ã€ŠLegend of the Holy Sentinels - Night Huntersã€‹


 -3 About the Author

    I have been awed by the mystery and the powers of the elements since I was a kid. I think I ought to give credit to all the anime cartoons that was available in our time, especially when it dominated the Philippine Primetime shows in the 90''s. I also caught the Funny Komiks fever which is actually quite an integral part of my childhood as I''ve learned to read and associate the words just by looking at the pictures ¨C all by myself and with my twin brother, KC. This culture pushed me to draw pictures and cartoon characters that led for me to be creative, ultimately finding out that I can make and invent stories of my own.

    As my skill advanced from the traditional stick figures, I needed a challenge and by the age of eight, I have started to make my own stories loosely based on the arena-type battles such as Dragonball Z, Pokemon, and Flame of Recca. We don''t have much money then so we have to improvise to hone our craft. After the end of our school year, my twin brother and I used to pull the spring from my notebook and compile all the empty leaves to stitch ''em up together to form a thick notebook to make my cartoon stories ¨C my very own comic book. We have made tons of it, usually strips of stories that ranged from ten to twenty pages at most, but by the end of my first year in highschool I finished a full length comic book story called "Pyrobot" ¨C a robot created to protect the Earth similar to Combatron and Megaman. But this didn''t make me happy though. The plot of the story is quite juvenile then, so I plotted a story ¨C a serious one that touches topics of mystery and gives tales of adventures made by an entirely different civilization. That''s when I conceptualized "The Omegatribe", which is the book''s original title eleven years ago. I tried to plan it to fruition but then school made me extremely busy, it forced me to just put a pin on that project.

    Graduation came fast which made me happy for a bit thinking I could start the project in hiatus but lo and behold, college revealed to be my enemy too. I tried drawing slides and planned to color it in the computer by scanning it and rendering it on Photoshop but all was in vain as this takes too long a time to continue. This project is going down the drain and I could feel the urge of giving up but luckily, God has given me a window. He led me to our college publication, The Business Access Magazine, and this gave me the necessary foundation to make me adept in putting my thoughts into words. After gaining my bachelor''s degree in Management at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, I finally vowed to finish the story I started on 2003 and turn this comic book into a novel instead. On January 2009, I started to write it all up. It''s quite hard at first as I have been writing it while taking another degree in accountancy at the University of the East. Also, the challenge is the research and plotting the story to make it complete. This ate time that it took three years for me to finish it and another year and a half to revisit the story: to create a time table, assign the time frame, and identify the lunar faces on each chapter. I have finished writing it on the same time I passed the board last year on May 2013. I have to thank God for this miracle as I couldn''t have done it without his blessing, guidance, and inspiration. It''s quite a challenging adventure, one that I am really thankful to experience.

 1 PROLOGUE

    "ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRESENCE OF PRODEA OF THE HOUSE OF LIMOR, GRAND PRINCESS AND CHIEF MAGISTRATE OF NAGOZUL. ONE OF THE ISLANDS OF THE HOLY LANDS¡­"

    A great silence engulfed the room of what seems to be a meeting chamber inside an old medieval Palace. There are nine men occupying a round table all wearing extravagantly embroidered outfits befitting royalty. Sparks of candles can be heard flickering inside as the men stood up to witness the fabled princess of the most mythical islands of the one true God, creator of the world.

    "You''ll be surprised, my lord." whispered a handsome middle-aged man beside the Emperor. "You''ve never seen anything like this. What she would like to offer would make our empire richer than ever before."

    He has a clean-cut beard standing at his position in the round table with a wide smile of excitement. He usually sits at the eastern side with the Emperor but today they made precautions to sit at the northern part close to the wall that is behind them, directly in front of the door, gaining vantage point to everything and everyone. They have a secret back door at one of the wall''s panels behind them should anything awry happens, but the handsome middle-aged man is proudly confident that they would not require such provisions in meeting with an unknown foreign delegate. Someone, as loyal as he is, would not endorse someone to the Emperor if he''s not certain that that person would not pose any risk.

    The huge metal doors in front of them gradually opened as the princess walked slowly inside the chamber together with her two beautiful handmaids at her sides looking like floating angels with their white silk gowns. Tailing behind them is a tall muscular man dragging a metal chest on a trolley. This fear-provoking titan looks like a man who sprung out of a flawlessly made sculpture that it rendered some of the younger men in the table to gulp in anxiety thinking feverishly on how to defeat such a perfect human specimen if such a need arises.

    The radiant princess wears a red lengthy silk gown covering all her body that made her looked like a goddess. Light emanates from her forehead which seems to be originating from the three gemstones placed as if embedded on her skin. It is curious to note that there are obscure tattoo markings on her forehead around the embedded gems. She had a long brunette hair that stretches to her hips at the back and her heavenly face glows without compare.

    The men at the round table were stunned with awe as they gaze to Prodea''s magnificence. She walked straight behind the chair that awaits her which is directly in front from the Emperor''s spot and bowed gracefully. The muscular man pulled the chair away as she entered in her place in the round table, still standing, looking at all of those men mesmerized at the sight of her with their mouths still half-opened in anticipation. She nodded just slightly giving the cue for all of them to find their seats and then she started.

    "Blessed day to you all nobles before me, I am Prodea of the House of Limor, Grand Princess of Nagozul." Her soft but firm voice echoed in the room as the men slightly bowed their heads to recognize her presence. "I come before this council of your great and benevolent eastern empire of Leonus, and to you Emperor Balthazar Ferryl Lionmaster, to bear a treaty that would benefit your empire''s expanding culture and beauty. I am proposing to give you rights to have twenty chests of the Gems of Bathala that are found only in the Holy Lands."

    As she was exclaiming, the big muscular man mustered his strength and lifted the impossibly big and obviously heavy metal chest and put it on top of the table beside her. The thud vibrated a faint creak making the table three to five degrees askew sloping to their spot, giving the impression that it might have been weighing at least a thousand pounds, but the muscular guard looked as though he didn''t even break a sweat.

    The handmaids touched the side of the chest that has some weird markings with some form of magic. The nobles that are near to the chest stood up in fear as they saw small sparks of fire shoot out of their fingers and into the metal chest creating an encompassing light to envelop it as if being swallowed by a fizzing wisp. The men in the round table were puzzled and wary in their seats as the handmaids closed their eyes and muttered a weird language. The chest sprung open and the nobles stood up slowly almost synchronized being amazed at the five sparkling fist-sized gems properly organized inside. What''s curious is that they all glow brightly as if they have captured the tongues of candles inside of them. They saw Red Rubies, Green Emeralds, Blue Sapphires, Yellow Topazes and White Diamonds that radiates light upwards and all around as if magically bringing forth rainbows to spring out. Their eyes sparkled with joy and their emotions of fear immediately dissipated, replacing it with astonishment and excitement.

    "In exchange for this grand gesture we would like to have designs and knowledge in your metallurgical, mechanical and alchemical technologies¡­" As she enumerated her demands, the council who are in deep shock fell into a great gasp leading them to discuss the matter to one another in disagreement. "¡­Bear in mind," she added, "that these gems hold power within if used properly. It''s very rare and can only be found in the Holy Lands. This is your one and only opportunity to acquire them."

    The discussions among the said council grew louder and louder. "This is preposterous!" said an old fat noble banging the table with his hand. The muscular titan noticed this immediately and snapped his attention at the angered noble which led him to tone down his violent reaction to her statements. He cleared his throat as if smiling and then continued with an amicable pitch. "We can''t share our profound technologies to you, my lady. This is our only line of defense against those barbaric Gnarshu. And even if we can, we simply won''t!"

    "Yes¡­ correct my old friend Duke Gollwun. But with that, we can have new ways on developing our strong army and defenses," stated calmly by an old noble on the other side of the table. "With those gems, if given to our scholars, we can turn the tides of war and even save thousands of lives."

    "Yes, Yes! Old Duke Rumilo is right!" exclaimed hurriedly by the handsome middle-aged noble that sits beside the Emperor. "If we don''t take this now, she will take this offer to the Gnarshu and who knows what will¡­"

    "That''s enough Duke Tabarius!" the Emperor interrupted. "Grand Princess Prodea, we will convene on this matter for now. I know that your offer is extremely generous. No disrespect intended, but this sensitive matter cannot be decided hastily. Surely, the safety and wellbeing of our empire comes first and the whole council has gathered here to prioritize in discussing the said matter.

    "Why won''t you relax as our guests here for the time being? I''m sure you''re all weary from your travels. We have prepared the best chambers for you and your servants and I really do hope that it satisfies to your liking," he stood smiling and leveled his hand to point the direction to the door that the guards currently opened for them. "We promise that we will have the decision by tomorrow. For now, we have to discuss this matter thoroughly and with the utmost scrutiny."

    She looked at her handmaids and her bodyguard with a calm smile signaling them to prepare to move. "I must admit that this is a very hard decision for you and your people. Rest assured that even if you won''t accept our treaty, I would leave this chest for you as a sign of goodwill, good day gentlemen," she bowed to curtsy and then gracefully strode to the door and left together with her servants.

    The Palace guards escorted them into their chamber at the top of one of the towers in the west wing of the Palace.

    "Here you are your highness¡­" said the heavily armored Palace guard who''s been showing them the way, "If you need anything at all, your highness, just give us a holler." The other guards, who are carrying spears with a triangular flag on the end that carried their empire''s gryphon insignia, opened the large thick metal braced door. Then, they took a deep bow and stood away to the sides courteously giving way to the royal party.

    A large inviting gold-colored room awaited them. At the immediate vicinity you can see a fully furnished receiving area with elegant gold-plated metal braced table that is full of different kinds of fruits in all shapes and sizes that is indigenous to the area. Truly a first-class suite fit for royalty, but it didn''t impress them at all. Truly the rumors about the riches of the Holy Lands pale in comparison to their lands, the guards thought as they stepped back into the hall.

    Prodea''s bodyguard inspected a door inside the room that appears to be the bedroom. He gives a signal after a minute or two of examination and bowed to her insinuating that the area is secure. She entered the room together with her two handmaids.

    "Relay to your master that I am pleased with my accommodations," she said rather indifferent after looking around for a while inside and then, after all is well, she looked at her bodyguard automatically giving him instructions to close the door. The Palace guards that stood at the other side bowed again saying their goodbyes as the terrifying muscle of the royal party closed the doors to a shut.

    They settled into the receiving area as Prodea sat near the fireplace. She took a serious gaze at the window directly opposite of the door as if solving a great riddle. The sun is nearly setting then as skies of orange light engulfed the whole room.

    "uhm¡­ your highness Prodea?" a handmaiden interrupted, quietly moving closer to her spot, anxious as if someone might hear. "Might I impose a question?"

    Prodea sighed as if irritated but nodded to entertain.

    "I do not wish to insult," the handmaiden continued, "but we''re technologically superior to them. Their primitive privies are an example of that. All of the things here are unsanitary and¡­"

    "You bore me," stopped Prodea, "get to your point."

    "What I meant was¡­ do you think this will work? It''s ridiculous for them not to accept. I mean we went away there without an answer on their part? Do you think your plan failed?"

    "Fool!" she shouted as she snapped out of her concentration. "Do not question my intellect Daomagar! If you were not my sister-in-law, I would''ve smitten you to ashes already!" she then stood up and walked near the window. "OF COURSE, IT WORKED! Just wait ''till tomorrow. Those greedy pigs already signed the treaty when we first walked in that room. Understand this Zeba, my plan is already in motion." she then smiled and continued on to solve a mystery beyond the majestic amber-dipped skies of dusk.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    At the throne room, after minutes of disagreement at each other''s opinion the discussion continued.

    "This is impossible!" exclaimed the noble in the table. "Your Highness, although these gems are marvelous and magical, containing it and knowing its uses would take us years to accomplish and another decade to perfect it. What if it is a plot served to us by the Gnarshu?"

    "Your highness I assure you, I personally know her. She really came from the Holy Lands," Duke Tabarius rebutted. "Do you all know, by any chance, the myth of Agua Vida and the River of Life?"

    "The fountain which you can make a single wish for?" asked Duke Rumilo.

    "No, he''s talking about the river underneath that seeds life to our lands," replied the Emperor. "I''ve heard of this story when I was a child. It''s what old people tell their children."

    "A story to tell children so that they will appreciate the food in the table," added a young noble, snickering in jest.

    "So, Duke Tabarius, do you now twiddle in children''s fantasy?" shouted the ever-angry Duke Gollwun. "Is the war getting'' on your head now?" he mocked.

    "Shush Gollwun let him state his point," the Emperor ordered looking at the handsome Tabarius with enthusiasm.

    Duke Tabarius controlled his frustration to some of the Duke in the table who''s grinning and continued to state his point. "Legend has it that the people guarding the Fountain have magical prowess enabling them to cripple any man who dared to enter their lands. They have been granted the power also to speak in different tongues in order for them to ward-off any people who have any desire to defile the said lands that has been created by God himself on this very earth. Those lands, islands of three, are where the Grand Princess is from, the very well-hidden islands of God where the well to the river of life can be found."

    "So, what are you suggesting young Duke?" uttered Duke Rumilo with questioning eyes. "Surely she spoke in our language. That doesn''t mean she can speak many tongues, even my slaves in the far south can learn our language properly in a year or so. As for the account for that trick earlier, I can clearly say it''s witchcraft!"

    They all murmured and nodded their heads in agreement which frustrated Duke Tabarius even further.

    "If it''s not witchcraft, then its alchemy," expressed by a young duke across the table. "They must''ve known how to create a complicated trick I''ll tell you that!"

    "No, no, no!" Duke Tabarius contested still trying to convince the council. "You still don''t understand what I''m saying." He paused for a moment and spotted a slave beside Duke Rumilo and then he continued. "You have your slave with you, yes?" looking directly at the slave behind Rumilo holding a platter of his favorite grapefruits.

    "Yes? And so?"

    "Does she speak our language?"

    "No! I bring slaves to this room who doesn''t speak our language to protect the secrecy of our meeting. Are you accusing me of something?!" he shouted and then an awkward feeling rose in the room. "Is this how you prove a point? By attacking my integrity? My honor?"

    "No, please¡­ NO! I''m just pointing that fact out. Command her to tell what Princess Prodea told us."

    The council fell silent and knew immediately what he wants to point out.

    "No! I mean, I can''t," Duke Rumilo said hesitantly. "I don''t speak her language. I just point my finger and she follows me like a dog that she is, but I can let the guards fetch my servant outside because he can," He waved his hands and the guard stationed at the door went outside.

    A few minutes later the servant came in. Duke Rumilo briefed the servant and ordered him to ask the slave on what she understood. The assistant interviewed her for a few minutes as the council all concentrated on what they were discussing. Finally, after much scratching of the head by the aide who appears to be bewildered by the information, he muttered doubtfully to the council.

    "She said¡­ there was a Princess named Prodea¡­ Who is a Grand princess of Nagoluz?"

    "Nagozul" Corrected the slave.

    "oh¡­ Nagozul and a Magistrate of the Holy Lands. She said that she was offering a certain amount of that chest that contains some¡­ Gems of Bathala?" he said hesitantly to his Lord hoping not to get punished by the weird information he was stating. After looking around the council who are staring at him with awe and enthusiasm, he continued thinking he''s doing the right thing and is at the right track. "She said that in return for the grand gesture she wants knowledge in your technology in mechanical¡­ metallurgical and alchemical sciences."

    There is much silence in the room after the assistant finished his last few words. The bewildering idea of Duke Tabarius gave fright and surprise for a few minutes until someone broke the ice.

    "Oh, my Lord! How could she have known our discussion! A spy! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" shouted a noble on the other side of the table.

    "Settle down young man," laughed the Emperor. "Calm down, you''re being hysterical."

    The Emperor waved his hands to dismiss Golluwun''s assistant together with the slave who are more than happy to leave fearing for their lives. A moment of silence ensued after the both bewildered servant and the slave girl shut the door to a thud. He waited for about a minute just to be sure, being paranoid and excited at the same time, before continuing on with their last agenda for the day.

    "Assuming it is true, is there a rational explanation as to how?" a rational noble man queried breaking the silence that muted them.

    "It is magic I assure you!" answered Duke Rumilo. "No man can talk to both people in different languages at the same time while uttering different words. You can see her mouth move right?"

    "Yes yes. I fancied her perfectly arched lips, so I was looking at her mouth the whole time," said a young noble occupying the farthest chair opposite of the Emperor, closest to where Prodea started her speech.

    "If this is true, then¡­ then all¡­ no." The Emperor paused for a moment in contemplation until he finalized. "No, we will first investigate the matter. Duke Gollwun, prepare all technological finds we can spare and ready it for next week."

    "But your highness¡­" he whispered in dispute, shocked at his request being the Head Science Master of Leonus.

    "Are you defying your Emperor?" he said with glaring eyes.

    "Uh¡­ No, your greatness. I-I will ready it right away."

    "Be sure to prepare only the ones that we are using now. Save developing technologies in the archive and don''t let her know a thing. Satisfy her ''till she gives in," he smiled deviously and all of the council members who are in awe directed all their attention to him. "I have a plan¡­ and we might just get more than we bargained for."

 2 the FOUR PRINCES

    "A very long time ago, there was an immortal being that''s so powerful he created the stars. He flew through the dark sky creating the lights as he passed by.

    "When he grew tired of his wanderlust, he created ten lands from a big bright star and dipped his feet to test them. He then chose the third land from the star to rest upon. It is neither hot nor cold, he said. The temperature is just right for him to collect his thoughts and rest. He called this Earth and the star the Sun. He called the other nine lands with different names and written it down on Earth. He smiled with amusement and said to himself that it was good.

    "After a few days walking on this vast earth he noticed that he got thirsty. He is not accustomed to walking for he had floated his whole time. He noticed water coming out of his skin so water he should create to replenish. He collected sweat in his body and gently poured it unto the dry earth. Through his amazement, he saw transformations that occurred gradually into the great lands. He was amazed on what happened and he called the resulting immense waters sea and the vast seas oceans. He also noticed water forming inside dry land that came from the sky. He called the still waters lakes and the flowing waters rivers. He also called the blue ceiling of the earth skies and the forming water above clouds. He was contented and he said to himself that it was good.

    "The vast emptiness saddened him exploring this great earth. After much contemplation, he decided that he can''t leave the earth as it is. He created a tunnel of mazes beneath the earth, beneath the rivers, beneath the lakes, beneath the seas, beneath the oceans. He then created a well straight above the river beneath which directly feeds to it. He poured his blood in this well. ''It is painful!'' he said, but lo and behold, things began to sprout through the seas and into the land. Miniscule creatures too small to see but can still be seen, nonetheless. He called the river beneath the earth the ''river of life'' and the well that connects it the ''fountain of life'', for life the well brought to the earth therefore life should be the name it should aptly be called. He took a step back to bask in his wondrous creation and he said to himself that it was good.

    "Days passed by as he wandered still and through his amazement of these tiny creatures, he noticed they were growing, and growing, and growing till it reached the other lands, and the other, and the other. Some sprouted on mountains, other sprouted under seas. He called the small things that sprouted plants and the big one''s trees. In his excitement, he wished to bring life once more; life that moves swiftly and life that grows quickly. He returned to the fountain of life and cut his hair. He tossed it unto it and wandered about to see and marvel to what was created. He went near the sea and with his amazement he saw creatures that move about freely. He looked and with joy, he saw great and small beasts that stroll about and tiny beings that slither and scurry. He called the sea creatures, Swimmers and Dragons; the animals, Beasts; and the tiny organisms, the Spawners. He was filled with delight to see his creations and he loved it so much that he stayed on earth for a long time.

    "In his stay he made much deliberation and decided to move about the stars once again to step back and witness the growth of the world he has created unhindered by his presence but without him the earth would fall into shambles. He quickly decided that he should create beings like him, not physically, but in the image and likeness of his spirit. He returned to the fountain and concocted a being best suited for the job. He cut a part of his leg, his eye, his tongue, his arm and his heart unto the fountain. ''The person lucky to be born in this earth must have a foot to roam its vast lands, an eye to appreciate its beauty, a tongue to talk about its grandeur, an arm to defend it from destruction and a heart to love it as I love it.'' He said this while dropping each one piece into the pool of life.

    "Immediately, beings formed in front of him that sprouted miraculously from the earth. He then instantly gave them a part of his soul. ''In this way,'' he said, ''you will be with me and I will be with you. Now you are complete as you are now me as I you. We are now bound. You are in my image therefore you are my sons. In your soul lies power for you to think, decide and protect the wonders that I have created. It is mine and being my children, it is yours too.''

    "The beings who now can talk, and think, and move thanked their father. They called him Bathala, and Bathala called them Men and their equal counterparts Women, collectively they were called Mortals. Every morning and every night the Men and Women bowed and prayed for thanks to the great and powerful father they call Bathala. Bathala, seeing all of this was pleased and he said to them that it was good.

    "Mortal years passed by quickly than Bathala anticipated for the concept of time are different between them. Bathala who roamed the earth for its wonders noticed that the mortals prayed and thanked him less and less as time grows. He then noticed that the men treated their women and their brothers poorly. He reprimanded them but nothing happened. Even harsh punishment does not get to them. The world ultimately turns for the worse and he was saddened by these events.

    "Bathala, who went near his favorite lands to retire one day, found out and saw that the men have the tendency to aggressively claim their lands as their own. The Mortals decided to group up, subdividing all of their lands to protect. Some men tried to expand their grounds in the expense of Plants, Trees, Beasts, Spawners, Swimmers, Dragons and even their own brother Mortals. Some came to the brink of extinction. The dark desire of Mortals to lust for more, to crave for everything in sight, endangered his perfect creation of life. He anticipated that there would come a time that the world will collapse into nothingness leaving them all to perish.

    "Being the creator, the father of all things living, he didn''t want that to happen. He wanted to create a new world, a world where all Mortals will feel content, will have everlasting satisfaction and will not want and will not need any longer: A world of equality and peace and immortality that only the spirit of the right and just can enter. It is a land without evil where the good Mortals on earth can be rewarded to enter and the wicked ones are banished to remain on earth to be transported to another place upon death. He called the land for the pure Paraiso, Paradiso or Paradise in shorter tongues, and the land for the wicked Impierno, Inferno, or Hell in shorter tongues.

    "He said he will return one day to collect all the living with him but the problem with the Mortals will still persist in his absence. Without Bathala they will be wrecking the world long before he returns and there''s no way to save his creation. He thought it will be meaningless if he leaves. So he got to thinking, and thinking, until he found out that the only thing that will enable the Mortals to reduce all life into the dark abyss of nothingness is if they knew about the well that he created, the well in which connects the river of life below, the Fountain of Life. He firmly believes that its secrecy should be protected at all cost in order to avoid its corruption that will lead to the extinction of all life as it is.

    "So, he gathered all those who are to him pure and just, that protected the weak and the oppressed, and found three tribes with their leaders: Nagozul the Kindhearted of the West, Yagisiv Haya the Wise of the East, and Daomagar the Righteous of the Deserts. The three are chosen to protect the sanctity of the Holy Lands and protect it from corruption of the Humans until he returns to gather them all to ''Paraiso''. He also appointed special abilities to aid them in their plight against anyone who might have the idea of destroying the ''fountain of life''. Nagozul the Kindhearted was given to command the elements in order to understand nature; Yagisiv Haya the Wise was imparted the power of insight to have understanding and preservation of life; and Daomagar the Righteous was given the privilege to commune with nature to help the other two in the protection of not only his most protected earth but its very existence itself.

    "The three gathered all of their most loyal and humble people and lived on to the Holy Lands working together to achieve one common goal. Nagozul occupied the north island, Daomagar occupied the south, and Yagisiv Haya occupied the island between them.

    "Yagisiv Haya who was the wisest of the three was ordered to keep the fountain of life safe and hidden. She, and only she, has the power to locate and open the fountain of life in which Bathala kept veiled. She obeyed his orders with all of her mind and with all of her spirit. Bathala who was pleased felt contented and so he set off to build a new world for all Mortals to dwell together forever¡­"

    "Wow!" cried a young man wearing a fighter''s uniform. "I can never get tired of hearing that story over and over Master Narra¡­" He was kneeling on the ground cradling his half-eaten lunchbox.

    His old wrinkly master is sitting in front of him on top of a big rock on the ground. They were camping on a small hill at high noon at the Nilad Plains, a renowned area in the island of Nagozul where people go to for weapons training. The skies were vast blue, and no clouds were visible. The heat was not that hot for the cold misty wind blows from the south.

    "It is a legend that was written by the three great leaders of the Holy Land themselves. A story that''s really worth remembering and sharing about, but Karus, I only told you the story to pass time. Your lunch break is almost over so you need to hurry up eating or else you''ll be suffering stomach aches later on."

    "Yesh¡­ Karush¡­" mocked another young man sitting behind Karus. "If you don''t finish that up ¡ª and get shome imagineery pain again, you''ll not be excushed!" He''s wearing a green hunter''s gear under a big furry muffler.

    "Hey, don''t talk to me like that Yosh! I''m your older brother so you ought to give some respect!"

    "Yeah alright¡­ KUYA-Karus¡­" he replied as if teasing his brother. He''s been having this habit of forgetting to call him Kuya, a prefix needed when talking to an older brother. He says he forgets but that''s usually a lie, sometimes he does this to get on his nerves.

    "Hey, don''t fight you two. Just finish your lunch," entered Kayzar sitting next to Karus wearing loose long-sleeves shirt under a vest. "¡­Sheesh, can''t you get over it Yosh! You lost the wager and you have to accept that. And he''s right, pay some respect and don''t lose those magic words or else¡ª"

    "Or else, what? Blow me away to Daomagar?"

    Kayzar gave him a stern look and an emerald that is embedded in his forehead began to light a neon green glow.

    "All right all right! Yeesh¡­ can''t take a joke, now can you?"

    "Good."

    "You two are so brave because I can''t access my elemental skills yet¡­" he mumbled grumbling.

    "What did you say?"

    "Oh nothing¡­" he quickly replied with a big grin.

    "I thought so too."

    The three brothers that sat there have crystal like gems that are embedded in their forehead accompanied by a complicated tattoo around it. Karus have a gem similar to Kayzar that is hexagon shaped while Yosh has a shiny yellow topaz, pentagon in shape with the point upwards. The tattoo on Karus and Kayzar looks like two dancing snakes touching the gem''s both sides while Yosh''s looks like a mountain surrounding the gem.

    The three of them have the same short-trimmed shiny black hair but they differ in their hairdo. Karus and Kayzar, who are twins, have their hairstyle brushed back, although one of Karus'' small groups of hair in front dangles in his forehead almost touching his right eye. Yosh, on the other hand, has a short spiky hair.

    The three princes have handsome faces. Kayzar has a manly look with his prominent jawbones while Karus has his face looking young and round. Karus is sometimes teased by his brothers for being too handsome he can pass up to be a girl but no one dared to do that ever again, not after the time he went on a rampage almost ending to a fatal encounter ¨C being too hot headed. Yosh on the other hand has his face looking as if he was the same age as Karus. This makes Yosh very popular not only to little girls but also to the teenagers that''s in Karus''s age.

    Kayzar smiled after straining his eyes to prove his point which then made Yosh gulp in fear."¡ªthere''s no imaginary pain," Kayzar continued. "He really feels it. That''s what happens if you fuse the wrong Amplifyer in your body¡­ I know you''ve been taking that subject in your classes. You should know that, Yosh."

    "It''s not fair! They wrongfully assigned the gem to fuse with me when I was born. They put an emerald instead of a ruby! An EMERALD! Clearly, I AM A FIRE ELEMENTAL!!! A FIRE STARTER!!! Now, it''s taking its toll on my training. Stupid seers."

    "Silence young prince!" Narra snapped "Mind your words. You shall not have any mockery against the seers, understood! ¡ªand obviously that is not the way a noble speaks his mind."

    "But it''s true, Master! Sure, I have a little innate element of wind but that doesn''t mean that I am a Wind Blower! We only found out last year that I was brought by the will of Fire. Clearly a ruby should be put here instead of this junk. It''s their fault. How can they miss that?" he lectured with frustration while pointing at his forehead only this time maintaining a calm voice.

    "Hah! You''re lucky you got two elemental innates ''cause I only have one. I don''t know why you''re making such a fuss about it. You should be praying to Bathala, giving him thanks rather than gloom about it," sneered Yosh as he cleans the mess he usually makes during lunch. "Well, you can''t remove it, now, can''t you? If you pull that out, you can end up losing your command on your two ''RARE'' elemental innates or much worse¡­. Losing your way to the ladies!" Yosh laughed maniacally putting the two in a gloomy state.

    "Yeah he''s right. With that Amplifyer you can''t manipulate fire easily," Kayzar finally spoke ignoring Yosh teases. "Emeralds amplify mind concentration not immediate incineration. That''s why you''ve been having those painful headaches when you try to create fire. I think your Fire Innate overpowers your Wind Innate and it doesn''t know where to release its energy so it''s messing up your body ¨C but that''s just theoretical."

    "The headaches are too much painful nowadays, you know that Kayzar. You''ve seen me bleed in my eyes, right? In those times, I wished that I wasn''t a noble. Only nobles get to fuse with their Amplifyers in their forehead. If I''m a commoner, one trip to old man Juni and all of this will be over."

    After saying this, Karus'' face immediately appeared with great sadness. Seeing this, Kayzar shook his right shoulder.

    "¡­Hey, don''t say that¡ª Wait a minute! I think father can help you to remove that¡­"

    "Can he really do that? I mean you know how our father''s powers work¡­"

    "¡­Yes, he can. If no one can, he can!" assured Kayzar though doubt was in his deep thoughts. "He''s the greatest of all Nagozulians and best of all he''s a Life elemental, one-of-a-kind!"

    "What about Kuya-Reus, he''s a Life elemental too right?" Yosh inserted.

    "Well yeah¡­ but they''re two of a kind¡­" explained Kayzar.

    "What about the late king?" said Yosh in a teasing tone.

    "What? Well¡­ that''s not the point!" defended Kayzar in a frustrated pitch. "The point is it''s so very rare that only people who are born in Royalty can achieve that element. Besides, we haven''t seen him for two years now. Maybe he developed some new tricks that can help you."

    Suddenly a little hope sparkled in Karus'' eyes and he smiled.

    "You''re right, maybe there''s still hope after all¡­"

    "Speaking of which, look¡­It''s Kuya-Reus!" shouted Yosh with a big grin on his face.

    "Do you see him carrying his assignment?" added Kayzar smiling as he moved a little closer to the edge to spot his walking brother.

    "Nah, I think not. I can tell by the looks of it¡­"

    They saw Reus walking just below them looking as if he''s dragging his body on the meadow feeling irritated. He then later climbed up the hill to meet up with them.

    "So, Reus? Found your lunch yet?" Narra whispered to him smiling.

    Reus shouted in what seems to be a complaining tone. He is wearing a pair of spectacles that are fixed unevenly in his face ¨C as always. His short-trimmed hair is all messed up and his robe is quite dirty filled with lots of holes and cuts. He has the same forehead-embedded gem where a diamond shaped like a four-sided star lies in the middle with some tattoo looking like an arrowhead on both sides of his forehead. He had a brown sling bag made of leather hanging. Inspecting closely, you can see bruises in his knees and elbows.

    "I can''t do this Master! I am a scholar, a thinker! Not a warrior! Please let me pass this training, I''ve been doing this for as young as they are!" He points to Karus and Kayzar who appears to be smiling at him. "Just let me pass so that I can join Mother and Father at the Northern Encampment. Look¡­" he grabbed something in his sling bag to what seems to be a lunch pack that is seriously defiled and full of dirt. He then showed it to Narra with both hands. "¡­I finally found one. So, I think this can account for something¡­ right? Please Master¡­ I beg of you!"

    "Hahahaha! Reus, Reus, Reus! You know you remind me of your father. He''s a scholar too, except that he aced my training and finished it for only a year," He smiled and tried to uplift his spirit. "I know you''re the smartest person around but your lack of confidence in your self is holding you back. What if you were trapped in a jungle, or a desert? How can you survive your Quest for Wisdom if you can''t even finish your basic survival training let alone find a clean and decent meal? This is what we''ve been doing for a long time¡ª"

    His old wrinkled smiling eyes gave Reus some comfort as he nodded in agreement but Narra knows it''s just for show.

    Reus hunched in gloominess as he went near to sit with his brothers. Karus who ate only half of his hard-find survival lunch, gave his food to his brother Reus. Reus, who smiled upon accepting it, ate it slowly without enthusiasm and with a sad look on his face. Yosh also gave three lunch packs that he seems to call the ''Three-pack Combo''.

    "Here you go! Picked this up when hunting and thought you might like it. It''s a combo of veggies, meat and fish," said Yosh surprisingly without smiling or any hint of sarcasm.

    The three brothers felt grief for their brother who should''ve been completing his Quest for Wisdom: the final rites to becoming a full-fledged Nagozulian Prince and a general or a seer in its domain.

    They felt ashamed for smiling at their brother''s clumsiness earlier not to have found his lunch hidden in the Nilad Plains. But, they thought, who can blame them? Their Master Narra placed a hundred, if not even more, hidden in the whole plains just to let Reus pass the test this month and he already kept on doing this for two months now. That''s why Yosh is now apparently satisfied for the very first time in their two years of training.

    "Okay settle down now. I have some important news to tell you all," Narra clapped his hand to ready. He stood up and announced. "Today I''ll let all of you pass the survival training! I''m finally assigning you all to your assigned mastery."

    With this their faces lighted up with much anticipation.

    "Really Master!?" cried Karus who is excited to know the result of his yesterday''s weapons examination and demonstration.

    "Now now," raising his palms in front of him trying to calm the excited princes who are now standing up and leaning closer to him, except Reus who just sat there still taking his time on chewing his lunch. "You will all get to try your real weapon assignments today and you will be fighting my skilled and loyal apprentices of the past."

    After uttering these last words Narra saw Reus with a glint of fear in his eyes now standing slowly as if knowing what he''s saying. The others caught their master''s look and directed themselves to Reus.

    "Don''t worry Kuya! You''ll be safe with us," said Kayzar.

    "We are one heck of an assault team ourselves!" exclaimed Karus with excitement, "With me in the front, and Kayzar backing me behind with full attack support from the deadly Yosh," pointing to Yosh holding his bow that seems to be very confident, "we are an unstoppable force!"

    "Yeah! And you can get to move around with your throwing weapons in the middle behind Kayzar who specializes in traps and poison," said Yosh with gleam.

    "Don''t worry my men will be wearing only wooden weapons. They are one of the very best in the Daomagarians I believe."

    Upon saying this, three men all covered in black cloth and armor appeared out of nowhere beside their master and this frightened them. They all have the same cold eyes and their movements are gentle but swift. Three years of training showed them how to assess the enemy in combat in just mere seconds and by looking deep into the eyes of their foes, they immediately found the huge gap of battle experience between them.

    Narra then continued. "Your primary objective is as same as always, to grab the red flag that they are protecting in the middle of our training field. You can get to attack and position yourselves to your will. They will not retaliate. Their main objective is to defend. You will work as a unit and be victorious as a unit so no one should be captured nor be rendered unconscious in the event."

    The four slowly moved backwards after seeing through the guards whose face were covered by a very suffocating long dark fabric only revealing their deadly piercing eyes.

    "Hahahaha. You don''t have to be frightened my dear princes. They have been guarding you all since day one. They won''t harm a single hair on your body I promise."

    The others tried very hard to compose themselves smiling as if fear hasn''t captured their bodies apart from Reus who have his serious eyes fixated on the one in the middle as if he knows the warrior behind the mask.

    "Karus!" Narra shouted jolting the three younger princes.

    "Yes, Master?"

    "¡­you are to wield one-hand bladed weapons..."

    Karus forgot the intimidation he''s been feeling and felt a rush in his body as he grabbed the gold sheathed short sword on the ground and braced it onto his body. He wished that he wouldn''t train with pole arm, long swords or barrage swords ever again, which he despises so much, and his wish was granted.

    "¡­Kayzar, you are to wield your personalized poisoned blades and projectiles¡­"

    Kayzar grabbed his ''fun kit'' that no one really dares to open. It is a bag made of leather with multiple pockets. He opened it to reveal ten daggers, five knives, five bottles of dark purplish liquid ¨C of what seems to be a poison bottle that he''s been bragging to paralyze even the biggest of the tigers ¨C and a can with hundreds of pins inside. He then closed it looking satisfied and strapped his bag into his shoulder.

    "¡­Yosh, you are to wield your bow¡­"

    "What about my friends?" Yosh asked hastily.

    "¡­oh, uhmn¡­ you can bring your best friends along too¡­"

    With this, Yosh smiled and created a loud complicated series of whistle. Seconds later, a dark brown owl floated into the sky and descended landing to his left shoulder directly below the hidden pauldron that is underneath his muffler. She has a modified sharp silver metal claw fixed into her talons and a light armor on her chest with the Royal Insignia of the Nagozulian Kingdom. Her curious rare gold brow makes her unique among her species ¨C which is why Yosh has taken a keen interest in keeping her.

    A few seconds after that, a black cat can be seen running and jumping very swiftly only to come to the side of Yosh. The cat has big round yellow eyes which sparkle as the light touches it. She has a thin coat of pelt which is shiny and smooth. She has a red silk collar around her neck with a dangling pendant with the emblem of the Nagozulian Kingdom.

    After petting them, he grabbed his bows, inspected his arrows and smirked.

    "Meet Stella and Luna¡­" he said directly to the heavily covered men before him. "Stella and Luna, meet the assault team that we will be beating later on¡­"

    "¡­and Reus," Narra finalizes smiling, "Let''s see the result of your secret training. Bring your metal projectiles and be ready." He stopped for a moment to look at them all and then continued. "Be reminded that this test will determine your skill training for two years. You will try for only a day. If by tomorrow at sunrise you haven''t succeeded yet, I''ll leave you all here to train more with my assault team while I return for the northern encampment for my monthly report to your father¡ª but if you miraculously succeed, I will escort you all to the northern encampment myself¡ª and you will be staying there for the summer¡­"

    They all were stunned to the information that they''ve heard. A big smile began to sprout on each one of them looking like a group of kids given a new toy gift ¨C except Reus. The thought of passing should at least give him a smile since it has been what he wanted for years but deep inside he knows it''s a trap, a trap made by their Master every year, his usual trap that they might not luckily escape this year.

    Narra smiled seeing them so excited. He then turned and walked away giving his final words. "That is a big ''IF''¡­ I''ll give you your time to prepare and coordinate. After then, come together and meet them at the training field¡­"

    "YES MASTER!" they cried in chorus and excitement then bowed. After which they ran away to prepare.

    The mysterious apprentices took their time removing their suffocating head guards that they put on as disguises as they exit making sure first that they were completely alone with their master.

    "General¡ª" said a deep voice of a muscular man that seems to be the tallest person in the assault team."¡ªI don''t want to speak out of terms, but do you think it is wise for them to confront us now? They won''t stand a chance, let alone to reach at least twenty feet from the desired target."

    "Hahaha! First of all, my dear friend Captain Gab, I''m not a general anymore. I retired five years ago. I told you many times before to call me by my name. Secondly, you underestimate them too much. In the two years that I''ve been teaching them, I''ve noticed that they have so much potential in fighting as a unit. If they fight alone to you one on one then I might agree with you but TOGETHER they fight like the First Grade Royal Prime Perfectus Guards, the finest warrior guards I''ve ever seen in my lifetime. That''s why I invited you all here. As my apprentices from the past, I wished that you witness this and test them for yourselves. You''ve seen them all in action Lieutenant Tarni I assume? Surely you can attest to this¡­"

    "Yes, General¡ª" said a small voice of a woman who is the shortest of the team.

    "There it goes again¡ª" retorted Narra.

    "I''m sorry¡­ Master Narra¡­" smiled the young Lieutenant Tarni apologetic. "I''m still young, the youngest Master Sibara in my generation, but I can definitely assure that they will be formidable, if not dangerous. I''ve seen them simulate in last month''s rescue operation. Their skill, speed, and coordination exceed any other assault team I''ve ever seen before. It''s like they can talk with their minds ¨C and the best part of this is that they''re just children given sticks and stones! I really can''t believe it that night. It''s just superb. Their only downfall is that they tend to improvise a lot. It increases their risk but most of the time it yields positive results. I really can''t wait to personally test them today."

    "Hold the praises, Lieutenant. Are you sure you are not exaggerating your observation?" responded a feminine voice that is walking behind them. "No one in my unit, not even in my battalion, can withstand my sword barrage and if I do to them what I''ve been doing to soldiers in training, they wouldn''t stand even for ten seconds. That may also include broken bones and legs, a serious injury I will try not to inflict to their scrawny little bodies. That''s why no one wants to spar with me, and it is bewildering to understand why I am included in this little test of yours, Master Narra."

    "You have to believe it Major Camyl, Ma''am!" tried Lieutenant Tarni. "It''s like they''ve been possessed by the Karshivyk. No sense explaining them to you now Ma''am, you''ll see their skills later today," she smiled and walked on ahead.

    "¡­Heh¡ª" smirked Major Camyl. "Looks, like Lieutenant Tarni found another enemy worthy of her skills."

    "Yes, yes. Oh, be sure you contain her Major. I don''t want the princes to end up losing their hands or feet for that matter. That girl can use dried up branches and turn it to a deadly weapon after all," said Narra with a concerned tone.

    "Understood sir," she bowed her head snappy. "I will try my best to control her excitement the same way I control my strength. She''s a skilled warrior but sometimes she forgets the difference between training and real life-and-death situations, a skill only Sword Masters like us can truly differentiate ¨C especially with her kind of¡­ radical¡­ training."

    "Yes, a childish master of dismembering¡­" added Captain Gab with a gloomy tone. "Another proud graduate of the Sibara."

    "Be sure to remind her that she will be testing royal princes. I don''t encourage you all to make this easy for them, if possible, give them the hardest time of their life. Just remember NOT to fatally injure them at all cost, you might be fighting with the future king and it would be really problematic if I am to explain any accidents to their father, and especially to their mother Anagea."

    The two nodded in agreement, silent and smiling. Their mother is one of the most powerful Daomagar ranked number Four on the Great Twelve and no one wants to get on her bad side.

    "Oh¡­ by the way major," Narra added after a few seconds. "you can use your real weapons in this training, that''s why I added that one bit of precaution."

    "But sir, I remember you said¡­"

    "I know what I said Major," Narra interrupted. "Create a plot, entice them and give them the chance to open up their inner warriors. Their father, the Grand Prince Artemus, really needs to know their progress. A storm is brewing my friends. If the King''s prophecy is right, they might be the ones who can save us. They must be ready now. Not later. They must pass today but I must know for certain that they are truly ready."

    "I hope you''re right Master and I hope that this prophecy you talk about is true."

    "I hope so too, my friend. I hope so too."

 3 A DEADLY EXERCISE

    "Wow!" yelled Yosh in total excitement while they were running for their supply run in preparation for their upcoming final examination. "We''re going to see Daddy! We''re going to see Mama! We''re going to the Northern Encampment!"

    The tall grasses waved about in the meadows as if saying its goodbyes while they exit away entering a small forest that leads to a nearby river to the east. It is full of rocks and other tall grasses and wild shrubs that the small herd of deer forages upon. They were running so fast that any animal in their path ran about thinking danger was up ahead.

    "Hahaha! That''s right Yosh but that is ''AFTER'' we finish this task¡­ and that''s still an ''IF''," replied Karus who is bearing excitement in his face.

    "What do you mean ''IF''? ''IFs'' are not in the vocabulary of the Great Limor House right Reus?" added Kayzar.

    Reus whose face is blank, didn''t reply. He nodded in agreement, but they can sense a strong presence of disbelief in his eyes.

    "What''s wrong Kuya-Reus? Why''re you so serious, WE''RE GOING HOME! You should be happy. You''ve been bugging us all week on how much you long to go to the North."

    "That''s not it."

    "Then what is it?"

    "I think were not capable enough to complete this mission."

    "Hah! You dare question the skills of the mighty Yosh!" cried Yosh in utter confidence.

    "No, I think we''re going to fight against powerful military rank officers."

    "What powerful officers?" sneered Karus with a smile. "I think you''re being too paranoid again. Master Narra said that they are the ones who were watching us the whole time since day one and guard missions are usually given to beginners. Surely, they will add a lieutenant but that''s the highest that they will provide. This area is not in the Danger Zone you know."

    "Do you noticed them following Master when we ran away?"

    "Yes, we saw them walk away together." Kayzar replied.

    He stopped running in all seriousness and pointed upwards to the trees. "Then who are they?"

    The guardians that are following them were shocked as Reus revealed their positions. They tried to hide back from them but it''s too late.

    "Whoa!" Yosh shouted. "Cool, they''re up the trees? And Stella didn''t know about it?" He looked at Stella as she landed on his left shoulder guard then bobbed his head. "Even Luna? Luna!" he cried with a reprimanding tone.

    "I think I saw a major and a captain class there," Reus said seriously continuing his point. "I recognize their eyes. They are always with Narra when he''s going out to the North to report to father."

    "If what you say is true then¡­ we won''t make it," Yosh replied bowing down in disappointment. "I knew something''s fishy. He won''t let us leave without giving an impossible task. I was really looking forward to meeting up with mom and dad."

    "No!" refused Kayzar. "That only means we should organize and think of the best plan to grab that flag."

    "Yes, Kayzar is right," Karus added quite alarmed. "If there is a time for us to prove ourselves, now is that time. We will not succumb, and we will not fail."

    "Spoken like a true warrior huh?" Reus snidely replied. "How old are you Karus? Kayzar?"

    "Where is this going Kuya-Reus? You know how old I am!" Karus said with a defensive tone. "I''m not going to answer you that."

    "Alright then. Fourteen! And how old are you Yosh!?"

    "Here we go again¡­"

    "Eleven?" said Yosh with a frightened tone.

    "Yes, eleven! What we will come up against are older than all of our age combined!" he waved his hand with a finger pointing at them. "The twenty years of our total gap is the gap in battle experience they have been acquiring while we''re still sucking our thumbs in Mama''s belly."

    "¡ªbut master said they''re not going to use any real weapon on us¡ª" Yosh nervously replied.

    "Do you know that they don''t really need to carry real weapons to hurt us?! A true Daomagarian picks any nearby object and use it efficiently and effectively as a weapon to his enemy with deadly precision. I know this for a fact and from experience from the north."

    "So, you''re ready to give up!?" Karus replied angrily. "So, you think that in your age of seventeen, you''ll be willing to just give up when the numbers are against you?" he grunted while walking away. "We can defeat them. Even with that kind of gap, we can. You just have to trust your brothers and especially yourself!"

    "Oh, stop it. You two look like fools fighting over nothing," barked Kayzar irritated. "We will do this Kuya-Reus whether you like it or not and the decision of us failing or loosing are not for us to decide but our fates. Let''s wrap this up and hurry to the river before we ran out of time."

    Kayzar walked out annoyed with Yosh following him at his tail surprisingly bothered. Nothing can crush Yosh''s unwavering spirit and yet he was overwhelmed with glum almost dragging his feet onwards.

    "This is going to be ugly. I know it! And my hunches never lie¡ª" Reus murmured.

    They''ve gone together to the river and filled their canteens. The three sat for a minute to rest while Reus picked some sharp rocks near the river. After a while, they began to convene in a circular position discussing their initial plan. They created a replica of the training ground in the middle of them. Yosh tried his best to concentrate on perfecting the map as he remembered it and it turned out great. It''s made with fist-big stones to depict the whole training ground. They selected hard-to-find shiny stones to represent themselves, some small dried branches for the enemy and the flag with a piece of a chipped wood. Then after some ruckus on who should be the shiniest pebble, Reus began deliberating the plan.

    "The training ground is a clearing inside a forest. The best part to place a flag is usually in the area where the ground is higher which is practically here in the middle where they can survey any would-be attacker and counterattack efficiently," he directed his finger at the middle almost touching the hill-like stone that Yosh made to represent the elevated middle. "Through here they can see us and anticipate our every effort. Yosh, in your point, where would they station themselves?"

    "uhmn¡­ let''s see¡­" he turned his back looking for something. He reached far back almost as if crawling, picked up a long dried stick and returned to the circle. "I think all things equal and them ¡ª being high ranking soldiers and all¡ª we can''t expect the old they''re-all-in-the-center routine... I mean they are strong so they will underestimate us ¡ª and uh¡­¡ª" he paused for a second almost hesitant.

    Yosh, who has been trained by Narra in the art of strategic positioning and anticipation of the enemy''s moves, stopped for a lot longer than usual and was, for the first time, anxious of his ideas. The three regarded him as a genius in tactics since he''s just a kid and he can develop countless unusual scenarios to cripple the enemy effectively with as little effort as possible but today he seems quite off. The stress and burden of being stuck there all summer flashed in his brain constantly nagging him, interrupting his thought processes.

    "The short one will guard it I assume," Karus murmured as if helping him in his analysis.

    "¡ªI mean obviously¡ª yes, the shortest will be the one here near the flag, one will be standing very near here - behind the flag to survey - and here down below the tallest to intercept us¡­" pointing carefully to his map with a stick that he had picked near the river. He nervously thought that one small analysis can literally block his chance in seeing his parents that he hasn''t seen for a very long time. This made his voice falter and his ideas less convincing. The other''s noticed but didn''t give a comment.

    "Hmmn¡­ that''s very logical, continue¡­" said Reus trying to encourage him seeing that he''s stressed trying to give his best. They encourage Yosh to explore his natural talent in tactical planning at a very young age, he is an Earth Molder after all ¨C Masters of keen understanding on logic and simulations.

    "¡ªuh¡­ also, upon observation, the tallest is a man and the other two are women. The man will be most challenging since he''ll be the one who''ll be at the point of interception, he''ll be dubbed as the First Guard. Considering there are no projectile users, it''s very easy to take out the first guard down below by using a diversion."

    "And how do we know they are not projectile users?" Kayzar asked as if giving him an exam.

    "Based on their movement and stance, they are all trained to use their upper body strength. That is unless they are feigning it which is pretty doubtful. I don''t think they will waste their time just to trick us. They are super serious by the looks of it."

    "And even if they aren''t, we can still take solace for the fact that almost ninety percent of Daomagarians assigned in Nagozul prefers close quarters melee weaponry," Karus reminded which Yosh noted.

    "Kuya-Karus can intercept him while Kuya-Kayzar follows behind," Yosh continued while moving his stick quickly indicating movements of his brothers. "This can give him an opening to prepare an attack using poisoned pins ¨C which he says he''s going to use today for the first time. While intercepting him Reus and I will bombard the Second Guard with a series of projectile weapons from the other side. The Third Guard, being the smallest will be at the flag. She would not dare move from her position. If our assumption about them is correct, the guardian of the flag will not try to help his comrades in the ensuing skirmish. It''ll be insulting for highly ranked military officers to aid one another defeating us mere children. That''ll be their downfall since they are going to be lax on security and will be underestimating our tricks. If both Kuya-Karus and Kuya-Kayzar succeed in poisoning and immobilizing the First Guard, they can come in near the Third Guard and distract her long enough for Stella to grab the target. After which we will all retreat covering Kuya-Karus and Kuya-Kayzar to safety¡­ that''s what I think¡­"

    "So, what''s the worst-case scenario?" asked Kayzar.

    "Well¡­" said Yosh thinking carefully with a sigh. "¡­You two not being victorious and taking a long time? That would lead to Reus being captured and the two of you being badly injured ¡ª considering Of course, that the guard is a military officer. There won''t be enough time to have an opportunity for Stella to react so I, being a projectile user, cannot mount a rescue therefore the match will be over¡­ unless you escape in time that is¡­"

    "So, we need to prepare for that¡ªhere," Kayzar gave Yosh a long knife. "Change of plans, we need to create a lightning attack like the Damsel-Kidnapped-by-the-Pusakal Challenge last month."

    "But Kayzar that''s too risky!" Karus added surprised on what he heard. "Attacking them head on will only play to their advantage."

    "No, silly¡ª" Kayzar grabbed a stick on the ground and started pointing on the rock diagram."¡ªYosh should stay close to Kuya-Reus while giving bombardments of attack. He will then support him using that knife if any of the guards move close to where they are. If they do, Kuya-Reus should pick up his pace and move into the flag area and distract the guard while you, Karus, move in and further divert the guard''s attention to the flag leaving me and Yosh fighting the other two. By then, I think Stella can have an opening to snatch the flag."

    "Well, that seems more of a suicide mission don''t you think?" Yosh criticized. "I mean, after Stella snatching the flag, what happens next? The guards would outmaneuver us, and we''ll all be taken as hostages leaving Stella to fly with the flag¡­"

    "Well, you''re right, you''re right," Kayzar said pondering and finding a thought for defending his point.

    "Arggh¡­" shouted Karus flustered. "There seems to be no opening for us without sacrificing a member or two. How can we get the flag without getting caught?"

    "Hey, I keep noticing that I''m always being caught in the plan?" Reus complained almost scratching his head.

    "Yes, Kuya-Reus," smiled Yosh. "I''m sorry but that''s what usually happens. Based on your physical¡­"

    "Don''t take this the wrong way," interrupted Karus almost laughing tapping Yosh, "Not that we think you''re not physically fit, no sir you''re fit as a bull. It''s just¡­ we just think you''re always carrying bad luck on your pocket. And that''s ok because you''re our equalizer. Yosh is carrying too much luck and too much luck is a bad thing."

    "Yeah," seconded Kayzar smiling wide to their clumsy brother giving him comfort.

    They are all in agreement that Reus is the ineptest Nagozulian in the battlefield, but they dare not say that idea to him. If they don''t give him a place in the skirmish, he''ll be in complete distress being left out and he''s getting depressed training for a long time with them as it is, so they are somewhat mandated to include him. That''s what good brothers do. They have included him indeed and in time impliedly became their commander, their team captain.

    He has shown great promise in handling situations and coming up with weird tactics which has greatly benefited them over the years, but they surely paid for it dearly in every exercise that they''ve been. He''s the one responsible for their immediate improvisations in the battlefield ¨C being too clumsy to manage himself in combat leading for the others to rescue him mid-event. While it is true that they''ve grown adept in operating in tense situation being able to get creative at every deadly circumstance because of him, it is still a risk that they want to manage especially in their upcoming final exercise. His hope is what motivates him giving him the will not to jeopardize their chance to escape to the north and they wouldn''t want to lose his hope now, now that their summer vacation is at stake.

    They all stop to think for a plan. The flowing water and the soft breeze that continued to move were the only sound one can hear in their spot for about a minute or two and then Reus shouted.

    "Hah!" he cried smiling. "We''re all discussing on how to attack their position when we should be discussing on how we can use our abilities to coincide with our strategy. We are Nagozulians after all!"

    "Yes!" Yosh shouted with cheerful tone but immediately returned to a confused state. "uhm¡­ I think you''re forgetting that we haven''t even finished our proper elemental training yet. I mean, I haven''t! I''m just at my rudimentary classes."

    "Yes, and don''t forget that I can''t command fire yet. If I do try it, I''ll end up with a great migraine again and you''ll be left with me squirming on the ground puking all over. I think that won''t help you at all¡­" Karus added trying to pass it as a joke. "I can command wind, but Master thinks I should limit my elemental summonings to minimum. I can''t risk having an attack here."

    "But Kayzar and I can. I''ve been dying to test my new skill that my friend taught me," Reus confidently stated.

    "What?! Who''s that friend of yours?" Yosh sneered. "I''ve never seen you train with someone. Let alone talk to other people."

    "What? I¡­ err¡­ never mind that! The point is I have a plan¡­" smiled Reus. "¡­a great plan even¡­ and that will lead us to victory."

    They all lightened up and leaned forward as Reus explained the details with great enthusiasm. After then, the three princes began to have their eyebrows fixed unevenly on their faces, confused on what he just said.

    "Uhmn¡­ I think I have a very bad feeling about this plan of yours¡­" Karus commented.

    "You think so? I think it might work considering that we''re out of options¡­" Yosh defended.

    "Yup, and if such problems arise in the midst of the clash, we''ll just do what we always do. Improvise in Action," said Kayzar with a very big smile on his face.

    "OK! WE''RE READY!" Reus stood up and lifted his sling bag that he filled with sharp stones.

    "BRING IT OOONNN!!!!" Yosh shouted on the top of his lungs.

    They inspected their belongings and stood up to ready themselves. They bowed to pray for guidance from Bathala and they ran away from the flowing river, passing the green meadows, deep in the forest to meet their fate.

    A speck of doubt lingered in their minds as they ran along the narrow path of the forest. A small voice, at the back of their heads, swaying them, that they need more time to prepare, more time to train, that they were not worthy enough to fight against strong warriors that are not within their level but that doubt was overwhelmed by their longing to see their parents again for the longest time. They thought on how their looks have changed, what they''re doing at that very instance, and on how their sister Rika have grown.

    Their sister Rika was just five when they left her, and their mother said that she will personally give her her training. Oh, how Yosh envied her and wished to take her place. To be with them day and night, to laugh with them while having a stroll on the mountains of the north, and for his parents to defend them, especially to their uncle, aunt, and grandmother the queen who appears to be bullying them all more and more in each passing day as if they''ve known about their impending vacation and are getting their fill before they left for good. They all snapped in their reminiscing only to find themselves nearing the training ground. They all stopped running and rested for a while under a big tree to finalize their discussion in the assault to grab the flag.

    "So, you know the plan, right?" Reus said. "We''ll go to the original plan made by Yosh and when I do my move that I''ve discussed to you earlier, you''ll do yours. We''ll call this plan A."

    "Yes, and we''ll call the plan by Kayzar ''Plan B''," said Karus "~which I doubt we''ll use~" he added.

    "So, are you all ready!" Reus said with a bracing tone.

    "Yup, we''re ready!" they said in unison.

    "Okay, stay close here Karus and Kayzar. We''ll go to the other side. On Yosh''s whistle you''ll move on and carry out your job. Understood?"

    "Yes, captain," The two replied.

    "Good," Reus picked something in his bag and gave it to Kayzar. "Here, it''s a spare whistle. If anything goes wrong on your part just whistle and we''ll retreat," Kayzar grabbed the silver whistle dangle and wore it in his neck. Whatever happens we''ll double back at this tree and regroup. Good luck on us all!" he smiled, and they pushed on to go around.

    The twin brothers ran near the outer rim of the circular clearing to get a view of the one''s guarding the flag. They hid through the big-leaved bushes and stayed there for cover which is very convenient because it''s very thick. To their surprise, they found the three guards standing on the same spot at the elevated area in the middle of the training ground encircling something big that one can intuitively guess nowhere near to a figure of a flag. The three officers there have real weapons, but they are sheathed. The First Guard is carrying a katana, the Third Guard, the smallest one, carries a giant halberd and the Second Guard, has a humongous broad sword that''s obviously very impossible to carry considering her slender figure but she waved feigning it like it''s practically light weight.

    "Hey Kayzar¡ª" Karus said trying to speak with as minimal voice as humanly possible."¡ªUh¡­ I''m not sure how to put this but is that a sack they''re protecting? I thought master said we''re going to grab a flag. It''s what we always do in our monthly training appraisal."

    "I-I don''t know. What IS that?" Kayzar looked with a squinted eye of inspection. "It looks like it''s some stuff¡­ that''s¡­ big?" he then shifted his concentration away from the target to observe the guards.

    "Yosh got something right though. They don''t look like they''re carrying anything that resembles a projectile weapon."

    "Yeah, good for him huh? His observation skills are something."

    "Okay, uh¡­ I think we can change our plan now, unless Stella can carry that big sack ¡ªwith whatever heavy thing that''s inside¡ª fast enough before the guards can do anything about it," he then gave a silent giggle and tapped Kayzar on the shoulders giving a sign to back away. "I think we should head back and regroup. Clearly this constitute as a ''something''s-not-right'' in Kuya-Reus''s vocabulary."

    "How can this be possible?" he said while crawling away. "They are highly-ranked officers, right? Why are they acting like a bunch of newbie soldiers guarding the target at the center? This makes no sense. No sense at all. It''s as if they''re waiting for us to appear to them or something."

    "~hey¡­" whispered a voice somewhere and the bushes behind them moved as if someone is crawling.

    "Whoa¡­ someone''s coming. Weapons at the ready," Karus whispered while clutching the hilt of his sword.

    Suddenly a face appeared before the bush if front of them that has a very big smile. "BOO¡­ hehehe¡­"

    "Quit it Yosh," Kayzar reprimanded with a little smile while slapping Yosh''s shoulders, "They might hear us."

    "Ow¡­ hehehe, come on they know we''re here already¡­ you triggered their proximity trap right there¡­" Yosh pointing obscurely at their back where Reus is crawling trying hard not to trigger it again.

    "Where? I didn''t see any traps there earlier¡­"

    "There¡­ look at my finger¡­" he smiled while pointing his finger hard as if frustrated to them not seeing the trap that is obviously located further back.

    "Well, no sense trying to find them. You''ve just activated all of the alarms in this area," Reus stated finally catching up in their spot. "But no worries, Yosh sent Luna to set off other proximity traps here so that they can''t pinpoint our location. That''s why they''re just standing there not moving. We still have to be quiet though."

    "HAHAHA! That''s your idea of being quiet?!" shouted the woman holding the large broadsword as big as she is that is now half buried in the ground. The guards are now all looking at their direction. "Come on! Show yourselves! No sense hiding there, we already know where you all are¡­" she said still shouting.

    "Tang''na-Nga''ngot-yan!" Reus cursed. "How did they know we''re here?"

    "Maybe they''re possessed by the Karshivyk who wants to exact revenge on us all Nagozulians for what the king of the past did to them¡­ and they have super hearing powers¡­ oohhhh¡­," Yosh replied sincerely frightened which led for Karus''s wide smile, trying hard to control himself not to burst out laughing.

    "Seriously?" mocked Karus taking short breaths to contain a guffaw waiting to explode. "That''s the first idea that comes to mind?"

    "Oh, come on! That story is about five hundred years now! There''s some other explanation. They must have done something here I''m sure of it¡­" Kayzar rebutted. "¡­and spirits don''t have any super hearing abilities! So, quit it¡­"

    They stayed there confused for a while thinking how could they have heard them speaking in their distance of at least fifty feet with birds chirping and flying; tree''s slashing noises when pushed by the strong winds; and the breeze blowing continuously in every direction. Their eyes moved all around hoping to find some wires they might''ve tripped earlier.

    "If you don''t come out there, we''ll be forced to pick you up and that would be messy~" shouted the small woman with a small teasing voice.

    She threw a knife that almost hit Karus''s left cheeks. He was planning to speak at that moment and if he moved just a little bit to his left, he would''ve been dead. They froze sitting there bewildered asking themselves questions they cannot answer.

    "The next ones not ''gonna miss~!" the little voice of the Third Guard shouted still with an annoying teasing tone.

    Reus stood up angry and a few seconds later the other''s followed him gently, especially Yosh, who''s still looking for something to prove they don''t have super hearing powers. They immediately noticed the Second Guard pulling the broadsword from its buried state and dragged it as she started walking closer to them together with the two guards on her side leaving the slouching big sack on its own. She appears to be the highest-ranking officer there based on how quickly they responded.

    They were curious on what their commander was wearing. She didn''t wear armor, but a red battle uniform made up of what seems to be a silk-like texture and a huge thorny silver pauldron on her right shoulder which is where she probably puts on her heavy broadsword at the ready. It is a long-sleeved blouse with running lines of silver embroidery of a figure of the sea dragon Nanreben. She wore a normal blue silk pants that moved about every once in a while, because of the strong breeze that flew through the grounds. They assumed automatically that she needed light clothing for her to maneuver her big broadsword to any position she desires. They thought that that person can be frighteningly dangerous if left alone with her quarry.

    "Ah! Glad you quit sitting around in the bushes. I''m thankful we didn''t resort to literally beat around the bushes to get you out."

    The Third Guard, who appears to be the youngest of the three, rolled out a series of laughs which the brothers didn''t find quite funny. Even the First Guard didn''t break a crack of smile on his serious appearance. They know there''s a famous idiom somewhere in her sentence, but they know that she didn''t mean for it to be a joke and they are confounded as to why she''s laughing. There''s no joke to be found there, especially when they threw a dangerously fast dagger to kill Karus.

    "We were really bored here waiting for you all to come out there," she shouted putting her big broadsword on the pauldron on right shoulder as they have guessed. "I am Sword Master Camyl of the Talim Clan, Major to Nagozul''s Southern Warrior''s Hundred Sword Elites relief force," she bowed low who appeared smiling as she introduced herself. She then stood straight again and pushed her sword to the ground. He then moved her hand to her right as if directing the attention to the big fully armored guard whose dark hair is short and spiky. "This is one of my many captains, Captain Gab of the Talim Clan, Captain to the Grand Unit of the Southern Warrior''s Hundred Sword Elites relief force," while introducing the big scary-looking man, he unsheathed his sword then spread his arms and bowed down pointing his sword far to his side. His cold eyes appeared, as always, ever frightening. His battle-scarred emotionless face pierced through their souls as if slowly killing them from suffocation.

    "Wow! That title is too darn long to remember¡­" said Yosh mocking Captain Gab while trying to smile though deep inside there is a deep fear that is slowly growing. "¡­I really won''t remember any of that in the future if you ask me¡­"

    "No," he replied with a very dark and ominous voice. "It is very easy to remember the title your highness --- once you know the honor it brings."

    "Uh¡­ okay¡­. Whatever!!!" shouted Yosh then he smiled and whispered to his brothers. "I don''t like him. You guys take him out fast, okay?"

    The brothers ignored his joke at that moment because they focused their whole attention at the movements of the guards for, they may strike at any time considering that they already made a deadly action towards them.

    The major moved her hand to the left and introduced the last guard. "¡­and Lastly, Lieutenant Tarni of the Sibara Clan, Master Assassin and Lieutenant of the Eastern Sentry''s Reconnaissance Team."

    "Wait a second! Are you the Tarni known as the Shadow Veil? Isn''t the rank Lieutenant a very low and insulting position for such a skilled master of the Sibara?" mocked Reus.

    "Trying to get back now, are we? I see that you''re still mad that I threw that dagger to your brother earlier, right? Well, for what it''s worth I really meant to hit him. I mean, he''s kind of laughing and I wanted to make him stop. He didn''t even tell me the joke and he''s laughing."

    Reus just smiled and opened his bag. The other three followed and readied their weapons. "So, how does this work? Can we make our move now or should you go first? Our conversations are turning tedious and I appreciate it if we could move things along faster."

    "No, no, no, Prince Reus. We called you out in that bush because we wanted to make a deal first. If we wanted to attack, you''ll be lying on the ground already."

    "Oh? Is that so? Well, you haven''t tried that so who knows what would happen. Maybe it''d be you lying there¡­"

    They smiled taunting the enemy into action, but they remained still in their positions almost forty feet away from them.

    "Save your eagerness later young prince and hear my proposal. One week from now our very old Master would leave your pretty little Palace and will go to report to your father the Grand Prince Artemus and deliver his monthly supplies at the Northern Encampment. Unfortunately, the messenger hasn''t arrived yet and therefore the supplies and orders needed by your father in the North are unknown. This is most dangerous for them --- especially when they are fighting the most fearsome elemental and Daomagarian criminals that are hiding there¡­ ''The Pusakals''."

    "What?!" Reus shouted.

    "Don''t worry; we intercepted the messenger and got all his effects snuck up in a neat cute little package there¡­ Although I must say, he won''t live long enough for a week. Apparently, he''s been attacked by Grog, the Demon Wolf of the Dark Jungles of Narra. So, I guess the whole point in this is that the message of the messenger will not be delivered."

    Yosh shouted fiercely. "NO! You''re lying! The Grog only attacks when he feels that his territory is threatened!"

    "Yes, you''re true¡­ but is seems as though he did¡­" she replied smiling to give Reus a rage. "¡­ and that one over there," she pointed at the sack at the center of the field. "¡­will be buried with him if he plans on taking his sleep tonight. The Grand Prince Sarram asked me to dispose of him but I felt like doing a game and made him my stake. Clearly we''re getting bored here without anyone to fight¡­"

    "What the hell are you doing?! You''re a Daomagar! You shouldn''t interfere with the affairs of Nagozul! By doing this you''re giving leverage to Uncle Sarram!" exclaimed Kayzar with his hands holding the daggers trembling in fury.

    "And that messenger is a Daomagar too! He''s your brother! How could you!?" Karus shouted furiously.

    "I don''t care who he is! I don''t care WHO BECOMES KING OR QUEEN in your pathetic kingdom! Whether it''s Prince Sarram, your father or even Princess Prodea!" He pulled her planted broadsword and pointed it at them. She walked closer and closer to them as the two guards backed away near the sack where the articles of the messenger are located and unsheathed their weapons also. The four brothers readied themselves and their weapons. They moved away from each other slowly. "Grab that sack away from us and take it to your precious Palace! IF YOU CAN!!!"

    With a shout she strode to Reus like an angry tiger pouncing to her prey. They were all shocked for she looked like she jumped with one foot to their location dragging her big broad sword with her in dash. A thirty-foot dash carrying that humongous broadsword in just a blink of an eye is nearly impossible for a mortal in their point of view.

    This highly secret Daomagarian Technique that they call the Great Dash is a sprint using one''s thigh, pushing one''s body almost instantaneously. Usually, a renowned master can dash to a length of as much as fifteen feet per dash and that requires a lot of energy and concentration. That''s why the brothers were stunned at the main sight of it. They were keeping a twenty-foot distance all the time in anticipation for the Daomagarian''s Great Dashes, but this is beyond their assessment. It''s totally unexpected!

    Reus just stood there stunned by her speed. Thanks to Karus''s reflexes and nimbleness the attack was swayed, and his move made the Major''s blade miss cutting Reus in half.

    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!! MOVE!!!" he shouted to Reus till he snapped out of his daze.

    The other two moved in towards the guards. Clearly they are doing improvisation at this time considering that Kayzar is going one-on-one to the left with the big Captain Gab while Yosh readies his arrows, whistling calling his friends to his aide and running to the other side to confront the Lieutenant Tarni who is very happy for some action.

    Reus ran to Yosh''s position to help him somehow to distract the enemy while he can formulate a plan to take the sack.

    "Fools! You can''t defeat us!" Major Camyl lifted her heavy broadsword and ran to Reus ignoring Karus.

    "Hey! You!" Karus shouted slashing her at the back which she seemed to parry. "I''m not done with you yet!"

    Karus continued a barrage of slashes in every direction that Camyl easily warded off with her big sword. Her humongous broadsword''s wide blade trumps Karus''s short sword in terms of defense so Camyl is not breaking any sweat.

    The major found him interesting for it seems that every blow he made, he accurately tests and calculates the enemy''s movements and analyzes it to find a weak spot. Truly a basic skill only a sword fighter can perform, nay, only an experienced sword master can do.

    "Oh no, young prince! You don''t get to study my defenses!" she made a hard blow striking him and got thrown for about eight feet away by defending with his sword. "As I''ve said," she positioned herself and prepared to take a lunge. "You can''t defeat me! NOT IN A THOUSAND YEARS!!!" and she jumped turning her broadsword all around.

    "Uh oh¡­"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Meanwhile, Kayzar ran to his opponent and grabbed his twin daggers from his back.

    "Daggers? You reached out a dagger to fight me?!" said Gab with a dark and frightening tone of anger. "Are you MOCKING ME?! ARE YOU BELITTLING ME!?" he feigned his sword and dashed in front of him like the major did but a little slower.

    Kayzar, after seeing this, reached something in the bottom of the hilt of his daggers and pulled. A thread with an inch-sized pin now dangles at the end of the hilt. He faked defending with his daggers concealing the fact that he threw his almost invisible threads to the attacking enemy. Unfortunately for him, the metal pin shined reflecting the orange skies of dusk. The Captain''s keen eyes spotted the two pins coming his way and immediately dodged it almost instantly. He then backed away to keep his distance to Kayzar.

    "Tch!" Kayzar remarked disconcerted. He missed his target by a third of an inch because he hesitated in throwing it. This is his first time to calculate such speed by an enemy twice or thrice his speed. This is also his first time to miss something. He never misses and he never fails, but this time he did and that upset him tremendously. He felt a deep chill inside, a deep chill of fear.

    "I see. So, you''re the one who uses poisoned weapons," he chuckled as he watched him from afar thinking of the best way to make contact. "This is the first time I''ve seen a person throw a pin into someone that is connected by a thin thread since the legendary Yiv."

    Captain Gab just thanked Bathala in his thoughts for the sun setting in the west illuminated the pins revealing its deadly figure. As strong as he is, he recognizes the potential of Kayzar. For his age, his skills can easily land him as one of the supreme fighters of the Eastern Sentries having an automatic promotion to captain or as low as a lieutenant''s rank at least on that demonstration alone. He believes that there won''t be a miracle next time that''s why he needs to maintain his distance and to keep a keen eye with his surroundings.

    "What captain? Are you afraid of my daggers?" Kayzar shouted as he taunts him to get close to attack.

    "Your pins won''t work on me again m''boy!" he drove his sword into the ground and grabbed the twin daggers in his back which almost looks like a short sword in size. He thought that by using the daggers, he can both have the maneuverability to attack and the agility to counter anything. "You want fighting in close quarters? I''ll give you your close quarters and I promise you you''d wish you didn''t!"

    "Okay¡­" He stepped backwards and opened all the flaps in his loose shirt. Thin threads started to dangle with small sharp metal pins at the end dancing. "Show me how good your clan really is¡­"

    "Oh, I hope that''s not an insult, child!" he shouted smiling devilishly as he ran towards him.

    He slashed his way to Kayzar attacking every single angle he can.

    Kayzar was terrified deep inside as he saw the fearful speed that the Captain demonstrated. At that rate, he might cut his limbs apart if he''s not careful.

    "GOT YOU!" the captain shouted driving his dagger to his right.

    Kayzar noted nimbly moving the dangling threads on his left hand to attack his enemy while he moved the other threads from his right to try and tie the enemy''s dagger hoping that it makes a lock in time for him to dodge.

    Luckily for Gab, he saw his needle attacks from his right and immediately cancelled his move. He then made a counter to this and slashed Kayzar''s threads so that the pins won''t hit him. His desperate move to escape made Kayzar safe for a while but at the expense of his poisoned needles. He jumped back to set up his defense perimeter so as to avoid other counterattacks made by the enemy.

    "Good one kid! You have talent, I''ll tell you that!" said Gab now having a very disturbing smile. "but talent won''t give you anything if you''re fighting me!"

    In his situation he saw a large gap of power between him and the Captain. It''s as if a dark ominous energy is slowly eating him alive. The only thing left for them to do is to retreat, he thought as fear churns up in his body robbing all the warmth of his almost trembling hands. While he was thinking he made a quick look to his surrounding and saw Karus in danger.

    At that time the major prepared a lunge that then readied herself to jump hastily to Karus''s. Kayzar immediately threw three pins to her direction that bounced at the Major''s broadsword. The sounds that the pins created while hitting the metal of her blade made her cancel the attack. Camyl jumped backwards to look at Kayzar which is also slightly moving backwards to her captain.

    "RETREAT!" Kayzar shouted as he leaped backwards and blew a whistle that is swinging on his neck. After this, he ran with great haste as he saw his other brothers retreating.

    Reus and Yosh on the other side heard the whistle and stopped showering their enemy Lieutenant Tarni who is clearly just playing with them, dodging the stones and arrows with little effort. They ran embracing darkness in the forest as night gently falls into the training ground.

    "HAH! YOU BETTER RUN AWAY, LITTLE CHILDREN! THERE''S NO HOPE IN YOU DEFEATING US!" Captain Gab shouted in a deafening tone as they dashed along, slowly disappearing into the thick dark woodland.

 4 PAYBACK

    Kayzar ran through the forest like the gushing wind born from an explosive blast in a tunnel. He found himself in chaos as fear envelops his whole body. ''I''ve got to put myself together'' he thought as he strode to the pitch-black night. In his failing struggle to contain his trembling spirit, he forgot to watch out for his surroundings. He heard some branches snapped before him as if someone''s following. The idea of him not being wary of anyone in pursuit hit him in a flash. He beat himself up as he hurriedly ran though the obstacles in the forest for forgetting one of the very basic principles of retreating: being mindful of your surroundings. He jumped into the nearest bush to surprise whoever is following.

    ''Come on, show yourself,'' he quietly murmured in the thick hedge plant that he''s in as he heavily breathes the cold crisp air of the forest while grasping his dagger with his sweaty shaking hands. He saw a shadow nearing, so he prepared to attack. He emerged ferociously from the bush like a wild animal finding its prey bellowing a mighty war cry.

    "WHOA WHOA WHOA!!!!!" screamed the shadow as he drew his blade to block and escape the dangerously near daggers that was going straight to his heart. "WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING K-Z?! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!"

    Kayzar snapped from his delusion and noticed that he might have killed Karus who is totally shocked holding his sword to avoid his daggers. "Uh¡­ um¡­ sorry, I¡­ Uh¡ªthought you were¡­" muttered Kayzar trying to apologize while taking a breather. He put away his daggers and backed away and continued to mumble his apologies.

    "You''re really freaky sometimes," Karus replied while slowly sheathing his sword at the same time gazing at him putting his daggers away. "You know that, right? ¡ª"

    Kayzar ran and Karus followed him from behind. Karus took a glimpse of Kayzar''s eyes filled with seriousness and distress so he tried to strike a conversation amidst their gloomy night dashes through the dense forest in hopes to rid away the unpleasant experience that they have.

    "I don''t know what happened really but thanks for the quick save there. I almost got skewered by that woman! I mean that''s a really big sword! I''ll tell you that! Even I can''t lift that thing if given a chance!"

    "This isn''t supposed to happen," he said finally changing the topic, "We got separated and, in the end, we went playing by with their tricks. They know that if they fight us one-on-one, they can easily defeat us¡­"

    "Look there they are!" exclaimed Karus almost happy but was again engulfed with sadness as they quickly come near them.

    They saw Reus standing under the big tree while Yosh sits beneath it. Together with them are Luna and Stella. They sensed a negative atmosphere in their direction, clearly a sense they can think outright even without looking at them.

    "There you are¡­" said Reus to the two. "The plan went south the moment we exposed ourselves," seeing them upset, he uplifted their spirit and continued. "Now, now, this is not our fault. We still have time to spare and clearly, they will not dare to chase us out here. They''re guarding the sack after all, and besides, we haven''t used our plan yet so don''t lose hope¡­"

    "Tell that to Yosh. He''s looking all pouty there, hehehe¡­"

    "Shut up Kuya-Karus. You haven''t done a thing there to start with, so you don''t have the right to say anything!"

    "Hah! I don''t see why you''re all worried and all. Clearly they got some leverage on us at the beginning so that means when we come back for round two we''ll finish them even if we have to drag them away from that pesky big sack over there," said Karus with extreme confidence as he sat down near Yosh who is taking his space moving away from him in annoyance.

    "Easy for you to say!" said Yosh scoffing. "You''re always the one who use your body as a shield and luckily gets away without a scratch. Just wait till your sword fails you. That''ll take away your smug attitude!"

    "That''s ex-pe-ri-ence! Something you lack?!" Karus smiled trying to get back on what Yosh said while opening his canteen and drinking it hurriedly.

    "Enough fighting!" roared Reus frustrated. "They haven''t won yet. We still have time to grab the messenger''s articles. All we need to do is to stick to the plan."

    "I don''t know¡­ The captain there is pretty dangerous, and I don''t say that too often," entered Kayzar while sitting beside Karus and grabbing his water container.

    "We''ll slip through you''ll see." Reus stopped as he turned away from his brothers to think for about two seconds and then continued. "I don''t want to do this, but we don''t have any options available. Come on Yosh, dig your chest and restock some of those mighty arrows you''re playing with."

    "W-what chest?" replied Yosh with a little bit of his shaking lying voice, "I don''t have a chest¡­"

    "Come on! The chest you smuggled out of the Palace, the one where you''ve been storing the toys you''re playing with every time we have our breaks¡­"

    "What!? I don''t have anything¡­"

    "Just dig it now¡­ please¡­" Reus pleaded while squinting behind his spectacles that are reflecting the rising moon. This made his point rather persuasive considering his serious attitude. "Why do you think I chose this area and this tree specifically? I know this is where you store your loot¡­"

    Yosh sighed and whistled then Luna began to dig a hole near the tree. He helped her and grabbed a handle. He then pulled eagerly uncovering a metal chest almost two feet tall and three feet wide. They all gasped as they saw a royal insignia on the chest.

    "Yosh how could you!" scolded Karus. "That''s Dad''s battle chest!"

    "Well¡­ I was kind of upset when I found out that they will leave us here to train so before they left, I took something from them," he said smiling while trying to pass it as a joke. "I know, I know it''s stupid. But I was a child back then so who are we to judge, eh?"

    "You''re still a child, Yosh," Karus replied grinning.

    "No, I''m NOT! I''m a grown-up now!" growled Yosh.

    "Whatever¡­ just open that," teased Karus smiling big.

    He opened the chest and they were all shocked to see a number of enchanted weapons and armors rumored to be created by the mythical Elves and the great and legendary Dal''Gur himself, the immortal blacksmith of the northern Lakas mountain range.

    The first item in the pile is the Royal Gauntlet of Deito, a mystical golden gauntlet that brings great strength to the hand where it is worn. Under it is the Twin Snake Daggers, a pair of double-edged golden daggers which is said to cut anything if used properly. Beside this dagger, they saw the Hands of Kyrin, a pair of gloves that is said to be created by the mythical Elves. It is said to imbue the hand with the power to decrease weight of whatever the person carries if worn. Further down is the Golden Short Sword of Excellence which is the sword granted to Lakas who saved the Nagozul two thousand years ago, light as a wooden rod but as sharp and durable as a newly crafted katana and claymore combined. Inside also, in a secret trap compartment, is a quiver of Elven grade arrows and a few story books. All of those are told to be mythological items, if not very rare and legendary. To have laid eyes on these objects as much as to hold them, brought joy and excitement to the brothers especially to Karus and Kayzar who are very fond in research and history.

    "What the Yit is that!?" Karus and Kayzar shouted as they grabbed the articles.

    "I saw this at the altar when I was a kid, and that I only see in books!" Karus exclaimed smiling.

    "I thought Elves were fairy tales!" whispered Kayzar with a spark of glow in his eyes while taking out an arrow inside the quiver with a shaking hand. "I never knew I can set my eyes on a real Elven arrow, much more an Elven glove¡­ well this proves the whole theory to be true!"

    The Elven Arrow looked like a straight branch with a single vine encircling it. The point has a thick sharp wooden arrowhead that looked-like a round pointy seed, but it is as strong and durable as metal.

    "Yeah yeah, I''m not much of a believer anyway," Yosh said grabbing the arrow from Kayzar and putting it back to the quiver. "I believe they named them Elven arrows because it looked elvy enough. It helps to have a catchy tune to it especially when selling them on artifact collectors. Don''t hope too much about them for they don''t exist," a thought gave him pause for a moment as Reus passed by him. "Hey Kuya-Reus," Yosh asked with a curious look. "¡­how did you know that I have the chest here? I know you don''t wander around these parts and certainly you didn''t have time to follow me or anything¡­. or did you?"

    "Well that''s for me to know and for you to find out¡­" with this creepy comment he grabbed the golden gauntlets that looked really big and disturbingly clawed and wore it in his right arm. He then sat about six feet away from them to gaze at the moon. "And oh, I almost forgot," he added with a grin, "You have to return those after we defeat them. Dad''s furious with you taking those away in the holy altar. There''s still a manhunt for the criminal who''s responsible for that impossible heist and we''re keeping mum on the culprit."

    "Hey! No fair! You told dad?!" Yosh angrily said while following Reus hoping to have some answers but all he got was his loud laughter.

    They bask with the marvel that is inside the chest for a while then picked items that are appropriate to them. Karus: The Sword of Excellence; Kayzar: The Twin Snake Daggers; Yosh: The quiver and the Hands of Kyrin; and Reus: The Royal Gauntlets.

    "So, Kuya-Reus, is this your plan?" said Karus.

    "Well, technically no. I wanted us to defeat them with only what''s available. I planned on taking this chest to the Palace afterwards without having to use them¡­"

    "Hey!" Yosh shouted interrupting Reus.

    Reus smiled and continued. "¡­this is my plan B for our earlier plan A. This is to say that we will continue our plan, but we will use these," He stood up and sat closer to them. "Come on," said Reus to get their attention as he lifted both his hands to gather them all in a circle. "¡­we don''t have much time. All we need to do is¡­"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "When will they be here?" complained the young Tarni sitting near the large lying sack, yawning tearily for about a full ten seconds in boredom. "It''s been an hour. Do you think they might have considered giving up?"

    "You should have seen the poor looks on their faces¡­" added Major Camyl. "¡­although I must admit, even though they have a crude way of fighting I can sense a future in them. They lack the appropriate form to compete with our Bathala-given strength and yet they can manage to deflect our attacks with much agility and eagerness. I mean, I can slash a young tree in half without ever wavering but that Karus kid sure knows how to handle a barrage."

    "Yes ma''am, but I find the dagger bearing Kayzar kid more troubling," entered a gloomy voice of what seems to be the Captain Gab who is the farthest. He paused and walked to them then asked. "I suppose you know a Daomagar named Yiv also known as the Shadow Walker?"

    "Yes!" replied Tarni with great haste fueled with a little tint of anger. "¡­the monster who abandoned the great teachings of the Sibara Master and went rogue!"

    "Yes, Lieutenant Tarni," said the Major. "I believe they also called him ''The Night Fiend'' and ''The Poison Master''. I also know that they put a bounty on his head for assassinating some of our Generals in Daomagar! There is a tale that this Yiv is a thousand-year-old master assassin of the Sibara who successfully killed tens of generals without even alarming the guards. Some say he is a liberator of some sort because he didn''t harm any soldiers or guards in all her attempts. He only haunts the wicked ones they say or anyone who stands with them, no offense intended Lieutenant."

    "Some liberator he is!" Tarni shouted angrily. "He''s not a hero, he''s a murderer! That''s what he is! And my Father the Great General Kel''Ro is NOT wicked!"

    A few seconds of silence stopped the three from their discussion until the Captain diverted their attention to resume to their original topic.

    "I know it''s a coincidence, but I think there''s a connection between the kid with the daggers and Yiv," He then took a serious look at the moon and sighed then continued. "When I was still a lieutenant, I was assigned to the division to help locate and capture this Yiv who then caused a lot of stir in the elders of Daomagar. At that time, I was under the great Master Mahakdu of the Sibara who is great not only in combat but also at tracking. When we located Yiv we found out that he was but a child."

    "Really¡­" said the Major with great awe. "¡­a child you say? And here I thought that he really is an old warrior of the past¡­ they even made stories of him to frighten naughty kids¡­" she added smiling as if giving a joke.

    "I couldn''t believe it either, but it''s true. In the confrontation, all I saw was his eyes. His red, sad, murderous eyes and then it became a blur. Somehow, he got past us and disabled us one by one in a quick flick of a second. When we came to, we were paralyzed, and we saw him and Master Mahakdu arguing about something. He killed him after a few minutes and left us there to witness it all," He paused for a second and continued. "He used some kind of ability that made him walk in the dark to appear and reappear. He also used pins and threads to attack his enemies with great precision. The poison gave us a state of being numb and unable to really process our senses."

    "With all due respect SIR, I think you might be having hallucinations in your poisoned state. One of the potent poisons invented by the Master Sibara can cause delusions of dangerous proportions so maybe it has impeded your eyes at the time. No one can master the Shadow Step and the same goes with the Phantom Bite!"

    "Oh¡­ so that''s what it''s called¡­" replied Major Camyl. "I''ve heard of this Shadow Step and this Phantom Bite. It''s a myth in the Sibara Clan, right? It is fabled to be the techniques of the Great Sibara himself. Together with his legendary Floating Daggers?"

    "Yes Ma''am, but it isn''t a myth, it is true. Those are the techniques created by Sibara himself. He taught those skills to his son, though he never taught it to anyone after him, that''s why no one can master them much as to mimic it to be able to use it in battle. Sure, some can demonstrate it but it''s just for jest, nothing more than a good party trick. The Great Sibara knew how dangerous it is. He kept it to himself so that no one else could ever use it again for evil like his son who mutilated so many innocent people in that nightmarish Elven Rebellion."

    "Yes, Lieutenant Tarni but apparently he did and Yiv knew," replied the captain with a very deep frustrated tone. "I don''t know why. I don''t know how but it seems that Prince Kayzar also knew of this Phantom Bite. He used it on me but not that effectively. I know there is a connection between them and I''m going to find out one way or the other."

    "Oh, you better stop that thought Captain," the Major reprimanded as she sat beside her broadsword, caressing the blade, as she continued. "You best keep your presumptions to yourself. This kind of talk would lead you to contempt and even a cause for treason if it creeps to an ill-eared shadow. It has been an enjoyable talk, but it feels as though I''m betraying my principles in joining this conversation even if it is in confidence. I respect your opinion, Captain, but I''m afraid that if you continue to pursue that idea, I might just report you to Master. I know you understand our duty and our oath to Grand Prince Artemus. Or have you forgotten?"

    "I''m sorry Major," he bowed low with a serious face, "it won''t happen again."

    "You''re right it won''t!" spring Tarni furious, "If worst comes to worst, I will personally put out my halberd down your throat if you ever try to taint Prince Kayzar''s name again. It is our duty to defend them from all things even from destructive rumors such as that."

    "I''m sorry it is not what I intended to¡­"

    "Shhh¡­ someone''s coming," interrupted the Major scootching closer to her broadsword with its blade half buried is in the ground.

    The two guards stood up to watch the surrounding. Major Camyl knelt and pulled out her arm then gently touched the face of the blade as if feeling any vibrations. She then closed her eyes and concentrated for a few seconds.

    "Ten? Twenty? No. thirty-five?" mumbled the Major.

    "uhm¡­ come again?" Lieutenant Tarni inquired with a puzzled face.

    The Major stood up and pulled her broadsword. "I think there are a lot of people marching in on us in every direction."

    "Do you think they called in the troops? Hahaha¡­ Those rascals," replied Lieutenant Tarni smiling as she prepares her Halberd.

    A very fast arrow flew in their direction that almost hit Tarni''s left cheek.

    "Whoa-ho-ho! They''re getting personal there!" she said grinning as if nothing happened.

    "I don''t like this ma''am. I sense an elemental presence at work," said Gab.

    "Yes, I feel it too. A high-level element is activating somewhere there¡­" Major Camyl said pointing due their north-east. "¡­they clearly went for help, although they can''t reach the Palace and be back here in such a short amount of time¡­"

    "Maybe they saw a Nagozulian party patrolling and enlisted their help¡­" said Lieutenant Tarni trying to explain what is amassing in their north-east which they feel is a very dangerous elemental build-up from about ten or fifteen Nagozulians channeling their elemental energies.

    "This will be very troublesome if that really happens¡­" replied Gab drawing his lengthy katana. "This exercise will turn down into a fatal encounter if they engage us."

    The thump in the earth grew louder and louder. It is as if an army of warrior''s marches to their location. The ground was shaking, and the pebbles began to dance to the rhythm of the soldier''s march.

    "Hahaha! I knew this technique!" exclaimed Camyl trying to beat the loud thumping on the ground. "¡­it is a tertiary level Earth Element skill called Quake in its very weak state!"

    "They are trying to use elemental techniques on us Major," said Gab giving a weak grin. "¡­so, they''ve come to this, eh?"

    A high-pitched roar emerged in their south-west that immediately grabbed their attention.

    "Major, it''s a secondary level Wind Element skill: Howl!" said Gab.

    "Bend down! NOW!" said Camyl shouting trying to outmatch the deafening roar.

    A large force began to blow in the south-west that made them brace the ground. A storm-like gust violently engulfed the whole training ground uprooting bushes, lifting branches and throwing rocks away mimicking a big explosion. Suddenly two men appeared running to their direction as the wind started to slowly pass.

    "Prince Karus and Prince Kayzar?" mumbled Major Camyl who is bewildered at what she is witnessing. The two guards are also baffled as to how the two managed to summon a great storm in such a young age. With their spotty elemental rating at the Nagozulian Academy, it is quite impossible they can summon this great bewildering skill.

    Karus, who''s in front of Kayzar, intercepted the first guard nearest to them, which is Captain Gab with great haste giving him no time to retaliate. Gab waved his sword to him as he blocked every attack with his katana. He backed away to gain a position to defend himself. Gab then noticed that he was using a unique golden sword. That unique marker led him to immediately observe his blade, finding out that it has garnered an impressive chipping state from their brief exchange of blows.

    "INFERNAL Tey''Arn! HOW DID YOU GET THAT GOLDEN SHORT SWORD!?" the Captain shouted now knowing what Karus is wielding. "That is the Golden Short Sword of Excellence! The one that''s been missing!"

    "Now now Captain, cursing is bad for a Commander your rank," replied Karus snidely.

    He then charged continuing a barrage of slashes to the Captain, making him defend with great effort thinking that his katana can''t hope to last and might cut in half anytime soon.

    Seeing the situation, the Major pulled her long sword that is half buried in the ground and sprinted towards Gab to help him.

    Camyl shouted as she jumped to strike Karus in midair. Kayzar anticipated this and immediately supported his brother by throwing his daggers to the major which she saw coming and that led her to dodge right away.

    They fought with great speed and maneuverability. Anyone who is watching them will be at awe and would not believe how their eyes can remarkably coordinate with their hands, feet and body with excellent timing and grace. The support of Karus and Kayzar is surprisingly unbelievable. The melee attacks by Karus, that was backed in support by Kayzar''s semi-projectile twin daggers, made them a perfect attack-defense duo. This also strengthened the Captain''s idea of Kayzar having a link to the Yiv they are searching because he is performing an attack no one can do. A technique called "the Floating Daggers", flying in every direction with him only maneuvering it with the metal chains connected to the end of the hilt. The three guards, especially Tarni, became stunned in amazement seeing this for the first time ¨C though the floating daggers require at least four blades flying. They thought Kayzar, with his perfect stance and movements, can be considered halfway there.

    As the four went on slashing and striking, Tarni backed away to protect the sack while watching her every surrounding. She knew that anytime, the other two ¨C together with the patrolling Nagozulians they commissioned to help, will come running to get the sack from her by elemental and physical force. She stood up holding her halberd looking to the North-east where an elemental force is still amassing.

    "Are they going to blow up this area?" she thought curiously looking due north-east. "¡­the Major must capture the two there before they start coming. I think I cannot hold a party of Nagozulians in here without incurring any fatalities."

    An arrow swiftly flew to her direction again that she partially escaped. It scratched her right arm and caused it to bleed.

    "Yit''ard, that''s fast! Is that a long bow?" she then looked at her west where the arrow originated. Another arrow appeared rushing to her direction. She dodged it with her halberd but didn''t notice a second one coming down low.

    "Takte¡­"

    She jumped in futility to escape the lightning fast arrow. Unfortunately, she wasn''t fast enough, and this hit her. She dropped in the ground in pain.

    "Two bowmen?!" Yit''Vit!" she shouted in anguish as she looked at the arrow that is stuck in her left thigh. "An Elven Arrow?" she then looked upwards at a flying owl encircling her. "Stella? But how¡­"

    She stared in front of her to see a kid slowly revealing himself from the darkness, walking at her direction with a contemptuous arrow aimed directly at her.

    "Yes?" he said smiling. "I thought the Sibara Masters can see the arrows and dodge it easily¡­"

    "ugh¡­ Trying your desperate moves to use Elven arrows now, eh?" she said trying to stand up without pulling the arrow with a single vine encircling it.

    Elven arrows are very effective in combat. It is durable and unbreakable. If you''re hit with one, the tip, that is a very sharp seed, would instantly grow roots. It would fuse into your body and it would look like a large lumpy mump on the outside. It will restrain the person''s muscle movements and that would paralyze the part where it is. The only thing that can take it off is an Elemental Medic or a keyword in Elven tongue. The vine that encircles the arrow acts like a barbed wire that would sever and rupture the body part of the person it is connected if forcefully pulled. It is an efficient tool in hunting for it wouldn''t kill anyone that is struck with it. It only paralyzes the affected area and disables the enemy with a numbing pain, except Of course, if it hits the heart or the head directly for this would lead to instant death. When removed properly, the seed will release a healing mist that will repair any injury it might have caused upon perforating as if it never happened.

    "Where is the other one?"

    "What other one? I''m the only one here¡­" he replied as he grabbed his short bow to an aim. "Stay there¡­" he pulled the arrow further its threshold while giving a joyful grin. "This next one''s not ''gonna miss¡­"

    Meanwhile, Camyl and Gab were having a hard time fighting the twins. The two guards cannot land a single blow to the two because of their perfect defense which they thought to be very impossible. The two soldiers are two of the most decorated fighters in Daomagar and yet they seem to have magically eluded their strikes as if they''ve been turned to have Daomagarian bodies ¨C the only perfectly reasonable explanation for their nimble and agile reflexes and reactions. The only possibility of them hitting the two is to incur a fatal blow but that would be out of the question. They did not anticipate this kind of skill that they have to use everything in their power to control themselves not to hurt them while giving all their efforts to dodge their attacks that are crudely aimed to maim them.

    Camyl have been trying to strike the silver chain that connects Kayzar''s blades in order to disable Karus''s defense support. She has managed to have hit it a couple of times without the success of cutting it in two. She knows she has been giving her usual powerful slashes, so she was dumbfounded as to why it''s still remaining intact. A wide grin from Kayzar made her conclude that it is a special chain, a chain that is probably created by the immortal blacksmith Dal''Gur ¨C who''s the only one who can smith an enchanted weapon.

    "Kayzar, your left!" Karus shouted while now defending himself to the Captain''s barrage and the Major''s hard blows.

    "I KNOW!" Kayzar replied as he twisted the chains and pulled it causing the daggers to move to their, left attacking Camyl who dodged it. This stopped her in taking advantage of an opening as Karus moved his sword to deflect the attempted strike by the Captain.

    The energy build-up from the north-east began to settle and the two guards began to jump back a few feet away from the two princes to look at the north-east.

    "That''s our cue Kayzar! Are you in position?"

    "Yes, let''s finish this Karus!"

    Kayzar pushed Karus as he charged for the Captain. The two guards noticed this moment as the two began to separate. They thought that this was the moment they were waiting for: the moment to strike. They readied themselves to attack Karus and dashed. Camyl noticed that he took a turn and went for her instead of Gab. This surprised the Major as she thought that they have him cornered. Karus and the Major came to a clash of swords. She made a sword lock to him so that he can''t be able to move. She saw the Captain standing still in his position and immediately noticed something is wrong.

    "Captain!" she yelled for Gab to signal him to come to her aid and disable Karus but there was no reply and he was still standing there worthy to be described as a statue.

    "Umph¡­ Too late¡­ Major!" Karus said struggling in the sword lock that they are into.

    The Major looked at Kayzar as he sat on the ground holding a string with his both hands. She immediately looked at the ground and found out pins with threads scattered. ''They must''ve put it there when they activated the wind elemental technique Howl'' she thought, as she processes what to do in her situation, that the kids that they underestimated outsmarted them. Kayzar looked at her direction smiling as if insinuating she''s next then picked a thread that made the pins move on the ground near her. She knew automatically what''s going to happen, so he pushed Karus and maneuvered herself to steal his sword.

    "Ach¡­ YIT!" cursed Karus surprised in her fast reflexes pilfering his sword in a matter of a split second. Seeing his situation without any weapon, he immediately gave the Major a torrent of punches to stop her from using the swords. She avoided his attacks by deflecting it with her fast arms then retaliated by pushing him in the chest, throwing him almost ten feet away.

    "uh-oh!" mumbled Kayzar as he saw Karus fast flying at least five feet above the ground soaring away from Camyl. He grabbed the pins and pulled it to prick the Major who is a very easy target for him than the other guard ¨C considering that she isn''t wearing any hard plates unlike the Captain.

    Camyl dodged the pins by throwing her big broadsword and continued on to Kayzar''s direction with great and unbelievable speed using the Great Dash. She''s now holding the Golden Short Sword of Excellence which she took from Karus. That proves to be deadly considering the fact that the short sword weighs less than her broadsword: more maneuverability equals more dodging effort!

    "Sheesh, Lady! Can''t you just slow down a bit!" shouted Kayzar now running away from her around to Karus''s direction. She then came to him and gave a bombardment of unbelievable slashes and strikes that Kayzar thought to be very impossible to evade but still managed to luckily parry thanks to his limber reflexes.

    "What is this?" Karus murmured while lying on the ground he landed hard on. He reached out to his right arm and saw a pin penetrating his skin. He gave a sharp sigh as he pulled the needle with excruciating pain. "¡­ it feels as if burning inside my arm! Damn his poisons¡­" He immediately pulled a bottle from his pocket racing as he felt the stabbing pain, radiating, trying hard to beat the toxin''s delivery into his system. His eyes became blurry with his hands shaking as he drank the whole green mix and lie on the ground trying to wait for the effects of the poison to wear off.

    "Putting pins on the ground and backfiring on us¡­ heh¡­" he coughed a laugh with his paralyzed body. "Didn''t see that one coming¡­"

    He blurrily saw Camyl going after Kayzar without much progress. He smiled for a couple of times at his brother''s impressive dodges and risky unconventional maneuvers, managing to parry the Major''s impressive strikes. After an amazing few second later his vision cleared and instantly cured his dizziness and shakiness.

    "Tey''Arn¡­" he cursed as he stood up still unsteady. "¡­his antidote is still imperfect. My right arm is still numb, and a mild headache is still persistent."

    He looked around and saw Kayzar still avoiding his sword that Camyl stole. He saw the Major''s broadsword near him lying half buried on the ground. His face scrunched into a frustrated sour look as he jumped and grabbed the humongous blade to pull it out of its slumber and wake its potential. He isn''t really a fan of long two handed blades, in fact he despises them, but he doesn''t really have a wide variety of weapons to choose from so he thought ''beggars cannot be choosers'', an idiom his grandfather taught them ¨C and a very true thing too coming from their improvisation experiences in battle. He tied his arm with his belt and fashioned it on the hilt of the sword to drag it forcefully, running towards Kayzar using his left hand.

    "Wow! For a kid, you sure look like a greased rat!" shouted Camyl trying her best to land a single blow to Kayzar. "Stand still now would you!"

    She felt Karus running behind her, so she braced her sword to defend herself against him. Karus appeared before her attacking with her broadsword using his two feet kicking the sword to maneuver his attacks. She jumped away as she blocked all of his slashes. "Hahaha! I''m impressed!!!" she yelled running a couple of steps back admiring the feat, "I''ve never seen anyone giving me such a hard time as you two did. How old are you two now?"

    Karus charged without replying. He dragged the broadsword that is bigger than he is and kicked it again and again to move it to his desired direction to strike the enemy. This made the Major to become more impressed. She noticed that Karus cannot use his right hand, but he compensates it by using his other limbs to move the sword that no kid can carry. He used his momentum and partitioned the weight in his body to create a force that moved the sword, making it look like it''s a part of his body that only a master swordsman can do.

    While she was looking out for his attacks, she noticed Kayzar prepping his next batch of needles. She can''t afford him attacking for she feared he might be able to paralyze her like her Captain, so she punched Karus below his right shoulder to end his futile but remarkable attempt to disable her. With her tremendous strength, Karus was rendered pacified forcing him to curl on the ground twisting in agony, sighing sharply, trying his best to breathe amidst the crippling pain from her punch that robbed him the ability to inhale properly. This made her smile for a while considering most soldiers would faint on the pain alone. She then turned to Kayzar unhindered; rushing fast beating his poisoned pin preparations which he isn''t ready at the moment.

    A dark wave of cloud slowly engulfed the whole training field as she was running towards Kayzar. She was halted, baffled to what is happening so she created her defensive stance looking around for any signs of surprise. She had never seen any technique that involves anything like this in her lifetime.

    For a Daomagarian Major, this is much unexpected for she should know all of the techniques by both Nagozulian and Daomagarian warriors. To be an officer of the Nagozulian army, one must know every technique there is whether elemental or physical and know how to counter it, yet today, they made her feel they are taking her back into the academy once more with their surprisingly crude and juvenile but unique and effective combat strategy.

    She looked at the center of the training field at the target to check their status. She saw the big sack together with Tarni who seems to be hurt holding her halberd standing with an arrow struck in her left thigh. A veil of darkness ate away the light around her until the dark cloudy mist settled. Then all she saw was her body standing in the pure dark room of nothingness.

    "Ouch¡­" she mumbled as a sharp stabbing pain in her neck became evidently painful as if burning the affected area away. She reached out to check and saw a pin. "Hehehe¡­ amazing¡­" she hummed pulling out the pin and then she slowly stumbled to the ground.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "¡­ain''t stretching that bow for minutes makes your arms all twitchy?" taunted Tarni to Yosh as the darkness slowly descends and eats away the remaining light at the training field. "If you''re going to shoot me then shoot me¡­"

    Because she''s at the most elevated area on that training field, she can see the dark cloud slowly flowing; filling the whole area like a black gaseous liquid, reducing everything in sight to an abyss of nothingness as it settled. She couldn''t see the Major and the Captain anymore. She can''t see the ground below her anymore. Even Yosh, who is standing about thirty feet away from her, can be seen hazy. All she can see was the sack that she''s supposed to defend, which is slowly then being eaten away too by the darkness. ''I am the Shadow Veil, a Master Assassin of the Sibara. I can see in the dark.'' she thought as she gripped her halberd to a ready.

    The Sibara Clan are said to be masters of the shadow, the night watchers. They are the protectors of the kingdom at night. Though she thought explicitly that she can see in the darkness, she doesn''t mean that she literally has the ability to ''see''. The Sibara Clan members are given, even as children, harsh and impossible tasks that sometimes are rumored to be inhuman. They were honed to use their senses to the maximum level that''s why they can still move through the dark as effectively as at day. This is why they dubbed all Masters of the Clan ''All seeing Masters'', and this is why they are known to see in the dark.

    The dark mist finally caught up to where she''s standing. She then felt the black void suffocating her as if a weak force is pulling from all direction. "This is Dark Magicks!" she shouted as she grabbed the end of the sack with her left hand. She tried hard to remember if there is a technique that can do such a thing but thought of none. As it settled, it turned everything to pitch black. A few seconds of silence was all there is for her comfort and yet this doesn''t feel anything remotely comforting to her situation. The ultimate darkness looked like some sort of a black void that engulfed her. She can still see her body, her hands and her weapon but the weird part is that she can''t see anything beyond that. The ground, the sky, the whole area was pure black. This gave her some chills as she strenuously clutched what she thought of as the sack beside her that she couldn''t see.

    Moments later, a bright flash appeared on her north-east. She saw a great white light that has a silhouette of a person running towards her. The white figure obviously stands out on the grounds because of the black void all around her. ''That''s where the elemental build-up is earlier¡­'' she thought as she limply moved herself closer to face the figure. Scared of what will happen, she lifts her halberd and readied herself to attack. The white individual kept on running still until after a few feet away from her, as she lifted her big weapon to a thrust, it disappeared. She then began to notice light emanating at her back. As she turns to see, she noticed that the figure looked like a man and is now holding the end of the sack trying to piggy-back it away. The figure gave a radiance of light around him like a spotlight ¨C though the radiance only covers a small area.

    "Impossible! You transmitted your body?" she asked the illuminating figure who is now carrying the sack. "Mortals cannot transmit!" she yelled perplexed to what to believe in, her eyes or reality.

    What they don''t know must die, immediately. This is one of the teachings of their Master. As protectors of the night, any shadow that lurks and threatens their way of life must perish before it could cause misery come morning. Any creature must not have another chance to be a threat to them in the near future. Kill before they got the chance to kill you. This is their clan''s reasoning. They embed this reasoning to every Sibaran trainee until it becomes instinct that''s why every other Daomagarian clan looks down upon their measures.

    With her instinct for a kill kicking in, she readied herself for a lunge. As the bright form of a person turned his attention to the Lieutenant, he immediately saw the direction of the blade and deflected it with his gauntlet with ease. Tarni gasped as the glowing person squeezed the blade of her weapon, destroying it with his hands. A sturdy Daomagarian Halberd made by the finest Daomagarian Blacksmiths available, squashed by a single hand, like pudding. He then pushed the weapon together with the Lieutenant throwing her almost ten feet away. He grabbed something from what appears to be a sling bag and threw a metal projectile to her direction. The metal blade traveled to her spot almost instantaneously and destroyed the metal shaft of her halberd in two. ''That''s not an ordinary gauntlet'', she thought making her figure out obliviously what to do.

    The person then turned around to look for the sack that he just dropped while he''s defending. Thinking that he disabled the lieutenant, sitting there still with eyes unbelieving, he grabbed the sack right away to carry it at his back without paying attention. Seeing this opportunity, Tarni braced her weapon, aiming to throw it to the figure when suddenly a swift arrow flew straight hitting her right arm, but unfortunately it didn''t stop her from throwing the weapon away. The spike at the top of the halberd pierced the left thigh of the illuminating man which led him roar in agony. He dropped kneeling on the ground but managed to teleport due south. With his injury, he didn''t make quite an escape for he only reached about sixteen to seventeen feet away. He just laid there in excruciating pain as he gently removes the swinging halberd that was skewered in his thighs.

    The smiling waning gibbous moon subsequently pierced through the slowly dissipating dark void. Tarni figured that it''s the Shining Man''s illusion and that he needed his full concentration to maintain the spell, which was broken due to his painful injury. Noticing this, the Lieutenant grabbed the other part of the broken metal shaft of the remainder of her weapon and dragged her body close to the shining man.

    "SO, YOU''RE THE ONE THAT CREATED THIS BLINDING SPELL ¨C CLOUD LIKE ¨C VOID OR WHATEVER IT IS!" she shouted with a hint of pain and shakiness in her tone considering she is heavily numbed by the Elven Arrows sticking out of her extremities. The pain that the two arrows radiate would be enough to make a man stand down and lie on the ground but not her. She is a Master Assassin of the Sibara after all and that makes her contain all the pain inside her little box in her mind that she hides away completely. She looked tilting her head at the shining man that now lost its radiance. "Reus?" she mumbled in confusion as she recognizes the man she just pierced with her weapon.

    "HOW DARE YOU!" shouted Karus running towards them from her far right as she was standing befuddled on what just happened.

    Karus together with Kayzar arrived to rescue their brother and grab the target away from Tarni who was still stunned at what was happening. Kayzar gave a long and loud whistle as they disappeared into the dark forest on that cold night leaving Tarni still standing at the Training Ground and still numbed with two arrows sticking out of her body.

    She knelt down and stumbled later on after seeing the three disappear in the dim blurry night. The lieutenant smirked as she tried to lie back gazing at the dancing stars and the hazy moon. "¡­they really are great¡­" she softly said snickering before swiftly falling asleep after she pulled a pin stuck from her injured right arm.

 5 OLD MAN JUNI

    The three brothers ran hurriedly into the dark wilderness both happy and nervous at the same time. They couldn''t believe what happened at the training field as if lady luck was on their side once again. Kayzar carried his older brother Reus on the arm while Karus tried his best to carry the heavy sack which supposedly carries the messenger''s articles. The owl Stella flew right above them, tailing them as they go.

    "Whew! I really thought this would never work out..." exclaimed Karus breathing heavily in excitement. He ran a quick baby-step at a time wearing the gauntlets to carry the large sack on his back which is very cumbersome. "...after all the delay and the imperfect timing, not to mention the blackout thing that I thought would never come... I mean, whew, you gave us a hard time waiting Kuya-Reus..."

    Reus, who''s being carried by Kayzar in his left elbow, quickly jumped in agony to match Kayzar''s speed. "...I know, I had a hard time concentrating," he replied with a hint of pain in his voice, maintaining his pace with his left foot almost touching the ground dripping blood. "Taking out all the light out there is a difficult thing to do if you should know."

    With a sharp groan of pain, the twins were forced to stop for a while immediately finding the closest tree they can rest upon. They haven''t escaped that far ahead but thinking that they have miraculously paralyzed their enemies, they thought that they can steal away some minutes to catch their breaths and clean his wounds first before they can travel any further. The two waved their hands to the sky to signal Stella to fetch Yosh who they thought is waiting at the big tree that they should be at.

    "I''ll have to dress you wound so please don''t move?" Kayzar said as he gently puts Reus to a sitting position.

    They all sat together beneath a tall slender tree which is very ghastly and scary, not to mention moldy, but they didn''t have time to be so choosy to where they should stop because of Reus'' condition.

    "What is that technique, Kuya-Reus?" asked Kayzar while prepping to sit beside him. "I''ve never seen, read, or heard that technique anywhere!"

    "Yeah!" said Karus dropping the sack as carefully as possible. "The whole Black-out thing is really unique and new I can tell you that! And oh... did you really transmit your body there? ''Cause I saw you blinking appearing and reappearing at different locations."

    "Yes! I really did transmit! It''s cool right? Aah... whsss..." replied Reus while Kayzar cuts his pants to see the wound he will treat. "Anyway, I am in the verge of having an epiphany for a name. I don''t really have a name for that yet, but it should be a cool one, right? One that''s catchy and can be remembered by anyone..."

    "Yep..." responded Kayzar looking closer at the wound with great effort. "You should find a good name for that! It''s new, unique and quite useful-"

    "Not to mention you''re the only one that can use that -" interrupted Karus.

    "-You could end up in the books for the generations to study..."

    "D''ya want the White Angel mix or the antiseptic?" Kayzar hurriedly asked looking at the deep wound that almost severed the artery on his thigh. The wound is serious enough for him to consider the White Angel which Reus explicitly expressed he dislikes.

    "Do you even know me Kayzar?" grinned Reus almost annoyed he even asked. "I told you I don''t want to use that White Angel stuff. I like my wounds to be healed by my body. I don''t want to..."

    "Rely on new medicines and Magicks," Kayzar droned finishing the point he persistently recounts every time he''s lucky enough to get a wound, which is every mission simulation they''ve taken. "Ooops! Look I slipped a drop... I''m sorry, you took your time to reply."

    Reus pushed Kayzar looking directly at his wound and noticed the flesh almost closing up stopping the bleeding but still the injury and pain is still present.

    "Why''d you do that?!" Reus groaned looking at him angrily. "I specifically told you not to!"

    "Well, I''m preventing you from losing your blood on our way to the nearest village so yeah, thank you very much," Kayzar snickered pouring his bottle of antiseptic from a clean white cottony cloth. "Now do you want your wound to fester or do you still want your body to clean that wound for you?"

    Reus grunted leaning back as if giving him permission to continue with his battle-wound dressing.

    "Hey Karus, go check the sack and see what''s inside," said Reus changing the topic all of a sudden, still with flinching eyes feeling the antiseptic mixture Kayzar is applying, "Apparently, that''s not what you think it is..."

    "Oh! Right! Almost forgot this one over here..."

    "What do you mean ''not what he thinks''!?" Kayzar shouted as he looked quickly at the drooping sack.

    "PUTEK!" Karus cursed in loud vexation seeing the sack now opened: the sack that he tried to frustratingly carry as gently as possible earlier thinking there might be valuables, even fragile, articles there. Even with the enchanted gauntlet equipped, which gives strength to the arm if worn, the sack was still inconveniently heavy for him and what he saw obviously disturbed him very much. "What is this!? Oh no they didn''t!" he smiled, almost snickering, as he lifted the sack forcefully, "this doesn''t look anything close to the messenger''s articles at all..." He grabs the end of the sack and pulled upwards leading the contents to stumble upon them.

    "Hahaha! Told you so!" Reus shouted laughing at the disfigured thing that is before them, "I sensed its figure in the void back there. Apparently that black space back there seems to be my - some sort of - spatial territory. It''s weird but I can somewhat vaguely sense every figure there. That''s why I know that that sack doesn''t contain what it''s supposed to contain."

    A poorly made straw mannequin loosely rolled on the ground. They all gasped smiling as the head of the dummy got separated from its barrel-like body right after it rolled to a couple of fist-sized stones. This gave them an impression that it''s created in a hurry along with its face which appeared to have been smudged with ink. One could only assume that whoever fashioned it originally made it smiling and whoever it is, forgot to let the ink dry first before putting it inside because, obviously, its face was scraped by the rough texture of the sack.

    Karus found a paper note stickered at the chest of the dummy. He went close to read it aloud as he unequipped the big gauntlets and shaking his hands with extreme frustration: "Please, bring me back to the Palace. Chopped Herbal Leaves inside. Many thanks." They all went into a deep dazed look. "I''m not going to carry you there! Not now that I know you''re a useless metal thing!"

    "Young masters..." suddenly whispered by a deep gloomy voice behind them. A sudden fright aroused from their faces almost giving them a pale look.

    "Captain Gab..." murmured Karus with a surprised gasp as he gently picked his weapon that was on the ground. He turned around as he unsheathed his sword quickly to defend his brothers only to find out five Daomagarian soldiers kneeling in front of them bowing. He immediately sheathed it back and hid his weapon behind him. Seeing someone wield a legendary sword which is allegedly stolen can be a big problem, especially if you are of noble descent. That can ruin one''s reputation and honor and they seriously don''t want that. He was just relieved at the moment that no one noticed the legendary short sword.

    "We have orders to escort you two to the Palace and rush the first-born to the nearest medical station..." enunciated the soldier with the deep voice at the middle who''s still kneeling on the ground.

    "Oh..." he replied as he smiled to ridicule his paranoid brain tricking him to believe that the captain followed them as they escaped. He smirked as to why all guards have this annoyingly deep voice which tone appears to be the same as every military guard he knew.

    Karus quickly helped Kayzar to lift Reus and put him in an improvised stretcher made with entangled vines that the two soldiers provided. Karus and Kayzar then picked out all of their weapons and the dummy and placed it all in the sack while their escorts were busy discussing some orders. They saw the two soldiers immediately running after securing their brother Reus to go to the nearest infirmary.

    "Young Highness," said a young soldier with the same deep voice, "may we carry your burden?"

    "err... No thanks..." said Karus while looking at Kayzar behind who is carrying the back part of the sack, "ooff... we... we can manage..."

    "Yes... this is NOT... HEAVY..." added Kayzar emphasizing on his last words as he looks sharply to Karus. The guards revealed a creased brow on their faces, baffled to their words. Though they knew that the two aren''t capable of carrying the ridiculously heavy sack, they just trusted their orders and walked behind them giving a watchful eye to help as they trip and fell for a couple of times down the road.

    The sack which they are carrying contains the stolen artifacts of the Nagozulian history museum. Giving the sack to the soldiers would increase the risk of them finding that out and a scandal to be rumored around which is the last thing that they needed.

    The sack that they were carrying is outrageously heavy even though it''s only a doll made of straws. Without the Gauntlet of Deito to help them about, the idea of buffing up their physique in the future lingered in their thoughts so that the next time they are required to rely on their own physical power, they will be rewarded with ease. But all the effort is not for naught, so they ignored the excruciating pain in their shaking scrawny muscles and just visualize looking forward to their sweet prize vacation up north.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Master Narra?" asked Tarni with a sharp uneven voice as she sits up to a bed still having a blurry vision, coughing a few times.

    "Hahahaha! At last! Good Morning Lieutenant! A bright and sunny day it is today." said Narra standing in front of the window close to her. He was dressed up in a white robe looking at the skies as happy as a boy waking up to see his weekends.

    She looked around and noticed they were inside a rest house somewhere south finding some clues on the ornaments that are placed here and there. The house is a one wide room flat with ten beds around the wall which are made with thick tree logs. There is a cabinet at the far back and numerous chairs lay scattered around. She saw the two commanders sitting at the table in the center of the room weakly drinking their cup of tea - or something that smells like it. She sat at the edge of her bed and immediately put her hands to her forehead as a reaction to the sharp stabbing pain surprising her in her wake. "ahaaa-Ow! My head is still spinning, how long am I asleep?"

    "About thirty-two hours give or take..." contemplated Narra now moving close to her giving her a cup of what the others were having. "We don''t know the kind of poison he was using. It''s not a generic one I''ll tell you that. He deviated from the poisons regulated by Nagozulian Protocol on Concoctions that are known by Daomagars and the military. He must''ve concocted it himself. An almost lethal one if you should know."

    "A personal recipe, huh?" she grabbed the cup and drank it hurriedly. It smelt like tea but it''s a black nasty drink leaving her in disgust after finishing it.

    "You don''t like it, huh? It''s my own brew of cure. I don''t know the components of his venom, so I created a variety of antidotes instead. Better to be sure than to be sorry, eh?"

    "You''re very unlucky Tarni." said the Captain Gab whose voice appears to be still gloomy but weak. "You got a different dose of their poison."

    "Yes," said Major Camyl entering the conversation as she took a sip in her cup. "We immediately reacted to the second set of the antidote while you made yourself on your fifteenth. You must''ve done something to make them angry enough."

    "Oh right..." jumped Tarni with a concerned look. "Narra are they..."

    "Yes, they''re alright..."

    "Is Reus..."

    "Yes. He''s ok too, though he might not be able to walk for another week or so because of the big hole you gave him on his thighs."

    "I''m sorry, Master. I didn''t know. I thought..."

    "Well it''s alright. He''s a strong man, that Reus. Just apologize to him and he''ll forgive you." He stood up and went to grab his long coat. "Well, seeing my old students up and about brings joy to this old man! I really am happy that you''re all alright. I will personally mail a replacement on all of your weapons considering they''ve wrecked it all up there. I know you three are very sentimental about your weapons, but I''ll give you one better just to thank you tremendously for what you all done and as reparation for what you have endured. I would love to chat, but I have so many duties to take care of. Too many that now I''m delayed at stocking the supplies to the north." he grabbed the door and opened it. "Thank you again for doing this for me. I really appreciate you all to find time to travel a long way here for this old dog. Oh! By the way, I''ll appreciate it if you don''t tell anyone about this little thing, we''re having...." He paused for a few seconds and then continued. "Major, please wait for me at the Northern Encampment before returning to the Hishmas," he then turned around and smiled as he closed the door leaving them in silence.

    "So, you really threw your broken halberd to Reus?" said the Major breaking the ice after some time. "If Master Narra didn''t hit you, you would''ve killed Prince Artemus'' heir. That would have been very troublesome for us not to mention yourself..." she smiled and drank the remaining portion of her antidote.

    The lieutenant sadly crouched in her bed thinking of the drastic idea of an alternate situation where she might''ve actually killed the future king of Nagozul.

    "Don''t worry kid. I''m just joking," laughed the major almost crying, seeing her take it so seriously. "Master Narra is there at the scene. I''m sure he can prevent you from killing his charge as he did so." The two commanders laughed as they saw Tarni having a very troubled purple face.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Kayzar and Karus finally arrived at the city just below the Palace. The morning is beautiful as the clouds opened a big way for the sun to shine almost everywhere. The soft breeze blew in short intervals giving a cool misty comfort to all hectic shoppers and shop keepers who are keeping themselves busy under the warm daylight sun.

    The city streets were lined up with stores that never end: From meat products, vegetables and fruits to kitchen wares, accessories, weapons, armors, toys and even small trinkets of jewelry. You can find almost anything that you would ever need at that market area near the gates to the Palace of Nagozul. To the twin brothers, this somewhat bright and sunny day is adding more pain and irritation for them at that time for they''re still carrying the big sack all the way from the Nilad Plains where they were training. The painful prickly sting of the tormenting sun gives them a hot angry feeling lurching deep inside as they lug away their ever-heavy baggage. With their muscles aching, tired with all the lifting, and the busy shoppers who were now staring at them, being filthy and bruised with their disguise as a commoner still intact, the twins tried very hard for a smile and not to look as haggard as they were in reality. They cut through the whole market and town with great haste. The worst thing that they might encounter were the deadly stalkers of Yosh and that would literally make their way to the Palace impossible.

    "At LAST! The GREAT DOORS OF NAGOZUL!!!" shouted Karus with great happiness as they stood at a big metal gate of the Palace which would ordinarily take five strong men on each side to open but is only done by two Daomagarian guards who appears to be at ease as they lazily push them while yawning, then they saw Yosh running with his best pals Stella and Luna behind him.

    "Ey! Why''re you late! I arrived here YESTERDAY, SHOCKED to FIND OUT that Kuya-Reus had a TERRIBLE ACCIDENT when he FELL from a TREE!!!" he shouted oddly loud for all to hear and winked so obviously that everyone around them gave a puzzled look. "Is THAT the FRUITS you were DESPERATELY PICKING that YOU IRRESPONSIBLY put YOURSELVES in DANGER?" he continued still exclaiming strangely while giving a large wink at his brothers trying hard for the others, guards included, to hear which are either not listening doing something important or just plainly not interested on listening.

    He is aiming to create a rumor about Reus''s accident to hide the fact that they are training in the Nilad Plains in secret, so he is almost shouting the concocted details in the air. He''s almost too proud of this plan but the twins are not as impressed as they are now, turning red in anger for Yosh''s delay in their anticipation for their much-awaited relief inside their quarters.

    "Shut up Yosh and help us carry this thing upstairs," scolded Kayzar with a serious gaze. The twins gave a stern look at Yosh who is still standing and a bit sad as he apparently wanted to give more of the speeches and was shunned.

    They carried the great sack upstairs to the fourth floor at the south wing of the Palace. The walls were filled with great paintings depicting the legendary battle at the Elven Rebellion a thousand years ago. The hallways are with soft red carpets and the walls are made with yellow marble. There are antique vases with fresh flowers on top of every long table that are in every corner of the hallways which Karus inspects every morning appreciating their fragrance but today were sadly not that day. Today he doesn''t care about anything but to get to his room as quickly as possible.

    "Almost there!" said Karus with servants tailing them behind persistently asking if they may carry the sack instead of them.

    They reached a golden twin door twice as big as they are. They hurriedly opened it and asked the servants politely to give them privacy which the servants followed with great haste, mystified as they were to the contents of the brown sack.

    They sealed the door to a shut and when they were sure that silence engulfed the hallways outside, they began tossing the sack at the corner and dropped their bodies at the carpeted floor giving a loud bang on impact. They lay there for a few seconds, arms spread wide, giving their very exhausted sighs then smiling in silence with glad eyes shut.

    "So... Now that we''re alone... can we please discuss what happened to the three of you?" Yosh asked as he rummaged the sack ignoring the dummy immediately grabbing every single item that belonged to his private loot.

    "Shhh... Enjoying.... Silence... peace... happy..." said Kayzar as he immediately fell to slumber together with Karus.

    The two of them just laid their arms still widespread and slept peacefully ignoring their brother murmuring as if stopping them in their voyage to dreamland. Yosh, who saw the two having bruises in their palms and obviously filthy filled with dirt all over, left them in peace, ever so grumbling feeling left out. He took the sack with him in spite and glum then helped himself out of the room with his two best friends following him out.

    After he secured his precious collection in his room together with the weird looking straw doll, Yosh immediately remembered that he should review for his studies in his primary education. The princes and princesses of nobility that are in direct line with the king are given private tutors instead of them attending school. The tutors who were assigned to noble princes and princesses were no ordinary teachers, they were either high seers or esteemed scholars who gave their best to literally teach everything they know - even the little and unimportant things like how to properly button one''s shirt and what color is appropriate in every occasion - and this gave them the fright. Every second they spend with their personal professors was a living bore that''s why they should study hard in order not to fail and have additional personal bonding time with their beloved private teachers.

    "What am I ''gonna do Luna," complained Yosh as he steered left running at the halls of the Palace with his best buddies following him. "Kuya-Kayzar and Kuya-Karus were the only ones that gave me the whole lecture and summarization of all topics given by my professor every year." He dashed through stairs and other hallways treading to the great library, even though it is forbidden to perform the Great Dash in public as per their master''s instructions, keeping only a keen eye for any wandering soul that might see him.

    "meow-aerw-mouewriwewow" shouted Luna in reply to what Yosh had said.

    "Yeah, yeah I know I should''ve listened to my professor. But he''s so boring and I''ve relied on my brother''s expertise in research for the whole summary. I wish Kuya-Reus was here. He''s the second one on my list. Though he explains the topic longer than anyone alive, still he can prove useful in this direful situation."

    "kuh-kuhh- kuhhh." whistled Stella in reply who is kind of sleepy as she flew gracefully to follow Yosh.

    He stopped for a moment and realized a great idea.

    "You''re right Stella! I should go to different Masters of the field of different topics and ask them to explain it to me in summary if they can! Or force them if necessary..." he laughed for about a minute using his diabolical laugh making Luna bow her head in embarrassment. Yosh noticed this so he continued being serious. "That can surely help me with my dilemma, minus the forcing part I know it''s wrong Luna you don''t have to press that thing on me. However though, it would take up time convincing them doing the bit."

    He started running again to the kitchen and grabbed a big slice of chicken, two medium-sized fishes and a tray of different fruits.

    "Here you go!"

    He grabbed a plate and put the fruits and the meat on separate plates. "Eat up my princesses! Go grab a nap afterwards, this is going to take a long time and you''ll need to restore your energy. Thanks for the tip," he patted their heads and then strode off leaving the two to feast.

    "hmmnn... I have four subjects this year and I really need to pass my primary education. I''m excited to train in conjuring elemental forces." He walked without realizing he was at the front gate of the Palace talking to himself quietly, sometimes stopping when a servant, a guard, or a seer passes by. "Geography, Nature of Fusions and Amplifyers, Royal Duties and.... Hmnnn, what''s the other one..."

    "Hey Yosh." said a beautiful voice behind him.

    "uh-oh..." he thought regretting choosing the wrong hallway to exit. He knew this voice and this time he won''t be spared if he stops and chat, but he can''t run away either. It''s bad for a man to run away from a woman, especially to what everyone believes to be the most beautiful princess in all Nagozul, this can ruin his reputation especially to his twin brothers who regards her as one of their few close friends. "Why, Princess Illyriah... how lovely it is to see you here..." he turned around slowly to her clasping his hands in agitation while forcing a smile on his face.

    "Uhmn... Can you tell me where your brother Reus is at?" she asked hopingly with a shyly beautiful smile beaming at him. She was wearing a simple white gown as always, layered with ruffles of silk. This is her favorite color and apparently, she always wore simple designer gowns unlike other princesses who try hard to have their attires as ostentatious as possible. She displays simplicity, modesty and humility even though her parents own half of the Hishma Caves and are one of the richest nobles in Nagozul. She has a long silky golden hair that gently dances with the soft draft coming from the open windows of the hallway. She has a very beautiful angelic face with small innocent round blue eyes that shies away to Yosh''s.

    "...why?~" asked Yosh smiling trying to block her question again as always.

    Reus strictly instructed them never to reveal his location to this princess. He was so sure that the princess was alive to torment him always trying to impede him reading and disrupting his training just to talk with her. She always gives things like foods, artifacts, or books to Reus which he should like or else she''ll get mad and cry. They don''t know if he realized that she likes him but considering Reus'' reaction with women - being shy, paranoid and clumsy - it''s best for him not to know.

    She began to turn red and stammered as she grasps something that looks like a book to her bosom. "I... uh... I was... give... uh... I''m sorry never mind." She quickly turned around and almost sprinted away. "uhmn..." she stopped midway and slightly turned. "Please forget that I ever asked you, and goodness, please, don''t tell this to your brother..." after this she raced again and disappeared to one of the doors leading to the Great Steps.

    "Huh? That''s new. I can''t seem to get rid of her last week but now she seems so jumpy. Heh, Women." He ran smirking to the weird experience just ignoring to dwell on it further to see his first target. A fusion master named Juni.

    The city below the great Palace of Nagozul is pretty much impressive if looked on a higher perspective. The city can be seen divided into three areas. The big houses called Royal Residence: which are located near the Palace with inspiring architectural designs that differ from house to house where the rich people of Nagozul lives; The medium built houses called Silver Lane: made from marbles and gold to silver plated bricks standing tall for about twenty to forty feet which the middle class citizens live; and the irregular houses called the Outer Rim: it stands beside each other and are made with gray to white bricks where the commoners live. It may have looked like the city has been separating the citizens giving them a caste like system but in reality, they have their own roles to play and they get along with each other amazingly fine. Though there are some few incidents of social unfairness that can be seen once in a while because of some pompous nobles, the commoners are surprisingly happy and content on how things go. ''A truly rare and remarkable feat to follow and improve on if Dad gets the crown,'' he thought, as he strode along now passing the medium built houses of the Silver Lane.

    As he walked further to the city, he noticed an owl flying up above. Owls should be sleeping at this time so that must mean it''s Stella. A meow and a scratch from behind his leg caught his attention as he saw Luna purring below.

    "Hey, I told you two to get a nap..." he grabbed Luna and placed her inside a pocket at his chest so that now she is clinging like a baby kangaroo. He climbed to the nearest post and saw a clump of people following Stella''s location. "Hahaha, now I get it... That''s very thoughtful of you two. I almost forgot about my stalkers..." he jumped to the nearest roof and made his way around to where Stella is flying. "Decoy! Decoy! Hahahaha!"

    In a matter of minutes, he arrived at the old man Juni''s house. He''s a revered Elemental Sage who now lives at an old cottage-like house at the center of the city between the Outer Rim and the Silver Lane. He''s a retired sage of the Kingdom but now and then practices fusions at no cost to the citizens. He''s a kind and eccentric old man with a long beard and a pair of spectacles magnifying his clear shining brown eyes. He ignores his old wrinkly face and totally believes that he''s in his prime shape which they just go along with even though it''s very evident that he''s really old, unhealthily thin and his voice, a little groggy. He''s a great friend of their father Grand Prince Artemus. He treats them normally as if a grandfather treats his grandchildren.

    He doesn''t care if you''re royalty. He doesn''t bow or kneel or give names like ''your highness'' and ''sirs''. He just refers you to your name as one would address an ordinary commoner. This led him to some trouble with the other royal families and almost led him to imprisonment if not for their father Artemus who protects him and makes him invincible against any royal persecution.

    "Well, well, Yosh... trying to sneak up through the window again I see..." coughed Juni with an old crackling voice but full of spirit. He is sitting at the far end of his room away from the window. He''s fiddling something at his table with a glowing crystal lighting a concentrated portion on his hands. "Try knocking sometimes on my door downstairs - I would be delighted to open it up for you..."

    "Whoa~ - how''d you do that Juni!?" asked Yosh who is mystified to Juni''s sharp senses.

    "Even if I can''t see you, I certainly can sense you Yoshy boy! I delivered you myself after all!"

    "Hey- don''t call me Yoshy boy, I''m not a kid anymore! I''m a MAN!"

    "Hmnn - A man you say!" he stopped tinkering and looked behind him to see Yosh. "Let''s see how you''ve grown up, eh?" he stood up to look at Yosh who is now circling around to show his body and standing firm at his spot, stomach in, chest out. "Hahaha, you''ve grown up just a wee bit after I last saw you."

    "Meroounrr..." shouted Luna in Yosh''s pockets.

    "Yes, yes, you too Luna... I see that you''re still with your pets as always..."

    "They''re not my pets! They''re certainly not just friends, they''re part of our family!" he then sat at Juni''s bed which is soft and bouncy. He pulled Luna from his pocket to put her on the ground to stretch for a while and looked around to see his room. Juni then grabbed a seat and pulled it near Yosh.

    "Okay- ''Family''. So, where''s Stella?"

    "She''s flying somewhere outside giving me time to lure out the stalkers that''s hunting me."

    "Hahaha! When will you admit that you are a handsome young man and that many kids respect and appreciate you? Normal infatuations are a part of growing up. So, stop calling those kids ''stalkers'' - think of them as admirers. They''re just children, for goodness sake. If I were on your age, I would''ve loved jumping here in the city parading myself instead of your usual scurrying."

    "What!? Well, I agree with what you''re saying, that I''m a handsome young man," Juni interrupted with a burst of laughter but Yosh irritatingly continued. "...but they are NOT my admirers! Admirers don''t stalk you and take up all your time caging you in a single spot for the rest of the day. No sir, no one does that torment to another individual! Not even to a normal citizen! That''s torture!" Juni gave another chain of laughter making Yosh somewhat annoyed for not taking his point seriously. This made him change the subject to get away from that dreadful topic which he thinks he''s losing. "...by the way, why is it always dark in your room. You should open some holes in the walls to make them tiny windows."

    "I like my room dark. It keeps me focused." he broke his hysterics as Yosh anticipated and got a little bit serious. "So, on to the agenda, why are you here? I believe you wouldn''t risk yourself being caught by your ''stalkers'' for no reason, eh?"

    "Oh right! I just wanted to ask if you could summarize a whole year of tiresome explanation about Nature of Fusions and Amplifyers and such..." he paused for a second. "...that is if you can. No rush here old man I know you''re way too old for this..."

    "Hmnn... not focusing on your studies, I see. Well, I have to tell this to your father." he stood up slapping his thighs in dismay.

    "What!? Hey, hey! Don''t do that!" he grabbed his sleeves pulling him to his attention. "I came here because I thought I can trust you!"

    He burst out laughing again like a crazy person. "Don''t worry I''m just pulling your leg. Of course, I won''t tell your father - but only if you promise me that you will obediently listen to your instructor''s lectures come next academic year."

    Yosh looked straight in his eyes smiling. "You''re one demented man. You know that, right?¡­" Juni gave him a striking smile and opened his big round eyes while gently shaking his head. "...Okay! Okay! I promise!"

    "Ohohoho! You mischievous prince, you! I see that you''re lying."

    "Okay, Okay! I''m going to listen... but just a little bit. I can''t promise you more than that! Now tell me my summary Old man or you''re going to face the wrath of Luna!" he grabbed Luna from her forelimbs and extended her right in front of his face. Luna created a soft purring meow with her cute shiny round yellow eyes that directly gazed to Juni''s. Juni, seeing this sudden gesture, gave a series of boisterous guffaw that led to Yosh pouting in frustration.

    "Okay, okay! ''Luna'' is SOOO SCARY, Yoshy-boy." he gave Yosh a pat on the headshaking his hair in all direction.

    "Hey! I said don''t call me that, old man!"

    "Okay okay. Listen carefully and I will condense your whole year''s worth of ''agonizing'' lecture." He grabbed an old book that is painted with thick dust. He blew the dust away and brushed it rigorously with his hands. He sat again on the chair near Yosh and prepared to read the dusty book by scratching his throat and giving some creepy noises. This raised Yosh''s eyebrow, weirded-out by his actions.

    "Hey, umn... old man... are you okay?"

    "Shut up boy! I said listen" suddenly snapped Juni. "- so, don''t speak until the lecture is over."

    This is one of his bad habits. He doesn''t want to be interrupted and no one ever wanted to cross that line again after his great debate with the royal council. The debate ended so bad that this led to his early retirement, so Yosh''s twin brothers say. Rumor has it that he actually conjured the mythical white fire in his furious irritation to the stubborn council.

    "Uh... Yes sir!" Yosh snappily replied.

    "Well let''s see..." he flipped some pages and ended somewhere in the middle of the ancient-like book. "...aha! Now - Nature of Amplifyers and fusions..." his eyes turned white and gave a radiance of warm light. He flipped his pages with great speed as if reading it all at a fascinating rate. He then closed it with a single hand giving a breaking sound that echoed in the room.

    "Whoa... what''d you do!?"

    "Hmmnn... I need to review some topics so excuse me for taking my time..." he placed the book away and clasped his hands to start. He gave a stern look at Yosh giving him a warning, anticipating him on pursuing to give another question. Yosh, who saw this, duly noted and after having his silence he continued on. "Now, we''ll start with elements. There are four known elements that our forefathers wrote about: Fire, wind, earth and water. Each of these elements has different effects on the person innate to it. Fire innate individuals are strong willed and are full of energy that they can last days without sleeping - they are called the Fire Starters; Water innates are calm and resilient - which are somehow almost immune to disease or poison - they are called the Water Casters; Wind innates, on the other hand, are focused and understanding with the capacity to anticipate what others would do - they are called the Wind Blowers; while the Earth conjurers are great thinkers and master tacticians - they are dubbed as the Earth Molders. We are called Elementals collectively by our brothers - the Yagisivians and the Daomagarians.

    "We are all great and magnificent living with nature in our own way but after much generation passed, these elements created a flux of complicated proportions. It seemed that the elemental innate of our ancestors were somehow blended to their blood reaching their brain therefore altering their bodily chemistry, creating a change in their behavior when using their elemental powers more and more. Fire elementals grew lustful for blood and are violent; Water innates became apathetic; Wind inherent turned paranoid and lost their short-term memory; and Earth conjurers were reduced to become dementedly crazy. At that time, our people prayed for Bathala''s blessings. We mortals cannot possibly contain this power within and only a selected few can concentrate their energy properly to be able to conjure them without it controlling their behavior. Bathala answered our prayers and delivered our people to mine in the Hishma Caves, south west from the Palace of Nagozul. He then instructed us to grant the gems located there to be given to the people. Red rubies were distributed to the fire; blue sapphires to the water; green emeralds to the wind; and yellow topazes to the earth."

    Yosh raised his hand to pose a question clearly interrupting the old man in his running speech.

    "NO! Questions are later... So anyway, that was the decree of Bathala that was passed on to the great council of the ancient times. Since then, people were given elemental gems to restrain their energies within. These were primary called ''Binds'' because it shackles one''s elemental powers. People with binds at their proximity cannot conjure their powers to the maximum which was great because it helped to protect them from themselves.

    "A few years later, a brilliant sage created some experiments to these gems to create a much more effective and convenient way to carry them- ''cause at that time it were only given to them to carry in their pockets or fiddled to be necklaces or bracers. He accidently discovered a way to fuse the elements to the people causing them to amplify their powers to twice or as much as thrice. Thus, the name ''Binds'' were changed to ''Amplifyers''. His soul is fused with the Amplifyer, so it becomes a part of him, like an arm or a foot.

    "These Amplifyers were fused to individuals by sages only. Wrong fusions can result to an erratic chain of disasters to the person. It consists of a variety of bad things but to be short, it could lead to death."

    "OH~" Yosh interrupted with a slight smile and with much effort in raising his hand persistently trying to ask for a permission to ask.

    "Shhh! I''m nearing the end so keep quiet now! Hmn... Where was I? Oh right! So anyhow, these Amplifyers magnify the elemental energy so it drastically changed the whole people of Nagozul but the Nagozulians have different views about this rare find. Because the technology that we have presently today hinders us to move forward, it seems that it led us to have a stale and imperfect fusion on our brothers, the Fire Starters. Because of this, these Amplifyers apparently have limits. The chances of successful fusions to fire elementals are drastically slim to none. Some fire elementals that were fused with these Amplifyers unsuccessfully magnified either their bloodlust or their power to ten or twenty times making them very destructive and a danger to society. There was once a time that children who were born to the will of the fire were even executed or imprisoned depending on their essence." he saw Yosh slightly having confused so he stopped to think. "Oh! Right? I''m a blundering fool. Essence is the elemental quality that the seers search for in infants. The higher the essence of the child, the greater their Bathala-given Power is enabling them to have a greater chance of success and to become one of those promising Elementals in the future. That''s why they check those things very carefully. This essence selection tends to shift the Nagozulians apart if you don''t mind me saying. This created a somewhat caste system to our society which is totally seen around at the city or even outside the Palace."

    He saw Yosh''s face furrowing then he realized that he''s branching out on another topic, so he immediately changed his tone and returned.

    "Going back to the topic at hand, the unlawful and inhumane decree of containing fire elementals was abolished by your loving great grandfather, whom I owe my life to. Anyway, the elemental fusions were developed to reach this age of improvements where the elemental stone will follow you wherever you go, floating in the air or wherever you want it to float - like mine." He stopped for a moment to show his red ruby floating around Yosh. Yosh tried to grab it quickly but it managed to evade him every time which made the old man laugh a bit.

    "As for royalty," Juni continued grabbing his Amplifyers back. "Which are you and all of your brothers, the decree was to fuse your Amplifyers to the forehead near the brain to enhance the intensity of its effect. That concludes the lecture..." he paused to see Yosh trying hard to remember everything he just said. "Any other question?"

    "First question!" he said with his eyes lingering to the ceiling. "What about my brother, Reus? What''s with the diamond?"

    "Oh! He''s of Life element. They found that out two thousand years ago. Apparently, it was first called ''non-element'' or ''elemental-void'' because the individual having that innate cannot conjure any element and his skills were unknown - it disappointed their parents though at that time seeing that it first appeared in a royal family not so far to the Royal Nagozul lineage. They are found to be great thinkers with magnificent logical minds that are rumored to read minds or even the future. They control light and they are immune to any elemental attack there is. There are only two known living Life elementals around: your Father, Artemus and your brother, Reus. There is a total of - I think - twenty or so that has this element to date. Their amplifier is the white stone in the Hishma that are called diamonds, though there is also a black one in contrast which is called the black diamond - worn only by people blessed with all four elements. Only one person in history was able to use this and fuse it to himself - the wicked King Dogal who reigned Nagozul a thousand years ago. His amplifier is the black diamond which can magnify all elemental powers to five to ten times normal. This is maybe why he became so mad."

    "Wait a minute, Dogal the Liberator of Evil? The one who created ''everlasting peace'' throughout Nagozul?"

    "Heh, that''s what they say in the books now eh? Well, I think you don''t know what that is but it''s a long story I would glad to tell you next time - now isn''t the time to dwell on such topic. Just to help you out, he was known as the Supreme Elemental Harbinger, or as they call him the Elemental Incarnate, for he has an innate of four different elements in one. Just a little bit like your Aunt Prodea who has three which they like to call as one of the rare Elemental Entities. Two elemental innates can grant you the title of being an Elemental Prodigy. All of these two or more elemental combinations can be seen practically rare, so they are celebrated when they are born. Festivities are grandiose in honor of the birth of the child granted by Bathala with magical prowess which makes them a luminary star their whole life being carefully watched over by the Nagozulian Kingdom''s seers, nobles and sometimes the kings themselves. The most notable ostentatious display of celebration is the birth of your Aunt Prodea. The party lasted for months! And... Oh, what the heck! I''ll just narrate you that next time. It''ll be hard for me to stop once I start story-telling"

    "Okay - second pool of questions! What about Kuya-Karus'' condition? What will happen to him and what''s the remedy? Who''s the one who fused him?"

    He hesitated to answer this. It seems that his face changed immediately to a serious one after the question was given.

    "Uh - what''s with Karus?"

    "You know? The blood-shot teary eyes, the squirming pain and such? You know the thing, him being a prodigy and all and having his fire essence greater than of the wind?"

    "Oh, uhm... well he''ll live, there''s no remedy and... I... uh... don''t know who gave the fuse - but I can tell you that he''ll probably be ok." he gave his reassuring smile after seeing Yosh''s reaction having his doubts about what was explained. "So, he''s having headaches now? At his age?"

    "He told me he was misdiagnosed and was fused with the wrong Amplifyer! He was fused with an emerald instead of a ruby or something. Is there any danger to that whatsoever?"

    "Oh - yeah, well technically no. I mean NO! Heh, he''ll probably outgrow that when he reaches his twenties."

    "Oh, great! Whew, glad that I have that worry out in my system! Well for the third question," he paused for a couple of seconds scratching his head, "is that it?"

    "What?" Juni asked with confused eyes.

    "I''ve been listening to my tutor for long hours with his weird eccentric lecture about this subject and you''ve condensed it to this short, ten minutes or so, lecture?"

    "I believe so, yes... minus the other small details but you''ll learn that yourself once you go about your Princely duties"

    "Tey''Arn!" he murmured cursing thinking about his old persistent professor. "Okay that''s it for now Old man!" he hurriedly ran towards the window and braced himself to jump. "So sorry Juni, gotta run! I got three more lectures to gather so I''ll just visit you when I can. Thanks for giving me your time!"

    "Always a pleasure - Oh! Don''t forget your promise now Yoshy-boy!" he replied as Yosh vanished into the bright city, running on rooftops, scurrying to avoid the rushing girls he dubbed as ''stalkers''.

 6 at the DINER TABLE

    Yosh tried to pick up his pace to reach the Palace in time. He forgot to go ask permission to his grandmother, the queen, first before leaving the Palace so now he had to avoid being caught by his stalkers and, at the same time, the Palace seers.

    Majority of the Palace seers are quite exciteable when it comes to any news regarding Artemus''s children but in a weird malicious way. They have exhausted every avenue in finding dirt on the four brothers that all that is left is for them to get a spy to run around behind them just to get them the information they need on a regular basis, and believe it or not they have considered this but have not been successful in implementing it due to many regulations that would ruin their careers ¨C but given the chance they would. They have this delusion that if they can get the latest scoop about them, they''ll appease the Queen and would in turn gain her trust and confidence ¨C given her disdain for the four brothers.

    It''s not that the brothers are mischievous devils on a rampage causing trouble in the Palace. It''s quite the opposite really. The Queen is practically irritated to them because they are the sons of Artemus, her eldest son, heir-apparent to the throne of the kingdom of Nagozul. Their father''s only sin is that he''s not the youngest son Sarram whom the Queen is fond of, and that''s one gigantic mess to be caught in. Yosh wouldn''t want any more trouble befalling his brothers after his blunderous act of leaving without permission.

    He jumped and sprinted like a rabbit running for dear life ¨C which is very majestic in a way if you''re paying close attention to his acrobatic prowess. He avoided being seen by anyone anywhere and got past the guards with little effort. His movements were of no ordinary boy ¨C agile and nimble. This is primary because of his rigorous training with Narra and his best friends for three years. He should''ve been playing sticks and stones with the other prince his age but instead he got stuck secretly training at the Nilad Plains. It''s not what he wished for, but he is certainly happy for the fruits of his painstaking exercises with his brothers. Surely, he doesn''t even really remember the point of playing with kids his age anymore, so he doesn''t really feel any regret having been stuck in his predicament.

    Some royal families thought that the sons of Artemus are a little eccentric and ought to be avoided, especially Yosh who always hangs out with two furry animals and, much worse, talks to them. Being the youngest practically made him aloof socially. The lack of similar interests with the children his age, and even with his brothers, hinders him to bond and stimulate normal social growth as a child. When he was little, he trained a lost kitten and a wounded owl to accompany him. Everybody likes to think he''s gone mad talking to them but the truth is, only his brothers understand, more than anyone, that he can actually communicate with them as if being able to command them like his own arm to move or his own legs to walk. That''s how patient and remarkable Yosh is in developing his pets into a strategic advantage that can easily be categorized as his weapons.

    Yosh arrived at the Palace proudly parading himself in the halls, trying to blend in as if he never left there.

    "So, where have you been?" said a squeaky ominous voice which surprised him.

    He knew this frisky little voice. The voice which one would irritatingly avoid because of his scratching and complaining tone: The voice of his cousin, Gantee, son of their uncle Grand Prince Sarram and aunt Zeba. He''s the spoiled most favorite grandson of the queen so no one, not even the greatest seer, can do as much as a little tease to this brat ¨C except Of course, the brothers who can get away with almost anything without bothering what other people might think.

    Yosh turned around. "What''s it to you?" He then returned to his direction walking calmly as possible.

    Gantee ran off to catch up with Yosh. "Hey! I''m talking to you!" he grabbed his elbows and pulled hard to grab his attention and to see him eye to eye. "Don''t walk away from me you freak!"

    He saw Gantee as big as he always is, fat and tall with curly black hair. He''s wearing a ridiculously designed, gown-like robe which one would laugh at when seen because of its heavily ornamented, excessively bejeweled, ruffle infested design. He wears a pungent musky perfume that is quite strong and, at most, nauseating. This Gantee isn''t much of a looker and everyone strongly agree that he probably looks more like an ape than a man ¨C but Of course, only behind his back since they don''t want to get imprisoned for that insult.

    "Well, look at yourself!" replied Yosh with a little gleam in his eyes, "Looking at you makes me look like a decent freak. You should put on some wig and then maybe some boys would want to have you." Yosh scoffed as he brushed off his hand then pursued to walk away.

    This act made Gantee mad. So mad, that he grabbed Luna from her neck and threw her further back. Gantee had been training personally with General Ugan, a Daomagarian General. One great toss from him, in regards with Luna''s size and weight, means a long distance of flying away.

    "I challenge you now to a formal fist duel freak!" Gantee declared with flaring nostrils, "If you lose you will perform a formal apology at the dinner table! This fancy dress is given by grandmama herself! You''ll regret insulting my robes again!"

    Furiously irritated, Yosh accepted the challenge by punching him in the face which made him smile a little. He then ran to aid Luna, who''s very frightened to what just happened.

    Gantee is two years older than Yosh. He''s been bullying him ever since he''s a kid. Gantee is said to be a fearless tormenter and isn''t afraid of anyone ¨C except for the twin brothers: Karus and Kayzar. Terrified would be the term apt to describe Gantee''s face when facing the twins. Gantee doesn''t even attempt to touch Yosh when they''re there. The bulky bully makes-up stories to avoid further confrontation with the twins and washes his hands on any misfortunes that befell Yosh. All is accepted and forgiven to Yosh, but the last straw has been cast when, three months ago, his friend duck named ''Quagmire'' went missing and a few days after that, was found dead in the halls of the Palace. Gantee denied all accusations but he always gives hints to Yosh that he''s the culprit and that he can''t be touched. He''s Of course, the favorite grandchild of the queen after all and this adds to the frustration inside. He bottled it all up to a point that he didn''t even complain. He didn''t even go up and tell on him to the twins for vengeance, but this bullying has got to stop! He needed to stand up for himself and his friends. He needed to prove something to that ape-like intimidator, and this is the perfect moment to do it.

    "You better not cry this time!" Yosh exclaimed as he carefully caressed Luna, "I''m going to show you how to be a man!"

    "I''ll see you at the grounds, freak! Hope you bring a stretcher for yourself!" with this reply, he walked on satisfied with himself whistling about how he thought he made, once again, Yosh to cringe up in fear to his obvious superiority ¨C a mistake he''s about to wish he wouldn''t have made.

    Yosh delivered Luna to the nurse station and after he knew that she''s going to be alright, he set off to the training ground at the west wing of the Palace to teach Gantee some lesson.

    Narra always insisted that Yosh should not fight Gantee in any way or create any animosity that would lead to that fact. In fact, he specifically instructed him to try to avoid him as frequent as possible. He''s a spoiled brat and he will turn the tables around to make them look bad to anyone especially when their father isn''t around. Yosh observed this rule for the longest time but today he''s going to break that. He has to. Gantee might be satisfied this day because he thought that he can get to have an excuse to beat him to a pulp but Yosh''s satisfaction will be more rewarding seeing that he can now have a way to avenge his friend''s death along with all of those violent violations that he did towards him and his friends, Luna and Stella.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    They meet up at the grounds under the sun both furious and both anxious to get some action. They stood in a circle made by Gantee, almost twelve feet wide, on the hot dry earth. It was almost midafternoon at that time as they looked into each other''s eyes with fury.

    "So, what''s the rules?" Yosh asked with angry eyes.

    "Bare hands, regular rules¡­" replied Gantee smiling. He''s totally confident that he would win considering that he has the upper body strength and a fist like a boulder but what he doesn''t know is that he''s at the disadvantage. Yosh had been sparring with his twin brothers so he knows a thing or two about brawls. "Whoever says surrender would be determined the loser¡­"

    "That settles it¡­"

    "Oh, you''re gonna regret that punch earlier!" Gantee hurriedly lunged with a fist aiming at his head.

    Yosh, who''s smaller than he is and more agile, dodged every single blow as limber as the grass swaying in the meadow breeze. He can''t afford to get hit with that fist, he noted, as he swiftly parried left and right giving Gantee a tiresome moment of frustration. He gave a weak blow at every opening point taunting Gantee more and more, creating chaos in his head to whisper little-by-little, insinuating he''s of no match to the puny kid Yosh.

    "Hey Fat Boy! Why can''t you hit me with your ''big plumpy fists''?" he sneered making him angrier. "You''ve focused making your belly larger than your brain! That''s why!"

    Hours passed by as Gantee''s barrage of fury became less and less frequent. Yosh could easily out-maneuver him and land hard blows to his weak points. His ridicules made Gantee lose focus to a point that he attacks out of pure rage without even thinking.

    "How does it feel to be weak!?" Yosh grinned as he pushed Gantee and kicked him in the groin which lead to him screaming a mouse-like screech as he squirms at the hot grounds in agony. "Your body is as weak as your spirit! You bring shame to the House of Limor!"

    Yosh turned around seeing that his opponent no longer poses a threat. He was relieved at the feeling of justice burning inside of him in that proud moment. He doesn''t wish to hurt people but Gantee just went out of line and, to him, there''s no other way but to give him a good reminder to back off from him next time. He knows that he''s much better than being a sadistic creep like his cousin so he turned his back as soon as he thought that he cannot continue on. He doesn''t need to hear his surrender, he thought, he just needs him to feel weak and helpless for him to have a little of those character building moments that helps one to have humility and, in the later future, respect for other people. That, for him, is his much-awaited satisfaction.

    "Take this!" roared Gantee fiercely shortly after. A crushing painful blow landed on Yosh''s left shoulder dislocating it and giving him an excruciatingly painful sting, snatching his proud glory and his satisfied face.

    He saw Gantee''s father, Sarram, standing not far behind Gantee who is now holding a big round metal hammer. This hammer isn''t the piercing one. Its diameter is bigger than the one''s available and its function is not to kill but to break some bones. He stood up sloppy and at the same time confused.

    "Uncle Sarram? Why''re you¡­ that''s¨Cugh¨C cheating¡­"

    Sarram is very open to his ideas and his actions clearly suggest that he loathe his brother Artemus. Being so, he most certainly despises Artemus''s sons and will do anything in his power to humiliate them to anyone when given a chance. He stood there, fat and tall like his son, with his golden royal robe and famous clawed silver gauntlets feeling happy about himself. His face invites ridicule with his bulging eyes about to pop right out of its socket but still very intimidating and frightening in Yosh''s point of view.

    "There''s no cheat to that, kid ¨C You can say that this is round two ¨C with weapons," replied his Uncle with a devilish tone smiling at him while Gantee played with his war hammer taunting Yosh and giving him the impression that he shouldn''t have messed with him.

    "How does it feel to be weak?" Gantee harshly said with a mocking tone copying what he said earlier.

    Yosh felt the pain on his dislocated shoulder slowly creeping to him making him shout and cry but he hid it all inside. He''s no match now with Gantee wielding weapons he thought. He could probably get ahold of his big hammer, but it wouldn''t be too wise considering that he can''t move freely, and that thing is too heavy for him.

    Gantee now created another series of attacks but much faster now. He wants to impress his father very much and he thought he could if he can destroy Yosh to pieces. Yosh, with the pain particularly becoming more and more intense, tried to run back and forth dodging the hammer hoping not to get hit again.

    Gantee came to a frenzy that had managed to hit Yosh at his left shoulder again, luckily snapping the dislocated joint to its place while miraculously making his weapon slip flying somewhere far. The hit stunned Yosh for a couple of seconds as the sharp corner of the hammer lacerated a portion of his limb making blood to gush down his arm. Gantee grabbed him and pushed him down on the ground then punched him on the face causing him to cough up blood.

    "Not so much funny now eh, brat?" mocked the demented boy with an infuriating tone looking close to Yosh''s eyes.

    Yosh didn''t listen to every word he''s saying. Gantee made a litany of a speech and he just ignored it. He only looked at the skies as he saw the clouds breaking the yellow tapestry of dusk, the beauty that gave him solace in his dire dilemma. There''s no point in prolonging this he thought and frankly, having a huge ego isn''t really his thing. He wanted to pursue on, but he just then remembered his grandfather Narra''s wise words about humility and accepting one''s defeat. ''Defeat is inevitable'', he thought, ''There will come a time that you will meet defeat and sometimes you just have to learn to shake his hand in order to live the next day to reclaim your honor''. This was the words that looped all over Yosh''s stubborn head. As he was about to utter his words of surrender, Gantee suddenly stopped his litany of a speech and turned into stammering. Two shadows engulfed them where they lay in the ground.

    "Going to give up, now are we?" said Kayzar throwing a knife in front. "And here I thought we trained you well in a two-on-one encounter."

    "Don''t let him ruin your reputation," Karus encouraged with his serious eyes and a weird smiling face as he looked at what Gantee and his father had done to Yosh. After this he crouched, still with eyes watching their uncle, and whispered. "After all, you''re the greased monkey, right?"

    Karus and Kayzar''s green emeralds began to radiate an almost white glow shining brightly to them.

    Gantee saw the two of them with burning eyes looking at him as if piercing his body, stunning him to become a complete statue with his mouth open for a couple of seconds. The face of the two brothers frightened Gantee so much that he jumped with a very disturbed face and crawled away from Yosh. Sarram, witnessing this instance, ran towards them with haste and with great agitation.

    "Don''t interfere you rabid fiends! This is their fight!" shouted Sarram with an infuriated tone. "Don''t come meddling here unless you want to fight me!"

    A crowd began to gather all around after hearing much shouting moments ago by Gantee. Princes and Princesses jumped everywhere to see what''s going on. Servants and professors stopped by to look at the commotion.

    "No uncle. We''re not here for your son!" Karus shouted with a disrespectful tone. "We''re just here for some entertainment is all!"

    "I believe you''re the one responsible for giving your boy a weapon in a bare fist challenge!?" Kayzar pointed to the hammer not far from them and the crowd began to whisper in disappointment. "I don''t know about you, but I believe there''s no HONOR in fighting a man without weapons. Wouldn''t you agree?" Kayzar sarcastically said with a hint of anger in his voice. "Or that''s just how you want to fight, dirty and sneaky? What would you say Karus?"

    "I believe our father wouldn''t agree on that either if he was here!" said Karus with a mocking tone while smiling, clicking his tongue adding insult to the ever furious Sarram. "We''ve been watching the moment it started and, I might say, I''m surprised you came at your lowest point that it''s now very hard to respect the warrior within you."

    "It''s just our way to ¨C even the odds," concluded Kayzar who is now clearly making fun of his uncle which he clearly noted. "I say round three? BOTH with weapons? What do you say?"

    Sarram couldn''t reply to what the brothers were saying. He just grunted and walked a few paces away.

    The crowd now just realized what''s happening and immediately figured the situation out. They didn''t have to be geniuses in order to arrive at the same conclusion that the prime bully of the Palace has figured out a way to get violent with Yosh. Some were looking at Sarram and his boy with great dismay ganging up on Yosh who''s bleeding and is practically just a child. Everyone knows he''s two years younger than Gantee, yet they have the nerve to actually harm a child even resorting to cheating just to have the upper hand.

    "Go on now!" Karus said with great confidence. "Finish this up quickly. Pick up your weapons so that we can see who''s better!"

    Yosh groggily picked up the knife Kayzar threw on the ground as Gantee hurried, practically running off, to pick up his. Gantee, now ashamed seeing a lot of disappointed eyes directly looking at him, shakily braced his hammer as he slowly moved towards Yosh. Yosh on the other hand, just smiled and limply walked towards him.

    "I''m giving you the chance to withdraw, cousin." he gently whispered showing no sign of malice whatsoever gripping the hilt of the dagger steadily with a perfect stance. "I can still hit you with this thing if that''s what you want. I just don''t want you to be embarrassed in front of everyone."

    Gantee perspired heavily as he saw countless men shouting and cheering Yosh, encouraging him to give the first blow. He''s very confused, frightened and humiliated now that he lost all his morale to continue fighting. He knows he can''t defeat Yosh, who is definitely younger than him, without any leverage on his part so he lowered his weapon and he murmured. "I¡­ uh¡­ ss¡­ surrndr¡­"

    The princes and princesses there booed in dismay as they left. Some of the younger ones wanted to see some action but all they got was a shameful surrender. The older ones, however, were thankful as they rushed towards Yosh, worried about the continuous dripping of blood in his lacerated arm. Sarram just gave the twins a sharp gaze before he left pulling the hapless Gantee. The twins reciprocated by giving a reply in a form of an insulting smirk, but they fear Sarram ignored their message. ~

    At the nurse station, after Yosh had been treated and they are free to talk amongst themselves, Karus started on his reprimand about Yosh''s actions and decisions that could''ve ended badly.

    "Seriously Yosh! You don''t think at all, do you?! We''ve told you a million times that you shouldn''t go after that idiotic feckless bully for vengeance. We all know he''s a wicked man. You should''ve avoided him beforehand to prevent this incident from ever happening!"

    Yosh put on a pouting angry face. How could he avoid such a big fat kid that''s been practically waiting for him in and around the halls? That fat kid must''ve walked his rounds on a strict basis to catch him there on purpose. He did walk away from Gantee at that time it''s just that he crossed the line and hurt Luna behind his back. It''s going to be Quagmire all over again if he didn''t do something about that.

    "He''s right Yosh. We''re here to train as father ordered," added Kayzar smiling. "We know you''ve been taking some heat from them. We all have. The only thing that we can do is just avoid them at all costs. You''re lucky some of the servants disturbed us sleeping, else you''ll be a jellyfish by now."

    "He''s right, it is a miracle that that''s all the damage you''ve taken. If that''s much worse, the Water Casters couldn''t have healed you in time for dinner. Then you''ll be stuck here eating what the doctor would''ve offered. You wouldn''t like that now, wouldn''t you?"

    Yosh began to have a frightened face. He wouldn''t want to stay at the Nurse station for the rest of the evening. He most certainly wouldn''t want to eat soup and bread considering that he just remembered he forgot to eat his lunch.

    "Not in a million years!" he replied as he smiled, returning to his self once more. He grabbed his articles then they rushed out of there racing to the dining room. They''ve forgotten to check the time because they''re preoccupied on the thought of getting him to a medic man.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Late again!?" said a cold voice of a woman not so old but not young either.

    The three changed their pace and walked inside of the royal dining room. The enormous room is covered in gold linings, marble walls, antique statues and a lot of sparkling silverwares. They marched swiftly along the extensive royal table as they head to the queen that''s been sitting at the head of the table. They bowed and pressed the back of her hand to their foreheads as they took turns one at a time. Then, they did this again to the other old ones sitting there: Their Uncle Sarram, his wife Zeba, and their Aunt Prodea. This is one of their customs that they call ''accepting one''s blessing'' or simply the term ''bless'' or sometimes called ''manu''. They do this every time they meet up with their older relatives. Bathala, the creator of life, blessed them by giving the sacred lands to their ancestors and it is said that the three chiefs, Nagozul, Yagisiv Haya, and Daomagar, did the bowing and the kissing of the hand of Bathala himself. It''s some sort of an act for the younger ones out of respect to their elders that they should ask for their blessing which they got from their parents rooting to the great leaders who asked for the blessing of Bathala.

    They sat together in a line with one seat away from Prodea. Their positions face the Sarram family directly on the other side with Gantee pouting and somewhat mocking them. They just ignored him and waited to be served.

    "Are you always late for dinner? I swear, you''re always like your father. He didn''t respect time and his elders too. Like father like son, I s''pose." Prodea lectured with the same cold voice almost giving a weak grin that looked like a mockery instead of a joke. "I arrived this afternoon and to my surprise, the four of you didn''t actually even think of showing up. Clearly, I was away for a long time and you didn''t even bother to welcome me on my arrival! Where is Reus anyway?"

    At that time, they thought, the twins were sleeping and Yosh was busy tending to Luna. Gantee wasn''t there too but they didn''t see them getting snappy at him.

    "Yes, yes!" added Sarram angrily with a mouth full of food trying to speak as clearly as he can. "I too have just arrived this afternoon coming from the Hishma when I saw that boy bullying my poor son at the training ground," he exclaimed forcefully pointing to Yosh shaking which gave the boy quite a surprise. "Just look at m''boy! He''s as pale as an Elven tree. And look at the bruises on his face. That''s the work of that madman!"

    The queen looked concerned and leaned to see Gantee''s injury. Gantee leaned forward to the table to let his grandmamma see his scratched pouting face looking as innocent as a lamb. He had three small scratches in his right cheeks that are looking purplish red.

    Yosh didn''t remember giving him any bruise at all. They immediately figured Sarram slapped his son in the face after the match forgetting to remove his metal gauntlets again, as usual.

    If bruises were to be included in the conversation, his was greater! He got a dislocated shoulder and a cut from the big hammer that Sarram gave to his son. Of course, they didn''t have any proof of any injury because they''ve already gone to the Nurse''s station. The medical Water Casters'' powers are to heal injuries to near perfection. They are so efficient that Yosh came out of there as if the whole event never happened leaving him without a scratch and as healthy as a water buffalo.

    "Grandmamma, I swear I didn''t do that! He challenged me to a gentlemen''s bare-fist fight, but he used his weapon¡­"

    "You did what!?" the queen shouted. Yosh smiled feeling somewhat relieved. "You hurt my poor Gantee! How dare you!".

    The three brother''s face began to show a confused face asking why the roles have been forcefully reversed by the situation.

    Prodea continued. "And at such a young age you''ve been a bully! Your father would be very disappointed. I will write to him about this first thing tomorrow!"

    "But I didn''t do that gran¡­" Yosh added now agitated, seeing that he''s now being blamed but before he could finish, he was rudely interrupted.

    Prodea snapped and harshly slapped him leaving a red mark of her fingers on his cheeks. "Don''t you dare interrupt her speaking! Don''t be rude! After all you''ve done, you dare to speak up to your elders at that tone! Shame on you!"

    "I think maybe it''s best that we''ve invited the other family to this dinner instead of them." murmured Zeba smiling which the three brothers heard but the others ignored.

    The twins became irritated and angry deep inside for what they are doing to their little brother. They would''ve talked back, angrily addressed the evidence on Gantee''s face considering that the scratches can easily be assumed to be from the claws of an iron gauntlet and not a fist, but they didn''t. They would''ve shouted at their Aunt Prodea for laying her hands on their brother, but they didn''t. They would''ve insulted Sarram calling him a disgrace referring himself a Grand prince even though he helped his son to cheat on a simple gentlemen''s fight, but they didn''t. They just sat there and ate the red meat that was served to them as they rattle on, insulting every fiber of their being. They were ordered by their father and mother to respect them with the utmost patience and civility. If it wasn''t for the love for their parents, they would''ve immediately done everything in their power to give back whatever insult that was given to them and then storm out of that dining room.

    ''Respect is much like growing trees; it''s planted on a good soil, tended patiently and carefully for a long time to earn its goodwill''. This rang on Karus''s thought as he ferociously cut the large slabs of meat that was served.

    "I sentence you not to go out within the Palace premises for a month!" the Queen finally ordered. "I think that ought to give you some time to think about what you did! Hurting someone is bad ¨C especially your cousin who doesn''t even gave you any harm!"

    Yosh just sat in his chair depressed almost not touching his food and this concerned the twins. They thought that they should''ve stayed at the Nurse''s station. A good warm soup with a hard piece of bread is better than a feast of insults with false accusations as their dessert.

    "Oh, forget about that!" the queen continued as the quickly left the topic which the brothers thanked ever happening. "I must know everything Prodea!"

    "Well, they all agreed and they''re going to arrive here after a couple of months, though I need to go to Bakunawa first thing in the morning to inform him."

    "Leaving so soon? Why don''t you stay for a couple of weeks? ''A couple of months is a very long time, right? You should probably rest here."

    "Nonsense, mother. I should depart tomorrow if I''m to guide them to get here. If I don''t, they''d be lost at sea forever and we wouldn''t want that now, would we?"

    "Oh ¨C no! No! Heaven forbids!"

    "So, Prodea ¨C" Sarram sneaked in. "Is it true that you''re gonna be bringing some tools to help the mining in Hisma?"

    "Why, yes brother. As a matter of fact, I''ll be bringing men to mine there to help you with your Daomagarian problem."

    "Ahaha! That''ll be great then! It''s about time! I''m very disappointed at those lazy incompetent scums digging the mine with their bare hands! Bwaah! I don''t care if it''s superstition or religion. I think they should use them proper tools to mine! At their rate of mining, I wouldn''t be king even for a thousand years."

    They all laugh especially Zeba with great hysterics. Zeba''s one of the greatest truckles there is at the Palace. Prodea and the Queen herself are not in favor of her being Sarram''s wife. She would do anything in her power to please them and gain their trust, even at the cost of losing her pride and dignity as a Daomagarian in doing so.

    Prodea and the Queen looks down on Daomagarians thinking that they are mere servants to do their whims. Zeba takes all the insults in a regular basis so she shifts it to Artemus and his wife, Anagea, just to have some rest. She spreads false rumors to them making him the culprit for the rage the Queen is now feeling towards the children.

    ''Daomagarians are proud people. They do not dig the earth containing God''s gems with human instruments because they regard the whole Hishma caves as a holy place like all of the Holy Lands.'' Karus thought deeply as he created some noise in cutting his meal getting all of their attention. ''They also farm with their hands; they till the soil with their hands, and they irrigate it with their hands. They are the best blacksmiths around so if they want to, they''ll build things to help themselves. They''re not stupid and they do this out of respect, not superstitions, unlike some people with royal blood who clearly doesn''t have any respect whatsoever thinking they are entitled by Bathala to insult people just because they are born with a silver spoon in their mouths.''

    "Hah ¨C the meat''s like a rock," Kayzar laughed smiling to everyone as he kicked Karus below the table giving him a signal to stop and just eat their dinner then leave. He knew what he was thinking. The two always think alike as if they can read each other''s minds.

    Their actions led to change the topic back to them.

    "You know twins, I''m VERY disappointed at you two," reprimanded the queen with great emphasis. "I''ve wasted much money on your tutors and all I hear was failure coming from your part. Why, when I was at my primary education, I easily aced all the exams, as also your aunt and your father."

    Karus''s ears rang wild hearing what she said making him smile forcefully directing his attention to her grand speech. She most certainly didn''t pay the tutors, and she most certainly don''t care about them at all, ever, so her being disappointed is as pointless as them being worried about what they think about them.

    "Those two were bone-heads, if you ask me!" said Sarram with a very distinct spiting tone obviously reeking of revenge for his humiliation earlier.

    Sarram flunked his primary education, thrice, as Kayzar remembered so he let it slip past him as he swallowed a chunk of meat without chewing it just to ease his irritation.

    "You know, in our days¡­" Prodea entered pausing to chew her last bites. "We don''t tolerate second best. But today, all I see is mediocre results ¨C especially with you two. Maybe that''s because your mother didn''t take the time to put the three of you through some form of discipline." She looked at Yosh with a very discerning gaze. "Now, you shouldn''t emulate what your brothers are doing. Their examples are making them unworthy of their titles. You should take your cousin''s example. Then maybe, just maybe, the chain of laziness and disrespect won''t reach your sister."

    The two brothers just took it all up, the reprimands and the insults. They just bowed their heads listening on one ear then letting it fly to the other. They don''t care what other people think about them and they don''t need to start now.

    "By the way," said Prodea with her usual tone. "I swear I told you Yosh to change your clothes. Those silly things do not befit any royalty."

    "Why, your aunt is right Yosh. Didn''t you like what I gave you?" asked the queen looking at Yosh.

    While Yosh weakly smiled and said that nothing''s wrong, he thought of the clothes that are carefully hidden in his room. The clothes ¨C which were called ''gifts'' ¨C were hardly a thing to wear at all. It''s utterly ugly and it''s highly inappropriate especially to a guy like him. Clearly his grandmother doesn''t have any fashion sense. It is to say that all of her gifts were full of ruffles, girders and ribbons that would turn a handsome prince into a beautiful princess in a single glance, just like what Gantee is proudly wearing.

    "You look like a Daomagarian Service Crew!" mocked Gantee with great stir trying to get back like his father. "You''re as filthy as those dumb animals you call friends!"

    "Better filthy than to be a fat pig like you¡­" murmured Yosh that Gantee heard. Gantee got stumped and angry at the same time because he can''t think of a come-back which is a usual scenario that brings a little smile to the brothers every time.

    "What''d you say boy!" engaged Sarram now changing his smiling face into an angry one.

    "Nothing."

    "That''s right! Nothing!"

    They all laugh at Yosh''s expense making him a fool at the dinner table. The twins saw how cruel their relatives are towards them ¨C the sons of Artemus, the rightful heir to the throne. The shame and humiliation that they bring everyday towards them are unbearable, but they have endured it to practically a point where they''ve grown to ignore it. Even the rumors that they spread towards other noble families are considered, to them, irrelevant but this has got to stop. They are preying like vultures on their brother who had done no harm to them whatsoever. Their inexplicable anger towards the brothers was very frustrating and maddening at best. Even the most patient Kayzar lost all nerves at that point causing him to stand up and walk away from that room. This created an almost everlasting silence at the dining table giving them quite a shock at the sight of it.

    "Well¡­" said Karus with a deep sigh while standing, tapping his brother Yosh who also wants to get away from their dreadful situation. "If you don''t mind, we''re going to excuse ourselves now. Thank you for making us very welcome at this lovely dinner" he wrapped his left arm to his brother''s left shoulder and marched out to the door.

    "Karus, Yosh¡­" the queen called with her old husky voice. The two brothers who were about to open the door stopped and turn to heed. "What''s the matter? Why''re you leaving? It''s just a little jest. You can handle a teeny jest, now can you?"

    "I''m sorry grandmamma, but this is something that we need to do." he grabbed the door and pushed Yosh ahead to go first which he did with great haste.

    "Hey! Don''t you walk away young brat!" shouted Sarram.

    "Let them go!" said Prodea while sipping her wine with a smile on her face. "It''s in their nature to be disrespectful, not only to their elders but to the food too ¨C which is by the way very tasty and lean."

    Karus heard the continuous cold mockery of his aunt while he walked away from the dinner room and silently pulled the door to a shut. The irritation that''s building within him wants to escape. In his growing rage, his Amplifyer glowed a bright green-to-almost-white light that looked like the sun peeping through the company of dark clouds radiating the whole hallway, lighting it as bright as day.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Kayzar was waiting for them sitting at the bottom of the Great Steps. It is the big wide stairs at the center connecting the main hallways and stairs to every wing and chamber of their maze-like Palace. Yosh is silent and isn''t saying anything as the two of them strode to where Kayzar is waiting.

    "What took you so long?" said Kayzar as he stood up from his comfortable position. "I thought you''d never get out of that dreadful place."

    They continued to walk upstairs and went on to the hallways passing left and right striding to the maze-like chambers of the Palace going to the South Wing where their quarters are located. After a while of silence, Kayzar broke the ice and talked.

    "You know, I don''t really get why they''re so angry at us." Karus looked at Kayzar taking the bait on the conversation while Yosh continued to walk on, silent as he still is.

    "That is because our father is the future King of Nagozul, that''s why. It''s that simple," he said shuddering with a simple smile.

    "True." said Kayzar, agreeing to his point. "Jealousy would cover most of it, but why us? I mean, father isn''t king yet¡­"

    "Yeah, yeah, because they don''t want him to rule that''s why!" said Karus cutting in. "That''s also why they created this elaborate childish game of the right to the kingdom. We talked about this last week, right?"

    "I know¡­ it''s just that we found out about this in rumors from the servants. Dad doesn''t talk that much, and I don''t really want to know that he got robbed from the throne by his own family in rumors. It''s just, I really wanted to talk about it more¡­" said Kayzar with a sigh. "Poor dad, I wish he wins in this stupid affair so that he could prove that their evil plans were for naught."

    "Hah!" shouted Karus that seems more like a sarcastic guffaw. "We''ve done the math, you and I. We know that he doesn''t stand a chance. This is an elaborate plan to make Uncle Sarram king."

    "That''s why, I said, I''m wishing for him to win."

    "Look at this," Karus said bracing to explain with enthusiasm and rage at the same time. "Sarram''s task is to manage economy in Nagozul. That''s it! The economy!"

    "Not much problem there. The money here is of no problem. I mean free trade is happening at the trading post with the Yagisivians and the Daomagarians, so it is practically easy," replied Kayzar.

    "Prodea''s job is to maintain agriculture and development of Nagozul. She''s into passing laws and such to maintain peace and order pertaining to the welfare of the citizens."

    "Yup! No problem there anymore. We got tons of laws and the citizens are happy about the way things ran."

    "And Dad is in charge of the military! Take a load of this! His task in this game is to control the savage beasts, escort merchants to the north, take care of the dark spirits of Karshivyk, find the fugitives they collectively call ''The Pusakal'', defeat the Pusakal, imprison the captured ''Pusakal'' and most importantly maintain safety, not only at the North but the whole of Nagozul! Do you think that''s fair!? No, I think NOT!"

    "I think you may have exaggerated a little bit¡­ And I think the Karshivyk spirits are a myth people tend to circulate to frighten kids nowadays."

    "Well even if I didn''t exaggerate, and even without the Karshivyk bit, that''s what he''s doing and that''s what he was expected to do. One wrong move and he receives a reprimand and a point reduction from the queen and those stupid brown-nosing seers.

    "Yeah you''re right¡­" said Kayzar with grief. "We all just have to wait and see."

    They reached the door to their room and opened it. They saw Yosh stop in his pace to his room and turned back to rush in their room, pushing them aside to enter first. They were dumbfounded at this spectacle seeing that he doesn''t do this with a much serious face. Usually, he''ll go in pushing their brothers aside when they were teasing one another or when they are doing a sort of racing game, but this isn''t it. Yosh went to the far corner of the room and sat arms curled to his feet.

    "Hey¡­ uhmn ¨C what''s wrong?" said Karus as he hurriedly entered to take a quick look at Yosh. He knew what was wrong but can''t find a thing to say.

    Yosh sat there, silent as he still is, and cried. Tears flowed in his cheeks like a river gushing out. Yosh is a very strong kid, they knew this. He wouldn''t cry in almost anything. Even if they''re ganging up at him at the Training Ground; Even if they''ve left him all alone at the Plains in the middle of the night to give him a fright; they even thought he won''t cry even if he lost all his limbs and is at the face of certain death. He would still be laughing and mocking death as he turns to his judgment. They saw a different Yosh, a lost and frightened Yosh. After what went on at the dinner table, nothing can blame him for being this miserable. After all, he''s just eleven and he''s still a child.

    Karus cleared his throat giving signal to Kayzar who he thought is good at this kind of situations. Kayzar then noted this and found his way near Yosh''s.

    "Um¡­ You know, our father wouldn''t like it if we''re to tell him that the Mighty King Yosh cried at our room like a little lady, now wouldn''t he?" Yosh looked at them and further embraced his legs with much anger and cried much harder. Karus slapped Kayzar angrily as they talked with their silent mouths and argued as to why he came up with that gloomy thing ¨C especially when Yosh values their father''s opinion to him far greater than anyone alive.

    Kayzar sat beside Yosh and continued. "Y''know, sometimes it''s alright to cry. Let it all out." He embraced Yosh and gave a confused look at Karus who''s very much approving his methods with him giving his thumbs up and smiling wide. Yosh embraced his brother sobbing much harder now.

    The two couldn''t help but feel sorry for him. They gained enough wisdom to make themselves think beyond their age, focusing on their intensive studies. Because of this, their new rational mind tends to give them a hard time in relating and dealing with these social and emotional situations.

    Being twins, they can only fathom an inkling of what he was going through. It surely is hard for them both, being stuck at the mess they are in because of the jealousy and the hatred of their blood relatives, so relating this and putting themselves in Yosh''s shoes really gives them a gloomy feeling.

    With him being alone, compartmentalizing all of his emotions, they feel as though they are responsible for his tormented state. They figured that they never learned to console him with what he was feeling, or to just check up what he''s been thinking deep inside. All of their attention is focused on their improvement and, because of their assumption of him being a jolly person that he is, they totally forgot about his emotional state.

    Chills began to envelop them both as they realized that they have to adapt to endure feeling like what they feel for there will be more sadness to come. They have learned to tolerate the humiliation they''ve been receiving from their relatives but that''s because they have each other being twins. If they consider themselves emotionally strong being able to handle the daily stresses that they have to suffer that means that Yosh is built twice of what they are in that state. They are now witnessing the unraveling of the other side of Yosh, the sad kid removing all of his masks that he built for years, the little child alone in the wilderness shouting for help.

    They have seen Yosh talk to his pets he regards as ''family'' more frequently than ever before. No one his age would want to talk to him, much as went close to him, anymore because of the deceitful rumors that their very own relatives spread around. Living in the Palace has done so much pain and suffering to them, specifically at Yosh''s mental and social wellbeing. They just realized that they would relay this type of information to their parents when they meet up with them at the north. Maybe for this, they wouldn''t be left there anymore and that would definitely guarantee their stay at the North. By then, they hoped, this whole thing will normalize to a point that it would be forgotten so they can get back to being kids again.

 7 NAGOZUL

    A loud bang echoed from the deafening slam of the door to the wall. "Wake up sleepyheads!"

    "Wha...? What''s wrong..." groaned Karus while grabbing his pillow to smother the noise, trying to return to fantasy world that he was so abruptly disturbed, seeing that the one waking them was Yosh. "The sun''s not up yet! Go bother Luna and Stella!"

    "Don''t you have anything better to do than this, you''re ruining our sleep," added Kayzar annoyed as he is because of Yosh''s shouting.

    Yosh did not stop there. He banged the walls while simultaneously hitting the metal poles of the bed creating a screeching gnashing irritating noise that is so disturbing, anyone sleeping, even with a higher threshold for annoyance, would turn fiery red practically running amok.

    "HEY HEY!" shouted Karus angrier than before. "You''re the one with the melodramatic experience last night, remember? You''re the one that kept us sleeping late! We haven''t had a decent sleep for about a week..."

    "Well guys, I hate to break this to you, but I have my exams today and I really need your help."

    Karus groggily sat up aggravated by his wake-up calls and immediately remembered that Yosh is due to take the exams this noon. They thought that if he doesn''t pass the examinations then he won''t be able to join them at the end of the week to the Northern Encampment and that gave them enough will to escape the wonderful fantasy world they''re tethered in. They didn''t plan to leave him behind and they most certainly didn''t want to stay behind themselves to care for him either.

    "Okay okay, so what subjects do you have this year..." groaned Karus scratching his head with much frustration.

    "Let''s see... I know about fusions so that eliminates that."

    "Great, one less thing to worry about..." sighed Kayzar who''s about to stand up and fix his side of the bed.

    "Nagozulian Geography - Royal Duties... and I can''t remember the last one - it seems to have eluded me almost every time."

    "Lemme guess... Tactical Maneuvers in Combat applying Elements?"

    "Right! Wait - how''d you know?"

    "Same old Yosh!" said Kayzar with much smile. "You don''t participate in lectures, right? Not even tried to scribble the subject titles of your courses."

    "At least I''m not pretending that I don''t know anything unlike you two who keep on flunking the exams on purpose. With your skills you should be on your way to finishing school early and taking your great quests on other lands." said Yosh giving a come-back at them. "Why''re you doing that on purpose? I mean - you practically memorized the books at the library, you even perfected level two wind Magicks at this age. You two could''ve been sages and seers at a very young age. You ought to be like the chosen ones or something. Or even the ''genius twins'' or some designated mythical name of sorts," he cajoled with much eccentric performance wanting to be on their good side.

    "Well we knew about this rumored prophecy -"

    "Alon." said Kayzar interrupting Karus with his speech.

    Karus looked at Kayzar with much squinting of the eyes and with a little movement from his hands and fingers looking as though they''re conversing with each other using their minds. Yosh and Reus found out that the two of them, while always being together, created some sort of language that only they know. This, sometimes, irritate Yosh for he wants to be included in the conversation at all times, especially when it''s a secret. They are using words that aren''t included in their language that others cannot interpret. This is so well thought through that anything they say or do creates an impression, to other people, that the twins both have this magical power enabling them to talk with their minds but in reality, they''re just thinking in the same pace.

    Karus stuttered as he goes on about with his words trying to divert the attention that he got from Yosh. "S-So... uh- So where do we begin?"

    Yosh was annoyed with Karus'' shift of behavior. He is dumbfounded as to why Kayzar came snapping like that to Karus making them jump, once again, to their magical world but he let it go because he needed to hurry up. "Okay so first off, I want to know the Nagozulian Geography. Royal Duties is boring and the other one, which I forgot again, clearly is hard stuff."

    The twins got inside their washroom then went to the wardrobe room to prepare themselves for an eventful day ahead of them. After a few minutes they came out with their cool royal robes giving them a prince-worthy handsome look. They were wearing a silk robe lined with gold with the royal crest at the middle. Karus was wearing red while Kayzar green. They have this coat that looks like a mesh of shining vines but when looked closely it was embroidered with different molded precious metals and gemstones.

    "Wow! Now that''s a royal robe!" said Yosh with much excitement to see them as he examined the whole thing with them twirling around, rotating to boast the new made clothing they just acquired. "Hmn... Not too shabby, not much ruffles. Even if it''s a robe, it clearly brings the man in you."

    "Why thank you." said Kayzar. "I designed them myself. We got tired of wearing the same boring uniform, so we considered on doing something not familiar."

    "Tch... Well if you''re the one who did that, you might as well be ready for something terrible."

    "Why''s that?" asked Karus.

    "Aunt Prodea would be onto you," laughed--- Yosh followed by a boisterous guffaw leaving the brothers laughing as the result. "She''ll say you''ve murdered fashion!"

    "We don''t care if they don''t like this radical idea of a robe." said Kayzar. "Illyriah helped us in making them so I guess if she said that it''s okay then its fine enough for us."

    "Yup, we made this not for their satisfaction but for our own." Karus firmly stated as he walked with a gentlemen-like manner to the door. "After you your highness." He stared to Yosh slightly bowing mimicking the servant''s voice and movements.

    "Why thank you." he replied as they all snickered heading outside, striding to the Palace Kitchen to grab something to eat for breakfast.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Ei'' kids, wotcha doin'' up so early t''day," greeted the tall, wide, muscular, cook at the kitchen to the three brothers that had just arrived at the scene. He has a big round button nose that really stands out. His eyes are as round and as small as the peas but as black as charcoal. He always has this short trimmed black hair that is decently fixed making him clean and proper. He also has hairy arms that are big and strong with its stubby fingers but very flexible and adept in handling knives. He talks funny because he got his tongue cut short accidentally back when he''s a kid, but they understand him clearly.

    "Shut up Kudos! Do not address them as such!" demanded a young servant woman slapping him on the head with a large wooden cooking spoon. She has a small thin physique but what she lacks in her physical appearance, she puts up with her brimming confidence and fearsome display of aggressiveness. She has a long hair all folded and strapped on top of her head. She has this wonderful smile that can brighten a room but her angry face just really offsets the balance making her frightening in a way.

    "Nah, it''s alright Madj we don''t mind." Yosh hurriedly said while racing to the table near the two cooks trying to grab some grapes.

    "Yes, it''s ''olright Madj ''dey don''t mind." mocked Kudos as he slightly tapped Madj''s forehead with the handle of the metal ladle he''s been using.

    "Why is it that I always find you two fighting over something different every day?" said Karus after helping himself with a large serving of bread that he struggled to grab from Yosh that''s keeping it to himself.

    "Well, my brother is always such an as..."

    "''Ei ''ei ''ei! Watch ''yer language ''der now young lady!"

    They snickered for a little while as the two made some silent facial gestures as if fighting with only their faces. No one ever wins really. They just stop when they get tired which makes it the highlight of their meal every morning. ''A breakfast with a show'' they would say as they would laugh together. That would stop their childish behaviors for a little while but will then be repeated after a few short minutes.

    Kudos and Madj were once the greatest dagger wielding masters - at least that''s what they know about them while observing their skill in handling sharp blades - but they end up at the kitchen for some apparent reason that they dare not share to anyone. The brothers thought that they were fugitives on the run but it''s just some rumors that they indulge to talk about and share with when spending time with the two cooks. This idea would make them end up crying in laughter as this usually starts their conversations. They are the basic masters of Karus and Kayzar in the field of daggers and knives. They taught them so effectively that when Yosh found it out a couple of years ago, he enlisted together with Reus and they too learned the secrets of dagger wielding. This earned their spot to the list of people that the brothers trust and treats as family in the Palace - which is a little hard to land on considering their natural avoidance to the people living there.

    "So - ''wat ''r ''d four broder''s up to? Huh?" smiled Kudos as he chops some green vegetables after their long face fight.

    "Well you wouldn''t believe this, but I did a tertiary skill called Quake! Without adult supervision mind you," exclaimed Yosh bragging about what he did at the training ground.

    "Whoa, you did what?!" shouted Madj dropping her wooden spoon on the ground and went near the table where they were eating. "No way! That''s illegal right? That''s so cool!" she said with much enthusiasm.

    "Don''t tell this to anyone -" whispered Kayzar while leaning forward. "We, Karus and I, did a secondary level Howl there too. A skill that no one at our age has done!"

    "Hahahaha! I told ''ya! ''Ya guys were gonna be great someday! ''Ya''re two steps away to do ''da ultimate one. I believe ''dat ''yer ''gonna fly ''dat skills like nuttin''."

    "But check this," continued Karus excited as he is. "Our brother, Kuya-Reus, he did a big ultimate level skill that no one''s ever known of. Even we didn''t know about it."

    Silence ensued at the room till Madj broke the ice. "So - uhm - what''s the skill about?" she curiously asked with much anticipation.

    "We''ll just gonna have to talk to you again some other time about that," said Yosh as he pulled the brothers away.

    "Wait, what?" curiously asked Karus while drinking his glass of nectar in a cup and pulling his arm back retreating from Yosh''s tug. "I''m not done eating yet."

    "Yes, yes. C''mon Yosh," persuaded Kudos with much excitement focusing all his attention to Karus as he dropped everything that he was doing and listened to what Karus was stating. ''''he''s talkin'' ''bout sumtin'' big! I wanna know sumtin'' BIG!"

    "Some other time Kudos, some other time," smiled Kayzar as he grabbed the back of Karus'' robe and pulled hard looking as if he''s dragging him outside.

    "See yah later!" ended Karus as they stride off to an almost running state. "Oh, and by the way, we''re ''gonna take our dinner at your kitchen later this evening." Then they disappeared banging the doors of the kitchen.

    "''Wat dinner?" shrugged Kudos while looking at her sister who''s puzzled with them as he is.

    "Must''ve been because something happened last night maybe?" Madj frowned feeling sad for them.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "So, where do we start on the map?" initiated Karus who practically got a perfect score at his geography class when he was at Yosh''s age, that is before they started flunking their grade score deliberately.

    "Let''s start with the graph, first shall we?" commanded Yosh tapping their shoulder before running straight away leaving the two behind.

    "Oh right," they figured as they followed him with haste to the Great Steps.

    You cannot teach Geography without a map, they thought. So, they have to find a map first before the lecture.

    They passed different halls and different people never stopping for something or someone. Even Princess Illyriah, who''s wandering about in the halls, was ignored as they gave their good morning greetings and swiftly raced to the Great Steps.

    "Yosh! Don''t ever do that again," glared Kayzar as they arrived at the scene finding him there sitting at floor, looking at the big map in front of him like he''s been waiting there for minutes.

    "What did I do?"

    "The Great Dash?" Karus pointed-out. "You know that we only do that in private, right? If someone finds out that we''ve been learning Daomagarian techniques and doing it well, they will begin to investigate and that would lead to us being reprimanded, again!"

    "Oh, right. Oh, to impierno with them. We''re going to get out of this stupid Palace after a week. After that, there''ll be no reprimands for me."

    "Just don''t do that again," flared Kayzar as he pulled Yosh''s ear to stand up.

    "Okay, ''kay. Ow! So, what now? "

    They stood at the first landing at the Great Steps. There is an accurate Map of the whole Nagozulian territory standing framed in the wall about thirty feet high starting from the base of the floor of the first landing of the steps to the edge of the ceiling. The frame that encloses the Map is made up of Gold handcrafted designs with Silver linings embedded with different jewels all around making all edges bright as they reflect the sunlight peeking out from the windows directly at the other side.

    It is a marvelous piece of art, the map. It was created by the famous immortal blacksmith Dal''Gur who is also a cartographer. He used different kinds of materials to make it look like a fine piece of art that would resemble the exact terrain and landmarks of the island looking as though a person standing there scrutinizing the whole expense of the land is a high-flying hawk looking down below, witnessing the grandeur of the whole of Nagozul. There are embossed parts that state names of the landmarks and territories of the lands. Amazing intricate drawings and marks were found in almost everything giving much detail on every part however small they may be.

    "Okay let''s start from this, the south." said Karus looking as excited as he is trying to grasp every bit of information he knew and summarizing it to a short lecture. "At the very south you can see the Black Hills, now called Hills of Ugan which is typically unfair."

    "Just stick to the lecture Karus," cut Kayzar interrupting his mumblings. "Don''t share your opinions."

    "Right, right. So anyhow, the hills of Ugan were ''granted'' to ''General Ugan'' for his brown-nosing act..." Kayzar looks at him sharply with a little smirk in his face that Karus noted. "...his - uh - great ''contributions'' to Nagozul. That is where your favorite cousin trains. They also train the military there first before they went up north to the northern encampment..." he stepped backwards and pulled Yosh to his location then pointed the northern part of the map that has a big mountain image on it. "...the Mt. Liwanag, the tallest mountain ever listed here at the Holy Lands. They harvest valuable mushrooms and herbs there. It is said that at the top of that you can see Yagisiv Haya directly from there." He waved his hands around for Yosh to see the image surrounding Mt. Liwanag. "Surrounding the mountain is a mountain range called Lakas Mountain range. Further west of that mountain range is where Dal''Gur lives with his smithy. The mountain range offers valuable marble stones and some rare herbs for the merchants to collect and sell. It is also rumored that the fugitives were hiding there. Below the mountain range of the north there is a jungle called the Jungle of Narra -"

    "Ohh... Like our grandfather Narra?"

    "Yes, but he got that name from the famous Narra who rounded up the entire mythical beasts and sent them there."

    "Wait a minute, the beasts like Grog the Demon Wolf?"

    "Yes, why?"

    "But we''re going to take the Kulog Pass this week to go to the North right?"

    "Oh yes, the Kulog Pass is due to the east of the mountain range connecting a road to the Palace and the road to the north. It is the only known passable roadway to the northern regions of Nagozul. It''s always raining there and, very frequently, it rains lightning bolts. That''s why they call it Kulog Pass. Kulog is thunder in the old tongue." Karus anticipated Yosh''s next question and continued. "Yes, Kulog Pass directly connects to the Jungle and before you reach the North you''ve got to pass it, unless you want to circle around and climb the mountain range which proved to be very difficult and highly perilous - though there''s a secret pass that Daomagarians frequently traverse to get to the other side, a steep rocky path that''s almost only a foot wide, It''s not for Nagozulians and, still, it''s very very dangerous."

    Yosh''s face began to turn purple as the only thing that frightens him is Grog which his father always tells him to be dangerous. He said that this Grog eats children at night, children that doesn''t really follow their parent''s orders and doesn''t do their chores on time. The other three older brothers found out in their early years that this was just a thing to frighten them and to straighten them out but Yosh was very convinced it was true seeing that he very much believe in spirits and monsters up till now.

    "Below that road to Kulog Pass lies the road to the Palace which is there -" Karus pointed out at south of the mountain range at the center of the map. "That is where we are right now. We are at the center of Nagozul."

    "Technically it''s not a center," interrupted by Kayzar who walked near them. "it is at - uh - between the center of the left side and the center center which puts it somewhere left but not that left, if you know what that means."

    "No use of measurement here, Kayzar, thank you. Uh - it''s mostly center so you should probably say it''s the center. It''s just semantics."

    "No, if you measure them in length..."

    "Guys?" pushed Yosh who seems to be eager to get out of the topic of what''s center and what''s not.

    "Okay, Okay. We''ll just put it in the center," Kayzar yielded smiling as he stepped back and let Karus continue.

    "Ehem... going west from the Palace stands a very dense white forest called the Forest of Kyrin. This is where the remaining Elves dwell..."

    "Oh c''mon, you still believe that the Elves are real." said Yosh disagreeing with what Karus is stating.

    "Oh, so you believe Grog to be a giant monster wolf that eats children, but you don''t believe the Elves? The Elves that are clearly stated in some of the remaining history books that were burned at the great Elven rebellion? Elves that created those Elven Arrows that we just used last time?"

    "Elves are fantasy characters created by poorly trained archers to be their role models. Just get back on point please."

    "Hah, getting bossy now, are we? So again, the Forest of Kyrin is where the Elven trees are located. They use the trees there to create strong wooden posts. It is said that some fugitives live there and people who harvest trees from there are heard to disappear and have never returned ever since. So, they harvest trunks near the clearing to ensure their lives. Since then, Elven trees are practically a rare commodity because of its strength and durability plus the fact that it''s very hard to cut and harvest. It takes them months to cut down one that''s why they can only harvest, at the most, one Elven trunk a year which is kind of..."

    "ehem..." interrupted Kayzar.

    "Right - Moving on, below the Palace is the Nilad Plains where we always train. It has its forest parts but most of the area is flat where shrubs of Nilad are abundant that''s why they called it so. This is where they plant saplings of things like vegetables, fruits, wheat, corn, rice and everything. They also let the animals graze there for months before the rainy season." he gave time to pause for a moment to think and look at the map again to see what he left out. "uh - what did I miss... Oh! There, going further east from the Nilad Plains is the Hishma Caves. It stretches out further to the shores on the eastern side. It''s a long hillside full of gems inside the caves. There, they harvest the materials needed for Nagozulian Elemental Fusions called the Amplifyers which I think Old Juni had covered. They also mine there for gold, silver, copper, and other ornamental stones like jades, marbles and the likes."

    "What''s with that snake-like sea monster doing there at the western shores?" said Yosh pointing far left at the map to a shore at the north of the Forest of Kyrin.

    Karus just snickered for a couple of seconds. "I almost forgot about that. So sorry, that''s the shrine of Bakunawa. He''s the boat master here at the Holy Lands. He mostly controls the currents of the sea that envelops the three islands."

    "Oh, so he''s the one we''re going to meet if we''re to go outside the islands, right?"

    "Oh, yes he is. He practically protects us from being found by other people outside. He also has a mythical monster that he can command that looks like that drawing."

    "A big snake sea monster?"

    "Yes, but it''s more of a water dragon really than a sea monster. I haven''t seen it, so I only learned about it through books and rumors. What I do know is that he unleashes that hundred-foot beast called the Nanreben when people outside try to come near our lands. I think the monster destroys anything getting close to us. Not that he''s bad or anything, I think he''s just doing his job."

    "Bakunawa is also one of the three immortals that live to see the Holy Lands protected and safe," added Kayzar.

    "Yes. Bakunawa of the Yagisiv Haya, Dal''Gur of Daomagar, and Karus of Nagozul. They are the three immortals protecting the Holy Lands. Though Karus, Son of Nagozul, is still missing. Nobody has accounted him since the Elven Rebellion. Nobody knows where he is or if he is still alive."

    "Creepy..."

    "All in all, that''s the Great Nagozul divided into different main landmarks. I think that should cover your exams." he stopped to wait for what Yosh might ask because of his puzzled face.

    "Wait! What''s that smudged thing at the far north east. It looked like it had been torn of and painted in black ink or something." said Yosh while squinting to focus what''s there at the topmost right of the map.

    "That - oh. We - uh - can''t tell you about that. It is forbidden to even know that location," quickly said Kayzar interrupting Karus, as he is about to explain it. "It is forbidden to enter there too, not that you can. It''s all desert for miles before you reach the shores of the north-east. Some say beasts of malevolent nature reside there. Many attempted to uncover those regions, but none has returned to tell the tale."

    "Why? Why d''you know that if it''s forbidden?"

    "Well, we read books - and stuff." bragged Karus with an obvious hint of concealing something.

    Kayzar pushed Yosh leading them downstairs to completely block him for further asking. "Come on, you''re in a hurry right. If you wanna know that you must have a perfect score on your exams. If then - well, we''ll think of something."

    "Hey, no fair! When did ''ya keep secrets to me like that?"

    "Uhm - since you''ve uttered every secret, we''ve told you." said Karus snickering behind as they all went down together to the library for the other two reviews.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Somewhere in the far eastern empire of Leonus, the Emperor Balthazar and his fateful servants all gathered again in a Palace and were given their instructions in their part for their unexpected affair. They were all arguing about who''s going to oversee their plan there and who''s going to stay put at their empire to defend their lands against their nomad enemy: the Gnarshu. With all the pressure that''s been bothering them, and the threat to their safety and security, they all want to be a part of the plan. They want to escape with their families to a place where they will be treated with a lot of respect and live a worry-free life away from the risk of danger, violence, and responsibility; a land which they all thought to be like paradise.

    The noble lines at that empire grew afraid of the massive army build-up by the Gnarshu and every single one wants out, especially the ones that have lands stationed near the enemy lines. The heated debate about the chosen Duke, that will have an oversight to their empire''s interest, has been very humiliating if one is watching as an observer without having any interest for the matter. They have been pulling each other down and bringing up memories to prove who is trustworthy and who is not; who is loyal and who is not; who deserves to be it and who is not, except one Duke Tabarius Wolfe who sits beside the Emperor quiet as he is, snickering at the sight of it.

    "Silence!" shouted the Emperor Balthazar sounding very frustrated. "You look like children bickering. This is not a sugar drop to be given to the child who behaves most! This is a task! A task that someone should responsibly do even without my supervision and instructions! And if by chance that this someone fails to do what I want him to do, then he''ll make me the worst man in the empire. That would make me do horrible things; horrible things that I assure every one of you might not want to see or experience!"

    Silence engulfed the room with some of the younger nobles still whispering and stating their arguments in mumbles.

    "I have chosen the man suited to the job beforehand if you should know!" declared the Emperor filled with anger in his voice. "Tabarius!" he shouted as he waved his hands to his location and now standing, surprising them all. "He will be the one to be there. Duke Rumilo will protect his estate while he''s gone." He suddenly paused and held his forehead in pain. "This session is over - ach - go over the details that I told you earlier and do your part to the empire or so help me, I''ll -"

    He abruptly was put on hold in his threats as he began to sit down shaking bringing the people around the table to gasp a loud upheaval and worry. The crowd was shocked at the Emperor''s condition that the room instantly became silent and everyone just dropped anything that they were discussing in respect to what was revealed to them. Tabarius, being the most loyal and Of course, being his first cousin, grew very troubled and immediately pulled and supported the Emperor at the shoulders to carry him outside. The crowd just stayed there, quiet as they are still, watching them till they pass the door to exit.

    "What happened?" said a man outside the room who is waiting for Tabarius. He was surprised seeing him carrying the Emperor with guards all around.

    "Come on Caden, help me," pleaded Tabarius as he limply guides the aching Emperor towards the halls to the royal chambers.

    "His eminence, is in trouble? What happened?"

    "Nothing, nothing."

    They reached the Emperor''s chamber with the help of some guards and the servants. Tabarius was saddened as he stood there watching his Emperor in excruciating pain, vomiting as if he''s going to hurl his innards while the servants hurriedly gathered and took great care of him. They were escorted to leave outside the chamber then the guards stood outside stationing at the huge twin-leaved metal doors, never to open it again till the Emperor commanded it so.

    Eryk Caden Shade is an Earl in Tabarius'' territory. He''s the closest friend of Tabarius next to the Emperor. Even he, the man whom Tabarius shares all his secrets to, doesn''t know about the Emperor''s condition. Seeing as he saw this for the first time, he immediately fell into a deep silent trance without giving so much as a cough while they walk in the hallways of the Palace where they were meeting until he has accumulated enough courage needed to ask about it.

    "So, care to share an insight regarding that incident?"

    "You know I can''t tell you anything about the Emperor? It''s our loyal oath to the flag to keep this a secret."

    "Right... so what can you tell me? Ah! Anything good at the meeting?"

    "Hah, good is overrated. You know I can''t tell you about the meeting too but what I can tell you is that the Emperor has finally chosen the one who will oversee the empire''s interest at the Holy Lands! Do you want perhaps take a guess on who?"

    "Oh! Please don''t tease me. Who then?" he asked with his eyes widening by the second until figuring out grinning, "YOU!?"

    He smirked finally admitting. "Yes! Ultimately, I was chosen to be the one, being the person who doesn''t want the job. They were all whining, bickering to get the position because they all wanted to go and abandon their posts here."

    "Cowards, they just don''t want to defend our lands."

    "Well, if you think that I wanted to be assigned there you''re wrong. Last thing that I need is the empire''s demise while I''m gone. With all the generals and nobles here cowering at the sight of those ghastly Gnarshu, it''s only a matter of time before our dear empire falls into ruins."

    "Careful now, you sounded like a traitor there?" he joked.

    "You know what I mean. I want to stay here and fight. If not for our Emperor''s decision, I would''ve ridden to Farindhal to deal with the crisis there. It''s just that the Emperor told me that if he can''t find a suitable candidate to go there, then he''ll have no choice but to appoint me instead."

    "Well that''s sort of a good thing for you, right? You have two beautiful daughters to take care of too. You should take them away from this chaos. You know that''s the best thing for them after the incident."

    Tabarius stopped and looked up above as if stopping those teary eyes from appearing. He then resumed walking after a couple of seconds heaving a lung full of air, returning his mind on point. "Maybe, you''re right," he whispered trying to ignore the bitter history his mind is flashing around in his head that has been seen reflected in his sad eyes, "Maybe it is so and maybe this is God saying that they deserve to be in paradise."

    They walked in silence for a few seconds after touching a very difficult topic until Tabarius broke the ice all cheered up changing the sour atmosphere they accidentally stumbled upon.

    "Now, I will not go there if you''re not going."

    "Come again?"

    "I''m inviting you to be with me, I need a hand there at the enemy lines, someone to watch my back when I''m around dealing with the natives. You know I need to be careful there and I need someone I can trust, just in case things go wrong."

    "Hmmnn... that''s a very interesting proposal. Though, I really need to start rallying the troops to counter the massive force that the Gnarshu will launch at the eastern borders."

    "C''mon! I''ll be out there alone for the picking. I just want someone by my side that I can trust and to talk to. I know it''s boring, administrative and tactical planning, but I am confident that things will go smoothly with my right hand with me. What say you?"

    "But the Gnarshu?"

    "Someone will do that in our stead. And besides, I already asked the Emperor about this and he agreed."

    "Really?"

    "Come on! It''ll just be like old days!"

    "Just like old days, huh?"

    "Yes, just like old days."

 8 The SHRINE of BAKUNAWA

    The misty cool breeze blew intermittently, bringing forth the cold salty ocean smell of the western shores as the sunlight started to engulf the horizon of Nagozul. The travelling group, heading northwest from the Palace, started to blush as soon as the dawn light touched their cheeks with the refreshing wind extinguishing the heat that the morning sun brings. They all travelled by foot - all six of them. They were led by the beautiful Grand Princess Prodea with her cohort of loyal followers following at the back - three handmaidens led by Zeba and two sword-bearing Daomagarians who are known to be her loyal bodyguards. They tread without stopping and they continued to march on as quickly and as silently as possible. They wore hoods to conceal their eyes that would mystify any suspecting individuals they passed by on the roads, only privy to witness their silent serious mouths.

    No one dared to bother them in their fast pace. People passing around the streets to the northwestern shores stopped and backed away to the side roads as the intimidating party was seen in plain sight. Anyone can immediately identify the Grand Princess of Nagozul, with her glamorous red silk gown together paired with her expensive hand-made gem-embroidered cloak.

    It is a known fact that this princess exudes arrogance unlike any other known Nagozulian Royalty that ever lived. Anyone who disturbs their strides would be forcefully thrown to the sides by her huge Daomagarian guards without hesitation - and they knew this by experience remembering her latest victim who is a Daomagarian peddler new to the area. No one in their right mind would want to experience that kind of embarrassment so everyone committed this idea to memory, steering clear from their paths, staying on the side roads avoiding any chance of encounter as if fearing for a frightful stampede.

    It took the ever-swift party five hours to arrive at their destination - the Shrine of Bakunawa. The sun is now shining directly on top of them burning with its hot bright glow. From the road they were in, they can see the shrine that stands along the coastline to the sea known to commoners as the Docks of the Holy Lands - the only access point to the foreign lands.

    A dome lay prominently at the base with a thousand-year old paint almost eaten away by time, revealing a charcoal cement finish with portions of revealing bricks on the sides. You can quickly asses its ancient heritage by just looking at its grayish foundations layered with moss and vines. It has a spire stretching through the center of the dome scaling hundreds of feet high. The topmost chamber of this spire is where the guardian Bakunawa is said to reside, ever so watchful of the sea. The field all around the shrine is filled with long sharp grass that stretched far as the eye can see. The road leading to the shrine is the only thing visible at the grounds. Huge debris of shattered moss-infested stone monuments lay waste indicating a destructive battle that happened generations ago - a history well forgotten by many.

    The place is no longer maintained by the Nagozulian people - and no one even tried to attempt to do so. No one goes near the fields before the shrine fearing for the reclusive Guardian''s curse upon its fields.

    The party finally stopped at the fields directly in front of the gates to the grounds of the shrine. It is a well-known fact that only a Prince or Princess of Nagozul are expected to take on a quest for their rite of passage to the other lands so commoners are not expected to show themselves at the lot, much so to enter the shrine and witness the fabled immortal Bakunawa.

    "Zeba, tell the men to wait here for me," ordered Prodea as she removed her cloak revealing her angelic face to the sun. "Stand firm on this point and whatever you hear do not follow me." The three Amplifyers at her forehead began to glow that the light radiating from her red, green, and blue gems began to mix different hues creating an astonishing beam of colors.

    "But your highness?" interrupted Zeba throwing her hood at the back to reveal her face to Prodea. Her long wavy black hair manages to follow the wind that is blowing from the sea. "Can you let me come with? I wanted to see Bakunawa too."

    Prodea''s face began to ooze a hint of irritation as Zeba pursued droning, stating her case. She persisted further touching her left arm to get her attention, disrupting her concentration, which annoyed her even further. Prodea gently shoved her hands to be free of her hold forcing a smile yet revealing a serious eye.

    "...I mean, I haven''t heard his voice," Zeba followed enthusiastically continuing on with her blather, "let alone his face. He is one of the three legendary immortals."

    "Hush," she interjected. "Do you not tire to reveal what an INCOMPETENT FOOL you are?! Honestly, Zeba, are insults not enough? The mockery? Every time? Do you have the need to collect it every single day!?"

    Zeba was taken aback, slowly losing her smile.

    "Do you know what happens to people entering his territory, hmm?!" Prodea continued.

    "Uh - No? Your highness?"

    Prodea pressed her fingers at her forehead with a sharp sigh clearly suggesting a headache building up because of her disappointment with Zeba''s inept knowledge about Bakunawa''s shrine.

    "Karr?!" yelled Prodea to call on the huge guard behind them carrying a big broadsword on his back as long as he is.

    "Yes, your excellence?"

    "You have finished your primary education, correct?"

    "Yes, your highness," he snappily replied.

    "And is your training, above par? Or just average in quality?"

    "I am not a scholar, your excellence, so my history is not as good as those provided at the Royal Academy thus, I am to conclude that my lecture on this topic is only of an average quality."

    "So, one might suppose, everyone knows what you know? In a sense..."

    "Y-yes, your highness, but..." He hesitated in answering, pitying Zeba as Prodea made him an instrument of her insult.

    "Would you please humor us and tell us what happens if I bring you all inside Bakunawa''s domain?"

    "We will be burned immediately upon entering the premises, your highness. We will not die for about a day, but we will be entangled on the grounds, being slowly burned until sunset. The Magicks inside will prevent people from dying, sustaining the body while it burns all throughout. The skin and flesh will melt till it drip from the bone and the curse will let you experience this nightmare till the sun is not visible in the sky. It is almost noon so it will be an excruciating torture if we were to enter this very minute."

    Prodea gave a stern look to Zeba - eyes wide with much smugness while Zeba carried a shocking reaction with her face.

    "And why is that so?" Prodea continued to prod, now almost gloating.

    "The Shrine of Bakunawa is layered with powerful Magicks made by Bakunawa that only recognizes the blood of the Nagozulian lineage. It acts to defend the only opening to the foreign realm from any malicious creature entering it without his authorization, defending the Holy Lands both from the inside and out."

    Prodea continued to walk at the entrance to the grounds of the shrine - ignoring her ever loyal Zeba at the back who appears to be mumbling something out of spite which she ultimately disregarded being fed up with her nonsense.

    There is a small brick fence before them and an opening in a form of an arc holding an old rusty metal gate scribbled with rune symbols in an archaic design which appears to be unreadable. Two scaly snake bronze sculptures that have glowing fiery red eyes are placed parallel to each other in front of the metallic entrance. It is some sort of a warning to those people - or animals - having the urge to go near the grounds. There is an engraved statement at the arc saying "The Holy Grounds of Bakunawa" which is in its very old design, possibly thousands of years ago - or more looking at the decaying Daomagarian ironwork.

    Prodea went near and intensified her concentration leading for her to emit a blinding light from her Amplifyers that shines all throughout the gates. Suddenly, it began to move and opened its way creakily on its own to let Prodea enter. She returned her hood in its place to cover her head and marched on inside. After which, the gate immediately closed with a bang and silence was all there is for the surprised servants to hear.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Prodea walked along the grounds of Bakunawa with much haste. She unleashed a fire spell that looks like a big burning boa that floats and circles around her. It incinerated everything that went at least three feet close to her solving her misdirected frustration to the gentle greetings of the tall grasses all around her. Every pace turned the ground charcoal black leaving some flying cinders which resulted to slivers of black fumes one step after another accumulating into a smoke signal that marks her pace to Bakunawa''s Shrine.

    "Glad to see that you haven''t changed one bit, Prodea," echoed a deep voice of a man. "You''re always the one to find new ways to hog the attention."

    His voice isn''t ordinary - it''s special, not like any man''s voice. His words echoed in the air every time a syllable is enunciated that can be thought to as a voice of a ghost or some enchanted being that could easily scare anyone that hears it - but not Prodea.

    "You always have your problems with your grass. I thought I''d be helpful enough to create a wide path for you, Bakunawa."

    She found him standing behind the large metal door entrance to the shrine. He wore his sacred robe which is old and seemingly dusty. There are traces of brown shades indicating its original color in the past but it''s way too old now that one might pursue to argue that it is gray, and it wouldn''t be anything remotely close to any other color. It is filled with unreadable texts and runes a scholar might be curious of. The robe''s left arm sleeve can be seen swinging because Bakunawa is known to have a single arm. It was cut in an intensive battle from the past - or at least that''s what he tells everyone on record. He''s wearing the hood, that is connected to his old coat, hiding his mysterious face underneath the shadow it creates but you can always notice his never blinking eye. An eye that is brightly illuminated and is red with yellow iris.

    This eye would make someone uncomfortable for it would take real concentration to take someone''s vision away from it. It''s inviting and captivating, but it feels like it pierces through your soul using an unknown ominous energy that would make you weak if you let yourself be vulnerable. They call this the Yagisivian Stare - a skill he has perfected and transcended to the next level, torturing one''s soul with its deadly striking gaze.

    "Always hiding in your hood, I see," mocked Prodea.

    "I think you appreciate it that much seeing you look lovely copying my mysterious impression."

    "Well I think it is fashionable enough to work, minus Of course, the old reeking garb you''re wearing."

    "Does your mother know that you''re out?"

    "Well she knows... enough... I don''t really want to trouble her so. I think it is mainly because she gets really annoying when she''s all worked up with something."

    "It''s comforting to see you''re still scheming, being so arrogant and frightfully annoying to listen to," he continued. "I''d say congratulations, if I was still your master, for setting a plan that took years to set in motion and executing it right under our noses. Even I didn''t know that you''re using me in your whole demented act." He stopped for a second to step a few paces away from the door and near the steps to the shrine entrance and continued. "Does lying to your mother and brothers about this whole masquerade worth the throne? Is it that important that you''d endanger our brothers and sisters from the other islands just for your ambition as Queen?"

    "You''re wrong... as always," Prodea answered. "But then again, what do you know?"

    Bakunawa just smiled as he took a pace closer.

    "Now, now. It''s not good to read my mind," warned Prodea now agitated as she stepped back. "I know how your mind trick operates. It''s a maze in mine and one would be too careful if one wouldn''t like to be trapped inside for all eternity - after all you''re the one who taught me those safeguards, remember?"

    Prodea noticed his eyes shining brighter than before. This disturbed her as she felt his head being pressed on by an invisible pressure that is crushing her head.

    She concentrated her energy on her eyes that it created a bright red luminescence and that made her eyes sparkle like a red ruby. She saw at an instant a gas in a form of a hand, ghostly in figure coming from Bakunawa''s swinging left sleeve, pressing firmly on her head. This startled her and made her instantly conjure a blast around her body, jumping a few feet back at a safe distance - heavily frightened as she is. This made Bakunawa''s ghostly arm to disperse in the air for a few seconds, but it immediately reconstructed afterwards and that made Bakunawa chuckle in delight.

    "Ah, yes! The All-Seing-Eye. I didn''t know that you have learned that. Kudos for attaining level one, but that won''t help your predicament here."

    She didn''t know that Bakunawa can recreate his arm in a ghost-like state and this really surprised her.

    "Oh! I forgot to tell you that I have my Ethereal Arm with me always. You never know when you might need a helping hand. After all, having one arm is rather difficult."

    She saw Bakunawa''s Ethereal Arm glowing with circle runes enveloping every finger. She was forced to step away for a couple of paces as he saw him channeling all earthly energies into the palm of his ghostly hand. She felt fear because the imminent summoning that Bakunawa is preparing cannot be quantified by experience alone. The surging energies made it very hard for her to breathe. This magic is nowhere near what she anticipated, and this astonishing act created a twisted sense of excitement on her part. On the other hand, she was feeling a big hole of regret for she never had known such a unique and handy skill in Bakunawa''s tutelage - a skill she might have to undertake alone to learn which she thought to be inconvenient and troublesome.

    Prodea now has to act fast before Bakunawa finishes his ritual. She maintained a stance and gave a loud stomp on the ground with her right foot. With a loud roaring echo below, weird runes came rushing to the ground as if the earth is writing on itself. Multiple sphere-shaped images and lines appeared before her making it look like she was standing in a middle of the circular work-of-art.

    She knelt down, still wary of Bakunawa, and pressed her hands inside the two circles etched on the ground in front of her. The earth rumbled as another circle ten feet in diameter with different strange runic symbols appeared again before her only this time, it has a somewhat wall of fire inside. From that spot emerged a big roaring Fire dragon with scales shining bright like the sun and claws as dark as the night. The dragon flew upwards as if it sprouted like a tree from the earth leaving the ground where it is born scorching hot. The scaly fire dragon flew up above and circled all around to find its master. It is twenty feet long and four feet wide. The burning eyes of this dragon looks to Bakunawa while screeching to taunt him as it continuously exhale a jet of black smoke with traces of flying glowing embers leaving Bakunawa to assume that the dragon has an earthly form rather than her usual summoning of pure elemental fire.

    She pressed her hands again on another circle on the ground at her sides. That act made another circle from the same spot to materialize, but this time, the hot scorched earth with a fire barricade around it now turned fast into a cold fountain with jets of water blasting to the skies like a wall. Another figure appeared rushing out of the earth in a form of dark blue water creature. It is a shape of a griffin displaying its majestic sharp wings flapping while shrieking up above her making it rain on her spot.

    "A griffin and a dragon. My, my, I''m very impressed. With you lacking the ability to manipulate the Earth, I''m surprised that you got creative and used your summoning skills to fill those gaps."

    "I learned from the best but now I think I might be better."

    "Hahaha, you think that you can surpass me?!"he replied shouting. "Do you honestly think you could defeat me with your brand-new little toys?! Do you honestly think that because you have summoned an elemental puppet that you can manipulate, you can easily defeat your master?! DO NOT FORGET THAT I AM THE MOST POWERFUL SUMMONER HERE IN THE HOLY LANDS!"

    His voice created a loud resonance that created a huge wave from the sea. All of a sudden, a large Sea Dragon emerged roaring a high-pitched sound that veiled the bright sunny day. Its suffocating magic stole away the the brightness of the sky as it jumped and ate the sun away, revealing the moon to appear shining brightly in its murderous color of dark red as if it''s tainted with blood. The blood moon has risen, and with it, the frightening Nanreben!

    The dragon looks like a snake, but it has at least four layers of countless fangs that are long and razor sharp. It stretched for incalculably countless of feet high - possibly a thousand or more. It stretched so tall that one might ignore scaling the beast and start screaming at the sight of it. It is blue in color, but it reflects a greenish glow that makes it bluish green. It has two small arms that have three claws in each which landed at the shores that swiftly paced to slither coming closer to its master. The huge dragon encircled the whole field with its serpent-like green eyes glowing bright, anticipating Prodea''s movements, echoing an unbearable wave of torturous hisses.

    This wonderful display of power made by Bakunawa brought a cold shiver within Prodea. She didn''t anticipate that he would summon his favorite dragon, and this complicated things, especially her plans. The chill Prodea was feeling had an accompanied delight and amazement for no one had ever laid eyes on the magnificent Nanreben of Bakunawa for nearly a thousand years.

    Bakunawa is truly the most powerful Master Summoner there is, she thought, for he is the only one that can summon real beasts with real elemental powers that can think and act on its own for the benefit of its master. He is so powerful that he can communicate with the beast through mental telepathy. It seems as though that a bond was created within them the moment, he finished his ritual for summoning.

    "I will kill you where you stand you pathetic fool!" laughed Bakunawa which snapped her from her thoughts of compliment and awe. Bakunawa continued, "It is my duty to protect Bathala''s Holy Lands! I have already seen your evil deeds and you will never be able to complete it. You can never cross the sea ever again. Not while I''m around! And believe me, I WILL be around for a countless thousand years more!"

    The roaring Nanreben overwhelmed Prodea so much that her eyes followed the dragon''s eye. She was having a battle in her mind trying hard not to let her growing fear be exposed to her enemy, so she maintained a strong and composed composure as she moved her summoned elemental beasts to her side.

    "I never intend to ask if you would approve, you cretin, and I also wouldn''t want to cross the sea either. As of now, preparations are being made and you can''t do anything about it."

    "Not if I kill you first!"

    The Nanreben created a disturbingly loud and sharp screech that shook Prodea''s water griffin to explode. It''s unwise to battle the Nanreben with water elemental summonings. The dragon''s innate power is water after all.

    She immediately retaliated by creating a huge circular rune below to summon a big fiery ball on top of her - the size of the dome-like docks of Bakunawa''s sanctuary. Bakunawa saw this and immediately ordered his dragon to lunge its offensive but it came a little too late for Prodea already finished her rituals and that startled Bakunawa. It is not easy to create a surprisingly huge fire ball a size of his temple in a matter of seconds, but she did, and she did it perfectly well. This reinforced Bakunawa''s goal to finish her off. The thought of her having this kind of power in a rampage would surely destroy the Lands of Bathala.

    The Fireball that Prodea summoned radiated its red illuminating glow that lightened up the whole place as if the whole area is consumed by fire. Its slow-moving descent is nearing its pending impact so Bakunawa ordered the Nenreben to attack it. The sea dragon immediately created a jet of water from its mouth to the incoming fireball extinguishing it little by little, preventing it to go anywhere near the shrine. The great fireball occupied the Nanreben for a while leaving Bakunawa to concentrate all of his attention to the lonely princess.

    "One problem solved," he thought as he faced Prodea now smiling at him almost as if mocking him in his delayed reaction.

    "You''re getting slow now Old man!" she said as she moved her hands to signal and control the fire dragon that''s been circling her the whole time, looking as though it''s protecting her from any surprise attack.

    "Well, that''s not fast enough chanting if you should know. Clearly, you''re overconfident with your newfound skills," he replied hiding his true sentiments on her summoning skills. If he were not fighting her, he would''ve given her a lot of praise for her surprising growth considering that he is her master after all, but that wasn''t the circumstance.

    Agitated, Prodea sent his fire dragon to attack Bakunawa by using her whole right hand to maneuver it like a puppeteer. Bakunawa just stood where he is and laughed. A mirror like wall was summoned almost instantly before her dragons reach ten paces from Bakunawa. This served as a shield-like barrier that destroyed Prodea''s Fire Dragon upon collision. The invisible, yet reflecting, barrier is so strong that the fire dragon of Prodea appeared looking like a pie hitting against a wall, crumbling down violently in pieces to the floor.

    This created a great opportunity for Bakunawa, so he lifts up his gaseous hand and started creating another set of enigmatic runes on each finger glowing intensely bright. He floated for about a foot or two and began moving his other hand in different directions while mumbly chanting some weird litany of some dead language as if about to summon something.

    Prodea saw a surge of energy flowing through Bakunawa''s hands with her red ruby eyes. This sort of thing isn''t normal, and it isn''t weak either - that thought she is sure of.

    She jumped backwards away from the circular rune that she''s in and created another set from where she is now only this time a lot bigger. She pressed her hands quickly on the circular diagram on the ground like what she did earlier and a rune spell, spherical in shape, began writing fast on the ground twice as big as the previous one. Perspiring on the effort, she shouted to unleash her elemental powers to the spell state that she was pressing. The ring in front of her immediately burned and a big fiery wall appeared. After that spectacle, five fire dragons - twice as big as the last one - flew dashing out of the hole burning almost anything on its wake. The dragons encircled her as if guarding her, snarling ferociously with anger and anticipation. She pressed her palms together and water began to seep through the earth. The earth then splashed the water to Prodea and immediately formed a bubble shield barrier almost six inches deep around her as if containing her in a blue swirling orb.

    "You always surprise me, ''Dea. You have powers that surpassed any fire Nagozulian I''ve ever seen in my life," he commended while lifting both his hands that is now glowing a blue light doing his final recitations for his summoning. "Too bad you concentrated your powers on fire!"

    Bakunawa created a small blue sphere with his right hand and flicked it to her. Prodea was bewildered with what it was because all of Bakunawa''s energy was channeled through that and it doesn''t seem to have any sense to be that small. She snapped thinking and prepared to what it would do as it rolled and floated fifteen paces in front of her.

    Prodea was stunned as she witnessed a surge of water streaming to her location coming from the small sphere. It seems that Bakunawa had summoned a river forcing its way to Prodea''s Water Barrier. The surge of the small blue sphere is so powerful that her water barrier was trapped into its clutches. She cannot move because of the pressure and if she did, the bubble she''s in would collapse leaving her vulnerable to its deadly strike.

    She ordered the five dragons to defend her. Four of her dragons started breathing an excessive amount of fire power and the other one tried to swallow it whole, but nothing happened. The water sphere began to retaliate blasting the dragons with separate pressurized streams of water attacks extinguishing their fiery bodies with accurate shots till they all turned to rubbles.

    Smoke was engulfing them as the water surge now becomes both hot and concentrated. Prodea''s dire state is plummeting to worst now that she was losing her energy to move. The area of Bakunawa''s water sphere''s gush is beginning to get thinner as if maximizing its pressure, cutting through her water bubble like a knife drilling into an apple. It is a matter of time before the pressure of the water penetrates her defensive enchantments. She is now kneeling in stress, perspiring and concentrating even harder than before and she knows that she can''t hold it any longer.

    "Now if I got this right, you only have a few seconds to live," Bakunawa jumped breaking the silence while walking near her side. He sat on the ground near where she was kneeling, exulting at the sight a Prodea covered with sweat of stress and fear, mocking her in her helpless state of hopelessness with his smiling eyes.

    "I created this river just for you, you know that? This river enchantment is so powerful it is said to cut through mountains. That''s what I know, I haven''t really summoned this for a very long time, and I didn''t actually see its potential then. I think I just want you to see a powerful water spell before you die. Think of it as a parting gift."

    Prodea closed her eyes while now putting her hands on the ground to support her body in her desperate attempt to hold the barrier from the clutches of death ignoring Bakunawa''s blather.

    "The water sphere is a rare spell. I''ll tell you that. It will follow your head accurately wherever you go so you can''t really get away from it. The pressure, I think, would sever your head - because I told it to do so. Otherwise, if it survives - your head I mean, then it will break off from your neck and dislocate your body from your brain. No more Ms. Bad Princess."

    Prodea began snickering in delight and that act confused Bakunawa. He was about to explain the seriousness of her situation when she immediately cut her off laughing.

    "You were always arrogant, Master. I told you that that would lead you to your demise," she looked at him opening the palm of her right hand directly in front of him. "SUM''RSENI DIM''ION!"

    Prodea laughed hard and grabbed an article inside his robe as quickly as she can.

    Bakunawa saw the scroll as she opens it in front of him with her left hand. He immediately saw the Four Seals of Death on a crest stamped at the back of the scrolls as Prodea revealed it. It is one of the four lost scrolls used to kill the Three Legendary Immortals a thousand years ago. They knew well that the scroll can''t kill them but the Dark Priestess of Yagisiv Haya at that time found a way to make them, at least, be compelled to the contract in the scroll. He was captured then and was tortured to be controlled by the scroll''s Magicks but Dal''Gur, the immortal Blacksmith, helped him escape. He knew that Dal''Gur stashed the scrolls well, so he was having a hard time believing if it is genuine or a fake. He sat there, stunned, frozen in fear and confusion.

    "That can''t be the real..." Bakunawa murmured as he watched Prodea to smile and open her mouth to continue her ritual.

    "OH, IMORTAL N-BAN''NEL! TUMALI''LOW KA-SA AK''E. SUN''LOW AN-AK''AY SALI''ORDUS! SA''IN PANGA''ME NO DIM''ION! SA''IN PANGA''ME NO DIM''ION LUMU''EEL KA!!!"

    Bakunawa noticed her chants and that was the proof he needed to know whether it is the true artifact or not. He tried to escape in futility, but the enchantments of the scroll created a paralyzing effect on him and before he knew what hit him it was already too late. A blinding light started to manifest at Bakunawa''s forehead. This made him scream in pain as he squirmed on the ground with his hand scraping his forehead.

    The water surge that he summoned began to dissipate which Prodea followed disabling the sphere that she was in. She crawled and sat on the grounds near Bakunawa with sweat pouring wildly on her face while giggling at the sight of him squirming.

    "I found this scroll stashed away at the Palace. Figured that you''re one of those cursed immortals at the Elven Rebellion and that must mean you abide with some specific rules," she revealed smiling contented while gasping for air recovering from her previous tensed state. "I searched for your history and why you never leave this pathetic rat hole of yours. Imagine the surprise when I found out that you were imprinted with one of these rare scrolls. History says that you can''t leave this place without being burned to ashes or that you can''t deny any mortal entering this insufferable place. Heh, and here I thought the markings on the walls you created on the entrance are true! It''s all basically a pathetic lie to cover your shameful existence after your failed embarrassing attempt on protecting these lands a thousand years ago."

    Bakunawa tried to open his angry eyes and directed his focus to Prodea. He tried to summon a weak jet of water directly at her face with the intent to kill but Prodea, being a water elemental, just redirected the surge to the ground near her. The impact created a huge hole and that created a smile on Prodea''s face instead. Knowing that he can''t concentrate that much and still generating a powerful attack proves in all doubt that he has proven himself to be worthy of Bathala''s Boon of Immortality.

    "I can imprint you with a new rule, seeing that you''re cursed and all and me having the scroll here but I need you to be at least twenty feet from... me... to make..." she picked the scroll and poked his head with it in mockery with him still struggling and shouting in excruciating agony. "Hey~ Are you still listening? Good heavens, it''s so annoying when people don''t listen," She stood up as she prepared herself to leave. "I can leave you like this but who''s going to fake protecting the lands when you''re here squirming for all eternity. I''m not that sadistic, yet. After all, we all have to keep appearances, right?" She started reading the second part of the spell to cast her conditions. "SUN''ED AK''AY SALI''ICE! YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ANYONE ABOUT MY INTENTIONS, MY PLANS, MY MEMORIES AND OUR LITTLE MISUNDERSTANDING HERE. YOU WILL NOT DELAY OR BLOCK THE PEOPLE WITH GRIFFIN FLAGS TO ENTER THE HOLY LANDS NOR WILL YOU HARM THEM IN ANY WAY BEFORE OR AFTER THEY ARRIVE HERE. ET''IS AK''AY NA''IL! TUPA''FILL AK''AY NA''IL"

    The light coming from Bakunawa''s forehead began to diminish slowly as he struggles for breath wheezing and crawling pitifully from the ground to Prodea''s.

    A big explosion erupted at the other part of the shrine as sea poured like rain from up above. Prodea scrubbed the water out from her cloak as she smilingly sneered to Bakunawa with much joy.

    "Oh look! Your hideous Nanreben just finished extinguishing my fire ball. What an embarrassing achievement for a titan! You must be thankful though. A second past it and you couldn''t have misdirected my fireball. You could''ve been homeless. Think of this as your win. I know how you get upset when you lose."

    "You will never get away from this."

    "Oh, but I just did and look! It seems as though your Nanreben is fleeing to the sea, how cute... I think it means that the legends are true with you summoners. You can''t control your beasts when your power is drained."

    "Ha! I''m still stronger than you even without any summoned beasts! I will protect these lands from you or..."

    "Right, as if you''ve protected yourself from me. You may be stronger, but I am much smarter!"

    "Heh! That last scroll can only save you from today. You cannot use that again to me!"

    "Take it then. It would certainly make a good memorabilia."

    Prodea walked away as she cruelly threw the scroll to Bakunawa''s face, turning her back ignoring him.

    "Be sure not to come back here!" he shouted with his voice shaking with much hate and anger that echoed throughout the grounds. "If you do, it will be the end of your miserable insignificant life!"

    "I won''t," Prodea answered his ludicrous threats, "I never intend to return from this wretched place anyway."

    She felt satisfied and proud as she walked further leaving the shrine, taking the black burning aisle she created earlier. And the dark angry clouds from the skies began to scatter in fright to the bright flashing sun, returning the majestic clear blue skies back to its previous look with the white rays of noon delivering forth the heat that was missed.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "So, you see Yosh, military strategy isn''t that far from what we''re doing at our secret training," said Kayzar as he grabbed and closed a thick book which read Tactics and Elements.

    "Huh, I - uh - not that I''m ungrateful or anything," Yosh gently whispered worried for his brother''s reaction. "I just didn''t quite grasp your ideas about those things that you said earlier..." Kayzar immediately gave a shocking look which Yosh noted making him more concerned rephrasing it. "...not that I didn''t understand it at all. I''m just saying that I didn''t get some parts, but I do understand now how it works! Yep! Totally get it now!"

    No one can blame Kayzar for that. He had been discussing, for hours, the complicated topics of military tactical decisions and elemental maneuvers with much frustration while choosing the right words and translating it in layman''s terms. He would really be angry if he still doesn''t understand the whole idea and Yosh knows that.

    "Well, the real problem with you is that you don''t listen seriously," lectured Karus sneaking in their discussion while making three books float in midair to escape boredom. "Good thing Bathala gave you your great innate insights and analytical senses that are above par. If not, then you''ll end up like your favorite cousin who truly lacks the capacity to think for himself."

    "Hahaha! Right, I''m just gonna cross the things that doesn''t make any sense and pick the one''s that do. That way I''m gonna have a perfect score without hassle."

    "Right..." Kayzar agreed with an unconvinced look while stacking the books they used to return them in their places. "Scurry off now, its midday already. You can''t be late on your appointment."

    "Almost forgot about that!" he chuckled running off as fast as possible, jumping through obstacles and making his snake-like movements with fast reflexes to avoid anyone blocking his way.

    "Did he just run there?" asked Karus. "That''s the way to the kitchen, right? I thought he''s going to the study room?"

    "Same old Yosh, he''s trying to sneak for a quick snack even if he''s cramming for his exams."

    "Heh, you got that right."

    The two brothers hastened up cleaning the mess they just did at the table and hurriedly went to the kitchen to grab some lunch. They walked at a very fast pace that would give others the idea that they are striding. Now realizing the grumblings inside their stomach roaring in protest for food that they took so little of earlier, they could not be blamed for not taking time to chat with other people taking interest on their day.

    Waving their goodbyes after giving a hello isn''t a customary act of a prince. They should at least take time, for about a minute or so, to partake in small talk or some other time-consuming chit-chattery. They just took solace in the fact that they really did give a sincere beaming smile towards their subjects that could make their day a little better considering that they all look serious and restrained.

    At the hallway before reaching the kitchen, they saw a guard unusually standing outside the door to the dining room. They ignored the guard as they passed but they were surprisingly halted by him.

    "I''m sorry your highness," blurted the guard with much respect to the two smiling uneasily. "I believe I was stationed here to stop you two from entering the room." The two were stumped smiling with eyebrows askew as the guard perspires to explain his difficult situation. "If it were up to me, sir, I''d let you inside, but my orders were to hold you ''till they''ve finished eating. I''m truly sorry sir."

    "Don''t worry soldier, it''s not your fault," replied Karus tapping his arm as if commending him. "We''re not planning on dining with them anyway. We''ve anticipated this so we''re just ''gonna go to the kitchen to grab our lunch there. Would that be okay?"

    The guard nodded with much gratitude in his eyes. He was relieved that he did not end up being tangled in any complications that might arise at the scene following the Grand Princess Prodea''s orders. The guard is a member of the Nagozulian Royal Sentinels. These sentinels were very loyal to the Grand Prince Artemus who is the Grand General of the Nagozulian Forces. Every soldier has their utmost respect to the Grand General and his children that''s why they choose their words very carefully. This is one of the reasons why Sarram is so jealous of him. Some soldiers make fun of Sarram and his son, Prince Gantee, behind their backs telling everyone that they are no-good cowards - which is true making the jokes sell itself out and about Nagozul like candy.

    "So, they''ve made their moves now, eh K-Z."

    "Hmmnn. That''s well anticipated but we didn''t know that they were doing this as early as lunch. Thought that they''re ''gonna ban us there at dinner."

    "We sure are lucky to have Kudos and Madj on our sides, right?"

    "Heh, I''ll sure miss the moments where Gantee, Sarram and Zeba fight over the best part of the veal."

    Karus laughed. "What I''ll miss most is seeing their sour faces after being reprimanded by the Queen for their unruly behavior at the table."

 9 JUNIâ€™s little SECRE

    Her eyes were tired, and her cloak was clinging unevenly on her shoulders. The wind is blowing sparingly as if denying her comfort while she dragged herself away, step by step, forcing every will within her, from the charcoal black path to the gates. Sweat and tears dribbled from her face joining together in her perfectly carved chin only to drop down to commune with the earth, abandoning her in her plight. Her eyes blurred in vision while she felt her heart pumping disturbingly fast, choking her in her every breath, in her every step, and in every muscle she moves, in her attempt to reach the end of the road: the exit to the shrine of Bakunawa. With her last energy she commanded all of her remaining spirit to create an illuminating light to open the old creaking door to reveal her travelling companions outside.

    "YOUR HIGHNESS!" alerted Karr, the ever loyal Daomagarian guard, as he ran to catch her fall as soon as he saw her wavering in her walk with a visage of extreme pain and obvious discomfort.

    He had never witnessed this side of her like this. She never shown any signs of weakness to anyone - even to her most loyal subjects. Her proud character gives her the twisted philosophy of being a person bound in the realms of logic devoid of any encumbering emotions. She is convinced that if she ever makes a mistake of sharing her pain with someone, it will lead for her to be exposed to weaknesses and that is what she is afraid of the most. Even in the midst of pain and discomfort, she will stand indifferent, powerful without flaw, and would not give anyone the idea to think otherwise. She likes other people - especially her enemies - to think that she has an impenetrable and indestructible persona and an act like this would greatly destroy her reputation. The last time he saw her dwindle like this was when she was six years old - and this means that this time, it''s serious.

    They all saw her now gasping for air with blood now dripping from her nose, eyes and the Amplifyers in her forehead. They huddled in anxiety awaiting any comfort from her words till Zeba entered wailing.

    "Your excellence! What happened?!" she said with her concerned face while pushing her wet handkerchief on her soft forehead trying to soothe her wretched state. "We saw the skies getting dark with the blood moon rising; and the Nanreben being awaken; and a huge fireball being summoned. Did you fight Bakunawa?"

    Prodea''s eyes began to flutter weakly as she struggled with words while still gasping for air. "G-g¡­ get¡­ me o-h¡­ out o-f here¡­" she said blurry before she fell into a slumber losing all her consciousness at their hands.

    Zeba noticed Prodea''s Amplifyers light flickering. This troubled her and all the Daomagarians around her for it means that she used an excessive amount of elemental energy that would lead one to be extinguished of one''s soul - a dire state one might call the early stages of the Sleep of Death.

    The Sleep of Death is a state of the body, in which if left untreated, would lead for her to sleep paralyzed, unable to be awaken ever again till the rest of her remaining life, like an aging statue.

    "We must bring her immediately to the Palace..." said Zeba frantically, fearing what the queen might do to her if anything happened to her only daughter on her watch. "But we can''t. She''ll get mad. We must keep this as silent as possible... but how?"

    "Madam Zeba!" interrupted Karr. "I could run to the Palace and grab a Nagozulian Healer and bring her at the nearest rest stop south from here."

    "Yes! Yes!" agreed Zeba panicking but having a little bit of comfort with his suggestion.

    Karr was about to leave when Zeba yelled stopping him on his tracks.

    "Wait! If you call a Water Caster here, will the Princess be..." she stopped panning her eyes to Prodea, frightened on what the princess might do after regaining consciousness and then continued, "... I don''t know - angry?"

    "With all due respect Madam, the safety of the charge is my priority. We should deal with the consequences later."

    Zeba then thought about how furious the princess will be to everyone if they include a healer in their dilemma. They knew about how fast the rumors go and as much as she wants to make her state strictly confidential, the idea of the princess dying is far more troublesome to face than her wrath.

    "Okay, okay!" she finally decided with a shaky voice, "We will wait for you in the nearest village south from here, hurry!"

    Karr dashed with Zeba''s last words without a sound, running fast into the horizons till he vanished in the woods.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "BOO!" shouted Karus as he popped at the kitchen trying to scare of the people inside.

    "Hmmn, that''s odd," entered Kayzar after Karus, walking around the corners as if looking for someone.

    "Hello? Anybody here?"

    They walked inside the dimly lit kitchen cautious on every step. There are black curtains that are blocking the windows which they thought to be deliberately set up there since the room is unusually bright as a summer''s day even in the darkest of days. No tongues of candles can be found all around the room. Only a sliver of light traced the corners and lines that suggest the figure of objects to the hungry eyes.

    "Tch, Not Again," groaned Kayzar figuring what they were into as he drew a knife that''s hidden in his new fashionable robe.

    Karus grabbed a knife at the table, still cautious as he is.

    "Come out, come out wherever you are," Karus whispered smiling, looking back and forth, sideways and at the top, searching for people inside the room.

    A knife flew from Kayzar''s back and went forth to Karus'' location. Kayzar saw this so he threw the dagger he was holding to intercept it. His timing was perfect for the knife that was coming directly to Karus''s back was deflected but at the cost of his own vulnerability since he surprisingly stashed only a single dagger. He thought he really doesn''t need that many for security unlike when they are outside, so he mistakenly stashed a lonely dagger in his attire. He usually goes too far in hiding weapons around his spacious long sleeved apparel mounting to more than a hundred ranging from the small throwing pins to the long strike blades but today of all days he practically loosened up and carried a single thin short dagger which is good only for peeling fruits - a very disappointing act that he extremely regrets.

    "Karus! Palms! Shield Stance!" ordered Kayzar, in a code that only they understand, while running to Karus'' location.

    "Affirmative!" replied Karus as he kicked the pots and cans at his immediate vicinity and clear any obstacles for him to defend Kayzar who''s running towards him.

    A silver hand suddenly appeared below a table on the dark corner that grabbed Karus'' right foot before he''d jumped. He looked at Kayzar to warn him but it''s too late. The arm that''s been pulling Karus''s leg is so strong that it led for him to fall on the ground. He forcefully pulled to retrieve his leg back in futility from the clutches of the grasping unknown silver hand coming from the darkness, but it was in vain. The hand is so strong and sturdy it didn''t even shook to his struggling fit.

    Kayzar saw the hand pulling his brother''s body under the table so he removed a strap on his bracer and grabbed the needle dangling. He fixed this needle to throw but before he could react and help Karus, an individual unexpectedly appeared from behind grabbing his body and locking him on a hug with a knife directly pointing at his neck.

    "Game over," said a female voice that''s been holding Kayzar immobilized.

    "Yit! You and your cheat skills!" protested Kayzar as he dropped the needle that''s in his hands.

    The hand that''s been holding Karus''s leg let go and disappeared. Suddenly, between the tall cupboards, Kudos appeared grasping his right arm as though it''s been seriously strained.

    "I tot'' imma lose my hand ''der for a second but yer'' gettin'' rusty - ''d two of ya. Ya ''shud be trainin'' more on ''yer reflexes."

    As he was saying this Madj withdrew the dagger fixed at Kayzar''s neck, stepping slowly away grinning at them. This irritated the twins feeling as if they are being played at.

    "Isn''t it just possible for us to grab some lunch here without being attacked?" roared Karus. "You always plan your deliberate assault to test us every time we meet and it''s just really tiring especially when you''re hungry."

    "Yeah! That''s unfair! You''ve been using the shadow step -again. How could you possibly think we could escape that!?" Kayzar grumpily added looking at Kudos with much frustration while he pulled the dagger, he threw that ricocheted piercing the wooden wall.

    Karus stood up and sat on a chair in the corner of the table checking his foot to see if Kudos had done anything bad to it while Kayzar went and followed him grabbing an apple on the table and taking a furious bite.

    "He''s right that''s really unfair. You should teach us that and we''ll see who''s better," immediately pointed out Karus after finding nothing wrong on his foot.

    "Well, too sorry for ''ya bein'' Nagozulians," laughed Kudos grabbing the knife he threw and went on every window to remove the silky black cloth that''s been veiling the room. "Yer little Nagozulian feet can''t do ''wat ''d Daomagarian feet can. Besides, even if ''ya train really really hard, ''ya cannot achieve ''d full Shadow Step."

    "Hmph, as if you''ve really mastered the shadow step like Liv..." said Karus.

    "True," he replied. "''Dat''s ''cos we''re not usin'' ''d Shadow Step on you. We''re not even halfway ''der yet."

    Madj cleaned the pots that were earlier kicked by Karus and went near the table to put them there. She then grabbed the vegetables to prepare the meal that the two wanted.

    "So, what d''ya want for lunch," finally entered Madj as she chopped vegetables and spices at a frightening rate and with superb accuracy.

    "What do you want?" Karus smiled returning the question back to the chef, changing his mood instantaneously looking hungry with all her chopping and the scent of the broth boiling.

    "I''ll have what you''re having."

    "Seriously, ''wat d''ya guys havin''?" stopped Kudos with eyes squinting towards Madj stopping her from repeating asking all circling questions that happened before wasting about half an hour before conceding.

    "Hmnn... Do you have red meat readily available there," replied Karus smiling as if having the upper hand which Madj ignored snobbishly turning her back at them returning to her fast chopping.

    "And some veggies," added Kayzar. "We certainly need some vegetables. We always eat meat at the training, and we don''t ''wanna destroy our diet."

    "Alr''ayty ''den. Pork brot'' wit'' a mix stew, fallow''d by a ju''sy midyum-rer reds an'' a t''ird cors o'' broyl''d w''ayts garnis''d in seaweeds wit'' ice cold mangoes for dessert. How d''ya like ''dat?"

    "No, no. it''s too much," declined Karus though his eyes are panning on the background with much weariness as if already regretting the things he''ll be missing. "We''re kind of in a hurry..."

    "He''s right. We have plans later this afternoon so we really need to eat really really fast."

    "It''s ''ol right. We''ll just heat ''d reds so ''dat you can be on ''yer way."

    "And Kudos," persisted Kayzar, "don''t forget the veggies..."

    "Ha ha, comin'' r''ayt up..."

    The brothers are the only ones who dine with the servants. Most of the elderly nobles think that it is not proper for the servants to join up with them when they''re having their meals. The twins probably thought that the Nagozulian Royal Family acquired this tradition from the easterners when their ancestors had their Quest for Wisdom hundreds of years ago or so, but they have a different take on this. They thought that it''s improper to starve the servants, forcing them to eat only after the Royal Family had ended their every meal. That is not what they learned from their parents, Artemus and Anagea, and they certainly wouldn''t really abide on doing this kind of tradition now.

    They also feel sickened on how Prodea and Sarram treat their servants as slaves as if they practically own their souls with their unreasonable workloads and unrelenting verbal abuses. Servants in the Palace who deserves their hard-earned wages should be treated like a person not a property but that''s not how it goes in the Palace. And it doesn''t help that the other nobles tries to emulate Prodea and Sarram''s streak of pushing the servants to their extreme thresholds - that''s saying much because they are Daomagarians and they are known to have a surprisingly extraordinary thresholds that no ordinary mortal can fathom. This is why they try so hard to deviate from this practice and maintain a close relationship with the servants and guards as much as possible. They actually don''t want to be associated with their bad behavior even if it means that they won''t be popular with the noble crowd.

    "So, where''s Liv anyway?" asked Madj as she put plates in front of the twins disrupting their thoughts.

    "She''s with mom at the north I s''pose," replied Karus. "But seeing as she liked having her adventures, I think she''s somewhere in the mountains or at the jungles."

    "She can''t be seen here y''know," added Kayzar. "Being our half-sister means a lot of trouble from the upper ups and the queen doesn''t hide her wrath and anger - besides it doesn''t help that she''s an adopted daughter of mother now proclaimed a Nagozulian princess by right of the marriage of our parents."

    "ohhhhh~" interrupted Karus laughing. "Just remembered how red Grandmama''s face boiled up after seeing her in her combat uniform all scary."

    "Plus, the fact that she''s a Daomagarian clearly marks her as a target for insults and humiliations by most of the snobs here -y''know how it is here... right?"

    "Yep," nodded Karus now finishing his snickering, "That''s why it''s best if she isn''t around."

    "Though I kind of miss her lately," followed Kayzar resting his chin on his palms remembering something, "She has promised to teach me a lot of things and she really didn''t even follow through on that promise, not even a single one..."

    Silence ensued for a long time as the two brothers waited and the two chefs busily prepared the meal that they ordered. They cut and mixed and chopped the ingredients with remarkable style and grace that made the twins clap their hands several times from the wonderful sight of them throwing and cutting things in midair.

    "So..." Madj broke the silence once again to give some small talk. "...Where are the two of you going? Rushing in the city?"

    "Yup. Me and Kayzar here are going on a little research slash interview to one of the locals there, Uncle Juni, I think you know him."

    "Yeah! That crazy old man!" she exclaimed grinning, "What about?"

    "We''re looking for clues to Karus'' condition."

    "Oh. Is it acting up again?"

    "It''s so weird but when I''m trying to ignite the air and create fire it starts to hurt - really really bad - but if I''m manipulating the air around it''s not."

    "We have reason to believe that Karus is an Elemental Prodigy."

    "So, you''re saying you can control wind and at the same time you can conjure fire?"

    "I believe so, yes."

    "What!? I''m sorry to have heard that. I would have congratulated you, don''t get me wrong, but you can get yourself killed for that kind of combination - fire and wind. I heard stories way back years ago that Fire-Wind Prodigies are being rounded up because they said that, theoretically, they can summon the mythical white fire. Like what happened a thousand years ago."

    "Yes, we know," replied Kayzar. "The White Demon or so they call it. The story suggests that someone with this power can enchant his whole body with the mythical white fire and incinerate everything that went close to him. We know this by rumors, but we really weren''t sure if it existed."

    "You''re lucky you are of royal descent. A commoner having found out about being a prodigy at that age would automatically be signing his death sentence. They could either end up being branded as an exile, thrown in the Palace''s inner catacombs, or be killed by execution."

    "Oh, don''t worry," replied Karus. "That''s not really happening now. Our great-grandpa passed a law prohibiting that act tens of years ago, so we don''t have to worry ''bout that. And besides, none of them knew this secret. I''m sure that we can trust you, right? That''s why we told you about it."

    Kudos went near them as he laid the stew and the red meat at the table. "I knew ''d story ''bout ''d Wayt Demon. Our great great great grandfa''der told his descendants ''dat ''dis myt''ical Wayt Demon massacred almost a t''ausand Nagozulian, Daomagarian, and Yagisivian all on its own in less ''dan t''ree minutes. Legend has it ''dat ''der''ll be a second comin'' of ''dis Wayt Demon and ''dat he''ll be reborn to anod''er Nagozulian."

    "Wh-What?" said Karus with a frightened face.

    "No, No. I''m juz'' teasin''," laughed Kudos as he begins to serve large portions of meat at their plates. "Ya ''shud''ve seen the look on ''yer faces!"

    "Heh, no kidding," he replied trying to force a grin on his face.

    "But ''d massacre is true ''dow. ''Dat Wayt Demon is so powerful, he immediately incinerated a hundred feet radius from ''wer he''s standing. Consequently, he died in ''d process. It''s juz'' nature''s way of tellin'' everyone ''ya can''t play wid'' fire''. Well, dig in! Hope you like mah'' special recipe!"

    They all smiled and said their prayers before eating - though the twins faked having their smiles. They knew about this prophecy of a White Demon and his apparent second coming. They thought - just for a second there - that this might not be true and that they can stop this from ever happening. They got a glimpse of this prophecy and a name really stands out in it. A name that they thought they have misread; a name that would affect the future of Nagozul by either protecting it or destroying it; a name that spelled as K-A-R-U-S.

    The Palace gates began to radiate its usual golden light as the sun starts to leave the mid sky. It''s been two hours past midday and the twins were ready to set off in their journey to the city. It is the weekends which mean masses of people are to be expected at the inner part of the metro. Karus and Kayzar are strolling fast in the busy streets maneuvering themselves with great precision avoiding any obstacles that may hold them throughout their long way to the Outer rim.

    They occasionally saw some of Yosh''s admirers playing in the streets here and there and that made their journey more challenging at best. They''ve taken quite a long cut in order to avoid them and luckily, they''ve succeeded. Sure, there are times that their mission was almost compromised by a kid or two, but they''ve avoided it by bribing them with gold coins and candies that they were in good supply of.

    The twins were rather famous in the Silver Lane and the Outer Rims. Royalties are not usually fond of going there because practically there is nothing there to do except buying a variety of things. Commonly, most of the royalties that live in the Royal Residences orders their servants to purchase what they need so that makes them look like snobbish rich men but the sons of Artemus was not like them. The four brothers like to shop for their own things. They were always there persistently haggling with merchants who sometimes thought that they were either servants or Daomagarians. If not because of their fused Amplifyers at their foreheads, they can easily be thought to as a commoner - a very handsome, very rich commoner.

    They speak and talk to people without prejudice and they don''t boast around bragging their titles to anyone especially shop keepers which some royalties do in order to achieve some discount or free items. In fact, a few years back, they wore bandannas to hide their Amplifyers in order to play with children at the outer rims. They created cover names for them not to be recognized by the commoners.

    Sometimes they try and help out the poor people there to get back on their feet without ever getting the credit from the deed. They create elaborate plans to build a good community in the southern part of the Outer Rim. As some prince and princesses flush their money to buy fancy shiny things, the four princes have their money invested in some parts of the Outer Rim that now became fully established and is earning thousands of gold pieces a week. They even have small towns outside the capital subsidized from the earnings that they receive from the markets. The older nobles created rumors of them being crazy from their expenditures, but they didn''t try to even listen. Their plan is to do some good and that''s what keeps them being so popular to the people of the Outer Rim, especially when they found out that they are the ones responsible for the help that they were receiving.

    They have gathered so many friends from shops to ordinary people there that they don''t need to be a prince to have some discount. They would gladly give things for free just to see them again.

    The two princes know their way to the mazing streets of the Outer Rims even if they were to be blind folded and left there alone and without a guide. All those years of hide and seek gave them a great advantage in knowing what roads to take, what streets to avoid, what alleys are the closest way to cut through major obstacles. That''s why they can stride without being caught, seen or heard. It''s like they''re the wind passing back and forth sprinting wherever and whenever they want without being predicted of coming.

    "This is it Karus," said Kayzar while looking around the area searching for people that might see them. "Ready when you are?"

    He nodded smiling. "Let''s do this."

    The two jumped to a mossy grey wall and helped each other to get near an old house that was brown and tall. The house is made of bricks, but the upper portions are made with wood which is warping because of all the weather it''s been through. The paint that was put in the walls of this house is scraped because of strong rains and harsh winds that the past storms inflicted. The two balanced themselves to jump at the ledge near a glass window that seems to be open. They quietly sneaked inside the seemingly empty room from the open glass windows that have big cracks on them.

    A disappointed sigh startled them as they were fixing their long robes after the strenuous effort that they just did.

    "I really should lock that window up. Clearly you all haven''t got any manners of knocking at my door downstairs," grunted an eccentric and groggy voice of an old man now walking to their directions to reveal himself. "Now if I''m not mistaken, I already told Yosh yesterday not to do that. Clearly the message isn''t passed!" he continued as if snapping. He revealed himself having tired eyes and shaking hands clasping together as if something''s bothering him.

    "Hey Juni. What''s up? You look rather pale and flustered," Karus queried smiling trying to divert his moody temper.

    "Hey, is something burning?" asked Kayzar sniffing all around trying to find the source.

    "I''m depressed because you''re ruining the wax, I just put on the floor you... you.... Argghhh..."

    "Hahaha sorry. We don''t know," Kayzar immediately replied as he pushed Karus to give him a hint to remove their shoes which they did really fast. They put their shoes in the corner and jumped in Juni''s bed forgetting to pursue on the topic of what''s burning.

    "Ooooh! Not the -"Juni reacted with wide eyes but the twins already made themselves comfortable at the bed with Karus stretching and lying on the left side hugging the fluffy pillows that he just grabbed. "- bed," he sighed and then kneels to continue to wax the floor, "I just replaced those sheets..."

    "Oh - uh. Sorry?" Karus flinched now un-hugging the pillow, fluffing it to retain its normal comfy form in its original spot then going near the far side of the bed to just sit.

    "No, no. You go and sit or lie there. It''s already done. What can we do about it?"

    "Hey, uh - are you okay? You''re not yourself today," Kayzar mumbled.

    "And what''s with the new bed and pillows? Where is the old one, we used to throw at you?" added Karus.

    Juni hesitantly grabbed a chair and went close to them.

    "I- uh... Last night, I - I accidentally conjured a - a ball of - uh - white fire."

    "Whoa!" jumped the two with excitement.

    "No way!" said Kayzar.

    "What does it look like?" Karus cried with glowing eyes.

    "This is not a JOKE!" he shouted standing and walking back and forth stammering and talking to himself for a couple of seconds. The two princes got worried and stood up now looking concerned. "I was - uh - It''s night, and I - uh - I think, It''s after dinner - then the ball. It destroyed - I mean, it incinerated..."

    The two inspected the room while he was talking and notice then that the ceiling was charcoal black, and the walls have burns that can be thought to be the remnants of last night''s explosion all around.

    "Wait a second, you mean you conjured the white fire in this room!?" Kayzar stood up trying to calm him down in his muttering.

    "Slow down, we can''t understand you," said Karus pulling him gently to sit and to be calm.

    "No! I can''t sit! I - uh... I''m losing control with my Fire Element! Do you know what they will do to me if they found out?! No - no, you can''t know - no one has to know. No one knows... It''s between me and him... It''s between me and him..."

    He then returned to his duties waxing the floor and scrubbing the walls with much effort ignoring the two bewildered princes standing.

    It isn''t normal for him to look like this. The great Juni was as stubborn as a water buffalo and no one in their right mind wants to cross him. He is acclaimed in his unbreakable spirit, so this led them to believe that the fire within him is causing a disruption in his brain processes. Although in theory, the idea of a fire elemental to have disruptive mental processes even with an amplifier means that his elemental essence is above the highest there is. Juni is the only one capable, in a thousand years, to ignite a white fire using his elemental powers and that constitute the idea of him being one of those people with possible elevated essence they call a Supreme Elemental. They grew concern with this because Supreme Elementals usually can''t control themselves and that can really be dangerous to anyone especially himself - or at least that''s what they know considering their research about the White Demon.

    "What? What will they do to you? Who are you talking about?" Karus asked with much confusion trying to understand the situation.

    "You don''t know? You don''t know a thing! I don''t want to die! It''s too early for me to die! Now get out of here before someone knows, before they know."

    "Nobody is going to kill you," reasoned Kayzar now agitated. "Come, pack your bags. You''re going to the Palace with us. We''re going to -"

    "NO! I''m not going to the Palace! It''s not safe there. You don''t know about the revelations of the King!"

    He created a small blast that made the two to jump a few paces back and pulled their concealed blades on instinct. They were surprised to see Juni making a warning attack to them. They know that Juni wouldn''t hurt them, but their natural instincts kicked in a rush which troubled them also since they wouldn''t really use weapons to one of their best friends. Juni then realized what he did and, with all concern and sadness in his eyes, he turned back and moved away from them. He then sat at the corner of the room frightened.

    "You can''t make me go there! Just leave. Leave! Before I seriously hurt you!"

    The two threw their weapons away into the far corner and walked near him. The stubborn infuriating man they once knew turned into a frightened little boy right before their very eyes. His mental processes are clearly mixed up and this gave them mixed emotions that led to them having teary eyes. The situation created a stressful state to the twins. They loved Juni so much that they thought of him like a grandfather. Seeing him like that creates a crack in their hearts that pulsates to every part of their body making them weak and helpless and sad.

    "No, Juni! I know you! You can control this!" said Karus finding words to comfort him holding back his watery eyes from dropping its heavy load.

    "No, I can''t. The prophecy say that I can''t!"

    The word ''prophecy'' created a snap to the twin''s attention. They have been curious about some prophecy that was predicted by the king before he died; the prophecy that they heard only from their dad and Narra when they were spying in secret; the prophecy that they went for the trouble to read but was burned right after their dad read it; the prophecy that they tediously recreated from the remnants of the ashes containing future events that includes them in it; the reason why they went there in the first place.

    "Tell me Juni!" confronted Karus. "What is this prophecy!"

    "The prediction of my death starts with the sign in which I would conjure, once again, a white fire without me doing it on purpose! It''s happening! I know it is! I sent an eagle to give Artemus the signal and he''s going to save me... he''s going to save me. I know he will... he will save me. I''ve done so much for him and I didn''t ask something in return. I know he will save me," Juni mumbled crying with his eyes moving fast all around the room paranoid. The two brothers felt sadness again as they saw their old friend break down in this state. They don''t know what to do and they certainly can''t promise anything since they are powerless even in the Palace.

    "A-are there any ways to prevent it!? Can we prevent it?!" inquired Kayzar.

    "No! No, you can''t do anything about it!" he shouted with his eyes still crying. "It''s proven to work, and no one can do anything about it. There are a hundred predictions written by the king in secret. In one hundred days that he waited for his son Artemus, he had one hundred visions that he scribbled, and these one hundred predictions are compiled to be his revelations, the prophecy! These one hundred visions are a combination of the past, present and future events. The one being the first vision is the birth of a twin elemental prodigy of the son of the light! That is the two of you! Nobody knows about you two being both prodigies. It''s just me, Artemus, Anagea, Jowl and Narra. Not even the king knows that, but he did and that''s because of this cursed prophecy!"

    "No, it can''t be!" denied Kayzar. "I''m only an elemental, my innate is wind and that''s it."

    "N-No! You are an Elemental Prodigy and - and your second innate element is Water," persisted Juni.

    This gave a lot of sense to the twins. Kayzar being fond of poisons came from the fact that he isn''t affected by one. He thought that he was special and that he can purge poisons without being a Water Caster.

    "So, it''s true that I am a Fire-Wind prodigy?!" added Karus seizing the opportunity of the situation.

    "Yes! Yes!"

    "Am I included in the future prophecy?" he pushed.

    "No!" Juni diverted his attention to them and had his teary eyes facing the wall.

    "Am I included in the future prophecy? Please don''t lie to me Juni!"

    "Y-Yes. Please don''t ask me more!"

    "Am I the second coming of the White Demon!?"

    "Please don''t ask me..."

    "Am I the second coming of the White Demon!?"

    "It''s best if you don''t know!"

    Juni''s eyes began to glow fiery red and then created a warning blast again trying to scare Karus away but he didn''t flinch. Juni then realized what he did and looked away to crouch in shame.

    Karus grasped his right arm with both hands pleading and eyes seriously sad and calm directly looking at Juni''s.

    "Juni! I need to know! Am I this White Demon that will kill hundreds of Nagozulians and Daomagarians!"

    Juni burst out crying and sobbing loudly. "Y-Yes! Yes! But not just hundreds... it will be thousands..."

    Karus felt weak and stumbled to the floor away from Juni. He felt his world breaking into pieces as he felt his body going numb and his head feeling light as if floating into nothingness.

    Juni suddenly stopped crying and looked him with serious red glowing eyes illuminating the dark room. The twins were surprised seeing his face turn empty and calm performing a technique that even they don''t know.

    "Forty-second Prediction. And Karus who is born to the son of light will turn his emerald into a burning red sun. It will give fright to the people as the marvelous green emerald can never be turned to red and yet it is so. The Goddess of beauty will try to pry the gem from him but will fail.

    "Fifty-third Prediction. And the day will come as Karus, the Great, born to the son of light, will exact vengeance to the unjust mortals and will incinerate everyone who looks into his fiery eyes of justice! And he who is Karus the Great will be summoned as the coming of the White Demon of the Rain for the mighty heavens cried their sorrowful tears as the greedy mortals carried the contempt of mankind to the lands of Bathala in which created another Demon from Nagozul,

    "Ninetieth Prediction. And so there will come a time where the White Demon Karus will choose to be free from his bondage for the sins that he has committed in the past. He will be the Harbinger of Death that would restore the balance of the Holy Lands. The White Demon''s allegiance will result to the birth of a new world in this realm that Bathala created."

    Silence engulfed the room as Juni returned to his gloomy state and his big brown eyes then started to cry cowering in the edge of the corner of his room.

    The two brothers were stunned at what they heard. They sat there looking upwards at the ceiling looking through nothingness. The idea of Karus being a very dangerous person created a shock that made them statues for a few minutes.

    Juni spoke after a long time of silence.

    "I know this will sound stupid, but - but you''re a-Aunt will kill me sometime in the future. The king - uh - predicted that she will arrest me - and I, uh-while I was outside my house. So, you see, I can''t go out of my room. Only your father can take me away from here! Only your father can. Yes, he''s the only one. He''s the only one I trust and he''s the only one that knows. Your aunt doesn''t know, the queen doesn''t know..."

    The two grab their shoes weakly and slowly put them on having their faces blank and clearly depressed.

    "No one will hurt you Juni," assured Kayzar. "I will order a Daomagar to look after you."

    "No! No Daomagars. You''re going to the north, yes?" he finally smiled as if a little hope is in sight. "Tell your father, Artemus, or your mother, Anagea, that I will wait here. Yes, tell them to come here and get me... yes, they know the way. They know what to do. They always do. They will save me. They are powerful. They will not let me die. Not like the prophecy stated. Not like that."

    Juni grabbed his wax and, again, scrubbed the floor ignoring the two who are very depressed and frightened. He was now smiling while crying a river of tears to the floor.

    "Goodbye Juni. Be safe. We''ll be back with Dad," whispered Karus now releasing his tears that he tried hard to contain as they jump to the window away from Juni''s place.

    A long silent walk was all there is for the two brothers. They didn''t bother being sidetracked by Yosh''s fans. They didn''t bother if they didn''t take their shortcuts to cut in the busy streets. They didn''t care less if someone calls their names or pushed them back. Their faces were filled with great sorrow and disappointment.

    Kayzar should be celebrating now after finding about being an Elemental Prodigy. He has been dreaming to be a Wind-Water Elemental that can summon Storms and can direct lightning bolts for years. Oh, how he dreamt for this day for a long time and now that he knows he is, he isn''t feeling any joy at all. He can only think of his twin brother''s situation and their dear friend Juni''s state. The thought of their lives becoming so twisted and complicated, especially at a young age, gave him a frightening sense of hopelessness. He only wished that their father could fix this. Their father is smart and powerful. If someone can find a fix in a sticky problem, he''s the one to inquire about. The problems in their lives keep stacking up like hundreds of pieces of puzzle on top of the others. Too many for them to handle, he thought, but still he has his hopes up.

    As he was trying to figure out his resolve, the words of Juni returned lingering in his mind. He thought of many complicated possibilities on how to deal with the difficult revelations they heard about but he already knows that his mind is just escaping the reality, and that reality is horrifyingly catching up on them that it cannot be compartmentalized anymore. It revolves into one simple but frightening truth - that they can''t do anything about it.

 10 PRODEAâ€™s MYSTERIOUS ARTS

    "Oi!" called Yosh rushing to the twin brothers at the great steps. "Thank Bathala I found you first. I''ve commissioned Luna and Stella to help me search for the two of you and played a little gamble on the side. Whoever sees you first gets to eat my Para-Applemango fruit that I''ve been saving and, whew, that''s really a close one!"

    The two just looked to Yosh''s smiling face with blank expressions as if feeling a little sick.

    "Hey, are you guys ok? I said a Para-Appplemango fruit? The rarest mango fruit there is? The one that''s so deliciously sweet and juicy?" he stopped awhile awaiting his brother''s reactions to the mystical fruit that they''ve been craving since winter. "Oh, come on! What''s wrong with you two?"

    "Were just tired is all," said Karus lethargically.

    "Oh! I guess you won''t be too impressed then if I told you that I ACED MY EXAMS TODAY! OH YEAH!" he said shouting with much enthusiasm.

    The two began looking each other and suddenly created a very excited face filled with smiling eyes masking what they fell, giving opened mouths and raised eyebrows to further the effect. Nobody can see them like that, especially not Yosh. He won''t quit bothering them what''s up and they think he''s still not ready to hear the news.

    "Hooray! We''re going to the North after all!" exclaimed Kayzar as he grabbed Yosh''s head with his arm and scrubbed his hair vigorously.

    "Wow! How''d you do it? I mean you can''t really, seriously, positively, ace that exam! You didn''t even listen to my lecture; you didn''t even make a third of the attention you gave me to Kayzar when he''s tackling about Military Tactical Decisions and Elemental Maneuvers!"

    "Well, as I''ve said I just crossed the ones that don''t matter and picked the ones that did. Even if I didn''t understand Kuya-Kayzar''s lecture, it doesn''t mean that I didn''t memorized some words that he uttered. When it comes to mnemonics, I can be a lot tougher to beat! I haven''t really ever experienced an exam beating me!"

    "Hah! Good thing you have the ears of a jungle cat and a memory like a snap dragon. I really envy that thing you have there," said Karus patting his shoulders.

    "Yep, that''s why I consider myself a good hunter - not to mention a handsome one If I might add."

    "Here we go again," sighed Kayzar smiling and letting go of Yosh leaving him standing in the middle of the steps.

    "Hahaha, I''m sorry Kayzar. I forgot that I shouldn''t patronize him that much."

    Karus and Kayzar went to the top of the stairs smiling leaving Yosh alone at the steps.

    "What? What''s wrong? It''s the truth!" he shouted as he ran to join his brothers who are hurriedly walking to get away from him.

    The three then walked merrily along the long hallways going to the eastern part of the Palace. Karus and Kayzar looked at each other as if conversing with their eyes, giving an understanding with one another. They just smiled and agreed to keep up showing a happy appearance so that everyone wouldn''t notice something''s amiss.

    "Hey, Hey! I told you to include me in your conversation!" shouted Yosh waving his hands in front of the twin''s face interrupting their almost-telepathic conversation. "You shouldn''t leave the other company guessing what you''re thinking! It''s rude!"

    "I''m sorry we''re just realizing something..." said Karus snapping away from their deep thoughts.

    "Yeah," replied Kayzar. "We''re thinking, since we''re going to the north. We should visit our dear friend Nemer."

    "Right~" complained Yosh, "I know where this is going. You want me to go to Nemer and ask him to tell his master Dal''Gur to make us new weapons. You two always pass me errands!"

    "Hahaha, don''t get mad. This time we''ll be coming with you."

    "Really?" asked Yosh with an unconvinced tone. "I don''t like the sound of that..."

    "Yeah, we''ll be coming with to see this through personally," added Karus. "We really shouldn''t make use of those antique items you swiped. It''s enough our own blood relatives hate us. I don''t want another rumor spreading about us now being thieves."

    "I wish Kuya-Reus was here. It sure is fulfilling to brag about my grades to him."

    "Er... Kuya-Reus is still at the southern villages, right? And if by chance he''s here, you can''t gloat your scores to him. He aced every single course there is so you can''t compete with that," smiled Karus almost laughing.

    "Come to think of it, I think he''s on the record to be the most promising prince there is," added Kayzar. "He even beat dad''s score."

    "Well, whatever. I''m still going for it," replied Yosh confidently. "Meanwhile, we should go to Madj and Kudos. I think they''re included in my list of... gloat-able persons."

    "But first, we must go to Grandpa Narra to help him prepare," recommended Kayzar.

    "Right, the sooner we leave, the better," replied Yosh. "I''m getting shivers just staying another day here."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Madam," whispered a deep voice in the silhouettes inside a Hut made with bamboo, layered with thin striped wood slabs that beamed to support it. "Is the Grand Princess Alright? Is the healer doing some progress?"

    "Shush..." replied Zeba irritated, speaking as softly as possible, trying to ignore Karr with his annoying questions that have been going on for quite some time. "Don''t you see that her highness is in this critical situation? She doesn''t need to be disturbed, especially with your annoyingly loud whispers?"

    The Grand Princess lies half-naked on a bed in the hut. The area where she is lying, where the Water Caster is healing her, is covered with a thick brown curtain all around. Zeba is inside the thick curtains both curious and anxious of Prodea''s situation. Karr, the ever so loyal bodyguard, stayed outside the curtains kneeling backwards, watching everything outside the door, guarding them while being so persistently inquisitive about her charge''s condition.

    The medic that has been treating her is wearing her ceremonial healing robe: a long blue leathery robe that has lots of wavy designs. It is somehow contoured and is curiously moving in a downward fashion almost magical. It has lots of red dangling threads on the seams that is brightly lighting its surrounding area. There are two jugs of water on Prodea''s side which the Water Caster manipulates to flow and move about to create some sort of fine water pins that pierces through Prodea''s skin - an acupuncture procedure with the water flowing and glowing magically.

    "I don''t think I can do this alone," the Water Caster uttered softly to Zeba, while directing all of her concentration in manipulating another set of water pins she''s gathering from the jugs to puncture Prodea''s pressure points. "This is a very complicated procedure, not to mention Her Highness to be so powerful. She is sucking all of my energy subconsciously and I don''t think that I can hold my concentration any longer."

    "What should we do?" asked Zeba to the Water Caster.

    "I think we should..."

    As the Water Caster Medic uttered her last words Prodea''s Amplifyers began to glow an almost blinding light. Zeba, and the medic near her, began to shy away to her presence as the light engulfed the almost dark room that''s only been lit by a few candles earlier on.

    They saw Prodea waking up with her hair moving as if being blown by a strong wind. Her eyes began to grow into a bloody red glow.

    "No... Dark Arts," whispered the Water Caster, shocked to what she thought is just a myth.

    Zeba saw the Water Caster''s eye with a glint of fear and is feeling weak shaking. She saw water forming five snake-like figures at each jug and this concerned her too. The snakes then moved hurriedly to the Water Caster and pierced her skin puncturing her neck, chest, arms, thighs and legs. She tried to escape but her futile attempt all turned into vain as the snake glowed and chewed forcefully its way to her insides.

    "What''s going on!?" shouted Karr as he stood up in agitation. He heard a lot of terrified shouting and fearful screaming which sounded like someone''s in an awful sense of excruciating pain and anguish. "Madam Zeba! What''s Going ON!?" he tried shouting again while drawing his humongous sword.

    "No, It''s O-kay!" stammered Zeba with a broken voice. "Do not bother us, sentinel."

    "But Madam..."

    "Go outside and wait for us there. That''s an order."

    Karr, with now hearing the faint sound of what he thought to be the Water Caster''s cry for help, swallowed his moral conscience kicking in and obeyed the order of Zeba. He left almost weak as he notices blood now crawling on the floor to his side.

    Zeba stood terrified to what she just saw. The Princess she knew doesn''t know any dark Magicks, she thought as she tried to convince herself otherwise. The snakes are draining the medic with her life and transferring it to an orb like water bubble that is being drained directly to Prodea''s heart.

    "H-hh-hel-ph m-e..." whispered the Water Caster with much effort as she can muster for Zeba to hear.

    "I''m sorry..." mouthed Zeba uttering no voice, giving no sound but her heavy distracted breathing of tension and stress.

    Zeba can just look at her with her eyes crying in pain and misery. She can''t do anything about it. She thought the consequence and what would happen to her if the queen found out that she placed the life of a medic over the princess''s and that just shattered her inside. Her ambition of being the queen of Nagozul is more important, she thought, and Prodea''s the only one who can help her dream come into fruition.

    The Princess lost all of her elemental energy in her explosive match with Bakunawa. With that, the energy sustaining her life is at a critical point where she might just sleep for all the remainder of her life or much worse - die. Her body needs energy and there isn''t enough spirit within her to fill the gap and revive her that is why the Water Caster performs the Energy Transfer on her to at least minimize the damage. What she didn''t know is that Prodea too is a Water Caster with the knowledge of the Dark Arts, the arts that were but a myth to some that they have pointed out to be just a theoretical art. She created a summoning ritual called the first stage of Mephisto''s Awakening. The caster knew of this but got mesmerized in confusion seeing that no mortal alive can produce such complicated skill for over thousands of years. The summoning transferred the life of the Water Caster Medic into Prodea, eventually killing her in the process.

    A few minutes passed and the snakes began to withdraw to the Medic''s body that now looks like a skeleton wrapped in a dry skin. The water bubble that contains the essence of the Water Caster''s life is now getting smaller and smaller as Prodea siphoned it to the last drop. She then lay back again to sleep, unconscious as she is, now breathing normally retaining her youthful glow, making her look like a beautiful angel lying dormant in her slumber.

    "ZEBA!" she shouted suddenly gasping with much effort to breathe waking up with her eyes flaring wide with fury.

    Zeba, seeing Prodea up and about, went hurriedly to her side and grabbed a cup to fill it with water for her to drink. She saw grief in her eyes, shocked as she is in her bed.

    "I''M GOING TO KILL THAT SCUM, THAT WRETCHED DEFORMED MONKEY - Arggh," she exclaimed wrathfully throwing what Zeba was offering away making the water to splash all over her dress.

    She tried to stand up only to fall down in agony as she gave every curse there is in the Nagozulian vocabulary, some of it even Zeba couldn''t understand.

    Zeba felt the darkness eating away her whole body making her weak to the point of dazing off, ignoring her rampage.

    "Useless medic, in the end she didn''t have enough spirit in her. Maybe that''s why she''s so inutile and began to start training to be a medic. Heh, no future for you on summoning great waves you Yit''Vit piece of tesh."

    She thought that the depression that Prodea was feeling earlier on was to the fact that she just killed an innocent Nagozulian elemental who was just trying to help her. But that was not the case and she immediately figured out that she did that on purpose. She felt her own conscience now judging her, blaming her for what she didn''t do and that really tops all the things she''s used to endure when she''s with Prodea.

    "Zeba!" shouted Prodea that snapped her into her senses. "Take me to the Palace! I need to get strong! I need to kill that wretched Bakunawa! I''m going to find a way to make him pay for what he did!"

    "But Your Highness," she summoned all her courage to speak and ask a question. "What did he ever do to you?"

    "He put a hex spell on me, moron! As if you didn''t know! That garbage managed to curse me probably while I was summoning my dragons, draining all my spiritual energy! I should''ve known that he was doing that. I kept asking myself what happened and why I''m feeling weak after I left there. Now, in that sleep state, I''ve found out what that Yit''ard did! Oho-ho-ho, he''s a tricky clever bastard!"

    "But Grand Princess? The Healer inspected you and found nothing of that sort," she said with a bitter sensation churning in her gut as she looked at the healer with her swollen dry eyes looking directly at her for mercy.

    "You simpleton wouldn''t understand it even if I speak slowly to explain it to you! You''re as worthless as that trash. It''s medical procedure to check hexes first if an unknown problem persists. Even I know that and that''s saying much because I''m not even a medic. She deserves to die with her incompetence. If I didn''t do what I did I would''ve died after a few hours! Seriously, too many useless people are alive right now when they should''ve been dead. Lucky for her she died a hero. It''s her honor to offer her life to me."

    Zeba felt a pity for the Nagozulian medic as she remembered her last cry for help looping over and over her memory. She just faked a smile as she nodded in reply.

    "Bring Karr before me and tell him to provide me a stretcher so that they can carry me to the Palace," she dictated speaking hurriedly while grabbing Zeba''s robe and pulling a rag to cover her face trying to disguise herself as a Daomagarian. "And burn this hut to the ground. I don''t want to see any trace of this wretched place,"

    "But Princess, what about the body?"

    "I said BURN-IT-TO-THE-GROUND! How specific can I get?! Of course, you''ll be burning the body inside, right? Because you''re BURNING IT TO THE GROUND!"

    Zeba stood up obviously weak and with great sadness. Prodea noticed this but just ignored it and busied herself in passing off as a Daomagarian so as to not be recognized and be pitied upon by anyone. Zeba grabbed all of Prodea''s articles as she was about to finish packing her things.

    "No, Zeba. Leave it all there. Incinerate all evidence of my stay here and that includes my robes that have my blood. I don''t want anyone to have any idea of what happened to me."

    "Yes, your Highness."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Wohoho Gramps! What''s cookin''," yelled Yosh slamming the door, trying to surprise Narra brewing his tea at his room.

    "Hahaha, I''m just making my usual evening tea. I like to sip some before eating dinner. D''you want some?"

    "Ech, No thanks gramps"

    Narra looked at the twins offering a cup of tea to them, but they just smiled shaking their heads in unison. The three went near him with his teapot simmering with an aromatic fragrance that''s intoxicatingly sweet and addictive. He has a hole on the ground at the middle of his room where the pot of boiling tea is located. He''s sitting there fanning the charcoal that''s been making his tea boil with his usual small happy eyes and his wrinkled face, though this didn''t do much in revealing his age of seventy-five. In his age, he still looks a little bit on his fifties considering the ripped build, even though he''s skinny, and his majestic straight posture that impresses many people, especially the old noble grannies in the Palace. His thinning head is very much obvious even though he''s trying to pass it off as a short-cropped cut.

    "What''s wrong with my tea? Everyone loves my tea. My tea is delicious they say."

    "Well, we''ll just enjoy sniffing it. I know it tastes bad, I''ve tasted it myself last time," said Yosh smiling after which he gave a loud blow into his whistle dangling on his neck.

    "It''s bitter, but that''s the real taste of tea. The bitter the better they say."

    "No offense Gramps," said Kayzar smiling, "we kids are not really into the bitter taste; only old people enjoy eating bitter things."

    "Hahaha! True. But take heed, you''ll be looking forward to drink tea sooner than you think. It rejuvenates your spirit and cleanses your body. Just ask Reus. If you''re at my age, you''ll understand."

    "Whew, I''m really thankful I''m not as old as you Gramps," said Yosh with a relieved face which led them all to laugh in unison.

    Luna and Stella, we''re now at the balcony of Narra''s room. They noticed them because Luna''s been scratching the door trying to take their attention to make them open it for them. Narra smiled as he stood up, still coughing up some laughs, and released the locks which led them to rush in to Yosh''s side.

    "I sure am missed you guys," smiled Yosh petting them altogether and hugging them one at a time.

    "It''s a good thing they understand you Yosh," laughed Narra sitting down and putting out his fire. "The study room doesn''t permit animals inside. You haven''t seen them like in what? Six hours? Eight?"

    "I missed them more than they missed me. They''re so cuddly I just want to hug them till they pop."

    "You''re lucky you can hug an owl," grumbled Karus petting Luna while Yosh hugs Stella really tight, "normally, owls don''t want to be touched and if someone did then they''ll be feeling the sharp wrath of their long solid talons." And then he looked straight at Stella holding his hands remembering the last time he hugged her tight like Yosh and its consequence.

    "Hey, Gramps I''ve got good news," jumped Yosh ignoring Karus''s sharp eyes directly at Stella. He grabbed food in his mini-sling bag then giving it to his friends feeding them. "I just aced my exams for today! I''ll be joining you all at the Northern Encampment after all!"

    Narra began to put up his concerned face as Yosh beamed his wide smile. This concerned Yosh too and began losing his usual happy bragging pose - arms on the side while beaming a big wide smile almost touching his ears.

    "Well, congratulations on that achievement Yosh but I heard that the queen gave an order for you to remain here at the Palace for a month," the three gave a big gasp agitated to what they were hearing. "It makes it impossible for me to disregard that order and to let you join our traveling party."

    The three began speaking together contesting the idea. A rowdy ruckus ensued with them speaking in unison, whining about how unfair the queen is.

    "Hahaha Okay-Okay, I get it but Yosh, seriously, I still can''t let you come with us," they all had their pouting faces with Yosh building up a teary eye. "BUT," he hurried continuing which the three noted with a surprise glint of hope, "I can''t really watch over you every minute now can I? And whatever you do will be out of my jurisdiction so technically they can''t blame me If, for let say, you ran away from the Palace on your own and meet up with us at the entrance to Kulog Pass while we are camping there at the coordinates that I will leave in my study table hours before we depart, because I''m too old and really... I can''t seem to remember cleaning up my mess after a long day. Anyway, if that happens, I''m sure I can''t let you go home on your own by then and I will be forced to let you come with. But that''s just hypothetical. I know you''re not going to do that because you''re so obedient and polite."

    Yosh began to smile with all of them feeling relieved agreeing to the plan. Yosh jumped giving Narra a great big hug which led to them losing their balance and falling to the ground.

    "You''re the best Gramp ever!" Yosh shouted in a deafening bellow.

    "Hahaha, don''t say that now, I thought you already said that the late King IS the best Gramps. Don''t want him to get all jealous now and haunt me."

    "I know but you two are the Best Gramps ever - tying up on the same rank."

    Narra smiled as he moved his teapot to its place which is a standing a little crooked because of the commotion.

    "I believe Yosh should be thinking to go to Kudos and Madj now to make some preparations," Narra continued. "I think the traveling party that''s carrying the supplies to the north changed their initial plan on moving next week and is now doing it at first light on the next day. I think the supplies that the travelers needed are pretty much for themselves and for their traveling companions which are already accounted for so I think he should have his own gear in this journey if he is to sell his hypothetical heist to escape. That''s just what I think, but that''s just me talking to myself. You know how old men ramble..."

    Yosh stood up standing straight striking his right hand to the sky shouting his Yahoos and Yeah-Heys. He then ran outside the door with Stella and Luna following him faster than a rabbit being startled by a wolf. The three were left there silently as they are with Narra, taking his time to sip his hot tea. He then broke the ice and asked.

    "So, I know you visited Juni Merl. Anything you want to share with me?"

    The two were surprised with Narra''s knowledge on what they just did. They began to reveal their sad faces that they''ve been hiding from Yosh.

    "I think Juni needs our help Gramps. He''s sick or something. He''s mumbling about what he and our father talked about which is kind of vague," said Kayzar with his gloomy eyes looking straight to Narra.

    "Oh? Don''t worry. I''ll arrange something for him to make him feel safe and for him to join us in our travel to the north," Narra assured while standing up squeezing his chin in deep thoughts.

    This troubled them so, seeing as he only squeezes his chin when thinking critically on a plan or just plain angry thinking of a way to punish someone. Given the circumstance, it is the former not the latter.

    "No!" forced Karus standing up, "Juni said no Daomagarians. He''s beginning to lose his focus to the real world. He said that he had conjured the white fire without him doing it on purpose. He might hurt the Daomagarian soldiers that you''ll post there and that would attract some attention at the Outer Rim."

    "Yes, and that would lead him to be captured by soldiers. Then, his weird irrational fear of being captured by our Aunt will come true," calmly added Kayzar. "I know Aunt Prodea is a wicked aunt, but I don''t think that she''ll be capturing old retired sages, rounding them up and killing them. I think she''s not that evil yet."

    "Yes, and I believe he said that he''ll only be talking to father. He doesn''t want to see anyone but dad."

    "Hmmnn, then we''ll move our travel by tomorrow," he grabbed his coat and drank his tea in a single gulp which the two noticed as they squirm inside their heads thinking how he could have ever have swallowed a searing cup of that horrid tea and how painful it must''ve been. He then rushed through the door with the twins following him at the back. "Tell Yosh to hasten his preparations. I''m going to send my sentry to the southern villages where Reus is and order them to ready your brother for the travel. Get an early sleep and be ready to wake up five hours before sunrise," he then walked striding fast into the hallways like something''s on fire.

    "I don''t like this Karus."

    "Yes, I don''t like it either. Gramps knows something that we don''t and clearly, we really should know about that."

    They walked out the door, gently closed it, then moved walking along the corridors resuming their discussion.

    "But you know Karus, they say that ignorance is bliss which is quite true on so many occasions. If we really poke around in this prophecy thing then we''ll be in big trouble. That''ll lead us being cautious to what''s happening around us, causing us to be paranoid in every event."

    "I might have to oppose on that idea Kayzar. I think ignorance is nowhere near anything blissful. It''s violent and unfair and could kill you in a lot of different ways. Certainly, if you don''t know what you''re up against then you''ll be a sitting duck at the lake swarming with murderous crocodiles waiting to be preyed upon. That''s what ignorance is for me. And I don''t want to end up like that duck and what happens to him after a few minutes of blissful humming down at that lake!"

    "Alas - we''re at a dilemma tonight," he chuckled seeing Karus being riled up about describing ignorance, "To know or not to know will be the idea that we''ll be contemplating about tonight. The adverse repercussions will surely hit not only us but our brothers as well."

    "Negatives of not knowing: it will leave us being ignorant of what''s happening and being slaves of time, unable to change the course of the future," Karus started smiling.

    "Positives of not knowing: it will lead to us enjoying peaceful living at the North being free and happy and content of what it is and what will come to pass."

    "True. Negatives of knowing: we''ll be detained by father knowing that we pose a threat to the world as we clearly heard what Juni said last time, the things that I''ll do - me becoming a murderer..."

    Karus''s face began to look pale making him walk slower than Kayzar which he noticed. They then took a few seconds of silence then Kayzar pushed on to continue.

    "But Positives of knowing: we can do what we can to contribute either in secret or in the open. We might be able to squeeze out information from dad up north if we''re lucky or just spy on him, the usual. Besides, if you know things you can easily circumvent the negative situation allowing you to maneuver it to your advantage."

    "Hah, I wish that that part of the prophecy never comes true. From now on I''ll be shaving my blade to a blunt."

    "Yes, that''s right! We circumnavigate our destiny so that we can avoid things - if we are lucky. It''s much better than being ignorant of what''s happening and just letting other people take course of our life being puppets to their thoughts and ideas."

    "Heh, sadly that''s not us. This inquisitive brain that Bathala gave us is sometimes a pain. Though it makes our lives miserable by fixating with trivial things, sometimes it helps us to think clearly on a different perspective."

    "Yeah, I''m with you. That''s just saying that our intellect is meant for something. The prophecy states a lot of killing and destruction. As prince and sentinel of Nagozul and of Bathala''s Holy Lands, we must protect its sanctity and make sure that it never happens."

    "Henceforth, we''ll be searching for the truth."

    "I second the thought."

    The two ran sprinting towards the kitchen, trying to find Yosh and to reveal their newfound plan that Narra instructed them to do tomorrow morning.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    A knock for three times at the door startled Reus while he was reading five books simultaneously that laid perfectly around his bed. He''s at a small village a few miles from the Palace and the villagers there gladly gave Reus the village elder''s hut for his lodging which gave quite a shock to those Daomagarian Guards that escorted him there. Normally they have to order them to give way for a royal blood such as Reus - forcefully even, but they didn''t. It''s as if the elders gave theirs automatically and with true joy in their eyes. Little did they know that the village where they were staying is one of the villages subsidized by the brothers - specifically Reus himself. He''s the one paying the villager''s taxes coming from their business schemes all scattered all around Nagozul. They all need it to be their secret, so no one knows about that but the village elders there.

    He''s having a great time there perusing their medical books and mythical legends which he founds to be very promising and interesting at best. He has his spectacles askew - again as usual - with his hair unmanaged and scattered all around his handsome face almost blocking his round blue eyes. He still can''t move about with his thigh having a cement cast, but he stubbornly stood up to open the door anyway, even though they said he can''t.

    "Go-good eve-ning~" uttered nervously by a beautiful Princess wearing a white gown with her shiny golden hair fixed curly covering her elbows. She has a white silk sling bag that she holds in her clutches with much stress as if guarding it.

    "Eh - ah, H-hello Princess? Uh - Illyriah? um - what''s up?" blurted Reus as he fixed himself shocked at the sight of her finding him there. No one really knows where he is, even his brothers, and that surprised him to his senses. "W-would you - uh - like to come in?"

    "Y-yes please," she replied softly revealing her rosy white cheeks turning red blushing.

    Reus closed the door as she came in and limply pulled a chair for her to sit in at the middle of his room. The princess shyly went near him and sat gracefully at the chair which he pushed gently to set it on its place. He then moved about to the far side to grab two cups.

    "What happened on your foot Grand Prince Reus?"

    "Oh," he stalled scratching his head thinking of a way to make his lie believable, which normally results to the contrary. Good thing only Illyriah believes every single word coming out of his lips. "I-uh-fell down from a great height..."

    "Would you like for me to inspect the wound and possibly heal it if I can?"

    "Oh my, that''s gracious of you but I''m afraid I want to at least make my body work for it. Call me old fashioned but I want my wound to heal as they were to heal normally, all in their own."

    Illyriah pouted, distressed hearing his explanation. She knows Reus knows she is number one in her class, having the highest elemental essence within, and possibly the best Caster in their generation given her age.

    Reus hurried to explain so as to avoid misunderstanding, "It''s not that I do not doubt your medical expertise as a Water Caster. No. You''re a wonderful, the Best Medical Caster! Yes Princess! It''s just that I want my body to fix it on its own. I read about it on some book that there is a correlation in pain and the immediate medical healing of the casters, that is if we rely much on Water Casters, our threshold for pain plummets down gradually to a point that when Medical Casters are not around when we experience tremendous physical trauma in old age, the pain itself will drive the person more ill, fainting or worse. But there''s no recorded history of that happening, no statistics to follow on, since as you can see there''s no war to make that happen - you can only find that out when people are injured and when there''s no caster around to immediately take care of them but that only happens around wars - or something equally terrifying - not that I am wishing that, so it''s a working theory. I''m just thinking of experimenting on that."

    Illyriah smiled at his long explanation almost giving up a chuckle which Reus noticed. She knows Reus is strong-willed but this side of him being strong about his convictions made her respect him even more. But Reus doesn''t know this. He''s oblivious to what''s happening. He would like to go on and discuss the theory extensively, but he doubts she would be interested.

    He noticed that she''s always paying great attention with what he''s saying and that''s making it hard for him to figure out whether she''s genuinely fascinated with his findings or if she''s just really faking it just to be polite. Girls are hard to read, he thought, so he just changed the topic.

    "Tea? Oh- right - uh, water?" he asked nervously failing to remember that no one in their age likes to drink tea except him. He has acquired the taste of tea because of the torturous tea sessions with his grandfather. He didn''t like it at first, but he grew accustomed to it and now he fully appreciates the taste.

    Illyriah stood up and rushed near Reus which gave him a fright.

    "Oh - I''m sorry Grand Prince Reus, I''ll take that. You go ahead and sit at the table," she said while asking the cups at Reus'' hands seeing that he can hardly move about back and forth.

    "No, no. Please, I insist. I''m going to be a worthless host if I didn''t at least offer this to you myself," insisted Reus smiling and with that the princess began blushing again and shying her eyes away from Reus. She gently walked to the table and sat again to be waited. "And for the last time, my father isn''t the King yet so you can''t call me Grand Prince, I''m just a prince. You can call me Reus. Just Reus."

    "Well, Reus..." she said with her soft voice almost hesitating. "You can call me Illyriah too. A-and I''ll be taking up your offer with your tea, thank you."

    Reus snickered as he poured hot tea to the two cups from the canister that''s been keeping it warm. "Two teas coming up," he said as he grabbed the cup and began placing it on opposite sides of the table and sat on a chair facing Illyriah.

    Illyriah smiled nodding. She then took a glimpse of the cup of tea with it swirling in its greenish black mystery. She picked it up and found out a fragrant smell that''s invigorating. She''s not accustomed in drinking it and there are many rumors among the other princesses that teas are very nasty and bitter, but she thought that if Reus finds tea refreshing, so must she - forcefully that is. The thought of the taste lingered in her mind as she gazed in its dark whirls. It may not be that bad she thought taking into consideration the aroma that now fills the air.

    "Uh - Is something wrong?" asked Reus while sipping his cup.

    Illyriah''s beaming face stowed away the fear she has on the horrible idea that is tea. She then mustered all of her courage, with her gulping in anxiety, and then took a tiny sip from the cup.

    Reus saw her eyes widening with hands shaking. This concerned him so that he leaned forward to ask. "Hey, Illyriah, are you alright?"

    She then forced a smile as she put the cup down trying to control her poise nodding on what Reus'' question. "I-it''s v-very delightful, t-thank you," she said with her mouth slowly moving as if trying to rid of the taste of what she just sipped. This made Reus to burst into laughter. He stood up and grabbed the canister of water and another cup and gave it to Illyriah which she then gulped hurriedly.

    "You should''ve said no when I asked. That''s a nasty brew isn''t it? I''m sorry but all I have right now is the nastiest most-bitter tea that Gramps personally made. There''s tea... and there''s Gramp''s tea. I assure you. Nobody can beat his tea. Even Grandmama says so."

    Illyriah started to giggle in reply. "Yes, how can you ever stand that dreadful taste? Yes, I know it smells good, but it doesn''t really go well with everyone''s palate."

    "I knew you''d say that." he replied as they gave some time to laugh together, "I told it to my grandfather too a few years back. I grew accustomed to it I guess, but don''t worry, I made that same face the first time I took my first cup so you''re not alone."

    "Oh!" cut Illyriah as he grabbed three books hidden in her sling bag and put it on the table. She pushed it gently to let it get near Reus which he then grabbed. "I know you''re really fond of reading books. When I was at Hishma, my friends and I found a stash of books hidden there. I never told father about that and, well, I thought you''d like it."

    As she was saying this Reus eyes were opening wide being filled with excitement as he flipped the pages to see that first book entitled Last Volume: Rare and Mythical Beasts of the Pastwritten by the Great Narra, a Daomagarian scholar who is famous for the Compendium on Mythical Bestiary that is known to have been lost forever. The second is the historical records of the Karshivyk incident written by the Grand Seer a thousand years ago and the third is the Memoirs of the Great Elven King, Kyrin. He stood up shouting in excitement and joy.

    "NO WAY! How''d you - do you know what you''ve found!?" he ran to her side and pulled her up. "This is the one of the thousands of articles that were thought to have been burned a thousand years ago! This will at least try and complete the history of Nagozul! You''ve found three of the Lost Books. I mean there''s thousands, but this is an impossible find! Of the thousands, you''ve found three of the most important ones in one swoop!"

    Reus hugged her in his excitement, thanking her with her present. She then gave a big smile beaming at Reus feeding off from his energy. She knows that it will be a very big find but she decides to give it to Reus instead. The feeling of his happiness gave an indescribable warm priceless feeling to the princess.

    "Of course, I''m going to give these to the museum after reading all of it. I''ll be burning the midnight oil for this. Karus and Kayzar will be envious with these books."

    Two knocks on the door startled the two in their joyous celebration. A gloomy voice began speaking as if shouting for them to hear.

    "Master Reus," the voice said, "I''m sorry to have disturbed you but Master Narra ordered that we move the plans early so that we will be traveling tonight instead of our previous plans in order to catch up with them as early as before daybreak tomorrow. You need to go to our tent to be briefed in our journey. He insists that we move as soon as possible."

    "Oh, OK!" shouted Reus as he held her hands tightly thanking her and limply grabbed all of his things to be ready on the move.

    "Can I come in to carry you sir?" politely shouted by the guard outside.

    "Oh, no. Dear Bathala, no," he replied smiling looking at Illyriah as if that was the worst absurd, possibly humiliating, thing that can happen to him, "I can take care of myself, Thank you!"

    "Are you sure sir? It''s no problem at all."

    "Haha," he snickered hiding his embarrassed face to Illyriah, "Yes, I''m sure. I''ll be meeting up with you there in just a minute."

    "But I carried you there last week, sir, and..."

    "N-No you didn''t!" he shouted forcing a smile.

    "Very well, sir. We will be waiting at the tent."

    He limply went to his bed and collected the books that lay scattered there. He then piled them up in a neat alphabetically organized stack and placed them at a desk near him.

    "I''m sorry princess but I have to rush in packing."

    "Where are you going?"

    "Uh - to the north. We''ll be spending our summer there."

    "Oh," and that''s all she said. She has never been this close to Reus. She wanted to speak what her heart is feeling but she can''t. She lacks enough courage to speak her mind and stand up to herself. But this is not surprising as it was always her problem even as a child. She got all the trouble creating this kind of atmosphere and yet she fails to do the last thing on her list which she painstakingly practiced for hours on her way there.

    He stood up fixed on the door with his hair tidy and his spectacles evenly placed.

    "After you milady."

    She sat at the table and smiled at Reus. "Oh, it''s all right you go ahead I''ll finish up my drink here.

    "Oh - are you sure? ''cause..."

    "Oh right, sure go ahead. I don''t want to be a trouble. I''ll see you again when you return."

    "Right-O! Take care now, and thanks again for the books. I''ll cherish it... I mean, I''ll take good care of it making sure it''s in its perfect condition before sharing it to the museum."

    "Oh - Reus..." she stood up trying to summon her strength. She knows that she''s not going to see him for a very long time. The twins have been bragging about not returning at all giving her her birthday gift for three years in advance that''s why she did all the trouble in gathering the precious books and scouring the villages looking for him. She only wants Reus to know what she feels and what he would feel just in case he knew. She stood up with her serious eyes forcing her lips to invoke those hard words that have been forming in her heart.

    "Uh - what is it? Are you alright? You seem kind of sad or something?" asked Reus seeing her stressed eyes almost crying.

    "Nothing," she replied rapidly sighing, beaming her beautiful happy face. "I just want you to take care of yourself too and don''t ever fall from those trees again," she said lively trying to make a joke to remove her teary eyes, "may Bathala bless you on your journey." She forced a smile as she clasped her hands bowing which he also did.

    "You too. Be safe and may Bathala guide you."

    He then limply ran outside closing the door behind him. Illyriah was left there sitting in her chair slamming her forehead at the wooden table in humiliation. She can''t forgive herself for being too afraid, too weak, to speak her heart in the face of Reus - the love of her life. She then grabbed the cruel cup of tea in front of her, with its dark twirling vileness, looked straight in it in anger and drank it all in one gulp.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "High Eminence, the messenger has been deployed and will be arriving at the rendezvous point tomorrow evening. He''ll be riding in his horse day and night to join with Duke Tabarius of Farindhal."

    "Excellent," weakly uttered Emperor Balthazar wheezing in his throne looking sickly.

    The dark throne room of the Emperor, which was lit by only a few candles, was deafening with its silence. The flickering of the fire as it burns the candles and the wind bouncing back and forth from the wide brick walls were the only ones that can be heard. The voice of the soldier and the Emperor reverberates to the halls creating a chilling sensation of loneliness. The Emperor felt that someone will strike him over and will take advantage of his empire if someone knew of him being that weak and ill - which is true as his spies revealed - so he had himself locked up with only his faithful guards updating him with information. He had spread some rumors saying that he went to the further north to inspect the garrisons there but in truth, he remained at the heart of Leonus, in his throne room, waiting. ''

    Some of his loyal soldiers have been spying and they found out a great plot against him and the empire. Some dukes are planning on joining the Gnarshu Rebels, others are thinking of a possibility of creating a treaty with the Gnarshu so that they can divide the empire for them to create their own country - especially the ones that are near the border. This helped the Emperor to be vigilant and truly focused on finding the mythical Holy Lands. If by chance that the legends are true, he might be able to have his transformation into something youthful and that will lead for his people to unite to defeat the rampaging enemies. Relying on chances is not enough for him to go on. He knows that he needs action for him to counter this impending doom. He knows that death lingers around; waiting for him to fall down and be reaped but his mind is determined and hopeful. He knows that his only trustworthy friend and cousin, Duke Tabarius, is as focused as he is in finding the fountain of life. He''s the one that he''s been counting on as he gave all of his plans and his best men in his command. He believes that he''ll succeed, and this success will surely give them victory to aid them in their plight against their enemy.

    "Fly an eagle and send Duke Tabarius my regards. I believe he''ll be closing in with the Princess''s guide anytime soon."

    "Yes, your liege."

    "Tell him more important matters are at stake. Tell him to not forget our arrangements and prioritize on the mission I gave him."

    "Yes, your liege."

 11 The JUNGLE of NARRA

    The misty wind blew a chilling lonely breeze in the darkened night of Nagozul. The thick cloud of fog consumed every light source all over the Palace grounds shrouding the vision of any living person in Nagozul, rendering one to be left clueless in the dark night. Even so, this didn''t stop Yosh from running around the Royal Gardens at the west wing of the Palace pacing a speed no Nagozulian Sentinel can match. The Great Dash!

    There is an opening at the center of a long hedge wall circling the gardens. It is the entrance to the fifteen-foot brick wall maze that is elaborately structured all around stretching about three hundred yards on each side. Each mossy stone slab is covered with vines producing an effect that is ghastly and frightening as it stood there haunting in the cold dark night. Escaping in this elaborate puzzle proves to be a surprisingly arduous task for it is apparent that the rich fog is much denser there than is what''s outside - not to mention its slippery floor that can trip anyone that''s not too careful with their steps. Every plan to stealthily escape the Palace leads to one inexorable point of access: it is through this wall maze.

    There are a few lower ranked guards posted near the maze because no person in their right mind would want to wander in such an intricate network of hallways in the middle of early morn. Not only that you''ll catch a cold with the shivering fog that''s been enveloping the area, but you''ll get shouted as well in the morning when they find you there lost and alone with no permission. This access point is the only viable option if he is to successfully attempt to break out. All of the other openings have a higher risk of detection except in the maze which he thought to be ridiculously unguarded.

    "Alright," he whispered to his companions - Stella and Luna, "Phase One complete. We''ve snuck around and got away from those guards at the Palace, let''s see if we can pull this off. I have bribed the two guards that are guarding at the exit of this maze so that should be easy. They''ll let us pass there and will not tell anyone of our little escapade so the only thing that we need to do is to..." He gulped for a second trying to psyche himself to remove any second thoughts, "...get past this."

    Yosh ran around inside, left and right, dashing in the dark frightening maze now without hesitation. Clearly, his mind is now much more determined to achieve his goals that he willingly disregarded the fact that he still is afraid of this brick maze.

    The brick maze, also popularly known as the Snake Tunnels, is supposedly a playground for little Nagozulian prince and princess. The seers proposed to build this as an experiment in the assumption that children who were brought here can train their memory and test their mind concerned with logic. They say it develops critical thinking and mental responsiveness due to different elemental traps hidden there but Yosh disagrees. He says that it''s way too creepy to be a playground for children to play to. His brothers agreed too when he said that the only thing it produces are horrible, unforgettable nightmares. He knows it is so because he experienced being trapped in that maze for a day not knowing which way to run home to. That''s partly why he''s so obsessed with the immortal evil ghosts of Karshivyk and large mythical monsters to a point that he believes that they are still haunting him till this very day. That was five years ago when he was just six years old, but this trauma still lingers in his mind shouting at him, telling him that he will be lost there in confusion again.

    "Go away evil ghosts of Karshivyk! I won''t lose to you again!" he grumbled trying to shut his thoughts to the idea, denying his subconscious mind the luxury of pleasure at his expense.

    He stopped in his path and directed his look to Luna.

    "Hey, Luna. Please, go up the walls and direct me to the exit at the northern side. Stella can''t fly that high ''cause someone might see her."

    Luna created a slight meow understanding right away, jumping swiftly to Yosh''s shoulder. Yosh then directed Stella near the wall to his right directly on top of him. After seeing Stella in position, Luna jumped pouncing to the wall, into Stella''s flying body, giving off a faint clink from the touch of her claws to her armor, then bounced back again making her land at the top plane of the wall.

    "Great Job you two! Now find me a path."

    Luna began shouting her meows and ran. Yosh, seeing her sprinting fast, followed hurriedly with a wide smile lighting up his face. Six years ago he doesn''t have anyone to help him scurry in that dreadful place but now he have his friends and that feeling of security slowly ate up the fear inside him, making him confident to run faster using his Great Daomagarian Dash, turning left and right, never stopping, never having doubts, running as if it''s as clear as day.

    "Hmmnn..." Karus contemplated walking all around flustered. "I should''ve joined Yosh at the Great Palace Escape."

    "Uh-huh, naming it now with grand names, are we?" mumbled Kayzar smiling.

    The travelling party is somewhere north, near the Kulog Pass. They created a camp with a fire in the middle burning bright, warming them all around in its bountiful radiance. There are five of them there sitting and waiting for Yosh who has proven himself late for about an hour now. Reus and Kayzar is reading the books that Illyriah gave while Narra brewed his tea - as always - in the opposite side. The Daomagarian merchant, big and muscular as he is, lay sitting at the side doing his third round of inventory checks which he does repeatedly to kill boredom.

    "Shush Karus," ordered Reus who is reading the lost volume of the Great Narra''s Compendium of Mythical Bestiary. "Sit down, you''re blocking my light. Yosh can take care of himself. He''s got Luna and Stella to watch his back so you shouldn''t have to worry."

    "Besides," said Kayzar joining the conversation reading the first parts of Kyrin''s memoirs, "he''s the fastest among us. He''s the only one who can use the great dash with less effort so he''s really going to be here sooner than you expect. He''s just in a pickle is all, or better yet he''s in between his pickles if you know how Yosh is with snacks."

    "That''s not what I''ve been thinking," he sat down near Reus who clearly ignored Karus and obviously went on reading his book, "I''ve been thinking about how cool it is that he''s escaping the Palace. Don''t ''cha wish that you too have been grounded for a month? He''s clearly enjoying himself having fun while we sit around here doing nothing."

    "Not having fun!?" shouted Reus, "Eherm, correction. We''re doing something, You''re NOT! For the past hour you''ve been acting weird like that. For the love of what''s good and holy, why don''t you go grab a book here, go around there and read! That way we can all be at peace!"

    "Sheesh, too much black tea eh? Don''t be so jumpy about it. I''m just envious is all."

    Karus grabbed a book about the Tower of Karshivyk and began reading near Kayzar. After just thirty minutes, the twins began deliberating about some theory that they have about the spirits of Karshivyk and the Elves of the Forrest of Kyrin in much unusual jubilation and great enthusiasm that it made Reus to grumpily change spot to sit near Narra who is quietly enjoying his tea.

    "So, bothered by your brothers now, are we?"

    "Nah, I just accepted fate and decided not to read. Besides, I can''t read in this condition - too dark and foggy. My eyes are straining, and my glasses are going all shady."

    "Hmmn, Yes. We are very near the Kulog Pass and I believe it''s storming there now as we speak. See, the thick fog is the clear indication that it is indeed blowing unimaginably strong there so I think we should take up the hike and move around the pass to reach the jungle."

    "Wait," refuted Reus, "don''t tell me that we''re going up the Lakas Mountain range to avoid the pass! I thought you said that you know your way to the Kulog Pass."

    "I''m sorry Reus. I know my way to the Kulog Pass, believe me I know, but we really can''t travel through if there is a storm brewing there. I just can''t risk you and your brothers being hit by lightning bolts. Your father is the only one who can calculate the storm''s presence, you know and it''s not as if we have a strong Wind-Water prodigy in our party to redirect the bolt''s current so our only option is really to go around it."

    "Aww! Come on Gramps, I still have my casted leg here? How can I travel up the steep mountains?"

    "Oh, don''t worry. I commissioned someone to carry you. Remember that I really like to anticipate everything."

    "Right, carry me..." whispered Reus looking pale seeing that he dislikes someone carrying him and regards it to be most humiliating.

    The sudden noise in the bushes at their south startled the three brothers that it made them stand up in anticipation dropping everything that they are currently doing.

    "Yeah-Hey-Hey! I''m here!" shouted Yosh in much excitement as he jumped through in a lot of effort to create some surprise which clearly failed.

    "Hmn, an Hour and a half later than expected," said Narra sipping his tea sitting there, cozy in his spot next to the fire, "You''re really losing it Yosh."

    "Whoa Gramps, It''s not really my fault," the others just looked at him, smiling mischievously, giving the impression that they don''t believe his statements but he pushed on and tried, "I did my best to evade those guards, really but since the ones that I bribed, in some sort of misfortune, was posted on the other exit areas in the last minute, I have to improvise and wait for them to look in the other direction and sneak through. It''s not my fault if they keep on changing the guard''s schedule on a whim."

    "Eherm," entered a big muscular man behind Yosh shaking his hair as he passed him by, "I t''ink we deserve ''sum credit."

    "Yeah," added a laughing young slender woman beside the muscular man trying to enter in the conversation, "If it were not for us, then you all would''ve waited for three hours more because junior here doesn''t want to move his little feet." She laughed so hard infecting the others to laugh as well.

    "Eh?" replied Yosh in much confusion, startled as he is when the petite young woman gently slapped his right arm still laughing.

    "Yo! Kudos, Madj! I didn''t know you were coming!" shouted Karus as he ran near them grabbing their hands tightly in a shake, welcoming them to the party which Kayzar did also.

    "How''re you... where did''y... why''s tha..." stammered Yosh in much uncertainty. He didn''t know that they are following him. Stella and Luna didn''t detect their presence at all and neither did he. He just stood there puzzled, trying to remember everything that happened earlier on to explain this unusual phenomenon.

    "Well Yosh, no point in just standing there go on and help your brothers," commanded Narra gulping all the contents of his cup in just a second and standing up to stretch around preparing himself. He directed his attention to everyone and continued. "I ordered the two of them to come with us so that we can have some extra hands in the journey. We have a lot of walking ahead of us, so I suggest we keep on moving fast."

    "Hey," directed Kayzar to the two to get their attention as they pack the things that they need to bring, "How come you two''re here? You''re the most favored dinner chefs at the Palace, right? How''d you escape that?"

    "Well, as ''ya know der'' a lot of sheps ''an a lot o''kitchen ''n ''d Palace so we won''t be missed," replied Kudos as he helped Karus in wrapping the mat that they were sitting into. "Basic''ly, we went to ''da star shep- or t''least ''dat''s ''wat he calls ''imself - an'' asked his permishun'' if we can get ''ar breaks for a week."

    "No way!" said Karus snickering, "the star chef Mort? Ha ha! Of course, he''s going to approve your vacation. Clearly that''s what he''s been waiting for."

    "Yeah," replied Madj snickering as she dropped her bag grabbing a rope inside to give it to Kudos. "He''s been anticipating this opportunity to present his newfound ideas on cooking that he''ll present to the queen," she said this with much waving of her hands insulting the so-called star chef''smannerism when explaining - waving the hand on a circular manner, "I think that''s his plan to replace us being the dinner cooks."

    Kudos laughed with Madj''s statements and replied, "Juz'' to point out, bein'' ''d Dinner Chef is ''d most prestigious thin'' ''dat d''ose Nagozulian shefs want. Clearly, we don''t like ''dat position. ''Der''s too much prejediz'' on us Daomagarians already an'' ''dis position makes us livin'' targets. If given a chance, we ''wud wanna be placed on lunch duty. ''Dat way, we''ll be invisible to ''d scene an'' no one''s ''gonna boder if we''re takin'' ''ar breaks."

    "Good thing you''re with us," shouted Yosh, "that would hinder Kuya-Karus and Kuya-Kayzar in making experiments with our food."

    "Don''t you worry Yosh," entered Narra as he grabbed his huge backpack as big as he is, obviously heavy but he managed to bear it as if he was carrying nothing, "I''m going to stop them from ruining the food. And Oh-Yeah, I''ll be the one to cook - I can cook too you know."

    "Just promise us Gramps that you''re not going to ruin another perfectly mixed pork broth stew by adding bitter herbs," pleaded Karus with a concerned face.

    "Yeah and adding those horrific wrinkly stringy bitter vegetables that you like very much," added Kayzar in a face with much disgust.

    "Oh? But I will. It''s good roughage and besides you brother Reus loves that too."

    They saw Reus being carried by Kudos, waving his hands and moving his eyebrows up and about in agreement with much pleasure almost teasing.

    "No, not again," replied Karus and Kayzar in unison with heavy hearts as they carried their travel packs, preparing themselves in their trek upwards in to the Lakas Mountain range.

    It took them almost three hours to reach the opening at the Lakas Mountain range. They looked up straining as though seeing a very impossible task up ahead. Reus sighed and whispered something to Kudos which made the big man guffaw excessively. The others heard this and caught on laughing too but twins are deaf in that moment for they are mystified at the scene they are beholding. A great mountainous tower wall built and chiseled magnificently by nature.

    There was a steep, almost impossible, path leading up to the mountains. It looked as if one man can only walk at a time for it covered at least three feet of floor to walk onto. There are some cracks under and above with some persistent grass living beneath it giving the path a somewhat staircase look - a very odd looking, sheer sloped, remarkably placed staircase at that in which one would insinuate it to be created on purpose: to make climbing to Nagozulians practically unreasonable and unsafe, or at least that''s what Yosh was thinking.

    "You know Kuya-Kayzar," whispered Yosh gulping in anxiety as Narra first checked the front steps, "I have this weird fear about heights, not heights in general but fear about really-dangerous-height-the-size-of-a-mountain like sort of thing, and I think you ought to check up on me once in a while -- but don''t make it too obvious ok? I don''t want Kuya-Karus teasing me with this."

    Kayzar nodded smiling as he once again measured the great height of the steep path they were about to trek with much excitement in his face. The twins are most appreciative in these kinds of risky things, especially Karus who went on second to Narra followed by Yosh and then Kayzar. On their backs were Kudos and Madj and following down below is the yawning merchant who seems to be feeling kind of sleepy with his face without expression as if treating this journey like a lazy day''s walk in the park.

    The steep stone wall, the sharp edges of the silver stones and the hard wind, blowing as if slamming them on the face of the mountain, are not the only ones that made this somewhat perilous journey a little bit harder on the Nagozulian Princes. It seems that the fog enriched the wall with much water that it made it almost impossible for them to fix their foot on its moist ground firmly leading for them to tie ropes with their Daomagarian friends just in case.

    "I think we''re doing a fine job travelling here!" shouted Narra to the team but clearly is directly intended to the Princes, "I hope you ate a heaping serving of your meals earlier because we''ll be in this for quite some time."

    "What!?" shouted Yosh with disappointment as Luna gave her meows inside his chest pocket where he always puts her in.

    "Yes," replied Narra. "I think we can''t rest till we reach the top. See, that''s where we''re going to camp. Going down from there isn''t going to be too much trouble as going up."

    Then he continued on walking pulling his end of the rope giving the signal to the others to move with Yosh mumbling and complaining about Lunch. The others in the back heard this and that led them to cry out laughing. This made Reus a little jumpy, praying not to fall, for his ride moves about much when he laughs.

    Yosh found an idea and immediately ordered Stella, who''s hovering at his head, to go to the forest and specifically told her to grab some cherries which she did right away making it impossible for Karus to grab some additional requests. This became another topic of their uncontrollable chain of laughter making them twice slower than earlier on.

    "Oh, dear Bathala," whispered Narra smiling, "I just hope we reach the first landing by midnight.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "PRODEA!" shouted the Queen running at the receiving area where Prodea is, carried by his personal guard accompanied by Zeba walking by her side. "Explain to me, AT ONCE, what YOU exactly DID at Bakunawa''s Shrine!"

    "Relax Mother," pacified Prodea ignoring the rampage of her mother, "You really should consider taking those medications that the seers are offering. Bakunawa''s fine."

    "Then, can you clearly enlighten me on that matter!? The Nanreben, who has been asleep for a thousand years now, suddenly was awoken from its slumber roaring so loud, everyone in the kingdom is both anxious and afraid! Why did he summon it? Hmn? He only summons it when there''s a grave threat here in the Holy Lands of Bathala!"

    "Oh that," Prodea smiled devilishly remembering the luck she had in surviving the attack of Bakunawa which she didn''t clearly thought of happening, "Well I asked him to show the Nanreben to me. It''s no big a deal, I''m his student after all. There''s no threat whatsoever so you can tell all your worried people that they''re safe and sound."

    Prodea gave a signal to the guards and they began walking again, still carrying her, reaching the great steps.

    "And the explosion? The seers said there was a large elemental fire summoning at the north west," asked the queen as they pass her.

    Prodea gave a signal to stop and leaned to see her mother.

    "Oh, that! Well, I was testing the strength of the Nanreben, and it seems that it, let''s say, impressed me. I think he''ll be powerful enough to get rid of those easterners once they deviate from the original plan."

    "Is that it?" asked the queen unsatisfied to the answer of Prodea, pushing every corner of her lips with her handkerchief which is her tell if she''s nervous and disconcerted.

    "Yes mother," replied Prodea with much frustration and with a hint of disrespect, "Did explanation brought a tint of light to your curiosity, mother? Can I return to my quarters now?"

    The queen was shocked, appalled with her tone. Clearly, she went overboard with her language. She doesn''t have any reply for that matter for obviously she''s still shaking, tense as she is with her persistent bony fingers still pushing her lips with her white handkerchief. She just walked hurriedly with her clerics almost running to the other corridors to assemble the seers. The sight of it amused Prodea for a little bit, garnering a devious smile to grow up to her cheeks, making her to stop and pause in relishing those few seconds before she ordered her guards once again to continue pushing on to her quarters.

    It took her royal party twenty minutes to maneuver their way up to her grand room at the northern most part of the Palace, just a floor below the queen''s royal chambers. It is filled with much crystal gems and books and vials of different colors all arranged in many tables strategically placed all around there as if she''s doing some experiment - which she proved evidently to be true taking to account her dark Magicks. There is a spiral staircase at the far corner to the east leading to a landing just above to her personal library encircling the whole of her room which Zeba found to be amazing. The room is practically surrounded by books as if she took a chunk of those from the library. Obviously, with her skill and power, she must have read all of those books and is preparing something secret and that aroused the curiosity of Zeba who desperately wanted to know everything she''s planning.

    Normally, no one is allowed inside her room but because of the circumstances regarding her condition, they were granted a pass to marvel at her secret fortress. She doesn''t even want the Daomagarian Royal Service to clean her Royal Chamber and is told that the punishment for just stepping just inches after the door is lifetime imprisonment. This was observed with much obedience and, incidentally, joy by the Royal Services. This just means that there''s one less room to worry about. It is somewhat advantageous on their part also, so they didn''t ask any more questions. They believe that serving the strict, snobbish, Grand Princess is the worst placement they could have, and this set-up is a dream come true for every working servant.

    The grand wide room proved to be clean and spotless which is extremely commendable - taking the fact that she''s the one cleaning it all herself. Even if she have had left the room for about two months or so, it stayed the way perfectly as it was for she made sure to cover all holes making the room airtight, free from dust and speckles and everything from the outside, maintaining the light sweet scent of perfume brewing continuously on the side of her bed.

    "You may lay me down gently on my bed Karr," ordered Prodea sipping some drink in her fine sparkly crystal glass that Zeba fetched her earlier on.

    "Yes, your highness," replied Karr giving his signal to the guards carrying her.

    The guards gently lifted her and fashioned her to her bed sitting pretty at an angle with her still sipping the red liquor in her crystal cup that she swirls every once in a while.

    "You may all go now and take your rest, you deserve every single second of it," declared Prodea waving her left hand gently making her fine statement somewhat an order, "except you, Zeba."

    This startled Zeba for she''s still standing with amazement at the center of the room perusing all details, small or big, taking a mental picture of the room as if she''s never going to see it ever again. With her being busy with the magnificent scenes of the room, gazing at the weird stuffed beasts situated precisely between posts, she forgot to notice that she''s the only one left standing there. The guards she was with walked, swiftly as they are, gently closing the big double doors making a squeaky click on contact.

    "So... impressed?" exclaimed Prodea breaking the buzzing silence of the room with her voice reverberating to every corner.

    "oh, uh - right. Well, it''s really amazing - what you have here, I mean, your highness..." replied Zeba walking to a table on Prodea''s far opposite side with stacks of vials neatly stacked in a metal rack. She picked one, a reddish liquid with a blue swirl persistently not mixing with the solution, and curiously shook it.

    "Stop that!" shouted Prodea grabbing the mixture.

    Zeba jumped, startled to Prodea''s sudden appearance in his right, leading her to trip landing on the floor with her scared wide eyes looking at Prodea.

    "This is a very valuable solution Zeba! I did not give you permission to go and rummage my important alchemical mixtures!"

    "Your Highness --- You''re - f-floating!"

    "What an astute observation!" answered Prodea looking at the floor sarcastically, "Do I appear to be on the floor? Of course, I''m floating!"

    Zeba still looked at her confused with her brows furrowing ever so obvious by the second.

    "Oh, right. You didn''t know. Everyone in this pathetic excuse of a Palace doesn''t know," she said with a sad face as she hovered to the table, gently returning the vial in its place at the metal rack and then floated back close to her. "Yes, I have somewhat mastered the art of free floating.Don''t you know that only the ones with the wind-fire combination, also known as the Fire Storm Demons, can conjure a powerful wind pressure that can make one defy gravity itself?"

    She floated up almost touching the ceiling and pulled an old notebook out of a black sealed cabinet. She then moved down to Zeba who is now standing, puzzled as she still is, and showed the dark blue notebook that she took.

    "I know it''s theoretical, but I do hope to research some more on that matter. I''ve read this technique on that and I must say, whoever wrote that thing must''ve been insanely silly or brilliantly smart. I''ve never actually thought of using my wind elemental powers up till I''ve read that. I guess the Fire Storm Demons really concentrates their energy mostly on fire that they forgot to use the other one that still matters, what a shame."

    Prodea rambled on about how the Wind-Fire Nagozulians take the wind part for granted and that their dwindling concentration ultimately leads to them conjuring big balls of fire but Zeba didn''t take heed to listen. At one point, she didn''t have the capacity to understand and actually maintain a level with her pace mainly because she has the knack of getting technical as her speech intensifies and deepens. Prodea isn''t really much of a talker, well at least when she''s surrounded with a lot of people she doesn''t know - and by that it means that she''s just this talkative when its Zeba. Prodea doesn''t really need the attention and she doesn''t need her to understand, it''s just her way of reciting and exercising her mind. Talking with yourself all day long really gets boring after a year or so, much more when compared to her lifetime of being in solitude - what with her brilliant mind keeping her busy.

    She opened the book as Prodea gives her long points of view. On that blue notebook filled with scratches at the front hard covers and tiny rips at the pages, she found handwritings of a person that really needs to repeat his calligraphy classes. He assumed it''s a man because statistically, women are practically patient when it comes to writing. Only men scribble on their parchments in a hurry.

    The book is written unevenly with a lot of arrows points and directs to something unreadable with a huge number of formulas too complicated to ever understand, not to mention the many erasures that''s been scratched all over. This created a slight uneasiness to Zeba for the curious side of her isn''t evidently satisfied with the pool of suspects in her mind until she saw a royal insignia on the end page of the book with a seal bearing the Royal Emblem.

    "Your highness!" exclaimed Zeba interrupting her long narrations. "I know this seal! Isn''t it -"

    "Artemus, yes I know! I''ve read that a hundred times you know. I''m just not ruining the surprise. Don''t you just love it when you feel that tingling moment in surprises?" She hovered back to her bed with Zeba following her and continued as she sat almost as if feeling a bit off. "To know such magnificent fact and not share it with everyone is totally inconceivable and selfish! I know that it''s more of a thesis paper than a book entry but still. I know there''s a lot more like that secretly lying around in this Palace but to be honest the records regarding the matter have been said to be deleted by someone. I sure know that it is to be passed on to some seer for evaluation twenty years ago, I just don''t seem to know who."

    "Seer?" asked Zeba, "How''d you figure out it''s to be passed to a seer?"

    Prodea chuckled as she swiped the book from her. She flipped the book as she replied, "Oh, Zeba, the power of your observation really astounds me." She reached the first page then opened it wide in front of Zeba.

    "Oh, the Seal of the Royal Seers."

    "Yes. There are only seven, always, at any given point of time; in which, if someone drops out, or dies - you know... of old age, another one will be chosen to replace the position."

    "But Grand Princess, it''s forbidden to know the records of the Royal Seers. How will you weed out who''s who?"

    "That''s where you''ll come in."

    "But what can I do? You have more rights in this Palace than I have so I think you''re most qualified to perform this kind of task."

    "Oh, Zeba, once again, you''re completely ignoring your potentials. Why, you''re the greatest fawner here at the Palace!" she reached out to fix her cloak into place leading her insulting remark to give a lesser impact. "If you do this for me, I''ll make sure that even the old queen will bow before the great powerful Queen Zeba in no time."

    Zeba immediately forgot Prodea''s mockeries and began to dream agreeing with the thought of her replacing the queen, making her the most powerful woman in the Lands of Bathala. She just snapped when an idea sprung to her out of nowhere.

    "Prodea, may I ask why you need to know all of this information? You can fish it out for yourself if you want to. Some of the seers are in your payroll I presume. And of course, the fact that you have that book means clearly that you have yourself a valuable copy of one of Artemus'' notes so that means you have everything you need to search the others."

    "Zeba," replied Prodea, laughing to hide her frustration, "were just circling around. Indeed, I have revealed a litany of things that I want to do earlier that you forgot to listen. I need to know Artemus''s master and his connections in these theories he''s been doing for the past thirty-five years. You know I can''t ask around for this kind of sensitive information. They might ask me why and I might not be able to resist telling the truth thus revealing my intents. You wouldn''t want me to reveal my intents, now would you?"

    Zeba replied with her head shaking in agreement.

    "I''m only doing this for you and your husband, my lovely brother whom I love very much. That''s why I''m thankful that you''ve been here for me for the past five years. We''ve been planning this for a very long time and all I''m seeing is me doing everything," she paused for a second to grab her hands firmly holding it and looking straightly in her eyes with her sincere almond red eyes. "Not that I''m complaining, I love helping my brother out and I like helping you out too. I''ve even studied black arts to ensure your ultimate success. All I want now is for you to do your teeny tiny role in this whole affair and help me figure this dilemma I''m in. With that information, I ensure you that I can strengthen your rule in this kingdom and that neither Artemus nor his wife, Anagea - that wretched Daomagar, will stand in your way. You know that this is only for your benefit, wouldn''t you agree?"

    Zeba again shook her head in agreement almost frightened to lose her part in the plan.

    "And you know that I can''t rule Nagozul because I''m barren, right? So only Sarram and Kuya-Artemus can sit on the throne. I''m sure you''re well aware of that fact. We''re all rooting for my dear brother Sarram, but you can''t always do the cheering part. Sometimes, you have to take certain little steps to help me out too. Isn''t that what we agreed a long time ago?"

    "Yes, of course," she said with conviction. "I will do my best to do my part, don''t you worry."

    "Then it''s settled!" she clasped her hand in excitement. "I will hear from you in three days and see if you''ve done some progress. I''ll just wait here in my labo - I mean quarters, doing more research and planning for the arrival of the Leonus Empire''s Griffin Workers which, I think, will arrive after two months or so."

    She floated again and led Zeba to the door which she did hurriedly.

    "So soon!? Sixty days!? I thought..."

    "Yes, two months or less, I know! Bathala seems to be favoring our side, right?"

    She opened the door slightly making an opening as wide as a foot and a half for her to pass through which she obliged to take almost jumping in haste.

    "Remember, it is pertinent that you seek this Royal Seer as soon as possible," Prodea whispered for the last time.

    "Yes, Your Highness," she replied whispering after which Prodea closed the door gently to a kiss.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    It took the cheerful party two weeks to arrive at the base of the mountain on the other side. The chefs and the four princes most enjoyed the journey making a bond that connected them even more because of their midnight storytelling and fascinating revelations of weird ghost and demon beast encounters. The only ones who are feeling a bit off are the Daomagarian merchant, who is now seen a bit tired and frustrated considering that they normally travel that great a distance for about three days only; and Narra, who - in spite of his delight to see his grandchildren happy - found their trek rather long. Their long journey has surpassed his expectations even in his most generous estimate which frustrated him a bit more considering his obsessive compulsion on the idea and importance of time. Artemus and Anagea must''ve been walking in circles wandering where they might be being this late, Narra thought. He didn''t have the time to reveal their position and scouts have been avoiding the Dark Jungles of Narra, so their location is practically a mystery from everyone.

    Narra looked at the sky and saw the red orange sea of clouds engulfing the horizons. Night is clearly approaching and, he thought, it is better for them to stay where they are on the clearing at the foot of the mountain than to challenge the wrath of the night in the dense jungles up ahead. He''s a Daomagarian Warrior but he certainly wouldn''t want to risk endangering his grandsons.

    "Okay!" shouted Narra unpacking his huge lumpy backpack slamming it to the ground while shaking his shoulders to release the strain it''s been put to. "We finally arrived at the second phase of our journey! Behold, the great Jungles of Narra - Where the beasts of the Holy Lands of Bathala roam free."

    Upon hearing this Yosh''s face turned to purple walking so slowly ultimately finding his way at the back of Kayzar.

    "Hey Yosh," grinned Karus as he unloads his pack, seeing as Narra gave the insinuation earlier that they''re putting up their camp at the clearing, "now you''re going to be really acquainted with Grog. Hope he likes cats."

    "Shut up Kuya-Karus!" shouted Yosh with a broken voice hugging Luna tightly.

    "Hahaha, don'' ''cha worry, Yosh. No, one''ll hurt yer friends," assured Kudos laying Reus gently at the ground.

    "Not while we''re around," added Madj walking right past him.

    "What!?" whispered Karus after seeing Kayzar with a sharp look, "I was just joking! You know that I was joking, right Yosh?!"

    Yosh just turned his back and sat on his own near Kudos and Madj.

    "Oh, now you''re turning away. Great!" whispered Karus mostly annoyed but feeling little guilty deep inside for playing around with Yosh''s fear.

    Night inevitably caught up and the black veil of the night sky engulfed the whole clearing. The travelling party camped at the foot of the mountain near the edges of the jungle. They created a huge bright bonfire to scare away other beast and give clear warning of their presence.

    The moon shied away from the sky revealing its gloomy and lonesome look without its lovely comforting waxing half-moon glow, leaving the thick dark angry clouds to have dominion over the night skies, grumbling on its wake, perfectly shrouding the wide array of stars that should lay magnificently scattered across the heavens for this unlucky evening. The Princes noticed this gloomy feeling as they stand watching the dim jungle right in front of them seething in its hazy fog-enriched mystery as if giving off an almost superstitious effect on them making them shiver, especially Yosh who hasn''t relaxed his grasping hand for hours.

    Even though this unfavorable instance was evident, it didn''t stop them from having their merry chat that even Narra, who is apparently growing concerned for their safety, loosened up and told some of his escapades in his early years before retiring which the group - especially the chefs - found extremely thrilling.

    It didn''t take them long enough to stay up because Narra became rather worried about their situation and told them about his unquestionable hunch. He feared that luck isn''t on their side that night, so he considered ending the evening''s merriment early. Though the princes would like to hear more, the firm old retired general commanded them to have their early rest in order for them to move out, away in the jungle as soon as possible. No one wants to get whipped by Narra, they thought, he''s one of the strongest in the Daomagar Clan after all so they saddled up and grabbed their sleeping mats then lied down gazing in the growing sea of dark clouds that whispers a grumbling melody, almost lulling them all to sleep.

    The night grew surprisingly fast as the wind began to blow continuously cold. Though this spine-chilling scene could make one become disturbed and awake, it didn''t prevented the princes, and also the merchant, to achieve their deep sleep, soundly being tolled away in the whirring rivers of the world of fantasy - except Yosh who is snoring like an old man but otherwise looking serene. This made Narra smile a little bit as he stopped cleaning his sword for a while to watch his grandchildren on their mats.

    "Ah! Time..." whispered Madj as she sat near Narra who came back to his senses after her final words. "Look how rapid it flows. Like the rushing rivers returning to the vast oceans, it''s, somewhat frightening, disturbing even, and at the same time satisfying, wouldn''t you agree sir?"

    "Hmn, yes. It is but a year ago when they were so frustratingly difficult to teach to. Now I see them evolve into something even I can''t comprehend." Narra took his sword back and sheathed it away. "It only took them two years to mature which is a great accomplishment for them."

    "But I ''tink, ''dey still retained ''deyr yout''ful cheer, don'' ''cha ''tink?" joined Kudos while sitting to the other side of Narra, giving the two their cups of hot teas to sip.

    "Yeah, at least they''ve enjoyed their childhood experience, that''s what counts," added Madj sipping in her hot tea.

    "Well," uttered Narra, "I think they quite enjoyed their training even though I have become quite harsh on them. I wouldn''t want to push them at their early age but sometimes you have to do what you have to do to preserve the future."

    They paused for a while after hearing Narra''s statement until Kudos built the courage to ask.

    "Whad''ya mean abou'' ''dat boss?"

    Narra remembered what he said and snapped again to reality. He smiled for a little bit, impressed by his unnatural behavior of rambling on almost divulging personal secrets to somebody. It seems that this might be the rise of a new personality, a manifestation that he is growing older. A challenging thing that is inevitable and also a thing that he should control and watch out for.

    "Mraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooowr --- kishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" roared Luna raising her tail up high while all her fur went haywire making her defensive stance, waking Yosh and the others in their sleep.

    "Oh, no," mumbled Narra with his eyes suddenly widening as he jumped near Yosh at incredible frightening speed using the Great Dash leaving him to appear before him in just a split second covering almost thirty feet of distance. Kudos and Madj, upon seeing this for the first time, was stunned at his speed. They know for a fact that he is widely known for his title as the Unrestricted General, because of the way he circumvents any act of impossibility, but seeing this in person clearly diminishes any thought lingering in their minds disputing the idea whatsoever.

    The rustling of the bushes, together with a strong breeze of wind that immediately killed their ever so blazing beacon at the center, startled the two chefs. They hurriedly went rushing to the princes who are currently still enjoying their sleep unaware of their surroundings.

    "Wha- what''s happening, Gramps?" Yosh asked waking up with a little scent of fear looking at the smoking cinders of the once great bonfire that they created hours ago, leaving him to look around, anxious to what could spring at any moment. "Why''s Luna freaking out?"

    "Karus, Kayzar!" roared Narra, "GRAB YOUR WEAPONS! DEFENSE FORMATION! NOW!"

 12 TENSION in the JUNGLE

    "YIT''VIT!" shouted Karus after running to grab his Golden Short Sword of Excellence only to find out that it has been replaced by an ordinary blunt guard''s arm. "YOSH! Where''s my sword!?" he yelled in a reprimanding tone as he ran, together with Kayzar, to get closer to group who''s forming their circular defensive perimeter. They are slowly walking near the mountainside taking a little advantage on their terrain, hoping not to get pinned down.

    "Hey, I told you they''re mine!" replied Yosh shouting to his angry brother, never letting go of his grip from Narra, "I just loaned them to you all, remember?"

    "Shush now young princes!" scolded Narra as his serious eyes panned all around to watch every angle of the surrounding. "This is not the time, nor the place to pick up a fight!"

    The group released all of their weapons: knives, swords and even a big pole stick which the merchant now wields with the chain end of it rattling a continuous rhythmic chime.

    The Merchant is a Daomagar but, as they always say, not all Daomagarians are blessed with lightning speed or super strength. Though he still retains his inherited vitality and tough skin, he''s one of those Daomagarians who were rejected by the different clans and was put to the general population who either partakes in business - like agriculture and trading; or services - like those of the butlers, maids and cleaners who are in the Palace and or at the houses of very rich people scattered all across the Holy Lands. In his case, he was - together with his long line of family - a merchant: A merchant without any knowledge and skill about fighting.

    Narra pushed his double swords to the ground and lifted both his palms leveling his head as if focusing all of his energy and concentration on both arms. They were all dumbfounded as he immediately knelt down, punching his palm right directly through the earth, burying them.

    "Watch closely Kayzar," he whispered smiling and returned his focus to the ground. Kayzar was confused at the moment thinking what he meant but he obeyed and paid close attention to his grandfather''s weird technique.

    "What''s he doing?" mumbled Yosh who now turns to clutch Kudos''s shirt.

    Yosh looked upward to see the ever-tall Kudos and saw his eyes widening as if shocked at the sight of it.

    "He''s communing with the earth," replied Karus softly with the same shocked look in his eyes, "No one can do that except Yiv." Then he, together with Kayzar, looked at Kudos and Madj with the same bewildered eyes as they have. They thought that the two chefs are the only ones that can do the shadow step, which is one step closer to communing, and this baffling achievement literally disproves the thought of its accepted idea of impossibility. Now they know two persons that can commune with the earth: Yiv and Narra.

    "Black Panthers!" shouted Narra with extreme fear as he immediately pulled his hands and throwing his weapons away. "Discard your weapons. Nobody reacts! Remember, no one is to attack even if provoked!"

    "What?" asked Karus feeling a bit off being ordered to throw his only defense against those tens of humongous panthers with razor sharp claws that are now appearing everywhere snarling with their shiny yellow eyes. "How can we..."

    "Just do it!" snapped Narra which Karus and the others obeyed almost instantly after seeing him with much fright in his eyes which really is new to them.

    The panthers'' growling are beginning to be evident while they move closer, trying their best to encircle them. Normally, Karus thought, they can beat those whiny big cats even with just a rusty sword. With the great Narra by their side, they could''ve taught them a valuable lesson then but instead they''re doing nothing, and this disturbed him, leaving his two fingers to vigorously tap his side belt in anxiety.

    "Yous- inside- our borderss-morthals!" growled the panther nearest to them with a very recognizable white gem on his forehead like a star, diamond in shape.

    The thought of them speaking surprised the group. They didn''t know that there are beasts besides the Immortal and Mythical Ones that can understand their language, much as to speak it verbally - though it sounded like it is muffled, and the panther''s voice needed a little more tweaking.

    "We are but a peaceful travelling party going up north to the camp of Grand Prince Artemus," replied Narra with his serious eye directed to the panther. "We are invoking our rights of easement therefore we request that you allow us to pass through this jungle unharmed. Peace is what we offer thus peace should be given to us in return," he exclaimed bowing after his speech in an almost-apologetic tone that the panthers just ignored as they continued on with their disturbing heavy angry snarls.

    Luna, understanding that his masters were being insulted by the panthers, reacted with his high pitch cat shrieks inside Yosh''s chest pocket. Yosh tried to shush her but she wouldn''t stop. This made the panthers angrier than usual stirring them to growl even louder than before. Luna became insulted in the talking panther''s provoking grunts and clawing feigns that she jumped out of Yosh''s pocket and made her chivalrous act to redeem the group''s honor. Only she could understand what it meant and that bothered her a great deal.

    "No Luna!" shouted Yosh running to get her back but it was too late. Luna''s nimble and agile reflexes made her squeeze through their perimeter in a flash.

    Luna created her own cat insults in a form of an angry screech in her brave own way getting back at the snarling panther in front of her.

    "Luna..." whispered Narra, "get back here this instant..."

    Yosh pushed through their defense perimeter trying to stop Luna from making a huge mistake but Narra caught him in his way and grabbed his cloak. Worried sick, Yosh persistently rushed on dashing tearing his muffler into two ignoring the consequences, trying to reach Luna grabbing and hugging her curled down to protect her from the panther but it was just too late. The big panther, blinded with rage, charged Luna without hesitation ignoring the fact that she''s inside Yosh''s curled embrace.

    "Yosh!" Narra called out as he dashed to make it in time. The other panthers saw this and ran to their leader thinking that Narra would make his move on attacking them.

    The talking panther didn''t think twice to slap Yosh with his mighty paws tossing both him and Luna away to roll on the ground upon impact. Yosh''s heroics earned him a bleeding shoulder because of the razor-sharp claws of the panther, leaving him to angrily heave some sharp sighs. Luna, after regaining her balance, immediately ran towards Yosh to check the condition of her master but the panther moved between them and attacked her in a berserk leaving her to defend herself scurrying away from the big black talking beast''s humongous paws.

    Stella, seeing the situation her master''s in, flew up howling her owl shrieks and immediately swoop down with sharp talons aiming at the eyes of the great panther. She succeeded in disabling the panther''s vision by successfully clawing his left eyes, but the panther still managed to give retaliations to the two by bashing them both with his oversized paws. Stella was thrown away to the bushes while Luna was pretty much pummeled to the ground, stunning her in the processes. Karus and Kayzar ran to help, together with Madj and Kudos, but they were all blocked by six panthers almost as if smiling in their way.

    "STOP YOU UGLY CAT! PICK SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!" yelled Yosh with teary eyes grabbing the bow that is slinging in his right shoulders to pull a fast arrow to the panther''s head - almost as if instinct.

    "DON''T!" shouted Narra as he pushed Yosh''s hands to a halt.

    The instances became fast and intense that night that Narra failed to stop him from releasing the arrow that has unfortunately grazed the right forelimb of the panther. The arrow didn''t make any serious injury, in fact just a scratch, but the Panthers succeeded on their job as they backed away almost with smug smiles on their faces.

    "You just signed your death sentence, mortal child!" roared the panther as he bit Luna''s left torso and hurriedly went away into the dark foggy jungle carrying her in a bite as if a prize, he won from them.

    "LUNA!!!" screamed Yosh crying with wrath in his eyes. He barely stood up and dashed to follow.

    "Let me take care of this Yosh!" ordered Narra after pulling him to stop. He pushed him to the ground giving him an eye as if ordering him to sit, almost disappointed for not following his orders. He grabbed his golden knuckles in his pockets and stared furiously at the dark dense woodland up ahead. "I''ll make him pay for his deeds." He gave his last look at the party behind him, giving the two chefs an eye, and he dashed forward disappearing in a blink to the jungle.

    Stella, after recovering her senses, flew upwards in a rush to follow Narra.

    The group went to Yosh''s spot to tend his aching wounds with much tears rushing hurriedly while shaking for both fear and pain. This made the twins so angry that they decided to follow. Without saying a word, they ran to grab their weapons to take their vengeance, but Kudos immediately appeared dashing in their way.

    "No no no," he said, "Ya stay here an'' care for ''yer broder. Narra''s order''s specific. Do not follow him."

    "Step back Kudos! That''s our new order!" commanded Karus with his amplifiers, together with Kayzar''s, illuminating an intense green glow lighting the whole dark expense of the Jungle like a flash of a bright concentrated lamp. "This is something you can''t stop us! Even if you are left in charge, you''re still in Nagozul. Don''t make me invoke my right!"

    Kudos cannot simply just hold them back in this condition. And even if he can, he knows their stubborn behavior would persist and that would lead to a very troublesome ordeal which will not help anyone at all. He looked towards Madj whose eyes appear to have been with the twin''s side, so he decided to yield.

    "Okay, but ''ya stay behind me at all times!"

    With this they vanished within seconds using the Great Dash.

    "Don''t worry Yosh," comforted Madj hugging him to stop her sobbing so loudly. "They will get Luna back. I believe it with all my heart."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Drop our friend, panther!"

    The running panther group came into a halt seeing the shouting man standing at least fifty feet in front of them with his hands having a bright yellowish-white luminescence from the golden knuckles he''s holding.

    Confident in their number, the talking panther spit Luna to talk and laugh at the sight of the person in front of him. Luna, looking as if she''s in an extreme amount of pain -bleeding as she is, just shouted a meow clearly begging for help.

    "Why... I need - do that? Pathetic... man! You foll-"

    A fast intense yellow light lining the horizon was the only thing to be seen after he created an impossible jump. Breaking the barriers of physics, he dashed an impossible fifty feet from his spot to zoom in and punch the jaw of the talking panther, interrupting his speech, leading him to be thrown away almost twenty feet far from Luna like a battering ram catapulting a wooden door. He now stood on the panther''s earlier spot, below Luna, crackling the bones in his right hands smiling satisfied.

    "Thank you!" smiled Narra. "I see that you now know how to obey from us Pathetic Men."

    The talking panther can now be seen both angry and puzzled but can''t stand up because of the insurmountable damage he just exacted upon him.

    Narra knelt down to inspect the injuries Luna sustained from the panther''s bite and immediately put a cast on it to stop the bleeding. The panthers in the surrounding area were dumbfounded at the chain of events they just witnessed. They didn''t know what to do about the situation, so they created a howl screeching almost synchronically with each other. This is when Karus, Kayzar and Kudos finally appeared catching up with them.

    "Are you alright?" asked Karus after seeing the screeching panthers looking like a cat singing under a full moon before turning into scattering rats, running away as if scared.

    "Kudos!" snapped Narra, "I thought I gave you a stern look not to follow!"

    "We wanted to help reclaim Luna, gramps," Kayzar stated running to check Luna''s condition. He tore the bandages that Narra had put earlier on and grabbed a small glass ampoule in his belt pocket with a thick silvery-white liquid inside. He then began pouring the curious substance on Luna''s wounds. "Besides, those whiny cats all withdrew with their weak tails behind them, what could possibly happen."

    "Whoa, ''d white angel," cried Kudos as they gather to see what Kayzar is doing. "''Dat''s an expensive mixture only ''d seers can do. Costs ''bout four year''s wort'' of mah'' salary. How''d ya come up with ''dat?"

    "Only the finest for Luna," Kayzar quoted only giving a smile to Kudos instead of answering his question. "That''s what Yosh always say."

    Kayzar grabbed Luna from her head and comforted her as she squirms in pain. He then held her body tight to the ground bracing her and gave a serious look at Karus which he understood right away.

    "Be brave now girl," whispered Karus as he pulled his hands to massage the mixture into her wounds with his two fingers. Luna shriek in agony as the mixture slowly fused with her punctured skin slowly fixing it and stopping the bleeding, emitting a white smoke as the result.

    "Look," shouted Kudos delighted, "I have never seen ''da white angel in action. It really does close up wounds wit'' a smoke!"

    "Yeah," answered Kayzar, "the white angel mixtures were the ones used by people in dire circumstances when there are no water casters around."

    "You''ll be annoying us in no time, eh?" smiled Karus shaking Luna''s head in joy.

    "No time rejoicing now," interrupted Narra standing up. "This is why I told you not to follow!"

    "What''s that smell?" asked Karus after rising up together with Kayzar who''s carrying Luna like a baby.

    "It''s ''d sweet smell emanated by Shihiku," answered Kudos while dropping his weapon which the twins noticed.

    "Oh, the Mysterious Apprentices of the Shadow. I see," smiled Narra as he shook his shoulders to ready himself.

    "Master Narra, ''ya can''t tell anybody."

    "Understood. Just don''t get in my way and we''ll have no trouble," replied Narra with a weird warm smile.

    Before Karus could ever talk to ask what''s happening, they felt a gusty whirring breeze that blew on their front. This startled the two princes because they have never seen a mythical beast of the Holy Lands before and this Shihiku is said to be one of them. The ''lightning fast immortal panther'' is described in books as boastful, malicious, and unforgiving. The manuscripts further revealed that one can see death gazing through its murderous eyes.

    A dark shadow can be seen forming like a gas in the air into a figure of a beast, a beast that is roughly at least twelve feet tall. He has a muscular built and posture fit to be called an immortal with a lot of glimmering silvery-white tattoo lining in all the accents of his body. He has a round eye on the right and a curious closed eye on the left with a huge gray scar surrounding it as if someone ripped his eyeball out in the past.

    This absolutely ferocious panther is definitely terrifying, the two thought. They now believe what the books say about Shihiku and that automatically stopped any lingering doubt that they have to the writer thinking that he''s just overselling his legendary exploits to make the chronicle intense. Even with his only yellow snake-like right eye, it still exceeds its expected effect on people of as if drilling through one''s soul forcing any victim looking at it to become frozen in both fear and confusion. Any mortal clinging for dear life in his mercy can''t be blamed for being stunned or for shouting in fear as a result.

    His rumbling breaths creates a deafening pitch ensuring his victims to be demoralized and dazed at the same time, and his motion, quiet and graceful but strong and intimidating. A truly remarkable sight to behold, they concluded, but under the circumstances that they are in right now, it is much of an inconvenience rather than a boon.

    The two saw Kudos bowing to Shihiku which they thought was very inappropriate - considering that they are an inch close to death - but they just skipped the thought for the Mythical beast now heaved as if beginning his speech.

    "Blood you tolled down on one of my brethren, blood it is that we will get in reimbursement," exclaimed the frightening Shihiku as he walked on closer and closer to them with the fearsome vibrating angry purr that''s so loud, the two can even hear their insides humming. "It is your misdeeds, Mighty General Narra, that will be judged tonight together with your miserable mortal grandchild. What do you have to say for yourself?"

    Narra gave them a look as if telling them to go find for cover then began moving closer to Shihiku directing him away from them. A true bravery on his part considering the only weapon he wields is his two golden illuminating knuckles.

    "I have exacted justice in accordance to the laws of this jungle. Your apprentice has hurt my grandchild and almost killed his friend Luna! I am not going to watch while this injustice has been created only because you are unaware of what your minions are doing," replied Narra politely while spreading his arms and feet creating his defensive stance, grasping his glowing weapon. "But I do know that you know what they are doing. I felt your presence at the clearing earlier on, watching us ever so patient like you always do. If you just want some excuse to rip this old man apart then I suggest we do this now and save your whiny speech about your sense of pride and justice."

    "Hmn, I see that you mortals have evolved into a disrespectful and arrogant race just as we predicted. Mortals like you in the old age treated us with respect, they especially revered me. You ought to be ashamed of yourself."

    "Back in the old days, you were a religious honorable guardian but now you too have evolved into a sniveling coward trying to circumvent rules just because you want your vengeance!"

    "Oh, you''re going to regret to have ever insulted me pathetic mortal..."

    "Let''s just get this over with!"

    And with this they both jumped to a clash. Narra is the fastest in the Daomagar Clan alive so he shouldn''t have any problems in matching with Shihiku''s speed but, because of his old age, he now tends to move a little bit slower giving Shihiku a huge scale of advantage at the fast-paced rumble. Kudos knows this for a fact but the twins naively appears to have such great faith in their Grandfather that they are confident he will win regardless of the fact that their eyes isn''t that attuned and trained to even hope to match their speed. They''re too fast to watch that they can only see shadows that move about looking as though a crazy black river of smoke was flowing through the air together with a firefly buzzing around with it in an interval of loud shocking explosions - possibly the result of the powerful blows that they have blocked. Trees and boulders were seen either cut into two by Shihiku''s powerful claws or smashed into bits probably by Narra''s impressive punches. The brothers can''t see their bout clearly so they can only assume.

    "We got to do something!" said Karus feeling agitated as he felt useless standing there doing nothing.

    "What can we do? I can''t even see where Shihiku is, and he is a very big cat!" replied Kayzar still mesmerized at the sight of their impressive array of movements trying hard to watch and straining to see their actions and reactions to each other''s attacks.

    "Kudos, I think you can see their movements, right?" asked Karus in an attempt to calm down his guilty feeling of doing nothing but just watching.

    "Don''t take ''dis ''da ''rong way but I truly cannot interfere," whispered Kudos to the two while giving his bow in respect as if apologizing. His face suddenly turned into a blank state as if some spirit possessed their good friend. "I am bound to some restric''shuns ''an I apologize to my behavior. Truly, I''ll not take it against ''ya if ''ya will have some grudge towards me later on."

    The two just gave their puzzled look to Kudos but they didn''t let a word slip out. They somewhat respect him as one of their very good friends. Though they were somewhat irritated in his inaction to help their old grandfather, they just figured that if their grandfather is okay with the notion of him standing aside from their match, it sure is okay with them.

    The heartbeat of the two princes is racing in both tension and fear for their Grandfather Narra''s wellbeing, true as it may seem that they have their great confidence on him winning. Shihiku may be immortal but he can be killed, they believed. They have read the book that Illyriah lent them and found out that he, and all other immortal beasts, can be killed if one can precisely pull off an amazing powerful blow to their thick skull and this they have Narra to believe.

    The powerful battle became increasingly frightening as every second passes. They have been standing there for just five minutes, but their bout feels as if they''ve been fighting for about an hour. The jungle area where they were fighting before can now be seen as a clearing with a full flat ground to cover it. With everything around turned into shambles, the three began to step out of there little by little into the outer rim of their battlefield still watching and still praying that Narra can pull his stunt off.

    "Turning too slow now Old Mortal!" shouted Shihiku with his vibrant reverberating voice that greatly echoed in the field.

    Narra jumped at the center finally revealing himself to everyone but kneeling down feeling tired with his breath racing. He was injured! This is the first time that they saw Narra coming out from his lightning speed dashes and they were troubled. The two were now very frightened at what they saw. Narra can be seen bleeding in a lacerated portion on his left thigh possibly from Shihiku''s claws.

    "I see that you''ve fully mastered your pathetic mortal dashes," roared Shihiku as he appeared gradually in front of the kneeling Narra. "Do you think that because you can commune with the earth, it would follow that you can flow in the shadows like I do!? You are pathetic! I''m just getting started playing with you and yet you clearly present no challenge whatsoever? And to think you ARE the ''Unrestricted General''."

    Narra just snickered in reply. The egoistic beast saw this and was insulted with his actions.

    "Stop smiling you Old Fool!"

    He tried to smash his face with his claws but Narra''s knuckles prevented him to make impact. The meeting of Shihiku''s blow and the golden knuckles of Narra created a booming gust of wind to be released all around and that made a circular crack on the ground where he kneels.

    "O ho ho! Your Deep Root is very impressive!"

    "Thank you," replied Narra with his breaking voice, "I really try my best to live up with that crazy title."

    With this he immediately vanished in the grounds appearing in front of Shihiku, punching him with his glowing mighty fist. The clean jab landed on Shihiku''s cheek, but he retaliated trying to cut Narra in half. Narra, in his lightning state, saw this and immediately guarded with his left knuckle weapon but the force of his attack is way stronger than he anticipated. The strength of the impact is so strong that his steel-like Daomagarian bone cracked into two giving him a broken left arm as a result.

    Shihiku was disoriented with the blow. He can be seen having his foot standing without form and shaking. Though this feat would normally resort to an exclaimed jubilation, the twins knew that this instance is not a cause for celebration yet. Having a keen eye in battle taught them something and that led to the realization that their grandfather needs serious help now more than ever. They saw their grandfather now vulnerable lying on the ground. With the kind of injury he sustained, he can never get a chance to stand up and defend himself any longer. The shock of the powerful exchange of blows is now taking its toll on Narra''s body. He is now coughing up blood almost dizzy kneading the ground in pain.

    There are two injuries one can receive from an opponent in every battle: The Physical Force and the Residual Force. The Physical Force is the force that could destroy the physical body of the opponent and this usually depends on the warrior''s skill. The Residual Force is the force that could destroy the body internally and this force usually depends on the warrior''s strength. Their grandfather taught them everything he knows about evasion for only in this can one avoid these two deadly forces. Even if one could defend oneself blocking the enemy''s Physical Force, one could still sustain an amount of residual force that builds up inside the body. Powerful impact forces can vibrate and greatly affect the fighter''s internal organs even without them noticing it. In their grandfather''s state, even if he has perfected the Deep Root Technique - a Daomagarian special technique that absorbs the attacker''s two great forces and channels it to the ground letting nature receive any fatal blow - with his old form taking into account Shihiku''s extraordinary strength, he could never fully deflect the residual force on every impact. This vibration violently resonated to every inch of his body internally until it gave up and reached its maximum threshold leaving for him dazing off on the ground retching.

    "YOU FILTHY INFIDEL!" shouted the raging Shihiku with an unsteady voice. "HOW DARE YOU TOUCH ME WITH YOUR UNHOLY HANDS?!"

    Seeing this opportunity, Kayzar immediately dropped Luna gently on the ground and readied to charge to Shihiku with Karus.

    "No young masters," whispered Kudos as they saw him having his arms buried on the ground like Narra did earlier on. A black metal hand immediately appeared on the ground grabbing their foot to a still.

    "Stop it Kudos!" shouted Karus unsheathing his sword. "If you don''t remove your hands, I will cut them in half!"

    "I''m sorry young masters! ''Dis is out of ''yer league. If you interfere ''den I can no longer protect you from S''ihiku. If you do ''dis ''den you will peris'' and I can''t let ''dat happen!"

    The two can only just watch as the angry snarling Shihiku regained his consciousness to stand up and shout in fury!

    "PATHETIC MORTAL! I WILL ASSURE YOU THAT YOU WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE A QUICK AND PAINLESS DEATH!"

    "You cannot kill me. Not now, not ever," replied Narra with a bit of smile as if his dire situation isn''t troubling at all.

    "Hah! You have the guts to say what''s inexorable!!!"

    "You can TRY," he shouted with mockery as he limply stood up summoning all strength Bathala can give him as he bled all over, "But I assure you, my time has not yet passed!"

    The insulted Shihiku angrily smiled as he dashed in fury!

    "DIE YOU CRETINOUS FOOL!"

    He jumped dashing to Narra with his dark long claws to a kill.

    Karus, seeing this, just closed his teary eyes. He knows the inevitable fate of his grandfather. Being a sword master, he knows that he cannot expect to defend himself from his vengeful claws. With all hope lost he just whispered to pray.

    "Bathala, please, please save gramps!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    A blinding light appeared out of nowhere that threw Shihiku far far away from Narra. A miracle has sprung out in the open and that lightened the twin''s faces with their teary eyes almost instantaneously disappearing.

    They saw a man standing in front of Narra. A man with his short clean-cut hair swaying at the evening breeze and a calm smile that gives Narra his guarantee. He''s wearing an expensive silk garment with a royal crest embroidered at the back while an intensifying white light glowing on his forehead lighted the dark gloomy clearing as bright as day. He looked at the twins smiling as if glad to see them alright and then turned his attention to the now confused panther with much cautiousness.

    "Artemus? How -!?" mumbled Shihiku.

    "Glad I made it in time, father," he whispered to Narra again with his usual silent, calm but cheerful face still looking at the immortal panther.

    Narra just gave a silent nodding coupled by a very weak smile trying to imply that nothing''s too serious in his situation - which he''s totally lying about considering the continuous gush of blood that''s been accumulating on the ground. Narra continued by putting his clenched fists at his chest and nodded his head - a customary way for giving thanks to a respected individual.

    "Just sit back. I''ll deal with this," Artemus continued having much concerned eyes after glancing over his bleeding father-in-law.

    "So, you''ve finally decided to end youre miserable life, Artemus, Son of Light? For disrespecting me and my kill, I''m going to include you too in my list tonight!"

    With this he ran towards the two with claws wide open! Sadly, for his part, he got thrown away again by a bright ball of expanding light like a huge bubble bursting before even reaching five feet close to them. And every time he tries again and again, the same happens and this somewhat mocked and hurt his pride as a powerful immortal.

    "I am truly sorry Shihiku, but the basis of your vengeance is found without substance. Narra, I believe, is the most religious, respectful and rule-abiding man alive. So, whatever it is that he did, he did it out of necessity not out of malice against you or any other holy being alive in this jungle."

    "Stand aside or I will annihilate you together with him!"

    "No disrespect but you of all people should know that no one alive can ever hope to destroy my ultimate defense," he looked at his left eye almost giving him a hint which annoyed Shihiku even more. "I''m not here to fight you again, I''m here to settle your misunderstanding."

    "Hah!" shouted Shihiku while heaving heavily as if feeling stressed looking as though fear has eaten his majestic and intimidating presence. "You''re no mediator! All mortals are two-faced backstabbing creatures that continuously defile the lands of Bathala! You all deserve to be punished and I will exact that justice with the claws that Bathala gave me!"

    "Stop this, Shihiku!" shouted Artemus with much respect in his tone. "I will forgive your acts if you forfeit this absurd rampage of yours!"

    "Wha-? You! YOU''LL forgive ME???!!!"

    "Let''s call this to a truce and then discuss it when all of our heads cool down."

    Shihiku, insulted by Artemus''s remarks, stood tall and just smiled while again slowly turned into his gaseous state but now appearing into a reddish-black cloud. The twins saw him now moving away from Artemus and Narra. This created a weird excitement and fear for the two. They have read that Shihiku''s Lightning Blood Lust Skill turns him into a reddish-black cloud that shreds anyone he comes in contact with, with much precision and speed, leaving anything standing his way to turn all chopped-up gooey and liquefied. They''re confident in their Father''s powers so the thought of danger escaped them and was replaced by a weird sensation of excitement upon seeing the activation of the skill. That made their eyes sparkle with awe, revealing a weak smile as a result.

    "Even in your lightning blood lust form, you will not be able to break through my Impenetrable Shroud! I implore you to listen!"

    "Oh no, Artemus," smiled Shihiku devilishly, "I know how your skill works. You needed to stand still near the area that you want to protect so I need you to choose..."

    Artemus just smiled with confident eyes gazing directly to Shihiku, assured that he will not succeed but this frightened Narra with his eyes wide open looking directly at the twins and was perturbed at the reaction of their father.

    "The Old Mortal or your PATHETIC OFFSPRINGS!!! LET''S SEE IF YOUR PRECIOUS PROPHECY PREDICTED YOUR DECISION!!"

    "SHIHIKU!!! YOU TREACHEROUS COWARD!!!" shouted Narra crawling on the ground.

    Artemus just snickered as if amused feeling indifferent.

    The two princes now feel the loud thumping beat of their hearts racing in both fear and anxiety. They are unsure as to why their attention is directed to them and they immediately noticed that they were the new targets with the crosshairs etched on their foreheads.

    The hands that bind the twins now disappeared as Kudos grabbed his sword to a ready.

    "Run now ''yer highness. I will not risk ''yer lives in ''dis affair even ''dow he''s ''da master of my master. I will try to delay him if I can!"

    The two was surprised with Kudos''s revelation but they found that it isn''t the time to reply and discuss the matter. They know Shihiku''s powers from the stories that are rumored all around Nagozul and they know that they cannot hope to just run away in his territory blinded by fear. They know that he''ll eventually catch up to them no matter how fast their dashes are, so the chivalrous side of them sprung out. They decided that it''s best to be there fighting for their lives instead of cowardly running to save their skins. They just grasped their weapons and concentrated their energies in their Amplifyers to be ready to summon every great elemental technique that they know; hoping to counter what is inevitable.

    "Bathala has already predicted your fate Shihiku," said Artemus doing nothing, still standing in his place, "and I promise you, you will fail."

    "Putting your offspring in this kind of risk for your theoretical predictions is not very fatherly, Artemus. But I assure you, Bathala has got nothing to do with you or your decision and in the end, you will regret them." And with this he smiled then completely turned into his gaseous dark-red cloud state and zoomed to where the twins are!

    A massive explosion wrecked the whole area at the edge of the clearing. A thick cloud of dirt was dispersed making the whole of the clearing a little bit foggy. Narra were puzzled as to why it is so. Clearly Shihiku''s skills are precise so the extent of the damage that they saw was way beyond him.

    They immediately saw Shihiku being thrown out of the thick cloud of dirt, and apparently injured. He smashed on the ground scraping the earth to land right next to Artemus, near the center then they all heard an angry roaring bellow of a wolf.

    "The prophesized ones will not be harmed! We all agreed to that, Shihiku!"

    The thick dirt cloud began to turn into a mist and then they all saw a figure of the great wolf beast. A black wolf standing at least a foot shorter than Shihiku but is as majestic as he is. His muscular build gave him a terrifying and aggressive posture. He has the same scary quality as Shihiku''s but with less smugness. He has a thick shiny fur that is rumored to withstand any weapon or explosion of any kind which was proven at that exact moment to be true.

    Artemus bowed as he put his clenched fists to his chest giving his thanks and respect to the majestic immortal Wolf, the said appointed ruler and commander of all the Mythical Beasts of the Lands of Bathala.

    Shihiku stood up limply, growling angrily at the sight of him meddling. Heaving more heavily, infuriated by the humiliation that he suffered in front of them.

    The twins can''t believe the luck they just had. They are very glad to have survived their inescapable deaths and are thankful to Bathala for his quick save. They are also very excited that they are behind the most powerful beast in all of the Holy Lands. They wanted to disprove the rumors about Grog''s hair being thin metal sheets that can cut anyone it grazes on, but they always fail and were literally shut down by anyone because their basis were just mere theoretical assumptions and conjectures. Now, while he was behind them in this very rare opportunity, they decided to look into each other''s eyes and created an understanding of touching it to rid of those myths once and for all - Of course, for the benefit of all Nagozulian scholars. Karus won in their split-second argument, so he grabbed a group of fur in Grog''s hind legs which then Grog noticed.

    "Pull my fur one more time and you''ll regret it, mortal child" whispered Grog with his vibrating growl that is disturbingly frightening. Karus jumped in fright but was very satisfied with his acts as he ran towards Kayzar.

    "So? How''d it go?"

    "Yep. Soft as a dog''s hair," and they both smiled nodding their head cheerfully.

    "STAND ASIDE GROG!" shouted the malevolent Shihiku.

    "OR WHAT?!" replied Grog with his serious eyes, now standing confident on his ground stomping to make his point.

    "YOU DARE TO CHOOSE THEIR SIDE TO OURS!?"

    "I do not choose any side! I choose the side on what''s right! DIRECTLY OPPOSITE TO YOUR SIDE!"

    "You really believe the predictions of their KING?" shouted Shihiku as he snickered smiling as If mocking his beliefs, "Is this what''s it''s all about?"

    Grog stomped once more and growled loudly to Shihiku. "Watch your words carefully Shihiku! Do not forget your Blood Oath! I can let you pass for mocking my authority but if you try pushing me to the edge, I will promise you that you will regret it!"

    "Oh! If Cal''Bao was here..."

    Grog roared as he vanished immediately teleporting to Shihiku''s giving him a clean jab with his paws. Shihiku was thrown to almost forty feet away.

    "DON''T YOU DARE TRY TO INVOKE HIS HOLY NAME WITH YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!!!"

    The ground started to shake as a strong rattle gave the whole grounds a sharp quivering noise. The two immortals are seen as if glad and their faces immediately changed to a calm and neutral one.

    "Brotherssssss..." whispered a thing from underneath the earth. All of them were shocked and surprised to hear the flowing echoing voice of Ulrihis the Poisonous Serpentine. He is said to live in solitude underground for a thousand years after the Great Elven Rebellion and is never seen or heard from ever since, but this new development caught everyone''s attention, especially the immortals''. "I have long wept for the injusticcce of the mortalsss and for our diminissshing exxxissstenccce. If we try to dessstroy eaccch other, our sssurvival will sssurely fall to the everlasssting abyssss of darknessss..."

    "Ulrihis, you have awoken?!" roared Grog as if smiling with a hint of gladness in his voice.

    "Yesss... I have newsss coming from our immortal brother Bakunawa... I need you to call our remaining brothersss for I have to reveal the mossst terrifying revelation that he gave me..."

    "Shihiku! Collect our brothers to the north, immediately."

    Shihiku bowed as if their little misunderstanding never happened and immediately vanished in the air turning again into a river of dark smoke disappearing into the dark woods.

    Grog''s serious eyes turned to Artemus''s looking as though he was saying his goodbyes. Artemus, again, gave his gesture of thanks and respect.

    "Your debt is finally extinguished my great friend," Artemus smiled.

    "No," Grog said shaking his head, "What you did can never be repaid."

    He howled and turned into a white beaming figure that fade away like a star blinking in the skies. The twins, upon seeing this feat were shocked. It roughly looked like Reus''s technique and that gave them a slight smile on their faces.

    Artemus knelt down and picked a small medical kit hiding behind his red silk robe and started treating Narra''s wounds with the White Angel.

    "Dad!" shouted Karus and Kayzar as they finally caught up with them at the center of the grounds. Artemus, seeing them there, hugged them both tightly with the love of a true father yearning to be with his sons.

    "We really miss you father!" shouted Kayzar with teary eyes.

    "Yes, please don''t send us back there!" added Karus who squeezed him tightly.

    "Yes, yes. I won''t," he pushed them out gently and smiled. "When we arrive at the North, we''ll be discussing this further. Right now, it''s important that we sustain the damage on your Gramp''s injuries.

    Luna, who''s now back in shape, went to Artemus''s side and purred tapping her little paws to get Artemus''s attention too.

    "Wow Luna," acknowledged Artemus as he pets her head gently, "Look how you''ve grown!"

    Luna gave a glad meow and Artemus laughed as he was surprised how cute she was being so smart. "Well, I miss you too."

    They all smiled as they put away their teary eyes and helped Kudos, who''s now finished cleansing Narra''s wounds, to seal the lacerations with their White Angel Solution.

    Artemus stood up with his eyes squinting looking afar while developing a great smile on his face.

    "Oh look! They finally arrived!

    Ten men gathered in front of them kneeling before Artemus. They were wearing their Nagozulian Gold Battle gear giving the impression that they are Earth Molders. They were all wearing wide-brimmed bronze conical metal hats, which is so low its shading their eyes. These are called Salakot which they thought to have been widely discontinued hundreds of years ago and this surprised them. Their father Artemus not only made changes in the Nagozulian Army''s discipline, he made them wear their traditional battle-gear that can be traced back to the Great Nagozul''s grandfather. They synchronically gave their salute as a sign of respect to their Grand General by pulling their right arms before them leveling it to their eyes in a curl and bowing. Artemus pulled his palms towards them and he spoke giving them orders.

    "Claim and secure target, turn him to the casters and report to me immediately."

    "Understood, Grand Commander!" they all replied then scattering around to prepare Narra like buzzing bees snappily securing him and immediately running away again to the deep jungle.

    "Wow! Great soldiers Dad," applauded Karus impressed at their speed, reaction time, and coordination.

    "Well, a lot has changed since I became the Grand General."

    "And the Salakot?" Kayzar smiled. "When did that happen?"

    "Full metal helms are not of Nagozul, they are foreign. Our ancestors have been going out of the Holy Lands in our Rites of Passage incorporating our culture with the foreigners when they should have been only observing the foreign land''s condition and gain an understanding of their current state of humanity. I think we should try and stick to our culture even in this modern time. The Salakot is a reminder of what Nagozul was and that, I think, is a small step in reclaiming what we''ve lost after thousands of years of borrowing cultures from other nations."

    The two was inspired with what he said. While it is true that the primary purpose of the Rite of Passage is to understand and observe Mortal''s propensity for evil and how to overcome this, their ancestors have been gradually shifting from this thought to just visiting and observing foreign mortal''s cultures and development. Clearly, the Rite of Passage now has been reduced to the acquisition of foreign culture and an examination on how it could be incorporated with theirs. That''s why they share the same sentiments with their father. That''s why they were inspired, waiting eagerly on their turn to leave their homeland in order for them to fully understand the foreign mortals'' beliefs and convictions.

    Artemus walked away after picking up his medical kit towards where the soldiers ran earlier.

    "Well, aren''t you all coming?" he asked as they all stood there almost confused in him walking to the north to exit.

    "Dad?" asked Kayzar, "They are all back at the camp south from here. I think we should head back to Yosh and Reus. We''re certain that they''re all eagerly waiting for our return."

    "Well you''re probably right but I think your mother, Anagea, has beaten me to them. Seeing as how competitive your mother is, they are all probably at the clearing, up north, waiting for us." He took them both on his arms and hugged them at his side while walking towards the north followed by Kudos who is smiling at the back.

    "Hah, mother? Is she still that hard-headed?" smiled Karus.

    "I believe so, yes. Never changed. Not one bit."

 13 the NORTHERN ENCAMPMEN

    "MAMA!" Kayzar hailed excitedly as they finally abandon their final footprints in the Jungles of Narra with great haste.

    Their beautiful mother revealed her relieved cheerful face as she turned around seeing her twins running fast to catch up to their spot having a picnic in the fields just outside the Jungles of Narra.

    Anagea - their mother and the last direct descendant of the Great Daomagar Lineage - was waiting for them in the clearing with eager eyes. She is wearing a golden set of light armor with her long black hair all curled up on top in a twist revealing her angelic face. Her cheeks blushed as her happy round eyes sparkled its usual brown glow spotting their arrival. Normally, a Princess her stature wears gowns of silk or other excessively ornamented dresses but not her. Her boyish attitude with the confidence and the fighting spirit of a fierce sea serpent gives her the personality to deviate from the norm. Though having equipped in full battle gear might mask a woman''s femininity, her natural beauty still stands out without being compromised which many a people considers to be almost magical, truly worthy to be called one of her aesthetic gifts.

    Many of her people were against the thought of her being a soldier at first, thinking Of course, the preservation of the last of the Daomagar''s direct line, and many a suitors were intimidated by the effect but some later came to accept it for she is one of those few Daomagarians who can maximize their Bathala-given talents to the ultimate, garnering the title "The Destroyer", placing her fourth in the list of the Great Twelve, the twelve most powerful Daomagars alive.

    Karus and Kayzar ran together as they saw her waving and almost raced to hug her tightly with teary eyes.

    "Now, now. Did you behave while you two were in the Palace?" she asked with her soft soothing motherly voice that they have long dreamt of hearing.

    They just smiled to hug her again, tightly as they can. They did not know what she meant by ''behave'' because they have had the craziest month at the Palace.

    "Ma," said a small voice as they felt their mother''s armor being gently pulled at the back. "I''m done now."

    They saw Rika, their sister, who apparently just healed Yosh that can now be seen sitting at the far back hugging Luna. She has her round blue eyes that shyly look at them as she tries her best to hide herself from her brothers behind their mother''s. She has a blue round crystal embedded on her forehead with a ripple-like tattoo marking around it. She is born to the will of the water and might possibly be the youngest water caster performing the healing ritual that they know considering her good news.

    Anagea smiled as she kissed her on the forehead and stood up to go to Artemus who is now walking near them. The twins grabbed this opportunity to talk to their sister who''s been biting her silk handkerchief with innocent eyes still looking at them.

    "So, how old r''you now?" asked Kayzar smiling while brushing her hair vigorously with his hands.

    "Fi¡­ no. Six¡­ Six!"

    "And you healed your Kuya-Yosh with the help of the other water casters?" said Karus with his juvenile voice mimicking her sister.

    "uh-huh..."

    They smiled as they looked behind her trying to find other casters besides the members of their travelling party. They saw them having a picnic, eating what appears to be a variety of different kinds of meat and vegetables. They tried hard to crane their heads to scan the area only to identify a Daomagarian woman, smiling widely seeing Yosh''s unique appetite.

    "uh, isn''t that Mama''s personal..."

    "but see..." added Rika, "I healed them all myself, uh-huh, because I''m the only one that can follow Mama, uh-huh."

    The twin''s eyes widened, surprised on what she had revealed.

    "Wha- what? Y-You healed Yosh?"

    "Tee-hee, Kuya-Karus is stuttering..." she smiled as she moved swaying still biting her handkerchief.

    Kayzar smiled and held Rika''s small hands with excitement.

    "You mean you healed Yosh and performed the Great Dash at your age?"

    "We arrived just in time before they waste the White Angel. That''s soo esspensive, Mama always says!" She pouted swaying her finger as if lecturing her two older brothers. "And you shouldn''t use it too often!"

    "And Reus?"

    "And-and-and I healed Kuya-Reus too!" She rushed stating proud. "I healed his lumpy thigh, uh-huh. He''s quite angry ''cause he always like to have his treatment natural, but Mama got angry, uh-huh, so he was compelled. And nobody gets to say no to mama... not even Daddy."

    "Hey, you two!" shouted Yosh interrupting their conversation with their little sister hollering for the three of them to join their feast, "eat up fast because we''re not going to lose any more daylight today! We''re going to the Northern Encampment! Heeyeahey!"

    The two noticed the rampaging beast that''s been growling inside their stomachs, so they just smiled, hugged their sister and ran to the delicious smelling feast-like meal that their mother prepared.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    A faint knock, two times at a second''s interval, on the metal door suddenly woke Prodea in her deep trance at her chambers. She is floating while etching circular runes in mid-air with much effort. She has been learning to master a very powerful magical summoning unsuccessfully for these past few weeks.

    Summoning Rituals involving Runes and Graphs are supposed to be etched on the ground. The reason is that it is a formal request to borrow the powers of Mother Earth''s abundant energy thus it must be ritually engraved to her in a form of writing. To be able to write these magical runes in an instant without even manually carving the ground is a leap of genius and an extraordinary display of power that only a few can do - just like what she did at Bakunawa''s holy grounds - but her sheer belief in her abilities forced her to be so hard-headed that she wants to imitate what she saw in Bakunawa - writing runes in the air. She thinks that she is smarter than him, even smarter than anyone alive. The only difference, and probably the most pivotal one, is that she is a Nagozulian and Bakunawa is a Yagisivian. To be able to summon or conjure a summoning circle alone being a Nagozulian is a very great feat that one can brag about, but she isn''t satisfied. She wants power; raw uninterruptible power; a power that can only be grasped by a Yagisivian. The frustration building up inside of her made her furiously mad as that faint knock began again only this time a little louder than before.

    "WHO IS IT!?"

    "It''s... it''s Zeba your highness."

    Prodea, still furious with the interruption, gently touched the ground to walk almost grumpily to receive her at the door. The thought of ignoring her for another minute to make her wait just to get back at her has been lingering in her mind. She always do this to her in times of frustration and the satisfaction that it would bring would surely make, at least, lessen the stress that she is facing at the moment but the curiosity of her bringing good news gave more weight in the heated argument inside her mind, making her conclude to hasten her pace in opening the door - a thing she doesn''t normally do.

    "Yes, Zeba?"

    "Your highness, I received a word about our mysterious Royal Seer..." she whispered with eyes looking permission to enter her chambers.

    Prodea looked outside as if paranoid and waved her hand to let her come inside to continue hearing her great news.

    "So, do you know the name of our favorite Royal Seer?"

    Zeba was silent and her eyes shied away which brought Prodea to feel somewhat irritated though she tried hard not to show it.

    "uh - I," replied Zeba after seeing Prodea with much furrowing, trying hard not to get her mad, "I meant, I heard some words about him, but I never found out his name."

    Prodea turned around wanting to shout but instead placed his fingers in his head in frustration and then returned to face her.

    "Zeba?" she paused for a second to get her attention, "you do know that we really need to have his name, right? If we don''t find his name, then we don''t find him and if we don''t, we will never hope to find our missing scrolls. If that happens, I will never have the chance to study those important things and I will then be defenseless against anyone who might oppose any idea of us inviting our little visitors here - since you all are just rooting for me in the front in this affair without doing the slightest bit. It''s not that you and my precious brother can defend your plans, right? I will get all the trouble here while you two could sit pretty in your throne and I wouldn''t want to be at anyone''s mercy if that happens. Do you understand that? Zeba?"

    "Yes, but..."

    "Zeba," she interrupted. "It''s been two weeks since I commissioned you on this mission. Time is of the essence Zeba. We are really running out of time."

    "Yes, but your highness, the Royal Seer is a fire starter."

    A spark in her eyes immediately glowed as if hope entered miraculously and that gave Zeba some comfort. She immediately saw her happy with the news, so she too was filled with joy and relief. Prodea walked briskly at the back to a pile of big books that appears to be the list of persons employed in the Palace for the past forty years.

    "I have my doubts, but I am sure!" she said flipping the pages fast in excitement.

    "You''re sure of what your Highness?"

    "Sure of him!" she pointed at the last entry on a worn-out page of the book.

    Zeba leaned to have a look. She touched the old but smooth yellowish-brown parchment to turn it to her view and in the end of that, accompanied with those small tear and some blots of stains, a name was written in black ink almost smudged by the years: Juni Merl Fire Seer.

    "Oh no, your Highness. It''s not him."

    "It is him!"

    "But that''s just crazy your highness, I mean he''s crazy - a-a lunatic! He''s regarded as the Palace fool and he is the point of ridicule amongst his peers - even today!"

    "Hmn, maybe you''re right. But something in my insides points out that he is the one. We can''t expose our investigation on my hunches."

    "Though your hunches rarely miss much your highness,"

    Prodea heartily smiled for the flattery. She was going to say something, but she held her tongue because she''s in a good mood. She walked trying to guide Zeba to the door.

    "Find out anything about this Zeba. I have twenty other seers in mind, but my inner senses tell me that he is what we''re searching for. Keep a close ear on him - and make sure no soul knows our intent."

    "So as not to scare our Royal Seer?" she giggled as she hopped out of the room to exit.

    "So as not to scare him, Exactly."

    With her weak but warm smile, she shut the door gently to a click.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    A group of soldiers can be seen to be lined up at the front a small wall of what appears to be the encampment. It is divided into four which can be assumed to be their elemental placements - earth, fire, wind and water. They are lined to welcome the Grand General''s family which the twins and Yosh thought to be really impressive but surprisingly unnecessary since they have their need of being private and introverted.

    They shouted ''Hail Grand General Artemus, Hail Grand General Anagea!'' then bowed their heads kneeling as the Royal Party led by Grand General Artemus walked briskly at the center to enter the Encampment, after which they all scattered away doing what they''re doing before. The twins just thought that there would be trumpets and loud drums, but they were amazed to hear none. They thought of the idea of this tradition being implemented as a sign of respect to your superiors, possibly acquired abroad. Seeing this happen surprised them merrily. They just thought that Artemus, their father sharing the same reserved personality that they have, must''ve stopped them in doing this grand welcome but is unsuccessful. He is one of the most respected men in Nagozul so even if he could stop them in doing this, they would simply find a way and do it regardless. They just assumed that they come up with a compromise - leaving the musical shindig and all.

    A water caster in full gear with a blue Salakot went in front of Artemus, kneeled, pulled her curled arms to level her eyes that is looking down to salute reported. "Sir, the target has fully recovered, sir."

    Artemus nodded to note the report and then the soldier hurriedly stood up rushing away as if in a hurry.

    "Ma," whispered Artemus to Anagea which the two heard, "Please take them to the house I have some business to finish with your father."

    He kissed her in the cheek and then scurried off. After seeing this, the two looked at each other as if in agreement and then smiled.

    "Mama, we would want to look around if that''s all right."

    "Oh okay, but don''t wander off outside the gates, alright?"

    "Yes, Mama!" they both kissed her in the cheeks with a smile then ran away in the other direction only to circle around to follow their father.

    "Do we smell an intrigue a brewin''?" smiled Karus.

    "Indubitably," replied Kayzar smiling too.

    "I hope that I haven''t kept you two waiting," interrupted Artemus with a happy face as he entered a small brick-walled hut to sit across the table.

    "No, no. I too have just arrived," said Narra smiling as he and his companion stood up to honor his presence. "It''s the Major here who''s been waiting for about almost three weeks now."

    "Don''t worry Master, Grand General Sir," Camyl said formally with a glint of smile as they sit to make themselves comfortable. "I am used to the reprimand. Even if I was to be late for another week in my post at the Hishma''s, I wouldn''t think your brother Grand Prince Sarram would mind. After all, I''ve commissioned my Captain to fix my alibi at the Eastern Sentry''s Headquarters."

    "That''s good to know," Artemus replied grinning. "I am very sorry if I am to cut this small talk short, but I have an appointment tomorrow at the north. I''ve got things to fix after this so I''m afraid I must ask you, Major, to summarize the report."

    "Yes, yes. The Pusakal isn''t it?" asked Narra which Artemus replied with a nod.

    "So," Artemus continued, "Status Report."

    "Yes Sir, Grand General Sir," replied the Major snappily giving him a binder full of parchment almost five inches thick. "What we have in our report is the culmination of all of the compiled data at the final test and the strategic skirmishes that the brothers have undertaken in the past month."

    "Let''s hear from my first born first."

    "Reus excels in his studies based on his test scores. His thesis on different elemental prodigies created a very loud intellectual uproar in the Palace. He also has been developing and improving his Life Element at a very alarming rate. He can now bend light at will though he might need to improve in his defenses."

    "I think he might even surpass you, Grand General," added Narra, "though he may not be very adept in handling himself in a tense situation. I think that when he perfects his skill, no one will be able to stop him. An offensive and defensive skill that no one can match."

    "Great, Great. What about my Yosh?"

    "His precision in using his eye and hand coordination when using a bow is outstanding. He can utilize his beasts to..."

    "Friends," interrupted Artemus. "He would be really mad if he hears that you call them that."

    "So sorry, sir," she smiled continuing, "He can utilize his friends to work with them outstandingly. He is considered to be their tactician, truly a proud Earth Molder at work. He is considered to be a loner and preferably likes to work either only alone with his friends or with his brothers. He has trusts issues that hinder his esteem."

    "Because of my brother and my nephew," replied Artemus almost murmuring while putting his hands in his forehead in dismay.

    "He also has a few flaws on fighting with bladed weapons as if he irks having to handle such item to hurt people. Every clear blow can be hesitant leaving him vulnerable to counterattack, so he uses bows instead. Single strikes from projectiles makes him confident allowing him to measure the distance between the opponent and himself, the true makings of an elusive dodging master. He also utilizes his Daomagarian Dashes in dodging the opponent making him the most experienced in that field among the brothers."

    "Excellent... and the twins?"

    "The two have been a very curious case, sir. They have been known to have failing grades and a very dim future, or at least that''s what they want others to believe. We have been investigating in the matter for a possible foul play instigated by the relatives, but we found out that they completely try to sabotage their own image possibly because of their inhibited and distant personality. The good news is, they have been mastering fourth degree elemental techniques today which is, as I recall, should be four to five years ahead of them. And even more, they still find the time to research on different topics on the side. So far, based on the library reports, they have been interested on the mythical beasts, Kulog Pass, Natural Sciences, Alchemy and Yagisivian Summonings. They are actually few small steps behind Reus''s pace."

    "What about Kayzar''s performance?" requested Artemus in anticipation.

    "Kayzar seems to be exhibiting a very peculiar technique - the Snake Bite and the Floating Daggers as I recall."

    "Did you teach him that Narra?" asked Artemus.

    "No, I did not," he replied, "But I heard that he had learned that from reading books."

    "Yes," Artemus reacted. "I once wrote a book about Elemental Prodigies concerning Wind Blowers. Given Kayzar''s wind essence, we can assume that he can do it with the use of his Wind Element."

    "Oh," realized Camyl, "I almost thought that he was connected with Yiv."

    The two just smiled from her absurd idea then she continued.

    "Well, sir, he has a very good potential to pose as a Daomagarian. With his skills he can easily be mistaken for as a master."

    "Indeed, he does," added Narra, "Gathering Wind is a very light thing to do, I believe, but concentrating it to an object and moving it spontaneously to your desired location is considered to be very impossible. His concentration level is at par with a seer. That requires tremendous patience and determination."

    "True," Artemus replied, "With that he can command storms and wake the wild thunders, in due time of course." He paused for a while and then continued to ask, "And Karus?"

    "Karus, is the most special case I''ve ever seen sir."

    The two leaned a little bit as she paused for a while before continuing.

    "I know that our blood doesn''t tend to mix well. It is a widely known fact that one born with a mixed blood of a Nagozul and of a Daomagar would retain only either the properties of a Nagozul or a Daomagar. He is different. He can practice Elemental techniques based on the records, so he is a Nagozul by blood, but he also knows how to use the Deep Root."

    "That is peculiar," replied Artemus.

    "And that''s not all; he has a keen eye on the enemy while using his weapon to a point that he can freely analyze their weaknesses while attacking. He seems to have the blood of the Maskara Clan being adept on different weapons. Seeing Anagea being the descendant of the Great Daomagar, he should retain a natural impenetrable skin and monstrous strength and yet he doesn''t. It''s as if you and Grand Princess Anagea''s bloodline has merged a perfect new class of mortal possessing the hidden strength of our ancestors. He is truly the rarest of all Nagozul-Daomagar combinations this world has ever seen."

    Artemus stood up looking somewhat content smiling making her to stand awaiting orders.

    "We will study these assessments with diligence. Thank you for finding the time to prepare this Major."

    Camyl gave her salute, bowed and then walked outside.

    Narra smiled and picked his pot of tea at the center. He gently tilted it to fill his cup then sipped a little. "Don''t worry; they don''t know that all of your children can perform certain Daomagarian Techniques."

    He took a great sip from his cup giving him a strong sense of comfort which can be observed from his always smiling face and then he continued.

    "So, Artemus? Are you pleased with the results? Does it satisfy your unwarranted worry about the prediction?"

    Artemus stood up facing the wall and stopped for a few seconds.

    "Well," he said somewhat happy, "I think eavesdropping is one of those qualities a Nagozulian Prince should have without."

    He pulled a loose brick to find the twins'' cheery eyes towards them. They were both surprised as they chuckle in humiliation.

    "I give fair warning. Do this again and next time you won''t be able to set one foot at this section of the Encampment. Understood?"

    "Y-yes, sir," they replied in unison after which they ran off in a hurry.

    The room was quiet for a few seconds before Narra filled the room with his somewhat merry voice.

    "Did you know that they were listening?"

    "Yes."

    "Well, my, my. I didn''t notice that they were there. Must be getting rusty."

    Artemus went near his chair and smiled.

    "Though," Narra continued with a chuckle, "It is sometimes imperative for them to hear their own improvements coming from others. Wouldn''t you agree?" he filled his cup again with the aromatic blend that is now filling the room and sipped for a few before continuing, "It builds esteem having to hear a compliment like that, especially from Camyl who is very hard to be impressed."

    "Yes, not to cut our small talk father but let''s get right to the point."

    "Yes, what''s on your mind?"

    "Have you taught Karus every Daomagarian skill he needs like I asked you to?"

    "Yes, little did they know, I thought them all the basic skills they needed."

    "Yes, but have you taught Karus the Thousand Blade Dash?"

    "You know I can''t do that to him?" he replied somewhat grinning but found Artemus''s face not in tuned with his.

    Artemus eyes leaked immediately with frustration as Narra tried to push on.

    "Even Anagea, my daughter, a Daomagar, cannot perform that skill. It will take months for him to know that, and the consequences? Have you realized that if I pushed him to learn that, he might destroy every muscle fiber in his body? Break every bone he has?"

    "This is for his future father. Please understand! If he doesn''t then he''ll die without achieving his purpose! And besides, I have commissioned a plentiful ration of White Angel sneaked to their mailbox. They will be alright!"

    "No! Stop it Artemus! I have tried to believe in this prophecy. I have the utmost respect for your father, King Liwanag, and I truly believed he divined this from Bathala''s providence but do you consider that maybe, just maybe, we can use these predictions for us to deviate and change the future? A future that I think we might have changed already and isn''t going to come? "

    Artemus stood up seemingly angry walking again near the walls as Narra pleaded.

    "I know that you know that too, deep inside. Karus will not die! You know in your heart that you can change it and it is true. Whether you give him all the advantages you know that isn''t included in the prophecy or not, it will not affect the future, his future. The only thing you''re interfering is his risk of happiness and a normal childhood."

    "No father. I have to protect him! He needs to know more Daomagarian Techniques as much little time we have as possible. He plays a major role in the future so Bathala will bless him and will protect him. Nothing will happen to him in between now and in the near future."

    Narra paused looking a little bit concerned and somewhat disappointed with Artemus''s stubborn persistence so he stood up as he insisted, scratching his thinning head for a few times.

    "I know that you are a good father and that you don''t want to be standing idly by while knowing these facts but you must know that if you continue pushing him to his limits, he will surely perish, not by the hands of his enemy, but yours."

    He walked near the door and stopped for a while as he grabbed the handle.

    "I will not be a part of this anymore. I have been more than patient in giving you favors. They have suffered so much in my training and, frankly, I don''t think I can ever face myself in the mirror if anything happens to any of them, especially after the incident with Reus, which I am responsible for."

    "I know that you''ll be having the exact response." Artemus''s tone became serious as his eyes purge all emotions he''s been feeling earlier on. "Thank you, father, for guiding my sons, especially Karus, but starting tomorrow he will start being the apprentice of Dal''Gur, and he will be more than willing to teach my son the Thousand Blade Dash."

    Narra just smiled, still holding the door.

    "So, you''ve come to this? You''ve just commissioned one of the most impossible Master that ever lived to train Karus to do another one of the most impossible techniques known to a mortal. You know that he will be working him till he perfects it even if he scrapes every muscle in his body and break every bone to dust?"

    "I know."

    "I am devout in my faith and this has given me reasonable senses in my decisions. I just hope you find your own senses before your blind faith to the prophecy leads you to a different path."

    "The prophecy will come true, father. And he will die in vain without this."

    "Yes, I know. Let''s just hope you''re doing the right call."

    And Narra went outside closing the door gently to shut leaving Artemus to ponder on his decisions.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Whew, I thought that we''re going to be grounded for like a month," whispered Karus as they walked after running from the hut they''ve been spotted.

    Kayzar was a little bit angry and didn''t reply. This was noted by Karus who immediately explained himself.

    "What? I didn''t do anything?" he paused and then remembered what he did after Kayzar''s glaring eyes. "Well, there''s the time where I leaned close, but I didn''t make any sound."

    "Yeah, right!" finally replied Kayzar with much annoyance in his voice. "You''ve been practically slamming your face on the brick wall!"

    "What''s with the tone? I know I''ve been saying sorry for the most parts of our walk!" he tried still looking apologetic.

    "BOO!" shouted a young man behind them.

    "Nice try Yosh," Karus said not surprised, "We spotted you a while back for quite some time now and was wondering when you''ll jump ahead and do your not-so-frightening surprise attacks."

    "What?" disagreed Yosh with some scoffs, "I saw your eyes widened a little bit."

    "I did not!"

    "Yes, you did! I saw it! Right Kuya-Kayzar?"

    "Hmph, now you''re including me in your childish games?"

    "Hey what''s with you, you''re not in your usual jolly manner."

    "Tell that to your brother there who seems to have managed to get us in trouble in our early stay here at..."

    "Hey!" interrupted Karus, "We didn''t get in trouble, believe me. It''s just one of those things, y''know?"

    "Right..." Yosh concluded, still wondering what they did, "Moving on, I have great news and bad news."

    "Finally," whispered Kayzar with a smile as he paused for a while waiting.

    They stood there with their wide eyes looking at each other.

    "Well go on," finally exclaimed Karus after few seconds has passed, "What is it?"

    "What? You didn''t tell me what to tell first? What am I supposed to say?"

    Kayzar had his eyes rolling all over in aggravation. "Would you please stop and spare us the agonizing wait and tell us what you know!?"

    Yosh paused for a few seconds and then asked, "But what is it that you want to go first? I''m not a mind reader..."

    "THE GOOD NEWS!" they both shouted in unison.

    "Great," he corrected, "It''s Great News... so I have gathered that Mama wants us to stay here for good. That doesn''t say much ''cause Daddy too has a say in this, but I think we can convince him too." Kayzar''s eyes glared looking at Karus which Yosh noticed looking as though he did something wrong. "Or not? Ok, whatever''s been going on you should tell me. I hate to ask but you two seems to have your world up and running yet again."

    "This here made Dad angry about ten minutes ago," pointed Kayzar.

    "Hey, don''t look at me, You''re there too," defended Karus.

    "OK! OK! I get it," stopped Yosh as he anticipated the two entering what he knows as their long fight, "you did something you regret back there, but let''s focus on the Bad News!"

    The two fell silent still with crossed eyebrows and tough pouts as Yosh waited for their calm before returning to the topic.

    "Actually, there are two bad news. One, Kuya-Reus received suspension on his Rite of Passage to Bakunawa because of some weird top-secret news; and Two, Kuya-Karus would be spending alone with Master Dal''gur this summer as per Dad''s orders."

    "WHAT!" the two shouted with much concern.

    "It''s your fault we got separated!" shouted Kayzar to a now confused Karus with eyes still wide dazing.

    "No," interrupted Yosh, "I think I got wind of that news before you did whatever it is that you did back there so whatever it is that you did that you''re still not sharing with me, won''t affect the decision. Unless you did a pretty terrible thing which..."

    "What am I going to do now," pushed Kayzar with much sadness, "We have so many plans that I think is shattering now piece by piece."

    "I heard he is a very strict Master," followed Yosh, "You mostly wouldn''t enjoy your stay out there."

    Karus gave his disappointed sighs and then he finally muttered. "Gramps is a tough one, but I know he''s ten, or even a hundred, times tougher. He is nowhere Gramp''s level. He''s a new bar of high, he''s..."

    "Yep," Kayzar replied interrupting him. He knows he''s feeling a bit overwhelmed by the idea from the fact that he utters too many things one must not be thinking out loud. He feels sorry for him as he held his shoulders to give him at least a little comfort but there is nothing they can do.

    "Hey," consoled Yosh, "If it makes you two feel any better, I bet we can hang out with the soldiers, that''s what Rika''s doing and that''s what Kuya-Reus is planning to do?"

    "No way," sneered Kayzar, "And miss the opportunity on exploring the whole expense of the Northern Nagozul? I think not!"

    "I don''t know..." he said in his sly inviting tone. "Seeing Rika topple a grown man sure is a treat and I wouldn''t miss it for the world."

    Kayzar just scoffed thinking the impossible statement he just said to lure them to waste their time.

    "It''s true! They said Rika once challenged a huge Daomagarian Maskara Clan member because he accidentally broke her doll and then later made him beg for mercy. It''s a funny story actually..."

    "Ha! Don''t take us like fools Yosh," Karus snickered in disbelief. "Rika is six. The most we could expect is him running around the ring avoiding her, jumping away. Know that it''s not right making stories about her, it''s actually sad and If Mama finds out about this, you''ll pay dearly for running stories about her like that."

    "And if she cries... O ho ho. Boy, you''re going down on your own!" Kayzar laughed.

    "Fine! Believe what you want... Anyway, what are you both planning? It''s not as if you''re going outside this Encampment to..." Yosh paused for a while and was disturbed as he saw a smile on Kayzar''s face. "You didn''t actually... NO! You can''t!"

    "We can and we will," said Karus now smiling.

    "Yes," replied Kayzar, "You haven''t even heard the order, officially right? So, we can go tomorrow and..."

    "No, I think I must obey with what Dad''s been planning and leave you to our plan because of..."

    "The thing with the..." Kayzar looked in his eyes and saw what he was thinking. He did not dare to mutter the words ''prophecy'' because of Yosh but they both understood.

    "Yes."

    "What thing?" asked Yosh bewildered by the two. "Seriously! You''re being rude here with your mind-sync and all! It''s making it awkward to be here talking to you without the you-talking-to-me part!"

    "Kayzar will go to Kulog Pass, care to join him in his escapade?" changed Karus.

    "What? NO! And risking myself to be subjected again with those horrible monsters at the jungle? Absolutely not!!!"

    Kayzar just laughed at the face of Yosh still uttering every single detail he loathes about the dense Jungles of Narra. "Why do you want to be there anyway?" finally asked Yosh in his attempt to turn things around with the idea.

    "Well," smiled Kayzar, "I just found out that I am an Elemental Prodigy."

    "Wow! Another element?"

    "Yes, Water."

    "So what? Why do you want to go there?"

    "Well since I am..." paused Kayzar waiting for Yosh to fill his words but had clearly failed to do.

    "What?"

    "Yosh," entered Karus smiling, "either you''re being too slow these days or you forgot the lecture about Kulog Pass."

    "I wanted to train there," jumped Kayzar getting tired of waiting on Yosh''s answer, "Since there is always a storm there, I can practice my Wind-Water elements together at work."

    "Oh right," he remembered and that raised some lingering questions in mind, "Why is it always raining there anyway?"

    "Oh!" pushed Karus who seems to be more than happy in explaining these things with much excitement, "from what I read, they said it was cursed."

    "W-what?" nervously muttered Yosh.

    "They say that the spirits of Wind-Water Elemental Prodigies still linger in the area. I mean their spirits still persists there being cursed to forever exhaust their energy to conjure a tiresome barrage of storms up till now."

    "W-w-why?"

    "I don''t know, something about them blocking an evil thing to enter the Northern parts of Nagozul a thousand years ago or so but failed. And that led them all to perish there having their curses. All I know is that it happened somewhere at the time of the Elven Rebellion."

    Yosh grunted with much anger in his eyes directly at Karus''s. "What''s wrong with you!? You''re always picking on me, trying to scare me away with your nonsense!"

    "What?" asked Karus. "It''s true!"

    "I shouldn''t even have listened to you! I tried to ask nicely, you know!?"

    And Yosh marched away stomping his feet annoyed leaving the two there standing at the corner of the road, with Karus having a little edged smile confused on what he did and what he did wrong.

    "I told you not to try and level yourself with others and expose our little research."

    "I thought he..."

    "Well you thought wrong, as always," Kayzar interrupted as he pat his back and walked away. "You could''ve just told him you don''t know and that I like the rain that much, which I really do."

    The two still wandered around the encampment. They were amazed at the sight of this alleged barracks for warriors. It seems only a week ago that they thought this place to be very uptight, brimming with soldiers, and discipline, and dullness which is all right with them compared with their stay at the Palace. To the contrary, they saw shops, and farmers, and children running and smiling and laughing. Everything that they hoped for from what they heard and what they read was very far from what they were seeing. They saw the Northern Encampment not as a fort at the north but as a big village, a big village with lots of warriors, armors, and weapons that is. It is very well sufficient, from blacksmiths, to farmers, to meat products and even shop owners with accessories and trinkets. That gave them to thinking as to why their father needed supplies; supplies that their Grandfather Narra gives every month religiously.

    "Hey!" shouted a young man from their back trying to get their attention.

    "N-Nemer?" excitedly exclaimed Karus, "Is that really you?"

    They saw a man their age and at about the same height as they were, some inches shorter. He has his short curly black hair and light bronze skin. He has a very notable small set of hooded eyes which can be found to be always smiling. He was wearing a backpack his size and can be assumed to be notably heavy considering the stack of metal shafts, swords, knives and armor plates wrapped around by a very tight sturdy rope but he carries it like it was a bag of feathers. He''s the closest friend they can find as a best friend that is at the same age as they are, not counting Illyriah - though she doesn''t count because she''s a girl and there are things you can''t share with women, at least that''s what they think.

    "Hi! How are you two?" he said finally catching up.

    "What''s with the gear?" Kayzar entered very curious.

    "Well thanks to your trip here I just received four pounds of Gold Dust and the elusive Harphea nut and now I am returning to my quarters to stow it away for tomorrow''s trip.

    "Ah, sounds to me you''re excited to Smith more weapons."

    "Yes, Karus but more importantly, did you hear the news?"

    "Yep we heard," Karus revealed with much grief.

    "And to top it all, I''m not included," Kayzar pointed out.

    "Well, if it was up to me, I''ll be grabbing you two, but orders are orders."

    "It''s good seeing you here, the last time we saw you, you were running around fetching precious herbs," chuckled Karus.

    "And we see you here yet again being the dog, fetching still," Kayzar whispered for them three to hear and that made them have weird noises because of their silent laughs.

    "Well," stopped Nemer, "As you all know I am still Dal''Gur''s apprentice and..."

    "You still are ever since," Karus cut in smiling.

    "Yes," smiled Nemer.

    "It seems that you haven''t aged a day," praised Kayzar, "What''s your secret?"

    "Hmn, Let''s see, have lots of empty stomach, deprive yourself of sleep and, oh, work harder than yesterday!"

    "Hahaha, what a weird ritual that is," laughed Karus tapping Nemer''s shoulders.

    "At least we can stay together tonight," Nemer said landing a soft punch to Kayzar and Karus, "We can catch up before our hectic schedules springs up tomorrow."

    "As long as you''re dining with us," Karus insisted.

    "We have missed Mama and Daddy so much, we''ll try and relish our stay here together as a family," pushed Kayzar. "Even if it''s just for a couple of hours."

    "Where else will I eat dinner?" replied Nemer.

    "That''s more like it," nodded Karus with a very wide ear-to-ear smile.

 14 the ARRIVAL

    Loud trumpets roared fiercely, practicing their joyous revel, bringing forth notes that travel amazingly fast in the air as they wake all that might be sleeping around the capital of Nagozul. Garlands and banners that the people haven''t seen ever before are heavily decorated on street posts, trees, and almost all houses that are in the line of sight from the main road leading to the Palace.

    Generally, putting ornaments in tune for a celebration aren''t a part of the Nagozulian customs, and certainly not a part of their tribe brothers the Yagisivians and the Daomagarians, making this kind of setting generally new to them. Putting brightly colored triangular-shaped papers they called banderitas doesn''t really seem that sensible to them, especially after hearing that it would all be discarded after the welcoming affairs. Being keepers of the Holy Lands, such waste of time, effort, and resources are unfamiliar to them giving them the dreaded assumption that this tradition is foreign and not one of Prodea''s whimsical antics. It''s hard enough making them and putting them in their perfect place in the first place, the people of Nagozul thought, but that''s what Prodea wants and what she wants, she always gets, and whoever stands in her way usually ends up assigned to the farthest regions of Nagozul, or worse, in prison.

    Much busyness can be seen at the Palace as they all move about with both haste and fear in order to perfect Prodea''s plans for a grandiose welcome for the Easterners. They have been doing this day and night for the past two months nonstop. Planning the arrival party tends to be harder for them as each day passes for the Grand Princess seems to have the tendency to change her mind as soon as she realizes something more extraordinary than the previous plan - the previous plan that they work so hard to accomplish only to hear that it would go down the bottom of the sea on her whim generating another arduous task to accomplish to appease her. If she had just received her grand epiphany before they have accomplished a very laborious task, they wouldn''t have to experience the kind of worry they are currently facing. Not to mention adding the fact that she has a very keen eye for detail, her very specific and very personal detail. No one could be blamed if they all would go flipping mad at her complicated and impossible orders. This trouble that disturbed many a Daomagarian help strengthened their faith leaving for them to pray with much intensity to Bathala, beseeching him to end their misery and let the foreigners just arrive magically. ''A miracle!'' They all thought thankful as one of the sentries shouted.

    "I can see their flags, Your highness! They are coming!"

    "What! So soon!?" complained Prodea which revealed a lot of frowned faces surrounding her as she rushed near the gates to compose herself.

    "Now, now ''Dea," whispered the Queen, "Getting nervous means being..."

    "Unprepared," she filled, "Yes mother! We are unprepared!"

    "Come now, you are being overly dramatic."

    Before Prodea was about to give a witty retort being lured into her mother''s banter she was stopped by the loud horn before them.

    The huge doors opened wide to receive the eastern envoy followed by the teeming soldiers that marched lining evenly before them.

    "Blessed morning to you my liege," he kneeled down bowing with a smiling face and stood right away, "I am Duke Tabarius from the house of Wolfe, envoy to the Great and Mighty Eastern Empire of Leonus and we are your most humble servants."

    "Oh, why the soldiers?" asked the Queen, "I thought you''d be bringing workers?"

    "Yes, benevolent Queen, but I believe a good soldier is more reliable than a good worker. They are stronger, more agile, and basically can endure more. Wouldn''t you agree?"

    The Queen smiled seeing his charming gestures and whispered to Prodea.

    "Polite, smart, and handsome."

    Prodea smiled looking flustered. "Mother, she can hear you."

    Tabarius chuckled a few and then continued on.

    "Before anything else," he snapped his fingers then along came tens of warriors carrying large gold chests. "We would like to extend our Empire''s gratitude for inviting us to your most sacred lands."

    The servants opened the five huge chests that are now before the Queen. They were all surprised to see large Ivory tusks, stacks of Silks, Sets of Colorful Porcelains and trinkets, and jewelry of gold, silver, and platinum. The Queen cannot be seen as impressed as they thought she would be. How could she? The things that she has seen are mere ordinary things to her. The designs of jewelry inside the chests cannot compare to what the Daomagarian jewelers can do. Perfection is the Daomagar''s trade and intricacies for them are like a challenge.

    The norm about giving gifts in Nagozul that they didn''t know is that one should give gifts only if one thinks it is the best among others, especially in special occasions. Giving something below the ordinary can be regarded as an insult to the person that''s why it''s best not to give gifts at all if one cannot produce one. It is a statement or a testament on how you value the person. Seeing before them the subpar designs and works of the east really set the Queen off, except for those Ivory Trunks which are not clearly seen from their region.

    "So," the Queen asked after ignoring the other chests that she thinks are worthless, "Are these the great tusks gathered from the great beasts on your world?"

    Tabarius was concerned to the facial reaction of the Queen so he hurriedly replied thinking of saving the impression he just had. "Oh, yes. We have rounded hundreds of them to collect the finest tusks that you see before you."

    "Yes, perfect," gloomed the Queen as she touched the smooth shining tusks with her bony fingers which they all noted.

    "Is something wrong, your highness?"

    "No, nothing. It''s just sad that you have to kill those poor beasts just so to have the pleasure of ripping their carcasses apart to give them as gifts."

    The room fell silent to the Queens awkward reactions until after a few seconds Prodea broke off.

    "So, before anything else, we would like to see the plans."

    "As promised Grand Princess," he snapped his fingers and then along came his servant again now bringing five heavy tomes bound by leather straps that are about eight inches thick each. "The compilation of our Empire''s vast knowledge in different fields: Metallurgical, Mechanical, and Alchemical."

    "Yes, thank you very much," smiled Prodea as she waved her hand for a Daomagar to carry the tomes, which he did effortlessly.

    "And here with me," added the Duke, "is the Earl of Farindhal, Eryk Caden from the house of Shade." Eryk took a step and bowed to give respect as he continued, "He will guide you in understanding the measurements in the collection for he is regarded as our Master Scholar and the brightest Alchemist in our..."

    "I''m sorry," Prodea cut in, "but I am fully aware of the measurements and is indeed in great understanding with your methods," proudly stated Prodea being somewhat insulted in his remarks.

    "Forgive me for the misunderstanding," smiled the Duke now feeling a bit nervous, "I merely implied that he will be at your disposal for whatever needs you feel be done."

    "Absolutely, he will be filled in with his position as an aid," declared Prodea which gave Tabarius a sigh of relief. "though I do feel that he won''t be needed at all."

    "Come now to your quarters," waved the Queen, "surely you''re stressed at the perilous journey you''ve just undertaken. We can reconvene at another time for the mining in Hishma."

    As they all turn away, the Daomagarian servants all around noticed how Prodea''s smiling face slightly revealed dismay over how the events transpired in her welcoming affairs. Working a perfect pompous celebration isn''t really worth its value in the end, they thought. Prodea''s perfectionist attitude has bested her and that cheered them all a little bit. The thought of her failing what she planned for months brought smiles on every servant''s faces and that, they all thought, is the reward of their hard work. Prodea should learn something from this and yet she won''t because of her stubborn attitude as what they experienced again and again and, as they assume, would still be experiencing in the future.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Good to see you again Nemer," greeted Artemus as he stood up from his seat finishing some large quantities of papers at the Grand General''s Headquarters, east of the encampment. "So, I''ve heard you''ve just arrived. I''m honored you have made plans to prioritize in visiting me first before some of your affairs."

    "Don''t play coy with me Young Artemus." He smirked for a little bit then went to the chair across Artemus. He looked left and right searching for something as he sat comfortably but poised formally. "I sense that we are alone?"

    "Yes, master."

    "Then we can talk freely Of course, so stop being so formal," he added with reprimand, "I don''t want to feel any older than I should be."

    "You are Dal''gur. You do not age."

    "Yes, but I feel that I am tired as the days grow old, though my thoughts linger on to so many trivial things as if I''m still at my teenage years."

    "Hmn," pondered Artemus, "The wisdom of an Immortal with the innocence of a young adult."

    "You, mortal child, wouldn''t understand. So, about Karus," quickly changed Dal''gur in a much-disturbed tone.

    "Yes, what seems to be the problem?" inquired Artemus as he leaned forward, shoving away the stacked papers that is in front of them.

    "The problem is not the problem about his task; it is your child himself."

    "You say that as though you are unimpressed? Did something happen?"

    "I checked his blood Artemus," he snapped with his sharp serious eyes leaning forward aggressively.

    "I see you''ve divined our little secret," he leaned back from his chair as he gradually changed his smiling face in tune with Dal''Gur''s serious image.

    "Does your wife know?"

    "No, only Narra knows. And he doesn''t even know that I know, or it is because he''s in denial that he doesn''t realize the fact."

    "What a troublesome ordeal you''ve been entangled to, young Artemus," he expressed with much disappointment easing up but still angry. "You know well that the punishment for that is the massacre of your bloodline. If we didn''t know each other, I even would''ve started it myself after knowing."

    "I didn''t know about her lineage up until we had our last, Rika. Narra made well-hidden of her adoption."

    "A Yagisivian blood fusing with a Nagozulian!" he shouted, "That is unacceptable!"

    "But they will be the savior of our Islands! It''s not like that they will turn into the same evil power-hungry monarch a thousand years ago." explained Artemus.

    "No! It''s far worse! You now have FIVE evil power-hungry demons now in line for the throne after you."

    "Ah! But the prophecy contradicts that. They say they will be heroes of Nagozul."

    "You really believe in your father''s prophecy," sighed Dal''gur still with much disappointment. He stood up preparing to leave. "I still have my fear for the future, but I believe in you as I believe in your father. Keep them in line and I won''t have to gather the immortals again. Consider yourself warned."

    Artemus nodded smiling. There were a few seconds of silence that enveloped the room before Dal''gur walked in front of the door and then, as he opened it to exit, Artemus asked. "Did he do it? The Thousand Blade Dash?"

    "Well, what do you think? It''s not perfect but he''ll eventually catch up to a master''s level." he answered. "Oh," he added almost instantly, "I spotted Yosh in the mountains last week. Should I inform your search party?"

    "No, master, let him be."

    Dal''gur sighed now smiling, "I sense that Yosh being there is in your prophecy as well? You and your stubborn beliefs." And he walked out leaving Artemus almost smiling rifling the stacked papers that was before him.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "There you are!" surprised Kayzar slapping Karus''s bag that is tightly placed on his back moving him for a couple of steps forward because of the force of the impact, "I''ve been looking all over for you."

    "HEY!" he answered back slapping Kayzar in the arms getting back from what he did. "Don''t do that again, I almost slipped!"

    "Geez, why so grumpy."

    "It''s this cursed bag! It''s full of tempered steel that''s so heavy you feel you''ve been carrying the world on your back!"

    "Why don''t you drop it off or call some Daomagarian soldier here to deliver it to the house or something?"

    "I can''t! It''s tightly wound on my arms and back with some weird rope that Nemer fashioned. He''s the only man that can take this off. Curse him! This is not funny!"

    "Well, have you tried to get some Daomagarian Soldier to untie those knots?"

    "What are you, insane!? Of course, I did! There is some weird curse in the ropes, a Yagisivian spell. They said no one can take that off unless you went to a Yagisivian Seer! Well, duh! We''re in the northern regions of Nagozul! Where do I suppose to find a Yagisivian!"

    Kayzar was surprised with his angry eyes, he hasn''t been mad like that for a long time and this made him chuckle a bit. This made him realize that he might have been wearing that bag for quite some time now, maybe as long as since he was still at the mountains at the smithy of Dal''gur with Nemer based on his furious condition.

    "What''s funny!" snarled Karus.

    "Nothing? Well I haven''t seen him if that''s what you think."

    "Well I can''t sit because the bag''s in the way! I''ve been standing here for two hours now! Might as well get the latest news here."

    The two looked at each other for a few seconds until Kayzar spilled smiling.

    "Hey, I just got here. I thought you''ve been here longer than I am."

    "Right," he sighed with a somewhat disappointed tone.

    "Hey!" Kayzar shouted pointing at the armband at the left arm of Karus. "Is that what I think it is?"

    "Yes," boasted Karus, "I am officially a Master of the Hundred Sword Elites."

    "Whoa! Who gave you that!"

    "Dal''gur. You know he has the power to grant you the honor of being a master being the one who invented the whole guild in the first place. There is an opening for the one hundredth and I happen to chance for the spot."

    "Seriously? You''re the One Hundredth? That''s serious..."

    "Yes, I know. That''s a lot of burden but Nemer''s been helping me out finishing Dal''Gur''s tasks. He said I deserved it for all the hard work I''ve been doing these past months."

    "So," grinned Kayzar with much excitement, "What''s like training with the Immortal Dal''gur. What does he look like?"

    "Well," scoffed Karus, "To be honest, he didn''t actually show himself to me. He was in this large room, veiled, being mysterious and whatnot, and is talking with a weird deep voice. I swear it looked like he was toying at me because his voice is like a kid playing to have a very low pitch, but I guess some people talk differently."

    "Hahahaha, wish I was there."

    "Yes, all I did was play and have fun with Nemer. He said Dal''gur instructed him to teach me the Thousand Blade Dash, so I followed, and it ended really fun."

    "No way!" raved Kayzar, "The Thousand Blade Dash? The Real Thousand Blade Dash? You went there to learn that!?"

    "Yes?" answered Karus somewhat confused, "Is there any other Thousand Blade Dash technique?"

    "But that''s..."

    "Yep, impossible," bragged Karus, "Using the Great Dash is hard. You have to concentrate all your energy in your thighs to pump bursts of energy to forcibly push your body to another location, right? But that''s not all. In order to perform the Thousand Blade Dash, you have to perform dashes using your arms. Apparently, what we know so far is dashing with the use of our feet, but that''s not quite true. The Daomagarian Dash is a preparatory technique to master to dash every jointed part of your body. So, what I did was I mastered dashing every single part of my body to slash one thousand times while dashing from a point to the target. That technique is really something, if the dash is hard, you can think of it as a thousand, if not hundreds of thousand, times that."

    "You know, I tried that myself!" added Kayzar, "I only made a single slash though, and what''s worse, I missed! Every part of my body hurt afterwards, and I was in bed for three days, so I never tried it again."

    "Yes! Exactly! Pulling your sword and slashing something in between the dash for a thousand times is really hard. I literally broke my bones more than fifty times or so, I lost count. Good thing Nemer always carries about a jug full of White Angel."

    "Hahaha, did you ask for a spare?"

    "Of course, not!" Karus smiled to explain, "That''s Dal''Gur''s White Angel. Do you want him to punish me?"

    "Or something worse, show himself to you. He must''ve looked like some ill-tempered, old, grumpy, bald, hideous man," laughed Kayzar. "But seriously, you should show me that dash some other time."

    "What''re you laughing about?" entered a familiar voice.

    "NEMER!" shouted Karus punching him in the arm as hard as possible with much anger which he didn''t even felt, having his normal Daomagarian tough skin of course. "WHERE''VE YOU BEEN? I HAVE BEEN STANDING HERE IN AGES!"

    "What? You''ve been carrying that for just a while I thought it''s alright."

    "FOR A WHILE!? I"VE BEEN CARRYING THIS SINCE WE LEFT CAMP ABOUT TEN HOURS AGO! I AM NOT A DAOMAGAR SO YOU''LL FORGIVE ME IF I DON''T CARRY AROUND MY USSUAL STRENGTH!" he spouts forth angrily slapping Nemer a few times to hasten his movements in dismembering the tight contraptions and their knots.

    "Okay, okay! There!"

    "THANK YOU!" he replied in an unthankful tone while stretching his back to relieve his obvious tension.

    "I only put that on you to measure your body''s strength and vitality, that''s what my master told me."

    "I thought we finished training that Thousand Blade Dash?"

    "Well, the training doesn''t stop. You must strengthen your muscles and bones so that you won''t be having problems when you move around dashing." The two was looking at him with strained eyes that he noted so he added, "Well at least that''s what he told me."

    "Well, your master isn''t here, right!?"

    "Well, he can..."

    "SO, DON''T BUG ME AGAIN WITH HIS MYSTERIOUS WAYS!" he stormed away with his feet stomping being angry as he is, "Come on K-Z, Let''s find Yosh."

    As Kayzar waved his goodbye Nemer whispered with a very concerned tone.

    "Well you won''t find him." They were both halted to hear what he was about to say. He paused for a few seconds scratching his head then he continued, "I don''t know how to say this, but I think Yosh ran away."

    "What!?" shouted Kayzar somewhat shocked at the explosive news he just heard and expected Nemer to explain.

    "I don''t know what happened, or where he is," he defended, "You should talk to your father; he created a search party to scour the jungles and the plains from the north up to the mountains. Maybe he knows something."

    "We''ll meet you at dinner," said Karus turning back the other way tapping Kayzar to follow. "And be sure not to disappear this time!" he shouted as he was about a few paces away from Nemer.

    The two sprinted without uttering words. Nothing stopped them from moving their hasty feet to the east where their father''s military quarters is located. They were both concerned about Yosh, the brother they''ve been protecting for so long. They felt a little guilty having to spend their summer away, leaving him alone at the encampment. They were just confused as to why he would do such a thing. They reflected upon many things and among which is they figured he was happy finally spending time at the camp but clearly something has gone wrong.

    They stormed their father''s quarters and found their grandfather, Narra, and their father, Artemus, somewhat having a fight that was clearly interrupted by their noisy entrance. The intrusion made Artemus angry as he stood up with serious eyes to the twins.

    "What are you two doing barging in here!?"

    "Father," Karus started beating Artemus to his reprimands. "What happened to Yosh?"

    "Do you not know how to knock!?" scolded Artemus. "This is a military encampment and my quarters!"

    "I''m sorry Dad," apologized Kayzar, "But we just found out that Yosh has gone. What happened?"

    Artemus sat in his chair in silence making Narra to turn and explain. "Your brother was grounded here at the encampment for stashing away the holy relics from the Nagozulian History Room. He was ordered to march back to the Palace to retrieve and return all of the items that belong there and then return to Artemus Kyrin''s Battlegear."

    The twins were bothered by the news. No wonder Yosh made that serious mistake. He was looking forward to escaping their ill-fated experience at the Palace only to find out that he will be punished by his father to return. What Yosh did was wrong but it doesn''t warrant for him to face the full wrath of the Queen and Prodea after disobeying a direct order from them. Their father doesn''t know about these things. They haven''t talked about it thinking it is all water-under-the-bridge. These sentiments among all others were all they can think about, but they dare not utter a single one. They just stood there listening to Narra''s reports of Yosh''s sightings.

    "We could help," suggested Kayzar, "I have made a map of shortcuts in the Jungles of Narra so we can be of some help."

    "No, you should stay here and wait for the search party. It''s their job not yours. Besides, there are too many criminals hiding here in the northern regions. Having one missing prince is enough," Narra stood up fixing his robe that the two noticed looking as though he was about to leave.

    "Where are you going Gramps?" Karus asked.

    "I''m off to the capital. I need to apologize to Juni and give your father''s regards."

    "Why, what''s wrong?" pushed Karus both to Narra and Artemus.

    "I can''t leave," finally entered Artemus, "I got my hands tied to so many duties, I don''t know where to start."

    "Mother." Kayzar proposed, "Mother can go with you Gramps, right?"

    Narra sighed with grief, "Your mother is still dashing off somewhere to find Yosh. We haven''t seen her for two weeks now."

    "Juni is family!" pushed Karus, "Please don''t tell that he isn''t worth of your attention! He''s..."

    "That''s enough young prince!" scolded Narra, "You have to learn to keep your tongue in line! With so much happening Juni would understand!"

    "It''s alright Narra," entered Artemus, "Let my son speak his mind. He is right, Juni is family." He stopped and looked at Kayzar and Karus. "I won''t let anything bad to happen. That I can only ensure. Juni''s distraught state is clearly the manifestation of his old age being a fire starter. Narra will give my regards to him and will ensure his safety until I can get my schedule together to prepare for his extraction. In the meantime, let us do our duties to Nagozul."

    "At least let us come with," Karus boldly demanded which shocked Kayzar. They are not planning on returning anywhere near the Palace, so the thought just cleared everything on Kayzar''s worried mind.

    Artemus looked at Narra looking as though he''s seeking for his approval.

    "I suppose I can let them tag along with me. I think they wouldn''t take much time lagging behind and besides, if someone can get Juni''s emotions in place it''s them."

    The two hugged their grandfather with great smiles on their faces looking very happy - though Kayzar is still puzzled to Karus''s intents and is just going along his plans.

    "When do we leave?" Karus asked with much enthusiasm disregarding his tired body from their apparent arrival.

    "Uh - soon? Today..." Narra replied confused to the twin''s wild idea returning. He knows that they didn''t want any mission that involves returning to the Palace, they said it so themselves while they were travelling to the north two months ago and yet, with eager eyes, they are asking when.

    "Great!" exclaimed Karus, "we''ll get our gear. Meet us at the gate?"

    "Yes, but do hurry up."

    The two ran after bowing to their father to exit almost dashing leaving the other two in silence to return to their discussion.

    "The prophecy states that Yosh''s life will be in danger," said Narra concerned breaking the seconds of silence.

    "Yes, I know," replied Artemus staring at the door across him in deep thoughts. "But," he added, "It also states that he will become a changed man and will be the one to unite the Dwendells and us Mortals."

    Narra just scoffed to the idea as he walked near the door. "You know very well how stubborn the Elves are. They will kill him."

    "I believe in my father''s predictions."

    "Then all we need to do is to pray that they don''t deviate from the divine plan. Otherwise you''ll be hating yourself for the rest of your life." Then he stepped outside locking gently the doors to click.

    "I know, I already do," Artemus mumbled.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Have you lost your senses!" argued Kayzar as they hurriedly stride to their house at the center of the Camp. "I just arrived here! Do you know what I eat for the rest of the month in my stay at Kulog pass!? For once I want a home cooked meal! And you come here spoiling everything!"

    "Well Kayzar," Karus replied with a calm humorless face suddenly stopping for a moment, "What do you think will happen if Yosh was found?"

    Kayzar stood there silent knowing the answer but did not muttered a single word.

    "We need to retrieve Yosh''s loot. It''s important that we return everything in its proper place in order for him to stay here for good. It''s the only way!"

    "I know, but will that risk us being seen?"

    Karus now smiled finding Kayzar''s words somewhat funny, "Me? Being seen? That''ll be the day!"

    "Whoa!" reacted Kayzar confused, "Back up, you said me? As in you? Not us?"

    "Yes, I''ll do it. I know where he hides his stash." He said this with complete confidence, but it led for Kayzar to frown a little seeing that Karus made this elaborate plan all by himself not including him in it, so he reassured, "But your mission is just as important. I want you to be with Gramps when he goes to Juni. I need him to feel that I just went somewhere and you two must hurry up and leave me be. That''ll surely buy me some time while I go to the Palace stealthily to grab the articles to return them all to the History Room. After which, I''ll be catching up with you just in time for our departure near the mango tree up the roads to the south."

    "Oh, well," finally said Kayzar now walking in a normal pace hiding his disappointment, "I need to personally make sure Juni''s safe so that plan''s fine with me."

    "As long as we stay at the southern villages, not the Palace, even if we''re to split up with Gramps," added Karus.

    "Exactly."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Have you seen my daughters?" asked Duke Tabarius to the other person across the table.

    They are having their snack before dinner in their quarters at the Palace. The room is fully furnished with antique sets of comfortable furniture layered with alabaster designs that are crafted to look as if they are still in Leonus. Prodea made sure that their accommodations are top of the class. This is made ostentatious by having pillars and drapes with gold contours making the sunlight to bounce in different angles. The sunlight was reflected by the walls and the floor that is made up of shiny white slabs of marble lighting the room a yellowish dusk atmosphere when joined by the golden contours surrounding the room. The two envoys found this to be mesmerizing and uniquely calming.

    "No Tabarius, I think not," he answered still gazing at the walls and the golden ceiling. "What I do remember is that they stopped by to shop down at the city."

    "Hmn, Eryk?" asked the Duke after a few seconds of contemplating, "Do you think I just blew off my goodwill and my image is in serious need of repair? Do you think my charm is beginning to dull?"

    He just laughed in reply but seeing his good friend''s face turning sad he gave his words of consolation, "I don''t think no one can resist your uncanny charm. Why do you think the Emperor picked you for this assignment? Your eyes are borrowed from the angels they say. One look and you can sell your thoughts to anyone."

    "True. I do have my trustworthy deep eyes," he smiled taking a bite from the red meat that is served to them.

    "About the Emperor''s request?" Eryk whispered quickly changing the topic. "Do you think you''re ready to exploit the natives?"

    "What? No!" discouraged the Duke, "That''s not the plan of the Emperor."

    "But technically speaking, if you''re to trick them into revealing the fountain of life and getting a bit out of there, you''ll be exploiting them. Right?"

    "Requesting will be a formal term apt to my actions, not exploitation. I can''t risk severing my ties with the people here! I have to maintain my good friendship with Princess Prodea, after all I have a huge debt to her that I cannot pay back, and you know that."

    "Right," sneered Eryk with a snide chortle.

    The Duke noticed this and was annoyed so he sat there quietly to finish his meal chomping the red veal with much force.

    Little did they know that the Daomagarian Muscle of Prodea, Karr, was listening to their boring discussions and this part of their chat is the only part that''s worth reporting. The only thing he needed to bring down the Easterners once and for all. Surprised at their intents he hurriedly went his way to the quarters of his charge to state this alarming news.

    Five knocks he did on the giant doors of Prodea. These five knocks mean that it is her guard knocking, and that means it is seriously important for Karr knows more than enough how serious Prodea is about disturbing her silence.

    The giant doors opened as she peaked whispering.

    "This better be a good thing Karr."

    "It is, your highness. I have grave news to report about your newly acquainted friends."

    Prodea waved his hands for him to follow her inside which he did and then she immediately closed the door to shut. Prodea went to the center of the room closing all the tomes that the easterners gave then she turned around smiling, signaling Karr to continue his report.

    "Your highness, I have been posted to the hidden room as you requested and have heard their discussions."

    "And?" asked Prodea wanting to get him to his point.

    "I have heard them speak of their malicious intentions to our Holy Lands."

    "Let me guess?" Prodea grinned, "They want to get a hold of the Fountain of Life. The mysterious spring that they think would rejuvenate their tired old bodies."

    "Yes, your highness. But that doesn''t work like that, does it not?"

    "I know Karr, do you think of me as a child! Of course, it doesn''t work like that. The fountain brings life to all living beings here in our world. Even the slightest touch of an impure spirit would defile the holy waters then, life as you know it would cease to exist. Do you think I would let them corrupt it?"

    "So, what are your orders your highness?"

    Prodea smiled leading Karr to the door to exit. "Even if we wanted to participate in their pathetic plans, we couldn''t, you know why my dear friend Karr?"

    "Because we don''t know the location of the fountain, your highness?"

    "Right on point as usual," she proudly said finally arriving at the door waiting for him to step out, "I know you are sharp. Sharper than Zeba. Our brothers in Yagisiv Haya are very secretive about the whereabouts of the fountain so you need not worry."

    With this he stepped outside feeling confused. "But your highness," he added.

    "Yes, Karr?"

    "What should I do with this information?" he hesitated.

    "Well," she stopped for a second and then decided, "We don''t tell a soul about it."

    "No disrespect Grand Princess but that is wrong. Should we at least tell the Queen?"

    "NO!" angrily shouted Prodea. She waited for a couple of seconds to compose herself and then she continued, "Do you not trust me, your charge for ten years? Do you not have enough confidence in my plans unfolding at my will?"

    Karr just stood silent. He knows Prodea and her stubbornness in regards with her intellect. She knows how to handle herself and he knows that she is the most arrogant being alive, so failure is not present in her vocabulary. The easterners are hiding something that Prodea needs so he just nodded with a smile in agreement thinking that she is toying with the easterners'' minds not the other way around. He thought that by her knowing what they were thinking already means that she is a step ahead of them, so he put his fear to her expert thinking.

    As the door came to a shut, he turned around and found himself wandering around the halls pondering. The idea of this secret being kept in private is enough to punish him and his family for treason. His loyalty must be to his clan not to the Grand Princess, so the strong urge to talk came struggling in his head. But, he reasoned, if he did go to the higher authorities, the plans of Prodea that took years to set up would be in vain leaving the easterners to be thrown to the sea to perish. This would be good in anyone''s point of view but imagining the consequences against him overwhelmed him much more. He can calculate more or less what will happen and what will happen after is that Prodea will be embarrassed and that would certainly lead her to punish him severely by either placing him demoted in the ranks of the Palace guards or be thrown off to Daomagar, forbidden to enter Nagozulian soil in his lifetime. It is best if it is the latter but what if it is the former? He had trained all his life to become one of the most respected Daomagarian Royal Sentinel there is so he certainly wouldn''t want his life to be thrown into the ranks of a lowly Palace guard. That, he thinks, is a waste of his talents. That could be considered, to him, worse than death.

    In the heat of the battle between the two ideas wrestling in his mind he, immediately thought some what ifs. He figured to let this one slip sliding through the other end of his ear, removing the topic right out of his head. If he doesn''t do anything keeping his mouth shut, nothing wrong will happen. Prodea would still continue with whatever plan she''s plotting, and he will live normally, safe and sound, like the rest of all the people of Nagozul and the Holy Lands as a whole. He is convinced that she will not dare harm the fountain''s secrecy much less let it be tainted by an impure soul. He knows as long as it''s in her best benefit, she will do anything within her powers to play with fate. She always does calculated risks especially to people around her, but she won''t dare play gamble with her own life. She is that selfish. She most certainly wouldn''t want to lose to those idiotic Easterners too. He just smiled and resolved his decision of just forgetting about it. It''s in everyone''s best interest, he determined. What''s the worst that can happen?

 15 a PRINCESS named EMILIANA YVONNE

    The light piercing through the majestic skies at the break of dawn in a midsummer''s day can be regarded as one of the most beautiful and miraculous event one can be thankful for. But for Karus, this moment feels as if he has been targeted by the sun''s spite, mocking him, blaming him on why he ever took his time sneaking to Yosh''s window outside instead of just dashing inside the halls.

    He leaped and jumped finding blind spots to hide his outline from the roving Nagozulian Sentinels. He was focused on his idea of having the thrill doing it from the high walls that he didn''t had the time to calculate some variable events that led him to lose the precious moonlight he so desperately needed.

    "Almost there," he whispered in comfort talking to no one but his shaking body as he balanced his way to jump to the window. With heavy breaths, he summoned a big gasp then he dashed. Fifteen feet. From the four-inch embossed design in the wall to the veranda of Yosh''s room.

    He came rolling after the landing with a bit of smile coupled with a sharp sighing pain as he took his time, crouching for the aching muscles in his thighs to recover. Fifteen feet is a big deal, he thought. That''s a new record for him and his brothers. To a Daomagar, this is an average Dash but to a Nagozulian, it is impossible. He sneaked almost dragging his feet to open the unlocked window. He grinned silently as he relished all the impossibilities, he''s accomplished this year, hoping to find a new bar of impossibility to break tomorrow.

    A few four-legged dolls with a horn at the forehead, and some weird chubby mannequins four feet tall, embroidered with laces and ornaments of gold and rare gems, are found scattered almost anywhere. ''What in Bathala''s name is this!?'' he asked, whining at the sight of the bright pink room that he stumbled upon. The bed post is filled with thin pink silks. The bed too is pink. All is pink. This is enough to blind a man, he thought. He took a peek outside the window, sticking half his head out, searching, looking, as though he had made a mistake landing on the wrong window. He pushed the window to shut convincing himself over and over that he is in the right room. The thick gold curtains that block the windows are the proof that the room is indeed Yosh''s. But, he thought, why did they remodel the room? It can be easily deduced that the room has now been claimed by a girl. A kid girl. But who? Who''s that girl? Who could possibly be more important than Yosh? Than them? The sons of the eldest Grand Prince Artemus.

    Through some insinuations, he had thought that the South Wing of the Palace belongs to their father, Artemus, just like the North Wing belongs to Prodea, the East to Sarram and the West to the other nobles. It is where they stay. All of their personal items are in there. Doing something despicable like this means only one thing: they are not welcome in the Palace anymore.

    He thought good riddance. They wouldn''t want to be there anyway. But the thought of this being an unforgivable insult to them and their father, blatantly disregarding their lineage to the king, depressed him for a little while. He''s not actually sorry for himself or his brothers even if their personal effects were, as he assumed, disposed of. He''s feeling sorry for his father. It''s a good thing their father doesn''t know anything about this. It''s as if they were evicted at the Palace without so much as a warning or even a word. This would be a very strong slap to his father''s face. Only if he knew, he thought. But then again, he wouldn''t because they are stuck doing something in the North.

    He slapped to condition his thighs as he stood up jumping low for a few times to at least liven up his body. He tapped the walls to the east across the bed concentrating on some hollow trap door that Yosh created. At the far corner, the hollow space revealed a silent thud. Using his dagger, he cut and peeled off the wallpaper to reveal the tiled wall of marble that was once the room''s original wall design. The wallpaper''s texture felt like new, about two to three weeks old. He pondered for a little while tracing back the exact time when the room was remodeled but he snapped back and continued at the task at hand.

    The tiles have the same square foot measurements but only the hollow one is different. He inspected the alleged safe before doing something rash, like opening it hastily. Yosh has been practicing the use of explosives and he wouldn''t want to make a scene if ever he planted something inside with it. He first tried to smell the tile for other possible scents like adhesives, but he found none. It is quite dark at the corner, so he pulled his fingers and walked them on the tile. He noticed a tiny hole at the right most corner, so he pulled a pin and struck it leaving the tile to open a little bit. His mouth arched slowly upwards, impressed, thinking how Yosh turned out to be a genius in hidden contraptions at his age. He then pushed on using his dagger to again open the trap door entirely. He was shocked to see many articles hidden there at his deep personal treasure safe. He quickly grabbed the important ones that he needs to return to the History Room while mumbling about how stupid Yosh was to ever take so many rare things in just two years.

    The rolling head of the wooden doll stopped him for a second. He picked it up and remembered their grueling attempt on snatching the heavy thing. He pulled the body out of the sack and saw the note saying: "Please, bring me back to the Palace. Chopped Herbal Leaves inside. Many thanks." Curiosity got a hold of him as he pulled his dagger and opened the back to reveal a hollow room containing three bags of herbal leaves. He smirked thinking he wouldn''t need those as he shoved them to see what''s inside. He was dumbfounded and shocked as he noticed more than a liter''s worth of White Angel together with the rare, and naturally heavy, Black Demon Powder contained in six fist-sized brown pouches beside the White Angel. The Black Demon Powder is one of the rare ingredients in summoning Dark Magicks he thought, other than forging monstrous weapons with Dark Magicks that is. He stopped thinking why on earth would their grandfather needs this many powder. It''s not as if he''s a blacksmith or a conjurer. He hurriedly pulled one bag of it and closed the doll to stash it away in the depths of Yosh''s safe.

    "Where is it?" he mumbled trying to rifle the scrolls at the far back. He sat back trying to scratch his head in disappointment as he finishes on his task. "No!" he murmured again talking to himself in protest, "He didn''t take it! He wouldn''t dare!"

    He contemplated for about a second of two if he would search further on the missing items in the sack but decided that time isn''t a luxury he can afford. Besides, all of the missing articles that have been snatched in the history room are inside his sack. Their father would forgive Yosh misplacing Kyrin''s Battlegear. He wore the Gauntlet of Deito to carry the now heavy sack as he returned the tile back to a click. He was about to leave the room when an idea struck him. He turned around as he pondered for a few seconds.

    "If someone saw this peeled wallpaper," he thought, "someone might get suspicious and remove the conspicuous tile here. If that happens, Yosh will receive a summons from the Queen and that would be very troublesome."

    He dropped the heavy bulk and readied his right arm that has the gauntlet equipped. He smiled as he activated the iron claws from the gauntlets and started to dismantle the insulting pink wallpaper that is in front of him. He was filled with joy at the moment for he has found a use for the thousand blade dash he so secretly and painfully trained. Within only a few seconds, all of the pink wallpaper in the vast chambers has been scratched to peel as if a wild wolverine has rampaged into the room.

    A loud shriek of a little girl came ringing at his back - the most irritating and disturbing shriek he has ever heard in his life, he thought. He initially assumed no one was around. Because of the room''s mesmerizing effect, he completely forgot to search for a living soul at the room. This scenario, he immediately figured, would really take a very grim turn on his escape - considering that there is only one way out of the room: the door, but now the only option is the window. The window, he thought with glum as he pulled his scarf to cover his face and grabbed the bulging sack. He opened their wideopen arms revealing the warm bright yellow sun, still spiteful, took a short glance on how tall the fall would be and murmured some curses before jumping out.

    "Who''s there!? Ysa are you okay!?" shouted a young woman with her hands shaking and placed unevenly on the hilt of an unsheathed sword. She appears to be disturbed from her slumber with her frizzy hair sticking out of her head.

    The sobbing little girl ran hurriedly to her sister hugging her ever so violently. Taking into account the ripped plaster walls, she immediately assumed that they are not safe and that she misinterpreted it to someone making a statement: that the Easterners are not welcome in the Holy Lands.

    "Come, we should tell father about this fast," she commanded angrily but with a glint of fear found between her eyes.

    Ysa nodded. The assurance of her sister is the only thing she needs to calm herself down, so she followed as she was pulled gently to her father''s quarters.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "What''s the meaning of this?" Prodea barked with the slightest touch of irritation.

    She entered the conference room with a large round table at the middle. The teeming generals of Leonus are wearing their gold-plated battle armor standing at the back of their commander, the envoy, and his two daughters. Eryk Caden of the house of Shade is also present there sitting beside the Duke Tabarius who are now both standing to honor the presence of Prodea''s arrival.

    "My daughter Glaiza Ysabelle was attacked this morning by your people!" he claimed angrily but still with a very polite tone, "Forgive us for waking you so early but you guaranteed that all of the people in the Holy Lands are in approval of our arrival and our stay here is not compromised by radical natives."

    Prodea scoffed at his derogatory term. Natives. It''s as though he''s insulting them branding them a race that is far less civilized than they are.

    "What are you whimpering about?" she sneered contesting the truth behind his accusations. "That''s nonsense. The people here are unlike in yours. We do not do such things as to hurt anyone. We are not savaging."

    The duke was insulted but he remained calm and resolute to his point. "Well if you please?" Tabarius stood up and pointed his hands to the direction of the door. "Would you be so kind as to accompany us to the evidence and see for yourself?"

    Prodea walked together with the Duke and Leonus''s generals to the room silently. Prodea, together with her handmaids and Zeba, strode fast keeping mum.

    Prodea believes that no one in their right mind would stir trouble to her guests like that to make her look bad. She believes that she inculcated enough fear amongst all of Nagozul, especially at the Palace, to get complete obedience, not forgetting to remind them not to cross her whenever she gets the chance.

    She was surprised to see the room, wallpapers torn and shredded but, surprisingly, all of the other things surrounding the room are undisturbed. This gave her a hint of suspicion.

    "See?" the Duke boasted. He would''ve continued to say another word but Prodea raised her hand interrupting him.

    Prodea walked all over the scene, opening the windows, scratching the torn wallpaper that''s still sticking in the wall, kneeling down to check the shredded remnants on the floor then she stood up smiling as she walks out of the room.

    "There''s nothing to fear," she finally shouted, "The thing or whatever it is that went inside that room took what it wanted and then left. There''s nothing to worry, it won''t be coming back."

    "But that''s absurd," shouted the Duke following Prodea wanting more than her mere guarantee. "We want to see proof of your guarantee by placing..."

    She stopped suddenly to face him, cutting him to say another word angrily. "If they want to do harm they could have done so already. Remember that you are actually here on the Holy Lands where anyone you cross can kill you in a flick of a finger if they so desire. And besides, who told you to bring your family in this business affair anyway?"

    Calling some nation savages cannot be recanted and seeing that he is right and that she is wrong clearly pulled a nerve on her. She was humiliated. Adding the fact that she was disturbed in her chambers so early in the morning, it''s no wonder her angry side came springing out. But now, seeing the face of the Duke being appalled in her words plainly gave her a shock of her own for her to return to her normal self.

    "Fine," she added turning around returning to her pace to walk away, "Karr will give you a sentinel or two to protect your daughters from this ghost."

    As Prodea disappeared to the halls Zeba went to the Duke. "I''m sorry sir, the Grand Princess Prodea is not a morning person."

    "I can clearly see that now," joked the Duke though in his eyes an angry fire is blazing.

    "I will take care of the problem, don''t worry," Zeba assured and then she began to run to follow Prodea.

    "Your highness!" shouted a voice behind Prodea as she was in her brisk pace to her quarters.

    She stopped and turned to wait for her to come over and asked. "What now Zeba?"

    "Do you know who''s responsible? Should we alert the queen?"

    "Oh, Zeba," laughed Prodea sarcastically while returning to walk to her room, "Innocent Zeba. I thought by tagging with me for years your deductive skills would be elevated beyond ordinary by now." Zeba just gave a weak smile with Prodea''s insults walking beside her then she continued. "Of course, I know who did that. It''s obviously my disgusting and wretched nephew Yosh and his fiendish pack of wild beasts!"

    "How did you know?"

    "Yosh did that on purpose. He''s hiding something there and he did that to create a diversion for us not to get suspicious, which obviously worked."

    "Well, we must find out what he hid? Shouldn''t we?"

    "Oh, Zeba. Being curious would lead to your demise somewhere in the future. We need not find out what trivial things he''s been hiding there. For all we know it''s his dead rat or something far more despicable. You should leave him be and continue on with our plan. His time would come for him to pay. And I, for one, would take great pleasure in giving him his just due."

    Zeba smiled nervously as Prodea uttered every single syllable with great weight. She too dislikes her nephew Yosh but at that moment, she felt a cold wind passing her making her shudder in fear, leaving her to feel sorry for Yosh and what he will be receiving from Prodea in the future.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Hmpf, what do they know!?" echoed a shout.

    Luna scratched her master''s legs to get his attention, but he clearly wouldn''t stop.

    "They should''ve been there for me!" he shouted again but this time it was followed with a throw of a rock to the river.

    "Rrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaarr," Luna shouted too trying to cope with his master''s sadness as she saw tears now flowing in his cheeks.

    He then curled up sitting still crying for a minute or two. He is beside a river that flows from the mountains of the north. He literally crossed the mountains just so he can get away with everything. If his geography lesson from Karus is correct, his legs led him at the plains located at the north of the forest of Kyrin, east of the shrine of Bakunawa and west of the north western regions of the Lakas Mountain range.

    "Well," he suddenly stood up surprising Luna while pushing away his tears, "I heard Karus is learning some cool moves at Dal''Gur''s and Kayzar is away practicing his skill sets at Kulog Pass. I won''t lose to them."

    Luna made her smiling eyes to encourage Yosh still meowing some cheers and that made Yosh smile too for a little bit.

    "Well Luna, if you''re up for it we could race downstream," he paused to keep a squinting eye trying finding Stella in the skies and then he gave a whistle. He made some hand gestures making Stella to circle around on top of them and then she flew straight south.

    Luna gave her complaining meow seeing that she can''t do the Great Dash like he does.

    "Don''t worry Luna, just follow Stella and you''ll be with me in no time," Yosh assured. And then he disappeared, dashing faster than ever before, as fast as he can muster, leaving Luna to move her fastest running pace.

    It took Luna about two hours to catch up with Yosh who''s about to finish his Lunch. She went near him panting, scratching his legs to gain his attention.

    "Here you go," Yosh smiled as he grabbed a little plate filled with fruits and filleted white meat. "I''m sorry," he apologized while petting her as she started on her lunch, "I know its tradition for us to wait for you on lunch, but I remembered I forgot to eat my breakfast. That leaves the ''ol monster running amok, and we can''t have him doing that can''t we?"

    Yosh busied himself stretching his bow and inspecting his arrows for a couple of minutes until Luna''s done chomping. He stood up and whistled to Stella.

    "We''ll camp here tonight!" he shouted waving his hands to his flying friend, "I''ll be leaving to practice my new bow, you should get some rest or else you''ll miss our night hunt!"

    Stella circled two times giving Yosh the signal that he understood and then she flew further south to a curious dense forest. Yosh found this very convenient considering he needed something to hit with, a target to shoot with his arrows, and the plains that they were in is practically deserted. He waited for Luna to finish and then he grabbed his gear, pulled her to his chest pocket and went straight to the mysterious forest.

    He was standing outside the white woods in no time, thanks to the Daomagarian Dash. He smiled as he savors the sight of the regal Elven Forest of Kyrin. Hundreds of white trunks as far as the eyes can see sprouts evenly with total symmetry from the ground, spreading their glittering golden five-pointed leaves that sway so smoothly with the breeze. He went near and touched the most perfect trunk around. He felt the smooth surface with his palm and came to appreciate the tough bark. He pulled a sharp paring knife in his pocket and pushed it gently on the surface. To his surprise, the knife came sliding by without scratching the surface and with this he personally witnessed how strong it really is. He felt the excitement pulsating through his veins. With his new bow that Dal''Gur created just for him, and a quiver of enchanted arrows, an idea springs up in his mind. Testing his superior skills on this fine tree will give him a challenge but he is willing to undertake this impossible task just so he can catch up with his brother''s progress.

    He has his insecurities with their improvements and he just won''t be treated like a kid anymore. He wants to return home a changed man, he figured. By refining and amplifying his skills to another level, he''s determined that he''ll be worthy of true praises; Praises that are only given to older men; Praises he so secretly desires to hear from everyone, especially his father.

    He went about thirty feet away sticking seven enchanted arrows on the ground around him. This enchanted arrow is no ordinary arrow. Being friends with Nemer has its benefits and these arrows are a proof of that. He doesn''t know how enchantments are done but he learned, from his brothers, that this is the hardest thing a Nagozulian Elemental can do, and miraculously Dal''Gur can do it too by his science mumbo jumbo. Being Dal''Gur''s apprentice for a long time, Nemer now have some sort of power to persuade and to ask favors from his powerful immortal master, who is a bowyer and a fletcher too. And being his friend, one can be entitled to ask favors too once in a while.

    He pulled Luna off as he looks sharply to the most perfect trunk in front of him. He picked an arrow below without looking, placed it firmly on the bow, stretched it ever so slowly and aimed at the center of the trunk. With a sigh he released the tight string that is held by his three fingers. The arrow flew amazingly fast. He could hardly see the glowing yellow tip as it travelled from his point to the target. Surprisingly, it struck the tree with amazing precision. He was amazed to see this feat. An enchanted arrow can pierce even the toughest tree around, he thought, so he went on smiling to Luna.

    "I bet I can put two arrows beside that, left and right, marking a horizontal line without looking at it directly."

    Luna gave a smiled meow as she lifted her palms to a deal. Yosh, seeing her dare, tapped her paws and looked at the tree for one last time. He turned around and smiled again to Luna.

    "Watch and be impressed!"

    He closed his eyes as he flipped around grabbing two arrows and placing them on the bow with great speed, then released the bow''s stressed arch to strike the tree exactly on the previous arrow''s sides.

    He can truly be dubbed as a Master Archer to the likes of a Daomagarian Sentry based from his reflex with the bow and arrow. It only took him a second to accomplish this task, from the point where he was standing with his back turned to the moment when he released the arrows. And this skill, together with his precision, can be regarded as an impossibility that he can brag about from anyone, but he thinks it''s not good enough. No one, not even his brothers, knows that he perfected his archery skills except Luna and Stella. When they think he''s playing, he''s actually training, harder than they could imagine. He believes then, and until now, that if he trains hard enough, his parents will think that he''s worthy enough and will take him with them. Of course, that kind of thinking led him to another thought that he''s not worthy of their love unless he got stronger like his brothers. But who could blame him? He doesn''t even know why their parents left them at the Palace to train day and night secretly.

    He grinned at the sight of its perfect shot forming a straight horizontal dot on the trees. He pulled a glove on his pocket and armed it on his right hand. "Now!" he exclaimed laughing, "Let''s do three!"

    Luna hissed complaining pulling his right paws pointing to Yosh''s gloves which he noted and defended right away.

    "You''re being unreasonable! It''s not cheating!" he smiled fixing it on his arm properly, "I''m just using Dad''s gloves because pulling three is really impossible. Besides, I don''t have the required upper body strength to pull these at the same time. There are certain limitations to my skills you know."

    Luna gave another complaining meow which he understood.

    "Alright, alright," Yosh yielded, "but I''m not going to remove these gloves, instead I''m going to do something different. Something harder so that you''d get off my back."

    Yosh stopped to ponder for a few seconds and then shouted to give Luna a jolt.

    "I know! I''ll dash retreating backwards, grabbing the arrows and then I''ll release the arrows shooting the tree making three dots to perfect a triangle figure."

    Luna immediately yelped hissing blocking Yosh from his way.

    "No Luna," he shooed, "I know you''re concerned but I can do this."

    She shrieked again giving an angry meow still persistent in her stance.

    "I know what went wrong last month. It won''t happen again. Besides, who wants to break a rib or two? I know I don''t."

    Luna won''t step out of the way, so he pulled the three arrows and place it on the other side.

    "Fine, if you won''t trust me then I''ll just have to show you to prove it!"

    He stepped forward looking in the tree and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and concentrated. After a second or two, he opened it again and then he dashed backwards. He dashed grabbing the arrows, rotating back putting them on the bow in mid-air, pulling the tight string with all his might - drawing the bow, took a perfect aim, and then released it. He was thrown almost twenty feet rolling down. Luna ran to see if her master is alright shrieking again.

    Yosh, lying on the ground, checked his body, panting with fear, looking if his body had taken its toll from his dangerous attempt to deviate from the Daomagarian Dash, a dash utilizing all of the body''s jointed parts - the second level of dashing unbeknown to him. Luna came tapping him too to see if he''s alright. He then sat up laughing petting Luna.

    "You see!? Nothing to worry about. I think I see it now, how to move while dashing." He squinted very hard to spot the tree as he slowly rises to stand. "Yes! You see that Luna!" he shouted excitedly pointing to the tree, "A perfect triangle!"

    Luna looked but she wasn''t convinced. She meowed in contradiction tapping his paws to the ground etching something.

    "No," Yosh disagreed, "The top is placed where I want it to be. It''s not uneven!"

    Luna meowed firm to his idea.

    "Well, if you wouldn''t believe," he said running to get the last arrow, "I''ll show you the center!"

    He looked to the tree again finding the center of the triangle. But as he drew his bow to an aim, a silhouette appeared at the back of the tree. It is a girl, young and somewhere his age. She looks weak and distraught walking slowly to him, leaning her weight to the tree he''s been training with.

    He was troubled to the sight of the pitiful girl in front, almost asking for his help so he went dashing to see what''s going on.

    "Are you alright, my lady?" he whispered frightened as the young woman fell to his arms bleeding all over. She has a very long white hair and her skin is different. It''s with a pinkish glow but bordering to white, like milk. Her deep green eyes shook as she gasps for air while coughing blood.

    "Please, sir," she whispered, "stop."

    Yosh was confounded with this so he asked again. "Stop what?"

    A silent thud from behind and his vision turned black. He heard Luna''s shrieks slowly fading and then there was nothing.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Karus..." called an echo from a distance.

    Karus opened his eyes slowly waking up. He was about to defeat an angry sea monster when he was disturbed by a very creepy voice of a woman. It sounded like a woman, he thought, but he can''t be that sure being dazed remembering his dreams.

    All is black. He stood up and felt the tree he''s napping under and he found it but couldn''t see it. He can''t see anything, but he can see his body as bright as a sunny day. He tried to blink a few times raising his hands up and down, exercising, thinking he must''ve been dreaming still but nothing worked. He even tried to pinch himself but, again, it didn''t work.

    "Karus..." whispered yet again by an echo, this time having a distinct high pitch revealing her voice to truly confirm his guess that she is a woman. Probably older but not that old, he deduced. A woman in her early thirties he presumed.

    He immediately figured his brother''s new skill leading his befuddled face to slope to a very irritated frown. He is surprised that his brother is at the city too. Though he still doesn''t understand whose voice it is trying to tease him. It''s amazing that Reus would waste his precious time doing pranks, he reckoned. It''s even a shock that he can find someone to do it together with, especially with a girl. Even with a bribe he wouldn''t dare talking to one because it makes him all jittery but, in his present condition, he''s convinced otherwise.

    "Yeah, yeah Kuya-Reus. Very funny..."

    A light appeared above like a star emanating a bright white spotlight to him but still, everything is black.

    "This isn''t funny anymore, stop it!" he demanded shouting, dropping down, feeling the ground and all around for his travel gear. "You shouldn''t be doing this in public! Gramps would be furious once he finds out!"

    The bright white star descended slowly to face him. It is a white ball the texture of a crystal mirror. It is still radiating a white light all around but still the grounds remain black as if he is transported in a deep void of nothingness.

    He now looked at the curious white crystal ball now pulsating bursts of light.

    "You don''t feel like an elemental energy," he analyzed talking to the ball, "what are you?"

    After a few seconds of his inspection a pair of eyes appeared from the crystal ball. It looks like a mortal''s eye but all blue and somewhat etched as if it was drawn magically with a blue ink.

    "Don''t fret, Son of Light," uttered the ball echoing all around with disturbing reverberations.

    Karus smiled moving closer to the ball, "Why would I be? Stop messing around Kuya-Reus or you''ll be the one who''ll regret..."

    "I am the voice of Bathala," interrupted the ball, "he who has been chosen, lend his ears and listen well."

    Karus stepped back looking a bit surprised withdrawing his smiling face. He was about to say something when the ball pulsated again and continued.

    "To the White Demon, Prince of Nagozul, the Son of Light, heed my words. Death slowly draws near gambling with your fate as ante. He who has been chosen, lend his ears and listen well. The murder of the White Demon is detrimental to the existence of all life. Therefore, he must live in order for everyone to survive. For him to escape Death''s touch, he must acquire the All Seeing Eye. The All Seeing Eye will lead the chosen one to victory and for him to cheat his way to impending doom."

    The crystal ball now grew bigger and brighter making him to step back covering his eyes squinting, falling back to the tree he once sat, now a little bit frightened.

    "He who has been chosen must remember," the ball echoed now louder, "He who has been chosen must prepare."

    Karus closed his eyes before the white ball started a loud explosion, illuminating the whole expense of the black void to a blinding white light.

    "Kind Sir?" shouted an enchanted voice of a young maiden.

    He slowly peeked revealing the warm sunny skies of noon. He thought hard of what he dreamt. He knew with all of his faculties that what he experienced was real. He smiled for a little bit thinking he just confirmed the prophecy that they, him and Kayzar, have been obsessing about. He sat there for a few seconds, resting his head on the tree, thinking of what the All Seeing Eye is and what the ball meant for his death being imminent. The ideas springing up from him are very fast, making it very hard for him to process everything. He just prayed for the fast return of Kayzar for him to share this very disturbing revelation. He knows he can''t handle it alone.

    "Sir? Yoohoo!?" persisted the voice, "Are you awake, Daomagar Sir?"

    Karus hurriedly checked his bandana and was relieved seeing it in place. He sighed in relief that his cover being a Daomagar was not compromised. He snapped with his wondering and turned his head right to the road. He saw two huge four-legged beasts that are tied up, side by side, to pull a big circular metal box with four steel wheels. His eyes widened seeing the weird majestic beast on the road making their unique taunting sounds with their long faces and scraping the ground with their great hooves.

    "Yes, Great Daomagar, are you alright?"

    Karus stuttered for a bit still with his eyes peeled to the beasts. As soon as he looked to the young woman, his thoughts flew right by as if drifting far away, peeling off any thoughts of query about the gigantic beasts from his mind. He forgot what he was about to ask, having a frozen tongue as if being taken away by her captivating deep blue almond eyes. He completely forgot everything. All is blank. He can''t utter a single word being dazed to the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. He tried to fight it wanting to snap to reality but failed. He was pulled into a curse, he thought. He fixated to her small cherry lips trying to summon at least a sound but only got his mouth to open halfway.

    "Oh dear!" she shouted, "I''m sorry sir did I offend you?"

    Karus snapped seeing her putting her clenched fists to her bosom and bowing her head fastidiously. Thank Bathala, he thought feeling a bit embarrassed about himself.

    "Bathala bless thee brother," she enunciated confidently with a charming wide smile, "We are in need of assistance."

    Karus chuckled, surprised to see her do a customary Daomagar plea. Though it was not complete, the effort made him stand up, clenched his fist putting it to his chest giving a bow in reply.

    "What seems to be the problem?" he ran downhill to meet up with them only to slide to mud water, ruining his shoes. He was in total shock seeing this happen to him for the first time. He was trained to subconsciously check the terrain and it seems he forgot that too at the cost of his most prized white shoes that he so desperately tries to avoid being ruined.

    "Oh no, your shoes?" she said concerned.

    Karus forced a smile. "It''s alright, they''re just shoes," he replied cheerfully hiding the frustration about his inattentiveness.

    "Oh!" she hurried, "I totally forgot!" She placed her clenched fist to her bosom again and spoke, "I am Lady Emiliana Yvonne from the house of Wolfe, daughter of Duke Tabarius Wolfe and niece to the Emperor Balthazar Ferryl Lionmaster of the great Eastern Empire."

    He was shocked from what he heard. There are foreign visitors inhabiting their island when there is a law that prohibits them from entering their lands in the first place. That explained why she was wearing a very weird balloon dress. That fashion trend ended centuries ago.

    He smiled, concealing his thoughts, following her gesture - clenched fists on the chest. "I am Karus from the Bandhana Clan of the Great Daomagar Nation and a single hello with your name would suffice."

    "Oh..." she smiled embarrassed.

    "Don''t worry," he assured thinking that she took her joke seriously, "I''m not insulted or anything it''s just that only soldiers do that here. The rest do it casually."

    She chuckled blushing, "I''m sorry I''m new here, I think I misinterpreted your words in your library."

    "You have entered the Palace library?" he asked springing suddenly, startled with this new disturbing information but still smiling to mask it. Only nobles can access the Palace''s library. No commoner can get a glimpse of light coming out from there. Borrowing books from the Palace''s library takes months and once one has procured the necessary requirements, one can only read it with a guard on their every sides. Their Aunt Prodea would be raving mad hearing of this information. This will surely be enough to immediately stop any activity she''s been engaged with, giving the conclusion that their Aunt is the only logical culprit behind the whole thing.

    "Why, Yes! It''s most magical!"

    "Have you any luck in deciphering the books there?"

    "Unfortunately, No. Understanding your language is really perplexing. I''m a self-proclaimed lingua maestra but I cannot fully grasp your syntax and sentence formation. I can only catch some words and their sequence. Maybe if I''m to sit with it for a few months or so I''ll be able to. Good thing you all speak a myriad of languages."

    Beautiful and smart but delusional, he thought. No one can understand their language. It is the language of Bathala. It is so impossible to learn that they are born equipped to already understand the language. At age two, their brain can process the symbols for them to understand the actual message subconsciously by just looking at it without even thinking. And at age five, they can write down words of their own into these symbols even without proper support from their immediate elders. That''s how hard the language is. To be able to at least understand the sequence requires tremendous energy and concentration. He knows she won''t be able to understand them even if she tried to study them for years. But he just smiled in reply and immediately changed their topic.

    "What a weird name, Emiliana Yvonne. I haven''t heard such a name like that here?"

    "Yes sir, but everyone seems to call me by my second name, Yvonne."

    "Lady Yvonne. Meaning Archer? Right? And Emiliana means to excel or to strive so that name roughly translates to a Striving Archer."

    "Yes, but Yvonne takes its root from yew trees. How did you know? Right... I''m sorry," she smiled feeling embarrassed, "that''s a ridiculous question. Of course, you knew. You can translate any word into its base word."

    Karus just smiled too seeing her correct herself.

    "Well, sir, my sister calls me Lime."

    "Ha! Emil on palindrome!"

    The princess smiled shyly. "I think it has a nice ring to it, so I want that name to stick while we''re here. I just want you to call me by that name."

    "Duly noted! Lady Lime it is! What is it that I can provide you with, my lady?"

    "We are going to the Hishma''s," she said getting on point, "And I was wondering if you can help us in getting our wheel running." She pointed her hands to the back of the cart which Karus followed to check. "It seems that it is stuck on the muddy ground."

    "Well this is a weird way to travel," he said while he inspects the problem, "What do you call this large device?"

    "Oh, it''s called a carriage. It is what we use to travel in our lands."

    Karus nodded while he fiddled with the wheel. "Might I ask the proper name of your beasts?"

    "What beasts?" she asked back but immediately realized after a few seconds figuring, "Oh! They are called horses. They are trained beasts of burden."

    "And they tug you around wherever you want to go?"

    "Yes," she answered now curious.

    "They gave you their permission?"

    She smiled pausing for a bit. "No, that''s what the tight contraptions are for. It''s not like we can talk to them and ask for it."

    Karus gave a very confused face that she noted.

    "We do feed them well in return," added a small voice inside the carriage now peeking to look. "I told you not to sneak out again dear sister. If we brought Jason, we wouldn''t have to deal with the problems of outside, talking to strangers, and I really hate strangers today!"

    "Yes," she smiled to Karus, "I almost forgot, that''s my very enthusiastic sister Glaiza Ysabelle." She went near and whispered, "She''s been through a rough day today so she''s not feeling that cheery."

    "I thought you Daomagarians are strong," Ysabelle joined peeking, sticking her head out the window, "Just give us a little push and the horses will take care of the rest."

    Karus now recognized her voice. It is the girl that took Yosh''s room, so he immediately turned his head around to hide his face tinkering something at the back to have some excuse. "I can''t just push it, my lady, the wheel might come off," he lied. In reality he can''t push the big metal carriage. He is not a real Daomagar.

    "Well sir, do you know someone that can help us in our predicament?" inquired Lime. "Surely your superiors are near-by?"

    "What?" Karus asked back mystified to whatever she means.

    "Oh, are you not a member of the Hundred Sword Elites? I saw your armband on your left arm."

    "You are a very peculiar person Lady Lime, but in a good way," he happily complimented, astonished to her great knowledge of their culture even though she''s been at the Holy Lands for only weeks - basing his deductions Of course, from the wallpapers of Yosh''s newly remodeled quarter which is quite right but not exact. "How did you know this symbol?" he added asking.

    "Oh, your order escorted us to the Palace upon our arrival here. Although, if I may be quite frank, I think you wear a rather odd armband."

    "Why so?"

    "You see, one of the captains explained that the red armband signifies one to be a Sword Master and you''re wearing one. I have only seen that on old warriors and you''re too young to be one, giving me the impression that you are a disciple of a master."

    Karus burst laughing at her statement. He couldn''t believe one can talk too fast stating a point. "Yes, it''s true," he replied, "but I am no one''s disciple, I am a true master of the Hundred Swords Elite."

    "Hey, I don''t mean to be rude," cut in Ysa sounding annoyed, "but could we possibly do something about our situation here. We''ll be in time at the Hishma''s and that would really be contrary to us being early sneaking out."

    Karus immediately thought of something. He knows he can''t move the large carriage by himself, but he can''t compromise his cover being a weak Daomagar. He had to do something to prove his worth - while ignoring the fact that impressing her was actually a big deal for him.

    "Okay," he said confidently, "I found a way to push the wheel out the mud hole but please, princess, go inside your carriage. It will be a shame if the mud came splashing ruining your dress."

    Lime giggled as she walked to enter the carriage. Karus just beamed his charming smile to her as he waited for the door to close. The mud won''t be splashing anywhere near her, he thought. He just fooled her so that they won''t see what he has to do in order to push the impossibly heavy metal ride they are in.

    He concentrated all his energy to the Amplifyer in his forehead. The bandana failed on covering the light as a little hue of green began to sneak revealing its illuminating hexagon shape.

    "Level One," he murmured, eyes closed, "Gust."

    He pulled his hands and touched the back of the carriage. As he opened his eyes, a surging flow of wind almost akin to a sudden forceful windstorm came exploding in his palms, gushing to push the carriage to make it move four feet away almost jumping. He closed his eyes to concentrate again and the illuminating Amplifyer began to lose its glow.

    Lime stepped outside the carriage and waved. "Thank you, sir," she shouted, "I hope we run to each other someday."

    Karus waved too as he saw her turning, jumping to the front of their carriage vehicle to steer their majestic beasts called horses to go.

    As he saw them slowly shrink on the horizon, he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his head. The pain is enough to send him squirming again on the ground like what happened to him the last time, only this time, he tried his very best to remain standing even with shaking knees. He walked weak almost limply to the tree where he was before, heaving short breaths to at least minimize his most excruciating episode of headache.

    "Not in the mud," he whispered trying, "Oh please, Bathala, not in the mud."

    His bandana, that is previously dirty white in color, is now dark red because of the blood suddenly coming out of his Amplifyers. He cried tears of crimson red rolling thickly on his cheeks. He''s in a lot of pain but the thought of him dropping off somewhere a muddy road gave him enough strength to make him reach the tree near his travel gear. It is his pride that gives him strength and he know that. If this pride and confidence were to diminish into nothingness, he fears that he won''t live long enough to see through what the big mysterious white ball was talking about. Of course, taking into account the frequency of attacks of his mystifying condition, the odds of him losing this battle is ever increasing.

    He squirmed taking a vial inside the pocket of his gear. Blood is trickling in every orifice of his face. Internal hemorrhaging, he asked himself to diagnose, almost puzzled as he swipes the blood that has been accumulating in his eyes. Nothing in the records shows signs of hemorrhaging as a result of wrong fusions. He summoned all his strength to remove the wood stopper and tried to sip the blue liquid even though he''s choking in his own blood. He eagerly closed his eyes and concentrated fighting his body waiting for the effect of the curious medicine.

    "This is the first time Kayzar''s poisons came in handy," he whispered joking, talking to himself wheezing, trying to cough up a laugh instead of his blood.

    The poison he carries is one of Kayzar''s most powerful tonics. It paralyzes the body forcing it to sleep. At least, he thought, at that deep sleep state, his body won''t shut down permanently, leaving for his blood flow to slow down dramatically. It is the first time that his headache was triggered by conjuring wind. It only happens when he conjures fire, he thought, and that means it''s getting worse. Two things can happen to him. It''s either he loses a lot of blood leading to the Sleep of Death or the poison gets him making him to literally sleep till he''s dead, whichever comes first. He just hopes that Kayzar finds him there in time before any of these unfavorable options comes into light.

 16 BREAKING the MYTH

    "Hey, wake up!"

    A splash of cold water startled Yosh in his deep dreams, finding himself stuck in a dimly lit room. He''s tied up sitting on a wooden stool in front of an outline of a kid his age - or that''s what he thought figuring his physique. The pain at the back of his head gradually returned radiating around his skull leaving him to take deep breaths, making him realize what happened to him at the fields. He smelled the fresh rich soil with a little hint of mold giving him the impression that he is, indeed, underground. The room isn''t properly ventilated, but the air is uniquely conditioned to be colder than their nights at the mountains. Luckily, he has his fur to keep him warm and that''s a big plus on his side. He figured that the time is a couple of hours before sunrise based on his rumbling stomach. He usually treats himself to a light midnight snack to keep his angry stomach at bay in the mornings but this time, missing both dinner and the snack, the growling monster inside him cannot be blamed for making noise.

    "Hey," he whispered weak to the shadow eating a juicy crunchy fruit, "Can I have a bite from that? I''m starving."

    "How foolish of you to ask puny mortal!" the outline shouted while chomping his sweet-smelling fruit loudly, "You are my prisoner! Why would I give you my breakfast?!"

    "What did I do wrong?" he complained squirming to get off from his entanglement. "Wait! Are you one of those petty criminals they call Pusakal or whatever? And tying me up? Really? Is this really necessary?"

    "All will be revealed in due time," he said with his unrealistic sinister laugh, "And stop squirming! You''ll loosen the rope."

    "Isn''t that right?" he asked surprised, "Yeah, that''s not what I''m doing! I''m just making myself comfortable! Are you that mental? Of course, I''m trying to get free from these ropes! That''s what people do when they''re tied up."

    "Shhh, just shut up!"

    "So, kidnapping me and tying me up isn''t enough? You need to starve me too? And you''re telling me to shut up!? What kind of sick dim-witted¡­"

    "Shut up!"

    "Where''s Luna!" he shouted immediately remembering what happened in the fields.

    "Who''s Luna?"

    "LUNA!!!!!!!!" he shouted on top of his lungs calling his friend.

    "Hey! Hey!" the boy shouted too trying to stop him, "Would you be quiet!!!"

    "Tell me where Luna is, or I swear to..."

    "Relax," he interrupted, "If that''s your cat, she''s been sleeping soundly somewhere here. She''s well taken care of, so shut up!"

    "And I''m supposed to listen to you? A shady character and, honestly, practically dimwitted?"

    "Hey! Don''t insult me you pathetic twerp!"

    "Where''s Luna!?"

    "You''re not too sharp yourself!" he said proudly finding his witty retort. "Why would I tell you? You''re my prisoner, or did you forget?!"

    "Well duh! How would I know where she is if I won''t ask you, you bin head! What am I? A mind-reader?"

    The silhouette shoved his fruit to his mouth trying to shush him which he did, eating the fruit hurriedly.

    "Wow," Yosh exclaimed, "Dhi ''s duh behsh"

    "Huh?"

    Yosh chewed and swallowed for a few seconds then he continued. "I said this is the best fruit I''ve tasted so far. Better than the Atis that''s in season."

    "Oh, is that it?" he stood up smiling as the lights all glowed little by little, revealing him to a weird room with tree roots as its walls and floors. A noise of a loud horn echoed in the room as though a signal has been given. "Great! Then I think that''ll serve as your last meal?"

    The big doors behind the unusually pale man in front of him began to open revealing a bright yellow warm light from beyond. A lot of people are cheering though he did not know why. The young man with curiously long pointy ears came behind him and freed him cutting the ropes with his dagger. He pulled him up to stand and smiled.

    "This is your time to shine," he whispered with his devilish look.

    "What?" Yosh shouted, "I can''t go there!"

    "No need to beg for mercy, the die has been cast!"

    "But I don''t have any skills," he pleaded, "what should I perform? I surely can''t sing. You can''t make me sing!"

    The pale man gave his frustrated confused look and pushed him through the door. He then grabbed his arm and pulled him to the center of what seems to be an arena underground. It is a long slow drag from his room to the center, but he managed to stand up being pulled. The arena is filled with men and women looking like his captor though they are whiter than him. Unhealthily white even making the mysterious boy unique.

    The people that are surrounding the arena are so pale, it is curious to know what kind of sickness they are going through - especially the old ones, he thought chuckling. They all have a runic tattoo marking looking like a hex spell on their forehead, but the frustrated boy that has been dragging him doesn''t have any. That''s what''s keeping him apart from them too aside from his complexion. They share the same pointy ears so Yosh knows they are related somehow, though he can''t still figure it out.

    He would''ve dwelled thinking that idea further, but the angry shouting crowd is so deafening, he can''t even hear himself think so he just looked around, still confused. Is he going to perform in front of the crowd, he thought, or is he going to recite a poem? His popularity as a handsome young prince still takes precedence in his mind.

    The angry young man raised his hands and the crowd came to a still, now quiet but looking angrier.

    "People of the Bountiful Earth! Listen! I, Iyom the son of Kyrin, have brought to you, yet again, a deceitful mortal who has been wandering around taunting us in our homeland. Insulting us! Trying to mock our way of life as if what they did to us a thousand years ago isn''t enough!"

    Yosh''s eyebrows furrowed clueless in Iyom''s speech now shocked. Based on his angry tone he thinks he might know where this is leading to. He just can''t seem to interrupt him with all the glaring eyes directed at him.

    "This mortal here," he continued, "is a prince of Nagozul! He had specially crafted arrows enchanted with earth specifically to fatally wound one of our own! Fjollem Ninefe!"

    The crowd''s boos and rants grew louder than before. Yosh remembered a girl that he held before he blacked out.

    "Hey!" Yosh shouted interrupting him in his speech. "I didn''t hurt her! I found her wounded! I swear!"

    "Oh please! Spare me your treacherous lies! The least you can do is take responsibility for your actions!"

    Yosh stopped trying. He looked through Iyom''s small squinted cold eyes and saw his disgust towards him. He is not the same kid in the room he''s with anymore. He backed a few steps away frightened, trying to convince himself that he''s not a bad person. He knew he''d done nothing wrong. He tried to remember everything that happened the day before regarding the accusations but found nothing of the sort. All he did was to shoot arrows at the tree and that''s hardly an offense to be punished by that wide disappointed eyes he''s been seeing all around him, the same as the eyes that his father gave him at the northern encampment. He just hit the tree. If that''s the crime, then he''s guilty of that.

    He stopped his thinking and found an idea suddenly floating among all of the other things occupying his mind. Karus has been going around with his loony idea about the Forest of Kyrin, so he internalized and tried to remember what crazy ideas his brother spouts during their usual banters. He remembered that Iyom said that he is the son of Kyrin and Kyrin is an Elf - or that''s what he knows as suggested by historical myths and legends. If that is so, then that must prove that they are Elves and that literally signifies that the Elves are true, he noted shocked and surprised. Normally this will never enter his mind but due to any lack of other explanations, this absurd idea seems to fit perfectly.

    Every Elf has their own life tree connected to their soul. That could mean that he could have hurt her by hurting her life tree. Karus has gone telling him over and over that one can kill an Elf by hitting it for a couple of times with an earth-enchanted arrow. He said that whatever happens to their tree happens to them and if their tree turns up to be wounded and poisoned, they will have the same thing too. Normally four or five is enough to kill an elf, he thought quoting Karus. This idea suggests that he literally could''ve killed this Ninefe if he took another shot and it is a miracle that she still lives.

    It''s a rare coincidence that he asked Dal''Gur for a personalized set of elemental arrows enchanted with earth which he then brought with him as he wandered off to the northern outskirts of Nagozul only to find a tree to train with his archery that he didn''t know belongs to the Elves which are unfortunately vulnerable to the same arrows that he has with him. A twisted series of events carefully woven to give an appalling sense of amusement for fate. This is what Yosh feels right now, realizing the accusations against him. It''s as if the universe is out to get him too. It''s not his fault this happened, he justified in his mind. He asked for Earth-enchanted Arrows because of the fact that he is an Earth Molder. He doesn''t even believe in Elves before this. So why is this his fault?

    "Isn''t this enough," Iyom shouted in his speech which snapped Yosh in his state of contemplation, "No my brethren! This is NOT enough FOR THEM! Unless we crawl begging? Unless our generation cease to exist? Unless they scorch our homes like what they did to the immortals and claim our lands as theirs? No! They will not stop! This has got to end! Countless brothers have been murdered year after year! Shall we stand idly by again? No! This has got to stop this year! This year we will give them a message!"

    The roaring cheers of the crowd engulfed the arena which frightened Yosh a little bit. He knows they want retribution and he know that the tension is building up in the arena.

    "We, unlike them, are not savages!" he continued shouting but this time calm and smiling, "We are willing to give this mortal Nagozulian prince a chance to redeem his unworthy life."

    Yosh now feels the earth moving. Something big is crawling deep inside and he fears that he knows what Iyom is suggesting.

    "He has to fight the immortal Ra''Ark to the death!"

    Far from Yosh, a hole emerged from the ground creating cracks along the way. A jet of thick black fumes came rushing out from the earth hissing. Then a huge beast emerged! It is a plump hairy gigantic yellow worm scaling about forty feet long, fifteen feet wide. This worm is the Legendary Worm of Burrows, one of the immortals! It has huge eyes on both sides and has a mouth with hundreds of teeth inside and out. His skin on his back has huge volcano-like mumps that continuously oozes out some sort of smoking dark green liquid - possibly acid by the way it hisses at contact to the ground. He has heard about this Ra''Ark from his brother Kayzar''s ramblings and he knows that he isn''t just any immortal, he''s the immortal belonging to the first ten beasts that was born and has roamed their world that Bathala created. He''s one of the oldest and most terrifying monsters that Karus tends to frighten him when he was little. Walking barefoot on the ground would not anger this humongous beast, hurting Elves does, Yosh noted remembering Karus''s teasing whenever he plays around in the mud without shoes.

    Normally, a person seeing this gruesome Beast would be rattled for its disturbing appearance but Yosh, being a nature-loving hunter that he is, did not experience any trembling at his presence, instead he felt awe and appreciation. But even with this attitude, this heartwarming happiness he''s feeling is now slowly striding to the other side of the road entering the borders of fear. Calculating all the risks involved, fighting this monstrosity is really an impossible act of stupidity.

    "Let the Rite of Sap''Khan begin!" And with this shout he vanished disappearing in the center field giving the two of them to look into each other''s eyes to read each other''s souls.

    "Hmm?" the Ra''Ark mumbled first breaking the silence after a few seconds of gazing. "You have served me a mortal child, Hmm? Not usually my common meal in this challenge. "He has a voice of an old man, tired, lethargic and slow but still frightening.

    Yosh looked rather surprised seeing the beast talk. It''s the first time for him to see an immortal beast and was surprised to see him talk based on his features. This just served him a lesson to not over analyze a beast and his physical appearance.

    "Hmm, I don''t usually go with mortals," he continued, "You have a taste that''s hard to flush down, hmm. Even if I am to gulp down a lake of bog, I''d still taste your putrid smell and that horrid aftertaste, hmm, no insult intended."

    "W-Well, then don''t eat me?" asked Yosh backing ever so slowly.

    "Hmmm, truly, I don''t have to eat you but in this holy challenge I must devour your heart and since I don''t have any arms like the other beasts, I believe I do not have much choice but to eat you whole. Hmm, and besides, I can''t back down now. As much as I loathe eating meat, especially you mortals, I have to, hmm. I do loathe you living more than your taste, hmm. You did try to take me down and my brothers."

    "Well, I didn''t. I''m not my ancestors if this is what it is! It''s not like I''m rooting for your demise!"

    "Hmm, yes yes. You do present a reasonable argument. Past is past, hmm. However, you''ve hurt my friends, the Dwendells, hmm. And, as much as I hate to eat you, I may have to, hmm."

    "Well, I''m sorry, alright! I didn''t know!" he shouted to everyone, but the crowd remained excited shouting for his death. "I didn''t even know that you Elves exist!"

    "Well my, my. You just insulted them again, hmm." The Ra''Ark laughed moving slowly like a slug away from the hole, "Telling them that they don''t exist isn''t a good plan, hmm. Much more calling them vulgarly with that horrible, horrible name! Hmmm... It is the name your ancestors gave them as they curse the Dwendells in derision. I know it''s troublesome, but let''s get this done as early as possible, hmm."

    He immediately spit a squirt of acid to Yosh''s direction which he parried in a split second before impact. He was fooled with Ra''Ark''s slow movements making him complacent in his distance. He just noted to pay attention all the time.

    "Very impressive," exclaimed the giant worm in joyful tones, "Hmm, usually they don''t present a challenge to me, you mortals. Hmm, You''re the first person who avoided that in ten years."

    "Well I don''t want to impress sir, but I think I still love my life. So, dodging you kind of is my job here."

    Yosh looked at the ground that Ra''Ark squirted and noticed the acid turning all gooey and bubbly.

    "Hmm, well, you won''t take that long dodging and sneaking. Hmm, I''m seeing that you''re noticing my slime, hmm. Are you impressed? I use it to burrow to even the toughest metals below, hmm. Just remember not to touch that very potent acid, hmm."

    Ra''Ark squirted again for three times now with larger squirts than before which Yosh parried again effortlessly.

    "Hmm, my my," he laughed again now lifting his head up readying himself as if excited, "I think I just found one that would amuse me. It''s been twenty years since I last saw a Nagozulian that can past my second attack. I think I may enjoy eating you up after all my dear."

    "Let''s hope not sir," shouted Yosh. "Let''s get into a compromise, shall we?" he immediately suggested.

    "Hmm, and why would I go into contract with a mortal?"

    "It''s not that I can beat you, or give you a scratch? You''re too powerful for me I can''t certainly be of any match to you."

    "Hmm, and your point is?"

    "I really didn''t intentionally harm your friends too."

    "That''s really not up to me to decide, hmmm..."

    "Yes! So, my point is that I really don''t want to die yet but I can''t certainly defeat you, not even in a thousand years. But what I can do is dodge your attacks and give them a good show."

    "Hmm, yes, true, true. I have an excellently thick armor. You certainly won''t be able to give me at least a tickle and I am wishing not to eat meat this year, hmm."

    "So, how about we play a little game?"

    "Hmmm...Playing with you is certainly the most interesting thing that came up to me in decades. Elaborate."

    "So, let''s say, if I get past the attack you gave the other Nagozulian before you eat him, can I have your respect and grant me my life?"

    "Well, that depends, hmm. I never got the chance to eat him and you''re no Prince Artemus, Hmm."

    The name struck him immediately. His father has fought him before, and he survived. This only strengthened his resolve to reach a goal farther than what his father has accomplished.

    "One thousand Three hundred and Seventy-Seven," Ra''Ark shouted. "That''s how many attacks I''ve given that scrawny Nagozulian prince that actually looks like you but older by many years, hmm. If you can get past that, which certainly is very unlikely, then you can get to keep your life. It''s really troublesome for me to blast that much of my perfectly churned slime anyway so if you reach that by then, I wouldn''t care if you live or die."

    Iyom magically appeared again at the center shouting.

    "NO! Wise Ra''Ark, you must not agree with him?! He''s a mortal! His mouth spouts thousands of lies that he passes off as truths! We do not..."

    "Silence," roared Ra''Ark interrupting Iyom and stopping the crowd from their cheers, "you''re impudent as ever young Dwendell! Are you not confident in my skills, hmm? Are you insulting me?!"

    "N-no, great beast, I was merely..."

    "For this I have decided! I will give him one thousand three hundred and seventy-eight blows, hmm. And if he''s still standing then, then I will grant him his life and protect him until he leaves your domain. This is my word! And this is my promise!"

    Iyom''s wide angry eyes pierced Yosh''s giving him the chills. That''s a unique skill, Yosh thought seeing the outlines of Iyom''s eyes to turn black and prominent with his hazel brown gaze turning into a red glowing cat eye. Yosh looked down to his hands and sees them shaking. He can''t move them! He tried stepping forward, but his knees trembled. This is highly unlikely for he is trained to withstand the effect of stress, fear, or even hunger. A curse, he mumbled as his lips arched an almost smile.

    The Ra''Ark roared fiercely giving a loud resonance all around the arena snapping Iyom''s deep gaze. "IYOM! I DO NOT CARE IF YOU ARE THE SON OF KYRIN. IF YOU DO NOT STOP INTERFERING, I AM GOING TO INCURR MY WRATH UPON YOU!"

    Iyom scoffed turned around to bow at the beast and then disappeared again. Yosh felt his body returning to normal, being free of what''s been keeping him still. That kind of technique is useful, he pondered as he taps his body checking if the curse still has its effect.

    "Are you alright child? hmm?" asked the Ra''Ark.

    "Sure!" he smiled with excitement. "Shall we do this then?"

    Ten simultaneous blasts shocked Yosh in his happy thoughts. He did not anticipate that kind of speed. It''s faster than ever before. He figured it looked like ten bowmen shooting one after the other and that''s hard to dodge. That can kill someone even if they possess some military training but not Yosh. They''re first training was dodging after all and Narra isn''t joking in the topic of dodging. Because of what they''ve been through he could dodge even if it is a hundred arrows, he figured almost smirking as he dodged the splashes with great haste and flexibility.

    He noticed a pattern in the great worm''s acid spits and before he could figure something out of it another round of continuous acid attack started again rendering him to dodge away kneeling, rolling, jumping and running. The pattern is becoming evident as he kept his eye around him; he''s containing him in a single area. He''s not spitting randomly. He''s spitting on the ground he''s in to trap him but trying hard to mask it as attacks! No wonder it''s been easy. As he dodged the thirtieth blow the great worm stopped. His eyes can be insinuated as though smiling as he took a deep breath gagging. He knew what Ra''Ark is planning and in that few seconds of rest that he''s given, he exhausted all possibilities of escape and arrived at his dilemma - there isn''t one! He''s trapped in the area filled with oozing hissing acid consuming the ground and the worst part of this is that he let him. He had predicted, the minute he blew his tenth shot, but he didn''t try to change his position. It is a very disgraceful and embarrassing thing for a hunter to be trapped in someone else''s snare, he thought chortling to himself.

    Ra''Ark blew his acid with a wide mouth. It is an area effect acid spray! There is no escape!

    The cheers grow wild as smoke engulfed the arena. With that kind of spurt blasting almost a quarter of the arena, no one can be assumed to have survived. Because of the thick green smoke, the by-product of the acid blast, only the outline of the Giant Worm can be visible to the naked eye. This made the spectator''s joyous shouting to be more deafening than ever before.

    Ra''Ark cackled horrendously as the smoke subsides. He saw Yosh now at his further right. "Impressive! Daomagar''s famous Great Dash!" The great worm turned to face him having his angry eyes and elevating his body higher than before. "Oohh, you have deceived me mortal. Making me believe that you are a Nagozulian is a cheat. But I will not take that deception against you. I will live up my end of the deal. But be sure to ready your young Daomagar feet because I will be killing you faster than before!"

    Yosh nodded with a confident smile though in his heart he''s feeling regret. He feels as though playing Daomagar may indeed be a deadly disadvantage on his part considering that he still needs more practice with his dashes. He just prayed hoping that his tactical decisions playing the Great Worm lives up to its projected rate of success.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "No need to hide Master Fenris, we are alone."

    A shadow of a giant wolf became evident with its outlines slowly drawing its figure in the dark dense woodland. As it moves closer, its glowing red eyes intensified. "I thought I told you not to call me by my real name young apprentice," echoed softly by his frightening deep voice.

    "It''s much better than Grog," smiled Reus as he fixed his uneven spectacles. "The name roughly translates to Evil Fangs of the Betrayer, and we both know you''re nothing like that."

    The wolf went in front of him sitting, still with his serious eyes. "Thank you for believing that young apprentice but uttering it without conscience might lead you to accidentally spill my name in the wrong company or to dubious ears. I do not want that to happen."

    "Alright, Master Grog, if it helps you to sleep," he joked sarcastically.

    "But I do not sleep," hastily replied the upright sitting wolf with his face now turning confused.

    "Yes, but it is just a figure of sp--," Reus was stopped in his explanation as his Master tilted his head trying to figure what he meant. "Never mind, so why do you want to meet?" he beamed trying to change the subject.

    "Yes, let''s get to the point. I came to warn you young apprentice. I know your father cannot grant an audience at the moment so I am hoping that you can give my message to him. I simply cannot be seen being close to any mortal. As you can perceive, I am still the head of all immortal beasts and I do not want to tarnish that reputation now that things are unstable."

    "What''s unstable? What''s wrong?"

    "A mortal is rising to taint the sanctity of the Holy Lands that our father, Bathala, has protected for thousands of years as what your ancestors and their ancestors before them have also done. If this unfortunate scenario progress, we would risk our anonymity and unleash our fury to those who are responsible."

    "What? No one in their right mind wants to taint our Holy Lands!? No tainting would happen! That is not possible!"

    "I am delighted to hear such optimism, but I believe that it has already begun. Nothing can stop what''s unraveling. The immortal beasts are getting anxious. There are only a few of us left but you haven''t seen the Five Mighty Titans. If they all wake up and call up their arms, a disastrous ravage would ensue killing tens of thousands of mortals. I cannot let something as sacred as life be threatened by few individuals with malice in their intents. They must be stopped before any of this ever happens!"

    "So, the prophecy is true then? It is really unfolding?"

    "You know about the prophecy? Did your father tell you?"

    "No, I do not know the specifics, but I have been filtering the correspondence that my grandfather and father send every day. I figured it out."

    "That''s not very prince-like of you to rummage into other people''s privacy."

    "They have been acting strange these past few months and who am I to resist such secrecy. I have to know especially if it involves our Holy Lands. I have decrypted a secret message saying that the prophecy is unfolding. I want to know what that is. Do you know?"

    "Who else knows about this?" snapped Grog feeling anxious.

    "No one," immediately answered Reus confused but now determined to be curious even more.

    "Good, good. Please do make this a secret. The prophecy of Bathala should not arrive at the hands of the enemy."

    "I don''t know any other person who can decipher my father''s encrypted messages other than me. They have a tight-knit group of generals and officers. About ten to fifteen, maybe? All I know is that they have studied this other language in order to protect that secret, so it is safe."

    "And you know this secret language?"

    "Master!" he smiled disappointed, "after all this time?"

    Grog smirked nodding. "I shouldn''t have asked."

    "So, how about the prophecy?"

    Grog smiled now walking away. "It is neither my duty nor my privilege to divulge the words of Bathala. If you want to find out, you should talk to your father."

    "Well, they are keeping me out of the loop! They even sent me to this forsaken edge of the north just to keep me in the dark! They call this experience, and work, and duty, but I know they are just hiding me away from something. That something is what I want to find out! Have I not garnered enough respect from you, Master? For you to give me just an inkling of what you know?"

    Grog turned to face him still smiling. "Reus, Reus, Reus. I don''t know if your mind is getting dull or you''re just being insensitive ignoring all the facts. Isn''t it possible that they are not revealing the information you want simply because you are in it?"

    Reus paused standing in deep thoughts.

    "That is something to keep your mind engaged but please bear in mind however that I still need you to relay my message to your father. It is imperative that you do this secretly and with much haste as you can. Shihiku is a very skilled and convincing speaker and it is his turn to speak his mind in the next meeting of the full moon. I will try, as hard as I can, to delay these proceedings. Interrupting the decision from the three elders is the most important thing at the present. I need you to tell your father that I may not be able to come forth if summoned in the following months."

    "Y-yes, Master," murmured Reus still stunned with the information.

    "I am counting on you here young apprentice. I know you wouldn''t let me down."

    "Yes, Master," Reus bowed.

    Grog smiled as he lifted his head to a howl. His whole body shined turning him to a bright luminescent wolf and then he disappeared leaving Reus standing in the forest all alone and all mystified.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Father!" shouted Iyom rushing through the door banging it in his hurry.

    "I told you Iyom," said a man sitting on a chair at the far back, "I do not want to partake in your nonsensical trivialities so stop pestering me."

    "But father, please, hear me out!"

    Kyrin looked back to face Iyom as he shoved his long white tunic for him to move. It is filled with gold linings that made his pale features become less apparent. He has the same runic tattoo on his forehead like everyone else.

    "Yes, son, what is it that is so important that you keep annoying me here! I thought I told you to never enter my quarters unless it''s very urgent."

    "But it is!"

    Kyrin turned his back on him trying to read some old thick tomes. "Is it related to the mortal that you brought here? Because if it is then you don''t have any grounds for storming my sacred quarters."

    "But father!" tried Iyom now going near him, "He''s winning! We can''t have that!"

    "Good for him. You have put him at the arena. If he wins then he gets his life. It is a sacred duel, I cannot interfere."

    "Yes, but he cheated! He made a deal with Ra''Ark and he''s winning."

    "How is that cheating." He stopped his tinkering and sighed. "If Ra''Ark acknowledged this treaty, that means he would most likely succeed in defeating him. What are you afraid of?" he paused for a second and turned to Iyom somewhat annoyed, "And just to be clear, you are the one who started that. Remember that I do not approve of that hostility against the mortals. We have enough trouble as it is. So why would you think I care what happens to anyone you kidnap and force to fight at the arena."

    Iyom gave a forced smile, "It would ruin our reputation?"

    Kyrin went back on reading his books smiling, "How would it ruin us? If anything, it would give us fame. If he survives then he''ll spread word of his misfortune and that would give them the hesitation of harvesting our life tree. It is to our advantage."

    Iyom tried finding a way to win to his father''s argument but found nothing so he gave a deep depressing sigh.

    "If you don''t have anything more to share the door is at the back," Kyrin ordered now busy with his books, "Please shut it properly this time."

    "He''s a thief!" Iyom shouted suddenly now finding his ace, "He''s a thief and he stole from us!"

    "What now?" Kyrin asked sighing again, turning his head around to see Iyom. "This better be good."

    Iyom hurriedly pulled something in his pocket and showed it to his father.

    "Your missing pair of gloves!" he smiled almost laughing.

    "Where''d you get that?" asked Kyrin grabbing them immediately, now standing worried.

    "The young man has this," Iyom proudly boasted, "I reclaimed what is rightfully yours from that thief!"

    "This young man," snapped Kyrin interrupting Iyom, "Does he have his Amplifyer at his forehead?"

    "Yes," answered Iyom, confused with his father''s concern.

    "What is his base element?"

    "Uh- earth? But¡­"

    "Yosh," mumbled Kyrin with wide eyes as he suddenly disappeared leaving Iyom alone in the room.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "That''s your one thousand three hundred and seventy sixth!" Yosh shouted clinging to the walls.

    The arena''s grounds are now bubbling with its gooey dark green acid. Half of the walls surrounding them are now into rubbles. The spectators are now silent, losing their enthusiasm to the long fight they are witnessing. They are now sitting at the topmost benches of the arena because Ra''Ark is now shooting at the walls where Yosh is moving. Even a droplet of the acid can be considered fatal, so they are trying to avoid that.

    "Hmm, Impressive, you have just become one of those few individuals who can consider themselves a true Sentinel of the Holy Lands. Hmm, it is a shame now to kill you."

    "Thank you," replied Yosh, "but I do not want the title, I want my life!"

    Ra''Ark laughed hard wheezing. He can be seen tired now moving slower than he is when they first started. "When I fought Prince Artemus, the arena stayed in its pristine condition for he dissolved my acids with his elemental techniques. Hmm, but you, your case is different. You cannot move now my child. I am sorry but this is the end for you. Hmm, you''ve nowhere to run."

    "I have this wall?"

    "My acid blast will surely obliterate that. The grounds are filled with acid and the other walls are now destroyed. Hmm, you''re one blow away from death."

    "Stop!" a man appeared between them from above falling down on the grounds. The acid floor lost its potency as the man landed on the floor and was gradually replaced with tall thick green grasses. A very impressive and surprising entrance, Yosh thought almost smiling.

    The sleeping crowd became interested all of a sudden keeping their eyes peeled at the arena.

    "Oh, Kyrin. You''ve gotten out of your solitary meditation. How are you? Hmm?" Ra''Ark greeted now lowering his body on the ground to lie. "We can do pleasantries later, I''m rather busy at the moment, hmm. It is the Rite of Sap''Khan after all."

    "I''m sorry dear friend but there is misunderstanding. You cannot kill this mortal child."

    "Well, I''m sorry too. Hmm, I cannot grant what you want. I will lose my dignity if I do not finish our agreement with this child. It''s good to see you though. Hmm, you haven''t left your room for hundreds of years, I thought you''ve gone insane."

    "But my friend, he is the son of Artemus."

    "Nonsense, he''s a Daomagar."

    "No! He''s blessed by Bathala! He''s one of the chosen mortals! The kid must be protected."

    "Bah! Only Grog believes in that prophecy."

    "But I too believe in it!"

    Yosh sat at the edge of the wall now confused. They now continued their argument in a weird language that he doesn''t understand. He knows that he, like the rest of all the people in the Holy Lands, has the capacity to understand every language there is except one, the old language of Bathala''s Heralds - the oldest language in existence which predates the mortals. It is a dead language that the Yagisivians use in conjuring their summoning spells. It is said that it is so hard, one must sacrifice twenty to thirty years of one''s life in order to fully comprehend its vernacular. That is if they really do it eagerly and without rest.

    "Okay," said Kyrin giving-in in their discussion now returning to their normal understandable language. "Give your last two shots."

    Kyrin walked away to go at the far right to sit on the blocks of walls that fell in their battle. He looked at Yosh smiling as if confident."

    Yosh jumped down on the grounds of the arena that is now a grass field. He can feel the smooth blades of the grass tickling his hands, swaying slightly as if being lulled by a peaceful breeze.

    "Be ready young mortal!" Ra''Ark shouted lifting his body again standing tall, "If you are really who you are then you''ll survive this attack."

    Yosh''s confused squinting look returned again. He doesn''t understand what he meant by what he said. He pretty much doesn''t understand what''s happening, but he just readied himself and nodded.

    Two shots, he thought. Two last shots. The worm''s last shots earlier are even faster than the one''s they started with. He could barely escape the large blasts that were aimed at him and he has done this with extreme perfection. Not a single scratch, he continued thinking, not even a droplet. This is so because Ra''Ark continued to bombard the area he''s in trapping him in the arena. But this is not the case anymore. Now that Kyrin interfered, changing the fields of bubbling acid to a green field, the last two shots have to count. It is now a very dangerous situation for him and, as he calculated the risk, with all the variables that he noticed from the Great Worm, fear slowly crept in giving him a chilling embrace as if death is actually by his side now greeting him with his pleasantries.

    The worm wailed and took a long inhale - a very long inhale that made his body bulk up to twice his size. Ra''Ark remained standing there still for a few seconds. The arena fell dead silent.

    Yosh noticed a twitch in Ra''Ark''s eyes. The signal! Yosh has been seeing him throw hundreds of acids his way that''s why he now figured out when and where he''s going to spit. Ra''Ark blew a thin continuous jet of acid cutting anything on its path like a thin hot knife penetrating a block of butter. As anticipated, he figured out. Ra''Ark, with his acid territory compromised, must attack Yosh with speed. Because of his acid being thick and dense he needs to pressurize it in order to make it thin and fluid.

    Yosh jumped dashing, left to right. He''s getting tired, muscles trembling and a little slow on responding, but he still pursued on. His deep will to train and to surpass his father got a hold of him and this made him to manage swirling around, jumping and rolling and even tumbling looking as though dancing just to escape the acid jet.

    Kyrin, upon seeing this impossible feat, stood up in awe, eyes wide open. "It can''t be," he doubted mumbling. "A Nagozulian that can perform not just the Great Dash but the Dance of Ana''giel?"

    Yosh doesn''t know it yet but he is performing a skill no one has ever done in a millennia. Normally a Daomagarian Dash would force one''s thigh to push oneself in a motion that would catapult one''s body to an area depending on the amount of energy one has put in one''s performance. What other people don''t know is that the Daomagarian Dash is one of the key things required in doing countless powerful techniques known to the immortals as the Ultimate Arts. If one can polish their Daomagarian Dash, one can force not just the thigh''s but also all the jointed parts of one''s body giving the person the flexibility and the ability to dodge anything. The makes the Dance of Ana''giel the ultimate defense skill on the list of the Ultimate Arts.

    As Ra''Ark slowly returned in his shape still hosing his jet of acid, Yosh jumped an impossible fifteen feet Dash to his right avoiding the attack and at the same time the cracks from the ground. He runs to change his area to fresher grounds while waiting for his last strike. He''s convinced thinking the cracks from the grounds might trip him leaving him to be vulnerable. Ra''Ark noticed this so he anticipated where he''d land and blew his one thousand three hundred and seventy eighth but instead of an arrow-like spit, he changed it to a spray. The huge acid blast, almost twenty feet in diameter, would trap him in the middle, Ra''Ark thought convinced.

    All of the spectators gasped as they watch Yosh change direction in mid-dash to avoid the acid spray. That''s as impossible as a fire burning underwater. Yosh would''ve roasted his flesh down to the bone landing on that quarter of the arena, now sizzling, slowly frying the grass-filled ground, but he managed to dodge it changing direction in a split second. Some thought that he landed first then changed directions trying to find a logical explanation resisting what their eyes saw but Ra''Ark and Kyrin''s eyes cannot be fooled. Yosh managed to push his body against the air and dash. It''s as if he could walk in the air. That is a sign, the two thought. The sign that he is indeed blessed.

    "The true incarnation of Ana''giel," Kyrin mumbled while being overwhelmed with shock. He sat on the boulder he once sat before as he saw Yosh now standing tall facing Ra''Ark with a smile bowing as if thanking him. "With that kind of danger, a person should lose all wits and be besieged with fear," Kyrin reasoned with himself trying to explain what he is seeing. "Someone so close to death must feel the burden of the inevitable, churning both his emotional and physical energy, reducing them to oblivion. But why is he still smiling, as if happy, without malice in his eyes? That face belongs to a warrior not a kid, a warrior that has seen death and plays gamble with life everyday as a sport."

    Fear struck Kyrin as he sat there stunned with this revelation. This blessed kid in front of him knows no mortal bounds and that can be extremely perilous not only to their existence but to the existence of all living mortal. He doesn''t know what to feel about him, an enemy or a friend. But he still is a kid, he thought, his philosophy is malleable thus can be easily be twisted by the wrong elements. A true incarnate of Ana''giel must be guided by the light and he trusts no one but himself.

    "So, Master Worm," Yosh grinned excited, "have I passed your expectation? Have I gained your respect?"

    The great worm smiled and lowered his body, dropping to the ground. "Yes, mortal, you have regained your honor and have succeeded in trumping me at this bout. Hmm, you are indeed blessed."

    "Yosh," said a man appearing suddenly behind him tapping his left shoulder which startled him.

    "Wait, how''d you know my name?"

    "You are the fourth son of the light am I not mistaken? You are the son of Grand Prince Artemus of the House of Limor who is brought to the will of the light.

    Yosh nodded still confused.

    "I am King Kyrin of the Dwendells," Kyrin placed his palm on his chest and slightly bowed to Yosh, "Pleased to meet your acquaintance."

    "I''m still having a hard time believing you El- I - uh, I mean, Dwendells exist," he smiled scratching his head.

    "Do not fret young incarnate. We keep ourselves truly hidden from the world ever since the incident."

    "W-What did you just call me?"

    Kyrin knelt in front of him bowing leaving a storm of gasp to echo in the great arena. "I am deeply sorry for this misunderstanding. Please, accept my sincerest apologies."

    "No, please, stand up sir king, sir!" Yosh asked embarrassed hearing the countless murmurs of the crowd. "I have done your race a great deal of trouble. I am the one who''s supposed to apologize."

    Kyrin stood up smiling. "Indeed, you have paid your debt to our society. Since you have once again reclaimed your honor, I would like to invite you as one of our guests. You may stay in our forest for as long as you like, and everything will be provided for you in your comfort."

    "Gee, that''s a very generous gesture sir. Thank you! But I would like to start by seeing the one I''ve hurt. Do you know where I could find her?"

    "As you will. My son Iyom will guide you to her."

    Iyom appeared immediately to his left like sifting from the ground looking grumpy like before.

    "Whoa how''d you do that?! You''re doing that again! That''s kinda creepy"

    Kyrin laughed shaking Yosh''s head. "You will find out soon enough, young incarnate."

 17 The ELVEN RETALIATION

    A blurry ceiling of oak wood that became ever so apparent welcomed Karus as he slowly opened his eyes, batting it a few times to regain perfect vision. He''s inside a house. A very quaint, well maintained, properly ventilated house, he observed as he bears in mind to compliment the carpenter and the homeowner. He was shocked it took him hours to wake up as he tried to lift his tired body to sit up only to fail in every attempt.

    Usually, it only takes a few hours or so but now, as he saw the darkness outside the window and the stillness of any living soul inhabiting the village, he''s in, he''s convinced it took him at least ten hours. It is curious to note that it is midafternoon when he drank the poisonous vial. Calculating that time, he could assume that it is now about an hour past midnight, give or take. He''s covered with a lot of bandages around his head leaving him to barely turn it to his sides.

    "Kayzar," he called shouting but a little weak with his voice almost crackling.

    A loud thumping sound on the floor with a rhythmic tune of a running man disturbed the peaceful dark night giving him a jolt. He couldn''t see a door in front of him making him assume that it is either on his left or on his right. He can''t move his aching head to both sides, so he forced his body gambling to turn choosing left on instinct. He felt disappointed to see nothing but a wall on that corner and a vase of flowers on top of the table together with three sets of mourning candles. He was confused to see something akin to a burial ritual beside him. He wonders if it is one of those pranks by Kayzar, a very nasty very horrible prank that is somewhat insulting.

    Before he could ever try to summon all his energy to turn around, the door came into a bang, as if being forcefully pushed by an angry ogre, then, two arms of a young man held his body in a tight bind. He swore he would most likely yell some curses to this man for pulling him and hugging his tired, aching body like a bear, but he heard some sobbing.

    The young man, that''s behind him, suddenly let go and then gave him a painful slap on the head.

    "OW! What the Yit''s wrong with you!" Karus said angrily.

    "You should''ve known better than to drink my potion you imbecile! I specifically told you that a drop can put a grown man to sleep! A vial is as deadly as a dagger in the neck!"

    Karus laid back on his bed and rolled around back to see Kayzar who is infuriated and crying at the same time.

    "Hey it''s no biggie! At least I made it before sunrise?"

    "You stupid, dim-witted, foolish moron!"

    "Hey, cut with the insults..."

    "It''s been five days since we found you! They said that you''re dead!" he angrily shouted with his palms squishing his eyes suppressing the river of tears.

    "What? Five days!?" he shouted sitting upright immediately ignoring the searing pain that comes from his hurried movements. "What happened to Juni!?"

    Kayzar punched his right arms annoyed, "You should be thanking Bathala for this miracle you ungrateful fool! You shouldn''t worry about anything at the moment!"

    "He''s right," joined Narra popping from the door, "You are considered dead three days ago. Water Casters has been feeding you, directing liquid food to your mouth but suddenly your body shut down. They said it''s irreversible."

    Karus looked down finding his hands and feet in the long white sheets and tested them looking for flaws or impairment, pinching it for a couple of times finding if it can still feel sensations. "I don''t feel any different except from feeling a little weak with painful joints."

    "You are scheduled to be transported to the north and have a prince''s burial, but your brother kept insisting on making his potions and I was this close to calling Artemus and Anagea. Good thing I kept this incident top secret."

    "Then I suppose I owe you my thanks, Kayzar?"

    "Next time just don''t be so stupid!" he smiled with his eyes a little swollen and red.

    "Why do I feel a little hungry?" he asked as he forced his body to go the edge of the bed to stand up.

    "Of course, you are," Kayzar replied helping him to stand, "you haven''t eaten in two days. That''s rather depressing especially for you,"

    "Right, at least we can get to go back to the north in the morning, right gramps?"

    "No," he smiled answering, "I''m afraid not. You two are to remain here for a month or so until you recover your energy for another perilous journey up north."

    "What? You''re leaving us here?"

    "You''re nowhere near the Palace so you''re safe."

    "Where are we exactly?"

    "The Weaver''s Village," Kayzar prompted beating Narra to answer first.

    "But that''s..."

    "Roughly three miles away from the city gates, yes I know," Narra smiled turning around leaving them at the room, "I''ll be turning the food warm downstairs. You best be there after a minute or two."

    "We''re near the Palace Kayzar," he whispered.

    "Don''t complain! It''s your fault we''re here."

    "What are we gonna do?"

    "The same thing we always do, try and study as much as we can, or in your case train? You haven''t shown me the Thousand Blade Dash, but I wouldn''t rush you yet. As much as I want to see that in action, I must endure to wait because you have to recuperate your body."

    Karus gave a long sigh as he walked slowly trying to make his feet do his bidding, "Where will you go?"

    "Oh, I''ll be leaving you here to train on your own. I''ll be studying the entrance to the Kulog Pass this month."

    "Yit, that''s depressing. I wouldn''t be able to let you see a demonstration of the power of the Thousand Blade Dash if you''re that far away."

    Kayzar laughed as he guides him walking near the door. "I truly believe you''re joking at the camp when you said that you''ve mastered that. No one can really master that technique, so I have my doubts. It''s really impossible. Besides, you are not a Daomagar and in your weak state, I doubt that you can still dash. You know that you have to double your efforts to convince me, right? I wouldn''t believe it until I see it."

    "Hey! That sounded like you don''t trust me at all..."

    "It''s not like that..." he smiled almost laughing, "Well, it is like that. But it''s your fault! You always exaggerate things when you tell stories, so I don''t want to get all riled up and get my hopes that high."

    Karus smirked putting his weight on the wall while nearing the stairs. He let go of Kayzar trying to stand-up and walk on his own.

    "At least there''s a training field north from here, right? I wouldn''t feel any bored consuming my months."

    "I thought that you don''t want to be anywhere near the Palace? That''s kind of close to the Palace."

    "What do you want me to do? You decided to put me here, trapped in this village," he joked trying to discourage Kayzar''s squinting angry eyes, "Besides, there''s a watering hole near there so it''s accessible to food and clean water."

    "Just don''t dare do something else while I''m away! I know you know about the easterners. Just maintain your cover this month. I''m serious this time!"

    "Well, that''s..."

    "Promise me!" he slapped Karus''s bandaged right hand.

    "Okay! Okay! Jeez, that''s uncalled for! Cut the slapping or I swear I''m going to return the favor!"

    "Karus," shouted Narra downstairs, "Hurry up or I''ll give you my blended tea!"

    "Coming!" he shouted almost terrified forcing his body to make haste limply running down the stairs.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "HEY! YOU!"

    "WHAT!?"

    "Oooooh! Stop ignoring me!" shouted Yosh throwing a pillow to Iyom near the window.

    "Oh, please, mortal, like I''m really going to do what my father told me to."

    "What!? But you told me that you''re going to!? That she just needs her sleep!? You mean to tell me that that''s all a lie!"

    "Let me set things straight!" he shouted angry moving closer to him in his bed, "I will not, ever, let you near her again! Never ever! Never will! Not even if I''m dead! I will haunt you till your miserable life ends. And after that I''ll haunt your spirit even more!"

    "Wow! As if you can really stop me!" Yosh angrily shouted too. "You think you''re so great hiding me here, making me a prisoner? That''s pretty low even for an Elf! You can''t stop me!"

    "Try saying that again squirt!"

    "Ohoho! Did I twitch some nerve there? Huh? Elfy boy!?"

    Iyom stared at Yosh with his infuriated eyes revealing a black outline appearing prominently strong looking like a raccoon''s - like what he did on the arena.

    Yosh remembered this instance so he closed his eyes and jumped on the other side of bed.

    "Luna!" he shouted, "Give me eyes!"

    Luna, sitting on the far corner of the bed, jumped on his side to serve her master giving her angry shrieks of taunting meows.

    Iyom smiled thinking on his futile attempt to escape him. He disappeared with a poof as if being eaten by a void, leaving an eerie silence in the room. Luna meowed signaling that he is nowhere which Yosh noted as he made his defensive stance with his foot spread apart.

    Yosh tilted his head feeling the room. He immediately felt the air changing pressures, so he moved his head towards the left dodging a frightful fist now appearing out of nowhere.

    Iyom was surprised on his reflexes especially with his eyes closed. Putting your trust on your other senses when fighting a Dwendell is a known impossibility - especially if you are in his territory and more importantly if you are a Nagozulian. In that quarter of a second''s dodge from his punch, he swore he saw Yosh smiling as he caught him grabbing his arms in a pull, throwing him to the ground.

    Iyom landed quite hard on the floor. The loud sound of the slam could have disturbed any other people walking around the hall outside. The fast reactions of Yosh disabled him from disappearing again and avoiding the fall. He''s shocked in his expertise in close quarter combat.

    "Well, well," Yosh said angry with his insulting tone, "I think I just learned how to counter your disappearing act!"

    The door creaked slowly, surprising the two leaving for Yosh to suddenly open his eyes.

    It is the Dwendell girl Yosh hurt in the edge of the woods. She looks rather okay considering the ordeal Yosh put her through. With her perfectly combed long white hair and her white dress, you wouldn''t notice that she is a Dwendell. She doesn''t even have the tattoo on her forehead that the other Dwendells have. She looks like an ordinary teenage girl, a very confused teenage girl at that as she looked at them in strangeness with Yosh holding Iyom''s hand while he''s on the ground both staring at her like a statue.

    "I''m sorry, am I bothering you two? They said that it''s alright to come in."

    Iyom jumped seizing the opportunity. He faced Yosh, with his raccoon eyes, and cursed him to stand there, frozen like stone.

    "AHA! Foolish imbecile! Thought you can outlast me? You twerp!"

    "Stop it," she smiled slapping Iyom on the back of his head moving closer to Yosh, "It''s impolite to curse your guest Iyom."

    She stood in front of Yosh with the edge of her eyes turning black, spreading as if the ink got a life on its own creeping to form a thick outline. Her deep green eyes started to turn all yellow and cat-like, like Luna''s.

    "Are you alright?" she said as her eyes returned gradually to normal.

    Yosh stammered as he back away being so close to her, returning in his normal self, "Uh-yeah. I''m cool."

    "I''m sorry we haven''t been properly introduced, I''m Ninefe," she pulled her hand and showed her palm to him.

    Yosh looked at her palm awaiting something to happen.

    A few seconds passed then Iyom got mad and started to join, "You should put your hand on top of her and introduce yourself you stupid baboon!"

    Yosh ignored his insults and suddenly did what he ordered, "Right! Sorry, my name is Yosh."

    Ninefe smiled as Yosh pulled his hands right away.

    "I''m really sorry I''ve hurt you," Yosh continued, "I have been meaning to go to you to ask for a formal apology, but that crazy mentally challenged biscuit is trapping me here."

    "Oh, that''s okay, Iyom''s been that way, always being difficult and protective," she smiled lightly slapping Iyom in the arms.

    "Hey! Who''s your friend here!? Why are you suddenly taking his side?"

    Ninefe laughed making nervous Yosh to smile a little, "I''m not taking any sides. I''m the one who''s been hurt. I should be the side. Anyway, your father already asked Yosh''s forgiveness. Who am I to defy our king?"

    "WHAT!? HE DID THAT!?" shouted Iyom being both surprised and angry.

    "Uh-huh. He told me many things," she looked at Yosh grinning, "including you gaining the Great Worm''s respect. Congratulations for that by the way."

    "Uh- that''s uh- I didn''t..." stuttered Yosh.

    "Don''t try to deny the credit, everyone''s been talking about it," she stopped and turned at Iyom, "Oh, our King, I mean your father, went to his quarters again yesterday and he told me to relieve you being our guest''s guide."

    "Who''s going to look after that numnut?!"

    "Well, I will," she said with wide eyes. "I was ordered to take him out of this room and show him around outside."

    "Well I''m not leaving you here with him!"

    "Don''t be stubborn Iyom," she simpered pushing him out of the door, "our king wants you in his quarters as soon as possible. He knows what you did to Yosh, so I suggest you think of your way out of that instead of being impossible here."

    "What? He knows?" he whispered almost afraid.

    "Yes," she nodded still smiling.

    "Did you tell on me?"

    "Why would I do that, I just got here?"

    Iyom grumpily whispered some words sounding like curses in their Dwendell tongue and magically disappeared at the front door. Ninefe then looked at Yosh who''s still forcing a smile and a bit anxious about her.

    "What?" she said almost laughing, "D''ya wanna stay there all cooped up again?"

    "Uh-N-No miss," he stuttered pacing his walk almost jumping out of the room with Luna running behind him.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    They walked along the long corridor outside. It is made with a hard wall of corrugated mud. The light brown color tone of the walls of mud makes it look like wood. Though there are no windows to be seen, crispy fresh air is experienced with a little hint of a refreshing minty smell of herbal leaves.

    Yosh just looked down on the floor while walking silently next to Ninefe. He''s so guilty about what he did that he didn''t want to impose on starting a topic to talk about. Once in a while Ninefe would look at Yosh and would giggle silently. Yosh notices this but have chosen to ignore it. He doesn''t know how to interact with the Earth Creatures that he read about in fantasy books, so he thought that the best thing to do is to just be on the passive side.

    "Well here we are," she finally said stopping in front of a dead-end wall, "You seem very quiet, though I think I sense that you have quite a spirited soul in you." Yosh just smiled at her, still looking down at the floor avoiding her set of small deep green eyes. "Well, I hope I can free your mind and spirit at the end of our tour. Get to know you better."

    She waved her hands and the walls began to open up revealing a vast brightly lit underground city filled with busy walking Dwendells all around. This brought Yosh his truthful smile, almost with awe, walking outside slowly, turning around looking almost everywhere.

    "By the way, you can call me Nine. Ninefe is sooooo polite and formal."

    "Like the number?"

    "Yes, like the number. Nine. One syllable. Very easy to remember and to utter."

    "But your name is Ni-ne-fe."

    "Yes, but Ni-ne spells like nine in another language. Thus Nine. Why''re we fighting about it, I want that to be my nickname!"

    "Okay, okay," Yosh said nodding in agreement. "I''m just askin''."

    "So, what shall we talk about?" Nine jumped in front of him immediately changing her mood to a happier tone.

    "Uh, let''s start with where we really are."

    "Yes!" she held Yosh''s hands and pulled him to move, "We are in the great Dwendell City underground the Great Tree of Kyrin."

    "You mean the stories are true?"

    "What stories?"

    "That the there is a humongous tree at the center of this forest and there is a city underneath it?"

    "No," she said with a sarcastic smile scoffing to the obvious, "There is no such thing as a big tree and we''re just a figment of your fantasy."

    They came across a shiny giant golden statue of a big water buffalo standing magnificently peaceful but strong and majestic. It has calm eyes that look straight at the east.

    "Who''s that?" Yosh asked getting a little bit more curious as they get near.

    "You don''t know!?" she gasped almost bothered.

    "N-no?" he replied nervously, "I-I really don''t know... is it bad that I didn''t know?"

    "YES! Why, he''s the most powerful beast that Bathala created! He is the Great Cal''bao, Master of all living Beasts, Spawners, Swimmers and Dragons!"

    "Oh! I didn''t know that. Is he in hiding too?"

    "I wish he was. Your ancestors murdered him along with the other Titans and Beast Guardians."

    "A thousand years ago?"

    "Yes. So, you did know."

    "Some parts, yes. But I only got that from my brothers. They are the ones that are into history and such."

    They resumed walking but now silent. Yosh could see her with a hint of sadness almost eating her smiling face away.

    "I''m sorry," he said breaking their silent curse.

    "No. It''s alright. It''s a long time, and besides I too wasn''t even born then."

    "How old are you?" Yosh mumbled almost frightened figuring what he just said without thinking. He knows it''s bad to ask women about their age, but he doesn''t know if this applies to them as well. He''s been thinking about what Karus told him about Dwendells having their long lives.

    "Come again?"

    "I said, H-how many years passed since your birth?" he rephrased taking away the word that women hate.

    "Oh! How old am I? I''m a hundred and fifty this year."

    Yosh was shocked to what he just heard. To be very straightforward in answering the most difficult topic women often dodge is shocking but revealing that she''s a hundred and fifty made him yelp in surprise. So, he thought of it as some sort of joke.

    "A hundred and fifty!?" he laughed, "Quit joking, in an excessive estimate you could pass up to be a fifteen or a sixteen even, but you most certainly can''t pass to a hundred and fifty!"

    "Oh, but I am," she said with her deep green eyes almost bewildered to Yosh''s laughter making him to slowly return being shocked.

    "Wait, you''re not joking?"

    "Yes, we Dwendells have a long life. Our main purpose is to wake up green life all over the world and in order to do that we have been given the grace of long lives."

    "But-but that''s, how old is Iyom then?"

    "Oh, I think he''s about to reach his three hundredth. That''s when a Dwendell reaches maturity and starts to ask for hands of maidens of a hundred and fifty''s, such as myself, in marriage."

    "That kid there has matured!?"

    "Why are you so surprised?"

    "No, I mean he''s three hundred?! I thought he''s just twelve or thirteen!? He really does act like a child."

    "Well he looks rather odd in his age, but he is a fully grown Dwendell. He''s just protective and sweet and playful unlike the usual rigid Dwendells. I think he just don''t want to conform to the standards. A free spirited Dwendell if you will. It''s not like you don''t have one of those in your world."

    Yosh forced a smile nodding in agreement thinking about his brother Reus who hasn''t been really acting like a real Nagozulian Prince even though his birthday celebrating his proper crowning as a prince is nearing.

    "So, what''s it like? to be a hundred and fifty?"

    "Nothing much out of the ordinary. I feel matured too, but the lingering thoughts of childhood really never escape me."

    "What about you marrying someone? You ready for that?"

    "I''m a bit scared. I may opt not to choose like my aunt did, she chose hers at her five hundredth, but one way or another I will choose one and I''m a bit scared of the change it will bring forth."

    "Yes, change is really troublesome," Yosh sighed remembering what it brought him and his brothers two years ago.

    "Well, I am glad we had this talk. It''s hard talking about this with other Dwendells who are eager to judge you and are so traditional and conservative. You''re really the first time I''ve the pleasure to talk about this. Maybe it''s because of your face... I don''t know. You look trustworthy enough."

    "Thanks. I''m glad you shared that to me too."

    "See!" she exclaimed grinning with her perfectly arched lips, "I knew I''m going to really see your true smile. You''re so scared of me earlier at your room I thought you''re going to faint."

    "No, I wasn''t!"

    "Yes, you are! I saw you perspiring half an hour ago."

    "Hey," he said now changing topics but a little discouraged to ask, "I kept on noticing this; don''t be offended, I just want to ask, what''s on everyone''s forehead? They have the same weird runic tattoo etched on them, but I don''t really see any stones or Amplifyers. All of them have this except you and Iyom. What''s that?"

    "Oh, it''s called the Curse of Death. Dwendells don''t usually have that but they have. It''s a rather depressing topic and I don''t want to talk about it."

    "Oh, I''m sorry I didn''t know."

    "Yeah, some other time though. I think I don''t want to spoil your early morning."

    "It''s morning!? I didn''t even notice?"

    "Yes. Oh, right I almost forgot. You''ve been cooped up in your room."

    "Uhm, it''s really hard to keep track of time considering you don''t have any windows to spy at the skies. And the food just keeps coming... there''s no concept of breakfast, lunch or dinner in here huh?"

    "And it''s always so bright here too. We always have the light illuminating the whole city as bright as day."

    "OH!"Yosh shouted excited, "I got another question that I think you can answer!"

    "Bring it on!" she smiled getting all riled up.

    "What''s with your eyes turning like a cat''s eye and having those thick black outlines on the edge like a creeping tattoo?"

    "Oh! You mean the Eagle Eyes!?"

    "Ah, so that''s what you call that. What does it do?"

    "We concentrate all of Nature''s energies into our eyes to bend light in order for us to see things very far. That''s why we call them Eagle Eyes. Like the eagles."

    "Oh, I see. But what''s it got to do with Iyom cursing me."

    "Well, it''s not really a curse. It''s more of he''s tricking you than a curse."

    Yosh''s face became bewildered by her words, having his eyebrows furrowing much, so she continued explaining.

    "Well, it''s more complicated than that. Hear this out. When we bend the light with our Eagle Eyes, we can also direct a sliver of light to a near location. When we direct this sliver of light to the eye of a victim, we can force the light to go to the brain rendering it to panic thus disabling the victim to effectively use his faculties. This doesn''t work on the Dwendells or the Immortals since they are powerful enough to block any light that may come pushing their way to their eyes. Though some notable Dwendells in the past are known to be powerful enough to bend the light to as much as create a blinding beam. Symptoms of anxiety, stress, headache, nausea and fatigue can also be exhibited after the effect lasts so we usually don''t do this kind of thing to any living mortal - except Of course, when they enter our woods but that''s a different story."

    "Wow, that technical huh? Using light to trick and mess up my brains? That''s really useful especially when pacifying a conflict."

    "Did I clear things up? Or did I just make things a bit harder?"

    Yosh laughed hard seeing her worried face. "Yeah, yeah I get the idea. Well, if it wasn''t for your very eccentric hand gestures while explaining the topic, I wouldn''t even really grasp what you''re saying. Although I think my brothers would enjoy engaging a topic or two with you."

    "Hey, are you making fun of me?" she asked with creased eyebrows.

    "No, no!" he answered chuckling, "I''m not. I think I just gave you a compliment." He paused for a little while looking up as if thinking for a few seconds, "Yep, I think it''s a compliment."

    Nine slapped his arms smiling and then laughed. "Thought you''re making fun of me. If you did then I might have to do my Eagle eyes on you and leave you here." Then she walked away leaving him standing there.

    "Wait, you''re not serious. Are you?"

    Nine laughed again at his gullibility, "No, don''t be silly I''m just joking. My goodness, you''re easy to tease. It''s like you''re asking for it!"

    "Hey, if it''s not too much, I wanted to ask you another question," he posed after catching up to her.

    "No! It''s too much," she said grinning seeing Yosh''s face turning confused. "No, go on. I''m just joking again."

    "You need to stop doing that. You''re really confusing me."

    Nine chortled for a few seconds awaiting his question, "Well, do go on. What''s your question?"

    "Right, so what do you call what Iyom and your King did disappear and appearing almost instantly?"

    "Ah, one of the three things only a Dwendell can do. It''s called the Transmission. We Dwendells can transmit our bodies to an area connected by our Life Tree," she stopped walking and pointed on the ground, "As you can see, our floors here in the city are roots. All of the roots here in the city are all of the roots of the entire forest connected to the Great Life Tree of our King. All of which can be considered our territory and we can go about disappearing and appearing at different locations whenever we choose - unless Of course, the area is forbidden in which case we cannot enter or else we''ll be punished."

    "So, you mean to tell me that you can just instantly transmit to anywhere here? Literally anywhere you wanna'' go?"

    "Yeah, that''s what I said," she chuckled for a bit making fun of him being so surprised on the idea and then she continued, "We can transmit other things too. How on earth do you think you reached our lair if we haven''t delivered your body in here? It''s a long dig up. I''m pretty sure you''ll die first before reaching the ground."

    "That''s so cool! Hey, can you transmit me to anywhere?"

    "Right now?" she asked almost complaining.

    "Yes, right now!" he replied full of excitement, "Come on! Transmit me somewhere else."

    "Where d''ya wanna go?"

    "Uhm, transmit me to the border outside up north, then west, then east, then middle then south!" he said excited grabbing Luna who''s been following them into his chest pocket. "Not necessarily in that order but we''ll do it your way..."

    "Well that''s comforting," she smiled holding his shoulders firmly standing in front of him. "I really don''t feel like transmitting now but hey, you''re a guest."

    "Yes! I am!" He laughed.

    "Hey, ready up your gag reflexes, I don''t want you to puke in front of me."

    Before Yosh could ever say another word, the world turned really bright around him. The city changed into an orange wave of dawn outside filled with white trees and golden leaves as if the surrounding was covered previously in sand being blown away by a calm but raging wind, slowly revealing the northern field he was in three days ago where he punched a hole in Nine''s life tree.

    "Oh, this brings some horrible memories," he said spotting the camping gear he left there in the middle of the grass-filled fields.

    "Well, it should," she grinned with her warm smile, "So, how do you feel?"

    "Well, I feel really terrible right now..."

    "No, I mean, how do you feel? With the experience and all?"

    "Oh, it''s so cool. I don''t know why you thought that I was gonna hurl into your face. Feels like I''m piggy-backed to a man dashing."

    "Wanna see the western side?"

    "Sure, let''s continue."

    The background surged itself again to the west where they saw the slowly pushing seas; and again to the east where Yosh stood frightened at the tall steep mountain wall remembering their journey up north and again to the center of the forest where they stood on the giant roots of the humongous white tree.

    "W-wait..." Yosh mumbled as he immediately pulled Luna out and ran weakly to a corner. He bends overturning around away from them.

    Ninefe smiled as she walked slowly to follow him. "Don''t tell me you''re going to do what I''m thinking you''re going to do?"

    Yosh turned his head weakly smiling and then returning his face in front and evacuated his morning meal in front of a Dwendell who just transmitted himself in front of him.

    "Oh, no!" Nine shouted shocked on what he did transmitting herself immediately behind Yosh. "I''m so sorry sir, it''s his first time to transmit."

    The angry eyes of the pale middle-aged looking scholar squinted as he forces a weak angry smile trying very hard not to shout in madness for his ruined tunic that now smells a strong scent of gastric acids and a hint of churned meat.

    "What... are you two... doing ... outside... the King''s life tree?!"

    "Well, uh- It''s not her fault sir, I''m sorry sir," said Yosh with her trembling knees weakly trying to lift his head cleaning his chin with his hands. "I-uh asked her to do it, it''s my fault."

    "Well obviously!" the Dwendell scholar replied scoffing.

    "Well," Nine added jumping in front of them trying to reason with the scholar with apologetic eyes, "The King gave us full clearance to transmit to anywhere sir," she showed the back of her right hand revealing a tattoo marking to appear suddenly with the insignia of their King.

    The scholar stood there almost turned into stone slowly losing his angry eyes looking sluggish.

    "Sir, are you alright?" asked Yosh now grabbing his back-up napkin taking off the stain from his white tunic. "He seems rather cool with it right? If I clean this?"

    "Stop, something''s wrong..."

    Blood trickled down the mouth of the scholar and is in an accelerating rate as each second passes. He lifted his hands and pressed it in his chest and as soon as he lifted it up again, he saw his hands drenched in his own blood. Warm blood was slowly eating away his perfectly white tunic as he drops down shaking.

    "What do we do! What''s happening to him!?" Yosh shouted hysterical. "I swear I didn''t know throwing up in front of you will hurt you too! Oh geez, I don''t want to fight Ra''Ark again..."

    "No, this is something different," she ran to the scholar and held his head, "Someone is harvesting another life tree. And it is his tree they are cutting." She paused for a few seconds closing her eyes and whispered. "Iyom, where are you..." she gently placed the head of the elderly Dwendell on the ground and stood up immediately with her Eagle Eyes glaring from left to right looking everywhere all around while speaking in her Dwendell tongue sounding as though she''s cursing.

    "What''s wrong?" What''s the matter?"

    "The Curse of Death that you wanted to know earlier? It is a mark given to us by the mother of the evil King Dogal a-a thousand years ago. It is some form of contract to subdue us, a-a method of control," she frantically narrated, "It is in the contract that we cannot hurt any mortal physically and we cannot go beyond our territory. They also said that you mortals have a right to harvest one tree a year as tribute to the Nagozulian Throne, b-but..." she stopped shaking moving her eyes left to right biting her thumb as if she''s talking to someone else.

    "What!? They''re killing you every year!?"

    "Yes," she replied now shocked with tears rushing in her eyes, "But this year, it''s a massacre! They''re killing hundreds."

    "What can we do?" Yosh whispered now serious and determined.

    "Only Iyom and I can fight them off... I-uh mean, we are the ones without the curse. But Iyom is in the Solitary Chambers, we cannot reach him through our prayers." She knelt down and placed her hands on the ground, cursing. "Come on! Come on! WORK YOU DARN HAND!"

    She started sobbing punching her hand on the ground till it bleeds out.

    "What are you doing?" Yosh whispered holding her hands tightly to stop her.

    "I can''t summon my life tree, I''m too weak." She cried hugging him tight. "I can''t protect my people!"

    "What do you want me do?" he stood up and grabbed his dagger.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Alright! Break it up people!" shouted a Nagozulian Foreman to the whispering crowd of woodworkers on the edge of the southern outskirts of the forest. "Breaks are cancelled! Grab your saws and let''s get this work done early!"

    "But sir?" asked one of the woodworkers having pushed by the others, "I don''t mean to be insubordinate but what about the curse?"

    "What curse!?"

    "Will the Elves be angry at us? They say we can only take one a year. Why are we cutting down two hundred and fifty?"

    "An apocryphal rumor! A hoax that has convinced many a mind! The only thing that hinders us in taking down an Elven Tree is its tenacity to endure our cutting devices - and Of course, the bandits that is living inside. Now that we are many, they wouldn''t dare disrupt us in cutting down the trees."

    "But sir, we only have one Earth-Enchanted Saw available," he questioned almost flinching to the angry foreman, "It''s not as if we''re Daomagarians that can hack away these trees with our ordinary tools..."

    "That is why I said we should start working early!" he shouted getting everyone''s attention, "The faster you all move the faster we can get those trees that Prodea requisitioned! Or do you want me to report you to her highness for insubordination!"

    The man looked away in fear and hustled to join his crew to get their tools. He dares not say another word after hearing what the foreman ordered, especially after threatening to tell on him to Prodea. Nobody''s more frightening than seeing Prodea deal with insubordinates. They all know it''s far worse than death itself.

    "Hey Kid!" yelled a woodsman at the far front to a boy''s silhouette inside the forest, standing alone holding a long bow "Stay away from there, the bandits might get you!"

    "No..." whispered an old woodsman squinting in an effort to visualize the unusual shadow that''s still standing there, "that''s not a kid! It''s an Elf!"

    Everyone at the front heard what that old man said and that created an alarming uproar of fright in their hearts and minds, stopping immediately everything that they''re doing, only focusing on the kid who''s still at their eyesight.

    "An Elf!" finally screamed the younger ones running downhill for their lives followed by the old ones, huddling with the group at the back in fright.

    The woodsmen whispered their sentiments to each other discussing how wrong the idea of Prodea is of cutting down massive volumes of trees until the foreman saw the disarrayed workers. He shouted walking near to calm them.

    "What''s this!? I told you all to get back to work!"

    "But sir, there''s an elf in the forest. We told you they would come if we went too far!"

    The foreman, feeling brave and confident, walked fifteen paces away from them to the front to have a better picture of the kid''s outline still standing like a statue.

    "That is not an Elf! That''s an imposter you sissy!" he claimed furious to the workers, "It''s just one of those bandits scaring us away to steal our supplies! Elves are not real!"

    "How can you say that? Hmm?" an old man cried in hysterics. "You''re not down there cutting the tree year after year!"

    "He''s right!" said another man at the back which created a series of murmurs of uncertainty to the foreman''s assurance, "My neighbors tried to cut down an extra tree just last year and they never returned!"

    "Silence!" howled the foreman signaling their Nagozulian escorts forming a line, aiming their bows up in the skies, "We''ll show you the real truth behind this nonsense!"

    He walked past the line and stood from a direct vantage point to the apparent Elven kid. "Hey you! If you don''t come out there and surrender, we''re going to storm you with arrows! We''re no Daomagars but the Nagozulian Sentry is known for their near Daomagar precision! We just don''t want you to get hurt! But we will if we must!"

    The silhouette drew his bow as a response and immediately shot a fast arrow grazing the foreman''s cheeks leaving a dab of blood to form dribbling at the side of his face. The Foreman didn''t anticipate that kind of speed from an arrow. It''s as if it''s flying at a pace of a blink.

    A few seconds of silence engulfed the outskirts of the southern forest with the foreman and the apparent bandit staring at each other. The foreman was mesmerized standing in fear watching him now walking slowly forward and stopping to a small clearing inside the forest where the sunlight touches revealing his angry black thickly outlined eyes. ''The Demon''s Eyes'' he whispered as he ran, tripping down crawling on the ground pointing at the elf and shouting ''Release Arrows! Kill the unrestricted Elf!"

    Three volleys of arrows filled the skies before landing on the ground where the Elf stood. Not a single arrow landed on the Elf or in the area around him. The foreman was shocked as the Elf moved closer bending the field of arrows as he pass by, almost like on command, and then he disappeared.

    A few moments of silence gave the foreman some relief. He just sat there still shaking, still guessing what happened. ''Did he disappeared retreating or he disappeared dying as a result of his curse'' the foreman thought looking frantically almost everywhere. After some few minutes of calm, he stood up, still shaking but cracking a laugh giving the others at the back some comfort. "He''s dead!" he shouted turning around, "There''s nothing to worry about! Get back on cutting me some..."

    Before he ever finished his sentences, the crowd that gathered in front of him fell into a gasp seeing an arrow going through his thighs. The Foreman shouted in agony as he dropped down and turned his head back at the forest. He saw a volley of arrows heading their way almost looking like half a hundred archers throwing shots at a second''s interval for five seconds. The Nagozulians on that border just flinched as they duck in futility.

    After the barrage, they saw the fields they were in filled with Elven arrows planted on the ground. No one is harmed or injured in anyway except for the noisy foreman who is still crying in pain. The Elf now appeared standing on a tall Elven tree, watching them, giving them a sign which they understood right away as they abandoned all of their tools and scattered away as fast as they could.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Lunchtime in the Palace of Nagozulian can be regarded as sacred as their prayers in Bathala''s Temples. No one is allowed inside to disrupt the meal of the Queen and his guests at the Dining Hall - except for that really important news but important news is usually overrated. Prodea will banish anyone disrupting their meals proclaiming some news they thought to be important but really isn''t. Suffice to say it''s usually Prodea who measures the importance of the disruption and gives punishments thereto that''s why one will be forced to wait an hour or so before announcing something. It''s sometimes better to be safe than sorry. But today was unlike any other day. It is the day the seal of the Elves was broken, the messenger thought as he jumped inside the Dining Hall blowing his horn.

    "Greetings Your Holiness the Queen; Your Mightiness the Grand Prince; Your Highness the Grand Princess; and Esteemed Guests. I am afraid some urgent news has arrived," he proudly announced even though he felt a little bit of fright after interrupting their merry discussions at the table.

    Prodea picked up her napkin and pressed it gently on her lips, "Your news better be worth something..."

    "We''ve received word that the Elves have retaliated to our woodworkers at every point of our extraction teams all around the forest."

    "I''m sorry?" asked the Queen confused to his statements, "I must''ve heard wrong, I thought we only have one extraction team commissioned by the Palace Minister?"

    "Yes, your Holiness but..."

    Prodea cleared her throat stopping the messenger in continuing further, "Yes, mother, but I''ve placed several safe houses around the forest. It''s for the woodworkers, to give them some shelter when harvesting a tree every year."

    "Hmm, is that so," the Queen stopped for a few seconds thinking before continuing, "What do you think happened? They''ve been silent for a thousand years or so and now they have resurfaced again only this time more violent."

    "Silly Elves," added Sarram snickering, "All we want is a tree from them every year. It''s not like we''re killing them. It''s not their tree, it''s ours too. There''s no need to be greedy about some ridiculously looking forest."

    "There''s something amiss. They wouldn''t react like that if all''s right," the Queen pondered for a few seconds and was distracted by the messenger standing with an awkward smile, "I''ll ask my advisors about this topic. You may go now."

    "May I interject?" the Duke Tabarius entered after the satisfied messenger left the room, "Are you all talking about Elves Elves? The little men in green suits prancing the forest in their merry way?"

    "I- uh, I''m not following..." replied the Queen.

    "Oh, mother," joined Prodea after sipping from her cup, "It''s just some myth they have on their lands. Apparently, they thought Elves are little men wearing green suits."

    "Oh, heavens no!" the Queen laughed, "They are not little men, if not they are about the same stature as you are only looking paler than us mortals." Duke Tabarius leaned forward taking interest on the Queen''s words. "They live in just about every tree they could find and from there they set up their territory. They are the growers of green life and they do it underground near the Springs of Life."

    "The Springs of Life?" asked Tabarius looking curious. "There are many?"

    "Oh, you haven''t heard from it? It is an orifice from the Rivers of Life located deep underground. It is scattered almost everywhere in the world, but no man can go near it. It is said that the Elves are the protector of this underground reservoir."

    "I thought your Kingdom protects the Spring of Life?"

    "Ah, that''s where the problem lies. The Spring of Life is not to be confused with the Fountain of Life, they are different. The Fountain of Life is a well from the river to the surface of this Earth while the Spring of Life is near the river itself therefore it is hidden deep beneath our feet. They protect the smaller openings of the river underground; we protect the biggest opening - and the only opening - here on the surface."

    "So, you do know where it is?"

    "Why are you so curious about the fountain?" engaged Sarram chomping brutally on his red meat.

    "Well, I''m just curious about your very rich and very interesting history."

    "Well, no harm discussing about it," entered Prodea finishing her meal, "It''s not like we really know the location of the fountain. Only the Yagisivians know where it is hidden. And they are really uncommunicative for up to a thousand years now and counting. Mother, Tabarius," he nodded standing up, "May I please be excused from dinner. I have something... vague... I need to do somewhere."

    "Prodea," smiled the Queen pressing her napkin on her lips after sipping her red liquor, "I know you''re retreating again on your quarters to study something. It''s not a bad thing but I really need you to ease up a bit, be relaxed."

    Prodea just smiled to her mother hiding her frustrated look, "Thank you mother, I''ll take that into consideration." And then she walked outside the room without looking at their beaming faces bidding her goodbye.

 18 the FIRE SENTINEL

    "Who gave you the right to be in my quarters!" shouted Prodea immediately casting a fireball on her right palm upon finding a man sitting at her study - the only place she knew that gives her solitude and privacy. The fireball grew intense as it lit up almost all the nooks and crannies of her room.

    "Whoa, now," calmed the Earl of Farindhal immediately standing up rattled, "You asked to meet in private. This is the most private place I can think of!"

    "Step away from my table!" she furiously commanded, "NOW!"

    Eryk jumped away almost instantly seeing her eyes filled with fury.

    The fireball hissed disappearing in her palms as she moved quickly to his side. She pushed the displaced chair to its proper place and inspected her dark almond desk filled with parchments and tomes.

    "Just remember to count your blessing Eryk," she pointed while giving an angry smirk as she closes the books that were open on the table, "I always put a hex on my door. You''re just lucky I didn''t activate that earlier or else you''ll be really crispy now."

    Eryk nervously chuckled as he moves further away from the table and her.

    "And I don''t think that you know but I''ve put on a proximity spell on this room. That''s what triggered me to come here. So, don''t think about getting anywhere near my quarters in the future ever again."

    "Yes Princess. I will take that into thought."

    "Enough with that," she calmly stated now having her neutral mood coming into place feeling satisfied that her privacy has not been muddled up, "Have you got it with you?"

    "Y-yeah, I got it." He pulled an old rusty cylindrical metal scroll case slowly from inside his coat and extended it to Prodea. As she finally smiled to reach the scroll case, Eryk drew it back with his devious smirk, "You do remember our agreement, right? I expect it''ll still be on after I give you this?"

    "Yes, yes! Don''t be such a fool. Do you think of me as a liar and a cheat!?" She grabbed the scroll case angrily and opened it in a hurry. "This''ll be the last time you question me again. Next time I hear those disrespectful words coming from your mouth I will rip it apart and incinerate you."

    "I''m sorry. One must be careful in dealing with a friend. Friends tend to be the worst enemies - or that''s what they usually say."

    Prodea wryly smiled looking at him. "So, stop talking unless you want me to be one."

    Eryk Caden just walked a few paces away from her while she reads the old parchments inside the metal case. While waiting, he looked everywhere admiring the grandiose display of gold and silver on the edges of the wall as well as on the wall shelves and the edge of the stained-glass windows. Because of what he''s been seeing all around the Palace and at the city residences, the thoughts linking Nagozul to the mythical City of Gold slowly emerged. Realizing this, a new idea came floating inside his scheming mind but was interrupted with Prodea''s angry shriek.

    "Are you trying to trick me!?"

    "Wh-What? Princess, I did not come here just to trick you. This is a serious transaction," he explained with his face lined up with a hint of fret thinking about losing his end of their secret bargain that he so desperately desires.

    "These scrolls are missing some pages! Do you know that!?"

    Eryk moved closer to examine the scrolls that he gave her. "No, that''s all there is. That''s all there is at the ruins of Dim''ion''s Temple at the north of our Kingdom. That is what you want? Isn''t it? That is what you commissioned me to do."

    "No! I want the full scrolls of Dim''ion! The last pages are missing!"

    "Well, it''s not as if I can read that for me to check it? What I give you is what I found in that ruins," he defended almost agitated. "If it''s missing that means some must''ve been destroyed by the years. It''s roughly twelve thousand years old after all. It''s a miracle that some of it is still intact."

    Three knocks on the door interrupted their heated argument. The only thing that she couldn''t stand is a mystery, and that fixation doesn''t exempt any person standing on the other side of her door. Prodea waited for about five seconds and then another rhythmic knock three-times continued.

    "Come in, Zeba!" she hollered giving her permission to enter.

    Zeba peeked checking where Prodea is at and then quickly entered almost striding to her.

    "I''m sorry, Your Highness but I have very important news to relay."

    Zeba looked rather obvious with her eyes widening, shifting to Eryk''s, giving her obvious clues as to the nature of her report. Prodea just smiled losing her raging temper to Eryk''s incompetence - though the evidence is contrary to Prodea''s judgment and that the fault was not his.

    "We''ll continue our discussion this afternoon," she commanded the Earl while hiding the scrolls on the top shelf of her study. "I will summon Karr to accompany you later."

    "And our deal?"

    Prodea was halted, annoyed, for a few seconds then she moved closer to him looking him directly with her serious wide eyes. "I dare you to try and repeat that question again, Earl of Farindhal."

    Eryk arched his lips upward while stepping back slowly till he walked to the door to exit. His clear insulted face cannot be veiled by his usual charming attitude. Prodea noticed this but decided to let it go for another urgent matter is in front of her.

    "So, now that we have our privacy," she commanded her chair to flip around for her to sit awaiting Zeba''s news eagerly with amusement. "You may now speak your mind. After all, I expect that this report justifies your interruption, yes?"

    Zeba was surprised seeing her jump from one frightening demon to a smiling calm angel. Without a doubt, one of Prodea''s unpleasant attitudes. You''ll never know what she''s thinking inside her massive brain and that, for Zeba, is most disturbing.

    "Oh yes, your highness. I just confirmed the retired Juni Merl as our mystery seer."

    Prodea stood up grabbing Zeba''s hands tightly being ever so excited.

    "Wonderful, wonderful work Zeba. I knew it in my heart that you missing out lunch to obtain this key information will be highly rewarding."

    "But Grand Princess," she whispered almost afraid to spoil her great mood, "I think we may have a problem."

    Prodea furrowed losing her smile, putting off her warm hold gently, awaiting her explanation.

    "No, no, no," she hurried, chuckling nervously, "I mean it''s a problem, but it can be taken care of. Nothing to worry about."

    "What is it?"

    "It''s just... it''s just that he''s not that right in there," she pointed at her head to imply Juni''s condition, still smiling trying to purge what she thought to be the growing disappointment of Prodea, "not right in the head, if you know what I''m saying, Your Highness."

    "Of course, I know what you''re suggesting. Don''t be silly! So, he''s still at the city?"

    "I''m so sorry Your Highness, I know you ordered me to..." Prodea walked away slowly going near the windows in deep thoughts which she finds to be very surprising. She should''ve been up in her wits screaming at her inactions and wrong decisions, but she isn''t doing anything. She''s actually ignoring her words and that made her to drop her reasonable explanation and just wonder.

    "Zeba," she whispered which snapped her in her wondering, "grab my articles. We''ll go there and see for ourselves."

    Prodea hurriedly grabbed her long red cloak which she usually wears outside the Palace and wore it while racing to the door with Zeba behind her.

    "But Your Highness, Juni is a Fire Master with an essence peeking to critical. He literally tried to burn our Royal Escorts down if not for your Water Caster maidens. It almost drained them out healing them! They were six and he''s only on his own!"

    Prodea stopped in her strides almost annoyed with her gift of gab but unusually smiling.

    "I appreciate your concern, Zeba, but you shouldn''t really put any effort on minding my welfare. It is Juni you should be really thinking about."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Karus..." whispered a soft voice of a woman echoing all around.

    Karus slowly opened his eyes and smiled containing his excitement. He found himself again in the dark embrace of the white glittering crystal wisp slowly emerging on top of him. He''s been waiting for this instance for hours and at last the Herald of Bathala went through.

    He knelt down, pressing his clenched fists on his chest, bowing to the descending illuminating crystal ball. "Yes, Herald of Bathala," he whispered firmly to the wisp upon leveling to the ground. "What is Bathala''s wish?"

    "Hark, Son of Light! The White Demon has been spared from the dark clenches of death but he who is chosen need not be too complacent to Bathala''s Blessings. He who is chosen, and is destined to be the White Demon, will suffer insurmountable damages to his soul and his physical vessel if he''s not to acquire the All Seeing Eye as soon as possible."

    "But Great Herald, I do not know such thing? Can Bathala lead me to the location of such artifact?"

    "He who has been chosen is always guided. He who has been chosen will never lose way. He who has been chosen is always blessed with..."

    The silent rustle of the bushes at his right side snapped him into awakening. He stood up slowly thinking of the crystal''s final words while looking cautious on his surroundings. He knows that she''s about to say something there. Something that will help him find out what Bathala wants but he was again rudely interrupted by his senses. If only he had the time to ask her on how to contact her again then maybe he could''ve started on his training and stop meditating, forcing his body, willing it to sleep while struggling to maintain a focused and maintained consciousness.

    He heard a shriek of a young woman not far from his position. He immediately grabbed his gear and dashed quickly onwards to the location of the cry of the damsel without thought. His inner prince got the best of him, he thought in the middle of his stride, but he ignored his mind snickering for this impetuous response. He can only assume that this is brought by his training and his longing to go into action again, saving other people and some other things relatively equal to the idea. He has the knack for having that kind of mindset.

    "Ow, ow, ow!" whispered a young girl kneeling on the ground giving intervals of sharp sighs after deep breaths.

    Karus walked behind her, concerned in her state. He is certain he remembers her voice and that long bouncy brunette hair but was not sure, so he just gambled.

    "Are you all right, Lady Lime?" he asked doubtful if she is who he thinks she is.

    Lime jumped in fright running away a few steps from him dragging her long, rusty, and quite heavy claymore. She was quick and agile that Karus was taken to step back a little to give her comfort. Karus was surprised at this reaction from a woman, especially to a princess who he thought to have been living a grand life in their world being so graceful and demure. He just laughed seeing her serious face looking directly in his eyes.

    "Dear Lord! Sir Karus! Don''t you ever do that to me again!" she shouted angry and then slowly returning to fixing her bruised knee. "It is not proper for a gentleman to creep to a lady unannounced like that."

    Karus smiled walking near her. His silent foot was a product of his training so he noted to give himself a reminder that every time he walks near people again, he should reduce his stealthy steps. He grabbed a glass tube in his pack and knelt in front of her.

    "Here," he showed the white silvery liquid asking permission to apply it to her wound which she did accept nodding.

    Karus slid a drop of the mystery silver potion and applied it gently to the wound. The wound slowly closed up repairing itself leaving a sliver of white smoke emerging in the process.

    "That is a handy thing, that potion. What is it?" she asked reaching for the curious vial to see it closely after Karus pushed the stopper in place. Karus handed it to her still smiling.

    "Be careful with that," he reminded, "It''s called the White Angel and it is really expensive."

    "How can a unique and useful thing exist in this world that we didn''t know of?"

    "Oh, don''t worry princess. You can only see that here in our Holy Lands. In fact, you can only count a handful of people owning a vial or two of that. That''s how rare and expensive that is." He stopped for a few seconds figuring why he offered the very pricey potion he has to her. He needed that potion for emergencies and a flesh wound is clearly not categorized as an emergency, especially if it is just a scratch.

    Karus opened his palm asking for the vial which Lime surrendered and then he fixed it inside a metal canister and back to his gear.

    "What is it made of? I mean, what is it?" she asked with her curious almond eyes still fixed at his gear where he put the potion.

    "Even I didn''t know what this thing is made off," he explained, "The only thing I know is that the seers are the only ones that are capable of producing such tonics and it takes a long time to process it for safe usage. That''s why it''s so rare and expensive."

    Karus stood up together with Lady Lime, with her giving her curtsy in thanks. Karus noted this by giving a short nod in reply.

    "Forgive my intrusion, but what are you doing out here all alone?" Karus continued trying to maintain their conversation.

    "Well, if you should know, I actually came in here to train. I used to go to the clearing where you were at earlier, but I saw that you are meditating, and I wouldn''t want to disturb you, soI went here instead."

    "Well this is no ground for training," Karus smirked kicking the stones on the ground to prove his point. "The floor is uneven and there are a lot of rocks and boulders lying around. How can you..."

    "You see my dilemma here?" she grinned picking her rusty claymore on the ground.

    "If you want, we can share the clearing. That way you can do your training in peace and I can do mine too. I mean it''s big enough for me and..."

    "Gladly!" she said excited and curiously smiling running towards the clearing, dragging her rusty claymore. Karus just smiled as he followed her in her pace.

    It is a silent stride from the ruins to the training ground. Karus just looked down on the ground until she broke the wall of silence that appears to have robbed them both of words.

    "Hey, are you staying near the area?"

    "Yes, in fact I am. And you?"

    "No sir, I stay at the Palace. I only go here so that I can be alone."

    "So, why here? There are a lot of hiding spots to train."

    "I think it''s seems pretty obvious. It''s because of the river east from here and the fruits all around. It''s like this field is meant to be a training ground but I don''t think no one has ever thought of that, I mean besides you and me. Right? And the map never shows this area, so its secrecy is pretty much inviting."

    Karus nodded delighted, surprised with her cartography knowledge. She must''ve studied a map in the library and surveyed it herself. The area is practically hidden in maps. If you can analyze the flow of the river as well as the mountain range formation you can see a discrepancy from the map. Only a natural cartographer would understand that inconsistency and that made him smile a bit. Finding the hidden locations that Dal''Gur specifically concealed in his maps clearly shows a critical eye. He was most impressed by this feat, particularly on the fact that she did that on her own and without a twin brother, like him, to assist her.

    "So, I just figured I must''ve interrupted your meditation there for shouting so loud like that. I''m so sorry by the way," she beamed with smiling eyes walking fast. "And thank you," she hurriedly added.

    "Oh, that''s nothing. I''m always happy to serve. I''m a sword master after all. It''s kind of our thing, protecting someone." He immediately noticed her burden that he literally forgot. It''s not very prince-like for him not to offer his services to a burdened damsel. He knows that it isn''t in his nature to forget something like this; it''s in his code and, in spite of it all, he forgot so he immediately offered, "um, Lady Lime, may I impose on carrying your burden?"

    "Absolutely not," she smiled which confused Karus. He was going to pursue the topic but she cut-in explaining, "What I meant is that I''m not your typical princess waiting for my knight or Lord. I know I need to improve and in order for me to do that I need to be able to stand on my own. To pick up my own things relying on my own strength, without resorting to the help of any servant, or in this case to a great knight such as yourself. I am born a princess, a woman, but that doesn''t mean that I''m ready to place myself among those who they consider as weak and helpless. I want to empower myself and in order for them to understand that and believe it, I need to demonstrate a change. A change that starts with me."

    Karus was lightened by what he heard. It''s not just because of the fact that she can still deliver her message faster than anyone alive he knew, but because she has created her own principle, her own philosophy. Based on what he''s been seeing around, kids at his age doesn''t really dwell on the possibility of finding their own unique set of codes to live through with them in their life. You can only witness a few of these enlightened mortals once or twice in your lifetime or none at all. They are a dying breed, free thinkers of the new age, filled with wisdom that was passed by their elders and all around. They have the capacity to perceive the knowledge that is scattered everywhere when everybody is measuring reality with trivialities.

    "Why are you so silent like that?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows after a moment of silence between them, "Are you not convinced in my convictions?"

    "No, no," Karus laughed upon shoving the bushes enough to give her space to enter the clearing, "it''s the contrary."

    "Hey... are you making fun of me?" Karus felt chills as her eyes pierced his. "Men are always like that! Smiling at our ideas, thinking how small our views are!"

    "No, no! Of course, not!" he immediately explained trying to ease the growing tension that''s been filling her. "I will never do that! No. that''s not very prin- I mean, Daomagar-like, sizing down people, especially to a young woman of your stature. We treat women here equally."

    "Then teach me!"

    Silence filled the whole clearing yet again as Karus tried to analyze what just happened for a few seconds. He was not sure he heard right so he asked.

    "P-pardon?"

    "You are a sword master, right? Teach me the skills of a true warrior!" she demanded crossing her arms after pushing her claymore to stand on the ground, firmly stating her case convincingly. "If what you say is true and that you don''t discriminate, you''ll teach me, just like you teach a normal disciple! Just like you teach a man! Or are you one of those men who would rather waste their time than be associated with us women in combat training?"

    Karus just chuckled. He was bested by a woman, a foreign woman at that. She must''ve realized how he was so polite towards her. She must''ve used this to her advantage to try and lure him in. It''s a trap! He was lured in and trapped! He was right in his assessment about her intellectual superiority, but he didn''t account for the guile and capriciousness of women. Truly a skill no man can simulate. He is determined to teach her because he detected a slight similarity with her attitude and determination. To think something like that impromptu in the middle of their walk really impressed him - plus the idea of having a spy inside the Palace is practically enticing. It''s a win-win situation. He''ll just need to convince Kayzar but that, he thought, is going to be easy.

    Lime''s lips arched upwards as she dropped her gear at the ground.

    "So, Master! What shall we learn today?!"

    "Alright, alright. But know this. By wanting to be my student you will abide to my every whim, understood?"

    "Yes Master!" she hurriedly answered in excitement.

    "That means whatever I order you to finish, you finish without stopping, without resting, until you accomplish."

    "Yes, Master."

    "And you will comply with my rules and regulations without complaints."

    "Yes, Master! I will do everything you order!"

    He was surprised with her determination being both excited and concentrated at that time that he remembered what happened the first time he trained with his Grandfather Narra. He used the same words his Gramps said in his introductions only he asked him a lot of questions that it took them an hour to start. He was surprised at her reaction that he got to ask. "Wow, you''re really up for it?"

    "Yeah? I mean, I told you what I want right?"

    "That will mean that you''ll be my first disciple."

    "Then I''m honored, Sir Karus."

    "Hey! In this field you are to call me Master at all times."

    "Oh, right. Sorry, Master."

    "And if you are to train under me, expect to be pushed to the limits. I do not train weak warriors who cry and moan and complain. I will treat you as a first class Daomagar, so I expect you to discipline yourself."

    "Yes, master!"

    "Let''s start with the basics. You should really lose the fancy dress and wear something comfortable like a pair of silk pants and some loose tunics."

    "Why, what''s wrong Master? This is my most comfortable dress."

    "Yes, as much as you like that, you won''t have the freedom of movement I need for you to accomplish your task. And stop asking questions, just comply."

    "Yes Master!"

    "And of course, you should really tie or braid your hair if you want to keep me from cutting it short."

    Lime began to hold her brunette treasure while softly combing it gently with her fingers. You can sense the fear in her after hearing the threat to her precious hair. Karus saw that she wanted to ask questions but was impeded by his command. Karus felt somewhat guilty about giving that commandments but he needed order, and for him to achieve that, he needed complete obedience. Now he knows how his Gramps feel when giving an order.

    "And stop using your corset; Mobility and maneuverability are the key in battle! Instead, use a long silk to tie around as your upper undergarment. It gives a full support to your breasts. You have a rather large pair of..."

    Lime turned red after Karus''s words. She finds it hard to contain herself and slapped him to stop continuing.

    "That is not how a gentleman speaks to a woman! You don''t get to talk about our lady parts!"

    "Wh-wh..." Karus stuttered shocked feeling his left cheek which she attacked so ferociously. He was about to utter into clarifying his statements, but he noticed her angry squinting eyes, sohe just continued. "Okay, I''m sorry... J-just run fifty laps in this edge of the clearing. I think you can handle that, right?"

    "What!? Are you insane? It''s mid-afternoon and you want me to run fifty times in this huge expense of land?" she went closer squinting her eyes even further, "Are you just getting back at me from that slap?"

    "Wh- No, no. My master and my master''s master did the same thing to his disciples. You are really lucky I made it fifty. I used to run a hundred and fifty laps to an area thrice as big as this. And don''t you lose those magic words again if you don''t want me to punish you, alright?"

    "Okay Master," she said still with squinting eyes taking away the ribbons attached to her dress, "I told you not to go easy on me. If you took a hundred and fifty, I''m going to take three hundred."

    Karus was alarmed with her determination. He knows she doesn''t really have the vitality to do that. He was about to interrupt her and stop her, but she dashed on leaving him standing in thoughts. He finally decided to just sit and hope she reach to about forty. By then, he anticipated, she will lose will and drop on the ground all tired and unconscious. It''s a big troublesome problem, but at least she is sticking to her words and that is most commendable, especially to a girl of her stature who is somewhat unpredictable.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Juni Merl, Retired Grand Seer of the Holy Nagozulian Kingdom, we urge you to keep your calm and come out of your residence peacefully. We mean you no harm!"

    "What''s the meaning of this commander!?" shouted Prodea as she strode angrily with haste to her envoys cowering in the barrels that are at the sides of the house of the Grand Seer.

    "I''m sorry, your highness, he''s still unresponsive to us. Maybe if we give him enough time, he''ll..."

    "Nonsense, you incompetent tool! It''s been hours since you''ve been here! You should''ve contained the situation by now!"

    Prodea removed her cowl, threw it to Zeba and strode to the middle of the street. Zeba was surprised so she followed dashing on hurriedly pulling her arms respectfully to turn back.

    "Your highness, no!" she whispered somewhat afraid, "He''ll attack you!"

    "What do you think will happen? He''ll invite me in!? What''s the matter with you Zeba?"

    "But he''ll be executed if he lays a single attack on you!?"

    "Precisely. That or I kill him in the process, so move your stubby fingers away from my arms and watch while I finish what you failed to do."

    Zeba''s face began to turn purple slowly releasing Prodea''s arm. She''s not the Prodea she knew years before. She''s quickly turning evil. She has half the mind to take it all back, all the things she did for her and report all her plans directly to the Queen. If only not for her desire to be the new Queen; if only not for her desire for her son, Gantee, to be next in line instead of the Sons of Anagea, whom she despises more than anything. ''If onlys'' became her mantra for blocking her now shattering conscience. These are the only things that give her the energy to face those horrible nightmares that haunts her dreams ever since the incident at the North Western Cotton Village. The ''if onlys'' that she hopes would give her peace and happiness in the future.

    "Juni!" Prodea shouted creating a massive ball of fire as tall as her on her sides. "By order of the Queen, come out of your residence or else I will be forced to release this fire ball into your home in retaliation to your contemptuous attacks against the Royal Sentry!"

    Juni slightly opened a window and shouted in reply, "I did not attack any of your vermins! They are the ones who pursued to push my door knowing fully that my defensive charms are in place! I cannot be held liable for their incompetence!"

    "Even so, as Chief Magistrate of the Kingdom of Nagozul, I order you to come out of your residence and face a tribunal for your malicious actions against my envoy or else I will be forced to burn your house down in order to extract you!"

    "Don''t make me laugh, Prodea! Even the Queen would never agree on your incomprehensible logic, more so a tribunal of my peers! I invoke my right for a lawful summon by the Queen. By orders of the Late King Liwanag on equality in defense of the household, I am entitled to defend my territory if an unlawful summon has been given, even if it is you!!!"

    Prodea smirked, insulted with what he said, "Well, suit yourself."

    She directed the ball in front of her with her palms opened and released it to the house. The ball of fire rolled quickly burning the ground on its path and exploded with a tremendous deafening bang that echoed all around.

    Juni''s house can be seen unscathed as soon as the smoke cleared but the houses of Juni''s neighbors caught on fire almost immediately raising an alarming scream within the area of people running to get away from the growing tension between the two.

    "Impressive Old Man!" Prodea shouted, summoning hundreds of small fist-sized fire balls around her, "You still got some juice in you even in your old age!"

    Juni suddenly appeared slouching on top of his house with both palms on the sides open after the black smokescreen has subsided. Prodea saw a different kind of man: A man that is in total control of his elemental essence. And that doesn''t coincide with Zeba''s reports of being an old incoherent senile geezer. He jumped and floated for a few seconds in the air and closed both his hands putting off all the fire all around the area, even Prodea''s fire balls.

    Prodea was shocked and disturbed by this feat as she created a summoning circle around her straight away to defend her from any elemental attacks.

    "You are the Fire Sentinel!!!" she shouted surprised with his incredible skill to extinguish fire all around.

    The Fire Sentinel is a title given to the strongest fire elemental in a generation. Every Element has a sentinel and only the Fire Sentinel''s identity is a secret. The Earth, Water, and Wind Sentinels are currently the Grand Seers in the palace so Prodea naturally assumed that the Fire Sentinel has long perished and the position is now available for any candidates thinking that there is no mention of the person in the records.

    Juni returned slouching on top of the roof top smiling with his annoying dental clicks. "I''m surprised you''re still stupid Prodea! You''re still fifty steps behind your brother! I thought you very well know who you''re up against and have prepared just a little! Do not mock me with your low-level skills, turn back now and I''ll be kind enough not to tell this to your brother."

    "Prodea!" shouted Zeba, "Let''s turn back! If he''s the Fire Sentinel, then you''ll never be able to use your fire skill around him!"

    "Yes, I know that, you meddling fool!" she shouted back angrily, "Stop interfering or I''ll include you too in my wrath!"

    "Ohoho, listen to your vermins! They''re much smarter than you!"

    Prodea smiled and etched circular runes around the air. Juni noticed this and tensely shouted, "NO! Prodea! That''s..."

    "What!" she interrupted, "Are you ready to surrender yet?"

    Juni released a gushing fire tornado to Prodea but the circular runes surrounding her just absorbed the blast leaving her without a scratch chuckling in delight to his futile attempt to disrupt her.

    "You''ve gone rotten Prodea!" he furiously shouted on top of his lungs. "Messing with Dim''ion''s Magicks is not funny!"

    "TO YOU IT''S NOT!" she shouted as she finished her summoning circle in the air.

    "RUN! ALL OF YOU! RUN AWAY!!!" shouted Juni as he created a force blast throwing all the people away from Prodea, even her envoys and Zeba.

    A fiery dark smoking serpentine monster appeared sneaking out of the summoning circle. It extended ten feet long, two feet wide. Its vile features include a long sharp pair of fangs that drops a black putrid liquid that hisses on contact with the ground, burning half a foot of area in the process.

    "Try extinguishing black fire now! You are the famous Fire Sentinel after all!? And you are famous on these kinds of things..."

    "HOW DARE YOU SUMMON A BLACK DEATH HERE IN NAGOZUL!"

    "Me!?" she laughed hard mocking him, "I didn''t summon this!? You did! Or at least that''s what I''m going to report to the Queen. I can already see the headlines. Grand Seer Juni found to have been using dark arts and have accidentally summoned a Black Death. It has a great tune in it, right?"

    "YOU HAVE NO SOUL YOU IMPUDENT DEMON! IT WILL KILL EVERYONE IT SEES AND BURN THE CITY TO ASHES! HAVE YOU NO CONSCIENCE!"

    "Correction. Everyone, except me. It''s your problem now." She moved her hands to her sides commanding the Black Death to slither away to escape like a quick slug leaving a sludge of black acid eating away the life of the earth, burning it to charcoal black.

    Juni saw that it is running towards the road leading to the market where many people can fall victim to its malicious nature, so he immediately jumped to the streets. He raced in front of the slithering monster giving away himself as the first victim to the monster''s eye to stop the moving fiend. His mind at the time is as clear as day, focusing all his energies to his amplifiers which suddenly appeared at his back floating.

    Prodea was again surprised as she saw those three Amplifyers floating around him. Three red rubies are burning bright almost white circling him. That should not be possible, that many amplifiers would''ve sucked the soul out of him and kill him on activation. His essence is not bordering critical as Zeba previously reported, his essence is beyond that - even beyond her with her estimate. That only proved one point, that he is indeed the only person without royal blood to have ever summoned the mythical white fire and has enough sanity to live and tell about it. His elemental essence is so high he can hold up to three Amplifyers, and that made her devious arching lips to giggle in delight and excitement.

    He moved his hands in front anticipating the cruel beast''s actions. "You will never see another soul here! Not while I''m around!"

    He clenched his fists as his eyes turned an illuminating intense red glow bordering to white. The Black Death shrieked in pain as the smoke coming out of his corrupted body slowly grew thin as if it''s being suffocated revealing its original disturbing bony skeleton figure masked by the black fire that surrounds it.

    "The All Seeing Eye?" shouted Prodea being distressed in his situation. "You know how to use the All Seeing Eye!? Stop! You''re killing it!"

    Juni just snickered at Prodea''s cry. "Thought I can''t do it, huh? That I''m too old for this?"

    "Yes! So back off!" she replied creating small circular runes in mid-air that created four black pockets of void on top of her that heavily gushed a jet of water, much like what Bakunawa did to her but slightly weaker.

    This snapped Juni''s meditation releasing the Black Death in its suffocating bondage in order for him to defend himself to the four sword-like torrents that''s in front of him. He knelt down fast grabbing the ground with his palms and created a scorching fire wall six feet wide. The gushing water was halted and evaporated on contact with the defensive wall but, due to the fact that the fire element''s weakness is water, one jet made through and lacerated his right shoulder. Good thing he managed to jump a few paces back after he summoned the wall for after just two seconds, the other three jets came rushing by piercing the earth he stood earlier, creating a miniscule explosion on contact, digging the ground twenty feet deep with its power.

    As soon as the wall disappeared, the Black Death came charging with its huge mouth opening for a kill. Juni managed to blast him away with a fire explosion but it squirted his vile rancid poison that reached the palm of his left arm. He immediately enchanted his right arm with fire and without hesitation cut his left hand.

    "Prodea," he angrily whispered with his annoyed dental clicks and angry sighs of pain, "I don''t care who you are, you are going to die today for this!"

    Prodea saw Juni glow white with another Amplifyer activating on his abdomen. He embedded himself with a five-inch Amplifyer! An act that that is most forbidden to commoners. An act that only people born in Royalty can do. She can see his body being enveloped with the mythical white fire, burning an intense glow, scorching everything ten feet around him. Enchanting an item is easy, Prodea thought, enchanting a part of your body can be somewhat hard but enchanting your whole body is something bordering to impossible, much so with white fire. What she''s seeing is clearly beyond her comprehension.

    An enchantment of white fire to the whole body can only be done by one person: The Immortal Nagozul, Prince Karus, Son of Nagozul, also known as the Legendary White Demon, the one who has been killed in the Elven Rebellion. Other than that, nobody, not even her with her intense essence, can conjure up that kind of power to create an ultimate offensive and defensive enchantment. With a single touch, he can destroy, incinerating to ashes, anything while defending himself to almost all things physical and elemental. It''s the ultimate power of the Immortal Nagozul and only he knows how to acquire it.

    The Black Death cowered slowly backwards almost crying in fear losing its smoky fa?ade.

    "Oh, you''re going to pay for my arm now!" he shouted as he ran towards the fiend grabbing his now cowardly tail from slithering away. At one touch he extinguished the black flame on his tail and crushed its bony figure. The malicious beast screamed its pitiful shrieks and spat him liters of his foul poisons but that didn''t do him any good. Juni was completely covered with the marvelous white fire.

    Prodea can''t almost see his face being so brightly lit. She can only see a flowing figure of a brightly burning man brutally squashing her Black Death till it''s extinguished of its depravity and is completely in ashes.

    "I know I should''ve killed that fiend twenty years ago!" he shouted after heaving much, slowly standing to face her, growing angrier as he walks towards her. "I never would''ve guessed someone would''ve found my book and dare use it against me when I explicitly entered in the heading that it is much vile and dangerous! It took us years to contain that beast and you just let it out in the open like that!"

    Juni flicked a flint of fireball to Prodea''s right side and it exploded causing her to be thrown away to the wall on her left.

    "Oh, please!" he shouted annoyed, "Do not use your phantom hands at me! You know I''m using the All Seeing Eye. I can see everything! Every summoning ritual you''re hiding, every weakness in your body, every hole in your defensive barrier - even your shivering frightened eyes. You look pathetic as it is! Don''t aggravate your situation!"

    "So, you''re going to kill me, is that it?" she asked smiling though she''s on the verge of breaking her impenetrable persona with fear lurching every single drop of sweat in her body.

    "For you, Your Highness," he mocked laughing, "I will end your pitiful demented existence quickly without giving you much pain. But first, I need to know. Who else knew about my books!?"

    "You''re going to die and you''re still thinking of your worthless articles?"

    "How great of you to still think you have the advantage in the situation you brat! Of course, I will answer for my actions, but you''ll be disposed long before that."

    Prodea stood up smiling now confident, "Are you sure?"

    Juni backed away frightened. He was losing the enchantment. He can see his body slowly returning to normal, losing his defensive white fire.

    "No," he murmured. "I counted. I have another ten minutes more... this is impossible!"

    "You see, I also like to count too," Prodea replied deviously smiling glad, "If you have just gone out and killed me already, none of this would''ve happened - I mean that''s what I would''ve done. Just kill the target and everyone she knows, just to filter out some lose ends instead of asking the target silly questions."

    Juni created a fire ball and hurled it to Prodea which she just shoved away easily to Juni''s house. It exploded blasting half his front wall leaving the dancing flames to eat away the remaining structure.

    "I didn''t expect you''d know the All Seeing Eye, an unknown secret of the Yagisivians. Just so you know, the All Seeing Eye is always used in the beginning of every battle. But alas, you didn''t know that. If you have used it when you appeared on your silly rooftop you would''ve seen my hidden runes while I was summoning my precious Black Death!"

    "You put a Draining Hex on me!?"

    "Wow, bravo! Glad you''re still thinking straight after that."

    Juni''s Amplifyer floating on his left side exploded. He dropped down convulsing in pain, screaming.

    "and even after that..." his other floating Amplifyer exploded almost crushed to pieces.

    "No!" He pleaded crying in pain as his extremities shake and twitch leaving him paralyzed on the ground, "Please kill me now. Please don''t do this."

    "Why would I kill you, I wanted to know more about you. I mean I can''t just kill someone who killed my precious Black Death, where''s the fun in that!?"

    And as the last floating Amplifyer exploded, all he can blurry see was her silent giggle slowly fading and then all turned to black.

 19 the PREDICAMEN

    "Oh, you''re awake! Great! Grab your breakfast and eat this berry. This''ll help you quickly recover."

    "Ow, ow, ow! What happened, Master?"

    Lime found herself in the clearing under a tall tree on the bright morning the day after her attempt of pushing her body to its limit. She discovered all her extremities bound in white bandages as a rosy pink smear peeks on the edges round her left knee suggesting she has sustained quite an injury. She didn''t feel any open wounds, but she feels as if ten giants took their turns to slap her body sore.

    She stood up and tried her best to stretch her body as she was invigorated by the weird fruity smell of the marinated roasting fish crackling on the bonfire. Karus is eating his apparent third serving of the foot-and-a-half fish close to the fire almost ten paces far from her.

    "Well, you did injure yourself doing your laps and fell on the ground unconscious but you''re fine now."

    "Wh-what?! I did finish my laps? Right, Master!?"

    Karus smiled looking at her eager eyes and nodded. This brought a fiery passion within her as she started to crawl near him and grabbed her share of the huge fish on a stick. Karus just chuckled continuing his meal.

    Although she just reached a hundred and twenty-seven laps last night before falling unconscious, her true grit to still push on inspired him. So even though she did not really finish her promised task of three hundred, he wouldn''t mind lying to her to give her some satisfaction on her efforts. After all she did manage to drag her body for a lap and a half unconscious and bleeding.

    "This is good!" she gaily exclaimed, "Really good! Master! What''d you put in here?"

    Karus snickered as he asked surprised, "Are you teasing me or something?"

    "No! Really! It''s the best fish I''ve had so far. And believe me, I''ve tasted quite plenty back in the East."

    "Tell that to Kayzar and Yosh," he whispered grinning.

    "Who?"

    "I - uh - nothing," he cringed inside feeling awkward forgetting about his disguise, so he quickly changed the topic, "I-it''s just - uh - the usual herbs and spices. You know? We''re praised for our great spices here. That''s just the basic mix. It''s nothing compared to a kitchen full of exotic ingredients."

    "Yes, like in the Palace. Chef Mort makes the perfect meals! The explosion of flavors really invites you to take a bite out of every single dish served even if you''re full."

    "Mort," he silently laughed, "he''s nothing compared to the great Chefs Kudos and Madj, which I warn you, makes the most addictive Red Meat Stew, Fruit Drinks, Grilled White Meat..."

    "Oh, Dear Lord!" she stood up almost instantly feeling tensed and disturbed.

    "What is it?" Karus followed as she immediately ran to get her things.

    "I got to get back at the Palace, Master. My father would be furious if he finds out that I''m not in my quarters, which I think will be soon since it''s a four-hour trek from here to there."

    "No, you''re not. In your condition, trekking isn''t an option. Not only that you won''t get to reach your four-hour bar, you won''t reach the Palace in time for dinner. And besides, I''ve been here for years and it''s nowhere near a four-hour walk. Trust me. You''ll be much better if I scour for your tall beast horse. It''s around here, somewhere, right?"

    "You don''t know my father. He will be so devastated he''ll summon a search party and will scour every inch of the city and that would be really, really embarrassing."

    "The sun hasn''t quite settled itself in the sky yet so that means its halfway till lunch."

    "Yes! It''s nine o''clock and in about an hour or so he''ll be comin'' up my room to check on me."

    "Well, then, you''re in luck!"

    Lime stopped gathering her things as she stood up looking around the clearing, "Thank the Lord you have a spare horse!" She walked for a while almost searching for her miraculous stallion only to find Karus smiling wide. "Master, I really appreciate your humor, but I think that I don''t find this very funny."

    "We Daomagarians do not use beasts to travel such great distance. We use our Bathala-given feet!"

    "And how do you propose we move at such a distance, Master? Even if you carry me there running, cutting the travel time in half, it wouldn''t even matter. No one can run for five miles non-stop carrying another person in just an hour!"

    "True. It''s impossible for a Daomagar to run five miles carrying someone in an hour. That''s utterly ridiculous..." He stopped picking her travel pack on the ground still with confidence, "We only do it in twenty minutes. Thirty minutes tops."

    "The Great Dash! Of course!" she cried but was taken aback slowly stepping back. "But uh... you see... That means I''ll be clinging on your back..."-

    "What''s wrong with that? That''s not actually humiliating."

    "B-but It''s wrong and I''m... I''m a woman... and..."

    "Oh..." Karus smiled tilting his head in confusion. "Is it wrong in your lands for women to cling at the back of a man? What a weird custom."

    "Ye- no... yes..."

    Karus''s eyebrows knotted still in confusion. "Is that a yes or a no? I''m not sure what you want." He suddenly figured out clapping his hands upon realization. "Ah! I know what you meant. Don''t worry I will not do anything untoward. You have my promise as a Holy Sentinel."

    "It''s not it... I''m..." she paused for a few seconds pushing her lips to the sides. "I''m a bit embarrassed... I mean I''m dirty and filthy and sme..."

    Karus laughed interrupting her, kneeling backwards offering his back. "Nah, don''t worry about that. We roll on the dirt countless times we practically live on filth as apprentices, so I know a thing about being in training. No one can train and remain clean, that''s what baths are for."

    Lime walked slowly, clinging carefully in awkwardness which Karus noted so he waited a few more seconds till she''s all settled in.

    "Um, not to sound rude but you may want to brace yourself tightly. I don''t want you to be thrown away injuring yourself further. After all, we''re going to be moving faster than you''re used to. If you fall, it''ll be a hundred feet of further rolling before you stop and that''s practically dangerous in your state."

    "Yes, Master!" And that''s all Lime said closing her eyes smiling as Karus ran towards the capital.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The sharp smell ran almost burning Juni''s nostrils down to his throat, awakening him to yet another horrific nightmare. He still recognizes all the moldy slabs of huge bricks surrounding him all connected by a chain that connects with his arms and legs all spread apart, hanging him at least two feet above the floor like a pitiful ornament. He fancied a short dream about escaping the awful place, but all was an illusion possibly given to him by Bathala to offer him some sort of solace, a little mercy, in his agonizing fate.

    He is still inside the lower catacombs of the Palace. It''s a contemptibly ironic place to be after reviewing his situation. It is the perfect, albeit cruel, venue for his ill-fated detention. A place where all your screams will not amount as much as a faint whisper to any concerned soul''s ear. No one enters the catacombs, much so in the lower parts of it.

    He noticed the remaining part of his left arm cauterized and wrapped around in a clean bandage. He would''ve thanked Prodea for this, thinking she'' has a little ounce of goodness left clinging in her soul but he figured she only did this to prevent him from losing blood or acquiring an infection. A method to buy her time for her unusual interrogation, he thought sighing as he looks in her smiling eyes confirming his hunch.

    "Wake up sleepyhead~"

    As his senses gradually came to be, the pounding pain pulsates at his left shoulder came wildly apparent, ravenously eating away the peace he once had, rushing in to take control of his focus. He tried to concentrate blocking all the pain but was halted by a severe shock inside his head - clearly a work of Prodea''s enchantments.

    "Hey, hey, hey. Don''t faint on me again," snapped Prodea, "I''ve wasted enough Spirits of Hartshorn to revive you again and again it could practically kill you."

    Juni laughed almost insanely at Prodea. "Then by all means, I welcome death. Do you think I''m afraid of you Little Prodea?"

    Prodea retaliated slapping him to stop. "I SAID DON''T CALL ME THAT!" She came down from her levitation to the floor frustrated. "Bathala help me! I will rip your arm apart if you don''t stop insulting me!"

    "Awww, Little Prodea is humiliated by..."

    Juni''s mockery was immediately interrupted as he saw an invisible hand twisting his left arm. The crackle of his bones bounced on the dimly lit chamber. He tried his best to resist the suffocating pain grinding his teeth in agony, forcefully till his gums bleed, as his left biceps turned blue.

    "SEE!? I TOLD YOU I''M NOT JOKING! You''re lucky I didn''t pull that away!"

    "This is a waste of time Prodea..." he weakly whispered panting. "Either kill me or let me go... You got what you wanted..."

    "OH NO, NO, NO! I''LL DECIDE IF I GOT WHAT I WANTED!? NOT YOU!"

    "So, what do you want!?" he shouted almost whimpering in pain, "You took everything from me! What more could you possibly want that warrants further pain!"

    "TELL ME HOW YOU MANAGED TO CREATE A RED EMERALD!!!"

    Juni smiled and looked below to his abdomen where his emerald is embedded. "Years of research, this ridiculous thing gave me. You think I will reveal to you how I made a fusion of Ruby and Emerald? This secret will be with me to the grave! Artemus made sure of that and you can''t do anything about it."

    Prodea rushed floating to face him with a surprisingly calm temper. "What''s the harm in giving me the secret? Hmm?" she whispered hovering, taunting him, "You''ve already told me about Dim''ion''s Global Binding Spell? Isn''t that more dangerous than your precious Red Emerald?"

    "Having the Red Emerald Amplifyer gives you both the capacity to control and maximize fire combustion. I cannot have a White Demon rampaging around the Holy Lands killing everyone on my conscience."

    "But I have the Global Binding Spell? It''s in here in my mind! With this I can kill everyone, and yet you didn''t even endure much before spilling it out?"

    "YOU PRIED THAT IN MY BRAIN YOU PIECE OF YIT''ARD!"

    "Tsk, tsk. Such language."

    "Besides, with your weak essence, you''ll just die in the process. You cannot handle the red emerald."

    "Oh, and how did you know? I am only ten points below your essence?"

    "On record that is!" he deriding her sources almost insulting her. "Ten points... Ha! I know you could attest that I am far more superior than your pathetic essence. But even then, I wasn''t worthy in the end to exploit its full potential..."

    Prodea smiled wryly, "I see... so I don''t have to make it."

    "Wh-what that you say?" Juni asked chuckling, hiding his evident fear.

    "Oh, Juni," whispered Prodea combing Juni''s long beard with a smile shaking her head in disappointment, "You think you''re smarter than me? You think you and petty older brother can both connive to block me!? NO! I AM smarter than both of you combined!"

    "You''re delusional, Prodea," mocked Juni with his wide grin, "Your intellect cannot even catch up to an inkling of mine. Good luck surpassing your brother."

    "Artemus''s memory protection is not absolute. It is a two-way process, you know."

    "Wh-what do you mean?"

    "Not laughing now, are you?" yelled Prodea getting the upper hand, "You see, in order for him to block your memory, he has to hide it to the furthest recesses of your mind. He has to completely cover it in darkness. And it only takes a flicker of cinder to light the way to your precious little treasure box." Juni''s eyes widened with fear as Prodea''s face turned frightfully sinister. "Thanks to you, I found it!"

    The three-foot Phantom Hand of Prodea appeared before him giving off a ghastly grayish smoke all around it. It immediately pushed to his abdomen almost clawing to grab the five-inched Red Emerald that is embedded. The resulting painful stab just made him grunt in pain, angry but still smiling devilishly.

    Prodea moved closer whispering in his ears. "You know, I just wanted you to see my Phantom Hand one last time. No Nagozulian can pull this off but me. Just goes to show that your precious Artemus isn''t really the genius he''s dubbed to be."

    "Hey Prodea," Juni leaned to Prodea''s ear whispering back, coughing up a weak laugh or two, "You forgot one thing..." His eyes turned white as his Amplifyers amplified the whole room to white. Prodea was disturbed and tried her best to move back but she couldn''t. She could not pull the Phantom Hands away from Juni''s bloody abdomen as if the old seer trapped it in a clutch. "You forgot to ask me about the prophecy..."

    With his last words, Prodea''s eyes were filled with surprise.

    Juni''s body gradually turned into a wonderful radiance lighting his body in white fire. The resulting energy burned her left hand, but she managed to put a protection spell immediately saving her to be burned to a crisp. Juni then smiled contented, closing his eyes, as he exploded burning the whole room within a second, turning all slabs of bricks to char black, throwing her away, slamming into the wall to fall down disgracefully on the ground, ruining her perfectly colored red silk robe.

    "JUNI!!!!!!!" she shouted furiously releasing an explosion of red fire creeping to the whole room, burning it again in her tantrum.

    After about a minute of angry shrieks and the wild dancing of red fires all around the room, she calmed herself down and sat on the floor depressed. She sat there quietly for about another minute till a glint of light sparkled on the corner of her horizon. She curiously stood up and slowly approached the sparkling object and smiled.

    "You tricky little monkey," she whispered as picked up the gem below. She created a fireball to light the gem as she inspected it. She saw a broken three-inched dirty green shard with a mixture of plush red swirling around inside as if a drop of blood dances within. Her phantom hand must have saved it in the resulting force trapping a little of Juni''s essence in the process. "At least I have some souvenir left from your insolent existence!!!" she yelled as if talking to him. She wants the satisfaction of seeing her opponent''s eyes with fear thinking she has the upper hand but got humiliated instead so she was a little happy she got something belonging to him. At least, she thought, she got back at him somehow.

    "Your highness," entered Zeba looking down on the floor that has a thick black charcoal coat, "Got everything you need?"

    "No Zeba. Not quite yet." Then she smiled as she hovered to the door to exit.

    Before Zeba can ask where the old fool of a seer was, Prodea has gone passing her by in a frantic rush. Another person in her list that will haunt her at night, she feared.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Liar!"

    Sarram grunted heavily containing himself. "Don''t you dare mock me in front of your daughter, Cousin Sayed," he whispered frustrated, "Do not test my patience!"

    "Well, at least now you got to practice on building up on that because I will not put up with this," he calmly stated smiling as if in insult.

    His brown hair is short-trimmed all brushed back. His golden vest shimmers giving pride to their family name as the caretakers of Bathala''s hills, wearing the Bolann Family''s crest. He looks cleaner and more professional than Sarram in their business meeting inside his study at the Palace of Hishma.

    Sarram looked at Illyriah with fury, "Why are you here!?" he shouted jolting Illyriah in her seat almost frightened, "Get out and give the grownups some privacy!"

    Sayed snapped invoking a water bubble on the floor. "You''re stepping on thin line here, cousin. If you insult my daughter''s presence again, I may just have enough right to drag you out all the way back to your Palace. Even if you''re the Queen''s favorite. We have the same designation. We are both a Prince to Nagozul, so I wouldn''t be punished if I serve you up to your mother crying in shame."

    Sarram walked near him breathing in his face, still with rage in his eyes, "Well then, let''s see if you can. Let''s see you beat me first in battle."

    Sayed faced him, bravely without flinching, "Finishing a course with your General Ugan won''t help you beat me, cousin. Remember that even if you''re a Molder and I''m just a lowly Caster, I still have the upper hand. You may be strong, but my essence is far greater than you, three-fold at the very least. Even I know that that gives me roughly fifty percent advantage."

    "Well, let''s see you try still, cousin," he mocked, "Let''s see you try, you puny little coward!"

    Sayed scoffed infuriating Sarram even further, "Well better a coward than a lowly thief."

    Sarram shouted blasting the doors and then marched out in his tantrum leaving a mess of debris of wood, gems, and precious metals that were once was a part of an intricate design of expensive and artistic antique double-leaved door. The two just sat in silence for a while waiting for the calm to settle in.

    "Well, I''ve been meaning to replace that distasteful door anyway," Sayed laughed calming the storm in Illyriah''s tensed heart. "My great-great-great grandfather made that awful, awful, door and no one has ever had the courage to tell him how horrendous that thing is, up to this day! Can you believe that? I''ve been denying my thoughts to that door for quite some time now. Good thing I have a reason to replace it now."

    Illyriah just looked down almost crying which discontinued Sayed''s further mockery of the door Sarram blew to shreds. He didn''t mean for her to witness this so he''s a bit distraught about the events that has transpired.

    "Father," Illyriah whispered almost hesitant, "Why won''t you yield? Give the rights to Hishma already..."

    Sayed looked at her directly with a smile and a sigh, "I can''t, my dear. We have been entrusted with an honorable task of keeping the mines holy. Our ancestors trusted our lineage to uphold the sanctity of one of the holiest of places here in Nagozul. We cannot betray that trust."

    "But father, if you do not grant their wishes, they''ll just take our mines by force! Stopping them would be in vain. It would only make matters worse."

    "It will not," he went closer to her and held her hands while kneeling on the floor. "What counts is that we upheld our honor, our family name''s integrity, our pride, so that one day, when we face Bathala in Paraiso, we will be glorified and we will be proud, as my father will be, and his father before him, even your mother. Oh, my little Lily, one day you will understand this."

    "I do, I do," she tried looking down feeling sad for being selfish. "It''s just that I don''t want you to endanger yourself. I''m worried, father," she murmured breaking in tears, "Uncle Sarram has a reputation of beating other nobles almost to death if he doesn''t get what he wants. I just can''t live feeling like this. The tension between you two is ever increasing that I fear one day it would cost you your life."

    Sayed embraced her daughter tightly calming her down, "Shh... Now, now. Don''t fret. Remember why I brought you here lately when I''m in a business deal?"

    Illyriah nodded her head pushing her chin to her father''s shoulders.

    "It''s because I want you to understand the way things work." He pulled her away looking directly with his reassuring eyes, "I am showing you the reality of life. How unfair and unnerving it is. But still, you mustn''t give in and sway to whoever''s in power, even if it costs you anything. You go with what''s right and what''s just. That''s our purpose here on Earth as Bathala''s sentinels. That''s what gives us life. That makes us worthy of the powers he granted us!" He stood up pulling her too to stand too, putting away her tears and fixing her hair, "One day, when I''m outrageously wrinkled and too crazy enough to even think, you would get to manage our mines and I would like you to think back from this day and remember my words."

    Illyriah gave a weak smile nodding.

    "Besides," he added chuckling pulling her to the open wall, "What could that plumpy prince possibly do? I am the Commander of the Water Caster''s Primary Assault Regiment. I think I can take him down with just a liter''s worth."

    She silently laughed maintaining a convinced face as they took their exit minding the broken shards of sharp debris that once was an ugly door. She doesn''t believe in her father''s assurance, even with the help of his confident eyes, but still she hopes for it. She knows what an unforgiving and sadistic man Sarram is. She personally witnessed five men to have actually ended up in the Nurse Station for a month as a casualty of being accused of talking behind the Grand Prince''s back. The injury that they sustained is much disturbing that if they had been beaten up outside the Palace, they would''ve been either in a deep sleep or dead. It just goes to show that the only thing stopping him from attacking his father is their blood ties, which will be disregarded once Sarram finally gets tired of the negotiations.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Y-Your Eminence!"

    Prodea stopped from his fast stride towards her chamber looking back at the shivering messenger with fear on his face that''s almost going to cry. "I''m in a hurry, and if that''s not really important, you''re going to regret interrupting my precious time!"

    "B-but it''s important, your grace!"

    "Yes! What is it!?"

    The messenger jumped in further fear as his tongue loosened up talking extremely fast, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there is a problem between your guests and Bakunawa."

    Prodea''s eyes widened as she hurriedly went near him, "What happened!? Speak fool!"

    "I can''t relay the full extent of the message, your eminence. All I know is that you are needed in the throne room with the Queen. Her Majesty''s rather anxious about this and she holds Bakunawa''s transcripted..."

    Before the messenger could ever finish his statement, Prodea rushed ahead, shoving him away, almost running to the throne room. She charged in the room within a minute calling for her mother.

    "Prodea!" shrieked the Queen upon her arrival. She pulled her inside closing the door in privacy.

    Prodea noticed that they were alone which made her very curious since it involves his guests and, most especially, Bakunawa. The very echo of Bakunawa''s name signals only one thing, the threat of the entire Holy Lands. There should be a multitude of seers with long faces in that room, but she found none and that made her smile for a second.

    "Why are you grinning? This is serious!"

    "Mother, what could this problem be that you''re biting your handkerchief again nervously?" Queen Fessa immediately hid her handkerchief placing it at her back as she returned her furious face, "Is something the matter mother?"

    "You''re my problem! You and your insolence to the Holy Lands! I do not expect this from you! You of all people!"

    "My what?" asked Prodea now acting clueless but snickering deep inside.

    "Bakunawa has launched an assault to the Eastern Empire''s reinforcements! Everyone is in the War Room! And believe me, they are not angry, they''re furious!"

    "Their reinforcements are dead!? How many?"

    "Three galleons, no survivors. It''s too early to say because no trace of them can be found. They''re now resting at the sea floor for all we know. And I only know this because Bakunawa gave me this detailed transcript of their arrival! The arrival you ensured to be safe and uncontested by anyone, especially him!"

    "Don''t worry mother, I will smooth things out! Just stay here. I''ll deal with those hotheads."

    The Queen pulled Prodea''s arms stopping her on her way.

    "This is not over Prodea! You are in serious trouble! Bakunawa has made some serious accusations to you and your brother Sarram too. It''s a good thing I''ve intercepted the telegram he sent to Artemus! If I hadn''t, he would''ve imprisoned the two of you for treason! By then, I wouldn''t even have any power to do anything! You could''ve robbed your brother of his throne!"

    "Oh, please mother!" she pulled her hand away from her mother''s grasp and went to the table on the corner for some refreshments, "We all know Artemus IS the rightful heir, not that fatso."

    "Don''t talk to your brother like that! Don''t talk to ME like that!"

    "Or you''ll do what!?"

    The Queen''s Amplifyer glowed invoking a giant fireball at her back on top of her. It intensified to a hot bright blue sphere until it vanished, hissing in the air. Fessa was surprised with his fire suppression skill, a technique so hard it is almost impossible to learn. She was further baffled as to why she is being forcefully pulled out from the floor floating for about five feet above ground as if being lifted by an unknown mysterious force and suddenly being bound by a strange energy disabling her movements to a still.

    "My, my," mocked Prodea genuinely stunned and happy at the same time, "I didn''t know you had it in you? With eyes ready for a kill? Now that''s the kind of mother I would''ve wanted to grow up to!"

    "W-What is this!?" she asked frightfully with a suppressed voice as if being suffocated, "Are you meddling with Dark Magicks!?"

    "So, what is this message Bakunawa relayed?" she inquired changing the topic.

    "He said that you''re out to destroy the Holy Lands and your guests are here to defile it," she stopped almost crying and then continued, "Is that true?"

    "Well..." she tilted her head thinking of how to put her explanation into words, "technically it is true but that''s not my goal. I mean, I can''t vouch for those stupid easterners and I can''t really explain my point to you, because obviously Bathala wasn''t too generous to give you much intellect, so I''m left with no other choice but to say that what I did and will do in the future is in, and always will be, his will. But don''t worry though, your favorite son shares your very astounding intellect thus he cannot have the capacity to follow my brilliant mind, much as to conspire with me. I''m doing this on my own - that I can be proud of!"

    The Queen sobbed disappointed at Prodea. "I didn''t raise you..."

    "YES!" she interrupted angry, "You didn''t raise me! I raise me! So, you can''t take credit for what I achieved and what glory I can do in his name!"

    "You''re a monster! This is not in his name! This is you, greedy for power..."

    Prodea interrupted her laughing hard, "Mother? Are you really that delusional!? The only person who''s really not addicted to the throne is Artemus and ME! Don''t think for a second that you don''t know that! You''re the one hobbling Artemus''s right to the crown doing ridiculous things to pass the kingdom to my pathetic excuse of a brother! Even when father is still in his death bed, you immediately usurped the kingdom. You didn''t even follow the mourning period and buried my beloved father immediately without the rite to Paraiso!"

    "What have you become!? You''ve become evil!"

    "Oh, please don''t turn the point against me. This is on you and your dreams! Put an end to your ridiculous speech. It''s being repetitive and honestly, it gets annoying! Evil this, evil that. I cannot honestly explain why Artemus can possibly stand you and still respect whatever you are. You''re the worst kind of mother there is!"

    "HOW DARE YOU!!!"

    "Shut up I need to concentrate!" An imprint of a figure of a hand pressed Fessa''s face disabling her to continue interrupting so she could talk to herself thinking. "Now, I have placed a curse on that wretched immortal, how did he escape that, I wonder? It is a very powerful, very old spell."

    Fessa violently tried to free herself from Prodea''s clutches with the muffled sound of her screams to get her attention.

    "Oh, sorry mother!" laughed Prodea taking off the hand that''s smothering her.

    "Are you trying to kill me!?" shrieked the Queen.

    "As tempting as that sounds, I can''t. Believe me mother, if I wanted to, I would''ve done so years ago. You''re still my mother so I still have some sliver of respect to you, whatever that is."

    "Then what do you want!?" she shouted furiously.

    "What I want is the realization of my goals, the culmination of my years of planning coming into fruition with ease. That''s what I want! And some people, like that wretched Bakunawa, keep on resisting the divine plan! Now what I want, in the present, is to remove him! Along with all of my other problems..."

    Fessa laughed mocking her, "I thought you said you''re smart? You can''t remove him! He''s immortal!"

    Prodea just smiled at her and giggled which then made the Queen to stop smiling and frown in anger again, "You see! That''s why I don''t explain things to dumb people. They tend to either babble nonsensically or just believing on some fancy bedtime story. Either way they are pathetic and hopeless."

    Prodea moved near a window, opened her palms towards it and commanded it to open releasing a strong wind gushing in the room making the red silk curtains to dance fiercely.

    "What are you doing?" asked the Queen almost with a terrified voice, "You can''t pull me outside like this. The guards will see you and will arrest you for treason! You will never get outside this room alive!"

    Prodea went to the window, closed her eyes and appreciated the warm light of the sun ignoring her mother''s threats for a few seconds until she smiles. "Who says something about going through the doors," she whispered as she floated five feet off the ground. This feat shocked the Queen leaving her to stutter to an incomprehensible jabber. "I have made a special chamber at the spire for our ailing Queen. In fact, I have done so years ago, thinking she''ll catch me in the act but sadly it only took her till today to realize anything''s amiss. She''s so hopeless but I think she''ll appreciate it considering the effort I made in making it habitable." She looked at her with a now devilish smile, "After all, it''s the least I can do for her for signing the kingdom to me."

    She pulled the Queen to her side as she jumped outside the giant framed window, flying fast up to the spire with the Queen screaming wildly at the top of her lungs.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "We have gathered here today to arrive at a critical decision that would shape the Holy Land''s future!" Shihiku roared in confidence addressing the Three Immortal Elder Beasts stating his case. They are in a dimly lighted underground cavern with him at the circular-leveled center. "If we do not act now, having the element of surprise in our advantage, we would fail the basic purpose of our existence here on earth: to Protect and Defend the Lands of Bathala!"

    "You have been ranting," interrupted the old grainy voice of a giant ant twice the size of Shihiku now appearing before him. He has full metal armor on his body, a pointy horn circling his head like a crown and has hair sticking out of his face as though having a grey beard. "We have heard your case repeatedly and yet I do feel you are, yet again, provoking us to attack the mortals with recklessness. Is it because you want to achieve something out of this scenario, uhm- let''s say, to get back on that left eye?"

    "Did Grog say something behind my back!?" shouted Shihiku looking at Grog sitting quietly, bowing down further at his side.

    "Sssssss--- You are at the privileged floor, Ssshihiku," whispered Ulrihis, the humongous poisonous serpentine, sticking his enormous head in front of him, "Take heed. Do not lossse temper or we will lossse our confidensss in your wordsss... Ssssssssssssss."

    "My apologies Ulrihis," bowed Shihiku reverting to a calm disposition. "My frustration is misdirected but my efforts of persuasion to retaliate against the mortals have no hidden desire for revenge whatsoever. My desire has always been in the welfare of the Holy Lands, nothing more."

    "Well, it better be!" grunted a huge rabbit as tall as a man, fluffy and white but with hateful eyes, "We all know that you got what you deserve. So, let''s leave it at that."

    "Sssssss.... It''sss ssso hard to give a decssisssion today consssidering sssome unique variablesss at play... I''m abssstaining... ssssssssssssss.... Though in my opinion, I think you could act accordingly and take sssurveillansss firssst. If you have garnered enough evidensss that would warrant our attensssion then we could grant you your requessst."

    The giant armored ant turned around moving to leave, "What I would do is that I would let the mortals do whatever the Tey''Arn they want and deal with this problem themselves. We do not release the titans for some gut feelings. Releasing them for a massacre is a much greater sin and I won''t be a part of that..."

    "Same here," seconded by the big rabbit walking away from them.

    "Great Jye''Ryiek, Mighty Mishi! Wait!" plead Shihiku standing up from his bow, "I implore you two to heed my appeal."

    Jye''Ryiek, the armor-plated Ant King, stopped and turned to Shihiku, "You can''t just wake us in hibernation with this pathetic excuse for a bloodbath. It''s high time for the mortal sentinels to do their part of guarding the Holy Lands. Our time has come to an end and practically I''m getting tired of their nonsense. I just want to sleep ''till Bathala collects us all in Paraiso. Is that hard to understand!?"

    "Sssssss... our intel came from Bakunawa himssself, I can vouch for that, ssssssssssssss..."

    "Yes, we heard Shihiku said that the first time, Ulrihis," snapped Mishi, "I''ve been friends with him for a long time and I value his words over anyone but Jye''Ryiek is right. Why would we bother with their pathetic problems? We still have Daomagar, Yagisiv Haya, and Kyrin on our side so we can''t lose. So long as we have the fountain and the deep wells protected, nothing can pose a threat to our existence. Let''s just let those thick-headed mortals do what they want in their politics. We''re done playing diplomats, or have you forgotten what happened to Cal''Bao?"

    "But Elders, please..."

    "Do you not comprehend my words, Shihiku? The fountain cannot be discovered by the mortals unless they connive with the Yagisivians! The Yagisivians are our ally and they will never reveal the location of the fountain! If they are finding ways to get ahold of the fountain of life and that resorted to civil war, even if they kill each other in their politics as a process, we do not give even a sliver of care! The times of protecting the mortals have long sailed away! Let them be!"

    "Actually, that might be better," laughed Jye''Ryiek. "That way they''ll all be dead, and we''ll be the ones who''ll defend the lands. That''ll be much easier."

    Mishi nodded smiling in agreement.

    "But..."

    "Shihiku," moaned Jye''Ryiek grumbling, "Do you see our point here? We don''t want mortal blood on our hands. The only goal that we will achieve if we release the titans is death over the people of Nagozul. Why would we do that!? Do you think of us as insane!? Do we look like Dim''ion''s minions?

    "This time I am returning the question to you, is your goal really to protect the sanctity of the Holy Lands? Or are you just waiting for all this time to get even with all those mortals who crossed you!?"

    "Now now big fella!" laughed Mishi going near the furious Ant King, "I don''t want you to lose your temper again... we don''t need another ravine here."

    Jye''Ryiek grunted shrugging away in dismay, leaving the tribunal. "Don''t wake me up again, Ulrihis, till it''s urgent. I now appoint Master Grog to be the overseer in this matter. He''s the one that''s been making sense this whole affair."

    "Sssssss... yesss, massster."

    "And Ulrihis," added Mishi, "Since you''ve decided to stay up in this commotion, I leave you in charge of Shihiku. But remember; if he does something that could kill him, let him be. We will never intervene to mortal matters again. He got his second life with that Artemus kid. And if he doesn''t really value his life then we can''t do anything about that? Is that clear?"

    "Underssstood, Massster."

    "Oh! And please don''t wake me up even if there''s a commotion... I get all angry when I''m awake and I don''t want to direct my anger towards you... you know how moody I am... and I really, really like you. This guilt trip would make me gain a hundred pounds again and I don''t really need the added weight."

    "Yesssssss, massster."

    "I''m sorry Ulrihis for embarrassing you," whispered Shihiku after waiting a minute after they have left, "But I will do my best to prove I was right!"

    "Don''t be sssorry, my dear friend," Ulrihis replied getting close to him and Grog, "I have been a newly appointed Elder and clearly they haven''t ressspected me asss one of their equal, not sssince the Rebellion. Jussst be happy you haven''t been sssentencssed to hibernate, at leassst you can do sssomething about our dilemma."

    "I''m sorry Ulrihis if my appointment would create any awkwardness," entered Grog walking near them, "Don''t worry I will duly apprise you in every piece of information we can find."

    "No need to apologizsse, Grog. I know you mean well. And besssidesss, you are ssstill the commander of all beastsss, both eldersss and minionsss. Mossst of all you''ve been my friend. You''ll alwaysss have my vote."

    "Artemus will sort this thing in no time. The Nagozulian Sentinels will be victorious so say the prophecy."

    "Bah!" reacted Shihiku, "The prophecy again. Life''s problems don''t end on prayers, it ends when you act upon the problem directly! You find its roots and you pull it out! No divine intervention can do what needs to be done physically!"

    "You have lost your faith Shihiku, but I haven''t. I still believe in Bathala''s words, even if it is whispered to a Nagozulian mortal!"

    "It''s a lie! The most deceitful of all mortal sentinels are Nagozulians! The prophecy is a lie and you know it! It''s a fantasy so that they can do whatever they want and get away with it! It''s just because you''re in it that you believe!"

    "You are in it too! We all are! We have always been a part of things since the birth of our Earth. Yet now, you detach your spirit in the divine plan? Who are we to question Bathala and his summons?"

    "I cannot comment about thisss because I have yet to know thisss prophecssy. But it ssseemsss as though Bakunawa and Dal''gur believesss in thisss prophecssy too, or ssso he sssay... I mussst know thisss prophecssy asss sssoon asss posssible."

    "Believe what you want to believe... it''s just a waste of time."

    And Shihiku vanished turning into a black smoke leaving Ulrihis surprised.

    "It''sss not in hisss nature to just disssappear like that without a fight... hisss eyesss are filled with apathy. He''sss become a different Ssshihiku I knew... The Ssshihiku that isss the familiar of Ana''giel. What happened to him?"

    "I-I don''t know," Grog whispered, "I think bottling a thousand years of hatred deep inside can change a person. And witnessing all your brothers dying one by one, being hunted like prey without them giving us the respect we deserve, clearly made a mark on him too."

    "I''m sssorry to have left you all ssso abruptly. I didn''t know much about what''sss happening here the past thousssand yearsss after we eldersss are cursssed to hibernate at that gruesssome day. I feel assshamed to have abandoned you all."

    "Don''t be," he smiled cheering him up, "Maybe hibernating is a blessing after all..."

    An overwhelming crowd shouted their joyous cheers as Yosh was carried sitting on top of two Dwendells to the center of the colorfully ornamented arena that once was a very perilous death trap. A lavish banquet is being held in honor of his unselfish sacrifice to the Dwendells, a feat that they haven''t seen in centuries giving forth a reason for celebration.

    Seeing the sudden change in the situation, with him being cursed upon just a week ago, clearly turned his beaming lips to almost reach his ears in happiness. He did not expect the glowing recognition he would receive from those people who condemned him, so the ceremony just surprised him.

    "Prince Yosh," announced Kyrin at the center which turned the vast arena silent, "We are truly grateful for what you did to our people, risking your mortal self for us Dwendells. No mortal has done this for a thousand years."

    The crowd goes wild yet again in cheers as Yosh waved his hands feeling comfortable in the stage. "It''s nothing," he murmured, "I''m sure someone will do that too if they know that we''re murdering you in the process..."

    "Oh, but they don''t believe that," said Kyrin having sad eyes, "The history of our people has been disregarded by the mortals for countless of centuries," he returned in his speech. "If not for our love for Bathala we would have exiled ourselves on different lands but because of this cursed hex the mortal''s ancestors put us in, we are forced to become slaves for a thousand years. A thousand grueling years of witnessing the destruction of our culture! A thousand years of pain, suffering and depression. We truly lost all hope to mortals but Bathala''s providence has laid for us a sign! He hasn''t forgotten us all! He has given us a young Ana''giel to help change our dismal way of life, the pathetic life that the mortals want us to live!"

    Yosh just smiled looking confused at his statements as he looked to his side with Nine having her bright hopeful eyes smiling on Kyrin''s statements. Ana''giel is one of the strongest heralds of Bathala. He is known to be the one who goes down on Earth to relay Bathala''s divine words and yet he calls him such. Being described as one of Bathala''s heralds put him on an awkward spot but he shrugged it all and didn''t really negate the claim after seeing all those happy eyes celebrating on his behalf.

    "Now we have a warrior! A protector! That would lead for us to stand up to the Mortals and give us a better life! I give to you all Yosh! The Guardian of all Dwendells!"

    The crowd stood up filled with energy as they shouted to the top of their lungs exclaiming a deafening applause for Yosh. Yosh on the other hand is starting to lose his smile confused. He did what he did because he doesn''t want anyone to die but he knows for himself that he didn''t really want to be this Dwendell protector they so claim. That idea answers why he''s pushing comparing him to Ana''giel. Sure, he would help them when he could, but he knows he don''t want to be stuck there for the remainder of his lifespan to become their guardian.

    "Uh, sir king sir?" whispered Yosh almost shy with his forced lips still smiling, "What do you mean by that sir? I mean..."

    He looked at him with cheery eyes, "Just wave at the people son, I''ll explain the details later. After all, you deserve all the credit."

    Yosh''s face turned purple as his heart rapidly chase the beat of the rhythmic drums rolling in the celebration, still trying to put a smile in his face. This is no laughing matter, he thought. He might get stuck in the forest for a little longer than he actually hoped for.

 20 the SHADOW with TWO FACES

    The marvelous doors of the grand War Room in the Palace gently swung open, much like with magic being pulled by an unknown force, as Prodea entered and walked the aisle together with Karr and Zeba. The six knights standing behind the Duke immediately snapped to attention as they greeted Prodea''s presence in the grand hall. All are wearing a full helm with angry eyes peering in the slits that leaks out both disappointment and frustration,

    "Grand Princess Prodea!" shouted the Duke standing up as she went in front of them finding a seat across the table where they all are." What is the meaning of this? We have been waiting for hours! Do you treat all your guests this way?"

    "Oh Duke, I''m so sorry about all of this," she apologized with sympathetic eyes ¨C an unusual thing for her, Zeba noted, "It has been very, very hectic these past few days and we don''t mean to¡­"

    "Sorry?" interrupted the Duke laughing, "Forgive my bluntness Grand Princess but I think your sorries wouldn''t grant an inkling of comfort from me and from my men especially after the loss we just suffered. You have assured us safe travels here only for us to find that just hours ago my three galleons filled with soldiers and machines were lost at sea by your fiendish sea serpent! Duke Rumilo is in that vessel! He''s a highly respected member of the Council of Leonus. What would you suggest I tell the Emperor about this rather dreadful mishap? Would I tell him you''re sorry? Would that make my Emperor sigh in relief?"

    Prodea stood up looking down bowing as if taking responsibility. This concerned both Karr and Zeba, surprising them both. They wouldn''t know that they would live to see Prodea being humble, much so taking the blame. "I am deeply sorry for this unfortunate tragedy that befell both our Kingdoms," she implored with her convincing sad eyes, "I will see to it personally. I assure you that this will not happen ever again. I can only hope that this will not affect our relations."

    The duke silently grunted as he took his seat and saw Prodea turning his back to exit the room.

    After a few seconds of silence, the nearest and oldest Knight at his back coughed up a question, "Your Grace, what shall we do now?"

    "We wait," said the Duke with glaring nostrils as if tensed, "Prodea will do her part as she always does."

    The Knight posed further as he went near him removing his helm to reveal his sad but serious face. He has a puffy look filled with bushy but perfectly trimmed circular beard all having a tint of white accentuating his old age." Can we trust her, my lord? She seems to be hiding something."

    "Yes. I know her too well, Sir Echon. She is stubborn and full of pride, but I trust my life to her if worst comes to shove. If she said she''ll handle this personally then you can bet even your life that she''ll clean this up perfectly without fail."

    "Do you need to send your scouts my lord," entered the youngest knight at his left as he sat on the edge of the table. "We can survey the problem¡­"

    "NO!" he shouted terrified, "You do not take matters in your own hands here, Sir Julius. Not in these lands. I know that you''re hiding the assassination squad in your regiment masking them as scouts. If you can do these things freely in our country, you most certainly can''t do that here."

    "I respectfully deny that sir, I do not handle an assassination squad," smiled Julius playing with his dagger, "And besides, we''ve been assessing the natives. Their physique is untrained so we can assume they''re weak. If ever there was an assassination squad at all, they can wipe them all out without having a single trouble."

    The Duke just scoffed at his statements." That''s where you''re wrong. They are deceptively strong. If I was to wager in a battle to the death between you and some commoner here, I would bet against you any time. I would even bet my daughters against you, that''s how sure I am. That''s how strong they are, so I suggest you keep things to yourself and just enjoy the time here instead of this nonsense."

    "I''m just saying¡­"

    "Enough Julius!" shouted Echon with serious eyes, "Stop embarrassing yourself. You are here to protect the princesses not to voice out your opinion. Remember your oath to the flag. Just follow your orders!"

    "Yes, Father," he replied irritated jumping out of the edge of the table returning his dagger to his sides.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Grand Princess," whispered Zeba, "Are you alright?"

    Prodea stopped from his brisk walking infuriated. "NO! I''m not ALRIGHT! Do you think I''m alright!? What kind of a question is that!? Are you mocking me!?"

    Zeba was frightened with his fiery eyes putting up her usual frightful rants. She just shook her head in agreement looking agreeable.

    Her Amplifyers started to glow but she managed to calm down subduing its intensified lighting and returned on her pace.

    "If it''s not with those wretched people meddling in my plans I''ve been done with the preparations by now! First, it''s Artemus, next is his demented offsprings, then the Elves and now Bakunawa!"

    With a fearsome scream, all of the vases from the hallway began exploding as all the water contained within it turned into thorns scratching all the of the hallway''s marbled walls and carpeted floors creating an incredibly disturbing screeching noises that led to the destruction of the perfectly assembled hallway to her quarters. Zeba began flinching in fright as the moving mass of water in a figure of a three-inched nail came circling around her scratching their way to destroy the floor but this didn''t affect Karr at all. He didn''t even cringe and just bowed his head to avoid the fast-moving splinters that has been moving all around, calm and unaffected as he is.

    "Why do they have to fight my plan!!!" shouted Prodea. "Karr!"

    "Yes, your highness."

    "Grab thirty Medical Casters and camp to the northwest near Bakunawa''s Shrine after which, meet me here tomorrow to accompany me to Bakunawa."

    "Understood." With that reply he immediately vanished as if he''s perfected the Great Dash creating a huge crack on the floor in the process of his jump. Zeba felt she''s been cheated leaving her alone with Prodea. He would''ve continued thinking how lucky Karr got out quickly as he can, but the ranting Grand Princess yelled yet again disrupting her thoughts.

    "Zeba!"

    "Y-yes, your highness¡­" she replied flinching.

    "Clean this up! I do not want to see this mess in the morning!"

    "Yes y-your highness¡­"

    "And clear your plans tonight after dinner. You''ll be helping me all night to fuse a new Amplifyer. Tomorrow will be a very, very busy day!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "There you are!"

    Kayzar was surprised with the sudden voice behind him and in a split second he threw a pin aiming precisely to the neck of the mysterious shadow on top of the tree kneeling on its wide branch.

    "Hey," complained the soft voice of the woman after instantaneously flicking the fine needle away with her finger covered in black leather gloves, "is this how you greet your sister?"

    "Ate-Liv!" Kayzar laughed shouting as he fixed himself waiting for his sister, unsheathing his daggers and locking the poisonous pins he managed to activate." I haven''t seen you in years!"

    She landed off from the tree looking as if a feather touching the earth, landing on the ground gently without so much as an effort on her part, lacking no signs of disturbance among the vegetation that is scattered almost everywhere. "Impressive as ever!" he immediately shouted seeing the feat.

    "Why thank you," she replied picking the shiny silvery needle on the ground, walking near him now emerging to grant the sun''s invitation to partake its bright radiance. "I believe this is the present I gave you last year and seeing just how you can throw this away without flinching clearly offends me."

    She has a small pair of kind smiling eyes with its noticeable rare violet hue grabbing anyone''s attention with its beauty and brilliance beyond compare. Her prized smooth straight hair is black and long reaching her hips with bangs that cut to level her eyes which are amazingly steady as the wind blows the other strands on her back to sway. Her usual long loose black leather trench coat is intimidating but is considered to be awe-inspiring to Kayzar thinking on how many weapons it could conceal ¨C which his sister usually does fill with poisonous weapons and daggers. She is six years older than him but her flawless face tells otherwise making her look like she''s right in their age.

    "We''ll I know you won''t be. You''re the one teaching me how to throw it, remember?"

    "True. But it''s a shame seeing you waste one of Dal''Gur''s fine unbreakable pins."

    "W-wait¡­ what!? That''s a Dal''Gur?" Kayzar shouted on top of his lungs in deep regret and shock thinking about the other pins he threw away and didn''t bother to get back.

    "What do you expect!? It''s your birthday! It''s the by-product of your weird customs of expensive gift givings which is practically almost impossible to deliver. I''ve paid Dal''Gur a hefty sum just to make you a set."

    "B-but you didn''t say that!"

    "I did. Well, granted It''s a twenty set in a wooden case inside a cheap wool pouch which is delivered by mail, but in my defense, I spent a lot of money on that and I didn''t have the time to get an expensive box and ribbon. I''m sorry, your highness, I didn''t give you a card too. Sheesh¡­ Why d''ya have to be so picky! I thought you have a keen eye on these sorts of things."

    Kayzar just grumbled in irritation as he remembers he only has eight of them left including the pin his sister returned back to him. The other pins are at the training grounds all sleeping with the rest of the other poisoned pins at the training grounds when they battled Narra''s disciples. This thought just gave him another worrisome job of getting back the pins he lost there but that, he thinks, could wait considering that the pins might be buried now on the ground.

    "Your skills have been improving tremendously," Liv continued smiling, shaking his head changing the topic. "What do they feed you in the Palace?"

    Kayzar laughed as he invited her out to see the thundering cloud ahead of them.

    "Here check this out. Lemme'' show you somethin''"

    Kayzar extended his arms straight opening his palms, putting them in front leveling his face while standing straight as an arrow as his Amplifyers glow. Then a floating blue sapphire orb, the size of a fist emerged from his bag and radiated its intense blue hue in activation. Liv went closer in awe, befuddled with his two Amplifyers.

    "How''d you get¡­"

    "Shh¡­" interrupted Kayzar, "I''m just getting ready."

    He pressed his palms together and the dark cloud forming straight ahead began to come closer, crackling its bright thunders inside.

    Liv pulled her favorite black foot-long dagger on her back, made of pure metal from the blade to the hilt, and threw it on the ground. "Yit''ard, Kayzar! We have to run! The Caster''s Cloud is on to us!"

    Liv was about to pull him when he suddenly moved his hands and fling the long dagger away almost fifty feet burying it on one of the trees there. He looked at her snickering as if mocking her sister, "Really? Of all the pranks that we put you on when we were little you didn''t even flinched but now, you''re afraid of the Kulog Pass''s Caster Cloud?"

    "Kayzar," she nervously said bumping him, grabbing his shoulders almost shaking, "whatever it is you''re planning, I''m not liking it."

    "Just stay close to me. I got this under control."

    The huddled dark cloud stops as it managed to stay on top of them, grumbling as if it''s ready to unleash its full fury.

    "Are you ready?" Kayzar shouted out loud beating the roaring tempest that''s been swirling all around them. "Here it comes!"

    He drops both his hands down and clenched his fists. The emerging blue sphere''s light intensified to neon blue and then the wrath of the Caster''s Cloud began to strike the ground in a frenzy creating a deafening uproar all around. Liv screamed and screamed in fear as she pulled his body, hugging him tight. The noise that the thunderbolts created masked away her crazy bellows. Kayzar didn''t seem to notice her because of this as he direct his attention appreciating the marvelous array of the spectacular bursts of lightning all around them. A smokescreen engulfed them in a matter of seconds as they both smell the burning earth left behind by the rampaging cloud. She stopped screaming and found the amazing display of light mixing hues with the mist creating inspiring flowing rainbows all around and came to appreciate it together with him.

    He released his clenched fists and then the cloud''s angry rumble started to stop. It turned white as it retreats to where it is earlier and then returned to black once more only to grumble its fury somewhere far.

    Liv punched Kayzar on his right arm moving him two steps back.

    "Ouch!" he shouted with his left hand tending the painful area, rubbing it with his palms.

    "DON''T YOU EVER DO THAT TO ME 6AGAIN!!!" she screeched as she abruptly fixed her hair and her bangs which stubbornly stands up as it reluctantly fights to return down to their proper place that is originally perfectly combed.

    "Geez, I told you not to punch me! This is my good arm! And you know it''s gonna leave a sore mark tomorrow!"

    "Well that''ll be a reminder not to mess with me," she grunted angry but whispered, "but then again, it is interesting."

    "What''s that? What did you say?"

    "Shut up I said it''s interesting! But don''t you ever try to do that again in front of me!"

    "Okay okay! Relax!" shouted Kayzar flinching as Liv taunted again to punch him.

    "Hey look," she exclaimed suddenly happy stepping backwards after the smoke subsided reading her name. "It wrote something on the floor!"

    "Check it out and see for yourself!" Kayzar smiled pointing at the nearest tree.

    Liv dashed on and, in a matter of seconds, she arrived at the top reading the etched earth saying: LIV WENT CRYING LIKE A BABY FOR SOME SILLY LIGHTNING.

    A sudden punch on his left arm surprised him as he was thrown to a couple of steps sideways shouting. "HEY! That''s not fair! I''ll tell on you when we reach the north!" He was amazed to see Liv''s speed almost spontaneously traversing from the tree to him in a split second.

    "Well she won''t believe you anyway." She said as she zoomed to grab her long dagger and carved the ground to bury the statement. "Don''t ever tell a soul about this or I will cut you!"

    "Yeah, Yeah, sure. So, why are you here anyway? Mom sent you?"

    She stood up ignoring him in a bit almost finishing burying the statement on the ground. She pulled a black cloth and started wiping her blade and then she placed the dagger in its sheath at her back. She noticed her name being still evident and, like a kid having her tantrums, she kicked the ground tossing the soil around in her efforts to fully conceal any evidence of the statement linking her and her fears.

    "I''m searching for Yosh. He went missing last month so I''ve been scouring the eastern parts of the Lakas Mountain range in hopes of finding him. So far, I''ve searched everywhere but haven''t found him yet. So maybe he''s on the other side due west."

    "He''s the best hunter I know," He replied sitting down to rest looking at his arm for possible injuries smiling, "Good luck tracing his steps. I can''t even find him when we''re playing hide and seek. Even better than you considering I always find you first almost immediately before Karus which is kind of pathetic for a Daomagar."

    Liv squinted looking at him which he noted.

    "Hey? I don''t want to offend you and all but you''re hiding skills are really just embarrassing."

    Liv snickered as she went near him, "I would''ve made fun of your comment there but, because of your skills in hiding yourself too well, I''ll just let it pass."

    "What? The great and oh powerful Liv found it hard to find me too?"

    "Shush and keep it to yourself, it''s not that important."

    Kayzar just smiled asking, "So, what do you want from me then?"

    "I''m here to offer you my promise."

    "REALLY!!!" shouted Kayzar standing up in excitement.

    "Geez, come on! Don''t be such a crazy monkey all shouting. Keep it down or you''ll burst my sensitive ears off."

    "When do we start!?"

    "Not now¡­ Goodness Kayzar what''s wrong with you." Liv replied with creased eyebrows almost surprised, "When did you turn like Karus? I thought you''re the serious one?"

    Kayzar pouted and crossed his arms. "Well are you trying to trick me again!? You said that last time! And the last time before that! You''re really getting older promising me that."

    "Well, clearly you haven''t had the proper attire for our little debacle and you do not have rations needed for five days," she explained almost looking disgusted as she point to his dirty travel gear covered in mud, "Clearly you''re not ready today." She pulled an envelope out of her long trench coat on her left inside pocket and threw it to him then turned around to walk away.

    "Wait? You''re leaving? We barely talked to catch up!"

    "I got important things to do," she shouted still walking away without turning her head. "Meet you up tomorrow."

    "What''s this?" he shouted beating her before dashing.

    "That''s the itinerary to the rendezvous point. All things are explained there and please do not be late." And with that cryptic message she disappeared blowing Kayzar''s mind out, still amazed on how she can magically disappear in the bright sun without any trace of any disturbance to her surroundings, not even to the grass she''s stepping. He got extremely excited though, seeing she''s going to teach him how to complete the ultimate dash, her secret Shadow Step.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Master Yiv," greeted the two shadows kneeling to a bow to greet Liv as she entered a dark forest a quarter of a mile south of Kayzar.

    She walked near them with glaring murderous eyes, the eyes of a person devoid of a soul. The two just bowed low in fear with the muscular man breaking their silence with his deep voice.

    "We''re sorry Master! Kayzar slipped pas'' us ''an we can''t do nutin'' ''bout it!"

    "Yes!" seconded the tensed girl at his right side with almost a screeching voice immediately returning her deep tone as soon as she noticed it. "I-I don''t know what he did. It seems too impossible too; quite puzzling even for me but Kayzar has perfected the Dash together with his brother Karus. And ¨C and¡­"

    "And what?" Liv asked with her cold disturbing voice with her violet eyes now turning blood red. "You haven''t? DO YOU MEAN TO IMPLY THAT I DIDN''T TEACH YOU ENOUGH TO REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIALS? THAT I DIDN''T TEACH YOU TO DASH TOO?"

    "We''re sorry Master," saved the muscular man, "Ye''ve ''tot us well."

    "Then Auric, since you have been rather talkative today, would you be so kind as to tell Argentis how much time I needed to find Kayzar on my own."

    "T-two minutes Master Yiv," replied the bulky shadow almost immediately.

    "Yes, two¡­ slow¡­ minutes¡­" said Yiv now pulling her long pitch-black dagger, "And how much time did Argentis finished her task?"

    Argentis threw her right fist in the air fast while still bowing with her head on the ground. "I am sorry Master, please cut my good hand for being incompetent, it took me a day and didn''t even find and secured my target."

    "Open your hands," commanded Yiv with her frightful voice which Argentis obeyed instantaneously without hesitation.

    As soon as she opened it, Yiv pushed her dagger straight into the back of her palm without much effort. Blood dripped down from the ground but Argentis didn''t even move nor flinched.

    "Thank you master," she whispered as Yiv pulled the dagger out.

    "You two have become soft being stuck on the Palace''s kitchen. You can consider this your warning." She feigned the blade spilling the remaining blood on the grass on her sides and pointed it fast on Argentis'' head. "Lose my brother again and your head will roll."

    "Yes master," she noted immediately pulling a bandage on her back and wrapped her bloody hands around it to stop the bleeding with much dexterity. She did this while still bowing to the ground, awaiting further instructions.

    "You are dismissed." As soon as Yiv uttered the last word Argentis began to dissipate turning to fine gold dust as if a strong wind blew her body to disappear much like the desert breeze blowing the sands off a desert dune.

    Yiv looked down on Auric who''s still bowing low to the ground. "And you!"

    "I''m deeply sorry for my incompetence Master. It has ''bin twelve hours an'' um unable to locate Karus."

    "I will not punish you this time. He is of no importance to me at the moment, someone is already watching him. I saw him a couple of miles west from here. I can feel it''s as if an unknown energy is emanating from him like a hex. I do not want you near him. You might accidentally be spotted, and we don''t need to kill people more than we already had. You know how fate turns to be very unpredictable."

    "Yes, Master. ''Tenk you, Master."

    "Team with Argentis instead and do not lose your new target this time."

    "Yes, Master."

    "This is a very rare circumstance Auric and you know me better than anyone. Next time you fail me I''ll be snipping another finger off your toes."

    "Understood, Master. It won''t ''appen again."

    "Dismissed."

    "M-mastuh," panted Auric almost afraid, "may I hav'' permishun'' ''te speak?"

    "Yes," she replied still angry.

    "Why''d ya'' pick ''im instead of Karus. Karus is more adept ''n handlin'' weapons ''dan he is."

    "You will soon find out," she stated as she returned her dagger to its sheath, "Now get out of here before I change my mind."

    His body began to turn dark silver, like metal, suddenly being absorbed by the earth in a split second until he burrows down without even moving like water seeping through the ground till he disappears entirely.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Alrighty!" shouted Karus stopping near the city gates catching his breath hiding his tired shaking body.

    "Whoah!" shouted Lime with much excitement as she disembarks on Karus'' back almost jumping. "That was soooooooo brilliant! It''s a really really really great treat!!! IT''S AMAZING!" She moved fixing her wrinkled clothes and her tangled hair and continued. "I can''t explain it! It''s like feeling the rush with the angry wind blowing your whole body as if¡­ as if¡­" she stopped looking at Karus standing on a slouch with his hands on his knees still puffing. "I-I''m sorry. A-are you alright?"

    Karus stood up beaming his charming smile. "Yep, just feeling as if I swallowed a bug or something on the way. I-It''s nothing."

    He nodded a few times trying hard to mask what he feels as she goes on and on about how amazing the trip was even after they arrived an hour and a half longer than what he had promised. He finds it hard to believe it took them that long even if they took numerous detours along the way ¨C like circling on certain areas where Nagozulian sentries have been stationed. When he was training with Dal''Gur, he had been strapped with a metal gear on his back, much heavier than she is, and made him dash for a thousand miles non-stop. He knows he mastered the Great Dash because every time he stops to catch his breath, or slows down, or break a bone or two, Dal''Gur gets angry and makes him do the entire thing again. He finds it hard to believe that his body stoops down to a disappointing level after being injured on that fateful day at the tree just outside the city gates. That means he has to work hard again to retain the form needed by the Thousand Blade Dash. It''s as if something happened in between his humiliating fall and his alleged death but this thought escaped him as Lime opened another topic.

    "Hey! That''s weird! Do you hear that?"

    "What is?" he asked as if he''s listening to her without fail.

    "No trumpets!" she shrugged feeling happy about herself. "I must be lucky today!"

    "Yep," he agrees looking at the city, "so far, so good, I think. Maybe something happened."

    "Maybe¡­" she thought looking at the city still feeling lucky about her situation and then she abruptly turned to Karus. "I need to ask you something¡­" she whispered blushing, "I know it''s inappropriate especially for a princess such as my stature, but I was really really wondering. I mean it''s nothing, just my head spinning trying to figure out things that I don''t quite understand. And don''t get me wrong, I know this is uncomfortable and feel free to just shake your head when you don''t really have the need to answer¡­ or explain¡­ or¡­"

    Karus smiled and nodded trying to wait for her question which she noted so she jumped on right to her point.

    "So¡­ I have been here for a month and noticed that all of you people smell sweet with different variants of scents of flowers or fruits ¨C if it is a fruit. It''s really remarkable that you always stay fresh like you for instance. No offense but I have seen you train for hours and hours and running like that for miles would really cover you with sweat making you¡­"

    "Ah!" interrupted Karus laughing, "Yes, well, see it''s really a good question."

    "Whew, I thought you wouldn''t understand!" she sighed with smiling eyes, "I was trying hard to get to my point without offending your people."

    "Don''t worry I''m not offended. In fact, I''m surprised that you noticed since we Daomagarians don''t have any scent at all. You see, we are created by Bathala to be great hunters ¨C stealthy, impenetrable and strong. So, we are born emanating no scent at all. Although what you smell is this special Nagozulian soap that is a product of genius." Karus rummaged something in his travel gear and pulled a yellow bar of soap with a milky tone. "They have developed a kind of soap that removes their scent entirely. They have expanded this product and made it very popular among travelers in the earlier days when the beasts have been attacking their people.

    "It''s also useful three thousand years ago when the Nagozulians are at war with us Daomagarians. Well as I have explained, we don''t need this because we are born without scent making us lethal hunters especially at night and we also have heightened smell to sniff them even when it is pitch black so they have developed this to even the odds. It''s safe now, don''t worry, but we still use it for hygienic purposes, so they have added different scents and created a necessity out of this product. They have reason to believe that it kills the small little critters that moves in your body that you can''t see with your eyes which I think is responsible to the smell. Don''t know what that''s called but the Great Dal''Gur found them with his weird magnifying lenses."

    Lime turned a confusing face but still with her convinced smile. Karus was surprised being that talkative. He just remembered to keep it short in the future, trying hard not to ramble that much when he''s with her.

    "I don''t want to get specific on the science of that stuff because even I do not know those complicated things," he finally said stopping in his weird long talk and gave her the bar of the yellow soap he''s been holding. "That''s my personal scent, use it I have plenty. There are variants of soaps to choose from at the Palace that''s just my special bar made with the scent coming out of the Para-Applemango fruit which is my favorite. What you do is you use this in the shower every morning. It can last up to two days after which the effects will wear off."

    "This is so handy and really remarkable!" she said inspecting the bar of soap that is hard but smooth thinking that the thing is created with magic.

    "Well if you manage to run out of that just go to the requisitions officer named Calen on the east side of the Palace and tell him I sent you. He will lead you to a room full of different variants of soaps, toiletries and all you will need to be primed and proper in the Palace. Mind you, they are super rare and expensive. For royalty only. So, don''t spring by often lest you will be noticed by the seers and be reported, you know how meddlesome they are."

    "How come you have access to that?" she asked almost confused since he''s a Daomagar without any lineage.

    Karus laughed to cover himself as he immediately slapped his forehead on his mind. He asked himself repetitively on why he ever tries to impress her and was drawn to a clueless answer. He has to be careful next time before any of his statements compromise his cover. "Well, I''m friends with the---uh, the sons of the Grand Prince Artemus. Don''t you worry I will reimburse anything you spend, after all I''m the one getting the ingredients for them."

    "Gee thanks!" Lime went close and gives him a quick kiss on his left cheek. "I will cherish this gift and stah it. I will requisition the soap from the officer named Calen instead."

    And she hurriedly scurried off leaving Karus surprised, staying embarrassingly standing like a statue on a stupor with his mouth half-open still with his wide grin, forgetting about his fatigued body, his shaking knees, and even his fury blaming his inept loose tongue when he''s with her.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Two faint knocks on a wooden door disrupted Artemus as he muddles through the stacks of reports. He is at his office in the Northern Encampment looking as though he spent the night there with multiple mountains of papers that are neatly lined up one after another as evidence.

    "Ah! Father," he exclaimed joyously as he saw Narra peeking thinking he could catch a minute of break or two from his visit. His father-in-law gloomy entered breaking the spurt of happiness he''s feeling turning it into worry. Narra gently locked the door into a shut and silently walked to find a chair in front of him on the other side of his desk with eyes that has been snatched with its brilliance. "Is something wrong?" he asked hesitantly with concern in his tone as he stopped what he was doing.

    "Juni has been captured," he sighed as he held his head in despair.

    Artemus turned like stone having heard the news, contemplating on what to say. He pulled back to his chair with mystified eyes looking down moving fast with worry, thinking on how unexpectedly swift the predictions are unfolding as it is.

    "Juni has been captured," he repeated, "and I do not know if he is dead. He probably is considering the prophecy, but I couldn''t verify since I have to maintain my cover."

    Artemus weakly leaned forward as he shove away the neatly organized stacks of paper and murmured, "What happened?"

    "All I found out at the scene are his burnt house and the cinders flying out of his books as the remaining fire ate away the remaining beams that once supported his house. I have salvaged some of his remaining personal assets and sent it to your house before coming here."

    "Who did it?" whispered Artemus with his eyes filled with remorse.

    "By what I can gather I would say it is the work of Prodea. She literally went on personally at his house and extracted him. Her cleaning team did a great job concealing the streets where the battle took place. Any ordinary eye could have interpreted the scene as some accidental fire in his residence, but they cannot deceive my trained eye. I know a battle when I see one and I''m sure it is her who fought him." He stopped for a moment in thoughts as if trying hard to find the words and then rolled on, "I know it because I feel a faint trace of a very powerful summoning window being written just outside Juni''s front door. There are traces of Dark Magicks at play." He leaned closer and whispered, "also, I have carved the earth and find it coal black and with a foul smell. Only one creature comes to mind when I see the earth that defiled¡­"

    "The Black Death¡­" said Artemus with wide eyes turning his eye away from Narra breathing deep thinking, "Bathala help us. What have you done Prodea?"

    "I know you asked Juni to destroy that dark fiend years ago," he pursued on leaning back. "I was with you when we captured that vile monster. Lost ten good Daomagars in the process and I thought he had done it considering."

    Artemus just sat back again having trouble to fight the accumulation of tears in his eyes passing a minute or two in silence till Narra sighed.

    "Don''t beat yourself up," he consoled with his head down, "We know it''s bound to happen, and you can''t do anything about it. Still," he coughed snickering but with empty eyes, "It''s glad to know that that stubborn old dog stirred up a good fight before he let her drag him down to the Palace."

    "H-he¡­" Artemus finally spoke with breaking voice, "he''s my friend. I can abandon my trivial task here, but I didn''t. I didn''t do anything¡­"

    "No," forced Narra, "You would be there yourself had you known! If this is the prediction at play, it is moving incredibly fast and there''s nothing you can do to predict the exact time that he''ll be visited by Prodea. Stop blaming yourself and focus on the silver lining here!"

    Artemus stopped for a second or two and then concluded confused. "No. There is nothing good coming out of this father."

    "Yes! There is!"

    "No! There isn''t!" he insisted now with a stressed voice, "He''s dead! He died in the hand of Prodea! If one thing is good here, it''s that Prodea has just shown us her true colors and that the Prophecy is happening as foretold."

    "YES! But he didn''t get captured outside the city gates!?"

    Artemus stood up and went to the window on his left with worried eyes. "Regardless of the facts, he still gets caught and Prodea gets a hold of him at the Palace to torture. It is still in effect..."

    "Yes! Precisely¡­"

    "You don''t understand father!" he interrupted frustrated, as he ran to pull away all the papers on his desk, stashing them away, keeping himself busy by writing something in a special brown parchment he pulled in a secret hollow room hidden below his desk, "It happened! It happened regardless of the miniscule details! He died! And soon I will die! It''s alright if I die but my family will die one by one! I cannot let this happen in vain! I need to plan for what Bathala prepared for us while I''m still breathing. We must be ready for what we must do in order to abide his will and save these lands, carrying his wishes beyond our original capacity! If we are going to die, we''re going to take them all with us. We must die preserving Nagozul. We must succeed in saving Nagozul at all costs."

    Narra stood up and pulled him to snap out from his nervous hysteria. "Stop it! We can prevent everything! Nothing is written on stone, son! This is one of Bathala''s sign! Something extraordinary happened that''s why I didn''t get there in time! Something that isn''t relayed in the prophecy! Our paths have been moved and the fates have been changed!"

    Artemus''s eyes turned confused all of a sudden awaiting Narra''s report.

    "Karus died! And then he returned to life once again!"

    "WHAT?!" he shouted irritated. "And you didn''t tell this to me sooner!?"

    "Karus died for three days and then returned to us again!" he repeated almost jumping as he moved away pacing the floor with his eccentric display of excitement while seriously explaining his point. "His Amplifyers has been reacting to his elemental essence and he was hit by the Sleep of Death! Nobody gets away from the Sleep of Death! No one in Nagozul has fought death and won with Fire as a base element except him! Yit''ard! No one in Nagozul has been able to revive themselves since the great King Liwanag three thousand years ago! He is indeed blessed!"

    "How did that happen?" Artemus mumbled searching from any answer thinking out loud, "No reactions have been observed by Juni when we fused the Emerald. He said the transformation will not be until next year."

    "Yes! But you see that!? Because of that, because of Karus'' sudden emergency, I was not able to reach Juni in time for me to force him outside the City Gates where I would supposedly battle some Elemental and be considered an Outlaw! The fates have changed the moment Karus'' situation changed it! Meaning the prophecy is just a guide that may or may not happen!"

    "No father," he opposed standing up, "It''s still happening. Karus has been blessed by Bathala and will not die until his purpose is achieved. Your actions leading for you not being an Outlaw are insignificant to the events that will transpire in the future. All will still unfold in his divine plan! What I need is to prepare us so that when our time comes, we''ll be well equipped to handle the situation and win this war against Prodea and his cohorts."

    Narra smiled sitting in his chair which made Artemus to cool down to and sit on his too.

    "Don''t tell me to quit convincing you because I really won''t." Narra joked seeing Artemus'' serious eyes, "I really won''t. One of these days I will personally show you that this prophecy of yours is not a rule but a suggestion. One of these days you will see that I was right. I will make you believe this. I''ll stake my life on this, you''ll see."

    Artemus finally smiled. "That''ll be the day. So far all my calculated decisions are in place and are in order."

    "Alright, alright. I know you are stubborn as a water buffalo. But I know you will succeed in saving your family from this unfortunate fate you''re tangled in, regardless of what you believe in."

    Artemus just snickered as he returned on writing on his special paper with a circular red seal on the bottom with an omega symbol inside.

    "So," continued Narra, "does this mean you''ll pay a visit to Bakunawa now?"

    "Yes," he replied while writing, "in fact, I''ll be visiting him at first light tomorrow."

    "That''ll be hard considering your special activity tonight with Reus."

    "Yes, we have rounded up twenty Firestarters and some Molders some hundred miles northwest from here near the mountain range hills."

    "That far? That''s bordering the seas?"

    "Yes. It is very far."

    "You know it''s a trap, right? They are ready to attack avoiding the risk of reinforcement on your end. A rebel combination of Firestarters and Molders are extremely terrifying. It usually ends up a disaster if not handled carefully."

    "Reus keeps on being too gullible in accepting their terms of surrender meeting them in conspicuously dangerous locations. I will have to observe as he falls into a trap and be able to rescue him on time, along with the fifty soldiers I have commissioned to be under him."

    "You''re going to watch? I thought you''re going to handle this personally?"

    "Well he''ll be the next King after I die, right? Might as well teach him a lesson or two in being cheated in a negotiation."

    "D''you remember how you handled your first negotiation with a rebel group before?"

    "Yes," he smirked as he signed and stamped the letter he''s been writing.

    "And do you know how well it turned out?"

    "We have to cover a ravine the rebels have created in the Desert of Daomagar for a month after I insulted them somehow."

    "And you do realize this is Reus we''re talking about?"

    "Lighten up father!" he laughed shaking his head as he folded the letter and dressed it in a blue envelope sealing it with red wax still with an omega symbol as the insignia. "For all we know, he might turn the tables and be able to catch them without causing too much a commotion far much better than what I did."

    "You want me to come with you? Just in case."

    Artemus reached and gave him the envelope with smiling eyes, "No, father that''s not necessary. I have a more important task I need you to run for me."

    Narra stood up as soon as he grabbed the letter and gradually returned his wrinkled cheery face to a frown, "To Dal''Gur, huh?"

    "Please?" he pleaded with a wide grin.

    "Okay, okay! But just so you know, I hate delivering things to that Old Geezer. He doesn''t really want to be found and searching every inch of the Lakas Mountain Range is a really troublesome ordeal."

 21 ARTEMUSâ€™s SURPRISE

    "We''re here as agreed so I implore you now, for the last time, deactivate your Amplifyers immediately," pleaded Reus to the amassing rebels some fifty feet from him. He is at a wide grassy plain somewhere a hundred miles northwest of the Northern Encampment trying to reason with the rebel group allegedly responsible for ambushing merchants harvesting rare herbs along the mountain range. "No one wants to get hurt here. We have been more than patient in giving in on your demands! All we want is a peaceful resolution to this conflict."

    It is halfway till dawn at the negotiation site. They can smell the cool salty seas all around the thick fog they are in. The freezing breeze doesn''t even help cool down the tension as demonstrated by Reus'' cold sweat dribbling down his cheeks rolling down to his chin.

    The Prince is wearing an impressive Battlegear worthy of a Nagozulian General: Golden plated vest with the Nagozulian Army insignia; black gloves with plated knuckles; a smooth silver helm showing his face still with his circular spectacles askew; black silk pants with steel knee protectors and a pair of silver plated steel boots. Still, with his formal attire in place, he carries his lumpy brown leather sling bag.

    Behind him are nine strike teams consisting of five members each just standing in anticipation. The Nagozulian Strike Teams are known for their elemental masteries, sothey require no weapons at all. They are also famous for their ten-minute handling time in disabling and pacifying any requested target making them very efficient and deadly but today they are just standing, awaiting Reus''s order to strike. They all wear dark color coordinated Salakot identifying their elemental innates with the edges of the silver-plated base extending to level their brows, all wearing masks revealing only their serious piercing eyes. Each strike teams consist of two Casters, a Windblower, a Firestarter and a Molder, all of whom has their activated Amplifyers attached on their silver vests, lighting the plains as if they are torches placed as a totem.

    Beside Reus is an unusual strike team of excessively muscled Daomagarians which are all wearing masks depicting gruesome and frightful molds of faces that have horns and fangs. They came from the Maskara Clan and they specialize on guarding a target with their monstrous strength and their almost impenetrable skin using the Deep Root as their clan''s mastery. They are all standing six feet tall, breathing the crisp cold air without moving, emitting thick continuous smoke from their terrifying deep breaths. They are all grasping the hilt of their humongous swords with blades as big as a man that are planted on the ground half-buried, sleeping in the stillness of the night, waiting to be called upon to lay waste if need be.

    "We do not take orders from you pigs!" shouted the apparent leader of the rebel wearing a red leather vest with his ruby Amplifyer burning bright, floating on his right side. "Especially from a kid like you! Do you expect me to turn all my men to you without any fight, you filthy swine!"

    "Come on! Be reasonable!" Reus shouted, "We outnumber you all two to one. We don''t want to hurt you. We just want to talk."

    "Hurt us?" he snickered almost insulting him, "We surround you two to one! Deactivate your Amplifyers and WE would not hurt YOU!"

    Reus looked behind him and was surprised to see illuminating fireflies of Amplifyers activating one after another with silhouettes of rebels walking to surround them. The commander of the Nagozulian Strike Team went close to Reus and whispered, "My Lord, they have deceived us. Should I signal to eliminate them all?"

    "No," he whispered, "Goodness, no! No blood should be spilled in these lands."

    "But your safety is our utmost duty."

    "Don''t worry about me, Major, or yourselves for that matter. I will protect us all."

    "Hey kid!" shouted the rebel leader, "You are the son of that Artemus smug, right?"

    Reus just looked at him straight in the eye activating his rare white diamond illuminating an area around his soldiers. He kneeled down on the moist ground closing his eyes.

    "Oh, I see! You want to forfeit your lives, right? Well we can grant your prayers!"

    "Sir," the commander persisted as the rebels charged their Amplifyers illuminating the fields as bright as day, "shall we maneuver a counterattack?"

    "No, group your men closer to me," he instructed confident, "I''ll be handling this myself. I have something special in mind. Please do tell your men to burn their Amplifyers to a maximum when I give the order."

    The commander''s eyes were filled with doubt, anxious to attack, but nodded to accept the order and then scurried of to meet all the Strike Team captains.

    He smiled as he directed his attention now to the leader of the Maskara Strike Team on his left side who''s wearing a frightful demon mask with long canine teeth soaked in red ink. "General Enro, I may need your help after all..."

    Enro, known as the feared Bloodfang - who is recognized for his legendary mastery of the Deep Root skill that can stand the punch of even the strongest Daomagar, looked at his comrades that understood him right away as they lined up behind him. He then pulled his unusually blue-colored crystalline long sword the size of a man and feigned them for a couple of strikes in the air which the others did with theirs as if getting warmed up.

    "Just remember," Reus asserted with a friendly tone seeing his excitement with his impossibly huge crystal sword, "Please do not dismember them. We need only to disable them without so much as injuring them permanently. Do not let them enter my territory until I finish my ritual. Use any skill necessary but please do be careful with your strength."

    The Maskara General just grunted in disappointment as he pushed his gigantic sword on the ground once more and stretched his arms giving the others the signal. They immediately obeyed the order and circled around to protect the huddling strike teams around Reus, standing on five major openings around them.

    A white illuminating umbrella surrounded them forming like a dome housing the Nagozulian party. It stretched more than two hundred fifty feet in diameter and a hundred feet high with Reus at the center. This white energy field lighted the whole fields turning it as bright as a summer''s day, robbing everyone inside it with elemental capabilities. This frightened the Nagozulian Strike Teams inside the dome creating a chatter of worry and fear as their Amplifyer''s light began to dissipate one by one.

    "Do not fret!" assured Reus now floating at the center with his whole body radiating with white light, "You''re all safe with me!"

    "You ARE the son of Artemus!" shouted the leader laughing thinking he has the upper hand. "Kill them all but capture the Son of Artemus alive!"

    Within a matter of seconds, a bombardment of fire elemental energies hurled at the dome-like energy field in all angles. The Nagozulian Strike Team members flinched as they thought they are about to get scorched helplessly from all directions but was surprised to see the white energy eating the fire away, absorbing its power as if a sponge thirsty for water. The resulting heat from the fire explosions caused the fields to burn but not within Reus''s magnificent territory that remained pristine - with its cool temperature and its green grass all safe inside. The Strike Teams watched standing, some smiling, as the rebels threw at them pitiful elemental techniques that some thought to be quite powerful and yet did not even penetrate even an inch of their protective barrier. Even the explosive forces of impact cannot be felt inside the White Dome. Wind, water and earth techniques are now being thrown at them endlessly creating a deafening noise on that early morning and yet they are still there, still watching with happy eyes as if inviting more fury to their enemies.

    For about ten minutes, the continuing barrage did not stop until they saw Reus''s white dome turn bigger and bigger moving inch by inch as if growing from all the energy it has been eating.

    The Rebel Commander noticed this, sohe ordered all of his men to ready their weapons to a charge. The rebels did so, shouting as they unsheathe their weapons, but did not, at all, touch the white line that separates them. The Maskara Strike Team began dashing at the edges and as soon as one would get near Reus''s magnificent territory, they would open their palms and start to throw the would-be attacker away at least ten feet either knocking them out or making them squirm in pain curling on the ground almost crying.

    "Now!" Reus shouted giving the order to his commander which he obeyed almost instantaneously, passing the directive to his captains.

    The Nagozulian Strike Teams began concentrating their Amplifyers burning it bright as Reus snatches it away, absorbing it making his Amplifyer glow brighter even more.

    "That''s why they call him the Sun Stealer..." mumbled the commander almost smiling in his aha-moment seeing Reus touch the ground finishing his ritual. The white radiating beams coming from his diamond Amplifyer pulsated ten blinding bursts and then he exploded robbing all lights from everyone leaving the whole expense of the fields pitch black.

    "General Reus," whispered the commander almost afraid, "What shall we do?"

    "Relax, commander," said a deep voice echoing from everywhere, "All of you, stay where you are. We''ll be wrapping this up with a ribbon in no time."

    The Nagozulian Strike Team is known for their supreme tactical intelligence, unparalleled brazen persona and their near-suicidal attack styles that are unmatched but if there''s one thing that the impressive Strike Teams fear, it is not ghosts neither powerful enemies nor death, it is to be placed in an unknown state robbing them with their capacity to act and do something about their situation. These situations gives them a state of helplessness which renders them to be mentally, emotionally and physically distressed - after all, they have been training to become immensely proficient in the field of combat and yet being incompetent in the battle grounds lingers in their minds giving them a frightful chill. That''s what they are experiencing now as they try to kneel down readying to strike on the cold damp ground hearing the rebels screaming and shouting and crying.

    They can see their own bodies as if being illuminated by the sun, even though it is night at that time, but they cannot see what''s beyond their bodies. They can touch and hear their team members murmuring on their sides, but they cannot see them. This is true with the others as they confirm what they are experiencing. Though they see some light blinking as if appearing from one place to another everywhere, still this didn''t give them comfort - it only adds to the stress they are feeling.

    Being acquainted with the unknown really isn''t their strong suit as members of the prestigious Nagozulian Strike Team. They should know all there is to know that''s why they are so proficient and yet this surprise seems to give them an unwanted experience they don''t want to remember, so they just waited in agitation for the duration of Reus''s unusual skill to last in hopes that their safety and that of their comrades is not compromised in their ineffective state.

    In about more or less seven minutes, the black void suddenly crept away, dissolving into a mist releasing everyone out of that depressive bondage. The Nagozulian Strike Team immediately organized and activated their Amplifyers once more as they search out for the enemy and found them lying face down all lined up and apparently asleep. They are neatly organized in tens as if they are tally sticks amounting to a hundred and twenty-seven. Their hands are bound with rope all connected to the shackle found on their heels.

    "General Reus!?" shouted the commander searching for their missing bulwark prince. He then ordered the captains to create a scouting party while they ready to transport the fugitives.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "I thought I felt your presence there," grinned Reus behind a man all dressed in white with hands crossed, "I don''t want to show off, but I have to show it to you somehow. I mean, I was planning on doing something less stressful, something simple, but I have to make an impression."

    "Indeed," Artemus whispered without looking back as he watched the commander down the hill almost eight hundred feet away, "You sure know how to make a grand impression but I thought you''re going to need a hand there."

    "I completely have it under control. I intentionally kept on giving in on their demands for them to lure their comrades out in the open. It''s better to capture one hundred twenty-seven of them instead of just a handful twenty, right?"

    "But still, that''s a risky move. Just don''t be too cocky in the near future. Sometimes a complicated solution can backfire and turn into a dreadful complication, especially if you have the lives of your command at stake."

    "Yes father. My success is a collaborative effort so I can''t take all the credit." He went near his father looking down too as the huddled soldiers secured the prisoners for transport with the commander still clueless and relentless in his search for him, "I had help from the strike team and your favorite Maskara Strike Force."

    "I didn''t know one can suck away the energy from the Amplifyers as a means of obtaining energy. I didn''t even know you can rob away all the light and bend it to your will. That is a new trick you taught me here - though I think I wouldn''t be able to replicate your wonderful technique with my miniscule Life Elemental essence."

    "Well, I didn''t come up with that. A little bird told me the nature of Light Energies."

    Artemus smiled and tapped his son, "A certain little bird dog?"

    Reus was surprised and was about to ask when he interrupted him turning away.

    "Well," he said wearing his flat cap fixing his hair, "It''ll be morning soon. You better go and fix the situation there. I have an appointment at first light, and I don''t want to be late. Good job son," he congratulated looking back with happy eyes, "Every day you make me proud." And he blinked disappearing into the night like a star, leaving Reus alone smiling wide feeling confident as ever.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The freezing wind rushes strong as if pushing back the traveling party of three, preventing them from going further on their path to the Shrine of Bakunawa. Prodea is leading the group striding with her famous red cloak together with Zeba and Karr on her sides.

    A hundred flying needles came rushing through the woods beside the road jolting the Daomagarian bodyguard to quickly release his large claymore on his back, swinging it to deflect the reflecting pins. He then immediately pulled Prodea and Zeba to his back as a shadow appeared in front of him making his way on the foggy curtains of the horizon. The figure wears a black hood, with a mask covering his face only revealing the murderous look on his shining red eyes filled with malice. He''s wearing his famous trench coat walking without a sound.

    "Impressive," the shadow greeted with a deep voice almost sounding like an adolescent kid, "Now that I know you''re not like the others, we might as well get on to the exciting portion of this engagement."

    The mysterious silhouette pulled a foot-long dagger on his back and feigned it in the air with his left hand. The surprisingly odd dagger did not have any reflection at all, but this does not frighten Karr. He does not fear how he could turn his weapon pitch black like the daggers of the famous Sibara Assassins. What bothered him was how this unique dagger did not produce any sound at all, not even the slightest vibration metals emit when pulled from its sheathe. This brought him to simulate different kinds of scenario on how he could anticipate the impossible attacks he might give as he tightly grasps the hilt of his extensive claymore still fixated on the glaring red eyes of the murderous shadow.

    Prodea moved behind him and quickly attacked the figure with multiple assaults of fire, water and wind elemental attacks that are surprisingly powerful and lit the roads bright for about twenty seconds creating a deafening uproar of explosions. Zeba smiled for a while clapping her hands in excitement seeing the marvelous display of high-level elemental attacks but Karr did not feel any different. He just stood there in complete focus with his serious eyes growing even more concerned.

    "That ought to do it," she sneered with her smug attitude as she clasps her hands feeling satisfied. "I thought that Yiv character presents an inkling of a challenge..."

    As Prodea started to step ahead, she was blocked with Karr''s humongous arms pushing her back again on his sides.

    "I''m sorry Prodea," the shadow murmured kneeling on the ground that has been etched with white circular symbols, "You''re not the only one who can borrow powers from Mother Earth."

    He then showed a cracked white pearl from his palms and flicked it with his middle finger aiming at Prodea''s forehead which Karr instantaneously caught just in time. The force could''ve rendered a wide hole on her head but that didn''t frighten Prodea. She puts her complete trust to Karr''s impressive skills.

    Karr gave the cracked pearl for Prodea to investigate which she did almost fastidiously taking it out of his palms without stopping.

    "The Aegis of Ana''giel..." she murmured almost with fright moving close to Karr''s back after inspecting the broken bead off from his bodyguard. "Do you know what you did!? You incompetent peasant?! You just wasted a very valuable artifact!"

    As the shadow stood up, etches of a faint white circular rune began circling him as if being protected by very strong Magicks. Prodea''s elemental attacks are of no match for him now. The figure returned his threatening pose with his hands at his sides holding the frightful dagger ready to charge.

    "Wait," pleaded Karr, calm as he is always, "What does the Shadow Walker want from us. We didn''t do anything wrong?"

    "I don''t have time for you, brother, and I don''t want to eliminate you two. I just want the head of your master whose soul reeks of corruption. Her actions would lead to the demise of the Holy Lands, so she must be executed."

    As soon as he was about to make his rebuttal, the Shadow Walker raced on dashing almost disappearing and in a quarter of a second, he reached them aiming the dagger right through Prodea''s neck. Karr anticipated this, sohe twirled like a whirlwind displacing his charges, Prodea and Zeba, and the deceptive Yiv.

    Yiv stepped back twenty feet away from them. He is now on the other side of the road towards the Palace while they are on the road to the Shrine. This just infuriated Yiv as he switched hands holding his long black dagger now to his right hand and pulling a wide knife from his left boot.

    "GO!" shouted Karr without taking his eyes away from the Shadow Walker, "I''ll stop him from getting any further."

    Yiv''s eyes smiled to that statement as he suddenly vanished from his spot. Karr suddenly twirled again with his impossibly long claymore this time creating a ravage from the roads destroying almost ten feet of it throwing the Shadow Stalked back almost cutting his face in half. He had managed to precisely cut through his cloak and his mask. By that time Prodea and Zeba have completely hidden themselves on the flowing dark mist of the night running.

    "You have underestimated me, Shadow Walker," he said pulling his claymore to his sides. "You will not be able to kill my charge without getting through me."

    "I''m surprised," he said kneeling down, "You truly are one of Talim Clan''s finest warriors. Your father would''ve been very proud."

    For a quarter of a second, Karr''s eyes flinched as if he pulled a very sensitive matter. The Shadow Walker noticed this as he smirked to continue. "Even Captain Gab would be happy to see you do that impressive technique your father developed just for me. I''m practically honored it has been passed to you."

    "Don''t you dare drag my brother into this!" he shouted angry pulling his sword in his front at a ready.

    "You know I am flattered your family has dedicated their lives in improvising techniques just to disrupt my Shadow Step. It''s as if your mother and father devoted their remaining life span to counter my special move. Too bad for you I''m going to eliminate you too for knowing such an impressive and useful thing."

    "You''ll pay for what you did you fiend!"

    As Yiv stood up pulling her now useless disguise, her long shiny black hair began to move with the breeze as her lovely face illuminated touching the moonlight revealing her secret identity to the dumbfounded bodyguard with wide eyes. She threw it away on the side of the road and fixed her stance.

    "Princess Liv?" Karr mumbled seeing her red eyes returning to her rare mesmerizing violet color as if relaxing herself. "You are the Shadow Walker?"

    "I''m still surprised you know how to use that skill though," she continued ignoring his baffled expression, "Your father is the only one who perfected that and can counter me when I am communing with Mother Earth. I didn''t know he passed it on to you before I disposed of him.

    "Don''t be offended, but I just got to ask. Does anybody know how to do that? I need to assess if the elimination of your bloodline is viable."

    "How!?" he shouted almost breaking his stance in bewilderment ignoring her ravings, "How can you stand deceiving Princess Anagea and Grand Prince Artemus after all they''ve done for you!? After they have taken you to their home and treated you like their own child!?"

    "You''re asking all the wrong questions here old timer," she interrupted his reprimanding speech smiling devilishly tilting her head, "You don''t have to worry ''bout all those things. Those things are really not of import. What you should worry is your own life. There''s a reason I wear my disguise. No one gets to see my face and lived to tell about it."

    "I know," he said now determined scratching the earth to draw a line in front of him with his claymore, "There''s only one person coming out of this alive... and I intend to be that person."

    "That''s the spirit!" she replied returning her calm violet hue to red, returning her murderous eyes still disturbingly smiling.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Prodea..." whispered Zeba tensed with the situation, "It has been an hour! Karr is still isn''t here. What should we do?"

    "QUIET YOU!" she hushed shouting trying to meditate creating a large rune summoning circle in the fields just in front of Bakunawa''s shrine with all thirty Watercasters praying at the center with their Amplifyers activated to their fullest potential. "Stop pestering me. I have to complete this. If he does die before I finish this, then we all would die from Yiv''s hand, soquit complaining."

    The summoning circle etched to the ground began illuminating a yellow radiance and that made Prodea smile.

    "And now, Zeba," she exclaimed with delight, "watch as I become the ultimate elemental in Nagozul!"

    She floated for about forty feet above the skies making all the Casters look at her with awe.

    "Cite the spells I gave you!" she commanded to the crowded Casters below her, "Pray deeply in your hearts that I may be granted permanent power..."

    The summoning circle below her suddenly exploded with blinding white light. An energy surge began rising to Prodea. Rushing to her are enormous amounts of elemental energies making her bright as the sun illuminating the fields.

    Zeba just crouched and squinted as she backed away far to avoid the suffocating release of energy coming out of the earth. The amount of elemental energies being transferred to Prodea made her body shake as if giving off a powerful vibrating pulse making it hard for her to breathe.

    After a minute of transference, the light abruptly stopped and Prodea made her landing, touching the ground gently with her Amplifyers in her forehead - ruby, emerald and sapphire - illuminating brightly almost white. She then pulled of her cloak and started to shake off her long hair, cracking her neck stretching, getting ready for her greatest encounter.

    "Prodea?" posed Zeba gradually turning greatly concerned, "Where are the Casters?"

    "What Casters? We''re the only ones here. Plausible deniability, Zeba, plausible deniability."

    "Prodea!" she shouted almost angry, "Where are the Casters!?"

    "I assimilated them. What''s the matter? Seriously Zeba, your lack of deductive reasoning is quite astounding. You need not ask where they are."

    "You destroyed them all!?"

    "NO! Are you absurd!?" she shouted too now insulted, "I trapped their souls to my newly fused Amplifyers to give me power worth thirty elementals! I''m not that mental to just destroy them, minding their lives no importance whatsoever."

    "Why did you do that!?" she shouted almost crying seeing the burnt-out grounds that once was the center of the summoning circle.

    "How do you suppose I could defeat Bakunawa without this? Besides, they would gladly give their lives to me given any circumstance. I just utilized their full potentials in the process! Now I am twenty times the Prodea you know... minus some Casters who doesn''t really have promising essence."

    "What kind of person are you?" she raged teary eyed almost breaking down shaking on the ground.

    Prodea went close to her and looked down at her with serious eyes, "The kind of person needed to make you Queen in this pathetic infernal hole we live in. Somebody''s got to do what I did and I''m not rooting for you to do this, especially seeing how weak you are." She turned around aiming at the wall and spouted some weird language. She then pulled her hands in front of her and as soon as she finishes her ritual a white energy coming from her palms radiated to impact Bakunawa''s wall blasting it all to smithereens, breaking the seal of the wall that once was. "Are you going to stay there sitting, looking pathetic? Or are you going to watch as I kick Bakunawa''s sorry bum!?"

    It took a ten-minute walk from there to Bakunawa''s shrine. For Zeba it took almost forever as she held her head down wondering what happened to Prodea. She''s becoming more sinister than ever, killing thirty of those medical casters that some of them, if not acquainted with, are her good friends. She''s not used to her new methods. Sure, she has been insufferable and mainly tortures everyone around her with hurtful words to get what she wants but she doesn''t kill people in order to achieve something. The use of mind-games, finesse, and her Bathala-given intellect is what she boasts around to people, not the use of Dark Magicks and forbidden rituals. Prodea has truly changed since their return from their trip to the foreign lands of the east. She just felt thankful that Prodea regards her as one of her closest friends and that she wouldn''t disregard her existence like what she did with Karr, whom has been her loyal bodyguard for twenty years - at least that''s what she wanted to believe.

    "Prodea," echoed the voice of Bakunawa, disturbing and scary Zeba noted as she sees him walking out of his front porch in his ragged old cloak. "I see you got my message. Good thing too since you''ve foolishly offered your head willingly to me."

    "I don''t care what you think you senile old trash," she exclaimed stepping forward removing her cloak and evening gloves, revealing her five new Amplifyers to him glowing a bright radiating energy field around her, "but I''m done playing games. Let''s just get this over with."

    Prodea has two circular sapphire stones embedded on the back of her hands occupying its full width. Another two rectangular emeralds are to be found at the back of both of her forearms almost five inches long and about an inch and a half wide. The last one, the rare Red Emerald, is found on her chest that she formed as a little triangle which is the brightest of them all. All of these Amplifyers have tattoo markings around it acting as a runic spell to facilitate the free-flowing transfer of her elemental essence coming out of her spirit and her human vessel, which is her body.

    Zeba was surprised to see that many Amplifyers in one person. She got three Amplifyers on her forehead already and that is more than enough to drain her every time she tries to conjure elemental techniques. She had helped her put the red emerald on her chest last night but that''s because Prodea has some spare energy to fuse with it. She just realized why she needed the lives of those thirty medical casters. Fusing with Amplifyers needs life force emanated by the spirit and if the elemental essence of the spirit is not high enough it''ll take a toll on the human vessel, absorbing further the basic life force essential in moving and thinking, incapacitating the person to a mere lifeless state known as the Sleep of Death. Based on the intense illumination of the Amplifyers, she did not just capture the souls of the casters to activate the fused Amplifyers, she trapped them to break the limits of the Amplifyers giving them to be activated to a near perfect glow mimicking the diamond Amplifyer activation, pulsating a near-white beam that look as though she had enchanted herself with the white fire.

    "Impressive, little apprentice, but you won''t get lucky this time."

    "Yes, I will," she replied smiling jumping back twenty feet engraving the earth as she lands with a huge runic summoning circle stretching for about thirty feet in diameter, with her at the center. The summoning circle magically moved in a counterclockwise rotation with little rotating runic circles being etched inside as every second passes. A moving summoning circle, gasped Zeba as she witnessed one of the few things only a Yagisivian can do. She is not a Yagisivian but because of her Dark Arts, she practically became just like one and with the help of those thirty na?ve souls she has tricked into forfeiting their lives, she became much more powerful.

    Zeba knows when it is not safe to stand around, soshe dashed on backwards to the sidelines, slow as she is, to get a glimpse of every second of the event on the great battle of the millennia: Prodea versus Bakunawa, Mortal versus Immortal, Nagozulian versus Yagisivian; A battle that has never been seen for a thousand years; A battle that Prodea is very confident in winning.

    "I can''t take any chances now," said Bakunawa that echoed all around as if thunder.

    Zeba was frightened with this feat, talking while chanting a summoning ritual. It''s impossible, she believes. There is an impaling voice coming from him reciting an unknown language of Bathala''s Heralds, almost drilling a painful drive on her head but he can also speak fearfully loud as if two people are within him: a disturbingly scary high-pitched voice and his alarming loud normal voice which is reverberating fearsome vibrations through her body disabling her to move, forcing her to sit down weak and helpless. She could only see his eyes, his piercing blood red eyes with a bright yellow snakelike iris that never blinks. His whole face is pitch-black even though Prodea has been lighting the place like noon, a faceless monster without a left arm but still frightening indeed. She could imagine him more frightening if his body is complete and if his monstrous face is revealed.

    In her life as a Daomagarian, she had never witnessed such an excessive display of energy emanation coming from a living being. This match is truly above anyone''s level that she knows of. She just sat there frightened as her heart pounds fast feeling both their energies fight off as if dominating one another while they are readying themselves in combat. A very destructive, obviously dangerous, epic match that is reserved only to the most powerful beings alive and she now has half-a-mind to scurry off to save herself from getting caught in the crossfire. If only she could move. If only she could muster enough courage and fight the whispering voice of Bakunawa, his confusing and irritating voice that sucks away her will to move rendering her in a feeble state of just watching the fight. She wonders why Prodea can stand this challenging power and how she can still etch some complicated spells from the ground without breaking her chants and her stance and the activation of her Amplifyers. This just proves her enormous and unrivaled strength, determination, and concentration - she thought convinced as she tries to crawl further away, inch by inch, in hopes that his voice would escape her head as their distance furthers.

    The grounds became deaf silent all of a sudden giving Zeba the energy to scurry further on the sides together with the tall grasses where she could hide. She is now curiously looking at Bakunawa floating on his front porch looking at Prodea who is still etching some summoning circle on the grounds. She was searching for something to help her figure out what''s happening when all of a sudden, a high-pitched screech engulfed the whole shrine making her cover her ears in pain.

    A huge splash of waters began erupting in the ocean near the shrine. In a matter of seconds, a towering sea dragon emerged opening its vicious mouth boasting two humongous fangs around countless of blades of teeth all lined up evenly. It rose reaching for the skies scaling to at least a thousand feet as if jumping and eating the moon, burning its color to blood red engulfing the skies with further darkness. The frightening dragon has two small arms with long dangerously sharp claws on each of its three fingers. It used this to land on the grounds to pierce the earth, stabbing it to bleed water to flow like flood as if it has created its own enchantment without having the summoning ritual performed.

    The Nanreben has awoken again she screamed in her head in fright as she saw its bulging green snake-like eyes looking at them with its fiendish blue green mirror-like scales reflecting the red moon. She only saw the Nanreben at a distance when they last visited, and she was overwhelmed with joy that time having to witness the awakening of one of the five remaining Immortal Titans. Now, being too close to the gigantic dragon, she feels an insurmountable amount of fear she never dreamt of ever feeling; a dreadful feeling that she believe is far worse than anything she could ever encounter in her lifetime akin to impending death. Its sharp eyes created a painful stab in her soul disabling her to move further while making her experience pain to radiate on every part of her body that can feel. She still wonders how Prodea, who''s now looking at the huge sea serpent, can manage to block all this suffocating magic she''s feeling. She understands she only feels the residual effects of Bakunawa''s magic, and that of the Nanreben''s, which is all directed to Prodea. She knows what she''s feeling is only a tenth, nay even a twentieth, of what Prodea is now experiencing but still she is on her perfect stance with her fast chanting and her swift engraving on the earth with her summoning skills.

    It screamed its long powerful shriek once more summoning a tidal wave to engulf the fields. Zeba felt the thousand pound force smashing her body to the ground but she saw Prodea still standing on the ground, still etching and chanting her ritual unharmed and apparently dry as if she did not even get touched by the deadly force of the sea.

    She was about to turn around to move away further when the summoning circle of Prodea blasted a white light towards the sky. It illuminated the fields bright as day and burned almost all the things around it including a statue debris on the far corner. Zeba smiled for a second commending herself for thinking ahead and escaping to where she''s at earlier. If she hadn''t moved from her spot, she would have been burned to a crisp by now.

    A screaming fiendish monster, extending almost the same size as the Nanreben, violently escaped the earth in just a matter of seconds. It is a raucous serpent with stacks of burning coal forming its body blasting a hot blazing coat of red fire from the head to its tail as if having a thorny pelt from the roaring fires that escapes its molten scales; it turned the temperature of the grounds to at least thirty degrees higher burning the air dry, making it thick and hard to breathe. It has no eyes, only a long snout with two large fangs that continuously drip magma but still it''s as if it can see the roaring Nanreben, taunting it with its earsplitting shrieks. Its backbone has protruding huge scythe-like sharp spikes from its head to tail making it deadly if it got the chance to slither and constrict anything with its multiple smoldering lances.

    Prodea can now be found on the top of the head of its summoned beast looking down on them. Bakunawa looked up and jumped to the head of his Nanreben making both of them match up eye-to-eye with Prodea now speaking in a surprisingly loud voice echoing all around, enchanting her voice to amplify murmuring some incantations.

    Seeing this, Bakunawa ordered the great Nanreben to lunge forward to attack. The slithering Nanreben roared a fearsome pitch as it rushed towards the fiendish serpent. It released a thick jet of water from its mouth spraying the large serpent''s face.

    Prodea anticipated this move and made his summoned beasts to bow parrying the blast but this left herself vulnerable to the titan''s sharp claws, which the Nanreben expected. The great Titan jumped and opened its claws directing its black lethal sharp force to the face of the burning serpent aiming to kill Prodea who''s standing at the top of its head. Prodea managed to move away dodging in the last second but the mighty claws of the great beast managed to break-off half of the fiery snake''s face.

    As soon as the Nanreben landed on the ground from its attack, Prodea finished her incantations and spontaneously summoned two thousand fireballs to counterattack, thinking about the small window of opportunity from the titan''s vulnerability consisting of a few milliseconds it needed to ready and position its long body up to attack again. She released the fireballs flying to Bakunawa at an impossible speed. One thousand of which moved to blast the face of the Nanreben and the other one thousand made its way to Bakunawa only to arrive exploding before ever making contact. Bakunawa saw to this earlier on, sohe made sure to create elemental defenses activated within his great beast leaving them to appear unscathed from her attack having only a thick black smokescreen to cover their vision as a result of the encounter.

    IT''S A TRAP! Bakunawa figured as he magically waved his arms to expunge the black smoke all around him and the Nanreben''s eyes only to reveal that he''s been tricked once again! The fiery serpent''s ten feet smoldering spike at the end of its tail came forth lashing at an inconceivable speed. The Nanreben moved quickly avoiding the sharp protruding spears of the blazing serpent but it didn''t help much. It''s fast gliding movements made it possible for it to stab the Nanreben''s body just above its left arm below its neck. The titan roared a thunderous shriek of agony as the spike leak molten magma searing into the titan''s scaly skin. The sliding fiend made its way moving closer trying to position itself to constrict the Nanreben while Prodea attacked with heavy fire Magicks into Bakunawa. Upon seeing this deadly scenario, Bakunawa called for cold waters to rise all around his legendary Titan. The force of the rising waters cut the tail that''s been stabbing the Nanreben in half. He then created a wind-water summoning much like a winter blizzard all around dropping the temperature down to at least fifty degrees colder with his Water Serpent blasting a furious jet of water trying to take vengeance by extinguishing the flaming serpent. Prodea smiled snickering as if mocking Bakunawa in his defensive enchantments as she retreated back moving at least two hundred feet away from him and his crying Nanreben.

    Taking into account the mass of the fiery serpent and its reaction time to their successful attack earlier on, Bakunawa thought that she couldn''t move it fast enough at her will. He was tricked into thinking that it is an Elemental Summoning just like what she did when they last met, and this mistake almost cost him his Nanreben. Elemental Summonings are much more like summoning a puppet. The bigger it is the harder it is to control and move, much so to attack with. He originally thought he summoned this elemental fiend to become her shield from the Nanreben''s massive attacks, but he''s mistaken. Dim''ion''s Magicks made it possible for Prodea to instill a living soul in its core. He sensed it being close to her gigantic burning serpent. She actually succeeded in trapping and enslaving a poor mortal soul into fusion with Mother Earth. An abomination! An immoral and repulsive skill made and perfected only by Dim''ion!

    "I''m not the same Prodea you battled last time. I''m more powerful now!" Prodea shouted with an amplified sound that can be heard clearly all around the battlefield.

    "I know," replied Bakunawa with the same loud resonance charging a huge blue water sphere the size of his shrine''s dome that is in rubles on his left, "You''ve become so rotten that you''re now relying on Dim''ion''s Dark Magicks! Defiling an innocent soul is a great insult to Bathala. You should be punished!"

    "OH, PLEASE!" she mocked with her arrogant tone, "as if you do not use Dim''ion''s Magicks! The very foundation of Yagisivian summonings are based on Dim''ion''s..."

    "That''s where you''re wrong," he interrupted finalizing his channeling spell, "Dim''ion''s skills is based on Ana''giel''s Magicks and the majority of our summonings came from Ana''giel himself!"

    Bakunawa released the bulging water sphere towards Prodea''s fiery snake. The massive water orb released hundreds of tentacles of gushing waters like blades piercing her summoned titan on impact, making it shriek in pain as it continues to extinguish its fiery skin. The Nanreben joined in as it clawed the ground once more to create a torrent of water below the shrieking monster, trying to put out its flames further.

    Water is a tricky element. It is without form, but it is solid and is greater than the element fire making it that much harder to block. This property of water can become most problematic for anyone receiving an attack coming from an elemental summoner for the attacker can shape it to their will and surprise any would-be defender. Prodea knows this for a fact and she knows she''ll be at a disadvantage knowing that her main tri-element attribute is fire and her enemy, the immortal Bakunawa, is fond of playing with water. But, as always, she has prepared for this day and thus she has another card up her sleeve that quite literally lies behind her sleeves if she''s wearing any.

    Prodea lifted her right arm and the emerald Amplifyer began to pulsate its blinding glow. Shortly thereafter, a gust of wind bellowed all around her summoned giant. It formed a field of rushing whirlwind that destroyed the form of the gushing tentacles of the huge water sphere and pushed the moving waters below her great serpent.

    Wind Of course, is stronger than water for the wind can reshape its form or in their case disrupt it from forming and shake its structure making it lose its shape and be rendered useless. Certainly in order to do this, the Blower should have a Wind Summoning greater in force than that of the Caster''s for gushing water rapids is much more harder to disrupt but because of Prodea''s newfound power, with the souls of her servants being trapped inside her new Amplifyers modified through Dim''ion''s Magicks, she can now come toe to toe with Bakunawa''s powerful spells.

    This jaw-dropping act surprised both Bakunawa and Zeba. Such roaring winds destroying everything in its wake are the elemental skills possessed only by Legendary Nagozulians that have lived thousands of years ago. Prodea''s wind essence is nowhere near this powerful they thought as a crumb of fear began to shake inside their heads. The awakening of this stormy gust cleared all the clouds in the sky magnifying the moon''s bloody glow.

    "I didn''t expect you could amplify your wind essence to ten times that of your true essence," Bakunawa shouted cramming another set of summoning to counterattack, "but you forget one thing! I''m still the most powerful summoner there is!"

    Bakunawa retaliated using Earth Invocations to summon sixteen large slabs of hard stones - measuring at least twenty feet tall, thirty feet wide, and ten feet thick. He made it move about countering the rushing winds of Prodea until the wind blows weakened to a harmless strong wind.

    "Impressive," ringed Prodea hinting an infuriated tone, "I didn''t know you can summon the Sixteen Walls of Heaven. Must have drained you a lot bringing forth that kind of powerful defensive technique."

    Bakunawa just scoffed revealing his smiling eyes as he positioned his slabs of silver walls around Prodea''s malevolent beast. Prodea''s eyes widened as he flipped all the slabs horizontally ready for an attack position.

    The Sixteen Walls of Heaven is one of the most powerful techniques a Yagisivian can summon. It is a thick framed shiny silver-colored stone slab that is famed for its near-indestructible qualities making it the most powerful physical defensive barrier to ever been summoned. Every stone slab has a ten feet runic number starting from one marking every slab to sixteen. The strength of the stone varies and increases its durability as the slab number reaches the slab number one - which is the most indestructible of all the stone slabs. These walls are rumored to have been created and chiseled by Bathala''s herald Ana''giel himself and that up to now, no one has ever scratched its surface - except for the sixteenth slab which has a boring hole on its center that is marked by the Emperor Dogal''s ultimate skill a thousand years ago. Every stone slab is unique, but each shares its very sharp edges that can rip through piercing almost anything on contact. When placed on top of each other, the fast-moving velocity can act mimicking the movement of shears that can eviscerate and/or squash almost anything.

    Bakunawa moved the stone slabs simultaneously attacking the wretched snake and Prodea in all directions. Like sheers, it forcefully slid through each and every stone wall snipping the fiery serpent. The resulting slams of those sixteen walls created an ear-splitting explosion vanquishing the flaming serpentine once and for all including Prodea in it. No one can escape that kind of attack. The Sixteen Walls of Heaven cannot be penetrated by any kind of Magic so there will be no hope for Prodea''s escape.

    The resulting cloud of black smoke and dust engulfed the fields as Bakunawa looked down feeling regret killing another soul in Nagozul which he hasn''t done, and has vowed not to do for almost a thousand years.

    He jumped to the ground from his towering titan now walking to the rubles of his shrine feeling ill. He knows it''s the right thing to do but he feels rather miserable for killing her apprentice. He really did love Prodea as a father would her daughter.

    "GRAND PRINCESS!" shouted Zeba screaming out almost sniveling, running to the silvery walls. "Grand Princess where are you!?"

    Bakunawa turned around and noticed the lonely Zeba crying her eyes out running towards the stacked walls. The Nanreben was hissing to attack but Bakunawa stopped it before finalizing its resolve giving her time to mourn about her loss.

    "PRODEA!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!!" she pursued clamoring for a reply.

    "Go home you fool... Your master is now at peace..." said Bakunawa with an eerie pitch which Zeba noted stopping her further from saying another word.

    Zeba then noticed him raising his right arm as if waving at someone far to the mountains, looking sorry as if giving a signal and an apology, but she did not bother dwelling on the thought for she had to search for Prodea''s remains somewhere on top of the stack piles of those silvery walls.

    A blinding light flashed on the skies illuminating it like day rushing from the stacks of those Sixteen Walls to the Nanreben.

    "IT CAN''T BE!" Bakunawa shouted as he saw a figure of white light reaching the Nanreben.

    The great titan roared in both fear and pain as the figure enveloped in white light grabbed its eyebrows burning it, punching cleanly through penetrating its head. The white figure released a violent discharge of roaring white fire cremating its head to charcoal black.

    "The... the... the Cloak of Dim''ion..." whimpered Bakunawa as he sees his mighty titan slowly fall down to the ground dead, creating an earth-shattering ravage on impact.

    The skies gradually returned to reveal the clear blue morning as the bloody moon slowly faded away being overwhelmed by the sunlight.

    "Yes," she replied almost sinister with the emerald gem in her chest amplified to a maximum, "the cloak of the devil himself... the legendary white fire enchantment." Prodea smiled now walking towards him after jumping off from the Nanreben''s poor incinerated face.

    He miscalculated. Bakunawa put the sixteenth wall into the top thinking that he needed the much stronger force from the first wall below the base of the serpent and the less force on top assuming that Prodea is a Nagozulian mortal whose skills wouldn''t dream of scratching even the sixteenth slab.

    The original Walls of Heaven consisted of only nine stone slabs. The only weakness of the first nine stone slabs numbering slabs number eight to sixteen was the force of the scorching White Fire of Dim''ion''s cloak. Because of this, Ana''giel fashioned another set of seven stone slabs just to perfect this ultimate wall of Physical Defense that even the White Demon cannot penetrate.

    Bakunawa did not know that she can conjure the White Fire and turn into the White Demon. He did not know that Prodea''s triangular Amplifyer fused in her chest is in fact the rare Red Emerald developed by the renowned Royal Seer Juni Merl. He was not informed on the facts of this new revelation.

    The prophecy suggested that she will kill Juni but did not specify that she would obtain the Red Emerald and yet she has it which only proves one logical reason: it is up to him to ensure that she doesn''t escape his grounds with her Amplifyer still intact. It is in the prophecy that she wouldn''t have one so he has to be the one who should destroy that thing even if costs him his life. That would explain his untimely death as an immortal, he now figured as he laughed thinking about the intricacies and the deception of Bathala''s Prophecy.

    "Why are you laughing you cretinous monkey!? Be afraid you buffoon! Even immortals are not impervious to the white fire!"

    "I know..." he said almost forcing to hide his laugh, "I lost my face and my left arm being tortured by the same powers of the white fire you conjured..."

    "Then you know you''re going to die..." she enunciated making it clear to him, almost confused with his reaction standing twenty feet in front of him.

    "I''ve accepted it a long time ago and I''ve come embrace it," he replied which puzzled Prodea even more, "It is as predicted. If my soul is being called upon by Bathala, who am I to sway against his will..."

    "Again... that prophecy? What is that?" she asked maintaining her distance close enough to anticipate his move but not too close to burn him in the white fire''s intense heat.

    "You didn''t know about it?" he laughed almost making fun of her, "The one that your father wrote on Bathala''s behalf? I thought you have pried it from someone''s brain by now..."

    "Tell me, you pathetic insect, or I''ll make sure you suffer dying on my hands!"

    "Grand Princess!" interrupted Zeba, "ON TOP OF YOU!"

    Prodea looked up in the sky and marveled on thousands of runic symbols being etched up high on the returning blue skies of morning. She''s been stalled to stand there long enough for Bakunawa to complete his ritual.

    "Oh, silly Prodea," Bakunawa chuckled as he knelt praying finishing his incantations, "I''ve always known you''re smart, but your persistent curiosity clearly disrupts your brain processes and attentiveness..."

    Prodea tried to move but she''s been glued firmly to the ground like a huge monument. She wryly smiled as she etched runic symbols of her own around her.

    "I know this spell you imbecile! In a matter of minutes, I can free myself from here. Just one single touch to your head and I will end your miserable existence in an instant!"

    "A few minutes is all need..."

    Prodea scoffed at his ridiculous reply. "You can''t come near me! You know that! And no elemental or physical attack can destroy me while Dim''ion''s cloak is activated! I am now an immortal at par with you, you delusional wretched Yit''ard!"

    A beam of light came down from Prodea coming from the circular runes on top of her. She began floating as she saw Bakunawa releasing one hundred Phantom Hands all around him. She fought releasing her own two Phantom Hands, but it was subdued easily by Bakunawa. Fear overwhelmed Prodea''s eyes as she noticed the fingers from Bakunawa''s ghostly hands to lighten up with different runic markings.

    "Are you going to try to remove my cloak?" Prodea shouted now forcing a smile. "You cannot fight Dim''ion''s Magicks with just the Phantom Hand! And you most certainly cannot remove the White Fire Enchantments completely even with one hundred of those!"

    "Who says I''m removing all of it completely?" he smiled with smiling eyes as if satisfied.

    Prodea knows that look. Juni looked the same way before he killed himself in front of her, soshe anticipated what he''s planning to do.

    "NO!" she shouted fighting forcefully the energies that bind her. "I will not let you take my Red Emerald away!"

    "Very good Prodea," he whispered almost ignoring her, "at least your observation skill is still as sharp as ever." He moved all of his Phantom Hands to scrape the field of energy that covers Prodea. The ghostly hands carefully pulled hard, layer by layer, the white fire enchantment as if uncovering multiple sheets of blanket on a bed, looking as though he is operating a surgery in her chest, only to reveal a small opening towards the triangular Amplifyer only four fingers can enter.

    He pushed another Phantom Hand inside to pull the Amplifyers out, but it immediately backfired and burned the hand dissipating it.

    Prodea laughed hysterically seeing him being puzzled from trying again and again.

    "Look at you, you pitiful fool. Do you think I haven''t thought of placing enchantments against the Phantom Hands? How do you think I got the emerald in the first place? I know that the Phantom Hands is the only one that can safely remove the Amplifyer without leaving any residual energy from the user. Its either that or you try to physically take it from me by obliterating your spirit simultaneously with your vessel to fuse with the gem which is completely impossible!"

    "Hmmnn... I see... thanks for the tip Prodea..."

    Prodea jeered clicking her tongue hiding her nervous eyes, "I dare you to try to put your hands near my chest. It''ll burn your hands before you ever touch it... even if you uncover an opening in my cloak the residual heat all around my body will burn you to charcoal black..."

    Bakunawa enveloped himself with blue cold waters and went closer to her. "I know that Prodea. I have dealt with the white fire before. don''t try lecturing me on things that I know long before you''re even born."

    "H-how can you dream of destroying your soul and your vessel at the same time!? No one in the history of Yagisiv Haya can do such a skill! It is one of the missing spells created by Dim''ion and no one has ever acquired it much less know it!"

    "That''s where you''re wrong..." Prodea''s eyes widened as his eyes revealed a smile, "I know how it is done. It was pried out of my brain and used against me. It is transcribed to one of the missing scrolls a thousand years ago. It is the cursed spell placed on me by my great granddaughter and YOU!"

    "B-but that''s not true! If it is, then you should''ve been dead already!"

    "Precisely my point. It doesn''t work that way. One should perform the spell on himself, not on others. That''s why it lost its potency. That''s why you can only transcribe a set of rules to the person being cursed. In the end, death is a choice chosen by the cursed. In the end, free will is all that matters."

    Prodea''s fear became evident as a drop of tear accumulated in her eyes. "Just drive a blade right through my heart and be done with it."

    "Ha! Good luck tricking me into submission. I know I only have one chance to get near you before your enchantments burn me. And I also know that you have your heightened regeneration in place brought by Dim''ion''s Cloak, soyou need not play coy with me thinking you don''t know that either."

    Prodea shrieked in frustration seeing that he didn''t fall being tricked. She''s been playing vulnerable just to lure him to do that, but the events did not play according to her plan.

    "So, you''re going to reveal my secrets? Huh? To whom are you going to reveal it with!?" she laughed taking solace from the only thing she thinks she can control. "The only people in these grounds are YOU, ME and my loyal ZEBA! Your death will only be in vain! After destroying my rare Amplifyer, all my secrets will be buried with you through your grave - that is, if there''s something left of you after you explode!"

    "That''s where you''re wrong my dear Prodea. Someone is watching us from the sidelines long since the moment I''ve unleashed my Nanreben..."

    Prodea''s face began lighting an unimaginably fearful fa?ade revealing a scared, vulnerable and lonely Prodea that hasn''t been seen ever before as Bakunawa turned around and looked in the mountains.

    "Goodbye my friend," he whispered with smiling eyes as he redirected his now normal eyes, his big blue round eyes, to Prodea as if composed and peaceful, "It is done." And then he pushed three fingers to the opening touching the Amplifyer, disrupting the glow of the red emerald before exploding a blinding light all around the fields.

    "Prodea!" shouted the ever concerned Zeba running to her spot. "Are you all right?"

    Prodea woke up lying on the ground with a burnt Amplifyer on her aching chest covered in trickles of blood.

    "He really did it..." she whispered, not angry, not furious, but worried. This surprised Zeba much considering that she''s not usually this calm and composed especially when losing. Though she won to Bakunawa, it cost her her precious Red Emerald which she thought to be worth being furious about. So, she got to asking.

    "What''s wrong Prodea? Why are you feeling so concerned about that Old Immortal Guardian? Isn''t it your plan to eliminate him?"

    "Yes," she said sitting down on the ground feeling glum, "It''s my plan to kill him but not like this. I didn''t plan on making him suffer. Now that he sacrificed himself destroying his soul and vessel by way of Dim''ion''s Magicks, he will now wander off trapped in this world being flayed slowly, torturing him every day having no Physical Vessel but trapped in this world... much like the spirits of Karshivyk..."

    "Isn''t that..." asked Zeba with a glint of doubt which Prodea thought to be very insulting.

    "It''s not a myth Zeba. The Karshivyk are true..." she said surprisingly calm and woeful.

    "Where do you think his soul is now?"

    "I don''t know Zeba, in between our realm and the underworld I suppose," Prodea murmured giving a deep sigh almost teary. "Let''s just pray to Bathala I''m wrong about this one."

 22 the VEIL of TRANSITUS

    "You''re late, again!" shouted Kayzar almost grunting, standing up to greet her sister which he spotted from afar. He is in a small patch of forest within the Nilad Plains, south of the Palace. He''s been sharpening his twenty-piece dagger set in order to escape boredom which he hurriedly abandoned seeing the glimpse of her on the horizon only to find out that she''s just walking, taking her sweet time, to get to him. This frustrated him even more since he''s been there for more than an hour.

    "I''m sorry," she said catching up on him, flinching as she grabbed her left arm with a tightly wounded kerchief. "I didn''t think I would end up rather preoccupied this morning."

    "Are you wounded?" he asked concerned as soon as he saw a dab of blood escaping the kerchief''s end.

    "It''s nothing. I''m fine. I fell off the stairs. It''s nothing really."

    "You fell?" he said snickering to the idea, "A Daomagar fell from the stairs and got wounded? Really? Do you really think I''m that daft?"

    "Shut up," she shouted mad pushing him as he tried to get near to look at the wound, "It''s nothing. We''re behind schedule. I have so much to do so let''s just focus on my promise and be done with this already."

    He knows blood. He can smell it. He doesn''t know why but he can. This peculiar innate ability appeared when he was just a child and it gradually intensified making him literally locate any injured person bleeding out near him. This secret hidden skill, that only he and Karus has, gave him the chills making him anxious and nauseated whenever he''s in close proximity to any injured person. This unpleasant feeling of disgust transformed into fixation, and that in turn made him fear it.

    His fear of its lasting smell made him proficient in detecting it in his enemies. He came up using pins and daggers laced with poisons just so he can neutralize his opponent''s movements without resorting to a bloody and tiresome encounter.

    He knows he needs to get rid of it to feel better. The sooner he rids off that nocuous smell that affects both his mental and emotional state, the better it is for him to stay and focus all his attention to her sister.

    He smiled and pulled his knapsack. If she doesn''t want to tell what happened, it''s probably humiliating so he left her be. It''s not a good thing to get on her bad side, with her arm punching attitude and all. He pulled a small vial on the side and threw it to her fast which she caught on quickly.

    "Just pay me back at the north," Kayzar smiled successfully hiding his stifling frustration on her wound.

    "Good luck with that," she laughed as she applied the White Angel Solution to her large wound, "Mother froze my bullions for having shady deals in the black market. You might have to get her permission for you to access my account."

    "That''s what you get for sneaking into places you shouldn''t be. You are a Princess after all. Being there would besmirch the Limor House."

    Liv just smiled. She wanted to berate him that she doesn''t care besmirching the Limor House, but she knows better. Artemus has been a glowing example of nobility and honor in the House of Limor and although his brother Sarram and his sister Prodea, together with almost all of their known relatives, have been tarnishing the name of Limor longer than she is, generalizing all of the Limors to be selfish, petty, and rude is unwise. She respects her stepfather Artemus, who treats her like his own, so she doesn''t want to get out of line. After all, her stepbrothers are kind, generous and polite noble princes fit for their titles too. She doesn''t want to add harm and make them feel any worse than what they have already suffered from their immediate relative''s hands.

    "You ready?" Kayzar posed snapping Liv to attention.

    "Yes!" she shouted now feeling alive and well. She stepped back ten feet making sure he''s paying attention and then continued, "Now what I''m about to tell you Kayzar is top secret. Are you sure you want to continue? Because if you do, then there''s no turning back."

    Kayzar''s blood rushed with excitement hearing these words. He nodded enthusiastically as he moved slowly a little closer putting all his attention to her. Liv pulled her hands in front of her stopping her from getting near and then she continued.

    "I want you to know that from all our brothers you are the most special. You''re one of those, what they call, fast learners here in Nagozul. Actually, you are practically the fastest fast-learner given your current state."

    "Tell me something I don''t already know," he smirked almost impatient.

    "Why do you think is that?"

    "It''s because I have Wind as an innate element making my special personal attribute to become twice as attentive as other people. Are you going to lecture me on basic stuff or are you going to reveal your secret?"

    "Patience brother." She moved away further three steps and pulled her long special pitch-black dagger. She then twirled drawing a perfect circle around her.

    "Is that a summoning circle you''re writing?" he posed seeing her write obscure markings in the earth.

    "What do you think it is?" she smiled waiting for his reply which confused Kayzar even more.

    "It looks like you are trying a summoning circle. But the markings are all weird, almost as if it is from the ancient times. The characters are completely unreadable and unrecognizable."

    "Why do we write summoning circles in the earth again?" she asked while writing a complicated series of markings.

    Kayzar grew annoyed of the basic questions she''s been throwing at her. He knows she''s just buying time etching on the ground, but he humored her anyway. "We write a formal request to Mother Earth for her powers so as to grant our spirit the energy to awaken her, summoning her might, directing all her energies to our will."

    "Ah! But are we really borrowing Mother Earth''s powers?"

    Kayzar''s face revealed a slight irritation with Liv''s elementary questions but still, he responded, "No, we are borrowing Bathala''s spirit. Since the rivers of life underneath the earth contains some of Bathala''s spirit, we have associated Earth as an entity having a vessel and a soul like us mortals. We called this entity our Mother for she nurtured us to live here in her bountiful lands which Bathala has provided for us."

    "Exactly," she replied moving away from the circle almost happy.

    "Where are you getting at here?"

    "Just get in the circle," she commanded jumping away to avoid ruining the etched markings on the ground, "I''ve spent hundreds of hours practicing that painstakingly hard summoning circle."

    He hesitantly walked towards her and then jumped to get right in the middle of the circular art, carefully placing himself without ruining the markings that she made.

    "Now what?"

    Liv pulled a small shiny silver pearl bead in her jacket. She knelt praying something in the old tongue and then easily squished the lovely pearl she is holding like a dried-up walnut.

    The runic circle just blinked a faint light for three times and then there was nothing. Kayzar stood there still confused with what''s going on till he burst out asking.

    "Hey! What are we doing here again?"

    "It is complete," she whispered standing up, "Now we can begin."

    "Begin what? What''s with the failed attempt for a summoning?"

    "You''ll soon find out."

    Kayzar grew ever anxious seeing her keeping information from him. He was about to say something, but he was interrupted.

    "So! The top secret! You ever wondered why you and your brothers can become both Nagozulian and Daomagarian all at the same time?"

    "Really? Another question?"

    "It''s rhetorical now. Try and keep up."

    Kayzar just scoffed now getting really annoyed but she just let her continue.

    "You can possess the powers of both Nagozul and Daomagar because something weird is in your blood. This is why you are being trained in secret by your father. In your blood lies the hope of Bathala''s lands in the future..."

    "The prophecy..." he interrupted knowing fully where she''s going at.

    She paused for a bit smiling devilishly seeing Kayzar beating her to her point. "So, you know about this prophecy?"

    "Yes," he smirked lying, securing an understanding that they both know the same thing, thinking she might divulge more information on that premise later on.

    "Well that will shorten up my time to discuss things to you... So, you know about your Yagisivian blood too?"

    Kayzar was surprised hearing those words from her. He tried his best to hide his shock, but Liv''s surprisingly great observation skills managed to read him through like a book.

    "I guess that''s a no. Well... No matter. It is the only logical reason why you five have the powers of Nagozul and Daomagar. Nagozul''s bloodline does not mix well with Daomagar''s, so the only logical assumption as to why is it so is that you five have been born with a mixture of blood coming from Yagisiv Haya."

    "That''s impossible! We have no Yagisivian Relatives! And even so, father is a Nagozulian and mother is a direct descendant of Daomagar. There''s no way."

    "True. But King Dogal a thousand years ago is from the Limor House."

    "King Dogal? But he doesn''t have any brother or sister?"

    "Correct again. But who knows? No one really knows that because they are literally stripped from the family tree. The seers made sure of that as they burned all available records pertaining their lineage. They even tried to cover-up history as if the great Elven Rebellion never happened, describing his rule as a peaceful and bountiful age."

    Kayzar smiled as if laughing, "Because of that historical alteration, the commoners now knows that the Elven Rebellion is a myth and just a story. I find it funny that the seers can do almost all things possible to spin the truth and make the impossible possible, and vice versa, thinking that they''re saving a lot of people the trouble of grief and all that gloom. That makes me laugh every time."

    "And also," Liv added, "let''s not forget that some secret journals have insinuated that Dogal''s first commandment after being King prohibits any member not related to their direct line to live inside the Palace, so no one can verify if he indeed had a child. Maybe his Yagisivian blood became recessive that it only appeared today to your father and in turn to you five."

    "Recessive? What''s that?"

    "It''s a thing in a theory about offsprings that''s so complicated you wouldn''t understand even if I try. Let''s just say it lied dormant in your blood only to be awakened in your generation."

    "Have you been reading Dal''Gur''s medical journals?"

    "Well yes... But that''s not the point here! The point here is that because of your special blood and your special innate element, you, Kayzar, possess the most powerful utilization of Yagisiv Haya''s Concentration Abilities. Because of the amplification of your innate Wind element, you have the most potential in being the greatest from you five."

    "The Pilfering Eye," Kayzar murmured growing shock trying to absorb her every word.

    "Right on point Kayzar. Impressive as always, you really know your Yagisivian history in spite of your humiliating grade marks in your studies at the Palace."

    "Yes... I can only grasp an inkling of the idea because of the limited supply of Yagisivian texts on the Palace''s library. We know the Yagisivians have many powerful eye techniques that they use in combat but because they have been so secretive with their skills, we can only name a few. The Pilfering Eye gave me quite an impression, but I really don''t know its extent."

    "There is none," she replied almost happy with excitement, "You can mimic the moves of the people around you and seize it to become yours. It only requires one to focus and devote their full concentration on the person performing the technique and then they can capture anything! Anything! And since you are a Wind Blower with an Amplifyer that amplifies concentration, you can become anything!"

    Kayzar smiled wide with this idea. He always wondered why Narra is so persistent in making sure he is attentive in every technique he''s performing. Now he knows why. Narra knows that they are mixed with Yagisivian blood and tries very hard to conceal it from them. They have been activating the Pilfering Eye subconsciously the whole time. This made him chuckle a bit now figuring why he''s the only one mastering all Daomagarian Skills without any single effort while they push hard to continuously learn everything in countless sets of repetition, especially Reus who''s been too impossible. Narra''s been harshly training them four to activate the Pilfering Eye subconsciously so that they can adapt to every life and death situation. That''s why he''s been pushing them too hard to the brink of death by exhaustion. Now he knows a part of their father''s plan and what they can do in the future.

    "I''ve got to tell this to Karus!" he shouted now revealing his both excited and concerned face, "I''ve got to tell this great news!"

    "Unfortunately," Liv stopped frowning with her happy face diminishing slowly, "you can''t."

    "Why not!?"

    "You see, while you are in that circle, all of the things that I have said, that you heard, can never reach any other ear aside from me."

    "What!? Well that''s..."

    "If you do try," she said continuing, "Your body will be torn apart and will be reduced to nothingness. A silent implosion if you will."

    "WHAT!?" he angrily shouted jumping back a few feet away from her and the apparent cursed summoning circle.

    "Well I have to tell you that in order to teach you the Shadow Step and the Phantom Bite. It is top secret information that only a few selected souls know about and I don''t really have the clearance to divulge the information, let alone know it."

    "I appreciate the talk, Ate-Liv, but I don''t really follow the reason why you would sacrifice killing me in order to do that! You could''ve just trusted me! I would''ve done anything!"

    "Exactly! I asked if you would be ready to do anything to acquire my special skills and you answered yes so you don''t have no right to scream at me like a little girl after I have made some painstakingly impossible measures just so that I can reveal that information to you without compromising you and our brother''s security or your path as one of the Chosen Ones. You should really be thanking me!"

    "Chosen One? What does that mean!?"

    "I have said too much," Liv paused with serious eyes, "Either get inside the circle and let me teach the techniques or you could go home to the north. Your choice. Either way, I''ll understand and respect your decision."

    Kayzar''s eyes that are being lit with fury eased up as he moved closer to her and into the center of the summoning circle once more. He knows there''s nothing he can do but to learn the technique now that he''s under her enchantment. There''s no reason to fight her in this situation, after all she just wants to protect him and his brothers - that he is sure of - so he calmed down and smirked trying to give her the signal to continue.

    "Now pay close attention..."

    Liv stepped gently to the left and then disappeared. It is broad daylight and what she did is practically impossible to copy, he thought. She just disappeared as if ripping the space and then closing it all the way again giving off an effect as if the space became a moving blanket eating her whole body into nothingness. Kayzar tilted his head analyzing what happened and then, after a few seconds, she appeared again on the same spot as if she didn''t even move at all.

    "So, that is the Shadow Step... the one used by the Notorious Yiv."

    "Yes, we''ve traded some secret thing in the black market. And this is what he gave me in return from his humongous debt."

    Kayzar just smiled as if without confidence to her statement. She just ignored it and continued.

    "Did you see what happened?"

    "No. I didn''t..."

    "Focus all your attention to me. To my every outline. To my every move. To my every shadow." And with that she disappeared again and reappeared three seconds later a further left.

    "You see anything?"

    "No," he whispered quite hesitant and slightly humiliated, "All I see is a sudden slight vibration from all of your body giving off a slight increase in air pressure all around your location."

    "Exactly! Now you''re catching up."

    "What is it? Tell me the nature, the core principles, and I will master it."

    "When trying the shadow step, you must focus all your body to vibrate fast performing the Great Dash, applying it to every minute particle in your body. This should be done to a certain level of frequency so as to place your vessel in the void, between this physical realm and the spiritual realm, making you an Immortal Spectreunbound to the normal chronological placement of this world."

    "WHAT!? Liv? Seriously? Where''s this technical talk coming from?"

    "Hey!" she shouted almost grumpy, "Don''t try mocking me for reading Dal''Gur''s Scientific Journals. Because of his works I can try explaining this to you without actually making you do it till it kills you for you to feel what is expected for you to do this."

    "Okay, okay. Jeez, I''m really not used to you spouting weird jargons."

    "Well, he''s the one who proved our techniques with his weird mathematics."

    "Well if that''s the case, then it will be really impossible for me to perform it in three obvious reasons."

    Liv was confused crossing her arms followed by furrowed eyebrows awaiting his explanations which he then continued enumerating his argument.

    "Number One. I didn''t know you can apply the Great Dash to your whole body. Sure, Karus explained it to me that one can apply it to one''s limbs to perform numerous skills such as the Thousand Blade Dash like he did on..."

    "Wait," interrupted Liv looking concerned which baffled Kayzar, "He finally performed the Thousand Blade Dash? They pushed through with that?! That''s impossible! Even I can''t do that!"

    "Seriously? You can''t do that? You can do the Shadow Step, but you can''t do the Thousand Blade Dash? I thought you could easily apply the Great Dash to every part of your body."

    "Yes. But there are intricacies in the Dashes that hinders people to master every technique. The Shadow Step requires only complete concentration and full control of one''s vessel whereas the Thousand Blade Dash requires more. It is necessary to acquire both concentration and an unreasonable amount of energy and muscle force to maneuver his vessel delivering powerful blows while at the same time controlling his vessel not to be torn apart in the process. That''s why the Thousand Blade Dash is one of the three most ultimate skills of the Great Daomagar himself. It is really that impossible and only seven have been able to do that in the history of the Holy Lands - the seventh person died in his first try."

    Liv turned to thinking with much worry in her eyes. Kayzar noticed this and asked. "If it is that so impossible, why are you feeling a bit glum instead of being excited? I for one feel a bit ecstatic ultimately proving that we really are twins. It''s like we''re one extremely improved mortal separated during childbirth. I''m the fast-learner amped with mind-powers and he''s the brute self-powered tank with an endless supply of energy. Together we are unstoppable."

    "Yes. I feel that too. That''s why he''s dangerous," she murmured being lost in her thoughts almost forgetting Kayzar.

    "What''d you say?"

    "Oh. Nothing, please do continue with your dilemma."

    Kayzar just smiled as if he didn''t hear her. But he heard her, and he heard her well enough together with her frightened sigh as if she''s planning something in her mind, forcing a weak smile to cover her anxious face earlier. He knows Karus is stated to become, at some point, the reincarnation of the mythical White Demonas stated in the Prophecy but he knows it will never be. He will personally see to that if worst push to shove but, honestly, he''s confident it will never come to that frightening point taking into consideration Karus'' personality.

    Karus alone is strong, stubborn, and persistent and he knows that his brother''s resolve will not waver, so he doesn''t really need to convince him otherwise. He will do his very best to avoid hurting anyone and he knows he will not succumb to this prediction, so he just ignored her worried sister and carried on.

    "Number Two. I can''t really try doing that without practicing it for two or three times. That''s my average assimilation time using my handy subconsciously activated Pilfering Eye. And Number Three. Even If I do and by luck I turn into an Immortal Spectre pushing my vessel into the void, the chances of risking myself being trapped there will increase exponentially making your trick a little bit more complicated than what was originally planned."

    "Correct. But you see, like Grandpa Narra, I always love to plan ahead." He pulled her hand and went closer to him. Kayzar noticed the curious wind around her humming and the light that outlines her brightened with a gentle flowing of blurred surge of light. "Look at my hand," she continued raising it to level to his face, "what do you notice."

    "You are vibrating and making the light and the air around you to be excited."

    "Now, pull out your hand," she commanded with Kayzar following her almost instantaneously. She then touched his arm, still vibrating, making him feel its effect and then she continued. "This is the highest frequency that I can manage to control before permeating the veil that separates this world and the underworld. Dal''Gur calls this void the Veil of Transitus, El Velo de Transici¨®n, or the Veil of Transition but whatever it is, you''ll feel it if you increase your vibration to a little notch higher."

    "It kinda tickles," Kayzar smiled feeling happy until he saw her slowly changing a serious face.

    "Oh, I''m not touching you yet. This would be touching you."

    She gently pushed touching his left arm and then, within a fraction of a second without so much as a warning, he was thrown twenty feet to his right, rolling around in the ground, breaking his left arm in the process.

    "ATE-LIV!!!" he shouted furiously choking on the immediate pain radiating on the now crackling bones of his arm, "WHAT THE YIT''VIT!"

    "You''re a water caster, heal it!" she coldly said walking slowly to his side, "you know your Pilfering Eyes works best in life and death situations. You got your Blue Sapphire in your pocket, might as well try and use it now."

    Kayzar stood up ready and serious, he grabbed his arm with his right hand and firmly clutched the injured part until it healed completely.

    "Wow. I''m impressed with how fast you can heal. Your water healing techniques really works well with your wind innate."

    Kayzar stood up and tried vibrating his body but Liv interrupted him immediately appearing at his back. She tapped him and again he was thrown away like a cannonball to the air, now almost forty feet long, still rolling and eating off the dirt on the ground he landed on.

    "Tsk. See the fatal flaw about doing this is that when you try to vibrate without matching my frequency, each force will fight one another and as a result a massive force will be inflicted on the much slower one, that''d be you. Since I can utilize my Deep Root very well, I will manage to deflect the resulting force all day unlike you who don''t even know what that is."

    "You knew I can''t do the Deep Root?" he mumbled weakly coughing up blood while fixing himself with Water Enchantments to heal his more broken bones, "You''ve been spying on us?"

    "Well, that''s what a good sister would do," and then she disappeared reappeared again to his right pushing her palm to touch his arm, but he dashed on parrying the attack.

    "You think I won''t fight back?"

    "Nope," she smiled and then reappeared behind him at a frightening speed, "because you can''t!"

    She slapped him at left shoulders throwing him again to another forty feet with him still trying to match her vibration''s frequency.

    "Not unless you learn to permeate the veil," she said now smiling, "you will never be able to escape me."

    "Is this really the best way to learn that?" he laughed standing spitting off blood while healing himself almost nonstop. Liv just shuddered and then appeared again instantaneously in front of him. She pushed him to the chest but Kayzar managed to pull his arms together to protect himself. He was thrown almost fifty feet up in the air but this time, he landed standing to the ground.

    "Ah!" she laughed clasping her hands, "I knew you will make this interesting."

    "Hey! Don''t get me wrong but I really don''t want to end up like a vegetable with you almost killing me on every strike!"

    "Hey! I''m just tapping you gently," she teleported again at his right side smiling wide, "This would tantamount to slapping!"

    She waved her hands almost lazily but the impact to Kayzar''s arm became almost fatal throwing him almost eighty feet long for about twenty feet high. Kayzar managed to land safely on ground but she appeared again and again on every landing, continuously slapping him with a force as strong as a high velocity battering ram of a strong Daomagar. He analyzed her attacks and managed to calculate an increasing amount of force every three strikes. At that rate, before he reaches set twenty of threes, he will surely be dead. At the end of set ten, Liv stood up standing as if disappointed raising her arms almost sixty feet away from him.

    "Kayzar! You really wanna die today?!"

    "No," he coughed wheezing with his face pounded, standing crooked without a firm stance, and clothes almost torn apart, "I think I know now."

    "Well you better be!" she said grumpily, "the next force would kill you fifty-fifty!"

    Liv rushed through in front of him and before she could ever touch him, he smiled and then disappeared.

    "Good one," she smirked and then she dissolved.

    Kayzar opened his eyes and to his surprise he saw everything with a radiant hue of dark blue with an intermittent waving movement of every outline of any objects in sight as if the whole world has been submerged underwater. He can see Liv''s cheeks pinching as she smiles slowly on the other side giving him the assumption that he profoundly slowed time by entering into the bluish dimension Liv calls the Veil of Transitus.

    With a weak smile, he sat down and hurriedly healed his aching body only to find out that he''s gradually feeling much better by the second while his wounds and broken bones still remains rather in their place, still pushing out droplets of blood. He felt a little frightened as the torturous pain slowly slithers to escape him as if being siphoned away by an unknown force. He knows he hasn''t been able to properly heal himself and the pain alone should make him squirm cringing as he sat there but it didn''t. It would appear that in that cool and calming new world, some of his mortal senses would cease to persist and bother him like the pain he''s feeling, or the stress and fear of Liv''s attack, or even his dragging fatigue from his every effort dodging his sister. This also includes his grumbling stomach, as he came to recall immediately. His growling belly has been warning him hours ago to eat something, but one activity led to another making him forget its lonely plea. He knows he''s hungry, but he just doesn''t feel anything near to a craving to consume. He suddenly halts to attention as he heard some faint eerie wails of people somewhere. He stood up to find where it came from, but Liv began to enter and join him.

    "Finally!" she shouted with a warm smile as she hurriedly came to hug him. "I thought I''ll end up killing you. That''ll be really hard to explain to Mama."

    "Wait..." Kayzar shushed her walking away, "do you hear that?"

    "What?" Liv stopped for a few seconds and figured it out, "Oh, right! That! Those are the wailing souls of the dearly departed. You can hear them everywhere here. In fact, you''ll go mad hearing them if you stay here for quite a while, and trust me... I know."

    "Why are they here?"

    "What do you mean why? We are in the Veil of Transitus silly! That means the Veil of Transition literally is the transitory dimension between our world and the underworld, if you''re paying close attention to what I said earlier. The souls pass through here to permeate the underworld... that sort of thing. Some wails are the cry of the souls that are not ready to be reaped from our world, but Dal''Gur said it''s just because they are in transition. After which they will rest in peace being reunited with Bathala. But that''s theoretical since no one''s been able to get to Paraiso and back."

    "So, the Underworld? Is that Paraiso?"

    "No! I thought you''ve been reading your books? It''s not the same. The underworld is another dimension that holds the departed souls of mortals. Paraiso is where Bathala is. What I know is that you can only get to Paraiso through the Underworld. It''s more like a waiting room more or less."

    "What? And what about the Impierno, Inferno, Hell!"

    "Why do you keep asking me tough questions?! Do I look like I died and went back here again?" Liv laughed almost hysterical making fun of him, "I don''t know if there is a world called Impierno! But I can assure you that if there is one, you can be forced to enter there in the Underworld too. If what they say is right, then all the wicked people will be smitten there to oblivion - if they are right. But I don''t believe them."

    "Why so?"

    "Well, for one thing, we are the children of Bathala. What we say or do is practically dependent on the experiences of our vessel in our world that practically is the product of his divine plan. And that, I think, is really not our fault. Remember that being wicked is only a perception of our mortal society. If you die being tagged by the society as wicked but is just practically doing it to provide a scenario that will play out in the future in order to make his divine plan come true, then surely Bathala will understand. We are just a mere piece of the whole puzzle and thus, when we die, he''ll accept us to his loving arms no matter what. After all he''s our father and we''re his..."

    "No!" he shouted contesting the idea, "We have our free will! We have been given enough wisdom to identify good or evil and it''s up to us whether to taint our souls with sins. I do believe in hell, but I believe that only those people whose tainted their souls black will be sent there."

    "Hey! What are you so angry about?"

    "I''m sorry... it''s just that I really don''t agree with that kind of philosophy. What you''re saying gives other people the idea that they can get away with whatever cruelty they have been doing in our world!"

    Liv just smiled and shrugged, "Meh, to each his own I guess..."

    Kayzar wanted to hold back but he couldn''t. In his mind, he just wants her to tell the truth. To confess. He really wants to understand why Liv is Yiv and why she committed all those atrocities that she has done in the past but he knows if they continue to dwell on the topic, his concerns about Liv being Yiv will leak out making her suspicious and uncooperative in their training. He knows that he couldn''t get through to her then if he continues to push her.

    "Why are we even talking about that again?" chuckled Kayzar trying to move the discussion along.

    "I don''t know, you started it," laughed Liv trying to get off from her long trench coat, "What I do know on the other hand, is that I haven''t really given you the basic introduction about this place."

    "Yep, please do go on... I''m feeling rather uncomfortable in this place. I want to get out here as soon as possible."

    "Well, you should," she hurriedly said returning to her serious face, "The Veil of Transitus is not really a place to play around to. Every soul that enters here are permitted only to stay for a maximum of one year in this realm - by one year of this realm I mean roughly a month and six days in the real world. Time is slowed to about ten times here. There may be some fluctuation but it''s almost always ten times faster, I checked it myself."

    Kayzar''s face turned from a jolly smile to a concerned gaze. "Well, why''s that? Why create this realm when they can go directly to the Underworld?"

    "I don''t know. But... you might say that this realm is a cruel gift for mortals for them to catch a glimpse of the other side after dying. A window to watch their love ones and everyone for a limited time before being transferred to the Underworld. You can''t see them, your eyes aren''t equipped to, but they are around here. Walking around wondering, building up the courage to cross the Underworld - or at least that''s what some Yagisivians told me."

    "What does that have to do with us?"

    "Well, everything! We are not souls so we really shouldn''t be here. The tricky thing is that we have our soul inside our vessel intact when we cross here. Every time you enter this place, your soul will be pulled forcefully from your vessel. You might not feel it, but your soul now is being violently pulled away from your body much like water being siphoned out of the glass through a straw by a very thirsty man who''s just got out of a desert. The bond of our soul and our physical vessel is literally that strong.

    "Our souls have been bound here on our realm by our very effective vessel, so it takes a lot of energy to rip it out. Our body can only withstand to remain in this world for approximately one year - and that''s the maximum. By that time, your vessel wouldn''t be able to hold back your soul from the surging energies that try to pry it from you."

    "How about you? How long have you been staying here in this world?"

    "Oh, about nine months give or take. And the two months being here are spent on my training getting out - that, I''ll tell you, is quite hard."

    "How did you count the time you spent here?"

    "I don''t. It''s just an estimation. In your first stay here, your body is in top shape. As you stay here longer, you will notice a bright radiance escaping your bare skin. Like mine, see? That light is your soul escaping your body. The longer you stay, the brighter you become. The brighter you become, the more dangerous it is for you to remain here."

    "Ah! So, that''s why you''ve been so bright! I thought it is only normal to see you in that bright tone. But how can you compare the level of brightness being emitted by your soul to that of nearing fatal?"

    "Through water. You see, water, here, can be viewed as bright as the sun. Pure white. The souls in this world illuminate the same bright luminescence. If you want to check your status, you must compare your skin''s glow to that of the water. If it''s the same white radiance, then you must get out of here quickly or else..."

    "Or else what?"

    "Or else your soul gets sucked on by the unknown surging energies, forcefully delivering it to the underworld. It tantamounts to death, and your body will gradually disintegrate here for about a week or so, slowly being carried back to the real world as tiny specs to be blown by the wind to be scattered throughout the world. It''s poetic, really. If you want to die that is..."

    Kayzar chuckled faintly just finishing his healing spell. "So, how could I get out of here?"

    "Yes, that''s the best part. Understanding this realm is tricky. You have to vibrate twice as fast as you did on our world to squeeze back in there. And the hard part is, the longer you stay here, the harder it is for you to get away. It''s as if you''re vessel is being bind to stay here and there is little you can do about it."

    "What?! I barely made my way in here... you want me to double up the speed?"

    "Yes. I don''t know how long it is for you to figure that out, but I know you will - in the end. Just don''t take too much time or else you''ll be winding up dead - ''Missing'' will be the term apt for your early departure in our world."

    "Hey! Are you -"

    "Yes, I''m leaving. My job here is done. I have trained your body to create a frequency that could match mine. Now it is up to you to figure out how to double it. I really can''t stay in this world long; I''ve used up too much time already. And besides, you''re the one who said you''ll do anything to learn this technique."

    "Yeah, Yeah! Quit rubbin'' it!" Kayzar pouted with a long face feeling a little disadvantaged with her deal.

    "And... uh... try not to wander off, will you? If you get missing here and I don''t find you in time, then you''ll be a lost cause? Okay? So, stay in this area and don''t go drifting off to somewhere."

    "What if I can''t get out of here? What then?"

    "I''ll come back here after ten months - a month in the real world. If by then you''re still here figuring it out, then you should forget about the Shadow Step and I''ll piggy-back you to our world."

    "What about food! Yit''ard Ate-Liv, you''re going to starve me to death!?"

    Liv laughed seeing his eyes almost popping out in distress. "Don''t worry about that. The veil will sustain your body. It''s always have been this way. It will supply you with what you need so you won''t want anything. I know you felt that earlier on? Right?"

    "WAIT!" shouted Kayzar as he tried to stop her from escaping but it''s too late. She has seeped out of the veil and into the real world with her devious smile as if teasing him. Kayzar clicked his tongue in frustration as he angrily mumbles to himself, "She''s been throwing me all around breaking my bones when she should''ve been trying to piggy-back me here for a few times till I get the feel of the process. Classic Ate-Liv!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The loud bang of the door upon opening interrupted Narra from his light reading. He is inside the Grand General''s tent waiting for him for hours making him gasp for air as he sees him now arriving, barging in, and heaving deep breaths as if being deprived of the free air with deep sorrow in his eyes.

    "Dear Bathala, Artemus, what happened to you?" he asked as he ran towards him helping him sit down on a long cushioned chair inside his quarters. Many soldiers behind him are curious to their general''s state of being. This is the first time they''ve seen him catching his breath with his white robe stained with mud all around as if he just retreated from a losing battle.

    Artemus''s white royal robe is a symbol of his renowned title of being invulnerable. Nobody can taint that white robe, even in dreadful combat. His shiny silk fighting robe can never be besmirched by any object because of his famous perfect defense and yet he is covered in dirt and looking helpless.

    Narra gave a stern look at the soldiers which they understood right away dispersing in all directions, returning to their daily tasks but still looking concerned. Upon seeing to this, he immediately closed the door to a shut and came hurriedly to Artemus''s side who is now drinking three servings of his cup of tea, thirsty as if he just escaped the dry deserts.

    "Father," he started still catching his breath, "Help me... I think I''m DYING!"

    "What?!" he shouted concerned running towards him. "That''s absurd! Who did this to you!?"

    Artemus stood up, wobbly and weak and whispered, "Bakunawa... he..." and then he collapsed falling to Narra''s arms which terrified him.

    "ARTEMUS!" he bellowed with much worry as he pulled him to his sides. He kicked the door, blasting it to smithereens, and then carried his son-in-law by the arms as he dashed off to the medic faster than anyone has ever seen before.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The sun is settling perfectly to high noon bringing forth its hot embrace to the teeming crowd that gathers at Nagozul''s City Square just outside the Palace. All of the leaders of Nagozul''s Citizens are summoned to hear the urgent message coming from the Queen herself which surprised them even more since she usually doesn''t do much needed appearance in her reign. Nagozul hasn''t had this kind of mass announcement so urgent since the death of their beloved ruler, King Liwanag. It is so important that the seers have passed a ruling effectively cutting all work and trade for the day. The Nagozulians we''re kind of stoked on excitement as they assume that the Royal Family has chosen the rightful heir to the throne of Nagozul - their King. Thousands of Nagozulians tried their best to cram up cooking food and preparing for the festivities that they thought will sure to follow until the Horns of Glory blew its loud enchanting melody keeping them to attention, awaiting their Queen''s appearance.

    "Blessed Noon to us all!" shouted the lively Palace Minister on top of the stairs to the big gates of the Palace''s keep, "May I present to you, the Grand Princess Prodea, Chief Magistrate of Nagozul!"

    The people stood in wonder as they focused all of their attention to the slowly moving twin metal gates of Nagozul''s Palace, witnessing the entrance of Prodea and her magnificence. She is wearing her majestic royal gown as if she is dressed as the Queen.

    The person with the highest-ranking position in every event should wear the most ornamental of dresses together with the longest train which Prodea seems to be wearing regally. She holds in her right hand the Orb of Nagozul, a rare object symbolizing power, and on her left the Divine Scepter, symbolizing authority - a thing that troubled most of the citizens since the Queen usually wields these rare objects and the Queen has yet to appear before them.

    Silence began to rob the whole of the city square by the second as the twin doors returned slowly to a shut. Nobody followed her out. Not the Queen, not her brothers Sarram and Artemus, not even one of those Palace Seers and Council Members who should be present at these kinds of event.

    "Greetings brave Nagozulian Citizens. I come before you all bearing a very disturbing revelation. It has come to my attention that Nagozul has been corrupted by one of our very own."

    All of the people leaned forward awaiting her every word. They are dumbfounded with this information, hearing her usual strong and confident voice faltering with sadness and despair.

    "Last night, a cowardly assassin has made its way to the Queen''s chambers and tried to deliver a fatal blow to your beloved Queen, my mother. Even though Death has spared her from his clutches, he has never yet favored her recovery for she has fallen into the deep sleep."

    All of the people present came to a gasp. And murmurs filled the whole area. Some cried, some panicked, and others even fainted. The idea of this debauchery in the lands of Nagozul is utterly unforgivable. There hasn''t been any news of assassination for hundreds of years and hearing this for the first time gave fright to the citizens. The crowd fell silent once more as Prodea raised the Divine Scepter, illuminating the fist-sized black diamond gem encrusted on the tip, getting everyone''s attention.

    "But before she did, before she lost all consciousness, she ordered me to find out this wretched demon. And I would like to honor her wishes.

    "I will not stand idly by while this person, or group of persons whoever they may be, wreak havoc in our lands, plotting murder, potentially endangering everyone and all of Nagozul. Witnessing this atrocity to our Holy Lands of Nagozul, I, Grand Princess Prodea, the Chief Magistrate of Nagozul, am willing to personally capture this monster. This I vow to you! This I vow with my life!"

    Dark clouds began moving covering the bright sky. This frightened the people even more than her angry yelling. Unreadable runic symbols which is new to them has been appearing directly on top of them at the skies with the Orb of Nagozul''s energy activating, amplifying a bright muffled white radiance that can be seen throughout the Palace. Prodea continued now shouting with the dark frightening clouds grumbling with fury.

    "I place Nagozul''s borders under closed investigation. Under the Queen''s decree, I shall step forth in her stead until all matters regarding this unforgivable crime has been resolved. Every citizen of Nagozul will be investigated and every crime will be answerable to me and will be subject to my divine authority as Bathala granted."

    A roaring blast of energies surge from the sky to Prodea, blasting all of them with a great bright red energy that crept all throughout Nagozul. The citizens, who cowered in the scary display of energies, became baffled as their Amplifyers lose their glow one by one. Fear and panic slowly ensued as all of Nagozulians elemental capabilities were stolen from them. They can no longer manipulate elements and this awful situation both terrified and alarmed them. Nothing, and no one, can rob someone of their elemental energies but Prodea did and that created a wild tremor of horror in every heart of the people in attendance. This is no longer just any other Magick. This is the work of Dark Magicks, Magicks that are forbidden and is only used by mythical Dim''ion - the nefarious Herald of Bathala.

    Everyone, even the guards fell in deep shock as she displayed a horrifying amount of power that they have never seen before, a power alien to any other Nagozul in history. Her body reverberates an insurmountable presence of Elemental energies that can only be felt from at least thirty elementals with their Amplifyers at full capacity. They have never seen this kind of power from Prodea before, they even believe she is not capable of this level of amplification but she''s been doing it, she has robbed them of their powers leaving her the only remaining elemental in Nagozul and that thought haunted their mind creating much anxiety.

    "Because of this treachery," she continued addressing almost with a scary commanding tone, "All of Nagozul''s powers will be removed from all of its citizens and will only be recovered by the person who are to be proven innocent and can be trusted. Until the criminal is at large, Rights and Privileges will be appropriated. Anyone who defies this law defies the Queen! Anyone who defies the Queen defies Nagozul! Anyone who defies Nagozul defies Bathala! Pass this to your village! Spread it throughout Nagozul! And to those monsters who have disrespected our kingdom, may Bathala have mercy on your souls!"

    And with these words, Prodea trod off to the now opening gates of the Palace. Nobody opened the gates, not as much as closed it too on her way in, in fright of what just happened but it magically opened and closed as if on command. Waves of contemptuous shouts and rampant cries of great fear and sadness soon followed as she exits with the whole city square falling into a commotion of dread, grief, and confusion.

 23 TRAINING DAY

    "Master!" shouted a young woman in the horizon waving her hands.

    "You''re late, again!" Karus shouted back as he waved his hand seeing Lime entering their usual open field training spot. He has been sitting for the good hour and a half on top of the large man-sized boulder in the far edge waiting for her. He has half a mind to think she bolted after two long grueling days of torment from his impossible training. "What''s the excuse this time?"

    "Sorry master," she shouted still running to his spot with great haste, "It''s hard to sneak out of the heavily fortified Palace what with the Palace being all crazy since yesterday when the Grand Princess announced her horrifying news."

    "News?"

    "Oh! You haven''t heard?" she said as she hastily moves her feet now reaching his master. She dropped down the ground to sit panting in her never-stopping jog from the Palace to their training spot.

    "Haven''t heard what?" he asked jumping off from the boulder to sit where she''s at.

    Lime was jolted. She was wishing to catch her breath for a few seconds, but his master was so eager robbing her time to breathe. She had no choice but to explain panting still. "Well, the Grand Princess has been rounding up all the military Generals today briefing them about the search for that evil assassin."

    "What assassin?"

    "I''m surprised you didn''t know this. No disrespect, but you''re a Daomagarian Master, right?"

    "Oh!" Karus hurriedly crammed for an explanation. He''s truly a master swordsman, that part is true. Dal''Gur has written his name in the Hundred Sword Elite''s Guild Records under an alias but he is not in the military roster so information coming from the Queen might be difficult to obtain - and a Daomagarian Guild Master who is in Nagozul without being placed in a military division is highly unlikely. "I-uh- I''ve been assigned secretly to patrol the highlands last week! In fact, you''re the only person I''ve seen since then and up to now, that''s why I''m not yet informed."

    "See! I told you your messengers are not that perfect!" she smiled wryly trying to prove her point.

    They have been discussing this week that nothing is perfect especially the idea about message delivery in the military. There would still be a lag time for about a day or two in passing off messages even in the absence of war-like situations. Karus has been trying to argue that their system IS rather perfect but since this proved her point, which would not count in reality since he''s just posing as a Daomagar, he doesn''t really have any choice but to give in.

    "Okay I yield to your point, princess. Now, about that assassin?"

    "Don''t be alarmed. I know this will disturb you," she stopped for a second confirming Karus''s nod and then continued, "From what the soldiers told my father, a certain Nagozulian Group tried to assassinate the Queen in her chambers yesterday morning."

    "What!? Why!? And more importantly, HOW!? It''s rather difficult to get in and out of the Palace undetected. What happened?"

    "I''m not sure about the intricate details but I overheard them say that somehow they got past the security and managed to creep in and out of her chambers without alerting someone. From the looks of it, they thought it''s an inside job but that''s just their theory."

    Karus dwelled for a few seconds in deep thoughts trying to explain what happened. He knows it cannot be the Easterners since the Queen, even in her prime age, can incinerate their entire army just as easily as lighting up a match. A quick flash of idea blinked to blame Prodea and Sarram''s, but he just ignored it. Prodea and Sarram may be wicked to him and his brothers but they are not that heartless to attack their own mother, he thought. He just jumped right into the conclusion that maybe they are finally having an actual radical Nagozulian group forming in their kingdom. It''s bound to be considering they invited panic to the hearts of the Holy Sentinels all around the Holy Lands the moment they opened the gates of Nagozul to foreign mortals.

    A brief thought surprised him in his mental wanderings. He suddenly remembered the Prophecy. He tried hard ignoring the thought that maybe this is the unraveling of his grandfather''s vision and that this serves as a warning, alarming him that the time of his transformation being the White Demon grows imminent. This lingering idea scratched his very consciousness bringing forth terror in his eyes until Lime interrupted his train of thought.

    "You know, I forgot to mention this, but I was a bit scared yesterday. I woke up early to find out that the sun disappeared for about an hour shrouding the skies to dark red - much like having a tint of blood. As if the heavens..."

    "Wait, that happened again?" Karus asked now surprised to hear the Gigantic Titan of the Sea rising once again from its earlier appearance just a day ago.

    "Yes. Our people call it the Mourning of the Heavens - a very ominous warning from God I might add."

    "Though it is in fact true that it is a very ominous warning, it is not what you think of. The turning of the pitch-black skies with the bloody moon is the magic of the Nanreben - our protector of the seas. It starts in its awakening, giving forth high tides and maximizes all Water Caster''s elemental energies by giving them ease in manipulating the flow of water. It only ends when it dives back to the seas to sleep. It''s the third time this year. I wonder why it''s being awakened at an unusual interval."

    "Oh! Is that what it is? You mean that huge serpentine monster. The one who obliterated our cargo ship three days ago? That sea dragon frightens me and everyone from Leonus - and I think everyone in the Palace is as shocked as we are too."

    "So, you''re the reason for its grand appearance?" He asked in all seriousness startling Lime.

    "No, actually not. It''s the first time it attacked us. When we came up here, the ports are wide open to receive us. Actually, I haven''t had the chance to see this horrifying creature up close - I wonder what it looks like..."

    "So, he destroyed your cargo ships twice?" Karus persisted interrogating even though Lime has been trying to hint to change from this dreadful topic.

    "No, just the first resupply cargo ship," she answered curious. "I swear, seeing the blackened sky is just frightening. I thought we lost another ship but luckily no one is due to arrive yesterday."

    "Oh. What''s up with its erratic awakening? I wonder why it has been acting up strangely this year. Only Bakunawa can call to it. If he destroyed your cargo now, then why did he let your ship pass when you arrived?"

    He paused contemplating trying to analyze what is happening till Lime smiled and posed a question changing his mood almost immediately upon noticing.

    "Who''s Bakunawa?"

    "Oh, nothing. He''s just the gate keeper," he smiled giving a wide beam. He doesn''t want to end up lecturing her about things she shouldn''t know so he controlled his urge to share information, however powerful they may be.

    "Hey! I thought you told me you were patrolling? Why haven''t you noticed that unusual phenomenon?"

    "I-uh- I might have dozed off for a while yesterday morning," he tried explaining. Though it is not a common practice for a master to recount the exhibition of laziness in the line of duty, he did sleep soundly yesterday until midmorning, so that explanation can be both plausible and true - he is indeed a young master after all, he thought, so that excuse can work.

    Lime slowly stood up with eyes that looked askance with Karus''s alibi.

    "Alright, alright," she said smiling, removing her sling bag and throwing it to the sides, "I know you''re not the lazy type but I believe you and I''m sure you''re not going to doze off while you train me, right? Just try and you''ll receive a special surprise from my new lovely purple gauntlets."

    Karus grinned for a bit. He smiled not because of her joke but because of the thought that he just found a na?ve spy in his employ. He doesn''t need to visit shops to hear gossips which he loathes more than ever. Now that he''s got an inside man, nay an inside woman, in the Palace, he doesn''t really need to stop by there once in a while which is a boon practically worth thanking for. In the meantime, he must figure out a way to explain what he''s been doing in his free time to Kayzar, wherever he may be, so that he can switch about places for him to actually train with swords since he''s been burning a lot of time training her instead.

    "Master?" she said interrupting his thoughts yet again, "Are you alright, you are awfully preoccupied today. We could postpone training today so that you can report to your General about this..."

    "Oh no! I''m fine," he replied cutting, "I''m just thinking of something important. Shall we commence?"

    "YES MASTER!" she shouted bowing low.

    "Now I know that I promised yesterday that we will now start with blade training. But before anything I would like to give you a quick lecture about wielding its power."

    Lime bowed low again and then sat slowly on the ground, making herself comfortable while she waited for Karus as he dashed off to get a sword from his gear near the huge boulders and then went back. He unsheathed the sword in front of her and pushed the blade, a normal looking katana, down to the earth. He stepped back and unsheathed the long sword from his side, the same curvy katana but with a golden hilt and an orb ruby gem encrusted on the end as its pommel, he feigned slashing about in the air for a couple of seconds to demonstrate and then he started.

    "This is one of the hundred types of swords available in our world. As you know, the Master of the Hundred Sword Elites takes pride in their mastery of the best one hundred sword blades known by mortals. Training for the mastery of every sword type requires diligence, perseverance, wisdom, and most specially patience. Knowing every type of blade and its properties is one of the paramount responsibilities of a Sword Master.

    "Each Master is designated a defining primary weapon. The one hundredth position in our clan is designated for the katana so I''d say it chose me. I have come to love this blade specifically for its efficiency in combat as well as its defensive and offensive capabilities allowing its user to wield its power to attack quickly from every corner and to defend from it just the same.

    "You must always remember that each Sword Fighter must Master at least two swords, a long sword and a short sword, and must always remember to never forget them especially in combat. A sword fighter treats their swords as a part of their body and as such must always bring them at an arm''s length or else, they will be an inutile cripple in battle. Your sword is your Sandata, your weapon, your life, and without your Sandata you are worthless."

    "Master," she interrupted pointing to his other sword dangling on his side attached to his leather belt. "I know that your long sword is a Katana but what is your short sword. I have read many books about swords, but I don''t recognize that type of short sword."

    The unusual sword she is pointing to have a wide gold-plated wooden scabbard with a golden hilt and a fierce serpentine dragon with sharp fangs protruding its gaping open mouth as its pommel.

    "Oh, this? It is one of the best swords in existence but unfortunately, it''s not that popular because it''s really hard to wield. This is the Kampilan. I was inspired by its dual-point tip and unique blade structure, being wider at the point than its base, making it a perfect weapon for hacking things off easy. Although it''s usually a long sword, I fashioned it to be a one-handed short sword. Now, in its short form, it''s called the Kampilan Bolo. I''ve been eyeing this myself but since it''s reserved for Number One in our clan, I can only carry a short sword type - which by the way can be anything."

    "Oh! Right! I know Kampilan swords and I originally thought that to be a Kampilan too but seeing its blade measuring to only a foot confused me. Good thing the pommel is shaped like a mythical dragon. That gave it away."

    "Not just any dragon. It''s Dal''Gur''s depiction of the Nanreben - the mighty sea serpent. And yes, great job for noticing, the Kampilan''s unique signature is a mythical creature''s wide opened mouth as its pommel."

    "And what about that third sword?" she asked pointing at the sword in front of her just resting on the ground where he pushed it earlier.

    "Ah! As you have noticed," he pointed at the other sword standing like a totem, "That would be your blade. That is a normal novice Katana. As my apprentice, you will first master this blade before any other blades."

    "But, Master?" she raised her hand with confusion in her eyes, "This type of blade is somewhat foreign to me. It shows a remarkable resemblance to the weapons of our enemies from the Oriental regions of the Gnarshu. I think I might have to pass up to..."

    "Silence young apprentice," he snapped interrupting her to continue, "My word is law and it is final. If you are going to be my apprentice, you might as well get used to my designated sword. D''ya think I enjoyed mine when it was first given to me?"

    "Hey, don''t get so grumpy and all," she said pouting crossing her arms, "I only said that because it would be weird training for the enemy''s weapons first before our traditional long sword."

    "Hey! Don''t get smart at me, young apprentice," he crossed his arms too almost stuttering, "Remember what you promised! You can''t refuse my commands!"

    "Well, why can''t we try our traditional sword? Why do I have to train on that weak thin sword? Soldiers will make fun of me even more! They will think it''s a woman''s sword. They will never treat me as their equal."

    "Hah! Don''t be fooled by its exterior qualities. Speed is the art of battle. Understand that in a sword fight, whoever can wield their swords to be the fastest, to a point that they can outmaneuver their opponent''s moves, wins! It''s not about how big your sword is, it''s about hitting your enemy at their weak spot with precision and control just as the birds-of-prey dives thousands of feet to capture their unwitting victim on the ground. Quick, precise, and deadly."

    "You mean to tell me that that silly thin katana can outwit a claymore or a broadsword in combat?"

    "Well, in a Daomagar to Daomagar fight, it all depends on their level of mastery of the sword..."

    "You see?! I told you it..."

    "BUT!" he interrupted, "When we''re talking about your kind of mortals, then I would bet my stored bullions, heck, I will bet my title as a master proving that point."

    "Well, that''s easy for you to say. You are a Daomagar, and you don''t feel what it''s like to be weak like us other kind of mortals."

    "Hey, hey, don''t get offended by that. I''m just stating the truth. Given a chance that both parties have two different swords and they both master these two swords, the Katana''s maneuverability and precision literally takes advantage over your wide and cumbersome long sword anytime.

    "Sword fighting is basically cut between attacking and defending. Every attack opens your body to grievous harm so you must always be able to switch back from an attack stance to the defensive stance. The time lag between changing from these stances is critical in combat. Wrong positioning and an opening might be too visible to the enemy and that might result to inviting a fatal wound to your body.

    "A Daomagar has strength, speed, and power beyond your kind of mortals that''s why the battle between us cannot be quantified by swords alone. Your kind of mortals is bound by somewhat different rules making each of our case different so there''s a dissimilar take on both points.

    "Simply put, you are not blessed with our powers, so our normal battle principles don''t apply to your kind. What you can improve though is your skill on handling the weapon. Thus, I arrived at the conclusion that with two combatants achieving skills equal to that of a master, the Katana, with its maneuverability, trumps the heavy long sword anytime. Plus, in the long run, when two of those masters have been going on fighting for quite some time, the master using the claymore will tire out his arms raising that cumbersome sword. By then, the match will be over, and you would''ve won."

    "Okay, okay..." she grumpily said standing up, pulling the sword from the ground, "I''m sorry. I just want to be great at this thing."

    "Believe me, I''m the Sword Master. I know these kinds of things."

    Lime lightened up with his assurance and was immediately filled with spirit making her sword stance.

    "So, Master, shall we commence?"

    "Well, did you bring your training tonic? The one that I gave you yesterday?"

    "Yes Master!"

    "And have you taken up your dosage today?"

    "Yes Master!"

    "Are you sure? The last time I told you to take it you forgot, and I end up spending White Angel on you."

    "Yes Master. I don''t want to have any broken bones again. I don''t want to experience that kind of pain ever."

    "Good. Prepare yourself. You won''t get any rest today."

    "Yes Master!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Yosh."

    "Yes, King Kyrin?" he said arriving at the opened front door of his chambers being befuddled to his great senses knowing he''s there before he even tried to knock. He saw him tinkering something on his table at the far end which he deserted immediately after seeing him there standing.

    "I''m afraid there has been terrible news," he said standing up inviting him to enter, "I think you should sit down first before you hear it."

    Yosh gently walked inside his grand room. It is wide and spacious with bright lights as if the sun is shining in every window-like opening, which is surprising since they are underground in the lair of the Dwendells. He stopped and noticed roots forming up transforming into a wide chair. He sat hurriedly so as to hear the urgent news and got a little distracted as he noticed the unusual softness of the roots as if it has perfectly mimicked a cotton upholstered divan which is quite impressive. He was about to give commendations, but he remembered why he was sitting.

    "What is it King Kyrin? Did I do something wrong again?"

    "Oh, dear Prince Yosh, no. You did not do anything wrong, except - well - I told you to call me just Kyrin. You''ve been ignoring that for days now."

    "I can''t help it, sir. It feels awkward having to talk to you like an equal - you are king after all. And besides, I''m not raised to talk like that. Mama will beat me senselessly losing those words of respect."

    "Yes," he smiled trying to contain his laugh, "your mother. She''s merciless and violent to her enemies yet kind and loyal to her friends. Very few people lived to tell how they dared to be on her bad side. They even gave her the name Destroyerto commemorate the kind of utter destruction only she can do when she is in a rage."

    "You know my mother?"

    "Yes, but we unfortunately met under different circumstances. You know that I have to fight her when we first met just to keep my son Iyom alive after he accidentally poisoned Prince Artemus. But that is a story I would glad to reminisce some other time. I''m afraid I have the responsibility to relay to you what''s happening on the other side."

    "What happened?" asked Yosh being alarmed with Kyrin''s seriousness.

    "Yosh, your kingdom is going through a difficult situation right now and honestly, I''m afraid keeping you here would make me selfish and petty."

    "What''s going on?"

    "Your father is ill; Very ill to the brink of death as my sources confirmed."

    "What!?" he stood up concerned almost frantic.

    "And that''s not all. Your grandmother, well, she''s been hanging by a thread because someone tried to assassinate her in her own quarters. Though my sources cannot confirm this, the fact still remains that the Queen''s presence haven''t been seen for quite a while now giving weight to the alleged assassination."

    "Well I have to get out of here! I have to know what''s going on!"

    "Even as we speak, Dwendells that are in charge for your departure have been stacking up supplies for your journey home. We know you need to go to your family in this difficult time, so we''ve readied you up with a month-long ration for your journey back to the north."

    "How did you know?" Yosh beamed squinting, suspecting he heard something about what he and Nine discussed during lunch yesterday.

    "That you don''t want to go to the Palace? Don''t worry Nine didn''t tell me this. It''s something I''ve known for quite some time."

    "And what about your people? Who''s going to protect your life trees?"

    "Thanks to you, the harvest of our life tree has been averted this year. It''ll take a long time for them to try again. And besides, we got Iyom and Nine for that. They are not called the unrestricted Dwendells for nothing so they can manage to help us when needed."

    "Alright. So, when can I leave?"

    "Now would be a perfect time to leave. But before you go, there is one thing I would like to impart to you."

    Yosh''s eyebrows creased with curiosity as Kyrin stepped back and grabbed a fist sized yellow topaz orb. He chanted in a weird language making the orb illuminate an intense yellow blaze much like an Amplifyer being activated.

    "Because of your selfless act of protecting the Dwendell people, I, King Kyrin of the Dwendell, will bestow upon you the Eagle Eyes if you so wish it."

    "Really? Wow! Yes, great king! That would be totally awesome! But can I learn that? I mean I am a mortal."

    "Yes, child. Your elemental essence surpasses any Earth Molder in existence so in theory you are viable to attain this skill."

    "Wait. Viable? Then it is a gamble, right?"

    "Yes. We have not been able to impart this rare gift to any mortal, so it is a gamble. But we do know that you are one of the chosen one so you will most likely succeed in assimilating this technique with much ease."

    "Whoa, that title again? No disrespect, your highness, but you have been calling me the chosen one for days. And I didn''t really ask persistently then but I won''t take no for an answer now. What is it that you mean by that?"

    "I regret to inform you that you don''t have enough time to learn this now. But don''t worry. You''ll find it out eventually," he smiled as he steps closer getting near him. "So, the question is, are you ready to accept the powers of the Dwendell?"

    "Yes sir! But know that you owe me an explanation next time!"

    Kyrin nodded smiling. "Well then, close your eyes and prepare yourself mortal prince."

    The orb illuminated bright pulses of light that even with his eyes closed, he can see bright white. Within seconds this continued and then, with the final most powerful pulse, it all turned black.

    "Open your eyes, Prince Yosh," whispered Kyrin which he did follow automatically.

    "Hey, I can''t see anything. Am I blind?"

    "Wait for it..."

    "Yeah... I can see a dot of light, going brighter and bri.... Ahhhhhhhh!"

    Yosh fell down squirming on the ground, pressing his hands to his face in excruciating pain. The faint dot has become a bright beacon blinding him even more with its suffocating vivid array of wild colors forcing its way into his head causing all of his body to feel pain to spread out in every inch of his body.

    "Control the light Prince Yosh. Master the light. The more you panic, the more confusing it will be for your brain to process that much light coming into your eyes."

    Yosh tried opening his eyes and experienced the unbearable pain once more as if all the nerve of his body is calling out for help in sheer terror, stimulating all his senses with sharp torturous stings.

    "Focus your eyes Prince Yosh," instructed Kyrin feeling confident still standing in front of him like nothing is wrong, "Concentration is the key. Demand control over your vessel. Your vessel is not the master of your soul. Dominate your eyes and force it to your bidding."

    Slowly, Yosh stood up shaking, still in pain, and gently opened his eyes to see the blurry King smiling in front of him. He smiled too as his body gradually returned to normal ridding himself of the pain he is feeling.

    "That''s some wicked thing you did to me King Kyrin," he said joking, "What is that painful bright thing happening in my eyes?"

    "See for yourself."

    Kyrin moved his hands and, like magic, a tall mirror appeared behind him revealing Yosh with his eyelids engulfed with black outlines, the same as what Nine had but with sharper edges to the sides. He went near inspecting the tattoo like marking on his eyes running down his fingers to see how it feels. His eye color changed from brown to bright yellow making him smile a bit thinking how it matches the embedded Amplifyer on his forehead.

    "I can''t believe it! It actually feels as if it''s not on. How do I activate its powers?"

    "You must only concentrate your eyes to the object you wish to see or the direction you want to inspect." He pointed at the far corner of his room to a lonely jar of bright colored flowers on top of a wooden desk. "Try concentrating there. Focus your eyes to magnify that vase."

    Yosh turned around and squinted a little. Within seconds his vision suddenly zoomed forth as if he dashed right in front of the desk and saw the intricate designs of the vase with its contours and texture. He immediately loss all balance and fell down blinking for a couple of seconds returning his eyesight to normal view.

    Kyrin laughed hard seeing Yosh fumble down as if he twirled for fifty times in a dizzy spell. "In time you most certainly can master the Eagle Eye and you could focus your vision to longer distances but before that, you should really train your balance first. Your eyes are magnifying objects too far that your brain gets confused on the horizontal plane making you lose your stance."

    "Yep, didn''t see that one coming," he mumbled looking again at the mirror being conscious about his looks. "Hey, King Kyrin. How can I disable this skill? I can''t just walk around looking like a raccoon everywhere."

    "You have to will it to deactivate much like you willed it to activate. You have to relax your eyes." He extended his arms helping him to stand up. He smiled as if giving him praise and encouragement - a sense of respect that Yosh felt, feeling proud of what he now has. "In time you will differentiate the feel of having that skill activated and also the feel of having it without. By then you wouldn''t be able to activate it accidentally, say - when you''re reading a book or thinking something hard."

    "You ready now, crazy kid?" whispered Iyom behind him appearing out of nowhere. "I got plans today, Dad, so you better hurry up."

    "Thanks again great King! I will return when I can." Yosh said after carrying the backpack Iyom threw to him. He then bowed low which Kyrin did too. "You still owe me that one other technique and I''m going to be here someday to collect."

    "I know you will," he replied with a beaming jolly face, "and I''ll be looking forward to that day." And then everything was torn apart as if being dissolved and in just a blink of an eye he was transported back to the sunny fields of the northern regions of the forest.

    "Hey, Iyom," shouted Yosh stopping him from leaving, "I know we had a rough couple of days, but you are a great friend and I would like to get to know you better someday."

    Iyom got irritated and went near him almost furious, "Hey! Have I given some sort of signal that confused you, just a teeny bit, making you assume that we are now friends?"

    "You didn''t... I''m talking about how you are with Nine..."

    "Oh!" he mumbled trying to compose himself almost humiliated with his outburst.

    "But I would like to..." he said immediately extending his hand for a shake, "if you want?"

    Iyom slapped his hands and went close to him pointing his finger almost three inches near his face. "I don''t trust you one bit, mortal, and I''m willing to eliminate you if you do anything close to hurting Nine or any other Dwendell! And..."

    Yosh wrapped his arms around and tried to hug him smiling wide without malice in his eyes. This disturbed Iyom making him jump away being interrupted in his livid speech.

    "WHAT THE INFERNAL TEY''ARN ARE YOU DOING!? Sheesh! You mortals and your hugging! You''re all weird!" and with this he disappeared leaving Yosh alone with Luna by his side and Stella now arriving at Yosh''s right shoulder pad, flapping her wings to comfort, bobbing her head cooing, giving his master a welcome.

    "Mrreeaoooow..." whispered Luna looking up to his Master as if complaining.

    "What? I didn''t go overboard!" shouted Yosh now walking away from the woods which Luna followed almost immediately, "That kid seriously needs a hug and I''m the only one who can provide it. Look how stiff and stressed he is. He might explode into pieces any minute."

    "Mrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..."

    "Yeah, I know. But I don''t regret doing it. Mama said one hug is better than a ton of medicine."

    "Cruuoouuu... hooou... couuu hoo..." entered Stella hooting, tilting her head to almost a hundred twenty degrees to her right.

    "You too Stella? Geez guys, enough alright. I only thought hugging him was the only option. He looks like he''s going to cry, and I felt sorry for him."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "DECOMISSIONED FROM ACTIVE MISSIONS!?" shouted Reus furiously crumpling the letter of notice in front of his grandfather Narra who is sitting behind his father''s desk trying to sort all of the paperwork that was left behind. "WHY!? What have I done wrong!?"

    Narra stopped for a moment to attend to the infuriated Reus. He smiled as he removed his spectacles trying to relieve his tension headache for building even more.

    "Sit down General Reus. Please. I don''t understand how your father can put up with this work. The sun has come down hours ago, the papers seem to have a life of its own growing exponentially by the minute, and then dealing with hysterical soldiers like you? Practically, you''re really not helping me out one bit."

    Reus grabbed a chair in front of his table and grumpily sat almost with a loud thump in protest. "Now! Can you please reconsider to repeal this order? I was doing great at the North! There are so many things still left to do there, and..."

    Narra extended his palms stopping him to go any further. He is so stressed he wants to conserve what little energy he has left on completing the mountains of paperwork that was due yesterday. "It''s not me, it''s your father. I don''t know why but he has explicitly stated that if, in some twist of fate, he falls incapacitated - like now - you all will be collected here in this fortress until we can figure things out."

    "What!? That''s absurd gramps! What are we? Children?"

    "Practically you are!" he shouted now getting annoyed, "You are basically acting like one! Your father is gravely ill and what you want is for you to be assigned to some far away regions of the north!?"

    Reus stopped for a second and mumbled shakingly, "It''s just... I-I don''t want to see him like that. I-I don''t want to be held here helpless. I want to be occupied for just a while, at least until he''s better. Even the greatest casters around can''t figure out why he''s in a deep sleep state. What am I supposed to do?"

    "This isn''t meant to happen," he whispered trying to massage his face with his hands sitting back.

    "Beg your pardon?"

    "Nothing," he smiled dodging the idea, smiling to his developing trait of uncontrolled mumblings, "All I want is for you to be here for your father; be here for your mother; most especially for your brothers. You are the eldest; it''s your duty to keep them all safe. If you''re not here, then who''s going to take care of them? Yosh is still missing. Your twin brothers are missing. With all these problems with the rebels acting up again at the North, we have to keep a united front here at the encampment. This is the Citadel. We need to maintain a certain level of morale to keep our soldier''s spirits alive. You can do a ton of things just by being here. You''re helping me, your family, the army and, most specifically, your father."

    "Well, if you put it that way." He grabbed a file folder and started reading reports. He pulled a pen inside his vest and began writing on it helping his grandfather with the work. Narra smiled as he wore his glasses and continued reading the opened four-inch file in front of him.

    "But really?" Reus interrupted after a minute or two, "The twins are missing? That''s rather a usual topic, right? It''ll be a miraculous day seeing them supervised and located at all times."

    "I believe they managed to lose their shadow guardians while they were traversing south of Kulog Pass. They were last seen at the Cotton Villages but, knowing their potential, they are most certainly not in danger so that''ll escape our worry for a bit."

    "I''ll be surprised if they aren''t," laughed Reus, "They''re always in danger, in fact, they try ways to be in it which surprises me even more. It''s amazing how they can enjoy living in their world of extensive pain and torture."

    Narra stopped for a while removing his reading spectacles once more, "What troubles me is Yosh, he''s nowhere to be found and it''s been a month."

    "Nah, he''ll be here in about a week or two."

    "Really? How''d you know?"

    "My falcon tracks his owl. I know where he''s been and seeing the direction he''s taking now. It won''t take long till he comes home."

    "What!? You''ve been wasting your mother''s time searching for your brother!? You should''ve told us!"

    "You know, I originally thought he''s going to be found early on his runaway tantrums, but I guess I was wrong to underestimate his hunting skills. The twins didn''t call him the greased monkey for nothing after all. I bet I was at the wrong there."

    "You bet!? You are totally in the wrong there! You should''ve at least told somebody about that!"

    "And make my falcon forget me? No thanks gramps. He''s weird with animals. He''s wired my falcon to turn on me, twice, just to teach me a lesson meddling with his affairs. And I''m not going to go through with that with my new Peregrine Falcon. It''s hard to train one of them you know and I''m not going to waste my time again training for my fifth!"

    "I''m just going to have to tell this to your mother!" he stood up disappointed shaking his head in dismay.

    "No! Gramps!" he pulled his sleeves stopping him from storming out the door, "Please, don''t tell on me... Please?" he forced a smile trying to charm his grandfather, but it didn''t work.

    "No, I''ll summon your mother back, alright. I would give you a favor and tell Anagea to keep this a secret. It''ll be hard for her and will be rather a pain for you seeing how furious your mother will get but at least Piks wouldn''t be replaced with a sixth version."

    Reus nodded sad removing his grip on his grandfather''s sleeves, but he turned back and continued.

    "Just promise me to tell every detail regarding your brothers in the future."

    "Yes, I will," he promptly replied, "I will tell you all of the things that they are doing."

    "Not all of them. I only want to know important things regarding their safety!"

    "Yep," he promised almost delighted, "That''ll be the deal!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Ulrihis!" shouted the furious Shihiku circling around in some deep cavern, "I have waited for a day for you!"

    Grog is sitting on the corner looking gloomy with his head down. They have been mourning for Bakunawa for a day now. The death of their brother, a fellow immortal, ripped their hearts out and robbed them of any feeling of emotion except anger and fury. They have been trying to reach Ulrihis at the deep caverns underneath the seas of Nagozul where he usually lays to slumber, but they haven''t been able to see him which troubled the outraged Shihiku being more impatient by the second.

    Finally, an echoing hiss grabbed their attention giving them the spirit to stand up awaiting the giant poisonous serpentine. Ulrihis entered slowly, with his tongue unusually being kept inside his mouth without being flickered with short intervals as if he already knows the bad news and too has been robbed with emotions.

    "Why are you bothering me now Sshihiku..."

    "Where have you been? We have been waiting for you since Bakunawa called upon the Sea Titan!"

    "The Nanreben? It''sss dead."

    "Yes, we know," entered Grog, "I have commanded Shihiku to stop thinking about retaliating, but he wants to have a second opinion from one of the elders thus we have been gathered here."

    "YES! THANK YOU OH GREAT GROG! THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING FOR MY BEHALF AS IF I CANNOT RELAY MY OWN THOUGHTS!"

    Grog just shuddered unresponsive. He doesn''t really have enough energy to pick a fight with the childish Shihiku, so he just sat again, head down.

    "Isss that true?"

    "Indeed Ulrihis. We must strike the mortals for killing one of our own and annihilating one of the last remaining titans..."

    "Ssstop," said Ulrihis being lethargic and unsympathetic to his thought, "Being immortal comesss with great cossst. We are not sssavagesss, we have been primed by age to have wisssdom. We must not act hassstily on every sssingle wicked action perpetrated by the mortalsss. We are better than that."

    "But what about Bakunawa''s honor!? Are we going to leave his memory in vain? Do you think we would honor him by just sitting here and watch them eliminate us one by one!?"

    "Ssshihiku, is the fountain of life safe?"

    "Y-yes?" he replied almost wary of his question.

    "Then Ssshihiku, for the last time, stand down and do not disssturb me with your petty grievanssses!" Shihiku was taken aback with these cold shoutings. He was assuming that Ulrihis will now see the light of his idea now that this tragedy has surfaced the Holy Lands, but he did not. "Toying with the deathsss of thousssandsss of sssoulsss isss not going to be my role here in the Holy Landsss. Bakunawa hasss sssacrifisssed himssself not to do what you have been ssso eagerly sssuggesssting ssso why can''t you sssee that? Why can''t you sssee what he hasss done!? If he wissshesss to dessstroy all mortalsss, he could''ve sssunken the Holy Landsss to the depthsss of the osssean floor, but he did not! He hasss ressspect for the livesss of every being created by Bathala. Ssso you have two choissses! Either ssstart learning from that exsssample and contemplate on your juvenile tantrumsss or end yourssself! It''sss that sssimple!"

    After saying this, Shihiku gurgled up some courage to spit some words but he couldn''t. Ulrihis, with his disappointed eyes still mellowing with tears, turned back and slithered away making Shihiku and Grog to turn looking at each other in surprise. Ulrihis normally doesn''t speak in this tone. He''s usually calm and receptive to anyone''s idea but today, after all that''s been happening, especially the death of one of his most treasured friends, he just flipped. He changed. His eyes told everything about how he now closed himself away for caring about mortals. He''s abiding still with his oath on protecting life, but his eyes tell it differently. His eyes want revenge, revenge that can never happen.

    "Don''t say another word," mumbled Grog now standing up, "Don''t speak or I swear to Bathala I will lash my wrath upon you."

    And with this threat he disappeared blinking like a star leaving Shihiku to ponder about what happened.

 24 the FINAL WEEKLY MEE

    "What''s happening?" Kayzar asked as he blinked a few times sitting on the smooth oak floor directly in front of the warm crackling fireplace of his Father''s newly built quarters.

    "What''s that K-Z?" Karus asked craning his head taking a peek at him on the other side of Artemus''s Long desk.

    "Nothing," Kayzar mumbled as he notices scattered papers all around him everywhere.

    "Just memorize all the things you find there, and we''ll compare notes afterwards, okay?"

    As soon as Kayzar was about to mutter a reply, Karus returned almost immediately hiding himself perfectly in the other side as if it is an order that he knows his twin brother''s going to obey. He was dumbfounded that he had come back to about two years ago and is magically reliving this specific memory.

    He could smell the fresh sawdust lingering in the room as the surprisingly cold draft whispers intermittently to warn them of the night''s growing darkness, increasing the risk of them being caught in their curfew evening by the second. Burned papers are everywhere but it''s as if his purpose is to memorize and reproduce the vague written words etched from each piece from memory as they shed their fragile charcoal body slowly, almost giving him a favor to savor and commit to thought each readable ink that has been feebly clutching the burnt parchment. Through a very surprising fate, his hands grabbed the fragile paper numbered ninety-two and fixated on the center instantaneously reading, slowly and silently, the burnt paragraph that he can understand almost perfectly because of his gifted sharp eyes.

    "And the moonless night followed with much dread as the venomous six-headed Downy-Haired Commander, tracked Prince Kayzar, the apprentice of the Immortal Specter and the shadow of Karus the Great. A great battle ensued with Prince Kayzar magnificently excising the six vile heads granting him a place of honor in the heavens. But, alas, all luck was forsaken as the vile poisonous venom of the youthful beast consumed his limbs bringing down the shadow to its knees where he vanished in the realm as he awaits for Death''s execution in his sleep, alone and without comfort."

    A couple of sighs was all he could muster. Kayzar''s hands began to tremble, weak and helpless. He forced a smile as he saw Karus peeking again mumbling.

    "What?" asked Kayzar, "I can''t hear you!"

    Karus began shouting but still without a sound. Kayzar furrowed with much confusion on why it is so. Karus tried to speak out his words but none reached the air. Kayzar tried moving closer but he stood up as if in a fit of temper and irritated still shouting now stomping his feet that should produce an awkward banging noise, but it didn''t.

    "Shh..." Calmed Kayzar still without a clue on what he wants, "Stop it! You might draw attention to us!" Kayzar now stood up looking everywhere as if being careful not to be caught sneaking into their father''s newly created quarters in the North.

    Karus slowly backed away, still shouting, trying to get as close to the wall as possible, as if the room was being stretched, being pulled away from reality by an unknown force trying to keep their distance for tens of feet.

    "Louder!" he screamed as Karus moved being pulled away now for about a hundred feet long. "Louder, Karus! I still can''t hear you!"

    In all of a sudden, Karus began zooming close to him and in a split-second, nose-to-nose, he shrieked in an earsplitting noise, "STOP SLEEPING HERE! WAKE UP YOU BUFFOON!!!"

    Kayzar slowly opened blinking and gradually sat in a hunch with his gloomy eyes almost teary. This nightmare has become a recurring thought in every waking moment of his life for the past two years. He wants to deny what he saw as they rummage what was left of the burnt copy of the prophecy almost two years ago, but he couldn''t. It is in their father''s obscure handwriting so it must be true, however horrendous it might be. He has been hiding the prophecy of his death to Karus with much success that it almost gave him the comfort that it will not happen.

    Being apart with his brother kills his will slowly as if being smothered by a pillow. He feels rather secured when they are together, most of which is primarily due to the fact that he doesn''t want to die being alone and without comfort as was told by the prophecy.

    He stood up stretching trying to ignore his terrifying dream now being more realistic and absurd than ever before and started thinking of the fact as to why he was asleep in the Veil of Transitus in the first place. No one gets tired in this realm, let along feel pain. He grabbed the two daggers connected by a sturdy thin chain that is connected to his bracers in his arms and realized immediately that he has managed to master three daggers in his Floating Dagger training on his stay there for ten months. In his attempt to try a fourth, he remembered that the pommel of his dagger began plummeting accidentally straight to his head at high velocity knocking him unconscious. He smiled a little bit measuring the sun as he found out that he had been sleeping for four earth hours which is forty hours in the Veil. What a waste, he thought as he pulled the chain of the two other daggers that has been ten feet away from him from both sides.

    He saw Liv in the horizon entering his training field on the other realm, so he immediately packed all the things in his travel gear and then sat with a wide grin on top of the tree stump at the far end.

    In a matter of minutes, Liv pushed into the Veil and joined him dashing to get near to him. Kayzar saw a strange look in Liv''s eyes. Her eyes were smiling in the clearing, but he saw her with a strange surprised look for a second before returning to her mocking disappointed gaze as if she''s been trying to hide something. Kayzar tilted his head finding an explanation for her emotions but he just let it pass in a thought that maybe he''s been over-thinking things. He became hyper-observant in that realm possibly due to the whispering sounds he''s been hearing for the past few months over and over again and he don''t want to be dubbed as growing insane.

    As he stood up to greet his sister, a loud stinging slap welcomed the back of his head throwing him a couple of steps forward. Kayzar was mystified on the speed and agility of her dashes in that realm. He''s been staying there for ten months training his speed and reflexes too generating a profound feeling that his skills are near to perfection, but Liv still managed to crush his newly established confidence and fooled his eyes with her remarkable dashes. Truly a Master Sibara as she is dubbed to be, he thought.

    "Whyd''ya do that!?"

    "Are you trying to get yourself killed!? Are you suicidal!?"

    "Well I can''t get out! Seeing as you left me here to rot for ten months, I''m assuming that you''d be less violent and more forgiving..."

    "Well I s''pose you''re right. You do look kind of pathetic being stuck here for a long time... I should''ve never overestimated your abilities..."

    "Hey! What do you mean by that!?"

    "No worries, I''m here, you''re stuck, so we should get out."

    With a tap of the hand they both returned to their Earthly Realm with the bright sun consuming all things to a blinding luminescence mimicking an intensely lit white room - an intense blinding white room that would violate every optic fiber in anyone''s eyes. The experience made Kayzar shy away running to the nearest shadow, averting his eyes to the bombarding rays of white light, managing to scamper and take comfort at the edge of the clearing behind the most leaf-endowed trees.

    He''s been staying in the Veil of Transitus for a very long time and that adjusted his eyes to its cool bluish waving hues of serenity. Liv just laughed mocking him on how he looked quite helpless as if a bat magically waking up on a beach on a bright summer''s day.

    "Gets them every time..." she whispered slapping her thighs in pure happiness. He rarely sees her happy, and when he does it''s usually because of a twisted reason - like what''s happening to him now.

    "Who''s them?" Kayzar shouted almost trying with all his might to squint peering with his left eye, still trying to adjust to the bright sun.

    "Oh nothing," she replied still trying hard to breathe laughing, "I should''ve tried slowly giving you the transition, but I can''t resist the temptation."

    He knows she''s Yiv and Kudos and Madj are the Lost Apprentices of the Shadow, her secret apprentices, so the thought of her giving them the prank quelled his irritation for a little bit. The idea gave him some comfort that at least he''s not alone getting tricked at, and more importantly at least he''s not the first which quite stopped him getting all furious.

    "You could''ve destroyed my eyes you know!" he grumpily added still squeezing himself to hide in the shadows even further.

    "Nah, you''ll be fine. Don''t be too sensitive. Man up!"

    "Well I feel older," Kayzar said changing the topic, "It''s been almost a year there. And I''ve been busying myself with other endeavors since escaping is not an option."

    "I''ve noticed," she whispered arriving in front of him now sitting on the ground almost giving the hint about his exposed bracers peeping behind his long sleeves. Kayzar immediately buttoned them in his futile attempt to hide what was equipped on his arms. "You''ve forgot to hide that from me, which is totally okay. You should practice your floating daggers even without my help. You''ll need that someday."

    "And you won''t tell?"

    "Of course, not. I know it''s forbidden to know that technique but you''re talking to the number one troublemaker here in Nagozul. Heck, it''s forbidden to know the shadow step and yet here you are, learning it."

    "So, you would teach me to cross over the Veil of Transitus some other time again?"

    "Sure, so long as you don''t use it frequently this time. You''ve been stuck in there for ten months. You got at least two months left on your clock, so don''t be staying there too much or else I''m going to be the one to kill you!"

    "I thought I''ll die being trapped there?"

    "Then I''ll beat the freaking soul out of you here before you go in that realm ever again!" she shouted punching him in the left arm for trying to get a laugh. "I''m serious, so stop messing around!"

    "Okay, okay!"

    "Oh, and by the way, I don''t want to be the bearer of bad news but there''s been trouble in Nagozul while you were away."

    "What''s wrong? It''s not that it''s..."

    "Father is ill," she hurried with all seriousness, "he fell into the Sleep of Death for about a month now."

    "Yit''ard Ate-Liv! And you forgot to mention that!?" he grunted standing up, trying to open his eyes, still making himself comfortable with the sun''s intense radiance. "AND YOU LEFT ME HERE FOR A MONTH BEFORE YOU GOT THE IDEA OF PULLING ME BACK!?"

    "There''s nothing you or anyone can do about it. I figured with father''s skill, he would wake up on his own, since he''s of Life Element, but it seems that he hasn''t yet."

    "I HATE YOU!" Kayzar shouted now storming off to the woods.

    "Hey!" she called stopping him, "Father''s vital signs are stable now, he''s been activating his Amplifyer in its highest potential which means he''s alive and well and is battling whatever curse he''s been inflicted. It''s only a matter of time, but that''s just the tip of the iceberg. Nagozul has more serious problem at hand!"

    "I DON''T CARE! I''LL BE AT THE NORTH! DON''T FOLLOW ME!"

    And with his raging declaration he dashed on disappearing to the woods.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Master!" whispered a silver image of a muscular man sprouting off from the tree, "Shud we follow ''im?"

    "No. He''ll just spot you now with the sharp eyes he developed in the veil. The kid mastered the Blood Eyes by accident. That took me five years to do."

    "Master," entered a voice of a young girl building off from the gold dust in the air as if she''s being sculpted by the wind, "I fear for that child, he''s going to be a threat."

    "Yes, I know. His vessel is immune in the Veil. No vessel is immune in the veil and yet his vessel is. This keeps getting interesting."

    Kudos and Madj appeared forming in their normal bodies both kneeling for their master. Yiv just ignored them still looking at the direction Kayzar is moving with her violet eyes turning blood red.

    "Good thing he doesn''t really know how to escape the Veil right master?"

    Yiv just smiled in reply as if in sarcasm which the two noticed right away.

    "But why did he told ya'' ''dat he can''t?" asked Kudos now confused, "Is he tryin'' to deceive ya''!?"

    "I don''t know Auric, I don''t know. But he knows how to get out of the veil and pretends that he can''t which is somewhat rare seeing that any Nagozulian, even without being egotistical, would proudly flaunt that kind of feat in a heartbeat. That silly kid''s got some trust issues. He likes other people thinking he''s weak, so that he can easily be underestimated like what he did enduring my attacks when I was training him to traverse the Veil. I have felt his vibration then, but he seems to be holding it back to trick me into measuring his potential. I made a mistake giving you two missions when you could''ve watched him for a month. We don''t know what he''s capable of in that ten months he''s been training in the veil, so we have to step back for a while and be careful."

    "What shall we do then, Master?"

    "I have a few other missions to take care of alone, so your services wouldn''t be needed for the moment. Go to the north and await my command."

    With his final orders, they disappeared almost immediately with Yiv snickering, still looking straight to where Kayzar is moving in sheer delight and excitement in her eyes.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Congratulations, Lime! I think you are really at a tremendous improvement since last month''s demonstration. You''ve improved quite well."

    "Really master!?" she beamed with a wide smile with sincere joyous eyes but then was overwhelmed with sudden doubt. "Wait! Are you just saying that to protect my esteem?"

    Karus laughed unsheathing his sword. "No, silly. What am I going to accomplish lying to you?" he posed with a convincing tone which suppressed Lime''s disbeliefs making him sigh in relief.

    In reality, she''s been the worst student any Daomagar can have and he''s only saying such praises to build her confidence - though the thought is richly exaggerated since no Daomagar has ever trained a foreign mortal ever before and now he is quickly realizing why. He picked the Katana because she doesn''t have any upper body strength to maneuver their traditional long sword without injuring herself and any other people around her. In time, he thought, he could sculpt some warrior within her but for now he needs the spy that he''s been nurturing within rather than the maniacal sword-swinging fighter that she wants to be. It''s clearly much important to know everything now that their Aunt Prodea has sealed the City like a fortress tripling the regular scheduled guards posted. It is selfish and rude but certain types of principles should be ignored, however appalling it might be for him, when Nagozul is in shambles. Duty first.

    "I will stand in this circle," he declared drawing a circle with the edge of his katana around him, "And I will only use my right hand. If you can manage to make me move from my spot or make me use my left hand then you will win, and we can move on with short swords."

    "Hey, this is a trick test, right? You''re using your best hand! How can I beat that!?"

    "Thank you for pointing it out. Although I am right-handed, I trained my left-hand to be better at handling swords. Thinking that I''m weakest in my left arm inspired me to reinforce it now making my left hand most adept in handling blades. You will die of old age training and still will be unable to defeat me if I use my left hand and that''s a guarantee."

    "Okay, so no left hand and I only have to get you to move outside. Is that it?"

    "Yes. And to help you further, I will leave an opening that you can strike. If you can find it then I will have to concede."

    "So, to sum it up, I make you move, or make you use your left hand, or attack the secret opening that you will be hiding, I win?"

    "That''s about as simple as it is."

    "Well, then, prepare yourself!"

    Lime lunged straight trying to pierce him right in the chest but Karus just flicked his sword disabling her from her weapon, throwing her katana at least ten feet behind her to be planted on the ground. Lime looked at her shaking hands feeling the tremors from the residual force of the colliding blades, almost with a teary eye in pain.

    "Remember your training. I''ve trained you day and night for the past month to make you one with your Sandata, yet you''re still worried about your extremities. Without your Sandata, you are worthless. Without your Sandata, you will die! Now pick up your sword!"

    Lime ran and pulled her sword with eager eyes and tried a lunge to Karus but again failed with him flicking only his sword throwing her weapon, yet again, but this time much farther.

    "I am controlling my powers now. The strength you are now witnessing compares to your most muscular fighter."

    "I can see that..." she grumbled as she ran picking her sword again.

    "You lack focus! You lack posture and stance! You are in attack mode. Use your body to move as one with your Sandata and be ready to absorb any counterattack with a defensive stance."

    Lime bellowed her angry shrieks akin to a war cry charging for a lunge. Karus flicked it but she managed to absorb the blow making her step back a few steps to her left with wavering knees but still holding her weapon. Karus smiled for a little as he enjoyed seeing her eyes with determination and perseverance. What she lacked in physical strength she compensates with her passion which encouraged him to see the potential in her. With a few seconds of recovery from the blow, she moved and changed her stance to attack feigning her katana for a few slashes and then ran to Karus only this time with a downwards cut. Karus flicked her sword again disabling her, making her tumble to the ground rolling.

    "Divide your weight evenly. Do not attack me hastily without thought! Remember to keep every move planned, every attack coordinated!"

    "Yes Master!" she shouted eagerly trying to stand up shaking with deep wounds in her elbows and knees.

    "Observe your enemy, analyze him! Check your surroundings, utilize it! Understand your spirit, be one with it!"

    "Yes Master!" she turned bowing down.

    "Remember, if you know yourself and the enemy, your victory will not be in danger! But if you know Earth and Heaven too then your victory will be absolute!"

    "YES MASTER!"

    "AGAIN!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The Nagozulian War Room is surprisingly packed with teeming Generals and Commanders all standing in groups. At the northern most end of the wide room stands the delegates from Leonus with Duke Tabarius leading them, busy coordinating with his generals. At the western corner stands the outsourced Generals of Daomagar with representatives from all their mighty clans; and at the eastern corner huddles some of Nagozul''s Generals and officers all lined up based on their Elemental Innates with the exception of their Grand General Artemus who appears to be absent in their wait for their self-proclaimed Grand Commander.

    Prodea doesn''t like to be called by the ''Interim Grand Commander'' and has banished, if not stripped of rank, any soldier or officer that calls her otherwise. She said that this ridicules her position and stated that the title gives other people the idea of challenging her authority which she has stated to be absolute. The resulting threats implicitly forced all military personnel to call her the Grand Commander that incidentally is the title given only to the King or Queen of the Kingdom. This gives rise to rumors accusing Prodea of usurping the throne and stealing it from his brother Artemus, their rightful king and ruler of Nagozul.

    Rumors have been flying around like wildfire. Information has become unusually scarce in the military, an event that can be considered a catastrophe since they are rather efficient in providing such. Most soldiers are now ravenous for information that troop morale has been degraded to an all-time low making all soldiers to fabricate conjectures of what they think is happening. This has been a major problem to some of the Generals this month and they cannot repress their curiosity mainly due to the fact that most of them are not briefed themselves about the current situation and/or is not privy to divulge certain facts.

    General Narra has taken the position of Grand General for the time being stating that the Grand Prince Artemus has been busy finding his son Yosh being lost in the northern regions of Nagozul but this does not stop people for spreading hypothetical gossips that includes a rumor that their would-be King has fallen into the same Deep Sleep the Queen has and they have been hiding it all up to protect Nagozulian Kingdom''s interests. This gave a grave chill of terror into the Nagozulian army''s hearts now fearing for Artemus''s condition and safety.

    There has been circulating rumors that Artemus has been gravely injured around the same time the Queen has been attacked from her quarters. Some of the soldiers have sworn they witnessed him limping to his quarters looking as though he took up a lot of beating and others insists that they saw him drenched in his own blood asking General Narra for help. Some soldiers even went far enough to think that Prodea has been scheming all this time to eliminate all potential candidates to the throne and tried to assassinate Grand Prince Artemus right after trying for their Queen. Others have been speculating the vile idea of Prodea burying the Queen''s corpse elsewhere since they haven''t even seen or heard about her sick body after her grand announcement nor has made anyone confirm this alleged attack or even recount the Queen''s poor condition except for Prodea herself and her testimonies which no one can contest.

    Generals and Officers of the five Nagozulian Military Divisions have been strict punishing any soldier circulating these alleged rumors they dubbed to be propaganda but everyone, even they themselves, admits that this may very well have its merits garnering enough justification for an investigation - an investigation that no one wants to propose to their Grand Commander who''s wrath may very well be worth thinking twice about.

    The great twin doors of the war room opened with Prodea, and all of her Amplifyers activated, walking slowly to the center. Everyone kneeled with their right arms curled up leveling their eyes to give respect to the Grand Commander of Nagozul. All of the other delegates from the Leonus Empire followed imitating what they did. As Prodea waved her Divine Scepter in acknowledgement, all of the people stood up in attention.

    "Greetings Holy Generals of Nagozul and esteemed representatives from the Leonus Empire, I have called upon all of you to give a proposal to the fortification of our kingdom in order to accommodate a faster and most efficient way to weed out the rebels that has been sprouting in our lands. We are thankful for Leonus for lending their support on these trying times."

    The Duke bowed down happy for the recognition they received. Prodea continued raising her hand and, as fast as a blink of an eye, her Daomagarian handmaids began dashing fast giving all of them maps of the Kingdom with marks on every strategic places round the Palace of Nagozul and the City with the exception of a new landmark. Everyone was puzzled seeing a new Palace-like fortress directly on top of what seems to be originally the landmark of the Hishma Hills.

    It has been stated in their written laws that the Hills of Hishma is one of Bathala''s Most Holiest of Lands whereby no one is permitted to establish dominion to, to express control of, or try any other forms of assertion of ownership in its lands and the surrounding hills within its territories, with the exception of the establishment of dwelling by the selected people maintaining its sanctity - the generation of Nagozul''s cousin Hishma. One of these few holy caretakers is succeeded by the Bolann family, who owns more than half of Hishma''s rights, that is headed by the aristocratic Sayed and her daughter Illyriah. Establishing a fortress in the Hishma by the decree of the Grand Commander can be considered breaking all three at one swoop automatically giving them to think Prodea''s new orders is an outright disrespect to Nagozul and most importantly to Bathala himself. Everyone was in deep gasp mumbling with both confusion and dispute to the sacrilegious map until Prodea raised her Divine Scepter once again to garner their attention.

    "In those maps lie the strategic placement of fortress needed to be built all over the southern regions of Nagozul. It will help our military to deploy forces without the threat of being ambushed or being delayed in achieving their orders which will benefit not only us but the future generations to come."

    "Grand Commander," interrupted the soothing, but firm, voice of an old General caressing his long white beard in pondering, "With utmost respect, I fear that I have to say that this tactic will send a wrong message to our citizens."

    "Explain, General Jowl," demanded Prodea focusing her attention to him. A young General might be rattled with Prodea''s intimidating stern stare, however beautiful they might be, but not this General. He stood firm on his point without being hesitant.

    "The citizens of Nagozul may feel threatened as the creation of fortress around our lands can only signify the recurring mobilization of the military which would result to inviting fear over the minds of every Nagozulian."

    "We have been mobilizing our troops non-stop for the past month, General. Don''t you think that it''s a little too late for them to feel threatened? The Queen has been harmed! Do I need to reiterate to you the importance of devising a strategy, so that we won''t have to waste our time doing these weekly meeting? If our forefathers haven''t dismantled our fortresses two hundred years ago, you wouldn''t be waiting here for me wasting all of our time all together and your jobs would''ve been easy being subdivided and delegated."

    "But Grand Commander, creating the said fortress on new locations in these maps would mean that we have to occupy some villages converting them to military installations."

    "That''s why I called them strategic placements! Why do you think those villages are placed in that area? They are strategically situated to be near roads, natural resources, and supply routes. It''s not my fault they occupied Nagozul''s strategic regions! Bathala molded the layout of Nagozul''s lands and it is everyone''s right, as its inhabitants, to utilize it for everyone''s benefit. But the rights and privileges of our citizens to use our lands becomes secondary the moment Nagozul is threatened - and Nagozul is indeed threatened. Therefore, occupying certain villagers, though not optimal, is a must in order to protect Nagozul!"

    "While your argument is compelling," he replied conceding to her point, "I dare say, I do not understand your plans here at Hishma."

    "Do not fret, General. The fortification of Hishma is not of our Kingdom''s desire but is indeed with the request and with the full participation of the Bolann family. Rest assured that even if we are to build a fortress to station military forces in their lands, control and authority is still undividedly in their hands."

    The crowd grew silent in agreement with Prodea''s words but with crunched eyes of doubt. They can never be fooled to believe that the Bolann Family can put up with Prodea''s plans. They are the most traditional of the nobles that governs Hishma. They would never accept to build a towering fortress just outside the entrance to the mines of Hishma just so anyone, especially the foreign band of delegates, can trample upon and defile their most protected sacred hills and underground mining caverns.

    Sarram is rumored to be harassing Sayed for months now. No one, not even one General, can accept that he abandoned his principles just so he can please the favorite Grand Prince, even if Prodea is put in the equation. But maybe, just maybe, Prodea did and maybe she has won him over through her constant intimidation and persuasive threats. The thought of Prodea''s actions, now with her violent campaign for the rebel perpetrators, disturbed every General. If they could have known this would happen, they would''ve tried a junta to place Artemus in the throne, anything except treading in this path they are now forced to traverse.

    "Grand Commander," acknowledge the great muscular Daomagar in a mask receiving all of the room''s attention. His mask is a frightening demon with two large fangs drenched in red ink. He is the legendary Bloodfang and is the lone representative of his Maskara Clan in the war room. "I have seen a lot of tension in Nagozul and this has been indeed a forming of yet another political conflict which is not in the interest of the Maskara Clan. Meddling in your internal affairs is not in our contract. Therefore, starting today, we would be withdrawing our military support in your lands until you have resolved your issues."

    "Understandably so, General Enro," Prodea smiled bowing to the frightening General which he did too.

    "Also," he continued with his frightening deep voice, "On behalf of the Daomagar Clan with the full authorization of the Great Narra, Son of Pahbs the Brave of the Great Daomagar lineage, I hereby proclaim their withdrawal of support from the Nagozulian forces until all conflict has been resolved."

    The room became deathly silent with Enro''s words. The Daomagar Clan, the primary clan of the Daomagar whose clan members are the direct descendants of the Great Daomagar, provides almost fifty percent of the Daomagarian strike force stationed in Nagozul. Withdrawing their support means Prodea might be losing about fifteen percent of her military which surprised her greatly - an emotion she has mastered to hide almost perfectly but has now been able to be witnessed by all of them in attendance in this occasion.

    "I see," she said now disappointed.

    "Aye," said a bearded man with a flag attached to his back stepping forward bowing, "The Bandila Clan also withdraws our support until all is resolved."

    "Same here with the Bandhana Clan," said a droopy eyed old man with a colorful bandana on his forehead bowing in apology. "With the utmost respect, Grand Commander, the Bandhana Clan cannot be linked directly to your new orders. Unless this has passed, we have to break our contract with Nagozul to protect our clan integrity."

    "Yes," Prodea bowed too still with a smile but with fury in her heart, "I understand Great Generals. We would not force you otherwise."

    "The Sibara pledges full support to the Nagozulian Kingdom," shouted a skinny General at the far back, with crossed arms leaning on the wall all alone. "Our clan is fearless and does not turn its back on its ancient oath unlike any other pathetic clans."

    A great gasp filled the air of the war room with all generals looking directly to the Sibara Clan representative with his devilish grin. No one really likes the Sibara Clan. They are the most ruthless and the most inhuman of the clans. In fact, all of its members are thought to be spawns of Dim''ion which led to every member being unwanted and even banned on certain regions of the Holy Lands. The Bandhana Clan representative firmly grasped the hilt of his sword clicking his tongue - a mannerism that he has when he''s feeling a bit infuriated.

    "What did you say? You vile immoral insect?"

    "Oh, I''m sorry. Is your clan hard of hearing too? I thought your rusty sword fighting skills are your only problem."

    The General took a step forward but Enro held his shoulders as if stopping him, forcing him to stand down.

    "It''s not worth it," he said with a frightening voice, "You''ll only end up regretting wasting your time on an untrained General lacking skill."

    "What''s that?" the Sibara General asked now being serious standing up, hunched and hands on the sides as if ready for combat, "Do you want a demonstration Enro?"

    Enro faced him breathing heavily. All of the other people heard about Enro''s special technique and this frightened the whole room. With one move he can create a ravine and that could very well be dangerous in their situation.

    "Stop asking ludicrous questions. Stand down or strike."

    "The Hundred Sword Elites also withdraws their support," entered Major Camyl bowing low which surprised all of the other Generals moving the topic ahead on point giving them all a relief. Prodea is now feeling a bit frustrated inside with this shocking announcement since their Guild provides training and specialized warriors for Nagozulian Skirmishes - the Guild that could cripple the efficiency of their strike teams. "We could not subject our Guild to be a part of such new laws and will be awaiting further development on the resolution of your Internal Crisis. However, we would still honor our pact gathering all our forces in the North and would direct all of our resources in giving aid to Nagozul in capturing the group ofPusakalwhile your Highness resolve your conflicts here in the south."

    "Thank you, Major Camyl. That would very much be appreciated."

    "Since we have stated our stand," said the Bandila General, "I think it would be wise for us to step out of this room in order for you to proceed with your further announcements and to avoid certain conflicts of interests."

    "Indeed," the Sibara General scoffed now leaning on the wall again, with crossed arms.

    All of the Clan Representatives who abdicated their support to Prodea walked out to the now opening large twin doors after bowing low in respect for the Grand Commander and all of those Generals who are present. The Bandhana Clan representative never detached the grip on the hilt of his sword until he has completely left the room together with the other representative, never taking his sharp eyes out from the smiling Sibara General who seems to be enjoying himself on their exit.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Why so glum?" asked Karus sitting in the corner of their training grounds, trying to steal a conversation as their silent dinner break comes to an end. "You''ll get there eventually, don''t worry. Nobody becomes a master swordsman overnight."

    "No Master it''s not that..." she paused for a moment and then shook her head smiling. "It''s nothing."

    "Okay, but I''ll tell you what, if you have thoughts about our training, or actually just about anything, you really can talk..."

    "I''m sorry Master but I just couldn''t take it," she quickly muttered interrupting him almost sad and with hesitation, "I don''t want to be rude or be out of line especially here in your lands but I think I do not approve of your methods."

    Karus was baffled with her strong statement making him to think deeply on how he''s been treating her. "Wh-what methods?" he posed fishing for the idea which he isn''t aware of. "Am I being too harsh? You know I''m..."

    "No Master! Your training is fine. In fact, it''s superb. It''s one of the things that I thank you for giving me without discrimination to my gender."

    "Then what is it?"

    "It''s about your military joining up with ours and the way things are moving along. But, as proven by experience, I have my uncertainty about stating my opinions, master. I have indeed shamed my father countless times in our lands citing my ideas openly."

    "First of all, at dinner breaks, lunch breaks or anywhere not within our training sessions, you can call me directly by my name Karus. Thus, in these moments you and I are considered equals for we have the same souls granted by Bathala and as such gives us authority to have no dominion over the other''s thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Secondly, I already consider you as my friend.

    "Since we are then equals and your opinions are shared in confidence to your friend, you can state your opinions to me without malice on my part, being in the military of course, or without intent to threat for arrest or any other acts that might harm you otherwise."

    Lime puffed her face pulling a deep breath of courage as she stated her point. "Your methods of interrogations are by far the worst thing I have ever seen in your lands! I originally thought your people''s civilization is built on mutual understanding and respect! But it turns out that you''re just the same as we are, justifying a crime to subjugate people''s freedom and rights!"

    "What are you talking about? We do not subjugate anything here. We interrogate wrongdoers with respect to their soul and we follow the due process that our ancestors have passed on in writing. We value equality. We have laws in our lands that are so complicated your people''s rulers will be horrified to even fathom, much so apply it."

    "Really? Then why is the military, under Grand Princess Prodea''s commands pursue people and the villagers all around the Palace capturing them and even tortures them to squeeze out any information about those assailants that struck your Queen a month ago?"

    Karus felt a deep stabbing pain in his heart hearing that news. His aunt is not that wicked to treat people differently without respect, robbing them of their dignity. Of course, she is known to be one of those people who are insufferably domineering with the tendency to take the spotlight all the time but that''s just who she is, nothing more, nothing less. Her only crime is being too obnoxiously arrogant, not being an immoral criminal that are far worse than The Pusakals.

    "Are you sure the orders are coming from her? I mean maybe you thought wrong and they might not be tortured for all we know."

    "I know it is. I was there when she called up the surprise meeting organizing the troops to create a grid search for the people responsible for the crime. I was there when they captured the men in the Cotton Village..."

    "Wait!" he shouted now feeling worried, "You said Cotton Village? The one just directly south east of the city gates?"

    "Yes! I was there when they hauled them in like cattle chained neatly in a line!"

    "Who was there!?" he hurried now anxious disturbing Lime, "Do you know their names? How many?"

    "I don''t know their names, but one man did stand out. All were tortured but none were ever broken. One man was ill at that time but through his pride he did not waver and bravely ignored the pain resulting to his early demise: The first casualty of your own violent inquisition."

    Karus stood up almost teary with pure fury in his eyes as if he knew it was but he asked anyway. "Who was it?"

    Lime felt the seeping wrath in Karus''s eyes as she stammered to mumble the name. Her eyes were slowly filling with great sadness as she tried to summon words. She swears she saw her master''s forehead bandana glowing a tint of bright green but can''t really decide whether the fireplace and her tears are affecting her eyesight in that cold dark night.

    "Their Elder... Cipres..."

    Karus pulled his travel gear and turned his back walking angry. Lime tried to follow but he stopped as he gave his command. "You train yourself night and day for switching Attack and Defense Stances. Do not stop until you perfect the position I taught you. I will be gone for a month or so and I will send someone, a friend, to help you out in your training while I''m away. I will fix this thing up, I promise."

    With a nod from Lime, he dashed on almost blinking away into the dark forests of the night. Lime was worried for his master. His eyes were filled with rage that it introduced a new image contrasting the kind, funny, understanding friend he thought him to be. His eyes are the eyes of a man who knows no fear, knows no boundaries, ready to do anything to exact retribution that she knows he can never quench.

    She knows revenge can never be achieved, and she knows he''ll never get it. Only forgiveness quells the lust for reprisal, but she knows Karus cannot feel anything near this at the moment for his eyes mimicked the cold lonely eyes of mourning, the fiery eyes filled with fury wailing for the murder of a great friend.

 25 PACIFISM

    The morning air howled a cruel debilitating coldness that shunned the tranquil effects of the lovely gardens of the far south-western corner of the Citadel of the North. It is a usual glorious morning giving rise to a feeling of hope and enthusiasm to start the day off but the effects cannot be felt by the four brothers as they have more pressing matters to occupy their minds that made them ignore the blue majestic skies of morn while smelling the different sweet scents of flowers from the wide plentiful garden that their mother has fashioned into her own paradise at the North - a wide chunk of the fortress turned into garden, home to a wide variety of flowers giving color to what she described then as a barren lifeless fortress.

    They have been passing the time sitting in agitation for about an hour after the sun has risen, awaiting the return of the hardworking Piks, Reus''s messenger falcon, who''s been flying back-and-forth for two days non-stop delivering them timely news from their spies and contacts in the south.

    Among the brothers waiting, Karus has been the most affected with his curious display of escaping tension standing up and about walking in circles only to sit again after a while and then doing the repetitive cycle once more after a minute of his stationary position. He has been trapped in the Citadel for about a month after getting the mistake of going there to protest about what his Aunt Prodea''s been up to and he is really getting anxious to get out. His grandfather, together with his furious mother Anagea, detained all four of them there. The three brothers are anxious too and have been exclaiming that he got lucky being the last to arrive, with Reus stating that he''s been stuck there longer than the three of them, but still, Karus is the most stressed being trapped in the Citadel.

    It''s not that he doesn''t like to stay for his father. He cares about him deeply but after hearing that he''s now healthy, although still being in his cursed state, he thinks it would be better if he could, at the very least, try and ease up the tensions enveloping the accusations towards the Cotton Village. From what he''s been reading in their communiqu¨¦ with their contacts in the south, he feels as if he has an obligation to divert all his attention now to his people instead of being there for his father, whom he can''t do anything about. He needs to escape and offer his help lest he''ll feel that he has abandoned them, disregarding their loyalty, their devotion and, most importantly, their trust.

    The Cotton Village is one of the first villages that they bought off from debt and have since funded to prosperity. There are many cotton villages across Nagozul but this particular cotton village near the City is the most optimal. Not only does it pay for all of their clothing needs to their secret trainings, it also acts as a safe house giving them unlimited access to different roads and natural resources like the woods just east of the village beyond the hill or the rushing rivers to its west where rare food, herbs, and materials can be found. Because of its uniqueness, the brothers have spent countless of thousands of gold pieces to improve its economic strength in order for them to stay afloat and compete with other villages. This has resulted to a magnificent success as they have managed to win not only a hefty continuous profit but also the hearts of its people.

    The four brothers try and pick the village they want to subsidize not only for its unique geographical layout or possible returns but also its people. Loyal subjects can easily be obtained as they can force people to exhibit it with their royal right being the son of Artemus, but good friends with absolute concern for their wellbeing is practically much harder to get. They try and choose villages with kind-hearted people that have managed to stay rooted to their culture, teaching values to its community in spite of the growing changes due to modernity. This has been the reason why their chosen Cotton Village is so poor and has been in mountains of debt. Most Cotton Villages are practically optimal in location but have been rejected since they do not meet these requirements thus, they have been shocked when they heard about the accusation. They have known the people of these villages for years now and they have the utmost faith about their loyalty to the kingdom, and most especially to the four of them, so they cannot be forced to believe that they can aid the assassins that tried to eliminate the Queen and her regime. After all, this unfortunate event would not be beneficial on their behalf. They would not only lose their subsidy from the four Princes being found out to have been aiding the assassins who tried to eliminate their grandmother, they will also lose their number one customer which is the Queen herself. That is proof enough for them.

    "I''m going to get out of here tonight," Karus exploded doing his rounds of tensed walking. "I''m going to wear a disguise and I''m going to beat all those Daomagar guards at the fields who are guarding the Citadel! No one''s going to catch me this time!"

    "No..." whispered Kayzar sitting on a huge beam of unprocessed lumber, etching his dagger to write obscure writings that only he and Karus can understand, "You will fail again. You really don''t learn anything, huh? After five tries and with Mama''s threat to be locked and isolated, I''m assuming you''ll back off but here you go again..."

    "You don''t understand! It''s MY village they are attacking! MY VILLAGE! If it''s the Weaver''s Village," he said pointing furious to Kayzar, "or the Fletcher''s Village," looking at Yosh, "or whatever Reus calls his..."

    "Produce Village," entered Reus smiling but has gone serious once Karus snapped. "They make vegetables and tea bags?"

    "Whatever it is! You''ll all be breaking the wall here and be there for them!"

    "Hey!" Yosh complained putting Luna down, standing up as if insulted, "You can''t talk to us like we don''t care!"

    "Yeah!" Kayzar seconded, "The cotton village is OUR village too. We subsidize all of those villages with OUR money among many others. It just turns out that it''s your favorite! Don''t lash your frustration on us. We''re as devastated as you are."

    "Oh yeah? Why don''t I see you making your plan huh?!"

    "We''re all planning!" said Kayzar almost irritated to his doubts, "Don''t get riled up like that! You''re depressing everyone."

    "Well boo hoo! I''m sorry I''m being such a downer mourning the death of Elder Cipres not to mention that my men are being tortured almost every day being trapped in their village turned newly fortified fortress!"

    "Hey, it''s not just your village they''ve fortified!" Yosh complained disconcerted, "My village too has been converted into a fortress! So, is Kuya-Kayzar''s Weaver''s Village!"

    "Well stop me for weeping for your fortified villages since mine has been starving for a week now! Does any of your village been marked with a no-trade zone?!" He looked at everyone with infuriated eyes which no one dared to take contact with drilling their looks on the ground. "I thought so too!"

    "Well I told you," Reus entered now standing, "I told you three to pick a village that''s not accessible to any roads, resources or rally points. I told you to pick villages that the Palace can''t reach but no. You have to ignore me and put your finger on the ''most optimal location''!"

    "Guys," hushed Kayzar trying to change the tense topic, "Don''t go about getting caught up with their plan cutting each other''s throats. We have to work together. In order to find out why, first we must ask the right questions. Starting with why the Palace has been concentrated on our villages, our specific villages that no one knows about. They could''ve gone and investigated on the other villages like the Chicken Villages, one that is closer to the city, but they chose to first pick on the Cotton Village which is Karus''s Village and more importantly, the third village south east of the Palace''s city gates. Doesn''t that strike you as alarming?"

    "Whoa, you''re suggesting that Aunt Prodea''s out for us?" asked Yosh sitting again getting pale with fear on every word. "But why? Does she know you''re the one who messed up my room?"

    "No," replied Karus, "I don''t think so. It''ll be a big deal for Lime, since I accidentally traumatized her sister. She would have definitely told me about it if that came up, but it didn''t, so we''re safe, I mean I am."

    "Are you sure your spy can be trusted?" Reus entered, "I just have to ask because you did tell her your name is Karus and that brings a lot of questions since she knows you as a Daomagar."

    "Yes! Of course, she could be trusted. She doesn''t know anything about the history of my name and for the final time, there are many Daomagar that''s a Karus too. It''s not just a Nagozulian name you know."

    "Oh please," Yosh snickered, "Your name came from the Immortal Karus, son of Nagozul. Give me five Daomagarians that share your name living here in Nagozul and I''ll accept your assumption."

    "Five? That many?" smiled Reus almost controlling to laugh, "Karus might have to uncover all the stones in Nagozul for that."

    "Laugh all you want but there are Daomagarians who share my name! I don''t know who because I''m stuck here and can''t search the registry but if we''re at the Palace I can prove it to you two!"

    "What would be weird introducing as a Daomagar''s name is my name," Kayzar added now diverting the topic, "Kayzar is the military operative name of the original Karus making my name unique and purely Nagozulian."

    "My name is more unique," Yosh exclaimed almost proud.

    "Hold that thought," interrupted Reus squinting in the skies, "Piks is here."

    Piks pushed fast into the skies whistling to a dive. He then flapped above to slow his descent like a mystical bird and majestically landed on the back of Reus''s hand. It''s curious to see this for his very sharp talons should''ve torn the flesh of his hands but it didn''t. They all just assumed that Reus finally learned to create a defensive barrier to his body - a physical barrier giving him immunity to a certain degree of injury. They all contemplated on his new skill being too late remembering the accident at their latest battle simulation but seeing their brother always being such a klutz they all figured it''s high time for him to know some protective spells. Though Karus wanted to ask and experiment up to what extent of damage Reus can now sustain, his craving curiosity began to spring amok murdering all thoughts that come into mind only giving priority to focus on the message inside the wooden cylinder in Piks''s clutches which Reus hurriedly opened to read aloud.

    "Cotton Village Status Update: Planted evidence, scattered in all remaining elders. We are begging for assistance. Public Execution. One week from now. Cotton Village Square.

    "Still trapped. No medicine or food supplies. Many sick villagers. We are pleading mercy."

    "Execution?" roared Kayzar, "This is unacceptable!"

    "Yeah!" seconded Yosh, "They can''t execute people! Killing is forbidden right? Even Aunt Prodea can''t sanction that kind of penalty."

    "They have indeed attacked the Queen," explained Reus, "And by that, I mean they have been blamed to conspire with the attackers which pretty much justify the execution order. That is treason after all."

    "Are we all in agreement..." mumbled Karus with lifeless eyes and with dripping blood out of the corner of his fully activated green emerald in his forehead.

    This event concerned the three, all knowing fully that he should never ever activate it at all considering his second life but with all the rage churning up inside him, they know that activation is the only way for him to release all the pains and stresses recent events has been doing to him. They all know that the Seer Juni Merl, a great mentor and their dear friend, told him that if ever he''s in great pain, fear, anxiety, grief, anger, or any cumbersome emotion, he should release them all by activating his Amplifyers much like biting a thick leather belt in pain or crunching a stress ball in frustration. This is done in order to diminish all of those negative emotions to prevent his blood from being tainted and to prevent his brain from succumbing to his Fire Innate. It''s the only way for him to avoid being a violent blood lusting elemental considering his intense Fire Innate essence.

    All of them mumbled ''Aye'' looking down sad and then he continued. "Thank you. General Reus, please prepare for our departure. We will be waiting for our mission slips and for our orders."

    "Affirmative," he agreed almost hesitantly. Reus is torn between abiding by the law and with doing what is right but, with what''s currently happening, he is now compelled by duty to save his innocent citizens from certain death even if he''s stepping on countless laws to accomplish it.

    Reus knows that they can''t get away from the Citadel. Even Yosh, who has been called the Greased Monkey having the penchant for slipping stealthily into the shadows with ease, accepts this impossibility and has come to recognize his incapacity to move and escape for the first time in his life. Now that the Hundred Sword Elites and many other Daomagarian clans have been teeming around at the Citadel and the open fields just outside its fortified walls, escaping to the south is practically ridiculous forcing them to add the new word ''impossible'' to their vocabulary.

    Reus walked away heading north almost hastily, "Meet me here tomorrow midnight. Late comers will be excluded from the party. That means YOU Yosh!"

    "How are we going to escape?" shouted Yosh scratching his head to his scurrying brother who''s almost escaping their view.

    Reus just raised his right arm in reply meaning ''I''m on it'' as he always does but this time they reckon the sign means ''Bathala Na!'' - a term used when no other logical option is present leaving everything to fate, praying that Bathala''s will is in their favor. But they are leaning for the former rather than the latter as they try to think for a plan themselves sitting in great dismay.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Where does all these reports come from?" shrieked Prodea.

    She is in her quarters sitting worried in her study chair, walking her fingers along her soft cherry lips with eyes looking down fast moving in thoughts.

    "It came from the Generals themselves," Zeba explained with full conviction, "I''ve traced the reports and it''s legitimate! The Cotton Village harbors those inhuman fugitives and it''s only right that they be hanged for treason! Their sentence has been delayed for far too long and with those new incriminating evidences that our soldiers have gathered in their random search, it should give us enough authority to annihilate the entire village... if you want to - I mean it''s in the law. Treason is considered an insult to Bathala and to the Holy Lands and must be dealt fiercely with an iron fist."

    Prodea stood up looking away, peering into her stained-glass windows in deep thoughts as Zeba continued her long litany of enlightenment trying to convince her justifying that she can''t be blamed for their deaths but Prodea knows better. She doesn''t want to kill people senselessly, putting their blood on her hand without any reason at all, creating unnecessary friction with her people.

    Sure, she has sacrificed many lives up till now, but all of those lives have been sacrificed for a reason. The lives that are now in her hands to murder are without valid grounds and that''s eating her all up forcing her to reevaluate herself.

    She knows it''s all a show, the Queen''s attempted assassination. She concocted it so carefully, she already has an escape goat prepared to fool all Nagozulians in order for her to move her plans along without conflict with her people, especially with the military - which is too important that she depends on them the most for her plan to succeed. What troubles her is that someone''s been meddling with her plan planting evidences in small villagers as if someone''s been messing with her head.

    She knows only a Yagisivian knows how to read minds, with the exception of her being an apprentice of Bakunawa. Her mind is like a thick-walled prison. She has managed to make it so in order to ward off anyone knowing how to read minds. Her most protected labyrinth of a mind contains her secret plans that only she alone should know so she has got to ask herself: Is someone already found out how to infiltrate my mind without me knowing it?

    The original plan and all of its contingencies doesn''t include torture and executions, so she''s been turned like stone in surprise being forced to order commands as if someone''s been pulling all the string.

    Strings, she thought clenching her fists in frustration. She doesn''t like being tied up and be played with in their strings. She''s used to pull all the strings with her perfectly organized plans, so this event is a new experience to her, giving her the chills deep inside. The only way for her to prove that she follows through with her display of uncontested wrath for the people who supposedly tried to assassinate her mother is to let the events play through and provide some new contingent plans along the way. There are so many variables that would definitely harm her plans after signing the papers of execution, but she doesn''t have any choice for the matter.

    She went near her study table and affixed her signature on those five long scrolls. She then stepped back giving a sigh or two almost hesitant and then she passed the scrolls to Zeba who''s still convincing her not to feel bad for her decision. She raised her right hand flicking her fingers, signaling her to step away from her chambers which Zeba obeyed almost instantly and then she returned to her deep burrowing gaze towards her stained-glass window.

    Though seeing her just standing there being dumbstruck in the curious display of lights bouncing on the surface of her wondrous windows, her thoughts have managed to pierce through them letting her mind to wander away visualizing various events that might happen in the future.

    In her focused attempt to load up simulations in her enormous brain, she has managed to calculate this little game to her advantage. She was about to have a new plan to beat her new mysterious enemy when three knocks filled the room. She closed her eyes in aggravation as if the sounds created a deafening pound - which it didn''t as it was a normal echoing knock made by a solid clenched fist.

    She has no weaknesses that she knows of, except for the fact that she doesn''t want to be disturbed especially in her silence. The pounding on the door has been associated with extreme annoyance much like a person associating an alarming rooster shrieking his morning affairs to everyone in a lazy Sunday morning, waking them up too early; or hearing a dog barking to everything that moves in the middle of the night when a person needs to get their sleep. A rooster might die after a few days, being ordered to be cooked after his excruciating daily rounds, and the dog might get trained not to be that irritating but a knock on the door, her giant wooden doors, cannot be escaped nor can be ignored. Ignoring the fact will lead to many more knocks which did happen now for two times making her walk grumbling to receive what she knows to be the Earl Eryk of Leonus.

    She opened the door receiving him and then shut it right after he had jumped inside. Eryk can be seen smiling wide and almost excited which bothered Prodea a little.

    "Why are you here?" she asked snapping since they have had an agreement not to disturb her in her quarters again unless she summoned him so.

    "Well, it has been almost two months and I''m just here to remind you of our deal," he blurted almost in hesitation.

    "About that, I think we have to delay it since we have so much..."

    "But you said!" he interrupted nearly changing suddenly into a very confused angry boy in a fit, "You said you''d do it! You said..."

    "I know what I said!" Prodea shouted being insulted in his words. "I remember my own words I have not gone senile! But you must know that I am in the middle of something and I cannot drop everything just to get your petty desires! It''s not my fault you''re neither charming nor convincing. You can''t even get your best friend to give you the blessings you require so I have to deal with that too! Your request is too complex and in order to do that I need a lot of time which I currently have no luxury to spend! So, wait!"

    "Time is of the essence. I cannot wait further without any assurance."

    "I didn''t say anything about backing up my end of the deal! Why do you think he ended up here along with you and her daughters!? Do you think it''s all a coincidence? NO! I planted you all here! I made it all possible! I have been giving my end of the deal long before your Emperor decided to hear my proposal and yet you challenge my word? You challenge my honor?"

    "I''m sorry but Yvonne''s been sneaking in or out of the Palace! He might be meeting with another man and I can''t accept that!"

    "Oh please, you and your paranoia. No one in these lands would ever think of her that way. They will feel disgust or pity along with other mixed emotions before getting to like you lowly mortals, and that''s not even half-way to love. What you think of her beauty is ugly here in our lands."

    "SHE IS BEAUTIFUL!" he screamed furious which surprised Prodea making her smile a little bit being amused. He noticed he''s getting out of focus so he composed himself, being the disciplined man that he is, and continued, "She''s the most beautiful girl in the world and you don''t have the right to say otherwise!"

    "So, you say," she said almost with a mocking tone.

    This remark revealed a slight crunch in his nose in his crude way of hiding his frustration towards her but she let it slip by because the thought of her getting on his head really entertained her quite well, making her at least forget a little bit about her current dilemma.

    "Just give me a time frame! Give me something to look forward to. Anything!"

    "Well, let''s see if I can simplify this to you," she stopped for a moment looking up and then continued with a sarcastic tone, "Let''s enumerate things shall we? there''s the creation of the fortress and there''s the search for those impudent assassins, and there''s your mining rights to Hishma - all for show Of course, since you''re here about the fountain, and Oh! I forgot! The subjugation of my people for me to have absolute control in order to GET YOU what YOU want! Do you think the Fountain of Life opens up freely just when I say it to open up? No! It doesn''t! It''s going to be a long time and you have to deal with it with the same patience as I have while dealing with all of these surprising problems magically springing up to my face wasting my precious time! Like your incessant whining right now!"

    Eryk Caden just looked down as if apologizing. His desires have been messing with his head, clouding his bigger most important goals. He just half-heartedly smiled nodding and stepped back near the door. As soon as he was about to reach for the knob, the giant doors sprung open with the Grand Prince Sarram shouting.

    "PRODEA!"

    "YIT''ARD! SARRAM! I TOLD YOU TO KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING! I SWEAR ON SWEET BATHALA..."

    "Shut up and listen," he ordered with fire breathing through his nose. He was about to speak when he stopped and noticed the Earl sitting on the floor, being thrown away jumping for dear life from the violently opening doors that almost killed him, "Hey, Lord Eryk, what are you doing here?"

    "He was... just leaving," Prodea said staring at him which automatically gave him the courage to stand up and jump away from the room in just a quick three second''s time. Prodea closed the doors by waving her two fingers giving them the sound-proof privacy that they need which pleased Sarram with much surprise.

    "WOW! That is a neat trick you got there! You should teach it to me too!"

    "Focus!" she snapped her fingers being irritated with his brother''s lack of attention easily being diverted with trivialities. "You barged into my room again. I told you not to do that. It''s getting tiresome so let''s make a deal. If you don''t give me some information equivalent to what was required for you to disturb my privacy, I''m going to leave a mark on your body again."

    Sarram just nervously swallowed remembering the scar she gave him in his left arm when he was little. She is not joking when she stated that she can give him a wound that cannot be healed completely by any Caster. Prodea has been severely punished then by the Queen for her violent action towards her younger brother but that was when there is a Queen for him to tell on to. Because of their mother''s condition, Prodea can actually do whatever she likes without being reprimanded to and that made him think to make sure he stays at her good side.

    "You have got to go to Cousin Sayed! He''s still not cooperating and has in turn ordered all building materials to be thrown out to the sea in protest."

    "All of it!?" she asked almost disturbed, "Including the high beams?"

    "YES! That''s why I rushed in here and demanded you know!"

    "The high beams and all the metal and concrete materials have been customized in Daomagar! That would set us back to another month!"

    "I know!"

    "Did you tell him what I said?"

    "Yes, but he didn''t really bother to hear me at the end."

    "You''re worthless you know that!" she shrieked running towards her cloak and the books scattered in her table.

    "Hey! Don''t say mean words!"

    "Oh, I''m sorry," she pouted getting near him mocking. "I meant you have been an utter disappointment to me being unable to do what a simple messenger can accomplish!" She walked on hurriedly with doors automatically opening themselves to let her out. "If you''ve done what I asked I wouldn''t really have to go there by myself now and waste any time on this simple job!"

    "But Prodea!?" he ran catching up to her going outside the halls, "He''s really stubborn! If there''s any mortal that can break him, it''s you!"

    Prodea just rolled her eyes putting the palm of her hand directly to the now closing doors and muttered a weird chanting spell. The doors, as if having a life of its own, sighed an eerie sound of grief. A moving field of transparent green colored blanket then filled the whole door until it returned to its normal tint as though nothing happened.

    "Oh, and by the way," Prodea whispered interrupting Sarram''s awe, "Barge in like that again, with all my enchantments on my door, and you will be vaporized as fast as the slithering smoke of the White Angel." With these words, Prodea stormed off in a hurry with the poor frightened Sarram perspiring, still swallowing in fear and regret.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The blinding yellow light of the flickering candles peered in the blurry horizons, scaring Artemus''s eyes as he blinked awake in his comfortable soft cot in his quarters. The muffled sound of his father-in-law Narra screaming in jubilation echoed all around waking all of his senses much like the effect given by the spirits of Hartshorn.

    "Father," he groggily mumbled scratching his heavy head sitting on the corner of the bed, "What time is it?"

    Narra went to him, almost dashing, hugging him tightly kissing him in the forehead almost teary eyed.

    "Bathala be praised! You are alright!"

    "What? Why will I not be? It''s only been hours."

    "You do not know? You have been lying there for almost two months!"

    "What!?" he yelped, immediately standing up only to fall down on the ground weakly. "Ow!"

    Narra tried to help him but he just smiled and lifted himself up with his defensive bubble technique making him to float around the room back into the corner of the bed he once sat.

    "Where is Anagea?"

    "She has been devastated seeing you that bad, so she went away to Yagisiv Haya to find a cure. I told her that there isn''t, but she is persistent."

    Artemus just smiled looking down. She knows Anagea is hard-headed and uniquely has a short temper in managing crisis especially when it comes to family. She hates standing still, just praying for a solution. She wouldn''t be waiting there for a miracle unless she''s exhausted all possibilities.

    "What time is it father?"

    "It''s almost midnight. I have sent for your children. I have also sent the fastest Daomagar to find Anagea and deliver this splendid news. Plus, the commanders are right outside awaiting your orders Grand General. Welcome back from the dead!"

    "Work already?" he chuckled joking, "I only got back from being ill."

    "As I have said, It has been the longest two months here," Narra informed with much sadness, "There''s so much that happened and with you incapacitated, no one has stood up to the Grand Princess Prodea - and even if someone did, there''s little they could''ve done. No one compares to your authority and with you out of the picture, no one can practically stop her. She has been doing wicked deeds all around Nagozul. What happened to you by the way?"

    "It''s hard to explain father," Artemus uttered almost dreary holding his head again as if in pain, "Well, the thing is, I have to shut down my brain."

    "You did what? Why did you do that? H-how?"

    "See, when I went to Bakunawa. He tried to transmit to me all of his memory and, dear Bathala, that was worth thousands of years of memory. All of his emotions, personality, experiences, everything! My brain is going to explode right then making me crazy, so I have to plan ahead. I need to start reorganizing my brain if I''m going to survive what he did to me. I have no choice but to wipe my brain clean and put everything, myself and Bakunawa''s memories, into the depths of my mind. It''s either that or I let two personalities rise forth to battle each other to gain primary consciousness, making me lose grip of reality in madness thus incapacitating me forever."

    "Why did he do that? What happened at the Shrine?"

    "I don''t know," Artemus shrugged with doubtful eyes, "I don''t know what happened. What I do know is that at that moment I have developed a new technique. I have created a conscious representation of me inside my brain giving the job of slowly feeding me all of my memories one by one in order for me to stay sane. I have still left the memories on my trip to Bakunawa together with his memories deep inside my subconscious and I still need a lot of time for me to allocate the memories and integrate it to mine without destroying myself."

    "So, you are Artemus? I mean all of Artemus after you went to visit Reus rounding up all those rebels almost two months ago?"

    "No," he sighed trying to slowly get up from the bed, "I still have some memories missing, that I know of - or that''s what Artemus doppelganger said in my brain to me."

    "Incredible. You have created a living persona inside your brain. Your powers have always never ceased to amaze me every time."

    "Stop flattering me father," he chuckled walking to the table shakingly, "Indeed I was lucky to have come up with that technique at that moment, but it cost me things like learning how to walk."

    "Oh really," Narra laughed seeing him grab a chair in midfall, "So, that should count as your second first steps."

    "Really funny, father," Artemus quipped almost gasping for air in concentration, "I haven''t really loaded up all of my memory, skills and techniques in my brain. Only the important ones but I forgot to load up walking. I guess that I kind of thought it really isn''t important since I don''t really enjoy walking around and the physics of walking is really easy to understand."

    "So, how do you load up your memory?"

    "Well I have to meditate and access my doppelganger in my brain. He''s the one managing all memories since I have partitioned mine in an effort to protect myself from dying."

    Narra stood up almost worried and held him by his arms to walk him to the table. Artemus smiled in thanks as he sat down and opened the kettle with hot tea inside as if waiting for him to pour it to the lonely cup awaiting its warmth.

    "Son," Narra muttered with concern in his tone, "Your kingdom is in danger. Your sister has been turning to evil as the prophecy has foretold."

    "Right on schedule I suppose," he murmured with regret, "Where is mother when all of this is happening?"

    "She has survived an assassination attempt and has fallen into the Deep Sleep - at least that''s what I know considering that this may very well be a plot by Prodea herself. Who knows?"

    "Yes. I know. No one in these lands has any motive to attack the Queen or the capacity to do so since the Palace has been equipped with heavy Magicks. Dark Magicks tracing back to the rule of Balthazar."

    "But surely your sister couldn''t have killed your mother? I mean, she isn''t capable of such evil? Right?"

    "Yes father. I think, mother is safe being held hostage somewhere in the Palace - or at least that''s what Prodea would do if she''s smart enough."

    "Do you want to plan to have a strike team for extraction?"

    "No!" he contested almost in fear, "We have to plan this carefully father. If we do place a strike team, we will be at a disadvantage. It will be next to impossible infiltrating the Palace not to mention the heavy Magicks placed within its walls that will surely give us great difficulties. Our strike teams will ultimately be caught leading for us to be blamed for the assassination of the Queen. By then she will have all the support she''ll be needing, and we will just turn up playing right to her plan. The prophecy states that I''m going to lose my left arm and my children will die one by one. Maybe that is because I have been reduced to this weak and helpless state and have provoked her somehow to strike us with the full might of the Nagozulian forces."

    "We should wait then."

    "Yes. We should. At least after I can manage to bring back all of my memories including what happened at Bakunawa''s shrine. We must use the art of Diplomacy until we have enough energy to disable her deluded plans."

    "Can you access Bakunawa''s powers? I mean now that his memories are yours now, I bet you can summon the powers of Mother Earth to your bidding now."

    "Yes, and that. Let''s just wait for me to access all of his powers before provoking her. I have accessed some of his techniques. That is why I was able to rearrange my memories in the first place, but I need to prioritize getting myself back before perusing his mind. I have to function as Artemus again in my full potential before accessing Bakunawa''s brain worth thousands of years of memories - that''s a lot to take."

    "Prodea is on the hunt for those assassins who tried to kill the Queen. What are we going to do about that? They have been investigating all of Nagozul to solve the crime."

    "Well, we should leave her be then. We don''t want to be caught in the middle of that. As long as it''s just an investigation they are conducting, and no one is being harmed then there would be no problem."

    "But son, I have received word that the Cotton Village elders has been found guilty for aiding the assassins. They have been due to be executed next week. What are your plans for that?"

    "Really? Prodea has been known to be a pain but I don''t really believe her to be that cruel. A lifetime imprisonment maybe but an execution? She''s really gone insane huh?"

    "Yes, and also, she has made herself the Grand Commander, forced herself the title of the Queen. You are under her command now."

    "That''s preposterous! What did the seers say?"

    "Nothing. They have been disbanded by the order of the new Queen. I heard that she has disbanded the Royal Seers because they have been asking questions why the Nanreben has been awakened again, the same day you fell ill coming back here. No one is overseeing her anymore."

    "The Nanreben? Does that mean Prodea has finally assassinated Bakunawa?"

    "Indeed so. I know you went to Bakunawa to warn him but after what happened it made it clear to me that he has certainly died in that fight. If she failed, it meant that she wouldn''t have come back but she is alive. Only one of them can walk out of that enormous fight - or that''s what I know from what I''ve been hearing from rumors in the city. I clearly thought you fought her too side-by-side with him, seeing how distraught you are when you arrived here almost dying."

    "Oh..." he replied perturbed with his eyes rolling away in thoughts.

    "You did right?"

    "Did what?"

    "You did fight her? At the shrine? I hope you didn''t."

    "I don''t know. I haven''t accessed that memory. Maybe I''ll try later but I don''t know. Maybe I didn''t."

    "How so?"

    "Well, if I did fight her there and I escaped, the first thing she would do is to mount an escapade to hunt me down and finish me once and for all. I haven''t noticed the war drums at the gate so she''s not definitely searching to eliminate me."

    "That is logical. Although, it still puzzles me as to where you went and what happened at the shrine."

    "All in due time, father." He sighed after gulping his last sip of his newly brewed tea and wearily gave a skewed smile, "It''s funny that time and fate hates us but what can we do."

    "Yes. To think so many problems can happen within just two months huh?"

    "I must be prepared to make a dialogue then!" he cheerily declared standing up, balancing himself in his upright stance.

    "With Prodea!? Are you insane!?"

    "Yes, with Prodea. We need to minimize casualties and in order to do that I must force her to stand down and buy us time for me to recover and mount a rescue for the Queen."

    "What about being at the Shrine? What if you are there and you did fight him, and she failed to eliminate you there? What if she''s just waiting for you to go to her? You are walking into a trap!"

    "Relax father. It''s not my time to die. Many more will pass in the prophecy before my death, so you need not worry about me. Prodea killing me is next to impossible - well, now is not impossible since I''m reduced to this weak vessel unable to properly command my elemental innate but when I regained my full self, nothing can kill me, not even Prodea. I''ll be making sure of that."

    "Daddy!" shouted a chorus of his children in stampede running to him in embrace, pushing him for a couple of steps back.

    "Whoa now!" he said laughing shaking their heads, "I can''t really walk well yet so careful."

    "I''m so glad you''re well Dad," cried Karus wiping the tears in his eyes, "I have so much to tell you. Auntie has been attacking people, torturing them even. We must stop her!"

    "Yes, Karus, we will."

    Karus smiled hugging him tight, "Thanks Dad."

    "I will have a dialogue with her and will be requesting for a smaller sentence till everything works out."

    "No!" shouted Karus, "No Dad! You should order her to exonerate our people! They didn''t do anything! They have been framed!"

    "I do not know the intricacies of their case but until I review them, I can''t order her to exonerate them all, even if I do know that they are innocent. We have to obey the law and..."

    "No Daddy," interrupted Kayzar, "They have been tortured and locked in their village without being permitted to use their basic rights of trading or travel. They are starving there, and they are in need of immediate medical attention."

    "Yes. That''s what they will do to any suspecting villages harboring any assassins. They have to quarantine the area so that they can pinpoint the assailant as the investigation develops."

    "That is wrong!" Karus shouted almost insolent, "They can''t do that Dad! They can''t do that if they are innocent!"

    "They are!" he said smiling calming him down, "They are innocent. But it''s only our words against theirs so we have to reexamine the evidence in order to get a valid statement and free them from any accusations."

    Karus''s Amplifyers burned bright green in his anger with tears flowing non-stop, "No Dad! That can''t be acceptable! They don''t deserve to die!" He then ran outside away dashing which surprised Artemus seeing how fast he is.

    "Don''t worry Daddy," said Kayzar looking sad trying hard to hold on to the tears accumulating in his eyes, "I will go after him. He won''t get far. Not in here."

    And the two walked outside, with Yosh cuddling Luna with disappointed eyes, giving Artemus and Narra the privacy they once had.

    "Father?" Artemus asked after the door shut to a click, "Where is Reus?"

    "Oh, that boy. I don''t know. He''s not in his quarters and it''s rather strange but he''ll be here."

    "Good. Just keep them all here, okay? I need to get ready to go to the South. I can''t afford to have them wandering about and escaping here."

    "Yes, about that. They are all anxious to go back south again. Keeping them here has been a challenge indeed and they are getting feisty and crafty in each attempt."

    "We need all the attention we have to solve this crisis fast and if keeping them here to minimize the risks of their danger, I''ll be willing to take that plan. We can''t afford to have another missing child crisis in our hands right now."

    "Yes, Grand General."

    "I''m ready now. Send for all the Generals here."

    "As you wish."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The shying waning crescent moon brought forth a shower of stars to occupy the cloudless night skies of the lonely pitch-black evening. This marvelous display of wonder is a rare event which would have captivated the eyes of many souls but not the lone Reus who is standing at the clearing just below the foot of Mount Liwanag, the highest mountain in all of the Holy Lands just north of the Encampment. He is standing still with spectacles askew waiting for someone.

    He is outside the Citadel''s perimeter, but the soldiers have let him pass. He had managed to slip through the guards with the use of his newfound fame. They have regarded him as one of the most powerful Nagozulian alive and this has garnered him some respect from some soldiers giving him the capacity to exploit it to enter some territory unbothered. He could have used this to their advantage to escape but alas, it only works on some Nagozulian Sentries that has been guarding the northern regions of the Citadel. The soldiers watching the southern part leading to the Lakas mountain range and into the Kulog Pass has been teeming with Daomagarian soldiers that they either haven''t seen before or haven''t had any pleasure to be acquainted with giving them no incentive to use their charm to slip through undetected. Somehow, almost half of the Daomagarian reserve forces have been oddly occupying the North and they do not know why.

    A rustle of the bushes snapped Reus''s mind to attention. He then smiled and bowed his head to greet his master who has been walking towards him from the shadows. Grog stopped at the edge of the clearing, exposing his head but still remaining in the shadow''s embrace revealing only his face with his clear illuminating blue eyes sparkling in the darkness. He nodded to acknowledge his apprentice Reus who is still bowing and then spoke in a deep thunderous voice.

    "Why have you summoned me, apprentice? The interval of our meet has not yet cycled. Is there a problem?"

    "Yes, Master. I am indeed in need of your assistance."

    "It is odd that you are asking for my help. You are not one to ask favors."

    "I know master, but this time it''s really important."

    "What is it, young apprentice? I could grant you a favor since you haven''t asked for anything in my tutelage, an odd thing for a pupil."

    "Thank goodness, Master. I''m really in a tight knot and I could really use your teleportation technique."

    "My what?"

    "Your teleportation technique. You can use it to teleport people anywhere, yes?"

    "Certainly. But that would be troublesome for me. I have unlocked my powers since your father has finally found my Bathala-given name giving me the capacity to charge my skills to its potential but that would really need my full concentration in order to keep the people I''m transporting safe and I am not in the mood to travel tonight or any other nights."

    "You are sad?" Reus asked with concern, "Are you mourning?"

    "Yes. The death of Bakunawa has broken my spirit and it is more than I can bear."

    "I''m sorry I have not asked about you. The rumors surrounding the death of Bakunawa have been circulating. I can''t believe it to be true until you confirmed it with your words. I truly am sorry about your loss."

    "It is the loss of all of the inhabitants of the Holy Lands, the death of your protector, but do not worry about me young apprentice. I do not need any pity. I will do as you please, just not tonight. Maybe next week."

    "No master," he pleaded, "I beg you to reconsider. Our mission is time sensitive. We need you to transfer us to the South, just outside the outskirts of the Cotton Village tomorrow midnight."

    "Why do you need to be in that fortress? They have fortified it with weapons and soldiers."

    "Our Aunt Prodea..."

    Grog snapped growling, pounding his paws in the ground. "Do not speak her name in my presence young apprentice. I do not want to hear her name ever again!"

    "Our Aunt..." he mumbled trying, "Our Aunt has accused the people of the Cotton Village to have been aiding the perpetrators that tried to assassinate the Queen and has come down to a verdict of executing its elders by next week. We need a plan to evacuate the people there as soon as possible."

    "And you expect me to transport all those villagers there to someplace secure? Is that your plan?"

    "Yes, uh - no."

    "Do not get me wrong, young apprentice. I do want to ruin her plans anytime I can just to get back at her vile actions towards the Holy Lands, but I do not want to go near those fortifications. If I do, I might be tempted to massacre all of your soldiers and that is a sin I most certainly like to avoid."

    "No Master. What I meant is you''ll be transporting the villagers from there to here. We''ll be slipping all the villagers near the forest in the east of the village and when all of them have been rescued, you''ll be transporting them back to here, in this same clearing, ordering them to seek refuge following this path to the Citadel."

    "And what about the soldiers there? I think you have missed the part when I told you that the Cotton Village, along with the others, have turned into fortresses swarming with Nagozulian Sentries - even Daomagarian soldiers including some Sibara Masters and Apprentices have been stationed there. What do you intend to do about them?"

    "Don''t worry master," he answered with determined eyes, "Leave the rest to us."

 26 LEVERAGE

    The huge ten-feet golden double-leaved doors slowly swung open revealing Prodea''s lovely but serious face together with her usual six Nagozulian handmaids equally divided from her left and right. She bowed graciously and then walked slowly towards Sayed at the far end of the room, standing to greet her. Lady Illyriah is at his right standing too giving a curtsy to acknowledge the Grand Princess.

    The Limor House''s rule doesn''t run in these sacred hills of Hishma thus Prodea and Sayed can be considered equals in these lands. Though Prodea is a Grand Princess of all of Nagozul, the Hishma Hills and its caves are considered, as stated in their laws, a holy ground and shall not form part of the Kingdom of Man but rather a piece of Bathala''s Kingdom on earth with Sayed''s generation as its chief caretaker of the majority of the hills - being one of the descendants of Nagozul''s Cousin Hishma. Though thousands of generations have passed by, in spirit they are still cousins since Nagozul, Prodea''s ancestor, and Hishma, Sayed''s ancestor, can be traced sharing the same grandfather, Ambo the Great whom, with Bathala''s providence, lived to about two hundred years old and even outlived his two grandchildren.

    Some can still pursue the idea that Sayed has more power than Prodea because he is the steward of Bathala himself to govern his lands on his behalf while she''s only the second child of the late king without anything to govern to, but Prodea thinks the contrary. She believes it is practically an absurd presumption since her intellect surpasses anyone making it hard for someone to catch up to and be of equal footing with her - or at least that''s her undisputable opinion which everyone has to agree to in public even though everyone thinks of it as a delusion, only in their intimate thoughts of course.

    The receiving room is a large wide function hall glittering in its grandiose gold plated, jewel embezzled walls giving a bright glazing auburn shimmer all around as if they are in the presence of the sun''s afternoon glow. The aisle at the center that Prodea''s been treading is a bushy red carpet made out of the finest dyed wool in all of Nagozul - a quite exquisite and utterly expensive carpet to be experienced by anyone, including commoners with muddy footwear. A shame really, she thought, considering it is the same type of carpet she has on her chambers that she practically adores.

    As Prodea finally reached Sayed on the far end, Daomagarian servants, rushed on dashing almost immediately placing chairs in front of Sayed''s throne-like golden seats. They placed a table between them and turned that end of the hall into as if they were having a casual appointment over tea.

    They usually meet at the study, Prodea figured as she sat on her chair, but meeting in the receiving hall means serious business. It''s as if he is rather tensed and afraid of her to keep the meeting on his study, just a door away from his chambers, where privacy is guaranteed. She uncontrollably smiled devilishly on the idea that she has the upper hand and that she still has command over Hishma''s unbreakable caretaker.

    Privacy is important but privacy with Prodea is practically unwise, it''s just ridiculous. It''s so absurd that it''s considered to be dangerously reckless. It''s as if one wants to have a death wish, especially after all of those rumors of her fighting everyone who gets in her way, even Bakunawa.

    There are even wilder rumors that she has slain Bakunawa for getting in her way, but Sayed didn''t bother hearing those kinds of rumor. Nobody in their right mind will dare lift a finger on Bakunawa, he''s the immortal caretaker of the Holy Lands after all. But even so, with her kind of attitude, she can easily be known for as unstable so it''s best to convene in a room with a lot of witnesses - just to be safe.

    "So, Prodea," Sayed started off snapping his fingers to order his servants to give her refreshments, "I was really surprised to see you here in those metal boxes that your foreigners have brought here."

    "Carriages, Cousin Sayed," she corrected taking a sip of cold sweet nectar mix from her golden cup, "They are called Carriages, but I think you know of them. In fact, I know you''ve ridden one yourself in one of your days outside on your Rite of Passage."

    "Yes, yes. Carriages. But still, it is not of us, so I prefer not to know them. Pardon my frankness but need I remind you that Bathala gave us our trusty feet to wander our lands, not to lazily stow it away being pulled by horse-beasts. In foreign lands, I''ll approve, but here in our lands, I don''t think so."

    "Oh, you worry too much cousin. I was in a hurry to meet you here and my feet can only carry me to a certain distance before I completely tire out. By then, it''ll be irrelevant to measure the length my feet can carry me for it is imperative that I meet you this particular morning. I would really prefer to be carried by a beast in my haste rather than compromising a Daomagar. It is not our custom to treat them as I treat my beasts after all."

    Sayed nodded, still unconvinced but otherwise agreeable. Nagozulians have abolished this kind of transportation method where they would fashion a litter, a wheel-less vehicle supported by carrying poles using only Daomagarians to carry it, to transport nobles around Nagozul. It is thought to be a nudge closer to slavery and a way to indignify their Daomagarian brothers, so their forefathers have removed this custom thousands of years ago. This is a sensitive topic, especially when there are Daomagarian guards present at the hall. Though he abhors the use of ''Carriages'', he most certainly can''t disagree on her statement. A truly stimulating accomplishment for Prodea, he pondered seeing her turn the discussion against him making him uncomfortable in his seat instead of him giving a pressure on her. Wordplay isn''t his strong suit so he thought it would be best for him to have the discussion on point.

    "Why is it then that you graced us your presence at such an early hour of this morn? I pray it is not an emergency of ill nature..."

    "No, dear Bathala. No one is in danger as of the moment - unless we capture the assassins of course. Then, they will be in danger. They''ll be trapped in a world of pain and misery and we will all be at peace."

    Prodea laughed silently as if noticing her statements to be funny. Sayed and Illyriah coughed up a couple of laughs too being polite with her but clearly finds her humor sinister. The assassins, with her decree, will be tortured first for their accomplices and then would be hanged. Finding humor in this demented scenario is clearly unsettling. The two almost sighed as she finally continued.

    "That''s not what I came here for. No. I came in here to personally change your mind."

    A moment of awkward silence filled the halls with Prodea turning into her famous serious face that is most disturbing.

    "Can you please expound on that, cousin?" Sayed asked, confused on what she meant as if being insulted in her reply but still with his amicable tone.

    "I do not know if you are getting senile like our Palace seers, but it seems that I may have to enunciate every detail for you to absorb my words." Illyriah and Sayed, with all of her guards, became shocked with her statements. Her tone is still in its non-threatening way but her face, flaring up and leaking malice, tells otherwise. "I am here to change your mind. It''s that simple."

    "I beg your pardon, but you really can''t force me to obey your every whim. You are not turning our part of the Hishma into a Fortress!"

    "Almost half of the Hishma''s accepting my proposition. You''re the only thorn among my plans. You know me very well, cousin. I do not take rejection very kindly and I''m not going to start now. I suggest you immediately admit you have mistakenly rejected my proposal while I''m in my good mood."

    "Well you better start learning to accept rejection now!" shouted Sayed alerting all guards to get near him, "I do not care about your feelings you pompous brat. I have made a pact with Bathala and nothing, not even you, can change that! I will not yield to such empty threats. I do not care how you have managed the others into cavorting to your merry way of insulting Bathala! I will not change my stand, so I suggest you get out of his lands while I''m in my good mood!"

    Prodea snickered with Sayed''s twenty guards closing in on them in a circle to surround the Royal Party of Nagozul. Illyriah''s hands shook in fear, perspiring as though clinging to dear life, worried to her father and frightened of Prodea, which she noticed easily giving her a wide grin.

    "I think your early onset dementia is apparently progressing. You simply do not understand what my words mean. I told you I came here to CHANGE YOUR MIND. I simply won''t leave here without the fact."

    "Oh, Prodea, you are certainly high on your arrogance. May I bring you back to lucidity? I''ll explain this so that your infantile brain can understand it. YOU CAN''T MAKE ME CHANGE MY MIND! Not in these lands and certainly not in this lifetime."

    With his unforgivable insult to Prodea''s intellect, her Amplifyers activated into a blinding luminosity that brought forth white radiance into the whole room, akin to the light of the morning sun, amplified further with the reflective surface of the bejeweled walls. Her apparent power with her activation can be compared only to the highest degree of Nagozulian Elementals who have existed thousands of years ago but alas, she failed to sustain it longer than three seconds. Sayed burst out laughing insulting her further.

    "Seriously? Prodea? You wish to harm me in my own domain? Inside Bathala''s sacred grounds? For a person claiming to be smart, you really are dumb. You can''t hurt the heir to Bathala''s lands? We are protected by Bathala himself!"

    "I see you have figured out the spell to contain any Nagozulian elemental energies..."

    "Yes," he interrupted, "As I''ve said, our family has been given the task to purge the likes of you into besmirching the Lands of Bathala! You are hereby banned in the Hills of Hishma! Any affront..."

    "Are you done now?" she interrupted still smiling which puzzled Sayed, "Are you now trying to curse me out of here because I''m not entirely done. All I hear is yapping and I don''t have all day." Sayed''s eyes dwindle as he turned to Illyriah almost immediately seeing Prodea''s hints. "Oh cousin," she continued almost laughing with Illyriah being mystified as to why they are all looking at her, "Do you still know how to use the Yagisivian''s All Seeing Eye? The one father taught us?"

    With Prodea''s words, Sayed''s bright blue eyes turned all white and with a deep horrific gasp as he saw five ghastly man-sized hands all around Illyriah, ready to crush her at Prodea''s commands. Illyriah is still equipped with wary eyes, still confused as to why they are all looking at her still and why her father has a glowing white eye with his mouth open.

    Prodea cleared her throat interrupting Sayed in his concern and then continued. "You see I know that there''s a possibility that I can''t use my elemental abilities in your domain, so I planned ahead. I would really like to congratulate you on your diligence as your family''s Chief Caretaker of your side of Bathala''s hills. I only activated my Amplifyers to check whether you''re a half-wit forgetting to activate your defensive Magicks. Things would be a lot easier if you are just as stupid as the rest of the other incompetent families but sadly such is not the case. Having only my infantile brain I have designed a back-up plan - yes, I know, a dumb person like me CAN make a back-up plan. It''s just sad right? I know I can''t exterminate you without having any trouble on my part with all the Magicks that is placed in your domain but killing her is another thing."

    Illyriah was jolted as she was lifted almost three feet from the ground, being unable to move as if an invisible binding restricted all of her movements. The guards all around turned their spears towards them in a lunge but the six handmaids at her sides dashed forward killing all of them in an instant using only a three-inched dagger concealed on their gloves. The fight was over in less than thirty seconds with the helpless Daomagarian guards falling down one by one being unable to react having the disadvantage of Prodea''s surprise.

    Sayed was confounded with this as he has assumed them to be Nagozulian handmaids being fooled by those ritualistic tattoos on their faces. The only Daomagarian people allowed in his reception hall are his guards so he was clearly surprised at Prodea''s violent plan. He did not anticipate her to be this evil - to plot maliciously, spilling blood on Nagozul''s most sacred grounds. Being the daughter of the benevolent King Liwanag comes with the expectation that she can be trusted - or at least gives off the assumption that she has a little of his old father''s beliefs having complete regard and respect for a man''s life. Planning this wickedness even before meeting up with him means only that she doesn''t intend to end their meeting amicably. He felt chills up his spine as he saw her eyes sparkle with such delight after the last of the twenty mighty Bandhana clan members he hired fall on the ground, shaking for a couple of seconds in shivering pain until exhausting their last breath.

    "The Sibara?" whispered Sayed with shaking eyes, "You''ve enlisted the Sibara!?"

    "Oh, quit whining! You''re making me do this! Their deaths are on your hands so sign the papers and stop this unnecessary bloodshed - unless you want more, then by all means, make this hard."

    "No!" he refused with a stern look on his face.

    "Really? You''re still being difficult? I''m holding the only living person here with me and you say no?"

    Sayed closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He looked at Illyriah''s scared eyes and gave a stern look, serious yet calm and reassuring, which she understood right away as she closed her eyes and became unresisting. He then directed his eyes straight to Prodea who is smiling but clearly having eyes of doubt as to what he did.

    "No. I will not yield to such threats!"

    "You don''t want to test me, Sayed. You think I''m bluffing? I know you don''t want to lose your only heir, so stop it! I am not joking!"

    "Go ahead! You can kill her and me, but I will not back down on my word to Bathala. I will not fail my ancestors and I will not certainly sell my soul to you and your new god Dim''ion and his wicked Magicks!"

    "Such faith, loyalty, and devotion, I''m impressed."

    "I do not need your compliments Prodea and I especially don''t need to have your good favors either. I''m serving Bathala not you or anything in this mortal realm."

    "Now you''re just being a lunatic. Everyone serves someone here. It''s the law of Mother Earth"

    Sayed scoffed with eyes unafraid, "With that thinking, you might as well have condemned yourself to Impierno. At least I know where my soul will reside after death, I just don''t know about yours?"

    "We''re talking about your Hills not the afterlife. Ooh! You''re insufferable. This talk about religion is giving me a headache..."

    "Oh, please," Sayed interrupted jeering with a wide grin, "as if you have one to begin with. You think you''re too smart to have one, so you insult other people''s beliefs? I pity you. I pity you for having delusions of being clever and yet managing to miss the most important miracle which is life."

    And with his last words of insult a huge four feet wide hand in a form of a thick dark smoke slapped him, throwing him almost five feet away. Illyriah shrieked an earsplitting clamor in midair which annoyed Prodea much making her other ghostly arm to muffle her mouth. She then looked around for a couple of seconds awaiting the repercussions of the Magicks placed inside the reception hall of Sayed''s manor, but nothing happened, and this made her chuckle a bit almost boastful, proud of her newfound limitless power. It made her think that if she can use Dim''ion''s Magicks here, in a manor having the oldest surviving Defensive Magicks activated, she can use them anywhere.

    "Look what you made me do! If you just signed the damned papers we may not have resorted to this violence."

    Sayed shakily pulled himself up with blood dripping out of his nose. Half of his face turned bright red with his right eye almost closed after the enormous force of Prodea''s dark ghostly arm. He was holding his right arm, clutching it as if he''s making sure not to move it about giving them the assumption that she has indeed managed to break his arm in the resulting impact.

    "Prodea, you vile godless monster!" he roared with his Amplifyers activating a bright tint of blue.

    Prodea was shocked with this magnificent display of power as his Amplifyers charged into an almost white shade. With his level of essence, he normally wouldn''t have any luck summoning that kind of amplified elemental energies. She has read many a theories regarding the Hishma''s secret defenses so she rationally assumed that the defensive Magicks at his manor entails an impressive support system that would help the chief caretaker to siphon off elemental energies from the mines - a rather disturbing and horrific energy source since the mines are abundant with Bathala''s energies.

    She hurriedly pushed down to the floor and managed to create a fast dark magic spell to disable him and tried to at least drain him of his energy before he could complete an optimal charge. Thanks to Dim''ion''s Magicks she was able to at least buy her some time - only a couple of minutes but she thinks it''s enough. Runes of black lines ran throughout the floor encasing the angry Sayed disabling him from moving from his spot. He threw countless jets of water strikes in the shape of snakes but Prodea, with her powerful Dim''ion Barriers, just redirected all of it to everywhere blasting all the precious walls, floors and even the expensive red carpet at their back, on impact.

    Prodea have to act fast. She knows he''s trying to charge up all his elemental energies to enchant his body with water, the most powerful water spell there is, and if he manages to do that, then a troublesome battle will ensue giving Prodea a hard time to stop him even more.

    While Water Casters can be regarded as the weakest of the elementals as they specialize in regeneration, when one enchants oneself with water, one can become invincible having regenerative properties that are able to create and recreate the vessel while having the power to summon large waves of water surges. When activated, the person having the enchantments cannot be killed or even harmed. The person becomes one with water and can morph into many shapes and sizes acquiring its formless property. That, for Prodea, can be a pretty annoying enemy.

    The Sibara assassins tried to cover their eyes from the blinding light Sayed is emitting which is indeed a rookie mistake on their part. Every warrior knows not to take leave on their target''s sight, but that instance didn''t give them much of a choice. It''s either they keep them open and risk permanent blindness or close them and just trust that Prodea comes up with a fix soon. If they were all Sibara Masters, risking permanent blindness is more optimal than relying on other people''s strength but such was not the case for Prodea only brought apprentices since all the Master Sibara have been assigned on different duties far from the Palace when she left. Now, seeing them cower in Sayed''s display of power, she feels as though she has made a huge mistake making her regret even bringing them all there at all. They''re not helping her, in fact by protecting them with different Elemental Barriers, they are siphoning precious energies from Prodea which irritated her even more.

    There''s a reason the reception hall is so reflective, and it seems as though they have been encased inside a trap room without them noticing. The white blue light Sayed radiated bounced to the shiny floors and wall, amplifying its strength, afflicting everyone''s eyes except Prodea Of course, with her Yagisivian All Seeing Eye activated. As soon as the Sibara assassins looked away, one by one they have been attacked with Sayed''s Water Serpent which burrowed inside their bodies, poisoning them, fatally paralyzing each and every one, rendering them to vulnerably fall down in seizure. He has managed to encase the whole room with his elemental energy creating a Water Territory, enabling him to easily summon elemental attacks at will at any angle. This surprised Prodea for she knows this kind of display of power can only be performed by the greatest water caster in all of Nagozul that has died a few thousand years ago. It has been left forgotten and has managed to stay in history as a myth. She asked herself on how he could have known such power. A thought lingered in her head blaming Artemus, being the only person researching such ridiculously old and powerful technique that no one can do, but she just disregarded the idea. Artemus can''t dig that far a history, she convinced herself, nobody''s that smart.

    Prodea couldn''t do anything for her assassins now. She couldn''t have prevented them being poisoned for she might risk lowering her defenses as well. All she can do now is protect herself. After all, she has indeed holding Illyriah captive, holding Sayed on the ground, activating a defensive barrier all around her, and mumbling about in some old language trying to stop him from eventually killing her. That''s a good enough excuse anyone in her shoes can come up with.

    "You can''t stop me!" laughed the angry Sayed with his furious eyes all white, "You have angered Bathala and now you''ll pay the price! I will exact his vengeance upon you and rid you from this Earth once and for all!"

    "Yeah yeah," Prodea smiled now finished with her rituals. "I''ve heard that one before. As if that''s going to happen. Even Bakunawa tried and failed and you''re nowhere near his powers."

    A dark blinding light emulsified all over the room suffocating the bright radiance of Sayed. It grew darker and darker until Sayed lose will and dropped down on the ground unconscious. Prodea stood up, with sweat pouring wildly, giving off a sigh of relief from the tedious ordeal. She dropped Illyriah on the ground, still sobbing in tears. Illyriah then ran to her father clutching his lifeless body in a tight hug.

    "What have you done, Grand Princess! You killed my father!"

    "Whoa!" Prodea renounced pulling Sayed''s body away forcefully from her with her invisible hands, "I didn''t kill him. I''m not that heartless to kill relatives."

    "Wh-what?" she asked almost stuttering. "H-he''s alright?"

    "Yes, and no. You see he''s now in some sort of Deep Sleep. Activating that kind of energy surge will suck away all of your soul''s will. His vessel isn''t responding because his soul is in some sort of sleep."

    "But y-you will help him, right?" pleaded Illyriah still having a river of tears flowing in her perfectly round cheeks. "You''ll help him recover, right? Please help him recover..."

    "I don''t know. I mean he tried to kill me and that''s treason."

    "We didn''t do anything wrong to you!" she shouted frustrated stomping her foot on the ground furious but being held back because of her incapacity to challenge her power. "We didn''t do anything wrong!"

    "Hey now," she complained fixing Sayed''s ruffled hair while he''s floating in front of her, "Shouting is never an answer. I wouldn''t want you to use that tone with me especially when I''m doing you a huge favor."

    Illyriah ran to her kneeling down in a bow in mercy. "Please, please, please Grand Princess I beg you I''ll do anything."

    "Well I suppose I can help him. But I need to bring him to the Palace. You know we have the best casters there."

    "Thank you, Grand Princess..." she sobbed on the ground almost helpless which gave Prodea quite a chuckle.

    Prodea now gently walked to the door feeling good about the success of her plan - minus the dead assassins but she could write them off as collateral damage, the Sibara Masters will perfectly understand it what with their motto of only the strong survives and whatnot.

    "Oh," Prodea exclaimed as if remembering something, "Since you''re the only heir and since your father is now physically incapacitated, you''re now mandated to handle your father''s affairs. I do expect that the creation of Hishma''s fortress will go uncontested."

    "Y-yes Grand Princess," she replied stammering almost hesitantly.

    "And by the way," she stopped and turned around smiling. She looked at her with judging eyes as if measuring her. "How old are you again?"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Reus is walking briskly on the Citadel''s empty streets. No man can be seen in sight under the moon''s waning crescent glow giving the cold chill of silence and loneliness in the air but he''s indifferent for he is in deep thoughts. He was having second thoughts about his plans. It might not work, and they might end up being in danger even more, but he just thought about the people of the Cotton Village and that gave him the courage to strengthen his resolve. They are worth the risk every time. He was about to exit the long lonely streets of the inner Citadel when suddenly, out of nowhere, he heard a click behind him as if someone suddenly appeared following him.

    "Reus," his shadow whispered, "Where are you going?"

    He stopped in his pace and smiled. He knows that voice and he know he has to battle his way out if this sticky situation if it comes to that, so he maintained a steady stance as he turned slowly around.

    "Hey Dad. How are you doin''?"

    "I''m alright, son. Why are you walking around these parts in midnight? I think you should head back to your quarters now."

    "I''m sorry but I can''t allow you to stop me now, Dad. "After saying this, Reus Amplifyers activated into a faint white light, not engaging but as if ready to maximize its potential charge for an attack. "I have some important mission to get back to and even if you do try to stop me, I will give my every effort to resist."

    Artemus just smiled with a signal of his palm to calm him down. "You don''t know what you''re going up against there. You are going blind."

    "I know what I''m doing Dad. I''m not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself now."

    "I know, I know. But what about your brothers? Can you assure them of their safety?"

    "No father. I can''t but I''ll tell you that I''ll do my best, as always, to get them back here in one piece. Even if I have to risk my life, I''ll do it."

    "I know you will, son, but is your mission worth risking your life and your brothers too."

    "Yes! It''s our duty as Nagozul''s heirs to take care of our people! We can''t just stand around here and wish for it all to get better. I am just upholding my oath to our people."

    A pause of silence pushed between them for a couple of seconds until Artemus replied.

    "I''m sorry I can''t do anything for them. I want to but there''s really nothing I can do being a Grand Prince."

    Reus felt guilty ever hinting his father''s incapacity to help them, so he consoled, "I-I''m sorry father. I know the politics. You''re an inch away from exile. You really can''t do anything because if you do, you might get blamed for the whole affair. And there''s going to be a Civil War and everyone''s going to die choosing sides. But if we go, we''ll be tagged as rebels. No one will be blamed! We''ll be wearing disguises. I have it all figured out."

    "Really now?"

    "Yes. I have planned this for almost two days and we''re not going to fail."

    Artemus snickered crossing his arms. "Calm down, I just have to make sure you know what you''re doing."

    "So, you''re not going to stop me?" asked Reus squinting as if confused.

    "No, son. But I think your mother will if you don''t get out of here tonight. I''m still your father and it is my duty to inform her about what you''ve been doing. Sure, I''m going to delay the message but it''s just until morning. By then, if you''re still here, then - let''s just say you''re not going to see Nagozul for a while. I hear Yagisiv Haya is actually great this time of year."

    "Thanks for understanding."

    "Here," Artemus said throwing a map to him which he barely caught, "That''s the location of my special weapons cache buried near the Cotton Village."

    "Thanks... I think. But why are you giving us this? "

    "It''s like what you said, the Cotton Village needs our assistance and I can''t risk myself or my men to do it for us. It''ll create some friction. You four just got to do what I can''t. I know you can do it. I''ve been training you four to become the best Nagozulian Strike Team and this can be your defining moment."

    "So, you''re giving us your blessing then."

    "Yes, but I need a favor."

    "Anything father."

    "Let''s just keep this conversation between us. It''s important that no one knows about my involvement here."

    Reus attentively nodded.

    "Also, be sure to keep a close eye on your brothers, especially Karus. I''m worried about his red emerald so please check that he does not activate his Amplifyer."

    "Wait, you haven''t told him about that? But the transformation is supposedly fatal! Its transformation is nearing completion. I thought you''re going to tell it to him when he got back - well after your recovery of course."

    "Yes, I did say that, but I didn''t have enough time. Maybe it''s best he does not know considering he can''t do anything about its activation, but I know he''ll survive it. I made sure of that. Just keep an eye out for him okay?"

    "Yes father."

    "If it did activate in the middle of your operation, please abort your mission and send him to the nearest medical caster. It''s bound to activate anytime soon, and he will be in danger once he got caught inside enemy lines while the transformation is in progress."

    He then bowed and turned away as Artemus waved his hands.

    "And Reus," he shouted stopping him, "Godspeed."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The fortress of the North is not what they expect it to be. They haven''t been able to wander around and witness the dramatic changes that their parents have pulled off in their last stay there almost four months ago. Of course, it''s not their fault considering they got redirected to their different adventures but, after being trapped there for quite a long time, they now get to see the whole of it and even managed to be at awe for what they saw.

    The fortress now has been turned into a small city thanks mostly to the gardens of their mother that has served as an inspiration with all its bright flowers. Seeing their great vivid colors while also being compelled with his much eager wife Anagea, Artemus implemented this beautification of the fortress turning the whole Citadel looking like a city instead of being what she called a dull military encampment - to wit, a fortress city with soldiers instead of civilians as its inhabitants that run around all day in drills, training, and whatnot. The beautification earned some positive results like increase in productivity and boosting military morale but the most important thing that it generated is the changing of the name from its title the Northern Encampment to the Northern Fortress and to the now famous Citadel of Nagozul- Of course, some people still calls it the Northern Encampment from habit. After the creation of its great walls and creating a community for the soldiers there almost five years ago, the Northern Encampment cannot be called an encampment anymore. It has turned into a huge military installation of the north. It is now a place where the soldiers don''t feel like they got sent off as punishment. It is the place where every soldier wants to be assigned to and be a part of. They even thought of being sent there as a vacation.

    The Citadel is now a wide fortress compared to the scanty encampment years ago. It now has little villages too just outside the fortress walls and farming patches all around it. With all the improvements implemented, the soldiers are now forced to expand their stations and thus has left huge spaces for further improvement giving all inhabitants fine houses to live in - even having a city square as a Trading Area with a wide assortment of rare goods on sale. But with all the spaces now getting zoned into designated projects, the only thing that remained in its original spot is the gardens. Every soldier knows that the Garden of the Citadel is considered to be a restricted ground that Anagea has ordered not to be disturbed. This has been observed by all of the soldiers making the spot the most perfect place for the four brothers to hide giving them privacy without being bothered.

    Because the Citadel of the North has been growing fast, the number of soldiers and sentries is expanding exponentially at a frightening rate but what is peculiar is the sudden increase of their Northern Daomagarian forces. There were only a few Daomagarians posted there about three years ago but now it''s as if they are all amassing an entire army almost greater than their own Nagozulian forces stationed in there. They still don''t know why they are teeming in the North for their father withholds any information regarding the South. He thinks they are better off not knowing since they are a bunch of curious misfits that will try and get their way no matter the cost. Their spies are not that helpful too, but they can''t be blamed taking into consideration the current crises that must be dealt with before asking and relaying such rumors. Surely the Cotton Village''s wellbeing must be prioritized before jumping on asking about the harmless mobilization of Daomagarian forces at the north. For all they know, they are only there for the annual weapons training and demonstration updates to train new tactical warfare improvements to both Nagozulians and Daomagarian soldiers at the Citadel who hasn''t been able to go to the south because of the yearlong campaigns against the Pusakal.

    They have been patiently waiting there for an hour after midnight. Reus specifically told them to wait there at exactly midnight, but he managed to stay late yet again which frustrated Yosh since he has forgone his usual Night Hunt ritual with Luna and Stella to be early. Flickering lights of fire lamps accompanied them in that grueling hour of silence. The dancing flames occupied their minds for a while, being the only entertainment available in that dark gloomy night but worry''s a bit of a troublesome companion giving the three a nerve-wrecking frustration that took an hour long to finally burst their calm.

    "Where is he?" Karus grumbled talking to himself walking in circles yet again in agitation. "Is he in trouble? Are we compromised?"

    "Ohhh... He''s really going to be in trouble alright!" grunted Yosh playing with a piece of red paper six inches wide, four inches long, "Mission slips! He gave us this and told us to meet him here exactly at midnight. It''s way past midnight but he''s still not here. Why put it in paper if you''re not going to honor them."

    "Uhm... I''m sorry Yosh, I got held up with preparing our impossible escape and whatnot."

    "REUS!?" they all shouted seeing him enter pushing the branches and bushes along his way. He could''ve used the clear marble stone path but, being his old clumsy self-equipped with his own unique sense of direction, he managed to stay off from that path and forcefully pushed on to their spot almost exhausted but still respectable - in a way.

    "And for the last time Yosh, it is standard operating procedures to send mission slips to soldiers before a mission," he continued with a wide smile, "And you have to destroy that after reading. In your case, you should bury that twenty feet deep since you''re an Earth Molder. You should know that."

    "Yeah," Yosh scoffed as if insulted, "or dissolve it in water, or burn it or shred it to at least five hundred pieces and scatter them for about a mile. I know what SOP means..."

    "Wait," interrupted Kayzar standing to greet him, "How''d you sneak up on us like that? Surely, Luna and Stella can be fooled but you can''t fool my eyes now."

    "Hey!" complained Yosh hugging Luna in his chest pocket closing up her ears. "Don''t talk to Luna and Stella like that!"

    "I don''t know..." replied Reus, "Maybe I''m just stealthy that way."

    "Clearly not," Karus joked pointing out the shrubs he just murdered.

    "I''m just playing with light. It''s a thing I do when I think deeply to keep me focused and it''s an accident really since I didn''t know I was doing it till I came here seeing you all huddled up."

    "You''re bending light?" Karus yelled with awe, "The light we see? You''re bending it!? No wonder we didn''t notice you rummage the park up till now."

    "I knew something''s going on," Kayzar exclaimed smiling, "I''m hearing sudden bushes moving but I didn''t see anything move. That''s a unique skill you got there."

    "You''re improving Kuya-Reus," complimented Karus. "You can now turn yourself invisible."

    "Well no, it''s just a game that I play. And besides, I had a little help from my friend. He''s the one who taught me that though I haven''t had the pleasure to know what I was doing until now. Didn''t know I can turn invisible doing that really."

    "Grog, right?" Kayzar hurriedly asked without regard to Yosh who snapped in attention after hearing the name.

    "You''re in cahoots with GROG!?" exclaimed Yosh almost afraid. "You''ve turned EVIL!?"

    "Really? Yosh?" mocked Karus almost laughing, "Are you joking? Or are you serious? I can''t tell."

    "He is evil!"

    "No Yosh," Reus explained, "I''m not in cahoots with Grog for Grog is my master. I''ve been training with him for the past three years and no, he''s not evil. That''s just rumors flying about... but you two know that, right?"

    "Yep," Karus replied, "We, unlike Yosh here, are not really fond of believing gullibly on any rumors of ghost or monster stories so we know he''s not evil."

    "Besides," entered Kayzar, "He''s the one that saved us from Shihiku back at the Jungle of Narra. He''s one of the good guys. Shihiku''s the one you should keep an eye out for."

    "So, we''re working with Grog now?" asked Yosh having a tensed gulp.

    "Yes, but not exactly."

    "Have you found a turnaround in our little dilemma here Kuya-Reus?" asked Kayzar.

    "Yes, indeed I have."

    "So, what solution have you come up with? How can we move pass those guards?" Karus inquired.

    "We don''t have to."

    "What do you mean we don''t have to?" Karus snapped as if tensed, "How will we end up there without passing the mountain range or the Kulog Pass? It''s not like we''ll jump from here..."

    Karus smiled figuring out Reus''s plan together with Kayzar following him in his train of thought, sharing the idea almost as if instantaneously. Reus smiled too seeing them catching up to his idea.

    "Hey!?" shouted Yosh, "Don''t be rude! Include me in the discussion? What will we do!?"

    "You see Yosh," Reus started, "We can''t do anything that could get us there within the week. We could use my resources and end up circling the north by sneaking to the northern ridges of Mount Liwanag and then taking a long time consuming a trek to the mountain range to get to the forest of Kyrin like what you did."

    "But that''ll take us at least a month!"

    "Yes precisely. We could do that, but we''ll end up losing precious time and we''ll never see the Villagers alive by then. No. That''s not favorable to us. What we''ll do is we''ll take the northern ridges of Mount Liwanag and meet Grog there."

    "And we''ll ride him because the soldiers are afraid of him and we''ll pass through easy?"

    "No silly," Karus laughed, "Have you ever read the book I gave you about the immortal beasts."

    "Y-yes I did, I''m just not finished with it yet!" he replied almost annoyed.

    Karus knows he''s lying and hasn''t touched a single page of that book because he found it hidden inside his safe at his room, so he just chuckled for a bit.

    "Yosh, do you know Grog''s abilities? - I mean besides having a tough skin?" Reus smiled.

    "No..." Yosh replied scratching his head thinking for a couple of seconds and then confirming it again, "No, I really don''t."

    "Well Grog has the ability to manipulate space and bend it at will. In short, he can teleport himself, or others near him, to a desired location. That''s what we''ll use."

    "So, instead of dashing due south, Grog will instead teleport us near the Cotton Village just like that? What''s the catch?" Yosh pushed unconvinced. "If he''s not evil then he''s up to something."

    "Nothing. It''s just a favor from one student to a master. That''s pretty much it. Though he won''t help us liberate the village. He''ll just help us to get there then he''ll teleport us back here with the villagers. Getting the villagers away is the hard part."

    "Yes," agreed Karus nodding, "entering the fortress and getting the villagers out of there can be a little tricky. It''ll be dangerous not only for us but for the villagers as well. Narra taught us the Art of War well enough to understand not to lay siege on a highly fortified camp."

    "Especially when there will be many Sibara guards stationed there," Reus added.

    "Sibara?!" roared Kayzar in surprise, "Why are they here at Nagozul? I thought only a handful was commissioned here?"

    "No. Things are changing around the City. It may very well be the reason why there are many Daomagarian Soldiers posted here. Something''s wrong with the military and I''m afraid it''s just going to slam into our faces once we get intel from there."

    "So, about your sneak plan," Karus asked, "It''s not going to work now right? I mean, Sibara Clan Members usually only need two hours of sleep a day so we can''t do anything to escape them. right?"

    "Yes," Reus agreed, "I''m afraid I may have to confess something. My plan ends to us getting there. I haven''t had the chance to figure out what we''ll do next. Considering they are Sibara after all. A sound of their alarm will wake up all of them and that will be very dangerous for us."

    "Guys," Yosh entered, "You''re all being silly."

    "It''s quite a dilemma Yosh," Karus pointed out. "We''re not being silly at all."

    "I know. It is. But you don''t need to enter the fortress. That would be suicide."

    "What are you suggesting?" Kayzar inquired almost smiling knowing he has something up his sleeve.

    "What we need to do is intimidate them into giving us the village members."

    "What?!" Karus barked. "Are you insane!? They''re not just going to hand them all to us."

    "Yes, they will. You see the southern fortresses are built in the most optimal geographical positions of Nagozul, right? So, they know that if they send out their sentries for help, countless hordes of back-up will arrive after an hour or so, depending on how well we can frighten them to release their messengers. If we intimidate them enough to fear us, they will be forced to give us the villagers thinking that they can capture us mid-travel."

    "I see," Reus chuckled. "Grog will be there to teleport us back! That will be our ace!"

    "Precisely," Yosh pointed out. "If they think they can capture us back, they will gladly choose releasing the villagers out instead of getting hurt themselves. They can risk the villagers because they know that in every point, they can intercept us especially seeing a huge crowd in procession."

    "Congrats Yosh," complimented Karus tapping him at the back. "You did it again. But now we have to figure out a way for us to be intimidating. That plan revolves around that idea and we only have one shot at this."

    "Well," Kayzar grinned with his brown eyes turning blood red which surprised them all seeing this for the first time, "I know someone who can get the job done."

 27 LIBERATION

    The moonless night enveloped the world with darkness, granting the joyous revelry of stars to dominate the cloudless skies as they proudly flaunt their prominent winking outfits. But as this specific peaceful night drove any waking eye into reclusion, the contrary can be witnessed at the newly fortified Cotton Village for it seems as though they are all immune to the dancing stars'' lullaby. They all have been looking alive as if it is morning with alert guards patrolling at every angle brimming with vigilance and discipline. Lamp posts can be seen burning their amplified yellow topaz gems trying their best to scare away the night''s cold sleep-inducing embrace, maintaining a bright yellowish radiance around the fortress.

    Nagozulians have used oil lamps before, like what the Easterners have in their foreign cities, but they have long replaced it with their gems. They have developed the technology to convert the Gems of Bathala into a form of light source by charging it with their Amplifyers. A truly remarkable and efficient source of renewable energy since it illuminates a constant omni-directional ray of light that is at least ten times brighter than an ordinary oil-based lamp making it the number one and only light source available in every military installation which has brought the oil lamp into obsolescence in the military and thus making the Fortress of Cotton Village that much brighter in night as it is in day.

    Though its activation has been expensive, considering the fluctuating price of gems and the constant charging of it by specialized individuals, Prodea doesn''t seem to hold back on the funds to perfect her strategic fortresses for this handy innovation has indeed become one of the tools that aids and maintains the intended quality of security that the fortress needs. Not only does it secure perfect eyesight at night, it also has been proven to increase brain activity since their researchers suggest that the color yellow induces the brain to be alert and productive: an advantage every soldier has proven to have benefited from in the night.

    "Hey," yelled a Nagozulian Sergeant inside the northern tower to his corporal, "Don''t you dare sleep on me!"

    He is on sentry duty inside the gatehouse, the stone walled structure that protects and encases the fortress gates, keeping an attentive eye outside - however dreary it is watching the same thing for hours.

    "But sir," mumbled the corporal snapping to attention, "I''ve already gone on triple shifts today. My replacement is out sick, unbelievable as it is - maybe he''s out gallivanting somewhere, there''re a lot of casters to heal him here but - I don''t know. I just want to catch a quick dream that''s all and then I''ll help you out."

    "Here I am rambling on and on for minutes and here you are sleeping on me mid-speech? It''s insulting!"

    "Hey! Like I said, just keep watch okay. Y''know why I want to be assigned here. Light''s dimmer here. All of the other parts outside are as bright as daytime and it''s murdering my tired eyes. I''m just going to catch some shut eye."

    "Don''t you dare close that eyes, Arjin!" he roared seeing his lazy eyelids tap a rhythmic touch almost closing as if finding all of his strength to keep them open.

    "Hey! It''s not as if someone''s going to dare to attack us. We''re just here to watch for the messengers."

    "Oohhh! If you''re not my best friend, I have reported you already!"

    "Pathetic," mumbled a Sibara apprentice leaning on the shadows behind them.

    "Oi!" snapped the Sergeant. "Nobody asked for your opinion Sibara. Just stand there and guard."

    "Nagozulians..."

    "Are what?" he angrily challenged. "I dare you to end that sentence soldier!"

    The Sibara apprentice just scoffed, still watching outside smiling.

    "I thought so too."

    "Hey," blearily spoken the Corporal Arjin, "I''m not one to point out but are you seeing what I''m seeing?"

    "No... where?" asked the sergeant with squinting eyes immediately focusing his attention at the ten-inch high window slits of the Gatehouse.

    "You should get your eyes checked sergeant," the Sibara chuckled. "They are just above that hill up north. You can easily see their silhouettes."

    "I know, I know," he grumpily mumbled seeing three men and a kid standing there almost quarter of a mile long.

    He thought he can''t be blamed not seeing them for they can be seen a little shady and can almost be nonexistent since the moon is missing in action and the fog is quite building up but the Sibara''s eyes can''t be fooled. They are trained for these kinds of things after all and are actually the primary reason why they are in the fortress in the first place.

    "Look, the two of them are walking towards us," the Corporal exclaimed almost jubilant being sarcastic. "This is very exciting!"

    "Fine fine! Get some shut eye. We''ll deal with these messengers. After two hours I expect you to wake up and cover my shift understood?!"

    "B-but this is my third..."

    "Yes! So, it''s either sleep on your third shift and have another round or stay awake until morning and go home. Your choice!"

    "Y-yes s-sir..." he said stammering immediately standing up to attention.

    The two shadows took their time walking towards them and then stopped after just reaching a little over four hundred feet in front of their gatehouse where they are watching.

    "What on earth are they doing stopping there..." the Sergeant mumbled in deep thoughts.

    "Hey..." called the Corporal having a wavering voice as if frightened, "Is that Grog!? IT''S GROG! IT''S GROG STANDING BESIDE THAT MAN OVER THE HILLS!"

    "Hmmm... an exciting revelation..." the Sibara apprentice smiled after which dashing to the door in a hurry.

    "What''s going on?" the Sergeant asked stopping the Sibara Apprentice in his tracks, "Why are you leaving?"

    "You can''t see a threat even if it''s staring you in the face, huh?" scoffed the ever insulting Sibara Apprentice. "That there just outside our gates is the notorious Shadow Walker. It''s Yiv in the flesh and we''re going to take care of him once and for all."

    After his maniacal smile, the Sibara Apprentice dashed forth leaving a bang on the door. There are only a few seconds of interval of silence before the earsplitting bells rang forth waking all of the inhabitants of the fortress - both villagers and soldiers alike.

    "How could I not have noticed that!?" shouted the Sergeant slapping his forehead in frustration. "Yiv''s get up have been always like that!"

    "Yeah, that! That should be sketchy from the start," the Corporal muttered, being fully awake now standing upright, having concern showing in his eyes. "But I must say, Yiv''s been working with himself all his years. It has been rumored that he has two apprentices, but they always stand behind him and it''s nothing like this."

    "Uh-huh. It seems as though he is behind that other mysterious person there with the same half face mask. It''s unusual because he doesn''t put himself behind a person. He''s too proud that way."

    A loud bang of the door frightened the two to almost jump comically in surprise following the entrance of a Sibara Master and a Nagozulian Lieutenant marching swiftly to the window slits to confirm the target. The Sergeant and Corporal knelt down in attention placing their curled arms to level their eyes in salute to their direct officer.

    "Sergeant Djogi," called the Lieutenant making the sergeant to stand up in attention.

    "Yes, sir."

    "How long have they been standing like that there?"

    "For about less than two minutes Lieutenant Marko. They appeared in the north there," he went close pointing to the hills where a boy and a man is still present together with the frightening Grog standing at least twice as big as the man. "That man, together with what the Sibara has confirmed to be Yiv, walked all the way from the hills from their party to there but they are still standing still as if summoning our attention to have a dialogue or such. Assuming that is what they want standing directly to our gatehouse."

    "I thought so too."

    "Lieutenant Marko," the Old Sibara Master entered in his usual sour look, "with all due respect, I think you are not trained to handle a sensitive situation that is Yiv. Might I suggest for you to stand back and let us clean this one up for you. Stand back, or sleep, or whatever it is you Nagozulians normally do, and let us do our job. By the time you rise up, it''ll all be over."

    The Lieutenant just ignored his apparent insults and argued. "How can you say that he is what he poses to be? For all we know they are just dressed as Yiv to frighten us. After all, it''s only two days till the execution. They may be rebels trying to lure us to open the gates."

    "His posture and stance confirm that he is indeed Yiv. There is a Death Warrant for his head therefore he must be executed on sight by any member of the Daomagarian military at all costs."

    "Master Sibara! Taking life is not our mission. Without the sanction of our Grand Commander, we can''t execute a person be it Nagozulian or anyone."

    "He is Daomagarian and your laws are not applicable to his life and therefore it is not of Nagozul''s concern. We have a kill order for him, and we shall execute our responsibility even without orders from your Queen."

    "What if he''s just posing as Yiv!?"

    "Then it''ll be a lesson for everyone not to follow in Yiv''s footsteps. We cannot be held accountable for executing a Nagozulian in the guise of Daomagar''s number one enemy. No sane person will walk to a fortress filled with Sibara dressed as Yiv. No one is that stupid."

    The Sibara Master walked to exit with the Lieutenant stopping him shouting.

    "Just tell me this is an official order coming from the Daomagar Chief Deito and not your ambition capturing the most wanted Yiv and I will sanction your request to annihilate him and his party."

    "Oh, Lieutenant, you''re being too na?ve. With or without your permission we will engage the target to exterminate him and his accomplices. I''m only telling you this in respect to your position as the commander of this outpost - for the time being.

    "Though it is true that great honor will follow those who can best Yiv, even replacing him as Number Two. Regardless of that fact, he clearly is still a menace that needs to be eradicated. The world will be a better place without his existence threatening everyone''s lives and that is our number one priority - a thing no one wants to do except our clan since everyone''s afraid to taint their hands with blood."

    "We won''t open the fortress gates for you and your men. It''s our orders to keep them sealed shut at all times. I hope you won''t have a problem with that."

    "Gates are for commoners. We don''t need the gates to enter and exit this fortress. You keep forgetting that we are Sibara."

    After this he left them with the Lieutenant biting his lips in frustration which bothered the Sergeant.

    "Sir," he started, "What does he mean by that besting Yiv will replace the Number Two?"

    "It''s just a ranking that the Daomagarians have in their Palace. They place the strongest Daomagars in a list with the twelve of the most powerful warriors alive written on the tablet that is placed at the Tower of Daomagar for all the people to see. They call it The Great Twelve. Yiv currently holds the number two slot which means they''ll be clamoring just so they can kill him and be placed on that board. The Sibaras have focus as sharp as daggers but if there''s one thing that would disrupt them, even making them crazy, it''s the chance for their names being placed in that ridiculous list and they will do anything in their power to be there. Especially in the Number Two spot."

    "But he''s evil right?" entered the Corporal, "I mean why are they placing evil people in the board?"

    "The Daomagarians do not question one''s moral alignment when ranking their Bathala-given skill and power. They put people there whether you''re good or evil that''s why a few of Sibara''s own are included in the Twelve."

    "Who''s Number One? If I may ask?"

    "Oh, that''s retired General Narra, father of General Anagea and step-father of our Grand Prince Artemus."

    "Really? He''s the strongest?" the Corporal exclaimed shocked.

    "Apparently so. Yes."

    "But he''s too old..." the Sergeant mumbled. "No disrespect intended but I thought it''ll be that frightening General Enro because he''s big and muscular and scary."

    "Indeed," Lieutenant Marko laughed and then started explaining. "But General Enro places only Number Twelve in the list. Grand General Anagea too has her place on the Great Twelve being Number Four, beating General Enro eight places up the list so you see, it''s not all about strength. There are certain ways to display their superiority, and tactics in battle is one of them. Strength can be defined by many measures. You can be strong but if you''re way too smart for your opponent, however skillful the enemy must be even if it is ten folds your level, you could cripple him and win with an advantage greater that what is expected. It works even to us Nagozulian Elementals.

    "In General Narra''s case, he has proven himself unbeatable every time there is a challenge and you can only challenge them once every five years in a festival they have in some sort of a dangerous no-holds-barred duel. To make matters worse, the Great Twelve are mandated to accept only three challengers in those week-long festivities and there is a long list of wait before you can be listed in those top three contenders not to mention the screening process to make you eligible and even then, only one or two faces the challenge since they either quit before the bout or simply get cold feet."

    "Ah¡­ so that''s why they''re so eager to kill Yiv," Sergeant Djogi smiled figuring.

    "Yes, with Yiv being the most wanted Daomagarian, anyone can challenge him in a form of an arrest. Killing him or subduing him can be considered a win by the challenger since a criminal will surely resist his contender and that constitutes as a duel between Daomagarians."

    "If that''s the case, there''s nothing we can do here sir - I mean no Nagozulians placed in this fortress can do anything about him since he''s Number Two right?"

    "Yes, and they can''t do anything either but they''re too blind to see that," Marko agreed anxiously peering into their window slit seeing the Sibara Clan Masters and Apprentices all lined up in front of the gate, ready for battle. "That is, if that''s really Yiv. If not, then Bathala have mercy on his soul for fooling those sour-tempered Sibaras."

    "What do you want to do, sir?"

    "Corporal Arjin," he commanded, "send a message to the sentries to deploy messengers to other fortresses. Order them to send reinforcements to our location. Tell them to bring their best teams! Tell them it''s Yiv."

    "Yes sir!" And the Corporal ran immediately banging the door in a hurry without regard.

    One by one the Sibara Masters approached Yiv with much eagerness yet with a careful stance. The masked man in his crossed arms removed his Katana in its scabbard swinging it into action and then burying the blade on the ground as if giving off a warning which gave no fright to the Sibara Assassins.

    With a tap to the masked man''s right shoulder, Yiv walked on forward as if asking permission to take all of them for himself. The masked man pulled his sword from the ground and sheathed it. He then resumed to place his arms crossed again as if confident to his Yiv''s strength. The Lieutenant saw this and was shocked stammering with his mouth wide open.

    "S-sergeant..." he feared, "follow the Corporal and ask him to give the order to mobilize the Palace''s Elite Forces. Immediately!"

    "Sir yes sir..." he rushed almost stumbling as he ran to the door convinced with the fear encumbering the Lieutenant''s voice.

    Without moving, the Shadow Walker waved his hands magically placing all three of the Masters in his direction into a sleeping spell - a rather distressful sleep that is, since all of those Sibara Masters affected were convulsing for a second or two until they lie still, face on the ground with their limbs twitching. It is not a spell or any kind of Magick. He knows since he did not detect even the slight of it, but his moves proved to be magical. He waved his hands and people stumbles down without any explanation. This is not good, the lieutenant thought with his body almost leaning on the wall to support his shaking knees.

    Yiv is very widely known as the destructor of evil. By that, he knows that it meant he kills everyone who stands in his way of what justice is in his own definition. By locking the Cotton Villagers, robbing them all with their freedom to a point of starving them as punishment, he knows that all of them are in great peril, a peril involving crosshairs on every head of every guard that is stationed in that hapless night.

    The fall of the Sibara Masters led all of those other remaining Sibara Clan members to jump and attack all at once resulting to an ensuing ruckus that disturbed the silence of the night. Anyone who came close to at least ten feet from him stumbles into the ground twitching. A monstrous power that cannot be compared to any Daomagarian warrior he knew about.

    No one can best a Sibara Master one on one because of their treacherous attacks and even if one can be seen at par with them, it''ll take a long time before they can be defeated since their mastery of pain and battle speed is second to no one in all other Daomagarian Clans. It''s rather impossible to focus on defeating one Master and surprisingly he''s been battling out thirty Sibara Apprentices and ten Masters, which is rather impressive. Since Yiv is a Sibara Master too and the infamous Number Two, it''s only right and proper for him to pick them off one by one making the battle as if a full grown man is violently playing with thirty three-year olds and ten six-year olds - an event one can think to be rather depressing and hopeless when watching at a distance.

    Lieutenant Marko now focused as he saw him disappearing. He doesn''t know what''s happening. He appears and reappears on one location in an instant. That movement exceeds the speed of the fastest dash in existence giving him the thought why he was called the Shadow Walker. In every disappearing dash, he has managed to eliminate one or two Sibara Apprentices reducing their number greatly by the second. His partner, the masked man, still stood there unaffected, crossed arms as if bored. The Lieutenant felt chills running down his spine as an epiphany entered his mind. With Yiv wanting his blessing to eliminate all of their enemies, one thing is certain: it is indeed the fact that Yiv respects this individual so much that he wants to do all of the tedious work of ridding their enemies. That''s why Yiv''s been standing behind him, he figured. The masked man might be stronger than him or much worse, he may very well be his master.

    As half of the apprentices fall down on the ground and four of the Masters came stumbling incapacitated, Yiv now pulled four daggers and swing them openly into the air. The Daggers moved flying on top of him slashing aggressively on the air at every angle. The Lieutenant knows of this move. Yiv''s profile has been hidden and is classified information since his techniques can be regarded as a Sibara secret and that only when a soldier reaches a Captain class can anyone access this information. This secret has turned into a rumored myth for no one in the Sibara Clan has ever managed to master the Great Sibara''s three ultimate techniques and he knows one of them - this specific technique to be precise. Rumor has it that Yiv can control four daggers, besides his own equipped daggers on both hands, and maneuver it to his desired location to mutilate his enemies. This is known as the Floating Daggers and no one has ever seen it applied in real life and lived to tell about it - except now, or up until Yiv is done with finishing them all off in the fortress after killing all of the Sibara in their way.

    Yiv dashed on everywhere eliminating all of them, Apprentices first and then the Masters, until just after three minutes, no Sibara Clan Member is left standing. The Lieutenant was left with jaw unhinged in sheer anxiety now summoning all things in his power to manage an idea to spring up to provide them a miracle to survive just until the reinforcements arrive.

    Yiv composed himself standing among the bodies of the lifeless Sibara Clan members after kicking down the last of the Sibara Master who is trying his best to admirably stand up. He then looked up the gatehouse as if he knows he is watching him and then pointed at him. He immediately turned his finger down pointing to the ground as if commanding him to go outside and meet him there which instantaneously drained all the warmth from his body in fear and hopelessness.

    "Lieutenant Marko," smiled the Sergeant Djogi slamming the door as if in surprise, "Help is on the way sir! Those smug rascals won''t know what hit them when our forces arrive."

    "It''s over..." Lieutenant sat trembling on a chair.

    "Blast it!" shouted the Sergeant in disappointment, "I thought I can witness a splendid battle."

    "No, you''re getting me wrong. The Sibara failed to capture the targets and has indeed lying dead on the grounds as we speak."

    "All of them, sir?" he asked as he ran towards the window slit only to find Yiv staring at him as if he can see him looking at him. Djogi just crouched in fear seeing the mighty Yiv and the havoc he has created. "Sheesh... He practically took out almost fifty of them nasty Sibaras... Just when I thought I can get some rest, eh sir?"

    The Sergeant''s Amplifyer attached in his uniform, as a badge in his right pocket, glowed in activation until the Lieutenant stopped him.

    "No," he lashed out angrily, "Do not activate it! They can feel an elemental charge! He wants to talk so it''s best to hear him out first before getting all riled up."

    "They should''ve placed some physical barrier or some sort to these fortresses. It''s no use to have a magical walled fortress if those damned rebels can just ask some Daomagarian criminals to their aid. They can practically jump from there to here like cakewalk."

    "Yes, but I do believe these fortresses are built against Nagozulians not Daomagarians."

    "So, who shall we send sir?"

    "I''ll be the one who''ll go there."

    "But sir..."

    "He wants me."

    "But if you go..."

    "Don''t stop me sergeant," he clicked his tongue in frustration, "If I don''t return, you''re in charge. Call all the enlisted persons and the Privates. Call all the Sergeants and the Corporals and do not leave this fortress. Fight them to the death. Understood?"

    "Yes sir."

    "Mabuhay to our Queen! Mabuhay to Nagozul!" he smiled.

    "Mabuhay!" the Sergeant replied fast and proud but with weary eyes.

    As the Lieutenant opened the door, the Sergeant sighed.

    "Sir, to think that if their attack happened tomorrow midnight after the mobilization of the Generals and the Strike Teams..."

    "No, Sergeant Djogi, It''s just our time. We can''t question fate now."

    "I''m just sayin''... The Sibara Masters and Apprentices that we have here are not from the best divisions."

    "What is done is done. And besides, have some respect for the dead Sergeant. It seems as though you are insulting them. Even though they are a bunch or ungrateful ill-tempered men, they have risked their lives for Nagozul."

    "Right... Sorry sir... Well, we''ll be ready to kick their asses, sir!"

    "It''s an honor..."

    "Hey," Djogi interrupted, "We''ll kick their asses if something goes wrong and we''ll get you back don''t worry."

    The Lieutenant just smiled without confidence and then he left the room with a click on the door to a shut.

    The Fortress gates gently opened just slightly for the Lieutenant to squeeze in. He walked proud and commanding even though his heart is pounding madly in fear, choking him just enough to hinder his nervous swallow. It must''ve been the longest walk he ever did but this did not make his resolve waver even though in his mind he is indeed trembling. As he approached his enemies'' eye to eye, he gathered all of his courage to speak trying his best to hide the fear he has in his heart.

    "We are not surrendering the fortress to you rebels. It is our duty to defend the flag of Nagozul and we will never back down, not even to you, Yiv."

    "How admirable," said the Masked Man behind Yiv. Strong and confident with a ridiculously low pitch as if he''s trying his best to talk with that low tone which is almost worthy of a laugh, if only he''s not that frightening but the Lieutenant just ignored that fact as he continue on. "But there is a dilemma here Lieutenant. You see I wouldn''t want bloodshed, but I will be forced to reckon the idea if you persist on your stand."

    "You have already taken that step the moment you annihilated the Sibara Clan members..." the Masked Man pulled up his palm stopping him in his speech and then directed his hand towards the Sibara men lying on the ground.

    "You have failed to notice that we have no intention of spilling blood in order to attain our goals. We did not have to employ murder to prove our point unlike your Nagozulian Grand Princess. These Sibara Assassins are merely poisoned, paralyzed and asleep. They are indeed in need of medical attention, but they are not harmed to an extent that is fatal. We can exterminate all of you inside with as little effort as what we did but we won''t. We are appealing to diplomacy first before acting out rashly on your fate."

    "What are your demands, Daomagar?"

    "We do not want your fortress. We only want the villagers inside. Free them within two minutes and your lives will be spared. Comply or we will be forced to enter your fortress and extract them forcefully from you clutches."

    "But we can''t! We have orders to contain them in the fortress."

    "I don''t think I have made myself clear Lieutenant. Free them or we will slaughter you all inside applying the most painful death a mortal can feel as possible. We are creative in exploring the realm of pain, Lieutenant. Don''t make me prove it to you."

    "Understood. But at least give us an hour to prepare them for travel."

    "Make that ten minutes or I will strike you now to prove my point."

    He didn''t have any words to say but a silent nod coupled by a crunched nose of anger.

    "Instruct the villagers to leave their unimportant articles for the travel."

    "Okay," he finally said while nodding to turn away.

    "And Lieutenant," the Masked Man added, "the clock has been running since we got here. Better run fast."

    "Sergeant Djogi!" shouted the panting Lieutenant running towards the Gatehouse. The Sergeant went ahead and craned his head outside to heed to his summon.

    "Sir! What happened?"

    "Release all the prisoners!"

    The Sergeant followed with haste ordering his Corporal to relay the commands to the other Sergeants and then ran towards the Lieutenant who is then ringing the bells to get the attention of all the people inside.

    "Sir!" Sergeant Djogi shouted as he ran towards him and continued after catching up as if whispering, "Not to question you sir but are you sure it''s a great idea to release all of them out there? We''ll be severely punished for that and I just got my promotion last week."

    "It''s either that or we die tonight Sergeant."

    "Yes, but what about the Grand Commander Prodea? It''s better to die than to be humiliated and demoted by her highness."

    The Lieutenant smiled getting the joke, but he explained. "You see Sergeant, this plays to our advantage more than you know. They can liberate the prisoners anytime they can, but they chose to spare us and let us deliver the prisoners to them instead."

    "Wait... how can that beneficial to us?"

    "We can let them temporarily take the prisoners from us, and then we could strike them back after the reinforcements arrive. That''s beneficial since we''ll be alive and, at the same time, we could get the prisoners again in mid transit."

    "I see," he smiled with profound joy. "Genius! Great thinking sir!"

    "Thank you," he smiled too believing in his brilliant plan, "They chose the wrong fortress to mess with. We are in the center of all of the other fortresses and there will be no escape since we are the center of all roads to anywhere."

    "But sir, what about the hills due west? They might take refuge in the obscurity of the forest there."

    "No worries Sergeant. After the reinforcements arrive, all we have to do is surround the forest and then have a grid search there. We''ll be trapping them in their own plan, and we will be reclaiming our prisoners in no time. That is if you''ve sent for the best. Have you?"

    "Yes sir! I have sent communications to the Palace as well. All of the first-class strike teams will be in here together with first class Master Assassins of the Sibara and their own strike teams. Even Yiv can''t take all of them all at once."

    "Great Job Sergeant. Now to prepare the people here. We only have five minutes to get them out of here."

    "Yes sir!"

    The gigantic double metal doors of the fortress opened wide as the surge of anxious villagers ran out in exodus. They saw the masked man pointing towards the western hills which all of them followed without question. Anything is better than being trapped there and no one wants to be trapped further in the fortress, so they want to hastily move out to taste their right to freedom which has been so illegally taken from them.

    Grog howled running towards the villagers, but they did not flinch in fright. If Grog is with those brave men that gave them salvation, it''s only logical that he''s not there to eat them all up as the rumors say. That thinking was automatically inscribed on every single one of them giving them the urge to move their foot quicker than the other in a sort of a run - except Of course, for the kids who hugged their parents tight being struck with fear leaving for them to be carried by piggybacks to save some time.

    The Lieutenant ran towards the Masked Man as the last of the remaining villagers ran towards the hills. He was fueled by anger after seeing them not leaving, still standing firm on the grounds watching the procession of the villagers.

    "We have relinquished our prisoners to you. What else do you want?"

    "Nothing anymore. Your existence is not of my concern. Follow us and you''ll die. Plant a spy and you''ll all die. Understood?"

    "Yes. But remember you may have defeated us, but you''ll never win against Nagozul, not now that you''ve stirred up quite a commotion here."

    "You''re wrong Lieutenant," corrected the Masked Man, "It is not we who defeated you but Nagozul. Nagozul wins by giving freedom for the innocent whom you have tagged as guilty by exploiting their weakness and by abusing your power. We are not the enemy of Nagozul, you all are. It is you who should''ve been locked up starving not them. You should all be ashamed of yourselves!"

    "Wait!" he shouted as they turned their backs to move out. "What''s your name, rebel? Give me your name so that I may report the news of your radical insights to our Grand Commander!"

    "I am Magnus!" he exclaimed almost in a laughing manner, "And I am not afraid of your weak-minded leader. I am not afraid for you to spread my name. In fact, it''ll inform them of our deeds so that others might see how you insult Nagozul with your corruption!" and then he dashed on forward disappearing into the shadows along with Yiv who''s eyes appears to be smiling all the while.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Arjin I want you to follow them and don''t leave them out of your sight!" whispered Djogi fitting a camouflage jacket to his Corporal.

    They are behind the western walls just outside the fortress crouching to hide themselves with Corporal Arjin almost annoyed as if being forced beyond his will.

    "Hey! I don''t really want to do this! If you want to, you can do it yourself! I''m not going to subject my wellbeing for your sake!"

    "This is for US! Stop whining and receive your order soldier!"

    "OH! So, now, I obey your every whim? Is that it?"

    Djogi restrained himself wanting to smack some sense into his Corporal slapping his thigh instead to alleviate his frustration. "It is not just my whim! It''s a tactical decision. I''m second in command in this fortress until the generals arrive tomorrow so I''ll be inside the fortress to receive them when they turn up! You, on the other hand, are free to gallivant around without nothing much to do because clearly there is no one you''re guarding inside right?"

    "Yeah, so pick other people out there! Why me!?"

    "Why YOU!? It''s because I TRUST YOU you lazy monkey!"

    "Hey..."

    "It has to be you! So that when the troops come in, we can get the general''s attention and have great merits after we capture them again!"

    "Oh! I see!" he smiled finally making the Sergeant sigh in relief but suddenly backtracked again into his annoyed look. "So, I go there and be spotted then be killed so that you can get your reward and be promoted further?! My life for your promotion?! Is that it?! Does it look like it''s not Yiv there?! Have you lost sense of everything reasonable!?"

    "NO!" he clicked his tongue in further aggravation, "You''ll be wearing a disguise and will follow them to a distance at least five hundred feet. You could crawl on the ground to do that! That''s why I''m fitting you this camouflage! You won''t be seen. Not in this dark night!"

    "Okay! Okay! Geez! You and your plans!"

    "Hey, don''t forget it''s my plans that landed you being Corporal!"

    "And you being Sergeant!" and he walked away stomping his feet in great dismay almost running to avoid him having the last words.

    The villagers ran forth like clumped ants towards the hills and into the forest. They all ran in an orderly manner in which no one strayed to the group as if being in synchronicity talking with each other using only their minds. There is no light, no torches, not even an activated Amplifyer to light their way. They are moving following the person in front of them which is ultimately following the howling Grog marching to the forest just a mile down the hill.

    The Corporal, upon seeing this, smiled figuring what''s happening. It''s an inside job! It has to be! Or that''s what Arjin thought. All those villagers are too trusting to the rebels leading them to the forest and that''s just unusual. Plus, the fact that they are running quietly means that this all planned out perfectly. That''s why they waited for this specific night to strike. The fortress was left vulnerable this night for a pressing matter on finding the missing gold cargo intercepted by some rebels in the Golden Road to the trading posts at the southern edge of Nagozul. It curious to see all of these events being too interconnected but he did not dwell on thinking about this. He''s convinced he''s not that smart after all and this kind of thinking may very well lead for him to be ridiculed being too paranoid. No one wants that kind of a title especially in the military. Never mind death, social exile is much more frightening.

    He crawled going downhill slowly but without taking his eyes away from the running villagers. With his camouflage equipped, even standing to run to follow them wouldn''t raise any suspicion but he doesn''t want to risk it. It''s his life after all and his birthday is coming up next week. He invited Prince Yosh and his brothers and he''s looking forward for that - especially after hearing out Prince Yosh just confirmed yesterday and is going to give a secret gift to him. A rather unusual thing for him but he''s just happy the prince has such concern for a lowly soldier like him and Djogi. He even asked questions about the fortress, how many friends he has there and how strict the soldiers are to him, being a newly promoted Corporal. It''s as if he practically interrogated him about his job and the fortress but he thought he''s just curious about the duty. After all, what does he know about being a soldier? And besides, there''s nothing he can talk about a prince except his job. A young prince should also learn what a lowly soldier does and it''s a privilege, nay an honor, for him to offer his ideas and teach him everything he knows about the fortress and what being a soldier feels like. He feels he''s an inch close to being friends with the Prince Yosh and that gave him much eagerness in his crawl, however difficult that may be. Having friends with royalty is very rare for commoners and he''s not going to let that slip away easily.

    A fast arrow came flying swiftly above him, impaling his left thigh on impact. The wound grew big and bulgy. It''s an Elven Arrow! He grunted silently curling up in agony thinking on how they could''ve spotted him being careful at almost a mile away. He tried to break the arrow taking heed not to disturb the throbbing wound but the barbed vines encircling the shaft just cut his wound even further making him cry a little bit in excruciating pain.

    "I wouldn''t do that if I were you," whispered a kid holding an Elven Bow behind him with an almost smiling tone.

    The kid then knelt down almost sitting on the ground just a foot before him. His eyes glowed yellow like a cat. He''s the kid who''s standing on the hill with Grog from before and, like Yiv and the other mysterious man, he has a half face mask equipped in place hiding his identity. He wears a black thickly woven muffler and a light silver hunting armor worn only by the mythical Elven Warriors.

    Elves. They don''t exist. Or do they? Mixed emotions filled him topped with confusing ideas trying to merge into his consciousness rendering his tongue to maneuver a series of slurred rambles. He couldn''t maintain his calm anymore. Even if he attended all those talk and courses about pressure and fear in combat at the academy, it''s still different from the real thing. It''s different when death is staring you at the face. That led him to beg.

    "P-please sir... Don''t kill me... I''m just following orders... Please sir. I''m sorry... I--"

    "I won''t kill you Arjin," interrupted the Elven warrior, "Just don''t follow us further. Okay?"

    "How''dya know my name? Who are you!?"

    "I am Aether and we are the Night Hunters. And by that I trust that we can have an understanding when I tell you that we see everything in the dark."

    He stood up stashing his bow to his back and redirected his eyes towards him. His yellow cat-like eyes turned dead serious until he felt a slight shock on every single part of his body. He''s paralyzed. He can''t move, he can''t speak, he can''t even blink his eyes. He just lies there unresponsive to any sensual feelings. The radiating pain is slowly fading away too giving him a false sense of relief as he continued on talking in a weird language. After his weird chants he pulled the arrow right out of his thighs returning his legs to normal, except Of course, from the lacerations coming from the barbed vines from before when he tried to break it apart. The Elven warrior Aether turned to him with smiling eyes and then continued.

    "I''m sorry. I have to stop you from following us any further. Don''t worry you are not harmed. You''ll be standing up and about in no time. There is no point in following us either. You won''t find us after this."

    He waved his hands as if saying goodbye and with this he magically vanished leaving him like a stone just lying on the ground helpless.

    As this hapless night grew dim and gloomy, at least there''s still one miracle to appreciate about and that''s the wide array of magnificently enthusiastic bright stars dancing in the skies like fireflies. It''s as if they have been grabbing the attention of mere mortals like him that night but was just left aside and ignored. People have the mistake of being busy with more pressing matters that they do not have the luxury to sneak a peek from that endless free show in the heavens. That is up until now when he was forced to look up to the skies. The calm lullaby fixed his unresponsive senses but instead of standing up and running to the fortress, he gave in to its intoxicating sleep-inducing rhythm. All those tension and fear and trouble is taxing to the tired and weary body. He can always blame them from knocking him out cold as a justification. At least there''s something to salvage in tonight''s mishap and that''s a good night''s sleep, he thought as he surrendered himself to sandman''s kind invitation to dreamland.

 28 a SHOCKING SURPRISE

    "You''ve managed quite an impossible favor to ask, young apprentice," laughed Grog cracking his neck as to relieve the stress. "I haven''t pushed my spirit to this extent since Kyrin''s Campaign."

    He has just finished teleporting all of the villagers to the designated point to the North. The four brothers are now all that''s left of the huge crowd of villagers from the Cotton Village now known as the Seventh Sentry Fortress. It took them almost half an hour, but they managed to finish their plan earlier than expected.

    "I''m sorry master," bowed Reus with a smile. "This is a special circumstance and it won''t happen again."

    "Right you are apprentice," he smirked. "I''m not supposed to interfere with mortal affairs. I can justify this now but if we are to repeat this again, the other immortals will know of my unlocked potential. We don''t want them to know of this just yet."

    "Understood, Master."

    "So, where shall I send you off to?"

    "To the Weaver''s Village Sir Grog!" imposed Karus raising his hands almost instantaneously. He wants to see Lime again and being away from her for a month suddenly disturbed him. Not that she wants to see her because he wants to, he''s just concerned for her wellbeing, what with her training and whatnot - or that''s what he wants himself to believe.

    "No, Master," rejected Reus in a hurry giving Karus a wide frown, "There''s a military installation just a mile to the Weaver''s Village and if my sources are correct, they might have soldiers posted there. I suggest we retire to my village."

    "Your Produce Village?!" reacted Yosh, "But they''re all vegetarians there! They don''t eat meat and I like meat!"

    "You''re too hard on them they eat meat too..."

    "Yeah. Fish," added Kayzar almost in spite. "As if that''s real meat..."

    "We need to lie low for a while. One problem at a time, right?"

    "That is correct young Nagozulians," agreed Grog stepping forward, "What you did tonight is dangerous and reckless. Without my help from all those Sibaras, you all could''ve died or worse, you could''ve started another civil war. A Daomagarian killing a Nagozulian Prince, whatever the reason might be, can be considered an act of aggression and will surely lead to war between your two nations. Do not ever attempt to try that again. It''s best for you to stay put and rest until things clear up and what better place to go to than the Produce Village."

    The three nodded, sad as they did but convinced, nonetheless. With this all five of them disappeared into the night, restoring the forest''s tune of a lullaby that they once robbed the diurnal critters from enjoying.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The morning after gave a frightful buzz in the Nagozul''s War Chamber. Tons of stacked paper lay scattered across the twenty feet long round table. Three inches off the center of the table lies a three dimensional floating image of a map of the southern part of Nagozul made from mud, moss, and rocks complete with running rivers and clouds and some occasional critters made with clay walking about in the prairie, when the molder feels the need to be entertained being bored which now is almost every three minutes. This image is being maintained by a pair of Earth Molders, a Water Caster and three Wind Blowers all standing focused on the southern part of the table heading right to the door of the war room.

    One can be seen confused looking at the table and the humongous model of the map seeing countless papers on every key landmark. These scattered papers are can be usually assumed as reports comprising of orders, requisitions, and rally points - but this particular morning is specifically reserved for the problem about last night''s disaster. It''s as if they are under attack which is true since a lot has happened yesterday that looked like a coordinated strike to Nagozul.

    Prodea hasn''t been able to sleep yet for two days because of these coordinated attacks. In fact, she has been blaming the disappointment to herself after the fact that she didn''t, yet again, anticipated this kind of surprise skirmish coming from her secret enemy that stabbed her while she''s blinded in her peripheral as she paid her attention for trivial things instead of focusing on him - or her as she hopes. And the mystery is too much that she grew fonder with her mysterious rival making her commend the shadow''s great win in this game that she thinks they are both playing.

    "Grand Commander," squealed a Young Soldier perspiring in both fatigue and fear for her terrible news, "W-We have lost them..."

    "WHAT?!" Prodea roared as he stood up, making the soldier flinch, "You mean to tell me that all those villagers just vanished into thin air?! Search it again!"

    "I-I don''t want to disagree, Grand Commander, but we did so ten times already. We have created a grid and box them in as planned but it appears as if they are nowhere to be found. Even the Siba..."

    "Get out!"

    The soldier almost jumped as she scurried outside the door without a second''s notice. All of those who are in the room are both baffled and mystified until an old Sibara Master Assassin spoke in his ordinary slow and scratchy tone.

    "All those who are in this room are all at least a Major, Yes?"

    "Indeed, Master Alein."

    "Ah. So, I can speak freely."

    "You don''t mean..." whispered a young Sibaran master behind him but he silenced him almost instantaneously by a wave of his hand.

    He''s old but he is fabled to be the fastest Sibara Officer alive, and still is, that''s why they fear him. But that''s what everyone wants to believe since he''s now inactive from missions and no one can tell otherwise. No one wants to make him prove it either since that would mean a duel between Sibaras and a duel with one requires, by tradition, to mercilessly kill the other one in a death match to protect their honor - an unnecessarily troublesome ordeal just to prove a point.

    "I believe that he has transported all of them into the veil," he continued. "By that I mean they could be anywhere."

    "That may be possible," responded Prodea unconvinced, "but transporting all of them to the veil and back requires a lot of energy. I''m sure there are other reasons behind their disappearance?"

    "Yes, and going to the Veil and back would take a toll on his vessel," Added General Jowl who is rather excited at this new theory, "The more he enters in, the harder it is to get out."

    "Yes, General but your facts about the Veil is inaccurate," smiled Prodea looking at the Master Assassin as if ordering him to explain.

    "She''s right. Although you''re right about going outside of the veil being harder to do than going in. It''s a long topic but to cut it short, it''s the time inside that''s breaking our mortal vessel that''s the problem. The longer he stays there, the harder it is for his vessel to contain his soul thus giving him the problem of getting out. Imagine the thought to be like your soul being ripped from out from your body by a violent imaginary claw. You''ll get the point."

    "What''s this veil thing you''re all mentioning?" asked Duke Tabarius to the crowd. This gathered a lot of dismayed frowns.

    "We will apprise you on that matter later," answered Prodea. "Please continue, Master Alein."

    "Bathala has created our vessels to become an indestructible container of our souls. It requires a lot of energy to siphon our souls out of our containment vessels. It would require the primary life sustaining systems of our body to become destroyed or be nonresponsive for it to prevent it from escaping to the ethereal realm of the dead on which only souls may enter.

    "There is a thin line that separates our realm and the realm of the dead. This is called the Veil of Transitus, a realm only souls can enter. Initially, only Yagisivians can enter this realm to talk to the dead and to communicate with Bathala''s Heralds. But as you all have known, Grand Master Sibara, our great clan leader, found a way to pierce this marvelous world without the use of temporary separating the vessel and the soul. That is the Shadow Step. In this realm, it is believed, by reading Grand Master Sibara''s journals, that there is a huge unknown force that would try and reap the soul out of its vessel. It will do so continuously as you remain there that is why it will be harder for a person to step out than it is to step in. It also means that the longer you stay there, the higher the chances for the unknown energy to steal away your soul to oblivion."

    "So, now that we are in the same page," Prodea entered as the commander stopped explaining, "Let''s continue to discuss about any other possibilities of escape other than Yiv''s Mass Relocation through the veil?"

    "Well," General Jowl coughed up getting their attention, "I can think of two more. But it will be as absurd as the moon glowing blood red."

    "Not that it''s impossible, the moon turning red" commented Prodea smiling which made the General smile too remembering his history, "Please do go on."

    "Well we can account for the Rogue Elf who is with Yiv. Old scriptures suggest they can quickly move from one point to another using their natural energies by utilizing Mother Earth. The forest is filled with trees deeply rooted to the Earth. They can use that to travel underground and create a tunnel to escape."

    "I commend you for your imagination General Jowl, but merely using an antique Elven Arrow can''t really force me to believe that he is indeed a rogue elf. There are far more logical explanations than that and I''m sorry but until we have further proof from the matter, we can''t accuse those lizards of trying to start a war against us again. If we give pursue that then we''ll have famine in our hands, and I don''t like to deal with another problem if that can be avoided."

    "Why famine?" asked Duke Tabarius.

    Prodea just smiled at him as if giving him the idea not to ask irrelevant questions that interrupts them, but General Jowl obliged to apprise him.

    "We have a standing truce from them from the previous war. We''re willing to spare and forgive them from their sins against our kingdom and in turn they will give us an annual tribute of one Elven tree and also a continuous supply of rich soil in our agricultural lands. If things break out, we''ll be left with unfertilized soil or worse, they could poison our lands turning it to a barren wasteland."

    Prodea cleared her throat as if bored signaling the General to continue on point which he did so hastily.

    "Yes. Another idea is the utilization and mobilization of the Immortals."

    The crowd from the room gasped and silence robbed the tongues of every person in the room until Prodea laughed.

    "General Jowl. Are you seriously considering the reports from the Seventh Cotton Fortress?"

    "Yes, Your Highness but---"

    "What if they are just delusional? Hallucinations caused by fear can be the most rational explanation to what they saw."

    "Your Highness, though I believe with all my heart that the mighty Grog and all other immortals would not subject themselves to be recognized in collusion together with these vile elements such as Yiv, the fact is, they have been proven to have been harboring malicious intent to our kingdom as represented by Shihiku."

    "Yes," Prodea stood up with eyes filled with concern which gave fright to the officers who are in attendance. "That is probable. The teleportation technique of Grog. Why did I miss that?"

    "If that''s the case," added Jowl, "then we are doomed, Your Highness. Not that my faith is wavering, but our force''s efficiency has been greatly reduced in half from the withdrawal of our Daomagarian relief forces and, with all due respect, with your Global Binding Spell."

    "Yes. That," she said with eyes of irritation as she realized that he''s subtly pointing at blaming fault, "We must provide ourselves with necessary defenses. It is imperative that we can defend ourselves against these pesky immortals."

    "The Immortals? You mean the first beasts of Bathala?" asked the Duke with great fear.

    "Yes, Duke Tabarius. Those Immortals."

    "What shall we do Your Highness," asked another General standing firm for their orders.

    "We cannot lift the Global Binding Spell," she continued in her usual commanding tone looking at Jowl as if hinting that she has been insulted with his statement earlier on, "that would make our position weak. No. We will be using, quite an unorthodox method today."

    "Are you implying of the Dark Arts Your Highness?" asked General Jowl in a stern look standing slowly as if opposing to the idea.

    "Yes, General, I know what you are implying but drastic measures are needed in dire situations such as these. Wouldn''t you agree?"

    "But that involves a lot of mortal sacrifice."

    "A sacrifice that is well acceptable. I have arranged everything with the Empire of Leonus for this and they are willing to comply."

    The Duke nodded as if forced, but still in agreement.

    "I''m afraid I must advise Your Highness to take caution in hasty decisions such as these. The protection of any mortal life is the paramount responsibility of the Nagozulian Army."

    "Oh, do relax, General Jowl," Prodea scoffed insulted with his words, "I should advise you to do the same. Choose your words carefully General. I wouldn''t be so lenient next time."

    "I''m sorry Your Highness." The General Bowed to yield but his face revealed a serious and angry look as it is hard for him to mask it.

    All of the other Generals have fear for this method for they do not approve of such measures to gain an advantage, but they are unable to contradict her since they are at a dire disadvantage against the Immortals. Yiv mobilizing with the Immortals can mean the end of the Nagozulian Kingdom as they know it. If a war breaks out between them akin to the catastrophic Elven Rebellion, they believe they would not last for a month, they might not even last for a week with their current diminished forces. Desperate measures are indeed needed on these desperate situations.

    The military powers of Nagozul have been slowly declining by the decade since the last Elven Rebellion. Their military power has even led to the contractual acquisition of relief forces from Daomagar. All of the Generals have been wondering that this may very well be due to lax measures of Nagozulian Policies since they are so busy with politics and cultural developments that they have been unable to advance in their elemental masteries. It''s the Royal Family who''s at fault for the lag of military advancement but no one wants to point the first finger. After all, they all, as a nation, benefited from the lasting peace they are experiencing now. Anyone would choose sitting lazily in the afternoon talking about philosophy and other deep thoughts to their colleagues than to actually work all day and talk about war and war-like preparations. Although it has brought them a thousand years of peace, problematic situations, such as what''s happening to them right now, makes solutions somewhat impossible to conjure up considering the military powers that they have currently in disposal.

    "Generals," she continued, "move out to your positions. Mobilize your troops and orders and reconvene here after ten hours. This meeting is adjourned. You''re all dismissed."

    After her commands she rushed on sprinting out of the room as fast as her graceful walk can manage, smiling secretly to the accomplishment of her plan. She knows Grog is with them and that just sealed the deal. With the threat of the Immortals in place, she can do anything she wants to without any fear of being contested upon, even if she continued on exploiting the Dark Arts. This way, she can openly admit utilizing it for the benefit of Nagozul and still be called its protector. A win from her she thinks as she thanked her mysterious enemy from making that stupid mistake of including Grog in the equation.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "WAAAAAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUP!!!"

    "whhuu-? What''s happening?" Karus jumped from bed almost dashing unsheathing his katana with one eye on his left lazily clutching the base of the eyelids almost reluctant to obey the troublesome orders of his brain.

    "A little jumpy. I like that!" Laughed Yosh as he went to their table to grab an apple to taste. "I give it a seven out of five."

    Karus quickly sheathed his sword and shouted as hard as he can. "Stop screaming in my ear to wake me up! This is the last straw! Next time I wouldn''t be able to control my temper!"

    Kayzar sat up scrunching his eyes getting used to the bright radiance of noon, greatly annoyed too from the fact that he''s still not ready to wake up and cash in all hours of sleep he missed from the five days they have been planning the rescue. "Okay, Karus. I''ll sanction one beating. I won''t hold you back. He clearly deserves this one."

    "Hey, hey, hey! Chill!" shouted Yosh as he rushed to the door screaming. "I''m just getting back at you for making me stay at the back to watch Kuya Reus last night! You made me miss all the fun with those smug Si..."

    "Those excuses won''t save you." He sternly looked with a devilish glow. He feigned standing up to dash and Yosh disappeared instantaneously as if in a blink of an eye.

    Karus was the first to come out from Anagea''s womb. Being twins he''s considered older than Kayzar and although medical studies has proven it is the opposite, Nagozulian culture still practices this belief. The two do not recognize who''s older between them but Karus respects Kayzar in a sense that he''s some sort of an adviser on decisions like pursuing an enemy or basically anything relatively equal to these sorts of events that Karus wants to act out on impetuously.

    Karus reacts impulsively on events appearing before him. He is pessimistic which should make him cautious on things, but he engages his gut whenever it calls up to him rendering him to have numerous unforeseen consequences to deal with after satisfying the urge.

    That''s when Kayzar steps in. He stops him on his track to make some sense out of him before he does something stupid that would require them both to fix later, before he could drag him to be included in the reprimand too which has been always the case. That''s what people do normally with twins. They immediately think that the mistake of one is the mistake of the other.

    Kayzar is baffled by this kind of thinking, and it has happened on numerous occasions. Too numerous in fact that it became everyone''s habit to blame him for Karus''s mistakes. He cannot lecture people about this kind of thinking, especially to those superior to him giving reprimands. Doing so would make him insolent and he wouldn''t be surprised if that will result to longer reprimands. What he can do however, is to just stop Karus from doing something that would drag him down with him. This understanding has been yielding some positive results from its first implementation so Karus is now used to asking Kayzar''s permission before doing any act, and vice versa.

    "K-Z," mumbled Karus in slouch at the bed, still yawning. "Is it the right moment for our assessment?"

    Kayzar yawned too being infected by his brother jumping, back in bed but is now awake. "Affirmative, I think the area is secure."

    Karus joined him lying in bed too, watching the tiny cracks of their ceiling. "We haven''t been discussing the condition of Grandmama. I think that should be quite disturbing."

    "What''s disturbing? The fact that we''re prioritizing on our villages? Or the fact that we don''t care about her anymore? Which one?"

    "You see... that!"

    "Which one?"

    Karus smiled as if getting Kayzar''s joke. "She''s still our Grandmama whether we like her or not. Or at least that''s what Mama told us to think."

    "Even if they sully Daddy''s name? Even if they insult Mama as to her incapability of rearing us or when they told us they are teaching us not to be respectful of our elders, especially to them? Even if they have been insulting Mama''s heritage as a Daomagar? Even then?"

    "Well, you''re right. I think for one thing, they are wrong to think Mama''s teaching us to disrespect them. We''re only doing this because they are treating us like commoners, a second-class citizen at that."

    "Wait, I think slaves comes to mind, yes?"

    Karus chuckled in agreement. "To think that we''re only respecting them because Mama orders us to clearly is a very indicative point of how disturbing our childhood experience is. I suppose we''re going to have some issues in the future when we''re adults right?"

    "Like having problems with old grannies because of our subliminal responses to what we''ve experienced as a kid?"

    "Yep."

    "Nah, we''re too smart for that."

    "But what are we going to do about it?"

    "Well, it''s not like you want to plan to visit..." he sat up straight with squinted eyes looking at Karus''s serious and smiling face, "Oh no, we won''t!"

    Karus sat straight up and calmed him down. "No, no, shh. If you don''t want to go, we won''t go. Jeez! I''m only suggesting..."

    "There is a standing order for our detainment, and you want to go to the Palace to visit Grandmama who, based on our spies, is indisposed in some sort of Sleep of Death? You want to go there? We don''t even know if she''s really sick. For all we know it''s some sort of ruse to get us there. You know how dramatic all of them are."

    "C''mon K-Z! Do you really think they will go out of their way, raid some villages, torture some people, create fortresses, just to get us back to the Palace?"

    "Hey, they have deployed all of Nagozul''s military when Gantee went missing remember? I noticed none was spent when Yosh went gallivanting in the Maze, but when Gantee went missing, they deployed all of the soldiers for his immediate rescue even hiring some Daomagarian First Class Strike Teams to track his snoozing lazy ass in the lower catacombs. That kid is into some freaky things. I still can''t figure out why he''s down there in the first place."

    "But this is different K-Z. I think Grandmama has really been attacked. I don''t know who, but it looks a lot more like Yiv."

    "Ate-Liv won''t hurt her. As much as she wants to, she can''t and she wouldn''t."

    "Well, can you account for her alibi?"

    "What!?" Kayzar stood up almost irritated. "What the Yit''ard''s the matter with you? You are accusing our sister a serious offense. That''s treason, for goodness sake. And if you can''t recall, that accusation is not to be treated so lightly."

    "Hey, calm down! I never said that''s final." He whispered trying to lower their heated argument. "But who else can do that there? Nobody in Nagozul can practically do that to the Queen. Surely the economy is practically stable. It''s not going up but it''s not going down either. People are content and there are no reports indicating otherwise. No one in Nagozul will harm her and she''s providing enough reasons for them not to. Remember the monthly festivities that we have been experiencing for years now? That has been keeping all of our citizen''s attention occupied. Everyone''s happy so far. So that means it''s an outside hit."

    "So, you deduce what?"

    "Daomagarian, maybe. Sibaras are a good start. And Yiv is at the top of the list."

    "Well, you''re right about one thing. Sibaras. Notice any changes lately?"

    Karus'' eyes bulged realizing what he''s pointing at. "No. That can''t be."

    "It can''t be a coincidence either."

    "So, what Juni is saying then...?"

    "Yes, first the foreigners, then the Queen, then the rapid deployment of Sibaras. You can piece it off together. That can''t be Yiv. Besides, if Yiv targeted the Queen, then what would she gain."

    "Nothing."

    "Exactly. And who''s gaining everything?"

    "A-Aunt Prodea..."

    "Precisely. And who''s currently Grand Commander?"

    "She is..."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Your highness!" yelled Zeba running towards Prodea before she enters her sacred chambers. It took a couple of seconds before she reached her which gave Prodea quite an irritation since she doesn''t like wasting her time, even by mere seconds. This is actually an unreasonable response but seeing as Prodea has accumulated much hatred on Zeba from what she identifies as her annoying personality, this can be anticipated and be regarded as ordinary.

    "Yes, Zeba. Waste my time further. And better yet, let''s have tea together if you''re up for it."

    "Really? I was just thinking of that custard cake..."

    "Zeba!"

    "Oh yes. All of the materials have been secretly prepared at the antechamber just outside where your ritual is going to take place at the lower catacombs."

    "Ah, so a status report. Such a redundant thing. I told you to set it up right before midnight, am I right? So why are you telling me that you have already accomplished what I told you to do in the first place?"

    Zeba''s eyebrows sloped confused. "To inform you that I have already managed to finish it before lunch?"

    "Ah yes. But do I need to know that? Hm? Before lunch, after lunch, when I tell you to do something before a specified date, I expect you to do that perfectly. You need not inform me of such trivial matters we''re not in the military. I do not have time to attend to every small detail you want to boast about. Next thing you know, you''ll have your way of informing me about what goes on about your day. Heaven forbids."

    "But I thought you''re now the Grand..."

    "Yes, you thought. Don''t think too much Zeba. You''ll only hurt yourself."

    Zeba frowned a little and bowed. "Of course, sorry Your Highness."

    "Well, since you''re here and oh-so-quick at doing your chores, and since I don''t want to waste any more time, I want you to relay the reminder to the Duke. Remind him to meet with me at midnight at the catacombs. Escort the slaves, five at a time, to our secret chamber in a twenty-minute interval. Bring one of his Selected General for our experimentation. I''ll be there an hour after midnight. I trust you can do that without disturbing me, right Zeba?"

    "Uh... Do you mean their Knights, Your Highness?" he proudly pointed out.

    "Don''t get smart with me, Zeba. I know the difference in our military designations. When I say General, I meant their highest-ranking military officer, and that is their Knight."

    "Oh, sorry your highness."

    "Is there any other thing you want to lecture me about since you''re in a roll for successfully infuriating me?"

    "No, your highness. I''m sorry."

    "Good. Be sure no one bothers me till then."

    "Yes, Your Highness."

    And with that note, Prodea stepped inside and shut the door on her way in leaving Zeba to walk away grumbling in dismay.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Whoaaa!"

    Yosh dashed on through almost ramming into Reus which he parried right away. Reus is at the edge of the Village away from prying eyes holding Piks in his arms.

    "Sorry Kuya-Reus. No time. Got to hurry."

    "Just be careful. Dashing that fast can seriously injure a Nagozulian upon impact. And all of the people in this village are Nagozulian."

    Yosh was about to run away to escape Reus''s reprimands when he noticed Piks squawking.

    "Wait a second. What are you doing?"

    "What? This? I''m sending my report to the north. That''s what Generals do: send reports to the Grand General."

    "YOU WHAT!?"

    "Yes, I''m updating Mama and Daddy of our stay here. I''m telling them we are fi..."

    Before Reus even finishes his sentence, Yosh clicked his tongue in dismay and dashed on forward disappearing to the Forest. Reus shrugged and let Piks fly out to send his communiqu¨¦ to the north. This is when he saw two familiar faces hiding in the bushes.

    Reus raised his hands and waved. "Yo!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Hurry Argentis," whispered Auric in his silvery liquid-metal figure protruding to a tree, hiding in the shadows.

    "Yes brother," Argentis replied finally catching up forming on the ground kneeling, keeping herself hidden in the bushes, "D''ya think I''m doing it on purpose? I don''t want to lose my good hand you moron!"

    "Ei shush, ''Der''s Yosh ''an Reus. Keep quiet."

    "Told you they''ll be here. This is their hideout. Always has been. Reus can''t keep his mouth shut telling tales about this place."

    "An I''ll stuff yer mout'' wid mah blade if ya don''t shut ''yers."

    "Yeah, Yeah. Let''s run around back. We need to find Kayzar. They don''t concern us."

    "Okay, Okay. But slowly, it''s daylight ''an yer Communion aint ''dat great."

    "Hey! You''re one to talk, you haven''t even completed yours yourself. You''re shining silver still. That''s not Shadow-like."

    "At least I''m not glowin'' like gold ''ye lumpy..."

    "Lumpy?! You''re calling me fat!? Say that again! I dare you..."

    "Shh... Yosh is goin'' away."

    "You''re lucky we''re on a mission, you big tongue-less brute!"

    "Ei is Reus wavin'' at us?"

    "What?! We''ve been compromised... But I thought?"

    Kudos''s eyes immediately turned red with a murderous look. "Argentis, quickly. ''Da mem''ry poshun. We must neu''chalize ''im before he reveals our posishun."

    "Understood."

    Auric sprung out of the tree and dashed on to Reus''s position. Argentis followed him behind unsheathing a blade from her boots lacing it with a generous amount of the violet colored memory potion in a vial. Their movements can never be compared to any Daomagarian warrior Reus has ever seen. Shockingly Marvelous is the word that can describe their two-man strike team as Auric pulled Reus into a lock suspending him about an inch or two above the ground while Argentis pushed her dagger to Reus''s sides enough to injure him for the potion to circulate into his bloodstream but not enough to kill him. All it took was a mere two seconds. A thirty feet long strike to the target in just under two seconds with maximum efficiency and precision can make any mortal to revere them and put them in a pedestal of great warriors. But all this effort is for naught. A shame really, if only the target is not Reus.

    "Is that supposed to tickle me?" Reus beamed his wide smile at the now perspiring and confused Madj putting all her energy, all her Daomagarian strength, to at least scratch Reus''s side with her little sharp dagger.

    "What are ''ya doin''?" Whispered Kudos as if mad at Madj.

    "Yes, more importantly, what are you both doing?" asked Reus now wearing his smile off. "I really don''t have any time playing like this. Does this mean I''m dead or something? Can I get off now?"

    "Uh... Yeah... that''s right? Gotcha!" Yelped Madj pulling back her dagger behind her. She brushed Reus''s uniform as if fixing it and tapping Kudos as if signaling. Kudos understood this right away and freed him from his tight lock. "Now that you''re done, we''re on to Karus, Kayzar and Yosh."

    "Yes! Sorry ''bout ''dat." Kudos smiled wide apologetic. "D''ya know where we can find ''d o''der rascals?"

    "Your extreme ''Hide and Seek'' games are weird," smiled Reus. "Why can''t you play a decent simple Hide and Seek? I''m not sure I approve of that kind of game play, but no matter. I''m sure Karus, Kayzar, and Yosh seems to enjoy that kind of hide and seek, those rough-housing monkeys. Just be sure to stack up with a lot of White Angel Potions while you''re playing that. Your blade seems to be dangerously sharp and I don''t want any accidents happening here."

    "Yes, Sir! General Reus Sir!" they both replied in attention as if in ridicule.

    "Oh, please! You don''t have to make fun of my promotion..."

    They both laughed uncontrollably getting Reus kind of dismayed.

    "Yeah, yeah make fun of the working guy. Your unemployment days are nearly over, I have already asked Master Narra to enlist you to the Nagozulian Army."

    "What!?" shouted Madj. "That''s unfair! We''re cooks! We don''t know anything about fighting!"

    Kudos slaps her laughing. "''Dat''s a joke, Madj. Don''t get riled up on ''sum joke now. A terrible joke at ''dat. You shud consider practisin'' in ''d mirror, Reus."

    Reus chuckled a bit seeing Madj reaction to the bad joke he just made. "Don''t worry. Just as long as I can still string up someone, I''m still better than my Uncle Sarram."

    "Yes, Tenk heavens he''s a prince not a jester, ''dat Prince Sarram."

    "Hah! Good one." Reus fixed spectacles which has been out of place for quite some time and waved his hand in farewell. "Hope you guys manage to surprise the two, I mean Karus and Kayzar. They are both so uptight now that they can use some smile for a second or two. They''re just inside their personal quarters near the village square. It''s the red one so you won''t miss it."

    "Thanks, See you again General."

    "Cut that General Joke Madj I''m serious!" he laughed and then he walked away far to the village.

    The two waited for some time and began being paranoid. They scanned the area looking for any witnesses and have discussed what happened when they have been satisfied.

    "What ''d Yit''ard happened Argentis!? You''re supposed to bleed ''im"

    "I know..." she pulled her blade and pushed it to the ground. She created a loud smash burying half her arm on her test, striking the ground with her weapon. She stood up with her head tilting in confusion. "I don''t feel weak. My strength is at my best I don''t know why I can''t wound him. It''s like he''s being protected with a thin layer of a sturdy transparent armor."

    "We need to be careful with ''im next time. We can''t get lucky next time."

    "We should report this to Master. I think this is a great development. This is what Karus and Kayzar is talking about, Reus''s new powers."

    "Yes, but first we ''shud track Kayzar. We don''t wanna get Master mad again."

    "Yes, and I don''t want to lose my good hand as well."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "I think this is far enough..." Yosh determined, panting in great intervals catching his breath. "How can he do this to us Luna?! To think he can betray his brothers like that! Hmpf! I''m going to show him! I''ll reset his Piks and we''ll see who''s sorry now!"

    Luna just gave a purring meow with eyes as round as the moon. Yosh understood what she wanted to say and yielded right away.

    "Alright, alright. Whatever you say. He''s following orders and whatever thingies he''s doing being General Clumsy Stick! But he should''ve given us the heads-up. To think we would one day return in our quarters unwittingly stumbling into a Royal Escort to the North. Whew! That would be troublesome indeed.

    "Don''t get me wrong, I don''t hate them, but I don''t really want to go to the North now. The North isn''t what I expect. I can hardly see Mama and Daddy. And Rika''s always with Mama. He''s keeping us all there cooped up as if they knew we''re going to escape and free all those people in Karus''s Village."

    Luna gave a series of meow as a reply and Yosh laughed uncontrollably.

    "Right you are my friend. If we didn''t bump into him, we''ll surely be deported and I''m not ready to spend my year locked up in my quarters there, no siree!"

    He knelt down and buried a seed on the ground. He pulled his canteen and poured a generous amount of water for the thirsty seed. The earth suddenly livened up with a series of light tremors and then a sprout magically pushed up to the earth blooming into a Violet radiating its shiny purple gradient still with some droplets left clutching on every petal.

    "Hmmnn... I could leave but what would they feel about it?"

    Luna shrieked a series of aggressive meows remembering what Karus would do to him if he were to be found but Yosh disagrees.

    "Wait, wait, wait. I know Kuya-Karus will be avenging his interrupted slumber but think carefully Luna before deciding. I don''t want to betray my brothers the same way I don''t want them keeping information from me. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, or something like that. I heard some pretty smart guy said that, kind too by the looks of it, it''s in a book maybe, I didn''t pay attention, the point is, I don''t like being kept out of the loop so I have to leave them a message. They would do the same for me too. But Kuya-Reus? Now that''s a different story."

    He grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from his knapsack and written a note on it. Luna grumbled circling Yosh protesting but to no avail.

    "There! Get out as soon as possible. Master Narra or Mama will be coming to lock us to the North. Stay at your own peril! That should do the trick."

    As he tried to grab Luna, he sprinted ten feet away and sat there as if mad. Yosh stood up looking angry.

    "Come here now! You have to send this to them."

    Luna kept persisting. She stood up, ran in circles, and then sat once more. This made Yosh to stress his point by stomping on the ground.

    "Luna! I''ll come back for you after an hour... or maybe Iyom. I have to go to Kyrin, he''s going to teach me some cool technique about transmission or some sort of things they do sprouting trees or such. You have to give this message to them, it''s the only way."

    Luna reiterated her tantrums only this time she ran for a couple of feet further.

    "You just pull out a petal here and Iyom will come, Look." He crouched letting Luna see it and then pulled a petal. After ten seconds nothing happened so he pulled another. Again, nothing happened. "Huh. Must be the wrong seed..."

    "WHAT''S YOUR PROBLEM!" shouted Iyom transmitting in front of him, "Can''t you wait for a bit? Am I your slave?!"

    "Jeez, Calm down old mister. If you don''t, wrinkles will pop out of their..."

    "Shut up brat! I''m not old!"

    "Not on my count."

    "Enough! Do you want to transmit or not?"

    "Wait, I just need to..."

    "Oh... poor baby needs to pee first? I don''t have all day!"

    "No, I need to deliver this message to my brothers and..."

    "Well you just have to pull the flower, huh? Pulling the petals when you''re not ready yet? I told you not to do that countless of times! Quit wasting my time!"

    Yosh got irritated and walked up to him and vented. "Hey grumpy mister, shut it and listen! I need to send this message! Luna will bring it there and then be back for you to transmit! Any problems you got to those conditions you can take up to your father! He''s the one inviting me over! I''m having a bad start to my day so quit whining and start helping!"

    "Whoa, whoa, don''t get all too crazy now! What''s gotten over you...?"

    "You... You... Argh..."

    "Hey, you!" shouted Iyom calling Luna signaling with his fingers while whistling which insulted her. "Yes you, come here."

    Luna stood up and sat again as if smiling being petulant getting back for his whistling calls.

    "I said, COME HERE!" with his shout, his eyes turned cat like activating his Eagle Eyes which brought Luna to some sort of hypnotizing spell rendering her to follow his commands unwillingly at a very quick pace. Iyom snatched the paper from Yosh and rolled it. He grabbed some grass and magically turned it into a cylindrical holder and then tied it to Luna''s body along with the message. "Send this now and return here as soon as possible. Get the Owl too on your way back! Hurry or I''ll eat you."

    With the end of his speech, Luna ran as fast as she can without blinking, without any reaction, as if possessed which troubled Yosh tremendously.

    "Hey! What have you done with my Luna!? And what are saying about eating her!?"

    "Relax crazy monkey. I don''t eat cat, but Ra''Ark does." And he pulled Yosh before he can ever react, transmitting him to the forest of Kyrin by mere seconds.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Ina''ther Kalikat''ure! Bive meo kapan''wer upto mai''un-la''ash an''he kapan''weris nof lan''ven ''nu lo''thin."

    Prodea''s chants echoed loudly in the large chambers at the lower catacombs. This particularly large venue, where Juni died, remained a secret in Nagozul and thus they are particularly well protected from intruders or anyone just snooping around. That''s why Prodea is still keeping it still even after Juni''s horrible death.

    The thirty slaves shiver in fear''s cold damning embrace all clumped sitting, hugging each other in comfort, unwittingly unaware of their fate in that huge red glowing summoning circle etched in the ground. Zeba, Eryk, and Tabarius are watching at the corner of the chamber almost cringing by the second as Prodea finishes her deafening ritual in a strange unknown language. Every word coming from Prodea''s mouth hurts their ears almost as if every echo physically stabs it from the inside. There is an unknown force surrounding them, a force so dark and evil, their very presence in that chamber feels as if they are dying by the second.

    The General, handpicked by Tabarius himself, is standing naked in a small summoning circle just a few paces north of the slaves. He is standing tall of about six feet with muscles bulging out of his body almost as if impressively sculpted by the ages and scars so many you''ll understand immediately how extensive his battle experience is.

    As fine and impressive as a human specimen he is, one can feel sorry as anyone can detect the fear and pain he''s been enduring in that circle. His morose eyes, red and almost teary, relates what his shaking knees are saying, almost wanting to kneel. It''s as if he wants to get some help but is unable to shout for it as he fights it off stressfully with all of the veins popping out of his face and body, being all red and sweaty. The three observers just gnaw their teeth in both agitation and pity for the poor General.

    The pity they are feeling have been greatly misplaced. Unbeknown to them, after Prodea finishes her loud disturbing chants, the slaves began to stand up, forcibly, one by one. All of them stood up in fear as if being pulled by some unknown, indescribable phantom. Some slaves grabbed the ground screaming, but nothing can stop it from pulling them out five feet high to the air. One by one, their eyes and mouth glowed a yellowish iridescent beam of light that stretched the room''s tall ceiling. Still screaming in both fear and agony, they shrieked their final call for help until the yellow light turned into neon crimson with their blood rushing out of every orifice in their body leaving their shriveled corpses behind. Their blood and water accumulated on top of them with Prodea floating around it still chanting her distressing ritualistic prayers, eyes closed in full concentration.

    The bodies that have been suspended in the air dropped down into the ground turning into dust on impact. This have shocked the three observers with Duke Tabarius and the Earl Eryk running away retching in both disgust and guilt. Prodea saw them and chuckled a bit and wondered if it is wise to invite them there at the catacombs for, she believes that they are still not ready to see this kind of Magick in action.

    But who can blame them? No one can be ready to see this kind of horrifying thing, and even if one boasts around to say otherwise, they are either an incompetent proud fool or the devil himself. To hear those men and women cry and beg in agony certainly can turn any brave man to coil up cringing.

    As the last drop accumulated into a one giant red sphere of what seems to be the life force of thirty slaves come into fruition, Prodea shouted her last chant.

    "Sy te kapan''wer ni''f Dim''ion, Io pinak''un-wa''eash ko''I an nata''den ka''kay-ti''al."

    The huge red sphere dropped down from its place and into the General. The splash on impact bathed the General in the blood of those slaves sacrificed. No droplet was turned to waste for any droplet splashed managed to trickle down fast for him to assimilate. The whole assimilation lasted for about a minute as the last drop was absorbed by the General writhing in torturous screams. Duke Tabarius is about to intervene being concerned when Prodea touched down and stopped him.

    "Witness the transformation of a mere Mortal to a Superior Mortal. A Titan!"

    "A manufactured titan?" Zeba muttered, "But such things are only possible with the help of Dim''ion..."

    "It''s just a mere spell Zeba. You don''t see Dim''ion anywhere here. I did this, not him!"

    "But it''s his spell!" Roared Zeba feeling guilty for what has transpired.

    "Yes! It''s his spell. That''s why they call it the Dark Arts. If it''s Ana''giel''s then it''s White Magick now wouldn''t it? But it isn''t!"

    "You said this wouldn''t happen again! You gave me your word!"

    "Enough Zeba!" snapped Prodea with eyes burning bright with white light of the All Seeing Eye, "Stop your impudence now! This is not the time nor the place. Besides, you don''t have the right to give me a speech about morality. Not now, not ever."

    Zeba''s crunched up face of anger cannot be cast away, but she stepped back and yielded, for now. Prodea knows they will have a long and heated argument later, but she brushed it off thinking she clearly has her by the throat and there''s nothing she can do about it.

    "Rise Sir Haaron," Prodea commanded.

    The coiled up, shivering muscular General stood up slowly now erecting almost seven feet tall with slabs of muscles now twice in size as before and has now changed skin color to dark red. He is still in pain, but it can be noted that it is slowly dissipating by the second.

    "Now kneel! Kneel before your Master!"

    The Knight was shocked with her command, but he cannot control himself. He tried to fight it but every fiber in his being wanted to obey the echoing voice of Prodea.

    "Speak! Who is your Master!?"

    "You are, Grand Commander Prodea."

    Zeba was shocked to see what Prodea has done. If she can make soldiers as powerful as titans and raise an army with it to do her bidding, then she can be a very terrifying enemy not to be engaged with. This made her reevaluate everything they are doing for the past years, planning everything to this date. He looked at the two emissaries and noticed they are not surprised, as if they know, as if they are in agreement, as if they consented. Then fear swallowed her whole as if the warmth of life escaped her. One thing is certain on this very specific night: she helped to create a monster.

 29 DEFIANT NATURE

    The cold zephyr rushed forth in a hurry to converge with the bright light of morn that has been slowly enveloping the lands of Nagozul, introducing the warmth of the summer sun on its wake. The blanket of cold calming fog that occupies the secret training fields just a couple of miles east of the city has been holding their own with dwindling success as their body dissipate by the minute. Even in this unreasonably early hour, Lime seems to have managed to secure her unwavering determination, never yielding to sandman''s unending cheery invitations, as she strained her body stretching, warming up her muscles, for yet another rigorous day of weapons instruction.

    It has been over a month since she saw her master Karus and hearing today''s good news about his return fuels her persevering heart even more.

    "It''s morning. Where is he?" she asked panning her sight all around.

    "Q-q-quit askin'' me i-f - if - if... M-m-master Karus is where..." snapped a young fellow behind her, sharpening his sword with his rare black water stone - a gift from Karus that he likes to flaunt to anyone. "He said he-he-he''ll be back daybreak an hour after. N-n-not yet hour daybreak after."

    At quick glance, any man, even without any medical apprenticeship, could rightly conclude that this pouting young Daomagarian man is an aberrant, a mistake in conception; a mistake that everyone regards as highly unacceptable taking into consideration their level of sophistication on medical sciences.

    Some might go on harshly and identify him as a retard having no place in their world. Even some Medical Casters frown upon his existence as if insulted by his very being with features too extremely abnormal to be possible. He has a large hump on his right shoulder, a crooked spine, an unusually large arm imbalanced from his legs and feet, a drooping figure on the left half of his face and some thinning patches of hair, not to mention the limp when he walks. Kids on towns usually call him a monster with his physique including his unusually long canine teeth protruding even when mouth closed. His stuttering and sometimes incoherent speeches make him more prone to insults and disappointing snickers. Everything about him makes insensitive people cringe in both shame and disgust.

    Even ordinary sympathetic people feel uneasy near him avoiding contact altogether as a resort of preventing any offense or misunderstanding resulting to anything, they might do upon interaction which in turn adds insult to his condition without them even realizing it.

    He''s not good on the eyes, people used to say. You have to get to know him before you ease up on his hideous appearance, they said. They try to be understanding. After all, they are the inhabitants of the Holy Lands. But sometimes some people can''t stand the pressure of seeing something so unusual, so uncommon, that all instincts will clamor up for a reaction - a reaction that would usually lead to fear or disgust instead of being sympathetic and kind.

    Some people, who happen to think positively, ignore his flawed look for he is undeniably a victim of what they call a result of a malfunctioning blood combination from the two most powerful lineages of Daomagar, the Daomagar Clan and the Maskara Clan. A one in a trillion chance of disaster: one that should have been humanely put down as a newborn baby just like the hundreds of recorded infants who have suffered this blood abnormality over the span of thousands of years. This has been applied as a Daomagarian tradition even as a means to exact sympathy on disfigured infants who usually die within the year of their remaining life in the most excruciating of way.

    Bathala be praised that this was not the case for Karus saw something different within his gnarled fa?ade. He saw him as something special, unique, marvelous even, that the monster himself cannot see within. He molded him from a bitter and aggressive boy, hating his existence and everyone around him, into a humble finely tuned swordfighter that can only be compared to a middle-ranking military sentinel. The spark of magnificence Lime has witnessed too consequently as he helps her in her training, night and day, for over a month in Karus''s stead.

    "He''s not usually late..."

    "He''s late always," he laughed in a snorting fashion which made Lime smile a bit, "Y-y-you still don''t know a lot of ''im."

    "I guess. He did say I''m his first apprentice, and yet here you are."

    "I t-t-told you earlier, you first apprentice foreign. Me f-f-first apprentice Daomagar. You foreign, me Daomagar. You like N-n-Nagozulian, so no good in swordfight. Hard to train."

    "Hey, hey, easy now Markus," she chortled tapping him sitting next to him leaning on the large boulder behind them. "You don''t need to sprinkle some salt to my wounded pride. I know it''s a long way before I become as good as you but I''m trying."

    "Yes. Try. I see what M-m-master Karus see in you. You don''t give up easy. L-l-like me. However, you''re weak and I''m strong, You''re woman, a weak woman, not like Daomagarian woman..."

    "Well thanks Markus," she interrupted smiling with squinted eyes, insulted but not that hurt, "I know there''s some compliment there somewhere."

    He stood up immediately. Eyes sharp, standing crooked unsheathing his two short swords, one shorter than the other looking like a very long knife. "They''re here."

    Lime crawled pulling her katana and whispered with a breaking voice. "Who''s they?"

    Before she could pose another question, Markus dashed on frighteningly fast. Two shadows approached the clearing just four hundred feet afar and before Lime can identify them, they engaged Markus with a series of fast dashes rendering them a blur into her eyes. The sound of metal clashing can be heard to her distance signifying how great the impact was and how strong they are. Being able to move about without shaking into a jelly at such an explosive sword bash is no ordinary feat. She stood up too, unsheathing her sword as fast as she can, but before she could react, Markus fell into the ground being propelled a few feet into the air by the masked man wielding a katana.

    Her mind is filled with confusion at the time, so she blankly ran towards the enemy, focused on giving her best for any retribution she could scrape off on this overly powerful new foe that surprised them. She managed to slow down considerably seeing the two apparent enemies more clearly. It''s Karus and a young strapping one looking just like him. It bewildered her to see him hurting Markus, so she ran in haste to pursue some explanation.

    "Hey!" she shrieked till she reached him pointing her katana at him, "Why''d you hurt him!?"

    "Whoa!" Karus jumped back reuniting his katana with its scabbard, "He''s alright. I didn''t hurt him." He looked to where Markus is, shakingly trying to stand up almost injured and shouted, "YOU''RE ALRIGHT, MARKUS, RIGHT?!"

    "Y-yes Master!" he replied with a confident bellow standing up, limping around finding his sword.

    "See?"

    Lime pulled back her sword and squinted her eyes in disbelief. "Right... well why did you do that anyway?"

    "Well, that''s what we do when we meet," he confessed. "Always," he added to reassure her.

    "Some sort of a weird hello I presume?"

    "Ye-No, Yes? I think. Some sort of hello wouldn''t be an appropriate reason since we do this to measure his improvement. That''s how I measure how far his training has gone from the moment I left him on his own. Clearly, he''s still lagging behind, isn''t that right?"

    "Yes Master," he replied kneeling, uneasily Of course, with his uneven legs, pulling his arms curled leveling his eyes as a sign of respect. "I''m sorry... I''m still... weak. Lime is... ready now."

    He''s now a different Markus, one that controls his speech whenever he talks pausing a moment or two trying to speak as fluently as possible, fixing his grammar. Lime was impressed to see him turning into some form of a military soldier all of a sudden. He then pulled Karus for about ten feet away from the other two and began to whisper, angrily at that.

    "Hey, what happened to him? He''s usually not like that. And what''s with the kneeling. I don''t kneel. You don''t make me kneel."

    "Oh. Uh- that''s because he''s a Daomagar, and..."

    She pulled his sleeve closer with her eyes just under six inches from her as if interrogating him, trying to see if he''s lying.

    Unfortunately, that won''t work on Karus. He has been training with Kayzar about lying and has learned to hide any emotions, any facial tics, so as to fend off anyone that might sniff information out of them. But such was not the case this time. This time, cold sweat started trickling down on his cheeks as the pupils in his eyes dilated and his blood rushed off in both euphoria and fright resulting in a pinkish glow in his cheeks.

    "You''re lying," She concluded letting go of him.

    "I''m not..." he stammered trying to regain control of his senses.

    "Hmmn... so you''re discriminating me because I''m a foreign girl..."

    "No, no, no," he interrupted feeling rather troubled where she''s heading, "It''s not like that. Well, I suppose... I think... I''m sure, you have your military culture in Leonus, and we have a military culture here. I can''t just impose what we Daomagarians do here on you. Clearly, you''ll be rather disturbed, or angry, infuriated even, when I apply those what I apply..."

    "Alright, alright," she cut him, almost sorry she snapped at him, "I guess I could do without that attack dash every time we meet."

    "Yeah, I guess."

    "But you lied to me. You said I was your first apprentice."

    "Well, I didn''t lie. Technically, he''s not my apprentice, as he keeps on saying... The truth is more complicated and it''s a very long..."

    "Okay, okay! Who''s he?" she interrupted again, as if his explanation is uninteresting which gave Karus some relief. Kayzar at that time was talking to Markus, with him still kneeling to the ground as if he is his master too. "You seem greatly similar. Your eyes and eyebrows have a matching set. He looks just like you turned around on his back."

    "Yes! K-Z!" he shouted getting Kayzar''s attention. Kayzar secretly waived his hands and Markus stood up in attention. Kayzar then shifted his attention to them with a beaming smile and went close to get acquainted. Karus tapped Kayzar remembering that they still have their masks on which they hurriedly removed to show their faces.

    "Greetings, milady, I''m K-Z. Karus''s brother," he uttered pleasantly bowing down giving respect. "A Bandhana Clan member, at your service. Currently without designation."

    "Sir K-Z," she curtsied reciprocating to his bow, "Forgive me for asking but what does it mean? Is it a pet name? An eke name? Or is it an initial?"

    Karus and Kayzar looked at each other is some sort of agreement and then Kayzar nodded.

    "Well? What is it?"

    "Oh! Ah, it''s my name," he smiled wide which gave Lime a chuckle seeing his smile uniquely similar to Karus''s.

    "That''s the weirdest name I have ever encountered. Pardon my delight for the matter, I do not mean to offend you in any way."

    "Oh, that''s alright. It''s common..." Karus slapped him thinking their plan is not working so he improvised. "...to think... that!"

    "Think what?"

    "That K-Z stands for something," he explained confidently now formulating some plan on his feet. "But it does really. My real name is really ''CASEY''. But saying Casey in certain circumstances can be hard, especially in a battlefield where chaos reigns in the air. K-Z is much clearer and easier to pronounce."

    "Oh..." he paused for a while and turned her back shouting abruptly on to the fields as if scolding the lovely garden. "CASEY! K-Z!" She then repeated it again and again for quite some time as if testing his theory and the returned to face him. "Huh? I think you''re right. That''s quite ingenious."

    "Thanks."

    "But to be honest, Sir Casey, the name Casey suits you better."

    "Ha! That''s what my brothers used to say."

    Lime smiled with a slight crooked eyebrow as if deciphering what he means. Kayzar noticed this and immediately looked at Karus who is now squinting. Kayzar sees Karus wanting to slap him again for giving additional problems for them to explain so Kayzar pointed to Karus mouthing ''brother'' which Lime noted nodding in an awkward smile.

    That''s one less explanation to worry about, Kayzar mumbled in a sigh. Lime didn''t hear that, but Markus did, with his Daomagarian ear. He chuckled for a bit, amused for what his masters are doing, which invited Karus''s attention stopping him with his glaring eyes as if ordering him to discontinue making problems for him to awkwardly explain. It''s hard enough to fabricate lies that he can keep up. It''s like he''s living a double, double life. A secret within a secret since having Daomagarian skills is a secret he has to maintain as a Nagozulian prince and it''s hard enough for him to create another persona within that Daomagarian persona he so perfectly hides away from everyone.

    "Shall we start, Master?" Lime asked feigning her sword masterfully which surprised Karus and Kayzar.

    "I thought you didn''t have any proper sword training," Kayzar asked bewildered on her perfect form and grace in handling the katana.

    Lime smiled with all her heart hearing the question treating it as a compliment. "I don''t. This is the result of my training under Master Karus with the help Of course, of my fellow apprentice Markus."

    "But I thought you''ve been training for about three months?"

    "Three months and a jug of White Angel," Karus exclaimed as if proud of his experiment.

    Kayzar''s eyes bulge in shock slowly looking at Karus mumbling. "...our?"

    "No silly, Nemer''s."

    "Yeah, but what Nemer gives, it''s ours..."

    "Oh, don''t worry bout¡­"

    "But that''s... that''s..."

    Karus smiled at Lime who is awkwardly smiling, figuring why he''s so aghast, and pulled Kayzar away from them - for about twenty feet due to Karus''s paranoia of Lime overhearing.

    "Here''s the deal, I''m trying to find a way to sculpt..."

    "How can you do that!? Wasting a jug of White Angel!?" he shouted silently with anger slapping him for three times in frustration.

    "Hey easy now..."

    "D''you know how much that costs? I told you to clear things up with me first before doing something so... so... spontaneously irresponsible!"

    "Geez, thanks for making that sound not as an insult."

    "And to think I can let you ration our White Angel..."

    "Relax," he pulled his shirt to calm Kayzar, which did the opposite but before he could flare up again he started explaining as fast as he could, "Nemer said Dal''Gur''s finding a way to artificially manufacture Daomagarian physical capabilities to alter a normal mortal''s blood safely, turning them into a Daomagar. So far he can''t find anyone to test to since..."

    "Normal Mortals are foreigners..." he quickly figured with his curiosity now piqued.

    "Exactly. This is what we''ve been talking about last year in our research. I think Dal''Gur has found a way to isolate ''Bathala''s Gifts'' in Daomagarians. The only thing left to do is to find a fit candidate that can absorb these gifts but before that she..."

    "She must develop the right physical condition to be ready for the change," he concluded cutting his explanation being more and more disturbed. "So, that means you..."

    "No. I didn''t." He looked at Lime with Kayzar following him looking at her talking to Markus unaware of their discussion. "She did."

    "She consented to this?!"

    "No. She''s an unwitting test subject. She has broken more bones, torn more muscles and ligaments than us in our first training with Narra."

    "Ah. So, she pushes on thinking it''s just natural while you apply White Angel whenever she passes out in pain. I didn''t think anyone can be determined like that."

    "Anyone would be, given the circumstance. Imagine a scenario where you push yourself past the limit twice over and then waking up as if yesterday never happened, as if magically restoring your vigor to its maximum potential but still retaining all the hardship you''ve endured giving your body the maximum training possible."

    "This is great. I mean, if we didn''t know about the White Angel and we''re duped into training like that we could''ve been much more stronger than what we are now."

    "Yes. There''s a psychological factor there. She can push herself more and more everyday taking solace to the fact that when she wakes up, her body will experience the magical rejuvenation of the White Angel. I seriously protest why Master Narra didn''t think of that? Or any other rich Daomagarian in training at that. We only use this to fix serious wounds."

    "Yes, this is rather great, but I think it''s not wise to use a lot of White Angel on a continuous rate. Too much good thing can be harmful too. There hasn''t been any study on any harmful residual effects to mortals that has been exposed with it in long, continuous repetitions. You have to be extra careful."

    "Exactly. There is none. So, I think it''s alright. Why call it Angel if it''s not good."

    "The name suggests it''s a life saver. Not because it''s good. Well no matter. Even if she retains her physical best, there''s a problem of altering her blood."

    Karus reached down and pulled a pendant beneath his shirt. It''s a small vial, with a shining neon green mixture. "Here''s what Nemer can provide at the moment."

    "When did you get that? And why didn''t you tell me that?!"

    "I meant for it as a surprise. And besides she''s not ready for this yet. When she drinks this potion, it can alter her blood temporarily giving her the powers of a Daomagar. For how long, we''re not quite sure yet. We''re not even sure it''s going to work."

    "Hey MASTER!" shouted Lime bored waiting. "Will that take long?! We''re waiting for you two here for my weapons demonstration."

    "Oh!" Karus was surprised hiding the vial pendant back under his shirt and then waved for confirmation. "We''re coming!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Captain Gab, what a pleasant surprise!"

    Captain Gab, who is about to knock on the open doors of Reus''s private hut just smiled and entered. "Eyes at the back of your head, I''m impressed."

    Reus, rummaging something at the far corner with his glowing amplifier only as light, leaned back smiling to acknowledge the compliment. He stood up dusting his dirty royal gown, a gown made by her Grandmama but he has no sense in fashion so he wouldn''t know better.

    A smiling Gab is one that could be witnessed once every hundred years or so, give or take a couple of months. That''s what Yosh told them. He''s either just simply happy or he''s a bearer of some bad news and is just easing off with a warm introduction, either way the latter is more probable than the previous one. He only reveals his smiles at the brothers, a feat no other people thought possible, so the smile bothered Reus a bit. But maybe he''s just feeling guilty about their previous encounter managing to fatally wound him in the process and he''s still as sorry as then so he''s leaving his scary mask off but that''s just one of Yosh''s curious observations. He''s a general now so he has to think like one, he figured.

    He pulled the tons of stacked paper to the center and went on ahead to face Gab. Gab then immediately bowed down kneeling with his arms curled leveling his eyes in salute.

    "Oh, do get up," he insisted pulling him up. A funny thing to witness too since Gab is almost twice his size and kneeling points out that he still needs a few inches in his few remaining years of growth spurt. "We''re not in the barracks. I can only assume that I''ve been suspended. Understandably Of course, after all those fiascos we caused, so there''s no need for formalities."

    "But General, we must honor our direct..."

    "Hush now," he ordered smiling wide running to the counter fixing him some tea. "Sit... wherever I think," he pointed with his finger trying to find a spot but noticed his room being overrun by stacks of paper and old books with all the chairs saving those rare brown parchments from being lost in all the paper frenzy happening on the ground. "Or stand? Standing works too."

    Gab grabs the cup that Reus offered and took a sip. Standing in attention. Still with a weak smile which troubled him further.

    "What are you doing here, sir?" Gab started.

    "Oh, I''m trying to create a formal library here. I like to help the villagers whenever I have the chance. It''s my way of saying thanks for their hospitality. On the plus side, I''ll have something that would take my mind off things. It''s a win-win!"

    Gab nodded being impressed. Reus knows he''s not good with small talk, he sees it on his eyes, so he ended the torment and just skipped on to the serious talk.

    "W-why are you here again, Captain?"

    "Yes, General. I''m here to report Grand General''s mission success and some errands here and there but more importantly I need to convey a message to you."

    After this he pulled out his sling bag and reached for a letter with a red seal. Reus, still confused, went closer and received the letter. He immediately went near the windows to catch the shafts of bright sunlight piercing through to inspect the red seal which appears to have his father Artemus''s crest. Reus immediately opened it and read on.

    "Huh... Well that''s understandable." he reacted. It''s a two-page letter, Gab knows that, but all Reus did was scan it and in just four seconds, he apparently read all of it.

    "I''m sorry General Reus. You have your orders. I assume you''ll follow through?"

    "Oh, yes. No. Sorry but you don''t have to escort us. We''re more than capable of returning ourselves."

    "But sir. You are a General, and you and your brothers are still Nagozulian Royalty. Such escort is necessary."

    "I''m sorry but I think you''re underestimating our..." he stopped immediately beaming a smile figuring, "Unless..."

    Gab noticed too and gave an awkward smirk.

    "Who put you up to this Captain?"

    "Master Anagea, General."

    "Fine, fine. I guess Mama wants to see us going home as planned without ever wandering off."

    "You do tend to wander off," he added. "I meant your brothers, so I can understand Master Anagea''s concern."

    "Yes, I take on from my father."

    "So, General. How does tomorrow morning sound?"

    "Yes, yes. But the thing is..." he scratched his head and fixed his spectacles trying to find the words to explain. "I think I''ve lost my brothers."

    Gab tilted his head as if wanting to hear it again, as if he didn''t understand what he meant.

    "Of course, they do not disappear magically," Reus followed trying to calm the Captain Gab who is feeling a bit worried about his news. "What I meant was they left me here." He ran towards the other side of the room and went to a wardrobe. He opened it hurriedly and grabbed two separate letters and presented it to Gab. "Karus and Kayzar said they''re disappointed about me telling on Mama, so they went on and left me to think about what I did. I honestly don''t know what I did wrong telling Mama we''re safe and sound here. It''s more optimal than for her to scour Nagozul again and punish us for it. I guess they went away to train by themselves in hiding. Nagozul is huge but I think I know where to look for."

    "I didn''t know you''re allowed to know these profanities?" Gab laughed reading the letter.

    "Oh, that one''s from Yosh. We''re still negotiating what word is safe to use. I swear the only thing Yosh remembers in the dictionary at the library is pointless profanities. He even managed a week of research, as miraculous as that sound, only for us to find out that he''s been set out to uncover the most horrible insults ever recorded in history. In every language ever known!"

    "But that''s..."

    "On the restricted section, I know. Sometimes I wish they just remove that section there. It''s not worth compiling to. Anyway, Karus and Kayzar are training somewhere but Yosh seems to have vanished into thin air. Yet again."

    "How should we proceed, General?" Captain Gab turned serious standing in attention as if receiving command.

    "Stop doing that, I''m suspended remember?"

    "As a matter of fact, it is the opposite, sir. I''m here to inform you that you have been promoted to Master General. Commander General Enro reports now directly to your command. Your promotional ceremonies will be conducted right after we arrive at the Citadel."

    "Oh. Well that''s fast."

    "Congratulations sir. You did a spectacular job at the North and after what you did on your rescue at the cotton village..."

    "Shhh... Shut it. Don''t ever speak that! We''ll all be in trouble if anyone overhears."

    "Oh. Sorry Sir."

    "Who else knows that... thing... we did?"

    "Just a close few..."

    "The Omega Tribe?"

    "How''d did you..."

    "I know of that tightly knit club my father was into. I figured it''s only a matter of time before I become inducted."

    "But that''s a highly secured secret, How''d..."

    "Well, secrets are my department. So, do they all know about what we did?"

    "Sorry sir. We can''t talk about that."

    "Yes, yes. I know, it''s a secret you all carry to the grave and whatnot. But that means I''ll be a member, too right? Being promoted Master General?"

    Captain Gab just smiled ignoring him. Reus just laughed getting a cup of tea for himself. "Well no matter, all we have to do is find Karus and Kayzar and then we''re straight to the North."

    "But what about Yosh?"

    "Finding Yosh is the easy part. Finding those two rascals, well that''s another story."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The golden shimmering sunbeams that pierced through the stained-glass windows fluttered all around the room creating an afternoon look at the common room in the south wing of the Palace where the party of Leonus currently resides as guests.

    They keep to themselves, the Leonus delegates, so Nagozulian or Daomagarian sentries are not needed to watch their every move. You can call it arrogance or laxity but somehow, the people of the Holy Lands are not really considering them as a threat even if they are free to move about in the Palace.

    You can never blame them for that since obviously they do not pose any security risk, and even if they manage to stray off and perform indiscretions that are offensive to Nagozulians, they can''t really stand a chance with their mortal bodies too weak to defend against highly powerful beings that are Elementals. Even after then, one death toll from the Nagozulian would naturally mean the massacre of the whole Leonus delegation and all of their forces camped out just outside the city. That is if they are lucky to manage one death toll, which would then be a really great hypothetical joke to tell in a pub.

    Being massacred on enemy lines is the only best-case scenario every Leonus party member thinks off. The worst case would be being trapped there on the island, tortured and imprisoned forever, so no one dares to think bad thoughts against Nagozulian, or their Daomagarian brothers. In fact, all of them think they are on vacation, drinking and eating every single day, which creates some minor irritation on some Nagozulians seeing how rowdy they are when they are inebriated but that''s about as mad as they can get. Even drunk, they are still polite, a feat not a single one of them anticipated. Even Eryk, sitting puzzled in the common room, has thought of this perplexing idea. Even their rowdiest soldiers akin to wild rampaging wolves have been magically whipped into kind lambs. It''s almost a miracle. But before he completes his thoughts, a soft tap came suddenly from behind.

    "This is rather disturbing. We need to discuss this." Tabarius whispered interrupting his wandering mind while he currently admires the mesmerizing bright saffron shafts that pierce through the stained-glass windows before him on that lazy morning. It took Eryk about three seconds to snap out of it as he noticed Tabarius face all secretive as if hinting to follow him which he did so in a hurry but not as to arouse any suspicion among the others occupying the area.

    They went to the furthest of the halls leading to a room, a quaint and small bedroom designated to Sir Echon who is waiting along with his son Sir Julius. This bothered Eryk feeling as though they are conducting a clandestine meeting of nefarious purposes seeing as there are no other knights present except the two but that''s just going over the top, so he humored his friend Tabarius and started to listen.

    "We may have ourselves a problem here, my dear friend Eryk. It''s to my understanding that we need to supply Princess Prodea with live humans to sacrifice for her Magicks, but we didn''t know it''s an offering to the demon!"

    "I say we pack up before we''re in too deep," added the Knight Echon scratching his round beard. "That way we''re not accomplices to her evil witchcraft and God will not smite us for our insolence."

    "No!" Eryk contested hurriedly being shocked to what they are planning. "A deal''s a deal. We can''t back out now, not after we sent letters to the other side that it''s safe to send more people. We''re expecting a wave of about a hundred every three days next week."

    "Don''t you see, Eryk. We''re in way over our heads here."

    "So, we''ve witnessed a few black Magicks, so what? The rewards are greater than the risks."

    "The reward?" scoffed Tabarius now agitated. "We went here to get some water from the Fountain of Life. So far all we''re taking are large risks without the reward. It''s the opposite."

    "T-that''s still in planning," Eryk tried whispering trying to calm Tabarius down. "Besides, what did her highness say about that? She said we need to overthrow their kingdom first before we get our water. You''re the one who asked us to trust her."

    "That''s before I knew what''s going to happen to our knights. Sure, she said something about making a super mortal, on how she''ll be able to transform our knights to the most powerful mortal alive, into living titans, but at to what cost?"

    "Just to point out, your Grace," entered Julius sitting in troubled thoughts on the chair near the door playing with his knife. "We''re the next to enter that weird experiment. Now from what I heard that''s totally great and wonderful, but I do not want to be a slave to some bratty princess hell bent on horrific domination, especially when they are using demons. The only demon I trust is myself."

    "Sir Haaron, is still alive. He''s still there. He obeys Princess Prodea but after that he does what he pleases. He''s still in control."

    "But where is he?" Tabarius insisted, "If he''s in control, he should be with us. Not with Princess Prodea who turned her into her puppet."

    "It''s but natural to study him further. He just underwent a very frightening transformation. We''ll see him when we see him. But he''s still there. I guarantee you."

    "But our soul, Your Grace," Sir Echon emphasized. "Are we still in control of our soul? Or will it be owned by the demon?"

    "Demon?" opposed Eryk looking at Tabarius, "What''s this talk about demons. What have you been telling them, Tabarius?"

    "What has transpired last week. All of it."

    Eryk smiled and looked at the two with reassuring eyes, "I assure you. It is not the demon. If it is then we all would''ve seen his diabolical face in person."

    "From what I gathered from Lime, Eryk, is that there is a history in their books telling a story of two major angels, the greatest of Bathala''s Heralds as they call them. And their names are Ana''giel and Dim''ion. The good and the evil."

    "By the looks of it, Dim''ion literally sound like Demon and Ana''giel sound like Angel," stressed Echon. "It seems that she''s been uttering the name of the demon in their tongue many times during the incantation. Now I don''t want to be insubordinate, Your Grace, but I need some assurance that we''re not working for the devil himself."

    "I promise you. We''re not working for the devil. This is the Holy Lands, remember? It''s not like God will let the demon prance around in his most sacred lands."

    "But what about the slaves?" pursued Julius now standing up in curiosity, "What about the slaves that have been used as human sacrifice? What''s with that?"

    The Earl found his tone disrespectful but didn''t act out on it. Much is riding on his benefit staying there so he maintained his calm demeanor. "The slaves act out as additional power sources. Princess Prodea needs them in order to increase the power of the subject. The life forces of those slaves will then be integrated with your own life force forming a unique bond that will incorporate the unearthly powers that you will possess after the incantation. That''s how it works. It''s not possible to gain power from nothing now is it? Power needs to be channeled from somewhere and that happens to be live human sacrifice. So, there are no demons or devils involved there. It''s just a matter of simple transference of life source."

    "Is that true, My Lord?" asked Echon directing his serious eyes to the Duke.

    "I am sent here as the Chief Science Advisor and..."

    "I''m asking the Duke, your Grace," Echon snapped rudely interrupting the Earl. He turned his attention again to the Duke and posed his question again. "My Lord, is it true?"

    Tabarius turned away obviously trying to piece all of the information presented until he nodded in acceptance.

    "Then it''s all a bit of misunderstanding!" Sir Julius exclaimed as if jumping, happy as if the whole ordeal never happened. "Just send me a message father when they''re ready for us. My squad is hunting for ducks by the river south from here." He gave a slight nod clicking his tongue as if saying goodbye to his superiors, however rude that is, and then stormed out of the door as fast as a kid getting chased by a dog.

    "Am I dismissed, My Lord," informed Echon in attention.

    "You are. You are," waved Tabarius, still in deep thoughts.

    "Your Grace, I am a hundred percent at your command," he reassured just before leaving the room. "Whatever you think is right, I will follow. Even if they''re in collusion with the devil himself, I will support you."

    Tabarius nodded, still in his perturbed state, and then Echon left the two of them in private.

    "What has gotten out of them, Tabarius? It seems as though they are afraid. I thought your knights are..."

    "Are you?" he posed.

    "What?"

    "Not afraid?" he gently reached for a chair and sat as if weak. "Because I am."

    Eryk was about to follow up on his answer but chose to remain in silence. He found himself walking near the bed to sit as if mulling over his informed decision about convincing them to carry on with their plans. He knows something''s not right with Prodea''s acts and he knows the evil secrets he has within, the secret deals he made with Prodea. Maybe it''s greed or selfishness that has been controlling him to ignore all the facts, but one thing is definite, this is the first time he felt guilt for what he has done. A guilt that has a short life span for it seems he found a way to exploit the situation and immediately changed the topic.

    "I noticed Ysa has been alone for quite some time now and I don''t know if you noticed but Yvonne is practically missing these past few months too."

    "Yes, those two were once like a pair of shoes. Where the other one goes, the other one follows. They''re inseparable. But now I think things are changing. Maybe because they feel safer here than in Leonus. If Lime can leave her sister here at the Palace without fearing for her wellbeing, then maybe we''re safe to stay here as well."

    "Yes, but where is she?"

    "Yzzy? Well she''s in the study. The same as yesterday. That kid is fond in reading books and has..."

    "No, I mean Yvonne."

    "Oh. Her. I told her I''m not giving her permission, but she refused my blessings. She even tried to hold her breath to break me to give her permission, but that poor girl fainted before I said yes."

    "I don''t understand, what does she want?"

    "To run around and explore Nagozul. She''s been cooped up in the library for the better months of our stay here, so she insisted to explore the southern parts. I told her it''ll be dangerous, but she went up and pulled Lady Zeba in our discussion. Lady Zeba assured me that the most dangerous thing she''ll be experiencing is home sickness missing me, so I gave her my permission."

    "And you just let her go out the Palace to wander about in these mysterious lands without supervision?" he charged almost shocked.

    "Relax, he''s been escorted by a young master swordsman of the Hundred Swords Elites. That''s a big deal considering that he''s a part of a guild of skillful swordsman who has been continually mastering the art of swordfight. I''ve seen him myself, a handsome looking fellow. She''s as safe as she can be. If you think you''re good with your sword, you haven''t seen him play around with his thin-looking sword - ketan something - I forgot but it''s a weird long sword much like what the oriental Gnarshu wields. Anyway, you would look like a fool playing with a stick compared to those Daomagarian swordfighters. He gave me a demonstration just outside the city. You should''ve seen it. It was marvelous." After this, he laughed uncontrollably insulting Eryk a little which he ignored since he''s now growing concerned.

    "So, you left your daughter with a boy? Is that wise?"

    "What''s wrong with that? He''s courteous, polite, an honorable man. He wouldn''t do anything out of the ordinary. What could go wrong? And besides it''s been two months or so I think. Though she''s sending her weekly letters of her journey, she..."

    "It''s been two months?" he yelped now hysterical.

    "What has gotten over you, Eryk?"

    "What if she falls in love with this boy!?"

    "Let her."

    Eryk stopped for a second as if his reply rang around his head uncontrollably sending jolts of fear to every fiber of his body. "Come again?"

    "I say let her fall in love. It''s a good thing too since we''re in paradise. It''s not like she''d want to marry soon but if she does, I don''t really care if she wants to marry a noble or a peasant. I just want her to be happy. If she decides to settle here in paradise then that''ll be mighty splendid, don''t you think!? He''ll be here, safe from the nightmares of her past and what awaits us in Leonus. She wouldn''t feel what I feel, experience losses as I''ve experienced mine, she could live a full and happy life. She could even make Ysa stay here too. Then the two of them will be safe..."

    Eryk''s sour face turned bitter by the second, so much in fact that Tabarius noticed it so, making him turn his serious speech into a series of uncontrolled guffaw.

    "Oh, my dear friend Eryk," he calmly continued after laughing with almost a tear clinging from his eye refusing to roll down till, he swiped it away. He stood up and went near him as if consoling him. "Is this about that talk we vowed never to speak of again?"

    "Yes..." he mumbled almost hesitant, angry and hurt. "You told me..."

    "I told you I''ll give you a chance," he cut in now serious and in a friendly tone, "If she chooses you, then I''ll give her to you. If not, well I don''t know anything more to say."

    "But you promised me..."

    "My father..." he pointed out with much stress as he stood up feeling worried. "My father promised your father. Not me. A promise that was broken years ago when your father defected and went against Leonus, after they help the Gnarshu massacre all of Golluwun''s forces."

    "But I remained true to Leonus, I even help assassinate my own..."

    "Stop," he interrupted before he could ever continue. He sighed combing his hair in frustration. "I know you''ve been loyal, and I don''t want to examine our... intricate past. I can''t speak for Lime and my father most certainly can''t too. Now that we''re in paradise, the very lands of God himself, all is forgiven, the slate is wiped clean. The playing field is leveled. All is equal. My point is if you can, then do it, otherwise then just quit."

    "Wh-wha-what?" he mumbled almost teary eyed. "What are you saying?"

    "Look at us. We''re almost the same age. You''re twice as old as she is. Let it go. Let her be with whoever makes her happy, someone who understands her. I''m sure there are other women out there who can make you happy, twice or even thrice of what my Lime can give you. By the looks of it she likes that handsome kid, a lot. I had never seen her so happy in my entire life. It''s like she turned like a kid again, as if experiencing another mystery and facing it with sheer excitement, and joy, and fear all at the same time just like when I met my sweet Kamil. I know she doesn''t know about love and she doesn''t know how to realize that or maybe she''s not even there yet, but I want her to at least try it out for herself." He sighed again sitting back beside him, putting his arms tapping his shoulders. "Look at it this way. We''re all in the same boat. If she''s out there experiencing life, exploring the realms of love, then maybe it''s about time we do that too."

    "That''s unfair ''cause I know you won''t..." he grinned hiding his anger, just to finish it all up.

    "Well, you know me far too well, I guess. Nothing can replace Kamil. Just¡­ Just do it for the both of us."

    Three knocks on the door startled them in attention. They stood up just before it opened.

    "Good morning. Sir Echon told me I''d find you two here."

    "Pleasant morning too, Lady Zeba," they said in unison.

    "I''m sorry gentlemen but I''m afraid your presence is requested in Prodea''s chambers."

    "I-I''m sorry? Why in her chambers?" Tabarius asked wondering.

    "It''s about the thing we did yesterday. I assume you have kept it a secret too amongst yourselves?"

    The two looked at each other knowing full well Sir Echon and Sir Julius have learned their secret too but nodded in chorus which made Zeba smile a little, curiously baffled but smiling.

    "I''ll give you time to prepare. I have other matters to attend to. I assume you know your way around so please be there within the hour."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "You''re late!" Prodea reprimanded, amicable yet sounding like she''s scolding.

    The two entered Prodea''s wondrous chambers but before Tabarius appreciates the aesthetic beauty of her spacious room, her soft cushy red carpet, her bright intricate stained glass windows and the marvelous sculptures in every corner, his attention immediately was captured by the Knight Sir Haaron who is standing at least seven feet tall, with red skin, in a battle armor unlike anything he has ever seen before.

    He went near for a closer inspection being drawn by both curiosity and awe. He''s wearing a dark red full metal armor weighing by a reasonable estimate of at least a ton. The armor enveloping his entire body can be seen like a totem. The sharp thorns protruding from his armor will definitely instill fear to anyone if they forget how humongous he is and is dumb enough to ignore that fact. That also would make anyone think twice about staying on their spot when he goes about on a rampage. The thorns are sharp and deadly and can pierce through any chainmail available, however sturdy their blacksmiths assure it is, and the nightmarish spikes don''t end there. It runs down to his sides, to his gloves, even to his boots creating a frightening red monster out for blood. The thickness of the armor is practically impossible for a mortal to carry and yet he''s standing equipped with it, smiling as if awaiting any compliments, he might give.

    "Impressed?" Prodea started too eager to wait for his assessment. "We tested out different weapons and none can penetrate it. He''s the ultimate titan, even his skin is impenetrable." Prodea grabbed a dagger and pushed it to Tabarius''s hands. "Come on. Try it out yourself."

    Haaron removed his gauntlets and revealed his red arm. Tabarius looked up and saw him smiling as if inviting him to pierce him.

    "Try my arm, My Lord. And please, don''t conserve your strength."

    Tabarius shrugged and mumbled. "Here goes nothing." He held Haaron''s hands tight and quickly stabbed his arm but what he didn''t anticipated was that his skin is as tough as a metal plate but still as pliable as skin. The blade was held in place, but the force of his strike didn''t waver and unfortunate for him, the dagger didn''t have any hilt at all. As a result, his hands slid from the hilt to the blade resulting to a messy accident that cut his palms so deep blood came gushing out everywhere. Prodea laughed incessantly as if anticipating that the unlucky situation will happen.

    "Gets them every time," she mumbled as she called him forward to go near her. "I thought you''re going to shout or cry or run about in my room. But you''re as calm as a soldier. Kudos for you."

    "Indeed, I''m a soldier back in my better days. I''ve had worse, it''ll heal," he bragged with his eyes unable to cover the twitching cues of the pain he appears to be hiding.

    Eryk just smiled awkwardly not knowing what to say. He''s impressed with Haaron''s new abilities, but he''s disturbed with Prodea''s weird humor.

    Prodea grabbed Tabarius''s hands and muttered her weird chants. After she''s done, his hands returned to normal once again, magically fixing the serious cut that could''ve almost torn his hands apart from that ridiculously sharp dagger.

    "I''m borrowing your Knight as we have arranged," she followed amicably beaming her wondrous smile as if excited. "I expect there will be no resistance to this engagement. Wouldn''t you agree?"

    Tabarius was confused for a bit. It''s as though she''s insinuating that they know what they talked in Echon''s quarters. He just ignored the fact returned the favor of her smile with a kind nod.

    "Oh, and please do tell your other two knights that I won''t be needing them on our next week''s schedule. I can do my plans with only one titan at the moment, so Sir Haaron will do. I''m sure they will be relieved after hearing that great news."

    "Oh, sure, sure," he agreed still bewildered with her insinuations as if she''s reading his mind. "I assume you can coordinate with us with what you are planning?" he added wanting to be included in her activities.

    "Oh, don''t worry. We won''t be needing Leonus'' army for what we''re planning in these next few weeks?"

    "Oh, how so? I thought we''re digging in the mines as planned?"

    "Well, no. Let''s just say..." she turned around and grabbed a fist sized metal ball at the corner and continued, "...we''re doing something that might get a little tricky. I haven''t given any leverage to your forces yet so let me give you a demonstration." She threw the ball to Haaron which he hurriedly caught, without looking as if he gained some extra sensory skills. Prodea nodded as if giving him the signal and then he crushed the ball with his bare hands turning it like mashed up ruined clay. Once he did, he dropped it on the ground creating a loud thud to a tune of a cracking floor as if it''s heavier than he is. "That thing there is a compressed metal ball created by the finest Daomagarian metal artisans around. It''s some sort of a cannon ball, if you will. The weight is so heavy there''s still a difference after summing all of our weights combined. On how they can do it, I don''t know, and you don''t need to know too. What''s important is that you know that if your army can''t do what Sir Haaron does. Then they''re as good as flower fertilizers. If you get my point..."

    "Oh... so it has begun?"

    "Oh, no. We''re just starting the prelude. You''ll know when we''ve begun."

    Zeba interrupted all of the sudden, opening the huge double doors of Prodea, gasping for air, shouting. "Your Highness! We captured him! He''s in the Catacombs! What shall we do!?"

    Prodea''s eyes widened with much distress that it filled the two Leonus delegates with much worry. Prodea hurriedly grabbed all the articles lying on her bed and pushed the two out of his bedroom. He signaled Sir Haaron who ran fast to follow Zeba. They all went outside and Prodea sealed his magical doors shut in much haste.

    "Zeba, take Sir Haaron and proceed with our plan. Coordinate with the Generals and use whatever force is necessary then meet up with me at the catacombs. I assume you can organize a systematic assault by yourself?"

    "To weed out the traitors in every village?"

    "What other plan is there?" she scoffed surprised by her daft reply.

    With this the two ran on the opposite corridor disappearing as quickly as one can blink with an eye using the Great Dash. The two delegates still can find that to be awesome since they can never get used to such spectacular feat.

    "Why are you still here?" asked Prodea annoyed at their lack of sensitivity and understanding of her nonverbal cues.

    "Oh, sorry," Tabarius snapped out of his happy thoughts. "So, we''ll meet up later I assume?"

    "If I can, yes," she replied almost grumpy.

    "You go on now," Eryk hurriedly whispered. "I have something to talk about with Her Highness."

    "Oh, right," Tabarius giggled. "I didn''t know you had that in you. Well good luck on your conquest for happiness. May it be fruitful!" He then ran away as fast as he can after tapping Eryk as if congratulating him, confusing Prodea who is somewhat annoyed making her wait.

    "What is it that you want this time Eryk?" she said after a couple of seconds after he vanished into the halls. "You two are getting weirder and weirder and it''s practically annoying."

    "Is there nobody around?" he mumbled looking left and right, inspecting every nook and cranny.

    Prodea rolled her eyes now being infuriated. "Make me wait further and you''ll just disappear where you stand."

    "Prodea our deal can''t wait."

    "It''s Grand Princess Prodea for you," she corrected. "Don''t ever forget that."

    "I''m sorry, but my marriage with Lime can''t wait any longer. I need you to do it now!"

    "I''m kind of in a middle of something here. Please don''t say you''re making me wait for that stupid joke. It''s not even funny."

    "I''m serious. He''s meeting with a young Daomagarian kid somewhere and it''s not looking good."

    "Well good for her, expanding her horizons like that, reaching for the skies for a miracle. I honestly don''t know someone would want a weak, mediocre, mortal such as her, but I guess I''m not always right, huh? I''d say congratulations but I think it''s too early for..."

    "This is not a joke, Grand Princess," he stopped her stomping his feet.

    "Oh, sure! Yeah! This is not a joke? Well if you''re sure we''re not joking then stop giving me hilarious updates on her love life. Stop wasting my time." She walked out of him almost running in a scurry till he angrily shouted.

    "You gave your word! If I don''t get married this month then the deal is off!"

    "If the deal is off then you won''t get what YOU want! And believe me, your dreams rely greatly to my success than mine to yours!" she shouted too walking again.

    "But you don''t get what YOU want too! And I''ll make it my every effort to make sure of that!"

    She leaned back, clicking her tongue in fury and looked at him straight in the eyes. "Okay fine! I swear! You will marry by two months'' time. If I don''t follow through, then I''ll make you a titan too!" and then she vanished without awaiting his reply. She knows he doesn''t want that, but she has to keep his mind occupied with something else as she is occupied with something much larger.

    Running cannot be the term fit to describe what she''s doing. She appears dashing fast but she''s not on the ground. She''s floating like the ghosts of Karshivyk. Anyone she passed on by kept on looking as if both afraid and confused on how she''s doing it. It seems that she''s been possessed by some entity, but that''s not the case. She''s indeed possessed, not by an entity but the urgency of excitement over the leverage she now has against her mysterious enemy.

    The doors of their secret chambers in the catacombs violently opened banging their twin doors against the walls creating a disturbing ear-splitting cry that echoed around, waking the man at the center lying weak, beaten plentiful first before being sent there against his will. Prodea slowly walked dropping all of her articles on the ground with a wide grin a devil only wears around before doing something wicked.

    The man tried to stand up, being brave, but immediately fumbled down shaking, managing to at least kneel showing his defiance. Even with his face all beaten up to a pulp, he still managed to give an impressive stink eye akin to an insolent twelve-year-old giving a tantrum. Prodea was amused at his unwavering but pitiful determination. A Nagozulian being beaten violently by a Daomagar is no ordinary thing to endure. He should be unconscious now, unaware and complacent, while Prodea scours his mind and extract what she needs. Instead he''s still awake.

    "What an impressive physical endurance training you must have," she complimented sitting down facing him on the ground. "Such thing is only possible by churning the hatred from within to develop such a fine grit. But I do not sense any hatred leaking out... unless there''s something keeping you awake, a goal, a mission. What is it?"

    The man just spat on her face as reply but failed as a magic reflective mirror appeared instantaneously between them, letting the spit drip down safely down on the ground. Prodea laughed hoping to insult the man but gained nothing. It''s as if he''s ready for her, as if he still has the upper hand after everything that has happened to him. It made her wonder for a bit. It made her question some things unexplained but the excitement of breaking him first distracted her till she abandons the thought altogether.

    "They say you''re a grocer. That you have knowledge about the cargo deliveries from the Trading Post to the City; that you supplied information to the enemy. Is that true?"

    "I thought you''re smart?" he mocked, "It''s baffling why you haven''t figured that one out yet. It seems you''re not as smart as they say you are."

    Prodea''s temper overwhelmed her senses. Nothing insults her better than insulting her intellect. She leaned over and choked him with her hands trying to crush his throat with her grip. She knows better than to do this. All of her senses kept on pursuing her to calm down, but she didn''t. She ignored it all for this one act of superiority, an act to express her power and her advantage. That''s one mistake she now knows she''ll regret for the rest of her life for after she attacked him, a wave of darkness surrounded them, trapping them into a dark abyss of cold reclusion.

    "Where are we," she mumbled frightened now unable to control his body, being suspended in the air like a cloth hanging out to dry.

    "You know the answer," whispered the man appearing brighter by the second. "You just want me to say it out loud. Will that pacify the terror you''re feeling right now? Will it help you ease up? If it is, then I''d gladly keep my silence then."

    "Y-You entered in my mind? How?" she asked quivering in fear. The most secure place she knows, being entered upon, entrapping her in her own snare. Her most greatest fear.

    "Let''s just get this over with. Unlike you, I don''t really like to brag about wasting time. Monologues are just pathetic. Only self-absorbed people like you do that." He got closer and choked her himself returning the same throat crushing blow she gave him earlier. "By the way, Yiv sends his regards you Yit''Vit piece of Tesh!"

    The man exploded immolating himself while propelling Prodea till she slams violently against the wall. The impact created a fracture in her skull rendering her unconscious on the ground.

    Zeba have fortunately returned there after she accomplished her orders but regrettably, she arrived late. She only saw the massive explosion that propelled her away too. A massive headache and a buzzing ring on her ears were all she endured as she ran towards the debris that once was their secret chamber in the catacombs. The explosion is five times more powerful than what Juni used. This power only comes from a spell used by Yagisivians. Are Yagisivians in collusion with the enemy? The thought lingered her mind, but that idea was suspended as she dashed ahead to find Prodea. She used all her might searching for Prodea, shouting at the top of her lungs till she saw her, lying still, in the far corner, without consciousness. And in a shocking shriek it''s all over. She''s dead!

 30 OUTRAGE

    "Sir, we now have eyes and ears at the south. We''ve just procured intel from our spies and now have a full understanding on what''s happening down there. We have placed loyal sentries on our strategic posts should Your Highness decides to take a move. How should we proceed?"

    "Master Narra, any opinions?" Artemus beamed in his stern look.

    Narra scratched his chin, a tell when he''s devising a plan, and pondered for a second. Artemus only looks for counsel when he knows he''s about to do something risky and wants someone to stop him by beating him with a more rational decision but sadly his thoughts came up empty. He could blame it on a dry spell for the obvious fact that they haven''t taken their regular sleep for about a week now, doing everything they can to manage both problems in the north with the Pusakals and the developing commotions at the south, but he knows it''s futile to point the finger and blame fatigue while he mocks his way around them. It''s not that they are too tired to think straight, it''s that there''s just no other option left for them to choose. He knows everything will lead to only one option. He just doesn''t want to suggest it, especially with Artemus''s condition. But he''s trying his best to delay the inevitable, praying for something, being a religious mortal that he is.

    "Then there''s no other way," Artemus stood up with a heavy heart.

    A sudden spark ignited in an explosion of thoughts filing fast to create order in Narra''s mind. An epiphany, not an ideal one, but he took it without thought as he mumbled to contest. "No. There is still something."

    "So, you have found another way?" Artemus asked with a weak smile.

    "Not a way, but it''s an option."

    Artemus sat down resuming his unconscious swirling of the cup of cold dark green tea on his desk that has been there a few hours before they started meeting and looked at him with his full attention, awaiting this miraculous idea that he usually concocts at the last minute which usually saves them all from trouble.

    "Do nothing," Narra whispered. The three military officers kneeling in front of them, with their heads bowing down, slightly raised their eyes in confusion, as if awaiting Artemus to challenge the idea.

    Silence filled the room for a few more seconds until the farthest kneeling officer started to speak up. "Permission to speak, Your Highness."

    "Granted, Major Camyl," Artemus quickly replied.

    "Grand Princess Prodea''s forces have been destroying villages that are tagged as not optimal to situate a fortress and have been building fortresses to the ones that are. Reports have been flying about stating homeless Nagozulians being reassigned to newly fortified villages as if prisoners, trying to keep the population on every fortress up just so they could justify the change. Five Villages have been completely leveled on their first wave in this week alone. By my calculations, this will all be over in about three to four months."

    "By over you mean the whole of the south, I presume," Artemus added.

    "Yes, Grand General. Five to six at first week, then it will double, and will spread like a disease unless someone steps up to her. Every day, more Nagozulians are at risk. And there is talk that Daomagarians are now being treated with indentured servitude building her fortresses. I''m sorry Your Highness, but this must stop."

    "What is your take? Master General Jeng."

    The general stood up in attention and put her fists on her chest and bowed snappily. "I am sorry Your Highness. I am not worthy to share my opinion to the Blessed Son of Light. I do not share your highness''s infinite wisdom and the blessings of Bathala."

    "On the contrary, everyone in the Holy Lands is blessed by Bathala''s wisdom," Artemus smiled encouraging the young newly appointed Master General that is widely known to be an Elemental Prodigy of Earth and Water. "Your uniform proves that fact."

    "In my opinion, Your Highness," she said confidently finally giving in but with eyes drilling the ground. "The Nagozulian Army''s paramount responsibility is the protection of life. Therefore, mounting an assault to pacify Grand Princess Prodea''s army and the arrest of her highness as soon as possible is most preferable."

    "Doing that would create civil war!" Narra broke reacting violently, standing up pushing his chair back a couple of feet. "Are you so insensitive to suggest a massacre?! Lives would be lost and then the paramount goal of your Army would''ve been for nothing!"

    He''s been tip-toeing the whole time avoiding that conclusion that she so boldly stated. He''s shouting, forgetting that she''s not informed about the prophecy. This shocked the Young Master General in fear of being punished, making her kneel down curling her hands leveling her eyes once more. Narra immediately backed down seeing the wrong he had committed and found himself sitting on his chair once again, rubbing his eyebrows with great pressure. Artemus quickly stood up and gave his order.

    "We are on a lot of stress lately, I suggest we take the day off and move this meeting tomorrow morning, after all of us have recovered our strength to continue. You''re all dismissed."

    The three stood up, put their fists to their chests and bowed. After which, they quickly marched to the door with the Master General still lingering before exiting. She turned his head, with eyes shaking as if pulling her strength not to let one tear accumulate and whispered. "I''m sorry Your Highness, Master Narra. I haven''t considered all the ramification of my thoughts. You are right Master Narra. Please forgive me." And then with this she gently pushed on and clicked the door to shut.

    "She''s right you know," Artemus started. "It''s the only way to stop this."

    "No. She''s not right." Narra stood up all calm and reflective trying to accept the facts in front of them.

    "You''re being too hard on Master General Jeng. I know she''s a bit young but she''s as wise as those old seers at the Palace. She even placed first in the Academy. That''s why I chose her here."

    "I''m sorry but I just couldn''t stand the thought of a war breaking loose. Especially if there''s still something we could do to prevent it."

    "There really is nothing. All avenues lead there."

    "There are three ways to stop this. That''s just the first one. The other one is to let the prophecy play out. Follow it step by step."

    "That''s just two," Artemus pointed out. "What''s the other one?"

    "My idea. Doing nothing."

    "Yes. That''s three. But all will lead to civil war. One way or another, all will converge into that one scenario of engaging Prodea and her forces. It''s all bad, but we have to choose which would avoid the greatest disaster, acting now, acting behind the prophecy, or acting later."

    "Acting now, accepting war, would destroy you," Narra walked near the window and peered at the full moon''s glow absorbing her calm luminescence. "You''re not in the state to fight. You can''t even activate your bubble defense to at least a quarter of its potential. After you''ve been destroyed, many more will perish."

    Artemus stood up and sat at the corner of his table all serious. He finally took a sip of his tea but quickly spat it out covertly back into the cup the moment he realized it''s not hot anymore. He smiled for a bit and then returned to the conversation.

    "Is it better? Acting out later will only give her the chance to amass more force to defeat us. And frankly, if they do that, with our military forces being thin, with only a single Master General present here, and with all of the Palace''s Royal Strike Teams at their disposal, I don''t think we would survive that. Even if Master General Jowl''s Army arrives here to assist us, we would not stand a chance. That''s saying much, since all of the Elementals under him are Elemental Prodigies."

    "But you would be dead now rather than later!" he shouted almost frustrated. Artemus is immediately stunned with this tone. Narra is the most composed man he ever knew. Even in great and deadly adversity he still maintains a tranquil disposition.

    Narra then turned around and maintained his calm demeanor to continue. Pleading for his sane and rational mind. "Don''t you see? It''s best if you can train to regain your powers and then, do battle. You must make yourself invulnerable and await your enemy''s vulnerability. To do that now will rob us with our best chance of defeating her. With your perfect defense in place, you can rout all Nagozulian forces without bloodshed and crush any Daomagarians who would try to fight you."

    "Ah. The glory days," he smiled remembering.

    "If you do that, if you master your defensive bubble in time, then only two souls will be enough to stop them. Only two lives will be lost. It only takes the two of us. We could defeat them all without ever spilling blood. We could win this without enemy lives on our hands."

    "Yes, father, but that''s practically all but a dream. If only."

    Narra''s old and tired face crumpled into the abyss of great grief, as if he''s already mourning looming deaths that would be on his hands, as the prophecy predicts. He places himself responsible on whatever Artemus decides and all the consequences that it entails. "Whatever you decide is best," he yielded returning to his chair, slouching, releasing heavy breaths.

    "Y''know, father," Artemus smiled, "I think there is still another way. I have been giving this some thought for quite some time. It might not work, but it will delay Prodea''s efforts."

    Narra weakly looked up to Artemus with asking eyes that do not share the same hope that glints in his son-in-law and he continued.

    "I could go up to Prodea and threaten her."

    Narra''s hopeless face suddenly grew concerned with eyes now widening. This new wild idea awakens all of his senses. "You can''t do that! That would be suicide!"

    "That''s not true. If there''s a chance, I should take it. For the sake of Nagozul."

    "Madness!" he stood up looking him in the eyes. "That only works with children. This is serious. You''ll die the minute she calls your bluff. And besides, she knows how to enter a person''s mind. That I know for sure. The moment you lock in with her eyes, she will scour your inner thoughts and wander of like it is her own. She will know your folly and you will die as you stand."

    "Prodea can''t read my mind," he snickered amused by the thought as he sat behind his desk once more, reminiscing his past. "She''s afraid of me. She''s afraid to get trapped inside. I know. There''s a story I haven''t told anyone. To tell you that now in great detail would entail wasting time but to cut it simply, she entered my mind many years ago and stayed there trapped for about a year. She became hysterical there short of scratching the corners of my mind with her hands just to get out and when she did, she realized it had only been but a minute. That''s when all of us are in the middle of eating at the Dinner Table. I remembered quite well since father is still alive at that time asking the two of us if we''re alright, looking at each other for a full minute as if in a staring contest."

    Narra found this intriguing, dragging his chair close. "That''s a bit harsh, even by your standards."

    "The funny thing is, it''s not practically my fault. We''re both trapped in that lucid illusion. Separated, but trapped just the same. I don''t know if it''s my Elemental Innate that protected me from her. In my mind, I can see her, but she can''t see me. I saw her being tormented by loneliness but can''t do anything. Being trapped all alone for a year would''ve driven any normal person mad. I haven''t been around practicing on creating a defensive mind barrier at that time thinking I won''t need it but at that moment, I wish I had. If I haven''t figured out how to get out of there, we would''ve stayed longer than a year."

    "It took you a year to figure that out? That must''ve been a new low for you," Narra teased changing the atmosphere of their serious conversation.

    "No. I was oblivious that we are inside my brain. That''s why it''s so funny remembering it. There I was, thinking I was dead, with all the bright white light surrounding me and then I heard her shouting, calling out to me. At first, she was angry. After a month she''s been saying sorry. At first, I didn''t know what she''s talking but then, after the sixth month or so, she pleaded for mercy. That''s when I found out. If it wasn''t for Prodea''s crazy incessant mumblings and rants, I wouldn''t have figured it out. It took me a while to make a hole for us to escape but that''s a great leap considering I didn''t even know that the mind can be reorganized by a Nagozul like that. To my understanding only Yagisivians can do that."

    "That''s before her return outside the Holy Lands, right?"

    "Yes. It''s that time where Mother and Father prepared a feast for lunch in Prodea''s honor. You''re there if I remembered correctly. We''re still staying at the Palace at that time."

    "I distinctively remembered Prodea acting weird after dinner. So that''s why she''s been so paranoid then."

    "She''s paranoid any given time," Artemus smiled. "The point is much has passed since then. I know she thinks I tortured her for a year to punish her for entering my mind, so she won''t dare enter it again. This time I know she''ll think I won''t be so forgiving entering the second time."

    "Still, she could use her dark Magicks in her favor and destroy you there herself. There have been missing Casters ever since Bakunawa fell and no one knows what''s happening. Investigators have been coming empty handed but we all know who dabbles on Dim''ion''s Magicks. I know it''s Prodea and I know she''ll be ten times more powerful than before."

    "If she ever attained that much power, powers that she thinks is enough to penetrate my ever-famous defensive barrier, she would''ve challenged me already and claimed the north singlehandedly. She''s been hiding reports from me, making excuses for every village relocations, lying to everyone. If she is indeed that powerful, she would''ve boasted around her newfound strength. I know her too well, and I know she could not resist that kind of forced adulation throughout Nagozul. I know she''ll want all powerful elementals alive to praise her supreme divine power, starting with me."

    "What if she did and this is all but a trap to lure you out there? If that''s the case, then you''ll just be handling your head in a ribbon to her."

    "That won''t happen. Don''t forget that I''m still a Life Elemental. I will be immune to elemental energies even without my bubble defense in place. There are other basic elemental techniques I know that can thwart even the most powerful elemental surges. Unless she invokes another power to destroy me, there''s little she can do, and she knows that. There''s only one thing that can penetrate my defensive bubble rendering it inert. I know she has captured Juni, and I think she found what we''ve hidden in his mind, but she still can''t acquire it... yet."

    "Yet? You mean she will?"

    "Of course, father," he laughed for a second or two. "How else would I die by her hands?"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Here he comes..." whispered Karus tapping Kayzar to get ready.

    The two are hiding in a bush, just south of Kulog Pass. Kayzar quickly dashed on jumping on the tree behind them much like an excited leopard after a hunt but in this case, the prey is still to be hunted and is directly up above. With a quick dash from the last branch at the top of the tree, he soared at least twenty feet before throwing his poisoned pins to the unwitting flying falcon just above his current position.

    The falcon didn''t stand a chance! How could he have known that a person would surprisingly leap that far? How could he have anticipated a sane person jumping without hesitation from that thick redwood to attack him? This never happen, ever. Any flying birds of prey know they are safe hovering above those thick redwoods. It''s just his luck he''s Reus''s falcon named Piks with a very distinct color. He should''ve taken much precaution since his master''s brothers play a lot of prank on every falcon he has ever owned in the past. But he doesn''t know that. For one thing, he''s a bird.

    It only took but a second for Piks to come plunging to his doom, slowly spiraling down, turning unconscious as the poison from his belly seep through his skin and into his bloodstream. Karus dashed on forth in a jump, catching him thirty feet before falling face first into the ground. Success! They all thought with Lime and Markus now emerging on the sidelines all excited at the sight of that bird catching experience.

    Kayzar fell a few feet away from them and dashed on forth to meet with them finding Karus on the ground applying the antidote on Piks''s soft underbelly.

    "Having Stella here would surely ease up in tracking that sly falcon," Kayzar laughed catching up with Karus till Lime and Markus finally appearing behind him.

    "So, that''s Piks," Lime entered squatting to inspect the magnificent flying animal. "That''s the falcon of one of your colleagues. Right? The one that would help you with your problem regarding the disappearing villages?"

    "They are not disappearing. Villages don''t disappear overnight," Kayzar pointed out. "Especially the Weaver''s Village."

    He enunciated every word with stress as if he''s containing his anger. The Weaver''s Village is the closest village in their training ground. They''ve only been gone for four days since their last supply run, so it baffles him to know that it has now been completely leveled flat. As if it disappeared overnight with grass growing on the ground akin to luscious green fields shepherds go to for grazing. Finding out that his village completely disappeared just under four days not only brought fear into his heart, but also anger and guilt. This is not the same as with the Cotton Village, being converted into a Fortress. All of the people he swore to protect have been gone without a word. There''s nothing to rescue if his villagers are nowhere to be found. He doesn''t have any spies to contact now and has only Lime''s word to trust, a spy of Karus who is as oblivious as they are. Something''s happening in Nagozul and for the first time, they are completely blanked out.

    "It''s done." Karus replaced the message inside the small tube canister attached to Piks''s leg. He pets the falcon first saying his deep sorry about his harsh capture and then he let it fly fast away from them.

    Lime''s eyes sparkled seeing the falcon fly away just a foot from her. The gush of winds from his wide glorious wings is a marvel to behold indeed but the same is not appreciated by Karus for he is too concentrated reading the message that he has stolen from Piks, giving him an expression that gradually fell into all seriousness. Kayzar also shared this reaction seeing his twin brother turn to his most unpleasant facial expression as if signaling both dread and danger.

    "What''s wrong?" Lime asked getting acquainted with the dread in their eyes.

    Karus stood up, which Lime followed, and read the contents out loud. "The message reads: Reus, please take care. Thanks for the info. Find your brothers fast and return here immediately. Prodea is weeding the Night Hunters out by taking out Villages and relocating them into her fortresses for better security and control. It''s only a matter of time before they destroy the Weaver''s Village. The Fletcher''s Village is now a fortress and soon your village will be next. Get out now before it''s too late. Regards, Major Camyl."

    "It''s a little too late for that," Kayzar muttered with his angry voice leaking out.

    Karus whispered softly, hesitant with his voice almost breaking. "I''m sorry, Casey."

    "Sorry doesn''t help this Karus," he answered grumbling. "We must do something. We must locate them at all costs."

    "But Grog said he won''t help us this time," Karus tried calming him to reason, stopping him by his arm as he turned away in a hurry.

    Kayzar pulled his arm persisting. "We don''t need Grog. I just need you three. If you won''t, I''ll go to the Fletcher''s Village by myself. I will find out what happened, and I will free them all there myself!"

    "It''s a fortress for goodness sake!" Karus reasoned, beseeching his good senses.

    "I''ll return tonight in our meet with R..." he stopped almost uttering his older brother''s name looking at Lime who is dumbfounded on what they are going on about and remembered Karus''s secret. He paused for a quick second and continued rephrasing, "the others tonight. I have to go somewhere first to get ready. I think I can find someone to help us. Either way, we''re going!"

    As he said this, he disappeared as if sifting through space, leaving for Karus to explain things he knows is going to be hard to lie about.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "It is confirmed, Master."

    Yiv walked about in circles before her kneeling apprentices Kudos and Madj. The two are bowing low with faces that are in a depressive state of mourning. Yiv stopped and looked at her disciples with hatred coming out of her eyes that has been drenched in tears. Her mouth has been shaking, as she tried her best to speak.

    "Any reports on who tortured him first before being sent to Prodea? Just a first name would do. I can take care of it myself."

    The two noticed this new emotional Yiv and was bewildered by it. They both telepathically thought that she became soft in her long stay at Nagozul. This should not make her cry as she should be indifferent by now with her experience with captured spies that she has been employing for years. Collateral damage is the key term she uses to justify the event of losing a spy or an informant. This only brings into question the relevance of this particular spy and the correlation on her sudden and apparent leniency to any mistake they have ever committed in the past since she met him. They could only conclude that she developed some feelings towards this man. This particular person may be the only person capable of bringing forth Yiv''s humanity, her compassion. The compassion that has suddenly become short-lived thought Auric as he hurriedly answered in panic, concerned that she may redirect her anger towards them.

    "No, Master. He''s ''bin held captive in ''d Palas ''en ''den sent to ''deyr secret lair. ''Der, he was tortured ''en possibly killed."

    "He''s not murdered," she said with a sharp frightening tone more terrifying than the Old Yiv that they knew. "He invoked the suicide spell I taught him if ever Prodea enters his mind which probably what she did. I know so. The spell notified me, the caster. I know he''s no longer with us."

    "Wouldn''t that kill Prodea, Master? Then we''ve won!" Argentis smiled raising her head in jubilation.

    "Oh, Na?ve apprentice. Up till now you still do not believe in Bathala and his heralds. After all this time." She walked near her, clicking her tongue in disappointment with tears now rolling down her cheeks amidst her serious murderous angry face that would shatter even the bravest of warriors. Argentis, fearing punishment, bowed low again as if sorry. She put her palm on Argentis''s head as if petting her. Argentis, now with wide fearful eyes, tried her every best to contain her body not to shake in sheer terror that would await Yiv''s next action.

    "Of course, she''s still alive," Yiv continued. "She''s the consort of Dim''ion. She''s the Devil incarnate. The Demon that needs to be put down. It''ll be hard to kill her. A simple suicide spell is not enough to crush the life out of that cockroach. No. She''s alive. Or do you not believe in the prophecy? Hmm? Do you doubt that, Young apprentice? Hmm? Do you doubt Bathala?" She paused for a bit leaning close whispering. "Do you doubt me?"

    "Command us, Master. What d''ya want us to do?" asked Auric whispering, trying to change her mood, preventing her from doing anything to her sister out of her immeasurable grief towards the death of their spy.

    "Tet is not just a grocer, he''s also a friend. A friend and a defender of truth and justice and all that is holy in Nagozul. He is a hero. We need a vengeance fit for his title. If Prodea wants to see how far we''ll go, we''ll give her what she wants."

    "Is it time for a ''sij?"

    "Patience, Auric." Yiv turned away thinking. "There''s no mention of a siege in the prophecy. But there''s Famine."

    "Famine? But wut about..."

    "What about what?" Yiv snapped which stopped Auric in his speech. "Destroy any cargo going into the Palace. Anything that moves that could be beneficial to the city must be crushed and be put into dust or be thrown to the sea. I don''t care how you two would proceed but If I catch a single grain of rice, a kernel of corn, or even a single dime entering the Palace''s gate, you two will be severely punished and trust me, you don''t want to end up spending the remaining days of your lives without appendages."

    Kudos and Madj looked at each other and, without even saying neither a word nor a sigh of relief from Yiv''s final words, they vanished as quickly as a leaf being rushed swiftly by a raging river.

    Liv dashed forth in a speed that has never been known by any mortal. If one could only see that kind of speed, a speed faster than that of Master Alein of the Sibara, one would clap incessantly for the whole day and would rejoice her name on all the lands. Maybe it is anger, or sorrow, or even frustration, that gave her the strength to push her body past its limits, limits that would''ve ripped her body, tearing her bones to shreds. But at that moment, she didn''t mind. It''s like she''s punishing herself. She didn''t even bother to stop. She just let go, being thrown in the air, catapulting her body for about half a kilometer only to roll around on the ground to decelerate. She accepted the pain using as little Deep Root as possible and just knelt on the ground, unloading all of things she has been keeping like a dam ready to break, letting the ground drink the rivers of grief that she has contained for so long.

    A minute of silence was all fate left for Liv to mourn for the very second it strokes past it, Kayzar began materializing behind her from the veil.

    Liv snickered out loud standing up, still sobbing. "I thought I told you never to go inside the veil again?"

    "When did you start believing I do everything you tell me to?"

    Liv turned to face him, brushing the tears from her violet eyes that are all puffy and red. "What d''you want?"

    Kayzar walked near but immediately stepped back hiding his face, his eyes that suddenly turning blood red. Liv noticed this but didn''t say anything.

    "You''re bleeding," Kayzar said shying his face away. "I smell blood."

    "That''s normal," she laughed. "I''m always bleeding. My training''s a bit harsh than your ridiculous games with old Grandpa."

    "A-are you crying?" Kayzar mumbled as his eyes return to normal which he continued hurriedly explaining, going near her to console her. "O-Of course, you''re crying. What a stupid question... What happened?"

    "Whoa!" she pushed back laughing. "What are you doing? Get away from me you silly monkey! I just had something in my eye. This stupid forest is full of flying stuff and I caught something while dashing."

    "Really now? Something swats your eye while you''re dashing?" he asked unconvinced.

    "Yes!" she guaranteed. "Something went inside my eye while dashing!"

    She''s moving perfectly. Her bodily joints are not damaged. Any indication of broken bones is missing, and the cuts are probably superficial since the blood he''s smelling is not dripping outside her trench coat, so it doesn''t warrant any moment to create a puffy eye. There''s no one short of his Grandpa Narra that can hurt her in Nagozul, she''s even faster than their mother Anagea. Looking around his surroundings, there''s no sign of a great battle that ensued, no enemy to be seen, nothing, except from a disturbingly long trench that stretched for at least hundreds of feet that might have to do something about her and her muddy coat, he thought, but that''s just speculation.

    "You''re bleeding still. Are you sure you''re not crying in pain?" he joked.

    "Yes..." she maintained being stubborn. "Imagine being bashed by a horde of bees on your eyes because you''re dashing. This is me crying after the fact. I can''t imagine what you''ll do if that happens to you. You''ll be squirming in pain on the ground if it''s you."

    "No, I won''t!"

    "Yes, you will. I know it''s true. You''re so soft like a baby. Bet you''ll get yourself wet after."

    Kayzar just mocked the thought by just sarcastically laughing but he knows she''s been crying for something, something not related to bees she collided on her way dashing.

    While using the Great Dash, Daomagarians are unwittingly activating their other basic skill, the Deep Root. This skill defends the body to small things that would impact their body while dashing, like flying bugs or small specks of dust or sand. Also, by dashing, the body gets to be protected by an air pressure that shoves flying objects and particles around the user, provided that these objects are small and are apparently almost weight-less like insects or small pebbles of rock, twigs, or even leaves.

    While what she says is true, it only applies to fixed, rooted or heavy objects and the resulting impact would''ve totaled that same object into pieces. Daomagarians have a unique set of physiology akin to a metal skin. So, while dashing and suddenly something wants to get in the way, say a moving boulder, that boulder will be torn asunder by the sheer force and strength of a Daomagarian Dashing. Of course, there will be injuries depending on the Daomagarian''s strength, but her sister Liv is no weak Daomagar. Nothing can hurt her mid dash, especially a swarm of bees. It''s a highly known Daomagarian fact. He just feels insulted being tricked by her sister as if he doesn''t know any better, but he feels that he will insult her far worse if he continues to prod her emotional moment. That''s not optimal when he''s about to ask her some help. That''s a question reserved for next time.

    "I can''t be waiting for you all day giving me the stink eye! If you don''t trust me, I don''t care," Liv continued seeing him with eyes of disbelief. "Why are you here anyway? And how''d you find me?"

    "I have my secrets, you have yours. The important thing is I did and that I''m here because I need a favor."

    She stepped back and pulled a long handkerchief from the pocket of her trench coat giving him only an index finger, pointing at him, as if she wants a second for herself. She turned around and blew from the handkerchief, a really loud disturbing series of nose blows that made him cringe in disgust. She turned around fixing her face with the same cloth and gave him a nod, signaling that she''s ready for him to continue.

    "You cleaned up your face on the same place where you expelled your mucus?" yelled Kayzar cringing further.

    "No!" she contested. "It''s in the other side!"

    "No, it''s not, it''s the same!"

    "I flipped it over from before, see look." She went near him revealing the hanky, but he stepped back and refused the inspection.

    "Ach, that''s disgusting..."

    "What''s disgusting is changing your diapers! But it didn''t seem to bother me now, did it?" she stowed away the cloth back on her trench coat and crossed her arms. "You''re still not telling me what you want? I don''t have all day! Quit pissing me off!"

    Kayzar returned a few paces near her almost hesitant to say what he wants, with his eyes deepening into seriousness. "I really need your help. Something''s going on in Nagozul and..."

    "Ah!" she interrupted. "So, you''ve finally caught up! I thought you and Karus are always ahead of the news. Don''t tell me your spies got all lazy and decided to leave you on your own?"

    "That''s the thing... My spies went missing. My whole village went missing."

    "What village?"

    "The Weaver''s..."

    "Oh..." a few seconds passed by with silence binding the two to listen to the chirping melody of the birds till Liv broke free. "I-I''m sorry, brother. I didn''t mean it like that? As an insult I mean."

    "It''s all right," he replied maintaining his composure though his eyes appear to be watery. He went a couple of steps back trying to hide it, but Liv''s sharp eyes could still see it.

    "What do you want then?"

    "I want to find out where they are. I-if they''re alive, o-or, or if they''re... dead..."

    "Phhhfff... don''t be silly. They''re not dead."

    "Why aren''t they sending me a message then? Everything points out to that end."

    "You''re too grim, kid. That might kill you someday." Kayzar''s eyes now turned a little bit angry, giving her a squinting eye, which she noticed so she immediately answered his question to appease him. "If they are taken into the new Fletcher''s fortress then they can''t give you any messages. That''s really a no brainer. Honestly, Kayzar, if you haven''t thought of that then you really are hopeless."

    "Why are they taken there? Why is my village destroyed!?"

    "First of all, it''s really not your village. You rich kids are really full of yourself huh? Owning villages... pffft."

    "Ate-Liv!"

    "Okay, okay. Geez! Prodea''s been acting all weird all of the sudden these past few weeks..." Liv noticed Kayzar looking at him all strange, so she paused for a second. "What''s with you?"

    "Nothing..." he said still with his strange look. "It''s just that..."

    "Yeah I called her Prodea. Just Prodea! She''s not my aunt ''cause we''re really not related and she''s not our Princess since I''m a Daomagar. Plus, she''s been a complete fool all this time, so I know you will forgive me for not giving her the proper title. She''s really not fit for it as far as I''m concerned."

    Kayzar nodded convinced and ready to let it slide by. For one thing, he''s only being forced by his parents to respect her. For all her atrocities, she should''ve been stripped from her rank and be exiled abroad. Many princes and princesses endured harsher punishments for less but that''s not what''s happening. She''s getting recognition for all her misdeeds, but that kind of talk should be reserved in another time, he thought. The most important thing is to learn everything from the master herself. She''s the most informed mortal in all of the Holy Lands. She''s the one who taught them to employ spies after all. She''s not always available and it''s a miracle for Kayzar to have found her there so he should make every single second count.

    "Yeah, you''re not sorry, and I understand you," he pushed forth, "Get to the point about the fortresses."

    "Yes. Now Prodea, your wonderful aunt, has declared war on every village now weeding out her traitors with his red grunt that''s neither a Daomagar nor a Yagisivian. He''s not even a mortal."

    "With her what now?"

    "Wow! You''re really are out of the loop huh? So, you didn''t know about this new General Haaron? The one employed by Prodea? I don''t know where he came from. He''s a foreigner that''s for sure, but I didn''t know someone so powerful can be born outside the Holy Lands. There''s something fishy with him since we''re the only mortals here on earth that has this unique set of powers. If he''s not created by Bathala, then someone evil made him. I shudder at the thought."

    "So, he''s the one leveling the villages?"

    "No. It''s a joint effort really. All I know is that this General Haaron''s only skill is having an irritating set of tough skin. He''s practically invulnerable, so they say. Good thing he''s not that strong too ''cause that''ll be a swell thing for him, advantages and all. Well they say he''s strong but not as strong as a Daomagar. I want to sample the guy with my blade but I''m afraid we haven''t met yet for me to experience a spar."

    Kayzar smiled at her statements as if figuring out what she meant. When she said she wants to sample, she meant she wants to try and kill him, and when she said a spar, she means she wants to fight him to the death. Her eyes indicated a sudden thrill, a twisted sense of excitement, as she pulled her black shadowless blade, caressing it unconsciously going on about her estimate on how deep it will cut him and how much he''d wager if ever.

    "It''s really difficult to defeat that guy. I know even if you four backed him into a corner, you wouldn''t even create a dent. Not with his heavy armor in place. I know it''s not Dal''Gur''s so it''s not perfect but it''s a heavy armor just the same. If a Daomagarian blacksmith made it, which I do not doubt hearing about its craftsmanship, then only Dal''Gur''s swords can pierce it. That is if you apply the necessary force to penetrate it. Penetrating the armor is the first part. Hurting him is practically another story. So, my advice is just quit and go home to the North like Mama instructed you all four to do before you can ever get the chance to face that creepy guy."

    "We can''t do that. We need to free up some people first."

    "Don''t say I didn''t warn you. If you''re captured, as I think you''ll be, you will all be held prisoners and be branded as criminals by your precious aunt. You will also be held in ransom and that would cause us some serious trouble or some war. A war that we would probably win, cause we''re that good, especially Dad and Mama, but you''ll be causing problems just the same. Either way, I''m sick and tired of errantries. Maybe some war would be a great change in scenery in this place. Wouldn''t you agree?"

    Kayzar frowned long. He knows she''s teasing him, and the worst part is, she''s right and everything will eventually lead to that kind of a scenario if they made some mistake and be captured. "Theoretically," he started, "If we are to liberate a fortress, say the Fletcher''s Village. What will we do?"

    "Oh?" she smiled almost excited. "So, you''re the ones behind the Cotton Village crisis."

    "No..." he lied which she did not believe for a second.

    "Well, no matter," she continued putting her blade back on its sheath. "Your problem now is you need to enter one of their fortresses. After which, you need to take them all out, the soldiers I mean. And then, after all is said and done, you need to blast away the walls just to create a message. Then leave. Just leave."

    "Just like that?"

    "Just like that. Leave. There''s no profound thought to think about there. The soldiers will not be focused on the escaping villagers. They will await reinforcement before acting out hastily. They will not dare attack a villager cause if they do, they will be inciting a rebellion. Villagers are sent there as a means of a population control, just to justify the new fortress as a city, a city with a lot of soldiers and defenses in place to make them secure. If they leave, they leave freely. If they force them inside, they will admit that they are prisoners and that would create a serious blow on your army''s morale because it contradicts everything, they believe in starting with their beloved oath to Nagozul. So, if the villagers leave after you all wreak havoc, which I think they will do, they will be safe. If they don''t leave, you still sent a very disturbing message to that snotty princess. Either way, you win."

    "But how would we break the walls... theoretically of course."

    "Good question," she smiled. "Theoretically, you''ll need a Daomagar to break those pesky Anti-Elemental walls. Even if you all combined your elemental essence, you''ll never make a crack on that magical wall because of all those magical incantations they placed there. Physical Impact is needed for that kind of a special wall. A great impact, mind you. Now, for a smart person, such as yours truly, I do not believe you need to have General Enro at your disposal to create such a force to break those ten-foot-thick walls. No. All you need to have is someone who can go inside the veil. If you know such person, you need not worry on those walls."

    Kayzar immediately figured out what she''s pointing out. "The vibrations! Genius!"

    "You can mimic a nasty earthquake with that, but it''s going to be very hard, to maintain that kind of tremor. And I don''t think you have the necessary experience to try that out for yourself."

    "So, are you volunteering?"

    "Hmmnn... let''s see. To get back at your aunt, for just this once? Sure, why not."

    "What''s the catch," he quickly followed bewildered at her sister''s warm reception to join the heist.

    "Let''s just call this one a freebie. A onetime thing, mind you."

    "And I don''t get to owe you anything?"

    "None. Just a little warning though. I have a lot on my plate right now, and next week I will ship to Yagisiv Haya to deliver some messages to the Grand Priestess, from Mama of course. So, I''m only going to be free this week. If you want my help, this has to go down as quickly as possible."

    "Sure! We''re planning on doing it earlier. In fact, we''re planning together by tonight!" he exclaimed euphoric, rejoicing his triumphant success in enlisting the help of his sister Liv whom he knows is also known as Yiv.

    "Just be careful, okay?" she said as if shoving him away, insinuating to leave her alone which he did almost immediately till she stopped him mid-dash. "Oh! And be sure not to tell any soul in my involvement here. Even your brothers. If you do then you''ll owe me ten folds. Understood?"

    "Yeah, sure. But why not? It''s going to be a great thing, you, us, we''ll be taking them all! Brothers and sisters at arms. Why d''you want it to be a secret?"

    "You have your secrets I have mine, right?" she smiled. "Just keep your end of the bargain and I''ll keep mine. It''s that simple."

    Kayzar nodded enthusiastically and then he dashed away.

    Night came swiftly than expected. He''s been haggling time being tardy, checking up routes to go to, accessible roads to traverse, escape routes to be taken, for their upcoming heist before finally going to their clandestine gathering. Kayzar managed to sneak past detection on heavily patrolled roads to the Produce Village where they are supposed to meet.

    He could''ve entered the veil to save time, but he doesn''t want to be spending time on that dreadful place longer than he has to. Whenever he''s there, he feels he''s going to die or someone''s out to kill him there. As if an ominous energy is closing in on him, close to choking him personally. He used up all the strength he has to quickly find his sister Liv and he doesn''t want to linger any further. Getting inside the veil would be faster, he thought, but it''s completely terrifying and nightmares are actually the only thing he doesn''t want to add up to complete this perfect day.

    "You''re late, unusual but really really late," grumbled Yosh with crossed arms tapping the floor with his foot as he entered silently to a small house at the far south of the Village.

    "You better have something to go on to justify your delay," smiled Karus sitting at the table with Reus just looking at him with a simple wave of his hands.

    "Have you all caught up?" Kayzar queried finding his seat in front of Reus.

    Yosh, who has been standing circling around the room, sat beside Kayzar directly in front of Karus and started venting off. "Yes! We''ve completely caught up! You''re really really really late, Kuya-Kayzar! We''ve caught up since last year! That''s how slow you are! My Village has been turned into a fortress and no one from you ever gave me as much as a warning!"

    "That''s why I told you to buy spies," Karus blamed almost laughing.

    "I contest to that!" he shouted angry. "You don''t buy people to tell you something! You make friends with them. You make them your family. Then they''ll tell you things for free!"

    "People don''t tell others information for free. Nothing''s for free. Every movement cost something. Even our brother here doesn''t tell us something when we need it, right Kuya-Reus?"

    "Hey! Don''t blame this on me now!" he growled.

    "You''re the reason why we went into hiding in the first place! If you didn''t tell mama..."

    "If I didn''t tell Mama, she''ll collect us personally!" he pointed out.

    "Guys, please," Kayzar mediated. "We have bigger things to discuss."

    "Yes, big things!" Yosh angrily ranted. "Big things like those fortresses. Those stupid big fortresses that''s filled with auntie''s soldiers. Specifically, at the Fletcher''s."

    "Analyzing the schematics I made," Karus grabbed a cylinder and pulled an aerial survey of the fortress. "The walls are twenty to fifty feet thick and about a hundred to two hundred feet high. The inner bailey at the middle serves as a market area while the sides are residential housing. A simple city, you could say. The outer bailey is filled with soldiers and their quarters. There''s a parapet and a barbican like that of the Cotton Village."

    Kayzar was amazed with Karus''s detailed sketch. He''s the one making maps for the four of them, but he didn''t realize he could make that kind of a thorough map in just under a day. He must''ve had dashed on to the Fletcher''s Village and surveyed it by memory till he could finally draw it later on.

    "There are walls ten feet thick on each side worthy for a breach, is this correct?" Yosh cited pointing at the walls near the corners of the fortress.

    "Yes. It appears that they built a thin wall there because they are planning on making a watchtower spire there. A rather unique architectural taste possibly taken from the Leonus''s architectural designs."

    "The same foreigners that are here now?" Yosh chuckled mocking the retro design of the fortress that has seemed to have gone a century ago. "I didn''t know their imagination can be that crude."

    "Quit it," Reus snapped. "You needn''t insult the design. It''s basic and its foundation is built specifically for heavy sieges that are ready for Daomagarian forces. That''s why they chose that instead of the modern fortress designs that can only hold off Nagozulian forces."

    "That''s only half of the bad news," Karus continued on his report. "Every parapet wall is teeming with soldiers on watch twenty-four seven. Since it''s the Fletcher''s village, most of the soldiers guarding are from the Eastern Sentry. So, basically, they made the fortress fit for archers to defend."

    "Eastern Sentry? Is that where Lieutenant Tarni is designated?" gulped Yosh with wide eyes.

    "Yes. There are Sibara Soldiers present here too. But that doesn''t mean she''s going to be there. She''s a lieutenant after all and she''s from the reconnaissance team. She''s basically doing errantries but not tasks on defensive battlements."

    "Oh," he sighed with relief but Karus smiled as he continued.

    "Don''t trust that what guards there is less frightening than that demented Lieutenant. It is after all, the biggest fortress yet and they are on high alert after the Cotton Village incident."

    "Who is the fort master?"

    "By what my sources tell me, it''s Master General Jowl. Our Godfather Master General Jowl."

    "The Master General Jowl?!" shouted Reus. "He''s the general of the Army of Prodigy. One of the first-class armies Nagozul has!"-

    "That''s kind of my point," Karus laughed to the absolute mess they are entangled in. "Though his army is not there as the General is just checking the fortress for its compliance, his army is just a cry away. The Fletcher''s Village is the closest Village to the Palace. If we attack it, we need to finish up by half an hour. After which, we would not escape. They will box us in and there''s no Grog to teleport us to safety. Defeating all those Elemental Prodigies for half an hour, an entire army of not just them but some of Eastern Sentry''s finest, not to mention the Sibaras as well, is a suicide run. It''ll be a miracle if we ever pull this off."

    "A miracle you say?" entered Kayzar turning his eyes blood red. "Well that''s where I come in."

 31 NIGHT HUN

    The moon pulled all the fluffy clouds across the earth to cover her intense white waxing gibbous glow at the peak of midnight, being shy about her face kindly shaved by her dark blue backdrop that seems to be slowly dragging her backstage after two glorious days of her marvelous performances in the night sky. A boon it would seem for critters all around as they could find solace to her luminous guidance, helping for them to peek from their burrows to see her perform again for another night. A curse, unfortunately, for hunters all around as they have to take more caution in their approach to their prey, finding every skill they have in their sleeves to muster, to gain the advantage of the darkness that has been stripped away from them.

    This holds true with the four brothers sitting on a hill, hiding on its thick underbrush, biding their time to act in hopes of a miraculous thick formation of those hefty cumulus clouds to build up a storm. At least a stormy cloud is better than the intermittent peeking of the moon to the earth. Even a thick cloud to cover the moon''s glow would be acceptable in their case but alas, Bathala''s tapestry of tonight''s sky is different.

    The four princes, who are all patiently sitting in a circular formation, originally planned this plot to take place at least a week from today, where a half moon is guaranteed, where night hunters everywhere can take solace from the night''s dimming shade: not as pitch black as a new moon but a safe shade all the same. Variables such as further fortification of the target location clearly took precedence that led for the resolution to attack in this particular night.

    Kayzar revealed that Nagozul plans to install the spire towers at the four corners of the fortress as soon as possible. With towering spires as watch towers, they will all be revealed before reaching at least a mile from the fortress. With that in place, even with the moon''s two-day slumber, they will never create the element of surprise they need.

    But sadly, that''s just a lie. A ruse Kayzar concocted to force them to do this as quickly as possible. Though it might be true that Prodea has ordered the creation of spires on every corner, this plan is not that immediate and is not of Nagozul''s priority as they are currently dealing with a much persistent problem at the moment. Kayzar tricked them into believing this because it is the only way to force them to strike tonight; the only instance for their sister Liv to lend her hand and create her special appearance, a covert appearance that is.

    A flower sprouted in the middle of their stare gazing competition. It''s a violet. And from behind Yosh, Iyom appeared with every intention of surprising him to create the most humiliating scream a mortal can scream, a thing so impossible unfortunately, however strong Yosh''s belief on ghosts and monsters is.

    Yosh just smiled at Iyom''s earsplitting shriek together with his jumping act in his full effort to exert all of his energy. Yosh smiled not because of Iyom''s futile and comedic attempts to surprise him but the look on Karus''s face as he immediately stepped back jumping, pulling half of his sword, ready for action.

    "Hey, crazy lizard kid, don''t ever do that again," teased Yosh pointing at Kayzar as his serious eyes gradually returning to its brown original tint after being temporarily soaked in crimson.

    With Iyom''s careful eyes, he noticed Kayzar immediately hiding the daggers he pulled in just a fraction of a second being surprised. If he''s not used to control his basic natural impulses, he would''ve thrown that small dagger right at him. These thoughts lingered on till Yosh continued further.

    "I know you''re ranting that you''re always tired because you never get to have a full night''s rest but If you''re not careful you''ll be catching up on your sleep for a day or two with him here. A shame really since I have my permanent marker here on me."

    Iyom knows of Kayzar''s eye technique. This eye belongs only to those mortals who have achieved power through the Veil of Transitus, an eye only available from the line of the strongest of Sibara''s Lineage. The red murderous eyes known as ''the Eyes of Dim''ion'' which has not been passed down from anyone over the centuries and has only been seen to the infamous murderer Yiv. A frightening revelation considering he''s the brother of Yosh whom his father refers to as the incarnate of Ana''giel. A complete opposite, he wondered but he shrugged the idea as he did not want to harbor such ill-feelings towards them.

    "Who are you calling lizard you dirty monkey!" he shouted at Yosh directing all his frustrations on him, ignoring his fear of Kayzar as he slapped Yosh disturbingly hard that concerned his brothers.

    Yosh pulled him by the collar and retaliated by punching him. The punch would''ve connected, possibly robbing Iyom of his front tooth, but a force suddenly blasted the two apart.

    "Be quiet the two of you," Reus reprimanded, "Do you want to remain hidden or do you want to reveal our position? If you want to go home now, we could call it a night. Choose!"

    Yosh mumbled in frustration as he crawled to get back at his spot, scooching over just a little for Iyom to squeeze in. He crossed his arms with a slight dirty look against Iyom as if warning him that this is far from over which he understood right away as he chuckled in regret. Everybody knows it''s better to feel the pain of a punch or a kick now than to anticipate any mysterious vengeful act later. That''s taxing to both the mind and the body.

    "I thought you''re three hundred something years old? Why are you acting like Yosh?" Karus asked laughing to the insulted Iyom.

    "He started it!" he pursued.

    "Just like Yosh," whispered Kayzar with crossed arms, avoiding to look at him in snicker, insulting Iyom further.

    "Well that''s the famous twins, Karus and Kayzar," introduced Yosh. "Don''t mess with them or else you''re going to have a hard time."

    Iyom just pouted looking at them in all seriousness, still insulted with their remark about his childish attitude. He looked at Reus who''s smiling and fixing his spectacles as he introduced himself.

    "Thank you for helping us. I''m Reus, their eldest brother. I say I''m surprised that you came to our aid when you Dwendells try and keep your identities hidden at your forest."

    "It''s not that we hide. We are forced to hide!" he defended now furious. "Forced to hide by your ancestors!"

    "Geez, you got the temper of a burning charcoal huh?" Karus calmed stopping him to continue ranting. "Keep that loud voice up and you''ll burn our spot to the enemy."

    "I''m sorry if ever I insinuated that you''re in hiding. It''s just that I really don''t know everything about you, and I came to conclude that your people are hiding from us deliberately," explained Reus. "It seems that I still don''t know anything about Dwendells after all. If it came as an insult, then I apologize from the bottom of my heart."

    Iyom paused for a while looking down on the ground. "I''m sorry. But it''s just insulting that you don''t know your history and I guess you''re really not to blame there. I heard from Yosh that the history of the Dwendell people, our history that we entrusted with your ancestors, have been burned a thousand years ago. I guess I''ve been missing the ideology about how the sins of the father cannot be transferred to the child. It''s incredibly rude and petty of me to burst out hating like that. I''m sorry too." He finally smiled returning to his cheery outlook all of the sudden.

    "So, the curse is true then," Kayzar concluded with Iyom looking at Yosh as if blaming him for not telling them what he, Nine, and his father revealed to him at the forest.

    "This talk about curses is getting boring. I didn''t really choose to be here anyway. I''m just being forced to help this little monkey by orders of my father." Iyom looked to the front, back and the sides looking for someone till he whispered to Yosh to ask. "Say, where''s Grog? He''s the one who summoned you to the surface two days ago right? So, where is he?"

    Yosh just whispered back answering, trying his best not to reveal it to his brothers who are beginning to be curious to their secret discussion. "It''s not really Grog. It''s Kuya-Reus who summoned me. He just relayed it to Grog and then to your father, Master Kyrin."

    "So, you say Grog''s Apprentice is that scrawny looking guy with the glasses?"

    Yosh looked at Reus with observing eyes and answered smiling, "Yep. That''s him."

    "He doesn''t look formidable, or something... Sure would like to talk to Grog about this mix-up. Are you sure he''s the apprentice of the greatest beast on earth?"

    "What are you two droning about there?" Karus asked being impatient. "It has been two hours since midnight. We need to finish this as quickly as possible."

    "Nice thinking," complimented Iyom. "Striking at the hour before shift change and when they''re all deep asleep will surely cause confusion and chaos in their minds."

    "Gee, thanks for the explanation General Obvious," Yosh praised. "Compliment us further why we''re doing this in the night instead of in broad daylight."

    "Why you little..."

    Kayzar clicked his tongue in sudden irritation, stopping the two again from fighting. "This is not the time for that. Karus and I will be the one sacrificing our necks out there. Just concentrate on the assigned jobs and support us with whatever you can. If you do not do that then we''re the ones who are going to die. Do not forget that this is the one and only chance we could do this. There are no repeats. Once we retreat, we retreat fully without turning back and it would be favorable if we retreat having a successful mission rather than with a failure."

    Karus caught the slight jolt in Iyom''s eyes and asked further. "You do know of your part in this, right? Or what we''re doing?"

    "uh...." He shook his head finally after a few seconds of thought which made the twins look angrily at Yosh that has been smiling wide to somehow calm them down.

    "I''ll fill him up with the details don''t worry," he mollified. "We''ve done this before. We''ll back you up don''t worry."

    "Be serious," Karus snapped. "Don''t forget that this is your primary village Yosh. This is no time for you to act up like a child. Our people depend on our success."

    "I know that! Geez, get off my back!" Yosh pouted looking at the ground depressed which calmed the twins who are acting a bit strange that day.

    Yosh thinks that, normally, they would be happy at this event. They would be rejoicing that they can perform what they learned all those years of training and simulations but today the twins suddenly became somewhat hesitant, almost afraid, even though they are the bravest of them four. Yosh still doesn''t understand this but he''s catching up what they are feeling as well like a flu breaking out, the feeling of terror that seems to warn them of what they are up against.

    What they''re up against is not the usual enemy they are used to encounter. It is a whole new level of danger ahead of them and this is what he thinks are frightening the two bravest members of their team that in turn frightens him too. He doesn''t know what his brothers are feeling, but he thinks that these are some clues that he should be sensitive about.

    "I can''t really help but I''ll try my best to be the decoy," Reus smiled changing the atmosphere. "I''ll watch over you two and if anything happens, I will reveal myself to the enemy."

    "You know you can''t appear, Kuya-Reus," Kayzar pointed-out. "You have a unique elemental skill that only two people possess. Only you and father have the Life Elemental. If you do reveal yourself, you''ll be giving Auntie every reason to create a civil war."

    "But if I do not then you''ll perish, and I will never forgive myself if I let that happen when it is within my power to prevent it. I''ll try and wait, but that''s all I can promise. If I sense that you are in danger, I''ll run to your aide as fast as I can."

    Karus scoffed mocking the idea. "Don''t worry too much. They are no match against us. Just maximize your part on being a decoy and we''ll take care of the rest."

    Karus smiled and laughed about it but Yosh sensed a bit of disbelief. He sensed the tension that rages in Karus''s mind, but he has chosen to just let it pass by and to simply laugh in support. There''s nothing he can do for the matter. What he can do is just pray and trust that they make it out in one piece.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The silent night brought coldness in the air. The cold air that has not been felt in almost a thousand years is now emerging from the horizon that has baffled everyone. It''s as though winter wants to come uninvited.

    Corporal Arjin shivers as he held his blanket tight, wounding it up twice in hopes to trap the heat that''s been trying to leave his tired body. He''s holed up in the barbican with his ever-loyal friend and superior Sergeant Djogi who has been keeping a keen eye outside the window slits even after they have been at their second shift.

    "Don''t you dare sleep on me this time, Arjin!"

    "Yeah, yeah. This time I won''t."

    "You better not!" he firmly warned directing his attention to him. "If you do, then I won''t be able to help you in your promotion. We barely escaped the fiasco three weeks ago."

    "Good thing you planned on placing us here at the Fletcher''s boss," he replied happy. "When we''re this close to the capital, there''s no way we could get in trouble now!"

    "I''m a smart man, Arjin, you know that. Of course, I would think for an assignment that would assure our growth. We''re almost assigned back to the southern most part, almost near the trading posts, but no, I immediately seized the opportunity and grabbed it! I made it so, so that we''re assigned here."

    "More like you chanced it out," entered a Sibara at the corner, arms crossed, yawning. "Yiv is rampaging down there and the troops with lesser essence have been recalled. They sent the Royal Strike Teams there to intercept Yiv and I doubt if there''s anything that you can do, so you have been assigned here. There''s no place for the likes of you there."

    "Shut up, you Sibaran scum!" he croaked feeling embarrassed. "It''s rude to enter in other people''s conversations, especially when your opinion is not welcome!"

    "I can''t just stay quiet while you yap about how great you are. It''s practically annoying. Too many weak Nagozulians jam packed in this fortress. It''s actually humiliating to see your army grow this pathetic."

    "That says something about you too, you oaf!" he smiled figuring a way to get back. "If we''re the lowest of all Nagozulian soldiers, and if we''re all stationed here for our protection, logic dictates that you''re the lowest of the Sibarans and you''ll just get in their way if you''re assigned there. That same thing applies to you."

    "What did you say, boy," the Sibara stood up now in attention with sharp eyes directing at him.

    Arjin just clutched his blanket tight and gulped. "Djogi..." he whispered warning him.

    "You heard me right, you weak cockroach," he growled never afraid. "Actually, it''s rather insulting to cockroaches if I compare you to them since they are more capable than you are."

    "Oh, do you really want that last words engraved on your tombstone, sergeant?" the Sibara smiled pulling a dagger in his sleeves.

    Djogi smiled activating his ruby Amplifyer that is attached in the bronze armor at his left chest. "Tombstone you say? How can you engrave that when you''ll be cremated today?"

    The loud bang of the doors surprised them both. The Sibara hid his dagger at lightning speed leaving Arjin with his amplified Ruby all glowing.

    "What on earth are you doing activating your Amplifyers, Sergeant!"

    "Oh, uh, sorry, Lieutenant Marko..." he immediately stepped back deactivating the charge he is accumulating. He awaited the reprimand, but the lieutenant just stood there as if waiting for his report.

    "Well?" he asked after a few seconds with the confused sergeant tilting his head figuring what he wants. "FORGET THE SORRY! JUST RING THE BELL TO WARN US! ACTIVATING YOUR AMPLIFYERS IS NOT THE SAME AS THE BELL!" he lectured and then he ran outside in a hurry.

    Arjin jumped from his chair peeking at the window slit which gave Djogi the idea. He followed him and to his surprise, he saw the two again, standing three hundred feet from the barbican where they are. Yiv and the masked swordsman they call Magnus.

    "Why does this always happen to us," cried Arjin stumbling down, shivering from the cold winds of the night as well as the fear that is now robbing him further of warmth.

    "Yiv!" the Sibara shouted grabbing the warning bell and rang it in a frenzy. "Don''t you just stand there you lazy Elemental! Ring the other bell!"

    Djogi snapped from the terror that''s been entangling his limbs and rushed to the other side with a bell hanging and rang it like a crazy person. Within seconds, the parapet walls were filled with Elemental Archers from the Eastern Sentries that stood there stretching their bows with Elemental Arrows being cradled in their places, showing arrowheads shimmering with their sharp deadly warnings.

    Normally, Sibarans would rush down and attack them head-on but this time they didn''t. For one thing, the Sibaran Apprentice''s statements were correct. Because of Yiv''s non-stop sabotage of all transport cargo to the capital, the army focused all of their soldier''s strength near the trading post at the very south of Nagozul. Zeba ordered that this command came from Prodea herself and since the Generals can''t confirm it, they just obeyed the order.

    Prodea hasn''t been showing herself to her Generals for a week and a half now. Zeba said she''s preoccupied at the moment, but the Generals now doubt it. It''s not like her to have this sort of strategy, a strategy that now will pay a price of blood, Djogi thought, as he rang the bell as hard as he can. This fortress is now a hollow military installation filled with low ranking soldiers and weak Sibara Apprentices. Djogi knows that Yiv knows of this very well since Nagozul mobilized the entire army to march down south to meet her in battle. Maybe that''s why they are attacking tonight of all nights. Thoughts like these came flying around his mind when, before he could organize all of them to create a rational conclusion, his loyal corporal interrupted him.

    "S-sir..." Arjin trembled. "There''s someone far there who is activating a disturbingly large elemental build up..."

    "A build up like that resembles an army..." Djogi feared as he devotes all of his concentration to feel the massive elemental charge just behind the hills in front of them. "Do they have a Nagozulian Army with them?"

    "I don''t know sir but that doesn''t feel an army. I think it''s just one man," Arjin said with full conviction. Arjin is a Wind Blower and Wind Blowers are the most trusted elemental in detecting any elemental charging.

    "Impossible. Only the Grand Princess Prodea has the Elemental Essence within capable of resonating that kind of energy build-up."

    "Sir?" he mumbled.

    "What..."

    "I''m afraid..."

    Djogi tried smiling but failed to hide the fear in his eyes, "D-Don''t be. We''ll be alright... I guess. They can''t blast these magic walls. They can''t... They won''t... I hope..."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "We''re in position," Karus whispered fixing his face mask, standing firm three hundred feet from the barbican gates. "I know I can blast that steel door with my sword dash. I''ve been practicing an explosive bash like that for months."

    "Are you sure you can do that? We could just scale the wall. That''s safer... I think."

    "Oh!" Karus smiled hearing the ear-splitting bells that would wake even the sleeping creatures underground. "They just found us out."

    "Heh! It took them a minute? That''s unusual for an Army of Prodigies... Are you sure your intel is true? It seems they''re not there..."

    Before Kayzar could continue further, the Parapet Walls began to fill up with elemental archers lined neatly aiming at them with their amplified gems lighting the fortress up.

    "Ah!" Karus laughed surprised with squinting eyes examining every soldier present there. "It seems my intel is not correct after all. Only General Jowl is in there. I guess this should be a quick stroll in the park then."

    "Don''t be complacent," Kayzar snickered. "We only got twenty minutes to finish this. And a minute has now elapsed."

    "At least Yosh will be having a great time with their Amplifyers glowing like easy targets."

    As he stated that fact, a fast hissing arrow flew impossibly fast striking one of the archers in the parapet.

    "Great job, Yosh," Kayzar jumped in excitement. "Now if we could just hold this ground, that''ll be mighty splendid indeed."

    Not long after, hundreds of flying arrows came piercing the skies towards the fortress''s parapet, hitting their targets in great accuracy. The impact created a bang much like firecrackers exploding. All victims have been hit at their right shoulders, just between their armor and their shoulder guard, with a brand-new kind of an Elven Arrow that they have never seen before. It is so precise that they were discombobulated for about a minute to find out what has happened.

    "Keep them coming Iyom!" Shouted Yosh with his Eagle Eyes activated. "I need more arrows! Hundreds more!"

    "Sheesh! Can you calm down, you grumpy monkey? It''s not like my arrows grow on trees."

    "It is!" he laughed pointing the tree beside Iyom, a tree blackened like charcoal as if burnt with leaves withered and branches twisted.

    Iyom is standing behind his life tree. Dwendells can summon a part of their life tree from their forest whenever they need it. Their life trees are a Dwendell''s partner, their life source. A part of their unique powers is the immediate summoning of their life tree. The roots from their original life tree will run towards the river of life and will sprout straight in the surface wherever the summoner is. It has a hole at the middle that springs up arrows whenever the summoner requests it from their tree.

    Every Dwendell can summon their own arrows that they use as their weapon whenever they need it. They call it the Seed of Life since they originally use the arrow, which has a sharp seed at the arrowhead, as a life-giving instrument that could rejuvenate a dying tree.

    If it is used to a living being unfortunately, it acts differently. Basically, the arrowhead springs up Deep Roots that will slither inside the being''s body disabling the region it hits. This roots integrates with the being''s body and will try its best not to kill the person, even suturing the wound upon entering, granting a healing effect around that region; unless Of course, it hits the head or the heart which would paralyze it completely rendering the person to die on impact. But Iyom''s arrow is different in every aspect. His black twisted arrows are unlike those ordinary white Elven Arrows.

    Each arrow is unique, much like a fingerprint that can identify which Dwendell made it and his black arrows are especially identifiable to him alone. The Arrowhead is so brittle that upon impact, the seed will shoot out shrapnel of poisoned pins at the target that, although will render them in a sleep-like coma, would not create a huge injury at the target since the seed reacts as a cushion absorbing the force of the blow and will spray a healing mist around the target before exploding horrifically. All of these will happen in a split second, too fast for an ordinary eye to witness, too fast for an ordinary person to dodge too. The healing mist will repair any bruise on impact and would drench the pins with it leaving for the fast flying shrapnel to pierce the target''s body then closing the hole it created, preventing anyone from pulling it off. The shrapnel will then be dissolved inside the body and that will be the poison that would lead for the person to slumber down instantaneously. An effective and nightmarish arrow that is unique only to Iyom. An arrow he''s not proud of since his arrows murder dying trees but it is surprisingly effective against living enemies.

    "You''ve a point," Iyom continued. "It does grow on my tree, but this is taxing you know!"

    "You''re not the one making it! The tree is making it! It''s ridiculous to say that you''re doing all the heavy lifting. Or is it that you''re just too lazy!?"

    "Well you don''t understand the process yet. So, why are you demanding that much! Quit naggin''!"

    "Guys," entered Reus with the white light from his Amplifyer finding every means to scratch its way out of the thick bandana that he fashioned. "They are going to be in trouble if you do not follow through with your second barrage."

    "Done!" Iyom grumbled tossing Yosh a bundled one hundred arrows that he requested. "So, what are you going to do with that!?"

    "Watch and learn. You might find out a thing or two."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "General Jowl, sir!" yelled the lieutenant in attention at the parapet walls in the southern face of the fortress. "Someone''s been sniping our archers just up those hills. We''re yet to pinpoint his current position because of the accumulating fog and because he only shot twice, the second time was a barrage, but after his next shot, we could calculate where he is hiding."

    General Jowl quickly ran towards him as if just finished equipping, fixing his battle armor with eyes all puffy, almost irritated for those people responsible for bothering his tea with sandman. Even though they are in great danger, he''s eyes sparkle a calm and focused soul as if unafraid of anything.

    "Line every archer to the sides and create five feet gaps in-between. Place defensive soldiers to shield the archers and concentrate your attack below. Attack Yiv with full strength and ignore the sniper. If you can''t see him then he''s not an immediate threat."

    As soon as he finishes his orders another bombardment of deafening proportions came blasting half their archers on the parapet. The black arrows came from one direction but came frighteningly fast exploding upon impact as if they are laced with incendiary and saltpeter. There are no lingering traces of burns in the air so he can''t figure out exactly what are those black arrows. No trace fragments can be found sticking around after the explosive impact. Only black dust of charcoal remains so he could not quite figure out who or what their enemy is.

    "How many are the casualty?" he asked now concerned seeing first time the massive explosions that decimated his troops in half with the almost invisible arrows.

    "Sir, a hundred and one a minute ago. This time they took about another hundred. I can be certain until another report comes in, but it seems that his limit is at least a hundred shots per bombardment. No one has died fortunately sir, but all of them are completely paralyzed as if in a deep state of Sleep of Death."

    He looked down with the masked man known as Magnus and Yiv just dancing around the fast flying arrows, almost like they are playing, mocking their offensive strikes and suddenly it dawned upon him.

    "Deactivate your Amplifyers! Everyone!" he bellowed running in the parapet walk tapping every commander. "You''re giving away your positions!"

    If Yiv is attacking with a fellow Daomagar, and if what he originally thought is correct, that they are in collusion with the Great Beasts, then, they are surely backed by the Elves as well. The second Elven Rebellion is happening, he thought as he ran reminding everyone to shut off the burning Amplifyers attached in their chest armor brightly illuminating the fortress.

    "Keep firing on Magnus and Yiv. Do not let them rest! Turn off all light! Make this fortress pitch black!" he yelled which brought lieutenants all around to scurry and pass his orders. He went near Lieutenant Marko and whispered, "Send a team around and find me that Elf. Use deadly force and if possible, catch him alive."

    Elves are the only being alive that can shoot arrows from a great distance with great accuracy and proficiency, he thought now feeling the seriousness of their situation. Daomagarians are skilled warriors and even great archers but they are no match for the great dexterity of the Elves. No one can strike an arrow a mile out, in the darkness of the evening, ignoring the wind direction, hitting all targets on the same spot with great precision. There''s no way a Daomagarian warrior can do that and even if there is, there''s no way they will associate themselves with Yiv.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    In just ten seconds the fortress became a dark lonely fort with lights smothered from every corner, giving the bright blue light of the waxing gibbous moon to wash its gray walled fa?ade.

    "Hey, no fair!" Yosh shouted upon noticing the fortress joining the dark horizons.

    "Does that mean it''s over? I mean, is it all up to your brothers now?" Iyom said greatly concerned.

    "Hah! Blinding Darkness can''t stop me. I''m a Night Hunter. That''s what we do best!" with this he called in a series of whistles and from behind a fast flying owl whispered into the night sky.

    "Stella? But how?"

    "Stella''s my eye in the sky. If they think they could stop me by merely putting all of the lights out, then I think they are clearly underestimating my Bathala-given skills. No one will be left standing in that parapet when I''m through! If there''s one, I''ll make sure he goes down..."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    As the Eastern Sentry''s archers have anticipated, the second barrage came without fail and struck another batch of unfortunate soldiers. General Jowl could not believe his eyes. Even in the darkness, they are still getting hit. The massive explosions that ensued echoed in the night as screams of soldiers exhausting their last words resonated like a melancholic melody reminiscing turbulent times. The archers'' morale are now wavering as some of them made most of their time hiding behind the parapet paneled arches of the wall instead of shooting their two enemies.

    "How can he do this? This is impossible..." he muttered out loud.

    "Sir..." Lieutenant Marko stuttered pointing upwards. "W-what is that?"

    The General''s eyes widened at the Owl circling them up above as if they are his prey.

    "Direct your attacks at that owl!" he ordered once again pointing at the small owl almost a hundred feet directly above their heads. "That owl is revealing our position! It must be slain as soon as possible!"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Hey, Yosh," Iyom said bothering him once more after his third barrage. "Are you not afraid of him being attacked there? They do have their arrows."

    "Don''t worry. My Stella is special. We''ve been practicing everyday and I do my best to shoot at the maximum speed possible. Even Sibara''s can''t take her down."

    "Are you really that confident? What if..."

    "Don''t worry," he interrupted. "She''ll do fine. And besides, her light armor is made by Dal''Gur himself. She''s practically invulnerable to projectile attacks. It may jolt her a little, but she knows what to do..."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The volley of arrows is now aimed at the skies above the fortress. Sibaras and Nagozulian''s Eastern Sentry Archers are now focusing all their effort in hitting the fast flying owl who has been dodging them by further climbing higher and higher. The General noticed this kind of tactic but, before he could shout to stop them, it''s too late. Their Elven enemy began his fourth arrow barrage. It''s a trap! The elf used the owl to lure the archers to give their locations for him to snipe which in turn led to a domino of writhing archers being hit by the sniper. Forty archers fell unconscious with twenty soldiers falling incapacitated being at the receiving end of the exploding poisoned shrapnel. It has been a steep decrease of the elf''s efficiency since the lights were killed but still a very dangerous drop of odds for them. Up to now, it is estimated that the casualties of soldiers suffering from the curse of the Sleep of Death are at two hundred forty-one with almost a hundred incapacitated soldiers suffering from the blast of those hundreds of black Elven arrows aimed at them. Almost a third of the soldiers at the fortress are all that remains which comprises mostly of Sibaras who are itching for a battle. There''s no other choice but one.

    "Retreat to the first bailey!" the General commanded which rang to every officer at the parapet walk. They all complied fast carrying the injured without hesitation as though they are anticipating such an order for quite a while.

    "Sir, with your blessings, we could attack the Yiv outside," A Sibara Master whispered now appearing behind him as if like a shadow that just grew in a bat of an eye.

    "No, Master Sibara. Stay with your apprentices at the first Bailey and help us there."

    "But..."

    "This order is non-negotiable, Master Sibara. Our enemy is not any ordinary villain out for vengeance or blood. If they are serious in killing us, we should''ve already been killed. They want something. I don''t know what, but they will want to go inside and breach us. They are sniping our soldiers from a distance to even the odds for when they breach our fortress. The Elf is sniping because that thing cannot join the breach since it will never be able to compare its strength to us in close quarter combat, being frail as they are. No. What you need to do is to make yourself available when that time comes! Do I need to explain everything to you, Master Sibara? Do you need a lecture on tactics now?"

    "If I may, you haven''t even..."

    "I am the General of the Army of Prodigy. Do you dare question my orders?"

    "No, sir. My apologies, sir." And he disappeared together with the running soldiers retreating downstairs to the first bailey.

    The General looked down on Yiv and Magnus with intense eyes. This is rather an unconventional tactic to seize a fortress. While it is ordinary for an enemy to hit an empty fort filled with newly recruited Nagozulian Elementals, even with a few low-ranking officers in place, it is odd for them to strike it with a four-man-team. Yiv and Magnus connected with the look that he''s giving. They crossed their arms as if in wait, as if mocking him. This made him smile a little, feeling a bit ecstatic. He hasn''t been in a battle for years and this has warmed his blood in excitement as though the event mimicked the effects of coffee giving him the jolt he needed.

    "Sir," Lieutenant Marko knelt behind him reporting. "All injured Elementals and Sibara are now safe inside the main bailey. All soldiers that are able are charging their Amplifyers at the first bailey just after the gates. We''re waiting for you there, sir."

    "Just wait for the breach and post soldiers on all corners of the fortress. They will never breach if we maintain that kind of charge. No Daomagar can withstand the full force of Nature. If they enter our doors, we will incinerate and bury them here."

    "What about that elemental charge just up the hills sir. It''s disrupting our senses."

    "They are holed up on that hill for a reason, Lieutenant. If he''s strong enough, that traitor would''ve joined Yiv at the front gates. Let the Sibara Assassins take care of them. You have sent them there, correct?"

    "Yes sir. They should be there right about now."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "They retreated?" Yosh pouted whistling for Stella to come back.

    "Why are you sad? That''s a good thing, right?"

    "No," Reus entered. "If they retreat now, still with a formidable army inside, Magnus and Yiv will be in danger."

    "Whoa! Magnus and Yiv?!" Yosh reacted surprised. "So, we''re going to have our mission code names now?! Then I should inform you of mine. From this day hence you should refer to me as Aether."

    "Aether? As in Light? But I thought you like the darkness?"

    "Wait a minute? Your brother is the Yiv?" protested Iyom angry remembering the Eye of Dim''ion, an eye technique used to have complete perfect vision in battle.

    "No. Of course, not you dummy," Yosh laughed. "Yiv''s been killing fifteen years ago or something. They''re just fourteen. Go figure. And no, Rex, I don''t like the darkness. The dark scares me. I merely adapted to the darkness like Master told me to."

    "Hey, how''d you find out my code name?"

    "You''re so predictable. Using Rex as codename. Phsh."

    "Hey that means King!"

    "Duh!"

    "Hey, I don''t want to bother but you said that my involvement here is practically a secret right?" Iyom said interrupting.

    "Yes. No one should know what you look like under any circumstance so you''re not going to reveal yourself," Yosh answered irritated for repeating what he and his brothers said to him earlier.

    "Well then I''ll just hide myself here just a moment. I hope you won''t mind."

    Before Yosh could''ve asked why, Iyom disappeared being sucked inside his life tree. His tree then shivered and crumbled into dust leaving a blooming Violet on the base to sprout again.

    Luna shrieked from behind slowly backing up to her master.

    "Uh-oh," Yosh smiled. "I guess we''re going to find out how you fare on combat without using your skills, eh Rex?"

    "Hah! Good one not using the prefix thing. We don''t want to them to know our relationship."

    "Exactly, Rex," he said smiling. He''s not used to addressing his brothers without the proper words of respect saying Kuya and that created an unusual feeling jerking him to give a smile in response.

    Five shadows instantly emerged from the bushes all with long daggers on both hands. The one in front, who appears to be the Master Sibara of that strike team, smiled as he licked his blade.

    "Well, well, well. One Daomagar from the Bandhana Clan like Magnus and One..." the Sibara inspected Reus looking scrawny with spectacles on and a tight bandana wrapped all around his head in a mess. "What are you exactly boy? You look Daomagar and yet you''re building-up a great Elemental charge. Where''s your Amplifyer anyway?"

    "What do you care?"

    "No matter," he continued. "Where''s the elf?"

    "What elf?" Yosh said smugly.

    "Don''t be insolent kid. The elf that fired those strange arrows. Where is it?"

    "The IT is me, you rude stinky..."

    The Sibara walked a step that looked like five. His fast gentle movements are too misleading to calculate. He''s using the Reaper''s Walk. It is the most common skill of the Sibara in assassinating a target using a quick dash too fast for the eye that would make the illusion of walking. The two jumped back keeping their distance of at least twenty feet from the Master Sibara.

    "It can''t possibly be you? You''re so tiny and puny to create such devastating attacks. Stop lying or I''ll punish you most extensively you''ll never use your mouth again."

    "I''m the one holding the bow you twerp! Are your eyes that blind that¡­"

    "Shut up, Aether," Reus said with eyes peeled to the four Sibaran Apprentices standing perfectly still as though they are awaiting their master''s orders.

    "Oh, so it''s Aether, huh? What a pathetic name..."

    "This is dangerous," Reus whispered to Yosh. Yosh is now getting angry with the outline of his eyes turning black activating his Eagle Eyes. "You need to be careful."

    "Hah! It''s really going to be dangerous for you kids to have come out and play with us Sibaras! Your parents are daft not to teach you to be..."

    "Oh, no. You misheard," Reus interrupted. "What I meant was, it''s going to be dangerous if you insult this kid further. He needs to be careful to control himself so that we''ll prevent your funeral."

    The five Sibara''s was stumped with Reus''s confident eyes almost laughing at them and looked directly at the troubled kid with the face scrunched up all angry. In a blink, they all felt death clutching their lives for a brief moment before relinquishing it finally to feel the strange sudden pain all over their bodies. The world began to shift, and their vision was torn for about two seconds until finally creating a raucous hiss on their ears. They cannot move, they cannot speak, they can''t even breathe. The Master Sibara is now dumbfounded with this new skill that he is now demonstrating. This is not a Daomagarian skill, which could only mean one thing. He is indeed the elf, a funny looking elf that does not look like the myths that describe them at all.

    "Hey, Aether," Reus smiled almost pleading. "Mind dialing it just a bit?"

    "No!" he pulled five of those unusual black Elven arrows and pointed his bow straight at them as he pulled them with ease showing off his skill. "He told me I''m just a puny tiny kid not worthy of his respect! He called me a kid! ''Lemme just give him something to think about two days from now. Or whenever they wake up."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Four minutes... That took a while..."

    "Yep, Magnus. We need to keep the pace up. We only got fifteen minutes left."

    "Oh..." Karus chuckled all of a sudden appearing as though he''s being tickled. "Their elemental charge... it tingles... so this is what an army''s elemental charge feels like."

    "The front door is scrubbed then?"

    "Not necessarily. Don''t forget that there''s no other way than to go there."

    "We could jump?"

    "That high?! Are you insane?"

    Kayzar sneered at his reply. He knows he could jump that high with his training that spanned for almost a year, but he didn''t pursue the idea. "Climb then? Scaling that tall wall is not that impossible you know."

    "No. We need to go straight there."

    "Okay..." he mumbled with a sigh walking behind him in a slouch.

    Karus stood fifty feet from the door and inhaled a lungful of air and then puffed it out slowly. He looked at Kayzar with excited eyes. "Hey, you know about the Deep Root, right?"

    "The defensive stance that absorbs great physical impact from the enemy and transfers the destructive force to Mother Earth?"

    "Yep."

    "What about it?"

    "Let''s just say, it could be an offensive skill too. Just watch."

    With a tap of a foot he dashed on forward with the most impressive speed he ever witnessed. A fifty-foot dash from his point to the gate is no simple feat. Not even ordinary Daomagarians can do that. And with a pause for about a quarter of a second, he slashed the metal doors that are at least ten inches thick. The resulting destructive explosion is extraordinary. The shockwave from the blast gave slight tremors in the earth only comparable to the strongest Daomagar''s destructive punch. That''s when he figured out what he did. By allowing his body to exert the maximum speed, up to beyond its limits, he used the excessive force that should''ve ripped his body apart and transferred it to the door. It was a rather reckless and dangerous calculation that, if done improperly, would''ve surely resulted to his instant demise. A margin of error to even at least a percent would be perilous. If he stops, or is hindered, or his attack did not connect in time, his body will be ripped apart by the tidal forces he accumulated in his body in that blink of an eye.

    "So, how was it?" he yelled right after hiding in the corner upon seeing the Nagozulian Army on the other side.

    Kayzar just slapped his face in disappointment seeing that every Nagozulian fired their elemental charge directly right at him.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "FIRE!" the General bellowed releasing his own thirty-foot-wide fireball to the now broken metal gates that once was.

    All of the other soldiers followed releasing their different elemental skills. Jets of water as sharp as swords came circling burning magma rock boulders behind a whirling twister of daggers the Sibara threw. It was a breathtaking feat of destructive force aimed at Yiv. It lit the fortress bright yellow as if it is day creating a massive bonfire just outside the gates. The explosion roared a disturbing alarm that can be heard for at least ten miles. It continued to burn an intense heat that could''ve melt even the sturdiest of metals alloys.

    This massive display of elemental powers created rich smog that engulfed the fortress. Wind Blowers from the Army cleared the uninvited thick black choking air that is persistently squeezing their way inside and over the walls of the fortress. They are still newly trained Nagozulian Army Soldiers so they could not push the smoke all the way out. All of the Nagozulian Windblowers''s attention is directed into stopping the suffocating black smoke that resulted from the explosion. It seemed that the General over-estimated their skills apparently. They are after all, newly recruited soldiers but that display of humiliating skill disappointed him. If they are that weak, then they are as good as cannon fodder. They are actually a liability than an advantage.

    Wind Blowers need complete focus in order to maximize the powers of their channeling skills. It is important to maintain that kind of focus or else their elemental essence will be useless. It''s comparable to a swordsman fighting an enemy with troubling thoughts bothering their mind. Even if they claim to be the best, the strongest, the more experienced, if they are occupied with fear, or confusion, or the thought of death taunting them, their skills will diminish and will be reduced to at least half their potential. This is what''s happening and that thought made Kayzar smile a bit as he entered the fortress releasing four daggers in the air and dashed on forth to meet the routed Army.

    In about ten seconds, he managed to poison all of the Army soldiers that are in his way with the exception of those Sibaras who are skilled enough to dodge his every move. Nothing could''ve stopped him on his path. And with his entrance came the smog that he befriended, concealing his dark silhouette even further.

    "Retreat to the Main Bailey!" the General echoed as he remained standing with the Sibara soldiers encircling Yiv.

    "So, we meet again, Yiv," said the Sibaran Master fixing a metal gauntlet with sharp claws and thorns drenched in poison. "I will not be so lenient this time. I will show you the pride of Sibara."

    "I don''t know you," he coldly replied. "When did we meet again?"

    The Sibara Master looked him sharply in the eyes, annoyed but somewhat cautious still. "I am what they refer to as the Venom. I will..."

    Before he could finish, Yiv disappeared and reappeared behind him. And in a gasp from his peers, he fell down unconscious, without any fight.

    "Ah," Yiv laughed. "No wonder we''re not acquainted."

    "You have no honor, Yiv," another Master Sibara mumbled as they all stepped back.

    "When did we ever have this honor you speak of?" he calmly said with his murderous eyes panning to see each and every one of them. "Now who wants to go to bed next?"

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Stand back!" the General bellowed unleashing a snake-like whip hissing and snapping like it has a mind of its own.

    He lashed it on to Yiv which he dodged pretty easily but before he could get lucky for another shot, Magnus dashed to join in and blew his whip into pieces, throwing them back to the General.

    "I suppose you''re not the only one who''ll enjoy this fight, eh?" Karus laughed flicking his Katana.

    "Well, if you could scooch him out of the way while I take these other Sibaras in peace, then that''ll be mighty super." Kayzar whispered.

    With a flick from the two of his fingers as if in salute he quickly disappeared giving a sword barrage to the General that made him run back to gain some ground. Karus didn''t even give him time to recover till they are at least fifty feet from Kayzar and the Sibara Goons.

    "Why are you doing this?" the General started. "You do not have anything to steal here, no person to liberate. There''s even no money to profit! Why are you here?!"

    Karus just smiled behind his mask which insulted the General even further. He knows the General couldn''t see him gave his widest grin, but he could tell that he noticed it from his eyes. His was a mocking eye.

    "You leave me no choice but to defend myself and my troops!"

    General Jowl pushed his arms on the ground giving off the most surprising display of Elemental Charge that he has never seen before. From zero to full amplification in just under a second is truly the basis to consider when gauging the difference in battle experience. This General is no push-over, he thought as he jumped back a few feet away further from him. He truly is fit to be the General of the Prodigies.

    His metal whips began fixing itself finding raw metal from everywhere lying on the ground, as if Nature is helping him build one. And with a smile, the ground started to tremble beginning again the creation of his fire whip, his ultimate technique, only this time, he''s not giving any leeway, any mercy whatsoever, as he completed the skill to its maximum.

    The Fiery Magma Snakes, as he coined it, is a rare skill he invented. He used his Earth Element to pull the earth to combine it to his metal whip. With this in hand, he heats it up to at least six hundred degrees with his Fire Element and then attaches it into his arms coiling it up his entire body. The remaining ends of his whips extends to his arms and legs giving him another set of limbs that move about on his command. It is a perfect offensive and defensive skill that would scorch the person going too near and would rip apart anyone on his mid reach.

    Karus smiled as he stepped forward but to his surprise he''s not yet finished. With a loud stomp of his feet he made a circular web structure on the ground made of fire stretching for about at least sixty feet in diameter with the General at the center. This web like structure incinerated the ground hissing forth hot gasses and random blazing fire walls making the air as hot as the steam from boiling water. Karus is literally standing inside his fiery snare.

    "The Trap of the Spider Snake," he said. "I think you ought to be honored I revealed my ultimate skill to you. It is something for your trip to Impierno."

    Karus moved dashing around him, dodging fire walls but got stung by his scorching whip behind. He did not notice it. It''s so fast his dashes were overthrown. He was tossed back rolling on the hot ground for a few feet squirming in pain.

    "Too slow, Daomagar. This trap acts like a spider''s web. I know exactly where you are and where you''re going." And with a devious grin, nodding as if saying his goodbye, his Fiery Magma Snakes began rushing to him like an angry serpent out for his prey.

    Karus saw this and immediately parried the attack. He gave continuous rapid slashes from his katana that dismembered the snakes from his path, but it just magically repaired itself.

    He ran off slashing every time they strike to defend himself but to no avail since it grows its head back. To his surprise, it seems that the Fiery Magma Snakes extends to as long as his web trap is. He tried getting out, just to formulate a strategic plan to defeat him from his suffocating web trap but the edges of the web suddenly jettisoned a fifty-foot yellow magma wall a thousand degrees hotter than the web trap.

    "You can''t escape here," he laughed trying his best to hit him while he ran off in circles. "The only way you could get out is if you defeat me or I defeat you. Either way, you''re trapped!"

    With no other available option, he smiled and dashed forward to the enemy. A thirty-foot dash in a second surprised even the General and before he could react the blade of the Katana bashed his perfect defense and threw him away almost fifty feet outside of his territory.

    Karus used his sword bash that he formulated and was thoroughly delighted he managed to make a surprise attack. The success of his hit made him so glad that it led for laxity to occupy his mind for a while, leaving for him to forget one simple fact: The Fiery Magma Serpents of the General that is attached to him. When his sword connected with the General''s armor, the fiery serpents rushed to his side and slammed on Karus''s back scratching their way into his body following their master being thrown away like a saw cutting away through wood.

    "Got you..." the General mumbled as he rose, throwing away the huge debris of burning wreckage from his impact.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    Jowl got up groggily almost smiling after the fact that he got away with just a broken rib from a fight with the one rumored to be stronger than Yiv. Because of his Steel Armor together with his Fiery Serpentine Magma Defense coiled up around him, the lethal blow of that slash was dampened into a minimal injury, an injury he was still surprised Magnus managed to give him considering that he believed his defenses were almost as impervious as a Master Molder''s Defense Enchantments.

    As he stood there almost content with his skill, he noticed Magnus kneeling on the ground from where he is before. The thick black smoke that resulted from his smoke-belching trap hindered his vision. He fought the pain from his back and his ribs as he pulled every muscle in his feet to continue getting near to the corpse of the Great Magnus. Every step he made brought cold sweat to trickle down his shivering body while mouthing vulgarities of discontent. He knows something is wrong.

    "It can''t be!" he finally cried seeing the Daomagar Magnus with his armor stripped from his body getting down on all fours, with his lungs racing to seize as much air to invigorate him once again. His body is without a scratch which troubled him further.

    The cracks on the ground proved that he managed to perform the Deep Root as his serpentine whips sawed through him, but what''s really troubling is that even with Deep Root in place, the elemental damage of fire cannot be quenched by Deep Root alone. Deep Root only absorbs physical damage made by any element except Fire. Fire is the most destructive of all elements. It has no physical form and no other function but to destroy. His body should be mutilated by his scorching hot magma fires that would''ve, without a doubt, burned half his body into a crisp but yet he''s still there, and there''s only one possibility. Only one thing can stop a Fire Starter''s destructive flames, and that is to beat his elemental essence. A battle of fire can only be won by a person with the highest essence.

    "Y-you''re a Nagozulian... but that''s not possible..."

    Magnus tried to stand up but failed as he stumbles on the ground dropping his half-cooked face mask. He tried his best to conceal his face, but the blood-drenched bandana was all Jowl needed to see to know who he is, the only possible Nagozulian with the greatest fire essence to beat her highness Prodea''s fire essence. Even possessing much greater essence to beat the Great Seer Juni, the Legendary Fire Sentinel. It has to be no other than his godchild Karus.

    "Y-you can''t be the..." he mumbled as he fumbled down confused.

    Yiv then entered from the fog with bloody murderous eyes that sapped his strength further. His sharp eyes disabled him to talk anymore as it gave out clear warning not to move, as if ordering him to stand down.

    The silence of the Fortress gave clear indication that the Sibaras have now been neutralized. With a mighty explosion of Yiv''s smoke grenades, Magnus, who he fears is Karus, magically disappeared into the fog together with Yiv. General Jowl sighed with a heavy heart as he resigned his body to the warm ground. He tried his best not to move, not to disturb the ground that gently sooths his broken body. He heard five explosions he feared are the northern and southern walls of the fort. His eyes opened up, concerned about the fortress but quickly closed it again. He tried his best not to bother. To concentrate on thinking that that night was just a nightmare. To just forget.

    The idea of Karus being Magnus sprung up again persisting in his mind, taunting him to question how and why, but the thought of Civil War echoed far loudly than ever. He has to forget it. He has to! For the sake of Artemus, for the sake of Anagea and Narra, for the sake of Nagozul, and most specially for the sake of the preservation of life on the Holy Lands. He must try remembering how to lock his memory in the depths of his mind as his best friend Artemus taught him to. He must do it. He must. Even if it is impossible, he must succeed. He must now summon every power left within him to try. In order to protect everyone, Prodea must never know.

 32 GROWING POPULARITY

    "Thirty days exactly right at this very minute and not one word is heard from Prodea?"

    "Yes, Master. It''s ''bin a troublin'' tot''. Where is she?"

    Yiv raised her eyes to witness the waning gibbous moon almost winking at her, as if trying her best to move past those swinging leaves to reach Yiv''s bothered mind, almost wanting to help her formulate some idea as to what is really happening in Nagozul. The shallow forest east of the Nilad Plains did very little in hiding her, together with her two most loyal apprentices, from spying eyes but it did not concern them one bit. Curfews are in effect due to the ruckus her brothers are creating so not one soul can be seen wandering off in the middle of the night to disrupt their meet.

    "No need to kneel, Kudos, Madj," she said finally lifting her hands as if inviting them to join in with her in her thoughts. "No need to be so formal. We''re meeting as close friends. Besides, I will not be needing your services at the moment."

    "The kids have now stopped their assaults on the fortresses in Nagozul," Madj said. "I don''t know if that helps?"

    "How many fortresses have they been destroying?"

    "They have been hitting fortresses burning their weapons cache and causing fires to their supply, master. They''ve crippled eight fortresses now including their initial strike on the Cotton Village now known as the Seventh Fortress. I think that''s why Prodea has spread her forces around Nagozul evenly this time, but that particular tactic doesn''t make any sense. She''s getting harder to read..."

    "Yes. I concur... That is odd. I do not know now what she''ll do. She''s dumbing down her strategies. Maybe there''s some sort of play here..."

    "If Prodea is ''dat smart, she could''ve anticipated ''d next fort before ''yer bro''ders can get too close. She''s spreadin'' her forces like she''s on ''d defensive side invitin'' ''dem to attack her even more. I don''t get her too..."

    "You''re supplying my brothers with inside information from our spies, correct?"

    "Yes, Master. ''Dey met as ''lil resistans as possible. "Deyr assolt on ''d First Fortress, the Fletchur''s, is ''d most dangerous assolt ''deyv encountered so far. ''D eight'' fort even surrendered wi''dowt a fight becos ''deyr too afraid to engage ''em."

    "What do you expect? They''re all Casters there training as battlefield medics."

    "Hah! True. ''Dat''s ''d only village ''dey left wid''awt burnin'' ''deyr supplies. ''Dey did break the walls ''doe."

    "And have they replied on the most recent target?"

    "No, Master."

    "I think they are all cooped up at the New Weaver''s Village," added Madj.

    "New Weaver''s Village?"

    "Yes, master. The old village that has been leveled to the ground has been established once more by the returning villagers."

    "Why haven''t I been informed of such development?"

    The two looked at each other never wanting to say another word out of fear of Yiv''s frightening reprisal. Each one thought the other one sent the information and is now only realizing that they both haven''t.

    "No matter," she continued giving the two sighs of relief but still confused at her lenient behavior today. "It''s a good thing it only took me a month to finish my mission on Yagisiv Haya. I swear, I won''t go in that torturous place anymore even if Mama pleads."

    The two smiled awkwardly not knowing what to say. Something happened to her on her way back, but they didn''t try and pry it from her. This is better than the usual.

    "Why is Prodea letting all of that happen right under her nose? It''s clearly an upfront to her authority, building back what she destroyed."

    "I dunno, Master. All I know is ''d palas''s pretty quiet ''dis week. We haven''t destroyed any cargo trav''lin to ''d palas ''cos ''dey''r ol bein'' escorted heavily by ''d Four Mahstahs ''en ''deyr minions toge''der with..."

    "You said the Four Masters?" she interrupted smiling wide.

    "Yes, Master. ''d Great Four Pillars of Sibara. With Master Alein at ''d front."

    "Ah... I love to get into a sparring match with that old wart again."

    "We''ve got a score to settle with him. He''s the one that got away, right Master?"

    "Yes, Madj. Alein is one of those Masters who killed my father. His souvenir on his left leg is a reminder of our failure to eliminate him."

    "Makin'' ''im much slower ''dan before... right! Of course! Next time he''ll not be so lucky."

    "Even Gramps can finish that pathetic old man in less than two minutes. But it''s a good thing you did not engage. You two will not survive that kind of trouble, even if his speed is reduced in half."

    "If they come at us individually, I think we could, but two on four masters? That''s rather difficult to take. The masters of speed, offense, defense, and illusion, only you could take them four all at the same time."

    Yiv smiled tapping Madj on her shoulders. "Thanks. But even at two on one, you won''t defeat them Madj. Not with your level of skill now. You need to polish your acts if you want to get to at least half their skills starting with your Communion with the Earth. You''re still glowing gold after all these years. Kudos is halfway to shadow. You''re clearly lagging behind."

    "I''m sorry master," she smiled bowing her head down.

    "That''s funny ''cause your name is Argentis and you''re glowing gold while his name is Auric and he''s glowing silver. I still can''t get over that..." Yiv laughed for quite a bit, making the two to awkwardly smile on that same old joke. She said that same joke two years ago and Auric seems to be blaming her sister every time their master repeats it. For one thing, Auric jumped from gold to silver in about three months. If Madj keeps that up, they could hear that joke be repeated till the day they die. "Hey, have they known their identities yet?" she said finally changing the topic.

    "No, Master."

    "Why am I not surprised?" she mumbled snickering.

    "D''ya want us to release ''deyr fake identities today? If we hurry, we ''kud push ''em by mornin''..."

    "It seems that I will be needing your services after all," she smiled.

    The two was still surprised with Yiv''s pleasant attitude this morning but just bowed to take the order.

    "Oh, and be sure to make my description extra frightening. Our purpose is to lower the army''s morale after all."

    "Yes, Master."

    "Uh... master?" Madj finally broke, giving in to curiosity''s incessant nagging. "Why are you feeling happy today? Does something important happened?"

    Kudos'' eyes widened looking at his sister. She clearly doesn''t know when to shut up.

    "I wanted it to be as a surprise for you till you read today''s news on the bulletins but since you brought that up, I''ll tell you now."

    The two turned curious moving closer than before after Yiv invited them as if she''s about to whisper.

    "I just sent one of the Four Masters to impierno. The Master of Offense he turned out to be. He can''t land even the slightest of touch. That''s really disappointing since he should''ve posed some sort of challenge like Master Alein. But either way, my blood is boiling right now in euphoria. I have to be careful not to excite myself further or else someone will follow him there."

    Kudos and Madj was shocked just chuckling as they stepped back. They really need to disappear from her before she changes her mood. It''s always like that when she finishes a fight. She''ll feel good, excited and happy, then after that, after repressing her demanding urge to kill again, she''ll return plunging to her most evil side that is even more frightening than her normal self, being harsh, sadistic, and demented. That''s how Kudos lost a piece of his tongue. Yiv is the most talented Daomagar they know of. She can be considered a genius in combat but she''s also the cruelest person they have ever known. It''s a wonder she could function in her sane self as Liv. The two bowed fast and disappeared in the night. They only wish the second person she bumps into won''t turn up in the second page at tomorrow''s headlines.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Hey master! Look what I found!"

    Karus looked behind seeing the running Lime almost tripping twice in her hurry. Time slowed down as he saw her blushing face lighting up standing in front of him. He hasn''t seen her for a month now. Her batting blue eyes gave chills that confound his body in a tight bind merely having the energy to express a beam comparable only to a child''s eager anticipation of summer. Indeed, this moment is a gift, a gift rudely interrupted by Kayzar as he tapped him to reality.

    "You okay, Karus?"

    "Indeed, master. You seem flustered?" Lime asked tilting her head in inspection.

    "Oh... yeah-yeah-yeah. I''m fine."

    "Okay~" she giggled as she proudly handed out two copies of a four-page bounty poster. "I pilfered those from soldiers who are posting them all around the Palace and in the towns. Apparently, you''re all famous now."

    "Wait what!?" Karus rudely grabbed the posters, reading it in a hurry and then directed his attention once again to the lovely Lime with a knotted brow. "What do you mean we''re famous?"

    Lime clicked her tongue shaking her head. "You cannot expect to conceal something like that to me master. After all the trouble we did last month finding that messenger hawk? Surely, you''d expect me to knit the thought altogether. Unless you consider me daft..."

    "Oh, no, no!" he hurried laughing frantically. "I suppose you''re right. I always have known you have a keen insight on things like this."

    Kayzar just rolled his eyes as Karus tried his best to assuage Lime''s doubt by complimenting her sharp mind. He of all people knows how articulate Karus is in expressing himself. A yapping duck is more successful in delivering its point to a dog than Karus is on other people, especially to women.

    "So, you know my identity then?" Kayzar finally jumped-in easing Karus''s current predicament.

    "You''re not wearing glasses. You''re not the Elven kid. You''re not even the one who wears the Katana and the curious Kampilan Bolo, a sword combination only my Master proudly flaunts around here in Nagozul..."

    "Hey..." Karus reacted making her giggle even more.

    "Surely you are that Yiv," she continued. "I saw you for a month here, training your daggers..." She stopped looking at the poster and pointed out Yiv''s description. "See? There, they call that the Floating Daggers composing of four daggers flying in the air connected by an indestructible chain. See?"

    "Hmmn... but why are you not afraid of me then? Surely you know of my terrifying past."

    "Ah! That is a good question. The first thing I started searching in your library is your most wanted fugitives. I love a good story of mystery. I found out that this Yiv creature only hunts in the night and exacts vengeance applying his own personal justice but what tipped me about this is that he first appeared as a six-year-old boy fifteen years ago. Give or take a couple of years on the estimate of the surviving witness who delivered his messages, I''d say he''s about in the bracket of twenty-one to twenty-four in age.

    "You''re barely fifteen, if my great sense of estimating age is correct, so that means that if you''re Yiv, then you''ve murdered a lot of people without even existing yet which led me to conclude that you''re really not Yiv and just figured out Yiv''s skills and techniques. Maybe to create confusion to the enemy, and to lower their morale riding out the fear he so impressively propagated so that when you lay your siege, your enemies will have diminished capacity contrary to when you''re not wearing this Yiv mask. So, you see dear Sir Casey, you truly cannot be Yiv and just posing to be him. One could mimic other historical figures to create terror or fear but as to why him specifically, I honestly do not know..."

    "Wow, I didn''t know one could speak that fa..."

    Before he could finish Karus cleared his throat disrupting their discussion. Lime was puzzled by this but ignored the sudden interruption thinking he''s just coughing and went to direct her attention at Kayzar once again, awaiting his thoughts. Kayzar noticed what Karus is hinting so he mumbled to change his words.

    "...that - that impressive! You''ve managed to whip up a splendid conclusion to reveal my secret but sadly it is only half the truth. One that I may never reveal, to an innocent young maiden such as yourself, to protect your safety of course."

    "Aww... You can''t truly mean that Sir Casey. Surely it is impolite to leave a hanging mystery story to a lady."

    Kayzar just laughed. So Karus too, as he sighed in relief, escaping another incident to explain. Kayzar finds this fascinating since Karus normally would just drop the topic if he finds explaining it a trouble. It''s really not in his nature to express his ideas around other people.

    He''s bothered to see him please Lime at all times, that he goes to great lengths just to provide it for her. That''s clearly a sign of an infatuated boy. He just plays along with him, helping him with what he wants while hiding his thoughts on the matter.

    It is obvious he likes her. He noticed it the moment he met her. There''s something about the way he acts around especially when she''s around. She''s very beautiful even to Nagozulian standards on aesthetic beauty but it puzzles him to see him falling for her even though he knows what the repercussions of being in love to an ordinary mortal is. Still, he does not dare to engage talking about that to him. For all he knows, it may only be a passing feeling. Surely, they can never be. For one thing, she''s an ordinary foreign mortal and he''s a Nagozulian Prince. He doesn''t really mind the differences in stature, but the society does and being a Nagozulian Prince comes with a price.

    Even if they managed to convince the public, they will still have a problem on having a child. Their blood mixtures will be catastrophic leading to a fatal labor endangering both the infant and the mother. The chemical reaction of his great elemental essence coursing through the unwitting child''s bloodstream will leak out and ultimately poison them both. That''s got to be one to consider about but he snapped out thinking about children and marriage. He''s going way too far in his thoughts. Too far that he''s dipping into scenarios that are too ridiculous to happen. Karus is smarter than that, he figured. Maybe it''s really just infatuation. After all, the only girl they ever have the chance to be acquainted with is their great friend Illyriah so maybe he''s just confusing friendship with some other feeling.

    "You seem rather bothered by this..." she said getting Kayzar''s attention. "Am I going a bit too far?"

    Kayzar just laughed again shaking his head to deny what his face revealed for a couple of seconds there. He is still in the process of removing any lingering thoughts from his wandering mind when Karus erupted in laughter, reading the Bounty Poster.

    "Look here," Karus burst in brushing a tear. "They said Rex is some feral Nagozulian kid that Grog raised from the Jungle of Narra. What''s with that!?"

    "Wait till Aether sees his description here," Kayzar followed. "We''ll have another episode of those annoying rantings if he ever gets a hold of this Bounty Poster."

    "Hah! Better keep this between ourselves then."

    "Uh, Master..."

    "Yes, Lime?"

    "I have just one question here... They said you''re the reincarnation of Daomagar here and that you''re from a long-forgotten lineage of Daomagar. I thought there''s only one surviving direct descendant of the Daomagar Line, the Master General Narra of the Daomagar Clan, father-in-law of the Grand Prince Artemus. So, point is... Is this true? That you''re a descendant of this Master General Narra?"

    "Oh, uh ¨C no, of course!" he hurriedly said rejecting any instance of comparison to General Narra. He needs to distance himself with his Grandfather, even in myth. Someone might get suspicious. "I''m with the Bandhana Clan. We''re proud warriors of swords and polearms."

    "It says here, by Master General Jowl himself, and I quote: The Daomagar Magnus has the ability to instantaneously travel from one point to another and create destruction in his path much so like the skill of the Great Holy Daomagar, an extremely fatal technique only a few can master, a variation of ''The Fist of Ana''giel'', a forgotten technique that can only be mastered by a direct descendant of the Great Daomagar."

    At that point Karus realized something important. He immediately remembered that one skill his grandfather used in the Jungles of Narra in the heat of the battle against the Black Panthers. That ultra high-speed dash that his grandfather performed in the Jungle gave him the basic understanding of transferring the force and velocity of the dash to the enemy. That understanding led him to the realization of that technique he uncovered. He didn''t know it has a name, a name he remembers is most popularly known to have been mastered by the current young Chieftain of Daomagar Deito: The same technique that took the life of the Immortal Beast Mai''at which made Deito Number Three in the Great Twelve.

    "So, that''s the Fist of Ana''giel," gasped Kayzar smiling clasping his hands in amusement. "The technique that''s usually made with a bare fist to create an explosion of disastrous proportion, a skill also known as the Fist of Justice. I haven''t seen that performed before. Even Master General Narra can''t perform it to its maximum potential since that explosive skill is believed to potentially create craters the size of a small island."

    "Indeed, Sir Casey. My understanding on this matter leads me to believe that in order to perform such a feat, one must need lightning speed, impressive strength, great coordination of the body and a strong level of concentration, a combination of traits granted by God only to Daomagar''s Descendants."

    "Where are you getting your sources?" Karus smiled now worried about how she''s that knowledgeable in their secrets, the secrets of the Sentinels of the Holy Lands.

    That information is classified and is at the restricted section of the Palace Library. If she read about it, it would follow that she knows about the others, and that means the Nagozul''s Statistical Analysis of all of Daomagar''s seven clans. It''ll be dangerous for anybody to learn this information. In the wrong hands, this would threaten the lives of many clans and their secrets.

    "Never mind the source, All I''m saying is that if you could perform this Fist of Ana''giel then that means you have all of those traits, making you a real descendant of Daomagar."

    "Not necessarily," Kayzar answered in his stead. "Mikael is the real name of Daomagar''s Chieftain. He acquired the name Deito as an honor from his clan, the Deito Clan, whose tradition is to bequest the name Deito to the strongest clan member. The now Chieftain Deito of the Daomagar is the fifth descendant of the bastard son of Master General Narra''s Great Grandfather. He''s got one of thirty-two parts of Daomagar''s blood and yet, in a twist of fate, he acquired all of those traits at random. Technically, one might be brought up in this world acquiring those set of traits even without being Daomagar''s direct descendant. I mean, one mortal would be bound to get it all randomly at one point in time. The statistical probability is astronomical, but it is not impossible."

    "Even so, you need to have at least a drop of Daomagar in your system to have those odds."

    "Good point but alas, we do not, thus one can conclude that even without Daomagar''s blood, one could still acquire the traits from his diverse ancestors. The traits are all in their parent''s blood. It''s just a matter of chance on picking it. Like having a blonde hair with both parents having black, it''s just a matter of luck." Kayzar lectured almost proud thinking of a way to dismiss her idea to link them to their grandfather.

    Lime pouted for a couple of seconds accepting the logic on his statement but disappointed about the news. She''s looking forward to being trained by one of the Great Daomagar''s descendants. The gloom was shared between the three as Karus and Kayzar pondered about their distant nephew''s inherited skills and how it related with Karus''s newfound traits. Could it be that they acquired both Nagozulian and Daomagarian traits, a thing that they say is impossible? Is there a possibility that their traits are not from their wicked ancestor King Dogal? If only they can know for sure.

    "Hey," Lime smiled changing their dismal atmosphere. "You haven''t written to me in a month. You''ve broken your promise. You said you''ll give me an update."

    "Oh, haha! Of course, but see, the mail, I mean... it''s hard to send..."

    "No matter." In that quick second, she drew her katana in a slash with the tip barely an inch away from Karus''s eyes.

    Her skill on controlling the katana sword impressed them. That or Karus just got lucky, but they would like to be optimistic and believe the former rather than the latter.

    "You''ve now begun training battojutsu without me?"

    "The art of drawing a katana to strike the opponent in a single slash? Yes! I''ve mastered it with the help of Markus." Lime said boasting her new-found technique as she smoothly feigned her sword, as if removing the imaginary blood stains on her katana blade, before returning it back to her scabbard. "Your potion helps greatly in retaining the skills I''ve been practicing and in just under a month, I miraculously mastered it. I''m great, aren''t I?"

    Karus just snickered which insulted her greatly. "Don''t be so eager to overestimate your skill, apprentice. A true master or Battojutsu never reveals when to strike. That''s why you could beat your opponent in a single slash. Battojutsu is all about the surprise."

    "But I''m fast!" she contested in her angry crunched-up face, feeling embarrassed.

    "Yes, but not fast enough."

    Lime quickly grabbed the hilt of her katana drawing it the second time, only this time it is much quicker than before. Karus just flicked his golden katana with the ruby encrusted hilt smashing the base of her weapon forcing it to return to its scabbard, cutting her thumb in the process. The force pushed her back a couple of feet with Karus smiling, pulling back his katana back to his side.

    "Hey! That''s cheating!" she protested jumping as she inspected her warm blood leaving her shaking hand. "You''re using that Daomagarian speed thing..."

    "The Battojutsu can never be mastered until you can clearly move faster than your opponent, and you could not do that if your stance lacks the proper foundation needed to thrust your sword fast. Even with the curvature of the Katana on your side helping you on your fast draw, you''re still giving the opponent the idea when you will strike and where to. If I''m an ordinary mortal, I would still see your movements."

    Lime sulked as she gave a drop or two of White Angel in her wound. Kayzar wanted to protest at that moment, wanting to render his assistance as a Water Caster instead of wasting those precious expensive drops of that white potion but failed to initiate. A good thing too as he just remembered he''s playing Daomagar. He almost gave up his cover shuddering at the sight of Lime''s utter disregard for that very important elixir.

    "This is the perfect form of the Battojutsu," Karus smugly declared.

    In a fraction of a second, he disappeared and reappeared behind her. A strand of her hair can be seen dropping in front of her as an explosion roared on the ground from where her master landed.

    "How dare you sir!" she angrily growled running to him, slapping him. "How dare you cut a lady''s hair!"

    Karus jumped stepping back, still feeling the throbbing pain from his cheek that he forgets to defend against. "Hey, hey, hey! I''m just proving a point! I''m sorry okay!?"

    "Sorry!? You can''t just slice up other people''s hair to prove something and then say sorry! That''s totally disrespectful! Especially to a lady!"

    "It''s just a strand..."

    "Just a strand?! Hair is hair even if it''s just a strand!"

    "I think it created a dramatic effect. Won''t you agree Casey!?" he said shouting to the smiling Kayzar slowly walking away, never wanting to get in the middle of their misunderstanding.

    "What dramatic effect!? That''s not Battojutsu! That''s the Fist of Ana''giel!" she said angrily pointing at the small crater on the ground. "And you dashed! You dashed! How is that a demonstration!?"

    "Correction. A variation of the Fist of Ana''giel using Battojutsu. Look my Katana is inside my scabbard. D''you know how hard it is to draw it and return it back after slicing a strand of..."

    Lime gasped in great disdain. "You''re justifying your offence?! How dare you sir!"

    Kayzar just laughed as he waved his goodbye. He knows that it''s going to be a long discussion and it''s better if he gets on with his training on the other side of the clearing. There''s no benefit in listening to them fight. It''s best if he gets out early before they can force him to pick a side. He''s got more important things to do than to be a mediator for petty grievances.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The loud bang from the door electrocuted the entire body of the crouching Reus from behind the bookshelf of his little library in the Produce Village. Just what he needs that lazy morning, a wake-up jolt of fear, he figured. He need not look behind to see who appeared behind him, the smell of lavender perfume was all he needs to figure out who she is.

    "Good morning, Mama," he smiled standing up. He turned around beaming at her mother which does not reciprocated his pleasant greetings, an attitude he most likely has anticipated considering his fervent defiance to her orders.

    She stood there in full Daomagarian Battle Armor with a stern face that would make a grown man cringe in fear. It is said that her beautiful face neutralizes the effect of her eternal ravine of a gaze, that whoever dared to look will be snared in a cruel trap only to find themselves falling prey to her torturous eyes, that almond brown eyes that can make anyone believe she can do everything to hurt anyone anytime and that feeling of anticipation is much painful than the real pain itself. Of course, Reus knows of this myth, so he held his eyes down on the ground looking at her shiny black leather boots. Besides, that makes it look like he''s sorry for what he did so that''s an added bonus for him too.

    "Pack your things and let''s go," she commanded clearly with a tone of disappointment. She leaned behind and looked at the kneeling Captain Gab just outside the door. "I told the Captain a month ago to escort you and he seemed to fail on his mission. Surely giving you the rank of Master General is a mistake since you clearly went ahead and dared to challenge my orders."

    "It''s not like that, Mama, it''s just..."

    "No, Reus, not this time. Even if we now have the same military rank here in Nagozul, I''m still your mother! When I tell you to get back to the North, I need you to comply without question."

    "C-could you give us a minute?" Reus smiled to the Captain Gab who is still kneeling down outside.

    "Are you really disrespecting me, Reus?" she snapped squinting her eyes. "Are you ignoring my words?"

    "Mama, please, we have something to talk about..."

    Anagea stopped for two seconds and nodded to the Captain Gab who understood her right away. Captain Gab stood up and pulled the door to close behind him and then they continued.

    "Tea?" Reus offered smiling wide.

    "I''m not playing games Reus," she said still mad at him.

    "Well, you have to sit down. You must''ve been exhausted in your trip."

    Reus went near her and knelt down, he reached for her hand which she gave unwillingly, still mad, and then he kissed it. A sign of respect to Nagozulian Elders they call asking one''s blessing - or just the term bless. He then quickly stood up and pulled out a chair for her to sit. He ran to the other side and pulled one for him before he started.

    "Are you sure you don''t want some tea?"

    "What is it that you want to talk about, Reus?" she said in all seriousness ignoring his invitation.

    The kettle of Narra''s favorite brew of tea quickly filled the air of the room with its calming aroma after he left the lid open. Reus wanted to close it down, wanting to prevent it from turning stale and cold, but her mother''s serious eyes reveal that she''s composing herself with much effort being madly irritated at his disobedience. One wrong move and she will snap into a rampage possibly destroying the room on her anger. That will destroy his month-long work and he knows that it''s not even the worst thing that could happen. After all, she didn''t acquire the name the Destroyer for no apparent reason at all. He knows about her quick temper, so he knows it''s best for the tea to run cold rather than her books to freeze being homeless tonight.

    "I know you want us safe, and don''t get angry, but I like to talk about the possibility of... maybe... the approval of making us stay here... please? If that''s..."

    Anagea smiled with a small twitch in her eye which Reus noticed immediately but still he persisted.

    "I-it''s... It''s for - just a little longer, two days to a week tops." Reus noticed the sudden build-up of rage growing within her eyes, so he yielded. "Or I mean, not. If that''s what you want. We''ll go home right away now. I''ll pack up my things."

    Reus was about to stand up but Anagea sighed. "Why?"

    Reus smiled awkwardly almost jubilant but is containing it. "Well, see, our people need us here... with so much going on in the south, Aunt Prodea enforcing her will to our poor people, I think it would be selfish of us to just leave them to fend for themselves. Don''t you think?"

    "I know about the things that you do here, Reus." Reus pulled his face to smile further, gulping in fear as she continued. "Do you know why I''m mad?"

    "We disobeyed your orders?" he answered immediately. "I know it''s wrong and I really apologize in behalf of..."

    Anagea gently tapped the table that created a loud bang giving a crack to run down to his side. Reus figured it''s a rhetorical question, so he pulled his lips right away shutting up for a couple of seconds before she pushed on explaining.

    "I''m mad because you lied to me. You, Karus, Kayzar, Yosh, you''re all lying to me. Your father lied to me too. Even my own father can''t look me in the eyes and tell me the truth. Everyone seems to be lying to my face in these past few months."

    Reus sighed deeply sorry as he reached for his mother''s hands and whispered. "I deeply regret doing that, Mama. I don''t really want to lie to you, it''s just I know you tend to get all riled up on us doing something so dangerous that it would distress you further to know such things. We just don''t want to make you worry."

    "Yes, but you''ve laid siege on seven fortresses now. I just don''t want you four to get hurt. Leave that to us. It''s not your fight yet. You''re too young to carry such dangerous burden."

    "...eight..." Reus said flinching.

    "Eight what?"

    "We''ve infiltrated eight, and we''re wanted fugitives now."

    "See!?" she shouted standing up. "That''s the kind of reckless thing I want you to avoid! You''re not just endangering your lives, you''re endangering countless others!"

    "But we''re really careful Mama. We''ve created secret identities that..."

    "Good thing Prodea''s not running the show here," she interrupted now hysterical. "If she is then you''ll all be dead! We''re going home now! Pack your things!"

    "W-w-wait, what do you mean by that Mama? Prodea not running the show?"

    "My Daomagarian spies in the Palace told me she''s in some form of deep sleep. Originally rumors ran that she died but now her Amplifyers have been burning to their maximum. The Other Generals have been feeling her presence at her chamber but she''s not really leaving there. Zeba''s now coordinating the military together with Sarram."

    "Oh..." he smiled figuring why they are having an easy time on their assault. "So, that means it''ll be easy to attack the Palace now!"

    "No!" Anagea snapped now getting furious. "You will not march down with your brothers there and create a war! You will go home now, or I swear I''ll beat you all senselessly, your eyes will be the only part without welts."

    "But this is the best time. There are still some loyal Sentinels..."

    Anagea slapped him stopping him from pursuing further, appalled by his ideas. "Do you think that it''s that easy? Do you ever stop to wonder what will happen if you lay siege and make them choose sides? You will be responsible for the deaths of thousands of Nagozulians. And after that, you will take your first life and that will consume you.

    "Taking the life of another mortal is not a light thing to do. Even if you play with your swords, or study your handbooks, or even know everything there is to know about war and war-like preparations being promoted as a Master General, there still isn''t enough knowledge or training in the whole world that would equip you for taking another mortal''s life. You are quick to drench your hands into that pool of blood and you don''t even know what that really is. You are so quick to play with people''s lives as if they are petty expendable matches to be burned to further your goals."

    Reus hunched low drilling a hole in the ground thinking about his deluded ideas of freedom. The truth of her mother''s words rang in echoes around the corners of his mind, making him weak till Anagea sighed. She pulled his chin up with a comforting smile that lifted his spirit.

    "I know that all you want is peace. I know you have a big heart and it''s alright to care. What you think is right is wrong to the other side, and what they think is right is wrong to you too. Do not focus justice on your own perspective but rather let justice be served equally among all men. That''s when you''ll know you''re doing the right thing. What is right is for the betterment of all of the Holy Mortals of the Holy Lands. If there''s a way for a peaceful resolution, you will take that road. That is what defines a Prince of Nagozul. That''s what being a Holy Sentinel means. Our oath to defend the sanctity of Bathala''s miracle that is life is our paramount responsibility. It is your paramount responsibility. Do not ever lose sight of your duty."

    "W-what if... what if Aunt Prodea manages..."

    Anagea smiled and hushed him. She tightly hugged him kissing him on the cheek and snickered. "If life is threatened here in Nagozul I''m sure Bathala will allow us to defend it. Only then can we be sanctioned to do such drastic measures." She pushed him looking at his eyes almost laughing. "And besides, if that happens, I promise you, I''ll be drenching my hands in that pool of blood in your stead. We''ll keep you safe. Don''t you worry just one bit. Okay?"

    "Ma..." he grumpily moaned as he shook his head. "I''m not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself when that happens..."

    "Oh no, you won''t, you''re still my little baby. My big grown-up baby."

    Three knocks on the door interrupted the two. Anagea pulled the door to reveal a distressed Narra, bearing a face of unhappy tidings.

    "Anagea, your presence here in the south has spread to the Palace. Your location will be compromised we must hurry."

    "W-what''s happening?" Reus stammered running to his grandfather greeting him, requesting for a bless which he gave in a hurry.

    "We''ve no time to explain this to you Reus, you''re safe here at the moment, but Anagea will not be if they located her."

    "So, it has begun?" she smiled almost taking it as a challenge. "Who gave the order?"

    "We don''t know. The Sibaran council denied the whole thing but I bet you they''re the ones behind this."

    "You''ve been marked!?" roared Reus looking confused.

    "Meh, I''ve been marked my whole life. That''s the beauty of being Number Four. Sibaran Assassins are so much fun to play with."

    "Yes, telling him about how you managed to imprison thirty Master Sibaras and their apprentices will be a wonderful bedtime story but as I''ve said, this is not the time."

    "Where are your brothers?" Anagea said. "Get them now, you''re all coming with me."

    "I think that may be a problem, see..."

    In a quick second, Captain Gab appeared before them, kneeling in salute, with a small rolled up paper on his right hand.

    "Master General Reus, a message from Piks."

    Reus hurriedly went to him grabbing and unrolling the purple parchment emanating the smell of rose as if drenched by it and within is a scribble of a message. A message that reads: Save Me.

    Anagea clicked her tongue with crossed arms returning to her mad composure. "Are you telling me they managed to escape you again? Seriously, Reus, how can you take care of your brothers if you do not know their whereabouts!?"

    "Mama," he said turning his head with sad eyes. "I would love to go with you to the north but I''m afraid I have some bad news."

    "That is Illyriah''s isn''t it?" Narra deduced sharing his seriousness after the rose perfume filled the air. "I''m afraid the rumors are true then."

    Anagea stopped for a couple of seconds before she made her decision. "Okay, okay. I''ll send an extraction team at the Palace..."

    "No," he boldly opposed. "You have to get back to the North as soon as possible. Captain Gab will escort us to the north and by the end of our second week we''ll be on our way at the Jungles of Narra."

    "You''ve said that last time and you did not comply."

    "I swear Mama. I will get back to the North. But first I have to go to Illyriah."

    "Isn''t that unwise, Tatay?" she asked his father Narra wanting his validation. "It''s the most dangerous place today."

    "We do not have time to prepare an extraction team to get her. If we do it ourselves, then we risk going into battle and we can''t afford any friction right now."

    "If you assemble a team here and gave them instructions on how to get past the Palace security then you risk staying longer here at the south," Reus continued pushing forth. "Even if you manage to assemble an extraction team, they will have the risk of losing their way in the Palace. What''s worse is if they get caught, they will be tortured and will be tried as assassins. Your assassins."

    "This is a sticky situation indeed," Narra smiled getting his point. "But it is imperative that we get Illyriah and Sayed away from Prodea. I''m afraid we don''t have a choice..."

    "Are you suggesting..."

    "Yes Mama," he cut in. "If I go there, I''ll be in and out without so much as a rustle."

    "He''s got a point there," Narra beamed, proud of his brave grandson. "After all, he has to collect the three first before going to the North so he''s going to have some help and I assure you, those other three are very crafty when it comes to sneaking in and out of the Palace."

    "I''m not so sure..." she mumbled pushing her lips to the side still thinking, unconvinced about his plan.

    "Please Mama. This is Illyriah we''re talking about. She''s the only..."

    Anagea lifted her palms interfering him to finish the perfectly long plea he so proudly forged in his mind. "Okay. You have two weeks to finish your affairs here. Three weeks and you should be at the North. I am trusting your word only on one condition." Reus waited for a couple of seconds, mouth closed barely breathing, before Anagea finally continued. "You must first resign your title as a Master General and pledge your arms to be under my army as one of my private. That way you will be under my command. That way you will never escape my wrath if you ever break your promise again."

    Narra looked at Reus mouthing the word ''ouch'' which he saw. A demotion this grand is practically humiliating and at the same time hilarious. This made him want to laugh but he tried to contain it as he knelt and bowed at her mother, arms curling in a salute.

    Reus looked up and hesitantly asked. "Are you sure, private? Mama?"

    "You asked for this, you tell me."

    "Corporal? Sergeant? Not even a Lieutenant?"

    "Do you want it or not?"

    Reus quickly bowed down and curled his hands leveling his eyes in salute seizing the moment before she ever changes her mind. "I, Reus, son of Artemus of the house of Limor, abandon my rank as Master General and all other responsibilities attached thereto in order to pledge my arms as a private in the army of my new Master, Anagea of the Daomagar Clan, wife of Artemus of the house of Limor, my mother."

    Narra laughed for the bit he added at the end of his pledge but stopped immediately once his daughter saw him.

    "Rise Private Reus," she commanded which made Narra and the kneeling Reus smile, finding it funny to hear a Prince having a humiliating rank in their own army. "As witnessed by Captain Gab of the Talim Clan and Narra of the Daomagar Clan, you are now accepted as a private in my army and will thusly be under my command and authority, having the duties and responsibilities attached to your rank thereto." Anagea smiled wide pinching his cheeks. "See? That wasn''t so bad? Right?" She went near him and mumbled in his ear, still smiling. "I punish my soldiers rather harshly, Reus. I don''t give special treatments so please be very punctual, okay?"

    And with a tap to the cheek stinging like a slap, the three went on their way, leaving Reus still standing on his door thinking on how he managed to mess up the negotiations. Clearly, he could''ve thought some other thing on the table. Illyriah better not be joking this time, he thought. If she is then she''ll owe him big time.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The background whooshed to change as Yosh stood from the outer edges of the Nilad Plains into the Underground Kingdom of the Dwendells. Nine clings from his side the whole time truly excited for his promised return till they were stopped in their tracks by Iyom.

    "Hey monkey kid. I''ve been waiting for you for about a week. Where have you been?"

    Yosh puffed with his scrunched face taking offense to his greeting.

    "Easy Iyom," Nine chuckled. "Yosh dashed to here quite fervently for the whole week. You might want to dial down your usual banter."

    "Lemme guess? You lost the seeds again?"

    "No!" Yosh finally said crossing his arms.

    "Hah! So that wretched cat ate it again?"

    "Hey! Don''t talk to Luna that way!"

    "Indeed, Iyom," Nine intervened. "You can''t blame the poor cat for thinking your seeds as treats..."

    "They''re just seeds," Iyom whined disappointed at Nine for defending Yosh. "Nothing special there!?"

    "Yes, but they taste and smell funny. Kind of sweet actually, that''s why animals think it''s some..."

    "Alright, alright. Enough of that. I have an urgent message for Yosh."

    "Hmpf... so that''s how you make small talk, huh?" Yosh grumbled. Nine saw this and just laughed.

    "Nine, would you mind giving us privacy?" Iyom said almost annoyed on her newfound fondness to Yosh.

    "Oka..."

    Before she could ever finish her consent, the two vanished in the air, transporting to a place where even she cannot detect.

    "Hey where are we!?" Yosh lividly said. "Are you kidnapping me again?!"

    "Here." Iyom extended his hands with a letter between his fingers.

    Yosh took it, grumbling, and immediately read its contents.

    "Wait a minute!" he said after noticing the already broken seal of their group, the Night Hunters, a seal resembling an eye of a cat, Luna''s to be exact. "You''ve opened the letter and read it didn''t you!?"

    Iyom raised his palms being defensive. "Hey, don''t blame me for reading private letters. I''m not anyone''s middleman. It''s their fault they gave that to me. I didn''t promise anything about not reading it, now did I? "

    "You have no honor..." Yosh whispered directing his squinting eye of judgment for a couple of seconds to the indifferent Iyom and returned to reading.

    A minute passed and Iyom got tired of waiting. He was surprised to witness him slowly reading a letter that wouldn''t take longer than twenty seconds to read. He is ready to create his usual rants when Yosh beat him to it.

    "But I just got here!"

    "You think? That letter arrived yesterday. So, that means you''re supposed to be there today. That said I think I''ll accompany you out now."

    "Oh, I see. Ready to boot me right after I arrive... You''d like that would you."

    Iyom smiled wide almost coughing a laugh. "I''m going to be lying if I say I don''t but I''m afraid that this message is of great urgency, one which you''d certainly very much like to comply as soon as possible. I''m just extending my hand to help you is all."

    "You''ll teleport me to the secret training grounds?"

    "Yes."

    "And you know where it is?"

    "Of course! Who do you think help Dal''Gur in his maps? We''re the ones running around giving him the layout of the lands you know."

    "I thought you cannot leave these parts?"

    "Of course, we''re not the ones who helped him, our ancestors did! He made the maps thousands of years ago, dummy! He''s not called an immortal for no reason!"

    "Oh... I knew that..."

    "Well, shut up and listen. I didn''t transmit you here just so we could further our skills in small talk."

    "Hey wait! You haven''t even told me where we are! Where are we?"

    "We are at the base of my father''s Lifetree, the Tree of Kings. The safest and one of the most private places here on Earth."

    "Oh, so that''s why it''s so quiet... and echoey... and..."

    "I said shut up!" he interrupted irate. "Now, I''m kind of new to this sharing of what I feel and such but what I feel is that I need to be there to help you do these things you''re doing around at night."

    "You mean the night hunts?"

    "Yes, that. I know I''m a bit clumsy and I tend to disappoint my kind. I know even my father is kind of disappointed at me at some level, so I just want to help out."

    "I really don''t see what''s in it for you there?"

    "Anything to hit Prodea would be best."

    "You''re that angry at my aunt huh?"

    "If you ask me as a Dwendell, the keepers of the Earth, I''d say no and hide every bad thought I''m feeling. But if you ask me how I feel about her, as me, personally, I''d say I''d like her to be one of those casualties of fate''s reapings that happen once in a while. Nowadays, good people are dying by fate''s chance and bad people seem to have been surprisingly spared avoiding the chances of death''s early visits. I would be lying if I said that she deserves to live. After all, the world would be a better place without her. She killed Bakunawa after all."

    "WHAT!? She killed Bakunawa!? The guardian of the Holy Lands!?"

    "See!? Even you, a prince, don''t know what''s happening in your own backyard! If she turns up Queen of Nagozul, it''ll be the end of the Dwendells, the immortals, even the Great Beasts of the Earth. I wouldn''t forgive myself if that happens under my watch."

    "But we''re not stopping her that way... We''re not murderers y''know..."

    "I know, I know. But you''re not hurting people, unlike her."

    "But we do... I mean we kind of hurt people a little..."

    "Yes! But not killing them!" he replied annoyed at his ceaseless interruptions. "I''m saying you''re not killing anyone which is a good thing so I approve of your measures and would like to render my services to your group as support to your campaign to a free Nagozul. Of course, you cannot impose your idea without giving a fight, especially against your own army. It''s rather exceptional there isn''t any death toll on your previous campaigns even when you''re against Generals and Sibaras."

    "Wow. That sounds like we''re a legitimate group now."

    "Prodea is dabbling on the Dark Arts. My father feels Dim''ion''s energies flowing around the Palace and it''s disturbing many a Dwendell. They can''t do anything, but I can. I want to rid Nagozul of Prodea''s control. Only your group is doing the right thing so far. So, I want to help out your group accomplish your goals anyway I can. If we can rout her military till your father can amass the right soldiers to retake the Palace and the City then I''ll have accomplished something great that I can be proud of, and then they''ll never think of me as a disappointment. Then I can truly say to myself that I''m indeed a full-fledged Keeper of the Earth."

    Yosh smiled thinking about his same need for approval as the one he wants from his father.

    "Hey," Iyom yelled clenching his fists seeing him with his warm smile. "Are you mocking me!?"

    "No. no. I''m not," Yosh chuckled.

    "Well you better not! ''Cause if you are then I''ll beat you to a pulp till you can''t smile again. And you better not tell anyone about what I said, or I swear..."

    Yosh just laughed again shaking his head. "Well, I think we have the same goals and objectives. I think we even have the same sort of needs so I guess what I can say is, welcome to the group!"

    "Well great!" Iyom smiled extending his hands for a shake which Yosh reciprocated.

    "Um... I have to tell it to my brothers first, but I think they will not turn away another hand willing to help. After all, we''ll need all the help we can get."

    "Then that''s settled! That means I''ll be joining you on your way out!"

    "What about your duties here? Are you sure you''re free to follow me around?"

    "Meh, I kill dying trees and scare away sprouts, so I won''t be missed. All I do here is run around errands since I can''t help out, with my kind of Lifetree and all. Although, I do great on animal relocations, that I know for sure. Come to think of it, we haven''t relocated animals for about two hundred years now so basically I''m just a bum here."

    "Oh, so we''re doing you a favor huh?"

    "Hey, don''t say it like that. That makes me look like a bored guy looking for some work."

    "Are you?" he smiled wide teasing.

    "Yes, I''m bored but that''s not the point. I''m helping you out of principle, not because I''m petty and shallow or something like that."

    "Okay... if you say so..."

    "Shut up!" Iyom said enraged as he pulled him, transmitting him to where his brothers are waiting.

 33 the TROUBLE in RESCUING the DAMSEL

    With a rasping gasp as sharp as scratching metal, she floated for about a foot from her bed. The gems embedded in her forehead, from her arms, from her chest, began to activate an intensified beam of light of almost white. The quiet foggy dusk of Nagozul slipped into chaos and confusion as the inhabitants of the city felt the dark depressing energies of Prodea''s activated Amplifyers, a feeling unlike any activation they ever felt before, an activation so powerful, even the nearest neighboring village shuddered at the repulsive spine-tingling sensation akin only to ten thousand cockroaches running up and down one''s body.

    This is the final proof of their accusations to their Grand Princess. The final proof they need to put her into exile just for activating one of Dim''ion''s abhorrent spells, but no one can put that thought into action. No one can for only the military has the power to activate their Amplifyers. Only those whom Prodea approves of can use their Amplifyers because of the Global Binding Spell and asking politely about it is out of the equation. They don''t trust the Nagozulian Army anymore or where their loyalties lie, and no one wants to be made an example of. Some are whispering for a rebellion, others are waiting for their Grand Prince Artemus''s small army at the North to engage her for them to take arms to fight, but ultimately all they can do is wait. They have been turned to ordinary mortals inside their own lands and no one is one bit happy about it.

    "Zeba!" Prodea shrieked in her usual tone of ire. "What the impierno are you doing with my body!?"

    Zeba ran across the room shooing away the water casters present in her room, getting everyone out and then hurried to her side to help her in her weak state of removing her mourning gown in futility.

    "You have died Your Highness, quite longer than you said you would''ve based on your contingency plans, given the circumstances, so I thought you have truly perished..."

    Prodea looked around her room seeing all of those grand mourning candles burning bright, dripping their waxes, ruining her expensive red carpet.

    "Zeba! I told you that in the event of my demise, you will handpick a lowly Water..."

    "No!" she interrupted standing firm with serious face.

    Prodea scoffed and directed her attention to her. "NO?! Are you defying me now!?"

    "I will not sacrifice another Nagozulian life to you again. Maybe the Leonus delegates can help you with that but I will not. I will never subject any Holy Sentinel to one of your Dark Arts ever again."

    Prodea''s smiling face leaked her devilish fury which made Zeba shudder, afraid but not turning down her resolve. She thought that the punishments she might have to endure would be more comforting than the nightmares she''s having at night and Prodea knows that now too. She knows Prodea can read minds, so she made her case perfectly clear in her head till she sprung up a question.

    "Zeba, how many days have passed?"

    Before Zeba can answer, Prodea''s eyes widened gasping as if hyperventilating. Prodea beat her to it by scanning her mind and that number rang around her head driving her quite frantically mad.

    "Forty-one days!? FORTY-ONE! What did you do!? What have you done with Nagozul Zeba!?"

    "I-I-I tried to manage it a bit..."

    Prodea floated in the air with her Amplifyers activated. Her eyes burned with red flashing fury as if burning. "You managed!? You think you can even try?!"

    "I''m sorry..." she said slowly backing away till she reached into a corner.

    Prodea thrust her palms into Zaba''s head and began reading all of what''s happened in the last few days in Zeba''s eyes. Zeba felt the burning hot hands searing into her forehead as if drilling her head with a corkscrew. It would''ve burned her skin right off the base of her skull if not because of her unique tough Daomagarian skin.

    "Unbelievable!" she shrieked further after a few seconds of searching. She ran to her study, grabbed the military plans Zeba has written up in her name and began burning them in her trash bin. "I died for three days, just three days, and you immediately resumed command of the Great Holy Nagozulian Army. In your disposal is the best army the Holy Lands can provide and yet you failed to rout those filthy trespassers but managed to ruin my good name? I sincerely doubt it if I could really leave the Holy Lands at your oh so capable hands."

    Zeba, crying in pain while inspecting her sore forehead, just slid down in that corner and let Prodea ran her rants. She just wished she never thought about Prodea''s punishment. That way, at least Prodea can get creative. Any of the usual punishments will do than giving her an idea from her own nightmares. She just thought about running errands as punishment and pinned it down in her mind to bring up whenever she failed her again in the future. That will be less painful than thinking about being burned by her base element.

    "Hey! Daomagar! Are you even listening?"

    "H-how did you come back?" she mumbled sniffling.

    "What are you muttering there? I can''t hear you!"

    "I said, how did you return back from the land of the living. You''ve been dead for three days. The casters said your heart stopped. Even your brain is not responding to any stimuli. They said your soul has been reaped and yet..."

    "Oh, don''t be so na?ve, Daomagar! I did not assimilate those weak casters for nothing. I traded ten for my life back."

    "You what?" Zeba now shocked standing up looking at the burnt-out sapphire embedded on her shoulders she is pointing on.

    "Remember when I told you about assimilating them? Well I freed ten. Hooray, right?!"

    "Wh-where would they go?"

    "To impierno of course. Such a silly question. It''s your fault they are there. But not to worry I''m alright so you shouldn''t blame yourself. Try and act as if it''s a lesson you now learned. Always move forward as my father used to say. Just keep moving forward."

    "Why is that my fault!" she screamed confused and worried. "You''re the one who killed them!"

    "Oh... No, no, no Zeba," she replied smiling as if enjoying herself. "You''re the one who killed them, not me. I told you, I assimilated them. I can return them to their bodies after our objectives come into fruition. I have perfected the assimilation spell to an extent that I do not need to reap another soul so that I may escape death. But no, mmm-mm, instead you chose to listen to your pathetic conscience so look what I did. I have no choice but to let them be reaped. You can''t blame me. After all, it''s me or them. And my mission here on earth is not yet over. Don''t you agree?"

    "Y-you... you''re a..."

    "Stop!" she smiled wide reading her thoughts. "Words are a funny thing, Zeba. Once spoken it can never be taken back... so I suggest you choose your words carefully from now on. I can forgive you on your little mess here. I can even forgive you for letting me rot to die without offering me some souls to assimilate as we planned. I don''t know if I can still trust you with my body after what you''ve done but sadly I still need you for my plans to work so you should be thankful I''m not bringing vengeance upon you.

    "Let''s just settle this misunderstanding to a draw, now, shall we? You failed me letting me die, and I forgot to tell you about the perfection of my assimilation techniques, it''s a misunderstanding, you see? That can always happen to good people. Right? Let''s wipe the slate clean. After all, I died and have been reborn once more. So, what do you say?"

    Zeba''s gnashing teeth showed greatly on her face which enjoyed Prodea further. She ultimately gave a nod which made Prodea snicker in delight.

    The loud smashing sound of the door interrupted their intense discussions in an instant with the frightened Sarram running in haste.

    "Zeba! You gotta help me!"

    Prodea pressed her temples hard in great dismay clearly controlling her frustration. "I thought I told you big lug not to slam my doors again."

    "P-Prodea?" he smiled running to hug her but failed to do so because of her bitter personality giving him cruel eyes.

    "Knock! Then enter! Is that really hard to remember?" She continued in reprimand.

    "S-sorry... I''m just glad you''re alive. You got me worried there."

    Prodea just laughed mocking which hurt Sarram leaving him to ask.

    "Why? Is that hard to believe?"

    "No, my dear brother. I''m sure you''re relieved that I''m back here again to solve your pathetic problems once more. I think you have one right now so let''s cut this short and let me hear it."

    "Great thing you''re now up and about ''cause you wouldn''t believe who is at the study waiting for you."

    "Hmmnn... let me guess, you''re having debt problems again with other nobles and your inconceivable large sums of gold bets. Stop playing with Nagozul''s gold and start acting like a real man and face your own problems. I have a lot to deal with."

    Sarram scrunched his face wanting to get back but his problems are a lot bigger today, so he let it pass by. "It''s not them. It''s Kuya-Artemus."

    Prodea''s eyes widened even more looking at Zeba whom she blames for her brother''s visit. "I know I said I''ll let the slate be clean and wipe away your trespasses against me and of Nagozul, but if you ever tried and do something that would impair my plans I swear Zeba I''ll make sure you''ll pay."

    Prodea grabbed her long silk scarf and bundled it around her neck. She gracefully walked to the door and smiled at them there inside, as if instructing them to stay there, as if ordering them to be quiet, without a single word coming out of her mouth, just with her cold angry eyes that can be seen even if there''s a hint of joy dangling in her lips. That''s how they know she has truly returned, alive and well.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Prodea." Artemus nodded as he sat there at the center waiting for her. He didn''t even stand up to recognize her, an insult that she took quite seriously given her self-proclamation of being the Queen''s Substitute for the time being.

    "Kuya-Artemus. I sure hope you had a pleasant trip from the north. How are things there?"

    "Cut the small talk Prodea," he said in all seriousness, standing up. "News have arrived that you are doing unholy acts against Nagozul."

    "And who might your sources be, I wonder?"

    "That is none of your concern."

    "Oh, brother but it is. Accusing another noble of such disgraceful act without evidence or a credible standing witness is an upfront to our laws." She smiled and whispered. "Especially to your little sister. That''s a big no-no."

    "I implore you Prodea with all of my heart," Artemus bowed kneeling down in front of her which surprised her greatly. "Stop this nonsense. For the sake of Nagozul. Stop this at once."

    "My, my. The Great Grand Prince Artemus of the house of Limor, the unbeatable, the invulnerable son of light, the successor of Bathala''s Shield, kneeling down upon a lowly princess like me? Whatever have I done to deserve such a thing?"

    "You have created confusion in our lands, sown discord into the hearts of Nagozulian men, created fear by putting fortresses even at the most holiest of Bathala''s lands. Stop this madness. Please. I beg of you."

    "I am trying to protect Nagozul brother, if you should know."

    "By placing Daomagarians into involuntary servitude too? By putting Nagozulian lives at risk by placing the Global Binding Spell!? Is that for the benefit of Nagozul or is it about for your own benefit? I think we have different definitions of protecting Nagozul and I certainly believe that you''ve gone too far."

    Prodea smiled and activated her Amplifyers. Artemus sensed this and jumped back almost twenty feet away.

    "What are you going to do about it? Hmm?" She smugly chuckled seeing him distancing himself from her.

    Artemus looked at her with serious eyes, eyes without fear, eyes with full conviction. "You dare activate your Amplifyer on a kneeling brother? A kneeling king? Your king? Prodea, you''ve become too full of yourself you''re not thinking the repercussions of what you''re doing."

    With his last sentence, his white diamond Amplifyer activated an intense blinding light that made Prodea stepped back a little, mumbling why her Global Binding Spell does not affect his base element.

    "To tell you the truth Prodea, I came here to talk some sense on you. I tried being humble but apparently that act is unfamiliar to you. I do not wish to fight but if that''s what you wish then I''ll be glad to reciprocate by defending myself."

    Prodea''s heart thumped louder and louder. Her eyes quiver at the sight of his magnificent elemental focus, resonating a weak, but at the same time heavy, pulse. His brother is measured with the lowest elemental essence ever recorded for a Life Elemental, but he compensates by directing all of his elemental energies to surround himself in a barrier that even the greatest of any elementals cannot penetrate. Even Daomagarians will have no luck pushing through his perfect defense. Narra himself, the greatest of the Daomagarians have tried and failed. She gulped in fright and toned down her Amplifyers and laughed. Artemus withdrew too in a quick second following her retreat.

    "I''m just testing you brother. I''m checking if you''ve grown soft at the north."

    "No, you''re not."

    Prodea felt infuriated with his tone but tried to compose herself as she found herself a way to deal with him. "You know that someone tried to assassinate mother here?"

    "I highly doubt that Prodea."

    "Oh? But that''s not what the other people here are thinking now is it, Brother."

    "Keep repeating that in your head and it will become the truth. We all know this is what you do."

    "But they are not lies. Even the Generals have found evidence all over Nagozul about that radical group that has been targeting us aiming to destroy our Kingdom. The group of that Shadow Fiend, Yiv. Surely you''re not taking their side?"

    "What''s this now Prodea. One of your convoluted conspiracy theories? Stop wasting my time."

    "I''m sure that whoever tried to assassinate Mother has an informant in the cotton village."

    "You mean the now Seventh Fortress?"

    "Yes, but most importantly, the fort that has been attacked by this Yiv and his group - The Night Hunters, as they would like themselves to be called. They''re a bunch of misfits composed of a rogue Elf, a great beast, a Nagozulian and two Daomagarians. Would you know someone who associates to those three?"

    Artemus frowned standing firm, looking at her still in seriousness. "Where are you getting at? Do not run around in circles like a coward. If you''re going to accuse me of something, then say it to my face directly."

    "Well, it''s going to be hard to explain but I do know about you associating with Elves, with the great beasts, and even have a Daomagarian wife that is the direct descendant of the Great Daomagar. It seems to me that plotting to kill the Queen and usurping the throne, eliminating all of us here, creating confusion and then saving the day would be your most likely goal."

    "I have no such dreams Prodea. Why would I need that when the throne is rightfully mine? I''m just humoring you on this little game we''re playing because of my respect to mother. If not because of her, I could''ve easily thrown you to exile already."

    "Oh!? Well if that''s the case, then why are you harboring the Cotton Villagers up in the North?"

    Artemus'' eyes of shock made Prodea smile a bit. This is the ace she''s been holding for quite some time and she''s rather happy about the results.

    Artemus pondered well as to why she knew that when they have made the incident a secret. The thought of having a mole in the Citadel disturbed him but he cannot let this feeling leak out in front of her, so he replied. "We are not prejudicial to all of the Holy Sentinels. If they come for us in need of aid, we''re more than willing to help them out, especially if they are harassed and have been unjustly sentenced to be executed based on a farcical trial you''re running."

    "Well, that... or it''s just that you''re harboring them from real justice. See, they''re convicted of helping the assassins try and kill the Queen, our own mother.

    "Making them stay at the North gives the idea that you''re protecting them from the crimes they''ve committed, which gives the assumption that you''re the ones behind it and you''re protecting your goons from revealing your abhorrent plot against us, your own family, against Nagozul. Have you no heart?"

    "That''s not true."

    "I''m not saying it is, but to everyone, it kind of is... You''re good with logic, please explain to me how the notorious Yiv attacked the Seventh Fortress, liberated all those convicts and then they end up in your end of the backyard seeking your refuge. This sound a bit like Yiv, and the Goody Grand Prince are up to something behind the curtain now is it?"

    "Stop and listen Prodea," he said indifferent about her plans to entrap him. "I do not care about your weird delusional concoctions of truth. Bathala is the truth and if you''re not with the truth then you are against Bathala. Anyone against Bathala is the enemy of Nagozul, and all of our brothers and sisters in the Holy Lands.

    "I''m giving you six months. Six months to dismantle all those fortresses and everything you''ve been building so far, to rid those Leonus people here, to pay all those Daomagarian Workers their dues then send them home free. In those six months, I will wait at the North. I will toil myself day and night to eradicate all of the Pusakal stuck there and will wait for that time to pass until I return here. In that span of time I really hope all of those requests be complied to."

    Prodea scoffed mocking. "Are you seriously..."

    "I''m not done yet!" he shouted with a reverberating full voice that stroke fear even in her proud heart. "After my entire request is complete, I will visit here once again. You will release Mother from wherever hole you put her in, you will relinquish your title, be an ordinary low-ranking seer or noble or whatever you prefer, and then I will forgive you. We will have a normal dinner as a family, and we will forget everything that has happened. Comply with my wishes, as the first born, as your King, as your Grand Commander and I will spare your life."

    "Spare my life?" she shrieked angry with her shaking voice, a voice that can only be aptly compared to a squealing spoiled girl having her tantrums. "You dare talk to me that way?"

    "I am the Rightful King of Nagozul. All of this charade is just an act of generosity and respect to Mother as I have promised my Father. Father does not want me to reign still because he loved Mother so much that he''s afraid she''ll be devastated if she got placed to be an ordinary noble after reigning for a long long time. You know how she is if she doesn''t get what she wants.

    "Do not mistake my compassion to Mother as weakness. Do not mistake my silence to this whole affair as my permission for you to desecrate this Holy Lands."

    He smirked as if looking down upon her, signaling the end of their discussion and quickly teleported behind her. In a blink he moved past her like a dash but without actually disrupting the air particles around him. She knows because she is partly a Wind Blower. She stood there all frozen witnessing Artemus'' awesome powers as he opened the door to exit.

    "Oh, and Prodea," he added almost chuckling. "I do not care if you''re my sister. Do not ever, ever, threaten me again or I swear to Bathala, I will put you down for good."

    With his final words and a gentle clink on the door, she was left there to ponder on how she can ever defeat his brother, the invulnerable Artemus. An idea so troubling it gave her nightmares in broad daylight just thinking about the thought of it.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Let me say thank you again for joining us here, Iyom," Reus whispered as the five stopped on their low crouching, waiting for the guards to pass by. "It really means a lot that you''re helping out. Not just because of your continued supply of ammunitions to Yosh... uh- I mean Aether, but because you believe in our..."

    "Yeah, yeah, quit it Kuya-Reus," Yosh tapped, waving for him to go forward. "One more compliment and his head will turn to an exploding watermelon. We wouldn''t like that happening, now would we?"

    The twins slightly smiled and Iyom found that to be funny too. He''s not used to that kind of compliment especially from a mortal whom he regarded as his mortal enemy just months ago. He agrees it''s going too much, Reus''s deep appreciation of his help, but he''s getting rather embarrassed by it now. He''s not the type of person who wants to be frequently glorified. Good thing Yosh stopped him there, or else he might reveal his blush and stop him himself.

    It took only but thirty minutes till they were completely out of the Snake Tunnels, the Palace''s creepy brick-walled maze that Yosh is still afraid of even after five long years. The party tried their best to be stealthy, avoiding every guard, at every post, at every corner. A pretty weird positioning considering they''re guarding a maze no one dares to enter. It''s too excessive it''s practically inefficient since patrolling guards always bump into each other and make idle small talks at that lazy morning which provided them more cover to move about undetected.

    Iyom originally asked to help them transmit anywhere in the Palace grounds but to his surprise, he found out that there are heavy Magicks inside preventing anyone of his kind from transmitting. An unfortunate but expected roadblock since he is indeed a Dwendell and his kind went to war with the brother''s ancestors a thousand years ago. Clearly it is a reasonable Magick defense that he should''ve thought beforehand but has forgotten at that brief moment to remember.

    Scaling the hundred feet wall to climb to Illyriah''s chambers at the East Wing is a challenge too, a challenge that only Reus unfortunately recognized since the four are somewhat experts at this field. Iyom made the landing first followed by Kayzar who is almost silently teasing Karus''s slow climb being fourth. They waited for about twenty minutes for Reus to show up till they huddled together in the balcony to regroup.

    "Wow, Kuya-Reus. If a turtle can learn to climb, he''ll still be faster than you."

    "I''m sorry Yosh, I do not share your monkey-like abilities."

    "Hey!" reacted Iyom offended because he arrived first.

    "Oh, I''m sorry Iyom. You''re excluded in the reference. It''s a given you''ll be arriving first. You''re a Dwendell after all and it''ll be a shame if Kayzar beats you to it."

    Kayzar just smiled not joining in on their little talk. Clearly, he could''ve jumped and reached the landing because of his newfound propulsion techniques that he refined in his training at the veil, but he doesn''t want to show it off, not yet anyway.

    "So, should we knock now?" Karus whispered tapping them all, pointing inside to where Illyriah is, crying at the edge of her bed.

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Knock on it Karus." Reus ordered pushing him which he refused to do.

    "Oh, no I won''t. You knock. I''m not going to be the one who speaks to her first. I don''t know anything about crying girls and I don''t want to start a trial and error experiment now."

    Reus looked at Kayzar which he completely ignored, looking very far away as if he didn''t notice his ordering gaze. Yosh did the same so he leered at Iyom.

    "Aw, impierno no, Reus. I don''t even know her. Quit stalling and knock already!"

    Iyom pushed him to the window that instead of a knock, a loud thump echoed inside as if a fast flying bird hit her window. Illyriah stood up and dried her tears and immediately went to the balcony but noticed them all huddled up altogether crouching as she walked half-way.

    She opened her window and beamed her beautiful smiling face of relief at them. She looked at them but it''s mostly for Reus who is awkwardly smiling, fixing his spectacles, as usual. Illyriah mouthed her thank yous and rushed to hug Reus tightly. It has been a week and a half since she sent her letter and she''s worried it didn''t reach them in time.

    All of them entered the room with Illyriah still hugging Reus at the balcony, crying and sniffling. Yosh would''ve complained about their reception, with Illyriah ignoring them and focusing her attention only to Reus where in fact they all underwent a lot of trouble to be there for her. They travelled two days without rest just to get to where they are now and all they got was a kind look of relief, but he didn''t say a word. The awkward look on Reus face as he stood there all stiff is enough for him. In fact, the four has been silently choking their guffaws looking at him asking them what to do with his curled brow and shaking smile. His hands move about at her back, not touching but appearing as though he is patting the air around her. A truly amusing thing to witness they thought, one that may only be seen once in a lifetime - or a few times more depending on when their brother learns to deal with women.

    "Uhm... Illyriah? Please come inside and talk about your problem with us here..." Karus mumbled remembering the walking soldiers outside. Her sobbing is gradually increasing, and he doesn''t want to attract any unwanted attention directed at them.

    "That''s pretty insensitive, don''t you agree?" Yosh whispered tapping Karus which he just shrugged. It''s better to be insensitive than to worry about the problem they''ll be facing later on with the soldiers. After all it''ll be very hard to escape once they are all riled up.

    Illyriah weakly walked clinging at Reus''s side towards her bed. She sat there trying to maintain her steady breath, trying to douse her already tear-soaked handkerchief further. Reus pulled his and gave it to her, seeing her having the trouble of ridding the tears that she has been spreading all over her face because of her wet napkin.

    She smiled and said her thank you with a broken voice almost as if crackling. Illyriah is not like this at all. She''s the strongest noble they know. She''s shy and gentle but she''s not going to cry over something too trivial. It must really mean that she''s having troubles that are beyond the normal person''s threshold. And that pushed Karus to speak up, wanting to his feed the growing curiosity and concern within him.

    "Who''s bothering you? Tell us who and we''ll put a stop to them immediately. Is it Gantee? Is he harassing you again?"

    "Oh, no, no. I''m sorry, Grand Prince Karus, Grand Prince Kayzar, Grand Prince Yosh, especially you Grand Prince Reus, and..." he looked at Iyom and just smiled, "...and you, handsome sir. I''m sorry if I''m such a wreck today that I didn''t even bothered to fix myself. It''s a behavior unbecoming a lady."

    "Oh no, you look beautiful. Except for those puffy eyes..." Yosh quipped which the three, even Iyom, reacted by looking at him with reproach. Yosh just laughed and continued his statements, wanting to fix what he just said. "...not that puffy eyes are not in fashion, indeed they are. Actually, I''ve noticed that I need to have puffy eyes too. I think that would make me look trendy."

    Karus just held Yosh''s hand and shook his head smiling. Yosh understood him so he pulled his lips and shut it just nodding seriously.

    "What happened Illyriah?" Reus asked.

    "Well... I don''t know how to say this... but I think you four are the only person I can trust to tell about my father..."

    "What about him?" Kayzar entered almost figuring what is happening.

    "Did our Aunt do something to him?" Karus started beating her to it, clearly anticipating her hesitant words. She''s the only one that could make her life miserable. She made their lives miserable too so he could relate.

    Illyriah broke crying again for a couple of seconds till she nodded.

    "What happened to him?" Reus said.

    "Well, they threatened us two months ago. They said they needed the Hishma. But he wouldn''t give in... so they fought and ultimately cursed him with the Sleep of Death... and then she made me take his place as the ruler of our lands in Hishma. She''s taking him ransom there for me to do her biding. If I don''t do what she wants, her Super Mortal will tear my father''s limbs apart and they said they will feed it to the fishes in the ocean..."

    The four brothers felt chills ran around their spine, clenching their fists in frustration and anger. They didn''t know Prodea is capable of such inhumane actions making them reevaluate their perception about her. She sobbed for a couple of seconds and then she continued.

    "I''m sorry. I don''t want for you to get mad at the Grand Princess Prodea. She is your aunt and I''m sorry if I''m tarnishing her good name, but I just want my father to be safe and alive. I don''t even mind being betrothed to a foreign mortal but please I beg of you, save my father."

    "Wait what?" Karus snapped almost angry. "Kindly repeat that last part. It seems as though I heard Prodea betrothed you to a foreign mortal?"

    "Indeed, Grand Prince Karus. I''m sorry but she been pushing me to marry the Earl Eryk Caden Shade of Leonus. She said it will give our two nations a strong bond. If I do not participate in this deal, my father will be torn asunder. I have accepted this fate, but I just don''t want him to get hurt. I don''t know what the Grand Princess is capable nowadays. She can back out on our agreement anytime soon."

    Reus clicked his tongue in anger almost activating his Amplifyers till Kayzar tapped him to his senses.

    "Hey, Kuya-Reus. Stop piling your anger in and just breathe out. If you activate that here, someone might notice. We''ll be in trouble if that happens."

    "That''s it, you''re coming with us to the north," Reus commanded.

    "Wait... the wedding is at the next day. I''m afraid it''s a little too late. I''m sorry to be such a burden but I cannot leave here. If I do then..."

    "What!?" Karus shouted which earned him a slap at the nape from Kayzar giving him time to remember to whisper before he continued. "Are you kidding me? You could''ve given us the problem at hand in the letter. We could''ve gotten here first instead of waiting for the ever late Yosh."

    "Hey! I tried my best to get at your super-secret training ground as fast as possible!"

    "I''m sorry but I''m afraid I can only relay two words. You see, I''m not permitted to leave this room and I can only give one letter at a time to my trusted handmaid who is giving me my meals. I have to fashion my food in a secret code from the leftovers so that they can''t catch me. Then, it''s hard to send a letter to Piks since he''s always away so I have to send the message to the north first so that they can reroute the message back to where you guys were. Time really is not on my side here even though time is the only friend they allow to accompany me."

    "Oh... I''m sorry," Karus mumbled looking down. "I didn''t know you''re having such a hard time here."

    "So, we have to get your father before getting you out here." Reus pondered fixing his skewed glasses.

    "Yes, this is a problem indeed Kuya-Reus," Yosh shook his head thinking deep. "We can''t take her since they''ll kill Uncle Sayed. If we save Uncle Sayed there, then we risk losing her here. So, someone should be here, and someone should save Uncle Sayed but sneaking out and going there is going to take at least three days nonstop, and that''s by dashing."

    "That, I can help out!" Iyom entered smiling wide. "Your family, my dear Illyriah, is a personal friend of our great ancestor. Hishma, Nagozul''s cousin, is one of our close friends and when he outlined the hills, we helped them sculpt the area, checking where the strongest foundations are on those slopey hills. Even the Palace where his generations are residing is a product of the Dwendell people''s hard work. Get me outside these creepy Magick-infested walls and I can transmit you there instantaneously."

    "Y-you mean, you''re a Dwendell?"

    "But of course, milady. I am sorry that I haven''t introduced myself. I am the unrestricted Dwendell Iyom, Son of the Great Dwendell King Kyrin the Sharpshooter. Any enemy of Prodea is my friend and anyone Prodea hurts is going to receive my help."

    "Thank you great Dwendell but I''m afraid even you can''t help me here."

    "What do you mean? I could transmit there. We''re in, we''re out. No one will notice."

    "The room where Prodea left my father is in a special room. It is sealed by the Dark Arts and only a great Daomagar can destroy it. That''s the rumor and even then, I can''t really vouch for that information. You can''t transmit inside his room. Still after then, there is a super mortal stationed outside at all times. He''s been there for more than a month now, trying to guard my father so that I won''t back down on my deal."

    "A guard?" scoffed Karus, "That''s somewhat reassuring."

    "Oh no, Your Highness. He''s not just any guard. He is a mortal forged by the spirits of Dim''ion."

    "I thought you''re referring to a Daomagar," Kayzar smiled. "Come to think of it, I think it''s weird now that you''re referring to a Daomagar as a Super Mortal."

    "He''s the by-product of the Grand Princess Prodea''s Dark Magicks. They said that he can withstand any pain. He can even take the strongest blow of the strongest Daomagar and be left unscathed. They consider him a Manufactured Titan."

    "Hmmmnn... a titan you say," Karus smiled wide. "That''ll be a challenge."

    "Even then Your Highness, even if that titan can be defeated. Many Sibara Assassins will be present there."

    "Don''t worry," Iyom reassured. "I will transmit these rascals to the nearest place to your father''s room. We will avoid as little Sibara as much as possible. I''m not much of a fighter anyway so I''d be really careful not to get caught in a swordfight."

    "Pardon?" she said confused. "Are you saying you''re going to engage them yourselves?"

    "Of course, what else are you thinking about?" Karus boasted.

    "But, you''re Nagozulian and he''s..."

    "We''re not called the Night Hunters for nothing," Yosh laughed which brought all of his brother''s surprised eyes at him.

    Kayzar slapped Yosh in the nape mumbling.

    "Dammit Yosh. Don''t reveal our identities to other people!" Reus reprimanded crossing his arms.

    "Hey, I thought she''s okay? You guys told me she can take secrets."

    "You are the radical group, Night Hunters?" Illyriah smiled in delight as if excited. "The one Prodea''s obsessing about?"

    "Yes..." Karus confessed almost irritated of Yosh''s yapping mouth.

    "But in the papers, it''s said Yiv is with them..."

    Kayzar raised his hands smiling. Which gave Illyriah a bit of a chuckle.

    "You''re Yiv? Let me guess, the Daomagarian Incarnate Magnus is you Grand Prince Karus since I always hear him call you that, and Grand Prince Yosh is the Elf..."

    "Dwendell," corrected Iyom almost annoyed at that slur of a name.

    "Oh¡­ Dwendell. Sorry. And you, Grand Prince Reus, is the Nagozulian Man-Beast."

    "What?!" Reus reacted hearing this for the first time.

    "Yes, that Man-Beast that was said to have been raised by the terrifying Grog himself in the Dark Jungles of Narra. One that has incorporated the strength of the Great Beasts and have the powers of Nagozul."

    "Hey! How come they''re all legendary and I''m just a Man-Beast!?"

    "Don''t worry, Your Highness," she giggled. "He is said to have great Daomagarian strength, a muscular giant. That''s why they defeated a Sibara Strike Team that easily."

    "Oooh..." Yosh remembered laughing. "That... So, they attributed their defeat on some kind of a spin-around story to justify their weakness. That''s just sad..."

    "I didn''t defeat those Strike Team. It''s all Yosh."

    "I can''t blame them though," Yosh smiled as if forcing himself to stop bursting out laughing. "It''s humiliating to admit they have been defeated by a kid like me. Now I know how the real Yiv feels. Accounts said he''s six years old then but reports on failed Sibara Assassin recounted that his age range to almost forty. Now I know why they don''t trust Sibaras. Now I understand the saying ''you can''t trust a Sibara''s tongue''."

    "I''m sorry to give you this problem, Your Highness but you''re all my only hope. Please save him."

    "We will," Reus smiled with his comforting eyes.

    "Oh no, you won''t," Karus entered. "You''ll stay here with her. We''ll take care of Uncle Sayed at Hishma."

    "What!? But you can''t possibly..."

    "Karus is right, Kuya-Reus," Kayzar interrupted. "You must take Illyriah here right now and take him to the north."

    "Remember the clearing where Shihiku and Gramps fought?" Karus asked.

    "The one you pointed out last summer? I know that."

    "Well, meet us there. Iyom can leave a mark there, his violet or something."

    "Yes, I can do that," Iyom concurred. "Give me the location and I will spring up a violet there. The Violet will be there for the whole day. If it shrivels that means we fail if it blooms further, then we succeeded."

    "Well, don''t think like that!" Yosh grumbled. "You''re saying as though you have no faith in us. We broke seven fortresses without your help y''know."

    "Hey, I''m just saying."

    "But I''m not afraid anymore," Illyriah smiled beaming them her naturally beautiful face. "I trust you all with all my heart. I know you will succeed. So, I''ll be coming with Reus and leave any time you like."

    "That''s the spirit!" Yosh encouraged. "Don''t worry. Leave Uncle to us."

    "We''ll leave tonight," Reus concluded. "We''ll give you time to prepare your attack at the Hishma. I''m sure you can hustle up and return to the clearing by early morn?"

    "We''ll be there before the sun comes up and not a minute later," Karus promised.

    "Don''t be foolish now," Reus laughed. "You know you can''t promise anything like that. Not while you have Yosh with you."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "You heard them?"

    "Loud and clear, Master."

    "Those knuckleheads are unwittingly walking to a trap." Yiv turned around walking in circles scraping the ground as she goes in deep thoughts. Her two kneeling apprentice notices her smiling coupled with a few scratching of her chin. She has ultimately reached her most obvious decision. She goes around like this for about five seconds till she continued. "This can''t be helped then. Are your information reliable?"

    "Yes, Master," initiated Argentis, proud of her intel. "Our Daomagarian brothers are building the Hishma Fortress now. Sibara Masters and their Apprentices are teeming there. The Manufactured Titan known as Sir Haaron is there too guarding Sayed''s magically encrypted room as confirmed by Illyriah."

    "Yes, so Auric, a question. If they enter that fortress, most probably, in your most optimistic assessment, what will happen?"

    Auric raised his head answering the self-explanatory question she''s imposing. "It''ll ''b a bludbat'' on ''yer broders'' expense, Master. Der''s too many Sibara Masters supehvising Sayed''s Palace. Dey''r margin'' o''success is rader t''in."

    "And are you sure they can''t get in and out without having to engage all those Sibaran Masters? Especially the Titan Haaron?"

    "Y-yes, Master. It''d ''b hard for ''em to move about ''der undetected. Most likely, dey''l ''b detected ''d minute ''dey arrive. At ''d very least, Kayzar will ''b left alive since he can go to ''d veil but his brodehs'' fate is sealed. Not unless he can pull ol of''em inside which I t''ink is highly doubtful - especially in his current level o''skill."

    "How about the new defensive enchantments? Argentis, what does your sources tell you about it?"

    "Renovations are still taking place and I doubt that elf kid can magically transmit to the closest spot. Most probably they can press forward up to the kitchen two flights below where Sayed is - and when I mean two flights of floors, I mean almost five hundred paces long. All of the floors above there are magically sealed. Even entering the veil can be pretty tricky master. It''ll be thrice as hard I bet.

    "Sayed is trapped at the tower spire east of the Palace. There''s a long wide hallway to him and only one door. When the door opens in the other side, Haaron will know and I assure you, they will never survive that giant, not with their level of expertise."

    "Rescuing Sayed is stated in the Prophecy. It is foretold that the brothers will bring salvation to the father of the Holy Hills and now it is indeed unfolding. There is no mention of us being there, a proof that we truly are Bathala''s Shadow Enforcers. We should consider ourselves blessed that Bathala has chosen us among his Holy Sentinels." Yiv smiled wide which excited them with hope. "Does it state in the prophecy that they will die early on in that date or after completion of their task, Argentis?

    "No, Master."

    "Auric, does it say there that they will fail given the insurmountable odds against their favor?"

    "No, Master. I t''ink not."

    "Then, again, my loyal apprentices, Bathala''s holy words have now revealed to us the truth of our lives'' purpose. It is up to us to ensure their fated success in saving the Holy Lands. I hope that you two are now seeing clearly the role you''re playing in this Earth and how blessed you two are to have such a mandate as a Holy Sentinel. It is our destiny, nay our responsibility, as Bathala''s children to save this land and to fulfill his bidding, to complete the prophecy, to aid them in rescuing Sayed.

    "Yes Master," the two echoed in reply.

    They believe they are doing the right thing, being Bathala''s shadow enforcers - as Yiv would likely describe their calling, but the blood on their hands are now catching up on them. It''s getting harder for them to kill people anymore with their conscience growing bigger but neither one of them wants to admit it to themselves in fear of being dulled in battle or being ridiculed by their master.

    They are indeed the Legendary Shadows of Yiv after all. Their lethal combination ranks Number 10 in the Great Twelve. They are the scourge that fights so efficiently side-by-side that the council placed them at the same rank together recognizing them as a single deadly individual. One slip up from the other and they endanger each other. They sure hope now that this ends quickly so that they can lead a normal life, a life without murder, a life they can be proud to claim as theirs.

    "Why are you two not rejoicing?" Yiv started walking closer to them, interrupting their lonely thoughts of retiring. She caressed their faces and gently pulled them up to stand. "You should not pity those whom you''re about to slay? Truly they are your brothers and as Daomagarians we feel for the deaths of our slain brothers but do not fret. Their delusive understanding of the truth prevents them from entering Bathala''s Paraiso. By cleansing them today, we prevent them from joining forces with Prodea later on where we can''t save their souls any further."

    "We are going to massacre all of the inhabitants of Hishma, Master?" Argentis asked full of worry.

    "No, just the ones that are there about a couple of hours before my brothers arrive. Dim''ion''s Magick is getting stronger in Nagozul. After this great cleansing at Hishma, Prodea will build her army, as the prophecy foretold. After then, they will have to choose a side and we know what the Sibaras will choose. It''s best to eliminate them earlier on than for them to defile the Holy Lands with their twisted lies they call beliefs - on how they worship Dim''ion insulting our Father, Bathala. Before they turn into infidels, it''s best we send them to Paraiso right away."

    "M-master? What about ''d workers? ''Dey''v nuttin'' t''do wit'' d'' Sibaras."

    "Oh, my lumpy apprentice, Of course, we''re not going to hurt them. That''s why it''ll be your responsibility to clear them all out. The scribes, the workers, the attendants, the few loyal soldiers of Sayed, all of those who are with Bathala. Those who do not accept Bathala, the ones who still aligns with Prodea after your warning, will perish. Now, I don''t want to sound insensitive, but anyone appearing inside the Palace within that time frame, friend or foe, will die. That is the hard truth and I''m revealing it all now to you two."

    "But Master, they''re going to strike tonight. They''ll rest for a bit and they will strike them by midnight. At least that''s what Karus is planning. Their elf is making preparations to transmit Reus and Illyriah to the clearing now as we speak. We can''t follow them around and warn the workers in time for our assault tonight."

    "That''s why I''m leaving this with Auric, Argentis. You don''t have to track them as they separate their group. We know where they will go now." Yiv smiled noticing her apprentices''s eyes looking down on the ground, fearful of what they are about to do which is not within the parameters of their normal operations. "Do not worry tonight, I''ll be the one who''ll chastise them with my Shadowless Blade. Your duty at the cleansing will be to rid of all the blood and bodies that I leave behind. Throw them into the ocean at the east, bury them, incinerate them, I do not care, as long as no soul can ever know of our participation tonight. As long as my brothers walk inside that empty Palace and rescue Sayed without a scratch, we''ll be alright. We''ll be making Bathala proud then."

    "What about the titan, Master? Are you sure we have enough time to deal with him?"

    "Oh, don''t worry. Tonight, this will all be me. My duty. My responsibility. You go ahead and figure a way to clean those halls. I want it spotless for their arrival. Two hours is all I need to sanctify Sayed''s Palace with my blade so our plan will be two hours before midnight."

    "But Master, if I warn ''dem, ''dey might pile up ''d Sibaras guardin'' ''d Palace by midnight. It''ll invite more soljers present ''der."

    Yiv just chuckled in delight, "The more the merrier. If they''re all spawns of Dim''ion then tonight will be a wonderful day for Nagozul. I''ll be doing them a huge favor, one I hope will remain a secret forever, so be sure to stash those bodies perfectly or else you''ll regret failing me."

    The two bowed low and before they could lift their heads Yiv started to walk away.

    "W-where are you going Master?"

    "To go pray for my enemies tonight," she said. "I do hope Bathala intervenes and shed some light to guide some of those wayward Sibaras. I truly care about their souls even if they are my enemies. They are our brothers still after all."

    With a warm smile coming deep from her heart, she vanished dashing, heading east towards the early morning sun.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Zeba! Where the infernal Tey''Arn have you been?!" Prodea shrieked in her room in a tiptoed fury. This has surprised Zeba so much that she has to crook her eyebrows in confusion instead of her usual cringing. "You know I can''t do everything here! If only I can multiply myself I would, but I can''t!"

    "I had my forehead checked. I just stepped out for about an hour, what''s wrong?"

    "Artemus is now threatening us, that''s what! He''s been onto us while you''re just walking around the Palace all dandy and gay!"

    "What has he got to threaten us? His small army is nothing against..."

    Prodea marched angrily activating her Amplifyers in frustration. "Are you really that daft? Do you want me to permanently mark your forehead?"

    "No..." Zeba finally cringed stepping back a little, frightened with Prodea''s aggressive charge as she raised her burning hands controlling all her might not to finalize her slap. Shoots of crackling cinders flew by in a frenzy which adds nightmare to her ever-ill-tempered attitude.

    "Arrrgh! It''s so hard to talk to you if you''re that thick! Zeba, just so you know. Artemus is of Life Elemental, and as such he is immune to my Elemental Attacks and we can''t afford him ruining our plans, not when we''re finally progressing on our tracks. I don''t have the energy, the resources, the force to rally against him now, now that I''m still on the verge of cleaning up your disappointing acts that besmirched my name, a master tactician and a great General. Especially after you spread all our forces thinly over the lands that led to the destruction of seven fortresses! I could only imagine the laughing faces of my detractors, and it''s all because of your stupidity!"

    "We have Dim''ion''s Dark Magicks? We could use it against them."

    Prodea laughed shaking her head as she walked to her study. "Oh, Zeba, now you''re rooting for my Dark Arts? I don''t know if you''ve changed for better or for worse. Oh wait, I remembered you''re growing a conscience. You''re cute and amusing then but now you''re just plain irritating!"

    Zeba ignored her insults and continued on point. "I''m not liking it but if you''re practicing that, we might as well have some use for it."

    "Oh, such domineering language! My, my. What have you become these past few days? What''s next? Are you going to teach little princesses your new-found intelligence?"

    Zeba felt insulted and just stared at her in serious eyes. "I''m saying we have your titan."

    "Correction! Titans! We''re going to have lots of them."

    "I beg your pardon?"

    "Yes, Zeba. As much as you abhor the fact, we''re going to manufacture an army of Titans! We have no choice now."

    "I thought we have one. I had him stationed there as you''ve plan months ago. Recall him and let him take care of all those people at the North."

    "Zeba..." Prodea shook her head in disappointment pressing her temples in irritation. "If life was just as easy as that, you''ll be Queen here and I have unified all the inhabitants of Earth under one Bathala. But that''s not easy, now is it? It''s not that easy since I''m the one doing all the heavy lifting while you''re there all conscious about the marginal differences of what you think is right or wrong. This is getting rather old don''t you think?"

    "But he''s a..."

    "Zeba. Let me just say this again in one rational explanation so that I won''t have to repeat it again." She paused, clasped her hands and went near her. "Are you ready?" Zeba tilted her head in confusion till she snapped at her again. "Zeba, are you ready to listen?!"

    "Yes," she winced.

    "A titan has a specific power generated by the individual''s basic attribute. A titan is not immortal and all powerful. Sir Haaron has an indestructible skin but he can be killed and most certainly cannot take all of the Northern Forces all at the same time. Not when the North is filled with the Daomagar and Maskara Clan''s Tactical Reserve, the Hundred Sword Elites, Shihiku and Grog, Artemus and his wife, not to mention their little army occupying there. Even though the Global Binding Spell is in effect, it will still be impossible to eliminate all of them there. Daomagarians are not affected by that spell as you would''ve noticed if not because of your miniature brain. It will be suicide unless we have the advantage."

    "Send the Sibaras with him then!" she proudly exclaimed.

    Prodea just rolled her eyes giving up as she scribbled a letter on her study and gave it to her.

    "Take that to the Duke. And please hurry up."

    "One titan is not enough? You still want to make more? But we have the Sibara on our side. We also have the Talim Clan too. Granted that they are a few but they are mighty capable. That, combined with your great powers, we could win this."

    "Wow! Thanks for the flattery but you still don''t get it." Prodea sighed mumbling. "It''s like I''m talking to wall, Bathala help me!"

    "We can''t. We just can''t. Creating an army requires a lot of..."

    "A lot of bodies?! What do you care? I thought you only cared about the souls of the Holy Sentinels. Their slaves are none of our concern."

    "But they are still lives ¨C holy or otherwise. Thirty souls to produce a titan? There must be something that we can do other than doing that dreadful thing."

    "You, of all people, growing a conscience like that, is getting disconcerting, Zeba. Of course, I considered the ramifications, but we can''t be defeated. We need to transform the Duke''s Knights into Titans as soon as possible. Artemus gave us six months to prepare and I would like to take all that time to manufacture as many titans as possible."

    "He gave you six months?" she said with widened eyes. "Should we be worried, Prodea?"

    "I AM worried. Only a fool like you would have the time to think about whether to get worried or not when our enemy is apparently planning to strike us down from quite some time now, one that you missed to see. There''s a play there somewhere. He can kick me out of here with his level of skill, but he didn''t. It''s not like he''s weak. I don''t see why. There''s something happening that I do not know yet and like always, I have to get that information myself because you''re not that reliable after all."

    "Maybe he''s amassing his troops and getting organized? He might contact Deito, they are close friends after all."

    "Indeed," she sat in her study scratching her chin in deep thoughts. "If I were him, I''d do that too. That''s why we need to do that too, Zeba. We have to amass our troops to be ready to match his. That''s why we have to manufacture a titan now!"

    "But I thought one could only be performed once every new moon?"

    "Yes, and have you looked at my moon calendar?"

    "Oh yeah, the next new moon is two days from now."

    "Stop asking stupid questions Zeba. I''m exhausted with just talking with you for minutes. I need to get my energy fast. We only have six new moons to cover which means we can''t miss one."

    Six hasty knocks surprised Prodea making her sigh for a bit, taking relief from her stressful talk with Zeba. Tranquility almost entered her heart, but she should''ve known better than to trust her capricious nature. As the doors opened slightly, an angry Eryk Caden strode quickly to her spot, uninvited and unannounced.

    "Grand Princess Prodea! I can''t take this any longer! You stayed at your room for far too long and now that we''re two days away from my..."

    Prodea raised her finger silencing him. She stood up from her chair and slowly walked to meet him. "Why are you here?"

    "For my sham of a wedding of course!"

    Prodea''s eyes twitched in frustration looking at Zeba. She remembers having to promise that the earl be married in two month''s time, but she also distinctly planned for them to marry eighteen days ago. Not only does Zeba did not follow through on her strict four-month plans, she did not mention it to her notes. She then smiled and returned to the Earl.

    "I''m sorry it got delayed but good help is hard to find."

    "You''re not listening! I said I want to marry Lime!"

    Prodea began to laugh incessantly for about a minute till she continued. "Which then I said no and quickly promised you''d be married in two months'' time. It has been - what? - forty-eight days and counting right? Your marriage is two days from now which means I still have ten days by then, and would you believe it, it is in the weekends! Great news right!?"

    "You''re a cheat! You tricked me!"

    Prodea''s Amplifyers burned to their optimal states, reverberating a suffocating pulse that filled her room. The force of that impressive display of powers closed her doors shut in a mighty slam. The Earl almost tumbled down if not for his resolve.

    "Do not ever speak that tone with me mortal or I will burn you where you stand! It''ll be so easy for me so do not tempt me!"

    "You went back on your word!"

    "I did not! I told you that marrying that wretched girl is impossible in this time, so I merely changed the specifics. You''re the one who wants to marry, and you gave me two months to fix it. You wanted to, I don''t. You''re the one to blame. You did not specify to whom, only that you''d be married within your two-month period you so pathetically call a threat."

    "I-I said her, Lime, not some random..."

    "Whoa!" Prodea''s eyes widened laughing even harder. "Random? You''re basically marrying a princess, a beautiful, beautiful princess that has been wooed by high ranking noblemen since she was just fourteen. If you compare her to your homely plain unattractive..."

    "She''s wonderful! She''s special!"

    "Oh, I thought you''re going to let me finish my insults."

    "Do not say one more word against her or..."

    Prodea now frowned moving closer. "Or what?"

    Eryk looked down, still hiding his anger grinding his teeth and mumbled. "Or I do not give you the final set of scrolls of your Dim''ion..."

    Prodea walked closer and closer till she''s just a foot away from him. The burning Amplifyers made tremendous heat around the air that it managed to give Eryk rolling sweats to trickle down around his face. He still won''t look to her directly, fearing her powers, but he stood unimaginably firm on his ground, a feat that would be commendable in that instance considering he''s a mortal directly absorbing the full weakening pulses of Prodea''s fully activated Amplifyers.

    "Here''s what you''re going to do, you pathetic mortal. I will give the hand of the finest princess this Holy Land can offer to an unworthy scrap like you. You will humbly accept and feel greatly unworthy which will then leave you to respect her with all your heart. You will go to the Altar of Bathala tomorrow and make your vows. You will love her, cherish her, and forget Lime."

    Eryk''s shaking lips managed to unlock. He''s about to mutter his rejection but Prodea snapped at him.

    "You will not have any say in the matter. Stop thinking and let me finish. You will feel blessed someone like her can stomach the fate of marrying an insignificant insect such as yourself and then you will thank me. You will then give me Dim''ion''s last scrolls and we will part ways. I will give you your little land in Leonus and you will be happy. Nod and accept if this is your wish."

    Eryk now looked at her directly. He''s about to shout NO but Prodea''s mind-reading skills are far too good for him to beat. She quickly took a tight grip on his left shoulder with her burning hands that immediately incinerated his sleeves right to his skin. Burning flesh now filled the room as he wailed kneeling before her.

    "Nod and accept if this is your wish!"

    An impressive fifteen seconds surprised even Zeba. A mortal like that would''ve fainted from the pain alone in just under five seconds but he didn''t. It took him that long to agree with her and that took a toll in him with his bone almost showing amidst his charred skin. Prodea just smirked as she saw a small nod on the crying Eryk. She then walked slowly to her study and started her work.

    She left him crying there for about a minute till she snarled at Zeba. "For goodness sake Zeba, get him to the Medical Casters. Have you no heart? A man is crying in front of you in pain and you''re just watching. This is not a show for your amusement you demented fool!"

    With that, Zeba dashed carrying her, leaving Prodea to smile in silence to what she refers to as her win. She needed to unload her frustration and it just so happens he is available.

    She almost managed to be sympathetic for her harsh treatment but she just shrugged it off. He deserves it, she thought. He wants to take Lime as his bride against her will after all. That''s the same as treating women as men''s property and that just sickened her. They''ve been doing that for centuries in the foreign lands and she''ll be damned if that happened to her lands.

    But then she quickly remembered she''s doing the same with Illyriah. Then again, she believes it''s different if it is done by a royal Grand Princess temporarily carrying the Queen''s seat, especially if they are securing both nation''s continued friendship, and that quelled the moral conundrum she''s facing. That kind of tradition is perfectly legal, in a sense. Besides, she''ll be a widow early if he ever makes one stupid mistake of hurting her to get back at her actions towards him. She''ll make sure of that personally and this mollified that nagging voice inside her head that she refuses to call her conscience.

 34 COVERT EXTRACTION

    And with three final wails of painful anguish it was all over. Silence filled the halls. The crackling echoes of the torches tormented his weary heart as it skips a bit every once in a while. The door squeaked a silent creak to open just a slightly gap revealing a hooded young man in a black trench coat.

    "You..." mumbled Sir Haaron pulling his claymore violently destroying its home from his side.

    The hooded man slowly walked on that grand long hallway. He''s taking his time, mumbling as if saying a prayer while caressing his blade soaked in blood, a black thin metal shaft without a hilt. There is no doubt, this is the legendary Yiv. But where is the other three? Surely this cannot truly be him. This is not the Yiv that has been reported all over Nagozul. The Yiv with the Night Hunters have put down his bloodlust and yet on this fateful night, he returns to murder again. The warnings of the servants have been treated with much ridicule since Hishma is the most fortified Palace next to the city center''s Royal Palace. There must''ve been at least a hundred Sibara posted in Hishma since the warning and judging by his bloody face, they all fell victim to his blade.

    "Who are you!?" he scowled rather confused.

    Yiv stopped a hundred paces in front of him. He lifts his bloodied blade to point at him and exclaimed. "You have been judged by my divine right as Bathala''s Shadow Enforcer. I find you guilty of the crimes against mortals. Kneel and accept your punishment. Lift your weapon and you will never enter Langit."

    Haaron pulled his Claymore and spat on the ground. "I do not comprehend your words but I''m afraid I may have to decline on your offer. I''ll be damned if I just knelt and let you kill me without a fight."

    "In Bathala''s name I''ll send you to the veil."

    And with his last words, he vanished on the spot and managed to get in front of him in a split second. The trouble of being a titan is that he became so bulked up that he stretched almost seven feet tall. With Yiv''s physique, he managed to get below him almost only a foot apart. He thrusts his blade to his gut piercing his armor and pushed him almost two steps back, a feat that was so impressive it made him smile a bit. He swung to counterattack but failed seeing the tremendous gap of speed between them.

    Yiv dashed back to reposition, still with murderous bloody eyes that he assumed to be harboring embarrassment to that attack he called God''s Judgment.

    "Do you think you could kill me that easily?" Haaron now bragged realizing his advantage over him. "I am a Titan! I am greater than you are! I am God-like! Maybe ever greater than your pathetic imaginary God."

    "Correction," he whispered standing now with ease after gauging their speed difference. "You are a mortal. A mortal whose vessel has been reconfigured by the blood and soul of men you call your brothers. You are not a titan but a murderer, a mortal shrouded in evil that pathetically pretends to be a titan. Only Bathala can create Titans. Any Titan born in this Earth in the hands of a mortal is not a Titan of the Earth but instead a Puppet of Dim''ion." He flipped his daggers to his side and closed his eyes as if mumbling a prayer again for a couple of seconds before he continued. "You will receive your just reward for that blasphemy."

    Yiv leaned forward and disappeared again. Haaron tried to defend below thinking he will repeat the same attack he once did but was surprised as he attacks from above. The quick slash from his head cracked open his horned helmet. Haaron flung his sword to strike him but he reappeared from behind now bashing him in a stinging slash that cracked his armor. Yiv continued this kind of attack repeatedly making as though Sir Haaron is fighting a fly.

    The wide gap of speed between them is unimaginably great and yet Yiv is still not in advantage. Haaron''s eye cannot follow his movements and Yiv''s blade cannot penetrate him. It seems as though they are at an impasse as they fought for minutes.

    Yiv made his final bash in Haaron''s chest and dashed quickly back to rest for a while. He''s been catching his breath as if he ran for ten straight miles non-stop. The sight of the legendary Yiv having a hard time amused him so that he didn''t even lifted his sword anymore and just stood there staring at him.

    "Is this the Judgment of your God?" he laughed loud. "Maybe you should now pray to me since the might of your God is worthless. You should kneel and ask for my forgiveness now. Maybe I won''t kill you after this is over and..."

    "Oh, I''m sorry," he interrupted. "When did I ever say that this is over?"

    He dashed forward and bashed the shin guard in his boots and then rolled to the sides with smiling eyes. Sir Haaron was astonished by this but immediately realized what happened as he turned to face him. His hard thick armor crumbled down, piece-by-piece, until all that remains is his undergarments which led for Yiv to chuckle in delight.

    Yiv stood up shaking his hands relieving them from his torrent of attacks that managed to strip him of his armor. "Just feel blessed I did not rob you of your dignity," he mocked smiling. "Then again I''m only being selfish since it''s for my benefit. I do not want to fight a mortal with his dangling..."

    "Shut your mouth you fiend!" He bellowed grabbing his claymore and charged which he parried in an instant.

    Yiv sidestepped and slid his blade to his side. The force of the blade pushed dangerously deep that he almost felt the sharp blade embracing his skin. This troubled Haaron tremendously that he ran back against the wall to defend himself.

    "Are you a least bit curious how and why I''m not killing you now when in fact I could?"

    "What is that blade!?" he asked ignoring his question.

    "Oh, so you are not paying attention to me now? Well then, since you have a cesspool of a mouth, an arrogant blasphemer, I will never grant you anything but a slow and painful death. I will scratch you slowly till it bleeds, and then I will scratch some more till you''re mangled and shredded. You will feel the pain of those mortals you killed to grant you your modified form. You will beg me to kill you, but I will not. I will take my sweet time to torture you and then, after you take back what you said about Bathala, only then will I grant you your wish to your last breath."

    "You can''t kill me. Nothing can penetrate my body."

    "Well the scratch on your belly tells otherwise."

    He slowly looked at his side and saw a thin laceration to where he hit him. The skin is lined in red in an almost itchy five-inch incision perfectly situated to slice him to his gut. His eyes widened as he looks him now, stunned and almost afraid.

    "Well, m''lord?" Yiv mocked laughing. "Please shower me with your God-like awesome powers. Because if you don''t, then I might have to start cutting you now slightly but as painful as mortally possible..." Yiv was about to charge till an echo murmured in the halls. The sound is barely comprehensible, but it sounded as though someone is saying ''they''re here''.

    With his disappointed click of the tongue, he disappeared. Haaron shouted from the top of his lungs, cursing him, taunting him to reappear again, but he did not. He made him wait there for five full minutes until the door opened again, only this time it was violently smashed into smithereens in an explosion that eradicated any trace of the door ever existing there.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Hey, quit squirming Yosh!"

    "Stop pushing me then, Kuya-Karus..."

    "Shhh, quit your whining you two."

    "Hey, I''m not whining, K-Z! Are you taking his side?"

    "Shut up you three, I can''t fight those Sibaras so if they find us here, I''m going to transmit you all to the north and do this myself!"

    "Sorry," the three echoed with Karus grumbling still.

    "We''re here," Yosh said tapping the floorboards, finding a weak wooden board to push.

    "Finally," Karus hurried squeezing through Yosh to help him push the floorboards to reveal a dark empty storeroom at the Palace kitchen.

    "Hey, Iyom," Kayzar smiled. "In the near future, when you say you''ll volunteer to transmit us, give a caveat that we''re going to reappear on the ground, underground. I almost broke a bottle of my poisons. That will seriously impair us tonight."

    "But doing this still beats your three-day dash any day."

    "You''re taking your Dwendell thing into its literal form," said Karus angry about his soiled red Night Hunters uniform which actually is just random clothes he grabbed at the last moment. "You could''ve sprouted a violet on these floorboards and teleport us on level ground but no, you really have to make us literally dig on hardened ground."

    "Hey, just be thankful I''m assisting you three."

    "Thank you, oh kind Dwendell," mocked Yosh emulating the same irritation as Karus.

    "Don''t mind them," Kayzar smiled tapping him. "Thanks, but seriously though, warn us next time. Okay?"

    One-by-one, they climbed up and after all has been accounted for, after much stretching of their limbs because of their tiresome crawl, they huddled together creeping slowly to the door. They peered into the keyholes and upon noticing no one''s there they immediately jumped to the main kitchen silently stretching their map into one of the long kitchen tables available.

    The smell of tonight''s dinner still lingered in the air. The faint hints of those juicy steamed veal, fried flavorful prawns, and those excellent touches of herbs that Karus and Yosh thought to be parsley and basil, activated their palates that instead of finding a lamp, they managed to slip at the back, lifting the lids of cauldrons as if treasure hunting.

    Kayzar managed to find a torch rushing to the group in a hurry only to find them eating merrily at the table across where they put on their map. He would''ve been livid but Karus extended him a bowl full of that delicious meaty stew in tomato paste, so he just smiled and joined them. They all ate at a tremendous rate almost finishing that half-full cauldron in less than thirty minutes. They haven''t eaten their dinners because they''ve been too busy planning the rescue and since they''re rather early for the rescue proper, they found themselves enjoying their breaks instead. Yosh was disappointed though considering Luna and Stella is absent on that heartful feast and that he can''t bring them a taste since he didn''t bring his leak-proof lunch pack.

    "Do you hear that?" Iyom mumbled with his mouth full. "It sounded like someone''s shouting."

    "You and your weird ears," teased Yosh finishing his fourth serving.

    "Stop eating too much," Karus said tapping Yosh''s hands from dipping the ladle to scratch off the remaining soup. "You''re going to hurl that all over where we''re going, and I want to avoid further damage on my clothes."

    "Alright, I promise I won''t vomit on you," smiled Yosh as he tried to pull the ladle from him.

    "Stop," Kayzar stood up readied. "I''m hearing it too now, a faint yell."

    "Come on let''s check it out," Karus exclaimed after burping.

    "Wait," Yosh interrupted their early charge. "the Palace has defenses, should we first practice dashing to be safe. We could be walking into a trap and if we can''t dash, we''ll be doomed."

    "Silly Yosh, Of course, dashing works," Karus said shaking his head which annoyed him. "Daomagarian skills cannot be muted. Only Nagozulian skills are affected by these so-called magical defenses. Daomagarians don''t need to cast their skills. It''s just muscle at work."

    "Well..." Iyom mumbled which took their attention. "I''ve heard of some spells that can make the skills of the Holy Sentinels harder to perform, if not completely blocked. Even Yagisivian and Daomagarian skills are included."

    Kayzar disappeared and reappeared again getting in and out of the veil then shrugging off. "I think we''re safe. My Shadow Step is not affected, and I dashed there too just to be sure. Though I hear a lot of murmurs from dead people all around. I don''t like what''s happening here..."

    "W-what?" Yosh shivered in fear.

    "Quit playing around Kayzar," Karus slapped him in the arm. "We need Yosh to perform his best tonight."

    "B-but it''s true. There''s a lot of dead..."

    "Say it!"

    "Say what?" Kayzar angrily mumbled.

    "Say you don''t see a ghost!" Karus insisted pointing at Yosh''s sad face.

    Kayzar shrugged and smiled. "Nah, I''m just teasing you. There are no ghosts here."

    "But there really is a lot of dead people around these parts here," Kayzar whispered which garnered Karus''s disappointed tongue clicks.

    Kayzar was greatly disturbed to see that many ghosts in the veil which only gives him the assumption that many has been killed tonight but he just let it slide. For one thing, Yosh is practically afraid of ghosts and, frankly, Karus thinks he''s just making things up since he''s not convinced that ghosts stay at the veil. Kayzar would''ve liked to show him but he''s not ready to reveal that he could take someone in the veil. He likes to show it to him by surprise some other time. Karus is the only one he could boast around his skills to after all, so he likes to save this moment for him to savor every sweet second of praise he could give.

    "So, then we''re off!" Yosh bellowed with fists flying in the skies.

    "Sure! And I''ll be waiting for you three here," Iyom smiled. "I can''t fight y''know and I''ll just be a liability."

    "You keep saying that to yourself and you''ll forget that you''re a coward," Yosh laughed but before Iyom can reply on that insulting jest, they disappeared dashing.

    They walked the two flights of stairs just as the map stated and walked some more. They tried dashing but reverted to just walking to be safe. Daomagarians have super hearing capabilities that could detect even the faintest of steps and dashing into a trap is practically unwise.

    They never thought it would be that far. Yosh kept cursing Iyom''s inefficient transmission making them vulnerable to further attacks from those dark shadows that lurks on every corner, on every empty door. Of course, they have taken the precautions and stopped on every end of the hallway or on every door but somehow, they found the Palace to be deserted - a curious thing to find in such a large royal mansion. At least one servant should be present in at least one of those halls that they have mazed through but there is none. It''s as if they know they are coming and are graciously welcoming their midnight stroll.

    The food at the kitchen is practically left there for them to find. Yosh might argue that the chef left it there to simmer for a while which meant only that it was left unfinished on purpose. Karus might disagree but Yosh insists that it lacks another one of those spoonfuls of salt to taste which meant that the Chef didn''t even bother to sample the thing, but even with its almost stale flaw it''s still quite delicious he concluded.

    First the food that was left in a hurry, and then the missing attendants, what''s next? Karus argued on Yosh''s paranoia for a while which led Kayzar to spearhead in managing security for the three of them. Kayzar would''ve shouted at them for always fighting all the time, even in that critical situation but he didn''t. For one thing, his full concentration is devoted in listening on those slight taps on the floor, those silent whispers of ambush, those rushing shadows in the corners that might signify a trap. If he''s not doing that, he''ll be slapping the two in the nape - an official mandate that he now carries whenever they are going overboard.

    "The door..." Karus whispered. "That''s the door."

    "Yeah, genius. It''s great that you figured that one out on your own, huh?"

    "Hush now," Kayzar said softly. "That''s the one who''s yelling earlier. He''s still yelling now."

    "Is he referring to us?" Karus said confused with the ranting man behind the door and his angry shouts stating for them to appear before him and not to hide cowardly. "He''s rather making me angry K-Z. What shall we do then?"

    "Let''s just wait it out, see if something develops."

    They all pushed their ears to that cold smooth door and heard the man shouting in random curses, curse words that won''t go well in a sentence and curse words that has been repeated countless times it didn''t even make sense anymore.

    "Yit''ard, I thought I''m bad at cursing," Yosh snickered listening to him bicker inside on the top of his lungs.

    They would''ve listened further, but he now cursed Bathala. He''s now insulting the very God that created the Holy Lands and the whole world and this made the last straw for Karus.

    "Stand back!" Karus shouted.

    He didn''t even wait for them to stand aside. He just pushed the two on both sides and quickly drew his sword blasting the door in a massive explosion akin to one of the Talim Clan''s Prime Cannons.

    Dust engulfed the door and as it cleared Karus shouted an ear-splitting echo that would''ve awoken anyone from a mile away. He had his Kampilan Bolo directly pointing at the silhouette of the guard across the room.

    "You shall pay for insulting Bathala you godless mortal! I shall take every word of insult from that filthy mouth and make you shout an apology three times!"

    "Stupid Kuya.... I mean, Magnus!" Yosh angrily yelled standing up pushing Karus on his angry stance, making him step back losing his balance almost tripping. "Do not do that again in my face! If didn''t dodged it, I would''ve had splinters all over me!"

    Kayzar stood up calmly, brushing his trench coat. He went near Karus and violently slapped his nape with much speed Karus didn''t even anticipated the attack and was left vulnerable. He was then pushed forward for a couple of steps. "Never do that again," he mumbled with serious eyes.

    "Stop it you two!" Karus reacted. "I''m having a moment here!"

    "Hey, wait," ignored Yosh walking inside the grand hall. "Is that the guard?"

    "Yo! Red guy!" called Karus walking fast inside. "I still mean what I said, I will beat you to a pulp and... and..."

    "Why are you naked?" laughed Yosh screaming. "Is that a thing now? Being naked in a cool dark night while watching a door? Is this a weird foreign thing?"

    Haaron lifted his claymore and made his defensive stance, he looked and noticed a much younger man in a trench coat. "You, in black, are you the real Yiv?"

    "What has gotten into you?" said Yosh still can''t get over snickering at the tall red man wearing his loincloth. "Why don''t you answer our question first, why the impierno are you naked?"

    "That is of little import. You are the Night Hunters, yes?"

    "Indeed," replied Kayzar pulling his long dagger.

    His dagger is a foot-long dripping in poison but not like the blade of the impostor Yiv earlier, Haaron thought.

    "None shall pass this hall," Haaron exclaimed. "If you wish to pass you must forfeit your lives first."

    "Awwww... I''m going to be mauled by a red baby," Yosh obnoxiously guffawed. "Wait, wait, wait. I''ll grab my pacifier first so that when we roll around and get tired, we''ll be ready to sleep soundly."

    "Mocking one''s enemy is unwise, child. I do not harm children, but you''ll be an exception."

    "There''s the door behind him," Karus whispered. "Yiv I want you to distract him while I go around and destroy the door. Aether, slip by him and climb the spire. Rescue Uncle Sayed and return here as soon as possible."

    "Affirmative," Kayzar nodded raising his dagger.

    In the sound of their count to three Karus and Yosh dashed forward to meet Sir Haaron. Haaron swung his claymore in a horizontal slash that would''ve cut them in half if not because of their nimble bodies dodging it on the last second.

    "Now!" Karus yelled.

    Kayzar disappeared from his spot and reappeared in front of Haaron, slashing him for multiple times. It did not pierced his body one bit, it didn''t even give as much as a tickle, but his extraordinary attack rendered Haaron occupied for two seconds leaving him to slip his claymore from his grip as he defend himself from that torrent of attacks. But two seconds is enough for Karus, enough for him to sidestep and dash on behind blasting the door that''s keeping them from Sayed. Yosh slipped through unscathed but the same didn''t unfortunately apply to Karus. As he stood up after one of his explosive bashes, Haaron grabbed him from his back and slammed him on the floor.

    The loud smash created a crater of cracks around the marble floors. Karus coughed up blood, a view that was very unpleasant for Kayzar. Karus should''ve used Deep Root but he didn''t, and it is confusing Kayzar why. The smell of blood paralyzed him to a point that it led him vulnerable too. Haaron didn''t even think twice in this opportunity and punched him directly in the chest. The impact was so great he was catapulted twenty feet in the air only to roll on the ground. He tried to get up as fast as he can, wheezing, breathing in difficulty, but he fumbled down kneeling instead. He has broken a rib and that takes time to heal.

    Haaron lifted his foot and as he was about to crush Karus, he rolled over, almost in a dashing roll, distancing himself from him for twenty feet.

    "This is the Night Hunters?" mocked Haaron. "The ones that toppled eight fortresses and brought the Sibara to shame? You are all disappointing." Haaron lifted his claymore, clicking his tongue. "You are all a bunch of kids. Based on your slender weak bodies, you''re not even past adolescence. I swear an oath to protect women and children but because you are so persistent in rushing to your deaths, I will grant this and treat you all as an exception."

    He was about to charge when Yosh suddenly appeared behind him, carrying Sayed hobbling in effort to lug him. Yosh''s smiling face beamed directly at the angry Haaron. He thought it''s all over now and his brothers have pacified the threat but now he regrets his early appearance before him and his over estimation on his brother''s abilities. Haaron smiled too. But he''s smiling on a different cause, one that is both deadly and funny at the same time.

    Haaron rotated his blade and gave a vertical cut. Yosh couldn''t move from his spot because he might risk killing Sayed. He would''ve been torn in two if Karus haven''t dashed forth and blocked it with his Katana - this time applying Deep Root.

    "Yiv!" Karus shouted. "Be careful, this room is trapped in Magick. Iyom''s theory is correct."

    Karus made a sword lock with Haaron and Yosh used this opportunity to slide through around them to escape. The sword lock prevented them both from moving. If someone did give up on that lock, the person will be sliced by the other''s blade but Haaron is not worried from this. He takes pride on his tough skin. Haaron then ignored the lock as he saw Yosh to his side and quickly launched a kick to his direction but failed to hit him as Kayzar rushed to receive the damage in Yosh''s stead. A thick loud crackle echoed in the room which terrified the brothers. Karus pushed his Katana but just slid through as anticipated, making him roll on the ground as if tripping.

    "K-Z!" shouted Karus ignoring their codenames. "Are you alright?!"

    Kayzar managed to shakily stand up but before he could reply, Haaron dashed on forward to meet him giving him a barrage of sword slashes he could barely escape.

    Karus rushed to help him, and in his angry fit, he managed to recreate a much more powerful version of the fist of Ana''giel to Haaron''s back. His back then received an inch deep cut that is almost six inches long. This made him back down for a while as Karus ran to Kayzar to comfort him.

    "Damn you pesky brats!" Haaron shouted in anger feeling the pain now swelling

    "Kuya!" shouted Yosh concerned for their brothers standing now in the door as if waiting for them to get out.

    "Run away now, Yosh," Karus ordered. "Leave us and deliver Sayed to safety!"

    "B-but..."

    Karus eyes glared at Yosh now angrier than before. "Leave or I will beat you senselessly!"

    With this Yosh limped on away leaving the two to fight the giant titan who is now checking the wound Karus gave him.

    "Y-you managed to hurt him," Kayzar smiled coughing more blood now than earlier. "Great job, Dal''Gur eh?"

    "We''ll talk about his swords later, right now I have to ask the extent of your damage."

    Karus pulled a vial of White Angel from Kayzar''s pocket and gave it to him. He could''ve opened the vial and help him drink it but the ever persisting Haaron charged at them with his freakishly long claymore. Karus was fed up with this big giant. Only one thing will keep him away, and that is if he takes away his toy. He has to destroy that claymore at all cost.

    Karus jumped in front of Kayzar and created a bombardment of explosive sword bashes that exceeds even Haaron''s own strength. The titan was taken by surprise as he backed down step by step, leaving him to figure a way to be released from Karus''s trapping sword bashes that left him to the defensive side thinking one of those slices might garner him another wound if he''s not careful.

    "Magnus, tabi!" Kayzar shouted in code.

    Karus heard this and quickly rolled thirty feet away from him. That quick second is not enough for Haaron to notice the flying needles coming his way. Evasion is not an option for him now. Kayzar managed to spring him into a trap!

    A hundred needles connected by a string came in a salvo to him. That fast-flying sharp needles flew akin to fast flying arrows and, like snapping serpents, after hitting him and falling down, it quickly got back up again only to launch a swift attack once more. An impressive attack that made him cower a bit covering his eyes from being hit but overall, it was very ineffective. It didn''t penetrate his skin one bit. The needles just cried a clinking melody of failure on the marbled tiles of the floor which made Haaron laugh.

    "Is this the best you can do!?" he yelled enjoying their pitiful attempts.

    "Needles?" Karus shouted in disappointment. "Needles, K-Z? Really?"

    Kayzar just smiled and dashed forward to him. He was surprised he didn''t enter the veil as he hoped he would. It is as if the veil changed frequency at that exact time preventing him to enter. The Dark Magicks in that hall is disrupting the flow of the Veil. It''s as if souls are not welcome to enter there. He would''ve dwelled thinking about this dreadful thought, but he had more pressing matters at hand. For one thing, he''s now running head-on to the giant titan, practically vulnerable to his attacks. Haaron would''ve reacted with a swing of his claymore but as he raised it high, the blade smashed into tiny bits like confetti - a sharp shiny metal confetti. Kayzar lucked out this time. He went to his sides and grabbed his daggers drenched in poison. He pushed his twin blades behind his knees and managed to get a scratch from him making him smile in success.

    Now if Kayzar just dodged and rolled away, like a normal individual would have if faced with a frightening indestructible titan, he would''ve prevented the upcoming attack Haaron now has in store for him.

    Kayzar saw a smile on Haaron''s smug face as he threw the hilt of his claymore to him. The hit managed to stun him in the head but that didn''t stop him from countering. He grabbed a vial of black thick poison and jumped to him like a snake slithering a tall tree. He splashed all of its contents to his right eye which made him yell in complete agony. One thing Kayzar knows is that if someone has a tough skin, going near the eyes is the most logical bet to gamble on. The poison would course through the blood vessels inside the eye and it will be over in a second.

    But it didn''t. Five seconds of wailing later, and the titan stood still there while Kayzar slammed down on the ground from Haaron''s violent slap from the head. Karus jumped and helped him but to no avail. The titan is too big and has too long a reach that when he swiped his long arms, Karus was thrown back almost ten feet. Haaron then smiled to his sweet revenge on Kayzar, who is now below him looking helpless. He grabbed him by the face and started punching his gut relentlessly.

    Karus yelled an angry growl and took a lunge at him to give a continuous barrage of sword slashes that would''ve impressed anyone except Haaron who finds it somewhat amusing. Haaron now made the shaking Kayzar as his human shield still holding him on his face. Everytime Karus takes a shot at him, he holds Kayzar in front and punches him on his every failure to land a blow, reminding him to try harder on every attempt as Haaron tried harder punches with Kayzar. It is much like a game in Haaron''s twisted perspective which sickened Karus, bringing him to unknowingly acquire the skill of harboring tremendous hate to the demented freak.

    Karus''s green emerald began glowing behind his bandana. A sight that baffled the titan thinking only royalties have embedded gems in their foreheads - as he learned from Prodea''s Nagozulian history lecture. Karus waved his hands and with this, a gust of wind blew hard leaving Haaron to be open to an attack which Karus anticipated. He rushed on forward and created a firespell enveloping his hands. He grabbed his neck and tried to choke him with all his might. He was aiming to burn his head off just to free Kayzar but just scorched his neck plentifully because of his tough skin. That thousand-degree firespell would''ve burned the skin right off to the bone but it didn''t. The fire and his excellent grip managed only to burn his throat. That''s when Haaron threw Kayzar''s head like a ball to the ground to free up his hands to remove the dangling Karus from his tight grip. He rescued Kayzar but he''s now the captive prisoner that took his brother''s place.

    Kayzar swore he bounced three times on the ground before reaching the corner of the room. The first bump managed to elucidate sparkling stars from his vision, creating an uproar of pain around his head that managed to make the second and third bumps feel unrecognizable at all. Good thing he trained with Karus using Deep Root this last month. He knew it will come in handy in future situations as it just revealed it did. He would''ve died on that spot if he didn''t reduce the damage - but Of course, he''s no Karus so he still sustained substantial, possibly fatal, amount of injuries from Haaron''s revenge. Eight cracked ribs, a broken arm, a dangerous concussion, a dislocated shoulder and a protruding bone in his right leg. That''s just the things he could count as he tried to stay awake for Karus''s sake. All of his body is aching so there''s some internal injuries somewhere inside that he hasn''t accounted for yet. He moved his head, shaking, slithering slightly, to get a better vantage point of Karus who is now getting mauled by the titan.

    Haaron grabbed Karus in the neck and slammed him into the ground. Of course, he did his Deep Root but to a lesser extent seeing as he coughed blood again squirming in pain. Haaron pulled his mask and his bandana revealing his face to the smiling titan.

    "Oh, so you are not Daomagar! You are Nagozulian! A royal prince, eh?"

    "Shut your Yit''ard filthy mouth! Your breath stinks," he joked almost laughing.

    The titan took offense to this and punched him three times in the face. He managed to use Deep Root, so it didn''t make any significant damage whatsoever, so he tried it again, and again, and again until his nose, his eyes, his ears, starts to bleed.

    "Laughing still?" he mocked breathing close to him.

    Tears fell from his eyes in pain, but he still is smiling, inviting further havoc taunting the titan. He spat blood in his face to get back at him. It is a humiliating spit since he actually coughed it instead of his intended spit which entertained Haaron even further.

    "Oh, look, the little prince is crying? Are you going to tell on me to your mommy now?"

    "Shut it, Yit''Vit! I''m not crying, my eyes are just irritated with your girly dainty hands." Karus almost took offense of his own insult seeing that they respect women in the Holy Lands but as he learned from Lime, those foreign mortal is easily offended when they, and their manly parts, are referred to as woman-like so he continued his verbal abuse. "You know, I expected more from a woman like you, you''re so like a woman that you tie your long hair in a crescent bow."

    Haaron stopped for a minute, trying to figure what he said and then punched him again, only this time harder than ever before. "You''re not funny, little kid! That doesn''t even make sense!"

    "I''m sorry but a girl like you wouldn''t understand," he smiled nodding.

    "Ohhh!" He punched again ten times, drowning his head in a deep collection of pulverized marble-tile. "That insult I understand."

    Karus pulled his head from the pile of rocks and shook it all off. He grabbed his hands and tried burning it, but he received another punch in the face. He tried to get away from this lock but every time he does, he manages to punch him again and again that he can''t devote any energy left to free himself anymore. He can only try and absorb his great punches now using the Deep Root which is getting harder and harder to focus.

    Using the Deep Root is the easiest thing for him to do and yet it is as if it is turning harder and harder each time he tries. It''s like using the Deep Root now requires a ton of concentration in that Magick infused room but It''s either that or risk a futile escape. One of which is a one-time thing, for if he does so, he may risk receiving the full force of that deadly punches and that will surely put a great big bloody hole in his face. He really doesn''t like that happening, he really likes his face all fixed there, even on death.

    Suddenly, a miracle! Haaron shouted on the top of his lungs arching his body forward as if someone just stabbed him in the back. Karus used this chance to roll forward and kick his chin to escape. He then jumped back acrobatically distancing himself for fifty feet. Kneeling, resting from those painful beating he has to endure.

    "Reveal yourself coward and face me like a man!" Haaron yelled turning all around shouting.

    "I am here! I''m here the whole time, you stupid freak!" Karus yelled, bewildered by the paranoid titan.

    "If you don''t come out, I''ll kill these two!"

    "Are you insane! We''re all alone out here and you keep shouting still!"

    Kayzar mumbled incoherently taking his attention. "the... the p-poison... the poison Karus..."

    "Right, Hallucinations is one of the symptoms!" Karus groggily stood up, faking strength when indeed he''s about to fall down. "Alright! This is the moment. I''m going to beat you now! So, get ready! I''m just warming up earlier, this is the real deal!"

    Haaron tried to rush venting all of his frustrations on Karus which didn''t fare well. Anybody knows rushing without thinking, blinded by pure rage, is never a good strategy. Karus just rolled around, jumping up and down as if playing with a playful dog - a rabid malevolent gnarly giant dog full of hate to the brim. He must not get him now, if he does, he might not survive another batch of those sweet sweet punches he so lovingly gives.

    He rolled far left to the corner where he flung his Katana earlier. He shouldn''t have thrown it in his rage. He now knows the wisdom of rushing angrily to the enemy and that will never happen ever again. He grabbed his Katana and dashed forward to a thrust. The blade pushed through and made a two-inch puncture in his abdomen. Both of them are surprised in this feat. Karus tried to push further but his long arms tried to reach for him. He now has a fear of those hands, a phobia he now put up giving alarming jolts to his body. Those long hands frightened him that he backed down jumping faster than ever, sliding on that smooth floor just shy of twenty feet far in a mere second.

    Haaron tried to move but was compelled to shake uncontrollably. It''s as if he''s paralyzed, convulsing but paralyzed, nonetheless. The poison worked!

    "Finally!" Kayzar shouted pushing his body to sit upright.

    "What have you done with me you bratty little monkeys!"

    "Remember the pins earlier?" Kayzar tried explaining still wheezing. "The poison you absorbed in your skin? It reacted to the poison I put in your eyes and on the back of your knees. That whole batch should''ve made a hundred men to be put in a deep state of the Sleep of Death, but it seems as though you still have some sort of immunity. It seems that it wasn''t enough."

    "Wow Kayzar! That''s great!"

    "Fools!" he grunted heaving the heavy limbs to face them forward. "I¡­ can still... move... I''ll kill... all of you..."

    "Magnus, you have to destroy all of the tendons in his joints, now! It''s the only way to prevent him from moving!"

    "I don''t want to use this," Karus said breathing deep. "But I''m afraid I''ve no choice."

    He stood up straight and pulled his Kampilan Bolo from his sides. He then took a stance, his dash stance. Kayzar''s eyes widened as he saw him raise his hands both equipped with his sharp swords. It is the precursor to the Thousand Blade Dash.

    "I need you to say you are sorry," Karus continued. "I need you to take back what you said about Bathala, and I will not use my ultimate technique on you."

    "Why would I say sorry to the God of a helpless kid like you?" Haaron then continued a series of abhorrent curses to Karus and God that he angered him so much, he did not even try to listen to him anymore.

    Karus bend low and as he closed his eyes, he smiled and dashed on forward.

    His sword shone bright across the room. The white light stayed for just a blink of a second outlining where it travelled that even as Kayzar saw Karus just appearing behind Haaron in that very short while, the white light managed to sketch where his sword went. It rushed forth in a horizontal motion only to make an incredible circular art of a flower with a thousand petals around the titan. Haaron was violently hurled rightward slamming on the wall and the white image of a flower gently disappeared, slowly dissolving into the night.

    Granted it is not perfect yet, with his flower a bit askew and the throw is not direct and instant, but given his age and his state of being, a tired and beaten Nagozulian boy, Kayzar believes it''s rather commendable. A Nagozulian performing the Thousand Blade Dash revealing the Flower of the Great Daomagar is a feat too impossible to see. It''s just plain marvelous and miraculous at the same time.

    In that short while, Kayzar had successfully returned the protruding bone from his leg. All that''s left is those couple of broken ribs, his dislocated shoulder and some lacerations all around. He tried standing up, limping in pain and went to the kneeling Karus.

    Kayzar tapped him smiling, not wanting to speak with the pain still radiating around his chest. He tapped again but he did not give any response. He bent low and saw him bleeding all over. Karus finally exhaled fumbling down vomiting blood. Kayzar grew concern as he pushed him to his side while grabbing his first aid kit.

    "S-ssorry Kayzar. I must''ve... wrong... turn... inter... bleedin''... lungs..."

    "What''s that skill!?" screamed Kayzar concerned. "Is that your Thousand Blade Dash?"

    Karus nodded finally letting go of his swords. "I... I did... good... right?"

    As he held him close, he felt his clothes soaked in his blood, he''s in worse condition than he looks. There must''ve been hundreds of fractures all around him that he had to apply White Angel on him hurriedly.

    Haaron laughed coughing his blood too, screaming at them. "Ha! You''ve stopped me now you stupid royal fools! After this, I''m going to hunt you all down, and I''m going to kill you. But before that, I''m going to kill your parents first, just to see those sad little eyes of fear and anger once more."

    "Shut your mouth, you stupid grunt!" Kayzar yelled sounding as if crying. He ran on the far corner and broke the legs of the table. He fashioned a rope and tied it on the corners and pulled it to where Karus is.

    "He''s not going to survive! There''s Sibara coming to us in the morning. He''s going to die. If you drag him..."

    "I said shut up!" Kayzar growled dashing to him, pushing a dagger filled with poison in one of the openings in his shoulder. The poison is filled with an acid base that spread an insanely hot, itchy, burning feeling that made the titan scream. "Yes, talk. Talk, you stupid fool!" Kayzar continued with angry eyes smiling devilishly as if enjoying his torture. "Let''s see that tongue roll once again. Come on, I dare you! I dare you to talk!"

    "You''re going to regret ever..."

    Before Haaron could ever finish, Kayzar opened a bottle full and poured it all into his body. The poison rushed through every opening, every wound in his body that made a continuous bubbling reaction resulting to a smell of burning flesh to spread all around. The titan yelled screeching in pain further shaking and twitching which gave Kayzar such delight. He was about to open another bottle to push it through his mouth till Karus interrupted still coughing in a weak voice.

    "I''m fine Kayzar. Let''s get out of here while we can."

    Kayzar just leaned forward and whispered ever so lightly into Haaron''s ear. "If you ever, ever reveal our identities and track us, I swear, I will hunt you down and kill you myself. I now know your weakness and you will never, ever win from me again. Never." He then punched him and pushed him further to the wall slamming his hard head and went to Karus to fix him up.

    "Kill me now then? If you''re so tough why not kill me now!"

    Karus tried his best to stand up. He doesn''t want to be seen as weak and as helpless in the eyes of his enemy. "We don''t kill people to achieve our goals. Our goal is the unification of the Holy Lands." Karus smiled with kind eyes towards him that surprised the Titan. "If you change your ways, you''re more than welcome to join us. If not then we''ll just beat you again, and again, until you learn to change your mind."

    He dragged his feet walking with his brother to the exit but Kayzar is still looking at him with his murderous red eyes. It is as if he does not share his brother''s conviction. It is as if his threat is still very real and is still in effect.

    A hundred paces went on by till Karus fumbled down. His legs are shivering, still bleeding internally, now turning blue. "Oops, sorry, I''m not well after all. I need to take a rest for a while first. D''ya have some White Angel left?"

    "No, Karus. We need to get out of here."

    "Yes, I think it''s nice of him to warn us about the impending doom we''re about to face later on if we stay here but see, I can''t get up, I have to cut my thighs to reduce the swelling and apply the White Angel inside."

    Kayzar frowned and gave him three ampoules of White Angel. "He''s not warning us, he''s threatening us! Learn to see the difference."

    "Well, if you say so. But I still believe he''s a good guy deep inside. He''s just serving another master with different beliefs."

    "War doesn''t discriminate."

    "Come again?"

    "I-I just remembered what Gramps told us in battle training. War doesn''t discriminate. All is fair in war. Whether you kill a child or an old man, it doesn''t make any difference. Every life is important, every life is sacred and what is sacred to the enemy is abhorrent to the other. Each faction believes they are the right and the enemy is at the wrong but in the end, the spectators, the children of the next generation, are the only ones who can truthfully decide who is just and who is righteous."

    "But killing is wrong. We know that. Killing him will not prove anything."

    "But killing him will be right if he tries to kill us in the near future! That''s why I understand the wisdom of Gramp''s words. I think I understand the need for people to kill in order to protect others. I think it''s stupid then, but I understand it now."

    "But K-Z, Gramps is against war too. He believes killing is inevitable in that dire situation, but he taught us to be strong and resist that urge too. Is that why you''re acting all weird there?"

    "Yes... I just don''t want anyone of you to get hurt. The thought of the possibility that he might come back again to finally exact his revenge on us is practically nagging me right now. I just hope your decision doesn''t come to haunt us tomorrow."

    "Well we''re different people than they are. We don''t kill. That makes us unique, as Iyom stated. It is righteous to defend, and it is wicked to strike. Defending is what we do best so why lift the first hand to strike, let them do that first. And besides, we must really discuss what you did back there. I think you''re quite enjoying hurting him and that''s kind of disturbing."

    "Well, he''s threatening you, isn''t he?"

    "Well, that''s just words now. I can''t be hurt by words."

    "So, this is what I get for defending you?"

    Karus laughed grabbing his shoulders limping, trying to get up. "Just try to ease up on things next time. It''s not like I''m going to die now. I mean my time isn''t up yet. I''m the first to die, so say the prophecy, and I''m not even worried one bit."

    "Don''t joke about that," he frowned remembering he still keeps his early demise a secret - the very first of the four brothers to die. "Talking about your death is not fun. It''s not fun at all."

    "Okay, but only if you promise to eradicate that disturbing thing you did there."

    "That''s a deal," he smiled pulling him to his sides as they try to walk. "Oh, and also, that''s only if you promise not to tell what you saw to anyone ever. Especially Yosh, he''s going to have a field day with me."

    "Sure. I wouldn''t dream of it."

    Kayzar was taken back with surprise as he peered close to Karus''s Amplifyers. "Oh look, there''s some sliver of blood dancing inside your emerald."

    "Oh?" Karus reacted tracing his fingers to check up on his embedded gem. "Must be the defective jump in my essence I felt as I activated it earlier. I must let Juni see this right away."

    "I told you not to activate your Amplifyer. More importantly, I specifically forbade you not to use firespells!"

    "You''re getting killed out there, what would you like me do."

    "Hey! I''m doing fine, I can take care of myself. What I can''t stand is you squirming again in pain, ranting about your emerald. Besides, I can use Deep Root too, so you need not worry about me in the future."

    Karus just chuckled in disbelief, abandoning the topic as they walked quietly towards the stairs.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Now, where were we?" Yiv reappeared on the hapless Titan, sitting in thoughts. "Oh yes, your apology."

    "I''m sorry if I offended you," Haaron said with clear thoughts. "I''m sorry if I offended your God. I take back what I said."

    "Oh? So soon? What''s the fun in that? What changed your mind then?"

    The titan looked down, still in deep thoughts till Yiv interrupted his pondering by piercing the wound on his shoulders with his very sharp blade making him moan puffing short shallow breaths to swallow the screams that are wanting to come out.

    "I am talking to you, infidel, why are you now changing your mind."

    "Isn''t it enough that you''ve cut my joints to immobilize me and now you have to torture me?"

    "Oh," she smiled pulling his dagger. "I thought you''d never notice that."

    "It''s not hard to notice you there, especially when you hold me from behind as that Magnus attack me in front while you slice me up everywhere."

    "Yes, I performed a little surgery I learned from Dal''Gur. Tendons form part of the Bone System''s basic mechanical movement. Tear a little slice off and you can''t move a part. Isn''t it wonderful? My favorite part is in the heel specifically. Then my enemy will have to grovel for my mercy. Literally grovel, on the ground, kissing my feet."

    Haaron scoffed. Yiv just smiled and pushed his blade again, only this time it''s deeper by three inches. "You''re still not answering me why!"

    "I do not know!" he screamed almost crying. "There''s something about those Night Hunters I am curious about!"

    Yiv pulled out his dagger making him sigh in relief. "Hmm... Such as?"

    "I gave them hell. I must''ve broken more bones in them than my entire life in Leonus. And yet, after all of this, after I insulted them, their beliefs, their very being, they still looked me in the end with kind eyes. The look of someone who understands other people''s worth especially that Magnus kid. He looked as though he respected me, and I appreciate that as a Knight."

    "So, let me get this straight? My brother just looked you in the eye and you thought he respects you? And you''re okay with that?"

    "H-he''s your brother?"

    "Oh, do shut up." He pulled his mask and revealed his true form to him.

    "You''re a woman!?"

    "Surprise, dum dum. Auric quick, grab his head perfectly. I want to do this right."

    Without a second''s notice, A silvery figure appeared protruding the wall. Auric''s warm smile, as he crinkled his nose, mortified Haaron. Two silvery Hands came extending from the wall and fixed his head firmly in place.

    "What are you!? W-who are you? Demons!?"

    "Oh no, dear. We''re not demons." Yiv crouched down to level his eyes, showing him his purple eyes. "Though, I will permit you to say that we came from the very depths of darkness, from your nightmares. That I can accept. But demons? Eh..."

    "Are you going to claim my soul?"

    Yiv slapped him sighing in great disappointment. That stinging slap is so strong the very wall that keep''s Haaron''s head in place vibrated. "Are you completely mental? I just told you earlier that I''m Bathala''s Shadow Enforcer, and you''re telling me I''m a demon out to collect your soul? Are you really that thick?! Have you truly ignored my presence from the start?"

    Yiv nodded and the silvery fingers walked in his cheeks to his teeth pulling them wide open revealing his mouth. Haaron tried to wiggle, to squirm, fighting with every bit of his energy to escape the silvery hands that has now made his whole mouth open.

    "HHhhhaaa---- aaarrrr---- ouuu--- dhuieeeennn¡­"

    "What?"

    "ww-wha--- arrr---ouuu- ddhu-dhuooooieeeennn???"

    "Oh, what am I doing?! I am doing you a favor. Your body is strong. It''s going to take time hacking it to pieces and since you said sorry and taken back that blasphemous words against Bathala, there''s no point in torturing you. This will be much faster. See, while your body is strong, your insides are a little bit soft and..."

    "Noooo--- hihtttaaahh, Aynggg hhooooorrry.... Ayngg HHooorEEE."

    "Yes, I know you said you''re sorry but see I can''t risk you killing them. They are my brothers after all. You know what I mean. Right?" She beamed her kind face to him which did not bring any solace to his dilemma at all.

    "Nooo--- I hooouunntt kill henng... I''ll lleeeeaahhh heennngg aalllounnn. I''ll keeeeeeh iet ah hhhheeekrehhh."

    "But you can''t promise that now, can you? I know you''re Prodea''s little pet, and where she goes, you follow. If she orders you to reveal their identities, you can''t do anything but to obey. That''s the worst thing about Dark Magicks. It''s as if you can''t do your own free will, now, can you? So you can''t leave them alone, you won''t keep it a secret, and you cannot possibly say that you won''t kill them, especially after your little threats to them a little while ago, I take threats seriously. Look around you and see. I give a threat, I follow through. You give a threat. You will follow through. It''s the natural order of things."

    Haaron is now perspiring squirming in his place with his body jiggling, flopping like a fish out of the water. "NNooo--- Hleeaaashh... I heeegg Yuuu. I donnnkkh huwaana die."

    "But I''m freeing you," she said with genuine concern which frightened him further. She then caressed him smiling wide. "You will now enter the kingdom of Bathala, free from any burden because I have cleansed you. Bathala forgives you now. You are in peace."

    "Noooooooo----"

    "Hush now.... Now open wide."

    And with a final scream that echoed throughout the Palace halls, the Holy Hills of Hishma turned deathly quiet once again with only the crackling torches keeping the ear-splitting sound of silence at bay.

 35 UNWITTING DEFEA

    A faint knock at a second''s interval echoed around. It repeated for a while till the knock hastened, becoming louder and louder like the beat of a drum.

    "Zeba, what on Earth are you doing knocking at this ungodly hour?"

    Zeba peered inside Prodea''s chambers and frowned as she slips to enter. She found her in her nightgown, tucked on her comforters sitting on a slouch at her bed. And here she thought that Prodea never sleeps. "I thought you told me to fix your human sacrifice?"

    "Yes, but could you at least apprise me about this tomorrow instead? You just snatched me away from a good dream."

    "I just came here to tell you that the batch of slaves provided by Leonus are now in the Catacombs, I mean on the other side of the Catacombs since we still haven''t fixed the one where you... you..." Zeba nodded as if hinting something which she ignored as her eyes crossed in anger.

    "What''s wrong with you!? Why? Why, Zeba, did you put them all there? Does it look like it''s tomorrow already? No! When will we perform the sacrifice? It is tomorrow midnight! Which means they''ll be stuck there for at least twenty-four full hours, scattering their filth like animals. We don''t treat people like that Zeba! We do not treat people we''re sacrificing as rubbish! They''re not prisoners, they''re not animals! For the love of all that is holy, Zeba, please have some brain and just think, think for just one second before you act!"

    "B-but I just thought it''ll be more..."

    "No, Zeba, No!" Prodea rushed to her with her index finger almost touching her, warning her not to speak again. "Your stupidity astounds me that I think you''ve gone and upgraded to a whole new level since the last time we met."

    "You''re killing them anyway!" Zeba contested. "You are treating them like animals and I''m just letting you see that for yourself!"

    Prodea got insulted that she flung a slap towards Zeba which she caught before hitting. Prodea was perturbed by her mutinous reaction that she activated her Amplifyers in response to her defense.

    "You don''t scare me anymore, Prodea," Zeba grunted throwing her hand away. "I''m tired of this. From all of this. From you. From you and your unholy acts. If only I can escape this I could but since we''re halfway now all I can do is..."

    Prodea screamed in pain all of a sudden, breaking off Zeba''s speech, as if she has been stabbed in the neck as she gurgled away grasping it disturbingly tight. She walked back shaking, curling in agony till she reached the center of her room dropping out cold for a few seconds.

    Zeba was truly concerned by her sudden fit that she almost ran to her till a flashing light exploded from Prodea''s eyes. An eerie sighing sound wailed throughout the room, bouncing back and forth, dimming all the lights. Zeba was forced to crawl to the corners in terror, still shouting asking if Prodea is alright. Fear truly overcame her as she thinks of a way to get close to Prodea but her shaking knees prevented her from moving forward. This continued for a full minute until the candles returned flicking once again, returning control of the silence that once was.

    "G-grand Princess..." Zeba whispered disconcerted, still in the corner. "Are you alright?"

    Prodea crawled weak towards the bed. She climbed up with every effort, fumbling down twice on her try. "Zeba," she weakly called. "Send the Royal Strike Teams and what remains of the Four Masters to the Hishma."

    Zeba slowly stood up, still looking all around in caution. "What''s wrong Your Highness?"

    "Just do it!" she screamed.

    "B-but Your Highness..."

    "Zeba," she interrupted with a weak and tired voice as if that ghastly event has just robbed her of her life. "If you don''t get out of this room this instant, I will obliterate you where you stand."

    With that threat in place, Zeba stormed out having the nerve to scoff as she closes her door in a silent click.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "I''m so sorry I''ve been nothing but trouble," Illyriah whispered to Reus as they sat at a giant log in the middle of the clearing.

    They have been there for hours patiently in wait with only the violet''s slow-moving dances to accompany them. The waning moon is a day''s away from disappearing entirely so the stars dominated the night sky once more. The jungles are pitch black and without Reus''s activated Amplifyers to illuminate them, they would''ve been rendered blind.

    "I know I''ve always been weak," she continued. "I can''t even activate my own Amplifyers if there''s danger."

    "Oh, don''t fret Princess," he smiled slouching putting his hands to the sides unwittingly holding her hand that is resting on that log. He looked deep into the violet''s half open petals willing it to blossom as he continued. "I''m sure everyone''s been having trouble activating their Amplifyers as well. Prodea has made a Global Binding Spell to mute all of us from using our elements though I don''t understand why I can. Sure, I''m a Life Elemental but I think that spell surpasses any spell ever. They are Dim''ion''s arts after all and I think no one is expected to be immune to that, royalty or not."

    "You must''ve been so strong then, your essence I mean," she giggled looking away blushing, occasionally looking at his hand touching hers, never moving one bit even though there''s a sharp splinter protruding where her hand is. He would freak out upon noticing this accidental handholding, so she just savored the moment, ignoring the tiny chip that wants to burrow into her skin. "I wish I was as strong as you are," she resumed now feeling a bit somber sighing deep while still keeping her smile. "If I were as strong as you are, I would''ve defended my father then all of this would''ve never happened."

    Reus just gave her his kind eyes of solace. He would like to say a word of comfort, but he heard a slight break in her calming voice. He''s afraid he might say an awful thing that would lead her to cry. He knows she''s been trying to contain the fear she caged in for about a day now, so he just remained attentive. He felt his cold hands being warmed and noticed his hands on top of hers so he pulled it away in an instant, recklessly in an instant that pushed her hands deep into that splinter that has been biding its time, waiting for this moment to happen.

    "Ow!" she whispered checking her hands, seeing the tiny speck of sharp wood claiming its glorious success.

    "Sorry, sorry I didn''t know," Reus goes on frantically. He repeated his apology for almost a hundred in just that ten seconds which made Illyriah chuckle.

    "Don''t worry, Grand Prince, I''m alright."

    "Nonsense," he insisted grabbing her hand. "I''ll help you out."

    Illyriah gasped blushing with her hands being caressed by Reus. His hands are soft, softer than hers even, but they are gentle and kind even if they resemble the cold icicles deep in the frozen caves of Hishma. She feels safer now, now that he''s holding her hands even though he clearly shares the same fear within her that constricts her heart every minute or so - the fear and concern for the rescue party''s wellbeing as well as their successful return.

    "I- uh, if it''s alright, I-uh would like to help you take this out," he said beaming right at her trying to apologize to his rude manner of clutching her hands without permission. It is unbecoming of a gentleman of his stature and this thought just dawned upon him just now, after a minute has passed by. She just responded with a slight nod, still stunned.

    Reus touched the edge of the splinter and looked at her again only this time, he''s giving a sharp sigh as if sharing the pain, he''s seeing that has been brought by that petulant thorn. "I''m sorry," he said. "This is going to hurt but I promise it''ll all be over in a quick second."

    Illyriah''s blushing face remained still for a while, trying to figure out if this reality is indeed real. This is the closest she''s with Reus, so he didn''t even feel the stinging pain of the splinter. She didn''t even twitch. She wished the splinter remained there indefinitely as she feels Reus''s warm breath flowing in her hands in his careful examination of the wound, but that wish didn''t even materialize longer than five seconds.

    Reus flicked his finger tracing her wound and the splinter shoot out. He used his light energy to envelop the splinter and threw it away at the cost of rupturing her skin further. His lips skewed slightly thinking how painful that must''ve been. He looked slowly to meet her eyes with apologetic eyes and tried to fake a smile.

    "I-uh, it''s done!" Reus coughed in obvious embarrassment clasping her hands to hide the wound, not letting her see what he did. He pulled his ampoule of White Angel and slid a dab to her hand before letting her get a glimpse.

    "Wow. Thanks, Grand Prince Reus. As if brand new."

    "I told you to drop the formality," he laughed tapping her shoulders which surprised her. "Just Reus. I think good friends should avoid formalities don''t you think?"

    "Oh, good friends..." Illyriah mumbled with her sudden happiness slowly diminishing. "Yes. I agree... Reus."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Hey, over here!" called Yosh seeing them get past the kitchen. "Where are you two going?"

    "Out!" Kayzar grumbled seeing Yosh still inside the Palace. He quickly turned around in a grunting twirl as he carried Karus on his side.

    Yosh opened the doors of the kitchen and rushed to the storage room, pushing all things that would''ve obstructed their slow hobbling.

    "Hey, how''s Kuya-Karus!?" Yosh shouted behind the doors waiting them.

    "Quiet!" Kayzar hissed in a modulated whisper of a shout. "Don''t call us in our real names."

    "Well, he started it! He shouted your name there and not your operative name. Our cover is blown now so there''s no use in hiding it."

    "Yes, but that doesn''t mean you can tell any other people our names too and risk further proof," he whispered still slowly carrying him to his sides straining in baby steps.

    It would''ve been much easier if it wasn''t for the broken ribs but he''s enduring it as they get closer to their original rally point.

    Yosh rushed to them, getting tired of their slow walk, pulling Karus''s other arm to help Kayzar which resulted to another set of painful wails. Yosh didn''t know his bones have been broken all over and his rushed pull managed to awaken all the insufferable pain he''s been quelling on the other side of his body.

    "Hush, you baby. We''re almost there," Yosh laughed almost satisfied with him getting back to every moment he said that exact line to him.

    "I thought I told you to get out of here," Karus mumbled weakly. "I specifically told you to carry Uncle Sayed away to the North. You''re disobeying orders again."

    "Ha! It''s not as if this isn''t the first time, I disobeyed your ridiculous orders. Besides if I left earlier, you''ll be missing the free ride from Iyom."

    Yosh pushed through the door dragging Karus sideways to enter. That''s when they saw Iyom beside the comatose Sayed almost surprised at their bloodied condition.

    "See I told you we should wait," Yosh shouted proud giving Karus to Kayzar. He hurried to Sayed''s side and pulled his arm in a struggle till he nodded giving Iyom the signal.

    "We aren''t going to crawl again, aren''t we?" Kayzar mumbled pointing to the vines that has been growing out of the ground from below.

    "Well if you should know, while you''re out there rescuing Sayed, I''m out here growing this plant."

    "This plant?" mocked Yosh laughing. "That looks like a vine, a single ordinary tiny vine. If that''s a plant, then I''m a tree."

    "There''s dark Magicks here! Be thankful I got this to grow this long!"

    "Hello?¡­" whispered Karus smiling. "Not helping..."

    "Oh, sorry," Iyom hurried. He bit the edge of his plant, which Yosh still argued to be a vine, and grabbed Kayzar and Yosh in the shoulders.

    "Any minute now..." Yosh strained shaking.

    "Quiet you fool," Iyom grunted. "D''you want to be transmitted in pieces!?"

    "Are you sure you''ve done this before?" Kayzar asked with great worry.

    "Nope, transmission is supposed to be a one body thing. You have to have great focus to transmit another person other than yourself. Now I had problems earlier when I transmitted you three..."

    "You''re just saying that to us now?" Karus coughed trying hard not to be afraid.

    "Meh, it''s fine now, I figured out what went wrong."

    "W-wha... what went wrong?" Yosh mumbled in fear. "Did you misplace an inch from us earlier?"

    "You''re just going to have to trust I still can do this right this time. I mean another body will require a lot of calculations and I''m not great in math so don''t interrupt me."

    "Oh, boy," Yosh quivered grabbing Sayed tight, closing his eyes in a crunch.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    In a swoosh the five were catapulted into the clearing as if escaping from an explosion. Yosh fumbled down with Sayed keeping him from rolling down near the edge of the clearing while Karus and Kayzar were transmitted almost fifty feet away from the flower. Iyom is not that confident in his calculations that he came shouting for them as they arrived kneeling upon his blossomed violet. This brought tension to Reus and Illyriah as they stood up looking for them.

    Yosh immediately patted everywhere, removing his shoes and counting his fingers till he shouted that he is okay. He looked at Sayed and just shrugged off observing him. He''s not willing for a touch inspection so he just assumed he''s fine.

    Karus and Kayzar, who rolled wailing in pain, just raised their hands to appease the concerned Iyom. They are in deep suffering already and shouting wouldn''t help ease their broken ribs.

    Reus and Illyriah ran towards Yosh in great haste. Her feet almost gave off as she ran frantically containing her tears. She ran so fast Reus didn''t caught up to her until she''s now kneeling hugging her father crying. She mumbled her thank-yous repeatedly and didn''t stop even if her face is buried in her father''s chest with her constricting embrace.

    Yosh stood up smiling proud of their impossible success, almost wanting to quip a joke about her dangerously tight hug with the unconscious Sayed but Reus anticipated it and just shook his head to stop him. Yosh understood right away so he just kept still. Not a minute passed by till he realized his brother''s conditions. He was about to leave robbing the White Angel ampoules on Reus''s pockets without permission when Illyriah held her hand.

    "Thank you Grand Prince Yosh, thank you, thank you so much."

    "N-no worries, Princess. But I think you should reserve those to Kuya-Karus and Kuya-Kayzar. They''re the ones who defeated that red titan making all of this possible. They are heavily injured, so I need to give them all of our White Angel."

    "I''m sorry, I''m a caster and I can''t even help. Please convey to them that I am in their debt. Name anything and I will blindly obey without question."

    "That''s no problem. We live to serve." Yosh bowed and dashed on forward.

    Reus would''ve followed but he thought it''ll be best if he gave a quick inspection of Sayed first. After all, his confidence with his brothers is actually immeasurable.

    "Don''t worry Illyriah, father will help him."

    "You think so? You think he can counter this curse?"

    "I know he can. He did overcome this same thing just recently. I know he can, and he will do everything in his power to bring your father back to his old self in no time."

    He knelt to the ground giving him a standard medical examination till Illyriah grabbed his hands. Her deep blue set of eyes with a touch of green bursts became so evident it mesmerized him with a smile.

    "Thank you, Reus. I owe you my life. I am really, truly in your debt."

    He''s smiling like a fool as he looked straight into her inviting eyes ''till she pulled him and kissed him. He was shocked, unaware and unprepared, but he just closed his eyes and kissed back. Nobody told him not to look at a girl for five seconds. He knows. He counted. If he knew then what he knows now, he might have turned away to be polite. He knows nothing about these things or the protocols one would most likely perform when one encounter such kind of an event, but he sure is glad he did look, and that magical kiss happened. He didn''t regret anything. He didn''t regret kissing her for five seconds longer. It''s the longest ten seconds of his life. The very first ten seconds of his life that he didn''t even need to think, as if his brain just dropped everything to focus on that very special moment.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "You got to stop the bleeding," coughed Karus still smiling. "I have to stand up, I don''t want to appear weak before them."

    "Shut up, you''re spitting blood all over."

    Kayzar grabbed his dagger and quickly tore his shirt. There are ribs protruding out of his skin that Kayzar felt chills almost crying. He ran his fingers all around and found internal bleeding as well as loose broken bones almost shattered.

    "How is it?" Karus tried wheezing. "Is it that bad?"

    "No, no. not at all," Kayzar sniffled pulling his remaining vials of White Angel and pouring it all over. Karus grunted in pain, shivering as if cold.

    "I can''t feel my feet. That''s not good isn''t it?"

    "Shhh... Stop talking. Focus on regaining your strength."

    "Here!" Yosh arrived giving them a bag of vials and ampoules. His jaws dropped seeing his brother''s mangled body as he joined kneeling in panic. "Wh-what do I do!? Wh-what do I do!? What do I do!?"

    Kayzar grabbed the bag filled with clinking vials that he gave him and shushed him. "Go tell Kuya-Reus that we need to have an extraction team from the Caster''s Critical Care Division."

    "O-okay, but the casters can''t use their Amplifyers. No one can."

    "Just do it," he shouted almost losing his patience. Grabbing his blue sapphire, activating it but just faintly, trying to cast his healing spell to Karus which is harder than casting it to himself.

    "Y-you''re a prodigy too?!" Yosh smiled relieved which was ignored by Kayzar who are giving all his might, transferring all his concentration, to heal his brother.

    "What''s wrong?" Iyom said transmitting behind them. He then gave a sharp sigh as he knelt fast to inspect Karus. "That''s some serious beating. I didn''t know you''re this injured. This is rather serious, and you didn''t tell anyone?"

    Yosh was about to leave dashing till Karus whispered. "Stop! I''m fine." He looked at Kayzar grabbing his hands. "I can''t leave the south yet. Our people need us. I can''t leave them behind. Now that our cover has been blown, Aunt Prodea will strike where it hits the most. If she can''t get to the North, she''ll surely strike our villages. If you call in the casters, we''ll be stuck at the north for the rest of our lives. I cannot stand idly by again. Not this time."

    "I can transmit him to my father Kyrin if you want to?" Iyom asked looking at Kayzar.

    "Yes, he can use his Magicks!" Yosh exclaimed. "Send him to King Kyrin immediately!"

    "A little warning, I''m not saying he can''t, but I can''t be sure he can either," Iyom frowned. "The Global Binding Spell of Prodea is causing us problems there too. Healing requires a lot of channeling energy, especially to us Dwendells, and Prodea''s spell hinders us from doing them. But I can assure you that we can provide fast medical aid to him. We have a number of fast acting medical herbs and..."

    "No." Kayzar interrupted. "I can''t risk that. I''m sorry but I have no choice."

    "What are you going to do?" Yosh refused shouting. "He''s practically dying!"

    "Hello, I''m right here," Karus reacted. He tried laughing but he spewed more blood instead. This frightened Kayzar that he grabbed him tight in a hug.

    "Tell Mama we''re sorry and we wouldn''t be able to get back home after all. Say hi to everyone for me."

    Yosh was about to protest again till they both disappeared into the darkness leaving him annoyed beyond wits.

    Iyom laughed uncontrollably almost tearing up when Yosh slapped him angrily.

    "Why are you laughing!? My brother is dying and you''re still having a good laugh? Are you enjoying this?"

    "No silly. I just remembered he can go to the veil. Nobody dies in the veil because the veil is the land of the dead. Your brother is going to be okay. Don''t worry."

    "Then he''s not going to die? Are you sure?"

    "Yes. Well, No. If he''s reaped by the Reaper, then he''ll die. He''s the only one who could kill there. But I highly doubt that. Last I heard, he''s busy in the foreign lands so he''ll be very far away from here. I don''t know why though. I''m not much into gossips."

    "Reaped by what now?"

    "The Reaper? Don''t tell me you''ve never heard of him. He''s one of the immortals. You can practically say that he''s the distant cousin of the mighty Heralds of Bathala. He''s the oldest of the immortals, though we existed before him. Still, his name should be legendary. Short black hair, little..."

    "Yes, I get it," he interrupted. "But why?"

    "He can smell dying people in the veil, and he hates them. He pretty much hates mortals entering the veil. He''s the keeper you see. He likes his veil occupied only by dead souls as it is intended to be. Mortals shouldn''t enter the veil. Nobody in the land of the living should be there. He''s just keeping order. That''s the job Bathala gave to him and he takes his job really seriously, like obsessive serious."

    "So, they''re going to be in more trouble!"

    "Nah, I''ll give it a day. Two tops. Time is slower in the veil for about nine to ten times, I think. Two days here is about eighteen to twenty there. He''ll be up and about in no time at all."

    "You''re confusing me. Are they going to be safe or not!?"

    "Hey, relax. They''re safe as long as the Reaper can''t find them. It''s a big world, so it''s going to be almost impossible for them to meet him there accidentally."

    "Ewww... they''re kissing?!" Yosh reacted realizing what Reus and Illyriah are doing. "They''ve found time for that now?! And on top of his father no less. Ugh... that''s gross."

    Iyom looked behind and gave a devilish smile. "I''m sure you haven''t kissed anyone before, huh? That''s why you''re so weirded by it"

    "I-I-I have kissed one once... two... twice!"

    "Yeah, right. Just keep collecting imaginary girls and imaginary memories. That''ll help your case."

    "And you did? Stop mocking me if you haven''t too!"

    "Well, I did kiss a girl once as a matter of fact. It''s a long time ago."

    "Nuh-uh! It''s impossible someone can stand to kiss you."

    "I did! And I have proof!"

    "Ha! You wish."

    "My first kiss was when I was a hundred and twenty it was summer! You can ask Nine! He saw it! Shut up!"

    "Well that''s comforting." Yosh smiled grinning. "So, that leaves me a hundred and nine years ahead of you. Maybe I should kiss a girl tomorrow just to make a point."

    "I was going to invite you to the north but since you''re picking on me now, I may just have to forget that."

    "Hey! No fair!"

    Iyom smiled and looked at Reus with Illyriah now holding hands talking. "I wonder what will happen to them, to him specifically. You told me Reus will be heavily punished if you don''t arrive at the North on time. Together. That''s going to be painful, learning your brothers abandon you once more to face the wrath of the famous Anagea. Even my father didn''t win over his battle with her."

    "Don''t worry. He''ll understand," Yosh chuckled holding his shoulders ready for transmission. "Besides, he''s got a girlfriend now. I think Illyriah will tend his wounds after the beating."

    With a snort of a laugh, Iyom waved his hands getting Reus and Illyriah''s attention as if saying his goodbye before disappearing entirely.

    This made Reus to stand up with a sudden vision of the impending doom he''s about to face in the morning. He gulped in anxiety as he thought of how his mother is going to ruthlessly punish him from breaking his oath again till Illyriah held his hands walking to his side.

    "Don''t worry, Reus," Illyriah said with her calming assurance. "We''ll be alright."

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    "Is this all?"

    The two shadows looked at each other and with certainty, they bowed to Yiv in confirmation.

    "And you checked all other rooms? Even at the annex buildings?"

    "Yes, Master," Argentis proudly declared. "All of their documents, their secrets have been collected and is in there. Even Prodea''s secret compartments in the spire where Sayed stayed have been discovered. Their plans to invade the north are all there."

    "Burn it," Yiv smiled walking away.

    "B-but Master?" Auric rushed stopping her. "Ol ''deyr plans ''r ''der. If we give it to Master Artemus, we could have ''ol ''d proof we need to destroy Prodea''s reputa''shun once ''en for ''ol. We could end ''dis ''en not resort in fur''der bludshed."

    Yiv smiled and moved closer to Auric. "I said, burn them."

    "Y-yes, Master."

    Yiv walked away again pushing Auric aside but before she could open the door, Argentis shouted.

    "Forgive my impudence Master, but is it wise to destroy the one thing that can save Master Artemus and Master Anagea? Your family?"

    Yiv turned back and looked at her with all seriousness almost irritated but she still bravely continued with her point despite her master''s frightful bloody eyes looking right at her.

    "I have perused the articles and I have found out that there will be a military deployment to wipe out Master Artemus''s Fort and all of those who are in his aid. They will then brand him a traitor and will accuse him of all the treacherous acts made by Prodea."

    "Are you done?" Yiv hissed which made her bow down keeping her mouth shut. "No, please, continue. I enjoy your new-found courage to contradict my orders. It seems like you have more to say about the matter."

    "I''m sorry, Master," she knelt bowing low with Auric following her. "But I''m just concerned with your family''s welfare. Please forgive my insolence."

    "No, you''re right," Yiv pondered walking back rummaging the plans on the table. "We could warn them about this. We could send all of this to them. That will surely indict Prodea and that will lead to her immediate exile. Then all will be well and good."

    Auric and Argentis smiled looking up, sighing, but immediately bowed down upon noticing that her remark is sarcastic, seeing her angry blood red eyes.

    "Do you take me as a fool, Argentis? Have I not shown you the way? Have I not shown you our path?"

    "I''m sorry, Master," she quickly replied.

    "No, you''re not sorry and it pains me to see it. You still don''t understand, do you?" Yiv started clicking her tongue as she sat to the chair behind the wide table where Prodea''s documents laid scattered. "We are Bathala''s Shadow Enforcers. Have I not stressed that enough? I have repeatedly explained this to you for countless times and yet you still carry that doubt in your mind?"

    "No, Master," she responded in haste lifting her head. "I''m just concerned..."

    "Silence!" Argentis stopped and quickly returned to her bow. "Bathala''s prophecy states that there will be an invasion. At the invasion, the White Demon will rise and punish Prodea''s forces. Without the White Demon''s revival, the fate of the world will fall into ruins. I cannot let that happen. I cannot impede the revival of the White Demon. It is imperative that we let Prodea carry out her plans as scheduled. If we do not carry out Bathala''s wisdom then we stray off from the path, our path. If we stray out from our path, then the Earth will die. You, me, everyone. All will perish. That is the wisdom of the prophecy. That is Bathala''s words. That''s why we are mandated to enforce its fruition. It is up to us to work in the shadows to ensure the world''s future."

    "Yes, Master."

    "No. I need you to understand!" Yiv shouted standing up slamming the table almost cracking it in half. "I do not need for you to agree with me, I need you to have the full wisdom of the prophecy engraved in your head so that I do not need to explain it to you again and again and again!"

    "Of course, Master," she gulped hesitantly raising her head to look at her. "It is known in the fifty-third prediction that Karus will be reborn as the second coming of the White Demon and in the ninetieth he will pledge allegiance to the cause. I''m so sorry I forgot, please forgive my foolishness. I was taken aback from my concern to the rightful King and his family."

    "Of course, you are," Yiv finally said smiling rushing near her, kneeling and then hugging her to console her. "Thank Bathala you understand now. I just wanted you to know why we''re doing this and why it''s important." She smiled looking at her fixing her hair now returning her eyes to her neutral purple. "Besides, bringing this to Mama''s attention will generate no further gain or advantage. Prodea''s stronger than she thinks she is. If they engage them now, she will understand her full capacity and will destroy them all in the north with her Dark Magicks. The only reason she is hesitant and is still doing this silly planning is because she''s afraid. She''s afraid of Daddy. We need to delay that realization as much as we can. That''s why the prophecy is there to guide us. That is why we need to follow it, step-by-step."

    "Yes, Master. I understand now."

    Yiv stood up and beamed at them. She circled the table once more flipping those scrolls and documents that are piled there. "I want to read this further, but I cannot, I am after all a Master General in father''s Secret Intelligence Division. If I do this, I might act upon my instincts after knowing their plans. I can give this to mother though, but I cannot. That would mean she, will do the things I would do if I learned this and that would impair our goals of completing the prophecy. You know how stubborn she is."

    "We ''cud leave ''dis be," Auric finally entered. "After ''ol, it is Prodea''s plans to invade ''d nort''. If we burn them ''ol, we will delay ''deyr invasion for more ''dan a year. ''Dat ''wud be an excessive delay."

    "Not exactly." The face of the two shadows were filled with confusion that Yiv continued to explain. "I have calculated the precise moment Prodea will strike and it still coincides close to her timeline - and that is even if she spends her time with the reorganization and reacquisition of her plans. With her brilliant mind, she could recreate them all by memory and would still be able to attack on time. We''ll probably shave two weeks maximum, but we''ll take it."

    Auric smiled figuring what she''s thinking. "So, we need more distrac''shun. Sometin'' wort'' spendin'' time to mull over."

    "Yes, my good apprentice. That''s why the name Kudos stuck. Kudos for understanding my thoughts. Exceptional as ever."

    "Shall I start destroyin'' ''d founda''shuns on ''d lower basements?"

    "Wait, what?" Argentis interrupted trying to join in on their discussion.

    "We''re going to destroy this fortress," Yiv informed biting her lips in excitement. "I always wanted to try demolishing a structure this big."

    "But this has been standing for more than ten thousand years. Their ancestors, and our ancestors, labored to build this magnificent Palace. With all due respect, Master, please reconsider."

    "Hmmm, I''m afraid it''s a little over the top, but we have to occupy Prodea''s mind for a while."

    "But what about our anonymity? Surely we will be blamed for this."

    "Relax, Argentis. You''re always so tensed and worked up with details you forget to dive inside the minds of your enemy, and anyone affected by this. Everything is according to plan, isn''t that right, Kudos?"

    Auric nodded and started explaining. "Prodea will be thinkin'' it is ''d Night Hunters who destroyed ''dis fine piece of ar''kitecture but everyone will just ''tink Prodea''s ''d one behind ''dis ''en will blame her for creating confusion and chaos in ''d people''s mind. It''s a win-win for us. A crowd of displeased Nagozulians will create discord in ''d streets ''en ''dat will surely buy us a mont'' or two."

    Yiv laughed uncontrollably enjoying the thought. "Yes. I can''t wait to look at her face when that happens. I wonder what she''ll do then. That''s going to be hard to contain. She''s in for a great ride!"

    "And this will not affect the prophecy?"

    Yiv was surprised as she went near her. "Look at you, trusting the prophecy. Of course, it will not - much. But it''s alright. I know, I have done it twice, meddling with the prophecy, but still it managed to return back on its way as if Bathala''s intervening. Even my brother died and returned back to life. If that''s not divine intervention, then I don''t know what it is. Besides, if it does sway away far enough, we''ll be here to put it back on track."

    "Yes, Master." The two echoed in agreement.

    "Since you''re too eager to start the demolitions, Auric, I will let you destroy the first pillar. I would''ve done it myself earlier before this entire ruckus started, but I''ll share you some."

    "Yes, Master."

    Yiv walked the door with Auric following him. "I''ll be the one who''ll choose what foundations to break. That''s the fun part."

    "Yes, Master."

    "Oh! Burn all of those for us Argentis and follow us at the basement. I don''t want you to miss out on all the fun too."

    "Yes, Master," Argentis replied bowing as the two exit the room.

 36 the AFTERMATH

    Zeba''s rhythmic knock came only by a fraction of a second as she entered Prodea''s solitary quarters which appeared quite smugly to Prodea. She''s letting her know she doesn''t fear her anymore by not waiting outside and doing what she wants to do for a change but that doesn''t quite bode well for her as she witnessed inside a cheerful Prodea clasping her hands as if awaiting her arrival.

    "Good evening, Zeba. Look! I have a surprise for you."

    She pointed right in front and saw a new titan kneeling to Prodea. A man with a figure that is darkened by the black smoke engulfing him. As if the smoke akin to the black fumes of a bonfire smothers his appearance being blurred.

    Zeba walked in curious to inspect and asked. "Isn''t that the Earl, Eryk Caden?"

    Prodea smiled still peeled at the kneeling titan with a bow. "I told him I always come through with my promises. Indeed, I honor my word more than anything, and when I say I''d do something, I always try and follow through with it."

    The titan mumbled to find words and only managed to choke on a few letters.

    "You have my permission to speak," Prodea ordered as if enjoying herself.

    "This is not what we discussed," he said with a depressed tone, almost angry but shaking to soften every word to provide respect to his new master. "You said I will marry Lime..."

    "Oh! Indeed, this is what we''ve discussed," Prodea refuted. "I told you, you will marry someone within two months. If that doesn''t happen, I make you a titan. And now here you are. A titan. Does this not please you?"

    "You said I will marry Lime you witch!" he said almost crying. He managed to shout but was forced to bow his head lower than before for his impudence.

    "Again? I thought you understood what my answer is days ago? I thought that searing pain has branded my answer on your thick skull."

    "You betrayed me..."

    "What I said is you''ll marry. I didn''t say to whom, nor specified it to be Lime. I already told you Lime will take time but no, you insisted you be married within two months and so here we are. If you took a step back to notice, it clearly is your fault. You shouldn''t have forced me to take this path."

    "You''ve cheated me."

    "You think you feel cheated? What about me? Have you considered my feelings too? Clearly your transformation is virtually a waste of good slaves. You''re of much use to me as a personal butler especially with that kind of power you obtained. Simply pathetic!"

    Tears accumulated on her carpet for about half a minute till Prodea laughed again to mock him.

    "You know who you should blame though?" She paused for a while letting go of her leash on the titan to make him look at her eyeing on Zeba. "Now, I don''t want to play the blame game, but I was legally dead for forty-one days and she''s the one planning your marriage. I don''t want to insinuate but I think you know where to point the finger."

    "Me!?" scoffed Zeba. "I''m not the one who turned him into a black- s-shadowy- dark smoking man, or whatever it is that he is now!"

    "Well you should own after your own mistakes Zeba. After all, Illyriah escaped because of your ill-planning. If the marriage took place weeks ago, he shouldn''t have been like that and I would''ve gotten a better Titan. I mean look at him? Does that look like a titan that I can use when I battle out Kuya-Artemus? His skill is to disperse in the air for goodness sake! What the Yit''ard is that!? Sure, he could dodge a punch but what then? What then!?"

    "You should''ve thought of that before you made him titan!" Zeba proudly responded which made Prodea gasp being entertained in her streak of petulance. "Or better yet, you should''ve modified his skill to what you like. Isn''t that the purpose of sacrificing slave lives? To give your titans power?"

    Prodea just smiled and waved her hands to the crying Eryk to dismiss him. "Go ponder with your mistakes at the catacombs and don''t leave there till I call you. That should probably dull your tongue blunt."

    With this, he was forced to disintegrate and turn into a black mist that rushed outside the door, closing what Zeba forgot to shut.

    Zeba smiled smugly as she turned away walking to the door till Prodea stopped her.

    "Oh!? I didn''t recall dismissing you, my dear sister-in-law."

    Zeba turned around smiling appreciating Prodea''s newfound kindness and respect that she has exhibiting and pegged it to the humiliation she suffered on her insults earlier. "What is it, Sister?" she replied. "Do you want me to further insult you on your embarrassing failure?"

    "Well, for one thing, I have my mood high up today that I didn''t really mind your unintelligent blather earlier. Surely, Bathala have not granted you an inkling of intellect to grasp Dim''ion''s intricate spells so I''m not going to take it out on you. You most certainly won''t get mad if a dog does not speak now, won''t you? And you most certainly won''t take it against her if she doesn''t understand what you''re saying."

    "Am I just here for your insults? I don''t like wasting your time so if that''s the case, then I think it''ll be more productive if I just leave."

    "Oh goody! So, you know how to analyze? That you''re the dog I''m referring to? My, my, that will speed things up splendidly."

    Zeba just smiled having a nerve tweaking just before boiling point and turned around. Prodea upon seeing this called her again.

    "Oh, Zeba, look what I got here."

    Zeba humored her and turned once more rolling her eyes now showing her irritation. "What is it this time?"

    Prodea opened her palm and showed her a vial with a wooden stopper. Inside this vial lays a single metal pin, just rolling inside as she moved her hands to play with it.

    "Hurrah! You have a needle pin! Let us announce this to the kingdom!"

    "Nuh-uh-ah!" Prodea smiled devilishly clicking her tongue getting close to her. "Please don''t mock the person who''s going to help you, Zeba. That''s just plain disrespectful. Oh wait, I mean: Don''t bite the hand that feeds you. And wouldn''t you know it?! It''s another dog analogy! You''re in a roll here Zeba!"

    Zeba''s interest was piqued so she humored her again with an unconvinced question. "How''s the pin going to help me this time? You''re letting me stitch your gown? Did you rip one again?"

    "No but I''m offering you a way out to stitch your own life. But this comes with a cost, your soul in fact. But that''s your decision. You''re a big girl now, and I think you should have one. For old times'' sake."

    Zeba smiled raising her eyebrows in disbelief in Prodea''s further insult. She would''ve retaliated but Prodea anticipated this and continued forth.

    "You see Zeba, there''s a certain caster asking the palace constable''s aid to summon you for twenty-nine counts of murder and another count for both conspiracies to murder and treason. I mean can you believe that? That you''re capable of doing something like that? A noble mortal like you committing high crimes like this? Well, I think its madness. No?"

    "Impossible. You are just tricking me again and I''m not going to fall for it this time!"

    "Her name is Kei. I believe you''ve already met?"

    Zeba''s eyes widened now losing the smug smile that she''s harboring earlier. "S-she''s one of those casters you assimilated at Bakunawa''s..."

    "Great! Your memory is still intact, and we won''t have any time wasted! Anyway, she-"

    "How did she come to be?!" Zeba cut in quite angry. "How did she come back?!"

    "My, my, Zeba. It''s disrespectful to cut me in while I''m telling a story that you may want to hear. Might as well pucker that cesspool of a mouth that you have and listen to my story if you want me to help you, you ungrateful petulant dog!"

    Zeba scoffed. She could not do anything but to shush giving Prodea a broad smile for a few seconds savoring her obedience till she continued.

    "Now the constable said that she''s accusing you of murdering twenty-nine of her brothers and sisters in the Caster''s medical division who have been missing these past few months. She said that she barely escaped with her life. She suffers now from dehydration, some painful injuries, and a minute memory loss due to the trauma she has sustained, that poor girl."

    "But you''re the one that killed them all! You''re the one who called them all up and gathered there, not me!"

    "Yes, but, see, it''s very hard to say that when she remembers that it''s you." Prodea pouted mocking her eyes harboring tears like a dam. "She''s even saying that you poisoned Karr and buried his body on the side of the road to Bakunawa. They haven''t searched for Karr''s remains, but I assure you, they''ll find it there. I checked. I think she''s leaning on the fact that Karr protected them from you, but you killed him to eliminate them all. If I''m the judge, I''ll be inclined to believe that. Oh wait! I am! I forgot that I am the Chief Magistrate. Silly me."

    "This is madness! This is your doing! You''re resorting to blackmail now?!"

    "Oh, but that''s not it actually. There''s more distressing news coming your way. See, remember the night you played that garter string thing with Sarram and Gantee on the common room of the west wing just two hallways from the Queen''s chambers?"

    "The night of the assassination..." she mouthed looking furious at Prodea.

    "See, I told you, you have a knack in remembering things. That''s why I made you my right hand in this thing we''re doing. Anyway, she saw you as you left for thirty minutes on that same night as you let four men slip by the windows to execute their plans. Your Daomagarian brothers I believe, but it''s just conjecture, I''ll let the evidence decide on that one."

    "That''s preposterous! I was preparing a midnight snack for my husband and son! I have witnesses!"

    Prodea inhaled sharply as she continued on with a derisive chuckle. "Ah... the problem with that story is that your witnesses are her witnesses too. She said your plan is to kill all the medical casters so that when the assassination happens, the Queen will not receive any medical help to help her quickly recover, no one to give her first aid. She said you plan for her to be left alone to die in her chambers. Alone to die, Zeba, are you hearing that correctly? That''s a mighty accusation to disprove! Every evidence is against you and I''m sure the citizens of Nagozul will not let you state your case. I heard that the first time and I''m shock beyond belief, that a Daomagar can do this to his brother Nagozulian. This is a disastrous thing you committed. I only wish there was a way for you to escape. I wonder what it could be..."

    "You... You planned this whole thing for me! All your machinations are intended for make me take the fall! To make you Queen!"

    "Oh no, Zeba, I don''t intend to be your Queen. I am true to my words when I said that you could be the Queen in this pathetic Island. You could be Queen of the Holy Lands for all I care. And surely, I love you so much, as my pathetic dense sister-in-law to make you take your fall."

    "What then? What are you planning here then?!"

    "Seriously Zeba? You''re not piecing all of this together? Unbelievable! I''m showing you a needle pin? And you''re seriously talking about you, you, you? Bathala did leave you an empty skull, didn''t he? I''m not going to be surprised if your head floated like a buoy."

    "The pin is for..."

    "Yes! The pin is for her! Yit''ard, Zeba I thought you have some brain to figure that one out for yourself. I don''t really have to spell everything to you. Seriously, you''re like a newborn child rolling around on the ground.

    "She''s the only thing impeding you on your goal and being branded as a traitor. Being exiled out of the Holy Lands is not really optimal for you. After all, the Yagisiv Haya''s Priestess can remove the Bathala-given powers that you have received and that would really be troublesome for you in the real world outside our borders. You''ve seen it right? You know how harsh it is to mortals? Especially to women folk."

    "W-what does it do? W-what will it do to her?"

    "Kill her." She smiled pocketing it inside her gown. "That simple. She''s at the infirmary now. They are treating her with everything since she''s dehydrated and suffering from multiple wounds, wounds she has sustained from you somehow. For now, they said that she''s being delusional, so everything has been a secret. Only I and the constable know of this so if you do this now, no harm will befall you."

    "How can I be sure of this? That you won''t do this again?"

    "Ah! Here''s the thing," Prodea went close to her as she gulps in tension. "I will repeat this again, and again, and again, every time you''re feeling up for insubordination, Zeba. This way you get to kill those casters that I have assimilated. This way you get to have your hands bloodied for your own pathetic gains. I am tired shouldering everything on my own. It''s time for you to prove your worth for once."

    Zeba tried to contain her fury gnashing her teeth in irritation. "What is it? What''s in the needle? Another one of Dim''ion''s Arts?"

    "Well, I''ll let you in on a little secret. See, Juni and my brother, together with Dal''Gur, have managed to research about the tiny, tiny critters that causes illness to people. These critters sometimes harbor on the brain and defile it so that it can cause hallucinations or paranoia to the patient, the brain sickness as they call it. Now, I have engineered this critter, with Dim''ion''s Magick of course, making their growth accelerate into dangerous levels. One prick and she''ll sleep for good. It won''t feel a thing since she''ll die convulsing after a few hours. After that, there will be an autopsy and I''m sure you could guess what they will find in the brain."

    "I-I''m not sure I can live with this."

    "Oh, please. I''m sure you can''t live with a lot of things, you sanctimonious Yit''Vit. Please, let''s stop pretending to be something we are not. I''m sure you can''t stand losing your husband and son and I think you will kill a thousand innocent people just to save them. But the weird thing is that you''ll kill ten thousand more to save you. That''s how selfish you are. You may contest to that but we both know you''re just going to lie to yourself. If you''re too noble you would''ve backed-out from this and reported me long ago, but you didn''t. I know you too well, Zeba. I know you''re not a Hero. I know you''re a coward. And that''s a fact!"

    Prodea grabbed the vial and placed it in her palms snickering as if disgusted at her. Zeba was stunned, motionless, speechless. Prodea passed, her by opening her doors in exit, till she stopped her.

    "What is it that you want in return?"

    Prodea looked back and closed the door again to answer her shuddering. "Nothing. This time it''s free."

    "You''re giving me this, out of the goodness of your heart? I don''t think so! Everything has a price with you."

    "Well, you could cut that sharp tongue of yours, that''s a start. But I honestly only did that to prove a point." Prodea walked slowly to her with malicious eyes that pierced her soul and whispered. "That I could really hurt you in a number of ways. Be thankful I''m not your enemy, you disrespectful rotten goblin." She stepped back and smiled again, only this time she''s enjoying the sad look on her face. "Besides, this is a warning. The lowly mongrel follows the pack master. Remember that I am your benefactor, your guardian, your master. The moment you forget this again, you will lose your teeth. And by teeth I meant I will kill Sarram and Gantee in front of you and bleed them dry, just to help you picture this out since you can''t analyze for yourself - but I''ll let you kill everyone I assimilated living inside me first before doing that. Just so I could see you crawling in the mud falling on your high horse."

    Prodea strode to the door smiling still till she stopped her yet again as she was about to clutch the doorknob.

    "You won''t get away with this. Everyone knows all your plans have failed. Rumors in the city are spreading like wildfire. One of these days you''re going to pay for what you''ve done!"

    "Oh really? Well firstly, this little thing that we''re experiencing? I call this a setback. It''s not really a failure since it''s your fault not mine, a fault I could easily fix. Secondly, If I''m going to pay for my crimes, you''re going to pay for yours too! Don''t you forget that one bit. And since we''re talking about paying from crimes, Sarram is not too innocent too since he''s been seen blatantly harassing Sayed in the Hishma''s so that''s a little added bonus in the feature."

    "You''re laughing now but one of these days Artemus''s Army in the north will come and will dispose of you! They''re not going to bother themselves with us. They''re going straight to you! And when that time comes, I will gladly roll the carpet to your whereabouts!"

    "Why thank you, Zeba," Prodea smiled which confounded her. "I''ll say let them come and fight the might of the spawn of Dim''ion."

    Zeba''s face turned white hearing her words which got her attention.

    "Oh? You know that, huh? Glad to see you''re remembering your elementary education. Because of the scrolls I acquired from Eryk, I can now imbue Leonus''s army with the powers of Dim''ion. It will take time, I know, but six months is all I need to create a hefty regiment fit to battle with his. And with my six titans as their generals, I think I could reverse the tides of success here. So, yes. Try and frighten me about that but just so you know, Zeba, five months from now, I know you''re going to change your mind about that."

    Zeba turned stuttering in both fear and dread, "What will you gain from all of this? You don''t want to be Queen? You don''t want the Holy Lands? What is the purpose of all of these!? What is it that you want!?"

    "Let''s see..." Prodea sighed and thought hard till she turned to her with kind eyes that suddenly disrupted Zeba''s frantic outburst. "World peace. While you''re selling your soul for the chance of being Queen of Nagozul, I''m selling mine for world peace. That''s something to think about, huh?"

    She then opened the door and left her alone with the poisoned needle in her clutches, still bewildered with what she meant. Depressed and scared and furious, but dumbfounded, nonetheless.

    -------ooO0Ooo-------

    The rain unleashed an angry rhythmic bash on the roofs as it pounded them like drums for longer than a day now. Weather in Nagozul has gone awry and everyone knows why. The Immortal Bakunawa has fervently managed the skies of Nagozul as his part on keeping the Holy Lands safe. With him now missing, nobody''s watching over them anymore. No one''s minding the tides of the seas too. Everyone now came to appreciate his efforts but it''s too late. And with rumors of his alleged assassination by the usurping Grand Princess, everyone is in panic. Everyone is now in the mercy of fear''s tight clutches, especially after the rumors of the sighting of the first snow fall in Nagozul. Nobody has seen or felt the devastating effects of a cold blizzard for a thousand years and now they will bear witness its destructive effect only this time without their Bathala-given Elemental Energies which practically will increase the potential danger even more.

    "My King, are you sure he will comply with your summons?"

    Artemus smiled wide looking at the bowing Master General Jeng and replied. "I''m not king yet, Master General. Though I am truly grateful for the gesture, I can''t resume my position without the unification of the whole of Nagozul and I can''t do that while Prodea is still at the Palace. I would appreciate it if you tone it down a bit. I do not want to incite a rebellion after all."

    "Forgive me, Grand General, it is not my intention to put you under that position."

    "It seems we made a good decision inviting you in the Omega Tribe''s roster, Master General Jeng," Narra chuckled. "Just try showing your loyalty at the minimum when in public. We can''t have anyone snooping around being suspicious, especially to Prodea''s minions. We know she has spies here now. We must take every precaution needed to ensure our organization''s secrecy."

    "He will come," Major Camyl smiled leaning casually against the wall. "He''s not practically late yet so please be patient. There is serious flooding at the Southern Part of Nagozul but that doesn''t mean he''ll suddenly break his record of punctuality. He''s indeed the most punctual man in Daomagar. We haven''t had rains this long since the Elven Rebellion so please forgive his slight delay."

    Everyone in the room just nodded in agreement. Even if one wants to add to further their conversation, one will think twice before even attempting because of the heavy rains that roared fiercely as if getting in between them.

    They could have talked with the people at their sides, but they didn''t. They have been practically distressed by the destruction of Hishma, for one thing. What they want to say to the nearest person, they want to share to everyone, and this made them contemplate in silence awaiting the right moment to bring this discussion to their secret council.

    A faint knock on the door snapped them all out of their meandering daydreams. They all stood straight as an arrow in anticipation but relaxed without grabbing their weapons at the ready.

    "Good Afternoon, everyone," greeted Deito with smiling eyes, pushing the water right out of his raincoat stashing it outside before entering. All Daomagarian soldiers knelt down with their clenched fists at their chest bowing. "No need to greet me my brothers," he immediately called refusing for the acknowledgement, pulling the first Daomagar in front of him who is the frightening General Enro. "We are amongst friends and thusly we are without designation or rank. Today I stand before you as your equal."

    Mikael Deito, the eighteen-year-old Deito Clan''s current Clan Head and the Daomagar''s Chieftain, rushed to Narra and kneeled to bless. Narra didn''t make him wait as he gave his arm instantaneously.

    Deito is known as Narra''s Great-Grandson from his brother''s lineage. He''s the bastard son of his grandson from his dead elder brother Pahbs the second, but a great-grandson, nonetheless. Even though he''s the chief of all Daomagars, he didn''t forget to give respect to the Great Narra, the Daomagar Clan''s Current Clan Head, which impressed some in the room

    It didn''t take long for him to pull a chair at the sides with a beaming face for all of them as if waiting for the commencement of their assembly. He looks scrawny and non-threatening with his slender physique but he''s without a doubt the pride of the Deito Clan bordering to genius when it comes to using his Fists of Ana''giel, which everyone thought he had mastered to perfection.

    It is important to note this feat since the Deito Clan is a clan of merchants. Surely their ancestors have been famous fist fighters in the past, but they do not have any good fighters born from their clans for thousands of years and that''s why Mikael''s skill has been widely celebrated. He has quickly risen to prominence and has garnered the title Deito surprisingly at a very young age. The title Deito is usually given to the best merchant of the clan, but now things are different. Now they can have a reason to be proud that at last they have a great fighter in their family.

    "So..." Mikael started chuckling, "Where do we start? Grand Prince?"

    "Ah, I think we should be on point and first discuss your demands. Will you reconsider your order, recalling all of Daomagarians in Nagozul? That''s practically an exaggerated request, considering all that is happening."

    "On the contrary, Grand Prince, I think it''s only fitting I recall all of my brothers and sisters especially after all that has happened. I will not let my brothers and sisters be subjected to involuntary servitude."

    "Please be reasonable. My people will starve without your efficient and skilled laborers. You have become an integral part of our lives. Abruptly recalling all of them will result to famine and possibly death, especially after hearing about the arrival of winter next month."

    Mikael''s face turned sour as he replied. "Slavery is the worst slap on Bathala''s face and I will not tolerate such actions under my current leadership. You know I respect you and because of this I will do my best to preserve our relationship. Just be glad that we did not resort to war. We have waged war on Nagozul in the past for less. Be thankful that I''m a member of the Omega Tribe. Be thankful that I have calmed my people into retaliating to your sister''s mess."

    "I''m sorry for asking," Artemus replied. "I do not mean to offend you. I know you''re trying your best to contain this situation. I appreciate what you are doing for us. I didn''t realize it''s worse than what I had anticipated."

    "It sure is," Mikael said forcing a smile. "I barely made my council to stand down. They are planning a bitter retaliation to Nagozul, even cutting trade with your people. Now that they know that Prodea''s sitting at the throne, things got uglier and even harder to control. They are even contemplating to assassinate her using the Four Pillars of Sibara if you do not fix your nation within the year - well, three now since one has been rumored to have been killed in an ambush here."

    The others were instantaneously curious about the report but Artemus spoke eagerly fast disrupting their intentions to ask further.

    "I see. Well you can''t blame me for trying. I have to at least try and urge you to change your decision. It''s my duty as Nagozul''s Grand Prince after all."

    "No, Artemus," he frowned. "Your duty is to take the throne and banish Prodea from the Holy Lands. That is your duty. I do not want to offend you here on your lands, but I am baffled as to why you are letting her step on everything that we believe and..."

    "Stop!" Entered Narra which hindered Mikael from continuing. "I urge you to stop and think clearly, Mikael. After all, I am a part of the Nagozulian Army too. General Enro, Maskara Clan''s Head, is here as well. And Camyl, and Gab, and everyone from Daomagar present in this chamber. Are you questioning our duty and loyalty as Bathala''s Sentinels?"

    Mikael looked down apologetic. "I''m just concerned as to why she''s still in power."

    "I''m sorry Chieftain Mikael," Artemus sadly replied. "Explaining our reasons will be complicated. Prodea has been using Dark Arts and that''s only half of it. I have some problems with my powers too and with the Global Binding Spell in place, I''m not so sure forcing our way to the throne is optimal with our people. Taking away Prodea in the capital will require thousands of deaths on either side and we''re making sure we extinguish every possible choice available before we''re forced to deal with that hand."

    "So, the rumors are true?" Asked Mikael. "Is she really dabbling on Dim''ion''s Dark Spells?" Everyone looked at each other with a nod which answered him making his eyes widen in disgust and horror. "Then we should mobilize everyone. Let us take her while she is still at her early stage of development with Dim''ion''s Dark Arts. Daomagar will pledge our support to this campaign, and I''m sure Yagisiv Haya will too if I request of them."

    "And risk everyone dying by her hand?" Narra replied. "We can''t do that! That would mean we''re going to be responsible to the deaths of thousands of sentinels marking another dark era in our time."

    "So, we leave Prodea in power? We must not! We must rally our forces to meet her in battle. That is our mandate and I''m sure Yagisiv Haya knows of this duty too. With our forces she won''t stand a chance."

    "I commend your eagerness to aid us, but sadly we can''t do that," Artemus hurried. "Father is right, we can''t expose Yagisiv Haya. It is best they remain on their island. If Prodea is with foreigners, she might have promised them the fountain of life. If Yagisivian forces are captured, she might dig deep into their minds and find the secrets of the fountain. We won''t let that happen to our brothers."

    "Our Mandate is the preservation of Life," Enro started with his deep voice. "We must take heed to their words, chieftain. Daomagarian and Yagisivian blood will flow on the rivers of Nagozul if we attempt to destroy Prodea. I say we let the Nagozulian King''s prophecy take the helm. His way will require fewer deaths from our brothers and sisters. His way will not require the cooperation of Yagisivians."

    "The prophecy, the one you mailed to me?" Mikael asked Artemus.

    "Yes, my father''s prophecy. It is from Bathala''s providence."

    "I do not intend to insult but I fear I must be frank and state that I do not believe this prophecy you''re speaking of. I do not share the same faith since I do not believe mortal people can become Bathala''s scribes. Only heralds of Bathala can deliver a message and even then, the heralds will communicate with the Priestess of Yagisiv Haya, not to any sentinel, and most especially not to the King of Nagozul. This has been observed for as long as we''ve existed. It is not possible. I find this a little convenient."

    "But indeed, what you''ve done is included in the prophecy. When you recalled your brothers and sisters you have managed to fulfill its fruition."

    Mikael sat down depressed seeing all of them having faith in this prophecy he''s dubious about. "I-I, I''m sorry. I haven''t read the prophecy in its entirety. But if it is unfolding as you say it will, and if what you say is true, that you''re putting your faith in this and that you''re placing the fate of your nation to its bidding, then I''m afraid I might have to agree now to my council and close our borders for good."

    Artemus just nodded with a smile which confused him even more.

    "You know I will do this?" he asked.

    "Yes. Indeed, it has been written. It is much safer that way, that you close your borders, and Yagisiv Haya''s too. That way we could contain the situation here in Nagozul and fewer casualties would be expected. You know what happened at the Dwendell Rebellion. We''ve lost so much then. I won''t permit it to be repeated again."

    "Then why persuade me to come here? Why plead then to change my mind about this?"

    "Because it is his duty as Grand Prince to air the needs of Nagozul," Narra chuckled. "Artemus is really a stickler to the rules. He also needed to do that to compel me too in believing this prophecy of his."

    "But you all know what that means? The consequences you will have to endure for a year? Or even longer?"

    "Yes, Chieftain," Major Camyl joined. "This means those who will not heed on your call will be locked from Daomagar. We cannot go home, your grace. This means we will be stuck in here indefinitely till the matter is resolved and your orders have changed.

    Enro nodded too and joined in. "You cannot risk sending in reinforcements too if we ever have the need of your assistance so as to preserve the Daomagarian army from diminishing its officers and ranks up until a full scale attack to Nagozul has been called - if such a need justifies such recourse."

    "And you''re all okay with that?" He scoffed turning to everyone with their heads bowed down. He was mildly irritated to see his brothers'' determination to stay so he asked. "Enro, Camyl, Gab, Narra, I assume this will be your decision, but what about your servants, or the soldiers under your command? Every Daomagar here entrusts their lives on your decisions? I trust they will not be held here under threat from you. I trust you will not compel them to stay against their wishes."

    "You can count on that, your grace." Enro said quickly grabbing a dagger behind. He pressed it against the palm of his hand and slid it slowly for the crimson drops to follow trickling down to the ground. "I, Bloodfang, swear on my family''s honor to give my subordinates their free will to go back home. Though I can''t promise you they will join your retreat, your grace."

    "Maskara Clan''s loyalty is undeniable," Mikael nodded. "I understand that everyone under your command will obey you and your belief so I will not take it up against you." He noticed the others grabbing their daggers too. "Oh no, please. Everyone. You don''t have to take a blood oath to convince me. I understand you know your duties. So long as everyone has their choices available and no one is disadvantaged, it''s fine by me."

    "So, we''ll move now to our second agenda?" Narra pushed.

    "I concur," Enro replied sliding back the dagger on his back while crunching his hand to a fist willing the blood from dripping till it stopped. He is a master of the Deep Root, so his combat healing skills are at par to no Daomagar alive.

    "What do we know of the Hishma?" Deito asked Camyl. "Are the rumors true then? Is Prodea behind its sacrilegious destruction?"

    "Reports are coming in from the Eastern Sentries that it may be possible. Lieutenant Tarni stated that the Grand Princess Prodea have been fortifying the Palace of Hishma before it was destroyed with his Foreign Forces, The Lions - as they call themselves. Some Sibara are placed there too accompanying her manufactured Titan. But there is another possibility that she is not to blame for what happened."

    "How so?" Narra said crunching his chin in deep thoughts.

    "For one thing, they are tagging the incident as an accident. They are postulating that the repairs and renovation that Prodea has been making might have strained the foundations leading for it to crumble down. That''s one theory."

    "This is false," Enro contested. "I have seen the Palace of Hishma and have noted that its support beams stretched for tens of feet thick. It could not have crumbled down unless it is on purpose."

    "He is right," Artemus agreed. "The metal beams that were used there have been forged by Dal''Gur himself. It will prove indestructible against any forces of Mother Earth. Only a Daomagar strong enough to create a ravine, like our very own Enro and Deito, can destroy its foundation."

    "Are you saying she did that on purpose?" Deito said shocked.

    "No, I''m not saying that she did it," Artemus replied with worry. "I''m saying someone else did."

    "Yes, that would make much sense," Narra nodded. "Prodea has been planning to take the Hishma and make a fortress out of it. With almost forty percent in its completion, hurrying dangerously on construction risking involuntary servitude from our brothers to make it, why would she then destroy it?"

    "The Night Hunters have been reported to have besieged the Hishma," Camyl added. "The Sibara have noted this since they made aware of their intentions before attacking. The reports also include that they have threatened the lives of anyone brave enough to stop them and although my Sibaran spies have been timely on their information, I''m afraid we''ve lost communication after the attack confirming their threats so I do not have any information regarding the aftermath. I don''t want to suppose but I firmly believe that all sentinels stationed in Hishma have perished - including the manufactured titan. An impossible feat for someone but not as impossible for Yiv."

    "Are you implying the Night Hunters did this?"

    Camyl laughed almost snorting, "You do know who the Night Hunters are, right chief?"

    "I don''t understand. Are the Night Hunters members of the Omega Tribe?" frowned Deito.

    "They will be," Enro answered. "In a few years or so. You don''t have to worry. They are just posing as Daomagars. They do not have Yiv as a member too so that will ease up your tension."

    "So, who are they?"

    "They are your uncles, chief!" Camyl finally revealed smiling wide. "Or, sort-of-uncles."

    Deito has been staring at them almost smiling with crooked brows still trying to figure out who they are till Artemus entered relieving his aggravation.

    "They are my sons. Reus, Karus, Kayzar, and Yosh. They are posing as Daomagarians to provide skirmishes to delay Prodea''s plans."

    "No..." Mikael laughed sitting at the edge of his seat. "You are teasing me here. Who are they really?"

    "Indeed, they are the sons of Light," Enro replied to end his reluctance to believe. He''s too serious to kid so Mikael trusted him right away.

    "Oh." Mikael stopped and leaned back again in contemplation till he broke asking. "How? You are Nagozulian and Anagea is Daomagar. They have been fused with their Amplifyers on their forehead and they glowed on their birth year. It says so on record. How did they have Daomagarian lineage when they have Nagozulian blood running in their veins?"

    Narra was seen tensed looking at Artemus as if swallowing a big pill. Artemus just tapped him and answered. "They have been blessed by Bathala. This is a rare feat! A Daomagarian blood and a Nagozulian blood mixing perfectly. Bathala has blessed us with this because he knows this will happen. And through them we will liberate the evil which is Prodea."

    "Impossible," scoffed Mikael. "I do not believe this is happening. I don''t believe Prodea will fall for this too."

    "Oh no, chief! Prodea doesn''t know of this so it''s best if we keep this as a secret."

    "How can you assure me Camyl that they are who they are? That my Uncles managed to perfectly mimic a Daomagar?"

    "Your uncles," Camyl laughed thinking Mikael is older than they are. "Yes, I have seen their weapons demonstration. They fight like the Prime Perfectus with an added feature Of course, since they can incorporate elemental energies in their strike. Truly it is a splendid battle to experience. And based on the reports, it seems as though they have grown to at least ten folds from our last meet."

    "So, they can Dash, use Deep Root? That sort of thing?"

    "Yes," Enro joined. "The little one is rumored to have been blessed by Kyrin too. He can use the Eagle Eyes with ease. The Twins on the other hand have managed to master the Great Dash. Kayzar can step into the veil and Karus can mimic your Fist of Ana''giel. Though I can''t seem to see anything Daomagar-like on Reus. Maybe he''s the exception."

    "Though I fear he won''t need one," Camyl added. "The Sun Stealer need not use any Daomagarian Skills if he manages to activate his ultimate technique. No one can counter it since it''s new. Only a few have witnessed it, and no one managed to analyze its weakness since everyone witnessing the feat is trapped inside his technique. That''s a troublesome mystery for our enemy."

    "I truly have missed much, haven''t I?" Mikael smiled sitting back. "And I suppose there''s more to it than that?"

    "Yes, but let''s not dwell on this," cut Artemus. "Right now, what we have to discuss is the emergence of the real Yiv in Nagozul. After ten years of retirement, he''s back."

    "But he''s terrorizing Nagozulians now?" Enro asked. "I am dubious in his intents. What has he got to gain by making the Grand Princess angry?"

    "Maybe he''s operating on his own personal justice yet again," Narra answered. "Don''t forget that he''s the same man who accused those Daomagarian Generals of being corrupt and even exposed an assassination ring deep inside the ranks of Daomagar that vows to eradicate the main Yagisivian bloodline."

    "Oh, the one you apprehended Sir Narra?" Mikael replied curious. "I thought so too. After you''ve captured them all, I thought Yiv would''ve finally given up his Shadowless Blade and disappear to obscurity."

    "And yet he''s here," Artemus said leaning back from his chair. "If his anger and frustration get displaced, we''ll have a different type of worry to occupy us. With Prodea''s erratic tactics, I''m not sure we need another dreadful matter to bother us. For now, his goals are aligned with us, but I won''t take that risk, so I need you, Major Camyl, to create a secret group to hunt down Yiv and locate his whereabouts."

    "Yes, Grand General," Camyl bowed snappily.

    Narra concurred. "The previous month was the supply cargos to the city. A few days ago, the Hishma''s Holy Palace. Let''s not wait till Yiv can find something to destroy for tomorrow. We can''t afford doing that to our Nagozulian brothers especially if one of our Daomagarians are at fault. It is up to us to stop him. So, I will join you on your search to find the scourge."

    "I''m glad to hear that Sir!" Camyl sighed in relief. "I know we have Bathala-given skills, but I don''t think my team is enough to engage Yiv. I''m confident we could take him on with you on board, Sir!"

    "I did not say to engage Major, Father, just locate him. Please. I''ll be dealing with him when that time comes. I''m sure it''ll be some time before you could track the Shadow Fiend. He''s indeed called that for a reason so this will not be a light task. Hopefully by then I''ll be able to use my new bubble technique."

    "Your bubble technique is not fit to fight a Daomagar that way?" Narra hurried concerned. "No offense, but I think we are more suited to fight the real fastest Daomagar alive."

    "Don''t worry, father. I am refining my Bubble Shield so I think I can capture him when that comes. I know he''s dangerous, so I don''t want to lose any of you. You two are too important in the prophecy. You must survive till the end."

    "Especially you Camyl," Enro said almost with a smiling voice. "The one the prophecy called the Red General who will liberate Nagozul."

    Camyl smiled nodding to reply. She''s smiling not just because she gets to be reminded that she''s the one that''s going to lead the Nagozulian Army to victory, but because she knows Enro is complimenting her - a thing he doesn''t normally do.

    "What I need to do now, Chieftain Mikael, is to inform you that I will cash in on that favor you owe me," Artemus started again.

    "I see. So, when you said it''s going to be a few years before you cash them in, you''re really not joking, aren''t you?"

    "Yes, and I believe I have three if memory serves," Artemus smiled which he reciprocated.

    "Hah, I should''ve listened to your offer then when you said I didn''t have to owe you anything."

    "Well, you should''ve but that is not the case now."

    "Am I going to regret this?"

    Artemus just smiled shaking his head to answer as he leaned forward to continue. Nobody knows how and when the Great Daomagar Chief owed the Grand Prince, but they disregarded the mystery as they listen closely on his demands.

    "First, I would like you to lock your borders."

    "But I thought I just said that?"

    "No, Great Chief, what I meant was to really lock your borders from anyone. Nobody should go IN. Nagozulian, Daomagarian, or any Clan members or their heads - especially Sibaras."

    "Even for me," Narra added.

    "Just to point out, you want me to stop people from going to Daomagar? And allow people to leave?"

    "Yes. That''s exactly my request."

    "But what about if, for example, there are refugees? Refugees from Nagozul? Are you seriously telling me I have to ignore them if they ask for shelter especially after Prodea''s atrocities?"

    "You can''t trust them. They might include Prodea''s spies. You''ll just have to soldier on from that point."

    "This will be challenging, but I will try my best to do it and convince the council. It''s practically not impossible but it''s almost unachievable. Daomagarians live to serve our Nagozulian and Yagisivian brothers and it''s going to be a tough convincing them to refuse our brothers from our borders."

    "I know this will be difficult but please bear with me. You can announce your ultimatum but please lock your borders thoroughly. Prodea is my sister and I love her, but she is dangerous. She might play tricks on us and I would be perfectly relieved knowing Daomagar is safe."

    "So that you could devote all of your concentration in Nagozul and Prodea''s plans, yes, that is wise. But aren''t you a little bit concerned that Sibara Clan Members would flock Nagozul by then? I believe the Grand Princess has been paying them quite a hefty sum to help her here - the payments due to the other clan members who resigned from their post I believe." Mikael looked at Narra and Enro chuckling. "The fractions of your clan''s fees?"

    "No worries. We''re confident we can manage them."

    "Oh? How so? Do you have a plan you''re not telling me?"

    "Indeed, I have a plan, but that plan has been laid out long before. The plans mentioned in the prophecy. That will then lead us to my second request. Please read your copy of the prophecy. I believe I have given that to you years ago."

    All of them laughed almost coughing containing their urge to release the boisterous guffaw that the tickling imp churns till everyone realized he''s not kidding.

    "Oh," Mikael figured. "To really read it? Okay. If that will make you happy then."

    "But not just read it," Artemus hurriedly added. "I want you to understand it so that you could understand our plans. I need someone from Daomagar to understand what we''re doing so that you could initiate my third request."

    "Which is?"

    Artemus sat back and caressed his knuckles polishing it with his hands with a frown. He was silent for about thirty seconds before resuming his demands.

    "I would like you to avenge us all here and reclaim Nagozul with whatever means necessary."

    "Wait, you''re all going to die in the prophecy?"

    Artemus wanted to reply but he bit his lip as if he''s in doubt.

    Mikael continued asking but now directed the question from everyone who is now looking down. "So, when Bloodfang said that the Red General, Major Camyl, is important, he means that she''s going to lead the assault without you?"

    Narra cut in smiling. "I-it''s not absolute, I-I mean it''s not - we can change that, I''ve been telling this to him over and over but he''s like a stone really. He''s incorrigible."

    "Ah, so you meant to tell me to give Nagozul full military support if in case your plan fails," Mikael said beaming positivity at Artemus who''s practically lost the brilliance of joy he has earlier.

    "Yes," Artemus finally replied. "It has been prophesized that all of our plans will fail, and we will ultimately lead to a confrontation possibly leading to civil war which will claim the lives of some of us here, including me and my family. I want you to lead your army, helping our Red General, when that time comes to make sure Prodea will not and cannot succeed. And if unavoidable- I... I... I want you to personally put her down and obliterate her remains to ashes. I believe you could do this. You can, right?"

    Artemus serious eyes gazed upon him putting an unbearable load of responsibility in his shoulders. He did not know what to react witnessing dread, fear, and sadness on his face. Artemus asked again and that snapped him right out of his daze.

    "Yes. Making sure that her Dark Arts cannot resurrect her? Of course, I can. For you and for Nagozul I will."

    "Then it''s settled!" Artemus concluded clapping his hands with a smile which bewildered them all. They know he''s forcing that smile, so they forced a smile back as a courtesy.

    They talked for hours more till the rain stopped. It was all casual, more on catching-up with everyone. But all of them have their hearts anchored on the reality that all they can do for now is to wait and enjoy every second of each other''s smiles as much as they can. They all know that everything that follows after this is just pain and misery and by then, there will be no time to truly enjoy the peace that each company can provide. After all, the Hishma Prophecy has been fulfilled and who knows when they will meet again as complete and happy as they are now. This is the trouble about knowing your destiny. The only option is to accept it with open arms lest you will lose will and bring shame to your name. But not everyone knows of this as this path is reserved only to those damned souls with proud courageous hearts.