It had been three days since that disastrous family reunion. Which also marked three days since Cereza has uttered a word at me. I don't blame her for not wanting to talk to me. However, I certainly didn't expect to feel like a ghost within my own home. Barred from the bedroom as her Infernal doggo is summoned to stand guard outside of the door with the mightiest of roars if I even breathe in that direction, yet behaves like a puppy towards Rose or Donovan whenever one of them wants to talk to her. Like my back from sleeping on the sofa, it hasn't been a good feeling. No matter what I do, I'm greeted with no response. Taking the children to school, cleaning up the house, cooking breakfast and dinner, finally starting that garden she's been asking for. Still, no thank you or signs of appreciation. Although, again, I can't fault her even if she decided to be angry at me 18 years from now.

"Experience a camping trip like no other! Here at the Platinum National Park, our rangers will kindly guide you through the rough, but exciting thrills of wildlife adventures in the Yggdrasil Forrest as well as navigate you to the multiple campsites-" I cut the radio off since I hear the school bell ring, signaling for the students to be dismissed for this weekend. Donovan came to the car, his black hair swaying as he jogs to the car.

"Yo, Don!" I signal a high five only to garner no response.

"Nobody high fives anymore, Dad." My hand finds itself rubbing the back of my head before Donovan starts laughing. "Kidding," his hand meets mine.

"You're starting to become like your mother. Dealing with one Cereza is already a handful, let alone two."

He tucks his backpack between his long legs. "Sometimes you bring Mom's wrath because of yourself. You know she hates liars."

And yet all this time, she acted as if she didn't know I was a Lumen Sage. I'm a liar, but she's not? Doesn't trickery involves deceit? And technically...technically...fuck it. Before long, the parking lot of Rose's school occupies my dashboard. I got out of the car and walked towards the garden, an area where all the kids wait with their teachers to be picked up. I spotted Rose next to some man in a leather jacket who was talking to her teacher. I speed up my pace until I got close enough for her teacher to recognize me, and the man turned around to reveal himself as Gunnar. My feet stomped and rushed towards him. I didn't even register Rose greeting me in her usual cheery mood.

"Hello, Mr. Snarensven! I thought you weren't coming to pic-"

I snatched his collar, pulling him towards me, face to face. "I told you to stay away from my family," I stared him down like a lion waiting to pounce on its prey. He bore an idiotic smile on his face with his hands up in defense. "I got you your goddamn permit."

"Siggy. Can't a man bond with his lovely niece? To think I was singing you praises of being a good father."

I grabbed Rose's arm, inspecting it. "You alright? Uncle...Gunnar didn't hurt you. Did he?"

"Dramatic as always. I gave you my word I wouldn't hurt her, Siggy."

"I'm okay, Daddy! Uncle Gunnie is funny," that statement catches my assumptions off guard.

I took a couple of deep breaths to stabilize myself. "He kept you entertain?"

"Uncle Gunnie is good at making silly faces," she states before an infectious giggle overtakes her again. I turn to see Gunnar scrunching his face to the point of becoming grotesque to look at.

"That's enough playing. Now, off to the car. Donovan's waiting for us. Your," my mind recollects to yesterday night of seeing Jeanne bring a drunk Cereza home around 3 in the morning, "aunt Jeanne is in town."

"Aunt?" Gunnar pondered.`

I shoot a glare at Gunnar. As I return to the parking lot, hand in hand with Rose, I hear another set of footsteps following us.

"I don't think there's enough room in the car for a straggler."

"All these centuries in solitude must have left you so lonely, little brother." He pulls out a cigarette. "You've never used to be this tense. Work stressing you out? Or is it my dear sister-in-law? Frustrating you used to be my job."

My eyes narrow at Gunnar's aggravation, "I'm still refusing your offer."

My face was met with blown smoke, making my teeth grit. "Hard-headed as always. By the way, how is the sister-in-law doing? She seems to be quite pissed off in her bedroom. Was it something I said?" My fist flew towards him, however it was stopped in its track.

"I told you I'm always around. Now make like a good little boy and help me out." He releases my fists.

I guide Rosa to the car before deciding to deal with Gunnar. When I turn around, four men donned in Lumen Sage robes slowly surrounds me. I shoot a glance in Gunnar's direction, who's staring back at me, arms crossed, in anticipation of seeing me fight. I look at the car where both Rose and Donovan's eyes are like a deer in headlights, their pupils darting amongst the Sages before landing steady on me. Two of them charged at me from the left and right. I slide towards the front, my arms and torso twisting from behind to front to escape their combined attack. I duck from the third Sage's overhead sweep, nearly missing the pierced end of his golden staff before making a circle to enter Purgatorio. They soonly joined which made me merrier to unrust after all these years. As three of them sprinted simultaneously, I activate a portal. Despite five centuries passing, this rapier still looks the same as when I first created the spell. After pulling it out from the portal, with one powerful swing, their heads fell to the ground, rolling towards Gunnar, who faced the ground, unphased. When time finally resumed, the other Sage spotted the decapitated bodies of his buddies, dropping his sword and his knees to the ground, shaking vehemently. I walk over to him before Gunnar shouts.

"Enough!"

I exit out of Purgatorio, my rapier dissipating, and look at Gunnar once again. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like I win. Loser disappears for the rest of his life."

"You sure you want to do that, Siggy?" He steps aside to reveal a guest standing behind him. An Euphoria. Seeing a Joy without her headdress is akin to Christians' beliefs of seeing the face of God. I stare in wonder at the Euphoria whose gaze soften by the second.

"I figured since we were able to find each other, what's the harm of one more reunion? Though this one might be bittersweet. Wouldn't you agree...Frieda?"

The Euphoria quickly turns her head at me, confirming her human identity. So it is her. The angel strolls towards me, and I find my legs walking towards her on their own as she hurls herself towards me, my arms willing to catch and pull her into my embrace. It felt like I was 16 again.

"You still look great, five centuries later," her grey eyes smile at me. Though, my heart pained in not seeing them as blue as the afternoon sky like they naturally were. As much as my heart unknowingly missed her, my brain has an inkling her presence comes at a price I refused to accept. "Gunnar has been telling me about his plan for the past 10 years. Does that not delight you to know?"

My feet step back, remembering the kids in the car behind me. "Frieda...I can't."

"I know you're upset about the Sages and your father, Sig. But think on it. You have a chance to help make the Sages better. The elders turned the Sages into a country club. But you and Gunnar ruling side by side, a new era of Sages can be trained. It'll be like old times before the Clan Wars began."

She squeezes my arm with a tender grasp. "You know it's hard to say 'no' to you," I swallow a nervous wad of spit caught in my throat. "However, that's a proposal I will decline even if you asked me ten thousand times. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have kids waiting for me."

As I walk towards the car, one more voice speaks to me, "Don't worry, Siggy. I'm a firm believer of joining those who can't beat. You will join us eventually." When my neck turns to confirm Gunnar is the one who left me with a threat, both Gunnar and Frieda has vanished. Even the bodies I fought disappeared. Donovan and Rose were watching the entire thing until they made eye contact with my countenance and slightly flinched. I'm sorry you two had to see me in this way. To think, it wasn't work having me on edge this time. I stick the keys into the ignition and as I gaze into the parking lot, Gunnar continues to glare at the car while Frieda looks off into the distance. That wasn't the first time she didn't want to lay her eyes upon me any longer. I sneak a glance at Rose and Donovan through the rear view mirror. They sat in their seats silent, as if they wanted to avoid making me explode. I break the awkward silence. "Mum and Aunt Jeanne should be downtown near the shopping plaza. Anything you two want to buy while we're down there?" I looked into the rear view mirror to see them both deep in thought.

"Dad, you have powers like Mummy?" Rosa asks.

"Yes."

"Who was that man you were talking to?" Donovan asked. I raised the volume of the radio station, my eyes fixated on the road. "Dad?"

"Don't worry about him."

"Dad, is he our uncle?"

A sigh escaped, my teeth slightly gritting. "Yes, son."

"Do you not like him?"

I wasn't expecting for my own son to interrogate me. "It's not that. It's...complicated, Don. Some siblings have clashing personalities that are difficult to get along with, no matter how old they get. To simply put it, your uncle and I have had hard times getting along."

"Is that other woman your sister then?"

My body twitches. "She's not, but she's been like a sister to me," I diverge. Once we arrive at the city square, I place a couple of quarters in the parking meter while Donovan and Rose walked past the couples, kids, and pet owners conversing, playing soccer, and walking with their pets. I walk the same crowd before spotting the kids finding Cereza and Jeanne sitting outside a bistro with bags of various store logos resting on the ground. As I stroll over, Jeanne breaks her concentration from the kids to me.

"Why fancy seeing you, Brother," Jeanne throws a waving hand in the air.

I return the wave. "I take it you're on vacation?"

"Been in town for about a week now for a teacher conference. Today I was going to stop by and see how my favorite niece and nephew are doing until I got a call three night ago." She looks over to Cereza, sipping a cup of tea. She didn't make eye contact with me after placing the cup back on its plate. Great. I stroll pass the two Umbran sisters to occupy the chair across from them. It feels like I'm on trial being the only person sitting on the opposite side.

Jeanne interrupts the awkward air, "So Little Ones, how was school?"

"Same as always, eh." Donovan plops his elbow on the table, his head resting in his hand.

Rose smiles, "I had fun!"

"Oh? What did you learn today?"

"Adding and subtracting fractions!"

"Fractions? My my, that's some big kid math. This week it's fractions, next week, it's long division. Good job, Rose."

"Thanks Aunt Jeanne!"

Money is placed on top of the table. About no more than fifty euro. "Your Father and I have some matters to discuss. In the meantime, you two split this money up and buy whatever you would like. Don, watch your sister."

"Yes, Mum."

"Thanks Mummy!" Rose cheers before they walk off towards the shopping district, hand in hand. When they disappear from our line of sight, I turn to see Cereza staring at me with the wrath of all of Inferno inside her pupils.

"I have to say, carrying a drunk Cereza home a few nights ago was not on my itinerary for that day. Now. Care to share why you two are fighting?"

"Ask the Lumen Sage sitting at the table."

Jeanne slits her eyes at me, "Sage? Either you're good at suppressing your powers or your powers have taken a long vacation."

"A 400 year vacation would be more accurate."

"Can you still use your powers?" Jeanne asks, peeking over her teacup.

"After the fight I had today, yes."

Jeanne's brows jump, full of curiosity. So did Cereza's, but knowing her, she probably attempted to not let such a revelation phase her, so I can get the message her anger is not going away any time soon. "A fight with whom?"

A sigh escapes me. "Gunnar and his...fanatics."

"Ah, my beloved brother-in-law," Cereza finally speaks, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Sage #1 who's hellbent on reviving the clan."

I look off to the side and nod my head in agreement. Jeanne's eyes dart back and forth between the both of us, still wanting to hear a concrete answer as to why she essentially babysat Cereza. "Revival? Brother-in-law?"

"Yes. He's the reason why the sages are becoming a nuisance, and how I found out he," Cereza points at me, "is the Luigi to his Mario."

"I'm nobody but myself. I wasn't aware he was still alive after all these centuries. Can you fault me?"

I hear a resounding "Yes" and "No" clash. My hunch knows which answer comes from who which makes my patience grow ever thinner towards a certain someone.

"This talk is pointless if all she's," my head tilts toward Cereza, "going to do is judge, jury, and executioner everything that comes out of my mouth."

"I can't fault Cereza for being upset considering you've kept all of this a secret until now, Sig."

"Oh? Someone can't handle being in the hot seat? Imagine feeling like that for almost 20 years."

"Bloody hell, Cereza. I understand. I'm a cock-up. It's not the bloody first time I've been called that," it takes me a couple of seconds to realize Jeanne catches the tea kettle that almost knocked over from me standing from my seat after losing my temper along with a few audience members gazing at our table. I stare down at Cereza whose eyes meet me with the same level of fury. We're getting nowhere. I spot a kiosk about 200 meters away from the table. I grab my jacket from the back of my chair and walk towards it before another outburst prepares itself the instant Cereza says one more smart remark. As I approach the kiosk, the owner greets me before shortly asking me what am I looking to buy. "A pack of cigs. And a lighter." After paying for it, I tear the plastic off the pack and pull a stick out before lighting it, the warmth relaxing me. I take another puff before closing my eyes and releasing the smoke from my mouth. As I open my eyes, a voice walks nearer and nearer, addressing me.

"I never took you for a smoker. How long has this been going on?" My eyes open to be greeted by Cereza folding her arms.

I place the cigarette back in my mouth before walking off.

"Not going to return my quip for once?" Once again, I ignore her.

"Not communicating with me is what's gotten you in this predicament in the first place," I hear her heels following me from behind, "Not wanting to fix the problems is why we're having an issue now."

My foot crushes the thrown cigarette into the ground before making eye contact with her. "There is one problem I can fix. I'm done. Cereza."

To my slight surprise, hearing that catches her off guard. She unfolds her arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Right now, when I look at you," I pause to collect my breathing, "I want to hurt your feelings rather than soothe them. That wouldn't be helpful in this situation, now would it?" She continues standing in front of me, her arm resting on her hip. "Tell Rose and Donovan I'm sorry."

"I don't give a shit if you want to leave me," Cereza pulls my collar and yanks me down to her eye level. If you're going to be upset at me, fine. Tell Donovan and Rose yourself." Suddenly, I hear her nose sniff like a dog picking up a scent trail. Her eyes grow more and more stoic with each whiff. "Where is this perfume from?"

"It's rosemary."

"No," she resumes sniffing briefly before stopping. "there's another scent on top of the rosemary. Like women's perfume. And it's not from a bottle I own."

"No, no, no, no," I can vision what her next words are going to be, "before you start jumping to conclusions, I hugged an angel earlier."

"'Hug,' you say? Who is she?"

"She is a Euphoria. Someone I used to know long ago."

"In all my years of killing angels, I've never heard of this 'Euphoria.'"

"That's because they're rare to show up. If you've ever gotten the occasional opportunity to fight a Joy, an Euphoria is deadlier and rarer than them."

There is a brief pause where I can sense the both of us wondering what our next reaction is going to be and how would we both react since at this point, our trust towards one another inches more and more towards irreparable. As I read Cereza's face, she looks to be conflicted whether to believe me or accuse me of making up the explanation.

"It bothers me that you don't seem to realize how guilty you sound while claiming in the same breath nothing happened. Would you give me the same mercy if I smelled like Luka? Perhap I should fuck Luka for you to see it from my perspective."

Like a broken circuit, my mental stability blacks out. "Go fuck Mister Cheshire. I implore you with all your fucking heart, go fuck him if that's what your heart desires. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what you've wanted to do all this time. Fuck him and fuck you." By the time I notice myself shouting at Cereza, my voice becomes hoarse. Before I can walk off, my arm is grabbed, but the anger rising in me reaches the peak of my emotions. I snatch her hand and fling it to the side, removing it from my body. "Sod off Cereza."

"I don't want to actually fuck the boy, Sigurd. What has become of you?" As I walk away, I hear the cock of a gun. I turn to see her aiming her blue signature pair, Love is Blue, in between my eyes. She resumes, "You're not leaving."

I stroll towards her, stopping right as the extended gun's barrel meets my forehead, still staring into her eyes. "Or else what?"

Her eyes soften, "Sigurd...please."

I continue pressing my forehead into the barrel, her hand wanting to retreat, but every time the gun moves backward, I take a small step forward to keep the barrel centered on my forehead. "Answer my question."

The arm holding the gun to my face falls in defeat to her side. As I turn to walk away, her last words towards me are, "What happened to the flamingo shorts wearing, happy-go-lucky tourist I met in Noatun? The one who charmingly played the piano for me? The one who convinced me to take a chance on love-for a human at that. The Sigurd I know didn't falter so easily. Talk to me. Please."

I answer her question, too shameful to tell her face to face, "That Sigurd was also a lie."

I was done with carrying burdens.

I was done with being everyone's burden...