The morning came wrapped in silver mist, the kind that blurs the line between dream and reality. The air was cold, heavy with the scent of rain and pine. For two days, the cottage had been filled with the sound of preparation — clinking metal, whispered enchantments, and the rustle of cloth and leather.
No one spoke of fear. But it lingered, unspoken, in every breath.
Naya sat cross-legged near the hearth, her hands moving swiftly as she sealed small pouches filled with herbs and crushed petals. "These will help stop bleeding," she said, tying them shut with vines. "And this powder—" she lifted a small jar glowing faintly green "—will drive away venom from bites."
Kai crouched beside her, curious. "So… you can cure poison with plants?"
"Only if I use them right," Naya replied, giving him a teasing smile. "If I use the wrong one, you'll turn purple."
Kai blinked. "Wait— what?"
Lyra chuckled from across the room as she hammered a metal blade against stone. "Relax, city boy. She's joking… mostly."
"Mostly!?" Kai exclaimed.
Eira was sitting near the window, weaving strands of enchanted silk into cloaks. "These should keep you warm and silent," she said softly. "And maybe protect you from the wind's whispers."
"The wind whispers?" Noah asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's not ominous at all."
"It's better than screams," Lyra muttered, testing her blade. The metal shimmered with faint gold veins, forged with her own flame. "We don't know what's guarding that place. The boys will need something to fight back with."
Jimin glanced up. "We don't exactly know how to fight."
"Then learn," Lyra said bluntly. "I'll teach you enough to stay alive."
She handed each boy a small curved dagger, beautifully crafted — the edges glinting with a faint blue glow. "Fire-tempered steel," she explained. "Not enchanted like ours, but sharp enough to make a shadow bleed."
Ethan weighed his in his hand. "Feels heavier than it looks."
"That's because it's real," Lyra said, meeting his eyes. "So don't drop it."
Ardelle entered then, carrying bundles of dried bread, fruits, and bottles of crystal water. "That's all we can take," she said gently. "We can't carry more without slowing down."
Jimin smiled faintly. "Even your rations look royal."
"It's the least we can do for guests risking their lives," Ardelle replied, though her eyes softened.
Saehwa, sitting at the far table with the Book of Wonders open before her, hadn't spoken for hours. The ancient runes on the pages glowed faintly as she studied them, her brow furrowed.
Eira approached quietly. "You've been staring at that for too long. Rest for a bit."
Saehwa shook her head. "I can't. I'm trying to find the path through the library. If I misread a symbol, we could walk in circles forever."
Ardelle placed a gentle hand on her sister's shoulder. "You've done this before, little one. You'll guide them safely."
Saehwa's voice dropped to a whisper. "I only ever went in the library and never this far. I never went near the castle"
The fire crackled softly, and for a moment, no one spoke.
Then Eira said, "That's why we're preparing together. No one enters this alone."
By noon the next day, the group stood outside the cottage — nine figures cloaked in grey and blue, faces half-hidden beneath hoods. The mist clung to the grass, swirling around their boots.
The distant shape of the Forbidden Castle loomed ahead — vast, hauntingly beautiful, its towers spiraling into the clouds. Once the home of the Last King and his family, now it stood shrouded in silence but proud, wrapped in a faint shimmering light.
Jimin stopped walking, eyes wide. "That's… breathtaking."
"Even after all this time," Ardelle said softly, her gaze lingering on the distant towers. "It still looks like it's secured itself for its king to return."
Noah frowned slightly. "And that glow? That's the barrier?"
Saehwa nodded. "Yes. An invisible shield. Touch it, and you'll burn instantly — body and soul."
Noah took a cautious step back. "Noted. No touching shiny air."
Lyra smirked. "At least he learns fast."
They continued toward the north, the wind howling faintly as if warning them away. The ground beneath grew rocky, the grass giving way to cracked earth and patches of ancient ruins — reminders of what once was.
Ethan broke the silence. "Saehwa, how far is this underground entrance?"
"Not far now," she replied. "It's hidden near the cliff's edge — the place where I used to sneak in to read when I was younger."
"You used to come here alone?" Noah said, incredulous. "You're either fearless or crazy."
"Both," Lyra said dryly. "It runs in the family."
Saehwa smiled faintly but didn't reply. Her focus was ahead, where the cliff descended sharply into shadow. She stopped suddenly and knelt, brushing away layers of moss to reveal carved symbols in the stone.
"Here," she whispered. "This is the way."
The markings shimmered faintly as she pressed her palm against them. The rock shifted with a low, groaning sound, revealing a narrow opening that led downward — dark and cold, like a breath from another world.
A soft blue light bloomed in Saehwa's hand as she stepped inside first. "Follow me closely," she said. "Don't stray from the light."
The boys exchanged glances, then followed — Ardelle last, sealing the entrance behind them with a quiet word.
Inside, the Library of the Forbidden Castle spread endlessly in every direction.
It was breathtaking — walls lined with towering shelves that reached the ceiling, stacked with books bound in gold and silver. The air smelled faintly of old parchment and lavender. Crystal orbs floated near the arches, casting warm, shifting light.
Noah whispered, "It's… beautiful."
Lyra murmured, "i thought you said its abandoned"
Saehwa roll her eyes and say, "it called abandoned because no one lives here anymore"
"It was the king's sanctuary," Ardelle murmured. "He believed knowledge was a weapon stronger than any sword."
"But now…" Eira's voice trailed off as she glanced into the distance, where long corridors stretched into darkness. "…it's abandoned."
A faint sound echoed through the hall — a whisper, then a scuttling noise. Noah's hand tightened on his dagger.
Saehwa's voice was low. "Don't open any doors. Not all of them are meant to be opened."
Ethan frowned. "How will we know which one leads to the castle?"
"That's the creasiest part, you don't" Saehwa said softly. "The right door feels… right. It hums like light."
Kai muttered, "Fantastic. A door that hums. Totally normal."
Lyra smirked. "You'll know it when you hear it, braveheart."
They moved slowly through the endless corridors, every step echoing in the still air.
Books whispered softly as if remembering voices that had once read them. Somewhere far off, something growled faintly — too distant to see, but close enough to make hearts race.
Ardelle walked beside Saehwa, her hand brushing the edge of her sister's cloak. "You shouldn't have to face this again."
Saehwa's tone was quiet but sure. "If not me, then who? You taught me that some burdens are meant to be carried, even when we're afraid."
Ardelle smiled faintly — proud, and a little sad. "You've grown stronger than I ever realized."
Saehwa looked ahead, her light shimmering across the bookshelves. "No. I just learned how to keep kindness alive… the way you taught me."
Ardelle's eyes softened. "Or maybe you learned how to keep me alive — in your heart."
Saehwa smiled. "Maybe both."
The path ahead glowed faintly now, a new corridor opening before them — wide and quiet, lined with carved mirrors and runes. The air shimmered faintly with unseen power.
Jimin took a deep breath. "So this is it?"
Saehwa nodded once. "Yes. Beyond this hall lies the door that leads inside the castle.... just need to find the real door now"
Lyra unsheathed her blades, her eyes sharp. "Then let's move carefully."
And together — five sisters of light and four strangers from another world — they stepped deeper into the heart of the Forbidden Castle's forgotten library,
where beauty met danger, and courage whispered louder than fear.