A bonus release for achieving a thousand readers on this novel.  Please enjoy.

Kohl continued to channel the elements, sacrificing two dozen flame cores in order to clear his channels and rebuild his elemental strength, while reading the news he's missed.

He threw a scroll onto the table, and stood up from the table. The Silver King, a core realm channeler, and one of the strongest within Thules Kingdom, had been a fool for over two decades, and the price was higher than he expected.

"Your core had cracked, Your Majesty." An outside physician said, while his fingers trembled as he sat down. "Any further degradation, and it would have dissipated, and discharged painfully." Kohl nodded.

"I know. My mind was fogged, but it's clearer now. I can feel the cracks grow smaller day by day." He turned. "Where did you acquire the rank three flame core? Alphas are impossible to track, let alone kill." The physician smiled a little.

"An old friend in Aros purchased it from the goddess in the forest a while ago. With the Inaris clan on the brink of collapse, no one could afford to buy it." He smiled wide. "Luckily I remembered that he had it, and sent a fast horse to buy it. Your core was nearly depleted, and even if your channels were cleared, they are too thin right now. You needed a lot of elemental essence in order to repair your channels and your core." Kohl nodded thoughtfully.

"This goddess..." He stopped. "What kind of woman is she?" The doctor shrugged.

"As fair as anyone, I dare to say. She is quite powerful, as Rirn said she brought him storm wolves, iron tusked boars, stone bears, and dark panthers, along with flame wolves. She is not an aristocrat, and does not worry about the opinions of others." The doctor's face cleared, and his gaze grew heavy. "However, I also hear she is ruthless when it comes to those she likes, and the ones who try to hurt them."

"I've read some reports about her dealings with that clan. She's even cleaned up Underground Black, and destroyed that old necro." He shook his head. "Now I hear about another such necro, one called the queen of...death?" He asked. The doctor stood up.

"Your Majesty, I'll be brutally blunt right now. That woman, the Queen of Death, is the ancient being who destroyed the empire on the other side of the mountain.  For the goddess." He said solemnly. "Be cautious of any words you speak. The goddess is particularly protective of her people. If anyone loyal to her hears your words, it will not turn out well for Thules." The Silver King thought for a moment.

"I could not destroy that old necro, but she did. I would be a fool to anger her, and I am not a fool. At least not now." He chuckled a little. "However, the reason I ask is because we have no relationship with this person. I wanted to know what kind of woman she is, in order to respond appropriately." The doctor sighed a bit, and sat back down.

"I suggest you ask the Union, and the Guild." He said. Kohl frowned slightly.

"The Mercenary Union, and the Assassin's Guild?" He frowned slightly. "That's right. Now I remember. She's had dealings with both, and not in good ways."

"That's in the past, Your Majesty." The doctor said. "They will never send trouble to her door, nor go looking for it. At best, they have a respectable relationship, while at worst, a neutral one."

Kohl thought for a moment. This physician was brought in from a hospital in another city, and out of the Prime Minister's influence. What he said is easy to check, and from the news delivered by Stuben, there is no deceit in his words.

"Would the queen know this person in the forest?" Kohl asked directly. The physician snorted.

"Unlikely. She appears to be just person. There is too much corruption, and dark dealings for her to align herself with the queen." The doctor said. "More likely that the Inaris clan was aligned with her, which puts her at odds with the one in the forest." Kohl thought for a moment.

"Alright, head to my father, and let them guide you out of the palace." He gave the doctor a large pouch. It was for the fee, and the large flame core. "I have much to think about, and much to do." The doctor bowed and disappeared into an alcove. The cabinet flipped around, and let the doctor leave quietly.

"I should ask father who would be a good person to visit this person, and develop a relationship with her." Kohl sat down heavily.  He ran his fingers through his long silver hair, and sighed.  The weight of the responsibility upon his shoulders was finally felt, and it was far overdue.  Too many people suffered for his lack of attention on the matters of his kingdom.

Commoners, guards, soldiers, and the loyal noble families had a lot of pressure put on them from the Prime Minister and his cronies.  If not for the goddess in the forest, Aros would have long descended into chaos, or rebellion.

"Now I understand why you wanted to rest, father. This stuff is nothing but beast shit."

* * *

"Hmph, finally woken up, have you?" The man said from his seat. Kohl blushed a bit.

"It was a lesson." Kohl said regretfully. "Now I know why you wanted to retire. I can punch a hole in solid stone, and kill a flame wolf with my bare hands, but schemes have nearly destroyed everything I've ever done." His father snorted.

"Schemes are a part of politics, and ruling a country." He said firmly. "Don't think you are like that person in the forest. She can see elemental essence, whether dark, light, or death. Lies generate dark elements, while evil acts generate murkier elements, including a mix of death and darkness. She doesn't need to analyze our words. She can see its intent." Kohl sat down heavily.

"You know why I've come, of course." He said quietly. Brer snorted.

"Of course I do. The only one we can send is someone we should not send, but have to. She is not healthy enough to do this job, but she needs to go anyway." Brer turned back to his bowl of stew. "It's not going to be safe here in the near future. She'll be safer there." Kohl closed his eyes.

"Even though she's not mine?" He asked quietly.

"Especially since she's not yours." Brer said angrily. "She'll be used as a pawn against you, and since she is not yours, or hers, that bitch will not hesitate to kill her to hurt you."

"Not hers either?" Kohl asked, now surprised.

"Those boys are not hers either. They are just tools to keep you docile. When they take over the kingdom, those three will be disposed of." Brer shook his head. "You're really innocent, Kohl. Did you think I was ruthless all those times for no reason other than being ruthless?" Kohl turned away, which made Brer shake his head.

"You've had all the records, attended interrogations, and even gone with the guards to investigate a lot of those events. That is the only thing you got out of it all? I'm ruthless for no reason other than to be ruthless?" Brer rolled his eyes.

"I am disappointed in you, boy." He said firmly. There was no doubt in his mind now. His son had disappointed him considerably, and all he could hope for was to get the only one he cared for out of the city. Although not his blood, she was still his beloved granddaughter.

"Call Ava. She needs to get out of the capital as soon as possible."