Thus that day arrived, as on the horizon, men and goblins alike view as a handful of ships sail their way to their island. Their breaths, cold, the moisture of their exhales condenses through the chilly air, nervous as these ships draw closer, until eventually making their way on their shores. Now their presence met, and filling the air is tension, as seagulls mew, the people of Verencia unloading the supplies of food and weapons as the king promised.

"Now," One Verencian steps forward, cigarette in his mouth. "We've given you want you wanted, now give us what we came for"

"Hmph! Alright then," one of the men of Blackshore goes, whistling to the goblins at their side, these creatures summoned with others lined up, hostages with their hands roped and skin dirty, one bursting into tears, afraid, not believing they've been rescued.

"You are safe now. It's okay. It's okay..." The Verencian says, his eyebrow raised as he takes a look at the hostages. "There are only five. We were promised twenty"

"That's all you'll get today. We don't trust you. Deal with it," the man spits to the ground.

"Hmph!" A second Verencian smirks, gaining the attention of the spitter.

"What's so funny?" He challenges, his eyebrow raised.

"Look at you. Friends with these creatures as your people are being treated like livestock," The second Verencian argues, pissed off, as he hears as the man laughs in his face.

"I'm not even from your country, dumbass. Why should I give a shit??" He laughs with his peers, his shirt grabbed by the upset Verencian, a grapple commences, surrounded by their peers, the side of Blackshore laughing as they instigate it more with the fellow Verencians putting an end to the conflict.

"Fine. We'll be back in the next two days. Finish unloading the rest," The Verencian tells his fellow people, a scenery all watched by one in the distance with a spell that magnifies her view by the fort she watches from, having enough of her view, walking to her carriage, to her main fortress, gently aided by her driver out of the vehicle as she makes way to her chambers, passing by a group of men keeping guard who stands to the side as she passes, their eyes marking her, a compliment to her beauty, she thinks, yet a sign of questionable behaviour, well knowledgeable of what she had done, as by her side as well, appears her sisters who accompany her to her chamber.

"Girls" She calls, smiling as by the mirror she goes, applying more gloss to her lips.

"Yes, my lady," They answer, a thought clicked in their head, recognizing that their faction has been acting rather weird.

"I think those men are still angry that I nearly killed their old man. Be careful around them. Who knows what they may do," She warns, smiling, checking her figure in the mirror.

"Yes, my lady," One answers, the three of them now quiet, bowing in her presence.

Her hands plastered to her table, she thinks, her eyes closed for this moment, she reckons, as of late, since the incident with the King where she harmed Elvis because of sudden his outburst, these days have been filled with distrust and uneasiness, Sierra acknowledging as these men under Elvis' faction have been quiet unusual than normal like they're planning something, she thinks. And with that, she also thinks on the matter of their resources, seeing as she had only given the King's men only five captives instead of the twenty which was agreed upon, recognizing there's an issue, as they're running low on hostages, due to the dwindling of their hunter groups in charge of collecting these resources exposed and being captured or killed, which has now forced her into slowing down the alteration process of harvesting the organs from them to makes her monsters, fearing that they are her only leverage over King Horik. But she's reminded, as with that call, they've been granted the minimum of being provided food and more weapons, because since the event of Kalf's death, these resources have been slowed as well due to her no longer having a client to sell her products to, having to hold back a lot of the money they have left, making to secure it in a place where the other faction may put their hands on it. But how long, she wonders, how long can this be kept up, the tension an atmosphere a thing she certainly senses, as she's reminded of that great aura of Horik, this man a strange being in her opinion knowing she cannot back out now, feeling the nearing of her goal in her grasp, her burning passion a goal she will never give up on.

"My lady!!" A member of her court rushes into the room, her eyes frightened and body shaken. "You must come and see this"

***

A howling wind, tattered clothes flowing in its grasp, many of the clan of the sisters standing in fright and anxiety, while the men of Elvis' faction join in with examining the display, Sierra observing their faces, their eyes cold, no empathy in them whatsoever, not being able to tell who may have been the perpetrator, her intuition pointing in their midst, also looking as even the goblins have more of a reaction, as before her eyes, she looks a member of her clan, the tight grip of a rope around her neck, her body naked, dangling from off a tree that some of the goblins work to take her down from, her skin bloodied and bruised, defiled by whoever that did this to her.

"Alright, Alright! Come on," One man steps forward. "Which one you fuckers did it?? Huh?!"

"Huh? Don't look at me. I've never seen her since I got here!" A second man says, everybody looking into the group of goblins next, the creatures shaking their heads and hands, not wanting to be blamed for it either, everybody then watching as Sierra gets close to the corpse.

"My lady?" A sister calls, as they watch as Sierra kneels, her hand at the face of the woman, wondering how much pain she has gone through.

"Hm...clean her up and put her in proper clothing. We'll give her a proper burial," Sierra orders, seeing as the goblins put her owner cask, leaving with some of the sisters by its side, and so she observes again, she knows what they want, her to feel defeated and afraid, rather walking away from the scene a confident soul, not intimidated by the obvious threat they've placed to throw her off. "One of you ladies bring Caterina to me. I will be in my chambers"

"Yes, your grace,"

***

And that was done, as Caterina makes her way through the fortress, a bouquet in her hand that she holds dearly, fractions of light illuminating the purple petals she counts over and over in her head like a delighted little girl, her head down in the beauty before her, not comprehended what's around her, as a group of men pass her by, their eyes curious as she now reaches the chambers of her lady she sees standing by her window.

"Caterina, my love, how are you?"

"I am well, your grace," Caterina blushes, her hands stretched as she shows the flowers to Sierra. "I made this for you, your grace"

"Hmm, really...? How lovely..." Sierra sounds, Caterina placing down the flowers, their beauty dulled by the darkness she places them into, sensing the lack of enthusiasm from her lady for the gift. "I have something to discuss with you. Follow me"

Wondering what it is, as the seconds go by, shaken become Caterina's hands, as like a mother disapproving of her child's lack of haste, she sees as Sierra looks back at her, her eyes somewhat disapproving of her. And through the halls, they pass their fellow sisters, their heads bowed as their Lady walks by, and the men a bunch she continues to obverse as well.

"These men, tell me, what is it you see in their eyes?" Sierra challenges the girl, Caterina's palms rubbing together, her hands getting sweaty.

"They seem...dangerous," Caterina answers, their eyes like a beast she comprehends, a bunch ready to pounce at anytime.

"And does it scare you, my love?"

"...No, my lady. I am not afraid"

"And do you trust them?" Sierra challenges, but hesitant is Caterina's tongue, uncertainty in her eyes.

"Well...You shouldn't. Now, it was just hundreds of years ago, where a specimen like you and I, my love, were only belittled, treated as mere pets, toys. A curse; to be born a woman in such times, would be like purgatory, a prison, and you would never escape until you were either killed or you chose to die," Sierra teaches her, reaching onto their iron bridge, and down below, another Caterina sees, Aliyah dangling her feet with a smile from ear to ear, within the shade of darkness, a crazed look in her eyes, Caterina hearing as a fight has broken out between man and goblin, as Korgak the champion of the goblins takes a man in his clutches, beating him to death, a mix of his blood and teeth flashing across the floor, surrounded by members of both their races joining in, a sight of unpleasantry Catherina averts her eyes from. "Do you see them? Savages. No better than the other. They live with no purpose but to be pawns, their minds only set on eating, drinking, fighting and fucking anything they can get their cock into. But that is why it's a wonderful thing, you see. Because now, in this era, we have greater opportunities. We can be much greater. We've grown to be smarter. Let them continue feeding on their distractions, while we become the greater specimen, as it should have always been. Let me tell you this, Catherina, my sweetheart, we as women, when you have grabbed hold of power, be sure to keep it in your clutches and never let it go. Not for allies, or because you're tired, and definitely not for the love of a man. Do you understand, Catherina?"

"Yes, madam..." Catherina nods, her eyes shaking, what it is that she has done wrong for this lecture, she wonders, pondering if she has made any mistakes as of recently, wondering if the lady is upset with her, wanting to know what she can change, for her, this woman a mother figure to her, as down a spiral of steps they descend, the noise of the conflict dimmed by the walls that hug them, Catherina finding herself being lure into a passageway, embarking on some fellow sister who bows to Sierra, one of them then turning to a group of objects, her hand landing upon a statue of a dark god, opening up a passageway unfamiliar to Catherina who follows behind them, through the natural creation of nature, a secret, leading to a place well lit, and beheld to her eyes, a sight that makes her shudder, as she watches her fellow sisters with some having skulls and other items of witchcraft in their hands, dancing in erratic ways, their bodies swaying and changing pace, an ominous act, an act Catherina uncomfortable with, the blinking of her eyes slowed, as in the middle of it all, are five men she views with symbols made from blood on their forehead, their scalps opened, bleeding onto their face.

"This morning, one of your sisters was killed by these savages. And before so, they had their way with her- like cowards they grouped upon and raped her and left her cold body for the beasts of this land to feast on her flesh. Tell me, what do you think they deserve? Hmm?"

"I..." Catherina starts, for one of these men begins crying for his life, a man Catherina knows, as she remembers him giving her a piece of roast meat that he had hunted, his smile a gentle thing she remembers, that smile now wrapped by a cloth around his mouth, but still the girl could tell what he was saying, his muffling a plea of begging to be set free, Catherina seeing that in his eyes, he had nothing to do with what happened.

"And now you see that fog that clouds your mind, that weakness. My love," Sierra gently takes her hand. "This world has no place for the naive. I've seen you with this man, do you believe he truly cares for you? He was definitely putting on an act for you to fall into a trap. Do you know how worried and afraid I was that I would lose you to them?"

"I-I'm sorry," Catherina's voice shakes, her head shaking.

"No, no, don't be sorry. You were the one who was tricked because he took advantage of your innocence. What if what occurred this morning had happened to me, hmm? Do you love me as I love you, my love?" Sierra asks, and fighting her shakes is Catherina who fights to nod.

"Do you truly love me?" Sierra asks once more.

"Yes, my lady," She fights to say.

"Do you remember what these men did to you? Do you remember how you got this ugly scar? Do you want it to happen again?"

"No, my lady"

"Then destroy that innocence you carry, destroy it and like me, be better than these savages. I only want you to be safe. And this foolish innocence will only make them take advantage of you. So, do not let it happen again. Do you understand me?" Sierra asks, and nodding is the girl's head, and wiped over Catherina's scar is her hair Sierra sets, the woman smiling as she then walks over to a cellar of wine she pours for herself. "Good...then let them burn"

Her command like a switch, the sisters grow louder, their laughs hysterical, their prayers heavier, glory to their dark gods, they sing, as slowly the hands of Catherina raises, a single tear falling from her left eye, with her scarred right one twitching, as she hears the cries of these men who begin begging even stronger, Catherina now understanding why the lady was disappointed, wanting to make it right, to rid herself of her weakness. So she screams, as by her power, a gush of green flames they're engulfed into, their screams hollowed through the space, Sierra watching as it all happens like a proud mother, the flavour of her wine richer, with her eyes once again changing colours, now green like the flames before.

***

Days passed, shipments of food and weapons in exchange for hostages continued, and in the air that uneasiness grew even greater, as each day, a man turned up dead, a goblin beheaded and a sister violated. A broken pack, the bond of this alliance slowly breaking away in the turmoil, and the leaders of these factions ignoring the issue, as one man sits in his castle away from it all, his fingers pressed against his head with his eyes closed, King Horik sensing it all, as only the calm before the storm.

"Please tell me they have good news," Horik pleads, the look on his face utter boredom, as it is Eidrik who appears before him.

"Unfortunately, they haven't made any real progress," Eidrik tells him, shaking his head as he subtly smiles at the look on Horik's face, a bored man like a child wanting to run through a field. "Whatever is happening up, it seems they can't view it well due to the interference of the Earth's northern magnetic pole"

"I see. They're hiding under the Earth's mana, where it's one of the strongest," Horik figures, stroking his beard.

"Exactly, possibly so"

"Hmm...if what Elvis said is true, I must say I am quite impressed by how much they've prepared for this. The last time anybody fought one of these beasts, was in the great war of the Era of Superpowers, huh? Hmm..."

"Horik, no, I know what you're thinking. Don't," Eidrik shakes his finger, seeing as a smile forms across the face of the King who gets up out of his seat. "Horik!"

"Calm down, I just want to check it out, that is all. I'll just go up there and take a look and be back by the time it's supper"

"No, you cannot persuade me on this one!" Eidrik tells him, Horik waving as Vernon appears on the scene, an old man confused on what the matter is. "Vernon, help me stop him, please"

"That thing in the north? With that look on his face? We might as well tell him to just hurry up," Vernon says, Eidrik disappointed in his lack of even trying, as they both follow the king onto one of the balconies, His Majesty's feet stepped upon the railing.

"Horik. You shouldn't. We've discussed the possibilities already, what if it's a trap? A nation without a king is like a bird without a head, without direction. I'll go. I'll check to see if anything is really up there and I'll defeat it if I have to"

"Don't worry! With you and Vernon here, I'm sure everything will be alright even when I'm gone," Horik laughs. "Eidrik. Look, you either let me do this, or I'll join the battle with Strongcastle and take all the fun for myself"

"I don't think the poor lads and lasses would appreciate that, your Majesty," Vernon scratches his head, smiling at imagining how that would look, his soldiers and adventurers crying in the King's midst.

"Ngh-by the gods..." Eidrik sighs, knowing he could have never talked Horik out of being curious about these things. "Fine. If you do find something, I know you won't just come back home. So, be back in three days, make it in time supper"

"That's a promise," Horik smiles. "Vernon. I'll be counting on you as well. These people, who were captured, make sure they're your number 1 priority. And tell Elvis...I said I'll be seeing him soon"

"Hm, I'll be sure to, your Majesty. Have a safe trip," Vernon tells him, viewing the spectacle of Horik's feet rising from the railings, taken to the air, where he looks over the land, a smile on his for a great nation that will continue to flourish, taking off through the sky at sonic speed, the barrier of sound breaking with the wind at his back as he soars to the north.

***

The winds of the north, cold and dense, they sing the loudest in the lands of snow and ice where many inhabitants reside, yet in a hurry they seem to be; hundreds of penguins going off the land onto the icebergs floating away, polar bears travelling in packs as well, a spectacle Horik observes, as from above reach down his feet on the snow crunched beneath, a curious little fox appeared, skipping around Horik, the king smiling at the little fellow who sits beside his new acquaintance, as beside it, Horik kneels, his hand to the cold snow, reaching down, to the warmth of the Earth, it's flowing mana all connected to him. There he focuses, all living things in his vicinity a thing he senses, all their individual mana, their fear, the reason of their hurrying leading to where he wants to be, and there he reaches, his sensual ability leading him to a place between mountains, it's mana dark and sinister, this mana looking right back at him, Horik knowing it has sensed him too.

"There we are," He says, his eyes opened, to the fox still by his side he set his hand, rubbing its head. "You should hurry along as well, little one"

And back into the sky he sets, to that place he had seen, to the mountains touching the sky, a great mist engulfing them, the air thinner, Horik sensing the dense magic that resides, as above a great monument flies, a great sanctuary of this land built by the ancestors of the world, and beyond, enveloped in darkness, the hollows he hears, hollows of something awoken, sensing his presence. A beast indeed, he smiles, glad the trip was worthwhile, as looking at him from beyond, the earth quivering in its wake, are great eyes he sees, a set of six, the King excited for a battle he hopes does not bore him.