In the silent courtyard of the Eastern Palace, two werewolf workers named Wally and Wylie were engrossed in a heated debate.
They stood on a platform, gesturing wildly and furiously arguing over the placement of a decorative statue.
"No, no, Wylie! The statue should face the east to catch the morning sunlight!" Wally exclaimed, his paws waving emphatically.
"Wally, my friend, you're mistaken as usual." Wylie shook his furry head. "It should face the west to bask in the golden hues of the sunset!"
Their argument was reaching a fever pitch when, out of nowhere, a swirling portal materialised right in the centre of the courtyard.
Before the bewildered werewolves could react, Ashton's spaceship shot out of the portal with a resounding whoosh, causing a gust of wind, nearly knocking Wally and Wylie off their wobbly platform.
"Whoa!" Wally yelped, flailing his arms to maintain his balance.
"What in the moon's name is happening?" Wylie clung to the platform's edge, his fur ruffled and ears flattened against his head.
Ashton's ship landed with a graceful thud, its engines humming to a halt. The ramp lowered, and soon Ashton emerged on top of the spaceship, closing the portal behind him as his companions stepped out of the vessel.
The werewolves stared in disbelief, their argument forgotten as they gawked at the spectacle before them.
"By Lycaon's grace, is that... Ashton's ship?" Wally whispered, his eyes widening in amazement.
"I think so, Wally! And look, he's brought some strange-looking friends with him!" Wylie replied, equally astonished. "Wait a minute... is that lord Lycaon!?"
The werewolf workers teetered on the platform's edge, struggling to regain balance after the unexpected windstorm.
Just as it seemed they might topple over, they managed to steady themselves, their paws clinging to the decorative statue they had been debating about.
But fate had other plans. With a comical twist of events, Wally and Wylie's combined weight proved too much for the fragile platform. The statue wobbled precariously, and the werewolves exchanged a panicked glance.
"Wylie, I think we might have just-"
"Its all your fault-"
Before either could finish his sentence, the platform gave way with a loud crack. The werewolves plummeted downward, arms flailing as they crashed onto the very decoration they had been arguing over.
The statue, caught in their grasp, toppled over, causing a chain reaction that sent a cascade of smaller decorations tumbling to the ground.
As the dust settled and the courtyard fell into stunned silence, Ashton and his companions turned their attention to the scene of comedic chaos.
Wally and Wylie were sprawled amidst a pile of fallen decorations, the once-imposing statue now comically resting on their backs.
"What the hell is going on here?" Ashton mumbled as soon as he saw the reconstruction happening around.
The Eastern Palace was known for its darkness and eerie nature., but now it appeared as if it was some sort of an amusement park.
The entire place had been redecorated with vibrant flowers and other things, almost making it seem like the guests had teleported elsewhere.
Ashton's brows furrowed as he glanced around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Before he could utter a word, a familiar voice broke through the air.
"Ashton, my dear, you're finally back!"
Turning towards the sound, Ashton's eyes widened in disbelief. There stood his mother, Ava, her radiant presence filling the space around her. Beside her, a massive pack of wraith wolves trotted, their eerie yet majestic forms creating an awe-inspiring spectacle.
"M-Mother?" Ashton stammered.
Out of everything he had seen, his mother leading a pack of wraith wolves was by far the strangest thing. Even more, he was surprised at how strong the wolves had grown since he last saw them. A single wraith wolve now stood twice as big as a Liger!
Without hesitation, Ava closed the distance between them, her arms enveloping Ashton in a warm and loving embrace.
Her touch was soothing, reassuring, a reminder of the unconditional bond between a mother and her child. Strangely enough, Ashton felt the weight of his recent battles and struggles melt away in her arms.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here!" she said, holding him at arm's length, her eyes scanning his body as if looking for injuries or harm. "You look hurt? What happened?"
"I'm okay, Mother. It's just a few scratches." Ashton somehow managed to smile. As he was seeing his mother after so long, he didn't want her to worry about him anymore.
"Doesn't look like that's the case, but alright, I'll believe you for now."
Saying so, her attention shifted towards the twins. With a warm smile, she extended her arms towards them. "Irina, Verina, come here, my little ones. I have not forgotten about you two."
The twins exchanged a surprised glance before stepping forward, their uncertainty replaced by warmth as they were embraced by Ava.
Ava's eyes lit up as she embraced the twins with the motherly love she had always shown Ashton. However, her smile faded as she took in their shabby and bruised appearance.
"Oh, my lord, what happened to you two?" Ava's concern was evident as she gently touched their faces, her look filled with worry for the twins.
Ashton stepped forward, his protective instincts kicking in. "Mom, we'll explain everything, but we need to get them checked out right now. They've been through a lot."
"Of course, Ashton. Let's get them the care they need." Ava nodded, leading them outside the Palace.
"Your mother is a great woman," Flintmace commented.
"I know," Ashton replied with a smile.
As they moved outside, it seemed like the news of Ashton's arrival had already spread across the area as a vast crowd stood there, waiting for their king.
"Welcome home, your highness!"
Everyone eagerly looked up to Ashton and his allies, from vampires to werewolves to Giholos and various other species from all around the galaxy.
But the moment they saw Flintmace, the aliens went berserk. After all, only a few ever got to see the Tower master in person. No matter how anyone looked at it, it was truly a hero's welcome.
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