5 Chapter 4 - The Changed Kingdom.

Caspia rumbles as its clouds begin graying, lightning crashes down on the castle with a mighty strike as the Prince gathers the people of the town in one place.

The guards surround the crowd as they murmur in fear, getting drenched in the rain that puddles the floor in extreme speed, the lightning was so loud no one even notices the prince walking down the staircase of the castle. A look of smugness spreading his face when the people finally notice him.

The soldiers bringing out the bodies from the raid in wheelbarrows, The people of the kingdom express themselves in different ways, sadness, fear and distrust of the new "king" of Caspia. When the bodies were dumped on the ground they pileup in a massive heap of death. The atmosphere tensing up when the soldiers march in a circle around the remaining people.

Huddled together the men surround their wives and children from them as Camus's voice projects through the rain. A booming voice that vibrates the floor.

"I give you a choice, serve me and live long!" he says as the peoples faces look fearfully on at the bodies, Camus lifting his hands as a blackish slime coats his arms, erupting from his palms onto the pile of bodies, pulsing through the mass and sinking into the dead.

"Or die and serve me anyway!" he yells as the bodies begin to rise, standing with the black slime dripping from their wounds and mouth, gurgling and moving with surprising speed, the cracking and snapping of bones loudly muffled the peoples screams in disgust as the go to attack them, before the Prince lifts his hand and pulls them back.

Smiling at the people with an evil grin.

Lightning lighting his face as dark eyes peer into them with questioning eyes.

"Well? what's it going to be?"

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In the Howling Valley, the battle finally erupts into a clashing of two sides, the hunters and the wolves. Camilla huddled into her cubby away from the fight as the cave people begin shifting into massive werewolves, 8 feet tall and coated in short fur of different colours, claws and fangs that could gut a human in less than a second.

But the hunters had numbers, many of the wolf soldiers in the medical room as both sides receive casualties, Major charges in and cuts the hunters down ease, countering every move like he was seven steps ahead, Kana jumps high into the air as she turns into a jet black werewolf, tearing into the hunters with unrelenting brutality.

Endar was busy protecting the exhausted women and children in the medical room with the wounded, taking a defensive stance as his left hand shifts into sharp spear like appendage, a silvery coating making it shine the cave up, holding straggler hunters back from the room.

Numbers dropping on each side, with no sign of the fight stopping.

after what feels like a hour, both sides are thin and weak, injured and at a stand off.

"Leave our home before we rip you pieces!" one of the men shouts as a hunter aims at him, a bolt of silver firing at him without hesitation, striking him in the heart as he convulses, burning his flesh to the bone. Howling in pain.

Major quickly removes it as he stands of against the last of the hunters, barely untouched with a few scrapes and scratches but otherwise fit for battle, ready to take them all head on, but one of the hunters recognizes his face and steps forward. his word drawn with conviction as he opens his mouth to shout over to ensuing battle.

"We know who you are, traitor, you're fighting for the wrong side!" he bellows, Majors jaw clenching, planting his feet on the ground, refusing to back down.

"I fight for what's right, with honor and dignity...you know nothing of that!!" He roars back with anger fueling his hands, charging them as he drives a sword into the hunters neck, he was so quick he'd already moved onto the other men, slashing them down as he breathes in heavily, drenched in the blood of the last intruder.

The wolves look on at him with hopeful gleaming eyes, sheathing the new sword into its scabbard as he jogs up to the middle floor, racing to Camilla's cubby in a rush as she sits with her back to the entrance, turning once she sees Majors shadow on the wall in front of her.

A joyous smile spreading as she gets up and hugs him tightly, ignoring the blood that stained his armor and face, happy to see he was alive and safe.

"Are you alright, it sounded awful out there!" she exclaimed in a panicked manner as he hugs her back gently, smiling at her concern for him.

"It was...but its over now" he reassures her as she calms herself, waling out from the cubby to see what was left of the ravine people, her eyes slowly widening at the amount of wounded were scattered on the floor, one or two werewolves who died while shifted, their bodies unable to shift back due to their injuries.

Her graceful figure flowing down the steps with an upset look on her face, her sympathies for the fallen and the lost. Approaching the Medical room to see Endar and Kana talking as they look at a critical patient. Noticing the Princess coming.

"Princess, hope you aren't too disturbed by hat you've seen today...we may not be the same, but Endar has told me of your kindness..."

Kana's eyes slowly gaze upon Major again as he approaches from behind, her brows harden for a second before backing down, nodding in his direction.

"You also proved yourself by fighting with us instead of against us, we will remember this...you still stink of hunter though" she scrunches her nose, shooting the contents of her nose out on the floor.

"I'll take it" Major smiles happily as Endar laughs heartily.

"I like this team, You should join us Kana" He says as Major shakes his head as Camilla nods, contrasting opinions as she hums delighted of the idea, but eventually she denies.

"My place is with my people, with my home, but I wish you luck in your travels" she says, her smile radiant and thankful.

Just as the group get ready to leave, she stops them before they do.

"I have a gift for you all, as a token of the Clans appreciation" she passes over an ornate horn, the carvings of a wolf on it to the Princess, her hands cradling the item delicately, as she gives Kana a wide grin.

"I promise once I claim back my land, ill do what I can to help your people" she says with confidence, Kana laughs in disbelief but appreciates her candor nonetheless.

"I'll hold you to that 'Future' Queen"

And with that, Endar conjures the feather fall spell again, letting the trio climb up the wall with low gravity as they soar through the ravines crack, landing in front of the Capitals surrounding forest. Pinks, purples and yellow leaves pave the tree tops and milky white tree bark leads to the capitals walls, a long enough walk away from them.

A tiny foot path leading inside.

But this forest is much tamer than Stoxwood, full of tiny colonies of feral fairies and goblins, the occasional hobble troll or squidtoad, but it was all apart of the capitols charm...a place where magic runs as freely as "they" want it to.

And "They" are a Magical Court of wizards and mages from all over Aspendia and beyond, the most powerful casters in the entire realm, and they controlled everything they could, including the movement of other kingdoms such as Caspia or Scarlett Reach. But they weren't known for their kindness or their loyalty to the people.

They only cared about their own knowledge and what it would cost them, including the lives of anyone they so please... innocents criminals, nobles and peasants, they were above it all because they believed themselves to be...in their own words, Gods.

Endar cackles as he recalls them to Camilla and Major, all three of them laughing at the ridiculousness of it, but she sighed heavily gazing upon the opulence of the capital. It was lined with magical energy and littered with many jewels and wards, protecting the Capital from any force that attempts to attack.

The Capital is the biggest kingdom in Aspendria and smack down in the center of the realm, like the heart that never stops beating, Camilla has only ever been once but she was too young to remember, but Major had past here.

Endar wouldn't have gotten inches from the door without concealment magic, the guardians would've vaporized him to ashes in seconds. Approaching the gates as the massive guardians of the gate bear down upon the trio with judging eyes. White light flaring from their eye sockets with their golden skin blinding all.

"Who enters?"

"I am Camilla Elffire, I have important news for the Magic Counsel!" she shouts, afraid she'll be too small to be heard.

"The Princess of Caspia is dead, killed in a Stoxwood raid"

"That was a lie and a plot to steal the kingdom, he's probably already on his way here!" She attempts to reason but the guardians block the gate with their staffs.

"You may not enter until evidence has been shown" They say, closing their eyes and going back to sleep, leaving the trio in a empty mind space.

"So...any ideas?"

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Caspia was over run fairly quickly, the land around it blending in more with it surroundings, things looking dark and gruesome as Camus jumps on his steed. galloping to the kingdoms gates backed by a massively mixed army of the dead and live soldiers, the live ones on edge around the prowling dead, now fashioning Caspian armor.

But the crest has been ripped off, a new one put in its place, the Elffire Crest was different now, evil thoughts swirling around in the evil Princes head as his hand glow with black power, shooting green flame at the gate as it bursts into a million splinters, firing every where in multiple directions.

Heading head first into the Stoxwood, tracking his sister with dark magic, peering into the spying glass he fabricated in his right hand, watching as she attempts to come up with proof to enter the Capitol's gates.

He chuckles to himself, alone at the very head of his charge, his army roars with thousands of voices, his royal soldiers join by his side, closing the spy glass and looking onward at the Capitol.

"I'm coming for you...Sister" He snarls, disappearing into the forest leaving the Kingdom of Caspia empty with a rolling black storm following in its wake, lightning and black rain pours out from the sky in dramatic fashion, the battle has already begun...

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As the trio take a minuscule break outside the gates, a pulse of magical energy comes from Caspia, alerting both the guardians and Endar, he looks off into the distance as if searching for something, his mask wavering as he tightens it back on. Major looks over at him as the Princess brushes her hair, getting ready to go inside once they'd brewed up a plan.

"What's wrong?" he asks as Endar fiddles with his fingers, his body screaming with nerves but he remained silent, still looking onward in the same place.

"It was a pulse...casters get them when they do powerful spells, what ever did that spell...is one strong asshole...we need to get in there soon before it catches up with us"

"Agreed, we should try sneaking in"

"Impossible, I'm not strong enough to conjure up a concealment for three people...but I do know someone who could help" Endar says, unsure if he's making the right choice.

"Who is it?" Major asks as the witch shuffles on his feet, nervously coughing as the soldier begins laughing uncontrollably.

Camilla gets confused looking at the two with questioning eyes, Major wiping tears from his eyes as he leans in to her ear.

"Old flame~" he whispers as she giggles with him, the blush behind his mask invisible to them but he scoffs at the two and crosses his arms.

"Don't be stupid Albert, you wouldn't know love if it bit you in the ass" he replies and Major continues teasing, the banter flowing back and forth between everyone, their bonds growing stronger as their worries drift away, going over their elaborate plan to sneak in.

Whether they can stay quiet or not...is a game of luck.

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