A/N: Hello, I took a peek on my demographics to see where my readers are from and it's flattering how I can still reach people outside the country where I'm living. Most of my readers are from the United States. I also got readers  from Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and of course last but not the least are from the Philippines. I have friends from Caribbean, Nigeria and Philippines and they are ever so supportive of my works. I'm fortunate to have such caring and genuine people but I would also like to acknowledge those who I haven't got the opportunity to interact with much (silent readers).

So yeah, I would just like to say hello  to all of you and thank you for reading.  If my works help you in any way when it comes to entertainment or life in general then that's a big achievement for me. 



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"Lucian, I will be heading off somewhere to complete an important operation. I expect you to behave, always stay where Garrison can see you, and never do anything out of impulse. Also please do your best to help others in need but don't overdo it, alright? Ganbatte! (Do your best!)" my brother advised me before he left with half of the Scums to fulfill an important operation.

Yes, my aniki left with a smiling face to do something with other people without me again.

Yes, he specifically told me to behave, to stay where I can be seen, and to inhibit myself from doing something temerarious.

Yes, he told me to never overdo my performance but to do my best when it came to extending a helping hand.

I believe he gave out contradicting words of directions and obeying so would prove very difficult but I will try my best to do both of what he told me.

Today we were in the village of Aramoor. It was occupied by a race called fairies which appeared to be small and dainty creatures flying around like insects. The village was merely composed of trees with silver leaves and can be primarily accessed by trudging through a mountain pass. It was enclosed by mountains therefore it cannot be easily infiltrated unless one had the capability to fly. In our case, I rode Fenris while Garrison rode a pegacorn on land.

Once we arrived, a fairy soared gently and slowly towards our direction and Garrison spoke in our behalf.

"Hallo Chief Lazuli. We have heard of the recent increase of the population here and came to extend assistance."

Light poured out from the fairy and what I perceived as delicate and tiny creatures turned out to be beings far bigger than my own brother.

Chief Lazuli had a deep blue hair color and his long hair elegantly cascaded down his well defined chest. Clothes didn't seem to pass by his mind as a mere leaf covered his broom stick.

"It is a pleasure to have you back and I see you are accompanied by new faces," he warmly replied.

"Indeed, this is Lucian and the wolf is named Fenris," Garrison introduced. "As you may have heard, the Scums are engaged in a rescue mission concerning fairies and Ikesha sent us here to ensure that adequate food reservoir is established."

Chief Lazuli's face became grim and he turned around and led us further into the village.

"We have been accepting refugees for the past few days and because of the sudden increase in our population, food stocks have been running low. Most of the crops in our fields have been gleaned and we are running on the last bits of food that were gathered yesterday."

We arrived in front of the spacious field and truth be told;  most of the crops were already plucked down to their roots leaving the dull and umber soil tilted but no seeds to nourish.

Garrison placed a comforting hand on the chief's shoulder. "Worry no more for we are sent here to quench the earth of its unproductive lands," he cooed before ambling towards me and taking my hand into his.

"Your Highness will you do us all a favor and grace us with just a scintilla of your power?" he queried politely.

"Just a drop?" I asked.

"That's all we need," he replied.

I unbuckled the belt around my waist and Fenris took it away with a gentle bite. I had my doubts of what a mere drop of my mana can do however Garrison wasn't someone who played on serious occasions.

I knelt in front of the field and placed my palm on the soil before releasing a small amount of mana.

Light spread out from beneath my palm and flowed into the tilted lands which were reaped to satisfy the endless pit of starvation.

Once the field was overfilled with ready-to-harvest crops, I rose up and strangely the chief held me as if he was concerned that I may stagger and fall.

"Oh Grazie (Thank you), are you alright? We will prepare you a resting place as soon as possible!"

"His Highness is alright, no need to fret," Garrison assured.

"Is there a reason why I shouldn't be?" I asked.

The Chief released breath of relief before swaying his head. "It's just that all of the ancients who came here and nourished our fields would usually faint from the amount of mana spent," he explained.

"I didn't even feel a sting..." someone near my head or rather... inside my head spoke out before numerous shushes were released by numerous people.

I twisted my head from side-to-side and turned around to locate the voice but no one else was here besides the four of us and some other floating fairies.

"Who said that?" I whispered.

"What's the matter Your Highness?" Garrison asked.

Fenris released a whine of worry and I placed my hand on his head before looking at Garrison.

"Nothing...I must be hearing things," I deadpanned. Perhaps reviving this whole field did take a toll on me.

"Sorry!" the voice squeaked.

I must munch on a carrot. This must be from the lack of it.

The Chief called forth the villagers to harvest the ripened crops and Garrison gave us the liberty to wander about.

"But not too far from me, understood?"

They should not tax themselves from worrying too much. I won't disapper on them.

"Yes, Fenris and I shall only go around the village and extend a helping hand to those who need it," I responded and my wolf companion supported with an eager "woof".

"The villagers are very friendly. Do not hesitate to ask them of something," the Chief advised us.

I shall do my best but not too much.

How can I possibly do this? I supposed anything can be done with a little sniff of herbs and spices. Aniki must have just had his daily sniffs before talking to me.

The villagers were undeniably cordial but what I found odd about them was that they refuse my extended hand of helping. It was proving very bleak to carry out aniki's orders. Was I doing something wrong?

"You've done quite enough! Please let us do the harvesting; it's the least we can do!" one of the brawny fairies assured while flexing his bicep for evidence.

A huge cabbage suddenly sprouted out of nowhere and started to attack the gatherers.

"My leg!!!"

"Um... Perhaps—"

"No-No worries we can handle this!" the fairy I was conversing to assured before charging up ahead.

Fenris gently bit on my hand and led me away from the fairy eating cabbage.

On to the next one it would seem.

"No need handsome! These children are very hard to handle and we wouldn't want to put further strain on you after what you did for us," the female fairy cooed before a detka latched onto her head and tackled her to the ground. "See? They're very physical!" she muffled out as the detka yanked her hair and successfully pulling out a hefty amount of strands that can fill a portion of a bald man's head.

"It seems that you are in need of—"

More detkas piled up on her yet the woman remained unfazed.

"Thank you for the offer Your Highness but you did enough!" she enthusiastically responded.

Fenris took the liberty to drag me once again to look for another person to help. Our last attempt was where the wolf had to put his paw down. Out of all our attempts this one proved to be in dire need of an extended hand of helping.

Groans and moans were heard behind a bush and I found a female fairy having a hard time removing herself from a male fairy beneath her. Both of them seemed to be in agony as their hips ground together in an attempt to elicit friction to remove themselves from each other. Were they victimized by tree saps? Those were odd places to get tree saps on.

I reached out through the bush and extended a hand of helping in between them causing the both of them to scream in surprise.

"I am here to help. Please grab my hand; it will help you."

"Pervert!" she shrieked.

"Bastardo!" he screamed.

I felt myself get hauled out of the bush and get dragged by Fenris with much urgency.

"But Fenris they are still stuck together. Should we not give them an extended hand of helping?" I asked.

Fenris released me before howling a "no" in response. This signified the end of it. I was not worthy.

Three attempts failed and Fenris did not allow me to offer anymore help beyond this number. The villagers gave us treats while we rested under the shade of a tree. A half-bitten fruit pie was in my grasp as I thought of numerous reasons for my failure today.

"Fenris...today proved to be unproductive," I told him which ceased him from chewing on his pie.

The mangled pastry fell to the ground and Fenris sat up. He released a questioning whimper before nudging my shoulder and pointing with his paw at the fairies carrying baskets of newly harvested crops. The fairies had mirthful and exuberant expressions and when they saw us, they waved and bowed.

Fenris attempted to articulate his thoughts but his words came out as distorted barks.

"You're right..." I agreed despite having no idea of what he had just said. "Maybe because we are just...overqualified for their problems," I spoke causing the wolf to snort and lick my cheek.

A sudden escalation of argument which seemed to be going on for awhile but on a different venue occurred near us and both Fenris and I peeked at our side.

A gargantuan creature of furry blue nature argued with a short boy wearing a red cape. The furry being had orange hair which stood in a spiky appearance on top of his asymmetrically shaped head with prominently elongated features. His teeth were rather huge per piece and sharp which put up a lump when his lips were closed. His face wasn't as furry as the rest of his body and showed a lightly tanned skin tone. His blue tail swished from side-to-side behind him and I can't help the need to touch his exposed arms and see if his fur was as fluffy as Fenris'

"Going back there is suicide! Are you deaf child?" the furry and sinewy brute of unidentified race queried angrily and grabbed the top of the boy's head before lifting him up.

The young male had playful hair colors. The top of his head started out as a powerful cherry color and then transitioned to yellow, green and purple before growing the rest of the straight and short hair as a silver shade.

"I don't care! My papa and the others are still there and I can't just stay here and do nothing!"

"And what else can you do? You'll just get captured like the rest of your party if you charge up. They have djinns on their side!"

"That's none of your concern so let me go!"

"It is my concern! Your father told me to take care of you! You are a complete stranger to me yet your father begged me to take you with me as I escape. You're making me regret the mercy I gave," the furry man seethed.

I didn't know what they were arguing about.

The situation was grave as it concerned life and death.

Yet despite the fact of having no intellect whatsoever and disregarding the fact that Fenris already put his paw down to stop my attempts, I wanted to have a say on this matter...

I stood beside the space between them and smacked my hand on the furry creature's face causing him to drop the boy and slap my hand away.

"Bloody Nora, what are you doing?!"

"I am extending a hand of helping," I deadpanned.

"Are you asking for a fight boy?!"

What part of an extended hand of helping gave him the idea that I was asking for scuffle?

Aniki, I do not think I was cut out for this. I am overly qualified.

As soon as he showed signs of belligerence, Fenris jumped between us and seized a protective and hostile stance against him. A low and guttural sound emerged from my wolf and fairies gathered around us.

The furry man's expression slowly changed from anger, to realization and then to confusion.

"What's Ancient Royal doing out here?" he asked before releasing a huff and presumed a calm appearance. "My apologies for my rude behavior; you caught me off-guard with your bold greeting. My name is Crowley and this boy here is Ziru," he spoke politely.

I asked Fenris to stand down before bowing at the duo.

"Domo,  my name is Lucian and my fluffy companion is Fenris."

"Excuse me for my rudeness but I can't help but question your pairing. I never thought I'd see an Ancient standing so peacefully with another beast outside the Xoba Republic and what makes this more interesting is that you are of Royal Blood," he commented.

His polite tone and his relaxed stance showed that he didn't mean any harm to his words.

"And how unusual it is for a Hanuman to tame himself right after being triggered," Garrison spoke from behind us. He was followed by the Chief as he broke through the crowd.

Crowley gasped at the view of Garrison and his hostility rose back. "You... I know you! You turned my comrades into ashes during the war!"

Garrison stopped beside me and possessed the indifference on him despite the smile on his face. "Yes that I am. And if you had charged against my Lord, you could have ended at the same fate as your deceased compeers. "

The hanuman tensed and clenched his hands. "The day has finally arrived to avenge my peers."

Fenris pulled me away from standing in between them and the wolf kept his mouth on me longer this time.

"Oh?" Garrison teased before raising one of his hands that turned ashen gray.

I never thought I'd see Garrison involve himself in a fight. He had always been graceful and delicate with his way of speaking and moving.

Before it could escalate any further, Ziru shielded Crowley with his smaller form with a less threatening look.

"Wait, I know that Crowley looks like a barbarian with all the potential characteristics of a bandit. He is a real pain in the ass, ask me, I know!"

"Warugaki! (Brat!)" Crowley hissed.

"But please don't kill him...Maybe later when I'm okay on my own."

Garrison looked amused. "So I can kill him once he is no longer useful to you?"

"Yes, " the boy boldly answered.

"Chikushou... (Son-of-a-bitch) don't just decide for me!" Crowley screamed and strangled Ziru in his arm.

Garrison turned around paying no more attention to the duo. "Come Your Highness, our job here is done. We should go back to the headquarters and wait for Lucius and the others to arrive from the fairy villages."

Fenris nudged my hand and jerked his head urging me to get on his back.

Why so soon? I had no success rate to tell aniki and furthermore... What about Ziru?

"Wait, you have people on the villages?!" Ziru questioned out loud. He broke away from Crowley's grasp and ran in front of Garrison.

"Yes, what of it?"

"Please, can you send people to the village of Ecrin? My papa and the other sky hoods are there. We need your help!" Ziru begged.

"Ecrin is already a ghost village," one of the villagers spoke. "Everyone in there is either dead or sought refuge here. If you didn't find your papa here then his soul has already been reaped by the Reaper."

"Oi!" Crowly snarled at the villager's insensitive way of speaking.

The fairy had a bitter expression on him indicating that he wasn't being frank just for the joy of seeing a child upset and hurt.

Garrison sighed and knelt in front of the boy. "I am deeply sorry. Ecrin is very close to the capital of Vosredal Empire. I am in no way aiming to scar your already scarred heart however; realistically speaking, there is nothing left to go back for."

Ziru's jaw was clenched shut as his eyes swelled up with tears.

I dislike seeing a child like this. Seeing him deflate and have his childish ideals get attacked by the mature placed weight on my chest.

When you live in a world like this one being a child cannot be used as an excuse for being spared by the wicked.

"How can you just give up without trying?!" he yelled at him before taking the highest leap that I had ever seen in my life that he became a mere dot in the skies.

My lips curled into a small smile.

But being an ignorant child you had things that most adults had long lost and had long forgotten. I can see it in him and that was something I wished I had when I was his age— the hope that can inspire.

Garrison rose up before placing his hand on his chest.

"Because trying will only hurt you even more..." he murmured sadly.

But giving up would only fill you with regrets.

The mere dot in the skies descended at an increased rate.

"What is that idiot doing?!" Crowley snarled.

Instead of landing straight on the ground, Ziru had something else planned that none of us expected.

"Your Highness!" Garrison gasped.

Ah...

Everyone was getting smaller and I was getting peculiarly higher from the ground.

It would seem that someone finally accepted my extended hand of helping.

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