Chapter 18
Weeks later, at the proving grounds, Nemisis sat in the outer seats. In the middle stood Tezuka, Clara, and Lilith, who seemed to be training.
"Hey," a voice said from behind.
Nemisis turned, and it was Aenzil. "Oh, so now they let you rejoin us."
Aenzil sat beside him. "Yes, they did." She looked at the others. "What are they doing?"
"Oh, them, apparently, my grandfather managed to convince Lilith to train with them."
"And why aren't you joining them?" she asked.
"They keep teasing me, Clara said she is going to remove the oxygen from the air so that I can't breathe, Tezuka keeps backing her up, and Lilith threatens to kill them if they try..."
He sighed, "So I just let them be."
Aenzil giggled
"Oh great." He exclaimed.
Aenzil managed to control herself, "It's funny to think that they took it seriously." She leans back a little. "I see in my absence you guys have been able to form a strong bond, even your companions…"
A smile appeared on her face, then suddenly vanished; Nemisis stared silently as thoughts ran through his head. Then she smiled again.
"Is something the matter?" He asked.
"No… not at all," she stood up. "Follow me."
Nemisis stood up and followed her. They headed out of the barracks, making their way to a summer hut in the courtyard.
"I thought you are not allowed to be here when you are not being a Princess." He asked.
Aenzil sighed, "That's just a warning my mom brought up anytime I mess up."
A maid served them tea and cookies.
"Say Nemisis," she paused and took a sip from her cup. "Any idea on how to find your brother?"
Nemisis eyes widen in an instant; he hesitated for a moment, then answered.
"Well," he began. "He appeared during my fight with the Alphar."
Aenzil chokes slightly on her tea, and she places the cup down.
"He was actually posed by my father, you know, Xenon." He added.
Aenzil remained silent, her eyes fixed on her cup.
"The old man told you something, didn't he?" He asked as he took a bite out of a cookie.
Aenzil cleared her throat. "Well, he did, he wanted to know my thoughts on his request and to make sure we were on the same page." She smiled. "And I am ready to lend a hand; I bet the others will too. You are one of us. The moment you made it out of that light, the moment we exchanged attacks, there was nothing human about you."
"Wow, thanks," he finished a cookie. "Now, if I may ask, did you ever get to meet Xenon?"
Aenzil let out a soft chuckle, "Meet him? he was more of a mentor to me."
"Nemisis leaned in, "Really! Then what happened?"
"Well, I will tell you what I remember."
--------------------------------------Unknown Number of Years ago----------------------------------------
A small Aenzil rushes down the stairs into the courtyard, bumping into a tall, white-haired young man with red emerald eyes, who looks to be in his late teens.
A bright smile appeared on his face, "Hey there, Aenzil." His voice was calm.
"Xenon!" She exclaimed, her face brightening up. "You are back; you are back."
She jumped around him happily.
"Hey, slow down," he said, lowering himself to her height and gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "Look, I got something for you"
He opened one of his pouches and brought out something, a fiery kitten, the size of a child's palm. Aenzil's expression brightened. He carefully placed the sleeping kitten in her hand.
"A little present for you, Majesty." He bowed playfully.
Aenzil held the beast like a newborn baby, "Thank you, Xenon."
Just then, a familiar voice called out; it was Kuto's.
"Gotta go; promise me you will take care of him. And think of a name to give him." He walked away, waving at her.
Aenzil turned around. In the distance, a tall dark elf in royal robes was towards heading her. She smiled and ran towards him.
He smiled as she got close, "Well there, little one what do we have here?"
He squatted to her height, he glanced at the beast which was yawning, awake from all the rocking in Aenzil's arms. The beast shook itself before staring at the onlookers.
"Hugh... Xenon, when will he learn." the Queen said from behind.
"It's a cute little gift for a cute little Aenzil." the King said rubbing petting the little beast.
"You say that because your homeland was filled with these beasts, hence your fire resistance and she also took that ability." the Queen added.
"Fire resistance? of course not, its not aggressive for her to need fire resistance, beside Xenon... oh, right, almost forgot he is a Xercise." he chuckles. "Such a weird race if you tell me."
The King stood up suddenly, he snapped his finger, Aenzil and the beast were placed in a floating bubble.
"Come on Aenzil, let's get out of here before your mother remembers something."
Before the Queen could utter a word, the King snapped his hands, he, along with Aenzil and the beast disappeared. The Queen stood speechless for a moment then smiled.
"I will deal with them after the meeting." She walked away.
Later in the evening, Xenon and Aenzil were sitting by the pond in the garden, the beast chased fireflies. While jumping, it fell into the pond, it body darken like quenched lava before it it shook itself, regaining it fiery glow.
"So, have you given it a name." Xenon asked.
"Yes, it's Nemisa." Aenzil replied.
"Nemisa, that's Justice. Why that?" he asked.
"You like saying it." she said.
"I do..." he smiled and patted her head.
"Xenon, is it true that you are going to join the tournament?" she asked.
"I am" he stood up. "And I am gonna make you proud and amaze you with my skill. what do you say your Majesty, will you come and see me."
Aenzil jumped to her feet, "Yes I will."
"Fine then, if I win I will beg them to let me train you so that you can be stronger than me."
Aenzil's face brightened with a huge smile, "And Nemisa?"
"And him too if you want."
She quickly grabbed the beast, dancing around with it. "We will train under the great Xenon."
Xenon smiled and posed dramatically on the nearby bench, "Yes indeed."
------------------------THREE MONTHS LATER---------------------------
In the Eldr arena of the Kingdom of Zueston, Xenon stood, panting heavily. His figure was swallowed whole by an angelic shadow.
"Pathetic, you are a disgrace to the family name." a voice said.
"C'mon Apenxy, you should be going easy on me. And when did an Engill get the power to judge a Xercise. I thought both families settled their differences during Renon and Apeny's time."
"Renon showed my great grandmother he could be a relied on, unlike your father and brothers, you show no such feat." Apenxy said.
She stretched her wings, tiny orb-like thing floated around her head, blocking her face. Her wings were covered with in countless eyes, all staring at Xenon.
"I see... no wonder the Engill family were powerful than the Xercise family, you guys connected fully to your source of power unlike us, well unlike them, I did." he whispered to himself.
He rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms, "Lets do this."
[ In the dark void exists a being.
But don't be fooled-
For this being is the void itself...
and beyond even that.
The darkness is merely its presence.
Then-
a bloody red eye opened.
2/9 eyes are opened ]