"It seems you have also been dragged into this mess," Duke Essandor chuckled upon seeing the dark expression on Sir Blunt's face. His friend was smiling until the details of the Absolute Queen's family were released by the scheming Eastern Emperor. Even one with a dull mind could easily see a link between Jake, John and Mane. For they were good friends.
"I hope the Emperor wouldn't be wary of me because of this," Sir Blunt revealed his worry. He wasn't one who dwelt on power. And the merits he had now he had only accepted because of his family. But he certainly wasn't interested in the throne or anything that had to do with royalty. He was perfectly content with what he had. But it would be a different case if the Emperor regarded him a threat because of the Western Monarch's words. And it didn't help that he was the one who brought Alexis to the Northern Empire. For the Northern Emperor may most likely think that Sir Blunt had planned this all along, and that sending his children to the West was premeditated, just like his disgrace at Alexis's hand on the day she came. Even if the Emperor didn't think this, his advisors may put it in his head.
"Don't think too much about it," Duke Essandor clapped Sir Blunt's back and said. "The world is much different than it was before. Things have changed and we aren't young anymore. You aren't tethered to the royal family by blood, so you could easily leave the empire if you wanted to." Duke Essandor was deathly serious when he said this, and Sir Blunt could see it in his eyes.
"You have thought of this, haven't you – leaving?" Sir Blunt frowned and said. Duke Essandor wasn't one to speak on a whim. Whenever he said something, then it meant that he most likely had considered it for a long time.
"I have," Duke Essandor admitted. Then he turned to face the West with a resolute expression on his face. Since his meeting with Alexis and after understanding how vast the universe was, his ambitions now stretched past the walls of the Northern Empire. He longed to see universe and understand the intricacies of other planets. But to do that he had to become strong enough to survive in these worlds. Besides, he had heard that the environment outside was harsh and without the right level of strength, he wouldn't survive in space long enough to see any other planet.
"To grow strong enough to achieve the things I want to attain, I must leave my comfort zone. I must leave the North. I would love it if we could travel together." Duke Essandor revealed his plans to the man he had become close to in the past few months. He and Sir Blunt had become a bit too close in the past few months, so much so that they did everything together. They trained together, dueled each other, and ate together. It had reached a stage where one spent most of the day in the other's home.
"I see," Sir Blunt smiled faintly upon hearing his friend's words. If someone had told him half a year ago that he and the Duke will become close, he would have scoffed in disdain and smacked their heads in the hope of bringing them back to earth. But now here they were, chatting about the future with each other in mind.
"Honestly, I would like to grow stronger as well. It is nice that the burden of protecting my family is no longer on my shoulders, but I also seek to see what the world outside is like." Sir Blunt confessed that he had been feeling the same, and Duke Essandor couldn't help but smile. He was a bit nervous that Sir Blunt had grown too content with his current life that there was no spark to grow left in him. But his friend's words did give him some hope that they may indeed travel together.
"Let my boys return. Then we would leave the North. Since they don't spend most of their time here anyway, they could move to the West. And I think it prudent that your family does the same." Sir Blunt's reply was very much welcomed by Duke Essandor. For the Duke of the North swung his arm around his friend's shoulder and gave a hearty laugh whilst saying,
"Yes! Let it be as you have said!"
******************
"Your Majesty, was it wise to reveal so much?" one of the royal guards asked with a bit of trepidation. Though it seemed like a brilliant move from their Monarch, the victims of his scheme were gods. Would they really be safe? After all, if this was how strong gods were, was it not wise to stay out of their way?
"They would not," the Western Emperor smiled and said. "Now stop dallying and declare your faith in the Brute King," he added and passed the War Horn to Captain Zakai.
"My Lord, let us go for the other War Horn," Captain Zakai quickly offered. For others were not to use the Royal War Horn.
"Nonsense, Zakai. There is no time." The Western Emperor disagreed. "Now hurry," he added and Captain Zakai nodded his head reluctantly, "Yes, Your Majesty." He grabbed the War Horn and proclaimed his stand for all to hear.
"I, Captain Zakai of the West Empire Royal Guards, pledge my temporary allegiance to the Brute King Reus – the benefactor to the West and to Zandor."
After Captain Zakai came the others, and soon the citizens of the West were declaring their faith for the Fire God of Olympus.
"This is Spiritual Strengthening?" Ray was slightly intoxicated by the feeling of strength that flooded his bones. For it was like a jar of honey he could not get away from his lips.
"So this is why gods fight for worlds?" Ray shook himself out of the addictive feeling of power with some lingering fear. He thought he was strong willed, yet here he was, ready to give himself up to power. As a solitary god he never understood why gods craved so much for spiritual strength of planets. After all, he never relied on the strength of others, yet he was mighty strong. And many of the powerful gods he knew were the same. For gods like Thor only drew their power from Asgard, and Heracles his brother was mighty as long as Olympus stood. And neither of the two depended on other planets for power.
Ray thought he had a good measure of Zandor's strength, but he had ignored the fact that this was only from the Western Empire. Once the other Empires began to pledge their temporary allegiance to him, his strength soared even further.
"I, the Northern Monarch, declare my temporary allegiance to the benefactor of Zandor – Brute King of Olympus, Fire God Reus."
"I, the Southern Monarch, declare my temporary allegiance to the benefactor of Zandor – the Brute King of Olympus, Fire God Reus"
"I, the new Monarch of the East, having received the enlightenment of the Gods have awakened to the error of my ways and the ways of my people. All this lowly one can do is to pledge his temporary allegiance to the benefactor of Zandor – the Brute King of Olympus, Fire God Reus."
Once the last empire and its people were on board, a rich tapestry of power flooded Ray's spirit, and for a moment he blanked out, and a beastly roar escaped his nose
"Agh!"
*BOOM*
Ray screamed in pleasant agony as his domain was rekindled. Seth's expression was deathly pale seeing the current situation. His dark aura was still restoring his right side, and though there was significant progress, it wasn't enough to stand up to the power coming from Ray. The wounded Dark Sword hummed greatly and shook with enough power to knock itself out of Seth's hand. And then with speed that couldn't be tracked by the mere man it flew away, escaping the wrath of the Fire God of Olympus.
"What are you doing?!" Seth screamed in a desperate rage. His eyes were red with fury at the actions of the Dark Sword. How was he to stand up to Ray without its help? Seth had ignored that even with the Dark Sword he still wouldn't have the power to stop the current Ray. And he was also ignoring the fact that if he was in the same position as the Dark Sword, he would have fled also.
*Boom*
*Boom*
*Boom*
*Boom*
Several explosions resounded as manifestations of Ray revealed themselves in the four corners of Zandor. Every Empire watched in awe as large fire avatars appeared above their skies. The darkness of the Dark God had been completely swept away, and without the Dark Sword there was no longer a Dark Domain. The bright skies returned and the sun which they never thought they would miss one day returned. However, under the baptism of the Fire King it shone brightly like a million suns.
Having accepted the Fire King as a god of Zandor, the fire of the Brute King no longer scalded the Zandorians, and the scorching sun no longer affected them. Rather there was a warm heat felt in each and every one of them. This heat was comfortable and slightly addictive, and many felt their strength increase!