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Seeing the young king walk, the man in the cloak proceeded forward, walking a few steps in front of Astaroth. The latter was eyeing him with caution, trying to figure out his intentions and abilities.

He didn\'t want to scan the man, as it would be rude and give away his intentions. But the lack of mana around him was disturbing.

"Can I know who you are, since you know me?" he asked the cloaked man.

Without turning around, the man responded.

"Ahh yes. Where are my manners? I am the new court mage. I am not an Ash Elf, and my name is foreign, and is a mouthful for people of your race, so you can just call me Court Mage."

The answer was so deflective that it couldn\'t be more of a brush-off.

"If you are the court mage, then why can\'t I sense a shred of mana coming from you? It\'s like the mana around you withers away before even reaching you."

The mage brushed his hand on the hood of his cloak.

"This cloak suppresses all forms of mana around it. I do it so my magic does not crush people, as I have very little control over how I exert it."

"A court mage who lacks control over his own magic? That is a rare situation…"

"Yes. King Uuthli\'vlos is quite the generous ruler, to allow someone like me to become a court mage. I believe he sees the potential in my power instead of the lack of control I have."

\'Hah! Generous my ass,\' Astaroth thought.

"Yes. Quite generous indeed."

"Did you have other questions for me, your highness?"

Astaroth had a myriad of things he wanted to ask, but he considered he had already overplayed the interrogation card. Any more than this, and the mysterious man might lash out.

"No. I am satisfied."

"Very well."

They walked in silence for the rest of the way, quickly reaching the side palace next to the military wing of the castle. No one stopped the pair at the door.

Once inside, the royal guards outside started whispering amongst themselves.

"Hey did you see that man? Doesn\'t he look familiar?"

"Yeah. Wasn\'t that the guy that escaped prison a decade ago? The one the king wanted for stealing from him?"

"Man. He\'s got balls showing up here, alone like this. Plus, he\'s with the new court mage. He\'s done for."

"That new mage gives me the creeps. We can\'t see his face and I\'ve never seen him use magic, aside from when he teleports. And that creepy familiar of his. Urgh. I don\'t know why the king hired him instead of another mage."

"His Highness was probably hurt at Gelum\'vire\'s treason. Leaving with his banished son was not the smart thing to do."

A hissing sound snapped them out of their conversation. Looking up, they could see a giant purple spider hanging overhead from a ledge, looking at them with its multiple eyes.

The mage\'s voice came from the massive insect.

"I can hear your conversations. Talk about the king in this manner again, and I\'ll have you executed in the worst fashion."

The spider rubbed its front legs together, producing the hissing sound again, before skittering away on the side of the wall.

Both men stood there, livid.I think you should take a look at

"I hate that spider. It\'s so sneaky. It could creep up on us and kill us without us ever noticing."

"Let\'s just keep guard and not talk."

"Agreed."

From inside the palace, Astaroth was oblivious to this interaction, as the mage talked through his pet with telepathy, and his voice never left his throat.

Astaroth was also too busy watching every guard he passed by to see if they were exhibiting hostile behaviours. He hadn\'t forgotten his last stint in this palace, and he was sure some guards were still the same after ten years.

On more than one occasion, he thought he recognized a face. But they never stopped walking, so he couldn\'t look at the traits for too long.

After walking for almost fifteen minutes inside the palace, turning way too many times in what was probably an attempt at disorienting him, they came to a stop before the massive throne room doors.

Astaroth recognized the doors and had a second of nostalgia. Last he\'d been here, his friends were all in good shape.

He still wondered what had happened to Chris and I\'dril, since he hadn\'t gotten the chance to see them or ask where they were. But it was a thought for a later time.

The court mage didn\'t even announce himself, simply walking into the throne room. And what was inside made even Astaroth queasy.

About forty human women, tied in unique positions, with chains; manacles; ropes; and drapes, who were drugged off their rockers, were getting violated by many men, one of them who he recognized.

He instantly felt the urge to torch the room, and everyone in it, but refrained from doing so.

The court mage announced his arrival once inside the room.

"Sire, I bring to you, King Astaroth, of the Kingdom of Stellar Woods."

Two men stopped what they were doing to turn toward the door, while the others continued with their sins, uncaring of the newcomer and his rank.

Their actions disgusted Astaroth. But he had come for only one person, and one reason.

Seeing the two people stop, he recognized the king, although older by a decade. The other man, Astaroth had no idea who they were.

"King Uuthli\'vlos. I have come for some answers."

But to Astaroth\'s surprise, it wasn\'t the old man that spoke up.

"And why would you come from a faraway kingdom, demanding answers, when I don\'t know you? I don\'t owe you anything. Leave before I declare you an enemy and have you executed."

The younger one of the two men was the one who answered Astaroth.

Frowning, Astaroth looked at the man.

"I came demanding answers from the king. Who are you?"

"Watch your tone with me, king from far away. I am the king of this kingdom."

Astaroth turned his head to the old man, then back to the younger man, questions clear in his eyes. But when he focused on the older man, who was the king he remembered from before, he looked… out of touch.

His eyes seemed foggy from afar, and his demeanour was nonchalant. The king he remembered would have exploded in anger already, just at the sight of him.

\'Something is off. Everything is off, actually. I need to get away from this place ASAP.\'