As we were about to leave the tower, Astral (who was okay now) said that he still had an uneasy feeling. We soon dismissed all that though, as we told him all about the fight. This proved to have been a bad idea, as what happened next caught him completely off-guard. As we walked back through the castle the place was in a terrible state and when we found the minister his face was as pale as the sands of Parmecia are said to be. He was trembling as he told us that he had seen a spirit entering the King’s body! Astral looked at us and said,
“I thought you told me you killed them all!”
“We did!”, Chester protested.
“Well, there’s no time to argue now. Minister, take me to the King!”
“At once, Sir Astral.”, the Minister replied courteously, and off they went.
The three of us followed, well what else could we do? We knew what was happening, and wanted to hear anything else that might develop. We quietly climbed the staircase to the King’s Quarters, where Sir Astral was trying to calm the frenzied monarch. King Granseal was possessed! Astral tried to reason with him, but to no avail. Another approach was necessary. He motioned his hands as if he was about to weave a spell, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed us hiding behind the door. Again, he glared at me and motioned for us to stand back. He began to weave the spell again, whispering some kind of incantation as his hands traced out the intricate motions required for such a high level spell.
In a moment of inspiration I realised why my spell levels never got any higher: it must be to do with the motions. To perform such movements with the fingers to trace out the ancient symbols in the air requires the upmost accuracy. My fingers must be too big! No wonder why it’s only girls and scrawny men that seem to master the more difficult spells. Sure, muscley men can cast low level bolts and such, they are simple, but to weave a fire or a snow storm from nothing but the air around is a great skill which I shall never know.
My thoughts were shattered by the final cry of the incantation. A fireball burst from Astral’s palm and hit the King! The gizmo left the King’s body, but before we could catch it, it had already gone. Exhausted from the fight, Sir Astral collapsed and we aided the King in putting him to bed. King Granseal wanted to wait with Astral for a while, so we agreed to leave. As we made our way back downstairs we heard the Minister’s voice. Curious, we went to find out what was happening and were surprised to find soldiers from the army of Granseal in the throne room! The Minister gave them instructions to hunt down the gizmo and not to return without proof that it was dead.
At that moment the King rushed in, red in the face from coming down all those stairs in such a hurry.
“Has the entire army left?!”, he asked, breathing heavily.
“Yes, Your Majesty: every last one of them! We’ll have that gizmo dead in no time!”, replied the Minister.
“Oh…”
“Your Majesty?”, he enquired.
“Sir Astral’s been talking about the Tower of the Ancients. He seems to think there’s some link between the door opening and the gizmo’s appearing. He wants us to send soldiers to an old historian named Hawel, who lives just past Yeel. You’re certain that all of the soldiers have gone on the mission?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. As I said, every last one. Is it a long journey to reach this Hawel?”
“No, not far, but if he knows something about all of this, his life may be in danger and also those of the people who go to get him. But I think I’m seeing a way around this problem…”
“So am I…. Bowie, I know you, and I have heard your two friends did very well against those demons in the Tower….”, the Minister looked towards King Granseal, hesitant.
“It’s not a difficult mission”, said the King, turning to us. “Are you up to it?”
