The Nutcracker, The Four Realms, and The Storm King

by GoebelTron

Chapter 5: The Storm King’s Frustration

Meanwhile, at the palace, the Storm King was furiously questioning two of the guards responsible for hunting down the Nutcracker and his girly accomplice.

“So let me get this straight, you’re now telling me that the Nutcracker... a so-called courageous wooden utensil… somehow managed to escape a well-armed fighting squadron unharmed? ...And, instead of fleeing into the hills, you chose to return to me and report your incompetence?!”

The Storm Guard timidly nodded, “Uh-huh...” He and the other one nervously shook.

“Why do I get the feeling that we’re surrounded by incompetent morons?” Tempest asked herself.

“You just read my mind, my dear Tempest Shadow,” The Storm King said.

“Why don’t you just blast ‘em with your scepter, sire?” Grubber asked.

“I suppose I could…” The Storm King said, as he swung his scepter, transforming it into a sword, which caused the two soldiers to gasp nervously.

“But let’s be honest. Whenever I use it, I begin to find its power to transform the incompetent much more gratifying. The trick is making you, like should we say… useful.”

He then tossed the sword into the air, transforming it back into a scepter, “Don’t you think so, Tempest?”

“I understand, sir,” Tempest replied.

The Storm King then cleared his throat, “Just to be sure, Grubber, how are we doing with statuary?”

Grubber opened a door revealing a room filled with frozen statues of other unfortunate soldiers and villagers who resisted him, “Full up, your lordiness.”

“Good. Lawn ornaments?”

Grubber then pulled back the rope of a curtain with his stubby little arms, revealing a courtyard filled with more unfortunate souls turned into statues, “Probably too much ornament, and definitely not enough lawn. From what I can see.”

“And… Paperweights?”

Grubber climbed up a stool and opened up a cupboard filled with paperweights made of yet more troops frozen in stone, “Yep! Covered!”

The Storm King groans, “What does one create for the palace that has everything?”

Grubber then thought of a mischievous idea as he stood next to the soldiers, “How ‘bout new bookends, since there’s two of ‘em?”

The soldiers shivered at the sound of that and try to say no.

The Storm King somehow liked the sound of that, “Hmm… Wonderful idea, Grubber! I do believe I’m actually starting to rub off on you.”

Grubber was flattered. The Storm King then began to wave his scepter in a circle, the gem glowing with the same golden yellow light with the black stripes as he chanted his spell after clearing his throat, “Since other tasks posed a challenge to thee, you two shall be bookends for eternity!”

The soldiers begged to be spared, only for The Storm King’s spell to strike them, turning them into a pair of haunting bookends. Tempest however took a look of the royal registry and flipped through it for a moment before pausing on a page, until the Storm King took a look. As he did this, Grubber tries to stand on one of the bookends but falls to ground.

“It says something about her right here,” Tempest said, showing the Storm King the page she was pointing at.

“Here it is--- the Sugar Plum Princess. A very magical and powerful being. Beautiful, kind, caring, charming, clever, and brave.”

He looked up, confused, “That’s it?”

In a bit of rage, he threw the book against a nearby column, “Where is she?!”

He stared at the columns for a moment before getting an idea. He chuckled darkly, snatching his scepter from the table, “I suppose I’ll just have to reduce Shining Armor to a pile of splinters before he can find her! And I think I have a pretty good idea how to do it. Now let’s see…”

He pointed his scepter at the column, “Rock that will walk, destroy whom I seek! Carnage, tyranny and havoc will be yours to wreak!”

The column exploded into pieces as the spell hit it with a chaotic magical aura, then reformed the pile of rubble into a massive towering stone monster.

Grubber yelped at the sight of the monster, cowering in fear as Tempest stood there amazed at the king’s amazement. The monster let out a terrifying roar, causing Grubber to scream and run away, hiding behind one of Tempest’s legs.

“Find the wooden man... and crush him!”

The rock giant turned and lumbered away, with his footsteps thundering through the room. Grubber peeked from his hiding place to watch it leave.

“It’s okay, Grubber. You can come out now,” Tempest said.

“Follow him, Grubber. He’s a bit rough around the edges and may need some… guidance,” The Storm King said.

“You want me to babysit a rock?” Grubber incredulously asked.

The Storm King scowled at Grubber, tapping his scepter against his hand impatiently.

“Alright, alright! Better than bein’ a rock,” Grubber said, as he ran away out the door to follow the rock giant.

“Your highness, the book did say something about the Sugar Plum Princess being all magical and powerful, but we’ll need more information about her, and what this has to do with defeating you,” Tempest said.

“Hmm, I suppose you’re right, Tempest. What to do? What to do?,” The Storm King then thought for a moment, until an idea popped into his mind. “I’ve got it! So since I’ve run out of any other useful ideas, I have one assignment for you: take your finest guardsmen and bring me the witch, the one who lives in the forest, who can predict the future. She might know something about this Sugar Plum Princess.”

“Yes, my lord. I will leave for the forest immediately. You, come with me!” Tempest said, as she and her personal troops with the red feathers left for the forest.