8 The SHRINE of BAKUNAWA

The misty cool breeze blew intermittently, bringing forth the cold salty ocean smell of the western shores as the sunlight started to engulf the horizon of Nagozul. The travelling group, heading northwest from the Palace, started to blush as soon as the dawn light touched their cheeks with the refreshing wind extinguishing the heat that the morning sun brings. They all travelled by foot - all six of them. They were led by the beautiful Grand Princess Prodea with her cohort of loyal followers following at the back - three handmaidens led by Zeba and two sword-bearing Daomagarians who are known to be her loyal bodyguards. They tread without stopping and they continued to march on as quickly and as silently as possible. They wore hoods to conceal their eyes that would mystify any suspecting individuals they passed by on the roads, only privy to witness their silent serious mouths.

No one dared to bother them in their fast pace. People passing around the streets to the northwestern shores stopped and backed away to the side roads as the intimidating party was seen in plain sight. Anyone can immediately identify the Grand Princess of Nagozul, with her glamorous red silk gown together paired with her expensive hand-made gem-embroidered cloak.

It is a known fact that this princess exudes arrogance unlike any other known Nagozulian Royalty that ever lived. Anyone who disturbs their strides would be forcefully thrown to the sides by her huge Daomagarian guards without hesitation - and they knew this by experience remembering her latest victim who is a Daomagarian peddler new to the area. No one in their right mind would want to experience that kind of embarrassment so everyone committed this idea to memory, steering clear from their paths, staying on the side roads avoiding any chance of encounter as if fearing for a frightful stampede.

It took the ever-swift party five hours to arrive at their destination - the Shrine of Bakunawa. The sun is now shining directly on top of them burning with its hot bright glow. From the road they were in, they can see the shrine that stands along the coastline to the sea known to commoners as the Docks of the Holy Lands - the only access point to the foreign lands.

A dome lay prominently at the base with a thousand-year old paint almost eaten away by time, revealing a charcoal cement finish with portions of revealing bricks on the sides. You can quickly asses its ancient heritage by just looking at its grayish foundations layered with moss and vines. It has a spire stretching through the center of the dome scaling hundreds of feet high. The topmost chamber of this spire is where the guardian Bakunawa is said to reside, ever so watchful of the sea. The field all around the shrine is filled with long sharp grass that stretched far as the eye can see. The road leading to the shrine is the only thing visible at the grounds. Huge debris of shattered moss-infested stone monuments lay waste indicating a destructive battle that happened generations ago - a history well forgotten by many.

The place is no longer maintained by the Nagozulian people - and no one even tried to attempt to do so. No one goes near the fields before the shrine fearing for the reclusive Guardian's curse upon its fields.

The party finally stopped at the fields directly in front of the gates to the grounds of the shrine. It is a well-known fact that only a Prince or Princess of Nagozul are expected to take on a quest for their rite of passage to the other lands so commoners are not expected to show themselves at the lot, much so to enter the shrine and witness the fabled immortal Bakunawa.

"Zeba, tell the men to wait here for me," ordered Prodea as she removed her cloak revealing her angelic face to the sun. "Stand firm on this point and whatever you hear do not follow me." The three Amplifyers at her forehead began to glow that the light radiating from her red, green, and blue gems began to mix different hues creating an astonishing beam of colors.

"But your highness?" interrupted Zeba throwing her hood at the back to reveal her face to Prodea. Her long wavy black hair manages to follow the wind that is blowing from the sea. "Can you let me come with? I wanted to see Bakunawa too."

Prodea's face began to ooze a hint of irritation as Zeba pursued droning, stating her case. She persisted further touching her left arm to get her attention, disrupting her concentration, which annoyed her even further. Prodea gently shoved her hands to be free of her hold forcing a smile yet revealing a serious eye.

"...I mean, I haven't heard his voice," Zeba followed enthusiastically continuing on with her blather, "let alone his face. He is one of the three legendary immortals."

"Hush," she interjected. "Do you not tire to reveal what an INCOMPETENT FOOL you are?! Honestly, Zeba, are insults not enough? The mockery? Every time? Do you have the need to collect it every single day!?"

Zeba was taken aback, slowly losing her smile.

"Do you know what happens to people entering his territory, hmm?!" Prodea continued.

"Uh - No? Your highness?"

Prodea pressed her fingers at her forehead with a sharp sigh clearly suggesting a headache building up because of her disappointment with Zeba's inept knowledge about Bakunawa's shrine.

"Karr?!" yelled Prodea to call on the huge guard behind them carrying a big broadsword on his back as long as he is.

"Yes, your excellence?"

"You have finished your primary education, correct?"

"Yes, your highness," he snappily replied.

"And is your training, above par? Or just average in quality?"

"I am not a scholar, your excellence, so my history is not as good as those provided at the Royal Academy thus, I am to conclude that my lecture on this topic is only of an average quality."

"So, one might suppose, everyone knows what you know? In a sense..."

"Y-yes, your highness, but..." He hesitated in answering, pitying Zeba as Prodea made him an instrument of her insult.

"Would you please humor us and tell us what happens if I bring you all inside Bakunawa's domain?"

"We will be burned immediately upon entering the premises, your highness. We will not die for about a day, but we will be entangled on the grounds, being slowly burned until sunset. The Magicks inside will prevent people from dying, sustaining the body while it burns all throughout. The skin and flesh will melt till it drip from the bone and the curse will let you experience this nightmare till the sun is not visible in the sky. It is almost noon so it will be an excruciating torture if we were to enter this very minute."

Prodea gave a stern look to Zeba - eyes wide with much smugness while Zeba carried a shocking reaction with her face.

"And why is that so?" Prodea continued to prod, now almost gloating.

"The Shrine of Bakunawa is layered with powerful Magicks made by Bakunawa that only recognizes the blood of the Nagozulian lineage. It acts to defend the only opening to the foreign realm from any malicious creature entering it without his authorization, defending the Holy Lands both from the inside and out."

Prodea continued to walk at the entrance to the grounds of the shrine - ignoring her ever loyal Zeba at the back who appears to be mumbling something out of spite which she ultimately disregarded being fed up with her nonsense.

There is a small brick fence before them and an opening in a form of an arc holding an old rusty metal gate scribbled with rune symbols in an archaic design which appears to be unreadable. Two scaly snake bronze sculptures that have glowing fiery red eyes are placed parallel to each other in front of the metallic entrance. It is some sort of a warning to those people - or animals - having the urge to go near the grounds. There is an engraved statement at the arc saying "The Holy Grounds of Bakunawa" which is in its very old design, possibly thousands of years ago - or more looking at the decaying Daomagarian ironwork.

Prodea went near and intensified her concentration leading for her to emit a blinding light from her Amplifyers that shines all throughout the gates. Suddenly, it began to move and opened its way creakily on its own to let Prodea enter. She returned her hood in its place to cover her head and marched on inside. After which, the gate immediately closed with a bang and silence was all there is for the surprised servants to hear.

-------ooO0Ooo-------

Prodea walked along the grounds of Bakunawa with much haste. She unleashed a fire spell that looks like a big burning boa that floats and circles around her. It incinerated everything that went at least three feet close to her solving her misdirected frustration to the gentle greetings of the tall grasses all around her. Every pace turned the ground charcoal black leaving some flying cinders which resulted to slivers of black fumes one step after another accumulating into a smoke signal that marks her pace to Bakunawa's Shrine.

"Glad to see that you haven't changed one bit, Prodea," echoed a deep voice of a man. "You're always the one to find new ways to hog the attention."

His voice isn't ordinary - it's special, not like any man's voice. His words echoed in the air every time a syllable is enunciated that can be thought to as a voice of a ghost or some enchanted being that could easily scare anyone that hears it - but not Prodea.

"You always have your problems with your grass. I thought I'd be helpful enough to create a wide path for you, Bakunawa."

She found him standing behind the large metal door entrance to the shrine. He wore his sacred robe which is old and seemingly dusty. There are traces of brown shades indicating its original color in the past but it's way too old now that one might pursue to argue that it is gray, and it wouldn't be anything remotely close to any other color. It is filled with unreadable texts and runes a scholar might be curious of. The robe's left arm sleeve can be seen swinging because Bakunawa is known to have a single arm. It was cut in an intensive battle from the past - or at least that's what he tells everyone on record. He's wearing the hood, that is connected to his old coat, hiding his mysterious face underneath the shadow it creates but you can always notice his never blinking eye. An eye that is brightly illuminated and is red with yellow iris.

This eye would make someone uncomfortable for it would take real concentration to take someone's vision away from it. It's inviting and captivating, but it feels like it pierces through your soul using an unknown ominous energy that would make you weak if you let yourself be vulnerable. They call this the Yagisivian Stare - a skill he has perfected and transcended to the next level, torturing one's soul with its deadly striking gaze.

"Always hiding in your hood, I see," mocked Prodea.

"I think you appreciate it that much seeing you look lovely copying my mysterious impression."

"Well I think it is fashionable enough to work, minus Of course, the old reeking garb you're wearing."

"Does your mother know that you're out?"

"Well she knows... enough... I don't really want to trouble her so. I think it is mainly because she gets really annoying when she's all worked up with something."

"It's comforting to see you're still scheming, being so arrogant and frightfully annoying to listen to," he continued. "I'd say congratulations, if I was still your master, for setting a plan that took years to set in motion and executing it right under our noses. Even I didn't know that you're using me in your whole demented act." He stopped for a second to step a few paces away from the door and near the steps to the shrine entrance and continued. "Does lying to your mother and brothers about this whole masquerade worth the throne? Is it that important that you'd endanger our brothers and sisters from the other islands just for your ambition as Queen?"

"You're wrong... as always," Prodea answered. "But then again, what do you know?"

Bakunawa just smiled as he took a pace closer.

"Now, now. It's not good to read my mind," warned Prodea now agitated as she stepped back. "I know how your mind trick operates. It's a maze in mine and one would be too careful if one wouldn't like to be trapped inside for all eternity - after all you're the one who taught me those safeguards, remember?"

Prodea noticed his eyes shining brighter than before. This disturbed her as she felt his head being pressed on by an invisible pressure that is crushing her head.

She concentrated her energy on her eyes that it created a bright red luminescence and that made her eyes sparkle like a red ruby. She saw at an instant a gas in a form of a hand, ghostly in figure coming from Bakunawa's swinging left sleeve, pressing firmly on her head. This startled her and made her instantly conjure a blast around her body, jumping a few feet back at a safe distance - heavily frightened as she is. This made Bakunawa's ghostly arm to disperse in the air for a few seconds, but it immediately reconstructed afterwards and that made Bakunawa chuckle in delight.

"Ah, yes! The All-Seing-Eye. I didn't know that you have learned that. Kudos for attaining level one, but that won't help your predicament here."

She didn't know that Bakunawa can recreate his arm in a ghost-like state and this really surprised her.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you that I have my Ethereal Arm with me always. You never know when you might need a helping hand. After all, having one arm is rather difficult."

She saw Bakunawa's Ethereal Arm glowing with circle runes enveloping every finger. She was forced to step away for a couple of paces as he saw him channeling all earthly energies into the palm of his ghostly hand. She felt fear because the imminent summoning that Bakunawa is preparing cannot be quantified by experience alone. The surging energies made it very hard for her to breathe. This magic is nowhere near what she anticipated, and this astonishing act created a twisted sense of excitement on her part. On the other hand, she was feeling a big hole of regret for she never had known such a unique and handy skill in Bakunawa's tutelage - a skill she might have to undertake alone to learn which she thought to be inconvenient and troublesome.

Prodea now has to act fast before Bakunawa finishes his ritual. She maintained a stance and gave a loud stomp on the ground with her right foot. With a loud roaring echo below, weird runes came rushing to the ground as if the earth is writing on itself. Multiple sphere-shaped images and lines appeared before her making it look like she was standing in a middle of the circular work-of-art.

She knelt down, still wary of Bakunawa, and pressed her hands inside the two circles etched on the ground in front of her. The earth rumbled as another circle ten feet in diameter with different strange runic symbols appeared again before her only this time, it has a somewhat wall of fire inside. From that spot emerged a big roaring Fire dragon with scales shining bright like the sun and claws as dark as the night. The dragon flew upwards as if it sprouted like a tree from the earth leaving the ground where it is born scorching hot. The scaly fire dragon flew up above and circled all around to find its master. It is twenty feet long and four feet wide. The burning eyes of this dragon looks to Bakunawa while screeching to taunt him as it continuously exhale a jet of black smoke with traces of flying glowing embers leaving Bakunawa to assume that the dragon has an earthly form rather than her usual summoning of pure elemental fire.

She pressed her hands again on another circle on the ground at her sides. That act made another circle from the same spot to materialize, but this time, the hot scorched earth with a fire barricade around it now turned fast into a cold fountain with jets of water blasting to the skies like a wall. Another figure appeared rushing out of the earth in a form of dark blue water creature. It is a shape of a griffin displaying its majestic sharp wings flapping while shrieking up above her making it rain on her spot.

"A griffin and a dragon. My, my, I'm very impressed. With you lacking the ability to manipulate the Earth, I'm surprised that you got creative and used your summoning skills to fill those gaps."

"I learned from the best but now I think I might be better."

"Hahaha, you think that you can surpass me?!"he replied shouting. "Do you honestly think you could defeat me with your brand-new little toys?! Do you honestly think that because you have summoned an elemental puppet that you can manipulate, you can easily defeat your master?! DO NOT FORGET THAT I AM THE MOST POWERFUL SUMMONER HERE IN THE HOLY LANDS!"

His voice created a loud resonance that created a huge wave from the sea. All of a sudden, a large Sea Dragon emerged roaring a high-pitched sound that veiled the bright sunny day. Its suffocating magic stole away the the brightness of the sky as it jumped and ate the sun away, revealing the moon to appear shining brightly in its murderous color of dark red as if it's tainted with blood. The blood moon has risen, and with it, the frightening Nanreben!

The dragon looks like a snake, but it has at least four layers of countless fangs that are long and razor sharp. It stretched for incalculably countless of feet high - possibly a thousand or more. It stretched so tall that one might ignore scaling the beast and start screaming at the sight of it. It is blue in color, but it reflects a greenish glow that makes it bluish green. It has two small arms that have three claws in each which landed at the shores that swiftly paced to slither coming closer to its master. The huge dragon encircled the whole field with its serpent-like green eyes glowing bright, anticipating Prodea's movements, echoing an unbearable wave of torturous hisses.

This wonderful display of power made by Bakunawa brought a cold shiver within Prodea. She didn't anticipate that he would summon his favorite dragon, and this complicated things, especially her plans. The chill Prodea was feeling had an accompanied delight and amazement for no one had ever laid eyes on the magnificent Nanreben of Bakunawa for nearly a thousand years.

Bakunawa is truly the most powerful Master Summoner there is, she thought, for he is the only one that can summon real beasts with real elemental powers that can think and act on its own for the benefit of its master. He is so powerful that he can communicate with the beast through mental telepathy. It seems as though that a bond was created within them the moment, he finished his ritual for summoning.

"I will kill you where you stand you pathetic fool!" laughed Bakunawa which snapped her from her thoughts of compliment and awe. Bakunawa continued, "It is my duty to protect Bathala's Holy Lands! I have already seen your evil deeds and you will never be able to complete it. You can never cross the sea ever again. Not while I'm around! And believe me, I WILL be around for a countless thousand years more!"

The roaring Nanreben overwhelmed Prodea so much that her eyes followed the dragon's eye. She was having a battle in her mind trying hard not to let her growing fear be exposed to her enemy, so she maintained a strong and composed composure as she moved her summoned elemental beasts to her side.

"I never intend to ask if you would approve, you cretin, and I also wouldn't want to cross the sea either. As of now, preparations are being made and you can't do anything about it."

"Not if I kill you first!"

The Nanreben created a disturbingly loud and sharp screech that shook Prodea's water griffin to explode. It's unwise to battle the Nanreben with water elemental summonings. The dragon's innate power is water after all.

She immediately retaliated by creating a huge circular rune below to summon a big fiery ball on top of her - the size of the dome-like docks of Bakunawa's sanctuary. Bakunawa saw this and immediately ordered his dragon to lunge its offensive but it came a little too late for Prodea already finished her rituals and that startled Bakunawa. It is not easy to create a surprisingly huge fire ball a size of his temple in a matter of seconds, but she did, and she did it perfectly well. This reinforced Bakunawa's goal to finish her off. The thought of her having this kind of power in a rampage would surely destroy the Lands of Bathala.

The Fireball that Prodea summoned radiated its red illuminating glow that lightened up the whole place as if the whole area is consumed by fire. Its slow-moving descent is nearing its pending impact so Bakunawa ordered the Nenreben to attack it. The sea dragon immediately created a jet of water from its mouth to the incoming fireball extinguishing it little by little, preventing it to go anywhere near the shrine. The great fireball occupied the Nanreben for a while leaving Bakunawa to concentrate all of his attention to the lonely princess.

"One problem solved," he thought as he faced Prodea now smiling at him almost as if mocking him in his delayed reaction.

"You're getting slow now Old man!" she said as she moved her hands to signal and control the fire dragon that's been circling her the whole time, looking as though it's protecting her from any surprise attack.

"Well, that's not fast enough chanting if you should know. Clearly, you're overconfident with your newfound skills," he replied hiding his true sentiments on her summoning skills. If he were not fighting her, he would've given her a lot of praise for her surprising growth considering that he is her master after all, but that wasn't the circumstance.

Agitated, Prodea sent his fire dragon to attack Bakunawa by using her whole right hand to maneuver it like a puppeteer. Bakunawa just stood where he is and laughed. A mirror like wall was summoned almost instantly before her dragons reach ten paces from Bakunawa. This served as a shield-like barrier that destroyed Prodea's Fire Dragon upon collision. The invisible, yet reflecting, barrier is so strong that the fire dragon of Prodea appeared looking like a pie hitting against a wall, crumbling down violently in pieces to the floor.

This created a great opportunity for Bakunawa, so he lifts up his gaseous hand and started creating another set of enigmatic runes on each finger glowing intensely bright. He floated for about a foot or two and began moving his other hand in different directions while mumbly chanting some weird litany of some dead language as if about to summon something.

Prodea saw a surge of energy flowing through Bakunawa's hands with her red ruby eyes. This sort of thing isn't normal, and it isn't weak either - that thought she is sure of.

She jumped backwards away from the circular rune that she's in and created another set from where she is now only this time a lot bigger. She pressed her hands quickly on the circular diagram on the ground like what she did earlier and a rune spell, spherical in shape, began writing fast on the ground twice as big as the previous one. Perspiring on the effort, she shouted to unleash her elemental powers to the spell state that she was pressing. The ring in front of her immediately burned and a big fiery wall appeared. After that spectacle, five fire dragons - twice as big as the last one - flew dashing out of the hole burning almost anything on its wake. The dragons encircled her as if guarding her, snarling ferociously with anger and anticipation. She pressed her palms together and water began to seep through the earth. The earth then splashed the water to Prodea and immediately formed a bubble shield barrier almost six inches deep around her as if containing her in a blue swirling orb.

"You always surprise me, 'Dea. You have powers that surpassed any fire Nagozulian I've ever seen in my life," he commended while lifting both his hands that is now glowing a blue light doing his final recitations for his summoning. "Too bad you concentrated your powers on fire!"

Bakunawa created a small blue sphere with his right hand and flicked it to her. Prodea was bewildered with what it was because all of Bakunawa's energy was channeled through that and it doesn't seem to have any sense to be that small. She snapped thinking and prepared to what it would do as it rolled and floated fifteen paces in front of her.

Prodea was stunned as she witnessed a surge of water streaming to her location coming from the small sphere. It seems that Bakunawa had summoned a river forcing its way to Prodea's Water Barrier. The surge of the small blue sphere is so powerful that her water barrier was trapped into its clutches. She cannot move because of the pressure and if she did, the bubble she's in would collapse leaving her vulnerable to its deadly strike.

She ordered the five dragons to defend her. Four of her dragons started breathing an excessive amount of fire power and the other one tried to swallow it whole, but nothing happened. The water sphere began to retaliate blasting the dragons with separate pressurized streams of water attacks extinguishing their fiery bodies with accurate shots till they all turned to rubbles.

Smoke was engulfing them as the water surge now becomes both hot and concentrated. Prodea's dire state is plummeting to worst now that she was losing her energy to move. The area of Bakunawa's water sphere's gush is beginning to get thinner as if maximizing its pressure, cutting through her water bubble like a knife drilling into an apple. It is a matter of time before the pressure of the water penetrates her defensive enchantments. She is now kneeling in stress, perspiring and concentrating even harder than before and she knows that she can't hold it any longer.

"Now if I got this right, you only have a few seconds to live," Bakunawa jumped breaking the silence while walking near her side. He sat on the ground near where she was kneeling, exulting at the sight a Prodea covered with sweat of stress and fear, mocking her in her helpless state of hopelessness with his smiling eyes.

"I created this river just for you, you know that? This river enchantment is so powerful it is said to cut through mountains. That's what I know, I haven't really summoned this for a very long time, and I didn't actually see its potential then. I think I just want you to see a powerful water spell before you die. Think of it as a parting gift."

Prodea closed her eyes while now putting her hands on the ground to support her body in her desperate attempt to hold the barrier from the clutches of death ignoring Bakunawa's blather.

"The water sphere is a rare spell. I'll tell you that. It will follow your head accurately wherever you go so you can't really get away from it. The pressure, I think, would sever your head - because I told it to do so. Otherwise, if it survives - your head I mean, then it will break off from your neck and dislocate your body from your brain. No more Ms. Bad Princess."

Prodea began snickering in delight and that act confused Bakunawa. He was about to explain the seriousness of her situation when she immediately cut her off laughing.

"You were always arrogant, Master. I told you that that would lead you to your demise," she looked at him opening the palm of her right hand directly in front of him. "SUM'RSENI DIM'ION!"

Prodea laughed hard and grabbed an article inside his robe as quickly as she can.

Bakunawa saw the scroll as she opens it in front of him with her left hand. He immediately saw the Four Seals of Death on a crest stamped at the back of the scrolls as Prodea revealed it. It is one of the four lost scrolls used to kill the Three Legendary Immortals a thousand years ago. They knew well that the scroll can't kill them but the Dark Priestess of Yagisiv Haya at that time found a way to make them, at least, be compelled to the contract in the scroll. He was captured then and was tortured to be controlled by the scroll's Magicks but Dal'Gur, the immortal Blacksmith, helped him escape. He knew that Dal'Gur stashed the scrolls well, so he was having a hard time believing if it is genuine or a fake. He sat there, stunned, frozen in fear and confusion.

"That can't be the real..." Bakunawa murmured as he watched Prodea to smile and open her mouth to continue her ritual.

"OH, IMORTAL N-BAN'NEL! TUMALI'LOW KA-SA AK'E. SUN'LOW AN-AK'AY SALI'ORDUS! SA'IN PANGA'ME NO DIM'ION! SA'IN PANGA'ME NO DIM'ION LUMU'EEL KA!!!"

Bakunawa noticed her chants and that was the proof he needed to know whether it is the true artifact or not. He tried to escape in futility, but the enchantments of the scroll created a paralyzing effect on him and before he knew what hit him it was already too late. A blinding light started to manifest at Bakunawa's forehead. This made him scream in pain as he squirmed on the ground with his hand scraping his forehead.

The water surge that he summoned began to dissipate which Prodea followed disabling the sphere that she was in. She crawled and sat on the grounds near Bakunawa with sweat pouring wildly on her face while giggling at the sight of him squirming.

"I found this scroll stashed away at the Palace. Figured that you're one of those cursed immortals at the Elven Rebellion and that must mean you abide with some specific rules," she revealed smiling contented while gasping for air recovering from her previous tensed state. "I searched for your history and why you never leave this pathetic rat hole of yours. Imagine the surprise when I found out that you were imprinted with one of these rare scrolls. History says that you can't leave this place without being burned to ashes or that you can't deny any mortal entering this insufferable place. Heh, and here I thought the markings on the walls you created on the entrance are true! It's all basically a pathetic lie to cover your shameful existence after your failed embarrassing attempt on protecting these lands a thousand years ago."

Bakunawa tried to open his angry eyes and directed his focus to Prodea. He tried to summon a weak jet of water directly at her face with the intent to kill but Prodea, being a water elemental, just redirected the surge to the ground near her. The impact created a huge hole and that created a smile on Prodea's face instead. Knowing that he can't concentrate that much and still generating a powerful attack proves in all doubt that he has proven himself to be worthy of Bathala's Boon of Immortality.

"I can imprint you with a new rule, seeing that you're cursed and all and me having the scroll here but I need you to be at least twenty feet from... me... to make..." she picked the scroll and poked his head with it in mockery with him still struggling and shouting in excruciating agony. "Hey~ Are you still listening? Good heavens, it's so annoying when people don't listen," She stood up as she prepared herself to leave. "I can leave you like this but who's going to fake protecting the lands when you're here squirming for all eternity. I'm not that sadistic, yet. After all, we all have to keep appearances, right?" She started reading the second part of the spell to cast her conditions. "SUN'ED AK'AY SALI'ICE! YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ANYONE ABOUT MY INTENTIONS, MY PLANS, MY MEMORIES AND OUR LITTLE MISUNDERSTANDING HERE. YOU WILL NOT DELAY OR BLOCK THE PEOPLE WITH GRIFFIN FLAGS TO ENTER THE HOLY LANDS NOR WILL YOU HARM THEM IN ANY WAY BEFORE OR AFTER THEY ARRIVE HERE. ET'IS AK'AY NA'IL! TUPA'FILL AK'AY NA'IL"

The light coming from Bakunawa's forehead began to diminish slowly as he struggles for breath wheezing and crawling pitifully from the ground to Prodea's.

A big explosion erupted at the other part of the shrine as sea poured like rain from up above. Prodea scrubbed the water out from her cloak as she smilingly sneered to Bakunawa with much joy.

"Oh look! Your hideous Nanreben just finished extinguishing my fire ball. What an embarrassing achievement for a titan! You must be thankful though. A second past it and you couldn't have misdirected my fireball. You could've been homeless. Think of this as your win. I know how you get upset when you lose."

"You will never get away from this."

"Oh, but I just did and look! It seems as though your Nanreben is fleeing to the sea, how cute... I think it means that the legends are true with you summoners. You can't control your beasts when your power is drained."

"Ha! I'm still stronger than you even without any summoned beasts! I will protect these lands from you or..."

"Right, as if you've protected yourself from me. You may be stronger, but I am much smarter!"

"Heh! That last scroll can only save you from today. You cannot use that again to me!"

"Take it then. It would certainly make a good memorabilia."

Prodea walked away as she cruelly threw the scroll to Bakunawa's face, turning her back ignoring him.

"Be sure not to come back here!" he shouted with his voice shaking with much hate and anger that echoed throughout the grounds. "If you do, it will be the end of your miserable insignificant life!"

"I won't," Prodea answered his ludicrous threats, "I never intend to return from this wretched place anyway."

She felt satisfied and proud as she walked further leaving the shrine, taking the black burning aisle she created earlier. And the dark angry clouds from the skies began to scatter in fright to the bright flashing sun, returning the majestic clear blue skies back to its previous look with the white rays of noon delivering forth the heat that was missed.

-------ooO0Ooo-------

"So, you see Yosh, military strategy isn't that far from what we're doing at our secret training," said Kayzar as he grabbed and closed a thick book which read Tactics and Elements.

"Huh, I - uh - not that I'm ungrateful or anything," Yosh gently whispered worried for his brother's reaction. "I just didn't quite grasp your ideas about those things that you said earlier..." Kayzar immediately gave a shocking look which Yosh noted making him more concerned rephrasing it. "...not that I didn't understand it at all. I'm just saying that I didn't get some parts, but I do understand now how it works! Yep! Totally get it now!"

No one can blame Kayzar for that. He had been discussing, for hours, the complicated topics of military tactical decisions and elemental maneuvers with much frustration while choosing the right words and translating it in layman's terms. He would really be angry if he still doesn't understand the whole idea and Yosh knows that.

"Well, the real problem with you is that you don't listen seriously," lectured Karus sneaking in their discussion while making three books float in midair to escape boredom. "Good thing Bathala gave you your great innate insights and analytical senses that are above par. If not, then you'll end up like your favorite cousin who truly lacks the capacity to think for himself."

"Hahaha! Right, I'm just gonna cross the things that doesn't make any sense and pick the one's that do. That way I'm gonna have a perfect score without hassle."

"Right..." Kayzar agreed with an unconvinced look while stacking the books they used to return them in their places. "Scurry off now, its midday already. You can't be late on your appointment."

"Almost forgot about that!" he chuckled running off as fast as possible, jumping through obstacles and making his snake-like movements with fast reflexes to avoid anyone blocking his way.

"Did he just run there?" asked Karus. "That's the way to the kitchen, right? I thought he's going to the study room?"

"Same old Yosh, he's trying to sneak for a quick snack even if he's cramming for his exams."

"Heh, you got that right."

The two brothers hastened up cleaning the mess they just did at the table and hurriedly went to the kitchen to grab some lunch. They walked at a very fast pace that would give others the idea that they are striding. Now realizing the grumblings inside their stomach roaring in protest for food that they took so little of earlier, they could not be blamed for not taking time to chat with other people taking interest on their day.

Waving their goodbyes after giving a hello isn't a customary act of a prince. They should at least take time, for about a minute or so, to partake in small talk or some other time-consuming chit-chattery. They just took solace in the fact that they really did give a sincere beaming smile towards their subjects that could make their day a little better considering that they all look serious and restrained.

At the hallway before reaching the kitchen, they saw a guard unusually standing outside the door to the dining room. They ignored the guard as they passed but they were surprisingly halted by him.

"I'm sorry your highness," blurted the guard with much respect to the two smiling uneasily. "I believe I was stationed here to stop you two from entering the room." The two were stumped smiling with eyebrows askew as the guard perspires to explain his difficult situation. "If it were up to me, sir, I'd let you inside, but my orders were to hold you 'till they've finished eating. I'm truly sorry sir."

"Don't worry soldier, it's not your fault," replied Karus tapping his arm as if commending him. "We're not planning on dining with them anyway. We've anticipated this so we're just 'gonna go to the kitchen to grab our lunch there. Would that be okay?"

The guard nodded with much gratitude in his eyes. He was relieved that he did not end up being tangled in any complications that might arise at the scene following the Grand Princess Prodea's orders. The guard is a member of the Nagozulian Royal Sentinels. These sentinels were very loyal to the Grand Prince Artemus who is the Grand General of the Nagozulian Forces. Every soldier has their utmost respect to the Grand General and his children that's why they choose their words very carefully. This is one of the reasons why Sarram is so jealous of him. Some soldiers make fun of Sarram and his son, Prince Gantee, behind their backs telling everyone that they are no-good cowards - which is true making the jokes sell itself out and about Nagozul like candy.

"So, they've made their moves now, eh K-Z."

"Hmmnn. That's well anticipated but we didn't know that they were doing this as early as lunch. Thought that they're 'gonna ban us there at dinner."

"We sure are lucky to have Kudos and Madj on our sides, right?"

"Heh, I'll sure miss the moments where Gantee, Sarram and Zeba fight over the best part of the veal."

Karus laughed. "What I'll miss most is seeing their sour faces after being reprimanded by the Queen for their unruly behavior at the table."