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‘They’re good,’ he observed the map, ‘-too bad the devices have tags.’ The dots followed in and out of sight, precise and swift, guns drew onto the figure. The lure had made its way into the stable – meanwhile, the hunters circled the area – escape covered, they waited, as did Igna. ‘-About time I make my move,’ he stood and aimed, Tharis’ form altered into a silenced rifle, ‘-transformation magic build into the building material, smart idea, isn’t it,’ camouflaged watchers kept composure, ‘-too bad,’ he aimed, “-go!” loud interference rattled the channel – a deafening explosion led into white-noise. Therein, two bullets fired, eight remained. As expected, the communication rupture forced the eight to break into the stables – sadly, “-farewell,” a small toy-like object flung inside. Painful screaming of the earpieces lowered guards, *barrier* all opening closed, the toy exploded, fire and smoke erupted. Shrapnel broke bones, the fire deprived air, and soon, the inferno melted the suits into their skin. At 01:20, a good five minutes later, the barriers undid, allowing the flames to rage freely.

‘A nice bonfire,’ shrugged Igna sat with legs crossed a few meters from the burning mess. The snipers’ bodies, after being dragged for five minutes, laid on each side. A beer can in hand, he watched – smoke invaded the starry sky, an alarm rang within in the palace. Retainers rushed onto the scene, “-A FIRE!” cried a horrified woman. The fire department and king were called simultaneously.

*Dring, dring,* the helicopter landed atop the hospice, “-hello?” answered Juvey.

“Greetings, my liege. Before asking how I got the number, consider it my way of saying I made good friends. The test is over, I’ve slaughtered the supposed elite of whomst were sent. The poor ol’ stable’s burning before me, it’s quite the spectacular sight. The horses are safe, worry not – animal life is placed higher in the hierarchy.”

“Xen,” the large strides halted at the elevator, an unconscious Scorpio was taken inside, “-what of the marksmen?”

“The ladies? Killed in action,” he replied, “-majesty, the world is vast, there are numbers of entity stronger out there; demons, angels, hell, even gods. It’ll reach a time where weapons, finely crafted to kill our kin, will no longer have the effect necessary to vanquish monsters.”

.....

“I had my doubts, Xen, who are you, a friend or foe?”

“Majesty, I’m neither. I arrived for a job, and I will do my job, tis the long and short of it. Elendor’s a place of wonder – thy powers are limited since the kingdom isn’t truly Old Cray’s domain.”

“What do you want?”

“Nothing,” sirens blasted through the call, “-the fire departments arrived. King Juvey, at risk of sounding pretentious, I’d like to have the test stopped. Fire me at the end of the trial, it doesn’t matter. I hate pointless deaths, albeit an oxymoron since I enjoy killing the strong and tormenting the weak. Consider me a cursed weapon – I obey to none and only serve those I deem worthy. You’ve tested me, it’s time I return the favor.”

“Xen, don’t overstep your station.”

“Else?”

“Else...”

“Majesty, threats don’t mean anything to someone who has nothing to lose,” he laughed, “-liability or not, tis thy responsibility as leader to ensure I’m put to good use. However, if I suspect any misplay at hand,” a sudden suffocating mumble choked through, “-take this fellow agent, for example, he’s been watching me since I arrived – pretty blatant...”

“You’ve made your point, Xen,” the valorous tone eased, “-I’m no fool. I understood thy abilities upon the defeat of the chimera. You should understand, the civil war isn’t over, I only said it ended to appease the candidates. As the last test, you’ll be sent to the battlefield alone, the only condition to pass is to survive. Burning down my stable, killing my people, and having the audacity to make demands over the phone, either you’re gutsy or plainly an idiot. Put those words into action, survive and the job is yours.”

“My pleasure,” the call ended, ‘-and he’s in my pockets,’ he eased to watch the starry night, ‘-no matter what intrigue is thrown, the king won’t get rid of me arbitrarily,’ faint taps against the arms, “-my bad,” the grip around the neck eased into a mass landing, “-had to show his majesty I know,” the burning rubble laid to the side, ‘-a spy assigned to guard my moves. How stupid,’ he shrugged and returned to the initial place – a spilled beer bar crinkled the demeanor, the reddened stare bleached into the usual bicolored listless expression.

“Xen?”

“Lessie, how goes it?”

“What?”

“Watching the show,” he said, “-fighting fire with water. Look at the fighters battling against an infernal beast.”

Her feeble steps slowed, “-are those?”

“Corpses, formal soldiers in the king’s elite force,” he pointed at the tags, “-see?”

“I recognized them,” she leaned, “-they were once part of the Eia’s elite guard...”

“Too bad, the weak die, and the strong lives.”

Soon enough, another battle echoed across the ocean, the integrity of the King’s faction laid in the balance. The Gaien council began deliberations, media coverage was at an all-time high. Opposed to the firm and comforting inside of the castle; photos of the Royal Court plastered the day’s newspaper. Reports fought one another, the channels squabbled for interviews or any piece of information. The cacophonous outside faded on entering the court. Representing the state were Bleu Aizo and Raide Rose, back by influential figures sat behind them. The end of the spectrum was Lord Carf, a graduate of the Aizo Academy, who stood as a defense for Queen Eia Riverty-Haggard of Hidros, Nicola Vonhen Hart of the Marquise of Hart, and representative of the Gaien Council.

“Quite the unsightly display,” commented Raide, “-the queen and eldest son aren’t in attendance.”

“Don’t bother,” added Bleu, “-they’re obviously wary of us. I mean, who in the right mind would conspire against the crown, it’s treason plain and simple. I wonder,” he targeted Lord Carf, “-what would happen if Eia’s blatant shamelessness is brought to the stand?”

“Bleu, I’d advise against blasphemy...”

“Pardon me,” he covered his mouth, “-speaking the truth isn’t much interesting.” Casual chatter halted, King Igna marched forth to the judge’s seat as did a representative of Tharis’s sect and another from Syhton’s church. Before the trial, Raide and Bleu motioned for the debate to be halted. Without Nicola and Eia, the would-be discussion followed into charges against them being read aloud. It encompassed those who assisted the scheme. Time shuffled onto noon, there, the traumatized Carf sweated bullets. His entourage could but cower before the nonchalant attack from the state. With said momentum, the Gaien council meeting began in the next hall over. The sides split, and Alta took the forefront, “-the council was created to help the people,” she glared at the opposition, “-and seems to us, those loyal to the new regime, there is to be conflict from the noble faction. Queen Eia will be proven guilty and her claim over the crowd will be washed clean. Goldberg’s and backers,” she turned to point at the nobles on their side, “-if push comes to shove – Hidros will turn into a military powerhouse – a culling of the noble families will follow – people put to the sword. A dictatorship whereby only those in power wins and the citizens suffer.”

“Stop bluffing,” fired Narlo, an elected member representing the people, “-the crown doesn’t have a stable foot to stand on. Remove the nobles and the entire rule falls, no money means no stable economy.”

“Have you forgotten of the Alrosia alliance? There lays a clause in which Empress Eira, legitimate claimant to the kingdom of Hidros, can exercise her influence and take the throne. She’s related to the queen, and must I remind, is the firstborn of the previous monarchy.”

“You’d forsake our culture and tradition to them?”

“Understand, the royal family is the Haggard dynasty, and we, its members, are vindictive by nature. Losing isn’t an option – if defeat lays in the future, we shall drag everything we’ve built to the grave.”

“This is plain blackmail,” exclaimed another representative, Xoz.

“Politics,” added Serene, “-the Blood-King’s faction fully backs King Igna, the authority extends to the Kingdom of Easel Run Gard and Arda. What’re a few nobles in the greater picture.”

“If it’s about money?” chuckled Julius, “-our coffers boaster more than entire nations.”

“We’ll report the threats to the press – when the citizens learn of the truth, we’ll stand on equal ground.”

“Ah,” mocked Starix, “-pitiful elected politician, let me clear a misconception. The Gaien Council is for the betterment of the people, not a power trip to boost your egos. We pull the plug and the blame lays on the representatives. Revolt? How about we starve the population. War? How about we deploy Phantom’s forces. Turning to another nation? How about we decree the revolution as treason.”

“Hear us well,” thundered éclair, “-if tis a fight, there will be war. And trust, we won’t stop until the very lineage of the families is choked. There’s a reason the Haggard dynasty is feared – tis wise not to awaken the Devil of Glenda.”

“We’ll fight,” said a liaison for the Goldberg Dynasty, “-we’ll use adventurers, sully the respected title of monster slayers. Queen Eia’s the true ruler of Hidros, the Riverty dynasty will never fall. The noble faction hereby joins the people – united, we shall claim what is rightfully ours.”

The door barged open, loud steps boomed, “-In the name of Igna Haggard, King of Hidros, I hereby decree the noble faction a threat to the crown, on counts of conspiracy against the throne, collusion with the empire, and wrongful subjugation and taxation of the people of Dorchester, from today forth, those siding with Queen Eia shall be treated as traitors, the penalty, death.” Knights hurried to capture the nobles; “-everything will be decided by the will of Tharis.”

Such was the start of a civil war; it was shown that the Queen conspired to assassinate the king. Her name was dragged into the mud on national television, evidence after evidence, a trial made public under oath of Tharis’s scale until a trusted lady-in-waiting in service to lady Eia, “-is it true, Queen Eia betrayed King Igna’s trust by sleeping with Nicola and performing in rituals to the Dark-God of Hatred, Esyter,” suspense in silence had watchers on the edge of their seats, “-no,” the scale tipped to say, ‘-Lie.’

“Here, how about this. Did King Igna ever act maliciously towards the queen, was there ever a suggestion to infidelity?’

“No,” her gaze lowered in shame, “-King Igna remained faithful, even after knowing of her pregnancy,” the scale tipped to say, “-True,” Eia’s reputation dropped by the second, loyalists to the Riverty Dynasty rallied in Kreston. The United Kingdom of Hidros, after the trial aired and decree made, split into two factions. Oxshield, Plaustan, Arda, and Totrya rallied behind the Haggard’s whilst Dorchester and Kreston rallied behind the Queen Eia, backed by the Goldberg duchy. A leak conveniently had the opposition escape before the trial, at the head of the scheme smirked Starix, “-cheers to victory.”

“Cheers,” glasses chimed.