Chapter 108 - Stribog

"I-It's S-Stribog!"

"It's Stribog – the God of Wind himself!"

"Our king is Stribog!"

Ivan watched as chaos ensued after the appearance of the harpies. The people were obviously terrified. Never in their lives could they have guessed that the king they had thought was supposed to be weak, turned out to be a returner to ancestry.

Stribog!

In heaven, there were three powerful deities: Kresnik, Stribog, and Perun. The latter, of course, was the strongest, since the Lightning God was the King of Heaven, but his twin brother Stribog was feared for a different matter.

Stribog was, after all, the one true master of the harpies, the most feared elementals for their malice and unpredictability. The only difference was, in spite of the plethora of harpies he had, Stribog was ultimately in control. The wind elementals loved and followed him. He was the only one not in danger of going insane, and the only one who could command more than one harpy at the same time.

However, nobody could ever predict this turn of events for another reason.

Stribog was the God of Smiles. He was a carefree deity who floated everywhere like the wind he commanded. Alistair, however, was a stoic, cold king.

"Oh my, King Alistair is a returner to ancestry! He is the God of Wind Stribog!"

How could he be Stribog?

Ivan of Kres snorted upon hearing the people call Alistair "Stribog".

What Stribog were they talking about?

Ivan's jade eyes filled with amusement as he continued to watch the panicked crowd. Even Fredek who was in charge of the soldiers and prisoners was smirking.

Why?

Alistair who had been watching the people laughed again. "Stribog, you say? Sadly, I'm not that airhead," the king announced making everyone stop and stare at him in confusion.

He wasn't Stribog?

Of course, nobody believed him after seeing the harpies that had materialized. Only Ivan and Fredek knew why those beasts had come out – or rather they had to come out in order for Alistair to utilize his real powers.

A more ominous force seeped out of the king's body as light as golden as the sun started to surround him, making everyone cower in fear. This was a much stronger power than they had seen earlier. Just who was their king if not Stribog? They shuddered, wanting to know.

As for the prisoners, they were not able to do anything but remain frozen where they were. Just what have they done, they asked themselves. But alas, it was all too late for repentance. The king didn't look like he would ever forgive the ultimate sin they had committed.

They were aware, that Alistair adored his younger sibling so much that he let her do whatever she wished even letting her take the glory that was supposed to be the king's during the Immortal War. Because of that adoration, that the king was put into a spot when most of his vassals wanted to revolt and place Alinea on the throne instead. 

Thus they had no choice but to get rid of the girl. As the members of the loyal faction who had placed Alistair into the throne, they would lose power when the king lost his. Even if they didn't have any personal grudge against the princess, Alinea had to go.

But as it turned out…

"Returner to ancestry," they wept.

Even if Alinea was here, there was no one in this world who could make Alistair abdicate the throne since he's a returner to ancestry. Even if Ritz was the land of Perun, nobody would complain or question having Stribog as their king.

But Alistair said he was not Stribog? But they were sure he was a returner to ancestry and could even summon the harpies. He must be Stribog!

"O Great Stribog, have mercy on us," they pleaded.

Ivan, on the other hand, sighed over the people's stupidity.

Alistair was not Stribog. If he was they would have known it from the moment he was born as for sure one of the three great harpy sisters would appear to announce the God of Wind's birth. One of the many reasons why they had no idea about the king's returner to ancestry status was because he was born normal. Among all the other deities in heaven, there was only one god who had no elemental – or no need to form pacts with elementals as he was strong enough to defeat any other deities and beasts combined.

So no, Alistair was not Stribog. They would realize that later even if they didn't believe the king's words.

It had begun. Soon the people would understand that Alinea's death was all for naught. They shouldn't have killed her.

Seeing as Alistair's aura had continued to change, the soldiers, with Fredek's command left the prisoners in the middle of the courtyard and went to the side for safety. The king's right-hand man made the soldiers push the crowd back as to make a huge enough circle that could fit the king's smallest magic seal.

If not, all of them would die.

"What's going on?"

The people had forgotten their fear for the harpies as their fear for the king increased by the second. He exuded a very strong murderous aura that made them feel suffocated. 

"Your Highness, have mercy on us," the prisoners pleaded, their eyes wide in fear and they trembled.

"Mercy?" Alistair scoffed his voice angry. "When you killed Ali, did you show mercy? She never did anything to you – and yet you did that to her!"

The last of his words rang with anguish, remembering the lifeless form of his little one in the cave.

Light continued to engulf him until he totally glowed from within. He had shed his mortal appearance, so now he looked completely a celestial being that he truly was. He raised his hand and a huge magic circle appeared in the courtyard.

Finally, the people recognized him – or rather his magic seal – it was the very same seal the princess Alinea had used during the Immortal War.

"P-Perun!"

The prisoners could only cry the King of Heaven's name before bolts of lightning appeared even before the clouds formed and struck them to their deaths.