Defeat of the High King

Shanjahen collapsed on the ground, the only sign of life an occasional shiver. Hikary was barely able to move herself. Ruki’s blast had been so powerful that Hikary had felt the force of it inside her own mind, pushing every part of her being into a remote corner. Well aware that the blast was only aimed at Shanjahen, Hikary could hardly begin to imagine what lasting effects it would have on the High King. Would he ever be able to get up at all?

“Ruki…” She whispered, unable to believe but also unable to deny what had just happened.
Looking away from Shanjahen, Hikary saw Ruki had collapsed on the ground. The force of that blast had overwhelmed the little girl, too. She probably wasn’t even aware that she was capable of wielding such powers, let alone that she knew how to do this. Her small body had used up all its force to summon this much strength from deep inside itself. There was no mistake that Ruki was Taira’s daughter… there was no one else in the world who could come close to wielding this much power.

Taira had rushed to her daughter’s side, stroking her hair and whispering her name.
“Is she… what just…” Takato stammered while he approached Ruki, obviously unsure what on earth had just happened.
Hikary silently wondered if Takato had even felt Ruki’s powers; after all, they could not feel the prana the way he could. But that Takato had noticed something strange was beyond a doubt; he could have felt the prana, and the force behind the prana must have been noticeable to him too.

Hikary slowly made her way to the others, painfully aware that she had been knocked unconscious earlier. Her head hurt, and her body did, too, every muscle punishing her for attempting to move, protesting against the movement that she now forced her limbs to make. Almost there, almost there… But everything hurt. She was vaguely aware that the noise of the battle in front of the castle had ceased. Had they noticed it too? Had they felt it too?

“Ruki! Ruki, stay with me!” She heard Taira say, shaking her daughter.
“I’m here… I’m here.” Ruki stammered, her voice sounding weak. Hikary stared at her sister, who stared back once she noticed Hikary.
Both of them knew what had just happened was utterly impossible. Neither of them could deny it had happened; they had both felt the force of Ruki’s powers guiding the prana.

But they were in the west; they were in the capital city of the west, where prana flowed strongest. How could this be possible? How could Ruki have used her inner power which was supposed to only work in the east? Curious, Hikary attempted to access her own powers. If inexperienced Ruki could, maybe she could, too. But all remained empty. The force that was so readily available to her back home remained as silent as a cold winter night.

“Secure your father, Takato.” Taira said to the prince, who was completely shocked by the turn of events, staring into the distance as if he had completely forgotten the reason why all of this was happening in the first place.
“Ah. Yes, of course.” He said mindlessly, and Hikary watched him as he chained his father with prana, though Hikary doubted it was necessary. Shanjahen was completely knocked out, unable to even move or say anything. The chains were just for show.

Next to the High King, something sparkled in the light of the prana. Hikary instantly recognized the stone. She ran towards it and picked it up from the ground quickly, to make sure Shanjahen could not get his hooves on it again.
“You’re safe now…” Hikary whispered to the stone, holding it tight. She would not see it damaged again. She held it close, promising she would not let it slip out of her sight ever again. Hikary turned back to her sister, who was still holding Ruki.

“Do you think you can get up?” Taira asked the girl.
“Shanjahen… is he… gone?” Ruki asked while struggling to get back on her hooves, ignoring her mother’s question, avoiding her mother’s attempts to help her.
“He’s not gone, but he will never harm anyone again.” Hikary reassured her.
“Ah. That’s good.” Ruki whispered to no one in particular.
“Ruki… do you know what happened there?” Hikary asked.

Ruki glanced at her, but answered anyway.
“I… was just so… angry. I don’t know much more... All went completely blank. What did I do?” the golden girl asked, staring at Hikary.
Ruki didn’t even know herself, Hikary realized. It must have surprised her more than anyone. To be able to summon those powers… even in her rage, it must have taken so much energy and effort there was no space left in her mind for anything else.

“You summoned the eastern powers, and somehow managed to command prana with it. I think. I’m not even sure myself, but beyond a doubt I felt the eastern powers coming from you, guiding that prana towards Shanjahen.” Hikary told Ruki, trying to sound as clear as possible.
 “Ah.” Ruki said blankly, taking a few steps away from them. “I… just… would like to be alone… for a bit.” Ruki said, and she backed off, away from them, into the darkness of the night. 

“Aren’t you going to stop her?” Hikary asked her older sister. Taira shook her head after staring at her daughter for a few moments. “No. Ruki made her point perfectly clear just now. Let her be; it is up to her to decide if she wants to come back.” Hikary smiled slightly, happy that her sister finally realized that if she wanted to get closer to Ruki, Ruki would have to allow her to come closer first. Whatever Ruki would do now was completely up to her. Nothing they could do could change her mind.

“Takato… the guards will come soon.” Hikary said to the scared prince, who was doing nothing but stare at his father on the ground.
“Yes.” He stated, oblivious to what that meant.
“You know what you told us… when they see you defeated your father, they will obey you. What will you tell them?” Hikary asked, suddenly realizing she was not just talking to prince Takato anymore… but to the new High King.

“I did not defeat my father.” Takato replied, ignoring her question.
Hikary could not deny that. If Ruki had not done what she did, Takato’s life would probably be over by now; all of their lives would be over and the stone would be shattered. Hikary hugged it a bit tighter.
“No, you did not. But he is defeated and unable to reign ever again, by the looks of it. Which means you will have to step up to the task. The moment is here. Your father is defeated.” Hikary said, trying to avoid hurting Takato, remembering how he had emphasised how he wanted to defeat his father himself.

Takato stared at the mess that was his father, and slowly Hikary could see his expression change from confusion to determination.
“Yes. You’re right. My father is defeated.” Takato said. “But I don’t want to lie. I did not defeat him. Whatever Ruki did… it was her who defeated him. But I don’t know whether we should tell that to the world. Summoning the eastern powers here, in the centre of ZoroAster… It’s worrying. We need to talk about that before we tell everyone.”

“Yes. I agree.” Taira said, surprising Hikary by speaking up.
“We cannot just tell everyone what happened here unless Ruki wants us to. I think it is better for everyone if for now we’ll just state that Shanjahen is unable to rule the west any longer and that Takato will be king from now on. We don’t need to go into details.”
“Yes. I think you are right, Taira… thank you.” Takato smiled.

Takato seemed relieved that Taira had presented him with an option that allowed him to keep his dignity. At least this way, he would not have to admit he was unable to beat his father. Hikary wondered why it mattered so much, seeing as Shanjahen’s acts were so wrong on so many ways Takato had already proven himself to her by defying his acts and go to such great lengths to stop him. But maybe, probably, here in the West things were seen a little differently.

Ruki walked through the darkness, ignoring the prana that seemed to shine brighter every moment as if it was finally restored to where it belonged. The dark sky seemed to come down on her. All the anger that she had felt a moment before had vanished, leaving nothing but an empty void that she could not fill.

It had boiled up inside her for so very long, filling her entire essence as she had refused to let it out, refused to speak the truth about how she felt. It had shaped her, had guided her actions and lead her into directions that she might not wanted to go but relieved her of the choice of deciding. But none of it was left now. Every part of that anger, that emotion was transferred into whatever it was she send Shanjahen’s way, leaving nothing but an unending depth in the middle of her soul.

Ruki had trouble breathing, as if the air was not filling her lungs, as if the oxygen was taken by that deep black that had taken their place. She stopped walking because she could no longer make her body move forward. Where she was now, she did not even know. Was she still on the castle grounds? She couldn’t even tell. Everything was so bright and purple.

Ruki gazed at the bushes in front of her that blocked her path. The prana shone so bright, she couldn’t see the branches or leaves below it. The night was so dark, and yet this mystical dust managed to light the earth up. A single butterfly rose up from the bush, its yellow wings shaking off the prana as its fluttered its way up in the sky. It was free... free to go and decide whatever it wanted.

And so am I, Ruki realized. The darkness, the void… instead of falling down, I can also climb my way up. Staring at the night butterfly, Ruki realized that for the first time in forever, she found something absolutely beautiful. The sparkles of prana still lingering on the critter’s wings slowly fluttered down towards the earth like small purple falling stars, where they once again were taken in by the prana surrounding the bush.

Back to where it belongs to be… Ruki turned and gazed at the castle behind her, which was not all that far away yet. The castle was lit up behind the windows, and outside by the prana of the several plants and trees. Ruki had never seen something so excruciatingly beautiful in her entire life. Everything was so… alive.

A sense of longing overwhelmed her, climbing up out of the empty void. Longing for the light, longing to be away from the darkness of anger and sadness that had ruled her for so very long. It was out now… though she still did not understand why it came out the way it did. She wanted to understand why out of all places, here she was able to do what Takato had wanted her to do for so long. Why now, when she had not tried? Why now, together with all the anger?

As she stared at the castle, Ruki realized her mother was there. Her mother, who she had longed for for so very long. Her mother, for who she had left everything that was dear to her behind. Her mother, who had wanted her… after all this time, her mother had said she had wanted to protect her… that she had been looking for her… “Mother…” Ruki cried as she suddenly became aware of the tears that were rolling down her cheeks uncontrolled.

One slow step at the time, Ruki made her way back to the castle. The void was gone, but so was the anger; in its place was a terrible longing to be with those who she loved most. She wanted to be near them, she wanted to tell them how she felt and hear that it was okay. Her mother, Sakurako… even Takato. The shiny, beautiful castle… she belonged there, and she was not going to run away anymore.