King Nathin walked into the large sparse room and looked around. The walls and floor were stone, and there was nothing in the room but four columns standing in the center. Nathin slowly walked towards the four columns. He had not been summoned, but he found he didn’t care. He wanted answers.

He had been watching over his kingdom for almost 1300 years. He had seen it prosper, struggle, and then fall. Now when the rightful ruler had finally come, the gods had done nothing to help her. Nathin had watched her be denied her proper place. He had seen her disappointed in love, poisoned, stabbed, and almost sacrificed. It was no way to treat his kin.

He had long been frustrated with the gods, watching his line driven out of the very city his family founded. He had seen the people of his kingdom turn on one another and suffer. He had watched false gods be worshipped, and ruthless leaders rule. He was tired of it. It was time for Regventus to be reborn under Gryphon, and he would see that it would be.

Nathin stood in front of the four columns and waited. He knew they could sense he was there, and they would come out eventually. He had nothing, but time. Still, as he thought of his kingdom and Gryphon, he felt himself grow anxious. It was not often he felt anxious on his journey, but he could not help it today.

“Well, I know you know I am here. Come out and see me,” said Nathin loudly.

“Why have you come, Nathin?” said a man clothed simply as he walked out from one of the pillars. “We have not summoned you. You have no right to be here.”

“I have every right to be here, seeing what is happening to my kingdom and my kin. It is time we had a talk,” said Nathin fiercely.

“You aren’t very reverent before you gods, Nathin. Perhaps you should go and gather yourself, and wait for us to summon you,” said the man.

“Now, brother,” said a woman as she came from behind another pillar. “Have some compassion on Nathin. He has been watching the kingdom. He is clearly upset.”

“How could I not be upset?” asked Nathin. “I have tried to wait and trust you. I watched as my line was driven out of power. I watched as the folk have struggled for over 300 years, but now the rightful ruler is here and ready, and yet you do nothing as she is abused and overlooked.”

“We cannot control our people,” said the man. “They all have their own minds. They make their own decision and decide their own fates.”

“You could intervene, you know you could,” said Nathin. “How could you send her there and watch her suffer so?”

“Do not think we do not hurt for all of our people, especially Gryphon,” said the woman. “It is hard to see what has happened these past 300 years. It is hard to watch our chosen leader stumble, but we have created our people to decide their own fates. What do you expect us to do?”

“Is there any hope for the kingdom or her?” asked Nathin.

The man looked at Nathin with a frown. “I see that you use the word or and not and, you must know then.”

“I must know what?” asked Nathin.

“I don’t think we can save them both,” said the man.

“Why not?” asked Nathin.

“The kingdom is very broken. It is dying, Nathin. To heal it would take the repentance of every person in every land,” said the woman sadly. “There are at least some who would never admit they were wrong.”

“There is another way, but I doubt you want to hear it,” said the man to Nathin.

“No, I want to hear it,” said Nathin. “Please tell me.”

“Fine,” said the man, “but if I tell you, you cannot interfere in anyway. I mean it, Nathin, we have been lenient with you, but if you try to help her, we might have to send you away.”

“Tell me,” said Nathin. “I will do as you ask, as both of you ask.” Nathin looked at the woman who smiled slightly at him.