“A—A-Azar…” the man finally managed to utter a word, his eyes still wide and jumpy.
“I wish I could have seen more how you were when I was dead. If I had the time to spare, I’d lie there and listen you a little longer.”
“What is this?!” the confused, still shaking man asked.
Then, with great suddenness, he ran to his son and hugged him, grabbing the back of his head. His son’s body felt cold and chilling. Azar was frightened. He had no idea how to react. He couldn’t remember ever being in such a strange situation.
“You’re alive! Son, you’re alive!” the man exulted in joyous shouts, then released Azar and proceeded to inspect him. “Were you really dead, my son?! Were you playing a trick on me this whole time?!”
“Father, listen,” Azar said seriously, no mode of triviality in his tone now. “You might not believe, but Trium is returning to this world today. We must gather our--”
“Nonsense, my son! We haven’t time for such antics! I will throw you the grandest of parties in celebration of your resurrection! How did you come back from death?! Was it one of your spells?! Is this the power of magic?! Are--”
“Listen!” Azar blasted, grabbing his father’s shoulders tightly, his eyes wide in annoyance. The frightened, strung-up king stared into the jokeless eyes of his son. “Please, father! Trust me and heed my warning! Trium is on his way here. I confirmed it just a moment ago. I had a vision before I woke!”
“Of this black rain?!” Azar’s eyes widened suddenly.
“You saw it too?!”
“Of course not! But rumour has it many sorcerers have had the same dream, and they too think it means Trium is coming today. What does rain—”
“Listen, make haste! Gather all our forces and fortify the province. There’s a good chance Trium will go on a ruthlessly destructive rampage! Put the entire army on guard, and send for all your troops scattered on senseless missions and raids!”
“What?!”
“I can’t stay here and argue! I must hasten, for there are things I need do now.” With that, Azar vanished in a cloud of redness.
***
Kyle opened his eyes as the sun fast headed to centre of the sky, marking time like a cosmic clock. He felt well-rested and an unusual sense of comfort and satisfaction. He turned to his right quickly. He gasped and his eyes widened as he realized that his sleeping with Star was more than just the best dream he’d ever had. “What the hell…” he whispered, then slowly stood, staring down at the quarter-dressed beauty. He looked down, feeling sudden guilt and vexation with himself. Some noble friend I am… I have done this not a good day after you’ve… Still, he felt a sense of pleasure and gratification he couldn’t just shake off.
***
Lex saw a familiar man a few chains ahead of him. “Blade!” he called out. The young man turned around and saw Lex. He beckoned to the Icemaker to hurry. Lex ran up to him with a grin and a laugh. “I just appeared here!”
“Me too. Let’s head toward the campsite. It’s half a mile from here.”
“You sure?” Lex asked, looking around, not recognizing the area.
“Yes, I saw it from a distance just a while ago I believe.”
“I can’t wait to see the look on their faces!”
“It will certainly be an interesting meeting.”
***
Star rose and dressed herself quickly. Did I really…
“Brother, you’re awake!” Clover greeted loudly from her tent. Kyle turned to see his sister, a look of nervousness and worry on his face. Clover walked out of her abode to meet him. Kyle was walking about the place wildly, searching through the tents.
“Kyle!” Star greeted, sounding surprised as the boy barged in. Kyle stood still, seeing the woman was dressing. He looked away.
“Please, I’m sorry,” he said courteously and quickly, stepping back.
“Well it’s silly to be shy now,” she said, giggling a little, “you’ve already seen--” She stopped herself as she saw Clover appear behind Kyle.
“Seen what?” the girl asked in a highly suspicious tone.
Kyle’s heart raced. “More importantly!” he gave out, turning around to Clover, “Blade’s sword! It’s gone! I can’t find it anywhere!”
“But where could it be?” Clover asked.
Star looked at Kyle wonderingly. Is the sword really gone or is he just changing the subject?
“I’m serious here!” he made clear, the sound of panic in his voice. He rushed out of the tent past his sister.
Star suddenly became anxious when she remembered the strange dream she had had. She called out to Clover, and her student rushed to her. “What’s wrong?” the young witch enquired, seeing the worried look on Star’s face.
“Last night… I had a worrying dream.” Clover’s brows furrowed, as she just remembered she too had had a dream that for some reason worried her.
“I too had a strange dream!” Still, Clover couldn’t quite remember what the dream was about. But it haunted her.
“Of a black rain falling on the earth?!” Star noticed the look of fright on Clover’s face.
“How could you know?!” Clover asked.
“I had the exact same dream!”
“But how can this be? What could this mean?” Clover asked, quite curious. “I mean, you said you’ve had visions before, right? But I’m just an ordinary witch! I’ve never had dreams that mean anything in real life. You think it could be related to Trium?”
Star and Clover stood and stepped back in fright as a cloud of red appeared in their midst. They both wore the same expression.
“Azar!” Clover exclaimed.
“You’re alive!” Star came in.
“But Lex had told us--”
“Listen,” Azar cut in with a business-like tone, no look of excitement or any such thing on his face. “Did either of you have a strange dream about black rain last night?”
Star was suddenly rendered speechless. Clover too was too surprised to answer.
“As expected,” the man continued. “Sorcerers all around the world had this vision no doubt. I myself had never had a vision until now, yet I am sure it means that Trium is coming today. I believe he is sending us a message of warning to invoke fear before he comes to destroy.”
“Azar!” Kyle called out, just returning to the cluster of tents. “You’re still alive!” Excitement and puzzle were in his voice. Lex had told him without doubt that the spirit said he was dead.
“More importantly, Trium is coming today, and his power of darkness will affect the whole world,” Azar warned. “I’m not sure if the spirit of the god of magic of old has somehow warned us, or if our magical energies themselves can sense this power, or if this is Trium’s message, but whatever the case, all three of us, and so many others having the same dream is impossibly a coincidence. I have spent years studying prophecy. Believe me, this dream is telling us to look up in readiness.”
Azar just realized that Clover was sobbing. An expression of annoyance aroused on the prince’s face. “What is it, girl?!”
“Lex…” she sobbed.
“Don’t waste your tears. The prophecies said he would face Trium. Trust in the prophecies.” Clover looked up at the prince, who then had a slight smirk on his face.
“But--”
“Relax, girl. Crying never fixes anything anyway. I have a lot of work to get done before Trium arrives. I’ll soon see you again, providing time allows.” With that, Azar vanished in a cloud of red.
Kyle coughed and cursed, fanning away the still strange-smelling cloud from himself. Why is Azar so sure that Lex will face Trium? … Hmm… If Lex were dead, Azar would somehow know for certain… Lex… Where the hell are you?
***
“And so, in the next seven months…” the Prime Minister of Hercule continued his address.
POOF!
The Herculean leaders jumped back from the long table in unison. “A wizard!” one of them exclaimed as the cloud was clearing. Azar stoo
d atop the classified, important documents on the table with muddy shoes – battle plans, financial balances, blacklists, the whole works. The guards drew their swords quickly in response, running up to the invader.
“Prince Azar of the Magmalian Kingdom!” the Prime Minister blasted, his eyes wide. “What is the meaning of this?! Have you come to start a war with Hercule?!”
“Just relax, all of you. I come in peace and with warning.”
“Is this about the Trium story everyone’s babbling about?” one sceptic asked.
“A world war will begin Today. Trium is returning for certain. Gather your forces and prepare!”
“Who the hell do you think--”
“I have warned you.” With that, Azar vanished in another red cloud of mana.
***
Kyle looked out into the distance with a wrinkled face, which he shielded from the sunlight that obscured his vision. He stared intently at the two approaching men. His heart beat faster each passing second as he became more and more certain as to who they were. “This is impossible…” he whispered to himself, staring with wide, fidgeting eyes. He recognized the long hair and sword of Blade. He was also quite sure that the person walking beside him was Lex. What in the world… Blade, for certain is dead and buried… Are these ghosts? He stepped back, shivering, wondering if he was hallucinating. “C—Clover…” But his voice was inaudible. Clover and Star were conversing close by, but they weren’t seeing what he was seeing. “Clover… Star… It’s them!” Kyle shouted, now sure.
The startled women turned and looked in the direction of the approaching two. They stared in silence and breathlessness for a moment. A flood of tears freely rushed down Clover’s cheeks. She couldn’t even laugh or smile or shout or move. She felt Star grip her firmly.
“It’s them!” the elder witch exclaimed. Then, with suddenness that nearly frightened the approaching men, the three rushed off toward them. As they neared them, all doubts disappeared.
“Lex!” Clover cried, running ahead of Kyle and Star. Lex ran up to meet her.
Clover lost herself in Lex’s arms, holding him more tightly that she had ever held anyone. All she could do was cry.
“Lex! Blade!” Kyle greeted them.
“I can’t believe it!” Star exclaimed, crying happily.
***
The higher-ups of Magma Town turned their attention to the just appearing Azar. They were gathered around the conference table in an emergency meeting. Everyone stood to meet the prince with fanfare. Azar held his hands out to stop them immediately. “Supreme General, is our army on guard? Make sure the perimeters of the province are sealed completely!” Azar ordered. King Aragan’s eyes widened at this. He had never before seen Azar give out an order or try take any such initiative.
“My Lord and Prince,” the supreme general greeted, standing and bowing slightly.
“No time for formality! Get to it! Also, get word out that the province is officially in a state of emergency. There should be no civilians on the streets whatsoever. Disband all the gatherings of worship and riot. The place will sink into chaos if our soldiers are not mobilized right away. Get the USG to report to me immediately. We have defence power sitting in dark cells on a hill.”
“You mean prisoners, my Lord?” the man asked, looking frightened.
“We will use the captured sorcerers as a line of defence against the impending attack.”
“But sorcery is illegal! … My Lord.”
“Is it now?!” Azar asked, wrapping his hands instantly with bright and deadly red mana.
“Azar! Put that away!” the king blasted.
“The only reason you too aren’t sitting in a cell is because you’re the king’s son, and you know it!” the supreme general spoke forthrightly.
“Watch how you talk to my son, General!” the king flared with fire in his eyes.
“You release those prisoners before I have you replaced, general,” the prince threatened.
“You do as the prince commands!” the king supported. Azar vanished in a red cloud again.
The Magmalian Prince appeared in the secret room where all his literature and priceless treasures were, his scrolls and spell books and ancient maps and artefacts and old chests full of things the average man wouldn’t buy for a tenth of their value— a scholar’s paradise. He powered up his left hand with bright red mana immediately, clearing the darkness. He moved briskly toward a small wooden chest that he kept at arm’s reach. He drew one of his blades and slashed the lock off in haste. He flung down the sword and opened the chest, stooping. He grabbed and removed its contents; one of the legendary zarium vials. Then, he dug through his literature until he found an old, tattered scroll. He unrolled it and lay it down on the floor. It was blank. He slammed his left hand down on it, which was already brightened with mana.
“Reveal!”
Red mana flowed from his hand and appeared to become red ink, filling the scroll with writing of an ancient language. Writings filled the whole scroll except its centre. The writings wrapped around an empty circle. Azar grabbed up the vial and fixed it on the space meant for it. He opened the ancient container, resting the top half on the floor somewhere about. Hurriedly, he sat before the piece of paper in a position of meditation and held his hand over the vial, beginning to recite, reading aloud the ancient language that the scroll was filled with, bright mana around his hands.
***
The reunion at the camp wasn’t over just yet. Hugs and laughter filled them with a joyous vibe, though the day of judgement was upon them. Still, Lex was uneasy. “Where is Zen?” he finally asked.
“Are you two hungry?” Star asked almost at the same time, holding Blade’s hand.
“When’d you take back the sword?” Kyle asked in puzzle.
“I will tell you in time. Where is Azar? I need to see him immediately.”
“He came by and left just a while ago,” Clover informed, fretting as to what to tell them – especially Lex – about Zen. The young witch latched on to Lex tightly. She had longed for his embrace.
“He told us that Trium is certainly coming today,” Star informed them.
“Today?!” Lex pushed Clover off in astonishment.
“That’s right. Today’s the day, Lex,” Star said. “Sorcerers probably all over the whole world had the same vision concerning his coming.”
I can feel the ominous energy, Maximo told Lex. There is no doubt… He is not far away…
“Today, huh? Seeing Azar becomes even more urgent, then. I have to return to Zakashi Village and protect my people in whatever way I can,” Blade said.
***
As Azar finished his incantation, Mike’s body suddenly floated half a meter into the air. His back bent backward involuntarily, and his eyes became blacker than midnight. The Ionide uttered a hellish cry as the spirit of darkness was ripped from his soul. The flash of darkness, like an impossibly quick shadow, moved over many miles in under a second. Azar watched proudly as the spirit was captured in the vial before him. He quickly slammed it shut and locked it. He then grabbed up the heavy vial and disappeared in a cloud of disappearing mana.
***
The look of anxiety and uncertainty on Lex’s face troubled Clover. The uneasy boy looked around, searching through the tents. Blade looked to the skies as a sudden rain descended from the heavens.
“Lex, what’s the matter?” Clover asked nervously, moving to him.
“What’s the matter?! Where the hell is Zen?!” There was panic and deep worry in his voice. A pale look soon grabbed his face as terrible thoughts filled his mind.
“She ran off!” Clover answered after a moment of just standing there looking at him.
“What?! What’d you mean she… Why’d she run off? Why would you let her leave?!” Lex looked at the three of them with furious eyes. He couldn’t understand.
“We searched for her day and night,” Clover said nervously, “but we couldn’t--”
“Sis and Zen got in a fight,
” Kyle spilled it, a look of stern disgust on his face. Clover looked at him expressively. She couldn’t believe.
“A fight?” Lex sounded like he didn’t know what the word ‘fight’ meant.
“Kyle, I hate you!” the girl blasted, crying.
“Are you that cold, sister?! There’s a chance she could still be alive out there!”
Lex made a frighteningly swift movement, reaching up to Clover, collaring her in his shaking grip. The resentment and fury in his eyes nearly killed Clover where she stood. The pouring rain washed her tears down her face. “You chased away a helpless blind girl into the forest?!” the boy blasted, shaking her roughly, his eyes filled up with tears. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”
“That’s enough!” Kyle stepped in. Lex pushed her off, restraining himself from further hurting her.
“I already looked—”
“Shut up, Kyle!” Lex barked, turning and giving him a nasty glare. “How could you let this happen?! And you, Star!” he turned to her. “You know she is necessary for us to win against Trium!”
“There was nothing I could do!” the witch defended. After all, Clover had nearly killed her with the strangely powerful magic she suddenly wielded.
“Please, Lex, don’t blame them!” Clover cried, “They really did try to stop me!”
Lex turned his attention back to Clover, then back to Star. “Aren’t you more powerful a witch than Clover, woman?!”
“Not even Star could do anything. A new power came over her and possessed her to do what she did,” Kyle said. “She didn’t even remember anything that happened! She was possessed by black magic, Lex,” he lied.
“She is the reason you had to die!” Clover cried.
“That’s enough!” the boy stopped Clover, glaring at her with black, threatening eyes. The witch gasped and stepped back, shivering like it was her first time seeing Lex in the black-eyed state. Maximo, can you feel her aura?
Not even slightly… If we move in the right direction, though, there might be a chance of sensing her… providing she’s still alive.
“Which way did she go?!”
“Lex, it makes no--”
With speed that shook and cracked the ground beneath his feet, Lex made a single step toward Clover, grabbing her roughly. “Which way?!” The nervously crying girl pointed in the direction she remembered chasing Zen into.
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