Me and Eugene ventured back into the forest, climbing the steep ground I had previously fallen from. As we neared the tall, seemingly insurmountable wall, Eugene voiced his concern, "How are we going to climb this wall? The surface looks smooth."

I hushed him and said, "Okay, let's make one thing clear. You are related to the previous sultan, right?"

Eugene hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded, "Yeah, I was his nephew."

"Great. Now, you must also know about the relics, right?"

He seemed taken aback by my knowledge but reluctantly replied, "Hmmm."

"Perfect. Now, look here," I said, displaying the grappling hook in my hand. "This is an relic too."

Eugene appeared puzzled, asking, "What? How did you get it?"

"In my journey, but that's a long story. The explanation can wait. Just hold onto me quickly," I urged.

"Huh?" Eugene seemed confused.

"Quick, like hold onto my shoulder or something," I clarified.

Eugene grabbed my shoulder, and I inserted the coin into my belt. The belt glowed, and after that, I activated the grappling hook.

"Woah," Eugene gasped in amazement.

Now I didn't have any idea how to ascend slowly but with my hypostasis, I just turned the switch slowly and it worked, now we were ascending up at a more bearable speed and soon, we had successfully climbed to the top.

"So that's what the relic does!" exclaimed Eugene in surprise. "Very useful," he added as his voice wavered upon seeing the execution platform.

I used Perucolysis to scan our surroundings and noticed someone spying on us from behind between the trees. I turned to get a better look but the figure quickly hid behind a tree, confirming my suspicion that it was Norah following us.

As I continued to watch, I felt a signal from afar, followed by a stronger one. I looked toward the castle and saw a red ball approaching us in a trajectory, rapidly getting larger.

"Damn it! Eugene, we have to descend quickly; we're under attack," I warned. "Quick, hold onto me."

Eugene saw the approaching fireball and nodded. We swiftly descended using the grappling hook and ran towards where the carts were. As we slid down the steep ground, a powerful tremor shook the ground behind us.

Eugene informed the others, "They are dead, already executed!"

Ozan, frustrated, struck a tree and said, "Shit! The guards are about to come too. This place is not safe; we should get back to Astareen."

Eugene continued, "I really don't know how I'll be facing Mathew now. We said tha-"

Ozan interrupted him, shaking his shoulder, "I know this is unfortunate, but we also gotta get out of here. You were finding Aries for so long, right? Now he's here. You don't want him to get mixed in all this, right?"

"Yeah, quickly, Aries, get on that cart!" Eugene pointed to an empty cart where Marco was already sitting.

"The guards are relentless, don't they? Ouch, ouch," groaned Marco.

I climbed into the cart and asked, "How's your leg?"

"Broken, as I said earlier, but this position feels less painful," replied Marco.

Eugene joined us in the cart, and Dany, the guy from before, took the front seat and drove the cart away.

As we journeyed toward Astareen, the capital of Eblistan, I seized the moment in the cart to explain the events that had unfolded for the past few days.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"So, you see," I began, "these were the signs that my friend had warned me about. We even heard the voice of the third person back on the island. But now, as we approach Astareen, we still remain uncertain about the true intentions of this third individual."

"A third person leading you here huh, and you said he is above from the sky, as he said that he can throw the sun at you, of course, might be bluffing," Eugene commented.

"Maybe so, but in that place, what you called a stronghold, I saw him using his power. As I tried to call out to him, he really was seeing everything, even now I believe he might be spying on us, from above probably," I replied, sharing my concerns,

For a brief period, Eugene was silent as he kept looking up at the cart's ceiling. He answered quietly, "Might be,"

"So, what's that thing on your forearm?" He asked pointing out the grappling hook

"Ah, this" I showed him its function by firing it far afar and then calling it back immediately so that it wouldn't get stuck.

"Hmmm, interesting, so there are other Relics too."

We were still traveling when my curiosity got the better of me and I enquired, "So, how is Eblistan? I don't know where I'm going.

As he started to explain where we were going, Eugene's eyes glistened. "Oh, it's a wonderful place, perhaps the best on earth. It is the best trading hub after Constantinople and has the best land after India. In this tiny area of land beneath the Arabian subcontinent, we have everything. vast plains, deserts, sandy beaches, snow-capped mountains, and rainforests. However, there are many political issues as well, particularly with Britain because of the Imperial Legion. However, our capital is thriving. People from all over the world can be found there, and traders travel there to conduct business."

Eugene's eyes lit up as he continued to paint a picture of Astareen, "Also, Astareen is a vast city. There are countless shops, bustling streets, and impressive architecture. It's quite a sight to behold. You could imagine it being as large as Florence. I once had the chance to visit Florence, which is why I can make the comparison."

"I see," I replied with a crafted smile,

Eugene then mentioned, "Also, I've got to announce this news to Father; I'm sure he'll be delighted."

I asked, "Was he the older brother?"

Eugene looked momentarily perplexed. "What? Oh right, you don't know. My father was the younger brother. Still, it's a mystery how you got to Ringsheer Island."

I shared my own lack of knowledge, "I don't know much about my time in here; my earliest memories are from Ringsheer."

Eugene continued, "Also, my father sent a fleet there, to capture the island. If we had known about you, we might have strategized the plan differently."

So, they sent the fleet to capture the island, Wait! That wasn't a sign at all?

Eugene:

I really can't believe he's here," I thought to myself. "Seriously, it's so hard to believe, but something's telling me that he's the real deal. He's really Aries!"

I've been looking for hints for years, and now that Aries is here, my search has taken a different turn. As we got closer to Astareen, I couldn't help but think about how significant this chance meeting had been.

"It wasn't in vain," I reflected. "If I work hard enough, maybe I can find Uncle and Aunt too! Then, perhaps, every issue in the capital could be resolved."

The sun rose as we traveled on, illuminating the surroundings in a golden glow. The beauty of nature became apparent as the world around us changed. Then came the steady sway of farmers plowing their fields. A scene of emerald fields extended in all directions, showing the area's plentiful landscape.

In the meadows, cattle grazed joyfully. Sheep and goats strolled along the bending hillsides, under the care of shepherds dressed in garb.

With its glistening waters, the Senguine River wound its way through the plains, giving the land and the people who relied on it a lifeline. Swans and ducks glided across its surface mercy, lending the scenery a peaceful excellence.

As we got closer to the massive city walls. The heart of Eblistan was guarded by the stone fortifications, which stood silently. Wildflowers bloomed along the wall's edge, bringing bursts of color to the old stones.

A low hill rose gradually to our right, revealing the Royal Fortress far below. Its powerful watchtowers and ramparts extended into the sky.

The towers of Astareen Castle, on the other hand, seemed to reach the sky above the city. Soon, we approached the Main entrance. The gate was decorated with ornate carvings depicting events from the city's past, many times the bandits from the Arabian peninsula tried to attack the city, yet failed miserably.

Upon passing through the gate, we found ourselves at the heart of the city, Al-Omani Square. This bustling square was the epicenter of Eblistan's land trade, a place where the pulse of commerce thrived.

I noticed the familiar faces of traders in the square, and one of them was Munashik, the trader who had rented us his carts for our mission. He stood there, hands rubbing together, a friendly smile on his face."Master Eugene, I hope your trip was splendid," Munashik greeted me as I left the cart.

I replied, "Not splendid, I would say. But here, take your money," tossing a pouch of coins in his direction. Munashik deftly caught it in mid-air and swiftly made his way back to his carts.

I glanced over at Aries, who appeared utterly dumbfounded.

His wide-eyed gaze darted in all directions as he tried to absorb the Vibrant scene of the city. Chuckling softly, I reassured him, "It's okay! I can understand you must be intrigued. I'll show you around more in some time."

To Be Continued -->