Flock in waiting
Intro: Sound of insects chirping in the new dawn, and so the low ruckus of people that rally to different evacuation sites. To the castle guards' commander, Zahamara speaks, "The third division squadron, our unit, and the shadow army's area squad are on standby around the area of northwest wall. The same goes around northeast, southwest, and southeast walls. While our men and the shadow army's squads are accommodating this task, ours must not confront the opponent when sighted. We should let the members of the Craze Guild handle the matters. As for the situation becomes dire, our side must be obliged to support without hesitation. Despite we cannot join the fight not until we manage them cornered in the trap point, we must not let our strongest allies fallen. The survey provides further details the possibility for those portals can transport heavy equipment. We lack fundamental data of the underworld's latest invention and progress. We might be at disadvantage."
"I guess, we might really be at disadvantage. I can assure you that my men aren't negligence about their orders."
"We have to keep the cost minimal as possible. Our lives are not a tool for sacrifices but to be treasured. Yet we can't let those heartless do as they please. The citizen must be protected at all cost."
"I understand and agree."
While the evacuation continues, inside the mansion, Criselia drags the newly awaken Jesifer, still on her long white dress. To a spacious area, where florescence lights shine inside and where busy scholars—
Some of them are directing people, carrying package of books. Some persons are arranging boxes to a divider. A group is carrying a divider. A gathering of people is analyzing, planning, and designing in a table. A person is labeling the experimented chemicals.
—both of them arrive. Being amazed, Jesifer asks, "What's with the light? What is this place? This is too new to me."
"Oh, don't be ignorant. Try to act not surprised, like you know everything." She chuckles. "I asked the materials from a bald blacksmith, a friend of Jaino, on the headquarters. There was an exchanged though. I told him some method on creating a fine equipment. And of course, I gonna give him some useful idea if I come up with one." To a table where a gathering of scholars analyzing a very long paper, Criselia shows to Jesifer.
"A ship," has reacted by Jesifer. "The same on Altrass..."
"Altrass, who?"
"Don't mind it. But what actually are you trying to do? Migrating into another place?"
"Before I answer your question, answer me first. Are you not worried to what happening outside? Pack of people are moving and soldiers are guiding them."
"I'm not worried." On her mind, Marshal Dogel told me everything that my brother is to be assassinated. Yet, Jaino's involvement is at stake. Show me how he'll deal with this. The person you are rooting for, Criselia. This is harder for me. Yet, to be safe I have the main exceptional general to do the work. I will come to rescue if everything turns unexpected.
Criselia whispers, "You surely are carefree as the current queen." To the blueprint, she puts her hand. "This is what you shall call an airship."
"Airship..?"
"Yes. It can float into the sky."
Altrass' ship is known by our ancient documents to float in the sea. So there was ship that can navigate in the sky too. "Why travels on the sky?"
"You really know nothing about this whole Dandia, am I right?"
"I might be lacking of knowledge, I admit."
A female scholar approaches and she speaks, "Of course you won't know my highness." Her words make Jesifer surprised and have the listeners focus at them. "They are data that haven't been revealed by the many scholars."
She knows me?
"You again!" has yelled by Criselia to the woman, who smiles back.
She replies, "I have to prove useful to you. Allow me to explain this..."
"Why are you calling me highness?" has asked by Jesifer.
To Jesifer, the woman answers, "I am an acquaintance of Jaino and a member of the main exceptional general. Yet there is no point hiding this for you. So, to the point, I had heard rumors of an amazing woman who wielded a giant sword. She had ended many rumors and legend an executed many criminals. I was doubtful of why Jelfyr set aside her injustice actions. I continued my investigation and found out that the queen was missing. Finally, my probe reached me to a place where you abolished some thieves. And Marshal Dogel was there calling you highness. Fear not, your identity is safe on us scholars."
Unable to response, with worries, Jesifer looks at Criselia, who asks, "So, how can you prove useful to me?"
The woman continues, "My highness, it pains me to say this. But our ancient civilization didn't own anything in this entire island, our known flat world, Dandia. It was the god. It's still unconfirmed if we can interpret it as god. It was our assumed god, who borrowed this entire island to give birth for our champion, our savior whom who will end this endless crisis which continued to consume lives. Your mother's death wasn't to restrain Altrass' expedition nor imprisoned us to this entire island. But to bar the poisonous mist surrounding Dandia's farthest seas. This poisonous mist is quite lethal and took away many living birds and marine lives that managed to inhale its vapor. As for more details about Dandai, I told Jaino. He left words to me, without his permission, Criselia and me will not reveal further info."
With angry face, Criselia gazes at the scholar. "And why also me..?"
"Ma'am please..."
"Hmmp."
Both Criselia and the female scholar see Jesifer face, confused. Criselia says, "Well, it's good if you can have a chat with your Jaino."
"Hey, we had met the person he loves yesterday," has replied by the flustered Jesifer. "We must not make things complicated. Besides, the person that I have wanted to, was long gone."
"Have you remember, the girl Kilie that we and Jaino had visited?"
"What's with her?"
"Well, I just discovered two stupid facts. But, well, it's better for you to discover things. I don't mind sharing him with anyone of you, so long as you contribute highly. Ha ha ha ha."
Both the female scholar and Jesifer think, Is she insane?
"Back to the topic," has declared by Criselia. "Jesifer, after you clear things here. Everything shall turn difficult on us. The preparation of this huge airship is for the sake of all of you guys. We will try to finish this on one week. You should also promise me to get stronger as soon possible. What lies ahead of us is far more worse than what you are experiencing right now."
—End of Intro.
Flashback, yesterday's evening: Light from torches glows in the chamber. The gathering of people commences a meeting. Jaino speaks, "We have two leaders at present and two representatives from my chosen groups that I decide to partake this incoming confrontation against the underworld." Including those mentioned—
The two leaders are a young man Olyn Tehbasak and a woman Merna Tesanta. The two representatives are, an assistant of Salvan Untalban and Jerome Zabital, a member of Sammuel Larigan.
—On the table, also princess Vilyarin and the guild's adviser are sitting and listening. Jaino continues, "Everyone, we will be facing the most terrifying group in history. The outcome of our battle tomorrow shall be the fate on us and the rest of Dandia. Yet our opponents have the advantage, we gather here for the best fortification that I can provide. We will engage them, provoke them, capture them and sentence them, as soon as possible, to avoid any opportunity that could result to casualties.
"That's being previously said. I explain to you their first advantage, the ancient portals scattered around Dandia's areas. Based on the scouts' reports, I have come into a conclusion that these portals have three functions. One is to remain inactive to their area. Two, it reverses someone's direction. Three, it transports objects to a certain portal."
"Certain portal," has commented by Olyn Tehbassak, "means, it won't be able to transport objects to another location."
"Right," has replied by Jaino. "If it did, our prince was long gone. And there is a possibility that these portals can transport heavy equipment or many numbers of enemy. As you try to provoke them, yell it and ask where Eladin is. Our opponent responses might be revealed some truth."
The woman Merna responses, "Damn, confronting them tomorrow might be exciting, yet might lose our lives. Considering this fearsome boss might arrive tomorrow in the area, you might be planning on fighting him alone. Or there is a chance that this might be a decoy, that's why your location is around the central area of Jeflyr. Well, that's to be expected from someone who can read action, ended the last sky's rejection, and became the new leader of our guild. Listen, we might not be able to surpass you and the legendary female sword wielder. I can promise you, my team will do our very best to repel the attack, even if Eladin shall exist tomorrow."
"Then, allow me to continue. Our second disadvantage is, we're lacking of knowledge about their capability. Beside, just one of them can abolish a whole tribe. Also, being careful, might become our weakness. That's why I want you all, to perform unmerciful. Do not hold back, for your life — I mean everyone's life is at stake. Your choice is too be vigilant? do it with initiative. Above all, I want all of you to survive."
His words silence everyone.
"Let me continue to our third disadvantage. They have plenty of spies all over the kingdom." Everyone constrains their attention at him. "So, I'll put at least one rule with you guys.
"'Don't ever doubt your allies whatever they'll do. Focus on the mission. I want you to trust me this one..."
As the evening continue, somewhere outside the kingdom of Jelfyr, located in a ruin surrounded by a forest, inside a room radiated by torches; a certain group is gathering. Two people are bickering. A lusus, a huge norim, named Repear yells as his voice echoes aloud, "You killed Harfeit! I know from the start, you are a traitor!"
A veteran man, Martinis Digs, replies, "Accusing me without proper evidence, go back to being a child and attain some schooling, so you can patch up your skull which contains empty."
"What did you say!"
"I got no reason to kill our best scholar. I gain nothing in such effort. Besides, he decided to journey in Deep Forest. With his number of men on his company, I doubt someone could bring him death."
The lusus grits his teeth and clenches his fist. He cries, "Want a fight?"
"Enough!" has yelled by the eyes-closed old man, Eladin. And to Martinis Digs, he speaks, "If we considered your reports true, then we shall seek him after our success tomorrow. The awakening of my dearest grandchild takes priority first."
At the current time, daily light shines in the morning of Jelfyr. The silence waits for another participants to arrive. Some persons in the various units could hear their heartbeats.
From inside the buildings, from the shadow of alleyways, and some disguise as civilians; the castle guards, Zahamara's soldiers, the shadow army's area squads: their vigilance is highly preemptive.
In a rooftop, the young man Olyn Tehbassak a leader and a member of the guild Craze, assigned in the northwest, inhales the wind. Carrying quivers, bows, swords, knives, and other tools, a woman speaks at him, "I have finished soaking them with sorse blood."
"Silvi," has called by Olyn, "my friend. You have a brighter future ahead of you, a noble and a fine woman. This mission is difficult. Yet, I have to overcome this so I can continue this activity that I have been living to. And you have been with me for all the time and greatly contributed. Are you still with me despite how dangerous this?"
She smiles. "Wherever you go, I always be by your side to support you."
"Then. Today and onward. You are our archer."
With delighted, she responds, "Aye."
Assigned in the southwest, Merna Tesanta, having a meeting in her four members, she loudly speaks, "This is the day that we can surpass our nemesis—"
Clung by a giant legless lizard, a woman member of Merna mumbles, "You just want to surpass the female legendary slayer."
"—and gain more fame for a greater high. For our group to be known by the rest of Dandia, we shall do our best to repel those evils. No, not just repel, but capture them and sentence them for their crimes. Are you with me?"
And her members reply, "We are!"
Onto the southeast, Salvan Untalban and the fifth exceptional general are talking. Yet meanwhile in northeast, the craze guild's group assigned in the area is disarray.
Sammuel's male follower named Jerome Zabital whispers to a young woman, Sharon's reliever, "I know that he hates Jaino a lot. But he is not like this as before. From time to time, he always highly and proudly yells to surpass Jaino."
"You know, Sharron Maviel wants her family for her to be married. She declared a challenge to Sammuel to show his worth."
"Eh... Huh—!"
Meanwhile, while the castle guards and members of the JSA royal squad are guarding all over the tower, Sai Mea has been called by the young prince Raume to his office.
After she has entered the room, she closes and locks the door. "My prince—"
"Don't call me prince anymore," has replied by Raume, with words turn Sai Mea's lips cold.
On Sai Mea's mind, He really did found me out. But I'm just doing everything for his safety. Or maybe, because I'm the bearer of the shadow army. No, it could be I did something wrong..? Her heart turns cold and guilty. Her gaze moves down, staring at the floor.
"Sai Mea," his words have made Sai Mea gulps, "Would it be okay for you to not call me as a prince... How about... the word... something like..."
"Something like?"
"Something like..." He gazes down. "... … ...Dear..."
Feeling the warm all over her chest, she smiles. "Huh, uhm, uhm, sure..."
"Thank you, my dear."
"I thought, you called me here for something. Well, if that's all about, I don't mind. It makes me happy, my pri— dear..."
"Aside from that, thank you very much for protecting me for all this time," his words halt Sai Mea's happiness and she asks,
"You already know?"
"What do you think am I?" Beside, knowing that someone is there to protect me. That means I don't have to think I shoulder every problems in the kingdom, my problems alone. He has stood and walks to Sai Mea. He embraces her. The warm from her body somehow relieves his stress. He looks at her eyes as she does back. His lips land on her lips...
She embraces him. I am yours my prince... my dear...
...and will also...
...protect you...
Once feelings is captivated
It's harder to resist the needs
The own emotions decide ways
.