They have been pa.s.sing 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 repet.i.tive 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 communiqué 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 rus.h.i.+ng 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 a.s.sa.s.sins 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 a.s.sa.s.sins 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 a.s.suming 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 KuyKayzar'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 a.s.sumption."

"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 a.s.sumed 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 a.s.sistance. 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 c.u.mbersome 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 succ.u.mbing to his Fire Innate. It's the only way for him to avoid being a violent blood l.u.s.ting 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 Yos.h.!.+"

"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-gla.s.s 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 a.s.sa.s.sination. 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 a.s.sa.s.sinate 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 pa.s.sed 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-gla.s.s 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 a.s.sociated with extreme annoyance much like a person a.s.sociating 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 a.s.surance."

"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 a.s.sa.s.sins, 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 k.n.o.b, 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 accomplis.h.!.+" 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 m.u.f.fled 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 das.h.i.+ng, 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 part.i.tioned 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 a.s.sa.s.sination 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 a.s.sa.s.sination 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 a.s.sa.s.sins 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 a.s.sa.s.sins. 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 t.i.tle 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 a.s.sa.s.sinated 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 pa.s.s 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, pus.h.i.+ng 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 a.s.sa.s.sins. They have to quarantine the area so that they can pinpoint the a.s.sailant 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 das.h.i.+ng which surprised Artemus seeing how fast he is.

"Don't worry Daddy," said Kayzar looking sad trying hard to hold on to the tears acc.u.mulating 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 pa.s.s. 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 Pa.s.s 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 a.s.sistance."

"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 Bathalgiven 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 a.s.sa.s.sinate 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 ma.s.sacre 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."