Wild Beast Chase (Part III)

(Part six: Beasty meeting )

After few minutes of flight with Xillia the phoenix, the strikers came to the place where the summit was planned to be held. The strikers saw Ragion landing on the other side of the sea. Ragion bowed to Strike and waved to Xillia by its left wing and Xillia waved back. Kydie and Vedsey came to the shallow water. There was a giant dark blue hole with a sea-green coloured outlining. “Xillia, why is a blue spot over there?” Michael asked. Xillia looked down at Michael and looked at the awkward blue spot. “That area of the sea is deep. But hardly the deepest point in the archipelago.” Xillia said.

“Guess we have to wake him up. Again!” Xillia whispered to itself. Xillia flew straight up to the sky and hovered in one place. Then after, Ragion did the same thing. Xillia started making a giant bright red ball of fire while Ragion was taking a deep breath. Once they were all set, they unleashed it a few feet above the water. The ball of fire got hit by a bright blackish-blue flame with sparks and exploded, generating shockwaves to make huge ripples in water and an extra hurricane wind effect to the environment. Seconds later, ripples started going towards the blue hole in the middle and disappeared. Bunches of huge bubbles started appearing and a few swells appeared from the same place, then the place trembled. Something, grey in colour shot out of the blue hole reaching about hundred feet high towards the sky and slammed down to the shallow sea area. The action and impact made Kydie and Vedsey soak in sea water, making them feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Guess we have to wake him up. Again!” Xillia whispered to itself. Xillia flew straight up to the sky and hovered in one place. Then after, Ragion did the same thing. Xillia started making a giant bright red ball of fire while Ragion was taking a deep breath. Once they were all set, they unleashed it a few feet above the water. The ball of fire got hit by a bright blackish-blue flame with sparks and exploded, generating shockwaves to make huge ripples in water and an extra hurricane wind effect to the environment. Seconds later, ripples started going towards the blue hole in the middle and disappeared. Bunches of huge bubbles started appearing and a few swells appeared from the same place, then the place trembled. Something, grey in colour shot out of the blue hole reaching about hundred feet high towards the sky and slammed down to the shallow sea area. The action and impact made Kydie and Vedsey soak in sea water, making them feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Who cares about your wicked slumber! As a leader, be a bit serious! Zail” Strike jumped in the middle and shouted to Zail. All the four beasts were astonished. Strike saw Ragion, begging him not to ‘yell at ehykronz’. Strike looked at Ragion in anger of its actions, indirectly ordering it to stop begging. And Ragion has to follow the order, so it stopped begging. Zail looked at Strike and came closer to the Lamox sea-shore made of obsidian shards. More like came too close. “Why did the Dragon’s sword choose a screw up like you? And how do you know my name?” Zail questioned in curiosity. But the sound of it, made the strikers so uncomfortable that they even closed their ears. More like they felt their whole body was in agony from Zail’s voice. “Will you back off!? I may withstand your interrogating voice, but my team can’t bare it. Secondly, how I know you, why sword chose me are none of your concern.” Strike backfired the question. “what in the four clans are you trying Strike?” Knightin Gale whispered. Although she couldn’t hear herself; just trusting her instincts. None (except Strike) of the strikers could hear themselves with their normal voices because Zail’s voice made them closer to becoming deaf. “You guys back off too, otherwise you’ll be deaf.” Strike said but none of them understood. Strike sighed. “I SAID, BACK OFF, OTHERWISE YOU’LL BE DEAF” Strike shouted. “WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO? GREAT IDEA!” Mike replied yelling.

“Zail, why don’t we come down to the summit back sssssss? the Yaeries are planning a war to be launched. Boy, would you describe…ssssss” Kydie (snake) said while grinning. Zail gazed at Strike in curiosity and backed off a bit. “Yaeries using some group of people, to capture Kydie, Ragion, Vedsey and Xillia and use them as war weapons; somehow and conquered the whole archipelago, plus it also disturbed the seven centuries of piece.” Strike spoke from his heart and showed his courageous ambition. Zail thought for a bit. “Well, you saved the beast. Thank you! Now leave.” Zail said. The beasts and strikers were stunned from Zail’s ignorance.

Strike lost his hope, which made his face again covered in fury and everything that reassembled utmost madness without going crazy. He drew both swords. “Say it differently this time or I’ll break a promise and cut you into pieces!” Strike challenged Zail and it made Zail laugh so hard it cried in laughter. But the beast was more concerned about Strike’s death wish. “You puny human, to cut me, from that Sword” Zail kept laughing. “decision won’t change. Until I meet a worthy person to fight.” Zail said. “You… crooked beast!” Strike screamed and ran. Xillia tried to stop Strike but he dodged. Strike jumped pointing the emperor’s sword’s blade directly toward Zail. Zail was confident it made its eyes big and turned toward Strike. Zail didn’t do anything. The sword came too close to its scales, almost to scratch. Strike was in mid-air but after few seconds Strike was thrown back toward where he jumped and the emperor’s sword stuck to the ground, covering the entire blade. Making Strike unable to pull it. Zail took a deep breath, while other beast gets covered themselves. Xillia covered Strike’s friends. Moment Zail blasted out water from its mouth, to Strike, Ragion came into the middle and vaporized it from its flames. “Ragion!? This will be the last time you do that!” Zail warned him. “Leave XOULE! And never return. The war is human business not beasts’.”

Zail saw Strike pulling out the sword back and barely was able to stand from the impact. He was covered in dust and scratches. “The only creature who can harm me is, Jӧrmungandr. (the world serpent also known as Midgard serpent. Says if it takes off his tale, the world will end beacue it can go around the world and bite its own tail)” Zail said. “You believe Jӧrmungandr, the second son of Loki, the god of mischief, is in Mythesia? Are you making any sense by that?” Strike questioned. “He has the power to wipe out Midgard in Yggdrasil by a single blow of its tail. Not even that puny basilisk can kill me. Jӧrmungandr is the true king of snakes.” Zail said. “But you are neither snake nor eel” Strike yelled back. “Strike… that’s enough. we’ll find a way to stop Yaeries. Let’s move back to the former plan.” Michael came with Knightin Gale and, talked Strike to senses. Strike buzzed off Michael’s help. “RAGION! Can you take us all back to your island, just for today? We are leaving tomorrow’s first light.” Strike asked Ragion. Ragion looked back at Zail hoping for a favourable answer, but Zail nodded Ragion expressing ‘take them out of my sight’. Ragion disappointingly took the strikers and went towards itn s island. “Summit dismissed!” Zail ended the grand summit. The other beasts also dismissed in disappointment and felt sorry for the strikers and innocent humans. 

( Part seven: One thing )

It was evening, Ragion brought the strikers to its cave near Masolo. “Stay in my cave or pay a visit to the village” Ragion said and it was sounds like in sorry for strikers. Ragion left back to its regular routine of its life in its island. “Guys, don’t look disappointed. We were expecting this as a trap. It wasn’t though. Anyway we need a plan.” Knightin Gale said. “Noah, Michael, NG, make a full-fledged plan and inform me. I need a break. Inform me when we get back to the ship.” Strike and left the cave toward the village. The team was speechless about Strike. The sun was about to set and the twilight underway. Strike walked directly, without looking at anyone in the village not even answered to them. Just walked straight. Strike reached where Ragion landed, to attend the summit. And sit there and watch the moon rise. Ragion finished its usual activities and land behind Strike. “What makes you throw stone to the sea young emperor?” Ragion sat left to Strike. “Isn’t the occasion, right now is awkward? I can’t see you and I don’t believe in ghosts.” Strike said while throwing a stone to then ‘deep’ sea. “Well, you from, all must be able to see my body because your bare sword forged from my flames” Ragion hinted Strike. Strike was surprised and looked to his left, so he actually saw Ragion as a dark ash shadow dragon body. Strike turned his head back, and looked straight towards the land of the phoenix and kept throwing stones. “I see…” Ragion talked to himself and blew a small flare towards the dark blue spot. The spot was clearly visible due to rising moon’s light. “What are you playing Ragion?” right after Strike asked, same as before, bubbles and swells appear in the dark blue spot. It was Zail, rising up, without disturbing by making the place rumble. “I was thinking when you will call me back young challenger…” Zail spoke. Its voice was not disturbing pretty much at all. “I want one thing from you Zail.” Strike looked down and asked from it. “I still won’t give any help to you, human troubles.” Zail thought ahead, but... “I know that, I just want to hear the other living beings also affected by this war so, FIGHT ME ONCE!” Strike drew back both his swords. Ragion tried to stop but Strike was too quick and agile. “Here we go again…YOU WON’T WIN” Zail warned and set in the same position. The time was different, the emperor’s sword was pushed again to the soil but in mid-air, Strike let go of the emperor’s sword. The sword struck to soil beside Ragion. “just one thing…” Strike whispered to himself and swung the blade of his old sword from both hands. Zail actually felt like he was being tickled. However, Zail hit back Strike, from the spot he attacked. Strike was shot back to the place he jumped. His old sword struck back next to his neck (lucky…). But few feet away, a piece of Zail’s scales fell behind Strike. Zail was flabbergasted and speechless, Strike was able to at least tear a piece of its scale. Zail took a deep breath, Ragion came in between. “Zail, that’s enough…please.” Ragion spoke, trying to protect Strike. “What are you talking about? I was about to congratulate it.” Zail said while exhaling. Strike stood up, smirking and whipping off the dirt on his face. Ragion was surprised now. “The one thing I need from you is, just one scale” Strike explained his reason to the rematch. “Although…I didn’t know your scales are that big.” Strike said while going towards the shard of scale that fell. It’s height was about fifty inches and as wide as Strike’s shoulder. “I may don’t know why you need that…but I have to admit that, after all the rulers, conquerors, knights and leaders who faced me, you were the only person yet so far, able to show me what is the true strength of a person.” Zail acknowledged Strike and went back down into its layer.

“Ragion, call me by my name, don’t call me majesty.” Strike asked Ragion, because he felt he was not yet to fit it. “As you wish sire” Ragion said and winked. Meanwhile Strike tried to pull the scaleshard off the ground, but it barely lifted. He put all his strength and lifted it off the ground. Then he put it above the scabbard in his back. The shard was fit to cover Strike’s whole back. And it suited perfectly with his black clothes. The shard was dark as the night sky, with a few hardly noticeable white spots and bee hive structured dark red and blue mixed pattern. Strike then pulled both swords back. While putting the emperor’s sword back to its scabbard, he whispered to himself “It’ll be more helpful if Ragion could give us a hand…”. “I’ll follow any order you would give me Strike.” Ragion said as an answer. “How do you know what I was whispering?” Strike questioned, surprised. “You just figured out the way to contact me easily. Wherever you go, whispered any ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question to the ricasso of the sword, and make sure that I’m able to answer it please.” Ragion explained a secret of the sword. Strike happily threw the sword up and played with its blade like a baby with a squish toy. Then he suddenly stopped after realising something. “Ragion, let’s think that I asked you a question, how do I know your reply?” he asked. “Easy! Depending on my answers, ‘yes’ or ‘no’; see the white arrow-shaped part where the hilt and blade joins, the rain-guard or chappe of the sword, it glows in either blue, if it’s ‘yes’; or red, if it’s a ‘no’” Ragion explained in detail while pointing. “Hmm…depending on what I see in here, guess you already figured out how to wield the chain-structure and what happen when you abandon it” Ragion said while scratching its right shoulder. “How did you know? There isn’t a single scratch there…” Strike asked. Again he was stunned. “There are lot more things you can see from a dragon’s eye than from a human’s, Strike.” Ragion bragged. “Well…don’t you have to face a big day tomorrow, the moon is at high peak and you better should take rest. I’ll drop you all off to your ship in minutes. There’s lot of animals you shouldn’t struggle with, living down in these islands.” Ragion said seriously.

Strike and Ragion went back to its cave. On the way... “those creatures you meant previously, are they more like reindeer?” Strike asked mockingly. “I am not joking here Strike! There are far cute and cuddly ones and far more ferocious creatures alive than in human records. Why do you think I spin around the island and all the beasts let you pass ‘too’ quickly? Why did Zail quickly reply and suspend the summit? Make sense now?” Ragion answered with all the reasons it had. Strike was stunned to wonder what those creatures were, that up to challenge whatever they want while there are strong beasts in guard of the islands. Suddenly an aurora appeared in the night sky. An aurora coloured the sky with bright blue, green and white, seamlessly mixed. It was a perfect night for a perfect day. But unfortunately the day wasn’t that perfect at all.