As they neared the gates, two Unicorn guards blocked their way.
“What is your business here?” one of them asked.
“We are friends. We need to meet your King,” Archer replied.
Surprisingly, the guards relented. It seemed the Land of the Unicorns was one of trust.
They went above stairs and passed through chambers, until they reached the court of the King.
The Unicorn King rose from his throne as Matt and Archer appeared before him.
Archer cleared his throat and started, “Well wishes, O Mighty King of the Unicorns. We are your loyal people, seeking your kind refuge in your beautiful kingdom. We are five travellers, but three of our companions have got stuck in the arid, demonic, evil, vile…”
“Forgive me, Lord,” Matt interjected. “Our companions need to be rescued from the desert. We have come here to request you to send your Unicorns and save them.”
The Unicorn King replied hesitantly, “Why should we trust you?”
“We are the prophesied children,” Matt said. “With the Scavenger, we -”
“Wait!” the Unicorn King interrupted. “Did you say, ‘the Scavenger’? The servant of the great Lord Arcane?”
Matt nodded.
The Unicorn King thought again. “I still cannot trust you. I have to confirm that what you have said is true. I can do this: I will bring the ones you mention. If the Scavenger is there with them, then I will easily recognize him. But if I find out that you have lied, you will face my wrath.”
Saying this, he called a Unicorn to him. “Avalor, I want you to go to the desert and bring the people he mentions.”
Avalor nodded and shot off.
“He’s the fastest Unicorn,” the Unicorn King said. “He’ll be back in a few minutes.”
The Unicorn King was right. Avalor returned within no time with Daniel, James and the Scavenger.
Matt couldn’t believe how fast the Unicorns could travel.
The Unicorn King exclaimed, “You told the truth! Here I meet the servant of Lord Arcane!”
As soon as he said that, all the Unicorns, including the Unicorn King, bowed to the Scavenger and the children.
“Let me tell you a story,” the Unicorn King began. “Long ago, when my ancestors ruled the kingdom, they struck an enmity against the Leprechauns. The Leprechauns looted our kingdom, taking our food, weapons, everything. My ancestors went to Lord Arcane for help. Lord Arcane told us that one day, his servant named the Scavenger would come to us along with the four prophesied children to free us of our troubles. Generations after, we are still suffering at the hands of the Leprechauns, with no solution in sight. We have waited for centuries for you to come. And now, at last, you are here!”
“I see,” the Scavenger said. “First, I would like to thank you for greeting us so warmly in your kingdom. Second, I would be only too happy to help you.”
They all decided that after some rest, at midnight, they would strike the land of the Leprechauns.
After a good rest, they gathered with five Unicorns and started towards the enemy domain. They knocked out a few guards at the gate and made their way inside. The palace of the enemy King appeared sinister in the dark of the night.
“I will find the Leprechaun King. You look for food, ammunition, armour, weapons, anything… and throw everything over the wall. The Unicorns will catch it,” the Scavenger instructed.
The children entered the armoury and immediately came under attack from a group of soldiers. They had to use their Elemental Powers to overcome the enemy army. Once they had neutralized the enemy, Daniel fabricated a few bags to stuff all the weapons and threw it out over the wall.
Suddenly there was a shout. Hundreds of Leprechauns started swarming down to the palace. It seemed that the Scavenger had been caught.
By this time, the children had managed to throw all the bags filled with the loot over the wall. They decided to rush towards the Scavenger.
However, the Scavenger suddenly appeared before them. “Don’t worry. There is no danger. The Leprechaun King immediately identified me. He also came to know of you four. He surrendered without any resistance and has assured me that he will never venture towards the Land of the Unicorns.”
The children clapped in excitement. All of them clambered onto the backs of the Unicorns and shot off. They were eager to meet the Unicorn King and tell him that they had solved a century-old problem without a fight.
The Scavenger narrated what had happened to the Unicorn King. “The Leprechaun King will never trouble you again.”
The Unicorn King thanked them and showered them with gifts. “It’s unbelievable. I was expecting a war, but your aura itself was enough for the Leprechaun King to surrender. You are lifesavers! Thank you! How can I ever repay you?”
“You have the fastest messengers. You could help us to gather the good armies around the Dark World in the war against the Death Lord,” the Scavenger said.
“Please consider it done! I shall send my messengers right away. I am sure the good forces will pitch in once they know that the prophesied children are here.” The Unicorn King took a breath. “The Dark World has been waiting for this moment since a long time.”
***
The next day, the Scavenger and the children stood atop the roof of the palace as they watched vast armies approaching from the horizon, covering the land from one extreme to the other.
They could see the Trolls, Giants and Ogres, who had dominated the north side of the Dark World for ages. The Trolls and Ogres, who had utmost hatred for each other, had now joined arms to fight the Death Lord.
They also saw hundreds of honourable and brave Clans, such as the Wolves, the Lions and the Daggers, with thousands of soldiers in each Clan.
Then followed the Hunters from all
