A DAY AFTER THE LESSON ON WAVELENGTHS…
It was morning and the four students sat at the clearing where most of their training sessions took place.
"Okay, spill Harry, what's this plan you have to amplify Josec's Defensive abilities?" Buern asked.
Harry smiled mischievously.
"Josec…" he said as he pointed to Josec. "I'm going to have you become a lightning rod" Harry said.
Everyone stared at him with bored expressions on their faces.
"Harry, you are my fiancé and I love you very much but I have to say that is by far the dumbest thing you've ever said" Estelle said.
"You haven't even heard the plan yet. How can you be so certain it's dumb?!" Harry roared.
"Harry, I'm very certain even Master Kyem would consider your plan a dumb one" Jason said with a laugh.
"Taming Thunder huh? I have to say it is quite a bold plan but until you can find a way to connect that boldness to a form of logic we can all understand, I'm still quite skeptical about this plan" Buern admitted.
"Taming Thunder" Josec said with a slight laugh.
"You guys should at least humour Harry. You should all remember that his plan to sow crops in the Land Of Perpetual Ice actually worked. I'm at least open to hearing this plan of his" Josec admitted.
"Thank you Josec. Hey, you guys, if the lightning rod is all gung ho about it, how can you complain?" Harry criticized the others.
"I'm not willing to accept any plan that will put Josec's life at risk!" Buern openly rejected the idea.
Josec smiled.
"Thank you Buern. Your concern makes me very happy but like Harry said, this time we may not be able to simply lure Raichuu's focus from the people like we did with the other generals. Furthermore, lightning users have tremendous mobility. We need to find a way to seal Raichuu's attacks" Josec admitted.
"Fortunately, I spent the whole of yesterday coming up with a plan of defense" Harry said with a look of importance.
"Behold the strategist" Buern threw her arms up in exasperation.
Harry dropped a sheet in front of the students.
There was an image on the sheet. The image of a figure that resembled a rainbow with rods sticking out of it and what looked like pipes flowing beneath it. There were also images of what looked like stick men.
"Harry, are you telling me that this doodle is your foolproof plan?!" Buern growled angrily.
"That's exactly what I'm telling you Vane" Harry said with a challenging glare.
"At least explain the doodle. What's the rainbow?" Estelle asked.
"I guess it does kinda resemble a rainbow doesn't it? Well, it's not a rainbow. Each of these arcs is a protective dome. They represent several layers of defense" Harry explained.
"Hmm, it suddenly sounds interesting despite the ridiculous image. I have to say Harry that you suck at drawing" Jason teased.
"Well, it's not one of my strengths" Harry laughed.
"And let me guess, you intentionally created seven layers to be funny didn't you?" Buern glared at him suspiciously.
"I'm most certainly going to leave that to your imagination" Harry laughed mischievously.
"Then explain at least what these rod like structures jutting out of it are" Estelle asked.
"Well, these several rods are conductors. Think of them as lightning rods" Harry explained.
"And the pipes?" Buern asked.
"They're vents" Harry replied.
"What do you need vents for? You could just create pores on the domes to allow air in" Buern argued.
"Nope, can't do that. The domes are meant to be airtight" Harry said.
"Why?!" Buern roared.
"That's the most interesting part of this whole plan and I most certainly intend to save the best for last" Harry said.
"And the stick men in each layer of the domes?" Buern asked.
"That's Josec's afterimages" Harry said.
"This is actually beginning to sound kinda impressive but I don't see how Josec could play the role of a lightning rod in all of this" Buern admitted.
"Regardless of how impressive it is though, it is more like the Labyrinth Of The Defender and less like the Zone Of Absolute Defense" Estelle noted.
"Actually, it's a combination of both. See this shaded region surrounding the rods? It's an area of isolation. It flows downwards from outside the dome and is shorter as the rods approach the outermost dome and longer as the rods approach the innermost dome. The rods in the outermost layer have no area of isolation surrounding them. In the next layer, the area of isolation flows up to the first layer which is the outermost layer, in the third layer, the area of isolation flows up to the second layer. In the fourth layer, it flows up to the third layer and it continues like that until the area of isolation flows to the seventh layer which is the innermost defensive layer of the dome" Harry explained.
"Interesting, but why is it necessary?" Buern was getting irritated again.
"That's because each of the layers between the domes is an airtight area of ionized air. Josec's afterimages in each layer will adjust the wavelengths of each layer to a unique wavelength per layer" Harry explained.
"And what happens if the wavelength of Raichuu's attacks do not fall within the wavelength types of each layer of the domes?" Buern asked.
"That's the question I've been waiting for Buern. These layers of defense are not static in that Josec will not be maintaining the same wavelength per layer throughout the battle. When Raichuu attempts to attack whatever area these domes will be set up in, the conductive rods will conduct his attacks into any number of layers of the domes where Josec will be waiting to sense and react to his lightning attacks by altering the wavelength of the ionized air within the domes to that of Raichuu's attacks. That is why there are areas of isolation around the conductive rods and the reason behind the odd way they are set up. These isolated areas are not affected by the ionized air in the domes. They just ensure that whatever lightning attack hits any of the rods is conducted into a single layer of the dome. If multiple rods are hit, the attack will be conducted into those layers of ionized air thus this Defensive Formation is a mutating formation. I've taken the privilege to dub it 'The Mutating Several Layered Zone Of Absolute Defense.' It is quite musical really" Harry said with a look of accomplishment on his face.
Everyone was dumbfounded. Buern snatched the plan (the doodle actually).
"I admit its impressive but I will not approve of it until the Masters can assure us that it will not endanger Josec's life" she said and stormed off.
"For Josec to remain in each layer of the dome, he will have to be fluctuating the domes. What prevents the ionized air in one layer from flowing into another layer?" Estelle asked.
"At the speed Josec oscillates at, the fluctuations of the domes would merely seem like an oscillation of such great speed, vibrations so intense that it would seem as though the dome were not moving at all. I'm willing to bet that Josec can oscillate at greater speeds than the movement of air particles" Harry said confidently.
Buern walked up to the Masters. They were at another part of the clearing.
"Masters, there is something very serious I need to talk to you about. Harry came up with this crazy plan to turn Josec into a lightning rod. Please take a look at this ridiculous doodle and tell him it's a crazy idea!" Buern almost demanded.
She gave the doodle to Master Colette who looked at it intently.
"Looks like a rainbow with rods and vents sticking out of it! What is that boy thinking" Master Colette laughed.
She passed it to Master Ayumi.
"Yup, rainbow with rods and vents" she said and passed it on to Master Luna.
"It looks to me like some kind of technique. It reminds me of the Elemental Rainbow Dance Of The Fenixes. I think it's a conceptual diagram of the intent to develop a technique of sorts" Master Luna admitted.
She passed it to Master Pheisl.
"I think Luna's right, why don't you take a look Andrea" Master Pheisl said and passed it to Master Andrea.
She chuckled.
"It does indeed look like a rainbow with rods and vents jutting out of it" she laughed and assumed a serious gaze.
"However, I also think Luna and Pheisl are on the right track. We should probably have Kyem take a look at it. He might understand what it is" she said and handed it to Master Kyem.
Master Kyem took it.
"What's all this talk of rainbows and rods and vents? I'm certain it can't be anything important" Master Kyem said and took it.
However, when his eyes were finally fixed on the image, he suddenly became serious.
"You guys…how could you possibly overlook the genius of the image?! It's probably because you all lack an appreciation for music! This concept is quite similar to how a musical organ works and at the same time it's almost an orchestration. You could consider each of the rods a pipe and the arc layers a key. There may be a limited number of keys however depending on how you combine them, there could be infinite forms of music. I don't know what this does but it's certainly music to me! Fencer, why don't you take a look?!" Master Kyem said and passed the doodle to Master Fencer.
Master Fencer took the doodle and stared at it. His eyes analyzed it deeply.
"Ayu and Colette see rainbows, rods and pipes, Luna and Pheisl see a conceptual diagram for a technique, Andrea sees both but thinks Kyem might understand it and Kyem sees music. I don't think any of you is completely wrong. I think this diagram is a little of what each of you see when you look at it. I see something reactive and adaptable. I believe that this diagram is no small matter. In fact, I fail to see it as a laughing matter if you all take into consideration the nature of our next battle" Master Fencer said seriously.
"It's a battle against an unpredictable foe" Master Kyem said.
"To deal with such a foe, we need something reactive and adaptable. Something that can adapt to his attacks and neutralize them" Master Fencer said. "Does anything in particular remind you of this trait, Kyem, Luna?" Master Fencer asked seriously.
"The principle of affinities, wavelengths…and music" Master Kyem said.
"And the Zone Of Absolute Defense" Master Luna added.
"The way I see it, this image might be a conceptual diagram that incorporates them all" Master Fencer said.
"Are you trying to say we've discovered a way to deal with Raichuu's attacks?" Master Kyem asked.
"We should start preparing to head to our next destination because that…is exactly what I'm saying" Master Fencer said seriously.
The Masters all looked serious.
"It's actually quite humorous to think that Raichuu, Souryu's most unpredictable general could be downed by something so musical. The saying 'titans are often downed by trivial matters' really holds true" Master Kyem laughed.
Buern took the image from Master Fencer and stared at it intently. It did impress her however it also frightened her. The thought of Josec fending off Raichuu's attacks as a lightning rod.