Upon hearing the sound of soldiers marching and mobilizing from their posts, the group inside Paltio's bag—Alita, Ron, Lucca, Rykaru, Toco-Toco, Nakia, Chiki, Lume, and Geki—prepared to act.
Moments earlier, as they approached the gates of the realm, Paltio had said: "Well, guys, we're almost at the kingdom's gates."
"So, what are we going to do?" Ron asked curiously, adjusting the makeshift backpack he was carrying.
"Well… I don't know," Paltio admitted, scratching his head thoughtfully. "But what I came up with is that all of you get into the bag, and at the right moment, come out to support me."
"That could work… if it weren't for the immense army Tejod has in your kingdom," Lukeandria interjected seriously. "We can't fight an entire army, not to mention the statues of the citizens scattered everywhere."
"I hadn't thought of that," Paltio murmured, frowning as he realized the magnitude of the problem.
"When do you ever think, Paltio? You almost never do," Alita teased with a half-smile, though her expression quickly turned serious again.
"If you'll allow me," Lucca interrupted, capturing everyone's attention. "What if we use the bag to our advantage?"
"How so?" Mok asked, leaning forward with interest.
"Explain yourself," the others chimed in unison.
"Well, what if all of us go into the bag as planned, but instead of staying with you, we focus on gathering all the statues and storing them inside your magical bag?" Lucca suggested with a confident smile.
"That could work! Lucca, you're a genius!" Alita exclaimed, excited by the idea.
"I thought that since you're getting old, you wouldn't come up with anything good," Ron teased, looking at him with a mischievous grin.
"Don't be foolish, you spoiled brat!" Chiki scolded, smacking him on the head with her paw, right in front of Ron's face.
"Ouch!" Ron protested, rubbing his cheek while glaring at Chiki.
"Yes, that could work," Paltio nodded with determination. "Quick, everyone get into the bag. I'll try to use a bit of Golden's power to throw you as far away from the enemy's sight as possible."
"Yes," everyone responded in unison.
"I'm counting on you," Paltio added firmly.
"Leave it to us," Ron assured enthusiastically.
"Don't get cocky, boy!" Chiki snapped, dragging him into the bag without ceremony.
"I don't want to leave you again, Daddy," Rykaru said, hugging Paltio tightly.
"I know, my little one, but it will only be for a moment. We'll see each other again soon," Paltio promised, gently stroking the boy's head.
"Do you promise?" Rykaru asked, looking at him with hopeful eyes.
"I promise," Paltio replied, wrapping him in a warm embrace, which the child returned wholeheartedly.
Once everyone was safely inside the bag, and they began entering the kingdom, Paltio did exactly as he had said. Using a bit of Golden's power, he threw the bag as far as he could, ensuring it landed in a safe and hidden spot away from the enemy's view.
At that moment, everyone inside the bag watched as the soldiers abandoned their positions and began gathering in the opposite direction from where they were. Without wasting any time, they decided to emerge from the bag.
Once outside, the group quickly organized themselves and set off in search of the statues scattered throughout the town. It didn't take them long to find them, thanks to their efficient coordination.
As they advanced, they carefully placed each statue into Paltio's bag one by one. "Be more careful, Rykaru," Alita instructed when the boy nearly dropped a statue onto the ground. "The same goes for you, Ron," she added, raising an eyebrow as he momentarily got distracted.
Little by little, they completed the task of collecting the statues from the area where they were working. However, Lucca broke the rhythm with a sigh: "This is going to take forever."
"Let me handle it, meow!" Toco-Toco exclaimed, activating his super speed. Within seconds, he returned carrying several statues at once. "Looks like you've gotten faster, kitty," Chiki commented with a barely perceptible smile.
"You forgot to add 'and a bit stronger, meow,'" Toco-Toco replied with feigned pride, lifting his head haughtily.
"Hey, Ron, do what I've been training you for and hurry up," Chiki ordered firmly.
"Yes, Master!" Ron responded quickly, adjusting the makeshift container on his back.
Both Ron and Toco-Toco now carry backpack-like containers, thanks to the combined efforts of Lume and Geki, who used their magic to create them. The statues began floating toward them, guided by Alita's air magic, which she coordinated with precision. "Well, we're improving," she said, satisfied with the team's efficiency.
After finishing a large portion of the kingdom, the group noticed that all the soldiers had gathered in the central square. Before them stood a hooded figure radiating a dark and menacing energy, enveloped in an aura that chilled the blood.
"What is that thing?" they wondered among themselves. But neither Toco-Toco nor Chiki, nor Nakia, nor even Lume and Geki knew who it was. "I don't know, but it looks terrifying," Nakia replied, watching the mysterious being with concern.
"We'd better continue with the mission," Alita suggested, trying to maintain her composure. Before leaving, they saw a towering figure approach—his badger-like features, dark brown fur, and glowing red eyes made him instantly imposing, especially with the blood-red robe he wore.
"That's the damn Tejod," Chiki muttered with disdain. It was the first time Ron, Alita, and Lucca had seen him in person. They stared at him in awe mixed with fear, unable to tear their eyes away from his intimidating figure.
Beside Tejod stood Paltio, and next to him was Pax (Lukeandria in disguise), though something seemed off—they didn't see Mok with them. They began to worry that something bad might have happened to the butler.
"That guy radiates a very evil aura," Ron remarked, referring to Tejod. "But not as much as the guy in the dark suit who hides everything about himself."
"Yeah, I know how you feel. That Tejod is strong, but that other one over there seems even more powerful," Chiki added gravely. For once, the dog decided not to hit Ron for what he had said. "Just this once, I won't hit you," Chiki joked, though his tone remained serious.
In the square, the soldiers lowered their gaze toward Tejod with reverence. "Lord Tejod," they said in unison, bowing before him. Tejod, relishing the moment, basked in the scene before him. However, upon seeing the councilor standing ahead, he quickly bowed his head and declared: "My lord, we are ready here. I have brought the scepter."
"I see," the councilor replied in a dark and menacing voice that echoed like a sinister reverberation in the air. His tone was cold but brimming with authority. "But… what are you doing with that boy?" he added, gesturing almost imperceptibly toward Paltio.
"Only this boy can touch that scepter," Tejod responded without hesitation, his voice dripping with disdain. "It's something Avocios himself placed. That crawling cockroach still lingers and troubles our master. That's why I keep him with me." A malicious smile spread across his face as he continued: "But don't worry, he won't be able to do anything. I have something—or someone—very precious to him."
"Good. I'll find a way to extinguish the light of the scepter," the councilor declared calmly, though his presence continued to radiate an oppressive energy.
Paltio, unable to help himself, directed his gaze toward where he assumed the councilor's face was beneath the hood. At that instant, he felt his heart begin to race uncontrollably, and a visceral fear coursed through every fiber of his being. It was as if he were facing the very void itself, an invisible force attempting to consume him entirely.
"Paltio, Paltio!" Pax whispered urgently, snapping him out of the trance. "You must not look at him where his face would be," he warned, placing a hand on Paltio's shoulder to steady him.
"What was that?" the prince asked, still trembling, his breath ragged.
"It's the power of the councilors: pure darkness, absolute void. That's why you must never look at them directly," Pax explained seriously, his tone low but firm.
"Do you mean there's more than one?" Paltio asked, his voice slightly shaky as he tried to process the information.
"I had forgotten about that," Tejod interrupted with a mocking laugh, pushing Paltio's head down with a firm hand. "I don't want you to feel fear just yet… because the fun is about to begin," the badger added with an evil grin, reveling in the terror he saw in the young prince's eyes.
"The great moment is about to begin," the councilor announced in a deep voice, raising his hands toward the sky. A massive rift began to open in the space before them, emanating a black light that contrasted starkly with the somber atmosphere. The rift seemed to devour everything in its path, distorting reality itself.
"It's time to go," the councilor commanded, and one by one, everyone began to cross it, including Prince Paltio. As he stepped toward the rift, the young man closed his eyes for a moment, thinking of his team. "I trust you all," he thought, clinging to the hope that his friends would succeed in their mission.
With one last glance behind him, Paltio entered the rift, leaving his kingdom behind.