CORONATION OF THE THIRD FORCE

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It happened as my grandfather told me, as I touched down on my kingdom I heard a loud sound of thunder strike, it seems to welcome me back, but in reality, it was the arrival of the Iglobins’ code based combat system to the three kings of the kingdom’s of Water, Sun and Wind as they gather at their common boundary. The combat system was delivered right at the spot where the three kingdoms meet and is encased in round shiny silver plates emitting smoke and the kings stood surrounding the strange object without knowing how to handle it.

Soon, the silver object unfolds itself as the smoke began to clear into a square form and raised itself to two feet above the ground and then branch out three wingspans large enough to carry a full-grown man on it. And from each of the wingspans ropes extended out and into the hands of each of the kings and an invisible voice spoke,

‘Kings of the kingdoms of the earth, Sun, Water and Wind, take hold of the code system and each of your Prince shall stand on the wingspans provided and the codes shall automatically be inputted into their spirits and they shall each read out to you what shall become plain to them. The system of combat favors neither man nor Prince. We are an impartial kingdom, every man shall fight for his life and wherever a man finds good it shall be his. Take it by the ropes, let none touch the silver plate, but by the ropes take it to the center of the three mountains square and have your princes meet there three days from now, the rest shall play out as it is determined for the combat.’

So did the kings pull the silver plate combat system to the base of the three mountains and left it there to return to their various kingdoms and prepare their sons for the combat challenge. When I got home I noticed the king wasn’t at home, and the wife, my mother was unaware of his whereabouts. It is a thing for men and the wives of kings are not informed when in this nature of dangerous business. So mother welcomed me gladly, spent some good time chatting, and served me wonderful food, all along praying for my safe return from the life and death challenge I got myself involved in. I told him I did not get myself involved in, it was my destiny, and destiny cannot be done away with by mere wishing.

Sometime later in the day my father came back, looking tired but elated and immediately downloaded all that took place in the reception of the code system, and for himself and his loyal companions, it was typical paranormal everything that happened. These three kings have only started meeting recently when they decided to fight as one their common enemy, but yet that enmity isn’t completely absent but hidden in the rivalry their sons face with each other for the crown of the universe that will be given to the victor for the leadership of all three kingdoms. It was a solemn undertaking and anyone could be apprehensive. He explained to me that the nobles will assemble at the chosen spot at midnight for my initiation into the secrets of water and snow, the two forces of the kingdom, and bid me rest as there is no time. It is now already happening and I am feeling the excitement of combat, though as dangerous as this looks, I am prepared for it. I have prepared enough for this moment in my rejuvenated life and ready to give back what has been given to me.

As midnight approached, I and father left for the unnamed spot, and I think that was to keep mother out from it, but as we left in kingly bred horses with no guards, he told me the spot is the center of the sea that surrounds the Water kingdom. When we got near the spot we were caught off the horses and the last I heard was the whining of the horses as they lamented such abnormal display and immediately I found myself in the center of the expanse of water with all the twelve nobles present all in sitting positions in a full circle. Though it was strange to see men sitting so calmly on top of a sea, I knew that it is not impossible given the knowledge I have acquired. The king took his place in the circle and I was thrust into the center standing on what I notice was a mound of snow.

The oldest noble rose and made incantations for nearly ten minutes and before me appeared a brightly looking form without shape which poured itself into me and I felt a jolt within, then a severe burning all over my body and soon smoke evaporated from me, black and thick but in seconds all was cleared and I was calmed. The king now walked towards me and lifted my right hand and started to speak,

‘Spirit of the fountain of water and snow, you have possessed your own, and rightly so. I King Agorim and my nobles are witnesses that you took him as we called on you, now, therefore, respond to his call to quench the violence of fire and defy the force of the wind. Wherever you see smoke danger looms, do not hesitate to unleash your terror. As for you, son of the kingdom Water and Snow, know therefore the name of the force in you, you shall address him as Ingarmar, and Ingarmar shall respond to your every voice. Go, and bring him glory.’

With that, the nobles approach and laid their right hands on me which surprisingly felt chilled and that penetrated my blunted sense of touch for the first time since my reincarnated self to reach my sensory nerves for a little feeling. After which we found ourselves on the land and our horses tethered, that too was amazing to me. Soon, after exchanging pleasantries with the nobles and receiving their congratulatory pats on the back we headed for home and to the palace. Two days and nights went by and on the third-day king and I set out for the three mountains square, a place of no return for me as I will from there enter the combat together with my rivals who also are led there by their parents. The only difference is that I am led there by my enemy and them their true parents, but as it is now it makes no difference, what matters is who emerges victorious in the end.

The three mountain square site is a naturally formed landscape and between these three exists a space of about a football field but in a triangular design so the silver plate which now looks like a cart was placed at the center as instructed by the invisible voice of the Iglobins.  When we got there, all three kings and their sons, we meet three circles drawn, one for each combatant and in it was placed a golden sword, crossbow, and two arrows inside a quiver. The voice came startling all of us saying,

“Princes of the kingdom of Sun, Water, and Wind, take your places in the circles.’

We did so, now separated from our parents, to reunite with them again or not to depend on who emerges victorious.

‘Each of you is given three abilities; the ability for the use of the sword, for the use of the bow and arrow, and the use of your martial art skills. Whatever extra skills you have acquired are to your advantage. Two arrows are here given; thereafter, you shall create your arrows. Each Prince is allocated three color codes. The colors shall stand for, attack, counterattack, and destabilization. No color code is given for your defense that is entirely your discretion to defend yourself. You alone shall know the meaning of your colors, your opponents shall not. ‘

The voice paused for almost half an hour and we stood there gazing at each other and our parents becoming more apprehensive. No pity for them since they choose the hard way to settle their differences and for their two sons whom they shall never see again. And suddenly the voice returned,

‘Combatants should step forward from the circle’, he ordered, and we did so.

‘Climb on the wingspans, one for each,’ and we did. Shortly, bolts of currents surged up my body painlessly and we were covered in three separate clouds for thirty seconds and soon it was all cleared and the wingspans lowered to the ground but we remained on them. The voice resumed its command of instruction to us.

‘Combatants have been implanted with a code system for the combat; your color codes are operational.’ At the moment colors of light flashed all over our bodies. ‘For the Prince of the kingdom of the Sun, his color codes are Black, Purple, and Dark red. For the Prince of the kingdom of the Wind, his color codes are White, Yellow, and Blue, and the Prince of the kingdom of Water, his color codes are Red, Green, and Orange. Each color code represents a different maneuver for the combatant for their advantage and all color codes operate differently from each other. When your color light flips on your opponent won’t decipher it function but you are free to de-code if you can. Everything works for a combatant’s advantage.’

He paused again and we waited.

‘The combat system is a code of thirty-two systems, you graduate from one system to another, a combatant can die at any stage and the rest continue to the end. Each system code has you searching for and retrieving one piece of the jewel that makes up the thirty-two parts of the crown of the universe. Combatants are equipped to manipulate the codes to your advantage during the period of combat.  Once the jewelry piece has been retrieved by a combatant successfully the code systems automatically flips and redirects you to a new combat zone for the next piece. The entire challenge lasts for seventy-two hours and it is life and death. You are here advice to either withdraw or you are in for life or death. Is there such a combatant among the contestants?’

There was no answer from us, the silence was deafening.

‘You have been given abilities and equipped to survive but you shall die even so. One prince shall live to see the crown. As each jewel is retrieved it leaves combatants’ hands to its place in the crown and the combat progresses. Now, combatants, pick up your weapons.’

We stepped out from the wingspans to our circles and picked up our weapons. The sword came with a leather sheathe, a crossbow, and a leather quiver and we strapped them on as what we know how to do and then picked up our allotted arrows when we were through the voice resumed and it was his final instructions and also the last my rivals shall see their parents and for me, the last time King Agorim becomes my father.

‘With your right feet step on the silver plate, and that we did, and it was like we faced each other momentarily looking into each other’s eyeballs and as we were in that macho drill, the voice came out louder,

‘Combatants…here is the hour of life and death. To the Mountains of Bubama, were fiery serpents dwell, there in the belly of the queen serpent lays the first jewel. The rest combat zones are within you’, and with that, we were flung to the skies and, lost, scattered, and left to fight for our survival. And it was in that moment that my grandfather, true to his word, floated beside me to deliver his last secret to me.

‘Son, the hour is here. The terrains of your combat are death zones and the jewel hidden in dangerous places which combatants must surmount and survive his rivals to reach and retrieve. My secret to the son of Ithaca, is that with the actual jewel lays counterfeits mingled with it, but you shall spot them with this sign in my palm’, he flashed his palm in my face, in it was a small circle sign with a star dot inside. ‘When you see it on the jewels know you have it and flee because more danger will follow. Go, I await your return’.