Tale of a Hedonistic wizard-Chapter 447: The knights of the holy kingdom

The Gravarane Forest stretched endlessly, its towering trees forming a dense, nearly impenetrable canopy that let through only slivers of pale light. This deep into the forest, the air was thick with moisture, the scent of damp earth, ancient wood, and the faint metallic tang of something unnatural. Unlike the livelier outer reaches of the forest, this place was eerily silent—no birds, no rustling of animals, only the occasional whisper of wind weaving through the massive, vine-covered trees.

And hidden within this forgotten realm stood the Archaic Citadel.

Massive, old trees wrapped their roots and vines around its towering walls, as if nature itself had tried to swallow it whole. The structure loomed like a shadow against the landscape, its stonework darkened by time and decay. Its presence was wrong—an unnatural entity in a world that rejected it. Yet, despite its sheer size, there were no visible entrances.

The forest inhabitants never crossed this side of the forest because of the wild beasts, and it was one of the most deadly places. The citadel present here was influenced by Norimar; he had deliberately made sure the citadel appeared here when it started moving. He was able to change its direction to a certain level. The citadel was not in his total control.

And to their advantage, Citadel had mechanisation.

No doors, no gates—just a seamless, monolithic structure covered in foliage, existing like a phantom fortress in the heart of the wild.

But it was not empty.

Inside, dark forces were at work, and outside, an uninvited group had just arrived.

-

Three figures stood before the overgrown citadel, their distinct white armour stark against the darkness of the forest. The armour was reinforced, bearing the insignia of the Holy Kingdom of Zivaria—a silver sigil etched into their breastplates. Their posture showed the wariness of experienced warriors.

These knights, who haven’t moved as a single force for a long time, travelled together for one sole reason. And it was their princess Anashyssa.

They had been tracking this place for some time, searching for it relentlessly, and at long last, they had arrived. Being the knights of the holy kingdom Zivaria, they have special abilities, and it has led them straight to this forest.

One knight stepped forward, running a gloved hand along the cold stone. "No visible entrance," he murmured. His voice was deep, slightly distorted by the helmet. "This place doesn’t want us here."

Another knight, standing beside him, clenched his gauntleted fist. "Then we make a way inside."

The third, quieter than the rest, glanced around cautiously. "We should be careful. If this truly is where the serpents hide, then we are in enemy territory."

"And if the princess is in there, we wouldn’t want to harm her."

The first knight pulled back his hand, turning to his companions. "We can’t go back without the princess. We must find her and save her from those bastards."

They began to discuss ways to force their way inside, considering if their weapons, enchanted by the kingdom’s sacred magic, could break through the fortress walls.

That’s when it happened.

A sharp hum filled the air, followed by a sudden disturbance in the natural order.

The knights, trained warriors of the Holy Kingdom, immediately sensed it—a force materialising nearby, unlike anything the forest had produced before.

They turned swiftly, hands gripping their weapons, as a blue portal burst into existence a short distance away.

-

The portal swirled violently, its edges rippling with raw magical energy. The space around it seemed to bend, pulling the very fabric of reality apart for mere moments.

Then, from its depths, figures emerged.

Jaegar stepped out first, his boots crunching against the damp earth. He looked around at the large structure to his right; he looked at its size, and then he turned to his other side.

His sharp eyes immediately locked onto the knights. He watched them for a few seconds, his eyes falling on the sigil. Then he remembered seeing them in the harbour, back when he met with Anashyssa. They came to escort her back to the kingdom.

The white armour, the silver sigil—they were knights of Zivaria.

Felaern followed right after, stepping beside Jaegar. He looked at the knights, his brows furrowing. There were only three of them, but they emitted enough aura to make him acknowledge them.

His gaze hardened as he noticed their cloaks. He recognized the symbol on them just as Jaegar had. These knights served the Holy Kingdom, and their presence here raised immediate questions.

A moment later, Daratrine and Angelina stepped through the portal as well, the swirling energy fading behind them. The portal collapsed with a final whisper of magic, leaving the two groups standing in tense silence.

-

For a long moment, no one moved.

The knights stood frozen, their hands still gripping their weapons, unsure whether to raise them in caution or lower them in recognition. They had not expected to encounter others here, let alone Jaegar and his companions.

And they also knew that the individuals who arrived just now were simple. Especially the two elves; their presence had told them not to underestimate them.

Jaegar narrowed his eyes. "You are the knights from Zivaria?" His voice was steady, but beneath it lay an undercurrent of tension.

One of the knights hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Yes, we are."

Felaern stepped forward slightly, his keen elven senses still searching the surroundings for potential threats. "What are knights of the Holy Kingdom doing this deep into Gravarane Forest? How did you even find this place?"

The knight exhaled, finally relaxing his stance, though he did keep his guard up. "We came looking for someone and ended up here."

"Who are you?" he asked in return.

Felaern answered, "We came looking for some people, the ones inside that place," he pointed at the huge structure beside them.

The knights looked at the citadel; he said, "Did they also kidnap your people?"

Jaegar stepped forward, "Is the one who kidnapped Anashyssa your princess?"

The knight unsheathed his sword and pointed at Jaegar. "How dare you call her Highness directly with her name?"