Chairman: "Here we are, Chapter 3 begins…again. Can't wait until I'm off of older chapters and on to new parts of the story."
Talis: "As always, Chairman LoneStar doesn't own Disney, KH, Square Enix, or any of the ideas, concepts, or characters thereof, but he does own me and my brothers!"
~~~~~~TKtK~~~~~~
Previously on TKtK…
Xaltis looks down at himself. His formerly green robe was indeed now white with golden accents, and the Crest of the Royal Knights on the back was golden as well. Even the clothes underneath are now white. "Oh snap! It is! How...?" Then he looks down at his Keyblade, which also changed. "Whoa...what's this?" The Keyblade he held in his hand is now more strealined, with sharper edges and a castle-shaped hilt.
"I don't know how I know this, but I think that this one's called Evolution, X. You reached what I was telling you about earlier and it didn't take long at all; you found that power that was hidden inside of you. Congratulations, big brother. Your mind is finally clear. I'm proud of you."
"As am I, X. Just wait until we get home and we can show the girls!"
"Right! We have to get home! Hey, look!" Xaltis points into the distance. "Is that what I think it is?"
Just over the horizon was a lone spire, the tallest of the spires on the castle that the Knights called home.
"It is! Our castle! We're closer to home than I thought!" Let's go, guys!" The three run to their respective vehicles and rode off into the setting sun, eager to get home to their family and friends.
~~~~~TKtK~~~~~
Chapter III: Back Home Again...
Character Introduction!
Carla S. Knight
Age: 16
Height: 5' 8.75"
Physical Appearance: dark hair (Mai Valentine-style), brown eyes, fair-skinned
Attire: pink denim jacket and pants, white undershirt, pink boots
Shania C. Knight
Age: 16
Height: 5' 9"
Physical Appearance: same as Carla (hair more reminiscent of Carly Nagisa from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's)
Attire: same outfit as Carla, but in purple
Raina L. Hikari
Age: 19
Height: 5' 8"
Physical Appearance: brown back-length wavy hair, green eyes, fair-skinned
Attire: Royal: full-length white dress with ornate design, white shoes
Casual: white jacket, white sleeveless undershirt, white pants, white boots
Markos Hikari
Age: 45
Height: 6' 4"
Physical Appearance: jet black (graying at the roots) (Duke Devlin-style), dark-skinned, brown eyes
Attire: Training Grounds: black jeans, black shirt, and black metal bracer
Casual: same without bracer, and black jacket (Kyosuke Kiryu-style [Crash Town])
Cameron Hikari
Age: 14
Height: 5' 8"
Physical Appearance: same hair as Markos, but completely black. Otherwise exactly alike in appearance
Attire: Training: gray sleeveless t-shirt, gray jeans, gray metal bracer
Casual: gray short-sleeved oxford and same gray jeans
~~~~~~TKtK~~~~~~
Main Courtyard, Arceo Citadel
Lusevera, Hikari Lux Lucis
12:05 F.M., June 8, 1BSF (6AR)
The castle was just as beautiful as they remembered, with spires reaching seemingly to infinity, each decorated with white and baby blue floral designs, and a wide double arcade that stretched the length of the path from the entrance to the main building. Under the light of the First Moon, the castle shone with an ethereal glow, but of course, that was to be expected and was planned by the builder of the castle many generations before. Beyond the castle lay an illustrious courtyard, extending in a radius of approximately two hundred yards around, spotted with topiaries of monarchs past. In the center of the beautiful garden, there stood two statues of the most recent king and queen of Hikari Lux Lucis, Dax and Raya, the parents of the current Queen. Outside the castle courtyard on the left side, there was a wide, winding road leading to the training grounds and battle arena, where rookie knights are hard at work training and elder knights are sparring and practicing. On the right side lay the Knight workshop, where the Knight siblings kept their vehicles, weapons, and whatever else they need. Beyond the castle gates lay two roads: one to the main town, one to the Shadow Desert. And this second road is upon which the triplets returned home...together.
First there came Talis, riding up on his motorcycle, Reminiscence, with a cloud of dust flying up behind him. "I'm finally home...it's more beautiful than I remember...I wonder if anything has changed."
He rode on and his brothers came up behind him soon after, X's cloak back to its normal green color now.
"Was Arceo always this beautiful, Kalin, or is it just how long I've been away?"
"Well, we've done a little improvement since you've been gone, so it may just be that...it definitely is a beautiful sight, though."
"I can't wait to see how everything's changed since I've been gone."
"You'll be pleasantly surprised, brother, and there are some people who will be super-surprised to see you. Now come on!" Kalin took off on his hoverboard through the castle gates, followed quickly by Xaltis, deep in thought.
My actions caused so much pain, yet so many greater things...I can't continue to berate myself over this. It's foolish...I must move on like everyone else has.
Meanwhile, behind the castle walls, the Knight sisters made their daily patrol walks through the halls of the castle Arceo. "Carla, can we spar later? This patrolling is quite monotonous."
"Shania, you know the patrols are necessary ever since...you know..."
"Yeah...I know, the death of the King and the loss of two of our brothers. The story never gets old. What I don't understand is why we haven't gone looking for them instead of just standing around! They're our brothers, for Pete's sake!"
"Shania...I know you miss Talis and Xaltis. Don't you think I do too? But we can't stay moping all the time; we've gotta move on. That's what they would want. And besides, Kalin went to look for them. If anyone could find them, it's him," she answered confidently, hiding her own feelings of worry.
"You should listen to your sister, she's always been the smarter of you two, and the more optimistic," a teasing voice called out. The pair of girls froze as they heard the rumble of a familiar motorcycle, one that only just took off on a search a couple of weeks ago, but returned with a different rider. Talis launched the bike into the air, and screeches to a halt directly before them. The sisters are too much in shock to even speak. "Hello? Anyone home?"
"I see you and I hear you, but I don't believe it...Talis?"
"Hóla, little sister, how's it going?"
"Talis!" Shania ran to him and gives him a 'kid sister' hug, jumping into his arms and letting Talis swing her around. "Where have you been, you jerk? We've been waiting for you forever!" She smacked him upside the head with a heavy hand, but her smile belied her mock anger.
"Hey! Hey! I don't get an 'Are you OK?' or a 'Is everything alright?' Gosh...you'd think I'd get more gratitude for getting our family back together..."
As soon as he finished that sentence, Kalin and Xaltis rode up behind him on their hoverboards. "Did someone say 'family'? Oh, hey, little sisters, how you doin'?"
"What...what is this? We walk around one morning, and all of a sudden, all three of our brothers are back?"
"Kalin, how did you find them so quickly?"
"It wasn't that difficult, really. It was just a matter of riding around the Shadow Desert for TWO WEEKS! Quickly? Ha, it was sheer luck that I found these two walking around out there in that heat and darkness...why is it so dark out there anyway?"
"I can answer that!" The singsong voice that answered Kalin's question was followed by the Queen of Hikari Lux Lucis and close friend of the Knight family, Raina, dressed in her royal gown. "Queen Raina at your service! About that Shadow Desert issue...it's a long story and a lot to take in. By the way, I have a new job for you, Kalin. We have a guest coming from..." Raina looks at Talis and Xaltis. "Umm...am I seeing triple? Because, from what I remember, there's only one of you, and that's you, Kalin."
The triplets circle the Queen as Talis speaks. "Such a shame..." He casts a glance at his brothers before looking back at the Queen. "So she becomes Queen and forgets her best friend?" He clutches his chest as if in pain. "I'm hurt, Rai, really hurt...after I fought this guy," as he points at Xaltis, "because he almost killed you, you forget me?"
Xaltis shoves him a little. "Hey, hey, hey! Don't bring me into this because of your little lovers' spat! As for her not remembering me, I could care less; she's not my girlfriend." X snickers as he makes that last comment.
Talis casts a darker look at his brother and replies, "She's not my girlfriend! She's my best friend!"
Raina steps super-close to him and whispers into his ear. "Best friend, huh? That's not what you said the night before we went after your brother, now is it, Talis?"
I heard that! Spill, little brother.
You've lost your mind if you think I'm mentioning anything about what she just said. I'm going to have to find a way to block you out…
What happened the night before you came after me, huh? Huh? You know I'm going to bug you about this until you tell me.
Shut up! Nothing happened!
That's not what the Queen just said...you two were an item, weren't you?!
Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!
You two did the do...ohhh Talis, you dog, you!
What the...? No, hell no! You're crazy! I would never mess with the Queen that way!
I searched your mind...you may not have done it, but you have most definitely thought it, over and over and over again...dude, you know she wants you.
Shut up and...
"...get outta my head!" Talis woke out of his reverie to find five pairs of eyes staring at him, not realizing that he yelled the last bit aloud.
"Talis, are you OK, little brother?" Xaltis asked, a mischievous smirk on his face.
"Shut up, X, before you go back in the cage again," Talis responded with a more malicious look, to which Xaltis straightened up immediately.
Meanwhile, their companions watched the exchange with interest. "What do you think is going on between our brothers, ladies?" Kalin asked his two sisters.
"Who cares?! I wanna know what's going on with Talis and the Queen!" Shania squealed in delight, spying the Queen's more reserved look.
"Shania, that's none of our business...but I definitely think there's something going on; that much is obvious," Carla noted in a dry tone. "That little aside between the two of them was far too secretive, and there's no reason for that otherwise."
"So, all we have to do is find out what that is, right?"
"Sensibly, yes, but I don't want that to be the end of the story, and I doubt you two want that either, am I right, little sisters?"
"Duh!" Carla and Shania answered in unison. "Get us answers, Kalin!"
"OK, OK, I will! Yeesh!" He walked to the arguing pseudo-couple to get his instructions from the Queen, mumbling to himself. "I tell you, having little sisters is a pain in my butt...but at least the family's back together."
At the other side of Kalin's self-venting session were the arguing duo, Talis and Queen Raina. "Gimme a break, Rai, I just got home! Can I go sleep for two days?!"
"Excuse me, Talis, but you have a job to do. Did you forget your oath? You know, those couple of phrases you spoke seven years ago when you started your training?"
"Of course I didn't forget, and don't you dare call on my oath in this argument. It's because of my oath that I was gone for two weeks, remember?"
"Right, right, when you 'defended' me from your brother...whatever, stop making excuses for shirking your duties." Her voice was scathingly sarcastic as she berates him.
"Shirking my...oh, that's it. I'm going to the garage. Kalin! Talk to your Queen, I'm done here." With that, he turned around on his heel, jumps on his bike, and rode back down the stairs.
Raina spun on her own heels to come face-to-face with Kalin, who was quite confused at the heated exchange that just took place, the atmosphere having been much more playful mere seconds before. "Don't look at me, Queen Raina. I just came to find out what you wanted me to do."
"Oh, that...right, umm, go to the training grounds and see if Markos needs your help with anything. I haven't gotten the chance to go there myself since I became Queen and I'd love to hear about any rising stars, so to speak."
Kalin saluted and nodded. "Yes, ma'am! I'll do it right away!" Internally, though, Kalin was just excited to get back to the training ground to see his old friend, mentor, and sword-master extraordinaire. "Hey, X! You wanna come with me?"
"Sure, anything to get away from this mess...see you around, little sisters! Queen Raina, nice seeing you again!" Xaltis and Kalin ran off down the stairs, forgoing their hoverboards in favor of getting their blood flowing.
"Hey, Queenie?" Shania snuck up behind Raina to question her. "What's going on between you and my brother?"
"Whatever are you talking about, Nia?" Raina pretended to be totally clueless, looking anywhere but at the younger woman's face. Her voice was crisp and sharp, as she still felt rather annoyed.
"You know very well what she's talking about, Lady Raina." Carla fell into step on Raina's other side as the three women started walking down the hall. "Don't think we didn't notice that little aside you two had. Now what's up between you and our brother?"
"Again, Carla, I have no idea what you or Nia are speaking of. I was simply being discreet. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to. Good day to you two." The Queen rushed quickly away, hoping to hide the fact that her cheeks were becoming increasingly flushed.
Shania called after her. "It better not be any business in our brother's room!" She and Carla hi-fived, identical smirks upon their lips. "It's like she thinks we're stupid or something!"
"She knows we know, which is why she ran away so fast...don't worry, we'll catch them soon enough, Nia. Now how about that spar you wanted earlier?"
"Sweet! Let's go!" The twin sisters ran down the same stairs which everyone seems to leave from to head to the battle arena near the training grounds.
Knight Garage, Knight Quarters, Arceo Citadel
Lusevera, Hikari Lux Lucis
12:27 F.M., June 8, 1BSF (6AR)
Meanwhile, in the garage, Talis was working on cleaning his bike, a dirty rag in his hand and his jacket discarded as he lay underneath the frame of the vehicle. "It's been a while since we rode that fast, hasn't it, Remi?" He sighed wistfully as the memories flood back, thoughts on the many times he rode his motorbike. One time in particular stuck quite fiercely and lodged in the front of his mind. "That's right; I did have you then, didn't I? When I took Queen Rai out for a ride, but at that time, she was just Princess Rai. She was much nicer then and a lot more fun to be around. I wonder why she was so harsh to me earlier...it's not like I meant to disappear like that..."
"But you did, and you didn't even try to contact anyone, you jerk!"
"What?" Talis slid out from under his bike to see the Queen in the doorway, eyes narrowed yet fierce. "What do you want? Come to yell at me some more?"
"Yes, I did. First of all, I want an explanation for what the heck that was upstairs!"
"What are you talking about? First you come at me all flirty and junk, talking about the conversation we had before we left that time, and then you start yelling at me for disappearing! What was that, I ask you?" Talis rose to his feet, walking over and staring down the Queen with just as much fire in his eyes. "Explain to me why the hell you're mad! You act like it was my choice to stay gone for that long! I didn't even know where I was most of the time!"
"It doesn't matter! You were supposed to be here! Doing your job! Protecting the Kingdom!"
"Wait a second...this isn't just about me not coming back with you...you missed me. You thought I was dead and you missed me! Admit it!"
"Don't flatter yourself, little boy. You're not that special," she countered, crossing her arms.
"Really? Then why are you here?" he shot back.
"For the exact reason I stated earlier. To yell at you some more."
"Well, had your fill? Good, now get out, and leave me to my business."
"You mean, talking to your bike? You treat that thing like it was a woman or something."
"It's treated me better than any woman has, so why not? What does that have to do with anything we're talking about anyway?"
"It's just weird, Talis. It's a vehicle; it can't talk back to you."
"Well, sometimes you don't want to be talked to; you just want to be heard. Remi does that for me, so excuse me if you can't quite grasp that. Now, if you have nothing else to say, please leave. You may be my friend, but you're also the Queen, so please leave before I do something I'll regret either way."
"Fine, I'll leave, but none of that calling me back crap."
"Trust me, I won't."
"Hmph!" The Queen turned on her heel – a common occurrence this day, it seemed – and left just as quietly and quickly as she came.
"Why is she this insufferable as of late? It's like I don't even know her anymore." Talis went back to cleaning his bike. "Why does it seem like you're always the only one to understand me, Reminiscence?" Talis walked to the back of the garage and presses a hidden button, which revealed a set of hi-tech tools. "I'm gonna give you an upgrade to get my mind off of this nonsense." He picks up a tool that looked a lot like a spanner and turned the knob, making it known that it's also a blowtorch. "Time to go to work!"
Outside the Training Dome, Arceo Citadel
Lusevera, Hikari Lux Lucis
12:27 F.M., June8, 1BSF (6AR)
Back with the other Knight Brothers who, at the time of the argument, were racing to the training grounds, Kalin rode far ahead on his hoverboard. "You can't beat me there if you can't even catch me, X!" He sped up his hoverboard by pressing the hidden button on the paneling.
"Don't count me out just yet, Kal! I've got some surprises up my sleeve!" And under his breath, he muttered, "Or rather my sleeves..." He pointed his arms behind him and intoned one word, laced with power. "Aero..." Wind poured from both of his sleeves, propelling him to catch up with Kalin. "Oh hey, would you look at that? I caught up with you! Oh, and by the way?"
Kalin looked at him out of the side of his hair. "What, X?"
"I've got one word for you: Aerora." X shot out ahead of Kalin, who stopped for a second to gather his bearings. "What just happened?"
All of a sudden, X reappeared in front of him. "You just got passed, that's what happened. Bye-bye! Aerora!" X took off again, leaving Kalin dumbfounded for the second time, dust kicking up in his face.
"What am I standing here for? Get back here!" Kalin jumped back on his hoverboard and stepped on the accelerator button, hoping to catch up with his speeding brother.
X laughs back at him. "Haha! Come and get me, Kalin!" The training ground and battle arena loomed on the horizon as Xaltis fast approaches it. "Looks like I'm getting here first." He rode his hoverboard through the open arches of the training ground and braked almost immediately once he noted what he interrupted.
A voice from out of nowhere rang out, "Next lesson, boys! Expect the unexpected! Attack the intruder!"
"What the - ? I'm not an intruder!" The knights-in-training looked hesitant to attack when they heard this. Some faces looked intrigued while others looked intimidated. After all, a hooded stranger – at least to most of them – just appeared from nowhere.
"I said, next lesson! Attack, trainees!"
The in-training knights had no choice but to obey. "Sir, yes, sir!" The first wave of about twenty or so charged Xaltis.
X muttered under his breath, "I swear, I can't cut a break. Kuriamaindo!" The green robe flashed white again, with the golden Crest of the Royal Knights on the back and Knight's Evolution in his hand. "Can I call you Evo?"
"Actually, no, you can't, because I'm a female Keyspirit. The name's Eva. Now, I think you should turn your attention to the guys attacking us."
"I like the way you think, Eva." Xaltis took position, Keyblade held above his head, pointed out at his attackers, knees bent (which one can't really see since his cloak covered them), hood covering his face as usual, but eyes focusing on one trainee in particular, making a target in his mind. "Let's do this."
The wave of trainees that first rushed at him now gathered in a circle around him, each waiting on one another to attack the unfamiliar intruder. Finally one walked forward, a kid not much younger than him, wearing a gray sleeveless t-shirt, gray jeans, a stone cold expression on his face and holding his sword with both hands, pointed up to the sky. "Whoever you are, prepare to be taken down."
Xaltis scoffed and responded, "And who might you be, kid?"
"While it's none of your business, I'm about to lay you out on this field, so I'll tell you. The name's Cam."
"Cam? That doesn't sound so intimidating, not nearly as intimidating as who I am."
"You don't look very intimidating either, Mr. White Robe," Cam smirked. "In fact, you look about as scary as a rabbit."
"Trust me, Cam. I'm a lot scarier than I look, but if you think you can take me on, fine. Just know this." He stuck his Keyblade into the ground and removed his hood so that everyone can see his face – and by extension – his hair. "I warned you."
The other trainees now backed away a few steps, recognizing who Cam was preparing to fight against, and one of them shouted out to Cam. "You may wanna back down, Cam! He's no one you wanna mess with!"
Cam scanned the crowd of trainees and found the speaker. "Hey, Jax, I'm not scared of this guy! I don't care if his hair looks like he just crawled out of a hole!"
"Cam, you don't understand! That's..."
The voice from earlier rung out again, more firm than before. "Jax! Let young Cameron choose his battle! If he chooses to fight the man, let him fight. Only then can he learn..." The owner of the voice now stepped out from the crowd, a graying man, but tall and well built, and looked sternly at Cam. "Well, Cameron? Do you still choose to fight this stranger?"
"Yes, I do, sir. I wish to fight and take him down." Cam narrowed his eyes at Xaltis.
"Then..." The man walked to the center of the ring of trainees around Cam and Xaltis. "Fight!"
Cam let out a cry that almost shatters people's eardrums and then charged Xaltis with his sword pointed at his heart. Xaltis yawned despite the killing intent he sensed from the trainee. "Oh, look at that. The little kid wants to fight me. Let me indulge him for just a second." Xaltis held out a palm and Cam froze in mid-stride.
"What...what did you do to me?" He tried to move, but realized he could not. "Why can't I move?"
"Next lesson, never underestimate your opponent, no matter how harmless he looks." Xaltis swiveled his outstretched arm and then pushed outward from himself, sending Cam back a few feet to land in front of his friend Jax, who looked down at Cam in pity. Cam got up, dusted himself off, and charged again. Xaltis looked at him with disdain. "Still haven't learned yet? Fine, I won't even use magic. Eva?"
"Yeah, Xaltis?"
"Ready for some exercise?"
"Sure, let's do it!"
"Now to show this kid how it's really done. Bring it on, Cam!" Xaltis took his fighting stance as Cam attacked wildly. "Nice try, kid. But I'm better...much better." Xaltis deflected Cam's attack effortlessly and then delivers a sharp slash at Cam's midsection, which sends him sprawling to the ground. As the younger man lay there, Xaltis ran through some of the short fight. Strong, but arrogant and rushed. He cannot expect to defeat anyone even moderately strong with this approach.
Cam got up slowly, wincing as he feels the wound to his torso. His eyes flashed in barely suppressed rage and he leaned on his sword. "You got lucky, stranger. That won't happen the next time we fight." Cam limped away with aid from Jax, his steps deliberate but angry.
Xaltis released himself from his Drive and dismissed Evolution, looking to the crowd of trainees. "Anyone else want some? Huh?!" The trainees looked unsure of themselves and Xaltis smirked triumphantly. "Didn't think so. What a waste of my time. Markos! I know it's been a while since you've trained good ones like my brothers and me, but the caliber of these trainees is ridiculous! I almost beat Cam there with my eyes closed. I hope he's not your best this time around, or our Kingdom's doomed."
"Well, stranger, if the trainees aren't enough of a challenge for you..." Markos pulled an odd, gun-shaped sword from his over-the-shoulder sheath. "...then try me on for size!" He swung the sword in an X-shape and then pointed it at Xaltis. "I may not be as young as these kids here, but I can still hand a Knight Brother his butt on a platter!"
"Oh, so you do remember me? Well, it hardly matters; I won't go easy on you, old man!"
"Old man, huh? I'll show you 'old man'!" Markos motioned with his hand as if to say, 'Bring it on'.
"Fine, Markos, but I've been a long way since you trained me. I've learned things you may never understand. I'm giving you one last warning. Back down...because I won't hold back like I did against Cam!"
"I would have failed you all those years ago if you even dared to hold back, Xaltis. Gimme your best shot!" Markos smiled at his former student.
Xaltis couldn't help but smile back. "Your smile's still infectious, Teacher. I'd hate to wipe it off of you when I defeat you!" He summoned Penitence and Absolution to his hands and pointed Penitence at Markos. "And I will defeat you, trust that!"
"Then stop talking and start swinging, Xaltis! I know I didn't teach you to talk so much!"
"You're right about that!" Xaltis yelled as he threw both his Keyblades at Markos. "Double Blade Strike!" The Keyblades spun incredibly fast as they approached Markos and his waiting gunblade, who both disappeared before everyone's eyes. "What? Where'd you go, Markos?"
Markos appeared behind him. "Too slow, Xaltis!" Markos delivered a sharp slice to Xaltis' back and Xaltis was thrown to the ground.
"Ng...nice hit, Teach. Didn't see that coming, but I bet you didn't see this! Effingo quattuor!"Three clones of Xaltis surrounded Markos, and for a second, he looked surprised. But, almost right after, the look of confidence returned to his face.
"Only four, Xaltis? I'm surprised! I thought you said you weren't going easy on me!" Markos immediately stabbed through one of the clones, slid around a second one, and impaled a third.
"I can do more than four, Teacher! Check this out! Effingo validus!" Xaltis created twenty more copies of himself, sending them all to attack his former trainer. "Is twenty better?!"
"Ha! Much better, Xaltis! I thought you could do better! This is why I love training! HAHAHAHA! Xaltis! Prepare to learn why I am the master and you are the student! Lesson one: Search immediately for your opponent's weakness. Yours?" He slashed through three clones like butter. "You're far too confident!" Impaled two more on the blade with a grunt as they jumped at him. "Far too confident!" A slice through the neck of a sixth. "And these clones? They look nothing like you!"
"What are you talking about, Teach? They're exact replicas of what I look like!"
"Of your outward appearance, sure...but they're nothing like you in any way. And that's why I know..." Markos disappeared again.
"What? Not again!" Xaltis dodged around his clones which were getting cut down one by one by the teleporting Markos. "Damnit, Teach, stay in one place so I can hit you!" He stopped where he was and pointed his sleeves at the ground. "Aeroga!" Xaltis shot up into the air and scanned the area looking for something, anything to let him know where Markos was hiding. "Where are you?!"
Markos appeared right above him, smugly watching his former student. "Looking for someone there, Xaltis?"
"Holy...!" Xaltis flipped around in the air only to be floating face-to-face with the very sharp edge Markos' gunblade.
"So do you concede?"
The young Knight stared down the point of the blade before nodding. "Yes sir, I know when I'm beaten. I concede, Master." Xaltis dismissed his Keyblades and floated slowly to the ground, followed by Markos. "But, Master, when did you learn those moves? You never used those against us in training!"
"I learned quite a few things since your time, young one. Don't think this old dog can't learn new tricks. There's still much for anyone to learn, even at my age."
Markos and Xaltis landed on the ground and receive thunderous applause and shouts of acclaim from the trainees. They all stood in awe of the two warriors before them. Markos and Xaltis bowed to each other and then began to walk away from the trainees, but before they could get far, Markos turned around for a second. "Start sparring, boys, and I'll be back in a short while to continue your lessons."
"Sir, yes, sir!" Yells of submission came from the entire squad as they scatter to carry out the latest directive.
"So, I see you're back in town, Xaltis. How are you?"
"Master, you act as if nothing ever happened, as if the events of the past year or so were all nothing."
"In all my years in this world, I've learned two things: defend one's self, and always forgive. There's no reason to hold a grudge against someone you love for a wrong they've done you because, chances are, they've probably beaten themselves up countless times already for it."
"Well, you're definitely right about that last part. And I haven't quite finished the self-abuse either."
"And why not, Xaltis? It's all in the past. You're reformed, are you not?"
"I think so, but I'm not exactly sure of myself anymore. I was sure when I first started as a Knight. And I was sure when I turned away from the Royal Court. But now? It's like I've started all over again, but I don't know what to do this time. What am I supposed to do, Master?"
"Well, to start, how about you go greet your little brother? He's just arriving now."
"How can you tell?"
"I've been training knights in this facility for years. You think I don't know when someone enters it? Now go, and come back later so we can talk."
"I will, Master. Thank you for your words, and that fight. It was exhilarating."
"No problem, I wish I could get into action more often than that. You woke up my fighting spirit. So thank you as well."
Xaltis ran off to the entrance of the training grounds to greet his brother and Markos stopped walking to ponder the latest events. So, all three Knights have returned to the Royal Court, eh? I wonder what the universe has in store for our Kingdom this time around. May the Heavens guide us all.
~~~~~~TKtK~~~~~~
LoneStar: "For anyone who's wondering, the short name for Evolution has a short E, like in the male name Evan. And the latin spells translate to 'four-times multiply' and 'exceeding multiply'."
Talis: "Why the heck is Queen Rai so pissed at me? What did I do? Yeesh!"
LoneStar: "Don't ask me, Talis. You and I both know how difficult she is to deal with sometimes. Just give her time to get over it; I'm sure it'll smooth over soon."
Talis: "I hope so. I'd hate to lose my best friend over this."
Xaltis: "That was so fun! I got to throw around a cocky trainee and go toe-to-toe with my old trainer! Talis, he's gotten a lot stronger since we were kids. You should spar him, too!"
Talis: "Maybe after I get this whole thing with Rai straightened out. I don't wanna start something else before I finish one thing."
Xaltis: "Oh right, your girlfriend! Aww, is she mad at you?" smiles devilishly
Talis: "Haha, very funny, X. Again, she's not my girlfriend!"
Xaltis: "Sure, whatever, Queen-lover!"
LoneStar: "Hey, hey, hey! Take the brotherly quarreling elsewhere, got that, you two? I've got readers to address! To Vampire Roxas: I made Talis nicer, see?! LOL any other suggestions, though? To hajikurazaki: I'm working on the verb tense issues. I'm not perfect, but I'm working on it. Thanks for pointing it out though. BTW, I love the character of Haji in Krystahl Kingdom. There's definitely a lot more to him than meets the eye. As more reviews come in, I'll address them, but for now, I bid you all adieu until next chapter. Salus in Lux Lucis, everyone!"
LoneStar: "I hope you two are still out there somewhere, and I apologize for being gone for so long, it's been one hell of a few years. I hope you're well."