"Master Narra, any opinions?" Artemus beamed in his stern look.

Narra scratched his chin, a tell when he's devising a plan, and pondered for a second. Artemus only looks for counsel when he knows he's about to do something risky and wants someone to stop him by beating him with a more rational decision but sadly his thoughts came up empty. He could blame it on a dry spell for the obvious fact that they haven't taken their regular sleep for about a week now, doing everything they can to manage both problems in the north with the Pusakals and the developing commotions at the south, but he knows it's futile to point the finger and blame fatigue while he mocks his way around them. It's not that they are too tired to think straight, it's that there's just no other option left for them to choose. He knows everything will lead to only one option. He just doesn't want to suggest it, especially with Artemus's condition. But he's trying his best to delay the inevitable, praying for something, being a religious mortal that he is.

"Then there's no other way," Artemus stood up with a heavy heart.

A sudden spark ignited in an explosion of thoughts filing fast to create order in Narra's mind. An epiphany, not an ideal one, but he took it without thought as he mumbled to contest. "No. There is still something."

"So, you have found another way?" Artemus asked with a weak smile.

"Not a way, but it's an option."

Artemus sat down resuming his unconscious swirling of the cup of cold dark green tea on his desk that has been there a few hours before they started meeting and looked at him with his full attention, awaiting this miraculous idea that he usually concocts at the last minute which usually saves them all from trouble.

"Do nothing," Narra whispered. The three military officers kneeling in front of them, with their heads bowing down, slightly raised their eyes in confusion, as if awaiting Artemus to challenge the idea.

Silence filled the room for a few more seconds until the farthest kneeling officer started to speak up. "Permission to speak, Your Highness."

"Granted, Major Camyl," Artemus quickly replied.

"Grand Princess Prodea's forces have been destroying villages that are tagged as not optimal to situate a fortress and have been building fortresses to the ones that are. Reports have been flying about stating homeless Nagozulians being rea.s.signed to newly fortified villages as if prisoners, trying to keep the population on every fortress up just so they could justify the change. Five Villages have been completely leveled on their first wave in this week alone. By my calculations, this will all be over in about three to four months."

"By over you mean the whole of the south, I presume," Artemus added.

"Yes, Grand General. Five to six at first week, then it will double, and will spread like a disease unless someone steps up to her. Every day, more Nagozulians are at risk. And there is talk that Daomagarians are now being treated with indentured servitude building her fortresses. I'm sorry Your Highness, but this must stop."

"What is your take? Master General Jeng."

The general stood up in attention and put her fists on her chest and bowed snappily. "I am sorry Your Highness. I am not worthy to share my opinion to the Blessed Son of Light. I do not share your highness's infinite wisdom and the blessings of Bathala."

"On the contrary, everyone in the Holy Lands is blessed by Bathala's wisdom," Artemus smiled encouraging the young newly appointed Master General that is widely known to be an Elemental Prodigy of Earth and Water. "Your uniform proves that fact."

"In my opinion, Your Highness," she said confidently finally giving in but with eyes drilling the ground. "The Nagozulian Army's paramount responsibility is the protection of life. Therefore, mounting an a.s.sault to pacify Grand Princess Prodea's army and the arrest of her highness as soon as possible is most preferable."

"Doing that would create civil war!" Narra broke reacting violently, standing up pus.h.i.+ng his chair back a couple of feet. "Are you so insensitive to suggest a ma.s.sacre?! Lives would be lost and then the paramount goal of your Army would've been for nothing!"

He's been tip-toeing the whole time avoiding that conclusion that she so boldly stated. He's shouting, forgetting that she's not informed about the prophecy. This shocked the Young Master General in fear of being punished, making her kneel down curling her hands leveling her eyes once more. Narra immediately backed down seeing the wrong he had committed and found himself sitting on his chair once again, rubbing his eyebrows with great pressure. Artemus quickly stood up and gave his order.

"We are on a lot of stress lately, I suggest we take the day off and move this meeting tomorrow morning, after all of us have recovered our strength to continue. You're all dismissed."

The three stood up, put their fists to their chests and bowed. After which, they quickly marched to the door with the Master General still lingering before exiting. She turned his head, with eyes shaking as if pulling her strength not to let one tear acc.u.mulate and whispered. "I'm sorry Your Highness, Master Narra. I haven't considered all the ramification of my thoughts. You are right Master Narra. Please forgive me." And then with this she gently pushed on and clicked the door to shut.

"She's right you know," Artemus started. "It's the only way to stop this."

"No. She's not right." Narra stood up all calm and reflective trying to accept the facts in front of them.

"You're being too hard on Master General Jeng. I know she's a bit young but she's as wise as those old seers at the Palace. She even placed first in the Academy. That's why I chose her here."

"I'm sorry but I just couldn't stand the thought of a war breaking loose. Especially if there's still something we could do to prevent it."

"There really is nothing. All avenues lead there."

"There are three ways to stop this. That's just the first one. The other one is to let the prophecy play out. Follow it step by step."

"That's just two," Artemus pointed out. "What's the other one?"

"My idea. Doing nothing."

"Yes. That's three. But all will lead to civil war. One way or another, all will converge into that one scenario of engaging Prodea and her forces. It's all bad, but we have to choose which would avoid the greatest disaster, acting now, acting behind the prophecy, or acting later."

"Acting now, accepting war, would destroy you," Narra walked near the window and peered at the full moon's glow absorbing her calm luminescence. "You're not in the state to fight. You can't even activate your bubble defense to at least a quarter of its potential. After you've been destroyed, many more will perish."

Artemus stood up and sat at the corner of his table all serious. He finally took a sip of his tea but quickly spat it out covertly back into the cup the moment he realized it's not hot anymore. He smiled for a bit and then returned to the conversation.

"Is it better? Acting out later will only give her the chance to ama.s.s more force to defeat us. And frankly, if they do that, with our military forces being thin, with only a single Master General present here, and with all of the Palace's Royal Strike Teams at their disposal, I don't think we would survive that. Even if Master General Jowl's Army arrives here to a.s.sist us, we would not stand a chance. That's saying much, since all of the Elementals under him are Elemental Prodigies."

"But you would be dead now rather than later!" he shouted almost frustrated. Artemus is immediately stunned with this tone. Narra is the most composed man he ever knew. Even in great and deadly adversity he still maintains a tranquil disposition.

Narra then turned around and maintained his calm demeanor to continue. Pleading for his sane and rational mind. "Don't you see? It's best if you can train to regain your powers and then, do battle. You must make yourself invulnerable and await your enemy's vulnerability. To do that now will rob us with our best chance of defeating her. With your perfect defense in place, you can rout all Nagozulian forces without bloodshed and crush any Daomagarians who would try to fight you."

"Ah. The glory days," he smiled remembering.

"If you do that, if you master your defensive bubble in time, then only two souls will be enough to stop them. Only two lives will be lost. It only takes the two of us. We could defeat them all without ever spilling blood. We could win this without enemy lives on our hands."

"Yes, father, but that's practically all but a dream. If only."

Narra's old and tired face crumpled into the abyss of great grief, as if he's already mourning looming deaths that would be on his hands, as the prophecy predicts. He places himself responsible on whatever Artemus decides and all the consequences that it entails. "Whatever you decide is best," he yielded returning to his chair, slouching, releasing heavy breaths.

"Y'know, father," Artemus smiled, "I think there is still another way. I have been giving this some thought for quite some time. It might not work, but it will delay Prodea's efforts."

Narra weakly looked up to Artemus with asking eyes that do not share the same hope that glints in his son-in-law and he continued.

"I could go up to Prodea and threaten her."

Narra's hopeless face suddenly grew concerned with eyes now widening. This new wild idea awakens all of his senses. "You can't do that! That would be suicide!"

"That's not true. If there's a chance, I should take it. For the sake of Nagozul."

"Madness!" he stood up looking him in the eyes. "That only works with children. This is serious. You'll die the minute she calls your bluff. And besides, she knows how to enter a person's mind. That I know for sure. The moment you lock in with her eyes, she will scour your inner thoughts and wander of like it is her own. She will know your folly and you will die as you stand."

"Prodea can't read my mind," he snickered amused by the thought as he sat behind his desk once more, reminiscing his past. "She's afraid of me. She's afraid to get trapped inside. I know. There's a story I haven't told anyone. To tell you that now in great detail would entail wasting time but to cut it simply, she entered my mind many years ago and stayed there trapped for about a year. She became hysterical there short of scratching the corners of my mind with her hands just to get out and when she did, she realized it had only been but a minute. That's when all of us are in the middle of eating at the Dinner Table. I remembered quite well since father is still alive at that time asking the two of us if we're alright, looking at each other for a full minute as if in a staring contest."

Narra found this intriguing, dragging his chair close. "That's a bit harsh, even by your standards."

"The funny thing is, it's not practically my fault. We're both trapped in that lucid illusion. Separated, but trapped just the same. I don't know if it's my Elemental Innate that protected me from her. In my mind, I can see her, but she can't see me. I saw her being tormented by loneliness but can't do anything. Being trapped all alone for a year would've driven any normal person mad. I haven't been around practicing on creating a defensive mind barrier at that time thinking I won't need it but at that moment, I wish I had. If I haven't figured out how to get out of there, we would've stayed longer than a year."

"It took you a year to figure that out? That must've been a new low for you," Narra teased changing the atmosphere of their serious conversation.

"No. I was oblivious that we are inside my brain. That's why it's so funny remembering it. There I was, thinking I was dead, with all the bright white light surrounding me and then I heard her shouting, calling out to me. At first, she was angry. After a month she's been saying sorry. At first, I didn't know what she's talking but then, after the sixth month or so, she pleaded for mercy. That's when I found out. If it wasn't for Prodea's crazy incessant mumblings and rants, I wouldn't have figured it out. It took me a while to make a hole for us to escape but that's a great leap considering I didn't even know that the mind can be reorganized by a Nagozul like that. To my understanding only Yagisivians can do that."

"That's before her return outside the Holy Lands, right?"

"Yes. It's that time where Mother and Father prepared a feast for lunch in Prodea's honor. You're there if I remembered correctly. We're still staying at the Palace at that time."

"I distinctively remembered Prodea acting weird after dinner. So that's why she's been so paranoid then."

"She's paranoid any given time," Artemus smiled. "The point is much has pa.s.sed since then. I know she thinks I tortured her for a year to punish her for entering my mind, so she won't dare enter it again. This time I know she'll think I won't be so forgiving entering the second time."

"Still, she could use her dark Magicks in her favor and destroy you there herself. There have been missing Casters ever since Bakunawa fell and no one knows what's happening. Investigators have been coming empty handed but we all know who dabbles on Dim'ion's Magicks. I know it's Prodea and I know she'll be ten times more powerful than before."

"If she ever attained that much power, powers that she thinks is enough to penetrate my ever-famous defensive barrier, she would've challenged me already and claimed the north singlehandedly. She's been hiding reports from me, making excuses for every village relocations, lying to everyone. If she is indeed that powerful, she would've boasted around her newfound strength. I know her too well, and I know she could not resist that kind of forced adulation throughout Nagozul. I know she'll want all powerful elementals alive to praise her supreme divine power, starting with me."

"What if she did and this is all but a trap to lure you out there? If that's the case, then you'll just be handling your head in a ribbon to her."

"That won't happen. Don't forget that I'm still a Life Elemental. I will be immune to elemental energies even without my bubble defense in place. There are other basic elemental techniques I know that can thwart even the most powerful elemental surges. Unless she invokes another power to destroy me, there's little she can do, and she knows that. There's only one thing that can penetrate my defensive bubble rendering it inert. I know she has captured Juni, and I think she found what we've hidden in his mind, but she still can't acquire it... yet."

"Yet? You mean she will?"

"Of course, father," he laughed for a second or two. "How else would I die by her hands?"

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

"Here he comes..." whispered Karus tapping Kayzar to get ready.

The two are hiding in a bush, just south of Kulog Pa.s.s. Kayzar quickly dashed on jumping on the tree behind them much like an excited leopard after a hunt but in this case, the prey is still to be hunted and is directly up above. With a quick dash from the last branch at the top of the tree, he soared at least twenty feet before throwing his poisoned pins to the unwitting flying falcon just above his current position.

The falcon didn't stand a chance! How could he have known that a person would surprisingly leap that far? How could he have antic.i.p.ated a sane person jumping without hesitation from that thick redwood to attack him? This never happen, ever. Any flying birds of prey know they are safe hovering above those thick redwoods. It's just his luck he's Reus's falcon named Piks with a very distinct color. He should've taken much precaution since his master's brothers play a lot of prank on every falcon he has ever owned in the past. But he doesn't know that. For one thing, he's a bird.

It only took but a second for Piks to come plunging to his doom, slowly spiraling down, turning unconscious as the poison from his belly seep through his skin and into his bloodstream. Karus dashed on forth in a jump, catching him thirty feet before falling face first into the ground. Success! They all thought with Lime and Markus now emerging on the sidelines all excited at the sight of that bird catching experience.

Kayzar fell a few feet away from them and dashed on forth to meet with them finding Karus on the ground applying the antidote on Piks's soft underbelly.

"Having Stella here would surely ease up in tracking that sly falcon," Kayzar laughed catching up with Karus till Lime and Markus finally appearing behind him.

"So, that's Piks," Lime entered squatting to inspect the magnificent flying animal. "That's the falcon of one of your colleagues. Right? The one that would help you with your problem regarding the disappearing villages?"

"They are not disappearing. Villages don't disappear overnight," Kayzar pointed out. "Especially the Weaver's Village."

He enunciated every word with stress as if he's containing his anger. The Weaver's Village is the closest village in their training ground. They've only been gone for four days since their last supply run, so it baffles him to know that it has now been completely leveled flat. As if it disappeared overnight with gra.s.s growing on the ground akin to luscious green fields shepherds go to for grazing. Finding out that his village completely disappeared just under four days not only brought fear into his heart, but also anger and guilt. This is not the same as with the Cotton Village, being converted into a Fortress. All of the people he swore to protect have been gone without a word. There's nothing to rescue if his villagers are nowhere to be found. He doesn't have any spies to contact now and has only Lime's word to trust, a spy of Karus who is as oblivious as they are. Something's happening in Nagozul and for the first time, they are completely blanked out.

"It's done." Karus replaced the message inside the small tube canister attached to Piks's leg. He pets the falcon first saying his deep sorry about his harsh capture and then he let it fly fast away from them.

Lime's eyes sparkled seeing the falcon fly away just a foot from her. The gush of winds from his wide glorious wings is a marvel to behold indeed but the same is not appreciated by Karus for he is too concentrated reading the message that he has stolen from Piks, giving him an expression that gradually fell into all seriousness. Kayzar also shared this reaction seeing his twin brother turn to his most unpleasant facial expression as if signaling both dread and danger.

"What's wrong?" Lime asked getting acquainted with the dread in their eyes.

Karus stood up, which Lime followed, and read the contents out loud. "The message reads: Reus, please take care. Thanks for the info. Find your brothers fast and return here immediately. Prodea is weeding the Night Hunters out by taking out Villages and relocating them into her fortresses for better security and control. It's only a matter of time before they destroy the Weaver's Village. The Fletcher's Village is now a fortress and soon your village will be next. Get out now before it's too late. Regards, Major Camyl."

"It's a little too late for that," Kayzar muttered with his angry voice leaking out.

Karus whispered softly, hesitant with his voice almost breaking. "I'm sorry, Casey."

"Sorry doesn't help this Karus," he answered grumbling. "We must do something. We must locate them at all costs."

"But Grog said he won't help us this time," Karus tried calming him to reason, stopping him by his arm as he turned away in a hurry.

Kayzar pulled his arm persisting. "We don't need Grog. I just need you three. If you won't, I'll go to the Fletcher's Village by myself. I will find out what happened, and I will free them all there myself!"

"It's a fortress for goodness sake!" Karus reasoned, beseeching his good senses.

"I'll return tonight in our meet with R..." he stopped almost uttering his older brother's name looking at Lime who is dumbfounded on what they are going on about and remembered Karus's secret. He paused for a quick second and continued rephrasing, "the others tonight. I have to go somewhere first to get ready. I think I can find someone to help us. Either way, we're going!"

As he said this, he disappeared as if sifting through s.p.a.ce, leaving for Karus to explain things he knows is going to be hard to lie about.

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

"It is confirmed, Master."

Yiv walked about in circles before her kneeling apprentices Kudos and Madj. The two are bowing low with faces that are in a depressive state of mourning. Yiv stopped and looked at her disciples with hatred coming out of her eyes that has been drenched in tears. Her mouth has been shaking, as she tried her best to speak.

"Any reports on who tortured him first before being sent to Prodea? Just a first name would do. I can take care of it myself."

The two noticed this new emotional Yiv and was bewildered by it. They both telepathically thought that she became soft in her long stay at Nagozul. This should not make her cry as she should be indifferent by now with her experience with captured spies that she has been employing for years. Collateral damage is the key term she uses to justify the event of losing a spy or an informant. This only brings into question the relevance of this particular spy and the correlation on her sudden and apparent leniency to any mistake they have ever committed in the past since she met him. They could only conclude that she developed some feelings towards this man. This particular person may be the only person capable of bringing forth Yiv's humanity, her compa.s.sion. The compa.s.sion that has suddenly become short-lived thought Auric as he hurriedly answered in panic, concerned that she may redirect her anger towards them.

"No, Master. He's 'bin held captive in 'd Palas 'en 'den sent to 'deyr secret lair. 'Der, he was tortured 'en possibly killed."

"He's not murdered," she said with a sharp frightening tone more terrifying than the Old Yiv that they knew. "He invoked the suicide spell I taught him if ever Prodea enters his mind which probably what she did. I know so. The spell notified me, the caster. I know he's no longer with us."

"Wouldn't that kill Prodea, Master? Then we've won!" Argentis smiled raising her head in jubilation.

"Oh, Naïve apprentice. Up till now you still do not believe in Bathala and his heralds. After all this time." She walked near her, clicking her tongue in disappointment with tears now rolling down her cheeks amidst her serious murderous angry face that would shatter even the bravest of warriors. Argentis, fearing punishment, bowed low again as if sorry. She put her palm on Argentis's head as if petting her. Argentis, now with wide fearful eyes, tried her every best to contain her body not to shake in sheer terror that would await Yiv's next action.

"Of course, she's still alive," Yiv continued. "She's the consort of Dim'ion. She's the Devil incarnate. The Demon that needs to be put down. It'll be hard to kill her. A simple suicide spell is not enough to crush the life out of that c.o.c.kroach. No. She's alive. Or do you not believe in the prophecy? Hmm? Do you doubt that, Young apprentice? Hmm? Do you doubt Bathala?" She paused for a bit leaning close whispering. "Do you doubt me?"

"Command us, Master. What d'ya want us to do?" asked Auric whispering, trying to change her mood, preventing her from doing anything to her sister out of her immeasurable grief towards the death of their spy.

"Tet is not just a grocer, he's also a friend. A friend and a defender of truth and justice and all that is holy in Nagozul. He is a hero. We need a vengeance fit for his t.i.tle. If Prodea wants to see how far we'll go, we'll give her what she wants."

"Is it time for a 'sij?"

"Patience, Auric." Yiv turned away thinking. "There's no mention of a siege in the prophecy. But there's Famine."

"Famine? But wut about..."

"What about what?" Yiv snapped which stopped Auric in his speech. "Destroy any cargo going into the Palace. Anything that moves that could be beneficial to the city must be crushed and be put into dust or be thrown to the sea. I don't care how you two would proceed but If I catch a single grain of rice, a kernel of corn, or even a single dime entering the Palace's gate, you two will be severely punished and trust me, you don't want to end up spending the remaining days of your lives without appendages."

Kudos and Madj looked at each other and, without even saying neither a word nor a sigh of relief from Yiv's final words, they vanished as quickly as a leaf being rushed swiftly by a raging river.

Liv dashed forth in a speed that has never been known by any mortal. If one could only see that kind of speed, a speed faster than that of Master Alein of the Sibara, one would clap incessantly for the whole day and would rejoice her name on all the lands. Maybe it is anger, or sorrow, or even frustration, that gave her the strength to push her body past its limits, limits that would've ripped her body, tearing her bones to shreds. But at that moment, she didn't mind. It's like she's punis.h.i.+ng herself. She didn't even bother to stop. She just let go, being thrown in the air, catapulting her body for about half a kilometer only to roll around on the ground to decelerate. She accepted the pain using as little Deep Root as possible and just knelt on the ground, unloading all of things she has been keeping like a dam ready to break, letting the ground drink the rivers of grief that she has contained for so long.

A minute of silence was all fate left for Liv to mourn for the very second it strokes past it, Kayzar began materializing behind her from the veil.

Liv snickered out loud standing up, still sobbing. "I thought I told you never to go inside the veil again?"

"When did you start believing I do everything you tell me to?"

Liv turned to face him, brus.h.i.+ng the tears from her violet eyes that are all puffy and red. "What d'you want?"

Kayzar walked near but immediately stepped back hiding his face, his eyes that suddenly turning blood red. Liv noticed this but didn't say anything.

"You're bleeding," Kayzar said shying his face away. "I smell blood."

"That's normal," she laughed. "I'm always bleeding. My training's a bit harsh than your ridiculous games with old Grandpa."

"are you crying?" Kayzar mumbled as his eyes return to normal which he continued hurriedly explaining, going near her to console her. "O-Of course, you're crying. What a stupid question... What happened?"

"Whoa!" she pushed back laughing. "What are you doing? Get away from me you silly monkey! I just had something in my eye. This stupid forest is full of flying stuff and I caught something while das.h.i.+ng."

"Really now? Something swats your eye while you're das.h.i.+ng?" he asked unconvinced.

"Yes!" she guaranteed. "Something went inside my eye while das.h.i.+ng!"

She's moving perfectly. Her bodily joints are not damaged. Any indication of broken bones is missing, and the cuts are probably superficial since the blood he's smelling is not dripping outside her trench coat, so it doesn't warrant any moment to create a puffy eye. There's no one short of his Grandpa Narra that can hurt her in Nagozul, she's even faster than their mother Anagea. Looking around his surroundings, there's no sign of a great battle that ensued, no enemy to be seen, nothing, except from a disturbingly long trench that stretched for at least hundreds of feet that might have to do something about her and her muddy coat, he thought, but that's just speculation.

"You're bleeding still. Are you sure you're not crying in pain?" he joked.

"Yes..." she maintained being stubborn. "Imagine being bashed by a horde of bees on your eyes because you're das.h.i.+ng. This is me crying after the fact. I can't imagine what you'll do if that happens to you. You'll be squirming in pain on the ground if it's you."

"No, I won't!"

"Yes, you will. I know it's true. You're so soft like a baby. Bet you'll get yourself wet after."

Kayzar just mocked the thought by just sarcastically laughing but he knows she's been crying for something, something not related to bees she collided on her way das.h.i.+ng.

While using the Great Dash, Daomagarians are unwittingly activating their other basic skill, the Deep Root. This skill defends the body to small things that would impact their body while das.h.i.+ng, like flying bugs or small specks of dust or sand. Also, by das.h.i.+ng, the body gets to be protected by an air pressure that shoves flying objects and particles around the user, provided that these objects are small and are apparently almost weight-less like insects or small pebbles of rock, twigs, or even leaves.

While what she says is true, it only applies to fixed, rooted or heavy objects and the resulting impact would've totaled that same object into pieces. Daomagarians have a unique set of physiology akin to a metal skin. So, while das.h.i.+ng and suddenly something wants to get in the way, say a moving boulder, that boulder will be torn asunder by the sheer force and strength of a Daomagarian Das.h.i.+ng. Of course, there will be injuries depending on the Daomagarian's strength, but her sister Liv is no weak Daomagar. Nothing can hurt her mid dash, especially a swarm of bees. It's a highly known Daomagarian fact. He just feels insulted being tricked by her sister as if he doesn't know any better, but he feels that he will insult her far worse if he continues to prod her emotional moment. That's not optimal when he's about to ask her some help. That's a question reserved for next time.

"I can't be waiting for you all day giving me the stink eye! If you don't trust me, I don't care," Liv continued seeing him with eyes of disbelief. "Why are you here anyway? And how'd you find me?"

"I have my secrets, you have yours. The important thing is I did and that I'm here because I need a favor."

She stepped back and pulled a long handkerchief from the pocket of her trench coat giving him only an index finger, pointing at him, as if she wants a second for herself. She turned around and blew from the handkerchief, a really loud disturbing series of nose blows that made him cringe in disgust. She turned around fixing her face with the same cloth and gave him a nod, signaling that she's ready for him to continue.

"You cleaned up your face on the same place where you expelled your mucus?" yelled Kayzar cringing further.

"No!" she contested. "It's in the other side!"

"No, it's not, it's the same!"

"I flipped it over from before, see look." She went near him revealing the hanky, but he stepped back and refused the inspection.

"Ach, that's disgusting..."

"What's disgusting is changing your diapers! But it didn't seem to bother me now, did it?" she stowed away the cloth back on her trench coat and crossed her arms. "You're still not telling me what you want? I don't have all day! Quit p.i.s.sing me off!"

Kayzar returned a few paces near her almost hesitant to say what he wants, with his eyes deepening into seriousness. "I really need your help. Something's going on in Nagozul and..."

"Ah!" she interrupted. "So, you've finally caught up! I thought you and Karus are always ahead of the news. Don't tell me your spies got all lazy and decided to leave you on your own?"

"That's the thing... My spies went missing. My whole village went missing."

"What village?"

"The Weaver's..."

"Oh..." a few seconds pa.s.sed by with silence binding the two to listen to the chirping melody of the birds till Liv broke free. "I-I'm sorry, brother. I didn't mean it like that? As an insult I mean."

"It's all right," he replied maintaining his composure though his eyes appear to be watery. He went a couple of steps back trying to hide it, but Liv's sharp eyes could still see it.

"What do you want then?"

"I want to find out where they are. I-if they're alive, o-or, or if they're... dead..."

"Phhhfff... don't be silly. They're not dead."

"Why aren't they sending me a message then? Everything points out to that end."

"You're too grim, kid. That might kill you someday." Kayzar's eyes now turned a little bit angry, giving her a squinting eye, which she noticed so she immediately answered his question to appease him. "If they are taken into the new Fletcher's fortress then they can't give you any messages. That's really a no brainer. Honestly, Kayzar, if you haven't thought of that then you really are hopeless."

"Why are they taken there? Why is my village destroyed!?"

"First of all, it's really not your village. You rich kids are really full of yourself huh? Owning villages... pffft."

"Ate-Liv!"

"Okay, okay. Geez! Prodea's been acting all weird all of the sudden these past few weeks..." Liv noticed Kayzar looking at him all strange, so she paused for a second. "What's with you?"

"Nothing..." he said still with his strange look. "It's just that..."

"Yeah I called her Prodea. Just Prodea! She's not my aunt 'cause we're really not related and she's not our Princess since I'm a Daomagar. Plus, she's been a complete fool all this time, so I know you will forgive me for not giving her the proper t.i.tle. She's really not fit for it as far as I'm concerned."

Kayzar nodded convinced and ready to let it slide by. For one thing, he's only being forced by his parents to respect her. For all her atrocities, she should've been stripped from her rank and be exiled abroad. Many princes and princesses endured harsher punishments for less but that's not what's happening. She's getting recognition for all her misdeeds, but that kind of talk should be reserved in another time, he thought. The most important thing is to learn everything from the master herself. She's the most informed mortal in all of the Holy Lands. She's the one who taught them to employ spies after all. She's not always available and it's a miracle for Kayzar to have found her there so he should make every single second count.

"Yeah, you're not sorry, and I understand you," he pushed forth, "Get to the point about the fortresses."

"Yes. Now Prodea, your wonderful aunt, has declared war on every village now weeding out her traitors with his red grunt that's neither a Daomagar nor a Yagisivian. He's not even a mortal."

"With her what now?"

"Wow! You're really are out of the loop huh? So, you didn't know about this new General Haaron? The one employed by Prodea? I don't know where he came from. He's a foreigner that's for sure, but I didn't know someone so powerful can be born outside the Holy Lands. There's something fishy with him since we're the only mortals here on earth that has this unique set of powers. If he's not created by Bathala, then someone evil made him. I shudder at the thought."

"So, he's the one leveling the villages?"

"No. It's a joint effort really. All I know is that this General Haaron's only skill is having an irritating set of tough skin. He's practically invulnerable, so they say. Good thing he's not that strong too 'cause that'll be a swell thing for him, advantages and all. Well they say he's strong but not as strong as a Daomagar. I want to sample the guy with my blade but I'm afraid we haven't met yet for me to experience a spar."

Kayzar smiled at her statements as if figuring out what she meant. When she said she wants to sample, she meant she wants to try and kill him, and when she said a spar, she means she wants to fight him to the death. Her eyes indicated a sudden thrill, a twisted sense of excitement, as she pulled her black shadowless blade, caressing it unconsciously going on about her estimate on how deep it will cut him and how much he'd wager if ever.

"It's really difficult to defeat that guy. I know even if you four backed him into a corner, you wouldn't even create a dent. Not with his heavy armor in place. I know it's not Dal'Gur's so it's not perfect but it's a heavy armor just the same. If a Daomagarian blacksmith made it, which I do not doubt hearing about its craftsmans.h.i.+p, then only Dal'Gur's swords can pierce it. That is if you apply the necessary force to penetrate it. Penetrating the armor is the first part. Hurting him is practically another story. So, my advice is just quit and go home to the North like Mama instructed you all four to do before you can ever get the chance to face that creepy guy."

"We can't do that. We need to free up some people first."

"Don't say I didn't warn you. If you're captured, as I think you'll be, you will all be held prisoners and be branded as criminals by your precious aunt. You will also be held in ransom and that would cause us some serious trouble or some war. A war that we would probably win, cause we're that good, especially Dad and Mama, but you'll be causing problems just the same. Either way, I'm sick and tired of errantries. Maybe some war would be a great change in scenery in this place. Wouldn't you agree?"

Kayzar frowned long. He knows she's teasing him, and the worst part is, she's right and everything will eventually lead to that kind of a scenario if they made some mistake and be captured. "Theoretically," he started, "If we are to liberate a fortress, say the Fletcher's Village. What will we do?"

"Oh?" she smiled almost excited. "So, you're the ones behind the Cotton Village crisis."

"No..." he lied which she did not believe for a second.

"Well, no matter," she continued putting her blade back on its sheath. "Your problem now is you need to enter one of their fortresses. After which, you need to take them all out, the soldiers I mean. And then, after all is said and done, you need to blast away the walls just to create a message. Then leave. Just leave."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. Leave. There's no profound thought to think about there. The soldiers will not be focused on the escaping villagers. They will await reinforcement before acting out hastily. They will not dare attack a villager cause if they do, they will be inciting a rebellion. Villagers are sent there as a means of a population control, just to justify the new fortress as a city, a city with a lot of soldiers and defenses in place to make them secure. If they leave, they leave freely. If they force them inside, they will admit that they are prisoners and that would create a serious blow on your army's morale because it contradicts everything, they believe in starting with their beloved oath to Nagozul. So, if the villagers leave after you all wreak havoc, which I think they will do, they will be safe. If they don't leave, you still sent a very disturbing message to that snotty princess. Either way, you win."

"But how would we break the walls... theoretically of course."

"Good question," she smiled. "Theoretically, you'll need a Daomagar to break those pesky Anti-Elemental walls. Even if you all combined your elemental essence, you'll never make a crack on that magical wall because of all those magical incantations they placed there. Physical Impact is needed for that kind of a special wall. A great impact, mind you. Now, for a smart person, such as yours truly, I do not believe you need to have General Enro at your disposal to create such a force to break those ten-foot-thick walls. No. All you need to have is someone who can go inside the veil. If you know such person, you need not worry on those walls."

Kayzar immediately figured out what she's pointing out. "The vibrations! Genius!"

"You can mimic a nasty earthquake with that, but it's going to be very hard, to maintain that kind of tremor. And I don't think you have the necessary experience to try that out for yourself."

"So, are you volunteering?"

"Hmmnn... let's see. To get back at your aunt, for just this once? Sure, why not."

"What's the catch," he quickly followed bewildered at her sister's warm reception to join the heist.

"Let's just call this one a freebie. A onetime thing, mind you."

"And I don't get to owe you anything?"

"None. Just a little warning though. I have a lot on my plate right now, and next week I will s.h.i.+p to Yagisiv Haya to deliver some messages to the Grand Priestess, from Mama of course. So, I'm only going to be free this week. If you want my help, this has to go down as quickly as possible."

"Sure! We're planning on doing it earlier. In fact, we're planning together by tonight!" he exclaimed euphoric, rejoicing his triumphant success in enlisting the help of his sister Liv whom he knows is also known as Yiv.

"Just be careful, okay?" she said as if shoving him away, insinuating to leave her alone which he did almost immediately till she stopped him mid-dash. "Oh! And be sure not to tell any soul in my involvement here. Even your brothers. If you do then you'll owe me ten folds. Understood?"

"Yeah, sure. But why not? It's going to be a great thing, you, us, we'll be taking them all! Brothers and sisters at arms. Why d'you want it to be a secret?"

"You have your secrets I have mine, right?" she smiled. "Just keep your end of the bargain and I'll keep mine. It's that simple."

Kayzar nodded enthusiastically and then he dashed away.

Night came swiftly than expected. He's been haggling time being tardy, checking up routes to go to, accessible roads to traverse, escape routes to be taken, for their upcoming heist before finally going to their clandestine gathering. Kayzar managed to sneak past detection on heavily patrolled roads to the Produce Village where they are supposed to meet.

He could've entered the veil to save time, but he doesn't want to be spending time on that dreadful place longer than he has to. Whenever he's there, he feels he's going to die or someone's out to kill him there. As if an ominous energy is closing in on him, close to choking him personally. He used up all the strength he has to quickly find his sister Liv and he doesn't want to linger any further. Getting inside the veil would be faster, he thought, but it's completely terrifying and nightmares are actually the only thing he doesn't want to add up to complete this perfect day.

"You're late, unusual but really really late," grumbled Yosh with crossed arms tapping the floor with his foot as he entered silently to a small house at the far south of the Village.

"You better have something to go on to justify your delay," smiled Karus sitting at the table with Reus just looking at him with a simple wave of his hands.

"Have you all caught up?" Kayzar queried finding his seat in front of Reus.

Yosh, who has been standing circling around the room, sat beside Kayzar directly in front of Karus and started venting off. "Yes! We've completely caught up! You're really really really late, KuyKayzar! We've caught up since last year! That's how slow you are! My Village has been turned into a fortress and no one from you ever gave me as much as a warning!"

"That's why I told you to buy spies," Karus blamed almost laughing.

"I contest to that!" he shouted angry. "You don't buy people to tell you something! You make friends with them. You make them your family. Then they'll tell you things for free!"

"People don't tell others information for free. Nothing's for free. Every movement cost something. Even our brother here doesn't tell us something when we need it, right KuyReus?"

"Hey! Don't blame this on me now!" he growled.

"You're the reason why we went into hiding in the first place! If you didn't tell mama..."

"If I didn't tell Mama, she'll collect us personally!" he pointed out.

"Guys, please," Kayzar mediated. "We have bigger things to discuss."

"Yes, big things!" Yosh angrily ranted. "Big things like those fortresses. Those stupid big fortresses that's filled with auntie's soldiers. Specifically, at the Fletcher's."

"a.n.a.lyzing the schematics I made," Karus grabbed a cylinder and pulled an aerial survey of the fortress. "The walls are twenty to fifty feet thick and about a hundred to two hundred feet high. The inner bailey at the middle serves as a market area while the sides are residential housing. A simple city, you could say. The outer bailey is filled with soldiers and their quarters. There's a parapet and a barbican like that of the Cotton Village."

Kayzar was amazed with Karus's detailed sketch. He's the one making maps for the four of them, but he didn't realize he could make that kind of a thorough map in just under a day. He must've had dashed on to the Fletcher's Village and surveyed it by memory till he could finally draw it later on.

"There are walls ten feet thick on each side worthy for a breach, is this correct?" Yosh cited pointing at the walls near the corners of the fortress.

"Yes. It appears that they built a thin wall there because they are planning on making a watchtower spire there. A rather unique architectural taste possibly taken from the Leonus's architectural designs."

"The same foreigners that are here now?" Yosh chuckled mocking the retro design of the fortress that has seemed to have gone a century ago. "I didn't know their imagination can be that crude."

"Quit it," Reus snapped. "You needn't insult the design. It's basic and its foundation is built specifically for heavy sieges that are ready for Daomagarian forces. That's why they chose that instead of the modern fortress designs that can only hold off Nagozulian forces."

"That's only half of the bad news," Karus continued on his report. "Every parapet wall is teeming with soldiers on watch twenty-four seven. Since it's the Fletcher's village, most of the soldiers guarding are from the Eastern Sentry. So, basically, they made the fortress fit for archers to defend."

"Eastern Sentry? Is that where Lieutenant Tarni is designated?" gulped Yosh with wide eyes.

"Yes. There are Sibara Soldiers present here too. But that doesn't mean she's going to be there. She's a lieutenant after all and she's from the reconnaissance team. She's basically doing errantries but not tasks on defensive battlements."

"Oh," he sighed with relief but Karus smiled as he continued.

"Don't trust that what guards there is less frightening than that demented Lieutenant. It is after all, the biggest fortress yet and they are on high alert after the Cotton Village incident."

"Who is the fort master?"

"By what my sources tell me, it's Master General Jowl. Our G.o.dfather Master General Jowl."

"The Master General Jowl?!" shouted Reus. "He's the general of the Army of Prodigy. One of the first-cla.s.s armies Nagozul has!"-

"That's kind of my point," Karus laughed to the absolute mess they are entangled in. "Though his army is not there as the General is just checking the fortress for its compliance, his army is just a cry away. The Fletcher's Village is the closest Village to the Palace. If we attack it, we need to finish up by half an hour. After which, we would not escape. They will box us in and there's no Grog to teleport us to safety. Defeating all those Elemental Prodigies for half an hour, an entire army of not just them but some of Eastern Sentry's finest, not to mention the Sibaras as well, is a suicide run. It'll be a miracle if we ever pull this off."

"A miracle you say?" entered Kayzar turning his eyes blood red. "Well that's where I come in."