• Taylor And His Men •
Taylor realized he was in deep trouble. If he didn’t fix the situation soon, he would be in serious danger. He had no idea who he was dealing with; this was someone he had only recently pledged allegiance to and had never worked with before. Karl might be more dangerous than he appears and looked.
The gravity of his situation made him start blaming himself. If he had known that Mara was no longer on the throne and in power, he could have being contented with the army he had been given. But deep down, he knew he was very greedy.
His greed had led him to commit a terrible act: he was asked to kill someone who loved him dearly, Jane. Tempted by the promise of money and power, he went through with it. Instead of leading his army to safety, he made a deal with Karl, and now his life was in jeopardy.
He couldn’t even figure out who had stolen the golden sword now. He suspected it was Mara, but he hadn’t seen her since she was dethroned. If that were true that she's the one who took the sword, it meant someone had helped her, but he had no idea who to suspect. His loyal men only added to his confusion.
He had gathered some of the men who were with him when he last saw the sword. Since morning, he had been questioning them, trying to uncover the truth. Despite the harsh methods he used, they all insisted they had no idea what happened to the sword. Their consistent claims of innocence suggested that if there was a traitor among them, it was someone else entirely.
“Come on! You must tell me exactly what happened to that sword, or it will be the end of your life! Just be honest with me about it. I’ll go and hunt for it myself, and I won’t bother you again. I just need the truth!” he yelled in anger. Despite his fierce words, the men before him were bleeding from their mouths and couldn’t utter a word. They shook their heads, insisting they had no idea what had happened to the sword.
Frustrated, Taylor found a bench in the corner and slumped down, feeling defeated. Time was slipping away, and he was running out of options. He had been given only one night to find the golden sword and return it, or else face dire consequences.
As the sun began to set, he realized he had no crew to help him. What was he supposed to do? Should he wait for his judgment, or should he flee for his life? But running without an army felt impossible. He had already bent the knee and lost everything he had worked hard to achieve. Leaving it all behind seemed unthinkable. But nevertheless they are still his armies and still under his control and would still listen to him. So his men shouldn't be his main problem.
“Lord, I’m sorry. I know you’re frustrated right now, but can I offer a suggestion?” his second-in-command said. Taylor, who was like a baron in his own right, controlled a portion of the army and lived comfortably in a territory granted to him by Mara.
“Alright then, sit,” Taylor replied, gesturing for the captain to join him.
As they sat together, the weight of the situation pressed down on them. They needed a plan, and time was running out.
“I was thinking that, as we both know, the only person who could have stolen the sword is Mara. So why don’t we start looking for her instead of wasting time on these men?” Captain Jones suggested, and Taylor exhaled a sigh of relief.
“Then I believe you don’t understand my problem here! No one has seen her! Have you spotted Mara since she was dethroned? She has been visiting the courtroom, and still no one has laid eyes on her. How are we supposed to find her? That’s why I’m trying to locate the person who stole the sword! only him could lead us to her” Taylor replied, frustration evident on his face. “Only that person can give us her whereabouts,” he added.
Jones looked down, taking a deep breath. When he looked up again, he understood that Taylor was right—they had no idea where Mara was, so how could they possibly find her?
“Well, I think you’re right. We need to know who took the sword to get more information. But… what about…” Captain Jones began, his voice trailing off as a thought struck him.
“What about what?” Taylor inquired, intrigued.
Jones sprang to his feet, excitement radiating from him as if he had just uncovered a crucial piece of information. Taylor leaned in, eager to hear what he had to say.
“If I heard you correctly, you mentioned that she had been visiting the King at the courtroom, yet no one has seen her, right?” Jones asked. Taylor nodded in agreement.
“Of course, that’s what I said,” he confirmed.
“Then it’s very simple to find her! This means there’s a secret place within that golden castle where she’s hiding. You know that’s her home—she was born and raised there. There might be an underground chamber or some hidden spot where she’s staying. That’s the simplest explanation for why she keeps visiting the King while remaining unseen. She’s not a ghost!” Jones exclaimed, leaving Taylor to contemplate his words.
After a few moments, Taylor nodded in agreement. It truly was a straightforward explanation, and he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it sooner. This realization affirmed to him that Jones was indeed a clever man.
“I think you’re absolutely right! We should request an audience with the King to get permission to start our search within the castle inner walls immediately!” Taylor declared as he stood up and straightened his clothes, ready for action.
“You see? The men who didn’t want to tell the truth are part of the betrayers, those who conspired against me. They will face their punishment. You go meet the others, take about five men with you, and then we’ll go see the King,” Taylor ordered, and Jones nodded in acknowledgment.
“Yes, Baron,” he replied before leaving to carry out the plan.
             • Karl's Palace •
Karl was not a dull man; in fact, he was quite wise. His experience working alongside intelligent individuals, like King Genesis, had shaped him into a strategic thinker. This understanding is why, when he left his home, he chose not to take his family with him. He anticipated that the situation would be chaotic and potentially dangerous, which could put his loved ones at risk. So, he asked them to stay behind while he went ahead to resolve the issues. Although they were sad and concerned, they trusted his judgment.
Since Karl departed for the golden castle with his army, his family had been anxiously awaiting news from him. However, the days dragged on, and it felt like an eternity before they finally received a message.
When the message arrived, they were initially filled with excitement, believing it signaled their chance to embrace a new life of royalty. They quickly untied the note and began to read it. However, as they deciphered the words, their joy quickly faded. Most importantly, Karl's wife was deeply dissatisfied with its contents. She could not and would not support the idea of their son entering the arena to fight to the death for the throne.
“Honestly, this is ridiculous!” she muttered immediately after reading the note, her expression darkening as the smile faded from her face.
“I can’t believe Dad is actually going out there to make peace with them! I thought he was just going to seize the throne. He has the power to do that—so what’s holding him back?” Myth said, disappointment etched on his features.
“I wonder! This is not at all what he promised before leaving. Is he really sending you out there to fight to the death for the throne? Has he forgotten you’re his only son?” his mother lamented softly.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to take that challenge! I won’t panic, especially when I know I can beat him, Peter I mean,” Myth declared with determination.
“No, you are not going to that arena! I forbid you!” she responded, her voice firm and heavy with authority.