Sola to Romansu Book 1: Important Side-stories

by The Storyteller and his Books

Ever wondered where some of the Characters in the Story came from, or how they got where they are now? Now you have a chance to see some of them real close-up, their pasts, their battles, their believes and the choices they made. These chapters will give you insight in what happened inbetween the chapters of the mainstory, I hope for your understanding and that you enjoy it.

20. A Tale of Sword and Shield 9, Victory I

A tale of Sword and Shield

Ch9: Victory at last!

Part 1.

Act 1: Fire-reborn

Central Plaza Bordaussie, 2 days prior, Cetala´s Pov:

As the fire descended upon us, I didn´t know whether to feel terrified or relieved.

Terrified that my life would come to an end…, I would die…, so young…, so far from knowing what life would have held for me.

Relieved…, that at the very least, none of us would suffer…, we would all die in a blaze, in a very instant…, one moment and puff, our life-lights would be extinguished forever.

I wasn´t sure which one of them two feelings I would prefer…, but I knew one thing.

No matter the both, regret was the end of all of them, regret that we hadn´t been stronger, strong enough to defeat Lunnare before all of this, for I knew, once we were out of the picture, she surely will keep on rampaging throughout the Republic, until someone stronger, with a lot more experience than us, will finally end her.

Of course, that person just had to be Red, I could hardly imagine anyone else taking down such a monster.

Red Savarin was not just a famous Hunter or a Public Hero, no he was a man of conviction, I knew that.

He didn´t wanted to become a hero nor did he sought the battles he had to fight, he stumbled across a conspiracy that would have ended life as we knew it, one way or another, and he chose to act upon it, rather than to ignore it.

Not because he had to, or because he knew that he was the only one to do so…, maybe someone else would have done it, even if that would have lasted ages before happening.

No, Red did it because he wanted to, because he himself knew that it was the right thing, that he could not just sit by and watch the world either burn or fall.

It was the same question with Birds, why do they fly?

Different convictions would result in different answers.

Because they had to, in order to search for food and escape mortal enemies, in times of distress…

Because they can, and to chain them upon the ground would be a crime against nature itself…

Because they must, as that is what birds are born to do and with broken wings, they surely would die...

I think my answer would be…, that they fly because they want to, they need no specific reason for it…

However, in my opinion, in the face of the endless, limitless open sky, it would be utterly stupid not to take off and soar in it, at least once, when you actually have the chance to do so.

If you have the power to cease an opportunity, then you should want to take it, not because you could or because you should do so, but because you yourself want to.

If I had such power as Red does, I surely would also not be able to just keep myself away from conflict, I would want to end it, to make sure that less than necessary blood is being spilled.

It is as the saying goes, great power equals great responsibility…, but this did not apply to Red, for in the initial moment, back when he fought Bruno Dondurma, Mother´s old, mad and greed-driven boss, he didn´t even had a single clue about his true powers.

He did and used what he felt was right, in order to achieve his goals.

I wanted that power, not the hybrid powers or any other special force he possessed, what I sought was that strength…, strength in his own conviction…, but as things were going, this will never happen any longer.

Here on the ground, in midst of ruin and utter chaos, in the face of the incoming inferno, I began to cry, cry for all that would be lost to me in the next instant…

"Goodbye Mom, goodbye Dad, goodbye Alpharia and Betakin, goodbye Yin and Yang, Connor and Orphelia…, goodbye…, brother Red…" I stated softly, my throat too sore to speak loudly anyways.

.

.

.

People tended to call me rational…, mature even…., sometimes too mature for my age… maybe that came because I tented to listen, more than just sitting around and trying to make head and toes with the world around me, I listened to everything I could hear, I read anything I was able to read, I wanted to see anything I could see.

My craving for wisdom was similar to that of my mother, in hindsight, you might even go as far as to say that I had most of my personality from her.

In regard of my physic and that of my siblings, none of us even closely resembled Dad, I think this is because of the M-Serum, it did had a lot of Lupycan DNA within it, same as mother, as a Caninu, has also part Lupycan within her, even if just to a minimal amount, but this is enough to determine the physical shape of an fetus, or in the very least, it´s race.

On the other hand, both Alpharia and Betakin's personalities were greatly influenced by Father.

Betakin inherited father´s rational thinking and his knack for justice, while Alpharia had inherited father´s courage and strength.

If anything, the only thing I really inherited from father was his love for Mother.

I loved mother the most…, I rarely boasted about it, but it was the truth.

While Alpharia and Betakin tented to go outside and play with friends, I used to sit near my mother and watch her closely, when she researched something, when she cooked, when she read a book, I read from over her shoulders.

I was close to her and she to me, we understood each other as only Mother and Daughter can do.

I never truly had that many people I got along with, most kids in my class were weirded out by my intellect and only a few in the whole school ever truly came at me face to face.

Most of these encounters came at me with the intent to confront me, mostly due to some poor and sad reasons, such as rumors or stories told about me due to hearsay…, or things I might have said and done, which others witnessed fully out of context.

Once people got to understand that those rumors and stories were utter nonsense and often completely unfounded or orchestrated by someone else, most of them seemed to have lost all interest in me again, they either went on to ignore me, or they sat down and began to talk to me instead.

Of course, none of them knew that I was a hybrid, or even a Paladin, most of them didn´t even had a clue what either of them were.

Although I admit, that I was a little afraid of their reaction, I also was curious of what they might think about me now, what for wild rumors will fly around once everything has settled down…, will those who knew me well, now keep their distance to me…, will they shun me.., or would they eventually stick to me, accept me?

It was a question I had no answer to and even if what they say might be favorable to me, could I really be sure that this was also what they meant, from the bottom of their hearts.

I could well imagine that they would pay me some lip-service in order to get on my favorable side or because they fear that otherwise I would destroy them.

I was certain that most rumors to come would be completely horrific tales about us, half-truths and lies which will be completely pulled through mud and garbage, before being served to others, then high-rolled until they finally reach our ears.

However, the worst about it all, was the fact that if I die now, I wouldn´t ever be able to right any misunderstandings and tear apart every lie and rumor about us.

To those who might survive today, these rumors will remain in their mind and it might be the only way we would be reminded of.

I surely would hate that, very much even.

"What an utterly stupid, unfair and dissatisfying end I received." I muttered to myself as the Fireball exploded and the raging inferno engulfed me.

My hand was ripped away from the others, it was as though I floated in a sea of fire.

Even though I wished to cry, the heat vaporized my tears faster than they could form…, on the other hand…, wouldn´t it be totally out of character for me to cry now?

"Am I not expected to stay strong, even in the moment of my death...?" I wondered.

"I think that is utter nonsense." A voice behind me stated, as I looked at the scene before me, a scene that had frozen in time…, as if I had pushed the pausing button on a remote, to stop a record, for me to quickly grab something to eat or drink from the fridge before sitting back down and resuming the movie.

"So, this right now, it is happening in my head, am I right?" I asked after a short while.

"Now that is something, which I did expected…, I did wondered, if one of Merveille´s children would have inherited her intellect, and I can say that I surely was not disappointed.

Yes Cetala..., this here currently happens in your head…, glad that it is so easy for you to understand the current situation, makes it easier to talk to you.

My Astral form was called over here by Alpharia, in her moment of greatest despair.

I was just meditating somewhere near the Devil´s throat, maybe that's why I was able to establish a link to her in the first place, and I am talking to all of you simultaneously, although each of you logically have a different conversation with me.

Different spirits need different treatments after all." Red´s Voice exclaimed as I saw his ghostly greenish silhouette next to me.

"So does that mean that I died?" I asked him.

"As far as I know, you aren´t dead…, at least not yet, you might call this here the doorstep, the edge-world, or Limbo …, all in all it is the line between Life and Afterlife, so to say.

You yourself decide whether you want to proceed and die, or if you tell yourself to stop…, that there is still something you have to do…, that is the point when you turn around.

However, every time you die, you might come closer to the edge, until one day, you won´t be able to turn around anymore, until one day, the door has closed itself behind you and all you can do is to proceed to the Afterlife.

So don´t think, that a moment like this is a given to you, every time you die, or are shortly before doing so.

Also, the time you lose in Limbo can vary much from the time outside, sometimes it is mere seconds outside, sometimes it are years, while in here you only lose a few hours perhaps.

On the other hand, it might also be the complete opposite.

I experience this myself once, I thought I was inside for hours even though It were perhaps only about 5 to 10 minutes.

My body-functions began to shut down one after another, slowly…, my consciousness was back then the first to shut down.

Back then I really thought I was a goner…, but I made it out alive." Red explained.

"You mean…, back then when Bruno Dondurma supposedly sacrificed your life in the Rite of Feasting..., and you just came miraculously back to life?" I asked him and he nodded.

"The Soul-world is as fascinating as it is terrifying, one false move and you might be trapped in here for the rest of your mortal life, never to return to the other side, until the door to the afterlife opens before you." He explained and I nodded, his explanation was fluent and easy to understand.

"During that moment, I couldn´t just die back then, not when I knew that the world which I lived in was still in grave danger.

However, I only ever knew about that when it was already too late, before I had no clue what Bruno truly tried to do, but once I knew it, in the moment he used my life for the Rite of Feasting, somehow, I was just convinced that Bruno would not be able to control Lares, he had neither the strength nor the wisdom or even remotely the endurance to do so.

He was weak, a weak soul in a weak body, driven mad by greed and filled with malevolence, eventually he would lose all control, be completely consumed and then Lares would be unleashed, if that were to happen, barely anyone, maybe not even me, would have been able to defeat it anymore.

We were lucky that it was in a half-awakened state and that Bruno was just too weak as to properly use it, then again even in that state it managed to cause such chaos and damage to the Republic and so many deaths….

Later on, as Blank and Nero managed to take control over Lares and Lemures, they managed to use about 50% of the Titano Machinae´s initial power…, even after Baion ordered them to use both to open the dimension-portal for Tartaros, this did not change.

The only reason they didn´t used their full power to blast us all into oblivion later on, was because they had literally exhausted most of their accumulated power of the last 300 years, by ripping the dimension asunder to allow Tartaros to shift over into our dimension.

Afterwards they were shortly before their cool-down phase, only with the additional power of Elhize and Beluga, were they even able to blast a hole into Tartaros´s shield, at the cost of both their immortality." Red explained and I looked up to him in awe.

"I see, that's how things went down back then…., so you had a reason to return…, do you think I have one too, I mean even if I die, the world has you…, they don´t really need us to defend the Republic, right.

I think people might like that anyways, too many unknown variables might corrupt the system after all, don´t you think so too?" I asked and I think maybe it was the first time, that I thought myself to be insignificant compared to someone else.

For a while I heard no answer, as I looked up to him, I was greeted by a fist to the head straight from above.

"Oooowwww, what was that for?" I asked and cried in pain, even if this was supposed to be Limbo, somehow, I could feel the pain very clearly.

Did he used so many spiritual energies, just to make the hit physically noticeable.

"What are you spouting here for utter bullshit, little sis…, you surely undermine yourself far too much my dear, so throw such stupid thoughts out of the window of your mind right this instant…, or better yet, incinerate them, right now, you understand!?!" Red stated in an enraged tone.

"But it´s true, we are not needed and…" I tried to say, but the fist he raised was making me shut up instantly.

He sighed in annoyance and what seemed to be pity, before dropping his fist, instead he pulled me into a hug, something which I kind of always dreamed off, if only it would have been during other circumstances.

Before I could say anything anymore, he touched my Forehead with his, looking deep in my eyes, and in them I saw an honesty that almost shocked me…, I was so used to only meet strangers, who always had some ulterior motive written in their eyes.

But I could not see such in his, not at all, just kindness and goodwill.

"I think the Republic needs you, more than you think…, regardless of whether I am here or not, Cetala…, you should know better than to belittle yourself.

And even if the people unknown to you couldn´t care less whether you live on or not, there are a lot of people out there who need you, some might even not know that yet.

You told yourself, that you regret to not know what the future might have hold for you, if you would die now…, so how would you yourself know, if your existence truly is insignificant to someone else in the future, someone you still don´t know yet.

I know, it is hard, to feel significant when you don´t know the true feelings of people towards you, when their behavior makes you question your own worth…, but sometimes it is even harder to actually be confronted with such feelings….

Back in the days, after those events 2 years ago, some people met us with open hostility, their sorrow and grief turned into hatred and anger, directed towards me and my friends, mostly because they lost someone in their family or friend´s circle and they sought to find someone responsible.

You saw that yourself, back then when Yin and Yang were attacked by that angry mob, driven mad by grief, and both awakened their forces.

Back then too, these people felt grief and sorrow…, the pain of losing someone drives people to commit the most atrocious things sometimes, back then it was easier for those people, to blame someone who is similar to the attackers, than trying to tell themselves, that maybe they themselves did something wrong, or that no one did something wrong in the first place, and it just happened as a plain unfortunate coincidence.

The blame game always comes after a great disaster hits a large group of people, because people are afraid of taking responsibility for their own actions, whether they benefitted someone or something or not.

The regret to not having being able to safe someone is breeding self-hatred and hatred…, on anyone that had remotely anything to do with the matter.

I have learned this more often than I can count, more than once in these few years I had people coming at me with their hatred unleashed in a brief moment, their desire to see someone being punished overcoming them.

Both Bruno and Baion had perished in my fights, same happened to Nero and Blank, I was the one to defeat them all, I was the one who fought them, who ended their lives, there was no one, which people could blame any longer, no one they could punish.

So, they made me their scapegoat.

So many died during Blank and Nero´s attack while I was either on a whole other island, or not in the vicinity of the initial attack.

Of course, it are most of the time accusations about things I didn´t do, that would have been impossible for me anyways, I am a Hybrid, yes, but as I said before, I cannot split myself in two, I cannot be at two places simultaneously.

Yet still, afterwards people asked me in tears and anger, why I didn´t fought them earlier, or why I did not fight harder, why I did not save their beloved…

It doesn´t matter what you answer, you can tell them the truth a hundred times, those people won´t listen to that kind of explanation, they blame you, whether you are truly responsible or not.

In reality they blame you, for not leaving the punishment to them, their almighty thirst for revenge remained unfulfilled.

They Blame you until someone they know, who went through the same tragedy, tells them that they are wrong, that we are not to blame for it.

I saw that too, some people I knew, who were famous or at the very least well-known, came to our aid in those times, Collie Canine and Director Fraisier in Basset, Julie Summers from Stardogs, Cocona in Pharaoh, etc…, if it weren´t for them, I would most likely not even have dared to go outside anymore." Red explained and I was in awe.

Even Cocona, Alpharia´s absolute female idol, had vouched for our Brother, I bet if Alpharia were to know this, she would be so excited and over the moon with her praise.

"It was and still is a harsh reality and you might think about those things as you succumb to grief and self-loathing, but ultimately you should not let yourself be fazed by them, it´s not good to just brush it off as nothing, of course, but you must understand that thinking too much about them will get you nowhere…" Red explained and he spoke for quite a while, but it was not boring, if anything, it was interesting to listen to him, to get a glimpse of the mentality of someone, which most people called a hero.

"Why not…., because in the end, they have no right to blame you?" I asked him.

"Maybe their blame is unfounded, maybe not…, but if you know yourself, that you go into this battle, fully knowing that you cannot save everyone but that you at least try to, then you won´t be disappointed in yourself all too much, that you indeed could not save everyone unfortunately, even as sad as it sounds.

You must be satisfied with the knowledge, that you did you best with the cards you had been dealt…, even if it is hard to accept, you need to understand that.

I am no hero Cetala, neither are you guys…, at least not the comic-book type…

I am not invincible…, even I can die and so I do fear death myself…, I have no super-hyper-power that defeats every enemy in a flash, I do what I must do and what I can do, because I want to do so, and all of that with the cards I have been dealt myself." Red explained but I doubted…, I don´t even know myself why…, maybe it was because I just didn´t wanted to acknowledge, that my awesome big Brother would be vulnerable, that the ideal I have set myself was in anyway fallible.

"But you are so powerfull, so incredibly strong and noble, you saved the Republic twice at the cost of your life, how could you have any failures." I asked, it wasn´t logical of me to think my brother would never make mistakes but, maybe because of my own current fright, my own grief and terror, I wished for him to be almighty, to be god, to be the one able to end all of this horror I had to witness.

I might have kept a cool head and acted calm and collected towards Alpharia earlier…, but if I shall be honest, right now I just want to find the deepest pit in sight and crawl right into it, hiding myself from everything that might harm me.

Even if that would mean that I would betray my own siblings, that is how afraid I actually am.

50 % of my body and mind told me to run away, while the other 50% told me to stand and fight instead.

I am torn between my duty and my desire, my ideals and my fear, my courage and my cowardice.

"My powers are not almighty, Cetala, you need to understand that.

I have no godlike powers and neither have you, just like everything, they do have their limits and are exhaustible, when I go into a fight, from which I know that it might spell the fate of many, I try to keep my forces intact for as long as I possibly can, because I know, in times of dire need, they will be most required, so I cannot carelessly throw them around.

However this was a knowledge I only ever gained in the recent years, earlier I too used to be reckless and boisterous, Elhize and Chocolat often say I might still be that way, but I myself can tell that I changed a great deal.

As I told you before and as I know that you know, I didn´t sought myself the battles I had to fought…, not in the past nor in the present…, however I may have to do so in the future.

The world will never be free of conflict, everywhere where feelings are involved and different ideals exist, conflict will arise, in any form possible." He explained as he looked deep into my eyes, meanwhile all I did was standing there like a dumb little girl, as tears formed in my eyes.

Did I truly believed that Red would be the Knight in Shining armor, who rights all that is wrong…, how could I be so stupid?

He is like us, maybe significantly stronger, but he was not so different from me and my Siblings.

However, even when I know that, when I know that very well, I am unable to accept it and that just makes me deceitful…, because in feeling that way, I push almost the entire responsibility unto him.

I became the very thing I feared…, that it would happen to me and my siblings.

I was about to become someone, who pushes all of his expectations unto someone else and when shit goes wrong, they will be the first and loudest to whine and hate.

"Back then, 2 years ago, as I still had no clue what truly was at stake, I could also have said to myself, that as long as it did not concern me personally, I would not have any need to act…, but how many innocent people would then have died or suffered and how many more than those who had already done so…, far too many to count.

80% of the people I saved through my actions back then, I didn´t even know, not now, not ever and never before and still they all survived another day, because I and others choose to stand up in face of overwhelming violence and Terror, instead of remaining sitting.

Someone will rise, eventually, maybe not now or tomorrow, but eventually…, but are you willing to wait maybe a long time for that, or are you willing to stand up and fight against such a fate, to take matters in your own hands and even if you should fall, you would sow the seed, which passes on, to those select few, the will and the fire of resistance.

The will to stand up…, just like you did, to make sure they even get the courage to rise up once more, whenever they are thrown down, and become what they are maybe destined to be in the first place.

Heroes aren´t born nor will they become such through mere training or by some kind of ancient prophecy…, in my opinions at least, heroes are what people see in you, depending on your actions, when you brave all odds on your own accord, when you defend lives in times of big trouble.

You can be a small neighborhood hero, who helps people out in their everyday life, or the hero for an entire Nation, who fought against enemies, defending his people and so the entire Nation.

In the book of my Father, I read about a man of the Taurhizas, who became a War-hero, not because he killed a lot of people, no it was because he saved the lives of his comrades, while being on the battlefield.

Under fire he carried 20 men, that had been injured by grenades and bullets, back to the own lazarette all by himself, back and forth over the battlefield until he was stopped, because of him, those 20 men all survived the war.

For them he was a hero and after the war, they all laid their money together to build and erect a monument in his honor, after he died in war.

Thanks to him, those 20 men had the chance to raise families of their own.

Then there was a man of the Racoguma race, who alone managed to kill 500 Lycanians, over the course of 2 weeks, sniping all of them one by one from afar, without anyone of his own men dying.

Within these 2 weeks, he managed to stop an entire invasion on his Nation, which later became one of the Abyssinian Islands.

That is what heroes are, people with the conviction to act, they weren´t called heroes before nor did they intended to become such, they did what they believed in.

Even in our previously peaceful time, there was room for heroes to arise, but before anyone has the right to call himself that way, he need to produce results.

Words and paper are things that are patient and easily acquired, but the actions you take, are what ultimately defines yourself.

You can have all the qualities to be a hero, if no one ever motivates you to actually act like one, you will always only be what you are in that very moment, be it farmer, smith or a simple carpenter, but even that can be heroic to someone else, everything someone does has a meaning, as long as he or she has the motivation to actually do something.

Motivation, I motivated others, even people I originally had fought against, to stand up and say no to Baion.

No, you won´t get your way, you won´t destroy us, not now not ever." Red explained and I was in awe and admiration.

This was my older step-brother, my secret ideal, I was just too stupid to truly understand it.

"I motivated and inspired these people…, but I myself had to be motivated and inspired myself, you know.

The Conviction I gained; it did not come from out of nowhere.

I was mostly raised in an Orphanage…, today I know my past…, but back then I didn´t knew it, I had no parents, no one who gave a damn about me but the few people in my life, the Director, my Orphanage-siblings, Chocolat, my father in his disguise as Quynne Savarin, Rose and Carmine and with the time many more followed…

They were all I had, but there surely were and most likely still are some kids out there in the world, who had even less and still have nothing but themselves, who would struggle to survive until they either die, no longer having the power to fight, or until they find a way to cleave their own path to survival, however it may look like.

Back then as I decided to fight against Bruno, Baion, Nero and Blank, I told myself that I was not willing to sit idle by, while more of such kids might be created due to the wrongdoings of someone else.

Kids who will lose everything, even their faint certainty to survive.

All I had to offer to help them, was the powers I was born with, my own self.

This resolve resulted in me interacting with some Orphans from Bassett, who were as happy as they could be, just being alive and together.

But then I had to see the cruelty of the time we lived in.

A warship of the Kurvaz, back then under command of Captain Grumpf…, some really nasty, retarded Bastard…, attacked the orphanage, just because we were there, having something Bruno needed in his conquest of the Republic.

He didn´t cared that he was just about to destroy the lives of these children, maybe even killing them…, even after we gave them what they sought, they cared a shit about it and instead engaged to kill us.

It was Elhize, who fought until total exhaustion, to keep everyone alive, her shield spell strong enough to save everyone, until I managed to drop an entire Airship-engine right on top of the Kurvaz´s ship, of course this resulted in their ship exploding and them nosediving into the plasma sea.

Through me giving the keystone, the thing they sought to obtain, to Opera however, Bruno still got what he wanted, if anything, then it was a total pointless move from me, I should have known that the Kurvaz of that time was completely untrustful.

If I shall be honest, even with all the things we had been through together, I can´t still forgive Opera to have taken a part in that event, and even though I begged her to stop that Madman, she decided to do nothing instead, nothing but to watch.

If anything would have gone wrong back then, if one of the children would have died, or even all of them, or the Director…, I would have ended her life, the next time I would have seen her…, such I am certain of.

Then again, I was not the one to have any right, to exact revenge, after all I made their Airship explode as retaliation later on…, there is no need to beat around the bush with it.

Some may have saved themselves, but who knows how many of them were trapped in there.

Until today I have no idea how many people I might have killed in such fashion, but if I remember, that none of them stopped at attempting to kill defenseless children, then I hardly can say that I am any sorry for it…, regardless of how harsh and terrible as it sounds.

No matter what kind of monster I am seen as, by those few survivors, people who attack helpless and harmless children are scum, worth to be exterminated.

At that point I understood that it didn´t matter how long and often I sought for conversation over fighting, sometimes only a bullet can win an argument, especially when innocent lives are at stake.

On that very day, I gained the resolve, the reason I needed and which told me that I had to stop them, Bruno and the radical part of the Kurvaz, from ever achieving their goal, whatever this goal happened to be.

But among all that glamorous conviction and resolve, was something else, another thing that made me rise up and take a stand although that happened afterwards, after my talk with Beluga…, the thought of Elhize, her aimless wandering and her inner anguish which she carried around for 300 years already.

The thought of her inner torment, her tears as she tried to perform the Rite of Forfeit and the moment, in which she realized that it was futile, that she could not bring herself to ever do that again.

In her eyes I could see how it ripped her heart out, just to think about the fact, that she had to sacrifice me…, I think she thought back at the first time she had to do that, had to sacrifice a beloved person for the fate of the world.

She was always thinking about what she had done and what she was forced to do, if nothing ever changed…, I didn´t wanted her to suffer for any second longer that way…, I think back then I had already fallen in love with her.

To make sure, that she finally could be freed from her shackles and the fate of her kind and her inner torment, I had to destroy Lares once and for all.

A Conviction born from the prediction of what would happen, if I or anyone else, wouldn´t manage to stop Bruno in time, from misusing Lares for his own ulterior motives.

I had to stand back up, even if my life should have ended that day, according to what Elhize and Beluga said, whom only ever saw the Sacrifices die." Red explained and I nodded, Dad once told me about his Sister, Aunt Rebecca, which sacrificed herself instead of her brother.

It showed how much love she held for him, but it broke father and sent him into an almost self-destroying depression for almost 600 entire years, aimlessly wandering around himself, trying to find a way to destroy Lares, before anyone had to sacrifice someone again, and the pain he felt for not being able to do so, forcing Elhize to have to sacrifice her own beloved brother, Elhiazar, after the same took his own life right infront of her, just like Aunt Rebecca.

I wasn´t sure if Red knew about it…, but I doubted that he did not know, I bet Lady Elhize had already told him about that, given his passionate speech right now.

I still remember the face Father made as he spoke about Red´s miraculous survival and the fact that father loathed that very moment more than anything in his life, to have to witness, that someone like Red managed to live, while his sister or Elhiazar died for good.

I know that he knew, that saying it that way, was in no way fair to Red, who didn´t even truly knew what exactly he had signed up for until it had almost been too late, if Elh would have been coldblooded enough, to pull the Rite trough, Red would have died never knowing the truth.

That he survived, understood both Beluga and Elh´s reasons for doing what they did and then him deciding to fight against their fate, their pain and sorrow, to free them from the shackles of such a dark duty, was the best that could have happened to Father, that's what I told him back then and he accepted every word as truthful.

"You know, thinking about all of this now…, maybe all the victims, all those Sacrifices for the Rite of Forfeit…, even Elhize´s Brother, or your father´s Sister, your late Aunt…, their conviction was, that with giving their lifeforce, they would be able to stop Lares, to keep it under its seal for further generations…

Their conviction was proud and steady, but not one of them had the conviction, that their life needed to go on, the resolve to defeat this thing instead.

That´s why they died, because they accepted death rather than life.

It wasn´t that they themselves were weak, or their conviction not rightful, on the contrary, their conviction was strong enough to keep such a beast of tremendous power under its seal for 100 additional years, anytime one of them laid his or her life down, for the rest of the world.

Some Convictions were even strong enough, to keep Lares under his seal for 300 years, like them both, Elhize´s little Brother and your Aunt, a strong heart and a kind soul and even more so, a love for their family, unbound and limitless.

A soul that loved other people, that was willing to sacrifice itself, especially if it was to save Elhize and Beluga, to make sure that their life went on, even if they had to give their own life up for it.

Of course, some reluctance was always involved, the sacrifice dying might mean that their loved ones would suffer, maybe even commit suicide out of grief.

If they were not there, who would going to take care of their beloved ones?

That's why their conviction was only strong enough for giving hundred years.

But when someone had to sacrifice a family member who was dear to them, then the sacrifice invoked magic strong enough, if they accepted their role fully, knowing that with them sacrificing, their loved ones could keep living, that they had people around them, who would share their grief and stay at their side in order to overcome it together, the sacrifice´s love put even more power into their conviction and thus more power into the medal and the seal.

However…, and this is but my own theory, since their fear, of the executioner of the Rite committing suicide or other forms of self-harm, wished, upon being sacrificed, for them to live on, no matter what, they wished that with all their might in the moment of their death.

I think that this is the true form of the curse of immortality…, that in reality it is a blessing, given by the sacrifices.

Their conviction, for all of this, might have been even stronger than my own back then, only, that it was of a different nature than my own." Red explained as we sat down on some logs of wood, after walking for quite a while now.

The scenery of myself within the inferno, outside of Limbo, had long faded, around us it was as though we had walked through a forest until we reached a camp-site.

However, it was not just any forest or any Campsite, it was the Dragonfly-Campsite, the place where Mom and Dad, as well as me and my Siblings often went for camping back in our Childhood.

We spent a lot of fun and exciting moments here…, it had something nostalgic in my opinion.

"Back then I thought that I was ready to die, but when I actually was about to die, I knew that it was the wrong choice to take, especially when I heard Elh and Chocolat´s sad voices while being here, in Limbo.

Instead, I wanted to live, to live, fight and turn the sad mines of my beloved back into radiant smiles." Red explained and my eyes never left him as he talked away, maybe to ease my fear, the fire I felt now was warm and comforting, rather than the seething hot and merciless heat, which I felt earlier before entering Limbo.

Him talking away, not only helped me to calm down and to regain a cool head, no it also inspired me.

"Maybe I can become just like you, at least a little…, one of these day." I mumbled to myself, but not silent enough, he still heard me.

"Cetala Million, I ask of you…, what is your conviction, what is your innermost desire right now, is it strong enough to overcome death, is it strong enough for you to draw strength from it?" He asked me but I needed not long to think about it, I had my conviction carved into stone, since some time now, ever since he talked about himself and I, for the first time ever, truly managed to understand him.

"Yes, for my innermost Desire right now, is to save my family and friends, to liberate the people of Bordaussie, who had always been kind to me, regardless of how they might react to me and my friends and family now.

But even more so…, I want to blast that crazy Bitch up there to bits and out of the sky, which I wish to someday roam myself." I replied with fiery determination and he nodded with pride and acknowledgement.

"Couldn´t have said it any better." He stated proudly.

"And there is something else…., I do not plan to die while being a Child and a Virgin" I stated with a deep red blush and obviously, he laughed out loud.

"Hahahahaha, atta Girl, that's what I call a statement, if that´s so, then rise again, little Cetala…, rise above death and soar in the sky of life, cease every opportunity that comes your way and cleave your path the way you want to.

Turn your conviction into power and break free from the shackles that hold you down, be reborn in the flames of the Inferno around you…

What will it be, Cetala Damiens Million, are you gonna die today, or make it out alive, you must conquer the monster before you and then, only then you can fly free...

Now then, rise…, like a phoenix from the ashes, and fly high!" Red stated and I nodded, my conviction fully reignited.

Although his words were inspiring, they somehow sounded familiar.

"He totally stole that from one of Cocona´s songs." I snickered as I remembered, how Alpharia played that one song on every available speaker in our house, for an entire week.

"I will die another day…, tonight, I want to live, bury this bitch and tear down the ceiling above everyone, who stands in our way to achieving peace in our home once again!"I stated aloud and I felt power surging from deep within me.

"A good and righteous choice, let me give you a hand there." I heard another voice and I smiled, it was a voice I heard almost all my life, ever since that accident in mom´s laboratory, the voice of my oldest friend.

"Let´s show that winged-bitch not to ever mess with our family again." My Hybrid-self, Alatec, exclaimed with burning determination, equally to my own.

She was me and I was her, it was like the source of my hybrid power was sentient, rather than it being a complete other personality.

And this Power urged me to stand back up and fight.

No matter the millions of alarming bells and the voices in my head that once screamed at me to stop, to take cover and hide, to bide my time if I wanted to survive with my family.

This now was our time, our chance to fly once more, like the phoenix rose from the ashes, we have to rise from the inferno and fight, for not only our life is a stake here, but the life of numerous innocent people, who have yet not made their decision on how they want to see us.

Sure, most of them looked at us with fear and skepticism, but most of them were just afraid, since everything that happened currently happened so fast…, they were attacked by unknown forces and now saved by unknown forces.

We are not heroes yet, Red was right about that, we are no messiah, savior, or the lesser evil that people should tolerate, we are not what people think they see in ourselves, influenced by their prejudice due to the circumstances of the past.

We are what they will see in our actions, so we have to be careful and mindful in how we conduct ourselves from now on, otherwise we truly might end up being the victims of literal witch-hunts.

We ourselves know, that we are what we were born for and what we have trained for our entire lives...

Warriors and defenders of the Republic.

And as such we fight, for the safety of our home.

"Yeah, let´s fly!" I stated, bumping her fist, before my consciousness returned back into my body. (BG-Music: Phoenix- L.O.L. feat. Cailin Russo & Chrissy Constanza)

While the fires of the Inferno raged around, I found myself being surrounded by some shining Aura, seconds before I landed back on my feet, I think it was some kind of forcefield, that kept the fire from reaching us directly.

"Is that…, Armatura Impervius?" I wondered as I looked forward to Alpharia and Betakin, who stood next to each other, their sword and shield raised high, glowing in the same green aura.

Their fear from before was fully gone, not one trace was left on their faces, only a fire deep within their eyes and this fire rose higher and burned stronger until it engulfed us all.

Contrary to the seething hot and violent physical flames around us, these flames burned gently and warming, like a campfire in the snow, it had something quite comforting to it, it spent kindness, care, love, gentle hospitality and trust.

It made me remember a day in the last few years, as my family and the twins as well as Connor and Orphelia went for an outdoor/field trip during summer vacation, to the wilderness of Visla, in order to relax and train.

It was an idyllic time and it was perhaps the best memory they could have chosen, in order to visualize a shield, that protects this coziness we had back then and wished to have once more.

A conviction stronger than the inferno, that sought to destroy anything.

To not die today but to make it out alive, the will to live another day, with everyone at their side.

A wish that was shared not only by us but by everyone on this island excluding the Lycanians and Lunnare, I could feel how this new kind of shield was engulfing the people in the raid shelters, how it reached Father, Dalia and Frey who still fought against some kind of dark being not so far from us.

This shield was thin but powerfull, instead of a dome in which we all hid, it was more like an additional layer of armor, it gives us our full mobility back, but even more so, I felt power welling inside of me, as if something new was filling my own reserves back up as well as creating additional tanks for it…, was this also one of the abilities of Armatura Impervius…, or was this Red´s ability…, either way, this sword surprises me more and more.

We were defended and we now had the chance for a counter attack thanks to it.

Next to the defense and strengthening aspect, it also seemed that our thoughts have been connected as well, I could hear what the People in the Raid shelter thought about, and although some were still frightful and sceptic about us, I could hear the voices of many that praised us, that were thankful for our doing.

To hear their inner voices motivated me greatly and so also the other, and it was all thanks to Alpharia and Betakin.

"Those are my Brother and Sister." I exclaimed proudly.

Act 2: Heroes always get rembered,

but Legends never die!

Central Plaza of Bordaussie, Betakin´s Pov:

I always thought that heroes are born, that they were born with great powers or potential and therefore had the duty to fight, that it was their very destiny to fight for the freedom of the common man, the weak.

With Great power comes great responsibility, if you have powers beyond comprehension, then you ought to use them, but only heroes use them for good.

Heroes are strong, they never harm the innocent weaker people, they only fight when there is no way around it and they only kill when absolutely necessary…, at least that´s how I saw it in comics, in movies even…., but I totally forgot something, which was so commonplace in heroic tales, that it almost blended in with the overall environment, a fact that almost was essential for any tale of a hero.

The starting point, the place the rising hero was born or in some novels, send to.

The very first time a hero made contact with the outside world…, even if he was blessed with immense powers, it was all for naught, if he could not see nor understand the world around him at that very moment.

Another thing I understood was that the world of heroes was a tragic world, famines, droughts, sicknesses, wars, invading evil forces…, the world of heroes was often plagued by something that cost the lives of numerous people and far too often also claimed lives dear to the Hero, something that would trigger the world to even have a need of a Hero in the first place.

It then became his motivation to fight against said evil, whatever it looked like.

Then there was another thing…, in most stories in which the Hero was originally from that world, he never once referred himself to as a hero, at least not with own conviction, until a certain point in the history.

He used the title as a means to inspire, motivate, or even just in order to cheer others up when they were depressed or uncertain in dire situations, but he himself had doubts, whether this name and title truly fits him, whether he was enough.

That was the very aspect I had overlooked here, I nominated myself, my siblings and my friends as heroes, before anyone of us even had done anything worth to latter be called such.

I tried to push the hero-ideal on any of our previous operations and yes, in hindsight, even I had to admit that my sense of justice hampered the success of the main quest here, to free Bordaussie from the chokehold of evil.

I jeopardized our mission of taking out the Lycanians, one way or another, causing our current situation to even unfold.

It was unglamorous and completely unbecoming of anyone, who even just aspired to become a hero.

I was wrong, I tried to become a hero and implement my ideals on others, bend or break…, and in the end, all I managed to do was to break things more than they had to.

I tried to bend them in the shape I wanted them to have, without any regard for my sibling´s and friend´s objection, who had a far better judgment of our current situation than I did, with my crooked world-view.

There were many things, that were meant to be kept straight and simple and all I did was to bend them fully out of shape, never to be able to mend them again.

It was shameful…., and it was also what my older stepbrother Red had to reprimand me about.

My idol, my very own hero, had to tell me not to be such a snotnosed little brat, that tried to already wear a pair of shoes, which were far too big for himself, instead of waiting and growing up, until it fit.

His words shall forever be branded in my mind, my very soul.

"A true hero is not what you call yourself, but what other people see in you.

Your actions and achievements, that talk about your character, those are the things people see and which they judge you upon.

You can call yourself a hero all you want, but if you cannot get any merit, any lasting result, of doing something that is considered heroic by others, then you will always just be a wannabe-hero.

Someone, who, with his far-fetched and high-flying ideals, might even go as far as to put himself and others in grave danger, just to prove himself to be bigger than he himself is, has no right to ever take upon the mantle of a hero.

You want your siblings and friend as well as yourself to be seen as Heroes rather than a threat, ain´t that right Betakin…, if that´s so, then you must first learn what it means to be a true Team." Those words of him hit home terribly if I may say so, the entire time we had this battle already, I had a hard time to land any good hit on Lunnare, not because I was weak, maybe I was but, I was not that weak.

No, it was because neither myself nor the others had a real plan on how to go forth to beat her, I admit, Alpharia managed to get some good hits on her with leading her right where she wanted her to be.

If anything, she truly had a good strategy there.

While mine was to simply destroy Lunnare whatever it takes and that was what was wrong with me.

Instead of just destroying her, I need to think about defeating her, with causing the least bit of damage for our surrounding.

It had been a lot I needed to learn and judging from Red´s words, I was long not done with doing so, maybe I will have to learn for all my life…., but I was willing to, if that is what it takes to not be seen as a threat by those we are supposed to defend.

Flashback, in Limbo:

Darkness, the first thing I saw as I opened my eyes, was not the fiery inferno I expected, but almost complete darkness.

Endless, sad and somehow fearsome darkness, it was so dark that I had no idea if I was lying or falling, which was above and which was below.

It was as if I was floating in empty space.

"So, this is what dying is like?" I wondered to myself.

Dull might be one of the words to use right now, in order to describe what I felt upon realizing my untimely death…, but would you really call it that after you just died?

Unglamorous…, well most definitely, I died without managing to defeat this beast of a woman…

Shameful…., yeah that might be correct…, but I did my most possible…, right?

"Sad might be more accurate" I mumbled.

"I would rather call it, peaceful." A voice stated.

"Why so?" I asked confused, how could death ever be peaceful, when you are literally ripped out of life.

"If everything is dark and everything gone, there is nothing you need to do anymore…., no one who expects anything of you anymore, no one to criticize you…, no one you would need to impress." The voice replied.

"Maybe so…, but it also means that you won´t gain anything, that you cannot ask someone for something and that no one praises you anymore…, but moreover, there is nothing you can do anymore, whether right or wrong, everything that has been left unfinished by you becomes meaningless.

If all that is gone too, then what is worth to exist…, wouldn´t it be easier to just vanish or to somehow start anew without the memories of a previous life, if so…, why do I still remember?" I questioned the owner of the voice.

"I guess you are right, not needing something goes hand in hand with not receiving something either, as well as not being able to do anything, you got me there." The voice replied with a snort.

"So…, what are we gonna do now…., the fact that I am still able to talk to you and remember everything prior to this moment, must mean that we aren´t dead, at least not yet." My Hybrid-Self explained.

"Most likely, I still remember anything that happened to me in my life, ever since the age of 4, so the erasure of my spirit has still not been initiated." I stated.

"Well, I guess that is one good news…, but we are kind of in a pinch right now, so all in the darkness, just the two of us." He replied as he stood behind me, back-to-back.

"I guess so, although, it is kinda comforting that I am at least not alone right now…., if I were, I surely would die twice from loneliness." I replied and he chuckled.

"Aw shucks, you making me blush you know…, well jokes aside, if we are truly still alive, then we need to find a way to get out of here…, if not we might truly vanish." Nikateb, my Hybrid-personality, replied, his voice going over from jokingly to serious in one second flat.

In lack of a better way to address him, we came to a decision to call him the humanoid mirror version of myself, therefor he was named as my name would sound if said backwards, although it did have a nice ring to it.

In that regard and knowing that for practicability´s sake, I bet that Cetala´s Hybrid-Self was called Alatec, which also had a nice ring to it…

Yin and Yang had their S.I.T.K.A. Codenames, Yami and Hikari, so I doubt they would rename their Hybrid-selves any different…, come to think of it, I have never before seen any footage of them transforming, not even during all this fighting.

I don´t even know if they are able to, I mean they aren´t fully Hybrids, like we are, as far as my knowledge goes, they were more or less blessed with some powers of a Hybrid, but I doubt they adopted all of what a Hybrid is made of.

And even if they would be able to transform, I doubt anyone in S.I.T.K.A would tell me anything specific, a means of privacy, I guess.

Almost all of us had accepted our Hybrid self…, but I doubted that Alpharia would do so anytime soon, even if she could very well need it right now…, then again…, I highly doubted she would call her other half Airahpla….,

"Okay never mind, that sounds terrible." I thought to myself.

Might as well think about some awesome name for her, since I have no better things to do, as I still have no clue in what direction I even float right now, or where to go, as far as I know I could fall upside down without ever knowing so…, or I could even rise for that matter, without being able to feel it was hard to tell…, who knows what is currently happening to me?

It was high time for me to land, somewhere where I can orientate myself.

"I guess you are right, there is no merit to gain, by staying here." Nikateb nodded.

"Don´t you think you have better things to do than to think about where you are and where you going, or what merit is there to gain in staying here? " I suddenly heard a foreign voice saying.

"Huh..., what, who goes there?" I asked, trying to look around, but as everything was just black around me, I couldn´t make out a single thing in here.

Is my mind supposed to be that dark?

"Geez, you really are calmness itself, despite the situation you are in." The voice returned, it sounded as if she came from far away, then gets closer before passing by and vanishing again.

"Seriously, who are you, and moreover, where the heck are you, I can´t see a single thing in here." I asked the phantom voice.

"C´mon, you know who I am…, as for where I am, I am currently right next to you, but as long as you have the mentality that you are dead, you won´t see a thing, how about you imagine yourself alive and somewhere else for a change…, how about you open your damn eyes." The voice stated, quite impatiently to be honest.

Wait, what does he mean with my mentality tells me to be dead, I don´t want to be dead either way…, so if I am actually still alive, then…, maybe I can change this environment, just like he said.

"Alright then, here we go." I stated as I closed my eyes, to visualize and image within my mind…

"Wait a second, is that even possible, to think about something while literally being in my own mind?" I wondered.

"No need to break your brain over such trivial matters, I can hear and see you loud and clear now, thanks a lot, all this darkness gave me such an eerie feeling.

Is that how death is for you…, pitch black?" The voice asked.

I opened my eyes to see what he meant and I was in awe of the sight I saw.

"That sure is a nice place you came up with…, I give you that." The voice stated, coming out of some silhouette of a person, clad in a ghostly blue-greenish aura, he had his back turned towards me, while he looked over the town here at the sightseeing spot upon the Bordeaux-Hill.

Red Savarin, Hunter, Hybrid and Hero of the Shepherd Republic, stood here, watching over a town that still existed in my mind, that has not yet been destroyed.

"I actually never have been here before…, it sure is such a shame that the first time I visit, the towns and villages lie in ruin…" He stated with a sigh as he turned around.

"Well, in the end a town is repairable, after the rubble´s gone you can always rebuild houses or replace them…, but a life cannot be replaced nor rebuild.

Once dead for good, there is no coming back, even for someone like me or you, once you pass that door, it will shut itself faster than you can react and there is hardly anyways to open it again, as long as there is no one who forcefully does it for you." He explained and little I knew what he talked about.

"In that regard, good job on saving all these people, Betakin, this Island can be proud to have you guys, otherwise the current situation could have been a complete different one.

I saw that in Basset and Airedale, innocent citizens, stuck in containers one by one until there was barely any place to move or even air to breath, then they were loaded in the Lycanian Airship to be shipped off, as thought they were merchandise, simple things to distribute.

Back then, as I saw that, I knew that I had to act, so I fought and killed and saved people, I was called a hero by these people, because they knew me from the news…., it was nice yeah, but I surely was not the only hero there and more than that, I was not alone in this.

After Basset and Airedale, I knew that I had not the time to go all around the Republic, in order to beat the shit out of every Lycanian I could fight, for that reason Quebec has taken over reign of the Kurvaz and cleaned it out as far as I know, meanwhile the I.D.A, my Father´s Forces and several other Organizations are working hard all around the Republic, the Nippon Archipelago and the Kingdom of Prairie to liberate the islands, they are just as much Heroes as I am…, and so are you guys, at least in my eyes…, you did really well.

Of course, it is all for naught if we cannot cut of the root of all the evil in our Free Regions, which is the island of Ragdoll, the Devil´s throat, that had fallen into the Hands of the Lycanians 300 years ago.

But there is resistance, we know that there are rebels fighting the usurpers.

If we manage to liberate that island, a vast amount of Lycanian oppressors will leave the free Regions immediately and hopefully for good." Red explained and I nodded.

We have to fight them, only that way we will be able to save our home, if we can do that, even we Hybrids will surely be seen as heroes.

"Of course, doesn´t that mean that every problem is then magically solved, I bet there is a lot going on under the surface which we yet cannot see and have to discover, but we recognized the cancer in our society, understood that something is wrong in our homes…, and from there we have to investigate further, to find all of the offspring of that evil root, which we have then previously exterminated." Red continued.

"Yes and for that people need a hero like you, a symbol they can trust in…, I want to become such, a symbol people will believe in for decades to come." I stated fully enthusiastically and raring to go.

"Its nice to see that you are so gung-ho…, but I think that you forget something essential, my dear friend." Red replied and I looked confused at him.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked in wonderment…, what did I forget?

"A Hero is everywhere where conflict arises, whenever someone needs help, a hero will appear to rescue them, right?" He asked me.

"Well sure of course he does, that´s what heroes do…, or am I wrong?" I asked unsure.

However, his mine indicated that he was not satisfied with my answer, not one bit…., was he perhaps angry at me for some reason.

"And that is where you are wrong, dear stepbrother of mine!" Red exclaimed loudly and in a tone that allowed no contradiction.

"W-what?" I asked confused and taken aback.

"Geez…., you sure have an easy worldview my friend…., let´s see…, alright given the plot of an Adventure Novel…, a hero emerges out of a simple village in the boonies, eager to go slay the Demon- or Devil-King´s armies, because he has either a special skill that allows him to do so, or because of personal reasons such as his parents or childhood friends being murdered by the Evil King´s armies.

The Hero then sets out on an adventure to gain power and vanquish all evil…, that is your ideal of a hero am I right?" Red asked.

"I guess so, at least that is what I consider heroic…, to vanquish evil forces with help of magic, sword-skills, power and comrades on my side.

Why…, that can´t be wrong right, that´s how it goes." I replied.

"Oh…, wasn´t your claim from earlier that a Hero must always be there where conflict arises, and is always there where someone needs help…, wasn´t that what you said that heroes are supposed to do?" He asked again.

"Yes…?" I stated unsure.

"Isn´t that claim a Contradiction in itself?" He asked me and I was even more confused than before.

"I beg you pardon?" I looked at him with doubt.

"If a hero is always there to save someone who needs help, why wasn´t he there to save the future hero´s parents or childhood friends or vanquished all the armies of evil that roamed the land, long before the future hero was born?" Red asked.

"huuh…, huuuh, what the…., what do you mean?" I lost every thread of understanding there.

"If we go with that scenario, then there is actually no need for the protagonist to become a hero himself, as there already is a hero who does this, in that case his desire to become a hero would become obsolete, right?

After all there is then no one who kills his parents or Childhood friends, he can go on with his life as though nothing ever happened, but that wouldn´t then be a Hero´s tale anymore, but a simple autobiography….

Unless the old hero dies and passes his knowledge towards the future Hero, who simply continues his work out of a sense of responsibility and duty…, but then the term Hero simply becomes a job-classification, it is no longer a revered title, anyone can then become a hero." Red explained and I was shortly before bursting out in tears, for I had no idea about anything anymore, I was completely lost.

What did he mean with all of this?

"In your eyes a Hero is an omnipotent being that emerges, the second that conflict is arising somewhere, to function as juror and judge…, he appears as soon as people need help and yet, as far as I know is the world huge…, and unless he has the power to infinitely duplicate himself, I doubt that he can be everywhere where conflict arises.

Let's see…, say, if on 3 different continents wars are breaking out, to which continent will a hero go, the nearest, the middle or the furthest?" Red asked with a deadpanned expression.

"Wouldn´t the nearest be most logical?" I replied without thinking…, and that was the trap I haven´t seen, as obvious as it was.

"Oh… oh my, haven´t you just said that a hero will be everywhere where conflict arises…, how come that he would first go to the nearest…, what if the situation in the furthest continent is the one most pressing to be solved?

What will our hero do then?" Red kept on questioning me more and more, shattering my dream bubble.

"…" I could not answer…, I had no way to answer his question.

"According to your sayings, a Hero is nothing short of an omnipotent God who forbids every conflict regardless of what nature, and regardless of who and what race the two or more parties involved are.

He will be everywhere where someone needs help, because he possesses an infinite number of hands to do so and he has access to watch the entire world, every nook and cranny of it, in Realtime.

Also, if a Hero is supposed to vanquish all evil, but on the other hand is supposed to always be there where someone needs help…, how can he call himself a Hero, when the evil side needs help as well, to safe itself from the Hero that slays them down?" Red stated and that was the final blow…, my view of heroes burned up and crumbled to a hopeless pile of ash.

"You forget that there are always two sides of being a either good or evil, after all, even the evil side can have a hero, if both stand next to each other, who is then the true Hero?

Who has the right to go forth with that title…, the one who kills all evil and defeats the evil hero, or the evil hero, who saves his own people from the massacre caused by the hero of the good side and who vanquishes the same?

Who will prevail, who will be in the right, who has the right to even tell what is good and what is evil…, or who is a hero and who is not?" Red questioned me and I was shortly before falling to my knees.

His sharp analysis destroyed my picture of a flamboyant, courageous, strong man, who gains the title of a Hero by slaying down all evil and saving the poor innocent citizens, after having to witness the violence of the evil himself.

"As I said before Betakin, your view of the World and of what a Hero is supposed to be, is quite naïve and childish.

You think that a Hero is someone, who is born with the talent to gain great power, in order defeat the forces of evil…, in a Novel, in pure fiction, this might fly…., but in reality, something like this is rarely the case, very rarely.

People aren´t just born to be heroes, they become heroes and not always on their own accord.

You can be born with a tragic background story…, take myself for example…, but if you become either a hero, a villain or simply remain yourself, is up to you…, not to destiny or the designation of others.

And they definitely don´t need to be selfish, having their mind clouded with happy delusions of fortune and fame…, but even more so, they do not end up getting their comrades in grave danger because of their frivolous sense of justice." Red explained and I felt personally attacked, but in a justified way.

Alpharia said just the same earlier.

"If you aim to be a hero, then you should not call yourself such.

A hero can only be someone, who is called such by other people, those who truly believe in you.

I doesn´t matter who you are or what you were born as, nor who your parents are and how people actually see you…, what is important is how you want people to see you due to your own decisions and makings.

Even if you call yourself a hero out of your purest conviction…, if people don´t acknowledge you as such, then you always will be just a Wannabe to them, someone who takes the mantle of something he doesn't seem to be fit for…, until the moment that you make them see, show them that you are truly worthy to be called a hero by them." Red explained, while he resumed to look over the town of Schwarzwald here in my memories.

Suddenly it was as if my sadness was blown away by a mighty gust of wind, the dark clouds that had formed began to scatter, letting light back into my life.

The view of this world, clad in dark rain-clouds, became brighter as the sun began to shine.

Red´s ghostly figure never changed, but his expression became warmer, gentler…., comforting.

"Gain merit, Betakin…, do things that others can consider heroic..., and that does not just include defeating a strong opponent, sometimes it is far more heroic to save a life than to take one, even if it is for the greater good.

My Father´s book has many stories about people that became heroes, not because they called themselves such or because they aimed to be such, no, in the heat of the moment they gained a conviction, to safe lives and to defend the innocent, to push back against the invading forces and force them to retreat.

You might now think, isn´t this the same as I just denounced…, sure, but most of them didn´t even fought nor killed people." Red explained as he looked back at me.

"During the war of sun and moon, General Iranuki Savage as well as other Generals of the Abyssinian armies, saved people from Ragnarök, who had to flee from the war, seeking exile and safe shelter, robbed of everything but their lives and their family, sometimes even them were missing.

Men and women, old and young, fresh widows and widowers, orphans, they saved all of them without truly fighting…, just by making sure that those people managed to get in safety, made them heroes in the public eye, but they themselves only did what they ought to do as soldiers and royals…, to save the lives of innocent people.

Armies of Maranell and the rebels from the Kingdoms of Ragnarök, who opposed Lycan and his men, destroyed or plundered Lycanian supplies, sabotaged weapons and machines in the dead of the night, all in order for the fiendish armies to retreat, with the Lycanians in high number starving to death, holding them at bay, not letting them advance and sometimes not even retreat, surrounding them, most of them did not even had to kill anyone personally.

In the ages before the technological revolution, similar stories happened, whenever such things succeeded, the public spoke of War-heroes, as the ones who came up with such strategies and those who executed them, even if the same might only had in mind to end the war quicker and without many casualties on their sides." Red continued and I was in awe.

"Not calling yourself by that title, but doing things that let others call you such, that is the only way to truly become what is considered a Hero.

Safe the People of Bordaussie by becoming a team with your siblings and Friends, don´t try to do everything on your own and for god´s sake, listen to their opinion, consider the same…, don´t denounce it just because it might not suit you out of whatever reason…, and if you are unsure, then hold a vote.

If you gain any merit or if you later regret it, is something for afterwards to deal with.

If you cannot decide during a critical moment, because someone of you just has to try and get his thickhead through, then maybe something far worse than what you thought about can happen, as you have hopefully seen now.

You had two options…, so you thought at least….

Kill Lunnare, end the battles, perhaps lose informations, which could not be confirmed as being truthful either way.

Or to capture her instead, trying to get informations, only for her to mock you, tell you to piss off and maybe even goes as far as to bite her tongue off, in order to kill herself.

Well in the end Lunnare offered you a third option, which she forced upon you without your consents, her baiting you, attacking you, playing with you and then killing you.

And due to you and your team being divided in your opinions, upon the first two options, you are currently stuck in option three, a situation which would have resulted in killing you…, if it weren´t for Alpharia, who literally summoned me here in order to safe your butts." Red explained and I felt ashamed as I came to the realization, that everything he just told me was exactly what happened, all of the things I wished I could deny were thrown in my face with almighty and unavoidable force.

"He is right, if I hadn´t argued with the others instead of voting things out and proceeding upon the vote´s result, we wouldn´t be stuck in this inferno right now." I thought in depression, as the view of the Town vanished and instead, as if it was just a paused movie on a tv screen, saw myself in midst of an inferno, that threatened to burn us alive.

"Betakin Damiens Million, are you going to let your beloved heroic tales and overly zealous ideals cloud your own justice…, don´t you have an own opinion, that hasn´t yet been influenced nor corrupted by telltales of heroic legends, which you would hear and read as a child.

Aren´t you supposed to be an adult now, shouldn´t you learn to make your own decision as well as to accept compromises, with the opinions of others, based on the present, on reality.

Reality is not always beautiful, it solemn is, most of the time it is plain and uneventful, but there are also times in which it is just plain ugly and filled with malice…,

Don´t tell me you are still a little brat, that needs to flee himself in the realms of fantasy and dreams, to keep his poor, little, fragile heart intact…?

Aren´t you a big Boy…, aren´t you a Boyfriend…, aren´t you a Brother…?

Reality is now and now is such a time where evil powers try to take everything from you and it is your duty to return light to the sky that has been darkened by those evil powers.

It is your duty to give those poor innocent people a ray of light, a true hope which they can hold unto.

Don´t become a tragic hero whose family and friends were killed, instead, become a warrior who fought bravely, saved his family and his citizens and prevailed over the darkness…, become a man worthy of this Blade in your hands.

Aren´t you Betakin Damiens Million?

Son of the genius Merveille Million and the famous Hunter and current Kurvaz General Beluga Damiens the Gale?

Aren´t you one of the wielders of Armatura Impervius, the Sword of Earth, the Mountain-Shattering Warhammer, the Avalanche-Blade?

Aren´t you the successor of Brynhildr Xenovia Malvina Million, the Wolven Orion Valkyrie, one f the ancient Shieldmaiden?

If so, then I think its high time to get down from your high throne of your dreamland, back on the harsh and cold, dry and barren ground of reality and to finally grow yourself a pair.

Balls, big enough to stand next to your family and fight as one, to rise as the second Man in the house who defends his Sisters, regardless of their age and maturity, that is the duty of you as a brother!" Red explained.

"Yes Sir!" I stated aloud as my shame flew away and pride grew in me.

Reminding me of just who I am, not who I wished to be, was all it took to get my mind out of the gutter and back in the here and now.

"If you´re truly my Stepbrother, as well as my Knight, then you know what to do now, don´t you?" Red asked, his eyes blazing, his aura, his charisma was changing, something mighty, honorable and majestic, rose in him, the Aura of a King surrounded him.

"Yes Sir…, defeating the enemy and keeping my family and friends and all the still living citizens of Bordaussie safe and alive!" I stated aloud.

"Indeed, well spoke, now say it oud loud!

What is a Knight´s duty, Betakin?" Red demanded to know.

"A Knights duty is to defend the innocent, his home and kingdom and to end needless murders, senseless destruction and corrupting malice from spreading any further!" I replied with deepest believe, the day of my rainbow-colored dreams were long over, they burned up in a blaze, what was left was the cold harsh reality.

Bordaussie was my birthplace and its rightful, innocent citizens were all dear to me, all of them were my family, whether I knew them or not, for all of them were part of my Home.

"What are you fighting for?" Red questioned further.

"FOR HOME AND FAMILY!" I shouted.

"Then let me aid you in this, dear Stepbrother of mine, I will lend you my power!" Red stated as he held out his fist with a confident smile.

"I gladly accept your offer!" I replied enthusiastically as my fist touched his.

The moment it made contact, I felt as though something warm was seeping through every pore of my body, it was power, pure raw power, I felt how my own depleted forces returned and were even amplified.

As I looked up in this confident face, I saw not just my brother but also what I truly believed to be the face of a hero…, a wide reassuring smile.

Red Savarin, someone who was worth of that title, in any way possible, not just because of his heroic record…, no it was simply because his smile gave me hope, hope that we make it out alive tonight.

"I want to be like him…, I want to be able to smile so confidently like him." I thought to myself.

"If that is your wish then I am happy to share my forces with you once more as well, my master.

I, Genbusakame, the Black Turtle, Warrior of the Northern Mountains, shall lend you my power, on that you can fulfil your rightful duty!" The voice I heard earlier appeared again and this time the faint silhouette I saw before, had solidified itself as a true spiritual being, more detailed than even Red´s Ghostly figure.

A huge reptilian quadrupedal creature, with a giant black shell wrapped around its body and mighty horns protruding from its head like a helmet, appeared before me.

What I formerly thought to be its tail, now revealed itself to be a huge snake with deadly fangs and fierce eyes.

Just what is this being…, he called himself the Black Turtle, is that what such a being is called?

"No idea…, but as long as it is on my side, I gladly accept its aid and guidance." I thought to myself.

"I gladly accept your help, my comrade!" I replied and the being seemed to smile at me.

"So be it, it has been a long time until I last served a true master of mine, however, for the time being, all I can do is lead my powers into the sword to awaken it from its slumber, by doing so it will be at 50 % of its original force…

Unfortunately, without a complete medium, I cannot manifest myself in your world, nor can I bring out my force to 100% without shattering the blade, so for the time being this must suffice." Genbusakame explained.

"What do you mean with complete Medium?" I wondered, this sword was for ages in our families possession, nothing missed.

"If it´s about the Shield…?" I wondered but he shook his head.

"The Shield has been forged from excess steel, as well as a shard of my Shell, but this is not what I mean.

It seems to me that this Sword has lost 50% of its entirety, once it was forged from Adamantium-Ore and a piece of the diamond, that grew in the heart of Elysia´s oldest mountain.

I can feel that the Diamond is missing, which was the catalyst of my power, the sword´s Power-core so to say." Genbusakame explained.

"I see, that is bad…, I guess I have to ask King Maranell about that, if I ever meet him, maybe I should ask Red for help in that matter…., but I guess that is a task for after we survive this battle." I wondered.

"For the time being 50% must suffice as you rightfully say, well then, I guess we stayed in here for far too long, in the end I truly will be burned to ashes, if I don´t awaken quickly and defend myself and my comrades." I stated and he nodded.

"Well spoken, then let me give you my special defensive power, to bestow upon the wielder of the shield, my skill called Skuld´s Protection, named after the first Master of the Shield, it will keep you, and all those you want to, save and connected together.

The more People believe in you, the stronger the shield that protects them will become." Genbusakame explained and that sure sounded like an awesome gift to have right now.

"Also, as for the offensive, for you as Sword wielder, I shall grant upon you, Brynhildr´s Sandbox, named after the original wielder of Armatura Impervius, the ability to control all forms of Stone and Metal.

Use it as you see fit, but beware, my eyes sees all, my creator bestowed upon me the ability to judge the actions of my wielder by looking into his or her heart, the very core of their soul, if I deem your attempted actions as to be harmful or out of fully negative reasoning, I have the authority to cease all functions as ruler of the Earth-element.

I will do so for as long as it takes for you to find your way back on the righteous path, do you understand?" Genbusakame explained.

After a while of thinking about the just said I nodded.

"I humbly accept your gifts and I will heed your warning; I surely will attempt my most possible to remain righteous at all time and cost.

For now, let´s fight, you and me together, let us put an end to this madness, once and for all." I stated as I suddenly woke from what seemed to be a sudden trance.

"Well look at you, all beefed up and ready for round two, I guess the time has come to retaliate a little, don´t you think?" Red asked me and I nodded.

"Whatever it takes…, I will make Lunnare pay for her crimes!" I stated with confidence and Iron determination.

"Well then, I guess its high time to gather your comrades again, to plan your next step, as I said, be prepared for everything, work as a team and by all means, cover for the weaknesses of your comrades, if they do too, nothing can stop you guys." Red explained and I nodded, little did I know that this inspiring speech was conveyed to all of my siblings and friends.

"Go get them, Brother!" Red stated, as the Frozen time began to come closer again, my mind sucked back in my body.

"Hey, what do you think of this name, Red?" I asked before I could vanish.

"What…, what are you talking about?" He asked sightly confused.

"You know, I have been thinking about that earlier…., about Alpharia´s Hybrid-self…, as far as my knowledge goes, she still has no name for it, although I have no clue if she has even accepted her at all?" I replied.

"I see, well I think she will be fine, eventually she will have to accept herself the way she is, there is no way around that, especially now, where she will need every help she can get, to get stronger, it would be rather unwise to suppress or deny your own powers." Red explained with a glance that said, that he knew more than he told me, but I simply brushed it off and nodded, he must have had a good reason as to why conceal the truth.

"I guess you are right, anyway about the name…, I thought long and hard and although there were some possible results, I still think this one will be the best, it has come to me as inspiration after you reminded me of my heritage and my duty" I stated.

"Well, without hearing it first, I cannot really judge anyone, I would say." Red replied and I nodded confidently.

"Behold…, the name I came up for Alpharia´s Hybrid…., Brynhildr, the Shieldmaiden,it somehow always comes back, so we might as well have one in our generation!" I explained.

"Hmm, not bad, i guess you are right, right now, we truly could use something old, something that has become tried and tested..., even if its just a name, but names draw inspiration out of things and persons, names are an indicator of hope, of what we see in that which we name." Red explained and i nodded, not sur eif i truly understood him..., but i was sure that he knew from what he talked about.

Act 3: We dedicate our hearts!

Alpharia´s Pov:

A Pillar of fire rose up high in the sky, as the shield we had formed began to transform, instead of saving us from the impact which the inferno unleashed by Lunnare caused, the shield reformed itself, enclosed the raging inferno and spewed it high up in the sky, letting its violence rise and spread like the eruption of a volcano.

The only difference here was, that this eruption didn´t damaged the town nor did it seemed to have hurt anybody anymore.

Our wounds, healed, our powers, replenished, our physical fatigue, blown away, our defense, stronger than ever before.

In the moment I awoke back from my delirium, my fall into unconsciousness, I felt my power surging, my mind was cleared, brighter than ever before.

The dark heavy fog that hung over my heart, like an everlasting raincloud, had passed away and sunlight was shining brightly upon it.

My life had begun to turn itself around, just by me forgetting all of my desperation and hesitation from before and finally accepting my own power, my strength and myself.

Me and my Hybrid-self, together we will surely keep our younger siblings and friends safe.

"All this power…, is this really my own power?" I mumbled as I looked at my hands.

I could feel and see myself being surrounded by a greenish aura, the shield of Armatura Impervius somehow expended itself and changed its form, while also glowing in a greenish aura.

Now it looked more of a broad shield rather than a mere one-hand shield, like the medieval version of the shields used by the police during riots and raids.

"Indeed, it is, Sister…, and I have to say it sure is amazing." I heard Betakin´s voice next to me, I looked to see him all fresh and eager to go again.

The sword he wielded had changed just like the Shield, it was no longer stone grey but jade green, or something akin to it.

As I looked at him, looking so dashing and full of confidence, but most of all alive, I felt how tears began to form, the knot over my heart, which I felt had formed ever since this whole madness began, had finally being released.

I was sure my Siblings will survive, something just told me so…, my prayers had been answered.

"Woaaah…, that´s an ugly face…" Betakin stated with a grin and teary eyes.

"Hahaha, look at yourself…, you dumbass." I replied as tears of joy ran down my face.

"Oh, shut up, you." He fired back but his eyes spoke of greatest relief.

I looked next to me, to see Cetala looking at us with a smile as well.

"Cety…., I´m so glad to see you alive, you have no idea." I stated as I took her in my arms, called her by my personal nickname, it was ages ago since I last called her that but right now, I was just so darn glad.

"Likewise, Alpha, it´s so good to see that everyone survived." She stated as she looked at all of us.

"Yin, Yang, you guys were great earlier, I really need to congratulate you, the way you tried to save everyone despite your own exhaustion was topnotch." I stated and I saw both of the twins blushing.

"It was nothing, just us doing what we could." They replied shyly.

"If anyone needs to be congratulated, then it surely should be all of you, you did great holding out this long, despite being in a massive disadvantage and completely overwhelmed, you managed to stand your ground for almost 3 days." Red´s Voice stated as his silhouette stood in our midst of the circle we had formed.

The vision of us being blasted away and burned to ashes, none of it came true, I don´t know how we thwarted the destiny that was about to await us, or why we saw our own death, but somehow, we made it out alive and I know that it was all thanks to Red, if he hadn´t been here, if he hadn´t reacted to my call of desperation, then, and that I am certain of, this dark vision surely would have become a bitter reality.

"It´s good to see you brother…, then again, how the heck are you even here and what´s that creepy ghostly form of you, don´t tell me you have died on us?" Betakin asked shuddering.

"Zip it man, don´t write me off so easily.

This is what someone might call an Astral Projection phenomenon, while meditating I heard Alpharia´s desperate call and so my spirit leapt through time and space just to get here and save your sorry butts.

Then again, I just hope that I can quickly return afterwards, who knows what Elh is currently doing with my body, I hope that she doesn´t freak out, thinking that I died on the spot." Red explained and I nodded.

At first, I thought that maybe I only imagined this all in my mind, but now, seeing him here infront of us, gave me back the reassurance I felt earlier in my delirium.

"Alright your guys, time to cut the chitchat, we have a dang madwoman to drive out and that bitch just recognized, that we haven´t turned into scorched Hotdogs, pun intended." Red explained as he glanced over towards Lunnare, who still hovered high above us.

"HOW…, HOW IN THE HELL DID YOU SURVIVED THIS…, no, moreover, how the hell did you redirect my attack, I was certain that it hit you point-blank." We heard her loud growl, amplified by her endless hatred.

"BECAUSE FUCK YOU, THAT´S HOW!" Red replied loudly.

"I see, so you have gotten some help, well it doesn´t matter if this wasn´t enough, I just have to increase the power level by a tenfold, then I surely will be able to blow this shitty town to smithereens!" Lunnare stated with an ice-cold glance, that sent a thousand alarming ice-cold chills down my spine.

"And you really think, that we will give you any time to do so?" Red mocked her while he gestured us to move on.

I didn´t really understood but apparently Betakin knew exactly what he meant.

He left the circle and instead came over to me.

"Alpharia, are you alright, are you hurt or are you healthy enough to fight?" He asked and, in his eyes, I could really see true concern, it sure melted my heart.

I admit, Betakin and I, we can´t always see each other eye to eye and we do argue a lot…, but at the end of the day, he still is my dear little brother, just what would I do without him?

"I´m good to go, I guess, no problems here." I replied and he nodded.

"That's good, that's really good, you know, most of our success does ride on your powers of shielding us, if we would be once more attacked pointblank by such an attack, then we surely are done for." He explained and I nodded.

"Also…., about earlier today…, I´m sorry…, I really should have listened to you and Cetala instead of trying to push my ideals upon you again, I hope you can forgive me." Betakin explained, in his eyes I saw true remorse.

"Geeez…, I admit you can be a real brat sometimes…, but when you apologize so heartfelt, how would I be able not to forgive you…" I explained and he smiled brightly.

"Thank you, sis." He replied tearing up again.

"Oh, stop it you, don´t be such a crybaby…, aren´t you supposed to be a grown man?" I asked him, as I took him in my arms with a smile.

"Woah rude…, though I guess you are right…

Afterall I have grown as a person at least." He stated and I could see that, he looked a lot more mature than earlier today, as if in those few minutes he had aged up from his previous childhood-fantasies.

"But I guess I´m not the only one who has grown, right?" he asked and I nodded.

"No…, you sure have grown but so have I…, I finally learned to accept my whole self, not just the part I wanted to see." I explained and he nodded in understanding.

"You got a name for her?" Betakin asked eagerly.

"You mean her…, no, come to think of it I never even asked nor even thought about her having one apart from me, I thought she was just another version of me, a split personality, so Alpharia would be enough, am I wrong?

Am I supposed to separate myself again, now that we finally found together?" I asked him, as I released him again from my embrace, before things might become too awkward.

"No not exactly, just in my case it's more like having a twin-brother, who lives inside of you, rather than a mere split personality.

So, in order to still differentiate each other, we decided to each wield a name of our own, Betakin and Nikateb." Betakin explained and I nodded in awe…, so he took it even a step further.

Then again, he was right, all my life I thought that she was an evil harmful being which lived inside of me and yet separated from my own consciousness, a parasite as I said.

But now I learned that she was the other stronger version of me, she was everything I was not and likewise was I everything she wasn´t.

So, to truly say that she was me was perhaps wrong, if what Betakin said is true, then it might be more accurate to say that she was my twin, living in my own body.

"What do you think…, how do you see yourself?" I thought as I looked deep inside of me.

It may well be the first time I really asked myself this question.

"Well, I would say that our brother is right…, although I live inside of you and kind of look like you, are our initial personalities almost the entire opposite, so maybe it is more accurate to call me a different you, who lives inside of you, in that regard, having a different name while coming to the surface might not be that wrong." She replied.

"I see, well then, what shall I call you, Betakin literally called his other self by his own name spoken backwards…, but if I were to do that then it would be, Airahpla…" I thought and I had to shudder.

"That sounds horrible!" I heard my twin cry out and I nodded inertly.

"Yeah you´re right, but then again…, what shall I call you then?" I wondered.

"How about Brynhildr." I heard Betakin saying, waking me from my train of thoughts.

"Brynhildr?" I asked confused.

"Yes, like our ancestor, Brynhildr Xenovia Malvina Million, the Shieldmaiden, a Knight of the Original 7."

"I think that sounds nice." I heard my Twin sister saying.

"So…, do you wish to accept that name?" I asked in my mind.

"Indeed, I will be Brynhildr Alpha Million, after your name, my dear twin." Brynhildr stated with confidence and something akin to joy.

"So, Hilda for short?" I asked with a smile of my own.

"If you wish." She replied enthusiastically.

"Alpha?" Betakin asked unsure, as I was busy talking in my mind.

"Right, Brynhildr has accepted her new name, thanks a lot Betakin." I replied and he nodded sightly content.

"Glad to hear that…, so, what are we supposed to do now, how do we go on forth from here?" Betakin asked, looking in my direction.

"You want my opinion?" I asked confused, just what happened to him in these last few minutes?

"Indeed, as I said before, earlier I tried to force my ideals of what we should do unto all of you, so it´s just right that now it is my turn to listen and to follow." Betakin explained.

"Clearly my plans have failed and instead terribly backfired, so from now on I will listen to all suggestions and should we ever again be unsure of what to do, which option to take, we will hold a vote and we will go on with the winner´s plan without further ado." He explained and I nodded in understanding.

I am surely grateful, to whatever it was, that made him change, although I had a pretty good idea of what it was.

"I guess it can only be him." I thought as I looked at Red, who still was at taunting Lunnare, distracting her.

He did what he could do to help us, so it was our duty to do what we can do.

I glanced at them all, one each of them eager to hear what I said as I apparently had become their Leader.

I looked at Red and while taunting, he looked at me with a certain glance.

"You´re on now, this is your Stage, are you ready to take the lead, Alpharia?

If it is a hero, rather than a devil, what you want to be called in the end, then are you ready to go the extra mile, put in your maximum effort, to achieve that goal?

Are you ready to dedicate your heart, to the safety of every innocent person in the free Regions, not only on Bordaussie?" I thought to hear him say in my mind and my answers to all three of them was right here.

"I am." I though with confidence, if even Betakin was depending on me now as his leader, then how could I disappoint them all.

I am the oldest of us five after all.

"Alright, first things first, we need to obviously take out Lunnare, and that sure won´t be easy, we all know that now.

However, we also have to search for any survivor, who might still be trapped in the ruins of the town and elsewhere.

But when fighting our foe, we ourselves will not be able to do so, unless we would split up our team.

However, remember that even the five of us previously couldn´t take her down and now she is even stronger than before.

But the game has shifted now, not only because of Red Savarin being here, but I believe that most of us have finally found their conviction to truly put up a fight, a reason why we fight in the first place, not just because it apparently is our duty.

We each found a conviction, that is as steadfast as our burning will to survive another day, to have this classical reunion with our family and friends, at the break of dawn.

These hellish past days have going on long enough, it´s high time for a new day to arrive and for the first rays of light to illuminate us all, to bring back a new ray of hope to the terrified people of Bordaussie.

The hope that everything can go back to normal eventually.

But as I was saying, even with Red, Father, Dalia and Frey, we five won´t be able to save anyone while fighting.

That's why we will be in need of the help of the Townspeople in the Raid shelters.

Its time for them to grasp salvation with their own hands rather than to patiently wait in safe shelter, while we out hear bust our heads to defend them.

It´s high time that some of those privileged fools get their own asses up, to do something different, than running their mouths about us.

If we mobilize them, shield them with Armatura Impervius´s power, like it does with us, then we can fight while they go out there and help the survivors, with the moonlight and the shield they should be fairly safe." I explained and they looked in awe, even Cetala.

"This plan…, is brilliant…, still how do you plan to give them each a shield, you would need to get to the Raid Shelter for that which means that we precisely do what we just said we shouldn´t, splitting up our forces." Betakin asked.

"That's no problem, because none of us will go." I stated.

"Now what do you mean by that, care to explain?" Cetala asked.

"When I was desperate and frightened, I cried out for help from anyone, but I mostly cried out for Red because I was of the strong believe that he would be able to handle the situation far better than we do.

Somehow…, call it sibling´s love if you want…, but somehow, he was able to hear my mental call and he promptly responded.

As you can see, he is here, even if just as an Astral-version of himself.

But it was enough to give all of us new strength, poetically speaking as well as literally…, I was thinking, if I cried out for him in despair and he responded, maybe I can also call out to other peoples via a mental Link.

If that is so, maybe I can also manifest myself to the people in the raid-shelter in the same way, speaking to them, having them agree on helping us, if I can pull that off, we fighters can focus on attacking and defending.

But that would mean that I have to concentrate for a while, which makes me defenseless and most likely motionless.

Yin, I will need your powers to form a forcefield around us both and to keep an eye on the coming battle, to defend the others.

Meanwhile I will let my spirit free…., or maybe, yes, that might also be a way." I stated as I began to think up something new.

"What is it Sis, did you think something different up?" Betakin asked.

"Yes…, I can only speak for myself here, but when I previously tranced, it was as if my own mind was pushed back and set to sleep, while Brynhildr overtook the body…

Once she was exhausted and out of power from raging around, she instead fell back to sleep, while I woke up and returned my consciousness in my body, like a balance where you just shift the weight from one plate to the other.

Since I was asleep, I never could remember what I did during the trance.

I was thinking about what will happen when we do this intentionally, while I am awake and aware…, Cetala you told me that you had complete control over yourself during trance, you still remembered everything you did during this time, because of the overdose of M-Serum.

And during the battle against the airships, you even showed me that, you have control…

According to the results of the tests, both in mine and Betakin´s Genes, we are to 30% Mother, 25% Father, 20% Baion and 25% King Maranell, so to say we are almost perfectly Balanced, how is that for you?" I asked Cetala who blushed.

"I am 25% Mother, 5% Father, 20% Baion and 50% King Maranell, that why my Trance-Form bears traits of a Lupycan, while the rest is Human." She explained with a quiet voice.

As if she was ashamed of it.

"But you are still you, regardless of how you look, so our parents Genes overrule Baion´s forces by 10%, while King Maranell´s do that with 30%.

Similar to us, 80 % of you is not Baion, that´s why you are not getting any more aggressive than you usually would be, if you ever were to get really angry.

Those 80% that overrule Baion´s 20% by far, that's why you are not entirely human in that form and mostly yourself next to small changes in your persona.

So to say, you are the closest to Red in that regard." I stated and she nodded.

"Alright I understand, then going with this, I will leave Maranell´s and Baion´s essence, which is Brynhildr, here in my stead, so that she relocates the body if necessary, I think that this might work, even if it will be the very first time, we ever tried it.

While I hope that my own self, Mother´s and Father´s essence, will be able to separately manifest itself, and once it can freely roam through the island, I will direct myself towards the raid shelter and I will try to persuade the people to help us in that way, if Red could help us replenish our powers while being in this form, then I am sure that I can share the powers of the Shield with them.

Brynhildr and I are basically said the same person, so I am certain that Armatura Impervius will also work for her, but just in case something might change, it might be a good idea for you to change to your Trance-form too.

They know how to use their powers, while you can help with your intellect and take a look at the bigger picture right there and then, as we have seen our own are not as strong as we need right now, but with resting them, with our spirit inside of our body, they might fill up again, large enough to use them, when we need them, so maybe it´s time to make a change in our combat pattern, same as Lunnare has done.

Similar to when an end-boss changes its attack pattern, midway in the battle, when he only has half of his health-gauche left." I explained my plan and I saw how Betakin and Yang´s jaw has fallen to the floor.

"Pick up your jaws back up boys, I am not as dumb as people say, I too have had the one or the other nerd-friend.

It´s learn and adapt right now, this here might well be our final shot, if we screw this up, then we might as well lay down all defenses." I explained before I closed my eyes.

"Hilda…, do you feel yourself strong enough to fight?" I asked my Twin in my mind.

"I think so, it will be hard, as it is the first time in which I use my forces purposefully, instead of just letting them rage to vent off steam, but I am certain that eventually I will be able to do it." Hilda replied.

"So that´s a go I guess…, well how do you actually shift places now, after all, the previous times during training, it was more forced, I admit, I was scared from doing so, that's why I only ever tranced twice in my life, whenever I was asked to do so again after that, I refused to do so, but I think forcing you must hurt you too as you were literally ripped out of your own world.

But I don´t want to hurt, neither you nor myself, not anymore, I want us to do that mutually, so any idea?" I wondered.

"Hmmm…, I know this might sound silly, but maybe it might be easier if we synchronize our thoughts on shifting places, but for that we need a code-word, something that indicates precisely what we both wish to do, something that is easy to understand, like a command to our body for it to transform in order to suit the Spirit in control." Hilda replied.

"You mean like that transformation-scenes in Betakin´s favorite TV-shows, from when we were kids?" I asked, pinching my nose in annoyance and embarrassment…, and she nodded…, of course she did.

"Like that one where these people gained powers, created by the Military or when they were members of an elite intergalactic police-corps, back then they all wore a uniform, this would be our E.H.C.A., while the Trance-Form is the initial transformation, the real suit of Armor so to say." Hilda explained.

"I see, yes that might work…, but what kind of silly chant shall we use…." I wondered, to be honest, even though people often called me a tomboy, was I not so well versed in all those action tv shows which the boys in my class liked to watch, sure there were some I liked and watched regularly but with the years passing, I grew away from them more and more, until I stopped altogether.

I wanted to be seen as a girl too sometimes, but I had grown too far apart from both boy and girl, until all I wanted was to be seen for myself, the way I was, normal, average, neither too much the one or the other.

"How about…, Trance On!

Its easy to understand and still describes exactly what we attempting to do." Hilda explained with a fiery will, so maybe she still held some of that boyish spunk in her.

In lack of a better idea, I accepted it reluctantly….., in my eyes this was just embarrassing.

"But one thing is for sure, I will not…, absolutely not…., strike some silly pose." I mumbled blushing in embarrassment, as I remembered how I often did so as a child.

"But you used to do it so well." Hilda teased me, fake-pouting.

"I know and I loathe the fact that I still know all of them Poses, as well as all the paroles before transforming…, this is so embarrassing, I am glad that I didn´t developed any 8-Grade-Syndrom." I stated shuddering in terror.

If I would have ended up like this, striking poses in random places out in the public, people would have thought even worse about me as they might do now, I would have had lost all of my friends ages ago, all of the respect I so painstakingly achieved in the Martial-arts-club, as a candidate for the next club-president.

Even admits all the new conviction I have gotten, even though I told Red that I would dedicate my heart for the people of the free regions…., I do still wonder…

What do people think of me, now and before they knew about my secret…, and even in the event that some of them accept me, will I be able to shoulder all the other people's hatred and ill-will, jealousy and vengeful wishes and will I still be able to move on as though nothing ever changed.

"What is it that people see in me?" I wondered as I made myself ready to change places.

"Are you ready?" I asked and Hilda nodded.

"Well…, here goes nothing…, 1. 2. 3. Trance On!" I stated in unison with Hilda.

All of a sudden blinding light engulfed me and a tingling sensation rose from all of my body, as if I was caressed by feathers all across, from head to toe.

I thought shape-shifting now, would be painful, just like in the last few times…, but perhaps it was due to me and Hilda willingly trading places, which made all the difference now.

"This feels strange, its not like my frame deforming but more as if I changed rooms, just slipping into another frame, another body." Hilda exclaimed and I nodded, that was surely different.

In earlier times it was more, as though I was forcefully and violently ripped backwards, out of my body, through a wall rather than a door, it was beyond painful, it felt as if my body was melting.

Now it felt as though I put on some kind of clothes, silk covering my sensitive fur, putting a layer above it.

Warmth filled me up from withing, my own body-heat being increased by something adding its own towards it, like the loving embrace of someone.

It was strange, but Trancing now felt far more comfortable than ever before…, almost natural.

"Well then I will be on my way, hang on until I will return." I stated towards Hilda, as I saw a door before me which led outside of my mind, my soul.

"I will be waiting, but don´t take too long…, I don´t know how long I can manifest myself." Hilda explained.

"This body might have taken on a form to suit me, but it is still your own body regardless, I doubt it can retain this form for too long." Hilda explained.

"You meant to say that the Trance-form has a Time-limit?" I asked unsure.

"Pretty much, I know that in the previous times, when I raged, I could do so for barely 10 minutes, but back then it was forced and non-consensual that we changed…, maybe this has now changed, maybe we can hold out longer now, who knows…, lets add another 5 to 10 minutes, that should be right." Hilda replied.

"You´re probably right." I mused as I looked at her.

"I´m confident that we got this, regardless of what our task is, we are no longer apart from each other, we are here and we are together, never one without the other." Hilda stated with a bright smile.

"Indeed, never one without the other." I replied as I took her hand and pulled her in a hug.

"Be careful out there." She stated as she embraced me.

"I will, you too, your task is after all more dangerous." I replied and she nodded.

"No fear I will." She stated as I slipped out of the room and found myself also slipping out of the body that way.

It was a strange sensation, stranger than walking through Limbo.

What I saw before me was the real outside world but it felt as though it was all on canvas, it felt not truly real to me, untouchable even.

"Is this what it feels to be a ghost?" I wondered as I made my way towards the raid-shelters.

Act 4: When we´re all rising up…!

Back in the raid shelters: Lorraine´s Pov:

Family Name: Quiche

Name: Lorraine

Race: Felineko

Age: 28

Marital-status: Single.

Current occupation: Biology Teacher at Schwarzwald`s Middle-School.

Other information: Wishes to marry before her 30th birthday.

Such was written in my profile back in the day, as I just started as a Teacher about a year ago…., this used to be me, but currently I wasn´t even sure if my wishes were even able to be fulfilled in the future.

The future was uncertain…., but thanks to one of my own students, I was even able to perhaps have a future at all.

I was at the school, checking up on some things I would need for the next exams, as suddenly a rumble, more akin to an earthquake, rolled through the building and all of a sudden, the ceiling began to collapse.

I made it in time to hide under a sturdy table, as the sky literally fell on my head.

I think I was trapped down there for at least two hours, I was able to breath and I was hardly injured, but even I could tell that there was no way out, I was a meek and weak woman, I had not muscles to speak off and according to some of the more adolescent boys in school, all there really was worth about me, were my big breasts, my only selling point so to say…, but even that would be not enough with a gloomy face like mine…, so their hurtful words.

I admit, I never really put that much effort into dolling myself up, maybe that's why some of the girls were so jealous about me, due to the fact that they spent hours and hours infront of mirrors to dress themselves up, to look appealing for the male eyes.

A true waste of time I would say, once you have to take it down infront of a guy, out of whatever reason, he will see your real self either way, so why bother fooling him before.

It is like building a straight road, all neat and perfectly angled and balanced, only to rip it back open, because they forgot to add an electricity cable for a streetlamp.

Even if they close it all up again, it will never be the same again.

Anyways, the point I am trying to get across is, that it doesn´t matter how much a woman dolls herself up, if she has to take it later on down again, and that every damn day…, one day your skin won´t take this abuse anymore…, seriously, if she can´t get a man with her normal looks, then it surely isn´t worth the time hunting for one in such fashion.

Then again, a very, very decent amount of makeup surely isn´t bad even I have to admit that…, but if you completely change the look of your original face, then what's the point, its as if the man then only falls in love with the makeup, rather than the woman beneath it.

I ramble on and on again…, it just shows how nervous and frightened I am.

Sitting here in the raid-shelters, without anything much to do, was wreaking havoc on my nerves.

What is going on out there, why is this all happening and what is going to happen from here on out…, will our peaceful life ever return?

Those were the questions I asked myself the most, they maltreated my brain over and over again, since hours, giving me a headache…, and yet, I still had no answer for any of them…, not for myself nor for any of my students who sat in here, some alone, others with their family.

Those who sat here alone had two options to face…., one crueler than the other…, either their parents died, buried beneath rubble, or killed by the enemy that invaded our home…, or they were still missing, which could include all of the above or even them being kidnapped by those hostile forces.

No one knew who they were or what was really going on here, even if our saviors tried often enough to make us understand.

I guess most of us were just too frightened to truly listened to what they said, and even if I did listen, didn´t that mean that I understood everything.

What I understood so far was that we were under attack by some people who call themselves Lycanians, most likely the successors of the ones that fought during the War of Sun and Moon, as well as having some of them within our own rows since after the war, who belong to the New Moon Society, some kind of sect that seems to have been brainwashed and hypnotized to follow the false lies these Lycanians tell them.

Then there were those who fought against the invaders, those who saved us and brought us here.

We all were brought in this raid shelter for a simple reason.

For protection, such was the words which 2 of my students and their little sister used.

Alpharia Million, Betakin Million and their little sister Cetala Million…, best known as Miss Merveille Million´s and Mr. Beluga Damiens´ Children.

To be honest, neither Alpharia nor Betakin ever stroke me as special, sure ambitious and hard-working, but never as someone who was very talented in anything major, or at least not in so much.

Alpharia as the oldest of them three, was what people might call a tomboy…, although she had her fair share of femineity, was she more often to see with boys around her, rather than with girls, but not in a romantic fashion, more in a buddy-buddy way.

She was quite athletic, sports like basketball, football, volley-ball track and field, swimming and most of all, martial-arts were her pro-points…, she was what I would call a sports-ace.

On the other hand, her academic achievements were by all means average and modest in comparison, she was not overwhelmingly smart but also not terribly stupid, although I as a teacher should not allow myself to ever call a student stupid either way.

If anything was apart from sports, she was average in it…, let´s leave it at that.

Betakin, the middle child, was smart, skilled and sportive in many ways, among other things also in Martial-arts, though not in such a fashion as his older sister.

He was a little above average in everything but modest about it, he was no super-brain, but he was smarter than most of his peers, and he did stroke me as the most reliable of them all, not that I would not trust his sisters with everything, but he just had this hardworking, enthusiastic charisma to him.

I had to confess, if he was a couple of years older than me, he might very well be just my type.

Obviously was this not the case and such a fantasy was for my mind alone to know about…, and as far as my understanding, from the previous scenes I had witnessed in here, was correct, then he had a girlfriend anyways, apparently he was together with none other but Cherry Blossom, Mayor William Blossom´s daughter, one of the so called 3 Queens of the Middle-school.

She was adored by Boys and Girls alike, a friendly and hardworking girl who even made it to become the president of the Student Council.

Some students, parents and teachers as well, were concerned that she might push herself to do that out of an obligation to her father's position, that he would force her to do it in some way, but it was plain to see that she actually had much fun doing so, not for the least since Betakin was the Chairman of the disciplinary committee of the student-body.

Come to think of it, Alpharia was also one of these 3 Queens, although she was more adored for her sportiveness, rather than her beauty or brains overall.

As far as I knew, the 3 criteria of becoming one of those 3 Queens were Beauty, Brawn and Brains, though I had no idea who would then fit the criteria of brains, at least not in middle-school.

If it was about schools in general, then I think the one with the most brain would surely be Cetala Million.

My Cousin, Hazel Nussbaum, was her Biology-teacher in elementary school and she asked me for material of the upper classes once.

I wondered and asked her of what in the world she would need such, if all she teaches were elementary students.

That´s when she told me about that one student of hers, a small girl, smaller than her peers, but with the brain of an adult, or a computer even, she shall have read the entire books on Biology, or any other school courses available in the elementary School´s library and aced every test, no matter the subject.

It was astounding, she aced a test on advanced biology, as if it was the easiest thing to do, even most of my students had difficulties with it.

There were teachers who vouched for her to enter higher grades, to instantly jump from 5th year of elementary school up to 2nd year of Middle-school.

But I was honestly unsure, a small kid like her together with all the other adolescent kids in here…, it might become too worse, if she would be mobbed for her brains, especially if she were to compete with that other Middle-school super-brain, known as the 3rd Queen.

Though I was sure that her siblings would take good care of her, I often saw them waiting at the front gate of Elementary school when I drove past and when I had the chance to get a glimpse of them three than it was evident that both really doted on her.

They were the very picture of a simple idyllic family, even if their parents worked hard for the Kurvaz.

It honestly was hard to get a Meeting with both of them at school nowadays and there was a long procedure to go beforehand.

All the Teachers who wanted to discuss something with them had to clear their schedule at the same day, in order to one after the other hold a meeting with them, of about half an hour each.

I myself had been in one of those meetings myself and I have to say that both did stroke me as responsible people, even if Mr. Damiens was somewhat strangely dressed for the occasion, but as he himself explained the first time, was he from a culture in which those were his best and most formal clothes, so we all just left it at that.

Also, because it was so rare that anyone even got to see him in the first place.

Some of the other female Teachers mocked him behind his back for his short stature, which was stupid, a man who was known as one of the 3 Generals, or Chairmen, of the Kurvaz, surely didn´t needed to be tall, if he was capable enough.

All he needed was brains and as far as I was concerned, he was smart enough to follow all of the different subjects of that day.

Miss Million on the other hand was very strict with herself and conducted herself perfectly, neatly dressed, perfect manners and a glance that could either freeze water or incinerate the very chair I was sitting on, depending on what negative critic we would have for one of her children.

Most of the time however, her glance was a rather harshly analytic one, I must admit, I felt quite nervous and frightened in her presence, at first at least, but once we spoke about her children and praised them for their efforts, it quickly became evident just how proud she was about them and how much she loved to speak about them.

However, one thing that struck me dumb was the fact that as fast as she began to swoon for her children, just as fast she stops…, as if something keeps her from showing those emotions, as if something forbids it to her, in her eyes, whenever this happens, I could see a deep sitting pain, but she didn´t let on just what was going on and I was delicate enough not to ask.

Another thing that was strange, although that surely was not my business to be concerned with, was the fact that neither of them both wore a wedding ring, which gave room for speculations and rumors to circulate around the Teacher´s lodge on some days.

Still, it was plain to see that both of them really cared for their children and also for each other, the way they left hand in hand afterwards might have been a funny picture, if it were anyone else who looked at them, but to me it was perfection.

Miss Million loved Mr. Damiens just the way he was and vise-versa and the three children they had together were more than enough evidence for their happy family together.

Yes, happy and over the average…, but even more so was it astounding of what I witnessed then…, in the moment of my darkest two hours, buried under the rubble, unable to free myself, afraid that moving too much might trigger the rubble to crush me underneath.

It was so dark in my confinement that I almost forgot how light looked like and when I suddenly saw it again it was blindingly bright.

Rather than being freed by firefighters or Members of the DiRA, the Disaster Response Agency, with their heavy machinery, the rubble began to float, as if picked up by a collapse in gravity, a sudden and drastic change in its intensity, as my old physics professor would say.

I was shocked as I saw this man in foreign clothes, protective black gear, a helmet on and in the background some giant Robot.

He held out a hand to me to grab on and as strange and unbelievable as this whole situation seemed to me, I took the hand I was offered with outmost gratitude.

As I was saved from beneath the collapsed ceiling, under the maltreated table, I had to see that the entire building had caved in, many people, most of them injured, stood around, while those three people seemed to conduct a rescue, letting more and more rubble float while some was picked up by the Mechas and let me tell you, it was a few tons worth.

The only reason of why I was not dead, squashed under the table was that the teachers lodge was on the top floor, right under the roof.

That surely was hidden Luck, but even more lucky I was that someone even came in order to rescue us, right…?

Or was it even a rescue…, the frightened look in people's faces was unclear to be identified, was it terror about being buried in this collapsing building or was it fright before those foreign people with the helmets on, hiding their faces, even their voices seemed to be distorted, why wouldn´t they show us who they were, even firefighters helmets are showing who is underneath…, but these helmets were completely closed, beside of some goggle-like appendages, most likely lenses.

This level of secrecy was what made everyone nervous, if this wasn´t a rescue…, maybe it was a selection, maybe they looked for survivors to take them into custody, were they perhaps the enemy who brought chaos about our home in the first place?

Initially, in that moment, no one knew for sure who they were and what their true motive and objective was…, and that made things so hard on us all, to believe in their words.

I saw some other teachers who were trying to flee, only to be caught and held back by the Mechas, as if they tried to keep us together…, or to keep us from injuring ourselves in our confused frenzy.

The three people soothingly talked about protecting us, trying to persuade us and follow them to the raid shelters, but they were neither of the I.D.A., the Republic´s Army, nor the Kurvaz or any known affiliation.

The fright and the resulting panic then began to get out of control and over short or long, even I was terrified beyond reasoning, feeling uncertain about anything…, as the black one approached me, I even began to thrown rocks and other things I could find at them, to keep them away from me and some other female teachers, who held pieces of broken chairs as weapons.

Tears in our eyes, our words only incoherent stuttering, our bodies trembling, the cold sweat running down our body, we all were frightened of maybe being kidnapped, enslaved, abused and maltreated, maybe even experimented-on or raped, for the rest of our lives.

I was too young to die a gruesome death or to be used as nothing but a breeding machine.

This went on for almost 20 minutes, in hindsight this whole quarrel was making our initial rescue not any easier and we sat quite on a silverplate there, so all out in the open, if I knew back then, what I know now, I wouldn´t have dared to waste so much time, only some kind of flick of luck enabled us to not be noticed by the enemy.

The three Strangers took the whole attack of our fright without deciding to give up on us, the whole time they tried to convince us with their words, until apparently one of them was sick and tired of trying to persuade us that way.

Under protest of his fellow comrades, he took of the helmet…, what I saw then stole my breath, literally.

For almost 1 minute I forgot how to breath.

Under the helmet was none other but Betakin Million and, more forced than willing, the others took their helmets off as well.

I was not sure about it, but I believed so after seeing him..., and I was to be right…, under the other helmets were none other but his siblings, Alpharia and Cetala, who looked at their brother with worry and sadness, as well as insecurity.

Insecure of being exposed to us, insecure of the reaction people would have to them now.

It struck me, clear as day, that their identities should have stayed secret and that with our action, we forced them to reveal themselves, showing who they were, endangering themselves and their family for the future.

Those Helmets and that uniform they wore, was a hero´s gimmick they wore and it was hidden by their everyday identity of the Million family, their alter-ego so to say.

In hindsight, this surely was what they had tried to avoid, especially after Alpharia was even attacked by three people out of the public, who even went so far as to take one of Alpharia´s friends as hostages, to force her to get herself killed, spouting some nonsense about their master not wanting to wait any longer.

It was only logical that all three of the Million Children then later on, after the attackers were all knocked out and confined, left the Shelter with some men of the I.D.A. and Mayor Blossom, before resealing the Shelter.

Ever since we were stuck in here unsure of what was going on out there.

But more than that I was left with the worst feeling ever, if something were to happen to the Million Family in the Future, then I too would be responsible for it, as I forced them to reveal their true identity.

Life was no comic-book, nor an action Movie and yet it had many parallels to the real life, if the secret identity of a secret hero is known, all of those he tries to protect the most are going to be endangered.

But even ore than just that, their appearance as well as them using some kinds of superpowers gave room for rumors, speculations and blatant assumptions of their real goal, their real motive for helping us.

While I was sitting here, I heard how many of such rumors flew around, saying, that the Kids had imprisoned us in here to keep us alive and later hand us over to the enemy, in exchange for their own safety…, total bullcrap if you ask me, why would they then bother fighting the enemy in the first place?

Others mused that they would have left us for dead, just like Alpharia had threatened us before, though I knew that those were words merely spoken in wrath about the foul treatment she and her siblings received, from those they had risked their own life for, in order to save them.

After I came to terms with what actually happened lately, I could only tell myself that I believed in the kids, they were not evil, if anything they were heroes to me, their bravery was astounding and even admits facing hatred and mistrust, they still stood tall.

But I was not the only one in my believe that the Million siblings were the good guys here.

Suzanne Bishop, Alpharia´s friend as far as I know, spoke of her as thought she was a saint, I remembered that at first, she too was uncertain and frightened, but then in that moment as she was held hostage by that Man, as they attempted to kill Alpharia, she was saved by the latter from a cruel fate.

The same was able to save her and she even took a slash with a hatched, directed at Suzanne.

Ever since the same was safe again in her mother´s arms, she said that she believed in Alpharia, that the same was surely not trying to harm anyone here, unless they would try to harm her.

That she and her siblings were the reason, that all of the here present people even managed to survive the initial attacks.

She spoke my mind clearly.

Her Mother, Mrs. Marianne Bishop was of the same believe, ever since Alpharia saved her daughter…, as far as I know, from overhearing a conversation during homeroom, Mrs. Bishop is a History-professor at Pharaoh´s University and she stated that in olden times, many heroes were initially falsely understood before people became aware of their real self, that right now was no different.

People, who are different from the norm, are firstly being monitored and rejected before the idea of accepting them becomes appealing.

Michaela Toronto, the Girl that threw her baseball at the one holding Suzanne hostage, distracting him enough to be beaten by Alpharia, said that she would never believe Alpharia to be evil, queer and sometimes stubborn yes, but not evil.

There were also some other adults like Mr. Gelhauser, an acquaintance of the Million family, apparently the owner of a famous Family-Restaurant here in Bordaussie, where the Kids often went to, when their parents were away again for work.

According to his telling he, once he was saved, had to witness how some people sneaked up on Betakin with knifes, as he was talking to someone, he then shouted out a warning and faster than anyone could see Betakin had taken the attackers down.

Upon closer inspection one each of them, the ones here in the raid shelters as well, all had a tattoo as a mark of their affiliation to this New Moon-Sect.

I was not sure about them, but from what I had heard and seen with my own eyes earlier, they seemed to be some radial criminals affiliated to the very enemy that currently attacked our Home and I was frightened, what if more of them were hiding in here or out there.

That surely was the reason why the Million Children left us here in safety…, in order to fight the enemy, but also to keep the enemy in the own rows from acting up, once again taking hostages.

If there was no one to threaten, then there was no need for them to act that way.

But it hurted, almost physically, to know that I, as an adult, had to depend on the protection of such young Children…, I felt ashamed of myself and off all those who complained about being cramped together in the shelters.

"I cannot believe that they are still whining about that." I muttered to myself.

"For real, but not only that, some are still saying that Alpharia and her Siblings would be monsters, even some of their own friends, or those who once wished to be more than mere acquaintances to them…, it is as sad as it is interesting to see how quick their view of them has changed, how quickly they turned on them, once the ulterior motives, which they had, can no longer be fulfilled.

Alpharia was right, if this was the extend of love or care they showed for them, then I too wouldn´t rather have that in the first place…, I can understand that they are wary of them, especially since a lot of them lost friends and family back in Pharaoh 2 years ago due to super-villains, who just happened to be hybrids as well, but even they cannot be so blind as to not see that we are safe here.

We not ought to throw them all in the same bucket after all.

Let´s face I, there is always evil, even in our society it exists good people and bad people, why would it have to be different for Hybrids, if they have rotten apples in their harvest, then it was sure that they also have intact and perfect ones.

We are safer than Alpha and her siblings out there, I mean, can those who complain not hear the noises coming from above, the quaking of earlier, I am sure those were bombs or something akin to that detonating, and it surely weren´t a few." Suzanne explained and we all nodded.

"There is a War-zone right above our heads…, that much I know…, I wonder how it looks up there…., but I am not so keen as to take a look, if I would do so…, I bet I would die if I were on my own.

We ought to be grateful that we are here in safety, although I am most ashamed to admit that this is only so because of the Million Siblings, if it weren't for them, we might have died back then.

As an adult I should be out there myself, defending them…, even more so as a man…, but what can a simple man like myself possibly do, I have no military experience whatsoever, all I am is a chef." Mr. Gelhauser replied, his mine one of self-disappointment.

"If only there was anything edible in here, then I might be able to cook some soup for everyone, but these shelters were made to house 1.000 people at most, but in here we have 2.500, the entire remaining population of Bordaussie…, or at the very least those the Siblings were able to find for the last few days and nights.

Its stuffy in here, hard to breath, the overall panic is shortly before the breaking point and our food and water supplies are beginning to dwindle at an alarming rate." He complained and I knew how he felt…, when all you can do is sit around waiting for the end of the war outside, when you have to admit to yourself that all you currently are, is being useless.

"If only I could help them somehow." I muttered and sighed in unison with four other voices.

The tiny circle we had formed, which sat apart from the other survivors, consisted out of those devoted to the sibling's side, those who did not saw them as abnormal or as a threat.

"I admit, I was frightened at first…, I mean I know how dangerous Hybrids can be, we all saw that 2 years ago…, so to suddenly hear that the friend you used to know for so long was in reality one of those people….

Not the ones that attacked of course, but similar…, once you hear the term Hybrid, you unfortunately cannot not think about the devastation brought by those 2 years ago, I guess that is just normal…, I was lucky not to have been caught in all that, but some of my friends lost family members there…

Honestly speaking, it frightened me, I suddenly became aware that I knew absolutely nothing about Alpharia…, the real one at least…, just the things she wanted me to see, the girl I knew…, was it but an illusion, a stage play of her, which made me wonder…, did she faked everything, everything I knew of her up until now?

What is wrong and what is real, which is the real Alpharia?" Suzanne stated unsure, while being held tight by her mother.

"I don´t know…, all I know is that the girl I saw before me in that moment, defended you, my daughter…., she defended you while being injured herself, she saved all of us together with her Siblings and went to fight a war we could never win…, to be honest, I could care less about what she is, rather than what she did and still does." Mrs. Bishop replied and maybe she was the voice of reason this group needed, she already lost her husband 2 years ago durng the attacks at Pharaoh, so she should obviously be most afraid of Hybrids, but here she saw some of them in action and they changed her view of them drastically.

"Aren´t you afraid…, I mean, your daughter…, and me as well I guess, we were friends with a being similar to those who attacked the entire Republic…?" Michaela asked, knowing her friend´s back story.

She looked down and sighed before she looked up again.

"I wonder…, what must Alpharia have felt when she met us again, after the events of 2 years ago, knowing that the family of one of her friends was destroyed by a being similar to her own…., I think I would have freaked out, if I had known about her true self back then….

I might have accused her of all the wrong things…

After all…, if they were that strong as to take on an Enemy of this magnitude as now…, why weren´t they there 2 years ago.

But I cannot shake the feeling that I somehow should not blame her, that she very well wished to fight for the Republic, but that something held her back…, even now I cannot come to hate Alpharia, I just feel pity, because all of her life she had to play the role of a normal girl…, and she did so perfectly, never mind that…, but I can just imagine how tiring that must be.

I could understand if you would be frightened by that reveal, Mrs. Bishop…, but as it seems you aren´t am I right?"

"No not really…, I know Alpharia since a long time, since she was little, Suzanne is after all her Childhood-friend and I even know Miss Million, though I only rarely got to meet her.

Neither of them stroke me as any different than myself, at least not from the straight-on social aspect, they were simple and talkative, Miss Million did tented to lost herself in explanations if she was to tell me about her work but that was natural, I wasn´t any different once I get started on history.

Suzanne and Alpharia almost instantly got along with each other and in all the years I know them, there was never any major issue.

They were friends just the same way as you and Suzanne are.

I never heard that Alpharia dragged Suzanne somewhere dangerous, or pulled her in anything illegal, or the like.

If anything, then it was more Alpharia who was most conscious of such things and had a tendency to hold Suzanne back when she was about to jump headfirst into trouble." Mrs. Bishop explained and Suzanne nodded while furiously blushing.

"If Alpharia were any hostile, she would have had enough chances to harm my daughter…, or anyone else for that matter…, so why would she now, after nearly 14 years of knowing each other, start with that?

What would there be to gain…, and let´s be honest…, we all saw how she fought earlier, as she beat those guys…, even if she easily could have killed them with her strength, she chose not to.

She just knocked them out, even if she did used more violence than needed…, but I can understand where she came from…, if I would be ambushed and insulted, not to mention threatened, like that, I think I would retaliate in the exact same way if I were in her shoes.

Sure, it might be strange, to suddenly get to know about such a thing, it´s like a huge bomb that was dropped…, it´s like hearing from someone, who you thought to be straight all his or her life, that he/she actually has been gay or lesbian the entire time, it is something shockingly new…, but ultimately you will learn to accept it, if you really want to, at least.

Ultimately it doesn´t change a thing, at least not to me and I doubt that it changes all that much to Suzanne, am I right?" Mrs. Bishop asked her daughter while the same nodded confidently.

"Sure, of course I am afraid of those Hybrids from 2 years ago, all that devastation, all the casualties and the misery they brought…, not to mention that their actions killed Dad…, but ultimately this is Alpharia we are talking about.

It is as you say, I have known her almost all my life, we are friends since ages, just yesterday she and I hung on the phone for almost 2 entire hours talking away.

She didn´t struck me as any different as on any other day and even now, I don´t think that she has changed so much." Suzanne replied and her mother nodded with a comforting smile.

"Her forces, her being a hybrid…, it was just an aspect we didn´t know about her, a side we had yet to uncover…, but even the best of friends don´t always know everything about each other, doesn´t that apply to you as well?" Mrs. Bishop explained and I nodded, she was absolutely right there.

"Also, although I have never seen any of them myself, are hybrids not that rare to begin with.

Back in the days before the war of sun and moon, there were a lot of Hybrids who fought on the battlefields of the belligerent states, back then most of them were used as weapons and slaves by the normal races, especially the Kingdom of Armenia was said to have used them in their wars before the same fell to ruin." Mrs. Bishop explained.

"Armenia…., never heard of it?" I replied.

"Neither have I." Mr. Gelhauser nodded.

According to his telling, he used to be a Math-teacher before he retired early, after earning enough money and instead opened a restaurant.

"Well to be honest, this is teached at our university but since any records or informations about this Island were lost in the flames of the Grand Fire at the royal Library about 250 years ago during the Shepherd Revolution, we only have sparse informations left, this is mostly all we know today of this island." Mrs. Bishop explained blushing.

"I see, well that makes sense, so hybrids aren´t really that uncommon, it is just that we haven´t seen any in ages.

Or at least no hostile ones, until the arrival of those from 2 years ago." I explained and she nodded.

"A little I can understand Alpharia, the reason of why she never told anyone of us, even before the events of that time, she must have been afraid that we would not like her anymore, that we would avoid, and discriminate her.

Mobbing her for something she cannot change…, that we wouldn´t understand her…, just as it currently happens…., but then again…, I wonder…, if her being a hybrid…, does that mean, that Mrs. Million and Mr. Damiens are Hybrids too?" Suzanne wondered.

"If that would be true, then she has played her role as a normal woman, although a genius, perfectly…, I never suspected a thing." Mrs. Bishop explained.

"Neither did I, although I only ever met her, face to face, about 4 times to begin with." I replied sighing.

"I admit I never truly managed to understand that woman…, but she never struck me as evil or spiteful or having any major ulterior motives…

Then again, I can´t really say that my intuition in that department is any good.

I wouldn´t know a hostile person, until she would hold a gun to my head." Mr. Gelhauser stated as a matter of fact and I guess he was right.

"In the end its more of what they do rather than what we assume of what´s going on with them, as far as I know Merveille million has worked for the benefit of the Republic since her teenage years, if you can believe all of the techno-science magazines that feature her awards and good deeds.

Apparently, she shall have worked against Bruno Dondurma from the inside of the Kurvaz during that scandal with this titanic Beast, which that madman tried to capture, in order to use it for his own benefit." Mrs. Bishop explained.

"yeah but all he managed was to anger this thing , making it retaliating together with it´s companion, on top of the attack of these evil Hybrids, then again it was as though those two lured them here.

Makes me still wonder what we all ever did to them, was this revenge or but a simple unprovoked attack, I still have no idea how to see that.

But if those were the bad apples of the Hybrids then we surely will need some good ones, like the Million Siblings, to cancel the evil ones out." Mr. Gelhauser stated with a benevolent smile, but the moment he said those words out loud, an argument with those who had a very different ideology, was inevitable.

"Seriously, is this how you people want to keep your dream bubble upright…, I don´t get it…., just what are you guys talking about?

Hybrids are evil, we all know that…, just look at how much damage they have done 2 years ago, anyone who thinks about these creatures…, these monsters, to be harmless, is a bigger moron than I ever thought of!" Suddenly a loud voice exclaimed, a voice that managed to drown every other conversation in the raid shelter, despite not even shouting.

It came from behind us and we quickly realized that some people had listened on to our conversation and now attempted to make their voice and their opinions heard.

If we were the Pro, they were the Contra, the opposition and they did not planned to go under unheard.

"Is that the way you see it, Raphaella…, if that is so, your view of the world sure seems narrow to me." Suzanne replied with a lot of venom in her mouth, as she turned around towards the initial aggressor of this newly founded argument.

"My world-view is just fine, thanks a lot Suzanne…, but I think you are getting a little too much comfortable to the idea, of being friends with such a monster, what are you trying to do…, do you hope she spares you if you flatter her…, that she does not intend to sell you off to slavery once she gets the chance, or to safe her own skin…, well, tell me?" Raphaella Ambrosius, another one of my students, exclaimed.

I often heard complaints from other teachers as well as rumors of both, she and Alpharia, sharing conversional beatdowns with each other, rather than resorting to sheer physical violence.

If life were a Music event, they would be stuck in a never-ending Rap Battle.

"Raphaella, just what are you implying…., do you mean to say that Alpharia would do such nasty things, are you for real?" Michaela asked enraged.

"She is right, who knows what her deal is…, from all we know, she could plan to sell us off, just to make sure she and her family are spared by those people…, or this might all be just an act, maybe she and her family and friends are faking these attacks, to make us believe in her and then later on she stabs our back by selling us off…, ever thought about that?" Vincent Vaughn, a male student from Betakin´s class asked.

"Are you guys even listening to what nonsense you are spouting here…, are you really that stupid as to believe such delusions, just who the hell hammered such stupidity in your heads, huh?" Suzanne asked getting enraged herself.

"Those ain´t any stupid delusions…, or do you think you know the truth…, maybe you knew that she was a hybrid all along, ain´t that right…, after all you are BFF´s with that witch, what did she promised to you, a share of her power, money, or to spare your mother´s life…, well…, tell me?" Raphaella demanded to know.

"Seriously kids, this is nuts, why do you think such things of your classmate, that´s surely not how your parents have raised you?" I stated, deeming the time right to intervene.

"As if you know anything, you´ve been gullible and hanging at their lips since the time you were brought here by them, I bet they somehow brainwashed you, so that you take their side…, but I ain´t no fool, I know what´s what." Raphaella replied with a hiss in my direction which made me back away, it has been years since I last saw such madness and hatred, but even more so, fear, in someone´s eyes.

"Oh, so you do…., well then little missy, how about you enlighten us…, what is this truth you apparently know so well." Mr. Gelhauser asked with narrowed eyes as he stepped before me, as if to protect me.

I felt how my cheeks heated up a little…, but only a little.

"They are surely trying to use us as sacrificial pawns, to safe their own kin from the attackers, I bet there are even more of those Hybrids out there, I guess they have somewhere a place where they have hidden themselves, I bet they are just currently in some kind of territorial war with another tribe.

They sacrifice our lives in exchange for more of that devilish powers, in some kind of sick perverted ritual…, haven´t you read the news about all the disappearances in the Republic lately, I bet they are involved in those kidnappings." Vincent exclaimed, I always knew that he and Betakin could not stand each other, they were more than just rivals or something, it was more like they couldn´t stand the sight of each other…, and I guess these feelings of Vincent began now to fuel his paranoia, bordering in a state of sheer madness and ill will.

"Wow…, seriously, I knew you were stupid Vince…, but I never thought that you have shit for brains." Garfield Ferex, a Felineko boy and another classmate of Betakin, exclaimed as he walked up to us from Suzanne´s side.

He and his friends and family sat a bit apart from our group, but I thought to hear them discussing the same matters as we did, as far as I know they were in Mr. Gelhauser´s group of people which were brought here by Betakin and Alpharia.

"Seriously…, a dark Ritual…, evil witchcraft…, what are we, in the medieval age…, where is your pitchfork?

Have you already built a stake to burn them on?

This is bullshit, you understand…, those powers of them, they are more akin to the forces, which the Paladins of old have used and they always used them for the good and the beneficial of everyone.

In the war of sun and moon, both, Felidae and Canidae Paladins fought side by side to defeat the Lycanians and their dark armies who fought with Guns, cannons and other war-machinery, as well as with the abominations some of us have seen last night.

Those creatures who can only move in the darkness, they are real.

There is nothing so fantastic like Witchcraft that can seemingly create something from nothing, it is all science, only the expanding, reducing, assembling, adding and morphing of given structures and Materia, so to say, the changing of the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

If you understand how atoms are constructed, then it is very well capable of creating basic elements, with assembling and dividing, or even recombining them in a different way.

Face it, Vince, your delusions about it all being forces impossible to understand, forces which could only generate from the darkness is stupid, this way of thinking just lets you seem weak and pathetic at best." Garfield exclaimed as he rolled his eyes in annoyance, stifling a laughter.

Much, very much so, to Vincent's enragement.

"Why you little…, who the hell asked you for your stupid opinion anyways, we all know that you would love to suck Betakin´s…" Vincent shouted, implying something, which I only knew briefly from Garfield himself once talking to me about it, as I am his teacher and Counselor.

Vincent was about to let go of a waterfall of rants and other hurtful words and phrases, but before he could do so, an enraged Mr. Gelhauser stood up and walked right up to Vincent, taking him by the collar.

"Now listen here, you little dirtbag, I don´t care if you cry because of Betakin being better at something than you, but I think its high time you shut your mouth, everybody here is already stressed out enough with the whole situation at hand, we don´t know what exactly is going on here but the things we know are that for the current time we are safe in here.

I also highly doubt that Betakin and his family would turn on us unless we all give them a damn good reason to do so…, if we all cooperate with them they surely will have an easier time and focus on fighting and defending, as if we suddenly blame them for anything that is happening lately.

So how about your keep your malevolent ideologies to yourself, as Alpharia already said before, we don´t need your hateful speeches about our saviors, none of them, from both of you, so shut your traps and sit back down will you!" Mr. Gelhauser growled in a low tone as he held Vincent a few centimeters above ground, looking at both him and Raphaella.

"Let go of me you stupid old fart, no one asked you for your stupid opinion, if you wish to crawl into Betakin´s ass, then leave this place, go find him and bury yourself deep into him.

In the deepest hole, sucking on the demon´s teats, that's where people like you belong, who rather want to be confined under the threat of such a creature, than to live a free life, free from such abominations.

You damn traitors, betraying your own kin…, but I guess People who worship trash can only be called trash themselves." Vincent exclaimed as he looked at all of us, but especially longer at Suzanne, Michaela and Garfield and I gasped, I surely believed him to be more well behaved….

It was hard for me, as a teacher, to see how the children conducted themselves outside of school, especially now, in a situation in which we should all stand together.

Not that Vincent ever made much effort at being polite anyways, he was after all one of those boys who only treated others upon their outer appearance, myself included.

But seeing it clearly how little the lessons about teamwork and togetherness, which we taught them all, actually means to most of them, was fearsome and truly disappointing.

"SLAP!" A loud slapping sound was to be heard and before I realized just what happened, a heated argument was unleashed, which would have bordered in an all-out brawl between Mr. Gelhauser and Mrs. Bishop, who apparently slapped Vincent, as well as Vincent´s and Raphaella´s Parents, if it weren't for a loud voice that rendered anyone silent and literally speechless.

"GEEEZ; SERIOUSLY…, I´M GONE FOR A FEW HOURS AND ALREADY IT´S SODOMIA AND GOMOR IN HERE, OR WHAT?!" Alpharia´s voice rang over every other voice, its ring leaving the entire raid shelter grave-silent.

"Unbelievable…..., up there is a damn war going on and you guys have nothing better to do, as to beat each other up…., seriously, why the hell have I even brought you guys here in safety, if you have that much energy left in you, you should have followed us outside and vent your frustration off upon the enemy´s forces, the real enemy here, maybe you would have weakened them significantly and actually done something worthwhile." Alpharia´s voice stated after a long sigh.

In this crowd it was hard to make her out, but as if some celebrity was passing through, the people opened up a corridor to let her through, some with fearful mines and others in curiosity and some…, looked more reverend to her.

There she stood…, or more floated in the air, a pale emerald-green-colored silhouette, unmistakably Alpharia…., but then again…

"What the hell…, Alpharia what happened to you?" Suzanne and Michaela exclaimed in shock.

"Alright, alright, calm down you two, before I explain…, no I am not dead, I am very much alive." Alpharia began to explain.

"Can you really call that alive…, I mean you are clearly a ghost…, you are floating and your body is half transparent and …, well surrounded by a greenish aura." Garfield asked unsure.

"Yes I´m still alive, I just separated my spirit from my body to travel here, to talk to you guys." Alpharia explained.

"So you did die…?" Vincent asked dumbfounded, the former argument completely forgotten.

"How often do I have to tell you, until your dumb skulls accept it, I did not die…, I just let my Hybrid-form take over my body, while I separated from it and came to you on an urgent mission." Alpharia explained pinching her nose in annoyance.

"Wait a second…, but you are a hybrid…, so how can you be here and at the same time …, wherever your body is?" Raphaella asked highly confused similar to all of us.

"Most Hybrids, at least those I know, possess two souls in one body, one is ourselves, in my case the Alpharia you all know, the other is our enhanced-human form, Brynhildr Alpha Million for me." Alpharia explained.

"Wait what…, two souls…, a human and a Caninu in one body…, how is that even possible?" Unbelieving murmurs were getting loud.

"We could of course discuss now long and broad the physiology, the biology and the history of us Hybrids, but that sure ain´t the reason of why I am here…!" Alpharia explained, nipping any unnecessary discussion in the bud, just to ignite a new one, although surely not on purpose.

"Then why are you here, tell us, have you finally come to sacrifice us?" Vincent asked, his fists raised, ready to fight his way out…

Though I doubted that martial arts would help much against Alpharia, not as she is now…, and even in her normal form was it highly doubtable that Vincent would win against her..

"…What…, what the actual fuck?" Alpharia asked dumbfounded, confused about the just heard, before she narrowed her eyes.

"Are you actually for real, you dumb mutt…, are you still saying that me and my Siblings and friends try to deceive you, or to sell you out for our own safety…, or what the hell else…, seriously, If I had now the time for it, as well as my body here, I would slap some damn much-needed sense into your dumb skulls, believe it." Alpharia stated and her mood changed almost instantly, from irritated to fully enraged.

"It´s not all of us who believe this kind of bullshit though, only dumbasses like him do." Suzanne explained, backed up by a vigorously nodding Michaela and even I nodded, it was not proper of a teacher to take anyone´s side in an argument…, but in here I had to make my point clear at which side I stood.

"Betakin saved me and many others and for that I will be forever grateful, whatever it is, that you need, count me in." Mr. Gelhauser explained after he let go of Vincent, stepping back to our side.

"That is good to hear because you guys can instantly do something for us…." Alpharia explained before harshly being interrupted.

"I won´t do anything for someone like you…, not for some kind of Witch, who wishes to enslave us, or for Traitors of their own kin such as you people, whatever you wish to do count me out!" Vincent explained, while Raphaella nodded behind his back.

"Oh…, I see, is that the case…, well then…., you can shove yourself your opinion and words up your butt..., I haven´t counted for one second on your assistance anyways…, just don´t bother me and the others…, stand in our way and you will have it coming…, understood?" Alpharia explained as she floated up to them, leaning in to Vincent's ear, him being too scared to even move a millimeter.

She took away the bread he held and instead gave it to a mother and her children, who looked starving and in full anticipation at the bread…

This minor action seemed like nothing but it actually confirmed my suspicion as well as two other things, despite her being a spirit, as she claimed so herself, was she still able to influence the mortal realm, at least to some degree, the second thing was that if this was true, then she very much was able to beat Vincent in a brawl, even without her body.

"While you stand there, paralyzed like a pillar, I hope you have enough brain, to think long and hard about the following sentence…, those who don´t work, shall not eat…, and while we are at it, here is another one:

Those who know no compassion and kindness, have no right to be treated with such!" Alpharia stated towards Vincent and it did sound a little threatening if anything, but I could see where she came from.

"It basically means just that…, to all of you here present, I have a request for you…, as you are aware, hopefully…, are my Siblings, comrades and myself still currently heavily engaged in fighting the enemy, we managed to pipe it down to the last one of them on our end.

Our opponent is their leader, General Lunnare Wolfenstein, apparently the 7th seat in Lycan´s Council, which means that she is significantly strong and far, far more capable than any of their foot-soldiers.

This madwoman is a dang piece of work and we all almost died once, if it weren't for Red Savarin who helped us and who´s currently fighting along our side…" Alpharia explained and this announcement had the wished effect, the murmuring was mostly positive after she mentioned Red Savarin.

"Lies…, you are a damn cheat Alpharia…, there is no way someone so grand like Red Savarin would bother with coming here..., why would he?" Raphaella replied harshly, dismissing the idea of the hero of the Republic actually coming to safe us.

"Because he fights for the safety of everyone, not just a few select, if there is someone out there suffering, and he happens to be aware of it, then you can be certain that he will come to offer his help." Alpharia explained.

"And why only now, why wouldn´t he have arrived hours or days and nights before, why wasn´t he here on the day of the attack…., tell us?" Vincent replied in anger, while Alpharia only pinched his nose in annoyance.

"Do you honestly still think that Bordaussie is the only place which is being attacked right now?

If you do then, you surely are stupider than I thought.

Currently the whole Republic, as well as the Kingdom of Prairie and the Nippon Archipelago in the far east, are all being attacked simultaneously.

The reason of why Red Savarin has not been able to come until now, has 2 distinct reasons.

For one, as I was saying, are we not the only ones who are being attacked, Airedale, Visla, Pharaoh, Basset, Samoyede…, every Island in the Republic is similar attacked as we are, some more as there is more to gain, others on the other hand less…, but all of them are at the very least under siege.

Currently however, Red Savarin and his group managed to free both Basset and Airedale so far and currently made their way to the source for all the attacks, the Island of Ragdoll within the Devil´s Throat, which is apparently the Hideout of the Lycanian Fleet here in the Republic.

Red Savarin, much like myself right now, has send his astral projection from infront of the Devil´s Throat over to us, in order to assist us, while the Kurvaz under command of Ex-Air-Chief-Marshal Quebec Melizee, will soon send us reinforcements.

We have now also confirmation that both, the Royal Envy as well as the Golden Roar, are located at Ragdoll, gearing up for an all-out Assault against the Lycanians, to stop them from doing any more damage than they have already done." Alpharia explained.

"And what´s the second reason?" Raphaella demanded to know.

"Because he didn´t know how hard we were attacked, communications between the islands, as well as to the Kurvaz, or any other Defense Agency, had been down for a whole while now and only recently managed to be re-established, which finally got our request for Back-up through, as I was saying, the Kurvaz is currently at sending reinforcements towards us.

Once Red knew what was going on, he Instantly sent his Astral Projection over to assist us, sharing his forces with us." Alpharia continued to explain and it all made sense to me now.

"If he can do this, then why isn´t he here himself?" Vincent asked with narrowed eyes.

"Are you actually using you damn ears…..., haven´t I just told you that he is currently right infront of the Devil´s throat, ready to embark on a mission to enter and fight or rescue whatever is in there…., He is at least over a hundred airmiles away, even if he would travel from there towards us now, he would not make it back in one day, which might jeopardize their entire operation.

Sending his spirit to us in some way, was the best he could do in that situation." Alpharia explained and now I was certain, I heard rumors about it but no one ever had a true concrete evidence.

"Alpharia…, am I right in the assumption, that Red Savarin himself is a Hybrid?" I asked her.

"Among other things, yes!" She promptly replied, which left the room dead-silent.

"No…, no way, you are lying…, YOU ARE FUCKING LYING, DON'T YOU!?" Vincent shouted at Alpharia.

"Why would I lie about my own Stepbrother?" Alpharia explained and dropped a bomb, just as huge as the previous one.

"S-Stepbrother…, you and him…, you and Red Savarin are…, Step-siblings?" Raphaella asked, clutching her head as if her brain couldn´t contain the information she has just gotten.

"He is my mothers first born Child, long before she knew my dad.

His father is a man called Quynne Savarin, that is all I know, my Mother doesn´t like to speak about that time, but apparently his Father took him away from her and they only recently, in the last two years, met again, as he worked together with the Kurvaz, to solve the conspiracy of Bruno Dondurma and in order to defeat the other two Hybrids, Blank and Nero." Alpharia explained and although she fooled everyone else, I knew how she sounded when she lied…, or at the very least did not tell the whole truth.

But given the circumstance, that this theme was most likely quite a delicate one and not only concerned her, but also Red Savarin, someone considered the Hero of the Republic, it was maybe best if people believed that much.

"I cannot believe this..., my Hero…, shall be one of them…" Raphaella stated in sheer shock.

"You are lying, tell me that you are lying!" She hissed at Alpharia, as she tried to grab her, but ran right through her, the Alpharia Million we saw here was still just an Astral Projection after all, or she was able to make herself solid at will, to interact with the mortal realm.

"If it makes you feel better I could…, but I am not here to do that, I am here to get my request heard, whether someone heeds it or not is irrelevant although I would greatly appreciate the help, then again, at the very least no one can say that I did not asked." Alpharia explained uncaringly, I was sure she thought about what might happen if no one would be willing to help.

"All I try is to find a way to save more lives, that's why I ask you, trying to recruit you in helping us…, but if you rather want to be those who could have done something, but chose not to do so, then at least no one can later make us responsible for it, at the very least none of you." Alpharia stated with narrowed eyes before she turned around and floated away.

"I got my answer, I will leave now, I have wasted enough time here." She stated as she was almost at the door.

"Wait a second…, I am willing to help, if you can use me than don´t hesitate to do so…, what is this request of yours, let us hear it in your own words, young Miss Million." Mr. Gelhauser stated, while Suzanne, Michaela and Garfield and some of his friends, as well as Mrs. Bishop and my own as well, stepped behind him nodding.

"Finally, we get to that, anyway, as I was saying, since my Siblings, my Friends and myself, currently are at defeating the last few Enemies, we are preoccupied with fighting and cannot tent to anything else.

As I still don´t know how far the fight of my father and his team, between them and their opponents, has progressed and they still haven´t returned to our side, I just assume that they are still in combat with them and won´t be able to help either, neither us nor those willing to help.

Anyway, currently none of us has any time, nor the opportunity, to go search for any possible survivors, which might still be hidden or enclosed in the ruins of the town.

Therefore, I came here to request from some of you, who are willing, to take upon that task themselves, so that we can focus on fighting and…" Alpharia explained but was rudely interrupted by Vincent.

"Are you nuts, no way in hell anyone would go deliberately out there, when the enemy is still at large, at least I am not so stupid as to try." He stated in a fit of rage and cowardice.

"Well…, I haven´t really counted on much from you to begin with…

This task is only for the ones willing to sacrifice everything for the safety of a few, we don´t know how many are still alive, or where they are located for that matter, but as far as I know the I.D.A, as well as the Branch of R.A.P. (Reconstruction Assistance Project of the Nippon Archipelago), should still possess some equipment with heat-sensory lenses, in times of cave-ins of buildings and mines among other things, maybe with them you can find them, if they aren´t dead yet.

This is obviously a dangerous Operation, therefore only the willing one will be tasked with this, anyone who has the courage to rise above his own fear and to actually help us, while we keep the enemy at bay, is welcome.

Of course, you won´t just go out of there completely naked, so to say, those who choose to fight alongside of us, in a way, will of course gain our special protection while being out there.

The force I possess is calledSkuld´s Protection, it generates a forcefield around your bodies, which keep you from being injured, however, be aware that it won´t save you from the impact-force of an explosion, you might not feel the pain, but you will be blown out of your socks, if something were to detonate right infront of you, just see it that way, even if something were to cave in above you, you would be fine but you would not be able to free yourselves, unless someone helps you.

On the other hand, if you would defend someone, you would be able to save them directly, since this protection can be shared

It is like a thin layer of reversed gravity, wrapped around your body, a shield that absorbs physical attacks.

It is directly tied to the Shield of Armatura Impervius, so you can be certain that its defense abilities are for real.

In her prime, my Ancestor, Skuld Xenovia Million Wolvenra was able to defend the entire Country of the ancient High-Kingdom of Ragnarök with it, and the force of the shield she used has not been depleted in the least, maybe I can only use a fraction of its power by now, but it should be enough to defend you guys.

However, it is not just my own force but also your own, as long as you believe in it, as long as you believe in yourself, you will be able to become heroes yourself.

Someone you can save might later on call you that, I am certain, a couple of hours ago, I saw a small little girl, just orphaned and frightened to death, not sure what happened to herself, but by the time my brother saved her and even protected her with his life, she called him a hero.

Red Savarin, my Stepbrother…, he told me earlier, that a hero is not born, nor is it made…, a hero is someone which other people see as such…, its all about what you do, what other people see you doing.

If you safe a hundred people, 90% will be grateful to you, 10% might even go as far as to call you their Hero.

If you wish to be one yourself, you have to put in a lot of work, but this may never be enough.

A Hero is not a title you can just pursue, or which you can easily obtain by others, it is something you have to earn.

By the way, the raid shelters are protected by the same Shield, so even if you were to stay in here you would be safe.

However, for all those who have the force to make a difference in our overall situation, but choose not to do so, be it out of cowardice or spite, or even just out of laziness and unwillingness, and even those who just simply cannot do it…

Let me tell you one thing that is for certain…

You guys have absolutely no right to scrutinize me and my Family for anything that has happened before and after now, have I made myself clear!?" Alpharia stated, looking at Vincent and Raphaella who both looked aside in scorn.

"I will go.

Just as I was terrified in that situation, alone with my mother in the caved-in ruin of our house, others might still be there, starving, dehydrated, maybe even injured, slowly losing hope of ever seeing the light of day again, if I can help, then so I will." Suzanne stated with determined eyes.

"Naturally, if there is any chance that my parents might still live, then I have to take it." Michaela nodded.

"You can count on us, Betakin has always helped us out with numerous things, it´s high time that we repay him." Garfield and his friends nodded in unison.

"I don´t know how much I can do, but I have some knowledge in first aid, so I bet they will come in handy." Mrs. Bishop explained and I nodded, I had some too, this was the best I could do.

"I am not so strong but I am still a man, I will help as best as I can." Mr. Gelhauser explained with confidence.

"The last time we went out there, we barely were any help to you guys…, but if we are tasked to do things we actually can do, then we are more than just willing to help, leave the heavy lifting to us.

This time we won´t fail!" The guys from the I.D.A, who accompanied us before but which we had to return as it became too dangerous, were pumped up once more, their eyes blazing with determination.

"Everyone who has the power to accomplish something, is supposed to do so, that is a universal law, which is nowhere written but which should be pursued by anyone, otherwise it is just a waste of talent.

As Mayor, I have no real way of helping in this situation, I never even was taught by my predecessor, of what to do in times of war…, but as a Man I too have my pride, I bet my daughter is doing everything she can herself, in that case, how could I ever sit tight if my citizens might still be suffering out there." Mayor Blossom explained as he stepped to us.

More and more people stood up ready to embark out there, even some of those who were wary of Alpharia before now, after her heartfelt speech, stood up and approached her with reproachful faces and blazing eyes full of determination.

Vincent and Raphaella went away, sitting back with their families, scornful glances pierced themselves in our backs, but we couldn´t care less about them right now.

"So how are you going to share your forces?" Suzanne asked Alpharia.

"Good Question, Red just somehow spread his force over to us, but if I were to do that to each one of you, one by one, we would be in her for hours…, there must be some kind of trick behind it?" Alpharia mused.

"You said that it is not just about your forces…, but also about our own believe and our own will…, maybe if you were to motivate us somehow, more than before…, maybe that would help." Michaela explained.

"Yes I think that might help." I stated, motivating students was something every teacher struggled with often, it was much needed to find the right words.

"I´m not so good in holding long and important speeches…, earlier I basically just said what came to my mind, while being in my own rage, so I hardly would call that a fleshed out and well though motivational speech. "Alpharia stated sweat dropping, crawling her neck in embarrassment.

"How about you sing?" We heard a voice stating.

"Huh…, why…, what?" Alpharia asked dumfounded as Garfield emerged from the crowd that has formed around us.

"Betakin often told us how good of a singer you are, that your voice is beautiful..., I would like to hear it, we all would..., I bet that spoken words and inspiring speeches aren´t just the only way to spread your forces.

A heartfelt song, that touches the heart of everyone, can be just as motivational I would say…, and yes there are some ulterior motives we have, in it…, we have been your fans since ages." Garfield expressed before all of them blushed.

"Wait..., but…, aren't you…, I mean at least so I heard…, so is there anything true about that?" Alpharia asked dumbfounded, I guess she too knew about it.

"This and that are two different things." Garfield exclaimed while blushing himself with a shy smile.

"I may like him, a lot that is…, but I admire you, same as all the others, not just because you are his family..., but even more so because of your unrivalled spirit.

You go forth the path you have chosen, even if there are winds and drops, you never cease to strife forward…, no matter the obstacles that arise." Garfield explained with shining eyes.

"If only I had that much courage and life in me…, maybe I would have the guts…, but even if..., he wouldn´t accept me..., he might understand it and accept me for who and what I am, but it wouldn´t bear any fruits anyways, so please keep that to yourself, will you?" Garfield explained and Alpharia nodded.

"Of course, well, if you insist, then I guess I have to do it…, I never had that big of an audience before though..., so don´t mind me being nervous…, the biggest audience I ever had was back at the School festival 3 years ago, as I sang the School-hymn." Alpharia stated and I remembered, I heard about it in the teacher´s lounge, some of the other teachers wondered if she would be willing to sing for this year´s School festival as well.

In respect of the died students and Teachers in the attack 2 years ago at Pharaoh and everywhere else, the Educational Association, as well as the P.T.A., decided to postpone any major School-festivals for a while and it was decided that this year should be the first time to hold a festival again.

"What am I supposed to sing though, I don´t really know much motivational songs, or at least none which might fit the situation right now…, uuh, what shall I do…?" Alpharia mumbled as she wrecked her brain over it.

"How about one of the new songs of Cocona, you know almost all of her songs by heart after all, you can´t tell me that you haven´t learnt any of the most recent ones…, I know you too well for that!" Suzanne explained and I literally saw how Alpharia lightened up.

"That´s it, that´s exactly what I will do, it can´t get any more motivational as with Cocona after all…, and I know just the song for the occasion, a song she wrote for after the tragedies of 2 years ago." Alpharia swooned as she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Here let me help you, I know exactly which song you mean." Suzanne stated as she pulled out her phone.

There was no connection in here and it was almost out of juice, but it was perhaps still enough for one song.

"Here use this." Someone stated as something was given to Suzanne.

"Sweet, thank you very much, this will help even more…

Alright, Alpha, ready when you are!" She stated, her eyes blazing, just the same as Alpharia's.

"Well then, cue the music Suzanne." Alpharia stated nodding as Suzanne started the song, played on a borrowed loudspeaker, from one of Garfield's friends, who surprisingly had one with him, even though it surely was the last thing, anyone should grab in an evacuation.

But for now, I know a lot of persons who were grateful that he did.

The sound of an orchestra began to play, starting with a symphony of sounds, that echoed all around in this enclosed space, and it calmed everyone down almost instantly.

(Rising up by Wigley Vogtner feat. Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.)

Alpharia:

"In the dark I see you, with hope and despair all around!

And I know that we're still fighting, in this darkness and with the fear of losing ground...

Danger hides in shadows, this wilderness of lost and found!

But in this closing darkness... Of enormous terror!

There's a light we can see.

DON'T GIVE UP, NO!

We still have a chance to make it!

I feel us all... RISING UPPPPPPP!

Now, don`t give up, even though the odds have left us, feeling so small...

But we cannot stop now!

I KNOW THERE'S A LIGHT!

The only shining... In our hearts!

Standing here, in this place where freedom lives...

I know THERE'S A LIGHT!

Don't let it fade out…, it's our hope, let if fly!

We are not defeated, we're not losing... In these flames of war!

We're rising UPPPPPPPPPP!"

Lorraine´s Pov:

While Alpharia was singing, in what might be called an angelic voice, something I had never heard out of her before, the green aura around her began to pulsate and it was as if it sent out waves of energy.

More and further the same was pushed and every time it hit someone, it began to envelop that person until their bodies were covered in a greenish aura themselves.

The more vigorously she sang, the faster and stronger her greenish aura began to flow out of her, the moment I was touched by it, I could feel a warmth, as though I was embraced in a loving embrace, like back in the days when my mother would hold me.

Skuld´s Protection…, I read about the strong and fierce, almost fearless, and yet compassionate Queen Skuld Xenovia Million Wolvenra and her younger Sister, the only Wolven Orion Valkyrie, Lady Brynhildr Xenovia Million and it fitted her very much.

Alpharia:

"In the dark I see you!

With hope and despair all around!

And I know that we're still fighting In this darkness, and with the fear of losing ground...

Danger hides in shadows

This wilderness of lost and FOUND!

But in this closing darkness..., of enormous terror!

There's a light we can see!

DON'T GIVE UP! (give up nooo!)

We still have a chance to make it! I feel us all... RISING UPPPPPPP!"

"NOW! DON'T GIVE UP!

Even though the odds have left us, feeling so small...

BUT WE CAN'T STOP NOWWWWWWWW!

I KNOW THERE'S A LIGHT! The only shining... In our hearts!

Standing here, in this place where freedom lives...

I KNOW THERE'S A LIGHT! Don't let it fade out...

It's our hope Let it fly!

We are not defeated, we're not losing... In these flames of war!

We're rising UPPPPPPPPPP!"

Lorraine's Pov:

Alpharia´s song began to resonate in all of us halfway through, but even more so it felt as though I was feeling a part of her own mind, her fears of being seen as different, her fear before losing all that she loved, her feelings of being left all alone, but even more the courage to step forward and to change that fate, to have faith in herself not to let these dark premonitions become reality.

Amongst the feelings, I began to see things, like memories, hallucinations maybe, but while some of them showed Alpharia, it also showed those around her.

One particular one showed her, days after the attack 2 years ago and it answered Suzanne´s question, we could see the argument she had with her mother about why she and her siblings were not allowed to fight if that was their purpose, their duty, their reason for having these powers.

It showed us how much Merveille Million cared and feared about her children, fearing that sending them to battle would result in her losing them.

The circumstance of them fighting now, was most likely only because of their parents being away during the initial attack, separated by them, there was no one who held them back this time, to fulfill what they had been training all their life for.

"All this time…, this is how much she has struggled with herself." Suzanne, standing right next to me, muttered, and as I looked it was as though I saw her shedding tears, tears for a friend who, despite herself being so strong had to hold herself back, hiding her true being from everyone around her, for most of her life.

"How brave she is…, how brave they all are." Michaela muttered as well, as she listened to the song and she was right.

Next to just the feelings and memories of Alpharia, I felt and saw those of her siblings and her friends as well, if I shall be honest, all of our feelings seemed to be conveyed to others via this green aura.

"We are all connected now, we all can feel what everyone else is feeling…, this makes us more than we ever have been." Mrs. Bishop explained as she, similar to her daughter, shed some tears of her own.

"This feeling of loneliness…, is this how Alpharia felt herself day to day?" I wondered as I felt the way Alpharia felt while being outside of her home, when she had to wear her mask of a normal girl, a mask she did not ever dared to take off, infront of anyone.

All these feelings we now felt, they changed us, made us see just what we had missed all the time, what wasn´t shown to us.

In order to gain our trust and help, Alpharia showed her true entire vulnerability towards us, an act that showed more courage than beating 100 enemies single-handily.

Knowing that, it will change our view of her and her family forever, she bared her entire soul before us.

In the moment as her song ended and the music faded out, I opened my eyes, which I had closed, in anticipation of her voice singing, and I saw how the greenish ghost-like Spirit of Alpharia, changed to her normal colors.

As if her body returned to her, but it was more accurate to say that we managed to walk several steps closer to her than before, as most of us walked 10 steps back, by the time we got to know just who this girl actually was.

"Alpharia!" I heard three voices shouting as all three, Suzanne, Michaela as well as Garfield, embraced her in a heartfelt and teary hug.

"There, there, boys and girls, as much as I appreciate your pity, not everything has been bad, I admit sometimes it was hard but it made me stronger I guess.

Anyways, as much as I appreciate your sentiments and feelings, we all have a job to do…, if anyone is ready then we will have to go now, I need to return at my siblings' side soon, who knows how well Brynhildr can fight with only half of us." Alpharia explained as she head-patted both girls and Garfield as well.

"Alright, everyone, stand up straight, as the young Miss Million rightfully stated do we all have a job to do.

Mrs. Bishop, Mr. Gelhauser, I want you to form two teams.

Mr. Gelhauser´s team is going to the R.A.P. Branch at the west side of the town, you need to get us those heat-sensory-lenses, I think they also have drones with the same technology, take them along, they will come handy in places we otherwise could not observe.

Mrs. Bishop, your team will be the medics, we need a secure place somewhere where we can safely treat people, I think the old hospital at the east side should be intact, maybe the ships haven´t yet bombed it down, it was supposed to be closed down and demolished but some of the machines and utensils are still inside…, as far as I know, if you cross the Jefferson and the Beliaris Street, you should come past an apothecary, take what you will need, once this is all over, the town will come up with the compensation anyways, make it to the hospital and open its doors, this will be our field Lazaretto.

The rest of you will be under my command and we are going to search for the people, we do the hard work.

Miss Million, once we seem to be on our way, you too have to get back to your task at hand, don´t concern yourself with us, we will be safe thanks to your efforts.

Right now, your priority is the safety of your own teammates and your siblings, defend them and I am certain, that together you will come out of this battle victorious and by the time victory has come to you, we too will be mostly done with rescuing everyone, believe it." Mayor Blossom explained.

"I will take you by your words Mayor, make sure you put these people to good use, they have the heart at the right spot and eaten courage with big spoons." Alpharia stated as she looked over each one of us approvingly.

"I will be eternally grateful for you saving my daughter, therefore the least I can do, is lead the help you have organized." He continued and Alpharia nodded.

"Then I will leave it to you, if everyone is ready then let's hurry." She stated.

Getting nods from everyone, she turned around and floated over towards the door of the Shelter, ready to opening the same.

"You better take a deep breath now, for soon you will see this island with our eyes, rather than the reality you wish to see and tell yourself that it exists that way…, believe me when I say, you won´t recognize this island, as it is right now, any longer as your home." She stated and we were a little confused, murmurs roamed through the crowd and questions were formulated, to ask upon what she might mean with that.

"It´s easier to show you guys." Alpharia explained as she opened the doors of the Raid shelter.

"Woaaaaahhh!" Suddenly it was as though a dark wave came rushing over us.

It was as though the world had turned ice-cold, as though a sudden winter had the island in a chokehold and admits the codlness was this stinging, evil feeling, something was amiss, terribly wrong and unatural, completely out of place.

"This island feels nothing like home…, you are right about that." I thought as I hugged myself this evil and cold feeling creeping into every pore of my body straight down to the bone.

Witnessing all of this, feeling all of this, it made me wish I could run back on all of my words I said before, it made me wish I was back in the safe shelter knowing of nothing and having seen nothing…, but I knew, if I were to do that, I would no different than Vincent Vaughn and all those who chose to stay behind out of simple mistrust and stupid ignorance.

All those who still treated Alpharia, her siblings and her comrades as outcasts.

Just by opening these doors, our courage, our loyalty to the cause and our true intentions were put to the test.

"Wh-what is this feeling…, its so cold…, and evil." Suzanne stated, hugging herself, her eyes opened wide in terror, I knew that the way she looked I looked myself as well.

With all the courage I could muster up in my frightened heart, I looked forward, although it was Night and the full moon shone over the entire city, just as on other such nights as well, was something clearly not right here, it felt as though the air was filled with malice and every malevolent feeling possible.

Tiny Particles of pure blackness floated in the air, like soot-dust and I knew, somehow, that these particles were harmful, not poisonous or straight up able to injure us…, but they amplified both the darkness and the paranoia and madness in weak hearts.

"Dark Rano, also known as Miasma, the darkness which Lunnare has spread across the entire island with her evil forces and the release of her ghouls…, it begins to become denser the stronger she gets, until it directly affects the living.

Most of what you feel right now is fear, nauseous and cold, but once it becomes too strong, it will take over your brain and heart and leave you drained of all hope and happy feeling, it might even get as far as to make you aggressive for no reason.

The denser the concentration, the stronger it has an effect on people, you are fairly safe since you are inside of Skuld´s Protection, but remember before, as we tried to save you, the feeling of hopelessness and terror, it came not only from the overall situation, but mostly from the miasma, after they unleashed the ghouls the night before.

Death and destruction, hopelessness and terror, those are the feelings they unleash in people as they set eyes upon them, they drain every positive feeling out of you, until only negativity remains, if it even gets that far, most of the times they just instantly attack and then you are either killed instantly or live long enough to become a ghoul yourself." Alpharia explained and suddenly I became aware that her voice was no longer distorted as before, when she was merely a Spirit to us, I think the closer we got to her and the more she shared her forces with us, the more we could understand her.

"With ghouls…, do you mean things like that?" Suzanne asked, as she pointed at something, while she was trembling wildly.

I squinted my eyes and saw what she meant, there in the darkness, a creature moved in the shadows of a few streets away, avoiding being touched by the light of the Moon.

"Indeed, beware, they might be the lowest level of them, but they are still able to rip an adult asunder within seconds, not to mention that they are basically a moving colony of parasitic being, once it has touched you, the Nightplague is going to infect you, and over short or long you too turn into a ghoul, driven by hunger, instinct and the goal to reproduce by infecting other hosts.

The only real way to kill them is by exposing them to ultraviolet light, however they also avoid the light of the Full moon, maybe because it is actually reflected Sunlight." Alpharia explained.

"UV Lamps, I will set it on the list of things we will need to bring." Mr. Gelhauser exclaimed.

"Sure but be careful nonetheless, as I was saying, those are the lowest level of them, the higher their level the more resistant they are to sun-light or light in general, so don´t think that a flashlight or anything else of the sort will always help you.

The most surefire way is to kill them from within, bypassing their defenses, but this is surely easier said than done." Alpharia explained and we all nodded, heeding her advice, it was meant to keep us all alive after all.

"Well then, we will now divide into teams.

The strongest ones come with me, those who cannot see blood or injuries without feeling nauseous, you go with Mr. Gelhauser.

Those with first-aid knowledge will go with Mrs. Bishop." The Mayor explained as Suzanne and I stepped over to her Mother, while Michaela, Garfield and some of his friends went towards Mr. Gelhauser.

It didn´t lasted long until we had our teams.

"Alright now that everyone has his group its time to…." The Mayor stated trying to start motivating us, as he was suddenly interrupted by a loud, piercing and earthshaking noise, a unnatural scream was to hear, of a beast rather than a person.

"SSSSSSSSCCCCRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

I looked forward towards Alpharia, only to see that she had her eyes closed as if she listened to something.

It was clear to me that she would need to leave us now, whatever this scream was, it had most likely to do with the battle of her siblings, friends and her other self against the enemy.

It was a brief time, but in this brief time I learned more about Alpharia, than in the entire last school-year.

And that was something I would cherish, after all, for a teacher there is no better merit in teaching, as to understand your own students, their worries, their hobbies, their interest and being able to help them when they would struggle with something, this is my work, my way of life, just like my teachers once helped me when I was a kid, when I was struggling with my life, it all comes back around I guess.

"You will surely become big Alpharia, all you have to do is be yourself." I thought as I looked at her while she spoke to her siblings over her communicator.

"Just like I have to do anything I can, you must do all that you can do, live your life fully and stop holding anything back, if you do that, people will surely recognize you, for your own self, rather than the mask you wear." My thoughts spun further, as I looked at that small back which held so much responsibility.

A back that shouldered the weight of this island…, and someday maybe even the weight of the world…, but I was sure, should such a day come, she won´t be the only one to do so.

She will find friends and comrades who aid her in that.

"Alpharia, you are destined to be come so much more than you are." I mumbled and I felt how someone stepped next to me.

"That sure she is, so much more than she can think of..." Suzanne stated as she looked at Alpharia as well.

"To me she is already a hero, just due to saving so many people.

She does not even have to have any superpowers, just being herself made her an idol for so many young girls, she just never saw that herself.

Her athletic capabilities have helped so many clubs at our school, in various tournaments, that everyone wants to have her, ultimately, due to her nature, her believe in her duty but also due to her innermost wish to defend others, she joined our Martial Arts club.

However, given the case she would have had neither the responsibility nor her forces, she surely could have joined any other club…, but I am grateful.

Sure, it sucks always only being second place, but due to that, due to knowing that she actually put a lot of effort in herself, her own skills, no using any of her powers, I am proud to even call myself her Rival, especially now.

Alpharia, in a way, is also my Idol, my Ideal." Michaela explained as she stepped next to us.

"Though she still has a terrible fashion sense." Garfield expressed with a snicker, stepping towards us too.

"No kidding there." We all chuckled, and after all the misery, it did good to have a small breather and a moment of subtle joy and laughter.

To be continued…

A/N: Hello and welcome to the newest chapter of a Tale of Sword and Shield and let me just tell you, as it is obvious, this Chapter took a long time to be written.

However, it had become so long, that I actually have to split it in two parts, otherwise it well would have exceeded 50.000 words, complete as it was, it stood by almost 42.000 words, which would have been the longest Chapter I ever wrote.

As I have split it so far, the second chapter is to a part written already so it might not last that long again until it will be released.

Originally, I wanted to make Brother, my Brother the next chapter, setting the Kids and Beluga in the present day, after they arrived at Ragdoll and met up with Red and Merveille, discussing a little all the things that happened at Bordaussie as well as all the circumstances that led to this day as well as both Merveille and Red´s thoughts about the whole situation with their family in more detail.

But I decided to insert that chapter, into the next Main-story chapter that is to be released as soon as the next story, Valhalla Rising, which has been written halfway through already, during a writers block for this story as well as A King´s Creed, which plays before the second half of the next Main-Chapter, have been written.

Also, Valhalla Rising as well as A King´s Creed will be the last direct prequels, so to say, towards the continuation of the Main story, as it covers the Bloody Weekend Arc, which shows all of what happened on other islands during the 3 days of fighting.

The last few chapters of the main story cover the War at Ragdoll arc, which is incorporated to the Final Arc: A call to arms as Part 2.

As some might be aware have I already written some chapters of Book 2, 4 chapters so far, and I will mainly keep them, I might maybe just edit them a little to match with certain circumstances that happened in the last few main chapters of Book 1, but otherwise the story will continue from there.

I hope you will enjoy that book too, however I will not promise anything about the duration it takes to be completed.

From its first draft in 2014, Book 1 took nearly 7 years to be completed (Even though it still not is, sorry) and I do apologize for the long wait, then again since I do this here as a hobby after work and on my weekends, I hope you all can understand that my mind does not constantly revolve around it.

I write this story as a pure hobby, since I think that the Little Tail Bronx has so much potential which does not get fully tapped on by CC2, even with their new addition of Fuga: Melodies of Steel, as almost all 10 years a new game comes out, and all of the merch is almost exclusive to Japan, I find it sad, really sad, that we western audiences are almost completely forgotten in terms of merch and background info, and we have to focus us on fan-translations of existing fan books and official artbooks.

I myself posses both the Artbook and the Starlet fan-book, just to get some references from the Art, since I can neither write, read nor speak Japanese, these books have a straight visual merit to me, rather than a literary, which is sad, because all I, and I bet many of you too, can actually do, is to imagine myself how the Little Tail Bronx world must be, rather than it might truly is.

My sincerest best wishes and thanks to all of my readers.

I hope I hear from you some more, read and review if you like, and until the next chapter has been released.

Sincerely, yours truly, the Storyteller and his Books.