Beast Master
"I know not..." Lance's gaze swept across Gala and the others. "We must await the coming of Lady Hinabi of the Alden Temple to fetch us." He paused, then his gaze hardened with resolve.
"Stand, warriors. Though the shadow of death may loom, ye must stand firm."
Jade arose slowly, followed by Luna and Gala. In his daze, Jade scarcely realized that the one standing and speaking before him was the very general he idolized.
An aura of awe and quiet strength emanated from the presence of that legend of the Jindara Kingdom.
"Guan, the reason that hath brought me hither is to meet with thee."
General Guan turned his gaze upon Lance.
"Lance, had these fell dragon attacks not occurred, I might never have heeded thy words. Perchance, either thou or I would have met our end this day."
"But, seeing how thou didst repel a dragon, it might well have been my head that was parted from my neck, and not thine." Mei looked upon her uncle with worry in her eyes as she embraced him.
"Nay, Guan. Since the very onset of the war with Xiangdu, I have withdrawn myself from the affairs of the Jindara Kingdom.
Even though the Queen did plead as the rightful ruler of the realm, I did finally relent and allow her to use my name to hearten all the warriors,"
Lance said, his gaze falling to the ground. "I am no longer the general who didst scorch Yamashiro and Baranesta in days of yore."
"Ah... I see now. No wonder I did easily push Jindara back to Baranesta. And I ne'er did encounter thee upon the field," Guan looked back towards the rumbling sky with a thoughtful frown.
The spearmen, it seemed, had finished repelling the last of the dragons. A strange sight was apparent amongst that unit. They could leap full fifty meters into the sky, and the very ground did crack when they did jump and land.
They gathered and made their report unto General Lance. When they were assembled, these folk numbered no more than a hundred souls. Guan looked upon them with wide-eyed amazement.
He approached General Lance, with Mei at his side. "Are these the slayers of dragons? I ne'er did even think that dragons did exist, and deemed it a jest."
General Lance responded simply with a knowing smile.
Jade, Luna, and Gala moved closer, taking their stand behind General
Lance. He stood beside Lance, resolute in facing a destiny greater and more threatening than any they had yet imagined.
They all stood beneath the shimmering shield of light, gazing at the heavens, where Rivotra and his dragon continued their furious assault.
Amidst the confusion and tension that did enshroud the battlefield, suddenly the sky did tremble once more with an ominous force.
This time, it was not dragons that did appear, but a majestic giant garuda, alighting gently before Jade and the others. General Guan and the rest were struck with astonishment.
How could such a magnificent creature, a giant garuda with a long, golden tail that shimmered in the fading light, land before them?
Inconceivable things did continue to unfold before their very eyes. "Fear not, that is Lady Hinabi of the Alden Temple," General Lance said, seeking to reassure them.
Upon the back of the garuda sat a woman robed in shimmering white, her face elegant and serene, radiating an inner peace.
She was Hinabi, the leader of the Alden Temple, a holy woman revered throughout Bornika, though not by the folk of Xiangdu.
Hinabi descended from the garuda with graceful steps, walking towards General Lance Garudeya and his company. Her calm countenance held a deep sorrow that spoke of grave tidings.
General Lance Garudeya, despite his past as a great general of renown, bowed respectfully, as did the four Alden knights and the entire company of dragon-slayers.
"Lance," Hinabi said, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable authority. "I bring tidings of great sorrow."
"What news dost thou bear, Hinabi?" Lance asked, his eyes looking upon Hinabi with concern etched upon his features.
"Xiangdu... hath been razed to the very ground," Hinabi said, her voice trembling with grief. "Rivotra and his dark host... they have destroyed all."
General Guan recoiled as if struck, his eyes widening in utter shock. "What sayest thou?" he whispered, his voice filled with incredulity. "Nay... it cannot be..."
"Mother!" Mei Mei cried out without warning, her voice piercing the heavy silence that had fallen upon the war-torn land.
"It is true," Hinabi said, her gaze sorrowful. "Xiangdu was the first place they did invade. And thou... thou and thy surviving troops... are the only ones left from the province of Xiangdu."
Silence descended upon the group, heavy and laden with unspoken grief. General Guan stared at the ground, his face a mask of sadness and rising anger.
Jade, Gala, and Luna exchanged horrified glances, their hearts filled with shock and dismay at the dreadful news.
Hinabi's eyes fell upon Jade, the young man who stood looking bewildered, struggling to comprehend the weight of what was being said. There was a striking handsomeness to his face, a comeliness that caught Hinabi's attention amidst the grimness of the moment.
She felt a pang of sympathy and a desire to offer comfort, but she knew that this was not the time for such solace.
"We shall speak of this later," Hinabi said, her voice gentle yet firm with purpose. "We must depart for the Alden Temple with haste. All the dukes and the Queen have gathered there. We shall devise a plan to counter this invasion."
"The Alden Temple?" Jade asked, his eyes filled with puzzlement. "Why thither?"
"The Alden Temple is Bornika's last sanctuary, the very heart of our resistance," Hinabi replied. "Therein, we possess the power and the knowledge to stand against Rivotra."
"What power?" Gala asked, his brow furrowed. "What knowledge lies within those hallowed halls?"
"All shall be revealed in due time," Hinabi said. "Now, we must leave at once, ere more ill befall us."
Hinabi turned her gaze towards General Guan, her eyes filled with a glimmer of hope.
"Guan, we have need of thee," she said, her voice earnest. "We need all who can wield a blade in defense of our realm."
Guan looked at Hinabi, then at Lance, then at Jade, Gala, and Luna. He saw the sorrow and the unwavering determination in their eyes, and he knew that he could not falter now.
"Very well," he said, his voice heavy with grief but firm with resolve. "I shall go to the Alden Temple. I shall aid thee in the protection of Bornika."
"Come, Mei. Come with thine uncle." Mei was too lost in the depths of her tears to heed her uncle's words. Guan felt a pang of helplessness; after all, his younger sister was Mei Mei's mother, the cruel queen of Xiangdu.
Jade walked over to Mei, his heart filled with compassion. He placed a comforting hand upon the princess's shoulder.
"Mei, we are no longer foes. There, that is the enemy we must now face," Jade said gently, pointing towards Rivotra, who glared down at them from atop his black dragon.
Luna and Gala approached Mei, seeking to offer her some solace in her grief. They were of the same generation and shared a similar age.
"I shall introduce thee to my two wolves, Mei. Fion and Gale, they would be glad to meet a new friend," Gala said, his voice coaxing and kind.
"Mei, thou must be strong," Luna said softly, embracing Mei in a comforting hug.
General Guan trembled, a wave of remorse washing over him as he realized the folly of his past actions and the consequences of his greed, entwined with that of his sister.
He had nearly brought death upon Jade and his companions. He wept openly before them all, a torrent of regret flowing forth.
He realized that Jade and the others were but village youths, forced to fight to defeat him, a seasoned general.
General Guan's massive frame knelt low, and he embraced the four of them in a gesture of profound sorrow and apology.
"I am sorry, forgive me... forgive me..." Guan cried, his voice echoing with anguish. Jade looked bewildered, as did Luna and Gala, unsure of how to respond to this sudden outpouring of grief.
That day, they all boarded Hinabi's giant garuda, leaving the devastated battlefield behind them, a testament to the horrors they had witnessed.
They knew that they faced a tremendous threat, a darkness unlike any they had encountered before, but they also knew that they were not alone in this struggle.
They had each other, bound by shared hardship and a fragile thread of hope.
From atop the garuda that was now departing the ravaged land, General Lance and Hinabi stared intently at Rivotra, who looked increasingly enraged as he continued his futile attempts to breach the protective shield.
Rivotra roared with unbridled fury, his gaze fixed upon Jade and the others as they left. "...AAAAAAAVEEEEEEEEEEE! Come forth!! Thou bas***!"
The sound was deafening, shaking the very heavens and the earth beneath. The echo of the roar reverberated across the valley, beyond the confines of the battlefield, as if the entire continent held its breath in fear.
On the Garuda, the feathers upon the giant bird's neck stood on end, its sharp eyes flickered restlessly, sensing the raw power of the enraged god. Hinabi, though her outward demeanor remained calm, gripped the edges of the saddle with knuckles that had turned white with tension.
General Lance, his face usually composed, was now tense, his eyes narrowed as he stared back at Rivotra, a grim determination hardening his features.
The cry not only shook their ears but also their very souls. There was a raw, untamed power in that voice, a rage that surpassed anything they had ever witnessed in their lives.
The knights of the Alden Temple, usually unwavering in their faith and resolve, shifted uneasily, their hands gripping their light spears tightly, as if seeking reassurance from their weapons.
Beneath the protective dome, the very ground trembled, dust and pebbles dancing in the air as if caught in an invisible whirlwind.
Even the dome itself, which had withstood the relentless attacks of Rivotra's dragons, seemed to pulse with an inner light, as if struggling to maintain its integrity against the god's fury.
Rivotra, atop his black dragon, looked utterly enraged, his eyes blazing with hatred, his face contorted by fury. The dragon itself, a creature of immense size and power, cowered visibly under its master's wrath, hissing and lashing its massive tail wildly.
"What... what was that?" Gala stammered, his eyes wide with fear and apprehension.
"The wrath of a god," Luna whispered, her voice choked with awe and dread. "He wants something. Or someone."
"Who is he calling?" Jade asked, his voice trembling slightly. "Who is Ave?"
No one answered his question. A heavy silence enveloped them all, broken only by the occasional distant roar of the dragon and the faint hiss of the protective dome as it strained against Rivotra's power.
The Garuda flew further away, carrying Jade and the others towards the sanctuary of the Alden Temple. General Lance turned his gaze away, averting his eyes after sensing that Rivotra no longer posed an immediate threat behind them.
"Hinabi, at whom was Rivotra shouting? Thou didst tell me of Rivotra, it is impossible that thou knowest not who Eve is." Hinabi remained silent for a long moment, her brow furrowed in thought, as if wrestling with some inner turmoil.
"Av…!" Hinabi was startled, her eyes widening with a sudden realization, and she did not finish her sentence!
A deafening roar was heard from afar, but it came not from Rivotra and his dragon.
It emanated from the direction of Xiangdu! "Giant Dragonfly!" Luna exclaimed, her keen eyes catching sight of the creature as it flew towards them at great speed from a considerable distance.
"What sayest thou? Where?" Jade and the others could not see clearly, for the creature was yet far distant, appearing no larger than a mere speck upon the horizon.
"Hinabi! Was there not a troop supposed to be sent to the province of Xiangdu? Why is there an enemy entering the area of Baranesta?"
General Lance's voice was filled with urgency and concern.
"Jade, travel by land takes full two days to reach the border of Xiangdu. While all the dragon-slaying troops followed thee hither." A palpable sense of anxiety settled upon everyone aboard the Garuda.
"Lyra, return with haste. Bid all the remaining dragon-slaying troops to follow our course. Let the ground forces see to the remnants of the war," Lance commanded one of his two warriors with a firm tone.
Lyra placed a silver whistle to her lips, hanging around her neck, and blew. No sound was heard by human ears, for it was of a high frequency.
Suddenly, something that looked akin to a dragon swooped down from the sky near the protective dome, yet still within its confines.
"It is not a Dragon." "Oh, by the Valar, a Wyvern!" Gala exclaimed, seeing the creature swoop down and unleash a gust of wind towards those upon the Garuda.
Lyra leaped onto the back of the Wyvern with practiced ease and immediately sped away from the Garuda, retracing their path with great haste.
"Tom, we too, summon thy mount. We shall intercept the creature heading hither!" Jade and Tom uttered the ancient words of summoning, and their own Wyverns materialized beside them.
They immediately mounted their winged steeds, the two beasts maneuvering skillfully around the larger Garuda.
"Are those dragon slayers Beast Masters?"
Gala asked, watching General Lance circle around upon his own Wyvern.
"Nay, they are not Beast Masters in the truest sense. All those Wyverns belong to the Thousand Flower Archipelago," Hinabi replied, explaining that Duke Herman had lent them to Bornika whilst they were convened in Alden.
"Gala, art thou a Beast Master? I have ne'er asked thee of this. But if I recall Fion and Gale aright, those grey beasts of thine would ne'er be permitted within the kingdom's bounds," Jade recalled Gala's loyal pet wolves.
"Aye, my kin are Beast Masters by tradition. But for a creature such as a Wyvern… besides, they seldom, if ever, leave the Thousand Flower Archipelago. Taming them is no easy task, even for one skilled in the ways of beasts."
"Look there!" General Guan pointed towards the giant dragonfly that was now clearly visible, approaching at an alarming speed! Lance and Tom, seeing the approaching threat, immediately spurred their Wyverns onward as soon as the creature was within eight hundred meters of the Garuda.
"Lady Hina, can the Garuda fly with greater haste?" Luna looked worried, her gaze fixed upon the rapidly approaching giant dragonfly. The creature was indeed terrifying to behold.
Of course, only she, with her enhanced vision, could perceive it with such clarity at this distance.
"This is already a safe speed to carry thee. Any faster, and we shall risk falling from the Garuda," Lady Hinabi explained calmly, her eyes fixed on the horizon.
"If thou dost perceive the existence of dragons with Rivotra, then I am not surprised that thou callest that creature a giant dragonfly. It is a Mystical Beast, akin to Rivotra's dragons. That particular animal is known as an Umbra Stryx."
"Mm…Mystical Beast?" Gala was sweating, a look of dawning comprehension on his face. He seemed to know something of these creatures.
"Tell me not that the folk of Ramon possess many Summoners!" Gala held his head in his hands, unable to fully believe the implications of his own thoughts.
"What are Summoners?" Jade asked, his confusion growing with each revelation. So too was General Guan perplexed, holding Mei Mei tightly to his side for comfort.
"An advanced level of Beast Master! One who has achieved Soul Resonance and forged a death contract with a Mystical Beast," Hinabi answered Jade's question, then added, "such as myself and Garuda."
Hinabi approached Jade, her gaze piercing as she stared intently into his eyes.
"Everyone, prepare for the worst!" Hinabi drew a dagger from within her robes, its blade glowing with a menacing blood-red light.
"Look! General Lance is diverting the Umbra's attention!" Luna exclaimed again, her voice filled with a mixture of awe and apprehension.
In the sky above Alden, an Umbra Stryx, its body as black as pitch, its wings glowing with an eerie purple light, its eyes burning with a fiery red intensity, appeared as a harbinger of doom.
A terrifying aura that intimidated any who dared to challenge it emanated from every inch of its formidable form.
The creature sped forth from the ravaged lands of Xiangdu with terrifying speed. Upon its back, a man with sharp, piercing eyes and a firm, resolute jaw, clad in strange, ancient armour, held a long spear that glinted ominously in the light.
His origin was unknown, yet the very aura of his power felt threatening, a palpable darkness that sent shivers down their spines. The Umbra roared, its voice deafening and filled with primal power, and sped straight towards the giant Garuda carrying Jade's group, its intentions clear.
Meanwhile, with Tom and General Lance…
"That Umbra is… incredibly huge," Tom said, his eyes widening in disbelief at the sheer size of the monstrous creature. "I have ne'er beheld aught like it before in all my days."
"We must buy them time, even if it costs us our lives!" General Lance exclaimed, tightening his grip upon his spear, his knuckles white with determination.
"Hinabi, continue thy journey with all haste! We shall hold them at bay!" Lance shouted from afar, his voice carrying across the wind.
Hinabi, her face pale with worry but her eyes filled with unwavering determination, looked back at Lance with a deep sense of gratitude and concern. "But General…"
"There is no time for argument!" Lance cut her off with a firm tone. "Go! That is an order that must be obeyed!"
The two Wyverns flew in a flanking formation, moving with incredible speed to intercept the approaching Umbra. The Wyverns sped through the air like arrows loosed from a mighty bow, the mysterious man's spear glinting menacingly in the sunlight.
"Attack!" Lance shouted, and the two Wyverns charged forward with deafening roars, their riders poised for battle.
The Umbra, however, proved to be incredibly nimble, spinning and twisting in the air with surprising agility, deftly dodging the attacks of Lance and Tom.
The mysterious man upon its back, with swift and skillful movements, thrust his long spear towards Lance's bronze dragon.
The Wyvern, with a desperate maneuver, managed to dodge the brunt of the attack, but the spear grazed its scales, leaving a gaping wound that bled freely.
"He is too swift for us!" Kael exclaimed, his own dragon staggering slightly after narrowly avoiding a vicious claw attack from the Umbra's tail.
"You shall not be able to halt our advance!" the mysterious man shouted, his voice echoing across the sky with a chilling certainty. "You know not what is coming to pass!"
Lance, his face set with grim determination, swung his spear with all his might. "We shall not allow that to come to pass!"
A fierce battle ensued in the sky above Alden. The Umbra and the Wyverns clashed in a whirlwind of motion, spears and claws met with resounding force, and the roars of the beasts filled the air with a symphony of fury.
Meanwhile, the giant Garuda, carrying Hinabi and her group, continued its flight towards the Alden Temple, leaving the perilous battle raging behind them.
***** *****
The Past.
A few hours earlier, before the first light of dawn, before Jade and his companions had departed for the grim realities of war.
Towards the break of dawn, Queen Yukihiko, the rightful Queen of the Jindara kingdom, was forcibly evacuated to the sanctuary of the Alden Temple. Duke Herman Syailendra, with a heavy heart, had sent ten of his most trusted dragon-slaying troops to fetch her.
They had been tasked with bringing Yukihiko to the Alden Temple to discuss the devastating news of Xiangdu's fall. Of course, the Queen knew nothing of this terrible event and was understandably angered by her sudden removal.
None of the dragon-slaying troops dared to answer the questions she posed during the journey, their faces grim and unyielding.
Upon their arrival at the Alden Temple, the heavy door to the Alden Temple meeting room was thrown open with a resounding crash, startling the province leaders who were already engaged in a tense and hushed discussion.
Queen Yukihiko Regania entered the room with quick, purposeful steps, but her face was pale and her eyes were red and teary, betraying her distress.
Behind her, several Alden female knights looked anxious, their hands hovering near their weapons as they tried to calm the Queen, who appeared deeply agitated.
"What is the meaning of this outrage?" Yukihiko exclaimed, her voice trembling, not with anger, but with a deep and palpable sadness.
"Why was I forcibly moved to Alden? Why was I not informed of what has transpired with all due haste?"
Duke Takeshi Hiroshi of Yamashiro rose to his feet, his face etched with guilt and sympathy for his Queen.
"Your Majesty, we acted only to ensure your safety. The situation... is most dire, far more grave than words can convey. We knew not how to break such tidings to thee."
"Explain what, good Duke?" Yukihiko asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes searching their faces for answers. "What has befallen Xiangdu? Tell me all!"
Duke Hector Valerius of Baranesta looked at Yukihiko with a sorrowful gaze, his heart heavy with the burden of the news he had to deliver.
"Your Majesty, Xiangdu... the great city of Xiangdu has been razed to the very ground.
An armada of unknown warships, followed by a vast and merciless ground force, has utterly destroyed its coastal cities. Alas, there are no known survivors."
Yukihiko fell silent, her eyes widening in utter disbelief at the horrific news.
Tears, which she had tried valiantly to hold back, began to flow freely down her cheeks, tracing paths through the dust and grime. "Nay... it is not possible. Queen Lin Mei... her people... their fate..."
"We are deeply sorry, Your Majesty," Takeshi said softly, his voice filled with genuine remorse.
"We did but receive a report from Duke Herman Syailendra himself. We had no time to inform you sooner, lest the news spread and cause further panic."
Yukihiko shook her head slowly, her mind reeling in disbelief. "Why? Why have they done this? Why have they brought such ruin upon Xiangdu?"
"We know not the reasons for their malice, Your Majesty," Hector replied, his expression grim.
"But we shall uncover the truth. We shall find out who our enemy is, and what dark purpose drives them."
Duke Herman Syailendra of the Thousand Flower Archipelago, who had remained silent throughout this grim exchange, finally spoke, his voice low and measured.
"Queen Lin Mei attempted to summon a power that should have remained dormant, a force best left undisturbed. I believe that all the knowledge she possessed regarding this fell ritual came from your very hand, Your Majesty."
Yukihiko stared at Herman blankly, her mind struggling to grasp the implications of his words.
While Duke Hector and Duke Takeshi exchanged surprised glances, their faces showing a mixture of shock and concern at Duke Herman's statement, which seemed to place a portion of the blame upon their Queen.
Suddenly, the door to the meeting room opened once more, diverting the tense atmosphere. Hinabi entered the room, her presence radiating a quiet strength, with Lance standing respectfully behind her, his gaze steady and watchful.
"Your Majesty Queen, sala…" Hinabi began, intending to offer her respects to the grieving monarch.
But Yukihiko cut her off with a wave of her hand. "There is no need for such formalities, Hinabi." Queen Yukihiko frowned, her face etched with frustration and sorrow.
"As you wish, Your Majesty." Hinabi turned her gaze towards Duke Herman and bowed her head slightly in a gesture of respect. "Duke, my sister Hanabi from the Sun Temple in the city of Mandaraka hath contacted me with urgent tidings."
"What news doth she bring, Hinabi?" Everyone in the room seemed not to comprehend the direction of this conversation, their brows furrowed in confusion, save for the Queen, Duke Herman, and Hinabi herself.
"Rivotra is the one who wrought the destruction of Xiangdu, unleashing his terrible wrath upon the city.
And the Dragon Emperor Bahamut, the ancient and powerful beast, was slain just moments before Queen Lin Mei could complete the ritual to resurrect him, a ritual that has now been tragically interrupted."
A tense and heavy silence filled the meeting room, the weight of Hinabi's words settling upon them like a shroud. The province leaders exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale with shock and fear.
They knew in their hearts that this was no ordinary war between kingdoms. This was a catastrophe of a scale they had never before imagined, a darkness that threatened to engulf their entire world.