Chapter 16
On a hill, there was a sizeable grand castle. The city below was alive with people living peaceful lives. This was the great Umbridge Kingdom, ruled by King John Umbridge the Fifth. The Umbridge kingdom was located on the east coast near the ocean. The population was mainly humans, followed by the dwarfs, beastmen, and some elves. For the most part, it had been peaceful. Ten years ago, the demon race resurfaced and had attacked.
The Umbridge Kingdom has not been affected much, but the human territories outside have. King John has been busy trying to solve this crisis. Refugees have come from those affected territories, and the dwarf nation has been silent. King John is walking down a hallway.
King John was a tall warrior-type man. He was a European light-skinned man with slick blonde hair and brown eyes. As he went to his wife's room, he couldn't help but recall what had happened. Seventeen years ago, his wife, Queen Annabeth, was almost killed by people claiming to be part of the demon race.
After discovering the church's involvement, he broke some ties with them. Later, they had a falling out with the wolf clans. The daughter of the Gray clan's chief was kidnapped, and they said a noble was involved. To try to resolve this, King John had everyone looking for her.
There was no trace of her, which frustrated King John. Seven years after her disappearance, he had many nobles investigated. He found some scheming against him and others stealing. Before he could do anything more, his advisors stopped him. The Umbridge Kingdom is run like the Senate.
King John has power, but it could be stopped. The kingdom has two other powerful factions. The second faction is the Old Guard, which were generals of the previous king, and then there are the High Nobles. The High Nobles are the wealthiest families in the kingdom and help finance it.
Their faction could stop King John, keeping him in check and preventing him from becoming a tyrant. Many regular nobles, like Lord Micheal, also sided with one of the factions. The Old Guard stopped King John from pursuing the rest of the nobles. King John knew they were protecting them but couldn't do anything without the high nobles.
The High Nobles didn't interfere unless it was a major political issue. They wouldn't make a move if it didn't interfere with their business. King John sent his forces to intervene when the demon race first attacked. He had also sent messengers to the Dwarf Kingdom for aid, but there was little response.
One day, when King John was in his office, he had gotten bad news. He unleashed a powerful aura and slammed his fist on his desk. Everyone in the castle felt it and was scared. The door to his office opened, and a beautiful tan woman walked in.
Annabeth Umbridge is an average-height woman with tan skin, long, silky burgundy hair, and hazelnut eyes. She had the body of a model. "What is wrong? Why are you angry this time?" she said as she entered. "Our forces have failed to protect another city. Those damn old geezers have forgotten how to fight," he said in anger.
Annabeth walks over to him and calms him down. After calming down, King John tells Annabeth abouttheir situation. "Cortez has gone to see the damageand sent me many reports. The people have begun questioning my actions, and negative talk has spread." Annabeth glazes at the reports. "I believe you can come up with something," she tells him and hugs him.
King John thinks of something; he looks at Annabeth and thanks her. Annabeth laughs and kisses him. "I knew you had it in you," she says mischievously. She is then about to leave. "What did the doctor say?" King John asks. Annabeth pauses and tells him she is stressed and needs to relax. "Alright, I got this. Don't worry about me; relax." Annabeth smiles and leaves.
King John began planning. He wanted the towns and cities toprepare to leave if attacked. He needed some approval, and it was going to take time. Five years after the first attack, there was a significant incident. The Kingdoms were shaken, and everyone began looking after themselves. The Human race was all by itself.
In the summer of854, ten years since Ivory Springs fell, King John knocked on the door and entered. "John," a woman's voice called out. Sitting upright on the bed, a sickly woman looked at him. This was Queen Annabeth. "You called for me." King John said. Annabeth nodded, "Yes, you have been busy, and it worries me."
King John walks over to her and sits down on the edge of the bed. He apologizes and holds her hand. "Remember, the doctor told you not to push yourself." Annabeth smiled; she also had his hand. "Take some time off, clear your mind. You know…" Before she could say anything more, the door opened again.
A young girl ran in. "Mom, look, I made this for you." The girl jumps onto the bed and shows Annabeth a flower crown. "Dad, look, I made this for mom." Annabeth smiles and takes the flower crown; she puts it on. King John takes the little girl and places her on his lap. "Wow, you made that by yourself?" he asks.
The little girl, with fair skin, red hair, and hazelnut eyes, nods. "Where is she, that little brat," a loud voice said. Then, a tall, muscular woman walked into the room. "There you are," she said. Erica Haddisonisan Amazonian with long black hair and blue eyes. She wore Greek influence armor. "Annalise, you left this behind," she said, holding a stuffed bear.
The littlegirl's name was Annalise Umbridge, the princess of the country and King John and Queen Annabeth's child. Annalise got off her father's lap and ran over to Haddison. She took the bear and returned to her mother's side. Annabeth laughed. King John smiled; he then asked if she wanted to talk more.
Looking at Annalise, Annabeth told him they would continue later. King John asked Annabeth if she was well, and Annabeth reassured him she was doing well. King John got up and was going to leave. Annalise felt sad; King John told her he was returning to work. Annabeth comforted Annalise, and King John left.
Haddison also excused herself. "Keep an eye on him," Annabeth said. "His you husband, sister, I will do it for you," Haddison said. Annabeth thanked her and continued talking to Annalise. Haddison left the room; King John was outside waiting. "So, what happened?" Haddison asked.
"Cortez has sent scouts. He believes there is something bigger going on. They stopped attacking even those they havegained so much." King John said, a look of concern on his face. Haddison shook her head, "You need to think of something. You are the king, right?" King John looks at her. "I'll call you when I figure something." King John left and headed back to his office. Haddison went the other way.
A fort was in the process of being built near an open plain. The mountains were close. Inside the fort, there were several buildings almost finished being built. The ones working on them were demons. They looked like elves but had various colored skin and horns. With them, mud troll creatures helped.
Besides those working on the buildings, soldiers and those on duty were practicing. A group of soldiers was on the walls, patrolling and keepingwatch. They looked bored, and some were playing games. Then, a group of children walked through.
The children were of various races and ages. They were heading towards their rooms. The group passed the training area and entered their rooms in groups. A wolf, bear beastman, demon, and green-haired boy entered a room. There were several beds, but they looked like they were the only ones in the room.
The green-haired boy ran and jumped onto a bed. "Ah, sweet relaxation," he stretched and relaxed his body. Shia, are you that tired?" the demon boy asked. The green-haired boy was Shia, with a slender body and green hair covering his eyes. After removing his leather armor, the clothes on his was loose, and he had a lazy tone to his voice.
"Yeah, anyone would be tired after getting beaten up," he said. The demon boy, who had light green skin, short black hair, blue eyes, pointy ears, and two small, misshapen horns, sat on his bed. He then turns to the wolf beastman. "Fillan, then you must be exhausted," he said, with a hint of mockery in his tone. The wolf boy said nothing.
He was Fillan, a wolf beastmanwith long, messy gray and black hair, wolf ears, and a tail with brown eyes. He showed no expression and continued to remove his leather armor. Then, a large figure approached him and patted him on the shoulder. Fillan turned and looked up. "What's wrong, Barret?" A bear beastman boy shook his head.
His name was Barrett. He was tall and burly, with short brown hair and brown eyes. He had bear ears and was silent. "Don't worry about me. How are your injuries?" Fillan asked. Barret jester he was fine. "Hey, Finley, you hardly came out with a scratch; what is your secret?" Shai asked. Finley, the demon boy, got mad when hearing this. Before he could say anything, there was shouting that dinner was ready.
Shia quickly got out of bed and ran out. "Chow time," he said. Fillan and Barrett followed. Finley cursed them and then left the room. Fillan and they reached the mess hall, where demon soldiers were eating. They got in line and waited for the food. At a lively table, Shia happily laughed and enjoyed eating with senior soldiers.
Fillan and Barret sat together on an empty table and ate. They sat in silence and ate. Finley then sat with them, annoyed as he talked about some people. "They think their group is special. They couldn't even get close to Master Musashi, the nerve of them." Finley turns to Barret, "Right." Barret nods in silence.
Fillan finished eating and got up. Fenley was startled. "What?" Fillan didn't say anything and left. Barrett quickly finished and followed. Fenley was left alone. "Who needs them?" he muttered. He continued eating alone. Shia watched Fillan and Barret leave.
In a house, an older man in black priest clothes sits on a rocker and stares at children playing. The children are young and wear old clothes. This was an orphanage. "Father William," a woman's voice repeats his name. Father William is an older man in his seventies. He has light skin, blue eyes, and short white hair. His skin is wrinkled.
Father William finally reacted. "What is it?" he said in a low voice. A woman wearing anun's clothes walked over to him. "Remember, you have to see the doctor today." "Oh, is that today? Very well, I will head when it is time," he said. A little girl ran over to him. "Father William, look, I brought this for you," the little girl said. Shehanded him flowers.
Father William took the flowers and thanked her. He watched as she happily went back to play with the other children, and he felt saddened watching them play. The nun stared at him; she couldn't help but also feel sad. Father William reminisced on some old memories.
Ten years ago, the news of the enemy attack was well known. The news of Ivory Springs, another city, falling was tragic. The news about arriving refugees spread again in a bustling city with a unique architect. A large church helpingly sent people to help ease their troubles. The refugees were helped, and small camps sprung up.
The church also took in young children who were lost or had become orphans. This city was King Lands; the church sent word to the kingdoms for help. As the word spread, many people reunited with loved ones or family members, including some children.
One day, an older man—Father William — walked through the church hall. Then he heard a baby whining. Father William went to where the crying was coming from, pushed the door open, and walked in. He looked around and saw no one else. He approached the baby. "What are you doing here alone?"
Father William picked him up and tried to calm him down. A woman's voice was calling him. He turned around, and a woman in nun's clothes saw him in the room. She got mad at him for wandering off. As soon as she saw him holding a baby, she stopped. The baby's cover falls, revealing a baby wolf beastman; it was Adolphus.
The nun sees Father William's expression and shakes her head. "You aren't thinking of raising him, are you?" Adolphus slowly calms, and Father William smiles; he ignores the nun. "You are retiring; remember, the orphanage is close. We only came to help," she said.
Seeing Adolphus laugh, she gave up complaining to him. "I'll talk to the head priestand see if they will support you inreopening," she said. Father William thanked her and continued comforting Adolphus. He saw a chair and sat. He tenderly talked to him. Then, another nun walked in. "Oh, Father William," she said surprised.
Father William asked her about Adolphus. The nun explained that he was injured, with burn marks. She moved him to this room because the other children kept touching him andwanted to play. "We thought it was best to let him heal and rest," she said. She then apologized for leaving him alone; she said there was so much to do.
Father William offered to look after him while the nun finished her other tasks. The nun thanked him and left. Later, the other nun returned. "Sister Angie, what did they say?" he asked. Sister Angie was his assistant and caretaker. She was petite andordinary, with brown hair, eyes, and light tan skin. Sister Angie said the head priest wanted to talk to him. He handed Adolphus to her and left.
After a while, he came back, a look of disappointment on his face. "What did they say?" Sister Angie asked. Father William explained that they told him he was too old. They then told him they still had many orphanages taking children in. "They said they will consider reopening my orphanage if needed." Sister Angie could only offer words of comfort.
Several days later, Father William was helping distribute food. More refugees were arriving. Sister Angie came over with a hint of excitement on her face. "What is it?" he asked. Sister Angie told him the head priest wanted to speak with him. Father William hurriedly left.
He knocked and entered in front of a large door. In this ample space were decorative paintings and bookshelves with many books. Near a window behind a desk, an older man with blonde hair and blue eyes greeted him. The older man wore a white robe with gold decorations; he was the head priest. "Father William, please take a seat."
Father William takes a seat. "Let's get to business; there is still much to do. Father William, the request to reopen your orphanage has gone through. We understand that it will be hard to manage raising children at your age, but this war has caused many to suffer. We believe you can handle it; the church will support you."
Father William became excited and thanked the head priest. The head priest laughed and told him to calm down. The head priest reviewed some details; he said they needed to sort out the children's information. Some children could still find their families and relatives, while others were sent to their respective kingdoms.
"We have taken the liberty to arrange someone for you first. We were going to send him to the beast kingdom, but some pleaded with us to leave him for you." Father William was a little confused but then realized. Father William asked about the wolf clans. The head priest told him they hadn't replied to them. Father William thanked him before leaving.
Father William was escorted to a room where Sister Angie was waiting; she was holding a baby. Upon seeing him, Father William couldn't help but smile. He had learned that the baby boy had lost his parents but didn't know who they were. An older married couple had brought him to the church; they couldn't raise him, sothey told the church. Father William took Adolphus, and they headed out.
They had walked over to a wagon. Some nuns came and gave them baby supplies. Father William thanked them before leaving. On the road, Father William happily talked with Adolphus. Sister Angie was happy but didn't show it. She then realized something. "What is his name?" she asked. Father William stares blankly at Adolphus.
After a moment of thought, he smiled. "A long time ago, I met a wolf beastman. We chatted and got to know each other. He then said something to me." Father William stared at Adolphus in his arms. "Fillan, your name means Young Wolf," he chirped. "Fillan," Sister Angie shouted. She then scolded him for choosing a simple name.
Father William and Sister Angie reached a small village. The people welcomed them back, and Father William greeted them back. They then stopped in front of a small church with a house beside them. "Fillan, we are home." Father William took Fillan to the house and walked in. Someone called to him, bringing him to the present.
The nun, who turned out to be Sister Angie, told him it was time to visit the doctor. Father William got up from his rocker and slowly left. Sister Angie looked at him and also recalled something from the past. The city was in chaos, and people were fleeing. "Hurry, get on the wagon." Sister Angie and some children got into the wagon.
As they fled the city, a bright light shone behind them. Later, they reached the village and their home. The children were crying. "What happened?" Father William said, coming out of the house. He looked sickly. The children ran to him crying. Sister Angie, in tears, told him what had happened.
"I'm sorry, Father, Fillan…" Sister Angie remembered how heartbroken he was after hearing they couldn't find Fillan before the chaos. Kings Land fell, and they had to leave their homes. It had been five years since then. Sister Angie wiped her tears and went to play with the children.
Fillan was heading back to his room, and Barrett followed behind him. He overheard some older kids teasing Finley as he passed the training area. "Yeah, he keeps saying he is great, but in reality, he is no good as that useless Fillan." Barrett also heard this and let out a dangerous aura. The older kids felt this and got scared.
"Barret, enough," Fillan said. Brett released his aura. The older kids relaxed and tried to act as if nothing had happened. They continued talking; Fillan then entered the training area. He grabbed a wooden sword."Hey, senior, care for a dual." He spoke. The kids, all teenagers, look at Fillan.
The one who commented earlier stepped forward. He was a teenage boy from the demon race. He was tall and slender, with red skin, white hair, red eyes, and one spiraling horn. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he said, a hint of mocking in his tone. Fillan tossed a wooden sword at him. The demon boy turned to his friends.
His friends egged him on. They cheered and encouraged him to beat Fillan up. The demon boy gave in and picked up the sword. Before he could do anything, a mean stare made them all freeze. "Barret, I got this," Fillan said. Barret released his stare and looked on. Fillan took his stance. The demon boy also took a stance.
Then, they began swinging the wooden swords. They were equal, not letting up. Fillan blocked and struck when he could. The demon boy would do the same; his friends mocked him. He got mad and tried to make Fillan step back. Fillan saw a counter and hit the demon boy in the back. Everyone was left in surprise.
The older boys laughed, angering the demon boy. He took his stance and attacked. Fillan then began displaying better swordsmanship skills. The older kids were again left in surprise. Barret waved his hand in a cheer. Fillan disarmed the demon boy in a moveand knocked him to the ground. Fillan relaxed and thanked him for sparring with him.
Fillan turned around to walk away. The angry demon boy drew Mana and cast a mighty wind spell. Fillan had turned but still got hit; he flew, breaking through the wooden fence of the training area. The other boys were stunned at first but then praised him. "Know your place," the demon boy said. Fillan got up and stared at him.
"Haven't had enough." Fillan, with a powerful jump, attacked the demon boy. The demon boy's body glowed, and he disappeared. Fillan landed, andhe then got hit. He tried to react but was slow. The demon boy attacked relentlessly. Fillan was bruised but stayed standing. This angered the demon boy even more. He poured Mana into the wooden sword.
Fillan reacted by dodging and immediately attacking. Fillan hit the demon boy's chest, but the wooden sword broke. The demon boy gave a mocking smile before hitting Fillan on the head. Fillan, unprotected, felt that heavy blow. He tried to stay awake before everything went dark. "I think you went too far," someone said. The demon boy shook his head.
"This proves he isn't fit to be here," the demon boy said. Suddenly, everyone was shocked at the site. Fillan stood up. The demon boy turned around and saw him standing, blood running down his face. Before anything else, some older demon soldiers showed. "What is going on here?" he shouted. Fillan bowed to the demon boy. "Senior, thank you for this lesson."
Nobody knew what to say. Fillan turned around and left, and Barrett, worried, followed. On top of the fort wall, Master Musashi stood; he watched everything that happened. He stared at Fillan, heading back to his room. Fillan stayed quiet as he walked, but inside, something stirred.
A stone building looked like a temple in a village near the top of a mountain. Suddenly, the doors opened, and a person ran out shouting for the chief. They wore native-looking winter clothes. They ran past many other stone buildings. The village people looked on, wondering what was going on. They all woresimilar garments.
The shouting reached another stone building, this one grand and decorative. The door opened, and a girl with fair skin, white hair, and blue eyes bowed to someone. "Chief, the priestess, she has fainted!" she said in a panic. An older woman, almost similar to the girl, immediately got up. "Take me to her," she said.
This older woman was the chief of the village. The village to the White Wolf Clan, to be precise. All the villagers were wolf beastmen with white hair, wolf ears, and a tail. The chief reached the temple and entered. Several other girls were inside, tending to someone. "What happened?" the chief asked.
Suddenly, the woman lying on the ground opened her eyes. "Death and Destruction, a warrior holds a rose, and a king takes his throne." "Is this what you see?" the chief asked. The woman, also a wolf beastman in ceremonial clothes, nodded."It is similar to the day Adolpha…" she stopped. The chief couldn't help but sigh. "We must wait to see. If Alarick hears this, I don't know what he'll do."
"Yes, he still can't let go. I will continue to see what it means. There has been much chaos since the demons returned. I fear this vision has more to say." The chief nods. "I will speak with the others; rest for now." The chief leaves, reminding the priestess to rest.
Fillan returned to his room and began applying first aid to his head. Barret had also entered and helped him; he was silent. Once they finished, Fillan thanked Barret. Barret returned to his bed and sat quietly. Fillan lay on his bed and closed his eyes. After some time, he fell asleep.
As Fillan slept, strange static images flashed through his head. He then heard voices. Fillan was suddenly in a dark room, his hands and feet chained to the wall. A door opened, and there stood a figure. Before anything else, he woke up. He was covered in sweat. Fillan looked at his trembling hand. "What was that?"