Chapter 1229

Chapter 1229:

I halted at the mouth of the passage and murmured a warning to the men behind me. “Step carefully—there could be traps hidden around.”

They nodded firmly, their faces set with concentration and grim resolve. We crept forward, moving in near silence, each step measured, wary that one wrong move might trigger something deadly.

The hallway glowed faintly, lit only by weak candlelight that cast long, wavering shadows along the stone. At last, we reached the entrance to the hidden chamber. The door was thick and ancient, its surface covered with intricate engravings that hinted at a forgotten locking system.

I narrowed my eyes, pulled the princes’ key from my pocket, and carefully slid it into the slot. Holding my breath, I gave it a slow, steady twist. A soft click echoed, followed by the groan of the door as it dragged open with a deep, rasping noise.

We slipped inside without hesitation and found ourselves surrounded by dusty scrolls and ancient books. I rushed to a nearby table stacked high with manuscripts and parchment rolls. Cracking one open, I saw that though the paper had aged, the script remained sharp.

As I scanned the lines, my gaze froze on a passage. A jolt of excitement surged through me. “It’s here!” I exclaimed.

The ancient text revealed the complete story of the white wolves’ sacred artifact—its origin, its purpose, and the place where it had been concealed.

Alden’s POV:

“This is it!” A rush of excitement surged through me as I pressed the old book tightly to my chest. “We can’t stay here any longer. We need to go!”

Determined, I took the lead and motioned for the soldiers to follow. Just as we were about to make our escape, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the hallway outside the hidden room. The noise grew louder, more frantic—my heart tightened with fear. I cast a quick, cautious glance at the door and immediately signaled my men to hide.

The soldiers melted into the shadows, holding their breath as the danger drew near. Then, with a deafening bang, the door flew open. A group of armed soldiers stormed in, spears raised, their eyes burning with hatred. Their leader sneered as his gaze swept the room. “I knew someone was here! Grab them!”

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My stomach dropped—we were trapped. There was no time to hesitate. I drew my sword and shouted, “Fight back!”

Steel clashed as my men met the attackers, but we were hopelessly outnumbered. In the chaos of flying blades, I blocked strike after strike, yelling, “Run! I’ll keep them busy!”

“That’s too dangerous!” one of my men cried, his voice strained with panic.

I swung my sword fiercely at the enemy blocking us and roared, “No more waiting! Move!”

They hesitated, torn with conflict, but finally obeyed, retreating into the hidden passage. I fought like a madman, my sword cutting through the air with each desperate swing.

Then, out of nowhere, an arrow streaked from the shadows. My eyes widened in shock—there was no time to dodge. The arrow buried itself in my shoulder, a searing pain exploding through me. I clenched my teeth, struggling to keep my grip on the sword.

Though the pain nearly brought me to my knees, I knew I couldn’t give up now. The closest attackers lunged at me with their blades. I dodged just in time, using the opening to shove them back with a sharp, swift strike. As they reeled, I spun and slipped into the darkness of the passage.

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