An hour following the battle between the Amits, Talen sat on the couch in the living room, all fingers interlocked and resting against his forehead. Valentina sat beside her son, gradually undoing the bandages across his arms, tracing her finger along his muscles.
"This should be enough to heal the inner damage. Any outer wounds will regenerate the skin, but the rest is up to your body. Fate-restoration only goes so far," his mother said.
"Yeah, that's fine. I don't care much about myself though. That old bastard tricked us for the sake of abducting Alora. I should've…" he sighed. "I should've saved her."
Eros exited the bathroom, the toilet flushing behind him. "There was nothing you could've done. You were immobilized by that blind guy's ability and I was dealing with a said blind guy. I doubt any of us could've realized he was after Alora—considering how distant they've been for like… ever."
"Yeah, that's another thing." Anthony raised his hand. "What exactly are they after her for? Is it because she's Blessed like Archer?" he asked.
"Could be…" Eros shrugged.
Talen sighed, removing the hand from his temples. "That's probably why. Atlas and Keres didn't take Archer, so there must be something about Lora's Blessing we just don't know. Maybe…" he thought back. "Maybe Uriel and they are planning something together. Like an exchange. We give them Marie, they give us Lora."
"What makes you think Uri and this Atlas dude are connected, to begin with?" Tony asked.
Talen started rubbing his temples. As he tried remembering, he stammered. "I don't know. There was something about him that seemed so bizarrely familiar. It wasn't just that he's somehow our ancestor still alive to this day, but an odd feeling. Like I'd seen him somewhere before—"
Ten years ago. After invoking Last Resort, he was just about to land the finishing blow on Keres, before someone intervened. Monstrum. Because of that anomaly, he'd perished—half of his face missing and all. Then, something revived him. But what? It hit him.
On the verge between life and death, fantasy and reality are interchangeable. Talen didn't think anything of it upon awakening. Until now.
"He was the one. For some reason, he'd been watching us all the time and, when Monstrum killed me, he… revived me. I swear I could see that same silhouette towering over me as I returned to life. It can't be anyone else."
"You're right, it can't be." Eros stepped forward. "That's why, if Atlas resurrected you, he likely did the same to Uriel as well."
Talen facepalmed again, loudly groaning into the room. "Goddammit…" He slid his hand down from his eyes. "What a goddamn rabbit hole. This has been orchestrated for the past ten years and we didn't even know."
Eros nodded. Just ten years. Right? It couldn't go further back than that. Then again, his memories said otherwise. His head contradicted himself by quickly shaking his head, and stepping up with a raised hand.
"Wait, wait! It's not just ten years. Uh, eighteen years ago, when I first met your mother, the King was acting weird too. Something about 'The Outside Puzzle' and how he and his brother were realizing a drama they had together."
"How far back does it go then?" Tony asked. "This seems crazy. So the reason Uriel's acting so insane is that Atlas revived him and used his technique to like… make him his pawn?"
"That would seem like the most logical conclusion. If it weren't for the blatant fact that I haven't been influenced despite having been resurrected by him as well." Talen scratched his cheek. "I believe it's because of the Unconquerable. It negates his technique's ability because the attack is registered as my aura… that's how identical our Fates are."
Val's hand sunk into her cheek. "Speaking of that guy, he hasn't made a move in a while, huh? I can't help but wonder what he's planning," she said.
Talen shrugged. "Who knows? Before he killed his father, he said something about war but I doubt that's gonna happen now that he's the King. It'd be pointless to sacrifice his citizens in a battle like that. Especially if they probably don't know he's the New King."
Eros entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, finding nothing but bottled water shelved on the door. He easily popped open the top; sipping from it briefly before entering the living room again and sinking into the cushions.
"Why the hell're we stressin' over this guy, to begin with?" He adjusted his glasses. "It's not like he's done anything too bad. Now that the King's dead, the favor he asked of you is void. We don't have to deal with Uriel anymore… if you don't want to."
To that, Talen was silent. His father was right for once. He had no other reason to keep pursuing Uriel like he was a villain. After all, the former Prince hadn't done anything terrible and if his subordinates attempted doing so, he'd surely put them in their place. Then again, could he say the same about Uriel? Had his old best friend given up on actually pursuing them?
From just his father's words, Talen was overthinking endlessly; his mother could see. So, Valentina stood and rolled up her sleeves.
"How about I make some supper for everyone? After that, we'll relax until it's time to go to bed and in the morning, we can discuss our next moves regarding Alora and Uriel," the woman said.
Tony laughed. "An Amit dinner, huh? S'been a while since I stood over for one of those." He leaned closer on the chair's arm, grinning widely. "Whatcha gonna make?" he asked.
She stretched her arms into the air, hearing her bones crack with an effective pop and a gradual moan. "No… idea!" She looked at Tony. "You should come with me. Actually—Ava, Archer, you're coming with me too."
"What? But why—?"
"No complaining. Get dressed and wait outside," ordered their mother.
Without any counter, the brother and sister reluctantly obeyed. After quickly throwing their attire on, Archer and Ava opened the apartment door, walking down the stairs. Ava's hands pocketed, and she glanced at her sibling.
"This is all your fault, y'know."
He stopped on the steps. "How is it my fault!" He yelled, pointing at himself.
Valentina sighed, ignoring their distant arguing. She looked down at her son and husband, propping her fists on both hips.
"Listen to me, you two. Now I don't know what's happening or who that black-haired man was… but I get a dreadful feeling. Maybe you're right and we don't have to worry about Uriel anymore. That being said, we can't take any more chances." She peeked at Talen before sliding over to Eros and placing a hand on his shoulder. "I believe it's time, darling. The time to give your fourth lesson."
Talen's head perked. "'Fourth'? There's more to the Unconquerable you've been keeping from me? Are you fucking serious right now!"
"Hey, not to interrupt—" Anthony was met with the angry face of his Unconquerable friend. Regardless, he continued. "—but you kinda vanished for a decade, remember, dude? It was kinda hard to get a hold of you for a while. You shouldn't blame your mom."
"Well—" Talen looked at both his mother and Tony, then quickly averted his gaze. "—whatever. It's still bullshit."
Val snickered. She shuffled over to Tony and tapped his arm, watching him rise from the seat and walk over to the apartment door. He opened it before her as she slid purple gloves over her hands, waving at her darling family before leaving with Anthony to go shop for groceries.
"Have fun!" She said, closing the door behind her as she fled.
Now there were no women in the room at all. Nothing but pure sausage. It made Talen lament. He quickly lowered his head and voiced his disgust, searching through his pockets for any semblance of a cigarette. Eros slapped the back of his son's head.
"Alright. Get up."
Rubbing his skull's rear, he groaned. "Where to..?" asked the lawyer.
"Where else, idiot? Somewhere out of bounds where we can go all-out."
Though the remnants of anger resurged at the remembrance of their secret, with the way Eros phrased it, the irritation slowly faded. Replaced with nothing but excitement at the thought of legitimately sparring against the original Unconquerable—his father.
"Lesson Four: Untouchable."
Meanwhile, back in Barronia.
King Uriel Barron gazed out the window he stood in front of behind the throne. The doors behind him loudly opened, leading the man to turn. Uriel's baby-blue eyes reflected their familiar appearances. He sunk into the throne and rested his fist on his cheek.
"You're missing two. Where are Amati and Flaminia?"
Aella threw the doctor's head onto the throne room floor, watching it roll across the ground and leak blood from the stump.
"They're both dead. Neither were any match for Eros or Talen."
"I expected as much. Especially the former. Moon could never surpass Eros, no matter how hard he tried. It's truly despicable he thought he could." Uriel stood. "But I care not for the Amits any longer. They fled. That end is satisfactory. However, what the Amits hold… is my sister. Did you sense her signature?"
Aella nodded as she knelt before the King. "I did indeed, my liege. She's traveling with the Amits. It looks like they're heading for Helenheim," she said.
"Helenheim?" Uri stifled a chuckle. "I see. They plan to flee as far as possible in an attempt to leave my influence. I wouldn't expect anything less from Talen. That being said…" he scratched the back of his neck. "I have no qualms with him. Perhaps it's time we intercept them personally—"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Aella and Apollo kneeling before the King raised, turning their heads to stare at the opening doors of the royal throne room. None other than the unwavering Unconquerable progenitor, Atlas Amit, stood in the center; black cloak shrouding him completely.
Amit grinned. "It's so nice to finally meet you, nephew. I am—"
"Yes, I know who you are." Uri side-eyed the newcomer from atop the throne's steps. "One of Barronia's founding fathers—my uncle. Which makes Talen and I cousins."
"Correct," The progenitor said with one raised finger. "I've come to you with an offer. When you were on the brink of death ten years ago, I was the one to revive you. You owe me… a debt."
"A debt?" His hand waved as he laughed. "Who do you think you're talking to? I am the Supreme King of Barronia and Wearer of Fate's Crown, Uriel Divine Barron. I owe nothing to you, Amit."
Atlas glared through his long black hair, grinning at the man across from him. "You've got a big mouth… boy."
Apollo jumped in front of Atlas and aimed his palm at the King, releasing a three-headed dragon from the Fate within his soul. Aella easily slapped the creature away, watching it revert to fade away as its fragments grazed the ground.
"Sister…" Moloch said.
Raven's pink strands swayed before her eyes. "Those who betray the King are banished forever. You are no longer my brother, Apollo. I will execute you in the name of the Supreme."
"Now, now!" Atlas put his hand over his mouth, amplifying his voice. "Let's not fight! I have something you want, after all!"
Barron's head tilted. "Something I want?" He slid down the throne's steps and reached Atlas, standing tall in front of him. "What?"
The progenitor removed his hand from the coat, revealing a blackened and mutilated arm. Another of Monstrum's limbs. If Anthony were to ingest it, there would only be one left until the Disastrous regained his full power.
"You must've heard me earlier. I have no intention of attacking Anthony or Talen again. If I were to approach them, it'd be for the sake of retaking my sister. What benefit does that arm give me?" he asked.
"I thought you'd say something like that, so I prepared a contingency. If you're uninterested in Monstrum's arms, I have something better." He withdrew his phone, dangling the image of Alora's enchained body before the King. "The Illustrious girl. I'll give her to you. You can use her to exchange for Marie Barron back," Atlas said.
"You kidnapped Alora?" Uriel scoffed.
Despite the trials and tribulations, they'd all experienced, the former Prince could never deny the love he held for his old friends. Perhaps he was still clinging to the past. Regardless, he kicked at the side of Atlas's head, watching as the progenitor quickly jumped back.
"You still want to fight even after I offered you!" The mastermind laughed. "How foolish. This battle is beneath me."
Uriel clenched his fist. "Aella."
"Yes, my liege?" She asked from beside him.
"Deal with the traitor. I'll slaughter the elder. Without mercy."
Trivia: Uriel's middle name is Divine, after his father. Marie's middle name is Scarlet, after her mother. Her mother wasn't Barronia's Queen. Speaking of, that position is vacant following the murder of his mother. There is no Queen and the Barron siblings are effectively orphans.