The King's Bargain.

Thalviel

"The Goddess, of course" Lorcan slowly said, watching the winged woman descend. 

"I felt the arrival of one of the Priests almost instantly, What i could not feel however, was that you would be there. Curious is it not?" 

"What is curious?" Lorcan asked. 

"That a king of the kingdom that Thalrun destroyed would dare to show his face again" Her eyes glowed emerald green, a sudden darkness had overtaken the sun as her face turned gaunt and her brown eagle wings glowed golden. Lorcan flinched and reached for a sword that was not there, it had been lost in the fight with the Priest, though even if he had had it, Lorcan doubted it would have made much difference. She walked towards the pool and raised a hand from which burst a great green flame which she threw into it, but no hissing of water nor steam was produced as the flame lined itself around the water, encasing it. The pool now reflected not the goddess or the forest, but the fiery visage of the Beast himself. 

"I have seen entire cultures vanish because of the one you did battle with, he is not to be taken lightly, and now he returns to finish what was started so long ago. And yet you sit here without a plan, without a sword, with nothing. You are an utter fool Lorcan, and i pray your death may be swift once Thalrun finds you" A anger suddenly sparked up inside of him as he got to his feet and retaliated.

"You don't know how great an assault he launched against me, i could do nothing! Nothing but watch as so many great soldiers and innocents were mindlessly killed before my own eyes, and i was forced to hear the horrid laughter of the enemy as they robbed me of everything!"

"That he did, and your story is one many have shared, as have i! Stop this grieving over the past and stand and fight, do you not think i realise the danger the realm is in too? This is no time for inaction" The reply gave him pause. After a small period of silence he spoke.

"You've battled him too?" 

"Yes, and not much remained of the place where it happened, A servant Myrna knows well summoned me with her dying breath before trying to protect a rapport pertaining to the Beast"

"Yenneva?" She looked surprised, even fearful for a moment.

"How do you know her, how do you know of what happened?" Her voice became more raised which made the king flinch, afraid of what one as powerful as the woman before her could do when enraged. 

"We saw the temple, we found her body. And the scroll" 

"Of course you of all people did, Myrna was heartbroken wasn't she?" 

"Indeed, I am sorry that i came across it but, it was her that suggested it" The goddess raised an eyebrow. 

"Come here Lorcan, and look into the water" She had ignored his statement but nevertheless he obeyed. Stepping up to the pond he saw the black and red face of his enemy.

It had two great curling horns and eyes red as blood, the rest of it was black and looked like the skull of some goat-like animal. 

"My anger towards you stems from this single error, leaving this utter horror to roam into your realm. Thalrun before this was confident yes, and a conqueror and corruptor of all. But your defeat gave him purpose, he wants you to suffer, Lorcan. He will not stop until you have lost everything, and after that is done he may attempt to extend his reach further" 

"You said he already conquered before my defeat? How have i given him purpose if he already did these things?" 

"He committed these vile acts whenever it suited him, true domination was never part of his plan, but now he has something to focus his wrath on, no other king or lord ever escaped him during or after battle. And now that you have defied him by the very act of still being alive he will focus all his recourses to reduce you to nothing"