- District X, Imperial Capital -
When Acceber was sorting out the food storage in her home's underground, her brother's appearance behind her startled her. She thought that putting up a ban would stop anyone from barging in without prior notice. But she was wrong.
"Ace!"
"Brother? How did you appear in my place?" She could not believe her brother would know she left City A after their departure. There were no sounds of the gate or the doors opening, neither did she hear the sound of people walking. 'Is this even my brother?'
"How I got here doesn't matter. What matters most is to know how you're doing. Are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere?" The worry on Stephen's face was evident as he walked forward. But Acceber's heart was no longer calm.
"Brother, let's talk somewhere else." Acceber and Stephen exited the underground storage and sat in the living room. Acceber brewed some lemon tea and offered it to him. "I am really confused. How can you easily find me? But you weren't able to find me when I went missing before? Are you an awakened supernatural now, brother?"
Stephen sighed. He has so much explaining to do. "I should start telling you about our family's secrets. The Yin family comprises people who can read the stars and see the world's prophecy. When you asked me if I am a supernatural being, well, it's true! Not just me, but also you and every member of the Yin family."
"We're not ordinary mortals?" Acceber's face was not good. She struggled to accept this fact. 'Why did my family hide things from me?'
"That's right! The Yin family are not even settlers of Earth. Rather, our ancestors were great travelers in the Milky Way Galaxy. When they came to Earth, they did not expect that evil cultivators roamed here freely. They should have never intervened, but one of these evil cultivators decided to kidnap someone from our side."
It was Acceber's turn to drink tea this time. She could not tell what kind of mood she had. Her brother having powers or her family hiding that they were supernaturals were a lot to take in for her.
"Evil was unrestrained for a long time, so it became difficult for our ancestors to save the kidnapped member. They call on people from other great clans. Three responded to our call and helped save the child that was lost. The child was grateful so he decided to stay on Earth and establish a branch of the clans, calling them the Four Ancient Families."
Stephen tried to remember the details well.
"Yin, the bearer of god's eyes. Zerrudo, the knights of light. Estaris, the guardians of elements. Orendain, the judge of right and wrong. Peace was maintained by the ancient families, not until one of the descendants decided to marry a supernatural being native to Earth."
Acceber got curious, so she asked. "Is interracial marriage prohibited for the ancient families?"
"It used to be, which sparked a great war—a war where evil cultivators kidnap people from the natives of Earth and the ancient families to breed their kind. The hybrids possessed the wisdom and intelligence of the ancients, the special blood of the supernaturals, and the power of darkness. They became very strong existing beings. They conquered grounds and spread harm all over the land, which later on helped abolish some of the laws of the ancient families and supported interracial marriage excluding the evil clan."
"Do these beings exist up till now?"
"They do! Our parents used to fight in the war along with other ancient families and the supernatural natives on Earth against Hydra Xenophobious, the last living Evil Cultivating Sect on Earth."
"Brother, I don't understand. Why are you telling me these things now?"
"I know it's hard to believe it, but we are facing another war soon."
"Another war? Against what? Against who?"
"Hydra Xenophobious has resurrected, and they planned to start another war. Mother was given a prophecy when I was not yet born. The oracles of the clan told her that I would be lost one day, and with the ability to open god's eyes, I would travel to different places. It is true. Before we celebrated your 22nd birthday, I fell unconscious."
"When did you return? Were you no longer the person I went with to City M?" Acceber's beliefs were shaken. 'Does that mean my brother did not feed me to the zombies in the last life? Is there a chance that he met an evil cultivator on that same trip, and his body got used without his consent?'
"I returned the day after you were lost. I woke up in my body with hazy memories of what happened. I also discovered that I got injured in some other ways. It was our mom who healed me with her powers. Dad also worked with the follow up of the accident."
Acceber's hands trembled. 'Brother did not abandon me in the last life, but someone else used his body and prevented him from coming back. I was never harmed in the same birthday trip in my last life, but I did not even notice that my brother's soul was switched. I must have been too centered on myself that I failed to take care of people close to me.'
"I don't know what you've been through while you went missing, but I hope you'd still trust us, Ace. The war is somehow connected to you when you recover your twin soul fragments. Dad and mom were helpless, and they couldn't possibly stop the thirteenth prophecy. But we will stand by your side no matter what dangers we face ahead!"
"Twin soul fragments? Thirteenth prophecy? What are you saying, brother?"
"Ace, if I bore the eleventh prophecy, you also bore another prophecy. I told you, the Yin clan can always predict major events on Earth. As for the thirteenth prophecy, a child born on a red moon will bear half the responsibility of saving the world. This child will have her soul broken in two, and she will face hardships and death. You are that child, Ace."
"Brother, by soul fragment, does it mean it's one piece if combined with mine? So Nicoletta was never my twin sister, but half of my soul?" The sudden truth made Acceber faint.