The King's Error

In the woods.

~Vulcan~

"Go go..."

He called at the men on horses behind him, while he slackened the pace of his, and the white horse whinnied. Well, a way to think of it is that he was scared to lead the way, but he had his mind on several other things.

He watched the horsemen zoom past him as they chased the skipping creature up ahead of them all. The creature wasn't really running, twas as though the spirits of a gazelle, stag and a cheetah came into it. So, at a time, just two sway of its body and far into the length of the forest it went.

"Make the call!"

Vulcan screamed at the top of his voice and one of the horsemen blew the horn of a reindeer in his hand. And at that, the top branches of two trees opposite each other and had the path in between, tilted and out of the earth came a thick cage of net meant to catch the creature.

At first, the creature was caught and refrained. But suddenly, fire coursed from its mouth and devoured the net. And off again it went, racing through the path.

"Alternate plan."

Vulcan called again, seemingly not moved by the advances and wonders of the magical creatures. And at the blowing of the horn of the bull, troops of warriors from several parts of the forest came out. From the North, East, South and West that the creature was corned and couldn't turn neither to the right no left.

"Hold you ground."

Vulcan called as he nudged his horse towards the scene. He rode past the groups closing in on the creature, but who had stopped at his call.

He rode into the circular space they had all created and climbed off the horse. He walked towards the creature,

"I heard that you're of a Japanese breed, mister. And you come to the earth when a great sage dies. Probably to escort his spirits, I'm not sure."

He paused as he stopped, few metres away from the creature. He was wise enough to keep his distance. He wouldn't want to be gored as well.

"And yes, there was an exception. I also heard that you feed on Justice and Righteousness and kill people who are evil. Or should I say, people who you think evil."

The creature tapped its first foot, its dragon nose spurting warm air at intervals, its lion’s mane swelling to the beat of its deer stomach, its ox tail tossed at intervals and with ease as though its got everything covered, and the single horn seated on its dragon face.

Vulcan looked towards all his warriors and majority of them seemed to have their hearts in their mouths. They seemed under great pressure and they didn't hide it. Who would had been indifferent? That creature wasn't actually only a magical creature, but with mysterious shapes and attributes of other creatures.

He looked away, not intrigued and took two steps forward,

"Your highness!"

The captain of the warriors called at him but he turned and shot a smile. He looked away without a word back to the Kin-Lin,

"But I wondered what type of justice keeper are you if you have already broken the law. Of course you know that there is a king in this land. And not any type of king, but a king married to a goddess."

He paused,

"You should know that that is a slap in the face of both the king and his queen. To had come to seek justice in their land. Thereby ruling them out as incapable to govern and judge."

He took two steps forward again. This time, he was pretty more than close to the creature.

"Your highness, you're getting closer."

The captain warned again, this time few steps behind the king, probably to bring back. Because of course, he would give his life for his king's.

"But I've come to give you a friendly advise, Justice-seeking Kin-Lin."

He dismissed the worries of the captain, owning up to the stance he was assuming.

"We should make to kill you now because you've already taken two lives. But I'll ignore it. Proving to you that even humans could be better than the gods sometimes. And humans do know how to choose their ways, and not every human is rebellious. Because the gods were the first seed of rebellion... For if they were not, from where did the humans inherit theirs? Isn't it from the gods who created them?"

He sighed and took the warriors in his gaze,

"Enough of the petty talk. My warriors have better works to get back to. Our rampart is not fully in shape. I'll tell you what to do. Be gone from this place to another land. We do not want a Justice-seeking magical Kin-Lin in my land. But if you refuse and choose to stay, then that will be the end of you."

He tossed his head up and down at that and called at his warriors,

"Let's go."

He turned his back on the creature and began to walk towards the captain. The warriors began to turn their horses.

And then suddenly, there was the tolling of the bell behind him and the sound of hurrying hoofs.

"Your highness!"

The captain called, but twas too late, as the Kin-Lin had gotten to him and plunged its single horn with a sharp, pointy edge in his back, deep enough to lift him with the horn and then threw him over itself to the back.

But before any of them could make a move against it, the Kin-Lin had already been gobbled up by the idle air.

"Your highness."

The captain and the rest came to his aid. One of them tore the hem of his garment and wrapped it around Vulcan's waist to put pressure and stop the gushing blood. They put him on the horse and rode to the palace.

"What happened?"

Athena hurried down the throne with a devastated ogle as she saw her husband soaked in his own blood. His eyes weak and lips paved in sequential groans.

"The creature. He gored his highness from behind."

"I warned him."

She complained turning him over.

"Move back, all."

She warned and went on her knees by his side. As soon as few of the warriors who came in with him moved back, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

And as she opened her eyes again, her eyeballs changed into red lasers. Then she placed her hand on his wound and closed her eyes again. And as she did so, black-blood veins appeared on her wrist, traveling up her arm.

And suddenly, he gasped and sighed in relief. She had first taken his pain and then healed him.

She made him stand up at that and led him to their chamber. As soon as she helped him in, she locked the door and sealed it with magic that he wouldn't be able to come out whether through the window or door.

"I'll be back. Don't you dare hurt yourself again."

She shot and walked away as he kept calling at her.

"Come with me."

She called at the captain of the guards,

"Kin-Lin had crossed the lines by hurting my love."

She stomped out of the palace as the captain hurried after her.

"I'll prepare the chariot."

He called but she zoomed suddenly towards him as though she was clothed in the winds.

"That won't be necessary."

She got to him and held his hand. Into the air they delved.

"Athena, wait."

There was Vulcan standing by the door of the palace. But twas too late, his lover and his captain were gone.