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Aurora guided Midnight to slow as they reached a cliff. Tristan dismounted from the horse and went to stand by the edge. Before him stretched a half-built bridge suspended in mid-air, its construction seemingly caught between completion and decay. Tristan’s eyes traced the path that led to the other side, where a gleaming golden tower stood tall and proud, its spires reaching toward the heavens.
“This is it,” Aurora’s voice broke the silence. “If you want to defeat King Midas and bring an end to his tyranny, you must get into that tower.”
Tristan’s heart quickened at the prospect of discovering the key to Midas’ downfall. He turned to face Aurora, his mind swirling with a mix of resolve and uncertainty. “What will I find in there?” he asked.
“The only weapon that can defeat Midas,” Aurora said, her stern gaze fixed on the tower. “His deepest, darkest secrets. His secrets lie within the confines of that tower.”
“I don’t understand,” he muttered.
“It’s simple. Having that secret in your possession will give you leverage,” Aurora explained. “And with that upper hand, you will be able to force him to retreat and take his army with him, and in turn, win the war once and for all.”
Tristan stared at the tower, remembering how Ella had talked about entering a golden tower when she came into the Dreamworld. “Is that the same golden tower that Ella came to when she was here?” he asked.
“Yes,” Aurora said. “But it was Ella’s illusion, so when she entered the tower, she found her own secrets inside. Remember that the Dreamworld and its illusions adapt to our perceptions.”
Tristan thought back to his own illusions in the castle, then all the illusions of his men on the battlefield. His chest ached at the memory, and he shook his head, forcing himself to focus.
“If that is true, then how can we possibly find Midas’ secret without him being here?” Tristan asked.
“The Dreamworld is malleable,” Aurora explained with a knowing look. “As long as we possess something that belongs to the person whose secrets we seek, their truth may be unveiled to us.”
“And what do we have that belongs to Midas?” Tristan asked.
Aurora pulled something out of her pocket. Tristan’s gaze fell on a golden ring with an engraving of a bee, held delicately in Aurora’s palm. The symbol seemed to buzz with a hidden energy.
“How did you come by this ring?” he asked.
Aurora’s face softened, revealing a vulnerability that Tristan hadn’t seen before. “I stole it from him many moons ago,” she confessed, her voice carrying the weight of past sorrows. “I took it so I could get into that tower. So I could set the women free.”
Tristan’s mind whirled with a torrent of questions. “So, it’s true?” he asked, struggling to comprehend the depths of the tyrant’s wickedness. “Midas... he takes young women and imprisons them in his castle?”
“He took them many years ago,” Aurora clarified, her voice tinged with bitterness. “They’re grown women now, but still not free to live their lives. He took them from their fathers and collected them like rare trinkets, wielding them as instruments of power and control. By snatching them away from their families, he gained leverage over those who opposed him.”
Dread clawed its way up Tristan’s spine, mingling with the fire of righteous fury that burned within him. “And what has become of these innocent women? What has he done to them?”
“He has used them as servants, as maids, denying them the freedom they deserve.” Aurora’s voice grew somber as if she was recounting the horrors of her past. “Locked away within his golden walls, their lives wither away, trapped in an endless cycle of servitude and despair.”
A shudder ran through Tristan’s body, his fists clenching involuntarily at the mere thought of the atrocities inflicted upon those innocent souls. His gaze met Aurora’s, an unspoken revelation passing between them. He understood now the depth of her resolve, the desperation to reclaim what was stolen from her.
“You…” Tristan whispered, his voice soft and careful. “You were one of his prisoners, weren’t you?”
Aurora’s eyes dimmed, but her voice remained steady. “Since I was a little girl,” she confessed, her voice tinged with defiance. “Midas took everything from me, so if there’s a chance to dismantle his reign and liberate those who suffer under his control, I will give everything to help you.”
In that moment, Tristan knew that he and Aurora were bound by more than mere circumstance. They shared a common purpose, driven by a desire to confront the darkness that had plagued their lives.
Tristan’s resolve solidified. Midas’ reign of tyranny would end, and Tristan would see to it that all those imprisoned within his golden castle would taste freedom once again.
His heart burned with determination as he turned toward the tower once more. The allure of its mysterious grandeur ignited a flame of resolve within him, an irresistible pull that urged him to uncover whatever secrets would lead to Midas’ demise.
“Then what are we waiting for?” he asked, his voice brimming with newfound courage. “Let’s go inside and uncover his secret once and for all.”
“It’s not that simple,” Aurora said, her gaze shifting uneasily toward the abyss before them. “The bridge isn’t complete.” But then her eyes landed on something that drained all blood from her beautiful, porcelain face.
“Aurora…” Tristan whispered, his tone laced with caution. “Are you all right?”
“The bridge…” she murmured, her eyes widened in disbelief. “It’s gone.”
“What?” Tristan followed her gaze to find that the bridge that had been there only moments ago had disappeared.
