Alpha Kane, Apollo,Leonidas and Godric moved in closer to listen to Princess Candula. She looked at them and said, "I don't know how to explain this, but I have seen these maps before and grew up playing with them with my parents. They would give me a challenge and I would have to figure out a way to overcome it. I believe it was their way of training me without revealing everything to me. Take me to this location, I need to raise the terrain."
Godric had a smirk on his face. It was not a surprise to him that the Royal King and Queen would find a way to train their princess. He had seen the King hand her a replica of a powerful item before as a toy. He would look at Godric and say, "Child's play for the future Queen." Leonidas was left star struck by his Queen's wisdom. It was further proof why he had devoted himself to her. Alpha Kane and Apollo both looked at each other because they had already known the terrain was similar, but couldn't figure out why.
They walked to the spot Princess Candula had chosen. She stepped over it and began to take deep breaths. With every inhale she felt energy surging into her. With every exhale she felt a push and her body rise. She remembered, "rise up like the tree," and she began to chant a spell she learned to grow trees. Her body glowed and light emitted in every direction. The ground beneath everyone began to shake and everyone did their best to keep their balance. The mountains that surrounded the settlement looked like they were sinking into the ground. Then when the ground stopped moving a small vine began to grow into the shape of a staff. Princess Candula slowly began to descend and landed softly onto the ground. She felt light headed and grabbed on the staff to keep her balance. Upon touching the staff, she felt as if the tree spoke to her through her mind. She heard, "Your mother warned me this day will come, as the eldest of my sisters, I will help you. Take the staff and do the same onto the rest. It will preserve your energy and harness the natural energy. Send my greetings to the others, our time has come to protect our descendants."
Princess Candula felt energy zap into her and a tear escaped her eye as if the old tree's feelings of sadness were passed on to her. She looked around and saw everyone's reaction to the change. The clan beast people began to come out of their huts to look for the cause of the tremors. They all paused at the sight of the princess who was still glowing, but her form has completely changed. She was now in the adult form of the royals. Her horns had grown twice their size and her eyes were bejeweled. The vines on her skin glimmered with color and her hair grew down to her ankles. She still had a humanoid form, but she seemed like a whole new species now. She felt everyone staring at her and her cheeks getting warm, but she quickly snapped herself out of it. She needed to do the same for the other clans. The sun was still up and there was no time to waste.
Alpha Kane approached her and said, "Princess Candula, would you like a change of clothes?" He gave Misty a look and she nodded. The Princess did not notice that her petite body had grown voluptuous in other areas and now her clothes looked like they were about to burst. She instinctively crossed her arms and covered herself more with the sheer fabric. Misty had rushed back and forth from her hut. She threw a blanket over her and sneered at the guards standing by as she said, "some privacy and cover for the princess would be nice!" The guards rushed and turned to the crowd creating a wall around the princess. Misty then went under the blanket which was surprisingly bright because Princess Candula was still glowing. She handed her a different dress to put on. When she tried to take the sheer cover Princess Candula stopped her with a choked voice, "don't please, it's Agatha's keepsake." Misty's eyes soften and nodded. Then once she was dressed, Princess Candula noticed her chest was still revealed at the center. She tried to bring the fabric closer which was a V-neck shape. Misty noticed and ripped the lower part of the previous dress and wrapped it around her chest while folding in the ripped side so it wasn't noticeable. Then she tied on the back like a bow and smiled at the princess. "No one will suspect a thing," she said to her. Then they stepped out of the blanket once they were done.
Blaze was running back from the perimeter check he snuck out to do while the princess was meditating on the maps. He reported to Godrick and Leonidas that the growth level was high and it was steep to climb up to the top. Even with great strength the climber would have to ensure he or she wouldn't fall from the wind pressure. This was an advantage against the bears because they were not known for their climbing strength. A surprise attack was not an option anymore for them.
Princess Candula then approached them and said, " I have a plan to defend the area, gather as many boulders you see and set them on the edges. When you see them climb, drop them on them. Maybe even drop dirt first to blind their view first, so they don't move out of the way. For now, that is all I have in mind until I get a better understanding of what power I just unlocked." Blaze didn't waste a moment and left quickly to convey the princess's orders. Alpha Kane followed him to do the same. Then the Princess looked at Godric and said, "You won't like this, but I must travel to secure the other clans." Godric's eyes darken, his whole mission was to keep her safe. Then his face softened when she added, "you are coming with me." She looked at Leonidas and said, "I need you to direct everyone here in my absence, can you do that?" Leonidas got on one knee and said, "it would be my honor."
Princess Candula's cheeks got warm and she cleared her throat. She walked back to the spot she was in and asked Godric to stand next to her while holding the staff given to her. She closed her eyes and remembered her childhood where her mother would tell her to stand and picture the stump she wanted to land on. Then her mother would rise her up and place her on the stump she wanted. She would scream in joy and when she asked her mom how she knew, her mother would answer, "magic." She now knew all her games that involved magic were her training days for when she came of age.
They both stood and like before the light that she emitted made her travel to the Fox clan. Upon landing guards were rushing towards them. Godric got into a fighting stance, but Princess Candula raised her hand to prevent him from attacking. Then the clan leader arrived. He first had a look of anger at the trespassers, but when his eyes landed on Princess Candula his face fell. He walked closer and Godric stood between them saying, "That's close enough, No one is to approach the princess so casually." He roared. The Fox leader lowered his head and said, "forgive me, I was only trying to ensure my eyes were not deceiving me, but now that the royal guard leader has confirmed her identity I apologize for my insolence." He lowered his head lower and continued with caution, "I am Ignis, the current clan leader of the Fox Clan."
Princess Candula stepped forward and didn't waste time. She announced right away, "prepare for war, the time to defend our people is now. Tell everyone to gather so I can raise us up. Ignis' eyes widened and looked at the princess with despair. He was already struggling to keep the bears away from a three beastman attack, but now the royal herself has come to announce a full scale war. He felt his heart about to leap from his chest when a light touch snatched him from his thoughts. The soothing energy calmed him and brought him back to the current state. Princess Candula had seen the same look on all the feral animals she treated in the clinic. The look of fear and despair, yet her instinct was to reach over to the side of their ears and caress them as if nothing bad was going to happen. She would then bump her forehead on them and a small amount of energy was felt. The animals would then look at her as if she was their mother and began to relax. She did the same to Ignis who was an older figure there. It was obvious from the scars on his face and body that he had been fighting for a long time. He felt calm and sure she was going to protect them. He looked at his subordinates and told them, "do as she says."
Once they arrived at the center she did the same as she had done in the Wolf Clan. The difference was that her staff conducted the energy and a new vine would wrap itself on her staff making it bulkier. Then her plan was relayed to everyone. She said she will communicate orders with them and figure out a way to receive updates from them. For the time, they were to use the boulders to respond to an attack. She traveled to four other clans; Falcon, Owls, Gorilla and Lions. Where each leader had a similar reaction, but were quickly appeased. Except the Lion Clan, they had received word from Apollo as soon as Leonidas was awakened. The last clan to visit was the Tiger Clan where Godric was from. However, Godric had already moved his clan into the wolf clan as a precaution. The place was deserted. The princess still did her chant and raised the terrain. Godric asked, "why did you fortify this place? There is no one here." Princess Candula said "because this is your home and my ancestor said she will protect it regardless. Also, isn't there a special item I must obtain with the key you have?" Godric took it out and smiled as he said, "Of course, I keep it with me all the time and I knew the day would come when you claimed it." He then handed her the key.
Walked over to a thick tree and she examined it with her hands until she found a spot. She then pushed it and a door opened. There was a spiral staircase going down. She began to walk down and she opened a second door. The inside lit up with crystals and glimmering dust. Then they came to a box sitting at the end of a room. She grabbed the key and opened it. Upon opening it, there was a stone inside. Its colors and patterns resembled the galaxy. It's shaped as a sphere and once Princess Candula touched it, it glowed slightly. She picked it up and placed it on her staff where the vines moved around it to lock it in place. Godric then asked, "how did you know this place was here? I never imagined the key to the item would lead us here." Princess Candula answered, "It wasn't the key that led me here, each tree stump is an ember of one of my ancestors. They are the ones who guided me here. The vines are part of their essence." she hugged the staff and continued, "they have been watching over you all this entire time and have sustained your life spans with their life source. They are immortals, but to keep this world as it is, they use their powers to ensure it never dies." She held the staff closer and tears dripped from her eyes because with every chant she has done so far, her ancestors' feelings and some of their memories passed on to her. She understood why her parents left. It's because a royal child is at its vulnerable stage without protection and its power can be harnessed if someone understood how to. This is what they feared would happen to her. They needed her to mature, so her powers would emerge and solidify in her being. She then whispered, "thank you for your wisdom."