No one spoke after that little incident with Duke and the Darkmatter but luckily no one took offense of it, either. The carrier reached the Second level which is covered in a white mist-like cloud. Upon it, Darius could see countless mansions and houses all colored in white and bearing the Altarian flags hoisted on their rooftops or lawns. The houses themselves have incredibly green grass surrounding them but the most impressive part is how they are shaped.
The streets themselves are paved in smooth limestone and cement to show a glittering clean state of the sidewalks. To Darius, this place is not as impressive as the First Levels but it is beautiful nonetheless and quite symbolic as well as it represents a certain order in the city.
As the carrier landed on one of the green fields, everyone got off the carrier but already the group pulled the eyes of the nearby neighbors and passers-by. After all, they are Psyons, to begin with, and if that’s not enough, they’re surrounded by elite soldiers; that’s enough to pull any attention.
“Master Psyons, this will be your temporary quarters.” Captain Skywalker said. He pointed out to the largest mansion as far as the eye can see. Like the rest of the buildings around, it was pure white but its windows had aqua blue reflective tints to them. There stood two wooden doors for the entrance, a few fountains sprung to life near them, and an artificial pond with various fish species swimming in them. The grass yard surrounding the mansion is particularly well-groomed compared to others and an emitting radiance tells him that this house is no ordinary house.
“Who lives here?” Darius asked as they went towards the mansion.
“Currently, Lord Gunther resides in this house. He offered it as a temporary home until you return to your palace in the skies.” the captain replied.
“That paled-skin douchebag had a house this big in the middle of Altarian noble lands? What the hell, man?” Raizo said.
“Well, he did say that he’s partly Altarian but that doesn’t even come anywhere close to having a house as huge as this in the middle of this city. Maybe he killed the last guy living here just to get the house?” Duke said. The other guys laughed at the joke but stopped dead in their tracks when Gunther appeared right from behind the door.
“Well, the previous tenant did pass away so, in a way, I sort of did take this house from a dying old man… Or rather, I kept it for inheritance.” Gunther said as he approached the group.
“GUNTHER!” Everyone shrieked. The Titans clapped and cheered as they rushed to their mentor to greet him, even the soldiers were pleased to see him as they saluted once when he arrived. Darius had to admit, despite all the weirdness Gunther holds, his presence does bring a certain calmness to the atmosphere. Today, he wore a white shirt completely buttoned while wearing a grey overcoat and pants with a purple tie as if he just left a fancy party.
“You wretched old man, where have you been?” Raizo said as he punched Gunther’s arm.
“It’s good to see you boys again, too,” Gunther laughed, “Captain, thank you for bringing them here. Your effort in keeping this in confidence is most appreciated.”
“Such is my duty, Lord Gunther. Do contact us if you need anything.” Captain Skywalker said as he slightly bowed and his soldiers saluted again and turned to leave.
“Will do, Captain. Come, gentleman, let me give you a tour around the house.” Gunther said as he gestured them all in. They entered the house and for the first time in he doesn’t know how long, Darius entered a real home with furniture, paintings of nature and fruits on the wall, sets of plates and drinking glasses were arranged across the wall of the kitchen, the marble floor set upon a wide space in each room.
But the most notable item in this mansion was a portrait hung in the main living room just atop of the fireplace: a man clad handsomely in red and gold alongside his wife that wore a similarly noble dress whilst holding a baby.
“That is...” Darius said as he saw the picture and almost instantly, he realized now where he stood, what this house is and what Gunther’s earlier words meant.
“Yes, Darius Reign, this house belonged to your father, Razaius Reign. One of the greatest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.” Gunther said as he and the others stood quietly behind him. Darius stared at this portrait, it was one he’s never seen before compared to the ones Aunt Joe showed him and it gave him an absolute resolve to do something he’s been meaning to do since he left Brazen Hill.
From his coat pocket, he took out a small photo he salvaged from the wreck of his burned house and he could see a small resemblance between the baby, the mother, and father in the miniature photo and the family that is in the portrait above the fireplace.
“So, this is your crib? Super shabby, dude.” Raizo said as he places both hands behind his head like a support pillow.
“Gunther, how long have you known the true identity of Darius?” Igniz asked as the others looked around the living room.
“From the moment he stepped foot unto the Pantheon,” Gunther answered, “originally, Razaius wanted to pass this house to his son when the time came. But at the time, there was too much speculation that he was in line to become the next Pyro. As the current Pyro was and currently still obsessed about his title, he wanted to have Razaius removed from the picture completely by planning to have him assassinated.” Gunther said. Everyone stopped in everything that they were doing and paid their utmost attention.
“You mean there’s an old guy in the military office that wants Darius dead?” Duke asked, “Well, that’s news even to me.”
“Not exactly,” Gunther said, “Lord Vulkan just needed Razaius removed from the line of future Pyro candidates as he is the only one who stood out better than the rest. Razaius is also the only one who openly refused an order from Lord Vulkan directly. To Pyro, Razaius was an enemy, a competition, and a threat. Sadly, your father mysteriously died in combat and his wife joined him shortly afterward...” Gunther said as he turned to Darius.
“Although the entire kingdom grieved over their sudden deaths, for Pyro and yourself, it was an opportunity. Lord Vulkan had secretly spread out the news that he successfully assassinated Razaius and since his wife died as well, there is no real threat from an orphan infant. And as you were still no more than a few days old, you could easily be taken care of by Joanna Pearls who agreed to take you to her home in the outskirts of the city. There, on that house on the hill, you were not an immediate threat, you did not know of such a danger and Lord Vulkan deemed you an unnecessary target. After all, even to a man as proud as Vulkan, could not bring himself to kill a child that is incapable of action.” Gunther continued. Everyone fell dead silent after hearing his words but all of them waited for Darius’s reaction to all of this. This is his entire family’s history and whether he wanted to do something about it was entirely up to him.
“So, this... Was my father’s house...?” Darius asked as he kept the photo in back in his coat pocket and looked around the room, “And how did you get this place while I lived on the outside?”
“Vulkan wanted to give this to one of his close companions but I argued that although he did not have any heir old enough or even suitable for this house, there is still the proceedings of a next of kin or confidant that this house was entrusted to. Neither your father nor your mother had any relatives save for Joanna but she was not entitled to this house as it was not under Adriana’s name. Hence, I won the case and this house would be under my stewardship until the heir comes of age... Or in other words, this house is yours now, Darius, from every blade of grass to every slab of stone on the floor.” Gunther said.
Darius said nothing but looked to his teammates and all of them returned the look of one thing and one thing only.
“How about we go our separate ways around here for a while and just have fun? After fighting and staying up in that cloud castle for a while, we could use some quality time in a real city. Right, guys?” Darius said happily. The others looked at each other and smiled. In unison, the Titans agreed to get lost and wild in the city until the Queen returns.
“Mind if I tag along? I wish to know what it’s like to hang out with real Psyons for a change. Unlike this old goat here.” A voice said from behind them. Appearing from behind the staircase, a girl who bore long golden hair and black eyes. She was wearing black leather pants, high heel boots, a white shirt, and a scarf tied around her neck. She approached the group and caused immediate attention seeking from the boys… especially Raizo.
“Whoa, Zeeq, brush up, cute girl twelve o’clock,” Raizo said in a hushed tone as he straightened himself and Zeeq mimicked quickly after.
“Ah, yes. gentleman, meet my little friend and apparent stowaway, Ms. Evelyn,” Gunther said as he gestured towards the newcomer, “she has been harassing me for the past few days whilst you were on your way here on wanting to meet you all.”
As Evelyn walked into the living room, all eyes were on her. To the Titans’ eyes, she was beautiful as her golden flailed flawlessly behind her in a straight bind but her clothes looked like she was about to go on a windy jog.
“What’s the matter, never seen a girl in running boots before?” She asked.
“Well, I have,” Darius said, “although I’m not sure if they have.” And he pointed to Raizo and Zeeq who seem to be wrestling over whose shirt should be tucked in.
“Anyways, I’m Darius, this is Duke, Igniz and those two clowns are Raizo and Zeeq… Zeeq is the short one.” Darius said while pointing out who is who.
“Good to meet you, ma’am,” Duke said as he shook her hand.
“Igniz, at your service,” Igniz said as he took her hand to kiss but froze after a moment, “you look vaguely familiar. Have we met before?”
“Uh—I don’t think we have, Master Igniz. It’s nice to meet you all, as well.” Evelyn said although her mixed reaction of slight panic does seem more than peculiar.
“And I’m—yo, get off me, bro—Raizo, the Wanderer. Nice to meet you, young miss.” Raizo said as he bowed and kissed the back of her hand but was quickly thrown on the couch after Zeeq introduced himself.
“And I’m Zeeq and I am not short!” he said with glee and shook her hand the longest and hardest.
“I know who you are although this is the first time I’ve seen your faces. You guys haven’t had a good shower yet, have you?” Evelyn said as she released her grip while laughing at the childish nature of the boys around her. It occurred to all of them as they looked at each other and Duke even sniffed himself to realize that the dirt and filth of combat are still on them since the Mountain Wall. Darius could even smell a hint of dragon and smoke about them.
“Yeah, good point. Alright, guys, a quick shower, and after that, we’re outta here!” Darius said and Duke, Raizo, and Zeeq cheered at the idea and rushed towards the stairs for the first shot in the showers.
“Do be careful, the floor has just been mopped! There are seven bathrooms on the second floor so no need to rush!” Gunther called out and followed them as Igniz bowed once to Evelyn and quietly walked away from the remaining two.
“So, you’re a friend of Gunther’s?” Darius asked after a moment of silence.
“Sort of,” she said, “We hang out when he’s around or if he ever shows up,” Evelyn said. They stood silently for a while and the only noise that could be heard was Zeeq’s yelling over the shampoo (“I have longer and shinier hair than you, I need the shampoo more!” he shrieked over Raizo’s attempt to use it first).
“Oh, okay…” Darius didn’t know what else to say because this was rather an awkward moment. This is gradually the first time he’s been alone with a real girl before.
“Well, I’d better go and clean up, too. See you later.” Darius said and walked away before saying another word (“I dare you to take it over my dead body!” Raizo snapped).
***
As Darius got out of the shower wrapped in a vanilla white bathrobe, he still can’t believe that this house belonged to his father. The interior is magnificent and considerably outstanding but judging by the other mansions in the area, it would seem like that is the common trend. But the one thing that sets this house different than the rest besides its size is the location: it’s placed just on the edge of the plateau. From the master bedroom, his room, Darius can see the cloud formations and the tower buildings along with most of the First Level. He supposes it’s a given bonus that he has the best view of the Cherry Park below, the rumored largest recreational park in the world.
Darius looked on his bed and there lay a new set of clothes: newly pressed pants, new shirts, his red coat that seemed to be clean and pressed hung by the coat hanger, and a new pair of black leather boots at the foot of the bed.
“What the—who put these here?” he said to himself but as seeing that it's already on display, might as well put them on. The clothes fit quite nicely although he could already tell this set of clothes is old but very well preserved. He went to the coat hanger by the door and rummaged through his coat to ensure nothing was taken.
Relief took him as he found the only photo of his family. He stared at it for a while and whispered to himself, “Looks like I’m in your home now, father…”
He kept the picture back in his breast pocket and he stepped out of the room. He pondered about the interior design of the mansion and still couldn’t help himself from admiring the well-laid plans and structure of everything from the door to the floors, to the walls and ceiling to the very placement of the paintings. Everything about this house was perfect and it even slightly resembled his old house on the hill except this mansion has a lot more furniture, is cleaner, and is much brighter.
Darius went downstairs where everyone was already in the kitchen eating at almost anything that was served. Two chefs dressed in white stood ready at the kitchen counter with three servants clad in black suits standing nearby as they watched blankly over their guests consuming their lunch. Zeeq was trying to slice a very large portion of steak, Raizo and Duke were arguing on which part of a chicken should be cut first while Igniz seems the only one eating properly with a knife and fork and savoring every bite. Gunther and Evelyn conversed lightly over drinks but she broke contact when Darius walked in. Everyone seems to have changed their clothing apparel to something far more casual and much less battle-stained.
“Hey, Darius, so glad you could join us! I see the outfit matches you nicely.” Evelyn said.
“Indeed, you are your father’s son,” Gunther added.
“Yo, what’s up, man? You’re late!” Raizo said.
“You have just missed the most exquisite part of the meal,” Igniz said, “and I am now about to wallow in the dessert. You must try the fondue! My compliments to these gentlemen.” Igniz said as he took another spoonful of orange sugar and pointed to the chefs, all of whom bowed and smiled graciously. Zeeq tried to say something but his mouth was full and, in the end, he just continued with his attempt to swallow the steak whole.
“Alright, guys, save me a bit, too. Let me have a taste.” Darius said and joined the table.
The group mainly talked about daily life from clothing to eating the right type of food (“It doesn’t matter whether you are a prince or a peasant, you cannot outclass or out-taste chicken, enough said.” Duke said as he added pepper to his chicken thigh slice).
Other times, they talked about Arcadia and how its people can live in such conditions and how it hasn’t affected any major part of their lives. Gunther would also explain how this house once had multitudes of servants tending to every single detail of the house from the blades of the grass to the dust spec on the decorative flowers by the entrance but it was cut down to less than half after Razaius died.
“So, if you see your things are neatly cleaned and tidied when you turn your back for a few minutes, you will know full well that one of the servants here cleaned it,” Gunther said, “some even say there lives a secret butler in this mansion that is never seen but constantly keeps this house spotless,” Gunther said. Igniz went on to say he would sometimes applaud such services as his own home doesn’t possess such skill and passion although he immediately stuttered when Evelyn asked him if he had servants in his old home, too (“well, um, I meant to say, that if I had servants of my own, I-I would heavily favor the skilled laborer as such.” Igniz sputtered). But the hottest topic for conversation was Evelyn herself.
“So, like, how did the two of you meet?” Raizo asked Gunther and Evelyn, “are you a Psyon like us, too, or a Hybrid or something?” Igniz sighed heavily and shook his head in disappointment as well as the others showing their discomfort in their fashion.
“Hah, Nah, I’m not any of that. I’ve just known Gunther since I was a kid. He’s like my teacher in school when you step into a classroom. (“A Hybrid is what Psyons refer to as a living being that is mortal but possesses Psyonic ability.” Gunther told Darius in a quiet tone) is he like a teacher to you guys, too?” Evelyn said but before anyone could answer, Darius, cut them all off with an announcement.
“Come on, guys, we didn’t come to this city just to eat and talk about a girl. We came here to explore and conquer! Now, I say we get out of here and get lost in this place for the week to enjoy the city. And besides, we’re Psyons! We can just fly to anywhere we want!” Darius said and the cheer of the idea was welcoming except for Raizo’s remark.
“Yeah, Evelyn, can you give us a tour of the place? I love female tour guides, they’re the best,” he said but what threw most of them off was what Evelyn replied in return.
“Sorry guys but Darius promised to show me his old house on the outskirts today. Right, Darius?” she said and everyone was silenced on the spot save Gunther who was humming while he stirred his iced tea.
“I did? (Evelyn kicked him in the shins beneath the table and raised an eyebrow) I-I mean, yeah, I did.” Darius said which left Duke and Igniz laughing but Raizo and Zeeq threw fits.
“Alright, gentleman,” Gunther said as he stood up, “What are we waiting for? Let’s get lost in Arcadia!”
***
Over the next few days, the Titans were separated and spread out throughout the city. Some went out on their own like Igniz and Duke while others went in pairs like Darius heading to the outskirts with Evelyn and Zeeq going to the Cherry Park with Raizo (with strong objections from Raizo that Darius gets the first date with the girl).
Gunther was going to join the Queen in her attempts for talks of peace between Xenocia and the Weimar Republic since the two countries could work together when a Darkai platoon attacked the Neutral State towns openly; Igniz wanted to check out the courthouses in the Iron Pen Region with ridiculous notions from Duke.
“Why in the hell would you even wanna visit those places? You’re a prince from a country that practices far stricter laws and you wanna study this flamboyant place of a court?” Duke snapped before Igniz left.
“Exactly! Although Icerian laws are draconianly stricter, Altaria seems to achieve a certain peace and prosperity without executing the same kind of coherence.” Igniz would argue in return. While Igniz went to the north, Duke decided to take a closer look at the Dragon Regions especially the headquarters of Altaria’s military as he always had a liking towards the dragon breeders; the Dross kin can come later.
Raizo and Zeeq wanted to check out the Sakura Regions to see the acclaimed world’s largest recreational park although Raizo’s choice was rather forced because he not only had to watch over Zeeq and ensures he doesn’t get lost but mainly because Evelyn practically refused to go on a date with him (“See that right there? That’s what you call evil, man! You don’t just steal the girl on a first date!” Raizo shrieked).
Meanwhile, Darius decided to return to his house on the hill and give his respects to those buried there with Evelyn following him although he would prefer to go alone for now.
***
Igniz reached the Iron Pen regions by the carrier, the same way that anyone else uses but this time, he decides to mingle among the commoners and took public transport instead of what was provided. Iceria doesn’t have this kind of system and even if they did, he wouldn’t be allowed anywhere of a hundred kilometers near something as trivial as this. But this sort of trip was always enjoyable to him as Igniz loved to be part of the “lower class”.
In his previous life, such a thing was not possible. Thanks to the emperor’s upbringing, the Icerian prince has lived a very isolated life and befriended only the servants that were on duty but here, he could do whatever he wanted. First and foremost, he wanted to know what enables the people here to live so harmoniously with each other although there is a varied mix of different classes, statuses, and races altogether.
As the carrier landed and everyone got off, Igniz could see the vast difference between his people and Altaria’s. He could see one man dressed up rather formally with a briefcase in his left hand. In his mind, Igniz could only guess that this man must be an attorney and he was conversing deeply with a child sitting on a bench. The child himself didn’t know the man but after a moment of watching them, a woman came along and held the child in her arms whilst thanking the man to watch over her child.
The child went missing from his mother’s sight and a plea for a search party was called. The lady profusely apologized that she held him from his court session.
“So, my guess was correct,” Igniz said to himself, “he is a practitioner of the law.”
As the mother and child went their ways with bows and handshakes, Igniz decided to follow this gentleman and could potentially lead him into a public courthouse. Igniz followed him until the man entered a rather old building. It wasn’t as tall or fancy compared to others surrounding it but many people seemed to be buzzing in and out nonstop.
Igniz kept close space between himself and the practitioner but not too close to draw suspicion. He later entered a room that wasn’t very large by itself but this was undeniably a courtroom and the building Igniz had just entered is one of the oldest courthouses in the city.
The courtroom was already filled with people and Igniz took a seat nearest to the door. A case was supposed to have been in session by now but the judge was late. The man he followed earlier went into a private room and murmurs amongst the public crowd began to brew. The most notable whispers came from a lady couple sitting one row in front of him about how the man is more handsome than they originally thought.
As Igniz tried to make himself comfortable among a few other citizens, he blended in quite nicely as anyone who came with a partner or group was conversing among themselves. Igniz found what he was looking for in this courtroom: sitting at the very front of the room in an isolated chair sat a dirty ragged man in chains with his clothes ripped in multiple places.
The man that Igniz followed earlier came from the private room in the back and sat on the high chair at the very front of the courtroom as a guard demanded all stand in the presence of Judge Hammond.
This man is a judge? Igniz thought to himself, well then, this should be very interesting... he seems fairly young, though. The ladies were right, he is more handsome than they thought.
“Court case number Eight-Eight-One-Four is now in session,” a guard yelled out.
“Everyone, please be seated.” The judge said as he sat down. The courtroom followed suit.
This prisoner, as it turns out, was caught for hijacking a carrier that was transporting raw foods to the restaurant establishments around the Sakura Regions and Igniz admitted silently that for a thin man without any real resources, to hijack a food carrier was quite the impressive feat albeit still wrong.
“Mr. Craig, although understandable your intent to feed the poor and homeless in the slums of the city streets, hijacking a private carrier is still a crime especially since you were caught. However, with your skill in such an attempt with only your bare hands and knowledge, I am sentencing you to twenty months of Royal Carrier service. If you truly like to help the hungry in this city, I highly recommend that you do so with the banner of the Queen on your shoulders.” Judge Hammond said and banged the gavel once. Everyone in the courtroom clapped and cheered for this young judge and as quickly as he entered, he stood up and left.
“That was,” Igniz whispered, “bloody fast…”
Igniz left the courtroom rather astounded. As the prisoner stood in his spot with tears leaking, Mr. Craig appeared to be prepared to face a death sentence judging by the look in his eyes. To Igniz, the prisoner was saved thanks to this judge’s act of kindness. Judge Hammond not only diverted this man’s penalty but gave him a pardon by sentencing him to royal servitude and as far as Igniz knows about his Altarian neighbor, any work under Royal Services is paid work... And they are paid quite handsomely.
As Igniz wandered about to look for another case to witness, he was still amazed at how all of this happened. In his heart, Igniz could see the difference already between his people and here: compassion. If in Iceria, that prisoner would already have faced the hangman because he, in all total offense, did commit a rather serious crime. Igniz has decided to look back into how his countrymen are being treated and hopefully change it if he ever comes to power.
***
Duke arrived at the Metronome and thanks to Gunther giving him a special pass, he could virtually walk around and see how this place runs so long as he is kept under supervision. The soldiers here are very well disciplined: they marched perfectly even when they aren’t doing drills, they are on the constant need to look and dress as formally as possible. Even if they are off duty, their characteristics remain with them as they carried the Altarian banner on their shoulders.
As Duke walked around aimlessly with two guards walking near his rear, an alarm sounded off that enabled every single soldier around (save the two walking behind him) to gather in the center of this titanic dome. There was even a corporal that stood on a high pedestal shouting “Assemble!” nearby the entrances there was a drill that these soldiers are attentive to and the display is incredibly impressive.
Men clad in golden and red armor, crimson cloaks on their back, Altaria’s flag of the Dragon and Phoenix intertwined raised high above their shoulders. Swords, spears, and shields were all worn strong and proudly as thousands upon thousands marched and stood at attention in the center of the dome. It was the most impressive and speedy display of military performance Duke has ever seen and he could not help but wonder to himself: why was it the Dakrie or even the Darkai itself could not achieve such excellence?
The soldiers here move unconsciously together aligning perfect footwork, almost as if rehearsed. A few commanders riding Drosses galloped in between the lines to ensure all are accounted for and ready.
The Dross, a wingless horse-like dragon, are short, one-tenth of the weight of a normal dragon but their hides are just as thick and the speed is unchallenged. Arguably, the Dross is the fastest creature on four legs on land. Altaria, aside from its specialty in dragon breeding, has an affinity for breeding Drosses as well but the only downside would be feeding them as they eat almost as much as normal dragons do.
Originally, the Dross dragons are considered a defection of the dragon breed because they do not possess wings nor can they breathe fire. Wanting to exterminate these creatures at first, the Dross proved against time and time again that they are resilient. They breed in the dozens at a time and do not take long to grow. Just like their dragon ancestors, Altarian knowledge subdued these beasts to become one of Altaria’s formidable arsenal.
As the assembly completed in quick succession, Duke found the source of this sudden rally when he spotted the one man that stood above all else and bore the most handsome of all accessories for military ranks: Lord Vulkan has returned to the Metronome.
“Well, I’ll be damned, the Pyro in the flesh. Igniz would just love to see this now... And get his first chance to kick that old man’s ass.” Duke said to himself but paid little attention to the old man as he is still amazed by the display of thousands. Although it’s hard to ignore this old man wearing more accessories than any soldier should, Duke is surprised how someone of this caliber can actually remain where he is without being assassinated or something but then again, if what Gunther said is true, an assassination won’t be enough to kill this man and his influence.
As Duke turned around to leave, he takes one last inhale of the air in this atmosphere but couldn’t put past the fact that the Pyro is here. Although he didn’t take a good look at the old man, he could hear the Pyro making a speech but to his ears, it’s all mumbled words.
“Master Psyon, Pyro Vulcan has sent me to give to you this,” a runner in military uniform appeared almost out of nowhere and handed Duke a beige envelope with the seal of two dragons, “it is for you and your comrades to attend a private dinner party at his residence tomorrow night. We are hoping you would oblige as the Lord Pyro rarely make such events.”
“Um... Okay but I don’t decide for my team. And if that Pyro Vulkan wants to invite us for a party, why not just do it himself? It’s easy enough to just walk up to me and say, ‘I’m throwing a party, you guys want in?’” Duke said with a sarcastic tone. The runner didn’t seem to be taken aback but instead replied to that remark casually.
“The Lord Pyro is a man too busy for such a task. As head of the military, you must understand that his time is that of most importance, and for the Lord Pyro to hold such an event in his private residence is that of great honor, such as bestowed upon us as well as our honored guests.” He slightly bowed his head at the honored guest's words.
“Yeah... Sounds like you guys are just kissing ass is more like it...” Duke said to himself as he turned around to see that old man talking with one of his advisers.
“I’ll let the guys know once I get back to the mansion... No promises, though.” Duke said.
“Much obliged, Master Psyon. His lordship hopes highly you would attend.” the runner said and turned to leave. Duke continued his walk, hoping to see a little more to this place before he leaves as the assembly continued.
***
Zeeq hasn’t stopped jumping up and down ever since he and Raizo arrived in the Cherry Parks by public carrier. There was no blaming him of course since it was his dream to come here ever since he was little. The night he was Chosen, he claimed that the dream he had was of this place except without all of the buildings and landscapes.
The Cherry Recreation Park or simply Cherry Park is the world’s largest green recreational public space. With over ten square kilometers or an isolated district all to itself, Cherry Park hosts fifty percent of all plants in Arcadia alone.
“This is so cool! Did you know this place has three levels, Rai? That means triple the fun, triple the snacks, and triple the games!” Zeeq shouted out to the air while Raizo stood behind him.
“Yeah, and triple the hours wasted... Well, it can’t all be that bad. Who knows, might even be a few cuties here.” Raizo said to himself as he walked on while following Zeeq’s hopscotch trail.
Cherry Park consists of three levels: The Root Level is mostly green fields and tree lines where the younglings can play openly without any real danger. the ground level houses a beautiful corridor of trees with pure white leaves instead of green or red which are known to most as the Snow Path. Because it resembles white snow, this spot is mostly visited by dating couples, nature lovers, and is notorious for honeymooners.
The First Branch is where most of the playgrounds are located as swings, toys, pillboxes and so much more are constantly on the go with young children. There are several pathways for those who wish to perform any form of exercise whether it is physical or meditated; the First Branch is mainly three triangular platforms interconnected to each other by glass bridges and levitates by using Aerial Artes. A person can reach the First Branch by an aerial lift beneath each platform.
The second and final level, Segunda, is shaped in the form of a halo levitated fifty feet above the First Branch. It’s mainly one long circular corridor that hosts every single floral plantation Altarian culture has to offer. It is divided into three parts called Bridges so it would look like a complete circle with interconnections of glass bridges very much like the First Branch. The difference is that Segunda rotates clockwise with a perfect view of the Sakura Regions. But the most popular attraction about Segunda isn’t the flowers or the levitated skybridge but a pagoda called Segunda Skye where levels of seats are placed to view the sunrise.
“I can’t wait anymore! I have to play!” Zeeq shrieked and with his right hand, punched an uppercut that erected a slab of the earth beneath him and shot him skywards with him screaming and laughing his lungs out.
“What the hell, Zeeq, are you crazy? You can’t just do that in a public park, you moron!” Raizo shouted out but his words are completely ignored as Zeeq kept going to reach Segunda of the park. Raizo chased after him but he couldn’t keep up, running on the ground at least.
That idiot is gonna have me arrested! Raizo thought it wouldn’t be half as bad if he wasn’t making a bloody mess! Looking around, Raizo searched for anything he could use as a conductor or medium for flight. He knows how to magnetize certain materials so he could fly around without the use of any elemental energy.
“Gotcha!” Raizo snapped as he used telekinesis to pull a metal slab off the First Branch hovering fifty feet above him. He electrified the slab as he stood on it, giving him the ability to stay rooted on his feet. He tipped his body forward and rocketed his way to the little kid making a dirty mess.
Zeeq reached the First Branch and held on to the edge as he flipped himself over to the top side. Raizo flew in after him but the moment he reached the First Branch; he hit a barrier of some kind and slowly plummeted to the earth. The force field left some sort of nausea effect and Raizo couldn’t see properly as he prepared himself for a hard landing… only to land on something soft and cool.
Dizzy from the effect, Raizo saw only hazy light and a distinct sound of Zeeq calling out to him. Finally regaining the feeling to his fingers, Raizo tried to make out what he landed on but it was a lump of dirt rather than a flat surface: a little toy of Zeeq in the making.
“Rai, are you okay?” Zeeq said as his face came into a clear vision and his nose was hanging an inch from Raizo.
“Yeah,” he coughed, “what were you thinking? How did you get past the shield?” Raizo asked as he forced himself up.
“What shield? There was nothing there when I climbed up. You gotta try it up there, Rai, the playground looks super amazing!” Zeeq shrieked as he helped his partner up.
“You there, halt!” shouted a nearby guard clad in black.
“Ah, crap… Zeeq, you and your little--” Raizo said but the two guards aimed their batons at the two tourists who have their hands up in the air.
“Uh, what’s the problem officer?” Raizo asked but already he knew he was counting trouble.
“You used Elemental Artes on park grounds. By Article Fifteen of the Sakura Acts for demolition on Cherry Park and by rights of trespassing by force unto the First Branch, you both are under arrest!” snapped the guard and immediately moved to place Rune Cuffs on Zeeq—
“Sorry, buddy, wrong day to try it.” Raizo snapped and clapped his hands. There was a flash of light that blinded everyone and amid confusion, Raizo grabbed Zeeq under the arms, jumped on the metal slab from earlier, and flew off as fast as he could.
“You Idiot! What the hell were you thinking? You can’t just do something like that in the middle of a clean city or else they’ll throw your little ass in jail!” Raizo roared as he slid in between the trees and buildings in the district.
“But even if we get caught, we can just break out, right? We’re Psyons, aren’t we?” Zeeq replied with glee.
“Even if we could, we got rules, little man! We can’t just do whatever we--” but Raizo was cut off when the metal slab they were flying on was shot by a Light projectile and immediately they fell to the earth.
“Ouch! Get off, Rai; you’re on my--Uh-oh...” Zeeq said as he tried to get Raizo’s weight off him but stopped talking when three blades were aimed right at his head and two more aimed at Raizo, “Hi.”.
“Zeeq, if we ever get through this, I’m gonna kill you...” Raizo said as the two were pulled off the ground with their arms held behind their heads.
***
The two of them slowly walked up the hill as Darius always enjoyed climbing up these dirt paths instead of taking a carrier here. It was on this very hill that he would race Aunt Joe day in and day out to see who would reach home first or who would reach the end of the hill before the other… And it was on this very hill that in an instant, his life was taken away and replaced with something far more dangerous but just as beautiful.
“So, this is...” Evelyn said and Darius nodded once, “Home...” he said.
Darius walked to what was supposed to be the Reign Manor, the famous spot where it is known far and wide as the house on the hill. But now, it’s nothing but one flat slab of land with twelve graves in the back near the edge of the hill.
As Darius approached the graves, he couldn’t recall how Zeeq cleaned up the place but doesn’t remember there being any white tombstones in place of the original ones. Maybe someone had replaced them with new ones but did it secretly or Zeeq’s skills began to show after he attempted to bury them properly.
“I’m sorry this happened to you, Darius,” Evelyn said as Darius kneeled and inspected the tombstones, “If you don’t want to stay here, we can go somewhere else.”
“No, I came here to pay respects to them. I just wished they didn’t have to die this way,” Darius said as he walked around the small graveyard, “they were old and fairly seasoned, at the very least, they deserved to die old in bed alongside their children and grandkids... I just wished that I was stronger, then...”
“It wasn’t your fault; there was nothing you could’ve done to save them. And they all died fighting, I’m sure they would be proud if they could see you live to become what you are now.” Evelyn said as she slowly approached him.
“Maybe, maybe not... All I know is that this shouldn’t have happened...” Darius said and sat down in front of the graves. Evelyn sat down next to him and stared at the graves in silence. Very little went through Darius’s mind but he could still see their faces, he could still smell the barbecue that he cooked that day and he could still see Aunt Joe’s smile as he received his birthday present. He slid into his breast pocket and took out the photo of him as a baby, Aunt Joe waving in the background, his mother and father by the side holding him in the center while he slept.
“Is that your mother and father?” Evelyn asked.
“Yeah... But the picture is half burnt so you can’t see the full detail. I only kept it because this is the only picture I have of Aunt Joe and because the rest got burnt in the house.” Darius said as he tucked the picture away.
“I’m a little surprised that you wanted to come out here with me where it’s boring,” he said, “why didn’t you hang out with Igniz or Duke or something? Those guys are much more fun than I am.”
“Well, I’ve heard so many stories about you and your team but it was your story that sounded the saddest. You saw the only people close enough to you being killed for no good reason and you lost the only person you could call a mother... I just had to know more about you.” Evelyn said but it was not as encouraging as she thought.
“My story is sad, huh? You should hear Raizo’s. He had his whole actual family wiped out around him and I’m trying my best not to make things worse between him and Duke because of the whole Darkai problem.” He said.
“Speaking of which, I heard from Gunther that you guys met each other on a pretty bad circumstance... How do you guys even trust each other or get along?” She asked as curiosity began to fill her.
“In truth, we don’t... You’re right, we met on a whim and I don’t think that we can all trust each other that much. But we all know each other’s stories and we all understand each other’s pain so I guess understanding our pasts and differences is the only real thing that keeps us together... What I’m trying to say is, we all lost something or people close to us or we went through bad things that are enough to keep a man awake forever. Knowing that pain is what keeps us working.” Darius said as he picked up a pebble and twirled it in his fingers.
“Well, from that point of view, you guys look like a band of brothers, “Evelyn said, “willing to go through thick and thin because you all share common ground.” She leaned closer to him.
“Well, then, on behalf of my other brother, why didn’t you go out with Raizo when he asked you?’ Darius joked, trying to change the subject.
“Oh, that... Well, I didn’t want to go on a first date with a stranger I just met for ten minutes,” she replied, blushing.
“Well, I’m a stranger, aren’t I? Wouldn’t this count as a date?” Darius asked, although there is a lurch in his stomach, there is also another feeling being around her. It’s not nervousness or anxiety but simply a feeling like he’s seen her before or has spoken with her just like this; It’s like he’s looking at himself in the mirror.
“True, but dates include having romantic walks and dinner, we’re just sitting by a small graveyard and I don’t think girls go for dates to places like this,” Evelyn replied.
They both laughed at that and Darius was glad that Evelyn decided to follow him and not anyone else. He feels like he could easily share things with her that he couldn’t to anyone else; not even Aunt Joe was sharable to some stories.
“But sometimes I do wonder how things would have been if I could’ve stopped all this,” Darius said as he caught his breath, “I wonder if I would be sitting here and talking with you or would I be down the river with Aunt Joe and do some fishing or would I just lay on my bedroom floor just thinking about stuff again?”
“No power in the universe would prevent this destiny.” a deep voice said as a shadow loomed over them. Darius and Evelyn quickly turned to see who the sudden intruder was: a tall figure with red wrappings all over his face like a mummy save for his eyes and mouth, a red worn-out cloak always breezing about even with no wind present. Rubeus, the stranger from the Mountain Wall has appeared.
“Rubeus, how the hell did you find me?” Darius said as he quickly stood up.
“Darius, do you know this man?” Evelyn said as she cautiously stood up. Her eyes deadlocked on the man in red (“Sort of.” Darius said).
“Greetings to you, child,” Rubeus said as he sat down in front of the graves and his ever-waving cloak followed suit, “it has been a while, young Reign.”
“Yeah... Where did you disappear to after the mountain battle?” Darius asked.
“I merely kept watch,” the old man said. “your flight and your entrance into the last house of Reign. Your comrades know how to cause a spectacle well.”
“Spectacle? Did something happen to the others?” Evelyn asked but it was more to both of them instead of Rubeus alone.
“Do sit down, a tale is much better told to a sitting audience…” Rubeus replied, merely eying the girl. Both Darius and Evelyn slowly sat down on the grass without blinking.
“While the Ice Prince and the former Darkrie are in learning progress of the city, the duo that takes the appearance of siblings have been arrested for public decimation,” Rubeus answered casually. Darius and Evelyn quickly stood on their feet again already prepared to move but not before demanding a few more answers.
“And how do you know all this?” Darius asked with his right hand enclosed to a fist.
“Yeah, and why are you following us around anyway? What are you, a spy?” Evelyn shrieked.
“Calm down, children, there is no hurry. Young Gunther has everything sorted and you will meet them all safely in the house.” Rubeus said as he gestured them to return to sit back down. Darius was hesitant at first but sat down with a simple question in his head.
“How old are you to call that Gunther young? He’s like a hundred years old or something...” Darius asked.
“He is closer to nine hundred and twenty-seven, give or take ten years,” Rubeus said and it drew breath from Darius and Evelyn.
“No way… how can someone that old can still look like he barely passed his thirties?” Darius asked.
“Yeah, he’s way too cute for a great-great-grandfather,” Evelyn said but she blushed when Darius passed her a stern curious look.
“Young Gunther was never the kind to take the blade… even now, he still fears it,” Rubeus said but out of everything this old man has said, Darius only wanted to know one thing.
“Who are you and how do you know all this?” Darius asked sternly. Rubeus said nothing at first; he didn’t even blink but his eyes glared crimson like that of Captain Skywalker and Darius could almost confirm that the two are nearly related.
“Better yet, what are you?” Darius asked again. The same question from before.
“…I am Psyon, your kin,” Rubeus said without a single blink but that just adds more questions than answers.
“I think that is very obvious by now,” Darius said, “but you’re different, you don’t feel like the others and you know too much for someone we just met. You know about my father, you know about Gunther, and,” Darius turned to look to the graves, “what business do you have with them? Evelyn fell completely silent and held her knees to her chest as she watched with keen interest how this will turn out.
“All answers will reveal itself in time… for now, I wish to look upon the graves of the passed… how proud they must have been to protect the last son of Reign,” Rubeus said as he looked on to the twelve tombstones. Darius wanted to keep asking but felt that a moment of silence is needed at this time.
“Did you know them? These old masters…” Darius asked after a few minutes.
“From the day they could speak their names…” Rubeus simply answered. Darius can only imagine what kind of life this man faced but at the same time couldn’t imagine what he went through. Judging from his tone, his speech, and how he knows too much for his good, Darius could calculate what kind of gains Rubeus made by glory or battles or even massive victories in the past but he certainly wouldn’t dare calculate the losses this old man has suffered like the death of good friends or family.
“Well then, come, children, our time here has ended. I must return to my tasks as you must yours,” Rubeus said as he stood up, “but remain vigilant and strong, Young Reign, not all knowledge is meant to be learned, and once learned, it is not meant to be shared nor kept.” And like before, his red cloak swirled into a vortex at his left eye and Rubeus disappeared.
“He is super creepy,” Evelyn said after a moment, “How did you even meet the guy?”
“I met him during the battle at Mountain Wall. He gave me some pretty good advice on how to fight back then… I dunno, there’s this vibe from him that isn’t all bad,” Darius replied, “there is just something about him that I can trust. Or at least, he hasn’t led me astray so far. But Rubeus is right, my friends have a weird tendency to get in trouble and I gotta get them out of it.” Darius said and walked down the hill with Evelyn closely behind him.
“So, how are you after coming back to your old home? Or what’s left of it...” Evelyn said as she walked beside him.
“I didn’t believe I could handle it at first but after forcing myself to come here, it wasn’t as bad as I thought…” Darius replied but as he looked to the ground, Evelyn could see the deep sorrow in his face that makes her heart cold.
“I’m sorry for your loss… I wished I could do more to help.” Evelyn said quietly.
“Well, you can help me get Gunther to pull Raizo and Zeeq out of jail?” Darius joked. They laughed as they made their way to the nearest public carrier stop.