The cart moved at a brisk pace as Drífa pulled the carriage, heading towards the northern territory. Everyone else remained quiet as the sun began to set in the horizon. Atreus kept to the back of the carriage, quiet and dismayed. Raphtalia was resting on a small bed of straw, black patches all around her body. Her breathing was stable, but she was wheezing, and her coughing fits became more frequent. Atreus periodically gave her Medicine. It worked at keeping her sickness at bay, but it wasn't enough; Only Holy Water would truly cure her.
Kratos sat nearby, watching Atreus and Raphtalia. He felt a pang of sympathy as Atreus kept by her side. Seeing Raphtalia so ill reminded him of when Atreus himself had fallen deathly ill. Indeed, it had nearly costed Atreus his life. He lowered his head. The worst part of it was that Kratos could do nothing to help her.
'How is she doing?' Kratos asked. Atreus looked up at him. It was clear in his eyes that he had been crying.
'Her sickness is getting worse,' Atreus explained. 'I'm afraid it won't be long until she dies. I can't lose her. We need to hurry.'
'It's not much farther to the Northern Territory now, Master!' Drífa called out at the front. She too was highly concerned for her surrogate big sister. 'I'm pulling as fast as I can! We'll be there in no time!'
Atreus nodded, before Raphtalia suddenly broke out into a coughing fit, gasping and wheezing for breath. Atreus applied medicine to help calm her down. It worked, but only barely. The medicine was beginning to fail.
'Raphtalia,' he said softly. 'Hang in there. Just a little longer, okay?'
Raphtalia said nothing in reply, but instead fell back into a restful slumber. Atreus sighed, holding her close.
They only stopped to rest once it became the dead of night. They all slept within the carriage, while Drífa slept outside the carriage in her Filolial form, keeping watch. They woke up and began to move again in the early morning. By that point, Raphtalia's sickness had gotten worse. Atreus found himself on the verge of falling into despair. He could not afford to lose her.
Thankfully, they did not have far to go to the Northern Territory. By the time they reached the gates, it was mid-morning. They were accosted by a city guard, who stopped them.
'Halt!' the Guard barked out. 'You may not enter unless you pay the toll!'
Atreus, who had been at the back of the carriage, came out to meet the Guard. He pulled out his Merchant's Pass, showing it to the guard.
'It's okay,' he said. 'We have this, don't we? We shouldn't have to pay.'
The Guard only stood sternly. He didn't appear convinced.
'No one may enter this Kingdom without paying the Toll! Not even those with a Merchant's Pass!' he barked. 'Pay up!'
Atreus only stared at the city guard for a moment. He sighed as he lowered his head. He was too desperate to try and complain.
'Fine,' he said, before rummaging through his pouch and taking out several hundred pieces of silver, handing them to the Guard, who gladly took them.
'Atreus,' Mimir said. 'You're just gonna let him push ya around like that?'
'This Kingdom must be desperate if they're making even merchants pay to enter,' Atreus replied. The Guard sighed and lowered his head regretfully.
'Yeah. Sorry, man,' he said, more softly. 'Thank you for understanding. You may proceed.'
'Thank you.'
The gates opened up, and Atreus and co. went through, entering into the Northern Territory.
The group made their way through the nearly abandoned streets. Most of the people seemed unhappy. At least a few grumbled to themselves about the taxes being raised through the roof. For a moment, Atreus felt sympathy for them. But he was here for something more important than taxes.
At length they came upon what looked to be a cathedral. On top of the building, was an object that seemed to be a mix of the Legendary Spear, Sword, and Bow. The group looked up at the building in awe; It certainly looked majestic.
'Is this the place?' Mimir asked.
'It's gotta be,' Atreus said. 'Come on, let's go!'
Carrying Raphtalia, Atreus rushed into the church, in desperation. The others looked on in sympathy, before they followed after him.
Inside, they came upon what looked to be a nun, wearing black clothing. The nun turned to face Atreus as he got close. Her face seemed cold and devoid of sympathy.
'Greetings,' she said in a cool voice. 'What brings you to our church?'
Atreus sighed as she showed Raphtalia to the Nun, showing off the black patches all over her body.
'She's fallen ill,' he explained. 'I've given her medicine, but her sickness has gotten worse. I fear it won't be long until she dies. I was told that Holy Water can heal her completely. Do you have any Holy Water for us?'
The Nun only stared. She appeared unsympathetic to Raphtalia's plight and Atreus's distress.
'We may,' she said coldly. 'But…It may cost a lot. I fear you may not be able to afford it.'
'And who is this who has graced our Church with his presence?' a male voice said. The Nun turned, and bowed respectfully, as a bishop began to descend the stairs. He looked old, but he had a warm smile on his face.
'Ah, if it isn't the Shield Hero!' he said amicably. 'My name is Biscus T. Balmus, and I am a Bishop of the Three Heroes Church. I have heard so much about you, my boy! Your strength! Your compassion! I've heard about how you defended that village during the Wave! Your heroism knows no bounds.'
'Yeah, thanks,' Atreus said, in desperation. 'Hey, Raphtalia here's gotten sick. I am afraid she'll die soon. Do you have any Holy Water for us?'
'Why, yes, Great Shield Hero,' Biscus replied. 'You there,' he said to a Nun, 'fetch this young man some Holy Water, please.'
'Yes, Bishop Biscus,' the Nun said with a bow, before turning and leaving the room. A moment later, she came back with a bottle of Holy Water, handing it to Atreus. Atreus examined the Holy Water and frowned.
'Hey,' he said. 'This doesn't seem like it's very high quality. Are you sure this is Holy Water?'
Frowning, Biscus took the Holy Water and examined it. After a moment, he laughed jovially.
'Ah, this is low quality Holy Water,' he said, before turning to the Nun. 'Shame on you, trying to cheat the Shield Hero like that!'
The Nun squirmed, taken aback, then blushed faintly as she bowed low.
'M-my apologies, Bishop Biscus,' the Nun said. 'I appear to have made a mistake.'
'Well, go and get it then!' Biscus ordered.
'Yes, Bishop Biscus,' the Nun said, before turning and leaving.
'Highest quality you have, preferably!' Atreus called out. As they waited, Biscus noticed Kratos standing behind Atreus and froze.
'So, you are the fabled Ghost of Sparta,' Biscus said in a low voice.
'So you have heard of me as well?' Kratos asked.
'I've heard quite a lot about you,' Biscus said. 'About what you did to the Greek Pantheon, about the destruction you caused. Your anger is most destructive.'
'In my opinion, the Pantheon had it coming,' Mimir interjected.
'My father isn't that man anymore,' Atreus explained. 'He's changed, now. He's better.'
Biscus raised an eyebrow at Atreus, seemingly unconvinced.
'Is that so?' he asked.
'Yes,' Kratos said. 'I have left all of that far behind. I shall no longer be the God of War. But, instead, I shall become the God of Hope.'
'The God of Hope,' Biscus said. Then he smiled. It was a highly patronizing smile.
'Well, that's good then,' he said. 'To leave the path of darkness and walk the path of light is honourable. I pray you continue to repent every day of your life. May you atone for the sins of your past.'
Kratos grunted in response, nodding his head. After a moment, the Nun returned, carrying high quality Holy Water this time.
'Now,' the Nun explained. 'Holy Water this high-quality costs about a single gold coin. Do you have enough?'
'Yeah. Here,' Atreus replied, pulling out a Gold Coin and handing it to the Nun. The Nun accepted the Gold Coin and in turn handed the Holy Water to Atreus, who applied it to Raphtalia.
'I sure hope this works,' Mimir said.
'There has never been an instance where Holy Water has failed to heal,' Biscus said with a smile.
For a moment, it didn't seem like the Holy Water was having an effect. Then, to Atreus and the other's relief, the black patches on Raphtalia's body began to fade away, as Raphtalia's breathing became more steady, more peaceful. Slowly, Raphtalia opened her eyes, groaning.
'L-Loki…' She said, sitting up carefully.
'Raphtalia, how do you feel?' Rino asked.
'I feel like…Like I've had a terrible darkness purged from my body,' she said. Atreus smiled, tears in his eyes, before pulling Raphtalia into a hug.
'You're okay,' he said softly. 'I'd thought I'd lose you.' Raphtalia smiled, returning Atreus's hug.
'I am fine now, Loki,' she replied.
'What did I tell you?' Biscus said with a smile. 'I'd told you the Holy Water would work.' Atreus looked up at Biscus in gratitude, tears in his eyes.
'Thank you, Biscus,' Atreus said. 'Thank you for saving her life.'
'You are most welcome, Shield Hero,' Biscus replied. 'Do be careful out there, okay?'
'We shall. Let's go guys.'
The group got up and left the cathedral, Drífa waving Biscus goodbye as they left. It was once they left that Biscus sighed, rubbing at his temples.
'The Shield Demon has proven to be a problem,' he said. 'I fear he may disrupt our plan to take over Melromarc.'
'Indeed, he has,' the Nun agreed. 'The powers he has are most demonic. And the people are starting to become influenced by his brainwashing. He may lead a rebellion against us.'
Biscus turned to the Nun, a small smile crawling onto his face.
'There's no need to worry,' he said. 'We shall deal with the Shield Demon when the time comes. Everything is happening according to our plan. All we have to do is wait. And then, when the time comes, we shall strike. Everything shall fall into place. Melromarc will be ours. All I need you to do is perform your duty. You don't have to win; Just cause a bit of disruption, that's all.'
The Nun looked at Biscus, then smiled maliciously.
'Yes, Bishop Biscus,' she said. 'I shall perform my duty loyally, as befitting God's plan for me.'
By the time they had left the Cathedral, it had become evening. They watched as the sun set over the horizon, giving the sky an orange hue. Raphtalia held onto Atreus tightly; She was still fairly weak and recovering from her illness.
'So, what now?' Vandri asked.
'Well, it's getting dark,' Atreus said. 'Maybe we should spend the night here, allow Raphtalia time to recover. We'll set off tomorrow morning.'
'Sounds like a plan,' Mimir replied. 'Maybe there's a place where we can eat.'
'Yeah…'
They found a small tavern to spend the night at. The group sat at a lone table, ordering their food. They waited for a while before they got their dinner. Atreus kept his cloak over his head as he and the rest of the group ate. Raphtalia sat by Atreus's side, eating a moderate proportion of food slowly. Atreus allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder for support. As they ate, Atreus couldn't help but notice a small group in the far corner of the tavern. He squinted as he tried to get a better look, before his jaw hung open in shock. The others noticed, raising their eyebrows as they turned, before they too were left shocked.
'What's the Bow Hero doing here?' Rino asked.
'Beats me,' Vandri replied. 'I don't like the look of them. They're acting very suspiciously…'
'I still remember what Okaya tried to do to me the other day,' Raphtalia whispered softly. 'I don't like him. He looks like he's planning something really bad…'
'Master, do you know him?' Drífa asked.
'Okaya. He's a really bad guy. Steer clear of him, alright?' Atreus replied.
'Yes, Master,' Drífa answered, not understanding.
At the corner of the Tavern, Okaya, Akkeri, and the rest of his party members were eating dinner, talking and laughing amongst themselves. Okaya was the one who was leading the conversation, while his party members were nodding along. Atreus couldn't make out what he was saying. He was surprised to notice another member among Okaya's party. They wore a green cloak that hid their facial features, but what little he could make out was a young woman with green hair and large, green eyes. Her hair was tied into two braids with a pair of ribbons. She ate with Okaya's party, but didn't join in with their conversation. Rather, she kept silence, her head lowered.
'Who's she?' Atreus asked, raising an eyebrow as he gestured to the woman.
'I do not know,' Kratos asked. 'I have never seen her before.'
'Maybe Okaya picked her up after leaving Riyute Village,' Mimir theorized. 'She looks terrified, the poor woman.'
'Almost as if she doesn't want to be there,' Atreus replied, nodding slowly. 'We should probably get to bed. I don't want to imagine what Okaya could do if he notices us.'
'Yeah, sounds like a good idea,' Rino agreed.
'Yes, let's go,' Raphtalia said, dreading to imagine what Okaya will try with her.
'Aye.'
The group got up from their table and headed upstairs, making sure to stay hidden in order to keep Okaya and his party from noticing them, creeping up to their room. They all got into their beds and fell asleep, resting up for the big day tomorrow. It was a little while before Okaya and his party retired to bed as well.
Akkeri's foot slammed hard against Rishia's stomach, making her grunt from the hard pain that racked her body. She was tied up to the leg of the table in Okaya and his party's room upstairs, her shirt open. A large red target had been painted on her stomach. She gritted her teeth, trying hard to bear the pain as Akkeri continued to violently stomp on her belly. Okaya, Gred, Mald and Parrish all lounged lazily in the room, chuckling amongst themselves as they watched. The room was dimly lit, making them come off as monsters in the dark.
'So, we agree then?' Okaya asked Mald. 'The King's son dies tomorrow. We'll have him hanged in the castle courtyard. But we must make it look like an accident.'
Mald nodded, smiling maliciously.
'Aye, sounds like a plan,' he replied. 'I can't wait to see the look on his face as he hangs.'
'Yes, Okaya, sir!' Parrish said excitedly. He was a stout, chubby man, his facial features making him look like a pig. 'I've written down a suicide note, right here, dear sir! They'll think the prince killed himself! They wouldn't suspect a thing!'
'Maybe we should take bets on how long he'll last before he dies,' Gred offered, smiling wickedly. 'I bet 3 gold coins he'll last a full minute before he chokes!'
'I bet ya 15 gold coins, Gred!' Akkeri said as he spun round to face him, smirking. 'I'll get all of your money, and then some!'
'Oh? And you really think you can win against me?' Gred taunted jokingly. 'Still bitter you lost all your coins against me at poker the other night?'
'Better shut your trap, or I'll shut it for ya!' Akkeri said as he stepped closer to Gred, nearly an inch apart as he raised a fist. Yet, there was nothing in his mannerisms that indicated malice.
'Now yer just asking for a fight, mate!' Gred replied, before they both laughed amiably, patting each other on the back.
'N-no…' Rishia said to Okaya softly. 'Okaya, you can't do this! You're the Hero of the Bow! You're not meant to be doing stuff like this!'
'Shut up you wretch!' Akkeri suddenly yelled at Rishia, stomping his boot hard onto Rishia's stomach, making her gasp in pain. She squirmed as a yellow puddle began to form under her, staining Akkeri's boot.
'Now look what you've done, you cunt!' Akkeri shouted in fury, before he threw a kick that impacted Rishia's face hard. Okaya simply smiled as he put one hand on Akkeri's shoulder, making him freeze.
'Hey,' he said softly. 'I told you not to do that, did I?'
'S-sorry boss, lost control there,' Akkeri said, suddenly feeling fearful.
'Don't hurt the goods. She's still useful to us,' Okaya explained. 'If you do that again, you won't be a part of my party anymore. Understand?'
'Y-yes, Okaya. I understand.'
Akkeri squirmed, feeling nervous. Rishia couldn't help but feel grateful for Okaya for protecting her. She could remember the day that they had met. Rishia was the daughter of a pair of nobles, living south of Melromarc. As a young child, she had idolized the Bow Hero of old, and longed to journey with him. So she could not believe her eyes when, while out in the field one day, the Bow Hero himself, Nozomu Okaya, appeared on her field, horribly injured. He had claimed that the Shield Hero had attacked him unprovoked, and that he was just barely able to get away. Feeling sympathy for his plight, Rishia healed his injuries with her magic. Out of gratitude, Okaya offered to let Rishia join his party. Excited about the prospect of joining the Bow Hero, Rishia packed her belongings and waved her parents goodbye, walking by Okaya's side as she began her adventure.
She could never imagine the nightmare Okaya would subject her too. It had started three days after joining the Bow Hero. That night, Akkeri had suddenly tied her up and began pummelling into her stomach. Neither Okaya nor his party members deigned to intervene, leaving Akkeri to have his way with her. Rishia found herself scared and confused, wondering where this sudden shift came from. Since then, Okaya's party members had seen fit to make her their personal punching bag. Any frustrations they had they would take it out on Rishia. Okaya kept a tight leash on her, threatening that if she tried to fight back, leave, or tell anyone of their abuse of her, they would hunt her down and kill her. The look in Okaya's eyes made it clear that this was not an empty threat. And so, she had no other option but to stay. And yet, she resolved to try and be the moral voice of the group. Having seen the good Okaya did, she would try to steer him on the path of good, even if her protests fell on deaf ears most of the time.
Rishia's gratitude quickly turned to horror as Okaya knelt in front of her. She could find nothing behind those eyes of his as he appeared to reach out for something in the corner. She was horrified to learn that he had grabbed a cockroach, and a massive one at that.
'They say,' Okaya said, in that friendly sounding voice of his. 'That a Cockroach lays around 20 eggs. They lay eggs roughly 19 times per lifespan. So that would make about 180 per roach. Those newborn roaches will continue the cycle, and eventually, your stomach will be filled with Roaches. Then they'll crawl out of every single hole imaginable.'
Rishia's eyes widened in horror as she understood what Okaya was going to do. She shook her head slowly, turning pale.
'N-no,' she said, tears beginning to form in her eyes. 'No, please, you can't…'
'You need to know your place in all this, my little Rishia,' Okaya said, smiling. 'And to do that, you can be the mama of these baby Cockroaches. Now open wide. Otherwise, I'll have Akkeri stomp on you some more.'
Horrified, Rishia reluctantly opened her mouth slowly. She gagged as Okaya forced the Cockroach inside of her, feeling it squirm in her mouth. She swallowed quickly, letting out a cough. Satisfied, Okaya got up.
'We'll head out in the morning,' he said. 'Let's get some sleep.'
The others muttered in agreement before they climbed into bed and fell asleep. Rishia was left tied up at the table's leg, crying silently.
Atreus and Co. had awoken within the early morning. Raphtalia had been feeling a lot better now, having gotten some much needed rest. A far cry from her weak self, she now appeared more chipper than she had been before. Atreus smiled; his heart warmed by Raphtalia's health. The group head downstairs to have a quick breakfast, before they left the tavern, preparing their carriage for travel. As Atreus loaded a crate onto the carriage, he turned and saw Okaya and his party members in the far distance. He watched, eyebrow raised, as Okaya and his party members entered into the castle, the woman from before following meekly behind them.
'Hey, ain't that Okaya?' Mimir asked. The others turned and saw Okaya, and his party members go through the door. The way they walked made it seem like they were on a mission of stealth of some kind.
'I don't know,' Atreus said, becoming concerned. 'But whatever it is they're doing, it cannot be good at all. I don't like the looks of this.'
Loading his crate onto the carriage, he pulled his cloak over his head, stepping away from the group.
'Stay here,' he ordered. 'I'm gonna follow them, see what they're trying to do. If they're up to anything bad, I'll stop them.'
'Please, do be careful, Loki,' Raphtalia said.
'I will, don't worry,' Atreus replied with a nod, remembering what had happened the last time he fought Okaya. He would not let Okaya get the best of him.
Crouching, Atreus walked away from the carriage, creeping into the castle as he followed after Okaya and his party.
Making sure to keep low, Atreus crept silently throughout the castle halls. The castle was completely barren, save for a few guards on patrol. He wondered what was going on to have the castle this deserted. He turned a corner and caught a glimpse of the woman from before heading through a door at the end of the hall, shutting it behind her. Frowning, Atreus crept towards the door as silent as a ghost, pressing his ear gently to it. He heard what sounded like a struggle going on behind the door. Someone yelled, then their voice was suddenly muffled, followed by low chuckling. Then, he heard what sounded like someone choking. Concerned, he opened the door just a creak and peered inside.
He was horrified by what he was witnessing. A young man, looking no older than 16, was dangling from the ground, struggling at a rope tied around his neck. The lavish clothing he was wearing told Atreus that he was a noble of some kind. The noble choked as he clawed desperately at the rope, eyes bulging in horror. Akkeri was holding onto the rope, chuckling along with Okaya and his party members as they hung the noble. Only the woman in the green cloak looked horrified at what was happening.
'Oh man, this is too much fun!' one of the men said, smirking.
'If he dies after 60 seconds, you owe me, Gred!' A man he recognized as Akkeri replied.
'I have the suicide note right here, Okaya!' A piggish looking man said as he pulled out a note from his pouch, handing it to Okaya.
Atreus watched, anger beginning to flare up inside him. He could not allow this to go on. He had to save that noble. He opened the door a little bit, prepared to attack.
'Air Strike Shield!' Atreus yelled out as he threw out his hand, aiming at Akkeri. A large Air Strike Shield materialised in front of him, before quickly flying through the air, aiming at Akkeri. Akkeri turned at the noise, raising an eyebrow, then yelled as the Air Strike Shield impacted his head, making him fall to the ground. The force caused him to let go of the rope, making the noble fall. He gasped for breath as he tried to get the rope off of him. The others stood around, in shock at what had just happened.
Atreus quickly took advantage of their surprise to bring out his Rope Shield. Before any of Okaya's party members had time to react, Atreus had bound them tightly in rope, restraining their movements. They thrashed hard against the rope, trying to break free, but it was no use. Atreus rushed to the noble's side, helping him to his feet.
'Are you okay?' Atreus asked.
'I-I'm fine,' the young man said. 'Was it you that saved me? Th-thank you.'
'No problem.'
'It's you,' Okaya said, staring up at Atreus. 'I should've known you'd have followed me here. Trying to ruin our fun.'
It was then that a group of guards burst into the room, holding weapons. They all stood around warily as they stared down the Shield Hero, while another rushed to the noble.
'Prince Alkeryth!' the Guard shouted. 'Are you alright? We heard yelling!' He glared at the Shield Hero. 'What happened? Did this man hurt you?'
'I-I' Atreus said, stammering.
'This man right here saved my life!' Prince Alkeryth explained. 'These brutes tied up in rope right here tried to hang me!'
He gestured to Okaya and his party members, glaring at them in fury. Okaya's party members quickly lowered their heads, knowing that their plan had failed and that they were in serious trouble.
'Arrest these vile fiends! Right now! They must be put to trial!' Prince Alkeryth ordered.
'Of course, my Prince! I shall inform King Geraldon what has happened!' The Guard said. Okaya and his party members struggled as the Guards dragged them, kicking and screaming, out of the room. Prince Alkeryth sighed, lowering his head in disbelief.
'You alright?' Atreus asked.
'The one time my father lets me walk around unsupervised and this happens,' Prince Alkeryth replied. 'This is certainly not the first attempt someone has made on my life. Thank you, sir…?'
'Call me Loki,' Atreus replied.
'Loki. Right. Thank you for saving my life. Rest assured; I will make sure to compensate you for your heroism.'
'Don't mention it,' Atreus said. 'I couldn't just sit back and let them hang you. I had to interfere.'
'And in doing so you have done a great service. I am sure my father King Geraldon will be eternally grateful.'
Atreus stood in the throne room, alongside Prince Alkeryth and several other nobles and guards. His father, King Geraldon, sat upon the throne. He was an old man, tall and overweight, and roughly 60 years of age. His hair and beard were already grey. He gripped the armrests of his throne tightly, barely containing his rage. A commotion could be heard outside the throne room. Then, the doors opened, and a group of guards dragged Okaya and his party members in. All of them were bound in chains, their wrists and ankles bound tightly. Rishia was the only one that hadn't been bound. She had her cloak over her head, but Atreus had noticed a few bruises lining her face. Okaya and his party members were thrown onto the ground in front of King Geraldon's feet. They looked up at the King, fearful. All except for Okaya, Atreus noticed.
'Okaya the Bow Hero,' King Geraldon began in a deep voice. 'Akkeri, Gred, Mald, and Parrish. I assume you all know why you are being put on trial. If you're dumb enough to not know, then let me enlighten you. You are all on trial because you are accused of trying to assassinate my son, Prince Alkeryth.'
'W-we didn't do it, Your Majesty!' Akkeri pleaded. 'We were just-'
'Silence!' King Geraldon suddenly yelled out, making Okaya's party members cower. King Geraldon sighed, then turned to Atreus and Prince Alkeryth.
'My son, Loki the Shield Hero,' he said. 'If you do not mind, please, explain to me what happened an hour ago.'
Atreus turned to Prince Alkeryth and held a hand out, indicating he should be the first to speak. Prince Alkeryth nodded and stepped forward, facing his father.
'As you know,' Prince Alkeryth began, 'the attack happened early this morning. I had talked to you in the throne room, speaking of how I desired to walked through the castle unsupervised. I explained that having two guards accompany me at all times was excessive, yet you argued it was for my safety.'
'That I did,' King Geraldon replied.
'Anyways, in the end I had convinced you. So, I decided to have a walk around the castle, enjoying my newfound freedom.'
Prince Alkeryth lowered his head, dreading to recall his encounter with Okaya and his party members.
'However, I did not consider that I would be stalked. Unbeknownst to me, Okaya and his vile men were stalking me throughout the castle, keeping to the shadows as they plotted to end my life. I had gone through a door into the closet to grab some supplies, not knowing they had followed me inside until it was too late.'
He sighed, closing his eyes tightly.
'They attacked me, Okaya and his party. I tried to fend them off, but they overpowered me. They tried to hang me, intending to frame it as a suicide. It was only because of Loki the Shield Hero here, that I managed to survive. He saved me. It was then that the guards showed up and arrested them.'
Atreus nodded, confirming that this was true. King Geraldon turned to Atreus, his face stern.
'Loki, the Shield Hero,' he said. 'I order you to tell me what you were doing before this.'
Atreus nodded, stepping forward and facing the nobles and guards.
'I was travelling into the Northern Territory, Your Majesty,' Atreus explained. 'My companion, Raphtalia, had fallen seriously ill from a plague that impacted a village, and laid on death's door. I was informed that I could find Holy Water with which to cure her here, and so I travelled to your Kingdom, and healed her. As it had gotten late by that point, me and my companions decided to spend the night here. While eating at a tavern, I caught sight of Okaya and his companions, talking amongst themselves.'
'Did you hear what they were talking about?' King Geraldon asked.
'No, Your Majesty,' Atreus answered truthfully. 'They were speaking in whispers, but they were laughing amongst themselves. As I did not want Okaya to notice me and my companions, we headed to bed for the night. This morning, while we were preparing to leave, I caught sight of Okaya and his companions heading into the castle. I dreaded to imagine what they were up to, so I followed them. That was when I caught sight of them trying to hang your son, Prince Alkeryth. They had been taking bets on how long the Prince would last before he died.' He closed his eyes tightly.
'I knew that I couldn't let them kill your son. So I stopped them. I had them bound in rope, and freed Prince Alkeryth.'
'And for that, I am forever grateful for Loki,' Prince Alkeryth replied. 'He saved my life. It would not be right for Loki to leave without being rewarded, father.'
'And be rewarded he shall,' King Geraldon replied, before turning to Okaya and his companions.
'Is this true, Bow Hero?' King Geraldon asked. 'That you tried to make a game about hanging my son?'
Okaya's party members quickly shook their heads, terrified.
'I-it's not true!' Akkeri said pleadingly. 'We'd never harm him!'
'Y-Yeah!' Mald replied. 'It's all lies! The Shield Hero is deceiving you!'
'We only wanted to talk to Prince Alkeryth!' Parrish lied. 'We just wanted to talk to him about the taxes you were imposing! That's all!'
Atreus rubbed his chin thoughtfully, thinking.
'Hey, Prince Alkeryth,' he said. 'You said that this wasn't the first time someone tried to kill you. What did you mean by that?'
Prince Alkeryth sighed, folding his arms.
'Yes, I did say that,' he replied. 'Long story short, our kingdom has been in conflict with a neighbouring country for a while now. We fear it is inevitable that war shall come, so we needed to fund our military to fight back. Sadly, the only way this could happen was for my father to impose heavy taxes.'
King Geraldon nodded, closing his eyes.
'Yes. Most of the people understood, and accepted the taxes, even if it made their lives harder. But I suppose some were not too happy about it. After someone tried to kill my son in his sleep, we've increased security around our castle. My son is forbidden to leave unsupervised, for fear of someone trying to kill him.'
'E-exactly!' Parrish said. 'We were just telling him to convince you to lower the taxes, that's all! To prevent further assassination attempts!'
'Lies!' Prince Alkeryth yelled out suddenly. 'All lies!'
'The prince is right!' A guard said, stepping forward. 'As we were arresting Okaya and his companions, we found this amongst their possessions.'
The guard pulled out what appeared to be a crystal ball. He touched it, and a large, rectangular screen appeared above it. It seemed to depict Okaya and his companions. Everyone in the throne room watched, in horror, as Okaya and his companions snuck up on the prince, then attacked him. The prince tried to fight back but was overpowered. King Geraldon watched in silent horror as Prince Alkeryth had a rope tied around his neck, then was hung, struggling to breathe as Okaya and his companions laughed amongst themselves, taking bets. Then, they heard Atreus's voice yell out, and an Air Strike Shield struck Akkeri, making both him and Prince Alkeryth fall. The crystal recording ended as the crystal ball fell to the ground.
Everyone in the throne room murmured amongst themselves, horrified by what they had just witnessed. Okaya's companions went pale, knowing they were in deep trouble. All of them, except Okaya, Atreus noticed. Okaya, unlike his companions, remained calm. Atreus didn't see anything behind those dead looking eyes of his. Nothing showing an ounce of humanity, anyway. King Geraldon gritted his teeth, furious.
'Bow Hero, I hereby declare you and your companions guilty of Attempted Murder, and Treason,' he bellowed. 'To think that you, a virtuous man, could do something like this? Was it all lies, then? Was your heroism truly a façade?'
For a while, Okaya only stared at him. Then he smiled, slowly nodding.
'It's all true,' he said. 'I just wanted to see how long he'd last before he died. Just for fun.'
Okaya's companions cowered, fearing their punishment. Okaya himself, however, remained unafraid. King Geraldon lowered his head, already deciding what Okaya's punishment should be.
'Bow Hero. I fear you must be punished heavily for your crimes. As punishment, I shall ask that your best gear be confiscated and handed over to the Shield Hero. I shall also order that you pay 15,000 silver coins in reparation for my son.'
'That's it?' Atreus asked. 'Just like that? I figured you'd punish him more heavily than that, considering he tried to murder your son.'
'As he is the Bow Hero, he is thus needed to defend this world from the Waves,' King Geraldon explained. 'However, I must show him that he is not above the law. Hopefully this will make him come to his senses. Already news of his crime is beginning to spread. That is his punishment. His reputation, which he has tried so hard to fabricate, has been ruined. I doubt anyone would want anything to do with him again.'
Okaya's companions wailed as they were forced by the guards to hand their best equipment over to Atreus, who accepted them willingly.
'We're ruined!' Gred wailed. 'My business, destroyed! I'll never be able to show my face again! No one will ever look at me again!'
'Oh, why did this happen?!' Akkeri said, tears in his eyes. 'My best gear, gone! It's not fair!'
'Grrr, damn you, Shield Hero!' Mald yelled at Atreus, a burning rage in his eyes. 'You'll pay for this, you little mutt!'
Akkeri, Gred, Parrish and Mald kept wailing, cursing the Shield Hero for his interference. Okaya however, remained composed, smiling widely.
'Why are you smiling?' Atreus said. 'Your plan is foiled. You're ruined!'
Okaya turned to Atreus. His smile remained, but Atreus could find fury in his eyes.
'Why should I? This is great,' he said calmly. 'Now, I have nothing left to lose. Now, I am free to do whatever I desire. Do you understand? I am well and truly free. I was getting tired of upholding that façade anyway. Oh, and before we leave, let me tell you this: As you have taken everything away from me, so shall I take everything from you. I shall destroy those that you hold dear. I shall pull you down and ruin you utterly. And then, when you are suffocating in the deepest depths of despair, I shall show you hell. Farewell, Loki, Hero of the Shield. I look very forward to seeing you again.'
With that, Okaya turned and left the throne room, his companions following despairingly behind him. The woman in the green cloak turned to Atreus, making a small apologetic gesture, before she ran after Okaya, lowering her head. Atreus folded his arms and sighed, shaking his head.
'Good grief,' he said.
