Mental Mind

The words that escaped Uncle Alex's lips sent shockwaves through Tristan and Valeria. However, Lady Ayana appeared to have already been aware, remaining silent and focused on the screens before her.

"But if they are already privy to our route and destination, shouldn't we consider altering our plan?" Valeria voiced her thoughts while gazing out of the bridge's window beside her.

No one responded to her inquiry. Silence permeated the space as everyone remained seated, deep in contemplation.

Tristan could only sit silently, exerting every effort to gather his thoughts and find words to contribute to Valeria's question. He closed his eyes, striving to concentrate harder than ever before, attempting to reach a state of meditation. Within a few minutes, he felt a sense of lightness in his mind, and faint whispers began to permeate his consciousness.

Rather than causing fear, these whispers had a calming effect on Tristan, relaxing his body and causing his mind to float like a feather amidst the clouds.

As his mental state elevated, the voices grew clearer and more distinct. Amidst the simultaneous stream of words, Tristan discerned that they originated from a single person, and he knew to whom that voice belonged.

Allowing his mind to ascend further, Tristan honed in on the voice, where it became louder and more distinct. He anchored his drifting thoughts, capturing and memorizing every word spoken in Valeria's voice.

Suddenly, Valeria's urgent yell broke through his mental reverie. "Tristan! Tristan! Wake up!" she called out, firmly but gently shaking his hands.

Tristan snapped back to reality, his eyes widening, jolted by the sudden sensation on his skin. "Ouch! Did you just pinch me? That hurt, Valeria," he winced, rubbing his pinched hand. "Why on earth did you do that?" he questioned Valeria with even wider eyes.

"You deserved it! You were intruding and reading my thoughts, weren't you? What compelled you to do such a thing? Trying to show off your Mental Mind skill?" Valeria fired back, clearly upset, bombarding Tristan with a barrage of surprised and perplexed questions.

"I did what? Intruding and reading your thoughts? Wow, I could do that?" Tristan responded, his tone now matching Valeria's surprise and bewilderment. "I... I didn't... I mean—" Before he could utter another word, Uncle Alex intervened.

"Hey! You two lovebirds should refrain from whispering secrets. Your every word is audible to us, you know?" Uncle Alex interjected loudly with a chuckle, prompting Lady Ayana and the others to join in the laughter.

His loud and commanding voice made Tristan and Valeria freeze and stop whispering.

"Tristan, do you recall what I previously explained about Mental Mind in the King's Castle?" Uncle Alex swiftly shifted the conversation after his laughter subsided.

"Yeah, but only vaguely, Uncle. You've said back then that I must practice my Mental Mind." Tristan replied, his expression tinged with concern.

"What you just experienced was a mental mind attack, Tristan. You managed to breach Princess Valeria's mental mind's defenses," Uncle Alex added, his voice carrying a note of caution.

"Do you realize, Tristan, that Valeria possesses the strongest mental mind in the Kingdom of Sovrentia? She is exceptionally skilled, yet you managed to break through her defenses, even if only for a moment because she quickly detected your presence within her mind…" Uncle Alex offered further explanation.

"I... I... I'm sincerely sorry, Valeria. I never intended to invade your thoughts," Tristan turned to Valeria, seeking her forgiveness. However, Valeria averted her gaze and ignored him.

"You must learn, Tristan, how to remain undetected in the minds of your adversaries. It is essential to construct layers of false thoughts to mislead and safeguard your true intentions," Uncle Alex advised.

"And Valeria, I am well aware of the peril posed by continuing on our current route. Yes, Valeria, we must devise a new plan," Uncle Alex suddenly addressed Valeria, prompting Tristan to be taken aback.

He vividly remembered Valeria's inner thoughts. 'Did Uncle Alex just read her mind as well?' Tristan wondered with awe. 'And why didn't Valeria sense it? Uncle Alex must possess remarkable skills in Mental Mind.' Tristan pondered to himself.

He glanced at Valeria, who offered a subtle forced smile to Uncle Alex. However, as her eyes met Tristan's, he discerned that her true feelings couldn't be concealed. She was upset, realizing that Uncle Alex had delved into her mind without her awareness, unlike what she did to Tristan's Mental Mind attack. Valeria failed to detect Uncle Alex's presence in her mind.

Trying to divert Valeria from feeling obnoxious at Uncle Alex, without thinking about the consequences, Tristan reached out, held Valeria's hand, raised it, and pointed upward, exclaiming, "Valeria, look at the moon! We can see it from here!" It suddenly dawned on them that the aircraft's ceiling was made of glass.

The celestial sight above the bridge captivated Tristan and Valeria. The clear night sky revealed a radiant full moon, its luminosity casting an enchanting spell.

For a brief moment, the mesmerizing view swept away their anxieties and worries, leaving them immersed in its beauty. Unbeknownst to them and everyone else present, their hands had intertwined, the comforting grip an unconscious display of their closeness.

As the aircraft soared through the night sky, with the radiant full moon above and the world far below, another enigmatic flying object discreetly trailed Lady Ayana's aircraft. This peculiar craft was minuscule in size, incapable of accommodating an average human being.

Silent and devoid of light, the mysterious object maintained a fixed position, tracking the aircraft from a distance. It emitted a signal that was being controlled by the Army of The Naraks from a secret location within the Kingdom of Narak.

In the secret chamber, King Narakorath of the Narak Kingdom stood behind his guards, surveying the monitors displaying maps adorned with dots and aircraft symbols.

With a furrowed brow and clenched fists, the androgynous giant king addressed his subordinates, saying, "So, General Malakar, my Crimsonfire has sustained severe injuries? Deploy every available soldier to rescue my beast immediately! If my creature perishes, one of your beloved women shall pay with her life!"

Then the evil king turns around and exits the room, followed by several men in robes. As he walked into a dimly lit gigantic alley, he said to one of the robe men with his heavy voice, "Get me the brat prince of Cresentia. He needs to do his job better for that price!"