This night couldn't get any worse. Sure, Ran knew he wouldn't be able to get through to A.A. He was just as focused and obsessed with Kisea as ever. Still, it was infuriating to have his words come in one ear and go out the other. But if A.A was fine with being used as a tool, then so be it.

On the other hand, Mascheny's orders were simple and easy to follow. FUG knew he was associated with the fierce princess, and they knew his presence had something to do with catering to her wishes. He just didn't feel the need to confirm or deny their suspicions on where his true allegiance was.

And then there was A.A. The newest addition to the family, the crown jewel of FUG's latest recruits, and a prisoner. Yet he was a Khun through and through. His alluring blue eyes were always scheming. Ran didn't know how or what had given him away, but A.A had managed to figure out his true intentions. Rather than treat him with hostility, the bold bastard actually used Ran to his advantage.

Ran wouldn't deny that he was curious about A.A. He had heard stories, and he had learned to press his ear to the floor if he wanted to gather information. He had watched from afar as his...brother (because Ran was coming to realize that he did think of Aguero as his brother) was subjected to brutal, harsh training.

There were rumors Ran could neither confirm nor deny about a silver haired former slayer lingering in the depths of FUG's underground world. The screams in the tunnels would only intensify with his presence, and Ran sometimes wondered if those screams were A.A's.

But that was not enough for Ran to stick his neck out for his brother or even put any effort into building a companionship with him.

No, he did that out of pure spite for Kisea.

There was something so entertaining about riling her up. She sickened him. She was just as sly and poisonous as the rest of the family, but she was ruled by pure, blind emotion. And there was nothing but hate, jealousy, and anger residing in her.

Ran had heard Aguero mention once, just once, about leaving to live in a small house. A nice cottage, with green lawns and a small cool stream to dip your feet in as the sun bathed your face. There would be no more bloodshed, no fighting, and no backstabbing. Just peaceful days.

It was a nice dream. Foolish, but nice. Ran realized how much Aguero's dream had invaded his own when he woke up one morning with the smell of flowers tickling his senses and the phantom warmth of the sun on his skin.

Ran sighed and stuffed his hands in his pocket. He purposfully ducked into a corner.

Aguero not listening to him and simply resigning himself to his fate had made this night a bust. The persistent lizard on his tail made it even worse.

She was relentless, he'll give her that. But he was not in the mood to entertain her.

He moved fast before leaping up on a balcony and taking to the rooftops. He quickly doubled back, hoping to get above the lizard and surprise her. Crouching, he was prepared to jump over a ledge.

A green blur whizzed past him. Eyes widening, Ran fell back, fists clenched and ready to land a blow. He didn't give the lizard the chance to center herself once she landed. His fist connected with her jaw, his leg lashing out for her knees. He was blocked, a green fist coming for him. He ducked, rolling away and keeping an eye on his adversary.

So, she had moved on ahead and anticipated where he would be.

"Why are you following me?" His voice came out grumpier than he intended, betraying his age and mood.

The lizard glared at him. "You're with FUG."

He snorted. "So? You an enemy?"

"You hunt the princesses of Jahad."

"Yeah, and let me tell you something." He scratched his nose. "Going out in the middle of the night and attacking a suspected FUG agent is not smart for a princess. I hear the agents are never alone."

Which was a lie for him. FUG avoided him like the plague. It was both a blessing and a curse to be Mascheny's brother.

The lizard narrowed her golden eyes. "Are you a member of the Khun family?"

If Ran was like A.A, he would have flipped his hair. But instead, he moodily shrugged. "Why so interested?"

He couldn't quite figure out her motive. Was she looking to defect? Unlikely, considering that her team consisted of the strongest Regulars in the Tower. Ran was only aware of the news because of Novick, and he would recognize an outcast princess like Anaak anywhere.

And Aguero had missed them by half-an-hour. This meeting would have played out very differently if he was here.

Anaak frowned, fists untightening but her stance remained as vigilant. "I want to know how you survived when he didn't."

Ran paused. "Who?"

"A Khun family member. Your brother."

"I have many traitorous siblings, but your Jue Viole Grace should be handling them just fine. You'll have to be more specific."

"He was my teammate! FUG hunted him down and killed him on the Floor of Tests! Why are you permitted to live and he is not?"

Ran scoffed. "If he was killed on the Floor of Tests, then he was not a true Khun."

The blow was faster than he anticipated. He spun out of the way, Anaak's fists connecting with the floor of the roof. His cheek stung, and when his touch revealed blood, he realized he had not escaped unscathed.

Yes, he knew which Khun brother she was talking about. But it was good to see that his brother's former teammates still thought he was dead, yet he was surprised at the level of devotion they displayed.

"You're unusually attached to this dead guy," Ran commented, careful to maintain some space. Those silted golden eyes were focused on him. "It's not a nice sentiment in this Tower," he continued. "What did he have on you?"

Anaak straightened up. "Are there other Khuns in this Tower?"

"Sure. One of them's a fellow princess." He stepped off on the ledge. "Now, I'm done being harassed." He let gravity pull him down before flipping to land on his feet and sprint away.

That should have been the end of it. He should have vanished into the shadows, made his way back to headquarters, and snuggled into his fluffy white bed sheets.

But instead, a persistent lizard was intent on stalking him. Her presence was literally on top of him. She made no effort to conceal her movements. Instead, she was doing a good job at antagonizing him.

Growling, Ran unleashed his lighting at her.

"I will cook you," he snarled.

Anaak only grinned wildly. A weapon was brandished in her hand.

"Yellow May," he said with a grin, lighting coating his fists. How foolish, revealing one of the 12 Months out in the open. "My sister will be wanting it back."

"Over my dead body."

"Fine."

The ground crackled beneath his feet. The air trembled as both adversaries crouched low. "Ever held a spear before?" he taunted.

Anaak only growled, launching herself at him. Yellow May was poised, but the grip was weak. In a family of Spear Bearers, Ran knew how to avoid a fatal blow.

"Stop!"

The voice ringing out shattered Ran's shinsu concentration. Anaak stumbled, and the tip of the spear lowered. Ran flipped to avoid a collision while wildly looking up to see the intruder, a familiar pair of golden eyes staring down...

...oh no. It was the spawn of V.

xXx

Awkward would not describe the meal Bam was having with the two teenagers.

Ran was still brimming with electrical energy, and Bam was willing to bet Anaak was trying to turn her straw into a weapon. With the amount of time she has been spending with Endorsi, he wouldn't be surprised if she could turn paper into a dagger. He once saw the elder princess turn a spoon into a dueling blade. Hatz still had the scar.

Bam sipped at his shake, wracking his brain for a topic to break the tension. "I really like strawberries. Although, I personally think they taste even better with chocolate."

"Gross," Ran grumbled. "Haven't you committed enough treasonous acts? Strawberries and chocolate are an abomination of a pairing."

Anaak paused in her makeshift straw dagger craft. "Strawberries and peanut butter are good."

"I hate you."

Bam smiled as the two 'peacefully' bickered. He had to admit that he was surprised to see Anaak track down Ran of all people, but it was nice to see the spunky bluehead again. Even if the child did not feel that way about him.

Ran abruptly slammed his cup down. "Can I go now?"

Bam tilted his head. "Why? You haven't finished your milkshake."

"Because it's weird when a stranger offers sweets to children."

"But we're not strangers," Bam pointed out.

"I don't even know you!"

"Sure you do! You stabbed me."

Anaak snorted. "I guess that's his way of saying 'hello'."

Bam smiled. "Yeah, I think that's how all Khuns say hello."

The cup in Ran's hand crinkled as his grip tightened. "Give it a rest already," he grumbled. "He's not coming back."

Ice formed in the pits of Bam's stomach. "Who?"

"The Khun kid you're both mooning over." The cup in Ran's hand finally broke beneath the pressure, yet Ran didn't seem to care about the cold pink liquid coating his hands. "He's been dead for so long, and yet you stalk me down as if I have some kind of connection to him."

Anaak stiffened up, but Bam leaned forward, softening his voice. "I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention. It's just...yes, you do have a connection with him." He hurried on before Ran could interrupt him. "You are related by blood. You were bred in the same environment, and you obviously know who we are talking about." He lowered his gaze. "If I can find some small fragment of Aguero's past, it will help me keep his memory alive."

Ran scoffed. "Your sentiments will not help you climb to the top of the Tower."

"No," Bam smiled ruefully. "But it will make my life that much sweeter."

Ran hesitated. "I don't know much about him. We all stay apart to avoid detection." He shifted, as if suddenly aware of who Bam really was, and for a moment, he was afraid the child was going to bolt.

But Ran settled down. "I only heard...whispers and fragments."

"What were those whispers?" Bam asked, leaning forward. Even Anaak's eyes shone with interest.

"That he was...what you would expect of a Khun," Ran said. "A traitor, abandoning his flesh and blood for another. Possessive to the point where he was willing to imprison his sisters underground if it meant they could be with him for all of eternity."

Bam swallowed, feeling a hot anger course through him. When he saw Aguero, all he saw was a broken boy, full of wariness and vulnerability with enough anxiety and precision to stab someone should they look at him the wrong way.

"And his sisters?" Anaak asked.

"Dead." Ran's voice was blunt. "They say it's because of him. My sister had a particular interest in the older one, but despair consumed her because of the betrayal. And she killed herself." He shrugged. "At least, that's what I heard."

"And what do you think?" Bam asked.

"How should I know? I never met him! And even if he were still alive, I'd have no intention of meeting him. Khuns are a curse. Wherever we go, death follows, even for our own siblings. It's why Mascheny keeps me at a safe distance. We consume our own flesh and blood in a desperate attempt to remain alive. If he had survived, his possessive, obsessive nature would have consumed all within this Tower. It manifests even worse in his sisters." He shook his head. "No. The Agnis branch is better off dead, and you should leave them that way."

"No one should be left to rot," Bam interjected. "Or forgotten amongst the many dead. Just think of the many voices silenced and lost in this desperate attempt to reach the top, all those names gone. When this is all over, who will carry their memories?"

Ran scowled. "And what about you? What memory do you carry of him?"

Bam smiled. "He was cute, like a little kitten baring its fangs if you got too close." He ignored Ran's sputtering. "But he was strong. Brilliant. I only wish I could have seen his potential continue to grow."

Ran hesitated before abruptly standing up. "Well...I'm glad you got to know him."

Bam smiled sadly. "Me too." He looked up. "Maybe we'll see each other soon, Ran. Preferably, not on opposing sides." He nodded to the mess on the table. "I'll even buy you another shake."

The boy scoffed. "Whatever. I don't want to see you again. Next time I do, I'll show you our way of saying 'get lost'."

"By kicking me in the shins?" Bam teased.

"A spear through the gut."

"No thanks. I like my blood where it is."

Ran gave him one more narrowed eyed glare before disappearing into the shadows. Bam remained silent until Anaak leapt from her seat. "Don't even think about it." His voice was stern as he stared the lizard down.

"I wasn't going to chase after him!"

"No, but you were going to run from me. What was next? You were going to hole up in your room until the next test?" At Anaak's silence, Bam sighed. "What was the point of chasing after him? You could have been seriously injured. You know how Shibisu gets. Do you even realize how foolish you were brandishing Yellow May? You're lucky you didn't ignite it!"

Anaak scoffed. "The bluehead is Mascheny's kid brother. I figured...he'd have something."

"You accused him of being FUG." Bam rolled his eyes. Again with this brash foolishness. He could understand where Shibisu's stress came from.

"It makes sense. How else could he have survived?"

"As Mascheny's brother, you'd be surprised at his resources." Bam leaned back. "Did he confirm his association with FUG?"

Anaak hesitated. "The smug bastard hinted at it." She glanced at him. "Do you think he's telling the truth? About Kesia?"

"No. He would have no reason to tell us if she was alive or not. Just meeting with us was playing with his life." Bam sighed. "And I don't blame him. Still, he is rather fearless."

Anaak hesitated. "Maybe...maybe we should let Kisea be. She's in hiding, and she'll remain that way."

"You're giving up?" Bam demanded, shocked. However, there was a small part of him that acknowledged, yes, their efforts were fruitless, and he refused to be one of those hopeless Regulars desperately searching in circles for someone with no results.

"No," Anaak hurriedly said. "Not yet. But we're getting nowhere with this. It's been seven years. Maybe we should focus on someone else. Another sister."

Bam leaned forward. "Okay?"

"Maybe Mascheny knows something. She's that high up. Besides, weren't you close with the princess?"

"I was close with many princesses," Bam answered. "But Mascheny was not one of them. But not to worry, we have an in."

Anaak blinked, wary hope shining in her eyes. "We do?"

"Yup. Thanks for volunteering Anaak. It's time you made some friends with Ran Mascheny."

Anaak's eyes widened. "Wait! Why me? You approached him first!"

"And as far as he is concerned, I am Jue Viole Grace, and I could kill him."

"I also tried to kill him! He tried to stab me!"

"Wonderful! You're already on a stabby basis. I hear that's how Khuns tell you they like you. It's their way of saying 'hello'." He clapped her shoulder as he walked past. "Don't worry, you two should get on swimmingly, and I have a feeling we will be seeing him pretty soon."

xXx

Novick stared intently at the test supervisor. The arena was empty, save for the team. It was far too late for any other test takers to be running behind. Beside him, Ran noisely chewed and popped his bubble gum. He appeared disinterested, but Novick prided himself in adapting quickly to interpreting the various masks the Khun children wore. Beside Ran, Dan was glancing around nervously. A recent and new recruit, Dan had initially appeared reluctant to work with his supposed 'captors.' Though, the way A.A had recruited Dan, it was borderline kidnapping. Despite this, Dan appeared to be willing to devote everything he had to the team, especially if money was involved.

Speaking of A.A, the oldest Khun was standing not too far away. His sister remained at his side, warily watching the test supervisor.

Finally, when the silence stretched on, it was Micheal who stepped forward.

"Um, excuse me," he started nervously. "But where are the other test takers?"

The test supervisor smiled. "Oh, they left."

Novick blinked, but it was Dan who was open about his shock. "What?"

"Apparently, they've heard the rumors of three Khun children on this test, so they all fled." The words were spoken with such a serene smile that Novick would have thought they were talking about the weather.

"So, what about the test?" Dan asked. He perked up. "Do we automatically pass?"

"Oh no," the test supervisor said. "Something special has been prepared for all of you."

Novick glanced at A.A, but the older Khun did not seem bothered with the change in plans. Out of all the Khuns, A.A was the hardest to read. Still, Novick did not feel the need to worry about the change in plans.

This "special something" the supervisor promised included a boat ride across the ocean waters. The warm sun was beating down on all of them, and Novick was feeling the intense urge to curl up like a kitten and sunbathe. But he resisted the urge and glanced over to see A.A staring intently at the water. His normally apprehensive gaze looked calm as he became lost in the blue torrent of the ocean.

"I'm surprised you're doing so well in the sun," Novick commented, "considering your ice shinsu."

Normally, this was where A.A would shrug him off, but the Khun child only smiled. "I've never been to the ocean. It's big."

Novick blinked, surprised. "Uh, yeah. Yes it is." His gaze caught Kisea glaring at him, and indignation rose within him. What, now he wasn't allowed to talk to their Lightbearer? Now he could understand why Ran was so hostile towards her. After a year of working together, Novick still felt like he didn't know A.A at all. Most of that was because of Kisea's reputation. No one wanted to approach her, and by extension, no one wanted to approach A.A. They could look, but not touch.

"We have arrived!" the test supervisor shouted, pulling everyone's gaze towards the massive island before them. Only, islands did not block the sun, or move across the waters.

Beside Novick, Dan gaped. "We have to take the test in that thing?"

"It is bigger than expected," A.A confessed. He suddenly smiled, and for the first time, Novick felt like he was privy to a peek of his true personality. "Alright, who's first?"

xXx

One soaked outfit and a separated team later, Ran found his temper to be steadily rising. It didn't help that he was stuck with the two weirdos on the team.

Ran didn't trust this team. Aside from Novick, and maybe Dan, there weren't a lot of people Ran would feel comfortable having on his side. Micheal for one was a slimy snake. Ran never trusted anyone who smiled that much. What was there to be so cheerful about? No, Ran could detect jealousy and malice behind the serene mask. Micheal certainly didn't improve himself in Ran's eyes whenever he tried to micromanage A.A's schedule and availability. Ran wondered if that was by FUG's orders, or if it was Micheal just exerting what power he had.

Apple unnerved him just as much because she was difficult to read. Maybe A.A had figured her out, but Ran certainly hadn't, and until he had, he was going to remain on guard.

But at least Apple and Micheal were giving them some space. They only appeared when needed and did not seek anyone out to antagonize. If anything, they gravitated towards Aguero. Though Ran had learned to shove past his guilt leaving A.A alone with the backstabbers.

However, now it appeared karma was demanding he pay his dues.

Apple and Micheal hovered behind him while he peeked into the hole the baby piggy with the flower had squeezed through.

"You're sure you saw it go through there?" Micheal asked. At least he wasn't smiling this time, or Ran might have punched him.

Ran grunted, standing up and dusting himself off. "Yes. Unless you're both blind."

Micheal did not rise to the taunt. Instead, he sat back with a pensive look. "This is troublesome. Ran, you could fit through there and pursue it."

Ran narrowed his eyes. "No way." A tight, dark space with only one certain way out...it spelled disaster.

"I think it's a good idea," Apple chimed in from where she was hovering at her lighthouse. "You're small and fast. You'll catch up to it in no time."

Oh great. Well, if the two totally trustworthy weirdos both thought it was a good idea, then Ran felt his worries just melt away!

"I said no," Ran growled. "What if that thing bites me?"

"If you don't, we fail the test." Micheal shrugged as if he was not bothered with the idea while Apple took another bite of her snack. "If that's the case, we have time to hang back while Kisea finishes up her side-projects as a result of our failure."

Ran stared at them both, glowering. He knew of the threat FUG held over A.A. He didn't care what A.A's personal motives for climbing the Tower were for, though he had a vague idea what FUG was hanging over his head. No, if word got back to Mascheny about his own failure...

Biting his lip, Ran kneeled down to look into the hole. Without another word, he shimmied into the tunnel, withholding his grumbles.

xXx

Novick was beginning to think that they were condemned to forever wander the vast tunnels. Kisea was giving off the vibe that she would willingly stab them all in the back given the chance and leave their bodies to rot. Thankfully, A.A had a hold on her with just one look.

But Dan was jittery. "Shouldn't we regroup with the others?"

"Apple has informed me that Ran is in pursuit of the flower," A.A stated. "We will move forward to try and regroup with them."

"Yeah, but it might take us a while to look around," Dan huffed.

But he was ignored as A.A stared intently into his lighthouse. Dan shuffled over to Novick's side, eyeing the siblings. "So...what's her deal anyway?" he whispered.

Novick glanced at him. "Kisea?"

"Yeah. She's...I don't know…"

"Possessive, obsessive?" Novick had a whole list for Kisea's problematic behavior. No one wanted to be paired up with her. The casualties she inflicted on her teammates were too high.

"No...well, yes," Dan admitted. "I mean...is it smart to team her up with A.A?"

Novick blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean...there's so much hostility and malice."

"Towards us?" Novick didn't find that surprising. He doubted she saw any of them as valuable assets.

But Dan shook his head. "Forget it," he muttered.

But Novick focused on the two Khuns. While A.A was staring intently at his lighthouse, Kisea was warily observing her surroundings, hands drifting towards her hips. However, her back was not to her sibling. If Novick ever felt threatened, he always placed his unprotected back towards Ran. While they weren't exactly close, he knew it was important to guard his teammate by positioning his body towards any foreseeable threat. It was more effective to do it back-to-back. Even now, Dan was shifting to cover Novick's blind spot.

But Kisea was positioned toward A.A, with her gaze never leaving his figure. It would be difficult for her to withdraw her weapons, turn, and attack any unknown enemy, unless that enemy was standing right in A.A's spot.

The thought unnerved Novick, and he unintentionally took a step closer to the siblings.

A.A jerked forward, eyes wide as he glanced up. Novick reacted a split second later, rushing to move out of the way right as a large creature plummeted from above.

"Oh gods!" Dan shrieked, speedily backing away. "What is that?"

"A parasite," Novick growled. The red creature lumbered towards them, its many legs scrambling against the floor.

The air grew cold as ice pierced through the flesh. Kisea was suddenly leaping forward, daggers out. Novick was running to join the fray, fists curled.

"Go for the eyes," A.A ordered. Though his voice was raised, he did not sound panicked. "Dan, support Novick."

While they were mainly there to support Kisea, the creature was quickly incapacitated. Novick did not even feel out of breath. Kisea rose from the corpse, blood staining her cheek. She nimbly jumped down to stand beside her brother as if she had never left his side.

Dan breathed heavily. "Man, I know we're good, but that was a bit too easy."

Novick observed the body of the creature, a pit of uneasiness growing within him. He glanced up, right as he saw a bright light descend towards them.

"Dan! Novick! Run!" A.A shouted. His lighthouse washed the area on a blue light, spurring them into action.

When the dust settled, Novick blinked as he saw the form of a man. A deep rooted fear he had not expected to feel settled within him as red eyes pierced through the darkness. The figure was average build, even Novick himself was bigger than this man, yet he still trembled when those red eyes focused on him.

This man...was dangerous.

Novick's fists trembled, torn between fighting and fleeing.

"Oh," the man said, stepping forward, pale features relaxed. "This is odd. You don't look like Rankers."

"We're not Rankers," Dan protested. "We're Regulars."

"Oh?" The man stepped away from the corpse of the parasite. "If that's the case, then I suggest you give up on the test."

"We can't do that," Dan said, and Novick was impressed with his bravery.

"He's right," A.A said, stepping forward. "We need to complete the test."

Novick was relieved when those red eyes were suddenly focused on the Khun kid. "Oh my, your eyes are so clear." The man grinned. "Alright kid, you won't give up on the test?"

A.A remained silent.

The man chuckled. "Ah, stubborn youth. Fine then, I'll entertain you, kid."

Novick felt the pressure in the air change. He stepped back, feeling the crushing tension. He glanced at Dan who gave him a subtle nod.

Right. Reinforcements would be good.

xXx

"This is ridiculous," Ran grumbled. He was never claustrophobic, but this would make anyone nervous about tight spaces.

Movement up ahead caught his attention, and he froze before realizing it was his target.

"Hey, little piggy, cm'here," he cooed, speeding up to catch it.

The pink object of all his troubles merely tilted its head before snorting and scampering away with a kick of its fat heels.

"No! Stupid thing," he growled, scrambling after it.

His pocket beeped with an incoming message, but he didn't stop to answer it. If it was important, he'll hear the message.

Apparently, it was important.

"Ran," Apple's voice came through. "Novick says we should regroup at their location. Apparently, they met up with someone."

"Great," Ran snapped back. "I'm a little busy at the moment!" He scrambled against the dirt, the piggy in his sight. "Come here you damn thing!"

Bacon was back on the menu when they were done with this.

xXx

"Entertain me?" Khun smiled, unphased. "There must be some mistake, I don't want to fight you."

"Really?" The man folded his arms behind his back, still grinning. "That's a nice change of pace. If that's the case, then you'll give up on the test."

"See, I can't do that," Khun started. "For one thing, there's this place called the Tower, and you have to take tests to continue climbing it. Maybe you've heard of it?"

The man blinked before throwing his head back and laughing. "Oh stars, you really are a Khun bastard." He stuck out his hand before rapidly pulling it back. "Woah, my bad. Never shake a hand with a Khun on a first meeting. Sorry, but you're really intriguing." The man was still grinning, eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm Urek Mazino. Kind of a big deal here. And you, kid?"

"Khun."

Urek frowned. "Just Khun? You go by that? Alright." He shrugged. "Like I said, very interesting."

"So...you'll let us take the test?" Dan asked nervously.

"Now I didn't say that." All traces of amusement were gone, but he was still smiling. "I strongly encourage you to give up. You're all being used by the Rankers. Guess I killed too many of them, so they decided to send me some fodder instead."

Khun shifted slightly. He could tell his teammates were standing a little farther away. Even Kisea was farther from his side than usual.

"I can't do that," Khun said, voice firm. "I have too much at stake here."

"Really?" Urek stared at him. "What's more important than your life?" Realization suddenly dawned in his eyes. "Ah, I see. You're with FUG. I know a bit about you FUG bastards. Isn't your goal to take over the throne and overthrow the families? Popular opinion is to put V or even your perverted father on the throne. But I find it hard to believe that there are others who would sit so idly by for that to happen within FUG."

"All this constant fighting for an elaborate seat at the top," Urek continued, "it all seems boring. Why don't you leave it to Jahad? I would. And I would leave the Tower." His aura darkened. "There is such a wide world out there with an endless sky and many stars. A place with freedom and endless space. Just the thought of such a place existing makes all of this fighting seem so trivial."

A wide world, with no walls, no ceiling, no enemies. His hands cleaned from the blood and constant grip of a dagger and instead dirty with soil and holding a shovel. His dreams had been tarnished. Once revealed, his mentor had pulled it out of him with such painful precision, tainting even his sweetest dreams and desires with twisted agony.

At least back in the cave, at least his dreams once held hope, the dreams Utua had shared with him.

"It does," Khun agreed, voice hoarse. "This constant fighting, everything, seems so trivial. Even our existence is trivial if you think about it. But I could care less about open spaces, thrones, or even riches. I just want a small secluded space away from all of this, even those who bare their fangs at the ones I care for."

Urek smiled. "You can still have that."

"Not if it's empty without the people I care for." Khun's fists curled. "Sorry Mazino, but I need to take this test."

"Well that's a shame," Urek sighed. "I really thought you would be different." He glanced up. "In a few minutes, the zigena will flip its body. The zigena's flower you're looking for is up there. We'll fall on it as the zigena flips. If you get that flower before I get you, I'll give you the flower. But if I catch you, I will take your life. Got it?"

"Sounds simple," Khun quipped. Even as he spoke, the air began to tremble. The zigena was beginning to flip over.

"Well this is upsetting," Urek said. "So resigned to your death?"

"There are worse things than death," Khun replied. The air began to feel light, and he let himself fall back, his gaze never leaving Urek's.

"Oh look at that fire in your eyes!" Urek exclaimed, smiling broadly. "For ice wielders, you sure are passionate. Let's start the game!"

Khun's fists were coated with ice. He let out a breath, feeling the air chill around him.

"You're not running? Awesome! I'll show you a legendary power!" Golden light enveloped Urek before it transferred around his fist. The wild energy could not match the pure fire in his grin.

Khun felt the smooth features of the ice, sharp and precise, cover him. It flowed from the air to his fists. For a moment, he truly felt weightless as the storm within him resurfaced.

Something within Khun's gaze shifted. Something dark and blue. Khun's eyes widened as he saw Ran fall forward.

Ran was already reacting to the unexpected events, flipping to avoid the attack. But Urek's blast was faster and would catch Ran in the explosion. There was no way he would survive that. Ran knew that, even as the understanding shone in his eyes, but the determination in his gaze did not falter. He would try even if it killed him.

The air trembled as the shockwave of Urek's blast and ice rained down on the area.

xXx

Urek stood over the bloodied form of the Khun children. The elder was trembling, his back exposed and bleeding. But the child he had landed on top of was alive and squirming.

Small, blue eyes were wide with shock, gripping the bloodied clothing of his elder. "A.A? A.A!"

Urek glanced down at the small flower wiggling in his hands. "Wow. A Khun child displaying selflessness." He blinked, indignation rising within him. "That damn bastard has been lying to me!" He glared up at the ceiling. "You mean to tell me that I've been sticking my neck out for you and you could have offered me help? You spineless coward." He could just imagine the unseen figure smirking at his outrage.

He glanced back down at the small Khun child, who had wiggled out from the older sibling's embrace. Those fierce blue eyes were focused on him, and Urek was struck by how alike that gaze was to so many other Khun children.

His pocket pinged, and Urek frowned at the message. "What?" he glanced up at the ceiling. "You want me to…" he trailed off with a sigh. "Alright." He leaned down and reached into his jacket pocket. "Hey kid," he said to the Khun boy. "When your brother wakes up, give him this."

The boy blinked at the package handed to him, but he mutely nodded.

"You poor babies," Urek sighed. "Hey kid, tell your brother that he's impressed me with his uncharacteristic courage. You can have the flower for that."

The boy blinked. "What?"

"And you," Urek glanced at the Khun girl, her emotionless features not even flinching from his stare. "I know where you come from. It's not his fault. Think about who you go back to if you leave his side."

Finally, a reaction. Her eyes narrowed, but there was no acknowledgement in her gaze.

A pity.

With one more glance at the unconscious Khun child...he said his name was Khun, but the younger one addressed him as A.A...how adorable, Urek smiled and left.

xXx

With the baby flower squirming in his hands, and the blood of the Rankers staining his skin, Urek Mazino found himself lost in thought. But he was not so lost as to be caught off guard by the hidden presence in the room.

"I delivered the package as you requested. That blue haired baby sure is impressive," Urek commented. He grinned, glancing over to the hooded figure playing with a joystick.

Blueberry smirked but did not look up from the game he was playing. "You say that about every single one you meet."

"Yeah but this time I mean it." Urek shrugged on the coat Yuji handed to him.

"So you were just playing when you told me that I was special?" Blueberry was grinning. "Bet you regret springing me from that place."

Urek frowned, his eyes alight with concern. "Don't even joke about it. I'm glad we got you out of that hellhole regardless." He paused. "But that Khun kid is a pure-blood, and I can tell FUG has already used his blood for their own benefits. It's really sad."

Yuji tsked as he expertly held the flower. "Already? He seems so young."

Blueberry paused. "Age doesn't matter to FUG. Blood is blood."

"Nah, the real tragedy is the girl he's with seems to resent him." Urek glanced at Blueberry, but the Khun kid didn't even react. "You lived with them in that cave, was she always like that?"

Blueberry shrugged. "Don't remember."

Urek shrugged. "Well, at least he has his younger brother."

"Brotherly sentiment does not run in our family," Blueberry responded.

"If it didn't, the little one would be swimming in his own blood," Urek combated.

Blueberry groaned and shoved his joystick away and ignored the screen in front of him. "Man, all this talk is distracting me."

"Hey now," Urek teased, "if it weren't for your illuminating presence, I'd be stuck talking to Yuji over here."

The dark-haired butler sighed. "Then I won't even comment about the blemish on your face."

Urek blinked, touching his cheek and coming away with blood, registering the sting on his cheek. He smiled. "Well, isn't that interesting." That Khun kid sure could land a punch.

The rapid sound of typing drew his attention. He looked to see Blueberry typing away. "What are you doing?"

"Giving my darling brother information." Blueberry smirked. "Let's see what he will do with it." He leaned back. "There's not enough chaos in the Tower, and our dear princess has been hounding me. Let's see what happens."

xXx

His body hurt. His mind drifted in and out of reality. He could smell the stale air, taste the moisture on his tongue and feel the pain on his fingers as his skin was peeled away, dried blood coating his nails.

"Today, we will start your official training as a Slayer. If you hesitate and show even the slightest bit of weakness, your friends will die." Hansung folded his arms behind his back. His serene gaze never wavered.

The tattered list was before him in the dirt. Khun stared at it with dull eyes. The different signatures of the ones he counted as his friends glared back at him. His eyes burned, but he would not look away.

Hansung kneeled in the dirt, fingers tracing the names with elaborate tenderness. "Of course, if that happens, we can always let you choose who goes first. I imagine you would want us to start with Jue Viole Gr-"

"No!" Khun's voice was raw from the screaming, and he coughed.

Hansung frowned. "No? I would have thought you would want him dead. After all, he's killed so many of your siblings." He leaned forward. "You know what he said to me before the final test? I had honestly never seen such hate and hostility in another's gaze."

Khun swallowed but said nothing.

Hansung sighed. "Oh, nevermind. I suppose we can leave him for last. Killing him would be problematic, and we would waste more soldiers than it was worth." He stood up. "But to avoid any further trouble, make yourself presentable and greet your new mentor."

Khun, despite the pain shooting up his leg from his sprained ankle, straightened up. Biting the inside of his cheek, he withheld a whimper.

"Jeez, this old man sure is a stickler." A luminous white being emerged from the shadows. Khun blinked, his eyes hurting from the glow. How could he have missed this luminous presence in the dark?

When those silver eyes focused on him, Khun felt an icy chill coat down his spine. He felt this once before, years ago, in the caves.

Fear.

He steeled the aching muscles in his legs to prevent them from quivering, even when the luminous being stared at him hungrily.

"I'll leave you both alone for a while," Hansung said primly. Khun never thought he would have yearned for the other's presence. Never had he felt more safe than with Hansung at this moment.

Now alone with his new mentor, Khun felt the air leave his lungs. His mentor had not even moved, yet Khun began to feel an invasion in his presence.

His mentor smiled, sharp teeth flashing. "I am White. You may have heard of me?"

Khun could only mutely nod.

White grinned down at him. "Wonderful. Now, come closer, my student. I can't have you lagging behind."

Khun awoke with a gasp. His chest hurt, and he instinctively reached for his arm, but no blade was piercing his flesh.

Still, White's steely gaze continued to flash before his eyes. He could still feel White's finger trailing down from his eye to his cheek.

"Tears of blood. Now you are truly my student."

Groaning, Khun shook away the memory. Stumbling out of bed, he rushed for the sink, splashing cold water on his face. Grabbing a cloth, he furiously scrubbed at his skin, relishing the feel of the harsh fabric pulling at his tender skin.

His back still burned from the injuries. His mind flashed to the memory of Urek Mazino. So, he was the legendary Irregular FUG whispered about. He was everything the legends said, and possibly more. What was more impressive, he let them go, even when they were all helpless.

He dropped the rag in the sink. Ran. Was he okay? Had he escaped from the attack unscathed?

Come to think of it, how long had he been out?

Grabbing a shirt, Khun shrugged it on, wincing at the pain. Ugh, he hated fire.

His fingers brushed against his hair, and he grimaced. Urek's attack had left it somewhat scathed. It was uneven in certain areas. Without a second thought, he grabbed the scissors and began cutting. It was still longer than he preferred, but it should be easier to maintain. He would have preferred to put it up in a ponytail, but even that much movement put a strain on his back.

His pocket pinged, signaling a downloaded message from his lighthouse.

Buttoning up his shirt, Khun frowned. Was it Apple sending him an update about the tests? The message was encrypted, not even FUG would be able to detect it.

Opening the message revealed two different downloads. One for a game, and another for a file. He opened the file first and was surprised at the brief, simple information. It was information about a dagger called the White Heavenly Mirror.

Khun frowned. Why was this information given to him? Moreover, where was the dagger?

He then glanced at the download for the game. Why would anyone want to send him a game? Moreover, this game reminded him of…

His eyes widened, fingers flying across the keyboard. Could it be Hatchuling? After all these years, he finally decided to reach out? Khun's chest burned both with hope and indignation. Why now after all this time?

A knock at the door caused him to look up. With quick movements, he closed down the message. He would have to look at it later. Right now, he had an agenda.

A name was already on his lips even when he began to open the door. However, he expertly closed his mouth when he saw who it was.

"Micheal," he said simply, crossing his arms despite the burning twitch in his back. "What is it?"

The Regular merely smiled serenely at him. "Oh, good. You're awake. It was my shift to check in on you. The team will be thrilled."

Khun nodded. "Well, thank you for the concern-"

"Oh my, you cut your hair." Micheal tilted his head. "That's unfortunate."

"I like my hair short," Khun snapped. He let out a breath, trying to calm himself down. "What about everyone else? How's Ran? Is he alright?"

"I would say he's just fine, but I wouldn't know. Novick has been having difficulty tracking him down."

Concern grew in the pit of Khun's stomach. "Oh?"

"Anyway," Micheal held out a bag. "The wound Urek inflicted on you was pretty severe. I can treat them-"

"I can do it myself," Khun reached for the bag.

"On your back?" Micheal frowned, skeptical.

"You'd be surprised at what I was able to do on my own before you came along." Again, he reached for the bag, only for it to be held out of reach. He narrowed his eyes. "Micheal," he warned. "Give me the bag."

"I really must insist-"

"Oh for God's sake," a new voice grumbled. The bag was snatched from Micheal's hand. "I'll bandage him up." Ran strode into Khun's room without another glance at Micheal. "I'm prepared for this stuff." He glanced back. "Well, come along. Aren't you going to close the door? Unless you want an audience, A.A."

Khun rolled his eyes before shutting his bedroom door without another backward glance. "How are you feeling?"

Ran raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me?"

"Well, I did black out for most of it."

"Yeah, and I'm still better off than you." Ran dropped the bag and sorted through the items. "Now, are we going to finish patching you up? Most of this just looks to be for pain relief."

Khun hesitated. "Actually, before we do that," he held out a hair tie. "Can you pull my hair up?"

It was a long moment of staring between the two. Ran was the first to break the silence, voice disbelieving. "You want me...to do your hair?"

Khun nodded. "I can do it, but it hurts to move my shoulders up too much."

Ran grumbled before patting the floor. "Sit down. I'll do my best."

There was a long moment of silence as Khun sat down and Ran pulled the hair back. Khun could feel Ran's fingers hesitating, pulling back before shifting the strands around.

"I don't care how it looks," Khun pointed out. "Just put it up."

"But you always wear those high ponytails," Ran argued.

"Ran, if you attempted that hairstyle on me, you might pull all my strands out." He grinned. "A low ponytail is fine. I just want it out of my face."

Ran hesitated. "Fine." Finally, his hair was pulled back, and Khun could feel his younger brother make good work of the hair tie.

Ran grumbled. "Now let's do your bandages."

Khun wondered at the extent of his injuries and just how much healing he had to undertake for his back to merely burn up like this. The salve Ran applied was initially itchy, but the cooling, soothing texture did help with the pain.

"Thanks," Khun said, sliding his shirt back on over the bandages.

Ran scoffed. "Yeah, whatever. Why wasn't Kisea here to deal with it?"

"I haven't seen her since I woke up," Khun confessed.

"Oh." Ran swung his legs before jumping off. "Okay. Anyway, I think I'm going to head out. Novick's been moping. I think he wants to challenge me again."

Khun grinned. "That's not what I heard. I was told you were being elusive. Is it possible you were the one moping?"

"Shut-up," Ran growled. He kicked at the bag. "I'll leave this here for you to clean up." He hesitated. "Oh, by the way, that Mazino creep wanted me to give you this." He handed a small brown package to Khun.

Khun frowned, inspecting the package. Opening the contents revealed a dagger. His eyes widened when he instantly recognized it from the file Hatchuling had sent.

"A knife?" Ran asked, unimpressed.

"Hey, it's helpful to have weapons," Khun said, examining the dagger.

Ran shrugged. "Whatever."

Khun kept his light smile up until Ran closed the door behind him. He waited for one more minute before summoning his lighthouse.

He first read up on the White Heavenly Mirror. The more he read, the more his intrigue grew. He could not keep the smile from his face. Yes, this would be a useful tool.

The second message Hatchuling had sent him was designed to look like a simple game. Khun sighed. Fine then. He'll play.

He was a quick study and able to complete all five levels. Just when he thought that this was a stupid waste of his time, the screen changed. Khun narrowed his eyes, seeing the amount of files presented to him.

Opening one left him with an overwhelming amount of information.

And a sick stomach.

"Oh God." He brought a hand to his mouth, the images and texts flashing before his eyes. The countless names of his siblings, some dead, and some unknown, imprinted on his brain.

He saw what the Workshop did to the Khun children it held.

None of this could be real. Could it? It wasn't possible…

But he remembered his mentor, White, talking about his own siblings. How they were mere 'clones' of himself, now one complete and perfect being.

Khun quickly searched the files, first pulling up Hatchuling's.

Next, he searched for Kisea, then his sister Utua. Then himself. When he saw his own file, and the results that followed, he felt the air leave his lungs.

If he weren't already sitting down, he would have collapsed.

FUG...there was no question that FUG knew of this. They were involved in the Workshop. But what about the King? Was he aware? Surely he would have put a stop to this insane operation that created more enemies of the Tower! Khuns were a threat, so why would he permit this?

An idea sprung to mind, and he quickly looked up Mascheny's file. He wasn't surprised to see that her records were untouched. So, she was a full-blood Khun, just like himself and Utua.

But Ran...

He looked up Ran's file, ignoring the rest. There were so many unknown siblings, all of their files labeled. Marco Asensio, Hynd Luch, Royale Elliot. He even saw Maria's name, but he discarded them. Opening Ran's file, he breathed out a silent plea.

What he saw filled him with dread.

"Oh Ran," he murmured.

He read through all of the files. He processed all of the information. His world, his viewpoint, was shattered. Was this why Hatchuling had so abruptly entered their lives? He could vividly remember when his elder brother had shown up, unannounced, only to leave just as abruptly. Had he escaped from the Workshop, only to be taken back? Or was he just using the cave as a place to recuperate?

And why had they, the Agnis branch, been discarded in the cave? The files said nothing of that, only that...that everything was a success until a minor elopement issue. Khun had no memory of any Workshop lab, but maybe Utua had.

Was that why...she had been so desperate to leave the cave? Because she remembered and feared for their safety? If Kisea was already a product of the lab's interference...

Khun sat back, his brain hurting and feeling so insanely lost. How was he supposed to move forward with this? What did Hatchuling want him to do with this information?

His door opened without any warning. Khun looked up, surprised at the unannounced presence. He only glanced at his lighthouse to confirm that, yes, it was off.

Kisea slid into the room as silent as a wraith. She smiled at him. "I see you're back to working. It hasn't even been an hour."

Khun forced a smile on his face. "It hasn't all been about work. I've just been thinking."

"Thinking?" She sat beside him. "About what?"

"About...well, our current situation." Even as he processed and filed away Hatchuling's information, Khun warily glanced down at Kisea. There was no way she could know about the Workshop, right?

"Kisea," he started, "what is even the point of all this?"

"What else for?" She fixed her sharp gaze on him. "Revenge."

"Revenge against Maria, I can see, but why the king?"

She shrugged. "Why not? The people here view us as gods. Should we not live up to that expectation? Should we not see them cower in fear?"

"Godhood is not what I want," he asserted. "It's never been for us."

"Are you forgetting who our father is?" Kisea argued. "A literal god that everyone fears and respects."

"So we were told," Khun stated. He sat back, putting some space between them. "What do we know about our elusive father? Utua never told-"

The slap across his face stunned him. He blinked, bringing a hand to his reddened cheek.

Kisea wasn't even breathing, staring at him with cold, harsh eyes.

"Is this about that stupid dream of yours?" she snarled. "About that damn cottage? About family?"

"Kisea-"

"Sure, finding out we had more family out there might have broadened your horizons." Her face was red, breathing suddenly fast and frantic. "But you're forgetting all about what really matters. This is what you are meant to be doing! Living here, in this moment, with FUG, and not entertaining some fanatic wish of a lonely boy in a cave!"

"Where the hell is this even coming from?" Khun stood up. Confusion gave way to anger. His cheek was still throbbing from where he had been struck.

Kisea also stood up, jabbing a finger at his chest. "You are forgetting what you are supposed to fulfill. You are a literal god to FUG. Meant to destroy the king and take over the Tower."

"From what I've seen," Khun retorted. "Our 'father' could be doing that himself if he stopped trying to make an army out of his own children."

Kisea scowled. "Maybe...Hansung should be told about this. We might have been too hasty about putting you in the field." She pulled back. "Master White might need to be informed as well."

Khun felt cold. "What?"

"I mean, look at you!" she exclaimed. "Doubting, blasphemy...or maybe meeting Urek Mazino must have shocked you."

Khun hated how his vision blurred, hated how his heart picked up a rapid, panicked pace. But he mutely nodded. "Yes. I'm just in shock," he murmured.

Kisea stared at him before her expression crumbled. She approached him before wrapping her arms around him, transforming into a small little girl again. Khun merely sat on the bed, holding her. He shivered, eyes still blurry and lungs squeezing.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, voice small as she clung to him. "I-I know how White makes you feel."

Khun said nothing. It was hard to swallow.

"I-I swear I wasn't going to tell Hansung," she whimpered. "They take you away...for so long. And then you can't even speak! I don't know what they do to you." Her body was trembling. "I hate it when you can't even sing that...that lullaby to me."

Khun pushed her away, collapsing on the bed, curling up into a tight ball. Air. He needed air. His breathing came out in choked gasps. At some point, Kisea was rubbing his back, her own breath shuddering.

They stayed that way, Kisea repeating "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" like a mantera, while Khun focused on his own breathing. At some point, he was able to breathe normally and remain on the bed, just lying there.

"I...I won't tell," Kisea whimpered.

"Please...just don't." It was harder to get up now than it was after training with White. He felt like the rocks he used to climb in the caves had fallen over and crushed his body.

"You're...you're just in shock," Kisea continued, gaze listless. "From what...Urek did. From when you tried...to protect Ran." Her gaze swiveled to him, eyes wide. "Don't do that again. I don't like it when you focus your attention on others."

Khun glared at her, gaze haggard. "I would do it again. He's our brother as well."

Something ugly twisted in Kisea's gaze. "I thought family sentiment was useless."

"Then what is this that we have? Sometimes I even wonder if what we have can be called family."

"Don't say that!" Kisea shrieked, lunging for him, but Khun caught her wrists.

"Family...family is all I have! You're all I have! And I hate it! I hate you! After what you did to our sister, all I ever dreamed about was killing you! I thought about it so many times! Slitting your wrists and leaving you to drown! Knife to the stomach as I gutted you!"

Khun shoved her away, scrambling away from the bed. "I know that!" he shouted. "The scars on my hands are a reminder that you tried to kill me!" He pulled at his hair, the hair tie Ran had so carefully tied coming undone. "God Kisea, I can't keep doing this anymore."

Kisea blinked, shocked. "So...you'll leave me?" She stared down at her hands. "What's one more sister to the tally?" she murmured.

"I'll never leave you," Khun confessed. "But my own little sister wants to kill me. You want me to say it, fine, I'll say it." He stared at her. "I killed Utua. Does that make you feel better? Can you kill me now?"

Kisea merely stared at him, fists clenching and unclenching.

Khun moved towards the door. "Kisea, I will never leave you. All I ever wanted was to find you. But...something has to change. I realized that was possible when I left the cave and…"

And met my friends. But he didn't say that.

"I just need to figure some things out." With that, he left the room, closing the door.

xXx

"It's called a what?" Bam stared at Wangnan and Ehwa who were brimming with excitement.

"EMILY!" Wangnan exclaimed happily. "Want to know how we did so well on the test?" He pointed at himself proudly. "With the help of EMILY, that's how!"

"I see," Bam started. The app was open, and he was staring down at the smiling avatar.

"She answers all of your information!" Ehwa continued, bouncing on the balls of her heels.

"Except how to make you a good cook," Wangnan muttered.

Bam ignored Ehwa's brutal assault on Wangnan's noggin and instead fiddled around with the app. He couldn't deny that he was curious.

"Does Shibisu know about this?" Bam asked.

"Um, maybe?" Ehwa started.

Bam leaned back, still fiddling with the device. "Well, until he does, I don't want anyone to use this app. We can't rely on things like this all the time."

Like balloons, both Wangnan and Ehwa deflated. "Fine," the blond boy muttered. He waited. "Can I have it back?"

Bam smirked. "I think I'll hold on to this for a bit longer." He ignored their groans. "Just until I am certain you can resist temptation."

With a lot of grumbling and complaints, the two filed out of his room. Once he was certain they were down the hall, Bam let his smile slip.

An app that could answer your questions, huh?

Bam stared down at the little face, her brown pigtails giving off a young and innocent vibe, her smile open and friendly.

{Hi, this is EMILY. Ask EMILY if you have any doubts.}

Bam let out a shuddering breath. Should he even entertain the idea? But what did he have to lose?

He grimaced as he began to type. He was such a hypocrite. Wangnan would hold this over his head should he ever find out. {Khun Aguero Agnis}

He waited for a beat.

{Alive}

He slammed the phone down. His glare was dark, chest constricting painfully.

No. It was impossible. Just because a little app said so and he was going to cling to hope again?

He was pulled from his dark thoughts when his pocket bleeped. A genuine smile crossed his face. Heart instantly lighter, he answered the call. "Hey Yuri."

"Hey hot stuff," the voice teased. "How's it going?"

"It's...good."

"Good, good."

Bam frowned, detecting the hesitancy in her voice. "Something wrong?"

"Well, I wish this was more of a courtesy call, but I really have some stuff I need to share with you."

Bam leaned forward. "Okay?"

"I visited one of my sisters, and she left me on a rabbit trail. You know how I saw that Khun kid with Mascheny a few years ago…"

Bam sat up like he was shot. "What? What Khun kid?"

"Oh you know, Evan and I were exploring and we saw Headon talking to some Khun kid. Then Mascheny showed up and gave him the Yellow May."

"Yuri," his voice was shaky. "When was this?"

She hummed. "Oh, maybe seven or eight years ago. I really never told you?"

Bam sat back, stunned. It couldn't be...For Aguero to speak with Headon...

"Anyway," Yuri continued. "I was curious enough to follow this trail, which led me to my sister, which also led me to Blueberry. He has some weird stuff about those Khun kids, mainly Ran. Endorsi mentioned that Anaak told her you were interested in him. Bam," here, she hesitated. "You know better than to involve yourself with Khuns."

Bam frowned. "That's not like you, Yuri, telling me to keep my nose out of other people's business."

"No, I know, But this time...what I found is disturbing. I mean, Urek's apparently known about this for years. I just...don't want you to jump headfirst into something without knowing the full details. Hell, I still can't believe it myself. It took me a few days to process. I'll send you the information."

His pocket pinged, and Bam opened the file Yuri had sent. Opening it revealed hundreds of Khun names. When Bam saw the information, his eyes widened. "Yuri...where did you…"

"If you're wondering about the credibility, Urek can couch for Blueberry. He was a kid from that lab when Urek rescued him. Urek even saw some of the experiments himself."

"Oh gods." Bam sat back, stunned. Had Aguero...been a part of this without knowing? Is that why his sister had him hidden away in the cave? To protect him from the people in the Workshop?

"Do the Family Heads know?"

"I would be surprised if they didn't."

Bam sucked in a sharp breath. "Damn it." He closed his eyes. "Who do you think is involved?"

"Who do you think isn't?"

"Right." His thoughts wandered to Aguero. They never found a body. What if...he was preserved? What if...he was being poked and prodded…?

"Thanks for this, Yuri."

"Sorry to reign on your parade."

"No, it's good to know this. We're getting involved in the Workshop Battle anyway." He clenched his fists. "Talk to you later."

He rested his head in his hands. He had dealt with the darkness of the Tower before. Hell, at some points he was the darkness of the Tower. But this...he would never condone this.

Did his parents know?

His grip on the strands of his hair tightened. If anyone, then his mother would certainly know. And if she did...then she was a perfect match for the king.

No sooner had that thought crossed his mind did someone knock on his door. He looked up to see Anaak come in.

"Hey," Anaak said hesitingly. "So about Ran. Well, see...I didn't exactly find him."

Bam smirked. "Okay, then who did?"

"Your red-head friend patched me through to someone, said that a small blue-haired Khun kid was seen running around."

Bam's smile slipped. "Oh."

"What do you think? Should we use the intel? It might not even be him."

Bam sighed. "Of course. We'll go see what's up." He stood up. "Where is he?"

Again, Anaak hesitated. She glanced up at him with a pensive frown. "The Gardens of Arlene."

xXx

No one was in the kitchen this late at night. It was how Ran liked it.

Opening the fridge, he was disgruntled to see that someone had been going through his favorite candies. The coffee and caramel ones were missing, but at least the plain ones were still there.

Unwrapping the candy, he popped one into his mouth and nearly choked on it when he saw a figure at the kitchen table.

"You trying to kill me?" he demanded.

A.A merely raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "That's disappointing that you couldn't even detect my presence.

Ran noticed the cold cup of tea at A.A's side. With a sigh, he began heating up the water on the stove. "What are you doing?"

"Random things," A.A shrugged. "We were doing well on the last few tests."

Ran sucked on his candy, watching the water boil. "So? That's a good thing."

"It is."

"Then what are you doing burning the midnight oil?"

"There's always something that needs planning," A.A replied.

Ran frowned as he poured A.A a new cup of tea. "Does this have anything to do with Kisea?" At A.A's confused look, Ran elaborated. "We could all hear it, though we couldn't hear exactly what it was that set her off."

"That was a few weeks ago."

"Still, if it's enough to set her off, then it makes everyone nervous."

A.A sighed and folded his hands. "To be honest, some of it was about you."

Ran blinked. "Me?"

"She didn't like it that I protected you."

Ran winced, still remembering how A.A had caught him and shielded him. "Well, yeah. You got hurt."

"But you're my brother," A.A said. "And my little one at that."

Ran looked away. "Got it," he muttered.

A.A pushed aside his work to accept the cup of tea. He blew on it, the steam rising to warm his face. "Hey, Ran. After this is all over, and we no longer have to fight, would you like to come live with me?"

Ran blinked.

"The cottage I have in mind would have a spare bedroom," A.A elaborated. "I could use a helping hand. It would be nice to have another family member."

Ran smiled. "Sure. I'd like that."

Khun smiled back, and Ran realized how rare those genuine smiles were on all of them. "Me too."

Ran didn't know what this was that was hanging in the atmosphere, but it was pleasant, until the slimy presence of a snake slithered in.

Micheal stepped forward. "Oh, good. I was looking for you." His gaze was focused on A.A. "I heard Kisea went out."

A.A stood up, face pensive. "Out? Out where?"

Micheal shrugged. "We know where her location is, but she left no reason as to her disappearance."

Ran could hear A.A gritting his teeth. "I'll get her," A.A said with a sigh.

Ran swallowed his candy. "I'll go with you," he offered.

"Fine, but stay out of sight."

"Why? 'Cause I'll get in the way?"

"Because I don't know how she'll react when she sees you. She's been unstable these past few days."

xXx

Khun wondered if this was partially his fault. It wasn't like he had been avoiding Kisea. He meant it when he had some things to think through, and he couldn't do that with her constantly hanging over his shoulder. It was a lot of work to go behind FUG's back to smuggle not one, but two of his siblings out of the organization.

The Hand of Arlene was a secluded garden. Not many visited, despite the high up-keep. Fountains were running in the distance, the sound of the water splashing against marble creating a hypnotic, soothing sound. He could imagine, in the early morning, that birds would be singing in the tall trees as the wind blew through the branches. He sniffed the air, detecting the scent of roses and various other flowers he could not identify.

Ran crouched in the dirt beside him, a pensive frown on his face. "We got word that Viole is here."

The sound and atmosphere of the garden dimmed at those words. Khun's eyes widened. His gaze snapped to look at Ran. "What?"

Ran shrugged, looking down to conceal his troubled look. "I mean, it is his mother's garden." He hesitated, "but I think I can talk to him if it comes to a confrontation."

Khun frowned. "Why do you think that?"

"We've crossed paths before. I think my relation to you has given me a free pass."

"He is...fond of you?"

"What? Uh, sure, I guess you could say that." He snorted. "He's a wimp."

Khun's mind raced. He couldn't help but scan the shadows of the garden, wondering if Bam was nearby. He felt the weight of the White Heavenly Mirror at his side, and his fingers brushed against the hilt. Could he do it? Could he move forward with his hastily contrived plan? Bam was here, and he had Ran at his side. All he had to do was find Kisea.

It was hasty, but again, everything was lining up oh so perfectly. He'll deal with the repercussions when he returned to FUG, but he didn't know when he would get an opportunity like this again.

Khun dug into his pocket. "Here." He tossed Ran a brown bag.

Ran caught it and stared at the pouch. "What is this?"

"Your coffee caramel candies. I took the rest when Dan was snacking on them."

Ran sputtered. "Why would you do that?"

"So that you have something to munch on while you wait."

"Wait? Wait where?" Ran's voice, though hushed, grew in pitch as his agitation reached a boiling level.

Ran really should have remained more aware of his surroundings. But it was a testament to the trust he was slowly building up with Khun.

Khun moved swiftly, White Heavenly Mirror in his hand as he slid the dagger in between Ran's ribs. "For your reunion with Viole."

xXx

Of course he would be sent here of all places.

It wasn't that Bam disliked his mother. In fact, he often thought back on her with fondness. However, he was reminded of the shadow and constraint she lived in, and he often had mixed feelings about how she chose to live her life.

As a result, he tried to avoid any mention of either of his parents. But his presence at the Hand of Arlene brought back all those memories.

He avoided looking at his mother's looming statue. Jahad had gone through great lengths to preserve it, even building an impressive garden. It was lovely and breathtaking in the daytime, but Bam tried not to think about the strolls in the gardens the king would take him and his mother on.

Anaak was somewhere on the outskirts, farther from him than he would have liked. He couldn't imagine how she would react if she found Ran before him. The fact that it was Hwaryun who sent the information caused the hair in the back of his head to stand on edge.

Or maybe it was because someone was watching him.

He turned, hands slack at his side even as he stretched out his senses. "Hello?"

Something rustled in the bushes. Bam tensed, planting his feet firmly into the ground.

A small rabbit leapt out at him, staring up at him with big dark eyes.

He released a breath. "Drat," he muttered, cursing himself for his paranoia.

"I've worked long and hard on this."

Bam whirled around, eyes wide and searching for the mechanical voice. He searched the gardens, trying to spot the figure.

"I could never figure out how to start," the voice continued. "But I suppose I should start with a simple phrase: No one is as innocent as they appear."

Bam crept forward, tracking the voice.

"Do you want to hear the tale of the little princess?" the voice purred.

Bam's gaze swept the dark area. His mother's garden seemed to betray him, tricking him with long shadows.

"Once, there was a lonely princess," the voice continued. "She loved her siblings very much. Her love for them demanded the sacrifice of her mind, body, and soul."

Bam took a step forward, the gravel crunching beneath his boots.

"But one day, her love ceased to fill the selfish prince. His wandering eye fell upon a temptress, who's honeyed words were coated with poison."

"This poison," she continued, "was enough to satiate the selfish prince. It satisfied his senses but never his appetite, and soon, he could think of no one else but the beautiful temptress."

Bam's breath quickened up as he detected multiple presences fast approaching. He forced himself to stay calm, even as the voice became disorienting.

But he knew, despite the show, that this story was not meant for his ears. No, this was being used as an attack on someone else. Bam was just here as a witness.

"Soon, a decision was to be made, one that would test the loyalty of the selfish prince."

There! The voice seemed closer. Possibly near the fountains. Bam krept forward.

"The temptress made good use of her spells, and soon, the prince chose her, sealing his beloved, selfless sister within the tombs of their prison. The temptress rose to power, beautiful in grace despite the shrewdness in her heart, while the little princess became fodder for the cave creatures lurking in their stone prison."

"And the selfish prince..." the voice shifted, and too late, Bam realized he had been played. There was no voice near the fountain. Just a recording.

"...will forever fall from grace."

Bam spun quickly, shinsu shooting out. He missed the target, but the light illuminated the girl's face, her eyes glowing blue as sapphire hair blew in the wind.

Bam stumbled back just as the girl raised her daggers, moving at him with such speed. But Bam was faster, fists curled as the in the air shinsu trembled.

"No! Bam, stop!"

That scream shattered the night and Bam's concentration. He faltered, eyes widening in shock as a voice he had yet to hear for seven years pierced his soul. Yet the shock and hope he felt was shattered as his side suddenly burned with pain.

The girl had taken his distraction as an opportunity to stab him. However, she was hindered from causing any more damage as a figure clothed in black collided with her. The figure moved with such speed, putting as much distance between Bam and them, and then, they were gone.

Bam panted, shock shooting adrenaline through him almost as sharp and fast as the pain in his side.

But that voice, he had known that voice! He had heard it in his nightmares, replayed it in his memories.

"Aguero."

Bam ran.

xXx

"What the hell were you thinking?" Khun growled. He was still running, dragging Kisea alongside him. At least she had enough self-preservation to keep running with him.

Or, it appeared she did have a death wish. Her small dagger was flashing forward, but Khun saw it. He blocked it with his own hidden weapon. His effort to defend himself brought their flight to a halt.

"Kisea," he growled. "Now is not the time! Viole is on our trail-"

"And I will take care of him," she replied, twirling the dagger in her hand.

"He'll kill you!"

She grinned, looking much like a deranged maniac. "And what an honorable death it will be. It will forever haunt you, your former 'friend' killing your little sister." She shrugged. "Of course, his downfall will come soon enough. FUG will make sure of it."

"I have followed all of FUG's orders," Khun argued, taking a step forward. Dammit. It looked like he would have to use the dagger on her now. He'll just have to run for it after all.

"You sealed his fate when you chose Ran over me."

"I didn't choose anyone over anyone! Only you over myself!" Khun was close to screaming, chest trembling. But he let out a shaky breath. He felt the weight of the dagger on his side. But if he used it on Kisea, FUG would question her absence. There was no way he could move within the shadows now with Bam's interference.

"Just like how you chose Maria over our sister." Kisea's eyes flashed, red rimmed and glowing iridescent blue.

Khun lunged, the White Heavenly Mirror in his hand, poised and ready to strike. Kisea's eyes widened, but she would be too slow to stop him.

But the attack never came. The hairs on the back of his neck lifted with electricity. Khun switched tactics, grabbing Kisea just as the electricity struck the ground before them.

"What the-?" Khun looked up to see a figure covered in blue robes standing before them.

Khun recognized the chill and electric current in the air to know who was standing before them. A Khun.

After so long, he finally sees another one of his bastard siblings.

"What in the world?"

Khun felt a chill down his spine, and he is grateful for the hood obscuring his face, even as he glanced back to see Bam standing before them. He was out of breath, his hands trembling from either exhaustion or anticipation, but he was also looking at the new arrival with wide eyes.

The new arrival rumbled a greeting. "Jue Viole Grace, I am Icardi. Please pay no heed to these wayward children."

Bam stepped forward, glaring. "Am I meant to ignore them when one attacks me?"

"As I had said," Icardi said. "They are children."

"Children of the Workshop?" Bam stepped forward, eyes glowing. "If so, then I think they are better off with me."

Kisea let out a shuddering breath at those words, but Khun was more focused on looking for a way of escape.

"I do not think it matters," Icardi said. "For one of them is a Slayer, destined to overthrow the king."

"I have seen many Khun children follow that same path, all dead." Bam curled his fists. "You will not breed anymore child soldiers."

"Then if you are in our way," from the folds of Icardi's robes, a detonator was revealed. "Then you will perish for your interference." His hooded gaze focused on Khun and Kisea. "Children, you will come with me, and Viole will harm you no more."

Khun's eyes widened. There was no way Icardi's presence was a coincidence. With Kisea and Bam here at the same place...no, someone else had set this up so that they would all be here.

Bam moved quickly, and Khun brought his arms up to drag Kisea away. However, his sister was moving forward, eyes set on Bam.

"Kisea, no!" he shouted. Ice formed at his fingertips, shooting for her feet. She had anticipated it, dagger flying for Bam's unprotected back before she slipped.

Ice swarmed over Bam, blocking his startled expression from Khun's eyes. The dagger harmlessly bounced off of the icy dome. Khun scooped Kisea up and ran.

A loud blast resounded in the garden. Ice shattered everywhere. One desperate cry echoed in the stadium.

"Aguero!"

"Stay back!" Khun shoved Kisea away, standing between Bam and his sister. "Please Bam." They'll kill you. He couldn't say it. Fear and desperation clogged up his throat. "It's too danger-"

He was not expecting the embrace from Bam. Anything he was going to say was choked out of him as his friend's arms wrapped around him.

"I found you," Bam whimpered, holding him close. "She was right. You're alive!"

Khun trembled, bringing his shaking arms to hug him back, even when all of his instincts were screaming at him that he should flee.

"You're so tall," Bam murmured, and Khun could hear the smile in his voice.

Khun trembled. "Let me go."

"Not this time."

"Please!" Khun clawed at Bam's cloak, fear and desperation leaving him blind. "FUG will-"

"You have said too much," Icardi said solemnly. "The son of V has made his intentions clear."

"Stop," Khun exclaimed, finally breaking away to face Icardi. "Brother, you know who I am to FUG. Jue Viole Grace has done no harm to our mission. He will undoubtedly comply with FUG's demands if given the chance." He stared down Icardi. "He will prove useful to FUG."

Yes, he was aware he was throwing Bam to the wolves, but he would rather have Bam alive than dead.

Icardi tilted his head. "Yes, the prized son of Arlene would serve FUG well."

Khun felt some of the tension leave his shoulders.

"But he will destroy our family in its wake."

Khun's eyes widened as the structure began to crumble. The floor beneath Bam's feet gave way.

"Bam!" He acted without thinking. The dagger within his hand flew straight and true, stabbing Bam right in the chest. Bam's expression of shock and horror was the last thing he saw before Bam's body vanished.

xXx

Bam felt his senses return to him immediately. He stood in the midst of destruction, the rubble of his mother's garden destroyed.

He remembered Aguero...stabbing him.

Aguero...his friend, who he once thought dead, was now alive.

Alive and missing.

Bam frantically ran his hands through his head. His mother's statue was destroyed, the cobblestones upturned. What was once a bright, green, and lively garden was burnt and buried beneath rubble and smoke.

Movement nearby drew his attention, and he was surprised to see Ran stumbling beside him. Ran looked as dazed as Bam felt. His eyes were unfocused, hand clutching his chest.

Bam stepped towards him. "What...happened?"

Ran let out a shaky breath. "He saved us."

Bam blinked. "What?" He moved to grab the younger child, fearful that he would faint, when his foot stepped on something.

It was a silver dagger, smooth and elongated. The very same dagger Aguero had stabbed him with.

Right. Aguero had stabbed him.

He picked up the dagger, observing it.

Ran let out a shaky breath. "That was the dagger Urek Mazino gave him."

Bam snapped his gaze to Ran. Questions were brimming on his tongue, but he withheld them. It wasn't safe to be here.

"Come on," he said, sheathing the dagger. "We've got to get out of here."

Ran mutely followed, easily keeping pace with him. Bam already knew that he wouldn't find Aguero or the other Khun children here. The fires from the explosion had died down, and the metal had begun to cool. The explosion had occurred hours ago, which meant that Aguero was long gone.

He grit his teeth, frustration building up within him. His frustration gave way to white hot anger. For seven years, he had thought his friend was dead, when in reality he had been in the hands of FUG. And that girl he was with was his long-lost sister, Kisea. FUG had both of them.

Bam didn't know what FUG had on Aguero, but it was obvious their hold on him was strong. His pleas and desperation to Icardi revealed how deep his fear ran.

"How long?" Bam asked once they landed in an alleyway. He tried to reign in his temper, remembering where Ran had come from and that he was just as much a prisoner of FUG as Aguero.

Aguero met his gaze squarley. "I joined FUG five years ago, though you're probably aware he's been with them longer than that."

Bam folded his arms. "Do you know where they would take him?"

Ran shook his head. "I don't even think this was FUG's doing. Icardi had contacts within FUG, but he never worked directly with them. He always worked with my sister, Mascheny."

Bam's eyes widened. A pit of dread formed in his stomach.

"I think there were several powers at play here," Ran continued. He withdrew a brown bag. "A.A gave me this before he...before he stabbed me."

Bam accepted the bag, opening it to reveal candies in gold wrapping. But there was something heavier within the bag. Digging through the contents revealed a small data stick.

"I don't think A.A intended that I return with him," Ran said, voice small and quiet. "Especially when he heard that you were near."

Bam blinked, carefully handling the data stick. Whatever information was on this, he intended to thoroughly examine it.

"I need to check up on my team," Bam said, withdrawing his pocket. Ran only nodded scanning the alleyway to offer him a false sense of privacy.

His pocket was answered on the first ring.

"Oh my God, Bam!"

"Shibisu," Bam started, "listen to me, you need to…" He trailed off. "Shibisu, are you crying?"

Shibisu was prone to tears. Loud, obsessive tears of exaggerated cries and occasionally complaining.

But this...this was a suppressed grief, a deep despair that Bam had never heard from Shibisu before.

"Bam...you...they said you were dead!"

Bam blinked, horror sinking in his gut. "What?"

"It's all over the news! Everywhere! They said...that a child of Khun had killed you."

Bam glanced over to where Ran had pulled up the monitor. He watched with horror as Mascheny made an appearance on the screen.

"-saddened over the death of Jue Viole Grace, beloved son of Arlene, and the swift iron fist of our king." Mascheny looked every bit the picture of a stern, regal ruler. "Let it be known that retribution will be swift. FUG will answer for this destructive blow."

If it were possible, Bam's thunderous glare would have incinerated Mascheny's image. However, his glare was focused on one lone, red figure standing at the end of the alleyway.

"Shibisu," he started, tone dark, "I'll have to call you back, but tell the team I'm okay but to keep it on the downlow."

When he ended the call, he stormed towards Hwaryun, barely registering that Ran was scurrying right behind him.

Hwaryun merely smiled up at him. "I followed your path."

"Does that involve blowing me up in my mother's own garden?" He narrowed his gaze. "Or losing my friend once more?"

Hwaryun merely shrugged. "Well, I had nothing to do with this. But you've undoubtedly seen the news, and the lack of response of the king." She smiled demurely. "I can't imagine what your mother must be going through with the courts turning on her."

"My mother can handle herself," Bam replied. "She has many allies, and in some cases, she is more popular than the king."

"Glad to know you still care."

"But you knew about Aguero," Bam seethed. "All these years, while we were searching for Kisea, you knew that he was still alive and in their hands!"

"Yes," Hwaryun confessed. "Many figures are interested in gathering as many Khun children as possible, especially the pure-blood ones, the direct descendents of Eduan. Although, I had no hand in how he was cared for or trained. That was all Hansung's doing."

Bam tasted copper in his mouth, and he realized he had bitten his lip.

He had been played. He was not blind to the whispers of Mascheny betraying the king. In one fell swoop, she had proven her loyalty to the king while also putting FUG in their place. By helping to instigate Bam's death and blaming FUG for it, she was killing two birds with one stone.

And by the lack of response on Jahad's part, it appeared that Bam had really fallen out of favor with the king. Normally, Adori Jahad would lead a squadron to avenge him, but the silence on the military's part showed what the king truly thought of him. Of course, the press would make an outcry, but it was all just white noise.

And Mascheny had instigated it.

Bam clenched his fists. He was on the outside on both sides. The king would imprison or kill him, while FUG would outright kill him.

"FUG is split in two," Hwaryun explained. "There are those who want to do a total purge: the total alilation of the old families. Of course, they still follow Eduan and V with a passion, but they would rather take things into their own hands. Then there is the other faction." She eyed Bam. "The one completly loyal to V and Eduan, the ones who will worship you as a god."

"And condemn Aguero," Bam said stiffly.

Hwaryun tilted her head. "Yes. So what are you going to do?"

Bam hesitated and looked at Ran who was standing by. His blue eyes widened when he saw the intensity of Bam's stare. As a result, Bam tried to soften his gaze.

"Ran," he started. "What do you want to do?"

Ran shifted his feet. "A.A sent me with you." He let out a shuddering breath. "I don't know what I can do."

Bam stepped forward, making his movement small and unthreatening as he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You can stick with me. We'll get Aguero back."

Ran released another shuddering breath. "But...Mascheny is-"

"Everywhere, I know. She thrives on that illusion." Bam gave him a small smile. "It'll be fine."

"That's all well and good," Hwaryun said. "But what will you do now? Your team will be in danger with the empire should you show up, and FUG will not accept you. Mascheny will deliver your head on a platter to Jahad, and Wolkasong's power won't be enough to protect you."

"Right." Bam strode away, activating his pocket.

Hwaryun was close beside him, brimming with anticipation. "What are you doing?"

"Making some calls." He let out a shuddering breath, watching the countdown.

His pocket was answered on the first ring.

"Bam?" The voice was breathless and filled with wonder, and Bam closed his eyes as a shudder raked over him. He had not heard that voice in a long time.

He knew he was doing exactly what Hwaryun wanted. He was diving headfirst into FUG once more, something he swore to never do. But he refused to leave Aguero in Mascheny's hands. If he had to finally pick a side, then so be it.

He released a breath. "Hi dad."