"Wha...? What's wrong..." groaned Karus while grabbing his pillow to smother the noise, trying to return to fantasy world that he was so abruptly disturbed, seeing that the one waking them was Yosh. "The sun's not up yet! Go bother Luna and Stella!"

"Don't you have anything better to do than this, you're ruining our sleep," added Kayzar annoyed as he is because of Yosh's shouting.

Yosh did not stop there. He banged the walls while simultaneously hitting the metal poles of the bed creating a screeching gnas.h.i.+ng irritating noise that is so disturbing, anyone sleeping, even with a higher threshold for annoyance, would turn fiery red practically running amok.

"HEY HEY!" shouted Karus angrier than before. "You're the one with the melodramatic experience last night, remember? You're the one that kept us sleeping late! We haven't had a decent sleep for about a week..."

"Well guys, I hate to break this to you, but I have my exams today and I really need your help."

Karus groggily sat up aggravated by his wake-up calls and immediately remembered that Yosh is due to take the exams this noon. They thought that if he doesn't pa.s.s the examinations then he won't be able to join them at the end of the week to the Northern Encampment and that gave them enough will to escape the wonderful fantasy world they're tethered in. They didn't plan to leave him behind and they most certainly didn't want to stay behind themselves to care for him either.

"Okay okay, so what subjects do you have this year..." groaned Karus scratching his head with much frustration.

"Let's see... I know about fusions so that eliminates that."

"Great, one less thing to worry about..." sighed Kayzar who's about to stand up and fix his side of the bed.

"Nagozulian Geography - Royal Duties... and I can't remember the last one - it seems to have eluded me almost every time."

"Lemme guess... Tactical Maneuvers in Combat applying Elements?"

"Right! Wait - how'd you know?"

"Same old Yos.h.!.+" said Kayzar with much smile. "You don't partic.i.p.ate in lectures, right? Not even tried to scribble the subject t.i.tles of your courses."

"At least I'm not pretending that I don't know anything unlike you two who keep on flunking the exams on purpose. With your skills you should be on your way to finis.h.i.+ng school early and taking your great quests on other lands." said Yosh giving a come-back at them. "Why're you doing that on purpose? I mean - you practically memorized the books at the library, you even perfected level two wind Magicks at this age. You two could've been sages and seers at a very young age. You ought to be like the chosen ones or something. Or even the 'genius twins' or some designated mythical name of sorts," he cajoled with much eccentric performance wanting to be on their good side.

"Well we knew about this rumored prophecy -"

"Alon." said Kayzar interrupting Karus with his speech.

Karus looked at Kayzar with much squinting of the eyes and with a little movement from his hands and fingers looking as though they're conversing with each other using their minds. Yosh and Reus found out that the two of them, while always being together, created some sort of language that only they know. This, sometimes, irritate Yosh for he wants to be included in the conversation at all times, especially when it's a secret. They are using words that aren't included in their language that others cannot interpret. This is so well thought through that anything they say or do creates an impression, to other people, that the twins both have this magical power enabling them to talk with their minds but in reality, they're just thinking in the same pace.

Karus stuttered as he goes on about with his words trying to divert the attention that he got from Yosh. "S-So... uh- So where do we begin?"

Yosh was annoyed with Karus' s.h.i.+ft of behavior. He is dumbfounded as to why Kayzar came snapping like that to Karus making them jump, once again, to their magical world but he let it go because he needed to hurry up. "Okay so first off, I want to know the Nagozulian Geography. Royal Duties is boring and the other one, which I forgot again, clearly is hard stuff."

The twins got inside their washroom then went to the wardrobe room to prepare themselves for an eventful day ahead of them. After a few minutes they came out with their cool royal robes giving them a prince-worthy handsome look. They were wearing a silk robe lined with gold with the royal crest at the middle. Karus was wearing red while Kayzar green. They have this coat that looks like a mesh of s.h.i.+ning vines but when looked closely it was embroidered with different molded precious metals and gemstones.

"Wow! Now that's a royal robe!" said Yosh with much excitement to see them as he examined the whole thing with them twirling around, rotating to boast the new made clothing they just acquired. "Hmn... Not too shabby, not much ruffles. Even if it's a robe, it clearly brings the man in you."

"Why thank you." said Kayzar. "I designed them myself. We got tired of wearing the same boring uniform, so we considered on doing something not familiar."

"Tch... Well if you're the one who did that, you might as well be ready for something terrible."

"Why's that?" asked Karus.

"Aunt Prodea would be onto you," laughed--- Yosh followed by a boisterous guffaw leaving the brothers laughing as the result. "She'll say you've murdered fas.h.i.+on!"

"We don't care if they don't like this radical idea of a robe." said Kayzar. "Illyriah helped us in making them so I guess if she said that it's okay then its fine enough for us."

"Yup, we made this not for their satisfaction but for our own." Karus firmly stated as he walked with a gentlemen-like manner to the door. "After you your highness." He stared to Yosh slightly bowing mimicking the servant's voice and movements.

"Why thank you." he replied as they all snickered heading outside, striding to the Palace Kitchen to grab something to eat for breakfast.

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

"Ei' kids, wotcha doin' up so early t'day," greeted the tall, wide, muscular, cook at the kitchen to the three brothers that had just arrived at the scene. He has a big round b.u.t.ton nose that really stands out. His eyes are as round and as small as the peas but as black as charcoal. He always has this short trimmed black hair that is decently fixed making him clean and proper. He also has hairy arms that are big and strong with its stubby fingers but very flexible and adept in handling knives. He talks funny because he got his tongue cut short accidentally back when he's a kid, but they understand him clearly.

"Shut up Kudos! Do not address them as such!" demanded a young servant woman slapping him on the head with a large wooden cooking spoon. She has a small thin physique but what she lacks in her physical appearance, she puts up with her br.i.m.m.i.n.g confidence and fearsome display of aggressiveness. She has a long hair all folded and strapped on top of her head. She has this wonderful smile that can brighten a room but her angry face just really offsets the balance making her frightening in a way.

"Nah, it's alright Madj we don't mind." Yosh hurriedly said while racing to the table near the two cooks trying to grab some grapes.

"Yes, it's 'olright Madj 'dey don't mind." mocked Kudos as he slightly tapped Madj's forehead with the handle of the metal ladle he's been using.

"Why is it that I always find you two fighting over something different every day?" said Karus after helping himself with a large serving of bread that he struggled to grab from Yosh that's keeping it to himself.

"Well, my brother is always such an as..."

"'Ei 'ei 'ei! Watch 'yer language 'der now young lady!"

They snickered for a little while as the two made some silent facial gestures as if fighting with only their faces. No one ever wins really. They just stop when they get tired which makes it the highlight of their meal every morning. 'A breakfast with a show' they would say as they would laugh together. That would stop their childish behaviors for a little while but will then be repeated after a few short minutes.

Kudos and Madj were once the greatest dagger wielding masters - at least that's what they know about them while observing their skill in handling sharp blades - but they end up at the kitchen for some apparent reason that they dare not share to anyone. The brothers thought that they were fugitives on the run but it's just some rumors that they indulge to talk about and share with when spending time with the two cooks. This idea would make them end up crying in laughter as this usually starts their conversations. They are the basic masters of Karus and Kayzar in the field of daggers and knives. They taught them so effectively that when Yosh found it out a couple of years ago, he enlisted together with Reus and they too learned the secrets of dagger wielding. This earned their spot to the list of people that the brothers trust and treats as family in the Palace - which is a little hard to land on considering their natural avoidance to the people living there.

"So - 'wat 'r 'd four broder's up to? Huh?" smiled Kudos as he chops some green vegetables after their long face fight.

"Well you wouldn't believe this, but I did a tertiary skill called Quake! Without adult supervision mind you," exclaimed Yosh bragging about what he did at the training ground.

"Whoa, you did what?!" shouted Madj dropping her wooden spoon on the ground and went near the table where they were eating. "No way! That's illegal right? That's so cool!" she said with much enthusiasm.

"Don't tell this to anyone -" whispered Kayzar while leaning forward. "We, Karus and I, did a secondary level Howl there too. A skill that no one at our age has done!"

"Hahahaha! I told 'ya! 'Ya guys were gonna be great someday! 'Ya're two steps away to do 'da ultimate one. I believe 'dat 'yer 'gonna fly 'dat skills like nuttin'."

"But check this," continued Karus excited as he is. "Our brother, KuyReus, he did a big ultimate level skill that no one's ever known of. Even we didn't know about it."

Silence ensued at the room till Madj broke the ice. "So - uhm - what's the skill about?" she curiously asked with much antic.i.p.ation.

"We'll just gonna have to talk to you again some other time about that," said Yosh as he pulled the brothers away.

"Wait, what?" curiously asked Karus while drinking his gla.s.s of nectar in a cup and pulling his arm back retreating from Yosh's tug. "I'm not done eating yet."

"Yes, yes. C'mon Yosh," persuaded Kudos with much excitement focusing all his attention to Karus as he dropped everything that he was doing and listened to what Karus was stating. ''he's talkin' 'bout sumtin' big! I wanna know sumtin' BIG!"

"Some other time Kudos, some other time," smiled Kayzar as he grabbed the back of Karus' robe and pulled hard looking as if he's dragging him outside.

"See yah later!" ended Karus as they stride off to an almost running state. "Oh, and by the way, we're 'gonna take our dinner at your kitchen later this evening." Then they disappeared banging the doors of the kitchen.

"'Wat dinner?" shrugged Kudos while looking at her sister who's puzzled with them as he is.

"Must've been because something happened last night maybe?" Madj frowned feeling sad for them.

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

"So, where do we start on the map?" initiated Karus who practically got a perfect score at his geography cla.s.s when he was at Yosh's age, that is before they started flunking their grade score deliberately.

"Let's start with the graph, first shall we?" commanded Yosh tapping their shoulder before running straight away leaving the two behind.

"Oh right," they figured as they followed him with haste to the Great Steps.

You cannot teach Geography without a map, they thought. So, they have to find a map first before the lecture.

They pa.s.sed different halls and different people never stopping for something or someone. Even Princess Illyriah, who's wandering about in the halls, was ignored as they gave their good morning greetings and swiftly raced to the Great Steps.

"Yos.h.!.+ Don't ever do that again," glared Kayzar as they arrived at the scene finding him there sitting at floor, looking at the big map in front of him like he's been waiting there for minutes.

"What did I do?"

"The Great Dash?" Karus pointed-out. "You know that we only do that in private, right? If someone finds out that we've been learning Daomagarian techniques and doing it well, they will begin to investigate and that would lead to us being reprimanded, again!"

"Oh, right. Oh, to impierno with them. We're going to get out of this stupid Palace after a week. After that, there'll be no reprimands for me."

"Just don't do that again," flared Kayzar as he pulled Yosh's ear to stand up.

"Okay, 'kay. Ow! So, what now? "

They stood at the first landing at the Great Steps. There is an accurate Map of the whole Nagozulian territory standing framed in the wall about thirty feet high starting from the base of the floor of the first landing of the steps to the edge of the ceiling. The frame that encloses the Map is made up of Gold handcrafted designs with Silver linings embedded with different jewels all around making all edges bright as they reflect the sunlight peeking out from the windows directly at the other side.

It is a marvelous piece of art, the map. It was created by the famous immortal blacksmith Dal'Gur who is also a cartographer. He used different kinds of materials to make it look like a fine piece of art that would resemble the exact terrain and landmarks of the island looking as though a person standing there scrutinizing the whole expense of the land is a high-flying hawk looking down below, witnessing the grandeur of the whole of Nagozul. There are embossed parts that state names of the landmarks and territories of the lands. Amazing intricate drawings and marks were found in almost everything giving much detail on every part however small they may be.

"Okay let's start from this, the south." said Karus looking as excited as he is trying to grasp every bit of information he knew and summarizing it to a short lecture. "At the very south you can see the Black Hills, now called Hills of Ugan which is typically unfair."

"Just stick to the lecture Karus," cut Kayzar interrupting his mumblings. "Don't share your opinions."

"Right, right. So anyhow, the hills of Ugan were 'granted' to 'General Ugan' for his brown-nosing act..." Kayzar looks at him sharply with a little smirk in his face that Karus noted. "...his - uh - great 'contributions' to Nagozul. That is where your favorite cousin trains. They also train the military there first before they went up north to the northern encampment..." he stepped backwards and pulled Yosh to his location then pointed the northern part of the map that has a big mountain image on it. "...the Mt. Liwanag, the tallest mountain ever listed here at the Holy Lands. They harvest valuable mushrooms and herbs there. It is said that at the top of that you can see Yagisiv Haya directly from there." He waved his hands around for Yosh to see the image surrounding Mt. Liwanag. "Surrounding the mountain is a mountain range called Lakas Mountain range. Further west of that mountain range is where Dal'Gur lives with his smithy. The mountain range offers valuable marble stones and some rare herbs for the merchants to collect and sell. It is also rumored that the fugitives were hiding there. Below the mountain range of the north there is a jungle called the Jungle of Narra -"

"Ohh... Like our grandfather Narra?"

"Yes, but he got that name from the famous Narra who rounded up the entire mythical beasts and sent them there."

"Wait a minute, the beasts like Grog the Demon Wolf?"

"Yes, why?"

"But we're going to take the Kulog Pa.s.s this week to go to the North right?"

"Oh yes, the Kulog Pa.s.s is due to the east of the mountain range connecting a road to the Palace and the road to the north. It is the only known pa.s.sable roadway to the northern regions of Nagozul. It's always raining there and, very frequently, it rains lightning bolts. That's why they call it Kulog Pa.s.s. Kulog is thunder in the old tongue." Karus antic.i.p.ated Yosh's next question and continued. "Yes, Kulog Pa.s.s directly connects to the Jungle and before you reach the North you've got to pa.s.s it, unless you want to circle around and climb the mountain range which proved to be very difficult and highly perilous - though there's a secret pa.s.s that Daomagarians frequently traverse to get to the other side, a steep rocky path that's almost only a foot wide, It's not for Nagozulians and, still, it's very very dangerous."

Yosh's face began to turn purple as the only thing that frightens him is Grog which his father always tells him to be dangerous. He said that this Grog eats children at night, children that doesn't really follow their parent's orders and doesn't do their ch.o.r.es on time. The other three older brothers found out in their early years that this was just a thing to frighten them and to straighten them out but Yosh was very convinced it was true seeing that he very much believe in spirits and monsters up till now.

"Below that road to Kulog Pa.s.s lies the road to the Palace which is there -" Karus pointed out at south of the mountain range at the center of the map. "That is where we are right now. We are at the center of Nagozul."

"Technically it's not a center," interrupted by Kayzar who walked near them. "it is at - uh - between the center of the left side and the center center which puts it somewhere left but not that left, if you know what that means."

"No use of measurement here, Kayzar, thank you. Uh - it's mostly center so you should probably say it's the center. It's just semantics."

"No, if you measure them in length..."

"Guys?" pushed Yosh who seems to be eager to get out of the topic of what's center and what's not.

"Okay, Okay. We'll just put it in the center," Kayzar yielded smiling as he stepped back and let Karus continue.

"Ehem... going west from the Palace stands a very dense white forest called the Forest of Kyrin. This is where the remaining Elves dwell..."

"Oh c'mon, you still believe that the Elves are real." said Yosh disagreeing with what Karus is stating.

"Oh, so you believe Grog to be a giant monster wolf that eats children, but you don't believe the Elves? The Elves that are clearly stated in some of the remaining history books that were burned at the great Elven rebellion? Elves that created those Elven Arrows that we just used last time?"

"Elves are fantasy characters created by poorly trained archers to be their role models. Just get back on point please."

"Hah, getting bossy now, are we? So again, the Forest of Kyrin is where the Elven trees are located. They use the trees there to create strong wooden posts. It is said that some fugitives live there and people who harvest trees from there are heard to disappear and have never returned ever since. So, they harvest trunks near the clearing to ensure their lives. Since then, Elven trees are practically a rare commodity because of its strength and durability plus the fact that it's very hard to cut and harvest. It takes them months to cut down one that's why they can only harvest, at the most, one Elven trunk a year which is kind of..."

"ehem..." interrupted Kayzar.

"Right - Moving on, below the Palace is the Nilad Plains where we always train. It has its forest parts but most of the area is flat where shrubs of Nilad are abundant that's why they called it so. This is where they plant saplings of things like vegetables, fruits, wheat, corn, rice and everything. They also let the animals graze there for months before the rainy season." he gave time to pause for a moment to think and look at the map again to see what he left out. "uh - what did I miss... Oh! There, going further east from the Nilad Plains is the Hishma Caves. It stretches out further to the sh.o.r.es on the eastern side. It's a long hillside full of gems inside the caves. There, they harvest the materials needed for Nagozulian Elemental Fusions called the Amplifyers which I think Old Juni had covered. They also mine there for gold, silver, copper, and other ornamental stones like jades, marbles and the likes."

"What's with that snake-like sea monster doing there at the western sh.o.r.es?" said Yosh pointing far left at the map to a sh.o.r.e at the north of the Forest of Kyrin.

Karus just snickered for a couple of seconds. "I almost forgot about that. So sorry, that's the shrine of Bakunawa. He's the boat master here at the Holy Lands. He mostly controls the currents of the sea that envelops the three islands."

"Oh, so he's the one we're going to meet if we're to go outside the islands, right?"

"Oh, yes he is. He practically protects us from being found by other people outside. He also has a mythical monster that he can command that looks like that drawing."

"A big snake sea monster?"

"Yes, but it's more of a water dragon really than a sea monster. I haven't seen it, so I only learned about it through books and rumors. What I do know is that he unleashes that hundred-foot beast called the Nanreben when people outside try to come near our lands. I think the monster destroys anything getting close to us. Not that he's bad or anything, I think he's just doing his job."

"Bakunawa is also one of the three immortals that live to see the Holy Lands protected and safe," added Kayzar.

"Yes. Bakunawa of the Yagisiv Haya, Dal'Gur of Daomagar, and Karus of Nagozul. They are the three immortals protecting the Holy Lands. Though Karus, Son of Nagozul, is still missing. n.o.body has accounted him since the Elven Rebellion. n.o.body knows where he is or if he is still alive."

"Creepy..."

"All in all, that's the Great Nagozul divided into different main landmarks. I think that should cover your exams." he stopped to wait for what Yosh might ask because of his puzzled face.

"Wait! What's that smudged thing at the far north east. It looked like it had been torn of and painted in black ink or something." said Yosh while squinting to focus what's there at the topmost right of the map.

"That - oh. We - uh - can't tell you about that. It is forbidden to even know that location," quickly said Kayzar interrupting Karus, as he is about to explain it. "It is forbidden to enter there too, not that you can. It's all desert for miles before you reach the sh.o.r.es of the north-east. Some say beasts of malevolent nature reside there. Many attempted to uncover those regions, but none has returned to tell the tale."

"Why? Why d'you know that if it's forbidden?"

"Well, we read books - and stuff." bragged Karus with an obvious hint of concealing something.

Kayzar pushed Yosh leading them downstairs to completely block him for further asking. "Come on, you're in a hurry right. If you wanna know that you must have a perfect score on your exams. If then - well, we'll think of something."

"Hey, no fair! When did 'ya keep secrets to me like that?"

"Uhm - since you've uttered every secret, we've told you." said Karus snickering behind as they all went down together to the library for the other two reviews.

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

Somewhere in the far eastern empire of Leonus, the Emperor Balthazar and his fateful servants all gathered again in a Palace and were given their instructions in their part for their unexpected affair. They were all arguing about who's going to oversee their plan there and who's going to stay put at their empire to defend their lands against their nomad enemy: the Gnarshu. With all the pressure that's been bothering them, and the threat to their safety and security, they all want to be a part of the plan. They want to escape with their families to a place where they will be treated with a lot of respect and live a worry-free life away from the risk of danger, violence, and responsibility; a land which they all thought to be like paradise.

The n.o.ble lines at that empire grew afraid of the ma.s.sive army build-up by the Gnarshu and every single one wants out, especially the ones that have lands stationed near the enemy lines. The heated debate about the chosen Duke, that will have an oversight to their empire's interest, has been very humiliating if one is watching as an observer without having any interest for the matter. They have been pulling each other down and bringing up memories to prove who is trustworthy and who is not; who is loyal and who is not; who deserves to be it and who is not, except one Duke Tabarius Wolfe who sits beside the Emperor quiet as he is, snickering at the sight of it.

"Silence!" shouted the Emperor Balthazar sounding very frustrated. "You look like children bickering. This is not a sugar drop to be given to the child who behaves most! This is a task! A task that someone should responsibly do even without my supervision and instructions! And if by chance that this someone fails to do what I want him to do, then he'll make me the worst man in the empire. That would make me do horrible things; horrible things that I a.s.sure every one of you might not want to see or experience!"

Silence engulfed the room with some of the younger n.o.bles still whispering and stating their arguments in mumbles.

"I have chosen the man suited to the job beforehand if you should know!" declared the Emperor filled with anger in his voice. "Tabarius!" he shouted as he waved his hands to his location and now standing, surprising them all. "He will be the one to be there. Duke Rumilo will protect his estate while he's gone." He suddenly paused and held his forehead in pain. "This session is over - ach - go over the details that I told you earlier and do your part to the empire or so help me, I'll -"

He abruptly was put on hold in his threats as he began to sit down shaking bringing the people around the table to gasp a loud upheaval and worry. The crowd was shocked at the Emperor's condition that the room instantly became silent and everyone just dropped anything that they were discussing in respect to what was revealed to them. Tabarius, being the most loyal and Of course, being his first cousin, grew very troubled and immediately pulled and supported the Emperor at the shoulders to carry him outside. The crowd just stayed there, quiet as they are still, watching them till they pa.s.s the door to exit.

"What happened?" said a man outside the room who is waiting for Tabarius. He was surprised seeing him carrying the Emperor with guards all around.

"Come on Caden, help me," pleaded Tabarius as he limply guides the aching Emperor towards the halls to the royal chambers.

"His eminence, is in trouble? What happened?"

"Nothing, nothing."

They reached the Emperor's chamber with the help of some guards and the servants. Tabarius was saddened as he stood there watching his Emperor in excruciating pain, vomiting as if he's going to hurl his innards while the servants hurriedly gathered and took great care of him. They were escorted to leave outside the chamber then the guards stood outside stationing at the huge twin-leaved metal doors, never to open it again till the Emperor commanded it so.

Eryk Caden Shade is an Earl in Tabarius' territory. He's the closest friend of Tabarius next to the Emperor. Even he, the man whom Tabarius shares all his secrets to, doesn't know about the Emperor's condition. Seeing as he saw this for the first time, he immediately fell into a deep silent trance without giving so much as a cough while they walk in the hallways of the Palace where they were meeting until he has acc.u.mulated enough courage needed to ask about it.

"So, care to share an insight regarding that incident?"

"You know I can't tell you anything about the Emperor? It's our loyal oath to the flag to keep this a secret."

"Right... so what can you tell me? Ah! Anything good at the meeting?"

"Hah, good is overrated. You know I can't tell you about the meeting too but what I can tell you is that the Emperor has finally chosen the one who will oversee the empire's interest at the Holy Lands! Do you want perhaps take a guess on who?"

"Oh! Please don't tease me. Who then?" he asked with his eyes widening by the second until figuring out grinning, "YOU!?"

He smirked finally admitting. "Yes! Ultimately, I was chosen to be the one, being the person who doesn't want the job. They were all whining, bickering to get the position because they all wanted to go and abandon their posts here."

"Cowards, they just don't want to defend our lands."

"Well, if you think that I wanted to be a.s.signed there you're wrong. Last thing that I need is the empire's demise while I'm gone. With all the generals and n.o.bles here cowering at the sight of those ghastly Gnarshu, it's only a matter of time before our dear empire falls into ruins."

"Careful now, you sounded like a traitor there?" he joked.

"You know what I mean. I want to stay here and fight. If not for our Emperor's decision, I would've ridden to Farindhal to deal with the crisis there. It's just that the Emperor told me that if he can't find a suitable candidate to go there, then he'll have no choice but to appoint me instead."

"Well that's sort of a good thing for you, right? You have two beautiful daughters to take care of too. You should take them away from this chaos. You know that's the best thing for them after the incident."

Tabarius stopped and looked up above as if stopping those teary eyes from appearing. He then resumed walking after a couple of seconds heaving a lung full of air, returning his mind on point. "Maybe, you're right," he whispered trying to ignore the bitter history his mind is flas.h.i.+ng around in his head that has been seen reflected in his sad eyes, "Maybe it is so and maybe this is G.o.d saying that they deserve to be in paradise."

They walked in silence for a few seconds after touching a very difficult topic until Tabarius broke the ice all cheered up changing the sour atmosphere they accidentally stumbled upon.

"Now, I will not go there if you're not going."

"Come again?"

"I'm inviting you to be with me, I need a hand there at the enemy lines, someone to watch my back when I'm around dealing with the natives. You know I need to be careful there and I need someone I can trust, just in case things go wrong."

"Hmmnn... that's a very interesting proposal. Though, I really need to start rallying the troops to counter the ma.s.sive force that the Gnarshu will launch at the eastern borders."

"C'mon! I'll be out there alone for the picking. I just want someone by my side that I can trust and to talk to. I know it's boring, administrative and tactical planning, but I am confident that things will go smoothly with my right hand with me. What say you?"

"But the Gnarshu?"

"Someone will do that in our stead. And besides, I already asked the Emperor about this and he agreed."

"Really?"

"Come on! It'll just be like old days!"

"Just like old days, huh?"

"Yes, just like old days."