The Dark Castle (4th part in the Mystery of the Temple in the Forest Series)

The third part:

https://vocal.media/fiction/the-journey-3rd-part-in-the-mystery-of-the-temple-in-the-forest-series

Onward with the story:

Aghat and Paramesh walked toward the castle of darkness which could clearly be seen, even from the far distance, as it was meant to be a monument for people to admire, once their kingdoms had fallen to the Dark Empire.

"Is your relic brighter than before? It feels like mine is," Aghat stated.

"I don't know," Paramesh said. "But keep an eye out."

They walked through a forest close to the castle, to provide ample cover for their bodies. Soon, they came to an open field surrounding the castle. Alert guards patrolled the castle walls, keeping an eye out for anyone who did not belong.

"What is your relic?" Aghat asked Paramesh. "You haven't told me anything about it yet."

Paramesh sighed, "The relic was a book. There is nothing in it that is useful."

"What is inside?" Aghat questioned.

"Just spells. I've tried it but none of them work that well. Here look for yourself," Paramesh threw the book to Aghat.

Aghat looked through the book. "Hey, try this light beam!"

Paramesh sighed again, "It won't work, but if you want to I will do it," Paramesh chanted the words in the spell, but nothing happened. "Told you."

That is when Aghat noticed a giant bulge in the book. "Can you give the book to me?" he asked.

"Sure, as if it will do anything," Paramesh exclaimed, throwing the book to Aghat. He flipped it to the page with the big bulge.

"Look, a wand!" Aghat exclaimed. Paramesh took the wand. "Try it with the wand!"

Paramesh chanted the words once more and positioned the wand at a guard. A beam of light came whizzing toward the guard. The guard noticed it and dove out of the way just before the light beam hit him. Instead, it hit the castle, and the castle blew up.

Debris rained down from the sky, splintering trees like they were nothing but a joke. "Is there a shield spell?" Aghat asked in terror, as huge boulders rained down.

"There is, I remember reading about it. Aha, there it is!" Paramesh clenched the wand and chanted the lyrics of the spell. A globular shield appeared around Paramesh and Aghat. A huge chunk of the outer wall slammed on to the shield, but it stubbornly held up. Soon, Paramesh and Aghat were buried under a hill of blackened debris. Paramesh used the light beam to explode the debris so that they could get out of their cave. He also made a moving platform with a spell that helped them get out of the hole.

"That was it?" Aghat questioned. "I mean there has to be more right? The castle was broken that easily? I don't believe it. There has to be more!"

Someone walked up to them. "You also have the relics? Which one of you? I heard there were five of them. By the way my name is Colletta, nice to meet the other worthy people. Taking down the emperor, right?" Colleta nervously chuckled.

"Yeah, you have missed the entire explosion of the dark castle. But this person over here believes that there is more to this," Paramesh nudged Aghat.

"There is more!" I exclaimed. "This is was way to easy!"

"And there is!" the dark emperor himself hovered above us. "That was just a whole setup to lure you into my trap! Now, give me the relics, or die!" knives rotated above the dark emperor's body. Aghat and Colleta dropped their relics on the floor. Paramesh threw the book to the floor but clenched the wand. He whipped it out from behind his back and chanted the words for the light beam. "NOPE!" the emperor yelled and the wand flew from Paramesh's hand. Chains wrapped around Aghat, Paramesh, and Colleta. "Time to go to the dungeons!"