A few months went by after Hendrika’s passing and the mansion eventually settled into a new routine. Walce took the helm in managing the household affairs and the other servants thankfully followed his lead.

  Said butler now stood before Karel with a grimacing look on his face before giving the envelope with a golden seal of rose. His crimson eyes narrowed slightly before accepting it then thanked Walce. A golden seal means official business and asking Karel, a grand prince, meant something was going underway.

  As they walked towards his office in the mansion, he opened the letter and frowned deeper upon reading its contents.

  “Walce, tell the Master I will be away in the foreseeable future. An order came from the Raise Imperial Pace and my presence is immediately required.”

  “I will let the master know.”

  He burned the letter. “Take care of the isnd.”

  Walce frowned deeper, knowing even the household duties now relied on him. “Yes.”

  “You’re here,” muttered the Emperor, his back facing Karel who just arrived.

  “Greetings to Your Majesty! May you live for ten thousand years!”

  Emperor Chen huffed fondly at his greeting as he faced him. “You don’t have to be so formal like this when we’re alone, Kelzo.”

  He stood to his stature and shrugged. “I don’t want to hear some nagging again that I act like a ruffian, Your Majesty. Please forgive me.”

  Before delving into the matter at hand, the Emperor asked about him and his condition, despite knowing the healthiest among them was actually Kelzo. He also asked about his endeavors in Mapiya Isnd since it seemed like Elder Orazio had talked his ears off again.

  “And the matter at hand…” He sighed. “Tybalt had sent a distress signal.”

  A fierce expression appeared on Karel’s face.

  “As much as I want my knights to attend to the matter, they can’t vacate their position for too long. In worst case scenarios, I will have them track you so they can respond immediately.”

  “Leave this to me.”

  Emperor Chen stood before him, hands on his shoulders and menacing lics looked him in the eyes. “We cannot afford to lose any more of our kin, Kelzo.”

  Karel nodded grimly and attended to his assignment.

  The Emperor stood on the balcony, tightly clutching onto the railing while looking to the east. “Elise, watch over us like you always did. I just hope our brothers will come back alive.”

  Ramayans traveling out of the Continent of Ramaya through the portals often have identification cards embedded with a tracking system. Only a selected few knew of that function though. While not usually used, its purpose was to locate missing individuals or track down criminals. The imperials weren’t exempted when it came to that, however, they had their own ways to communicate with each other.

  This time, Tybalt suddenly sent a distress signal coming from the newly named continent in the east—Eucastra—said to be founded by a man named Reucas Travis and currently under the rule of a special individual revered as the Overseer of the said continent, a woman called the Grand Mistress.

  It’s been so long since Karel visited the said continent and now it changed hands. He had also heard about the rise in power of the aforementioned individuals after the fall of the Empire of Kresimir.

  Karel heaved a breath while he opened a portal. His instincts were trying to tell him something, that those people weren’t easy to trifle with.

  With his specialty magic Dimensional, he managed to reach Tybalt easily. After exiting at the most familiar pce, he immediately tracked him down in the peninsu, taking the path down the valley where lush, dense forests stood.

  “I thought no one’s going to respond.”

  “You know I’d do anything for you, Tybalt.” He jokingly remarked, trying to ease up the tension in the air as he bent down to inspect the other.

  “The man I encountered is strong,” he muttered as he id back, letting his older cousin inspect him.

  “I just hope you didn’t provoke him first.”

  “I didn’t.” He scoffed. “He just attacked me out of nowhere when I was in the outskirts of a town named Talesmia.”

  “This is a scouting mission, right?”

  “Yes. I even hid under a disguise but he managed to trap me.”

  “And you fled here? If that individual is as strong as you say, then he’ll manage to track you down here.”

  “I know, that’s why I lured him here. At least, no civilians would be caught up.”

  Karel furrowed his eyebrows upon seeing an open wound. “Why are you not regenerating?”

  Tybalt hissed as he touched that wound. “I don’t know. I’m circuting my power but it won’t heal.”

  Karel frowned deeper. “It seems like we need to get out of here as soon as we can.”

  While not adept at healing magic, the blond still attempted to heal him. The wounds took more time to close and consumed more power to actually heal it.

  “We’re getting nowhere with this. We should move along since I need to reserve my powers.”

  Tybalt nodded in agreement and stood up wobbly. As he got his bearings again, they stealthily moved along the dense thickets and found a path upwards to the top of the valley. Once they arrived at a clearing, Kelzo remarked as he faced west.

  “I can actually see the ruins of Ethys here. Interesting.”

  “Interesting, indeed,” remarked a third voice, making Karel instinctively shove Tybalt behind him.

  “You’ve called someone else to your aid, huh?”

  “Be careful, Kelzo. Don’t underestimate him,” muttered Tybalt, still struggling to heal himself.

  The man began his attack but Karel deflected them easily, also protecting his cousin behind him. A few steps forward, he tossed something in Tybalt’s hand and it activated a shield. “That will be able to protect you for a while. I’ll finish this as soon as I can.”

  With those spoken words, Karel leaped and fought the man mid-air. They parried and exchanged blows one after another. Magic cshed and canceled each other out. When the man summoned his staff, Tybalt stretched his hand out to summon his own weapon.

  Seeing the familiar tip of a weapon, Tybalt excimed in distress, “Karel! Don’t use Karayan!”

  Karel summoned his sword within a split second upon hearing his younger cousin’s warning. He parried the man with his sword and also summoned magical arrays to attack. The skies were filled with magical arrays as magic continuously cshed in the air, sparks and pressure intense.

  “Oh, so you’re a wielder of a Heseyn. Fascinating.” The man remarked, a feral grin on his face. “It would only mean that you’re not just a normal Ramayan.”

  Karel paid him no heed and concentrated on attacking while not neglecting his defense. Like him, the man also excelled in long-range magic. He’s not at a disadvantage but it’s not a good strategy to underestimate his enemy just because he showed the same skill level.

  “Casting without chanting spells, extraordinary battle instincts,” said the man as a strike of sharp water bdes nearly grazed his face, “and the magic you wield isn’t just a common magical manipution but an extension of yourself.”

  “You’re noisy,” barked out Karel, clearly agitated because none of his attacks hit the other man.

  The long-haired man ughed. “That’s why the magic you wield is more formidable because it’s wielded by someone like you. However…”

  A slew of magical arrays abruptly appeared, trapping Karel inside. With his quick thinking, he managed to manipute a dimension to escape.

  As he successfully evaded it, he was now far away from the vulnerable Tybalt.

  Realizing their distance, the barrier also coming off, the man turned to Tybalt and remarked grimly, “Why don’t you die first?”

  With his immediate reaction, Karel teleported beside his cousin within a split second, straining himself. Instinctively, he raised his hand to swipe on the air, attempting to tear it and use a dimension directly. Before he even could do that, however, Karel noticed the slight crackle of lightning in the air and erected a barrier instead, tightly embracing Tybalt to protect him.

  “It seems like my children have caught the attention of someone they should not,” the muffled baritone voice said as an armored knight with a purple cape stood in between them, sword drawn and his other hand already had a magical array of Lightning hovering above it.

  As the air became more charged, pressure immense and threatening, the Grand Mistress made her presence known and shouted in panic, “Valerio! Step back!”

  Valerio still held onto his arrays but didn’t attack either. “But, my liege!”

  “Stand down!”

  The veiled woman hastily stood before him, wayying her hand as she looked up to the armored knight.

  “We shall end this fight here,” The Grand Mistress decred upon seeing who joined the fray. Seeing a high-ranking knight would only mean that those young Ramayans were important figures of the empire. Why did she only realize it now?

  Said knight removed his helmet, revealing Eliwood. “As it should be. There’s no reason for us to fight, right?”

  “These Ramayans have sauntered into our domain,” countered Valerio, finally withdrawing his magical arrays.

  The knight tossed his helmet to the air, disappearing halfway through and said, “My children had been sent for a scouting mission. This now named continent is an uncharted territory for us and we require further knowledge in order to prepare for worst case scenarios.”

  “Such reasoning doesn’t excuse your actions.”

  “What did they do? Destroyed your homes, perhaps? I’m afraid not.”

  Valerio nearly gnarled if not for the pcating hand on him.

  “There is no need for animosity between us but we’d rather coexist than to annihite one another, don’t you think?” asked Eliwood.

  He couldn’t parse what the Grand Mistress’s expression was due to the veil covering her face but just by the little pause she made, she reconsidered the current predicament.

  “Yes. Until the time comes where we need to unite and have a common goal, we shall have a truce from this moment on.”

  Eliwood sternly remarked, “This verbal truce witnessed by your child and mine.”

  “I don’t go back on my words,” harrumphed the Grand Mistress, still holding onto Valerio’s arm.

  “That’s good to hear then.”

  Eliwood carried Tybalt in his arms while Kelzo opened a portal to Ramaya.

  “Then, we shall go, Grand Mistress. I hope our next meeting will be under favorable circumstances.”

  “Those are the children from the Imperial Family. You shouldn’t mess with them, especially if they did nothing wrong,” they heard the Grand Mistress say as they stepped into the portal.

  “Whatever you say, mom,” Valerio angrily spat, walking away.

  “They are the Children of the Void. Skillful at that. You should know better—”

  They moved in Karel’s dimension, talking softly about the Grand Mistress’ remarks. Karel then stepped forward as he guided them to an exit.

  “Are you unharmed, Kelzo?”

  “Thankfully not but Tybalt took the brunt of the attack before I came.”

  Eliwood looked down at Tybalt, his eyes now closed. After all, only a few people could traverse Karel’s dimension without getting nauseous.

  “Rest, Tybalt. You’re safe now.”

  The ravenet moved closer to his father’s chest until his breaths evened, rexing in his arms.

  “There’s something about that man,” Karel grumbled.

  “I also had a feeling but,” Eliwood embraced Tybalt tighter in his hold, “for now, we shouldn’t provoke them too much. Tend to Tybalt when we get back and I’ll report to the emperor.”

  Karel nodded quietly as they exited his dimension.

  Tybalt, despite now being healed by his own regeneration, didn’t wake up until a few days ter. Karel stayed this time, protecting him from potential danger even though he knew that the imperial pace was the safest pce in the entirety of the empire. From time to time, Eliwood also attended to his son to make sure he’s properly healing.

  “I tried my best.” Karel muttered as the silence continued on this very night. “It’s just that—”

  “It’s not your fault. You don’t have to say anything.” Eliwood looked at Tybalt’s sleeping face. “At least, both of you are safe. We cannot lose anyone anymore.”

  Karel stared at his own hands, fiddling with it. Once he id his crimson eyes upfront, Eliwood was already sitting on the bed, humming a soft tune while caressing Tybalt’s hair.

  “I already lost your mother. I cannot lose you too, my son.”

  Emotions surged up again inside Kelzo and his shaky breaths armed Eliwood. “Kelzo?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not,” Eliwood gritted out, seeing those tears now glistening on his cheeks. “Come here. Sit near me.”

  Karel scooted closer by pcing himself in between him and Tybalt. His figure id down near his uncle’s torso then curled to himself.

  “I told you not to bme yourself.” Eliwood softened his voice, holding onto Kelzo’s hand this time. “Everything’s fine. Even if I didn’t arrive, you still both have protection as long as that shackle,” periwinkle eyes gnced at his choker colr, “is on your person.”

  “I know.” He mumbled and closed his eyes. “I’m just afraid I’ll lose Tybalt too.”

  Eliwood ran his hand through his hair until he eventually fell asleep beside his younger cousin. And that was the scene Princess Belle and Lady Kaho saw when they arrived.

  Eliwood nodded at the two women and Lady Kaho performed an examination on both of them.

  “Are they fine?”

  Lady Kaho nodded as the magic circles disappeared. “Tybalt is already recovering at his usual speed. Some more days of rest will do him good.”

  “And Kelzo?”

  “Distressed. I’d advise him to go home and rest too.”

  Eliwood looked at the blond. “Why would you say that? This is his home.”

  Lady Kaho snorted. “We all know it isn’t anymore.”

  Eliwood frowned then tucked the golden locks away from Karel’s face. These children only slept comfortably like this in their presence, knowing they would be safe with their progenitors.

  “I want to meet that man who captivated my child.”

  “If he heard you calling Kelzo that, he would undoubtedly fight you.” Princess Belle chuckled at the mention of her younger brother. “Both of you had spoiled this child too much.”

  Eliwood often referred to Rainel and Kelzo as his own children. He’s not overly affectionate with them but he showed his care more often than not. Belle sat on the other side of the bed, also observing them.

  “Kelzo is…” She heaved a sigh. “The man is a Louvika.”

  “Tragedy after tragedy,” Eliwood muttered, then frowned deeper. “I can’t shield him from something he has chosen to do.”

  “That’s true.” Princess Belle replied. “It’s about time to let him experience this. We just have to make sure we’ll be there in the aftermath.”

  Eliwood shut his eyes. “We’ve lost so much during the war.”

  Crimson eyes downcast. “I know.”

  Tybalt awoke a day ter after Lady Kaho’s examination and after making sure he’s already recovering just fine, Karel returned to Mapiya Isnd. He arrived in the mansion with a cloud of gloominess hanging above him and Kani, seeing his soured mood, called onto him in concern.

  Once standing before each other, Karel reached out, enveloping the master in a tight embrace and nearly crushing his figure if not for the compints.

  “What happened?” Kani asked softly, holding his face in both his hands.

  “We had an unexpected fight in Eucastra. Tybalt almost lost his life.”

  “Oh, dear,” Kani muttered, frowning but also caressing the blond’s face. “How’s he?”

  “Already awake but greatly weakened.”

  “Who were your enemies?”

  Karel held onto his hand then pulled him towards the master bedroom. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he drew Kani closer to him, embracing his torso as he id his head on him.

  “We’ve guessed that they’re Ramayans just by their words but I’m doubting because I found no traces of magic from the assaint’s master—The Grand Mistress.”

  “And why are you doubting?”

  “Because we heard her say that we are the Children of the Void.”

  Kani carded through his golden locks. “What does that mean?”

  “Ramayan magic isn’t limited to the natural elements as we’re already attuned with it at birth but instead bestowed upon magic that is actually compatible with us. An example would be mine as I wield a Deviant magic called Dimensional Magic.”

  Karel, Eliwood and the younger brother of Princess Belle were called Children of the Void. The three wielders of the said magic fall under the most unique magic to ever exist in the mortal realm—Void. Once wielded by the Ramayan Queen Raise during her glorious days, was one of the oldest and ter categorized as a Deviant magic due to its unique nature.

  While Dimensional was also a magic honed by Karel in his already four millennia of living, he knew he just only touched the surface to what extent his magic could go to.

  “Are you worried that they’ll attack?”

  “Yes. There might be a verbal truce and the Grand Mistress is reasonable but I doubt her underling would let us go easily.”

  “What’s a mere Travis to Ramaya?” Kani asked, as if stating a fact.

  Karel chuckled at his words and rested his cheek on Kani’s torso more. “That’s also true but war isn’t an option. I wouldn’t want to fight in one again, you know.”

  Kani smiled to himself then parted a little to cup his face, then bent down to kiss his forehead. It lingered there for a few seconds before the master let go. If he saw the surprise on the blond’s face, Kani chose to ignore it and parted from him.

  “I think you need rest. Come, we’ll turn in for the night.”

  Karel was ushered to the bed, spooned by the master tightly even after the mp was put out.

  Kani, still blushing furiously, bit his lower lip and firmly shut his eyes.

  This treacherous heart of mine will be the end of me someday.

  lymsleiah