29 DEFIANT NATURE (1/2)

The cold zephyr rushed forth in a hurry to converge with the bright light of morn that has been slowly enveloping the lands of Nagozul, introducing the warmth of the summer sun on its wake. The blanket of cold calming fog that occupies the secret training fields just a couple of miles east of the city has been holding their own with dwindling success as their body dissipate by the minute. Even in this unreasonably early hour, Lime seems to have managed to secure her unwavering determination, never yielding to sandman's unending cheery invitations, as she strained her body stretching, warming up her muscles, for yet another rigorous day of weapons instruction.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”He's not usually late...”

”He's late always,” he laughed in a snorting fashion which made Lime smile a bit, ”Y-y-you still don't know a lot of 'im.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”See?”

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

”Well, that's what we do when we meet,” he confessed. ”Always,” he added to reassure her.

”Some sort of a weird hello I presume?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”Yeah, I guess.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”Well? What is it?”

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

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

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

”Think what?”

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

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

”Thanks.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”No silly, Nemer's.”

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

”Oh, don't worry bout…”

”But that's... that's...”

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

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

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

”Hey easy now...”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”She consented to this?!”

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

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

”Anyone would be, given the circumstance. Imagine a scenario where you push yourself past the limit twice over and then waking up as if yesterday never happened, as if magically restoring your vigor to its maximum potential but still retaining all the hardship you've endured giving your body the maximum training possible.”

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

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

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

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

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

Karus reached down and pulled a pendant beneath his shirt. It's a small vial, with a shining neon green mixture. ”Here's what Nemer can provide at the moment.”

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

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

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

”Oh!” Karus was surprised hiding the vial pendant back under his shirt and then waved for confirmation. ”We're coming!”

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

”Captain Gab, what a pleasant surprise!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”W-why are you here again, Captain?”

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

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

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

”I'm sorry General Reus. You have your orders. I assume you'll follow through?”

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

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

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

Gab noticed too and gave an awkward smirk.

”Who put you up to this Captain?”

”Master Anagea, General.”

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

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

”Yes, I take on from my father.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

”But that's...”

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

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

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

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

”Oh. Well that's fast.”

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

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

”Oh. Sorry Sir.”

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

”Just a close few...”

”The Omega Tribe?”

”How'd did you...”

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

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

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

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