After kicking the soldiers that were sent to the quarry into hurrying the search for The Hyena, I thought about what was needed next.
I got the local villages to pledge their allegiance to me.
I got the food problem mostly sorted out thanks to the turtles unique magic.
I got the captured bandits into the new quarry to mine for rocks and minerals. We can't really put them in a prison cell when we don't have a prison, sadly.
The Hostages from The Hyena's bandit hideout have been sent home. Most of them at least. One of the hedgehogs doesn't remember where he lived and The Okapi doesn't live in the Area.
Strife is currently striking a deal with them. They will join my empire and take board on my fleet, and if we ever pass near their village, They'll be allowed to go home.
In a few days, the fleet will continue north, towards the desert. We will make another stop before reaching the Scorching Sands of Abyssinia, but we do need to continue the conquest.
We'll be leaving a few ships here at Kings Landing and also build another Base at the Desert Border, Where the grass turns into sand. Desert Border will also probably be the name of that Storm Base.
I believe I will stay here for another week before setting off.
----------------------------------------------------------
At the top of a cliff facing one of the Hedgehog villages, If you listen closely you could hear the sounds of a woman grunting in effort.
If you dare look down the cliff, You will also see that below you is an Aardwolf, A hyena looking creature of small stature, known to eat insects instead of larger animal carcasses, climbing up the side of the cliff.
A red mask is covering here eyes, and above it a black bandana is pushing her hair down, leaving her ears, mouth and snout exposed.
In her hands are two large fishhook shaped tools, each connected to a rope that is tied around her wrist.
The only other pieces of equipment on her body are a dark grey tube top around her chest and black trousers.
Oh yes, She is also carrying a bag full of dynamite on her back.
Wonder what she needs that for.
As The Hyena reaches the top of the cliff, She looks over it to see her target.
"So that is the storm that took away all my money and men, When I get my chance it shall be burned to the ground.
I need to teach them this lesson somehow.
You don't mess with The Hyena"
And then she stalks towards a small forest at the top of the cliff.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
While reading a document sent by one of the researchers who decided to specialize in Ancient History, I get a knock on the door.
"Come in." I call out. If they had to go all the way to my new, temporary office, in the communications room on the ship. Then it must be important.
The door open slightly and I turn to see who it is.
At the door is a young turtle man with small glasses on his head, he is holding in open to what seems to be the oldest turtle in the village, If how slow she is walking and how big her shell is are anything to go by.
"Hubert, Is this the Storm King?" The turtle asks the younger turtle next to her. She is looking at the ceiling.
"Yes, Granny Kasa. We are currently standing in front of the Storm King." The turtle named Hubert tells the old Granny Kasa.
"Okay then, Hello there." Granny Kasa yells into the room.
"Hello to you too, Was there something you needed? I'm sure I can find someone to help you if you have any problems." I tell the old turtle.
"Oh no, I'm as fine as I was fifty years ago, don't mind me. I have a few questions though." She says as she walks into the room, Hubert walking in front of her holding her hand so she won't bump into anything with her bad eyesight.
"Ask away then, I'll try to answer to the best of my knowledge." I put down the document and turn my chair around to face my two visitors.
"Okay then, First Question. What is your favorite color?" She sits down on a chair in front of me. Hubert stands behind her.
Personally, my favorite color is Orange or Green, However as the Storm King I need to give the OSK's response.
"My favorite color is the white color of a lightning bolt."
"Hmm, Second Question. How old are you?" She know asks about my age. Before I found myself here, I was only eighteen, going near nineteen. However, The OSK was 30 years old.
"I am thirty years of age." I give her my answer.
"Kind of young to be ruling by yourself, But I won't pry into what happened to the previous king." She says before continuing.
"Third and last Question." A smile spreads on her old, wrinkled face. The slits of her eyes opening slightly bigger to reveal gleaming orbs of gold.
"How do you plan on taking over Abyssinia?" I freeze.
How could she know that I was going to take over Abyssinia? The people here should see me as a kind if strange king from across the ocean. Even Hubert, who seemed calm and collected waiting for this old Granny Kasa looks surprised by the question.
"You seem surprised. Of course you are planning to take over Abyssinia." Her smile spreads wider on her face, "I know it because I tried to take over it as well," She leans back in her chair, crossing her arms in front of her.
-------------------------- Six Hundred years Ago ---------------------------
"I used to be a soldier for the Giraffe King Twiga. On his expedition to unite the continent under one ruler."
A younger Kasa is seen standing in line with other species and races, all wearing the same Helmet on their heads.
In front of them, A Giraffe wearing a crown of gold and rubies is giving a speech to the soldiers in front of him.
"He had great ambitions. With the whole of the continent under his rule, He will be the most powerful person on this planet. Not even Princess Celestia could challenge him"
Now inside of a large tent, The younger Kasa is seen standing with other important figures. If the now black and gold badge on her shoulder is anything to go by, she has climbed the ranks.
"And he nearly succeeded. only one kingdom remained to stand in his way."
Now outside a large wall made of sandstone, The Army is holding siege to the city beyond it.
"With his Orisa Eye, He could control the sands like a painter with a brush. A flick with his hoof and entire platoons were buried under the weight of the desert."
The Giraffe, Now with an Amulet with an Orange gemstone in it's middle around his neck.
The small Horns on the head of King Twiga glow with a ruby red light and the Amulet around his neck starts to levitate.
He pushes forward a hoof and a tidal wave of sand smashes into the wall of the city, cracking it and making a ramp of sand for his army to run up.
"But even he fell to the Abyssinian cowards..."
The image moves to a silhouette of King Twiga behind a tent, drinking from a chalice before he starts coughing loudly.
He hunches over with a hoof on his chest as his cough continue.
As he coughs, he falls to the floor and stops.
"Nobody knew how they managed to poison his wine, but after his death the morale of the army plummeted."
The Army retreats from the city walls as cats, panthers and even lions run into the army encampment with swords and torches.
The entire camp was burning.
"It was decided between his most trusted advisors, to split up his three great artifacts and put them in three different shrines."
The Amber Amulet, The Golden Ruby Crown and a sword made of a solid blue crystal.
The younger Kasa picks up the Amulet, While a small butterfly like creature, a Breezie, picks up the crown, The Sword was taken by what seemed to be an antelope with horns on his nose and forehead instead of their natural location, an Abada.
"You might be able to take Abyssinia on with your flying boats and such, But just doing so will never bring you the same respect and admiration as King Twiga had."
-------------------------- Back at the Present --------------------------
I breath heavily as all those images and memories enter and flash through my mind.
"What do you want?" I ask the old turtle, No, The centuries old General in front of me.
I look back at her and see that her eyes are once again shut.
"I want to see Abyssinia fall." She says, "Peace has made those cats soft, And if I could I would run to your storm base and sign up every well bodied turtle I could, But I can't do that to my children with a good conscious." She states.
"What I want is for you to gather King Twiga's three great artifacts before you wrap your hands around the neck of the Abyssinian royalty and strangle them to death. I want to watch the life leave the dynasty's eyes as the hundreds of years of humiliation that I've endured are returned to them.
The Strongest Kingdom in the whole continent of Afcari falling to a nobody, some king from nowhere of no renown, that Storm King, That, Is the greatest Humiliation those damned cats can get." She stands up and starts walking slowly towards the door out.
Hubert and I stare at her dumbfounded for a few seconds before he starts walking after her.
As she reaches the door she stops, and takes out an old scroll of paper. She throws it back and I catch it in my hand.
"What is this?" I ask her.
"Open it and find out" She says.
I unroll the scroll and on it is a map of the continent with three locations marked.
"Is this?" "Yes, Those are the locations of King Twiga's three great artifacts. You might have to do a little digging to get to them, But they're there, I know they are."
She just gave me the map for the location of Three magical artifacts used by an ancient Afcarian king.
"You are wrong about something you said there" I say before Kasa manages leaves the room.
"Oh? And what would that be?" She asks as she tilts her head over her shoulder and around her shell to look back at me.
"I'm not a nobody, I'm not some king from nowhere of no renown." I stand up and cross my hands behind my back as I use my now superior height to tower over the old turtle.
"I am a Storm"