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Red of Dawn III

Welcome back to Red of Dawn's third chapter! I hope you guys enjoy the artwork that belongs to this chapter XD

~'0'~

The army of demigods had to brace themselves against the raging winds that came down on the plain with the force of a hurricane, lightning flashing through the sky. It was as if the heavens themselves were screaming in fury, clouds so dark they seemed black obscuring the sun.

Auras of power clashed everywhere, weapons flashing as stone broke and blood coated the ground red, screams of terror, pain and anger creating a cacophony that was only increased by the thunder and the wind.

And the highlight of the battle were two figures, one surrounded by an aura of purple darkness, the other shining bright like a golden star.

''I will destroy you,'' hissed one of them, poisonous green eyes alight with flames of hatred. His black twin swords were coated in red and his armor, which was an even darker shade of obsidian, shone in the limited light of the sky.

Ixaal, the god of hysteria, seemingly taken over by his own domain of power.

His opponent's golden eyes flashed, blond hair whipping around the demigod's face as he tightened his grip on his double-bladed staff. Tenma didn't say anything in response to Ixaal's words, instead lunging forward in attack, lightning splitting the sky in two as he moved.

Blow after blow was exchanged, their strikes sending pieces of rock and clouds of dust up in the air, the sheer destruction enough to send terror in the hearts of the observers. Tenma called upon his lightning, Ixaal summoned his aura of pain and fear, and as they clashed a shockwave flattened their surroundings, throwing any who may not have found cover backwards.

But Ixaal was weakening, his Generals growing weaker, and he knew it.

Tenma knew it, too, and with every strike he blocked, with every attack he delivered, his eyes started to glow brighter until he was like a star, the pure, raw power gathered in his body almost too much to be contained, waves of mana and energy pulsing from him.

He shaped it, willed it to follow his command, and it started changing, growing more focused and potent, all directed at Ixaal. And the god flinched back, baring his teeth and growling like a cornered animal. ''What are you doing?!''

But Tenma didn't speak, instead continuing with his spell until eventually he started chanting, the ancient words echoing strangely as they spilled from his lips, and as Ixaal recognized the chant that would inevitably cage him, he screamed in rage. ''NO! YOU DO NOT GET TO DO THIS, NOT AFTER EVERYTHING!''

He attacked with the fervor of a dying man and the demigod barely managed to dodge his strikes, all the while continuing to chant until he eventually reached the end of the spell. Chains of golden energy formed, wrapping themselves around Ixaal and pulling him out of the sky, causing him to drop one of his obsidian swords. The god screamed, his voice an inhuman screech as he fought with tooth and nail against the ancient spellwork, to no avail.

Tenma could feel it when the god gathered his last bit of strength, poisonous green eyes glowing with power, and the blond demigod prepared for the attack that was sure to come, bracing himself when Ixaal launched himself forward-

But then the god changed course so that he flew past the blond and Tenma whipped around to find the new target.

And as it registered in his mind, a scream involuntarily left his lips. ''NO!''

Because Ixaal was moving right towards Raimei.

And the only thing Tenma could see were his friends, his family, Aoi's terrified gaze even though she didn't stop applying her healing mana to Kariya, Hamano and Hayami giving twin exclamations of surprise, Shindou, Kirino, Sangoku – all of them, barely having enough time to register the change in events.

He saw Kyousuke materializing another blade, even though he was clearly fighting his exhaustion. He saw Midori gritting her teeth as she shielded Aoi and Akane with her own body, saw Hikaru and Shinsuke's shaking forms as they covered for the injured Nishiki and Kurama, and as he saw it, Tenma knew.

Knew they wouldn't withstand a direct hit of Ixaal's power, weakened as they were.

He didn't even have to make a decision, his body moving on his own even as his mind was still registering what was happening. He sky-stepped, faster than he ever had until he was nothing but a lightning bolt of gold, and all the while he could only hold on to one thing.

Let me be in time.

Because this victory here would mean nothing if his family paid the price.

He could see Ixaal's face splitting into a hysteric grin as his leftover sword glowed violet with raw power, taking everything out of his domain and then some, bringing down his weapon for a withering strike.

And as it landed, gold clashed against the violet, causing an explosion so bright everyone had to cover their eyes from it.

As it died down, Raimei, stunned because how were they still alive, could only stare at the scene in front of them.

Ixaal, his eyes wide and bloodshot, still grinning even as the golden chains finally overpowered him.

And between the god and the Clan stood Tenma, Ixaal's obsidian sword buried deep in his gut, red already starting to stain his blue tunic.

A stunned laugh broke free from Ixaal's lips even as his form was engulfed in bright light, the spell finally completing. He started dissolving, still laughing as his form broke into tiny pieces of light that scattered through the air and disappeared. Within moments, he was gone, his sword – part of his soul – having disappeared with him.

For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath, and then Tenma crashed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him within seconds, staining his clothes and hair. His double-bladed staff clattered on the rocky earth, its ever-present golden glow dimming for the first time in memory.

And all Raimei could do was stare, in silent, stunned denial, but still they knew-

Even if their eyes could've lied to them, the lack of Tenma's godly aura – warm, welcoming and kind, and always, always gathering around them as if in an embrace – didn't.

  ~'0'~  

Matsukaze self-consciously fidgets in place under the stunned stares of his Clan, hesitant smile still there. He nervously winds a lock of brown hair around his fingers as he waits for someone, anyone, to say something.

Kurama somehow manages to find his voice and through his shock, he grabs at the emotion he usually reacts in – anger.

''This is impossible,'' he hisses, his voice sending a ripple of awareness through his Clan and causing the brunet to flinch back. ''Tenma was murdered two centuries ago – you're not him! You're just- just an imposter!''

There's enough venom in his voice that it shakes his shieldbrethren out of their stupor. ''Kurama!'' snaps Sangoku, uncharacteristic anger coating his voice.

The son of the snake goddess merely glares at him. ''Well?! You can't say you believe this pathetic little mortal to be Tenma, do you?!'' Sangoku shrinks back, not able to deny that accusation, and Kurama turns his anger back to the human in question. ''Who are you?!''

The brunet's smile has left his face the moment the venom in Kurama's voice registered in his mind and he barely manages to meet the furious dark gaze. He's silent, not sure what to say in response, and instead carefully glances at the rest of the Clan. Most of them share Kurama's wariness and the uncertainty in their gazes makes him flinch.

Until he meets a familiar gaze of orange, Kyousuke's eyes filled with disbelieving, fragile hope.

In response, the mortal's eyes flare golden, and as Kurama opens his mouth to scream something else at him, how dare you, he freezes, because-

This aura of power, even though it's being held back, can't possibly be faked. Warm and kind, welcoming, open, so, so open, and as familiar to the demigods as their own.

''Tenma?'' whispers Kyousuke, the only one who seems to be able to find his voice, and he slowly, so very slowly, reaches out to the brunet, his eyes shining suspiciously. ''Is- is that you?''

Golden eyes shimmer as they fill with tears and the mortal, Tenma, gives a weak nod. And then he's jumping forward, Kyousuke automatically opening his arms in invitation, the brunet wrapping his arms around the other's neck tightly. The demigod immediately returns the embrace, holding his shieldbrother's trembling form close.

Neither of them care as they sink to the ground, clutching each other for dear life. They're both crying, although they don't seem to notice, too caught up in the realization that this is real, this is happening.

Their Clan can only stand and watch and for the longest time, none know what to say, what to feel or think, because this is impossible, but at the same time it's real.

''How...?''

Tenma gives a start at Shindou's broken question, and then carefully pulls away far enough from Kyousuke so that he can see his other shieldbrethren, a shaky smile touching his lips. ''I-'' his voice breaks before he's even really begun and Kyousuke immediately responds by gently grabbing the brunet's wrist, fingers soft and careful as they curl around his arm. Tenma sighs quietly and leans into the touch and when he looks up at Shindou again, his smile is much brighter. ''I'm not sure how,'' he whispers, only audible because no one else dares to speak. ''It's... well, it's obviously reincarnation, but...''

Before he can start to ramble, Shindou is dropping to his knees, a weak laugh spilling from his lips as he shakily reaches out a hand towards the human. Tenma responds by doing the same, their fingertips hesitantly grazing for a moment before the demigod's hand grabs the brunet's wrist and yanks him into an embrace.

Kyousuke grins weakly, easily letting go of Tenma in order to watch Shindou tightly embrace the now-mortal, burying his face in long brown hair. Tenma responds in kind, clinging to him tightly, and breathes in shakily.

''I'm sorry,'' he whispers, even softer this time, and Shindou pulls him even closer, allowing Tenma to bury his face in his neck. ''I'm so sorry- I never meant to hurt you guys like this, but I- I couldn't... I couldn't let you die!''

''I know, I know,'' Shindou shushes softly, rocking the brunet gently, ''it's okay, we're alright...''

It breaks their hearts, to see their beloved leader break down like this, and the Clan carefully draws closer. Kirino, who's closest, gently places a hand on Tenma's back and starts rubbing circles, and when the brunet doesn't do more than lean into the touch, the rest of the Clan seems to take it as a sign to join them.

They huddle close together, offering each other silent support, and if no one manages to keep a dry eye, nobody mentions it.

Eventually, though, Tenma pulls away from Shindou's embrace, wiping at his eyes. He gives his friends a warm, bright smile. ''Uhm... hey,'' he whispers, a little embarrassed now. ''I... I missed you guys. A lot.''

''We missed you too,'' mutters Kyousuke, before seemingly realizing what he just said. Due to his pale skin, his sudden blush is obvious, and he ducks his head. ''I- I mean, we just... it was, different, without you.''

Tenma only smiles softly, reaching out to curl his fingers around his friend's wrist. Sãberu's son hesitantly smiles back, involuntarily relaxing.

The Clan sits in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's presence after two hundred years of being apart. They draw close together, shoulders touching, back against back, heads resting on shoulders – the boundaries of physical touch have long since been left behind by them. Their breathing is a melody of peace, a quiet reassurance that they're all there, that they're okay – that they're alive.

Their godly auras mix easily, filling the empty space surrounding them with warmth, flowing over each other until it's not clear where one starts and the other ends. It floods together and that, more than anything is what makes it clear that after two centuries, they're finally complete.

The sky is turning a bright shade of red, hints of purple and gold lining the lazy cotton clouds, the sun just starting to touch the horizon, when their peace is broken.

''Akira!''

It's a distant shout, a woman voice. The Clan would usually ignore it – a mere mortal searching for someone doesn't matter to them – but they're surprised when their leader startles at the name. He pushes himself upright, away from Shindou and Kyousuke, and tilts his head. The shout comes again and he grimaces.

''Tenma?'' asks Nishiki, a hint of confusion in his voice. ''What's wrong?''

The brunet glances at him and immediately picks up on his Clan's worry. Noticing it, he gives them a small, reassuring smile, a soothing hum bleeding through his aura that causes all of them to involuntarily relax. ''Nothing of concern,'' he tells them quietly, ''it's just... my mother.''

That earns him wide-eyed stares from everyone. It's common knowledge to them that Tenma's mother, whoever she was, died before he could even remember her, and his father – the storm god Arashi – has never been very impressive in his parenting skills.

The brunet smiles gently, picking up on their worry with an ease that hasn't changed through two hundred years of being apart. ''Reincarnation,'' he reminds them. ''I'm mortal now, with two normal mortal parents. Matsukaze Akira, at your service.''

''Akira,'' repeats Shinsuke, a frown pulling at his brow. Then he shakes his head. ''No, sorry, I just can't feel it. You're Tenma to me and you always will be Tenma!''

The brunet laughs softly at that, gently breaking away from his friends, pushing himself to his feet. ''I should probably go,'' he tells them, dusting off his clothes. ''Mom will keep looking for me and she'll be mad if I'm not on time for dinner. Not that she won't be mad at the lack of shoes... again,'' he mutters the last word softly, clearly not meant for their ears.

''Your mother, she doesn't know you're... you know?'' asks Kariya, gesturing randomly with his hands between the rest of the Clan and the human in question.

Tenma shakes his head, a sad smile touching his lips that has all of them grimace – they'd seen that smile enough times at the end of the war against Ixaal and they never wanted to see it again. ''I'm sorry,'' he tells them quietly, ''it's... well, I don't know how my current parents would take it, knowing I'm Tenma of Raimei. I just... it's complicated.''

It's clear he's not sure how to explain the situation, and as his warm aura turns uneasy, his friends immediately pick up on it – and the sincerity behind it. The demigod-turned-mortal doesn't even have to outright say it for them to understand.

''It's okay,'' says Sangoku comfortingly, his own aura flooding with a soothing warmth. ''We get it.''

Tenma relaxes at that, a tension leaving his shoulders that makes it all the more obvious, which is surprisingly uncharacteristic.

The Tenma from two hundred years ago would never have allowed his Clan to see him worry, not like this.

But the brunet doesn't seem to have noticed and grimaces slightly when the woman – his mother – calls his name again. ''I...'' he hesitates, throwing an almost longing look at the demigods, ''I have to go.''

He doesn't move, though, and it's clear he doesn't want to leave – a sentiment echoed by all of them.

Tenma inhales deeply, albeit a little shakily, and attempts a smile. ''I... I'll find you later, I swear.'' He clenches his fists to hide the trembling of his hands as he slowly inches backwards, away from the group and towards one of the alleyways that lead towards the main market. ''I-I'm sorry, I...'' he cuts himself off and throws them a last, weak smile, before disappearing into the alley.

They let him go in silence, no matter how much they don't want to.

  ~'0'~  

''Hey, Tenma?''

The demigod in question looked up at the sound of his name, brushing a long strand of blond behind his ear. He hummed in response, gesturing for the other boy to continue.

Hikaru frowned, an uncharacteristic thoughtfulness marking his expression. His sword, which he had been sharpening only a moment before, shone dangerously in the bright morning sun. ''What do you think happens when a demigod dies?''

That question certainly got the blond to pause and he took a moment to place the roll he was reading aside and sit down next to his friend. ''Why are you asking?'' he said gently, bumping Hikaru's shoulder with his own.

The demigod of destruction shrugged, sagging against the blond and that, more than anything, worried him. ''Hikaru?'' he asked quietly. ''Are you okay?''

A soft sigh seemed to be his only answer at first, but then there was a soft mumble, inaudible if Tenma hadn't been sitting so close to him. ''I just... worry, y'know? About everyone...''

The blond smiled gently. ''Nothing will happen to the Clan. I won't let anything happen,'' he swore, golden eyes lighting up with power and voice rumbling like a distant storm. He seemed calm and kind as always, but the claim that marked his words was unmistakable.

But it didn't reassure Hikaru as it usually would, and he shook his head. ''No!''

Tenma's smile melted away, replaced by a frown, and he allowed the purple-haired demigod to scoot away from him. ''Hikaru...?''

''That- that isn't what I meant!'' protested the younger teen. ''I mean... what if something happened to you?'' The blond blinked, stunned, but Hikaru wasn't done yet. ''You always endanger yourself and I know you're strong, but- but you're only making more enemies and allies and people are starting to recognize you and I just- what if someday, there's someone you can't beat? What if...''

He quieted down when he was suddenly pulled into a gentle embrace, returning it and clutching the blond's tunic tightly. Long locks tickled his face but he didn't care, instead burying his face in Tenma's shoulder.

''I just worry about you,'' whispered Hikaru quietly and the other demigod tightened his hold for a moment.

''Nothing will happen, my Shine,'' he responded, equally silent, the purple-haired demigod involuntarily relaxing at the familiar nickname. ''Even if there is someone I can't beat someday, I'm not alone. I have you and Kyousuke, Shindou, Taiyou... so many people who would protect me.'' His smile could be heard through his voice, the fondness impossible to miss. ''I'll be okay. Trust me.''

And Hikaru did. He trusted this demigod with his life.

But he didn't trust the blond with his own, because he knew, more than anything-

If Tenma had to choose between his own life or their Clan's, it wasn't even really a decision. And that, more than anything, terrified him.

  ~'0'~  

It's two days after the festival that Tenma fulfills his promise.

They probably should've expected it – to everyone else, he's Matsukaze Akira, boring human who has no connection whatsoever to the upper ring of the Raimei Clan, so it can't be very easy for him to get in contact with them.

But of course, he manages. There's a reason people used to call him the King of the Demigods.

That... doesn't mean they expected him to be brought before them by the captain of the guard.

They're in the middle of discussing the new farming grounds when a smaller side door open and the guard's commander comes in, pulling someone else in by their arm. It's not unusual for him to do so, albeit a little rare, so at first it doesn't gather much more than a few simple looks.

Until the clear alarm and surprise floods through their auras when they recognize the second person.

That immediately gets the entire Clan to pay more attention and Kyousuke isn't sure whether he should be shocked or not when he recognizes Tenma. He settles on shooting his friend a deadpan look.

You just had to, didn't you?

His only answer is a wide, cheeky grin.

''Sirs and madams,'' says the guard captain formally, bowing politely and pulling Tenma with him, ''I found this streetrat-'' the brunet actually has the gall to look insulted at that- ''trying to break into the stalls to your personal horses.''

Kyousuke doesn't bother to hide his withering glare.

Of course. Of course Tenma would go for the horses of all things – damn Arashi for having his personal animal be a horse. Damn his son for inheriting it. Damn all horses for somehow loving the brunet no matter where they're from or how they've been trained.

The demigod-turned-mortal merely shrugs in a what can you do kind of way and one look at his shieldbrethren tells Kyousuke he's not the only annoyed one anymore. Although Hamano looks pretty amused. Well, he never had the most common sense in the group, so he can't really be blamed.

The guard commander seems to start to notice their lack of vocal reactions and Shindou hurries to correct that mistake. ''Thank you, Commander, but I believe you must have other tasks to deal with instead of a wayward child, correct?'' the man nods, a little taken aback, and the rain demigod fixes a confident, smug, I'm-wiser-and-better-than-you-so-shut-up-and-listen smile on his face. ''We'll deal with this boy, a bit of amusement might be nice anyway. We have been discussing farm rates for the better part of two hours now.''

The guard captain seems to accept that – Raimei's upper class is known for finding amusement in anything and everything – and shoves Tenma in their direction, not too roughly but also not as gently as he probably could've. The man salutes the demigods, ignoring the brunet stumbling forward, and quickly retreats through the door he came in from.

The moment he's gone, Tenma straightens, his meek demeanor falling away in exchange for a wide, satisfied grin. ''Hey guys!'' he chirps cheerily, pretending he doesn't see the exasperated looks shot his way. ''I told you I'd find you again!''

''Not like this,'' stresses Sangoku, massaging his temples. ''I swear, Tenma, why?''

The brunet just hums thoughtfully. ''Well, it was sure to get your attention if I was caught trying to break into your personal stalls and if I wasn't caught, one of you would've shown up eventually.'' He pauses for a moment. ''Also, I wanted to see the horses.''

Kyousuke snorts, still somehow managing to make it sound graceful. It's a sign as to how used the Clan is to it that everyone automatically ignores him.

''Well, what's done is done, I suppose,'' mutters Shindou quietly, gesturing to an empty chair at the large, round table the upper ring of Raimei is sitting at. ''Lunch should be here soon and we have much to discuss.''

The demigod-turned-mortal nods. Now that most of the sentiment has been dealt with two days prior, it's time to get down to business – his Clan may not yet know what that business is, but they know him well enough to realize that there is something bothering him. He hides a smile at that thought. Even after two hundred years, they are prepared to stand by him no matter what without even a conscious thought.

Tenma joins them, taking a seat between Hayami and Aoi. It is mere moments later that food appears on the table – which has been cleared of the papers that covered it when he came in – and he detects a slight hint of mana. ''A teleportation spell?'' he asks even as he scans the various food options to choose from. ''Smart.''

''Saves everyone the annoyance of interrupting us during meetings,'' explains Kirino as he hands Akane an apple without even thinking about it, his half-sister's love for fruits known to all of them. The midday mal quickly progresses from there, the Clan falling back into familiar habits as if their leader had never left. They fall into most small talk, until eventually the plates are cleared and Aoi waves a hand, her mana easily sending the empty plates back to the kitchen.

''I suppose it's time we get down to business,'' she says, the pink glow surrounding her hands fading away.

Tenma nods, weaving his fingers together and taking a moment to rearrange his thoughts, leaning back in his seat. ''Where to start,'' he hums quietly, although there's no good way to begin this story. Then he sighs – as always, it's easier to just get it over with. ''The spell I used to bind Ixaal was incomplete.''

That certainly gets him a reaction.

''You're joking!''

''That is impossible.''

''What?'' Midori's sharp voice is heard out above the sudden exclamations from her shieldbrethren, the steel and cold fury in it impossible to miss. ''How? You bound him forever – that was ancient spellwork, we could all feel it!''

The brunet waits for the rush of voices to die down and when it does, he finally answers Midori's questions. ''I did,'' he confirms, and his friends' gazes sharpen although they thankfully don't interrupt him. ''I finished the vocal spell, that is correct, but because it is such ancient spellwork, it contains multiple layers of mana. I managed to apply almost all of them, but my focus was... interrupted before I could finish.''

Cold silence.

The harsh reminder of what happened at the end of the war against Ixaal shakes them all and Tenma grimaces. His eyes flash golden and his godly aura – before barely noticeable, only there because they knew it was – washes over them, soothing and warm as if to remind them I am here, I am alright, and they involuntarily relax.

After a few tense moments the atmosphere lightens enough for them to continue their conversation in a calmer manner. ''So what now?'' asks Nishiki, crossing his arms as he frowns. ''What does this mean?''

''He's...'' Hayami hesitates when all eyes turn to him, swallowing nervously, ''he's going to come back, isn't he?'' everyone freezes at his words and he shrinks away self-consciously, but he continues his line of thought despite it. ''If you didn't finish the spellwork, there must be a flaw in it, and Ixaal's had two centuries to work it out, right?''

His leader's frown is enough of an answer for all of them.

''War,'' Shindou fills in and it's not a question as much as it's a statement.

The brunet nods anyway. ''Correct as always, my Rain,'' the casual endearment sends a shock of familiarity, hurt and hopethrough all of them, although their leader doesn't seem to notice. ''Most likely, at least.'' Tenma sighs and leans his elbows on the table, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. ''My human parents are merchants,'' he says, taking them by surprise with the sudden change in topics. ''They travel through the entire country, so I've been to a lot of different places. I've been starting to see signs of Ixaal's return, nothing big, but enough to be worrisome. Added to that that I can feel the mana I used for the spell stir, it's clear he'll return.''

''The big question is if he's still taken over by his own domain,'' Ichino mutters, pressing his knuckles to his chin thoughtfully. ''If he is, war is inevitable.''

Aoyama next to him finishes it for him. ''And if he finds out you're back, he'll hunt you down again.'' He looks at their leader as he says that.

The tension rises again as their grip on their emotions falters, their auras flaring wildly and only making it worse. Tenma flinches as the various mana signals crash over him, feeling his own control start to slip. His eyes flicker between golden and grey. ''Guys, human here, remember?'' he says, grimacing when the discomfort he feels sounds through his voice.

Immediately his Clan reigns in their emotions again and the air becomes a little lighter when their heavy auras dim, Tenma's eyes shining with gold again, the soothing hum of his mana getting them to relax further.

''You're more sensitive to mana now?''

''Unfortunately,'' the brunet responds to Amagi's question, taking note of the sharp glances thrown his way. ''Anyway, back to the point. We don't know enough about Ixaal to face him a second time, like his motives and weaknesses-''

''-his weird obsession with you,'' finishes Kyousuke, all eyes flickering to him. He glances at his leader, expression sharp and unreadable. ''You must've noticed.''

They all quiet down as they think over his words, until Shindou snaps his fingers, realization lighting his gaze. ''Raimei was the strongest Clan by the time Ixaal escaped, with allies in every other big Clan,'' he explains, sharing a look with Kyousuke, ''and he would've had to face us sometime, but he eventually sought us out, sought you out-'' he directs his words at Tenma, ''so the question is, why? And what will we do about it?''

The brunet shoots him a half-amused, half-unimpressed look. ''Oh please, my Rain, it's not like you haven't thought of a plan already.''

Shindou smirks.

No one is surprised.

''Yes I do,'' he says, earning a few eye rolls because it's completely unnecessary. He ignores it with practiced ease. ''If Ixaal is coming back, so will his Generals and if he is out for war, which is likely, we must be prepared. But we can't show that.'' No one disagrees with him, all joking matter having left long ago as they settle into the familiar severity of a situation like this. ''We need to hide our knowledge of the situation, but we also need to gather our allies – which will be hard, considering the situation.''

At Tenma's confused look, the only one who doesn't understand what he means, the strategist elaborates. ''We're still on good terms with almost all of our allies and they would help us without a doubt if we asked for it, but...''

He hesitates, sharing a look with his shieldbrethren, and it does not go unnoticed by their leader.

At the brunet's pointed look, Shindou grimaces, clearly not wanting to say any more. Kirino saves him from it. ''Our alliances have shifted since you... died,'' he tells Tenma, his clenched fists the only sign of his distress at his own words. ''They are our friends, but they were loyal to you, and while they would help us, we do not have our old unity anymore. We weren't the only ones who had a hard time after the war. And... and if Ixaal returns, it might be too painful for some to come to our aid, should we ask.''

''And,'' continues Sangoku, biting his thumb in thought, ''if we told them you were alive, I fear the reactions would be even worse. They would call us delusional and even though they'd see the truth when Ixaal returns, it would be too late.''

No one quite knows what to say to that

The uneasy looks are shared by all of them, and Tenma mentally grimaces.

It's going to be hard to get his friends, protective as they are, on board with this plan, but there's no other choice.

He takes a deep breath and starts speaking.

  ~'0'~  

''Tenma, could we braid your hair too?''

The blond paused in his gentle humming, the bright glow of his eyes dying down as he let go of his mana. ''Braid my hair?'' he repeated, glancing at the three girls in his company. Midori's red hair was held back in a complicated but beautiful mix of braids, Aoi's short locks somehow braided back to encircle her head like a crown. Akane herself had exchanged her usual hairstyle for a different, complex one as well. ''Sure.''

The three girls grinned and immediately got to work, the blond smiling at their enthusiasm. For a few minutes, nothing really interesting happened, except a few curious and amused looks from their friends, until Kyousuke wandered into the camp.

He'd been on a stroll and now he paused, grinning slightly at his friend's position. ''Hm, got roped into it, didn't you?''

The blond rolled his eyes. ''Shush, my Blade,'' he scolded gently, ''unless you want to join us?''

The other looked absolutely mortified at the thought and Tenma laughed softly, careful not to move too much. Soon enough, the peace returned to their camp, the silence broken only by Kariya, Hikaru, Amagi and Kurumada's lazy sparring a little ways away and Tenma's soft humming, the quiet conversation between Aoyama and Ichino merely fading into background noise.

The blond watched his friends, something warm buzzing underneath his skin – to see them all this happy and relaxed was everything he'd ever want.

His eyes landed on Shindou, the rain demigod seemingly deeply absorbed in the book he was reading. Arashi's son merely gazed at him for a few moments, barely holding back a chuckle at the other's clear interest, before he raised his voice and asked, ''what're you reading, my Rain?''

Shindou automatically looked up at the endearment he'd become used to. ''Godly history,'' he replied, glancing down at the text he was reading. ''I never really thought about it, but we're cousins.''

Tenma paused.

''Now that you mention it... Ame's my father's sister, right?''

Shindou nodded at that. ''Arashi's the oldest, as the storm god, and his siblings all have domains that are smaller but no less powerful than his. My mother as the rain goddess, Moya the goddess of mist, and a few others... so Akane and Kirino are our cousins as well.''

''Huh, I never thought of that,'' muttered Kirino. ''Aren't Musashi, Sãberu and Hageshi brothers as well?'' he asked, glancing at Nishiki, Kyousuke and Midori, the children of the perspective gods. ''Samurai, Blades and Warriors, right?''

Their conversation was catching everyone's attention now. ''Anyone else?'' asked Aoi curiously. ''Isn't Kariya my cousin?''

The tealhead in question, who had just joined them – seemed like the spar had ended – nodded. ''Fertility and Hunt, yup. And the goddess of earth belongs to that family too, so Shinsuke and Sangoku are probably some kind of second cousins to us.''

''And then you get Yumi and Kichi,'' added Shindou. ''Books and wit, so Hayami is the cousin of Aoyama and Ichino, and Kurumada, god of inventions, is part of that family too. And everyone else is just lonely.''

There were a few snorts at that, while the lonely ones in question – Hikaru, Amagi, Kuruma and Hamano – either chuckled, glared, or rolled their eyes.

''Weird,'' muttered Tenma, mostly to himself although the others caught it too. ''To think we're pretty much family.'' And then he looked up at his friends, grinning brightly. ''But not bad!''

Smiles from everyone were his response.

  ~'0'~  

It's a week later that Tenma leaves the city.

At the break of down, he leaves with his mortal parents, longing in his heart and sadness in his eyes as he gazes at the place his Clan is gathered.

Who knows how long it will be before he sees them again?

He knows they hate it as much as he does – it'd taken hours before he managed to convince them that yes, this is the only way, and even now he knows they're opposed to it. Not that he isn't, the idea of being apart from them after only just having gotten them back almost too much to bear, and he knows it's much worse for them.

He lived thirteen years without them. They had to miss him for two centuries.

''Akira! Are you coming, son?''

Tenma looks up at his mortal father's shout and shoots him a grin. ''Yeah, sorry!'' he jogs to catch up with their carriage, easily jumping on the back. ''I was just admiring the sunrise.''

His father ruffles his hair, messing up his ponytail. ''You like it here, don't you?''

The brunet merely smiles, giving the city one last look.

''Yeah, I do,'' he says, his eyes flashing gold as they are inevitably drawn to the small figures on the city wall, feeling their auras flare up in response even from so far away. I'll see you soon, my Clan.

Then he turns to the road in front of him.

He has a mission to fulfil.

  ~'0'~  

Thanks for reading, we hope you guys enjoyed it! Until next chapter (AKA tomorrow)!

Yara & Archerr

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