**********
To see Monica in a festive mood was something new to me. She smiled and laughed a lot more than usual and I couldn’t help but wonder if that was her life before the shriekers came into it; before I came into it. I couldn’t help but blurt out a question that I wished I could take back.
“What made you join me?”
Her mood changed in an instant, as if a dark cloud had blocked out the sun.
“I wanted to help.”
“But why help those who are to blame for your brother’s death?”
“I don’t blame you, Leon. What happened was unfortunate but I know that you didn’t mean for it to happen – Are you alright?”
She seemed worried.
“I’m fine.”
“No you’re not. The veins on your forehead look like they are about to burst open. Tell me what’s bothering you.”
“It’s this crowd.”
We found a quite place to sit and I was grateful for it because all the loud noises and joyful heartbeats around us were giving me a headache. Tuning them out takes a lot of effort and that’s why my kind don’t do such things. At least not as frequent or as noisy as the other creatures of Kelor.
“Thank you,” I said to Monica once my headache had subsided.
“Why do you say it like I just saved your life? Was the noise really going to kill you?”
“You misunderstand,” I said with a light laugh. “I’m thanking you for coming with me on this errand; on trying to maintain peace and to solve the problem that I created.”
“You didn’t create this problem, Leon!”
“Yes I did. I came up with the idea of adding our young to the ranks. Many advisors warnded me that doing so would be a mistake but I didn’t listen.”
“Did they tell you about the risk of the young ones being blood-shot?”
“Yes they did.”
“And what solution did you propose?”
“I proposed that we…… Wait! How did you you know that I proposed a solution?”
It was Monica’s turn to laugh. “Because that is who you are. I haven’t been with you for a millenium but the few days that we’ve spent together is more than enough to show anyone your true character. You are a prince who cares not only for his kind but for all the creatures of Kelor.”
It was nice to hear such comforting words from one who had come to mean so much to me in a few days. However, I still couldn’t look at her. Cupping my face in her hands, she gently forced me to look at her.
“Leon, accidents happen. No matter how good our intentions or our plans, accidents will happen. Stop torturing yourself over them.”
“I’ll try not to.”
“I don’t want you to try, I want you to do it. You can’t enjoy life by constantly looking at a past that you couldn’t control. Focus on the here and now, and what you can do to make the future better.”
Her face drew closer to mine and I couldn’t tell if the deafening thumping was my heartbeat or hers.
“Promise?” she asked.
Did she say something, Leon?
“What?” I found it very hard to think with all this thumping going on.
“Promise me that you will do it and not try?”
“There they are!” The voice of that annoying little pup rang in my ears and I froze. Monica quickly let go of me and drew her beautiful face a great distance from my own.
Deven, we swear, we’ll make you pay for this. I thought.
Regaining my composure I asked, “Did the little pup get lost without a guide?”
“We came looking for a silly blood-hound, because A’el wants to meet us before the ceremony.”
When we arrived at the castle a peculiar woman caught my attention. She stood by the entrance wearing a hooded cloak. The moment we reached her, she tagged on my sleeve as she greeted me.
“Hello, Prince Leon Von Duke.”
The others stopped as well, once they heard her formal greeting.
“Go on, I’ll catch up.”
My friends kept on walking and once they were an earshot away I turned to the mage.
“Make it quick.”
She nodded and handed me a letter. After that, her body faded away revealing the sun setting beyond the edges of the mountain. Looking down I saw the only evidence of her existence, printed in the ground where her feet stood.
**********
Naisha made us wait for Leon a few paces away from the entrance. Once he joijned us, she led us through the Sky Castle, famously known for its glassy ceiling. It was also known for being a maze-like castle. Only the fairies who lived within it knew the passages like the back of their hands. No matter how many times Leon and I came here, we could never get to the banquet hall, the gardens or A’el’s study without Naisha’s help. Rumours had sprung up that the walls within the castle would move from time to time but A’el and Naisha always denied these claims. They would tell me that the castle’s walls and ceiling would play tricks on creatures and unless you were aware of it, you would be forever lost within the castle’s walls. I remember once, when we were younger, A’el asked me,
“Do you hear it?”
“I don’t hear anything.”
“That’s just it. No one can hear anything, not even the echo of your footsteps.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“It’s one of the defences that the castle has.”
“I don’t see how that is a good defence.”
“Imagine being lost and shouting for help but nobody can hear you, even though the sun is up and the sky is clear.”
“How come I can hear what you are saying, A’el?”
“Because we are close to each other. If I moved a few paces away from you, you would see me but not hear me. Wait right here.”
She walked about ten or eleven paces ahead of me. Turned round and began to speak. I could see her mouth moving but couldn’t hear a single word. It was like looking at a ghost. When I took a step towards her, she began to frantically wave her hands, telling me to stop. I didn’t see what the problem was and so I kept walking and in an instant, she disappeared from my sight. Panic gripped me and just as I was about to break into tears, the most amazing thing happened. A’el seemed to appear out of thin air, right in front of me and I could hear her again. She grabbed my shoulders and yelled at me.
“I told you not to move! Do you want to get lost in here?”
I decided to put on a brave face. “I knew you would find me.”
“Idiot! I couldn’t even see you! Mom would have killed me if anything happened to you. Next time, listen when I tell you not to do something.”
“You couldn’t see me? So the castle’s tricks also work on fairies?”
“Of course they do. All creatures are affected by it. My kind has a sixth sense that helps us get around but that doesn’t mean its easy to find one another. I prefer to play outside than in here, its too dangerous.”
After that incident I never saw this beautiful castle in the same way.
“This castle is beautiful,” Sif exclaimed.
“Even beauty can be dangerous,”I murmured.
“What?” Sif asked.
“The castle is a beautiful place but you can easily get lost in it.”
“You must be joking.”
Sometimes it is best to show someone what you mean rather than to say it, and so, I suggested we carry out a little experiment, the same one that A’el had done with me all those years ago. With Naisha’s help, we even went as far as making sure we disappeared from her sight and came back to her. She was obedient through out the entire event and when we were together again, Sif hadn’t lost her admiration for the Sky Castle. If anything, my little experiment seemed to have amplified her admiration for it.
When we arrived at the door to A’el’s study, Naisha knocked twice and opened the door without any confirmation from the other side. A’el was standing with her back to us, while she performed some elaborate magic spell. Symbols made of light of various sizes and colours floated around her.
“Is this how the new queen will be greeting her friends,” Leon asked.
“Give me a minute, friend. I’m almost done.”
With a wave of her hand the symbols clashed together and a crown appeared in their place. She reached out and held it, and gave a sigh of relief.
“Naisha! I did it!”
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“I’ve made my crown for the coronation. Well, to be specific, this is a mock crown. I’ll have to create the real thing this evening in front of everyone.”
“Well would you look at that,” Sif said. “A beautiful crown out of thin air.”
A’el turned to face us at the sound of the viking’s voice. She seemed surprised at first but when she saw Sif she seemed to be happy.
“Well would you look at that,” A’el said with a smile and with perfect mimicry of Sif’s accent. “New and old friends in one place at the same time. Great job, Naisha.”
“Actually,” said the handmaiden. “I found them together.”
A’el gave us a puzzled look, to which I replied, “Sif and her men saved us from the shriekers.”
“The what?”
I gave her a quick summary of the origin of the shriekers as well as everything that we faced on our way here.

Latest Chapter
Chapter 28
As the sun rose, Sif and the coalition army prepared to descend on the city. We sent a few scouts ahead but it didn’t take long for them to return.“We have a problem.”“What is it?” I asked.“A large group of shriekers are attacking the city.”“From which side?”“The eastern side.”“Well, there goes our element of surprise.” Sif said.“True. But we can still use this to our advantage. Sif, I want you to attack the shriekers from behind and support the werewolves.”“Wasn’t I supposed to be attacking the wolves’ army? Why am I helping them now?”
Chapter 27
As we travelled from the human capital back to my home, I noticed that Monica wasn’t well. I had asked her about it, but she simply waved it off as nothing, but as we went on, her health deteriorated. Two days away from the castle, we made camp by an oak tree.At noon I walked into her tent. Her breathing was heavy, and her skin was pale. The wound on her side had grown and dark veins spread from it to the rest of her body. She was slowly turning into the monsters we had fought against. I couldn’t help but question if it was all worth it or if there was something I could have done differently to make sure that Monica would remain human.“Hey, lets go for a walk,” she said, stretching out her hand towards me.“I don’t think you should be moving in your condition.”
Chapter 26
“They don’t want me.”“And what about those who do?”“They’ll be fine without me.”“I don’t believe that and I know you don’t either.”“What makes you think I don’t?”“Because you’re a kind man, Deven. If you’re King, you’ll find a way to live in peace with those who don’t want you as their King, but I don’t think we can say the same thing about your brother or that General of his.”“Valark and Gunther wouldn’t hurt one of their kind.”“I may not know much about your rules and cultu
Chapter 25
“Is this some kind of joke?” A’el asked.“Nice to see you too, Queen A’el. I take it the coronation went well.” I said. “Why do you seem confused?”“I’m not in the mood for political mind games, General Gunther.” She clenched her fists as she slowly approached us. “Why is Valark wearing the crown and where is Deven?”“Deven isn’t here. He’s been banished from the kingdom for his treason.” said Valark.“Treason?” A’el asked. “How could the heir commit treason?”“He-”“It’s a delicate matter your highness,” I said, cutting Valark off. “We will notify the nations of Kelor in due time. If I may be so bold, why did her majesty travel so far away from home?”“I came to talk about my wedding with my fiancé.”“Ah yes, the wedding. Seeing as it was not only meant to be a wedding but a strong tie between two nations, why don’t we go ahead with the wedding?”“I was planning on going ahead even after seeing Valark with the crown. All I need is the information of Deven’s whereabouts.”“No, your maj
Chapter 24
At the top of the wall, I met with the Captain of the City Guards. “How far are they.”“Out of our archers’ range, my lord.”“What of the Trebuchets’ range?”“They’ll soon be within their firing range.”“Good. Tell your men to light-up the boulders moments before they fire.”“Yes, my lord.” Before he could turn away, I placed a hand on his shoulder. “One more thing. Have you seen Madam Flaughan?”“No, my lord, but I sent for her.”“What? Why would you tell her to come here?”“Isn’t she your escort my lord? I assumed she should always be with you. Was I wrong to call for her?”“No, it’s fine. Go and instruct your men.”I stayed on top of the wall for a while trying to survey the land outside the city’s southern wall. It was barren land for about a thousand paces making it difficult for any army to mount a siege without suffering heavy loses. This strategy was put into effect all across the major cities in Kelor during the Great Orc war. I couldn’t help but feel as if the Orcs were prep
Chapter 23
As the sun rose over the mountains, I emerged from my hut, feeling the cool morning breeze and warm sunlight. The quiet and beautiful moment tempted me to take a stroll around the village, but before I could indulge me-self, Ragnar came running towards me."What’s wrong?" I asked.“I got word from the Nightwatch before the sun came up. They’ve been hearing strange sounds all night. They say it sounded like shriekers but every now and then, they would hear a howl. I was going to come and get ya after I finished setting up the defences, but Tumak insisted I call you now.”“Where’s he now?”“At the gate.”We quickly walked to the gate and found Tumak with a few Vikings. “I don’t remember ya being an early bird Tumak,” I said once I got close to him.“I couldn’t go back to sleep once the howling and shrieking started. So, I came to help with the defenses.”“And what were you planning to do after that?”“Create a scouting party.”“Scouting Party!?”“Ay. It could be one of your kelorian fri
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