30 OUTRAGE (2/2)

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

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

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

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

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

”Really now? Something swats your eye while you're dashing?” he asked unconvinced.

”Yes!” she guaranteed. ”Something went inside my eye while dashing!”

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

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

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

”No, I won't!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”No, it's not, it's the same!”

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

”Ach, that's disgusting...”

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

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

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

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

”What village?”

”The Weaver's...”

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

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

”What do you want then?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

”Ate-Liv!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

”With her what now?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”Just like that?”

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

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

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

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

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

”So, are you volunteering?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kayzar nodded enthusiastically and then he dashed away.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

”Who is the fort master?”

”By what my sources tell me, it's Master General Jowl. Our Godfather Master General Jowl.”

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

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

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