The Beast is the Throne

Beneath the Sacred Mountain

The Samo Kingdom's armies were slow to stir. By the time they finally mustered a great host and marched against the Star Luo Kingdom, the Star Luo Kingdom had already fought its way deep into Sele Kingdom territory.

This time was different. The Samo family of the Royal Bloodline had plainly grown desperate, throwing everything they had into the advance and assault. It was not long before they broke through Stone Forest City and seized the mighty fortress.

Within days, they had smashed through every line in their path and reached the foot of the Sacred Mountain.

In keeping with the Star Luo Queen's plan, the Sky Temple had long been preparing to defend the mountain to the death with the Star of Death.

Between the Sacred Lake's natural barrier and the Sacred Mountain's commanding heights, they could hold an enemy at bay for a day or two.

But two days before the Samo Kingdom's legions arrived, something went wrong.

Without warning, the Star of Death burst from the Sacred Lake. It tore through the lake's fisheries beyond all control, hauled itself ashore, and writhed away into the distance.

No matter how they called after it, it never once looked back.

Uproar engulfed God-Servant City and the Sky Temple.

"What are we supposed to do now?"

"Why would the Star of Death suddenly go out of control?"

"We're finished. We're finished."

Panic seized the people of God-Servant City. How could they possibly hold without the Star of Death?

Sure enough, the Samo Kingdom's host had been there only a few hours when the Desert Worm leading the assault smashed through the gates of God-Servant City. Already, the fugitives streaming down the narrow tracks behind the city had formed a long, winding column.

Fugitives crowded the foot of the Sacred Mountain.

They had forsaken the Sky Temple and abandoned God-Servant City.

Only the Samo Kingdom's fear of damaging the Sky Temple had kept the city from falling even faster.

Just then, towering waves reared across the distant Sacred Lake.

A terrifying giant beast erupted from the water, its body as hard as an iron helm. It crashed down and ploughed a thousand-meter trench through the earth, hurling up a violent storm of dust.

That single blow devastated the Sele Kingdom's legion at the foot of the mountain.

Hiss!

A black magic fern burst from the ground. In the blink of an eye, it towered a hundred meters high and coiled tightly around the Sele Sea Spirit.

The Moon Magic Fern was the Samo family's other great beast, and the only Ruhe Beast ever to follow the path of plant evolution.

Woo woo!

A thunderous rumble rolled up from beneath the Sacred Mountain. A terrifying giant worm bored out of the mountain itself and locked in battle with the Samo family's Desert Worm.

The Burrowing Demon Worm and the Sele Sea Spirit had arrived at exactly the right moment, pulling the battle back from the brink.

Dust billowed at the far end of the sky. The armies of the Star Luo Kingdom and the Volcano Duchy were racing home.

Standing atop the Burrowing Demon Worm's skull, Henir swept his sword toward the commander of the Desert Worm.

People changed with the times and the turns of fortune. Now that power rested in Henir's hands, he seemed a different man altogether. His confidence had soared, and he carried an almost unimaginable air of authority.

"King of the Samo family, destroy the halls of the divine and face us here in the final battle."

"Do you dare?"

"Or leave this place quietly and bring the war to an end."

Henir's provocation drew no anger from the king of the Samo family. In an even voice, he asked, "Where, then, is the king of the Xilong family?"

Henir concealed the truth. "Her Majesty is bringing the Sele Kingdom to heel. She will return with the Sky Beast at any moment."

The king of the Samo Kingdom answered, "Yet word has reached me that the Star Luo Queen is dead."

Henir burst out laughing. "The Sele family would tell any lie if it meant dragging you into this war."

"On what grounds?"

"What power could they possibly have to harm Her Majesty, the Great Star Luo Queen?"

The king of the Samo Kingdom wavered. He, too, doubted the report.

How could the Sele Kingdom, weakest of them all, have killed the mighty Star Luo Queen with a single great beast?

The standoff held.

The Samo family dared not destroy the halls of the divine or God-Servant City, but they could not remain locked in this struggle forever. Deep in the Star Luo Kingdom's heartland, any prolonged war of attrition would favor the enemy.

With no opening in sight, the Samo Kingdom had even less resolve to stake everything on a final battle at the foot of the Sacred Mountain.

After a long hesitation, they finally withdrew their troops and left.

As the Samo Kingdom retreated, cheers erupted throughout God-Servant City.

"Her Majesty is back!"

"Her Majesty is back."

"The Samo Kingdom is retreating! We've won! We've won!"

Throughout the temple and all across God-Servant City, inside and out, people leapt for joy and flooded the streets in celebration.

Even the nobles and soldiers who had fled moments earlier came streaming back, delighted to welcome the returning army.

They did not know that it was not their queen returning.

Both the king of the Xilong family and the Ruhe Beast were utterly lost in the great battle against the Sele Kingdom.

Looking down upon the scene, a young priest of the Sky Temple sensed that something was wrong.

"Why is the Sky Beast nowhere to be seen? Why is the Grand Duke of Volcano's Burrowing Demon Worm the one returning?"

The host marched into God-Servant City. The Sele Sea Spirit descended into the Sacred Lake and stationed itself there, taking the place of the Star of Death.

Serving as Henir's mount, the Burrowing Demon Worm climbed the great road through God-Servant City, inching upward like a pilgrim until it stood before the Sky Temple.

Before returning, Henir had exploited both the great victory and the leaderless army. Using the Star Luo Queen's death as his justification, he purged the ranks and seized most of the officers. Amid the turmoil, he reorganized the Star Luo Kingdom's armies and brought them under his control.

He left the less reliable Star Luo Kingdom troops behind to garrison the Sele Kingdom.

In the Star Luo Kingdom, these men were like rootless duckweed. In the Sele Kingdom, enemies surrounded them on every side. Their only choice was to obey Henir and hold the newly conquered kingdom for him.

Henir returned with the Volcano Duchy's soldiers and the kingdom legions that had been first to side with him. Every force now standing here answered to his command.

The whole city cheered as he entered God-Servant City.

"Grand Duke Henir!"

"Grand Duke Henir!"

"Grand Duke of Volcano!"

"Lord Henir!"

Henir had won not only the honor of conquering the Sele Kingdom, but also the credit for avenging the Star Luo Queen.

Now, in a single stroke, he had transformed once more into the hero who saved the Sky Temple and God-Servant City.

More frightening still, two Ruhe Beasts now lay within his grasp.

When Henir reached the royal palace with his army, the people of the Xilong family demanded an answer of him.

"Where is Her Majesty the Queen?"

Henir descended from the Burrowing Demon Worm's head, personally hoisted a stone coffin onto his shoulder, and carried it toward the palace.

At the very end, the Sky Beast had shed its form and reverted to the original shape of a Ruhe Beast. Her Majesty's remains were never found. Among the things the Sky Beast had cast off, however, they discovered the Xilong family's crown and the Yinsai Scepter.

The people of the Xilong family and the nobles of God-Servant City stared at the stone coffin, unable to accept it.

Alarm swept from face to face. They shrank back in terror, their eyes fixed on the coffin.

"It cannot be!"

"It cannot be!"

"How could this be?"

"It's a lie! How could Her Majesty be dead?"

Henir closed his eyes and raised his head to speak.

"Her Majesty fought to reclaim the Sele Kingdom and restore the glory of Yinsai!"

"She fell in battle."

Ignoring them all, he strode into the royal palace with Her Majesty's stone coffin on his shoulder.

He placed the Star Luo Queen's coffin upon the throne, took up the Yinsai Scepter, and stood beside the throne.

At that moment, the returning generals began stepping forward one after another.

"The Grand Duke of Volcano has avenged the Queen. The Xilong family's direct royal line is broken. The realm is beset by unrest within and mighty enemies without. At this critical hour, the Grand Duke of Volcano must act as regent."

"Indeed. Her Majesty trusted the Grand Duke of Volcano above all others. Now, only he can hold the realm together."

"The Grand Duke of Volcano is the true heir to the Star Luo Queen's will."

The Xilong family's cadet branches could scarcely bear it.

One of them sprang forward at once, loudly challenging and denouncing Henir.

Henir stood beside the throne, the Yinsai Scepter in hand, without so much as a flicker of expression. He offered no answer.

But a general in the royal palace immediately stepped forward. "Her Majesty died because traitors had infiltrated the Sky Temple Priest Corps. What else could have caused the Ruhe Beast to lose control?"

"Someone within the priest corps betrayed her, and there must have been accomplices inside the Sky Temple."

"And now you rush forward. You must have had a hand in Her Majesty's death."

Someone shouted at once, "Seize him! Try him!"

"Avenge Her Majesty!"

Frenzied soldiers surged forward, beat the man to the ground, and dragged him away.

The soldiers' snarling roars were thick with killing intent. The Royal Bloodline and the nobles who had once towered above them began to tremble, and no one dared raise another voice in opposition.

With the host encircling the city, the Xilong family faced the power of two Ruhe Beasts, the Burrowing Demon Worm and the Sele Sea Spirit. They could only huddle like frightened quail, not daring to utter a word.

Henir had long since seen these people for what they truly were.

It was just as he had once said. Once the so-called Royal Bloodline families lost the power of the great beasts, they lost the throne with it.

The great beast.

It was the throne itself.