As the mastiffs approached towards them, both of the Splenish shapeshifters prepared their only handguns that were inside their holsters. A line of Tibetan mastiffs and goat villagers stood their ground just a few meters away from them. Renar placed his shaking hand over his leather holster while Acher held his ground near to the flag that he just planted on the dirt.

'What is this?'

Emerging from the crowd, both Khampa and Bodi appeared. Renar prepared his loaded Mauser C-96 but Acher did not. The line of Tibetan mastiffs prepared their defense by changing their postures for combat. Before the canine guards could begin in launching their deadly Mastiff Paws, Khampa hollered to his men.

'Hold your paws!'

The other guards heeded the word yet they kept themselves alert.

'Who are you guys?'

Acher removed his hand from his holster.

'We're both foreign shapeshifters from the Great Splenish Empire. We mean no harm.'

Khampa checked both Acher and Renar from a few feet away. He then noticed Renar still pointing his handgun at him.

'What are you pointing at me, huh?'

Acher looked at Renar and he nudges him with his shoulder.

'Renar, lower your sidearm.'

'N-No, man. I wouldn't do that if I were you.'

'Renar. Lower down that handgun you're holding. Now.'

'But, B-Brother...'

'I said it now, Renar!'

Acher's younger brother slowly lowered down his handgun and he kept away on his own holster.

'That's more like it.'

The older Splenish pilot cleared his throat as he faces to Khampa.

'I'm sorry about that. You might though that we're threats to you and for the villagers but we're both not like that.'

'I see. What are your names?'

'My name is Acher and this is my brother Renar. Like what I said, we're both foreign shapeshifters from the Great Splenish Empire.'

'Great Splenish Empire?'

Khampa looked back and he could see his son Bodi approaching towards them by a few steps.

'Bodi, let me handle them.'

'Handle them? Dad, they mean no harm.'

'I know but I have a feeling that they might be lyi...'

Renar then looked at Bodi and he went gobsmacked.

'Wait. Aren't you the one named Bodi?'

'Umm...Yeah. I'm the one. Why?'

'Dear God! You're Crown Prince Kalir's idol!'

'Hmm?'

Acher sighed.

'He's right. Our Crown Prince idolized him because of his musical fame but in fact, we're both his so-called Regent-Majordomos.'

'I-I see.'

Khampa cuts them all as confusion drowned him.

'Hold on, everyone! I don't understand this at all! What are you two doing here in the first place?'

'Oh. It's simple. We're on our flight on route to Lhasa and Peking but our plane suffered a problem so we're been forced to land here and wait for the others.'

'Others', you said?'

'Yes but don't worry about them. They also mean no harm.'

'Are you sure? If you're lying, I won't have second thoughts in dealing with you and your partner from this village.'

'I swear indeed. Honestly.'

'If we're both lying for now, consider us getting killed or anything if you and your villagers wished.'

A short silenced followed before the older Tibetan Mastiff replied.

'Very well.'

Khampa sighed and he faces to the crowd.

'Alright, men. These foreigners were not intruders. They are our guests.'

The other mastiffs and goats lowered their guard. Acher sighed a bit as he secured the straps of his holster before glancing at his brother.

'Way to go with that one, Renar.'

Renar remain silent.

Khampa then looked at them.

'Please follow us towards the village.'

'Alright. Get your gear, brother. I think these villagers grants us their hospitality.'

'Okay, Acher.'

Renar then took his knapsack while Acher took his and the two followed Khampa and Bodi towards the village. The flag was still fluttering near the grounded Etrich Taube. While the group walked towards the village, Bodi whispered to his father.

'What are these two, Dad?'

'I don't know but I guess we should 'detain' here for a bit just to be sure.'

'Are you sure about that?'

'I hope so.'

Bodi then placed his guitar onto his back.

'I wonder if those two were telling the truth about what they had just said.'

'Like what?'

'Like what they say that their so-called Crown Prince totally idolized me for my fame with the band.'

'I'm not sure about that but if we could know more about them, then we will know the truth.'

'I guess so, Dad.'

'Right then.'

The mastiffs continued on as they escorted Acher and Renar back.

...

Somewhere in Lhasa, a second Taube from earlier had finally arrived at the designated airport. As the old pre-World War One German-built monoplane was being parked near to the hangar, Kalir disembarked.

'Dad, both Acher and Renar landed in a grassy region near to the mountains not far from here.'

'I know, Son. You already told me that 4 minutes ago.'

'Oh. Sorry.'

Kalir's father, Emperor Spleriia Splero, disembarked from his plane that he brought from China. On his hand was a large briefcase.

'Why Renar haven't checked the engines from earlier back at Splena?'

'They were in a hurry in packing up the relics that you requested.'

'I did?'

'Yeah.'

'Oops.'

Splero groaned.

'Why would I be so careless?'

His Akita wolf-dog heir patted his back.

'Don't blame yourself too much, Dad. People always make mistakes.'

'Yeah. I forgot about that. Thanks for saying that, Son.'

Kalir smiled.

'Anyway, what is our mission again here?'

'First, we're going to deliver the Tibetan national flag to the Potala Palace. Second, we're heading to Peking so that we could deliver the flag of the Qing Dynasty to a museum near to the Forbidden City.'

'What a fascinating mission there, Dad.'

'Yep. I been planning this ever since I proclaim myself as the Emperor.'

He then hands over the briefcase to Kalir.

'Here. Take this for a while. We're going to make a quick stop here.'

'Wait. What about Acher and Renar?'

'Don't worry about them. We'll send them some emergency supplies after we complete something here in the Tibetan capital.'

'Okay then.'

Both the Splenish human monarch and his canine son departed from the hangar.