your rank to the floor,”said the king as he reached over to the silver bowl to pick up a shiny red apple.

Sturbious stood and watched in disbelief as the king attacked the fruit as if he were some kind of wild animal. The wizard fumed; never in all his years had he laid eyes on such a gluttonous being. This monarch was nothing like his father, who was a knight of honor and believed in the ways of the old code. The former King had once fought off hoards of enemies that had charged the castle, many years before the great wall was built.

Years later, before the old King of Terrence passed on to the other side, there was an attack on the then capital, now known as Ruin City. It looked as if his adversaries had won. They destroyed the commonwealth as well as the castle, and were on their way to slay the king. Once in the throne room they were confronted by the King’s guard and destroyed by the last standing royal knight, known as Nivike the Courageous. The Sovereign was so grateful to the one remaining knight who saved his kingdom, he named Nivike as his only kin and heir to the throne.

Yet Nivike never saw the crown, as Eric appeared a few days before the king’s death, announced he was the bastard son and therefore rightful heir to the throne.

“Eric, I am telling you, the Nomads from the Na’ Tu desert have somehow obtained power over the dragons of the dawn, as well as the other winged beasts in the east. I have seen this in a vision. Please, we must send arms to the wall to meet these most unwelcome visitors,” Sturbious pleads.

The King slowly rises from his majestic throne, wiping the juice of the ruined fruit from his beard and makes his way down the marble stairs until he was face to face with Sturbious. He locks his eyes with the wizard and at that moment a thought of striking the old mage flashed through his mind, but he knew that would be unwise, for even though Eric was angry, he still had a great respect for the old wizards powers.

“You will refer to me as your King and I don’t give a damn about your dreams!”Eric snaps. “You are not the man you once were wizard. When I finally reach the age of five and a half decades, I hope and pray my father has me join him in his higher kingdom,” the king says in a low voice, as he turned and slowly moves away from the white wizard toward his throne.

”They are also accompanied by a Master of the Black,” Sturbious says to the King’s back. “We are all doomed if you do not act now,” he insists, then bends down to collect the Staff of Elders.

The king lowers himself back down onto his throne and places a hand over his face as he leans his head back. “Fine. I will send a party to meet with this approaching company. Will this please you, wizard?” the king asks with a growl.

“Indeed.” said the wizard .

“I am glad to know this for I will send you, Sturbious, and I will allow two others to accompany you to meet with these dreamed creatures,” giggled the king.

“Three of us? That will not be enough to battle the forces that are coming,” Sturbious said with a lump in his throat, knowing full well that the king is sending him off to his death.

“You know the elves and dwarves and all those mystical creatures,” said the king as he bites into a ripe cherry tomato and the juices erupt to find home on the kings mouth and chin.“You know