Year 685 of Asthal’s Calendar
A man wearing a blackhood was acting strangely. He warily looked around him by just moving his head slightly, inspecting the dark place. Every alleyways and corners, even above him.
When he did see no one in the perimeter, he entered the dark alley ,straight ahead without looking back. He ran as fast as he could like a wind as if he was floating, not producing any sound that could disturb anyone living in that alley.
He took turns before arriving in his destination infront of a wall.
“It is 002.” He said in a low voice yet the people inside heard him clearly.
It was like a chant and the illusion barrier on the place vanished for a moment. He lifted the fabric that served as the door of the tent and entered.
He scrutinized the surrounding once again before closing it.
The illusion barrier immediately activated from the outside, preventing some unwanted visitors to barge in and blocks the voices inside the tent.
The misterious guy pushed back his hood and the people inide -who arrived first- greeted him.
“You are late.” The pink-haired guy greeted but the newcomer ignored him that made the latter irritated.
“You jerk-!” he was stopped by the only girl in the group by covering his mouth.
“Stop it 003.” The red-haired guy said coldly that made the ill-tempered man obey him.
The redhead had this cold and dark aura around him but exhaustion could be traced in his complexion as if he was not hiding it at all. They all have dark circles under their eyes and it could be tell by one glance that they all need a long rest.
“I made a purifying bracelet for all of you.” The guy called 002 said and took out four bracelets from his pocket and gave it to his comrades.
“What is this for?” the golden-haired asked as he inspected the bracelet.
“Wear it. It can nulify dark magic applied to your bodies.” 002 replied.
“If it can nulify dark magic, why are you not wearing anything?” the the guy called 003 asked with his left brow raising as if he was suspicious but 003 looked away from him and looked at where the table was.
“I am myself the nulifier.” 002 replied bluntly that made 003 huffed.
“You boastful bastard.” 003 mumbled that they all heard but none of them reacted to what he said because they were already used to their arguments.
They stood up around the table where a big scroll was open atop and a complicated magic circle was drawn in the middle of the paper.
“Is this it?” asked by the girl in a hopeful voice. 003 proudly smiled to all of them despite under the influence of exhaustion.
“Yes. This is the magic circle we need.” 002 said.
“How can you make this thing work?” asked by the golden-haired guy.
“Before you ask how this works, let me explain this to you first.”
“This can only be use one time in a century. I do not know what are the side effects but I hope nothing goes wrong. This magic circle could turn people back time albeit, I do not know how many years long and the most difficult thing is… I can not guarantee if this will work perfectly.”
“What the actual fuck? Are you telling us to use that magic circle without guarantee?” the golden-haired guy swore. The readhead guy tightened his grip on the edge of the scroll where his hands resides while staring blankly in the soil colored paper.
“It was like telling us to die if it did’t work out.” 002 commented.
“No. This magic circle can only mount one person. Just one.” 003 said that made everyone under the roof look at him in shock.
“What are you saying?!” the readhead charged in and pulled 003’s collar to his face.
“001!” the rest of them stopped him but the redhead did not even budged when the golden-haired and 002 tried to separate the two of them. The pink-haired 003 did not fought back and let the man grip him.
003 looked at the rehead guy, 001, with his eyes tired.
“Like I have said, it can only mount one people though I am not really sure. It was the only best thing that I could do. I am just an Archmage but I am not a God.” 003 defended and held 001’s hand to loose his grip on him.
001 did not said anything and unhand 003’s collar.
003 fixed his clothes before sighing in dismay and exhaustion but still managed to smile infront of everyone.
“004, did you bring a strand of ‘her’ hair?” 003 asked the golden-haired guy.
“Yes. But what would you do with ‘her’ hair?” 004 asked as he took out a bunch of silver hair strands tied.
“Did you bring of ‘her’ treasured belonging?” 003 ignored 005 and asked 001. 001, the redhead smiled bitterly and let out a sigh.
“You did not-?”
“’She’ did not have anything she treasured other than her family but I did manage to find one.” 001 said.
“But where are you going to use those?” the woman asked.
“I just knew this after ‘she’ died but…she has a lot both of mana and holy power at the same time. She was special. It is not just two power that she had. There was also something inside her that I can not fathom. I am not quite certain what it was. 001 already knew it, right?” he threw 001 a glance that made the others turn their heads to him.
“Wait, was that even allowed?” 004 asked bewildering.
“I do not really know but nothing is impossible. Her mana and holy power were overflowing. It was like it were all sealed when she was still alive but when she died, It bursted out, that was why I knew. I do not know if 002 also felt it.”
“I did felt the overflowing holy power but I did not know that it was from her. I thought, God just blessed her good daughter’s soul.” Replied 002.
“Anyway, back to business. Who would want to risk it?” 003 asked that made two of them quiet and two of them-
“I will.”
“I will go.”
-present themselves willingly without hesitation.
Life had never been so easy for Maxineirah but she was able to carry the burdens in the past and became the Crowned Princess though others may not know but she was already the Crowned Princess selected by the Majesties themselves.
Everyone knows she was smart albeit, cold.
Her coldness was different from his brothers and father. Her coldness screams silence, loneliness and sadness while her family’s screams danger and authority, too far from Maxineirah .
Everyone had always wondered why the Zachronos were indifferent to the youngest member of the Ducal House but if they would head about the late Duchess, they immediately understand why.
In the other sitting room with Maxineirah and Maximillian…
As soon as they entered the room, Maximillian plopped Maxine in the sofa. Her knees were out of strenght and she felt so tired.
She grabbed a pillow beside her and that was the moment she finally realized who brought her here.
She lifted her eyes and looked at her Brother Maximillian who was standing infront of her.
Maximillian met her gaze and strangely, her brother did not look away like he usually does.
Maxineirah hugged the pillow tigthly as she cleared the lump on her throat.
“Are you not going to run away again this time?” the younger asked with an awkward smile plastered on her sweet face.
Maximillian widened his eyes in surprise and unable to utter any word at the moment.
He tried to open his mouth a few times to say something but he could not put what was in his mind into words.
Maxineirah was just staring at him while lot of things were occupying her mind. She totally knows why her brother was like that but a few more of his brother’s avoidance and she might think that her brother does not really like her.
“I-I am…” at last, Maximillian found his voice.
Maxine looked at him hopefully, waiting for his explanation but seconds passed, Maximillian went back to silence.
Maxine wanted to slapped her own forehead.
Graces! Why was her Brother Maximillian so shy?!
Maxine sighed.
She think, she have to help his brother to realize it.
Maxine pouted and tugged her brother’s sleeve to invite him to sit beside her but the latter did not even get what she wanted to say and remained standing.
“I want you to sit, Brother.” Maxineirah still needed to tell him directly for him to get it.
Maximillian obeyed quietly like a puppy and sat beside Maxineirah, feeling embarrassed for not getting the simple message.
Before Maximillian could even sit properly beside his sister, Maxineirah asked her brother that made him threw his head on Maxine.
“Do you hate me?”