Lieutenant Clawson stood at attention as the gangplank extended down and several soldiers marched down, flanking the reigning regent of Methuria, King Coleuss. Clawson bowed low, then moved aside so that Maxy, the highest-ranking officer, could properly greet him. Coleuss strode down the walkway, looking more like a commoner than the king of the realm.
His shoulder-length silver hair bounced around his oval face and his well-trimmed goatee belied his true age but his eyes let no one think that he was a push-over. He tugged at the belt of his leather pants, re-adjusted it and flung the edge of his robes aside as he advanced toward Maxy.
"Maxy!" He smiled, laying his hand atop Maxy's bowed head, then grabbing him in a fatherly embrace. To see the old man smile made his heart leap for joy in more ways than one. The king had been in love with Maxy since they were children together but had never acted on his feelings. After all, he had to sire children as any good regent did. "You look well."
"I am well, sire, and the Princess is progressing wonderfully."
"Hello, Father." Maxy and King Coleuss broke their embrace as Princess Coleta silently approached and bowed to the regent. "How was your trip?"
"It was fine." He gathered her in his arms, dismayed to find her stiff. "You're still mad at me?"
"Why, no, Father. Why should I be mad at you when all you did was uproot me from my childhood home and send me away with the Council's blessing?"
"Coleta, it was for your own good." He pulled back and searched her eyes before moving in to kiss her cheek. "And I have a very good reason. You'll just have to trust your old father."
Coleta sighed, tearing up despite her anger. She knew that her father was right and that he always acted with her best intentions at heart. "Yes, Father."
"Now, let's have some lunch. I'm starving."
"You're always starving, Father." Coleta laughed, putting her arm around him and walking with him. Maxy followed with Clawson and the group entered the dining room, sitting down to a marvelous lunch made by her favorite cook, Pulit. When everyone was full, Maxy stood, weaved an impenetrable cone around them and bade Clawson to give his report.
"The gate is built into an outcropping of rock and looks to be made out of obsidian."
"Obsidian?" The king rubbed his chin. "If that's so, it can be shattered."
"Forgive me for disagreeing with you, sire, but it cannot be breached by violent means. In the research I did, every different medium was tried on the door, including plastic explosive and nothing made so much as a scratch." Maxy's words brought a scowl of disappointment to the king's face. "Continue, Clawson."
"It is about two stories high, consists of two doors and is covered with some of the most beautiful drawings I've ever seen." Clawson activated his Digi-Tablet and pushed it across the table toward the king. Maxy took control of it, flipping through the pictures at the king's leisure, noting the elegant etchings and encoded runes.
Most interesting were three depressions strategically placed in the door. There were two round depressions. One appeared in what looked like a face of an eagle while the other was located in a beast that closely resembled a lion. The third depression was at the top of pyramidal grouping of runes and was in the shape of a faceted rhombus.
