“What do you have to report to me, Lord Eastwei?”

The command came from the king on his high throne as he stared down at Eastwei. The council room was empty but for His Majesty, the fire lord, Prince Yushir, and the ever-snoopy Lord Pampir.

“Ill tidings from the land realm, Your Majesty,” Eastwei answered as he reached into his sleeve and drew out the dirty handkerchief he had used to clean Anna’s face. He held it up and revealed the black blotches that covered the cloth. “This is all that remains of a creature that attacked one of the villages, and myself as well.”

The two men standing around him stiffened and the king leaned forward. “Do you mean to say that another village has been attacked?”

Eastwei nodded. “I do. A village in the boar clan lands met the same fate as the others. I could find no survivors.”

“But you saw the creature that killed them all?” Pampir questioned him.

“The ‘creature’ was a monstrous plant,” Eastwei answered.

Yushir took the cloth from him and studied the ugly stains. “A plant that bleeds black blood?”

Eastwei inclined his head. “The creature’s entire body was black down to its core.”

“What happened to this creature?” His Majesty inquired.

“I severed its limbs and burned its core. It attempted to regroup from its own blood but when I attempted to grab hold of its frail body a mere touch of my fingers shriveled it to dust. Even its blood vanished.”

A heavy shadow lay on the king’s brow as he slumped in his seat. “I see. Did you witness this thing attacking the village?”

“No. The village was already a grave.”

Pampir paced the floor in front of Eastwei and cupped his chin in one hand. “This is most distressing! Most distressing indeed! How such a creature could come to exist so suddenly is very much cause for concern! Goodness knows how many may be lurking out there!”

“Not enough to have swallowed the whole of the land realms,” Yushir spoke up as he held up the handkerchief to His Majesty. “If I may, I would like for Lord Leiren to have a look at this liquid. Being of the land, he may be able to decipher its origins.”

His Majesty nodded. “I permit you to take it to Lord Leiren, but I would not have you go alone on such an important journey.”

Yushir partially turned to Eastwei and smiled at him. “I doubt that will be the case.”

Eastwei inclined his head toward the king. “I will accompany him on this journey.”

The king nodded before he rose to his feet, leading his two subordinates to stand at attention. “Then I leave this mystery to you. I pray you will solve it swiftly.” He strode from the room, his brow a mess of deep worry.

Yushir spun around and smiled at Eastwei. “I hope your sword does not gain more practice on this little jaunt.”

“Would you care for even more company, Your Highness?” Pampir spoke up as he scurried up to them. “More company would mean more eyes.”

“And more people to be noticed,” Yushir countered as he smiled and bowed his head to the lord. “I appreciate your offer, but we would be swifter and quieter alone.”

Pampir stuck his lower lip out in a pout before he turned to Eastwei. “My Emperor, perhaps you might convince Prince Yushir to accept me as a companion.”

“The prince’s reasoning is sound,” was all the reply Eastwei gave him before the former emperor turned and strolled from the room.

Yushir’s eyes twinkled as he slipped after his friend, leaving Pampir alone in the council room. The busybody crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at the floor. “I would be just as useful as anyone else on this endeavor. Why do they not take me along?” His eyes lit up and a smile stretched across his face. “Yes! I will do just that!” He hurried out of the building with a purpose in his step.

The two traveling companions walked down the street with Yushir examining the handkerchief in one hand. “I must admit the nosy lord has a point. That such a creature should exist so suddenly spells a bigger trouble than we may be able to comprehend with the little information we have on hand.”

“It may,” Eastwei replied as he stared ahead.

“What I would like to know is why no such creature was discovered at the other villages,” Yushir pointed as he held aloft the blackened handkerchief. “Surely some evidence of its existence would have been found, or that it would have attacked those who discovered the villages.” His companion didn’t deign to reply. Yushir studied him for a moment until they reached a crossroads. He lifted an eyebrow and turned his head to the left as they walked through the intersection. “The quickest way to the gate is behind us.”

“I have something to do before we leave.”

The prince’s curiosity was piqued and he hurriedly tucked the handkerchief into his pocket. “Do you? Pray tell, may I know the matter that would keep us from beginning the trek to Lord Leiren’s abode?” Eastwei didn’t reply. Yushir shrugged. “Very well. I will have to guess until the truth is revealed.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

They continued onward to Eastwei’s palace where the pair strolled down the central hall. Eastwei cast his gaze to the end and frowned when he found the area empty. He stopped them at the base of the platform and looked about.

Yushir did the same. “Are you missing something? Perhaps I may be able to help if you tell me what it is.”

Eastwei didn’t deign to reply but instead turned at the sound of scurrying feet. Yushir did the same and the two looked down the hall. Puren hurried toward them with his arms filled with small boxes. The stack was so high he could barely see over them. The servant stumbled as he reached them and Yushir caught the poor man and the mountain of containers.

In such close, proximity, a pungent odor of grilled meat wafted into Yushir’s nose. “Have you heard about our travel so soon?” the prince wondered as he righted the servant.

Puren looked around the pile and blinked at him. “Travel, Your Highness?”

Yushir nodded at the food boxes. “Surely those are for us. Who else could they be-” Something small and soft rubbed against his leg. He dropped his sights to the floor where a luscious silver cat slithered between his legs. “What do we have here? Someone’s lost pet?”

Eastwei knelt and used a few fingers to beckon to the feline. The cat trotted over and gladly allowed him to scoop her into one arm.

Yushir’s mouth dropped open as he watched the great fire lord and former emperor of all scratch a cat behind the ears. The feline leaned into the petting and loudly purred.

Yushir shook off his shock and cleared his throat. “Lord Eastwei, do you know this creature?”

“I discovered her in the land realm,” Eastwei revealed as a faint smile ghosted across his lips.

The prince lifted an eyebrow. “The land realm? Where you discovered the creature?”

Eastwei lifted his gaze to Yushir and there was a great heated displeasure in their depths. “Yes, but she had nothing to do with them.”

“My Lord, Your Highness, if I might interrupt you,” Puren pleaded as he sank beneath the weight of the boxes. “These are all food items provided by Lady Fann. Where would you like me to store them?”

“In one of the empty bedrooms for the present,” Eastwei commanded him. Puren was only too glad to nod and scurry through one of the doorways that turned off the main corridor.

Yushir paced the floor in front of Eastwei and examined the cat and her captive audience. “What do you know about this cat?”

“That she saved my life,” Eastwei replied as he stroked her back. She cuddled in his arm and rubbed her cheek against his sleeve.

The prince paused and cocked his head to one side. “Did she? You did not mention such an event to His Majesty.”

“There was no need,” he replied as he lifted one of her bandaged legs. “I survived and I brought the cat here to recuperate.”

A mischief thought struck the prince who slyly smiled at his old friend. “Do you intend to bring her along with us?” The cat’s ears perked up and she lifted her gaze to Eastwei’s face.

A faint frown creased the former emperor’s lips as he lay her leg down on his arm. “No. She is in no condition to travel. She will have to remain here. I merely wished to release the magical bonds I had imposed on her.”

Puren scurried out of the bedroom and bowed low to his master. “If you will pardon my speaking, My Lord, but the cat sought to move so strenuously that I thought it better to remove the bindings and take her with me to the kitchen.”

“A good idea,” Eastwei commented.

The compliment was enough for Yushir to give Puren a look of surprise. The servant, too, appeared somewhat startled by the applause from his master. A sly smile reappeared on Yushir’s lips as he strolled around his old friend. “You appear to have taken quite an interest in that animal. Might I even say you show affection toward the creature?”

Eastwei leaned over and set the cat on the ground. The feline sat and coiled its tale around its paws before it adorably mewed up at him. Eastwei stared down at the animal for a moment before he faced the end of the hall and clasped one arm over his front. “We had better be on our way.” He didn’t wait for a reply but strode off down the hall.

The cat let out a piteous meow but the ancient lord didn’t break his stride. Yushir did notice that the hand that hung at the lord’s side twitched slightly.

“Will you be gone long, Your Highness?” Puren spoke up.

The prince turned to the servant and smiled. “Hardly. We only travel to the land realm and should be back within a day. Have fresh tea ready for us on the morrow’s afternoon.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Puren replied as he bowed low to the royalty.

Yushir hurried after his companion with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and that teasing smile on his lips.