“Keep me safe in your arms as I dream…”
Shajou lowered his gaze to the ground, his teeth gritted and his body trembling. He could tell Lazachus was watching them in the dark. If not, the actions he were about to carry out would be made known to him as well eventually. That was enough for him to keep him to his mission.
“Shajou, the righteousness within is crying out to you!” Calith’s tone became stern and uncompromising.
“Stop it! Ever since I met you, everything in my mind is a mess!” he yelled. It was true. All that he was taught by Lazachus, and all that Calith had spoken to him thus far, were in conflict. He was only ten. He did not understand why the elder ones had to consistently tell him things which were hard to interpret.
“If you deliver the Meijin to your master, you will only further destruct your conscience,” added Calith. If only you knew of his purpose… “Listen to your heart, my child.”
The divine one stood aside and cleared the path for him. “Go, and do what you must.”
Shajou’s violet eyes looked up to him, helpless and lost.
“You’re the Meijin, I presume,” Sonia called out to the cloaked man.
His eyes glimmered with amusement and his earrings tinkled in the wind. “Cornered, am I?” muttered Kontonaku with a sneer.
“We’d just like to say we’re sick of playing with your puppets,” remarked the bushy-haired one, her spear faithfully in her hand.
“On the contrary, I have enjoyed this little game myself,” he returned.
Christine grunted and touched the side of her Interpreter, activating it. Without waiting for the orders or strategy pep-talks that Sonia usually gives before they jump into battle, Christine rushed ahead with her Angel’s Flight.
“Christine Falcon!” roared Sonia angrily. “How many times do I have to tell her not to work with her emotions?” Immediately, in effort to execute some damage control, she instructed Lorenne to cover her with long range magic attacks. Anxious for the girl’s safety, Raviex took off and began charging his Sacred Energy.
Sonia thought she could have just fainted out of fury right there and then. “Lorenne… please… help me keep an eye on them. Keep those two stubborn heads alive.” Lorenne hid a small smile at her sister’s frustration but instantly set to work.
“Wing Strike!” commanded Christine as she raced around the Meijin. Feathers snowed on him like a light winter’s snow. He raised a hand from beneath his black cloak coolly and caught a feather on his palm. The feather sizzled with electricity sparks.
Raviex shielded his eyes as pillars of lightning descended upon the enemy in fury. He looked back up, expecting him to be on the ground in agony after the shock of lightning. He could tell Christine was guessing the same thing because he saw her countenance altered when it was revealed that the Meijin had dodged all the lightning successfully.
“Interesting skill…” Kontonaku commented impassively. He held out a palm to reveal a white feather on it. The four of them were momentarily stupefied. “Beautiful… but it lacks power,” he smirked.
“He did not dodge it… He merely took the attack head on…” muttered Sonia under her breath. Yet, how is it possible? Christine’s Wing Strike is not a weak move at all. Could it be… that his level of Sacred Energy surpasses ours thus far, till the extent of shielding himself by manipulating only his own Sacred Energy?
Raviex did not wait for the enemy to take the initiative. Let it be that they were on the aggressive side and not the defensive.
“Blade of the Lion!” he yelled. With a swift slash of Letaikno, faint golden crescents were hurled at the Meijin.
Kontonaku flicked his right hand once idly, as if chasing off a pesky fly. The glowing crescents exploded when they came into contact with him but it was obvious that they had nonetheless, left him unharmed.
“Aqua Dragon Dash!” Raviex yelled again. There’s got to be a way! Letaikno shone an aquamarine this time as ice projectiles were released.
Dark green Sacred Energy swirled around Kontonaku like a gust of wind and deflected every single ice projectiles shot at him without any difficulty.
“Raviex, Christine! Move!” The duo heard Lorenne’s voice and immediately retreated further away from their opponent. As the spell-caster cried out ‘Flare Blast’, a flaming ring formed beneath the feet of the Meijin and almost instantly, the roof of the building within that ring exploded.
Due to the explosion, the entire building shuddered. It was a battled building to begin with and the shock had definitely shaken the last of its core and foundation. Sonia cursed at the miscalculation and quickly ordered the rest to leave the building.
Being the weakest among the four in physical skill, Lorenne panicked for a moment at the chaotic situation. She let out a yelp as she lost her footing when the building began to cave in.
“Lorenne!”
In a reflex action, Lorenne raised up her hand. A hand caught hold of hers and pulled her up, her feet dangling in midair.
“Thanks, Raviex,” she gasped.
“Better thank Keith later again for the Skyglide,” answered Raviex with a grim smile. “Hang on!”
He guided the Skyglide smoothly to the building next to the sunken one where Sonia and Christine were waiting. Lorenne was relieved once her feet were standing on something more solid than air.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know my Flare Blast would cause the building to crash,” apologised Lorenne feebly.
“It’s okay,” assured Raviex, knowing that she should not be blamed for it.
“I wouldn’t mind if that actually buried the Meijin six feet under,” mumbled Sonia, her eyes searching the ruins. Christine had to agree with her. There was something about the Meijin which struck her as unfathomable. His strength was at a different level from theirs.
“Not happening.”
All four of them spun back to see the Meijin whole and unscathed. They were no longer amazed by his ability of surviving the impossible. In fact, they were almost getting used to it; not that it was a fact they would really like to get used to.
Pushed by the sense of inferiority, Christine decided hastily to move for her next attack. But she felt a hand tug her arm, strong and firm.
“Ryn, we have to work as a team,” spoke Raviex, his eyes piercing hers deeply.
Christine snatched her arm away, keeping her silence.
The Meijin chuckled. “I will compliment you on making thus far.”
The party of four stared at him, pondering what he was up to next.
“My name is Kontonaku, a Meijin as my people are called. I have lived longer than one need to. There are those who seek immortality, but that is a goal I have reached ever since the day I was born, a goal I had never chosen to achieve.
I’ve seen enough to feel weary of this earthly world. The greed of man; the hatred of man; the jealousy of man; the sorrow of man… Every soul has a desire, despite its goodness and of course, its wickedness. You judge yourselves as the just and righteous, while I… choose to see myself neither in the Light nor in the Darkness; for I will be free to roam.
My fate has been sealed. Kairos and Chronos have been whispering to me of my end of time. But before that time comes, I will show you your deepest, perhaps darkest, desires. Beware… of what you wish for, Children of the Light. This is my double-edged gift to the four of you.”
Kontonaku’s Sacred Energy eased out of the tips of his fingers like slithering snakes and worked their way towards them. Strange as it was, they offered no attempt to resist. Was it because of his hypnotic ability, or was it due to their personal yearning to know their inner desires, it was difficult to tell.
Soon, they collapsed to the ground and were cocooned by his Sacred Energy, falling into a deep slumber.
“Dreams never lie…” he breathed in the end, a satisfied smile across his wicked face
Where… where am I?
A surprise look flitted across Lorenne’s face.
This is…
“Calith!” she yelled, her heart thumping with desperation and yearning. This was the field which was part of the forests outside
“Calith!” Lorenne called out again. Why did he not appear? He usually would after the first time she called for him. Just as she felt her heart breaking, a soothing, gentle voice spoke to her from behind.
“I’m here, Lorenne, I’ve always been waiting for you.”
She sucked in her breath sharply, tears filling at the brim of her eyes. She closed her eyes, letting the tears roll down her cheeks. She dared not turn to face him. What if it was her mind playing tricks on her again, like so many times before? What if he would disappear the moment she faced him?
“Lorenne… why won’t you look at me?”
The girl cried into her hands aloud. She was at her limit. The torment was too painful. Hopes were given to be crushed. She learned it from her past. She didn’t want to give in anymore. “Ca…lith…” she wept. He abandoned her; there was no way he was now with her, no matter how much she wanted to believe it.
Then, the most unexpected thing happened, instantly stopping her cries. Two comforting and securing arms embraced her from behind and tightened around her small waist. On the grassy plain, she saw her shadow being overlapped by a much taller one. The two strong arms pulled her lightly backwards.
Was this a dream? If it was, she hoped never to wake up from it. If all this were unreal, so be it. Her desire was satisfied. Leaning against his chest, feeling the warmth of his body, hearing his voice… it was all she ever wanted.
Hesitantly, she gradually turned back and looked at him. His amazing looks did not change one bit. Those warm amber eyes, gazing affectionately back, deeply into hers; his long and partially-tied up cerulean hair swayed in the breeze; his very fair complexion; his perfect lips. She smiled dreamily like how any teenage girl would in front of the person she loves. His tall height made his presence ever the more commanding.
“I miss you a lot, Calith,” she breathed.
Calith lowered his head to her ear and whispered, “My thinking of you is not any lesser than yours.”
Why did our love have to be condemned, gods of Light?
He pulled away slightly to look at her, cupping and brushing her cheek with a hand. She was deeply mesmerized by his beautiful eyes, drowning.
“I love you, dearest Lorenne.”
She closed her eyes, contented. His lips covered hers as they began a long and romantic kiss. She laced her arms around his neck for support as he placed a hand on her back, drawing her nearer to him and the other caressing her hair. There was no need to rush their kiss. They savoured it slowly, sweetly and passionately, letting the worth of their love, lost for two years, flow through it.
Kontonaku’s eyes strayed to the cocoon which held Lorenne’s body as a continuous rapid stream of white Sacred Energy escaped her and entered his body.
“The stronger your desire, the faster you will die, maiden.”
After a Lundae loses every drop of his Sacred Energy, he would die due to the depletion of life. This was the incredibility of Kontonaku’s hidden skill.
“Everyone, please welcome Christine Falcon aboard our class for the year,” urged the teacher of a class of nine-year-olds.
“Hi, Christine!” greeted the twenty or so children keenly and friendlily.
Christine walked to the front of the class bashfully at their loud and enthusiastic greeting. “Hi, I’m Christine Falcon, nice to meet all of you.”
“Alright, now who wants to be the first one to make friends with Christine and share a desk with her?” asked the teacher.
The entire class put up their hands, flailing in the air eagerly.
“Oh dear, I’ll be having some trouble choosing one seat for you, Christine,” laughed the teacher. Christine smiled at her words.
This is my desire—to be accepted, to be welcomed, to be cared for by others.
“That is not your deepest desire, little one, dream on… and you will find your one, true desire.”
Yexi stared far away at the direction of the building where the Meijin was concealing himself, a streak of worry across her face. She did not even bother to dodge when another human-sized puppet attempted to assault her. Before it came five metres within her range, Shenjoon’s urn had knocked it astray from her.
The boy sneaked a glance at his wife. Her calm expression could not mask her unease from him. If she was unsettled, he was certain that something was out of hand.
“A little help over here!” shouted Visanté aloud. Apparently, Visanté and Ismael were fending off seven puppets themselves from harming the group of men who stood behind them. There was no chance of survival if the puppets struck the men and currently, two Lundae were their only shield.
“Oh no,” he muttered under his breath, catching himself just in time from swearing.
“Shadow Steps!”
In a blur of grey, Shenjoon dashed with light, hasty steps towards the
The moment he reached the spot, the puppets lunged at them altogether. Without a second’s delay, Shenjoon crashed a fist on the ground.
“Tao-Yang Energy Explosion!”
There was a massive burst of red aura from his body at the command and it swirled around him and the men as though a shifting wall of protection. Shenjoon leapt and disappeared into the red aura. The puppets could not move and felt their feet strapped to the earth as the aura delivered damage on them.
“365 Palms of Cosmic Divinity!”
Giant golden palms materialised in the midst of the fiery red aura, randomly smashing at the puppets, destroying the rotten body in the process. Kyoden watched in awe from a distance. The golden palms gave him the impression of the palms of the gods, vanquishing evil. They hit stunningly fast and in continuous multiple blows.
As the aura faded away, Shenjoon reappeared, crouching over on a knee, exhausted. Kyoden picked up his steps and went over to him.
“Hey, kiddo, you alright?” he asked. His respect for the boy swelled. That was an amazing move and beyond the comprehension of a Lundae. Tao-Yang Energy was a separate type of energy from Sacred Energy. This was Kyoden’s first sighting of a non-Sacred Energy fighter and Shenjoon proved himself to be impressive.
“I…” he mumbled wearily, unable to even speak.
Yexi dived to his side and held him on the shoulder. “Shenjoon, listen to me, you’ll be fine. I’m here. Hang on, please!”
He heard her plea but his eyelids fell involuntarily. Shenjoon’s body slumped onto hers.
“Don’t tell Grandpapa, Yexi…” he breathed before losing all consciousness.
“Shenjoon!” yelled Kyoden.
“Kyoden, go, go to Raviex and the others now. Everything has ended here. The real battle is where the Prince is,” instructed Yexi. Kyoden stared at her blankly for an instant, unable to keep up. Her husband just fainted and she could still maintain such a firm mind?
“Go, now!”
Kyoden was taken aback at her sudden loud voice but gave her a quick smile as he hurried off to the building which she was pointing at.
That is the loyalty of a wife to her husband.
“Rest, Shenjoon, you have played your part well,” Yexi spoke softly into his ear, holding him protectively in her arms.
Raviex lifted his eyes from his bowl of mushroom cream soup in shock to see Queen Seraphina’s face. It was his favourite soup and this was his mother he was looking at but a voice from a distance away in his head told him that these were odd.
“Is there something that is disturbing you, Raviex?” asked Queen Seraphina anxiously. Though the light wrinkles on her face betrayed her age, she was still a beautiful woman.
“No, mother, I’m sorry I made you worry for me,” he replied apologetically and politely. He was speaking but he could barely hear his own voice. It was as though his brain was not registering what was happening fast enough.
“Ah, my son, you may be seventeen but your mother will always worry for you despite your growing age,” the head of the Royal Family, King Levon Katelion, chuckled.
Father…?!
Raviex veered his head to the left immediately in response.
A frown etched between the King’s blue eyes. “Your mother appears to be right. You don’t seem quite yourself today, Raviex.”
“N… no… Father, I…” He simply could not grasp the words to express the utter joy he was experiencing that moment. He averted his sight back at his broth, smiling blissfully.
The royal couple exchanged glances, concerned for their son’s strange behaviour. “Raviex, you don’t have to attend class tomorrow if you’re not feeling well,” said the Queen softly.
The King nodded in agreement. “I’m very pleased with your performance in your academic so far. Your professors have reported nothing less than excellence,” he complimented.
“You are my only son, Raviex… and certainly, my greatest pride.”
Queen Seraphina smiled at the two men whom she loved deeply; one was her beloved husband and the other, her precious son.
Raviex looked up to his father hopefully and cheerfully. “Thank you, Father.”
This is my… family.
“What is lost, is lost. The old have to go in order for the new to enter. Death must come before birth. You must learn to let go, Prince Raviex. Your life no longer belongs in the past because there is those in the present… who need you immensely.”
CHAPTER 29
“With you always… in waking life and sleeping dreams…”
Kontonaku craned his head to the back, sensing the presence of a hidden figure. He smiled with a pang of nostalgia at the familiarity of the Sacred Energy, reminding him dearly of his clan. Just when he thought he would be the last of his kind, he had discovered a successor.
“Piercing Strife!”
Surprised, the Meijin snapped his head skyward to see metallic arrows raining down at him head on; the numbers of arrows uncountable.
A distraction?!
Barring his teeth, Kontonaku knew it was not a killing move but a move to force him to release the sleeping four from his grip.
Yet, almost instantly, he recovered his poised self. He smirked under the glare of the speeding arrows as his Sacred Energy seeped through his skin to form the strong barrier which had shielded him so many times previously.
The arrows struck on the dark green Sacred Energy which spun around the targeted one but could only fall on the ground harmlessly and noisily after that.
“Oh my, that really caught me by surprise,” Kontonaku chuckled. The streams of Sacred Energy between him and the four continued their one-way flow. The Sacred Energy which flowed out of their cocooned bodies never returned.
A loud whizzing sound caught the Meijin’s ear.
What?!
Kontonaku cursed under his breath as he was really compelled this time to budge from his position. The streams of Sacred Energy connected to him thinned dangerously into threads, threatening to split, when he moved. He did not expect the last arrow of Piercing Strife which was delayed slightly from the other arrows.
The last arrow was longer in length and larger in size compared to a normal arrow. It was not metallic as well but a golden arrow. The Meijin retreated in the nick of time before the arrow nailed him. He had lived for a long time but had never seen such an incredulous move. Who would have thought an archer would be capable of firing an arrow the size of a man?
A brief movement flashed past his eyes.
“Hi!”
The Haikenese grinned and shot a punch at the Meijin from his back. Unprepared, he held up his cloaked arm to block the blow, breaking the threads of Sacred Energy from his fingers.
“You…”
“Ah, yes, me, Kyoden Kaneshiro in the flesh. Handsome, dashing, strong and courageous, thank you.”
His beetle-like eyes narrowed into thin slits. “When did you see through my weak spot?”
“Hey, you and I are from the same homeland, the south end of the Yingfeng Continent. I know all about you from the stories my grandparents used to tell me. I just happen to know you’re weaker in physical combat but I must compliment you on blocking Christine’s Wing Strike,” said Kyoden offhandedly, as though talking to an old friendly rival.
“You were here since then?”
Impossible, how could he avoid my detecting him?
“Nah, Yexi told me what she heard. She was worried for our friends so she sent me here. You were fine after Wing Strike, leading her to conclude that your strength comes from sorcery skill and not physical skill. When one is absurdly strong in sorcery skill, it is most likely that his physical skill would be of the opposite,” he replied confidently.
Kontonaku grunted. “The Yamist of Inspiration, indeed. Impressive, but as you can see, your friends are still… asleep and I must warn you, if you cannot free them soon, they will sleep on… forever.”
Kyoden scowled at his caution. The Meijin had resumed extracting Sacred Energy from his comrades. He succeeded once in pressuring him into releasing them; he knew he could do it again. The main problem was he could not lead them to safety and fight him off simultaneously.
“Finally, you have decided to face me.”
“What?” the other blurted.
His earrings tinkled as he half-turned his body to the right, revealing to Kyoden, a small figure who was hidden behind him.
“I apologise for my intrusion, but my master wishes for me to preserve the Meijin under live captivity to be presented to him.”
Kyoden’s throat tightened. Whose side was he on? His one-sentence-statement was more than enough to portray his level of confidence in his task of capturing the almost invulnerable Puppeteer alive.
The Meijin completely ignored the Haikenese; his existence wiped off from his sight. His eyes were both fixed on the dark-purple haired youth.
“Who is your master?” questioned Kontonaku.
“The First General of the Valkyr Empire, Lazachus Valkyr,” answered the boy with an unmistakable touch of pride. Kyoden, who was listening to the conversation attentively, shot a glare at him. If he was connected to the Empire and if, by any chance, he knew that the Prince was here, too, Kyoden deduced that the Empire had located their whereabouts. Inevitably, Raviex was in danger.
“You… who are you?” The Meijin questioned again.
What is it with people and asking me that question, thought Shajou, frustrated. “I am Shajou, First General Lazachus’ sole disciple,” he grunted. “Our conversation will end here. I can’t have Master Lazachus waiting for me a while too long.”
Kyoden’s crossbow melted away to a wrist protector as his mind wheeled. But what does Lazachus Valkyr want to do with a Meijin? He crouched low and made his way to the nearest dark-green cocoon. It was an opportunity indirectly provided to rescue his friends and he was not going to waste it.
Receiving a mind-linked command from its owner, the titanium wrist protector transformed itself into a dagger. Hurriedly, Kyoden set off to work, slicing away at the thick-layered cocoon to free the host within.
From the corner of his eyes, Shajou saw what Kyoden was attempting but decided not to comment about it. It was not part of his business. My mission is to capture the Meijin.
“Release your influence over them,” said Shajou, referring to the cocoons.
Kontonaku’s coal-black eyes flashed. “I wonder if you are here simply to obey your master’s order, Shajou, because it appears to me as though… you are assisting these people. Tell me, are they your companions?”
Shajou sneered at him, “Do not relate me with them. I am only warning you beforehand that you will have no time to play with them if you wish to defend your freedom.”
A wind swirled on the roof of the taller building next to the one they were standing on. The amber-eyed one called Calith watched the scene in the shadows. Is that really the case, Shajou, that you did it out of personal purpose?
“Then, prove to me you are worth my entire attention to fight you,” taunted the Meijin, chuckling.
“’Thought you’d never ask.”
“Master, Master, please I beg you! I can’t leave this place. I have nowhere else to go!” pleaded Sonia, kneeling and crying before her master’s feet.
Master walked past her frigidly with a swish of his ancient cloak, not even sparing a glance at her. His silence was breaking her spirit, leaving not any hope for her.
She reached out her trembling hands and tugged at the hem of his cloak desperately. “Master…!”
He snatched his cloak away harshly from her grasp and sneered, “Leave, Sonia Fierell, you are no longer fit to remain by my side!”
Sonia’s hands fell to the ground limply as her eyes went unfocused. She felt her self shook, unable to accept the outcome.
“Master!” she moaned in despair. The door of the room swung shut at her despite her pitiful cries.
“Master!”
“Sonia, snap out of it!”
The familiar voice brought her back to her senses. Her stiffened and cringing body relaxed instantaneously. Sonia drew in deep breaths, letting her eyes to flutter open.
“Kaneshiro,” she gasped hoarsely.
Kyoden watched her sympathetically. She seemed to be in a shocked and frightened state. He had never seen her so weak and helpless. Her face was stained with tears.
“It’s okay now. It’s only a dream,” he comforted her, offering a hand to pull her out of the cocoon. Bright green sludge was all over their clothes. Beneath the outer layer of the cocoon was a layer of sludge which drowned the host, keeping them unconscious. She sat up quietly and continuously assured herself that it was only an illusion.
I won’t fail…
“A dream, Sonia, it’s all a dream.”
“Thanks, Kaneshiro,” she said, appreciating the warm hug he was giving her. In times of weakness, a companion’s support is all one need to gather one’s strength to stand up again.
“Alright, come on, we still have to free your sister, Christine and Raviex,” prodded Kyoden. He briefed her quickly regarding the situation they were currently in as they came to the next cocoon. When he spoke about Shajou, she gave him the same troubled eyes he had cast just now.
Sonia’s blade, formed from her retractable spear, cut through the cocoon they were working on precisely, spilling more green sludge on their hands and onto the ground. “Whatever it is, we have to get everyone out of these cocoons A.S.A.P. I’m guessing the Meijin absorbs the hosts’ Sacred Energy via the cocoons considering how powerless I feel now,” said Sonia grimly.
Both of them retracted their small blades when the last layer of the cocoon tore away and the last of the disgusting slime gushed out, revealing a huddled female figure.
“Lorenne!” yelped Sonia, hurriedly using her hand to push away the remaining shell of the cocoon from her sister.
“Lorenne, wake up!” she yelled again, jerking her sister roughly on the shoulders. She looked at Kyoden, concerned. Lorenne did not respond whatsoever to her yelling. They could hear a string of unclear words mumbled through her lips but could not interpret it.
Then, it dawned on her. “She must be trapped in her nightmare!” she exclaimed. Kyoden stared at her, perplexed. It was natural he did not understand but she was unable to refrain herself from explaining with a tone of irritation.
She added, “When I was in the cocoon, I first experienced a perfect dream, as though conjured from extracts of my soul’s desire, where my greatest desire is granted but it later turned into my worst nightmare where everything was just… distorted and hopeless.”
Sonia still felt a chill trickling down her spine as she relived the last part of her dream. She was quick to assume that it was due to the disruption of the flow of Sacred Energy to the Meijin caused by Kyoden when he ambushed him.
“‘If you cannot free them soon, they will sleep on forever’,” gasped Kyoden, “that’s what the Meijin said.”
Sonia cursed mercilessly. She raised a hand and the other gaped as she slapped Lorenne on the cheek. “Enough, Lorenne, you will wake up now!” she growled. There were signs that she was struggling but seeing that she had not completely awoken, Sonia landed her palm hard on her cheek again.
“What are you doing, Sonia?! She’s your sister!” shouted Kyoden in incredulity.
“Because she is my sister, I can’t allow her to die in her sleep like this!” Sonia snapped back, furious and anxious altogether.
Kyoden’s head drooped in comprehension. He got up. “You’ll wake her up, right?”
“I don’t need you to tell me that,” she said curtly. She’s my only sister. “You hurry off to the Prince and Christine now before it’s too late.”
“Devil’s Inferno!”
Shajou swiped at the air with his left hand. The gemstones on his fighting gloves shone a crimson glow as a wall of fire conjured and shot towards the Meijin.
“Pointless effort,” drawled Kontonaku. He idly released his Sacred Energy to form a shield before him to counter the fire wall. A small explosion occurred when Shajou’s fire wall clashed with the Meijin’s shield.
“Where are you looking?”
Shajou emerged from the smokes behind him, smirking. The Meijin’s eyes dilated, seeing what was coming.
“Boo.”
For the next ten seconds, Shajou’s fist flashed all around Kontonaku endlessly. The vicious move coerced him to once again break off the flow of Sacred Energy from the cocoons.
Kontonaku spat blood roughly onto the ground and rubbed the edge of his lips with his forehand. “Not bad,” he commended.
“I seem to notice that you have released them from your skill,” goaded Shajou, jerking his head towards Kyoden’s direction.
“Hmph! Looks like I have to acknowledge your strength after all. But let me tell you, I have not used the whole of my power,” told the Meijin.
“I’m very glad to know that,” he quipped, “because there’s more from where that came from!”
“Father,” Raviex uttered abruptly to interrupt the practice session, relaxing his grip on the legendary sword.
“Don’t let your guard down, son,” said King Levon, the tip of his sword still pointing at the Prince.
Raviex smiled. It was a satisfied but remorseful smile.
“Thank you for this reunion, Father, even though this isn’t real.”
“What are you saying, Raviex? We are here, together!” convinced the King.
With his eyes on Letaikno, he sighed. “If this is real, if you are indeed here with me, Letaikno should be in your hands, not mine.” The truth was painful but stating it out aloud… the hurt inside him ran deeper. He was losing his father all over again. He thought he had recovered. He was wrong, having to understand that he was wearing a mask the whole time to face the world.
The King retracted his attacking pose gradually, realising that his son meant what he had said. He sighed, and spoke heavily, “We never did say our farewell properly, did we, Raviex?”
Raviex lifted his eyes to look at the older man.
“It was unfair for us, father and son and of course, your mother too,” he began, sheathing his sword. The spacious room which was used by them for their sword-fighting practice vanished; replaced with a snowy white vacant space.
“No more regrets, my son. You have accepted my death, Raviex. When you miss us, think about your mother and I who are watching over you in Amaea. A long journey awaits you. Thus, you must move on,” continued King Levon. He placed a hand on the seventeen-year-old’s shoulder.
“I will, Father,” he pledged.
“You will be my heir, a great king, the one king of our ancestors’ Kingdom.”
“Raviex!”
Raviex opened his eyes, his pupils wandered about as they gained focus to take in the surroundings. But it was impossible as Kyoden’s face loomed above his, blocking his sight.
“Kyoden, for Calith’s sake, get off me!” he complained, hoisting himself out of the dreadful and nauseating cocoon.
“That’s amazing!” spluttered Kyoden, standing to his full height. “Lorenne was… she couldn’t… but you…”
The Prince wiped some of the green substance off his neck, sickened. “What are you doing here? Is everyone alright?”
“Umm… to answer your first question, Yexi sent me here. Long story, that one,” the Haikenese added when he gave him a queer look. “And for your second question, I’ve freed Sonia and Sonia was able to revive Lorenne after that boy pushed the Meijin into his full battle mode.”
“What boy?”
Kyoden pointed at a direction. He followed his finger and saw two blur figures battling outrageously on the roof of a building a block away.
“What about Ryn? Where is she?”
“Well… the Fierell sisters are with her now but she doesn’t seem to be waking up any moment soon,” he answered with a helpless shrug.
Raviex glanced around and saw the girls a few yards away to his right. Wordlessly, he joined the sisters; his countenance deeply troubled.
“Lorenne, tell me the way to get Ryn back,” he spoke sharply.
The girl was baffled. “But I… I don’t know how…”
“Yes, you do!” snapped Raviex stubbornly, his hand touching Christine’s pale cheek. There was warmth, barely. They did not have the luxury of taking their time anymore. If nothing was done, they were bound to lose her.
Lorenne looked at Sonia feebly and shook her head once. Her books did not tell of a solution to a situation such as this one before her. Jerusyn, too, did not show her anything through divine visions.
“I know a way,” said Kyoden suddenly. He had his hand rubbing his chin while he stared ahead as though remembering a different scene or memory. “What…?” he blurted after he felt three pairs of eyes glaring at him piercingly.
He let out a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of his hard awkwardly. “But it’s supposed to be only a legend passed down from the Haikenese.”
“Before we met the Meijin, we thought he was only a legend too. Now hurry up and spill it!” growled Sonia edgily. Raviex was only half a step behind from doing the same.
“Alright, alright! Some people just have to be so pushy!” grumbled Kyoden, crossing his long arms. “It’s not going to be easy, you know. It’s not the Meijin who’s making things hard but it’s actually Christine herself.”
“Explain!” demanded Raviex. No one could blame him for his frustration and apprehension.
“Look, you, Lorenne and Sonia could free yourself from the Meijin’s dreams because you guys wanted out. I mean, Lorenne took the longest among you three but in the end she escaped. Either you discovered the dream to be a hoax or you just wanted to exit the dream, it makes it possible to bring you back to reality. But in Christine’s case… it’s like… she chooses voluntarily to dream. For all we know, her overpowering desire could have sustained her sweet dream, entrapping her,” the Haikenese clarified the circumstance.
“Fine, then, I need to know the way to make it possible to rescue her as well!” demanded the Prince.
“I can’t remember clearly, for Kaisen’s sake! I thought this was some lame story my grandfather made up!” he whined, trying to recollect his smudged memories. Sonia wondered if she should stand between Raviex and Kyoden for the latter’s safety.
“Raviex, please, give some space for Kyoden to breathe,” advised Lorenne timidly.
Hearing her small voice, he took a step back from him and inhaled deeply to cool his temper. The tension loosened by a little between the four.
“I got it!” yelped Kyoden. “It sounds almost absurd though… The only way to help Christine is to enter her mind and persuade her to wake up.”
“That’s a sorcery skill called Mind Exorcism,” Lorenne cut in. “It won’t be easy. We need the medium in order to send someone into her mind.”
“Do not tell me the medium is the Meijin himself,” muttered Sonia.
“I’m sorry but that’s right,” she grimaced.
“So all I need to do is to lead the Meijin here and you can send me into Ryn’s mind?” asked Raviex.
Lorenne fidgeted. “It’s not that simple. He must be kept still while I open a window in his mind so that you can go through it to enter Christine’s mind.”
“This is confusing,” mumbled Kyoden.
“And… I can’t guarantee success because I’ve… never perform that spell in the past. I’ve only studied it theoretically,” she said honestly with a tinge of embarrassment.
“Let me do it,” proposed Sonia calmly. “We can’t just watch Christine die but we can’t risk the life of the Kingdom’s only heir. So, I’ll do it.”
“Why can’t I do it?” questioned Kyoden innocently.
“Don’t bicker with me now, Kaneshiro.”
Out of the blue, an unfamiliar voice shouted over their heads from above. “Would you dithering people just decide on it already?! Do you want to save your friend or not?!”
The four simultaneously looked skywards. It was the young boy. He was leading the Meijin towards their direction. Falling from the sky rapidly, he landed before them like a phantom thief. Kontonaku was right on his tail.
“I’ll do it, Lorenne!” spoke Raviex with a tone of finality. The urgent situation did not spare them anymore time anyway to debate any further.
She understood his wish wholly, thus, she said coolly, “Kyoden, Sonia, back me up.”
Lorenne shut her eyes and began to envision the contents of the book which taught her Mind Exorcism. There were times when she was forced to perform sorcery after the first time studying it for her examinations with her Master. Inevitably, failures existed, though success was the majority. She could only pray this it would be one of those successful attempts.
“Holy Light!” she commanded before she commenced on the awaited spell. A bright, blinding light shone at the Meijin. He screeched and groped at his eyes as he momentarily lost sight.
Knowing her aim, Sonia yelled, “Defiant Frost!”
Instantaneously, Kontonaku was wrapped with solid crystals, forming a large ice sculpture, frozen in place.
“Wrath of Odin!”
Kyoden fired a lightning-based arrow into the sky. In a split second, it exploded, causing a rain of lightning-based arrows to shower down at the ice sculpture. A number of them struck deep into it while others hit the ground. Shortly, lightning sizzled through every single of those arrows. The ice, which was originally of water element, amplified the damage caused by the lightning.
Meanwhile, Lorenne was already attending to the spell for Mind Exorcism. She chanted words from an ancient tongue feverishly with both her hands twirling her staff before her.
A heart-stopping crack was heard.
“This is one hell of a Meijin,” spat Sonia. He had taken direct hits but was recovering so soon. She was convinced that he would be freed before her sister could pull it off. In the worst case scenario, they might have to seize him at the arms and ridiculously hope to sustain him.
The twirling of Lorenne’s staff ceased suddenly. It was a sign that the spell was ready. Raviex, who stood by her all these while, readied himself. Without warning, she took a step back and thrust her staff at him from behind.
Raviex’s eyes widened, but there was no pain, only numbness. His vision blurred and felt himself drifted away from his flesh. His body crashed to the ground, lifeless.
Lorenne leaped for the Meijin the same time he broke away from the ice. Realising what they were up to, he resorted to escape. Unfortunately for him, the unknown boy caught him with a powerful slash on his shoulder before he could do so. The moment her staff connected to his forehead, he knew he was defeated.
For the last part of the spell, she came before Christine’s body. Lorenne held the staff high up in the air and hammered it down right onto her left chest where the heart was. Her remaining companions and the stranger watched in horror at her brutal action.
Stunningly, as soon as the magical instrument came in contact with her, there was a burst of sparkling green and blue light.
I’ve done my part, Raviex. It’s all up to you now.
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