(I've become completely engaged in other things, I haven't truly had time to finish this, but I'll try to do as much as I can… Stay tuned, please! )

Chapter 5: Another Branch

"I'm your brother. Well, stepbrother, to be precise. I bumped into Dad, and he told me that you would be here at the moment, so I came over to say hi." He paused for a minute. "Hi!" The mystery child grinned.

He assumed that this child was no more than 10. And, it seemed, he did have a slight resemblance to his mother. "What is your name then?" he asked, in that same icy tone of his.

He paused for a minute. "My name is Forta." the child mumbled. His stepbrother's voice didn't give him a good impression of what he thought of Forta.

"That's good to hear. Can you leave me be now?" he asked.

"Wait, what's you na-," he started to ask, before the door was slammed in front of his face. He started to sob. "DADDY!" Forta yelled down the corridor, as he started running to his father, sobbing "Daddy" all the way.

He sighed and returned to his sowing. He wanted to be able to have something to wear at least. Stupid snowstorms... he thought.

Forta had caught up to his Dad who was watching the super awesome television they had. "Daddy," he said in a very sweet tone, tugging at his robe, "why won't my brother talk to me?"

"He's very busy, son." replied Phantom.

Ginta and his crew had another bout of fights, and the competition was starting to get fierce. They had started into the bishops, and Kanochi had given them the advice of watching out for knights. Now they knew that they would need to train their hardest if they were to destroy the Chess Pieces.

"It'll only get harder from here you know." voiced Gaira. "We must take every opportunity. Think of all that they have done to MÄR and, more importantly, what will happen if we don't succeed. Do we all understand?"

Everyone looked at Gaira and said, with the most determination and power behind their voices that they could muster: "Yes."

Now finished with sowing, he found his quarters and double checked everything. His ÄRM were always with him, but everything else was fine and intact. He wouldn't need to do much else except wait and train. He pushed open the door, which he had decorated with ice, not to show off, but as a warning to all who enter of their inevitable fate. He walked out a bit, and found himself feeling better. Soon he would have blood. Soon he would have his revenge.

But for now, he must wait. And anyway, he had already waited some three or four years, what more would a few weeks make?

He stepped down the dank corridor, and, finding no-one interfering with him, walked directly to Phantom.

Phantom had controlled Forta by letting him sit with him and watch the matches that were finishing. This particular match was for his pure enjoyment and had no effect on the outcome of this set of games. It was against Rolan, the first knight that Team MÄR has battled with, and the Cross Guard member Alviss. It had ended with the victory of the Chess Pieces, and he would've expected no less of Rolan.

"Wow, that was so cool, Daddy, I hope I'm as good as him when I grow up." Forta grinned.

Phantom had a grimace on his face, until his stepson came in. "Phantom... and Forta?" This was the first time Phantom had heard question in his voice. "Wait... Phantom... You're my... stepdad?!" He was shocked.

"Well, yes, I am." Phantom replied coolly.

"Did you think you could've told me this, perhaps?" He was getting incredibly frustrated at all these thoughts that now swirled around his head. Thoughts were contradictory, and contradiction could not occur on a battlefield. He had ignored many things that he knew to be distracting, but the thought of Phantom being his stepfather made no sense at all.

"Daddy, what's wrong with him?" Forta asked, as his brother writhed on the floor, holding his head.

What's happened? You've grown weak. But... It's his fault... My head...I ... I...

He fainted, and Phantom grimaced again, returning to watch his screen. Forta seemed very shocked by this, and ran back to his room, slamming the door, and trying to go to sleep.

In his dream, his sister was standing in front of him, with the blond haired boy he had heard was called Ginta. They seemed very happy together. He found his trademark kunai in his hand, and with little force he stabbed his sister.

The blond haired boy vanished, and he found himself falling through a world of fire. He saw Ginta, and Kanochi, and several others, including his sister. Here, he didn't quite feel himself. Then he found himself in a world of ice, and suddenly felt such strength within him that he knew the ice would give him power.

He awoke in his room, and realised what he must do. He immediately demanded the training room of fire. Fire, and darkness.

On the topic of darkness, everyone had been called into the Shadow Gate to grow by fighting the shadow versions of themselves. Ginta had definitely grown stronger, and with his new ÄRM idea in his head, he was ready to begin fighting the Chess Pieces once more.

"Take the knowledge that you have learnt and fight your hardest, all of you. We've met a knight, and it will only get harder from here. Be prepared." Gaira's words echoed as Pozun thrust the members of MÄR into the ice realm yet again for their fifth round of bouts.

"Sure, old man. We can do it!" Ginta grinned, as he was thrust forward into the realm of ice by the Andata ÄRM.

He pushed open the door and was almost overwhelmed by the heat and flames. This was ten times as bad as the village of fire. He took of his shirt, and pulled out his ÄRM, Ice Kunai, and began focusing his magical energy into keeping the ice frozen. "It shall begin."
(Foot Notes: I'm working on another fanfic as well as my actual story and this one, plus my school life and lots more, so please bear with me! This is sort of a filler to help all whom have been patient with me. More coming soon!

Happy Reading! VOA!)

(New Authors Note!: Sorry to all of those who wish to continue viewing this story. I'm going to "terminate" it for a while, as I'm preparing for a trip to Beijing and several other major events. Sorry to keep you all in suspence about the mystery man's training, but I'm sure you'll all agree it'll be worth it.)