The room was filled with noise and movement. Nearly all of the castle’s enchanted servants had gathered, along with Hiccup and the rest of Lucian’s companions, all standing around a large table that dominated the center of the space. Laid flat upon it was a detailed map, stretching wide enough to show the full extent of the realm, the Kingdom of Lumièrea, with its capital city, Elyria, marked clearly at the center, and the castle itself sitting right at its heart.

The time had come to begin weakening the curse that had bound them all for so long.

Yen Sid hovered beside the map, his glowing orb casting a soft light over the parchment as he began to explain the plan he and Lucian had agreed upon. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"From what His Majesty has told me," Yen Sid began, his voice steady and clear for everyone to hear, "to the outside world, the entire region that once held our kingdom has vanished. It appears only as a vast, dark, and impenetrable forest, with no trace of the capital or the castle anywhere to be found."

He paused, the light within him shifting slightly.

"But the truth is far stranger. The moment the curse was cast, the entire capital and its surrounding lands were separated from the physical world and shifted into a separate dimension, a plane of existence all its own. The only known gateway between the two realms lies deep within that forest, which, from this side, appears as the main gates of the castle. When we perform the ritual to lessen the curse, the barriers between the two planes will begin to thin. The realms may even start to merge, which could bring its own challenges in the future but for now, this is the only way forward."

Yen Sid used his magic, and a fine, glowing pencil floated into the air. It traced over the map, marking nine distinct points: one at each of the four cardinal directions, north, south, east, and west then another four at the intercardinal points: northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest.

Finally, a ninth mark was placed right over the castle itself.

"These nine points are the primary anchor points that connect all the magic formations of the city," Yen Sid explained. He then tossed eight pieces of paper inscribed with glowing runes onto the table. "We need to place these runes at each location so that the activation of the spell stored in the amulet will flow through the entire kingdom."

Hiccup leaned forward, studying the map with a thoughtful frown. "How will we recognize these places? What do they look like?"

"They are marked by ancient stone statues," Yen Sid replied, setting down a smaller sheet of paper showing a clear symbol: a half-moon with a star beneath it. "Each bears this exact carving. You will not mistake it."

He looked around at the group, his tone growing earnest.

"His Majesty believes you all can move far more swiftly than I could alone. That is why I ask for your help. Place these runes carefully, and we shall be one step closer to freedom."

The group nodded in agreement, stepping forward one by one to take a rune.

Assignments were quickly made: Snotlout would head west, Hiccup to the north, Fishlegs to the east, and Astrid to the southeast. The twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, were tasked with the northeast. As for the remaining points, southwest and northwest, Lucian claimed them both, along with the southern anchor. He wanted to see the full extent of the capital with his own eyes. The rest of the servants would remain at the castle to prepare for the final ritual.

Soon after, the group departed. Lucian climbed onto the back of Nyx, his large, shadowy steed, and they took to the air.

As they flew, Lucian could finally see the true scale of what lay beneath him. From the outside, the region had seemed nothing but endless, twisted woodland but here, in this separate plane, the capital was vast and sprawling. Rows of sturdy brick houses stretched out in neat, long lines, connected by wide, cobblestone roads that had once been bustling with life. Even old-fashioned streetlamps stood along the paths, though how they had once produced light remained a mystery to him.

It was clear from the architecture and layout that this had once been a prosperous, thriving place but now, it was silent and still. The grass was yellowed and dead, the trees bare and withered, only thorny bushes and the occasional white rose still grew stubbornly from the earth.

As they flew lower, Lucian saw something that made his breath catch. Scattered throughout the streets and squares were figures frozen in place, civilians mid-step, horses still harnessed to empty carriages, even small animals like squirrels and insects, all turned to solid stone as if time had simply stopped.

Lucian couldn’t help but wonder what the servants and the previous prince had eaten all these years with no animals or fresh vegetables.

Shaking off the grim question, he focused on his task. They reached the southern boundary of the city, where the massive outer walls rose high into the mist. Perched atop the largest gatehouse was a towering stone gargoyle bearing the half-moon symbol.

Nyx drifted closer until they hovered right before the statue. Lucian took the glowing rune from his pouch and pressed it gently against the stone. The paper flared with bright green light before sinking into the surface. Instantly, the markings carved into the gargoyle’s body lit up in response, glowing steadily as the magic took hold.

He continued this way, circling the massive capital and placing the remaining runes.

After nearly touring the entire forgotten city,

As they turned back toward the center, Lucian got his first full, unobstructed view of the castle itself. It was enormous, spires piercing the grey sky, walls of pale stone, and grand towers that seemed to stretch endlessly upward. There was something strangely familiar about its shape and grandeur, and for a moment, it reminded him of the iconic castle that appeared at the start of old Disney films. He gave a small, amused shake of his head, dismissing the thought.

They descended toward the main courtyard, where the rest of the group had already gathered. Hiccup, Astrid, and the others were all present, along with the servants, and at the center of it all stood Yen Sid. The orb hovered over a large, complex magic circle drawn directly onto the stone ground, its lines filled with glowing silver runes.

Nyx touched down gently, and Lucian slid from his back, stepping onto the paved stones.

Yen Sid turned toward him, the light within the orb brightening with readiness.

"It is time, Your Majesty." he said softly.