Will of a Prince

"Was that your transformation power you just used back there?"

Orvo puffed out his chest proudly.

"Actually, my Zalo is the ability to transform into any creature I want! So, in a way, my transformation power is my Zalo!"

Slimo was impressed to hear about such a unique power. He never considered such a Zalo to exist since everyone seemed to have a unique transformation connected to their power.

’I wonder if his true transformation ability is something completely unique.’

"Fascinating. That is a very cool power, I must admit."

"It gets the job done. Now, is everyone ready to start training?"

People were still recovering from the stupidly long climb to respond right away. Squabee tried to walk over to the edge and look at the view. However, they were so high up, all that was below them was a sea of white clouds clashing against the surface of the wall. The sight, truthfully, was breathtaking and strangely peaceful. She sighed and turned around.

"I’m ready."

Steel was shaking as he walked close to Bo.

"N-Not ready."

Orvo smiled widely.

"Good enough! Everyone, get by the ledge this instant!"

Harold looked at Orvo strangely.

"I thought we were doing laps on top of this thing? That’s perfect training for a power like mine!"

"Too bad. We are working you from top to bottom. You worked your upper body the other day, so today we will be working your core! Only then will we do your legs! Once we complete the first triad of exercise, I’ll make you all repeat them while slowly increasing the reps and difficulty!"

"What?! How long do we have to do that for?!"

"Until your friend Gabriel defeats Miss Avala in battle. Now get to the edge and sit-down facing inward."

Everyone looked at each other equally frightened. Only Luna seemed to be the one ready for the exercise that was to come. Slimo and Lidia were both standing by to help their friends in case something happened to them near the edge.

Orvo stomped his way around the group and looked at them with excitement.

"Now, I need all of you to dangle your backs off the ledge while keeping your lower half completely straight on this surface!"

Steel looked like he was going to vomit. His face turned green and he held his stomach.

"P-Please just let me cut something instead."

"Do it or I’ll make your dangle your whole body!!"

Everyone hesitantly pushed their backs of the ledge and began to float above a never-ending fall. Their cores strained to keep themselves as straight and balanced as possible. Lidia looked at Orvo.

"Shouldn’t we be holding their feet or something?"

"Absolutely not. Now, they must hold this position until the sun falls in the sky. Good luck everyone!"

Steel was the first one to begin shaking. However, he wasn’t shaking from exhaustion, but from a panic attack. His heart pounded in his chest trying to free itself from this awful position. Lidia had to come over and lay her hands on his ankles to calm him down.

"Steel, it’s going to be alright. Slimo, Orvo and I are here to catch you if you fall again. Remember how you fell before and Orvo came to your rescue?"

"M-Miss Lidia... doesn’t this seem a little extreme for an exercise?!"

"I know, Steel. Just hang tight and this will be over in no time."

Even Squabee somehow got wrapped up into doing the exercise. Slimo had to pull her away from the edge multiple times because of how weak her core was from having no experience training it. She laid flat out on the wall and stared into the sky aimlessly.

"What the hell. How is working out my abs in my best interest?! Damn you, stupid power! Why now of all times you don’t want to work?!"

Slimo didn’t say anything, but that was a very foreboding sign to him. Squabee’s power would always get her a way to slack off and not train herself. The fact that it determined that her strengthening herself was the best move was nothing short of bone-chilling.

’Just what exactly is coming in the near future?’

Hours later, the sun had finally rested beyond the horizon, allowing an ocean of stars to populate the sky. Everyone held on to their stomach and groaned in pain, unable to move. Lidia and Slimo both rubbed their forearms as they stood up. There were hundreds of occasions where they needed to either hold on to someone’s ankles to prevent them from falling or bring them back on to the top because they were about to slip.

Orvo looked over everyone with a wide smile.

"Good. Rest up for a couple days and we’ll get back at it. You already know what’s next, so prepare well!"

Right as Orvo turn his back, Steel glared at him with unbridled fury. Even though he managed to overcome his fear of heights, he had completely lost his sanity to reach that point. He held out his hands and sharpened them as hard as he could before charging at the back of Orvo. His hands hissed through the air and managed to slightly scratch the back or Orvo’s armor before disaster struck.

Orvo spun around and grappled Steels throat in his hands before slamming him into ground. A loud ringing sound echoed from the impact. A massive dent was left from the force. Steel coughed out blood and passed out instantly.

He looked around at everyone like a wild beast. A dark fog danced in the whites of his eyes.

"NEVER, and I mean NEVER touch my back again! Do you I make myself clear?!"

No one spoke. They all simply stared at Orvo, unable to comprehend what just happened.

"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?! SAY YES OR THIS TRAINING SESSION IS OVER FOR GOOD!!"

Slimo was the first one who took a cautious step forward.

"Y-Yes, Orvo. We’re sorry. Steel has just had a long day. I don’t know what got into him."

Orvo’s deathly glare never faltered he simply growled at the group and released his grip on Steel.

"If one of you so much as grazes my back again, I will kill you. Consider this man’s life my only mercy I will give any of you. Go back to palace. Take the elevator if you wish."

Lidia walked forward in protest.

"Now wait a minute, that can hardly be called a worthy punishment. He barely scratched your armor. Why does a few scratches or dents warrant a death penalty?"

Slimo put a hand on Lidia’s shoulder.

"Lidia, just let it be. He has his reasons."

Orvo sighed and glared at Lidia viciously.

"Just don’t let it happen again. Attacking someone from behind is dishonorable anyway, no matter how strong or weak you are."

Orvo jumped off the side of the wall and disappeared into the clouds. Lidia looked at Slimo confused.

"What the hell was that all about? Why did he just get so... cruel all of a sudden?"

Slimo shrugged.

"He may have had some trauma growing up, Lidia. Some people are strange like that. Psychological wounds are much harder to heal than physical ones."

Luna walked over to steel and cautiously picked him up.

"Even for a trainer... this is much to cruel. We have to be careful not to set him off anymore."

After gathering themselves, the group walked towards the elevator and piled themselves inside. Lidia was the first one to speak up.

"Luna, you’ve been quiet since we’ve left Chrono kingdom. Is something the matter?"

Just as she was asked this, the group dropped through the clouds, revealing the gorgeous sight of a lightly illuminated kingdom below them. Dozens of shops and bars keeping open for the night brightened the street, giving everything a warm atmosphere.

"To be honest with you, there has been something bothering me. Ever since we left Chrono Kingdom, it feels like I left something behind there. Do you know that feeling where you are looking for something, but you can’t seem to remember what you were looking for in the first place after trying to find it? It’s similar to that."

Lidia put her hands on her hips.

"Interesting."

Squabee crossed her arms and pouted.

"It’s because you did lose something. Me and Slimo remember but none of you can for some reason, remember?"

Luna rubbed her head.

"Did you talk to us about that?"

Squabee sighed.

"Miss Lidia, I really hope you learn to cure corrupted minds someday. It hurts to see our friends like this."

"Believe me, I have not been slacking on practice. I think I’m on the verge of something, but I simply can’t seem to figure out what I’m missing. It’s kind of like practicing a fighting move for the first time. You know exactly what to do, but you keep trying to get that perfect form down and can never do it correctly... I’m also afraid of burning my head by accident. It’s a good thing I practice on Slimo in his sleep!"

Slimo, who wasn’t paying much attention to the conversation, finally chimed in.

"Huh? What do you do to me while I sleep?"

"Nothing!"