Where after hearing about Bernard and some more details for the 3 Aces, Geno with Alter go again to Grillby's restaurant. New challenges are near…

Geno's POV:
-

I take a step back, staring at Alter surprised, who hasn't stop smiling.

"What?! That half human, half monster?"

"Yup." He replies.

"The one you've grown up together as friends?"

"Yup." He says again. I look down trying to progress how a little monk kid ended up as 'Aristo'crat. But I soon give up. I don't have, I don't see the whole icon. I look up to Alter confused.

"… How?" I ask. And he explains.

When he was still living in his village and going to visit the monasteries with his mom, Alter would interact with Vincent and they became friends. Even when Calisto died and Alter promised to raise Samael, he would climb the mountain to interact with Vincent, putting Nord in charge to take care of the youngest sibling.

And so he could chit chat with him, do some of the things they used to do when Alter was living normally in the monasteries. All clear until here. But when Vincent was on his 17 and Alter had casually climbed the mountain, when he asked to see him, the monks told him unexpected news. Vincent had left the monasteries.

A week ago a carriage had come and the visitor seemed to be someone important and high authority because he had escort of soldiers riding horses. Surprisingly it was a human. Just yesterday before Alter would come, the visitor returned again and took Vincent. Why would he take him like that?

Alter understood my confusion and continued explaining what exactly the monks told him and later on Vincent would. Despite he was so young, his virtues and the miracles he had done with just the power of his modesty and prays to cure and give wise solutions for problems, had make him known even to the humans.

Even them were visiting the monastery to see the young miracle boy that was living there and accept a word of advice, especially women. That human visitor was informed about Vincent, the kid half human, half monster and hurried to see him himself. But he didn't have any problem.

"Then why did he visit?" I ask.

From what the monks told Alter, that man immediately asked to see Vincent and once he saw him, he seemed to get shocked. But then he took him somewhere private and the monks didn't hear what they discussed. But after about 10 minutes the human left with his escort.

When they asked Vincent what had happened and what did the human want, he didn't say anything. He wasn't allowed to do so, he agreed with the human to keep silence. Only one day before he was taken away he revealed to the monks that the human who came to visit wanted to take him in his house. Obviously the monks protested.

But then Vincent revealed that he saw last week a dream, someone that would soon change his life was gonna visit. And that he felt he heard God's voice telling him that he was meant to do important things, much more than what he was doing. God had chosen him to become a shepherd, for human and monster kind.

And only if he followed the visitor all these would happen. He said he trusted God's will and following the steps of 'the only Father he had ever meet in his life'. The monks couldn't protest to that, they couldn't change his mind. And the next day that human aristocrat came again with the escort.

Vincent said his last goodbyes to the monks and thanked them for raising him until now. He told them to warn Alter about what had happened. And then he followed the man.

"I was not just surprised, I was shocked hearing all these. And then I was sad I couldn't get to tell him goodbye. I had think I would never hear of him again, after all I had no idea where he went, he didn't even tell the monks…" Alter said with a heavy sad voice looking away. I felt sorry for him. But he had to keep telling me.

"And yet you found each other again. How?" I ask. Alter sighed and finally smiles again.

"About 3 months later, while I had go for a walk with my brothers around the village, we see a monk walking towards us with fast steps. He stops, looks at me and gives a folded paper. Brother Alter -the monks would still call me brother-, this is for you! He told me smiling. I asked from who it was. But once he told me, From a friend that misses you, I couldn't hold back my excitement. I had guessed."

"Aaaw, Vincent wrote letter for you."

"I immediately started reading it, ready to learn where he was and what he was doing all these months. It was… shocking."

"So? What was the letter about?" I ask. Alter revealed. Vincent was sending his greetings from the house of Aristo, one big important human family! He had write why he left and who the man that took him in was. It was his… biological dad! What had happen?

The skeleton that gave birth on Vincent and died was in a forbidden relationship, a secret affair with his real dad, despite he was a married aristocrat! They had that affair when humans and monsters weren't in such bad terms yet. But when the 2 kinds' relationships started getting worse and worse they had to separate completely.

Vincent's dad though never learned his secret lover was carrying his child, as much difficult and phenomenally impossible this seemed. He was clueless about his illegitimate son and only many years later, when Vincent's reputation was enough to reach the humans, a weird instinct told him to visit the monster monastery.

The most amazing was that despite Vincent had never seen him before and as he said saw him only for a fleeing moment in the dream before he comes normally, he knew already who he was and the forbidden affair that brought him to life. Guess God prepared him very well for the twist!

The secret conversation he and his dad had, was about him get accepted to the Aristos and the human society. Vincent was going to follow anyway but he tested the man by asking how was he gonna introduce him to the society, him, a monk boy without manners and not being raised like an aristocrat. Illegitimate also.

Not only Aristo's house would be most likely a gossip stock, it's reputation would go really low, people would badmouth it because of the half human half monster it accepted in. To that the dad answered that he didn't care who would talk bad or not and that the King was neutral towards the monsters.

If there was even a little chance that he could accept them all warmly, it wasn't possible, to not anger the citizens or other high class humans  the ones who had make it spread enough hate. Tch, politics politics. But no one would kick Vincent out. They would have to try a lot harder than that to do so.

The King had given Vincent already the favor be accepted among the humans. And also that he might be an illegitimate kid he never met, but at least he was son of the only female he ever truly loved before the hate between the kinds separate them. Hm, touching I guess. This was how Vincent's father explained the story.

Alter then started talking about how Vincent had described his first meetings and interactions with the aristocrats in the letter. He knew that it was expected for most of them to not like him. But he couldn't care less. Even if he was taught manners and they were still hostile, he wouldn't care!

"I don't focus on peoples' opinion, I don't really desire to earn their love as much as I try to follow what God wants. I'm focusing to prepare for the mission He said would give me. The only times I've bring these people in my mind are when I pray and feel sorry for them because as it seems their lifes aren't interesting and they comment about me. I pray God help their souls find the right way."

"Did he seriously write that to you?!"

"I got surprised he was expressing sassy thoughts."

"Daaamn. Alright, the other aristocrats might did not like him. How about inside the family Vincent was in?" I ask then.

"Basically he wrote that Ricardo, his father's name, was living unengaged  in his big mansion. Coincidentally, the woman he was married to, had given birth to a son and died right after, just like Vincent's mother except that she gave birth a month later. That son in appearance was same as his father except that his eyes were grey."

"Ah, nice. Vincent has a step brother!"

"Yeah but... not exactly nice."

"Why?"

"Vincent described Raymond, his step brother, as a new challenge, like no other he ever faced once in the monasteries. The way he described him made me think, pardon my exaggeration, that he had to put up with Satan's right hand. He was even tough with the staff of the house. But from day one Vincent stepped foot inside Ricardo's house, Raymond would test his limits in every way possible."

"Wow, what an assh-!" I pause quickly to fix my words. "How bad?"

"He wrote that God brought him to Raymond as a big obstacle he had to overcome. Every single day, Vincent described, Raymond would insult him nonstopping when his father wasn't close, try to scare him that he would never be accepted and loved, that he would die and he could make his life difficult. Except from words, he was trying to affect him in other ways. He would frame him for damages in the house, push him around, mess up his room, hide the few stuff Vincent took from the monasteries which were mostly books. He even torn them or literally burned them."

"If I was Vincent I wouldn't even put up with that-!" I stop myself from speaking 'my french' again. "… I wouldn't even put up with his bro not even for a week!" I say angered as if I was truly the one going through what Vincent did. I look at Alter confused, calming down a little. "He was going through all this torture and yet, how did he face him?"

"I felt troubled and dissapointed he wasn't treated well. Even feared that he might be in danger. But he knew I would get worried so he wrote me these next: It might seem like I'm going through really hard times. But these happened only the first month I'm in Aristos' house. I feel God's love protecting me, He sees my patience, He rewards me little by little and softens some of my pain and sadness that managed sometimes to root, even for a moment, inside my heart and soul. Raymond's words might be filled with hatred and cruelty but they are lesson for me to become more apathetic towards them, ignore them like the demons that were trying to stop me from praying at nights, back in the monsteries. For all the times Raymond framed me for things he did, while at first my father was scolding me, even sometimes hitting me without knowing the whole story, now I have the feeling the staff members are on my side, like guardian angels they secretly reveal the whole story to my father. They fear Raymond but are brave enough to defend me when needed, even if I never ask for it. My books Raymond torned and burned, I always find them good as new by next morning near my bed, as if God can't stand seeing them like that. My relationships with my father are smooth. After he realised I was never even the one causing trouble but Raymond, he apologised for all the times he hitted me and for insulting me too, all the times he said he regretted telling me that he should have never taken me in. I don't care much for people being tough, we've learned together friend that we must always forgive even for the heaviest of things, just like how Jesus forgave humanity for crucifying him. Ricardo deep inside is a good man, just a little irritable. I respect him."

"Is this exactly how he wrote all these things or are ya just saying whatever you remember?" I ask.

"I've read his letters so many times I remember them by soul. I got relieved he was doing fine after all. Then near the end he wrote that he always thinks about the monks and me and prays for us to be alright too. There was also a postscript that made the letter finish with these words: my father now calls me Bernard, my grandfather's name as he said. I just go with it and respond if anyone calls me by that name."

"And I was ready to ask about the Bernard name. What other letters followed?" I ask then.

"These letters that were describing his life between the humans were a few and not coming often, but they were long and detailed. The second letter came 5 months after the first. From what he wrote I assumed he was doing even better than the first 3 months. He described that his training to become aristocrat was going well, he had learned new things without forgetting some of his old habits, he kept practicing his skeleton powers the way I would teach him. Some aristocrats had changed mind about him and not being so cold and arrogant towards him. The few times the King had called him for dinner, he had gained more of his respect and interest. In all sectors it seemed things had turned to the best for Vincent. Except his relationships with Raymond. Only that was getting worse. Vincent concluded he was just really spoiled and wanted all the time the attention of people. He could see in his eyes that he couldn't tolerate seeing his step-brother getting better and better, getting more appreciation from their father, the other aristocrats slowly, from the King. He 'could see the hatred eating him from the inside' and no matter how he was trying to approach him and be nice to him, he never wanted their relationship to improve. He was saying that from the time he came he had made everything worse. He kept insulting him. But Vincent preferred to stay silent since he was seeing that no words could make Raymond change mind. He could just pray for him, with many tears and pleads towards God to help his brother too."

"I can't! He's is too good even to his evil brother!" I burst, unable to believe there's still such kindness from humans like Vincent.

"I know. Raymond kept trying to frame him, destroy his stuff and burn them. Vincent wrote an event where he had caught Raymond upon the action ready to throw in the fireplace a book of psalms. He started mocking him, wanting to play with him, but Vincent only said, unrelated to the mockery, if God desires, He will not let a book of pure and true appreciation towards His name burn. Raymond just threw the book. Without hesitation Vincent approached the fireplace, literally shoved his hand inside the fire and took out the book. To Raymond's shock, hand and book didn't burn not even a little. Then I walked away from him as if nothing happened, he wrote."

"Yup, definitely God favors him a lot."

"I was glad for Vincent's improvement but even more troubled with his step brother's behavior. Still, he kept writting me that everything was fine."

"Alright yeah. But how did it come for him to enter the 3 Aces? How was the unity borned?" I ask then. Alter looks up thoughtful for a moment.

"A few years passed and he kept sending me letters about his time between the humans. His relationships with the aristocrats were just fine, everyone wasn't caring anymore if he was half monster, his father was adoring him and being proud as always and again things Raymond was trying to do to ruin the peace, failing luckily."

"Alas if he wasn't trying…" I think annoyed rolling my eyesocket.

"6 years passed since Vincent left the monasteries, 6 years of him sending me letters and then, in one of his last ones he sended me, he had to say… juicy stuff. He told me though that I'd rather not tell much about what I would read soon…" There Alter turns to look at me and pauses. I start getting impatient again.

"Oh no no! No more secrets to me man! Don't you trust me? Try me!Keep going!" I command. Alter chuckles but the moment I'm ready to get angered again he bows down theatrically.

"Yes prince of the depths and the Siren Kingdom. Your loyal servant and guardian will keep narrating about his dear friend Vincent."

"Cut that already, we're friends!" I say impatient. I feel extremely weird when he does that, calling me prince and himself a servant. Even if he's joking around I don't wanna hear him say that for himself! I cross my arms and wait for him to continue talking.

"… He wrote me in this important letter that the last months he was getting premonitions and dreams that the time was coming closer to start what God told he was meant for. Not yet but soon. He wrote that he had made many friends, or at least, had many good familiarities. But between them he had made 2 really special friendships with a family of humans and a family of monsters. From the family of humans he made close friends with the daughter of Lord Arhano's house, a distant relative of the King and from the monsters the Royalties of São Miguel, Asters."

"Too many Aces there." I joke.

"With Arhano's daughter he had at first a cold interaction. She was an energetic red-haired tomboy who was despising monsters and Vincent's half monster nature had make her distant. But it wasn't only that. She had think he was same as Raymond. But once she realised he was nothing like his brother, they broke the ice, in fact it was the beginning for her to stop despising monsters. With the Asters he met when with his father travelled for Azores to meet, with high defence and escort of many soldiers, the habitats of the islands. They had dinner and immediately Vincent got a liking to the family and broke the ice in an instant, especially with the prince."

"Sooo, when did they start the unity?"

"After many interactions with the 2, Vincent managed to find both his friends, make a council and he revealed them that he needed their help for uniting humans and monsters of Portugal. After observing for so many years the suffering of the monsters and how they were treated by the humans, comparing that to other nations he visited during his 'training to become an aristocrat', he wanted to help. He had a plan. He begged Arhana convince the human King, since her family was really close to him, to allow Vincent help both kinds unite and support his plans. As for prince Aster, since he was part of the highest in class royal monster family of Azores, he wanted him to convince all the other monsters participate in the action Vincent was preparing and follow orders after talking things out with the other monster Lords and Kings."

"Did they agree?"

"From what Vincent wrote, Aster found the idea interesting. As for Arhana, despite her and Vincent had become good friends she wasn't sure about helping his plan. But he found the way convince her to help, even with some hesitation."

"Wonderful. And how did it all go?"

"In the next few letters he would tell me that his actions had a lot of difficulties at first. The human aristocrats wanted nothing with the monsters, only for themselves they were caring. The monsters were hesitant reunite with humans. But later on there were successes. Humans and monsters of Portugal were slowly but stably coming closer, interacting, learning how to coexist. Always with the surveillance of the Aces as everyone called them because of the coincidence they all had last names starting from A. No one could stop their work since they had King's favor and absolute protection…"

Alter suddenly pauses again and looks away crossing his arms. I can see the seriousness on his face, his teeth gritting lightly, his eyesockets turning empty.

"Al? What happened?" I ask concerned. He sighs frustrated.

"… Everything was going fine. But then… let's just say something went somewhere wrong and it all turned to Hell."

"How?"

"… At first it started with Vincent's letters to stop reaching me. Next rumors spreading about… conflicts inside Capital. And then, the consequences reached my village and other near villages too. My brøthər§ đyīng īn frønt øf mə ænđ my vīłłægə məətīng đə§tructīøn, đømīnætīøn ænđ §uffər æłł øf æ §uđđen-."

Alter suddenly stops talking again and places his hand on his chest. For a moment he seems struggling to breath. But quickly his expression softens just a little. He looks at me.

"Al… ter?" I ask extremely concerned.

"… I'm sorry. I'm not feeling well. I'd rather continue that story after we're done with the mission and far away…" He says. I'm about to insist. Whatever Vincent and his friends tried to do, with good intentions, it somehow reached Alter and affected him, in the end in a very bad way.

But as much as I want to know, I realise that the magic blocker might be making things a lot more difficult. Alter feels not just mentally bad for having to recall bad memories, but also physically. And the one can affect the other in a really serious way. I know that because I've been like that too.

Having to revive from scars and almost fatal wounds and at the same time carry on without my brothers and only traumatic memories in my head is sure a horrible combination. Whatever Alter was about to keep narrating, their impact collides with the fact the blocker is draining him, harming him!

Why do humans have to think of such cruel tools to torment the monsters? *sigh* I need to tame my curiosity for now, for Alter to rest. I decide to shut up.

"Alright Alter. Alright. I… am sorry for keep asking… if it helps you feel better soon…" I say. He doesn't reply, just lowers his hood and walks next to me. I look up, his irises returned inside his eyesockets. I suddenly feel his hand holding mine. I look at our hands and again at him surprised.

"… I owe you explanations. You deserve to know more and I feel bad myself for not talking. The final results on Lisbon after Vincent's actions are around you son. He didn't need to send me letters, he didn't need to find me himself and tell me. The week I got trapped here years ago because of the pirates, I saw everything myself, how monsters suffer, much more than I lived in my village, so far away… I've heard only a few rumors about what happened here, stories about what might have happen with the 3 Aces… Since I lost all connections with Vincent I'm not in position to know everything. But I know this, Vincent tried so hard… and yet this was how things turned out, the way we both see… the reason why I'm not really… fond of Lisbon…" He says. He's so sad.

"Hey, don't feel bad man. And no more sad. I'll be waiting for you to be ready again to keep talking, there's time." I reassure him. We walk out of the alley. Sometimes I look up to Alter secretly. His expression seems lost. Perhaps he's still affected by the memories.

…

Is it only me or his irises are fading?

Alter's POV:
-

*sigh*

Geno insists too much at times. He might give me time but once he starts asking questions, stopping him is difficult. These memories… when will they stop haunting me? Will I ever free myself from them? They say letting out whatever burdens you frees you. Why don't I feel like it?

Perhaps because I can't tell everything from the story yet.

Someday you'll hear the whole story too friend, someday. But for now I can't tell him.

And that blocker…

It makes things a lot more difficult. My condition will worsen without my magic flowing normally. A magic blocker doesn't kill a monster. But a wounded one, it can. And if I keep wearing it, if I don't take it off soon even for just a little while, even for short periods of time,

I don't anticipate myself living for more than 2 days…

No one's POV:
-

The 2 friends wandered in silence for a few minutes, unable find themselves another topic to discuss. However they kinda got over the heavy mood when David, the lion boy, found them again, to thank 'Guido' for his advices. He said he talked with Mariah, revealed he was the one giving her apples and asked if they could be friends.

"She was a little surprised at first but in the end she accepted!" He said with enthusiasm. "Though the little monsters from inside the house had to ruin it every 2 seconds…" He then pouted annoyed but with an also embarrassed expression.

"Why, what were they saying?" Alter asked laughing.

"Nothing, they were just doing all the time, Oooh~ and Oh la la~" The 2 skeletons couldn't hold back their laughter hearing these.

"Don't worry David. Let them be. When they grow up more and start having feelings for someone, it'll be your turn to tease them." Geno said. That relaxed David and nodded in agreement. He thanked again Alter for the help and then suggested them something interesting.

"There will be in Grillby's place they say a music night. There are invited some really famous bards. Music, singing, dancing and a lot of Grillby's special snacks! You shouldn't miss it!" He said excited. Alter hummed.

"If you say it with such enthusiasm then perhaps we really shouldn't miss this. What do you say Eugenia?" He asked turning to look at Geno.

"Why not? Let's go!" The smaller said excited. The 2 skeletons parted ways with David and headed to find Grillby's restaurant. As it seemed David wasn't the only one excited. A lot of monsters were near the restaurant, chatting and waiting probably for the music night to start.

There were even tables outside the restaurant and some monsters were in fact placing more around. The doors were wide open, enough for whoever was sitting outside have clear vision of the stage. Unconsciously Geno smiled.

"I have a feeling this is gonna be interesting." He thought.

And he wouldn't be wrong.

??? POV:
-

Hee hee hee~

This is going to be good~

Music night at the flame's restaurant. Supposed to be only for monsters that night~

Wait until humans interfere as I've picked from a few conversations~

And the best, the 2 boneheads will be there too! But that's not only it~

That floofy dirtbag will be there too with her annoying brother!

Hah! I haven't stop observing the signs that fool Alter is giving her~

If he isn't in love!

Hee hee hee~

It sickens me.

I can't wait until I see his face once he realises who she really is, how her life turned out~

Will that affect him? Or perhaps his magic blocker will end him first!

I see him loosing strength, he can barely stand up! Well poor skeleton, if only you weren't seriously injured, if only you weren't defending that useless friend of yours and always stepping right up to make sure he doesn't get in trouble. You wouldn't have to wear the magic blocker~

Your kindness and self-sacrifice is killing you, when will you understand that?

But something's telling me, I don't know what exactly, that sometime, you'll stop being nice, you'll snap out completely and then,

Everyone will see what a real monster you can be.

No one's POV:
-

He turns to look at you smiling sarcastically and creepily.

"✌︎❒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♏︎■︎🙰□︎⍓︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎?"

He disappears under the ground…

uh oh, there HE is, HE made appearance again! what other troubles are meant to come next? how will they be solved? stay determined to find out fasolakia and of course cute, adorable, safe and hydrated.

*loads water gun and point it towards my children Reese_Page, MossBun and _Asra- to make sure they stay hydrated*

it's almost midnight in greece so imma sleep and see the next day what notifications i'll have. 4865 words. bye byeee *pet pet*