Prologue Part 3: Lost Emotions

~~Oroseia Hospital: Three Days Later~~

~~July 28 (Sunday Noon)~~

After three days of needed rest, Jurabi managed to regain consciousness. The doctors ran thorough check-ups and research on him before bringing him to the waiting room where his parents waited for him.

"Jurabi!" Dana shouted as she and Nitorin both rush over to hug their child.

"Thank goodness you're awake again!" Nitorin shouted.

"D-Daddy…Mommy…what…happened?" Jurabi whispered.

Dana tried her hardest to fight back the happy tears, but they fell down her cheeks as she hugged Jurabi tightly, "We can explain it all later. Just…let us have this moment, please…"

"How are you feeling?" Nitorin asked Jurabi.

Jurabi rubbed his head. "My head still aches, but I think okay."

"You probably need more rest at home. Sleeping in the comfort of home is the perfect medicine."

Jurabi's doctor had remained silent to let the family have their reunion, but he eventually worked up the courage to interrupt them, "Um…Mr. and Mrs. Alisen. I…am afraid there is something we need to discuss."

"Ah, the bill." Nitorin turned to Jurabi and patted his head. "I'm going to have to ask you to wait out here for a bit. Don't wander off, okay?"

"Yes, Daddy," Jurabi said as he watched Nitorin and Dana follow the doctor into his office.

##

Dana and Nitorin seated themselves inside the doctor's office.

The doctor let out a heavy sigh. "Good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear?"

"Oh boy," Dana whispered, "Bad news."

"Yes," Nitorin agreed, "Whatever money the bills will ask for, my wealth should be more than enough to cover it."

The doctor shook his head. "I wish the bill was the bad news, Mr. Alisen, but it is something far worse."

Dana's heart began to beat rapidly. "Did something happen to Jurabi?"

"I'm afraid so." The doctor took out a detailed analytics chart. "Over the past week, we've been monitoring the dark atoms in Jurabi's bloodstream. For the first three days, they behaved the same as normal human blood. So, we first thought there would be no issue…" He then turned to another page revealing a line chart starting small but then there was a sudden spike, "However, on the fourth day, the dark atoms exhibited unusual behavior. Their energy readings spiked like no other we've seen in our infection tests. On that same day, Jurabi had woken up from unconsciousness. It was then we realized what had happened."

"What happened to him?" Nitorin asked.

"Your son exhibited no positive emotions," The doctor said, "No happiness from being awakened, no sense of comfort around the nurses tending his wounded hands, and no sign of life in his eyes."

"No…" Dana whispered.

"And that's not the worst of it." The doctor turned the page to show the picture of Jurabi's brain covered in black sludge.

"Wh-what the hell is that?" Nitorin asked.

"Dark Atoms, Mr. Alisen. They seem to have entered Jurabi's brain, particularly in the amygdala, the part of the brain tasked with regulating emotions, such as fear and aggression."

"Why there?"

"We don't know. Upon further inspection and with an examination of Jurabi's blood, I've come up with a theory. There's a possibility the dark atoms are behaving similarly to leeches. They are…absorbing all of the signals from the nerves connected to the amygdala-feeding on your son's positive emotions."

"A…Absorbing…" Dana whispered, covering her mouth.

"F-feeding?" Nitorin asked.

"This is only a theory, however," The doctor said, "We won't know for sure unless we conduct brain surgery."

Dana's eyes widened before she gritted her teeth. "Th-that can't be! Jurabi…not being happy?! His emotions being stolen from him?! That's absurd!"

"I am sorry, Mrs. Alisen, but our data and observations are no lies."

Dana's eyes became lifeless, her tears streaming down her cheeks. "No…"

Nitorin saw the distress on his wife's face and immediately hugged her.

The doctor allowed the two parents a moment to cry before he said, "I am sorry for the unfortunate circumstances, Mr. Alisen. There is still more I must tell you, but we can wait another day."

"No, please continue," Nitorin said, "We need to hear everything. Did anything else happen after the fourth day?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes. On the sixth day, the nurses reported Jurabi was screaming uncontrollably in his bed."

"Screaming?" Dana asked, her gaze moving up to the doctor.

"Apparently, he was in extreme pain, as reported by the nurses who worked the night shifts. They would hear a sudden scream coming from his room. When they entered, they see the boy thrashing around in his bed as if he was trying to distance himself from something. In the end, the nurses had to place him under sedatives to calm him down."

"My god…" Dana placed her hands over her mouth, "Where did the sudden change come from?"

"We can't pinpoint the exact cause of it, but I can bet my experience as a doctor that your son might be experiencing vivid nightmares."

Nitorin slammed his fists on the doctor's table. The shadows of his hair hid his eyes and expression. "All of this was happening and you didn't tell us?"

"Please, Mr. Alisen, we were trying our best to ensure your son's recovery was successful. We didn't want to cause any undue stress on you or your son."

Nitorin glared daggers at the doctor. "But it's your job as doctors to inform the patient and their family about any abnormalities! I don't give a damn about my mental health! If my son experiencing any form of pain under YOUR care, you better tell me next t-"

"Nitorin!" Dana shouted, grabbing onto Nitorin's arm.

Nitorin turned to her. Seeing Dana shake her head, the husband let out a deep breath, calmed his nerves, and sat down." I…apologize for yelling at you like that, doctor."

The doctor closed his eyes and let out a small breath. He couldn't tell whether he breathing a sigh of relief or annoyance. "I understand your anger, Mr. Therion. Had I heard my son was suffering and no one told me, I would go through the same rage as you. Believe me when I say we did what we thought was best for your son's quick and healthy recovery."

"Do you have any idea what Jurabi dreamed about?" Dana asked.

The doctor shook his head. "No, we do not. Any questions we asked Jurabi were met with no answer."

Dana sat in silence as she remembered what Jurabi said last week at Alisen Industries.

"What is this I'm seeing?! So many people…getting hurt…!"

"Do you have any questions for me, Mr. Alisen?" The doctor asked.

"Yes, what about the black blood you found?" Nitorin asked.

"Ah, yes, that's where the good news comes in. We continued sampling your son's blood and conducted the necessary analysis. Aside from what I have told you thus far, the dark atoms have not taken root in any of Jurabi's organs besides his brain."

Nitorin's eyes widened. "Really?"

The doctor took out the medical reports he recorded. "It's extraordinary, really. I cannot tell if it's because of your son's astounding resilience, pure luck, or the blessings of the Vastel Guardians."

"Blessings of the Guardians…" Dana whispered.

"I'm…sorry for all that's happened to you and your family, Mr. Alisen. If anything strange begins to occur with your son, please notify us immediately."

"Thank you, Doctor," Nitorin said as he shook the doctor's hand, "Words are not enough to express our gratitude."

"It's no problem at all. Please take good care of your son."

Nitorin and Dana left the office and returned to the waiting room where Jurabi waited.

"Sorry for the wait, Jurabi, let's go home," Nitorin said.

"Daddy…" Jurabi whispered.

"What is it?"

"…I…" Jurabi had trouble finding the words. "I…can't smile."

Dana wanted to find a way to explain what happened to Jurabi but found it difficult to draw up the courage.

Nitorin knelt down to eye level with Jurabi and placed a hand on his son's shoulders. "We'll explain everything once we get home."

"But…" Jurabi whispered, but he looked into Nitorin's eyes. He could tell his father was trying his hardest not to break down into tears. "…Okay."

And so the Alisen family left the hospital with an emotionless boy, whose blood is now tainted by dark atoms.

##

~~Alisen Residence (Nighttime)~~

After returning home, the Alisen family sat down on the couch. Dana then took time to recall everything from the moment Nitorin left the observatory room.

"You made him do what?!" Nitorin shouted in shock as he shot up from the couch, "How could you let Jurabi be a part of this plan of yours, Dana?! You should have known the dangers involved with close contact."

"I…I know, but I couldn't think of anything else without starting a close-quarter fight," Dana explained.

"Daddy, please…" Jurabi whispered, "It's not Mommy's fault. I didn't think the crystal would do anything to me either."

"And that's a good enough reason to even go near it?!" Nitorin asked, "Do you know what happens when you're infected by dark atoms?! It would be the end for you if you don't receive immediate treatment. Some don't even make it that far."

"I was dealing with a skilled thief," Dana said, "Even so, I knew the consequences…but I didn't know how deep they were."

"That isn't good enough, Dana. You should have tried to find a better way to do what you did." Nitorin let out an exhausted sigh as he sat back down. "Not only have we lost the Therion Crystal, but now our son has turned into a Grimm! How did it come to this?!"

"Nitorin, please..." Dana said, trying to stop her husband from being consumed in his grief.

Nitorin covered his face with his hands. "I shouldn't have started the project, to begin with. If I knew it would end up hurting my son in the end, I would have never gone through with it."

"Dad…" Jurabi began sensing a strange sense of guilt emanating from his father's body, something that he couldn't do before.

"Don't push all the blame onto yourself," Dana said, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder.

Jurabi didn't say anything. He could only watch as her father broke down into tears.

Dana turned to the boy and whispered, "Jurabi, it's time for you to go to bed now."

"But I—"

"Please. Your father and I need to be alone."

Jurabi looked at the ground in guilt before he slowly turned and headed into his room.

Dana turned to Nitorin and leaned closer to her. "It's not over for us yet. We can find a new way to make the future better."

"If this project didn't work, what will, Dana?" Nitorin asked.

"Nito-"

"Nothing! We're left with nothing." Nitorin interrupted, feeling a rush of pent-up frustration. "We have no way to fight back the Grimm. No way to take back our world. What I did must have angered the Guardians, and as punishment, Jurabi's happiness…his smile." Tears started to form in Nitorin's eyes. "It's all gone because of my ignorance! What kind of man would take something so precious away from the son he's supposed to keep safe?!" Nitorin then collapsed into Dana's arms and began to sob endlessly.

Dana was alone with Nitorin. Each sob she heard from him stung her heart with more needles. She knows all Nitorin wanted was for humanity to have their world back after having it taken from them and for Jurabi to have a bright future.

Humanity had lived under fear of the Grimm for over two thousand years. Although the Grimm do not attack cities directly, their presence makes travel extremely dangerous, requiring hunter escorts at all times. However, there was always the lingering fear of the Grimm moving to attack cities and destroying all civilization. The people grew weary of this due to the increase in Grimm activity and the appearance of stronger and deadly Grimm types. More than anything, Nitorin didn't want his son to grow up with such a fear. He wanted Jurabi to live a happy life, but that wish is now but a distant memory.

"…I'm so sorry, Dana," Nitorin whispered as he broke away from Dana, realizing how long he had been crying, "I didn't mean to cry in front of you. I'm so pathetic."

Dana put her hand on his cheek. "You have nothing to apologize for, dear. Cry for as long as you need to. I will always be here for you."

"Dana…" Nitorin buried himself in her embrace again. After the silence had passed, Nitorin broke the hug and wiped off his tears.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes…all of this was a lot to take in. Our son…a Grimm." Nitorin let out a fake laugh "Though my heart is in a state of hysteria, I could only laugh to hide the pain."

"Yeah, it almost sounds like a dream." Dana's gaze moved to the floor. She was afraid to ask a question resting on her mind, but she needed to talk about it. "Nitorin…what do we do if the council…"

"They can't know!" Nitorin answered immediately. "With so many people fearing for their lives, a boy like Jurabi would only fuel this fear further. Our son's life will turn into a living hell with people wishing for his death."

"Then what should we do? It's only a matter of time before the truth is discovered."

"I know." Nitorin placed a hand on his chin to think of a plan of action. "Hm…school won't start for him until next week. By then, I may be able to get an official doctor's statement saying Jurabi's amygdala was damaged or something."

"Or something?"

"I'm not a doctor, but basically I'll try to get the hospital to…" Nitorin let out a deep breath, "…to make a forged doctor's note."

"Nitorin!"

"I know! I know! It's illegal to forge a doctor's note, but if we don't take this risk, Jurabi will be sent to death the moment the truth is discovered."

Dana shook her head, holding onto Nitorin's hand tightly. "No, we can't do that. I want to save Jurabi, but I won't risk you too! I've…I've lost enough already…"

"…But…" Nitorin looked into Dana's tear-filled eyes. He stopped his train of thought and immediately hugged her, "You're right. I may have been desperate there. I'll think of some other way to get Jurabi out of this."

"Thank you, Nitorin. I'm sorry, I wish I could do something, being a hunter and all, but even I have limits."

"Don't worry about it." Nitorin held both her hands into his own. "We are going to be okay. I'll take it from here. Once I find a solution, you, me, and Jurabi will return to our peaceful lives. I promise."

"Nitorin…" Dana let out an assured smile. "Thank you. My heart can be at ease now, knowing I can trust you with this."

"It's no problem at all. I should be thanking you for tonight. You really helped me at my weakest and…I don't think I'll ever be able to properly repay you."

Dana held both his cheeks in her hands and smiled. "All I need is your love, Nitorin. As long as I have that, I will always be happy."

Nitorin smiled as he leaned closer to Dana. "Then I'm not such a screw-up after all."

The two's lips connected into a passionate kiss. For that night, they always held each other in warmth, hoping for days to come to be full of joy and happiness.

##

~~Five Days Later~~

~~August 2nd (Friday Morning)~~

Four days have passed. Things in the Alisen family were not as bright as they were before. Jurabi's physical condition had improved, but his stoic nature still remains. To his parents, their hearts always shatter as if they were watching a lifeless human wondering aimlessly.

Even though she was unaffected, Dana was no different. She is still able to interact with her fellow hunters, but the change in her behavior from the stress was noticeable. Every time she is asked what happened, Dana only tells them she was feeling under the weather and she would be better with rest, but she knew that was never going to happen.

On Nitorin's end, he had to make a public statement about the incident at the Alisen Testing Facility. He did not disclose information on Project Therion nor on what happened with Jurabi or the Drago Gang. Instead, he lied and told the public it was a malfunction causing a disruption in the power flow. Until he has a talk with the Vastel Council about the failure of Project Therion, the Alisen father has to live with this lie he told.

Nitorin let out an exhausted sigh. He hoped to calm himself down after the drama circulating about the incident at the testing facility, but nothing was working. No matter what he did, he could not get his mind off of the realization. His project failed and the council will soon find out. What scares him the most is what would happen should the council discover what Jurabi has become.

"Coffee good for you, Nitorin?" asked a familiar voice.

Nitorin looked up to see Gerald looking on at him with concern in his eyes. In his hands were two coffee mugs. Smiling, the man grabbed the coffee mug. "Thanks…I need a cup or two."

"How's your son doing? I can hardly imagine what kind of pain he's in."

"Jurabi's getting better, but…" Nitorin tightened his grip on his coffee mug, ignoring how hot the surface was. "...he's still having trouble expressing his emotions."

Gerald remained silent, watching Nitorin's grip on his coffee and hoping the man doesn't end up breaking it in his rage.

"I keep telling myself everything will eventually go back to normal, and what happened to Jurabi was just a bad dream…but…" Nitorin let out a sigh. "I don't think I've ever been that lucky."

"Looks like the stress is getting to you. You never showed it, but I can tell you always had this look of fatigue and near depression. It was like I was watching a man die. No doubt this incident made things worse for you."

"Yeah…"

Gerald smiled and patted Nitorin on the shoulder. "Chin up, Nitorin. Don't blame yourself for this. Those rotten thieves are the ones who caused this."

"But still…" Nitorin's gaze moved to the inside of his coffee mug.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you've kept your sanity through all these ten years on Project Therion. Most of our workers had trouble keeping up with you."

Gerald's comment flustered the blue-haired man, making him rub his head. "Oh, is that how I came across? My fault for being too focused on the project. And also…" The man's heart sunk upon realizing something major.

"Also?"

"Jurabi. I've been…neglecting him for a while. We had planned on finishing his favorite story, but thanks to the project…"

"Sounds like a recipe for a father-son disaster."

"Yeah…what do you think I should do, Gerald? Eventually, the council will find out the truth of what really happened to the Therion Crystal, and by then it will be too late."

Gerald put down his coffee. "First off, you need to make sure everything is right with your family. I'm sure your son will live through this. His life should always come first in situations like these." His eyes then widened as he made a wide grin. "I know! How about you get your boy a gift? Something he'll treasure for the rest of his life!"

Nitorin looked up from his coffee, confused for a second before thinking about the idea. He then smiled. "Of course. Why didn't I think about that? Thanks, Gerald. Where would I be without you?"

Gerald picked his coffee back up and took a sip. "Don't mention it. I can soften up the council with a few promises, but I won't be able to do much more." He then extended a hand toward his partner.

Nitorin shook Gerald's hand. "That will be more than enough if you ask me. I'll try to take some time off, so I'm trusting you to handle things here."

"No problem at all." Gerald glanced over at the computer after Nitorin walked past him, "By the way, I couldn't help but notice you were looking over something on your computer."

"Oh, well I've been…thinking about some designs lately. One, in particular, stood out to me and I'm hoping to make it more than just an idea."

"Interesting! Mind if I…sneak a peek?"

"Nice try, Gerald, but this information is classified. So much so I can't even tell my most trusted colleagues. I hope you understand."

"Such a shame." Gerald then shrugged. "Ah well, I'm sure whatever secrets you have will turn out a success for our company!"

Nitorin let out a laugh. "Let's not be too optimistic. Anyways, thanks for the talk, Gerald. Call me if anything comes up."

"You know I will, old friend." With a smile, Gerald watched Nitorin leave the room. The man's smile vanished as he looked over at the computer again. "So…the blueprints are here after all. If I can't convince Nitorin to grant me access…" His smile returned, but this time it was more sinister.

##

~~Alisen Residence~~

~~One Hour Later~~

Nitorin returned to the Alisen residence earlier than usual, hoping it would be a welcomed surprise for his family, "Guess whose back early?"

Dana turned from the refrigerator, eyes puzzled by Nitorin's sudden return. "Honey! You're back so soon?"

"That's right." Nitorin gave Dana a hug and then a kiss on the cheek. "I figured…after all that happened, I should be spending time with my family, Jurabi especially." He then took out a black box. "I even bought him a gift from the mall."

"That's…wonderful, Nitorin." Dana then had a worried expression resting on her face. "But what about the company? Will they fair without their head CEO?"

"It's alright. I'm going to let Gerald keep everything under control. He recommended I take the time off today, so I'm sorry if this is sudden."

"Nitorin…"

"Now then, I need to talk with Jurabi. I'll be right back. How does tea sound? I also bought this sweet apple blend. You like apples, right Dana?"

"I do…"

"Wonderful." Nitorin began making his way the stairs to Jurabi's room. "I'll make some for the two of us once I'm done."

Dana silently watched her husband walk up the stairs. She let out her worried sigh. "He's going to ignore the obvious problem? Why on earth would Achilles tell him to take time off?"

Nitorin stood in front of the door to Jurabi's room, his closed fist inches away from it. He hesitated at first; he didn't know how to explain everything to Jurabi, but the father cared more about making amends than coming up with the perfect speech. He knocked on the door three times before saying, "Jurabi? Are you asleep?"

There was no answer from the room.

"Must be asleep," Nitorin whispered before speaking loudly, "I'm coming in. I hope you don't mind." He opened the door and saw Jurabi waking up from his sleep.

"Mmm…Daddy?" Jurabi asked.

"Hey. Sorry to wake you up so suddenly." Nitorin sat down on the edge of Jurabi's bed. "I just wanted to talk to you really quick."

"It's okay…" Jurabi sat up from his resting position. He noticed his father trying to hide something from him but didn't pay mind to it.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"…I don't feel worse."

Nitorin let out a sad sigh after hearing the answer. "Well, I suppose every sickness can't be cured in a few days. I know I sound like a broken record, but I'm sorry, Jurabi. I should never have let this happen to you."

"Daddy…don't blame yourself. You were doing everything to save the world. I will always admire that about you."

Nitorin's eyes widened. "You…still admire me?"

"Even if I can't feel happy anymore, I still love the man you are, Daddy. A man who's smart and wants to protect what he loves: his family."

Nitorin couldn't help but smile as he hugged Jurabi. "Since when did you get so deep all of a sudden, young man?" He let out a chuckle. "Hehehe, I really needed to hear that."

"Did I help you, Daddy?"

"You did more than that, Jurabi. I had doubts about myself when my mistakes caused you to suffer, but if you still love me and see me as your father, I can't afford to let you down."

"I want to smile like you are, Daddy, but I can't." Jurabi looked down at his sheets in shame.

Nitorin patted his son on the head. "I know you're smiling in your heart, Jurabi. Don't ever feel ashamed of that."

"Daddy…"

"I swear to you, Jurabi, I will fix this somehow. It may not happen today, or even this decade, but I will get your emotions back to you. It will be rough from here on, but as long as I don't give up, I'm sure a bright future will be waiting for you. I don't even care if I am barred from seeing it. As long as I know you will live a normal life, that's more than enough. So…there's no hard feelings, right?"

Jurabi nodded. "R-right."

"Good. Okay, I'll leave you to rest now." As he stood up, Nitorin realized he had forgotten something important. "Oh, but before I go…" He took out a small black box, "A 'Get Well Soon' gift."

"Oh…" Jurabi received the box from his father and opened it. Inside was a ring with a blue jewel at the center, "A ring?"

"Not just any ordinary ring," Nitorin said with a smile, "It's the same type of wedding ring your mom has."

Jurabi's eyes widened. "W-wedding ring?"

"Ah, I still remember the shocked look your mother had on her face when I showed this to her, but more importantly, I will never forget how my heart raced as I waited for her answer." Nitorin then smiled at Jurabi. "I'm certain one day you'll meet a girl you'll appreciate as a friend, but the more you hang out with her, the more you'll fall in love with her."

"Um…Daddy…"

But Nitorin didn't hear his son calling out to him as he was in his own world. "When you think the time is right, show this to her. I've always strived to make a world where you can live in peace with your family, so I hope with all my heart you will love your wife as much as I love your mother."

Jurabi wanted to decline the present, but seeing how much though his father put into it, he didn't say anything else besides, "Okay. I'll give it a try."

Nitorin's eyes widened as his cheeks heated up, "Nonono! I don't mean try it now! Preferably when you're in you twenty years old."

"But why?"

"Marrying a woman isn't an easy decision to make, Jurabi. I wish I can explain everything, but I promise to do so when you're at that age." Nitorin then checked his watch. "Oh, it's that time already. I'll be going out with your mother. Be sure to stay here and not leave the house."

"Okay."

Nitorin began making his way to the door. "Also, I happen to be in the process of drawing out a diagram of a certain suit of armor, so look forward to that."

"An armor?"

"It's still in the concept phase, but thankfully, Gerald's allowing me the time to work more on it. I probably would never have gotten around to making it if it weren't for him. I'll let you know if I make any progress so we can work together on it, Jurabi. Have a nice rest."

"Wait, Da…" But Jurabi's father had already left. Confused about what his father meant by a suit of armor, the boy shook his head and stared at the wedding ring given to him. "Ugh…Daddy's not good at giving gifts…what girl would be crazy enough to want to be with me?"

##

After exiting Jurabi's room, Nitorin returned to the living room to see Dana sitting alone on the couch in deep thought. Thinking of a way to cheer her up, the husband crept up behind the couch and then began massaging Dana's shoulders.

"Ah!" Dana's heart jumped as she looked up at Nitorin and sighed. "Nitorin…don't scare me like that."

Nitorin let out a chuckle. "Sorry, Dana. You just looked so serious, and I couldn't help but try to relieve the tension."

"…Is there something you need?"

Nitorin looked into his wife's eyes and gave her a wink, "Only to take you out for the day, if that's alright with you."

"The whole day? I'm sorry…I'm rather bu-"

Nitorin didn't allow her to finish. He grabbed her hand. "Come on, now. We have the full day all to ourselves. Might as well spend it together!"

"H-hold on!"

Nitorin forced Dana out of her seat and brought her to the door. "Don't worry about the Jurabi. Even after turning into a Grimm, he's a heavy sleeper."

"Even so…" Dana let out a frustrated sigh as the two approached the car. "You are such a handful, Nitorin."

"I know." Nitorin played with the car key in his hand. "We can grab the Jurabi something to eat on our way back."

"Alright. I'll play along."

"You won't regret it, dear."

The two parents then proceeded to enter the car.

For the rest of the day, Nitorin and Dana drove around Oroseia City. They visited the shops in the Agriculture District, then they visited the Oroseia Museum in the Historical District. Afterwards, they sat down and ate at a diner in the Entertainment District before watching a movie together.

Eventually, the two returned home.

Nitorin glanced at Dana, who had his arm wrapped up in a hug as the two approached the front door. "So, did you enjoy your day with your dear husband?"

"Heh, so much so I almost forgot myself." Dana smiled at her husband. "You're always coming up with some clever way to cheer me up, but why go through the trouble for me?"

"Because you're my wife. What other reason should I have to do this? You didn't look your happy self, after all."

"Oh, so you saw that…" Dana's gaze turned to the ground. "I'm only that serious because I can't stop thinking about…our future."

Nitorin remained silent for a moment, knowing what she was referring to meant. He held Dana's hands tightly. "Before you say anything, Dana, I want you to know I am worried about Jurabi too."

"I know but…I can't shake this uneasy feeling."

"You're not alone there. Since the incident, the council has been at me non-stop. I'm so thankful for Gerald for doing his best to mitigate the damage to our reputation, but even he has limits."

"But how are you feeling, Nitorin?" Dana looked into his eyes. "Not as the owner of a company or an inventor. How are you feeling right now?"

Nitorin stared into his wife's red eyes before letting out a sigh. "Honestly, Dana, I'm scared right now. Not of myself, not even of the whole world. I'm scared…for Jurabi. Ever since the incident, I've been getting the same nightmares you have had. The images of him being killed by a Grimm. Project Therion would have prevented all of that, but it's gone…and the Grimm will still be here killing as they please!"

Dana felt her heart drop hearing her husband's words of concern.

"You asked me to tell you how I feel. And here's your answer." Nitorin looked up at the night sky as if he looked for more than an answer to his questions. "I don't know what to do anymore. I'm afraid, and I'm lost."

Dana closed her eyes before wrapping Nitorin with a tight hug.

Shocked by Dana's sudden showing of affection, Nitorin stood still, processing what he should do next. Like any loving husband, the first thing he did was return the hug his wife had given him.

"It's okay to not have all the answers, Nitorin. You being able to do everything like a god is not what made me fall for you. You've done all you could for me and Jurabi, and I couldn't be any prouder to call you my husband."

"Dana…" Nitorin's gaze moved to the ground. "I only wish I could do more for you both."

"You don't have to shoulder all of the burdens alone. A family is built on a foundation of helping each other through our troubles."

Nitorin closed his eyes. "If you want to help someone, you must also help everyone. I tried my best to do just that, but it ended in failure. It ended with our son in pain."

Dana placed a hand on Nitorin's cheek. "I know you want to make our world a better place before you die, but don't forget about what you have right in front of you. You have Jurabi." She moved closer. "You have me."

"Dana…" Nitorin said.

"Jurabi is still trying his hardest to live his life. His smile may be gone, but not lost forever. Jurabi must know that, and if it is true, we must do everything in our power as his parents to help him live a life full of joy, not sorrow."

Nitorin let out a smile. "You're right. Jurabi needs us now more than ever." The man then went silent as he placed his hands on Dana's soft cheeks. "Thank you, Dana. You always know what to say to bring me back."

Dana closed her eyes. "I will always find a way to bring you back, Nitorin. That's how much I love you."

The two once again locked lips with one another. Nitorin's hands ran through Dana's black hair as Dana ran her hands through his.

Once they separated, Dana let out a smile. "I'm glad I have you in my life, Nitorin. I hope you never forget that."

"Yes, I promise I won't forget, Dana," Nitorin pushed his wife's beautiful hair past her ear. Then he realized that the food they had ordered for Jurabi was still in the car. "Oh, right! Jurabi's food!"

Dana watched and giggled as her husband rushed back to the car to pick up the food.

Seeing his wife find joy in his blunder, Nitorin sent her a cold stare. "You seem to be having a jolly ol' time there."

"I'm sorry. You always do this and it never gets old!"

Nitorin smiled. "If it's making you smile, then I'm glad it didn't grow old. Let's hurry before Jurabi's food gets cold, and afterward, I'm going to get my revenge."

"Revenge?" Dana's eyes widened before she blushed and smiled, "With cuddles and kisses?"

Nitorin smirked. "...Maybe."

The two parents both laugh in each other's company before entering their home for the night.

##

~~Unknown Location~~

At a distance far away from Oroseia City, there was a large camp set up at a particular spot underneath a cliff, allowing a full view of the city without the risk of being seen by anyone else.

A group of masked men wearing black cloaks bearing a symbol of an eclipse in which the moon moves in front of the sun, creating a phenomenon where the sky is dark during the day.

The masked men walked into a big tent and stood to attention.

"Lady Liviera," A man said, "We have the map, as requested."

In a mission briefing with several other masked men, there was a female fox faunus with black wolf ears sticking outside of her black hair which was tied into twin, long ponytails hung to the side.

The woman named Liviera looked up at the masked men and gestured for them to come closer.

The men nodded and placed the map of Oroseia City on the table. On the map were several red marks indicating passageways and entrances.

"These are all the entryways and paths we can take through the city undetected," The masked man said, "It will take us through the sewers."

"Then our source was good after all," Liviera said, "It's a shame we got this information from a human. The mere thought of receiving help from their kind makes my blood boil, but it's for the good of the cause. Tonight, we will split off into two groups and infiltrate the city under the cover of night. Savage Group will take the pathway to the plaza and will use the darkness to get into position. Set up bombs here, here, and here. That will send those humans a message, right Savage?"

A green-haired faunus let out a smile that made the alligator scales on his cheeks move. "Oooohooo, you have no clue how long I've waited for this mission, Liviera. Are you sure we're not to target the Academy?"

"No, Deathwatch's orders. However, should you encounter any pesky hunters during your mission, you are free to kill them. Don't get caught and ruin the plan. At least until you're given the signal to blow stuff up."

Savage let out a crazy smirk. "Fine by me. Hopefully, he's the one sent with the response team."

"In the meantime, my group will take the other path here which will take us straight to our main objective, the Alisen Residence. I will make myself as clear to those of you new here, so you better not miss this. We are to take only one person in that family alive: Jurabi Alisen."

"The kid?" A masked man asked.

"Why a kid?" Another asked.

"Don't ask me for the details," Liviera said, "The boss wants him alive, so we're capturing the target that way."

"If I may, Lady Liviera," A masked man asked, "Isn't Dana Alisen the hunter who killed our last leader? How in the world are we supposed to deal with her?"

"With common sense, dimwit." Liviera sent a cold glare, causing the man to back away in fear, "Dana is a mother who loves her husband so dear. If you can't put two and two together from that, then you're only worth as much as Grimm bait."

"Ah, I love how angry you get at the simple questions, Livi," Savage said.

Liviera reverted her cold glare in Savage's direction. "Call me that again and I'll kick your severed head over to those hunters."

Savage playfully put his hands up in the air before chuckling. "Yes, more of that please."

Upon hearing the masked members begin to mutter amongst themselves, Livera slammed her hand on the table to shut them up. "Any other questions?" When no one else replied to the question, Liviera smirked. "Good. One more thing: The head of that demonic company, Nitorin Alisen...he is my kill and mine alone. The operation begins tomorrow. Show no sympathy to humans. Show no compassion or regret. I want the Vastel Council, humanity— everyone to know...

...

...

...

...that the Eclipse is back!"


Jurabi: Hi guys! This is Jurabi Therion bringing you another chapter of the The Vastel Guardians. Thank you very much for your patience. I had to perform a few tweeks to this chapter, most of which I believe are beneficial to your investment in the story of these characters. The next chapter is where the conflict of this story will begin, so I hope you are all excited for that roller-coaster.

Anyways, guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter! If you did, please let me know in the reviews and leave a kudos. Be sure to bookmark this story to keep up with all the updates and also join me on my own discord server to have a nice chat. Thank you very much for reading. See you next chapter~!

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