Matheros says, "That number, it won't exceed or surpass a hundred. But the total we have here in Thallerion is six thousand soldiers. And for the Peronicas, they say it will reach two thousand. In Thartherus, it's five thousand, and the same goes for Latheruz, also five thousand. And in Vhorlandrus, it's four thousand. But they say it will increase. So I hope ours will also increase and not decrease. Your fellow kings might think we're weak at managing our defiant soldiers."
"I'm sorry if that's the case, but we should act on this immediately," Xerxes said, with a hint of dismay on his face.
"But I have news for you." Xerxes immediately turned his head at Matheros's words, thinking it might be about the monster. "What's the news?" he quickly asked.
"The retired soldiers and the old, surviving warriors from before, who still have strength, told us they are ready to fight again," Matheros said with a look of joy on his face. "Now, think about this carefully. Which of them will you choose? The one hundred soldiers who are cowards, or the old warriors who are braver than a lion's roar?" Matheros asked, challenging him.
"Who is the king? Why don't they want to follow the king's orders? Are they kings? Who are they to complain? They are just soldiers who should follow the king's command," Xerxes answered passionately. "But I understand their pain of being separated from their loved ones if they happen to die in battle. But if there is no perseverance, their perceived safety will not last. The truth will dawn that many enemies are waiting to watch the palace run out of weapons so they can enter and attack without a fight." Xerxes continued. "Now, let me put a leash on their necks because they have become too wild, like unleashed ferocious animals who no longer recognize the king. Show them my strictness! So they can see how I sharpen dull teeth like theirs!" Xerxes said fiercely to Matheros.
Xerxes detests people who do not obey him and those who are stubborn, especially cowards. He doesn't want to hear other races say the Thallerions are cowards because the land of Thallerion is famous and known for its brave and valiant warriors. Nevertheless, it has already defeated many enemies. So, being called a coward sounds bad to the ear for a Thallerion. It loses morale and dignity. Therefore, the word "coward" is a laughingstock to anyone who hears it.
Matheros's shoulders became heavy with worry as he thought that in the middle of the war, they might flee and retreat out of fear. It would indeed be shameful if that happened.
"Matheros, can we talk alone?" he asked, getting Matheros's attention. "I know you don't believe what I said about the monster I saw." Matheros shook his head and seemed to be laughing because he thought Xerxes's mind had completely been filled with supernatural things.
"What are you talking about, Xerxes?" he said, as if about to laugh. "Do you still believe that until now?" His face became serious.
"What I saw is true!" Xerxes insisted. "Believe it or not, all those supernatural events really happened." Xerxes said, truly struggling to say it just to make Matheros believe him. And that seriousness was truly visible on the king's face. Matheros could only think of one word.
"Okay," Matheros said with hesitation. "Alright. But you don't have any basis that you really saw that?" He had a conflicting thought. Should he really believe him, or should he mock the king for what he was saying? He said that to the other part of his brain. He couldn't believe this was happening to the king's mind. The king used to not be this serious about supernatural things; he would just laugh at them.
"The broken wall! Aren't you wondering about that? My children, who are still drowning in their long and dangerous sleep? Aren't you still wondering about that?" Xerxes explained. Matheros thought about it at that moment. He saw that the king was affected, worried, and looking for help, and he knew that he was the one Xerxes wanted to ask for help. In his opinion, he should already believe the king. No enemy had really entered, so it would be impossible for the wall to be destroyed without a reason. Because if there was an enemy, they would surely see it. If he still doubts what Xerxes is saying, Xerxes might be hurt because he doesn't believe him. And there's nothing to lose if he believes the king.
"What do you want to happen?" he asked, encouraging the king.
"Come," Xerxes said, walking quickly. "I have something to show you," he added. Matheros wondered what Xerxes wanted to show him. He thought of many things that could be what he wanted to show him. But after a while, he was surprised why they were going to a place that was not familiar to him, they were going to a room. This was Xerxes's personal room, so no one else entered it except if you were the king's guard. This was the only room where Xerxes could say he had peace, because if he wanted to be alone or was bored, he would go here. Before they could enter, he first asked Xerxes.
"What do you want to show me?" Matheros asked, confirming. He also wondered what was inside that room. "Is it in there?" he asked again.
"Come inside," Xerxes urged.
Upon entering, Matheros's eyes were filled with pictures, some large and some small square pictures. His eyes glistened as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He roamed every corner of the room to get the entire view of the room and to see everything. He saw Xerxes's wives painted in oil. He also saw the former king, Xerxes's father, and next to the former king was his own father. He saw many more things there. But his attention was only caught when he saw a picture in front of them, because this one was different. He stared at it intently, but it was only stopped when Xerxes went to the picture he was staring at.
"Matheros, I hope you will believe me through this painting I made," Xerxes said, as if pleading. "I did not make this up. I did this to the best of my ability, whatever I saw in that supernatural event," he explained firmly.
"So, the monster you're talking about is real?" A shudder hit Matheros. "W-what's your plan for this? Won't they think we're crazy because we believe in something they don't believe in? In a supernatural thing?" Matheros answered weakly.
"I'm worried about my children, they are in danger! Can I bear that?" The king sobbed with sadness. Matheros just fell silent because he couldn't do anything but listen to what the king was saying.
"What can we do? What do you think, is this a curse from that monster? Or a dangerous disease that has struck my children?" he asked, as if he were drowning in the middle of the ocean and losing hope.
"The best thing to do is to summon wise sorcerers! We'll have our soldiers search, and we'll say we will give a big reward to anyone who can provide a cure for the princes' illness," Matheros suggested, with a wise idea.
"Right!" Xerxes's spirits were lifted when he heard that. His eyes almost teared up with joy. "Okay, Matheros, that's what we'll do. I will bet my wealth just for the well-being of my children," he happily replied.
"If so, I will leave now. I'll get some soldiers and order them to travel right now so they can start looking for great sorcerers and wise people who can solve your problem, my king, Xerxes," Matheros answered enthusiastically.
"Then go, have them start searching early so they can find a cure early, so my children can be cured early," he ordered Matheros.
Xerxes was so happy when he was left alone in the room because even at that moment, he had hope that he would somehow feel better because his cousin, who was also his loyal friend, helped him. His heart and mind were grateful because of Matheros, who had been his partner in all his problems, even before. After that, he just went to his room to check on his children who were still sleeping.
CHAPTER VIII
A week passed, but the king's children remained asleep. As Xerxes expected, great sorcerers and wise people arrived for the reward. But none of them could answer the cure. No one knew what this illness was, or could it be a curse?
None of them succeeded. All of them failed to solve the king's problem. But there was a hunchbacked old man, with a staff and covered in a black garment. He walked weakly. He was not known and no one had invited him for the princes. Before he was let in, he was first pointed at with sharp shields and swords. The soldiers scrutinized him. The king allowed him to proceed to his front. As Vethor planned, the soldiers surrounded Xerxes to ensure the king was safe and not in danger. They were still suspicious even though he was a hunchbacked old man.
"How do you know about the dragon? Did you see it too?" Xerxes muttered, almost standing up from his seat. The soldiers surrounding Xerxes moved aside. Everyone started to whisper, wondering and shuddering at what they had heard. He didn't answer, but his eyes were glaring. "What curse are you talking about?"
"You will feel the supernatural events!" The old man said in a sharp voice. Xerxes seemed to choke, especially since they were already discovering strange things. Things that could not be explained. Phalleon suddenly felt a strange anxiety. Earlier that morning, he had tied his wound because it seemed to be turning black. Phalleon secretly held his hand and massaged it, which meant he was afraid of the curse and also thought that his wound was involved in the curse. And that crow was cursed!
"They will come anytime!" The old man said explosively. The hunchbacked old man's eyes were piercing. He was looking for brave faces. It was as if their bodies were writhing, unable to protest or say that none of it was true. Phalleon was also powerless, who used to be noisy when it came to supernatural things, but now he was silent.
"The princes need to drink this, just once." The old man took out an unusual plant. No one recognized the plant they saw, but they knew it was a medicine that could cure the princes' illness or curse. Xerxes ordered a soldier to get it.
"The princes' strength was taken and disappeared because they couldn't handle the creatures that entered their bodies," the old man's voice spoke.
"Don't worry, the two won't be harmed. The medicine from that plant will take a long time to take effect because they have lost their consciousness severely. But I am sure the two will wake up." He turned his back.
"W-what about the curse?" Xerxes added. "How can we remove the curse?" Those voices were trembling. The old man stopped but did not try to face them.
"There is no cure for the curse!" he said in a deep voice. "The curse is already in our world." He continued walking. The world seemed to fall silent at that moment. After he went out the door, Xerxes came to his senses. He immediately ordered a soldier near him to go back and give the old man a reward. In response, the soldier ran quickly to catch him, but he thought he would catch him immediately because aside from the fact that he was old, he also walked weakly. So he was sure he would catch him. When he got to the door, his eyes widened when he saw that the old man was no longer there, even though he had just left. It hadn't even been a minute since the king ordered him, so it was impossible for him to just disappear in a moment. He asked a soldier who was standing there.
"Did you see someone pass by here? A hunchbacked old man?" he asked the soldier standing at the door. He answered him, "I didn't see anything." the soldier said. His companion who was also standing at the other corner of the door also answered, "We haven't seen a hunchback here since earlier? We also haven't seen him enter inside." the companion wondered. "Look downstairs."
He continued to search. He asked the people who were there, but he failed to find him. Meanwhile, Xerxes and the others were waiting for the soldier's return, but he was not yet there. Matheros worried about him.
"Can we trust that hunchbacked old man?" Matheros asked, with hesitation. Xerxes understood Matheros's concern for him and the princes.
"Yes, Matheros, if this is the only medicine, just to wake up my children," Xerxes said, even though he felt some doubt. Phalleon then answered.
"What if that's poison?" Everyone was surprised at what Phalleon said. "We don't know that plant," he clarified to everyone. The king sobbed and stared at the plant. Xerxes felt heavy because he was still not sure if it was right to believe what the old man said or to think it was just a suspicion. Maybe it was sent by their enemy, who would have thought, we don't know if someone is watching the kingdom.
"But, he mentioned the things I saw to us?" Xerxes muttered. "The dragon, and he also knows what happened to my children!" Xerxes's eyes were rebelling.
"Let's not believe in supernatural things!" Phalleon was being brave, and he was also thinking that his wound was just a wound, nothing else.
"What if it's true?" Matheros protested. "That all this is happening, is true! That this world is already covered in supernatural things?" Matheros said furiously.
"We're not children here to believe in those things!" Phalleon yelled in annoyance. "What!"