The Throne of Bones.

16. King beneath the Mountains.

A full day had passed on top of the basilisk's head as it moved across the land at an incomprehensible speed that Miriá and Minto had never been subjected to before. 

Even flying with the wind at his command had never made Minto reach these speeds, and just holding on to the beast as it moved seemed to be slowly taxing them of their strength.

Another day passed, and the second sun was about to dip beneath the jagged horizon when the dark shadow of a sole standing mountain eclipsed over them, it was then that the basilisk finally began to slow down, and by the time it reached the foot of the mountain it had begun to slither at a Mad snail's pace before finally resting it's head in front of a large cave big enough to accommodate its entire body.

Minto and Miriá looked at each other then at the silhouette of the mountain that loomed over them, it was completely bare of living trees, and it cast a foreboding shadow on everything at its foot, there was not a single creature in sight, but in regards to what Minto was sensing, the mountain had gathered more magicule than all of Wolfberry three times over, it felt so rich he could hardly contain his uneasiness.

"Come." The fae jumped down from Nagmar's head and began walking, they quickly followed her into the massive cave with a surprisingly smooth and clean floor, and the deeper they went the cooler and brighter the cave became until finally another entrance came into view.

"What do you think she wants with us?" Miriá asked, Minto in a whisper.

"I don't know, my father once told me that their ways are brutish but they treat guests with honour, we have defeated one of her basilisks and she did call us champions, so it shouldn't be anything bad." Minto replied back to her in a whisper.

"I am Rázá, Queen of my people, and first choice breeder, we will meet my King, and there you will be put through passage." 

Miriá and Minto's heads almost did a wheel turn to each other at the mention of her title. 

"Queen?" Miriá repeated with a dry throat.

"Yes." Rázá responded.

"Honoured one, what is this passage we will be put through?" Minto drew a little closer to her, but she spun around with a hiss causing him to halt and step backward.

"Do not approach me champion, you are still unclean." Rázá continued to hiss for several seconds before she suddenly smiled and turned more fiercely than before and began walking again at an even faster pace than previously. "You are eager, that is good- come, come quickly to meet my King."

"I have a bad feeling about this." Miriá drew closer to Minto and hugged his hand.

"We can't turn back Miriá the basilisk guards the entrance."

"I know, but..." She trailed off in awe when they reached the bright entrance.

The massive mountain was completely hollow but yet filled to the brim and seemingly overpopulated. 

On the inside there was a giant red basilisk even bigger than the one they had arrived on half an hour ago, and around it were hundreds of smaller ones. The hollow mountain had levels atop levels of strange bird-like architecture on every single ridge and cliffs connected by intertwined bridges made of vines, and from those massive nests came and went hundreds of winged male and female Fae, and thousands of winged beasts that had wingless Fae riders both male and female atop their backs, most of these wingless riders looked like Rázá, it was clear from the difference with them and the winged ones that they were all halfling

At the very peak of the mountain's hollow inside was a giant gem that replicated the same light and heat of the suns and night star outside.

"Welcome to Amesbeta, the great serpent's lair." Rázá turned to them. "Follow me closely winged one." She instructed before grabbing Miriá by her hand and sprouting wings then taking off into the air. 

Minto's wings burst out like thunder as he took off after them in a panic, if he lost Miriá in a place this large and crowded there was a chance he wouldn't be able to find her for some time.

He followed Rázá a wing-beat behind, not missing a single move that her muscles made, Miriá was hanging by a hand and almost teary eyed as she tried without success to grab hold with her other hand.

Rázá took a sudden dive downward,and that's when they realized that the mountain was only the gateway to Amesbeta, beneath the mile-wide mountain was a long stretch of subterranean cave-land supported by pillars that went on endlessly with more gems lighting up every crevice and corner, millions of Fae everywhere, male, female, children, they were overwhelming in numbers. And more basilisks the size of the one they had fought in the forest, hundreds that spread in every direction.

Rázá continued to speed up, and Minto had to start using magic to keep up with her as they dodged and swerved around countless flying Fae, beasts, and bridges that strung one massive nest to another.

A half hour later Rázá stopped in the air then began a slow graceful descent toward a stone structure surrounded and clothed with rich green grass.

When they landed, Rázá released Miriá back to Minto and gestured with a wave that they follow her inside.

There they saw an endless traffic of female and male winged Fae coming and going from the entrance all completely naked. 

"What is this place?" Minto asked, but Rázá was now mute as she passed the Fae that bowed to her on sight.

"This place makes me even more uneasy." Miriá clung to his arms as the many male Fae eyed her after the queen had passed. "Minto." She whispered as her heart began to race. "I sense danger." 

Minto had only once heard those words from Miriá before, but as the offspring of an Orc and hobgoblin it meant her intuition for survival was top tier. 

If she said 'danger', it meant 'terrible terrible danger'.

"Rázá." Minto called sharply,causing the Fae Queen to turn and look at him quizzically. "What is the passage?" As he asked, his wings shook violently.

Her own wings tensed as she looked at him somewhat repentant. "Come my champion, all will be revealed after the King has inspected you." She spoke calmly then turned and began walking again.

Soon, after a bit more walking and a lot more stares, they reached a barricade of vines. "Here you will be separated and speak to the King alone, winged champion you will come first when I bow, you do not and only speak when he does." 

"What about her?" Minto turned to Miriá hugging her against himself.

Rázá's wings shook and she snapped her fingers, a second later a dozen winged female Fae came from the vines and surrounded them. "She will be led to one of our sacred springs to clean herself in the meantime, worry not she will be well taken care of." 

"Miriá." Minto began but Miriá removed his hand from her shoulder and looked up at him.

"We've already come this far right?"

"But what you said before-" 

"Just go and hurry back." Miriá pushed him toward the vines. "Quickly."

"Make haste, he is aware of your presence, I will personally lead you to her as soon as we are done here." Rázá walked through the vines ahead of Minto. 

When he turned again Miriá was already leaving under the escort of the Fae guards. So he spun around and quickly entered the chamber, there sitting inside of the skull of a basilisk was a male Fae just around the same size and impressive muscle build as Wolfsword with tall golden hair that dragged as he stood, his eyes were a bright shade of blue and his wings were massive, dragging behind him as they opened, his tail swung from side to side slapping against the ground, and he had a brilliant thin coat of hair on all his body, and a mane-like bundle on his broad chest.

What's more was his presence, the atmosphere was thick with magicule under his control, this entire domain belonged to him, and he had the power to prove it.

"King." Minto whispered to himself.

"Father, this is the champion I have chosen." Rázá went on her hands and knees and rested her forehead on the floor that was coated with basilisk scales and skin.

"Him?" The King looked at Minto from head to toe as he drew nearer. 

He leaned over Minto and looked at his peculiar reptilian-feather wings, then plucked a feather and backed away.

Minto had to clench his jaws and grit his teeth to prevent himself from releasing the hiss that built up in his throat as the intrusive king then took a handful of his hair and sniffed it.

"A half-breed?" The King looked at his daughter, but she dared not raise her head.

"Yes." She replied to him.

"What is your name?" He looked down at Minto.

"I am Minto."

"I am Ozká, King under the mountains." The King's voice boomed throughout the room. "Be you Fae or Demon, Minto?" He asked Minto, who was still biting back his anger as the King was yet to remove his hand from his hair.

"I am neither." Minto replied through his teeth. 

King Ozká chuckled and placed his heavy hand on Minto's shoulder. "I sense discontent in your heart, am I that fearsome?" He asked.

Now that Minto's hair was not being manhandled, he had calmed down. "I fear no one under the stars." Minto raised his eyes to meet the King's. "I did not come here alone; I am uneasy because I wish to reunite with her as soon as possible."

"Her?" The King asked looking at his daughter. "He is already mated?"

"No father I have checked." Rázá held up her head. "They share mutual kin, but have not bonded further." 

"Just what's going on here?" Minto asked as the subject turned in that direction. "Rázá, where's Miriá?" 

"Worry not about her now champion, she will be put through passage and bonded with another, the Queen has chosen you to be one with her." Ozká turned and was about to walk away when the air around him began to stir.

"Bonded, with, whom?" Minto asked, with his eyes wide and his wings lazily rested on the ground.

"If she is beautiful, strong, and ripe, of prime age, then she will have many tastings of her fruit to find compatibility, she will choose one who suits her afterwards." Ozká gave him a wide grin. "Consider her lucky, if she shares kin with one as you then her future here will be bright and full of favour, I find one as powerful as you more than suitable to succeed my throne and raise our people higher in the coming times."

Minto's shock turned dark and his eyes began glowing red instantly. "Miriá will be what?" 

"Minto!" Rázá hissed out his name in worry. "Ease your temper!" Compared to the power she had sensed from him in the forest near Aauraton, he really did seem like an entirely different and far more dangerous entity.

While Ozká was frozen in place Rázá grabbed Minto's hand and looked up at him. "Please, be calm she is being honoured."

"You lied to me." Minto looked down on her, his glare alone was so venomous that she felt constricted. She released his hand and fell to her knees again. 

"I apologise.."

"Where is she?!"