An Audience With The King

Konami found himself in a strange room, one that looked like an empty throne room.

The place was eerie and dark, with bones scattered all over the place. As he looked around, he saw a figure shrouded in darkness seated on the throne.

The only visible aspect of the man was his glowing purple eyes. Suddenly, the figure pointed towards Konami and spoke.

"Bond with me, mortal."

Konami woke up from his dream panting heavily. As he gained consciousness, he found himself on a plush bed in a luxurious room. Xander and Vladimir were standing over him with relieved expressions.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," said Xander with a smile. "You passed out immediately after that general left."

"The doctors said you passed out due to expelling nearly all the anima you had with that aura burst," Vladimir added. "You had us worried, leader."

Konami smiled as he sat up, but the smile soon faded as he thought about the general. "That man," he said. "He was able to use the aura burst twice. If he hadn't seen through my bluff and stayed..." Konami clenched his fists and lowered his head.

"But he didn't, mate," Xander interrupted. "And you saved the entire city. That's why we're in the royal castle. Can you believe it?"

Konami looked around the room, taking in the luxurious features and realized that he was indeed in the royal castle.

Xander gestured for Konami to come closer as he began to explain the situation. "The king has been holed up in this room during the recent attack. His royal guards watched as we fought off the invaders, and when they reported back to him, he ordered that we be brought here to the castle. It's been two days now since the battle ended."

As Xander finished speaking, the doors to the room swung open, and two guards entered. Bowing respectfully, they announced, "The king would like to see you now, Konami Kodo of the Nightshade Guild."

Konami glanced over at Xander and Vladimir, who both nodded their approval. He got up from his seat and put on his coat, as Xander crept closer to whisper in his ear.

"The king wants to see you alone. Don't mess this up for us. We might get a hefty reward."

Konami couldn't help but chuckle at Xander's words, and he gave him a thumbs up in return.

The guards led him through the halls of the palace, which were filled with stunning statues and plush carpets of the finest quality.

Konami had been in many castles in his line of work as an assassin, but this one was truly a sight to behold. Instead of sneaking in unnoticed, he was being escorted like a hero.

"This feels different," Konami thought to himself with a smile, as he realized that he was finally being recognized for his deeds.

The two guards brought him to the throne room, where the king, his royal guards, and his advisors were all waiting. The guards bowed and announced, "Konami Kodo, my lord."

As soon as Konami entered the room, he was met with a chorus of murmurs and whispers. People were taken aback by his unfazed expression and his lack of respect for the king's presence.

"The arrogance! He's in the presence of royalty, and he doesn't even know how to bow?" one courtier hissed.

Konami simply smirked and replied, "I'm sorry, but I have no king. I follow no one."

The guards who brought him to the throne room unsheathed their swords and pointed them at the assassin's neck, warning him to be more respectful.

"You best watch your mouth, boy. You should be grateful that the king is granting you an audience."

"Grateful?" Konami replied with a yawn. "Isn't that why I'm here? To be thanked by a king who was hiding in a closet while I was fighting to save his capital?"

Konami's bold words caused an uproar in the room, with some courtiers shouting, "Off with his head!" and others declaring that such disrespectful behavior was tantamount to treason.

But the king simply raised his hand, commanding silence from his subjects. Everyone but Konami bowed, and the guards sheathed their swords, sending death glares in the assassin's direction.

The king chuckled heartily. "Hahaha, you're a live one, I'll give you that. You're nothing like most adventurers. Forgive the manners of my courtiers."

The King smiled with satisfaction as he addressed the leader of the Nightshade Guild, Konami. The vessels in the room were visibly annoyed by the king's smile, but they held their tongues.

"I am King Larion the 5th and on behalf of the citizens of Legard, I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to you, esteemed leader of the Nightshade Guild. Please accept these humble rewards as a token of our appreciation for your service," the king said, gesturing to the guards who rushed outside the throne room.

Moments later, they returned with bags filled to the brim with gold. "Although these rewards may seem small, they are a testament to the immense respect we have for your service."

Konami, however, was not impressed by the king's offering. "I don't want your gold," he declared, causing an uproar among the vessels.

Just outside the throne room, Vladimir was struggling to keep a berserk Xander from rushing into the room. "Better hold me tight or I'll kill that bastard!" Xander shouted.

"I apologize if my rewards were not to your liking," the king said, trying to make amends. "What would you like instead?"

Konami's smirk grew wider as he replied, "The guild hall."

The king raised an eyebrow, considering the request. "Although it is common for guilds to eventually own their own guild halls, handing you the guild hall of Legard could have repercussions. It would prevent other adventurers from forming their own guilds. You have already done so much for us, but I am afraid that-"

Konami cut him off, his words harsh and blunt. "Even though you'll be asking me to fight your battles again soon? Gantala is coming back, and he'll be bringing an army with him. Are you ready to go to war with an empire?"

The foul language in Konami's words silenced the vessels, forcing them to contemplate their own safety.

King Larion stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I see that you are a cunning as well," he said, frowning.

"I received a letter a day ago from the watchtowers near the borders of our nation. Legard will be attacked by the empire in a week. I spoke with your guildmates in the hope that they would convince you to help us, but they told me that it was beyond their power. The skinny one even voiced his disapproval of joining the fight."

"They know that I only do what I feel like doing," Konami replied. "I'm no hero. The only reason I protected the city was to ensure the safety of the tower. Now that I have fulfilled my obligations, I'll be visiting the library and moving on to the next destination with the Nightshade Guild."

"I see where you're coming from," the king said, still trying to understand Konami's motives. "Where did you come from, boy?"

"Pass," Konami replied, his tone dismissive.

The king sighed, feeling frustrated. He needed the strength of the Nightshade Guild if his nation was to survive the upcoming war, but Konami was not making it easy for him.

"You may have the guild hall, if Legard falls, a guild hall will be the least of our concerns." he said, giving in to Konami's demands.

"And the gold," Konami added. "I don't want it, but Xander does."

Outside, Xander was crying tears of joy. "I love that bastard," he said through sobs.

LOCATION: KORRE

Gantala stood before his massive army, a sea of soldiers clad in gleaming armor and brandishing weapons of war.

He was a towering figure, his broad shoulders filling out his ornate plate armor and his fierce gaze scanning the crowd before him. He raised his sword high, the glint of the sun reflecting off its sharp edge, and let out a powerful roar that echoed across the battlefield.

"Men!" he bellowed, his voice ringing with authority.

"We stand here today, not as mere soldiers, but as warriors! Warriors of the greatest army the world has ever seen. And we are here to face the greatest threat to our existence: the relics."

The army let out a rousing cheer, their battle cries ringing out across the land. Gantala raised his hand, silencing the crowd and continuing his speech.

"These relics, they are not just mere artifacts, they hold the power to destroy entire nations. They have already taken from us, our loved ones, our families, our friends. My own wife and children were taken from me by the hands of a relic user. But I do not stand here today to seek revenge, I stand here to put an end to this threat once and for all."

Gantala's voice was filled with conviction, his passion for his cause fueling the fire in his eyes.

"We are not fighting a war for power or for riches, we are fighting a war for the very survival of our people, for the future of our world. And I know that each and every one of you will rise to the challenge. Because that is what it means to be a warrior, to fight for what is right, even in the face of insurmountable odds."

The army erupted in cheers once again, their swords raised high in the air in solidarity. Gantala's words had inspired them, had given them a purpose, had rallied them to the cause.

"We will not stop until every relic is destroyed, until the threat to our world is eliminated. We will fight, we will conquer, and we will triumph!"

Gantala's voice rose to a crescendo, his sword pointed to the sky, his eyes alight with the fire of battle. "For our families, for our friends, for our world. We fight!"

Gantala continued to address the army, his voice growing in volume with each passing word.

"Our mission is to rid the world of these relics, to cleanse the land of their evil. The emperor may have allowed their use, but we will not tolerate it any longer. We will restore the honor of our nation and make it a place where people can live in peace."

With a wave of his hand, he signaled to a female soldier to step forward.

"This is Kris, my right hand. She will lead the Enders Division, a special division created for the purpose of hunting down relic users and destroying the relics themselves. She is the best fighter among us and will ensure that our mission is successful."

Kris stepped forward, her scythe glinting in the sun. She was a daunting figure, standing tall with a scythe that was nearly as tall as she was. Her long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, revealing her sharp features and the patch over her left eye. Her piercing gaze seemed to strike fear into the hearts of those who looked upon her. Her body was covered in leather armor, adorned with numerous weapons and blades. She carried herself with an air of confidence and power, a true warrior born for battle.

Gantala cleared his throat and addressed Kris, his eyes were glued to the scythe she was holding.

"I detest the fact that the emperor would ever allow such a vile strategy as using these evil relics, but given that you are heading this new division, I can stomach my disgust until our noble mission is complete. Summon all the members of the Enders by the end of the day, we shall begin our match at daybreak."

Kris bowed her head and wore a sadistic smile, "Yes sir." She then added with a twisted tone, "I look forward to the screams of the enemies as I reap their lives and the thrill of the hunt as I track down those who try to run from their fates."

The soldiers nearby expressed their disgust at her bloodlust, but also fear of her immense power. They all knew that Kris was not one to be trifled with, and her reputation as a ruthless and efficient warrior had preceded her.

As she walked away to carry out Gantala's orders, the army couldn't help but wonder what horrors awaited them under her leadership.

Gantala on the other hand was eager to return to Legard, his mind set on clashing with Konami once again. "Just you wait, Kodo, I will rip your heart out and smash it against your skull."