The Palace Beast

John became restless after an hour of searching the woods in search of Bonnie. He couldn't catch up with her as what took her was so fast that the human eye could see. He made his return to where he started his search and on his return, he found out their horses were gone.

"Oh shit!"

He kicks the ox cart that was used to divert his attention. He blames himself for turning his back on Bonnie. 'I would have stayed behind her always,' he thought to himself. He then leans on the ox cart recalling his miserable life back in his city. 'My life is always miserable,' he said to himself in his heart. 'I can't do anything right and here I am with the only person that can help me get home missing on my watch.'

As his thoughts were taking over him, he kicks against the ox cart again and let out a loud cry. He then started beating against the ox cart until he started panting heavily. Having exhausted his mortal strength, he slowly sat down leaning on the ox cart. He then buried his face in-between his legs.

"Look at you!" a feminine voice brushed against his ears.

With haste, he raised his head to look, and before him stood Neena. She was bearing a spear and a shield. It was as though she was dressed for battle or coming back from one. Part of her white gown was stained in blood and some part torn. "What are you doing here?" John grunts.

He dragged himself up to his feet as he cast a searing gaze at her. Immediately thoughts began to flow into his mind. 'She must have something to do with Bonnie's disappearance. She has blood on her and she's bearing the murder weapon.' John glared at Neena as he boldly approaches her, "What have you done to her?"

"With who?"

"Don't act dumb!" yelled John as he stretched out his hand to grab Neena. But just before he could get hold of her, she disappeared and appeared behind him.

"Don't force my hands, John!"

John swirled and attempts to grab her again. "Screw you," he said.

With the shield in her hand, she knocks down John with it and then held her foot against John's shoulder's blade with the spear pointed at him. "I said, don't force my hands!"

John fired a volume of questions at her as his eyes were lit with an eager glow. "Where's Bonnie? What have you done to her?"

"If I know her whereabouts, do you think I would tell?" she giggled devilishly.

"Now I see it, you wanted her dead and you have succeeded in doing that. But you won't just go free for that," said John as he kicked Neena in the lower abdomen followed by a slide down. He quickly jumped to his feet and held Neena down with his foot.

"You think you can beat me, huh? I have beat gods, beasts and monsters and what are you mortal that I can't defeat?" Neena then hit John with a thunderbolt. She drags herself up and started walking towards John who was slammed to a tree by the thunderbolt.

"You killed her and now wants to kill me too," said John as he drags himself up with fire in his eyes. His countenances changed and his body covered in blue flames. "Don't push my hands, John, I am here to talk!"

"Too late for that!" roared John in a thunderous voice that sounded like the running of mighty waters. He started making his way towards Neena.

Just as he was closing in on Neena, she disappeared. She doesn't want to put a fight with the one her heart longs for even though his heart belongs to another. She can't see John get hurt nor does she wants to be the one that will afflict him with pain.

John let out a loud cry as he fell to his knees weeping. His countenances returned to normal as he beats against the sand of the ground.

"I have nothing to do with whatever has happened to Bonnie. Right now I will leave you alone but you must return to Ozenzo. He will tell you what you must do. The gods will soon consume everyone if you don't act now." John heard Neena's voice brush against his ears but couldn't see her. He turned around to know if she was behind him but there was no sign of her. It's just her voice.

***

"We can't back down now!" roared Ozenzo.

For the past few days now Ares had led a siege against the warlocks' castle. He believed the best way of attacking a stone castle was by placing it under siege. They surrounded the castle with both fighting gods and catapults so that no one could enter or leave the castle.

"We're warlocks and warlocks don't give up. We will fight with the last drop of our blood no matter how long the battle will last!" Ozenzo cheered his fellow warlocks. He's their lord and master and must keep them in line not to lose faith. Sieges could last for months, usually, until the inhabitants of the castle ran out of food and were starving. One of the castle owner's main lines of defense against siege was to send all women, children, old, weak, and sick people out of the castle. This meant that only those strong enough to fight off attackers remained in the castle and that the food supply would last much longer. But in this case, it's only the warlocks and there's no mortal living in the castle with them. They're surrounded with nowhere to go, is either they fight back or they run out of supply in no time.

"We can't be defeated in our own land!" Ozenzo roared again drawing out his daemon sword. "Who's with me? Pick up your courage and fight now!" he yelled raising his daemon sword in act of charge for war.