The king, hair as dark as the night and eyes crimson like fresh blood, cold and quiet — exuded a silent power that deters anyone from approaching. He has always been indecisive, but his passiveness only concealed a wickedness no one knows about. He walked to his throne, his demeanor remained regal and dignified. Seated upon his moonstone, his gaze grew colder, piercing through the very fabric of reality.
King Ryota, weary and burdened, finds no respite. Each night, the gray eyes of a woman haunt his dreams—a relentless specter. Within those eyes, a tempest brews, sinister and icy, poised to unleash its fury upon his waking world. He gulped, those dreams chilled him to the core. His indecisiveness wanes; he senses the storm approaching, and the silence that once concealed wickedness now echoes foreboding.
Why?
His gaze drifted over Chiyo. Was it because he did not take her as what was told in the prophecy? Is it because the position of the Queen was given to someone else despite being the chosen one? Was it fate that's haunting him? Or does the woman hold a grudge against the crown?
He moved his eyes to the cadre, the guardians of the kingdom — his finest knights. Yet, a seed of wariness took root with him. He, who sat upon his throne, harbored an unyielding fear: that the crown, emblem of sovereignty, might be stolen. His intuition, ever vigilant, sensed the desire for it lurking among his loyal protectors.
But who?
Who among them wants the throne? Who wants to kill him?
With an internal sigh — head aching from his complicated train of thoughts, he steered the conversation toward grave matters — the serial killings that plagued his kingdom. The night parade is coming. Five days from now then the festival should start without worry.
"I heard you've found its lair, Kaoru." King Ryota started. "Tell me what happened."
Kaoru stepped forward, and recounted his harrowing encounter: the dark and ancient cave, the giant goblin's sudden appearance, it's brutal assault with a crude club, and the desperate escape from a swarm of small goblins.
"The creature, Your majesty, is no mere tale but a real existence, and its guardian — the giant goblin — is stronger than me." He said. "That's why it took me almost three days to come back. The goblin injured me from its sudden attack."
He explained everything in detail, yet, Kaoru's lips remained sealed about the clandestine rebellion he and Elric are orchestrating. The king stared back at him, his eyebrows drew, scrutinizing him, and Kaoru felt his heart races in anticipation. He stilled his emotion, not letting any of it spill. Silence enveloped the court. And Kaoru, outwardly composed, clung to the trust bestowed upon him — the king's faith in his loyalty.
King Ryota finally bobbed his head in agreement. "This creature, Vogarax, I know it better than anyone. I haven't said anything before because I want to confirm if I was hallucinating back then or not, but I have seen it with my own eyes. It was there the night it killed my parents."
Chiyo, silently waiting on the side, lifted her head in curiosity. Her eyes widened as she listened to her brother who doesn't even remember her. He is exhausted, she can tell from a glance, but she can't even comfort her own brother. He was wary of her, ever since they met again for the first time in twenty two years, he looked at her as if she was death itself.
"The reason why we never found it before, I think it moves from time to time, so it's better to hunt it before it moves its lair again." The King said, and he closed his eyes for a moment.
His head is hurting again.
"Is there anything else? Commander?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I have a hunch that the Vogarax is not the one doing the killing. A white scale, I found one in the last victims. The creature killed a whole assassin's organization, the Shadow's grin clan. And I found this in the scene." He showed them the white scale. "Hachiro also investigated it. We both agreed that it might be a serpent that's doing the serial killing."
"That's right, Your Majesty." Hachiro seconded. "We think that since the Vogarax also left a clue on one of the victims, it will only be one of the two. The serpent is its master, or the Vogarax is the shape-shifted form of the serpent."
King Ryota only nodded his head in understanding. He wanted to end the meeting as soon as possible, but such matters are not trivial.
"The commander will slay the Vogarax." He ordered, massaging the bridge of his nose, the pain only intensified. "Just in case the serpent is the master then Gohan and Hachiro shall go with you. The other two will stay here to patrol."
"Then we will go tonight, Your majesty." Kaito bowed, and the king waved his hand in dismissal.
"I await your victory. Bring the head of the Vogarax as proof. That will calm the hearts of the citizens of our kingdom."
King Ryota finally stood up from his throne, halfway through the room, he stopped to look back at the commander.
"Commander, would you mind if I borrow your wife for a moment?" He asked.
Calm and collected, Kaito silently asked Chiyo with his eyes. Although alarming, he doesn't want to reject the king right away. Chiyo slowly nodded at him, her eyes communicating.
I'll be fine.
Getting her permission, Kaito answered to the king.
"I don't mind, however, I dare ask His Majesty, to let her go before the sun sets. It will worry me if she goes home late at night."
Both stared at each other, challenging — unyielding. The king was the first to avert his gaze. There is a reason why he asked Kaito to be a member of the cadre, it's because he doesn't want him to become an enemy.
His birthright, the king knows as well, so he doesn't want to provoke such calamity. He knows the commander's bottom line, it was his wife.
"I just have something to talk to her about. She'll be home before sunset." Was all he said, and he left the court with the gray-eyed woman following from behind.