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 s.h.i.+vering 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 pa.s.s 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, das.h.i.+ng 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 a.s.sumption 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 Kars.h.i.+vyk 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 Kars.h.i.+vyk! 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 fl.u.s.tered. "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 Pa.s.s. 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 Kars.h.i.+vyk and began reading near Kayzar. After just thirty minutes, the twins began deliberating about some theory that they have about the spirits of Kars.h.i.+vyk 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 gla.s.ses are going all shady."

"Hmmn, Yes. We are very near the Kulog Pa.s.s 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 pa.s.s to reach the jungle."

"Wait," refuted Reus, "don't tell me that we're going up the Lakas Mountain range to avoid the pa.s.s! I thought you said that you know your way to the Kulog Pa.s.s."

"I'm sorry Reus. I know my way to the Kulog Pa.s.s, 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 antic.i.p.ate 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 antic.i.p.ation 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 pa.s.sed 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 pet.i.te 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 antic.i.p.ating 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 KuyKarus and KuyKayzar 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 gra.s.s 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 KuyKayzar," 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-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 KuyKarus 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 pa.s.s 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, pus.h.i.+ng 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 pus.h.i.+ng her lips with her white handkerchief. She just walked hurriedly with her clerics almost running to the other corridors to a.s.semble 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 relis.h.i.+ng those few seconds before she ordered her guards once again to continue pus.h.i.+ng 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 circ.u.mstances regarding her condition, they were granted a pa.s.s 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, sn.o.bbish, 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 gla.s.s 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 fas.h.i.+oned 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 b.a.l.l.s 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 cla.s.ses. He a.s.sumed 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 selfis.h.!.+ 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 pa.s.sed 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 pa.s.sed 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 KuyArtemus 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 pa.s.s 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 surpa.s.sed 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 KuyKarus!" shouted Yosh with a broken voice hugging Luna tightly.

"Hahaha, don' 'cha worry, Yosh. No, one'll hurt yer friends," a.s.sured 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 s.h.i.+ed 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 superst.i.tious effect on them making them s.h.i.+ver, 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 rus.h.i.+ng 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 t.i.tle as the Unrestricted General, because of the way he circ.u.mvents 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 rus.h.i.+ng to the princes who are currently still enjoying their sleep unaware of their surroundings.

"Wh 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!"