*Seiya*
Zivan rested his head on my shoulder.
I ruffled his hair. "Get some rest."
He wrapped his arms around my right arm and snuggled against it.
I smiled. My boyfriend looked so peaceful sleeping.
Davina stared at us. "How long have you two been dating?"
My face reddened as she watched us. "Well, since high school. We kept it a secret because my dad." I gulped. My eyes felt watery. Even after all this time, it was still hard to talk about it.
She frowned. "He wouldn't accept you two?"
I nodded. "When he did eventually found out, he was very disappointed in me. I'd been everything he had hoped for until that point."
Davina sighed. "Well, that's sad." She looked down.
I eyed the sleeping Zivan. "He had it a lot easier, though. His parents were supportive of him from the start."
Sou sighed. "Ava and he are really lucky, aren't they? They have a great mom and dad."
Purpura glanced out of the window. "At least your father didn't experiment on you. Mine did."
The rest of us, except Dean who was driving, stared at him. The guy was hugging his stuffed panda tightly. Right, prince Suoh was supposedly his 'father' from what I had heard.
"That's awful. I'm so sorry," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay." He turned to me and smiled. "After all, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here."
Sou blushed a little. He averted his gaze and looked back at his phone. "Still haven't reached her."
Purpura glanced out the window as he put the panda back on his lap. "I hope they're okay."
I nodded. "Me too."
My eyes shifted toward the moon again. I felt like this would be a night we wouldn't forget, and not in a good way.
"You know, I used to believe that the new moon was the time when the monsters came out," Dean said, his eyes fixated on the night sky.
Wow, was he actually speaking up? He rarely spoke.
Sou looked up from his phone and chuckled. "That's surprisingly cute."
Dean sighed.
Sou grinned. "Hey, you should speak up more often."
Davina nodded.
Dean stared back at the road. "I just don't like talking, that's all."
His liege frowned a little, but didn't say a thing.
I glanced at the bracelet Davina had been wearing. It looked oddly familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.
"Say, what's with that bracelet?" I asked.
Davina glanced down at it. "A strange man gave it to me."
Sou crossed his arms. "Not that I could see him. Purpura could sense him, though."
"And you didn't attack?" I asked, laughing nervously.
"I sensed a great power from the guy. Honestly, even if I wanted to beat him, I don't think I could," Davina admitted.
"Same," Purpura said.
I grumbled. Another guy who was incredibly powerful. Something told me he might have been the same guy as the masked person I'd met at my hometown years ago. Who was he? And what exactly did he want with this world?
"There they are!" Purpura said, pointing forward.
My eyes widened.
Sayuri stood up from her seat at the outdoor cafe and waved.
We quickly got off.
"What's wrong?" Ava asked, frowning as she saw me carry her slumbering brother out. "Did something happen to Ziv?"
"His injure began acting up," I said, looking down at my boyfriend. "Although, that's not the only problem."
"We sensed a power that could belong to the Dark Lord," Davina said as she joined us.
Ziv's dad looked up at the sky. I was right to worry. But fear not, children. I made a few precautio-" He froze and looked at the street.
"What's wrong?" Sou asked.
"Children, do not go onto the street. We have guests."
Dad stood up and punched his palm. "Why worry? Let's beat them up if they're bad guys."
I nodded.
Ava rolled her eyes at us. "You Citrine men are all so simple-minded. We don't even know what this guy wants."
"Ava, you can sense the Dark Lord too, right?" I asked.
She nodded. "Slightly."
"Zetsuna. Take the kids inside the cafe," my dad said, holding an arm up.
"Very well," Ma said, grabbing the hands of my little siblings.
"Come along too," Kai's mom said, all her children in.
Kai glanced at us. "Wait, are you not coming with us?"
"Not yet," Ava's dad said.
"Why not?" Sayuri asked as she stared at Ava as she stayed outside with us.
Ava sighed. "Someone has to keep you safe."
Sayuri huffed. "In that case, let me fight too!"
"Are you for real? You know you're not as adept at using your powers as I am."
The red-eyed girl scoffed. "True, but my powers might be handy."
"Isn't your power blood control?" Davina asked.
Her face softened. "Uh, yeah. How do you know?"
Davina smiled angelically. "I've looked into the other clans, including those blessed by the lesser gods."
Kai's dad grumbled. "You sage descendants really think yourselves as special, don't you?"
She shook her head. "Wait, did didn't mean it like that! You Malachite has a very interesting ability of your own." She gulped. "If we fall, you might have to use it."
He sighed. "Seems your intel is limited. I can't revive you."
"W-what do you mean?"
"My necromancy can't revive those who bear the power of the sages, for whatever reason. It's possible that whoever granted my ancestors with this power didn't want to step on the toes of the God of Dawn and the Goddess of Dusk."
Sou frowned. "Well, good thing I wasn't going into the battle with the thought of dying in mind."
"Wait, but you can revive someone like me, right?" Sayuri asked.
"Theoretically, yes."
"W-wait, what are you thinking?" Ava asked.
She smiled as she stepped next to me. "I'm gonna fight next to you, whether you like it or not."
I scratched my head. It seemed I wasn't the only one with a pushy significant other. Although, I didn't like what Sayuri was implying either.
Davina sighed. "I appreciate you volunteering, but your powers won't be very useful against the Dark Lord. He has no blood for you to use against him."
Sayuri stared at her hands. "Then, I'll stick to using my own."
Ava furrowed her brow. "Sayu..."