hard work these past couple of months have really paid off and have shown me that you all have great potential in becoming true knights. For your hard work and determination, I thought that it would only be fitting to celebrate your accomplishments with a toast."

He handed each of us a glass filled with a rich golden brown liquid that looked like cider, with the scent of fresh autumn apples filling the room. Everyone stared at each other a little taken aback. Everything had been so serious in training and now it seemed like we could put those missions in the past and relax. Duke raised his glass.

When he did, everyone turned and gave Duke their full attention as he exclaimed, "A toast! A toast for a successful mission completed! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" we all shouted back, lifting our glasses in the air.

As everyone took a drink, I wondered how I could take a drink with my helmet on. I carefully and only slightly lifted my visor up just enough that the glass could touch my mouth without showing the rest of my face. Just about to take a sip, my nose caught a whiff of something familiar. Peppery with a hint of cinnamon and ginger, just like the potion. Why would it smell like the potion for the King? Confused, I lowered my visor and the drink, turning to my left. Next to me, Xavier stood, watching everyone ceIebrating. I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.