The Invincible Young Master-Chapter 220 - - Riddles

"Who are you?" asked the elder, stepping forward.

The skull's empty gaze fixed on the elder, and it let out a low, gravelly laugh that reverberated through the chamber like the sound of bones rattling.

"Fear me not," the face sang, its voice a strangely rhythmic. "I'm no enemy, nor a friend. I'm the judge, the guardian of this chamber. If you wish to pass this gate, you must first play a game to decide your fate."

"What game?" asked the elder.

"It's simple," the voice continued, rhyming with each word, "Answer my three riddles correctly, And you may choose to go further, directly. Fail to answer, and you'll surely regret. A punishment awaits, a fate you'll never forget."

The proposal gave everyone the chills. It wanted them to play a game of riddle game where one wrong move could decide their fate?

"A riddle?" the elder gave a small laugh that resounded through the tense atmosphere. "I love riddles. Let's hear it."

"But before that, I see you have two different groups. How would you like to continue? Choose wisely, for your fate is near. Pick a person from each side to answer, or one from each crew."

The words hung in the air like a dark omen, and the soldiers, already on edge, now felt their lives resting on a single decision.

The tension in the air grew as everyone looked to the elder for guidance. The silence stretched on until the elder turned to Reynold.

"Marquis," the elder said, "What is your choice?"

"It's fine if you may represent my army," Reynold replied, his tone even.

Then, the elder turned to Ling Yan for an answer. She hesitated. Her eyes flicked toward her elite force, and then to the temple's looming, ghostly presence. After a moment of thought, she stepped forward.

"I… I believe it would be best if the elder represents us as well," she said. "If we all face this trial together, we must trust in the elder's judgment."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the soldiers of both armies. The decision had been made. The elder, for all his experience and wisdom, would face the riddles for them all. The lives of everyone present now rested on his shoulders.

The skeletal face above them let out another haunting laugh, its hollow laugh echoing through the stone walls.

"Ho, ho, you have chosen well, Now let the game begin, so that all may tell."

The eerie laughter faded into the air, leaving the chamber steeped in oppressive silence, only the echo of the voice lingering like a curse.

And then, with a slow, deliberate pause, the first riddle was spoken.

"Round and round I go,

The skeletal face twisted in the air, its grin widening as it began the first riddle, its tone darkly.

"I was once mighty, ruler of my kin. Now I am nothing, hollow within. Time has stripped me, left me bare, yet in death, I still stand there. What am I?"

The soldiers stood still, their faces grim and taut with anticipation. As the riddle echoed through the chamber, the soldiers began to murmur among themselves, glancing at each other. The answer seemed so obvious, as if it was staring them in the face.

The elder, deep in thought, closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the words. Then he glanced up at the skeletal face, which hovered just above them, its grin widening.

"A skeleton," he answered confidently.

The chamber fell into silence. The skeletal face, floating above them, was still. It was as if the world held its breath, waiting for the verdict.

"Are you sure?" the skeletal face's voice echoed.

"Yes. A skeleton is the only thing that fits the description. It was once mighty, perhaps a king or warrior, and now it stands hollow, stripped of life, but still present in death. A skeleton."

The skeletal face circled the chamber, its hollow laughter filling the space.

"Wrong! It's Ruined Castle." The skeletal voice boomed. "Now, it's time for your punishment!"

[A/N: Don't ask me how. I made it up.]

Before anyone could react, a green light exploded from the skeletal face's eyes, filling the entire chamber with an unearthly glow.

The soldiers' breath caught in their throats, their hearts pounding in terror. The air grew thick with a creeping chill that seemed to crawl under their skin.

"No!" one soldier cried out, but his words were quickly swallowed by the oppressive energy flooding the room.

The green light raced down toward the soldiers' feet, faster than anyone could react. Panic set in, but no one could escape.

The soldiers tried to move, tried to run, but the energy lashed out like tendrils, wrapping around their legs.

The transformation was swift. The soldiers watched in horror as the green light turned their legs into stone, creeping up their bodies. It moved slowly at first, but soon, the stone began to crawl up their hips, locking them in place.

They were frozen mid-motion, frozen in terror. No one was spared, not even the elder.

The skeletal face, hovering above them, looked down with satisfaction as the transformation continued.

Soon, stone had claimed half of everyone's bodies, locking them in place like cold, unmoving sculptures. And yet, amidst the terror, there was no panic in the eyes of Reynold's army.

They stood straight-backed, unflinching. Not a single word escaped them. Their discipline was terrifying.

"My lord…" One of Reynold's commanders spoke. "This…"

He looked to Reynold, awaiting a command. But Reynold said nothing at first. His sharp eyes studied the skeletal face calmly.

The commander waited in silence, lips slightly parted, unsure whether to act. "Should we prepare to-"

"No need," Reynold finally said, interrupting. "It's fine."

The commander bowed his head. "Understood."

On the other side, however, the Yan army had begun to falter.

Panic crept in. Whispers flitted between soldiers. Some instinctively tried to move their legs, only to realize they were encased in stone. A few reached for weapons out of desperation.

Even Ling Yan wavered. Her gaze darted between her men and the others.

"Princess, I'll take you out of this place." The masked man beside her spoke in a low growl, ready to use his escaping artifact.

"No," she said. "I won't abandon my army and leave."

She looked up at the masked man.

"And have you seen them?" She motioned subtly to the other group. "The ones from the Academy and Reynold's men. Look at them."

The masked man turned his eyes across the chamber. The people from the Emperor Academy, their half turned to stone, stood like statues, unbothered.

"I'm sure the elder doesn't plan on becoming a statue here," she muttered. "And definitely not the Marquis."

Just then elder gave a dry chuckle, scratching his head. "Ahaha… it seems my answer was wrong,"

"Such is the price of failure," the skeletal face said.

"This can't be the end, is it?" asked the elder.

"You still have a chance. Two more riddles. Answer correctly, and I might grant you passage."

"Let's hear the second riddle."

"Listen carefully," it continued.

"I bind without rope, trap without walls. The more you resist, the tighter my calls. No sword can cut me, no lock can break. Yet all who live know my embrace. What am I?"