The phoenix flies over the walls heading towards distant horizons, and soon is joined by dozens of carrier pigeons, forming a flock where the creatures are shielded by the protection granted by the plurality.

Those people too impatient to settle for sending missives with birds, hired the services of wizards, specifically the Telepathy and Clairvoyance Center. During the invasion, the dark elves obstructed these methods of communication with noxious magic, but once the conflict was over, the ether channels were once again open although somewhat congested, leading the telepaths to further reduce their already meager range of content. Instead of ten words, they transmitted five, each of less than four syllables.

The oracles of King Marc, the intelligence agency of the Stoicus kingdom, had to make an extra effort to decipher and study each telepathic emission, all in order to detect possible traitors or messages harmful to humanity. After the dark elves overcame, at least temporarily, the natural and absolute barrier of sunlight, caution and suspicion were at an all-time high.

For King Marc, the crown felt especially heavy that morning, hence he decided to take off that melting piece of 12 precious metals, and put it on the circular table that takes place in the center of the war room. The table has the map of the United Kingdoms carved on it, a territory that forms a great circle in the upper half of Aria, the main of the three great continents, its siblings being Celtia and Eularia.

The humanity belt, as it is colloquially known, has 13 key points, 13 kingdoms, twelve forming the outline of the circle, and one in the center: The Magic Kingdom. It was the wizard king who ended humanity's wars and unified them into a single faction, at least on Aria's continent. Though rather than perfect harmony, the united kingdoms exist because the fear that all the rulers feel towards the wizard king. If for some strange reason the sorcerer supreme disappears, humanity would most likely fall back into the spiral of violence and ambitions.

"Of course that's impossible..." Marc mutters with a bitter smile. "The wizard king can't die"

"Does anyone who disobeys death consider oneself a part of humanity?" A sweet voice interrupts from a corner whose shadows are more saturated than usual.

Marc frowns in a stern expression, annoyed at being surprised when he considered in privacy. Doesn't need to turn around, he recognizes who it is.

"Laikara... I imagine you bring more than vague gossip about love affairs between stable boys and maids"

Out of the shadows appears a woman with slanted green eyes, a shaven head, and dressed in a tight black robe, with a golden eye embroidered near the heart. The woman's smile is so subtle that she doesn't seem to have one.

"Not at all, your majesty, I bring you much dirtier and duller gossip, political whispers. I warn you that the queen has already sent her bird to sing"

Marc lets out a grunt, barely a few words, his eyes fixed on the map. Laikara continues speaking.

"If the queen's father finds out, the other kings will know too, and they will want to meet the new power factor in our world. And even if the queen's phoenix suffers a tragic accident, it becomes impossible to hide such an amazing phenomenon for long"

"You're talking about the crystal," Marc puts a hand to his beard and scratches it. The softness and scent of perfume bothers him. "Most probably the wizard king will order to destroy the Dungeon Core and thus maintain the balance"

"And you will obey, of course" Laikara says in a mocking voice.

Marc turns back to look her and raises the back, the almost two meters tall ruler makes the witch look much more slender and fragile. Still, Laikara does not hesitate to hold his gaze.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"I am not a real king and I don't have a king's ambitions. I am here on assignment and responsibility"

"But what about those who were born to rule? Wouldn't they want to keep a power capable of changing the outcome of a war?"

"You say the kings will want Arrax's research?"

"It wouldn't be the first time powerful people have tried to keep secrets out of the wizard king's eyes"

"That would be suicide, destruction"

Laikara shrugs her shoulders.

"Actually, how do we know if the wizard king still cares about us? Most likely he is one step away from transcendence and the true caretakers of our flimsy system is a masquerade of the old wizards"

"You speak as a traitor, Laikara"

"I speak the truth, Marc," Laikara says and stops smiling. "Like you, I am here for responsibility. We are children of the old sibling wars, no one wants to go back to that... At least not you, and not me"

"What do you advise?"

"Destroy the crystal, destroy Arrax's research, and destroy Arrax and his disciples"

Marc slams a fist on the table and makes it shudder.

"Paying with blood for the efforts of my subordinates? That's your plan?" Marc questions, baring and gritting his teeth.

"Is just a suggestion, your majesty"

Laikara says and steps back into the shadows, the only thing that stands out in the deep darkness are the woman's green eyes.

"At the end of the day, you carry the crown"

The oracle closes her eyes and disappears.

Marc is finally silent in solitude, crestfallen and pensive for several minutes, until someone knocks on the wooden door.

"Who calls at the door?"

"We are the captains, your majesty" Hilda says.

"Come in" Marc tries to soften his tone but can't, still irritated by the conversation with Laikara.

The door opens and the woman walks through, equipped with her armor, the same with Lynel and Claus. The three captains line up and kneel. Marc, seeing his knights carrying the weight of their duties, decides to reposition his crown and then gives the captains permission to raise their heads and stand. The king's gaze sweeps the group from left to right.

"Claus, I hear you fought with the same courage as always"

"Facing evil is always a pleasure for me, your majesty" replies the strongest man in the kingdom with a calm smile as he arranges his brown bangs, his messy hair usually sticking out of the golden helmet.

"Lynel, how does your new arm feel?"

"Better than the old one, your majesty!" Lynel exclaims, flexing the arm that was cut off during the invasion, now healthy and strong thanks to the clerics' healing magic.

"Hilda, how are the kingdom's repairs going?"

"Everyone is doing their best. In the poorer districts, a group of looters emerged, but the soldiers quickly imprisoned them. Regarding the invaders' corpses... I personally supervised that they were thrown back into the great rift to avoid undead plagues or diseases"

Hilda also clarifies that the great rift is clear, but she placed patrols to watch the border in case the elves think to attack again. Marc nods and congratulates all the captains, although his countenance looks a bit distant.

"Is something wrong, your majesty?" Hilda asks.

"You tell Claus and Lynel about what really happened?"

Hilda frowns and shakes her head.

"You forbade us to talk about it..."

"And well I did," says the king, letting out a sigh. "This whole situation could be more complicated than I imagined in the first place"

Claus and Lynel exchange glances. The mustached man raises a hand.

"Your Majesty, may I ask what you are talking about?"

"Sir Lynel, I suspect they are talking about the walls" Claus interrupts with his eyes closed.

Lynel shudders and nods repeatedly, getting excited again as he remembers what happened.

"A true miracle! The red priests who attended to my arm swore it was the Mithras' work. I believe them. Mithras is the divinity most akin to honorable warriors like us"

Hilda's lips curl into a grimace as she hears Lynel speak with such respect and illusion. King Marc frowns.

"Did I say something bad?" Lynel asks as he catches Hilda's displeased expression.

"The walls were not the work of any god, but of sorcery" says King Marc.

Lynel's eyes widen. Claus places a hand under his chin and begins to look more interested.

"Is there a wizard in the kingdom with enough power to do what we saw yesterday? I would like to meet a person of such level"

"Arrax" Hilda answers sharply, averting her gaze.

"Hilda, are you sure of what you are talking?" Lynel asks in disbelief. "I won't say that I belittle Sir Arrax's abilities, but what we saw yesterday is totally beyond his magic"

"Better see for yourselves" assures King Marc.

The ruler thinks that, perhaps with Lynel's opinion, and above all Claus', he can decide wisely what to do with the Dungeon Core before the rest of the kingdoms find out about the crystal and want to steal it, or worse, try to make their own.