Title: The True King of Overwild
The atmosphere in the castle of Overwild had turned tense as King Adam made his dramatic declaration: the Black Eagle crew were to be imprisoned immediately. Guards snarled and beasts growled. Wolves in silver-plated armor and bears bearing spears formed a circle around the crew. But Rook wasn't going down without a fight.
Tyson stood beside Rook, fists clenched, ready to face anything. His eyes scanned the armored beasts in front of them—wolves with sharp claws, teeth like blades, and bear soldiers armored in steel. "We need our weapons," Rook muttered. "Or this is suicide."
Without hesitation, Rook lunged toward a nearby guard and tackled him to the ground, trying to grab his sword. A pair of armored wolves leapt toward him, jaws wide open. But Tyson intercepted with a roar, delivering a bone-shattering punch that cracked the wolves' armor and knocked them out cold.
The castle erupted into chaos. Roars, screams, and clashing metal filled the grand hall. King Adam pointed a claw at the crew and shouted, "Do not let them escape! I don't care what it takes—kill them if you must!"
Tyson's voice boomed across the hall. "This is your last chance! Give us our weapons and let us go, or we will burn this kingdom down!"
Zafar, the king's most trusted wolf warrior, stepped forward, unsheathing his curved sword. "Then you'll die here, Tyson Vorrick."
Their clash was brutal. Zafar slashed at Tyson's arm, slicing through cloth and flesh. Tyson roared and responded with a powerful kick that dented Zafar's chest armor. Both were bleeding now, circling each other like beasts.
Amidst the chaos, Rook saw his chance. He slipped out of the battle and darted through the castle corridors, searching for their confiscated weapons. Guards were stationed at nearly every corner, but his determination was unmatched. Then he saw it—a large chamber gate guarded heavily by soldiers.
"Too many," Rook whispered. "How do I get through this?"
Just then, a blood-curdling howl echoed through the halls. It sounded like a wolf in pain. All the guards rushed toward the noise. Rook grinned. "Perfect."
He dashed forward, breaking the chamber gate with a hard kick. Inside, to his shock, was a caged lion—frail, wounded, but unmistakably regal. The lion looked exactly like King Adam.
"You… you look like the king," Rook said.
The lion coughed. "I am King Adam. The real one."
Rook's jaw dropped. "Then who the hell is the imposter commanding your army?"
"My twin brother. He poisoned me, took my throne, and left me here to die."
Rook handed him a water flask. "We came here by accident, but your fake brother wants to imprison us. Do you know where our weapons are?"
The real King Adam struggled to his feet. "Follow me."
He led Rook to the old storeroom, guarded by fewer soldiers. None of them questioned the weakened king. Inside were the crew's weapons, stacked and dusty.
"We need to end this," Rook said, grabbing his sword. "Now."
Back in the hall, Tyson was on his knees. Blood trickled from his wounds. Zafar raised his sword for the final blow.
"STOP!" roared a voice.
Everyone turned. The real King Adam, flanked by Rook and the rest of the crew, stood tall. "I am your king. The one you've been serving is a fraud."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The fake king snarled. "Don't believe him! He's a traitor! Kill him, now!"
Zafar hesitated, torn between duty and truth. "This… this can't be."
"Zafar," the true king said, "you've served the crown with honor. But the crown belongs to me."
Still confused, Zafar lowered his blade. But the tension was too much. Rook, seeing the hesitation, acted.
He drew his blade and slashed at Zafar's neck. Blood sprayed as the wolf warrior collapsed. The hall went dead silent.
Dr. Elish ran to Tyson, using her healing wand to close his wounds. "Don't you dare die on us," she whispered.
A pack of hyenas rushed forward, shrieking and gnashing. Lyra drew her bow and unleashed a storm of arrows, each one hitting its mark. Hyenas dropped like flies.
Then came the rumble of hooves. A massive armored rhino charged toward Aria. She stood still, eyes narrowed. As the beast neared, she flung her flaming dagger. It struck the rhino's heart, piercing through armor and muscle. The beast collapsed, the flames consuming its body.
The once-white marble of the throne room was now stained red with blood. The war was not over, but the truth had been revealed.
To be continued...