19 I told you so!

Aleyria, however, was not mollified at all. She glared at him.

"You understand that it will most probably be forces from outside the continent who will be waiting for us within that main hall, do you?"

"Of course." Alexander nodded.

"And you understand that there are many white robes outside the continent? And that they might have sent a few of them here?" Aleyria pressed on.

"No, they do not have many white robes over there." Alexander said with a laugh. "And definitely impossible to send even one to a backwater country in a backwater continent like where we are now. They have bigger wars and bigger threats to deal with."

"Even if all their known white robes are too busy to come, they could have had new white robes rise to power recently and sent those over." Aleyria argued stubbornly.

"Just think of it logically, Aleyria. The chances of a new white robe coming to power are extremely low. You of all people should know how difficult it is to gain the white. And even if they sent a newly minted white robe, you could easily take him down, couldn't you?" Alexander replied patiently.

Aleyria scowled. She had nothing to say to that.

"I agree with her." Buccephalas announced suddenly. "It would be safer if you stay back. Smashing whoever sneaked in into smithereens is the main message. It would happen with or without you."

"Just relax, we'll be fine!" Alexander said out loud to reassure Buccephalas and Aleyria. He glanced at her still scowling face. "Totally fine!" He said loudly to reassure one and all.

Mutter. Mutter. Mutter. Aleyria grumbled under her breath.

Mutter. Mutter. Mutter. Buccephalas grumbled in his mind.

In silence and within a minute, they reached the main hall.

Aleyria waved her hand and a yellow sphere shimmered around her and Alexander. Behind, their guards casted defensive spells as well and red spheres shimmered around them.

Aleyria took a deep breath and pushed the door. It opened without resistance.

Within it were 6 people. The two royal guards were standing at the ready behind King Dirz'On, who was seated at a square table facing the entrance. These were the three that Aleyria's spell had detected earlier.

The other three were also seated around the table. They seemed to be playing some sort of chess. 4-way chess probably.

"Ah, King Aloxandros, so nice of you to actually come! I wasn't expecting you. What a pleasant, pleasant surprise!" King Dirz'On exclaimed.

The other three people at the table turned and to look at Alexander.

"Oh my. I didn't expect him to be so good looking!" said the first one in a sultry voice. She had a head of beautiful red hair and an exquisite face with a body to match.

"Irene, why are you so superficial?" said another in an exasperated voice. "You shouldn't focus on their looks. Mother said that the most important quality in men is their health and fertility! Only then would be be useful to us" The second one looked exactly the same as the first.

"Yes, Irene, Theodora is right. You shouldn't focus on their faces. Look, he may be good looking, but isn't he just a weak little black robe? I for one, fancy the one behind him more. Look at the scars on his face! Oooh, what is he? A pinnacle red robe?" said the third. She looked exactly the same as the other two.

"Hahahaha! Amelia you must be blind as a bat. He may be a pinnacle red robe with scars – Oooh those scars look really cool on him!! But!! He is way too old! He probably couldn't perform in bed anymore!" Irene roared with laughter.

Aleyria stared at the crazy triplets grimly. Mad as they were, with an even madder mother as it turned out, they were a sight to behold.

Three beautiful young women with shocking red hair which contrasted beautifully with the colour of their robes.

Which were all, coincidentally, white.

"Impossible to send white robes, you said."

The first fireball flew towards Alexander. Aleyria pointed at it and space warped around the fireball. It exploded in mid air.

"Good logic, you said."

Complete mayhem ensued. Irene screamed as a fearsome lightning bolt struck her yellow shield and shattered it. Dubaza grunted in satisfaction. The other King's Guard tried to follow through with a rapid combination of ice-spears powered by wind energy. But they failed. Infuriated by Dubaza's lightning bolt, Irene screamed again and spread both her hands outwards as she unleashed her full power. Scorching hot flames burst out from her in a fiery explosion and the entire building blew up.

"Just relax, you said."

Aleyria summoned another layer of energy shield around Alexander to withstand the flames. She glanced around the room, the red robes were fine. And she was gratified to find that they were functioning as a well trained unit should be. Instead of merely casting personal defensive spheres, they had casted area of effect shields which protected the blue robes as well.

Excellent.

Theodora summoned three giant golems, each towering high at 50 meters. They smashed their giant fists down violently at the Archmages. Huge earthen walls rose to meet those fists, but were effortlessly sent crumbling down.

"We'll be fine, you said."

Aleyria summoned her three of her own golems, much larger ones at 60 meters tall and sent them wrestling with the other three. Deafening roars and thunderous crashes filled the air.

"Totally fine, you said." Aleyria grabbed Alexander and quickly teleported away into the Royal Palace. She didn't want to wait to find out what power Amelia had.

"Sit here quietly please, as I clean up the mess." Aleyria glared at Alexander as he collapsed weakly onto the throne. The shields had protected his life, but they did not completely nullify Irene's blast.

His body was injured.

"Thank you." Alexander croaked.

Aleyria glared at him as she injected a wave of verdant healing energy into Alexander's body.

"I'll be safe here." Alexander croaked again, feeling rather refreshed as the verdant energy took effect.

Aleyria glared at him and scowled.

"Come back safely." Alexander croaked again and gave Aleyria a grin.

Aleyria sighed and smiled helplessly at him. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

And then she disappeared.

Alexander sighed. The following few days would be tough on him. He would probably be inundated with countless I-told-you-so's.

It would be tough.

Tough!

"I told you so." Buccephalas inevitably said.

Alexander sighed.