Chapter: Chapter 49 - All for a RibbonA new day dawned, and the knights gathered before the construction site. The area around the stage and beneath the arch was being prepared for an arena.“This is for the future challenges!” the King said.“By now, you should know that jousting and duelling are mainstays of the Grand Tourney,” the Princess addressed the contestants. But her gaze was fixed on the nameless knight with hope. Her eyes asked him to defeat Rolfe if he could.“Worry not about it. First, you must find a way to make it through the second game!” The Announcer called forth the organizers, who carried baskets of ribbons toward the knights. The crowd watched with excitement.“Each of you bears a secret number: the sum of your flags. Seek the one ribbon that matches your sum exactly. Fail that, and three different ribbons will still grant you passage. But beware: every ribbon you carry makes you a target,” the Announcer said.Tension hung thick in the air. Rolfe could taste it. William dreaded it.“Return here by to
Last Updated: 2026-03-02
Chapter: Chapter 48 - The Grand TourneyThe sun rose over the sea of flags waving towards the Capital. Knights across the Kingdom had graced their citizens with their presence. The knights, who came from afar, proudly arrived.And without warning, the blaring of horns summoned them to assemble before the King and the rest of the Court. The knights all lined up. One by one they passed by the arch where the King and the Princess looked on with gleeful smiles. But beneath her sweet smile the Princess dreads the day Rolfe wins this tourney and prays other knights can best him.The Announcer of the game took the stage and declared many famous knights’ family names while spectators welcome their arrival.“Welcome young and old to the Grand Tourney!” the Announcer said as the Capital roared. Roses, beer, and bread fill the air! The festivities helped the Kingdom to breathe again. This is the perfect opportunity to relax and bond with family and friends after the things Pentalium had done. This is the peace the King desperately fou
Last Updated: 2026-02-20
Chapter: Chapter 47 - No more hurtWith John back, happiness and hope returned to the hearts of the broken. Ingrid and her grandmother gave him the tightest hug he had ever experienced, and they dined together. William finally smiled, and Julie and Harold breathed easily for the first time. The wound Pentalium had inflicted was staunched the moment John enveloped them with his warmth.The following day, John gathered the leaders of Tarwood and held a meeting to discuss the return of Pentalium. He appeared before them, a broken man from his injuries and his missing hand yet he was still the same John they knew. Vengeance burned hot within their stomachs, but John asked them to hold it down and divert it toward their enemies.“Rolfe,” John uttered the name with such disdain that the room grew tense. “He commands the Pentalium and the knights across the Kingdom.” He reminded them that their enemy was so powerful that none could face him openly.John turned to William and asked if the Princess had visited them. Surely, the
Last Updated: 2026-02-18
Chapter: Chapter 46 - Fever and DreamIngrid guided Julie and Harold through the thickets of the forest, evading every road to prevent being seen by Rolfe’s minions. Words were too heavy to speak; each carried the weight of screams echoing in the dark, the crush of stone, and the unbearable truth: Pentalium had never died. It had only waited.When they stumbled into Tarwood at last, the townsfolk froze.“Why do you look like ghosts?”“Where is John?”“Why are you covered in mud?”William rushed forward, arms open, and then stopped. The chill rolling off them was colder than winter.Ingrid’s knees buckled. Tears carved clean tracks through the grime on her face. “The entire team… gone,” she choked. “Buried. John stayed behind so we could live…”Her voice shattered. Julie crumpled beside her, shoulders shaking with silent, endless sobs. Harold stood motionless as if part of him had remained beneath the rubble.Tarwood fell silent. Confusion curdled into sorrow, then to a heartbeat of grief and rage.Julie lifted her head, v
Last Updated: 2026-01-08
Chapter: Chapter 45 - Vengeful HeartJulie's The Lost Eyes of Zonia sold out its first printing in a week. Copies reached universities, taverns, and even remote villages. Scholars pored over the translated tablets, debating the hierarchy of Sense in late-night lectures. Blacksmiths who patterned the chapter on Zonian metallurgy for a new alloy created armors that gleamed brighter than any work before. Julie's work captivated people of all walks of life. Her book inspired many to learn more from their past, prompting a new generation of researchers and educators.At the excavation site south of the Capital, progress surged. The Princess's decree, which she issued months earlier in agreement with Julie and the boys, transformed the dead-end tunnels into public wonders. They converted it into museums: torchlit chambers where visitors walked ancient Zonian streets, touching glowing crystals that still caught stray sunlight from surface vents. Entry fees and grants kept shovels moving, lamps burning, and researchers fed.The
Last Updated: 2026-01-05
Chapter: Chapter 44 - Many CeremoniesJohn tried to fix his armor on his arm, but it kept slipping. He tries to fix it again, but the same result happens. William, who is also putting on his armor on the other side of the room, notices his friend's struggle and approaches John, assisting him with his dilemma.The pressure of the day's ceremony began to weigh on John's mind. Ceremony of their knighting and a wedding, surely a man can only handle so much in one day.William reminded him that it's customary for the hunter tribe to wed their partner on their most defining day. For most in the tribe, it's after climbing the highest peak on the land or killing a rare animal. But for John, it's his knighting."What a year it has been, my friend. Almost a year since we defeated the Inquisition." William said, trying to cheer him up, but John is still a nervous wreck"And six months ago, after we passed the exam, I asked Ingrid's hand. I thought this would be the best way to build our community. And now I am paying for it," John r
Last Updated: 2025-12-19