The Inner Kingdom

Chapter Six - The Celebration

Location: The Castle

◑ April ◐

Once outside we were in what I assumed was the main hall, since it was as wide as a freeway. The walk down the hall felt like it was to an execution, not a celebration; no one talked, smiled, or even looked excited.

"Should we be scared?" Angie whispered as we continued down the long corridor that seemed to have no end.

"I'm thinking the same thing," Ashley chipped in. "Why can't don't I hear anything? We should at least be able to hear music."

"You hear nothing because everyone is waiting for the guests of honor," Mina stated, obviously eavesdropping on our conversation.

The hall was dimly lit by small globes filled with a swirling white light, which was the same as the giant one I saw in the ceiling of the room with the silver floor.

I wonder what is inside them. Before I could ask anyone, Mina and Pearl stopped, all of a sudden, in front of a giant gold door with a picture of a dragon intricately carved in it.

"We have finally arrived," Mina announced as she turned to us with a serious expression on her face. "No matter what happens, never let your guard down, and most importantly, let no one see your weak side."

We heard her message loud and clear, as I resisted the urge to go back and lock myself in the room with the giant bed.

Pearl gently knocked on the door once, causing it to open up to show a long staircase.

"I give you the dragon warriors!" a giant man announced from inside the room. He was twice the size of me and looked like a wrestler.

The applause following the announcement was deafening and made me forget all about the intimidating announcer.

Peering down from the top of the staircase, I saw what had to be thousands of people, crowding around the bottom step.

The hordes of people weren't the reason why my sisters and I couldn't move from the threshold; down below us, the entire room floor was completely made out of glass, offering us a beautiful, yet frightening, view of the valley and hillside below. It was as if everyone was standing in midair.

"It's okay, remember what I said," Mina encouraged as she motioned for us to descend the stairs. "No fear."

"What is the weight limit for that floor?" Ashley asked, her voice trembling a little.

"I'm sure it will not crack under our added weight," Angie whispered, trying to lighten to the mood. "Well, I pray I'm not wrong."

Grasping my sisters' hands in mine, we braced ourselves for what was to come, as we moved forward together.

After reaching the bottom steps, I could see everything clearer, causing me to look up at the light source only to find a giant chandelier that took up most of the ceiling, and instead of light bulbs, I saw the same swirling balls of light I saw before; they were burning brighter than the ones that were in the hallway.

Some of the same royal guard members who threatened our lives earlier were now making a path for us through the massive crowds.

Life can be very funny sometimes.

All around, people whispered and pointed at us. Many faces in the crowd showed doubt and condescension, but we did not falter from what Mina told us and kept a calm mask on.