Hey guys here is the 7k word update that I promised. I hope you guys can comment it would really help me a lot in getting motivation to write the next chapter.

Chapter 32

Grappling Supremacy

Flashback before the outburst of Queen Yukie

Suzaku – Rysian flagship, Heiyan Bay

            The battle was still on-going everyone was near the edge of their seats as the Valtareauan Fleet neared the two warring parties. The faces of the Paleo members showed horrification as the crimson fleet came closer to the bay area. To say that the Valtareauan fleet was massive was an understatement, it wasn’t just massive it was humongous!

            King Masuda could barely sit still one part of him wanted to show the force of Rysia since they both possessed the same element and Masuda wanted to show supremacy but another part of him wanted to cower in fear at the sight. All of Tartharac knew how powerful Valtareau was, it took all the force of men to even take down their frontal defense in the previous Archanian War add to that the fact that that war was ages ago and now Valtareau had an arsenal stronger than anything men could ever come up with.

            “Why aren’t they attacking?” Consort Tegoshi’s voice rang out amidst the silence of the royals and it was then that they all realized the fact that Valtareau has not even fired a single missile towards them.

            “Maybe they’re actually nice.” King Jin suggested causing King Nakamaru to snort.

            “They may be buying time.” King Masuda answered.

            “No woman is nice!” King Nakamaru exclaimed with fervor.

            “Where the heck is Aone?” King Ninomiya asked in panic this was that time of their lives when they needed Aone’s massive naval force.

            “Why do I have a feeling that Aone will abandon us?” King Nakamaru voiced out his concern over the fact that Aone still hasn’t contacted them.

            “Surely they wouldn’t let us rot?!” King Ninomiya asked in panic which was very usual of him.

            “Guys can you all please stop talking I am trying to think!” King Masuda said as he tried to assess their situation.

            “We need to find a way to get all of us out of this Kazuya included.” He added.

            “Well we have to contact earth brain first before we can do planning.” King Nakamaru said as he looked over at the closed communication line with Erraius.

            They stared over at the left side of the battle ground and saw the continuous smoke rising from Atlas’s cannons. The water was turning the color of soot from the debris and explosives released by both parties.

            “This isn’t a bloody war of the elements! This is a war of firepower! Dang where is Kazuya getting all of those?!!!” King Nakamaru shouted upon gazing at the massive destruction that one of Erraius’s destroyers (mini war ships) left on two of Clairevane’s cruisers (patrol boats).

            “If used those in the war we might have won!” King Ninomiya added.

            “I doubt it. Apparently Kazuya had those made just a few days ago.” King Masuda stated as he stared at the map of the northern Heiyan bay.

            “We could pass through the south heading to Rysia.” King Jin suggested he was the only one paying attention to Masuda since the other two was busy bickering over trivial matters such as who would clean up the mess in the bay after the war. King Masuda was about to scold the two kings when a massive shock wave was sent straight towards them almost cracking Suzaku’s glass windows.

            “See I told you they were just buying time!” King Masuda yelled as soon as he got back on his feet he ended up falling because he was standing up earlier. The other kings managed to hold on to their chairs and brace themselves for the impact.

            “Oh great!” King Nakamaru said as his eyes darted towards the direction of the origin of the shock wave.

            “Great…here comes Salmaria.” King Ninomiya said in annoyance.

Velvereauan Pod, Heiyan Bay

            “Are you telling me that all the other regnorum are now in Heiyan bay?” Hyoyeon asked in disbelief to which Yoona could only nod.

            “Then how the hell are we going to get through undetected?!!!!” Hyoyeon asked in frustration.

            “Unnie shut up for a moment I’m thinking.” Yoona said as she tried to think of a way to slip through the eyes of Celaria undetected.

            “Yoona I suggest you start thinking faster because we are so out of time.” Hyoyeon said in a deflated voice.

            “I can’t think when you’re being noisy unnie why don’t you try thinking of a plan as well?!” Yoona said her voice rising a little due to irritation.

            “I can’t think when I’m panicking!” Hyoyeon answered back as she started fidgeting in her seat.

            The whole of Celaria was now watching the events in Heiyan Bay. The exchange of arsenal force was enough to destroy the whole Isle of Sirens. Getting past the eye of the awaiting audience was hard especially if those watching pair of eyes were those your parents, relatives and fellow citizens. Which was why you couldn’t blame Hyoyeon for freaking out.

Valkyrie – Valtareauan flagship, Heiyan Bay

            Everything was fine a second ago, though Taeyeon felt guilty and hollow she wasn’t suicidal but something had changed in her as soon as they reached the bay. She stared at her room which was colder than what she was used to. Her whole room was dark even though the lights were on. Something was with her inside the room she was sure of it and that something wasn’t friendly at all.

            “Who are you and what do you want?!” She asked as she looked around her room. She had her summoning crystal in her hand as she walked over to her bedside table where she kept her enchanted pocket knife. The room temperature suddenly dropped to a freezing point causing her to become more alert than before something wasn’t right.

            Her concentration was suddenly broken when she heard Jessica’s voice call out to her from somewhere in the bay. Her sister had sensed her presence.

            “Taenggo… I’m sorry.” She heard Jessica’s agonized voice.

“You shouldn’t be.” she wanted to say.

 “The fault is mine.” She answered back in a calm voice. Taeyeon knew that the blame was hers.

“Taenggo please say something, anything…” Jessica told her, her voice cracking as she suppressed her whimpers.

“What the heck are you talking about? Are you deaf? I said the fault is mine.” Taeyeon asked with frustration building in her voice. She had clearly answered her sister a while ago.

“If you’re angry at me, if you hate me now I would understand Taenggo!” Jessica said again this time she was near wailing.

“Sica I can never hate you I love you the most remember.” Taeyeon replied her voice softening at the last part.

“Just don’t be like this. Don’t shut everyone out. Please!” Jessica begged her and continued to cry as if not hearing what she said earlier.

“I’m not shutting anybody out!” Taeyeon yelled in annoyance but Jessica continued to cry. “What the heck is wrong with you?! Can’t you hear me?!!!” Taeyeon yelled her limit snapping. Was Jessica playing deaf to her or something?!

“Please don’t be like this! You’ve locked yourself in your room since early morn. You need to eat!” Jessica said in despair.

“What?! What the hell are you talking about?! I haven’t even been in this freaking room for less than an hour!” Taeyeon said in shock then she heard knocks on the door and heard her attendants say.

“My lady it’s already past dusk your dinner is getting cold.” One said.

“Her Majesty is looking for you.” Another said.

Her eyes darted towards window and gasped in shock when she saw that the sun had indeed set. What the heck was going on?! She had just entered her room a while ago it was impossible for the time to move that fast!

Then she heard herself say “It my fault isn’t it?” but the problem was it wasn’t her saying it, not her conscious self that is and Taeyeon was very much conscious.

 “What are you talking about?” Jessica said in worry.

            It was then she realized that that something or someone in her room earlier was copying her and that someone was still in the room with her.

            “Sica don’t listen it’s not me!!!” Taeyeon yelled with all she could but still no one could hear her.

“If I hadn’t brought you to the woods that day…your mother is right…I am to blame.” The one mimicking her continued to say.

“This isn’t right! Whoever you are come out and face me you coward!” She yelled in the hollow emptiness of her chamber.

She pulled out her crystal and raised her hand forward the small symbol etched on her skin glowing ever so brightly. She had no idea where she got the symbol but she doesn’t care much because she felt her powers growing stronger as the etched symbol burned brighter.

She stepped back a little when she heard the door to her balcony opening and darkness covered her room. It must be the lady in the dark she thought but as soon as the darkness circled around where she stood she realized it was something else. The lady in the shadows though she seemed scary she didn’t carry with her this feeling of utter loss. The lady was domineering but Taeyeon knew that she meant no harm. This presence was darker and obviously something that wanted to hurt her.

She used her power to cover her form until she was the only thing bringing light to the chamber which now seemed to be the pit of Hein’s world (Pit of the shadow world). She looked around and her and turned her head to the left when she saw a faint light coming in from an opening in the darkness. It was then when she saw whatever creature was causing the darkness. She couldn’t make out whether it was a man or woman but she is certain about one thing this attacker seems to have the form of a mortal. She gazed straight ahead where her attacker stood and almost dropped her crystal when she saw that from its shadow stood so many creatures as if he or she was a actually a whole army in one being.

The creature smiled at her and said something to her in inaudible language then strong dark winds erupted around her extinguishing her flames and causing her to drop her crystal. She felt herself being thrown aback then she suddenly out but before she was totally lost consciousness because of her attacker she heard the banging of the door to her chamber and people, whom she was sure were her servants, screaming.

Himawari – Salmarian Flagship, Heiyan Bay.

            The sun slid through the massive windows of the Corona Reginae’s private seating room located in her chambers. Yellow color dominated the room as expected with light tulle and gossamer curtains moving with each passing breeze from the Shou Ocean. It was high noon and iced cold tea was being brought in by the servants. Chinen sat comfortably in his chair while reading a book or at least tried to read it. He couldn’t concentrate because Sunny was walking back and forth in front of his and it was very distracting.

            Sunny long lemon yellow gown was swirling around her as she moved back and forth the delicate material of the gown was very sensitive to movement and just a small change of position from Sunny could cause waves on the fabric. With the pace that Sunny was walking her dress around her moved liked the clouds around a storm it was beautiful to look at but a pain to see once you are trying to concentrate on a book.

            Having had enough of the distraction Chinen gave up and placed the book down. He knew that there were a lot of things going through the head of the crown princess like the war in Heiyan Bay, the new law that the nobles were constructing which could be hostile to the two of them but the thing that bothered the crown princess the most was the news of the queen’s departure to Valtareau. Apparently the high queen was going to decide the fate of the captive, by captive that meant him, prince Chinen. He was ready for his fate and had lived his last days happily though it pained him, the thought of leaving his love but he was ready for it. He knew that his life would be demanded of as payment for the supposed crime committed by the Triad. He figured it was a good way to die, sacrificing his life for the welfare of his country. He stood up approached the crown princess who was in deep thought.

            Sunny’s line of thought was broken when she felt familiar hands hold hers. She found herself facing Chinen and hating the expression he had on his face. It was the same expression that had haunted her childhood memories, the expression of complete and utter peace. She knew that Chinen was ready for his impending death and that he had accepted his fate but she wasn’t and she never will be.

            She was furious at the same time hopeless, she was asking herself why was she in this situation again? The same situation she had been in years ago when she was still a child. The life of the one she cared for the most was hanging by a thread and she felt as helpless a babe unable to do anything about it. She felt like she was 6 years old again crying in her phama’s room while they decided her phama’s fate. Her phama had been charged with treason for defending something she had no knowledge of back when she was a child. As it turned out years later after her research, her phama was defending King Junno over an issue concerning the deposed Queen, lady Natsumi of Heirus whom Heirus was supposedly maltreating. Salmaria wanted to rescue Lady Natsumi because she was a woman and they wanted to wage war on Heirus. Sunny’s phama had direct connection with Winaris during that time and according to the accusations of the elder nobles before, the consort was had committed treason by her act of defending a man. Her phama was never convicted of the crime because no one ever found evidence of whatever was happening between Heirus, Winaris and lady Natsumi but when news of the death of lady Natsumi reached the court they all placed the blame on the consort.

            Sunny could still remember her phama’s peaceful face as she was taken by the guards for execution and she could still remember her words.

            “One day you will understand Sunny. One day you will know that everything was for you.”

            She had found nothing about her phama’s case and she has still to know the meaning of her phama’s words but now she was faced again with the same situation. She would lose Chinen and it pained her so much knowing that he was ready to go.

            “It’s going to be ok.” He told her as he cradled her in his embrace. The slightest contact made her all the more aware that she would wake up one day with him gone and it caused her to break the last defense she had against her overflowing tears.

            “How can you be so ok with this?!” she said as he cried in his arms and hit him in the chest repeatedly.

            “Have you even thought about me?! The one you will leave behind to deal with this hole?! If you are ready to accept your fate well I am not!!” she said as she continued to cry.

            Chinen felt himself stiffening as her words finally reached him. He has never expected her to react like this, he expected her to be perfectly fine with his death turns out he was so wrong. As Soonkyu held on to him he finally realized just how much this beautiful woman cared for him. How his whole existence actually meant something to her life. His hold around her tightened as she cried her heart out, her walls torn down and for once he saw the true her within that stronghold facade.

            “Everything’s going to be alright. You are going to be alright.” He told her soothingly but his words merely magnified her sobs. As she cried he realized just how scared he actually was but not of dying. He was scared to leaving her behind. He was scared to going to a place where her light would never shine.

El Hazard, Winaris

            A lone figure was walking through the halls of the south palace, her face unable to discern whether she was in the present, past or future. Her sense of reality seemed to have left her as soon as she awoke the day before.

            “Where am I? Is this the real world or another vision?” She asked herself as she walked aimlessly about the long hallway unable to decide which way she should go. She had been walking around for she knows not how long. Her sense of time and logic have all but left her in the dusk. She looked around her and she could only shake her head in disbelief. When had she turned color blind? Why was she seeing nothing but black and white? Where had all the colors gone? Maybe she was in another one of her visions?

            “Seohyun get a hold of yourself.” She told herself as she tried to get a hold of her surroundings. H