by Ko, John
“Really?” Rachel wonders aloud, knowing the armored glove she holds must be forged of solid gold. It’s the only metal able to harness Light Yellow Tearstones. “I promise to take care of it the best I can.”
She tries it on. It fits perfectly, almost as if it really was made just for her. The warmth she felt just holding it is multiplied. It reaches deep inside her, making her feel strangely calm and restless all at the same time.
When she flexes her hand, it feels strong. Now that it is on, she never wants to take it off. Maybe this is what I was really afraid of?
“See, you’re just like me,” he explains, snapping her out of her little moment of bliss. “Others may view our conditions as weaknesses, but they are what make us unique. This uniqueness is what gives us our true strength, our incomparable strength. Do you understand?”
Rachel thinks she understands.
“The same goes for all of you.”
“Sensei, since you have no experience with one, it will take you some time to learn how to even activate yours. But for you, Big Sis, it should come more easily. You are already experienced in using a Hand of Fate. If you used Shielding Techs with the Dark Blue Hand, you should be able to use this one in the same way. The main Tech is just summoning the Light around you. Just imagine drawing in Light instead of moisture. It is called ‘Grab the Sun.’”
“Should I try to now?” She doesn’t wait for him to answer. What could possibly go wrong? If she fails, she fails. But something tells her she won’t.
Just as she practiced a thousand times before, she tries to draw everything she can from her surroundings. Instead of Water though, she focuses on extracting every bit of Light that she can. It comes easily. “Grab the Sun.”
Screams fill the air as day abruptly turns into night. A cloud of pitch-black descends upon them. Thirty paces from end to end, with panicked bystanders caught in its sightless grip, the darkness grows as the Sun Gauntlet continues to steal the light.
There’s only one thing visible in the encompassing darkness. It escapes between Rachel’s fingertips and hovers there trapped in her grasp. She holds it, but she can’t control it. And as much as she tries, she cannot stop it. What it is can only be described as a miniature sun.
“Rachel, stop shining in the darkness. Let go of the Light!” the Fate yells at her through the chaos.
“I can’t!” she yells back, confused and afraid.
“You can. Clear your head and focus,” her new Captain tells her. Rachel takes a deep breath and grabs her right wrist with her other hand. She tries to ignore the clamor and clear her head of all other thoughts, except for one: Stop!
“I think I did something, but I’m not sure.”
“You did good. It is no longer growing. Now it is just a matter of time. There is a built-in safety reflex that keeps it from returning all the daylight at once. The Sun Orb will slowly release the daylight back into the world on its own.”
“We have to do something, someone might get hurt,” Sensei says. Already, people are running around in a panic.
“Sensei, can you lead her away from here? Somewhere safe?” asks the Fate.
“I can.” The clerk makes his way over to her.
“Everyone, please follow Sensei.”
“Ready?” The clerk grabs Rachel’s hand and prepares to lead them away before turning to ask the Captain, “What about you?”
“I will make sure everything is fine here.” Whistles sound in the distance. The Sitters are on their way.
“Why did he stay behind … is he going to be alright? Are we going to be alright?” Rachel asks, finally breaking the silence. The four teammates minus the Captain sit huddled in a small clearing adjacent to what Sensei called the Clerks’ Dorm. They’ve been waiting too long. He should’ve been here by now.
“I didn’t mean to do that. Why didn’t he warn me?” One second it was fine and the next everything was chaos: screaming, shoving; she even heard someone crying.
“Because he didn’t know. How could he?” Riser says. “I’ve seen the Old Man use ‘Grab the Sun’ before. All it did was slightly darken the area within arm’s reach. Nothing like what you did.
“You practiced all these years with an Aspect you could barely use. And when you finally got to use the one you were meant to …” The Daughter stares at her. “Even so, no one could’ve guessed something like that would’ve happened. Don’t worry. We’ll be fine, he’ll be fine.”
“How will he even find us?” Wake asks.
“I’m guessing with these,” Sensei answers. “I didn’t notice at first, either; not until it got dark and I still felt like I knew where everyone was. If you shut your eyes and concentrate, can you feel him? He’s not too far now.”
“You’re right. I can feel him.” Riser inspects her own gauntlet. “How did I never notice that before? I’ve spent every day of last year training with this thing.”
“We’ve had ours for much longer and never noticed,” Wake adds.
“I’m assuming you can only detect gauntlets that are in use and within a certain distance. If you already know where they are, you probably wouldn’t realize anything, either.” Sensei looks down at his pair of green gauntlets. The petrified vines intertwining his hands shift back and forth as he makes two fists. “Perhaps because I was wearing two it was easier to notice.”
Wake slaps his forehead. “I totally forgot my …” he begins, just as his satchel is thrown onto his lap.
“Keep your eyes open. Even when it gets dark, Wade,” the Fate scolds him. “Is everyone okay? I apologize about that, Team.”
“Thanks,” he replies. “And it’s Wake”
“What took so long?” Riser asks. “Are you okay?”
“I am fine. And it looks like you all are too,” the Captain says. “Everything was fine after you left and you took the darkness with you.”
“The Sitters didn’t do anything to you?”
“They asked me some questions and then put me on something called ‘The List.’”
That’s not too bad, Rachel thinks, full of relief. Being on The List is pretty much just a warning. As long as he doesn’t get into any more trouble, he should be fine.
“I thought I had taken into account everything that mattered. I am sorry. I failed you as Captain. I will not let something like that happen ever again.”
“Enough of that. There’s no way you could’ve known,” Riser tells him.
“I should have at least warned you of what to expect. No other Hand of Fate has a built-in safety like the gold one,” he says, shaking his head. “It must have been horrible, not being in control of your own power. But without the built-in safety reflex—well, if you released all that Light back into the world at once, it would have blinded anyone nearby.”
“Wow, that’s actually quite terrifying,” Wake says.
“Yes, a total Moment of Truth,” the Captain agrees. He turns to the clerk. “Sensei, how are you on time?”
“I’m not too late yet,” the youngest replies, grinning. “Besides, I can’t go without seeing that Tech at least one more time.”
“That is for her to choose. I do not believe anything else will go wrong.” The Fate faces Rachel and asks, “It is alright if you choose not to, but now that we know what to expect, it should be okay. Would you like to try that again?”
“Now?” There’s nothing else she wants more than to try it again. But the thought of doing so is just as frightening. “If everyone else thinks it’s okay, I’ll try it again.”
“Ray, are you kidding? I mean, it was a mess back there, but that’s just ‘cause there was a bunch of people around and we didn’t know what to expect,” her brother says. “And Sensei figured out we can locate each other using these, even if it gets dark.” He holds up his gauntlets.
“Daebak! You learned the lesson and I did not even have to teach it. The Hands allow you to sense the location and well being of anyone else wearing one, friend or foe. It is just a feeling and not ve
ry exact, but it is something. I can only tell so much, but maybe some of you will have better luck,” The Captain says. “Go ahead, Shine.”
“Grab the Sun,” she answers as the world goes black around them. Is this how others feel when they use their Techs? Water never felt like this. But it’s not the first time she’s felt this way. It’s how she feels on the Light Course.
“Hold it out directly in front of you and don’t move,” the Captain tells her. “Brace yourself, Shine.”
Is he calling me Shine? Rachel staggers her feet, one slightly in front of the other. She holds her right hand in front of her, supporting it with her left. It was a natural position for her, though she had never used it before in Tear Battle. “I’m ready.”
“Ray, you sort of look like you’re about to paint with your large brush.”
Before she can reply, Fate is flying towards her, Stick in hand. One, two, three, he strikes. Each blow bounces harmlessly off the glowing orb. “Fluttering Blade,” he commands before he is knocked backwards by the flurry of his own attack. Spikey finally wakes up and crawls out of his hood to check on what the commotion is all about.
“The Sun Orb is impenetrable by regular weapon attacks and most Techs. I bet Shine could even use hers to block some Power Moves,” says the Fate, picking himself up
“My turn!” Riser exclaims.
“I should go next. She’s my sister.”
“I would like to try that again.”
“No, it’s my turn …”
“Squeak.”
Chapter 8
WAKE
[The Outskirts of Greenwood]
The last building in sight comes and goes. Wake begins to question just exactly where the Fate is leading them. The irritating boy mentioned something about finding a Healer, but no one stays out this far. Another block and it’ll be all farms and forest.
He stares at the back of his new captain’s head, wondering if he looked for long enough if he could figure out just what’s going on in there.
Sensei had to go back to work, and Riser and his sister are giggling about something or other. She’s probably just happy that there’s another girl on the team. Wake wants to think of something to be worried about, but he can’t. I guess we really have nothing left to lose.
Despite everything that’s gone wrong in the past days, he finds himself in a good mood. The training session was nothing like the ones with his old team, Kearney and the Courageous. Even though it was a hundred times harder, it was actually somewhat fun.
And that’s one thing we never had on Kearney’s team—fun, he thinks in disgust. Rachel, as sweet as she is, never saw it, but he hated every second he was part of The Courageous. He spits at the thought.
As backwards as this new group is, it’s still one hundred times better, he decides. This afternoon reminded him of something he forgot long ago. How it was before his sister left for her first time on Tour, back when they’d spend every free moment they could find playing at Tear Fighting—back when it used to be fun.
With all the worrying about points and qualifying, he’d forgotten the feeling. The truth is I didn’t forget. I gave it up, he admits to himself . Why? It wasn’t worth it. Even if we had made it all the way with Kearney it still wouldn’t have been worth it.
When Wake looks up, he realizes they are passing a farm. “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” His sister warned him of just how well their new Captain knew his way around town. And there’s nothing else out here except for … No, we couldn’t possibly …
“Where exactly are we going?” he demands to know.
“We are going to get a Healer,” the Fate tells him.
“But nothing’s down this way except for the Royal Caravan. We’ll get in trouble if we try to go in there.” You can’t just waltz into that a place. Even he should know that much.
“We will be fine. Trust me.”
Decked from head to toe in regal lilac and white, two guards stand watch at the Royal Campgrounds. Tall and silent, they stand in defense of the entrance, keeping the riffraff out. Riffraff like us … Just what is he getting us into? Wake worries.
The Fate walks right past them.
He may’ve gotten away with that, but there’s no way they’ll let us all pass. Wake just knew something like this would happen. All the good feelings from earlier begin to wash away. Wake grabs his sister’s arm.
Riser notices their hesitation. “It’s fine. This is probably a big waste of time, but he’s not going to get us in any more trouble—at least not today.” She laughs. When she sees his doubt remains, she adds, “You have my word on that.”
“I’ll trust you then,” Rachel says, following Esperanza past the pair of well-armed guardsmen. Wake hurries after, not wanting to be left behind. The guards let them pass without a word.
When they catch up to the Captain, Wake asks, “Wouldn’t the Lobby be a much better place to look for a Healer?”
“If we were looking for any old Healer, but I want someone good enough to stick with us for the long run. Besides, this Healer needs us as much as we need her.”
They come to a stop before a humongous tent, striped in a hue of purple that can only be associated with royalty. The canopy ends ten feet above the ground, below which a ring of wagons circle, forming a wall.
“Fate, this can’t be right. This is The Royal Team’s Tent. We can’t go in there,” Wake says.
“That is exactly where we are going,” the Fate says. “Let me guess—you must be worried about meeting the Princess? Just remember to belch in her face and you should be fine. She hates that.”
“What the fail are you talking about? This is crazy. We have to go now!” Wake pleads.
“Have you not learnt the Princess Rules?”
“Princess Rules?”
“Yes, the rules you have to follow in order to protect yourself from their Dark Arts.”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about, even more than usual,” Wake complains.
“I realize you are mad, but even you should be able understand this,” the Fate tells him “What is a princess, really?”
“This one is the former King’s granddaughter!” Wake answers matter-of-factly. “The current King’s grandniece.”
“That is true, but none of that is what matters. What is important is how princesses tend to be treated. As soon as they come into the world, they are pampered with luxury, their every whim met. No want goes unfulfilled. They are always being praised for their beauty, intelligence, and upbringing. No one punishes them or even says a word against them. They are usually taught to believe they are naturally better than commoners or other people,” the Fate explains. “See what I mean that they usually end up spoiled rotten?”
“That’s very stereotypical of you. But I guess that makes sense, so shouldn’t we just avoid her all together, then?”
“You cannot just avoid things in life. That is why the Princess Rules exist. By following them, you can protect yourself from their witchery.” He wiggles his fingers as if casting a spell. “And we are about to meet the worst type of princess—the exception. She was raised the princess way and somehow she is not all that wicked. But don’t get the wrong idea—Princess Achylsa Love is dangerous. Believe me when I tell you this: she definitely has her own selfish agenda and she will not bat an eyelash if it means crushing your dreams. She is ruthless … “
“Fate,” scolds Riser. “You shouldn’t talk about her that way. She’s still the Princess.”
“I really don’t know about this.” Wake says.
“You feel it too? It is another Moment of Truth.” The Fate beams with excitement.
The Captain’s said that a couple times now and Wake hates hearing those words already. Moment of Truth.
This isn’t happening. I need to get out of here. Wake’s mind shrieks at him to turn back even as they approach the entrance to the tent, the one he’d never thought he’d find himself in, not in a million lifetimes.
T
he last sight he has of the outside world is of the three banners that fly below the flag of Wysteria: the waves of sea and sun of the Bae, the thin, S-curved line enclosed in a blossom of Silla, and the three-legged, red raven of Gorgury.
Two of the banners might as well have been carved from stone for how still they are, while the last flaps mercilessly. Wake can’t help but feel sorry for it. He takes a deep breath and hurries after the others.
The canopy overhead is a flood of white, patterned in thin lines of lavender. The canvas rooftop ends atop a wall of circled coaches so pristine they look to be carved of ivory. The wagons all appear to be exactly alike, except for the doors set at the center of each. No two of those are even similar. It takes him only moments to pick out which one must belong to the Princess, a strikingly plain door painted two tones of violet.
Feeling distinctly like a fish following his school into shark infested waters, Wake tries to keep his eyes on the floor. But at the clang of metal on metal, he braves a look up.
There dances a strikingly tall youth. With a spear in each hand, he keeps a handful of opponents at bay. Simultaneously brutal and graceful, the fighter dodges a pair of coordinated attacks, returning the favor with a stab to one assailant’s face and a sweep to the other’s knees. They crumple before him. Upon noticing the interlopers, he backs off and gives the command to end the exercise.
“That is enough for now,” the fighter orders. He removes his helmet to reveal a dissatisfied scowl. His short rough hair, black against his dark complexion, and unusual height mark him as Kase Shake, the Best of the Best. Undefeated in official solo and team play, he’s the true power behind Wysteria’s top team, The Royal Team.
Wake’s watched every available memory of Kase’s matches. No one compares to the Chosen One. His skill and talent are unparalleled.
“Everybody out. Leave your armor on, we will be continuing shortly,” Kase commands. Wake and Rachel turn to leave before Esperanza stops them.