THE DARK SHADOW
Clara took the Moria seed into the hand from her pockets; the boy and Nicholas were walking in the dark forest of demos; the light was low, and the woods smelled awful.
"Arius is your grandma tale real," Clara asked.
"She used to tell me they were our past," the peasant boy replied.
"Yes, your highness, the tales were faithful, but there is no one alive today to confirm them, but the tales are wisdom we will get from our forerunners," Nicholas said.
After a while, they have reached the place where high walls are encountered; they halted and peeked at the high walls built with masonry.
"It is like a small fort not like a library," the peasant boy said.
"At first, it's a vacation base of eastern boundary for the aucreozia empire," Nicholas replied.
After moving to the left, they have found a gate broken in half. A statue of the aucreozia emperor was there; Clara moved towards the entrance.
"Be careful, don't take anything," Nicholas said.
They slowly entered the fort through the broken wooden gate, looking around and walking through the abandoned street which looked like an old market; after a few miles, they have crossed an arch and entered into the inner walls of the fort fully covered with grass, wood, and fallen walls. There is a doorway with a lion's statue on both sides of the walls; after entering the hall, they got astounded.
"What a miracle it is so tidied as it is in use," the boy said.
"What that means," Clara asked.
"That means we have entered into the demonic existence," Nicholas replied.
"What do you mean," Clara asked.
"This is not true. It is hallucination," Nicholas replied.
They looked around and walked through the hall, then entered the yard into the garden with fresh trees and bushes. They have hiked through the park and entered the small mansion constructed with black marble; they have entered the estate, pushing the door.
"What is this arena," the boy asked.
"This is the prayer arena, where prayers have been delivered," Clara said.
"Look at those idol's, they are old god's," Nicholas said.
Clara and the boy examined the idols for the first time, watching those idols.
"That is the sun god, that is moon god, and that is the war god," Nicholas said, showing at the idols.
"So, these are the old god's the people in the acroezean empire used to pray," the boy said.
"I heard that these gods are mighty," Clara said.
"Yes, they are mighty; there is a phrase that the old gods watched the aucrozean empire, and they made the empire more decisive so that even the gods can't defeat them," Nicholas said.
Then have unlocked the iron gate and entered into the stair's which took them into the basement, and the entrance was sealed; Nicholas brooked the gate and entered into the cellar, which is the old library of the European empire, as they entered into the library, it is sterile and adorning with rose aroma, Clara started to collect the books from frame's, there are a lot of books approximately 2000 books arranged in the rows in wooden frames. It stooked around 1 hour for Clara to collect the books she was looking for, but she was upset and still looking for the others.
"Do you got what you are looking for?" Nicholas asked.
"No, these are the books about the temple and the aucrozean empire," Clara said.
"First read them, your highness, look whether there were any clues about the books you're looking for," Nicholas said.
"I will look around whether there was any other library here," the boy said.
Clara sat and started to read the books; Nicholas also joined and read the books, whereas the peasant boy looked around for another clue. Clara and Nicholas read a dozen books together in two hours; the boy rushed in outcry.
"let's move. The darkness is arriving,' the boy cried in a tremble.
"What happened," Nicholas asked.
"The darkness is arriving; it is not safe to be here." The boy said.
"We are not done yet," Clara said.
"Your highness, I saw with my own eyes there are demons here when the sun sets they rule this place, there is dark magic I saw a plant disposed of when the light disappeared," the boy said.
The darkness arrives as the sun sets in the west through the high forest tree.
"let's move your highness leave the book's here," Nicholas said.
"No, I'm taking them along with me," Clara said.
"They have cursed your highness," the boy said.
"I won't believe in them; let's move," Clara said.
They started to move the darkness followed them, as the sunset, the fort looked like an old fort with the bodies of the dead man and the harpies eating them.
"This is the truth of this place; what we saw in the morning is our hallucination," Nicholas said.
They ran towards their horses without looking back as the darkness approached the near. The dark shadow followed them to the fort's gates and then stopped at the gate.
"What is that', Clara asked.
"The shadow of death," Nicholas replied.
"Holy shit, this is so dark," the boy said.
"Dark powers rule this place," Nicholas said.
"Be careful, your highness. These books are cursed," the boy said.
Clara looked at the book; the books were titled the history of Europe, the old gods and the kings, and the text of the dead. Clara tied them to the horse.
"Shall we move? It is getting dark," the boy said with terror.
"Your highness, let's move? We will come again," Nicholas said.
"Ok, let's proceed," Clara said.
Clara, Nicholas, and the boy started to ride the horse at the full pace and traversed through the forest to the forest of Malinda. After an hour, they reached the lake with shallow water, crossed them, and moved to the forest of Malinda with full pace. After an hour, they have reached the forest of Malinda. Clara Nicholas and the boy get down from the saddle.
"Nicholas go to the fort fast; if anyone asked you about your absence, tell them that I told you to visit the temple in the east," Clara said.
"As you say your highness," Nicholas replied.
"Argus ready the cart we must leave," Clara said.
"Ok your highness 10 minutes", the boy replied.
"Listen, we are not leaving anywhere until two days, if we leave the fort daily, we will get caught t; someone's alert," Clara said.
"As your wish, your highness," Nicholas and the boy replied.
"Now leave Nicholas," Clara said.
"Ok, your highness', argus take care of the princess," Nicholas said.
Nicholas started to ride towards the capital while argus was preparing the cart. after a while
"Your highness the cart is ready," argus said.
"Ok, let's move," Clara said.
Clara went to the cart and slept in a wooden box, argus started to ride the horse, and after a while, they have reached to the fort argus slowed down the horse and entered the gate; there was no guard's as everyone was in preparation for the upcoming conflict, slowly argus rode the horse towards the temple and stopped it at the storeroom Clara get down from the horse and moved to the temple slowly. Argus started to unload the supplies into the cabinet; Nicholas came to the temple and waited at the entrance for the princess; Clara went to the temple and wished everyone and performed like she had been doing some work for a long time, and then she came out and watched the Nicholas. Clara started to walk, and Nicholas escorted her.
"Did anyone ask about me," Clara asked?
"No, your highness,' Nicholas replied.
"Good, no one noticed her," Clara said.
"Yes, your highness," Nicholas replied.
"Listen, I have hidden the books in the basket along with the flowers; go and bring them," Clara said.
"Ok, your highness," Nicholas said.
Clara moved to her chamber, and Nicholas went back to bring the book; Nicholas went inside the temple and searched for the books, and he found them at the backside of the pillar. While Nicholas reached there, the priest came.
"What is the need for a guard in the temple," the high priest asked.
"Sir, the princess has forgotten her basket in the temple. She ordered me to bring the basket," the guard replied.
"Is that true ok, let me find someone to assist you," the high priest said.
"No need, sir, I can find it by myself as everyone is busy with their work; it's my duty to find it," Nicholas replied.
"Ok, the son went," the high priest said.
Nicholas went to the pillar, grabbed the basket, and started to walk out of the temple, and then he began to move to the Clara chamber. Clara standing at the door, Nicholas reached the section.
"Hurry up, give it to me," Clara said. Nicholas gave the basket.
"Wait here and look out if someone come knock on the door," Clara said.
"As you say, your highness," Nicholas replied.
Clara went in and closed the door, and opened the books.