Saruto and Lucien emerged from the treasure room with quiet steps, each content with what they had found. The chests around them gleamed under the torchlight, but they no longer looked at them. In Saruto's hand, the key forged from the energy of darkness flickered faintly, like a living, breathing entity, while Lucien carefully draped the white robe over his arm as if it were a sacred relic.
Saruto paused for a moment, gazing at the key between his fingers, purple sparks dancing across it. "Void," he whispered to himself, his voice low. "You can hear me, can't you?"
From the depths of his being came a deep, resonant voice, like an echo from an endless cavern: "I hear you, Saruto… What is it?"
Holding the key before his eyes, he said with a mixture of curiosity and caution, "This is my family's treasure, a key forged from the very energy of darkness… But what is its purpose? I don't recall anyone in our family ever speaking of it before."
A brief silence fell before Foid replied in his quiet, awe-filled voice, "I don't know, Saruto. I'm sorry to disappoint you. But I advise you to ask Ethan; perhaps he knows something about this key."
Saruto studied the key for a moment, then said with a faint smile, "Then, when we return… I will ask Ethan about it."
He placed the key inside his black coat and turned to face Lucien, who was scanning the corridors to ensure no one was approaching. "Let's get out of here before they discover what happened," Saruto said matter-of-factly.
Lucien nodded in agreement, and they quickly left the corridors, retracing their steps. As soon as they were outside the palace grounds, the effects of Lucien's Ice Breathing skill vanished, and everything returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
As they walked through the kingdom's alleyways toward the Gateway, Lucien, gazing at the sandy horizon beginning to glow with the rising sun, said, "I wonder... how are Ryan and Kyle doing now? I can't stop thinking about them. They're in the Jungle Kingdom, and there they'll face the Jungle and Sand Princess... will they be alright?"
"They're probably in trouble already," replied Saruto, glancing at the sand swirling around them.
"We have to go help them," Lucien added, his voice filled with concern. "We can't leave them alone there."
Saruto paused, his eyes narrowed, then said with quiet confidence, "We will... but first, we must return these treasures to our families. Then we'll move immediately."
They reached the magical gate, still glowing with blue threads, and passed through it, returning to the academy. He greeted them and they led him to the Director's office. The hall was spacious, surrounded by crystals that reflected magical energy onto the walls. The Director sat behind his large desk, scribbling something on a scroll before looking up in surprise. "You're back so quickly… Did you encounter any trouble there?"
Saruto and Lucien exchanged a quick glance, then Saruto said calmly, "We faced some obstacles, but we managed to overcome them. We didn't meet the Sand Princess, as you instructed, but Kyle and Ryan will face problems now. The Sand Princess has gone to the Forest Kingdom."
The Director breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. That means your mission was completed without incident. But… what about Ryan and Kyle? If the two princesses are there… then it doesn't bode well."
Saruto reached out and placed the dark key and white robe on the table. He said confidently, "Take these treasures to our families. Now, open a portal for us to the Forest Kingdom. We must help them immediately."
The Director hesitated for a moment, then said, "Even if you open the gate, how will you find them in that vast kingdom?"
Saruto smiled faintly, his voice enigmatic. He clasped his hands behind his back and said, "Before we left, I left my Shadow Soldiers within their shadows to keep an eye on them. But because of the distance, I can no longer sense them. If you transport us to the Forest Kingdom, I'll be able to re-establish contact with my soldiers, and then I'll know their exact location."
The Director's eyes widened in surprise. "A brilliant idea… I wouldn't have thought of that," he said with obvious admiration. "Very well then."
They headed outside. The Director raised his hand and drew glowing symbols in the air. A massive gate opened, bathed in emerald-green light, and a powerful wind began to swirl around it.
Saruto turned to Lucien and said with quiet confidence, "Let's save these two fools."
Lucien smiled. "And they'll owe us a debt of gratitude."
The two stepped inside the gate, their bodies fading into the swirling light, leaving behind a trail of shadow and ice energy mingling in the air, while the director quietly closed the gate, muttering, "I hope they return safely."