Harald returned to the execution site. As expected, his closest friend never moved. Only he could see the sorrow in such unchanged eyes. Minute twitches gave it away. Still seated, he thought a command would not hurt. He held Hokori’s shoulder softly. “Go forth…”

He saw his champion disappear in one timeframe. The mages behind him shielded their eyes from the wind. “Let us return,” he walked past them toward the runic portal. Being king always had its privileges. Not even another could enter without asking.

Harald’s eyes widened alongside his men. His home had the most unlikely invader. Then again, he predicted it would happen. His Coelestis representatives had enough pain already. All it took to sabotage the execution was his home.

In the throne room, Kakunō lifted his hand from the floor. Brigade mages gasped upon his EMP gauntlet. Some disrupted anti-magic metals, but this was the bane of magic. He glared, readying his katana.

The king told his men to stand by. “Fascinating, old friend…” he caressed his chin. “Using my home to release its effects citywide. Ingenious.” He internally patted himself. A bronze spheroid with rings rotating had more use than just dispelling runes. Still, everyone saw his house as outlandish.

“I’m not here to revel in your ancestor’s war bounty.” Kakunō flash-stepped behind them, now blocking the doors. “Stay out of our way.” He held his halberd on the right.

Hagel raised a brow over his words. Either way, he chose the offensive and created a blizzard. It did not take long for his brother to block his path. He stood in shock, seeing a portal open. Clever girl.

Kenkō stood beside her sibling, darts at the ready. “Actually, your majesty, his toy does both….” The latter had a vein pop upon a nickname joke. No time for innuendos, he shouted. She smiled, eyes closed. “Why do you think I’m here, country boy?” She threw warning shots near their faces.

He sighed, “Whatever,” and turned to the king and his men. Now it was Feuer in front, the magma in both arms. Every other mage cast runes, even the king. Yet he smirked at them and released his pressure. Hagel grunted, backing away enraged. A syringe fell from his sleeve.

It took them one step for Kakunō to overflow his aura. The brigade mages wanted to run so bad. He was not the third strongest for laughs; the king himself would not take any chances. The floorboards cracked, and the armor decor fell into pieces. Then, his sister joined in.

Feuer now felt the intense weight on his knees. Being the fourth strongest was never enough, perhaps. So the second raised a hand in front. “That’s enough,” Harald walked toward the two. “I say it because one needs your aid. One you love dearly.”

The siblings ended the stand-off as the king walked to the other end. Kenkō gasped first, seeing surveillance of every city corner. In the central park lay a truly broken bird with a clipped wing. Mouth covered, tears had no end. “Yukichi!” she shouted at her peak, running outside the hallway.

Kakunō wanted to follow but decided to hold everyone again. Fighting to the death or allowing his brother’s inevitable, he chose the former in a heartbeat. Yet it had slowed as they stood, nothing. Even so, he held his weapons high. “I’m not falling for that!” he readied his stance, guarding the exit at all costs.

Harald sighed and had his men stand by the walls. Such convincing was still not enough. So, he used his greatest weapon. “Go forth…” his hand raised like for any mission. “Make haste. If our saint mage becomes a monster, I seek only your family’s resolve.”

He lowered his weapons, confused. But he also felt gratitude. Even when the king spoke of future doom, love could stay. Said words even spoke of issuing a worldwide army if need be. He was no longer alone in bravery. Feelings overflowing, he fell to his knees with the waterworks.

“I-I don’t understand, your majesty,” he dried his eyes, looking up. “I thought you wanted—”

“Hayato dead? Sure, we all did.” He walked back to see the surveillance. “But you’ve nurtured a brilliant boy. Peerless, even!” His arms raised in a V. “And when my time comes, I hope my written legend never dies.” He had sought to rewrite Ted’s legacy to a hero of old.

Feuer kneeled and rubbed Kakunō’s back. It was the first he heard him bawl. In fact, it went louder than his past pain. Even the lower ranks had eyes frowned. Alas, one showed not a sliver of empathy. If anything, it was an inferno of emotions. Ironic that it came from a master of the cold.

He stood and walked fast. “Brother?” He saw him in the left corner, shaking violently. Upon turning him, he had eyes lit up and sweated bullets. Hagel’s orange veins clustered mostly at his left arm. “What have you done!?” He threw the syringe away from him.

It was too late before anyone knew. The veins now clad Hagel’s whole being. He showed no pain despite nerves going haywire. He grinned, the infection pulsating 3/s. In return, his pressure had bolstered tenfold. Even the king felt nauseated.

Feuer sweated more and reached out a hand. “Brother! Don’t—”

He had lightly tapped his forehead, now encased in a subzero prison. Every brigade mage flash-stepped toward him. Sadly, the retaliation created more frozen human “eggs.” He merely did a horizontal hand wave, then another. The skin-biting blizzard even had Kakunō stay put.

Hagel teleported down to the city. Eyes aglare, it worsened. The most evil monster’s sister had neared the park’s edge. Yet he thought Kenkō needed no energy wasted against her. His cape grazed her arm and shattered on the ground. Far away, he heard the yells of the raging mob.

He wanted none to catch the trophy. His magic had grown tenfold than their majesty, but he needed time. Patience, you lot, he sat down to concentrate. A miniature blizzard whirled around his hands. It went louder by the second, windows breaking.

A hero cometh.

Deep in the woods, the Minagawa couple had not slowed down. The borders were now a kilometer away. Still, Tokino’s heart turned to shreds. She dried her eyes, unable to see incoming trees. Her husband pushed her in time.

He decided to run close to her. “She won’t die, you hear!?” he shouted, carrying his son tightly behind. “Yukino gave us all the time we need now!”

She hated every word from his mouth. Even if her daughter’s siblings were close, more tears flowed. “I know, but we shouldn’t have! Trading one for another.”

He grunted, teeth clenched. “I told you. Our Yukino won’t—” Their ears went very close to bleeding. The ground fissured, scaring wildlife. Startled by the booming thud, they tread carefully.

Tokino laid Hayato by a tree and cast runes on his head. With him asleep, she drew her sword alongside her husband. But they had eyes wide in sweat. Their weapons shook and lowered.

Hokori went out of the dust, hands in his pockets. He looked at his brother, still shaking. He looked at his sister, strong enough to resist. His face remained stern either way. After all, his closest friend gave him an unwavering job. He cracked his knuckles, and the couple tensed at the ready.

“Please, brother,” Tokino pointed her rapier closer. “Move aside, or I’ll curse myself.” She saw him walk and grazed his cheek, panting.

His eyes were still unmoved, perhaps even more. He looked toward his brother. “How ‘bout you, boy? Anger’s her main drive. What’s yours?”

Haruto lowered his sword once more, feeling heavy. He recalled his past life—endless smiles and joy; his heart wanted so much more. “Loneliness,” he said softly. “Even now… I must hold Maki’s promise. With any of you gone, I’m lost again.” He drew red from his palms and lent a vow.

He loved every second of the gesture. With a lone nail, he complied with the double handshake. A savage commoner and a king: undying brotherhood. It had weighed more than every crown made. Waterworks and smiles, they shared for a minute.

Hokori walked past him and held his sister close. “C’mon now, kid,” he patted her head. “We’ve shed enough K-drama shit for now. Ya better get goin’—”

The Minagawa couple got startled again, gasping. Their brother’s head had a clear ice “helmet” on the spot. Seeing him thrashing on the ground, Haruto swung his sword downward. Sadly, the former had floated in midair before their thoughts. They cried out his name, seeing him fly into the horizon.

They finally realized the area had turned cold. Seconds in, it even went biting. Tokino instantly cast runes for them, more for her son. They turned and had eyes widened to their limit. All of Coelestis became fit for a snow queen’s home. Not one skyscraper or spire was recognizable. Then, clouds followed a blizzard and snow.

Hagel still slowly walked from afar. Y and V-crested grebes rotated on their demise below. Even the hardy silver-tailed eagles twitched on their backs. Only mammals were strong enough to flee—yet sluggish. He flash-froze an evergreen elephant with a snap. The calves also met the other side.

He slicked his hair, glaring. “That was but the tip of my annoyance. Could you imagine? Perhaps not. We’ve never spoken much.” Icicles swirled around him at 500kph. Then, all were lances, grabbing one. “You two are now my biggest villains. Take heath!” He shot all at once.

The couple resorted to darting anywhere they could. Coming down, Tokino had runes on her nape. Still, her husband could not rely on her foresight enough. Coelestis now had more “spires.” Each had demolished an acre. Hagel grinned and raised his hands faster.

The ice spikes were red all over far and wide. Tokino suffered one to the shoulder. “Stay away from me, honey!” she yelled, her upper arm now encased. She thanked her runic skills once more. But she had no time for small talk and carried the two away. Hagel grunted, missing the shot.

Deeper in the woods, Haruto went on the lookout. His wife formed a dome around Hayato, still dreaming. She sharpened her rapier. “Protect him at all costs.”

His eyes widened, standing up. “Wait! What do you—” He never expected a warm move at this time. She wrapped her arms around him as five seconds went by.

Cheeks red, she let go and panted. “Protect our little boy at all costs. Please.” She presented her arm, turning into cracked glass. He gasped upon the sand falling from the wedges. Before he knew it, a rotten tree became healthy. Flowers had bloomed around. She let go of the trunk and drew her rapier. “This won’t be a final gambit. My loss would mean his death.”

He failed to stop her flash-step into the distance. But he stayed and held his son close. Wait longer, Hayato. We’re almost home.

Several veins popped within Hagel. Fifteen minutes of a search, yet nothing. He went for another snap at an animal—only to have it gone. Wildlife had moved far too slow. It was not from his magic, as if he could do such things. All were now like still images.

He chuckled, hearing a rustle from behind. “Quite the repulsive look, miss. And I mean not your current state.”

Every step Tokino made sounded like glass against each other. She controlled her sand from falling. It spun around her blade and pointed at the enemy. “I’ve no words of comfort. But I’m sorry, Hagel. I’ve wished death many times in exchange for your brother. But no more.

“I learned he’d never want that, and I’m confident… he’d despise you now.”

The last vein popped within him. Heart racing, a blizzard galed twenty meters across. “Stay away from him, you wench!” He summoned a spire in her place, but nothing. He only saw its tip rising at a snail’s pace. Suddenly, a thrust greeted his belly. He dodge-rolled by a hair and shot icicles at point-blank.

It was never that easy. Tokino’s sand also slowed each attack, now deflectable. She aimed for the head yet found no ease, too. He had dodged again and summoned lances. At that moment, she wished she had trained more. Damn it! she healed a gash on her forearm behind a tree. I can’t speed myself up.

Alas, her cover shattered into cold pieces. Before her thoughts, the most dangerous attack yet. Hagel had glared with an inferno none could escape. He cared not of the irony and let the needles fly. She threw a flurry of thrusts within milliseconds. But once again, she wished for more experience.

Her skin blued after a mere minute. Every thrust felt like fire, yet she could not stop. Muscle and bone had exposed in her right hand. She fell on her back, grunting with even more hell. The relentless foe took every opportunity.

She stood up and crossed her arms in an X. Screams made no birds fly in the area if any. It went louder as Hagel’s death grip tightened in the middle. Then, her heart literally shattered. But the pain continued.

He chuckled again, victorious enough to kick down the villain. “A hero cometh,” he solidified her title. However, it was all short-lived. A double punch greeted his face, teeth flying. He flung and uprooted thirty trees in a row.

She fell from her back once more, breath fading. She failed to create any rune with cracked knobs for hands. The pain fired tenfold, her stomach turning. She turned to her side with no end to her acidic misery. Now, oxygen could not reach the lungs. Louder gasps did nothing. Then, another rustle from afar.

“Tokino!” shouted Haruto, holding her in his arms. None of his skills could even heal the frostbite. He peeled some patches of skin by accident. “Oh, God! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!” He tried putting them back and cast more runes. “Work, goddamnit! Please! Please!”

The waterworks fell on her face. She returned it with a smile, finding it warm. A long forgotten voice beckoned her—a giggling father. She smiled more and held her husband’s cheek. “I’m sorry…” her skin turned all white.

“Goodbye…….”

Haruto yelled no louder and compressed her chest. His ear heard and felt nothing but a colder body. Worse yet, he could not even grieve. The culprit now had a perpetual grin. Every step the latter took made his heart match a rabbit’s. It yelled for its one and only back.

Hagel slicked his crown again. “Hehehehehe… Fitting for a cold-blooded killer, I’d say. I simply collected her debts. Ones that our majesty turned a blind eye on!” He froze ten square kilometers of any plant life. “Any parting words, White Swordsman?” he walked closer. “Make no mistake. I’d grieve, too—”

Haruto showed nothing of his title at that moment. He had clawed the ground, snarling with spit. Before long, a burst of mana flung the foe again. Not only did his Zenith Corpus activate, but his newfound power. Unlike his dead wife, the blue flames went anywhere he wanted them to.

The foe had unluckily lost an eye, charred beyond repair. He got back up, enraged. Yet it paled more than his victim. “Don’t say her name, motherfucker!” shouted Haruto, throwing a fire fist.

Half of Coelestis had thawed wet from his mere presence. But he had no clue, seeing only a target. With his yellow “Fenrir’s Gift” pupils, blood-red crosses to each sclera’s end. A blue sun floated above his head, and a flaming sword.

Die. Die right fucking now!