Part VII: Travel and Diplomacy

Sun, together with Flower, fought Moon and her forces, and then the tide of the battle was changed when Flower and Sun combined their magic.

"Combined Technique! Sun Flower!" They shouted.

Meanwhile, Moon and Soil combined their magic to have a weapon against them.

"Combined Technique! Tower of Darkness!"

They attacked each other but the ones who truly fight here are Sun and Moon. Sun steadily increases his power by putting all of his magic to the flower. On the other hand, Moon is giving enough amount of her power to the tower to repel Sun's power.

"Flower! Let's go overboard. Let's multiply this flower." Sun told Flower.

"It can kill you. We can't do that." She replied.

"Don't worry. My sun will never set. I can manage it." He replied.

"Fine. Fine. Fine. Here we go!" She reluctantly agreed.

"Combined Technique! Thousand Sun Flower!" They shouted.

"Oh sh-" *she was sent flying* Moon shockingly said.

"Retreat! Sound the horn to retreat. We can't fight them." Soil shouted.

"Leaving already? Come on the fight is not over. Sun Fall! Die!" He insulted them and attacked them.

Sun suddenly increased his size and the radius of his sun. While Moon and her forces retreat, He is still increasing the radius of his sun and threw it to them. The dark aura of their magic disappeared and the weather became clear.

"See. I told you I can manage to use that immense energy ha ha ha." Sun proudly told Flower.

"Don't act like it’s nothing. You sustained too much damage both physically and magically. Just say what you feel." She told him.

"Ha-ha! I'm too strong to be damaged by that battle." Sun proudly replied.

"Acting tough again. See I told you not to act tough." She told him as she tapped him and he was unconscious.

Flower made a mound of flowers to make a shelter for them and she healed him with her magic. He was out for a couple of days.

"Where are we?" Sun asked her.

"We are still on the battlefield." Flower told him.

"Let's-. Aah, that hurt." He told her and moaned in pain.

"Keep it still. Your wounds are too many I need to cover them up with herbal plants. Especially in your legs where you are stabbed deeply. I wonder how you even fought the battle in this condition." She told him.

"I told you. I am too strong. Aah! Hold it gently. It hurts." He proudly told her and moaned in pain again.

"Just rest for now. Your body accumulated too much stress from the last battle." She told him.

"Rest? Nah I don't need it. I need to go now." He told her.

"Rest! Will you disobey my orders?" She asked him.

"N-no. Sorry. Sorry. Okay, I'll rest." He told her.

Flower went out to check what happened to the landscape after the battle. She was shocked by the alteration of the area. The grassland was scorched and some parts were decayed.

"He went too strong over the years. If I didn't interfere he could have burned them to their demise." Flower told herself as she wandered around the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Sun was resting when he casted a spell and his forehead glowed.

"Fossil how is the empire going?" Sun asked Fossil out of nowhere.

"Emperor? W-where are you? When did you come back?" He replied as he wandered around finding the direction of his voice.

"I'm inside your head. Ha-ha just kidding I cast a spell on you so I can communicate with the empire while I am away." He told him as he laughed.

"Wait what? When did you do it? I will do everything to help you." He asked in shock.

"Well just be the vessel of my spell. Whenever I speak to anyone my spell will release a circle on your forehead and I can talk with them." He told him as Fossil find a mirror to look at.

"A-a vessel? O-okay." He shockingly answered.

Few more days have passed, Sun and Flower travelled around the borders of the empire. They went up the Scarlet Peak and looked upon the horizon of darkness that voided the light of day. He saw that a large group of Moon Realm Soldiers are on their way back to their capital.

"May I borrow your bow for a while?" He asked her all of a sudden.

"What are you planning to do?" She asked him with confusion.

"I just want to know some intel." He replied as he looked at the marching enemy.

"If you fired anything they will know our location." She told him as they kept looking on the marching enemies.

"Don't worry they won't see us. I only need a bow to launch it." He replied with a smile.

"Fine. Just take care of my bow." She agreed as she handed him the bow.

"Solis. Sagitta. Volante. Audite." Sun chanted as an arrow appeared within the bow's stretched frame and he released it afterwards.

Flower was shocked when he saw the arrow fly away like a normal arrow while Sun hid as he observed the arrows flight. It flew on one of the moon soldiers. The soldier screamed in pain but everyone only looked at him because they didn’t saw anything from him. They continued their march.

"Wow. It didn't cause any wound. How did that happen?" Flower asked him while being amazed of what he did.

"Physical arrows penetrate through the flesh leaving wounds. Magic arrows are different. Depending on the arrow, it may cause pain like earlier or it may cause destructive effects." Sun told her and they went down the mountain and continued their journey.

After a day of journey, they arrived at the village of Ravi in the northern parts of the Sun Empire. They spent the evening with a drink at a local tavern and slept in the nearby inn.

Morning came, they continued the journey to the capital. Meanwhile, Fossil is constantly communicating with Sun for decision making. One day, Fossil was on his way to the palace when he was stopped by something. He saw a girl that have a long violet hair, green eyes, and fair skin. It was his friend, Potash, who was there. He went down from Ossenia and turned him into a book and put it in his bag.

"Hi. Davy, it's been a long time." Potash greeted him with a sweet smile.

"It's been so long, Potash." He replied as he went near her.

"How you've been doing?" She asked him as they walk down the busy streets of the capital.

"I am doing great. I am just busy working for the government. How about you? What brings you here?" He replied as they crossed the street and went to an inn for a drink.

"I am in the Sun Empire Capital because my father sent me for a diplomacy mission for the Duchy of East Stoicheion." She replied and drank her tea.

"So, you are going to the palace to meet the Emperor?" He asked as he looked outside.

"Yes. How about you? Where are you headed for?" She asked him and continued drinking her tea.

"I am going to the palace too, for daily duties." He replied and drank his coffee.

"That's great. Let's go to the palace together." She told him with a smile.

"Sure. Why not?" He replied as they stood up and he pulled out Ossenia from his bag then it turned into a carpet.

"Is that? Ossenia? Your father's weapon?" She asked in surprise.

"Yes. He gave it to me before I went here. He said he has another weapon so he gave this to me." He replied as he aided her above Ossenia.

"Wow. That's great. My father won't even lend me his Kalius Sword. I always use this old sword of mine. I want to try it even once." She told him as they start travelling to the palace.

"How is your father? It's been a long time since I visited your manor." He asked her.

"He is fine. He is always away from the manor because of the new Duke. When East Stoicheion was founded my father is always there and I am in charge at home. It just happened that my father is still away so he assigned me to run the errands." She replied as he listened.

"Oh. Here we are in front of the Solar Palace." Fossil told her as she was amazed of the palace.

Its green and lush gardens filled with trees that give shade to the central parts of the garden. Pagoda-styled buildings with marble walls stunned visitors of the palace. They landed in front of the main building. She was amazed with its golden yellow walls designed like a large brick with towers on its corners and in the center of its roof.

After a few moments, a woman went out of the palace and went to their direction.

"Fossil, you are here... who is she?" Sunset kindly asked him as she approached them.

"Good morning, Your Imperial Majesty. She is Potash. Potash is a representative from Stoicheion, Your Imperial Majesty." Fossil replied as he bowed in her presence and later on Potash bowed to.

"Good day, Your Imperial Majesty." Potash spoke while giving her a bow.

"Nice meeting you, Miss Potash. Fossil please accompany her to the Emperor's office." She replied to her and ordered him.

"It is nice to meet you, Your Imperial Majesty." She replied.

"As you wish, Your Imperial Majesty." Fossil responded and bowed.

Sunset went away while they entered the palace.

"It looks like Stoicheion is undergoing big changes." Fossil asked her as they walked to Sun's office.

"You are right. On my way here, I saw a battle in Waresfield in the Republic of Cardence. I was forced to interfere because I don't have enough supplies so I helped the defenders of the city. Did you know about the situation in Cardence?" She told him and asked him.

"Cardence? In war?" He replied with a question.

"Yes. The Republic of Cardence." She responded and nodded.

"We didn't receive any news from Cardence about war. All we received was a letter of trade." He told her when a man suddenly appeared.

"Master, you are here. This is a letter from the Republic of Cardence." The man told them as he presented a letter.

"Y-you look familiar? Are you the Ambassador from the Republic of Cardence to the Sun Empire?" He asked him as the man fainted and he caught him before he fell to the floor.

The nearby guards brought the man to the hospital and Fossil held the letter to his hand. They hurried to the Emperor's Office and they surprised Sunset with their swift opening of the door.

"Oh. Fossil! I told you to knock first before barging in." Sunset yelled in shock.

"I am very sorry, Your Imperial Majesty. I have an urgent report. This is a letter from the Republic of Cardence. The man earlier gave me this." Fossil told her as he presented the letter.

"The man earlier is the ambassador of Cardence to the Empire. Let's see what is in the letter." Sunset told him as she opened the letter and read it.

"To His Imperial Majesty, Sun of the Sun Empire.

We are in dire need of help. The southern part of our country, Southern Cardence Region, declared independence without the knowledge of the national government. They declared war against us. And our forces are not powerful enough against them. We are asking for help to support our war effort.

-President of the Republic of Cardence"

"Fossil, call the court jester. Miss Potash please sit down." Sunset said as she sat down.

"As you wish, Your Imperial Majesty." Fossil responded, bowed, and went out of the room.

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty." Potash replied as she sat down on the chair in front of Sun's desk and handed the letter to her.

Sunset read the letter and she was delighted.

"You are the representative of the Federation of Stoicheion, right?" She asked her as she continued to read the letter.

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty." She replied courteously.

"I will present this to my son when he arrives. For the meantime, I will let her bring you to your place of stay while waiting for my son's official response." She told her as she closed the letter.

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty." She responded as they both stood up and she bowed to Sunset.

"Have a nice stay, Miss potash." Sunset told her with a smile.