Young Writers Society

Fathers of Power Chapter 8: Lyoko the Impossible (Part II)

“Well there used to be a special class that I tough personally of about thirty students, but since… since the Black War, I haven’t had time to even visit my school anymore.”

“How come? So you mean you won’t be there when I attend?” Clover wanted to know that all her schoolmates would look up to her as the principal’s favourite – such a link would certainly buy her the envy and reverence of the whole school.

“You see…” Clover saw how daunted Hawthorne looked.

“Dinner will be ready in a minute!” Haiku called, but Hawthorne, so lost in bloody memories, could not hear.

“I was the most novice member of the Ogal council just before the Black War, and now…” Clover looked sunken as she feared she had understood. “I got the house erected just before the war had sprung up. It is more massive than you probably think, far grander than the little tower in Magma Town. . . I would soon surprise the other councillors with it and convince them that we all live together here.”

“But then they were all killed in the war,” Clover said, immediately feeling bad as her words came out more bluntly than she had wanted.

“Yes. Now I am the only councillor left… When the land was informed of this, there was much sorrow, although I had immediately risen to a new status. Being the last of the councillors, I had seemingly become as powerful as the Prime Minister.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t the council the head of Notherland?”

“Not quite. The council is merely a religious figurehead in honour of god; the Prime Minister is the real head of state, but not long ago, when Catherina, the past leader, was alive, we had as much influence on the running of the country as the Prime Minister.”

“But now that you are the only one left, the heads of state don’t take you as seriously.” Hawthorne glanced up at Clover with fierce eyes. Clover sunk into her cushioned seat, she knew she was right. “So are you planning to recruit new councillors and rebuild the integrity of the council?” the girl questioned.

“You are both powerful and intelligent, little one,” Hawthorne said, making Clover redden a little. “Since the day of the announcement, I have been dealing with thousands of candidates, but not even one comes close to replacing any of the past councillors. Firstly, all these candidates are even weaker than I. Many I don’t know enough to trust – they are just jumping at the opportunity to seize wealth and power! The Prime Minster, Ki, is getting impatient with me, but selecting councillors to make the new council simply cannot be rushed!” Clover saw how frustrated Hawthorne was.

“Still… I will not let Catherina’s tutorage be a waste. I will have the council rebuilt to an even stronger one! Oga will be pleased with my work!” Clover wondered how to feel. Hawthorne sighed, remembering what Clover had said about Oga and Kizer. “In spite of all this, I will accompany you to the school tomorrow,” the woman conceded. Clover gasped and looked up at her with much gratitude.

“Oh you musn’t be bothered,” Clover said.

“I must. I will have you placed in Kuriu’s class. She teaches the third-years. You should have final exams in…” she looked up and tried to memorize the school calendar. “Nine schooldays I believe.”

“What?!” Clover was excited and terrified.

“Yes, those who are successful will move on from intermediate to expert magic. If you want to make something of your power, then prove yourself and learn three years worth of knowledge within the nine days.”

“That’s insane! How can I--”

“If what you say of my god and his companion is truth, then we might not have six years to make you into a useful witch,” Hawthorne said.

So the school curriculum covers six years in all, Clover realized. But wait, does this means that she believes me?! “I will do it!” Clover took on the challenge, just as Hawthorne knew she would. “But what happens after I ace these exams?”

Is she really confident that she can pass these exams in nine days? Maybe I should tell her that the failure rate is roughly 78%. “Well, if you do manage to pass, I will withdraw you from the school and train you personally.” Clover was speechless. Hawthorne laughed a little, seeing the priceless look on the girl’s face.

“Heh. The only way you would make such a deal is if you think I couldn’t possibly pass,” Clover said, “and your thinking that is what will push me to come first in my class!” Hawthorne laughed, totally amused by Clover.

***

Kyle was astonished at how Lyoko moved easily on the rough terrain. They crossed spiky hills and fierce rivers. As they moved for hours at a near steady pace, they encountered fierce beasts that Lyoko refused to fight, forcing Kyle to kill them even in his exhaustion. This was far more difficult than fighting the pride of lions created by the subdimension of Herriot years back, and unlike back then, getting torn to threads would of course mean the end of him. Kyle felt a soreness in his muscles that no battle, not previous training had made him feel. Of all his enemies though, his fiercest was the sun, that seemed to linger high in the sky though it was well into evening. “L—Lyoko… Water…” Kyle begged, then finally toppled and keeled over, gasping. Lyoko didn’t allow him to eat or drink on the journey.

“Get up you worthless blot of scum!” the man hissed at Kyle. Kyle looked up to the sky. It showed him mercy and the sun finally hid itself behind the distant hills. Lyoko made him lay there a while longer, until it was fully night. Kyle wondered why he was already this tired. It was like something was strange about the environment – it appeared to drain his energy by the second.

“Boy, we have many miles to cover. Whatever time we reach, our training will begin at sunup, so if you want some rest before we begin, I suggest you get your ass up and—huh?!” Lyoko was amazed that the boy was already asleep. After a little pause, he laughed a little.

“Uh…” After what felt like a second’s sleep, Kyle opened his eyes to the gentle rays of the early-morning sun. What the… He woke up in a dusty cabin, and quickly ran to the door and opened it. He saw that around him was a small yard, that was bordered by a thick woodland. Sitting with his legs crossed and back turned to him was the old man who was supposed to teach him. “Old man, where am I?” the boy asked in confusion.

“A hundred and ten miles from where you fell asleep.”

“W—what? You think I’m stupid, old man?! Huh?!” Kyle held his breath and his face twisted up as in a flash, the old man who was sitting a few meters before him just vanished. He gasped as he felt a tense paralysis and a heavy presence behind him. His eyes slowly fell until they were upon the old man’s staff, which was held under his chin by Lyoko, who was behind him. Magic?! Illusion?

“As your training has now begun, you will refer to me as Great Grand Maser Lyoko!” Kyle was still stupefied by whatever move the old man had just made. “Now, let me say this from now. You will experience things and witness levels of speed and strength that you have never before seen, but do not be frightened by these things. When your training is expired, you will be able to do things that you now think impossible… Anyway, let’s not have that food getting too cold on us,” the man said in a surprisingly trivial tone.” Kyle just remembered how hungry he was.

“So, Lyoko,” Kyle said.

“I said it’s Grand--”

“Yeah, whatever!” Kyle said with his mouth full. He was eating a weird brownish thing with a nasty flavour that was well cloaked by his hunger. It was dry and powdery, and not the least bit aesthetic. “So you taught Blade and his brother for a time.”

“Ah, that pair of boys,” Lyoko said, chewing down more of whatever that food was. The more Kyle was filled, the more disgusting the food began tasting, until it started to show on his face even involuntarily. “I was sought out by a young man once – I don’t remember his name. He paid me heavily to train him and his men – they were the elders of Zakashi Village. On one of my visits, I noticed two boys practicing some techniques with impressive skill. I drew near to them and observed them a while longer. The elder who sought me out saw my interest in them and asked me to train them for a little while for the same payment I trained him and his men for. These boys, I instantly realized, especially the one with the moon-coloured hair, now known as Blade, had far more potential that the others who I tutored. They excelled quickly, and in a few weeks, their skill grew exponentially. Both boys on the surface were equal, but Daniel, your master, he had a certain kind of finesse to his techniques that reminded me of myself. I figured that if he remained on the path he was on, by the time he is my age, he would have become as

strong as I was when I was his.”

“Huh?” Kyle looked confused.

“You, Kyle, are the total opposite of Blade. He was born with an innate talent, being a descendant of Zakashi, the man hailed to be the sage of the sword. His eyes were quick, his mind sharp, his feet swift.” Kyle looked despondent. “But you have something that I did not then see in Blade, something that can make up for you lack of talent.” Kyle looked up at Lyoko quickly. “You need not explain it, but I sense in you an unbendable will to prove yourself, to show your worth.”

Kyle suddenly remembered clearer than ever how he had felt when he saw the breathtaking powers of Lex and Clover for the first time. He saw like they were still before him his grandfather’s eyes, and felt the old man pushing the scabbard vehemently on his chest. “I will not be outdone” he remembered himself vow.

“Understand this, young Kyle,” Lyoko said, “a second-rate swordsman from Zakashi’s time could easily slay both Blade and me.” Kyle wondered if this could really be so. Blade was certainly strong, and the boy was beginning to think that this old man could even be far stronger. “Men have become weak. Swordsmen, because of the long eras of peace and the inventions of modernity, have become worthless. They have forgotten the basic laws and elementary techniques which are the foundation of strength. In this day, only sorcerers and elementalists are looked on as strong, but consider this, Zakashi’s strength was in no way inferior to that of his brother’s. Zakashi himself killed two of Oga’s arcane children.”

“Zakashi killed seventh grade sorcerers?!” Kyle couldn’t believe.

“Sorcery below seventh grade had no effect on him, and arcane sorcery could barely match him. That is a level of strength that was not inherited by Kizer, but acquired through training.”

“How could you even know all this?!”

“In time I will show you everything, young Kyle. If you give me a year of your life, I will make you stronger than Blade.”

“Stronger… than…” Kyle couldn’t even say it.

“Though my strength is close to that of men from Zakashi’s time, the span of my life is not. If you let me, I will give you my strength that it will not die with me.”

“… How could you be as strong as you say you are?” Kyle asked.

“I was trained by the progenitor of the way of the sword.”

“Are you sure you aren’t crazy, old man?”

“Are you finished eating, now? We should get started.

“By the way, what the heck is this shit?” Kyle just remembered to ask.

“Heh. You just said it,” Lyoko said with a slight smirk.