||| THE PATH OF THE EMPYREANS |||
The Edge.
One of the residential zones in the Opal Sun Kingdom was blighted with disease, famine, and poverty. The small region was filled with dilapidated houses arranged closely next to each other; their roofs were ridden with holes while the walls were covered with cracks and moss. Despite that, the houses were the only shelters for the locals of the Edge – provided they paid their monthly taxes.
For years, Aria struggled to convince the Inner Circle to lend aid to the residents, but her appeals were met with countless rejections. She was aware of the history between the people of the Edge and the Opal Sun Kingdom – about how the former attempted to overthrow her father. However, all the participants of the failed coup were executed - so, it did not make sense to the princess as to why the Inner Circle punished the relatives of the insurgents as well.
“Stay alert, Your Radiance,” Theo’s voice suddenly came from behind her. “Not everyone in this area tolerates our presence.”
Aria’s head darted left and right, noticing a few curious eyes peering at them walking the muddy road from the unglazed window. “Calm down, Theo. They’re not our enemies,” said the princess.
“I’m not talking about the residents.”
“What? Oh, you mean them? Don’t worry, my sources told me those hecklers retreated back to their dens in the Sapphire Star continent.”
“Sources? You mean, Io?” Theo proceeded to let out a heavy sigh.
“Forgive me for questioning your judgment, Your Radiance, but I don’t think it is wise to allow the little girl to be involved in our conflict.”
“Perhaps. Unfortunately, even if I forbid her, she would return the next day with vital info on the Liberation. A persistent ball of energy, that one is. But who am I to stop a concerned Opal Sun citizen from trying to make their homeland better?”
“Or is it because you have a soft spot for her? Because she reminded you of yourself?”
“Hm, maybe that too,” Aria replied nonchalantly. “In any case, Io is in good hands. I placed her under Diana’s care who in turn will train the girl to become a maid. So, the Inner Circle won’t be suspicious of her movement around the kingdom – let alone the Palace itself.”
“It is still a risky plan,” Theo exhaled once more. “But I can see you’ve already made up your mind - so, who am I to stop you?”
“Oh, don’t be so gloomy, Theo,” the princess chuckled softly. “I always follow your counsel when I’m having trouble with my duty.”
“If I remembered correctly, Your Radiance, one of my counsels to you was to avoid any unnecessary encounters.”
Aria glared over her shoulder, pouting. “You are never going to let that go, aren’t you?”
“Never.”
Eventually, the duo reached the end of the winding road, where a giant arch gate towered over them. In front of it stood a black, crop-haired figure in a scarlet military jacket; a sheathed, silver-guarded rapier strapped to his left waist with his hand on top of the hilt. Even from afar, the man emanated a regal-like aura that could awe and intimidate any onlookers in the vicinity.
"Jason," said Theo, bowing his head down.
The man turned around - even with the mask on his face, Aria could feel her brother glaring furiously at her.
“You’re late,” said the Opal Sun Prince with an orotund voice. “Is there a particular reason why you are late?”
“Sorry. Lost track of time,” Aria swiftly responded.
“Lost track of time? Right,” the prince retorted. “It’s a good thing you are late – gives me time to chat with the residents.”
“And what did they say?”
“A fascinating tale of a hooded figure roaming the Edge, leaping from rooftops to rooftops – beating up the goons from the Liberation Army. Whoever this person is, they’ve caused quite a stir – so much so that the people of the Edge begin to consider this mysterious figure as an urban legend.”
"Hm, is that so? Sounds like bogus to me," Aria shrugged her shoulders indifferently.
“I would say so myself, but,” Jason paused to take a deep breath. “The latest rumor I heard is that this person fought the Liberation soldiers including a brute called Cy. Coincidentally, the man you brought back to the Palace earlier this evening AND is now imprisoned in the dungeon is also named Cy. Do you have anything to say about that?”
Aria kept quiet, refusing to comment on the matter – much to her brother's dismay.
"Look – I’m not going to lecture you, BUT I’m going to anyway. You are an adult – moreover, you are the Princess of the Opal Sun, the daughter of the Brilliant King Cyrus and the Moonlight Queen Serena. Every action you take, whether how small or big it is, will greatly affect this entire Kingdom,” Jason boldly muttered. “Furthermore, have you forgotten the vow we made to the King many moons ago?”
“To protect our people from harm until our very last breath,” the princess grumbled. “In my defense, brother, I’m still keeping the vow to our father. While you opt for a more diplomatic approach, I choose a method that best suit my…choleric temperament.”
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“Vigilantism is not an effective way to solve all of our problems.”
"Maybe not," Aria interjected. "But, I’m sick of sitting around, watching silently as our people die in their own excrement – thinking that their prince and princess have forsaken them. What I did – what I will do may never be enough to solve our problems, but it will at least give the people hope. Just like what the Night Terror did.”
Jason’s eyes narrowed as soon he heard his sister mention the name.
He had to admit – the vigilante known as the Night Terror indeed inspired the locals to rise against his tyrannical grandfather decades ago. Sadly, the revolution also caused countless casualties on both sides – a catastrophe he wished to prevent from ever happening again.
"I don't deny the influence the Night Terror had on our Kingdom, but to idolize this controversial figure is unfitting for someone of your stature. He was an outlaw for a reason. Well, for many reasons, actually – but you get my point," the prince stated.
"Your Radiances," Theo jumped into the conversation, promptly ending the siblings' quarrel. “It’s time.”
Jason looked at Aria whose cheeks were gradually turning red. He slowly placed his hand on the princess’s shoulder before giving her another piece of advice, “Your intention is undeniably noble, but the end does not justify the means. Now, get ready. That means you too, Theo.”
Aria begrudgingly pulled out her faceless mask from her back pocket and put it on. As she fixed the bow on her back, Theo, who has already worn his mask, slowly made his way toward the prince.
“A bit harsh today, are we, Jason?”
“Harsh? I’m simply speaking the truth. Don’t tell me you are taking her side now?”
“Please, I’m not taking anyone's side. In fact, I commend you for telling her the truth. However, a good leader should also encourage any of his subordinates who realized their mistakes – so they will strive to learn and improve themselves – to make sure they will not repeat their blunders.”
Jason glanced at his sister and began to feel guilty for his blatant approach. “Hey, Aria,” the prince called.
“What?”
“100 Distorted.”
Aria tilted her slightly to the right, still confused by her brother's sudden statement.
“If you can defeat 100 Distorted, then I’ll turn a blind eye to your little…escapade. I’ll also ensure the rumor about the hooded vigilante does not reach the Inner Circle’s ears – or at least, Daedalus’s ears.”
"Hm, that is certainly an interesting offer," the princess replied, holding her chin, "But knowing you, there must be a catch somewhere?"
"As you and Theo are the only two people I trust in this corrupted domain, I need you to look into something."
"Well, this is not exactly the type of encouragement I had in mind, but regarding this request of yours – does this 'something' involve the princess venturing into the Land of the Sapphire Star?" Theo asked, and the prince swiftly answered with a nod. "With all due respect, suggesting such an idea is quite bold and…outrageous. Our relation with the Sapphire Star is like walking on thin ice - sending a spy into their territory will only make it worse for both parties."
"That's why I want you to go with her, "Jason responded. "Out of all of us, you are the only one that knows the in and out of that land."
Theo was grimacing under his mask. He could see that the scheme concocted by the prince was foolish and reckless as one misstep would lead to a full-on war between the two kingdoms.
"Tsk, tsk," Jason clicked his tongue after noticing his friend lost in thought, "You're overthinking again, my friend. Don't worry, you'll be just fine."
Despite the reassurance, Theo still remained unconvinced by the plan. In the end, he had no choice but to reluctantly obey the prince's order, "Very well."
"You know, Theo? You should really learn how to say 'no' to my brother's nonsensical demands sometimes," Aria spouted.
"Oh, I don't think he has any intention of declining my proposal," Jason chuckled, "After all, the Sapphire Star is still his motherland, and it has been nearly a decade since he last set foot in that place."
The prince paused; his cheerful disposition disappeared as soon as he noticed a fully-armored guardsman trotting toward him. "Your Radiance," said the soldier, raising his hand in salute.
"At ease, sir Rudolph. What do we have this afternoon?"
"13 hordes of Entities: 10 Lacerators, one Bulbheads, and...one unknown."
"One unknown? How can it be unknown. Is the radar broken?" Theo asked as it was the first time had he faced such a problem.
"Quite the contrary, sir. The radar works perfectly, but for some reason, it still can't identify this last horde," the soldier explained.
Theo fidgeted nervously. The last thing he wanted was for all of them to charge blindly into battle. He shifted his attention at the prince and said, "Your Ra-I mean, Jason. Allow me to scout ahead. Perhaps I can help shed some light on this unknown horde."
"No, it's already too late for that," Jason immediately answered, shaking his head, "The hordes are already outside the gate, so we can't afford to send someone on a solo mission right now." The prince then signaled at Rudolph with his fingers, ordering the soldier to open the gate. "Sister, if you'll do the honors."
Aria placed her right hand on her chest and took a few deep breaths before murmuring a few words that sounded like a prayer, "Oh God of our fathers and forefathers. Bless us with your grace; bestow to us the fortitude and strength to vanquish your enemies."
"May the heavenly light guide us through the darkness," Jason and Theo said in return. Seconds later, they heard a loud boom followed by one of the gates swinging inward, creating a space big enough for a person to pass through.
"Let's do this," the prince uttered before drawing his rapier.
||| THE END OF THE PATH OF THE EMPYREANS |||
ɹɹ********************************************
||| THE PATH OF THE BLIZZARD: ADAM |||
[Meanwhile…]
[Somewhere in the Krio Zone]
The northern continent, the realm of the eternal white. The entire land was blanketed in a thick layer of snow as far as the eye could see, including the firs and the spruces. In the middle of the vast and lifeless field stood a goggled man in a white parka with a black mask covering his lower face. Fastened to his back was an arctic blue-bodied spear encased in a block of ice.
The man was staring at the distant mountain through the small binoculars, noticing a large formation of clouds drifting his way.
"Another blizzard," he sighed as he lowered the optical instrument. It had been nearly a year since he ventured into the mountain range, but even then, he didn't recall the snowstorm could occur as frequently as thrice a day. 'Is there a breach? No, that's impossible,' the man grumbled to himself. But the incoming snowstorm proved otherwise. With a strong feeling of uncertainty, he tightened the strap on his chest and started walking toward the mountain range.
||| THE END OF THE PATH OF THE BLIZZARD |||