Chapter 18 Ambushed

Magnus stood at the head of the long table in the grand hall, surrounded by his trusted advisors and commanders.

Before him, a group of knights, ready to receive their orders.

"My dear knights," He began, his voice grave and resolute.

"As you are all aware, my son has been implicated in the activities of a dangerous cult that has been causing chaos and destruction throughout the city."

He paused, his eyes scanning the faces of the knights before him, seeking their attention and focus.

"It is imperative that we find him and put an end to this madness before it's too late." The knights nodded solemnly, their expressions firm and determined.

"I entrust each of you with the responsibility of leading a team to search the area of this city. Your task is to scour every corner, every crevice, and every possible hiding place where my son and the cult could be lurking. Your mission is to leave no stone unturned and no effort spared until they are found."

As he spoke, Magnus' eyes moved from one knight to another, his voice gaining strength and conviction.

"I expect nothing less than your full commitment and loyalty to this task. Remember, this is not just about the safety of my son, but the safety of our entire city."

With a final nod, He dismissed the knights, who quickly dispersed to gather their men and begin their search.

The hall fell silent as Magnus turned to his advisors, his face etched with concern and worry.

...

As the knights went from house to house searching for Prince Edward and the cult, they were met with various reactions from the citizens of the city.

Some people were cooperative and willingly allowed the knights to search their homes, hoping to aid in their search.

Others were hostile, angry that their privacy was being invaded and that their homes were being turned upside down in the search.

In one particular house, a woman stood at the door with her arms crossed, glaring at the knights. "You have no right to barge in here like this," she spat.

"I have nothing to do with your little prince, so leave me alone!" Her voice was laced with anger.

The knights tried to explain their situation and assure the woman that they were only doing their duty, but she remained unmoved.

At the protest of the women, they searched her house thoroughly but found nothing related to their case.

As they left, the woman slammed the door shut behind them, muttering curses under her breath.

In another house, an elderly man welcomed the knights with open arms, eager to help in any way he could.

The old man offered the knights food and drink, grateful for their efforts to rid the city of the cultists.

...

The knights trudged wearily through the city, their spirits dampened by the fruitless days of searching for the prince.

They had scoured every corner of the city, turning over every stone, questioning every citizen, and yet they had found no trace of Prince Edward or the cult that had taken him.

As they walked through the streets, they talked among themselves, sharing their frustrations and doubts. "Do you think we'll ever find him?" asked one knight.

Another knight shook his head. "I don't know. But we can't give up. We have a duty to the King and to the people of this city. We have to keep searching."

"But how?" asked a third knight.

"We've searched everywhere. We've questioned everyone."

The first knight spoke up again. "We have to keep our eyes and ears open. Maybe someone will see something, or hear something. We have to keep pushing, keep trying. That's all we can do."

They trudged on in silence for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts.

The weight of their task was heavy on their shoulders, and the hopelessness of the situation threatened to overwhelm them.

But then, one knight jokingly said"You know, my mother used to tell me that sometimes when you're looking for something, you have to stop looking so hard. You have to relax and let it come to you."

The other knights looked at him skeptically, but he continued. "I'm serious. Maybe we've been searching too hard, too desperately. Maybe we need to take a step back, let's relax a little, and see if anything comes our way."

The knights exchanged glances, considering his words.

It was a long shot, but at this point, they were willing to try anything.

They decided to relax from their search and wander the city, keeping their eyes and ears open for any sign of the prince.

As they walked, they tried to let go of their desperation and fears.

And then, as if by magic, they heard a whisper from a citizen chatting with someone that he had seen a group of suspicious-looking individuals in a nearby alley.

The knights rushed to the scene and found a hint of cult presence, as well as a small piece of cloth with residual dark magic.

Upon further inspection, they realized that it belonged to a member of the cult.

They looked at each other with surprised expressions.

Maybe the knight's mother had been right after all.

Sometimes, you have to stop looking and let the solution come to you.

Excited by this discovery, the knights wasted no time and employed their tracking magic on the piece of cloth with the residual magic.

Following the trail of clues, they swiftly made their way to a house located on the outskirts of the city.

The house was old and rundown, with peeling paint and a roof that looked like it was about to cave in.

With their swords drawn and their shields ready, they cautiously approached the house.

The interior of the house was dark and musty, with only a few rays of light shining through the boarded-up windows.

They moved slowly, their eyes scanning every inch of the room for any sign of danger.

It wasn't long before they found what they were looking for.

In a corner of the room, hidden behind a pile of old blankets and debris, they discovered a secret passage.

It was small and narrow, but big enough for a person to pass through, and it was clear that it had been used recently.

With their hearts pounding in their chests, the knights walked through the passage one by one, their swords held tightly in their hands.

The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and mildew, and they could hear the sound of rats scurrying around them.

After what seemed like hours, they finally emerged into a large underground chamber.

Inside the underground chamber, they could see flickering candles, casting eerie shadows across the walls.

As they surveyed the room, they were unaware that they were being watched from the shadows by a figure clad in dark robes.

This was Mr. Black, the leader of the cult, who had been monitoring the knights' movements from a hidden place. He had intentionally provided clues leading to the abandoned house. Hoping to lure the knight and ambush them.

The knights, sensing the ominous presence around them, began to ready their weapons and prepare for battle.

Little did they know that they were walking straight into a trap and that Mr. Black and his followers were waiting for them with killing intent.

The stage was set for a fierce battle between the knights and the cultists, and the outcome would determine the fate of the kingdom.