"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 pus.h.i.+ng 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-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 pa.s.sion 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 embarra.s.sing."

"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 Bathalgiven 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 Das.h.!.+ 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 pus.h.i.+ng her lips to the sides. "I'm a bit embarra.s.sed... 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, rus.h.i.+ng 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 surpa.s.sing 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 b.l.o.o.d.y 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 pa.s.sing 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 s.h.i.+mmers 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, "Finis.h.i.+ng 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 sanct.i.ty 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 n.o.bles 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 pus.h.i.+ng 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 rea.s.suring 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 a.s.sault 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 a.s.surance, even with the help of his confident eyes, but still she hopes for it. She knows what an unforgiving and s.a.d.i.s.tic 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 s.h.i.+vering 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 mult.i.tude 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 a.s.sault 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 pa.s.s 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 repet.i.tive 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 m.u.f.fled 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 gus.h.i.+ng 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!" s.h.i.+hiku 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 s.h.i.+hiku 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 s.h.i.+hiku looking at Grog sitting quietly, bowing down further at his side.

"Sssssss--- You are at the privileged floor, Sss.h.i.+hiku," 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 s.h.i.+hiku 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 t.i.tans for some gut feelings. Releasing them for a ma.s.sacre 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 Mis.h.i.+! Wait!" plead s.h.i.+hiku standing up from his bow, "I implore you two to heed my appeal."

Jye'Ryiek, the armor-plated Ant King, stopped and turned to s.h.i.+hiku, "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 s.h.i.+hiku said that the first time, Ulrihis," snapped Mis.h.i.+, "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, s.h.i.+hiku? 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."

Mis.h.i.+ nodded smiling in agreement.

"But..."

"s.h.i.+hiku," 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 t.i.tans 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 sanct.i.ty 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 Mis.h.i.+ 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, ma.s.sster."

"And Ulrihis," added Mis.h.i.+, "Since you've decided to stay up in this commotion, I leave you in charge of s.h.i.+hiku. 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, Ma.s.sster."

"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, ma.s.sster."

"I'm sorry Ulrihis for embarra.s.sing you," whispered s.h.i.+hiku 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 a.s.ss one of their equal, not sssince the Rebellion. Jussst be happy you haven't been sssentencssed to hibernate, at lea.s.sst 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 s.h.i.+hiku, "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 s.h.i.+hiku, 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 a.s.ss sssoon a.s.ss posssible."

"Believe what you want to believe... it's just a waste of time."

And s.h.i.+hiku 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 Sss.h.i.+hiku I knew... The Sss.h.i.+hiku 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 a.s.sshamed 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 Yos.h.!.+ 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 pus.h.i.+ng 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.