Union of Fire

Chapter 4: The Festival-1

Chapter 4: The Festival

Maya woke up the next morning surprisingly well-rested and energetic. She sat up in bed pushing her pillow away as rays of sunshine bathed her through the window.

“Interesting. I didn’t see anything this time,” she muttered.

She crawled out of bed shambling toward the window. A group of rowdy inhabitants frolicked outside. The day of the festival had arrived, evident in the perky smiles and energetic shouts of the roaming crowds below. Maya bathed and dressed for the day before leaving her room to join the festivities. She encountered Rin in the hallway, a bounce in his step and his usual smile.

“Ah, Maya! I have something for you!” Rin greeted, noticeably more giddy than usual.

Maya’s jaw dropped when Rin presented her with an elegant suit of armor. The white and blue hues of the top blended well with the shimmering dragon scales of silver protection. One of the pauldrons lay flat against the left shoulder, while the other protruded slightly, engraved with the roaring head of a blue dragon. A dangling white half cape with azure-colored interior draped behind the armor. The shimmering mail appeared incredibly sturdy and reliable.

“Wow, Rin! It’s beautiful. How did you make this so fast?”

“I don’t like to doddle, Maya. I take my work very seriously. And…a little magic doesn’t hurt either…”

“It’s perfect!”

“Yes, yes it is. The armor is also much lighter than it looks. The mobility of the breastplate itself is also quite extraordinary. I’ve never seen anything like Julius’ material before. He was kind enough to provide me the basic schematic, but his armor is very difficult to replicate. Nevertheless, this should do just fine.”

“I should give this to Kaya immediately, just in case.”

Rin handed Maya the armor and stepped back with a satisfied smile. “Making this armor has captured my interest. I am currently drawing up some ideas for suits of armor for the rest of you. I may even make one for myself,” Rin replied.

“Wow, Rin, you’re very productive!”

“My workshop is my life, Maya, and I love what I do.”

“Thank you, Rin,” Maya replied, kindly bowing, before hurrying to Kaya’s room.

Maya reached her sister’s room and knocked three times. A vivacious smile greeted her. “Hey, sis. Are you getting ready for the festival?”

“Yes, and I have something for you.”

Maya dangled the suit in the air. Kaya’s eyes glimmered with wonder and excitement. “Wow! Where did you get this? It’s gorgeous. It looks kind of like Julius’ armor.”

“Rin made it for you. I want you to wear it. I want you to be protected at all times.

“Sure, sis. I’ll put it on after tonight’s festivities.”

“No. Please put it on now, Kaya. Please.”

Kaya could see the ferocity and fear in her sister’s eyes. She smiled, gripping her twin’s arm with an understanding reverence. “Okay, sis, if it puts your mind at ease. I’ll wear it over my dress.”

“Thank you, Kaya. Please watch your back out there and be vigilant,” Maya urged.

“Maya, take a deep breath. I’m going to be fine. We won’t let your vision come to pass.”

Maya closed her eyes sighing. Kaya smiled as she pressed her head against Maya’s. Kaya’s soft touch soothed her worried mind. “Breathe,” Kaya whispered. Maya took a breath again. Kaya felt the tension in her sister’s body release and smiled back at her. “There you go, sis. Just relax.”

“Okay. Let’s go enjoy the festival,” Maya replied, taking her sister’s hand.

While the twins proceeded to the festival, Dorian and Xia prepared in their castle suite. Dorian stood outside the bathroom door waiting, tapping his finger against the wood, growing more anxious with each passing minute.

“Xia, are you all right? You’ve been in there for a while?”

“Yes, Darling, I’m fine. I’m just getting ready. Be patient.”

Dorian walked to the window. A slight tremor of fear pulsed through him, like a quake. A warning. Dorian knew the feeling. It unsettled him.

“You feel that?” The entity said.

“You too, huh?”

“All right, Dorian. Let’s go.” Xia said, exiting the bathroom.

Dorian stood unresponsive, staring into the city below.

“Dorian, are you okay?”

He snapped out of his trance, turning to face her with attentive eyes. “Yeah. I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

Xia c****d her head. She noticed Dorian’s hands were trembling.

“Don’t lie to me. What is it?”

“I felt something. It felt like how it used to feel when Beldazon was close. We need to be on our guard, Xia.”

“Agreed. We need to warn the others,” Xia suggested and left the room.

Dorian stopped in the doorway as Xia disappeared around the corner. The familiar feeling of dread returned, this time stronger.

“Something is coming, boy,” the entity spoke from within Dorian’s mind.

“I know. How close is it?”

“Not far now. Be prepared for a fight. Prove to me once again that you are worthy of my power.”

“After all these years you still question me?”

The entity cackled. “You may have fought Beldazon, but Julius was the one to defeat him. You have yet to prove your true worth to me.”

“Don’t backtalk me. Just stay on your guard and help me when I need you. Understood?”

“Fine, boy, but when the time comes, you better be ready,” the entity replied and subsided back into Dorian’s subconscious.

“Dorian, I just warned my father but I can’t find the others. Who are you talking to in here?” Xia asked upon returning.

“Him.”

“Him? Him who?”

Dorian’s fierce eyes glared at Xia as if he were a different person.

“I see. What does he want? Are you losing control again?”

“No. He was trying to help. He was trying to warm me. Something’s coming. I’m not sure what.”

“Then we should be prepared. I’m going to find Maya.”

“Maya?”

“Yes, she can contact everyone at once and tell them to prepare for battle without frightening the city’s inhabitants or causing a panic,” Xia explained.

“Good thinking.”

Xia took off to find Maya while Dorian stood pondering. “This isn’t going to end well,” he muttered.

Meanwhile, in the city, Kara and Dain enjoyed the festivities. The streets were loud, riddled with rambunctious laughter and shouts of the half-drunken kind. Magicians performed tricks in the streets. One in particular levitated a very displeased looking cat dressed like a wizard in front of a group of clapping children. The baker’s dog sat next to them, wagging his tail, seemingly enjoying the flying feline’s contempt and displeasure. Dain and Kara walked passed the display. Dain’s eyes showed the confusion of a man so lost in questions he had no hope of even managing one.

“You saw that cat, right? Was that just me?”

“This place is incredible!” Kara exclaimed.

“This is crazy. We came once a few years ago but I don’t remember it being so chaotic. I surely don’t remember flying cat wizards,” Dain replied, disoriented from the noise.

“It’s improved throughout the years, I suppose,” Kara replied. Kara scanned the area and spotted a group of people gathered around a table near the blacksmith’s shop. Two men sat clasping arms, locked in an arm-wrestling battle of brawn. The men clenched their teeth flexing, desperately trying to overpower their opponent.

“Oh, Dain I have to try this!” Kara exclaimed.

“I win again!” One of the men boasted, slamming his competitor’s hand on the table.

“Why don’t you man up and take on someone who’s a real challenge?” Kara proclaimed as she approached the table.

The losing competitor smiled as he stood. “Good luck lady,” the man wished her, relinquishing his seat. Kara sat down smiling at her opponent. She placed her elbow on the table, c*****g her brow. The man leaned forward laughing. “You sure you wanna do this, princess? You look a little delicate to me,” the man taunted, as his surrounding friends laughed.

“Aw is the little man flexing his ego because he’s scared to lose to a delicate little princess?” Kara jested.

The man raised his eyebrow grinning. “So be it,” the man replied and rested his elbow on the tabletop.

“He’s gonna snap her arm off,” one of the spectators proclaimed.

Dain smiled and hatched an interesting idea. He approached the man’s rowdy group of friends and interjected. “I bet five gold coins to each of you that the girl wins,” Dain wagered.

“You’re on, boy,” one of the challenger’s friends accepted.

Several other men threw their money into the pot, agreeing to the deal with confident grunts. Dain shook their hands as the matchmaker stepped forward.

“All right if either of you wish to give up at any time just say I yield. Are you two ready?” The matchmaker informed.

“Yep,” Kara replied, staring defiantly into her competitor’s eyes.

“Let’s make this interesting. If I win you got to kiss me,” the man wagered.

“And if I win you have to kneel to me,” Kara replied.

“Deal,” the man agreed, with a grin of certainty on his face.

“Hey, she looks familiar,” one of the crowd members remarked.

“Hey! That’s Kara. She’s one of the heroes of Zannondale!” Another woman yelled.

Kara’s opponent’s smile suddenly disappeared. He stared back at her grinning face, suddenly afraid.

“Ready, Go!” The matchmaker yelled.

Kara and the challenger’s arms clenched. The man smiled as he began to overpower her. “Not much of a hero, are you? It looks like you bit off a little more than you could chew, princess,” he taunted.

Kara stared the man in the eyes, slowly c*****g her head. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did we start already?” Kara taunted and immediately slapped the man’s hand against the table. The man sat in his chair gawking in disbelief. Dain extended his hands toward the shocked group of gamblers, signaling for the challenger’s friends to pay up on their wager. The men shook their heads, begrudgingly handing Dain five gold coins each.

“H–how?” The challenger questioned.

“Pay up. Kneel,” Kara replied.

The man sighed as he stood from his chair. He glanced toward his friends with an embarrassed cringe and lowered himself to one knee, bowing his head. The crowd cheered, as the man conceded defeat. Kara smiled and glanced toward Dain. She motioned for him to sit down, eager for a new challenger.

“No, I’m good,” Dain replied.

“What’s wrong, Dain, you scared?”

“To be honest, yes. I am a little concerned about my well-being.”

“Sit down, Dain.”

Dain cautiously approached the table and sat down across from Kara. “Okay, so what now?” Dain asked. Kara smiled and put her elbow on the table. “You’re testing me again, aren’t you?” Dain asked.

Kara chuckled and nodded.

“Fine,” Dain replied.

“We have a new challenger!” The matchmaker exclaimed.

“Let’s make this interesting,” Dain suggested.

“Oh, really? What did you have in mind?” Kara questioned.

“If I win you have to kiss me.”

“And If I win you have to kneel to me,” Kara replied.

“Didn’t we just see this match?” One of the spectators commented.

“The same rules as before still apply. If either one of you wishes to give up at any time just say I yield,” the matchmaker reiterated.

Kara stared into Dain’s eyes, hungry for a worthy challenger. Dain smiled back at her ready to satisfy her desire to better herself.

Ready, go!” The matchmaker exclaimed.

Dain and Kara clenched arms. Their eyes never wavered, still firmly fixed. They sat locked in armed combat for nearly two minutes. The crowd cheered both competitor’s on, curious to see the outcome of such an evenly matched duo.

“Wow, Dain, you’ve gotten much stronger.”

“I have to be to live with you, Kara.”

Kara laughed, tilting her head smirking. “It seems we are evenly matched, Dain. If you give in I’ll make it worth your while,” Kara offered.

“I want that kiss, Kara.”

Kara leaned closer. “You’re going to win either way, Dain,” she whispered, sneaking a kiss. Dain chuckled and relaxed his arm. Kara slammed his arm against the table as the crowd burst into a frenzy of cheers.

“Well fought, Dain.”

“You too,” Dain replied, rising to his feet.

“Go ahead, Dain. Kneel,” Kara said, eagerly awaiting Dain’s submission.

Dain suddenly grasped Kara’s wrist and pulled her closer.

“Sore loser,” Kara replied, smiling.

Dain gripped her waist and pressed his lips against hers, stealing another kiss. The crowd cheered wildly as Dain dipped Kara, kissing her passionately again.

“Hey, where the hell is my damn kiss!” The former challenger complained amongst the roar of the crowd.

Meanwhile, Bartas and his family enjoyed the festival nearby. A small wooden sword in one of the shops caught Nolan’s attention.