Dim/ToTChapter05
Warning: Chapter 4 is not yet complete. Read this at your own risk.
The Fifth chapter of the chronicle of the Five Shining Lords, as penned by Unbreakable Lotus.
After the defeat of both myself and Snake at the hands of Aylott, our Circle was at a loss. For the first time, we were unsure of our next action. Snake retreated to his Manse, while I lie near death in our home in Tinal. As I recovered, Forge and I spoke of many things. We reflected upon the battles we had fought and the times we had experienced together. We realized we were hiding from our true selves. We were afraid to embrace our true nature; leaders of men and vanquishers of evil and deciet. As my wounds healed, Forge crafted a simple straight sword for me. Not since my youth had I held an edged weapon, and it brought back many old memories. I felt within me long-forgotten stirrings of emotion and belief, and I knew what I must do.
Still tender from battle, I nevertheless began to train. We all did. All day, and long into the night, we practiced our crafts. Me with my sword, Forge at his smithy, Te in his shadows, and Rei with her bow. At the end of our trainning, Forge summoned a fire spirit, and with sandalwood bribes he asked the creature to upgrade his Manse. With finese and style, the spirit set about its work. At last, we were ready.
We boarded our transport, and Forge magicked us to the south, to the lands of Bo. Months ago, as you may recall, Lord Bo refused our request to use his library. We managed to get the information we needed, but his insolence and rudness rankled. Take this in one hand, and into the other place our newfound desire to accept our true nature, and the resultant value is impressive indeed. Our aim was to bring the Hundred Kingdoms under the rule of the Five Shining Lords, and Bo was the perfect starting point.
We landed about a days hike outside of Bo's capital. Koresh was conspicuous as ever, and so we tasked him with guarding our transport while we worked. We donned simple clothes, and walked into Bo without a soul noticing us. We began to examine the city and university in ernest now, contemplating the best way to take control from Lord Bo with as little conflict as possible. We knew Bo's crowning achievement was the Library, and if we took control of it, we would show our superior power. At first we were puzzled as to what to do, but that answer came rapidly enough; steal the Library. The next question was how to steal it.
Te, given luck, could empty the Library in a night, but the possibility of his detection was high. Destroying the Library would do no good to anyone. Along a similar line of thought, if Bo caught wind of our ultimate goal, he may well destroy the Library himself, denying its utility to anyone. We thought and thought, so long that night began to creep around the world. Forge at last hit upon an idea; his Winged Spirit spell, the one used to ferry us across the Hundred Kingdoms, could be just strong enough to lift the Library out of the ground wholesale!
Forge, Te, and Rei would ride within the Library, making sure no harm came to the structure or the books as best they could. I would remain, my martial and social skills working to win the people to our cause.
Forge cast his spell, a mighty thing of circles and runes. The Spirit came, and without the slightest visible effort it plucked the Library from the ground like fruit from a tree. The foundation held, and within seconds, it was out of sight.
The casting and subsequent action of the spell could not be hidden, and soon most of Bo's population crowded around the hole that marked the previous home of the Library. I stood within this hole, calming the people and urging them to wait until Lord Bo arrived.
As if on cue, the old Lord did arrive, flanked by guards. He stared open-mouthed at both the lack of a Library and myself.
"What have you done?" he cried.
"Taken what you have so jealously guarded," I replied. I turned so the crowd could hear me.
"Behold what is wrought when the Sun's Children are besmirched! We came in good favor, and were turned away in bitter mistrust!"
With that, I flared my anima, that all who looked knew me for my true self.
"Lord Bo, I hereby banish you from your realm for your cruelty and wickedness. You have an hour to gather your possessions and leave."
Though my words were brief, they stirred the crowd. And, as it often is with the Sun's Children, they were under my sway. Lord Bo knew when he was beat, and set about gathering his family and belongings. Within the hour, he had fled. The Cantrev was ours.
I sent riders to inform my Brothers and Sister of our victory, and they soon returned, the Library safely in tow. Thanks to keep manuvering, the building was replaced as if nothing had been amiss. We slept in the manor house that night.
Over the next few weeks, our time was consumed by recreating the Cantrev from the inside out. The first major change was its name. What was once Bo was now called Lotus. I admit I wished it to be called something else, but the citizens were resolute in their demands. In additon to a reaming, every buracratic practice was evaluated, every politician and tax collector scruitinized. The weak or corrupt were expunged, and the loyal and tallented remained. Forge set about Uplifting four of the best; three managers and the captain of the guard. They were filled with the Sun's power, and their duties were made effortless and perfect because of it.
We discovered that Bo had taken all of his Cantrev's coffers with him. This, in addition to further contemplation of Bo's actions and mindset, led us to hurry off after him, hoping to stop him before he gained allies with his story. Rei and I left, while Forge and Te continued their retooling and trainning.
We travelled east, toward Cantrev Jung. We passed Bo's caravan along the way, but did not stop to pester the old man. We arrived at Jung well before Bo did, and found audience with Lady Jung. She was quite old, but still quick-witted; it took words beyond mortal measure to bring her onto our side. Nevertheless, she became our quick ally, telling us of Lord Bo's movements before his ursurpation. He had dispatched roughly half of his army to Jung in order to shore up her borders and help construct several new villiages. We big our hostess goodbye and rushed to each of the three contingents of Lord Bo's army, desperate to stop him from gaining martial strength.
Still being well ahead of Lord Bo, we managed to succeed in our tasks. The leaders of all three armies swore loyalty to our banner. They were instructed to continue their business, and to wait for our further summons. The last army was of interest; they were deep within a Shadowland. It was small, but dangerous, nevertheless. The leader there said that Lord Bo's orders were to keep the Shadowland open, but why he would never say. Rei and I instructed them to begin to seal the Shadowland.
With that, we headed back to Lotus. We stopped by Jung again, learning that Bo had indeed tried to gain the support of Lady Jung. Much to his chagrin, he found Jung quite staunchly allied with the newfound Cantrev Lotus. He left for the south, heading toward the Shadowland.
We returned to Lotus, greeted by a wonderous sight. Te and Forge had begun to make their changes already, first of which was a massive tent devoted to feeding the poor. A tent city stretched far beyond Lotus' walls, and we could see the happy faces of well-fed people wherever we went.
To celebrate our arrival, Rei, Te, and I invited the captain of the guard and his five best officers out to drinks at the Son-Stealing Sun Tavern. We reveled and joked, bonding with the officers as the night wore on.
As midnight approached, I finally managed to recognize a person who had seemed very familiar to me. The barmaid was none other than Innocent, the raven-haired companion to Talos-san. I was moderately deep into my cups, and so my nature was quite jovial. I invited her to sit and speak of her travels since our meeting, and she obliged happily.
She left Talos' side once his ambition was quelled; he had achieved a station in his life, and thus strived for nothing else. Next, she met and travelled with Ran, bandit king of the same-named Cantrev. Alas, he was slain by Jung's forces, and she once again found herself wandering. At last, she found her way to Bo, and took up a job as waitress. Throughout the night we talked and flirted, and, this is strictly between you and I, I think she likes me. Oh, there I go again. Back to the story.
Ahem.
The rest of the night was full of laughter and merriment, and the next morning was filled with pain at the hangover. Forge had sequestered himself away inside a smithy, trainning his art once again. He emerged two weeks later, almost brimming with creative energy.
Forge and I bid our new home farewell; the Manse was finished, and there was work to be done. He and I flew to his new volcanic palace, where within minutes of disembarking he began to work. For three weeks he toiled, chanting and hammering away night and day. At last, after 15 days of toil, he presented me with Strength-Of-Many, a freshly-forged Oricalchium Grand Daiklaive.
As I accepted it, I felt it attune with me, as if it were an old friend sharing a warm embrace.
At last, I was ready.
