Back in the war of ebony and wit, a clear victor arose. Harald sacrificed little as he could to take it slow. Elon sacrificed everything to gain the upper hand.

Fate was not on the latter’s side that day. Yet, he never went against it, even when fate warned him. In the end, two queens, a rook, and five pawns gave the checkmate.

In defeat, Elon requested his last Darjeeling for the day and walked to view the sunset. Harald stood from behind. “I’m still curious. Why didn’t you want to win?”

He sighed. “I never lose, mate… I take my time. Every day I’m alive is a victory. If I’m a contributor to so much turmoil in this world, at least I could say I made a lasting mark. I stand by my passion. Not what others think.”

“So who are you really…? If you’re not Elon Jay Gatsby?” he asked again.

After sipping his last, he chuckled and turned around. “You’re right. I’m not Gatsby. Nor am I ‘The Raven.’ In my heart, I fancy myself as the Witching Hour Santa. I give out toys to ‘children’ of older ages. Toys that their parents would never have approved of.” He returned the teacup he was given before and stood on top of a railing.

“This is farewell, your majesty. I won’t be returning to Coelestis or the Prosperity Triangle anytime soon.” He took a step over the railing, but then, “Oh! I almost forgot.” He walked back to Harald and handed him a “toy” wrapped in manila paper. “Send my regards to Mr. Kanadzuchi. I ran tests with it, and it’s still in perfect condition.”

Elon finally jumped over and turned into a mass of ravens flying unto the horizon.

Harald’s men accompanied him with their flying carpets. They praised him for his ingenuity in dealing with the enemy. “We’ve expected no less. Had any other dealt with Elon, it would have enticed him to come to our city again,” one noted. They decided to treat their king to another drink back home. They shouted together in excitement.

He nodded with his eyes closed to their request. “Indeed, my good men. I’m feeling parched for another Bloody—” He interrupted himself. Due to his Omniscope innate ability, he saw a familiar face falling into the sky. “Oh, my word. The brothers have fought.”

A while back, the eyes of Hokori and Feuer widened as Aviary froze completely. Feuer placed his hands on his ice-encased body and heated it slowly.

Hokori grunted. “Bruh, it’s been ten minutes. The motherfucker’s prolly dead now.”

“I cannot rush this, simpleton!” he shook his head. “If I warm him too quickly, his skin will crack. Hope to the Gods he will not lose his limbs now.”

His eyes rolled. “If that’s the case, I could give him new ones with my healing power. It’s a bajillion times better than runes. I mean….” He grunted again. “You know what?” He rubbed hands together to the point they caught fire.

Just as Feuer warned, Aviary’s skin chipped apart. “Stop, you fool! We are dealing with magic. Not mundane mishap!”

“I know! But we gotta be quick before that cuntfuck shows up—” His arms froze before he could react. The same happened to Feuer, which made him scream in immense pain.

On the other hand, Hokori quickly suppressed his receptors and heated his blood to usually dangerous levels. Feuer eventually channeled magma on his limbs to break free. They looked all around the area. No one was there until they looked back where Aviary was.

The Novus archmage’s blood ran cold. He and his comrade knew the culprit all along. Before his very eyes, Hokori’s entire head flash-froze. He moved erratically on the floor, unable to breathe.

Feuer now felt an unbearable chill in the area. Before long, his little brother stood in front of him. “What’s the meaning of this, Hagel? Are you planning to be judged in a court-martial!?” He walked closer.

Ever since his twelfth birthday, Hagel showed everyone his cold, dead blue eyes. He treated his flesh and blood no different. He glared intently and sighed. “Indeed, we were ordered not to capture the hedonist gangster: Elon Jay Gatsby. But our majesty told no such things for these pestilent skyfarers.” He picked up Aviary with one hand.

“Shut your mouth! Pirates won’t even return for three years every time we give them justice. They may be enemies of the law, but devils they are not. Humanity flows within them!” He clutched his chest.

“Of what argument do you speak, dear brother?” he squinted. “Our nation’s law befit the Gods themselves. Not of us mere humans. Surely our supreme court could find so much error in their ways—that it would warrant divine punishment.” A small blizzard formed all around him. “I am always Heaven’s footsoldier. Defy them if you must. I’d never forgive myself if you perished before me.”

Feuer was more than eager to oblige. He clad himself in igneous armor with flowing magma between the plates. Hagel had his own version, complete with wings.

They flew up midair and commenced their battle. The initial attack was a summoned horde of elemental animals. Feuer called out eagles while Hagel called out wolves. None got the upper hand.

Feuer and Hagel went on with the melee and matched blow for blow. Next, they flew back and shot an endless blast of magma and ice. Once again, their innate abilities canceled each other out.

In William’s airship, Kenkō used her innate ability on the pirate couple. She administered their bodies with a warm saline solution. It thawed them little by little. Six minutes in, Hokori’s family could not hear a single breath from both.

Yukino bawled a river over her mother. “Are they going to die, Mama…? Is it my fault again?”

Tokino rubbed her back. “No, honey. It’s not your fault this time. It never was.” Her husband Haruto stepped in to comfort their daughter more.

Kakunō walked near the ship’s edge. His eyes widened over the scene in the sky. “By the Gods….” Countless frozen airships fell. He also witnessed numerous pirates appearing like ice sculptures.

Yukino screamed, seeing a ship falling on top of all of them. Her parents immediately shielded her while Kenkō tried to cast a runic shield.

Luckily, Kakunō jumped high and sliced it into shreds with his halberd. He went back down and stored his weapon via runes. “Hagel… You’ve gone too far!”

Kenkō continued her procedure on the pirate couple. Moments later, Hokori’s finally heard William and Grace coughing. Yukino now bawled in pure joy and hugged both tightly. Tokino shed a small tear and dried it with a finger.

The couple kneeled and expressed immense over Kenkō. Her cheeks reddened. “Oh, stop it…! It was nothing. It’s just a job….” She muttered to herself.

Grace walked to Tokino. “Your mother wanted me to give you this. You forgot about it for years, ever since you left home.” She handed her a Dumbo figurine enough to fit one’s palm.

She held it tight, and she hugged her. “Oh, Grace… You’re even more precious to me now….” Tears flowed out.

Kakunō stepped in and informed everyone of the situation at hand. Worst case scenario would be Hagel freezing everyone who stood in his path. “Even I’d have a hard time holding him off. His innate ability hampers my weapons to the point they become useless.”

Tokino turned to Grace and asked if she and her husband would come with them to their ship.

“No, it’s okay, dear,” she shook her head. “My William and I need to defend our son from the attacker. Don’t worry. We are strong….”

The mentioned husband held Haruto’s shoulder. “Can’t wait to see you later, bud. Waddaya say? Does a drinking contest sound nice?”

He chuckled with his eyes closed. “Sure. But you’ll regret it immediately.” He smirked.

“Hahahahahaha! Damn, I hope not….” He fist-bumped Haruto for a goodbye—while Tokino hugged Grace again.

As Hokori’s family rode their airship, the pirate couple waved at them with smiles.

During the duel between the sibling defectors, there was no clear victor. For the thousandth time, they threw devastating techniques in midair. What were once eagles and wolves had turned into an entire armored infantry. It turned into an outright battlefield as the army grew in numbers. Bits of magma and ice flew all around the area.

Feuer decided to become more creative. He created dragons the size of skyscrapers. When it all seemed lost on the other side, Hagel caught on immediately. He summoned a snow queen that dwarfed the dragons by a hundred. All it took was one icy breath to demolish Feuer’s team.

Surprisingly, Hagel made his team disappear. He decided to go on the melee again. “I’d never hate you, dear brother. Though I am curious how I fair well in brute strength against you. It’s been some time….”

Feuer sighed and stopped using magma attacks. “As you wish.”

Their fist-clash was enough to erase the clouds above them. No matter what, they matched blow for blow. As a result, they became battered very quickly. They cast runic arrays to fortify their bodies even further—in hopes they could minimize each other’s attacks.

Fifteen minutes in, their bloody injuries opened up more and more. Hagel lost an eye. For Feuer, three fingers from his left. The brothers levitated in midair and healed themselves.

They gazed at each other intently. “No use, Hagel… You may have grown stronger than ever. But if we are to do this more, we meet Heaven’s gates much sooner.” Feuer noted.

“Quite right, as always, dear brother. But if I were true to myself, it shall be a death to remember by all.”

“What…?” his eyes squinted.

Hagel took a deep breath. “I am a hero, first and foremost. I never lost my way. But the Gods blessed me with an epiphany….” His speech went on for one minute.

In the end, Feuer was severely disgusted by his words. “Who are you…? You are not my brother.” He flew at blinding speeds. “Who are you!!”

With both now fully recovered, their battle continued.

When Feuer summoned a rain of blazing arrows, Hagel commanded a chilling hailstorm. When they clad themselves in their respective elemental armor again, they clashed evenly with Zweihänders thrice their size. For Feuer, his weapon eventually turned into a fiery flamberge.

Hokori’s family arrived at their destination. The magic Feuer and Hagel exuded almost had them on their knees.

The two “hearts” Yukino sensed made her stomach turn. One felt like a flamethrower burned her alive until nothing was left. The other felt like a raging wildfire that never stopped killing flora until it fizzled out.

Back at the scene, both brothers sliced each other’s bellies simultaneously. They clutched their torsos tightly to keep the entrails from falling out.

They gazed at each other midair again, panting heavily.

Hagel’s eyes were still ice cold. “Why must you think I am in the wrong, dear brother…? Justice comes in many forms… and I chose the most effective of all—” A long, muscular arm impaled his stomach from behind.

Feuer dropped his flamberge out of pure, unadulterated shock. “No… No, don’t….”

Hagel closed his mouth as he felt so much blood rushing out. Unfortunately, the arm pushed deeper through. He vomited excessively. His complexion quickly turned pale, now matching his white crown. He turned slowly. “You… murderous… animal…” he said in a fading tone, barely recognizing the Peerless Champion’s face as his vision turned dark.

Hokori, on a flying carpet, glared at him like never before. “At least fall with legitimate grace, you absolute cuntfuck.” He pulled out his arm.

Hagel fell to the sky. His pale body moved around at random intervals. As his vision kept fading, he saw a figure all too familiar. He never forgot his brown cape and big, friendly eyes.

For the first time in years, Hagel smiled. “Dear brother… I wish you not to see this. Our future turned ugly ever since you rested forever.” His eyes began to close. “Joining you shall give me long time peace, however. I am ready….”