The sun rises, giving its rays to the darkest part of the horizon. The old terrain and its history still stand tall and proud, each of its pillars covered with wallflowers and vine trees. Debris from the last war is still present today. Tall pillars surrounded with blocks of unrecognizable old statues of Angel Gods. Stairwells that fill with dirty water and more blocks of broken faces of statues.
The old place that filled with fun and happiness is now filled with broken promises and sadness. The light still shines at night but only because fire crickets are present. Most of its people are now gone and evacuated to the island.
Agus roams the place with his son, who is now as tall as a grown man. His father smirks at the thought of making the place for the war. To even see the reaction of the Angel Gods that protect the place, will be a marvelous sight for him. For Keres, war is not the answer for something that his father wants, and war is not what the child wants.
When his father knew about Larius' treachery, he completely banished him and asks every Sluagh to guard the gates of Biringan and prevent him from coming back. His father even asks Keres to forget everything that Larius showed to him, as he forces him to join the war. Keres rejects the idea at the back of his head, as he nods to his father. A smile was seen on Agus' face, unknown to the true purpose of why Keres agrees to join him.
As they walk along the old halls of the Kingdom of Voyagerinda, they spotted an adjacent door and decided to enter. King Aeolus' throne is still there, waiting for his return. On the deepest part of the room, there is a large coffin-like rock encapsulated with a glass window. Agus was shocked to see the dead body of Siyenthera inside.
Her body was encapsulated with magical protection made by the Sages. Agus went forward, in an attempt to touch the capsule, only to be pushed away from it. Siyenthera's eyes opened and look at the ceiling before looking at Keres. Her eyes turn black and went inside Keres' mind.
Inside were happy memories of him and Larius, and the dreams that the child wants to become a reality. Suddenly, a voice out of nowhere called to him.
"Keres!"
The voice called, he turns around and sees a smiling Larius in his old warrior uniform. He looks magnificent and enchanting. He runs toward the man and hugs him tightly.
"I miss you!"
Keres said and Larius only chuckles. "But you are the one who killed me," he said smiling; Keres looked at him with wide eyes and saw him bleeding. He pulls away and Larius's body melts to the ground. His eyes were filled with tears and his heart is fueled with guilt. He drops to the ground and weeps.
"You, poor child,"
A voice said and Keres looks up, only to see a glowing woman in armor with black and golden wings. Keres sniffs and stands up, wipes his tears, and positions himself for combat. The woman chuckles and spreads her wings. There, he saw, the smiling face of Larius, who is alive and well. His mark hasn't been removed and his face shines as he smiles. Keres' tears stop and stare at the beautiful face of the man he loves.
Sartilliane takes this opportunity to get his hurtful memories and as the child watches Larius, the Golden Warrior went to work and uses her magic to form a giant globe of hurtful memories just like what she did to her brother when he had a nightmare before.
She puts those memories in a magical orb and replaces them with good and loving memories. Such memories that can be used in the upcoming war against the Sluagh, she smiles to herself and looks at the prince in front of her. Such a young prince; only to be manipulated by his greedy father.
She thought of something else to give to him as a gift. She draws her hand and put it on his head and chants,
"Lugud ca cing tutung tawu na aburyanan mu. E ca lulugud cetang pagsisisyan mu."
A pink glowing light suddenly appears in her hand and drops to the prince's head. She slowly walks away from the prince and made him sleep. She flew away and returns to the Seventh Kingdom. While the prince stayed in a peaceful place, he calls "Paradise".
Agus saw how his son wept out of nowhere and wakes up in tears. He wipes them away and looks at the dead Angel God in front of him. Agus never had seen such emotion after being a Sluagh. He grits his teeth and curses under his breath.
It was the effect of his mother's human blood that made his son like this. He might ask for a dark Sage to revert his son's memories and turn him into the proper Sluagh that he should be.
After their trip to the ruins, his son went straight to his room while Agus tried to contact the dark Sage of the West. His calls didn't come true but a voice came to his head. It was Sage's voice saying,
"An Angel God already contacted your son. Kill the Angel God first, and then I might help you with your son."
Agus groans and stomps away to his throne and flops there angrily. He thinks of a plan to kill the Angel God that made contact with his son when he realized that the war is near. He thought of a way to regain his strength asks his army to go to the human realm again and abduct children ranging from 10 years of age to 17 years of age, specifying that virgins are fruitful.
He will think of every reason and every way for his army to be powerful and eating children at the range is the only way he can think of as of the moment. So, he went with his guts and spread the order.
Meanwhile, in Keres' room, he stills thinking of Larius and his condition. He is so happy that he is happy and well. Excitement is an understatement but it's what he feels right now. He starts to think of a possible reason to quietly betray his father for the sake of Larius, and he will do everything to make that happen. Even if it causes his life, he will do it. He sleeps through the night thinking of their happiness before he drifts off to dreamland.
x-x-x-x-x
Loneliness and guilt are what he feels the moment he opens his eyes. He looked at the familiar ceiling and sees a female beside him. He jumps out of the bed and positions himself in combat, guarding his body with a long staff. Amihan woke up and sees her brother's expression and immediately called for Salthifer or Alviary. Both of the living Gods came forward and assist the situation at hand. "What happened?" Alviary asks while looking at Amihan who is having a confused look written all over her face.
Salthifer calls for his sister to ask if she knows something. But before Sartilliane shows up, Larius attacks Alviary with his spear and it pierces through his skin.
"Larius!" Amihan yells, trying to pry him away from the living God. "Don't attack him, Alviary!" she exclaims again, as she ties up her brother in the nearest pillar of the balcony. Alviary heals himself as he looks at Larius furiously. "Stop, Alviary!" Sartilliane warns as she appears from behind the wall. She approaches the struggling Angel God and says,
"Keres."
And just like an incantation, Larius relaxes and looks around him. He sees Amihan, Alviary, Salthifer, and Sartilliane. "Who-," he said, swaying backward and away from the bunch. "Who are you guys?" Larius said, looking as confused as them. Sartilliane moves forward and says his name again.
"Keres." She said, looking at Larius as her wings spread. She shows the prince's condition to him and their future. Larius began to smile when he remembered his mark. He went to the mirror to see if it's still there. He smiles again when he sees it.
He looks to himself and his body then looks back at them. "Where are my clothes?" he asked, as he walks towards Sartilliane. "Where is the prince?" he asks the living God. Sartilliane shrugs before answering the frantic former Angel God.
"Calm down, Larius. He is fine. He brought you here since his father treats you like treason," Sartilliane explains, Larius stops on his track and looks back to Sartilliane. "Me? Treason?" Larius asks and walks back to him, spreading his old and fading wings. As Amihan saw them, she gasps and Larius turns her way. "Brother," she whispers, and that's when Salthifer casts a spell on Larius to make him sleep.
"What happened to him?"