Moonlight Castle

After days of travel, Umbrax City finally revealed itself over the horizon. It was grand, as grand as the legends claimed. Countless towers stretched skyward, each crafted in the same enigmatic style as the roads and ruins that had guided them here. The city was colossal, its farthest edges lost beyond the curvature of the land.

As their wagon creaked forward, they passed beneath the watchful gaze of towering statues. Silent sentinels, frozen in time, their expressions unreadable. The vastness of the road beneath them made them feel small, like ants traversing a path meant for giants. The air was thick with silence, an unnatural hush that sent a shiver down Kazimir’s spine.

From time to time, distant howls echoed through the ruins. Whether it was the wind whispering through hollow corridors or something far more sinister, none of them could tell.

Hours passed before they finally reached the base of the ruins. The colossal main gate loomed ahead, taller than the tallest tower Kazimir had ever seen, its structure nearly lost in the sky’s embrace. The gate itself stood a hundreds feet high, an unyielding monolith of ancient craftsmanship.

Flanking its sides were two titanic knight statues, each larger than even the towering city walls. Their stone forms stood tall, heads reaching the clouds, sword held in both hands to the ground, shields resting at their feet. Inscribed upon their shields and armor, and emblazoned high above the gate, was the crest of Umbrax royal family, a white flame with a crescent moon in the middle.

The flame represented the Moonfire, the divine gift bestowed upon the royal family by the goddess herself. The moon, an eternal symbol of her presence.

The city walls loomed ever larger with every step forward, their sheer size and craftsmanship becoming more apparent. Intricate carvings adorned the stone, stories etched in eternity, telling of a civilization lost to time.

Kazimir’s breath caught as he took in the sheer scale of the place. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, ancient, imposing, and hauntingly beautiful.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Aldrich’s voice was thick with awe.

“As a craftsman, I can’t even begin to imagine the skill it took to create something like this.”

“Shut up, both of you.”

Judas’s voice was a sharp whisper, his eyes flickering toward the gate ahead. His posture had stiffened, every muscle tense, his knuckles white around the reins.

“We’re about to enter a goddess-forsaken ruin filled with monstrosities beyond human comprehension. Once we’re inside, no more talking. We use sign language only.”

He turned to face them, his gaze stern, unyielding.

“Understood?”

One by one, they nodded, the weight of his words settling over them like a heavy shroud.

Judas exhaled, steadying himself.

“Good. Now, remember the plan. We each watch a different direction. I’ll take the front. Jake, you cover the left. Kazimir, you take the rear. Aldrich, you’re on the right. If you see something, don’t speak. Use hand signals.”

Another round of nods.

“And remember,” Judas added, his tone even sharper now. “Once we pass through that gate, not a word.”

With that, the wagon rolled forward, its wheels crunching over frost and snow, leaving faint tracks behind.

The gate swallowed them in shadow as they passed beneath its archway.

Then, the silence of the city consumed them whole.