Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Main entrance (I)

At first, no one noticed anything strange. The sound of the horns had stopped approaching, but perhaps it was just a misperception. Maybe, they had just stopped momentarily. Only those who were on the walls watched the procession totally dumbfounded. They didn't understand anything.

It was when it began to become clear that the sound of the horns was receding, that the people inside the walls began to murmur, to feel nervous.

"Is he leaving? Isn't he coming?" a little girl was sad.

"What's happening?" one of the few rebels who was there was surprised.

"Does he suspect something?" one of the assassins asked himself.

"Now, what?"

"Will he come back?"

"They keep moving away"

"Have they stopped?"

"What's that noise!?"

"An earthquake!?"

Some tried to leave through the gate, but the barrier and the soldiers held them back. It wasn't until some time later that rumors began to arrive from the wall.

At first, no one believed them, but they came from more and more sources. Furthermore, the sound of the horns ended up revealing the truth.

"Damn it!" an assassin became angry.

"He played us..." another muttered.

"How's it even possible!?"

One after another, they cursed, hit the floor or a wall, or simply gritted their teeth. Some approached the palace, as they still hoped to have a chance. Others, more cautious, preferred to withdraw. It was too difficult to predict what could happen from now on. It was too risky.

A certain rebel smiled, while reproaching himself.

"I should've been more confident. Surely Threefingers knew it," he thought.

The truth is that Threefingers was as surprised as the rest. The only thing he knew was that Lidia had assured him that there was nothing to worry about regarding entry, if the plans went well. If not, they would have to execute an alternative emergency plan.

"So, that was the plan... Wow... How unexpected and unpredictable..." he said to himself while smiling from ear to ear, still in amazement.

"Lord Hnefa? This's not the way to the main gate," the countess urged him.

She felt a little embarrassed for pointing out the obvious to none other than Eldi Hnefa. The main entrance gate to the city was perfectly visible from there. In fact, it was visible since they had crossed the bridge they had just left behind.

However, after crossing it, Eldi had changed direction, thus abandoning the main path. He had headed directly towards the wall.

"We're not going to that main gate," he smiled.

"No to that...?" the count wanted to confirm, without understanding anything.

"You'll see in a few minutes," he assured them.

They followed him, just as intrigued and bewildered as the rest of the entourage. There were several nobles and trusted bodyguards, as well as some rebels. All of them were wondering where they were going to.

It was when they understood it that they felt completely dumbfounded, in disbelief. They looked at Eldi Hnefa not knowing if he was joking, or if he had gone crazy.

They were in front of the wall popularly known as the Walled Gate. There was a large gate engraved there, the purpose of which was unknown.

There were those who claimed that one of the builders had lost a bet, so he had it engraved.

Others thought that a gate should have been built there, but the budget had run out. For this reason, they had left it indicated, perhaps as a joke, perhaps to build it in the future.

Dubious legends and tales claimed that an invading army had once been deceived. They had made them believe that it was the gate they had to attack to enter the city. The engraving would be the remains of that deception.

There were even those who claimed that it was a real gate created for some dark purpose, but no one really believed it. There was no reasonable explanation for there being a gate there that hadn't been opened in centuries. The fact that there was no similar engraving on the other side of the wall confirmed this conviction.

Despite all this, Eldi Hnefa had stood in front of that non-existent gate.

"I hope it works. It's going to be very awkward if it doesn't," he said to himself, a little nervous.

He then took out a huge key from the inventory. Aside from its size, its appearance was ordinary, except for the huge mana fluctuations. It was these that indicated to Eldi's entourage that this was more than a joke. What exactly it was, they didn't know.

They stood watching as he advanced towards the wall, more than one holding their breath.

On top of the wall, they also observed him with surprise and no lack of veneration. The rebels had made sure that there were only soldiers loyal to Eldi Hnefa in that area. Since it was a place with no strategic importance for the events that were going to occur, the opposing side hadn't even paid any attention to it.

To the surprise of those present, a huge keyhole-shaped hole appeared when Eldi approached the wall. Those who were sensitive to mana fluctuations discovered that the key had interacted with the wall as it approached.

Eldi inserted it into the lock, while wondering if he had to turn it. It wasn't necessary.

The outline of the non-existent gate shone brightly. It emitted powerful mana fluctuations that completely covered first said outline, and then the entire supposed gate.

When the glow dissipated, none of those there could believe their eyes. There was a huge gate, twice as wide as the main one. Furthermore, the brilliance and fluctuations of its materials were unmistakable. Mithril, orichalcum and adamantine made up the entirety of a practically indestructible entry.

As if that wasn't enough, it began to open. The image of Eldi Hnefa in front of the majestic gate opening, as if paying homage, was something that many would never forget.

"Open Sesame..." Eldi murmured with a smile when he saw that it worked. "Gjaki would surely have shouted it."

The dirt and rocks accumulated over the centuries that could have blocked the opening were simply pushed away or crushed by the unstoppable movement. Nothing could stop it now that it had been activated.

For centuries, the gate had slowly accumulated mana for when it was needed. Now, it had enough mana to open several times, and make the walls shake a little.

Eldi turned, and looked at those who had accompanied him there. He couldn't help but smile at their dumbfounded faces.

"Are you coming, or are you planning to stay here?" he called them.

These still took a few seconds to react, until the first of them started running.

"We're going, we're going, Lord Hnefa," the countess hurried, with adoration.

If at first she had had doubts, and upon reaching the gate she had perhaps begun to regret it, now all indecision had turned into unwavering faith, even reverence. That was undoubtedly a miracle.

Eldi sighed. He had only taken out a key that he had gotten during the game. It was no reason for them to stare at him like that.