Slack jawed, Kohn watched the golden floating city get closer and closer.

The Kingdom’s capital didn’t actually refer to a planet, but the largest floating island structure ever created amongst all its member planets. Naturally it was built at the center of the Kingdom’s power, the home planet of its first, and only king.

As the ship flew closer to the surface of the planet, the capital’s appearance artistically joined to create a slightly irregular, glittering pyramid.

Hundreds of slim towers stretched vertically into the air. Each one beautifully decorated in the style of war. Arrow loops and murder holes pocketed the sides of the structures while crenellations and large diamonds covered the tower tops. No less than four soldiers could be seen at the top of each tower, most carried bows but at least one wielded a strange staff.

A landing pad sat at the front of this optical illusion pyramid. It resembled a bailey with a curtain wall from old Earth castles.

More soldiers stood on the walls, waiting with weapons in hand. Ready to draw arrows or heft weapons at the slightest provocation.

Kohn couldn’t help feeling naked when the Bay doors turned opaque again before opening to reveal the same scene. He walked slightly behind the Prince, fidgeting within his prototype suit as hundreds of eyes bore holes into him. Wondering who he was and why he walked with the Prince.

For the fortieth time he checked the suit’s fitting, making sure it wasn’t going to slide off or accidentally fire when it was critical that it didn’t.

It had actually worried him if it was alright or considered rude to take his weapons. But apparently it was one of the rules the King had demanded of his subordinates since before he ended the wars on the planet.

‘Every person, no matter rank or position, must shoulder the responsibility to defend the King. And every person, no matter devotion or belief, must shoulder the responsibility to kill the King, should the need arise.’

Their group walked across the courtyard, passing underneath a pair of golden drum towers with a barbican between them. Here the soldiers they passed saluted the Prince. He would raise his hand in a return salute or firmly nod at them.

Unlike when he was on the ship, Prince Agossliam strode with confidence through the halls. Turning left down winding stairs, before climbing up a different set of stairs and then taking a right down smaller paths. Kohn’s brain spun in his head trying to remember the path they took before they ultimately ended before a pair of very large arching metal doors. If he looked straight up Kohn would have seen a pair of concentric portcullis in the ceiling just in front.

Two terrifyingly dressed soldiers stood at the door. Each one held a large wall that they called a shield and an equally huge sword at the ready.

“Rear-Prince Agossliam StoneTooth and escort, answering the immediate summons of King StoneTooth.”

Both Soldiers nodded at the same time. Their movements were mirror images of each other as they tilted their sword points to the ground while simultaneously dropping the bottoms of their shields against the stone ground.

“We see Rear-Prince Agossliam StoneTooth and escort. You may pass.”

The doors groaned loudly as they swung inwards into a great hall.

It was just as beautiful as the capitals outward appearance. Golden colored stone, high arching ceilings with ornately carved statues, and several columns of transparent stone that just screamed magic. And at the end of the great hall, a colossal heavy throne at the top of a multi-directional golden set of stairs.

‘That looks uncomfortable.’

Kohn was thanking god that he hadn’t said that out loud, but he couldn’t help but think about what it would feel like to actually sit on it.

The gargantuan man sitting on didn’t have to think about what it felt like. Bulging muscular arms, thick chest and firm legs revealed that this man wasn’t slacking off in his training after ending the war on his planet and taking control of multiple worlds. Just like the history lesson had described to him, King StoneTooth was so aptly named. His lips, teeth and part of his upper neck were completely petrified stone.

Kohn quickly bent down with the others when they were roughly 50 paces away from the throne.

“Rear-Prince Agossliam sees King StoneTooth, only King of Agossomore.”

The man spoke with a calm voice that boomed and echoed around the room.

“Welcome back to the Kingdom Agossliam. You have been gone for too long.”

“My expedition took longer than expected father.”

“There were no troubles I hope?” The King’s face didn’t seem to like showing any emotion other than stern anger. Even when concern could be heard in his voice, his face remained unfriendly.

“There were many troubles. A full accounting of them has been submitted along,” King StoneTooth was looking at his son with a mediocre amount of confusion as he listened “with my report as the Fleet Commander of the expeditionary force.”

“Something is different about you…”

“I agree husband.” A woman walked over from a side passage. Her gown barely hiding or holding the voluptuous bosom that preceded her into the room.

While Kohn was more than happy to gawk at her lewd appearance, he was instead more awestruck at the dainty antlers protruding from her head or her four-legged deer like lower-body. Unlike Prince Agossliam and his giant of a father, this woman clearly didn’t look human.

“You agree that he looks different as well Evemlaine?” He turned back to his son. “Explain what happened on your journey.”

“After some time, my fleet happened upon an inhabited planet. We landed and attempted to make a peaceful first contact.”

Kohn quirked an eyebrow at the Prince. From Earth’s perspective that really wasn’t what it looked like.

“Good. So you told them of the incoming threat and they have sent the ones behind you as emissaries to join the Agossomore Kingdom?”

“N-not exactly, father.”

The King looked between his son and the four Earthlings behind him. When he saw the peculiar look on Kohn’s face he understood that his son hadn’t told him the whole truth.

“Tell me they are emissaries requesting to join the Kingdom son.”

The prince remained silent, head down. This only antagonized his father.

“Tell me they are here by their own choice Agossliam!”

Under the intense pressure from his father’s gaze, Agossliam revealed what he didn’t want to. “I took their planet’s World Heart.”

King StoneTooth shot out of the throne. If his normal appearance was called angry, he now looked livid. Murderous even. Words failed him, he let out his rage in a tremendous roar.

“RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!”

The deer-woman Evemlaine stumbled backwards in her haste to escape his vicinity. The guards at the base of the columns braced themselves behind their shields. And Kohn, the prince and the others that followed him tumbled backwards from the intense force that hit them.

“YOU ARE BANISHED!”