Arrival in Greenwood
When they finally reached the city of Greenwood, the gates swung open to welcome them. The town was bustling with life — hunters, knights, servants, and noble guests filled the streets. In the castle courtyard, everything was ready for their arrival.
Lady Floralys herself awaited the high nobles.
In the great hall, a massive round oak table stood laden with the finest dishes the Green Forest could offer. The game had been hunted by Greenwood's most skilled trackers, and the aromas filled the hall: roasted meats, spiced sauces, fresh bread, and forest berries blended into a feast worthy of the Royal Hunt's eve.
Guests took their seats, goblets clinked, and lively conversations filled the room.
The banquet was rich, grand, and full of promise.
But everyone knew:
the true event would begin at dawn.
The hunt — which might be far more than a simple royal pastime.
Greenwood Castle – After the Feast
The feast had ended, and the great hall slowly emptied. Servants extinguished most of the candles, leaving only a few lanterns flickering along the walls, casting warm golden light across the stone floor. Most guests had already retired to their chambers, though faint laughter, quiet conversations, and the clinking of glasses still drifted through the corridors.
Floralys and Andras stepped out onto one of the castle balconies, where the cool evening breeze stirred the banners. Beneath the dark canopy of the Green Forest, crickets chirped, and the three moons bathed the landscape in silver light.
Floralys turned to Andras with a smile.
"So, Young Wolf — what do you think of Greenwood's cuisine? Which dish was your favorite?"
Andras leaned against the railing, gazing into the distance.
"I'm not picky. Everything was delicious."
Then he smiled.
"And it was kind of you to invite Noelle to the nobles' table. Knowing her, the moment we return home she'll try to recreate every single dish."
Floralys laughed, her voice ringing clearly into the night.
"Hahaha! How adorable. I wouldn't mind having a maid like her myself. Besides, she's no longer just a simple maid — she's a talented mage apprentice and healer. No noble has any right to complain about sharing a table with her."
Andras nodded.
"Yeah. Especially since Master Florian spent the entire dinner telling Master Albert about the perfect successor to the Wolf Mage — Noelle's achievements."
Floralys's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Wolfwood's little Fairyblossom, hm?"
Then she added thoughtfully:
"I couldn't tell if Albert's face was red from jealousy or anger."
"Or from the homemade brandy," Andras remarked.
Floralys burst into loud laughter.
"Yes, that too! Hahaha!"
Then she glanced around.
"Speaking of which… where is Noelle?"
"She went down to the castle kitchen to bake biscuits for tomorrow's hunt," Andras replied. "Since we leave at dawn, she wouldn't have time to bake them in the morning."
Floralys smiled — though there was a playful glint behind it.
"I see. I was hoping to invite her on a little adventure. But it seems it'll be just the two of us… which I don't mind at all."
Andras raised an eyebrow.
"And what kind of adventure requires the three of us?"
Floralys stepped closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.
"A little adventure for mages. Do you remember when we talked in the capital about secret rooms and hidden passages in old castles — the ones concealed by illusions? Like the one where you found the legendary heroic pizza recipe."
Andras smiled.
"I remember something like that. Don't tell me you started searching for secret rooms in your own castle."
"Oh, I did!" Floralys said proudly. "I was bored, so for fun I began looking for places where such a room might exist. And guess what… I found one. On the thirteenth day."
Andras laughed.
"You must have been really bored if you spent two weeks on that."
But Floralys only smiled wider.
"But it paid off! I found a hidden passage — and I'm certain it's a thousand years old."
Andras turned toward her, intrigued.
"Hmm… what makes you think it's that ancient?"
Floralys's expression grew serious.
"Because when I tried to enter the passage, I saw a ghost at the end of the corridor."
She spoke slowly, deliberately:
"And she looked exactly like the description you gave me of the Hero Mage Elisabeth — from a thousand years ago."
The air froze around them.
The silence of the Green Forest suddenly felt much deeper.
Greenwood Castle – The Hidden Passage
The echoes of the feast had already faded from the castle corridors. Most guests were in their rooms preparing for the next day's hunt; others lingered in small groups, chatting quietly. But deep within the castle, two figures were heading somewhere entirely different.
Floralys and Andras descended the spiral staircase of the deep tower. The stone steps were cold beneath their boots, and the torches along the walls flickered, casting long shadows that swayed with every movement. The air grew cooler as they went down, and the noise of the upper floors slowly vanished behind them.
Floralys spoke softly, as if even the walls might be listening.
"Eli's spirit?!" Andras repeated in shock. "That's impossible! Or… wait. Eli was a genius mage. If she copied her consciousness and some magical construct has been sustaining her existence, then it is possible her… let's say spirit… survived a thousand years! That's incredible! We must go at once!"
Then he suddenly stopped.
"But wait… why didn't you explore the passage further?"
Floralys halted on the stairs and looked back at him. Her expression was serious — almost vulnerable.
"Isn't it obvious?" she whispered. "Because I was afraid."
Andras blinked in surprise.
"You're afraid of ghosts?"
Floralys sighed and placed a hand on the railing.
"Elisabeth, the Hero Mage… she isn't just some wandering spirit."
Her voice trembled for a moment.
"She was a powerful mage — far stronger than I am. What if she possessed me? I might never be myself again."
Andras nodded, now understanding.
"Alright, fair enough. In that case… shouldn't we bring Noelle along?"
Floralys practically jumped.
"No, no! Don't you dare!" she said quickly. "Now I definitely want to go down there with you — just the two of us!"
Andras smiled and gave a playful bow, as if taking part in a knightly game.
"Then lead the way, Lady Elf‑Mage. I shall follow you on this adventure."
Floralys's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Come with me then, Mage‑sir… and protect me from the legendary spirit."
The two mages continued descending into the tower's depths. The spiral staircase seemed endless, but they did not go all the way to the bottom. At a certain point, Floralys stopped and pointed at a stone wall.
"Here," she whispered.
The wall looked completely ordinary… but up close, faint, almost invisible lines ran between the stones. The outline of a hidden door.
Floralys placed her palm against the stone and murmured softly. The wall trembled, then slid aside without a sound, revealing a narrow, dark corridor leading deep into the castle.
The air was cold, carrying the scent of dust and something ancient.
Andras stepped forward and peered into the darkness.
"Then let the adventure begin."
Floralys moved beside him, and together they crossed the threshold of the hidden passage.
The darkness swallowed them, and from the depths of the corridor a cold, ancient energy drifted toward them.