A/N: Thank you everyone up till now for all the reviews, likes and follows. They really motivate me. Please note that I will update this on a biweekly period until possibly end of May instead of my usual weekly releases. This is due to my upcoming exams and also on the fact that I will be moving across the country and so I have a lot of packing to do. I will notify when the releases will return back to the usual weekly period. Thank you for reading again!

. . . . .


That very night Cadis Etrama Di Raizel stood at the balcony in the house. He had just returned from a detailed check up at the laboratory downstairs. He was used to Frankenstein's eccentric ways when Frankenstein was immersed in his experiments. But even so, he had seen a frown broke upon Frankenstein's face far too often than he liked.

Frankenstein is always researching about ways to restore my health. His efforts may be done in futile again.

The midnight moon lit up his blood red eyes. He had always turned to the moon and night when these thoughts weaved into his mind, when he had to think and ruminate about the complexities of the world. It was as though the world became a little clearer, a little less complicated whenever he stood in the midst of darkness, until it all faded away, the twilight sky giving way to the first rays of morning light which announced the arrival of dawn. His thoughts often turned towards the world, humanity and more importantly, the people whom he cherished. Frankenstein, who did his best in everything, just to cater to Cadis Etrama Di Raizel's needs, just for fulfilling the wants he would never be able to have. Frankenstein, who need not shoulder this burden. He sighed into the chill darkness. He had caused Frankenstein too much trouble, but he knew that nothing he said would stop that man from continuing his research. And for Frankenstein's sake, he would not say anything to that man. He wanted Frankenstein to be happy, perhaps, him out of everyone else; he was the one who wanted Frankenstein to be happy the most. Though, he thought that it was likely that the research would not yield any results. The last time he had regained his health was during his absorption of Ragnarok. And even then, he barely survived the deadly battle with the First Elder. And what of the girl right now? Does her existence mean that there had been other organisations that were modifying humans? Had they unknowingly let a few involvers from The Union to escape?

His thoughts were heavy tonight. There were too many questions to ponder.

I wonder if this is a good time to hibernate. The girl's intentions are still unknown, and if there are others… The children-

He turned around, back facing the pale crescent moon. He felt a strange pulse of power, throbbing slow and steady like the palpitations of a heart.

Not Frankenstein's.

His face tightened. He took a step away from the balcony. Granted, the power was weak, incredibly so, but it was present, and more importantly, it was one he did not recognised. Frankenstein appeared to his left and they both stood in front of a door.

"Master, I feel a weak power," Frankenstein muttered.

The frown on his forehead deepened.

. . . . .


Frankenstein looked at the entrance. He raised a clenched fist and rapped on the solid door. There was no response. His eyes narrowed into slits. The silence did not qualm the suspicions rising deep from him.

The power is faint, barely noticeable, but it is undeniably present.

"Linthiel, are you awake?" Frankenstein asked as he knocked again.

Only silence.

He wanted answers. Standing at this spot did not serve to provide him the answers he needed from her. The presence of the power indicated that she was awake, and that she was doing something in there. That was cause enough for him to be wary of.

"If you're not answering, we will be coming in," he warned.

Still, there was no response.

He pushed the door wide open. Frankenstein tried to comprehend the scene in front of him. Linthiel lay in bed, her sleeping form engulfed by a pale white glow, steady and pulsating. Her face was contorted into an expression of fear and pain, her mutterings barely audible to his ears. What surprised him the most was not the state she was in but was in fact, that the white Pegasus hovered protectively next to her bed. It did not help him clear his mind that the Pegasus, too, emitted a pale glow similar to the one which the girl was protruding. Frankenstein took a few steps forwards, wanting to put his vision into perspective.

What is she doing? What was she thinking, releasing Teru next to her while she sleeps?

His eyes searched for his master, a few steps behind him.

"Master, should I wake her up?" he asked.

His master paused for a second and then, his head inclined in a curt nod.

Frankenstein's feet took him forwards, his stance on the offense. Just as he was to take his second step, Teru trotted in front of him, cutting him off from his approach. Frankenstein's frown deepened, the corners of his mouth pressed down in a tight firm line. He crossed his arms, his back stiff. He cocked his head to a side, slightly raised and looked at Teru, his gaze piercing.

"Tch, what is he trying to do?" he muttered.

He decided that if the Pegasus was going to block him from approaching Linthiel, he would just raise his voice to wake her up. After all, it was not as though there was any other way but that.

"Linthiel, wake up," he commanded.

Through the gap between the Pegasus' wing and body, he managed to peek at the girl's sleeping form. The girl tossed in her sleep at his voice and continued to murmur. She did not awaken.

"Linthiel. Wake up," he repeated, his voice several notches louder.

The girl tossed around and bolted up. The dim light which surrounded her faded away. It was exactly then that the Pegasus, that was just in front of his eyes a minute ago, vanished into fragments of golden dust, scattering into the atmosphere. His eyes went large and his arms dropped to his sides. He scanned the room for any signs of Teru before he confirmed that the Pegasus was indeed gone. He flicked his vision back on the girl, scrutinising her. The presence of the weak power had disappeared. He approached the girl.

Linthiel stared up at him, mouth slightly apart. There was an internal battle of conflict and confusion reflected in the wide eyes of hers. Her hands started grasping the white sheets around her, as though unsure about her surroundings.

"Frankenstein, Cadis Etrama Di Raizel," she whispered, "Wha-what happened?"

"Why did you release your power?" he asked.

Linthiel looked at him, her eyes still bleary from being woken up. Her eyes darted around the room before finally settling on him. Her hands let go of her sheets and her shoulders relaxed in response. Crinkles appeared on her forehead as she met his eyes.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Your Pegasus, Teru, he was drawn out beside you while you slept," he explained, his arms crossed again.

"I did not draw him out," she denied.

He took her words in, his mind scrambling to unearth the authenticity of her words. Her face was an expression of complete confusion, her frown matching the one on his forehead. A sigh escaped deep from his chest. His hands stopped gripping his arms, though they never dropped to his side. He shifted his weight to his side and looked down at her, his frown disappearing. He shook his head. It was unbelievable that this was the extent of the girl's power. He did not expect her to be powerful per say, but this... He let go of another sigh. It was a wonder that she managed to escape the facility in the first place. She would need work.

"Were you having a nightmare?" he asked.

Linthiel froze. The silence in the room was complete, and he could almost hear three of their beating hearts, drumming away in their chests. She face drained of colour and he could see her gulped. A few seconds of tensed silence hung between the two of them. She was the first to break it. Her voice was ever so soft when she replied.

"Yes," she whispered, barely audible.

Frankenstein looked down at her shrunken form, her hair cascaded across her face as she refused to meet his gaze. He could not see her expression. All he saw was her scrunching and releasing the sheets in front of her repeatedly. He decided that he would direct his thoughts later; what needed to be addressed now was her power.

"You told us yesterday that your Pegasus was to protect. It is very likely that you are unable to fully control your power. As a result, your nightmare had triggered a power leakage and that is why the Pegasus appeared next to you," he explained.

He saw her fingers froze, their movements halted. He could still not see how she was reacting, her black hair created a veil of curtain, a barrier that hid her emotions. She was in absolute stillness. He opened his mouth and was about to voice out when she cut him off.

"I see," she whispered.

Frankenstein weighed if he should let it go for the night and continued to question her tomorrow. Those two words were so simple, yet they were not uttered without thought. He detected anguish and loneliness within those two syllabuses, and it was the underlying message that was conveyed that halted him in chastising her. It was urgent for her to learn on how to control her power, but perhaps, they could start training when she was in a better place, tomorrow? Unruly emotions could get in the way of training, and if not exercised properly, could lead to potential problems. His thoughts were contradictory, on one hand, he needed her to train soon, in case her power went haywire while she was in school; on the other, he did not want her to train while her emotions dwelled in a bad place as that would complicate her abilities. Yet, if he removed her from school grounds, he was worried about the chances of her losing control of her power while she was alone. It left him no choice; he had to keep an eye on her. Both he and his master would have to. Her voice interrupted his musings.

"How do I control my power?" she asked, her head still bowed over.

His eyes flicked over to her. Her voice sounded different.

"Training might be best way. Power is like a muscle, the more you train it, the more you gain control over it, and in return, the easier it is to release or reel it back in. Strength also comes to you after training. But strength takes time and effort. It is a long and enduring process, much like climbing a mountain," he said, his voice deep.

There were a few seconds of silence after his words. In those few seconds, he wondered if she was even listening to him.

"How do I train?" she asked.

He fell silent. He was sure this time; her voice had filled with conviction. It was stronger, more forceful. It felt as though she had made up her mind on something. Whatever it was, Frankenstein could not say. All he saw were her fingers grasping the sheets in front of her, as if the sheets were her lifeline, like if she allowed it to fall out of grip she would cease to exist. It was as though she was desperately grasping onto something, something that he could not see or feel, that formed an entire world in her hands. That was what he felt.

"You train with me," he said simply.

Her head rose up slowly, deliberately. Her gaze locked into his, her brown eyes set and focused. Her face had changed from confusion and fear to a sign of strength, flowing out of her. He looked back at her wide set eyes and he half-smiled.

That's a good look in her eyes.

"When do I start?" she asked.

Her gaze had never left his. They were unwavering and firm. He was glad that they were. That alone conveyed resolution. He approved anyone who has that look in their eyes. However, it was too soon to say so, as many incidents could occur over trainings, and who was to say that she would not lose hope and cave in? But that look, that certain look reflected in her eyes now, that was a good sign. As long as that look remained in her eyes, she would be fine.

"It would be best to start soon," he replied.

"Shall I start now, then?" she asked.

Her gaze was still locked with his, never breaking their contact. Her voice too, only became stronger, louder, steadier.

"If you would wish to," he answered.

She nodded, eyes still set. Frankenstein's half-smile had never left his face. He liked that look of resolution in her eyes. He dropped his arms to his side.

"Then, follow me," he said, turning around to walk out of the door.

He stopped just for a second next to his master, who had witnessed the whole exchange.

"I will report her progress later, master," he muttered.

He felt his master's head nodded and left the room, the rustle of bed sheets drifted to his eardrums.

. . . . .


She followed Frankenstein to the park, where she had first met him. Her heart felt heavy, laden with weight. Her mind kept flashing to all the times she spent in the facility, with the tall blonde man while he was alive, his kindness and comfort, and in the end, what it led to. It led to his death, it led to him entrusting his power to her. Her breath caught. It felt like the end of a sword had dug itself in her chest. She gulped down fresh air, her nails biting into her palm. She opened her eyes wide, and intensified her gaze. Her teeth found the inside of her bottom lip and she bit on it, hard, drawing blood. She would not cry. She willed herself to stop feeling this way. She would not let herself succumb to these feelings. She controlled her breathing so that it was slow and laborious. She refused to let pain take over her mind. She could not. She had to train, if only to improve a little, if only to make sure that his last legacy, the power he treasured that was left for her, would be utilised well, controlled well. It would be what he wanted. She was sure of it.

The park was dark, lit only by a few street lights that scattered by the sidewalk. It looked exactly the same as when she first landed. It was quiet, without a trace of human movement. Was it because it was late at night? Or was it because it was a park? She could not differentiate it. She exhaled. Her head rose to meet the moonlight's pale luminescence. There was just enough light for her eyes to discern her surroundings.

Frankenstein stopped. Her footsteps halted at his pace. He turned around and faced her. There was quite a bit of distance between both of them. She wanted to take a few more steps, but as she looked at his grim features, she intuitively felt that she should not. That this distance was how it was meant to be, that he wanted this. Her eyes registered his half-smile that did not quite meet his eyes. Yet, despite that, she did not feel a chill down her back. It was a disconcerting feeling. But for now, before she understood the works of this world, she would trust her instincts. She was sure of it, that this man could be trusted.

"Draw him out," Frankenstein said, his voice low, brushing against the slow wind.

She closed her eyes and concentrated. The midnight breeze ruffling through her hair, stroking her already chilled hands. She flexed her palms, wanting to get a better feel of the power. A warm pulse of power coursed through her veins lazily. She flexed her palms again, and felt the power drained from her body, surging outwards. She opened her eyes just in time to see golden dust banded together to shape a form of Teru. Her heart clenched with a pang. She bit the inside of her lip.

"Very good. Use him to protect yourself," said Frankenstein.

She nodded. She flexed her hand again, and in an instant, Teru trotted over to her side, wings spread out.

"Now, we shall begin," said Frankenstein.

She braced herself, legs wide apart. She shifted her weight forwards and felt adrenaline coursed through her. Quick as lightning, Frankenstein leapt towards her, unleashing a strong aura. It was all she could do to leap backwards. Her hand twitched. Teru cut off the distance between both of them. She felt an immense dark vibe above her and snapped her head up. All she saw was dark purple power, hurling towards her. Without thinking, she rolled over. A gasp escaped from her. He was too fast. Hands and feet scrambled across the ground, she stood up, twitching her hand again. This time Teru was in front of her. Her eyes darted around her.

Where is he?!

A chill crept up from behind her. She whipped her head around just in time to see him. She spun around and drew Teru to cut him off. That proved to no avail. Her breath caught as she saw the man leapt over the Pegasus, his form growing steadily larger, his dark aura menacing. Her heart raced and by pure instinct, she turned the other palm upwards. Icicles glowed in the darkness. Without even thinking, she fired it at the man.

It was at this exact second when Frankenstein thrust his fist out, his power buzzing towards her. Icicles and electrifying power met each other in an explosion.

The impact of both of their powers in such a close distance threw them off. She landed some distance away. She grimaced. Pain ran through her arms. She raised one up in a slow movement and looked it at. It did not seem to be a deep cut. She pushed herself up to her feet, her body silently objecting to her actions. Her breathing was slow but steady. This pain was nothing, this was nothing compared to when she had lost him, her oppa. She clenched her fist, ignoring the stabbing pain. Her eyes were set.

Smoke swirled around where the explosion had been and it lingered before finally drifting away. Frankenstein stood behind the curtain of smoke, his appearance immaculate, as though he just had a stroll in the park. But his stance was different, it was stiff, his deep set eyes were staring at her darkly.

"You have another power," he said simply.

Her breathing was ragged, heart still racing from the short fight. She nodded. She steadied her breath just to reply.

"Icicles," she answered.

She winced. That one word answer had winded her. She gulped down the midnight air. She saw Frankenstein frowned, but as quickly as his frown appeared, it disappeared. His eyes had a hint of curiosity now, instead of being dark and menacing.

"Can you continued?" he asked.

She looked down at her condition. Her brows narrowed. Her arms were throbbing from the wounds and her heart was pounding. Her breathing had not returned to normal. She was not used to these kinds of training. This training was very different from the ones she had in the facility. This one, she had no control over. He was too quick, too strong, too focused. It only showed her how slow she was, how much weaker she was. Her eyes grew into half slits. She did not like being so much weaker. Her body complained against the injuries. It was like trying to inhale sawdust whenever she took a breath. It felt like her lungs was on fire. Perhaps they were. But even so- she swallowed a raw lump on her throat, raised her head and slowly nodded- even so, she was not ready to give up.

Frankenstein's half-smile returned to his face, his eyes dark yet filled with amusement. She was not sure if she heard his chuckle over this distance, perhaps it was a play of the breeze.

"Good, exactly what I had hoped for. Now, prepare yourself," he said.

She circled her right foot back and focused. Once again, icicles hovered above her right palm. She twitched her left hand to gain command of Teru. She felt a strong power slowly being generated by Frankenstein as he took a half step back. She braced herself again and mimicked his stance, her feet complaining. A smile formed on her face against her will and adrenaline crashed through her.

Both of them leapt forwards for another round of battle.