(September 13th, 2017.)

Justin

Today was my big day: My birthday! It is peculiar, however, to have the entirety of the human world celebrating it along with me. I got up early in the morning, around 6:20 AM, to be somewhat exact. My sparring session with Ethan was about to take place in an hour or so. Ethan wanted to skip today because it was my birthday and the day of the festival, but I insisted on sparring on this exact day because I wanted to gift myself the victory. I practiced on my practice dummies for some time and even had the help of Mia, who was quite skilled with hand-to-hand combat. However, she was not as experienced as Ethan, but she was pretty close.

I also insisted that today, we use our actual weapons instead of practice swords. I wanted to see how far I can take it and try to figure out how much skill I have acquired. I wanted to put every skill and technique I have accumulated to the test. I also do not want to have used my sword in actual combat first, without the training. One would try to argue that I did use my sword against that giant guard monster in the sword temple, back when I first got my sword. One is correct; however, the big difference is that back then, I was not trained and not as skilled as I am today. I want to see how my skills affect my sword combat first in training, rather than actual, real, losing means death combat.

Alex stated that I was way too overconfident, but I didn't mind losing. It's more testing my fighting prowess rather than winning. But if I did win, that would be a great bonus. I have also learned that Ethan will use his family katana that he earned a few years back. I have seen him use it on some dummies, and I was fascinated by how his technique and skill translate to the sword so well, making him cut and slash so fast and so accurately with ease. I needed to see how my sword fares against his.

Before I got out of the condo, I talked to Mia to see what she was doing today, as she had some business to attend to. She put on a white crop top shirt with shredded blue jeans and a pair of white sneakers that looked particularly new. Her long red hair fell freely down to her back.

"Literal business," She said. "I need to get to the restaurant and help get everything ready for the festival. It's gonna be packed today."

"What will you be doing? You're a chef, not a waitress."

"Well, duh. I need to get the kitchen ready and help the others prepare the restaurant; it's also gonna be a late shift. I will be drained by the end of it all." She explained, sounding unusually serious. I nodded with my arms crossed.

"Will you miss the party at the castle?" I asked.

"What? Of course not! How can I miss your birthday party of all things?" She replied with utter surprise, making me feel dumb for asking the question. I rolled my eyes. "Now get going. You don't want to miss the training, do you?" She kissed me on the cheek before I exited the condo. As I was walking through the corridor to the elevator, I heard her yelling at Alex.

"Get up, you lazy sloth! You're gonna help me clean this place up, remember?"

I entered the elevator and descended to the lobby, where the staff greeted me.

"Where are you going this early, Justin?" One of them said with the usual friendly tone.

"I'm going to see my friend. So how're the preparations going?" I asked.

"We'll be here, as usual. Until the parade starts, that is. We will be at the crowd, so if you see us, be sure to come and say hi!" The girl receptionist replied with her unusual enthusiasm that I got used to. It was evident that she seemed particularly interested in me, always welcoming and eager to offer help or start a conversation. Unlike other residents, I am the only one who gets this special treatment from her, for obvious reasons.

"Will do!" I said as I walked to the door. But before I could exit the building, I started to overhear them talking, and the conversation was interesting.

"So this is the seventh time we're celebrating Ascension Day. But to be honest with you, I don't know who we're celebrating. We haven't seen anything of him, have we?" The male staff member asked.

"I am not sure... Maybe he immediately went to heaven?"

When I exited the door, I overheard the female receptionist mentioning my name and something about 'becoming eighteen,' but I paid it no mind as I walked out of the building and headed to Ethan's mansion. The people around me did not hide the excitement for the festivities and my holy name was on everybody's tongues. Unlike the receptionists, who understandably were confused, the people around me expressed joy for being in the capital to experience the day and everything this festival and everything it has to offer. A message from my phone interrupted my eavesdropping, making me pull out my device and read a message Alex sent.

"So have you thought of a name for your team yet?" Alex asked, making me stop in my tracks to think. I replied to him, telling him that I haven't. Suddenly, he sent me a text filled with potential names that he thought of. With a total of forty names to choose from, I read through the list and realized that Alex has not thought of them and just wrote anything off the top of his head, with the common word between them is 'Dragon.'

With names like Dragon Keepers, Heroes of Dragons, and Dragon Fighters, it was apparent that Alex wrote them down without thinking of whether the names actually make sense for my adventure. 

"This one? No, too lame. This one? No, too long. What about... No, too weird." I said to myself as I walked all the way to Ethan's mansion that was near the top of a hill, overlooking the city. I busied myself with reading the names and realized how boring and cringe-worthy most of them sounded. I arrived at the mansion and stopped in front of the massive metal gate with the letter S on it, stylized in a large font at the center of the gate. As a family with close ties to the king, it's to be expected that the Silvers would have a lavish mansion gate, but the giant black gate with the golden S on it signified that the family is not just rich, but powerful in its own right. Similar to the Millers. 

"Uh, it's Justin. Ethan's friend," I said to the intercom.

"Ah, yes. Welcome, Lord Justin," The man behind the intercom spoke in this calm and elegant voice, showing that the Silvers do not hire just anyone as their guards.

The gate opened, and I entered the mansion. As I walked through the driveway, I noticed a red four-door convertible sports car that was parked neatly next to the entrance. It shone brightly and glimmered under the morning light of the sun, reflecting everything around it like a mirror. Its sleek design displays a harmonic mix of elegance and speed, boasting raw power that would make car enthusiasts argue whether it's meant for racing or simple luxurious transportation. thought that it might be Ethan's new car, as he is rich enough to buy as many as he wants and so did not give it too much thought and continued making my way to the door. Ethan's mom opened, greeting me with a warm hug that she'd give to her son.

"Justin! Happy birthday, honey!"

"Hi, Mrs. Silver. Is Ethan awake?" I asked.

Ethan's mother is an incredibly kind and humble person. She was one of the people who encouraged Ethan to become my caretaker. She also helped with some school arrangements to make sure I fit comfortably into my new environment and not feel too weirded out or uncomfortable by everything that would happen later on. She says that she owes me so much for giving her son a meaning to his life, as she felt that he was wasting his life on materialistic things and going out with people he didn't seem to be particularly fond of. It was evident that she sees herself as my mother and sees me as her son, but I could not feel the same way. I did not share the same sentiment, despite her acting as motherly as humanly possible. It was the same way for commander Astralis and Alex's mom. Both of them developed motherly instincts as well, but I was not able to see myself as their son. 

"Yes, he is. He's waiting for you at the balcony," She said.

She explained to me that Ethan was somewhat of a spoiled brat when he was younger. He did follow the rules and respected his parents, but he did not seem pretty ecstatic about his life and would go out with different girls every other night, spending hundreds of dollars on his dates and then returning home to watch TV and play games. Then one day, he returned a changed man and started asking her about how to take care of children and stuff of similar nature. She noticed how responsible he started to become and noticed the sudden change in attitude. He learned how to cook, clean, and how to be more organized. She did not know why she was teaching her son her parenting skills until she met me.

I walked to the balcony, where I saw Ethan slicing a training dummy's head clean off with his sword. It wasn't hard to figure out that he was trying to show off and was attempting to intimidate me before the big fight. He sheathed his sword and turned around, greeting me with a smile. He was wearing a buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up and some regular jeans. I did not know why he would wear that for training, but I came with my regular clothes as well, and so I should not be the one judging.

"Happy birthday, Lord Justin," He said as he hugged me, his brotherly and fatherly bond as strong as ever.

"Are you trying to show off with that epic blade of yours?" I asked, gazing at the long katana that made me swallow by how sharp and beautiful it is. The blade shone under the light of the sun and displayed a faint blue aura to show that it was not just an ordinary sword.

"Oh well. I was checking to see if it's sharp enough for our sparring session," He replied.

"What? Planning to slice my head off? Okay then, let's get this show on the road!" I said as I went to the sparring area with him directly in front of me.

"Don't think I will go easy on you just because it's your birthday." He warned before taking off his shirt, revealing a white tank top that made the muscles of a champion emerge. If there were a group of girls watching, they would be swooning all over this knight. As a knight, Ethan is expected to be mighty and very powerful. But as my caretaker, he far outclasses many in his same rank and above.

"Oh, no, no, no! I want you to give it everything you got!" I said as I conjured my sword. The golden blade glimmered because of the sun, making it feel even more ethereal and divine.

"Be ready to get your ass handed to you!" He said as we charged at one another, our swords clashing.

"I have been practicing all night! I didn't take a breather, and I definitely do not plan on giving up!" I exclaimed as I tried to push my sword in his direction, and he pushed back with the power of his heritage.

"Did you forget how many times we trained? What difference will a single night make? Plus, this blade gives me enough power to give you a run for your money!" He said as he tried to push his sword forward, but I pushed even harder, forcing him to jump back and try something else.

He started conjuring katanas made from pure energy and sent them at me as projectiles, but I used my sword to block them. He then used his lightning daggers to dash from one location to another and then finally try to slash me with them, but I used my newly-acquired abilities and dodged his attack swiftly, smacking him on his back with my elbow. The knight balanced himself and turned around, gawking at me with an astounded face.

"Wow. I guess I need to up my game," He said, noticing my skill and readying himself to take it to the next level. He looked more proud than astonished, evident by his smile.

"There's more where that came from," I replied.

He started to use his katana and daggers in tandem with one another, dashing with the knives in all directions and using the katana to slash and cut. I, on the other hand, started jumping around, trying to catch him as he dashed to strike him when he least expected it. I succeeded in doing that and brought him tumbling down on the ground. I tried to attack him again with my sword, but he dodged and started blocking the rest of my attacks with the blade sheath while at the same time using the katana to strike. The more I managed to make his day more cumbersome, the more astonished he got. I kept swinging my sword while trying to stay on my feet and dodge his attacks. I got my opportunity and swung my sword at the sheathe, taking it out of his hand. I then tried to slash at him, ripping his tank top as he tried to dodge. The bewilderment on his face was priceless. I started to laugh hysterically.

"Focus!" He shouted as he dashed towards me with his daggers and tried to slash me, but I managed to place my sword in front of my face, blocking his attack. He then kicked me so hard, I flew backward and landed on my feet.

"I'm happy to see that you have gotten better, but you need to stay focused on your opponent. Never give them a window of opportunity," He said. He then conjured the sheathe back on to the blade.

I tried to attack him again, but he parried my sword and kicked me away. I jumped back on my feet, doing a corkscrew flip before landing, and then dusted my jacket off. He took me dusting my jacket off as an opportunity to attack, not knowing that I was prepared. As soon as his sword got within range, I conjured mine and parried his attack. Then I countered it with my own. My slash was so strong it sent him flying in the opposite direction. However, he was skilled enough to land on his feet.

"Oh, and Ethan, don't take everything as an opportunity," I replied with a smirk. "It might be a trap."

"Don't you sass me, blondie!" He exclaimed.

We ran at one another and started clashing swords once more. We kept trying to get a strike on the other, but we were each dodging and blocking the other's attacks. He then tried using his daggers to get a slight boost of speed. However, he was nothing compared to my speed. When I noticed he was getting tired, I quickly grabbed his right hand and flipped him down to the ground. He tried to sweep the ground under me, but I jumped back and prepared for his attack.

He conjured his katana and tried to attack me with it, but for a split second, I vision flashed inside my mind, and it showed my sword increasing in size and becoming a greatsword. With my heightened reflexes, I immediately increased my sword size and used it to block Ethan's attack. I stopped to marvel at the sheer size of my large sword, noting that it's approximately 7 feet and a few inches tall. With the added strength of the blade, I pushed Ethan away with relative ease.

Ethan landed on his back, this time around. His exhaustion made it hard for him to get back on his feet. "I yield. You win..." He said, breaking his winning streak against me.

I stared at him with disbelief, mouth agape and eyes widened with shock. I looked at my fist before raising it to the sky. "Haha!!! Victory at last! I won, baby! I won! Justin, one! Ethan... A couple of hundred times." I exclaimed and paused with disappointment when I realized that this was the first time I defeated the dude.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Can you help me up?" He asked with a chuckle, to which I immediately offered him my hand to pull him up. He and I panted horribly, our faces red with exhaustion, and our bodies stained with sweat. After the training, we sat at the sofas outside as Ethan's mother prepared us fresh orange juice. Ethan went to his room and brought something with him when he came back. It was a small red gift box wrapped neatly in gift paper.

"Whoa! For me?" I asked.

"Who else?" He replied with a smile of excitement on his face. It was apparent that he was more excited for me to open the gift than I was, which was odd. I unwrapped the gift and took the lid off the box to see what I was gifted. When I took a peek inside the box and saw what I was given, words were unable to describe my shock and excitement.

"No!" I said, looking at Ethan with an ecstatic smile, still unable to wrap my head around it. "No way!"

I was gifted keys. Keys to a sportscar. I was unable to contain my excitement as I jumped and hugged Ethan as hard as I could. My excitement made me forget how strong I was as I embraced my guardian a little too hard.

"Justin! Justin! My back! MY BACK!" He screamed with unbearable pain. I dropped him instantly and repeatedly apologized, thinking that I may have broken his back. He raised his hand and reassured me that it was fine before taking a healing potion.

Then, I put two and two together, realizing that the red car was the one. Ethan took me to the mansion driveway, where I was greeted by the sight of none other than that red, four-door convertible sports car. It was an elegant vehicle, too elegant for words. This model was made in the current year, so it was relatively new. However, I noticed that it was modified with better leather seatings, tires, and wheels. The body parts were even custom made, and the car is also equipped with a hardtop roof. I saw it when I entered the mansion, but I did not give it too much thought. But now, knowing that it is mine makes it hard to not marvel at. I kept gawking at it like a freak and could not stop myself.

"Oh my god... Oh my god..." I said, placing my hands on my head in shock. I ruffled my hair and sighed.

"Wait until you use the interior lighting package. Okay, then, get in!" Ethan said.

We entered the car, Ethan sitting directly next to me. I turned the engine on, put on my seat belt, and got ready to go when I remembered something very crucial. "I... I don't have my license yet..." I said while looking at Ethan. As if right on queue, he pulled out a driving license with my name on it and smirked. I nearly fainted at the sight of it.

"Let's go then!" He said.

"Hold on. Lemme call Alex."

I pulled out my phone and called my friend. It did not even take the lazy teen two seconds to respond.

"Yo, dude! Where are you?!" I asked, feeling incredibly joyous to the point where I felt like flooring it.

"Whoa there. I'm at our place. What's happening?" He asked, concern showing itself in his tone.

"Dude! Wait for me in the lobby! I've got something to show you!" I said before saying my goodbyes and hanging up. I then drove to our condominium building, where Alex was expecting us to show up. Ethan was the one who taught us how to drive. It did not take me long to figure out how to operate a car, as opposed to learning how to fight. However, I can safely say that I was nearly going to give Ethan a heart attack the first few times. It wasn't pretty. Wasn't pretty at all. What helped was the fact that I had a very patient teacher that, despite it making it very crucial for me to learn, was very understanding when I made mistakes and taught me properly.

Now, however, it's a very different story. I have thoroughly learned how to drive and managed to master my driving prowess. And now, having a car to travel in feels very liberating. I am now able to travel the world without anything stopping me. And looking at the license, it is an exclusive license issued to particular members of the royal family and their subordinates, and so I was able to actually travel wherever I want without the fear of being pulled over for looking too young and too handsome. A few minutes later, we arrived at our condo. I called Alex and honked at him once he got out of the building. The look on his face when he saw me, Ethan, and especially the car, was priceless. He immediately ran at me and started asking questions, nearly hitting the front door with the speed he ran at us with.

"Is this yours?!" He asked, his eyes looking like they would pop out.

"Yeah, dude! Of course, it is!" I replied.

"What about a license?" He asked.

"All taken care of!" I replied. "Hop in!"

Alex quickly got inside the car, not giving it a second thought. I decided that we should head to Mia's restaurant and invite the two for a treat. Ethan explained to me that we shouldn't be barging into the establishment and expect one of the chefs to just leave her work and come join us. I was very much aware of that, and that is why I simply planned to have lunch there. No one seemed to disagree so me and the boys, we drove to Mia's place for a sweet treat.

As a bonus, Ethan will finally be able to judge Mia's refined and perfected culinary skills. I plan to make the knight pick from the dishes that I know are Mia's. Alex and I have been to that restaurant a couple of times, and we were quite surprised to see Mia of all the people working there. It came out of nowhere and took us by surprise, but to me, I instantly realized that she chose this restaurant because Alex and I frequent it. She wanted to make it a surprise and so did not tell us a thing.

"I want you guys to be properly fed!" She said once. I also remember her saying, "I am tired of seeing fast food bags and noodle cups in the trash, sink, on the coffee table, sofa and beds!"

That day she laid the smackdown on us both and made us clean the entire condo alone for a week. I believe Alex gets flashbacks when I suggest ordering fast food to our place. He states that he feels Mia's furious eyes staring at him from the back even when she isn't there. With that said, she is fine with us ordering a pizza or two. But she insisted on becoming a culinary genius to make sure we are eating healthily. And I agree with her, knowing Alex and I cannot survive a week on our own.

Ethan, Alex, and I finally arrived at Mia's restaurant. I parked the car, and we entered the place casually without drawing any attention or seeming too inconspicuous. However, we three beautiful gentlemen tend to draw some looks when we're together. Ethan stopped in his tracks and looked at the restaurant before realizing something that flew over our heads. I looked at him with confusion.

"Wait a sec!" Ethan said. "The Ocean Breeze? I love this place! Why did no one tell me?"

"So, you come here often?" I asked.

"Yes!" He replied.

"And you did not know Mia worked here?" Alex asked.

"Exactly!" He replied. "Why did no one tell me?"

"Well... you didn't ask."

"I thought that you knew both this place and the fact that Mia works here," Alex stated.

"I guess it never crossed my mind. Let's take a seat, shall we?" Ethan said, ending that topic.

I grabbed the menu and showed Ethan the food that I am sure Mia would be making, then I picked mine, and Alex picked, too. After that, the waiting game started. We all picked dishes that Mia would make, dropping hints to let her know that it's us. Alex was reluctant about that idea because he did not want to make Mia work hard just to subtly inform her that it was us. Although knowing Mia, she'd be delighted to know that we picked her food and disregarded all others. "Besides, there are multiple chefs here, so she definitely will not be making the food all by herself," I added after explaining.

"So this new car of yours is Ethan's doing?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, it is. But it's also the product of the many contributions by his majesty, the royal mechanics, commander Astralis, and me." Ethan informed. "We also modified it to make it more useful, practical, and convenient for your journey, so please take care of it."

"I sure will!" I replied, making Ethan roll his eyes at me.

"How so?" Alex asked.

"Well, for starters, we enhanced the performance of the car, added an updated infotainment system, we also made custom leather seats to make it more comfortable. We replaced the wheels and tires with sport ones and did much more that you could see in detail. Just open the glovebox and open the envelope inside the car," Ethan explained.

"What did commander Astralis do?" Alex asked.

"Oh! I totally forgot! She provided the bulletproof glass and oversaw the development of the infotainment system. The mechanic did the other mechanic things I stated, the king signed all the papers, and I was in charge of picking the car. Not in that order, of course."

"Wow..." Alex gazed at me with a loss for words.

"Now, all we have to do is figure out who the remaining party members are," I stated.

"Any ideas?" Ethan asked.

"Well, I am one hundred percent certain the winged lady is Mia. There is no one else who can fit that description. The sword-wielding guy and the guy with the golden arm, I'm not so sure."

The look on Alex's face when I stated that it was Mia was a look of complete shock and horror. I looked at him and sighed, saying: "I know..."

"Well, I'm not so sure that you will meet all of them before the start of your journey. You might meet them along the way," Ethan opined.

"Hmm... That might be the case..." I replied and held my chin.

Before long, the food was ready. As the waitress was leaving, Ethan decided to get some information from her. She looked a little shy to talk to a good-looking individual but was happy nonetheless.

"Hey, beautiful. You know that I am a regular here, right?" He asked with a smile and a wink.

"Uh, yes, sir. Is there anything wrong." She asked while blushing. As a waitress that's around his age, she enjoyed his flirting as much as I felt annoyed by it.

"Oh, no, no, no. I just want to know, since this is a relatively new plate I ordered, who the chef might be," He stated. "And maybe your number, too."

"Well, she's a talented young girl who just started nearly a year ago and has been a great addition to our staff. We've seen a surge in rating ever since she got employed here. She has a hand in making most of the food on this menu, but the particular three that you've selected are all done exclusively by her," The waitress stated.

"All three?!" He asked.

"Yes, sir." The waitress said, smiling at Ethan's intentionally comedic overreactions.

"All by herself?!" He asked.

"Indeed, sir." The waitress chuckled. I felt Alex's stare at me and turned around to see him shaking his head with a smirk, enjoying the fact that I made a mistake assuming Mia would have a helping hand.

"Whoa..." Ethan said before ordering a diet soda.

"Was that overreaction needed?" I asked.

The knight shrugged. "What? It was funny, wasn't it?" He asked.

"Sure, but... forget it. We now know she did it all herself." I stated.

"Let's dig in!" Alex exclaimed.

After we finished, I felt stuffed. The food was incredibly delicious that I could not have enough, but at the same time had more than I can handle. I could not maintain my seating and felt like falling from the chair. Alex had his head on the table, he as well, having his stomach satisfied. Ethan felt pretty good. Not too full like the both of us, but he was pretty ecstatic with the food he ordered. He looked at me and smirked as he noticed how tired I looked. He even started chuckling, much to my dismay. I looked at him with a glare, letting him know I am not messing around. The waitress then came back, seeing how Alex and I felt too stuffed, she sported a worried expression on her face.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Oh, no. Everything is fine." Ethan stated, winking at her. "Also, another question that I would like to ask you if you don't mind."

"Of course, sir."

"Does the chef happen to have red hair, and her name is Mia Cooper?" Ethan asked.

The waitress got surprised by Ethan's question. "Uhh... You know her, sir?" She asked.

"Us three, we are her friends. It just happens that these two haven't told me that Mia works here. So can you please tell her on our behalf, that the three wackos she's befriended give her their compliments?" Ethan said.

"I approve of this message," I said, still holding my stomach.

"I concur," Alex added.

The waitress left with that message in mind, but not before slipping a tiny note to Ethan and whispering something in his ear. Alex and I raced to the bathroom, where I started talking to him from my stall to his. As we were relieving ourselves, we still felt hungry. Alex's constant whining was proof enough for me that he felt the same way.

"Hey, Alex. When was Mia's food so good?" I asked.

"I guess that with the resources of a fancy restaurant, and the fact that she has to make her best food for three anonymous customers, all with the fear of losing her job, she will perform top-notch. But when it's her place and making food for her dweeb friends, things take a more relaxed turn and the quality dips," He explained.

"You know what? That actually makes sense!" I replied.

"But man! My stomach hurts. I need to do a number two really bad... and I wanna order two more plates!"

"Oh, I'm doing one. Argh! Oh, man, it's a big one! It's a big doo-doo!" I stated. "Urgh! The toilet water touched me!"

I finished and washed my hands. Alex was still busy on his end, so I left first. As I opened the door, I was greeted with the rapturous and euphoric face of Mia. She kissed me on the cheek and hugged her boyfriend. I did not doubt her abilities to sneak from the kitchen to the men's bathroom; Still, I was surprised to see her.

"Hello, wacko #1. I heard you liked my food," She stated. Her delighted voice giving off an alluring tone. She licked her lips while wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Uuh, yeah. Also, Ethan and Alex loved it too," I stammered.

"Mhm. I can see that."

"Also, can you please stop hugging me? It'll be awkward if someone sees us." I whispered as I grabbed her hands and attempted to lift her grasp on me.

"I don't mind. In fact, why don't we go inside a stall and-" I cut her off.

"Nope! Not in public! Not in the restaurant where you work! And especially not in a bathroom where my other friend is still inside and where I took a large number two!"

"Okay, okay," She said, backing off. "I'm gonna go now, nice to know that you guys have enjoyed my food."

Mia pulled me in and kissed my lips. "Oh, man. I can't get enough of these lips," She stated before winking at me while leaving. Alex then got out of the bathroom. He looked at me and noticed that I was sporting a weird look.

"What's wrong?" He asked, showing concern as he washed his hands.

"Uh, Mia was here," I replied.

"Wait, Mia was here?"

"That's just what I said."

"And what did she want?" He finished washing his hands and walked to me.

"You know, Alex? What is Mia really?" I asked.

"A demon, succubus... I'm not sure." He answered.

"And what do you think the latter is known for?" I asked, feeling pretty uncomfortable.

He looked at me for a second, not understanding what I mean. But once it clicked inside his head, he stared at me in complete astonishment. He banged his fist at the wall and then looked at me with an evil grin on his face.

"Mia wanted you. At this instant. Am I correct?" He asked.

"Yes," I responded, flummoxed.

"And what did you say?"

"I told her no." The smile on his face completely disappeared and turned into a troubled frown. A look that can make a god feel uncomfortable was an achievement in and of itself. Something only Alex can pull off. I swallowed and looked at the dude, seeing the anger build up within him.

"You said no..." He said, grabbing me by the collar.

"Dude, what did you expect me to do? Be shoved into a stall where I just took a massive doo-doo and have coitus with my girlfriend while my best friend is in the other stall, pooping?! Are you serious?!" I asked. "Plus, I wouldn't want my first time to be inside a disgusting stall with the smell of poop and your groaning sounds in the adjacent one!"

Alex then had that 'Ahh I get it' look on his face. "Oh. Well, putting it that way certainly makes a lot more sense." But then the furious look returned in there blink of an eye. "But you were going to dip your wick!!! Dude!"

"Everything has its time and place," I replied.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I overreacted," He said, letting go.

"Oh, no, dude. It's nothing. I would've done the same if you got the opportunity to do it, but I wouldn't get this angry."

"Aww, thanks!" He said.

"Emphasis on IF!" That made Alex punch me.

When we got back to our table, Ethan was there, ordering some sweet dessert. Alex and I sat down as if nothing happened. When Alex tried to inform the knight about my demon affair, I kicked his leg.

"You know if you keep ordering, the tab will be all on you?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure. I'm enjoying this place. This reminds me of when I was younger and when I used to spend my money needlessly. Those were dark times, as I'm sure my mother told you."

"Yeah, she did. She also believes that she owes me because of your dedication as my caretaker transformed you into a better person. I don't believe so. I did nothing, really. It was all you," I replied.

"No, she's right. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be throwing my family's money away," He replied, giving me a thankful look that moved my little heart.

"And you'd still be dating my sister," Alex said, turning away from us. My heart stopped once I heard that.

Ethan's smile disappeared."Dude... I'm so sorry..." He stated with a horrified expression. "I shouldn't have brought that up." Alex then turned around and looked at us again.

"Oh, it's not our fault. It's better that she left. She has done nothing but harm to everyone around her." Alex replied, his voice sounding unnaturally calm as if the situation meant nothing to him.

"I'm sorry for dating your sister," Ethan said with genuine sorrow in his voice. The knight looked away from the young abuse victim, feeling as if he was gut-punched by the memories. I felt like flipping the table as soon as I remembered Nova and the way she spoke to me as if there was nothing to hide, making me feel safe and secure around her. Alex's calm and gentle voice made it even harder to suppress the rage.

"Dude, stop being sad. I should be thankful that you dated her. If it weren't for you, I'd still be the victim of her outbursts of rage. I always felt some moments of serenity when you came to pick her up. Even though I would be beaten or threatened to be beaten, pranked, bullied, and so on, it actually brought me joy to see her happy with you. Every time I stared into her eyes, I saw indescribable melancholy. I knew from the start that something was up with her. She was very dull, silent, and aloof at some times, and then completely sadistic and sociopathic at other times." Alex explained.

"My god... what a monster..." I spoke under my breath.

"That said, there were these rare occasions where she did show me her sisterly love. I remember once when my pet puppy had to be put down because a car hit him, and there was nothing they could do about it. I cried in my room for a few hours. But suddenly, I found myself being comforted by her warm embrace. She wiped my tears away and sang me a lullaby, even. And there were those other times when I was in true danger, like when I was about to fall down a river, or when I genuinely needed help with stuff like homework, food, and even company, she was there. She was there when I needed her the most, and when I needed her away." Alex added, his voice getting increasingly joyous when reciting what little happiness Nova brought to him, only to quickly snatch it away.

"I'm sorry, buddy. If only I had known earlier," Ethan said.

"Trust me when I say it's better that you didn't. If you did, she'd blame me for ruining her relationship, and you know where she'll go from there," Alex explained.

"When she left, she left a letter for me... a-and my family. In it, she said that she wanted to find her purpose in life. To go and find happiness and something that will alleviate her weariness. She did leave a part of the letter addressed to me. She said that I should find something to make me forget. She wanted me, especially to move on and heal. She wanted to do the same, but she knew deep down that chaos is her only drive until she finds something else." He continued.

"Man, I cannot..." Ethan trailed off. I kept silent throughout and felt like vomiting. I knew he needed to get it off his chest sooner or later, but it was hard to bear, especially when I could have done something to save him.

'Such a great beacon of hope and symbol of peace you are, Justin...'

"She also had a part addressing you, Ethan," Alex said, much to Ethan's shock. "She said that it was best for you two to break up, and she was thrilled for you to have found your purpose in life. 'Continue doing what you love doing,' she said. 'Go take care of that kid and try to love again.' I knew that my part and yours were written from her heart when I noticed teardrops on both of them."

"To be honest with you, Alex. I really hope she'll find what she needs," Ethan said.

"Funny you should say that," Alex said after a chuckle, immediately sending chills down my spine. "Today, a letter arrived at my parents' mansion. No name or address, nothing. But my instincts and what was written in it immediately made me realize who wrote it."

"And what was... written on it?" Ethan asked.

"Two things," Alex responded. "I succeeded."

"By the gods..." I said to myself.

"I was sad when she left. But after seeing the sorrow in the eyes of my parents, and knowing what she did to everyone she met, I started to feel nothing for her, except resentment in my heart," He stated. "So to end this conversation, I just want to say thank you. Both of you. For finding each other and being there for me." The look of genuine joy made me feel like bursting into tears. I clenched my fist under the table and tried to compose myself, but it was hard.

"I will always be there for you," I said, placing my hand on his shoulder.

"You know I'm always here for you as well," Ethan added. "Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it."

Suddenly the same waitress came back with extra dishes of the same food we ordered before and said: "It's on the house!"

"Okay, Alex. you know what time it is!" I stated, changing the subject.

"Let's dig in!!!"

An hour or so later, the festival began, and the parade was a few minutes away from starting. The restaurant got packed quickly, and the waitress could not manage to deliver the food on her own. A few new waiters and waitresses arrived as well, having been called for this festivity shift. Us three were casually sitting, discussing stuff about the festival, the festivalgoers, and the parade. Ethan suggested that we go to watch the parade and enjoy the festivities altogether, I was going to agree to the idea, but the sounds of gunfire taking the entire restaurant by surprise cut me off. People all around us started screaming and hiding under tables while Ethan, Alex, and I immediately ran outside to see what was happening. I spotted police cars driving towards the scene while civilians ran to safety, screaming. Ethan instantly conjured his thunder daggers and started phasing and warping on rooftops and the sides of buildings to go support his comrades.

"Screw this!" I said before looking at Alex. "Alex, listen to me. Get as many civilians as you can to enter the restaurant and fast. Then tell Mia to call me as soon as she can! Go!"

I sprinted to action, knowing that time is a luxury I cannot afford. I kept grabbing groups of civilians and pointing towards restaurants, hotels, and anywhere that seems safe to large groups. As I continued running, I saw some RSS ninjas lying on the ground. They were conscious but in pain. Their armor was heavily damaged, but there was little to no bleeding. I approached them and helped one of them back on his feet. The soldier struggled to maintain himself for a few seconds before regaining his balance.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"A person has been going around the city, mowing down our forces, my lord. He has left zero casualties, however," He stated. "Not a single member of the force is dead."

"You're saying all of you, plus dozens of other highly trained soldiers, nights, and officers have been beaten by ONE GUY?!" I asked, utterly shocked and horrified at the same time. I started to imagine what he would do to Ethan, who would fight relentlessly and would not give up until he is lying dead on the ground.

"As much as it is hard to believe, that's what happened," He replied.

"Okay, okay! Now grab your guys and go!" I shouted. "I'll handle this myself."

I kept running throughout the city, seeing all the carnage and fighters lying on the ground unconscious or too injured to move. I kept asking anyone who was awake enough for directions and started running. I began to see tornadoes of blue magic taking soldiers and flinging them around when I got close enough to the scene. I booked it in the directions of the tornadoes, seeing more and more fallen soldiers on the ground. I began to get rightfully pissed and wanted revenge as much as I was anxious for Ethan and my own lives.

"All of this, and not a single casualty?! Who is this guy?!" I yelled into the air.

Mia called and was very worried, rightfully so. "Justin! What's going on?!" She asked.

"Mia, I want you to meet me outside the citadel. I need your help," I stated.

"I'll be there in a sec!" She said before I hung up.

When I finally arrived at the citadel entrance, I saw more fallen soldiers. Mia arrived not ten seconds after, having taken off her chef uniform. I took a peek inside the citadel and saw the one person everyone told me about. I turned around and stared at Mia dead in the eyes, grabbing her shoulders and making her feel uncomfortable. The worry in her eyes only grew once she saw how serious I was.

"Mia, I want you to fly me all the way up. Then I want you to drop me as hard as you can. After that, I want you to return here and take as many of these people as you can away to safety. Then get Ethan here! Drag him by the ear if you have to!" I ordered. Then I pointed at the mysterious man inside the citadel. "See this guy? He caused all of this. I want to make him taste justice."

Mia discarded her worry and put her head in the game. "Okay then, just say the word!" said the devil before grabbing me and flying me up. "Good luck!" She said before dropping me down.

I conjured my sword as I descended, slamming it down on the ground and grabbing the attention of the terrorist, whose face was now revealed. A good-looking dude with black hair and green eyes. His face reminded me of his majesty as if he was a copy. Suddenly my mind flashed back to the mural on the wall, depicting me and the other three. The vision focused on the guy with the blue weapons.

'Is this him?!' I asked myself.

"Not one more step!" I yelled.

The assailant was somewhere around my age and an inch taller. He wore a white jacket and a pair of blue jeans with tactical pouches strapped to the sides. He looked intimidating enough, but not as someone who would decimate an entire army of soldiers on his own. Something about him made me feel as if he was someone close to me. Like I know the man and should not hurt him, lest I regret it later.

'Guessing by the carnage, his tornados must have played a big role in getting him this far. But it's extremely unwise to go in guns blazing to the citadel unless this is a suicide mission.'

"And you are?" He asked.

"You don't wanna know," I replied.

The man chuckled, making a mockery of me. "Is this your first rodeo, kid? You've seen what I did here. Look around you." It was not visible, but I felt pain and anger through his otherwise calm voice. I felt his anguish... his agony.

"And you are not gonna get away with this, trust me," I replied.

"Just leave, okay?" He said as he started to ascend the stairs. "I don't want to hurt-"

I cut him off by grabbing his arm and throwing him halfway to the entrance gates.

"What the?!" He asked, totally bewildered and shocked, looking at me with utter disbelief while marveling at my unexpected strength.

"I said, not a single step. You took three. I was gonna settle for a slap on the wrist, but you just had to do it, huh?" I replied.

My epic quips seemed to piss him off. He charged at me and tried to strike, but I blocked him with my sword. He then placed his feet on the blade of my sword and pushed himself back down, landing on the ground next to the first flight of stairs. I jumped down and was now facing him where the citadel was to my left and to his right.

"Alright, kid, I underestimated ya. But I will not make that mistake again." He said before we both rushed at one another.

"En garde!" He shouted before we clashed swords.

He's strong, but I am stronger. I was able to push his sword away and swing mine at him, but he quickly conjured a shield and covered himself, blocking my attack. He then charged with the shield at me, hitting me in the face. I jumped backward and did a corkscrew flip in mid-air. He conjured a polearm and tried to throw it at me, but I grabbed it and broke it in half. He smirked after I did that and conjured it again. Not surprising, given I've seen this happen with some trainees.

"Oh, wow. So surprising," I said sarcastically while rolling my eyes.

"I'm surprised," He said. "Who are you, kid?"

"Dude, I'm around your age."

"Couldn't care less," He said before charging at me with his polearm. I jumped to the side and kicked him away. He conjured what seemed to be a grenade and threw it at me. I immediately dodged and kicked it away. The grenade he threw was the source of the magic tornadoes, as it appeared.

He charged at me with his sword, making me block his attack with mine. Once I pushed him off, I enlarged my sword and tried to strike him, only for him to dodge. He started making flips, heading in the opposite direction. Once he stopped, he adjusted himself and called upon dozens of spears that started flying in my direction. I used my enlarged sword to block all of them and started walking in his direction.

"HOW?!" He shouted, utterly agitated.

"Not so strong now, are you?" I replied while keeping a straight face.

When I finally reached him, I tried striking with my sword. He immediately moved to the side and grabbed one of his tornado grenades, throwing it at me. Little did he know I was actually planning for him to do that. When I reached the top of the tornado, I conjured my wings and boosted myself upward before jumping down and striking the ground in front of him, sending him flying in the opposite direction, heading towards a pillar. He was so talented that he flipped in midair and landed his feet on the pillar before pushing himself off of it.

"I didn't expect this much skill," I said. "But it's still not enough."

"I would definitely hate to disappoint!" He replied.

He conjured a sniper rifle and started firing at me. However, I was skilled enough to slice the bullets with my sword. After realizing that his rifle will not work, he used a spell that made him rain down arrows on me. I used my swords to block them, not noticing he appeared and stabbed me with his polearm. When I felt the sharp pain, I instantly kicked him away and removed the polearm. He watched in horror, appalled as I started to heal slowly.

"I have come too far to fail!" He yelled, getting desperate.

"Sadly, you have failed! I'm just here to put the final nail in the coffin!" I yelled back.

I used my enlarged sword to deflect all the arrows and spears he sent in my direction. And when he threw one of his grenades, I grabbed it and threw it right back at him, making him get a taste of his own medicine. As I watched him get taken by the tornado, I jumped after him and started beating the living hell out of this assailant. When we reached the top of the tornado, he stabbed me with his sword, and I threw him away. While still in midair, I took his sword out and threw it right at him. He rolled away, but I jumped down after him and tried to strike him. He conjured his shield and used it to push me off of him.

"You even took down commander Astralis! I will make you pay for what you've done!" I yelled.

"I am doing what is necessary! If no one wakes up your king to the horrors of the east, we will all die! Understand?!" He shouted.

"And beating up the entire security force of the city will help us?! How?!" I yelled back.

"By any means necessary! I am not waiting for a nameless god to help us! The ends justify the means!" He replied.

"Do you not believe in the prophecy?" I asked.

"How can I believe in someone whom I don't even know the face or name of?!" He yelled. "I have friends who are equally as afraid as the rest of us are! While that filth of a king makes parades and festivals to some god without a name or a face!"

"I am doing what must be done, as expected of me!" He barked.

"No one expects of you to do such a thing!"

"Oh, I beg to differ! Such is the duty of my bloodline! To see to it that this kingdom survives!"

We both ran at one another, swords clashing. I tried to hold myself and hear him out, rather than push him away.

"I have friends too! But invading the citadel and becoming a regicide will solve nothing! Who will lead our people if our king died?!" I asked.

"I will! Like I have any other choice either way!" He replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked, lowering my tone in visible confusion. The anger and sorrow in his voice became more evident as his voice started to crack.

"I did not take a single life today, and I am not planning to have blood on my hands anytime soon! Withdraw now, because I don't want to kill you," He stated.

"I am not withdrawing! Everyone here is like a family to me! I will not let you do this! Even the king is like a father figure!" I replied.

"A father figure, huh? Lucky you! Well, he is literally my father!" He said, much to my shock. "But he was never there for me!"

"Enough!" I said, pushing him away. "This is over!"

I started slashing at him. He used his sword to block, but I shattered it with my own strength. He used his lance to stab me, but I broke it in half again. He finally employed his shield to protect himself, but I snatched it out of his hands and threw it away before kicking him down, ending the fight. He conjured his sniper rifle, but I pointed my sword at his neck, forcing him to yield. As he panted for air, he looked at me with an intent to murder me. His face was red and showed signs of exhaustion. I was tired as well, but not to the same degree as he was. The teen panted harder than me, but we were both visibly exhausted. I dematerialized my blade.

"Who... Who are you..." He asked.

"Nice to meet you, prince Zachary. I'm your nameless god."

"Justin!" Ethan yelled. I sighed at him, having ruined the moment.

"You ruined my one-liner!" I roared at the knight.

"Who is this guy?" He asked. He then moved to grab Zachary off the ground and put him in handcuffs.

"Halt!" The king shouted as he descended up the stairs. Startled, Ethan stepped away and bowed to his king, and so did Mia, who arrived with the knight.

"Your Majesty. I present to you... Well, I guess you already know," I stated.

King Leon stopped to stare at his son, who was on the ground and glaring at his father even harder than he was at me. "Everyone, this is Prince Zachary Angelus Drakionis. This is... my late son."

"Not so late now, huh, father?" Zachary replied bitterly. "And by the way, I'm known as Zack Ryder on my ID. Don't call me what's not my official name, thank you very much!"

The king tried to get his son back on his feet, but the young prince snapped at his father and slapped his arm away. Mia gasped at the way her father figure was being treated but did nothing.

"Get your dirty, bloodsoaked hands off of me, you pathetic excuse of a king!" He snapped before standing right back up on his own.

"Bloodsoaked?" I asked, getting him to look at me with the eyes of a man who has lost everything.

"My mom died because of his incompetence, weakness, and inability to save her! Her blood is on his hands!" He stated.

"Whoa, dude. Calm down," I said.

"Don't you tell me to calm down, Justin, the god!" He replied and placed his index finger on my chest.

"There is much that you don't understand here," I stated.

"And what do you understand, huh?" He asked, gritting his teeth.

"Granted, there is much that you, me, or everyone else here lacks the knowledge about, but you need to understand that your father isn't to blame here. Assassins took your mother's life, not him. None of us were there that night, correct?" I asked. "I understand your frustration. But you should not have taken it on the entire security forces and me."

"As if they'd let me in if I stated I am the dead son of the king," He replied. "Honestly, tell me. Would you have believed me, would any of you?! Aside from that geezer with a crown."

"I would have," I replied. The lack of frivolity or amusement on my face proved to everyone that I am as serious as I can get.

"Of course you would have," He replied sarcastically, throwing his hands around.

"I'm not lying. In fact, I can show you proof," That seemed to pique his interest. I pulled out my phone and scrolled to a picture Ethan sent me of the mural with four people, including Me, Mia, Zack, and one last mysterious person.

"See this?" I asked, pointing at the man with the many weapons. "It's you! The one on the left, with the glowing blue weapons! See? Sniper rifle, sword, shield, polearm... And that's Mia with the wings and polearm to the right, and that's me at the top!"

"What the-" Zack explained as he saw his weapons.

"Justin..." Mia spoke, her expression bearing one of shock. I looked at her and saw that she was petrified, only gazing at me with what I can describe as an unbelievable shock. Not a second after she spoke my name, tears started flowing down her face. "Justin... w-w-why haven't you told me about this?" She asked.

"I... I didn't... I didn't want to. I didn't want to put your life in danger," After I said that, Mia jumped into my arms, hugging me tightly.

"I'm... I'm supposed, no, FATED to go with you?!" The girl cried. "I'm fated to go with you!"

"Yeah... yeah, you are..." I hugged her back and watched as she poured her eyes out on my jacket.

"And who is the last person? The one with the golden arm?" Zack asked, disregarding Mia completely.

"Not sure yet. But the more important thing is that your father here, Ethan and I went to the Dragon Islands and got this sword that I am using. There we found this depiction. I instantly recognized Mia, but deep down, I had my doubts and wanted to make sure. Then there was the whole diety armor thing where we went down a secret room in the castle gardens under the statue of the founder king. On the staircase wall was a depiction of all the past kings at their greatest. When we reached the end, your grandfather was depicted, and enough space was left for two kings. Your father put the pieces together and realized your time to shine neared. And my guess that's why he started acting strange sometimes," I explained.

"Nice deduction skills," Zack said while holding his chin. "Anything you have to say, dear father?" The king sighed and prepared for a long explanation.

"Everything Justin deduced is correct. After I saw that there were two more spaces left, I realized that I needed to take action posthaste. I founded a secret task force in charge of doing the top-secret operations and go on covert missions. I've also prepared for Justin's adventure and your return. That's why the Royal Glaive has expanded even more outside of the city. We've also started to do more research into ancient history books and attempted to discover more about our world and where dragons might lie dormant. We were successful in finding some locations, but others remain a mystery."

"Justin, tell him about the time where NeomaFlora herself came down to talk to us!" Ethan stated.

"Say what now?" Zack asked.

"Ah, yes. The Goddess of the Night herself descended from the heavens to exposit some interesting stuff on us. She explained to us who my predecessor was and what we should do," I revealed to the prince who failed to take everything in at once.

"You spoke to a goddess?!" He asked in complete shock.

"Well... there is one standing right in front of you, so..." Ethan trailed off

"That's not the point!" Zachary shouted, startling us. "Anyways, can someone explain to me what you're planning to do with Rome?"

"Their power is too strong and is getting stronger every day. Unfortunately, we cannot send any spies to their nation as they are very strict on who to let inside and who not to," Ethan explained.

The prince kept glaring at his father, expecting him to speak instead of his servants. The king sighed and continued. "All we can do now is try to find as many dragon lairs as possible before Justin begins his adventure."

"Why not go, like, literally anytime and try to find them yourself?"

"Well, I suggested that idea many times over, but no one seemed to agree that it's a good idea to send an untrained teenager to go find and unleash mythical dragons all on his own. And we were waiting for the three companions to show up," I explained.

"Well, I showed up and made quite the entrance. I'd say that's fate poking you with a stick and telling you to get on with it already," Zack replied. "Now, we're only down to one crony."

"I believe that since you made a big mess, I got the vision that told me it was you whom I'm looking for. If the last guy does the same, I'm sure we'll figure him out. That's if his left arm and white hair isn't immediately a dead giveaway."

"But can I mention how powerful you are? Taking down everyone like that?" Mia asked. "I did not expect that from a royal brat such as yourself."

Immediately, Mia regretted her poor choice of words. Zack stared at her with the glare that sent chills down her spine. "See these hands?" Zack stated, showing his swollen hands that looked hardened and very firm. "These are not the hands of a royal brat who got everything handed to him on a silver platter. These are the hands of a farmer. A peasant. One who had to cultivate his own food and reap what he sowed. Don't you even dare calling me a royal brat again. I have never used that word to describe myself, and I have lived my entire life like this. Not that you would know."

"Okay, can we all just stop?" I kindly asked everyone.

Zack sighed and looked at commander Astralis, who was just recovering from his one-man incursion. "For now, can you please round up every injured soldier? I owe everyone an apology."