The Forest of Kings

Dean just stepped outside after watching a few more students get creamed by professor Lonco's ancient summons. One of the fights was so bad the kid had to be scooped off the wall. Dean wondered if that kid would be alright. He was bandaged up like the candy bar he had in his pocket.

"Bane, do you want us to keep following him?" Casper said to a gem avatar.

"Yes, but don't let him see you here."

"Of course, we'll keep him safe," Rayleigh commented. "Just it'd be nice if he made it easier."

"Where's he going?" Bane asked.

"Towards the Tomb of Kings, Bane. Do you think we should let him enter?"

"All you two have to do is make sure he doesn't die. Let him get his experience."

Dean walked towards a monument that seemed to be floating. There was haze around it that covered it like a blanket and left this impression that it would be full of ghosts. He arrived below it, looked up, and scratched some of the dirt off his face. It was windy near the tower, and he struggled to see the entrance even a few feet away.

"What are the chances of him finding it? Isn't it supposed to be rare," Rayleigh said.

"Well, at least we get to go in if he does. I always wanted to see if it was true."

"If what was true, Casper?"

"If there's an actual king in there, with treasures that are to die for."

"Well, if he dies, it doesn't matter how much treasure there is. I'm guessing that place is an incorporeal nest. Hope I'm wrong."

Dean spread some energy into his legs and jumped up. If it was yesterday, he probably wouldn't be able to reach the ladder that was dangling off the doorway. He climbed up it as he traded left and right, hand by hand, to the wind rocking him with a beat of an unpredictable drum. He made it up to the door way after nearly being hit by some chipping rocks falling off the tower. He flipped into the doorway and jumped up into a dark entranceway.

"Well, we got to go now, Casper."

Rayleigh sprinted very fast and hopped up flipping over an invisible rainbow before latching on to the ladder. Casper, however, didn't nail the landing, and grazed the fickle bar.

"Does it have to have a sense of humor, Rayleigh?"

"Just, get up here before it changes its mind."

Dean made his way in baffled by the tombs floating in the hallway above his head. He didn't think there would be anything dangerous near a school, so he just kept exploring. Eventually, he made it so far inside that no one was following him besides a pair of small eyes.

"Who's there!" Dean yelled. "Come out!"

"And why would I do what you told me to? Have you earned the right to enter this tomb?"

"Are you an incorporeal," Dean asked, "Are you some sort of deceased King?"

"Just come with me, and we'll find out if you're qualified to know that." A man with a ghastly aura waved him down a hallway. A creature was above him clawing to the walls. It really liked his smell.

"Rayleigh, we're going to have to split up. We'll meet back here in five minutes?"

"Yup." Casper pointed towards the left and dashed off flowing into the darkness.

The erstwhile king turned around and looked at Dean before glancing up. "It seems like someone likes you or wants to eat you Dean. What step are you, boy?"

"Sixth step, why?"

"Well, you better hope he's friendly. He's already at the 7th." The king's belly jiggled as he laughed.

"Welcome to my home."

The king spread his arms as the mirrors spun reflecting a small window's sunlight. It lit the room, the cobble stone path, brightening a declination. It was a stairway that looked like it led to the underworld.

. Dean couldn't help but scratch his head. "You want me to go in there?"

"Well, if you don't we can find out who your little friend is?"

Dean seemed conflicted and looked around. "Can you tell me what's down their first?"

"I don't think I can tell you that until you see it. Are you coming or not?"

However, before he could answer, a small animal jumped off the wall. It landed in front of the path.

It growled towards the incorporeal with three sets of teeth; three sets of carnivorous saws.

"Well, it seems he doesn't want me to take you in there, Dean. I think you might have made a friend of my dear trivulna."

"Well, I kind of agree with him, I think I'll pass on a trip to hell."

"Hmm, I would have given you greatest seat in my house, you sure you don't want to help me out?"

The fox had flames slipping out from beneath its teeth. The flames were constantly flowing into a small circle. Soon, it would be enough for a half ton of damage.

"I think I'll choose the fox. Beasts don't lie as much as humans do."

"You have no idea what Beasts are capable of, Dean. Oh, well suit yourself." The king whistled.

"GRRRR!"

A monster with six arms and twelve small wings on its arms was clawing against the wall.

"Well, what are you waiting for Morrice, get him now!" He pointed towards Dean as the fox finally released his flame.

"Hopefully, we can handle this buddy" He said to his two-eared friend as a sword manifested in his hand. Luckily Mr. Lonco had given him a weapon.

A fire and ice wall clashed as Dean fought with the lizard using the dragon steps. He had a feeling something would shoot into his head from the fruit of wisdom if he could last a few more minutes. Luckily, the fox was hanging on.

"Dean, what the hell are you doing," Casper screamed, "If you want to die, you can do it off school property!"

"Casper, what are you doing here?" Dean parried and riposte.

"Saving your ass!" Casper rushed towards him.

"I'm fine Casper, really. Just save the damn fox!"

Dean's foot was swinging in blurs, attack after attack, at the clanging arms. The trivulna, however, was having a harder time with the king. It was pretty much like Dean was fighting the pawn, and the fox was somehow surviving the onslaught of a 'queen'. A hand of ice grabbed it and picked up the poor trivulna as patches of ice started to spread up its coat of fur.

Casper hoped that Dean would be alright. He doused his sword with a sprinkle of holy water and leaped at the King.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The six-armed lizard met the metal of Dean's sword and whipped its two tails. It was times like these that Dean wished he could use his element. His heart started beating against the surface of his chest.

Luckily, the fruit of wisdom was fueling his sword moves. It helped keep him alive when he thought he was its lunch. Finally, a skill clicked in his head. The lizard lost an arm to the burst flame sword.

The frenetic lizard didn't stop.

"You're not a bad fox. It's nice to meet you." Casper commented.

The fox seemed unhappy with the company and turned its head. The king laid on the ground in a pile of ash.

"You're lucky I brought holy water little friend. Now, shall we go save Dean?"

Dean had five arms left to go. The lizard had spikes on its arm that would hurt if they pierced. The monster turned around to block with one of its other arms and yelled furiously. Unfortunately, Casper was at a much higher level than it was. The beast was chopped up into mincemeat and dropped on the floor with a green burst.

"It seems like you made a pretty good friend, Dean," Casper said, "I think he saved you from the mouth of the beast."

The trivulna walked up to Dean and sniffed him before he jumped up and perched on his shoulder. He looked like a scarf around his neck, and it made him giggle.

Rayleigh ran into the room huffing and puffing a second later holding up a gem in his hand. "Look what I found Casper, and there a lot more of it!"

Finally, he realized that there was a dead body on the floor, and some green mush on Dean's clothes.

"What the hell happened to both of you?"

"Well, Dean here almost got eaten, and I just fought an incorporeal."

"Yeah, thanks for saving me guys." Dean pet the fox on his neck.

"Well, don't you guys want to know where I got this gem," Rayleigh asked, "It's not every day you find stones like this lying around."

"I think we should pass, Rayleigh," Casper said, "If we don't get out of here soon, who knows where we'll end up."

However, the trivulna jumped off Dean's neck and spread its legs. It flew like a bat over at Rayleigh and flames started boiling in its mouth. It got ready to attack in a second, as Rayleigh scratched his head.

"I thought this thing was friend…"

A bullet ball of flame ignited and seemingly shot through the sky. Rayleigh pulled out his sword and dropped the gem as the flame hit just to the right of him. The gem went up in flames.

"What are you thinking, fox," Dean screamed, "You can't attack my friends!"

The fox was a trivulna and it had a nose for stuff like this. It had no idea why the boy with the nice smell was screaming at him.

Rayleigh looked down at the floor. "Omg, the fox just saved my life, Dean," Rayleigh said, "I think you owe that guy an apology."

"What are you talking about," Casper asked.

Rayleigh scooped up some dust and poured it onto the floor. "There was a leech worm inside the egg. It's preparation to turn humans into vessels. Your little buddy here just saved me from a possession, and I think he deserves an apology."

Casper watched at the little creature went around Dean's pants and sniffed at his pocket. Finally, Dean figured out why it was following him.

"So, you like chocolate," Dean asked, "I have more at the school if you want to come?"

The trivulna munched on the bar with a satisfied smile as Dean walked back with Rayleigh and Casper.

"Well, why did you guys decide to follow me," Dean asked, "I figured you'd have more important things to do?"

"Well, Bane just wanted to make sure you didn't die on your first day. It wouldn't be good for the school."

"Yeah, next time, Dean. Look at the map before you go outside," Rayleigh added, "It might save you from being ghost food, or a sect's lunch."

"Oh, yeah, you guys have different sects on the west coast, right, who should I watch out for?"

"There's one sect named the ghost land that likes to offer up souls for demons. If you see them, either kill them or escape, got it?" Casper said.

They arrived at the entrance to the tower and looked back one more time.

"You sure you want to follow me for chocolate buddy? Isn't this your home?" Dean pet the trivulna.

"He's much better off with you, Dean. He looks like he's perfectly content on your shoulder,"

Rayleigh said, and then he jumped off with Dean in his arms. They were able to see the school on the way down.

….

"Look, sir, Tray's eyes are glowing again!" Collin said. "He's about to start a prophecy"

"Well just write it down and be quick about it. If you get a single word wrong, we might all be doomed!" Samuel sat down in front of Tray and looked into his eyes. The dilation spread all the way to the corner of his iris. A pair of black eyes was looking at him with little white dots sprinkled throughout.

"Professor, help me! He's pulling me back there again!" Tray screamed.

"Damn it. I don't have anything I can do Tray. Just hang on!"

Tray floated off the ground and leaned down over Samuel before floating over to the man with the pen.

"You ready for the prophecy?"

Collin nodded as he shivered.

"Well, I wanted to taste some damn good food for the first time in a century. Did you guys prepare what I asked for?" Tray said.

"Uhm, we couldn't get the heart of a dragon, per se, but we got you the next best thing." Samuel walked over with a plate full of delectable treats.

Tray just laughed. "Ha, I see you guys know about the good stuff." He didn't waste time eating and poured it all in his mouth.

"You just earned your sixth sentence. You ready?"

"Yes, please go on with it." Samuel waved over to Collin.

"There will be only one stop to the five-way storm, and you'll find him in a human form." Tray spun in the air.

"Is there anything else you can give us? we brought more food, sire." Samuel waved.

"Hmm, bring me the one who did this, and I'll tell you about it without all the mumbo-jumbo. Till next time!"

Tray plopped down like a dying fish before Samuel caught him and fed some energy into the cavity that was just milked like a dying cow's utter.

"Well, I don't think Tray can take too many more of these 'visits'. Molly, go get Dean as soon as he returns."

Molly nodded her head and spun her pretty white dress out of the office.

"So, how did the mission go?" Bane asked through his avatar.

"It went good, mostly. Dean ended up winning over a trivulna."

"Well, good, Casper. I'll see you guys back at the school soon, right?"

"Ha, about that Bane. It might take an hour longer. That monument took us out to The Forest of Kings."

"Ah, has Dean seen them yet," Bane asked, "They're fantastic."

"He's staring at them now, Bane." Rayleigh said.

There were five great kings in history who ruled when omnipresent still graced Zenith with his presence. And Dean was staring up at them now underneath the falling sun. The five kings had their swords over him showing their unity with a clash of bronze. The trivulna was snuggled on his shoulder as he walked over towards the tags on the monument.

"The five kings, Aragon, Ben, Eada, Mable, and Pontiff, remember them."

"Would it be okay if I named you Eada, little guy?"

The trivulna floated and cooed before it rubbed his head against Dean's shoulder.

"Well, Eada it is then!"

They trekked back to the school right before the two moons proudly acceded the sky. And Dean finally found a place to review the cultivation manual. He lied down in his closet flipping through the pages. Eada was on his lap, very comfortably, curiously glancing at the 'blank' book.