"Idiot, all because of you, the only thing we will witness at the family gathering today will be the clean-up schedule of finished turkey. If only I had run off by myself....."

At least that is what Rylzeana wanted to say at the moment to Chyna, who had been lagging behind her, taking support of the rails, or carriages on the road, almost out of breath, her cheeks so pumped red that even her heart might consider giving a resignation letter.

But she knew just as well that her jibe at her unwanted companion wouldn't be justified in this and the last thing, on Rylzeana's mind was to be part of anything she felt wholly unjustified.

As the boundary walls of Wazenzilch house came within the sight, the gleam that had been obscured under her momentary apprehension, returned once in her eyes and the blue hues were instinctively drawn to the special jewel made amulets , for whom she had so laboured.

As she stamped her foot on the entrance, she turned around, only to find that her secret wish of adrenaline at closing in on destination, prompting Chyna catch up faster, had been rejected by divine. In fact, seeing the destination already so near, Chyna's legs seem to have lost the remaining ounce of strength as well.

"Oh, for the love of Christ." Rylzeana facepalmed herself, feeling the pang of embarrassment just at the very thought of being in latter's position. "You need to attend more P.E. classes rather than stupid diet."

"...We-ll...t-that..." Walking like a constipated old man with broken back, Chyna continued slow as ever, until she closed in , marking with a a full face plant on the wall, squishing her cheeks . "T..that sounds little excessive, don't you think?"

Rylzeana eyed the panting girl up and down, who gave a lackadaisical thumbs up, with a smile so feeble that she was barely even fooling herself."Yes. "

Maybe, that was excessive for a smooth brain. Informations tend to slip as fast as they could get into it.

"By the way, Anna.." Having recovered her strength from the face-plating against wall technique, Chyna's energy seemed to reach back into her eyes, just like a golden retriever who after a long walk, could feel excited once again, having rested for a few minutes in home, despite the complaining whines throughout the walk.

"Again with Anna.." Rylzeana grumbled to herself, as the latter continued, "Anna, which one do you think Mr. Shikami will appreciate more? The handmade statue of ice- dagger stabbing the head of Dragon of Sahara or crown of dead witches' bones, cursed by the First Divine Archibald of Mezina?"

"Brother Shikami doesn't like flashy things," Rylzeana exhaled slowly, as they reached the house's door. "Dagger will certainly be more tempting gift ... I suppose, then. But you mean to share gift so who is to say about brother Fyhrion's intentions."

"Aww, you mean Mr. Fyhrion and Mr. Shikam will compete for me....ahm..i mean my gifts." Chyna clutched her chest, as she felt a unexplainable churning inside her stomach, as her eyes seemed to reach the skies.

"If their eyes are not already satiated with mine..." Rylzeana smiled sheepishly, as she clutched the transparent plastic wrapping tightly, in which were contained the four distinct amulets. With that, she inserted the key in the door's knob and chanted the password in magical dialect, specific to each noble mage family in the Mezina.

The beautifully and richly carved wooden door, was pushed open, making a loud creaking noise as it kissed the walls and the drawing room welcomed the duo. But instead of finding the drawing room's occupants engaged in eating or out of wishfulness, having abstained and lying in wait for Rylzeana with hungriness in eyes, a much different spectacle greeted them.

The three brothers , the parents and aunt all - eyes seem to be glued to their communication device, their iris reflecting the jarring lines that seem to follow through incessantly without any hopes of ceasing.

Having heard the sound of them entering, Shikami gave a small wistful smile to Rylzeana , a smile so small and yet so filled with hospitality that Chyna's heart took it for herself to be swooned by the very gesture.

But Chyna's eyes were grim dark, ever since her sight fell on the lovely girl, seated so close to her idol, with a face so opulently bright and gaze so lost , at Shikami's face, that it was hard to draw a conclusion otherwise.

A rival! Ha...and an older one at that. Damn! Rylzeana really should have told her about the challenge at family event.

Chyna soon relaxed herself, pressing her feet firmly as she realised that the other two brothers were still free, though they hardly seem to have paid attention to their presence . Within a moment of Shikami's tap , all eyes rose , before being drawn to them.

"Oh,... thanks the heaven. Where was your phone, sweetie.." Rinvetta stood up from her chair, as she rushed towards Rylzeana, examining her shoulder to waist, face to feet before placing her arms around her neck and hugging her in a gentle embrace, with a relief in her voice. Directing a quick glance at her daughter's friend, she softly touched Chyna's cheek, before retracing. "For..you as well."

Taken aback by the sudden gesture, Rylzeana's eyes wore a guise of cluelessness, that seem to have dominated Chyna's smile "What happened, Maw? My phone had lost its battery"

Pulling away from hug, Rinvetta's blue eyes seemed to be ocean, being wet to an unreal amount. "In daylight...the devils have done their work. To think, this would happen on such an auspicious day." Her eyes casted a worried glance over her other family members, who were themselves shook by the news.

"The devils? Maw, what devils? " Rylzeana tilted her head in confusion. "They have been dead since the last Holy War"

"Yes..." Rinvetta adjusted her traditional black zubini robe to her, exposing her wrist, her veins which seemed to appear more distinctly due to the pressure that seemed to be built by her unease. "They were. But now it seems once again that fated return of its prodigal son have finally occurred, to finish the task that devil themselves couldn't..."

"Water over the bridge, Maw." Fyhrion 's eyes seemed to be filled with an unexpressed fury , as he read the text in his phone over and over again. "Stop troubling the soul of those dead wimps to overestimate another lucky rascal of today."

"Overestimate? Will you ever know the correct meaning of words, Fyrhion?" Ivan lashed out, his grey black eyes staring at latter like a dark storm , struggling to be let loose. "An unknown enemy bombed the 'Main HQ's office, right in the capital city , escaped through the chaos and not even one of the supers could battle an eyelash, in middle of day no less."

"They bombed what?" Rylzeana's grip loosened on the covering , but she quickly grabbed hold of them again.

"Bombed!" Chyna couldn't believe her ears, as an unpalpable fright struck at her heart's chord, making her lean against the wall, before her legs gave away as she sunk onto the floor .

"Yes. " Fyhrion snickered. "That is why, when you stopped receiving the call, as always, the barnacle lady assumed the worst."

"Now, mind your language, young man." Silguir 's eyes looked sharply at Fyhrion , with a warning, in a raised voice. "She may be your mother, but I won't have disrespect in this house for my wife."

"Why? Bet you have said worse at some moments to my sister." Boudine Wazenzilch crossed her arms, coming to Fyhrion's defence at once.

"Oh dear..." Rinvetta's lips which had gone dry, due to worry, pressed against each other, roughly as she wondered how to assuage the situation, being particularly concerned about the impression it was having on Medea, whom she had been looking forward to extend only good time. It was the time her calm and always mature Shikami had brought a girl.

Though it seemed Rinvetta's worries were only in her mind , for Medea, despite being a passive observant , was immensely glad to find the sense of authority that emanated from head of Wazenzilch family and concern for his wife. The last thing she wanted was to marry in a house, where both parents seem to unconditionally validate their brother-in-law or her fiance's wrongs.

But maybe it did't really matter here. For she knew that Shikami Wazenzilch was certainly a different case. Of that much, she was sure.

"Bicker not. " Shikami spoke, without raising his voice, immediately becoming cynosure of the room. "Let's head to the scene. Waiting for orders or request would undermine our goodwill. Hopefully, no one has been injured as reported so far."

"But it will take at least an hour to reach the site." Fyhrion complained, as Ivan sighed silently, not wanting to express his agreement with any of his brother's ideas. "And you know, by that time that new meathead Sandball Jackson would have removed all the clues."

"Not with the 'Air Constitution' " Shikami blinked slowly, accepting Medea's right hand which had been trying to comfort him, of whose need he couldn't feel.

"Air Constitution?" Rylzeana 's eyes rose curiously, as she pursued her lips. Putting the bag with a thump on the table just few centimetres away from the cold turkey. "You got a new power and that too in completely new element. Grown out of fire, earth and water?"

"Ha..!" Shikami 's face lit up with a knowing smile. "No. I suppose the name doesn't do justice to the technique. "

"So a combo derivation then?" She carried on, pacing her hands on the chair's roof firmly. Fyhrion and Ivan exchanged glances with each other. Since when did Rylzeana get interested in their powers? After all , she didn't even have iota of power , the only anomaly in Wazenzilch family so what was the point of studying something one couldn't even have or experience themselves?

Shikami, unaware of the reservations exchanged between his two brothers, was gladdened by the fact that his little sister was so keen about his power despite having none. Though she was already so tall and grown up, in his eyes she looked no different than little miscreant who used to make his ears beg for mercy with her tiny little screams , whenever he tried to get her down from his back in piggyback ride.

"The air constitution was orginally an idea, a theory of fast travel suggested to me by..a dear friend. " Shikami explained. "I thought that if there was some sustainable way to use my power , then only I would use it for greater good. That is why, I rejected the initial techniques I had created based solely on fire or earth by terrain shift. Now what the 'air constitution' does is that it harmonizes the three energies at same time in such a way that allows me to propel through without much difficulties as long as harmonization is stabilized. For that , all I need to do is envision as perfectly as I can the miniscule of particles that constitute the fire , the motherland and the waters that wash its feet. Once I have done that, then I have to use the 3-finger technique for releasing those energies and creating an aura, that can coat my body in self-automated mode. "

"Whoa!" Chyna abruptly stood up , her eyes filled with awe. "I didn't really understand what you said...but it sounds so cool, Sir Shikami."

"Please you are Rylzeana's friend. You can drop the sir." Shikami gave an affable smile. Fyrhion impatiently tapped the floor , feeling a bit repulsed by the girl's idiosyncrasy. How could his sister hang out with such dumb chicks? Smooth brain cheerleaders had sucked enough out of him to even give worth a penny more in this life, if not for their willingness to do anything.

"Hmm..."Rylzeana pondered over the information so generously shared by her brother. All it had cued her was to simply keep a closer tab than she had been already, on her brothers. Fortunately, as the things looked, plan seemed to set in place quite neatly.

"Oh, I could never, Mr. Shikami." Chyna, who twiddled her fingers oblivious to the room, was already fantasizing a perfect world with Shikami, the more she looked at him, his broad shoulders, his perfect jawline, his collar bone, his symetrical nose shape. Oh, how she wished that adult vixen sitting beside her man who kept nothing but silence was absent from the room. But perhaps only this longed otherwise , was fate's call to keep this meeting short of her memory cherishing it as a perfect dream . Maybe it was the sign to be more thoughtful about her approach.

"Have it your own way then." Ivan stood up from his chair, his patience having completely been worn out. "We need to leave now." Though his tolerance was certainly greater than Fyhrion's , the issue at hand had affected his interest most significantly. He had been charged for operational managamenet of the government offices dealing with recuirtment in Mezina. From the news sent in small text, it was hard to determine whether his offices had survived the onslaught or not.

Either way, there were high chances that he would certainly be investigative task , and in case anything goes down, consequently the blame. Ivan cursed internally. Did it really have to happen when he was planning to...agh! It didn't matter anymore..

"You took the thought right out of my mind." Fyhrion enjoined his fist, standing up with a new sense of vigour. Shikami understood the seriousness of situation as well, considering Ivan hadn't leaped onto the opportunity to correct wrong phrasing by Fyhrion, which he most certainly would have under ordinary temperament.

"Mother! Father! " Shikami ran his eyes through the pair who now stood just like everyone else, save for aunt who was engrossed in her phone. "I don't know when we will be able to return next...if we are even able to return this year."

"Shh..it is only October. " Rinvetta shook her head disapprovingly, as her eyes fell on the worries that etched Rylzeana's face. "Don't say stuff like that..."

"Don't worry, Mother-in-Law." Medea , as if to get on her good graces, extended her arm , placing it around Shikami's shoulder. "I will make sure your son remains as safe sound as you seem him , leaving home. Protection magic is my jurisdiction after all."

"Don't make the young misses work too hard." Silgur patted Shikami lightly on the shoulder who bowed gracefully to express his gratitude. Fyhrion and Ivan also followed the gesture advanced by their brother, and prepared to leave. Medea meanwhile had already made her way outside, to call the cab, preferring to travel through conventional means.

But just before all three could go, Rylzeana's eyes met theirs , stopping them in tracks. "We can't take you there, if you are hoping so..." Fyhrion stated bluntly.

"Yes, it is too dangerous and you are just a human unlike us" Ivan nodded in agreement.

"Ina, is that what you want to ask?" Shikami, being tallest of three , seemed to tower like a shadow over the two girls who clung together like inseparable brick and cement . Bending his knee, he crouched down, until his face met Rylzeana's , whose eyes seem to well with tears, "I ..I had thought buying present would give me more time to discuss it with you, reminiscence but...looks like that won't come true."

"Oh..! Just that." Shikami gently wiped away her eyes, as he brushed her hair softly, to pat it. "You can hand it over, of course. We can open it once we get time or when we return, we can..."

"NO! NOW!" She shook her head vigorously, rejecting the idea of having to wait for their return at once. "They are special amulets , intended to ward off a specific lethal curse, if someone attempts to cast it." Scrounging her hand through the covering, she pulled out the shining metallic-plated pendants , with picture frame in middle , under a golden / silver covering and placed it on her palm for them to take.

"If this quells your mere apprehension, then fine." Fyhrion scoffed, forcefully taking one without a second thought , before letting out a yawn. As his eyes fell on his amulet, which had a lilac dust on its threads, he made a crooked face of disgust. It looked so cheap!

Ivan waited for his brother Shikami to pick his first, who immediately took the flame dragon shaped one , leaving death ship sign for his brother.

Unlike Fyhrion who had simply kept the amulet currently in pocket and Ivan who had kept it strung to his watch wrapped around wrist, Shikami wore it unhesistangly around his neck, and held it between his thumbs with a sense of pride. "Such a beautiful gift ..." As Rylzeana smiled, he reciprocated. "Make sure to keep that complementary token of smile on your face as well. We would try to return as early as possible, once we have erased this new devil that mother seems to have crowned as resurgent evil."

"I d..didn't say that." Rinvetta interjected, twisting her mouth, at which Silgur held her shoulders in consolation.

"Keep yourself safe, my dear brothers." Rylzeana 's eyes darted around the room and across her three brother's faces. A smile crept up her face, as she looked at them innocously "I have a feeling you would return soon but I fear the state in which you are bound to be so."

Oh yes! Rylzeana definitely had a feeling, the reason behind which was known only to her at the time . For others, it could be mere little sister's fantasy or wish fulfilment yet something much more certain lurked, unseen and unnoticed to most.

A lurking whose finding could only be hoped in time.