The Castle in the middle of nowhere.

The Holy Capital, a city that never needed another name, was located at the fork of the two mighty rivers. It wasn't old enough to be called ancient; the city was just two centuries old. It was him, Dolren Igaris, who had decided where it would stand. The decades passed, and the city grew. Its wide, cobbled streets were overlooked by the various buildings and shops. The wealth of its citizens grew as new trading routes opened and the large and lavish temples to their gods were constructed. The rivers were always important, but the city flourished once the lake gained its harbour. The Holy Capital was protected not only by the wide rivers and deep lake but also by the tall wall that no enemy could dream of scaling. And yet... And yet, the once-busy streets were now empty. The wind tumbled abandoned belongings and trash down the streets while loudly slamming half-opened doors and windows, echoing through the almost empty city.

Most of its former inhabitants had run away, and some of them left everything behind, including their slaves. The slaves were unable to help themselves; bound by the power of their slave collars, they could only sit in their cells. Maybe some would eventually run away, but Dolren did not care about that anymore. The magnificent city built to honour the Gods’ promise to the people of Berna had surrendered even before the conquerors arrived. The work of his entire life seemed lost. He used to watch the city and its people with paternal pride from this very balcony, praising his Gods and often enjoying their presence. They were with him when this palace was built. They were with him when he subjugated the wild tribes that lived once scattered across these lands. The Gods were with him when he founded Berna, and it was they who put a crown on his head. But they were gone now, and he was so lonely. He lacked their presence; he missed their wisdom, and he yearned for their guidance.

The Holy Palace was the last oasis in the dead city. A few dozen brave soldiers decided to stay, and they promised to give their lives in protection of this place and his person. The most devoted Paladins of Berna... He wondered if the enemy would at least tell the story of their bravery. His two daughters had stayed as well. He couldn't let them go; after all, they had his blood, and his lineage would end today. Before him, on the table, stood a simple chalice with a blue liquid. A potent poison that was going to kill him. He waited for the enemies to come. To see their greedy eyes and have the last satisfaction of taking that poison in front of them, robbing them of the pleasure of killing him themselves... He would chuckle if not for the irritating chimes of little bells that haunted him since the day Hagan had rebelled… and when Ftanal died.

Since the day that Berna lost the war...

Of course, some Nobles retreated and flocked under Hagan's standards. His armies were still vast and powerful. His strongholds may keep the enemies at bay for years, and the favourable terrain of his domain would make it unpassable to invaders. The deep and wild forests full of monsters would force anyone to use the roads full of watchtowers and fortlets, which would be a significant challenge for any army to capture. Alas... That thought was a bitter one. Hagan had denounced the Gods and Berna. Even if he and the Nobles lived, it wouldn't mean Berna would survive. He looked at the streets that should have been empty, only to see hundreds of people heading towards the city gates. In shock, he finally realised that these were the slaves who somehow had broken free from their shackles. On his palace gate sat a lonely young woman wearing a long red dress that shined in the sun. The lazy wind blew her long black hair, and her long, ugly rabbit ears stood erect defiantly. He could swear that she bore a mocking smile. Long ago, Dolren had decreed that any animal raising their ears in his presence would be killed.

"Guards! Kill her!" he yelled angrily, looking at one Paladin who had stayed with him.

"Who, my Lord?" the veteran looked around uncertainly for a moment.

"Her..." Dolren pointed at the gate, but the woman was already gone. "No matter... I must have started seeing things..."

He dropped heavily into his chair only to hear the sound of the alarm bells. He stiffened and almost grabbed the cup, ready to drink the poison, when a golden bird landed on the railing. He started crying and dropped to his knees.

"Oh, Jukk'nala, the greatest of Gods! You have not abandoned me..." He started but paused, noticing subtle differences in his appearance.

Behind him, the doors to the large balcony opened, and two of his daughters entered, followed by twenty of the remaining Paladins. Cassandra and Jia were terrified to see the golden bird. Dolren, however, wasn't paying any attention to them; he was focused only on his God. "You have returned to us..."

"Welcome, father..." Elisabeth's voice called him from behind. "Long time no see."

"You..." Dolren raised from his knees and turned towards the woman.

"Oh, don't be like that. You always told me to follow the will of the Gods obediently! You should be proud of me!" She laughed, causing him to freeze. She was right. She did everything he always told her to do.

"It's a bitter feeling..." he admitted begrudgingly, noticing only four black-clad knights behind Elisabeth.

But to add insult to injury, his daughter was standing beside a dog. The beastkin, wearing the insignia of a major, must have been a commander of the Arcadian army. With his steel eyes, he looked down on the Patriarch disdainfully.

"Then it seems I must brighten your mood, father," Elisabeth replied, her voice dripping with blatant mockery intended to provoke him. But, ever mindful of the presence of his God, he gritted his teeth and listened to what she had to say. To his disgust and shock, Elisabeth clung to the Wolfkin. "I would like to introduce you to my... Fiancé. Meet Major Raphael Nix."

Elisabeth kissed that disgusting animal passionately, and Dolren's heart sank in terror. However, anger returned him to his senses, and he glared at the woman who once was his daughter. "I know now that you hate me, and you were never worthy to be called my daughter! If not for the respect for me as your father, then mind who is here with us! How dare you do such a thing in the presence of the Holiest Jukk'nala!?"

"Hahahahaha!" she laughed heartily, grabbing the shoulder of that subhuman so as not to fall.

"Dolren Igaris..." The amused, almost casual voice from behind him made his skin crawl. "I’ll allow it."

"My Lord..." Dolren spun around, shock carved into his face as if to demand an explanation from Jukk'nala. But before he could speak, a fierce gust of scorching heat swept over him, forcing him to his knees.

"That's enough, Elisabeth. You bought me enough time." The God ignored him and looked at his unruly child. "Your sisters are free. I undid the shackles that once bound them."

"What are you saying..." Dolren suddenly felt a cold, steel collar closing around his neck. "Guards!"

He clawed at the thing but was unable to unlock it. As he turned around, he saw his Paladins still kneeling.

"Help me!" he demanded, but again, he could only hear the distant laughter and chiming of the bells rapidly closing in.

"HahahahahaHAHA!" Mad, unnerving laughter came from everywhere, making the Patriarch shiver uncontrollably. "That's precious! Excellent! Sublime!" A handsome man suddenly appeared from nowhere, and behind him stood the woman in red the Patriarch had seen earlier. She was slightly bowed towards Elisabeth, absolutely ignoring him. The man stopped laughing and gazed down upon Dolren with eyes full of cruelty and contempt. "Pathetic."

"I was wondering what could be the reason for the discord in Berna and the rebellion of its nobles," Jukk'nala said in amusement. "So it was you, Jester."

"Yes, yes, YeS!" The man clapped his hands and happily tip-toed back and forth like an excited child. "But I must credit my performing partner! Twirll, Lady Elisabeth, Lord Raphael, and ummm... You two, Princesses, I guess... Meet my adorable assistant! Pyonta the Red Cardinal!"

The woman smiled charmingly yet shyly at everyone and waved her fingers slightly. "Hello."

Dolren wanted to scream and stop them all, but he couldn't even move. The slave collar around his neck deprived him of his free will. He gazed upon the poisoned chalice and wanted to cry as he was denied his death of choice. His daughters, Cassandra and Jia, hugged each other while crying tears of what, in his disbelief, Dolren assumed was joyfulness. The man called Jester stopped right in front of him and bowed mockingly.

"I think that you yearn for an explanation at the very least... And oh, a slave collar! I put it on you to prevent you from doing anything reckless!" The clearly insane man started laughing, holding his belly. "Hahah-ahhhh... Allow me to introduce myself to you! By the will of my Master, my name is Jester. But you, your unholiness, know me as Bear-owl-man!" Dolren paled, but he still couldn't do anything besides shudder at hearing yet another burst of laughter from that horrible clown. Jester grabbed the Rabbitkin woman by her waist and pulled her to his side, at which she giggled and gave Dolren another spiteful gaze. "This beauty here was the very reason for your downfall... Or maybe it was when my Master killed Jukk'nala, who had declared war upon Arcadia once he attacked Queen Lavender? Hmm..."

Dolren gasped in shock. What this crazy man was saying? He was in the presence of the Holy Jukk'nala! The Patriarch stared in disbelief at the man and Rabbitkin before him. Jester started making faces as if he couldn't momentarily decide on something before laughing again. "Ah! No matter, no matter! You see, Miss Pyonta is a brave kitten despite her deceptive appearance!"

"Mrau..." the woman teased, waving her hand toward Dolren in a mocking scratch, causing Jester to burst into even harder laughter.

"Hahaha! You see for yourself, Patriarch. Soooo! This little kitten was behind every betrayal, every little misfortune that happened to you! HAHAHA!" His eyes widened as he couldn't understand what that man was saying. Then, Jester became serious. His voice became cruel and cold. "I see that you are clueless like a child in the fog... So, just to set the record straight, it was me who killed that entitled brat... I didn't even know his name. The son of Hagon Je'wrha. If you need additional clues, it was me who killed everyone under the guise of Bear-owl-man."

"Guards!" By the sheer force of his will, Dolren managed to call his Paladins, but they only stood up and smiled wickedly at him.

"Oh, them? No, no... They are just spies sent by Queen Luna." Jester continued to laugh. "They intercepted, destroyed, or altered almost everything you have seen recently. Fagnar Ras-daia was their first victim. He was your loyal follower, Patriarch, but you vilified him just like that! Bam! You simply made him national enemy number one overnight. You know what is the best part? Even Hur'zhun had no clue what was going on! Hahaha! Then we framed that baldy dude... Ftanal! Yes, yes! It was so easy... To get a dagger and then kill that brat..."

"You monster!"

"Haha? Hahahaha! HAHAHAHA!" The man started to change; his handsome face melted away in a gruesome and terrifying display. Not a moment later, only bare bones remained, but Jester was still laughing. The woman near him slightly adjusted his jester's hat. The monster opened his outstretched hand like a performer who had just ended his trick. "TA-DA!"

The Rabbit woman clapped and nodded with a faint, almost unamused smile as the undead monstrosity bowed mockingly before him and others. Cassandra and Jia froze in shock and terror, but Elisabeth giggled and clapped her hands slightly as if she had witnessed something funny. He looked at the Paladins in the hope that they would change their mind and strike down that monster, only to live through another horror. Their shapes lost their natural sharpness, and their shining armours became a blue mass that soon transformed into unblemished black tuxedos. His eyes went wide when he recognised their clothes. One of them stepped forward, his face set in the expression of a diligent but concerned servant. After releasing a sad sigh, he slowly shook his head.

"Lord Sebastian can't be here, but he inquired of me to remind you of a warning he once conveyed to you." The butler cleared his throat and continued speaking in Sebastian’s voice. "My King does not seek war with your country, but if you insist so much on it, no quarter will be given, and every last one of the rulers of Berna will die, the cults of your gods will be outlawed, and their temples destroyed. Your gods will be banished into oblivion." He shook his head in disbelief and let out a sigh. "You brought this fate upon your country."

"What are you?" Dolren asked through his tears.

"I'm one of the Noble Slimes in service of His Majesty, King Theon Avalon." The monster butler smiled.

"Who is that man to command so many powerful monsters?!" Dolren clenched his fists in powerless anger.

"Oh, father... Don't be so surprised and bitter." Elisabeth laughed with cold, cruel laughter. "After all, your gods have fallen before the might of King Theon Avalon. I saw with my very own eyes the demise of Jukk'nala. I heard that Hur'zhun was beaten, his horns cut off, and he was bound with a slave collar."

"You all keep saying that Lord Jukk'nala is dead, but he stands among us right here! How do you expect me to believe in your lies?!"

"Hahaha! But you see..." The familiar voice he had been listening to his entire life was oddly amused. He trembled as he turned around, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. "I'm not Jukk'nala. I'm Twirll, the familiar of King Theon Avalon. I fought with the bird that demanded to be called Jukk'nala when he treacherously attacked Queen Lavender. I protected my Queen and was there when my Master killed that bird."

"I curse you all!" Tears flow down his cheeks as he has finally acknowledged the death of his god. "I will be reborn!"

Dolren, fighting the slave collar with all his might, grabbed the chalice with poison and drank it. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of killing him. As his vision blurred, he exhaled one final time, falling into eternal sleep.