It was time to venture into another village. The skies were in a lighter shade of blue with swirls of clouds decorating them. Lucius helped me mount on his pegacorn and he followed suit and sat behind me.

The villagers were gathered to see us off and they seemed so saddened and afraid that we had to leave.

"I will ask one of the Scums to watch over your village but it would be better if you relocate your village in a more secluded area where no Catastrophe will easily stumble in," Lucius advised them.

"Thank ya Yur Highness and will do," the village chief gratefully replied.

"Onii-chan!" Fara called from the little crowd.

My eyes spotted the detka reaching his hand towards me and his mother walked towards us and lifted him up. I looked at Lucius and he nodded at me as if encouraging me to take Fara.

I grasped Fara from his mother and sat him on Argo. Fara seemed to think that he was meant to come along with us and grabbed on Argo's mane causing the pegacorn to release a breath making its lips tremble.

"Say bye-bye to onii-chan Fara," his mother said causing Fara's smile to falter. His eyes had a sheath of tears as he looked at me.

He crawled up to my chest and grabbed my white cloak as support. "Onii-chan no bye-bye..." He whimpered.

"Fara onii-chan has to go," his mother cooed and possessed the same skin of sadness enveloping all of the villagers' faces.

Fara sobbed and his tears poured out from his eyes. "Onii-chan no leave!" He wailed.

I turned my head to ask Lucius for what to do and he simply shrugged and smiled.

What did they expect me of doing? I had no attained skills when it came to children and I have never thought that such age can have this emotional attachment for that one night of interaction.

I hesitantly stroked Fara's back with my gloved hand and lifted his bum so that he can rest his chin on my shoulder.

"Lucius...can we bring him with us?"

"Eh?" Fara's mother and Lucius asked in unison. I continued to stroke Fara in attempt to soothe him from his crying that was causing my ears to ring.

"Fara, onii-chan will come back. I will come back?" I stated with a questioning tone in my voice.

Will I really come back? I was taken here against my will and I should be returning soon but taking me back wasn't in Lucius's list of activities. He was going to take me farther away from the Kingdom and I wasn't doing anything about it.

What was happening to me?

Was it because whatever I do everything was futile? I had no chance against his strength and I can only wait for rescue.

The detka's wailing continued on and I returned him back to his mother. I reached inside my shirt and fished for my belt before unclasping it. I then removed one of my gloves and stared at my hand in thought.

I did say that yesterday will be the first and last time I will use my powers however I...I didn't even know why I was breaking that oath.

I will give something to Fara as a compensation for his tears. I did not deserve his tears. I was the last person that should have another being mourn for him because I was incapable of returning the favor and because I was still under the jurisdiction of the law.

As Farah grows, he will eventually forget about me and once I was retrieved from Lucius I will eventually be forced to forget about him, this village, and everything that ever happened when I was kidnapped.

I will be married to Segreth and when the King resigns, we will take over.

That was what the law had in stored for me wasn't it? That was what the Cauldron of Spirits decided upon.

My fate had already been decided for me.

I imagined something clean and pure just like Fara's innocence and grew a white flower. The petals started big in the outer part and went small as they reached the middle. It was a Se leva (rose).

I handed the rose to Fara's mother who was having a difficult time calming her son and she brushed the petals to his nose. Fara's cries seized and his wet and puffy eyes grew heavy from the scent.

"Adieu! (Farewell!)" Lucius declared.

The dwarves responded and waved their short arms at us. I didn't dare gaze at them or even spared Fara one last look. Argo galloped and flapped its wings. In no time, we were up in the air again, gliding through the smooth skies and interacting with the playful winds.

"Lucian the belt that you're wearing..." Lucius began in a grim tone. "It has the rotten souls of catastrophes sealed in it," he spoke. "Where did you get it?" he asked me.

Catastrophes? They sealed catastrophes in my belt? Wouldn't that be a threat to the safety of the Kingdom?

"My trainer gave that to me. They wanted to seal my power so I had to wear that at all times," I replied.

Lucius hummed in response. "I see. It makes sense. Your power is far greater than otousan and if you are able to control it and master it, you will turn out to be a threat to the Higher Order."

"I'll be a threat to the Higher Order?" I questioned. Why would I be a threat to them? I was trained under them. 

"With how easy I was able to take you and without you putting up much of a fight I can tell that they didn't train you for battle. They expect you to just sit still and be pretty while Segreth does all the decisions once you two get married and take over the throne. That's just playing dirty isn't it?" Lucius scoffed. "Let me tell you one thing little brother, the law that you're so proud of is nothing but a hoax. It is a lie that scarred many lives. The Cysgod never rebelled against the King. Those bastards only used him to ballyhoo their law."

 Lucius knew how to start mornings.

With each word that Lucius tossed my mind gradually chipped away from reality. He was only saying these things to win me over. None of them were true. The law taught us to never let emotions win over logic. The law taught us to put the Kingdom over anything else and in order to prevent rebellion, people needed to be disciplined and have control over themselves as to not tumble like the Scarlet King.

"Stop lying," I pronounced. "Do not lie to me any further," I coldly ordered. 

My barricade started to rebuild itself as I kept a straight face and went stiff. I will not let him defile me and the Kingdom like this.

"The one thing that I can never do is to lie to you," Lucius avowed. "Do not place me to their level. I am different from them. I will never hurt you."

I felt myself get embraced from behind and some soreness in my throat emerged before I swallowed it down with the thought of giving in. Where was my strength and resilience for the past eighteen years? Where did my principles go to? Where did my faith run off to?

"Are you frightened?" Lucius asked me.

"How would you like to no longer feel any fright?"

This memory...

"Is that how you would call this?" I asked him.

Was my faith simply just fear?

I still remembered it clearly and with my eyes open it was like I was watching the past through a translucent glass. There was this streak of light coming from the fissure underneath the door. That light gave me hope that despite the darkness that shrouded me in that room, I know that there was something out there waiting for me, that if I just endured further, one day, I can open that door and depart.

But I got used to that darkness. When the sentinel of that door finally disappeared I was able to wrap my hand around the knob and clutch it tightly.

I just stood there unmoving, pondering and dreading.

I have become one with the darkness and if I go out, will the light consume me?

Until now I was still at that side of the door, afraid of departing because of the murk I was fed with. There was no hope for me.

"I don't know Lucian...That's your own heart," Lucius told me and I looked down to my chest and my lips slightly curled.

Yes, I always thought I lost it but it was always there. It always screamed throughout those years until finally...it lost its voice. 

"But I don't know how to use it," I responded.

"Life will teach you and I will guide you," Lucius supported. 

He had too much confidence on me but I was full of doubts. 

Can I really rekindle the voice of my heart? 

But I was already here. The door that I was so afraid of opening was pushed from the other side and no matter how hard I tried to prevent it from being opened, the person who forced his way in managed to drag me out...in a literal sense.

He had left me with no choice.

"What were you saying last night onii-chan?" I asked him, remembering that he was supposed to tell me something important but was cut short when a dwarf accidentally splashed newly boiled soup on me.

Lucius took a deep breath and released it instantly to get right down to business.

"Oh, I was trying to tell you that— did you just call me onii-chan?" He asked in disbelief. "You did, didn't you?" he exclaimed joyfully.

Lucius took me into a tight embrace and howled like a fool. "Yes! You finally called me that! I'm so happy otouto!"

Well there went the revelation of the person who wanted to take revenge on me. When will I get the full story? Perhaps I will only discover it once I face them.

"You're never going to regret calling me onii-chan. I will be there when you discover whether you're a dominatur (dominant) or a submissus (submissive); I will be present when you are courted; I'll be right by your side when you make love to your future husband or wife and I'll be there when you get married and have keiki (children)," he uttered excitedly.

His enthusiasm caused a shiver to run down my spine. Was everything he was saying normal?

"That is...I don't know what to say..." I mumbled.

Lucius rubbed his face against my back. The thought of marrying someone other than Segreth was odd for me. I doubt I will form a relationship with anyone base on attraction. That was impossible.

"I am well-aware of my over-protectiveness but I just can't wait. Concerning the matter of being a dominatur or a submissus, you will discover your position once your body tells you your readiness for fare l'amore (love-making.)"

"Should we really be talking about this? I refuse to establish any kind of intimate relationship. I do not want to have kids. I will reject any wooing."

Lucius snickered at my declaration. "You won't be able to reject an Alpha man that would want to dominate you."

I refuse to be dominated.

"Who says I'll be a submissus? Do not assume anything baka," I deadpanned.

Lucius was about to say something back but we heard loud growls from behind us stipulating impending danger. My brother grunted.

"Mantikhoras...We're in a lot of trouble."

"You like to get yourself in trouble. I don't know how this is different. What is that?

A dash of red and a whirl of air made Argo neigh and move to the side. There we faced a creature with a face of a man and a body of an animal. It was pure red like cinnabar and it had three rows of sharp teeth that seemed strong enough to rip off even the strongest bark of trees. It had glowing blues eyes and a tail that was shaped as an arrow's head at the end. It was muscular; its orange mane shone as if it was blazing like fire. There were bony spikes starting from its head down to his tail. Its sharp claws had blood in them and its dark red wings flapped in place.

"It doesn't look scary," I commented.

"Lucian, it can eat you," he pointed out.

Argo neighed loudly and Lucius held on the reign tightly. "What should we do?" I asked.

"We shouldn't kill it...so we have to lose it."

"Argo!" Lucius shouted and pulled the reigns making the pegacorn move its head to the left.

Argo plummeted down and the beast released a growl. I shut my eyes from the intensity of the winds and my insides tickled from the sudden deceleration.

"Don't look back Lucian!" Lucius yelled.

More of those creatures appeared; one was on our left and two were on our right. There was another one soaring in front of us.

"We're surrounded," I said loudly for him to hear.

"I know that!" He snarled.

Argo went under the Mantikhoras charging up in front and the one chasing from above us crashed against it.

"Good boy Argo!"

The pegarcorn landed on the soil and ran inside a dark and withered forest. The village that I believe that we were supposed to visit was just near this woodland.

"We can't go to the village right away," he told me. "We have to lose the Mantikhoras or else it'll just follow us to the village and endanger everyone in there."

More growls were heard from the distance and a sharp needle-like object went through the air that flew right beside Lucius's shoulder.

"Faex! (Shit!)" Lucius snarled.

"Did you defecate?" I asked him blankly. He must be really frightened.

"Big brother isn't scared. Don't you worry about it," he assured and winked.

"Argo must be scared," I mumbled. "We should give Argo a rest."

Lucius scoffed. "You underestimate him," he boasted.

Lucius turned his head to the side and let out a 'tsk' when he heard that the creatures were still on hunting.

"We have to be quicker," he murmured before placing a kiss on my neck.

"I need to lead them away from the village. I'll come back for you, stay hidden," he told me.

"What —"

Lucius shoved me off of Argo and I landed into the withered bushes. The pegacorn flew up just in time to dodge the needle sent at its direction. The beasts soared up to further pursue the two and I stood up and watched their figures drift farther away.

I felt a twisting feeling in my heart when I was left alone again. I placed a hand to my beating heart that reacted vehemently to this situation.

"Will you be okay?" I questioned.

Lucius got himself into clutter again. Was he like this for the last eighteen blue moons?

The bitter winds swirled around me with a foul stench accompanying them. The trees were curled in melancholy and I began to venture deep into the forest. I looked at the branches reaching up to the skies and begging for salvation and saw a huge tree standing the tallest amongst them.

My feet took me to the King of the forest and unsteadily walked on its clumped roots that were bigger than my trunk. It was almost tall as the castrum and still looked glorious despite its downfall.

I placed my hand against its trunk and felt a looming presence around me. A snarl was emitted from behind and I turned around and found a creature that was much bigger than the beasts that chased us here. It had russet colored fur and pointed ears. Its face was elongated and that of a complete animal yet more presentable than the Mantikhoras. It growled at me loudly.

What can I do for it to mind its own business? It might just shred me.

Sounds of bones popping came from the creature and its body began to shift. Its fur slowly dissipated and was replaced by skin and its elongated face shrank back.

The man stood up naked and gave me a toothed grin of malice.

"Delicieux (Delicious)..." He said and licked his lips. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing here in this rotten forest?"

The man ambled towards me and raised his hands. He didn't seem like he'll hurt me but he didn't know the concept of personal space.

"Mmm...I can smell how sweet you are from here..."

He stood in front of me and placed his hands on my hips before giving me a squeeze.

"You smell...rotten," I insulted blankly causing him to flinch.

"I have been staying in this forest for quite some time now with my cousin. We are the only ones left in our pack but he detests me..." He whispered and began to sniff my neck.

He grabbed my arse and gave them a hard squeeze. "Ahh I want to mate with you...you will provide me beautiful children."

"I am not a submissus, stop touching me," I deadpanned.

If Argo was here, I will ask it to stomp on him.

"You smell like one but you haven't matured yet." He bit my earlobe and gave it licks and nibbles. "I'm sure Caleb wouldn't mind if I'm a little late."

Before he could touch me again a similar beastly rumble caught our attention. Another one like him appeared but its fur was richer in black. Its golden eyes were glaring at him.

"Fenris...I was about to meet up with you. I found us entertainment. We can share," he said in an uncomfortable tone.

Fenris? I thought that his only companion was his cousin?

Fenris snarled at him furiously and pounced with intent to kill. As they fell, the man groping me shifted back into his other form and attempted to bite back. Fenris snapped his teeth onto one of rear legs and mauled on it mercilessly. The brown one emitted electric currents which were ineffective against the other as the latter dragged him around with his teeth before proceeding to mangling his neck. The first one that got here released a whine when it was thrown away with brute strength and rose limping away in fear.

The obsidian creature was getting ready to charge ahead despite the obvious surrender of the other one and I decided to try and stop this.

Fenris felt my nearing presence and he looked at my way, his eyes shimmering. His bared teeth were now consumed by his closing lips and his tense muscles relaxed. He turned away from his foe and I stood in front of him, unsure of how to tell him to stop hurting this perverse man. Although he had touched me the wrong way, I didn't think it was necessary to rip his legs off.

Again he will have to deal with Argo's hoofs.

"Fenris is it?" I asked.

The creature's pointed ears fluttered and his hostile expression was changed into delight. He moved back a bit and bent his head down in a bow. I knelt in front of him and slowly placed my hand on his head. His glowing eyes looked up and he nudged my gloved hand with his nose.

Was he asking me to remove it?

I pursed my lips in thought and decided to risk it. This creature seemed temperamental and one wrong move might cost my neck.

I slowly slid off the glove and offered my palm and the creature did the most enthralling thing: He placed his paw on mine.

I felt a tickling sensation between our connected parts and my chest warmed up. My heart pounded with an unexplainable feeling and before I could continue to savor this, I heard Argo's neigh and just like the winds my brother came and snatched me from my place.

The creature howled in dismay and my chest felt a heaviness that I didn't wish of feeling again.

"I told you to stay hidden otouto! That werewolf could have killed you!" He scolded.

I stared at my hand longingly and Lucius must have noticed it when he cut off his scolding and became softer with his approach.

"Werewolves have been preying on the nearby villages. It is not good to trust them. "

"We left him..." I mumbled.

"We don't know if that werewolf is tamed," he explained.

I stared at my hand that came in touch with the werewolf's paw and still sensed the tingling feeling. Lucius wrapped his hand around my wrist and proceeded with his assessments.

"What did you feel?" He questioned.

"Nothing..." I responded.

"Liar," he chuckled.

Anymore questions were ceased for a while and I turned my head and saw Lucius in deep thought.

The winds kept coming as my memories of that werewolf bothered me. Will I ever see him again?

When we finally landed in front of a village that looked unharmed, I looked back at the withered forest and sighed. Lucius embraced me from the back and placed a kiss on my nape.

"Don't worry about him...you'll be seeing him more frequently now."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Lucius chuckled and ruffled my hair. "This day came too soon. I don't think I'm prepared!"

I narrowed my gaze at Lucius and his vague response before tugging on his sleeve.

"You are being stupid. What did you mean by that?"

"My heart is weeping otouto! I just can't believe it!" he dramatically exclaimed.

"Baka."

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A/N: there was more to be added but I decided to stop here because it reached 3500 words.