The Ancient Prophecy Ch. 07

The king sat down on the middle throne and the lady on the next one. The young man, however, stood beside him. The doors were closed and the meeting began.

"The man was Prince Roberto, the second son and heir to the throne." Anna whispered. "He is also the foremost knight of the realm. He wielded a giant sword called Kaiser Sword. Its power is unsurpassed."

"And who's the woman?" Atrus asked quietly without drawing attention.

"The woman was Lady Montana, King Edward's mistress and Roberto's mother. She is in charge of the civil affairs in the land, but rumors said she's... uh... horrible..."

Maya, who had been following the conversation, finally asked. "Why doesn't Roberto sit on the empty chair? Why do they keep the chair if nobody sits on it?"

"You know Prince Alfredo, the first son and the rightful heir to the throne?" Anna asked her.

"The one that we're looking for, right? He disappeared years ago without trace."

"True. The chair belongs to Queen Amalia, the queen of the land, Alfredo's mother." Anna explained. "She was poisoned shortly after the disappearance of her son. Her killer is never found. That chair is dedicated to her to symbolize King Edward's loyalty to his late wife."

"And what is Lady Montana doing here, then?" Atrus asked.

"She was the king's chief maid. One day, the king choked himself while having dinner, and she saved his life. In desperation of not having an heir for the throne, the king appointed her as his concubine. Roberto is the result. The king promised Roberto to become the heir if Alfredo can't be found."

"I can picture that both Roberto and his mom wouldn't like Alfredo back." Maya added.

"The court is in session." Lord Garth said. "Captain Hawk, you may begin."

Hawk stood from his chair and addressed the assembly before him. "The honorable royal members, I present you my friends, Ranger Atrus White Lion and his girls."

Atrus didn't like the way Hawk presented Anna and Maya as 'his girls'. However, he stood and bowed before the king. "Atrus White Lion, at your service, your majesty."

Anna felt the same, but did the same. "Adriana Freesland, at your service, your majesty."

"I'm Maya Murdock, slave of Atrus White Lion, at your service." Maya followed.

The king nodded. "You are the heroes at the conflicts in Labrador and Gideon, I recall."

"And you saved Sir Hawk's life in Tiras. I read your report, Captain. Are they the ones?"

"Yes, Prince Roberto, they are the ones, indeed." Hawk answered.

"They don't look special to me." Lady Montana added mockingly.

The remark stung the companions pretty badly, but they managed to control their anger. "We're no heroes, your majesty, just some travelers who want to do the job well." Anna said.

"A fine modesty, Miss Freesland, but your exploits are well known." Lord Garth claimed. "And what is your business in the palace?"

Hawk continued. "They are here to propose a new political move toward our neighbors, your majesty. They are here to form an alliance of all five clans of the realm."

The reactions came instantly from all around the room. General Kepfer quickly frowned at Atrus, while the other members busily debated the idea. The crowd silenced as Lord Garth raised his hand.

"And what is the reason?" Lord Garth continued.

"They claimed that Lord Guardian has sent them here..."

"LIAR!!!" Lady Montana cut Hawk off. Her curse was also welcomed with more objections from other members. This was not good, Atrus thought. He had to convince them, and it wouldn't be easy.

"Young White Lion!" The king suddenly called him. "I know your father well, and I believe you're not telling us lies."

"No, your majesty. I'm telling the truth." Atrus answered instantly.

"Then tell us. I believe you will enlightened us better if you tell us personally."

Atrus gave the girls a worried look, but they shot back an assuring smile. Atrus stood up and walked to the center of the room. He could feel all eyes were staring at him, but he hid his nervousness. He had to convince them. His friends were with them, and Lord Guardian himself said He would be, too.

"In our journey after the battle at Gideon, we traveled along the eastern part of the kingdom." Atrus felt reluctant in using the words 'we' and 'our', but he continued. "There Lord Guardian himself appeared before us. We were quite shocked, but we knew it was him..."

Anna cursed silently at the argument. It was a very weak one. Lord Garth noted it as well.

"How do you know it was him, young man?"

"I should describe him as... heavenly." Atrus answered. "His words, his voice, his message, everything he showed us were beyond imagination. I can't describe his appearance to convince you. But if you see him before your eyes, you know that it's not a mere illusion."

The answer seemed to satisfy most of the members. Anna sighed in relief.

"Then tell us his message, young man." One of the members said.

"He said that the Ancient Prophecy is about to be fulfilled. He also ordered us to find the Champion of the Guardian."

The court exploded with many different of responses. They eyed Atrus with suspicions, but he stood steadily before the king.

"I suppose we can't trust a person who believes in ghost stories." Lady Montana retorted.

"But it is not a ghost story, my Lady. The prophecy tells what is currently happening right now in this realm. It also tells what's going to happen in the future..."

"Such as he will rule the land after defeating the evil? This is treason!!!" She cried. "You make up stories to overthrow the king! Edward, can't you see?!"

Oh no... this was not good... Anna was getting panic. Lady Montana was trying to suck Atrus in. But Atrus just stood there calmly.

"I have no desire to overthrow anybody, your majesty. I just tell you what I was told to say. The Guardian has decided to fulfill the prophecy, and He will do it. I'm just a messenger."

The king turned at his advisor, but Lord Garth nodded. "Go on, young man."

"I was told to bear message to all clans of the realm. The prophecy has predicted the appearance of the demons as a new menace. To stand the menace we have to declare war and form..."

"You might be a demon-spawn!!!" Lady Montana cried again, louder this time. "You tried to infiltrate the castle with all your filthy ideas to drag us to war!!!"

Anna was getting furious. That old woman was annoying! She kept on disturbing him with her comments. Atrus, however, seemed to control his anger well.

"Young man, I do have an objection." General Kepfer politely spoke up. "War will only waste valuable resource and human lives. Our kingdom is in the verge of breakdown. Rebellions arise in many remote areas. Peasants started to blockade important trade routes. Villagers arm themselves and patrol the land, looking for trouble. The king has decided that declaring war will only weaken our state."

"Until now, many lives has been lost from the demon attacks." Atrus said. "The demons attacked town after town and killed all villagers. The survivors live in fear and terror..."

"Do you question the king's judgement? Do you think the king doesn't care of his people?! Do you blame the king for all the troubles in the outskirts of the kingdom?!"

"No, but it is time for the kingdom to fulfill its promises to its people."

Atrus' answer silenced Lady Montana again. Anna just stared at him for a while. He had said he had been lousy in diplomacy. It was either that he had lied to her, or the skill came naturally.

"Even as we speak, the war is raging outside the castle gate. However, the civilians are the ones that fight the war. Many have died, and many more will die. They don't rebel against their leader, your majesty. They're fighting for their lives. That's why they arm themselves. They're losing their trust to the kingdom, but they still hope that someday their leader will hear their cry."

Lady Montana chuckled mockingly, but Atrus' words seemed to convince some members. The tension in the room eased a bit. People began to look at Atrus expectantly.
"As I said before, we need to forge an alliance of all five clans of the land. All the conflicts right now are just the beginning. A far stronger Army of Darkness will eventually come, and if we're not prepared, we will be swept aside. If all beings in the realm join hand, we may succeed."

"How do you know they will agree to your proposal?" Lord Garth asked.

"They will. I believe they are as concerned about their people as all of us here. If we fail, they will share the consequences with us. They realized the danger they face. They will agree."

"But how do you know they will not betray us? The Elves, for instance." The General asked.

"Even the Elves realized the danger. If we can convince them of our goodwill in this alliance, they will comply. We cannot waste anymore time. The longer we wait, the worse the damage will be."

"Young man, you know NOTHING about politics!" Lady Montana snarled.

"On the other hand..." Lord Garth suddenly said, "I think he is right..."

The whole room turned to face the young advisor. Lady Montana eyed him in disbelief. "You believe in this kid?!"

"The kid is right. We have to admit that we're losing the war. If we don't react soon, our people will suffer. With all political problems we're having, a large scale of drafting and recruitment will be impossible to do. An alliance will strengthen our defense while we try to regain trust from the people."

General Kepfer stood. "I agree. The boy is saying the truth. Young Ranger, I still doubt about the Elves' involvement in your plan, but you have my support."

"Thank you, General."

Then one by one the court members were convinced and approved the plan. Lady Montana was getting furious, for nobody seemed to support her anymore. The king, who had been watching the debate from his throne, smiled warmly at Atrus.

"As the majority of the court members have decided, I will give my blessing..."

"Your majesty!!! This is a mistake...!!!" Lady Montana roared in anger.

"This will be a limited meeting for the council of war!" The king announced.

Then several members began to leave their seats. Only a few remained in their places. Lady Montana threw Atrus a look in disgust, then left the room, cursing. Atrus found Anna standing right behind him. She gave a smirk and stepped on his feet.

"Ouch!! What was that for?!" He asked.

"For lying to me." Anna answered. "You speak like a master diplomat."

Soon the court was pretty empty. General Kepfer and Captain Hawk were still there. Prince Roberto was still beside the throne, staring warily at Atrus. He had to be pissed off, seeing his mother humiliated in front of the court. King Edward cleared his throat before continuing.

"Young man, I give you my blessing to forge the alliance you proposed. However, are you aware of the requirement for somebody to undertake a royal task?"

"Yes, your majesty. I have to attain the rank of royal knight." Atrus answered.

"And do you know what it takes to be a royal knight?" King Edward asked again.

"No, your majesty."

Prince Roberto stepped forward. "I am responsible in promoting people to the rank of royal knights. However, to attain a full title, you have to undertake as little as 25 tests to prove your worthiness."

Atrus didn't answer. Taking 25 tests would take too much time, and the search for the Champion of the Guardian would be delayed. The king, however, was able to read his thoughts.

"Roberto, can't we make an exception on this one?" The king asked. "This boy's reputation is well known and his dedication is proven. Doing all those tests will be a waste of time."

"I'm aware of that. I can cut all those tests into a duel. How's that?" The prince asked.

The girls were surprised, but Atrus nodded. "As you wish, my prince."

"Prince Roberto!" Captain Hawk stood up. "I would like the opportunity to do the duel."

"I appreciate your offer, Captain, but no." The prince said slowly. "I will fight him personally. If you defeat me fair and square, you'll get your title. GUARDS!! MY SWORD!!"

As Anna had said to him, any souls would tremble at the sight of the Kaiser Sword. It was at least four feet tall with long handle. The sword was made of reinforced steel. The design was not impressive; it was not made for beauty, it was made for power. The blade seemed to be able to cut through metal like butter. The sword looked very heavy on the guard's hand, but Roberto lifted it easily.

"Don't hold back, Ranger!" He said. "If you're hesitating, you get sliced. Got it?"

Maya came beside Atrus, bringing his sword. "Master, be careful..."

Atrus smiled, then told both girls to back off. He didn't draw the cursed sword, but instead just hung it on his back. The action startled the members of the council of war.

"If you don't use your sword, your little slave and lover will cry before your corpse!"

Atrus stared at the young prince defiantly. "I'm here at Lord Guardian's will. I believe He will fight the duel for me."

"Young fool!! Prepare to be slaughtered!!"

Prince Roberto dashed toward Atrus and swung the sword with all his might, but Atrus got out of the way. The gigantic sword smashed into the expensive table next to Maya and split it in half. Everybody in the room, including the king, grasped at the sight. Maya quickly clung at Anna, frightened.

"Come on, Prince, just between us." Atrus taunted. "I don't want my girls back in pieces..."

The prince easily lifted the sword and charged at him. Using his superior speed and dodging skill, he jumped from one spot to another, evading every blow Roberto could offer him. He didn't even draw his sword, knowing that even the magical sword would be smashed to pieces upon contact with Kaiser Sword. After a few minutes of intense 'cat-and-mouse' game, six sets of tables and eight chairs were wrecked. Only Anna, Maya, Lord Garth and General Kepfer remained in the seat. The rest of the council members hid behind the king's throne.

"You know what, Prince, I have a friend who is a carpenter. You can support his business if you keep on doing this everyday..."

The prince roared in anger at the taunt and dashed at Atrus like a madman. This time Atrus drew his weapon, ducked beneath the Kaiser's path, and hit the prince's left leg hit the sheathed sword. The covered sword didn't draw blood on his armored leg, but was enough to trip the furious prince. Prince Roberto smashed on a broken table, wrecking it even further and brought him down. Before he could rise, the demonic sword, now unsheathed, penetrated on the table next to his head. The cold-blue glow shrunk his guts almost instantly.

"I suppose the winner of the duel is already decided." Lord Garth declared.

The prince quickly rose up and challenged him. "The result is not fair! The Ranger cheated!"

"How so, Roberto?" The king asked.

"He taunted me! That is not a fair fight! He angered me..."

"And you were angered!!" The king suddenly roared. "You disappoint me, my son! As a foremost knight of the realm, you have violated every single code of honor of a knight!"

"Father, what do you mean...?" Roberto asked in confusion.

"Young Atrus didn't even use his swordsman skill." General Kepfer said coldly. "He was using your weakness as his strength. By doing that, he defeated you easily in what should have been a tough fight for him. He is under-armed and under-powered, but he outsmarted you. You are lost."

"But can't you see?! His sword... It's evil! I can sense it..."

"The sword is not important." Lord Garth said slowly. "The wielder is."

The prince was furious. "It can't be... I was defeated... by a Ranger...?" Then he rushed toward the door and left the court.

"The outcome has been decided." The king announced. "As the King of Aragon, I hereby appoint you, Ranger Atrus White Lion, with the title of royal knight. Wear it with pride, young man."

The king unsheathed his royal sword. Atrus knelt before him as he touched both shoulders with the sword. "Thank you, your majesty. I'm most honored."

"And I give you my blessing to forge the alliance of five clans. I will have my servants make the proposal. When it is finished, you will deliver it to the other four clans. I wish you success."

"Thank you, your majesty."

"But for the time being, I want you to do me a favor, Sir Atrus." The king continued. "I want you to do a royal task for me, along with your friends."

Both Anna and Maya joined Atrus before the king. "Anything that will please you, your majesty.' Anna politely answered.

General Kepfer stood up and walked toward the party. "Lately, our southern and western part of the kingdom has been harassed by the demons. Losses and casualties have been heavy. Our scouts have reported numerous abnormal patrol schedules and routes of our troops in that region. The question of the local officials' integrity is being questioned. A betrayal might be likely."

"Do you want us to investigate the matter?" Anna asked.

"Yes. You will go to Castle Stoke in the town of Blackwell."

"Blackwell...?!" Maya suddenly found herself saying.

"Yes, Blackwell. You will meet the governor of southern Aragon, Sir Anthony Stoke."

Maya shuddered at the name. Baron Stoke was the last man she wanted to see. He was her slaver. He had killed her father and degraded her like an animal. She had been captured in Castle Stone for a full year, passing days of pain and nights full with nightmares. The painful memory overcame her instantly. Her body trembled with fear. She could feel Atrus' hand reached out for her shoulder and drew her body close. Anna could only stare at her in sympathy. Maya snuggled close to her master. Her master and mistress understood her feeling. That was more that she could ask for.

"Young girl, is there something wrong?" The king suddenly asked Maya.

"Oh, no... I mean... yes, your majesty... I'm... not feeling well... That's all..."

"She's tired, your majesty." Atrus added. "It has been a long journey."

"Then I'll make this quick." King Edward nodded. "You will go there and convince Sir Stoke to begin countermeasure attempt to block the demon menace. That will include limited drafting of local villagers and constant training. Improvement of patrol schedule and garrisons placement will be in order as well. You will have my authority in this task. Do you understand?"

"We hear and heed, your majesty." Anna answered.

"If you complete this task, I will also appoint you and that little girl as honorary knights."

Maya stared at the king. "But, your majesty... I'm just a slave..."

"Status will never dictate dedications, young girl." Lord Garth said.

Maya hesitated before bowing at the king. "I'm in awe to my lord's generosity."

The king smiled. "Then I announce that the meeting is adjourned. Have some rest, little girl."

One by one the members left the wrecked court. Atrus held Maya's body, comforting her. Anna joined them in the center of the room. Maya was still frightened as the horrified memory returned.

"Master... Mistress... I... I don't know if I can do this..." She said slowly.

"You must, Maya!" Anna said. "We're with you! You will not be harmed!"

"I... I'm scared... I will jeopardize the mission..."

"Don't let your emotion control you." Anna suddenly found Lord Garth standing behind her. "That is what Lord Falagor, my mentor, has always said to me when I'm down."

Maya looked at her master. Atrus gave her an assuring smile. Her master had gone through bitter memory in Gideon, but he had managed to get out of his despair. She had his and Anna's support in this matter, and she knew her late father would want her to do this. She couldn't escape from reality, her father had told her. She had to confront her past enemy, just as Atrus had confronted his despair.