The night air was a welcoming cool breeze, it bore the ever familiar scent of nature. With that came a subdued atmosphere that was eerily contemplative. So many had retired to their makeshift camps, huddled around fires deep in gossip of what tomorrow would bring. Nervous thoughts were masked with drink and chatter in hopes that it eased tensions. To an unsuspecting passerby, it was as though a quiet gathering were taking place. Small bonfires scattered across the open fields, mimicked the dazzling beauty of the night sky. By midday tomorrow the convoy would have reached the city, but such concerns were for later. For now their thoughts were more preoccupied with the growing anxiety they channeled towards their king.

The nobles of Iliad were considered by many throughout Aurum to be extremely prideful. For they hailed from the very land of the Stygians. The most sought after beings throughout any of the nine realms. That notoriety gave them a sense of power greater than what many of them already possessed. It was a kind of currency that would never run out, one they could spend tirelessly without much care for the consequences of it. So when it was announced that King Antares was to journey south to solidify his marriage with soon-to-be Crown Princess Reza Altieri. Many saw it as an opportunity to flaunt upon the other realms their greatness. Something they had not done in some time. Added of course they would be able to claim that they attended a historical occasion sure to be recalled for centuries to come.

Even if their names were not to be remembered, they would be able to carry the memory of being there–seeing the momentous occasion come to fruition and what could come of it. However, the closer they approached Longshore city that pride that had grown fat over the years began to shrivel, replaced by a tangible worry. They knew better than many of the temperance of the Stygian royal family, and were they to be displeased in any manner it could spell doom for many. And death for others. The rumors of Emperor Nero and what the nobles of Talterra were like posed to raise concerns that they may not be so well accepted by the Stygian royal family. It was known by all that for over a century there were many humans who voiced their great displeasure for King Barranagan and his claim to ultimate supremacy at the time.

The nobles of Iliad were unsure of how their new king would fair surrounded by those who spoke so freely of his father. However what they had learned of King Antares in the mere two months he had been made king, was a man who was not easily provoked. And yet went such a man was goaded his brutality rivaled even his fathers. The nobles had to look no further for such confirmations than what happened to the treacherous Lords Aldios and Omiros and the other merchants who foolishly backed them. Although unexpected, the nobles found the response necessary. They all hoped, or rather prayed that Emperor Nero and his kin would choose to embrace the celebrations and leave any kind of provocation alone. There was no need to stain the streets of Longshore red, as Akkad experienced weeks ago.

"Their fear is palpable," Casspien sipped his drink as he glanced at the Ilian noble camps scattered around them.

"Do you blame them?" the king's eyes never leaving the bonfire . "It has been over a century for many of them, for others, many more. And a few their first time."

"That is precisely my concern. We are meant to walk into that city with smiles on our faces. Not as though we lead them to slaughter."

Antares finally looked up from the flame towards his Lord Regent, "Casspien you never smile?" the perplexed look the king gave his dearest friend was amusing.

"Never mind any of that," Typhon announced.

Both men turned to look at the Stygian titan who had just finished his third barrel of wine. Antares was first to call Typhon friend at a mere five years young. Casspien had known him since they were both seven. They both had seen him grow over the years, but neither men could ever truly get used to the sheer size of one of their oldest friends. It would not be long now before the man would touch the very heavens itself. In the dim flicker of the open flame his frame seemed to double as the shadows danced across his body. A handsome and honest face was adorned with a cautious and dangerous look of a beast ready to strike. Even when he laughed the air shook , everything about his was massive, even the love he had for both Antares and Casspien. They were fond of the giant, of the man that he had become. For Antares, he was always enamored by the honesty in the eyes of his fellow Lord of War. No matter the situation, or what negativity would befall them, when Antares looked into the eyes of Typhon Xerxes, he found comfort .

"You should have handed Daimion to the Golden Company." The red-haired Stygian declared.

"Typhon," Antares bemoaned.

"I agree," Casspien added.

"Not you as well?" the king turned to his Lord Regent. "He is my brother, they would have killed him. And not only that, Cirella, Loukas and Samara too."

As they left Neith, Antares had briefed both men on his conversation with the Golden Company's emissary, Avram Taille-fer. He went into great detail on their meeting and what had come of it. This was not a burden he believed he wished to carry alone there was already plenty he did not share with them. He had hoped that he was simply being overtly cautious about the encounter but as he recalled their faces when he shared the news with them–it was the same expression they both gave him now–the look of men who knew blood would be spilt. They rightly chastised their king for foolishly taking on his younger brother's debt. It not only put the King of the Stygians on the board of the Golden Company but all of Iliad as well. They lamented Antares' deep loyalty to his siblings.

Daimion had dragged the entire realm into a conflict with a storied enemy that they had so desperately wished to wash their hands of. Despite all of that, the payment was hardly the biggest revelation learned from Antares meeting with Avram. The mere mention of dark magic worming its way back into the lands of Aurum was enough to justify both Casspien and Typhon's desire to divest themselves and Antares from this madness. If such a thing were to reach the ears of the elders, it would be complete war against Hightower and any possible realm believed to harbor those who used such tools and magic. Regardless if the respective monarchy was aware of such a thing or not. To add to the absurdity, Antares was given one year to bring Hightower to its knees. A city that his sister was unable to bring to heel in five.

"Daimion should have thought of that before taking two-hundred and fifty thousand gold coins from the fucking Golden Company." Typhon stressed, his anger growing at the bind his dearest friend was now placed in. "If this was any other, you would have executed them and sent their heads to the Company."

"But this is not any other," Antares responded. "He is my brother, Typhon."

Antares found no fault in Typhon's words. From the moment he found out of his brothers and his cabals dealing with the company he should have had him executed. A foolish thing to borrow from such powerful humans, worse yet to show outsiders that the Stygians struggled for coin. As much as he detested them, Antares was acutely aware of the power and influence the company had across the rest of the realms. Many of them had dealings with monarchs, even his own father had required their assistance in his service against his war with the mad emperor. However King Barranagan knew to be extremely cautious when conversing with such an entity. Their greed had no limits was insatiable, their influence since that time had only grown. Now for the first time since their inception some fifty thousand years ago, they had leverage with their most sought after prize–Iliad.

Antares quickly dismissed the thought of his brother, he could not find it himself to truly blame him. Fault should fall on his shoulders had he not been exiled, Daimion would not have been influenced by such unsavory people. He could not tell either Casspien or Typhon but another reason he accepted the debt was because he believed it was his to carry. Daimion was his failure as a big brother, it was one of his many misgivings to live up to what Hyperion would have done.

"If I recall when you dealt with the Nephilim Queen there was talk of monetary exchange was there not? On top of the marriage proposal?" Casspien threw another log into the fire.

Antares slowly nodded, recalling his conversations with Enrieta Zxyphor. " Five-hundred thousand gold coins, paid in ten year intervals across a century. Surely you are not suggesting I had accepted that offer?"

Casspien shook his head, "Not at all. Accepting a ludicrous sum would have made us look desperate." The Lord Regent thought for a moment, searching for the answer within the flame. "At first I thought it strange, why such a large amount was offered. Perhaps they did not want to haggle, or it was meant to show how desperate Vanaheimr or by extension Emperor Nero, wanted Hightower…" He trailed off.

"But now?" Typhon asked, curious to hear his friend's answer.

"Is it not convenient that the amount offered is double what we owe the Golden Company? Or rather what Daimion would have owed since your father is dead?" he asked both men. "Almost as though they knew how desperate Daimion, we, would be to recoup such losses."

"Almost as though they knew Daimion met with the Golden Company." Antares added. "And that if they wanted they could have bought Daimion." The king let out a soft chuckle, devoid of any emotion.

"Those bastards!" Typhon roared as he rose to his feet.

Those in their camps gasped at the sight of the enraged Stygian, scared that something had happened. Soldiers placed their hands on their weapons prepared to jump into action.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

"Sit down you idiot," Casspien yanked the titan back onto the makeshift chair. "Why would you heighten an already tense situation?" The Lord Regent chastised him.

Typhon raised his hands, apologizing to the rest of the camps and the soldiers. "Forgive me, my people. It seems I have consumed far too much wine." He tried to offer a reassuring laugh and it surprisingly softened the atmosphere.

"Enrieta Zxyphor…" Antares repeated the name and a smile crossed his face.

"She is proving to be far more troublesome than we expected." Typhon took another swig of the barrel.

"That we can agree on," Casspien agreed.

Antares said nothing. Of the many things he had shared with his dearest friends about her. He still had not told them of the relationship she shared with all of them. That she was the young girl he spared that accursed day more than ten years ago. How could he? Where could he even begin to explain why he allowed her to live, how a Lord of War did the unthinkable– showed mercy. The King of the Stygians was intimately aware of how cruel the fates could be, but this was far more than anything he could have ever conceived. The little girl he spared that day grew to become the Queen of the Nephilim and not only that, in her pursuit for those responsible for her suffering. She unawares sought his destruction and that of his realm as recompense for what she lost. For what he took from her.

He recalled her hollow expression, fear had numbed her into an unmoving doll. Her eyes losing all life behind them as the screams of mercy from her brother rang out around them. Adelard and his family's death were messy, meant to look as though they had come upon a band of thieves and rogue mercenaries. As the others left just as quickly as they appeared. Antares lingered, to this day he still did not know why, what force stopped him in his tracks. Adelard was only meant to be accompanied by his wife and two children, and yet his Akashic Eyes showed him there was another. A little thing shaking underneath the blood stained cloth underneath the broken carriage. With the tip of his spear he raised the cloth and her ruby eyes met his. He felt nothing looking at her, all emotion drowned out and suppressed so deep within him the only thing he had for company was his clear thoughts. Their ways dictated that her life was forfeit, all the same. Antares lowered the cloth and turned away. Try as he might, he never quite understood why he spared her or perhaps he did and chose to believe otherwise. Truthfully he chose never to think about that day, of what his father had asked him and the others to do.

It was Casspien who snapped him back to reality, breaking the long silence that hung in the air. "Brothers," the Lord Regent began. "We are being forced to play a game without knowing the rules, nor who else is involved." The fire crackled as though acknowledging the wise words of the king's closest advisor. "I believe that you will be provoked, my king. I urge you come what may, do not react." There was a softness in Casspien's words that was rarely ever voiced.

Antares nodded. He placed his hands together as he went into deep thought again. He agreed with everything Casspien had said. Something was terribly wrong and a greater force was at play. He could feel it in the air and within his very being. His return from exile, his meeting with Enrieta, Daimion's blunder and now his journey south to Longshore city–to Reza. He and the others had been moving to the will of another and it angered him. He thought of many things, of countless possibilities of what could be at play. Of what this unseen entity or beings demanded. Was this the will of Hightower? Or perhaps the Nephilim or Nero? For the briefest of moments he thought of the elders having a hand in any of this and as the speculation appeared he dismissed it with lightning authority. He wondered what Hyperion would do and hoped for his elder brother to give him the wisdom and courage to rule as he would.

"Well, there is nothing we can do about that right now." Typhon shrugged with a grin. He would not let Antares carry such a solemn expression. "We can move to more pressing matters." He folded his arms and flared his nostrils.

Antares gave him a concerned look, "What could possibly be more important than anything we have discussed so far tonight?" Typhon's remark had peaked his interest.

"How we plan to rescue Faye of course!" responded the giant Stygian with renewed certainty.

The king looked over at Casspien to confirm they both had heard the absurd comment. The Sword Saint continued to enjoy his drink allowing Typhon to carry on.

"I assume you plan to burst through the doors of Castle Blackrose and whisk her away?" Antares offered with a stifled laugh.

Casspien raised his hand, "Actually that was my idea."

"I thought it better we fake her death and steal her under the pale moonlight," Typhon beamed. "But for some strange reason, Casspien believes a direct approach is more fitting."

"Well we cannot go faking the death of the Queen of Talterra."

"And bursting down their front door is a better option?"

Antares struggled to contain his laughter and eventually allowed his voice to echo through the night air. It was times such as these he was quite thankful for the both of them. The ease in which they could bring a smile to his face no matter the situation, or what it was he himself dealt with. His exile seldom allowed him moments like these–the comradery shared with those who knew you better than you knew yourself. Admittedly, his thoughts had been so dominated with his duty as a king since Neith that not much was given room for Faye. Something he was somewhat thankful for, but now as he thought of seeing her again and of the emotions that would bring. The jovial nature in which the subject was broached by Typhon helped to alleviate some of the stress that had rested on his shoulders. The king ran a hand through his hair.

"I do not think Faye would take kindly to being kidnapped, no matter the method." The Stygian King offered.

"I kidnapped you and you have not complained in some time." Casspien recalled with a smirk.

"Besides," Typhon added. "Once she takes one good look at you. I am sure she will be fine with it!" Typhon's grin was contagious.

Antares thought of what she would look like. Five years it had been since he had laid eyes on her, since he felt the warmth of her skin on his. There were a thousand things he wondered about her, but most importantly of all he hoped she was happy. The weight of responsibility, of his sin had torn them away from each other and in a mere few hours they would be reunited. He would not admit it, but Antares was stricken with anxiety. What would he say to her? What could be said to explain the last half decade they spent apart. He did not believe he had the right to talk to her, let alone entertain the idea of taking her from this place. And yet he still longed for her touch, for her lips on his and all that came with that. All these years and he never stopped wanting to her.

"I doubt she will be pleased to see me," the king was unsure if he spoke those words out of truth or fear. "Given everything that has occurred, that I have done."

"Do not say such foolish things," Typhon held his king's gaze. "She will always love you. One does not need the eyes of the Akashic to see that."

That was precisely Antares' fear. That after all that had happened not once would her love waver. The death of Nykolas by his hands changed all of their lives forever. Even now he still dealt with the consequences of that fateful day. He could see it in the faces of both Typhon and Casspien–the desire to know what happened. But both of them did not want to press their king for answers, electing to wait for when he was ready to speak. Antares grew uncomfortable in the silence he had no desire to not truly divulge what had happened between himself and Nykos. He simply was not ready to speak the truth of that terrible day and what came of it. Faced with the prospect of seeing Faye again, of her asking him what occurred. The King of the Stygians was unsure if his resolve would hold, how could he deny the woman he loved most in the world? How could he deny his heart a second time?

"By Strigga why are you all still awake?" Melina questioned.

Melina and Ursula emerged from the darkness into the light.

"Ah girls! Come join us!" Typhon demanded, raising a barrel towards them. "We were just talking about how best to kidnap Faye!"

Ursula and Melina exchanged worried looks and then glared at all three of them. As much as they loved and respected the greatness of the three men in front of them. It was always concerning leaving them alone together for longer than a few hours. The idea of the consequences for kidnapping the Queen of Talterra ran shivers down their spine. They had already been fatigued from the added strain of patrolling the edges of the camp. The young knights were under tremendous strain by the king's council and the ever watchful gaze of the elders to protect their king, given the monumental nature of their journey. So to hear that the king and the Lord Regent discussing a plot to kidnap perhaps the most sought after woman in the nine realms, added a level of stress the girls found unwelcoming. Even if they did not believe the men spoke completely in jest.

Antares raised his hands, "In my defense, I was simply just listening."

"That is the problem my king," Ursula rubbed her brow.

"You both really should be more at ease." Casspien finished his drink and urged for Typhon to pour him another cup.

"Perhaps you have had too much to drink, big brother," Melina offered a tired giggle. " I don't recall the last time you have ever urged for 'ease' when it comes to our duties."

Casspien paused before he took another sip. Taking in his sister's words for a moment. It seemed that he may have had too much to drink or simply had just gotten comfortable since he was around those that he held dearly. Nevertheless he shrugged and took another swig of his wine. He would allow himself some recourse for tonight, the hell that would unfold tomorrow would be more than enough to sober him and demand his undivided attention.

"Guinevere is not with you?" Antares asked, hoping to avoid the ire of the two knights in front of him.

Ursula led with her head to a large tree a few metres away.

"Lady Guinevere is sulking. She is unsatisfied with the amount of Terran soldiers sent to escort you." She whispered hoping her dear friend would not hear her.

"She has had all our soldiers monitor the permit of the camp and we have circled the edge thrice over now." Melina moaned, plopping down next to Typhon.

Antares smiled, Guinevere truly was the ever doting sister. He rose from where he sat.

"Forgive me my friends, it seems I must go to my general, lest she burns the fields of Talterra in displeasure." He said it out of jest but all present were aware of how irritated Guinevere could be when standards were not maintained.

And so Antares made his way towards his little sister, a smile forming on his face.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.