The Right To Rule

Chapter 19

Outside the city walls of Eurydice for the first time in her life, Chrysanthe looked at everything in wonder. Stars! Everything was new to her. The stark green of the wilderness, the rolling hills, and the dirt she kicked she was walking and the air not laced by perfumes. It was refreshing to be outside the city, it was terrifying at the same time. While they were outside the city, they cannot fight Spiral Pulser, the force within the darkness. But we have lasted for more than two weeks, that had to account for their resilience, Chrysanthe thought.

They still march east, to Draco. Chrysanthe still didn’t know the mission, for now, she didn’t care much about it. She was seeing the world, the glimpse of Sky Kingdoms, and training with Torch every first hour of resting. For now, that was enough.

She walked in the front of the group with Esther and Nina, her Moonstone swords were strapped on her waist alongside her daggers. Celestial was cool within her, an ocean of power waiting to be unleashed.

Orion was warm on their backs, James rouse from the south. James was brilliant blue, the color of the sky, he was brightest when Orion still orbit the sky and when darkness settle, he shone brightly.

Chrysanthe extended her will, her awareness, around it. She only got closer to him, she felt his pulsing resonating with her mind attuning a headache if she got any closer. James was full of light and power, he was rich with Celestial, richer than Orion.

Chrysanthe let the moon be and focus on the road.

The road was even, strangely, it was paved; it had deteriorated throughout the centuries. The road was the remnants of the old world, the world before the Origin.

“Anything that arrives at Eurydice from the port used this road, I think even before the Origin it served the same purpose,” Esther said.

“Still, it's overdue with repairs,” Chrysanthe said gesturing to a section ran by vines that uprooted some of the stones.

“Sky Kingdoms had not progressed much where Spiral Pulser reside” Esther continued. “People are born and die behind the city walls.”

“If Spiral Pulser is dangerous as people said, we should have at least encountered it. We have been on a road for two weeks,” Crhysanthe said.

“Pulser is like a current, it's always moving and hence we should always move. The best way to fight it, its movement. Don’t stay at the same place for too long. Of course, that doesn’t always work,” Esther said.

Chrysanthe thought about it for a moment. Spiral Pulser sucked in life form as it move around the night like a black hole. It was dense than light itself, the moon’s radiant cannot penetrate it. Nonetheless, it cannot get closer to cities because of white-lights, Celestial powered lamps, more powerful than the lamps they use. White-lights were designed for keeping Spiral Pulser away.

Chrysanthe sighed. She wished she had taken to read about it, she was certain Skylady Leizil had numerous tomes about it. She had to learn more about it. Spiral Pulser was her enemy.

She looked back to how others were following behind. Further back there was Torch, clad in black, he walked with his hands tucked in his pocket looking bored. She extended her will around him, she concentrate and sensed nothing. No Radiation. Nothing. It was hard to believe Torch was a Vulcan. Stars! Why can’t she sense his Radiation?

They were approaching a hill where Ben said they will camp on the bottom of it as night will soon be upon them.

“Esther you were still letting us know about the secret mission waiting for us at Draco,” Chrysanthe said looking at Esther.

Esther wore simple clothing, wool trousers, and a coat more like a cloak covering her upper body. She looked like a farmer, less like a soldier.

“I didn’t say anything as such, Lady Chrysanthe. If you were to be briefed, Torch has to be the one that takes that decision,” Esther replied.

“Torch said it's training but we can’t go to Draco just for training with you as his detail. You are no Watchers for sure, but certainly not Torch’s ideal travel companions.”

Nina nodded with a smile beside Chrysanthe, and Chrysanthe elbowed her friend with a warm smile bright on her face. Nina knew Torch more than all of them combined.

“We are not that bad, Lady Chrysanthe. Still, it’s above my rank to talk about Draco,” Esther replied.

Chrysanthe sighed, disappointed. Why did everything around Torch have to be strange and secretive?

Nina tapped her lightly and weave signs. It’s okay Chrysanthe, we will find out soon.

Chrysanthe weaved back. I know.

She was curious still. She knew all the answers were at Draco. She was impatient.

Stars! She was going to another nation.

I hear at Draco there is an ocean, we are going for a swim!

Chrysanthe beamed as Nina giggled like a toddler. Nina’s gestures were always priceless.

“Lady Chrysanthe, can you hear anything?” Esther asked as Chrysathe was still weaving signs for Nina.

Chrysanthe frowned. She took a moment to process what Ester was saying to her. She stopped and listened. Her heartbeat was picking up pace with excitement and nervousness at the same time.

She touched Celestial. Her calmness being. She touch more of it, more than she was touching, and the world transformed. Nonetheless, she ignored everything and listened.

There was nothing out of ordinary at first. Nothing than the stillness of the wilderness. But she heard it, faintly, the footsteps making their way towards them. Not only a pair of footsteps. A dozen. More.

“There are footsteps coming this way both on both sides ahead of us,” Chrysanthe replied. “Dozen and more. It’s more like they are about to ambush.”

“It’s an ambush, Lady Chrysanthe. Please, make sure Lady Nina stayed by your side all the time.”

Don’t be afraid, Chrysanthe weaved to Nina. She held her Moonstone swords and stood in front of Nina.

There were more footsteps coming from the back. Chrysanthe didn’t need to tell Esther as she was already shouting AMBUSH. If Chrysanthe did a quick calculation, there were about twelve to twenty people which meant they were outnumbered. It meant she will have to fight. She has to kill or at least injure a human. She was ready?

She has been training nonstop. She was good with a sword, yes, but a battle was different compared to training.

Chrysanthe turned quickly as a handheld her shoulder lightly. Nina’s face was like a moon as she held the white-light high on her face, the lamp Chrysanthe has dropped in haste. Stars! She can’t even treat a lamp with care how on Sky Kingdoms she was going to keep Nina safe.

Please be calm and remember Torch’s teaching, Nina signed.

Chrysanthe returned a nervous smile and nodded. Thank you.

She touch Celestial, she felt the cool rush of power flood her. She tapped more to the power. Her body became light, she felt like she can float high to the sky.

Chrysanthe turned around to survey how everyone was getting ready. Torch had told her to always pick her battleground. Yet, as she turned, an arrow zipped past her. Her heart rise to the bottom of her throat, her pulse boiled despite being cooled with Celestial. Another arrow hit her on the shoulder. A molten-hot pain burned on her shoulder, she lost all her bravery and she screamed in agony. She has been nicked with a sword a few times but it didn’t hurt as much.

Chrysanthe held her ground, she didn’t go down on her keens. She grunted and removed the arrow. It hurt as much. She didn’t feel much of the pain. She didn’t know to heal as yet, she has to go without it for now.

Her survival instincts were starting to kick in. The first thing Chrysanthe heard was a hiss in the air; the air itself broke apart as the arrow came to her. She swung her Moonstone and cut the arrow down. The archer was about fifty yards out. Perfect. With her badly injured shoulder hand, she threaded her other Moonstone sword. With her mind, she directed the Moonstone where the arrows were coming from. The Moonstone cruised from her hand pushed by invincible force. It moved as fast as the arrows, before the archer knew what was happening there were no more arrows coming. Chrysanthe thread back her Moonstone as footsteps got closer. She canceled her thread and she anchored herself. Anchoring was like forming a stronger bond with a Moonstone, five central threads connect her with the Moonstone and as long as those five central threads she can Push and Pull herself which meant she moved faster than before.

Chrysanthe stood in front of Nina, she held her Moonstone with her left, from the shoulder which was not injured. She was both-handed which her advantage was. She fell into a stance taking calm deep breathes. Three against one. Torch had told her there were no fair fights in the real world, just advantages, and human errors. Chrysanthe had Celestial, none of the three have. She has the advantage.

Three shadows fell into the light. All were men carrying spears and long daggers on the waists.

“Pulser! Wandel, you didn’t tell me we will be robbing little ladies?” the man who was in front with a friendly grin spoke.

“Those little ladies are having Moonstone, it will set us for life.”

Chrysanthe swallowed hard, held her ground, and said nothing.

The one she assumed was Wandel stepped forward about three paces and held out his hand.

“Give us that Moonstone and we will disappear back into the night. It will be like we were never there to begin with.”

It’s three of them and I only had one hand, Chrysanthe thought, and Celestial. Well, talking about even battle.

No, she was not giving up her Moonstone. She was nothing without them.

Chrysanthe Pushed herself. She used the element of surprise. Those men have not yet thought why she might have Moonstone. A fault to them. An error.

She drove her Moonstone deep in Wandel’s chest. Chrysanthe stared into Wandel's wide eyes, both in shock and surprise as she took what he hold precious. He grunted trying to make out words but they got stuck in his throat as he started to cough blood.

He was going to die.

Chrysanthe was glad other men were shocked to a point where they cannot move. She was shocked too. She has killed a man. No, he was still alive. Yet.

But if she didn’t kill him he was going to kill her and Nina. Those men can still kill them in a heartbeat.

Chrysanthe pulled her Moonstone slowly from Wandel’s chest as his companion started to curse softly. However, they didn’t an inch closer to where she was standing. Thank Skygods.

Chrysanthe Pulled herself back closer to Nina.

“You can run and I won’t chase you,” Chrysanthe said breathing softly.

The men looked at each other, looked at Wandel, and then look at her and her Moonstone. Instead of running away, they approach Chrysanthe with caution.

Stars! At least I tried.

Those men were not Vulcans, Chrysanthe knew that. She cannot sense them. A good thing to her. They won’t able to deal with her anchoring.

Chrysanthe’s head was laden with Torch’s teaching. She remembered Torch telling her that for Vulcan there was a will to turn Radiation into a fire and for Celestialblessed was the ability to move objects, Moonstone. Those men were expected for him to come to them with a Push, they were expecting a direct contact battle. Well, they were not gonna get what they wanted.

Chrysanthe canceled her anchor. She was nervous. Her breathing was not steady, her palms were damp with sweat. Reluctantly she let go of her anchor. She threaded the Moonstone on her left hand. She willed her Moonstone straight to the man on her left. Her sword left her hand and buried itself in the man’s eye. She didn’t stop herself and look, she was deep within the Universe, she cannot let herself feel, to mourn.

She ran forward, three steps, and took another Moonstone, and ran straight to the other man. Her Moonstone sideways as wind hiss to her softly. The man fell into a defensive stance and wait for him to come. She raised her Moonstone and swung it at him with a good force behind it enhanced by Celestial. Chrysanthe felt her Moonstone bounce on the spear. She rotated half a circle. She was now facing the man’s back but he attacked her with the butt of his spear without looking.

Chrysanthe jumped backward as she anticipate the man turning and thrusting his spear towards her.

“I thought Watchers were supposed to be guardians of Sky Kingdoms,” the man spat.

“I am not a Watcher,” Chrysanthe said breathlessly, “but remember you were the one who attacked me first and I gave both of you a chance to turn back.”

The man howled and came to her.

Chrysanthe didn’t wait for him to come to her. She crossed the distance between them easily. She was an ocean of Celestial. The man thrust his spear in quick sessions. Chrysanthe dodge them without a thought. Battle instinct. She turned and kicked him on the back of his keen and he fell on his keen. Without a thought, a mind, she drove her Moonstone on his back. She removed her Moonstone and the man fell on the side.

She took three steps back, she fell on her keens and she cried.

***

What unexpected turn of events, Torch thought as he cuddle his cup of soup. The group has camped where Ben suggested as an ideal site. He was not far from the mark. They had camped on the bottom of a hill, a mile from the main road, hidden with a circle of trees.

Torch sat comfortably with his legs crossed on the grass. Everyone was sitting around the hearth of lamps with a heat artifact within them. A fire would be more welcoming, but Torch knew nobody want that expect him. There was silence in the group. For the first time since they leave the city, their camp was ruled with silence. However, Esther’s gaze was threatening him. Flames! Torch had done nothing wrong.

Esther had Chrysanthe on her lap brushing her hair softly and Nina was beside her too. It appeared Chrysanthe had not taken it very well of killing those four men, but Torch was proud of her. The girl had some skilled about her. Burn me, but by the time they reach Draco, she can even stand a chance against a few grannies.

But no. Esther didn’t look at the advantage, the lesson, it bought to Chrysanthe. It’s all Torch’s fault. Flames! He knew she touch Celestial as much he touch Radiation, she must have sensed them.

Torch has to admit, the arrow wound on her shoulder didn’t look, and with all the Celestial she was holding she cannot heal herself. That’s just flaming wonderful.

Torch looked at Chrysanthe across a well of light. She was looking much better than he found her. She was covered with blood, her right-hand side was soaked with and she was pale as Orion. The wound was bad, Torch was Chrysanthe was pumped with so much Celestial she cannot feel any pain.

Now there was a color on her face and she was uttering a few words. Torch inhaled deeply with relief. He was fond of Chrysanthe and much attached to his head too. General Toub won’t kind to him if anything had happened to his daughter, not any daughter; a Celestialblessed daughter.

Torch stood up and towards Chrysanthe. Esther’s gaze burned him more than Radiation and the rest of the group stare was heavy on his back.

“You look quick recovered,” Torch said, “pity we still struggling with your healing.”

“Esther said you knew we were been followed,” Chrysanthe said.

“Yes, I did, and I warned you to keep Celestial by your side. You can only go as far with training, you needed a battle and thus opportunity presented itself,” Torch said.

She should be flamingly thanking him, Torch thought to himself.

Chrysanthe sat and looked at him, her eyes were still clouded with tears and her face darken.

“I killed three men today,” Chrysanthe said after taking a breath, “and if I didn’t, they would have killed Nina and I.”

“Yes, we all gonna die, including you who is partially immortal. Do you think I am training you because you got bored with your dolls? I am training you to kill so you don’t get killed.”

Torch breathe slowly claiming himself down a notch. He shouted for the last part and his voice was still echoing in the night.

He shifted his gaze to Esther.

“You know where we are going it's worse than what happened. Those men were easy to kill,” Torch said. He didn’t have to argue his point to Esther but the flaming woman made it hard at times.

Esther nodded and said nothing.

Torch sat down and looked Chrysanthe straight into her eyes.

“I am sure you have heard about the Kingmaker?” Torch said.

“Uh, yes, I think I have. Oh yes, Skylady Gairiyah Drake,” Chrysanthe’s lips turn into a smile.

“To put it simply, we are going to rob her.”

“Skygods! But why? Skylady Gairiyah is the second powerful person in Sky Kingdoms.”

“We will talk details when you are well,” Torch stood up, “and you must be ready to kill again if you are going to Draco.”