I can't allow my sister to die. It is not her fault that I exist. About six months has passed since my birth and I have traveled with Master Wiseman and Mirkos most of the time of my life. I trust in our journey to Kaia will be fruitful. We can't allow Queen Rousha to be executed. Sai wonders about while Mirkos and The Wiseman walk forward to her. She is stuck in a day dream and in deep thought. She fears for the death of the Queen. According to the Wiseman's teachings, monks do meditation to free their mind and to find order in their surroundings. He also mentioned a side effect of vivid day dreams, which in fact show a glimpse of a possible future. While walking Sai suddenly has visions of a battle with a faceless warrior in the Queen's throne room. In the vision Sai sees blood everywhere. She is unsure whose blood she sees, but she is highly concerned it's her sister who will suffer the fate of an execution. Sai takes some comfort in the fact that The Wiseman can heal and bring the dead back to life, just as he demonstrated in the forest with the fatally wounded boar. Sai further thinks about how Mirkos is an accomplished healer and he has complete trust in him. She has a feeling of thankfulness for the night The Wiseman and Mirkos found and rescued her.
Sai's day dream is suddenly interrupted with a query from Mirkos.
"Sai, what troubles you?
With a blank stare which turns into a slight smile, Sai responds, "Shrimp it's nothing. I am just practicing moves in my mind for a possible rescue of the Queen."
"Eh, you are so formal Sai. You actually speak in such a methodical manner," said Mirkos with a comical tone.
The Wiseman interrupts Mirkos, "She probably is experiencing a vision, Mirkos. Have you been meditating more Sai?"
"By your teachings, yes Master Wiseman," replies Sai.
"You won't understand what I am saying now, but you will later. Normally monks that reach a level of understanding of reality can see futures while meditating or even while doing everyday activities. However, Sai you're a different case. I believe you are the prophesied Kaian who will free the lands of the empire," explains The Wiseman.
With a curt tone full of interruption Sai says, "Master, you have referred to me as the prophecy and mentioned prophecy many times since we have been training and traveling together. What is the prophecy."
With a look of conviction and sincerity on his face The Wiseman stops walking and turns to Sai, "Sai you are a special Kaian. You are a copy of Queen Rousha, and under normal circumstances a copy such as you wouldn't be able to talk. Have you not noticed how quickly you learn my teachings?"
With confusion on her face Sai responds, "Master what do you mean? How quickly I learn? I just copy what you show me."
"Sai, the wind techniques I showed you months ago took me about eight years to master. Lesser skilled monks spend fifteen to twenty years to master those techniques. Yet, when we battled with Maracari you demonstrated understanding of the wind technique in hours! My girl you're are not a normal pupil."
"Master, I'm scared," says Sai.
Mirkos looks at both Sai and The Wiseman with admiration and slight envy and says," Sai I have been studying with the master for over seven years and I have yet to begin understanding the wind technique. I barely can master the monk healing salves. You are a special student, Sai."
"Okay so what am I?" Asks Sai.
The Wiseman continues his explication, "The prophecy states a Kaian copy will appear which is sentient, highly intelligent, and immensely strong. Sai you possess these qualities. The prophecy says the Kaian will bring an end to evil in the land. Sai, this evil is the Yeagers and the Emperor's Empire."
With her head hung low and with a grimace Sai nods her blonde filled head slightly.
Sai gazes at The Wiseman with her blue eyes, "But master I am confused, I am just one girl. Master you and the shrimp are just two men."
With protest Mirkos says, "Hey I appreciate you acknowledging my manhood, but stop calling me shrimp!"
The three looked at each other simultaneously and suddenly sounds of laughter erupted along the road. The trio continued their walk silently, for the remainder of the day. Sai's mind was not filled with visions of her future, yet she had immense curiosity about the prophecy. She wonders can she continue the pace she has shown in her skills. She thinks to herself that she doesn't want to let her Master or Mirkos down.
"My Lord how much longer to the Kaian lands?" asks Raijin.
"Not much longer brother. Do you look forward to your first battle?" asks Schroeder.
"Lord Schroeder, Brother of course I do. I live to serve the Emperor, the Empire, and the proud Yeager people," with a salute Raijin responds to his brother.
Schroeder pulls the reins on his horse to stop its hooves, "The academy teachings will get you killed man. In battle you must remember your training, but you must think for yourself. Screw the empire and our people. What matters is your, our survival. You're my eyes and ears on this mission."
"As you command my Lord," says Raijin.
"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me Lord, I am your brother!"
With a solemn stare on his face which absent of emotion Francis pulls the reins on his horse and the rest of the platoon of soldiers do the same. The three tanks that are with the men also halt their advance.
"You two come over here with me," says Francis.
The three ride their horses of the trail to a set of trees. Francis looks Schroeder directly into his eyes. Schroeder stares back at Francis confidently.
"For a dutiful Yeager, Schroeder you have a blasphemous tone today," says Francis with a disdainful tone. Francis grabs the hilt of his sword without looking away at Schroeder's eyes. Schroeder notices Francis grabbing his blade. He recalls Francis' reputation for executing subjects lacking loyalty to the empire. Schroeder smiles widely and turns his back to Francis while interlocking his fingers behind his back.
"Francis, you know I am not afraid of you, the Imperial forces, or the Emperor. I serve the empire dutifully and I pledge my allegiance to the empire, to my Yeager people."
Schroeder turns around and extends his hands and erupts in laughter, "Why question my loyalty?"
Francis surveys Schroeder's behavior and soon releases his grip on his sword's hilt. Francis' blank stare remains on his face and he says nothing else.
"Okay guys lets continue to move our tanks and men towards Kaia. We are less than a day from arresting the insufferable Queen."
Reijin and the troops shout yes sir in unions and the platoon of troops along with Francis and Schroeder proceed on to Kia. Meanwhile, in the shadows encased in a dark cloak Mericari lurks in the shadows. He on the commands of the Emperor he has been tracking the Yagers looking for any signs of deceit. He thinks to himself and wonders why Schroeder openly disparaged the empire despite the emperor's hand, his executioner being without reach of his blade. Mericari reaches for a pouch on his waist and fetches a pear and begins chewing it ferociously. He thinks to himself maybe Francis' blood sword is failing to keep his life force going and he is getting old. Mericari smiles and then lets out a low laugh thinking about Francis being old and fragile. Mericari always has a fake smile on his face unless he is very serious, but laughter is a rare occurrence for him. Although it is a low laugh and hurts Mericari's side slightly, the noise from the laugh was loud. A soldier in the Yager platoon looks towards the shadows behind him, and Mericari leaps back wards quickly to escape the soldier's gaze. Maybe I am the old one Mericari thinks to himself as he finishes his pear.
In the Kian palace Queen Rousha is in her chambers eating berries and looks at the tattered tapestry in her chambers. She reaches for the red tapestry riddled with holes and wry strings. She wonders to herself if there will be trouble for the copy she made. Six months has past and there was no word from the Empire or any Yager forces. Her food rations were normal, and the comings and goings of Kai's economy remained the same. Kain's were picked up and solder to go through the Imperial territories as always. She turns her pale white hand around towards herself and she drops the tapestry with her other hand. Rousha wonders to herself what will she do if there is a consequence for her actions, she starts to twirl her blond hair, I wonder what that damn copy is doing Rousha thinks to herself. She starts to hope with her luck she is dead and the any trouble will disappear.
"Queen Rousha! I have urgent news," shouts a tall Kain with the Queen's chamber door in tow of his hand. "Our farms in the south of lands are on fire! Tanks were spotted along with more Yagers than I have ever seen around our lands."
The Queen thinks to herself that his man must be from one of the farming communities that supplies food to the Imperial forces. Odd for them to attack and burn the farm land. She picks up another bath of berries and begins to chew ferociously.
The Kaian man continues, "The village elders sent me here to request help, is there anything we can do? We have meet our quotas and…"
With a false haughty and regal tone Rousha interrupts the man, "You should remove yourself from my presence." Queen Rousha picks up more berries and juices start to run down her hands.
"My Queen, my mistake. I shouldn't of troubled you but we need assistance."
The Queen makes a snapping gesture and her guards remove the man swiftly. They take him to the front of the castle and kick him out. The Queen starts to worry and realizes yes there is a problem.
"Master I sense something is wrong and we will be too late to Kai, what are we to do?" Asks Sai.
"Sadly Sai we are more than a days walk to Kaia and I want you to look North and tell me what you sense," replies The Wiseman.
"I sense a fire and many… many… deaths.. It's my people its dead Kaians!" Shouts Sai.
Mirkos uses a somber tone, "Master Wiseman and Sai, I sense it too. Many were murdered and it was by the Yagers!"
Sai puts her head down and senses a familiar energy. She flashes back to the night she saw Trix's throat slashed and Sid's head on the floor. It is the Schroeder! Sai lets out a loud scream and begins to cry.
The Wiseman grabs Sai's shoulders and lifts her tear filled head. "Sai get ahold of yourself, you can't break down like this." Sai's blond hair is everywhere and suddenly starts to stand up on it's own and The Wiseman is pushed backwards by a force.
"Sai.. what are you doing calm down," asks Wiseman with an uncharacteristic pleading tone.
Sai looks up and looks the Wiseman and Mirkos in their eyes. The both notice her normally blue eyes are now brown. She wipes her tears away and calms herself. "Master it will be fine, I know Schroeder is out there near Kia. If we hurry we can save some lives and save my sister from whatever he is planning. I won't allow him to murder anymore of my people than necessary."
"I have never heard you refer to Kaians as your people Sai," says Mirkos with an inquisitive tone. He looks at her eyes and notices they are going from brown to blue as Sai expressed words calmly and gathered herself.
"If I am this prophecy The Wiseman speaks of, I can protect the weak at least, my people," as Sai makes her proclamation, her hair falls to its normal position around her shoulders.
"If we all focus our chi and run we can reduce the days walk in half to Kaia," says The Wiseman. His pupils nod and the three of them start to run and leap quickly to hasten their pace to Kaia.
The Wiseman reaches out with his senses as he leaps forward. He senses another ominous person, it's the Black Knight of the Imperial Forces. He has heard of Francis and never has faced him in battle. Some muse that Francis is over a hundred years old and is ageless. What The Wiseman does know is Francis' blood sword is deadly and drains life force. He fears his visions previously of his pupils falling could come true, because he knows Francis does the emperor's work and Meracai tends to be close by ready to spy or fight. The Wiseman believes Sai is reaching the point of the prophecy where the Kaian awakens, which would explain her hair floating and eye color change. He thinks more to himself he can't tell her what's happening yet. While running and with a look of woe, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an apple and bites it.