I sent some more minions, but the door wouldn't budge. It was a grand wooden door, the kind that might have once been an entryway to a castle. But now it was the entrance to the palace, and it was guarded by a handful of soldiers. The minions could hear their steps, and I knew we had to act fast.

I ordered the intelligence variant to call a couple of brute force minions to the scene. These were my strongest minions, and they were equipped with massive mallets that could break through almost anything. It wouldn't take long for them to arrive.

After some time, the brute force minions arrived, their massive forms filling the narrow street. They were hulking, muscular creatures with thick armor covering their bodies. They had skin like steel, and their eyes glowed with a fierce intelligence. Now, there wasn't any door built that could stop these monsters. The other minions near the gate turned to their side, and the brute force minions started running. With one push to the gate, they broke it from the hinges and went inside with it.

The palace was full of guards inside, and about a hundred guards were standing in front of me. They were heavily armed and armored, their swords and shields glinting in the flickering torchlight. But my minions were ready for them. I signaled to the minions, and they marched forward. Swords began striking, and enemies were falling like flowers. They were falling one by one. The scene changed when the brute force minions began interfering. Their mallets were changing the game inside, and several enemy soldiers were falling with a single blow from the minions. Bones cracked, and helmets shattered under the weight of their blows.

After killing every last one of them, the minions turned to the side and allowed me to enter the palace. I entered riding on my horse, my armor clanking as I moved. The palace was opulent, with soaring ceilings and intricate tilework. The walls were lined with tapestries, and the floors were made of polished marble. It was a symbol of the king's wealth and power.I found my way to the king's court, the heart of the palace. There he was sitting on his throne, surrounded by his most trusted advisors. There were five warriors standing in front of their king, willing to sacrifice their lives to protect him. They were heavily armed, and their armor was polished to a mirror-like shine. They stood at attention, their eyes fixed on me.

I looked at the king, who showed no sign of fear and was sitting on his throne calmly. He was a man in his fifties, with a neatly trimmed beard and piercing blue eyes. He was wearing a crown of gold, and his robes were trimmed with fur. He looked regal and composed, even in the face of danger.

I smiled and said:

"I like how you have controlled yourself," I said to the king. "I can see the fear in your eyes, but you are keeping it inside to encourage your soldiers. I like this. But don't worry, these guards of yours won't be alive for long, and once they are dead, you can express your fear freely. Allow me to take out this trash, and then we will talk one-on-one."

My minion marched forward to kill the guards, but I stopped them because I wanted to test the strength of my sword. I got off my horse and drew my sword. I looked at the guards. They were afraid, and it was visible in their eyes, but they didn't want to let their king know about it.

"I see that you are five very fine warriors. I respect your courage that you are still standing in front of your king to protect him, but fear not. I will save you from this duty by ending your lives. You can come forward, one by one, or all at once, but whatever you do, your fate is sealed. You are going to be sacrificed at my hand for your king. Step forward, who wants to go first?"

After I was done talking, I stepped forward, and as I expected, none of them came forward. I stepped forward again, and this time they took a step back.

I smiled and ran towards them. I began attacking all of them at once. It had been some time since I had fought an enemy on the battlefield, and it felt so good. I landed my first hit on a guard who looked aged. His face was covered, but his white beard was visible.

My sword sliced through his stomach and struck the sword of the guard on the side. This was my first hit on the enemy, and then one after the other, the guards fell. The man with the white beard was the last one standing. He was badly hurt but still kept fighting.

I enjoyed sparring with him. His swift movements, impressive reflexes, and skillful maneuvers always kept me on my toes. But as we continued, I noticed he was becoming overconfident, thinking he had the upper hand.

With a quick, calculated move, I seized his arm and forced him to kneel before me. The weight of his sword became too much for him, and it slipped from his grip, clattering to the ground. He cried out in agony, and my attention turned to their king.

"Oh my God, look what I have done. I have hurt your soldier," I said, staring at the king's expressionless face. "Oh my God, you must be in so much pain. How do I stop it? I have an idea." I took the warrior's helmet off, revealing a face twisted in pain.

"You, sir, will soon be out of this pain. Just allow me to-," I trailed off, my sword cutting through the air as I swiftly beheaded him. The warrior's lifeless body fell to the ground, twitching and convulsing like a fish out of water.

"Now, it's your turn, my lord," I said, turning to face the king. "Come out of your cradle, be a man and fight like a man. You shouldn't hide behind your brave warriors."

The king sat upon his throne, adorned in a regal golden helmet and a billowing robe that cascaded to the floor. He looked like a king should in his court, but this was not a time for courtly etiquette. This was war, and a king should be ready to fight. Yet, he still sat there, not uttering a single word, but a small smile played at the corner of his mouth.

My anger began to rise at his nonchalant behavior, but I refused to let him see my irritation. To show any weakness would be a victory for him. Instead, I looked at him for a few more moments, my piercing gaze holding his. Then, I slowly turned my back on him and mounted my horse, leaving him to contemplate his next move.