The Rice Guru’s Resolve  

Kahless stood amidst the rubble of the Rendil Temple. The escape of the Aerithran prisoners and the death of Duke Theodore had thrown his carefully laid plans into disarray, leaving him teetering on the precipice of disgrace.

With a curse, he kicked a loose stone that skittered across the dusty ground, saying, "Damn those Aerithran scum! They'll cover this expense. They'll all pay a heavy price."

He turned to his subordinates, Kratos and Rhamus, who were standing nearby with their heads bowed in shame. "Where are those blasted Sand Krayt Dragons? Did they all perish in that explosion?"

"N-no, sir," Kratos stammered, still shaken from the encounter with the old Aerithran and the subsequent chaos. "Most of them managed to land safely. We've already sent riders to retrieve them."

"Then get them here, now!" Kahless barked.

"Yes sir, Vice-Marshal Commander." Rhamus hurried off to relay the orders.

Kahless glanced at Daichi, who stood before him with his head held high and a look of defiance in his eyes. "As for you, brat… You will come with us. You will witness the consequences of defiance." He turned to Kratos. "Hand me an Ethereum Handguard."

"Sir?" Kratos blinked, confused. "But... he's-"

"Do as I say!" Kahless snapped, his patience wearing thin. "He may be young, but he's also dangerous. He possesses a power that we cannot afford to underestimate."

Kratos agreed reluctantly and reached for one of the spare Ethereum Handguards that were stored in a pouch at his belt. He presented it to Kahless, who took it with a sneer.

"Don't worry, boy," Kahless said as he approached Daichi and snapped the Ethereum Handguard onto his wrists. "These shackles won't hurt... much."

"Tsk, I'm already used to them, you brute." Daichi tried acting tough, but he winced as he felt the cold metal against his skin. A wave of nausea washed over him as the Handguard began to drain his energy, suppressing his Aether Steam and dampening his newfound elemental powers.

'Damn it,' he thought, struggling against the restraints. 'I can't... I can't let them take me.'

He glanced over at Sorah, whose body lay motionless on the platform, surrounded by the Rice Guru and Woodworm. 'Master Sorah...' he whispered silently as tears welled up in his eyes. 'I'm sorry. I failed you.'

Kahless, who had been watching Daichi with contempt, suddenly turned his attention to the two Imperial Guards - Yamul and Hamal. They were still unconscious, sprawled on the ground where they had collapsed after witnessing the Duke's demise. They were also charred black from Daichi's earlier infernal blast.

"Warden Poahf," Kahless called out, gesturing towards the fallen guards. "Are they... are they still alive?"

Poahf hurried over to the guards and knelt beside them, checking their pulses. Her brow furrowed with concern as she felt their faint heartbeats.

"They're alive," she reported, "But their pulses are weak. They're in shock. I doubt they'll be of much use to us."

"Damn it," Kahless cursed. "We need all the manpower we can get. Those escaped Terravoltian allies... they're still out there. And with that portal gone, they'll be desperate to for a place to lay low."

He turned to Rhamus. "Take the boy. Secure him on one of the Sand Krayt Dragons."

"Yes, sir! Come here brat." Rhamus grabbed Daichi by the arm, hauling him to his feet.

"Kratos," Kahless continued, "Take a few of the wounded soldiers and secure the Imperial Guards. Get them onto their mounts and take them to the nearest healing centre."

"Yes, sir," Kratos replied, gathering a handful of soldiers who were still able to walk. They lifted the unconscious guards and carried them outside.

Kahless and Poahf watched as their subordinates hurried off, carrying out their orders. They then turned their attention to Sorah's body. A shared look of purpose passed between them.

Kahless growled, "We must seize his head. According to the Dune Directorate, there is no other way for us to make amends."

"But what if..." Poahf hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her features. "What if we could capture him alive?"

Kahless raised an eyebrow. "Capture him alive? He's practically dead. And besides, what good would that do? The Dune Directorate wants his head, not his body."

"Think about it, Kahless," Poahf urged. "If we present them with a live prisoner, a high-ranking Aerithran official who is also a master of martial arts and elemental powers... it would be far more impressive than a mere head. It would show that we are capable of capturing even the most formidable foes."

She paused and added with a sly grin, "And besides, a live prisoner... well, he could provide us with valuable information. He could tell us how to penetrate the Wind Barrier, how to defeat the Aerithran Elemental Masters, and perhaps even... how to harness the power of that strange staff he wields."

A flicker of intrigue lit up Kahless's eyes as he considered her words. "Hmm... you make a compelling argument, Warden. A live prisoner... yes, that would be far more... satisfying."

He turned to face Sorah's body once more, looking like a predatory. "Very well. We will capture him alive. We will break him, and we will extract every last secret he possesses."

He took a step towards Sorah, his fist clenched and his TerraFlow Kana pulsing with anticipation. "And then... we will present him to the Dune Directorate as a trophy, as an example of our power and our loyalty."

"Kyu!" Woodworm chirped, sensing the approaching danger. It nudged against the Rice Guru's back with its antennae, as if urging him to do something.

"Hmm? Oh no."

The Rice Guru turned and saw Kahless and Poahf walking towards them with a look of determination on their faces. He instinctively stepped forward, placing himself between them and Sorah's body.

"Stay back!" he warned with a dry rasp, and tilting his straw hat.

Kahless and Poahf ignored him and continued their advance.

"Step aside, scarecrow. We have no quarrel with you. We only want the Aerithran."

"I will not let you take him," the Rice Guru firmly defied Kahless's order.

"You dare defy me?" Kahless's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you have any idea who I am? I am Vice-Marshal Commander Kahless of the Dune Empire! I could crush you like a bug!"

"And I am the Rice Guru," the scarecrow figure retorted. "Guardian of the Autumn Court and a master of Boqumu. And I will not allow you to harm my friend."

Kahless smirked. "Your friend? That old man? He's a traitor, an enemy of the Dune Empire. He deserves to die."

"He is no traitor," the Rice Guru countered. "He is a hero, a man who fought for the freedom of his people. And I will not let you take him."

"Tsk!" Kahless's patience snapped. With a surge of his TerraFlow Kana, he lunged towards the Rice Guru, his fist cocked back and ready to strike.

"Then die with him!"

Whoosh!

But before his fist could connect, something unexpected happened. A massive wooden pillar shot out from the side of the temple's ruins and slammed into Kahless with a powerful force.

Boom!

The impact sent Kahless hurtling across the chamber and crashing through the remnants of a stone wall.

"Kuhah! That was unexpected." The Rice Guru turned and saw the wooden pillar - the Dawn Sky Crusher, Sorah's staff.

"Retract!" he commanded, and the staff obeyed, its length diminished until it was once again a manageable size.

With a flourish, the Rice Guru snatched the staff from the air and twirled it around expertly, its weight seeming insignificant in his straw-stuffed hands.

Warden Poahf who had been watching the shocking scene unfold, stumbled backwards with her hand instinctively reaching for her Aether Sabre. "What the..." she stammered. "Who are you?"

"I am the Rice Guru," he replied, carrying a newfound weight of authority. "And you will not harm Master Sorah."

Poahf scoffed. "You think you can stop us from capturing that old fart? You are gravely-"

"Silence!" the Rice Guru interrupted and instantly silenced Poahf.

"Tsk!" she gritted her teeth in annoyance. How dare this bag of rice commands her to be silence?

Kahless, who had managed to pick himself up from the rubble, stared at the Rice Guru in astonishment and asked incredulously, "You... you can wield that Vayrukumer? But... how? That staff... it belongs to the old man."

The Rice Guru chuckled. "It seems you have much to learn about the true nature of power, Vice-Marshal Commander. Not all Vayrukumers are bound by blood or lineage. Some... choose their own wielders."

Thud!

He stamped the staff firmly on the platform. "I will not let you take him."