The rain hit the windows of the Great Chamber mercilessly. There and again, clasps of thunder and the groans of Thor flashed aross the dark clouds. The high walls of the chamber were of Engraved Stone, the strongest ever built in this country of war and chaos. The Great Chamber was regarded as the High Hall of Heroes and Slayers, Knights and Kings, and who could defy such a fact? In a country where war was life and fighting was a necessity, where blood was wine and pillage was wealth, all eyes were set on entering the Great Chamber. The finest armor and the sharpest of blades ornated the walls. Parchments and records of wars, agriculture, wealth and population filled the willow shelves. And then, in the midst of it all, lie the Stone Table.
The crest of the Five Nations that form the Table severed no decorative purposes, especially in a time of great doom as this. There were five thrones that surround the Table, but tonight, only three were occupied. It is known that none of the Lords at the Stone Table knew anything of each other, not that they would ever meet. But this, at a moment as such, the king needed all the help he could get.
There was a long silence. The first to speak, wore the crest of the moon. The most powerful House to the South, the House of Mok.
'How goes the lands to the north?'
The second, bearing the cloak with the bear, glanced up towards the speaker. He was stronger and much bigger than the other two, but the people from the north counties were known for thier strength, not hier brains.
'Well. Not that the county of the South ever had an interest in,'
'Ah, what is there to say? We are the Lords of the Stone Table, it is only proper that we get along well to serve King and Country.'
'Indeed. With the money you take from the king's treasury every time you say there is war, you might have stared another empire.'
'I beg your pardon, Lord Nesh, but dire situations call for dire measures! Its not like you did anything about the plagues to the North! Our people are dying and...'
'Oh, don't get me started you ungratful bas****! Had I not placed you in this court you would have been a mere stableboy wiping the aftermaths of a horses a..'
'Enough!'
All three heads turned towards the figure who just entered the room. He was clad in a different cloak then the rest, one with a golden star. All three men stood at attention, and placed their fists above their hearts in respect.
'It is pointless to put the blame on another at this point of time. Direct your anger instead on the enemy. That is our main priority. We serve the Council and our people, and it is duty! So I do not need insulents who prefer to bicker about another's faults when we should be putting our heads together in such a crisis!'
The hall went silent, except for the laughter coming from the third Lord at the table.
'And what seems to be so funny?' asked Lord Mok in frustration.
All he got was a smile, and more laughter.
'Why, you little brat! How dare you insult the Royal House of Mok! I'll have your head if its the last...' Lord Mok drew his sword and lunged at the stranger.
There was a blinding flash of light, and the rapier in Lord Mok's hands was thrown to the ground, and plundged just inches from his embroided cloak.
'If I were you, Lord Mok, I'll think twice before challenging Lord Robson. Now put that fork of yours away before you poke your eye out.'
Lord Mok, dumbfounded, looked at the young man who just beat him at his best game. The cloak was of low-chipped linen, and there, in the middle of it, bore the crest of the sun. The House of Robson. The Lords of the West who never lost crossing swords, or would rather die than to face such a defeat.
'I... I wasn't ready.... Another time, perhaps...' Lord Mok stuttered, replacing his jeweled rapier inside its holder.
Lord Robson did the same, smiled cheekily, and bowed, before returning to his portion of the table.
'That would be enough for today. Now, shall we get on with the more biting matters? So... wait. Where is the Lord of the East?'
'That would be me.'
All eyes gazed upon the chandelier. There, upon its candles, another cloaked figure rested his head on the chains that held it together, and looked down towards the Stone Table. The cloak was of silk, and within it, the crest of a Nightingale. The House of June. The sons of the Crusaders to the East.
'Ah... Lord of June, please, join us,'
'I prefer my name, Jun, if you may, your highness,'
'Then Jun it is. A charming lad, I see. How goes the war with the barbarians?'
'All is well, your majesty. Your kindness I shall forward unto my men.'
'Then I await the good news from the front. Now for the bitter news, as it has already seems to be an evil has been unleashed in every corner of my country. I need to know if this is true....'
Lord Mok was the first to rise before the king could finish.
'Pardon me your highness, but I think I can clear those doubts. A fortnight ago, come the seventh night of May, my scouts reported an attack on a nearby village along the rivers of Marcedona. We initially assumed an invasion by the barbarians, but when we got there, who, or what attacked the village was nowhere to be seen. But the destruction it left behind, milord.... was unspeakable. Almost eveything in its path was devastated, and the villagers were all left dead. Not a single soul survived. My men had the village inspected, but what we found was impossible to be true. There were footprints your majesty. Prints of giants! And there were traces of smaller prints, your highness. Inhuman. It seems the monster is getting help from somewh....'
'Utter nonsense! your highness' Lord Nesh stood.
'There are no such things as monsters! Especially in a kingdom of peace such as ours! What you saw could have been a mere raging beast, or barbarians of some sort!'
'I am sure of what I saw! But I assure you, milord, that my men and I can easily hunt it down and...'
'Oh, for heaven sakes just admit that you couldn't handle a bunch of bear-skin cladded monkeys throwing sticks and rocks at your men!'
'Oh, the nerve! Had you been there you'll would have...'
'Silence!'
Both men sat down at once.
'Can you not understand the severity of this situation? My people are dying, and I care not who or what is causing this. I want them caught, and executed! Do I make myelf clear?'
'Yes, your majesty...'
'If I may, your highness,' Lord Jun rose, bowing in such a gesture that made Mok and Nesh uneasy, as if taunting them.
'I have heard of such a beast before. Lord Mok, if the flames engulfing the village red, or blue?'
Lord Mok looked at Lord Jun, rather taken aback.
'How'd you...'
'Answer me, please. Was it blue?'
'Y.. Yes..'
'Then it seems that Lord Mok hasn't been telling the whole truth, your highness.'
Lord Mok was silent.
'And did you happen to find the traces of feathers of any kind?'
'Feathers? What do you mean by... wait... there were feathers of some sort, but they were red, so I thought they were merely birds'...'
'Then my suspicions are confirmed, your higness,' Lord Jun said.
'What is it, Jun?' asked the king.
'A succubus'
All eyes were turned now towards Lord Robson.
'Oh, so the guy's not a deaf, eh?' mocked Lord Mok, and gave a laugh.
'Its a demon. A winged-demon. A lengendary beast said to have wiped out the entire of our father's lands.'
'The succubus? But I thought it was only a legend and...'
'Yes it is,' added Lord Jun.
'There was a prophecy made by the priests of the Oracle. That an evil of old will once again be unleashed unto this land, and everything in it will be no more than ash and dust. Until the souls of a thousand men are turned to ghouls, and until the hearts of all that is good and pure are drained and tainted with the blood of the damned.'
The king fell back in his throne.
'So its true then? This monster.... it exists?'
'Not only does it exist, milord. But they say that it can be awaken by a fool who dares to seek its wretched soul. Apparently, there is a band of brothers, milord, a cult, that protects this demon.'
'The Keepers'
All eyes turned to Lord Robson again. Lord Mok rolled his eyes.
'Yes, milord. They call themselves, The Keepers. It is said that they possess the succubus's bloodline, and cannot die. In other words, they are immortal.'
'More nonsense! And how can you prove that such a monster exists, Lord Jun? Or is this another one of your charms to hoax the king into believe another of your tell-tales?' yelled Lord Nesh.
'I... cannot. But I assure you that it is true, milord.'
'Hah! Words of an ignorant fool! Save your breath for the undertakings, Lord Jun! I say we gather the army and set out to find these barbarians before they go rampaging through more villages!'
'They are not barbarians, Nesh! This monster exists! I've read the prophecy myself, and its true!'
'Quiet! quiet! The last thing I need is more problems in my court!'
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
'Yes, who is it?'
'It is I, father.'
'Ah, yes yes. Open the gates.'
The doors creaked open, and there, clad in a night-gown, the lovely princess made her way into the court.
Everyone at the Stone Table stood, except the king.
'Pardon me, my Lords, for my way of dressing. It is rather late. Dawn will come soon, and I come to ask for my father to get some rest.'
'No! No! Not at all!' said Lord Mok, almost too quickly. Lord Nesh forced a laugh.
'Its alright dearest, I shall go to bed soon. We have important matters to discuss.'
'Or instead, why not join us at court? I'm sure we have room for the daughter of King Wye.'
Lord Robson stood, offering his seat. This made the princess blush.
'And may I know the fair name of such a lovely maiden?'
'Wan-yi. Princess Wan-yi.'
'Then I pledge my loyalty and life to serve the beautiful princess Wan Yi.'
This made Lord Mok very unhappy. He clenched his fists, waiting for the opportunity to rid this ignorant brat from his sight.
Lord Robson remained standing, as the princess made herself comfortable on his seat, before the king could pretest.
'King Wye, I can prove Jun's stands.'
'Lord Mok stood up this time.
'That's it. I've had enough of you, you ingrate! You march into this court, disgrace the name of my House, and now you want to act a know-it-all? I condemn you, Lord Robson! Draw your sword before I draw mine!'
Lord Robson stood up slowly, not letting his sight off Lord Mok.
Lord Mok drew his rapier, pointed it directly at Lord Robson, and, without warning, struck. He fought with such speed that impressed even the king.
'I have you now, you son of a dog!'
And with one slash, he ripped the cloak Lord Robson was wearing in half.
'Touche' Lord Robson replied, and drew the sword in retreat.
'Hah! The House of Robson! I laugh at your ancestors! What a claim. The Unbeaten Swordsmen! Hah! I...'
and with that, Lord Mok fell into unconsiousness. The princess was both stunned and amazed.
'He was fast, I can tell you that,' said Lord Jun. 'But against the speed of a Robson bladesmen, he is childs-play. Sorry bout the cloak, though.'
Lord Robson smiled, 'Like you said, he was fast.'
He reached into his pouch, and unveiled something covered with cow-hide.
'Shouldn't we erm... eh.... wake Lord Mok... or....' said Lord Nesh, his eyes cautiously staring at the tip of Lord Robson's blade.
'No, he has earned his rest. Stubborn fools is what I require the least at such moments.' the king said. 'Now, show me what you bring unto this court.'
Lord Robson carefully unwrapped the package, and within it, lie a skull.
'This skull... looks... unusual,' said Lord Nesh.
'Indeed. I have had the literates check on it. It seems that this is not a skull of a human. At least it no longer is.'
'What do you mean, no longer?'
'As you could observe, milord, this skull is too huge to be a person's head. But, it used to be. The excess joints around the skull, are, well... forced.'
'I don't understand.'
'In other words milord, this head grew,' said Lord Jun. 'It grew against the will of nature and the will of God. This skull, is cursed.'
'And prove do you have that it is as you say?' said Lord Nesh, eager to regain some respect from the court.
'Look closely at the back, before the jaws. Can you see it?'
'See? See what?' said Lord Nesh.
'All I see are cracks, Robson. What does all this mean?' said the king.
'Sire, if I may, I want you to take a good look at this mark over here.'
He placed the skull under the light of the candle, and what happened next stunned everyone in the court.
There, behind the skull, was a crack that looked like nothing at first, but when the shadows from the burning light of the candle appeared on the wall, there was the sign, of the Succubus, the winged-demon.
The crest of the Five Nations that form the Table severed no decorative purposes, especially in a time of great doom as this. There were five thrones that surround the Table, but tonight, only three were occupied. It is known that none of the Lords at the Stone Table knew anything of each other, not that they would ever meet. But this, at a moment as such, the king needed all the help he could get.
There was a long silence. The first to speak, wore the crest of the moon. The most powerful House to the South, the House of Mok.
'How goes the lands to the north?'
The second, bearing the cloak with the bear, glanced up towards the speaker. He was stronger and much bigger than the other two, but the people from the north counties were known for thier strength, not hier brains.
'Well. Not that the county of the South ever had an interest in,'
'Ah, what is there to say? We are the Lords of the Stone Table, it is only proper that we get along well to serve King and Country.'
'Indeed. With the money you take from the king's treasury every time you say there is war, you might have stared another empire.'
'I beg your pardon, Lord Nesh, but dire situations call for dire measures! Its not like you did anything about the plagues to the North! Our people are dying and...'
'Oh, don't get me started you ungratful bas****! Had I not placed you in this court you would have been a mere stableboy wiping the aftermaths of a horses a..'
'Enough!'
All three heads turned towards the figure who just entered the room. He was clad in a different cloak then the rest, one with a golden star. All three men stood at attention, and placed their fists above their hearts in respect.
'It is pointless to put the blame on another at this point of time. Direct your anger instead on the enemy. That is our main priority. We serve the Council and our people, and it is duty! So I do not need insulents who prefer to bicker about another's faults when we should be putting our heads together in such a crisis!'
The hall went silent, except for the laughter coming from the third Lord at the table.
'And what seems to be so funny?' asked Lord Mok in frustration.
All he got was a smile, and more laughter.
'Why, you little brat! How dare you insult the Royal House of Mok! I'll have your head if its the last...' Lord Mok drew his sword and lunged at the stranger.
There was a blinding flash of light, and the rapier in Lord Mok's hands was thrown to the ground, and plundged just inches from his embroided cloak.
'If I were you, Lord Mok, I'll think twice before challenging Lord Robson. Now put that fork of yours away before you poke your eye out.'
Lord Mok, dumbfounded, looked at the young man who just beat him at his best game. The cloak was of low-chipped linen, and there, in the middle of it, bore the crest of the sun. The House of Robson. The Lords of the West who never lost crossing swords, or would rather die than to face such a defeat.
'I... I wasn't ready.... Another time, perhaps...' Lord Mok stuttered, replacing his jeweled rapier inside its holder.
Lord Robson did the same, smiled cheekily, and bowed, before returning to his portion of the table.
'That would be enough for today. Now, shall we get on with the more biting matters? So... wait. Where is the Lord of the East?'
'That would be me.'
All eyes gazed upon the chandelier. There, upon its candles, another cloaked figure rested his head on the chains that held it together, and looked down towards the Stone Table. The cloak was of silk, and within it, the crest of a Nightingale. The House of June. The sons of the Crusaders to the East.
'Ah... Lord of June, please, join us,'
'I prefer my name, Jun, if you may, your highness,'
'Then Jun it is. A charming lad, I see. How goes the war with the barbarians?'
'All is well, your majesty. Your kindness I shall forward unto my men.'
'Then I await the good news from the front. Now for the bitter news, as it has already seems to be an evil has been unleashed in every corner of my country. I need to know if this is true....'
Lord Mok was the first to rise before the king could finish.
'Pardon me your highness, but I think I can clear those doubts. A fortnight ago, come the seventh night of May, my scouts reported an attack on a nearby village along the rivers of Marcedona. We initially assumed an invasion by the barbarians, but when we got there, who, or what attacked the village was nowhere to be seen. But the destruction it left behind, milord.... was unspeakable. Almost eveything in its path was devastated, and the villagers were all left dead. Not a single soul survived. My men had the village inspected, but what we found was impossible to be true. There were footprints your majesty. Prints of giants! And there were traces of smaller prints, your highness. Inhuman. It seems the monster is getting help from somewh....'
'Utter nonsense! your highness' Lord Nesh stood.
'There are no such things as monsters! Especially in a kingdom of peace such as ours! What you saw could have been a mere raging beast, or barbarians of some sort!'
'I am sure of what I saw! But I assure you, milord, that my men and I can easily hunt it down and...'
'Oh, for heaven sakes just admit that you couldn't handle a bunch of bear-skin cladded monkeys throwing sticks and rocks at your men!'
'Oh, the nerve! Had you been there you'll would have...'
'Silence!'
Both men sat down at once.
'Can you not understand the severity of this situation? My people are dying, and I care not who or what is causing this. I want them caught, and executed! Do I make myelf clear?'
'Yes, your majesty...'
'If I may, your highness,' Lord Jun rose, bowing in such a gesture that made Mok and Nesh uneasy, as if taunting them.
'I have heard of such a beast before. Lord Mok, if the flames engulfing the village red, or blue?'
Lord Mok looked at Lord Jun, rather taken aback.
'How'd you...'
'Answer me, please. Was it blue?'
'Y.. Yes..'
'Then it seems that Lord Mok hasn't been telling the whole truth, your highness.'
Lord Mok was silent.
'And did you happen to find the traces of feathers of any kind?'
'Feathers? What do you mean by... wait... there were feathers of some sort, but they were red, so I thought they were merely birds'...'
'Then my suspicions are confirmed, your higness,' Lord Jun said.
'What is it, Jun?' asked the king.
'A succubus'
All eyes were turned now towards Lord Robson.
'Oh, so the guy's not a deaf, eh?' mocked Lord Mok, and gave a laugh.
'Its a demon. A winged-demon. A lengendary beast said to have wiped out the entire of our father's lands.'
'The succubus? But I thought it was only a legend and...'
'Yes it is,' added Lord Jun.
'There was a prophecy made by the priests of the Oracle. That an evil of old will once again be unleashed unto this land, and everything in it will be no more than ash and dust. Until the souls of a thousand men are turned to ghouls, and until the hearts of all that is good and pure are drained and tainted with the blood of the damned.'
The king fell back in his throne.
'So its true then? This monster.... it exists?'
'Not only does it exist, milord. But they say that it can be awaken by a fool who dares to seek its wretched soul. Apparently, there is a band of brothers, milord, a cult, that protects this demon.'
'The Keepers'
All eyes turned to Lord Robson again. Lord Mok rolled his eyes.
'Yes, milord. They call themselves, The Keepers. It is said that they possess the succubus's bloodline, and cannot die. In other words, they are immortal.'
'More nonsense! And how can you prove that such a monster exists, Lord Jun? Or is this another one of your charms to hoax the king into believe another of your tell-tales?' yelled Lord Nesh.
'I... cannot. But I assure you that it is true, milord.'
'Hah! Words of an ignorant fool! Save your breath for the undertakings, Lord Jun! I say we gather the army and set out to find these barbarians before they go rampaging through more villages!'
'They are not barbarians, Nesh! This monster exists! I've read the prophecy myself, and its true!'
'Quiet! quiet! The last thing I need is more problems in my court!'
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
'Yes, who is it?'
'It is I, father.'
'Ah, yes yes. Open the gates.'
The doors creaked open, and there, clad in a night-gown, the lovely princess made her way into the court.
Everyone at the Stone Table stood, except the king.
'Pardon me, my Lords, for my way of dressing. It is rather late. Dawn will come soon, and I come to ask for my father to get some rest.'
'No! No! Not at all!' said Lord Mok, almost too quickly. Lord Nesh forced a laugh.
'Its alright dearest, I shall go to bed soon. We have important matters to discuss.'
'Or instead, why not join us at court? I'm sure we have room for the daughter of King Wye.'
Lord Robson stood, offering his seat. This made the princess blush.
'And may I know the fair name of such a lovely maiden?'
'Wan-yi. Princess Wan-yi.'
'Then I pledge my loyalty and life to serve the beautiful princess Wan Yi.'
This made Lord Mok very unhappy. He clenched his fists, waiting for the opportunity to rid this ignorant brat from his sight.
Lord Robson remained standing, as the princess made herself comfortable on his seat, before the king could pretest.
'King Wye, I can prove Jun's stands.'
'Lord Mok stood up this time.
'That's it. I've had enough of you, you ingrate! You march into this court, disgrace the name of my House, and now you want to act a know-it-all? I condemn you, Lord Robson! Draw your sword before I draw mine!'
Lord Robson stood up slowly, not letting his sight off Lord Mok.
Lord Mok drew his rapier, pointed it directly at Lord Robson, and, without warning, struck. He fought with such speed that impressed even the king.
'I have you now, you son of a dog!'
And with one slash, he ripped the cloak Lord Robson was wearing in half.
'Touche' Lord Robson replied, and drew the sword in retreat.
'Hah! The House of Robson! I laugh at your ancestors! What a claim. The Unbeaten Swordsmen! Hah! I...'
and with that, Lord Mok fell into unconsiousness. The princess was both stunned and amazed.
'He was fast, I can tell you that,' said Lord Jun. 'But against the speed of a Robson bladesmen, he is childs-play. Sorry bout the cloak, though.'
Lord Robson smiled, 'Like you said, he was fast.'
He reached into his pouch, and unveiled something covered with cow-hide.
'Shouldn't we erm... eh.... wake Lord Mok... or....' said Lord Nesh, his eyes cautiously staring at the tip of Lord Robson's blade.
'No, he has earned his rest. Stubborn fools is what I require the least at such moments.' the king said. 'Now, show me what you bring unto this court.'
Lord Robson carefully unwrapped the package, and within it, lie a skull.
'This skull... looks... unusual,' said Lord Nesh.
'Indeed. I have had the literates check on it. It seems that this is not a skull of a human. At least it no longer is.'
'What do you mean, no longer?'
'As you could observe, milord, this skull is too huge to be a person's head. But, it used to be. The excess joints around the skull, are, well... forced.'
'I don't understand.'
'In other words milord, this head grew,' said Lord Jun. 'It grew against the will of nature and the will of God. This skull, is cursed.'
'And prove do you have that it is as you say?' said Lord Nesh, eager to regain some respect from the court.
'Look closely at the back, before the jaws. Can you see it?'
'See? See what?' said Lord Nesh.
'All I see are cracks, Robson. What does all this mean?' said the king.
'Sire, if I may, I want you to take a good look at this mark over here.'
He placed the skull under the light of the candle, and what happened next stunned everyone in the court.
There, behind the skull, was a crack that looked like nothing at first, but when the shadows from the burning light of the candle appeared on the wall, there was the sign, of the Succubus, the winged-demon.
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