Intervention and PreparationIntro: Near the undergoing construction of a weaponry shop near JK"s Military Building, a bald muscular fat man, name Tatawo an instructor of JK academy, has been guided by the third exceptional general"s personal maid.
Some workers, each moves forward each wooden pushcart to inside the shop. The bald man hears the maid,
"These are the confiscated materials and arms from the captured criminals. We really hope you can use them to provide better equipment for the soldiers.
"Might you know, the soldiers of the third seat aren"t allowed by the general himself to confront the underworld. None of them had pa.s.sed his examination."
"This general you"re talking about is Jaino, right?" has asked by the bald man.
"Nope, the previous one. That was why the new one came to this idea. Another test will probably held after you provide each of his soldier a suitable equipment to aid for their duty."
"Alright, he can expect me to do the job. With a highly dedicated professional like me, my bro Jaino, shall be relieved on his worries. You provide me the necessary materials and tools I need, it"s yours to lower the price not the quality, and your soldiers can go rocking like a G.o.d and do the rampage."
"Eh—?" has reacted by the maid.
"One thing, you"re not a maid, are you?"
I"ve been on this disguise since I"d started spying the third exceptional general"s division. How comes my mask has blown out now?
"Hey, you hear me, right? Are you alright? You seem pale."
"Ahem," having retrieved her pacing, the maid replies, "Why would you say? Have I offended you? Do I speak so highly?" Acting so shyly, she follows, "If you say so, I, I apologize." She bows.
"Hey, look." Pointing his hand to the far front. The maid turns to see. His hand he spanks to her b.u.t.t.
"Hmmp—!" has reacted by the maid. THIS IS s.e.xUALL HARa.s.sMENT! Patient! Patient myself! Please—.
"Cheer up lady!" And he chuckles. "You look like a professional tourist guide and a beauty than a maid to me."
"You, molester. Is that an apology?"
"Apology? — no! It"s a compliment." He laughs a loud while the maid feels great angry and walks away.
—End of Intro.
Inside the cemetery of Jelfyr; while the towering materialized sword of light created by Hoven is ongoing to fall, Jaino thinks, I can"t move my body. Realizing the slacking of movement of his surrounding, he hears a familiar woman"s voice,
"This isn"t your first time standing in this time s.p.a.ce," has said by Criselia walking to the front of Jaino. "Hallo, I"ve brought medicine for you." She throws up the bottle of dark green liquid to Jaino,
who replies, "Hey, I can"t move my body."
Before the bottle of green medicine could land the ground, quickly Criselia dashes and hops to retrieve the item. She rolls and then kneels. "Seriously, Jaino, I"d seen you hugged a woman in this dimension. How comes you can"t move now? Why can you speak? You also breathe..." She mumbles, "I"m jealous with the woman you hugged..."
Feeling guilty about what he"s heard, he alibis, "Criselia, my arms and legs are tired! I can"t even fight back against my opponent well. And what"s with that medicine by the way?"
"This is too nutritious. But drinking this will fall yourself to tiredness and sleepy. It has a high recovery rate for your body." She mumbles, "In exchange, tend my jealousness aching on my heart."
Felling weird by her request, he replies, "I can"t obstruct with your intention." He asks, "I"ll drink that bottle later. Hear me out instead. You see that woman sheltering her son — and also that teenage girl lying in the ground. Evacuate and tend them — including those people that I"ve bashed their heart to stop unless they are impossible to survive. If you can find a book and a black sword same to what I"m holding, please retrieve them."
"Shees, bossy..."
"You own me now and I own you. Together we should work right? — For our agreement?"
After a moment of silence, Criselia yells, "Lovely!" She swirls and swirls. She stops. "Hey, Jaino, about the hug?"
Feeling weird about her request, he replies, "You know, I can"t move my limbs. Have the initiative."
Criselia walks near and lands her fist to Jaino thorax. "You are unworthy." She laughs.
Feeling annoyed and angry, he silences.
After a moment, he then asks, "Criselia, do you think the dead can forgive me? ...I"d destroyed much of their resting place. But it was the choice I have to save the people I care. — Despite, I"m trying not to kill anymore."
Criselia smiles. And she speaks, "Jaino, the dead doesn"t exist in the living. Their souls are already disintegrated. Only those alive have memories about them. Unless they have strong ties that bind them, they can still roam into the dead soul plain. It"s just a hunch okay? This event is impossible to explain scientifically—" seeing Jaino is still sulking, she follows, "Jaino, you cause sin, not in the dead but in the living." She smiles. "You destroyed the graves of someone"s love one. Well, your choice was to save, so it was not a waste. So, it"s yours if you bare responsibility. I"ll do your request now." She chuckles.
"Criselia," his word halts the woman to listen, "Is me living worth the lives of the many?"
"Jaino, there are different answers from different perspectives to ambiguous aspects of your question. What matter is, do you value your life to a purpose that you can satisfy? — What"s the lifestyle before you die?" She chuckles. "Mind it — if people you care still depending on you, what will you do?"
Seeing Criselia swings her hand upwards, Jaino feels relieved. I"m saved by her... Why do I feel warm in my chest... "Criselia, while we are in our agreement, I want you not to kill, understood?" Seeing the woman glances and smiles, he hears her reply,
"Pleasure working with you..." Forgetting Jaino"s request, she asks, "What did you want me to do?"
"This woman," has mumbled by Jaino.
After hearing Jaino"s request, Criselia closes her eyes. Everything moves as normal as the woman has vanished from his sight.
Back to a past, to the last Sky"s Rejection 6
By the order of Prince Raume aided by Queen Jesifer"s adviser Frehviesa Amahaon— who"s feared by the many n.o.bles —; bypa.s.sing the kingdom council"s protest, the request of the Third Exceptional General has been granted, commencing Jaino"s plan.
After the evacuation of people living in Asteron to Pirmlinth Village, the construction of a grand shrine in Asteron has begun. Carpenters and masons are renovating each house to a new with a uniform roof, wall, and with the underground room as hiding place. Pathways are being flattened by workers.
Outside the village, in the wide plain, the veteran priestess sermons and teaches her tradition and religious matter to the volunteered soldiers, pretending as civilians. Captured bandits are under rehabilitation and education, including good values and practical ways of financial living.
In a hill, watching the project being made, Jaino speaks, "I need to tighten my resolve. But, I am not good at killing anymore. So, how would I help you with this?"
And the beard veteran man with spectacles, the guild master, replies, "Boy, the plan is set in motion. I have you as my eyes. Practice with me as support in the battle field rather than front-liner." I can see how he"s changed. He"s really fallen to that girl that he becomes such a coward, can"t even speak his feeling. — can"t even kill. Phobia to a newly slaughtered being, this isn"t like him.
"I prefer not. I can be your shield and guide to our opponent. But, rather than practicing as support, I"ll hone my skills instead. Just trust me. You do the kill, I do the command. I"ll bear the responsibility."
I guess, Zahamara had thought him enough. "You amuse me, boy. I"ll better my part then."
Five months have pa.s.sed while the operation has brought the bandits back to civilized state of living, still people across the wide island rudely treat the Asteron village for its law, forbidding outsiders to set foot inside unless relatively is being spoken. Previous inhabitants of the village file complaints persistently on the authorities to ask permit for dwelling back to their home. Midnight has come, sitting in the gra.s.sy plain, Jaino gazes at the stars. Is there really a castle in the sky? Hearing the consecutive sounds of gra.s.ses stomped by someone"s foot, Jaino gazes at the man nearing to arrive nearby. "Krispen, what"s brought you here?"
The man halts, "Boss, long time no see."
"I"m not your boss."
"Pardon me. But, I honor you for your deeds. I"ve learned this custom from the training, so allow me to do so." I don"t care if you"re not a n.o.ble, you are one for me. Seeing Jaino smiles, he continues, "I came here to deliver a message and take a reply to my general. He told me your whereabouts so I took the offer. Here, I"ve brought some grapes." Showing Jaino a bottle of liquor and a wooden gla.s.s, he hears his reply,
"Take a seat," he shows his palm telling Krispen to sit on the gra.s.s. There they chat and drink. Hearing about Krispen suffering the rough treatment in the military division, Jaino feels relieved. The young man— older than him from before yet had a fragile heart —has become a strong man. Worrying about Hoven"s dictation to the soldiers of the division, he finds his work much better than a common soldier. Still thinking of dealing with powerful foes has made him sighing. A maid has come reminding Jaino the closing of the house. However, continuing there happy time, Krispen and Jaino decide to sleep in the open gra.s.sland.
Almost one year have pa.s.sed since the beginning of the operation, still no sign of catastrophic guest that could brought destruction shows in the place.
In a lake home of freshwater shrimps, Jaino with eyes blindfolded, he soaks into the water. Concentrating in sensing the presence of every living inhabiting the water, a lot of creatures he does not recognized hasten his heartbeat. Some he feels calm, rage, excited, and some is frightened and ceased to exist. — has made himself rises from soaking the water.
After both hands settling his hair to the back and removing the blind fold, he gazes at the bright sky. He hears the voice of his guild master,
"I finally know the reason. So this is why you didn"t hesitate in holding the matters about the previous disaster."
Seeing the veteran man standing near his clothes and holding the folded papers, he replies, "That"s my personal problem."
"I care the well-being of my men, specially emotional. Many requests specially a.s.sa.s.sination you declined. It seems you"re not the child I know as before. You have grown yet still sulking about your past. Boy, we are nearby Pirmlinth village.
"Speak to the girl.
"Monitoring her via your man"s disguise won"t bring you any good."
Feeling of defeat still wanting to resist, Jaino replies, "That"s my! ...my problem alone. It"s just in the other way around. You can"t understand me. You"re not the same as Amono and me. You think the same as the rest."
"Boy, hadn"t I listen to your nonsense and allowed you to work with it? You"ve mention the other way around? Speak." After hearing Jaino statement, he remarks, "I see, you have that the rest of our kind don"t have. Still, if this has brought you to lots of your success, then be with yourself. We have grown alternately. I"ve grown from a carefree life to a man with a lot of responsibilities. And you"ve grown from an earning and selfish killer to a caring young man. You probably know there are many eyes keep chasing on you wherever you go?" Amused by Jaino confused face, he follows, "They were my spies. Listen, if you feel melancholic and think about our purpose to life it brings you no good into our work. What"s natural, is we can eat every day to live. That doesn"t mean we can"t protect our farmers to some evildoers. And that"s where our pay comes. So make love to that girl while you can."
"Hey!" Feeling embarra.s.sed about what he has heard — "She"s my best friend! And she"s kind. I respect her for that so... no..." With face very red, his mind exploded in thinking. "I can"t probably open my mouth, it"s embarra.s.sing! I think she won"t forgive me..."
The important is you understood my words, has thought by the veteran man. "It seems your dealing four women at the same time."
"What—?" Did he peeked every letter that I have?
Criselia shattering the towering sword of light has widen the eyes of Hoven. She fades and disappears. Setting foot to nearby the veteran woman sheltering her son lying on her legs, she speaks, "h.e.l.lo lady, Jaino wants me to take care for you and your son." Not hearing a reply from the surprised woman, she follows up, "Oh, your child is needed of tending." She stands erect. Leaning her lower arm to her stomach while leaning her other elbow to her other wrist, she puts her finger to her lips. "Alright, everything is ready."
The veteran woman eyes widen, seeing at behind of Criselia, one man of Hoven allies prepares to strike. "Gal! Behind!" She vomits blood and feels the pain from her forceful action. Realizing the sudden change of environment and the noise of soldiers yelling while marching, she scrutinizes the surrounding. Am I dreaming? This is the Jelfyr"s military headquarters. Seeing at lying on the ground eight men of Hoven allies and the missy Ritzel, including one black sword and book, are there, she hears and sees the flocking of soldiers surrounding them. Some soldiers examine those people.
Criselia speaks, "You guys know your way around to save these people. I"ll take care with the boy and the woman."
"Aye ma"am," has replied by a soldier who salutes. He asks, "You"re with our general right?"
"Yes, I"m Jaino"s—he he he he, come on. You don"t need to ask." Hearing her side, the soldier nods and aids the soldiers taking shelter the patients. And to the veteran woman, Criselia speaks, "Hand over me the boy, and follow me. I"ll tend your wounds."
She"s much gorgeous than my daughter. In tears by the hope that has been granted, she replies, "I can"t thank you enough. I"m in your care." Who is she, Jaino?
Back to the cemetery of Jelfyr, confused to the disappearance of his target, the man, one of Hoven allies, scratches his hair while he"s looking for his disappeared target.
And to Hoven, Jaino speaks, "I"m ready for the real battle, sire." I need to think something. Something that can break the solid defense of swords" basic user. He poses his stance while he dual-handedly holds the black sword.
Tch, can you really survive on parrying each of his attack? has commented by his spirit of light..
Then it"s a battle of endurance.
Surpa.s.sing the destruction of his thoughts caused by a woman shattered the towering sword of light, Hoven scrutinizes, That stance is good for parrying distant attack. Doesn"t he know, I can fight at close distance?
And on Jaino"s thought, Until then, I won"t allow him to come closer.
Hoven moves and initiates his plan.
A past to the last Sky"s Rejection 7
With her group carrying heavy luggage, her companies a man Marvin and a woman Chalise; Misisa visits Asteron Village.
A soldier escorts them to where Jaino is currently staying. A far from the gra.s.sy plain Misisa has halted. Everybody on the groups halt from walking.
Marvin speaks gallantly, "Hey, future mistress of the lightning clan. Does thy daring heart non ready to face thy fiance? If so, fear not, for Marvin is here. Me shall roll the red carpet to the path of thy romance—ouch!" receiving a spank to the head, he asks Chalise, "Why would thou do that?"
"Stop spouting nonsense exaggerating perverted words. Let Sisa speak."
"Witch! Thou accused my innocent preach malicious? Thou should respect how me pledge to help our guv."
Seeing at faraway, Jaino— holds a teenage female waists, pushes the girl"s stomach, pulls forward the girl"s knee, and lowers her other knee behind — Misisa speaks to the soldier, "I feel hungry."
"Miss, we are nearing to his boardinghouse."
"How far?"
"Probably a thousand steps or more."
And Marvin speaks to the guard, "It"s unmanly to not hear a woman"s plea. That"s no very kind of thou."
"Very well," has replied by the soldier. "Let"s settle here for the moment. Some must gather firewood and utensils. I"ll ask chicken in the ranch.
There while waiting for the different dishes to be totally roosted and totally steamed, sitting in a log, Misisa feels relieve watching at faraway Jaino teaching the teenage girl the way of the sword.
Chalise sits beside and asks, "You do love sword fight, aren"t you?"
Misisa smiles. "Ask not. But, do you ever wonder marrying someone with age shorter than yours?"
"Sisa, he isn"t underage right?"
"Well, no. What probably irritates me is the heir of the clan."
"You shall be the heir of the clan, right?"
"Oh, yes. Maybe... Is this jealousy?"
"Jealous?" She has stood. "He has another girl! I"ll cut of his throat!" Her words frighten both the soldier and Marvin.
"Calm down. Calm down. I"m just probably hungry." With that Misisa gains the peace of watching at faraway Jaino blindfolds the teenage girl. Seeing at faraway the girl"s strikes missed many times, Misisa smiles and thinks, Poor child...
Waiting isn"t an easy task.
Either receiving or producing,
Then patience isn"t just virtue.