When the Veil Falls

Zida glanced around at the crumbling library interior, the aftermath of their battle peering back upon him. “We were pieces on your board this whole time?” he theorized.

“Kohr manipulated the light around our eyes,” Daim explained, “making us see what he wanted us to see. I never canceled the board. And the only other way to stop it would be to knock me out of bounds or exhaust me. He did none of those things.”

“He wanted it to remain active?” Zida proposed.

“My Ratio script forces an opponent to calculate the exact opposing force they provide when defending from my attack, however it doesn’t need them to consider it in exact numbers. When you enter my board, however, things change. You’re now on my playing field, and everything you do; attacking, defending, and even moving spaces, requires all pieces to decide specific numbers or it’ll be rendered a foul. By tricking us into believing we weren’t on the board, he forced us to foul out every time.”

“So, when he dodged my first attack…” Zida deduced, to which Daim nodded his head, “I hadn’t activated the board yet, so he would’ve been hit. That was the first difference I noticed.”

Daim walked towards the gaping hole in library wall, peering out at the city. “It’s how I avoided his attacks. I always count the spaces, whether my board is active or not. When we avoided his attack from above, we ended up outside. And that’s when I felt it…” Daim then turned to Zida with worry on his face. “I don’t think Kohr was the only one.”

“To think that there are multiple manipulation script users all acting at once would be ludicrous,” Zida rejected, “It’s rare for even one to exist. Especially someone who can do so to this extent.”

“Exactly,” Daim agreed, while adding, “Manipulation scripts require enormous skill and chakra reserves just to accomplish the bare minimum. So, if someone could use Kohr’s most powerful ability with ease, then it’s safe to assume that we’re dealing with someone who’s capable of doing the unthinkable.”

Zida joined Daim overlooking the city. An ambience filling the air like a low hum. As if the heartbeat of the city was resonating in the atmosphere.

“There is an ancient trick to sniffing out discrete psychic abilities,” Daim informed, “It’s all about reading aura. I’m not that good at it, which is why I didn’t catch on to Kohr. But when we stepped outside, I felt it. The aura seeping from Kohr. I could feel it humming throughout the city.”

The breeze grazed past Zida’s skin, tickling him with anxiety.

“The user is impeccable. Such a powerful warrior may even be able to manipulate you, Your Highness, if you’re not careful. I also can’t trust just anyone, so I’ll move slowly. Scytales may lurk around the House as well. In the meantime, Your Highness, you should make preparations to return to the Central Region at once. If the Aulden Federation is behind this all, then war preparations may be needed.”

Daim’s words were pointed, but the warning fell on deaf ears. Everything had now made sense. Kohr was hardly engaging the entire fight. As if he was buying time…

Zida then darted off in a burst, moving at a breakneck speed as fear painted over him. Neither he nor Daim was ever the target. It was Toyo all along.

As the guard stepped towards Sina and Toyo, Sina made a last-ditch attempt at alluring help by launching a burst of chakra from her palms into the sky. She then hastily grabbed hold of Toyo and began running in the opposite direction. But when the guard cut her off, she readied herself for one final fight

“She doesn’t belong here,” the guard roared, planting his hands together. Watching as Sina braced herself for another flash attack. But with his palms only centimeters apart from one another, his hopes were dashed as his hands fell from his wrists. “Hmph,” the guard huffed before a blade pierced through his chest.

In one fell swoop, Zida had sent the guard to a speedy grave.

Standing just outside of the urumar garden, Sina fell to her knees, relief and caution overwhelming her. “I’m not being manipulated,” Zida tried to assure her.

“And how exactly do you expect me to believe that?” Sina remarked, still gripping on to Toyo.

With his hand outstretched towards her Zida confided, “because I would never hurt the person that raised me like her own child.”

Although his words were no more convincing, the sincerity in his voice, and the satisfaction in his eyes put her at ease. That familiar presence. It was nothing like the empty glare that’d possessed the guards.

Before she could place her hand on his, however, Zida barely managed to kick them out of the way just as Nertu’s spear grazed past Sina.

The young brother then instantly shifted, swiftly launching the weapon in Toyo’s direction.

Zida used his agility to knock the spear into the air. Without hesitation, Nertu ran towards him, dashing upwards and kicking off his chest into a backflip. He caught his spear and promptly lunged down at Zida, who managed to block the attack with his blade. The impact, however, sent shivers through his entire body, dropping Zida to his knee.

“Slim chance.”

Zida quickly swung his blade at Nertu who only barely managed to escape with his life, suffering a deep gash to his right calf.

Standing firmly, they locked eyes, each aware that a single misstep could spell their immediate demise. A fierce presence swept the area like a gathering storm, chilling the air, with reality crashing down like a wildfire.

With his blade clenched tightly, Zida face Nertu with a resolve of steel, accepting what lay before him.