The Sphere: The Phantom of the West Rim

  “Is he fine?”

  “Yeah, as long as you don’t get it upset like brought an axe.” said Aska.

  Rey seems doesn’t concern about where Aska would take him. His eyes more persuaded to observe anyone on the field. There he saw an archer who shoot a wooden monsters but they wasn’t like the one he seen before, it was taller about half of an adult, quick at running and very nimble, leap to and fro even dive in the ground to sprang up and attack him with rapid shot of seeds from the mouth. The archer seems overwhelmed against them, but his arrow was fast and precise, swiftly taking all of them without wasted one single arrow.

  Then his eyes draw to a female Magi standing near the pond. She stood calm with eyes closed as she waiting for something but the Scepter clutched firmly in her hand as if she were going into battle. One sway from her scepter and suddenly the water in the pond moves like a living thing and snaking like water serpent surrounds her. Then the water flows in beautiful motion as if following the dance of the Magi. And with one quick finale the water was sprang, frozen in an instant and created beautiful ice tree, amazed anyone even for those who live in this world.

  Many wonderful things he couldn’t found on his world though he also saw something familiar for his eyes like a row of teenagers who swung his wooden sword, a dozen peoples ran around the field and a group of kids with their instructor where he now walked toward them.

  “Flo, my little girl.” called Aska.

  Rey was little surprised when he saw Flo’s appearance at this present. She’s very different from the girls he saw last night as if they were different person. Her hair that was brown at shoulder length before now it’s blonde and short, and the blue eyes stared at him last night now turned black. With grey outfit and dark leather jacket she wore plus two swords strapped to her hip she was like a young heroine in his presence rather than a bright cheerful girl in his remembrance.

  “Flo?!”

  “Oh yes I forgot to tell you. Flo has a rare Sphere which gives her unique ability to change her physical appearance. Eorin ever told that the Sphere actually grant the ability to regenerate body cells and manipulate it rapidly. I don’t know what it means but she told that it could healing your wounds in an instant, remove poison from the body and very helpful if you had always sleepy on the class like me.” said Aska “But instead of it Flo turned the Sphere into salon to change her appearance whatever she like and whenever she wanted, shortening or lengthening the hair, change the color of her eyes and she didn’t even need to sunbathe for day just to tan her skin.”

  “I bet every girl in the Grove will do anything to get her Sphere.”

  “Don’t ask about that.”

  “What are you guys talking about? You’re not talking about me right?” said Flo look curious.

  “How we dare talking you behind, isn’t Rey?”

  “O-of course.”

  “Then why you both came here?”

  “As you know my little nerd cousin up here is a new student, and congratulations! You’re his instructor.”

  “What?” said Rey and Flo in unison, though both of them showed different expression. Rey was surprised when heard that while Flo seems excited to have him as her apprentice.

  “This would be nice.” Said Flo looks happy, she pinch his cheek and kneading his face then stroke his hair till tangled. “There you are, now you’re cool enough to be my apprentice. Now come with me!”

  By force she dragged him to the presence of her junior apprentices, a set of little kids who have not even surpassed ten years of age.

  “You must be kidding.”

  “They’re kid but she wasn’t kidding. You should obey this girl or … well, trust me you don’t want to make her mad,” said Aska calmly. “Good bye boy and good luck.”

  “H-hey Aska! Wait a second.”

  “Let say ‘hello’ to Rey.”

  “HELLO REY!” The kids shouted like a mumble of bumblebee.

  Rey did facepalm when heard that while Flo laugh at his reaction. Well, at least it’s safer than chased by beast, he thought.

  ***

  “All right kids, Rey will show you something wonderful, so amazing that you’ll be stunned you to bed.” said Flo exaggeratedly to the kids.

  “Woooow!” said those kids in unison.

  “What you’re talking about?”

  “Don’t be shy, show to them like you did on the field yesterday.”

  “But I can’t.”

  “Now you made a joke.” said Flo.

  “But I really can’t.”

  “What do you mean you can’t?”

  "I mean that’s the reason why headmaster put me here, with them.” said Rey, pointing to the kids who looked at him innocently.

  “But I saw your game yesterday. It’s unique and funny, I never saw something like that before.”

  “Coincidence, luck, some sort of things.” Rey shrugged.

  At first Flo seemed don’t believe but soon as she looked at those eyes, she realized something about him.

  “So yesterday … well, that’s more interesting.” said Flo with sly smile. “All right kids, what the most important thing when we use a Sphere?” asked Flo.

  “Valia.” answered the children in crowd.

  Rey didn’t understand what they yelled about. He just glanced to both kids and Flo like a fool then raised a hand to ask.

  “You have a question?”

  “Yea, what is valia?”

  The kids laughed when they heard his question. But then Flo stood with arms akimbo before them but without frown on her face. “Kids remember rule 101!”

  “Never laughing when someone asked even if it silly question.”

  "Good," said Flo, she then smiled at them with two thumbs up.

  No horror appeared on the girl like Aska said. On the contrary Flo looks friendly and good in front of these kids.

  “Valia in simple word was our mind, our will, our desire. As you know the sentient which sealed inside the Sphere is like an ornament in crystal ball, frozen and immobile. However, even they’re physically sealed but not with their mind. Their valia, their will or instinct still goes on. It was like Aska’s delusion, running with a girl on the beach while he physically sat unmoving in the class.” said Flo. “If I may ask, what do you feel when you using a Sphere?”

  “I don’t know what it was. But when I used it I felt something, like someone or something talked directly into my mind. Well not like talk actually, but it was like …”

  “I know.” said Flo, “When we used a Sphere, our mind and their mind connected to us, thus we shared knowledge and influence one another. When our valia, our mind was stronger than them then we can control them but the opposite will happened if our valia is weaker, it will be hard for us to use a Sphere or even worse…”

  “It will control us?”

  “Actually it rarely happened instead I’ve never heard such case. Mostly when your valia is weaker you couldn’t control your energy and magic, your own flame will burn to yourself or you could end blow up yourself if you can’t control Rex-Gremlin Sphere.”

  “Wwwoooooooooooooo.” The kids shouted in awe.

  “Enough about explanation, you make me said something that shouldn’t be heard by this kids. I can be demoted from my position as junior instructor.” said Flo. “You have two standards Imp Sphere which can’t be owned by these children until 4 years later. Now show to them how to create fireball.”

  “How?” asked Rey.

  “Just let your energy flow and shoot fireballs from your hands!”

  “If I may know, how exactly I could let off my energy?”

  “Listen this, if we believed we can or we have more spirited on something then our energy will flow, gave us strength to do something or create something, no matter how hard it is. On the contrary if we lack of faith or less passion then our energy will depleted quickly, that’s why we got lethargic and sleepy when dealing with calculus because we have no passion on it so we don’t
have energy to even write a number.” said Flo. “Energy follows our thought. Think about magic, believe that you can do this then the energy will flow to create it.”

  “Ok I get it.”

  Rey raised a hand and one of his Spheres glowing, the fairy of fire creation, the Ruby Imp Sphere. At once he felt there’s another consciousness in his mind, very tame and friendly. It shared unspoken knowledge with him, can’t be told by any words or languages, and can’t be written by any symbols and letters, the knowledge of magic. The energy flows through his hand, warm like a summer breeze blew on his hand and then a pure flame ignites upon his hand.

  He was so excited looking a flame at his hand like a little kid mastered new magic trick. But what happened next? Instead forms a fireball, the fire blazed and covered his hand wildly. Shocked and panicked, he screamed and ran away, and without a second thought he threw himself into a pond. Flo and all the kids immediately ran followed him, only to see him with a laugh. Flo then give her hand and helped him out of pond.

  “How do you feel?” Flo laughed.

  “My hand …” Rey looked at his hand. But strange, no scorch on his hand or pain he felt, though his hand feel warm even when he get wet. “What happened?”

  “The flame covering your hand was just energy transformation. It will not burn or harm you till you formed it into fireball.” said Flo. “Now could you try it again? And try not drowning yourself again this time.” said her while laughed.

  Chapter 11

  The Red Haired Woman

  ‘Boring’, a kid muttered as he walked under the scorching sun along with other kids. Their hand holding a small flag of their Kingdom and they’re guided by three teachers whom for an hour not letting their sight loose from the kids that might be trying to separate themselves from the group.

  They walked down a sidewalk, beautiful rows of cypress tree stood tall on their left like natural fences. Almost all peoples there had good style and luxurious, newly look and shine. But somehow they looked ignorant for their eyes shows dislike on them like they were nothing more than little rascals.

  At last they arrived to the place of their destination. All those kids looked up in awe and amazement, for they like saw giant beehive loomed before them. Ishtar Lodge it called as they knew from the book, house of all council and the heart of Ishtar politic.

  In the courtyard of the vine-patterned marbles, dozens of statues lined circling around Ishtar Lodge, looks so proud and graceful in their gray silence. But there were two statues which destroyed, one is that the headless statue with inflame shape in its right hand. While the other one are not tiled in the courtyard but stands alone on the far side of southwest, near the hedgerows which limits the Lodge and roadside. The statue is three times larger than other statues, if it could be called statue, for the condition was severe enough and left almost pedestal only, even the pedestal itself looks half buried. And judge from the sculpted dress-shape that still remain on its pedestal, seem it was the statue of a lady.

  The main atrium was decorated with inner garden and marble floor. Three floor made open to public, there’s no concrete wall, only giant glass atrium within steel panel which showing a view of crowded employees and visitors inside. The kids now watching the history of their kingdom through various photo and documents which keep safe on the display, and looks like they’re not interesting in what their teacher brought for except its wide space, cafeteria, all about sentient and Sphere things and the circular sundeck on 3rd floor where everyone can see a whole view of Lucretia from all side.

  Above the atrium there’s a guest room, only for those who had interest, a state and official guest of the member of council. There’s also meeting rooms and administration. While council office was construct by three floors above and consist of 504 rooms of the councils. And one floor above functioned as a central archive which stores various kinds of royal documents.

  And the top part of the Lodge was the Convention Chamber, serves as a conference room for members of council in order to discuss any policy – theoretically, but in fact it’s used to talk about everything except The Chamber was meant to be. Insistent winning of their personal interest and unhealthy debate only to humiliate their opponents was the mostly function of it.

  The balconies lined along in the walls, stacked and arranged in concentric patterns from floor to ceiling, facing the throne in the middle of the chamber. Each balcony occupied by three members of the council and two soldier were guarding in the entrance.

  The man of the throne sat down with prestige, but neither arrogance nor injustice appears on him. His face was charismatic and shows glorious nature of him. His gray eyes look so gentle –compassion and leniency glows on it but deep inside lied firmness that could finish off both comrades and opponents whom threatens his kingdom.

  For the last minutes he listened carefully to a middle-aged man who stood in the middle of the Chamber. He looks well-fashioned, showing himself as both power and confidence. His face looks fair and young for a man at his age, a type of most favorable politician for young housewife and women crave for grandeur, especially he had deep voice to enchant them. His brown hair combed backwards with little tip show on the forehead.

  The Chamber structure is similar to the auditorium. The slightest sound will reverberate loudly and clearly heard by anyone who was in the room, and every word would be delivered by walls and rotunda. The man spoke, staring at the king and all the members of council. He stood as if challenging the whole Kingdom of Ishtar only to voices his mind.

  "Gentlemen, honorable member of the council, eight years we have signed a peace treaty with Azgalor, eight years we have ended the conflict with the Federation, but still I do not feel that our war with them was ended. I don’t see the flame of Nagard extinguished, their black smoke still rising and pierced the sky, bring fear upon our peoples in the west. And this time of peace doesn’t stop them from advancing their gears or gathering power in the desert land.” He was silent for a moment as if he was gained strength to fight “Slowly but sure the Federation gathering power to start a war with us, again!”

  Godfrey watched him at the balcony. His face was like respectable nobleman, his smile was calm but he had eyes of conqueror. He looks gallant as the knight with sword, and yet elegant as the master of magic. He was the leader of Greater House of Sanvierre, feared and honorable as the man who holds power and knowledge.

  “Do you know who he is Cromlech?" Godfrey asked to the man next to him.

  “His name is Rovasiras, an elected council of the Namasse. Graduates of Runeglade and had fine wealth. He was skillful in the art of sword and magic like you, sir. And he was quite ‘interesting’.”

  “Interesting?”

  “In the term of politic.” said Cromlech. “Nothing I knew more than what I mentioned before. He was really clean, little achievement but no black record. That's why he won the election in the agribusiness city. Not to mention his opponent was arrested for bribery case of the cow import, right before the election. But the way he stood and spoke there I thought he was quite an expert for a senate from the borderland, more expert than most members of the council, new kid who keep his idealism.”

  “Seemed he wait for a moment like this.” said Godfrey. “Do you know about his politics?”

  “A true idealist seemingly, can’t be compromised by the money for sure. But obviously he wanted more power and position, maybe he will not waste five years on this Lodge. Would you invite him to join us? Someone like him wouldn’t be going to waste the slightest opportunity and he can be useful more than we expected.”

  “He was opportunist from the style of speech and he will not hesitate to sell us if our side was less profitable for him.”

  “Didn’t all of them like that?”

  “We all did but like you said, we don’t know about him. We don’t know his currency, is it money, position or something else. And you had none of his disrepute to get better deal with him.” said Godfrey. “We had plenty time for r
ecruit, just watch him for now. Besides we don’t know if he could pass this initiation. Sahagin wouldn’t make it easy, even to stand before him.” Godfrey continued as he looked at the black man stood before Rovasiras. He has strapping stature and tall, and his head shaved bald, power and strength looks bold on him. His eyes were dark but blazing as if contained many rage in it. His voice was heavy and hard, piercing all the ears in the chamber.

  “Good words you had, like drunkard poet in the tavern rather than someone who worth to belong here.” said the man with harsh words. “I didn’t receive one single report that Azgalor attacked the border and all posts in the west already confirmed it.”

  “Then how do you explain what happened to our peoples in the west. Their village was attacked, dozens of people killed and hundreds and more disappeared without trace.”

  “I've had done an investigation even before you could think the first word in your speech today.” said Sahagin, “I realized that the incident of mysterious attacks which occurred on the western border lately deserves our attention, but it can wait until the investigation is completed. There is something more important, a far more serious threat and very close to us now.” Sahagin paused “Some of you may have heard and some of you might be too busy to play with your concubines till you don’t know at all, but I assure that Artharis already outside of Lucretia and he could strike anytime if we don’t act soon.”

  A brief silence fell upon them then at once it broke by fears and panics, their voices grew into tumult and filled the Convention Chamber. They spoke to their own fellow comrades next to them while imagining what would happen when the silver-haired man came to attack the capitol of the Kingdom.

  “Then where’s he now? I don’t know him better than you, indeed. But I believe that he wasn’t type of person who likes to wait, if he had truly been near here, he would have to break through to Ishtar Lodge and kill us all now. But where is he? Where is he now?”