Meanwhile, Alexa and Cassandra trained in the Krimmirr Garden. Without hesitation, Vaan approached them. “Good day, Alexa and Cassandra, right?”
“Yes, I am Alexa and here is Cassandra,” Alexa replied.
Vaan was upfront about it. “I just wanted to know about Helena. Is she in a relationship with Diurus Cortez?” Vaan asked.
“Ooooohhh. You like Helena, don’t you?” Alexa said with a slight giggle.
“No, no, no, you’ve got it all wrong. Jael fancies her, so as a friend it is my duty to help him!” Vaan replied with a wide smile on his face, constantly nodding in vivid delight.
“I knew it!” Alexa said.
“Hey, don’t tell Helena or Jael that I told you about this. Can you do that for me?” Vaan said with a chuckle.
“Certainly,” Cassandra said.
“So about Diurus, well, Helena has always ignored him ever since he showed interest in her. Helena isn’t the type with an interest in romance. Ever since she was a child, she never had any sort of affair with men. We don’t understand why, but she has always been very distant in that regard. Yes…” Alexa snapped her fingers. “You know, she is kind, but she rarely wants people to see that.”
“I see, well, thank you for the tip. Anyway, can you help me set up a date for Jael and Helena?” Vaan asked.
“We will try, but no promises,” Cassandra replied. “Well, thank you. I apologise for the trouble.” Vaan said.
“No, it’s all right,” Alexa said, and she smiled. “We would like to see her happy as well.”
“I will be going then. I’ll be back thereafter so we can plan this out,” Vaan said, and he headed away left.
Cassandra leaned against a tree, stretching out with a yawn and a blush. “Never mind that Jael. I think he’s charming,” she said with a giggle and a blush.
“Yeah, sure. But he isn’t my type. I prefer lean men… just like Jael,” Alexa replied and both of them giggled. “Why should that man-hater get the fun? I’d go on a date with him. No trouble needed!”
“Well, if Helena inevitably rejects Jael, that leaves one for each of us,” Cassandra said and cackled in delight. “Maybe she’ll make him cry and you’ll find him sad, and then you will have to comfort him. Mwha! Mwha!” She made kiss smacks.
“Ooooh, but you see how he always wears that vest instead of a full shirt… mmm!”
“See, that must be why you can’t see how handsome Vaan is. He is always wearing those huge robes. You’re not using your imagination. What good is a Fire mage. He’s going to be earth pounding.” Cassandra giggled again.
“At least with Jael you don’t have to use your imagination!” Alexa argued. “At least I can see he’s hot. For all you know, that Vaan’s got tiny nipples and–”
Elsewhere, during the trial that would determine Chollo Nugash, the tidal Titan’s fate, the atmosphere was not so light. “Chollo Nugash, for your terrible and heinous crimes against the people of Bristal, as it stands, you are sentenced to the maximum penalty under the laws of this kingdom: death,” decreed the head judge with no trace of kindness present in his dark eyes. The creases around his eyes were a testament to how many times before now he had given such punishments. Izabelle gasped and paled.
“However,” the judge continued, “we have decided to consider the possibility of allowing you to live out the rest of your days in the maximum security cells in the Bristal dungeon, provided that you can delve into your problematic memory and provide information pertaining to the actions of Malevolentiam that can prevent further violence and destruction against the kingdom. The value of the information is to be decided by us, the judges. We will conduct a more lengthy interrogation in private, but for now, tell me this. What is Malevolentiam, and what is its goal?”
“Malevolentiam is an organisation of dark mages led by the Dark Mage, Dio. Its primary goal is to take full control over the whole kingdom,” Chollo answered.
“Who is this Dio?” a judge asked.
“The Dark Mage, is the one who recruited everyone in Malevolentiam. He is the founder of the group.”
“Aside from the other Titans, are there other key people in Malevolentiam?” the same judge asked.
“Yes, the right hand of Dio. Her name is Aezil, truly a fearsome woman,” Chollo said.
“Anyone else? Know that to lie to us now is to condemn yourself to death by execution, Chollo Nugash–spare yourself, and speak truthfully.”
“Nobody else. There are only six key people in Malevolentiam: the Dark Mage Dio, his right hand Aezil, and we Four Titans.”
“Where is the next target?” another judge asked.
“I do not know. We are always given orders on the day itself. The Dark Mage plans only with his right hand and then commands the four Titans.” Chollo replied.
“All right. Take the prisoner to the cells. Don’t think that that information alone will save your life, Chollo. We need more–much more. We’ll send a scribe and an interrogator to your new quarters shortly. You are dismissed.” Chollo was led away by two burly bailiffs, his Elementium shackles clanking loudly. The grim crowd watched him go with hate in their eyes, and Izabelle with fear and dread as she watched her brother depart.
Vaan met with Cassandra and Alexa in the hallway and commanded Frekkis to distract Jael while he tried his best to plan a surprise date. “Have you spoken to Helena? All you have to do is bring Helena to the Fountain. I’ll bring Jael there and then Frekkis and I will go with you, leaving the two of them alone, of course,” Vaan said.
“We have convinced Helena to dine in the city before, but no promises,” Alexa said. “We will try.”
“All right! See you afterward,” Vaan said.
Cassandra and Alexa went to Helena and asked her to go to the Erradia Fountain. “We will have a mission soon. We should prepare for it,” Helena said, looking a bit irritated.
“Helena, we could at least unwind tonight and prepare tomorrow. When will we start this mission, and what will we do?” Cassandra asked.
“Orevlatef reports about attacks inside Falakh’s Lair. Rohan has been kidnapped. We shall leave tomorrow. We have no time for such things.” Helena replied sternly.
“Yes ma’am!” Cassandra and Alexa saluted, chided. Moments passed, and Vaan returned to Alexa and Cassandra.
“Well? Will she come with you?” Vaan asked.
“No, we have an urgent mission and we shall be leaving tomorrow. We’re sorry,” Alexa explained. “Orevlatef, the Master Knight of the second regiment reported about attacks in their expedition with Rohan.”
“It’s all right. We can set it when you return,” Vaan replied, and they parted ways. He made his way through the castle to find Jael and update him on the planned mission. It was, at least, relevant to Jael’s current goals–it wasn’t a date, but it would move him forward in his slow, agonising journey to find pieces of his fragmented past. He located Jael in a sitting room where he was studying a text on technique.
“Hey, Jael, Cassandra told me that they are going on a mission tomorrow regarding the second regiment.” Vaan said.
“All right. What does that have to do with us?”
“Well, Rohan the Sage is with them. They have been attacked and asked for aid. That is why Helena and the Third Regiment will go and check the status.”
“I see…” Jael looked a bit sobered after their last gruelling success. “Let’s hope that there isn’t much trouble in their expedition.” Together, they made their way to the Central Hall for news from the Queen.
Everyone in Krimmirr was gathered in the Central Hall of Krimmirr, the hall filled with various mages and soldiers of different regiments. On a parapet raised a small way above the crowd, the queen stood with Helena to her left, a step and back Reighild too stood on guard. From there, the Queen reported about the attack on Orevlatef, Rohan and the rest of the Second Regiment. “The Falakh expedition has been compromised. The second regiment has used the utmost discretion, yet Malevolentiam learned of their m
ovements. Rohan is being held captive by the Dark Mage. Dio wants us to cease our current military actions in exchange for Rohan’s life. First of all, we cannot do this. Even for a few days would compromise the security of the realm during this critical time. Secondly, we cannot be certain that they would not harm the Sage. The only action we can do is to retaliate and save Rohan with our forces. I will be dispatching the Third Regiment to Falakh’s Lair tomorrow to investigate and bring back Orevlatef and the others. Make no mistake, my people, we are at war. With the acts of terror and the kidnapping of my advisor, Malevolentiam has declared a full scale war upon Bristal. I ask that all of you cooperate and give your utmost effort to the kingdom. We shall not fall! Glory to Bristal!”
Reighild came forward. “To those of you who do not know me, I am Reighild Zandeux, Master Knight of the First Regiment.” His unique magick form was called Zodiac Endowment. It transformed his armour and weapon depending on which of the twelve Zodiacs he used. Every Zodiac gave a different weapon and armour type, each with its own advantage against an enemy.
“I would like to encourage you all, despite the series of attacks by Malevolentiam. We ask that all of you act accordingly to every command given to you without question,” Reighild said. “Our first move is to investigate the events in Falakh’s Lair. We will also dispatch soldiers in every city equipped with a transmitter. In addition, there must always be someone active in the transmitter room so that we can act quicker in times of attack. We are still studying the movements of Malevolentiam. We shall give you further commands in the coming days.”
Then the Queen bid the remaining Master Knights, the finest warriors in Krimmirr, introduce themselves. Since the second regiment was not present, Helena stood. “I am Helena Elsworth and I am in charge of the Third Regiment.”
Diurus came forward and introduced himself next. “I am Diurus Cortez and I am the Master Knight of the Fourth Regiment,” he said. His swordsmanship was so flawless he could cut the very air itself. He wielded a long curved, single-edged blade with a long grip to accommodate both hands.
The fifth and final Master Knight was Ace Fetherion. He was a youthful boy but very powerful in battle using his Apocalypse, a double- sided blade imbued with shadow magick. The Apocalypse had a deep, dark aura that covered it. It could have easily been used for evil in the wrong hands, but Ace Fetherion had perfectly mastered to control its powers for the good of Bristal. He stepped forward and said, “I am Ace Fetherion, Master Knight of the Fifth Regiment of Bristal. Please cooperate with the Queen,” Ace said.
Not present, the final Master Knight, leader of the Second Regiment was Julius Orevlatef. His element was ice magick and he could freeze anything his sword touched. The sword too was made up of ice, named the Blade of Skaldi. Helena joined them, making them the five Master Knights of Krimmirr. They were the royal knights of the castle and the most skilful of all of Bristal’s soldiers. Their presence, a show of might and power, was meant to be reassuring, but Jael knew otherwise–they would not all be gathered here today with a world in a healthy place.
“Please, have your rest for today. Tomorrow we begin to assemble for the upcoming war with Malevolentiam,” Queen Jeannah stated, and she adjourned the meeting. But before they could leave, Jael and Vaan were summoned by the queen. They hurried over, Vaan bowing deeply.
“Jael and Vaan, may we request for your aid in defeating Malevolentiam?” Queen Jeannah said.
“Yes, your Highness. We shall aid you in your battle. It is better if we fight than to watch the kingdom fall from the wrong hands.” This was an opportunity to make his request. “May I request to have a word with Rohan the Sage after we defeat Malevolentiam? I have heard it rumoured that he can see the past of anyone he touches.”
“Of course, young one. May I ask, what is it that you want to know?” Queen Jeannah asked.
Jael smiled sadly. “I wish to know about my origin. I grew up on the run with only Frekkis, having no parents, no siblings and no family. I would like to know if my parents are already dead or living. I want to meet them.”
“I am quite sure Rohan can answer your questions. Thank you for choosing to help us. It will be greatly appreciated,” Queen Jeannah replied. Jael and Vaan bowed down to the queen in respect and thanks and they left to rest.
Deep within the cells beneath Krimmirr, one of the palace guard accompanied a scribe down to the dungeon gates. “Be careful with this one, right? Take your notes, but stay clear of him. He cannot cast with the shackles on, but he is a dangerous man, responsible for the deaths of literally thousands of people. No matter how remorseful or subdued he may seem, he is to be considered extremely dangerous at all times. Is that clear?”
Nervous, the scribe bobbed his head up and down in agreement. The pair reached the gate. “Corporal Edmonton and scribe, here to interview the terrorist Chollo Nugash on behalf of the court!” stated the guard.
The guard on duty at the door looked confused. “What? Twice in an hour?” He laughed, looking to the court scribe. “What, your friend forgot to write it down?”
“What friend? Explain,” snapped the first guard.
“Well, a scribe came to take his statement, he left not five minutes ago!”
The first guard paused for a second, then shoved aside the man guarding the door. “You fool! Move aside!” He drew his sword and bolted down the hallway to the last cell where Chollo was held. It was too late. By the light through the barred window, he could see Chollo slumped on the ground, a dark puddle spreading around him. Hands and feet still shackled together, his throat was slit from ear to ear. A silver dagger bearing the letter M, still freshly bloodied, was left on the ground. A furious search of the castle turned up no assassin.
When the search made its way to Izabelle’s chambers, her cry echoed throughout the night, and long shuddering sobs accompanied her throughout the morning. Her estranged brother was gone. After such a long absence, to find him again only for a moment, only for him to be immediately snatched from her with no hope of reconciliation, was too much for her fragile soul to bear. Whenever she tried to open her mouth, only pained screams emerged.
Jael and Vaan both tried to speak to her, but she refused to see or speak to anyone. Blind with grief, she fled the city and boarded a valkyrie back to her home island, inconsolable over the loss of her brother.
Meanwhile, in Falakh’s Lair, Orevlatef rested. He was injured in the attack of Malevolentiam. The second regiment had been attacked by the Efreet, one of the Four Titans, and he had captured Rohan in the process.
Rohan the Sage was an old mage once powerful in Dimensional magick, but the years had diminished his strength over time. However, his most valuable ability had never left him– the ability to see into the past. It was this power that led him to become the chief strategist and military advisor to the former queen, Queen Zilithia, a role which he continued to fulfill with the current queen.
Rohan was driven to face the Dark Mage Dio in Excauhalt. The shadow was thick, but Rohan wore no dread.
“You are the famous Rohan, are you not? Welcome to my fortress.” Dio said.
“I’m of no use to you. Why have you brought me here?” “You are here as a hostage. By now I am certain that you know what our intentions are. I want Krimmirr. I want to rule all of Bristal,” Dio said in his deep intonations.
“The Queen will never surrender to you, even if it costs her life,” Rohan answered coldly.
“Well, I can keep you as my dog here if you like.” Dio laughed maniacally, encouraging the Titans until the room thundered with mocking cackles and barks. “Bring him to the cells. Lock him down until I tell you to set him free. The Queen might trade something in return for the sage!”
The next day came, and the Queen ordered the Fifth Regiment to accompany the Third Regiment in going to Falakh’s Lair. Both regiments prepared for departure toward the lair. Diurus was called up along with Jael. “Diurus, I would like you to go to the town of Celeste,” the Queen said. “One of our s
oldiers reported that there have been movements of another Titan near them. We must defend it at all costs. Jael, I would like you, Vaan and Frekkis to accompany Diurus.”
“Yes, my queen,” they all replied.
As soon as the Third Regiment and Fifth Regiment valkyries departed, the Fourth Regiment followed.
At a distance, Helena and Ace observed smoke rising from Falakh’s Lair. Helena landed just outside the lair. Ace’s valkyrie landed shortly after that. “Ace, did you see the smoke coming from inside?” Helena asked. “Yes, we should go in now. Sir Orevlatef must be waiting for us,” Ace replied, and they entered the lair.
Falakh’s Lair was named after the famous dragon Falakh, believed to be the first dragon to be created by the archenemy of Excalla, Nyxe. In the early years of magick, the massive dragon Falakh wreaked havoc upon the kingdom. Legend held the shadow dragon was sealed away by Excalla in what was now called the Falakh’s Lair. Rohan had right fears and had returned to the lair to ensure Malevolentiam could not destroy the seal and awaken the mighty dragon by making an additional seal for protection.
Upon reaching the inner part of the lair, Helena and Ace saw Orevlatef on the ground. “Sir! Are you all right?” Helena called. “Malevolentiam knows we are coming here. They already dispatched their mages here and ambushed us. Right now they have Rohan,” Orevlatef replied.
“Please, rest sir. Ace will bring you back to Krimmirr while I investigate what happened here.”
Orevlatef and the whole Second Regiment were then accompanied by the Fifth Regiment back to Krimmirr.
Meanwhile, the Fourth Regiment was on course toward the town of Celeste. Reports had made their way to Krimmirr. Malevolentiam had been spotted just at the outskirts of the city. Ensuring the town’s protection, the Fourth Regiment had been dispatched.
Upon arriving at the town, they asked about the movements by Malevolentiam and immediately surveyed the whole town. From inside, the Fourth Regiment had found no sign of the enemy. Diurus elected to stay awhile more. Not too long thereafter, smoke appeared from just beyond the mountain, where he knew a village to be. “Quickly! I am led to believe Celeste is not their target. There was a village beyond the mountain called Eirinea,” Diurus exclaimed and they rushed toward the valkyrie and flew over the mountain.
Teliko Mageia: Curse of the Frozen Flame Page 19
