The Palace Beast

The news of the death of the king's courtier spread like a wildfire in the entire territory of King Edward II. As the imperial guards brought the news before the king, the king had them thrown into the dungeon as he waits for his final judgment. "My King." The general of the King's army approaches. He bends a knee before the king as an act of reverence for the king and opens his mouth to speak. "Lord King, there is someone whom you may not want to see but wishes to see you." "This is not the time general."

"Forgive me, Lord King." The General rises to his feet and then continued, "This person might ease the great regret of your loss."

The King has treated his courtier with so much love and respect. He even treated him as a family. He does not wish to talk concerning the sudden death of his courtier but chooses to mourn him in silence before he could speak about the tragedy. But if the king's general has a way of making the king eased from his mourning, it's worth listening to.

The king cast a stern gaze at his General. "Who might that person be?"

"King Que, my king."

On hearing this, the king rose from his throne. "It's impossible!" he yelled. "King Que was killed by King Absalom."

"Since the appearance of the gods in our land, not everyone presumed dead is dead, Lord King."

The General seems to understand how things work now Strange Land since the war broke out between the warlocks and the gods. Things are not the same.

"Bring him in," roared the king as he slowly sat on his throne.

At the king's command, King Que was led into the king's throne hall. He was carrying a leather sack.

On seeing him the king cast a wide-eyed gaze at him. "What is it you are bearing?" he asked.

"I came bearing a gift, Lord King."

"I don't need a gift from you. You abandoned your Fortified city and you expect me to accept your gift?"

"Lord King!" King Que bowed before the king. "I am deeply sorry for the loss of your courtier whom you have found friendship in but permit me to present my gift to you and in return, I will reclaim my Fortified city." He approaches the king and lowered the leather sack at the foot of the stairs that leads to the king's throne. He slowly opens the sack and brought out a human head from it and raised it up high.

The king was filled with awe as he stared. The General was standing behind King Que. As he saw the way the king stared, he still can't see clearly whose head the King has raised before the king. He quickly approaches to have a clear look. On getting closer, he saw it was the head of King Absalom. "How did you catch up with him?"

"When I heard of his escape from Maxis, I set out on a search for him. I was able to catch up with him at the South Forest's Cave."

King Que might have done the king a great service. The only thing he wants in return is to reclaim his Fortified city which he believed was unlawfully taken from him.

The king stared in astonishment. He was pleased with what King Que had done. But this type of Justice can't bring back his courtier from the dead. "What do you want in return?" asked the king.

King Que slowly brought down the head of King Absalom. He knelt before the king and began to speak. "I seek the mercy of my Lord King and I seek to reclaim my Fortified city."

The king didn't like the idea of letting King Que reclaim his Fortified city after he abandoned it in the midst of a battle with King Absalom. It's over years now and he wants to reclaim his Fortified city.

The king seems to be having a hard time making up his mind about this. Seeing the look on the king's face, his general approaches. "My King, if I may speak."

"Of course general, you are free to speak."

"Belioth is a great Fortified city without any leader. They are vulnerable to attack from the Orcs, the gods, or even other creatures because they have no leader. Let King Que reclaim his Fortified city and protect it for you." "You have spoken well general. But what if he abandons the Fortified city again?"

"That won't happen again, Lord King." King Que slightly lowered his head as an act of reverence while still on his knees before the king.

"Do you swear this with your life?" The king adjusts on his throne with his eyes steadily fixed on King Que.

"I swear with my life, Lord King."

"Then you may rise to your feet. I can now let my people join in mourning my courtier because justice has been done. You too can join if you wish to."

"Thank you my king but if it pleases you, I would love to be on my way back to Belioth. All I ask is for you to send me back with your royal official to make my reinstatement official before my people."

"Of course!"

...Mystic Cave...

It's been days now and Neena's wendigo is not back from the task. Neena has tried several magic spells to summon the wendigo but she was blocked out. Each time she attempts the summoning spell, she will be blocked with darkness and slammed to the ground.

She took another turn and summoned an ancient Shaman and ancient Gypsy that placed part of their powers in the wendigo. "Arise my children and come to me. Let me see your faces again as it will please me." She enchants and started drawing a circle.

They were violent shakings as she continued enchanting. After the violent shaking came a violent wind. "Te Voco," she enchants in Latin which means, 'I summon thee.'

She continued enchanting in Latin and suddenly the ground was ripped open and out of it walked out two women dressed in regalia made of bird feathers and the second woman dressed in regalia made of a bear.

They both went on their knees with their head lowered, they said, "Brother of all, we are here to do your biddings."