Tales Of Yibixus: Ursula

Throw this post a comment if you are reading these :)

Ursula

The roar of the crowd shakes the coliseum walls. Thudding and screaming from the crowd dominate the air. The expectations for a historic provocation battle are immense. Never before has a battle meant so much for the Royal Guard or the Grimalkin people as a whole.  

Ursula, the current captain of the Royal Guard, sits alone on a small bench at the entrance to the battlefield. Silent and focused, she sharpens her blade. Not afraid of being challenged for her position by those below her; it’s almost like a ritual at this point. Another helpless and overachieving Grimalkin is ready to die for their arrogance.

Ursula has never lost in battle, and she doesn’t plan to start today.

“Captain,” Sophia says, appearing unexpectedly from down the corridor. Looking rather stressed and agitated, she stops in front of Ursula and takes in a deep breath. “I need to talk to you!”

Sophia is not normally one for dramatics. She’s usually cool, calm and collected. This sudden change in demeanor is not the sort of distraction Ursula needs as she prepares for battle.

“What is it, Sophia?” Ursula asks without looking up from her sword, almost annoyed by her friend’s presence. Ursula can only assume that Lina, that arrogant little upstart who’s working for Elm, has challenged her. She can’t wait to drive her sword deep into that smug girl’s armor.

“I have recon,” Sophia explains, remembering the stand to attention. “It’s not Lina who’s challenging you!”

Not expecting that at all, Ursula stops sharpening her blade and stares intently at the floor. After a few seconds of silence, Ursula looks up at Sophia in bemusement. “What?” Ursula asks impatiently, “Who is it then?”

Ursula can tell by Sophia’s expression that the news isn’t good. It makes Ursula’s fur stand up on end. If it’s not Lina, the only real competition, then who is it? Why does Sophia look so scared?

“Green,” Sophia answers, unable to hide her worry for her friend.

The look of worry on Sophia’s face is enough to instill doubt in Ursula’s heart. She’s seen firsthand what the hybrid is capable of. She’s seen how fierce and ruthless he can be. However, that isn’t what upsets her the most. A provocation battle is to the death. Winner takes all.

After everything that’s been happening between them. The love that is secretly blossoming between them—why is he challenging her to the death!?

“What!?” Ursula asks, as her heart breaks inside, “Why….why!?”

Sophia stands easy in front of her closet and oldest friend and shakes her head. She can’t help but let her emotions show, and tears well behind her eyes.  

“I don’t know, Ursula,” Sophia replies, breaking normal formalities. “He wouldn’t talk to any of us. It’s almost like he’s forgotten our comradeship.”

“Elm?” Ursula asks, assuming that the doctor has gotten to him and turned Green against her.

“No,” Sophia answers with a confident shake of her head. “At first, I assumed this too. I send a covert group of those loyal to us to investigate Elm’s facility, hoping to catch them red-handed, but we’ve discovered something else.”

Ursula looks down at her blade. She wonders if she can even drive this into the heart of the person she’s falling in love with. She even doubts, for the first time ever, whether she’s even strong enough to do so.

“Captain!” Sophia barks, desperate for Ursula’s attention. “I have grave news of Elm’s actions. He’s somehow managed to break parts from that orb he calls the Remnant.”

Slowly looking up, Ursula waits for the rest of the report. However, Sophia is silent and just stares vacantly into space.

“Well…!?” Ursula grunts, frustrated by Sophia’s lack of professionalism. “Finish your report, or leave me to prepare for my battle!”

Sophia flinches at Ursula’s outburst and lowers her head in shame.

“I erm…,” Sophia struggles to speak. “….Just look at this.”

Reaching into her satchel, Sophia pulls out a small, very brilliant-looking rock. It looks sharp to the touch, and just being in its presence makes the two battle-hardened warriors uneasy. Holding out towards Ursula, Sophia presents it in her paw. The shard's brilliance lights up the area with the full spectrum of the rainbow.

“What is that?” Ursula asks in awe as the rainbow illumination fades away before their eyes.

“A shard,” Sophia answers but speaks very uneasily. “A shard of that orb.”

“Why do you have it? Why do you bring it to me?”

“My team recovered it from Elm’s facility. It was being used to power some very odd equipment, captain. We should investigate right now. The royal family needs to know what Elm is doing. He’s messing with forces beyond his reach. Forget this battle with Green—I know you don’t want to fight him anyway.”

Ursula's blood boils at the idea of backing out of the fight. She finds Sophia’s suggestion extremely dishonorable, and she’s upset that her best friend would even consider such cowardly actions.

“Sophia, stop talking before you say something you’ll regret,” Ursula snaps, shutting the conversation down. “Put that thing away, and we’ll talk about what to do next once this battle is finished.”

Sophia stands firm. Her loyalty is to her friend, not to outdated and barbaric traditions.

“You won’t win,” Sophia declares, desperate for Ursula to listen to reason. “Then who do I turn to about this…!?” Sophia shoves the shard close to Ursula’s face, and its brilliance causes her to look away. “We need to act now, captain. Elm is clearly acting against the royal family, or worse—that orb has corrupted him.”

Ursula’s stomach gurgles, and she bends over in discomfort. Her guts have been uneasy all morning making her feel sick. She wipes at her mouth and retches, but it’s not in reaction to Sophia’s dire news.

“Are you ok?” Sophia asks, moving the shard away from her friend, assuming its influence is making her unwell.

“F-fine…,” Ursula coughs. “I’ve just been feeling unwell most mornings. It’ll pass.”

“Even more reason to stop this fight and gather our forces to raid Elm’s facility.” Sophia pleas. “We have the element of surprise. If we can catch him at it, even his friendship with the king won’t help him!”

“You think that orb is corrupting him?” Ursula asks, breathing through her feeling of nausea. “How can you be sure this isn’t something that the king wants?”

Sophia’s face becomes worried and tormented. She isn’t sure, but her instincts are telling her it’s time to strike. “I can’t be sure,” she replies softly. “However, you’ve always taught me not to ignore my instincts. Something about this entire situation frightens me. When I opened a portal to this location, this shard reacted to me.”

Sophia looks down at the shining object in morbid curiosity. “I can’t explain it, captain. It’s like this shard sensed my abilities and offered its power to assist me.”

Ursula rubs her face with one paw and lets out a long breath. “What are you saying?”

Disturbed, Sophia shakes her head in frustration. She doesn’t quite know, but she can’t help but feel the shard is going to be used as a weapon. She can feel the power emanating from it at a primordial level.

“I think it’s a weapon,” Sophia suggests.

“But how? It’s only a shard, and it’s not like that orb ever cooperated with our kind. I’ve seen it on many occasions, and it’s never willingly helped,” Ursual replies. “In fact, its reactive defenses killed a few of my men—so how would it be ‘offering’ its power?”

Sophia’s face turns sour, and she shrugs her shoulder. Without saying anything further, Sophia holds the shard out to her friend. “I can’t explain it, Ursula. Take it for yourself, and you will understand what I mean. Instantly, you’ll feel a surge of energy throughout your body—like it’s flooding your soul.”

Raising an eyebrow, Ursula holds out her paw.

“Don’t battle Green,” Sophia says, placing the shard into Ursula’s hand. “Please.”

Strangely warm to the touch, Ursula is encapsulated by the shard’s beauty resting in the center of her paw. It almost makes her forget the fact she’s being forced to battle the man she loves.

“Why is it warm?” Ursula asks, bringing the shard closer to her face.

“Strange, right?” Sophia smiles. “Do you feel it’s power?”

“I feel….,” she says but stops to study it further. “I feel…. safe?”

Sophia shifts her weight onto her other foot and gives the captain a baffled look. It felt warm to touch her, too, but she got a sense of overwhelming dread. “Safe?” Sophia snarks.

“Yeah…?” Ursula looks up at her friend. “Was that not how you felt?”

Before Sophia can say anything further, another member of the guard appears at the entrance to the battle arena. The young Grimalkin is nervous about being in the presence of two high-ranking officers but still manages to speak clearly.

“Captian,” they say, standing to attention. “Preparations are now complete. The provocation battle will commence shortly as your opponent is ready to go.”

Closing her paw tight to hide the shard, Ursula stands and nods confidently. “Thank you,” she says politely before standing and adjusting her armor.

Sheathing her sword, Ursula feels Sophia place a strong paw on her shoulder. Looking back, Ursula sees the desperate look in her eyes.

“Don’t do it,” Sophia says abruptly.

Still feeling the warmth of the shard in her hand, Ursula smiles. “I’ll see you on the other side—old friend.”