by Ian Carter
"If I had to wager, I think it somehow... knew that it was to help you," Liliana guessed. "You would have to ask His Highness for the answer to that. What did your father tell you exactly about Initiation?"
"He said it could amplify a Stone's power, but not past the level of a Silver Blade," Kai answered meekly. "He also said he used some of my blood in the forging process.
"I see. Regarding your increased attack strength, you either have a vast capacity to channel mana, or your father wasn't completely truthful about Initiation's true power. You won't have much trouble dealing with any singular threat either way. My guess as to why I was able to use Initiation..."
Liliana took Initiation and held it up against Mason's body.
"Heal." Everyone held their breath as they watched the Heal Stone not activate.
"Well, Your Highness, it seems your Blade reacts to your blood, or maybe your skin. Keep in mind that it is only a guess. The evidence seems to support my hypothesis, however."
"Thank you. Having a hint about Initiation puts my mind at ease a little," Kai replied with a smile.
"Elder Liliana, you used Initiation to heal Prince Kai," Mason began. "You've used both the same Stone in Initiation and a Silver Blade. Can you quantify the increase in power?"
"Hmm. I only noticed a small improvement over my Silver Blade concerning my healing," Liliana started. "But there is too much we don't know. However, I do suspect that in Prince Kai's hands, it increases several factors of strength. This is just my hypothesis, so take it for what it is. No-one here knows how His Highness made the Blade, or how it's intended to be used."
"Can't we perform some experiments? It shouldn't be too hard to test out some theories," Hayleigh mused.
"We do not know if there are any conditions to be met to increase Initiation's power. For all we know, it could be that it only increases to maximum power when Kai's life is in danger. Besides, Kai is in no position to take part in experimentation right now. By the time he recovers to a suitable point, your team would be best to carry onward on your mission to Stura."
"Speaking of, how long until Prince Kai can travel?" Hayleigh asked. "The longer we wait, the worse the situation out there is going to get."
"Tricky," Liliana pondered. "I imagine it will take at least a half-dozen more treatments, so perhaps two days. Rest is also key, so I would recommend stimulation be kept to a minimum to allow him to sleep as much as possible between treatments. Say your goodbyes, and we can discuss things outside his room."
Everyone in the room let their gaze rest upon Kai's face, which caused him a small degree of embarrassment. His face went flush as Elder Liliana, Mason, and finally, Hayleigh said their good wishes and left. As Kai watched Hayleigh leave the room, a familiar sculpted arm and unfamiliar short dirty blond hair reached into the room to close the door.
"I'm relieved to hear you will be fine, Your Highness," Hayden remarked.
"I'm relieved that you seem to be in high spirits yourself, Hayden."
"I had no choice. I couldn't disgrace my prince by dying under his direct command." The sentence caused Kai to have a small laugh that was promptly cut short by pain.
"You're a good man, Hayden. I am proud to have had you serve under my watch, if only for a few minutes. I am truly sorry for the loss of your companions William and Beckett."
"I will treasure those minutes with the remaining time of my life, Your Highness. I am sure it was the greatest honor those two held in their lives as well." With a deep bow, Hayden closed the door to allow Kai to rest.
◆◆◆
Kai opened the door and walked out of the Karsdal clinic into the first sunshine he had seen in almost a week. He immediately winced and placed his hand above his eyes to shield them from the blinding rays; however, he couldn't keep the stench of pigs from his nose. He allowed his eyes a few moments to adjust before he turned to Hayden, who had volunteered to be a guide for the remaining time Kai's group remained in the city. Hayden had offered to show the group around Karsdal, and the group had readily agreed. With a brisk nod, the group climbed aboard their horses and casually sauntered off towards the north of the city.
They travelled through a city in full rebuild mode. All of the City Guards had equipped their standard-issue Levitation Stones and joined the rebuild. Most were helping to ferry new wood beams, building stones, and other supplies to their destinations while some directed the workers. The bustle and noise of the scene before him was entirely unlike his arrival to the city. Not only were the citizens taking time to wave and smile, but Kai was also amazed to see they had already fixed all of the buildings that were slightly damaged. The city now focused on the medium to substantially damaged buildings.
"You guys sure do work fast," Kai remarked to Hayden. "It's amazing what the citizens of Orilia can do when they unite for a common purpose."
"We pride ourselves especially for our work ethic here," Hayden boasted, his smile dazzling. "Prince Kai, I would love it if you would keep this image of Karsdal in your memories instead of the regrettable indifference you first received. We owe you much, and we are eternally grateful."
"I will have no problem with that request."
"We should get moving Your Highness, time is of the essence to get to Stura to deal with Terrell Braga," Mason reminded him.
"I would like to speak to those who are rebuilding first and give them my thanks. Hayden, can you summon everyone over for a quick moment?"
"Of course, Prince Kai. Let's go to the outpost, and we can call everyone from there." Hayden and Kai began to ride off to the outpost as Hayleigh pulled up beside Mason's horse.
"It's scaring me," Hayleigh blurted out.
"What's so scary?"
"Just how quickly he's turning himself into a real prince." Hayleigh and Mason both stared at the back of Kai and Hayden as the men laughed on their horses.
"That fight may just have been the best thing that could have happened to him in regards to his maturity," Mason stated as Hayleigh and Mason set off to follow.
"Well, aside from all the people who died, obviously," Hayleigh teased.
"As inappropriate as that joke was, I hope that you'll keep teasing Kai in the future. I don't know how much of it I'll be able to take in his place," Mason chuckled before delivering a deep sigh.
"Oh, don't worry, he'll get his fair share," Hayleigh confirmed. "But Mason, you should feel lucky that such a young, beautiful woman would tease an old man like you."
"Ha, yes, I would be thrilled," Mason said with a smirk. "Just point me in the direction of someone young and beautiful, and I will be more than receptive to their verbal jousts." Hayleigh puffed out her cheeks in frustration as Mason gave a hearty laugh and returned his gaze to Kai. "He will become a good, just king one day."
"One day he will. He has a way to go. When that day comes, I think we'll be proud to be his subjects." Mason and Hayleigh each smiled to themselves before they each caught the expression the other was wearing and pointed at each other and broke into laughter once more.
"I think we just became his official fan club members," Hayleigh admitted.
"Even better, we're his friends. Who knows, if you play your cards right Hayleigh, you might even be able to be more than that."
"And by what do you mean by that comment?" Hayleigh threw her gaze like daggers at Mason and landed a critical hit.
"N... nothing, let's go."
◆◆◆
The sun stood at the height of the sky without a cloud in sight. A gentle breeze accompanied the scene and rolled across the skin of everyone in the party. Kai stared out across the dispersed mounds of freshly dug dirt across the field in front of him. Innumerable crosses stood erected at the head of each grave.
Many citizens walked the rows with flowers in hand to deliver to their loved ones. Kai made a point to look at each person among the rows and inscribe their emotions onto his heart.
"So many of my people never got to see this beautiful day. All because of some giant
that descended upon their city. There truly is no justice. They did nothing to deserve this," Kai reflected.
"Prince Kai, look at all the people who have come to say goodbye to their loved ones," Hayleigh comforted Kai. "The only reason they aren't buried in front of us is because of your heroics."
"No, you all did much more than I did. Besides, if I had devised a better plan at the start, William, Becket, and many more would still be here."
"That is being unfair to yourself," Hayleigh countered. "If we hadn't been here at all, the destruction would have been worse. There's no guarantee that anyone else would have been able to deal that killing blow, even with the Lightning Stone. I had over an hour to do it, but I failed as well. If anything, these people's lives fall upon my shoulders, not yours..." Hayleigh trailed off as she stared out across the graves just like Kai had done seconds earlier. Kai quickly obstructed the view as he walked in front of her and hugged her. Hayleigh stood there in stunned silence, which made Kai hold her tighter.
"You did absolutely everything I could have ever asked or expected from you, Hayleigh. You were amazing, and everyone who knows what you did agrees. I am proud of you for what you did for Karsdal, and the only thing you should be feeling is everyone's appreciation. Nothing else."
"You idiot," Hayleigh said as she embraced him back. "I should be saying that to you. You killed the giant and also came up with the plan for saving everyone. You have no experience, and you still charged in there without regard for your own life. You put yourself on the line even when we told you not to. You did what you thought you needed to do for your people, and there is nothing more princely than that."
The two stood embraced in silence for a few seconds before Hayden cleared his throat with embarrassment written across his face. Kai and Hayleigh quickly separated and began to share the same expression as Hayden before and separated as Mason chuckled at the situation. He slyly winked at Hayleigh, whose face flush with scarlet.
"Well said, Hayleigh," a familiar voice rang out. The group turned to see Liliana approach them from behind. "You did an enviable job, Your Highness, considering your lack of experience. You should rightly be commended for your fantastic efforts."
"I wouldn't go that far, elder. Everyone did their part. Oh, right," Kai stopped and reached into his pocket. His hand emerged with the Lightning Stone and held it out to Liliana. "Thank you for letting me borrow this. You will need this back to help defend the city."
"You are humble to a fault, Your Highness. Some things can only be done by you, so go forward. Realize what those opportunities are and seize them. That amazing Blade of yours will guide your hand, along with your companions. But likewise, there are only things I can do, and they involve me being here. What I can do is give you that Lightning Stone. It is obvious that my time for using it has passed, and yours has only just begun."
"Are ... are you sure, elder? This Stone is incredibly powerful and fairly uncommon. If you don't want it anymore, you could sell it and easily fund a fair chunk of the reconstruction efforts."
"No, no, we will be fine here, Your Highness. We're a resourceful bunch, and all the trees the giant ripped and tore from the ground in his rampage will be the first lumber we use. Just ensure that when you are victorious in your quest to bring Terrell Braga to justice, you acknowledge the role Karsdal played in your journey."
"Of course, I would never dream of anything else. As a token of thanks for the Stone, I will ask that you dispatch a City Guard back to the Capital. I will ensure that the royal family will deliver the fair market price of the Stone to you to help with the cost of reconstruction. Kindness must beget further kindness. I formally thank you for the Stone, Elder Liliana."
"Oh, you don't need to do anything formal, Your Highness. I am more than happy to serve my kingdom at every opportunity. But in the realm of good news, I can tell you that each resident of Karsdal has changed their mind about you and your father. You will receive the full support of our city, especially when you take over from His Highness. We owe you a debt that can barely be repaid."
"Then I will not be afraid to utilize repayment of that debt in the future if required. Thank you."
Mason turned his attention to behind Kai and placed his hand on the hilt of his Gold Blade. Confused, Kai stared until he felt a small tug on his sleeve collar. He looked down to see a little girl around the age of four or five staring with a massive smile on her face. Kai knelt and took her hand in his own.
"Are you a prince?" The little girl's high-pitched voice made Kai melt. He instantly fell in love.
"I am! Who might you be?"
"I'm Layla. Who are you?" The question prompted snickers from Hayleigh and Mason while the girl's guardian looked mortified as he approached the group.
"My name is Kai Orilia. You're quite the fearless girl for coming up to me, Layla."
"Your girlfriend?" Layla pointed at Hayleigh. "She's pretty as a princess. I like her hair." Hayleigh clasped her hands over her mouth and let out a small sequel as she knelt beside Kai and took Layla's other hand.
"You are such a wonderful girl, Layla, and you have excellent taste," Hayleigh giggled. "Unfortunately, I'm not a princess. I'm his escort."
"I don't like that. You should be a princess," Layla deadpanned. Mason put his hand to his chin in an attempt to hide the dumb grin scrawled on his face.
"You'd have to ask him, Layla, it's up to him to pick who gets to be a princess." Hayleigh slyly looked at Kai's face. His cheeks started to burn from the blood being pumped into his face as he attempted to not look in Hayleigh's direction.
"Make her a princess!"
"Layla! You can't say things like that!" the man with her exclaimed. "I am so sorry, Your Highness. To your companions as well. I can't apologize enough!"
"It is quite okay. Layla is a courageous and straightforward girl. I can already say she will be a powerful woman one day." Kai looked up at the man accompanying her. "Are you her father?"
"No, Your Highness. I'm her uncle. The giant killed both of her parents, so my wife and I have taken her in." Kai froze at the news and re-evaluated the girl's face. Her emotion didn't change a smidgen at her uncle's words. Her careful and almost blank stare still focused on Hayleigh's head of auburn hair with a huge smile. His heart sank at the thought this beautiful, bold girl would need to live without her parents. He gripped her hand tight and looked into her eyes.
"You're going to be a good girl for your uncle and aunt, right?"
"Mama and papa will be back so yep. Uncle is fun!"
Kai could feel his eyes begin to moisten in response to her demeanour. She was such a funny, beautiful girl that was going to have a difficult time going forward. His mind flashed back to the scene at the coliseum, with bombs falling around him. The vision of dead bodies all around him flooded his mind. 'How did the families of the people killed in the attack feel? Was it similar to this?' Hayleigh had just lost Josiah; she must have felt this same way. Guilt began to creep into his mind as the realizations came to him until a sweet and high-pitched voice filled his ears.
"Thank you!"
Kai snapped back to reality and focused on Layla, who stood before him. She took her hands back from Hayleigh and Kai's clutches and tossed her arms around Kai and leaned in close to his ear.
"Thank you for making it leave. I feel safe again."
Kai began to cry as he placed his arms around the girl and leaned his face into her shoulder. Layla's words were magic to his ears. Her simple thank you fought away all the confusion and pain that he had housed in his head. At this moment, Layla's thank you was the only thing that mattered to him. Kai separated from Layla but brushed aside the hair that covered her face.
"I need to go now, Layla. You be a good girl for your uncle and aunt, and I'll do my part and keep you safe. Is that a deal?"
"Yep ... Take care of Princess and your grandpa."
With that, Layla's uncle took her hand and led her away from the field. He stood up alongside Hayleigh with a n
ew purpose in his soul. He had to protect her and every other person in his kingdom who had lost someone and to prevent others from losing someone they loved. Conviction filled his heart as he turned to Hayleigh and then to Mason, giving each of them a purposeful nod.
"Shall we get going then, grandpa?" Both Kai and Hayleigh burst into hysterical laughter as Liliana chuckled to herself. Mason gave an enormous eye roll before he slapped Kai on the shoulder to direct him to get moving.
◆◆◆
Kai began to place the rations obtained by Hayleigh and Mason into the back of their carriage as the horses impatiently brushed their hooves against the dirt, eager to start. Mason and Hayleigh quietly chatted on the driver's bench as Kai performed the required hard labor.
"I could use some help, you two," Kai asked, clearly annoyed at his misfortune.
