*Nicolas*

I sighed as I landed on the ground. My wings were killing me. I'd been flying for hours at sonic speeds and barely traveled across two thirds of the former eastern Grand Dukedom. Only stopped one other time to get a quick rest.

Hopefully, nothing terrible had happened back in the Makkuroyama compound. Though, my gut was telling me there was something.

"Are we almost there?" a voice called out.

I gasped and turned around to see a white-haired boy with reddish eyes smiling at me.

"Did you jump off my back just now, Alex? Wait, the real question is what are you doing here? You were supposed to stay back. Your mom must be worried sick about you!"

"It's fine. I told Nate that I was going to follow you," Alex said with a slight smile. "Plus, Amun is here."

A blue haired girl in a periwinkle dress appeared in front of me out of the blue.

"H-how did you do that?" It was as if she had stood there all this time.

Amun touched the broach on her dress and smiled. "Ezekiel's special ability allows me to mess with people's senses. Not too different from what the ones who kidnapped Dan could do."

She knew about that?

"How much were you told about the enemy?" I asked.

"Not much, but I did overhear my Dad, Ki,  and Hide discuss them. As long as one hasn't been made aware of me before hand, no one can detect me."

"Before Alex saying I was here. It broke the illusion so to speak. Likewise, he broke the one I cast on him as soon as he spoke." She leered at him. "Even though he was supposed to stay quiet."

I sighed. "Both of you, go back right now. It's too dangerous for kids like you."

Amun scoffed and puffed up her chest. "Maybe for Alex, but I'm as old as Camila and she was left behind to watch the house!"

"Oh, right. You're twins." Though, their personalities seemed so different.

"Do you feel that sis is still in danger?" Alex asked.

"No, the bad feeling in my chest is gone," Amun said, place a hand on her broach. "That said, there is a lingering doubt."

Alex tilted his head at her. "What do you mean, sis?"

"Like something did happen. But as to what that something was, I have no idea."

"I have the same feeling," I said, crossing my arms.

Alex jumped as his phone buzzed.

"Didn't I tell you to put your phone on no sound?" Amun asked. "Is it Mom again?"

They spoke with their mom? She must've done so when I stopped to rest the last time.

"No. It's Dad."

"Hideaki?"

"Quick, answer!" Amun yelled.

"Okay!" Alex said. "Hello, Alex here!"

"Hey, Alex. Is everything alright?"

"Yup! Sis is a bit tired, though."

"Amun, Layla, or Dossie?"

"Amun. She's been flying around."

"Flying?"

Amun snatched the phone from her brother. "Guess Mom hasn't told you yet, has she? Alex and I are heading to Makkuroyama. We think something bad happened back home."

"Indeed, something did," Hideaki said.

"Huh?" both kids said.

"A-Amun?" Camila called out.

"Camila, what happened there? Are you hurt?"

"N-no. I'm fine. T-though, o-one of big brother's companions isn't. H-he got hurt badly, t-trying to stop the fox."

Amun gasped what fox?

"A m-man with long graying hair dressed in colorful robs. H-he was strong. N-Naoru, Eita, and two of Hideo's t-teammates were no match."

A fox? Chills ran down my spine. Why did hearing her description of him remind me of my dad?

"I-it turned out to be the one who Dan died trying to take down. O-or at least we think he is."

"You think? Is there any reason to doubt?"

"W-well, Dine did say that it's unlikely to survive falling into the pit. Plus, S-Satoru was a teenager. T-the one who attacked was an adult."

My eyes widened. An adult Satoru?

"How can that be?" Amun asked.

"Maybe he's like Yuko and Nori. When we met them, they looked like kids but then they looked like teen next we saw them," Alex said.

"Y-yeah. T-the fox was a Kyuu Seishinian, no?"

I shook my head. "What happened with Yuko and Nori was different," I said.

Amun raised an eyebrow at me. "How so?"

"Based on what I've heard, they had regressed growth due to malnourishment. Once they got food and a bit of extra power, their bodies adjusted. That said, the Kyuu Hyaku, the ruling clan of Kyuu Seishin, do have a transformation that can temporarily make them look older."

"How do you know so much about them?" Amun asked, lowering the phone.

I sighed. "It's because I am one. My father belonged to the ninth branch."

"I see," Hideaki said. He must've taken back his phone from Camila. "My greatgrandfather was too."

"Eh? So your grandpa was like Nico?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, Grandpa was half Kyuu Hyakuian. Heard that my father could transform into one, but I never saw it. Osamu and the Seven Hills likely fought against it at some point. Though, none of them have made a mention about it, so maybe he preferred not to use it."

I lowered my head. "Maybe it's best he kept it a secret until death. Nori and Yuko have been guarded from it, but the Kyuu Hyaku are looked down upon here."

"I know, father told me once, when I asked why he didn't have any fox ears. He said that it's because people fear his grandfather's clan."

"Too bad we're from the Ninth Branch and not the Second. Layla would've loved the chance to have cat ears," Amun said, snickering.

"Yeah!" Alex said, giggling.

Hideaki laughed. "True. But, I would've had her hide them. I'm not sure what kind of difficulties Dad experienced, but those hardships might've caused him to keep it a secret until death. His brother on the other hand is rumored to have used his transformation."

"His brother?" I asked.

"The former King of Kasai no Ki."

"Oh, then that means you're cousins with Koukyuu," Alex said.

Wait, that would mean that Hideo likes his dad's cousin. Kind of weird, though not as much as Serrano and Setsuko who are first cousins.

"Yeah. My siblings and I used to hang out with her older brother, Shin'en. He, Koukyuu, and Kai probably decided to live in Xeleria after their father revealed his secret lineage. Though, I wonder what kind of things Prince Maki endured here, having to carry the weight of a recently restored crown."

"Yeah," I said.

"Wait, back up. Did you just say siblings? As in plural?" Amun asked, furrowing her brow. "It's not just the rebel leader?"

"W-well, Zaki's the only one I have left," Hideaki said, a bit choked. "I used to have a big brother, but he died before my parents did."

"Dad," Camila said. I imagined she was holding her dad's arm or was patting it.

"So you weren't even the spare but the spare of the spare," Amun said. "It's a surprised you even became a duke."

Hideaki laughed weakly. "Yeah, but I would easily surrender it if it would undo everything. But I know that's impossible. There's no going back to those summer days I used to spend with my big brother and sister, running through the windswept fields of central Makkuroyama."

He said he wondered what Maki endured, but he probably could easily imagine it. Considering he was the last one left in his immediate family. At least Prince Maki had the support of his siblings, even if they were a dimension away. Or at least he seemed like he would've. Koukyuu and Kai seemed reasonably close to him during our training. Not the closest of siblings, but not distant strangers either.

"Anyway, I wanted to let you know what happened so you could keep your mom at your aunts place. Considering everything that has happened lately, I don't want to make her more stressed than she already is from Dan's fall into the abysmal pit."

"Yeah, it would be bad for the baby too," Amun said. "I'll let Layla know." 

"I'm sure Lay, Nat, and Dossie can convince her to stay. Dossie especially. She seems to enjoy it there," Alex said, grinning.

"That was while Teresa was around," I said, running a hand through my hair. "Wait, how did you get back to Makkuroyama, Sir?"

"Princess Setsuko teleported us here. Oh, she's back with Etsuo and the others."

"W-why are you dressed so scandaly?" Camila mumbled.

"Huh?" the three on our side said.

Kiara laughed. "This is swim wear. We went to the beach! Though, we didn't really get any time to play. Except for Silas here who played with Marina."

I shook my head as my mind started to wander to the thought of Teresa in a swimsuit.

"Who is Marina?" Amun asked.

"Amu? What are you up to?" Kiara asked.

"I'm heading over there. After you left, mom got a bad feeling. We figured it was related to Camila."

"Ohh. Here. Let me switch to camera mode. Want to show you my swimsuit!"

"Ki!" Hideaki yelled.

A yellow bikini clad Kiara popped up in Amun's phone. Her father sighed. His eyes looked tired as if he had endured a long workday.

"Hey, cousins!" Teresa said, moving toward the camera.

My head felt lightheaded at the sight of her in a black bikini. She looked so beautiful.

"Hey, Nico! How's it going! Is Mom alright?"

"Uh, actually, I left your place. Like Amun said, Rene got a bad vibe. Was heading there, but it seems everything is fine," I said, averting my eyes.

"I see. Why aren't you staring at the camera?"

"I-it's just. I'm not used to seeing girls dressed like that. I-it's a little exhilarating."

"Guy must have a-" Silas said until Etsuo covered his mouth.

"Keep your perverted side comments to yourself!" Etsuo snapped.

"Silas," Hideaki sighed. "Anyway, you two go with Nico. It's his decision whether he comes here or not. We're going to be rebuilding the town."

"I'll go. You'll need help, no?" I asked.

Hideaki smiled. "Yeah."

It was strange, but he sort of felt like family. Come to think about it, Reno looked like me, if I had long hair as a teen.

"Since you're coming here, let me pick you up," Setsuko said. She formed a dark vortex and vanished.

"Woah," Alex said, turning around.

Setsuko stood behind us and smiled weakly.

"Are you feeling well?" Amun asked.

Setsuko nodded. "Yeah, just a little exhausted."

"You should get some sleep," Alex said. He yawned. "I'm pretty sleepy too." He sniffed. "Oh, no! I left Blankey back at Auntie's place!"

Amun sighed and took out a blue blanket from his backpack.

"Blankey!" Alex yelled, snuggling it. He blushed as he realized we were staring at him. "I mean, thanks for bringing my blanket."

Amun patted his head. "It's nothing. Just don't be too absent minded with your stuff next time, okay?"

"Okay," Alex said, looking down a little.

"We better get going, the portal is shrinking," I said.

"Yeah," Setsuko said, turning around. She looked like she could pass out at any moment. Was her training that rigorous or had she been teleporting multiple times with much rest?

I picked up Alex and ran into the portal.

Setsuko fell forward and almost hit the ground when an arm grabbed her.

My eyes widened at the sight of silver hair and blue eyes.

The young man smiled. "Yo, Princess."

"S-Serrano! What are you here? I heard you were in Abyssia," she said, her eyes grew watery.

He pressed her head against his chest. "I'll tell you later. For now, rest." The prince wiped away her tears. "Your mana control might be better than mine, but even someone like you has limits."

"I can't I still need to go back to help with the reconstruction here and head back to get-" She closed her eyes.

Serrano sighed. "You dummy. You're too tired to continue to talk, much less rebuild anything."

Seeing the royal couple reminded me of my parents. Mom might've been sickly, but she was a workaholic. Dad would often tell her to lay down and get some rest, but that woman wouldn't have it. If the dishes need to be washed, by Earth Mother, they would get washed.

Even after Dad left us to start a new family, she still continued to work hard. Not letting his betrayal get her down. She was a tough one, that woman. I had to pay her a visit as soon as I got to the capital again.

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter ^^**