It didn’t take Lady Adelwulf long to put her plan into motion. She sent a runner with a message to Lord Adelwulf’s manor that she’d captured a “prolific” minotaur, saying that he was a chieftain of his clan or something to that effect, along with his entourage that was planning to have him assassinated to usurp the throne. As suggested in the council meeting, she suggested handing us over as a peace offering, saying that she was wrong about splitting up with him and that she wanted to join him in ruling the land with an iron fist as fully-committed werewolves.

Oh right, you’re probably wondering what the story there was. Well, as promised, Lady Adelwulf explained the entire story over dinner with us and Lord Tesodine. Most of it is stuff you can probably guess on your own, but for decades, the two of them enjoyed ruling over their small clan of werewolves, but as time went on, rather than enjoying the small time with his wife, Lord Adelwulf had much bigger ambitions of usurping the throne from Lady Vanita, building up an army of werewolves, and challenging the Demon King for supremacy.

Lady Adelwulf was initially on board with the plan, reasoning that if she could stay by her husband’s side, maybe she could be an influence for good with him. Every step of the way, deposing Lady Vanita and slaying the Demon King and his forces, Lady Adelwulf rationalized to herself that, though their actions were a bit shady, questionable, or downright evil, it was ultimately for a greater good, but the main sticking point was in what to do at the end of their beautiful little campaign of destruction. The Lord wished to exercise his own dominion over the entire world, the Lady merely wishing for the end of the Demon King’s reign.

This all came to a head when their son died in single combat against Lady Vanita in the first steps of their grand campaign.

She had told her son their entire plan, step-by-step, leaving out no details, warning explicitly that, per her precognition, if they followed the plan with exactness, they would be victorious. Unfortunately, there was a very big wrinkle in the plan that she neglected to account for: her son’s romance with Lady Vanita’s daughter, or more specifically, how he would react upon learning that Lady Vanita’s daughter would be put into a trance to oppose them and die in the crossfire.

In a rage, the young wolf made haste to Lady Vanita’s manor to demand the freedom of his beloved. Unfortunately, in his rage and passion, he blabbed the entire plan to Lady Vanita, who flew into a rage and attacked him. He held her off relatively well, but eventually was overcome and slain. The Adelwulfs were informed, and restitution demanded for their betrayal.

This broke the couple. The Lord, opting to bide his time and take revenge. The Lady just wishing for an end of her days to come so she could rejoin her son in the hereafter. However, as it turns out, the fates weren’t quite done with the Lady, for she began having premonitions regarding the downfall of Lady Vanita, her husband, and the Demon King, basically the coming of the Heroes and…well…us. However, since we’re now in the picture, she decided to clam up about the details going forward for obvious reasons, as any attempt to change the future from its current track could very well make things worse as it had before.

Now, if this sounds insane, trust me, you don’t know the half of it, and once this was all finished we were extremely grateful to not have to deal with people who could see the future ever again, as it turns out that the steps Lady Adelwulf saw in getting us to the successful “good future” that she saw involved…well…you’ll see.

—

Eventually, word came back from Lord Adelwulf, welcoming his wife back with open arms, and we set out for the manor. All the while I found myself wondering, much as you probably are, how the manor and the Earth Temple were connected. Well, as it turns out, Lady Vanita built her mansion into the Temple out of some…I dunno if it was meant as a form of blasphemy against the gods, or laziness or convenience in doing her job of stopping the Heroes from taking the Gem. I mean, I guess it works, as bad guys need a place to eat and sleep as well, and while a vampire can just plop down their casket basically anywhere, tell me, are you aware of any vampires that don’t live in the most extravagant abode possible?

Yeah, me neither. Although just imagine the construction process. Was the Demon King willing to lend her a small army of demons that would be willing to do construction work? Did she do it all herself as a big DIY project? Was it done with magic? Or something more mundane like enslaving the local townsfolk to do it themselves? Probably the last one, but still. I guess I prefer the sillier idea of a demonic construction crew, with their little hard hats and hammers and such. At any rate, thinking about that makes me a lot less sad than the most likely explanation of an enslaved local population building a monument to their new overlord’s blasphemy.

I mused about this for quite a while, because frankly, once we hit a point a few miles away from the manor, the four of us were bound in chains and told to keep quiet so we didn’t blow our cover, and there wasn’t much else to do but trust that, eventually, our equipment would be returned to us by our escort.

As we continued our approach, the other werecreatures spread out around the mansion, creating a tight perimeter, with instructions to move in on the mansion and secure an escape route if a certain signal was not received from Lady Adelwulf within a half hour. How they were keeping the time is anybody’s guess, but considering the amount of coordination that had gone into this operation, I guess werecreatures have some supernatural timekeeping powers that we mere mortals can’t comprehend. Either way, as usual, Lady Adelwulf waved away any questions with, “Just trust me.” Which was getting just about as old as you think it was.

Eventually our little escort was met by some of Lord Adelwulf’s personal guards, who led us into the manor’s grounds. And you know what? For being buried in a land constantly under the cover of clouds and rain, crawling with creatures of the night, the mansion itself was quite lovely. At some point recently, it had been repainted, repairs and maintenance seemed to be kept up to date, and the grounds were kept nicely. For all the truly bad things that can be said about Lady Vanita and Lord Adelwulf, I have to at least give respect to the fact that their housekeeping game was top notch, something that, thankfully, the new “management” of the manor’s staff has kept going, without the horrible atrocities committed on the general population.

Anyway, we were led into a large central hall that led to a small platformed throne, on which sat an elderly, balding human of similar age to Lady Adelwulf. The Lord, as we’d shortly find out as he stood, welcoming us in.

“My dearest Lisa, it’s been far too long!”

Lisa Adelwulf? Interesting full name…

To my surprise, Lady Adelwulf’s charade was pretty convincing. “I just couldn’t stay away, my sweet Mordecai. After all, our age is finally catching up to us. The grave calls for both of us soon, and I feel like I’ve wasted enough time apart from you.”

“My beloved Lisa…all is forgiven.” Well that’s a little condescending. As I thought that, with a shocking amount of litheness, the old man sprung to his feet and glided, for lack of a better term, over to Trakban. “And this is the minotaur chieftain. Oh dear me, you still know how to give a good gift. I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.”

“Yes, your beloved bride has brought me before you,” Trakban said. “Will you not cease your crusade against my brethren and sisters?”

“Would that I could, but I’m afraid I can’t take any chances.”

I awkwardly raised my hand as far as I could with my bindings. “Hi, yes, I’m not from around here. Why exactly are you conducting a genocide against minotaurs specifically?”

“Because, my dear child,” yep, I already hated this guy, “the Xilkan minotaurs killed my father.”

“If you are referring to the duel between the Great Chief Xilkan and the werewolf that he slew, that was in self-defense, and you know it!” Trakban said, his composure slipping. “At any rate, you need not continue punishing his children, my family, for the sake of revenge.”

“So, wait, I’m a little lost,” Fortuna said. “You’re really a chieftain, Trakban?”

“Only in that I am the eldest surviving heir of the Great Chief’s line.”

“Yes, unfortunately this little calf made his grand escape around the time I scattered his tribe throughout the continent. I still must praise the Lady Vanita for letting me carry on my personal project, even if she was also on my list.

“Yes, your life is tragic and whatever. Don’t you think you’re being just a bit of a jerk?” I asked. “I mean, it sounds to me like you’re just using it as an excuse to be racist. You’ve talked more about your beef with the minotaurs–” I then noticed a quick glare from Trakban, blushed, and said, “Sorry. Your feud with the minotaurs, than your dead son. It sounds as if he should be your motivation for revenge.”

This caught his attention. “My dear sweet girl, that part of my vengeance has already been concluded. Now, tell me…how do you know about that?”

Crap.

Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap.

I shot a panicked look at the others, all of which had this expression of anger and disbelief that one typically sees when saying something remarkably stupid. “I…uh…I mean…you…” I stammered, trying to stall for time as Lady Adelwulf slowly made her way towards her ex-husband. “The Lady mentioned it while bringing us here! Yes, that’s it, she just…uhh…”

Thankfully at the same time as my brain forgot how to speak, Lady Adelwulf had crossed to where her husband stood and planted the dagger right in his back. With a tink of metal striking metal.

The color drained from my face as I realized what had happened. I watched in horror as Lord Adelwulf quickly spun, an instantly-morphed claw wrapped around Lady Adelwulf’s neck, the other hand tearing the dagger out of her hands. “Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, did you not think I’d be immediately suspicious when you suddenly wished to come back into my good graces. Did you not consider that I’d be aware of your little rebellion party you had the other night? That I might have had a spy in your midst? I’ll need to make a note to reward our little wererat friend when all is said and done. Unfortunately,” he rammed the dagger into her chest, “it’s just one more thing for the to-do list.” He cast Lady Adelwulf’s limp body aside before turning to the rest of us.”

Thankfully, our escort, upon seeing that things were heading south very rapidly, rushed to our aid, released us from our bonds, and gave us back our equipment. However, almost as if he expected this, Lord Adelwulf snapped his fingers and a handful of werewolf thugs burst into the hall.

“Hmm, fewer than I was expecting,” Lord Adelwulf muttered. “I’m going to need to address that.” In a flash, he assumed his lupine form. “One problem after another today, it seems,” he said, his voice now much deeper, much more beastlike. “Kill them,” he ordered, coolly.

My spear in hand, I joined my entourage, the four of us standing back-to-back, eyes outward upon our encroaching foes. I then said to Trakban, “Hey Big Guy, if you’ve got some juice, it might be time to let it out!”

“I am already on it,” he said, raising his staff and chanting a spell, only to be met with absolutely nothing happening.

“Uh…what’s going on?” Fortuna asked, annoyed.

“I shall try a different spell, then!” Again, nothing happened.

“You fools, did you not think that I’d be prepared for magic? Unlike that moronic witch Lady Vanita, I wished to take no chances with any wannabe heroes trying to mess up my plans and have had an antimagic field cast over the manor. If you want out, you only leave the old fashioned way. Through me and my–wait, what are you doing?”

His monologue was interrupted by Arzias screeching and running at a group of werewolves, axe flying through the air and, subsequently, through two of the werewolves’ throats. At some point in all this, Fortuna had slipped towards the body of Lady Adelwulf, pulled the silver dagger out of her chest, and thrown it between the eyes of another werewolf.

One werewolf lunged at me, and in a panic I rolled to the side. As I rolled back to my knees, I twisted and rammed the spear into the wolf’s shoulder. I may not have been able to do much, but I could at least distract one of them.

This left Trakban facing down Lord Adelwulf, his staff raised in a defensive stance. He said, “We do not have to do this, you know. If you let my friends leave, you may do whatever you wish with me.”

“Sorry, you’re in no position to make any demands,” Adelwulf responded. “And unfortunately for you, I happen to know that you were the runt of the litter. That you thought to rely on magic to make up for your lack of strength and endurance. I only need tire you out and this match is mine.” With that, he lunged at Trakban, who…okay look, this part was crazy.

Trakban reared back with his staff and swung it as hard as he could, smashing Adelwulf right in the face with it. The staff exploded in a burst of splinters as Adelwulf’s limp body flew back into the throne, smashing through it. His back and neck were mangled and twisted in an extremely unnatural manner as his shape returned to its initial humanoid form.

The fighting screeched to a halt as people tried to process what just happened. I walked over to Adelwulf’s body, looked into his glazed-over, unfocused eyes, and checked for a pulse. Nothing. “He’s…he’s dead!” I exclaimed in shock. “Trakban, you…you did it!” I continued to stammer.

At this point only two living werewolves remained in the room. One, upon seeing that he was suddenly outnumbered and outmatched, sprinted out of the room, tail between his legs, howling like a scared little dog. The other, the one I had speared, screamed, “Mordecai! My big bro! How could you?! I won’t stand for this! I’ll…I’ll…” his bravado melted away as Trakban stomped over to him.

“You will what?” Trakban demanded, ice cold.

“I’ll…this isn’t over!”

“Yes, it is. Against my better judgment, I am going to allow you to leave. Tell all your friends that werewolf supremacy is at its end. You will share your place at the table with the other races of this land. Minotaurs, elves, humans, werecreatures, no group shall place its needs over another’s. As chieftain of Xilkan, I hereby dissolve the throne of Plauros in exchange for a government that services the people, rather than the other way around. I will return here periodically, and should things not be as I have left them, I will be here to make things right.”

The wolf snorted. “Oh really? Big words. You watch. Next time will be different!”

“You are correct,” Trakban said, nodding. “Next time, my staff will be made of iron.” He gestured at the broken mess of splinters, teeth, blood, hair, and…uh…thought juice splattered all over the floor. “I trust you get the message.”

To his credit, the werewolf, the younger Adelwulf, nodded, his lupine form fading back into his humanoid form, and he also sprinted out of the room.

I opened my mouth to congratulate Trakban on a job well done, but said congratulation stalled in the dead air as I noticed Arzias, jaw unhinged, trying to swallow Lord Adelwulf’s body in one gulp.

“Oh? Thawwy. Wat tham?” Arzias asked, mouth full of dead werewolf.

I shook my head. At this point, I heard a moan coming from Lady Adelwulf. Surprised to see that she was still alive, I rushed to her side.

“Tell me,” she wheezed. “I was right, wasn’t I? Things worked out. One hundred percent…as expected.”

“Wait wait wait, what?” I asked. “As expected?! You mean you knew we would be betrayed, that the dagger wouldn’t work, that you’d be stabbed?”

“Even…” she coughed, “the antimagic field. It took some work on my part, but with the right seeds planted and the right information hidden from view, I found an outcome I deemed satisfactory. It took some doing, but this is as good as it gets.”

“But…but you’re wounded. With silver! I mean…I’m impressed you’re still alive, but you’re dying!”

“Yes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My ex…my husband’s reign of terror is stopped before it gets out of hand, the throne has been destroyed,” she chuckled, “in the most literal fashion. There’s a chance at peace finally settling over these lands. And now I go to meet my son in the hereafter. Hopefully the gods judge me worthy of such an end. Thank you, Miss Twistfall. As much as I should love to stick around and see your career directly, I know that you will go on to do many great things. As will you, Trakban,” she said, turning to the big guy. “I know no apology will ever be enough for what has happened to your family, but just know that I believe the future of this land is in the best hands possible.” With that, she let out a final gasp and went limp.