A/N. Hi everyone, I know I'm taking pretty long to update with this, but please don't hate me. I'm trying my best and I hope that's not too much of a problem for you. Anyways, here's the next chapter. On we go)

Chapter 13.

They've been flying for two days now, and Roni couldn't help but feel like a five-year old sitting in the back of her parent's car, asking "are we there yet?" every ten seconds. Of course, she didn't do that, but she felt like it. Their journey was quite pleasant, even though it got chilly whenever Falcor went up higher in the sky or sped up even farther. There was still enough provisions for another day or two –Urgl sure did her best to take care of them. But even if there weren't, Atreyu was an amazing hunter so as long as she's with him, they won't ever starve. She once saw him catch a fish from the river with his bare hands! To say she was a shocked is a horrible understatement. Right now it was around four o'clock in the evening of the second day and Roni couldn't hold herself

"Falcor, how much longer do you suppose we'll be flying? I mean, it's been long time since we left the Southern Oracle…"

Falcor chuckled "I warned you, princess. But don't worry, we're almost there."

Atreyu tilted his head to her "You're bored?"

She shook her head "No, it's just that we've had no movement at all since early morning and right now I feel like my butt is made of stone."

He laughed "You brittle little human." and earned a pinch from Roni. "Distract yourself. Horock is a large castle shaped like a hand. Try looking for it like I do."

She sighed and stared downwards at the territory beneath them. She eyed every meter of land they were passing, but could spot nothing that even reminded of a hand. Plus the trees were making it difficult to see much. And then, after ten or fifteen minutes some unclear sculpture started to appear in the horizon. Roni's eyes grew wide "Atreyu, do you see that?"

"Yeah, I do…"

They came closer and closer to the figure and after another minute or two they could clearly make out the shape- a hand sticking out of the ground, pretty revolting sight.

"We're here." Atreyu said "Falcor, get just a little closer and then land."

The Luck Dragon complied and soon they landed in a small forest field about twenty meters from the castle. They got off and looked up at it.

Roni glanced at Atreyu and saw his unreadable expression "What's wrong?" she asked

He slowly shook his head "Nothing, just the bad memories…"

She sighed, sympathetically and changed the subject, distracting him from the unpleasant thoughts "You've been in there right?"

He nodded "When I came here with Bastian I had to climb all over the castle to find an unguarded entry."

She breathed out, relieved "Oh, so it should be easier this time, since you know it so well."

"Yeah, easier to move around, but we don't know what the new host has in there."

Roni nodded "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go inside."

Atreyu looked at her like she was stupid "Yeah, let's march right through the main gate."

Roni gaped and then felt like slapping herself. She gave him an «oops» look

"Sorry, blonde moment."

He smiled "Never mind, come on, they're not expecting visitors, so there must be a guard-free door somewhere."

She nodded and walked away after him. They scowed the castle from all sides and at last, they found a small door that didn't seem to have anyone guarding it. They looked at each other and decided to take their chances and try getting in. They didn't have much to choose from anyway. The door was so small, they had to bend in half to get in. Atreyu went first and Roni followed. They looked around and saw that they were in a long dark corridor. The walls and the floor were made of stone and there was spider web on every corner, the only dim light was coming from the two torches attached to either wall.

Roni eyed their surroundings "Wow, looks like no one's been down here for a while."

"It's the corridor to the dungeon." Atreyu said. "If we go straight, there will be a staircase in the end, it leads to the dungeon."

"That's nice, but right now I think we better focus on getting upstairs."

Atreyu looked at her "I know. But I've never been in this part of the castle, I don't know how to get up from here."

Roni shrugged "Well, I guess if we just keep walking, maybe we'll find something…And it's not like we've got any options anyway."

Atreyu nodded and they started walking through the corridor. They walked fast and looked around, trying to spot anything at all that could lead them out, but it was sure a long passage. Roni was turning her head rapidly but could only see the cold stone walls …or not just them?

"Atreyu, wait!" she said and he stopped and looked at her quizzically "What?"

"Look at this…" she stepped closer to a wall and examined it. That's odd… The wall was made of huge square stones and between four of them she could see visible gaps. It was like very deep scratches, but it seemed that all the other stones were fine, it was only these. Atreyu looked at it too and she could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. Roni raised her hand and experimentally pushed it against one of the stones and suddenly…the stone pushed back with her hand! She quickly jerked away and they watched in dumbfound as the four large stones moved back into the wall one by one and then moved away, revealing a hole in the wall, light coming from outside it. They bent slightly and looked inside.

What they saw was another corridor, except this one had a lot of light, numerous candle chandeliers were hung all over the ceiling, the walls had paintings on them, there were small decorated trunks every twenty meters, the floor was covered with printed carpet- the whole scenery showed that there was actually life in there.

Roni looked at Atreyu, not without some pride, and he smiled "Nice work."

She looked up at the ceiling dramatically "Yeah, I have my moments…"

He chuckled and they swiftly got through the passage and were on the other side in less than a moment, and at that moment the stones shut tightly behind their backs as if they had never opened.

As always, link below-click-state your opinion, thank you)