Chapter 6: The Mysterious Elder's House and Draxon's Trial by Fire
In the previous chapter, Draxon, Kevin, and an elder had arrived in Junagarh after a mysterious journey — where more dangers awaited than answers. Its narrow lanes and every corner were filled with DarkZael's spies.
One wrong step… and everything would be over.
Now onwards...
[Morning – Outskirts of Junagarh]
The morning mist lay like a sheet over the crumbling alleys of Junagarh. Silence and the smell of rotting wood floated in the air.
Draxon, Kevin, and the elder slowly moved towards the ancient house — the one whose tales were whispered about in the city.
Draxon and the others reach near the ancient house.
Draxon (gently running his hand over the door, eyes filled with wonder and slight anxiety):
"This door… it's as if time itself has stopped here. Does someone really still live inside?"
Elder (in a soft voice, as if revealing an old secret):
"This door is not just wood and iron, Draxon — it's a silent witness to secrets centuries old.
Very few in Junagarh know what tale lies hidden behind this abandoned house… and those who did… they can no longer speak."
Draxon (softly whispering, eyes filled with curiosity and unease):
"If that mysterious elder truly lives here… then why is this door still shut? Do they not want us to come in?"
Elder (in a low but heavy voice, as if concealing a secret buried for years):
"No… this door is closed because they have kept themselves safe from DarkZael and his shadows.
Trying to force this door open… would be like piercing through the defenses they've built."
(pausing briefly, taking a deep breath):
"There is only one way to reach them — their permission.
And that permission can only be found through the back path… a secret passage… known to very few… and still protected."
(They moved past the broken walls of the house into the deserted backyard. Moss clung to the walls, and silence filled the air.
Every corner was quiet, every breath heavy.
And then, a small door... half open... as if calling them inside.)
Draxon (in a voice caught between fear and curiosity):
"Should I... knock now?"
Elder (gently holding Draxon's hand, in an extremely soft tone):
"No, Draxon... one does not knock on this door.
This door is never locked...
Whoever enters, does so by their own choice."
(The three of them looked at each other, as if fighting some invisible fear.
Then slowly crossed the threshold...
The cold air brushing their faces felt like a silent warning.
But what they saw inside… stunned them!)
---
[Inside the House]
(The room's walls were lined with the cracks of time,as if they were trying to whisper tales centuries old.
Rusty torches flickered on the walls,their yellow, trembling flames casting an eerie light.
The air was damp, carrying a strange scent —as if no one had breathed here for ages.)
Draxon (in a voice filled with wonder and confusion):
"There's no one here… You said he lives here, then why this emptiness?"
Elder (voice full of mystery and calm):
"He is here… But beneath this ground…
Where very few have the courage to see the truth."
Kevin (eyes wide, nervousness in his throat):
"Beneath...? You mean... he lives below?"
Elder (gesturing):
"Come with me, Draxon and Kevin."
(They cross a silent, old room —at its center, a torn mat lay, as if hiding something beneath.)
Kevin (looking around):
"But there's no one here either!"
Elder (smiling):
"Draxon, do you believe you're ready to face the truth? If yes, then look beneath this mat."
(Draxon gently pulls the mat aside...Dust rises, and beneath it appears
an old stone staircase plunged into darkness.
Draxon and Kevin hold their breath. There truly... was a secret hidden here!)
Kevin (with astonishment and anxiety):
"A staircase...?
Does it really lead to the elder's home?"
Elder (in a quiet, grave voice):
"Yes, this is no ordinary path.This secret passage has remained hidden for centuries,
known to almost no one.
Do not reveal it to anyone. This secret is now a great responsibility for you both."
(They slowly descend,becoming each other's shadow on the way down.
Draxon carefully places the mat back in its place —as if hiding something precious.
Silence once again blankets the room.)
[The Mysterious Underground Home]
(As soon as Draxon and the others emerged from the narrow, dark path, their breaths caught.
The sight before them was beyond imagination — as if layers of history had suddenly come alive.)
(Spread out below was a grand and mysterious underground palace-like home. Walls of ancient stone glowed under the flickering torchlight, almost seeming to breathe.
The passageways were crafted so meticulously, as if an invisible hand had preserved every corner with care.
The air held a sweet fragrance and an eerie silence,as if they had entered another world — a world of a forgotten time.)
Draxon (in awe, softly):
"This... is this really the place? Does the elder truly live here?
And... is anyone else with him?"
Elder (in a composed and grave tone):
"Yes, Draxon. This is the place — his solitude. Only he lives here… and his loyal servant,
who has been serving him for years.
The rest of the world doesn't even know this place exists."
(Draxon and the others carefully approached the large gate of the hidden home.
Old metal strips adorned the door, creaking gently in the breeze.
Draxon knocked softly — like a cautious request.)
(After a moment of silence, the creak of wood echoed from within —as if someone had heard a call after years.
With a harsh creaking sound, the door opened, and an old man stepped out — bent with age, trembling hands, and deep, observant eyes.)
Servant (surprised, narrowing his eyes):
"You...? After so long? And… why do their faces look unfamiliar?"
Elder (with calm and respect, lifting his gaze):
"This is my grandson… and with him is Draxon —
the last heir of the Azamgarh Sultanate, whose destiny perhaps holds the ShadowRix sword.
And this is his companion… Kevin — a friend who stood as his shield through every peril."
Servant (with reverence, turning toward Draxon):
"It is all of you… we've been waiting for."
(They all stepped inside.)
Draxon (eagerly):
"We must meet the elder as soon as possible!"
Servant (looking at Draxon):
"Wait, Draxon. I must go to him first — no one can meet him without permission."
(The servant enters to inform the mysterious elder.)
[The Mysterious Elder's Reaction]
The Mysterious Elder (in a slow yet weighty voice, as if speaking to time itself):
"So… Draxon has come. The one in whose hands the sword of destiny lies dormant.
But restlessness flows through his veins.
Tell him—every great journey begins with a long wait. Patience… that shall be his first trial."
(The servant returns to deliver the message to Draxon.)
Servant (in a resonating, deep voice):
"Draxon… remember, impatience is the poison that kills dreams. If you seek the sword, first learn to endure the fire that shapes it— the fire of time and trial."
Draxon lowered his head, as if feeling an invisible weight settle within. His fists clenched involuntarily, and a glimmer of regret moistened his eyes.
But beyond that moisture—burned a fire.
Draxon (murmuring to himself):
"No more… I will not let impatience defeat me. If this battle begins within, then I will first conquer myself."
(Draxon and Kevin wait for the elder to arrive.
Meanwhile, DarkZael's spies were searching every corner of the city for Draxon.)
---
[DarkZael's Camp]
(DarkZael's soldiers stand before him.)
DarkZael (eyes blazing, voice thundering):
"Where are Draxon and Kevin? Tell me—did you find even a trace?"
Soldier (hesitant and fearful):
"Sardar… we searched every alley, every hidden corner… but it's as if they vanished into the earth."
(DarkZael places his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes burning with rage.)
DarkZael (pacing before his tent):
"Fools! I gave you power, weapons… and in return, you bring me failure!"
(He stops, his voice growing cold and threatening):-
"If Draxon reaches the sword… I will never gain the power that is rightfully mine!"
(Just then, a masked spy steps forward confidently.)
Spy (soft but assured):
"Sardar, no need to worry. We have the map… the one that leads straight to the sword.
Give the order, and we can begin the journey now."
DarkZael (roaring in response):
"Not yet! If we don't capture Draxon or Kevin in the next two months…
then I will personally go to search the sword!"
---
(Just then, another breathless spy rushes in, his face a mix of excitement and urgency.)
Spy (hands folded, panting but excited):
"Sardar! News just came— Draxon and Kevin have entered the city of Junagarh with an old man!"
DarkZael (with a cunning smile and gleam in his eyes):
"Excellent… the time has come. Head for Junagarh—waste no time!"
DarkZael and his army mount their horses and set off toward Junagarh.
Within a short while, they reach the city.
Immediately, two soldiers are sent to the old quarters.
They arrive at a deserted, crumbling house— and silently take position outside the door.
This was the very place where Draxon, Kevin, and the mysterious elder were hiding.
[The Danger Grows]
Soldier 1 (noticing footprints near the door):
"There are footprints here... Could they be hiding inside?"
(Both soldiers slowly enter the house.
In the dust-filled room, a mat in one corner shifts slightly. They lift the mat — revealing an old, narrow staircase descending into the darkness!)
Soldier 2 (with a sly grin):
"So this is how they're hiding… Draxon and Kevin are clever indeed."
:- Do Draxon and Kevin even realize that danger is looming over their heads?
:- Are the 'trials' the mysterious elder spoke of… about to begin?
:- Will Draxon finally uncover the answers to his destiny, the sword, and the lost empire?
Find out what happens next…
In Chapter 7
To be continued…