"This land is almost like a desert," he rested his cheek on his knuckles as he sat on his metallic and shining throne. "grass is struggling out of these stone grounds," he added with a sigh.

"Well actually, there is grass growing in the Navy Hills," his Helper replied hopefully.

"I know that, but I don't want it to grow in one spot," he stood up and walked down the steps from his high throne. "I want to make it less miserable, less depressing and even... Less harsh and dry." He folded his arms behind his back as he went past the silvery pillars that held the grey ceiling, with drawings of moons and stars carved into it. And he reached the open balcony to look at the domed, and colourful houses stuck together like a bed of pebbles from above.

He had a silver moon chin beard and long glistening silver hair that extended to his waist and flowed by the gentle outside breeze. With his pale silver skin, his golden yellow eyes brightened with a few glitters within his irises.

 As a ruler, he wore his ebony coat with golden stripes showing on the edges of his sleeves and lower section of the coat; it was unbuttoned to show his non-royal yellow shirt and inky trousers. He can be easily recognised by his golden eyes and silvery skin and wings, adding his smooth and calm voice to his attributes, he received the respect of many.

"Then, we can ask a nature mage to bring back the greenery?" The Helper laughed nervously as he followed his king wherever he stood.

"That's not how it works, Alan." The king facepalmed.

Alan slowly hid his crimson arms beneath his cherry-red robes' wide sleeves as he bit his lower lip in embarrassment.

"It's just that... I think something was missing. I feel like these lands had plants on the surface before, there has to be something that... That brought these saplings. But what?" He turned to look at Alan.

Alan, with no knowledge, shrugged his shoulders slowly. "What if there wasn't any vegetation? Maybe it was found just like the way it is now? Stony lands?" Alan approached his king.

"At least your subjects are fine and living their life, and humans are lending us a hand with their supplies anyways. How nice of them." Alan drew a perky smile on his face.

"Guess you're right. At least we're surviving," 

The king sighed as he turned towards his throne and looked at its position compared to the others.

"Then what do you think of the other thrones at my sides?"

Five thrones were sitting at the end of the room. Each one of them had its own steps to climb and descend, and each was made of metal rather than wood. Yet the one in the middle was much higher and bigger than the rest of them, and they weren't coloured and detailed like King Salvador's. 

But rather, the structure was straightforward, as if the builders just started with the throne's base. The king's throne was placed right next to the bigger base, and below it, the cushions were white coloured, and the metal surrounding it held a big white oval gemstone on top. That silvery throne belonged to him.  

"Do you think that bigger throne truly belonged to him?" Hearing the king's serious and sad tone made it clear to Alan who he was talking about.

"It surely didn't, and he isn't there to hurt you anymore nor his men." Alan laid a comforting hand on his shoulders. 

"But they are out there, I know I haven't seen them but I'm certain that some of them are still alive and thirsty for blood, my blood." He gently pushed Alan's hand away and walked toward the thrones. 

"I'm always restless, I've always been, and every time I close my eyes he keeps haunting my dreams, making me more worried about what he might do next," he confessed.

Alan hesitated for a moment with a sigh. "Well, don't think about him and don't make him scare you while he's trapped and vulnerable. Remember that the more you're worried or scared, the stronger he gets." Alan walked beside the king with a reassuring smile. 

The king stood silent at Alan's reassurance until he finally chuckled a little. "You know, Alan? You're really good at convincing people to keep going." He gave him a warm look in his golden eyes.

"I am? R-Really?" 

The king laughed softly at Alan's question.

"You're naive too, but in a good kind of way," he added with another chuckle as Alan joined him with his laughter.  

"King Salvador!" An urgent call interrupted their moment suddenly. Salvador darted his head towards the caller to see a Meanian coloured in midnight hue.

The incomer had sapphire blue skin with azure blue hair tied in a high ponytail, and he wore a dark violet short cloak that reached his elbows over his ebony vest and a loose shirt, followed by his dark trousers and boots. The Night Meanian was standing in the open gateway with concern in his amethyst eyes.

"Kyvan? What are you doing here?" Salvador's voice was filled with surprise and confusion.

"I came here to report about the danger that's lurking in our land," Kyvan replied seriously.

"W-What danger?!" Alan panicked.

"I just spotted what looks like a dark entity roaming in the forest of the Navy Hills." Kyvan approached king Salvador.

"You think they could be one of our enemies?" Salvador's tone turned serious.

"They could be hiding there ready to attack, or worse, spreading their dark energy on our land to ruin our only source of survival," Kyvan explained as Salvador hesitated for a moment.

"Call the Hunters to investigate while I'll bring the guards with me," he ordered.

"Yes your majesty." Kyvan bowed and left the room quickly.

"D-Didn't they... Didn't they vanish for good?!" Alan cried. "How can there still be more of them?!" He gripped his hair in fear and panic.

"Maybe these men were the ones who escaped, and now they're back for revenge, that sounds appropriate to me," Salvador guessed. "once we find them we'll give them an interrogation to know what they're up to." King Salvador squinted his golden eyes at Alan seriously.

~~~

Darvin sat on a pile of large stones along with Gholt as they waited for Fearian's arrival. Gholt cocked his head multiple times to stare at the shade hovering above his head; every time he moved his head away, the shade followed.

"What's wrong, Chirp?" Darvin noticed his head movement.

"Are you sure my sight isn't going to fade?" Gholt asked with little concern.

"Fearian told me he used this method so many times, and he can still see you crystal clear." Darvin smiled at him.

"Then why can't I or the other Terror Meanians summon these kinds of shades?" Gholt cocked his head again, and the shade hovered over him quickly.

"Cause Fearian is gifted with shadow magic, so he's the only one who can summon these shades." Darvin shrugged his shoulders.

"So we would wear hoods as usual without this gift." Gholt pulled his knees to his chest.

"Yup." Darvin looked ahead to see Fearian approaching.

He gestured for Gholt to hop off the rock he sat on as Darvin did the same when Fearian arrived.

"So, you're ready?" Fearian drew a smirk, and his ruby eyes squinted with confidence.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Gholt waved his arms in the air in excitement.

"Yeah!" Bryan raised his small arms in the air.

"Then let's get going!" Fearian cried as he lifted his son and placed him on his shoulders.

"Got your bows?" He added.

"He has them already." Darvin patted Gholt's back.

They began walking on the flat rocky ground, a mixture of red and dark brown, towards the only forest they had located in the Navy Hills. The only small land where the grass and saplings have survived somehow, along with the animals that lived there.

Meanians mostly found rabbits in the forest, but men rarely found deer and moose there because if one were spotted, they would've been fortunate for one such large animal could feed at least five Meanians for the whole month.

"So, how's the shade?" Fearian asked.

Gholt moved his head away, and the shade followed. 

"Good." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, you gotta trust my shades cause they'll keep your sight safe, if you're having doubts I meant," Fearian said as they approached the forest.

Darvin raised his arm in front of Fearian suddenly. 

"Woah, what?" Fearian stopped.

"Why is there a large Fire Meanian standing there like that?" Darvin pointed ahead at the Meanian, who stood right outside the forest entrance, arms crossed and legs separated.

As a Fire Meanian, he was supposed to have red hair, but instead, his was black as the raven's dark feathers, and he had the skin of bright scarlet. His little wide dark eyebrows were narrowed and low over his cold oceanic blue eyes; he wore a rosewood coat over his navy shirt and oily green scarf. His dark oak trousers were shoved into his large leather boots.

 As Darvin mentioned, Fire Meanian didn't have the same height as the other average Meanians, but rather, he was much bigger than the rest of the kingdom's men. 

That Fire Meanian's height reached almost halfway to the top of a pine tree, and the weight of his large body was much heavier than an average Meanian adult. He weighed exactly 50 men, and that meant he had that same amount with his strength. 

An average human adult could reach that Fire Meanian's knees and fit inside his palm if they curled into a ball. Finally, he was wingless, and his current facial expression showed that he wasn't in the mood.

"Hello?" Darvin called the large Meanian with confusion as he lifted his head high to see the man's face.

As Meanians, both Darvin and Fearian's heads faced the large Meanian's stomach.

"Just turn away and leave," he told them carelessly with his not too deep voice full of neutrality.

"Excuse me?" Fearian's brows narrowed suddenly.

"Don't make me say it again," the man said through his gritted teeth.

"Not gonna obey until I know why! Sir!" Fearian put his hands on his hips quickly.

"Excuse me, uh... Guys, let me explain. What my partner meant to say is that the forest is under investigation for someone has spotted a dark entity roaming around, so... " A young lad popped up from behind the man's large legs.

The lad was a Sea Meanian, his shoulder-length hair was tightly tied in a ponytail, and he was wearing a sleeveless shirt under an oily green scarf like the Fire Meanian's. His short boots devoured his puffed trousers. He had these dark blue spots like freckles showing under his innocent sunset eyes and more spots living on his arms and body. Finally, even though he was a Meanian, he had a human teenager's body and height. Yet still, he had the strength of a Meanian. 

Men considered this as a flaw with his size and height.

The lad gave them a wide nervous smile as the large Fire Meanian rolled his eyes.

"A dark entity?" Darvin's eyes showed parental concern as he exchanged looks with Fearian.