While Klaus has been away from Rise Online, much has happened in the capital of Vrikhodour.
As promised by the young King Walkul Dragonsbane, he has taken Xisrith and Kaizen's accusations seriously and has assigned many of his officers to investigate, as well as one of his own advisors to lead the operation. An accusation against a duke was very serious and should be thoroughly investigated, for if true, it could lead to chaos and disorder throughout the kingdom.
Xisrith presented the mansion as evidence of the attack, as well as the bodies of the invaders. She also showed that she had an official document from the meeting between her clan representatives and Frugold.
It did not take long to find witnesses in Xisrith's favor, and they were the manor's own employees. They did not accuse Frugold, for they were not that stupid, but they did confess that they had asked her to leave the manor beforehand.
As the investigation continued throughout the day, new witnesses favorable to Xisrith were found, especially among the servants of the manor. Though they did not directly accuse Frugold, they did admit to having been told in advance to leave their place of work, namely the house where Frugold housed the visitors. These revelations further deepened suspicions about the king's brother and revealed hidden dirt surrounding his actions.
As the grim details of Frugold's illicit activities with mercenaries and his relationship with the kingdom's underworld were revealed, trust in the duke began to crumble. Rumors began to spread throughout the capital, and the people and nobles became increasingly outraged by the revelations, demanding justice.
The reputation of the royal family was at stake, and the king faced a crucial decision.
With evidence mounting and the demand for answers growing, Walkul Dragonsbane knew he could not ignore the situation. He called an emergency meeting with his two most trusted advisors and made the difficult decision to confront his own brother.
The political and moral battle raged in the capital of Vrikhodour. While Klaus was absent, the fate of the kingdom was being decided behind the scenes of power. Every move and decision the king made would have a profound effect not only on Frugold's future, but on the stability of the entire kingdom.
By the end of the day, the capital of Vrikhodour was a boiling cauldron of intrigue and expectation, and in the end, the king ordered the arrest of his own brother.
The royal decree sent shockwaves throughout the kingdom as citizens anxiously awaited the unfolding of these actions.
Frugold's arrest marked a pivotal point in the history of Vrikhodour, showing that even the royal family was not immune to the decisions of the new king.
But none of this mattered to Kaizen. He was only concerned with his own goals, and when Xisrith finished telling the story of what had happened, he said:
"I owe you one. You can ask me for anything.
Kaizen didn't think twice about asking for what he had in mind the whole time of this mission, from the moment he easily agreed to do the favor of protecting Xisrith and helping the Descendragons.
"All right, if I can ask for anything, I will ask for a single favor. Gather the strongest members of your clan, at least ten of them, and you too." He asked while turning his back.
"Alright, that is possible. But what do you want so many Descendragons for? Are you going to invade some guild's stronghold or wage war? You know that two or three of my clan would be enough for that, right?" replied Xisrith.
"Probably, but we won't be fighting players or anything like that, we'll be fighting a monster."
"A monster? What kind of monster would that be?" She asked curiously.
Kaizen stopped where he was and looked back with an evil grin. "We will be fighting the Guardian of the Gates of Nielfheim, a creature of legendary rank."
Xisrith's chin opened slowly, showing how perplexed she was.
The Guardian of the Gates of Nielfheim was a formidable creature, known for its immense strength and ferocity, as demonstrated during the invasion of the Tretidian capital when Kaizen had defeated it. Facing it would be a monumental and dangerous challenge, even for a group of Descendragons.
"Are you serious? Fighting a guardian of the Gates of Nielfheim? Why would you want to confront such a formidable creature?" asked Xisrith, his voice filled with concern.
Kaizen turned around to face Xisrith, his evil smile still on his face. His eyes glowed with fiery determination.
"We are not facing a guardian of the gates of Niefheim, we are facing the one and only. And as for my motives, just know that I have my reasons, Xisrith."
His answer made the Descendragon take a deep breath. "Well, if that is what you want, I will try to convince my Clanmates. I don't think that will be too difficult, since most of them are looking for honor."
Immediately, Xisrith and Kaizen returned to Tretidian with a fast travel stone, and she went to her village to gather the strongest members of her clan of Descendragons.
With each of them to be prepared for the challenge ahead, Kaizen did not stand idle in the days that followed. He strove to forge armor that would suit the anatomy and strength of the Descendragons, as well as his already well-known lack of caution.
And after four days of careful preparation, the group gathered and set out for the boss's location, deep within the Minotaur's Labyrinth.
Kaizen knew that this first attempt would be his best chance to defeat Lord Varkin.
...
Edited by: DrHitsuji
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