Planet Ignis | Ch. 30 (Patreon)

…more and more about the Burrows, I was captivated by the role of the blues. I couldn’t stop laughing when he told me about the fearsome and mighty blue monarchs. When he asked me why, I told him there was a butterfly species called the blue monarch. When I explained that blue monarchs were harmless creatures, he laughed as well.

Aside from this humorous episode, blues were one exceptionally talented individual with immense potential and could help the tribe in case of an energy crisis, a big dig, or the transmutation of ignium. The adage of kings being the people’s servants finally came true in…

From “Notes on Ignian Societies” by Hitori Himura, PhD

An epic battle was being fought under the old oak of the Central Square of Greensburg. No explosions or roars of war were heard, though. This was a battle of wit. Both players showed great concentration. One of them was also displaying something fantastic that could only be seen in the animal kingdom back on Earth. He looked like a chameleon or an octopus whose skin kept changing colors and shapes.

Eli had gotten the Midas Triplets card. The card read, “Swap your rooks for two kings. If you lose any of your kings, lose the game.” It was a two-edged sword. On the one hand, the potential power plays were countless, but on the other hand, one had two extra vulnerabilities the adversary could target.

Trother had drawn the Ayu card. It read: “Ayu, the game maker. Start with an extra five longevity stones.” It was seemingly a small effect, but starting the game with a resource advantage over your opponent allowed you to play more aggressively.

“Check?” said Eli, very carefully, as he enhanced one of his kings and took Trother’s rook. He didn’t stop stimulating his skin which kept changing colors and patterns in a fast rhythmic sequence.

Trother let a tear roll down his face and removed his king from the board. “No, Eli.”

Eli stared at the board questioningly. He had never seen his master do this. What did this mean?

“Eli, it’s a checkmate. You won. Well done, son.”

Eli looked at Trother. He thought that when Trother finally lost against him, he would be entirely beside himself, but all he could see in his father’s face was pride. Never had anyone been so happy to lose. For twelve years, Trother had kept pushing Eli. After Eli started beating Faren repeatedly, Trother started playing against him.

This was the first time Eli had ever won. Eli could have won against Trother sooner if he hadn’t had to be practicing his coordination as he played, but this only made this moment even more special.

“Now, I am sure you can stop the Raptor, Eli. You won against the man who beat the machine.”

Eli was speechless. He had never thought he would be able to win against Trother. Eli was now a thirty-six-year-old man inside a twenty-four-year-old body. He had looked up to his teacher’s insurmountable wit and wisdom all his life. He suddenly felt scared. Trother was the mountain in which he burrowed. What did this victory mean?

“I can now rest in peace, Eli.”

“Master, you…”

“It’s OK, Eli. I am glad that Hitori gifted me with the most wonderful gift. More time with those I love.” Eli didn’t understand.

Trother stood up. “Eli, walk with me. Let’s go see the sunset from the garrison.”

Greensburg was a gigantic city in the middle of a never-ending grass prairie. The city’s wide streets and fashionable buildings made it an exquisite place. It also had a strange connection to nature. All around, there were flowers and trees, with plants growing up the walls of the stone buildings, making them seem in harmony with nature.

They climbed up the street that led to an abandoned fortified castle. Its walls were white, and its towers offered a panoramic view of the city and all the surrounding prairie. It also afforded a beautiful view of the river that cut through the prairie and brought water to the city. In the distance, herds of animals grazed on the blades of grass. Trother and Eli often came here after a day of training to chat while admiring the view.

As they finished climbing one of the towers, they took in the view for a few moments. The sky had turned from blue to yellow and was starting to turn orange.

“Who would have known that the skies of Earth would mimic the colors of the flames of Ignians?”

“True, master. Even though the planets differ, the laws of nature are the same.”

They watched as the sun turned from orange to red.

“I wish Brodnir and Naiara were here to see this. Hitori too,” said Trother, emotion in his voice.

“Zawa too. She would have loved to see this. All the children of the tribe too.”

“Did you know that Brodnir was claustrophobic?” said Trother as the sky reddened.

“Claustrophobic?” Claustrophobia was one of the deadliest conditions in the Burrows. Living in tunnels for all of one’s life was mentally destructive enough. If someone were afraid of confined spaces, often they lost their mind.

“Yes. Very much so. You see, as king he had to be the most confined, always being trapped in the Globular Throne. But that’s where his mind was the freest. He got to visit the Nexus regularly, the only place within the Burrows with no walls or ceilings.” Eli was impressed. He had never suspected that Brodnir was fighting every moment of every day against fear and anxiety, just like Eli fought his hunger.

“Brodnir needed the throne, and the throne needed him.” Eli nodded. Brodnir had been a great king.

“You know, Eli, when your physique evaluation came out, Brodnir and I discussed your future. Did you know he recommended you to be the next blue king?”

Eli hadn’t known. He assumed that Faren had automatically assigned him to be a lit. Rarely would the king or the lit responsible for the class interfere in the evaluation of a student. He himself, despite having taught several classes already, had only interfered with the assessment of one of his students once.

“No, master. You never told me.”

“Indeed. I told Brodnir that you shouldn’t be king and that I would take you under my guardianship and teach you to be a lit.” Eli considered what Trother was saying to him. He wondered why his master had decided to talk about this now.

“You didn’t think I had what it took to be king, master?” As Eli asked this, he wasn’t annoyed. He was simply curious. He’d been happy to serve under Brodnir and to see Gro ascend to the throne. His student had the makings of a great queen.

“I did.”

“So, why didn’t you accept Brodnir’s suggestion?”

“Because, just like Brodnir needed the throne, you needed a father.” Eli smiled. Trother had been the light in the darkness that had turned him into the man he was today. If it weren’t for Trother, his pain would have consumed him. “You would have made a great king, but in my opinion,” he said as he turned to Eli and put his hand on his shoulder, “you’ve turned out to be an even better teacher.” Eli was happy with Trother’s decision.

“Eli, I have treated you as a son throughout the years. I want you to know that I am proud of you.” Trother was an emotional old man, but it was rare for him to be so cheesy. What was going on with him?

“Thank you for everything you did for me, master.”

“No, son. Thank you. I know you’ll save the Burrows.”

Trother waved his hand, and a timer appeared in the corner of Eli’s vision. It was a timer on a countdown. It counted ten seconds for him to be logged out of the Nexus.

“Trother, what are you…?”

“No son should see his father die in front of him.”

“What are you doing? No. You can’t do this. Stop...”

Eli’s figure started to fade and disappear. He had been forcibly logged out.

Trother found it amusing that the most beautiful part of the day passed by so fast. Perhaps that was the reason why it was so beautiful. It was because it was so rare. Trother watched as the sky turned dark.

“When my fire is out, what I forged remains,” said Trother ceremoniously. “I forged three loves: Naiara, Brodnir, and Eli. I forged the children of my tribe. I forged two sons, a king of teachers and a teacher of kings.”

As Trother’s mind remainder was spent outside, in the real world, his body convulsed. While Eli was spared from seeing his father’s death in either world, Trother’s mind faded from the Nexus, and his remains solidified in the incubator. Trother, the wise, was no more.

Epilogue