Alvis’s seaside abide was just how I remembered it. That included the long stairs that led up to the ledge where we first met Mickey in dragon form. To my surprise she wasn’t there when we arrived.

“Did she leave?” I muttered.

“I doubt it,” Alois replied, “She might be inside this time.”

I remembered that time I had met Mickey in human form on the beach and approached the door to the house and hesitated. “This is where Yuki is, right?” I questioned.

“I think so,” Alois agreed.

“Do you think he will wake up if I knock?”

“Probably not, but maybe we should knock quietly just in case.”

The door opened and Mickey stepped out. “You don’t need to knock, but even if you did it wouldn’t wake Yuki,” she promised, “If you have come all of this way to see me something important must have happened. What can I help you with?”

“I know you said you couldn’t really tell us much about the future, but since we already heard a few clues from Autumn I thought it might not hurt for you to give us a few more,” I proposed, “Even if you can’t tell us anything it was better to come check, right?”

“Makes sense to me,” Mickey agreed, “So what is the subject you need hints about?”

“What can you tell us about the prince of Kalorvia?” I asked.

Mickey paused for a moment. “Ah, it is already time,” she said with a soft smile, “I can’t give you any direct hints, but why don’t I tell you a story?”

“Alright,” I agreed, and followed Mickey inside.

Once we had sat down Mickey began talking.

“By this point you must have discovered various things about the true story of the founding of Tethia, but this is a story about a time before Alvis and Yuki met the other founders,” Mickey explained, “They arrived in this world before anyone else, almost immediately after I used the summoning magic. At that time I didn’t know they were immortal.”

I was confused for a moment but listened quietly. Mickey definitely had a reason for bringing up this story even if it was far from the topic I had expected.

“The place where they appeared was not on this continent but in the country of the beastkin. Back then the country was in shambles. The beastkin were easy prey for the other species, and their system of power was based completely off of strength. It still is now, but back then their were constant fights, constant deaths, and and many useless wars amongst them. The beastkin were even further divided amongst themselves.”

I felt a slight chill as my mind filled with reasons why she would bring up the country of the beastkin when I had asked about the prince of Kalorvia. Kalorvia also had a border by the sea. It was a much greater distance from their borders to the beastkin country than ours, but if all they needed to do was send a message… No I should listen to the rest of the story before drawing my own conclusions.

“When those two arrived they were immediately attacked, but Yuki single handedly defeated every single one of their attackers without killing any of them. After they confirmed Yuki to be the strongest they saw him treating Alvis as an equal, but before they could ask anything Yuki went to sleep.”

Somehow this part of the story was easy for me to imagine.

“After that, Alvis easily took control of the reigns of the country. No matter what challenger arrived they could not defeat him even though he did not fight back. Then they started to notice that neither Alvis nor Yuki seemed to age at all. After a few generations passed the country was transformed into a peaceful but powerful one without destroying any of their values. It was around then that the real problem arose.”

So Alvis had his hand in creating a stable country before he helped found Tethia. That made sense, but I had a hard time imagining a problem that could really shake Alvis.

“Alvis discovered that while he had been changing the country, the recorded history revered him as a hero, a sage, and a deity that had come to save them from their darkest hour. Yuki was revered with him, and together they were openly worshipped across the country. When Alvis discovered the incredible depth of their loyalty he took Yuki and fled the island, arriving here on this continent. However, the beastkin here had also heard of him, so he was desperate to change his image. That is when he met a man who wanted to create a new kind of country.”

“The founding king?” I asked, a bit surprised.

“That’s right,” Mickey confirmed, “Actually it was yuki who told me this story so a few of the details might be slightly off, but I checked into it myself. Alvis and yuki are still worshipped as deities among the beastkin people. Their stark appearances of black and white don’t really help matters. They are depicted as something similar to yin and yang.”

“That… But Alvis isn’t exactly hiding as the headmaster right now but I haven’t heard anything like that,” I pointed out.

“That’s right,” Mickey said with a knowing smile, “The only beastkin who do not recognize Alvis as their great hero and deity are those living in the borders of Tethia.”

I glanced at Alois. He was openly shocked. He hadn’t expected this either. “Thank you for the story,” I told Mickey.

“No problem,” Mickey replied with a smile, “I trust you can figure out the rest yourselves… but next time you visit can you make it a visit from friends?”

“I’ll try,” I told her, “No promises since I can’t see the future.”

“Seeing the future isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Mickey assured me, “I am sure you noticed that yourself when you were tested by the Tears of Tethia.”

I nodded. “The more I hear the more I wonder what Alvis and Yuki really are. Do you think Alvis supports Yuki’s life of slumber in order to keep his secrets?”

Mickey glanced down the hall towards the room where Yuki was sleeping. “When Alvis hired me to help take care of Yuki, he expressed his hopes that I might be able to help Yuki acknowledge reality. It is hard to grasp exactly what he thinks of Yuki sometimes but I doubt he has such petty reasoning for protecting him.”

“Of course,” I replied and headed for the door. Right as I reached for the doorknob Keane contacted me.

“They’re after Alvis,” he reported, “I couldn’t get the exact details but they seem to think he can be used as some sort of trump card.”

I glanced back at Mickey. So that was it. Without her story I definitely would have drawn the wrong conclusion and there was no way Alvis would have told me anything.

“We should keep an eye out just in case,” I replied to Keane, “I don’t think they will be able to get a hold of Alvis so easily, but they might know something we don’t.”

“Got it. I will make sure everyone knows,” Keane promised and broke off communication.