The Rosewood Prophecy

Chapter 59

"Mhm. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but..." Lionel's voice trailed off as he studied the landscape surrounding the stronghold. "This is basically impossible. They have all the advantages. We have to first cross over to that mountain, first of all, and there seems to only be one treacherous path from this side." He pointed to a narrow path connecting the two mountains. "Not to mention how the castle is at the top of the mountain; it's so easy to guard and so hard to invade."

I nodded in agreement. "It is a very strategic location for a stronghold. We'll have to do our best given the circumstances. Let's revise our attack plan tonight and figure out how we're going to get to the stronghold without being noticed."

After a few more moments of studying the landscape, Aaron and I turned to leave. Lionel remained standing at the edge of the path, gazing towards the castle.

"What's wrong, Lionel?" I paused to ask. He shook his head.

"Nothing." Lionel sighed, but didn't take his eyes off the castle. "It's just that Indigo is in there somewhere with Lord Victor prowling around. I try not to think about it too much, but I can't help but think of the worst sometimes. I'm afraid of what I'll see when I finally reach her."

"Indigo's okay. I know she is." Aaron turned back to face Lionel. There was a fierce look of determination on his face. He put a hand on Lionel's shoulder. "We're going to bust in there and find her. Don't worry, Lionel."

The two boys looked at each other, and something unspoken passed between their gazes. Lionel placed his hand on Aaron's and nodded firmly. We returned to the rest of the troops, more determined than ever to invade Lord Victor's stronghold.

We rested for three days, perfecting the attack plan and making last-minute preparations. This was it. This was the final battle, and we had to be victorious. We have one chance, and only one chance, to get inside. Otherwise, we lose the element of surprise and risk losing a large portion of our army as well.

Under the cover of night, we followed the path and crossed over to the peak where Lord Victor's stronghold sat. The moon was only a sliver in the sky, and the millions of stars shone silently as we made our way across. The winter winds pushed clouds across the sky, often blocking the little moonlight we had. We couldn't use torches or lanterns, which would give away our location and alert the enemy. It was difficult to navigate the unfamiliar terrain, but at least there was only one path to follow.

Lionel was at the very front, followed by Aaron and me. Lucian and Rachel were right behind us, then a squad of Lionel's personal soldiers, and the rest of the troops. Because the path was narrow, only two people could fit side-by-side if riding on a horse, and no more than four could walk in a rank. The army was stretched thin, and progress was slow. Everyone understood that if Lord Victor sent troops to cut us off right now, we would suffer great casualties due to not having space to retreat or fight. Great efforts were made to keep quiet and avoid being detected.

The path would take us halfway up the peak. From there, half of the army will take more direct (but difficult) routes up to the stronghold while the other half will follow the winding path. If met with resistance, everyone else should engage in combat and aim to strike down as many enemy soldiers and monsters as possible. Lionel and the Rosewood Four, accompanied by Lionel's best guards, need to get to the stronghold as quickly as possible and figure out a way to get in, most likely by blasting a hole through the gates.

Lord Victor's stronghold loomed in the distance. No light shone from the castle, which made it all the scarier. Amidst the sounds of wind were the clip-clops of hooves and thudding of footsteps. The sounds were deafening to me, yet no movements were spotted from the castle. Were there no guards? Are we walking into a trap? With each step towards our destination, my heart became more and more anxious. I couldn't help but scan our surroundings again and again, with one hand on the hilt of my sword, expecting an ambush.