28 a SHOCKING SURPRISE (1/2)

”You've managed quite an impossible favor to ask, young apprentice,” laughed Grog cracking his neck as to relieve the stress. ”I haven't pushed my spirit to this extent since Kyrin's Campaign.”

He has just finished teleporting all of the villagers to the designated point to the North. The four brothers are now all that's left of the huge crowd of villagers from the Cotton Village now known as the Seventh Sentry Fortress. It took them almost half an hour, but they managed to finish their plan earlier than expected.

”I'm sorry master,” bowed Reus with a smile. ”This is a special circumstance and it won't happen again.”

”Right you are apprentice,” he smirked. ”I'm not supposed to interfere with mortal affairs. I can justify this now but if we are to repeat this again, the other immortals will know of my unlocked potential. We don't want them to know of this just yet.”

”Understood, Master.”

”So, where shall I send you off to?”

”To the Weaver's Village Sir Grog!” imposed Karus raising his hands almost instantaneously. He wants to see Lime again and being away from her for a month suddenly disturbed him. Not that she wants to see her because he wants to, he's just concerned for her wellbeing, what with her training and whatnot - or that's what he wants himself to believe.

”No, Master,” rejected Reus in a hurry giving Karus a wide frown, ”There's a military installation just a mile to the Weaver's Village and if my sources are correct, they might have soldiers posted there. I suggest we retire to my village.”

”Your Produce Village?!” reacted Yosh, ”But they're all vegetarians there! They don't eat meat and I like meat!”

”You're too hard on them they eat meat too...”

”Yeah. Fish,” added Kayzar almost in spite. ”As if that's real meat...”

”We need to lie low for a while. One problem at a time, right?”

”That is correct young Nagozulians,” agreed Grog stepping forward, ”What you did tonight is dangerous and reckless. Without my help from all those Sibaras, you all could've died or worse, you could've started another civil war. A Daomagarian killing a Nagozulian Prince, whatever the reason might be, can be considered an act of aggression and will surely lead to war between your two nations. Do not ever attempt to try that again. It's best for you to stay put and rest until things clear up and what better place to go to than the Produce Village.”

The three nodded, sad as they did but convinced, nonetheless. With this all five of them disappeared into the night, restoring the forest's tune of a lullaby that they once robbed the diurnal critters from enjoying.

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

The morning after gave a frightful buzz in the Nagozul's War Chamber. Tons of stacked paper lay scattered across the twenty feet long round table. Three inches off the center of the table lies a three dimensional floating image of a map of the southern part of Nagozul made from mud, moss, and rocks complete with running rivers and clouds and some occasional critters made with clay walking about in the prairie, when the molder feels the need to be entertained being bored which now is almost every three minutes. This image is being maintained by a pair of Earth Molders, a Water Caster and three Wind Blowers all standing focused on the southern part of the table heading right to the door of the war room.

One can be seen confused looking at the table and the humongous model of the map seeing countless papers on every key landmark. These scattered papers are can be usually assumed as reports comprising of orders, requisitions, and rally points - but this particular morning is specifically reserved for the problem about last night's disaster. It's as if they are under attack which is true since a lot has happened yesterday that looked like a coordinated strike to Nagozul.

Prodea hasn't been able to sleep yet for two days because of these coordinated attacks. In fact, she has been blaming the disappointment to herself after the fact that she didn't, yet again, anticipated this kind of surprise skirmish coming from her secret enemy that stabbed her while she's blinded in her peripheral as she paid her attention for trivial things instead of focusing on him - or her as she hopes. And the mystery is too much that she grew fonder with her mysterious rival making her commend the shadow's great win in this game that she thinks they are both playing.

”Grand Commander,” squealed a Young Soldier perspiring in both fatigue and fear for her terrible news, ”W-We have lost them...”

”WHAT?!” Prodea roared as he stood up, making the soldier flinch, ”You mean to tell me that all those villagers just vanished into thin air?! Search it again!”

”I-I don't want to disagree, Grand Commander, but we did so ten times already. We have created a grid and box them in as planned but it appears as if they are nowhere to be found. Even the Siba...”

”Get out!”

The soldier almost jumped as she scurried outside the door without a second's notice. All of those who are in the room are both baffled and mystified until an old Sibara Master Assassin spoke in his ordinary slow and scratchy tone.

”All those who are in this room are all at least a Major, Yes?”

”Indeed, Master Alein.”

”Ah. So, I can speak freely.”

”You don't mean...” whispered a young Sibaran master behind him but he silenced him almost instantaneously by a wave of his hand.

He's old but he is fabled to be the fastest Sibara Officer alive, and still is, that's why they fear him. But that's what everyone wants to believe since he's now inactive from missions and no one can tell otherwise. No one wants to make him prove it either since that would mean a duel between Sibaras and a duel with one requires, by tradition, to mercilessly kill the other one in a death match to protect their honor - an unnecessarily troublesome ordeal just to prove a point.

”I believe that he has transported all of them into the veil,” he continued. ”By that I mean they could be anywhere.”

”That may be possible,” responded Prodea unconvinced, ”but transporting all of them to the veil and back requires a lot of energy. I'm sure there are other reasons behind their disappearance?”

”Yes, and going to the Veil and back would take a toll on his vessel,” Added General Jowl who is rather excited at this new theory, ”The more he enters in, the harder it is to get out.”

”Yes, General but your facts about the Veil is inaccurate,” smiled Prodea looking at the Master Assassin as if ordering him to explain.

”She's right. Although you're right about going outside of the veil being harder to do than going in. It's a long topic but to cut it short, it's the time inside that's breaking our mortal vessel that's the problem. The longer he stays there, the harder it is for his vessel to contain his soul thus giving him the problem of getting out. Imagine the thought to be like your soul being ripped from out from your body by a violent imaginary claw. You'll get the point.”

”What's this veil thing you're all mentioning?” asked Duke Tabarius to the crowd. This gathered a lot of dismayed frowns.

”We will apprise you on that matter later,” answered Prodea. ”Please continue, Master Alein.”

”Bathala has created our vessels to become an indestructible container of our souls. It requires a lot of energy to siphon our souls out of our containment vessels. It would require the primary life sustaining systems of our body to become destroyed or be nonresponsive for it to prevent it from escaping to the ethereal realm of the dead on which only souls may enter.

”There is a thin line that separates our realm and the realm of the dead. This is called the Veil of Transitus, a realm only souls can enter. Initially, only Yagisivians can enter this realm to talk to the dead and to communicate with Bathala's Heralds. But as you all have known, Grand Master Sibara, our great clan leader, found a way to pierce this marvelous world without the use of temporary separating the vessel and the soul. That is the Shadow Step. In this realm, it is believed, by reading Grand Master Sibara's journals, that there is a huge unknown force that would try and reap the soul out of its vessel. It will do so continuously as you remain there that is why it will be harder for a person to step out than it is to step in. It also means that the longer you stay there, the higher the chances for the unknown energy to steal away your soul to oblivion.”

”So, now that we are in the same page,” Prodea entered as the commander stopped explaining, ”Let's continue to discuss about any other possibilities of escape other than Yiv's Mass Relocation through the veil?”

”Well,” General Jowl coughed up getting their attention, ”I can think of two more. But it will be as absurd as the moon glowing blood red.”

”Not that it's impossible, the moon turning red” commented Prodea smiling which made the General smile too remembering his history, ”Please do go on.”

”Well we can account for the Rogue Elf who is with Yiv. Old scriptures suggest they can quickly move from one point to another using their natural energies by utilizing Mother Earth. The forest is filled with trees deeply rooted to the Earth. They can use that to travel underground and create a tunnel to escape.”

”I commend you for your imagination General Jowl, but merely using an antique Elven Arrow can't really force me to believe that he is indeed a rogue elf. There are far more logical explanations than that and I'm sorry but until we have further proof from the matter, we can't accuse those lizards of trying to start a war against us again. If we give pursue that then we'll have famine in our hands, and I don't like to deal with another problem if that can be avoided.”

”Why famine?” asked Duke Tabarius.

Prodea just smiled at him as if giving him the idea not to ask irrelevant questions that interrupts them, but General Jowl obliged to apprise him.

”We have a standing truce from them from the previous war. We're willing to spare and forgive them from their sins against our kingdom and in turn they will give us an annual tribute of one Elven tree and also a continuous supply of rich soil in our agricultural lands. If things break out, we'll be left with unfertilized soil or worse, they could poison our lands turning it to a barren wasteland.”

Prodea cleared her throat as if bored signaling the General to continue on point which he did so hastily.

”Yes. Another idea is the utilization and mobilization of the Immortals.”

The crowd from the room gasped and silence robbed the tongues of every person in the room until Prodea laughed.

”General Jowl. Are you seriously considering the reports from the Seventh Cotton Fortress?”

”Yes, Your Highness but---”

”What if they are just delusional? Hallucinations caused by fear can be the most rational explanation to what they saw.”

”Your Highness, though I believe with all my heart that the mighty Grog and all other immortals would not subject themselves to be recognized in collusion together with these vile elements such as Yiv, the fact is, they have been proven to have been harboring malicious intent to our kingdom as represented by Shihiku.”

”Yes,” Prodea stood up with eyes filled with concern which gave fright to the officers who are in attendance. ”That is probable. The teleportation technique of Grog. Why did I miss that?”

”If that's the case,” added Jowl, ”then we are doomed, Your Highness. Not that my faith is wavering, but our force's efficiency has been greatly reduced in half from the withdrawal of our Daomagarian relief forces and, with all due respect, with your Global Binding Spell.”

”Yes. That,” she said with eyes of irritation as she realized that he's subtly pointing at blaming fault, ”We must provide ourselves with necessary defenses. It is imperative that we can defend ourselves against these pesky immortals.”

”The Immortals? You mean the first beasts of Bathala?” asked the Duke with great fear.

”Yes, Duke Tabarius. Those Immortals.”

”What shall we do Your Highness,” asked another General standing firm for their orders.

”We cannot lift the Global Binding Spell,” she continued in her usual commanding tone looking at Jowl as if hinting that she has been insulted with his statement earlier on, ”that would make our position weak. No. We will be using, quite an unorthodox method today.”

”Are you implying of the Dark Arts Your Highness?” asked General Jowl in a stern look standing slowly as if opposing to the idea.

”Yes, General, I know what you are implying but drastic measures are needed in dire situations such as these. Wouldn't you agree?”

”But that involves a lot of mortal sacrifice.”

”A sacrifice that is well acceptable. I have arranged everything with the Empire of Leonus for this and they are willing to comply.”

The Duke nodded as if forced, but still in agreement.

”I'm afraid I must advise Your Highness to take caution in hasty decisions such as these. The protection of any mortal life is the paramount responsibility of the Nagozulian Army.”

”Oh, do relax, General Jowl,” Prodea scoffed insulted with his words, ”I should advise you to do the same. Choose your words carefully General. I wouldn't be so lenient next time.”

”I'm sorry Your Highness.” The General Bowed to yield but his face revealed a serious and angry look as it is hard for him to mask it.

All of the other Generals have fear for this method for they do not approve of such measures to gain an advantage, but they are unable to contradict her since they are at a dire disadvantage against the Immortals. Yiv mobilizing with the Immortals can mean the end of the Nagozulian Kingdom as they know it. If a war breaks out between them akin to the catastrophic Elven Rebellion, they believe they would not last for a month, they might not even last for a week with their current diminished forces. Desperate measures are indeed needed on these desperate situations.

The military powers of Nagozul have been slowly declining by the decade since the last Elven Rebellion. Their military power has even led to the contractual acquisition of relief forces from Daomagar. All of the Generals have been wondering that this may very well be due to lax measures of Nagozulian Policies since they are so busy with politics and cultural developments that they have been unable to advance in their elemental masteries. It's the Royal Family who's at fault for the lag of military advancement but no one wants to point the first finger. After all, they all, as a nation, benefited from the lasting peace they are experiencing now. Anyone would choose sitting lazily in the afternoon talking about philosophy and other deep thoughts to their colleagues than to actually work all day and talk about war and war-like preparations. Although it has brought them a thousand years of peace, problematic situations, such as what's happening to them right now, makes solutions somewhat impossible to conjure up considering the military powers that they have currently in disposal.

”Generals,” she continued, ”move out to your positions. Mobilize your troops and orders and reconvene here after ten hours. This meeting is adjourned. You're all dismissed.”

After her commands she rushed on sprinting out of the room as fast as her graceful walk can manage, smiling secretly to the accomplishment of her plan. She knows Grog is with them and that just sealed the deal. With the threat of the Immortals in place, she can do anything she wants to without any fear of being contested upon, even if she continued on exploiting the Dark Arts. This way, she can openly admit utilizing it for the benefit of Nagozul and still be called its protector. A win from her she thinks as she thanked her mysterious enemy from making that stupid mistake of including Grog in the equation.

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

”WAAAAAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUP!!!”

”whhuu-? What's happening?” Karus jumped from bed almost dashing unsheathing his katana with one eye on his left lazily clutching the base of the eyelids almost reluctant to obey the troublesome orders of his brain.

”A little jumpy. I like that!” Laughed Yosh as he went to their table to grab an apple to taste. ”I give it a seven out of five.”

Karus quickly sheathed his sword and shouted as hard as he can. ”Stop screaming in my ear to wake me up! This is the last straw! Next time I wouldn't be able to control my temper!”

Kayzar sat up scrunching his eyes getting used to the bright radiance of noon, greatly annoyed too from the fact that he's still not ready to wake up and cash in all hours of sleep he missed from the five days they have been planning the rescue. ”Okay, Karus. I'll sanction one beating. I won't hold you back. He clearly deserves this one.”

”Hey, hey, hey! Chill!” shouted Yosh as he rushed to the door screaming. ”I'm just getting back at you for making me stay at the back to watch Kuya Reus last night! You made me miss all the fun with those smug Si...”

”Those excuses won't save you.” He sternly looked with a devilish glow. He feigned standing up to dash and Yosh disappeared instantaneously as if in a blink of an eye.

Karus was the first to come out from Anagea's womb. Being twins he's considered older than Kayzar and although medical studies has proven it is the opposite, Nagozulian culture still practices this belief. The two do not recognize who's older between them but Karus respects Kayzar in a sense that he's some sort of an adviser on decisions like pursuing an enemy or basically anything relatively equal to these sorts of events that Karus wants to act out on impetuously.

Karus reacts impulsively on events appearing before him. He is pessimistic which should make him cautious on things, but he engages his gut whenever it calls up to him rendering him to have numerous unforeseen consequences to deal with after satisfying the urge.

That's when Kayzar steps in. He stops him on his track to make some sense out of him before he does something stupid that would require them both to fix later, before he could drag him to be included in the reprimand too which has been always the case. That's what people do normally with twins. They immediately think that the mistake of one is the mistake of the other.

Kayzar is baffled by this kind of thinking, and it has happened on numerous occasions. Too numerous in fact that it became everyone's habit to blame him for Karus's mistakes. He cannot lecture people about this kind of thinking, especially to those superior to him giving reprimands. Doing so would make him insolent and he wouldn't be surprised if that will result to longer reprimands. What he can do however, is to just stop Karus from doing something that would drag him down with him. This understanding has been yielding some positive results from its first implementation so Karus is now used to asking Kayzar's permission before doing any act, and vice versa.

”K-Z,” mumbled Karus in slouch at the bed, still yawning. ”Is it the right moment for our assessment?”

Kayzar yawned too being infected by his brother jumping, back in bed but is now awake. ”Affirmative, I think the area is secure.”

Karus joined him lying in bed too, watching the tiny cracks of their ceiling. ”We haven't been discussing the condition of Grandmama. I think that should be quite disturbing.”

”What's disturbing? The fact that we're prioritizing on our villages? Or the fact that we don't care about her anymore? Which one?”

”You see... that!”

”Which one?”

Karus smiled as if getting Kayzar's joke. ”She's still our Grandmama whether we like her or not. Or at least that's what Mama told us to think.”

”Even if they sully Daddy's name? Even if they insult Mama as to her incapability of rearing us or when they told us they are teaching us not to be respectful of our elders, especially to them? Even if they have been insulting Mama's heritage as a Daomagar? Even then?”

”Well, you're right. I think for one thing, they are wrong to think Mama's teaching us to disrespect them. We're only doing this because they are treating us like commoners, a second-class citizen at that.”

”Wait, I think slaves comes to mind, yes?”

Karus chuckled in agreement. ”To think that we're only respecting them because Mama orders us to clearly is a very indicative point of how disturbing our childhood experience is. I suppose we're going to have some issues in the future when we're adults right?”

”Like having problems with old grannies because of our subliminal responses to what we've experienced as a kid?”

”Yep.”

”Nah, we're too smart for that.”

”But what are we going to do about it?”

”Well, it's not like you want to plan to visit...” he sat up straight with squinted eyes looking at Karus's serious and smiling face, ”Oh no, we won't!”

Karus sat straight up and calmed him down. ”No, no, shh. If you don't want to go, we won't go. Jeez! I'm only suggesting...”

”There is a standing order for our detainment, and you want to go to the Palace to visit Grandmama who, based on our spies, is indisposed in some sort of Sleep of Death? You want to go there? We don't even know if she's really sick. For all we know it's some sort of ruse to get us there. You know how dramatic all of them are.”

”C'mon K-Z! Do you really think they will go out of their way, raid some villages, torture some people, create fortresses, just to get us back to the Palace?”

”Hey, they have deployed all of Nagozul's military when Gantee went missing remember? I noticed none was spent when Yosh went gallivanting in the Maze, but when Gantee went missing, they deployed all of the soldiers for his immediate rescue even hiring some Daomagarian First Class Strike Teams to track his snoozing lazy ass in the lower catacombs. That kid is into some freaky things. I still can't figure out why he's down there in the first place.”

”But this is different K-Z. I think Grandmama has really been attacked. I don't know who, but it looks a lot more like Yiv.”

”Ate-Liv won't hurt her. As much as she wants to, she can't and she wouldn't.”

”Well, can you account for her alibi?”

”What!?” Kayzar stood up almost irritated. ”What the Yit'ard's the matter with you? You are accusing our sister a serious offense. That's treason, for goodness sake. And if you can't recall, that accusation is not to be treated so lightly.”

”Hey, calm down! I never said that's final.” He whispered trying to lower their heated argument. ”But who else can do that there? Nobody in Nagozul can practically do that to the Queen. Surely the economy is practically stable. It's not going up but it's not going down either. People are content and there are no reports indicating otherwise. No one in Nagozul will harm her and she's providing enough reasons for them not to. Remember the monthly festivities that we have been experiencing for years now? That has been keeping all of our citizen's attention occupied. Everyone's happy so far. So that means it's an outside hit.”

”So, you deduce what?”

”Daomagarian, maybe. Sibaras are a good start. And Yiv is at the top of the list.”

”Well, you're right about one thing. Sibaras. Notice any changes lately?”

Karus' eyes bulged realizing what he's pointing at. ”No. That can't be.”

”It can't be a coincidence either.”

”So, what Juni is saying then...?”

”Yes, first the foreigners, then the Queen, then the rapid deployment of Sibaras. You can piece it off together. That can't be Yiv. Besides, if Yiv targeted the Queen, then what would she gain.”

”Nothing.”

”Exactly. And who's gaining everything?”

”A-Aunt Prodea...”

”Precisely. And who's currently Grand Commander?”

”She is...”

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

”Your highness!” yelled Zeba running towards Prodea before she enters her sacred chambers. It took a couple of seconds before she reached her which gave Prodea quite an irritation since she doesn't like wasting her time, even by mere seconds. This is actually an unreasonable response but seeing as Prodea has accumulated much hatred on Zeba from what she identifies as her annoying personality, this can be anticipated and be regarded as ordinary.

”Yes, Zeba. Waste my time further. And better yet, let's have tea together if you're up for it.”

”Really? I was just thinking of that custard cake...”

”Zeba!”

”Oh yes. All of the materials have been secretly prepared at the antechamber just outside where your ritual is going to take place at the lower catacombs.”

”Ah, so a status report. Such a redundant thing. I told you to set it up right before midnight, am I right? So why are you telling me that you have already accomplished what I told you to do in the first place?”

Zeba's eyebrows sloped confused. ”To inform you that I have already managed to finish it before lunch?”

”Ah yes. But do I need to know that? Hm? Before lunch, after lunch, when I tell you to do something before a specified date, I expect you to do that perfectly. You need not inform me of such trivial matters we're not in the military. I do not have time to attend to every small detail you want to boast about. Next thing you know, you'll have your way of informing me about what goes on about your day. Heaven forbids.”

”But I thought you're now the Grand...”