Padding across the sands covering their underground kingdom, five Manticores were struggling to catch their breath. They couldn\u2019t summon enough energy to fly to a shady spot, after their whole squadron was viciously annihilated by the elephant Realmfleet sent. \u201cToo\u2026too\u2026brutal!\u201d panted one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMust\u2026must keep on!\u201d encouraged another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDad\u2026Dad won\u2019t\u2026\u201d The third couldn\u2019t keep his energy up as he and his brothers fell. Their wounds were too great, and the heat was intense. The five manticores passed out, ready for death. It took only a few minutes for them to succumb. After an hour had passed, a small Realmgate opened and deposited Dr. Borg and Oyed. Dr. Borg set up the Revenant equipment around the Manticores and started chanting. \u201cShanwey yat talyen falunar. Shanwey yat talyen falunar. Shanwey yat talyen falunar.\u201d The Manticores then gained the glowing veins and screamed. \u201cShanwey yat talyen falunar! Shanwey yat talyen falunar! Shanwey yat talyen falunar! TEL!\u201d The Manticores then stopped screaming and opened their eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhu\u2026what\u2026I\u2019m alive?!\u201d asked the first Manticore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlive and\u2026a little glowy, by the look of it,\u201d remarked the second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s thanks to the good doctor,\u201d explained Oyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy Lord!\u201d yelped the third Manticore. The whole group then lowered themselves, putting their stomachs to the sand and extending their paws while declining their heads and lowering their eyes. Their tails extended behind them, putting their stingers to the ground and their wings folded against their bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUp, please,\u201d directed Oyed. The Manticores then rose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy Lord, it\u2019s been too long since you graced our people with your presence,\u201d chuckled the fourth Manticore. He then sensed the impropriety of his statement. \u201cEr, not that we don\u2019t understand, of course! We know how busy someone like you is!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEase yourselves,\u201d assured Oyed. \u201cAs it stands, I need to collect on a debt someone owes me. Someone I think you five are familiar with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Wait a minute, Dad\u2019s always talked about a deal with someone,\u201d muttered the last Manticore. \u201cWas that you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been the master of your people\u2019s ruler for a long time, in exchange for his soul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t been doing a good job of it,\u201d remarked the first Manticore. \u201cSomeone\u2019s tried to take his position one way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHave they now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow much is Dad\u2019s soul worth to you?\u201d asked the fourth Manticore. \u201cI think we can be used as adequate\u2026\u201d His sentence was interrupted by an elephant\u2019s trumpeting. \u201cOh no!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSteady yourselves,\u201d assured Oyed. \u201cDr. Borg, now is a good time for observations.\u201d The elephant arrived and went wild at the sight of the Manticores. They were at full strength again, so they took to the air. Two landed on the elephant\u2019s back as the remaining three slashed at the elephant\u2019s sides with their claws. The result\u2026was unusual for a Manticore. The elephant trumpeted in pain! The Manticores on the elephant\u2019s backside blinked, then the one nearest to the rear sunk his teeth into the elephant\u2019s flesh. The one near the head readied his stinger, then plunged it right into the skull, flooding the elephant\u2019s head with venom. The elephant thrashed around before the venom took effect. It collapsed and all its organs shut down. The Manticores blinked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWh\u2026what changed?\u201d asked the first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s the veins,\u201d answered the second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWait a minute, weren\u2019t we dead?\u201d the third asked Oyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou were,\u201d answered the Titan, \u201cbut she brought you back to life as Revenants.\u201d He pointed to Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd it looks like Revenant Manticores CAN kill an elephant where a mortal one cannot,\u201d mused Dr. Borg. \u201cI will have to study this in greater detail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRevenants?\u201d asked the last. \u201cSo, we\u2019re undead?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes,\u201d answered Oyed. \u201cNow, what was your proposal concerning your abusive father?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A silver-maned Manticore was cleaning himself lazily. He felt good about his life so far. His King and Queen were nothing more than puppet rulers and he was the one pulling the strings. His pride was digging into the scraps of the recent kill after he had the literal lion\u2019s share. A female Manticore then approached him before bowing to him. \u201cYes?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVisitors have entered the Sanctum!\u201d gulped the female. The male then fixed her with a stare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf it\u2019s King Velkor, please get rid of him,\u201d he grunted. \u201cI\u2019m far too busy with Overseer business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a Manticore!\u201d replied the female. \u201cIt\u2019s\u2026It\u2019s\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSpit it out!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s your master!\u201d boomed a voice. Realm Trinity soldiers then sprang from the shadows and leapt onto the Manticores, beating them back with the Revenants having more success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWHO DARES?!\u201d roared the male.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI dare,\u201d answered the voice as its owner, Oyed, stepped from the shadows. \u201cOverseer Toonsar, how fares the kingdom?\u201d The male, Toonsar, then recognized the face and was seized by fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLord Oyed!\u201d he squeaked. The five Manticore Revenants then stepped out from behind Oyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t forget us, Dad!\u201d snarled the first. \u201cOr have you already forgotten that you sent us and our platoon to die at an elephant\u2019s feet before Lord Oyed\u2019s Lieutenant resurrected us with greater power, power that KILLED the elephant!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnough!\u201d boomed Oyed. He turned to Toonsar. \u201cYou have a debt to pay!\u201d He advanced on the terrified Manticore. \u201cYou\u2019ve been pulling Velkor\u2019s strings during the entire time of hiding! THAT was our agreement! Your soul is mine now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTechnically, I was pulling the strings for only half that time,\u201d gulped Toonsar, \u201cthen I was viciously mutinied upon until I regained my status just recently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen you were a poor Overseer, but an Overseer nonetheless! Have you not introduced yourself all these years as Overseer Toonsar Lortem?!\u201d The Realm Trinity Empire laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLook, you have my payment. You have it five times over. Our original price was one soul to serve you and you\u2019ve got five.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne soul is not equal to another, much less five!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAh HA! So, we\u2019ve established that my proposal is sound in principle. Now, we\u2019re just haggling over price.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Price?\u201d Toonsar thought he had him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow many souls do you think mine is worth?\u201d Oyed appeared to be calculating just how many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026One hundred twenty souls,\u201d he finally answered. \u201cYou must present forty to me each day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, 120 in three days?\u201d asked Toonsar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the general idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSplendid.\u201d Toonsar turned to his sons. \u201cBoys, Daddy has a\u2026\u201d The fourth son swatted his father in the face, leaving claw marks around the left eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI keep your sons,\u201d declared Oyed. \u201cA good-faith payment. That leaves only thirty-five for today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHave you not met my sons? They\u2019re noble, heroic for our cause, terrific singers, worth at least four souls each. \u2026Maybe three and a half.\u201d Oyed gave a look of consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026I keep your sons. 35 more to go for today, one hundred fifteen altogether. But, I wonder, Toonsar, can you live with this? Can you condemn innocent cubs, YOUR cubs, to a lifetime of servitude in your name while you roam free?\u201d Toonsar looked back at his sons, then back to Oyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Yeah, I\u2019m good with it. Shall we seal it in blood?\u201d Oyed then grabbed Toonsar\u2019s paw and burned a mark into his pad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThree days.\u201d Oyed and his company then faded into the shadows and vanished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think Dad may have oversold us,\u201d muttered the first Manticore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUndersold, actually,\u201d corrected Oyed. All five Manticores perked up their ears. \u201cBy willingly joining my service, your souls became worth a hundred.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Our lips are sealed,\u201d promised the first Manticore as he and his brothers grinned wickedly. Their father was going to fail no matter what.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Padding across the sands covering their underground kingdom, five Manticores were struggling to catch their breath. They couldn\u2019t summon enough energy to fly to a shady spot, after their whole squadron was viciously annihilated by the elephant Realmfleet sent. \u201cToo\u2026too\u2026brutal!\u201d panted one. \u201cMust\u2026must keep on!\u201d encouraged another. \u201cDad\u2026Dad won\u2019t\u2026\u201d The third couldn\u2019t keep his energy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,237],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-4035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-4-trials-of-light-and-dark","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4035"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4036,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4035\/revisions\/4036"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}