Ether, Pearl, Orako, and Jakery were along the coast. They stood high up on the hill to watch the clouds pass and waves come in.
Jakery practiced with his Third Rule. Causing strong surges of electricity to erupt out of the simplest form of rubbing hands together.
When he started to get the hang of it, Jakery began to work on his energy management. Focusing all of his willpower to keep levels as high as they could go, while also being unshackled from the burden of retreating to generate more.
Several steps away, the family sat on the wet grass. The orange color set them apart from everything else in the fields.
Pearl laid on the grass, trying to reach near absolute zero temperatures on her cooler. She sucked up the frigid cold from the blades of grass below her.
While Ether played with Orako. He asked Oria what would be the best way to prepare Orako for the real world, and playing with him was the best option.
Orako jumped on his father's back, then forced his head down before clamping down on the back of his neck. Ether tried his hardest to shake the little cub off his back, but to no avail.
Until the struggle overwhelmed him, causing him to collapse dead... at least for Orako. In reality, Ether pretended to be defeated. Slowly building Orako's confidence as a hunter.
Ether kept his eyes closed and tongue sticking out his mouth to continue playing along. He waited for his cub to inspect his prey before jumping out and startling him.
But that didn't happen. Instead, a mortified screaming cub caught everyone's attention.
Pearl and Ether swiftly opened their eyes to see what was happening, but before they could do anything else. Someone pinned them in place.
Talis held an ice war-axe over Ether's neck. Despite being capable of taking his rival out once and for all, he held back. Simply because he was ordered to.
And a Sole Sibling planted his foot on Pearl's forearm. Pinning the parents in place, leaving their child to watch in horror.
Jakery charged up his hands while sprinting towards them. He was going so fast he didn't notice the champion standing right in front of him.
Verick swiped his mace under Jakery's feet, causing him to trip and fall forward. Landing on his back. The champion then placed the head of his mace on Jakery's forehead.
Now with all threats eliminated, the champion and his posse were going to give their request.
Verick slowly walked up to Ether, making sure to count every footstep as he strode closer. When he was right over the opposing Legion's leader, he planted his foot right on his chest.
Talis caused the war-axe to disappear, then quickly brought both of Ether's hands together and froze them in place. Stopping him from fighting back.
No one said a word, it was all a silent ordeal. Except for the crying and frightened Orako, who began to weep his eyes out while covering his little head with his little arms.
"There are no Ferals nearby, and that little one will cry the water in his body out. Why? Because his parents are being held down by unforeseen threats," Cerus said in a bothered manner.
Verick looked over his shoulder. "I suppose you're right. Although, this was our opportunity. Why waste it?"
"What the hell do you dirty animals want?!" Ether's enraged voice cried out.
He tried to force the much stronger Variant's foot off him. But it didn't help. He seemed desperate to escape and even more desperate to shield his child.
"You want that Feral, don't you?" Talis grinned. "Well, if that's the case, you better listen up before he gets turned to past tense."
Ether instantly heeded his rival's words. The odds weren't in his favor. Being submissive was the safest option for them.
"Now you might be wondering what this little group is doing here," Verick said while lifting up his foot. "And it's simple. You cried war and we cry back. I want to battle your champion and his army, that's the short story."
While Ether and Verick exchanged words. Cerus looked down at Pearl, his heart sank seeing someone he once considered his sister being treated this way.
She struggled to force Sole Sibling's foot off her arm, but it resulted in him pressing harder. Which Cerus quickly noticed.
He lifted a hand up to Menkas' chest. "She may not be part of the Legion anymore, but that doesn't excuse you from the early death you'll receive if a bone ends up broken."
Menkas' cold eyes looked into Cerus, he understood the message. His foot got lighter, allowing Pearl to get more comfortable. Although it wasn't that much better than before.
"Well, I'm at your mercy," Ether tried his best to keep his voice calm. "Where is the long version?"
Talis softly chuckled as he forced Ether on his knees. As Ether adjusted his gaze on Verick, Talis punched the side of his face. The hit was brutal and uncalled for. But to him it didn't matter.
"I'll rip your buddy's body bone by bone if you punch Ether once more!" Pearl's voice thundered.
She caught Talis' attention, which caused him to glare at her. His eyes coldly stared her down, making her feel vulnerable.
Cerus and his distant friend saw the interaction. His stomach turned as he watched Pearl get disrespected, while his friend did exactly what Talis did: coldly stare.
Verick grabbed Ether by the face, forcing him to look at his face. "The Light Legion has been busy pushing into Yarno recently, and your Infinus Legion has been nothing more than a pest to us."
His comment caused a strong urge to rebel against his comment inside Ether's mind. Infinus wasn't a pest or a small Legion, it was full of willing warriors and daring elites. This was his home.
A home he made with the help of his Sherpa, brother, and the now-gone Danitour. So he was going to treat it as such.
"Tell your leaders to face me and my siblings if we're being such pests!" Ether's raspy voice responded. "I promise you you're risking your life for cowards."
Verick delivered a kick straight to Ether's jaw. Sending the small Zesher crashing towards his son. When Orako realized Ether was in severe stress, he did the only thing he knew to do.
The little Feral got up on his feet, then lowered his head. After getting in position, he leapt as hard as he could. But he couldn't reach his target.
Talis caught Orako, then slammed the cub against the ground. Orako did not move, he remained still as he wept in defeat.
It was enough to awaken a beast that Ether has called upon once before. Back during the fight against Dominatsu.
"YOU DIRTY FUCKER! I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE," Ether's enraged voice thundered. "YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED, ALL OF YOU!"
He tried to break free from his chains, but it was useless. He seemed even more desperate. This paired with the fact he was failing to protect his mate and sibling caused him to dive back down a state of mind he thought was stuck in the past.
Tears began rolling down his cheeks. The image of a valued member of the Infinus Legion and a major threat disappeared and was replaced by a crying Zesher.
Cerus acknowledged how mad Ether was and why. They interrupted his time with his new family just to beat them. He understood where his enemy struggled. Something the others didn't do.
An entity formed behind Cerus, they watched in unison. One felt sick to his stomach while the other looked on with disgust.
Verick lifted Ether by his neck. Making sure to squeeze as hard as he could while lifting him up.
"Your men will fall in eight days, you hear me? Bring out your champion and his army, me and my own will stand in this very location waiting for you. Do you understand?" Verick's venomous voice said.
He let go of Ether, dropping him on the ground. Allowing Talis to free him of his bonds, which alerted Ether to attack.
As he rose up, Talis pounded the side of his head. Dazing him long enough for Verick to stomp his head back down.
Just as quickly as the group appeared, they disappeared. Along with the entity standing behind them.
Pearl made an effort to crawl to her mate with one arm. It was difficult already because of her shaken frame and now made even harder by her aching arm.
She got close enough to examine his face. Ether's eyes were closed as tears rolled down his cheeks and dripped onto the grass below.
With every gasp of air, he wept the names of those around him. Starting with Orako, then her, and lastly Jakery. He was broken again.
Pearl laid down beside him, then carefully and gently wrapped her mate in a hug. The cold feeling of a Thawed's embrace caused Ether to instinctively hug her back in hopes to find warmth.
The two remained there, in each other's arms. A sign to let Ether know this wasn't a normal fight anymore. This was something much bigger.
This was something personal.