Chapter 12

The Army Awaits

The next morning, rumor spread that Eraklyon was going to attack late that afternoon. Some Zenithians were angry, but most were terrified. The castle was under attack with harsh comments and other insults from citizens and the person who was most under fire was Tecna. To her, the comments were just another load to add to her already overpowering burden.

It was because of those comments, though, that she left the castle and her stunned advisors to go home for the afternoon. This was something that particularly enraged the panel of advisors, who thought that a decision would have to be made quickly in order to protect Zenith, but for Tecna, it was time to herself to think and analyze the situation. Too much had happened in too small of a time frame and it was too overbearing: that was a simple way to describe her situation, but she wanted to delve into it deeper.

After going through the security precautions at her door, she slowly trudged to her awaiting living room and fell on the couch, rubbing her head. The house was silent, and she knew why, but at the same time, she didn't want to accept it. In other words, she was in denial of the fact that Timmy decided to sleep at a hotel the other night after their argument. She wondered if their relationship was beyond mending now. If she was to be stressed like this all of the time, she wouldn't want to be his downfall. He deserves to be happy.

She opened her eyes and looked at the clock; 12:06. Not quite late afternoon. She still had time to think. Going back in her mind, she remembered the argument between her and Sky that lead to this disaster. Why did they argue? How could Sky, a friend, do this to her? Then images of a worried Flora were caught in her mind. If she wanted to resolve the problem, she would have to start at the source.

She grabbed the phone and dialed the flower fairy's number. Unfortunately, she didn't pick up and Tecna didn't feel as if it was a good idea to leave a voicemail. Next, she called Bloom and Sky, and luckily, she did get to hear a voice at the other end of the receiver, just not the one she intended to speak to.

"Hello?"

"Bloom? This is Tecna, can I talk to you about something"

"Well, umm, I'm, well… not too sure I can…"

"Look, may I just ask what Sky is intending to do?"

"I can't…"

"Please, I want to make things right. Everything is… it's just all falling apart. I think your husband took my words a little too seriously and now we have this mess."

"Umm…. he heard that you're going to attack him first."

"Well, that spread fast."

Bloom swallowed hard, "So he decided he wanted to be the first one to strike"

"Is he still at Eraklyon?"

"Well, yes… he's about to leave though, a portal is ready."

"Could you distract him for awhile? I want to speak to him personally."

"I could give him the phone."

"No. Face to face."

"Doesn't sound like a good idea to me."

"So be it. Just hold him there for a few moments. Much appreciated."

Tecna quickly hung up the phone and hurriedly searched for the invention Timmy and her made to open a portal. Once she found it, within a moment, there was a portal waiting before her. She only took a moment to breathe in heavily before entering.

Eraklyon was a beautiful place, all except for the group of armored men standing in front of the castle. That was the sight Tecna was hoping not to see. She ran as fast as she could towards the castle, where a familiar redhead was standing.

"He's waiting for you in the back gardens. Maybe you two can come to an agreement?" Bloom said quietly, with a slight quivering, nervous tone.

"That is the goal" Tecna caught her breath, ignoring the nervousness in Bloom's voice.

After a few moments, Tecna turned away from the fairy and headed to the back gardens. The eerie feel of danger she had felt so often crept around her, making her spine feel as if it was tingling. She would feel the sensation of fear every time the witches attacked back in freshman year, though she was the best at hiding it. She felt this every time her dear friends were in danger. She most especially felt fear back when she thought her life as she knew it was surely going to end; in the Omega Dimension, with its freezing temperatures and murderous convicts. She shivered at the thought and quickly banished it from her mind, but she still felt fearful.

She was greeted soon enough by Sky, dressed in armor, sword at his side. Tecna had come in business-casual attire and by no means had she thought to bring a weapon. Now, she wished she had.

"So, are you here to surrender before the battle even begins?" Sky mocked her.

"No, my intentions were to mend this before anyone gets hurt."

Sky rubbed his chin.

Tecna continued, "This is silly Sky. It is such a small problem, so pointless. This is not worth getting people hurt."

"Your people"

"They are still people."

"Robots"

"Not all of them."

Sky sighed, "Go on"

"I did think you were my friend," she muttered.

"That was then, now you just… you're different."

Tecna didn't want another argument to stir up. "Please, Sky. Think for a moment. If I could patch things up between Flora and I, we wouldn't have to take action."

"My army is already ready to go."

"Just consider it practice for them to get their armor on and all. You don't have to send them into a battle they needn't go."

"But I think they need more experience"

Tecna just wanted to hit him so badly. She still had rather long nails… "Sky… Please."

She felt so very defeated, begging for mercy from a friend. How low could the situation possibly get?

"Now you're begging."

And of course, he had to bring her defeat out into the open when she already felt horrible enough. "Yes, I am. I'm begging for you to be more intelligent and less irrational with your decision-making. Sky, my goodness, you saved my life at one time, and now you don't give a care about me. Instead, you treat me as if I'm some sort of enemy that you and your army are waiting to pounce on! Is that what you call leadership? Heck, my ruling, though chaotic, seems better then yours at the moment. You're just… not thinking."

Sky drew his sword from its case at his side. Tecna's eyes fell as she looked from the sword to the floor.

"And you're still thinking irrationally," she said quietly, predicting what was to come.

Sky's mind was clouded with all the stress he had had lately, that and the rude things that Tecna said to him. He wasn't one to normally take out his emotions on others, but standing before him was the enemy in his mind. Not a friend, but a foe.

Tecna sighed. Astoundingly, she wasn't scared. Instead, she was covered in sadness. Everything had gone so very wrong and she was going to pay for it dearly. At least those advisors would be happy… to think that she used to be one of them made her wish that they would consider her ideas more so then they did. Now they wouldn't even have to worry about her.

Sky set his sword in the grass next to him and seated himself on a bench. Tecna slowly moved her eyes from the ground to him, realizing what he had done.

"I'm sorry. I have been kind of… well, irrational as you say, but that gives you no right to call me out on it and make me feel like one scum of a human being." His eyes where harsh and cold; anger and sadness flowed in harmony through them. Tecna averted hers, teal and full of regret and sorrow.

"My advisors are going to kill me if you don't you know." Tecna's voice shook.

"No they won't."

"If they don't, they'll probably want to. Especially the eldest of them, he hates me the most."

Sky shook his head, "We have to work this out."

Tecna strained to keep herself from rolling her eyes. That is what she had been trying to tell him all along. Now he was finally coming to his senses.

"It's Flora's fault." Sky murmured. Tecna wanted to slap him.

"Let us not put the blame on one another, but fix the problem." She commented profoundly.

Sky nodded, "Let's"

Tecna took a seat on the bench while Sky went off to command his beloved army. She thought to herself for a moment and realized, if they were to put the blame on anyone, she knew solely whose fault it was: her own.