Chapter 342 - Depth of lies

"Those are the people who stand in way of getting hurt for mindless actions. Go and hunt monsters, that's thy job, I agree, it's the guild's job. What of the Royal Guards, are their duties not to protect the people. Using said logic, I don't see the reason to give charity to people in need. Falls into the Royal Guards hand," left speechless, speaking words of truth, the council had guilt overwhelm. 

"What of the mines, then, what right did you have to start construction without the guardian's protection?" another point to prove, Xula held a smirk.

"Guardian's protection?" he paused, "-if thou refer to Lady Barbara, then, I've already sent for a messenger. Lady Haru is well acquainted with Commander Triste the Dymph. The forest isn't in danger; the mine is built on a deserted land where monsters took refuge. I shouldn't remind of how the kingdom's coffers are, raising taxes will pain the people. That's why I bought the rights for an enormous amount. To have work available."

"Majesty," interjected Krask with narrowed eyes, "-is the kingdom doing that poorly?" 

"What of this, no one told us that the guild was under such strain," added Haru.

"Yeah, we've always thought that monster slaying brought a good amount of funds," sighed Mieshre. 

"King Staxius," smiled Skokdrag, "-I'm glad you're here. It feels as if nothing is impossible."

"Silence," yelled the lady next to Xula, "-her majesty has yet to finish," a cold aura spread across the table."

"As I was saying," without heed, "-what of arms, and what of the ministry of land and the General. I heard that the king has been pulling strings to have rights of which is mine transferred over. Is that not an act of treason?" a point well made, acquiring more power meant a potential for revolt. The swayed opinion soon grew suspicious of the King's action. A single sentence that sowed the seed of doubt.

"Fine," glossing over all who stared, "-I'll speak what I had planned. May I remind you, that this was brought on by senseless actions. Guards were asked to return to the capital; journeying through the landscape is treacherous. Without protection, any village without decent fighters may fall. In an attempt to counter that possibility, I had the ministry of land transfer the rights to me. With it, I hoped to start the construction of better paths across the whole continent. To that end, I'm already in the process of speaking with the guardians over the various forest. Better road means a faster response time, ease of access back and forth. Trading will grow simpler, enough of bandits hiding in wait. Linked into the same network, adventurers will have the ability to go everywhere at a faster pace. And for the Arms, Phantom bought all the stock. We're going to give it out for free to the people who'll replace the Guards. A compensation for risking their lives onto a not well thought out plan." Refuted without an inkling of doubt, Xula had no more reason to add. Thus, the meeting continued as normal with the King in charge. Discussing matters of the state, potential trouble for land, preparing for the coming winter, and so forth.

Two hours later, it came to an end with the council siding in favor of the King. 

"Enough is enough," fired Xula in anger. "I'm done," she gritted, "-it's always the King and his plans. I've made my decision, King Staxius, I order thee to abdicate thy claim to the throne of Arda. I don't wish to see your face ever again, UNDERSTAND?" 

Silence followed, "-YOU HEARD ME, WE ARE DONE. THE GUILD WILL BE HANDED OVER TO THE GENERAL," a sudden outburst of hate. The words rolling off her tongue were sharp and hurtful.

"Majesty, please, think this through!" urged Ruslan nervously sweating.

"Begone, nightwalker, thou art not welcome, Murderers and leechers, who the hell do you think you are. ARDA IS A PROVINCE OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY, NOT A PLACE FOR KILLERS," she shoved him aside with a slap then turned to Staxius in anger.

'She's gone and done it,' from stood to knelt, "-majesty, if thou wish for me to abdicate mine claim, then it shall be done so. All I implore is that you do not hurt the people. Leave the guild as is, the balance is tight as is. If misfortune is to befall, let it befall on I for I'm the intruder." 

"Back off," she screamed with an incantation of high-tier magic. 

"MAJESTY, please, DON'T DO THIS!" begged the Great Mother fearing for the worse.

"No," voiced Mieshre who quickly took all to safety. 

"I've had enough of you, husband. Always trying to take what I've earned from under my foot. I hate you; I hate you so much," a single tear fell. Looked up, Xula held a face of content, the way she said I hate you had a certain charm; it was as if she said I love you instead. Warm eyes, a gentle smile, "-begone, I don't want to see you again," she blinked to glance to her right. "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT," changed, *Ancient Magic: Rose Thorn,* summoned above her finger, the projectile flew to its target. 

'I understand,' he thought with head bowed, *Pssch,* her spell dispelled. 

"Don't get so arrogant," smirked Intherna, "-majesty," giving a wink, a wall of flame erected between the royal couple. 

"Hear me all," turned to the representative, "-the queen has decided that I'm of no use." The leaders of the four vampire clans materialized in a bat-shaped mist. 

"Us nightwalkers, are shunned by the people of Arda," sighed Alaric, leader of Onyx with grey hair and a nice suit. 

"It has been too long," smiled Julia Fawn with unrivaled charm.

*Cough,* stood Gabrielle with a tired face.

"Dearest members of the Ardanian council," spoke Aurora with her face and voice changed to one stern and angered, "-Queen Shanna Islegust has humiliated the one we obey. She has committed the only sin us nightwalkers can't forgive, and that is loyalty. Breaking the vows of marriage; hear this today and now, you who stand in our way," glared, the representatives knew not how to respond, "-The four clans have decided," they turned to Staxius, "-our patriarch shall take his rightful place." Guards rushed due to the sudden change in pressure. 

Exchanging nods with his companions, "-the Nightwalkers formally withdraw from the council of Arda and declare independence. Anywho dares trespass into Noctis's hallow, shall perish without a moment's notice," glancing Xula, she smiled, "-if it's a war that thou wish, then tis war thou'll get,' patting Intherna's shoulder, a giant circular flame barrier erected. Touching their rings, every vampire around the province, returned to Noctis's Hallow. 

"What are we doing here?" asked Intherna stood before the alchemic tower.

"Before we go back, torch the tower, go all out," he winked. 

"My pleasure," hands pressed, wings of the phoenix sprouted with magma dripped off to the side. "Burn," lit as if a match, an inferno engulfed the tower. Teleporting from places to place without using the Overseer's room, numerous portals around were destroyed. Jumped to Roth, Achilles sat oblivious to what had happened.

"Let's go," he smiled.

"Go where?" they stood in the office.

"To Noctis's Hallow," ransacked, all information, papers, and item of value were taken. Serene led the scouring process.

"My lord," she voiced courteously, "-we're ready to leave." Thus, what she predicted came to pass. The parting of two of the strongest people in Arda. All of the projects he had thought of were dismissed. The representatives were left without a word, it would take a few hours for the situation to be processed. 

'Xula, you're an idiot,' teleported inside the realm of the Nightwalkers, the streets felt empty. 'She had me thrown out of the council because of the enemies. Not to mention Lizzie, she'd knew I would react that way. Her face and smile, it was a message, a cry for help. The conspirators have already infiltrated the province to the point where she's helpless,' glanced to the vague direction of the capital, '-fighting a war on your own.' 

Meanwhile, in Arda, the Queen locked herself in the bedchambers.

"Don't you go back on your word," whispered a somber voice.

"Shut it," she fired back in frustration.

"Well, I suppose it's natural to be a little hurt after dishing that much pain to your beloved," snickered, it vanished. 

'Staxius,' laid on the bed with her hand on her forehead, '-please don't come back. Arda's on the brink of being overtaken. I'm not sure if my presence alone is going to keep unity. We were blind-sided by Kreston. I thought they were after Gallienne, sadly, that's not the case. It's revenge for the betrayal of Dorchester. Now that Lizzie and the people close to me are gone, I can take the fight to them even if it kills me.'

"Quite a show of wit there," hovered a tiny-bat girl, "-you two are seriously the worse." she landed on Xula's shoulders.

"Adete?" 

"The one and only," a winked followed.

"Why are you here?" baffled, a ray of hope lit within her heart.

"Do you think my heir would just give up on the one he loves? I watched everything from the start. There's no need to hide the truth, Kreston is the real enemy. I'm impressed."

"About what?" she sighed.

"About you two, you schemed in such a way to have the other come out on top. The king planned to start a coup so that he could flush out the conspirators. You, on the other hand, decided to turn him away and face the war. The whole ordeal about cheating was an act, one that would force him into rejecting thee and the kingdom. It didn't work so the council came in mind – to send him away and pose as the bad person." 

"I shouldn't be impressed," smiled the Queen.

"Good luck," twirled into a smoke column, she vanished. 

Locked into place, the cogwheels of change moved. A scheme to bring Arda to ruin, one that was started on the day of the kidnapping of the Apostle of Syhton. Two targets, two objectives, Kreston moved in the shadows without anyone realizing it.

Later that day, Adete reported on what she had witnessed. As promised, a lot of blood was given as compensation. The suspicion of the Queen having done such action in good faith was confirmed. 

Inside the capital, dusk approached. The guild was placed under the General's command. No particular orders were given – it was ordered to be run the same as usual. The mines, out of the kingdom's reach, was forgotten. The dwarves still worked as it was under Phantom's rule. 

The four guild leaders called a meeting in Roth. Protected by a barrier spell from Ryul, the boy lastly knew of what had happened. Another note was delivered explaining why and what had been done. "What are we supposed to do now?" asked Haru in anger.

"No idea, the guild is under Niroz's command, I'm not going to serve that man. He who criticized the king's action after the whole incident," frowned Mieshre. Referred to when the General spoke on the nightwalker's supposed betrayal. He was adamant about starting a war, one in the name of peace, or so what was said. 

"I don't wish to serve him as well," interjected Ryul, "-however, we must continue what the King had begun."

"Where do you get off speaking," side-glanced Skokdrag, "-aren't you the f.u.c.k who slept with the queen?" 

"NONO," he refused, "-here," showing the letter, it explained the misunderstanding to a certain degree. 

"I agree," breathed Haru, "-the guild is under the general's command, yes, however, we control the adventurers. The four guilds are the one who gives jobs and certify adventurers, that isn't going to change."

"Yeah, ok. If it helps the fighters then I'm all for it." The meeting went on for more than a few hours. 

News of the King's betrayal went around the capital. Twisted to make him the devil; the people were shocked. A new faction came to take the place of the Nightwalkers in the council. Saints who prayed for Kreston's god. An invasion by religion, the implications were dire. If the people were blinded by faith, Arda would crumble from inside out – the Church would reign supreme. The unprecedented method would take more than a few years to accomplish. A forceful take-over would harm their reputation as saviors. Promising gold and favors, many nobles turned coat. The weight gain sufficed to stand as an equal at the council. 

Reclined in their chairs, the King and Queen, despite the distance, were sitting with the same posture. A moment to think of what came next, a moment to assess the situation. To avoid Kreston from having a stronghold, there was but one thing to do. Elbow on the table, they spoke simultaneously, "-the only way to stop a religious and cultural invasion, WAR."