At the king’s home, the sibling defectors sat stern. Feuer never thought much about festivities. He cringed upon recalling the times he did. Still, he thought Hagel had no reason for a soul-staring glare.

Summertime had peaked that noon. Yet the chill gave his arms goosebumps. “That’s enough, brother.” He saw the wind whirling faster in the throne room. “We’re tasked to save those before Hayato’s massacre. Not cull the beast itself.”

The gale only worsened and knocked off several plate armor. Purple banners tore up to shreds. Seconds in, snowflakes had afloat. The air calmed, but Hagel’s eyes narrowed.

Arms crossed, he clawed his left forearm tighter. Red had dripped, yet the eyes stayed. “Speak naught again, dear brother. Even for you, I shan’t tolerate such pity.” A few rolled down his cheeks, seething. “I weep for ours beyond the grave.”

Feuer held off words as requested. In fact, the sorrow had almost crushed his heart. His brother talked of rage in spades instead. Now, memories of failing to swim were of Heaven.

Fifteen minutes later, Harald nodded at his call. “Understood. Do whatever you can for the time being.” He closed his screen and turned to the siblings. “I needn’t say much. Or at least I’d love it that way. Frankly, you lot, prepare your minds for another haunting.

“Make no mistake. Haruto’s gifted boy is still the saint mage. I’d write his legend in a bad light—but at a glance. And I hope his mother’s tears won’t end. Because now, we’re the beasts.”

Screen open again, Harald dispatched every brigade mage available. As always, they would escort citizens to the underground bunkers. Then, an ultimatum mission for every archmage.

He turned to them again. “My six royal guards stay with me. I’d only leave my ivory tower if you return limp. In exchange, my last years on the looming battlefield.” He raised a hand forward. “Make haste!”

Hagel’s eyes lit up at his screen. The initiative gave him no joy. He could not understand what it was at all. Either way, he had the toothy smile of a sadist. “A hero cometh.”

He flash-stepped outside, even beyond the king’s senses. Feuer merely saw the double doors swaying with the after wind. The goosebumps returned, now on his legs. Yet unable to defy his heart, he forced himself out. Harald shielded his eyes again upon the gust.

Forty kilometers away, one’s eyes were indifferent to the mission. Hokori eyed a fight at the central park atop a hill. Seconds in, he sighed. “I knew it. The couch potato stood no chance.”

Walking down, he turned to his distressed family at another angle. The deserted water park still had Yukino bawling. She shouted at her peak, disbelieving the kill-on-sight target. Her father and sister hyperventilated on the spot. Kakunō yelled, too, but got no help.

Despite the misery, Hokori continued downhill. Away from his sight, he prayed nothing for them. Sorry, kiddo, the sun followed. Happiness ain’t gon’ come always.

As for you guys, nothin’ personal. Not ever since Mom and Dad crossed the road. He leaped in a single bound and timeframe. In midair descent, his eyes glared.

I only see their killer.

An hour before, Joshua’s comrades escorted the protesters. Some needed runes on their forehead for lights out. He turned, eyes stern. “Don’t listen to their complaints. Go!”

He pulled out his trusty bat. The enemy still grinned and even inched closer. He had never seen such casual strides from a rogue mage. “And saint or not, you’re going down, man.”

Hayato stopped, mouth lowered. “What’d you say, child? Speak up.” He swished his right upfront. The grass and dirt rippled upon the invisible force. Now, anyone would mistake the park for a strip mine.

The instructor outsped the psychic bending tenfold. He neared him like a jolt and swung leftward.

Hayato moved midair to and fro and around. However, he did not expect the onslaught.

Each bat strike looked singular, but that was the gravest mistake upon anyone’s skin. Joshua hit the same points more times than a minigun. The enemy resorted to a full psychic shield.

Hayato had still felt every momentum. He could not count the times his body flung around. Rolling on the grass, he pointed to the sky. Citizens from afar screamed, and some made for a jump.

The park floated a hundred meters above surface level. Its chunks fell off by the minute—heads below splitting when hit. Joshua stood before the enemy from a lightning bolt. Intimidation only moved him in suspense thrillers.

He walked closer. “You know, man? I wish I’d met you before all this. Shame that the worst mage ever stole your mind.”

Hayato stopped and chuckled. “As if I’d stoop that low, child. I go beyond!” He threw a chop in place. The playing field split in two.

Still unmoved in both ways, bolts cracked around him. Then, he lay on the ground with a snore. The enemy raised a brow for a better look. Unfortunately, his shield failed in time: a clean hit to the gut and even more.

Joshua had a new epiphany for kids. None were ever that bad. Except now, he had to make sure bruises appeared. His weapon went blinding, fit for a thunder deity.

Hayato could not hope to avoid contact paralysis. A tortoise would cross the finish line fifty times. He crossed his arms into an X but rolled on the dirt again. Even so, he tasted no defeat. He had never lost his grin through the fight. Finally, he realized his archfoe’s common trait.

He stood and chuckled louder. “Splendid, child. Fun’s over.” The finger-snap traveled to the other end.

Joshua covered his ears after a bang. Firearms were close to rare except for pirates. Sadly, he preferred them rather than the gushing red below. Vision hazy, he held his entrails from spilling. He felt the wind pass through the gape.

The park slowly descended back down. Hayato cared not for a seamless patch. In fact, he never planned to again. With a slow stride, he smirked at the instructor’s folly. He stood mesmerized at the cracking skin.

“Oh my, child…” he squatted. “Your Core’s at your limit. Such a waste.” He laid three fingers on his chest and grinned. This hobby takes me back.

He felt the round prize nearing his palm. However, the psychic bending stopped. His fingers dug deeper but still nothing. What the? he observed his hand, squinting. “Urgh!”

He fell on his back and shook violently. His mouth had frothed for three minutes. Another minute in, he gasped a lungful. A flock of murder condors flew by.

He stood and held his head like a million migraines. Alas, shock replaced it quicker. He sprinted toward Joshua, who reddened the grass. “By the Gods. By the Gods!” He cast every rune taught to him. Only the bleeding stopped.

As the skin cracked more, he fell to his knees. Eyes wide and panting, he held his head with both. What have I done? What have I done? What have I done? What have I done? The waterworks had not stopped even at noon.

Tears ended at the next tick. Unfortunately, the shock had returned. The silver bat turned his ribs to dust. He vomited red and rolled again. Thirty meters away, oxygen failed to enter his lungs. He shook subtly this time.

Joshua limped toward the paling boy. More wind through the gape, he felt hungry. “Sorry, man.” He raised his weapon high. “I’m more than happy kicking the bucket after you do.”

Cruelty haunted his mind. Still, he swung faster for the deed. Bolts flashed on the bat, aimed at Hayato’s head. Then, he felt sluggish. The world crawled around him, but not from his eyes. It even surpassed any lighting sense he had.

Noon still shone brightly. Yet he felt stuck in limbo for an hour. Now he was unsure if the deed would pass. Suddenly, he lost all his senses. Before the void, a hazy figure thrust toward him.

His eyes opened, or so he thought. The pain had moved to his stomach. He had zero strength to remove the rapier. It lodged deeper until the hilt. He slowly looked up and saw a glaring bear.

Tokino twisted her sword left and right. Good measures were a must before the child reunion. Then, she caught Joshua’s fall and formed arrays on his torso. “Don’t move. You won’t die, but stay quiet.” She made him fall face first.

She flash-stepped to her son’s aid; blood had seeped back into the skin. He woke up feeling ‘rain’ on his face. On her knees, she would not let go if the world ended. Deep breaths accompanied the bawling. “Oh, honey. I can’t forgive myself. Never!”

Hayato joined in the sorrow. Yet he had no heart to admit his sins. “Mom. Please don’t cry. I don’t want….” The ground felt a hundred crashes. Numerous brigade mages jumped down from portals. At that point, none cared about her rank. Twice an army loomed over them.

“Mrs. Tokino Minagawa!” one stepped in. “You’re protecting a clone of the most wanted rogue mage! Under Article 379, step out or face the conseq—” He and his comrades could not move an inch. The sound had slowed before their eyes.

Tokino saw their heads as black-and-white targets. One swift stab was enough for each. Even with missing faces right through, it took them time to fall over. She breathed softly upon another “rain” above.

Hayato sweated bullets, eyes wide. His mother walked at a snail’s pace. He backed away, seeing runes wash away her mess. Bodies all around were the final straw—a blood-curdling scream.

She held him close again. “No, no, no. Honey, it’s okay. It’s only a dream. Just a dream. Here….” She cast runes over his forehead. Now lights out, she continued the reunion. Let’s go home.

Suddenly, she heard the loudest crash from behind. She knew the heavy aura without turning. As expected, it was not magic. Endless conflict swirled in her mind. For family or another, she had no answer.

Hokori stood tall, hands in his pockets. “Better choose, kid. I can’t control people.” His hand neared her shoulder. He stopped as if a wild animal snarled at him. After all, the Bear had awoken before his human self.

Tokino pointed her rapier high no matter where he moved. She even did several warning trusts. “Go away…” she panted, Hayato behind her. “Go away! Don’t make me sever our ties!”

His eyes remained stern. The word disappointment would do them no justice. Now closed, he sighed and caressed his nape. “Ya forgot to say brother, kid.” He walked closer. “Go. Run for the hills. See if the grass is greener. We’ll pay a visit time after time.”

Her narrowed glare faded to confusion. Her heart raced, still not understanding the ultimatum. She stored her sword and stood up. “Wait. B-Brother, I didn’t mean—”

Once again, the ground felt thundering feet. The sibling defectors showcased their power in spades. Hagel got restrained by the king with a runic dome. To think such frothing rage had surpassed the Bear.

Tokino carried her son away from their defiant look. Hokori grunted, teeth clenched. “Go, for fuck sake! Don’t think twice!” He stomped, and the ground divided into a ravine. Birds flew above stampedes.

Hagel’s prison had vanished. Enraged further, he grabbed the archmage’s shirt. “Have you lost any sense!? There stood the culprit of our nightmares, and you—” His jaw dislocated as he flung onto a forest. A few acres turned barren earth.

Hokori lowered his right. Don’t touch me, you little shit.

Afternoon shone at the Quds’ Lot cemetery. By a tree, Hayato slowly awoke. His mother cast a runic shade against the sunshower. He saw a gravestone on his right—more flowers than the rest.

“He was your uncle’s pride long ago, honey.” She reinforced the roof. “Leuchten would’ve called you brother on the spot.”

He saw her pulling out a picnic basket. Even more odd, sleeping bags lay to his left. He squinted slightly and turned. “Mom, we shouldn’t be here. It’s private prop—”

She gave a warm hug from the breeze. “No, no. It’s fine, honey. We’ll be home soon.” Stroking his hair, she smiled with tears. “I’m sorry… yet again. I can’t even look at their faces right now. Not even your sister’s.”

His heart had ached at the memories of Yukino’s smile. Yet he dared not to ask for her presence. He rubbed his eyes as a waterfall began. “I don’t like this, Mom. Everything.” Surprisingly, he found strength in the truth. “I’m a killer. A monster, and even beyond that. I should apologize, not you.”

Tokino let the sorrows run on her chest. “Oh no, no, no, honey. Don’t ever think that way. Perhaps you did, but so what? I killed enough to forget. You’re not the only monster.

“You’re my little boy. And with Yukino, you’re my sunshine. Both, my only sunshine.”

The skies had grayed with the storm clouds. Even then, they had utmost protection. Hayato sniffled. “Really?”

She looked down and smiled. “Of course. No matter what you’ve become, I’ll—” Red splattered toward the runic dome behind. Heartbreak was not even possible at that point.

He caught her fall and hugged her more, eyes closed. He smiled back. “Thank you, Mom. But I don’t think they’ll stick up for me now. Goodnight.” He walked away from the reddened grass. Grinning at the horizon, he held the gravestone.

He sighed with closed eyes. It pains me to say, child. You just had to not get a clue.