~Chapter 3- The King cometh~

Lunahreim stood at the bow of the massive frigate, and the sea breeze flowed through his black cloak. The Ranuulan's luminescent orange eyes were on the coastline.

Footsteps came behind him; it was King Zantii with a smug look on his face. One of his arms was folded behind him, while the other held a jagged great sword. The King wore an extravagant horned crown, one that Lunahreim found ridiculous.

"You know," Zantii began, "I knew I was destined for more. To rule over the entirety of this world. To live without equal. I knew this was my fate. For I-"

Lunahreim's eyes glazed over as Zantii went into another monologue. He was astounded at how much this man adored the sound of his own voice, how often he would break out into grand speeches about his superiority.

"- It is my destiny. Don't you agree, Lunahreim?" Zantii asked.

Lunahreim had tuned out most of what he said. He gave him the answer he wanted, "Of course, my king."

The armada of Zantii's ships sailed towards a stone base near the shore. A small militia waited at the docks.

Lunahreim, Zantii, and the soldiers aboard each of the ships disembarked. Among these were the King's three generals- the Regenek Ongola, the Densius Coal, and the hulking Arachna Edi.

Edi's hulking mass of black and white came up behind Lunahreim and gripped him by the shoulder, "I want you to know, I don't trust you."

Lunahreim looked up at the large Arachna, each of his arms thick and muscular, and his large eyes intense, "Is that so?"

Edi continued, "The King may believe your stories, but I don't. As soon as you're revealed to be the liar you are, your life will be forfeit."

Lunahreim calmly replied, "I'm sorry you think that."

Lunahreim turned away from Edi and followed the flow of soldiers from their ships. Edi sprouted his spider-like arms from his back and walked forward using them.

At the base of the dock stood a series of armored Ranuulan men kneeling. The green-eyed leader of the men wore more formal clothing and appeared to be the Commander of the base. Lunahreim walked behind Zantii and his generals to him.

"I didn't expect you so soon, my King, " The commander said, barely lifting his eyes from the ground to look at him, "Are you here to topple that false king of the tundra?"

Zantii looked down at the kneeling commander, "The false king can wait. What was your name again, Commander?"

"...Ujiic." The Commander spoke, his voice strained.

"Ujiic, you may rise," Zantii said, and he did so quickly.

"Thank you my King."

Ujiic and Zantii walked alongside each other into the base with the generals and Lunahreim close behind. Ujiic glanced back at the generals with sharp eyes; he grimaced terribly as he looked on Edi.

"Tell me, how is your conquest of the west proceeding?" Zantii asked.

Ujiic swallowed, "Unfortunately, the populace has begun to rebel. Most recently, those in Dontown have fought back with the aid of these odd-looking boys."

"Odd looking boys?"

"Yes, unlike any I've ever seen before. They appeared soft bodied with sand-colored skin, but were extraordinarily strong and seem to keep growing in power."

Lunahreim paused at this description. Could his old students have returned to the Lands of Ranuulo?

Zantii grabbed a chair and sat in it, "Very well, we'll have to take care of these rebels before we move on to the Lands of Ralosia."

Lunahreim walked past the other generals to Zantii, "That's a bad idea. We should head for the Lands of Ralosia as soon as possible."

Zantii kicked his heels onto a wooden table and tapped his sword against the stone floor, "I disagree. I prefer to be in a position where I only have to worry about the enemies that lie ahead of me, not any behind me. We'll make quick work of these rebels and continue to the Lands of Ralosia posthaste. After all that time at sea, my soldiers deserve a workout."

Edi stepped forward, intentionally bumping shoulders with Lunahreim, "I agree. There is a wooded area filled with the Arachna people near the Link Temple. It'd be better to take care of them before we move ahead."

"You know this area, Edi?" Zantii asked.

"Yes, my King."

"I leave you in command of this base then. You're to stay here and clean up the mess he made while we move on to the Lands of Ralosia."

Edi bowed his head, "Yes, my King."

Ujiic's grimace turned into a scowl, "I am the commander of this base!" He asserted.

Zantii raised an eybrow, "You were. Now you'll work under Edi."

Ujiic eyes sharpened, and he shouted like a petulant child. "I refuse to work under an inferior Arachna!"

Zantii hurried to his feet and looked Ujiic in the eyes, "I decide what everyone's place shall be in this world. Everyone in this world is equally inferior to me! Who are you to deign that my general is beneath you!?"

Ujiic began to quiver. His eyes darted away, "I-I I'm sorry my King."

The king stared coldly at Najiic for awhile, and all was silent. Finally, Zantii spoke, "Edi, Crush his skull."

Before Ujiic could react, Edi had picked him up by the head. The Arachna general began to press both his hands against the sides of the commander's head. Ujiic screamed terribly, kicking and beating his fists futilely against Edi's body, but none of the strikes did him any harm.

Lunahreim watched as Edi gripped Ujiic's skull ever tighter, and soon, the Commander's body went limp. He could swear he heard cracking sounds.

Zantii watched the proceedings with a disinterested look before saying, "Wait, wait. Drop him."

Edi immediately dropped Ujiic to the ground with a thud, and the Commander twitched in pain and breathed unevenly.

"Better to let him live, he may have useful information about these rebels," Zantii remarked. He walked over Ujiic's wounded body and gave him a light kick to his side, "You'll do well to remember this."