It wasn’t long before all of Karam’s advisors had died of old age and were replaced by their apprentices. With Yosef at the seat of honor closest to Karam, yet another war council began.
“Sire, we need a stronger weapon,” The Advisor of Defense declared, “And I think I know the weapon: The Fire Haltar of Aseb.”
“But only priests of Aseb can use that!” The Economics Master pointed out with one of his wings raised.
“True, but for decades the Fire Haltar has not bonded with any priest,” The Advisor of Defense insisted as he leanded forward, “King Karam, you are still the leader of Aseb; I think you should go there in secret, with some bodyguards, and persuade the priests to let you try wearing it--if it bonds with you, it’ll give you great power, and then surely we can end this horrid war once and for all!”
The other advisors said various things, but Karam ignored them, lost in his own thoughts.
He felt no emotional ties to any of these beasts except Yosef. These advisors were merely talking heads to him; he’d seen all the others die of old age, and realized the pain of being a long-living Alicorn ruling over a land where everybeast else died decades before he aged a year.
With such pain in his heart, he determined to not get attatched to any of the new ones--besides, he had to be king, not friend.
He must be a warrior, not a brother.
As he considered what they said, he nodded, deciding to go to Aseb.
“Very well. I shall take a small force with me and enter their holy altar, and plead with the high priest to allow me to try the haltar on,” Karam decided, which interrupted everybeast else. Not waiting for anybeast to say anything, he leaped off his chair and threw open the councilroom chamber doors with his magic, preparing to head out.
For the past few years, the sun and moon had been terrifyingly random--first day, then night, then day again, all within a few hours. Besides confusing everybeast as to what day it was, these day-night-day days made it hard to battle.
However, it also meant that many creatures stayed indoors, enabling Karam to slip through the streets in a disguise as he headed out of the nation. If he had been to Aseb's capitol before, he could teleport there, but unfortunately he had to travel there the long way. For a day and a half he traveled with a small group of retainers, until he reached the city. Although it was under Saddle-Arabia's jurisdiction, Aseb was still its own unique nation. With this in mind, he disguised himself as best he could, hiding his wings beneath his heavy cloak. He didn't want anybeast to panic or think he was trying to bring the war to this nation's land.
On a day that was mostly night, Karam arrived at the temple where the Asebians offered incense to their minor deities. Because of the crazed day and night cycles, many priests and devotees had opted to stay home, fearing that some horrid condemnation was on them all due to the war, and in truth Karam often wondered the same thing--was this some sort of sign that the war should end now before they all died?
“Who approaches the altar of Aseb?” The high priest called out as he saw the creatures in heavy, obscurring garments approach the ornate, carved stone altar within the temple’s structure.
Karam halted. He nodded to his retainers, urging them to step back a few paces. He inhaled, exhaled, and turned to the priest.
Quietly removing his hood with his magic, revealing his scarred face, Karam kneeled and announced, “King Karam of Saddle-Arabia does approach.”
Amazed, the high priest, who was a brown camel, blinked and stammered, “King--King Karam? Here? Ah! Sire… what… what do you need?”
“I know what I am about to ask will be highly irregular, and perhaps completely forbidden, but I must have more power in order to defeat my enemies and end this war once and for all: I have come to try on the Haltar of Fire,” Karam explained regally as he stood to his feet and looked the high priest straight in the eyes with determination.
For a moment, the high priest blinked and stepped back, uncertain of what to think. On the one hoof, he couldn’t deny a king, but such a request truly was forbidden. In his own mind, Karam pondered if this was the best choice. Maybe he should've used a fake name and said he was taking the thing to King Karam? Perhaps he was doing this wrong? No, no, he had to do this, and he had to be open and honest, yes. Right?
“King of the Wind, I do not wish to anger you at all, but… as you say, such a thing is forbidden. However, in truth, the haltar of fire has refused to bond with any high priest of any species in quite some decades. It is said that only those with true fire in their hearts for justice are accepted by it, but…truly there is much we do not know about it,” The high priest disclosed as he pointed with his hoof to where the ancient relic hung on the back wall.
Slowly, Karam approached the haltar, examining it. It was fashioned from several blood-red, brown-ringed agates which were connected by thick, leather cords. As he stood near it, he felt the firey magic coming from it, and sensed that it could re-shape itself into whatever shape needed.
Turning back to the high priest, Karam pleaded, “Allow me to try it on. If it refuses me, I shall leave, but if it accepts me, know that I will honor it with all my life.”
Looking to the minor priests hiding in the corners, the high priest debated what to do in his mind. At length, he nodded, feeling that Karam’s words were fair.
With the utmost respect, Karam lifted the haltar off its pegs with his golden aura, and placed it around his muzzle, fastening it carefully beneath his jawline.
As he put it on, he took a deep breath, thinking of all the suffering this war was causing, and determined to end the killing, for the sake of everybeast.
While he was still fastening it around his jawline, the haltar glowed, and Karam felt a rushing sensation through his body as he began to glow a faint red tint all over. Swiftly, the collar glowed pure red and shifted, forming itself around Karam’s horn and face, adjusting to fit him perfectly. A moment later, the glowing stopped, and Karam felt dizzy as he blinked several times. Seeing his reflection in a polished golden plate on the wall, Karam noted how the pieces of agate had formed around his horn, making a long, red and brown ringed, smooth cover for it that surged with magical energy.
In awe, all the priests and Karam’s bodyguards kneeled around him.
“The Halter of Fire has deemed you worthy! From this day forth, you are our rightful ruler!” The high priest shouted, “The Fire Halter has spoken!”
The other four-legged beasts in the room cheered as they looked up at Karam, relieved that at last the Fire Halter had chosen an owner. Proudly Karam spread out his wings over them, allowing them to stand as he nodded at the high priest and assured them all, “I shall do my best to protect you all, and end this war.”
“Oh Sire, please, I do beseech you, only use it in the most dramatic circumstances,” the high priest warned as he stood up, “Legends say that the halter’s power is so great that it can burn an entire forest, or perhaps do even worse things. If it is used too flippantly, it could cause immense devestation.”
Hardening his face, Karam nodded understandingly and vowed, “I shall only use it in the worst of times.. And to defeat the worst of enemies.”
However, quiet thoughts came to him:
was this really the worst of times?
Was Daud truly the worst of enemies?
Should he really use such a sacred relic in this vengeful war?