28 a SHOCKING SURPRISE (2/2)

”Yes, you thought. Don't think too much Zeba. You'll only hurt yourself.”

Zeba frowned a little and bowed. ”Of course, sorry Your Highness.”

”Well, since you're here and oh-so-quick at doing your chores, and since I don't want to waste any more time, I want you to relay the reminder to the Duke. Remind him to meet with me at midnight at the catacombs. Escort the slaves, five at a time, to our secret chamber in a twenty-minute interval. Bring one of his Selected General for our experimentation. I'll be there an hour after midnight. I trust you can do that without disturbing me, right Zeba?”

”Uh... Do you mean their Knights, Your Highness?” he proudly pointed out.

”Don't get smart with me, Zeba. I know the difference in our military designations. When I say General, I meant their highest-ranking military officer, and that is their Knight.”

”Oh, sorry your highness.”

”Is there any other thing you want to lecture me about since you're in a roll for successfully infuriating me?”

”No, your highness. I'm sorry.”

”Good. Be sure no one bothers me till then.”

”Yes, Your Highness.”

And with that note, Prodea stepped inside and shut the door on her way in leaving Zeba to walk away grumbling in dismay.

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

”Whoaaa!”

Yosh dashed on through almost ramming into Reus which he parried right away. Reus is at the edge of the Village away from prying eyes holding Piks in his arms.

”Sorry Kuya-Reus. No time. Got to hurry.”

”Just be careful. Dashing that fast can seriously injure a Nagozulian upon impact. And all of the people in this village are Nagozulian.”

Yosh was about to run away to escape Reus's reprimands when he noticed Piks squawking.

”Wait a second. What are you doing?”

”What? This? I'm sending my report to the north. That's what Generals do: send reports to the Grand General.”

”YOU WHAT!?”

”Yes, I'm updating Mama and Daddy of our stay here. I'm telling them we are fi...”

Before Reus even finishes his sentence, Yosh clicked his tongue in dismay and dashed on forward disappearing to the Forest. Reus shrugged and let Piks fly out to send his communiqué to the north. This is when he saw two familiar faces hiding in the bushes.

Reus raised his hands and waved. ”Yo!”

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

”Hurry Argentis,” whispered Auric in his silvery liquid-metal figure protruding to a tree, hiding in the shadows.

”Yes brother,” Argentis replied finally catching up forming on the ground kneeling, keeping herself hidden in the bushes, ”D'ya think I'm doing it on purpose? I don't want to lose my good hand you moron!”

”Ei shush, 'Der's Yosh 'an Reus. Keep quiet.”

”Told you they'll be here. This is their hideout. Always has been. Reus can't keep his mouth shut telling tales about this place.”

”An I'll stuff yer mout' wid mah blade if ya don't shut 'yers.”

”Yeah, Yeah. Let's run around back. We need to find Kayzar. They don't concern us.”

”Okay, Okay. But slowly, it's daylight 'an yer Communion aint 'dat great.”

”Hey! You're one to talk, you haven't even completed yours yourself. You're shining silver still. That's not Shadow-like.”

”At least I'm not glowin' like gold 'ye lumpy...”

”Lumpy?! You're calling me fat!? Say that again! I dare you...”

”Shh... Yosh is goin' away.”

”You're lucky we're on a mission, you big tongue-less brute!”

”Ei is Reus wavin' at us?”

”What?! We've been compromised... But I thought?”

Kudos's eyes immediately turned red with a murderous look. ”Argentis, quickly. 'Da mem'ry poshun. We must neu'chalize 'im before he reveals our posishun.”

”Understood.”

Auric sprung out of the tree and dashed on to Reus's position. Argentis followed him behind unsheathing a blade from her boots lacing it with a generous amount of the violet colored memory potion in a vial. Their movements can never be compared to any Daomagarian warrior Reus has ever seen. Shockingly Marvelous is the word that can describe their two-man strike team as Auric pulled Reus into a lock suspending him about an inch or two above the ground while Argentis pushed her dagger to Reus's sides enough to injure him for the potion to circulate into his bloodstream but not enough to kill him. All it took was a mere two seconds. A thirty feet long strike to the target in just under two seconds with maximum efficiency and precision can make any mortal to revere them and put them in a pedestal of great warriors. But all this effort is for naught. A shame really, if only the target is not Reus.

”Is that supposed to tickle me?” Reus beamed his wide smile at the now perspiring and confused Madj putting all her energy, all her Daomagarian strength, to at least scratch Reus's side with her little sharp dagger.

”What are 'ya doin'?” Whispered Kudos as if mad at Madj.

”Yes, more importantly, what are you both doing?” asked Reus now wearing his smile off. ”I really don't have any time playing like this. Does this mean I'm dead or something? Can I get off now?”

”Uh... Yeah... that's right? Gotcha!” Yelped Madj pulling back her dagger behind her. She brushed Reus's uniform as if fixing it and tapping Kudos as if signaling. Kudos understood this right away and freed him from his tight lock. ”Now that you're done, we're on to Karus, Kayzar and Yosh.”

”Yes! Sorry 'bout 'dat.” Kudos smiled wide apologetic. ”D'ya know where we can find 'd o'der rascals?”

”Your extreme 'Hide and Seek' games are weird,” smiled Reus. ”Why can't you play a decent simple Hide and Seek? I'm not sure I approve of that kind of game play, but no matter. I'm sure Karus, Kayzar, and Yosh seems to enjoy that kind of hide and seek, those rough-housing monkeys. Just be sure to stack up with a lot of White Angel Potions while you're playing that. Your blade seems to be dangerously sharp and I don't want any accidents happening here.”

”Yes, Sir! General Reus Sir!” they both replied in attention as if in ridicule.

”Oh, please! You don't have to make fun of my promotion...”

They both laughed uncontrollably getting Reus kind of dismayed.

”Yeah, yeah make fun of the working guy. Your unemployment days are nearly over, I have already asked Master Narra to enlist you to the Nagozulian Army.”

”What!?” shouted Madj. ”That's unfair! We're cooks! We don't know anything about fighting!”

Kudos slaps her laughing. ”'Dat's a joke, Madj. Don't get riled up on 'sum joke now. A terrible joke at 'dat. You shud consider practisin' in 'd mirror, Reus.”

Reus chuckled a bit seeing Madj reaction to the bad joke he just made. ”Don't worry. Just as long as I can still string up someone, I'm still better than my Uncle Sarram.”

”Yes, Tenk heavens he's a prince not a jester, 'dat Prince Sarram.”

”Hah! Good one.” Reus fixed spectacles which has been out of place for quite some time and waved his hand in farewell. ”Hope you guys manage to surprise the two, I mean Karus and Kayzar. They are both so uptight now that they can use some smile for a second or two. They're just inside their personal quarters near the village square. It's the red one so you won't miss it.”

”Thanks, See you again General.”

”Cut that General Joke Madj I'm serious!” he laughed and then he walked away far to the village.

The two waited for some time and began being paranoid. They scanned the area looking for any witnesses and have discussed what happened when they have been satisfied.

”What 'd Yit'ard happened Argentis!? You're supposed to bleed 'im”

”I know...” she pulled her blade and pushed it to the ground. She created a loud smash burying half her arm on her test, striking the ground with her weapon. She stood up with her head tilting in confusion. ”I don't feel weak. My strength is at my best I don't know why I can't wound him. It's like he's being protected with a thin layer of a sturdy transparent armor.”

”We need to be careful with 'im next time. We can't get lucky next time.”

”We should report this to Master. I think this is a great development. This is what Karus and Kayzar is talking about, Reus's new powers.”

”Yes, but first we 'shud track Kayzar. We don't wanna get Master mad again.”

”Yes, and I don't want to lose my good hand as well.”

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

”I think this is far enough...” Yosh determined, panting in great intervals catching his breath. ”How can he do this to us Luna?! To think he can betray his brothers like that! Hmpf! I'm going to show him! I'll reset his Piks and we'll see who's sorry now!”

Luna just gave a purring meow with eyes as round as the moon. Yosh understood what she wanted to say and yielded right away.

”Alright, alright. Whatever you say. He's following orders and whatever thingies he's doing being General Clumsy Stick! But he should've given us the heads-up. To think we would one day return in our quarters unwittingly stumbling into a Royal Escort to the North. Whew! That would be troublesome indeed.

”Don't get me wrong, I don't hate them, but I don't really want to go to the North now. The North isn't what I expect. I can hardly see Mama and Daddy. And Rika's always with Mama. He's keeping us all there cooped up as if they knew we're going to escape and free all those people in Karus's Village.”

Luna gave a series of meow as a reply and Yosh laughed uncontrollably.

”Right you are my friend. If we didn't bump into him, we'll surely be deported and I'm not ready to spend my year locked up in my quarters there, no siree!”

He knelt down and buried a seed on the ground. He pulled his canteen and poured a generous amount of water for the thirsty seed. The earth suddenly livened up with a series of light tremors and then a sprout magically pushed up to the earth blooming into a Violet radiating its shiny purple gradient still with some droplets left clutching on every petal.

”Hmmnn... I could leave but what would they feel about it?”

Luna shrieked a series of aggressive meows remembering what Karus would do to him if he were to be found but Yosh disagrees.

”Wait, wait, wait. I know Kuya-Karus will be avenging his interrupted slumber but think carefully Luna before deciding. I don't want to betray my brothers the same way I don't want them keeping information from me. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, or something like that. I heard some pretty smart guy said that, kind too by the looks of it, it's in a book maybe, I didn't pay attention, the point is, I don't like being kept out of the loop so I have to leave them a message. They would do the same for me too. But Kuya-Reus? Now that's a different story.”

He grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from his knapsack and written a note on it. Luna grumbled circling Yosh protesting but to no avail.

”There! Get out as soon as possible. Master Narra or Mama will be coming to lock us to the North. Stay at your own peril! That should do the trick.”

As he tried to grab Luna, he sprinted ten feet away and sat there as if mad. Yosh stood up looking angry.

”Come here now! You have to send this to them.”

Luna kept persisting. She stood up, ran in circles, and then sat once more. This made Yosh to stress his point by stomping on the ground.

”Luna! I'll come back for you after an hour... or maybe Iyom. I have to go to Kyrin, he's going to teach me some cool technique about transmission or some sort of things they do sprouting trees or such. You have to give this message to them, it's the only way.”

Luna reiterated her tantrums only this time she ran for a couple of feet further.

”You just pull out a petal here and Iyom will come, Look.” He crouched letting Luna see it and then pulled a petal. After ten seconds nothing happened so he pulled another. Again, nothing happened. ”Huh. Must be the wrong seed...”

”WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM!” shouted Iyom transmitting in front of him, ”Can't you wait for a bit? Am I your slave?!”

”Jeez, Calm down old mister. If you don't, wrinkles will pop out of their...”

”Shut up brat! I'm not old!”

”Not on my count.”

”Enough! Do you want to transmit or not?”

”Wait, I just need to...”

”Oh... poor baby needs to pee first? I don't have all day!”

”No, I need to deliver this message to my brothers and...”

”Well you just have to pull the flower, huh? Pulling the petals when you're not ready yet? I told you not to do that countless of times! Quit wasting my time!”

Yosh got irritated and walked up to him and vented. ”Hey grumpy mister, shut it and listen! I need to send this message! Luna will bring it there and then be back for you to transmit! Any problems you got to those conditions you can take up to your father! He's the one inviting me over! I'm having a bad start to my day so quit whining and start helping!”

”Whoa, whoa, don't get all too crazy now! What's gotten over you...?”

”You... You... Argh...”

”Hey, you!” shouted Iyom calling Luna signaling with his fingers while whistling which insulted her. ”Yes you, come here.”

Luna stood up and sat again as if smiling being petulant getting back for his whistling calls.

”I said, COME HERE!” with his shout, his eyes turned cat like activating his Eagle Eyes which brought Luna to some sort of hypnotizing spell rendering her to follow his commands unwillingly at a very quick pace. Iyom snatched the paper from Yosh and rolled it. He grabbed some grass and magically turned it into a cylindrical holder and then tied it to Luna's body along with the message. ”Send this now and return here as soon as possible. Get the Owl too on your way back! Hurry or I'll eat you.”

With the end of his speech, Luna ran as fast as she can without blinking, without any reaction, as if possessed which troubled Yosh tremendously.

”Hey! What have you done with my Luna!? And what are saying about eating her!?”

”Relax crazy monkey. I don't eat cat, but Ra'Ark does.” And he pulled Yosh before he can ever react, transmitting him to the forest of Kyrin by mere seconds.

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

”Ina'ther Kalikat'ure! Bive meo kapan'wer upto mai'un-la'ash an'he kapan'weris nof lan'ven 'nu lo'thin.”

Prodea's chants echoed loudly in the large chambers at the lower catacombs. This particularly large venue, where Juni died, remained a secret in Nagozul and thus they are particularly well protected from intruders or anyone just snooping around. That's why Prodea is still keeping it still even after Juni's horrible death.

The thirty slaves shiver in fear's cold damning embrace all clumped sitting, hugging each other in comfort, unwittingly unaware of their fate in that huge red glowing summoning circle etched in the ground. Zeba, Eryk, and Tabarius are watching at the corner of the chamber almost cringing by the second as Prodea finishes her deafening ritual in a strange unknown language. Every word coming from Prodea's mouth hurts their ears almost as if every echo physically stabs it from the inside. There is an unknown force surrounding them, a force so dark and evil, their very presence in that chamber feels as if they are dying by the second.

The General, handpicked by Tabarius himself, is standing naked in a small summoning circle just a few paces north of the slaves. He is standing tall of about six feet with muscles bulging out of his body almost as if impressively sculpted by the ages and scars so many you'll understand immediately how extensive his battle experience is.

As fine and impressive as a human specimen he is, one can feel sorry as anyone can detect the fear and pain he's been enduring in that circle. His morose eyes, red and almost teary, relates what his shaking knees are saying, almost wanting to kneel. It's as if he wants to get some help but is unable to shout for it as he fights it off stressfully with all of the veins popping out of his face and body, being all red and sweaty. The three observers just gnaw their teeth in both agitation and pity for the poor General.

The pity they are feeling have been greatly misplaced. Unbeknown to them, after Prodea finishes her loud disturbing chants, the slaves began to stand up, forcibly, one by one. All of them stood up in fear as if being pulled by some unknown, indescribable phantom. Some slaves grabbed the ground screaming, but nothing can stop it from pulling them out five feet high to the air. One by one, their eyes and mouth glowed a yellowish iridescent beam of light that stretched the room's tall ceiling. Still screaming in both fear and agony, they shrieked their final call for help until the yellow light turned into neon crimson with their blood rushing out of every orifice in their body leaving their shriveled corpses behind. Their blood and water accumulated on top of them with Prodea floating around it still chanting her distressing ritualistic prayers, eyes closed in full concentration.

The bodies that have been suspended in the air dropped down into the ground turning into dust on impact. This have shocked the three observers with Duke Tabarius and the Earl Eryk running away retching in both disgust and guilt. Prodea saw them and chuckled a bit and wondered if it is wise to invite them there at the catacombs for, she believes that they are still not ready to see this kind of Magick in action.

But who can blame them? No one can be ready to see this kind of horrifying thing, and even if one boasts around to say otherwise, they are either an incompetent proud fool or the devil himself. To hear those men and women cry and beg in agony certainly can turn any brave man to coil up cringing.

As the last drop accumulated into a one giant red sphere of what seems to be the life force of thirty slaves come into fruition, Prodea shouted her last chant.

”Sy te kapan'wer ni'f Dim'ion, Io pinak'un-wa'eash ko'I an nata'den ka'kay-ti'al.”

The huge red sphere dropped down from its place and into the General. The splash on impact bathed the General in the blood of those slaves sacrificed. No droplet was turned to waste for any droplet splashed managed to trickle down fast for him to assimilate. The whole assimilation lasted for about a minute as the last drop was absorbed by the General writhing in torturous screams. Duke Tabarius is about to intervene being concerned when Prodea touched down and stopped him.

”Witness the transformation of a mere Mortal to a Superior Mortal. A Titan!”

”A manufactured titan?” Zeba muttered, ”But such things are only possible with the help of Dim'ion...”

”It's just a mere spell Zeba. You don't see Dim'ion anywhere here. I did this, not him!”

”But it's his spell!” Roared Zeba feeling guilty for what has transpired.

”Yes! It's his spell. That's why they call it the Dark Arts. If it's Ana'giel's then it's White Magick now wouldn't it? But it isn't!”

”You said this wouldn't happen again! You gave me your word!”

”Enough Zeba!” snapped Prodea with eyes burning bright with white light of the All Seeing Eye, ”Stop your impudence now! This is not the time nor the place. Besides, you don't have the right to give me a speech about morality. Not now, not ever.”

Zeba's crunched up face of anger cannot be cast away, but she stepped back and yielded, for now. Prodea knows they will have a long and heated argument later, but she brushed it off thinking she clearly has her by the throat and there's nothing she can do about it.

”Rise Sir Haaron,” Prodea commanded.

The coiled up, shivering muscular General stood up slowly now erecting almost seven feet tall with slabs of muscles now twice in size as before and has now changed skin color to dark red. He is still in pain, but it can be noted that it is slowly dissipating by the second.

”Now kneel! Kneel before your Master!”

The Knight was shocked with her command, but he cannot control himself. He tried to fight it but every fiber in his being wanted to obey the echoing voice of Prodea.

”Speak! Who is your Master!?”

”You are, Grand Commander Prodea.”

Zeba was shocked to see what Prodea has done. If she can make soldiers as powerful as titans and raise an army with it to do her bidding, then she can be a very terrifying enemy not to be engaged with. This made her reevaluate everything they are doing for the past years, planning everything to this date. He looked at the two emissaries and noticed they are not surprised, as if they know, as if they are in agreement, as if they consented. Then fear swallowed her whole as if the warmth of life escaped her. One thing is certain on this very specific night: she helped to create a monster.