No sooner had the companions emerged from the mouth of the Dark Pit and inhaled the fresh mountain air, than Pecos thought the worst was over. But he had barely wiped the sweat from his brow when the sound of a royal trumpet echoed from afar.
Pecos (looking around in terror):
"I am certain that trumpet is haunting me personally! Did they catch a whiff of the soup I cooked in the last chapter?"
Darius (leaping onto a rock and playfully adjusting his face-wrap):
"No, Pecos, they're just fans of your breathtaking beauty! Look, an entire scouting party is approaching from the right. Father, do you think you can convince them we're just tourists who took a wrong turn into the Pit of Death?"
Old Nikos (leaning irritably on his staff):
"Darius, stop this folly! Royal soldiers have no sense of humor; they'll mount your head on the gate before you can even finish your joke."
The chase began. The companions scrambled between high rocks while the soldiers' horses closed in fast. Arrows began to rain down around them like a storm.
Romelius (firing an arrow behind him as he ran):
"They're gaining on us! If we don't cross into the borders of the City of Silence now, we'll be sitting ducks in the open!"
Darius (running alongside Pecos and winking):
"Pecos, if they catch us, I'll tell them you're the King's private chef and that we kidnapped you! Maybe they'll let us go in exchange for a secret recipe."
Pecos (wheezing loudly):
"A secret recipe? I'll give them a recipe for 'Lethal Poison' if they keep chasing us like this! Ortinus, do something! My heart is about to leap out of my chest!"
Miraculously, after some perilous maneuvering, they managed to slip into the narrow alleys of the City of Silence, where the soldiers temporarily lost their trail amidst the quiet bustle. Disguising themselves in tattered cloaks, and after a brief rest and a quick meal that restored their spirits, they found themselves standing before the tournament arena.
Darius (looking at the prize banner):
"One hundred crystal shards? Guys, that's enough to keep Pecos's family in luxury and enough for me to buy a bow that doesn't snap every time I sneeze! I'm in."
Old Nikos: "Darius, this is dangerous! Soldiers are everywhere."
Darius (with a wide grin):
"Oh, Father, worry causes wrinkles. Watch me; I'll walk in looking like a simple peasant who doesn't know how to hold a pen, but knows how to hit a fly from a mile away!"
The competition began, and Darius spent the time whispering mocks about the other contestants to make Pecos laugh.
Darius (watching a royal contestant miss):
"Look, Pecos, that soldier thinks the target is in the clouds! Do they train to hunt mist in the Royal Army?"
Pecos (stifling a laugh):
"Shut it, Darius! The guards are watching us!"
When Darius's turn came, he stepped forward with suspicious coolness. The rules required hitting flying "Crystal Discs."
The Royal Announcer: "Next contestant... 'The Unknown'!"
Darius (whispering to himself):
"The Unknown? How romantic. Alright, crystals, time to shatter."
He released the first arrow, then the second, then the third. He was striking them while talking to Pecos at the same time, drawing gasps from the crowd and glares from the soldiers.
Royal Soldier (angrily): "Peasant! Stop talking and focus!"
Darius (firing a final arrow without even looking):
"Focus is for beginners, Sergeant. We talented folk do this while dreaming of smoked cheese!"
The final disc shattered into a thousand shards. Silence fell over the arena, then the crowd erupted in cheers. Darius won the 100 crystal shards after a grueling final round against the Master of Archers, where he had to hit a target moving behind a smoke screen.
Pecos (hugging Darius after receiving the heavy bag):
"You're a genius, son of Nikos! A hundred pieces! I'm buying a whole sheep and we're eating it on the road!"
Darius (winking at his father):
"See, Father? Skill and fun always go hand-in-hand. Now, let's vanish before the Commander realizes I've insulted the dignity of the King's archers with a smile."
Ortinus (sternly):
"Well done, Darius. You've saved our budget. Now, get ready—leaving this city won't be as easy as entering it."
Miron (looking back anxiously):
"The soldiers are staring at us... Darius, your wit might be exactly what opens the doors of trouble for us."
Darius: "Trouble? At least trouble keeps the air warm, Miron. Better than this freezing frost!"