After the trial is over and the main gods leave their seats, someone runs to Kresi and pulls her in his arms. She frowns in confusion. Although she had existed as a soul for many years, her body is only thirteen at the moment because she died at the age of thirteen. The man tightens his arms around her. She bites her inner cheek, uncomfortable in his embrace.

"Are you trying to kill her?" She hears a woman's loud and piercing voice. "You are going to crush her this way."

The man puts her down on the ground and scrutinizes her with his eyes, feeling guilty. "Are you hurt, Kresi?"

Is it… Kresi blinks her eyes, surprised by what she's seeing. "Mirai?"

"You recognized me." Mirai cocks his head slightly and grins at her, placing his large hands on her thin shoulders. "I have grown up. I am way taller and stronger than you are, Kresi. You don't have to worry about anything. I will protect you."

"I am so happy that you decided to stay in this world, Kresi." The woman grabs Kresi's hand suddenly. Her action startles Kresi. Is this Pebby? Pebby has grown into a beautiful woman with long strawberry blonder hair with dark roots, light eyes, and a hearty smile. "Mirai and I have our own home in the dark realm. Whether it's a spirit or human, all of them have equal rights in the realm of the Dark God. You should come with us."

"But I…" Kresi doesn't want to go to the Dark realm. Her history with the Dark God is rather complicated. Although it's only the memories, she feels too awkward now. She still can't figure out why she was agitated when she asked God Noras about what happened in her past life. The Dema Continent is also not a choice. Jase's reincarnation is there. Without a doubt, Cina's lands should be scratched out from the list of places where she can go. However, she has to follow Ari and help her draw a true name for Ai.

"Already trying to steal her away?" A man with dark brown hair with orange highlights glares at Pebby. He seems to be in his mid-twenties. "Kresi is mine."

"..." Now, who is this?

"Elder brother." Pebby wrinkles her nose in disgust. "Kresi is a child. How could you say that she is yours?"

"Why are you…" The man makes a face, clearly grossed out by his sister's words. "I didn't mean it that way. Before she was gone, she was closest to me."

"She used to be closer to Shayera actually." Pebby sneers at him. "You left the house earlier."

"Kresi, tell her that she's wrong." The man looks at Kresi and points at his sister. "We used to do so many things together."

Things like assassinating, hunting, stealing, and whatnot.

"Who are you?" Kresi knits her brows. "You look familiar, but I can't remember you."

The poor man feels like his soul has been broken apart into a million pieces. How could she not remember her partner in crime?

"Kresi…" Mirai leans closer to Kresi and whispers in her ear. "He is Raye."

Kresi gapes at the man. Raye… the kid who was only a few inches taller than her… he has grown into a bamboo shoot, like a half-ling. There's a scar over his left eye. His skin is a few shades darker. She gives him a warm smile. Everyone has grown up except for her. "You have changed."

Under her gaze, he looks away, scratching his ear. She hasn't changed. "Not that much."

"Kresi."

She glances at the man with grey hair, deep wrinkles on his face, and a dark grey eyes that has seen pain and suffering. She pinches her lips together, not knowing what to say. He said that she was his daughter, though they have no blood connection. All those years ago, he found her on the streets of beggar city and helped with the wounds on her chest. She shouldn't have done that to his child. If she had taken that child with her and left him in Raye's care, that child would have grown up well.

There's no excuse. She was angry and hateful that day. Whether it was a newborn child, a boy who did nothing wrong to her, or a man who gave her a home, she wanted all of them to experience her pain. It was an irrational desire. She didn't want to reason either.

"I am sorry, Gabriel," She utters the words with a soft voice. "I have done wrong to your son."

Gabriel shakes his head. "If you hadn't saved him, he wouldn't have lived till now."

She looks at Ari who is standing at a little distance from them. Kresi can't see or hear Ai. It's probably the same for everyone else. "Gabriel, I will do everything that I can. You will get back your son."

***

"That man is my father?" Ai's eyes become round, watching Gabriel talking to Kresi.

"Yes," Ari says to Ai. "I will take you to your father after they finish talking."

"Pretty Sister, are you going to leave me to him?" Ai nudges her arm, looking up at her. "I want to stay with you."

Ari smiles at him. The boy has to return to his family whether she wants him to stay with her or not. "I haven't given a name to you, Child. You can't leave me yet."

"After I get my true name?" Ai asks her with a low voice. He doesn't want to live with a man whom he doesn't know. He likes his pretty sister.

"Everyone will be able to see you." Ari bends down on her knees and pulls his cheeks. "Then, you can talk to everyone, you can play with everyone, and you can go to school like everyone else."

"But I want to be with you." The corners of his lips curl down. He looks at her, tears welling up in his eyes. "Don't send me away."

"I won't send you away." She takes the child in her embrace and pats his back. "We are going to stay together as long as you want, okay?"

"What about me then?" Adira glares at her. "You promised the same thing to me."

Ai coils his arms around Ari when he hears that voice. He squeezes his eyes shut,shaking in fear. Ari places her hand on the back of Ai's head and scowls at the Dark God. "I don't talk to sadistic gods who enjoy tormenting little kids."

"Ari, I was only trying to --" Adira shuts his mouth when she grimaces at him. Fine, he did go too far with that kid. But that child is a nameless creature and he was looking for her. Though he was acting calm, looking calm, talking in a calm manner, only he knows what he was going through when she was taken away by this nameless creature. He believed that the nameless creature won't hurt her. But what if this kid did it?