It was a half day's journey to the Fourth Kingdom for Alastor and Angel, and it was quite a sight to the wendigo because it wasn't like any kingdom he had seen before. For one thing it lacked anything even remotely relating to the culture of medieval and it was overrun with electronic devices, flashy lights, and stereos. Not a single sign of anything relating to the simpler and primitive times.

"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Alastor asked Angel skeptically.

"Trust me, I've been to and back from this joint countless times." Angel answered. "This is the Fourth Kingdom. I'd bet my life on it."

"It's a bit much isn't it?" Alastor said with distaste. "I mean I myself have never really liked modern technology but this is can't be normal."

"Hey I told you Vox wasn't rational. He's like totally obsessed with tech. Even techno geeks find him disturbing."

"Why the obsession with the modern world?"

"Who knows? I never really met him myself but I have my theories."

"I'm afraid to ask."

"Val used to have a few one-night stands with him between here and there, on occasion I would hear him ramble a few things about those nights and well...Let's just say I've concluded that Vox might be compensating for something. You know what I mean?"

"Unfortunately yes." Alastor replied, not at all amused by the innuendo.

They approached the locked gates.

"So how exactly do we get in?" Alastor asked.

"You just use the intercom." Angel answered.

"What's that?"

Angel demonstrated by pressing the button of the device attached to the gates.

"Welcome to the Fourth Kingdom, the most highly advanced civilization in the world which is under the control of the brilliant Lord Vox." A voice called from the intercom.

"They have to say that every time." Angel whispered to Alastor. "The man is more egotistical than me."

"What brings you to our glorious society?" The voice asked.

"Hey Steve, it's Angel." The tsuchigumo replied.

"I'm sorry Angel but you must inform your employer that Lord Vox has decided to end their occasional rendezvouses."

"No it's actually another delivery."

"Okay I'll be down in a minute to sign for it."

In five minutes the gates were opened and a man stepped out. As soon as he saw Alastor he became instantly terrified.

"Ahhhhhhh!" He shrieked. "Wendigo!"

"Now wait a second." Alastor said. "Just calm down. I'm not gonna eat ya."

But it was no use. The man took off running, not at all paying attention to which direction he had taken or where he was going.

"Wait Steve! Isn't that where the electric fence is?"

But Angel's warning came too late and the man called Steve went right smack into said fence which shocked him with an extremely large amount of high voltage electricity.

"Ooooo." Angel seethed as he imagined how much pain the man was undoubtedly in.

Surprisingly Steve was still alive but had most likely lost all feeling in his legs.

"Why?!" He cried in agony while crawling away. "Oh why?! Why?!"

Alastor just sighed in exasperation, then he and Angel entered through the gates and proceeded to look around for anyone who could possibly assist them. They didn't see any people but they did see a lot of things that unsettled Alastor. Not only was everything in this kingdom electronic but artificial too. The trees, the grass, the flowers, even the animals were fake and man-made. Plastic trees, rubber grass and flowers, mechanical birds, bees, and squirrels perched on the sides. Just what kind of kingdom was this?

"Is anything in here actually real?" Alastor asked.

"Only the people." Angel said. "I always hated coming through here. It's so creepy."

Alastor sniffed the air.

"It's quiet." He said. "Too quiet. Where is everybody?"

Alastor's question was answered when the silence was suddenly broken by the excited sounds of a crowd. It appeared to be coming from a tunnel that led to a great stadium. Alastor and Angel went in and began walking through the half-dark, stopping at the end when they heard a proud voice speak loudly over the crowd. Vox's voice.

"Brave knights!" He shouted. "You are the best and brightest in the land, and today one of you shall prove himself better and brighter than all the rest."

There he stood basking in the applause of his people. The sunlight beaming from the metal and steel parts of his left side. To Alastor, he was a horror show.

"Oh dear God, what in the world happened to him?" He asked.

"He lost the entire left half of his body in an accident." Angel said. "And he chose to replace it with robotics rather than prosthetics. And if you ask me that was a very poor choice because the overall cyborg appearance makes him look so tacky."

Vox continued to address the crowd.

"That champion will have the honor- No, no, the privilege of rescuing the lovely Princess Charlotte from the keep of the dreaded moth adze. If for any reason the winner is unsuccessful, the first runner up will take his place and so on and so forth. Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make."

"See Al? What did I tell ya? Totally nuts this guy." Angel remarked.

"Let the tournament began!" Vox hollered.

That was when Alastor finally decided to make his presence known and step out from the tunnel. A hush fell over all within the stadium as they stared at the wendigo in fear and revulsion. Even the knights were startled by his appearance.

"What is that?!" Vox whined in horror. "Ugh! It's hideous!"

Alastor looked annoyed but quickly recovered.

"Now, that's not very nice." He admonished and pointed to his companion. "It's just a spider."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Angel said, not one to take insults as easy as his new friend. "I'm the best looking guy here!"

"Oh shit, it's Val's pet bug!" Vox said upon recognizing the tsuchigumo. "What do you want? Is Valentino still complaining about that money I owe him? I paid him back!"

"I don't work for him anymore man and this isn't a job or sex call, I'm just helping out a friend here."

"Acquaintance." Alastor corrected.

Vox looked down on Alastor as if he was the equal to dirt. No, lower than dirt. Alastor knew that look all too well and only responded with a smile. A smile that made Vox even more disgusted and it spurned him to come up with a new idea.

"Knights! New plan!" He announced. "The one who kills the wendigo, will be named champion! Have at him!"

Every warrior turned on Alastor. Angel immediately ran to hide behind him as they were backed up against something.

"Now gentlemen is this really necessary?" Alastor asked, still smiling despite the fact that he had basically been given an execution. "I'm not opposed to using violence for conflict resolution but there are women present. Wouldn't it be most unchivalrous for a knight to subject them to such brutality?"

"Chivalry is dead here!" One knight spoke.

"Then you all couldn't possibly be real knights."

Indeed they weren't. They didn't wear steel or metal armor or ride horses or carry swords. Their armor was electronic and their weapons were ray guns and lasers. They looked more like space men or something.

"Al what are we going to do?" Angel asked panicked. "I'm too young to die! I still haven't known the pleasures of a woman!"

"Okay that's too much information."

Alastor turned to look at what they had been backed up against. It was two large dispensers, one of wine and one of liquor. Liquid. Liquid which shorts out electricity. That gave Alastor an idea.

"Now because I want to be fair I'll give you fellows a warning." He said. "I'm willing to take the peaceful route if you'll agree to discuss this matter with me like gentlemen."

But the so-called knights continued to advance.

"Very well then." Alastor turned his attention to the crowd. "I would like to personally apologize to the ladies in the audience for what they're about to see. Such fair, delicate yet strong-minded individuals should never be forced to witness violence."

This caused a large number of female spectators to blush and giggle.

After that, Alastor took one great swing at the dispensers, breaking off the spigots, and causing geysers of wine and liquor to come shooting out and hitting the knights. All their armor and weapons were shorted out which gave Alastor the perfect upper hand. He skated through the spilled liquid like a hockey player and knocked down each opponent that came near. Those who remained standing found themselves in a makeshift, pro-wrestling match. But it wasn't anything like that was seen on TV. Not in the least.

For years Alastor had wrestled bears and boars in order to avoid getting killed or to catch an especially hearty meal so his techniques on those knights were brutal. He slammed them, bashed them, had them choke holds, he managed to throw them over his head.

"Ooo! Al! Tag me! Tag me!" Angel cheered, wanting to join in the fun.

Alastor tossed one knight over to Angel who knocked him out with a head butt.

The crowd erupted into cheers. They were now rooting for Alastor.

"The chair! Give him the chair!" Screamed an old lady.

"As the lady wishes." Alastor said before crashing a folded chair on a downed knight.

The last one standing tried to shoot Alastor from behind but Angel kicked his gun from his hand and Alastor gave him a final body slam. For extra measure, Angel kicked him in the head to knock him out which resulted in a victory for the two misfits.

The crowd went wild. Cheering and applauding them rapidly. This pleased Alastor, much more than he thought it would. It was nice to get a positive reaction out of an established society. In fact this was the most that any humans had actually ever praised him.

"Thank you, thank you, you're all too kind." He said bowing.

Vox simply watched, intrigued.

"Well this didn't work out well." Captain Pentious said. "Shall I give the order to just kill them aerial wise?"

"No. I have a better idea." He said. "People of the Fouth Kingdom, I give you our champion!"

"Excuse me?" Alastor said.

The crowd cheered louder for him, he on the other hand was not sure what to make of this.

"Congratulations wendigo, you've won the honor of embarking on a great and noble quest."

"I beg your pardon sir but I am not interested in any quest." Alastor responded. "I came here to make a complaint. You dumped a bunch of mythical creatures on my property without my permission."

"Your property? You mean that forest?" Vox said.

"Yes! It is my private property and you had know right to use it as a land preserve."

"That filthy estate is apart of the Fourth Kingdom. I have every right to do as I please with it."

"Wrong. The forest itself exists just outside your domain and rightfully belongs to the Third Kingdom where many of the creatures you banished are originally from. So technically you have broken two property laws. Shall I get a lawyer involved?"

"I doubt someone like you could afford an attorney, so how about we make a deal instead? Go on this quest for me and I'll give you back your forest."

Alastor considered this new twist for a moment, weighing his options.

"What kind of quest?"