Chapter 2: Tierrero

Rodrigo:

Rodrigo braced himself against the next barrage of sword slashes, each exploding in a burst of golden light that shattered the veil of ice around his blade. Even as he parried and blocked, the impact sent jolts of sharp pain across his aching muscles while sweat froze across his body and fogged up his sight. Despite all of this, the prince gritted his teeth, and with a fierce smile, he held his ground until, at last, he gained an opening and shoved the taller squire backward.

"¡Buneno! Keep it up, Rodrigo!"

Don Alvaro's voice lit Rodrigo's heart on fire. The Onyx Knight captain and his deep blue dragon watched over him and the other youths, sparring within the tilting field. Rodrigo raised his sword high at his opponent, who recovered himself and did the same.

"I've got you this time, Pedro!" Rodrigo laughed and conjured a thick sheet of ice with his next sword strike. However, a bright smile flashed across his opponent's handsome face.

"We'll see, mi amigo." Pedro's dark blue eyes flashed a golden yellow, and the same glow spread to his sparring sword. When the two weapons clashed, ice blew apart in a burst of gleaming light. Despite Pedro's superior size and strength, Rodrigo kept up with the older squire. Nearby, Blizzard and a golden dragon tussled against each other across the ground, mirroring their riders. Don Alvaro shouted out further instructions and encouragement, but soon Rodrigo's eyes fell upon King Sancho and his dragon Tremor, who stood beside the captain. Grandfather and grandson's eyes met, and the flames inside Rodrigo raged hotter when he imagined his father watching, too. The prince almost heard Alfonso cheering him on. He charged Pedro once more, mixing in ice magic with each blow, forcing the older squire onto the defensive. Pedro shoved Rodrigo backward and onto his back with a gleaming slash, then ran a hand through his thick black hair.

"Not bad. Your speed could still use some work, but nothing that more training won't remedy," Pedro said.

The prince grunted but saw a hand extended over him. Smiling, he took it and felt Pedro pat his shoulder. The bright aura remained in his expression even with the match over.

"Gracias, I'll keep that in mind." Rodrigo locked hands with Pedro but grimaced as he tried and failed to pull him down beside him. The older squire's smirk widened.

"Not yet, my prince." Together, they turned and watched Arnaut finish up his match against another squire. Pablo buckled under the Conquete boy's fiery assault before Arnaut slammed him to the ground alongside Inferno against the other dragon.

"If you can't help him become faster, can anyone!?" Arnaut laughed as he helped his defeated opponent back up.

"Si, you make a good point, Arnaut. That just means I'll have to do better in teaching you, Rodrigo." Pedro led him and Blizzard over to the other squires and pages. Laughter, spirited taunts, and challenges echoed among the boys and teenagers. After four years in Tierrero, Rodrigo still basked in every moment.

His grandfather's devotion, a vast improvement in his fighting skills, and, above all, friends. Pedro was the son and heir of Tierreron's leading Baron, three years older than Rodrigo and Arnaut. He took Diego's role as his primary sparring partner, but the difference proved night and day. Arnaut flashed a cocky smirk at another squire, Andres, who emerged victorious from his match before returning the gaze and conjuring sapphires over his fist while a two-headed sapphire dragon growled at Inferno.

 "I'm ready to take you on again any day, Andres. Heck, I think I'm almost ready to beat Pedro. You saw the way I brought down Pablo today, and he's sixteen." Arnaut and Inferno fixed their eyes on Pedro, who waited his turn for magical healing.

"I don't know, Arnaut. Don Alvaro thinks Pedro will be Tierrero's champion one day." Rodrigo savored his friend's reaction. Arnaut gritted his teeth and let steam out of his clenched fists as he stared down the older squire, whose cheeky smile turned him redder. When the chaplain reached them, Rodrigo savored the soothing sensation of magical water washing away the aches and strains across his body.

"No disrespect, Arnaut. But you're years away from Pedro," a gentle voice complemented the healing water in near perfection. A teenage girl, Pedro's age and in sparring armor like them, came up behind the boys and wrapped her arms around the pair. Sweat trickled down her shoulder-length azure hair, matching the young woman's eyes, which were fixed on Arnaut. "Besides, if you want to fight mi amor, you'll need to defeat me first."

The young woman's challenge lit Arnaut's face aflame, and more steam rose from his skin as he smirked back. "Any day, Isabella. After all, I have to make sure Tierreron's first chivalric maiden is worthy of the title. Think of all those famous women from the Empire of Dieurbem you have to live up to."

"Technically, she's not Tierreron yet, Arnaut. She's still Mardierran until she marries Pedro." Rodrigo shared Arnaut's smirk at the teenage girl. However, her eyes fixed themselves on Pedro and glistened like the sun. Isabella's face turned bright red, and soon, the two squires had to hold her upright.

"Ok, Wiha, take over for us. She's your rider." Arnaut gestured to a blue dragon who came over and took hold of Isabella.

"Ah, mi amor, have you been training too hard again?" Pedro strolled over with his dragon, Gleam, and took Isabella into his arms. The moment he did so, the young woman all but melted.

"Si, I just did as Don Alvaro instructed. Arnaut isn't wrong. Papa believes in me, and I don't want to disappoint him." Isabella wrapped her arms around Pedro. At that, he pulled Isabella into a fiery kiss, and their dragons howled in approval before nuzzling each other.

"You won't, Isabella. I promise."

"Hmp, look at those two. Like a pair of dragons already, I'll bet they have a kid within a year of their wedding date," Arnaut laughed, and Rodrigo could not help but smile.

"It must be nice being in love with your betrothed."

"Oh please, Rodrigo, as if that has anything to do with marriage. Don Rafael negotiated Pedro's marriage to Isabella because Count Salvín is the leading nobleman in Mardierra." Arnaut scoffed despite Rodrigo's intense stare.

"Really? You don't want to be in love with your future wife?" Rodrigo asked, but Arnaut waved his hand and petted Inferno's head.

"I wouldn't mind it. My parents love each other, I suppose. But what matters most is an excellent political match. Do you think your mom and dad won't pick such a bride for you, mon ami?" Arnaut's smirk wavered a little when he saw Rodrigo's smile fade. The prince had not thought much about such things, but Arnaut was not wrong either.

 He was the future King of Riquezarra and had responsibilities to his people. Marrying a well-connected noblewoman would help Riquezarra, which was more important than his happiness. Still, Isabella and Pedro's eyes glistened as they embraced each other.

That was until a sharp whistle from Don Alvaro brought the squires back to attention as he tied up his shoulder-length black hair and donned a dragon-esk helmet. "Now, then, we move on to mounted training. Those without dragons go with Don Cesar. Those with dragons stay with me." Blizzard roared with Inferno as younger pages raced to put saddles on them. By now, the two dragons were the size of equoferri and had the strength to match.

"Remember, we're only flying low, so any falls won't be fatal. Am I clear?" smoke rose from Don Alvaro's helmet as he spoke, and his dragon likewise growled at the younger beasts. Rodrigo nodded with the other squires while Blizard whined like his fellow dragons. However, the duo saw Arnaut's face contort with Inferno's.

"It's not worth it, Arnaut." Rodrigo channeled Don Alvaro and gave his friend an ice-cold expression. However, the young Conquete scoffed as he donned his helmet.

"As if anyone here could knock me off Inferno," Arnaut said, but Pedro flashed a bright grin as he came up behind Arnaut with Gleam.

"I can give it a try," Pedro chuckled, but Arnaut squared off to him alongside Inferno, who huffed at the golden dragon.

"If you're unfortunate enough for Don Alvaro to match you up against me-" Arnaut started before Don Alvaro walked by them.

"Prince Rodrigo, you'll face Lady Isabella this time. A change of pace will do you good. Pedro, Arnaut is your opponent."

"Well, there you go." Pedro's smile widened, but Arnaut remained steadfast.

"How unfortunate for you, Pedro."

As fun as it would be to watch Arnaut and Pedro go at each other, Rodrigo had his own opponent. Isabella kissed Pedro's cheek and whispered something into his ear before returning to Wiha. She peeked a glance at Rodrigo before donning her helmet. Her expression reminded him of his mother's whenever he went off to spar, though he did not mind. With his helmet on, Rodrigo mounted Blizzard, who flashed his fangs in a confident grin at Wiha before taking off.

Though they only remained a few feet off the ground, Rodrigo savored the sensation of adrenaline coursing through his body. Blizzard carried him across the courtyard fast enough for the wind to reach Rodrigo through the gaps in his armor. Sword ready, he thrust while Blizzard slashed, ice following their attacks. However, Isabella was ready. Wiha jerked to the side, and Isabella parried the blow. Water conjured out of thin air and followed Isabella's sword into the ice around Rodrigo's attack.

"Don't let her use your strength against you. Remember, focus," Sancho's voice sounded far too close. Rodrigo and Blizzard looked up at the walkway but saw no sign of him. Instead, an enormous snout pressed against them. Rodrigo's heart fluttered when he saw his grandfather flying Tremor behind them. "Go on, Rodrigo."

At that, the next hour or so all but disappeared. Rodrigo lost himself to the sword blows, hand-to-hand strikes, clashes of ice and water, and dragon snarls. King Sancho chimed in, correcting both on their forms while Tremor growled at their dragons. Fatigue and muscle aches did nothing to dim his mood.

"Remember what Don Alvaro said about flying low," Isabella's voice hardened a little as she looked up at Blizzard when he flew Rodrigo over her.

"Me? It's Arnaut we have to worry about. What with such an audience." Rodrigo tried to suppress his smirk as he gestured to a group of young noble girls their age, moving on one of the castle's upper walkways with their instructor. However, a few stopped, watching the squires jousting on the ground with instructor knights or riding their dragons. Many turned scarlet and leaned over the edge with hearts for eyes, giggling as they did so.

"I thought he wanted to be a baron in Riquezarra," Isabella giggled.

"He's keeping his options open. Besides, as a Conquete, I think he'd fit in better here."

"Si, you're not wrong, Rodrigo," Sancho chuckled and gestured toward Arnaut. The Conquete squire unleashed a jet of liquid rock from his offhand while Inferno breathed the same from his jaws. However, Pedro and Gleam covered themselves in golden light and shot themselves through the air within moments. Once past the magma, Pedro's sword gleamed golden while Arnauts boiled with magma. Their clash sent gleaming sparks in every direction. Inferno and Gleam went at each other like furious dogs, biting, clawing, and striking with their tails. Each blow exploded with bursts of magical light and magma around them. Isabella clasped both hands together, and Rodrigo almost saw her eyes turn to hearts beneath her visor.

"Show him how a Tierreron fights, mi amor!"

"Ok, I think that's all I'm going to get from Isabella, abuelo." Rodrigo breathed some mist into his hands and then wiped his sweat-covered face with it. Sancho nodded, ran his hand through Rodrigo's thick hair, and pulled him into a hug.

"You're improving, Rodrigo. Your mother and I are very proud."

The words and Sancho's embrace made Rodrigo forget his every discomfort. Blizzard bellowed in approval and took Rodrigo for a ride high in the air. "Gracias, abuelo." Rider and dragon let out an icy breeze to cool themselves down. "I can't wait to write padre!"

"Si," Sancho muttered, sighing a little.

Once high enough, Rodrigo sat back in the saddle and allowed himself to drift off into a semi-nap. While his body slept, the prince's mind remained cognizant via Blizzard's senses. Rodrigo saw, heard, and felt everything his dragon did. It was as if he became the dragon, a pleasant dream-like state, to say the least.

With Inferno's eyes, Rodrigo took in Tierrero's southern countryside. It shared most of the same terrain features as Riquezarra. Likewise, vast stretches of farmlands broke up the forests. The Tierrerons farmed by dividing up their fields into three, with peasants using horses and equoferri to drive their plows while clergymen and women sprinkled glowing water atop the produce. The crops likewise glowed and mirrored the livestock kept in the nearby pens. At the center of each settlement rested an immense fortress, with enormous walls packed to the brim with men-at-arms patrolling the battlements.

The Tierrons themselves proved no less formidable. Rodrigo took a closer look via Blizzard's enhanced sight. Knights, men-at-arms, and horsemen trained on tilting fields. When peasants, craftsmen, and others of non-nobility finished their daily duties, they, too, drilled in local militias. For leisure, the men of noble and common rank grappled, hunted, or practiced crossbow skills. The women, too, partook, and many of the noble and common class likewise practiced archery, swimming, or riding. Save the traveling merchants, every man, woman, and child in Tierron looked the part of a warrior. Thus was their reputation, a Kingdom of warriors, much like the Conquete. Back in Riquezarra, his father and the other nobles often mocked Tierrons as warmongers who answered every issue with a sword. However, the last four years of his life in Tierrero were worth more to him than his entire life back home. He occasionally visited his family, but Berengaria often came to see him alongside his sisters, including two new ones.

"Isabella tucker you out that badly?" Arnaut's fiery voice snapped Rodrigo out of his nap, and he let out a heavy yawn.

"Si. Did you succeed against Pedro?" Rodrigo smiled at Arnaut, who evaded his eyes. However, the many bruises across his and Inferno's faces gave him his answer.

"Well, there are many ways to measure success, mon ami. I feel that we did, in fact, succeed by certain metrics."

"Si, what metrics might those be?" Rodrigo suppressed his laughter.

"I stayed on Inferno's back," Arnaut grumbled with Inferno.

"Come on. I've never beaten Pedro, either. He's three years older than us," Rodrigo assured his friend.

"I know, but that just makes it a greater challenge, one we will overcome." Arnaut let out some steam and puffed up his chest while he spoke. Rather than chuckling, Rodrigo found his senses sharpened. The sense of fatigue vanished when he realized just how right Arnaut was. He had to push himself harder to become a warrior king who could fulfill Rodrigo's dream. However, his thoughts shifted with Blizzard's sight, and the dragon howled in delight.

"We're not the only ones training hard." Rodrigo gestured toward a nearby forest and then peered closer with Blizzard's vision while Arnaut did the same via Inferno. Together, they saw a half dozen youths and young adults climbing and running through the trees behind a man and a woman with perfected features and illuminated skin. Lumens, those who devoted themselves to a life serving the Father by freeing slaves, caring for the oppressed, and saving lives. Through training, magical enhancement, and spiritual guidance, their bodies showed physical signs of grace. Both lumens moved with the ease of squirrels while their students had more difficulty. A few of the young adults showed early signs of bright skin, perfected facial features, and ears that came to a slight point. Among the younger students, they saw her. Seraphina pulled herself up a tree branch by branch, then followed the others. Despite her struggle to keep up, Seraphina's face hardened like steel, and she pressed on.

"Look at her go. She really wants to be a lumen," Arnaut scoffed and rolled his eyes while turning away.

"Si." Rodrigo's earlier joy faded. The nightmarish image of Seraphina dead or back in bondage flashed through his mind again. "Doesn't it concern you? I mean, think about all the lumen martyrs throughout history."

"We saved Seraphina from slavery, and now she wants to do the same for others. She's free to do what she wants with her life, even if it is dangerous. Not that I care," Arnaut huffed, which hardened Rodrigo into ice, but he waved him off.

"What?! Since she became a lumen trainee, she's been too good to be our friend anymore." More steam escaped his body, but Inferno whined and stared at Seraphina.

"That's not true, and you know it!" Rodrigo snapped back with ice forming around his hands. "You're scared something will happen to her. Admit it!" Rodrigo wanted to smirk at Arnaut's reddening face but lacked the strength.

"No! I'm, I'm not! If she wants to spend her life freeing slaves, good for her. That's a wonderful holy duty to the Father. Even if she never marries, I don't care. I'm destined to marry a powerful noblewoman as your future leading baron in Riquezarra."

"King of Riquezarra." The ice inside Rodrigo melted before Arnaut's fiery enthusiasm. The prince smiled again as he pictured himself at the head of Riquezarra's army, freeing lands under Invadores' occupation alongside his father and grandfather leading Tierrero's forces.

"Lunch time!" Isabella's joyous voice snapped Rodrigo out of his daydream. However, a savory smell overwhelmed his and Blizzard's senses. Their stomachs growled, and both almost drooled when they saw the brown picnic baskets in Isabella's hands and an oversized one in Wiha's jaws.

"Perfect, I'm starving!" Arnaut roared with Inferno. The duo almost charged her when Rodrigo grabbed Arnaut by the shoulder, and Blizzard seized Inferno by the tail. He gestured toward the forest.

"Why don't we have lunch with Seraphina and see how she's doing? The lumens look like they're taking a break, too." Rodrigo smiled as Arnaut's face turned a little scarlet.

"Pfft, as if she wants to eat with us anymore. All Seraphina cares about now is her future duties." Arnaut crossed his arms and looked away, but Pedro's flashy grin shined brighter.

"And all you care about is your future as a baron. You two have that in common." Pedro's comment tickled Rodrigo's stomach, and he struggled not to laugh at Arnaut's reddening face.

"Rodrigo is right. I want to see how Seraphina is doing, too. Let's go." Isabella beamed a warm smile. However, it faded when she saw Arnaut turn away, arms still crossed.

"I don't feel like having a picnic with her," Arnaut huffed despite Inferno's whining. Rodrigo tightened his fist and readied himself to give Arnaut a verbal lashing, but Isabella beat him to the punch. Her iron gaze sent a shiver down the prince's spine but turned Arnaut's face white as Wiha flew over.

"You either eat with us and Seraphina, or you don't eat at all." Isabella poked her finger into Arnaut's chest and splashed his face with a jet of water.

"Si, best do as she says, Arnaut." Somehow, the golden aura of light around Pedro's face turned Arnaut's face even paler, and he trembled.

"Let's go then. Your prince commands it." Rodrigo settled the matter with his icy gaze into Arnaut's eyes, which extinguished the last of his resistance. Arnaut muttered under his breath. However, all four dragons yelped and then snarled with their snouts aimed at the forest.

"What's wrong, boy?" Rodrigo shared his dragon's sight, and adrenaline spiked his heart rate. There, he saw them. Four figures moved through the woods towards the lumens and closed in on Seraphina, who sat apart from the others.

"Seraphina!" Arnaut roared with Inferno.

"We need to get help!" Isabella yelped and dropped the food. However, Arnaut and Inferno blasted off after Seraphina without another word.

"Arnaut! Arnaut! I'm gonna kill him!" Isabella snarled with Wiha.

"Si, but he can't fight them alone. Nothing to be done now but help him!" Pedro almost sang and shot two beams of light into the sky alongside Gleam. Rodrigo hesitated but then looked down at his grandfather, who struggled to get off Tremor's saddle.

"I- I can't rely on him forever. I must become a warrior king, for padre. Let's go!" Blizzard roared, then flew after Arnaut.

"Rodrigo, wait! Really, Pedro!?" Isabella asked.

Pedro laughed, and he soon caught up to Arnaut in a flash of golden light. "What, mi amor? This will put our training to the test!"

Isabella's cheeks puffed up, but Rodrigo smiled again when he saw her follow them. The flight only took a few minutes, but every moment lasted hours. He knew how, seven years ago, she almost tasted freedom before it was snatched away from her. She had to wait three more years before Rodrigo and Arnaut saved her. The prince pictured Seraphina dragged back into slavery or killed.

"Saint Petronas, guide us! Father, Father por favor, let her be safe." Rodrigo begged and gripped Blizzard's reins so tight they almost froze in his hands. "Seraphina!" He cried with Arnaut when they pierced the tree line and came upon her. Seraphina knelt upon a tree branch with a christogram clutched in both hands. Her eyes shot open, and her bright eyes met the prince's. Seraphina's composed and peaceful expression contorted when she saw Arnaut. Her cheeks turned a little pink, and she turned away.

"I thought you would be off chasing your future bride."

"Soon enough. First, we have to save you again!" He snarled back, face red with steam shooting out of it.

 "Save me? What are you-" Seraphina's eyes fell out of focus for the briefest instant, and then she leaped onto another tree. Not a moment later, an explosion of bright blue light consumed the branch where she had stood. Blizzard and Rodrigo yelped together but breathed a sigh of relief when Seraphina escaped the blast.

"Güm, you missed, you blind budala!" A thick, slurred voice belched through the forest.

"She's a thief in training! They're supposed to be fast! Besides, where's the fun if we got her right off the bat!" the second voice sang in a high-pitched musical tone.

 "Quite down, both of you aptals. We're not alone." This third voice forced Rodrigo and Blizzard to search across the forest, for it changed location again and again. However, the prince's muscles hardened into ice when he saw them. Four figures draped in cloaks and scale armor surrounded Seraphina. However, Rodrigo aimed his sword at the nearest assailant, who laughed and danced in his colorful robes while bells jingled off his turban helmet.

 "Stand down, Invadores! I am Prince Rodrigo de Riquezarra, son of King Alfonso, and you shall not lay a hand on my friend!"

"Rodrigo, too much information," Isabella growled while the prince's face turned pale. He wanted to slap himself but shook his thoughts away.

 "You see! My offering to Hırs this morning shall pay us back tenfold! We shall collect a prince's ransom, too!" the leader sang and jungled strange black spheres while dancing. The wide one belched and stared closer at Rodrigo.

 "Yes, more money! More money!" His thick frame almost burst from the bronze-colored plates around his chest while tapping a club against his free hand. The third one flipped himself around the tree branches like a monkey and eyeballed the riders through his mask.

"Watch it, aptals. We have four barbarians to deal with." However, the fourth figure kept quiet behind their mask and face cloth. He was smaller than the others, perhaps Rodrigo's age, but kept his cold eyes fixed on Seraphina.

"They are but children, Cambaz, and there is a girl among them." The acrobat snickered while Rodrigo tightened the grip on his sword. Isabella started sobbing while Wiha likewise whined.

"Ahh, whatever will we do, Wiha? Mi amor, protect us!"

"No, please don't hurt her. My betrothed is but a woman and has no part in this!" Pedro threw his hand out, and Rodrigo coughed with Arnaut to suppress their smirks.

 "They're all worth something! But the prize comes first. We have a reputation to keep up! Dönek!" The leader stopped juggling and hurled all three of his spheres into the air, which exploded into more blinding light. Rodrigo yelped and clenched his eyes shut as a high-pitched noise rang in his ears. Blizzard's senses proved a little better, and Rodrigo looked through them to see the quiet assailant moving fast toward a disoriented Seraphina. He tried to punch ice at the figure, but it missed, and the masked boy came within arm's reach, only for a jet of water to slam them back into the ground. The other assailants all sat with their mouths hung wide beneath their masks as Wiha flew over Seraphina.

"Anyone else want to try and take her?" Isabella's facade fell away, and even Rodrigo felt a shiver down his spine as her eyes tore into the Invadores.

"We get paid! Animals not stop us!" The thick one slammed his club into the tree trunk, and Seraphina stumbled. Heart pounding, Rodrigo readied Blizzard, but Arnaut got their first. Inferno soared like lightning, and Arnaut grabbed Seraphina by the hand. He flashed a wide grin while Seraphina's face turned scarlet.

"I, I, thanks," she muttered, eyes turned away from Arnaut.

"Thank you for the easy target!" Güm tossed up another bomb, and Rodirog's heart raced. He tried to freeze the man in place, but Güm danced away from his and Blizzard's bursts of ice. The explosive flew straight for Seraphina. However, Rodrigo watched her reach out, eyes steadfast and fixed on the sphere. He jumped when it exploded, but the light vanished upon contact with Seraphina's hand. His eyes lit up when he watched her guide the magic into gemstone in her christogram.

"Look at her go, Arnaut!" Rodrigo laughed.

"Oui, she can guide magic now. Hmp, guess you are committed to being a lumen." Arnaut huffed out with a hint of scarlet on his face as he looked away from her. As fun as their back and forth often proved, now was not the time, and Rodrigo shot them an icy glare that snapped both back to the situation.

"Kahretsin, the little thief, can guide magic now. Do you think the little diwan will still want her back?" Cambaz fixed his eyes back on Seraphina, and the icy sting crept back into Rodrigo's stomach. It could not be true. Even after four years, Kıvanç intended to reclaim her as his property.

"Over my dead body!" Mist shot out from Rodrigo and Blizzard's bodies. They loomed over Güm, who started juggling more bombs.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Oh, little barbarian, you are worth far more alive than dead."

"Money! Little animals gonna make us rich!" Kaynak picked up a rock bigger than his head and threw it like a pebble at Seraphina, but she jumped out of Arnaut's hand and into another tree. Inferno snarled and smashed the stone to pieces, but Kaynak stood firm below him.

"Those dragons could be a problem. Perhaps we should retreat?" Cambaz flipped his way away from two beams of golden light shot from Pedro and Gleam. The magical light blew the tree to pieces, with shrapnel bouncing off Cambaz's armor.

"Si, if you leave, apologize to Seraphina, and promise never to try and retake slaves, you can leave." Pedro flashed a bright smile at them despite the golden aura of power around him.

"No way! This is how we'll prove ourselves as future knights!" Arnaut slashed his sword through the air, and sweat dripped down Rodrigo's back when a crescent-shaped wave of magma flew down and melted everything in its path. Kanya yelped before a bomb consumed the magma in a flash of blinding sunlight.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Barbaric magic from a barbaric boy. Let's see how well you do without your dragons." Before Rodrigo knew what hit them, four bombs struck their dragons' heads. Blizzard groaned and wobbled about. Rodrigo's vision almost went blurry, too, and he just managed to ease his partner onto a tree. The prince honed in on Güm in an icy glare. He dared to hurt Blizzard, his dragon. Rodrigo prayed but coated his sparring sword in ice before he leaped down branch by branch toward Güm.

"Father, make me merciful like you."

"Eat magma, heathen!" Arnaut snarled and tried to punch another jet of magma, but only a small burst came forth, with Güm dancing away from it. Rodrigo grimaced at his own diminished magic but pressed on. Güm juggled two bombs straight for him, only for the prince to catch them in a thin veil of ice. He kept his eyes on Rodrigo, and the prince saw Kanyak charge him like a bull, club raised.

"Don't kill him, Kaynak. You could buy yourself a whole harem with the ransom!"

Arnaut came charging across the forest clearing, eyes on fire and steam shooting from his body. "Heathen!" Kaynak turned just in time to see Arnaut's red-hot fist crash headlong into his enormous belly, burning through the armor plating. Kaynak swore and stumbled away, and Rodrigo rushed Güm and threw his offhand into an uppercut. Two spear-sized pillars of ice shot up and caught the incoming bombs thrown by Güm.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Chill out, barbarian-"

"Güm, please, don't," Cambaz groaned while he flipped himself off a tree and exchanged sword blows with Pedro, who coated his blade with golden light.

"What? That's cold, Cambaz, cold-"

"Listen to your friend!" Rodrigo slashed ice at Güm, who danced aside and whipped out a curved kilij blade. Even at fourteen, Rodrigo was almost Güm's height and caught his sword. However, the assailant's dancing continued into his fight. Rodrigo grimaced as he parried each blow, well aware of his sword's lack of an edge and his armor's design for training purposes. Its extra weight amplified Rodrigo's fatigue, and muscle aches from a morning of training soon put him on the back foot. Each blow from Güm's sword sent screaming agony across his nervous system. Rodrigo panted and struggled against the fume of sweat.

"Don't give me the cold shoulder, prince-"

"Güm, I smash you myself!" Kanyak tossed his half-melted club aside and slammed himself into Arnaut. "Arnaut, are you ok!?" Rodrigo kicked a small wall of ice between himself and Güm, then tried to rush over. However, the iron in his stomach eased a little when he saw Kaynak thrown into a tree with a childish scream.

"I'm fine." Arnaut panted, his fists smoking.

"Time to put this prince on ice!" Güm hurled another bomb at Rodrigo, who yelped and conjured up more ice to shield himself. However, the explosion lifted him off his feet, and a thud to the back of his head. Rodrigo's vision blurred, and his grip on consciousness faded into darkness. Words echoed in his head, but Rodrigo could not speak them. He tried to find Seraphina, Arnaut, and Blizzard as the darkness closed in around him. Yet, just before the prince passed out, something warm flowed over his body, washing away the fatigue, pain, and fear. Rodrigo sprung back to his feet, eyes alight like stars.

"Don't worry, I have you, Rodrigo." Seraphina's voice came like her healing water magic and revitalized the prince, who flashed a grin while ice grew back over his sword.

"There's the thief! Get her, Dönek!" Güm hurled another bomb straight for Rodrigo, but the prince did not flinch even as the device went off and then faded into nothing.

Seraphina guided the magic back into her gemstone while Dönek scaled up the tree after her. "Fight Rodrigo man to man, Invadores. If that's what you really are," the lumen said to Güm. Rodrigo turned back, ready to charge, when Seraphina flipped herself onto another branch, and Isabella slammed her water-covered sword into Dönek's blades, which almost flew out of their hands.

"Sorry, but lumens don't really do fighting. You'll have to settle for me," Isabella giggled even when Dönek launched themselves into a fury of sword slashes. However, Isabella parried these blows with her sword and slashed back with a watery blade that slithered around the chivalric maiden like a snake. Rodrigo breathed out a deep sigh and fixed himself on Güm.

"Dönek, you may be but a youth, but if you lose to a woman-"

"Worry about yourself!" the prince howled. Revitalized by Seraphina's healing magic, Rodrigo found his second wind and charged Güm, who juggled three more bombs into the air. Yet, the prince threw a kick and impaled the three explosives on a series of razor-sharp icicles, which disappeared in a few moments.

"Woah, chill out-"

"Güm, I'm begging you," Cambaz groaned.

Rodrigo slashed at Güm, who parried the blow and danced away from an icy punch. However, Rodrigo pivoted and threw his offhand out, slicing off his sack of explosives. Güm yelped and staggered backward when the icy tip of Rodrigo's sparring sword scraped across the jester's armor, freezing and snapping a few scales off. The prince came in with his fist and punched, but the ice only hit the air when Güm continued his routine. Rodrigo remained his unwitting tango partner. However, unlike before, he put Güm on the backfoot. When the jester tried to parry aside and redirect another of his attacks, Rodrigo lashed out and struck the man's center. Güm stumbled backward and tried to regain his dance, but Rodrigo had other plans. He threw his offhand at the ground and froze the surrounding grass. When the jester's foot made contact, he slipped and lost his footing. Gum flailed about and tried to bring his sword up, but Rodrigo threw himself forward, sword raised.

Rodrigo channeled Blizzard and sensed him awaken. "Saint Petronas!" They roared together and, with another magic-infused blow, shattered Güm's blade into ice and broken steel upon impact. The jester likewise flew through the air and slammed onto his back across the woods. It was not a moment later that Kaynak landed beside him with severe burn marks across his body and armor half melted.

"We losing?" Kaynak muttered. "What do you think!!?" Cambas screamed when he landed behind them, armor in pieces beside him. Rodrigo felt taller than any man when Arnaut and Pedro stood on either side of him, and soon their dragons loomed behind them. Rodrigo approached, leading the others.

"It's over. We have no desire to kill you." However, magma dripped from Arnaut and Inferno with each step they took. Pedro likewise pointed his fingers at them.

"Buena," Isabella sang from nearby, and Rodrigo's heart soared when he saw her kneeling over Dönek, who thrashed beneath the teenager.

"Hmp, sorry, Dönek. Nothing personal." Güm reached into his shirt and revealed one final bomb. Rodrigo's eyes widened, and the world slowed around him as Güm threw it to the ground. The Prince screamed, then reached out and blasted ice with Blizzard, but when the magical smoke dissipated, all three Invadores vanished. Arnaut swore and punched through a tree, melting through it.

"It's ok. Arnaut, Rodrigo." Seraphina soothed them both with her voice and gentle touch. "Thank you for saving me again-" Seraphina got cut off by a swift hug from Rodrigo and Blizzard.

"Get in here, Aranut."

"I, I'm ok-" Inferno growled and pushed Arnaut into the hug. Rodrigo took him in and savored the scarlet on his friends' faces as they embraced each other.

"It's not all bad. We have one prisoner. Well done, Isabella, you-"

"Woah! How about that!?" Isabella cut him off with intense laughter. Before Rodrigo could even ask, he saw Dönek's mask and the cloth mouth covering land beside them. The Prince turned back with the others, and his mouth dropped. The teenager under Isabella was not a boy but a girl. Her fair skin shined thick with sweat, which spread to her thick brown hair, which was tied back into a bun. Her violet eyes met Rodrigo's.

"Bok!"