The Return

  Maxwell arrived to the gates of Dulciena just as the sun was beginning to rise. 

  Already he could tell that King Midas had anticipated his return. 

  There were guards stationed everywhere, no doubt with orders to be on the look out for him.

  If he wanted to get inside for tonight’s show, he’d need to find another way past the guards.

  Once King Midas had learned he was somewhere in the kingdom he’d be on full alert.

  Maxwell wanted him guessing as to what his next move would be.

  “He probably thinks I’ll have gone to another kingdom to voice my suspicions that something was happening in Dulciena. Unfortunately for him, I am what’s happening to Dulciena.”

  After scouting the area, the rich nobles of the kingdom were free to come and go with little to no expectation from the guards. This had given him a simple yet clever idea.

  He walked a few miles away from the kingdom and found a busy road. He hadn’t even needed to announce himself before crowds began to swarm him.

  “By the gods, it’s Maximus!”

  “Could it really be?”

  For once he glad Maximus had been so popular.”

  “Now everyone calm down, I was just wondering if any of you could give me a lift back to Dulciena?”

  Everyone offered to take him and while he’d hoped for a more wealthy group of nobles he settled for a widowed noble woman who was very clear about what she wanted.

  “I’d never in my wildest dreams had imagined I’d be given the great hero, Maximus Luminose a ride in my carriage, today must be my lucky day.”

  “I’m the lucky one, I’m forever in your debt for your assistance.”

  The trip was taking longer than he’d hoped, perhaps he shouldn’t have passed on the lonely older noble men. Then again if they were as big of fan of Maximus as everyone else was he wouldn’t put it past them flirting with him.

  “I’d heard you’d been attacked when you last visited Dulciena. King Midas had announced they found and killed the goblins responsible, I do hope that’s true.”

  So that’s how you want to play this King Midas, too bad for you, I liked your goblin story.

  “I’m afraid it isn’t, I’ve just returned from searching for the goblin’s nest and I’m afraid it’s worse than even I feared.”

  “My goodness, please do tell.”

  Maxwell told his story of how he’d traveled deep into the forest and found an abandoned mine shaft that had turned into the breeding grounds of a whole new creature he’d never seen before.

  He described in great detail how he’d fought them but but there numbers had been too great, in the end he was first to retreat out of fear for his own like and to warn the people of Dulciena.

  “That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard, I can’t believe such creatures exist.”

  “Please try to keep what I’ve told you here a secret, I wouldn’t want to cause another panic.”

  “This stays between us Maximus, you have my word.”

  She’ll have told every noble in Dulciena by the end of the day.

  The carriage was stoped at the gate for a quick inspection, they hardly bothered to check who was inside. All they needed to see was the family crest of a noble family.

  Just as they were allowed in the noble woman raided her voice.

  “I swear what’s taking so long! Don’t they know that I am traveling with the great…”

  Before the woman could finish her sentence, Maxwell learned in to kiss her.

  When they were through the gate he stepped kissing her.

  “My apologies, I don’t know what came over me.”

  She’d clearly been surprised as she raised a hand to her lips.

  “If you wish we could do more that just kiss, I’ve been so very lonely since my husband passed.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but I really must be going.”

  He opened the door to the carriage as it was still moving at hopped out.

  He’d already picked the best place to hide while he waited for nightfall.

  The area he and Rei had walked through when they’d first arrived to Dulciena was perfect for remaining undetected. 

  The guards didn’t care about what happened here, or if they did they could do nothing about it.

  Dulciena valued its subjects based on wealth, that’s what Elizabeth had said.

  To King Midas these people might as well be insects, that’s why he had no problem testing his weapon on them.

  When talking over a world the first think is having the most powerful weapon at your disposal, before Maxwell had arrived, Midas had the most powerful weapon.

  Now all he needed was the wealth to fund his new empire, hence why he captured Elizabeth.