Episode 51: The Capital of Aezeokar (1)

******* Queen Thea's POV ********

"Is the northern border still holding up against the phantoms?" I asked everyone in the meeting room.

"Yes, my queen." answered the great general of my kingdom.

These past few days the phantoms just started attacking the kingdom for no reason. I tried asking King Carolus about this, turns out he killed the leader of the flying monsters so it makes sense the way they behave now.

Even with the successful defense against the uncoordinated invasion of phantoms, I'm still worried about the other information King Carolus has been sending me. Information about monsters that live in another dimension.

Pigmen and wither skeletons, King Carolus name them. I don't know what to do with this information considering the Kingdom of Astikuviel already have enough problems with skeletons, giant spiders, zombies, slimes and pirates. There are also new monsters who adds to the problems, the phantoms.

I quickly dismissed the meeting after hearing about my people's reports.

I head down to the deepest part of the castle in the underground.

I went through 2 floors with guards at each door and stairs.

I'm standing in front of the most secure place in this castle. More secure than my personal room or the treasury.

The room where I put the ender chest King Carolus gave me.

"My queen." Two guards said to me while kneeling on the floor.

"Open the door," I said to them.

They quickly rose to their feet and open the door.

I can see in the middle of the lit room the ender chest.

I step inside and the door behind me closes.

I opened the chest to see any updates to King Carolus or Sisilla.

Apparently, there is another person who has access to this magical chest aside me and King Carolus. Her name is Sisilla.

Sisilla is an unknown character to me but Arthur is with her and both of them are in a place called 'Nether'. The place of fire and lava as Arthur once told me.

Sisilla and Arthur are apparently chasing something and Sisilla is really annoying about the details that I'm about the send someone to chase after them to stop whatever they are doing but managed to stop myself.

No new letters. I guess King Carolus is finally on the capital of Aezeokar and Sisilla and Arthur are doing whatever they are planning to do.

I closed the ender chest and left the room.

If what they are saying is true, there is a coming invasion and I need to fortify once again the borders of the kingdom.

********* Arthur's POV ********

Another enderman disappeared in front of me but I know where this monster will appear.

I quickly turned around and thrust my spear forward.

My spear went through the chest of the enderman who just teleported behind me and he quickly died.

"How many times do I have to tell you, my boy? Not in the chest. There is no point in hunting endermen if you destroy their ender pearls." said Sisilla beside me and I'm starting to lose my patience.

We have been traveling in this desolate dimension of fire and lava for about a few days and I'm not really sure about the exact time since there is no way to track time here.

"What are we doing, Sisilla? Why are hunting endermen instead of stopping a giant army of monsters?" I asked Sisilla while pulling my spear out and tossing the dead body.

"Hey. If you want to attack thousands of monsters all by yourself, I will not stop you."

I didn't respond to her and just keep on staring.

"Look. We know absolutely nothing about their plans. We need to be careful about this and just maintain a safe distance for now." Sisilla said.

I'm really annoyed by her since she is not wearing any armor right now while I'm fully geared up to protect myself from monsters and the intense heat of this place.

"There is also too many of them. Way too many for us to handle even with our gifts. Believe me, Arthur, this is the best thing we can do right now. Collect resources for the future battle." Sisilla said to me.

I'm starting to worry right now since I didn't think this woman who laughs a lot for no reason is starting to make sense.

I decided to trust Sisilla for now and continued hunting ghasts, endermen and blazes.

******* Carolus' POV *********

So this is the capital city of Aezeokar.

It is really big. Way bigger than the eastern territory and way crowded.

We managed to reach this place in less than a day.

We quickly traveled from the eastern territory after making sure the border can handle the phantoms attacks on their own.

The phantoms were relatively easy to dispatch since there was no coordination and just a head-on assault.

It took a couple of days to sort the situation but Rose and I managed to take care of it and we are now slowly traveling inside the walls of the capital city and into the great citadel of Aezeokar.

This ginormous stone structure is the biggest thing I have ever seen in this world so far. Why on earth would they spend so much resources building this place when it is already enough to have strong walls and trained soldiers to defend the people?

Well, it is not my place to judge them so I decided to ignore it for now.

The giant gate of the citadel opens wide in front of us. The gate is made out of iron and makes me wonder once again where this kingdom gets its tons of supply of iron.

The people in front of me and Rose dismounted in their horses so I also dismounted in mine.

I step inside the citadel and greeted with people who are wearing a priest robe and soldiers equipped with iron armor and weapon. In the middle of them, there are three men who stand out. Two men wearing royalty clothes and an old priest who is creepily smiling straight at me.

Great. Who is this old man?

"Uncle!" exclaimed Rose while running straight at one of the royalties who is older.

"Rose! It is good to see you." the old royalty hugged Rose tight and I'm just awkwardly standing here staring at them.

"Why would you ignored my call of reinforcements and ordered my ships and soldiers away from the eastern territory?" Rose asked her uncle who I believe is the King while releasing her hug and taking a step back.

"What? What are you talking about, Rose? I don't know anything about you asking for help and did you just say you needed reinforcements? Why?" King asked her.

Wait. What? The King doesn't know about the phantom invasion in his own kingdom?

"It is good to see you again, Lady Rose, but how about we continue the conversation after you settle down on your rooms and rest from your travels." The old priest quickly interrupted.

Both the king and Rose stare at the old priest.

"The Prophet is right. Both of you needed to rest. We can continue our conversation later. Guards! Escort my niece and the other guest to their rooms." The king said.

Right. This interaction alone can give me clues that there is something strange going on here and I'm not the only one who noticed it. Rose face is filled with so much confusion while she was staring at me.

I nodded my head once to Rose indicating that we have the same thoughts.

The guards ushered us to our respective rooms.

I'm alone in my really beautiful, warm and royalty-ish room.

I decided to ignore the strange signs around me since I'm finally here and the only guy in this world who has access to the Goddess is within my reach.

I'm finally going back to my own world.

******* Prince Raimer's POV ********

"Put more strength into it!" my general beside me shouted to the soldiers who are carrying a battering ram.

We are finally in the last stretch of this cruel journey.

The rebellion is so successful and it only took a single day to have the King hole up in the throne room of the citadel along with his personal guards for a final stand.

"Prince Raimer. I can take care of this. You should rest." the general said to me.

"No. I have a duty to see this to the end." I said to him.

"You do know what will happen once that door breaks down, your highness?"

"The brutal killing of the soldiers loyal to the throne and possibly the death of my father," I said to my general with a straight face.

The general stares at me and his face are filled with indifference.

I already know how to end this cruel story.

The gate of the throne room stood strong and it is not showing any signs of breaking.

"Step away all of you. I will take care of that door." I said to everyone in front of me and they quickly listened.

I walked in front of the gate and raised my giant hammer.

'Goddess. I hope you can forgive for what I'm about to do.' I prayed for forgiveness since I know this is not the reason the Goddess granted me gifts but my father needed to stop.

I bring the hammer down with all my strength and broke the gate down.

I saw about two hundred soldiers in the throne room and all of them quickly fire their bows.

Hundreds of arrows are flying towards the gate but my soldiers quickly rushed forward and raise their shields to protect me and themselves.

A great battle between my army and the king's guards commence.

It didn't take long for my father's soldiers to overwhelmed and defeated since I have a thousand in my command while they only have two hundred on their side.

Hundreds of dead bodies are littered in the throne room.

My father is now alone standing in front of me and right behind him is the throne of the Kingdom of Xaerin.

"Aah!"

My father charges at me with his sword on his hand but I just parried his attack with little effort and push him to the floor.

He began coughing blood.

"Yield the throne, father. This doesn't need to end like this." I said to him.

"Ha! Did you really think convincing me would work, you spoiled brat!?"

I stared at my father while holding the giant hammer with my left hand.

Blood is dripping in my hammer. I also noticed that the floor of the room is covered with so much blood.

"There is only one way to end this, boy. The question is, do you have have the guts to do it?" father said.

I could just imprison him but that only solidifies my father's point of me being a usurper and not a liberator.

There is a truth that can't be disputed in this world and that is there can only be one king ruling a kingdom.

My father began laughing while staring at me.

He didn't even bother to get back on his feet or grab his sword and just continue staring at me.

I raised my giant hammer and my father stop laughing.

He didn't bother to close his eyes and face his death with open arms.

I bring the hammer down and the room shakes with the blow of the hammer.

I didn't notice how much strength I put in my swing.

My father is now beyond recognition that I'm having trouble staring at him but I didn't look away. No matter what kind of a man he is, he is still my father.

I'm started walking towards the throne and stand in front of it.

I sit on the throne and started looking around the room.

Hundreds of dead bodies are on the floor. Loyal soldiers to the throne and loyal soldiers to the cause.

Is the price that I just paid really worth the chair I'm sitting on?

I guess it doesn't matter now.

The rebellion is finally over but I can't stop remembering all the people who died in battle. They died believing in me so I have to make sure not to let them down.

I closed my eyes and lean my back on the throne.

At least the dead are happy now since they're the only ones who have seen the end of the war.