Emperor of Legendia

Dawn arrived. The rush hour started. Marco was dressed in armour suit. He checked the blade of his sword. ‘This is your fate, Elezabor!’, Marco thought. He stepped out of his barrack to witness a huge armed group of strong soldiers, knights and archers.

Fred was wearing a handsome archer’s suit. The golden fire arrow shooter shone in his hand. Peter stood by his horse and was checking the horse shoe. He packed the arms and weapons on the horse and wore the knight’s battle suit. The whole army was ready to leave for the greatest battle of all times.

“I’m coming Zimon.”, Crevol said to Zimon in the Great Hall. Zimon was putting on his white cloak followed by a sword holder. It was red in colour. The sword hung on it read ‘Thunder Swordship’.

“Are you out of your mind?”, Zimon asked startled.

“Ofcourse not!”, Crevol said flatly, “I am not coming to fight, Lord William Zimon.”

“Then?”, Zimon waited impatiently.

“I’ll move on to Irasy. That’s where you are going to meet after the battle right?”, Crevol asked.

Crevol carried a white cloth bag which seemed bulged and heavy.

“Are you carrying the Eye Platinar?”, Zimon asked raising a brow.

Crevol nodded without looking at Zimon.

Zimon shrugged, “Whatever you’re planning –

“I’m not planning anything, William Zimon! Just want to follow the battle on the platinar.”, Crevol snapped.

“Whatever!”, Zimon said and sighed, “I bought it from the treasures. It is a risky deal to travel alone carrying that and with the Dark Lord’s men on the loose. Shall I arrange an escort for you?”

“I am safest when I’m alone. I am a fox in the forest; swift and cunning.”, Crevol laughed.

Zimon shook his head, “Suit yourself.” Zimon cleaned his silver staff. “Olgreg will be glad to see you anyway. What about the school?”

“The students can wait. They’ve been working hard. Moreover, you’ll need me to discuss matters in Irasy.”

Zimon kept quite while he brushed his long beard and hair.

“I’m ready with my bag and shall leave the city now before the army crowds up the exit. Farewell, my friend.”, Crevol patted Zimon’s back.

“Take care Crypus.”, Zimon gazed at Crevol unblinking. He picked up his travelling bag and walking stick and walked away singing and humming to himself.

Zimon heard Blabber groaning sharply behind him.

“What’s the matter with you now?”, Zimon asked irritatingly.

“Aaahh!! Don’t you talk to me like that!!”, Blabber said furiously.

“Is this the first time I’m leaving you alone, Blabber?”

“But I feel too insecure without you!”, the chair resorted.

“I know.”, Zimon sighed. He bent down to look into the wooden eyes.

“All will be fine.”

“And you?”, Blabber asked innocently.

“I’ll be the finest of all.”

“Take care old man.”

The two batches lined up on the vast roads leading out of the city. The people of the city surrounded them from all the sides in a vast circle. Zimon could be seen distantly making his way between the two batches. He was riding a brown horse with four huge sacks loaded on its back. Marco was leading his men in the front with his sword in his hand. Marvelo Roy took up the other road with his men behind him. The commanders were on the horses. The soldiers marched slowly as the people of Legendia made way for them lined up to bid good luck and give a courageous farewell to the heroes.

They waved and threw flowers on the men as they marched to the Gateway of Legendia. Marco saw Emma running alongside at a distance to catch his attention. The girl waved at him from behind the crowd. Marco stared at her and their gazes locked into each other. They exchanged many unspoken words in the moment. Marco nodded and rode away.

Farwohm’s men saluted the army as they passed through the gates. Zimon spoke to the officer for a while and then caught up to the front most line, in par with Marvelo and Marco.

The Legendian guards opened the gateway to let them pass through. Peter was feeling anxious the moment he rode outside the borders of Legendia. He never experienced an opposition which made use of magic. He felt a same sensation in Marco judging by his disturbed look. They all didn’t even know how many enemies in number they have to face. They just hoped for the best. It was William Zimon on whom they all believed in. Slowly, slowly they increased their speed and made their way out of Legendia to start this remarkable journey.

“Where are we heading to first, my lord?”, Marco asked Zimon who was riding by his side.

“To the village of Pindo.”, Zimon replied.

“That’s the first village of Salaha desert.”, Marco stated.

Marvelo was having a nice time chatting with Peter. Peter had never been so informal with Marvelo and he very much enjoyed listening to Marvelo’s funny incidents. Albert and Yoyo were in a naughty mood. They would pick up pebbles and throw on some soldiers on the backs. When the latter would turn, they would point to someone else to indulge them in a quarrel.

“It’s fun man!”, Albert slapped a high five to Yoyo.

“Not anymore, my friends.”, it was Marco, “One of the stones hit me.”

They both were then asked to raise their hands up and jog all along with the troop. Now it was other’s turn to mock at them.

Yoyo jeered at the laughing fellow mates.

They all passed through bushy lands. The grasses were not so tall but sometimes they would find small jungles in between their paths. The sun was surrounded by clouds. It was misty. All the animals fled away at the sight of such a large army.

Most of the time, Zimon would keep talking to himself. He would occasionally check his weapon’s bag and then close his eyes and think something again. The army was soon moving through a marshy area. Peter got a break from Marvelo’s fairy tales and slipped out of his sight and caught up with Marco.

“Some talkative guy that man is!”, Peter remarked.

Marco grinned. He turned and dismissed Yoyo and Albert from the punishment. They both groaned as they put down their arms.

Peter gazed upwards at the sky, “The sun is now at its peak. I am sweating heavily.”

It was afternoon already. Zimon did not stop for lunch. He asked the men to have a bite of the food he got from the treasures.

“We must restrict to two breaks a day.”, Zimon informed Marvelo and Marco.

Marvelo was staring at Marco. He hated when Zimon gave both of them equal importance. Marvelo felt he was a superior to Marco and he alone should be included in first discussions and later Marco; he being an outsider was always a factor too. When Marvelo rode away further from the two, Marco asked in a low voice to Zimon, “My lord?”

“Yes, Marco.”

Marco remembered that he had to know the third method to kill the Dark Lord.

“Can you tell me the third way... I won’t tell it to anybody, I promise...”, he said.

Zimon did not look at Marco and replied, “It will only make you feel miserable, Marco Hymes.”

Marco did not extend the talk and remained silent. He could see the end of the mountains which surrounded Legendia on his right. The city was far away now. They were descending slowly.

“Are we going to see Irasy after the battle?”, Marco asked breaking the silence.

“Yes”, Zimon nodded, “Soon!”

Marco felt an uneasiness to meet his uncle, Olgreg Hymes. He didn’t like him although he never met him.

“Once we win the battle, I shall take you to lots of new places... introduce you to many... you’ll see wonders my lad... wonders.”, Zimon said.

Marco thought about it for a while and said, “I’ve always wanted to see the River Neel... Longest river it is, isn’t it?”

Zimon nodded.

“Have you been to The Grol Gardens? I want to see that too.”, Marco shot another wish with anticipation.

“Sure, I’ve been there.”

“And have you been beyond the mapped boundaries... in the unexplored regions?”

Zimon laughed, “Slow down now my lad. You will see the whole world. You will be aware of all the dangers, magic, myth, truth and secrets that encompass this world. All you have to do is... wait!”

Legs were aching when the sky darkened. They hadn’t taken a single break yet. They were all in a dense forest. It was very small, but large enough for the army to settle.

“Let us camp here tonight.”, Zimon announced.

The sun had completely gone down. The leaves rustled calmly. Zimon shuffled his bag and took out some leaves. He grinded them to a powder and asked everyone to take a pinch and pass it on. He then passed a nice amount of bread and shouted, “One morsel each.”

As soon as the morsel went into the stomach, they felt full and so energetic that they were ready to give up the rest and continue. The water added up more to the strength.

When everyone had their fill, Marvelo walked up to Zimon and said, “We require someone on guard while we are asleep.”

“Ofcourse.”, Zimon agreed, “Three men at a time. Choose them yourself.”

Zimon gathered some wood on the ground. He stared at it for a while and then clapped his hands together. A blazing bonfire lit out from the wood.

“Wow.”, Peter exclaimed.

“Let’s have some talk lads.”, Zimon said gloomily.

Marco, Peter, Marvelo, Zimon sat in a circle in the silent night with fire in the centre warming themselves.

“Can I join you my lord?”, Fred asked from behind.

Peter groaned slightly. Zimon smiled and gestured Fred to sit down.

The rest of the soldiers were comforting themselves to sleep on their new leaves and twigs bed. A bush nearby Marvelo ruffled a bit.

Zimon crossed his left finger slightly. A very tiny ball of fire jumped up in the air from the bonfire and hit straight into the bushes.

“OUCH!”, shouted two voices. The two men jumped and landed in front of the five.

Zimon laughed out loud, “If you wanted to listen to us, you would have asked me fools of Yoyo and Albert!”

Yoyo had a black hole in the back of his pants.

Marco and Peter laughed hard at the duo.

“I’m sorry, my lord. We thought you won’t let us in and we were getting bored.”, Albert squeaked.

“And you’ll be punished for sneaking! Both of you!”, Zimon said.

“Accepted.”, Yoyo said defiantly.

Zimon beamed, “Your punishment is that you will join us for the rest of the night!”

Amazed, both of them thanked the king and sat down gladly. Marco shook his head and said to both of them, “I wonder if your brain grew with your age.”

“That was amazing, anyway!”, Yoyo interrupted, “How did you do it my lord?”

“What? The fireball?”, Zimon replied, took a pause, bent forward and whispered, “Magic!”

“Magic!”, Peter repeated, “Let’s talk about magic, my lord.”

Zimon smiled.