The castle bells had struck three times, announcing the end of the Hunt. Five of Ulmir's Priests stood before Chancellor Amaud who seemed to be fuming. Alistair, the newly appointed interim master sat in a round table with other Faction leaders. They all watched the outcast win the tournament while the other champions, who had made it to the mansion, disappeared without a trace.

"We don't hear from this High Priest for days then this happens!" Amaud was yelling at the Priests. "This is unprecedented, what happened in the Hunter G.o.d's Domain?"

A tall bony man advanced, wearing brown loose robes that threatened to fall off at any moment. Amaud didn't know how the clothes stood in place. The man was so thin no standard robes could fit him. When he spoke, he had a deep voice that startled everybody, even Dismas, the underground market leader.

"We have been told that Lord Ulmir wasn't pleased with the imperials' partic.i.p.ation in the Hunt. The elimination of the contestants was a warning, to never disobey the Hunter G.o.d again."

Amaud didn't look pleased with the answer. He frowned and grunted some words beneath his double chin. The audience in the room could only hear something like 'f.u.c.king Viraldo' and 'cursed.' He lifted his heavy head, looking at the interim master of the Three Headed Dragon.

"What do you make of this Alistair?"

"There's no denying the word of a G.o.d, your Excellency. All we can do is receive the outcast and absolve him of all his past crimes against our land. After all, he's shown tremendous will power and skills."

To these words, the Chancellor frowned even harder. Fat creases formed around his nose and on his enormous forehead. Amaud turned to look at Dismas with pleading eyes. The powerful and influential man responded with a faint smirk then spoke. His voice was composed and calm as he gave his opinion on the matter.

"I think we should follow Alistair's counsel. Our people are scared, the city's falling to ruins. We have more pressing matters to deal with than a few sacrifices to an angry G.o.d."

"Watch your tongue," a priest hiding beneath a brown cloak barked. "The Hunter G.o.d isn't like your other ordinary G.o.ds. His anger can expand toward us. We don't want our lands swarming with monsters now, do we?"

"Why would a powerful, omniscient G.o.d get angry over a few words spoken by a mortal?" Dismas retorted with a larger smirk. "You people are uptight. Loosen up a little. Your G.o.d had his fun, killed many of our people. If he kills us all, who will help him in his war against the Devil?"

"That's enough!" Amaud barked before another priest could intervene. "We're not here to discuss our religious beliefs. Will Ulmir's House give us its support?" he asked the five priests.

"We are here to spread the word of our G.o.d and protect his lands. You have our unconditional support, your Exellency," the tall thin man answered.

"What about you?" Chancellor Amaud turned toward Jena, the leader of the Thieve's Guild.

"Those slum mice have nothing to do with us, your Ecellency. We steal from the undesirable rich, and we don't share with others." Jena was wearing a plain green dress. Gone was her playful demeanor.

A b.l.o.o.d.y riot had torn the slums apart two days ago. Everybody blamed the band of thieves for stirring up trouble, and related them to the Rats. With the Photons not working anymore, n.o.body had any distraction from the chaos in the slums.

Just as Jenna was about to talk about how devoted her guild was to the city's protection, Alistair gasped and pointed at the large monitor in the room. "What is that?!"

Everybody turned to look at the Photon Monitor. They saw the Mothers.h.i.+p appearing out of thin air, covering the entire sky. They saw a tiny figure appear in the sky and crash land inside the Courtyard, amidst the guards and Priests. Dismas squinted at the screen. He blinked twice, rubbed his eyes and shook his head. He still didn't believe what he was looking at.

"What's he doing there?" he asked.

"I thought he died with the imperials." Alistair commented.

"Who the h.e.l.l is that?!" Jena and Chancellor Amaud asked at the same time.

Dismas shot Alistair a dark look that suggested calamity. He looked at the Chancellor then explained the situation. Amaud, who was finally able to link the dots, observed the screen with increasing curiosity.

"I saw him speak to Garland before the beginning of the Hunt," he told Alistair.

"Garland never liked him. I guess Black Eyes tried to get on good terms with him."

"To what end?" the Chancellor asked. "We really don't need any other distractions."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Dismas said before Alistair could speak. "This man is dangerous. With an entrance like that, I bet he was behind the deactivation of the Photons."

"What do we do?" a priest asked as Zedd repelled the first guards to attack him.

"We watch," Dismas answered. "If the High Priest can't stop him, then no one else can."

***

Back at Ulmir's Castle, all the fair maidens and the Priests backed away, leaving Utar and the guards to deal with the intruder. Utar was the angriest among the lot. The man who had ruined his career stood before him, threatening to make things even worse for him. He motioned the guards to stand back and advanced toward Darkstar.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Zedd looked at the High Priest with a large smile on his face. He clicked his finger and the Alfa Photon jumped from its place at the tower, landing in the courtyard with a loud crash. All guards retreated. Those who weren't fast enough were flattened under the giant insect's hairy feet.

The insect that refused to obey Utar's command for many years, had moved on a click of a finger. Not even Lord Supreme could do that. The large insect had gigantic wings that produced strong gales of wind. Its enormous red eyes moved about, observing Zedd once then moving on to Utar the next. At a close distance, it was easier to hear what the two were talking about.

"Making an impression," Zedd answered after the commotion ended.

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"What do you mean?" Utar hesitated to attack. Every time he tried to take a step, a look at the buzzing insect and the giant s.h.i.+p above him made him hesitate.

"This place, this realm, they don't belong to the Hunter G.o.d!" Zedd shouted loud enough for all to hear.

This statement seemed to irritate most Priests and guards surrounded him. They all advanced toward Black Eyes and surrounded him, shouting "Blasphemy" all the while. Darkstar didn't move an inch. He just smiled as he observed them all.

"You dare come into our Lord's Domain!" Utar started, his voice as loud as Zedd's, "You dare kill our guests, the imperials, inciting the anger of our Lord and Savior. Then you say blatant lies about Him, unforgivable!"

"Unforgivable!" the others echoed after their High Priest.

"Then where is he?" Zedd asked. He was still calm, not showing any sign of alarm or fear. "Where's your G.o.d? Ask him to come and save you."

"Save us? From you?!" Utar mocked. The guards burst out laughing as their leader finished speaking.

"Oh yes, laugh all you want," Zedd retorted. "But don't forget to look up. This s.h.i.+p has all its weaponry aimed at this castle. The protective layer that used to s.h.i.+eld you from monsters was actually hers."

Zedd pointed at the Mothers.h.i.+p then clicked his fingers. Cannons were shot and the whole Castle rumbled and shook. The fair maidens squealed and ran for their lives while guards struggled to keep their footing. The craven ones ran for it. Others, still in shock, contemplated the s.h.i.+p above, raining h.e.l.l down upon them.

The Mothers.h.i.+p's cannons didn't send cannon b.a.l.l.s down at the Castle. They sent huge lightning bolts and magma rocks that destroyed everything they touched. Some cannons even sent some light beams whose destructive powers were stronger than magma.

"WHERE IS YOUR G.o.d NOW?" Zedd asked as the whole Castle started crumbling.

Utar cursed then dashed at Black Eyes. He wasn't about to let him run amok without trying to stop him. The High Priest conjured a red lance in his hands then jabbed it toward Zedd. Black Eyes nimbly dodged to the side then jumped backwards as another jab missed his jugular. He threw his left arm aside and conjured his lightning sword, Hum. Usurper was badly damaged after the fight against Drake. He had kept it hidden in Cane's bottomless purse.

The lance and the sword collided, sparks of lightning shot out of the sword as it collided against the High Priest's weapon. The lance, Zedd knew, was a legendary weapon Utar had stolen years ago. It was capable of bending reality to its will, given the wielder had completely mastered it.

The fight between the two was broadcasted to the whole world to see. They saw flashes and sparks, then the two people jumping back and standing a few paces away from each other. When they stopped, most guards remaining in the Courtyard charged Darkstar. Utar yelled at them to stop but they didn't pay him any heed.

To most people's horror, they saw all guards being either decapitated or charred beyond recognition due to the sword's lightning damage. With Zedd wielding it, the weapon showed its true colors.

"WHERE'S YOUR G.o.d?" he shouted again as he sent a lightning bolt toward the High Priest, which he blocked with his lance.

"I'm Lord Ulmir's High Priest," Utar answered. "I'm the peace keeper, defender of the realm!"

Utar held his lance with both hands then started reciting an incantation. "Oh Father who art above, s.h.i.+eld us from evil. Guard us against the ones who mean us harm. Grant us your strength to fight the Dark. Provide us wisdom, and soothe our hearts." The High Priest opened his eyes then p.r.o.nounced one more word.

"Annihilate!"

A crimson smoky aura enveloped the lance. The world behind Utar rippled, as if a stone had just fallen into a watery surface. From beneath the ripples, more lances appeared. They didn't have a solid form, only phantoms. Zedd counted at least three dozen. They all peeked from the ripples before they all hurled themselves at Darkstar.

Zedd smiled then raised his hands in the air. Hum was levitating, pointing at Utar as Zedd cast a spell too. "Flora of the east, show your strength!"

The ground below Darkstar rumbled. The tiles of the Courtyard broke and dirt rose above ground, forming a thick defensive barrier. The phantom lances. .h.i.t the rising dirt with loud thumps then dissipated. Utar summoned more and more lances then hurled them at Zedd's defensive barrier.

The more the phantom weapons. .h.i.t the barrier, the thinner it became. Dust filled the air and the Alfa Photon flew a few paces away from the fight, to avoid stray projectiles and give the audience a better look at the fight. To the ones watching from the monitors, they saw Darkstar move away from behind his defensive spell then lunge at Utar.

Hum followed Zedd. It looked as though it flew out of its own accord, hovering above its owner's head. Darkstar quickly reached the High Priest, whose vision was impeded by the cloud of dust that filled the Courtyard. Zedd kicked the High Priest in the face, sending him flying sideways. He instantly disappeared then appeared behind Utar, who was flung in the air, his back bending at a dangerous angle. Darkstar jumped once more then kicked the High Priest, flattening him against the broken tiles.

The Phantom projectiles stopped and Utar's lance lay on the ground, several feet away from him. Zedd on the other hand, refused to attack any further. He just walked slowly toward Utar, watching him struggling to stand. The High Priest's leg shook heavily. The last impact had drained him of his strength.

Zedd grabbed the High Priest by the collar. He knew he had to act before Utar regained his strength again, but the opportunity he had was too good to miss.

"Oh please, High Priest," Zedd pleaded as he held the weak Utar in the air. "Please call for your G.o.d. I'd love to see his wrath. I'd love to see him destroy this s.h.i.+p of mine."

Utar cursed under his breath. He knew Lord Supreme wouldn't come for the rescue. The man would never risk exposing himself for one realm. The High Priest knew he had no other choice but to fight, fight until he could no longer move his limbs.

He kicked Zedd between his legs. Darkstar looked down, then up at the Priest. "What're you doing? You think we're children messing around?"

Zedd threw a powerful punch at the High Priest, a punch strong enough to destroy a marble pillar. Utar's head bobbed backwards then came back to its initial position. The High Priest wasn't going down without a fight. He mustered all his strength then hit Darkstar's elbow joints with all his might.

Black Eyes let go of the High Priest but his levitating sword had the last say. Hum charged the High Priest and lodged itself deep within his gullet. It went from one side then left the other. Gurgling, battling to stay alive, Utar put his hands on his throat, trying to stop the bleeding. He wheezed as the life was snuffed out of him.

The Mothers.h.i.+p's cannons had stopped bombarding the castle. Everyone watched the High Priest fall to his knees, then to the ground, bathed in his own blood. Darkstar turned toward the Alfa Photon, smiling.

"My name is Zedd Darkstar. Today marks the end of Ulmir's era, and the web of lies you've been subjected to. To the people of Kozag I say this, I am not your enemy. I may be your savior, but I shall not be your hero. Look for me when your land needs help most. I'll be there, repelling the evil empire that wants you all to become its slaves.

"Open your eyes. Use your minds. Your G.o.ds don't exist, but evil does, and it has many faces. Don't wors.h.i.+p G.o.ds, but wors.h.i.+p life. You were born free. Don't let anybody take this away from you. And if you still don't believe me, watch this G.o.d's world crumble before your eyes."

Zedd turned toward the Priests, fair maidens and workers. He instructed them all to come to the Courtyard, stand next to him if they wanted to live, or stay in the Castle and die with this world. Great, the Quartermaster, many Priests and all the fair maidens joined Zedd who levitated them on top of the s.h.i.+p.

The devoted ones stayed behind as the Mothers.h.i.+p blew Ulmir's Domain to smithereens.