The bright blue flames illuminated the darkness of the village, hovering at the edges and burning only the wood that once formed the walls. Carter watched as the Seedlings scattered through the village, their movements highlighted by the faint light cast by the distant flames. When Carter looked down below at the open courtyard of the Central Building, he could see Aster and the others dragging themselves toward the front of the building, exhausted from whatever they had done while Carter had slept.

  Aster and the others almost crawled into the room where Carter, now sitting on his bed, stared at them as if they were disturbing him, but they paid no mind, too exhausted to bother a response besides Aster.

  "What?" Aster shouted

  Carter remained silent as he stared at Aster and the others as they made their way to the cots dotted around the room.

  "Hey, Carter! Why are you staring at us?" Aster continued.

  "Aster, be quiet and go to sleep. I am tired and don't want to hear you yelling right now," Aiyah said as she sat on her cot, eyes drooping.

  "Be quiet, Aiyah. I'm not talking to you!" Aster screamed

  "You're not talking, you're yelling..."

  The two continued their bickering back and forth while the others in the room relaxed at the sound of their arguments, some lying down, others caring for their equipment, and some moving to play cards or other games to relax further. The bickering of the two children began to fade into the background noise of the room, now filled with life again, as if everything outside the room was nothing but a dream. A dream that was about to be crushed.

  A man, entirely dressed in black that absorbed all light, burst through the door so violently that it shattered from its hinges and flew across the room.

  "So this is where you are?"

  ***

  Arc ran wildly through the woods, looking everywhere he could around the village for the kings, but no matter where he went, all he met were tumbled trees and Night Beast bodies that were half-eaten with their life seeds gone.

  The feeling of presence near and eyes glaring at him made Arc stop, "Who's There?" he shouted.

  "Just an old man out for a stroll." said a voice echoing through the semi-destroyed forest.

  "Old man?" Arc questioned, turning to where he heard the voice. There, he saw the old Divine Race Master Hermes and his escort still covered in black.

  Hermes smiled at Arc like seeing a long-lost friend for the first time, "What are you doing? Wondering out here so far away from the village and that child?"

  "Where have you been?"

  "Just taking strolls here and there. I am a busy man, you know."

  "What relation do you have with all this?"

  "Relation... Well, I can't say I have no relations, but I think it best to discuss it later. First, I advise you to return to that child, or else something happen."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "What are you talking about Seedlings?"

  "Run off and find out yourself, Feyrisian. There is very little time remaining."

  "Ancestors!" Arc shouted with gritted teeth as he turned back towards the village and ran as fast as he could, only to see a growing wall of blue flames stretching above the tree line.

  "Grandmaster Hermes, are you sure it is wise to let him go like that?" Hermes's Divine Knight asked as he looked behind him where a man with icy-blue hair and black garments lay unconscious under a tree.

  "What happens between the Feyrishians is none of my concern. My concern is when it affects Genisis, the gods, and us Seedlings. Is your family handling the Night Beast well, or are there still some difficulties?"

  "This would have been easier if my grandparents had been here, but my mother and father are doing well holding the kings back while my siblings handle the others."

  "Unfortunately, we could not have two totem beasts here, but your parents are more battle-hardened than those young Night Beast Kings, so it should be no problem for them to handle them, and maybe it will be enough for your parents to ascend to totems themselves."

  The Divine Knight scoffed, knowing full well that if it were that easy to become a totem beast, then his parents would have become one centuries ago when they still wondered the mountains that he grew up in. The two continued to talk as if waiting on something when the sound of steps could be heard not long away. When the pair turned, a beast of pure white fur with tufts of dark blue on its legs, antlers that seemed to be made of translucent crystals that branched in every direction, and black soulless eyes that glared at the pair as if angered.

  "Mother?" The Divine Knight said, taking a few steps back, "Wh-Why do you seem so angry."

  A silent conversation then ensued, with the beast throwing its head around and stopping towards the pair while the Divine Knight's head sunk down from the verbal thrashing he seemed to be receiving, all while Hermes stood in silence with a small smile.

  "Father was injured? What of the others, how are they?... Well, at least they are fine, as are you." The Divine Knight went silent for a few seconds before turning to Hermes. "Mother wants to know if this will be enough for the debt we owe you?"

  "Of course, when this is over and the Night Beast and the traitors are gone, you may return home, and I will ensure that no one else may tread onto your territory again."

  The beast nodded and turned to leave while pockets of ice formed with every step.

  "She seemed upset." The divine Knight said

  "Indeed," Hermes said with a smile.

  ***

  "I heard you were in this village, but I had no idea you would be here?" The man in the twisting black attire said as he walked into the room.

  Carter glanced around the room. Aster and Aiyah were still arguing while others continued to do their task as if a strange figure had not just burst into the room.

  "It's rude not to look at someone when they are talking to you." The man said, but he didn't move toward Carter; instead, he moved to the closest knight in training, who had been cleaning his sword for some time.

  The man reached forward, his hand gripping the young man's throat, "You know I heard that this Ambrosia Race has their Life Seeds somewhere at the base of their neck right at the top of their throat. Aren't you curious if that is true? Why don't we find out for ourselves, right kid?"

  ?Crunch

  The sound of breaking crystal echoed in the room. It seemed so loud that it drowned out all the other sounds, but no one seemed to even notice the actions even when the life light began to glow.

  "Oh, so they were right, huh." The figure said as he tossed the disappearing body to the side, "But you know research needs repetition."

  The process continued as he picked up one of the Seedling's playing cards, repeating his actions, but the game continued as if nothing had happened. The figure moved from one to another, slowly getting closer to Carter as he just watched in silent observance of the horror that was taking place. Even as Aiyah was picked up and tossed aside, Aster continued his argument as if she was still there.

  Finally, after the room glowed in green from all the concentrated Life Light Pillars, the man stood at the foot of Carter's cot, "It's been a while, kid. Did you miss me?" A toothy white smile shimmered under the clawing darkness.