“Has the vision changed today?” Nidra’s powerful voice echoed in the cave.
Dartuga, in her turtle form, levitated above the water, surrounded by a mystifying undulating pink mist. “The vision remains the same as it did on the first, second, third and fourth days, King.”
Sternly, the dragon commanded as he shifted his serpentine body. “Show me its contents once more.”
The pink mist expanded to cover every inch of the cave as it slowly rotated. Lights flickered in the cave as a ghastly form of Alexander took shape. “I saw the boy aboard a small sailboat, tossed and turned by the waves. Clouds covered the rays of the sun, sinking him into the darkness of the night. Around him, three islands spawned from the depths of the sea. They called his name, tempting the boy to dock in their land.” The mist engulfing the cave shaped into what the Turtle Saint was describing, visualizing the vision for Nidra. “He turned his head and paused for a few seconds on each island, and for the brief moment he focused on a particular one, the other two burned.” The mist froze, leaving an apocalyptic scene over an island for everyone to see.
“We could still just kill him. It’s my challenge next, and I do not mind feigning an accident to protect our land.” A large reindeer with folded wings on his sides coldly muttered as he stood on the marble platform. “The previous visions have always shown his demise. I would take my chances against the darkness any day over a losing fight.”
“Dartuga has said it over and over, Edro. The protective storm our late queen spent so much effort placing will collapse upon the boy’s death! An early interference from our part could save him! Are you so eager to be pulled into the war?” Cosmo proclaimed, hovering over the waters of the lake.
“A cloaking storm.” Edro corrected. “Our lady left it to give our people time to recover from the war against those dastardly hunters. We never needed protection, though. If Mirage Island returns to the oceans of Derapen, it is the tribes who should be fearful if they dare trespass into our land.”
“The times have changed since our war against the Hunter’s tribes, Edro. You more than anybody else should know this.” Dartuga shot the Reindeer Saint a disproving glance. “The tribes will definitely take the opportunity to come after our bloodlines, but I am more worried about how the Elementalist noble clans will react. A large faction like ours is a wildcard. They will seek us as allies or destroy us before we can become enemies.”
Cosmo repeated the point he had been driving all along. “I vote to stand with the boy. If we are thrust into the war, we must prepare ourselves for the onslaught of the Agni, Geb, and Jupiter clans. We have all seen the horrifying acts they have committed in their quest for power. They will surely come after our treasures… our people. He has enmity against the Agni and Jupiter clans already. It only makes sense.”
“Sooner or later we would have to join the war anyways. We’ve seen enough envoy ships from the Geb clan. They covet the riches of the Sabians and the Hunters. Greed will inevitably turn their attention to us and the other non-human factions. The boy has little reason to wage all-out war against those clans, and based on what we know about his life, he does not seem to be a fighter. Ending his life could free us from the shackles of fate.” Edro was firm in his stance as he made his case.
“Silence, Cosmo and Edro.” The lake froze over before melting once again as Nidra released a hint of anger. “Show us the rest of the vision, Dartuga. I want to be sure of my decision.”
The pink mist began to rotate once more as Dartuga continued her reading. “I see a path of light created by a blaze. The destination eludes me, but I can see it is always a gruesome journey. A burning white inferno faces off against immeasurable armies, growing smaller with each obstacle until only an ember remains. When there is nothing but kindling left, I see our island crashing down.”
The dragon growled, irritated at the idea of his kingdom collapsing. “And if the boy were to die, today… Before he can create his path of light?”
“Nothing, my king. It is as if fate does not want to imagine that possibility. The more I try to peer into the rivers of time, the more I see nothing. Trying to know what would happen if the boy were killed before his time is like staring into an empty void submerged in darkness.” Dartuga’s eyes grow foggy as she recalled the quaint lack of possibilities.
“If he is strengthened, if he is hidden away, if I myself travel with him, is there no change to the result?”
“None, my king. The white inferno is always extinguished, and the armies of his enemies always prevail.”
“My king, if I might be so bold, it was when you ignored the Dartuga’s visions and decided to take the war to the Hunter’s native lands that we managed to save Cosmo and his clan. There were sacrifces, yes, but Dartuga said her vision back then was absolute as well. All those years ago, we went against fate. When her premonitions spoke of nothing but death, we prevailed in the war. Why can’t we just cut away the prophecy once more?”
A sagely tone escaped Nidra. One much different from his earlier angered voice. “Edro is right. There are never absolutes with fate, Dartuga. What else do you see?”
“My apologies, my king. You are correct. Always was too crude a word. I am simply jaded from having spent so much time peering into this boy’s destiny. There are certainly obscurities in the path. Areas where change is possible, but what is necessary to cause these changes is not information I am privy to. Frustratingly so, it appears although our future seems to be inextricably linked to the boy, I cannot perceive the details of our fate. All I can gleam is the boy will enter the war, his fire will be extinguished, and Mirage Island will crash down. That is the vision I can see right now.”
Cosmo and Edro bit down on their tongues as they maintained the heavy silence that followed. Nidra was clearly focused on making a decision of cataclysmic proportions, and it was no longer their place to voice their opinions.
“Very well, then. If the future is not divulging itself to us, we will make our own. Fate has never been the master of Nidra, and it will not have power over me, now.” The dragon lifted itself out of the water. Revealing a body spanning 100 feet. A majestic aura was unleashed forcing the three saints to bow their heads. “The Beasts have never shied away from battle. If it is a war this boy will enter, then we will stand on his side! Be it one army or a hundred, our side will conquer!”
“Why do we stand with the boy? Is it not safer to replicate our previous attempt and immediately end the prophecy entirely. The last vision said we should allow the Penguin Emperor to die alone in battle. Only in that way could we guarantee our survival. We, however, joined him, extending his life for years past what Dartuga’s visions indicated and gaining our eventual victory. To end the prophecy where it begins, we should kill the boy.”
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“The acts required of us back then were different. To leave our brother to fight alone is just as dishonorable as killing an innocent child. We have already shattered the words of fate once before. So long as the boy’s heart remains pure, we will not backdown.” Returning to the depths of the lake, Nidra spoke one more command. “Edro, leave someone else to supervise the third trial. You are to go outside on a reconnaissance mission. We must take fate into our own hands.”
“Your wish is my command, my king.” Edro replied evenly, wholeheartedly following the commands of Nidra despite his prior opposing views.
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The next morning, Alexander woke up with much more energy than usual. He felt strong, ready to overcome the last challenge and receive some answers. A quick breakfast of scrambled eggs was the only preparation he needed before leaving for the top floor of the pagoda. As Cosmo had stated the day before, a portal flickered where the giant polar bear had been. It appeared like a fracture in space, constantly moving with flickering lights. Under scan, all he saw was a whirlpool of mana. It was so different from the gateways connecting the planets, or at least he imagined. His eyes had been closed when he stepped through the only gateway he had been to in his lifetime, after all.
Stepping through the portal, Alexander found himself within a forest. Oak trees created a roof of leaves above his head and snow blanched the forest floor. Fallen branches, dried leaves, and grass were still visible on the ground, though- the snow here merely a thin layer. Ever-present, Nidra’s fruit hung from the oak trees, appearing like ripe acorns.
A light squawk drew Alexander’s attention away from the acorns and towards a particularly thick fallen log. At first glance, he couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but after staring for a few seconds, he noticed a black webbed foot sticking out of the side of the log.
With a bright smile, Alexander spoke loudly. “Man, I made too much cookie dough last night. I have all these leftovers now and no where to put it. Too bad, Pengu isn’t here. She loveeeees cookie dough. Guess I’ll just have to throw it away!”
While he pretended to toss out the cookie dough, Pengu jumped over the log and rushed over. Her speed caught both of them by surprise as she ended up tackling Alexander to the ground. With Pengu laying on his chest, he got a chance to take a look at the penguin he had been separated from for the past few days. Although he had briefly seen Pengu by Dartuga’s tree, he wasn’t able to notice her changes. She was much larger now, reaching about two feet in height. She also had an envelope glued to one of her flippers.
“What is this, Pengu?”
She squawked away in response, eagerly pointing at the bag of cookie dough. Offering a trade, Alexander grabbed the envelope and gifted Pengu with the snack. Ripping it off, he began to read the letter contained within.
Hello, Alexander. This is Dartuga the Turtle Saint. I am writing this letter to ensure you utilize your new power correctly as the third trial will surely require it. Pengu and you are both ready to commence a contract of equals. Light the indigo flame in your body and guide it into your hands. The next step is very important. You must place your left hand over Pengu’s heart and your right hand over her head. Once you have positioned yourself, tell Pengu to accept the flames. She will know what to do from there. Good luck with the final challenge.
Alexander scratched at the spot below Pengu’s chin before lifting her up. “Okay, looks like we have to do some sort of contract so we should probably get that out of the way.”
Pengu shook herself free from Alexander’s grasp and waddled over to the fallen log. A short breeze wrapped around her as she leapt onto the trunk. She let out a storm of squawks as she hurried Alexander over.
“Since when are you so agile? You just jumped like twice your height, and you’re so smart! You know what the contract is, huh?” Alexander smiled at the growing penguin, like a proud parent. Walking over, he stopped right in front of her. Standing on the log, she was almost level with him. “Let’s do this, Pengu. I’m gonna make you stronger. This way, as long as I get even more powerful in the future, you never have to worry about getting injured.”
Alexander closed his eyes as he focused entirely on the ember burning within his body. He hadn’t quite mastered the indigo flame yet. It took a few seconds of concentration to be able to successfully convert the white flames into indigo ones. A small laugh of excitement signaled his triumph as he began to move the indigo flames to his hands. His fingertips were smoking as the flames nestled in his blood vessels beneath the skin’s surface.
Setting his left hand on Pengu’s chest, he felt the flames begin to transfer into the penguin’s body. It was a strange sensation, but a definite connection was being forged between Pengu and him. The penguin had grown stronger in some intangible way. Placing his right hand on the crown of Pengu’s head, all the indigo flames within Alexander’s body were sucked away, taking with it also the white flames. Within his mind, Alexander could see the flames slowly joining a gust, enveloping it and turning it into a flaming tornado.
This time the changes were a lot more visible. Pengu shot up from two feet tall to a whole three feet. Part of the brown down feathers on her stomach also molted away, revealing a serene white plumage. Furthermore, the connection between Alexander and Pengu felt more concrete. Alexander could almost see an indigo-colored line of fire tethering his heart to Pengu’s own.
Ander?
The soft voice of a child echoed in Alexander’s mind. “Did… did you just talk, Pengu?”
Jijiji, Ander understand now! Pengu protect… you!
“Yup, you’re definitely talking. I can understand you, Pengu!” The two did a little dance as they celebrated their connection. “Oh, it’s gonna be so fun from now on. We can have late night chats, and I can make all your favorite desserts whenever you want. No more guessing games! Wait did you say you would protect me?”
Pengu… strong. Pengu strong so Ander safe. The small penguin patted her chest with her flipper indicating her confidence.
Taking a moment to look over Pengu more deeply, Alexander activated scan and fell over in surprise. “Y-y-y-you’re Master tier, Pengu! How did this happen?”
Turtles. They fed me yummy snacks and taught me to fight. I am a swordspenguin now!
Incredulous, Alexander turned off scan and reactivated it to make sure he had not detected Pengu’s power level incorrectly. Through the lens of the white flames, he could see a green aura emanating from the small chick. Is this even possible? It took me months to reach the Master tier, and that was with the training back at Agni and loads of healing throughout our journey. I suppose Pengu is just an incredibly talented penguin. Alexander, in turn, laughed happily, choosing to celebrate Pengu’s newfound strength instead of resenting it. “Hurrah! You’re definitely gonna become the strongest swordspenguin this land has ever seen.”
Pengu continued munching on the cookie dough happily, excited to see Alexander had understood its greatness.
A strict female voice interrupted their celebrations as a winged reindeer swooped in through the branches of the oak trees. “If your childish antics are over, I would like to commence the third challenge.” The reindeer landed roughly and exuded a boiling aura, like that of a volcano. The surrounding snow quickly melted away, filling the air with steam.
Alexander lowered his head apologetically. “I do apologize, Reindeer Saint. I was overly excited to reunite with one of my comrades, but we are ready to face whatever the third trial may be.”
“Do not refer to me as the most honorable Reindeer Saint. That is not me, and I have no intention of impersonating our great patron. I am Udra, and I will be taking the place of the Reindeer Saint as your examiner.” The reindeer stepped closer to Alexander and Pengu, unfurling her wings as she walked. “The challenge my clan put forth is the simplest. There are no lies in the fighting ring, and we believe it is only through battle that we can understand your true self. Take up your arms and fight me. When I decided you have shown me the mettle worthy of a champion of King Nidra, I will decree you have passed the challenge.” The reindeer made a creaking sound as she unleashed her power, cutting down all the surrounding trees with wind blades and melting away any surviving snow in a flurry of fire.