The royal carriage's door opens. A crowd has gathered to witness such a momentous occasion, hiding behind windows and doors all throughout. There are prying eyes peering through every nook and cranny in every building of the school. The soldiers assume the blind formation; a rather peculiar move that positions every soldier within the princess' gaze facing outwards as to avoid eye contact with her for obvious reasons. She places one foot on the first step and gasps are heard echoing through the buildings. Those in her presence quickly fall to their knees and bow their heads. All except Calien, he just drags his gut to her side and grabs her hand to help her secure the last step off her coach. The rat seems to be the most comfortable around her. It is mostly because her curse has no effect on him. The king's gaze is lowered but he can’t help himself. He must see what she looks like. It is his daughter after all. He starts to lift his head to sneak a peek but a voice inside makes him stop. His friend Crawlpaw does not see it necessary for the king to lose his head right now. Varnanároello, ever the stubborn bastard he is, tries to sneak another peek, but this time instead of a voice inside his head, he is the recipient of Crawlpaw's touch; a swift swipe of his paw that knocks the king's ass over and stops him from falling under his daughter's spell, "Want to go for seconds? I told you to stop but you just have to push it, don’t you. There will be plenty of time for you to see how beautiful she really is. Today is not the right time. Today we rejoice in her arrival and celebrate your reunion. Tomorrow we fight!"
Ruscotelep walks around the arena admiring the buildings that surround it, in complete awe of everything around her. The mere experience of being outdoors amongst all these elves is so new to her. Crawlpaw lets go of the king who quickly turns his head towards the princess. Her back is turned to him and he is surprised to find her fully clad in a suit of blackened armor. The black dwarves must have made it for her. Her long black hair flows in the wind but everything else is covered in steel. Calien walks by her side as he has done many times before in the palace's hidden gardens.
Queen Ruscomalda first learned of the rat and his powers when she was a child. He was friends with her mother and according to her, her mother before her. There are mentions of Calien in the royal tomes as far back as the days of Queen Vanyaómariel. He comes and goes as he pleases, often unannounced but always around the birth of a new princess. Nobody knows how he does it though. He usually sticks around for a while but one day, without warning, he just disappears. There are tales of the big rat that comes down from the clouds and casts a spell over the crops to make them bloom early and save them from a drought. Tales of the "Big Hairy" that helped the black dwarves find the very rare components to make the queen's armor with. Stories of how much wisdom he imparts to each princess hoping that one of them develops the mark of the champion; a spot on the skin anywhere in her body, in the shape of Rodinia, the big continent. According to his teachings, that is how he will know the end is near and the "valrauca beltor" is upon us. For now, he is just happy that Ruscotelep is out and about. He is almost completely convinced she is the one, and this time around he has stayed with her the longest. She does not bear the mark yet but all the signs point in her direction; the rise of the dark creatures all over the world, the constant attacks on the fugan people, the use of dark magic by creatures of light. Everything makes sense. He makes sure to ask Ruscotelep every day if she has seen anything new on her skin but there is nothing there yet. He is hoping that exposing the princess to her subjects and letting her begin battle training with her father will help move things along.
The princess is anxious to begin her training but the trip has been arduous and quite eventful so she turns to Calien, "Where do I sleep? I am going to have a big day tomorrow and would like to start early. Can you show me to my room?" Calien does not know where her room is but he knows someone who does. He calls for Aamini, "Ruscotelep, meet your cousin Aamini. She is your father's niece and will be helping you with everything you need while you are here. She will show you to your room. I have stuff to sort out with your father. Run along and get some rest." Aamini avoids eye contact, "You can follow me. I will show you to your room." Ruscotelep acts as if everyone around her was a servant. She just doesn't know any better. They both go up a flight of stairs and just as they are about to reach the top, Berot decides to make an appearance. Aamini quickly knocks him to the ground, "I told you to stay away you idiot. She almost killed you the first time. Do you just want her to finish the job?" Ruscotelep steps over them, "What do you mean almost killed? I do not almost kill anything. I do not know this elf. He would be dead otherwise." Aamini rolls her eyes, "Yes you do. This is the idiot that tried to sneak into your room back at the palace and you set him on fire not so long ago. He jumped out the window and landed in water so he didn’t die. Your mom sent him up here to live with your dad. I think he has lost his damn mind because he keeps trying to look into your eyes." Berot tries to squirm his way out from under Aamini, "I do not want to die. I just want to see her eyes one more time. I promise it will only be for just one moment. I won’t let her get me again, I promise. Just one more time please!" Aamini grabs the back of his head and slams it against the floor, "There is not just one moment with her, and you know that. She will kill you! Stop being an ass." Ruscotelep interrupts, "That is not really true. If he is who I think he is, I wouldn’t mind looking into his eyes either. If I remember correctly he was quite the looker. I will make you a deal. You hold him down and cover his eyes. When I count to three, you uncover them for just a moment and then cover them back up. That way he can't linger and fall prey to the curse. Maybe doing so will make him stop trying to catch me by surprise." Berot yells out, "I promise, just one moment. I will not do it again."
Aamini is not very sure about the whole thing but what else is she going to do. It is either she lets it happen or he will get himself killed. So it's settled. Ruscotelep turns away, Aamini loosens her grip long enough for Berot to turn over and she then kneels on his hands while covering his eyes with hers, "Ok, let's do it now before I change my mind." Ruscotelep counts, "One, Two, Three." Aamini takes her hands away and Berot stares into the princess' eyes. For just one fleeting moment he finds the peace he has been seeking since the flames engulfed his body. The angst he suffers through every night when he goes to sleep will be there no longer. The horrible nightmares will be gone and best of all, he survived a second glance. Nobody other than the king ever had the chance to do that. Aamini places her hands over his eyes again and feels his whole body relax under her, "I'll be damned. I think it worked. He is not fighting me anymore. Ruscotelep, I think you did it. You actually looked one of your subjects in the eyes and he did not burst into flames. Wait until I tell your father." From behind her Ruscotelep tries to regain her composure, "His face! Did I do that to him?" Aamini nods. Berot says nothing. The princess turns away, "Enough games for tonight. Please show me to my room. I am exhausted." Aamini gets up and walks ahead. Berot stays there on the floor, reveling in the afterglow of it all.
The princess follows Aamini in silence for a while but just as they enter her room she inquires, "Is he going to be ok?" Aamini, surprised at the first sign of warmth coming from the princess, lifts her gaze and looks into her eyes. Ruscotelep turns away yelling, "Do not do that!" Then slams the door shut in Aamini's face. Aamini answers quietly from behind the door, "Do not worry, I will take care of him. You get some rest. Tomorrow will be a rough day for all of us." Then she walks away. Ruscotelep leans against the door and reflects on the day. Her room is covered wall to wall in sumptuous fabrics of different textures and colors. She can feel the breeze and see the fabric sway in it but there is no window for her to look out of. Her father made sure all the windows were concealed to keep her away from prying eyes but in an effort to secure her privacy and safety, he created a claustrophobic nightmare. There is too much stuff going on. The breeze that blows in the room must come from somewhere. She starts frantically tearing down the fabric panels. One by one they fall, making it easier for her to breathe. The more fabric panels she tears down, the better she feels about the room. Then, she finds the source of that elusive breeze. A big wide open window that looks out into the Fugan Forest hiding behind two fabric panels that are quickly pulled off. The light in the sky is about to disappear behind the mountains but it extends its golden tentacles over the tapestry of ancient trees that carpets the forest in a last ditch effort to hang on to whatever vestige of life is left in the day. It is the perfect ending to a very long day.
After a very long night of tossing and turning, the princess rises up and stands by the window. The king's servants run around in the streets below getting the morning shores done before the light in the sky rises up completely unaware they are being watched. One of them is Berot. She recognizes the coat of arms on his cloak. He passes under the princess' window on his way to the red wolves' pens behind the school. Ruscotelep follows him with her eyes while he walks through the morning golden haze that blankets the entire school. A very thin mist that makes the mountains appear as if they were shrouded in a golden fog until the light in the sky rises and burns it off, revealing the beauty of the forest underneath. Ruscotelep always thought it was the best time of the day because it makes her reflect on her abilities and how what some people think of as a curse could also make things appear very clearly. She hopes one day her power will serve well for the fugans and if the stories her mother and Calien keep telling her are true, also the world. For now, she just wishes Berot wouldn’t have to go through life with those scars. She remembers smiling at him that day. He was quite the handsome elf and she changed that with a simple glance. He will have to spend the rest of his life regretting one little indiscretion. She can understand using her powers against the enemy, but hurting her own is something she has not learned how to deal with yet. A voice from behind makes her snap out of it, "Good day princess. Are you ready to begin your training? You and I have a full day worth of fighting to get through. Calien tells me you are quite adept with the short sword and can even dual wield the blades I sent for you. They used to belong to my mother. She never got to meet you but wanted me to make sure you got them. I hope they are to your liking." She reaches for the blades, "They are my favorite ones. I didn’t know they belonged to my grandmother. I love how they fit my grip." Then she walks around the room with them in hands pretending to fight with the air.
The king already got a good talking to by Calien about discipline and how he promised the queen no harm would come to the him while they were training and if the king dares even look into Ruscotelep's eyes for just one moment, Calien himself is going to kick his ass. Even with such a threat, the king is finding it really difficult to comply. He finds himself seeking her gaze. She notices how daring he is and decides to put an end to it. The king is almost mesmerized in her presence and she gets close enough to get a good slice in. She swings her arm with great agility in the king's direction but his instincts and sense of self preservation take over and dodge it. She tries a second time with the same result. By now the king is not playing any more games and jumps out of her reach using his staff for leverage. They go at it for a while, destroying almost every piece of furniture in the room until the king has to jump out of the window, onto the street below to avoid losing a limb. The servants scatter like rats and Ruscotelep jumps after him. A chase ensues; a very loud and destructive one. Between Ruscotelep's extremely aggressive push against her father and the screams of servants and students trying to get out of their way, this morning has turned out to be very eventful.
In a room nearby, Calien and Aamini are meditating while trying to become one with the elements but before they know it, the sounds of war outside their window are too loud to ignore. Calien looks out and calls for Aamini to join him by the window, "This is a good lesson for you. You see those two going at it? Warriors tend to let their weapons do their talking for them. Ruscotelep has a few daddy issues that need to be worked out and the king is too afraid to hurt his baby so he would rather take a beating than stand up to her. They will go at it until the whole school is in shambles if you don’t stop them." Aamini turns to Calien with a quizzical look in her face, "You meant to say someone stop them, right? Because I thought you said for me to stop them." Calien summons one of the pillows and places his quite rotund behind on it, "You heard right. Now get your ass out there and make them stop if you want to have a place to lay your head down at tonight." She shakes her head, "You have lost your mind. There is no way I am going out there to make them stop. The king will not listen to me and Ruscotelep will kill me. I am not suicidal!" Calien starts preening his fur, "Well, you can either go out there and make them stop by listening to your instincts or, pull up another pillow and sit here with me to watch them tear down every building here stick by stick. Which is it?" Aamini thinks about it for a moment, and then pulls up a pillow. Calien shakes his head, "I was kidding about the pillow. Get your ass out there girl. You are a druid. Act like one. Go make those two behave. Listen to your instincts. Trust me, if you pay attention to your senses they will tell you what to do. Just be aware of the elements around you. Summon them to your aid. Bend them to your will. Make them do your bidding. Whatever you are going to do, just do it soon, they are getting too damn close to the kitchen and we can’t let them destroy it."
Aamini hesitates at the window ledge but decides to give it a try and jumps onto the arena. She carefully walks up to the fight trying to avoid the destruction left in their wake. The king has his daughter in a headlock but she uses her legs to push him against the wall behind them, forcing him to let her go. Aamini looks back at Calien who is still plopped on that pillow and chewing on a pinego. He waves back at her. She realizes he is really not going to help her. The king catches a glimpse of her presence and yells out while dodging the princess' attack, "Aamini go back inside. It is too dangerous for you out here." Ruscotelep looks at Aamini, "Are you crazy? Get out of here." Aamini looks at Calien again for any support but he again just waves at her. He told her to follow her instincts but all she wants to do is run away screaming. In her head, the rat's voice whispers, "Close your eyes and feel the elements around you. Let your skin feel the chill in the air, the thickness of the fog, the wetness of the stone below your feet. The sparks of fire every time the king's staff hits Ruscotelep's blade. Pick one of them and focus on it. You are its mistress. You control what it does. You can make it grow and make it work for you." She chooses the wetness under her feet. The soft mist in the air slowly settled on top of every brick that lines the arena floor. She extends her arm out with the palms of her hands facing the sky. Her hair loses its weight and flows in the air. She can feel the cool breeze against her skin. She lifts her hands and every drop of water within her gaze rises up and lingers mid air awaiting her next move. The warriors do not notice right away but behind her, standing at the window, with a huge grin on his face, Calien could not be any prouder. She quickly lifts one arm, points at the sky above, and then aims at the warriors with the other. The water rises up above her head and under her command soaks both the king and his daughter to the bone.
They lie on the stone floor completely caught off guard. Calien is running towards them cheering at Aamini for a job well done. Aamini opens her eyes and is very confused by what lies before her. She just can’t believe she did it. She was able to be one with the elements just like Calien told her she would. Maybe that damned rat knows what he is talking about after all. The king is the first one to his feet and rushes the princess. Calien quickly points his short stubby arm at him and a force of wind that wasn't there before slams him against the wall nearby. Ruscotelep tries to take advantage of that and attempts to do the same but suffers a similar fate at the hands of the rat. Aamini's eyes open wide, "How did you do that? Teach me that. That is awesome!" The king and the princess are both pinned by an invisible force against the stone wall. The king is not pleased, "Calien! Let me go at once." Calien turns to Aamini instead, "It's very impressive huh? I love doing that to them. Right now there is a lot of pent up energy flowing through their bodies. For the normal fugan warrior, such energy just increases his focus and sharpens his senses. The king will just become better at fighting and more focused in winning. Ruscotelep on the other hand, hasn't quite mastered her skills yet, so instead of becoming more focused in her fighting style, she just releases that energy onto the air around her. She emanates so much heat from her skin that during a long fight she can burn her enemies to a crisp. I have lost a few hairs trying to teach her how to control it. Her mother says it has something to do with her emotions and as you can tell, these two have a lot of crap to deal with. If you and I can keep them alive for the next few days then things will start looking up."
Ruscotelep tries to squirm her way out of whatever it is that's holding her in place but without the aid of Calien or Aamini, she is not going anywhere. The king has all but given up trying to get lose and soon realizes this is the best time to get to know his daughter so he turns to her, "Stop fighting it my dear, you know when that damn rat throws a spell it sticks. I can see you have the same problem your mother had before we met. I helped her focus her energy during battle with a very simple exercise. Would you like me to show you?" Ruscotelep ignores him and continues to stress herself out, "I do not need any help focusing my energy father. I know what I am doing. I like the way it works now. It makes me a more powerful warrior." Calien looks at the king, "Remind you of anyone in particular?" They both share a laugh while Aamini asks, "Who?" Calien releases the king, "Her mother! They are almost identical. The queen was just as stubborn as Ruscotelep is. They think the world revolves around them and they can handle everything. It is only during battle that they realize the need for others to assist them if they are to succeed. They are not invincible. They are powerful but must learn how to take advantage of what other beings can provide or will fall in battle fighting alone. Today for example, if Ruscotelep would realize how important a druid could be by her side, this fight wouldn’t have lasted as long. You can provide healing along with controlling the elements around you and summoning the creatures of the forest to come to your aid. The king wouldn’t stand a chance against the two of you. Instead, she lets pride cloud her judgment and chooses to fight alone against a much hardier opponent. Decisions like that get queens killed and kingdoms fallen."
Ruscotelep knows the rat is right but will not give him the satisfaction. Her energy is increasing and instead of slowing down long enough to convince Calien to let her go, this time she thinks will be the one time she will escape his binding spell. The king tries to calm her down but his words are not enough. Aamini chimes in, "Ruscotelep, you are starting to scorch the wall around you. Focus in what is important right now or we are going to be here forever." Calien casts an ice spell in an attempt to cool her off but it’s to no avail. Ruscotelep just keeps getting more upset, "I am Ruscotelep, Princess of the Fugan People, heir to the throne and future ruler of this island. I demand you release me right now. Your insolence will be dealt with in kind." Calien looks at the king and they both burst out laughing. Aamini notices the smoke leaving the princess' skin and seeks refuge. Calien tells the king, "She is at it again. Do not worry, I can handle her. Just go inside and take Aamini with you. There is going to be some fire around here for a bit. I will try to keep the damage to a minimum. We are going to have a little talk." The king finds Aamini and they take off running. Ruscotelep's skin is now completely covered in flames and she glares at the rat, "I have nothing to discuss with your kind. Just release me so I can show you what a Fugan Princess is truly capable of." Calien is well aware what a Fugan Princess is capable of. Every single one of them, without fail, has put him through the paces challenging him to fights, wanting to do things their way and not listening in general. They do eventually come to realize he only has their best interest at heart but not before throwing down with him a few times. Today is Ruscotelep's turn to learn a lesson.
Calien extends his arm and summons a stick from the debris nearby to use as a weapon. He takes a step back to give the princess a little room and releases her. Experience has taught her to not give him a moment to breathe. As soon as she feels her body free from his bind, she charges forth blades ablaze. Her fire has extended to the swords, something that has never happened in the past. There is no time to figure out what is going on though. She has to teach the rat a thing or two about what she is capable of. Calien pushes against the stone floor and rises above her head as if he had wings. She misses a step and slams against the wall. He calmly walks away twirling his stick and infuriating the hell out of her. She recovers and launches another attack, but just as she is about to reach her target, Calien stops, turns, lifts his stick and puts fear into her heart. His eyes lock onto hers and he can witness the fire in them starting to fade. The flame is quickly extinguished and replaced with darkness. Her desire to put Calien in his place is replaced by a total sense of despair. While she is frozen in place with panic, he lifts the stick above her head and says a few words that bring the once dead piece of wood back to life. It sprouts leaves and vines that cascade over the princess' body tightening around her. In just moments, the Princess of the Fugan People, heir to the throne and future ruler of this island is reduced to nothing more than a scared plant holder in the middle of the arena.
Without missing a beat, life returns to normal. As normal as life can be these days. The king comes out of hiding and walks past his daughter not even taking the time to look at her twice. Aamini also walks by and as instructed by the king, she ignores Ruscotelep's demands to be freed. They reconvene by the main hall where the king pleads for an explanation from Calien, "Why does she have to suffer like that. She does not deserve that kind of treatment from us. I can not let her stay there all day, it will kill me!" Calien shakes his head, "If you know what is good for her you will. You know how hard it was for her mother to realize she needed others. In order for your daughter to be a decent ruler, she must experience humility. Up until now we have all tended to every single one of her needs but it is time she learns to take care of herself. We must break her will or she could put herself in danger. So you decide; teach her a lesson here amongst all of us who love and will not let her get hurt or send her out into the world to fight against those dark creatures with nothing but darkness in their hearts." The king peers through a window, "I know, I know. Just don’t ask me to torture her any longer. I can’t do it. I just want to run out there and embrace her." Aamini walks up to her uncle and put her arm over his shoulder, "Uncle, I know it must feel horrible but it is for the best. I just met her and already know there is good in her heart. She just needs to let everyone else see it. Once she breaks that barrier, then we can go on with the training." A loud and piercing shriek echoes through the buildings. Calien runs to the window, "She is fine, just frustrated. Let her be." The king covers his ears. Aamini looks at Calien and whispers, "You know those vines aren't going to hold her if she flames up, right?" Calien smiles, "She can't flame up as you call it. The wood used to build this place came from the most ancient trees in the dark forest by Peler Ambaron, city of nobles. The trees were infused with protection magic before they were cut down and brought here. When I brought the wood back to life, the vines that sprouted from it grew with the same magic. She can scream all she wants but there will not be any fire happening while she is encased in there."
The king drops on a chair in defeat, "Does her mother know about this?" Calien rolls his eyes, "Listen you pussy! You know we have to do it. You know she is going to kick our asses while we are doing it. You know it can’t be done any other way. So stop your whining and go find your balls because this is going to get hot really quick once she figures out how to escape." Aamini is starting to get nervous, "Are we in danger here? You two are starting to mess with my head." Calien smiles at her, "You will be fine. If she is going to come after someone it will be me first, then her father. Just make sure you cast whatever healing spell you got on him. I will take care of myself." The king stands up, "I am sorry Calien, you are right. Let’s just get it over with." The three of them enter the arena. Everyone else quickly disappears from view except for the imprisoned princess. She seems to have forgotten her words though. Nothing but grunts and squeals leave her mouth. She bites at the vines and squirms around trying to gain her freedom. Her hands are tied down still gripping the swords. Calien summons a healing cloud to surrounds him and Aamini throws her weak heal on the king while hanging back a bit. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Berot. He is hiding near the kitchen, fully armed and ready to engage if called upon. Aamini glares at him to run away but he just smiles back at her. Calien has done this before. Every single fugan princess has gone through the same ritual. They get really pissed off and turn into wild elves. They act like animals and will kill anyone in sight if left to their own devices. There is a story about one of them going on a rampage so huge that most elves had to seek refuge inside the mines with the black dwarves to avoid her wrath. Half the island was burned to a crisp! Ruscotelep is the most powerful of the fugan princesses ever to grace the island. If her will is not broken things could get much worse. Calien confronts her, "Ruscotelep, you have to get a hold of yourself. If you do not focus and learn to control your urges the world's freedom is at risk. What happened to the prim and proper princess I brought up here yesterday? Why are you allowing the wild in you to surface like this? I taught you better than that." Ruscotelep answers with more grunts and squeals while trying to grab at him through the vines. The king walks around and stands behind her, "I would trade places with you if I could my beautiful daughter. It hurts me to watch you go through this. I have missed so much of you growing up and just when I have the chance to spend time with you it has to be like this. Please try to focus on your urges and control your flame sweetheart. You can do it just like your mother and all queens before her."
The princess' eyes burn like never before but nothing else. There is no heat coming from her body at all. The oak vines seem to be doing their job preventing her skin from lighting up but they are starting to loosen up. She is able to push more of her body through the space between them with each squirm. Calien knows she will break through any moment now and stands in front of her to make her come towards him first. He refreshes his healing cloud spell just in time for one of the oak vines to give way. Ruscotelep pushes against it with her shoulder and gains her freedom. Her hands rise up armed and ready to rumble. The whole thing is a spectacle of ancient power with the purity of a wild heart. Aamini, along with everyone else within eyesight, is quite nervous. If not done right, the whole thing could turn ugly really quick. She starts looking around for an escape route just in case things go awry. The king stands in front of her to protect her from the flames. Ruscotelep's fire is at its strongest right now. It grew quickly. Calien does not fear it though. He stands in front of her with one arm extended blocking her flames from reaching him with a shield spell. She pushes against him but he is able to hold her back, "Ruscotelep! You must focus. Think about your destiny. Remember the stories of your ancestors. Think about the queens that came before you. Summon their strength and let it flow through your veins. This is the moment you have been training for." She just grunts and squeals a little more but continues to push against him. By now Calien is sliding backwards with the force of her fire, "Do not make me hurt you princess. I want you to do this on your own!" The king hears those words and rushes to their side, "Do not hurt her or you will have to kill me." Aamini tries to pull him away but he is not budging. Then another pair of hands intercedes. It is Berot. He helps Aamini drag the king out of harms way and into the main hall. They throw him on the floor while a few other students join the fracas and hold him down. He continues to kick and scream but there is nothing he can do right now. It is all up to Calien and the princess.
Aamini rushes outside. Calien is still holding steady but Ruscotelep's fire keeps growing. If something is not done about it soon the whole school could burn up before they break her will. She has an idea. There is a well behind the main hall where the servants get the water for the school. If she could just figure out a way to get that water out and drop it on top of Ruscotelep and the rat, then they might stand a chance. She closes her eyes and thinks of the well. She summons the wind to come to her aid. At first, a soft breeze blows throughout the arena and surrounding buildings. She focuses on the well and makes the wind start to spin around it. With a little more concentration, said spinning wind creates a funnel that starts sucking the water out of the well. After a few moments, she moves it into the arena and positions it right on top the princess. Once in place, she just opens her eyes and the wind stops. With nothing holding it up anymore, the water drops on Ruscotelep and Calien, putting her fire out if just for a moment; a very important moment, a moment that gives Calien a glimpse into something new. Right on the side the princess' neck there is a new mark; a mark that resembles the shape of the great continent. The mark that he has wanted to see for such a long time. The mark that signifies the Valrauca Beltor is rising to the world above and the Dark Lord found a way out of the underworld. Aamini drops to her knees while Berot and some of the other students run to her aid. She is exhausted from that last spell. They lift her limp body from the stone floor and carry her inside. Being so new at the whole spell casting thing her energy levels are still very low, so pulling off a huge spell like that depletes every single drop of energy in her body. The fact that she was even able to do it on her own, without any instruction from Calien was a huge accomplishment; one that plays a very important part in her development.
Outside of the main hall, the battle rages on. Calien knows the mark has come to be. Ruscotelep does not, and she is still pissed at the world. Calien has to come up with something to end this quick so he is able to share the news with everyone about the mark. Its revelation changes everything. But what can he do to make her stop? When her mother went through this, it took him several days to calm her down. Calien needs to come up with another plan. He remembers something Aamini told him this morning when she arrived for training. Apparently the princess is remorseful about Berot's scars. That is something no fugan princess before her has ever demonstrated, at least not before going through the big change. He feels foolish for not thinking about it earlier. So much destruction could have been prevented. Ruscotelep is now completely engulfed in flames again and coming at him blades first. Calien summons his invisible shield and calls out for Berot. He hopes to reawaken those feelings in the princess by exposing her to his scars again. Berot has other plans though. He is ok with saving the king and keeping Aamini safe and all that, but in order to get anywhere near the two warriors he would have to walk through fire and the last time he got that close to it things didn’t turn out so well. Calien calls for him again and he peeks from behind the main hall's doorway, "I know you are not asking me to walk through the fire, right?" Calien realizes what he was asking the poor elf to do, "Oh crap, sorry about that. I do not know what got into me. Get Aamini out here!" In the meantime, Ruscotelep is still trying to make minced meat of the rat. Aamini peeks out through the same door, "Don't ask me, I can’t walk through fire either!" Calien is not amused, "Oh, look at you thinking you are a funny drood. You see those puddles of water around the arena? I need you to summon them one by one until they form a big ball of water, then I need you to put Berot inside that ball and float him to me. Tell him he is going to need to hold his breath for a while. Do you think you can do that for me?" Aamini has no idea how she is going to get it done but also knows she has to try. Berot shakes his head, "So those are my choices? Death by fire or drowning? Either way there is a very good change I am going to die. Why does it have to be me?" Aamini looks him in the eyes, "Maybe next time you will think twice before sneaking into a lady's room when not invited?"
The king seems much calmer and the students have allowed him to get back up but they have him surrounded just in case he gets any more bright ideas. Aamini sends on of them to the kitchens and before long buckets of water are being passed through the windows. She looks at Berot, "You really did not think I was going to go out there, did you? I think the world of my cousin and that rat is one hell of a fighter but that shield of his is using a lot energy and mine ran out really quick. I don’t want to be there when it finally does run out and Ruscotelep makes a meal out of him." Berot helps her line up the buckets against the wall by the door while constantly complaining under his breath. Aamini stands in front of him and extends her arms. She thinks of the water in the buckets, thinks of the air around the buckets, focuses on the water leaving the buckets and floating mid air. She thinks of herself moving that water with her mind. She thinks the room they are standing in. She thinks of how that water could just fall on her head and get her wet. She opens her eyes and tries to get out of the way but it is too late. Berot and the other students try not to laugh. She scowls at them, "I can take any single one of you by sword or by magic. Care to test my skills?" The king answers her, "Aamini! Focus on the task at hand. Forget about them. That’s why you failed. You almost did it but your focus is not strong enough." Calien yells from outside, "Any chance we can get this going soon guys? If my shield fails we are all as good as dead." Berot starts moving the buckets to the doorway, "Maybe you need to be more exposed to the elements. Why don’t you try here?" She has nothing to lose so she starts again. She thinks about the water, the buckets, the water in the buckets, the water out of the buckets, the water floating over the buckets and finally the water floating in front of Berot. She opens her eyes and just like in her head, there is a bucket of water sans the bucket floating in front of her friend. Success at last! She hurries to repeat the process a few more times and after a good soaking and several attempts, she has a ball of water big enough to stick Berot in. She sticks her head out the door, "Calien! I got the water ball. How do I stick Berot in it?" Calien is pushing back hard against the princess who dropped one of her swords in the fight and it lies on the stone floor still engulfed in flames, "He has to take a deep breath and then step into it. Once inside, he will be affected by the same magic you are using to hold the ball afloat."
Aamini turns to Berot, "Well, you heard the rat! Get your ass in there." Berot walks around the water ball and peeks out the door, "Hey Calien! Are you sure this is going to work?" Calien is exasperated, "Yes it will work. Hurry the hell up!" Berot mumbles under his breath, "Yeah yeah yeah, easier said than done." He swipes the sweat of his brow, turns around to face the water and takes a deep breath. He sees Aamini on the other side of the water ball and she looks very funny, causing him to laugh out loud and exhale. Aamini loses her patience and yells at him, "Berot! Just do it!" He starts to explain but she loses her patience before he could get a word out and pushes the ball against him. As soon as the surface of the water touches his skin it swallows his entire body. He did not get a chance to take a deep breath and looks at Aamini from inside with his eyes about to pop out of his head. She tells him not to worry and instead of slowly moving the ball across the arena, through the fire and onto the spot where Calien wants him, she just uses both hands to make a pushing gesture that sends them flying across. Her aim is perfect and Calien gives Ruscotelep one strong push, "Look at him! Look at his face. You did that because of your lack of focus and discipline. Do you want to keep going through life doing that to those you love?" She stops for a moment and her fire disappears instantly but there is no sign that she understands what he is saying. Calien drops his shield, leaving himself and Berot exposed. If she lights back up, they are both going to be in a lot of pain. Ruscotelep walks up to the ball of water floating in front of her. Inside, Berot is too busy trying not to drown to even notice what’s going on outside. Ruscotelep stares into the ball and through it sees the still flaming sword lying on the ground. She focuses on that and summons it to her hand. It flies across the arena floor, flaming blade first, heading straight to the ball of water and Berot. Aamini has been watching from the doorway and instinctively extends her arm and squeezes her hand into a tight fist. The water ball bursts open and Berot drops to the floor gasping for air. Calien has the sword under his control but Aamini did not know. He looks at her and she mouths the words, "I'm sorry!"
Ruscotelep turns to the rat, "That is my sword you know! Would you mind?" Calien can not believe she is acting as if nothing had happened. She hears Berot at her feet gasping for air and kneels beside him to offer a bit of comfort. He embraces her boot and leans his cheek against her leg with a huge smile on his face. Aamini is frozen in place. She too can’t believe her eyes. Calien hands the princess her flaming sword and as soon as she touches its hilt the flames dissipate. She turns towards Aamini with a big grin on her face. Behind Aamini, her father stands tall and handsome as ever. There are tears in his eyes. Calien knows the king is going to make a blubbering fool out of himself but in all of the times he could do so, this is the only one that will not end up badly. For the next day or two the princess will be at her most vulnerable. Her will is broken and so are her powers. They will come back but until they do, she will be just like any other warrior elf. Since nobody knows exactly when will she be back to burning elves alive, caution is paramount around her. The king running to embrace his daughter with tears running down his face is not exactly the training she came here to receive but Calien can't think of a better way to spend the afternoon. He lets them hug it out for a while but unfortunately he has to put a stop to it and pulls her aside to explain how things are going to work for the next couple of days just so she is prepared, "I know you want to spend time with your father but right now you have to understand how things work. It is commendable that you broke your will so quickly and we got lucky that Berot was around to help you focus, but right now you have very little time to train with your father. I am sure you have not noticed yet but there is a new mark on your body." She starts frantically looking all over her body for the mark but Calien grabs her arm and makes her stop, "It’s on your neck. You can probably feel it with your hands." He takes her hand and brings it to the mark. She touches it, feels the difference on her skin and smiles, "You were right Calien. I am the one! Mother is going to lose her mind." Then she squeals like a little girl and takes off running into the main hall looking for a mirror. Aamini jumps out of the way to avoid getting run over. Ruscotelep finds one of the mirrors that decorate the main hall's walls and calls out, "Aamini come here! Look at this. Calien was right. Do you see the mark? Now look at the map of the world on the ceiling. They are the same. How awesome is that?" Aamini is happy for her cousin but also worried. What does this mean? The little she knows of the legend does not end well for the champion. Why is she so happy?
Calien walks into the main hall next to the king. Berot follows them but he still has a dumbfounded look on his face. Aamini walks up to him and grabs his arm, "Are you ok? What is going on in your head?" Calien laughs, "He is as good as he is going to be for a while. I think being deprived of air for so long might have fried his head for a bit. He will recover, just take him to his parent's quarters and lay him down. He should be fine in the morning." Aamini quickly puts Berot's arm over her shoulder, hers around his waist, and then she heads out the side entrance, disappearing into the streets. The king can’t stop smiling, "I have been blessed by the Gods. Aamini is a great niece and Ruscotelep is by my side. Could this day get any better?" Calien serves the king a drink then pours himself one, "It has been a rough day for all of us. I will retire to my quarters for the night. I am going to let you two be alone but you have to remember the deal. If she starts to get warm at all you run. You run like never ran before and come to get me. You promise?" The king nods his head. Calien walks up to Ruscotelep to say good night and finds her admiring her newly acquired map while comparing it with the one depicted in the one that decorates the main hall's ceiling, "Calien, can I ask you a question before you retire for the night?" He smiles, "Of course my child!" She moves closer to a lit candle, "I can see the resemblance between the map up there and the one on my neck but there are some big differences too. Why is that?" Calien inspects the mark up close before looking up at the map on the ceiling, "I'll be damned! You are right. The map on the ceiling is missing some stuff. It does make sense though if you think about it. The mark is brought forth by magic. I am sure it is more accurate than what you see up there. It should be interesting to discover those new lands and see what creatures live there. But for now I am going to rest. You, my lady, have given me a run for my money today. I hope you heed my words and be careful. Have fun with your father but remember to always be aware of your powers and their return." He turns and heads upstairs.
The king signals for her to come and sit by him. He wants to look at her up close. He wants to memorize her face as it is today to remember for the rest of days; her sweet face devoid of any fire or curse to speak of. This is the one time in their lives where he will be able to admire her beauty and revel in her splendor without fear. He stares into her amber colored eyes and gets lost in them for a moment. Ruscotelep pulls away, "Is it back? Father? Are you ok? Did I hurt you?" The king holds her face in his hands, "I am great my princess. I have never been better. You did not hurt me. I just can’t stop looking at you. Your mother always described you to me as the most beautiful creature to ever grace this island but I had no idea. The image that I created in my head does not make you justice. The kindness in your eyes just makes me want to cry. I can see the sparkle in them. Those metal bits in the blood that your family passes on through the generations are there but today they only add to your beauty. I only wish we could be like this forever. It is not to be though! There are things you need to know. I am sure you have questions about the destiny that awaits you. I want you to ask anything you want today so I can look into your eyes and you know I am telling the truth. Go ahead, ask anything you want!" Ruscotelep hold back her tears, "There is nothing I want to ask father. I trust you! I always have. Even as a child when I asked mother why you weren’t around. I knew you loved me even then. I never doubted it." The king is not as strong as her and his tears flow freely. She wipes them away with her hand and he grabs it with both of his to kiss them softly. A loud strong wind bears down on the arena. The king looks out the window to find his friend Crawlpaw, "Is everything alright my friend?"
Last night, after the princess retired to her quarters, the king and Crawlpaw had a long talk. The dragon brought some news about the northern coast with him. He decided to not tell the queen because of her quick temper. Instead, he delivered the news to the king in order to come up with a plan before the queen throws her power around and gets someone killed. His cave lies on the northern face of Mount Nanguringan, the tallest and most remote mountain in the island, and from there he witnessed the arrival of several dark creatures through a magical doorway right on the beach. The type of magic ancient druids used to travel all over the great continent. Such magical abilities are not part of the dark magic spell book. There is a traitor helping the dark creatures move around. The king asked his friend to make sure the fishing villages of the north were safe while he sorted out Ruscotelep's training. The dragon traveled up there and is bringing more news, "The villages are unharmed for now, but those dark creatures I saw are now summoning more of those minions that attacked your school. They are assembling an army near the cliffs of the northern shore. They are preparing for something and whatever it is it is not going to be pretty." The king walks up to his war table. A long table made to look like the island of Fuga. It was commissioned by the queen to be the centerpiece of her battle room but when it was delivered to the palace she did not like how it clashed with the curtains so she had them bring it to the school. Up until now, the king used it to teach the students how to get around the island and how to find the black dwarves to get their suits of armor made for graduation day. Today, it will help them keep track of the already occurring invasion. Crawlpaw stays outside looking through a small window into the main hall, "So, how is the princess' training coming along? Did she break yet?" The king walks around the table looking for the northern cliffs, "Why don’t you ask her?" Crawlpaw says, "I will when I see her." The king looks up and finds her gone, "Shit! Where did she go? She was just right here with me." From the darkness of the stairs behind the king Calien says, "She went to wake my ass up! What's this about a traitor and an invasion?"
He enters the room scratching his belly and wearing what could be considered the ugliest hat anyone has ever worn and nothing else. The king walks outside to meet Crawlpaw followed by Calien. Once in the arena the smell of smoke prompts him to look at his bedroom's window. Smoke is flowing out of it. Calien shakes his head, "That didn’t last long! Who is going to put that out?" The room is on fire and Ruscotelep is standing by the window, looking down at her father, "I am so sorry!" He smiles, "No worries beautiful. Come on down, the servants will put the fire out. We have a few things to discuss." She jumps out of the window and lands right in front of her father. Calien quickly pushes the king out of harms way, "Whoa! You can’t do that anymore princess. Your powers are back and we need to start acting like it." Crawlpaw nudges her, "I see you are back to your old tricks huh? It is for the best sweetheart. We are going to need all the power we can get. There is not much time left. Wake all the students and start your training. I will go tell your mother what is going on so she is not caught off guard." Then he flaps his scaly wings and takes off into the night sky quickly disappearing into its darkness. The king goes back to his table, "Calien, you are in charge of the training. I have to get the elders up to see what they can come up with. Ruscotelep, are you going to be alright?" She looks at him a little sad. He is not the sweet father that was holding her face a few moments ago. He is all about war now. The king looks at her and knows what she is going on in her head, "I still love you baby! I just want to make sure you and your kingdom are safe and we have more time together." Those words seem to put the princess at ease.
Ruscotelep walks around the arena admiring the buildings that surround it, in complete awe of everything around her. The mere experience of being outdoors amongst all these elves is so new to her. Crawlpaw lets go of the king who quickly turns his head towards the princess. Her back is turned to him and he is surprised to find her fully clad in a suit of blackened armor. The black dwarves must have made it for her. Her long black hair flows in the wind but everything else is covered in steel. Calien walks by her side as he has done many times before in the palace's hidden gardens.
Queen Ruscomalda first learned of the rat and his powers when she was a child. He was friends with her mother and according to her, her mother before her. There are mentions of Calien in the royal tomes as far back as the days of Queen Vanyaómariel. He comes and goes as he pleases, often unannounced but always around the birth of a new princess. Nobody knows how he does it though. He usually sticks around for a while but one day, without warning, he just disappears. There are tales of the big rat that comes down from the clouds and casts a spell over the crops to make them bloom early and save them from a drought. Tales of the "Big Hairy" that helped the black dwarves find the very rare components to make the queen's armor with. Stories of how much wisdom he imparts to each princess hoping that one of them develops the mark of the champion; a spot on the skin anywhere in her body, in the shape of Rodinia, the big continent. According to his teachings, that is how he will know the end is near and the "valrauca beltor" is upon us. For now, he is just happy that Ruscotelep is out and about. He is almost completely convinced she is the one, and this time around he has stayed with her the longest. She does not bear the mark yet but all the signs point in her direction; the rise of the dark creatures all over the world, the constant attacks on the fugan people, the use of dark magic by creatures of light. Everything makes sense. He makes sure to ask Ruscotelep every day if she has seen anything new on her skin but there is nothing there yet. He is hoping that exposing the princess to her subjects and letting her begin battle training with her father will help move things along.
The princess is anxious to begin her training but the trip has been arduous and quite eventful so she turns to Calien, "Where do I sleep? I am going to have a big day tomorrow and would like to start early. Can you show me to my room?" Calien does not know where her room is but he knows someone who does. He calls for Aamini, "Ruscotelep, meet your cousin Aamini. She is your father's niece and will be helping you with everything you need while you are here. She will show you to your room. I have stuff to sort out with your father. Run along and get some rest." Aamini avoids eye contact, "You can follow me. I will show you to your room." Ruscotelep acts as if everyone around her was a servant. She just doesn't know any better. They both go up a flight of stairs and just as they are about to reach the top, Berot decides to make an appearance. Aamini quickly knocks him to the ground, "I told you to stay away you idiot. She almost killed you the first time. Do you just want her to finish the job?" Ruscotelep steps over them, "What do you mean almost killed? I do not almost kill anything. I do not know this elf. He would be dead otherwise." Aamini rolls her eyes, "Yes you do. This is the idiot that tried to sneak into your room back at the palace and you set him on fire not so long ago. He jumped out the window and landed in water so he didn’t die. Your mom sent him up here to live with your dad. I think he has lost his damn mind because he keeps trying to look into your eyes." Berot tries to squirm his way out from under Aamini, "I do not want to die. I just want to see her eyes one more time. I promise it will only be for just one moment. I won’t let her get me again, I promise. Just one more time please!" Aamini grabs the back of his head and slams it against the floor, "There is not just one moment with her, and you know that. She will kill you! Stop being an ass." Ruscotelep interrupts, "That is not really true. If he is who I think he is, I wouldn’t mind looking into his eyes either. If I remember correctly he was quite the looker. I will make you a deal. You hold him down and cover his eyes. When I count to three, you uncover them for just a moment and then cover them back up. That way he can't linger and fall prey to the curse. Maybe doing so will make him stop trying to catch me by surprise." Berot yells out, "I promise, just one moment. I will not do it again."
Aamini is not very sure about the whole thing but what else is she going to do. It is either she lets it happen or he will get himself killed. So it's settled. Ruscotelep turns away, Aamini loosens her grip long enough for Berot to turn over and she then kneels on his hands while covering his eyes with hers, "Ok, let's do it now before I change my mind." Ruscotelep counts, "One, Two, Three." Aamini takes her hands away and Berot stares into the princess' eyes. For just one fleeting moment he finds the peace he has been seeking since the flames engulfed his body. The angst he suffers through every night when he goes to sleep will be there no longer. The horrible nightmares will be gone and best of all, he survived a second glance. Nobody other than the king ever had the chance to do that. Aamini places her hands over his eyes again and feels his whole body relax under her, "I'll be damned. I think it worked. He is not fighting me anymore. Ruscotelep, I think you did it. You actually looked one of your subjects in the eyes and he did not burst into flames. Wait until I tell your father." From behind her Ruscotelep tries to regain her composure, "His face! Did I do that to him?" Aamini nods. Berot says nothing. The princess turns away, "Enough games for tonight. Please show me to my room. I am exhausted." Aamini gets up and walks ahead. Berot stays there on the floor, reveling in the afterglow of it all.
The princess follows Aamini in silence for a while but just as they enter her room she inquires, "Is he going to be ok?" Aamini, surprised at the first sign of warmth coming from the princess, lifts her gaze and looks into her eyes. Ruscotelep turns away yelling, "Do not do that!" Then slams the door shut in Aamini's face. Aamini answers quietly from behind the door, "Do not worry, I will take care of him. You get some rest. Tomorrow will be a rough day for all of us." Then she walks away. Ruscotelep leans against the door and reflects on the day. Her room is covered wall to wall in sumptuous fabrics of different textures and colors. She can feel the breeze and see the fabric sway in it but there is no window for her to look out of. Her father made sure all the windows were concealed to keep her away from prying eyes but in an effort to secure her privacy and safety, he created a claustrophobic nightmare. There is too much stuff going on. The breeze that blows in the room must come from somewhere. She starts frantically tearing down the fabric panels. One by one they fall, making it easier for her to breathe. The more fabric panels she tears down, the better she feels about the room. Then, she finds the source of that elusive breeze. A big wide open window that looks out into the Fugan Forest hiding behind two fabric panels that are quickly pulled off. The light in the sky is about to disappear behind the mountains but it extends its golden tentacles over the tapestry of ancient trees that carpets the forest in a last ditch effort to hang on to whatever vestige of life is left in the day. It is the perfect ending to a very long day.
After a very long night of tossing and turning, the princess rises up and stands by the window. The king's servants run around in the streets below getting the morning shores done before the light in the sky rises up completely unaware they are being watched. One of them is Berot. She recognizes the coat of arms on his cloak. He passes under the princess' window on his way to the red wolves' pens behind the school. Ruscotelep follows him with her eyes while he walks through the morning golden haze that blankets the entire school. A very thin mist that makes the mountains appear as if they were shrouded in a golden fog until the light in the sky rises and burns it off, revealing the beauty of the forest underneath. Ruscotelep always thought it was the best time of the day because it makes her reflect on her abilities and how what some people think of as a curse could also make things appear very clearly. She hopes one day her power will serve well for the fugans and if the stories her mother and Calien keep telling her are true, also the world. For now, she just wishes Berot wouldn’t have to go through life with those scars. She remembers smiling at him that day. He was quite the handsome elf and she changed that with a simple glance. He will have to spend the rest of his life regretting one little indiscretion. She can understand using her powers against the enemy, but hurting her own is something she has not learned how to deal with yet. A voice from behind makes her snap out of it, "Good day princess. Are you ready to begin your training? You and I have a full day worth of fighting to get through. Calien tells me you are quite adept with the short sword and can even dual wield the blades I sent for you. They used to belong to my mother. She never got to meet you but wanted me to make sure you got them. I hope they are to your liking." She reaches for the blades, "They are my favorite ones. I didn’t know they belonged to my grandmother. I love how they fit my grip." Then she walks around the room with them in hands pretending to fight with the air.
The king already got a good talking to by Calien about discipline and how he promised the queen no harm would come to the him while they were training and if the king dares even look into Ruscotelep's eyes for just one moment, Calien himself is going to kick his ass. Even with such a threat, the king is finding it really difficult to comply. He finds himself seeking her gaze. She notices how daring he is and decides to put an end to it. The king is almost mesmerized in her presence and she gets close enough to get a good slice in. She swings her arm with great agility in the king's direction but his instincts and sense of self preservation take over and dodge it. She tries a second time with the same result. By now the king is not playing any more games and jumps out of her reach using his staff for leverage. They go at it for a while, destroying almost every piece of furniture in the room until the king has to jump out of the window, onto the street below to avoid losing a limb. The servants scatter like rats and Ruscotelep jumps after him. A chase ensues; a very loud and destructive one. Between Ruscotelep's extremely aggressive push against her father and the screams of servants and students trying to get out of their way, this morning has turned out to be very eventful.
In a room nearby, Calien and Aamini are meditating while trying to become one with the elements but before they know it, the sounds of war outside their window are too loud to ignore. Calien looks out and calls for Aamini to join him by the window, "This is a good lesson for you. You see those two going at it? Warriors tend to let their weapons do their talking for them. Ruscotelep has a few daddy issues that need to be worked out and the king is too afraid to hurt his baby so he would rather take a beating than stand up to her. They will go at it until the whole school is in shambles if you don’t stop them." Aamini turns to Calien with a quizzical look in her face, "You meant to say someone stop them, right? Because I thought you said for me to stop them." Calien summons one of the pillows and places his quite rotund behind on it, "You heard right. Now get your ass out there and make them stop if you want to have a place to lay your head down at tonight." She shakes her head, "You have lost your mind. There is no way I am going out there to make them stop. The king will not listen to me and Ruscotelep will kill me. I am not suicidal!" Calien starts preening his fur, "Well, you can either go out there and make them stop by listening to your instincts or, pull up another pillow and sit here with me to watch them tear down every building here stick by stick. Which is it?" Aamini thinks about it for a moment, and then pulls up a pillow. Calien shakes his head, "I was kidding about the pillow. Get your ass out there girl. You are a druid. Act like one. Go make those two behave. Listen to your instincts. Trust me, if you pay attention to your senses they will tell you what to do. Just be aware of the elements around you. Summon them to your aid. Bend them to your will. Make them do your bidding. Whatever you are going to do, just do it soon, they are getting too damn close to the kitchen and we can’t let them destroy it."
Aamini hesitates at the window ledge but decides to give it a try and jumps onto the arena. She carefully walks up to the fight trying to avoid the destruction left in their wake. The king has his daughter in a headlock but she uses her legs to push him against the wall behind them, forcing him to let her go. Aamini looks back at Calien who is still plopped on that pillow and chewing on a pinego. He waves back at her. She realizes he is really not going to help her. The king catches a glimpse of her presence and yells out while dodging the princess' attack, "Aamini go back inside. It is too dangerous for you out here." Ruscotelep looks at Aamini, "Are you crazy? Get out of here." Aamini looks at Calien again for any support but he again just waves at her. He told her to follow her instincts but all she wants to do is run away screaming. In her head, the rat's voice whispers, "Close your eyes and feel the elements around you. Let your skin feel the chill in the air, the thickness of the fog, the wetness of the stone below your feet. The sparks of fire every time the king's staff hits Ruscotelep's blade. Pick one of them and focus on it. You are its mistress. You control what it does. You can make it grow and make it work for you." She chooses the wetness under her feet. The soft mist in the air slowly settled on top of every brick that lines the arena floor. She extends her arm out with the palms of her hands facing the sky. Her hair loses its weight and flows in the air. She can feel the cool breeze against her skin. She lifts her hands and every drop of water within her gaze rises up and lingers mid air awaiting her next move. The warriors do not notice right away but behind her, standing at the window, with a huge grin on his face, Calien could not be any prouder. She quickly lifts one arm, points at the sky above, and then aims at the warriors with the other. The water rises up above her head and under her command soaks both the king and his daughter to the bone.
They lie on the stone floor completely caught off guard. Calien is running towards them cheering at Aamini for a job well done. Aamini opens her eyes and is very confused by what lies before her. She just can’t believe she did it. She was able to be one with the elements just like Calien told her she would. Maybe that damned rat knows what he is talking about after all. The king is the first one to his feet and rushes the princess. Calien quickly points his short stubby arm at him and a force of wind that wasn't there before slams him against the wall nearby. Ruscotelep tries to take advantage of that and attempts to do the same but suffers a similar fate at the hands of the rat. Aamini's eyes open wide, "How did you do that? Teach me that. That is awesome!" The king and the princess are both pinned by an invisible force against the stone wall. The king is not pleased, "Calien! Let me go at once." Calien turns to Aamini instead, "It's very impressive huh? I love doing that to them. Right now there is a lot of pent up energy flowing through their bodies. For the normal fugan warrior, such energy just increases his focus and sharpens his senses. The king will just become better at fighting and more focused in winning. Ruscotelep on the other hand, hasn't quite mastered her skills yet, so instead of becoming more focused in her fighting style, she just releases that energy onto the air around her. She emanates so much heat from her skin that during a long fight she can burn her enemies to a crisp. I have lost a few hairs trying to teach her how to control it. Her mother says it has something to do with her emotions and as you can tell, these two have a lot of crap to deal with. If you and I can keep them alive for the next few days then things will start looking up."
Ruscotelep tries to squirm her way out of whatever it is that's holding her in place but without the aid of Calien or Aamini, she is not going anywhere. The king has all but given up trying to get lose and soon realizes this is the best time to get to know his daughter so he turns to her, "Stop fighting it my dear, you know when that damn rat throws a spell it sticks. I can see you have the same problem your mother had before we met. I helped her focus her energy during battle with a very simple exercise. Would you like me to show you?" Ruscotelep ignores him and continues to stress herself out, "I do not need any help focusing my energy father. I know what I am doing. I like the way it works now. It makes me a more powerful warrior." Calien looks at the king, "Remind you of anyone in particular?" They both share a laugh while Aamini asks, "Who?" Calien releases the king, "Her mother! They are almost identical. The queen was just as stubborn as Ruscotelep is. They think the world revolves around them and they can handle everything. It is only during battle that they realize the need for others to assist them if they are to succeed. They are not invincible. They are powerful but must learn how to take advantage of what other beings can provide or will fall in battle fighting alone. Today for example, if Ruscotelep would realize how important a druid could be by her side, this fight wouldn’t have lasted as long. You can provide healing along with controlling the elements around you and summoning the creatures of the forest to come to your aid. The king wouldn’t stand a chance against the two of you. Instead, she lets pride cloud her judgment and chooses to fight alone against a much hardier opponent. Decisions like that get queens killed and kingdoms fallen."
Ruscotelep knows the rat is right but will not give him the satisfaction. Her energy is increasing and instead of slowing down long enough to convince Calien to let her go, this time she thinks will be the one time she will escape his binding spell. The king tries to calm her down but his words are not enough. Aamini chimes in, "Ruscotelep, you are starting to scorch the wall around you. Focus in what is important right now or we are going to be here forever." Calien casts an ice spell in an attempt to cool her off but it’s to no avail. Ruscotelep just keeps getting more upset, "I am Ruscotelep, Princess of the Fugan People, heir to the throne and future ruler of this island. I demand you release me right now. Your insolence will be dealt with in kind." Calien looks at the king and they both burst out laughing. Aamini notices the smoke leaving the princess' skin and seeks refuge. Calien tells the king, "She is at it again. Do not worry, I can handle her. Just go inside and take Aamini with you. There is going to be some fire around here for a bit. I will try to keep the damage to a minimum. We are going to have a little talk." The king finds Aamini and they take off running. Ruscotelep's skin is now completely covered in flames and she glares at the rat, "I have nothing to discuss with your kind. Just release me so I can show you what a Fugan Princess is truly capable of." Calien is well aware what a Fugan Princess is capable of. Every single one of them, without fail, has put him through the paces challenging him to fights, wanting to do things their way and not listening in general. They do eventually come to realize he only has their best interest at heart but not before throwing down with him a few times. Today is Ruscotelep's turn to learn a lesson.
Calien extends his arm and summons a stick from the debris nearby to use as a weapon. He takes a step back to give the princess a little room and releases her. Experience has taught her to not give him a moment to breathe. As soon as she feels her body free from his bind, she charges forth blades ablaze. Her fire has extended to the swords, something that has never happened in the past. There is no time to figure out what is going on though. She has to teach the rat a thing or two about what she is capable of. Calien pushes against the stone floor and rises above her head as if he had wings. She misses a step and slams against the wall. He calmly walks away twirling his stick and infuriating the hell out of her. She recovers and launches another attack, but just as she is about to reach her target, Calien stops, turns, lifts his stick and puts fear into her heart. His eyes lock onto hers and he can witness the fire in them starting to fade. The flame is quickly extinguished and replaced with darkness. Her desire to put Calien in his place is replaced by a total sense of despair. While she is frozen in place with panic, he lifts the stick above her head and says a few words that bring the once dead piece of wood back to life. It sprouts leaves and vines that cascade over the princess' body tightening around her. In just moments, the Princess of the Fugan People, heir to the throne and future ruler of this island is reduced to nothing more than a scared plant holder in the middle of the arena.
Without missing a beat, life returns to normal. As normal as life can be these days. The king comes out of hiding and walks past his daughter not even taking the time to look at her twice. Aamini also walks by and as instructed by the king, she ignores Ruscotelep's demands to be freed. They reconvene by the main hall where the king pleads for an explanation from Calien, "Why does she have to suffer like that. She does not deserve that kind of treatment from us. I can not let her stay there all day, it will kill me!" Calien shakes his head, "If you know what is good for her you will. You know how hard it was for her mother to realize she needed others. In order for your daughter to be a decent ruler, she must experience humility. Up until now we have all tended to every single one of her needs but it is time she learns to take care of herself. We must break her will or she could put herself in danger. So you decide; teach her a lesson here amongst all of us who love and will not let her get hurt or send her out into the world to fight against those dark creatures with nothing but darkness in their hearts." The king peers through a window, "I know, I know. Just don’t ask me to torture her any longer. I can’t do it. I just want to run out there and embrace her." Aamini walks up to her uncle and put her arm over his shoulder, "Uncle, I know it must feel horrible but it is for the best. I just met her and already know there is good in her heart. She just needs to let everyone else see it. Once she breaks that barrier, then we can go on with the training." A loud and piercing shriek echoes through the buildings. Calien runs to the window, "She is fine, just frustrated. Let her be." The king covers his ears. Aamini looks at Calien and whispers, "You know those vines aren't going to hold her if she flames up, right?" Calien smiles, "She can't flame up as you call it. The wood used to build this place came from the most ancient trees in the dark forest by Peler Ambaron, city of nobles. The trees were infused with protection magic before they were cut down and brought here. When I brought the wood back to life, the vines that sprouted from it grew with the same magic. She can scream all she wants but there will not be any fire happening while she is encased in there."
The king drops on a chair in defeat, "Does her mother know about this?" Calien rolls his eyes, "Listen you pussy! You know we have to do it. You know she is going to kick our asses while we are doing it. You know it can’t be done any other way. So stop your whining and go find your balls because this is going to get hot really quick once she figures out how to escape." Aamini is starting to get nervous, "Are we in danger here? You two are starting to mess with my head." Calien smiles at her, "You will be fine. If she is going to come after someone it will be me first, then her father. Just make sure you cast whatever healing spell you got on him. I will take care of myself." The king stands up, "I am sorry Calien, you are right. Let’s just get it over with." The three of them enter the arena. Everyone else quickly disappears from view except for the imprisoned princess. She seems to have forgotten her words though. Nothing but grunts and squeals leave her mouth. She bites at the vines and squirms around trying to gain her freedom. Her hands are tied down still gripping the swords. Calien summons a healing cloud to surrounds him and Aamini throws her weak heal on the king while hanging back a bit. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Berot. He is hiding near the kitchen, fully armed and ready to engage if called upon. Aamini glares at him to run away but he just smiles back at her. Calien has done this before. Every single fugan princess has gone through the same ritual. They get really pissed off and turn into wild elves. They act like animals and will kill anyone in sight if left to their own devices. There is a story about one of them going on a rampage so huge that most elves had to seek refuge inside the mines with the black dwarves to avoid her wrath. Half the island was burned to a crisp! Ruscotelep is the most powerful of the fugan princesses ever to grace the island. If her will is not broken things could get much worse. Calien confronts her, "Ruscotelep, you have to get a hold of yourself. If you do not focus and learn to control your urges the world's freedom is at risk. What happened to the prim and proper princess I brought up here yesterday? Why are you allowing the wild in you to surface like this? I taught you better than that." Ruscotelep answers with more grunts and squeals while trying to grab at him through the vines. The king walks around and stands behind her, "I would trade places with you if I could my beautiful daughter. It hurts me to watch you go through this. I have missed so much of you growing up and just when I have the chance to spend time with you it has to be like this. Please try to focus on your urges and control your flame sweetheart. You can do it just like your mother and all queens before her."
The princess' eyes burn like never before but nothing else. There is no heat coming from her body at all. The oak vines seem to be doing their job preventing her skin from lighting up but they are starting to loosen up. She is able to push more of her body through the space between them with each squirm. Calien knows she will break through any moment now and stands in front of her to make her come towards him first. He refreshes his healing cloud spell just in time for one of the oak vines to give way. Ruscotelep pushes against it with her shoulder and gains her freedom. Her hands rise up armed and ready to rumble. The whole thing is a spectacle of ancient power with the purity of a wild heart. Aamini, along with everyone else within eyesight, is quite nervous. If not done right, the whole thing could turn ugly really quick. She starts looking around for an escape route just in case things go awry. The king stands in front of her to protect her from the flames. Ruscotelep's fire is at its strongest right now. It grew quickly. Calien does not fear it though. He stands in front of her with one arm extended blocking her flames from reaching him with a shield spell. She pushes against him but he is able to hold her back, "Ruscotelep! You must focus. Think about your destiny. Remember the stories of your ancestors. Think about the queens that came before you. Summon their strength and let it flow through your veins. This is the moment you have been training for." She just grunts and squeals a little more but continues to push against him. By now Calien is sliding backwards with the force of her fire, "Do not make me hurt you princess. I want you to do this on your own!" The king hears those words and rushes to their side, "Do not hurt her or you will have to kill me." Aamini tries to pull him away but he is not budging. Then another pair of hands intercedes. It is Berot. He helps Aamini drag the king out of harms way and into the main hall. They throw him on the floor while a few other students join the fracas and hold him down. He continues to kick and scream but there is nothing he can do right now. It is all up to Calien and the princess.
Aamini rushes outside. Calien is still holding steady but Ruscotelep's fire keeps growing. If something is not done about it soon the whole school could burn up before they break her will. She has an idea. There is a well behind the main hall where the servants get the water for the school. If she could just figure out a way to get that water out and drop it on top of Ruscotelep and the rat, then they might stand a chance. She closes her eyes and thinks of the well. She summons the wind to come to her aid. At first, a soft breeze blows throughout the arena and surrounding buildings. She focuses on the well and makes the wind start to spin around it. With a little more concentration, said spinning wind creates a funnel that starts sucking the water out of the well. After a few moments, she moves it into the arena and positions it right on top the princess. Once in place, she just opens her eyes and the wind stops. With nothing holding it up anymore, the water drops on Ruscotelep and Calien, putting her fire out if just for a moment; a very important moment, a moment that gives Calien a glimpse into something new. Right on the side the princess' neck there is a new mark; a mark that resembles the shape of the great continent. The mark that he has wanted to see for such a long time. The mark that signifies the Valrauca Beltor is rising to the world above and the Dark Lord found a way out of the underworld. Aamini drops to her knees while Berot and some of the other students run to her aid. She is exhausted from that last spell. They lift her limp body from the stone floor and carry her inside. Being so new at the whole spell casting thing her energy levels are still very low, so pulling off a huge spell like that depletes every single drop of energy in her body. The fact that she was even able to do it on her own, without any instruction from Calien was a huge accomplishment; one that plays a very important part in her development.
Outside of the main hall, the battle rages on. Calien knows the mark has come to be. Ruscotelep does not, and she is still pissed at the world. Calien has to come up with something to end this quick so he is able to share the news with everyone about the mark. Its revelation changes everything. But what can he do to make her stop? When her mother went through this, it took him several days to calm her down. Calien needs to come up with another plan. He remembers something Aamini told him this morning when she arrived for training. Apparently the princess is remorseful about Berot's scars. That is something no fugan princess before her has ever demonstrated, at least not before going through the big change. He feels foolish for not thinking about it earlier. So much destruction could have been prevented. Ruscotelep is now completely engulfed in flames again and coming at him blades first. Calien summons his invisible shield and calls out for Berot. He hopes to reawaken those feelings in the princess by exposing her to his scars again. Berot has other plans though. He is ok with saving the king and keeping Aamini safe and all that, but in order to get anywhere near the two warriors he would have to walk through fire and the last time he got that close to it things didn’t turn out so well. Calien calls for him again and he peeks from behind the main hall's doorway, "I know you are not asking me to walk through the fire, right?" Calien realizes what he was asking the poor elf to do, "Oh crap, sorry about that. I do not know what got into me. Get Aamini out here!" In the meantime, Ruscotelep is still trying to make minced meat of the rat. Aamini peeks out through the same door, "Don't ask me, I can’t walk through fire either!" Calien is not amused, "Oh, look at you thinking you are a funny drood. You see those puddles of water around the arena? I need you to summon them one by one until they form a big ball of water, then I need you to put Berot inside that ball and float him to me. Tell him he is going to need to hold his breath for a while. Do you think you can do that for me?" Aamini has no idea how she is going to get it done but also knows she has to try. Berot shakes his head, "So those are my choices? Death by fire or drowning? Either way there is a very good change I am going to die. Why does it have to be me?" Aamini looks him in the eyes, "Maybe next time you will think twice before sneaking into a lady's room when not invited?"
The king seems much calmer and the students have allowed him to get back up but they have him surrounded just in case he gets any more bright ideas. Aamini sends on of them to the kitchens and before long buckets of water are being passed through the windows. She looks at Berot, "You really did not think I was going to go out there, did you? I think the world of my cousin and that rat is one hell of a fighter but that shield of his is using a lot energy and mine ran out really quick. I don’t want to be there when it finally does run out and Ruscotelep makes a meal out of him." Berot helps her line up the buckets against the wall by the door while constantly complaining under his breath. Aamini stands in front of him and extends her arms. She thinks of the water in the buckets, thinks of the air around the buckets, focuses on the water leaving the buckets and floating mid air. She thinks of herself moving that water with her mind. She thinks the room they are standing in. She thinks of how that water could just fall on her head and get her wet. She opens her eyes and tries to get out of the way but it is too late. Berot and the other students try not to laugh. She scowls at them, "I can take any single one of you by sword or by magic. Care to test my skills?" The king answers her, "Aamini! Focus on the task at hand. Forget about them. That’s why you failed. You almost did it but your focus is not strong enough." Calien yells from outside, "Any chance we can get this going soon guys? If my shield fails we are all as good as dead." Berot starts moving the buckets to the doorway, "Maybe you need to be more exposed to the elements. Why don’t you try here?" She has nothing to lose so she starts again. She thinks about the water, the buckets, the water in the buckets, the water out of the buckets, the water floating over the buckets and finally the water floating in front of Berot. She opens her eyes and just like in her head, there is a bucket of water sans the bucket floating in front of her friend. Success at last! She hurries to repeat the process a few more times and after a good soaking and several attempts, she has a ball of water big enough to stick Berot in. She sticks her head out the door, "Calien! I got the water ball. How do I stick Berot in it?" Calien is pushing back hard against the princess who dropped one of her swords in the fight and it lies on the stone floor still engulfed in flames, "He has to take a deep breath and then step into it. Once inside, he will be affected by the same magic you are using to hold the ball afloat."
Aamini turns to Berot, "Well, you heard the rat! Get your ass in there." Berot walks around the water ball and peeks out the door, "Hey Calien! Are you sure this is going to work?" Calien is exasperated, "Yes it will work. Hurry the hell up!" Berot mumbles under his breath, "Yeah yeah yeah, easier said than done." He swipes the sweat of his brow, turns around to face the water and takes a deep breath. He sees Aamini on the other side of the water ball and she looks very funny, causing him to laugh out loud and exhale. Aamini loses her patience and yells at him, "Berot! Just do it!" He starts to explain but she loses her patience before he could get a word out and pushes the ball against him. As soon as the surface of the water touches his skin it swallows his entire body. He did not get a chance to take a deep breath and looks at Aamini from inside with his eyes about to pop out of his head. She tells him not to worry and instead of slowly moving the ball across the arena, through the fire and onto the spot where Calien wants him, she just uses both hands to make a pushing gesture that sends them flying across. Her aim is perfect and Calien gives Ruscotelep one strong push, "Look at him! Look at his face. You did that because of your lack of focus and discipline. Do you want to keep going through life doing that to those you love?" She stops for a moment and her fire disappears instantly but there is no sign that she understands what he is saying. Calien drops his shield, leaving himself and Berot exposed. If she lights back up, they are both going to be in a lot of pain. Ruscotelep walks up to the ball of water floating in front of her. Inside, Berot is too busy trying not to drown to even notice what’s going on outside. Ruscotelep stares into the ball and through it sees the still flaming sword lying on the ground. She focuses on that and summons it to her hand. It flies across the arena floor, flaming blade first, heading straight to the ball of water and Berot. Aamini has been watching from the doorway and instinctively extends her arm and squeezes her hand into a tight fist. The water ball bursts open and Berot drops to the floor gasping for air. Calien has the sword under his control but Aamini did not know. He looks at her and she mouths the words, "I'm sorry!"
Ruscotelep turns to the rat, "That is my sword you know! Would you mind?" Calien can not believe she is acting as if nothing had happened. She hears Berot at her feet gasping for air and kneels beside him to offer a bit of comfort. He embraces her boot and leans his cheek against her leg with a huge smile on his face. Aamini is frozen in place. She too can’t believe her eyes. Calien hands the princess her flaming sword and as soon as she touches its hilt the flames dissipate. She turns towards Aamini with a big grin on her face. Behind Aamini, her father stands tall and handsome as ever. There are tears in his eyes. Calien knows the king is going to make a blubbering fool out of himself but in all of the times he could do so, this is the only one that will not end up badly. For the next day or two the princess will be at her most vulnerable. Her will is broken and so are her powers. They will come back but until they do, she will be just like any other warrior elf. Since nobody knows exactly when will she be back to burning elves alive, caution is paramount around her. The king running to embrace his daughter with tears running down his face is not exactly the training she came here to receive but Calien can't think of a better way to spend the afternoon. He lets them hug it out for a while but unfortunately he has to put a stop to it and pulls her aside to explain how things are going to work for the next couple of days just so she is prepared, "I know you want to spend time with your father but right now you have to understand how things work. It is commendable that you broke your will so quickly and we got lucky that Berot was around to help you focus, but right now you have very little time to train with your father. I am sure you have not noticed yet but there is a new mark on your body." She starts frantically looking all over her body for the mark but Calien grabs her arm and makes her stop, "It’s on your neck. You can probably feel it with your hands." He takes her hand and brings it to the mark. She touches it, feels the difference on her skin and smiles, "You were right Calien. I am the one! Mother is going to lose her mind." Then she squeals like a little girl and takes off running into the main hall looking for a mirror. Aamini jumps out of the way to avoid getting run over. Ruscotelep finds one of the mirrors that decorate the main hall's walls and calls out, "Aamini come here! Look at this. Calien was right. Do you see the mark? Now look at the map of the world on the ceiling. They are the same. How awesome is that?" Aamini is happy for her cousin but also worried. What does this mean? The little she knows of the legend does not end well for the champion. Why is she so happy?
Calien walks into the main hall next to the king. Berot follows them but he still has a dumbfounded look on his face. Aamini walks up to him and grabs his arm, "Are you ok? What is going on in your head?" Calien laughs, "He is as good as he is going to be for a while. I think being deprived of air for so long might have fried his head for a bit. He will recover, just take him to his parent's quarters and lay him down. He should be fine in the morning." Aamini quickly puts Berot's arm over her shoulder, hers around his waist, and then she heads out the side entrance, disappearing into the streets. The king can’t stop smiling, "I have been blessed by the Gods. Aamini is a great niece and Ruscotelep is by my side. Could this day get any better?" Calien serves the king a drink then pours himself one, "It has been a rough day for all of us. I will retire to my quarters for the night. I am going to let you two be alone but you have to remember the deal. If she starts to get warm at all you run. You run like never ran before and come to get me. You promise?" The king nods his head. Calien walks up to Ruscotelep to say good night and finds her admiring her newly acquired map while comparing it with the one depicted in the one that decorates the main hall's ceiling, "Calien, can I ask you a question before you retire for the night?" He smiles, "Of course my child!" She moves closer to a lit candle, "I can see the resemblance between the map up there and the one on my neck but there are some big differences too. Why is that?" Calien inspects the mark up close before looking up at the map on the ceiling, "I'll be damned! You are right. The map on the ceiling is missing some stuff. It does make sense though if you think about it. The mark is brought forth by magic. I am sure it is more accurate than what you see up there. It should be interesting to discover those new lands and see what creatures live there. But for now I am going to rest. You, my lady, have given me a run for my money today. I hope you heed my words and be careful. Have fun with your father but remember to always be aware of your powers and their return." He turns and heads upstairs.
The king signals for her to come and sit by him. He wants to look at her up close. He wants to memorize her face as it is today to remember for the rest of days; her sweet face devoid of any fire or curse to speak of. This is the one time in their lives where he will be able to admire her beauty and revel in her splendor without fear. He stares into her amber colored eyes and gets lost in them for a moment. Ruscotelep pulls away, "Is it back? Father? Are you ok? Did I hurt you?" The king holds her face in his hands, "I am great my princess. I have never been better. You did not hurt me. I just can’t stop looking at you. Your mother always described you to me as the most beautiful creature to ever grace this island but I had no idea. The image that I created in my head does not make you justice. The kindness in your eyes just makes me want to cry. I can see the sparkle in them. Those metal bits in the blood that your family passes on through the generations are there but today they only add to your beauty. I only wish we could be like this forever. It is not to be though! There are things you need to know. I am sure you have questions about the destiny that awaits you. I want you to ask anything you want today so I can look into your eyes and you know I am telling the truth. Go ahead, ask anything you want!" Ruscotelep hold back her tears, "There is nothing I want to ask father. I trust you! I always have. Even as a child when I asked mother why you weren’t around. I knew you loved me even then. I never doubted it." The king is not as strong as her and his tears flow freely. She wipes them away with her hand and he grabs it with both of his to kiss them softly. A loud strong wind bears down on the arena. The king looks out the window to find his friend Crawlpaw, "Is everything alright my friend?"
Last night, after the princess retired to her quarters, the king and Crawlpaw had a long talk. The dragon brought some news about the northern coast with him. He decided to not tell the queen because of her quick temper. Instead, he delivered the news to the king in order to come up with a plan before the queen throws her power around and gets someone killed. His cave lies on the northern face of Mount Nanguringan, the tallest and most remote mountain in the island, and from there he witnessed the arrival of several dark creatures through a magical doorway right on the beach. The type of magic ancient druids used to travel all over the great continent. Such magical abilities are not part of the dark magic spell book. There is a traitor helping the dark creatures move around. The king asked his friend to make sure the fishing villages of the north were safe while he sorted out Ruscotelep's training. The dragon traveled up there and is bringing more news, "The villages are unharmed for now, but those dark creatures I saw are now summoning more of those minions that attacked your school. They are assembling an army near the cliffs of the northern shore. They are preparing for something and whatever it is it is not going to be pretty." The king walks up to his war table. A long table made to look like the island of Fuga. It was commissioned by the queen to be the centerpiece of her battle room but when it was delivered to the palace she did not like how it clashed with the curtains so she had them bring it to the school. Up until now, the king used it to teach the students how to get around the island and how to find the black dwarves to get their suits of armor made for graduation day. Today, it will help them keep track of the already occurring invasion. Crawlpaw stays outside looking through a small window into the main hall, "So, how is the princess' training coming along? Did she break yet?" The king walks around the table looking for the northern cliffs, "Why don’t you ask her?" Crawlpaw says, "I will when I see her." The king looks up and finds her gone, "Shit! Where did she go? She was just right here with me." From the darkness of the stairs behind the king Calien says, "She went to wake my ass up! What's this about a traitor and an invasion?"
He enters the room scratching his belly and wearing what could be considered the ugliest hat anyone has ever worn and nothing else. The king walks outside to meet Crawlpaw followed by Calien. Once in the arena the smell of smoke prompts him to look at his bedroom's window. Smoke is flowing out of it. Calien shakes his head, "That didn’t last long! Who is going to put that out?" The room is on fire and Ruscotelep is standing by the window, looking down at her father, "I am so sorry!" He smiles, "No worries beautiful. Come on down, the servants will put the fire out. We have a few things to discuss." She jumps out of the window and lands right in front of her father. Calien quickly pushes the king out of harms way, "Whoa! You can’t do that anymore princess. Your powers are back and we need to start acting like it." Crawlpaw nudges her, "I see you are back to your old tricks huh? It is for the best sweetheart. We are going to need all the power we can get. There is not much time left. Wake all the students and start your training. I will go tell your mother what is going on so she is not caught off guard." Then he flaps his scaly wings and takes off into the night sky quickly disappearing into its darkness. The king goes back to his table, "Calien, you are in charge of the training. I have to get the elders up to see what they can come up with. Ruscotelep, are you going to be alright?" She looks at him a little sad. He is not the sweet father that was holding her face a few moments ago. He is all about war now. The king looks at her and knows what she is going on in her head, "I still love you baby! I just want to make sure you and your kingdom are safe and we have more time together." Those words seem to put the princess at ease.