The Loremaster
"This is terrible," said Collette. "They're all just disappearing! And there was nothing Master Yugi could do about it."
"Not even the Goddesses could do anything about it. Someone or something was making sure Termnnia's mightiest warriors were eliminated. Not even great heroes from the Gate Wars could survive the Purge that was wiping them out. One of whom would discover the fate of our dead prince."
"Yuri? But he was supposed to be dead."
The Loremaster chuckled. "Things aren't always what they seem. Our next story tells of young heroes from another world known as the Xyz Dimension..."
Tori
Tori Meadows, princess of Middlesex, breathed in the air of the vast green meadows outside the walls of her city, Fairflower. In the center stood her castle, a single green tower with rooftops of gold and the flag of her House, a red poppy on a field of yellow. The birds chirped from the trees as if welcoming her back to the Fairflower Field. Green rolling hills as far as the eye could see lifted her spirits so greatly she felt she could fly. Flowers dotted the great green opus with red, blue, purple, yellow, and orange. She went on her knees and began to sniff the sweet and spicy smell of the blazing red Untolis, a fiery red flower named after the Goddess of Fire. She began to pick them and placed them in a basket hooked over her right arm.
"It figures you'd bring me here, again," said her champion, Yuma Tsukumo.
He impatiently stood behind her in white enameled scaled armor and a white cloth-of-gold cape. A D-Pad was built into the right vambrace of his armor. The touch screen glowing blue and holographic graphs and data charts projected over the device. One hand was clutching the leather bridle of Tori's white stallion, Lady, a fair mount if there ever was one. She was armored in white steel chased with gold and engraved with carvings of a thousand flowers, each one gilded and shining brightly. Her tail and mane swung in the air looking like veils of mist.
Tori looked back at him with narrowed eyes and a warm ear-to-ear smirk, finding his exasperation the most comical thing she'd seen all day.
"Stop looking at me like that," he said, while his face depressed into a guilt-ridden mien. An eyebrow raised in confusion, for he wondered how she was able to tolerate him all these years they've been friends.
Three large luxury barges slowly sailed along the winding River Milan which slithered outside the walls of Fairflower. Even from their perch on the hills, Yuma could hear the delightful music and ringing laughter of the guests who have come from afar to celebrate Tori's eighteenth birthday. Despite her age, she still looked like a little child, which was normal in Eldoris. Even at eighteen, the Elders of the race still thought of her as a little baby.
"Aw man, I'm missing the feast!" Yuma groaned when his nose found the scent of sweet meats, honeyed chicken, candied meat pies, baked potatoes seasoned in butter crusted in herbs, the salty scent of steamed crabs from the Bay of Kings. He licked his chops imagining a bottle of white wine from the king's wine cave to wash it all down with. "We're supposed to be there!" he bellowed again.
"I find parties boring," Tori said, picking more flowers and adding them to her basket.
"BORING!" Yuma bawled out, scratching his head and hopping from one leg to the other in disbelief. His chainmail jingling with each movement and cape flapping as it tried to keep up with him. "This is boring!"
"Rio, Cathy and I need these to make the scented candles for the halls," said Tori.
"You can't make these after?"
Tori shrugged.
Yuma tapped his foot harshly on the grass. "You know, I can't help but wonder if you're avoiding the party on purpose."
"Oh, you think?" Tori sharply declared with a quick roll of her eyes. "I told you, I hate parties. Every day of every year, my mother and father plan something to celebrate how rich they are. And I always have to dress up, get my hand kissed, get complimented by knights, nobles, barons, and every pompous windbag in Gardenrealm who I've seen hundreds of times."
"But this is your eighteenth birthday party!" said Yuma.
"It's just another party." Tori frowned and shrugged his complaints away. "We'll get back in time for the cake, I promise."
Yuma scoffed and crossed his arms. "Not if Gronk eats it all," he said, to which Tori laughed. A rumble in the ground caused her to give a timid gasp.
"What the hell?" said Yuma.
A horn blew from the green hills over yonder. Could it have been another guest? Tori wondered. Perhaps it was the lord of Red Bloom, the over-the-top rascal, always bringing his rose-armored army everywhere he went to display his power. To Tori's consternation, it wasn't.
The horn bellowed again and the crimson/gold banners of the Dragonhearts rose over the hills. They were being carried by Buster Bladers and Black Luster Soldiers. Hundreds of thousands of them. And they were ready for war.
"It's Emperor Hector!" shouted Yuma. "Tori, we have to get back to the city!"
"What does he want?" Tori cried in horror.
She yelped as Yuma picked her up from under her arms and helped her atop her horse. "I don't want to stay and find out!" he shouted.
They galloped away. Tori looked back at the Imperial Army as they marched over her beautiful meadow of flowers, washing the green canvas in a wave of black, gold, and crimson. Their footsteps marching in unison was like thunder. The calm song of the songbirds turned into a chaotic mess of chirps and screeches. The blue sky behind the army was churning into a shade of gray and black as a massive airship came into view over the meadows.
"It can't be!" cried Yuma. "Where did the Empire get tech like that?"
"Look at that symbol!" said Tori. "It's been manufactured by the Termnnian Trading Company!"
"I knew it!" growled Yuma. He reached the gates to the city. "They are with the Empire!"
Knights from the royal guard ran to aid her off her horse.
The Imperial Army got into formation outside the city gates. Drums began to pound from the back of the ranks as the warriors up front pounded their shields with their swords, and began to sing.
Ehn'Garla Har Keelto (May Our Death Bring Glory)
Hym Garlak Hum Garlak (Fight for him! Die for him!)
Garth Melto Rehn Hemlo (War is the only way)
Vehn Wulfo, Ron Garto (Sacrifice. Your lives not)
Hym Garlak Horn Garlak (Fight for him! Die for him!)
Vym Tolhost Horn Ne'ra (Or you and yours will die today!)
LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!
Yuma got off of Lady, drew his sword and took a card out of his deck.
"Where are you going?" Tori shouted, but she already knew his intent. "Don't even think about it!"
"I'll hold them back. You and your family get out of here as quickly as you can!"
"YUMA!" Tori cried, watching her friend charge into the fields.
Tori was taken to her chambers on the sixth level of the tower. She ran to her window to watch the oncoming fight. There was a single dot on the ground running for the Imperial Army.
"Where is the army!?" she shouted at her knights.
"Apologies, My Lady. Your father gave the order to remain here. There is nothing we can do for your little friend."
Tori ran back to the window and watched helplessly as Yuma galloped into the oncoming army alone. He held up a card and summoned a warrior of light. Number 39: Utopia. The winged swordsman soared over Yuma clutching his large light-forged sword.
Yuma and Utopia took out two-score of enemies alone. They fought valiantly as though they were Norman the Conqueror fighting back the Orcs in the Battle of Endless Pain. Tori clasped her hands together and muttered prayers to the Goddess of War and Victory to bless her friend in his courageous quest for victory amongst the throng of iron soldiers.
All was going well. Yuma and Utopia sliced through hordes soldiers and even managed to take down one of the smaller airships in the sky. So great was their prowess, that the people sheltering behind the walls of the city cheered and rumors spread that victory was near. People were so sure of this, that they started breaking out the wine to celebrate surviving against the Imperial Army.
But then a cannon fired from the airship above and struck Yuma a mere five feet from his steed. The horse was maimed and Yuma was tossed like a ragdoll into the mud where he was surrounded by Imperial Soldiers. Utopia flew towards them, and with dazzling swordplay, he eliminated them to give his master his space.
But he was wrapped with a thong of anti-magic beams the held him down and drained his magic, severing the strings between Yuma and the monster world where Utopia came from. Yuma could only watch as Imperial Soldiers surrounded him, swords up and ready, and his companion, Utopia disappeared into thin air. The coils fused with anti-magic tech slithered away as Emperor Hector wrapped it around his arm. Darien Dragonheart suddenly rode over him atop a Clearwing Synchro Dragon, and his uncle Peter was flying on Starving Venom Fusion Dragon. Their presence discouraged the armies of Fairflower from riding out to save him.
"You!" said Yuma.
Hector said nothing and drew his sword. He stuck Yuma in the gut and ordered his body tossed into the river.
"Well done, Your Excellency," Peter said, dismounting from Starving Venom Fusion Dragon.
"Thank you," said Hector, adjusting his gauntlet. "I thought Ser Yuma was going to be a challenge. It appears not."
A soldier rode towards him atop a giant Emboldorian warhorse. "Your Eminence! The city is yours! The Lords of House Meadows have surrendered. They don't want to fight."
Hector smirked confidently. "I didn't think so. It's too bad Ser Yuma felt like being bold. It was not the city I wanted. They can keep their city, provided they pay the appropriate taxes and bear the colors of the Empire should the day come when we call their aid. I just want the princess."
"You went through all this trouble for Princess Tori?" chortled Peter. "She is quite the fair one, though I did not expect you to cause a war for her."
Hector laughed manically. "War? You need to fight to have a war. This wasn't even a skirmish." He pointed at two of his soldiers. "You there! Send word to all the bards. I want this day to be an example to any who stand with Queen Avi and her Alliance."
"Yes, Your Eminence!" they said and marched away.
"Why her of all people?" Peter asked. "There are hundreds of princesses all over Emboldor. Why did we travel many leagues for this one?"
"I heard she's a wonderful singer. And I finding her endearing as well. You there, rider, thank you for your service. Go back to the Tower and tell Princess Tori I'll give her till tonight to prepare herself."
"Yes, Your Eminence." The rider bowed and rode away.
Darkness enveloped the city and the windows of the buildings flickered with warm orange light. The people of Fairflower gathered in the streets as a monk from the Temple of Aegis, the Shield Goddesses, walked in front of Tori who rode atop of her horse, Lady, sobbing. Sparkling tears streaming down her cheeks. The temple priest waved a golden thurible left and right, sending out streams of sweet incense to bless Tori's journey and the matrimony that lay ahead.
Tori peered from left to right to look upon her fair people one last time.
They all wept and wailed for the departing princess. The children threw flowers into the streets before her horse. Her friends, Rio and Cathy, were trailing behind her on foot, heads held high and with still expressions to mask the sorrow they felt inside.
The soldiers of the Rainbow Dragon Guard stood at attention, lining the streets leading towards the gate. Tori was going to miss their beautiful platinum armor and their capes and scarves glimmering in all the colors of the rainbow. They held their lances over her to form an archway. The golden spearheads shined above her.
Ser Merlon the Monstrous and a squad of black-armored Imperial soldiers awaited her at the entrance. When she got close, the ugly knight did not even greet her or introduce himself. He grabbed the bridle of her horse and led her out of the city towards Hector's airship while Rio and Cathy were escorted into a black wheelhouse to take the road to Emboldor. Ser Merlon led her outside the gates. Tori turned her head to gaze at her home as the gates shut her out forever. She wailed and buried her face into her hands.
"Shut up!" Ser Merlon commanded. "Or I'll give you something to cry about, girl!"
Tori stopped at once. She sniffled and wiped her tears with her forearms.
After a long walk, the ship came into view at last. Tori held her breath, doing her best not to cry. She did all she could to not look back at her city, for if she did, her emotions would run wild and she would be at the mercy of the monstrous knight. Tori had no choice but to stay defiant and raised her head high, ready for her fate with the Emperor of Termnnia.
Hector
Emperor Hector, grinned while he sat high and mighty on his perch. A crown of gold and diamonds twinkled on his little brow.
He forced to farmers squabbling over land to duel to the death. The loser had his head cut off by Ser Merlon the Monstrous, his knight-champion.
"Did you enjoy the duel, my dear?" Hector chuckled as the guards dragged the headless body away.
Tori Meadows whimpered with fright while she sat on a smaller throne beside him. Tears welled up in her orange eyes. She was dressed in a heavenly white gown that revealed her shoulders. A black choker with a diamond tag was fastened around her neck. She had white arm-length gloves with elegant embroidery. A flower was tucked in her green hair.
Hector chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"In time, you will learn to love me," he boasted.
Tori looked at him. "What have you done to my friends?" she demanded. "Please, let us go. We're not supposed to be here!"
"You're here because I like you," Hector answered, offering her a cup of wine. "You are not my prisoner, Tori. You are my betrothed."
"I can't drink that," she said. "I'm too young."
"You are not too you, silly girl," chuckled Hector. "Go on, try some. You'll like it, I promise."
Tori just looked at the golden chalice and gingerly took it. She glared at Hector before gulping down the entire drink in one sitting. Rivers of the drink poured down her chin and neck, staining her gown. She removed the cup from her mouth, wiped the wine off with her forearm and tossed the cup away. It fell with a crash down the steps.
"I just like you more and more," said Hector. "That is why you and I are to wed."
"Don't you think you're rushing into this, Your Excellency?" asked Peter, examining a checklist. "Give the poor thing some time. After all, you forcefully entered her kingdom, killed her knight-champion, and took her from her house. Those, nephew, are not exactly lovable qualities."
"As you wish," said Hector. "I give it a year. If you do not love me by then, it's off with your head."
Tori winced at those terms. Even with a hundred years, she would never profess her love to such a tyrant. And a young one at that. It reminded her of a tyrannous young king from a novel she read back in her home. Thinking of home made her feel so sad again.
"Clean yourself up, you silly girl!" Ser Merlon said, tossing a handkerchief at Tori's lap.
Tori picked it up and wiped the wine off her neck and chest.
"How am I going to get out of this?" she wondered. "Yuma...help me."
