It was already morning of the new day.
Lucian and the others were awake, and the magical ship was now sailing away from the port of Easthaven. As Lucian had planned, they moved to dock on the other side of the town, near the dense forest area. He didn’t want prying eyes watching when they retrieved the ship later.
Once the ship drifted close to the shore and touched the soft riverbank, the crew disembarked onto the grass. Hiccup and the others moved toward the lower decks, unlocking the large, reinforced cages built beneath the hull where the dragons had been resting during their stay in the village.
One by one, the great creatures erged, Nyx, Toothless, Stormfly, Hookfang, Barf and Belch, and the rest stretch their wings and chattering happily at the sight of the open sky. They gathered their necessary supplies, securing packs to the saddles, leaving only a few non-essential items stored safely on the shore.
When everything was ready, Lucian turned his attention back to the ship itself. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small, ornate glass bottle, the very sa one the vessel had co from in the first place. He uncorked it, holding the opening toward the hull of the ship. There was no flash, no loud noise; simply a ripple in the air. The massive structure began to shrink, collapsing in on itself, growing smaller and smaller until it was nothing more than a miniature model, swirling gently inside the glass. Lucian placed the cork back, securing it, and slipped it away.
"I’m really not getting used to that," Snotlout said, staring wide-eyed.
Lucian smiled faintly, turning to face the group. "We move now. It could take a day, or it could take several, to find exactly what we are looking for. Ti is of the essence, so let’s not waste any more of it."
They quickly mounted their dragons, shifting into their assigned positions. Mordu, large and heavy, settled comfortably onto the back of Snotlout’s dragon, much to the boy’s discomfort. rida climbed behind Ruffnut, holding her bow steady, while Ariel hopped up behind Astrid, clutching little Simba close to her chest.
Lucian opened his palm and activated Wisp Guidance. Soft blue flas appeared, dancing in the air before floating ahead, leading them deeper into the forest. He needed sothing that could lead them straight to the heart of their destination, the Lost Kingdom.
Lucian nodded to the others. They took off on their dragons, following the glowing wisps.
___
Hours passed as they flew deeper into the woods. The trees grew thicker and older, casting long shadows beneath them. Eventually, the wisps stopped in front of a massive, ancient tree.
They landed, looking around with growing confusion. They had reached what appeared to be a dead end. The wisp hovered against the bark of the giant tree, but there was nothing else here. They had circled the area twice already. There were no ruins, no castle walls, no paths, only endless trees and dense foliage.
The others dismounted and gathered around.
"So..." Snotlout crossed his arms, looking around impatiently. "What now? Did that light just bring us here to get lost?"
While Snotlout grumbled, Lucian, Hiccup, and Fishlegs huddled together, spreading out the maps they had bought in the village and the one Lucian had. They traced the markings, checking the coordinates and the large ’X’ that marked the supposed location of the kingdom. Everything said they were exactly where they needed to be, yet there was nothing to see.
As they puzzled over the discrepancy, Ariel, standing a little ways away with Simba suddenly gasped. The little cub had wriggled free from her arms and hopped down.
"Hey! Wait!" she called out, reaching for him.
Simba ignored her. His eyes were locked onto the glowing wisp. He trotted over to the giant tree, chasing the floating light. With a playful, ferocious little roar, he leaped up and slamd his paws against the thick trunk.
But instead of hitting hard bark and falling back, Simba vanished.
It was as if he had jumped straight through thin air and into nothingness.
Ariel froze, her eyes wide with shock. She rushed forward, calling his na. "Simba!"
A second later, the cub’s head popped back out from the surface of the tree, looking around curiously before pulling back inside again.
Ariel hesitated only a mont. She slowly extended her hand toward the trunk. Her fingers didn’t et wood; they simply passed through the surface as if it were made of mist or water. She pushed further, her entire arm disappearing inside the solid-looking barrier. She pulled it back quickly, her heart racing.
"Guys!" she shouted, turning to the others. "I think there’s sothing here! Co look!"
The group hurried over. Lucian stepped forward to inspect it himself, running his hand through the space where the tree should have been solid.
"An illusion?" Lucian murmured, realization dawning on him. "Or perhaps... a veil ant to hide what lies beyond."
He turned to the group, his expression shifting from curiosity to determination. "Get ready. We’re going in."
One by one, they mounted their dragons again. With Lucian leading the way, they urged their mounts forward, straight toward the giant tree. They passed through the strange barrier, the world blurring around them for a split second, and then they were out on the other side.
Everyone froze, their breath catching in their throats.
The scenery had changed completely. Behind them was the bright, sunny forest they had co from. But here... here it was cold. Heavy snowflakes drifted down from a grey, overcast sky, covering the ground in a layer of white and dominating the landscape before them stood a massive, dark fortress.
It was a frightening sight, a castle constructed from dark-blue stone with sharp, yellow-tiled roofs and spires. Black statues shaped like demonic figures and twisted monsters lined the walls and gates, their nacing faces watching all who approached. Vines of white roses grew wildly over the stone, covering cracks and climbing up the towers, beautiful yet eerie against the gloomy architecture.
They swallowed hard, exchanging nervous glances, and pressed on. The great iron gates stood slightly ajar, creaking softly in the biting wind. They walk through the opening into the courtyard, and what they saw there made their skin crawl.
Scattered across the grounds were hundreds of statues. Statues of people, knights in full armor, horses, servants, and guards. Their expressions were captured in monts of pure terror, shock, and agony, forever fixed in stone as if they had been petrified instantly by so terrible magic.
They walked toward the main entrance. The heavy doors were open, inviting yet foreboding. Cold air gusted out from within, carrying the scent of dust and age. Lucian looked at the others, received their nods of agreent, and stepped inside, pulling the heavy doors shut behind them, sealing out the snow.
They found themselves in a grand entrance hall. It was magnificent, lined with tapestries and paintings, though everything was covered in a thick layer of grey dust, untouched for centuries. Luxurious furniture, chandeliers, and fine objects lay scattered around, so overturned, as if the inhabitants had left in a terrible hurry.
As they explored deeper, passing through corridors filled with gold, silver, and jewels that had been left behind, Snotlout couldn’t help but yell out in excitent that they were practically rich just standing there. But the mood remained heavy.
Finally, they reached the end of the great hall. Lucian and Mordu pushed open the towering double doors leading into the throne room.
The sight that greeted them made them stagger back in horror and confusion.
At the far end of the room, upon a seat of obsidian and gold, sat a skeleton. It wore a tattered royal cloak and a heavy golden crown upon its skull. But the structure of the bones was wrong. It wasn’t shaped like a human’s. The limbs were too long, the teeth sharp and jagged, the proportions distinctly beast-like. It looked like the remains of a monster that had once ruled as a king.
Beside the throne, resting on a small pedestal, stood a glass case. Inside was a single flower, long since wilted and dried up, its petals crumbled away. In the bony grasp of the creature’s hand lay an old, leather-bound book, its pages closed tight, waiting for soone to read its secrets.
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