Honoria rode upon horseback through the dense woods as she desperately searched for her missing husband. It had been twelve hours since Berengar rode off in search of the witness to the German slaughter, and the byzantine Princess had become dreadfully worried. For the last three hours, she and the soldiers searched frantically for any clue regarding the whereabouts of their absent emperor, only to come up empty.

With an oil lamp tied around her horse's neck, Honoria continued to delve deep into the woodlands, searching for the man she loved. Finally, after hours of effort, she heard some good news as one of her girls called out to her from a few yards ahead.

"Honoria! Over here, I think I have found something!"

Upon hearing this, the Pirate Queen snapped her reins and charged after her comrade, where she witnessed a gruesome sight. The eaten remains of various humans lie on the ground, with shredded clothing and scattered weapons. It was nearly impossible to identify any of the men who had died in this struggle and thus, Honoria broke out into tears, believing that her husband had been slain.

However, in the next moment, one soldier climbed up from the cliff below and presented two items, Berengar's revolver and his compass, as well as a few scattered bullets that had followed him on his fall into the river below. When Honoria noticed this, she felt as if her heart might explode, and quickly asked for clarification on what had happened.

"What have you found? Is the Emperor dead!?!"

The man shook his head before relaying the information he had gathered from the site.

"It appears there was an armed struggle. Judging from the weapons we have found littering the scene above, the Royal Guardsmen are dead, as well as several hostiles. However, judging from the condition of the hillside, the Emperor was thrown over the ledge and tumbled into the river below, most likely floating downstream. It is possible he is still alive."

...