A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.1****
"Princess, how about you calm down? Everything's alright,"
King Liorei placed the bowl of soup on the table and pulled the pot holder gloves off his hands.
Princess Lorreign finally gave him a stare. She heaved a deep breath and settled down on the table to have breakfast with her father.
"I'm just... They suddenly vanished out of our sight. I'm worried, Dad,"
"You're acting like their Mom," the King smiled and sat, "I know they're well. You know that one. Very stingy," he joked. It made the Princess feel better at least.
As he serve her food, he noticed her straight gaze towards him. So, he gave her a confused smile.
"You're drilling a hole through my face with that gaze, my Princess."
Princess Lorreign pouted, she couldn't take her eyes off her handsome father.
"Whats the reason for that? You're already cool and badass, but Dad, the sudden change in you is alarming. I'm worried. What is happening to you? What is happening? Everything is a mess. It's just... One after another: we can't seem to get some rest."
The Princess grabbed the spoon for a bite, but couldn't bring herself to eat. She doesn't have the appetite, but she doesn't want to look ungrateful. The King poured efforts in making her food. He's a really good chef.
"I don't know either, my girl. But we'll figure things out. We just need to straighten things out first and the rest will be an easy task. Let's pay Watts a visit after. They're probably with him."
Princess Lorreign then remembered Azarese, giving her another reason to gaze through her father deeper.
She stand up and the sudden hug she gave him surprised him.
"You loved that girl. I, too, wanted to be a sister to her. I'm guilty for not trying hard enough. You're so understanding and I know you're not doing good deeds to redeem yourself. You have always been a good man, Daddy. And I love you very much. There must be a reason for that because I know you. Your duty as a father precedes and matters most than any other duties you have as a King Gerson Liorei."
King Liorei's heart softened. The Princess kissed his head and went back to her seat with a sweet smile. He smiled back at her and pet her head. Finally, the Princess began eating. She stuffed so much food in her mouth that her cheeks bulged like a squirrel. It made the King chuckle.
"Slow down, my love. All is yours."
The guards opened the doors for the Prince Izaac. As it open, the cries of his heartbroken wife found its freedom and had its way out. The guards and the servants lowered their heads. They've never heard a cry so pitiful and helpless in their whole life. Therefore, they must be new and young.
The Prince took a step forward. Step by step, his life is getting drained out of him. And once he made it to her side, he collapsed down to his knees and hugged her legs.
"Iz... Izaac... What... What did I e-ever do to d-deserve this? What d-did I do to h-her? My sons... Izylidas..."
Princess Aurora brought the clothes of her son to her face and screamed.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Forgive me. Darling."
Prince Izaac held onto her arms and released his tears on her lap.
Eventually, after grieving nonstop for days without rest, exhaustion took its toll on her and forced her to succumb to sleep. But even while sleeps, she's calling for her sons and screaming out her pain. Prince Izaac hated it, but he had no choice but to put her under an illusion.
Prince Davorin knocked. Prince Izaac fixed himself first before meeting his brother.
"How's Mom?" He asked first when Prince Davorin got in.
"They're trying to...put her into a deep sleep. That's one of the choices we have."
"And the other choices?"
"Turn her into an infant, lift the curse which is almost impossible... Numb her whole body... Or paralyze her... Ideas like that."
Prince Izaac palmed his face. Then he broke down into tears. The strongest and the most powerful is in his weakest and lowest.
"L-Let's not waste our time. Crying won't solve anything," the Prince stated, on the edge of bursting into tears as well. But just like what he said, tears won't answer to their dilemmas. He'd rather bottle it all up and release it once things are better.
Prince Valerian observed his mother. Watts Xirquit is convincing her to make the Ascension Day celebration happen, for she does not want to.
"You said she sent you a dream. To some son of a bitch that is not her blood. What about my plight that is worse than yours? She only watched. She let it all happen. She never gave a sign to anybody! And now you're telling me we must celebrate her first reign? When it's the damn reason why my life is fucked!?"
Watts Xirquit was silenced.
Prince Zodiac and Lady Schionna instantly shifted their stares to the Matriarch. She doesn't have a reaction.
Azarese grabbed him by the jaw and squeezed it.
"Don't rub how likeable you are into my face. In the end, you're the loser between us because your love for me enslaved you. Disobey me, I dare you. DO IT!"
Prince Valerian popped the bubble gum he's blowing and flounced to his mother. He embraced her and pulled her away from his favorite uncle.
"Mommy, cursing and fighting in front of a baby is wrong. Bad parenting."
He looked up to her with a cheeky smile and tiptoed to kiss her lips, "If you don't want it, then we won't do it. Right, Uncle Watts?" He looked over his shoulder. Watts Xirquit is massaging his jaw.
Then he sighed, "I'm sorry. Saying it once was enough, but I got stubborn and made you angry," he stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her waist, "Forgive me. I won't do it again."
Prince Valerian smiled and rest his head on his mother's chest. It slightly bounced.
"Mommy, if no milk, why your boobies big?" He asked with pure innocence and wonder. Watts Xirquit gasped and though it's not his, he was embarrassed by the question.
Azarese looked down to check herself.
"I don't know. Do you want me to breastfeed you?"
The Prince pouted, "I'm a big boy now."
"There's a big boy who do," then she turns to Watts Xirquit and smirked. Prince Valerian followed her stares.
"You still drink milk from your Mommy, Uncle?"
"W-What? No! I---I don't anymore!"
Azarese hissed and brought her son to the balcony. Her face became bitter when she saw Skadi Eira and Solana above. Her day is ruined.
They're still in the penthouse. Franchetti Xerene, healed by a potion, and Voltage Xirquit are in the same room with Ohms. Ohms just woke up and they're feeding him. He's still have a fever, feeling weak from the anomalies in his system.
Prince Valerian flinched when he felt it coming. He immediately looked up to the skies with an expecting smile.
"Maximilien!"
Prince Maximilien is coming.
"Don't do this, Maximilien! Can't you see how pretty this place is? This is better than ours!" Prince Ambren shouted as he swing his hands to his side, showing the place he already love.
Heaven.
An empire of light and gold, the sanctuary of good souls and eternal bliss.
But Prince Maximilien is not a good soul and he's very aware of that. The place is nice. The angels are kind. They haven't seen God yet and His son, but they've met His son's mother. The Holy Mother welcomed them.
Alas, Archangel Michael came, clad in his shining armor that gleams the heavenly light. The strongest protector of the highest realm, the fiercest warrior.
"You wish to return. Why?" He asked, voice echoing in their ears.
Prince Maximilien turned around completely to face him courageously.
"This is not where I belong. I'm not comfortable here. I'd rather be in Hell than here!"
Prince Ivailo slapped his forehead.
"A dummy, he is." He couldn't believe his brother said that to Archangel Michael.
"You don't understand. I won't play friends with you. I have a mission to do. And my mission is to protect Mommy! You can keep my siblings. I don't need them. They are foolish!"
"You won't last. You're only a soul."
Prince Maximilien smirked and summoned his sniper. He lean it on his shoulder as he begin to warp the dimension behind him, opening a path back to his mother's arms.
"The Wicked's Conquest Against Heaven. You know about that, don't you? Not this Heaven but the other. Their Hell is over their heads, not below them, and none of those stupid Ancients know that. All that, for what? For her son. For her husband. Now, I'd ask you. As the strongest warrior here, do you stand a chance against an omnipotent?"
The Archangel did not react. Between the gaps of his helm, he saw the mischievous grin in the Prince's lips.
Prince Maximilien chuckled and turned his back on them, "That's what I thought. I lied though. Pfft."
But what part of his story is the lie?
When the passage is wide enough Prince Maximilien blew his brotherd a kiss with his middle finger before jumping in. Their shoulders dropped and sighed.
"I am sorry for that. He doesn't know what he's doing."
Archangel Michael walked to them and pat their heads.
"You are good boys."
And the Princes smiled.
Prince Valerian stormed out of the room. His excitement to see his mean brother fueled his adrenaline. While going out, the neighbors heard him say, "Maximilien is coming!"
When Prince Maxigaufeas heard it, his emotions mixed. The kid who cursed his father is coming back? Fine. He grabbed his guns from their space and as he march out, Princess Eowyne knew that she have to do whatever it takes to stop him.
Valor Teivel, who is with an attendant, was on his way back to his penthouse when Prince Valerian ran past him outside the building.
Prince Valerian's pace slowed down until his feet are nailed to the ground. He looked over his shoulder. And as he turn around to face the person he passed by, the medical bag he's holding where the blood bags are kept for his monthly sustenance as a 'vampire' slipped off his hands.
"B-Bro...ther?"
Azarese fell from above and landed between them.
"My son, that is the fastest way to come down," she told her son as if it's a life hack. A portal opened behind her; Watts Xirquit came out of it.
The first thing he noticed is the tension between Prince Valerian and Valor Teivel.
"My good friend, good morning. I see that you received my gift," he said while looking at the medical bag beside Valor Teivel's feet.
Prince Valerian walked to his mother and hugged her by the waist.
"Mommy, that man called me 'brother'. Is he your baby, too?"
Azarese's eyebrow arched and gave Valor Teivel a dirty look.
"You think someone as basic as him would be my son?"
Watts Xirquit's eyes widened. If Valor Teivel's face is 'basic' to her, what more is his? Not to belittle himself, but his friend is truly handsome. He liked seeing Valor Teivel because his beauty is refreshing. Everything about him fascinates him. Or maybe it's because he's a vampire, once a mythical creature now walking among them so gracefully.
Valor Teivel didn't paid her attention. His trembling lips pursed as his eyes rich with intense emotions glisten in tears.
He took shaky steps forward. Azarese hid her son, but the Prince showed himself and waited for him to come.
Valor Teivel dared to touch him. He gripped on the Prince's shoulders, studying his existence, especially his face.
"It must be you," he spoke in an ancient language unbeknownst to them, "It is you."
"My brother's heir, Prinsiaze Valerian. I finally found you."
Valor Teivel tearfully kissed the back of Prince Valerian's hand. Azarese went between them and pushed him back.
"What are you doing? Who are you?"
Valor Teivel closed his eyes tight to squeeze his tears out. He wiped it with his arm and opened his eyes to look at the woman in front of him: the mother of his beloved brother's heir, the woman who seduced his beloved brother and left him devastated and on the brink of death.
He remembered that day all too well. The day his brother sent him away from his side with a mission: find his son. His only son, his heir. While on his death bed, he muster what remained of his strength to tell him enough.
"Valerian...his name. My mate...is the sun. His mother...the sun. Please, my good brother. Find them. The s-stars points to..."
"Ki'zaar! M'fre, zumfen. Zumfen..."
[Translation: Emperor! Brother, please. Please...]
The dying Ki'zaar lifted his lifeless hand and pointed to a direction.
And that direction happened to be the Other Side. What go past it can never return; but they're of different kind. Equipped with himself, Prince Valor brought three other more with him. One is a trusted adult, his uncle, and the other two are powerful archmages. The first archmage, a sacrifice, used everything he got to open a portal for them and died. The other one is for when they will return to their Ki'zaar.
After years of searching, the Prinsiaze they've been looking for is found. The Prinsiaze resembled his father a lot. A blissful beauty, gifted by their patron Deity. The Ki'zaar will live!
Valor Teivel stared at his good friend with sorry eyes. He never meant to fool him. He never meant to fool anyone, but they had to to survive. Ancients may be dumb, but they could be as cruel as humans.
"The Prince is my nephew," he stated with dignity as he strengthen his resolve.
He won't hide the truth from them. They deserve to know. He is not afraid of them. He was never.
His Uncle arrived to his side through teleportation. He placed his hand on Prinsiaze Valor.
"P-Professor Feryzen...? What's the meaning of this?" Watts Xirquit stutter as he look at each of them.
Lord Feryzen, with a smile, looked up.
"Now is not the time for introductions. Look above and see that the skies you love is fake,"
When Prince Maxigaufeas arrived with the other Earthlings who followed, they found them looking up so they do, too. The passage warped the dimension in their space where Prince Maximilien is falling.
Azarese's tears fell and raised her hands over her, waiting for her son to fall into her arms.
But he didn't.
And they couldn't believe it.