The Phëläniciäns took flight once more to head to the Tri-cities. Alëxios quelled his wrath so that he could find Malaykah in one piece. The battalion did not stop to take any breaks or rest from the cove. Time was of the essence, and no one wanted Malaykah to suffer another moment. It was then the longest journeying the fleet had taken together.

They landed on the outskirts early one morning. Daybreak could not come bustling through the giant trees and overgrown grass of the Tri-cities. Alëxios sliced through the paths with a saber, as he did not want to overuse the Excalibur sword for remedial tasks. The hordes of cherubs stampeded through the area until they stumbled upon Alëxios.

They all bowed down to him reverently, then carried on their way to roam about. It became clear that the mindless cherubs would not have been able to help Malaykah, even if they recognized her divinity. The battalion followed a small gaggle within the second cave since Alëxios read the engraved markings that indicated to do so. Before long, they hit the bottom of the cavern. Alëxios sensed a powerful aura nearby, which caused him to become anxious.

Around the corner, they found Malaykah lying lifelessly on the ground. Her face was hidden behind her long braids. In her hands, the Őrb globe clutched tightly to her chest. Suddenly, the Őrb dissolved. Then a forcefield of twinkling silver and blue stars stretched over her body. At first glance, she appeared not to be breathing.

“Malaykah,” Alëxios called to her in an unevenly shaken tone.

She stirred only a little and moaned weakly.

“Malaykah, I am here. I have come to help you,” Alëxios called again with more confidence.

He knelt down beside her, then tried to touch her hair. The powerful aura of the forcefield knocked him back, at least eight feet. Alëxios used cat-like agility to land on his feet. He sighed heavily and covered his hands over his face.

“This is the aura from The Moon’s children. Apparently, they are protecting Malaykah. This is quite the mystery, considering The Moon has ill will against her for an obviously misunderstood trespass,” he said.

He walked back to Malaykah and called her name three times more. Finally, she let out a long sigh and turned her head. She was blinded by a thousand tiny bright lights when she opened her eyes. Her ears rang, her head ached, and her throat felt raw. She tried to sit up but was dizzied by all of her ailments. Then, through the lights, she saw two piercing green eyes. She came fully to her senses, and all her conditions ceased at once.

Malaykah was surprised to still be in the realm. She was certained that she prayed to return home before she black-out. The shield evaporated soon after, which allowed Alëxios to finally embrace her. She looked out at the dragon fleet and spotted Meikko among the others. The young dragon appeared to weep. Without awareness, Malaykah unleashed the veil to her thoughts. Alëxios gasped in horror at the entire revelation of her ordeal with Bässäm.

He hugged her tighter to his chest and cried, “My love, why did you not call for me to be by your side? How could you hide away your thoughts from me when you were in danger?”

Malaykah pulled away from Alëxios and looked him in the eyes.

“I only wanted to protect you. I knew you would lose control if you found out what Bässäm

did to me. I couldn’t save Känëbräl, but I had to save the rest of the realm.”

Alëxios sat with a brief silence. He was unnerved that Malaykah sacrificed herself to save him from destroying the realm. No one could have, or even ever, offered to put him before themselves. He knew that none of his consorts in the harem would have made the same choice. It was unfathomable to him why The Moon was angry with her.

Malaykah stood and leaned against the cavern wall.

“We have to go now. We have to go to The Moon,” she said.

Alëxios stood and grabbed her shoulders.

“How do you know of this?” he demanded.

A single tear slid down Malaykah’s face. She looked at Alëxios fearfully and said, “The Ultimate Creator, Chrëst, just told me.”

~Ch. 26, The Realm Beyond the Stars and Sea~

Alëxios quickly wiped away his tears and regained complete composure. He turned to his counterparts and declared, “Know this; I continue to hold both of you in the highest esteem. Mighty Byakko will always be remembered as my 2nd self on the battlefield. We could not be any closer, even if we were actually brothers. In the monastery temples, we became each other’s lifelines. I watched a fierce battalion leader become a doting father to young Meikko and raise her up to be my queen’s personal guard. I would never allow any harm to come to either of you on behalf of my own errored ways.”

Byakko nodded in agreement.

“What do you plan to do, Alëxios?” He asked.

Alëxios did not answer right away. He sat on the ground cross-legged and began to meditate. They all waited in silence for several moments as Alëxios summoned the legendary Excalibur sword from the Divine Plains. The sky showered golden raindrops and released the blade into his hands.

Alëxios stood in a cavalier fashion and said, “I shall exact revenge on all those who harmed and took advantage of my queen.”

With that, he leaped off the cliff and ascended to the sky. Byakko commanded the entire dragon battalion to follow soon after.

The Phëläniciäns turned the nine-day route taken by Bässäm and Malaykah into an overnight trip by flight. They arrived at the cove and dove right to the bottom of the sea. With Alëxios being a deity, there was no need to seek the Ferry Man for a coin to unlock the portal of the whirlpool. Once they reached their destination, Alëxios unsheathed the Excalibur sword and tapped it against the cave wall.

“Come to me, evil sea witch! You must atone for your sins,” he shouted as he unleashed an enormous portion of his chaos.

The sediment rocks within the cave began to crumble, but Alëxios and the dragons held steady in their footing. Then, suddenly fluorescent light from Mäüdräh’s aura illuminated the space.

“I am the great and powerful Mäüdräh. Who dares—” she spoke but was interrupted by Alëxios when he slammed her against the wall and held the Excalibur sword to her throat.

“It is I who shall ask all the questions,” he said with a malicious smirk.

Mäüdräh’s cold dead eyes locked in with his piercing green eyes and shrieked upon realizing precisely who he was. She trembled and waited for his inquiry.

“Within the last fortnight, you were visited by two individuals. Were you not?” he asked.

Mäüdräh cackled with a sigh.

“Divine King Alëxios, it is well within your knowledge that I am visited by a barrage of individuals on a never-ceasing basis. They come here at all times to disturb my sentenced slumber. It is entirely too impossible to keep track of them all,” she replied.

Byakko and the other dragons began a low growl that echoed throughout the space of the cave. Then Alëxios unleashed more of his chaos, which caused Mäüdräh’s aura to dim and the room turned pitch-black. The sediments in the cave floor and walls gave way, and water enveloped everywhere.

Mäüdräh shrieked again in terror.

“Beg forgiveness, My Lord! I misspoke. I know of whom you speak on,” she said nervously.

“A raunchy eunuch and a maiden, to be exact,” Alëxios replied,

“Ah, yes! They were here many nights ago,” she answered.

Alëxios receded some of his chaos and removed the Excalibur sword from Mäüdräh’s throat.

“Tell me everything. What did the eunuch want?” he asked.

Mäüdräh cackled again, this time from amusement.

“He wanted what everyone wants; to obtain the Őrb, for realm domination. So I gave him the coordinates, just as I have always done.”

Alëxios grabbed Mäüdräh’s forehead and slammed the back of her head into the wall, which made the entire cave shake, and more water seeped through the weakened walls.

“So, you boldly confess that you purposefully lead the Queen of Phëläniciä to ruin!” he exclaimed.

Mäüdräh gasped for air as the water rose above her head. Alëxios lifted her by the neck so that the water rested at her chin level.

“My Lord, I beg you to hear me! I did no such thing,” she cried. He squeezed his hand on her throat as she continued.

“I was aware then, just as I am aware now, that I was in the presence of a deity. A mere lowly titan like me would gain no fortune from deceit. I swear to you, I gave no false account to the Daughter of Oshun.”

Alëxios released his hand from her throat, then quickly used the Excalibur sword to stab her in the heart.

“You have been a menace within the realm for far too long. Even if you spoke in truth, I cannot in good faith allow your continued havoc to reign,” he replied.

Mäüdräh let out a long wheeze when he removed the sword from her heart.

“You have done me a great service, Mighty King Alëxios. In the beginning, I taunted fortune seekers for my own amusement. After the 1st Season of Judgement, I hoped my sentenced slumber would finally put an end to the vicious cycle. Twenty centuries later, I realized my eternal damnation was to continuously repeat my trickery and deceit and never receive any rest. There is no amusement in my existence. As a god, you have rightfully ended the fixed situation. Now, I am finally free,” she weakly cackled before she turned to dust.

Meikko stood next to her father in astonishment.

“Father, why did King Alëxios kill the banshee after the knowledge that she did not lead our queen astray?’ she asked.

“In truth, he did so as an act of mercy and in hopes that Captain Mi’yämë’ shall be freed to die in peace,” he answered with admiration for his kin and king.

~Ch. 26, The Realm Beyond the Stars and Sea~

Alëxios approached them anxiously. He looked exhausted and was covered in Faerie blood. His eyes reflected a deep sadness. The battle weighed heavy on him, considering he had to execute those of his kin who also rejected him. It could not have been an easy task. Byakko and Meikko were well aware of the gravity of the situation.

He looked at Meikko and asked, “What news have you? Where is Malaykah?”

At first, Meikko did not respond. She could not look him in the eyes and began to tremble in anticipation of his wrath, especially after her father’s rebuking.

Byakko nudged her briskly with his tail and said, “Hold your head up and address the king at once, soldier.”

Meikko did not stall this time and did as she was commanded.

“Lord Alexios, I humbly beseech your mercy. Queen Malaykah insisted upon assisting with the cannons. The Faeries that did not perish on their naval ship took to flight and quickly discovered the source of where our ammunition flowed. We had no choice but to engage in combat. It was then that I lost sight of the queen. When I realized that she was no longer among us on deck, I searched for her immediately. Captain Mi’yämë sent his mate to help me. We put on an aggressive investigation, but the Faerie army was relentless in their attack. It was not until after we defeated our foes that we learned of her whereabouts. Regrettably, Captain Mi’yämë fetched his dying mate from the sea. With his last breath, Trëgӧürnë recounted how the eunuch roughhoused the queen and kidnapped her. Captain Mi’yämë determined that the eunuch must be in search of the Őrb because we found your She-wolf maiden dead from a slit throat.”

Alexios remained silent to mentally and physically absorb all of the information delivered. Fortunately, his temperament was not initially swayed into fury. Instead, he paced about composedly, which was a surprise to both Byakko and Meikko. However, his silence kept them in suspense, so Byakko abruptly interjected.

“Bässäm has gone rogue. I knew we could no longer put our confidence in him once he became emboldened by Sӧlitha to verbally assault Queen Malaykah at the palace. He did not express an ounce of gratitude at her leniency or her request to help guide the maidens back to their homelands. We played right into his scheme when we decided Känëbräl’s home would be the last stint of our tour. She lived not far from the Tri-cities region. I am certain Captain Mi’yämë also wanted to stop off there, to search for the Őrb.”

Suddenly, all the color drained entirely from Alëxios’s face. His look of contained alarm shifted to anguish, and tears swelled in his eyes. Byakko and Meikko glanced nervously at each other, not knowing what to make of his drastic mood change.

“My Lord, have you taken ill?’ Byakko asked.

Alexios pursed his lips together, then let out a heavy sigh. He chose his words carefully as if he did not want to relay what he had experienced.

“In truth, I have listened to your reports and concurrently communicated with The Ultimate Creator, Chrëst. I am quite disturbed by both messages delivered to me. A shocking revelation has come about.” He walked up to the highest point of a cliff and stared blankly out at the canyon below. Byakko and Meikko curiously joined him.

Alëxios continued to speak, “Meikko reported Malaykah was forcefully hauled off Captain Mi’yämë’s vessel by the eunuch, Bässäm. I was just informed they then traveled to the cove of deep waters, where he sought out the oracle. From there, Bässäm entreated Mäüdräh’s support to locate the Őrb. The Moon witnessed those events and has demanded a trial be held. Chrëst agreed to her demand. Therefore, I must journey to the Tri-cities to retrieve Malaykah and bring her to The Moon.” A steady stream of tears drifted down his face, and the canyon quaked with a low tremble. “The 3rd Season of Judgement will be rendered at the trial,” he said.

“What will become of our queen?” Meikko gasped.

Alëxios answered in a distant tone, “I can only conclude Mäüdräh’s trickery caused catastrophe to befall my bride. The Moon’s offense will not decipher between an innocent victim and delinquent crooks. If Malaykah is to be punished for Bässäm’s attempt to steal the Őrb, I am certain no mercy will be shown to her, given she is a foreigner to this realm. The eunuch’s fate is of no consequence. My only concern is for Malaykah. I failed to protect her in every dire moment of her time here. Even after the siege, my performance did not improve. Not once did I imagine she would fall into the clutches of such immoral creatures. This fiasco is entirely my fault because I did not make her my priority, and now she must suffer.”

Since his arrival in Phëläniciä, King Alëxios did not shed a single tear. After his rescue from captivity, he vowed to keep his injured feelings locked away from the rest of the world. However, Captain Mi’yämë’ and the rest of the Sea Pirates persuaded him to use his wrath as a tool to weaponize their cause with the powers of a god. Aside from his grandmother, Malaykah was the only living being he felt comfortable enough to show his vulnerable side with. In this instance, he allowed himself to share his grief with Byakko and Meikko because he could not contain his sorrow.

~Ch. 26, The Realm Beyond the Stars and Sea~

The pair came upon a wall made of four cinderblocks that blocked the rest of the path. After five minutes passed, the wall opened apart like an elevator. Bässäm signaled for Malaykah to move quickly before the border closed shut. A mile further, another wall was in place. This time, the wall pulled up into the cave ceiling. They immediately proceeded forward. The third wall pulled downward but also had spikes that shot through tiny holes in the ground. Bässäm and Malaykah carefully staggered past the obstacles.

Before long, they had caught up to the crowd of cherubs. Bässäm wanted to follow directly behind them, but Malaykah insisted they wait. The cherubs crossed a lake of fire covered by rectangular wedges of asphalt. It seemed like an easy task to successfully complete since enough wedges led to the other side of the cave. Just as Bässäm went to chase after the last cherub, its wedge disintegrated, and it melted in the lava.

Malaykah covered her eyes and clenched her jaw in horror as the cherub screamed in agony. Moments later, the wedge reappeared.

“We will need to exercise good judgment in timing how long to stay on each wedge,” Bässäm said in disgust.

Malaykah braced herself as they jumped from wedge to wedge. Finally, twelve wedges later, they made it to the other side. Fortune was on their side enough to allow a safe passage. Another group of cherubs attempted the same trek, but all fell to their deaths in the hot lave. Bässäm and Malaykah continued on their way without a look back.

The next barrier was a long hallway with silky black vines that extended and receded. The pair watch two cherubs get tangled in the vines. At first, it seemed like that was the worst of it. Then suddenly, the vine sprayed a poisonous liquid, which burned a hole through the cherubs. Bässäm and Malaykah had to wait for the opportunity to proceed when the vines receded again. They walked through gushes of innards and blood from the dead cherubs. Malaykah nearly vomited.

After a brief rest, the two continued on their way again. When they caught up to the remaining cherubs in a dark room, everyone waited in silence. Then, a loud rattle came from out of nowhere. Malaykah could hardly believe her eyes when she saw an enormous rattlesnake slither across the pathway. Near the snake’s nest was a long golden box.

“That must be where the key is,” Bässäm whispered.

Malaykah decided this time she would not hold Bässäm back if he wanted to go forward. Instead, one of the cherubs stood in front of the snake. They were both roughly the same size (15 ft. tall). That is until the snake perched back and upward. It gained at least 10 more feet in height. The cherub did not move nor acted the least intimidated. The snake opened its mouth and gobbled the cherub in one gulp.

Malaykah was petrified, but Bässäm insisted they try to reach the box while the snake was preoccupied. Once they retrieved the box, they found an exit opposite of the snake. The other cherub went to follow behind them but was also eaten by the snake. Bässäm and Malaykah ran as fast as they could until they found themselves outside the cave.

The dizzying effect of such gruesome incidents made Malaykah go numb. She mindlessly followed Bässäm into the next cave without even so much as a snivel. The second cave appeared to have no traps set in place. In fact, even more, cherubs roamed about without interference. There were tall stone slabs erected from the ground line across a maze.

Bässäm allowed Malaykah to take the lead, as she gave an impression that she knew the way to go. As soon as they walked out of the maze, they stepped inside a tunnel wide and tall enough to walk through. The cherubs were too big to fit through this space. Inside the cavern were thousands of lit candles and a bigger box resembling the key.

Bässäm opened the key box and pulled out a silver medallion in the shape of a star. He placed the medallion in the impression on the bigger box. When the bigger box expanded, what looked like an enchanted snow globe emerged. Malaykah knew that the contents were not made of snow but of the essence of The Moon’s children were inside.

“Fantastico!” Bässäm exclaimed as he gazed in awe.

He took a deep breath and went to retrieve the Őrb.

“Wait! Please don’t do this!” Malaykah pleaded.

Bässäm turned to look at her with such spite that she took a step back.

“In truth, you were of good use during this journey. However, that time has completely expired,” he replied.

Bässäm pulled out a small pocket knife from his belt buckle. Just as he was about to throw it at Malaykah, the cavern began to shake.

“The Moon still wants to protect her children. Even if you kill me now, you’ll have to contend with her,” Malaykah bawled.

Bässäm took heed to her words and returned his attention back to the Őrb. He placed both hands around to lift it high in the air. He snickered and relished in victory.

“This was no easy feat but well worth the perils,” he said.

Suddenly, the loudest wail ever heard within the realm penetrated through the cavern walls. All of the candles formed the body of a woman. A fiery hand reached out to choke Bässäm. Then, with his mouth gaped open, the other hand reached down his throat to rip out his heart. He screamed in torture as he watched the flames burn his heart to ashes. The fiery being then sent a mob of fire ants to devour his flesh. Bässäm remained alive throughout the ordeal but dropped the Őrb back into the box.

The fire ants opened a hole in the ground, where even more flames burst through. Bässäm sunk inside the hole just before it closed up. The fiery being smiled at Malaykah, then extinguished itself before her eyes. The cavern turned pitch-black. All that was left were Malaykah and the Őrb.

Malaykah collapsed on the ground and wept bitterly. She had never witnessed such horrific events in person. Not even in the human realm had she watch horror movies because she hated being afraid. As a child, she was terrified of being alone in the dark, heights, and the sight of blood. When her husband died, she had to force herself to go to his wake. The thought of seeing his dead body gave her the creeps.

However, within the realm and especially in Phëläniciä, she had witnessed more murders and deaths than she could keep count of. She wondered how Alëxios, Captain Mi’yämë, Trëgӧürnë, and all the dragons could participate in such a revolting exercise. In all her misery, she could not bring herself to cry for Bässäm for being the wretched creature that he was. In her opinion, Sӧlitha had to be just as awful to consort with him daily.

Malaykah was grateful to The Moon for sparing her life. She did not know why she was not engulfed like the eunuch. Perhaps it was because of the way she wept upon reading the hieroglyphic tale inscribed on the cave floors and walls. Malaykah was certain The Moon loved her children and was happy that The Ultimate Creator, Chrëst, granted her permission to birth them. It was no wonder she remained in continuous states of despair and wrath. The protective nature of a mother; the one thing The Moon and Malaykah shared in common.

~Ch. 25, The Realm Beyond the Stars and Sea~