The White Knight and the Ungrateful Wolf
"What?" Grayson's pupils dilated in shock, his grip tightening on Andros's shoulders as he stared into his eyes and demanded loudly, "How could this happen? Couldn't the Knights and the Priests protect him together?"
"We didn't engage Solon in battle," Andros replied grimly, shaking his head. "Tyrrel was burned to death, along with two of his guards."
"Burned to death?" Grayson's eyes widened in disbelief. "How is that possible?"
With a heavy sigh, Andros explained, "We found only their charred bodies, the room a wreck from the fire, with no clue left by the perpetrator."
"I thought they would use the venom of the Treasured Serpent to kill Tyrrel," Grayson mumbled to himself. Andros, curious about his remark, prompted Grayson to recount the events leading up to this point.
"But Morven never arrived at Thunder Fort," Andros said, surprised. They exchanged a look, both feeling an ominous premonition.
"We can't concern ourselves with Morven for now. Did you discover anything at Thunder Fort?" Grayson asked after a brief silence.
Andros shook his head slightly. "All I know is that Solon hasn't yet claimed the Thunder Sword. Without drawing that blade, he lacks the legitimacy to become the Titan King. Tyrrel may be dead, but his generals won't submit to Solon. War is still on a knife-edge."
"If that's the case, the situation isn't entirely dire," Grayson murmured, nodding slightly. He told Andros, "Solon's priority will surely be to decimate Tyrrel's forces, which gives us a prime opportunity to infiltrate Thunder Fort and uncover the whereabouts of the Holy Relic!"
Andros sighed softly, "You're right. When I left, Tyrrel's body had not been buried, as we couldn't identify him among the three. But Solon will likely strike Hurricane City soon."
"Regardless, Solon's target is now Hurricane City; he must be too preoccupied to notice us." Grayson pondered for a moment before asking, "Where's your Knights Order now?"
"I had Duglas impersonate me, ostensibly to persuade the generals of Hurricane City to surrender, while leading the Knights to Hurricane Cliff to warn Tyrrel's loyalists."
Pausing, Andros continued, "As for Gothard's Priest Order, they remain at Thunder Fort."
"Let's hope they don't cause us any trouble," Grayson said decisively, glancing back at the valley. "But right now, we have another problem to solve. Those damned genies have taken Katheren and Seraphine. We need to rescue them."
The two set off, following the valley's main road. After some time, they approached an ancient checkpoint, its walls adorned with bizarre patterns and the stone gate engraved with genie reliefs, mysterious and arcane.
Two genie guards stood watch atop the checkpoint, surveying the valley road. Grayson and Andros concealed themselves behind a rock, observing the checkpoint. The two genies stood vigilantly, their eyes gleaming without a hint of slack.
"It's your turn, little troublemaker," Grayson said, looking up at the small owl perched atop his head.
"Why must you gentlemen send a poor little girl to do such a task?" The little ball of fluff complained, reluctantly flapping her wings.
"Because the two of us together haven't eaten as much as you, you little plump bird!" Grayson plucked her from his head, the mention of food prompting another burp from the owl.
"Go on, distract those two blue fatsos and create an opportunity for us!" Grayson tossed her into the air, and the little ball of fluff flew towards the checkpoint, hiccupping along the way.
"What can I say?" Andros watched her departure, glancing at Grayson, "Like father, like daughter?"
"Hey, I'm a bachelor of repute, please don't tarnish my image with the ladies!" Grayson shot back with a glare.
The little owl made her leisurely approach, landing boldly on the battlement and looking around innocently, like any common bird. The genies noticed her and leaned over to inspect the curious creature.
Instead of fleeing, the owl preened her feathers with composure, chirping a little tune. The genies, intrigued, watched as she suddenly flew down to the ground and began to roll playfully.
The genies exchanged puzzled glances as the owl on the ground suddenly transformed into a black-clothed little girl, snatching their golden lamps and hurling them outside the checkpoint.
Shocked, the genies swung their fists at the little rogue, but two pairs of boots—one black, one white—were already upon them. Each boot crushed a lamp, and the genies vanished in a flash of blue light.
"A sentinel should never drop their guard, not even for a little bird!" Grayson kicked aside the flattened lamp, striding towards the checkpoint while speaking to Andros, "Isn't that right, Captain?"
"I'll be sure to pass on your wisdom to my recruits," Andros replied nonchalantly.
Elyra opened the gate from within, then flew back to Grayson's head as they passed through the checkpoint and ventured deeper. They halted at the steep slope at the valley's end, overlooking a vast circular valley below.
Ancient totem poles stood scattered throughout, with worn yellow-brown stone slabs underfoot. A series of old temples sat nestled beneath the sheer cliffs.
At the valley's heart stood a colossal lamp statue, its mouth emitting a torrent of blue energy, interlinking with the surrounding totem poles to weave an energy net above.
Grayson and Andros watched from their hidden vantage point, noting the numerous genies bustling about the valley and the dazzling portals encircling the lamp statue, with genies constantly coming and going.
"How do we get in there with so many monsters below?" Andros surveyed the valley.
"Not we, you. It's a knight's duty to protect the ladies. You'll be the hero to save the beauties," Grayson said, rising to head down into the valley. Andros called after him, "Where are you going?"
"I'm a ranger. It's time to do what rangers do best!" Grayson pulled out a cigar, lit it, and winked at Andros before vanishing from sight, leaving only a wisp of cigar smoke drifting in the air.
Grayson's white cloak billowed behind him as he charged into the valley like a silver whirlwind, his claw blade aglow with spectral light, ripping a genie asunder.
The surrounding genies converged on the intruder, only to see a fleeting white cloak dart past, the figure already gone.
Enraged, the genies closed in from all sides, hurling a hailstorm of energy orbs at the swift white shadow. The orbs whizzed by Grayson, missing him entirely, while his blade, in a flash, cleaved through five lamps from unexpected angles, dissipating five genies.
"What's going on?" bellowed the temple guard captain, halting in his tracks.
Before he could react, a white blur whooshed over him. Startled, the captain scrambled to reassemble his scattered form, turning to shout at Grayson's retreating figure, "It's him, catch him!"
"It's me, you ungrateful wolf, come and catch me if you can!" Grayson taunted, stopping to beckon the captain, his blades whistling back into his hands, shredding two genies who couldn't dodge in time.
"You wretch, I'll teach you a lesson!" the genie captain roared, his lower half twisting into a whirlwind as he lunged at Grayson, who smiled and dashed away.
The captain gave chase, directing the genies to corner Grayson towards the valley's edge.
Trapped against the sheer cliff, Grayson turned, shrugged, and quipped, "Looks like I've run out of road, but I've always believed paths are made by walking."
With a flick of his wrist, he sent his blades embedding into the cliff. He sprinted up the rock face, using the blades as footholds to ascend several meters before backflipping and summoning the blades back, vanishing in a flash of red light, leaving only a leisurely flying black bird in his wake.
Grayson, transformed into a small snake in Elyra's talons, looked down at the confused genies and asked, "Elyra, has the Captain found the place?"
"He found a place that looks like a prison and went in. But I don't like it there; I can tell there's nothing tasty by the smell!" the little owl replied as she flew.
"Your belly looks like it could lay eggs, and all you think about is food!" Grayson bumped her plump belly with his snake head.
"I want duck eggs..." the little ball of fluff smacked her lips.
"Spare your kin, let's find Andros and the others!" Grayson nudged his snake head next to hers.
Elyra carried Grayson, avoiding the genies' gaze, into a temple with ajar doors. They flew down a corridor lit by magic lamps, passing many shattered lamps along the way.
"Looks like things are going smoothly!" Grayson, back in human form, walked briskly past the energy-sealed cells, Elyra perched atop his head. Suddenly, he saw several hurried figures ahead.
"Hey, ladies, it's a delight to see you all safe and sound!" Grayson strode forward to greet the trio, relieved to find them unharmed. Together, they retreated from the prison, Katheren and Seraphine informing Grayson that their weapons had been confiscated by the genies.
"Don't worry, I'll figure out a way to get them back. I happen to have a little thief at hand!" Grayson said calmly, shaking his head at the little owl. "Right, Elyra?"
Before the little owl could reply, a scream echoed from outside the half-open prison door, and a shattered lamp rolled in through the gap.