Behind massive stone walls stood a beautiful white castle rising from a vast plain. At its highest point, on a balcony, a man with his arms crossed gazed at the sky, where dark clouds were gathering and distant lightning flickered.
He looked to be in his twenties. His pale skin and deep blue eyes contrasted with his neatly styled blond hair. His athletic build gave him the presence of a celebrity—perhaps he was one, for he was none other than the King of Camelot himself:
Arthur.
From the shadows behind him emerged an old butler, his gray hair and silent footsteps as ghostly as his presence. But the king paid him no mind and continued staring at the sky with complete indifference.
Finally, the butler broke the silence with a deep bow.
"We have found the source of the letter, Your Majesty."
Arthur remained motionless. He turned slightly to glance at the butler with detached disinterest.
"It comes from the Kingdom of Heaven…" the butler continued.
Arthur frowned and looked back at the clouds, from which large raindrops were now falling.
In a cold voice and with an arrogant expression, he muttered, "What business does that lost kingdom have with an insignificant swordsman from the forest?"
"We're not certain, Your Majesty. But the dual-core knight we sent has disappeared, along with the soldiers who went for the reward."
A brief silence followed. Then the king's voice rang out like thunder: "Send a guard—Harris will suffice."
Before the butler could respond, Arthur added, "And fetch me Gomyriad. It looks like it's going to pour."
The butler knelt and held out his hands. A white light gleamed between his palms, and from it appeared a magnificent, elegant spear. Its hilt was edged with gold and measured about two meters long. Three razor-sharp blades projected from its body—two at the sides and one at the tip—sharp enough to pierce any surface.
The king studied it for a moment, then placed a hand on the hilt. He gripped it firmly and raised it above his head.
What happened next was shocking, even to the butler, who was no stranger to such displays.
Arthur braced his feet and arms with force, and a powerful red aura erupted around him. Then, with monstrous strength, he hurled the spear toward the sky.
It shattered the sound barrier and pierced the clouds, creating a massive hole above. A second later, a shockwave dispelled the darkness, allowing warm sunlight to bathe the kingdom.
The spear returned in golden sparks to Arthur's right hand. He handed it back to the butler, who made it vanish between his palms.
"Alive or dead, Your Majesty?" the butler asked, bowing again.
The king smiled as he admired the sunlight shining over his lands. Then he replied, cheerful and expectant, "Bring him to me alive."
"But… if he resists, tell Harris he may break a few bones and bring him back half-alive. After all, we only need his mouth."
"Wouldn't you agree, Lord Doss?"
A chill ran down the butler's spine at the king's question, but he drew a steadying breath and answered, "Yes, Your Majesty. My sole wish is to fulfill your will."
Then, just as he had appeared, he vanished again into the shadows, leaving the king alone on the balcony.
A minute passed after Lord Doss's disappearance, and then Arthur called, "Charlotte."
"Yes, Your Majesty?" came a youthful voice, as a woman seemed to part an invisible veil in the air. She emerged with short blond hair brushing her delicate neck, porcelain-white skin, and childlike green eyes—beautiful, with an aura of nobility.
"Watch Lord Doss for me. I'm going to pay a visit to Heaven."
"Yes, Your Majesty, but… with all the trouble lately, what will become of the kingdom if we're attacked while you're away?" she asked, concern tinging her tone.
"The first prince will return from his journey very soon. Do not worry about that. Focus only on the task I have given you," the king said, offering a warm smile.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Charlotte gave a slight bow and vanished behind a cloak of invisibility.
Arthur let out a light sigh and gazed over his vast realm: the ornate wooden houses, the paved streets gleaming in daylight.
"All this peace will soon vanish," he thought, looking down at his kingdom with pity.
"A rift in the sky, huh? How ironic."
With that thought, he was enveloped in a radiant light and ascended toward the sky, his destination the enormous ruined castle beyond.