The Looming Threat

At first, a parade of beautiful women descended the stairs. They walked down in pairs like some fantasy world version of the Miss Universe competition. Each woman wore a flowing dress full of vivid patterns and colors, and many of them had unique physical features.

There were women with long elven ears, women with bunny ears, women with horns, and even a tall blue-skinned woman with shining white hair. All of them smiled as they strolled down the staircase, and I could literally feel my jaw drop at the sight of their magnificent curves.

Perhaps I really did die, and this was exactly what Heaven looked like.

The women came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, and then they stepped aside to make room for their Emperor. They turned their attention to the top of the staircase as the sound of Animak's heavy footsteps echoed through the hall.

Animak was a tall man with long flowing hair that fell past his shoulders. He had a strong beard that was neatly trimmed and piercing blue eyes that exuded power. He wore imperial robes of red and gold, and although the color scheme resembled the uniforms of the Animakistani officers, this royal outfit was far more ornate and imposing.

On his head Animak wore a jewel-encrusted crown which bore the two-headed dragon symbol at the very top, and a long azure cape rested over his shoulders. The cape dragged on the ground behind him as he walked. As soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, the entire hall began to chant:

"ALL HAIL ANIMAK!"

"ALL HAIL ANIMAK!"

"ALL HAIL ANIMAK!"

As I knelt, I began chanting the words as well, and so did Truck-chan and the cat-women.

Animak smiled and raised his right hand. In an instant all noise inside the great hall subsided.

"My friends," the Emperor said, "thank you for this incredible greeting. You shouldn't have, really."

"Actually, Your Highness," Sir Jojo said, still bowing. "You told me to ensure that everyone is bowing and chanting your name upon your arrival. You were very specific."

Animak laughed. "Nonsense! Don't be silly, Jojo." He looked across the room. "Please, friends, stand. Rise to your feet so I can see you and talk to you freely as my honored guests."

Everyone stood up, including me and the girls.

"OH!" Animak exclaimed. "It's my old friend, Lor D. Briggo! I heard you were coming, but I had to see it to believe it." The Emperor stepped forward and embraced Briggo.

"Good to see you too, my friend," Briggo said.

"Jojo!" Animak screamed and turned to the man in purple robes. Jojo had a boyish face and wavy dark hair, and despite his high rank he looked like he was still a teenager.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"How could you treat Briggo this way? You asked him to bow to me when you know that we're old friends?"

Jojo looked at Animak, then at Briggo, then at Animak again. "But Your Highness, you specifically told me to make sure that everyone bows and chants your name. No exceptions."

"Nonsense!" Animak said and laughed again. "Oh Jojo, your silly antics will be the end of me. Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?"

Jojo lowered his head and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Your Highness. Once or twice."

"Briggo, my friend," Animak exclaimed, as if to change the subject. "How have you been, and what brings you to Slavograd?"

"I am well, but we have a problem. The Demon Lord Havoc has gathered a massive army in the north, and his hordes are consuming every kingdom in sight. It won't be long before they reach the Twigoslavian Peninsula. We can't stop him unless we all set our differences aside and unite under a single banner."

Animak nodded. "I've received some intel on this Demon Lord, but he doesn't scare me. The Army of Animakistan is the strongest fighting force south of Lake Mousey. My Men of Culture alone can defeat an entire army."

"Animak," Briggo said sternly. "All the information I have indicates that the size of the Demon Lord's army is unprecedented. It won't be long before they reach Lake Mousey, and after that they'll head right for us. The best place to make our stand is at the Ancient Tower, and the Chad Lad Pirates are already there, fortifying our positions as much as possible. But they can't do this alone. We need your army, and we also need the Nuxturians."

As Briggo uttered that last word, Animak burst into laughter. "Nuxturians? Those devil grass-smoking circus clowns?!"

But Briggo shook his head. "Animak, my friend. How long have we known each other? Do you really think that I would come all this way if I wasn't fully convinced of everything that I am telling you? The threat is real, and it is greater than anything that we have seen before."

As this conversation continued, everyone inside the great hall was completely silent. They all stood perfectly still, almost in awe of the two men who were speaking. Even the voluptuous women who had descended the staircase along with Animak were practically caressing the Emperor with their eyes, and I couldn't help but admire their beauty.

"What are you looking at, Birito-kun?" Truck-chan whispered in my ear.

"What? Oh… nothing."

"Oh, really? Because you seem very interested in those skanky sluts over there."

"What?! No, it's just… well, that tall woman. She has light blue skin. Isn't that crazy?"

Truck-chan pursed her lips. "Her skin is the only thing you're interested in, Birito-kun?"

I nodded. "Yes, of course. I've just never seen that before, that's all."

"Oh, I see. So you're definitely not interested in those HUGE BLUE BOOBIES?!"

"Shh…" I said, trying to keep Truck-chan from getting us both in trouble. Animak was speaking again.

"Yes, you're right, Briggo. We've known each other for a long time, and I trust you completely." He turned to one of the men in purple robes. "Sir Mudan, please give the order to mobilize the entire Imperial Army. We'll send our best men to reinforce the Chad Lad Pirates at the Ancient Tower."

Sir Mudan was a tall blue-eyed man with cringy blonde highlights in his hair. "Yes, Your Highness," he said and bowed, then quickly made his exit.

Truck-chan muttered something to herself, and then she unzipped the top of her tracksuit all the way down to the bellybutton. This revealed her enormous cleavage.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

"They're not blue, but I have boobies too, Birito-kun."

Not long after Truck-chan unzipped herself, Animak's eyes landed right on us.

"Oh my," he said, "Briggo, who are these lovely ladies?"

"These are my comrades. I couldn't have gotten here so quickly without them. This is Truck-chan, that's Blair, and next to her is Sophia. And the young man's name is Birito. He's currently undergoing his chadformation."

"Wonderful!" Animak exclaimed. "Welcome, all of you! Any friend of Briggo's is a friend of mine, and that goes double for his attractive female friends."

We all smiled and bowed politely.

Animak walked up to Truck-chan and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You must be tired from all that traveling, aren't you?"

"Uh, yeah, and I'm really hungry too."

"WHAT?! A beautiful woman is hungry in my palace? I can't let that stand!" Animak turned to another one of the men in purple robes. "Sir Johnny!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Please have our dinner served in my personal quarters. I want to spend a private evening with Briggo and my new friends."

Sir Johnny wore glasses and had blue spiky hair. As soon as he received Animak's order, he bowed and rushed up the giant marble staircase.

Animak smiled. "Follow me," he said to us and started up the stairs, his blue cape swirling as he turned.

"Your Highness!" someone called out from the other end of the hall. We turned and saw two palace guards walking quickly towards us. One of the guards was walking alongside a very short man, and the other was actually carrying an equally short man over his shoulder.

"Springle Elves!" Briggo muttered, and his face darkened.

Briggo was right. Both of the short men were dressed in green clothes and they wore pointy green hats.

"Speak," Animak said as the guards reached the staircase and bowed.

"These two Springle Elves were trying to enter the palace grounds," one of the guards said.

"Well, this one was trying to enter," the other guard said, pointing to the elf who was walking on his own. "He claims to have a message for Your Highness." This particular elf looked young and friendly, and his clothes were neat and clean. He smiled politely and bowed.

"But this other one," the guard continued as he lowered the second elf to the ground, "we found him passed out drunk near the palace gates."

As he rolled over on the ground, the second elf mumbled something to himself and burped loudly. Once I saw his face, I recognized him right away. The drunk, half-conscious elf was Dingle!

Animak sighed. "Drunk on the job and defiling the Imperial Palace. What should we do with them, Briggo? Public execution?"

"I don't see why not," Briggo muttered.

"Excuse me, Your Highness," the elf who was still on his feet said, "but I'm not drunk. I'm here to deliver a message from the Kingdom of Tek."

"Sure you are," Animak said. "Take them to the dungeons."

"Wait, here it is." The elf pulled an envelope from the pouch around his waist. "A letter from Lord Crawford himself."

Animak raised an eyebrow. "The Tek King sent this letter?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Animak walked up to the elf and took the envelope. He ripped it open and read the letter to himself while the rest of us watched.

When he finished, Animak folded the letter and handed it to Sir Jojo. "What's your name?" he asked the elf.

"Lubo, Your Highness."

"Lube?"

"No, Lubo with an 'o'."

"Well Lube, I appreciate your hard work. Guards, we'll put him up in the guest quarters for the next few days. He appears to be the only competent Springle Elf in history, so we better take advantage."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Lubo said.

"Hyuk-Hyuk-Hyuk," Dingle mumbled. "Same ol' goody two shoes Lubo… you're an embarrassment to the Springle Elves, ya hear?" He burped again. "I gotta letter too! A letter from Lorne D. Twigo for…"

"Shut up," Briggo exclaimed.

Animak nodded. "The one on the ground, take him to the dungeons. Make him sober up there. As for Lube, please join us for dinner. You came here directly after leaving Tek?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I left the island three days ago."

"Perfect. We'll need as much information on the current situation there as we can get."

The guards nodded and picked Dingle up by his hands and feet, and then they carried him off amid his loud protestations.

Animak spoke quietly to Briggo, but I was close enough to overhear. "The Tek King says that the Demon Lord's battleships are encircling the island. It's only a matter of time before they launch an invasion."

"Damn it," Briggo said. "What about the rock belt?"

"They navigated through the rock belt without trouble, which means they had inside help."

Briggo nodded. "You know what this means, right?"

"Yes, I do. The Library of Barrixandria contains the secret knowledge of this world, including priceless information about ancient magic. That must be why the Demon Lord is targeting Tek."

"Now you understand why I'm here. The Army of Animakistan is not enough, and neither are my Chad Lad Pirates. We need Nuxanor."

Animak sighed. "Don't make me do this, Briggo."

"Did you hear what happened to us on the Dragon Train?"

"I got some intel on my way here, but only vague stuff. I'm sorry that our security protocols failed. It's unacceptable. You can fill me in over dinner."

"I'd be happy to," Briggo said, "but here's a quick teaser. The criminals who attacked the train pledged loyalty to the Demon Lord. They said that he is coming, and with him comes the Age of Chaos."

Animak frowned. "Briggo…"

"They're already here, Animak. Agents of the Demon Lord are here inside your own kingdom. And as we speak, his hordes are ravaging the northern nations and surrounding Tek. There is no time to waste."

Animak's lips tightened and his brow furrowed. "Damn it, Briggo…."

"We NEED his help."

"FINE! We'll talk to Nuxanor. Now come, let's go upstairs. We'll drain our snakes before dinner."

"Of course," Briggo said. As Animak ascended the marble staircase, the rest of us followed.