~Fourth world

~Jekis

~Several days ago (A few hours after Nostalgia's kidnap).

As he jogged, Armad panted as if he ran a hurdle. He was dusty and unchanged from the battle a few hours ago. As soon as he reached the palace, he went to his home and took his things. He had resolved to go and look for his wife by himself.

He stuffed his storage ring with some extra cloth and food and headed out of the palace. Ilias and the others met him at the gate. They tried to calm him down, but Armad refused to listen.

Spoon, who was entrusted with Nostalgia, couldn't meet Armad's gaze. He kept asking himself: why didn't he heed Bihanzin's warning and leave the princess in the palace? And during the battle, why did he leave her alone on the wall? He wasn't sure whether his presence would have changed anything but he would have at least seen what happened.

Ilias patted Armad on the shoulder and said, "I think you should calm down and let us discuss this carefully. Nostalgia may not have gone far away. She might still be in the city even as we speak."

"I don't think so," Armad said. "Even the King can't feel her pol despite his abilities. She isn't anywhere nearby. I have to look for her."

He started walking away as soon as he said that, but just then, commander Damjinu intercepted him. "King Bihanzin wants to see you," the commander said.

Armad frowned. He hated to be delayed at this moment, but he had to answer the King's summons.

"Commander, did you find something?"

"No, we haven't found anything yet. But the King might have a clue. But you should calm down as your friends said. The King doesn't like people who easily panicked."

Armad smiled bitterly. He wanted to punch the commander. What did the man mean by people who easily panicked? It was his wife. What was he supposed to do, sit back and relax while others find her for him?

He followed the commander back to the palace. The King sat calmly, but with a sword by his side, on his throne. On a nearby chair sat a man, motionless, but with a smile on his face.

"Your reputation as an Heir and a leader of tomorrow requires you to stay calm in situations such as this. Only then can you control your subjects," Bihanzin said after Armad greeted him. He spoke calmly but full of pride, portraying years of practice and expertise.

The King went on, "Uznu Ururu stole Nostalgia from us. I don't know how he did it, but moments before it happened, I felt the princess' soul star heating up. The star suddenly changed positions as if it has been pulled away by something. Reading the movements of the stars above our world is a difficult task even for me." He sighed. "I tried to stop her from going out of the palace, but she insisted that she wanted to see you fight."

"So she has been taken by the enemy under our noses?" Armad asked, perplexed. His earlier guess was correct. But how exactly did Uznu manage it when he was fighting him on the battlefield?

"She is taken, but we still have a chance to get her back. The question is how do we do that? Dul'ururu, Uznu Ururu, Han'ibal, Deniz Iluru, and Rafiyan Daljari are the enemies we are going up against. Just the two of us. Do you think we can win by jumping into an obvious trap? No. And that's why you need to calm down."

Armad sighed and nodded slowly. Bihanzin's words made sense, but what should he do?

"I can't just sit here and wait," Armad complained. "What I should do is find out where she is and then plan how to get her back."

Bihanzin gave a little smile and said, "I already know where she is. She is being held at Jaljus island even as we speak."

'Jaljus? That's the third world northern hemisphere.'

Armad swallowed hard. She was already so far away. His original plan to start looking from the neighboring villages and cities would have been in vain.

Bihanzin went on, "Solar Star Bending was used to take her. I can use a Bend of my own to get her back. But the said Bend needs you. That is why you're here."

'Solar Star Bending? That's like actual time and space manipulation. Damn it.' Armad shifted uncomfortably and said, "I am listening."

"The Bend I want to use on you is dangerous. Last time I used it was some twenty years ago. And every time I use it, someone ends up dying," Bihanzin explained. He gestured toward the man by his side. Armad suddenly realized that the gentleman sitting beside Bihanzin was a corpse. "His name was Abir Sisiyu, one of my most-promised young soldiers. He supported me long before I became a jinzidal King. I used the Bend on him and Damjinu. Damjinu survived but he died. I concluded that it was because his body couldn't withstand the resultant damage caused by the Bend. With your permission, I would like to use the same Bend on you and my daughter."

Armad was still scrutinizing the dead man. The smile on the man's face said that he died contented. "How does it works?" Armad asked.

"The name is Soul Substitution," Bihanzin said. "I am going to throw your body and soul where hers is. You will appear there and replace her, while she appears here and replaces you. I inherited the Bend from my ancestors so I know a lot about it. It can be quite dangerous for those involved. The body can, most of the time, shatter before it reaches its destination. Your body is nigh-indestructible because of your lightning transformation so you can survive it. Nostalgia is strong. Her body is naturally stronger than Damjinu's and even he survived it. She can survive it as well even though she will take much more damage than you. But it's better than letting them take her to the first world."

He fell silent and stared at the distance through the window. He rarely did that, which caused Armad to feel worried. The King might look calm on the outside but his heart was weeping.

"Even if everything succeeds, I'll be left alone with the enemy." Armad looked at Bihanzin thoughtfully. "I'll be surrounded, outnumbered, and outpowered. That is why you can't use it until I agree. Right?"

Bihanzin nodded. "That's true. I want to tell you that it will be alright, that I'll come and save you, but I can't. Even I don't have the power to do that."

'Asking me to sacrifice my life for my wife's, aren't you too shameless, King Bihanzin?'

"There's another way," Bihanzin said. "I can simply take my army and march to the island. But the problem is they'll just execute or move her when they realize I'm moving my army. No idiot will wait for their opponents to have the upper hand when they can just kill them. Besides, they didn't specify the time of execution, which means they can just execute her at any time they so wish."

"I agree to the Soul Substitution," Armad answered. The way he saw it was simple: it was either him or his wife. It should be him for obvious reasons. Besides, he just had to find a way to escape from the enemy. It could be something as simple as running for his life or something like taking someone hostage and exchanging them for his life. He was already thinking of possible targets he could kidnap and exchange for his life. It shouldn't be that difficult.

As he thought about it, he suddenly remembered that, according to Bihanzin's spies, Han'ibal was currently away to some distant place. What if he could just kidnap the royal household and exchange them for his life or at least safety?

The idea suddenly seemed to make much more sense. Han'ibal wouldn't leave his family unprotected, but he wouldn't expect a kidnap either so the security shouldn't be all that tough. Besides, most of the stronger opponents should be in Jaljus. The Kings would be ashamed of doing something like that, but Armad was no King. He could play dirty all he wanted.

~The Battlefield

~Jaljus island

Every eye turned upward where Nostalgia had been just a moment ago and was now replaced by Armad.

Armad spat out some curdled blood. Not because of any blow, but because of the injury he received from Soul Substitution. Bihanzin didn't lie. Armad was injured even with his special body.

He stood up unsteadily, but he became dizzy immediately after and fell. The people just looked on, mouths agape, not understanding what was happening. Some even doubt their eyes and minds.

Bizaya, Armad's rival, was the first to say the word: "A-Armad?" He stuttered, unsure of his eyes.

Niyashi had last seen Armad at the jinzidal competitions, now he exclaimed, "Armad Djinn! What is happening? How's he here? And where is Nostalgia?"

Uznu and everyone present started chanting Armad's name with bewildered expressions.

"Armad!"

The chief of staff of Han'ibal's palace, Fasumu, rode in right at that moment.