by Katie Pottle
Sun nodded and opened her wings. “Good luck,” she said before taking off.
“Can you lead me to this Kevin?”
“Of course. I’m sad you can’t stay to watch us compete.”
“Yes, how are you doing?”
“Good so far. Well, except during our first battle, my gins were not responding to me.”
“Hmm,” Master Emilio said, rubbing his bearded chin. “Did you have control of your gin-blade at the time?”
Cadin’s shoulders dropped. “No. Another boy picked it up and started attacking me with it.”
“My guess is, that is the reason for your gins not being responsive. They are fickle items, as I explained when we first started training together.”
“What can I do about it?” Cadin asked as they hiked over the cloud-bumps.
“Start be re-connecting with each gin. Practice with them. And do not lose control or possession of your gin-blade again.”
Cadin nodded, thinking it over.
Master Emilio nodded while they walked. “Why are you suppressing your Aura here?”
Cadin took a breath. “It is easier than answering questions and enduring stares from everyone in town.”
“But you release it when you compete, correct?”
“I…uh…well…I actually don’t remember.” Cadin felt ridiculous for not knowing the answer.
Master Emilio stopped walking and turned to Cadin. “I feel you have gotten too complacent with suppressing your Aura. It is my fault as much as yours. I have never trained anyone to suppress their Aura before, and I did not anticipate the downfalls accurately enough. After you activated your Aura in the Cavern of Aristue last year, you should not be suppressing it constantly. Didn’t you say it drained you to do so?”
“Yeah it did—it does, I guess. I just like the feeling of being normal. Plus, I just feel safer. When I walk through town with a mixed color Aura and people stare at me, I remember back to being kidnapped for it.”
“And yet, ironically, you would now have less chance of being abducted again if you allowed your true Aura to shine through.”
“How so? I mean I can release my mixed Aura at any time to utilize that extra strength.”
“Your mixed Aura is not only allowing you extra strength, Cadin. There are many attributes you are better at—have an innate advantage with—when you are actively expressing your full Aura. You are training, tuning and advancing those abilities when your mixed Aura is being fully expressed. When any part is suppressed, so too are those abilities that were being tuned passively. You are truncating your natural potential.”
“Well then why did you teach me to do this in the first place if it was so bad for me?” Cadin kicked a lose stone by his foot that Gur promptly chased.
“At the time, until we figured out what the Tlalocs true intensions were for you, it was safer. Allow yourself to be you, young Cadin. You are quite safe here on Condor for the time being. I assure you that the Tlalocs are consumed elsewhere.”
“And are you going to elsewhere?”
Master Emilio exhaled deeply. They had started walking again and the Condor Palace was rising in front of them. “If my search takes me to the Tlalocs, then yes.”
“You could die confronting the Tlalocs without the Core there to support you.”
“Some things are worth dying for.”
Cadin was about to respond when Kevin emerged from behind the construction tent, sandwich in one hand and prints in the other. He froze and turned towards them. His eyes focused on Master Emilio and he took a step back.
Master Emilio strode forward with his hands in the air. “It has been a long time, Arith.”
Kevin’s mouth fell open and he nearly dropped his sandwich. “You! I swear I have not broken my probation!”
“And I swear I am not here to inquire about such. I just need some help from you.”
Kevin’s foot lifted and his eyes darted back and forth.
Master Emilio stepped back next to Cadin and put a hand on his shoulder. “I hear you have been teaching my apprentice the fine art of weaving.”
Kevin’s eyes drifted to Cadin, as if only now realizing he was there. They narrowed as if to imply that Cadin had sold him out. “He will make a good weaver if he ever chooses that path.” Kevin chanced a glance back at Master Emilio. “However, if the boy is involved with you, I doubt his future will hold easy choices.”
Master Emilio patted Cadin’s shoulders. “A truer statement than you could possibly know. Cadin, now would be a good time to be yourself.”
Cadin turned to Master Emilio, perplexed for a moment. “Oh, what we talked about earlier?”
Master Emilio nodded.
Kevin stepped back as if expecting Cadin to transform into a crazed wrath. When Cadin shivered, and let his mixed Aura shine through, Kevin’s expression was even more horrified than when he expected a beast.
“No—he will certainly be targeted!” Kevin sputtered and took another step back.
“He already has been,” Master Emilio said evenly. “I need to find the Tlalocs!”
“What makes you think I would know where to find them now?”
“You knew how to find Tiberius in the past?” Cadin asked, forming several conclusions.
Kevin flinched at hearing the name.
Master Emilio turned to him, his gaze softening. “Cadin, I really need to speak with Arith—I mean Kevin alone. You have done your part. Go down by the docks now and wait for me.”
Master Emilio left no room for negotiation. He never did. Cadin nodded and left.
“Where is Master Emilio?” Sun asked the moment Cadin landed by the airship.
“Interrogating Kevin who I think is an ex-Tlaloc.”
“What?!” Sun and Eric exclaimed at the same time.
“I can’t believe it,” Sun said.
“Excellent!” Eric said.
Sun and Cadin turned to him with wide eyes.
“I mean for our mission. Our Core contacts have been less than helpful. It is time we pursued a different route.”
“What exactly are you looking for?” Sun asked.
“Beyond my pay grade to tell you.”
Wings rippled the air above them, and Cadin stepped back to allow Master Emilio to land.
He handed a rumpled piece of paper to Eric. “Set our coordinates.” He turned back to Cadin and Sun. “I truly hope I will be seeing you again.” He patted Cadin on the shoulder and nodded to Sun before hoping on board the airship that was now humming.
“Wait!” Sun shouted.
Master Emilio turned to her. Sun took off her ring and placed it in Master Emilio’s hand. He gazed up at her questioningly.
“It is a pulse ring that is connected to Cadin’s,” she shouted over the thrum of the airship.
His eyes widened in understanding and he nodded as he slipped it on his pinky finger. He pated Sun’s hand and waved to Cadin as their airship rose into the clear sky.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Round Two
“I need to lay down,” Cadin said. His week had been chaotic between training in the Arena and focusing on Master Emilio who may or may not be alive. Instructor Kade was unconcerned when Cadin had told him that Master Emilio was seeking out the Tlalocs.
“Master Emilio can hold his own, and you should be focusing on the tournament right now.”
That had been the consensus even among his parents and teammates. “What else can we really do?” Lep pointed out. When Cadin could think of no good answer, he let the subject drop, but had not forgotten about it. At the very least, he had taken Master Emilio’s advice and kept his mixed Aura shining. He originally caused quite a stir around town and the Competitors’ Village. But worrying about Master Emilio’s intention to confront crazed rebels in the near future made ignoring comments about his Aura easy.
“Rest today,” Lep said, throwing him a dry towel. “Round Two tomorrow!”
“Round Two,” Cadin said.
An electri
c hum started in his hand and radiated up his body as he wrapped his fingers around Tsuyo’s handle. His gin-blade seemed excited for action as Cadin and his team took their final moments in the changing room to prepare for the start of the round. Cadin took one extra step after thinking about his conversation with Master Emilio. Cadin summoned his tang-gin and shaped it into a hand and wrist guard—securing his left hand to Tsuyo’s handle.
“We have a good game-plan,” Lep said—same as he’d been saying for the past three days. “All we need to do is…”
“Execute it!” Cadin, Sun and Bart all finished, laughing.
“Okay, okay, smarty wings. But it is true!” The scar on his eyebrow crinkled as he looked to them for validation.
“You’re right, Lep. Let’s do this!”
A heavy mist settled around the bases of the mounds that scattered the battleground like gigantic mouths breaching the surface of the clouds to take a deep breath. There were no more cloud-mountains or tunnels. A slow hiss rose to their right before a burst of air released from a hidden air cannon—clearing the mist around it.
Three mounds rose higher than the others with a bright yellow glow lighting the clouds around them.
“Two out of three,” Lep mumbled their strategy to himself.
Cadin leaned over to Sun. “I think there is enough mist and natural cloud for what we talked about.”
Sun nodded, clasping her bow tightly, but otherwise calm on the surface.
“Competitors, to the Light Bay!” This time the man with the echoing voice and red vest walked over to the center of the battlefield holding two Alpha Armors. “Welcome back to Round Twoooo!”
The floor shook with the excited cheers. Their team had drawn the first match of Round Two and the spectators seemed eager to get the tournament back underway.
Cadin set Tsuyo in the Light Bay along with his gins before turning back to the announcer.
“Round Two is a strategy and skill game called Summit Sovereign. Of the many high spots in the Arena—only three matter towards points in this round. If a competitor wearing red armor takes control of a lit high point…” He grabbed the red armor and flew to the top and placed it on top of the hill. The yellow light turned red “Then their team accumulates Dominant Time as long as they are able to hold that position.” He pointed at the score board where the red numbers under Dragon Fire were scrolling up.
Cadin glanced down at his gleaming red armor. He figured it would be so much easier to let the red Aura teams wear the red armor to avoid confusion. But, alas—it was the position on the brackets that determined which color armor each team wore.
“Now if a member of the blue team reaches the summit…” He grabbed the blue armor at the base of the hill and pulled it up to the top, setting it down by the red armor. The light phased back to yellow and the red timer stopped. “If blue can challenge and take the summit…” he picked up the red armor and threw it down the hill. “Well, you get the point!”
Cadin flinched as the red armor came to a stop at the base, imagining himself or one of his teammates within the battered carapace.
The crowd erupted as the blue timer began to spiral up.
“In Round Two, only the Dominant Time matters. The armors have unlimited hit points!”
“Your weapons are all clear and your armor is activated,” the woman at the Light Bay said. “Good luck, Dragon Fire of Glade.”
“Oh, thank you,” Cadin said as he hurried with his team over to the center of the Arena as he reattached his gin wrist guard.
The announcer introduced each team with a flourish. Their competitors this round were the Hot Shots with the eighth overall seed. They hailed from Carta—another red cloud-land. One of the Hot Shot’s team members glared at Cadin while cracking his beefy knuckles.
“Ignore them,” Sun whispered. “Don’t get sucked into scare tactics.”
“Right, got it.” Cadin said.
“I was talking to Lep,” Sun said, nudging Lep, who was making faces at the knuckle cracker.
“Competitors, to opposite ends of the Arena!”
“I am so ready for this!” Lep said he flapped his wings—propelling his run to the red line.
“I’m just happy there are no Anger Cubes!” Sun said.
“If we get through this one, I’m sure they will make an appearance again,” Bart said.
“Gee, thanks.”
“Competitors, on your marks!” The announcer said, now standing in the awning-covered seating box overlooking the battle field.
“Focus, guys,” Cadin said. “Bart takes the first hill!”
“Got it.” Bart spun his two-headed spear.
“Get set!” The announcer’s voice rang over the crowd noise.
“And go!”
They all took flight and raced towards the closest lit hill. They landed quickly and set to work as they had practiced numerous times throughout the week. Bart stood atop the hill and the red light radiated around the summit. Cadin glanced at the scoreboard to see the red timer spiraling up, just as the blue timer started to spin. The white clock was counting down from fifteen minutes. Before he looked away, the blue timer jumped ahead to double the speed and the crowd cheered.
“They have the second and third hill already!” Bart said.
“I’m almost done,” Sun said, focusing on her connection to the cloud and mist. “Okay, I’m good and I can cover you, Cadin.”
He nodded and knelt down. Cadin’s hands zinged and he smiled at his easy connection. He was more grateful than ever that he had let his mixed Aura shine. The mist rose around Bart’s legs and torso. This was the most intricate trap Cadin had ever made. He weaved different elements and anchored them to the base of the hill. If the other team wanted to get Bart off this summit, they were going to have a hard time undoing this trap. “Hardening soon,” Cadin said with a huff.
“I’m ready, just keep the ice on the exterior so I don’t freeze like last time!”
Cadin heard Sun let loose an arrow. He concentrated and hardened the trap in a spiral. “Done!” Cadin shouted. “Phase two!” He glanced up to see that phase one took three and a half minutes. The other team had more than six minutes of dominance to their three minutes.
Two blue armor-clad warriors were standing atop each of the remaining two hills, jeering at them to come if they dared. Cadin, Sun and Lep advanced towards the second hill. When they got close enough, Sun let lose four arrows in quick succession, distracting the two warriors long enough for Lep to fly-tackle one while Cadin climbed to the top of the hill with Tsuyo, slicing down the last standing warrior who blocked with his shield, but stepped back and slid into the splits before grabbing between his legs in pain and tumbling down the hill.
“Slick trap strikes again!” Sun cheered. As Cadin planted himself on the hill, Sun flew down to help Lep fight off the warrior that he had tackled off the hill. Their red timer was now quickly gaining on the blue timer.
“Black six!” The blue warrior on the hill called.
The two warriors fighting Lep and Sun retreated to the hill that their team still controlled.
“Sun, help me slick trap this entire summit! I think they will come back here after they find Bart’s hill is not such an easy target.”
Sun smiled. “Let’s make it a nasty cone-shape.” As they worked to cloud-shift the surface of their summit, Lep kept up a commentary.
“Oh, yeah there they go—bringing three over to Bart’s hill. We are catching up to them on time! Nice, Bart! He got his cyclone going and he got two of them and they got thrown at least twenty feet. Maybe a new record for Bart. The third is waiting for the cyclone to fade out. Should I go help him now?”
“Just a minute and then you and Sun can go together.”
“Done,” Sun said. “I’m low on arrows, so why don’t you go with Lep.”
“You good to hold it by yourself?”
“Enough to sacrifice it, yeah. Now go, his cyclone is fading.”
Sun was right. B
y the time Cadin and Lep got there, the light at the base was yellow and the warrior was trying to release the trap while keeping clear of Bart’s swirling spear.
Lep and Cadin tackled the warrior from behind and they all slid down the hill on another of Sun’s slick traps.
They pinned him down on the ground and Lep sat fully atop the knuckle cracking warrior.
“I’ve got him if you want to go help Sun with Phase three,” Lep said, glancing towards the two warriors now advancing on her hill.
Cadin doubted Lep would be able to hold him the whole time with the way the warrior was attempting to dislodge him. “Hold on.” Cadin summon the mist, wishing it was a more substantial cloud. He hardened a small trap around the wings and torso of the struggling warrior. It wouldn’t last long, but it would help. Cadin felt Lep starting a trap of his own before Cadin took off towards Sun. The warriors were slipping as they attempted to climb the hill. They opened their wings to fly up.
Sun saw Cadin coming and held up three fingers. He mirrored her and she took off from the summit, turning the light back to yellow to join him mid-air. As they flew towards the lone warrior atop the third hill, the blue numbers started to double again, allowing their competitors to gain back some of the time they had lost.
Crossbow bolts sailed through the air at them. Cadin avoided most of them, however one landed painfully in the shoulder joint of his armor, locking up some of the movement of his left arm. “Righty it is,” he said, switching Tsuyo to his right. His tang-gin returned to its original state and flew back into Tsuyo’s hilt. The warrior crouched low, making it difficult to tackle her. Cadin missed his first pass, and circled around after Sun had already landed and was fighting the girl. As he circled, he caught the glint of light off one of the other warriors from the second hill flying towards them.
“Keep it yellow!” Cadin shouted to Sun as he sent a few gins towards the girl before turning to meet up mid-flight with the incoming warrior.
