21. Blade Breaker
Lenny recalled and executed all the techniques and fighting style he had used over the years from both his grandfather and Master Shin. He also switched weapon between sword, spear, club and also knives. However, all the techniques he tried on the knight was deflected or evaded to a point of perfection. Even without its shield, the knight was still able to parry and defend against Lenny's attacks. Each new moves he made carried with them a reminiscence of the past, part of the forgotten chapter of Lenny's life. As his recollection took him further into the past, it slowly dawned to him that swordsmanship had been an integral part of his life since the first time he picked up a sword. Despite his rough executions of the sword skills he used to know very well, the vast array of skills he demonstrated managed to put the knight on its heels. Even Lady Nimue was impressed by him. "How long had it been since you last held a sword?" Lady Nimue asked. "Been a while," Lenny panted. "Shall we take a break for now? There is no time limit to the challenge. You look exhausted, young man." Lady Nimue's voice seemed to echo from the depth of the lake. Lenny reluctantly lowered his sword and nodded. As he stepped out of the ring, he lay down on the ground in silence. "Are you alright, master?" Lenny's pet wyvern - Sam said telepathically. "I'm just tired, there's a lot on my mind right now." Lenny replied. He closed his eyes, intended a short nap but he fell into a deep sleep instead.
"Grandpa, so what's the strongest moves you know?" Lenny recalled a conversation he had with his grandfather many years ago. His fight with Lady Nimue's knight made him remembered the training he had with his grandfather. He had been practicing martial arts and weapons ever since he could remember. His reverie of his training also triggered the many conversations and good times he had with his grandfather. "I guess it's about time you learn some serious tricks," His grandfather - Master Jian rose from his cross legged position and walked towards Lenny. The image of his grandfather was so vividly clear as if the event occurred the day before. Lenny looked at his small figure which was reflected on the multiple wall mirrors around him. He recognized the place as his grandfather's old martial art school. The curtain was drawn and the center looked deserted except for the two of them. Judging from his height, he guessed he was about nine or ten years of age. However, what he saw next was not something which he remembered ever happening. "In order to execute an impressive attack, you must first have an equally amazing weapon." Master Jian walked towards the weapon rack. "I've seen you in action with all those weapons," Lenny heard himself saying. In that dream of his, he remained inside the body of his younger self, unable to speak or move; it was as if he was a passenger and his body was the carrier. "You're too quick to judge, Kai." His grandfather replied. "What's that? How come I've never seen them before?" Lenny's voice was much higher pitch back then. He sounded excited to learn of Master Jian's new weapon. "Take a good look at it," Master Jian literally shoved the entire weapon in front of Lenny's face.
"It's heavy," Lenny heard himself saying as he took the weapon handed to him. It was a long and heavy dagger with a sharp curved edge on one side and multiple slots or depressions made on the other sides. It was a sword breaker, a parrying dagger. The blade was much longer and larger than the usual sword breaker used in rapier training classes. "What's this?" He asked. "It's called a sword breaker. But this one is slightly different from the usual sword breaker in the market. This sword is specifically designed for the Blade Breaker -my best sword technique yet." Master Jian looked directly into Lenny's eyes. "You might not find it to be very useful now but someday it might save your life," It was as if Master Jian was talking directly to Lenny, not his younger self but his present self. Again, every small detail that appeared in his dream was way too realistic, more so than any other dreams he had in the past. As Master Jian continued with his teachings, Lenny caught a glimpse of a figure well hidden at the corner of the room. Lenny didn't notice the mysterious presence initially but after a few glances when his younger self turned his head around the room, the figure became more apparent. The person was covered completely in a robe of sort with a cowl. The clothing camouflaged the figure well against the background, literally hiding the figure in plain sight. Lenny began to pay less attention to what his grandfather was saying and focused more on getting another look at the stranger.
"Pay attention, young man!" Lenny heard an unfamiliar voice echoed around the room. Strangely enough, he was the only one that heard it. His younger self and his grandfather didn't seem to notice its presence. "Master Jian invested a lot of effort into making this mental capsule for you! So pay attention, it might save your life!" The voice said as Lenny again tried to look for the mysterious figure. Sighing in his heart, Lenny once again focused on his grandpa's lecture on his secret techniques - the Blade Breaker. The initial part of the teaching was boring as most of the skills his grandpa talked about were nothing new. He could've perform them to perfection with his eyes closed. However, as the lecture proceeded further, Lenny was amazed by how much he didn't know. Despite practicing the same skill sets for the past few years, Lenny didn't really know the principles behind them. The fulcrum, the force multiplier and the timing of each moves were explained in details by Master Jian; as well as the counter moves to a similar technique if they were used by the opponent. They were all very interesting but Lenny doubted they would help him much against a skilled opponent like Lady Nimue's knight. Just then, he noticed his younger self had already dozed off from the lecture. However, the strange part was, Lenny was still wide awake and was still able to perceive his surroundings. But how could this be?
"I guess that's the most any young boy could take." Master Jian lifted the young Lenny from the stool and lay him on the mattress at the corner of the room. "Now then, time for the real deal. I hope you have been paying attention Kai." Master Jian seemed to be addressing Lenny but the direction he was facing was completely off. "In the next few moments, I will show you how to apply your elements into the Blade Breaker techniques. Maybe you have already knew, maybe not. I was the Blue Swordsman, wielder of the Han Bing. Therefore, all the moves I will be showing you will either be Water or Ice based attacks. I'm sure this will save your life someday or someone you care about. But remember to be reserved with them, for they are deadly. Use them only when you need them. And remember, even the best move works best the first time it's used against the same opponent." Then, the real teaching followed. Like before, Master Jian explained each techniques after demonstrating them - highlighting their pit falls, counter moves and also timing. Lenny was so absorbed in his grandpa's lectures that he didn't notice the corners of the training center began fading away. He only realized it when half of the room disappeared into nothingness. "My best wishes to you, Kai. May these moves aid you in the time of needs," Master Jian said before he too began fading into darkness.
Lenny wasn't sure how much time had passed since he dozed off. The moment he opened his eyes, the same roof of the cave stared back at him - like the dark sky dotted with tiny bioluminescence that sparkled like the twinkling stars. "How are you feeling?" Kirin's face came into view. "How long was I asleep?" Lenny asked. "About 20 hours, young lad," Merlin said. "20 hours?!" Lenny exclaimed. "What did you saw, master?" Sam asked telepathically. "You couldn't read my mind back then?" Lenny replied. "Our connection was momentarily blocked by an unknown force. What happened, master?" "A lesson," Lenny said out loud. "Can we resume our duel?" Lenny asked. "I never set a time limit for your challenge. You're always welcome to resume," Lady Nimue's voice echoed. "Let me prepare first," Lenny said. "You can have all the time you need, young one." Lenny nodded and went to the nearby lake. With a twist of his right wrist, the water defied gravity and rose towards him. Closing his eyes to recall the exact image of the blade breaker his grandfather showed him, his hands slowly began to move; molding the water into the shape he desired. As his hands twist and twirled around the body of water, the shape of a blade slowly began to forge. Soon, Lenny made an exact duplicate of the blade breaker he saw. And then, another blade breaker was forged. "That's an interesting choice of weapon, young one." Merlin said. "Let's try them out," Lenny marched back into the ring with the dual sword breaker. "Finally," Lady Nimue's knight said.
Lenny took an offensive stance, holding both blade forward. He charged forward once his opponent was ready. As their sword crossed path, Lenny trapped the knight's blade between one of the many slots on his blade breaker while lunging his other sword forward. Then, an unexpected scenario developed, something which his grandfather didn't prepared him for. The knight's sword went through Lenny's blade breaker as if the blade was made of water, escaping the blade trapping mechanism. The edge of the sword accelerated soon after it passed through Lenny's first sword breaker. It collided with Lenny's sword on his other hand and shattered it! Lenny took a leapt backwards to avoid a follow-up strike but it never came. The knight raised its sword and took a defensive stance instead. "Wait! Stop the fight!" Princess Kirin yelled. Both of them lowered their weapon and glanced at the princess's direction. "He is fighting for the both of us. It's not wrong if I assist him, at least in forging his weapons." Kirin continued. "Lady Nimue?" The knight waited for Lady Nimue's decision. "Very well, you may proceed." She answered. "What are you trying to do?" Lenny asked, feeling annoyed. "Yeah, you stupid bitch!" Sam hissed telepathically. "Hey! Who taught you that?" Lenny glared at his pet wyvern. "Give me your sword. Can you make another one?" Kirin asked. "Sure, but I don't see how it would make any difference." Lenny replied. "Ooh, it will." Kirin whispered in a foreign language that Lenny know not of while Lenny repaired his broken sword breaker.
After a few enchantments were casted on the sword breakers, ancient symbols began to appear on the edges of the blades. Again, Lenny ventured into the ring once more to face Lady Nimue's knight. "Ready?" Lady Nimue asked. Lenny only nodded in response. Both the sword breakers felt much more powerful compared to the ones he made earlier. The same scenario played out as before, Lenny locked the knight's blade with one of his blade breaker while his other sword went for the offence. No longer was the knight's sword able to escape Lenny's sword breaker as before. The knight was forced to create a makeshift short sword to parry Lenny's other sword. It was a huge leapt forward for Lenny. Lenny hastened his pace, swinging his dual sword breakers in a frenzy. Each time the gash on the sword breaker caught the knight's blade, the knight would shorten its sword to free its blade. Lenny noticed it the first time the trick was pulled but decided to play dumb and continued to fall for the same trick over his next few strikes. Then, an opportunity presented itself. As the knight sword once again got caught by Lenny's sword breaker, he feinted a forward thrust with his other blade. The knight attempted the same trick again, shortening its blade to escape from the sword breaker. Lenny had caught up with the tempo and style of the knight through their previous exchange. At the exact moment the blade withdrew from the slot, Lenny morphed his sword breaker to match the size of his opponent's and twisted his wrist. Lenny's move threw his opponent off balance which made an opening for Lenny to strike. His feint thrust was changed to a downward stab at the last minute. Then, as his blade approached the knight, Lenny sensed a sudden shift in energy. The knight's footing and positioning of the sword gave its moves away.
Lenny drove his sword breaker at an acute angle and plunged it to the ground the moment the knight unleashed the Lion's Roar - a sudden burst of energy channeled through the entire length of a blade. It was usually used as an extremely close quarter move that push the enemies away from the wielder. With a twist of his sword breaker, Lenny dampened the wave of energy and took the rest head on. The shock wave left lacerations on Lenny's body as he charged through it. The knight was surprised by Lenny's sudden aggression. It was slow to be on his feet before Lenny landed a double strike from top down. The knight was forced to defend itself by blocking Lenny's dual sword breakers with its sword. The force of the impact sunk the knight's feet an inch into the dirt. Again, Lenny's sword breaker restricted the movement of the knight's blade while his other blade breaker launched an attack to the knight's left. A short sword appeared in the knight's free hand and parried the incoming blade. Both of them once again were in a deadlock. All of a sudden, Lenny released his left blade and side stepped. The move caught the knight completely by surprise and caused it to stumbled forward. Lenny's free hand reached for his other blade and pushed the hilt with all his might. The knight lost its footing from the sudden shift in balance and fell to the ground. However, it was still holding onto its sword despite falling, preventing Lenny from advancing. Lenny released his blade breaker from the knight's blade and raised it high above his head. Lifting himself up with the power of the wind, he hoisted himself high into the air and slammed the sword breaker into the knight's sword. It was followed by the loud clank of metal on metal. Both their blades were shattered into two from the impact. The knight in its supine position managed to intercept Lenny's stab with what remain of his sword breaker but the match was over. In the confusion, Lenny's energy clone drove Lenny's other blade breaker through the knight's right shoulder, landing a solid hit.
"Bravo! Bravo!" Lady Nimue's voice boomed from the depth of the land and echoed all around. It was followed by a loud round of applause and cheers from all the creatures that resided around the lake. "Yes!" Princess Kirin pumped her hands up into the air with a victory leap. Lenny offered a hand to the fallen knight. The knight took it and gave Lenny a firm hand shake after it got to its feet. "Fantastic move. Your style seems familiar, are you in anyway related to Jian the Blue?" The knight asked. "Jian the Blue? Not really. I learnt my techniques from my grandfather, Lim Shi Jian." Lenny replied. "That's him alright, he was once the Blue Swordsman, hence the nickname. We crossed sword once a long time back." The knight said. "You knew my grandpa?" "Why don't you join us for dinner before heading back to the surface," Lady Nimue interrupted. "I'm alright with it, how about you, Princess?" Lenny asked. Kirin only nodded. There was something different in her gaze as she looked Lenny's way. The earlier look of despair and disappointment were gone and replaced with admiration. Lenny put his remaining sword breaker aside and lay on a mattress nearby to rest. He soon fell asleep after closing his eyes. "Master, wake up! Dinner is ready!" Sam voice echoed in his mind. Lenny slowly opened his eyes to the same cavern roof filled with twinkling bioluminescence organisms. Along the lake shore laid three rows of long wooden tables along with wooden chairs surrounding them. On the tables were a variety of delicacies. Different creatures occupied the seats around the tables. At one end was Princess Kirin and Merlin. They even provided a seat for his pet wyvern. Kirin waved at Lenny as he approached the feast. Lady Nimue however was nowhere to be seen.
Lenny took his seat between Kirin and Sam. He took a bite of the nearest available dish that was right in front of him. It was a paste made with some sort of meat and spices and then simmered in a thick brownish gravy. The taste was mildly hot with a bit of bitter and sourness to it. Lenny chowed them down without giving much of a thought to what the content was. He was too hungry to give a damn. Suddenly, there was a trumpet fanfare being played and the entire place seemed to pause for a moment. Everyone's eyes were turned towards a shallow part of the lake where small ripples formed the surface. Then, a figure slowly emerged from the water. She was a tall lady and her beauty was mesmerizing. Her entire body was semi-translucent, made from the very body of water of the lake. "Announcing the arrival of Lady Nimue," the trumpet continued to play as Lady Nimue walked towards her seat. The music stopped as she raised her hand to address the crowd. "Today, we welcome our new guests to New Avalon. Please give a round of applause to Princess Kirin, daughter of Bassel and Mr. Lenny, grandson of Jian the Blue." The crowd cheered and clapped as their names were mentioned. Kirin stood and gave the crowd a half bow in return. Lenny was slow to his feet and did likewise. "How did she know I was his grandson?" Lenny thought to himself. "The lady is a powerful mage like Merlin. She is certainly more than meets the eye," Sam told Lenny telepathically. Just as Lady Nimue opened her mouth to speak after the crowd settled down, the entire cavern shook violently. A sudden gush of steam formed at one side of the lake followed by the fissuring of the ground. The crack extended from the lake till the wooden table where Lady Nimue was sitting. "Defence formation!" The knight that battled Lenny barked. Magma burst from the fissure and an ominous figure began its slow march towards them.
"You think your little magic trick can hold me?" Billy chuckled as it slowly made its way towards the crowd. A lance formed in Lenny's right hand and a spear in his other as he got to his feet. "Be careful, master. The creature is powerful." Sam warned. The rest of the creatures occupying the dining tables were already on their feet, armed and in formation. The nearest group charged towards Billy in a pincer formation. Lenny joined them as they surround and attacked the demon. Just like before, Billy had no trouble taking all of their attacks at the same time. None of their weapons even left a mark on its thick hide. Billy grabbed hold of the nearest murlock and bit its head off while stomping another two, killing them instantly. Lenny's spear missed its mark but his lance managed to land a hit on the demon's right shoulder. The sharp end of the lance vaporized the moment it made contact. Not a single mark was left on the hide. Lenny side stepped and retreated backwards as Billy unleashed a breath of fire that incinerated a group of murlocks and goblins. The flame also vaporized a large part of the lake behind them. Thick vapour shrouded the battle ground as more water vaporized from the lake. "Something doesn't feel right," Lenny said to Sam telepathically. "This way!" Kirin called out. Lenny followed the Princess's voice, it led him to Lady Nimue and her knights. "This way," a portal formed from the water of the lake. "We'll hold it off to buy time for you two to leave. As promised." Lady Nimue said. Suddenly, a huge ball of flame barged its way though the knights and knocked Lady Nimue into the lake. "Give me the sword!" Billy demanded. "You'll never have it!" Lady Nimue replied and casted an ice spell. Condensations formed around Billy and they soon crystallized and trapped it in an ice prism. However, the ice prison shattered moments after it was formed. "I'll find it even if I have to vaporize this entire lake!" Another large breath of fire was unleashed at Lady Nimue's direction. The lake water gathered around her and shielded her from the flame. More water was turned into steam and the shoreline extended further away. A shimmering object could be seen at the far end of the evaporated lake. It was the weapon of legends - Excalibur!
"Bingo!" Billy laughed and charged towards the sword. "That sword is not meant for you!" Bright blue pulses of lightning crackled in Merlin's tiny hands. The lightning drove Billy to its feet. "We must go now!" Sam said. It followed Kirin towards the portal. "Not until I finish this," Lenny replied and propelled himself into the air. Using his manipulation of wind, he accelerated himself towards the Excalibur before Billy did. "Here goes nothing," Lenny wrapped his palms around the hilt of the legendary sword and yanked hard. The sword came off from the stone surprisingly easily. "Give it to me, boy!" Billy charged towards Lenny like a mad bull. Drawing water from the lake, Lenny swung the Excalibur across Billy's chest. Dark miasma leaked from a deep gash across Billy's chest. It staggered and halted. "You are going to pay for this! I'm going to eat your puny body whole! Just you wait!" Billy's wound slowly began to approximate after it applied magma on the wound. "Watch out, Master!" Sam warned. Lenny lifted the Excalibur and did something that shocked everyone else. He raised and plunged the Excalibur back into the stone! "What are you doing, boy!" Merlin shouted. "I don't appreciate being deceive!" Lenny replied angrily. "Ha-ha-ha-ha…" Lady Nimue's chuckles echoed around the underground cavern. Then, Billy's body became lifeless and dropped to the ground. Kirin had the look of surprise and confuse at the same time as things unfolded. "Well done! I never expected you to be that observant as well." Lady Nimue said. The mist disappeared and shoreline returned to normal. The fissure on the ground was gone in an instance. The crowd that dined with them were nowhere to be seen. The wooden tables and chairs, along with the food on them disappeared as well. "What's going on?" Princess Kirin was dumbfounded by the sudden drastic change.
"How did you find out, young warrior?" Lady Nimue in her human form approached Lenny. "The lake water. As a Water elemental, I have the power to sense its changes as you do." Lenny answered. "Bravo," Merlin patted Lenny on the thigh. "The sword clearly chooses you, why didn't you take it?" Lady Nimue asked. "It's a sword meant for king of kings. At the same time, a weapon of conquest drenched in lives of the innocents. I'm no king. Never wanted to be one. I'm wanted to be a hero more than a king." Lenny replied. "Spoken like a true king. You might not realize it now but this is your destiny. We shall meet again in the future. Till then, stay healthy, my young king." Lady Nimue said. "Go, this portal will take you to the surface. And don't worry about the Sūra bhūta. It's already dead." "Stay safe, Master Lenny. We shall meet again," Merlin said. "Thanks," Lenny stepped through the portal followed by Princess Kirin and Sam. They reappeared in a thick bush on the foot of Mount Varrus under the evening sky.
22. Alex's Choice
The station was a cacophony of people talking in foreign language and regular announcements from metal cones attached to the walls around the stations. They mimicked a loud speaker but was completely empty and hollow in the inside. It would have been hard for Alex to find his way around since he didn't understand a single word they were saying. However, Prof. Jeffery's team had already anticipated the language barrier and fitted Alex with the necessary equipment. In his ears were two tiny earpiece that function as a universal translator. His eyes were fitted with contact lenses that were linked to the central computer in his helmet. The lenses would translate the foreign letters to a form that is familiar to Alex. With those, Alex managed to find his way to the correct carriage and boarded the train to Idan. While inside the train, he checked out his gears and learnt a thing or two about his new equipment. It had been three years since he last came to Nirvana. But the advanced technologies never failed to impress Alex. He scrolled through the available ammo types in his multipurpose handgun using his contact lenses which projected a virtual dashboard regarding the status of his current equipment - just like in a video game. Next, he browsed through his armor status and accessories. He lost track of time when a corner of his visor suddenly lid up. It startled him for a moment, drawing attention from those sitting nearby. "Are you alright, young lad?" An elderly man sitting next to him asked. "I'm fine, sir." A micro-translator that was built into his visor automatically translated the language he spoke into Idan's local tongue. He gazed at the beeping signal to see the notification. It was a reminder that he was approaching the Mackintosh Station in Idan Academy. He gave his holster one last check before leaving his seat as the station was fast approaching.
Alex left the station and headed for the Idan Central Observatory. At the entrance, he paid for the entrance ticket and queued up to enter the observatory. It was a busy day for the staff there. School children of all ages were seen lining up to enter the museum of sort. After a few bottlenecks, the crowd seemed to thin out. Alex headed for the Ecuador Gallery while looking for potential escape route as he moved. His visor processor managed to map out the entire central observatory and accurately pin point Alex's position with just a screen shot of the map of the facility. After some searching, he came to a dead end. The artifact which he was looking for wasn't found in the Ecuador Gallery. He spotted a curator walking about and stopped him to ask regarding the whereabouts of the Reaper's Cloth. He was told that the artifact was a dangerous one and had to be kept in a private gallery which required special access. "Whom do I speak to then?" Alex asked. "You can find her at the reception over there." The man said and continued on his way. Alex headed to the said direction and met a middle-aged lady with silvery gray hair at the end of the wooden counter. "How may I help you?" She asked with a soft undertone. "I would like to visit the exhibit which held the Reaper's Cloth." Alex replied. "Can I have a look at your identification for clearance?" She said. "Sure," Alex fished an old parchment which was given to him earlier. "I see," She nodded and murmured to herself. "Right this way, Mr. Dennis." She rose from her chair and headed towards the end of the corridor. After a few incantations, the wall lit up to reveal a passageway which wasn't there before.
"What is this place?" Alex was astonished by the sheer numbers of full body length mirrors beyond the passageway. The entire room was lined with rows and rows of mirrors from one end to the other. "Your first time here, Mr. Dennis?" She asked. "Yeah," Alex nodded. "These are Mirror Gateways. They act as instant access to anywhere inside the observatory should any emergencies arose. They are also the only passage into and out of rooms with dangerous and secret artifacts." The lady explained. "I see." Alex nodded. "Which way should I go?" "Yours would be that one, the third to the left." She pointed at one of the full length mirrors. "Thank you." "My pleasure. There is another Mirror Gateway exit in the exhibition gallery so you won't be coming back here when you decide to leave." The lady turned to leave. After stepping through into the mirror, Alex found himself in a quieter part of the observatory. There were only few people inside the large gallery, some of them seemed like security on duty. Alex approached the one whom he thought was a security personnel to ask for direction. He was surprised to find that the feller was neither a staff at the observatory nor knows of the Reaper's Cloth. Meanwhile, a young lady approached him from the side after she overheard his conversation. Her dress looked weird from afar but as she was approaching, Alex realized that wasn't clothes at all! They were feathers! The lady's body was covered in feathers while her limbs were covered in short blue fur. "Excuse me, mister. Sorry to interrupt but are you looking for the Reaper's Cloth?" She said. "Yes, are you working here? Can you show me the way?" Alex replied. "Of course. I'm Nevaeh at your service." "I'm Al-…. Dennis." Alex almost forgotten his undercover identity. "Al-Dennis?" Nevaeh repeated. "Just Dennis," Alex corrected. "Alright, Mr. Dennis. Right this way," Nevaeh led them to a more secluded part of the gallery. Most of the visitors around them were too absorbed with their artifacts and didn't paid heed to the two of them as they passed by. "That would be the Reaper's Cloth. You can use the lens provided to further examine the artifact. A gentle reminder that attempt to handle any artifacts without permission from the curators are strictly forbidden. I'll leave you to your studies." Nevaeh nodded and turned to leave. "One more question, Miss Nevaeh. Where's the exit out of this exhibition?" Alex asked. "The third row to the right. You'll find a full length mirror at the end of the corridor." Miss Nevaeh pointed. "Thanks." Alex nodded. He then began to speed read through all the information displayed on his visor.
Alex's visor had built-in visual aid that relay with the central computer which analyse the images received. From them, Alex was able to identify the potential threats to his plans. With a mere minutes of scanning of Miss Nevaeh, he was able to identify her via the vast database from Prof. Jeffery's shady company. Miss Nevaeh was a Siren - a creature from Greek mythology, a bird like creature that used to draw sailors to their death with her enchanted voice. Meanwhile, Alex put his plans into motion while setting up his earphones to automatically block out any sound upon triggered. Every pieces of the equipment he received from the professor were extremely user friendly. All of them came with voice-command activation. As no one was watching, Alex activated an Arc Net. Prior to using it, he received warning on his display that an alarm would be triggered. But he proceeded anyway. The moment the Arc Net came to life, a few explosions occurred in the exhibition behind him. They were incendiary bombs he planted earlier in a secluded area while nobody was in sight. A second alarm was triggered followed by a few panic shouts. Alex sent his doppelgänger to hide in a secluded area shrouded by the smoke while he awaited the arrival of panic visitors heading towards the exit. The moment he saw movements, his double fired a few stun rounds. Two heavy thuds were heard. Alex then hurried towards them. "Help! Someone has fainted! Can anyone hear me?" Alex yelled in a panic voice, the best he could imitate. Two men came towards him and offered him a hand. "I think I saw someone inside there," Alex pointed towards the fire and then dashed into it. "Be careful!" One of the men shouted. "I'll be fine, just help those two to safety." Alex replied and disappeared further into the smoke screen. He left his double as a lookout while he worked on the casing containing the Reaper's Cloth. Alex tried smashing the glass casing with his handgun but was unsuccessful. The glass seemed to be augmented by some sort of power. He then tried to cut it using a lightsaber. It took a short while before an opening was made large enough for his hand to enter. Time was quickly running out. He shoved his hand into the hole and grabbed the cloth in a hurry. Upon touching the cloth, something very unusual happened that caused Alex to flinch and withdrew his hand.
The Reaper's Cloth latched onto his hand upon contact as if it was alive! It then crawled its way towards his shoulder before Alex even managed to withdraw his hand. The cloth merged with parts of the Reaper's cloth that were embedded into his left shoulder and chest when he destroyed the Necromancer's Grimoire 3 years back. It gave Alex a peculiar sensation as the cloth resided on his shoulder. Alex didn't pay further attention to it as his objective was accomplished. His thoughts were occupied by possible escape plans. Suddenly, he sensed danger approaching via his double and immediately turned to leave. He tried his best to look panicky and ran towards Miss Nevaeh. "Where's the intruder?" She asked. "That way," Alex pointed at the thick fog. Nevaeh dashed into it without hesitation. At that moment, Alex and his double both shot her with the tranquilizer rounds. Alex squeeze the trigger hard and emptied the available rounds, putting her to sleep instantly. Then, he merged with his doppelgänger and dragged the unconscious Nevaeh away from the fire and towards the exit. Just as he stepped through the mirror, a few uniformed personnel directed him to the side. His hands were ready on the trigger but it wasn't needed. The securities had no idea who was the intruder and started the fire. They drove him away and went into the mirror themselves. The security personnel were all dressed in robes like the wizards from the classic movies. Trying to calm his palpitation with deep breaths, Alex quickened his footsteps towards the exit according to the map on his visor. He found his way towards the front door and was met with a dense crowd being screened prior to exiting. "Shit!" Alex cursed under his breath. He retreated to one corner and examined the map for alternative exit routes. His visual aids and in-built A.I system were quick to come out with the detour he was looking for. Alex then pushed his way through the incoming crowd and headed to the alternate exit. When he neared the exit, he spotted two guards on duty and the gate beyond them were sealed shut.
Alex gave his handgun a quick check and dashed towards the guards at lightning speed. Alex's position was well hidden from the guards' sight and both of them were caught totally by surprise when Alex appeared all of a sudden. Before any of them could utter a single letter, they were knocked out by Alex's tranquilizer rounds. He then searched both the guards for keys to unlock the gate but found none. Despite its appearance, the gate was surprisingly resilient to damage. A few shots from Alex's handgun wasn't able to do the trick. The noise from the impact drew some unwanted attention. Alex was running out of time. He finally decided not to waste further time and detonated a few explosive charges to blow the gate. However, before the explosives were detonated, Alex sensed incoming danger. He ducked and rolled to the side, barely avoiding being stab by a lightsaber. "Good reflex, kid!" His assailant said. Alex paused and stared at his assailant. The words he said and that voice triggered a sense of familiarity that put his trigger finger to a halt. His assailant did likewise. "Kenneth?" Alex uttered. "Alex? What are you doing here?" Kenneth asked. "I need the Reaper's Cloth. It's for someone dear to me," Alex was straight to the point. Kenneth could tell that his friend was in a desperate situation just by mere eye contact. Despite 9 years apart, Kenneth still remembered every bit about his childhood friends like it was yesterday. "Very well," Kenneth sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you. The Reaper's Cloth is a deadly artifact in the wrong hands. I'll look the other way this time. But you must never return to Idan, I'll have to apprehend you if you do." Kenneth said. "It's good seeing you again." Alex nodded and detonated the charges. The gate collapsed and in the instant the dust settled, Alex was nowhere to be found.
Alex made his way back to the train station without much of a hassle. Within the hour, he was already on his way back to Dalmascan Train Station - the train station from where he departed to Idan. News of the heist at the Central Observatory were already printed on the latest newspapers available at the station's kiosks. Despite not having any form of telecommunications, news in the Magical world did evolve. Alex took large strides towards the direction of the office he exited. "I'm back with the cloth, Miss Chelsy." Alex said through his microphone. "The door is not locked, welcome back." Miss Chelsy replied. And so Alex made his way back into the secret facility which he met Prof. Jeffery. As soon as he entered the facility, he was brought to see the professor. "Tough mission?" Prof. Jeffery asked. Alex only managed a nod. He was still palpitating from the entire adrenaline rush. He never had such feelings since 3 years back when he and his friends were constantly fighting to stay alive. "We can talk after you had a shower and some food. Yui has been relocated to our facility, you can see her before you make up your mind for the experiment." Alex wanted to interrupt but the professor raised his hand and continued. "You're still very young, Alex. You got an entire future ahead of you. Furthermore, you're a Warden and a descendant of the Gatekeepers! I would've never agreed to the experiment if I knew before hand! It would be a waste to this world if this were to end up killing you." Alex tried to protest but he was again silenced. "Please reconsider, we'll talk after you clean up." Professor Jeffery ushered his assistant to bring Alex out of his office.
The warm water from the shower was soothing but it failed to calm Alex. His mind was congested with thoughts and emotions. The professor's words made him had second thoughts about the experiment. He had never been so indecisive in his live before. But who could blame him? It was a decision of life and death. He took a long shower before finally emerging, still unable to come to a decision. He changed into a set of new clothes provided to him. There was a soft knock on the door. It was Miss Chelsy. "Yes, is it time to see the professor?" Alex asked. "Not so soon. He asked me to show you the way to where Yui is. Are you ready to go see her?" She asked. The mere mentioning of that name caused Alex's heart to ache dully as he recalled the bandaged face on life supports. He only managed a nod as reply. Miss Chelsy led Alex to an unfamiliar part of the facility which was more secluded than the rest of the facility. "She's inside," Miss Chelsy pointed at the door. "I'll be waiting here when you're done. Then, we'll go see the professor." Alex nodded and entered the isolation room. Yui's condition remained similar as the last time he saw her. Multiple monitors were attached to her body, showing numbers and figures which Alex couldn't make sense of. He sat on a chair beside her bed and grasped her hand in his. The sight of her disfigured body strengthened his resolve. Alex always had attachment issues ever since his mother passed away. His father wasn't really around when he really needed him. His friends were the only ones providing the affections he needed. And they too were gone. Since leaving primary school, he had difficulties making new friends, leaving a void inside of his heart until Yui showed up. "You're gonna be fine," Alex murmured softly beside her ear and kissed her hand.
"Let's go," Alex said. Gone were his indecisiveness and doubts. He made up his mind to see it through. Miss Chelsy led them through the same desolated pathways and into Prof. Jeffery's office once more. "Have a seat. A cup of coffee, please. How about you?" The professor asked. "An ice mocha, thanks." Alex replied. Miss Chelsy nodded and left the office. "You made up your mind, kid?" He asked. "Yes, please do your best, professor." Prof. Jeffery sighed deeply. "I see you made up your mind. I shall move on to the payment then." He reached into one of the drawers by his desk and pulled out a thin sheet of papers. "The payment would be in the form of a contract. However, you're a minor and not eligible to sign it. Unless you assume a new identity." Prof. Jeffery proferred an identification card. Alex examined it and replied. "It looks the same to me. My name is still Alex Mallard." "Look closely at the age and date of birth." Alex took another look at the card. "I would've been 16 according to this," "That's right. That's the minimal age legally allowed to consent for a contract." Prof. Jeffery explained. "Okay, so what's in the contract?" Alex asked. "If you survived the experiment, you'll work for my company for 5 years to come. You'll be paid in full wages like my other employees. You'll also be provided accommodations, educations and training for your missions to come." "What is my job scope to be exactly?" Alex asked. "Well, to sum it up. Espionage, assassinations, stealing and destroying stuff. I know you're not much of a killer, so we can discuss about that later." Prof. Jeffery explained. "No killings!" Alex said firmly. "Alright," Prof. Jeffery picked up a fountain pen and drew a line across one of the many paragraphs on the contract and left an initial beside it. "There, anything else?" He pushed the contract towards Alex with the pen on it.
A thousand thoughts once again went through his mind when he took the pen from the professor. The professor was kind enough to provide the contract in English. However, Alex knew he didn't really have much choice or the time to read through the papers. "Where should I sign?" He said. A few scribbles later, the professor re-examined the contract and said "When would you like to begin the experiment?" "Immediately if possible," Alex replied without hesitation. Prof. Jeffery sighed once more. "You youngsters are really an impatient bunch. I was afraid you might say that. But a promise is a promise. Have something to eat and then go to the medical bay. I'll see you in an hour's time." There was a soft knock on the door as their conversation came to an end. "Just leave the coffee on my desk and bring the kid to eat. He must be starving." Prof. Jeffery tapped his desk lightly and a virtual monitor showed up. "Get going then. Dr Asouga will do a thorough medical examination for you before we embark on the experiment. He'll also check on the cloth." If the professor had not brought up the subject, Alex would have completely forgotten about the Reaper's Cloth. The artifact had assimilated comfortable with his old scars over his left shoulder and chest. He took a peek at his chest on his way out and noticed the patch of darkness had grown significantly compared to before. However, he felt no difference at all except the time when the Reaper's Cloth latched onto his hand in the observatory earlier. He was brought to the facility's cafeteria. Like any other stereotypical cafeteria, long tables neatly arranged in rows occupied the center with the food dispensary at the corners. There were only few employees at the cafeteria as it was near closing time. "Come this way," Miss Chelsy sat at one of the nearest table. Food was already prepared on the table before they arrived. "Are these all for me?" Alex scanned the dishes in front of him. "I don't know what's your preferences, so I ordered a few. I hope they're to your liking." Miss Chelsy said. "Thanks." Alex was exhausted and hungry but he simply had no appetite for a large meal.
"Eat up, Alex. You'll need all the energy you can get." Miss Chelsy said. "Don't I need to, like fast before a surgery?" Alex paused all of a sudden as he thought about the surgery. His right hand was holding a spoonful of fried rice which he put back down on the plate. "There is no need for fasting for the surgery you're about to go through. According to the professor, it doesn't involve any physical contact at all." Miss Chelsy explained. Hearing that, Alex reached for the spoon again and began digging in. After the initial bite, he began to felt the hunger and his appetite improved. He wasted no time chowing down the food before him. Soon, only desserts were left. "Feeling better?" Miss Chelsy asked. "Yeah, let's go then." Alex said and finished his desserts in one go. Both of them went back to the medical bay where Alex met Dr. Asouga earlier. The Indian doctor instructed Alex to lie down on the same bed as before. "Do you have any metal objects in your clothing?" Dr. Asouga asked. Alex nodded. "Please remove them, thanks." Alex opened his dimension storage and teleported all his weapons and gadgets into the storage. "Done." "We'll proceed with the full medical examination then. Just stay still, the machine will do all the work." Dr. Asouga said and pressed a couple of buttons on a tiny remote hidden in his palm. Alex could feel the bed began moving towards a large machine with a hollow tunnel at its center. "Just take a deep breath and relax. You might hear some static noise as you go through the machine. It's normal." Dr. Asouga reassured. About 15 minutes passed after Alex entered the machine. Though it was slightly claustrophobic, Alex managed to endure through the procedure without much trouble. After the bed withdrew from the tunnel, Alex found Dr. Asouga and Miss Chelsy at a further end of the medical bay in front of a large monitor. They turned their gaze away from the monitor and headed towards Alex. "Everything seems fine except the few bones you broke during your last fight. They were still not fully healed yet and some were re-fractured. Do they hurt?" Dr. Asouga asked. "They do," Alex replied. "This should do the trick. You can tell the boss Alex is ready." Dr. Asouga broke an ampoule and syringed out its content. Miss Chelsy nodded in respond and left.
Dr. Asouga cleaned Alex's left shoulder with antiseptic solution before injecting him with the medication he syringed out earlier. "You should really reconsider your choice, young man. The experiment is extremely dangerous. As a doctor, I am definitely against it. Why do you go to such length for the girl?" Alex smiled and replied "I've already made up my mind, doctor. I'll see through it, whatever the outcome." Dr. Asouga sighed deeply and nodded to himself. "The determination. I see them in your eyes. There's nothing more for me to say. Head to the R&D department. You'll find the boss there. It's at level 0." "Thanks," Alex rubbed his palms together where the fractures were. They still stung but during the adrenaline rush at the Central Observatory in Idan, the pain was hardly noticeable. Alex went to the nearest elevator, gotten lost twice in the huge facility's corridors and dog-legs. The elevator door opened at level 0 to a narrow passageway with a security post at the end. A bulky gentleman stood guard at the checkpoint. He waved for Alex to come towards him. "The boss is waiting for you inside." The man showed him to the double steel doors at the end. Alex nodded and went inside. As the doors slid open, odourless compressed air from the negative pressure room inside gushed out. He then stepped through the doors into a seemingly dead-ended room with no exit in sight. "Stand still for decontamination," a voice was broadcasted from well hidden speakers as the steel doors sealed shut. Gush of air with thin mist of antiseptic fluids were blown from the walls, shrouding the entire enclosed space. 5 minutes passed and a strong vacuum cleared the mist. Another sets of steel doors appeared before Alex while the door before disappeared. "Decontamination completed. Please proceed forwards." Miss Chelsy was waiting at the opposite end as the doors opened. "The professor is inside. Get changed." She pointed at one of the doors along the corridor. "Thanks,"
Alex quickly get himself changed into the garment provided and stepped into the room as instructed. There, he saw Prof. Jeffery with a few others, all dressed in white surgical gowns. There were two operating tables inside the room. One of them were empty while Yui lay on the other with life support attached. "Are you ready, Alex?" The professor asked as he positioned Alex on the operating table. "It's still not too late to turn back." Alex started feeling annoyed from the constant questioning of his decision. However, he couldn't get himself to be mad at that moment as he knew the professor and the others concerns were sincere. "Please do your best, professor." Alex replied. "I promise." Prof. Jeffery glanced at his assistants and nodded. "Everyone, standby for phantom phasing. Alex, the procedure I'm going to perform on you is going to hurt, a lot! There is still no anesthesia available for this due to the lack of R&D. I'm sorry." Prof. Jeffery beaconed his assistants to restrain Alex. Alex only nodded and complied. Suddenly, Alex felt a slow surge of energy began pulsing through the entire room. The energy built up slowly until an equilibrium was achieved. At that moment, Alex noticed everyone around him began flickering between the phantom and physical states. It was a similar feeling to the time when he entered through the Ptolemy Gate. A scalpel appeared on the professor's left hand. The blade grazed through Alex's left shoulder and chest. Initially it was only a single sharp pain. However, as the blade moved swiftly in the professor's well trained hand, the intensity began to build. Suddenly, the blade came to a halt. Tears were rolling down his cheeks as he tried his best to withstand the pain. Part of the Reaper's Cloth which had already bounded with his soul began to loosen up from the incision. "Is the soul ready?" Prof. Jeffery asked. Alex turned his gaze towards Yui while fighting to keep himself from screaming. He was surprised to find Yui's bed right next to him. They must had moved her while his attention was focused on the professor's hand.
An apparition of Yui seemed to be levitating above her physical body. The apparition was attached to the body via a thin thread of energy while its limbs were bounded by chains held by the professor's assistants. "Alex, this will hurt a hell lot more than just now. I'll try my best to make it as quick as possible." Alex only managed a nod before he felt a another sharp stab to his chest. The scalpel cut through his sternum and split it open. The excruciating pain was beyond comprehension. Alex yelled his lungs out and pulled hard on the restrains. Any ordinary bystanders who witnessed the surgery would have assumed some blood had been lost but none were shed. There wasn't a trace of blood anywhere despite the extensive incision the professor made. Despite Alex's shrill, the professor continued dissecting Alex's chest until he found the heart. At that moment, Alex's felt a sudden overwhelming sense of impending doom. His senses suddenly became acutely augmented. Everyone around him seemed to have be moving at slow motion. "What are you trying to do to me?!" Alex shouted. "I need to etch a symbol on part of your soul. Now hold still!" The professor demanded. Alex took another glance at Yui. Yui's apparition's eyes were wide open and her face perfect as before. The apparition seemed to be in deep pain as Prof. Jeffery's assistants carved symbols on her limbs and chest. "What are you doing to Yui!" Alex suddenly felt an immense rage building within him. Together with the rage came a super human strength and a great sense of betrayal followed by an unexplainable confusion that clouded his thoughts. "Stop this surgery at once! Release me!" He yelled and yanked on his restrains. The chain holding his left ankle suddenly broke loose and gave way after Alex's violent struggle. His left foot found the face of the nearest person and knocked him unconscious. "Can someone hold him down, goddamnit!!" Prof. Jeffery ordered. A few men surrounded him and pinned him down onto the operating table as the professor resumed the procedure. All of a sudden, Alex's gaze was met with an immense bright light that seemingly came out of nowhere. "You fools! We're loosing him! CPR! CPR!" Those were the last words he heard before Alex's world collapsed into complete darkness.
Alex wasn't sure how long he was in pitch black and dead silence but it felt like a long period of time had passed. Then, a beam of warm yellowish glow appeared in the distance. The beam slowly grew broader and brighter but at the same time, not glaring. It was followed by a voice and smile that he thought he might never see again. "Yui?" Everything then went back to pitch black once more. Alex slowly opened his eyes and began sensing his surroundings. It wasn't as dark as it was, it was more like dim than pitch black. The soft hums and beeps of machines were heard all around him. A face mask was applied to his face with steady stream of humid gas channeling into it. As his eyes scanned his surroundings, they caught sight of a nurse jotting on a board at the foot of his bed. Their gaze met. "Doctor! He's awake!" The nurse dashed out of Alex's sight while shouting. As his sense slowly began returning, he felt a dull and throbbing pain on his chest despite having no visible wound on him. He tried to speak but found his throat parched. He only managed a hoarse 'Ha-'. he tried moving his limbs but they were restrained to the side of the bed. Within minutes after the nurse left, he heard the sound of the door being forced opened violently. "How is he?" It was Prof. Jeffery's voice. Soon, the old professor was within sight. "How're you feeling, Alex" He asked. Alex opened his mouth to speak but nothing was heard. "Nod if you understand," Prof. Jeffery said. Alex managed a nod. "Thank god he made it." Prof. Jeffery uttered. "Off the restrains and start rehabilitate him." He said and then left the room without another word.
23. Lost Legacy
"Chen? What are you doing here?" Calvin said, genuinely surprise. There was a drastic change in his tone compared to moments before when he was in the heat of battle. "To prevent a disaster." Chen answered. "What happened to your arm?" Chen pointed at Calvin's right forearm. The prosthetic forearm started melting during the intense battle. It couldn't withstand Calvin's enormous energy output. "A long story. Don't worry about it, I'll ask Dr. Toby for a new and more durable one later," Calvin absorbed the scraps from the rubble and reconstructed the damaged prosthesis. "So, what's this disaster you're talking about?" Kenneth asked. "Can we talk about this in somewhere private?" Chen replied. "Let's head back to Hospital 312. Follow me." "Hold it right there! No one is going anywhere!" A middle-aged tubby man yelled from a corner. "I am the deputy chief of Judgement Rondo, all of you are hereby detained! For further questioning." Judgement officers who were still alive drawn their weapons and pointed at Calvin and his gang. "Calm down everyone. We meant no harm. I am Inspector Ken from the Spokes and this is my partner Fray." Kenneth flashed his badge. "And I'm High Priest Chen from the Council of Light," An insignia made of light flashed into the air as he opened his left palm. The deputy chief cleared his throat, knowing that he was outranked. "The scene is yours. We'll follow-up on your reports then," He uttered in a softer tone and stepped aside. His men follow suit. "This way," Fray pointed at a glowing magic circle few feet away. "Wow, I didn't know you two were such big shots nowadays." Calvin patted Kenneth on the back. "It sure wasn't easy getting to where I am now, your majesty." Kenneth's chuckle was followed by a wince as Calvin punched him on the shoulder. "Told you not to call me that!" Then, Calvin, Chen and Kenneth started laughing out loud.
The magic portal took them right to the front entrance of Hospital 312. Dr. Toby was waiting for their arrival the moment he got news from the live broadcast. "You manage to get any samples?" Toby asked. "They should be arriving soon," Calvin replied. As if on cue, soft buzz could be heard coming from the sky. Moments later, a few drones landed before Calvin. Attached to them were specimen bottles. "What are those?" Chen asked. "I'm wondering the same thing." "Long story, let's get inside." "By the way, you look familiar, did we met somewhere before?" Kenneth took a closer look at Toby. "You sure grew more mature, Inspector Ken." "Toby?" Chen managed to recall the name of his senior. "Glad you still remembers me, Chen." Toby smiled. Traces of his iconic smile could still be found in his grown self. "C'mon, let's get inside before someone else comes and bother us." Calvin said impatiently. "Aye aye your Highness." Kenneth murmured to himself. "I heard that!" Calvin yelled. Kenneth, Chen and Toby chuckled as they made their way into the hospital. Calvin, Chen and Kenneth went to meet Julee while Toby tended to the wounded. "My god! What happened?" Chen stared at his childhood friend barely hanging on, supported by ventilator and parenteral nutrition. "We got into a fight with Stanley when we were trying to locate him. Never thought he would do this to his own flesh and blood." Calvin explained. "I wasn't strong enough to protect him, I failed him." "Don't say that, you did your best." Chen said. "If anyone was to blame, blame me." A familiar voice interrupted. Everyone turned their heads to the door. A middle-aged man walked into the room with a steady limp on one side and a cane on his right hand. He was a far cry from his formal self. Max took a seat next to Calvin. "Max…" Kenneth murmured to himself as he reminisced the good times they had 9 years back.
Max sighed and exhaled deeply as he retold the story of his daughter. The story of why Kelvin was one of the chosen one to Nirvana was reveled. Kelvin was a host for the Belaya parasite, it grew as Kelvin did. "When the parasite had reached a certain maturation, Stanley came to collect it." Max explained. "You did what you had to do to get your daughter back. I'm sure Kelvin would agree." Chen said. "Now, can the rest of you leave this room, please. We would like to talk in private, please." Chen spoke with an authoritative tone and rose from his seat. Amidst mild protest, the rest eventually left the room. Most of them were from Spokes and a few from the Council of Light. "You guys can return to headquarter and tell the Captain that Flavius had escaped." Kenneth said. "Yes, sir!" As Fray was about to leave, Kenneth grabbed his wrist and stopped him. "Stay," "He's a close friend of mine, Chen. I insist he stay and listen to what you have to say," Kenneth said. "Alright, the rest of you can make your way back to Svet and report to the Cardinal that Flavius has escaped." Chen told his fellow members from the Council of Light. After the last person left the room, Chen locked the door and activated an Arc Net. "What's with all the secrecy?" Kenneth asked. "You're about to find out soon. Try to keep whatever you have learnt in this room to yourself. If this news spread, it will only incite panic and probably war." Chen fished a pendrive from underneath his robes. The tip of the pendrive glowed and projected a 3D image of what seemed to be a thundercloud that took the shape of a humanoid. "What's that you're showing?" Calvin asked. "Thunder Elemental, it is one of the Titans." Kenneth answered before Chen could open his mouth. "That is correct. It is the very embodiment of lightning and electric. And this, is the man who killed it and consumed its power." The image flickered and showed the portrait of Calvin's grandfather - King Percey, also known as Zeus.
"That's impossible. If he did took the powers of the Thunder Element, he would've won the Battle of Xala." Calvin pointed out. "He sure would if the council didn't intervene back then." Chen explained. "King Percey went on his quest to unite or rather conquer the entire Macquinol; continuing your great grandfather - King Julius's legacy. The method he used was no different from his father - brute force. However, there was a marked difference between them. Julius was a man of science, he focused more on technology and shoved aside the occult and Magic. He shoved aside the importance of Magic and banned the propagation of Magic. King Percey however was more open minded, he strove for power regardless of source. His perseverance led him to finally locate the Thunder Elemental and defeated it. The power he acquired after defeating the Thunder Elemental made him the single most powerful entity in Macquinol back then. Together with Flavius and Stanley, they began conquering the neighbouring states at rates far greater than anyone could have foreseen." "Hold it right there." Calvin interrupted. "I am aware that the history surrounding the Battle of Xala was tremendously altered. Even as the Prince of Gaea, I failed to find reliable sources to piece together the real history. From what I have gathered, my grandfather died during the battle together with Flavius and Stanley. But, what I witnessed earlier tells otherwise. Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell the people of Macquinol the truth?" "If we did that, there wouldn't have been peace. Ever," Max answered. "Julius was a brute tyrant. He took whatever that caught his eyes with force. Percey on the other hand was much more patient. He was a strategist, a charismatic leader. Julius's army was nothing more than slaves and mercenaries. Percey's on the other hand consisted of men and women that would follow him to hell and back. Percey was a king that they would sacrifice their lives for."
"I even heard rumors that he had a loyal battalion that would march to hell at his command. If my grandfather's men's loyalty wasn't an issue, his legacy should have been recorded the way it happened. Why was it altered? Only kings that earned their people's loyalty will go to war for their king even though the reason was not justifiable." Calvin stated. "Because there is a hidden secret in Roktah. A secret that the council would like to kept it hidden from your grandfather forever." Chen replied. "What's the big secret that needs the extend for us to rewrite history?" Calvin seemed to be intrigued by the new discovery. "Unfortunately, the information is still classified. Even I don't know it…" Chen's voice trailed off in the silent room. "If he is as powerful as you described, then how did the Council of Light defeated him?" Kenneth broke the silence. "It was with the combined forces of the Freedom Clan, the Council of Light and the Idanian. Thousands perished in the battle. King Percey and his two men - Stanley and Flavius were the only one alive at the end of the battle. Both Stanley and Flavius were incapacitated, King Percey was the only one left standing. The coalition suffered similar devastating losses. In the end, King Percey duke it out with the then Chancellor of the Council of Light - Chancellor Quita. She was the first female chancellor of the Council. In the duel, King Percey was imprisoned in a light prism and had his energy constantly drained to prevent him from gaining enough power to break free." Max explained. "Wait a minute, why didn't they just kill him instead? It would've made things much easier. And we wouldn't have to deal with this mess!" Calvin interrupted. "A Titan is not something you can just kill, Calvin. There is a reason why all the Titans were imprisoned by the Wardens instead of being executed all those years back. They are the backbone of the Elemental powers all of you are wielding. Without them, all the powers will go haywire." Max explained. "We must prevent your aunt from releasing King Percey. Or else all hell will break loose on Macquinol."
"That's easier said than done. She is currently the head of state of Gaea and there nothing I can do to stop her. Unless you prefer a social uprising that would abolish the monarchy. It would be a bloody battle." Calvin said. "We don't have to go that far if we don't have to. We still have another option left, Calvin. You could challenge your aunt for the right to the throne based on the constitution. If you succeeded, there will be less bloodshed." Chen answered. "For me to challenge her, I need someone of royal blood to back me up. My father sure as hell wouldn't. He was the one who gave her the throne." Calvin said. "You have one more relative that you have forgotten about. I'm sure he will agree to back you up." Max replied. "Brandon? I hardly know him as an uncle, let alone ask him to support me. Besides, I have only met him once!" "Why don't you let us handle the persuasion part. You should focus more on the duel. Your aunt is no pushover." Max said. "Get some rest. I'm sure you're tired. I will go with Chen to convince Prince Brandon tomorrow. Just be prepared when the time comes." Max unlocked the door and left. "Don't worry, everything will turn out fine, just like it always does." Kenneth gave Calvin's shoulder a tight squeeze before leaving the room together with Fray. "I know it might seems like a long shot but it is the only option with the least casualty." Chen proferred his hand. "Even if you don't really care for the people of Gaea, at least do it for Kelvin." Calvin raised his head and gazed into the eyes of his old pal. He extended his right arm, only to realized that it had been amputated. Feeling embarrassed, he quickly tried to raise his left arm instead. However, Chen grabbed Calvin by his right shoulder and pulled him to his feet before he managed to lower his right arm. "We'll get through this, together." Chen gave Calvin's back a light pat before leaving the room.
Calvin took a long shower after the secret meeting. The lukewarm water relaxed the tensed muscles of his back as he began applying the body wash. He once again reached out for the knob with his right arm, only to realized his hand was no longer there. Being a right-hander all his life, it was hard to change that instinct of his. He sighed and adjusted the shower flow with his left hand instead. After the bath, Calvin lay on the bed and stared blankly into the ceiling. His head was ruminating on the events that happened the past few days. He lost his right to the throne, lost his fiancee-to-be, lost his forearm and lost his friend. Every one of those misfortunes happened one after the other and in such short period as well. It would've made anyone fall into depression. His left hand reached for a hidden compartment on his drawer and withdrew a dimension storage box. Over the years, Calvin had picked up the bad habit of nicotine addiction to cope with his stressful situation. He waved his index fingers at the ceiling, disabling all the smog sensors in the room. Then, he popped a cigarette from his dimension storage and lighted it. He sucked in the hot vapor and felt its heat spreading across his chest before huffing it out. After a couple of puffs, he put out the cigarette by creating an area of vacuum using his electromagnetic skills. The tip of the cigarette dimmed as the oxygen vanished. Calvin tossed the cigarette butt into the trash bin nearby and closed his eyes. His tiredness soon overwhelmed his uncertainty and worries. He soon felt asleep.
The sound of Calvin's alarm woke him up from his slumber. With a swipe of his phone, he snoozed it and took a look at the time. It was 7.30 in the morning. Forcing himself up, he sat at the side of the bed. The soreness on his back and arms were still not completely resolved despite the long hours of rest. He went towards the bathroom and did the usual morning wash and tidy up his hair. Looking at his reflection, he hardly recognize the man that stared back at him. He hadn't shaved for a few days and his hair was a mess. Reaching into his dimension storage, he withdrew a pen. As he held it with his left hand, he hesitated. He dropped the pen and summoned one of his drones into the bathroom. The drone was tiny compared to those he used in battle the other day. The pen levitated from the sink and merged with it. Then, laser beam was emitted from the pen, shaving Calvin's moustache and beard with surgical precision. In less than 5 minutes, he was picture perfect. He put on a casual Tee with a pair of jeans and headed to Level TX where the biomechanical research lab was. Dr. Toby was already busy with his work when Calvin reached. "Morning, prince. How was your sleep last night?" Toby asked without taking his eyes off from his work desk. "Just call me Calvin, please. What are you doing?" Calvin peeked from behind Toby. "It's an improved version of the prosthetic limb I gave you earlier. This is T451." Toby moved slightly to the left for Calvin to have a look at the new prosthesis. "Put it on. I need to test it with your full power. It should be able to withstand much more energy output than the last one." "Let's do it!" Calvin replied enthusiastically.
After putting on his new forearm, Calvin moved into an enclosed weapon testing room. The weapon testing facility was rank A, meaning it could withstand the output of a nuclear device. "You can start anytime now." Toby's voice could be heard over the microphone. A dummy made of Lenox alloy rose from the ground. Lenox alloy was one of the toughest material available on Nirvana. Sparks crackled in the air surrounding Calvin's hands. Then, steam began rising from both of his hands as the moisture in the air were vaporized. He drew his left fist backwards and punched the dummy hard. A fury of punches soon followed. Despite Calvin's seemingly lightning fast jabs, the dummy was unscathed. "Tough bastard aren't you," Calvin murmured in a gruff voice. The image of Stanley and Flavius instantly flashed before his mind. Feeling pissed and sad at the same time, Calvin clapped both his palms in a prayer sign. Lightning began jumping between his palms as his palms slowly parted. The air around his palms frizzled with the sudden rise in temperature. The lightning bolts converged on a single point and began to enlarge. The once tiny point of convergence grew into a large sphere that began to spin between Calvin's palms. The ball of lightning grew in size and velocity with the increased amount of energy being poured into it. "Ra-ah!" With a battle cry, Calvin tried to forced his palms together, compressing the vortex of lightning sparks. Beats of sweat dripped from his forehead, depicting the effort needed to control the lightning ball. Slowly, the sphere was reduced to half its previous size but still maintained its velocity. He repeated the process of infusing energy and then compressing it to his best effort until a level he could no longer contained. "I think that's a bit too much, Calvin." Toby voicing out his concern through the microphone. "I'm not even close!" Calvin yelled. With one final battle cry, the sphere of energy once again collapsed on itself.
Calvin's right artificial forearm began to crack before he even reached his maximum capacity. Seeing as his prosthetic limb began falling apart, Calvin abandoned his plan to further concentrate the sphere of energy. He then slammed it into the center of the dummy, just like dunking a basketball. The moment Calvin released his grip, his right forearm shattered into pieces! The energy that held the concentrated collection fell apart all of a sudden. The energy sphere began rotating in the opposite direction before it too fell apart and exploded! There was a sudden power surge in the entire building. All the lights, electronics and monitors blacked out for a moment before being rebooted. The remaining fluorescent lights that were not destroyed in the testing room flickered to life as the power returned to normal. Only a metal stump remained at the place where the dummy was. There were dust and debris all over the room. Parts of the wall melted as a result of the explosion. And standing in the middle of it all was Calvin, completely unharmed, even his clothes remained unscathed. "I think I need a more sturdy forearm." Calvin chuckled. Toby scratched his head and slumped into the ergonomic chair behind him. "It will take a while," Toby murmured to himself. His hands were trembling just from the thought of Calvin's actual capacity. His thoughts drifted to the others in the Gaea royal family. Just how powerful is Gaea royal bloodline?