"..."
Raki took a step back, his eyes narrowing as Ko appeared in front of him.
"What's...the Horde?"
His eyes showed a faint hint of curiosity as he looked up at the dark haired captain.
"Riel?"
"He's not lying..."
"Tch...how could he possess ice magic then...?"
"No way...he's an ice spirit...mixed with an arctic...wolf?"
Kuro's eyes widened as Lucia let out a small gasp.
"How could that be?"
"I thought Arctic Wolfs went extinct after the Primordial War..."
Riel continued to stare at Raki, his eyes full of curiosity.
"My question is, who created him?"
"I can answer that."
The quiet boy spoke up, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade.
"It was the spirit from the Frost Monarch's castle."
"The...Frost Monarch?"
"So he left an inheritance after all..."
Kuro looked up at the sky, his gaze wandering as he looked towards the distant stars.
"It seems that what grandfather said was true..."
"Tch."
Lucia clicked her tongue in distaste as Ko spoke.
Raki´s ears perked up as he listened curiously.
"All the Monarchs are coming out of slumber..."
A low rumble echoed through the land as Ko finished speaking.
Several cracks stretched out from the groud in front of Raki´s feet, the earth erupting in a shower of dirt and stone.
"Hahahahaha...I'm free!"
A large man covered in dark grey armor rose up from the crater, his brown eyes instantly focusing on Raki.
[The Frost Monarch´s successor?]
His eyes widened in shock, narrowing as he observed the rest of the party.
"Tch...guess it's my lucky day."
The man´s muscles bulged as he drew a massive anchor from his back, swinging it downwards at Raki in one smooth motion.
"Get out of the-!"
The boy was sent flying, turning into a streak of white as he slammed into a cliff far off into the distance.
"Kuh-"
Raki coughed as he pushed himself out of the crater, his eyes focusing on his opponent.
The mark on his hand vibrated, causing the muscular man to turn towards him.
"Still alive, huh...not bad."
As he finished speaking, the man disappeared, reappearing in front of him with his anchor raised.
"Die."
Several flames erupted in front of Raki, pushing the man back.
"Tch...Ria."
"Hmph."
A woman dressed in red floated downwards, her scarlet eyes turning to observe Raki.
"The Frost Monarch´s successor huh..."
"Get out of the way if you don´t want to die."
"Why don´t you make me?"
Ajax roared as chunks of earth ripped themselves out of the ground, hovering near him.
"Tch..such a brute."
As the boulders rocketed towards Ria,a flame condensed between her hands, forming the shape of a sword as it extended outwards.
Ria swung, slicing the boulders in two as they flew past her, a wave of fire exploding outwards in an arc.
Several feathers condensed in the air as the blade in her hands dissipated, firing towards Ajax.
"Hmph. And you call me a brute."
The earth rumbled as a large patch of dirt and rock pulled itself out of the ground, forming into a stone giant as it covered Ajax.
The feathers exploded as they slammed into the giant´s body, leaving shallow scars behind.
"Getting serious so soon?"
Ria smirked as flames erupted out of her back, covering her in a cocoon.
The cocoon burst as the stone giant punched towards it, revealing a large bird made out of fire.
As the fist slammed into the bird, the flames quickly spread up the stone arm, melting it into a puddle of grey ooze.
The giant roared as the ooze quickly reformed itself into a giant arm, rocketing towards the bird.
Raki slowly stood up, coughing out chunks of meat mixed in with blood.
"Raki!"
Lucia ran over, her eyes full of concern as she hugged him.
"I'm fi-"
He broke into a fit of coughs as he tried to speak, red droplets splattering across the ground.
"Try not to talk."
Ko spoke in a calm voice as the two strangers continued to fight, a loud boom resonating through the air.
Raki stood up shakily as Lucia steadied him, her eyes filled with worry as she looked up at her older brother.
"Can he be healed?"
"He'll be fine, Lucia."
"But-"
"He's healing as we speak."
Riel spoke up, his gaze fixed on the boy as blue lights swirled around Raki, mending his wounds.
"He's an ice spirit, remember?"
"I know, but-"
As they spoke Raki's eyes opened, his eyes shimmering a dark gold color.
"Raki! Are you okay?"
Lucia ran over, her eyes full of joy.
"I'm afraid I'm not the person you're looking for."
"H-huh? Raki, don't mess around! I'm Lucia, remember?"
"Nope."
"Raki, this isn't funny!"
"I'm not him...well, not the one you know at least."
"What...are you talking about?"
'Raki' smiled, his golden eyes reflecting a hint of sadness.
"Nothing, don't worry about it."
Ko's eyes narrowed as he stared at the boy, pulling Lucia back.
"It's not him."
"W-what do you mean?"
"Look at his eyes, Lucia. They've changed."
'Raki' smirked, his mouth curving up in a mocking arc.
"What a surprise...someone from his bloodline, eh?"
Ko walked forwards, standing face to face with the boy.
"Give him back."
"Oh, I will. I just wanted to make sure his companions would be able to take good care of him."
"Who are you?"
Lucia stepped out from behind her brother, her eyes filled with anger.
Before the boy could respond, the glow in his eyes faded as he collapsed to the ground.
"Raki!"
Lucia caught the boy, embracing him in a hug.
"Ngh...Luci...a?"
Raki opened his eyes, looking up at the figures around him.
"What...happened?"
Lucia breathed a sigh of relief, helping the boy up.
"You got possessed while you were out..."
Kuro looked down at the boy, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Care to explain?"
"I'm afraid I don't know what you were talking about."
Raki met Kuro's gaze, a chilling aura swirling around the two.
"Kuro...stop it. He really doesn't know."
Lucia tugged on her brother's sleeve, causing him to sigh.
"Fine."
"Besides...we have more serious things to deal with."
The stone giant fell to the ground with a crash as Riel spoke, a woman clad in flames appearing before them in a burst of fire.