Plan II

“You know, Lo, I’ve always found it strange the way people are taught about spells and the use of Firia. They’re taught an immutable rule: each person can only use one element primarily, the one that will be their strongest, and they may use other elements only a little, and not very powerfully. I find that quite stupid. In memories I’ve seen, few people ever used one element more than the others – they used several, often with similar strength. They’re not all-powerful, but they wield multiple elements with equal strength.” Iwao said, sitting on a rock high on a mountain.

They weren’t on the mountain’s peak, but yet they were above the clouds and couldn’t see the ground. Despite the height and the snow, the air was warm and they didn’t shiver from the cold.

Lo sat on the ground facing Iwao and brushed snow off its trousers.

“But why do they teach people that? When Mother created me, I knew right away that I could use all the elements – deep inside I had this knowledge. Why not others?” Lo asked.

Iwao gave a small laugh, pressing a hand to his head before sighing deeply.

"To control people. To prevent them from rebelling against royalty or seizing the throne by growing stronger with the power of all the elements! One day I’ll tell you everything you need to know about human emotions – why they do certain things – and you’ll be what you always wanted, Lo.”

He lay back on the rock and stared at the sky as snow drifted down.

“But the manipulation didn’t work forever. People later discovered they could use whatever they wanted. At first I believed what they were taught because that’s what their memories showed me, but then I learned the truth. I wonder why they continue teaching it when so many people already know it’s a form of manipulation.”

“Maybe they’re telling the truth and there’s something we don’t understand yet. Maybe there’s some reason behind what they teach.” Lo suggested.

Iwao sat up suddenly, eyes wide, staring at Lo for a few seconds. A flying fish landed beside them, perched on hawk-like legs. Iwao and Lo watched it, perplexed. The fish blew a bubble that popped with a sharp sound echoing across the mountain, then flew away as if nothing had happened – a moment out of time.

Iwao shook his head, a small smile appearing.

“Maybe you’re right, Lo. We don’t really know. After all, this world is full of mysteries. But we have more important things to talk about and try.” He jumped down from the rock and stood before Lo, suns at his back, momentarily blinding Lo.

“I know why we’re here, Iwao. You want me to help you control the pendant’s power and understand those rocks between your horns, right?” Lo asked, shielding its eyes from the suns.

“You’re right and I don’t want you to tell Saya and Celi. But there’s something else I want you to try. You contain many essences, and each comes with its own spells. Your power grows because these essences mix within you. I want to see if you can adopt their physical abilities – alter part of your body to resemble one of the essences within you. I don’t know exactly which ones you have, but it should be possible. Many monsters and animals I’ve encountered have distinctive physical traits that make them stand out. If you can do this, it would open up more options, given The Witch limits your full power. We could gain new fighting strategies, especially if you combine several parts to increase strength and speed. Do you think it’s possible?” Iwao asked, thoughtful.

Lo studied Iwao’s impatient face, then stroked its chin.

“It might work, but I can’t promise anything, Iwao. We’ll need a lot of training, and we don’t have much time.”

Iwao nodded before leaping from the mountain’s edge, Lo right behind him. Wind spells softened their descent, and they touched down on a frozen lake whose ice, extremely thick, did not break.

They looked at each other: Iwao serious, Lo calm.

“Lo, let’s spear a lot – train and try what we discussed. I count on you to figure out how to use what I suggested. I’m not the one who would know how that could work.”

They took opposite positions on the lake, in fighting stances, after Lo activated Iwao’s pendant by touching it. Time seemed to pause as the wind howled once more.

Then Iwao sank his claws into the ice and lunged at Lo.

All life around them seemed to watch in silence.

The first strike rang out.

******************************

Two weeks after they split up, Iwao, Lo, and Saya all headed to the village of Yorl – the battlefield. Celi waited for them patiently, perched on a rooftop for a better view of her surroundings.

“It’s been two weeks. I know they counted carefully, so they should arrive today… No, they must arrive today! I have no way to contact them… I have to wait all day without knowing when they’ll arrive.” She muttered.

She waited until nightfall, when she began to hear voices calling from a distance.

“It’s Iwao and Lo! Finally! I was worried!”

She cast a massive sphere of light above her head, making herself visible, then climbed down and waited for them to arrive. Minutes later their footsteps echoed across the ruins as they approached.

As they walked toward Celi, she dismissed the sphere of light with a gesture, then pulled them into a hug.

“I’m so glad you’re back! Two weeks is more than enough time for me to worry about you both! Looks like everything’s okay.” She said, happiness in her voice.

“Don’t worry about us. I’m glad you’re in one piece too. You seem energetic – that’s good. You’re already prepared for what’s coming.” Iwao replied in a measured tone.

Celi looked around as if searching for something, while Iwao and Lo put down their bags.

“Where’s Saya? Didn’t you meet her on the way?” She asked.

“We didn’t see her, but Lo sensed her presence a kilometer away a few minutes ago, when we arrived. I can hear her footsteps – yes I remember the way you all walk. She should arrive soon.”

Exactly as they spoke, Saya arrived in the village. She hugged everyone, a bright smile lit her face as she bathed in the moons’ glow.

“Now that we’re all here and everyone seems confident, everything must have gone well, right?” Iwao asked.

“Traps and the protection dome are in place, just as you asked, Iwao. I improved the dome over the past few days, and it’s strong enough for the fight. As for traps, there are all kinds – hundreds spread across the battlefield. I used every trap I knew or created. Look at all these notebooks – they’re full.” Celi said, laughing and pointing to stacks of notebooks.

Iwao nodded and patted Celi’s head.

“As for me, it was complicated. I swayed a large number of soldiers, but I’m waiting to see whether they’ll follow my orders. I promised them much if they help!” Saya explained.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure it’ll work. A big part of the population wants the king dethroned, so they’ll naturally move that way. And if the call comes from the princess they love and trust? Even better. I saw it in many people’s memories – they knew you’d fallen out with the king and they picked sides, expecting something to happen between you two someday.” Iwao said with confidence.

He reached into his bag, pulled out a potion, drank it, and fell silent for a few seconds before regaining his composure.

“What is that potion, Iwao?” Lo asked, watching him.

“This is the Visionary potion. I didn’t think you still had it, Iwao. Let me explain, Lo: once you drink it, you can see for thirty seconds into the near future at any place of your choice, to know what will happen. It’s limited: you only see images, not motion, so sometimes the meaning is ambiguous.” Celi explained softly, staring at the empty bottle Iwao dropped.

“From your expression, Iwao, I suppose everything’s going according to plan, right?” Saya asked, sitting down.

“You’re right. I saw you clearly instructed the soldiers on what to do and when. Great work, Saya. I also saw the king on horseback, riding across grass – not much more. But I’m sure he’ll come here tomorrow at dusk. The journey from the capital takes many hours and the soldiers will act in the morning. Everything is proceeding as planned.” Iwao said, head raised, serious and confident.

He stepped forward and looked south beyond the ruins.

“He will come from there. It will be the end. Too many things happened because of him, and he will pay, incompetent king. Because of him, Celi lost her hand, Saya hides her scars, and no matter how much they try to hide it, both are terrified of what’s coming. Even if the people dislike him, killing him will put a target on my back – I know I can’t escape that. Everything could be ruined. I might not live in peace among others. But I will avenge the suffering he caused to those who stood by me. I will not hesitate to kill him. I will not hesitate to kill anymore.” Iwao declared, anger rising as Celi and Saya bowed their heads, saddened.

******************************

On the morning the plan was set to begin, in the castle the king sat on his throne, hands folded, lost in thought.

“I don’t understand! It’s been two weeks, and I’m still trying to figure out why they did this. What did burning that forest accomplish? What did burning those incompetents’ bodies accomplish? The scouts I sent could find no trace of where they had gone. Rufus can’t even use his power to find them because he’s watching people beyond the Stuts frontier.” The king thought, confused and angry.

The throne room doors burst open with a tremendous noise that echoed through the room, followed by the clang of armor as a soldier rushed in. He knelt before the king, panting and removing his helmet.

“My king, it’s terrible: brawls have broken out in all the major cities of the kingdom. Chaos reigns among the soldiers.” The soldier reported breathlessly.

“Calm down and tell me everything slowly!” The king ordered.

“Early this morning some soldiers stopped following orders and provoked others in every major city. Bare-knuckle fights broke out between them and continue now. Only one conclusion was drawn from this situation: they were corrupted. That sparked agitation across every city, with some people actively egging on the corrupted soldiers!” The soldier explained, regaining his composure and wiping his brow.

“Do we know who corrupted them? My soldiers are loyal – they can’t do this!” The king snapped.

“Well, according to one of the corrupted soldiers – who was beaten and threatened if he didn't speak – Princess Saya is responsible. According to him, she had a message for you: if you want to put an end to this fight between us, come to Yorl.”

“I see… so they’ve gone big this time! They’re bringing chaos and disorder to my kingdom! I will make them pay! Find Rufus, and have every soldier from the capital and the castle gather in front of the gate. In an hour, we’re going to hunt them down and finish this. Send orders to other cities: if the commander is not corrupted, authorize him to use the armor-blocking system on corrupted soldiers so they can’t move. That should calm tensions for now! Go! Before I let out my anger on you!” The king ordered, fists clenched so hard that his nails cut his skin and his hand bled.

He walked to his bedchamber. On a display stood a sumptuous golden armor with a long cape bearing the Polmo kingdom’s blazon; an axe covered with stars. The king stared at it, his anger gone, leaving only a grim of seriousness on his face.

“Father, with your armor, give me the strength to defend the kingdom against all this evil. Let me kill this monster as you did. Let me solve the root of our problems.” He prayed before the armor.

He put it on, looked at himself in the mirror, then strode through the castle to the main gate, where Rufus and hundreds of soldiers waited. Strange creatures were held on leashes by some troops. The atmosphere was heavy.

“We go to war!” The king shouted, met by the soldiers’ roar and the clank of armor.

They mounted their horses and rode toward Yorl – the battlefield where lives would be risked.