Realm Lord

Arthur’s footsteps echoed softly against the polished marble floor as he wandered through the great hall. His fingertips occasionally brushed against the ornate edges of decadent tables that lined the space.

He methodically examined each table, searching for anything that might provide a clue, but found nothing of significance. Exquisite silverware, dusty plates, and tarnished candelabras—beautiful artifacts, certainly, but nothing that would help their investigation. Frustrated, Arthur straightened up and rolled his shoulders to release the tension that had built there.

It was only when he finally took his attention away from the decadent tables and allowed his gaze to drift toward the paintings adorning the right wall that something caught his interest. The great hall’s right wall was covered with numerous framed artworks, but one in particular seemed to call to him, drawing his focus like a moth to flame.

"What have we here?" Arthur muttered to himself, moving closer.

The painting commanded attention, hanging in a massive gilded frame that easily matched Arthur’s height. As he approached, the details became clearer, and a chill ran down his spine. The painting depicted a man seated regally upon an ornate throne, dressed in luxurious robes of deep crimson and royal blue, embroidered with golden thread that caught the light even in painted form. But it wasn’t the finery that made Arthur’s breath catch—it was the mask the figure wore.

"Creepy..." he whispered, studying the eerie golden sun mask that covered the man’s face. The mask was crafted to resemble a radiant sun with human-like features—almond-shaped eye slits, a sculpted nose, and thin lips curved into what could either be a benevolent smile or a menacing smirk. The ambiguity was unsettling.

Next to the masked man stood three figures that completed the royal portrait. Two young girls, appearing no older than eight or nine, stood side by side in matching pale blue dresses with white lace trim. Their copper-colored hair was styled identically, making it clear they were twins. Both wore grand smiles, their small hands folded primly before them. Beside them stood a statuesque woman in an eloquent gown of emerald green, her dark hair piled atop her head and adorned with jewels that matched the elaborate necklace at her throat. Her expression remained stoic, hands clasped together at her waist, her posture perfect and unyielding.

Arthur nodded to himself as he pieced together the obvious conclusion. ’The king and his family,’ eyes tracing the details of their faces, searching for some hint of humanity behind the formal poses.

But the royal family wasn’t what made Arthur’s eyes widen with recognition. It was the figures standing behind them—four knights clad in black armor, their helms fashioned to resemble the heads of sheep. The armor was intricately detailed, with plates that overlapped like scales, and each knight stood at perfect attention. Their weapons had their tips placed precisely against the ground, armored hands resting atop the hilts in perfect symmetry.

’...the sheepmen,’ Arthur thought as his heart rate rose.

Arthur slowly dragged his gaze away from the haunting image and called out loudly to his companions, his voice bouncing off the high ceiling and stone walls. "Hey... I might have something over here."

His words broke the contemplative silence that had fallen over the hall. Throughout the vast room, heads popped up from behind furniture and around pillars, expressions of curiosity and slight excitement animating his companions’ faces as they swiftly made their way toward him.