Zulqarnain and Halul pass through different caves then climb the mountain, finally reaching Zalima's Castle

It was an old castle, made up of finely cut thick rocks of greyish colour. The Castle was the only building on the mountain top. The entire village could be seen from that position. 

The Castle was highly guarded, the guards asked for Zulqarnain and Halul's swords and then let them in.

Both of them walked into the castle, and surprisingly saw lots of girl, who were unconscious and were placed on top of numerous tables.

Halul ran ahead to try and wake them up but all in vain.

"Zulqarnain they are alive...I can feel their pulse but they seem to be lost in some other world" Halul looked at Zulqarnain with a question mark on his face.

"Halul....as long as they are breathing... there is Hope...and Wherever there is Hope...There is a Way" Zulqarnain stopped to look an unconscious girl and then they both walked ahead into the courtroom.

Even though it was a Castle but it was largely empty. Other than the guards at the gate...Zulqarnain and Halul had seen no one else yet.

Zulqarnain and Halul walked into the courtroom. There they saw guards all over the room.
One of them came over to them.

"Welcome Strangers... Welcome to Zalima's Castle of Youth" That guard claimed.

"Who is Zalima? and what's with those unconscious girls?" Zulqarnain asked him.

"Your questions shall be answered soon.... Await our Queen....she will be here any time now." he finished and pointed towards a couple of chairs in the courtroom.

They were about to sit down when a young beautiful Woman, with high security walked into the room. She was walking with a HUGE swagger. A smile on her face it was more like a fox's grin.

She walked towards the throne and sat on it with confidence.
She looked at Zulqarnain and Halul, as if they were peasants.

"Queen Zalima!! These strangers have come to meet you...! " that same guard told her.

"hmmm.... who are you?... what are you doing here in this far off land?" Zalima asked Zulqarnain.
Zulqarnain was staring at Zalima.

"He is Zulqarnain------" Halul spoke up but he was interrupted by her.

"Prince of Saraikistaan!!! ...ohh I have heard a lot about you....about your bravery...about your YOUTH!!!!" She said but kept looking at Zulqarnain, who was still staring back.

"Zalima!!!! Why do you kidnap innocent girls?... " Zulqarnain asked her.

"Hahaha*evil laugh*hahaha" Zalima laughed at that question.

"Release them now!!!  ...they are innocent" Zulqarnain tried to ignore her laugh.

"They are my captive...oh Young Prince" Zalima replied.

"What crime did they do?" Zulqarnain asked Zalima with a surprised look.

"The crime of being... YOUNG!" Zalima gave Zulqarnain a smirk.

"young??...when did that become a crime??" Halul said.

Zulqarnain pointed towards Halul to be patient.

"Zalima.... what do you want from them???" Zulqarnain asked Zalima.

"me???? I want.....their.....YOUTH...hahaha" She replied.

"Youth???? but why? you don't seem to lack youth yourself... you are young and Queen of this castle." Zulqarnain asked her.

"Hahaha...I am not young....I am 120 years old....I put a drop of a damsel's blood in a magic potion and remain young." Zalima replied.

"You can't do that....that's against Human Dignity." Zulqarnain was now totally confused at such a strange condition.

"Ohh Prince...No treasure in this world is better than the treasure of Youth. I shall remain Forever young till I have an ever lasting supply of beautiful damsels." Zalima explained to Zulqarnain.

"I am here free them...and nothing shall stop me." saying this Zulqarnain stood up from his seat and took out his sword and Halul did the same in response.

"Calm Down Oh Handsome Prince.... There is one way.....if someone could get me------" Zalima tried to mess with Zulqarnain's head by testing his patience.

"Get you what?????" he asked.

"AAB-e-SHABAB!!!" Zalima finished.

"What???" Halul asked with surprise.

"Aab-e-Shabab.....the drink that shall give me ever lasting YOUTH." Zalima said and smiled.

"Where shall I find this Aab-e-Shabab?" Zulqarnain asked her.

"In the Castle of Hawaïda!!!" Zalima replied back.

"Where is this castle???" Zulqarnain asked her.

"In the North... in between the snow clad mountains.... But remember... Whoever went on that journey NEVER CAME BACK ALIVE!!!" She warned Zulqarnain.

"Very Well!!! I shall get you Abb-e-Shabab...Will you leave these girls?" Zulqarnain asked Zalima.

"I promise you Oh Prince of Saraikistan!!! if you bring me Abb-e-Shabab in 7 days, then I shall release these girls and I promise never to hunt them again." Zalima was firm on her belief that Zulqarnain shall not come back as no man had ever returned from that journey.... even the bravest and strongest of all were never seen again.

"Don't waste your life Prince...Go back to your kingdom and live out your remaining life... Why are you wasting yourself over some random girls?" Zalima was surprised to see the positive attitude of Zulqarnain.

"I have promised these villagers and I never back out of my promise." Zulqarnain replies and starts his walk out of the castle.

"Good Luck!!!" Zalima says from behind.

"Zulqarnain you have gone nuts...Abb-e-Shabab only exists in stories..  no man has ever seen it and as Zalima said...no man ever returned.... listen to that wise Zalima's advice and let's go back to Saraikistan... you can marry Princess Hayat and have beautiful children.... why do you want to face so much trouble?????" Halul was not in favour of this journey and tried his best to convince Zulqarnain too.

"Halul....!!!!!!  My life is not important...these innocent lives need my help." Zulqarnain told Halul.

Zulqarnain and Halul begin their journey towards the north..

***Back In Zalima's Castle***

Zalima had summoned dancers and was enjoying the show when all of a sudden, Nadir Khan magically appeared in the courtroom.

"Zalima!!!!! Where is Zulqarnain?" Nadir Khan asked her with a serious Cold look.

"Do not worry ...he's almost dead...I have sent him to bring me Abb-e-Hayat!!!!" Zalima replied.

"hahahahaha*evil laugh*hahaha" Nadir Khan nearly laughed his head off.

"Nice job.....Oh Queen of Youth." Nadir Khan told her.

"Remember to keep me updated about him....he's not an ordinary man.... he's the center of Good on this Earth." Nadir Khan explained and then vanished into thin air.

"Let the Party Begin!!!" Zalima orders the dancers to continue.

***Back in the Open****

Zulqarnain and Halul climb a mountain, where they meet a stranger. After telling him of the quest, the stranger warns Zulqarnain of the perils of Hawaïda, as those who had gone there either ended up dead or were driven insane.

"You shall be tested not on scales of Strength or the Power of your Sword... neither by the Spice of Magic....but by the STRENGTH of your Will." He tells Zulqarnain.

Which kind of Worldly Strange awaits Zulqarnain in the Castle of Hawaïda??? What factor is behind the death of all who never  came back from this quest???
Will Zulqarnain come back alive?
Will Rajput Princess Sunaiyna's brother ever turn to human form??

Read our novel ahead to find out the answer to all these questions.

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Asalam Alaikum