Chapter 13: Decision
1850 Words
"Neither of the fighters can fight anymore... I hereby declare this fight between Geoff Stinger and Yoso Edroch... a draw!"
Once again, Yoso wakes up in his bed, at his home, as usual. He probably became used to fainting, as well as seeing the same scenery every time.
"So you finally wake up..." says the unusual figure that was waiting by the end of Yoso's bed. It was neither Saki, nor Kein that were usually waiting for him in this situation, but his adoptive father, Laure.
"I feel like I've lost, yet I know that there might not be any chance for this...isn't it?" says Yoso while looking straight at the ceiling
"It's as you say. If I knew that you'd grow so much in such a small period of time, I wouldn't have imposed such a mission. Geoff might not have seemed like it, but he was my rival, and way stronger than my current self.
"So? How was my fight...?"
"It finished in a draw, but I feel like it ended like this just because of a whim of yours."
"I don't like being underestimated because of my looks. He was looking disappointed to fight me after he saw my aspect."
"This might be so, we are talking about Geoff Stinger after all. Looking at this fight in contrast to the one you've had with Shimada, you've played the exact opposite cards," says Laure and quickly grabs Yoso, patting him on the back.
"I understand that being taught as weak might be frustrating, but don't do anything so reckless again. We still have yet to learn the true extent of your capabilities."
"I understand... mister Laure..."
Then Yoso realizes that Laure omitted an important fact, that he had yet to tell him.
"Wait! What does this mean though?! Do I still have to face the other Zodiacks that are weaker than Geoff?"
"Well yes... but actually no. You can still fight them if you want, but I've come to grasp a bit of your power after this fight. You can skip them if you want..."
"No... There shouldn't be any shortcut, but I'll co all-out. If you can honour my request, I want to fight all the rest of them tomorrow. I won't go easy on them!"
"After I just said that you don't have to be reckless anymore... I'll see what I can do."
And like this, Yoso went out to challenge all the zodiacks in between the ranks of Kein and Geoff, numbering seven of them, all specialized in different affinities. However...
"Incredible! After seven fights in a row, Yoso Edroch manages to get yet another outstanding victory, this time against the water zodiack, Shun Akira!"
"That kid can't be serious... Moreover..." Shizuo started an argument that many have seemed to comprehend by now.
"He learned how to use all the elements of the zodiacks he already faced til' now." continues Kein
"Yes, but the remaining three can't be that easy..." says Shouko
"Judging from what I've witnessed til' now, he might still be no match for number 3. Even I didn't see numbers 2 and 1 in action..." says Kein
"I see..."
"This won't be a problem." intervenes Laure from behind them.
Everyone from Kein's group seems to be questioning this phrase, not being able to comprehend it.
"Number 1 is one of the highest people in the kingdom, and I can't reach him even if I wanted to. That being said he won't fight him. The same goes for number 2 since he is a total mystery. I didn't meet number 2 until now, and the extent of his powers is unknown to me, but he is mostly on the run so he never comes by at the headquarters."
"So his last fight for this mission will be..."
"The number 3 zodiack, The Ice Zodiack of Aquarius: Shiro"
"Ice zodiack... Shiro" mutters Shizuo
"But if his affinity is ice, doesn't Yoso have some advantages already? Ice is a pretty weak affinity, to begin with, and Yoso's fire skills should be able to convey him a reliable advantage," says Shouko
"This might be true, but that doesn't go for that guy. He is the face of talent... He won't budge for being in a small disadvantage."
"That might be true..." says Kein
"Don't tell me... You fought him too, Kein?!" asks Shizuo
However, Kein doesn't respond, nor change his expression one bit.
"Yoso won't be able to withstand him... that guy..." says Kein
"What about withstanding something?" says Yoso that caught a glimpse of what the group was talking about, just after coming to them.
"We were talking about how you might run out of luck in your last fight." cheerfully says Shizuo
"How mean!" says Yoso
Looking at the group laughing, a sole presence was watching over them carefully, questioning whether she should approach or not. Her eyes being fixated on Yoso, and Yoso alone. However, responding to the calls of the group that was calling from behind her, she leaves the spot once again...
At Yoso's residence, the problem regarding Yoso's fight with the Ice Zodiack arose, with the battle being scheduled as soon as the other ones.
"Tomorrow?!" shouts Shizuo after just hearing the details.
"Tomorrow!? That's nice, if I can finish this as soon as possible, I can finish the problem regarding the Black Cross!" says Yoso, pumped-up about the fight tomorrow.
"So you didn't get over that..." mutters Laure
"How could I...? They killed enough, and if I don't intervene, they will kill even more."
"Your sense of justice might be well directed, but don't get too cocky. You still don't know the true extent of your own powers, so you shouldn't act recklessly."
"I know, but if I don't take action, who will?"
This question coming from a kid his age, made everyone in the room fall into a deep silence. He was true... The fact that Dinsfurd didn't have enough forces to deal with the problem of the Black Cross as soon as it arose was a big deal since Dinsfurd was a big kingdom in cooperation with the small cult the Black Cross was.
The one that broke the awkward silence was Laure, that answered Yoso's question with tact.
"It is true that your ability is special and an incredible asset to both Dinsfurd and Melyndor, but you shouldn't shoulder this responsibility all by yourself. The information I am going to confess to you is a strictly confidential one, but might change the way you see the situation so it might be well enough to risk it and tell you..."
Hearing this, everyone in the room started paying attention, being all ears to Laure's confession.
"The number one zodiack, known as the strongest one and the leader of the entire army, betrayed Dinsfurd three years ago..."
"What?!" everyone was surprised by this affirmation, even Kein making wide eyes after hearing this.
"He is the one behind the incident with Black Cross, and as of now, he is one of the actual generals of Authorania's army."
"So this was the real reason you couldn't let Yoso fight him... Isn't it?" says Kein while looking straight at Laure
"Yes... It was true that I couldn't reach him, but the reason was more complicated than it seemed."
"So we couldn't face the problem with the Black Cross, not only because they had numbers, but if we did, Number 1 will intervene, not only he will have the upper hand against our zodiacks, but Authorania might choose to attack us at that very crucial moment," says Kein
"That's how it is..."
"B-but what about the number 2 zodiack? He was rumoured to be the same in power as number 1!" shouts Shizuo as of realizing the true danger his country was in.
"We can't find him... He always did as he pleased, so he is always travelling everywhere, so he is unreachable."
"So... our best bet would be... Number 3 and..." mutters Shouko
"Yes... If we want to overcome the worst situations, we can't risk Yoso being captured or defeated by Authorania by now," says Laure
"So, I won't be allowed to face this problem until I defeat the Ice Zodiack right...?"
"I would've liked you to continue your training until proceeded to fight Authorania, but since our agreement wasn't like this, it is as you say."
"I understand... Let me ask one question," says Yoso
"If it's something that I can answer, I will gladly do," says Laure
"Who is currently ruling over Dinsfurd?"
"That is... As you might know, Dinsfurd is the only kingdom that doesn't have a king figure like the other ones,"
"We do know that, but we never knew who is leading the kingdom and making the decisions..."
"All the decisions of Dinsfurd are made... By the Zodiack..." says Laure
"Wait! So..." Yoso quickly realizes what this means, turning to face Kein.
"Yes, I am one of the members of the council. You never asked me this, you know, right?"
"But... How are the decisions made?"
"All the zodiacks hear the suggestions of the people, or come with their own suggestions, and then decide via majority vote... However... The final answer should be only given by the number one Zodiack."
"So you're telling me that... There hasn't been any improvement o the Black Cross situation, precisely because number 1 is a traitor?"
"Yes, but the actual problem isn't that number 1 is a traitor... It is that I am the only one that actually knows it. So there hasn't been any reason to change the number 1 zodiack until now. I know about the fact he is a traitor because he personally told me before leaving."
"This can't be... so there isn't anything that can be done?" asks Shouko
"No...there is something." quietly says Yoso after thinking through all of Laure's explanations.
Then he adds:
"Can't anyone become a Zodiack as long as they are strong enough and are already a soldier?"
"Well, this would be the case, but where are you go-" asks Laure just before realizing where Yoso was going with this confirmation.
"If I defeat the Ice Zodiack tomorrow and get acknowledged by him, we can expose the information about number 1. Then I... will step in as the next Number One Zodiack!" confidently says Yoso after getting up from the jacuzzi.
"Getting acknowledged... It might be true that if we confirm the situation with the number 1 being a traitor and then you step forwards as a potential new zodiack... You already might have the acknowledgement of all the lower zodiacks. It might be possible." says Laure after confirming whether this plan has any flaws in it.
"I am prepared to sustain the kid until the end... So I agree to this plan," says Kein
"We too!" quickly add up Shouko and Shizuo
"... If you can get the acknowledgement of Shiro, we will try this plan..." says Laure
Hearing the agreement of the group, Yoso couldn't help but put a bright smile on his face.
"I- No... We will do this!"
- Writer
