Knazer sat next to Nero. "Man, that's fucked up."

"You tell me," Nero groaned and stared at the fake stars shining brightly above the illusionary waves. It was supposed to bring peace and calm but he found neither.

"No love lost for His Highness, I guess."

"Dude, you and your twin asked to desert the knights and I took you in without batting an eyelid. Did that tell you anything?"

"Touché," The eanling agreed.

They remained in silence, hearing the wind blowing the giant oak's leaves, Nero's critters scuttling around, and the women's voices coming from the beach.

"What happens now? Regicide?" Knazer suggested.

"One can only dream."

Nero fought to unravel the tangled knot of emotions swirling inside him. Yes, he would murder Tyre in cold blood with cruelty if he could. Without hesitation and with little regard for his own safety. But he couldn't. People depended on him. He needed power. Strength. Then he would enact rule three.

"We should go check on them," Knazer suggested.

"I shouldn't see anyone now. I don't know how I'll react."

Knazer stood up and kicked Nero's shin. "That's what friends are for. I know I can't hold a candle against you in a fight. But you can rely on me. Stand up. Your sister needs you."

Nero raised an arm, Knazer grabbed his wrist and pulled the minnid up. Nero's other hand clenched into a fist and the eanling backed off a bit, afraid he'd get punched. Nero clasped his shoulder.

"Good to hear that," Nero's scowl shifted into a maniacal grin for a moment. He breathed heavily. "Let's go check on the women."

Knazer laughed. "You know, if you weren't married, I'd be forced to punch you for that phrase. My sister is down there."

"Mine too, smartass. And maybe a punch is the right medicine now. Come on, do it."

Nero wasn't even ready and Knazer's lightning-fast jab had already hit his chin. He savored the blow, rubbed his jaw, and released the eanling.

"You're welcome," The cheeky eanling man told Nero.

At the beach, Altia and Fotia were trying to get Crystal to the surface. The nereid could be seen deep in the crescent-moon shaped stretch of clear ocean water. Nero had no idea how he could create waves. That would have to wait. The girls were waist-deep in the water, shouting and splashing.

"Nero, she's not answering," Altia said. "And every time we try to go in the water, Daisy repels us."

He saw the shambler. It had moved between him and Crystal. Nero had an easy solution to that. He turned around and climbed to the house.

"Wait here," He said with his back to them. "I'll solve it right away."

He went to the workshop and retrieved his weapon. The rifle-sword hybrid wasn't used outside of some test shots on the shelter's invulnerable walls. It wasn't like they were invulnerable, though. Instead, there was nothing past them. Spatial shenanigans apart, he returned to the beach.

"Nero, what are you doing with that?" Altia asked.

"I'm going there to get Crystal back. She can't shut herself off like this," Nero said and dove.

He didn't turn on the blade's teeth. Daisy came and he bashed her aside. The bouncy properties of her moss pushed him away but the water's viscosity didn't let him go far. With the blade still touching her, he turned it on briefly. Daisy's moss froze and the lightning arced between the rows of teeth, bursting in the water, breaking the ice, and shocking them both. Since Nero was touching the metal of the rifle, the source of the lightning, he didn't suffer much as he was grounded.

Daisy didn't fare well and died. Nero snatched a sizeable chunk of moss that split from her body, rose to catch his breath, sheathed his bayonet, then dove to meet his sister.

"Go away," she told him as he approached.

"Pwo!" Nero answered, bubbles of air escaping his mouth.

He kicked the water and hugged her. Crystal didn't resist. Instead, she hugged him and cried her heart out. A few seconds later Nero was short on breath and thirty feet underwater. He struggled to break free from her grasp and remembered tales of water fairies that would drown men.

"Stop struggling! Stand still," She said.

He obeyed, wishing she would release him. Then Crystal kissed Nero's forehead. He felt warmth envelop him, a pleasant tingle spread from the forehead down his body, fixing the residual pain from the two punches he took earlier and some other minor issues, bruises, acne, and other problems. He felt healthy. After his wonder passed, he also noticed he wasn't short on breath, instead of breathing underwater normally. His lungs also didn't feel heavy with water. It was as if the water became air before entering his nostrils. Only tiny bubbles came out when he exhaled.

"What did you do?" He asked, surprised that he could speak.

Instead of answering, Crystal held him tighter, dragging him to lay on the sand next to her. Nero looked around and saw the wonder of the illusionary coral reef in front of him, almost glowing in the light of the rising gibbous moon. He understood what she said. There were no fishes. He played with his sister's floating hair while she sobbed and took solace in his comforting company.

"Silly brother, we only drown those we detest," She said a few minutes later as if she had read his thoughts. "The [Naiad's Kiss] is a two-sided spell. My loved ones can stay with me here in the depths for a day before I'll have to kiss you again."

"Sister. I'll do what I can to protect you. You don't need to fear him, you won't even see him. We will wait until morning and I'll go outside to check if he went away."

She didn't answer. Crystal rested her head on his shoulder and remained still for a long period. Nero knew the only reason Altia wasn't freaking out he didn't come up to breathe was the heart bond.

"You'll stay with me, won't you? Please be by my side. Altia will understand. I'll even sleep on the floor so you can have the bed."

Nero floated up and pulled Crystal out of the sand. She came easily.

"We need to get out of here and dry ourselves. I can't use the portal trick. And you should restore Daisy. I kinda had to kill her. Some insensitive master set her against her own family."

She punched him. It didn't hurt. "You insensitive monster."

Nero shrugged and swam back up.

"There you are!" Altia shouted, angry at him. "Where did she kiss you?"

Nero stopped for a moment to think. How did she know? The answer was obvious. Women talk. Sometimes they talk too much, as his father used to say.

"On the forehead, you pit of jealousness," Crystal answered from behind him.

The water behind him stirred and the lumbering form of the stomping shambler called Daisy walked out into the sand, water pouring from all pores.

Once the five of them were on dry land, Nero held Crystal's shoulder on one hand and laced the fingers of the other with Altia. After a bath, he crashed on his bed, forgetting about his promise to stay with Crystal. Altia was already there in her nightgown but she had other plans for the evening.

"Nero, can I ask you something? Do you promise to answer with the truth?"

It was the most dreadful trap he knew. Nero channeled his inner Byron and smiled. "Of course you can ask anything. I have no reason to lie to you."

She took her time gathering the courage to ask. "Do you think I'm jealous?"

He wasted no time answering. "Did I give you a reason to be? I'm sorry. I'll police my behavior better around other women," He said with an apologetical and slightly hurt voice.

Nero pulled her in a tight hug, rubbing her back, hoping she wouldn't notice. It failed.

"No! I wasn't accusing you of being unfaithful. But you didn't answer me. What do you think?"

He saw two droplets in the corner of her eyes threatening to fall down. It was the same pattern with the gourds back in Rafflesia's Dungeon. Nero hugged her and planted several kisses all over her face. "How are you feeling? Is something troubling you?"

"I'm afraid, Nero. Afraid I'm going to lose you."

"I'm not a possession to be lost. I'm a person that can make my own choices and you are the woman I chose to take as my wife. You are not losing me, ever."

Back at the village, everyone watched as a retinue of knights on horseback secured a way for the prince's carriage. A pair of tame nightmares, a kind of level two-hundred-ish fire elemental horse monster with midnight black fur whose hooves and mane was made of pure fire pulled the vehicle, illuminating the way and sending waves of dread everywhere. The carriage itself was all inlaid with gold filigree and the kingdom of Bast heraldry, a roaring lion.

By the time the nightmares reached the central square, most of the villagers had fled to their homes. Only a few brave souls remained in the square, notably Mrs. Katia on one side and Nero's parents and guests on the other. Everyone that dared stay behind had at least one fully armored knight watching them. The footmen set a rug on the ground and a step stool next to the door.

The crier and the two trumpet players rang their instruments again on the otherwise dead silent village. "All kneel for Prince Tyre of Bast."

Katia and the other villagers knelt. Byron, Rhynne, and Glom stood up with their hands at rest. Amaryllis ignored the fanfare and scanned around. Her gaze fell on a tall, slender armored knight.

"Hey, Rin," She whispered. "It seems your old suitor is back."

"Not Valanaagornif," the [Magus] whispered back.

"Yes, Valanaagornif. Third to the left next to that woman that used to scowl and now is grinning manically. The one riding the brown stallion," The pixie pointed.

Truly enough, it was Valanaagornif who was next to Katia. Once the wicked woman saw she had the group's attention, she spoke with the knight. The armored figure nodded at something she said. The reason she was so comfortable around the man that arrested her only child was up for debate.

The door opened and prince Tyre came. His digitigrade legs took the steps one by one. They were strong, thick, and protected by custom armor made of interlocking plates. The leonal prince was easily seven feet tall. His build was a good contender for Byron's physique. His movements were flowing but with a predatorial menace on his body language. His feline face was adorned by a golden mane that shone slightly reddish under the nightmares' flames. His whole body was covered by the same custom plate armor, ornate with more gold and jewels than ten times the net worth of the entire local cluster of villages, including the retired Adventurers he was looking at as his feet touched the carpet.

"That will be a tough fight," Byron whispered after assessing the threat of the knight company.

"Nobody will fight!" Rhynne retorted, angry at his thoughts. "And it would be a massacre even with Mary."

They waited while the tall leonal took in the surroundings. The knights all had an insignia they recognized as being in the fifth tier. Every single one of them was above level two hundred. The prince's gaze finally settled on the group of high-leveled individuals. He smiled, showing his fangs. Calling four of his knights to him, the group walked toward them. The prince had open arms.

"Friends, friends. So good seeing you in good health again! I'm terribly sorry for interrupting your feast, what was the celebration?"

Nobody said anything. After a while, Tyre seemed bored.

"You may speak freely."

"Welcome to our humble village, Your Highness. It is with such joy that we bask in your radiant presence. May you always be healthy and your enemies suffer!"

These words came from Katia, that somehow crossed the central square. The woman was prostrated before the prince with Valanaagornif right behind her. Tyre didn't spare a glance at her.

"We were just celebrating the construction of the wall," Byron answered. With the war coming, we wanted to make our settlement safe."

Tyre smirked. "You know what would make it even safer? If you joined the army to fight our invaders. Protect our homeland, repel the invaders at the border."

"I am grateful for the invitation, Your Highness but I have other duties here," Byron declined. He became the spokesperson for the group as he was the one that could look at the prince at eye level. At his side, Rhynne could be a beautiful statue. Glom was sitting on the table, stargazing and pretending to be drunk. Not too hard as he was tipsy and tired.

The prince rose a hand to stop his bodyguards from following and walked next to the table.

"Guild master. A pleasure to find you here. You were the person I wanted to talk to."

The pixie was the only person totally calm before the imposing presence of the prince. Amaryllis wondered how Serena was able to get a spell on the high-leveled prince, but he couldn't have all Attributes at absurd levels. His build's focus was on Agility and physical melee combat. Willpower was good but could be a neglected Attribute.

"Yes? What does the seventh prince of Bast want?" She asked as if talking to a passerby.

Tyre exchanged a glance with Valanaagornif. The elf knight nodded.

"It came to my attention that a young lad with unique abilities lives in this village. I want to hire him as an Adventurer-Mercenary through the Guild."

Amaryllis waved the prince away. With a smile, she said, "Rather late for contract negotiation. We're closed. Come back in the morning."

"We also suspect that deserters and enemy spies are hidden in the village," Valanaagornif said.

"Captain, I will handle it," Tyre scolded him. "Return to your unit."

"As you will," Valanaagornif hit his chest plate with a fist and moved away.

"I'm sorry I was forced to bring him," Tyre said with honesty, "But he is the captain assigned to this region even though he is too stiff. Even I have to follow protocol."

Another bout of silence. Katia was still with her forehead glued to the ground. Everyone was uncomfortable with the prince and the knight's presence but doing their best to not show. Byron was running simulations to see how he would defeat them all. So far they all end up killed, with Amaryllis escaping by air.

"I would like to meet your son, [Armsmaster] Byron. Is he around?" Tyre said.

"I'm afraid it was already past bedtime for the lad, Your Highness. You might be able to meet him in the morning if he doesn't go in some crazy adventure," Byron answered.

He really hoped Nero would make himself scarce. The boy's hatred for what the prince did was not his alone, but the adults could rein it in better than him.

"Well, this is terrible!" Tyre uttered. "I think I'll need lodging for the night. Is there any inn around here?"

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness. We don't get travelers passing through here," Byron answered.

"I have a castle for sale, Your Highness," Amaryllis offered. "Two hundred million, unfurnished."

Prince Tyre let out a raucous burst of laughter. After he exhausted his mirth, he looked at the pixie's straight face. "Are you serious?"