The Earth Stanza

Ferro Valley was nothing like the place I had imagined.

After defeating the Turquoise Demon, the entire town seemed to be celebrating. Colorful decorations were everywhere, people were dancing in the streets, and music could be heard from almost every direction.

The houses were made of rock, but somehow the whole town looked colorful and alive. That truly looked like Markus Terracota’s dream. A place where people could live together.

We stopped in front of a huge stone mural in the center of the town. It was much older than the houses around it. The entire Earth Stanza was carved into the stone.

From earth we rise, returning to our birth,

A home we build beneath the sheltering dome.

We root ourselves to prove that we have worth,

Yet roots may bind the feet that long to roam.

What keeps us safe can hold us underground,

And love can build a wall around the ground.

A family is more than blood and name,

A place where broken hearts can still belong.

Yet walls that shelter can become a frame,

And those who guard too tightly may do wrong.

We stand as one, our strength in being bound,

But even roots must leave room to grow round.

So let the old be soil for something new,

Let every ending feed another birth.

The ground remembers all that we once knew,

And gives tomorrow roots beneath the earth.

For what we build should shelter, not confine,

And what we hold should help us grow and shine.

Some people think about Earth Stanza users as stubborn people, but seeing this entire town built around these words I couldn’t think of a better place to live with your family.

“In the end you wanted to go to Ferro Valley because it was the land of dad, right?” I asked. “Even if missing the change to avenge Markus Terracota.”

“Yes, that is the legacy of Markus, I can’t let it be destroyed. Vengeance is not important and I know there is other people who can deal with Amaru, but if anything happened with Ferro Valley just when Markus died… I wouldn’t forgive myself.”

Raed crossed his arms and looked at the mural one last time.

“Well, I guess our job here is done.”

Ember turned toward him.

“Wait. What about Amaru?”

Raed's smile disappeared for a moment.

“That is your job, not ours.”

He pointed toward the sky with his staff.

“We follow the wind. Wherever it takes us, we go together with our family. I feel that we had do help you reach this far, now it’s time for the next chapter.”

The other nomads nodded, except for Shuuja. He was staring at the colorful town, watching the people around us celebrate.

Raed took something from inside his clothes.

“Nikolay, I want you to keep this safe.”

To the surprise of the prince Raed gave the Original Poem of the Sky.

“You are giving it to me?”

“You are the prince of this kingdom, aren't you? Besides, I think you understand the Sky Stanza better now than you did before.”

Nikolay accepted the poem with both hands.

“I won't let anything happen to it.”

“Good.”

Raed turned around and started walking toward the other nomads, but Shuuja didn't follow him.

“Hey, Raed.” The nomad leader stopped. “I think I want to stay here.”

“You're sure? Leaving the only family you ever know to stay with a bunch of strangers?”

“Yeah, I liked Ferro Valley.”

“I’m joking, you have my blessing. You are free to be wherever you want. Just remember that you will always have a family with the nomads. If you can find us, hehehe”

He gave a final look to all of us and stopped at Hiyoku.

“Take care of the prince, okay?”

“Why are you looking at me?” Hiyoku asked.

“Because you are the one who worries about him the most.”

Hiyoku's face became red.

“I do not!”

Raed laughed, then he and the other nomads left Ferro Valley, following the wind toward their next destination.

The people of Ferro Valley gathered around us when they realized that the battle was over. Some of them thanked us, while others asked questions about the Turquoise Demon.

Nikolay stepped forward and turned toward the entire town.

“Everyone, I have something to say!”

The crowd slowly became quiet. Nikolay was nervous, but he didn't step back.

“My name is Nikolay Pompovisky, and I am the prince of Reinaria. I know that many of you have suffered because of Elemental Demons. I also know that many of you have suffered because of people who believed that power gave them the right to control others.”

He looked at the mural behind us.

“The Earth Stanza teaches us that a family should be a place where everyone can belong. But a home should never become a prison.”

His voice became stronger.

“I am still a prince, and I still have many things to learn. But one day, I will become king.” Hiyoku looked at him with a small smile. “And when that happens, I want to make sure that everyone in this kingdom can be free.”

The people began whispering among themselves.

“Free to travel. Free to choose their own future. Free to discover and follow their own Stanza. Free to leave a place that hurts them, and free to return to a place where they are loved.”

Nikolay held the Original Poem of the Sky close to his chest.

“I don't want freedom to be something only princes, Heroes or powerful people can have. I want it to belong to everyone.”

For a moment, the entire town was silent. Then someone started clapping, and soon, the whole street was filled with applause.

Nikolay looked surprised. And maybe, for the first time, he was already acting like a king.

The cheering continued for a while. Nikolay looked around at the people and then turned toward Hiyoku.

“What?” she asked while he was staring.

“I want to ask you something,” he said walking closer.

She tilted her head waiting for the answer. Nikolay took a deep breath before he could ask.

“Will you marry me?”

“What?”

“I don't want to marry a princess.” His face became serious. “I want to marry you.”

Hiyoku's face became completely red.

“What... why?!”

“Because I am the freest when I am with you. I don't want to be with someone because I am a prince and they are a princess. I want to be with the person who lets me be myself.”

Hiyoku's face somehow became even redder. Ember watched everything with hearts on her eyes. Not only me and Shuuja waited for the answer, but the whole crowd the prince has just made his speech were also paying attention.

She appeared frozen and when we thought she would answer, she kicked him between the legs.

“OW!”

Nikolay fell to the ground and Hiyoku used her ninja technics to run away disappearing from the sight of everyone.

During all the silence, me and Shuuja approached our friend on the ground.

“I’m sorry for that buddy. Be being rejected is part too,” said the young nomad.

But the boy on the ground was smiling.

“I know her. That means yes.”

(…)

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight! Seeing the whole set together fills my heart with happiness.”

Around me it was the Eight Paladins, each of them frozen. I just arrived, dancing with all (seven) Original Poems I had. The shining orbs floated around me like a rainbow-colored dance.

“And I thought you were just a doctor,” I said cheerfully to Dr. Fritzroy. “Stopping all the Eight Paladins by yourself. Congratulations.”

“I cannot do my experiments if my Stanza is weak,” he answered me with his typical cold demeanor.

“This will not stand! You will be stopped!”

One of the Paladins still had his face unfrozen. I smiled at him, not that he could have seen through the mask I was wearing.

“You are lucky, Gengis Omar. You and I share a Stanza type, so we don’t need to kill for my surgery. That doesn’t mean we will not kill. Just that we don’t need to.”

That was the best day of my life! All their stupid Heroes were tricked into hunting me in another place, leaving the Paladins’ Stanzas and the Original Poem at my mercy.

“If you think that Elvira’s surgery was special, wait until you see mine!”