Ethan and Kelvin sat side by side on the castle grounds chatting during their break from training.
"So your ability is Gale? As in wind?" Ethan asks Kelvin
"Yes! It's the derived element of air" Kelvin replies, almost beaming with pride
"And Felix's ability is Ice, as in the derived element of water" Ethan asks to confirm
"Yes, that's right! ". She beamed enthusiastically
"What about Mathias?" Ethan inquiries
"Strings! No one really knows what they're created from. But they're really thin and can mostly only be seen by the user"
Ethan takes notes on that, "Reo?" He asks
"Shadows!" She replied
"He uses shadows!? Like literal shadows?"
"Yes! Reo can enter shadows cast by people and materialistic things"
"That's awesome "
"Wow, you really weren't paying attention during the Invasion." Kelvin giggles
"Probably because I was too busy trying to save my own life". he sighs
"For Sebastian, he fights only with his fists right?, I've never actually seen him use an ability"
"But Sebas is a healer, just like Javier" Kelvin cocks her head at Ethan. "You probably forgot he's the one that healed us after the previous invasion."
"I meant for combat but, oh well." Ethan duly stated. "And lastly, Nathan he uses fire. I can't forget that one, he tried to burn me alive."
"He has three abilities, fire, water and air"
"What?". Ethan blurted out, "I guess everyone is born different". He turns solemn, "Here I am contemplating whether or not I have an ability and there he is having three and he's not even using two of them" he kept on blabbering nonsense and Kelvin couldn't stand it so she spoke up
"Unfortunately, his water and air abilities can't really be used for offense or defense since they're merely basic elements"
Ethan thought for a while. "You mean the air and water ability can't really be used to fight, but it's derivative can? "
" Yes! For example, his basic air ability is my derived Gale ability, while his water ability is Felix's derived ability, Ice"
"So that's why he only uses fire" Ethan mused
"And you, you're sure you don't have any abilities, then how are you a royal? "
"Well, my hair is colored. As for the ability part, I'm not so sure"
"When you get to HQ, Marl can help you figure it out! "
She's so enthusiastic. Ethan almost has the energy drained out of him from training. 'she's an angel'
"If you have any more questions, you're free to ask me!" Kelvin giggles and scrambles onto his lap, hugging his neck. "I may look young, but I'm actually older than you" she teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Ethan's face flushes with a light blush. 'Their old age and young appearance' Ethan couldn't find logic behind it so he asks, "The serum, Mathias talked about"
Kelvin maintains her grin, which now was laced with slight mischief. "You'll learn about that when you get to HQ. Because once you're in, there's no turning back" she warns, her smile carrying a hint of malice.
Ethan simply looked on, 'It's not the first time I've thought they're hiding something. Just what is behind HQ as a government body'
"Kelvin, It's your turn to practice your aim" An incoming Felix announced
"Okay!" She obediently picked up her short staff and hurriedly went to training. "See ya later Ethan!"
"See you"
"Don't mind her, she has a habit of clinging to people" Felix offers Ethan a hand
"It's no problem" He took Felix's hand and propped himself up
"Break is over, Ethan" Javier said as walks towards him
"Righ-!" Ethan stuttered, "How are you covered in bruises!?" He almost had his eyes bulging out of its socket. "Is there a specter nearby" he looks around
"Oh, these are from my sparring session with Sebastian". Javier replied nonchalantly, slowly healing himself
"So even you can get hurt. I'm starting to get scared of him". Ethan felt chills
"Everyone in HQ knows, Sebas doesn't have combat ability. But his raw strength is top notch"
Ethan hummed. "Can Sebas really beat you?". He asks
Javier looks at him for a while before sitting. "Sebastian is someone that is feared even amongst us Emperors"
"Amazing". Ethan exclaimed, looking at the blonde who had only known he was going to stretch his legs when Mathias was passing by.
Mathias went down with a thud, and Sebastian had this smug expression on his face which he tried to hide.
"He seems like a sadist" Ethan commented
"He is". Javier confirmed his suspicions
"You have a visitor, Ethan". An incoming Nathan said.
"A visitor? For me?" Ethan looks at Javier
"It's probably your-"
A beautiful lady with long dark blue hair cascading down her back strolled into the castle grounds with Damien walking beside her as an escort
"Your mother" Javier completed his sentence
She sights Javier and slowly saunters towards him. "I've come for my son"
"I suggest you start going back to where you came from, mom" Ethan looks down and says through gritted teeth.
"I would like to speak with him please". Her cold gaze shifted towards Ethan and then back to Javier. "If you don't mind"
"I don't want to-" Ethan pretests
"She's your mother". Javier taps on his shoulder
"Sir Damien will lead you inside, Lady Rane". Javier bows and gestures for her to enter the castle
"I was almost always locked up in my room since as far as I can remember. I rarely see her and when I do, she ignores me. She and I were the only ones with blue hair in that kingdom. Everyone understands the King's wife can stay in his castle, but what of the child who doesn't have the hair color of that kingdom?". Ethan was boiling in rage, "The few times I was allowed outside, I was constantly bullied by other kids my age". His voice fell, "And the first time I asked her why I couldn't go to the Azraq kingdom, she had me thrown in the basement".
'That was where I knew the terror of rats'
Javier turns solemn. "Some people will play dead for a mother".
Ethan remains silent
"Take some time to talk to her at least". He opens a portal plastered on the ground. "Jump in"
Ethan looked at the purple black void swirling like a maelstrom. "Where does it lead to". I noticed he mostly uses his portals for storing things and for translocation
"Nowhere, you just stay put" Javier told him
Ethan had reservations especially since he said the portal led to nowhere. Nevertheless, he jumped in but just before he did, Javier made sure to emphasize,
"If you move, you're lost"
The portal closed.
"Something tells me this drama is going to be interesting". Mathias said to Javier
"Well, we're all going to be watching no?" Javier takes off sprinting up the castle walls, entering through a window.
...
"It's pitch black" Ethan mused, "I wonder what will happen if I move" He remembers Javier's words. "Will I really get lost?"
At times like these, curiosity is always at its peak.
Although visibly scared, Ethan tries moving a little. But just as he raises his leg up, puts it down...
Nothing happens
"Hah. He's just kidding with me". Ethan took a few more steps forward and suddenly, he felt a sense of unease wrapped around him
Meanwhile, back in the castle Javier opens his portal expecting Ethan to fall outside. No one came outside. Thinking it was probably a glitch, he closed the portal and opened it again. Still nothing
"That idiot!" Javier jumped inside
...
"This feels morbid"
In the pitch black darkness, Ethan saw a dull blue light ahead. In surprise, he went to check it out
Above where the light came from was a lengthy, sketchy bridge that seemed to have no end. He walked over to the side of the bridge and looked down only to find skeletons and zombie-like humans surrounded by mist and crawling on top of each other.
Cries and wails of miseryn fell on his ears.
"I never knew"
"Why is this happening?"
"My path to salvation"
"Save me!"
The voices pleaded
Subconsciously, Ethan tried to step on the bridge when a hand suddenly pulled him back.
"Do you want to die?". Javier asks him, also looking at undead humans trapped below the bridge
"Who are these people?" Ethan looks back
"They are those who were lost and abandoned inside these portals. From the first user of this ability, till now." Javier frowns
"They look miserable". Ethan felt sympathetic
"Sure they do, don't pity them. If by chance I came any later and you stepped onto that bridge, you will continue to walk and walk till you find yourself below it. And these things". Javier looks down at the wailing undead, "They will do anything to get you with them"
Hehe! They started to laugh
He grabs Ethan's collar and drags him like a sack for a while until they get to an opening where he jumps out.
They were back in the castle where Javier had entered previously. It was a conference room where meetings were held. There, Ethan's mom and Damien were already waiting by the long table while the Vassals sneaked peeks through the windows and doors.
"I told you not to move around, you idiot".
"I apologize, Sir Felix said you have a habit of bullshitting people". Ethan wasn't going down alone
Javier's eyes scanned the place and after sighting a person with silver hair distancing from the window, he bolted outside.
"Sit down, Ethan" His mother told him
Ethan silently took his seat.
After a few minutes of silence, his mother spoke up.
"I read the awkward, poorly written, embarrassing letter you slipped under my door". She said it all bluntly
"Ugh". Ethan narrows his eyes. "It's been five days since I left home, and it's now you're coming?"
"You should be glad I took my time to come here". Her cold gaze lingered on him, "I'm taking you back home"
"That's harsh". Kelvin who was afloat, outside the window whispers as she listens in on their conversation
"I'm not going back there, mom". Ethan declined
She stares at him. "I see you want to become a Vassal of the Lord Javier"
Damien's eyes widened in shock. He whips his head around the room looking for Javier.
There he was, silently peeking at the mother and son through the gap in the door. It was embarrassing to call him out like that, so he keeps quiet and continues watching.
"Yes, mom". He frowns, "In the few days I've been here, they've treated me more of a family than my real family could"
"That doesn't mean you get to risk your life at the frontlines. Javier and his Vassals are highly skilled, unlike you"
"I'm doing this out of my own free will. Looking forward to the day I get to order those fools at home, show them I'm higher ranking". Ethan props his chin up
"That doesn't mean-"
"Enough about me, mother". Ethan stares her dead in the eye
"And?". She frowns
"More about father".
Rane flinches a little. "What about him?". She asks
"A shame how he died, wouldn't you say". Ethan said dully.
On a particular day, the kingdom of Xanthos was shaken at its core because of the King's death. But wait, didn't he just upped and died
"W-what" Rane stutters, trembling
Seeing the way she's trembling. "You think I don't know" Ethan asks, grinning.
"K-know what?" Rane asks back
"What happened". Ethan mused in ignorance
"What do you know that happened?"
"Everything in details"
Rane gulped hard.
"That stupid uncle of mine told me just before I left. That was why I figured there's no use staying in that castle"
"What exactly did he tell you?"
"Everything"
"Like...? "
"What you did"
"What did I do?." Rane asks, getting up
'Tch, this stubborn woman' Ethan clicked his tongue. "Are you trying to play dumb? Or would you like me to spell it out for you? You think I don't know what you did that time?" he smirks
"When was that?". She returns the question
"Some years back"
"When?"
"At night"
"Heh?" Rane starts panicking. "W-what happened that night". She stutters
"I must say, I'm really disappointed at your actions, mother"
"... " Rane remains quiet
"So I want to hear what you really did with your own mouth"
"Don't you already know". Her low voice fell
"Y-yes! o-of course, but I don't want to believe it, that's why I want to hear it from you. So...". Ethan crosses his legs "Start talking"
Rane narrowed her eyes on Ethan.
"Ma'am". He lowers his head and puts his leg down
After a bit of hesitation, Rane finally began speaking
"Your father and I, we've been married for a long time. And I wasn't ready to get pregnant yet. Well, it so happened that then, I noticed your father was having an affair with another woman outside the kingdom. Hosting unnecessary balls, going to the next kingdom for some sort of 'meeting'. The night I confronted him, he admitted it." Rane fiddled with her fingers, she then looked around the place she was at.
"Might as well confess now. When he fell through my arms, he said to me that 'She' was going to come here. He couldn't complete his sentence when he, you know.". Her eyes darted around the room.
"And well, a few months later, a despicable woman who wasn't even the first person I could have imagined came bearing his child." Rane bites her finger, "That child is you, Ethan. I didn't want to believe it."
"Mom". Ethan whispers soothingly, trying to calm her down. She was starting to show symptoms of a mild panic attack. Constantly stamping on her feet and biting her fingers to the quick
Damien placed his hand on her shoulder. "Calm down" he said
Rane, after taking a few deep breaths returned to her normal aloof self. "Of course your upbringing wasn't a problem, the only problem I had was loving you as my own child. So I guess your uncle told you the truth Ethan, even though I don't know how he knew about it". She was confused. "I killed your father, and your mother is my sister.
Unbearable silence filled the room.
Ethan: "..." I definitely didn't expect this turn of events. Rubs his neck. 'Well, no one can interfere with the matters of a Royal, except..' He glanced at Javier who had a strange look on his face with his hand on his chin
Javier, upon seeing Ethan's short glance grinned like a maniac. He stood up and marched to Rane's side
"You do realize what you just revealed could put you in big trouble. I attended the King's burial only to see you crying hysterically, and irrationally chasing anyone who approached his coffin. Javier leaned in on her, his stature imposing.
"So? If I wasn't here perhaps, Is it still food poisoning you're going to claim he died of?". Javier let off a low chuckle
"I apologize, Lord Javier". Rane shakily replied
Javier blinked. "I'm not punishing you". He thought for a moment, "I completely understand". He looks at Ethan, "Would you be going back to your Kingdom? Azraq, I mean"
Ethan glanced at his mom. "No". He bowed slightly, " I apologize, mom"
"I realize I don't have any right to keep you in the Xanthos Kingdom," Rane stated. "My presence there is in fact preventing others from pursuing their rightful claims to the throne, therefore i should return to my home kingdom too"
"Isn't your sister in the Kingdom, she's not married is she?". Ethan asks
"Yes, when I get there I'm afraid I just might kill her too". Rane was dead serious
Ethan looks at Javier.
Javier had a conflicted look on his face. In the end he sighs, 'Nothing I can do'
"If you won't come home, I believe I'm done here. Just make sure to visit sometime". She sauntered on her hips. "Sir Damien, let's be on our way please"
"Yes, my Lady". He escorts her back
"You didn't tell me you had another Vassal" Damien mouthed to Javier
"You didn't ask". Javier mouths back
Damien's expression darkened. "What if he dies". His appearance intimidating, "Just like the others"
Javier remained silent for a beat, then said; "If I don't get a Vassal anytime soon, the curse will afflict us. But as for Ethan's fate, we shall reserve judgment for now."
Damien hummed in response and eyes Ethan. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into." His dull eyes lowered in a scrutinizing gaze. "It's either the serum, the Invasion, or the curse ends you" he said before leaving
Ethan was speechless. He looks at Javier
"Don't mind him". Javier mouthed. "Let's head over to the city shall we?"
'It's been a while since I've graced the people with my presence'