When Michael had awakened, it was the break of dawn. Some light had shone through the window of his bedroom. He had a tiny one-room house. All he had inside was just a bed and a small table. He got up, changed, and had some breakfast comprised of eggs and bread. When he left his house the villagers were doing their usual business. He decided to go ahead and start questioning them.

The house he went to was the closest to him, a nice neighbors by the name of John and Gabriel Arst, and their two children. Their house was a small brick house. There was smoke coming out of the chimney. They had some straw on top of the roof.

When Michael went up to the house and knocked on the door, a voice answered, "Who is it?"

"It’s Michael, Madam Arst. May I come in? I have a few questions to ask you and your family."

"Sure, come in!"

When Michael entered the house he was in the living room. There was a window to the left and against the left wall were two wooden chairs. It was warm inside, because of the light shining through. He started to think about his future, if he’d have a family someday...

After he stepped in Michael said, "Good day today."

"Yes, it is," answered Gabriel, then she asked, "Why don’t you sit down?"

"Alright." The chair was comfortable. Michael said, "Nice chairs. Did you make them?"

"Yes, I wove them myself. It took awhile, but it was worth the time. Now, what would you like to ask me?"

Michael was looking down, admiring the work on the chairs, but then he looked up and said, "What is your opinion of his Majesty?"

"Well," she hesitated a bit, "I think he is a good man. Karna has prospered well under his reign."

"Thank you. Do you know of anything unusual lately?"

"I’m not really sure, I don’t go outside the house much and certainly not outside the village. Why don’t you ask my husband?" She called John out who was finishing his breakfast in the kitchen.

He entered the living room, "Hello, Michael. You have a question to ask me?"

"Yes. Have you noticed anything unusual lately?"

"Not much. The village seems normal. Sometimes I go to the neighboring village of Amstar to get some goods from there that is not here in Karna. I have noticed a rise in monsters lately. Don’t have the slightest idea why. Does that help you?"

Michael replied, "Yes, it does. Thank you," he then decided to ask a different question, probably not one the King would have permitted, "Can I ask you two, one last question?"

John replied, "Gladly."

"Thank you," a short pause, "Have you noticed anything unusual about his Majesty?"

"Now that’s an unusual question, coming from a knight. But I’ll answer you," John continued, "Honestly, I do think he has been acting strangely lately. He...."

All of a sudden, the three could hear shouts and screams in the village.

Michael said, "I’d better go see what’s going on."

"Be careful," said Gabriel.

When Michael left the house, there was a goblin outside. A goblin is a small, but strong monster. A lot of people are unsuspecting of its strength. They use their claws as weapons. The goblin approached him, but when he felt its breath on his neck, Michael turned around slashed at its stomach. When he looked around he noticed monsters all over the village! He tried to help people who were in trouble. The reason the monsters took the village by storm must have been the four entrances in the castle. The village had been so peaceful; they didn’t need much protection. With the help of Michael, a few other knights currently in the village, and a few strong men, the monsters were pushed back out of the village walls... at least for a little while…

Michael then decided to go to talk to the king about getting reinforcements. It would not be long until the monsters returned. As he entered the front entrance of the castle, he found a few remaining goblins inside. Michael was busy fighting them, so he didn’t notice Christina coming in to see what he was up to. Right after Michael slashed the last monster, there was a shout, "MICHAEL!"

Michael turned around and there was a Goblin he had not seen. Immediately he got the goblin on its back. "Christina! Are you all right?" Michael asked, "What are you doing in the castle? I thought you were sick."

"I’m fine. Thank you Michael. I saw you rush into the castle so I was worried. I am not sick anymore. I overcome sickness easily."

As Christina finished her sentence, there was a slam. The front door closed. Michael tried to open it, but it was stuck. Michael tried the other entrances, all of them were closed he couldn’t budge them either. Christina and Michael were trapped in the castle. Michael knew he couldn’t leave Christina alone.

"I am going to see the king. Are you sure you are not sick?"

"Yes. Let me help you. I am good with healing magic. I can heal you if you get hurt."

The main floor of the castle wasn’t much. There was some straw here and there. The throne room was on the second floor of the castle. Stairways were on both sides of the walls. Michael and Christina took the left stairway. On the way to the throne room, Michael had to fight a stray goblin here and there.

At last, they entered the throne room. Inside was the king, with a guardsman on each side with their arms folded and stern. On the left and right wall were candles, since it was evening, the candles were the only source of light. The king had cold eyes.

Michael approached the king, "Your Majesty, do you know what is happening in the village?"

The king answered with a cold voice, "Yes, I know."

"Then you know we must send out reinforcements. The villagers, a few knights, and I held off the monsters, but the village won’t be able hold out the next attack without help."

"NO! I will NOT! They deserve to die. They summoned the monsters and those monsters turned against their summoners. It is a good punishment."

"But your Majesty! I, myself, have interviewed a family. The villagers are not against you. They did not summon the monsters, I assure you. We must send help."

The king leaned forward, "Are you questioning my authority? If you are you are against me too! I expected more from you. Guards, seize those two!"

"Yes, your Majesty," said the guards, and they tried to take Michael and Christina. Michael put them down. Michael was injured a little, but Christina healed him with a heal spell. People with magic abilities cast magic by chanting the spell and looking at the person or thing that he or she is casting at. The exception is when warping to towns the caster has been to in the past.

Michael sighed, "Now. If you don’t help, I will go talk to the Knights myself."

When Michael and Christina started to head back, the King said, "I wouldn’t do that if I were you."

The two turned around when the king replied, but when they did, the King had disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Wondered the puzzled Christina.

Then from the ceiling, came down a goblin, but this goblin was larger and stronger. It had beady eyes with very long claws.

The large goblin said, "You stinking humans! Trying to ruin my plan. It was going so perfectly!"

Michael yelled at the monster, "Where is the King? What did you do with him?"

"He is inside me. A month ago, I took over his physical and mental will. If you kill me, the King will die too. Now, you shall DIE!!" Screamed the powerful goblin.

The goblin charged at Michael, but he blocked it. Michael counter attacked. Christina healed him when necessary. A jumping slash down the middle of the goblin did it in.

The goblin melted away; then appeared the King, but he was severely injured. Michael rushed up to him, "Your Majesty!"

The King spoke in a coarse voice, "Where am I? I cannot see. When is it?"

"You are in your throne room. It’s May, 186 PK."
"May??"

"What is the last you remember?"

"It was April. I was eating supper, then I must have blacked out, and then I ended up here, dying."

"Don’t say that! It’s not over yet!" Michael exclaimed, then said, "I remember that day, you were eating, and suddenly you fell on your plate, then one second later, you came up. You said it was a joke. From then on I noticed that you were acting strangely. I’m so sorry this happened. We had to kill that giant goblin or else it would have taken over."

The King replied, "It’s okay. You did the right thing."

Michael turned to Christina, "Can you try to heal him?"

"I will try."

She tried to heal the dying king... no effect. The wounds were too severe. "I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do your Majesty."

The King exclaimed, "I have no heir! Who will succeed me?"

"Don't worry, I will take care of it. Please save your strength," Michael thought, head down, then he said, "Your Majesty! I will find out who sent that goblin against you! I will avenge! I will tell the villagers what happened here."

"Thank you Michael...."

"Rest your Majesty," there was a short pause, "Your Majesty?!"

Michael said softly, "Rest in peace."