[A/N] It's been a while! Yes, I know, no Jin chapter. To be fair, writing it feels weird to me. I'm basically placing someone with the guardian powers in the guardians, making the guardians Jin has learned the elements of obsolete. Her placing in the story just feels weird. It also seems to have very few people that actually like it. Not his one though! A ton of people like Royal Destiny and I like writing it too. So I'll continue it for sure, all the way to the end! So, let us continue the story. Let the madness unfold! [A/N]
The next day, Caleb woke up early again. He looked outside and saw that it was sunrise. The sun was up later today than yesterday, even if by a few minutes. He went to a desk in his room and looked at the paper on it. He would meet Taranee in three hours from now, so he had a little time for himself now. What a weird feeling it was to have some spare time. Normally he was busy at the castle, or meeting with high ranking officials or High Command members. In the military, every day was a disciplined day full of duties and training to do. So spare time was like a dream come true. He was, however, still a soldier at heart, so some form of relaxation also had to be a small exercise. He decided to make his routinely walk around the city first, and then he would see how much time he'd still have left. After all, this time he could take it easy on the walk.
He got dressed and went outside. The small amount of Guards nodded at him.
"Morning, Jerry." Caleb said to one of them.
"Morning, sir." Jerry said, while making a salute.
"Any news?" Caleb asked.
Jerry looked around to his mates and then to Caleb. "Some men around the camp say that they saw a suspicious person looming on top of one of the roofs, but that he vanished nearly instantly after they had noticed him. We do not know who this person is, but we've been on the alert the entire night afterwards."
"A suspicious person?" Caleb asked, interested and worried. "Tell me, does anyone know what he or she looks like?"
"We could only glance at the person for a few seconds, maybe less, and he was far away. The guards all report different viewings of this person, although they all agree on the time they saw him and that his face seemed to glance in the moonlight." Jerry reported.
"His face glanced?" Caleb asked.
"That is what they say. Some are afraid it is a vampire or another creature of the night." Jerry reported.
"Everyone knows those creatures are but fairytales, my good man. And even if they were true beings, vampires don't sparkle." Caleb said with a small smile, although he soon turned serious. "Keep an eye out for this person. I don't know what that person wants, but if he's lurking around our camp at night I don't think he or she has good intentions."
"Yes, sir." Jerry said, making a salute. "Will do."
With that, Caleb walked away to make his routine. He was now more tense than before, though. He noticed he held his hand firmly around his sword, in case he would need to use it. Those milliseconds could mean the difference between life and death. Time and efficiency were a soldiers biggest ally. Besides their weapon, of course. His mind wandered the plane of imagination, trying to remember if he knew a figure with a 'glancing face'. That glance was surely not the national state of the person. Maybe a curse, or a disease? Or maybe…a mask. A mask seemed to be the most logical explanation. A mask with a part made of metal. But, why would you take a mask that is clearly visible in the moonlight? That just didn't make any sense.
As Caleb pondered his thoughts, trying to remember creatures, diseases, curses or masks that glance, he walked past the camp of Idylswylde. He nodded to the three guards he could see, but there was no response. Gatsby seemed to stand in the middle of them. Caleb called her name, but she didn't respond either. Caleb thought it rather odd. Yesterday, the guards had been keeping a close eye on him and looking at his every movement. Today, they don't even look at him. Did Gatsby tell them he was not a threat at all, and they had therefore lost interest in him? No, Gatsby wouldn't be so stupid as to let her guard down, even if she thought one to be insignificant. If you think someone insignificant, it might be that person's actions that brings you down. And this was Gatsby we were talking about. She was cunning and smart. She would not be so stupid.
"Sharon?" Caleb said, coming a bit closer.
There was still not a response from Gatsby or her guards. Not even a small acknowledgement that he was there. His heart started racing. This was nothing for a woman like Gatsby. Now that he was a bit closer, he could see that the setting was a bit…strange. He got more and more nervous, but managed to keep them under control. Everything he did was what he wanted to do, and at the time he wanted to do it. Total control, total discipline. Mind over body. He could see that the guards were a bit weird. They seemed stiff, and they didn't keep a strong hold on their weapons. Caleb grabbed his sword even more firmly. A small drop of sweat started to form on his left temple. He suddenly noticed the guards were all hanging forward, even if it was but a little. Though they were not falling.
This wasn't good, this wasn't good at all. Caleb ran over to them and noticed the dried stream of blood alongside one of the guards mouth. Caleb's eyes widened and he immediately drew his sword and took a defensive stance. He looked around and in short bursts examined the bodies of the guards. They seemed to be supported by wooden pillars in the ground, their armour being the only things that kept them from falling to the ground. He looked at Gatsby, who had a similar pillar to support her, hoping her to still be alive, only to notice three small shurikens in her chest with small bloodstreams going down her body. He followed the stream and noticed he was standing in a small puddle of blood, created by Gatsby and the guards.
"How?"
At that moment, another guard emerged from inside one of the tents. He was fully dressed and held his spear, showing it was probably the change of the guard.
"Hey, you! Put down that weapon! Guards, how could you be so irresponsible! Take him!" The guard yelled at Caleb and the Guards as he started rushing over. He noticed his companions not moving and then saw Gatsby impaled with shurikens and halted his surge forward. More guards emerged from the tents and saw Caleb with the four bodies.
'Oh dear.' Caleb thought. 'They'll understand I didn't do this, right?'
'Didn't do what?' Taranee suddenly said in his head.
'Taranee! Come to the Idylswylde camp immediately. That's an order! Take Jerry with you.' Caleb commanded.
'But…' Taranee wanted to protest.
'That's an order, Taranee!' Caleb said, again.
It then remained silent. The guards ran towards him and quickly tried to grab him. Caleb did not resist, as he knew resistance would only make the situation worse if he had to explain why he did that after claiming his innocence.
The first guard that had come out of the tent was busy examining the bodies.
"What's this?" He said, pointing at Gatbsy's chest. Attached to the middle shuriken was a small note.
The guard took it off of Gatby's body and read it, then looked at Caleb and his sword. His eyes narrowed. "You didn't seriously think you could get away with this, didn't you, scum?"
…
"Focus on your breathing." N said. "Do you feel the energy flowing through your body?"
Will breathed, her eyes closed, but couldn't help but feel bored instead of the energy. She had been breathing for the entire day yesterday, and now again since sunrise this morning. What was it with this man and sunrise? How could one possibly get up every morning, at dawn, with such a happy mood?
"I guess I can." Will responded.
"Excellent." N said. "Then it is time to go on to the next lesson."
Will opened her eyes and looked at him. "Really? No more boring breathing?"
"Oh, we'll do plenty of breathing, Will." N said, making Will look at him in an annoyed fashion. "But breathing is not everything. As you might've noticed, it's not about the breathing itself in essence, but about the energy flowing through your body."
"I don't understand." Will said, causing N to smile.
"Time for a small theory lesson." N said. "First. I'm making you breathe to make you calm and so you have focus. When you focus, I wanted you to feel the energy flowing through your body. Maybe you already do this when you are angry, but now I want you to be aware of it."
"Why must I be aware of the energy flow?" Will asked.
"That has to do with the element of Quintessence itself." N said, as he drew the symbols of Fire, Earth, Water and Air in the ground with his staff. "Fire. The element of passion and love. It's the most fierce and hardest to control of the four basic elements. This is visible even in everyday life, for example when a small fire goes out of control and starts to consume everything in its path. And red and fire is associated with love: "My heart burns with the deepest desire, your love sets me ablaze', etcetera."
Will nodded. "Fire is the fiercest."
N smiled. "Earth. The element of stubbornness and defense. It is the heaviest of the four basic elements. To master Earth one must be as stubborn as itself, and stand one's ground in the heat of the situation, no matter how bad it gets. Earth is one of the greatest defensive tools due to its density and hardness, making it tough to get through."
Will nodded again. "Earth is defense."
N pointed to the symbol of Water. "Water. The element of adaptation and life. It is the most flexible of the four elements. Water goes where it wants, seen in rivers changing their course. To master Water, one must be able to 'go with the flow', adapt to the situation at hand and use the available resources to your advantage. All life contains water. Water can be found all around you and can thus be summoned. You would need to know how to extract the water out of the sources around you. Lastly, life could not exist on this planet without water. Water brings life and healing."
"Water is life. But what about floods and tsunami's? Not so much life and healing there." Will said.
"That is true. Like fire, uncontrolled water can bring devastation. But we'll get to that in a bit." N said with a small wink.
Will smiled at him, but then turned serious. "And…if water can be found everywhere…and you need to use the resources to your advantage…People contain water, right? So, it would be possible to…control a person with water?"
N looked at her, a large frown on his forehead. "Will, you're treading dangerous grounds here. I advise you not to go further.."
"You know of its possibility, don't you? Did you use it?" Will asked, clearly interested.
"It was used against me. Just once. It was a horrible experience." N said, his voice heavy. "And now don't ask again. That is dark stuff Will."
"Yes, master." Will said.
N was amazed and confused by this child. Was he teaching her, or was she teaching him? Every time she managed to dig into his past, ask questions he was uncomfortable with. He taught her about Quintessence, and she taught him about life and tested his choices. But he would stick to them now. And now she suddenly called him master as well. Will was such a unique student. He suddenly felt very happy for her to be his student.
"Very well then. Air. The element of spirituality and freedom. To master Air, one must be in balance with him- or herself. This is extremely difficult, as when one progresses through life, obstacles arise that need to be brought into balance. Air is an eternal learning process. It is possible to bend air when not in balance, but the more balance you have, the more peace of mind, the stronger your airbending becomes. And air, like water, is everywhere. No matter how long your life will be, you will always be breathing air. And your heirs will breath air, and their children too. Being able to fly through the air is a desire that has troubled humanity for many years, and will continue to do so. To be able to fly, on your own, is ultimate freedom."
"Air is balance." Will repeated. "Fire is the fiercest, Earth is defense, Water is life, and Air is spirituality. But these are four elements. Where is the fifth? Where is Quintessence?"
N drew a circle around the four elements and made the Quintessence signs all over the circle.
"There is Quintessence."
Will looked at N in a confused manner, though he could also see he had sparked her interest and gained her full attention. "I don't understand."
"Quintessence is the element of balance and offense. Quintessence is the element that balances out all the other elements. Fire would never be calm, always destroying everything. We would not have campfires or torches without Quintessence. Earth would always be on the move, as the plates do. There would be no place for cities to stand, as earthquakes would ravage the lands and destroy mountains and plains. We would not have homes without Quintessence. Water would always lay dormant, never move unless we would bring it into movement. But we would not live, for no blood would flow through our veins. We would not live without Quintessence. Air would also never move, and without the air moving, it would disappear from the world. We would not have an atmosphere without Quintessence. The elements would constantly clash with each other, destroying the world and each other in the process. Quintessence is the balance between the elements and in the elements themselves. There would be nothing without Quintessence." N explained.
"But how does this have to do with feeling your energy flow?" Will asked.
"All these things have in common that they use energy. Quintessence brings balance in these energies: It take from Fire and Earth, and gives to Water and Air. This way, the world can function. But this creates a problem. Quintessence is pure energy. The circle I have drawn around the elements is the boundary of energy forms. Within this circle, energy has a specific form. Quintessence transcends that, and is all around the circle." N explained further.
"I still don't understand." Will said.
"Due to the nature of Quintessence having to do with energy, it is precisely that: Energy in its purest form. It cannot take the form of one of the four elements due to this nature. It cannot become Fire, Earth, Water or Air. It can only become the purest form of energy that this world possesses: Lightning. We do not know what Quintessence would be on another world, or under different circumstances. But it will always be the purest form of energy possible on the planet. Here it's lightning. In an old story of a civilization long gone, it states that: "The Gods would breathe Aether", which is another word for Quintessence. Implying that, maybe, it could also have a liquid and vaporized state. We'll probably never know." N said.
"So Quintessence is energy in its purest form. It's lightning here. And this has to do with energy flows how…?" Will asked.
"The form in which we produce Quintessence is lightning. Tell me, do you know what happens when lightning hits you?" N asked, causing Will to nod. "When we produce Quintessence, we form the energy down here, in our stomachs. Or, rather, it's energy stream. Then, when we fire it, it goes up, through our sides, past the lungs and the heart into our arm, to our fingertips and then the energy must take a physical form, becoming lightning. As soon as the energy stream can connect, it will create lightning. And that is why your energy flow is that important. The energy flows right past your lungs and heart. If it were to hit that…"
N came closer to Will and poked the middle of her chest while looking her in the eye. "You'd instantly die."
Will's eyes got slightly bigger. "We wouldn't want that."
"No." N responded. "No we wouldn't. Thus, I'll teach you a way to feel the energy flow."
N stretched his left arm. As he spoke, his right hand moved in sync with his instructions, to create a visualization for Will. "From the left palm, through the arm, to the left shoulder and down, past the heart, into the stomach, back up to the right shoulder, through the right arm and out at the end of your right fingertips. Then the same, but in reverse. If you practice this way, and can feel the energy flow, then we will go to the next step."
Will nodded. "And that is?"
"Creating and controlling lightning." N said.
Will looked at him and opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again. Instead she got up and nodded. "Quintessence is energy, thus the flow needs to be felt and controlled."
She focused on her breathing and started doing the movement N showed her, while N smiled approvingly.
…
"He's not lying."
"Well, he must be!" One of the guards yelled. "There was even a note attached to one of the shurikens with the words 'the unseen blade is the deadliest'! His sword is broken, it's the only one who's sword is 'unseen', so to speak!"
"Be silent." Duchess Alexandra said, turning her attention to the seer again. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"I checked it twice. I am quite sure. He did not murder Gatsby. When he came there, they were already dead."
"But Dominic, then how did they die? Who did it? Can you not observe their bodies?" Duchess Alexandra asked.
"I have told you this many times before, Alexandra. If I try to look into the mind of the deceased I would either look in heaven or hell, neither which are very pleasant for the mortal eyes to see. When someone dies, their conscious is no longer here. They've moved on. I cannot look into Gatsby's mind. As for the possible murderer…maybe someone that intentionally wants to destroy the peace for his or her own gain? A third party, so to speak. Maybe someone from inside one of the countries trying to get more influence in the confusion. But those are all guesses, I cannot give you a clear answer." Dominic responded.
"Yeah, and it's quite seemingly working." Caleb murmured.
"Be quiet." Duchess Alexandra said, shushing Caleb. "Dominic, what do you suggest we do? If we gather everyone and inform them, there surely will be unrest and no one will trust Caleb anymore."
Dominic nodded in agreement. "Very true. Whatever happens, there must not be any hostility between the nations present. Otherwise the consequences might be very unpleasant, to say the least."
"So what do you suggest? I need concrete answers, Dominic, not some wisdom. Spare that for a different time." Duchess Alexandra said, clearly annoyed.
Dominic pouted, clearly not amused. "You overvalue concrete ideas and execution. Without proper thought and philosophy there is no guidance and are just haphazardly doing what you want to, possibly ruining your life or that of others. Your actions have impact, remember that."
Duchess Alexandra rolled her eyes and stared at him, causing Dominic to sigh. "Postpone the meeting for a few days so we can further investigate. Tell them to strengthen their security for the duration. Then, after those days, inform them of what we have found. Tell them we have declared Caleb innocent, since there was no actual proof he murdered them, and, having read his mind, have not been able to find any evidence or motives to do so. Do not subject anyone else to suspicion, as to not drive them away from the meeting. If one of the states declares a Vote of no Confidence, the entire negotiations are in shambles and peaceful talk will not be seen as an option. Then the worst will happen."
"Thank you for your wisdom, Dominic." Alexandra said with a wink, leaving the room to inform the rest of the people present of the postponing of the meeting.
"Women," Dominic commented to Caleb, while sighing and placing his hand against his head. "First she tells me to spare her the wisdom and then she thanks me for my wisdom."
Caleb shrugged. "Tell me about it. I'm now surrounded by four girls and one of them is great, two are constantly with each other and the other is…well…terribly cheery all the time. It's sometimes hard to fully grasp the situation."
Dominic smiled. He wanted to leave the room as well when Caleb spoke up.
"Can you visualize other people? As in, can you make me see them in my head?"
Dominic looked at him. "That's an odd question you ask there. Why do you ask?"
"There's this man I know, and…well, he's really dear to me and I would like to know how he's doing." Caleb responded.
Dominic smiled. "Are you into that kind of thing, hmm?"
It took Caleb a few seconds before he realized what Dominic meant. "What? No! I mean, he's a lot older than me and he's like a father figure to me! He's my mentor and I view him as my father!"
Dominic giggled sheepishly. "I see. Well then, who do you want to see?"
"Archmage Nicholas of Aetherfall, if possible. I want to know how he's doing. He told me he was going to fetch one last girl and I want to know where he is now and if she's with him already."
Dominic nodded. "Very well."
He placed his hands on Caleb's temples and breathed heavily. "Let a memory of him flow through your mind. Then I can create a connection through it and show you what he's currently doing."
Caleb thought of the memory when N came to his house right after he was promoted to the position of general. After a short while, N was visualized in his head. He saw N sitting on a boulder, watching a redheaded girl move her arms in a weird way. N occasionally moved his lips, implying he was commenting on her, but there was no sound. A few seconds later, the vision faded from his mind.
"I'm sorry." Dominic said in an apologetic tone. "It's very difficult to keep up such a connection for a longer time since you're not thinking of the memory anymore when you experience the vision. Did you see what you wanted to see?"
"Yes." Caleb responded. "Thank you."
With those words, Caleb left for camp.
…
N was sitting on a boulder, watching Will do the exercise he had told her to do once again. He noticed the tranquility visible on her face and heard her breathing was heavy and calm.
"How do you feel, Will?"
Will opened one eye and looked at him while continuing the exercise. "Strangely peaceful. I feel as though I'm not as angry anymore."
"That's because you are not as angry anymore. You find peace and tranquility in practicing your element. It gives you a sense of accomplishment and a clear goal you want to achieve."
"I guess so." Will said.
N looked at her and nodded. He looked in the distance and saw that the sun was close to setting. "We will stop for the day. We will continue tomorrow."
Will stopped in a swift motion and with a final deep breath, before taking a relaxed and cool attitude. N slightly bowed his head to her. "Let us go back to your house, shall we?"
As they walked back to Will's home, they didn't speak. Will looked around, noticing the grass she had walked on so many times, but never really paid attention too. She looked at the sunset and noticed the beautiful red colour the sky around it took. A small smile played on her lips. N noticed and smiled as he kept walking on. They arrived at Will's home and Susan had cooked a wonderful dinner for them, which was eaten in ten minutes. It was at that moment that Will felt a bit dizzy.
"I don't feel too well." Will said.
"Maybe you ate too much." Susan suggested, though N gave Will a more suspicious look. "Although I must say that it is refreshing to see you eat so much. Most of the time you eat way less. Maybe your body wasn't accustomed to this amount of food and is reacting badly."
"Maybe." Will said. "I should probably just take some rest. I'll go to my room."
Will got up and slandered towards the door. Before she could reach it, the dizziness overtook her and she fell against the wall, before sliding down and onto the ground. She breathed heavily. N and Susan immediately rushed to her. He placed a hand on her forehead.
"She has a fever. Get something to cool it with. I'll place her on her bed." N said, causing Susan to nod and get a wet towel to cool Will down with.
N placed her on the bed and noticed Will's heavy breathing and her face becoming sweaty. Susan rushed in and placed the towel on her head.
"This isn't caused by eating too much." Susan said, concerned for Will.
Will gave a weak smile. "No, I don't think so."
N shook his head. "It is because you are acting and thinking so different than you are used to. You have become sick due to your thoughts conflicting with what you perceive is your nature. Your body and mind are not accustomed and are creating a backlash in the form of a fever and general illness."
Susan and Will looked at N. "What do you mean?"
N looked at Susan. "She has always been consumed by anger and fear, and only now does she become more happy and dedicated and disciplined than she ever thought imaginable. She's discovering that there are calculations, calmness, discipline, dedication in work, but also kindness in people. She has found a purpose in life and notices that there is someone that cares about her that is not you. This results in inner conflict and illness. I've…seen it before."
Susan looked worried, but N placed a hand on her shoulder. "Do not worry. Will is a strong girl. Once she comes out of this illness, which should be within a few days if we take care of her, she'll be much happier. I guarantee it."
He made a small smile which comforted Susan and Will. Susan tended to Will again, while N left the room to meditate and let them ponder their thoughts. He, too, had to ponder his thoughts. He was sure Will would be much happier after her illness, or would at least feel a bit better about life. Was it time to move on? Was it time to tear the family apart? What would Will's reaction be? And what would the consequences be?
…
Caleb walked back to the camp alongside Taranee, who had been waiting outside.
"Do you realize how lucky you are to be deemed innocent? And do you realize how bad this entire situation is! One of the negotiators, one of the most esteemed negotiators, nonetheless, has been killed after but two days! The tone that that will set for the meetings is…disastrous! I can't find another word for it. It's simply disastrous. And then we have that figure looking over our camp. I dare say he was the one who killed her! Did you tell them about that figure? We need to find out who he is!" Taranee raged.
"Taranee, calm down!" Caleb said, frustrated. "Your rage is not going to help this situation become any better. And the guards have already testified of the appearance of that figure. It will be investigated. Although I do share your concerns of the meeting. And I'm sure that this is all set up by one party to get an advantage, or create all-out war."
"What about N? Did you receive a message from him about that last girl?" Taranee asked. "He said we would need her. Maybe he expected something like this might happen. Maybe that's why he has been gathering the Guardians. So that they can keep peace between the players while there's this constant looming threat."
"No, he hasn't sent me a message. I did see him though. The seer managed to show him to me. He was with that girl you meant. He was instructing her or something." Caleb said.
"Instructing?" Taranee said, flabbergasted. "But…I'm his…I mean, didn't he say that we would get a knowledgable last person? I thought he meant someone that was actually skilled already. Not someone he had to instruct himself still."
Caleb frowned. "I thought so too. But we don't know the context of it. I'm sure he'll have his reasons. Maybe he's even teaching her an advanced strategy that she needs to know. After all, she's the Guardian of Quintessence, and he was too. Remember, he left that message on the ground when he dropped off Cornelia and Irma."
Taranee frowned. "Yeah. Maybe."
Taranee was distraught. SHE was N's student, not some random girl he had just sought out. Had he replaced her? Without even telling her? And if N was teaching that girl an advanced strategy, did she herself know about it already? Or was it a specific move? She realized she was a little jealous of her. But it was understandable. Since memory immemorial she had been N's student. Her entire life had been dedicated by study and lessons with N. She only really knew Cassidy and Caleb outside the castle, the one meeting with Phobos excluded. This was all new to her too. She could only assist Caleb with her advice and, if things go wrong, with her magic. She wasn't such a great speaker. She hadn't really spoken with Cornelia and Irma, and her 'small talk' with Hay-Lin wasn't so enjoyable either. She did talk to Hay-Lin, sure, but she didn't really have an easy time talking to her. She had to inform Hay-Lin, but she would interrupt her or give the talk a sudden swing. She hadn't counted for that. All her conversations with N simply flowed from one rigid subject to another. There were no real major swings, and when they did happen, there was a lot of time between those. Hay-Lin kept swinging the conversation around. And she didn't know anything about Cornelia and Irma. Maybe she should give them a chance.
"By the way, where are Cornelia and Irma?" Taranee asked, interrupting her thoughts.
Caleb shrugged. "I was on my routine walk early and I haven't seen them since. So I don't know. But, knowing Cornelia even a little bit, I'm sure they're not that far away from camp and will have taken guards with them if they did."
"But that assassin…" Taranee started.
"Is what we are going to focus on." Caleb said. "We need to find this assassin before more people die or something else goes wrong."
Taranee nodded. "Agreed. So what do you propose?"
Caleb smiled a little nervously. "I hoped you'd have a plan, seeing your concerns earlier."
Taranee shook her head and sighed. "I guess we'll have to come up with something."
…
Cornelia lay in her bath tub, with a small tub behind her head for her hair. Irma was softly massaging her head as she lay there, letting the sensation of the bubbles touch her skin.
"Do you also have the feeling of complete freedom when you're in the tub, Irma?" Cornelia asked. "For a moment, feel free of every burden, of every vile thought that has kept bothering you for the past few days? A moment free of that annoying itch in your side due to the fabric of your clothes caressing your skin there too hard?"
"Let me first ask a question back." Irma said, as she leaned in, placing her head next to Cornelia's, causing her to look at Irma. "How can you ever be truly free with me around?"
Cornelia looked at Irma, her eyes not moving. Her gaze said nothing about her response, until she suddenly smiled and laughed. "Yes. A wonderful question. A valid question too. Yet, I never see to count you as being too much. When you are around it feels as though I am free too. It's only that you never notice the small things until you change something. I feel free when you are around, but when I lay here, my skin being touched by the water, you softly massaging my head as you clean my hair…then the feeling of true freedom comes over me and makes me feel alive."
"Yet I am always there too." Irma remarked.
"Yet you are always there too." Cornelia responded.
Irma went through Cornelia's hair in one slow motion, making all the hairs straight, not allowing her hair to have a knot somewhere. Irma then took the water out of her hair, immediately having it dry and perfectly straight. She placed the water in the main tub and then cleansed that of any filth. She placed the filth in a small bucket next to them. Irma took some water from the tub in her hands and caressed Cornelia's arms.
"Say, Irma?" Cornelia asked, closing her eyes.
"Hmm?" Irma responded, looking steadily at her fingers going up Cornelia's arms.
"What do you think of Caleb?" Cornelia asked, causing Irma to make an annoyed face, even though Cornelia couldn't see it.
"He's a kind man." Irma answered.
"That's all you have to say?" Cornelia asked, opening one eye to look at Irma. "'He's a kind man'. You surely have more of an opinion about him?"
"Well, we didn't really get to know him that much. I mean, we hardly ever see him. He's constantly busy with patrolling or attending meetings. I'd say he's kind of a knight guy. He has that daily routine of a soldier." Irma responded.
"See. I told you you had more of an opinion." Cornelia said, causing Irma to roll her eyes.
"Why do you want to know?" Irma asked.
Cornelia lay back, closing her eyes again. "Why? Well, he's a nice guy and I was wondering if you thought the same. Maybe we should spend more time with him."
Irma's face hardened. "You fancy him, don't you?"
Cornelia reddened and her eyes shot open. "What? No, why…"
"You always start talking about a guy this way. 'Oh yeah, he's kind of nice, maybe we should hang out with him'. Yet in the end you never go." Irma retorted.
"Well, excuse me for taking a liking to a guy." Cornelia said, slightly annoyed.
Cornelia laid back again. She exhaled deeply. Irma just had to ruin the moment, didn't she? Cornelia always asked for Irma's opinion. Irma would be a large part of his life too, so that would only be natural, right? Irma would stay her maid until Cornelia said otherwise.
"Why don't you go talk to him on your own then? You always say 'we', 'we', 'we'. Why do I have to be there? Can't you talk to a guy without me being there too?" Irma asked, a little mad.
Irma's hands went up Cornelia's arms. "Well, excuse me for being considerate of you. I mean you'll be a large part of his life too."
"What?" Irma asked, getting angrier every second.
"Well, you'll still be me maid of course. I like you very much and you have to be able to get along with him too. I mean, I don't want you to bring food to someone you hate when we're lying in bed and…OUCH!"
Cornelia shot up her right arm going to her left breast. She saw a little cut, probably made by Irma's nails, and a little blood seeped out of it. "What was…"
But Irma was gone. Cornelia looked around her, but Irma was nowhere to be seen. Cornelia was confused. Had she said something wrong?
"IRMA?" she yelled, but there was no response.
'Great. Just great. Who's going to dry me now?' she thought.
…
Heavy footsteps echoed in between the walls of the castle. The clinging of a holder against the leg of the man walking mixed in as the hall became narrower and the shadows grew larger. The candles flickered as the man passed by and then extinguished, leaving only a small trail of smoke behind. The guards that were standing in the hall didn't move, didn't change their gaze and all saluted the man as the light retreated from ever more of their faces and left them in darkness. The guard at the end of the hall saw him coming and saluted, then turned ninety degrees to have the large door to his right. He rose his hand and knocked on the door three times. Then after a short pause twice. Then again, a short pause, and then once a knock. Then, right as the man would have to stand still the doors flew open so he could easily pass by.
"All rise! Hail the Grand General of Aetherfall, his Lord Marcus Escanor, Grand General of Aetherfall, duke of Castellain, count of the Lower Valley and of the Higher Valley!"
Escanor kept walking, not paying attention to any of the other attendants. He walked to the back of the chamber, where the throne was located. The six other large chairs didn't matter. The one in the back was largest, had the most decorations, had the crown painted on it and a sword and scepter engraved in the handrails. Escanor arrived there and turned around, now letting his gaze slide over the six elderly men standing in front of their chairs. Each of them bowed as he looked at them. Escanor then took his seat, and so did the others. Immediately, servants walked in with refreshments. Escanor took a glass of wine and looked at it. His eyes had a small blue aura around them and the same then happened to the wine. Only then did he drink it. This was a procedure he had developed to keep him from being poisoned. Not that he couldn't save himself if he were, but why waste energy for something big like that if you could just use a little bit to ensure you didn't have to?
"You have asked for my attendance and I have granted you your wish." Escanor said to the six. "Now tell me what it is. It better be worth my time, for your sake."
He took a sip of his wine and then angrily pushed it into the hands of his servant. "What is this for a drink? It tastes awful!"
"It…it's the same drink you always have during a meeting, my lord." The servant stammered.
Escanor looked at him with a straight face. He then got a small smile and laughed. The servant then got a small smile on her face too.
"Do you think that's funny?" Escanor suddenly asked, straightening his face.
The servant was startled. "Ehm…No, sir. No."
"Then why were you laughing if you didn't think it to be funny?" Escanor asked.
The servant's eyes widened and a gulp echoed through the now silent chamber. "I…I don't know, sir."
Escanor's eyes narrowed. "Get out of my sight."
"Yes, my Lord. Immediately, my Lord. I'm sorry, my Lord." The servant muttered as she walked back out of the room, her head lowered.
She had let the drink stand on Escanor's handrail. "Might as well drink it now." He muttered.
One of the members left his chair and kneeled in front of him.
"My Lord," the member started, "The reason for which we have requested your attendance is no small matter. It concerns the delegacies of all the countries which have assembled in Cryssandor."
"What about it?" Escanor asked, as he took a sip of his drink.
"We have received word from the camp per raven that one of the delegates has been murdered." The member said. "This could upset the balance of powers! This could bring the countries at the verge of war!"
"And what do you want me to do about it, Tyres?" Escanor asked, taking another sip of his drink. "Go there with an army to keep the peace? I have no more information than 'one of the delegates has been murdered'. For starters: who was murdered?"
"Sharon Gatsby, my Lord." Tyres said. "She has been found yesterday morning, approximately 25 hours ago, dead, with three shurikens in her chest. Three guards were around her too, also dead. All were attached to pillars so they wouldn't fall over. It seemed like a civil version of putting someone on a stake. An investigation has been launched to find the culprit."
"Gatsby?" Escanor asked, a small smile forming around his lips. "Serves her right. She shouldn't have gained that piece of land for Idylswylde. It should never have been a Great Power."
"That may be so, my Lord, yet still, it is a matter to consider. If Idylswylde reacts to this in a hostile way, it may go to as far a length as war to seek justice for the murder of a delegate in a peaceful-declared zone. We must take the matters in our hands to save ourselves from another war and make a formal statement of noninvolvement!" Tyres said, greatly emphasizing the last words.
"An official statement of noninvolvement? One day after the incident? Have you even thought this through, or did your small brain not have the capability to judge a situation as it presents itself? Tell me again, do we know who committed this murder? No. Do we know anything that happens there? No, except for the daily raven. We only know they are investigating. Do we know their suspects: no. Do we know how the other states react at the moment: no. Do we know anything, besides 'Gatsby was murdered, we're starting an investigation'? No, no, no and once again: NO. What do you think would happen if we suddenly declared that we were in no way involved in this? Who would become suspect number one? Who would they question, who would they doubt?" Escanor asked, seemingly furious.
Tyres gulped. "Probably us, my Lord."
"Definitely us," Escanor said, "It seems your little brain was actually capable of thinking this through. See, not so hard, is it?"
Escanor swallowed all the wine and threw the glass away, shattering it in a corner of the chamber. He then gazed at Tyres.
"Tell me, Tyres. How was your first kill? It was in the Secret War, I presume?"
Tyres nodded.
"Then I can guess," Escanor continued, "You were on the battlefield as part of the second line. The front line was holding them and breaking through. Your first opponent was one of the enemy's frontliners who managed to seep through a crack. You engaged in one on one combat. You both circled around each other, no sense of time, keeping an eye out not only for an enemy's strike, but also for a chance to strike of your own as well as seeing if either one would get reinforcements. No one came to either one's aid, however. One of you starts it off with a slash and the other blocks. You presumably lock swords for a while. Eventually you found an opening and managed to slash him once, maybe in the leg, making him incapable of moving. Then you stabbed him in a weak spot, earning your first kill."
Tyres said nothing and only looked at Escanor.
"Ah, the memories." Escanor said with a small smile playing on his lips. "Come, show me your stance. Now I am intrigued."
Tyres looked confused. "My Lord?"
"My Lord?", Escanor said mockingly, before continuing, slowly, "I said, show me your stance."
Tyres rose and bowed before taking out his sword. He took his position.
"Marvelous, simply marvelous." Escanor commended, as he rose and walked closer to Tyres to examine him. "Yes, I see, your stance is very good. Extremely well developed. Although, of course, I expect nothing less from anyone in this chamber."
Escanor stopped and clacked his tongue. "Ah, but you see…"
He suddenly took out his sword from the sheath, hitting Tyres in the knee with the back of it, causing him to collapse to the ground in a kneeling position. In one swift motion, Escanor pulled out his sword and kept it in front of Tyres throat while crushing his hand with his foot, forcing Tyres to let go of his own sword. His other hand took a hold of Tyres hair.
"You have a weak spot in the knees." Escanor whispered in his ear, before freeing Tyres head from his body.
He held up the head in front of his face. "He was always so slow and light headed, don't you all agree?"
It stayed silent.
"I said: Don't you all, agree?" Escanor asked, tossing aside Tyres head into the shards of the wineglass and sheathing his sword.
"Oh, yes, absolutely." The others in the chamber said.
"I thought so." Escanor remarked. "They always said I have a special ability to read people."
He walked towards the door to exit, and again the guard knocked on the door.
"We will consider our course of action when the other countries have given a more clear notion of what they think of this occurrence."
The door opened for his leave.
"Oh, and guard, tell sir Walton that he has been given the honour to take a seat in the High Council. He'll probably be overcome with joy."
With that he left the room, letting the doors close behind him.
…
"Focus on your energy. You will produce lightning today."
Will was standing in the field, making the movements N had taught her earlier. After her sickness she had become a little more cheery and often practiced in her room when she was given spare time. N smiled at her, hoping she would now have put her past behind her.
"From the start now."
Will nodded and returned to her starting position.
"Feel the energy flow. Do not be afraid of it, let it become a part of you, truly. It has been part of you for a long time, but possessing a power is not the same as being able to use it. Imagine it as a sword. Having a sword does not make you a swordsman. A true swordsman knows that his blade is an extension of his arm. So it must be with you. Your power must be an extension of your soul."
Will focused and closed her eyes. Her breathing seemed very loud in her ears. With every passing second, she concentrated harder. Her pointing and middle finger came together and she followed the movements she had been taught before. N smiled, she knew it, though she could not see it. There was no reaction.
"Excellent." N said.
"Excellent?" Will asked, seemingly annoyed. "There was no reaction at all."
"Did I say I expected that?" N casually remarked, silencing Will.
"I thought I had said this would teach you to feel the energy flow. And that, dear lady, has been achieved." N said with a smile. "So now, we can begin with the grand finale!"
N stood still and instantly created lightning with his hands, unleashing it in front of Will. "Quintessence."
Will smiled. This would be the part where she would finally learn how to properly use her power of Quintessence.
"The power of Quintessence is unusual, as you know. As we have seen, Quintessence is energy in its purest form. Where the other elements take their power from the body and mind in combination with the soul, Quintessence has no real physical connection to this world. There is no body, there is no mind. Only the soul. We shall draw power from the soul."
"You want me to extract lightning from my heart?!" Will interrupted him.
A small smile played N's lips. "It is a common misconception that the soul is located in the heart. As I told you, Quintessence has no physical connection to this world. It would be strange, indeed, if the soul was located in the heart."
"Then where is the soul?" Will asked.
N rose his hands. "One of life's many mysteries. And the subject of debate amongst philosophers."
"So you want me to extract power from…a place I do not know." Will said.
"Yes. And no. Tell me, how can I get to somewhere beyond this world. I cannot. But I can draw it to this world." N said, gaining Will's full attention. "All throughout our body, energy flows. Through certain paths it is stronger and you are able to feel it and steer it. These are the head, arms, legs. They even course through your mind. All these energy streams come together at one area in your body. It would be possible, if skilled enough in the ways of Quintessence, to defeat someone with one jolt of it through the energy streams. From this area, we can extract the energy of the soul. It is drawn to it."
"And where is this area?" Will asked.
N walked over to her and placed his thumb on her lower back. "Right here."
Will nodded. "And how do I extract the energy from there?"
N breathed loudly. "It is different for every person. It is an experience unique to you. However, it is triggered all the same."
N signaled Will to get ready. She closed her eyes, relaxed and took a deep breath.
"Are you ready, Will?" N asked.
Will slowly opened her eyes. "I'm ready."
"Focus on your lower back. Feel the energy flow through your body. Feel them intersect. Concentrate on this exact location. Try to make the energy move faster, try to make it slow down. Make it do what you want it to."
Will felt the energy pulsating in the exact location where she was focusing on. She closed her eyes again. Yet she could still see.
…
She was naked. She looked around and everywhere there was blue. A clear, light blue with small tints of white in it. It did not seem to stop. It seemed to move around unclearly, in any direction. She was floating in it, yet it did not hurt. She wondered if she could walk, so she took a step and found out that she could. She walked onwards, yet nothing seemed to change. But if everything would stay the same, what was the point of staying still? Maybe, if she walked far enough, something would change.
As she walked around, she kept looking for anything that seemed different. Suddenly, a stream of it came heading for her. It took the face of her mother and it kept going onwards. Right as Will started to fear and gasped for air to the thought of it crashing into her, it stopped and vanished. Will was startled and confused. She slowly took another step, yet nothing happened. Right as she was starting not to fear, a different face appeared. The face of the man she had murdered. And another one, a man she did not know by name, only by naked body. Many more of her 'clients' appeared and started to swarm around her. She started to become afraid and tried to walk away, but she couldn't. Another stream was headed for her, but she knew she could not dodge it. She braced herself, yet the pain that was expected stayed away. After a while, maybe a second, maybe a minute, maybe a few days, she opened her eyes. She saw that she was covered in an armor, made of the blue substance. It was full of thorns and it engulfed her totally, except for her eyes. She could not speak, nor move. The faces came towards her and she started to move, though not with her consent. Her body had started to move on its own. It started destroying the faces, starting with the man she had once accidentally murdered, then her clients.
"You must learn to control it. You are the mistress over your own body, you are the guidance to the outside world. You control it, not the other way around. Or else, there will be terrible consequences." N's face said before disappearing.
Her mother's face appeared. She locked eyes with her mother, and Will started moving towards her. She immediately knew what the armor was going to do.
"Mph. Mph!" she murmured, though barely audible.
The face of her mother suddenly seemed scared of her. She could feel her fist rise. She could see her fist going towards her mother's jaw and…
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
Her fist stopped, right before it could hit her mother's face. The armor had retracted around her mouth, allowing her to speak. Will took a heavy breath, though she could not see or feel it. Will managed to pull away her fist.
"We will not harm those we trust and hold dear." Will said to herself and the armor.
Her mother's face disappeared and she was once again alone. The armor's thorns vaporized and disappeared into the culmination around her. She extended her arms towards it and started moving them. The ball seemed to create order within itself, as everything started to turn in the same direction. Will then called small streams of it towards herself and let the connect in one place, floating in front of her eyes. As she considered it done, she grinned at her own creation. She saw it floating in front of her eyes, slowly pulsating. It was almost mesmerizing. She wanted to touch it. Her arm slowly rose, her fingers then visible by the sides of her eyes. She touched it.
…
Will's eyes got a blue glance around them for a short moment, causing N to smile. Will extended her right arm and swooped it down in the form of a crescent moon, leaving behind a crackling trail of Quintessence, which then vanished. She did the same with her left arm. Then again with her right, but this time she quickly turned and aimed for a rock. Lightning shot out of her arm and fingertips and pulverized the rock. Will gasped for air, realizing what she had done. She looked at N, who had a smug grin on his face.
"Excellent, excellent. Now. Do you feel the connection in your lower back area?" N asked.
Will felt her energies, and felt something in the middle of the convergence. It was not hindering, it was actually soothing. "Yes, I feel it."
"Excellent!" N said, patting her on the back. "Tomorrow we will continue the lesson and teach you some things you can do with it. For now, we will rest. Come, let us go to your house. I am sure your mother's finished by now. Maybe she has even started cooking!"
Will smiled. Everything finally seemed to go right. She felt better, she ate better, she had better thoughts and she was now actually able to use her powers at will! She and N talked about some of the exercises and techniques he would teach her as they were walking home. The more they talked, the more excited Will was getting. They arrived at Will's home and N knocked on the door. Susan didn't open. N knocked again, but there was still no response. N opened the door himself and walked inside. Everything seemed normal.
"She probably isn't done yet." N remarked, smiling, causing Will to glare at him and he could see she didn't like it.
N gave her a small nod to assure her everything would be alright. Suddenly the door to Susan's bedroom flew open and a half naked Susan flew out and crashed against the wall. N's smile disappeared. This meant trouble.
…
The first thing Caleb remembered was a loud 'thud' noise. He looked around and saw that there was daylight outside. He brought his hand to his head and felt it pounding a little. He noticed Taranee sleeping on the table, her head buried in her arms. They had thought of a plan all night and had fallen asleep. Due to the small windows, there hadn't been any sunlight to disturb them. He had only awoken due to his head falling on the table.
"Taranee," he said, as he shook her around. "Wake up, Taranee."
Taranee groaned and slowly started to move. "What happened?"
"We fell asleep trying to think of a plan to catch that person lurking around camp." Caleb said.
"Did we get to a plan?" Taranee asked.
Caleb wanted to answer, but couldn't. Taranee placed her head back on the table.
"Damn it!" Taranee said.
All of a sudden the ground started shaking heavily, and a loud bang was heard. After a short while it calmed down.
"What was that?" Caleb and Taranee asked simultaneously.
They quickly got up and walked outside. After adjusting to the sunlight, they could see a large cloud of smoke in the not too far distance. Jerry and a few guards came running towards them.
"My Lord." Jerry said. "There has been an explosion in one of the mines near the camp of the state of Cressali."
Caleb and Taranee both were in a state of shock. It was Caleb who recovered the fastest. "Taranee, find Irma, Cornelia and Hay-Lin. Get them here, make sure they're safe. Then contact me. Jerry, guards, with me."
With that, Caleb took off to the Cressali camp, while Taranee stumbled backwards to the camp.
[A/N] And with that, one chapter ends and another will begin. I hope you liked N explaining stuff ;). From now on, things will be a little bit more fast paced. Heads will roll, I'll tell you that much! The pieces are in place and moving. Remember, you win or you die in the game of thrones. So yeah, tell me what you liked, and what you didn't like. Tell me if you want me to continue Jin or not (I have an idea for another story after I finished this one :O). [A/N]