A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.
***
'It really was...crazy.'
The brothers are pinned to the ground they are standing on, dumbfounded and shivering from the burning coldness as they gawk at the mountain of ice before them.
Yes, they are standing at the foot of Frostbite Mountain, the place where their 'crazy adventure' will take place.
Franchette jumped forward with her hands up, delighted, "Yee-haw! It's time to hunt!"
She's never been in Frostbite Mountain before. We'll, she's been in Asharria but they had to keep her chained with her mother to keep her from going in there. The mountain is dangerous and deadly. The snow are sharp and thick; it's so cold that it burns the skin. And of course, cause frostbite that will last for years before it heals. Or not at all.
"Careful, Xerena!"
Her brothers pulled her back.
"I know you're nuts, but stop being too careless. This is Frostbite Mountain, not just some wild jungle you can go into. You're strong, but this mountain is stronger," nagged Kendrew and loosened his grip on her arm. They got her a bit too strongly and tightly but their sister is fine.
She's not hurt.
"Boo, you're like Dad. Worry-wort," she pouted and sticks her tongue out to her brothers.
They went back in the Office to discuss the plan further and make the preparations.
"Our goal is to collect His Equal's subjects. Like me," said the entity who remained nameless.
"Do they have names?" Leandrew.
Franchette, taken over by the entity, shook her head.
"His Equal...is very generous, but she could be irresponsible sometimes. We don't have a proper name, but we have a 'name'."
They feel sorry for it and for the others.
"His Equal loved indulging herself into luxuries. Her life is extravagant and luxurious, befitting for a supreme being. Negotiating with her is very simple: bring her something interesting and if she likes it, you will gain her favor."
"Oh..." They're not very surprised anymore. His Equal indeed look...very easy and simple. Sometimes.
"Us, her subjects, are very special. She gave us life and created us. She's the creator of 'spirits'."
"Spirits?"
Franchette nodded. She opened her palms and the entity showed them fragments of her memories.
"Yes. The parallel of what possess your bodies and make you: a soul. We are souls already with flesh, without a need for a body to possess or born into. Moving on, His Equal is not fair. She have favorites when it comes to her subjects. That's why Her Imperial Majesty, the Matriarch, helped and created a hierarchy for us."
A triangle with layers flashed before them.
"At the bottom is where what we call Her Villagers. As the name suggest, they are villagers. We have a functioning town for ourselves before and that is the Frostbite Mountain. This is where we live. This is where some of us died...and were buried."
"All these villagers are spirits, too. However, some took an Ancient as their mate. His Equal allowed it, but the Ancients must live with us. They are strong and possesses a gift unique from each other, blessed and graced by His Equal upon the first spirits. Their abilities remained unique as their lineage carry on."
"Next are Her Helpers. They are His Equal's personal servants. They bath her, feed her, carry her around, and all the basic and simple tasks. They follow and do what His Equal wants without a fail."
Matthew cut the entity off, "---So basically, they are her slaves?"
The entity stared at him and he stared back at it. They stared at each other with tension, until it became awkward, especially when the entity agreed by nodding instead of defending its master.
"And lastly, Her Relics."
The entity flashed various kinds of accessories and jewelries to them.
"We are her strongest and most powerful subjects. Some of us are wise. His Equal...she have favorites. His Equal is lazy and does not care about thing that does not concern her and her people...and His Equal have enemies. So, our wisest spirit proposed that her strongest spirits be with her at all times. Even when she's alone, they will be with her. His Equal then enchanted her chosen spirits into her accessories. Thus called Her Relics."
"Wow..." Was all they got to say after all that.
"She could be pretty smart sometimes," Franchette commented and her brothers widened theirs eyes on her.
"Please don't take it as an offense," her brothers plead to the entity and the entity didn't take it so hard and laughed it off.
"Then, what are you?" Wattroid preceeded, "Are you a Relic?"
"I am a Helper."
"A slave then."
Kendrew pinched his sister lightly.
"My equivalent rank is that of an Empress's maid. Like the woman named Celia to the Wicked Empress. I am in the lowest among the highest ones."
They nodded, "How many Relics does His Equal have?"
"A lot," revealed the entity, "But like I said, she have favorites. Her favorite Relics are the strongest and great. Her rings are warriors. Her earrings are the wisest, her advisers. Her necklaces, closest to her heart, gives her the ability to sense lies, motives, and intention of others. Her anklets... Lastly, her headdress. Within it lies a knight that withstood Daro's strongest attack. I am not one to judge, but Her Headdress is stronger than Daro."
"Why did you skip the anklets part? What about it?"
"She gave them the ability to not let her trip or fall. If she does fall from somewhere high, she will always land standing straight and unfazed. Even if you push her, she will bend but will never fall. That's all."
Matthew turned around while covering his face. His shoulders are shuddering from the laughter he's holding in. Wattroid is barely keeping it together. Kendrew don't know what's funny, but he feel sorry for His Equal's anklets and their silly purpose.
"C-Can it stop her from falling in love though?" Leandrew tried to joke, but everyone suddenly got serious.
Leandrew looked down, "I'm sorry."
~
"Our mission is to collect Her Relics and they are buried and scattered somewhere beneath the thick snows of Frostbite Mountain. Let's just hope they are not stolen. Her Relics have consciousness even as things. Their only flaw is that they can't shapeshift into a spirit without His Equal's approval. There's another way: if the Necklace Relic tells them so."
Wattroid spread the special fabric on the table. The bots began taking the Xirquits' measurements. They will create suits to withstand Frostbite Mountain's winter.
"---I know who's who when I see one. We will use Her Relics to lift the magic that bound them. The chances of it working are low, but I trust His Equal's creations. Let's hope we will find most of Her Necklaces. I heard they have the ability to purify."
After hours of working tirelessly, the Xirquit siblings fit themselves in their black bodysuits with blue accents. Their color. Wattroid led them to a room of finished and unfinished artifacts and weapons.
His Master will forgive him. His master will understand why he's utilizing things without his approval. It's for everyone. For everyone's sake.
"His Equal may hate me, but I believe I am doing the right thing. I wish for her to forgive me for breaking her favorites, but we have to try this path. The future I've seen is not certain, but I saw you, us, digging snow. Let's just hope...that Her Relics are not stolen and taken."
While preparing the rest of their necessities, Kendrew stops from packing and looked at Franchette. She's packing her own bag while giggling mischievously. Very excited to explore the Mountain.
"His Equal's subject, may I ask you something?"
When Franchette turned to him, half of her face is the entity's.
"If you are just a Helper and not a Relic, how come you can see glimpses from the future? What is your ability?"
The others was put to a halt as well. Now, their eyes are fixed on Her Helper who's taking its time to answer.
"I was once a Relic, too," she confessed honestly, though quite late, "I am a jewel with a band that encircles around her forehead. She's worn me only for a couple of times before getting replaced by other, better head relics. I asked to be a Helper to remain by her side and she graced me with her mercy."
That...
They don't know what and how to react to that.
"After this, you will be her favorite once again," Wattroid smiled and pat Franchette's head. The entity smiled faintly and went back in. Franchette felt its jealousy for the other Relics and its pain about getting replaced.
A tiny jewel with a wearing band. No wonder, His Equal will replace it... Because its beauty didn't last for a lifetime.
Franchette will make sure of it. Either His Equal will acknowledge her friend for its efforts and loyalty or she will make His Equal acknowledge her friend with any means necessary.
Franchette was the first to come out of her uncle's door with the spade in her hand.
"It's digging time!"
.
.
.
It's been said countless times, taught in the Academia, gossiped about by people, that when the Earthlings drank Empress Siofra's blood, not only did her blood gave them the ability to adapt to live in Cosmo-Vale but give them superhuman abilities. But for her closest companions, she talked to them one after another about what kind of powers they want to possess and granted it to them.
Earthlings, like Elektra's children, were not given that privilege. The Empress's blood did the wonders alone in their bodies. Everyone expected them to awaken random powers, but in Elektra's children's case, all of it were related to farming.
Matthew was given the ability of Plant Mastery. He can manipulate plants at his own will. They tried to teach him a bit higher than the basics, but since he's an 'idiot', they let him use his powers only for farming and nothing more.
For Leandrew, it was Detection. He's able to detect if the soil is healthy or not, if the seed is sprouting or not, if it's going to rain, if there are pests, and so much more. His ability was very helpful and it was because of him why their crops and harvests are the best.
And for Kendrew, it was Earth Sense, granting him the ability to feel, interpret, and manipulate the vibrations and energies of the earth, detecting hidden objects, sensing nearby movements, communicating with natural elements like soil and stone. If he pursued learning more about his ability, then he would've unlocked the ability to 'see' a land's memory or history. A very advanced skill which will surely take a lot of his time.
No Xirquit was born a loser. They only pretended to be one. It takes pure skill to pull it off. Their family will be proud instead of getting mad once they figured it out.
Kendrew pierced the thick snow with the spade and gave his siblings the signal.
"Time is ticking. Let's begin."
Matthew walked to the nearest biggest tree and touched its ancient trunk. Its enormous root sprung upwards and that's when they begin clearing the snow around it to see how thick the snow have accumulated.
"Shit," Kendrew cursed and his siblings stared at him with surprise.
"Sorry. Climb up. I'll try to clear the rest." He shook the rope and Wattroid and Franchette pulled the other two back up.
35 feet.
Over years of consistent ravaging of winter, the layers have compacted, creating a dense, stratified blanket atop the mountain.
Wattroid opened the portable lamp he's holding. It's very dark below. The root that Matthew called forth was bigger and longer than they thought.
"Leandrew, it's your turn."
Leandrew nodded and crouched. He removed the glove of his right hand and feel the damp, cold soil of the mountain. His eyes light up as he activated his detection skill.
"How... How am I supposed to know if something is a Relic?" He asked with confusion on his face, "Because I'm detecting lots of metals here."
"Ooohhh..."
The entity said, "You will know. Figure it out. If you wish to get more useful and stronger and better, you have to know yourself and the magic in you."
Leandrew looked back at his sister Franchette, controlled by the entity, and pulled an awful reaction from his face.
But he get it. He understands. So, he will try.
"Leandrew, don't push yourself too much. If you're near your limit, stop and rest. Do you copy?"
"Copy, brother. Trust me."
"I do."
They smiled at each other and Leandrew went back to his work.
They've been farmers since they learned how to plow the fields at young age. Not because they were required to, but because they were curious about their father's everyday tasks and eventually followed his noble steps. When they awakened, their accumulated 'experiences' from farming upgraded their certain skills even when they just learned it. And thus, as they farm, the more 'experiences' they acquire.
Their skills are at least between the average and high levels now.
Now, the blueprint of the mountain was laid out before Leandrew's eyes. He scanned the landmass and materials with, even the faintest, essence were pinpointed to where they were located. Its auras vary in colors, letting him know what is valuable and what is not.
However, as his blueprint's landscape spread across the mountain's range, he detected a powerful anomaly that disturbed his sight, hurting his eyes.
"Leandrew! What's the matter!?" His sibling worried and gathered around him.
Leandrew is covering his eyes and writhing from the pain---and how terrified they were when his eyes started bleeding!
"Allow me," Wattroid stepped in and passed the lamp to Matthew. Kendrew is holding his brother in his clutch. Wattroid sat beside them to check on Leandrew.
"Relax, my lord. Please, let me check your eyes."
They stopped when they felt a little tremor. The snow over their heads fell on their heads a little.
"Where is your town exactly located, His Equal's subject?" Matthew asked as he keep his senses sharp.
"Around the mountain's foot. His Equal lives at the summit. Her creations resides underneath."
"Creations?"
Franchette nodded, "Yes. She is His Equal, a creator as well. Only lazy, but still a creator. His Equal is lazy, but she will sometimes make...experiments. For example, she created the first dragon. It lives right below us."
.
.
.
"Then it must be still alive, right!? I can fight it, right!? It's strong, it's a creature! I will hunt it!" Franchette declared with her artifact prepared, tightly sealed by her fingers.
They're back at the office, in the clinic. Wattroid is checking on Leandrew who's resting and asleep. A bandage was wrapped around his head. It's not because of overexertion. It's because his magic detected something. The ignited contact caused an anomaly. They hope it won't be serious. Otherwise...
They sighed at Franchette's thirst to hunt the Primordial Dragon and drifted the topic.
"Wattroid, gather Uncle Watts's people. The best ones. We can't let anyone other than us know that we have business at the mountain. The Primordial Dragon must be in great slumber. Or...it's dead. Otherwise, it would've reacted to His Equal's presence." Kendrew ordered, to which Wattroid earnestly followed.
"What happened before during your time?" Matthew asked out of the blue, "During their time. What happened...between the Matriarch, His Equal, Daro, and King Liorei's mother?"
The atmosphere became dense.
"All that I know is everything we know might be a lie. The future constantly changes and the brief visions I get alters every time. But one thing is fixed to happen,"
Their backs straightened. They crossed their arms; they are very well interested and attentive, but they also crossed it to brace themselves for what they're about to hear.
"One of the Princes...will be lost."
Matthew grabbed on the wall behind him as support when he felt his knees weakened. He punched his chest when it tightened, and his Other Side Self flashes back in his mind.
He made a promise to himself. To himselves. He will be stronger. Cruel, if need be. Who will question a Xirquit? He's a Xirquit. He won't be a loser anymore. He will... He...
But if one of her children were to die... They just couldn't imagine the record of her wrath and the history of her wicked insanity.
"Are we...going to die?" Leandrew mutter softly. They flinched, surprised that he's awake all along.
"Let's do a good job and earn her mercy. We are against time, and time won't entertain us."
The entity did not answer Leandrew's question.