The royal messengers waited outside the Lotus Temple. They'd brought along twenty trunks of gold on horse-drawn carriages. They were four warriors, three dressed in full knightly attire and one bearing the light armour of a page. The latter was the youngest – about eighteen – and carried no helmet. However, his sword was outstanding – a dark blue blade with a golden hilt shaped like iris petals. It was the Iris Sword, the so-called "Prince of Flowers" – one of the twelve Flower Swords. It valued the virtue of Loyalty. Its wielder was destined to be a prince or tie their life to a prince. The boy wielding it wasn't a prince, though, or even a fully-fledged knight. But his neatly combed short blond hair hinted at his noble descent and his turquoise eyes shimmered with benevolence.
Anne Lotosse and Mithras Raveene emerged from the Lotus Temple, tailed by nuns and monks. Seeing the blond young man among the envoy, Mithras brightened up.
"I didn't think you'd drop by, Orace!" He shook his hand with the boy, who shyly smiled. "Weren't you Princess Amida's guard?" Mithras squinted, realising something was amiss. Anne's nightmare and now the Princess' guard visiting us… This can't be good.
"Yes, Sir Raveene!" Orace bowed to him. "But I was tasked to accompany these knights now." He pointed at the three others. "They have an important message."
"Louise told us that." Mithras looked at the elder nun standing behind Anne. He turned back to Orace. "What happened? And is Tama alright? My wife had a troublesome dream about her."
At Tama's mention, Orace's forehead wrinkled with concern. The other knights' faces were hidden in their helmets, but their limbs twitched in fear as they watched Anne Lotosse. A long green liana was dangling out of her pink hair, its other end disappearing in the Lotus Temple. This was the thread of the Earth Goddess, binding the Priestess to itself. The knights were afraid because Anne Lotosse was rumoured to be the Devil's daughter. Seeing their troubles, Orace took the sealed letter from their hands and handed it to Mithras.
"You'd better read Her Majesty's message, Sir Raveene!" he said.
Mithras unsealed the letter and began reading it with Anne. He frowned midway, while Anne's blue eyes widened in horror. Orace, the only one among the knights who knew the letter's contents, noticed their changed expressions, so he turned to the others.
"You can mount your horses!" he said. "I'll manage the rest."
"Huh?" The knights glared at him. "Her Majesty entrusted us with this mission!"
"You may wield the Iris Sword, but you're not a knight yet, Orace Yvreux!" said the leader wearing a noble red cloak. "Learn some respect!"
"Boys," chimed in Mithras' deep voice, "do you know what this letter says?"
The young men froze at the former Lotus Knight's glare. Mithras Raveene had given the letter to his wife and clutched the rusty sword on his waist. It wasn't the Lotus Sword, but it served him well to slay dragons even in his retirement.
"W-We don't, Sir Raveene!" The three knights backed away. "We're just messengers!"
"And you, Orace?" Mithras glared at the boy.
"I… I do." Orace sighed. "I was sent here to give you an explanation."
"Huh? A wimp like you had a private mission?" The leader of the three knights snarled at Orace.
"An explanation?" asked a ghastly, high-pitched voice, as though a demoness had broken loose from hell. "What explanation could this have?!"
This vile voice sent goosebumps not just to the three knights and Orace but to Mithras. He looked at his wife, who was clutching the letter in her fist. The benign aura of the Earth Goddess around her had vanished, giving way to black power as though the shadows had come alive.
Mithras remembered experiencing this type of fear once when he was the young Lotus Knight. He was hired to guard a merchant ship with his three Flower Knight friends: Alaster Hidraz, the Tulip Knight who had yet no ambition to be king; Rufeus Rosier, the Rose Knight – a gallant redhead dating Princess Eclaire; and Henry Yvreux, the Iris Knight – Orace's uncle, a cool-headed loyal warrior. In the treacherous dark seas of Lunaria, harbouring all kinds of sea monsters whom they didn't fear, they encountered someone far more ferocious. He was dressed in green garments like death itself, a rough black fishing coat on his shoulders and cheap wooden sandals on his feet, his pale blond hair covered with a humble fishing hat. It was the Fisher King – Shadow God Carneh's son, the Demon King of Lunaria. He emitted the same malignant energy as Anne now. He held a bony cane with a skull depiction on its top – the deadly Moon Rod, whose giant hook could kill any sea beast. He cut Alaster Hidraz in the chest, almost slicing him apart. Another swing summoned giant waves, which hit the ship and thrust it across the ocean out of the Lunarian waters. Almost twenty years had passed since then, and yet the memory lived fresh in Mithras' mind. Seeing his wife emitting the same aura, he grew worried for the young knights and Orace. He approached her with raised hands.
"Anne, calm down, dear!" he said soothingly. "I'm sure Her Majesty can explain this!"
"There's nothing to explain!" Anne shouted. Her fist emitted black energy, turning the letter into dust. "I toiled eleven years for her daughter and this is how she repays me? With this letter and that rotten gold?!" She glared at the carts, her eyes turning red.
"She's a demon!" the knights shouted.
Mithras' blood boiled. He pointed his sword at them.
"Get lost, all of you!" he snarled.
The knights jumped onto their horses and galloped off, leaving the carriages and even Orace behind. The latter didn't move, although his heart pounded at the Lotus Priestess' demonic sight. The nuns and monks were no less worried, but they couldn't dare approach the enraged Anne. Only Mithras was brave enough to touch her shoulders.
Anne flinched. The warmth of her husband's palms awoke her. She took several deep breaths to calm herself. Her eyes lost their red shade, regaining their spiritual blue hue. The dark energy around her subsided and the Earth Goddess' warm aura embraced her again. She sighed and cuddled with Mithras.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I just can't believe they did this to our daughter!"
"The letter said it was Tama's decision," Mithras whispered back, "but I understand your frustration. I feel bitter too, but we can't give in to our emotions now. We need to rescue Tama!"
"If I may…" Orace cut in, bowing to them. "Tama Raveene went to Drahvelt posing as Princess Amida, so any attempt to contact her might risk revealing her identity. The whole plan was her creation, you should trust in her! Tama had countermoves for any threat awaiting her in Drahvelt."
"Oh?" Anne raised her eyebrows. "I… Thank you, Orace! You're very kind, but I can't help worrying!"
"Tama's got a dragon, remember?" Mithras smiled, trying to cheer her up. "It'll help her win the Drahs' respect. My mother said that people bonded with dragons were privileged."
"I suppose so," Anne said, somewhat reassured. "I'm sorry for scaring you and the others, Orace!" she turned to the boy. "My Shadow powers leak out when I'm angry."
"Don't worry, Lady Lotosse!" Orace smiled. "You healed my uncle when he seemed on his deathbed. I have nothing but respect and gratitude for you!"
"This wasn't just 'leaking out', though, it was a hurricane!" Mithras chuckled. "You reminded me of your brother!"
"Oh, stop it!" Anne laughed, batting him softly on the chest. "I'm nothing of that sort!"
"Uhm, what 'sort' would that be?" sounded a sly deep voice.
Mithras' hair stood on end. He pointed his sword at the black portal spawning before them. Orace unsheathed his Iris Sword, his heart throbbing. Only Anne seemed calm, although surprised. A tall man of forty-eight years stepped out of the ghastly portal – the Fisher King of Lunaria.
"Valkas?" Anne exclaimed. "I didn't sense you penetrating my protective shield!"
"You were too busy thinking how to curse someone," Valkas, the Fisher King, grinned. "It's rare for my big sister to unleash her shadows, but it's always a sight to behold!"
He bent the brim of his dark green hat, giving Anne a salute. He wore the fishing robes Mithras remembered from years ago and carried the bony cane with the ominous skull on its top – his Moon Rod. His messy blond hair had grown paler in middle age but his dark eyes carried the same youthful charm. Still, even though he smiled, his eyes showed no happiness, as if he was deprived of it.
Mithras sighed with exasperation at Valkas' antics and sheathed his sword. Orace didn't know what to make of their laid-back attitude. Wasn't the Fisher King the demon ruler in Lunaria?
"Oh, stop praising my Shadow frenzy as if it's a virtue!" Anne frowned at Valkas. "I scare everyone around me!"
"As you should!" Valkas said. "But it's rare for you to become so wrathful… What happened?"
"It's better that we discuss that privately," Mithras said. "It's classified information."
"Indeed." Anne nodded. She turned to Orace: "You must've had a long journey, Orace! Would you like to stay? We can arrange a guest room."
"Oh, no, Lady Lotosse, thank you!" Orace shyly scratched the back of his head. "Now that my seniors and I have delivered our message, I have to go back. I'm Princess Amida's only guard! She needs me."
"Princess Amida, you say?" Valkas eyed Orace's dark blue blade. "The Iris Sword? – Sir Gawain's treasure… I didn't think I'd see it on a youthful boy!"
"You know about Sir Gawain Yvreux of old?" Orace widened his eyes. Why would he know about King Arthur and his eleven Flower Knights? But, to think of it, Sir Gawain married a Changeling Princess from Lunaria! At least, so the legend goes…
"I may not look it, but I was born here." Valkas pointed at the Lotus Temple. "And then, Sir Gawain is popular in Lunaria. His wife is our oldest citizen."
"Wait, you mean she's alive?!" Orace gasped. "Those legends are a millennium old!"
"Well, the Changeling Queen Matusaleh is 998 years old." Valkas smiled. "They usually live up to 666, but I reckon she's going for the highest mark of 999."
"That's freaky…" Orace muttered. No wonder it's called the Demon Kingdom!
"You look familiar too…" Valkas squinted, observing Orace's blond hair and the coat of arms on his shield. "Are you something to Henry Yvreux?"
"Oh, h-he's my uncle," Orace said. "When he retired, the Iris Sword chose me."
"Uncle, huh?" Valkas grinned. "How's his jaw?"
Orace went scarlet from embarrassment. His uncle Henry hated the jaw scar he received from the Fisher King's Moon Rod. Shortly after that defeat, he retired, considering his skills unworthy.
"Will you stop mocking my friends in front of their relatives?" Mithras snarled at Valkas, more annoyed than angry. He turned to Orace: "Don't mind him! It's a pity you must go now, but I hope we can see you again!"
"Haha, I'll visit, Sir!" Orace smiled and bowed. "Goodbye!"
He mounted his horse and left, happy to disengage from his awkward conversation with the Fisher King. Valkas turned to Mithras and Anne.
"I'm on a serious matter, but I'd like to hear your 'classified information' first," he said.
"Come in!" Mithras shrugged, returning to the Temple.
Anne left the elder nun Louise in charge of the carriages the messengers had brought and went after Mithras. Valkas followed them to the guest hall – a small wooden room with sofas and armchairs surrounding a white table. On the wall, was a burn mark inflicted by a fire shot. Valkas smiled, stroking it.
"Arubah's shots haven't faded, huh?" he asked.
"What did you expect?" Anne smiled, remembering Valkas' son Arubah growing up in her care. "Phoenix Goddess' Fire is Lotosse's nemesis! Nothing can erase those marks."
"Your boy was a menace, just like his father!" Mithras chuckled, sitting down on the sofa.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Valkas said. He sat in an armchair near Anne. "Although Arubah's fire has decimated these walls, it serves us well in Lunaria. With his Fire shield added to our Shadow protection, we've become impenetrable for Drahvelt."
"It's funny that you mentioned Drahvelt…" Anne sighed, remembering her daughter.
"It's about Tama," Mithras said, noticing his wife's difficulty. "We received Her Majesty's letter, saying that Tama volunteered to impersonate Princess Amida and marry King Gerart. Anne had a nightmare about Tama, so she tried contacting her in Dreamscape but couldn't reach her. Now we discovered she's in Drahvelt, where Anne's shadows can't penetrate. We can contact her only if she finds herself near plants tomorrow."
"What?!" Valkas' eyes widened. "Tama married King Gerart von Drachenwelt?!"
"Oh, I don't know what to do!" Anne exclaimed. "You said he was an unpleasant fellow, Valkas! What did you mean? What will he do to Tama?!"
Valkas stared speechless at them. He pressed his fingers on the bridge of his nose, trying to recover his composure. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.
"Now I get what this was all about…" he said. "I received your letter this evening," he turned to Anne, "that the Queen accepted to send Princess Amida to us. Right after, I received this one from Drahvelt." He pointed to his paper. "It's an invitation to King Gerart's wedding with Princess Amida after tomorrow. The two pieces of information are contradictory, so I came here to clarify it. But, I didn't think it was so dire! Anne, Gerart means trouble, especially for Tama, who carries our Shadow blood. Remember Gerart's mother? – Dragon Priestess Karine Drakis, a haughty woman! I don't know how Maluma could stand her, let alone befriend her!"
"Well, she was unpleasant, but not that much," Anne said. "You might be biased against her, Valkas… And I don't think it's good to badmouth the deceased."
"Oh, stop being so righteous!" Valkas snapped. "Blinded by her arrogance, Karine invited Maluma to battle Chimera, and look where it got them!" He slammed his fist on the table. "Maluma was too kind for her own good, dreaming of humans' prosperity… Those damned mortals created Chimera, why should we clean up after them?! But I couldn't let her go alone with Karine…" A lump in his throat began to suffocate him. "That was the only moment I regretted being a Shadow Demigod. Chimera has spawned from curses, so it has a Shadow core. Shadow beings are the only ones it can't kill! Fire Demigoddess, on the other hand…"
He couldn't finish his sentence. It was too painful for him to recall the battle with Chimera – the wretched spawn of hatred – which proved deadly for his wife, Maluma Albaris. She was the Phoenix Priestess in the Desert Kingdom of Alsahra, where people worshipped the Flaming Phoenix Goddess, Albaranne. Maluma was Albaranne's daughter – a demigod like Valkas and Anne. But even that couldn't shield her from Chimera's dark powers. She and her friend Karine, the Dragon Priestess, died on that battlefield… right before his eyes. Valkas covered his face with his hands, giving in to his tears. Anne pressed him to her chest, rubbing his head. He returned the embrace.
And people ask me why I married into this family… Mithras thought, watching the two demigods hugging. Even the Devil is kinder than some humans, using their subjects for personal gain! He remembered the Queen, whom he'd served for years and she repaid by sending his daughter to the Dragon King.
Valkas calmed down and wiped his last tears off. He stuffed the invitation letter from Drahvelt back into his pocket and stood up.
"Sorry for the pathetic sight, Mithras!" he said to his brother-in-law. "Rest assured, both of you, I'll take care of King Gerart! I'll go to his wedding party after tomorrow and make sure Dad comes too." He looked at Anne. "Gerart has become a vessel of the Sun Dragon God, which makes him more powerful than us demigods, but he'll be a fool if he dares cross the Shadow God!"
"Thank you so much, Valkas!" Anne brightened up. "If Dad goes with you, Tama will be alright! Maybe, you can also tell Gerart you've found the countercurse for Princess Amida? Tama is posing as her, so if Gerart agrees to send her to Lunaria for treatment, we can snatch her away!"
"Wow, that's a brilliant plan!" Valkas smiled. "I told you, Anne, you're an even better trickster than me!"
"That's good, but what would that mean for Hasurei?" Mithras asked. "I want Tama back more than anything, but if we kidnap her, Drahvelt will invade us. We need a defensive plan! The Flower Knights aren't enough against a whole dragon army. I don't want Yannou to fight a losing battle!"
"You needn't worry." Valkas frowned. "Where my family is concerned, I go all out! Father and I will warn Gerart that our alliance is over if he moves against Hasurei for Tama."
Mithras widened his eyes. He didn't expect the Fisher King to take such a firm stance! Even though he was Anne's brother, his kingdom was still allied with Drahvelt. Now, he announced that he'd be breaking his alliance for Tama!
I married into the right family… Mithras thought.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go see Alaster Hidraz!" Valkas smiled, regaining his upbeat attitude. He grabbed his fishing hat and Moon Rod, ready to leave.
"Wait, what do you want from His Majesty?" Mithras asked, a little frightened for his friend the king.
"Well, the Shadow God doesn't grant favours without a price." Valkas' smile turned malicious. "To heal Princess Amida from her generational curse, we'll need a sacrifice from the pure part of her family."
"What?!" Mithras went pale.
"Valkas, I can't permit that!" Anne flared up. "You and Dad never told me that was necessary! I'll seek another way_"
"Relax, I meant just a drop of blood!" Valkas chuckled. "I only need Alaster's signature on the contract that he's ready to give his life for his daughter. It's a mandatory feature for Dad's spell to work. He won't suffer, we promise! Dad will sacrifice his own powers."
"Well, if your father says so…" Mithras shrugged. He wasn't sure about Valkas, but the gods never lied.
"Alright," Anne said. "Have a safe trip, then! And thanks again for agreeing to help with Tama!" She kissed Valkas on the cheek. "Say 'hi' to Yannou for us!"
"Oh, he's with Alaster?" Valkas smiled. "That's perfect! Now I can find Alaster."
This man is unbelievable… Mithras put his palm on his forehead. He was threatening Alaster without knowing where he was?! How did we even lose to this guy?
After the final words of goodbye, Valkas opened a black portal and vanished into it. Mithras and Anne returned to their bedroom, reassured about their daughter's safety now that the Fisher King and the Shadow God promised their help.