Chapter 11: Twilight of the Gods.
The Great Prontera Castle, which lies to the northernmost area of the City of Prontera, is an impressive, magnificent structure spanning over twenty acres of land. An almost impenetrable fortress, it is surrounded by great outer walls reaching forty feet in height, and a wide moat which is crossable only when the main drawbridge is lowered. Similar to the Qasr of Sograt, it has four defence towers, one at each corner, each surmounted by great spires. The Castle is built in dark red sandstone and its inner walls are made entirely of white marble of the highest grade, the rarest and most expensive of its kind. All the pillars in the Castle are magnificently carved by the best craftsmen of Midgard, and adorned with gold and silver. Statues made from black basalt, depicting the royalty and great knights of Midgard, stand in almost every corner. It is indeed, a place fit only for a King.
The main path leading to the castle is flanked by the city guards and the royal knights, dressed in their heavy armour and standing upright in attention all day. Nearer towards the Castle, the area is patrolled by the Cavalrymen, usually consisting of the Lord Knights and Paladins who are trusted with the job of defending the Castle's compounds. Inside the castle, directly guarding the wards which house the Royal Apartments and other important chambers are the Rune Knights and Royal Guards who have attained the highest level of skills, who are the best fighters and hold high positions in the Knight's Guild. Standing above them all are the knights from the Newcastle family, who for the past seven generations have been acknowledged as the noblest Swordmen, trusted allies of the King, and the strongest of the strong. Each generation, the most prominent male member of the Newcastle family also serves as the Head of the Knights' Guild and Crusaders' Guild, an exceedingly powerful and desirable position.
On the seventh day of every month, the Ruler of Midgard and Sovereign of the Land of the Gods, King Tristan III, grants an audience to the esteemed Ministers and other royal knights and members of the high society of Midgard. Traditionally held in the Throne Room of the Castle, it is during this time that various subjects pertaining to the interests of Midgard are discussed, and edicts are issued by His Majesty. On this day, the seventh of the eleventh month, Ryo Ishikawa prepares to present himself to His Majesty, having been granted the permission to represent his Lord to make a formal petition against the House of Jin. It is by no means a menial task, and every action and word may affect His Majesty's decision on the current standoff between the two noble Houses. Ryo closes his eyes, and mumbles the script he has memorised from the night before. Silently he curses his Lord, Edward Kou for sending him on this mission instead of Rhys McQuillen, the man born with a silver tongue. Indeed, Ryo cannot see the logic behind this decision of Edward's.
Ryo observes his surroundings anxiously. His eyes come to rest on several officials of high position; among them is the Minister of the Right, Julian Afanasyurin, engaged in a talk with the Minister of Trade who also holds the position of the Governor of Izlude, Sir Bourgeouis-Martineau. From the corner of his eyes, he spots Sir Joshua Newcastle, the young leader of the Royal Calvary and the current head of the Newcastle family, quietly instructing the other Knights. Indeed, it seems that everyone is in a state of high tension today; they are expecting His Majesty to issue a decree which should bring a temporary solution to this predicament. If peace is not restored in the southern lands, misfortunes will befall Midgard soon. An open clash between Lord Edward Kou, who commands the biggest sea force in Midgard, and Lord Jin Shou, the most influential man in the underworld of Midgard, must be avoided at any cost. And standing amongst them today is a man lurking behind the shadows, who would see to it that both Houses are destroyed.
The gong is sounded four times to announce the arrival of His Majesty. Every individual hurries to their respective position, assembling neatly in two lines to either side of the room, facing the centre and bowing their heads respectfully. The Court Officer clears his throat, and announces in a clear, steady voice.
"His Majesty King Tristan III, Ruler of Midgard, Sovereign of the Land of the Gods!"
"His Grace, Duke Boris, Sovereign of the Northern Territories!"
The room falls silent. Ryo could tell that this sudden development is a shock to most, if not all, of them. He steals a glance at Joshua Newcastle, who at this moment is standing on the opposite row. The very slight, but sudden stiffness in his posture suggests that he too, is upset with the unexpected appearance of the Duke. Duke Boris, the second cousin of His Majesty is Midgard's emissary in the Schwarzwald Republic. An exceedingly powerful man, he is feared by many. Ryo's state of anxiety rises up a notch.
The King then proceeds to take his place on the throne, followed by the Duke, seated to his right. Julian Afanasyurin then steps before them, bowing slightly to each in turn.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Grace".
"Good morning, Minister Afanasyurin. You may start with the reports now".
"Yes, Your Majesty. May I present to you Mister Ryo Ishikawa, representative of the House of Kou. Lord Edward Kou himself has personally requested to make a petition on the current conflict caused by a... misunderstanding between him and Emir Jin of Morroc".
Ryo steps towards the centre. He clears his voice quietly, and mentally pushes whatever nervousness he had before, to the back of his mind. It is time for him to get down to business; Edward would never let him hear the end of this if he fails today.
"Your Majesty, Your Grace", he starts. "First, my honourable Lord extends his sincerest gratitude for granting him an audience today. Unfortunately, as he is still recovering from a wound sustained a few days ago, he is unable to present himself today. Lord Kou expresses his regret of not being able to come personally, and hopes that Your Majesty would allow me, Ishikawa to represent him".
King Tristan III gave a look of approval at the young man standing before him.
"It is understandable, Mister Ishikawa. I trust your Lord's injuries are not too grave?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Lord Kou shall recover in a few days' time. Meanwhile, I have come today to humbly request that Your Majesty grant us some... advice on how to deal with our current dilemma with Emir Jin of Morroc".
The King frowns a little. "I have heard the story from Minister Afanasyurin yesterday. You may get straight to the point".
Ryo swallows a little, and recalls what Rhys had prepared for him in the script.
"Your Majesty. For the past seven generations, the House of Kou has always been on amicable terms with the other noble Houses in our land. However, the Jins of Sograt had caused us trouble time and again. Although both Houses have signed a peace treaty during the reign of King Tristan I, and again fifteen years ago, the current Emir has shown little respect for this agreement when he personally led a force of thirty fighters from the Thief class to launch an open attack on Manor Alberta on the night of the first. He has also released a number of his followers who were to be executed for the crime of smuggling raw Izidor into Alberta. Not only that, Lady Yukari, the only family of Lord Edward, has been taken against her will to an undisclosed location in Sograt. Thus, the House of Kou humbly beseech Your Majesty to consider action against Emir Jin, and to see to the safe return of Lady Yukari to Alberta".
The hall falls silent. Ryo could feel his heart pounding so fast, that he might collapse anytime soon.
"It seems to me that Emir Jin has behaved disgracefully this time," the Duke says contemptuously. "To defy the treaty so openly is an insult to our land".
It is at this time when a young knight hurries into the hall. He whispers a few urgent words to Sir Jarrett Newcastle, the Minister of Security and Defence, who also happens to be a member of the sixth generation of the Newcastle family, and hence, an uncle to Joshua Newcastle.
Minister Newcastle faces the King, wearing a very tense and distressed look. "Your Majesty, Your Grace, please excuse my interruption. But this is a very grave matter that should be brought to Your Majesty's attention immediately".
"Speak, Minister Newcastle".
"There was a large quake at the Mjolnir Mountains, near the coal mines, about an hour ago. The earth has cracked, and more than ten mining workers have fallen into the abyss. The rest are under evacuation as we speak. The tremors on the ground have stopped for now, but it seems that the worst has yet to come".
Once again there is a hushed silence, and a deadly look can be seen on each and every face in the hall. An earthquake is seen as an ill omen to the people of Midgard, because it happens only about once a century. It usually results in a massive loss of lives, and brings great catastrophes to the country's society and economy.
Before the King could speak, the great oaken doors of the castle hall burst open, and an old Sorcerer stumbles into the hall. He falls on both his knees before the King, and cries out in anguish.
"Please, Your Majesty, save us! Save our city from the evil beasts!"
The occupants of the hall look totally bewildered at this sudden intrusion. It takes a few seconds for Minister Afanasyurin to recognise the old man.
"Sir Zachariah from the House of Hargreaves of Geffen!" he gasps. The old sorcerer is quickly helped to his feet by two guards, and once again he wails.
"The beasts have attacked Geffen! Please, Your Majesty, send your armies to the city now; the people of Geffen would be dead soon!"
The King speaks in a loud, commanding voice. "Sir Zachariah, please calm yourself, and tell us clearly what is happening. None of us can make heads or tails out of your story now".
The old man stops sobbing. After a short pause, he continued, "Geffen is being attacked by the Orcs now as we speak. There are hundreds... no, thousands of them at the city walls and gates. What little manpower we have left, have been employed to keep the gates closed. Our best wizards have casted powerful spells to keep the Orcs at bay, but we would not be able to hold out much longer. Your Majesty, please send help right away!"
"How absurd! Why would the Orcs attack the city without any reasons? My good man, have you gone mad?" the King says, clearly disturbed by this sudden announcement. The Orcs, though brutal creatures, never attacked men for no good reason.
"It is true, Your Majesty. As preposterous as it sounds, the people of Geffen are indeed under attack by the beasts now. I beg you for help, Your Majesty!"
It has turned into a full-blown commotion in the hall now. It is totally unheard of for monsters to attack the cities, especially Geffen which is heavily defended by forces of magic. Ministers whisper softly among themselves. Even the King seems to be too stunned to speak. However, Ryo is very surprised to see that Duke Boris has remained calm all the time, a secretive smile playing on his lips.
Amidst the chaos in the hall, a deep-throated chuckle can be heard coming from the crowd. An old man emerged; he is so small and frail-looking, that he must be nearing a hundred in age, if not more. Wearing a long white robe, with his flowing beard almost reaching his belly, the man limps painfully on his walking-stick. However, there is a fiery glint in his eyes; those are the eyes of an intelligent man, who sees and understands the world far better than any common man.
"Your Majesty... what have just happened, are signs from the God, from Lord Odin. There is nothing much that we can do about it. We must accept our fate".
The old man coughs badly, but continues with his speech. All attention are turned to him.
"I am referring to nothing else but Ragnarok; or the twilight of the Gods. When the world ends, a new age would dawn, and a second Earth shall rise from the ashes of the old. There are many signs which show that our land is now ready for it. First, the Ship of Death would break loose- that is the very thing that attacked Lord Kou barely three days ago. Secondly, the mountains would tremble- hence the quake in Mjolnir. Thirdly, giants would attack Asgard- or in this case, the city of Geffen. Surely, Your Majesty, these are all the signs of a new age".
The King turns deadly pale at the words of the wise old man. "Surely all these may just be a series of coincidences?"
The old man shakes his head regretfully. "No, Your Majesty, I am afraid they are not mere coincidences. There will be other signs after this. Fourth, the Fire-God, Loki and the wolf Fenrir would free themselves. Fifth, the Midgard serpent shall rise above the seas. Sixth, a last great battle would be fought between the Gods, and those who oppose them. When that happens, all would perish alike, and the world shall be swallowed by fire".
Ryo feels a chill down his spine as he listens to the old man's words. Before anyone could speak out, a man steps out from the shadows; it is the Minister of the Left, Patrick de Jongh.
"Your Majesty. These happenings may well be signs from the Gods, whose wrath have been incurred by the constant bickering between the two Houses. It is time we bring an end to this. Both Lord Kou and Emir Jin have violated the peace in our land, and thus should be brought to judgement accordingly. Only by this way, we can prevent the land from falling into infinite devastation".
Ryo could not believe what he is hearing. To suggest such treatment against the two most powerful Lords in the land is an exceedingly outrageous thing to do, even if the suggestion comes from one of the most important Ministers of Midgard. "Your Majesty", Ryo begins to stammer. "I beg your pardon, whatever reason there is behind these happenings, the House of Kou has done nothing to cause it. We are just ..."
Minister Afanasyurin interrupts hurriedly. "Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider. To take such drastic action against either of the Lords... the consequences are unthinkable".
"Quiet now!" the King snaps. "Sir Joshua Newcastle, you are to take three hundred knights to Geffen immediately, and deal with the disturbances there. As for both the Houses of Kou and Jin, I had had enough of them. Keeper of the Seal, draw up a decree. Both Lord Edward Kou and Emir Jin Shou are required to be present in the Court three days from now, without fail. Minister de Jongh, you will be in charge of this. See to it that both families do not cause further trouble, until they are dealt with accordingly".
Amidst the chaos, Ryo could not help but to notice the look of satisfaction on Minister de Jongh.
