Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign

CHAPTER 26

Sick of this Royal Crap





SAM, SHALEE, BJ, AND Helga arrived in the town of Empire five nights prior to Double D slaying the barbarian in Gessler. Empire was a small town with little military presence, despite being a part of Brandor’s kingdom.

Sam won his first fight in front of this populace who worshiped the Goddess of Fire. His fight was to the death, and his ribs took an awful beating. They were bruised, and the skin above them was lacerated, and Sam did not have the necessary Peaks to heal before his next fight.

Meanwhile, Shalee worked with Helga to increase her power. She continued to astonish the older woman with her successes. Shalee had still suffered just the one failure since her first day of training in Angels Village. For privacy, the girls practiced outside of Empire in a heavily wooded area. Not one soul bothered them, and this spot proved to be the perfect place to go back to each night.

Helga’s staff was planted in the ground, and the orb at its top was providing light. The older woman took a step back and watched as Shalee commanded Precious to rip a massive tree from the ground and send it high into the air. Foreseeing a bad outcome, Helga grabbed her staff, pulled it out of the ground and then put up a protective barrier.

The trunk, almost three paces in diameter, smashed into the ground. The area around them shook. The noise was deafening, and the tree limbs splintered in all directions. Wooden missiles thumped against Helga’s magic and fell to the ground as harmless pieces of kindling.

The ladies rolled with laughter. After a few exchanged glances of amazement, the foolhardy women wondered if the people in town had heard the collision. They decided it was best to stop training for the night and started a fire after collecting the kindling. They would sit for a bit and talk.

“Oh, my Lord, that was loud,” Shalee giggled as she held her stomach.

“I know, Child. I hope no one comes out here to yell at us. I had no idea you were going to send it that high. I bounced when it hit.”

“You should’ve seen your face. Your eyeballs were popping while it was coming down. I’m glad you put up a wall. We could’ve been punctured.” Shalee pointed in the direction of the town. “I’d bet those fire worshippers would love us for making all this kindling.”

Helga knew the younger sorceress was commanding power most students would never command in their entire lives. How was such a thing possible? Sure, Bassorine had said Shalee could handle an exponential growth, but to develop this fast did not make sense. Shalee had long since passed Helga’s abilities, and there was no real reason the student needed her around. She felt so close to the young woman, and this was the main reason why she stayed.

Helga thought back to what Shalee had said in West Utopia. She knew Shalee viewed her as a mother, but was this bond strong enough to survive the news? The moment had come to let her student know that she had surpassed her abilities.

“Shalee, I have something to say. I must admit, I’m nervous about telling you this.”

Shalee could see the worry in the eyes of her friend. “What is it? Why the long face?”

“Child, I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you that I cannot teach you any longer.”

“Why? Do you have someplace to go? Did I mess up? I can fix it if you’re upset. I don’t have so much pride that I can’t apologize.”

“No, no, no, Child. It’s not like that. I’m not mad, nor do I want to stop being around you.” Helga took a deep breath. “Your power has grown beyond mine. I cannot teach you because you’re stronger than I am.”

Helga scooted next to Shalee, pulled her close and then hugged her. “I’m sad to say this, but I fear I’m not much use to you any longer.”

Shalee returned the embrace. After a moment, she pulled away with tears in her eyes. “I already knew my abilities were beyond yours. Remember, you bonked your butt. I just didn’t want to say anything.” She smiled and wiped her eyes. “Just because you can’t teach me magic any longer doesn’t mean I can’t learn from you. You, BJ, and Sam are all I’ve got. I need you now more than ever. Who else would I shop with when Sam needs to buy me stuff?”

“Then, you want me to stay, Child?”

“ Lordy, Helga, aren’t you listening? Of course I want you to stay. I need you.”

An enormous sigh escaped Helga’s lips. “Then it’s settled. You’re stuck with me for good.” They embraced again.

A long series of moments went by before Shalee questioned, “If you’re not able to train me, then who is ... and where do we find this person?”

After a moment of thoughtful consideration, Helga answered. “We’ve already been to a town where there’s such a person. His name is Amar, and he lives in Lethwitch. He’s much stronger than me, and he could continue your training. He is the only man on Southern Grayham who has traveled to Luvelles to study the arts. If you’d like, we can seek him out.”

Shalee shook her head. “I don’t want to leave Sam until after he has met with the King of Brandor.” She groaned. “All this fighting Sam has to do makes me sick. I hate that he won’t let me use my magic on him. I can’t stand watching him get more stitches. His ribs look terrible.”

The younger sorceress grimaced and changed the subject. “Let’s pass on finding Amar for now. I’m sure I can think of something to challenge myself until the moment is right. All we have to do is think of something absurd and then try it.” She slapped her hands together. “Bam, we have another lesson.”

“I suppose your logic makes sense, Child. Perhaps you can try raining down fire or manipulating some other outlandish control over the elements. Who knows what you’re capable of?”

Shalee agreed. “I might need to do something like that to get the king to listen to Sam. Maybe you and I can figure out something clever to speed things up.” Shalee smiled, “Give up a high-five.”





Unbeknownst to the women, they were being watched from the shadows. The stare of the being within his hiding spot was filled with disturbed thoughts.





The sorceresses stayed by the fireside through the night talking about girl stuff. When morning arrived, the moment had come to go back into town and eat breakfast with the boys. The swine meat, greggled hash and eggs were delicious, and the conversation was pleasant. Afterward, everyone prepared to go to the arena for Sam’s final fight.





Now, fellow soul ... I need to tell you something about Empire. This town was considered to be the jailhouse for the whole of Southern Grayham. The headmaster of this arena lived in forced service to the King of Brandor, and acted as a sheriff of sorts.

The headmaster was not human, and he lived in humiliation. Farogwain was a serpent noble, a relative of the Serpent King, Seth. His noble blood was what spared him from being transported to Dragonia, but this immunity did not exonerate him from being punished for the crime he committed against an officer in Brandor’s army.

Thirteen seasons ago, Farogwain devoured this man’s son while traveling to the Temple of the Gods. Because the serpent’s murderous actions happened during a time of peace, Farogwain was forced to live in shame. He was ordered by the senate of Brandor to spend the rest of his life disposing of Grayham’s unwanted. The Serpent King, Seth, was left with no choice. He did not want to go to war with Brandor, therefore, he was forced to surrender his slithering cousin.

Farogwain was sadistic. As a result, Empire’s large, oval arena was the most barbaric setting throughout the worlds. The stage on which the fights were hosted was like no other. The faces chiseled into the stone walls surrounding the sandy surface of the arena looked tortured.

The faith of the people living in Empire made the town’s arena unique. Their faith was different from the rest of Southern Grayham. The people of Empire prayed to a god no other populace worshiped, and they cherished Jervaise’s eternal fire.

The town was one of the few places where the Goddess of Fire made a seasonal appearance. While in her ghostly form, she seduced the people into worshipping her. The town sculpted a statue to honor the goddess over 6,000 seasons ago, and this likeness was placed at the center of the arena.

The Goddess of Fire’s statue was surrounded by a circular pool of flame, 16 paces in diameter. Seven other, smaller pools, all square, and nearly seven paces across were also burning. They were scattered across the arena floor and positioned to serve as obstacles to keep the combatants separated after they entered the arena at opposite ends of this high temperature battleground.

As if this was not bad enough, whenever the fights came to Empire, there was one fight filled with convicted felons. These criminals were awaiting transport to Dragonia. They were positioned by each pool. Some were in pairs, while others were in groups of four, but each felon was harnessed and held a key to one of his fellow combatant’s shackles inside his stomach. Generally, the most ruthless of these criminals were placed around the circumference of Jervaise’s pool while the weaker criminals were chained to the outskirts of the smaller pools.

All of these convicted beings were used to heighten the hostility of the fighting environment during the Man vs. Beast battle. They were chained by a single wrist, leg, or tail, if necessary, and given weapons. Their metal leashes were heavy, and they all knew the key to their lock was in the belly of one of the other convicts who had been chained to them or to their group.

It was decreed: a criminal who slaughtered another, would be spared transport to Dragonia for 10 Peaks. Further, a criminal who extinguished the life of a primary combatant—a combatant who entered the arena by choice—their transport to Dragonia would be delayed for 30 Peaks. If a prisoner managed to kill both free combatants, man and beast, transport would be delayed for a full season. This prisoner would be given the option to remain on Grayham and be allowed to fight while trying to secure enough victories to earn their freedom.

Since banishment to the dragon world was considered a death sentence, the Man vs. Beast Battles in Empire were the most ruthless and fierce on Grayham. The criminals believed that this was their only chance to lengthen what was left of their life, and those who entered wanted to win at any cost.

Now, fellow soul ... the reason I have told you this—Sam is the free-man who was about to enter Empire’s arena. The lottery handed Sam the Man vs. Beast Battle.





“Sam, this is not good,” BJ said, after being informed of the lottery results. “I’ve always hated the way this town has governed the fights. Brandor claims the serpent’s punishment is degrading enough. They say Farogwain despises his service to the Senate, but I say otherwise. I say he enjoys the slaughter that happens in his arena. Sam, this fight you’ve landed is a fool’s fight. There’s no honor in this battle. I recommend you withdraw your entry.”

Sam stood from the wooden bench in his preparation room beneath the arena. He passed his hand across the rough stone walls as he moved to grab another sconce to light it before the other ran out of oil. “Okay, okay. Why would I withdraw? If I do, we’ll have to start over at the beginning of the circuit. I don’t want to kill more men than I need to, just to escape a single fight.”

BJ put his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “You need to listen to me, son. This is the only battle I would recommend that any man walk away from. You are entering without a weapon. You are fighting a bear who equals your weight, amplified by five and—”

Sam rolled his eyes and interrupted. “It’s just a bear. I’ve learned a lot since we began our training. I can handle it.”

“No, son! It’s not just a bear. This is more than a single battle. In this arena, the Man vs. Beast confrontation is a series of battles within a much larger battle. You won’t be fighting only the bear. According to the lottery registry, you will be fighting another 28 souls. These beings are criminals who fight in desperation. There is a prize on your head. If they manage to get free of their bonds, they will come for you.”

“Okay, okay. Hold on a moment! Are you saying that I’m fighting 29 souls in total, and all of them want to kick my ass? What kind of messed up lottery is this?”

Before BJ could respond, Farogwain slithered into Sam’s preparation room. The headmaster’s body coiled up and filled much of the area, forcing BJ and Sam toward the wall, opposite the door. Farogwain’s cobra hood expanded, and the rattle on the end of his tail shook.

Once the reptile was sure he had their attention, his rattle silenced. “I sense fear in you, human. This is an awe-inspiring Peak to watch your blood stain the sand of my arena.”

From behind the serpent, just outside the door, the end of Shalee’s staff tapped the stone floor. She moved the index finger of her free hand back and forth as she stared Farogwain down. “Hmm, hmm, hmmm! Excuse me, Mr. Slither Pants! This is also a good Peak for little old me to be casting some hocus-pocus on your cold-blooded coils. While I’m at it, I’ll create some boots out of your skin.”

Shalee took a step toward the snake. “Don’t you be comin’ down here and makin’ threats. You just ran across your worst nightmare. I was a child when I learned how to cut the heads off snakes. You best take yourself out of here before I get angry.”

Farogwain’s coils tightened, his rattle shook wildly as his head lowered to a height level with Shalee’s. His hiss was barely above a whisper. “You’re brave for a female of your species. You speak like no other on Grayham. I wonder if you taste as good as you sound. Perhaps your bones will break in a melody within my coils.”

Before another word could be said, Shalee slammed her staff against the floor and shouted, “Precious, feya en’ nuar, lome!” Her body erupted in flames, and the look of her flesh turned spirit-white just like the goddess, Jervaise. The heat caused the serpent to pull back and press against the far wall, pinning Sam and BJ behind him.

From within her personal inferno, Shalee laughed. The power of her magic echoed the sound throughout not only the room, but the catacombs beneath the arena. Once she saw the serpent’s eyes were filled with fear, she stopped laughing and whispered in a hiss of her own that was free of her accent. “Do you always talk back to gods, Farogwain? Mind your place. I will spare your existence, but you’ll leave this room before I change my mind. Be gone with you.”

The fire surrounding Shalee’s body dissipated as she took a few steps back to give the serpent room to exit. As the serpent undulated past without saying a word, Shalee looked over her shoulder and winked at Helga who was standing down the hallway with her hand cupped over her mouth to silence her laughter.

As Shalee walked back into the room, Sam and BJ were still looking at each other, shocked. Shalee said, “Well, that was nifty, don’t you think? Me, a goddess? Who would’ve ever thunk it? What a fun deception.” She focused on BJ. “So what’s this about Sam fighting 29 souls? Were y’all planning on telling me?”

Again, Sam and BJ looked at each other. They turned and responded at the same moment, saying the same thing. “Of course, we were. We were about to look for you.”

Helga bounded into the room. “Oh, Child, Child, Child, that was exhilarating. I believe a high-five is necessary.”

The women sassily threw up their hands, clapped them together and bumped one another’s hips.

Shalee added, “You go, girl! I told you I was going to find the right series of moments to use those new elven words.”

BJ cleared his throat. “I hate to interrupt your celebration, but we have a problem. Sam refuses to withdraw his ticket. He cannot win a battle of this magnitude. If it was only the bear and not another 28 souls, he might stand a chance.”

Shalee looked at Sam.

Before she could say anything, Sam held up his hands. “Don’t even suggest it. I’m not backing down, and I’m not going to fight with your magic protecting me. If I’m meant to die, I’m going to do it without dishonoring Brandon’s death.”

Kael took it upon himself to lift from Sam’s sheath. The weapon stopped in a hovering position in front of the fighter’s face. The blade pulsated as it spoke. “BJ is right, Sam. You need to withdraw your ticket. This is a fool’s fight.”

Shalee tapped her staff against the floor again. “Kael, you took the words right out of my mouth. There’s no glory in dying in a fight you cannot win. It’s stupidity.”

“Okay, okay. Hold up. First of all, Kael, I didn’t ask for your opinion. Second, there’s not much choice here. Even if I do quit and start the 22 fight requirement again, who says I won’t land the Beast vs. Man battle the next series of moments we return? What are we going to do, quit again and again until we draw the fight we want? I have no desire to keep killing.”

Yet again, Shalee tapped the butt end of her staff on the floor as she pondered. Eventually, she came up with a plan. “You know what? Why don’t you go on up and take your position when the bell sounds? I got everything under control. Don’t you worry about a thing.” Shalee and Helga left the room.

BJ looked at Sam. “I wonder what she’s up to?”

“I have a sneaking suspicion,” Sam replied. “But it’s Shalee we’re talking about. So who knows what goes through that woman’s mind?”





It was night when Sam entered through the gate on his side of the arena. All the pools scattered about the floor had been lit and illuminated the battlefield. To his surprise, the sandy surface was empty, and there were no visible opponents. Curious, he walked further out to get a better look at his surroundings.

When Sam spotted Shalee, she was sitting in Farogwain’s personal booth. The serpent was coiled against the far corner, away from the sorceress. It was evident the reptile wanted to avoid further confrontation.

Sam shook his head in amazement. As he looked below Farogwain’s booth, he saw two rows of criminals. The rows consisted of two giant cats, a Minotaur, one wolf, and the rest were human. They were all standing beneath the headmaster’s box, bound to the wall in chains. Sam thought to himself, Damn, she really cleaned house. There’s nobody to fight. So, where’s the bear?

Helga entered the serpent’s booth. She had a dagger in her hand and handed it to Shalee.

Shalee spun the knife around in her palm and then tossed the blade down to the arena floor. The dagger stuck in the sand, not far from Sam’s foot.

Shalee shouted, “You go on ahead and fight your little fight! I got everything under control!” She pointed down at the criminals. “They won’t be bothering you!”

As Sam grabbed the knife, the growl of the bear filled the air as the gate on the opposing side of the arena opened.

Surprised, the kodiak-looking beast quickly adjusted to the emptiness of the battlefield. He turned and looked above his gate toward a larger group of bears who sat growling at their champion. It did not take long before the beast realized he only had one enemy to kill. The bear turned and charged.

Sam secured his footing. He gripped the knife in his right hand and waited for the bear to close the distance.

The beast’s heavy paws thumped against the sandy surface as the people of Empire filled the stadium with their cheers. As the bear drew near, it stopped running and rose up. His mouth opened wide and a powerful roar covered the screams of the fans.

Sam did not wait for the beast to lower onto all fours. Instead, he dove into a roll. As he exited, he stabbed the bear’s right, rear paw, then ripped the knife free and began running to the far side of the arena.

Limping, the bear gave chase. As Sam passed one of the pools, he spotted a heavy chain meant to harness one of the criminals. He grabbed it and with all his god-given strength, ripped the chain free from the block it was secured to and spun the linked weapon around in his hand.

Again, the bear stopped and lifted up as the chain whipped around in front of him.

Sam gathered the chain into a ball and tossed it skyward. As the bear watched the weapon arch over its head, Sam removed the dagger from his mouth and dove into another roll. He stabbed the bear’s left, rear paw, yanked the knife free and ran again.

Passing a second pool, Sam ripped another chain free. He tossed the majority of the links into the fiery oil which filled the pool and then waited for the bear to limp his way back into battle. Once the animal was close, Sam pulled the chain free in a slinging motion and ensured the weapon landed across the beast’s back.

As the bear rose up to free himself of the irritation, Sam pulled the chain free, and moved to the far side of the pool. As he passed the corner, he made sure the heavy links also passed through the oil, reigniting the fire.

As he waited for the bear to follow, he laid the chain onto the floor of the arena, parallel with the edge of the pool. He hoped to use the fire as a natural barrier and also hoped the bear would take the bait—placing himself between the pool and the fire covering the chain to draw the beast in.

As the animal closed in, Sam jumped to the opposite side of the flaming barrier and threatened to stab the bear in its flank.

The beast rose to defend itself.

Seizing the opportunity, Sam jumped toward the bear, planted both feet on the center of its exposed chest and kicked. The heavy-coated animal fell backward into the pool and was engulfed in flames.

Sam came down hard. He landed across the hot links on the same side where he had injured his ribs only Peaks earlier. Despite the cracking sound beneath his sizzling skin, he forced himself to roll off the chain, suffering additional burns to his back, stomach and opposite side.

The crowd of the arena erupted as Sam stood. Holding his side, he stumbled over to BJ who waited above the gate he had entered. BJ tossed the fighter a pouch filled with Soresym’s essence.

Sam did not drink right away. Instead, he poured some in the palm of his hand, splashed it against his burns and watched the redness begin to fade. After taking two large swigs, he tossed the pouch back to BJ and exited the arena.

With Sam clear of the fighting surface, Shalee turned and took a few steps toward the arena headmaster and addressed the snake. “Well ... it appears that settles it, doesn’t it Farogwain? Sam is your champion. I’m sure you don’t wish to dispute the result of the battle.”

The fear consumed Farogwain’s face as the serpent simply nodded.

“Wonderful.” Shalee grabbed Helga’s arm and just before she left the headmaster’s box, she called back over her shoulder, “I was hoping you wouldn’t agree. I really needed a new pair of shoes. Oh, well.”

The snake cringed at the thought.





Sam went to the arena the next Peak to collect his winnings, but before he could leave, BJ ran up and stopped him. “Someone of great importance is here. No one is allowed to leave until this person speaks. They have posted guards at every exit.”

“Who is it?” Sam snapped. “I have a headache and my ribs still hurt. The pain in my head has been getting worse all Peak. I want to go back to the inn and drink the rest of what Soresym gave me.”

“ You’ll have to wait. They’re not telling anyone who it is, but when someone is given this kind of privilege, it’s usually a member of the Royal Family.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Whoever it is ... he puts on his pants just like you and I do. I’m not in the mood for dealing with some pompous jerk who wants to throw his weight around.”

A male voice from behind Sam spoke. “Pompous, he says. I heard you were a strong man, but I would not have imagined that you viewed royalty with such disregard.”

Sam turned to look. The figure was well-dressed, and he clearly heard everything he had said.

BJ knew who was speaking. The trainer backed against a wall, and dropped to one knee.

Sam did not care in the least and turned to defend his position. “It’s not that I view royalty with disregard, I’m not in the mood to kiss someone’s ass. I have a headache. I feel sick, and all I want right now is to get some sleep. Who are you anyway?”

BJ shouted to get Sam’s attention. “Sam, shut up! The man you’re talking to is Prince Aaron. He’s the king’s son.”

Sam whirled around. “So what! Like I said, he puts his pants on like you and I do, unless you know of some royal secret I don’t.”

The prince laughed, “Sam, Sam, my good man. You’re clearly out of sorts. I’m glad I came and not my father. He would’ve had you beaten for your words. I, on the other hand, would like to think that I understand the peoples’ frustrations. Perhaps we could have a respectful conversation. I have come a long way to see you, and I would appreciate your company.”

Sam studied the royal figure. Prince Aaron had sandy-blond hair, blue eyes, and although his frame was not a fighter’s frame, he was fit. His black robe was trimmed in gold. Embroidered at the center of his black cape, also trimmed in gold, was a shield of the same color, and at the center of this shield sat a scale, the crest of Brandor.

Aaron ordered the healer to fetch something for Sam’s headache. “Perhaps when the healers return, we could walk.”

Sam took a deep breath. “Sure, no problem. I’ll talk, but I need to piss first.”

While Sam was gone, BJ made an attempt at damage control. “I’m sorry, Your Grace. He’s hurting. His last few fights have been brutal.”

The prince assured the trainer it was unnecessary to apologize, but this did not make BJ feel better. “Everyone is allowed a bad Peak every now and then. Duke Barthom Brandor has assured me that Sam is a true gentleman. Our conversation will be pleasant.”

When Sam returned, he followed the prince through the cobblestone streets of the town. The prince’s personal guard cleared the way as they went, barring people from stepping outside their doors. Aaron smiled as he watched the children poke their heads above the watering troughs as they passed.

“The duke spoke highly of your character, Sam. I heard about what you did for the Smith family in Haven. I can think of no other fighter who has given his winnings to the family of his fallen opponent. After hearing of this generosity, I spoke with my father. He, too, was impressed. He will be holding his tournament early this season since we may be going to war.

“With the way your reputation has spread, my father has decided to extend you an invitation. It seems you have turned the heads of the right people. The rumors of your skill have proven true. Since the Peak my father handed me your invitation, you’ve added two more victories to your name.

“The king’s tournament will start in 7 Peaks, and I would like you to return with me to Brandor. I don’t normally hand-deliver my father’s invitations, but I wanted to see what all the commotion was about.”

Sam was grateful for the invitation as he took it from Aaron’s hand. But his mind was elsewhere. “You said we may be going to war. Is this what all the wagon building is about? Are they not for harvesting? What can I do to help?”

“I can see why people like you, Sam. You’ve been extended the highest honor a fighter can be given, yet you’re more interested in what I’ve said about war. It’s refreshing to meet someone with an unselfish nature. Before I can answer your question about the wagons, I first need to acquire your word. You must swear to secrecy on this subject. Can I trust you, Sam?”

“Of course, you can trust me. I can keep my trap shut.”

The prince’s brow furrowed. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone speak as you. I find it entertaining.” The prince smiled, then his demeanor changed. “The wagons are for harvesting. The gods have promised there will be three bountiful harvests within a short period of Peaks. We need the wagons to get the harvests to the coastal cities.”

Sam cut in, “Is Mosley a part of this?”

Aaron gave Sam a look, unsure how to respond. “Why would you speak of Mosley?”

“You said the gods have promised a bountiful harvest. Since Mosley is a god, I assumed he would’ve been part of this conversation.”

“He was. How do you know Mosley?”

“Shalee and I were the first to talk with him after he became the God of War. He told me about Bassorine’s destruction. How’s the wolf doing, anyway? Has he been back to see you since the gods gave you this information? I was hoping to speak with him.”

The prince took Sam by the arm and led him into a potter’s shop. He ordered his guards to clear the area. Once this was done, he spoke. “Mosley is the true reason why I’m here. The wolf was the one who told me of the gift you gave to the Smith family.”

Sam nodded. “I figured something was up. Why else would you blurt out that we might be going to war?”

The prince grinned. “Whom have you told Bassorine is dead?”

“Not one soul. Other than myself, only Shalee, BJ, and Helga know. I understand the importance of keeping information like this quiet.”

“You’ve done well, Sam. We’ll continue our conversation in Brandor.” The prince reached into his robe, produced a pouch and tossed it to Sam.

As the fighter caught it, he heard a loud, clinking sound.

“There are 25 Jervaise in that pouch. If my accounting is correct, this will equal what you would have won over 10 victories in the arena. This is your reward for being so gracious to the Smith family. It’s also meant to give you the means to come to Brandor and find a home. I think it would be wise for you to leave with me in the morning.”

Sam was unsure how to react, so he tossed the bag in the air and caught it. “I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” He watched as the prince extended his hand. Sam thought to himself, There is no way I’m going to kiss that.

The fighter took the prince’s wrist, turned it over to expose his palm and then shook it. He followed this up by saying, “I am not from your world. Where I’m from, we show respect in different ways. I have much to tell you, but for now, I’ll ask you to be patient with my ignorance of your customs.”

The prince was shocked, but after a moment, he secured Sam’s hand and allowed his arm to be moved up and down.

Sam encouraged, “I hope this will be the start of a great friendship.”

“I hope so too, Sam. I look forward to the explanation of your customs. I didn’t realize gestures on the other worlds were so different.”

“ I’m not from your worlds. As I said, I have much to tell you. See you in the morning.”

“Agreed,” Aaron replied. With that, the prince walked out of the store, escorted by his guards.





When Sam arrived back at the inn, BJ, Helga, and Shalee were waiting for him at the bar. BJ was a wreck, worrying that Sam would say something to upset the prince. The women were trying to calm BJ since his ranting was getting loud.

Sam walked in behind them just as BJ said, “...then, with the prince standing right there, the todlum said, ‘He puts his pants on just like you and I do!’ And, if that wasn’t bad enough, he questioned, right in front of the prince, whether or not I knew if there was a royal secret to putting pants on. I was so embarrassed! I wanted to sink into the ground. So much for getting an invitation from the king. I’m sure everything has been blown to garesh.”

Sam smiled. He tossed the bag of coins over BJ’s shoulder and watched everyone jump as it thumped against the bar. “Don’t make such a fuss, old man.”

BJ shouted, “Don’t make a fuss? How could I not? You messed everything up! You’re a todlum!”

“What on Earth?” Shalee questioned. “What the heck is a todlum, BJ? You’re not making sense.”

Helga responded, “A todlum is someone who is thick in the head, Child.”

“Oh shoot ... in Texas we called todlums, numskulls.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Well, I may be a todlum, but we did much better than just being invited to the king’s tournament. Look in the bag, you old grouch!”

Once BJ saw what was inside, he clenched the bag and whispered. “This is a substantial amount of coin. Where did you get it?”

“The prince, of course. I sold him a new secret about how to put his pants on. You should have seen his face. He was so impressed. His eyes got really wide, and his mouth started to water. He was so thankful. To show his appreciation, he pulled out a bunch of coins, threw them in a bag and then tossed it to me. He even invited us to his father’s tournament in Brandor, which I had to turn down because the secret wasn’t worth that much. Apparently, his father’s tournament is being held early this season since there is an upcoming war.”

BJ growled. “That’s absurd! Why would a member of the royal house give you this much coin? Why would the prince pay you to fight in his father’s tournament? And why would you turn him down?”

Sam looked at BJ and whispered, “Have you ever heard of keeping quiet so the whole world doesn’t know we’ve got this kind of coin on our person? Let’s go up to the room and talk.”

Once they were in the room, Sam explained how the coin was a reward for his generosity to Brandon’s widow. “We’re supposed to meet the prince in the morning to go to Brandor.”

BJ responded, “So we’re leaving, and we’ll be meeting the king? What should we wear? I don’t have my best clothes with me ... or my armor.”

Sam looked at Shalee. “Looks like someone’s star-struck.”

Shalee laughed. “Maybe they have room on this world to start a celebrity magazine. I betcha BJ would be tickled pink.”

“What are you two talking about, Child?”

“Oh, nothing worth explaining. Pay us no never mind.”

“I’m not going to visit the king looking like a beggar,” BJ announced. “I’m going to buy some new clothes. You should do the same.”

Shalee walked over to Sam and nestled into him, speaking in her cutest voice. “Baby, don’t you want to take your loving, sweet, wonderful, sexy, kind, generous, perfect, sublime, little magic-user shopping? Don’t you want to spoil me? I’ll make it worth your while.”

Sam rolled his eyes at BJ. “See what you’ve started, old man? Let me have the coin, and I’ll buy us all something.”





The Next Evening

Sam and Shalee’s Bedroom Chamber

The Castle of Brandor





“I’m sick of all this royal crap,” Sam grumbled. “Ever since we’ve arrived in Brandor, I’ve bowed far more than I care to.

“ I’m telling you right now, I’m not going to kiss his father’s butt tomorrow when we meet him. If the king can’t have a normal conversation, then screw him.”

He turned to face Shalee. “I had the world in the palm of my hand on Earth, and I didn’t need to kiss anyone’s ass to make it happen. I just know I’m going to have to suck it up tomorrow to get anything accomplished. This place pisses me off.”

Sam pulled Kael from his sheath and poked the tip of the blade into the wooden footboard at the end of the bed. “I know I should be more patient, but I’ve killed so many people since we’ve arrived, and for what? It was all to get here, and now that we are, I’m about to lose my mind. We don’t know if this guy will even listen to us.”

Sam stormed across the room and looked out the window. The torches above the arena were glowing in the distance. “How am I going to make a king believe I’m here to create an empire to set an example for the worlds to follow? He’ll see me as a threat or even a traitor. I need a vacation.”

Shalee could only smile at Sam’s outburst. “Would you relax? Maybe you don’t have to kiss his butt after all. Just be bold.”

The sorceress took Kael out of Sam’s hand. Seeing the damage the blade had caused to the bed, she commanded Precious to fix the marks that had been cut into the wood and then returned the blade to its sheath. “You know I’ve got your back, Sam.”

“So what would you have me do?”

“For heaven’s sake, show them your strength. Just shake the guy’s hand like you did Aaron’s and see how it goes. I know you don’t like politics. Use the fact we’re not from here to cut through the red tape. If that doesn’t work, just piss him off.” She tapped the butt end of Precious on the floor. “I’ll take care of everything else. I’ll do it all nice and tidy-like. When I’m done, we’ll have the king’s attention. His ears will open up. After all, we’ve been sent here by the gods. Let’s act like it. Let’s take charge.”

Sam looked back out the window. They had been given a room near the prince, and from this part of the castle, the city stretched as far as he could see. The architecture was different than that of West Utopia. Brandor reminded Sam of Camelot with a dash of Roman influence.

Although this city was built with attention to detail, he liked the architecture of West Utopia better. The Romanesque style of that city felt like it had more class.

Sam could not understand why the king would allow his realm to have so many different forms of architecture. If he was king, there would be consistency to the grand design. He thought, This hodgepodge of styles is something that should bother Shalee, not me. She’s the architect.

After a moment, Sam turned from the window. “Exactly how would you have my back? I can only assume you’re referring to your magic. Give me an idea of what you’re talking about. I need some news that will make me feel better right now.”

“I can do more than that,” Shalee responded as she scanned the room. In one of the corners of their suite, she saw a potted plant containing loose gravel. She grabbed it, ripped it out, handed the pot to Sam and then moved to the far side of the room. “I want you to take a handful of that gravel and throw it at me as hard as you can.”

“I can’t do that. I’d hurt you.”

“Don’t be so sure. I wouldn’t tell you to do something unless I knew I was going to be okay. Throw it, you big sissy.”

“Are you sure?” Sam said with a look of uncertainty.

“Just throw it, and I’ll make it worth your while.” She licked her lips to emphasize her point.

Sam grinned as he grabbed a handful. He reached back and threw it.

The sorceress had already lifted Precious and was speaking her command. The pebbles stopped in front of her face and stayed suspended. She walked around them, methodically circling the floating stones while she plucked a few from the air. She turned to face her lover and then flicked one at him.

Sam dodged as he watched the pebble fly past his face.

Grinning, Shalee emptied the remaining pebbles in her hand into Sam’s palm and then passed her hand seductively across his chest as she headed toward the bed. “Be a darling, and put the rest of them back for me. I’ll be waiting.”

After passing through the door of the washroom, she poked her head around the corner while she changed. Her voice was seductive. “Hurry, Sammy-kins.”

Sam turned back to face the floating rocks. With haste, he gathered them up and threw them into the pot. He thought, That woman’s a tiger.





The next morning, after Early Bailem, Prince Aaron guided Sam and the rest of the group into the king’s throne room. As they entered, everyone was told to bow. They did as instructed, kneeling on one knee as they waited for the king to enter.

It was a long wait, which angered Sam. He was tired of royal protocols wasting his moments. Bow here, bow there, bow, bow, bow, and bow again was the only thing they seemed to do in this city.

Aaron had sent one of his slaves to inform the king that they had arrived, but somehow this news did not seem to create urgency on his father’s part. After being on their knees for what felt like forever, the king finally entered. They lowered their heads and waited for the signal to lift them.

The king was a handsome man with long, dark hair that complemented his brown eyes. He also had the body of a fighter and looked nothing like his son. His wife had been a handmaiden whom he married after donning the crown of Brandor many seasons ago. His decision to marry a commoner was not well received, but over the seasons, she became loved by all. It was her fair complexion that colored their son’s. She died not long after giving birth, and the king never remarried because his heart would not mend.

“Stand, fighter,” the king commanded. “Let’s have a look at what the commotion is about.” The king waited patiently for his order to be carried out. “I must admit, you have a presence about you.” The king motioned for the rest of the group to stand, “I welcome you to Brandor.”

The group did as instructed without saying a word.

Sam, however, stopped the king’s party in full stride. He was not about to spend all Peak on meaningless formalities. “Look,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I’m sure we can spend our moments greeting one another. I would even bet that under different circumstances it’s fun and has its place, but can we skip to the part where we get something accomplished? I have information you need to know. The quicker we get going, the sooner we can win a war.”

As Sam was speaking, BJ was squirming. He knew this was not the way things should be done, and he expected the king to explode.

Although she did not show it, Shalee was more than ready to back Sam up. As agreed the night before, they were not about to be brushed off. She was holding Precious, and she was ready to make an impression.

The fighter walked up the steps toward the king’s throne and stuck out his hand.

The affront caught Keldwin off guard. He was unsure how to respond and looked to his son for guidance as the guards took a readied stance.

“I told you his mannerisms were strange, Father. During our flight to home, he made the most interesting claims. He said he’s not from this world, and he’s been brought here by the gods to create an empire. He further claims that they’re expected to be an example to all the worlds.”

Aaron paused for only a moment, then continued. “Father ... I hesitate to say this, but they were involved in the disappearance of the Crystal Moon.”

The king moved behind his throne. He did not care for what he heard, especially the part about Sam and Shalee creating their own empire. “So you’re the ones responsible for taking the Crystal Moon!” the king shouted. “Do you know what this has done to the fate of our worlds? You have—”

Sam ruined Keldwin’s momentum and interrupted with a voice loud enough to cover the king’s. “Keep your royal pants on, Keldwin! Put your listening ears on, and pay attention! No one said we’re responsible! Aaron said we were involved! I knew this was going to be a waste of my moments. If this is all you managed to comprehend of your son’s words, I’m disgusted! I would never serve a king with your apparent weakness!”

BJ was about to die. He knew what was coming next. Sam would be hung before sunrise. For that matter, they would all be hung. Even the prince was fidgeting.

The king was astounded. Sam’s lack of respect was inexcusable. “Guards! Seize them! Take them to the dungeon!”

This was Shalee’s cue to take action. She jumped to her feet and yelled, “Precious, illuvu sol!” Almost everything in the room froze. The only beings who could move were the king, Sam, and herself.

Keldwin looked at his guards before turning his head toward Shalee. He unsheathed his sword and took a step toward her.

In turn, Sam retrieved Kael from his hip, pointed the blade at the king and yelled, “Val arna, nuar!” The blade burst into flames. “Not so fast! I don’t think you want to go there!”

Shalee watched the leader of Brandor take a few steps back to avoid the intense heat of the god-sword. As he did, the king lowered his weapon.

Seeing everything was under control, Shalee began to saunter through the frozen figures that were scattered about the room. She touched the guards on their shoulders as she passed. “My King,” she sighed, “You’re being hasty. It seems you’ve let your crown boggle that head of yours.” She turned to glare at the monarch. “You’re not listening. If you’ll pay attention … right now … I’m calling you, My King.”

Shalee passed her right hand across the blades of Keldwin’s frozen soldiers as she continued to speak. “Your men keep their weapons sharp. You must be proud of your army. I would ask that you open your mind and realize your ways aren’t our ways. We’re not from your world. We won’t be bullied, nor will we spend our moments on senseless traditions.”

The sorceress continued up the stairs leading to the throne and walked behind Keldwin. She rubbed her hand across the nape of his neck and could feel him tremble. “Where we’re from, we treat folks the way we want to be treated. You should give us the respect we deserve, My King, and we’ll get along just fine.”

Shalee floated back down the stairs and removed the weapons from the guards’ hands. “We have no intention of bowing again until you speak with us as equals. You’ll treat us with respect ... as friends. Once you’ve done this, you’ll have our loyalty, and we’ll adopt your customs. We’ll conform to your silly illusion of respect. People don’t respect you because they bow to you, Keldwin. I would imagine your people bow because they fear your crown.”

The sorceress placed the swords at the king’s feet and then backed up as she continued to grandstand. “I watched as you hid behind your throne. This is a sign of weakness, and I don’t respect a weak man. I would only respect a king who has the nerve to get something accomplished. I respect a man like Sam. You need a man like Sam helping you, Keldwin. I won’t stand here and allow you to make a mockery of him. You haven’t earned the right to command us to do anything ... yet. If you want us to bow, I suggest you stop this foolishness before I become angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

Shalee moved back up the stairs and removed the king’s sword from his hand. She turned it around and tapped the blade against his chest. “You don’t wish to see me angry, do you, Keldwin?”

The king shook his head.

The sorceress continued. “We have been brought here by the gods, and we have no intention of leaving until we find a way to save the worlds. I think we should work together.”

Sam could not wipe the smile off his face as he commanded his sword to go cold and sheathed Kael. He loved this side of Shalee.

The sorceress stood on her toes and placed her chin on the king’s shoulder. “I want you to find a spot for Sam in your army … and it better be an important position. Consider this a non-negotiable request. I’m sure you understand what ‘non-negotiable’ means. My position won’t change on this matter.”

The sorceress walked out from behind Keldwin and lowered the king’s sword to the floor with the others. Before descending the steps to rejoin Sam, she brushed her hand across Keldwin’s face. “Do we have an understanding, Keldwin? If we don’t, speak now. I can always use much stronger magic than you’ve witnessed.”

Keldwin felt disheartened as he lowered onto his throne. He took the moments necessary to think. After a short while, he responded. “Is anyone hungry … or is it just me?”

Sam laughed and then ascended the steps to grab Keldwin’s hand. Pulling the king to his feet, he put his arm around the monarch’s shoulders. “Now, that’s the best thing I’ve heard all Peak. Do you have pancakes?”

Sam and the king were about to leave the room when Shalee commented. “My King, no one will remember the events of this Peak, and we will now adopt your customs. Thank you for listening, Sire.”

The king forced a slight smile. “It appears I was being hasty. We have much to talk about over breakfast.”

Sam and the king turned to walk through the doors.

After they were gone, Shalee moved across the room and released her magic.

As the guards reanimated, they were confused by the absence of Sam and the king. They exchanged glances between their empty hands and the pile of swords in front of the king’s throne.

Shalee giggled as Helga winked. The younger sorceress lifted her arm and pretended to give her friend a high-five before turning to leave the room.

Helga looked at BJ and grinned with a hint of mischief. “I may not be able to teach her how to command her power any longer, but I can still teach her how to be a vixen with it. I guess all went as planned.”

BJ’s brow furrowed as a hundred questions filled his eyes. “What are you talking about? What’s a vixen? Did Shalee teach you that word?”

Helga licked her lips. “She did. Just wait until I teach you the phrase, ‘Who’s your daddy?’”

Taking him by the hand, Helga led BJ and the confused prince out of the throne room to find the king.





SAM, Shalee, BJ, Helga, and the prince spent the rest of the day with Keldwin. All parties enjoyed getting to know one another. They shared information that needed to be exchanged. And now, with Late Bailem approaching, the king is about to give an address, announcing the details of his upcoming tournament.





DOUBLE D is still traveling to the city of Brandor. He is now only 3 Peaks of Bailem from the city gates.





GEORGE, Maldwin, and Amar are due to arrive in Lethwitch tomorrow and have decided to stop for a night’s rest. They will sleep at an inn located inside the gates of the city of Champions, not far from the landing platform.





KEPLER is on his way to Gessler Village. His trip has been uneventful. When he reached the northern part of the Dark Forest, he asked Hestin, an asordian sparrow, to deliver a message to his brothers. He wants the cats to be at Gessler landing platform when he arrives.





THE GENERAL ABSOLUTE, Justin Graywind, is with the army’s high-ranking officers. He is being briefed on the field reports so that he can create new orders. As expected, the wagons are being built in an orderly fashion. Each populated area will have more than 70 new harvest wagons within the next 17 Peaks. The carpenters and engineers are working with the king’s army through the nights.

The general knows they only have another 20 Peaks of Bailem before the harvest. He orders his officers to disperse throughout Southern Grayham to ensure that all men, no matter what their occupation, are helping in the process. He also follows up on the progress of the construction of harvest barns, and he has given his officers enough coin to hire 400 men to build these barns. After a few more orders are given, he closes the meeting and makes haste to join the king at his dining table.





CELESTRIA is still living with the elven witch family. She has now taken up walking to avoid them as much as possible.





LASIDIOUS has been on the world of Luvelles. Five nights ago, he felt Shalee’s power from afar. He excused himself from another long conversation with the Source and went to see what was happening.

Lasidious had put a warning spell on Shalee the day he brought her to the Temple of the Gods. He had also secretly listened in on a conversation between Bassorine and the Book of Immortality inside the Hall of Judgment. The late God of War told the Book that Shalee was unique, and that she would eventually grow to command great power. This news prompted Lasidious to put the warning on Shalee.

Lasidious would never have dreamed that Shalee could become so powerful so quickly. Something more had to be behind her accelerated growth. Whatever the reason, he needed to find out why, or George would run into opposition that would affect their plans.

Lasidious was the one watching from the shadows near the town of Empire the night Shalee launched the tree into the air. The power it took to do this was substantial. The Mischievous One was now glad that he introduced George to Amar sooner than he had originally planned. He knew their relationship would need to be short-lived, because Shalee’s power would command Amar’s attention.

Lasidious would need to implement another stage of his plan immediately. He needed to appear to George. He hoped the Earthling’s hunger for power was strong enough to stomach what he would need to do.





MOSLEY watched from the hidden god world, Ancients Sovereign, and enjoyed every moment of what happened in the king’s throne room in Brandor. The wolf was impressed with how Shalee took control of the situation. Now the moments were ripe for an appearance during the king’s upcoming dinner. Mosley has urgent news to deliver to Keldwin.

Thank you for reading this edition of the Grayham Inquirer