33 the TROUBLE in RESCUING the DAMSEL (2/2)
”What do you mean? I could transmit there. We're in, we're out. No one will notice.”
”The room where Prodea left my father is in a special room. It is sealed by the Dark Arts and only a great Daomagar can destroy it. That's the rumor and even then, I can't really vouch for that information. You can't transmit inside his room. Still after then, there is a super mortal stationed outside at all times. He's been there for more than a month now, trying to guard my father so that I won't back down on my deal.”
”A guard?” scoffed Karus, ”That's somewhat reassuring.”
”Oh no, Your Highness. He's not just any guard. He is a mortal forged by the spirits of Dim'ion.”
”I thought you're referring to a Daomagar,” Kayzar smiled. ”Come to think of it, I think it's weird now that you're referring to a Daomagar as a Super Mortal.”
”He's the by-product of the Grand Princess Prodea's Dark Magicks. They said that he can withstand any pain. He can even take the strongest blow of the strongest Daomagar and be left unscathed. They consider him a Manufactured Titan.”
”Hmmmnn... a titan you say,” Karus smiled wide. ”That'll be a challenge.”
”Even then Your Highness, even if that titan can be defeated. Many Sibara Assassins will be present there.”
”Don't worry,” Iyom reassured. ”I will transmit these rascals to the nearest place to your father's room. We will avoid as little Sibara as much as possible. I'm not much of a fighter anyway so I'd be really careful not to get caught in a swordfight.”
”Pardon?” she said confused. ”Are you saying you're going to engage them yourselves?”
”Of course, what else are you thinking about?” Karus boasted.
”But, you're Nagozulian and he's...”
”We're not called the Night Hunters for nothing,” Yosh laughed which brought all of his brother's surprised eyes at him.
Kayzar slapped Yosh in the nape mumbling.
”Dammit Yosh. Don't reveal our identities to other people!” Reus reprimanded crossing his arms.
”Hey, I thought she's okay? You guys told me she can take secrets.”
”You are the radical group, Night Hunters?” Illyriah smiled in delight as if excited. ”The one Prodea's obsessing about?”
”Yes...” Karus confessed almost irritated of Yosh's yapping mouth.
”But in the papers, it's said Yiv is with them...”
Kayzar raised his hands smiling. Which gave Illyriah a bit of a chuckle.
”You're Yiv? Let me guess, the Daomagarian Incarnate Magnus is you Grand Prince Karus since I always hear him call you that, and Grand Prince Yosh is the Elf...”
”Dwendell,” corrected Iyom almost annoyed at that slur of a name.
”Oh… Dwendell. Sorry. And you, Grand Prince Reus, is the Nagozulian Man-Beast.”
”What?!” Reus reacted hearing this for the first time.
”Yes, that Man-Beast that was said to have been raised by the terrifying Grog himself in the Dark Jungles of Narra. One that has incorporated the strength of the Great Beasts and have the powers of Nagozul.”
”Hey! How come they're all legendary and I'm just a Man-Beast!?”
”Don't worry, Your Highness,” she giggled. ”He is said to have great Daomagarian strength, a muscular giant. That's why they defeated a Sibara Strike Team that easily.”
”Oooh...” Yosh remembered laughing. ”That... So, they attributed their defeat on some kind of a spin-around story to justify their weakness. That's just sad...”
”I didn't defeat those Strike Team. It's all Yosh.”
”I can't blame them though,” Yosh smiled as if forcing himself to stop bursting out laughing. ”It's humiliating to admit they have been defeated by a kid like me. Now I know how the real Yiv feels. Accounts said he's six years old then but reports on failed Sibara Assassin recounted that his age range to almost forty. Now I know why they don't trust Sibaras. Now I understand the saying 'you can't trust a Sibara's tongue'.”
”I'm sorry to give you this problem, Your Highness but you're all my only hope. Please save him.”
”We will,” Reus smiled with his comforting eyes.
”Oh no, you won't,” Karus entered. ”You'll stay here with her. We'll take care of Uncle Sayed at Hishma.”
”What!? But you can't possibly...”
”Karus is right, Kuya-Reus,” Kayzar interrupted. ”You must take Illyriah here right now and take him to the north.”
”Remember the clearing where Shihiku and Gramps fought?” Karus asked.
”The one you pointed out last summer? I know that.”
”Well, meet us there. Iyom can leave a mark there, his violet or something.”
”Yes, I can do that,” Iyom concurred. ”Give me the location and I will spring up a violet there. The Violet will be there for the whole day. If it shrivels that means we fail if it blooms further, then we succeeded.”
”Well, don't think like that!” Yosh grumbled. ”You're saying as though you have no faith in us. We broke seven fortresses without your help y'know.”
”Hey, I'm just saying.”
”But I'm not afraid anymore,” Illyriah smiled beaming them her naturally beautiful face. ”I trust you all with all my heart. I know you will succeed. So, I'll be coming with Reus and leave any time you like.”
”That's the spirit!” Yosh encouraged. ”Don't worry. Leave Uncle to us.”
”We'll leave tonight,” Reus concluded. ”We'll give you time to prepare your attack at the Hishma. I'm sure you can hustle up and return to the clearing by early morn?”
”We'll be there before the sun comes up and not a minute later,” Karus promised.
”Don't be foolish now,” Reus laughed. ”You know you can't promise anything like that. Not while you have Yosh with you.”
-------ooO0Ooo-------
”You heard them?”
”Loud and clear, Master.”
”Those knuckleheads are unwittingly walking to a trap.” Yiv turned around walking in circles scraping the ground as she goes in deep thoughts. Her two kneeling apprentice notices her smiling coupled with a few scratching of her chin. She has ultimately reached her most obvious decision. She goes around like this for about five seconds till she continued. ”This can't be helped then. Are your information reliable?”
”Yes, Master,” initiated Argentis, proud of her intel. ”Our Daomagarian brothers are building the Hishma Fortress now. Sibara Masters and their Apprentices are teeming there. The Manufactured Titan known as Sir Haaron is there too guarding Sayed's magically encrypted room as confirmed by Illyriah.”
”Yes, so Auric, a question. If they enter that fortress, most probably, in your most optimistic assessment, what will happen?”
Auric raised his head answering the self-explanatory question she's imposing. ”It'll 'b a bludbat' on 'yer broders' expense, Master. Der's too many Sibara Masters supehvising Sayed's Palace. Dey'r margin' o'success is rader t'in.”
”And are you sure they can't get in and out without having to engage all those Sibaran Masters? Especially the Titan Haaron?”
”Y-yes, Master. It'd 'b hard for 'em to move about 'der undetected. Most likely, dey'l 'b detected 'd minute 'dey arrive. At 'd very least, Kayzar will 'b left alive since he can go to 'd veil but his brodehs' fate is sealed. Not unless he can pull ol of'em inside which I t'ink is highly doubtful - especially in his current level o'skill.”
”How about the new defensive enchantments? Argentis, what does your sources tell you about it?”
”Renovations are still taking place and I doubt that elf kid can magically transmit to the closest spot. Most probably they can press forward up to the kitchen two flights below where Sayed is - and when I mean two flights of floors, I mean almost five hundred paces long. All of the floors above there are magically sealed. Even entering the veil can be pretty tricky master. It'll be thrice as hard I bet.
”Sayed is trapped at the tower spire east of the Palace. There's a long wide hallway to him and only one door. When the door opens in the other side, Haaron will know and I assure you, they will never survive that giant, not with their level of expertise.”
”Rescuing Sayed is stated in the Prophecy. It is foretold that the brothers will bring salvation to the father of the Holy Hills and now it is indeed unfolding. There is no mention of us being there, a proof that we truly are Bathala's Shadow Enforcers. We should consider ourselves blessed that Bathala has chosen us among his Holy Sentinels.” Yiv smiled wide which excited them with hope. ”Does it state in the prophecy that they will die early on in that date or after completion of their task, Argentis?
”No, Master.”
”Auric, does it say there that they will fail given the insurmountable odds against their favor?”
”No, Master. I t'ink not.”
”Then, again, my loyal apprentices, Bathala's holy words have now revealed to us the truth of our lives' purpose. It is up to us to ensure their fated success in saving the Holy Lands. I hope that you two are now seeing clearly the role you're playing in this Earth and how blessed you two are to have such a mandate as a Holy Sentinel. It is our destiny, nay our responsibility, as Bathala's children to save this land and to fulfill his bidding, to complete the prophecy, to aid them in rescuing Sayed.
”Yes Master,” the two echoed in reply.
They believe they are doing the right thing, being Bathala's shadow enforcers - as Yiv would likely describe their calling, but the blood on their hands are now catching up on them. It's getting harder for them to kill people anymore with their conscience growing bigger but neither one of them wants to admit it to themselves in fear of being dulled in battle or being ridiculed by their master.
They are indeed the Legendary Shadows of Yiv after all. Their lethal combination ranks Number 10 in the Great Twelve. They are the scourge that fights so efficiently side-by-side that the council placed them at the same rank together recognizing them as a single deadly individual. One slip up from the other and they endanger each other. They sure hope now that this ends quickly so that they can lead a normal life, a life without murder, a life they can be proud to claim as theirs.
”Why are you two not rejoicing?” Yiv started walking closer to them, interrupting their lonely thoughts of retiring. She caressed their faces and gently pulled them up to stand. ”You should not pity those whom you're about to slay? Truly they are your brothers and as Daomagarians we feel for the deaths of our slain brothers but do not fret. Their delusive understanding of the truth prevents them from entering Bathala's Paraiso. By cleansing them today, we prevent them from joining forces with Prodea later on where we can't save their souls any further.”
”We are going to massacre all of the inhabitants of Hishma, Master?” Argentis asked full of worry.
”No, just the ones that are there about a couple of hours before my brothers arrive. Dim'ion's Magick is getting stronger in Nagozul. After this great cleansing at Hishma, Prodea will build her army, as the prophecy foretold. After then, they will have to choose a side and we know what the Sibaras will choose. It's best to eliminate them earlier on than for them to defile the Holy Lands with their twisted lies they call beliefs - on how they worship Dim'ion insulting our Father, Bathala. Before they turn into infidels, it's best we send them to Paraiso right away.”
”M-master? What about 'd workers? 'Dey'v nuttin' t'do wit' d' Sibaras.”
”Oh, my lumpy apprentice, Of course, we're not going to hurt them. That's why it'll be your responsibility to clear them all out. The scribes, the workers, the attendants, the few loyal soldiers of Sayed, all of those who are with Bathala. Those who do not accept Bathala, the ones who still aligns with Prodea after your warning, will perish. Now, I don't want to sound insensitive, but anyone appearing inside the Palace within that time frame, friend or foe, will die. That is the hard truth and I'm revealing it all now to you two.”
”But Master, they're going to strike tonight. They'll rest for a bit and they will strike them by midnight. At least that's what Karus is planning. Their elf is making preparations to transmit Reus and Illyriah to the clearing now as we speak. We can't follow them around and warn the workers in time for our assault tonight.”
”That's why I'm leaving this with Auric, Argentis. You don't have to track them as they separate their group. We know where they will go now.” Yiv smiled noticing her apprentices's eyes looking down on the ground, fearful of what they are about to do which is not within the parameters of their normal operations. ”Do not worry tonight, I'll be the one who'll chastise them with my Shadowless Blade. Your duty at the cleansing will be to rid of all the blood and bodies that I leave behind. Throw them into the ocean at the east, bury them, incinerate them, I do not care, as long as no soul can ever know of our participation tonight. As long as my brothers walk inside that empty Palace and rescue Sayed without a scratch, we'll be alright. We'll be making Bathala proud then.”
”What about the titan, Master? Are you sure we have enough time to deal with him?”
”Oh, don't worry. Tonight, this will all be me. My duty. My responsibility. You go ahead and figure a way to clean those halls. I want it spotless for their arrival. Two hours is all I need to sanctify Sayed's Palace with my blade so our plan will be two hours before midnight.”
”But Master, if I warn 'dem, 'dey might pile up 'd Sibaras guardin' 'd Palace by midnight. It'll invite more soljers present 'der.”
Yiv just chuckled in delight, ”The more the merrier. If they're all spawns of Dim'ion then tonight will be a wonderful day for Nagozul. I'll be doing them a huge favor, one I hope will remain a secret forever, so be sure to stash those bodies perfectly or else you'll regret failing me.”
The two bowed low and before they could lift their heads Yiv started to walk away.
”W-where are you going Master?”
”To go pray for my enemies tonight,” she said. ”I do hope Bathala intervenes and shed some light to guide some of those wayward Sibaras. I truly care about their souls even if they are my enemies. They are our brothers still after all.”
With a warm smile coming deep from her heart, she vanished dashing, heading east towards the early morning sun.
-------ooO0Ooo-------
”Zeba! Where the infernal Tey'Arn have you been?!” Prodea shrieked in her room in a tiptoed fury. This has surprised Zeba so much that she has to crook her eyebrows in confusion instead of her usual cringing. ”You know I can't do everything here! If only I can multiply myself I would, but I can't!”
”I had my forehead checked. I just stepped out for about an hour, what's wrong?”
”Artemus is now threatening us, that's what! He's been onto us while you're just walking around the Palace all dandy and gay!”
”What has he got to threaten us? His small army is nothing against...”
Prodea marched angrily activating her Amplifyers in frustration. ”Are you really that daft? Do you want me to permanently mark your forehead?”
”No...” Zeba finally cringed stepping back a little, frightened with Prodea's aggressive charge as she raised her burning hands controlling all her might not to finalize her slap. Shoots of crackling cinders flew by in a frenzy which adds nightmare to her ever-ill-tempered attitude.
”Arrrgh! It's so hard to talk to you if you're that thick! Zeba, just so you know. Artemus is of Life Elemental, and as such he is immune to my Elemental Attacks and we can't afford him ruining our plans, not when we're finally progressing on our tracks. I don't have the energy, the resources, the force to rally against him now, now that I'm still on the verge of cleaning up your disappointing acts that besmirched my name, a master tactician and a great General. Especially after you spread all our forces thinly over the lands that led to the destruction of seven fortresses! I could only imagine the laughing faces of my detractors, and it's all because of your stupidity!”
”We have Dim'ion's Dark Magicks? We could use it against them.”
Prodea laughed shaking her head as she walked to her study. ”Oh, Zeba, now you're rooting for my Dark Arts? I don't know if you've changed for better or for worse. Oh wait, I remembered you're growing a conscience. You're cute and amusing then but now you're just plain irritating!”
Zeba ignored her insults and continued on point. ”I'm not liking it but if you're practicing that, we might as well have some use for it.”
”Oh, such domineering language! My, my. What have you become these past few days? What's next? Are you going to teach little princesses your new-found intelligence?”
Zeba felt insulted and just stared at her in serious eyes. ”I'm saying we have your titan.”
”Correction! Titans! We're going to have lots of them.”
”I beg your pardon?”
”Yes, Zeba. As much as you abhor the fact, we're going to manufacture an army of Titans! We have no choice now.”
”I thought we have one. I had him stationed there as you've plan months ago. Recall him and let him take care of all those people at the North.”
”Zeba...” Prodea shook her head in disappointment pressing her temples in irritation. ”If life was just as easy as that, you'll be Queen here and I have unified all the inhabitants of Earth under one Bathala. But that's not easy, now is it? It's not that easy since I'm the one doing all the heavy lifting while you're there all conscious about the marginal differences of what you think is right or wrong. This is getting rather old don't you think?”
”But he's a...”
”Zeba. Let me just say this again in one rational explanation so that I won't have to repeat it again.” She paused, clasped her hands and went near her. ”Are you ready?” Zeba tilted her head in confusion till she snapped at her again. ”Zeba, are you ready to listen?!”
”Yes,” she winced.
”A titan has a specific power generated by the individual's basic attribute. A titan is not immortal and all powerful. Sir Haaron has an indestructible skin but he can be killed and most certainly cannot take all of the Northern Forces all at the same time. Not when the North is filled with the Daomagar and Maskara Clan's Tactical Reserve, the Hundred Sword Elites, Shihiku and Grog, Artemus and his wife, not to mention their little army occupying there. Even though the Global Binding Spell is in effect, it will still be impossible to eliminate all of them there. Daomagarians are not affected by that spell as you would've noticed if not because of your miniature brain. It will be suicide unless we have the advantage.”
”Send the Sibaras with him then!” she proudly exclaimed.
Prodea just rolled her eyes giving up as she scribbled a letter on her study and gave it to her.
”Take that to the Duke. And please hurry up.”
”One titan is not enough? You still want to make more? But we have the Sibara on our side. We also have the Talim Clan too. Granted that they are a few but they are mighty capable. That, combined with your great powers, we could win this.”
”Wow! Thanks for the flattery but you still don't get it.” Prodea sighed mumbling. ”It's like I'm talking to wall, Bathala help me!”
”We can't. We just can't. Creating an army requires a lot of...”
”A lot of bodies?! What do you care? I thought you only cared about the souls of the Holy Sentinels. Their slaves are none of our concern.”
”But they are still lives – holy or otherwise. Thirty souls to produce a titan? There must be something that we can do other than doing that dreadful thing.”
”You, of all people, growing a conscience like that, is getting disconcerting, Zeba. Of course, I considered the ramifications, but we can't be defeated. We need to transform the Duke's Knights into Titans as soon as possible. Artemus gave us six months to prepare and I would like to take all that time to manufacture as many titans as possible.”
”He gave you six months?” she said with widened eyes. ”Should we be worried, Prodea?”
”I AM worried. Only a fool like you would have the time to think about whether to get worried or not when our enemy is apparently planning to strike us down from quite some time now, one that you missed to see. There's a play there somewhere. He can kick me out of here with his level of skill, but he didn't. It's not like he's weak. I don't see why. There's something happening that I do not know yet and like always, I have to get that information myself because you're not that reliable after all.”
”Maybe he's amassing his troops and getting organized? He might contact Deito, they are close friends after all.”
”Indeed,” she sat in her study scratching her chin in deep thoughts. ”If I were him, I'd do that too. That's why we need to do that too, Zeba. We have to amass our troops to be ready to match his. That's why we have to manufacture a titan now!”
”But I thought one could only be performed once every new moon?”
”Yes, and have you looked at my moon calendar?”
”Oh yeah, the next new moon is two days from now.”
”Stop asking stupid questions Zeba. I'm exhausted with just talking with you for minutes. I need to get my energy fast. We only have six new moons to cover which means we can't miss one.”
Six hasty knocks surprised Prodea making her sigh for a bit, taking relief from her stressful talk with Zeba. Tranquility almost entered her heart, but she should've known better than to trust her capricious nature. As the doors opened slightly, an angry Eryk Caden strode quickly to her spot, uninvited and unannounced.
”Grand Princess Prodea! I can't take this any longer! You stayed at your room for far too long and now that we're two days away from my...”
Prodea raised her finger silencing him. She stood up from her chair and slowly walked to meet him. ”Why are you here?”
”For my sham of a wedding of course!”
Prodea's eyes twitched in frustration looking at Zeba. She remembers having to promise that the earl be married in two month's time, but she also distinctly planned for them to marry eighteen days ago. Not only does Zeba did not follow through on her strict four-month plans, she did not mention it to her notes. She then smiled and returned to the Earl.
”I'm sorry it got delayed but good help is hard to find.”
”You're not listening! I said I want to marry Lime!”
Prodea began to laugh incessantly for about a minute till she continued. ”Which then I said no and quickly promised you'd be married in two months' time. It has been - what? - forty-eight days and counting right? Your marriage is two days from now which means I still have ten days by then, and would you believe it, it is in the weekends! Great news right!?”
”You're a cheat! You tricked me!”
Prodea's Amplifyers burned to their optimal states, reverberating a suffocating pulse that filled her room. The force of that impressive display of powers closed her doors shut in a mighty slam. The Earl almost tumbled down if not for his resolve.
”Do not ever speak that tone with me mortal or I will burn you where you stand! It'll be so easy for me so do not tempt me!”
”You went back on your word!”
”I did not! I told you that marrying that wretched girl is impossible in this time, so I merely changed the specifics. You're the one who wants to marry, and you gave me two months to fix it. You wanted to, I don't. You're the one to blame. You did not specify to whom, only that you'd be married within your two-month period you so pathetically call a threat.”
”I-I said her, Lime, not some random...”
”Whoa!” Prodea's eyes widened laughing even harder. ”Random? You're basically marrying a princess, a beautiful, beautiful princess that has been wooed by high ranking noblemen since she was just fourteen. If you compare her to your homely plain unattractive...”
”She's wonderful! She's special!”
”Oh, I thought you're going to let me finish my insults.”
”Do not say one more word against her or...”
Prodea now frowned moving closer. ”Or what?”
Eryk looked down, still hiding his anger grinding his teeth and mumbled. ”Or I do not give you the final set of scrolls of your Dim'ion...”
Prodea walked closer and closer till she's just a foot away from him. The burning Amplifyers made tremendous heat around the air that it managed to give Eryk rolling sweats to trickle down around his face. He still won't look to her directly, fearing her powers, but he stood unimaginably firm on his ground, a feat that would be commendable in that instance considering he's a mortal directly absorbing the full weakening pulses of Prodea's fully activated Amplifyers.
”Here's what you're going to do, you pathetic mortal. I will give the hand of the finest princess this Holy Land can offer to an unworthy scrap like you. You will humbly accept and feel greatly unworthy which will then leave you to respect her with all your heart. You will go to the Altar of Bathala tomorrow and make your vows. You will love her, cherish her, and forget Lime.”
Eryk's shaking lips managed to unlock. He's about to mutter his rejection but Prodea snapped at him.
”You will not have any say in the matter. Stop thinking and let me finish. You will feel blessed someone like her can stomach the fate of marrying an insignificant insect such as yourself and then you will thank me. You will then give me Dim'ion's last scrolls and we will part ways. I will give you your little land in Leonus and you will be happy. Nod and accept if this is your wish.”
Eryk now looked at her directly. He's about to shout NO but Prodea's mind-reading skills are far too good for him to beat. She quickly took a tight grip on his left shoulder with her burning hands that immediately incinerated his sleeves right to his skin. Burning flesh now filled the room as he wailed kneeling before her.
”Nod and accept if this is your wish!”
An impressive fifteen seconds surprised even Zeba. A mortal like that would've fainted from the pain alone in just under five seconds but he didn't. It took him that long to agree with her and that took a toll in him with his bone almost showing amidst his charred skin. Prodea just smirked as she saw a small nod on the crying Eryk. She then walked slowly to her study and started her work.
She left him crying there for about a minute till she snarled at Zeba. ”For goodness sake Zeba, get him to the Medical Casters. Have you no heart? A man is crying in front of you in pain and you're just watching. This is not a show for your amusement you demented fool!”
With that, Zeba dashed carrying her, leaving Prodea to smile in silence to what she refers to as her win. She needed to unload her frustration and it just so happens he is available.
She almost managed to be sympathetic for her harsh treatment but she just shrugged it off. He deserves it, she thought. He wants to take Lime as his bride against her will after all. That's the same as treating women as men's property and that just sickened her. They've been doing that for centuries in the foreign lands and she'll be damned if that happened to her lands.
But then she quickly remembered she's doing the same with Illyriah. Then again, she believes it's different if it is done by a royal Grand Princess temporarily carrying the Queen's seat, especially if they are securing both nation's continued friendship, and that quelled the moral conundrum she's facing. That kind of tradition is perfectly legal, in a sense. Besides, she'll be a widow early if he ever makes one stupid mistake of hurting her to get back at her actions towards him. She'll make sure of that personally and this mollified that nagging voice inside her head that she refuses to call her conscience.