Fathers of Power Chapter 8 (Part 1): Lyoko the Impossible

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

A man named Darius, an old, shadowy noble who was the right hand and often the brain of the previous king, made his way into the king’s chambers. He gave Kyle a discomfiting glare. The youngster was by the king’s side at all times. “Is it customary to enter the king’s chambers unannounced, you imbecile?!” Kyle started.

“For me it is, young fool,” the man answered quickly.

“Darius, was it?” Azar recalled.

“Remember it well,” the man said proudly. “It is with regret that I must show one so young and naïve the secrets within this tower, but as the new king, there are things you must know that as prince you were locked away from.” Kyle and Azar looked at each other, then back at the shady-looking old man.

Kyle’s eyes widened. Azar stood abruptly, seeing Blade appear behind Darius. “Blade, tell me you didn’t kill all my guards on your way up!”

“Not all of them,” Blade said, walking past the stupefied noble who wore red cloaks and looked like a sinister mage.

“Blade, what is it? Is Zakashi Village attacked?” Kyle asked, already reaching for his sword.

“No. Listen. Do you know of a man named Lyoko?” Blade asked, not sounding as calm as he usually was.

“Lyoko the Impossible?” Darius asked with a similar tone as Blade.

“Yes, that was his title back in the day.”

“He was a legendary swords master of unknown origin, famed to be the most wanted assassin in the world. He was wanted in every single state in the northern hemisphere, and quite a few countries here in the south as well, including Magma Land.”

“What?!” Kyle belted, pondering the possibility of all this.

“The most skilled swordsmen in Libson were taught, if even shortly, by this man. Master Chuck in the Twin Towns was one of his students, and so was even my and my brother’s master. For a few days, while he hid in Zakashi Village, he taught me and my brother a few techniques, which to this day are my most powerful moves.”

“I have heard of him,” Azar said. “He disappeared about ten years ago while the Magmalian and Herculean armies were planning to combine their efforts to kill him.”

“A man strong enough to unite two nations that were sworn enemies?!” Kyle mused, grinning, imagining such a man in battle.

“Lyoko has surfaced,” Blade said. The other three men in the room froze silent. Darius looked pale.

“What proof do you have of this?!” he questioned Blade.

“He came to me not long ago. He said that the god of magic appeared to him in a dream and compelled him to make me deliver into his hands a candidate to fight the Sage of the Sword.” Blade looked worried.

“Sage of the Sword?” Kyle looked confused.

“What is all this?!” Darius blasted, “The gods are long dead, and so are all the sages!”

“Darius,” Azar said, “there are secrets behind the Black War that I may need to share with you – providing you can be as useful as I hope.”

Darius looked quite intrigued. “The villain behind the war is not Truim, but the ones called gods that history claimed defended the world against the seven Zagans.”

“Are you mad, Azar?!”

“When there is time, I will explain,” Azar said, “Now about this message that Lyoko brings…”

“Yes, the Sword Sage can be none other than Zakashi, the youngest son of Kizer,” Azar said. His worry was plain. “Does this mean that the children of the gods are also alive?” he wondered aloud. “If that is the case, then hope is far too much to ask for.”

“It seems Kizer and Oga plan on orchestrating the battles that will constitute the next war,” Blade said. “He is toying with us, telling us to ready a warrior to fight Zakashi.”

“Do you know when Lyoko will return to you?”

“Tonight. He said that he will have to wipe my village out if I do not find him a suitable candidate by then… I would rather not have to go up against this man.” Blade sounded serious.

Azar hissed. This changes everything… “Blade,” he said.

“I cannot, Azar. I can’t leave my people again.”

“I will send a third of my army to guard Zakashi! You are the strongest swordsman I know. If anyone could be ‘suitable’, it would have to be you, Blade! We don’t know for sure what’s happening, but Lex and the others need lots more time, so we cannot afford to aggravate the enemies this early.”

“I Understand. Send Kyle.”

“What?!” the boy blasted.

“Kyle, you were trained by me and by Azar. You should be able to withstand and keep up with Lyoko’s training. With his guidance, you will become even stronger than I am.” Kyle stood and stared out, wondering if he had heard Blade correctly.

Stronger than Blade… Is such a level even possible?

Blade thought of the statue he had seen for the first time the day he had fought the elders of his village. The statued man held the sword skyward with a look of solid strength on his face. Blade, since then, knew that this man was the epitome of strength in respect to the sword. “I will try to convince Lyoko to remain in my village that I too can garner from his strength,” Blade said.

“Heh! Imagine me and you being classmates, Blade!” Kyle laughed excitedly at the thought of it. Heh. When this legend that is even in league with Blade has trained me, then that Laika brat will panic when he next sees me fight! Kyle laughed excitedly.

“Viknor!” Azar called, grabbing his wrist. After a few seconds, the wizard appeared, fighting into his purple cloak. He looked half-drunk.

“Did I wake you, my good wizard?” Azar greeted. Darius looked frightened by him.

“Not quite,” Viknor replied, laughing a little. “What is it you need?”

“I am sending Kyle off to train with Lyoko.”

“Lyoko the Impossible?” Viknor asked, sounding quite intrigued.

“Yes, he has resurfaced.”

“Ha! I bet you didn’t know it was I who drove him into hiding. Anyway, that story is for some other time.” The men looked over at Viknor with contorted faces.

Azar was tempted to ask Viknor about that, but he knew that time wasn’t there for stories. “Place a seal on Kyle so you can summon him at will,” Azar instructed. The wizard laughed.

“That is long done, my lord.” Kyle’s eyes bulged; Azar wasn’t very surprised though. He was just glad that this wizard wasn’t his enemy. “Another thing – I will have to speak to Ki about this, but I want you to stay with me here for a short while that I might learn certain spells.”

“I see,” Viknor said.

“Well that’s all for now, Viknor. You, Darius, I believe we have things to discuss.”

“Far more than I imagined, young Azar.”

***

Clover had just fallen asleep, her head on a pillowed chair that she had dragged up to Star’s healing chamber. “Who are you, little girl?” she heard a woman’s voice wake her. She jolted up. Sitting before her on the other side of the incubator was a woman who looked vaguely familiar. She was in a flamboyant pink and purple dress, and though aged, she looked quite pretty. Standing behind the seated woman was the same lady Clover had met earlier. “Girl, where are you from?” the seated woman asked. “A year ago, in the Black War,” the same woman said before Clover could speak, “I felt a strange sorcery, and only days ago, I felt again – this time, on Notherlandian shore.”

“I am from Magma Town,” Clover answered. Hawthorne’s eyes reflected that she was expecting that answer. Still, her slight smirk made Clover know she was pleased. “And my name is Clover Bengushi.”

“Bengushi… That is a rare but familiar name.”

“I’m sorry, but who are you two?” Clover asked politely. She touched the healing chamber and saw that Star’s recovery was now at 38%.

“My name is Gloria Hawthorne, and I am head of the Ogal Council. This here is my housekeeper, Haiku.” Clover stared at Hawthorne with a breathless gaze.

“Ogal… Ogal council?” The young witch shook a little, realizing that she was sitting before who was in status and sorcery the greatest witch in the world – or so she believed.

“Do not be frightened, young witch. It is I who should be frightened of you. You couldn’t have mastered arcane magic as yet, but I know you have visited the seventh grade at least twice.” Hawthorne looked quite intrigued with Clover. Clover nodded faintly, knowing that it was useless to lie to this woman. “Why did you show up here at Notherland, and how did you end up in a fight with my men?”

Clover struggled to remember. “I was only warning them…” she said, just recalling how the brawl had begun. Her eyes bulged as she remembered just how it had escalated and how many were killed on that bridge and on the ship. “Did they sink the ship?!” Clover yelped anxiously.

“No, the passengers are safe.” Clover sighed. “What were you warning them about?” Hawthorne asked the girl. Clover looked back up at her. She remembered well how much trouble that warning of hers caused before, and how offended the Notherlandians were by it. To tell the leader of the Ogal Council that her god is a villain – could that possibly be a good idea?

“I… I can’t remember,” Clover said, her eyes averting Hawthorne’s. The woman’s face sterned.

“Reports came in that you commit the vilest of crimes… blasphemy… Is that so?”

Clover looked up at her quickly. “If I tell you what I know, you won’t believe me!” Clover said shakily.

“That Oga is behind the Black War? Along with Kizer, the god of elements?” Clover wondered what to say.

“If you know of the accusations I have made against Oga, why don’t you have me executed like what the others tried?”

“Are you saying you want to die, girl?” Hawthorne asked.

“That isn’t it, but--”

“You remind me a little of one of my young teachers, Kuriu.” Clover looked a little confused. “

That’s right!” she burst suddenly, “Councillor Hawthorne! You are the principal of the Notherland School of Magic aren’t you?!” Clover remembered, her face beaming.

“That aside,” Hawthorne marginalized, “why is it you say that Oga and Kizer are behind this war? Tell me everything you think you know.”
Clover sighed.

“Alright, if you promise me that my sister and I will be accepted in your school--”

“You start tomorrow.”

***

Kyle and his teachers stood at the gates of Zakashi Village as day died. Blade had relieved the guards there of their duty for the while, but they kept watch from the distance, knowing something strange was going on – after all, Blade, King Azar, and Kyle the student of both who had gotten quite renowned in recent times were standing about in one place, awaiting something.

Blade noticed him just milliseconds before the others an old, limp-looking man seemingly struggling to reach up to them on tired feet, walking with a shaky staff and holding his back with his other hand. “Tell me this isn’t the man who will be teaching me,” Kyle muttered. Blade looked on wordless, but Azar and Kyle could read from Blade’s eyes that this old man was indeed Lyoko the Impossible.

Kyle clutched his knapsack tightly. Is this some kinda joke? No way this old man could kill a fly.

“Young Blade,” the man greeted as he reached up to them.
Blade bowed slightly.

“Master Lyoko.”

“Greetings, Lyoko. I am Azar, king of Magma T—Magma Land,” Azar said.

“Hmm?” the old man looked over at the king, then laughed. “Have you come to arrest me? I should still be on your country’s blacklist you know.”

“Heh. I’m afraid I’m on different business. This boy here will be your student.” The man looked over at Kyle, who gulped with sudden nervousness.

Lyoko looked very displeased, and he didn’t even try hiding it. Blade sighed. The old man walked up to Kyle and inspected him thoroughly, also his sword. He looked back at Blade. “Son, you do remember that it is the Sage of the Sword that I am preparing a warrior to fight, right?”

“Yes, master.”

“Honestly, do you think you, at your level, could fight this son of a god, Blade?”

“… Do you think even you could, master?” Blade asked back.

“Yet you expect some random teenager to manage?! Don’t joke around, Blade! I didn’t show my face here after all these years to be made fun of! Get this boy out of my sight!” He pressed his stick down on the ground and it shook under his feeble-looking, well-contoured hand. Kyle glanced over at Blade and Blade saw the look of anguish on his face. The boy’s fists and teeth were clenched like he was trying damn hard to hold himself back from going at the old man.

“Master, this boy was trained by me, your own student, and trained also by King Azar, who is also a fine swordsman,” Blade assured.

“Blade, I either train you or I destroy your village. Oga appeared to me I tell you, and threatened me heavily. Do not force me to--” Kyle drew his sword and threw his bag down.

“That’s enough, you old bastard! You think you can come in here and threaten to destroy anything?! Do you know who we are, fool?”

“Kyle!” Blade blasted, disarming him quickly. “Refrain from aggravating Lyoko!”

“And you, Blade! Why do you fear this man?! No matter how strong he was back in the day, look at him now! You think he could possible beat any of us?!”

“That’s enough now,” Azar said, “This is getting is nowhere.”

“Master, just--”

“Alright, if you can simply touch me with your blade--” Kyle grabbed his sword back from Blade quickly, ready to rush at Lyoko.

“Not you, idiot! I was talking to Blade!” Kyle looked at Blade in shock. This petty challenge obviously upset Blade. He hissed and grabbed the handle of the legendary sword. Lyoko laughed. “That’s enough, Blade,” he said, “I won’t school you before your student.” Blade hissed, then let go of the sword.

Lyoko sighed. “Blade, if this boy frustrates me, I will kill him, and destroy your village.” Blade nodded. Kyle’s heart raced. He didn’t want to do this anymore.

If this man taught *Blade*, then how could I not frustrate him?!

“Come, boy! We have many hills to climb to reach by morning!”

“What?! Azar, can’t you get us some horses?!”

“This too is a phase of the training, boy!” Lyoko said, sounding impatient already.

“We’ll leave him to you then,” Azar said.

“See you later Azar, Blade,” Kyle bade them, casing his sword and grabbing up his bag.

Finally, the two left the sight of Blade and Azar, heading up to jungled hills. “Blade,” Azar said. “I have faith in Kyle’s potential… but--”

“Not buts, Azar. Kyle might not have natural talent as a swordsman, but his will is unbreakable. He will endure Lyoko’s training.”

“Hmm… Just know that it is likely that you will have to face Zakashi if he appears… As by then, the other sons might also surface. I would have to leave the Sword Sage to a man like you. It seems the gods have a particular interest in our dot on the map, so it wouldn’t be strange for them to strike here first in whatever scheme they have up their sleeves.”

“When Kyle endures Lyoko’s training, he and I, along with Lyoko will together rival even Zakashi.”

“… I’ve read that Zakashi’s strength is his speed,” Azar said.

“So have I. Lyoko focuses on speed in his teachings, so he will prepare Kyle well. Do you think Zakashi and his brothers are resurrected already?” Blade asked.

“For some reason I think not… Based on my research, it might require a nasty amount of magical energy to bring them back.”

“That even Oga cannot produce?”

“Maybe… Darius and I are going through some secret documents that were hidden in the tower for decades. Some of these writings are closely knit to Kizer and Oga, and we might find a clue there.”

“A clue to their plans?”

“And possibly how to stop the resurrection if it isn’t already done.”

“Wishful thinking I believe, but we can’t sit doing nothing anyway… I am still getting even stronger through training in the cave of Zakashi… The presence I feel while I am there… Fighting that man must be avoided, Azar…”