*Areena POV

Right... I think we got several gaps and cracks to fill here. First off, you might wonder what had happened to the rest of the clan during my father's brief period as Dista--not that it was not enjoyable.

First off--believe me when I say that all Vladista had practically answered to me ever since the time Mom took younger-Dad to the restaurant. The day after that, and until further notice--which came precisely a week later--she practically handed this clan's authority over to me while allowing herself to indulge in Dista's whims and dragging Father's immediate siblings along the way.

Now what had I done with the said authority?

Well, to be honest, not much; aside from seeing to the eradication of the Black Swamp gang and receiving Erissa's detailed report on the subject. In it she also expounded in full length how her team had had tremendous trouble getting at the enemy because of Aunt Marishka's absence when she could have acted as some kind of shock-absorber--but also, she added thankfully, that in return her team members had gained invaluable battle experience by themselves. That was quite something.

Another agenda was monitoring Arzakh's training. Despite his occasional inclination to banter, he proved an able disciple overall and paid little heed to my mortal-ness. In fact, he added, with proper training we could well be a mixed-race valet team unheard-of in Vikrish history. The intensity of his aura was amazing, probably because I'd never have one of my own; and when asked about it, again he stressed it was because of Djinns' high rate of competitiveness. Progress, he said, is one of their traits.

...Of course, during the process I had also learned of some unsavory things about him. One such was--and still is, it seems--his 'bitter' relations with spiders. He said he could not help but blast them away wherever found, regardless of the damage to the properties those little creatures happen to be on.

Ahem... well, that was that. Now, with regards to the Djinn clans that Father had expounded, perhaps I could learn something more of my future subordinate...

I also took the liberty to inquire why he did not bother to ask for help from his own brethrens in the first place.

"How many times must I expound to you, my prince, that it's got to do also with our very spirit of competitiveness? On the neutral side this translates to rivalry, but this could well go beyond the limits, amounting to callousness or outright enmity. Neither would have helped me, so I chose to escape here."

"But what would that make you among the Djinns, now? An outcast?"

"As long as I have this seal--and this I will carry all my life--they could never relegate me to such position."

"So what then did you seek in joining my team?"

"First, I feel I need a new master to serve. Second, if you don't mind, I will try to set aright the wrongs done me."

"Okay... and if, during our future adventure, you should happen to come across that Zarastran again, might I ask what you would do?"

He was silent for some time.

"...Depending on that dog's attitude when we next see him, Master, I would either shatter his neck or the enmity towards him."

"Oh! So you do have a warm spot."

Arzakh, then still in training garb, folded his arms with a scoff. "We all do, my prince."