18

Irina and her aides finally reached the destination which looked like an abandoned temple.

It was not huge like usual temples but it was still big.

Irina stepped forward and pushed the huge black doors to open the temple. It was a deserted place that had not been entered in many years possibly.

As everyone looked inside from the door everything seemed to be normal but the intel they recieved could not be wrong.

Thus they decided to search the whole place. Maybe there was really a treasure here if not the artifact they were searching for.

But what happened next was not something anyone was expecting.

As soon as Irina stepped in the doors of the temple closed and the whole temple vanished from its place.

It was as if the temple was not there at all in the first place.

This was an emergency for the aides. Their leader Irina had also vanished alongside the temple.

One of them hurriedly took our his communicater and shouted the words after activating it.

" Its code red. I repeat this is an emergency and code red is applied immediately."

As soon as his words fell into the ears of those on the other side everyone was in panick.

The emergency team was prepared on a few moments and dispatched towards their destination.

If they could not find the princess then the king will definitely punish them for losing his favourite child.

When the team arrived the three people that were present there waiting for them rushed to them and explained what had happened when they came here.

As much they listened their faces turned grim. And they feared for the worst.

The leader among them was to decide what to do as the next course of action.

After discussing it through they decided if the princess did not come out of that mysterious temple by the morning then they would send a message for the king.

Now it all depends on Irina.

**

In the mysterious temple

As soon as the Irina entered the doors closed preventing her from going back or communicating with anyone.

Irina became disoriented at how things had unfolded in such a situation.

She tried to use her communicater but it was not even activating.

Suddenly the desolated temple turned into something new.

The walls turned into beautiful mountains. The ceiling surged and merged with the sky to become a blue expanse.

The pillars became green trees with flowers and fruits. And the statue of whatever God it was turned into an old man.

The old man was sitting peacefully at a table that was in front of him while sipping tea from his cup.

He looked serene almost peaceful until Irina noticed a pile of skeletons in a distance and her expressions became one of horror.

This old man was surely sometime not to be trifled with.

He had a huge sword that was resting by the table. It was not sheathed and its blade was gleaming under the moonlight.

The old man had long white hair and was playing a game of chess against himself.

" Oh there is finally someone here. I have gotten bored of staying alone.

Young girl, why don't you come and keep this old man company while you are already here."

The old man spoke. His voice hoarse from not speaking in ages. He gestured to a seat in front of him to Irina.

Seeing that she had no choice but to accept this old man's words, she sat down across from him.

She asked out of curiosity.

" Senior could you please tell this young one where am I and how can I get out of here?"

She bowed and hoped that he would answer her correctly.

Otherwise it seemed like she had no chance of going out of here in time before anyone finds out about her disappearance.

She had too many responsibilities and could not stay out for long.

When the old man saw her being respectful he laughed happily.

" Oh! Young lads these days have really changed. Some people who came here earlier died just because of their disrespectful nature."

He laughed and drank his tea in a big gulp.

Then he stood up with his sword in his hand and showed her something beyond her limits.

He moved gracefully with his sword. His movements sharp and somehow graceful. Every consecutive movement turned to a larger one and they became bigger and bigger until the final movement was unleashed and the nearby mountain was cut neatly in two halves by that movement.

Irina watched in stunned silence as the old man performed those movements. Her hands itching to pick up her own sword and do the same.

As the old man returned to his seat,he smiled and said, " There is no need to worry young girl. I must say you have a huge potential according to your age but now that you are here it does not matter anymore."

Irina tried to understand what the old man meant but his next lines made her freeze as she took in the dangerous situation she was in.

" You asked how can you get out of this place. If you can perform the sword art I just showed you and yield acceptable results in one month, you will be free to go.

But if you fail to do so in the coming next month you will accompany me here always till you die and become a part of that huge pile of skeletons there."

The old man concluded while pointing at the pile of skeletons at a distance.

So that was why there were so many skeletons here.

But right now she had no time to think about these things. The most important thing was the task in hand and that was to copy and integrate those sword movements in her body so that she could leave this place and don't die.

Irina started her practice right then and there, at some distance from the old man.

The old man watched her and thought.

This girl is extremely talented. I wonder from which kingdom she is and how did she end up in this cursed place.

Anyway I have a good feeling that this girl is hardworking and will surely pass the trial.

I am finally going to be free.

Hahahaha...