The ocean thrashed as it carried its queen to the shore. Standing atop a giant, swirling wave, Suilah raised her arm, beckoning it to freeze at her command. Time itself seemed to stop, as the wave froze at its peak just before crashing onto the stage. Stunned onlookers marveled at the sight as twinkling droplets covered the boardwalk.

Eila's eyes reflected the sparkling stage in front of her, her head tracking Suilah's movements like a curious canary. The sea guardian's dress seemed to move on its own accord, as its long, trailing skirt and sleeves undulated with the waves. Suilah floated onto the stage, moving her arms down to guide the wave carrying her. The waters retreated just as she gestured in dismissal with one hand. Gliding toward her audience, she surveyed the boardwalk with her opaque, crimson eyes. One of few attributes that set her apart as a sea nymph, aside from her glossy dark skin and the crown-like crystal growth resting atop billowing lavender hair.

The man in green squinted his eyes, letting out a quiet gasp as he observed the crystal crown. Sporting the same intense glow and color as the stage, the crown supported a small, oval jewel. The sun's touch gave it a telltale rainbow shine; no doubt, it must be fragment of Xybelios' orb. Tomas looked up to his friend, jerking his head back and forth between Suilah and him.

"That little piece in the middle of her crown, is that—," Tomas whispered, standing on his toes and side-stepping toward the man.

"Yes," the man answered, his eyes wholly consumed by the jewel's glow, "But to exhibit it in such a manner... I wonder if she is aware of the jewel she beholds."

Back on the stage, two creatures sprang from the ocean, both having humanoid heads and torsos and long, algae-colored tails. The mermaids wore crystal tiaras, smaller and less ornate than their queen's, and their tails acquired a beautiful, glistening sheen once the stage lit up. Their light purple skin and seagrass-like hair seemed to quiver as they raised one arm, each directing toward Suilah in the center. The waters below stood still, its waves becoming small and quiet.

Suilah extended her arms, curling her palms such that her sharp, sky blue nails caught the crowd's attention. A booming, yet feminine voice thundered through the boardwalk. "Fellow denizens of Eosia, it is my greatest honor to stand before you today in such a joyous occasion. As in years past, I offer you the gifts of my people, to strengthen the bond between land and sea. My talents, and my devotion to the people of Aegean as to my beloved Kingdom of Nephthydius... let them be heard!" She waved one arm, its long, open sleeve twirling in the wind as she gestured to one of the mermaids.

The older mermaid on her right nodded, pushing herself into the air with her tail. She dove into the waters as an emerald dolphin would, leaving Suilah with her other attendant on stage. A low rumbling noise emerged from underwater as the sea guardian pressed her hands together and closed her eyes.

A tense silence followed.

The sea formed small pillars behind the stage, resembling tiny fountains. Suilah began vocalizing in a language unknown to the twins. Her voice seemed to touch their very hearts, washing away all worries in its currents. An enchanting, yet haunting performance followed. Suilah kept her eyes closed, her body swaying as if in a deep trance. The water columns behind her grew and shrank, dancing with her motions, acquiring bright blue veins running down them.

Eila brought her knees close to her torso, resting her head on them as she marveled the spectacle. "Wonder if Mom and Dad are watching too," she muttered. She glanced at Tomas and their green friend beside her. Tomas looked back, his sparkling eyes barely containing his joy. Their green friend possessed a relaxed expression, seeming just as enchanted as they were.

As Suilah concluded her first song, however, the dam holding Eila's concerns seemed to break, flooding her heart. She jerked her body to face the audience behind her, looking for her parents. Tomas soon followed, opening his mouth only to shut it in confusion after glancing to his side.

"Uh, Mr. Green, did you see Ari leave?" the boy asked, lightly tugging his friend's coat.

The man took a quick glance, raising an eyebrow. "I thought it unusual that she kept quiet during the performance... perhaps she followed Joanne in search of a light meal at the kiosks."

Tomas frowned with doubt, scanning the crowd for any blue scales amidst the scrambling crowd. Suilah's voice as she began her second song threatened to sweep him into its hypnotizing melody. Tomas felt as if his mind swam into a foggy lake, and he fought against the current to focus on Ari.

Joanne swooped in between Tomas and the man in green with a beaming smile and hands full with colorful drinks and snacks. "Ain't she beautiful? She's always the highlight o' the year in Aegean City."

The man nodded, saying, "Her voice talents as a sea nymph are unparalleled. Her water magic certainly enhances the experience. I must wonder, do you happen to know of her Oracle?"

"Ya know... I never thought 'bout it much. I'd guess it's one of her mermaid attendants there," Joanne answered, gesturing to the lone mermaid providing back-up vocals on stage. "Or both. Ever met a guardian with two Oracles, hon?"

The man in green briefly winced at the word 'hon' before answering, "Well, among all the guardians I have met in my... travels, they always have a lone Oracle representing them. The only exception is when their Oracle passes away into The Originator's realm, though the guardian is expected to choose a successor in due time. Perhaps Suilah is another exception; she does serve as Queen of her own people in addition to guardian duties, the extra aid would be welcome then."

Joanne squinted her eyes, shrugged, and murmured, "You could've just said 'when they die', you know. Taking a sip of her sweet ananberry juice, she said, "But you got a point, she's practically a royal deity."

Perplexed, Tomas tilted his head and asked Joanne, "Uh, did Ari follow you to the kiosks? We haven't seen her since Suilah started singing."

"Pretty sure I would've noticed if a blue dragon with a cat on its back followed me there. Thought she was with you two."

Eila kept her eyes wide open as she listened to their conversation, though Suilah's voice rung loud in her head. However, a faint, reptilian purr managed to cut through the singing. Eila stood up, grasping at tiny bumps on the boulder to balance herself. She squinted her eyes, hopping off the boulder and onto the pier. A burst of energy surged through her, urging her to dive into the entranced crowd.

"Hey!" Tomas called out, bolting behind her before the adults could react.

Bumping through the masses, Eila and Tomas spotted bits of blue spikes poking between the crowd near the kiosks. "H-hey, wait!" yelled Tomas in between gasps as he ran, "Where are you going?" His legs felt like they caught on fire, yet struggled to catch up with Eila, let alone keep track of where she went. She always excelled in their physical education classes for good reason.

Suilah's song rose to a fast-paced soprano as the twins squeezed through a dense block of onlookers.

A few seconds later, Eila stopped dead in her tracks behind one of the kiosks, just before the end of the boardwalk facing Hotel Bahía Serena. Tomas tripped behind her as he slowed down, taking deep, labored breaths. Eila remained silent, her gaze wide and distant, which only made Tomas's blood simmer with frustration. Just as he turned and opened his mouth to confront her, however, a familiar and short screech derailed his train of thought.

The song descended to a low, quiet melody.

The crowd was much sparser and scattered, leaving the twins with a clearer view. Just a few couple of steps ahead, Ari giddily skipped in circles around a human couple, with her tail held high. Nino sat in front of the couple, his tail wiggling in quiet joy. Tomas's gaze became just as blank as Eila's as a wave of emotions washed over him, paralyzing him.

"Shush, Ari, we need to be quiet here," an ebony-haired woman hissed as Ari nuzzled her shoulder. Sighing, she pat Ari's snout while the gruff-looking man beside her grinned.

Eila gasped as her eyes filled up with tears. Tomas felt his legs shiver as he whispered, "M-mom and Dad..."

Ari turned her head, flared her frills, and galloped toward the twins. Stopping with barely any space between her and their faces, she stretched her neck behind Tomas and gently nudged him forward. The boy glanced at Eila before taking a step toward the couple, squinting his eyes. Eila took her chance and ran ahead, her confidence rising as the couple's features became clearer as she approached.

All doubts vanished, and Eila jumped up at her father's arms. She felt Mr. Diderot tense up, even detecting a slight shiver, before he relaxed and embraced her. Eila rested her head on her father's shoulders, trying to hide the tears running down her face. Tomas leaped onto Ari, letting her carry him toward his parents and jumping off her once close enough. His mother took a step away, but Tomas managed to wrap his arms tightly around her waist. He perked up his head, noticing the ever-present shadows below her eyes were darker, and her eyes seemed blank and exhausted. She flashed a concerned, nervous grin before sighing and giving a meek smile.

"My little troublemakers," she whispered with a tired, yet relieved chuckle, "Oh, you've no idea how much we missed you two... I could barely sleep these past few days!"

Tomas squeezed more, unable to stop smiling in overwhelming joy. His lips quivered as he quickly stammered, "We missed you so, so, so much, mom! A-and we got so scared, and, and—" He whined and sunk his face into Mrs. Diderot's blouse.

Eila wiped tears and snot off with her sleeve, earning a somewhat disgusted yet amused side-glance from Mr. Diderot. The two giggled, yet Eila couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness surrounding her parents. Where was her dad's boisterous fits of laughter? Why did her mom hesitate to even place a hand on Tommy's head?

"Um, dad," she meekly asked, "Are the creepy hooded guys here? If you're scared... we got Ari to help you!"

Mr. Diderot arched his eyebrows, darting his eyes around the area. "Well sweetie... I'm not sure, they just show up and drag us wherever without sayin' much." He ran his fingers through his hair, which made for a comfortable pigeon's nest from how messy it became. "Frankly, I feel like I just woke up from a long, confusing nightmare. Bet I look like an old wizard by now, don't I?"

The two chuckled once more, and this time Mr. Diderot mustered a louder laugh. Amidst their joyous glee, Mrs. Diderot lowered her head, her face contorted with conflict. "I just can't... Tommy, Eila, you're not safe with us. Yes, we have Ari, but... you know we could all end up in danger now, right?" she rambled, paranoia written all over her.

Tomas let go of her, placing one arm on Ari's back. "Well... at least you're not alone anymore, right? Mr. Green and Joanne oughta find us soon, a-and maybe we can all, um, beat up the bad guys so they don't bother us anymore!" His legs still quivered, accompanied by a feeling that his face was burning up.

Mr. Diderot placed one hand on his hip, holding Eila steady with the other. He scoffed and commented, "Tommy, the heck have you been eating these days? I swear, you barely reached Ari's head before we left Cherub Town!"

Eila snorted, watching her brother and Ari exchanged confused stares. She crossed her arms and pouted, "Hmph! No fair, we've been eating the same stuff!"

The Diderots continued their chatter and teasing, briefly forgetting the terrors watching from afar. They walked towards the kiosks, with Ari monitoring their surroundings with the cautiousness of a hellhound. Just as Joanne and the man in green made it through the worst of the crowd, Suilah concluded her third performance. The group reassembled and the twins received an earful from a huffy Joanne, lecturing them much like their mother would. The Diderots caught up with recent events, cycling through shocked and ashamed expressions. Before they could begin explaining their side fully, however, the man in green and Ari assumed a defensive stance. A sharp, chilling gust of air cut into their faces.

An intoxicating scent of incense peeked through the air.

"All of you, get down!" The man in green shouted as a flash of purple energy zapped above their heads, striking the boardwalk.