"Okay, I think we should all calm down." Koman said.
But Dragon Eye slammed his hand down on the table, making it shake under his might. "No, I will not calm down. I am leaving."
With that, Dragon Eye stood up and stormed out of the meeting room, leaving the other kings in stunned silence. Jamtoe let out a sigh of relief, but Tita Blastmon's expression turned thoughtful.
"Well, it seems like Dragon Eye is not pleased with your explanation, Jamtoe," Tita Blastmon said. "You'd better be prepared for the consequences."
Koman nodded in agreement. "Yes, Dragon Eye is not a king to be underestimated. We should try to mediate the situation and prevent any further conflict."
Just then Dragon Eye walked back into the meeting room, his presence commanding attention. "Hear this, I, Dragon Eye of the Kingdom of Nobelist, do not acknowledge Prince Jamtoe as the king of the Wolfect Kingdom. I believe he staged a coup d'état to get rid of his father. I am leaving now. But I shall return in thirteen days, and if he does not step down from the throne, I shall declare war on him."
Tita blastmon spoke up, "Dragon Eye, if you do that, then you would be breaking the peace treaty we all signed."
But Dragon Eye laughed. "If any of you decide to stand with him, then I will consider you my enemy as well." He said, then turned and walked away.
The room fell silent, the weight of Dragon Eye's words hanging in the air. Jamtoe's face paled, realizing the gravity of the situation. Tita Blastmon's expression turned grave, while Koman's eyes narrowed in thought.
"Well, it seems like we have a problem on our hands," Tita Blastmon said. "Jamtoe, you'd better be prepared for war."
Koman nodded. "Yes, and we'd better figure out where our loyalties lie. Are we going to stand with Jamtoe, or are we going to side with Dragon Eye?"
Jude Beaston spoke up, "I think we should try to reason with King Dragon Eye. Perhaps there's more to the story than we're seeing."
The kings began to discuss the implications of Dragon Eye's declaration, their voices filled with concern and uncertainty.
Jude Beaston smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, I can assure you there will be no war. I'll have a talk with Dragon Eye – the two of us are old friends, I'm sure he'll listen to me."
Jamtoe's expression turned hopeful, and he nodded in gratitude. "Thank you, Jude. I would appreciate any efforts to resolve this peacefully."
With renewed optimism, Jude Beaston set off to meet with Dragon Eye, determined to broker a peaceful resolution. As he walked, he thought about the best approach to take with his old friend.
When he arrived at Dragon Eye's chambers, he found his friend pacing back and forth. "Jude, I'm glad you're here. I was just about to leave."
Jude Beaston held up a hand. "Wait, Dragon Eye. Let's talk this through before we do anything rash. What's really going on here?"
Dragon Eye stopped pacing and turned to face him. "You know exactly what's going on, Jude. Jamtoe is a usurper, and he needs to be held accountable."
Jude Beaston took a deep breath, ready to begin negotiations. , "I understand what you're saying, but before we do anything hasty, let's start looking for Jamten to hear what happened from him. I think it's only fair that we give him a chance to tell his side of the story."
Dragon Eye's expression softened slightly, and he nodded thoughtfully. "You're right, Jude. I've known Jamten for a long time, and I'd like to hear his side of the story too."
Jude Beaston continued, "If we can find Jamten and hear his story, maybe we can get to the bottom of what's going on. Maybe there's more to the situation than we know."
Dragon Eye nodded, and the two kings began to discuss ways to locate Jamten and bring him in for a meeting.
The two men stood in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Then, Dragon Eye nodded. "Let's proceed with caution. We'll find Jamten first and then confront Jamtoe later."
As they made their plans, Jude Beaston and Dragon Eye exchanged a knowing glance. They both understood the delicate nature of the situation and the need for caution.
"Let's keep this quiet for now," Jude Beaston reiterated. "We don't want Jamtoe to get wind of our plans. I'll have my men gather information discreetly, and we'll compare notes as we go along."
Dragon Eye nodded in agreement. "I'll do the same. We'll need to be careful not to arouse suspicion. Let's meet again in a few days to discuss our progress."
With their plan in place, the two kings parted ways, each returning to their respective kingdoms to begin the search for Jamten.
Meanwhile, Jamtoe remained unaware of the developments, confident in his newfound power. But as the days passed, he began to sense that something was amiss...
As Jamtoe sat on his throne, he reached into his pocket and grasped the blue crystal. He instructed his servants and everyone to leave, except for Lord Daegal. As Jamtoe squeezed the crystal in his hand, a hologram of a man in a red robe appeared. The man's piercing red eyes locked onto Jamtoe, and he spoke.
"Greetings, young King Jamtoe. I believe congratulations are in order for your ascension to the throne," the man said with a smile.
Jamtoe's eyes narrowed. "Who are you? Where is Lord Dracula?" he asked, his voice firm.
The man's smile grew wider, revealing his fangs. "Lord Dracula is no longer here. You will report to me now, and you may address me as Lord Bloodlan."
Jamtoe's expression turned skeptical. "What do you mean Lord Dracula is no longer here? And what kind of authority do you have over me?"
Lord Bloodlan's eyes seemed to gleam with amusement. "Let's just say that circumstances have changed. You will now report to me."
Jamtoe's grip on the armrest tightened. "I don't take orders from anyone. Lord Dracula and I were partners," he said, his voice cold.
Bloodlan chuckled. "You think you and Dracula were partners? You must be joking. Get this through your head, you're working for the Vampiric High Order now - the group that is under me. And I work for the Military of Magic," he said, his eyes flashing crimson.
A cold shiver ran down Jamtoe's spine. "What have I gotten myself into?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Bloodlan's smile grew wider. "You've gotten yourself into a world of power and danger, Jamtoe. And you'll do well to remember your place in it."
Jamtoe's mind reeled as he tried to process the implications of Bloodlan's words. He had thought he was in control, but now, he was nothing more than a pawn in a much larger game.
"What do you want me to do?" Jamtoe asked, his voice resigned.
Bloodlan's smile grew wider. "For now, you'll continue to rule your kingdom as you see fit. But you'll also be working for me, and you'll do as I say. And if you're lucky, you might just survive this game."
Jamtoe's face darkened. He didn't like being threatened, but he knew he had no choice. He would have to play along, at least for now.
To be continued....