It has been over a month since she saw her master Karus and hearing today's good news about his return fuels her persevering heart even more.

"It's morning. Where is he?" she asked panning her sight all around.

"Q-q-quit askin' me i-f - if - if... M-m-master Karus is where..." snapped a young fellow behind her, sharpening his sword with his rare black water stone - a gift from Karus that he likes to flaunt to anyone. "He said he-he-he'll be back daybreak an hour after. N-n-not yet hour daybreak after."

At quick glance, any man, even without any medical apprentices.h.i.+p, could rightly conclude that this pouting young Daomagarian man is an aberrant, a mistake in conception; a mistake that everyone regards as highly unacceptable taking into consideration their level of sophistication on medical sciences.

Some might go on harshly and identify him as a r.e.t.a.r.d having no place in their world. Even some Medical Casters frown upon his existence as if insulted by his very being with features too extremely abnormal to be possible. He has a large hump on his right shoulder, a crooked spine, an unusually large arm imbalanced from his legs and feet, a drooping figure on the left half of his face and some thinning patches of hair, not to mention the limp when he walks. Kids on towns usually call him a monster with his physique including his unusually long canine teeth protruding even when mouth closed. His stuttering and sometimes incoherent speeches make him more p.r.o.ne to insults and disappointing snickers. Everything about him makes insensitive people cringe in both shame and disgust.

Even ordinary sympathetic people feel uneasy near him avoiding contact altogether as a resort of preventing any offense or misunderstanding resulting to anything, they might do upon interaction which in turn adds insult to his condition without them even realizing it.

He's not good on the eyes, people used to say. You have to get to know him before you ease up on his hideous appearance, they said. They try to be understanding. After all, they are the inhabitants of the Holy Lands. But sometimes some people can't stand the pressure of seeing something so unusual, so uncommon, that all instincts will clamor up for a reaction - a reaction that would usually lead to fear or disgust instead of being sympathetic and kind.

Some people, who happen to think positively, ignore his flawed look for he is undeniably a victim of what they call a result of a malfunctioning blood combination from the two most powerful lineages of Daomagar, the Daomagar Clan and the Maskara Clan. A one in a trillion chance of disaster: one that should have been humanely put down as a newborn baby just like the hundreds of recorded infants who have suffered this blood abnormality over the span of thousands of years. This has been applied as a Daomagarian tradition even as a means to exact sympathy on disfigured infants who usually die within the year of their remaining life in the most excruciating of way.

Bathala be praised that this was not the case for Karus saw something different within his gnarled façade. He saw him as something special, unique, marvelous even, that the monster himself cannot see within. He molded him from a bitter and aggressive boy, hating his existence and everyone around him, into a humble finely tuned swordfighter that can only be compared to a middle-ranking military sentinel. The spark of magnificence Lime has witnessed too consequently as he helps her in her training, night and day, for over a month in Karus's stead.

"He's not usually late..."

"He's late always," he laughed in a snorting fas.h.i.+on which made Lime smile a bit, "Y-y-you still don't know a lot of 'im."

"I guess. He did say I'm his first apprentice, and yet here you are."

"I t-t-told you earlier, you first apprentice foreign. Me f-f-first apprentice Daomagar. You foreign, me Daomagar. You like N-n-Nagozulian, so no good in swordfight. Hard to train."

"Hey, hey, easy now Markus," she chortled tapping him sitting next to him leaning on the large boulder behind them. "You don't need to sprinkle some salt to my wounded pride. I know it's a long way before I become as good as you but I'm trying."

"Yes. Try. I see what M-m-master Karus see in you. You don't give up easy. L-l-like me. However, you're weak and I'm strong, You're woman, a weak woman, not like Daomagarian woman..."

"Well thanks Markus," she interrupted smiling with squinted eyes, insulted but not that hurt, "I know there's some compliment there somewhere."

He stood up immediately. Eyes sharp, standing crooked unsheathing his two short swords, one shorter than the other looking like a very long knife. "They're here."

Lime crawled pulling her katana and whispered with a breaking voice. "Who's they?"

Before she could pose another question, Markus dashed on frighteningly fast. Two shadows approached the clearing just four hundred feet afar and before Lime can identify them, they engaged Markus with a series of fast dashes rendering them a blur into her eyes. The sound of metal clas.h.i.+ng can be heard to her distance signifying how great the impact was and how strong they are. Being able to move about without shaking into a jelly at such an explosive sword bash is no ordinary feat. She stood up too, unsheathing her sword as fast as she can, but before she could react, Markus fell into the ground being propelled a few feet into the air by the masked man wielding a katana.

Her mind is filled with confusion at the time, so she blankly ran towards the enemy, focused on giving her best for any retribution she could sc.r.a.pe off on this overly powerful new foe that surprised them. She managed to slow down considerably seeing the two apparent enemies more clearly. It's Karus and a young strapping one looking just like him. It bewildered her to see him hurting Markus, so she ran in haste to pursue some explanation.

"Hey!" she shrieked till she reached him pointing her katana at him, "Why'd you hurt him!?"

"Whoa!" Karus jumped back reuniting his katana with its scabbard, "He's alright. I didn't hurt him." He looked to where Markus is, shakingly trying to stand up almost injured and shouted, "YOU'RE ALRIGHT, MARKUS, RIGHT?!"

"Y-yes Master!" he replied with a confident bellow standing up, limping around finding his sword.

"See?"

Lime pulled back her sword and squinted her eyes in disbelief. "Right... well why did you do that anyway?"

"Well, that's what we do when we meet," he confessed. "Always," he added to rea.s.sure her.

"Some sort of a weird h.e.l.lo I presume?"

"Ye-No, Yes? I think. Some sort of h.e.l.lo wouldn't be an appropriate reason since we do this to measure his improvement. That's how I measure how far his training has gone from the moment I left him on his own. Clearly, he's still lagging behind, isn't that right?"

"Yes Master," he replied kneeling, uneasily Of course, with his uneven legs, pulling his arms curled leveling his eyes as a sign of respect. "I'm sorry... I'm still... weak. Lime is... ready now."

He's now a different Markus, one that controls his speech whenever he talks pausing a moment or two trying to speak as fluently as possible, fixing his grammar. Lime was impressed to see him turning into some form of a military soldier all of a sudden. He then pulled Karus for about ten feet away from the other two and began to whisper, angrily at that.

"Hey, what happened to him? He's usually not like that. And what's with the kneeling. I don't kneel. You don't make me kneel."

"Oh. Uh- that's because he's a Daomagar, and..."

She pulled his sleeve closer with her eyes just under six inches from her as if interrogating him, trying to see if he's lying.

Unfortunately, that won't work on Karus. He has been training with Kayzar about lying and has learned to hide any emotions, any facial tics, so as to fend off anyone that might sniff information out of them. But such was not the case this time. This time, cold sweat started trickling down on his cheeks as the pupils in his eyes dilated and his blood rushed off in both euphoria and fright resulting in a pinkish glow in his cheeks.

"You're lying," She concluded letting go of him.

"I'm not..." he stammered trying to regain control of his senses.

"Hmmn... so you're discriminating me because I'm a foreign girl..."

"No, no, no," he interrupted feeling rather troubled where she's heading, "It's not like that. Well, I suppose... I think... I'm sure, you have your military culture in Leonus, and we have a military culture here. I can't just impose what we Daomagarians do here on you. Clearly, you'll be rather disturbed, or angry, infuriated even, when I apply those what I apply..."

"Alright, alright," she cut him, almost sorry she snapped at him, "I guess I could do without that attack dash every time we meet."

"Yeah, I guess."

"But you lied to me. You said I was your first apprentice."

"Well, I didn't lie. Technically, he's not my apprentice, as he keeps on saying... The truth is more complicated and it's a very long..."

"Okay, okay! Who's he?" she interrupted again, as if his explanation is uninteresting which gave Karus some relief. Kayzar at that time was talking to Markus, with him still kneeling to the ground as if he is his master too. "You seem greatly similar. Your eyes and eyebrows have a matching set. He looks just like you turned around on his back."

"Yes! K-Z!" he shouted getting Kayzar's attention. Kayzar secretly waived his hands and Markus stood up in attention. Kayzar then s.h.i.+fted his attention to them with a beaming smile and went close to get acquainted. Karus tapped Kayzar remembering that they still have their masks on which they hurriedly removed to show their faces.

"Greetings, milady, I'm K-Z. Karus's brother," he uttered pleasantly bowing down giving respect. "A Bandhana Clan member, at your service. Currently without designation."

"Sir K-Z," she curtsied reciprocating to his bow, "Forgive me for asking but what does it mean? Is it a pet name? An eke name? Or is it an initial?"

Karus and Kayzar looked at each other is some sort of agreement and then Kayzar nodded.

"Well? What is it?"

"Oh! Ah, it's my name," he smiled wide which gave Lime a chuckle seeing his smile uniquely similar to Karus's.

"That's the weirdest name I have ever encountered. Pardon my delight for the matter, I do not mean to offend you in any way."

"Oh, that's alright. It's common..." Karus slapped him thinking their plan is not working so he improvised. "...to think... that!"

"Think what?"

"That K-Z stands for something," he explained confidently now formulating some plan on his feet. "But it does really. My real name is really 'CASEY'. But saying Casey in certain circ.u.mstances can be hard, especially in a battlefield where chaos reigns in the air. K-Z is much clearer and easier to p.r.o.nounce."

"Oh..." he paused for a while and turned her back shouting abruptly on to the fields as if scolding the lovely garden. "CASEY! K-Z!" She then repeated it again and again for quite some time as if testing his theory and the returned to face him. "Huh? I think you're right. That's quite ingenious."

"Thanks."

"But to be honest, Sir Casey, the name Casey suits you better."

"Ha! That's what my brothers used to say."

Lime smiled with a slight crooked eyebrow as if deciphering what he means. Kayzar noticed this and immediately looked at Karus who is now squinting. Kayzar sees Karus wanting to slap him again for giving additional problems for them to explain so Kayzar pointed to Karus mouthing 'brother' which Lime noted nodding in an awkward smile.

That's one less explanation to worry about, Kayzar mumbled in a sigh. Lime didn't hear that, but Markus did, with his Daomagarian ear. He chuckled for a bit, amused for what his masters are doing, which invited Karus's attention stopping him with his glaring eyes as if ordering him to discontinue making problems for him to awkwardly explain. It's hard enough to fabricate lies that he can keep up. It's like he's living a double, double life. A secret within a secret since having Daomagarian skills is a secret he has to maintain as a Nagozulian prince and it's hard enough for him to create another persona within that Daomagarian persona he so perfectly hides away from everyone.

"Shall we start, Master?" Lime asked feigning her sword masterfully which surprised Karus and Kayzar.

"I thought you didn't have any proper sword training," Kayzar asked bewildered on her perfect form and grace in handling the katana.

Lime smiled with all her heart hearing the question treating it as a compliment. "I don't. This is the result of my training under Master Karus with the help Of course, of my fellow apprentice Markus."

"But I thought you've been training for about three months?"

"Three months and a jug of White Angel," Karus exclaimed as if proud of his experiment.

Kayzar's eyes bulge in shock slowly looking at Karus mumbling. "...our?"

"No silly, Nemer's."

"Yeah, but what Nemer gives, it's ours..."

"Oh, don't worry bout…"

"But that's... that's..."

Karus smiled at Lime who is awkwardly smiling, figuring why he's so aghast, and pulled Kayzar away from them - for about twenty feet due to Karus's paranoia of Lime overhearing.

"Here's the deal, I'm trying to find a way to sculpt..."

"How can you do that!? Wasting a jug of White Angel!?" he shouted silently with anger slapping him for three times in frustration.

"Hey easy now..."

"D'you know how much that costs? I told you to clear things up with me first before doing something so... so... spontaneously irresponsible!"

"Geez, thanks for making that sound not as an insult."

"And to think I can let you ration our White Angel..."

"Relax," he pulled his s.h.i.+rt to calm Kayzar, which did the opposite but before he could flare up again he started explaining as fast as he could, "Nemer said Dal'Gur's finding a way to artificially manufacture Daomagarian physical capabilities to alter a normal mortal's blood safely, turning them into a Daomagar. So far he can't find anyone to test to since..."

"Normal Mortals are foreigners..." he quickly figured with his curiosity now piqued.

"Exactly. This is what we've been talking about last year in our research. I think Dal'Gur has found a way to isolate 'Bathala's Gifts' in Daomagarians. The only thing left to do is to find a fit candidate that can absorb these gifts but before that she..."

"She must develop the right physical condition to be ready for the change," he concluded cutting his explanation being more and more disturbed. "So, that means you..."

"No. I didn't." He looked at Lime with Kayzar following him looking at her talking to Markus unaware of their discussion. "She did."

"She consented to this?!"

"No. She's an unwitting test subject. She has broken more bones, torn more muscles and ligaments than us in our first training with Narra."

"Ah. So, she pushes on thinking it's just natural while you apply White Angel whenever she pa.s.ses out in pain. I didn't think anyone can be determined like that."

"Anyone would be, given the circ.u.mstance. Imagine a scenario where you push yourself past the limit twice over and then waking up as if yesterday never happened, as if magically restoring your vigor to its maximum potential but still retaining all the hards.h.i.+p you've endured giving your body the maximum training possible."

"This is great. I mean, if we didn't know about the White Angel and we're duped into training like that we could've been much more stronger than what we are now."

"Yes. There's a psychological factor there. She can push herself more and more everyday taking solace to the fact that when she wakes up, her body will experience the magical rejuvenation of the White Angel. I seriously protest why Master Narra didn't think of that? Or any other rich Daomagarian in training at that. We only use this to fix serious wounds."

"Yes, this is rather great, but I think it's not wise to use a lot of White Angel on a continuous rate. Too much good thing can be harmful too. There hasn't been any study on any harmful residual effects to mortals that has been exposed with it in long, continuous repet.i.tions. You have to be extra careful."

"Exactly. There is none. So, I think it's alright. Why call it Angel if it's not good."

"The name suggests it's a life saver. Not because it's good. Well no matter. Even if she retains her physical best, there's a problem of altering her blood."

Karus reached down and pulled a pendant beneath his s.h.i.+rt. It's a small vial, with a s.h.i.+ning neon green mixture. "Here's what Nemer can provide at the moment."

"When did you get that? And why didn't you tell me that?!"

"I meant for it as a surprise. And besides she's not ready for this yet. When she drinks this potion, it can alter her blood temporarily giving her the powers of a Daomagar. For how long, we're not quite sure yet. We're not even sure it's going to work."

"Hey MASTER!" shouted Lime bored waiting. "Will that take long?! We're waiting for you two here for my weapons demonstration."

"Oh!" Karus was surprised hiding the vial pendant back under his s.h.i.+rt and then waved for confirmation. "We're coming!"

-------ooO0Ooo-------

"Captain Gab, what a pleasant surprise!"

Captain Gab, who is about to knock on the open doors of Reus's private hut just smiled and entered. "Eyes at the back of your head, I'm impressed."

Reus, rummaging something at the far corner with his glowing amplifier only as light, leaned back smiling to acknowledge the compliment. He stood up dusting his dirty royal gown, a gown made by her Grandmama but he has no sense in fas.h.i.+on so he wouldn't know better.

A smiling Gab is one that could be witnessed once every hundred years or so, give or take a couple of months. That's what Yosh told them. He's either just simply happy or he's a bearer of some bad news and is just easing off with a warm introduction, either way the latter is more probable than the previous one. He only reveals his smiles at the brothers, a feat no other people thought possible, so the smile bothered Reus a bit. But maybe he's just feeling guilty about their previous encounter managing to fatally wound him in the process and he's still as sorry as then so he's leaving his scary mask off but that's just one of Yosh's curious observations. He's a general now so he has to think like one, he figured.

He pulled the tons of stacked paper to the center and went on ahead to face Gab. Gab then immediately bowed down kneeling with his arms curled leveling his eyes in salute.

"Oh, do get up," he insisted pulling him up. A funny thing to witness too since Gab is almost twice his size and kneeling points out that he still needs a few inches in his few remaining years of growth spurt. "We're not in the barracks. I can only a.s.sume that I've been suspended. Understandably Of course, after all those fiascos we caused, so there's no need for formalities."

"But General, we must honor our direct..."

"Hush now," he ordered smiling wide running to the counter fixing him some tea. "Sit... wherever I think," he pointed with his finger trying to find a spot but noticed his room being overrun by stacks of paper and old books with all the chairs saving those rare brown parchments from being lost in all the paper frenzy happening on the ground. "Or stand? Standing works too."

Gab grabs the cup that Reus offered and took a sip. Standing in attention. Still with a weak smile which troubled him further.

"What are you doing here, sir?" Gab started.

"Oh, I'm trying to create a formal library here. I like to help the villagers whenever I have the chance. It's my way of saying thanks for their hospitality. On the plus side, I'll have something that would take my mind off things. It's a win-win!"

Gab nodded being impressed. Reus knows he's not good with small talk, he sees it on his eyes, so he ended the torment and just skipped on to the serious talk.

"W-why are you here again, Captain?"

"Yes, General. I'm here to report Grand General's mission success and some errands here and there but more importantly I need to convey a message to you."

After this he pulled out his sling bag and reached for a letter with a red seal. Reus, still confused, went closer and received the letter. He immediately went near the windows to catch the shafts of bright sunlight piercing through to inspect the red seal which appears to have his father Artemus's crest. Reus immediately opened it and read on.

"Huh... Well that's understandable." he reacted. It's a two-page letter, Gab knows that, but all Reus did was scan it and in just four seconds, he apparently read all of it.

"I'm sorry General Reus. You have your orders. I a.s.sume you'll follow through?"

"Oh, yes. No. Sorry but you don't have to escort us. We're more than capable of returning ourselves."

"But sir. You are a General, and you and your brothers are still Nagozulian Royalty. Such escort is necessary."

"I'm sorry but I think you're underestimating our..." he stopped immediately beaming a smile figuring, "Unless..."

Gab noticed too and gave an awkward smirk.

"Who put you up to this Captain?"

"Master Anagea, General."

"Fine, fine. I guess Mama wants to see us going home as planned without ever wandering off."

"You do tend to wander off," he added. "I meant your brothers, so I can understand Master Anagea's concern."

"Yes, I take on from my father."

"So, General. How does tomorrow morning sound?"

"Yes, yes. But the thing is..." he scratched his head and fixed his spectacles trying to find the words to explain. "I think I've lost my brothers."

Gab tilted his head as if wanting to hear it again, as if he didn't understand what he meant.

"Of course, they do not disappear magically," Reus followed trying to calm the Captain Gab who is feeling a bit worried about his news. "What I meant was they left me here." He ran towards the other side of the room and went to a wardrobe. He opened it hurriedly and grabbed two separate letters and presented it to Gab. "Karus and Kayzar said they're disappointed about me telling on Mama, so they went on and left me to think about what I did. I honestly don't know what I did wrong telling Mama we're safe and sound here. It's more optimal than for her to scour Nagozul again and punish us for it. I guess they went away to train by themselves in hiding. Nagozul is huge but I think I know where to look for."

"I didn't know you're allowed to know these profanities?" Gab laughed reading the letter.

"Oh, that one's from Yosh. We're still negotiating what word is safe to use. I swear the only thing Yosh remembers in the dictionary at the library is pointless profanities. He even managed a week of research, as miraculous as that sound, only for us to find out that he's been set out to uncover the most horrible insults ever recorded in history. In every language ever known!"

"But that's..."

"On the restricted section, I know. Sometimes I wish they just remove that section there. It's not worth compiling to. Anyway, Karus and Kayzar are training somewhere but Yosh seems to have vanished into thin air. Yet again."

"How should we proceed, General?" Captain Gab turned serious standing in attention as if receiving command.

"Stop doing that, I'm suspended remember?"

"As a matter of fact, it is the opposite, sir. I'm here to inform you that you have been promoted to Master General. Commander General Enro reports now directly to your command. Your promotional ceremonies will be conducted right after we arrive at the Citadel."

"Oh. Well that's fast."

"Congratulations sir. You did a spectacular job at the North and after what you did on your rescue at the cotton village..."

"Shhh... Shut it. Don't ever speak that! We'll all be in trouble if anyone overhears."

"Oh. Sorry Sir."

"Who else knows that... thing... we did?"

"Just a close few..."

"The Omega Tribe?"

"How'd did you..."

"I know of that tightly knit club my father was into. I figured it's only a matter of time before I become inducted."

"But that's a highly secured secret, How'd..."

"Well, secrets are my department. So, do they all know about what we did?"

"Sorry sir. We can't talk about that."

"Yes, yes. I know, it's a secret you all carry to the grave and whatnot. But that means I'll be a member, too right? Being promoted Master General?"

Captain Gab just smiled ignoring him. Reus just laughed getting a cup of tea for himself. "Well no matter, all we have to do is find Karus and Kayzar and then we're straight to the North."

"But what about Yosh?"

"Finding Yosh is the easy part. Finding those two rascals, well that's another story."

-------ooO0Ooo-------

The golden s.h.i.+mmering sunbeams that pierced through the stained-gla.s.s windows fluttered all around the room creating an afternoon look at the common room in the south wing of the Palace where the party of Leonus currently resides as guests.

They keep to themselves, the Leonus delegates, so Nagozulian or Daomagarian sentries are not needed to watch their every move. You can call it arrogance or laxity but somehow, the people of the Holy Lands are not really considering them as a threat even if they are free to move about in the Palace.

You can never blame them for that since obviously they do not pose any security risk, and even if they manage to stray off and perform indiscretions that are offensive to Nagozulians, they can't really stand a chance with their mortal bodies too weak to defend against highly powerful beings that are Elementals. Even after then, one death toll from the Nagozulian would naturally mean the ma.s.sacre of the whole Leonus delegation and all of their forces camped out just outside the city. That is if they are lucky to manage one death toll, which would then be a really great hypothetical joke to tell in a pub.

Being ma.s.sacred on enemy lines is the only best-case scenario every Leonus party member thinks off. The worst case would be being trapped there on the island, tortured and imprisoned forever, so no one dares to think bad thoughts against Nagozulian, or their Daomagarian brothers. In fact, all of them think they are on vacation, drinking and eating every single day, which creates some minor irritation on some Nagozulians seeing how rowdy they are when they are inebriated but that's about as mad as they can get. Even drunk, they are still polite, a feat not a single one of them antic.i.p.ated. Even Eryk, sitting puzzled in the common room, has thought of this perplexing idea. Even their rowdiest soldiers akin to wild rampaging wolves have been magically whipped into kind lambs. It's almost a miracle. But before he completes his thoughts, a soft tap came suddenly from behind.

"This is rather disturbing. We need to discuss this." Tabarius whispered interrupting his wandering mind while he currently admires the mesmerizing bright saffron shafts that pierce through the stained-gla.s.s windows before him on that lazy morning. It took Eryk about three seconds to snap out of it as he noticed Tabarius face all secretive as if hinting to follow him which he did so in a hurry but not as to arouse any suspicion among the others occupying the area.

They went to the furthest of the halls leading to a room, a quaint and small bedroom designated to Sir Echon who is waiting along with his son Sir Julius. This bothered Eryk feeling as though they are conducting a clandestine meeting of nefarious purposes seeing as there are no other knights present except the two but that's just going over the top, so he humored his friend Tabarius and started to listen.

"We may have ourselves a problem here, my dear friend Eryk. It's to my understanding that we need to supply Princess Prodea with live humans to sacrifice for her Magicks, but we didn't know it's an offering to the demon!"

"I say we pack up before we're in too deep," added the Knight Echon scratching his round beard. "That way we're not accomplices to her evil witchcraft and G.o.d will not smite us for our insolence."

"No!" Eryk contested hurriedly being shocked to what they are planning. "A deal's a deal. We can't back out now, not after we sent letters to the other side that it's safe to send more people. We're expecting a wave of about a hundred every three days next week."

"Don't you see, Eryk. We're in way over our heads here."

"So, we've witnessed a few black Magicks, so what? The rewards are greater than the risks."

"The reward?" scoffed Tabarius now agitated. "We went here to get some water from the Fountain of Life. So far all we're taking are large risks without the reward. It's the opposite."

"T-that's still in planning," Eryk tried whispering trying to calm Tabarius down. "Besides, what did her highness say about that? She said we need to overthrow their kingdom first before we get our water. You're the one who asked us to trust her."

"That's before I knew what's going to happen to our knights. Sure, she said something about making a super mortal, on how she'll be able to transform our knights to the most powerful mortal alive, into living t.i.tans, but at to what cost?"

"Just to point out, your Grace," entered Julius sitting in troubled thoughts on the chair near the door playing with his knife. "We're the next to enter that weird experiment. Now from what I heard that's totally great and wonderful, but I do not want to be a slave to some bratty princess h.e.l.l bent on horrific domination, especially when they are using demons. The only demon I trust is myself."

"Sir Haaron, is still alive. He's still there. He obeys Princess Prodea but after that he does what he pleases. He's still in control."

"But where is he?" Tabarius insisted, "If he's in control, he should be with us. Not with Princess Prodea who turned her into her puppet."

"It's but natural to study him further. He just underwent a very frightening transformation. We'll see him when we see him. But he's still there. I guarantee you."

"But our soul, Your Grace," Sir Echon emphasized. "Are we still in control of our soul? Or will it be owned by the demon?"

"Demon?" opposed Eryk looking at Tabarius, "What's this talk about demons. What have you been telling them, Tabarius?"

"What has transpired last week. All of it."

Eryk smiled and looked at the two with rea.s.suring eyes, "I a.s.sure you. It is not the demon. If it is then we all would've seen his diabolical face in person."

"From what I gathered from Lime, Eryk, is that there is a history in their books telling a story of two major angels, the greatest of Bathala's Heralds as they call them. And their names are Ana'giel and Dim'ion. The good and the evil."

"By the looks of it, Dim'ion literally sound like Demon and Ana'giel sound like Angel," stressed Echon. "It seems that she's been uttering the name of the demon in their tongue many times during the incantation. Now I don't want to be insubordinate, Your Grace, but I need some a.s.surance that we're not working for the devil himself."

"I promise you. We're not working for the devil. This is the Holy Lands, remember? It's not like G.o.d will let the demon prance around in his most sacred lands."

"But what about the slaves?" pursued Julius now standing up in curiosity, "What about the slaves that have been used as human sacrifice? What's with that?"

The Earl found his tone disrespectful but didn't act out on it. Much is riding on his benefit staying there so he maintained his calm demeanor. "The slaves act out as additional power sources. Princess Prodea needs them in order to increase the power of the subject. The life forces of those slaves will then be integrated with your own life force forming a unique bond that will incorporate the unearthly powers that you will possess after the incantation. That's how it works. It's not possible to gain power from nothing now is it? Power needs to be channeled from somewhere and that happens to be live human sacrifice. So, there are no demons or devils involved there. It's just a matter of simple transference of life source."

"Is that true, My Lord?" asked Echon directing his serious eyes to the Duke.

"I am sent here as the Chief Science Advisor and..."

"I'm asking the Duke, your Grace," Echon snapped rudely interrupting the Earl. He turned his attention again to the Duke and posed his question again. "My Lord, is it true?"

Tabarius turned away obviously trying to piece all of the information presented until he nodded in acceptance.

"Then it's all a bit of misunderstanding!" Sir Julius exclaimed as if jumping, happy as if the whole ordeal never happened. "Just send me a message father when they're ready for us. My squad is hunting for ducks by the river south from here." He gave a slight nod clicking his tongue as if saying goodbye to his superiors, however rude that is, and then stormed out of the door as fast as a kid getting chased by a dog.

"Am I dismissed, My Lord," informed Echon in attention.

"You are. You are," waved Tabarius, still in deep thoughts.

"Your Grace, I am a hundred percent at your command," he rea.s.sured just before leaving the room. "Whatever you think is right, I will follow. Even if they're in collusion with the devil himself, I will support you."

Tabarius nodded, still in his perturbed state, and then Echon left the two of them in private.

"What has gotten out of them, Tabarius? It seems as though they are afraid. I thought your knights are..."

"Are you?" he posed.

"What?"

"Not afraid?" he gently reached for a chair and sat as if weak. "Because I am."

Eryk was about to follow up on his answer but chose to remain in silence. He found himself walking near the bed to sit as if mulling over his informed decision about convincing them to carry on with their plans. He knows something's not right with Prodea's acts and he knows the evil secrets he has within, the secret deals he made with Prodea. Maybe it's greed or selfishness that has been controlling him to ignore all the facts, but one thing is definite, this is the first time he felt guilt for what he has done. A guilt that has a short life span for it seems he found a way to exploit the situation and immediately changed the topic.

"I noticed Ysa has been alone for quite some time now and I don't know if you noticed but Yvonne is practically missing these past few months too."

"Yes, those two were once like a pair of shoes. Where the other one goes, the other one follows. They're inseparable. But now I think things are changing. Maybe because they feel safer here than in Leonus. If Lime can leave her sister here at the Palace without fearing for her wellbeing, then maybe we're safe to stay here as well."

"Yes, but where is she?"

"Yzzy? Well she's in the study. The same as yesterday. That kid is fond in reading books and has..."

"No, I mean Yvonne."

"Oh. Her. I told her I'm not giving her permission, but she refused my blessings. She even tried to hold her breath to break me to give her permission, but that poor girl fainted before I said yes."

"I don't understand, what does she want?"

"To run around and explore Nagozul. She's been cooped up in the library for the better months of our stay here, so she insisted to explore the southern parts. I told her it'll be dangerous, but she went up and pulled Lady Zeba in our discussion. Lady Zeba a.s.sured me that the most dangerous thing she'll be experiencing is home sickness missing me, so I gave her my permission."

"And you just let her go out the Palace to wander about in these mysterious lands without supervision?" he charged almost shocked.

"Relax, he's been escorted by a young master swordsman of the Hundred Swords Elites. That's a big deal considering that he's a part of a guild of skillful swordsman who has been continually mastering the art of swordfight. I've seen him myself, a handsome looking fellow. She's as safe as she can be. If you think you're good with your sword, you haven't seen him play around with his thin-looking sword - ketan something - I forgot but it's a weird long sword much like what the oriental Gnarshu wields. Anyway, you would look like a fool playing with a stick compared to those Daomagarian swordfighters. He gave me a demonstration just outside the city. You should've seen it. It was marvelous." After this, he laughed uncontrollably insulting Eryk a little which he ignored since he's now growing concerned.

"So, you left your daughter with a boy? Is that wise?"

"What's wrong with that? He's courteous, polite, an honorable man. He wouldn't do anything out of the ordinary. What could go wrong? And besides it's been two months or so I think. Though she's sending her weekly letters of her journey, she..."

"It's been two months?" he yelped now hysterical.

"What has gotten over you, Eryk?"

"What if she falls in love with this boy!?"

"Let her."

Eryk stopped for a second as if his reply rang around his head uncontrollably sending jolts of fear to every fiber of his body. "Come again?"

"I say let her fall in love. It's a good thing too since we're in paradise. It's not like she'd want to marry soon but if she does, I don't really care if she wants to marry a n.o.ble or a peasant. I just want her to be happy. If she decides to settle here in paradise then that'll be mighty splendid, don't you think!? He'll be here, safe from the nightmares of her past and what awaits us in Leonus. She wouldn't feel what I feel, experience losses as I've experienced mine, she could live a full and happy life. She could even make Ysa stay here too. Then the two of them will be safe..."

Eryk's sour face turned bitter by the second, so much in fact that Tabarius noticed it so, making him turn his serious speech into a series of uncontrolled guffaw.

"Oh, my dear friend Eryk," he calmly continued after laughing with almost a tear clinging from his eye refusing to roll down till, he swiped it away. He stood up and went near him as if consoling him. "Is this about that talk we vowed never to speak of again?"

"Yes..." he mumbled almost hesitant, angry and hurt. "You told me..."

"I told you I'll give you a chance," he cut in now serious and in a friendly tone, "If she chooses you, then I'll give her to you. If not, well I don't know anything more to say."

"But you promised me..."

"My father..." he pointed out with much stress as he stood up feeling worried. "My father promised your father. Not me. A promise that was broken years ago when your father defected and went against Leonus, after they help the Gnarshu ma.s.sacre all of Golluwun's forces."

"But I remained true to Leonus, I even help a.s.sa.s.sinate my own..."

"Stop," he interrupted before he could ever continue. He sighed combing his hair in frustration. "I know you've been loyal, and I don't want to examine our... intricate past. I can't speak for Lime and my father most certainly can't too. Now that we're in paradise, the very lands of G.o.d himself, all is forgiven, the slate is wiped clean. The playing field is leveled. All is equal. My point is if you can, then do it, otherwise then just quit."

"Wh-whwhat?" he mumbled almost teary eyed. "What are you saying?"

"Look at us. We're almost the same age. You're twice as old as she is. Let it go. Let her be with whoever makes her happy, someone who understands her. I'm sure there are other women out there who can make you happy, twice or even thrice of what my Lime can give you. By the looks of it she likes that handsome kid, a lot. I had never seen her so happy in my entire life. It's like she turned like a kid again, as if experiencing another mystery and facing it with sheer excitement, and joy, and fear all at the same time just like when I met my sweet Kamil. I know she doesn't know about love and she doesn't know how to realize that or maybe she's not even there yet, but I want her to at least try it out for herself." He sighed again sitting back beside him, putting his arms tapping his shoulders. "Look at it this way. We're all in the same boat. If she's out there experiencing life, exploring the realms of love, then maybe it's about time we do that too."

"That's unfair 'cause I know you won't..." he grinned hiding his anger, just to finish it all up.

"Well, you know me far too well, I guess. Nothing can replace Kamil. Just… Just do it for the both of us."

Three knocks on the door startled them in attention. They stood up just before it opened.

"Good morning. Sir Echon told me I'd find you two here."

"Pleasant morning too, Lady Zeba," they said in unison.

"I'm sorry gentlemen but I'm afraid your presence is requested in Prodea's chambers."

"I-I'm sorry? Why in her chambers?" Tabarius asked wondering.

"It's about the thing we did yesterday. I a.s.sume you have kept it a secret too amongst yourselves?"

The two looked at each other knowing full well Sir Echon and Sir Julius have learned their secret too but nodded in chorus which made Zeba smile a little, curiously baffled but smiling.

"I'll give you time to prepare. I have other matters to attend to. I a.s.sume you know your way around so please be there within the hour."

-------ooO0Ooo-------

"You're late!" Prodea reprimanded, amicable yet sounding like she's scolding.

The two entered Prodea's wondrous chambers but before Tabarius appreciates the aesthetic beauty of her s.p.a.cious room, her soft cushy red carpet, her bright intricate stained gla.s.s windows and the marvelous sculptures in every corner, his attention immediately was captured by the Knight Sir Haaron who is standing at least seven feet tall, with red skin, in a battle armor unlike anything he has ever seen before.

He went near for a closer inspection being drawn by both curiosity and awe. He's wearing a dark red full metal armor weighing by a reasonable estimate of at least a ton. The armor enveloping his entire body can be seen like a totem. The sharp thorns protruding from his armor will definitely instill fear to anyone if they forget how humongous he is and is dumb enough to ignore that fact. That also would make anyone think twice about staying on their spot when he goes about on a rampage. The thorns are sharp and deadly and can pierce through any chainmail available, however st.u.r.dy their blacksmiths a.s.sure it is, and the nightmarish spikes don't end there. It runs down to his sides, to his gloves, even to his boots creating a frightening red monster out for blood. The thickness of the armor is practically impossible for a mortal to carry and yet he's standing equipped with it, smiling as if awaiting any compliments, he might give.

"Impressed?" Prodea started too eager to wait for his a.s.sessment. "We tested out different weapons and none can penetrate it. He's the ultimate t.i.tan, even his skin is impenetrable." Prodea grabbed a dagger and pushed it to Tabarius's hands. "Come on. Try it out yourself."

Haaron removed his gauntlets and revealed his red arm. Tabarius looked up and saw him smiling as if inviting him to pierce him.

"Try my arm, My Lord. And please, don't conserve your strength."

Tabarius shrugged and mumbled. "Here goes nothing." He held Haaron's hands tight and quickly stabbed his arm but what he didn't antic.i.p.ated was that his skin is as tough as a metal plate but still as pliable as skin. The blade was held in place, but the force of his strike didn't waver and unfortunate for him, the dagger didn't have any hilt at all. As a result, his hands slid from the hilt to the blade resulting to a messy accident that cut his palms so deep blood came gus.h.i.+ng out everywhere. Prodea laughed incessantly as if antic.i.p.ating that the unlucky situation will happen.

"Gets them every time," she mumbled as she called him forward to go near her. "I thought you're going to shout or cry or run about in my room. But you're as calm as a soldier. Kudos for you."

"Indeed, I'm a soldier back in my better days. I've had worse, it'll heal," he bragged with his eyes unable to cover the twitching cues of the pain he appears to be hiding.

Eryk just smiled awkwardly not knowing what to say. He's impressed with Haaron's new abilities, but he's disturbed with Prodea's weird humor.

Prodea grabbed Tabarius's hands and muttered her weird chants. After she's done, his hands returned to normal once again, magically fixing the serious cut that could've almost torn his hands apart from that ridiculously sharp dagger.

"I'm borrowing your Knight as we have arranged," she followed amicably beaming her wondrous smile as if excited. "I expect there will be no resistance to this engagement. Wouldn't you agree?"

Tabarius was confused for a bit. It's as though she's insinuating that they know what they talked in Echon's quarters. He just ignored the fact returned the favor of her smile with a kind nod.

"Oh, and please do tell your other two knights that I won't be needing them on our next week's schedule. I can do my plans with only one t.i.tan at the moment, so Sir Haaron will do. I'm sure they will be relieved after hearing that great news."

"Oh, sure, sure," he agreed still bewildered with her insinuations as if she's reading his mind. "I a.s.sume you can coordinate with us with what you are planning?" he added wanting to be included in her activities.

"Oh, don't worry. We won't be needing Leonus' army for what we're planning in these next few weeks?"

"Oh, how so? I thought we're digging in the mines as planned?"

"Well, no. Let's just say..." she turned around and grabbed a fist sized metal ball at the corner and continued, "...we're doing something that might get a little tricky. I haven't given any leverage to your forces yet so let me give you a demonstration." She threw the ball to Haaron which he hurriedly caught, without looking as if he gained some extra sensory skills. Prodea nodded as if giving him the signal and then he crushed the ball with his bare hands turning it like mashed up ruined clay. Once he did, he dropped it on the ground creating a loud thud to a tune of a cracking floor as if it's heavier than he is. "That thing there is a compressed metal ball created by the finest Daomagarian metal artisans around. It's some sort of a cannon ball, if you will. The weight is so heavy there's still a difference after summing all of our weights combined. On how they can do it, I don't know, and you don't need to know too. What's important is that you know that if your army can't do what Sir Haaron does. Then they're as good as flower fertilizers. If you get my point..."

"Oh... so it has begun?"

"Oh, no. We're just starting the prelude. You'll know when we've begun."

Zeba interrupted all of the sudden, opening the huge double doors of Prodea, gasping for air, shouting. "Your Highness! We captured him! He's in the Catacombs! What shall we do!?"

Prodea's eyes widened with much distress that it filled the two Leonus delegates with much worry. Prodea hurriedly grabbed all the articles lying on her bed and pushed the two out of his bedroom. He signaled Sir Haaron who ran fast to follow Zeba. They all went outside and Prodea sealed his magical doors shut in much haste.

"Zeba, take Sir Haaron and proceed with our plan. Coordinate with the Generals and use whatever force is necessary then meet up with me at the catacombs. I a.s.sume you can organize a systematic a.s.sault by yourself?"

"To weed out the traitors in every village?"

"What other plan is there?" she scoffed surprised by her daft reply.

With this the two ran on the opposite corridor disappearing as quickly as one can blink with an eye using the Great Dash. The two delegates still can find that to be awesome since they can never get used to such spectacular feat.

"Why are you still here?" asked Prodea annoyed at their lack of sensitivity and understanding of her nonverbal cues.

"Oh, sorry," Tabarius snapped out of his happy thoughts. "So, we'll meet up later I a.s.sume?"

"If I can, yes," she replied almost grumpy.

"You go on now," Eryk hurriedly whispered. "I have something to talk about with Her Highness."

"Oh, right," Tabarius giggled. "I didn't know you had that in you. Well good luck on your conquest for happiness. May it be fruitful!" He then ran away as fast as he can after tapping Eryk as if congratulating him, confusing Prodea who is somewhat annoyed making her wait.

"What is it that you want this time Eryk?" she said after a couple of seconds after he vanished into the halls. "You two are getting weirder and weirder and it's practically annoying."

"Is there n.o.body around?" he mumbled looking left and right, inspecting every nook and cranny.

Prodea rolled her eyes now being infuriated. "Make me wait further and you'll just disappear where you stand."

"Prodea our deal can't wait."

"It's Grand Princess Prodea for you," she corrected. "Don't ever forget that."

"I'm sorry, but my marriage with Lime can't wait any longer. I need you to do it now!"

"I'm kind of in a middle of something here. Please don't say you're making me wait for that stupid joke. It's not even funny."

"I'm serious. He's meeting with a young Daomagarian kid somewhere and it's not looking good."

"Well good for her, expanding her horizons like that, reaching for the skies for a miracle. I honestly don't know someone would want a weak, mediocre, mortal such as her, but I guess I'm not always right, huh? I'd say congratulations but I think it's too early for..."

"This is not a joke, Grand Princess," he stopped her stomping his feet.

"Oh, sure! Yeah! This is not a joke? Well if you're sure we're not joking then stop giving me hilarious updates on her love life. Stop wasting my time." She walked out of him almost running in a scurry till he angrily shouted.

"You gave your word! If I don't get married this month then the deal is off!"

"If the deal is off then you won't get what YOU want! And believe me, your dreams rely greatly to my success than mine to yours!" she shouted too walking again.

"But you don't get what YOU want too! And I'll make it my every effort to make sure of that!"

She leaned back, clicking her tongue in fury and looked at him straight in the eyes. "Okay fine! I swear! You will marry by two months' time. If I don't follow through, then I'll make you a t.i.tan too!" and then she vanished without awaiting his reply. She knows he doesn't want that, but she has to keep his mind occupied with something else as she is occupied with something much larger.

Running cannot be the term fit to describe what she's doing. She appears das.h.i.+ng fast but she's not on the ground. She's floating like the ghosts of Kars.h.i.+vyk. Anyone she pa.s.sed on by kept on looking as if both afraid and confused on how she's doing it. It seems that she's been possessed by some ent.i.ty, but that's not the case. She's indeed possessed, not by an ent.i.ty but the urgency of excitement over the leverage she now has against her mysterious enemy.

The doors of their secret chambers in the catacombs violently opened banging their twin doors against the walls creating a disturbing ear-splitting cry that echoed around, waking the man at the center lying weak, beaten plentiful first before being sent there against his will. Prodea slowly walked dropping all of her articles on the ground with a wide grin a devil only wears around before doing something wicked.

The man tried to stand up, being brave, but immediately fumbled down shaking, managing to at least kneel showing his defiance. Even with his face all beaten up to a pulp, he still managed to give an impressive stink eye akin to an insolent twelve-year-old giving a tantrum. Prodea was amused at his unwavering but pitiful determination. A Nagozulian being beaten violently by a Daomagar is no ordinary thing to endure. He should be unconscious now, unaware and complacent, while Prodea scours his mind and extract what she needs. Instead he's still awake.

"What an impressive physical endurance training you must have," she complimented sitting down facing him on the ground. "Such thing is only possible by churning the hatred from within to develop such a fine grit. But I do not sense any hatred leaking out... unless there's something keeping you awake, a goal, a mission. What is it?"

The man just spat on her face as reply but failed as a magic reflective mirror appeared instantaneously between them, letting the spit drip down safely down on the ground. Prodea laughed hoping to insult the man but gained nothing. It's as if he's ready for her, as if he still has the upper hand after everything that has happened to him. It made her wonder for a bit. It made her question some things unexplained but the excitement of breaking him first distracted her till she abandons the thought altogether.

"They say you're a grocer. That you have knowledge about the cargo deliveries from the Trading Post to the City; that you supplied information to the enemy. Is that true?"

"I thought you're smart?" he mocked, "It's baffling why you haven't figured that one out yet. It seems you're not as smart as they say you are."

Prodea's temper overwhelmed her senses. Nothing insults her better than insulting her intellect. She leaned over and choked him with her hands trying to crush his throat with her grip. She knows better than to do this. All of her senses kept on pursuing her to calm down, but she didn't. She ignored it all for this one act of superiority, an act to express her power and her advantage. That's one mistake she now knows she'll regret for the rest of her life for after she attacked him, a wave of darkness surrounded them, trapping them into a dark abyss of cold reclusion.

"Where are we," she mumbled frightened now unable to control his body, being suspended in the air like a cloth hanging out to dry.

"You know the answer," whispered the man appearing brighter by the second. "You just want me to say it out loud. Will that pacify the terror you're feeling right now? Will it help you ease up? If it is, then I'd gladly keep my silence then."

"Y-You entered in my mind? How?" she asked quivering in fear. The most secure place she knows, being entered upon, entrapping her in her own snare. Her most greatest fear.

"Let's just get this over with. Unlike you, I don't really like to brag about wasting time. Monologues are just pathetic. Only self-absorbed people like you do that." He got closer and choked her himself returning the same throat crus.h.i.+ng blow she gave him earlier. "By the way, Yiv sends his regards you Yit'Vit piece of Tes.h.!.+"

The man exploded immolating himself while propelling Prodea till she slams violently against the wall. The impact created a fracture in her skull rendering her unconscious on the ground.

Zeba have fortunately returned there after she accomplished her orders but regrettably, she arrived late. She only saw the ma.s.sive explosion that propelled her away too. A ma.s.sive headache and a buzzing ring on her ears were all she endured as she ran towards the debris that once was their secret chamber in the catacombs. The explosion is five times more powerful than what Juni used. This power only comes from a spell used by Yagisivians. Are Yagisivians in collusion with the enemy? The thought lingered her mind, but that idea was suspended as she dashed ahead to find Prodea. She used all her might searching for Prodea, shouting at the top of her lungs till she saw her, lying still, in the far corner, without consciousness. And in a shocking shriek it's all over. She's dead!