"Come on sis! Isn't it enough already? I don't have space in my wardrobe for clothes anymore! They are filled with dresses I haven't used yet."

"Ah. Then it's time to add another wardrobe to your room. Girl, don't you know when it comes to dresses, there is nothing such as 'too much'. It's always not enough." Viessa replied with a hearty laugh.

We were currently shopping in the capital of Traucia. Sis Viessa always wanted to show this place to me as she took pride in her dominion's fashion industry. Well seeing how she always dressed, it was a given. The clothes sold here in Traucia resembled the clothes we used to find on earth, so I did find it nostalgic. But back then we used to only look through the displays as kids, now we were buying entire store worth of items.

'Funny how things can change so quickly.'

Maybe I should bring Nico along with Grey and Caera here on a double date. That dense muscle head doesn't know anything other than swords and fighting. I mean, Caera has developed an obvious interest in him, maybe even romantically. But he seems to think he still sees her as a friend.

It's clearly visible how deeply he cares for her when we went on outings. The way he protects her from perverted gazes, releasing his intent while some highblood kids try to flirt with her and many more instances. He seems to be doing all of this without realising it himself. It won't be long before Caera realises what she's feeling and will have a hard time conveying it to Grey, that clueless idiot.

"Hehe~"

"Huh? Why are you giggling like that? It creeps me out." said Viessa.

"Nothing, I was just imagining certain scenarios."

Viessa and Melzri were such sweethearts. The cold facade they put up in the public seems to take a lot out of them. In a society where powers decide one's future, it's clear that the orders most of the Scythes follow is not out of their own free will. To reach a high enough position where one can lead a somewhat normal life after all they went through is what our sisters dream of.

And I'm glad me and Nico could alleviate some of those burdens and provide them with a sibling relationship they desired. They have shown us what it is like to have a family, so it is the least we could do. Mother Sylvia, even though we don't visit her much, always welcomes us with gentle arms. I'm glad.

With a brightened mood, I wrapped my arms around Viessa's as we wandered the streets shopping and eating along the way.

It was almost evening when we decided to leave for the mansion.

A sudden ominous feeling invaded my mind as I instinctively snapped my head towards the direction where the Central Dominion was, or beyond, the Southern Dominion Sehz-Clar. Wasn't Grey supposed to be training there? This was the same type of feeling I got when I awakened. Is it because he is one of my anchors? If so, is his life in danger?

"What's the matter Cecil?" Viessa questioned.

"....Nothing, It just felt odd for some reason. Let's go." I answered as we got into the carriage.

'Hope you are alright Grey.'

Flying above the forest which emamated a moist earthly scent, it gave me a soothing feeling as my thoughts drifted back to Grey.

He was a truly remarkable person, developing his abilities at an astonishing rate. Developing a technique similar to the Thyestes clan's mirage walk. Having experienced first hand how terrifying the technique was when the asuras invaded Alacrya, I wouldn't want to face them again. Only the Vritra and the other asuras could manage to fight them. Every time one of those pantheons sneaked up behind me, I felt like it would be the end of me. The limitation with Grey's technique is that he can only travel in one direction, but it is faster than normal mirage walk.

Had I informed Agrona of this development, there would have been severe consequences. From forcing Grey to reveal the nature of his technique to him to teaching others, would be the least of my worries. As Sylvia had instructed and of my own will, I had limited the information I provided to Agrona on Grey's development so that he won't be watched upon much and he doesn't grow suspicious of me and assign someone else to watch Grey.

Strange thing is that he isn't visiting the experimenting labs much nowadays. Maybe it's because the legacy experiment was successful.

And now that I'm sure Agrona isn't manipulating or looking into his memories, I should reveal myself to Grey. That I'm not working with Agrona. Grey is clearly suspicious of me, and with the way I've been interacting with him, I can't blame him. It sometimes hurts to see him look at me that way, having seen how close Cecilia and Nico are with Viessa and Melzri. Hopefully our relationship turns out fine after we talk things through.

Caera seems happy around him too. I'm glad I entrusted her to him as there's no one better to look after her. Trying to handle things with Agrona, I haven't paid much attention to her. She sees me as someone to respect, and that's all.

My thoughts ceased as two familiar mana signatures became apparent. Smiling to myself I made my way to them but soon felt a domineering pressure bore down on me. This was not normal, the only time I've felt this type of pressure is from a sovereign.

Worried for their safety, I dashed towards them but quickly found Grey emerging from between the trees below. Sighing in relief, I descended to meet him. But that relief didn't last long as the pressure I felt earlier seems to be emanating from Grey.

'Such strong aura!'

"Grey? What's wrong? Why are you releasing your intent?"

He didn't respond as he continued to march towards me with an empty gaze as purple flames started flickering into existence near his palms.

Seris stood there petrified as I took heavy steps towards her. My mana channels burned as it felt like they were being expanded at an astonishing rate.

Raising my hand, black lightning shot at her at an alarming speed.

She composed herself just in time to avoid my attack as it scorched the cape of her black battle robes.

Her brows furrowed as I saw inky gray-black mana wrap around her body.

Her face contorted in a grimace as she screamed something, but my senses couldn't register what she said but I knew she told me to stop.

"And why should I?" my voice came out having an icy undertone which felt foreign even to me.

Her eyes widened at my response as I shot wind blades. I could feel mana and aether in the environment flooding into my body.

But as the wind blades made its way to her, they just disappeared into the inky mana wrapping around her body.

'Nullification magic? That's going to be troublesome! Tsk'

Feeling something cold on my palms, I looked to find purplish black flames creeping up my skin. They were brimming with power.

'Destroy. Kill. Kill her. It is possible, with Destruction.'

The same voice whispered in my ear as I smirked at my newfound powers. Seris hadn't attacked me all this time, as if underestimating me. I'll show her. I'll show her what pure dread feels like.

Willing mana into my legs, I burst stepped towards her instantly as the ground splintered at the spot I was in. Her eyes widened as my fist made contact with the arms she had raised just in time to block my attack which pushed her a few meters back before coming into a skidding halt.

The remnants of the purple flame my punch left were eating away at her inky armour which elicited an astonished expression from Seris.

"Hahahahaha! Now what are you going to do, Oh great Scythe Seris?" My laughter turned maniacal as I mocked the scythe in front of me.

'No, this isn't me. What is happening!? No, this is me. I'm a king! A pinnacle of power. I WILL KILL HER!'

Ignoring my conflicting thoughts, I focused my attention back on the fight. Seris had discarded her destruction infested mana armour as a new layer took its place. She pulled an obsidian black sword from her dimensional ring which matched her horns.

'It doesn't matter' I thought as I raised my arms and white fire with a tinge of aether and destruction swirled around in a ball in the palm of my hands...or what was left of it. I watched wide eyed as the flames ate away at my flesh and were reaching my bones.

I stood there horrified at the sight of my own power eating away at my flesh as if hungry for mana and aether. It was then I realised that my core was almost empty. Whatever this purple fire was, ate away at energy indiscriminately. I needed to end this fight quickly.

Burst steeping to her again, I thrust the ball towards her abdomen. But she sidestepped and brought her sword in a downward arc cutting off my arm and jumped away in that instant.

The arm fell to the ground along with the spell, which on touching ended up freezing our surroundings.

Pure dread washed over me as I saw the purple flames eat away at my severed arm which had Sylvie's bond on it.

'Please don't let this affect Sylvie' I begged to no one in particular as guilt ate my heart out.

My senses slowly started to return in the absence of that purple flame. Pain due to mana loss and a severed arm bombarded my senses as I struggled to stay conscious.

'No. I can't lose now. If I do, Caera will be taken away. I can't let this happen to her.'

Seris stood there with caution as she hovered above the frozen ground. Taking out my sword from the dimensional ring, I tried to look for a way to deal a damaging blow to her.

The aether in the atmosphere slowly drifted towards me as I felt a burning sensation on my spine.

Multiple images flashed in my vision, no, these images are of the different places in our surroundings. It felt like I was viewing different sets of paths, like a portal. One above us, one facing myself as I saw the bloodied mess I was, one beside me and so on.

Would it take me to the place if I used burst step at the right time? But the paths kept on appearing and disappearing. Preparing myself, I searched for a path that led me behind her.

Soon, it appeared. The path appeared for a fraction of a second which showed Seris's back as I used Burst Step. The world shifted as I materialised behind her, purple tendrils of lightning coiling around me as I thrusted the sword where her mana core would be.

Seris's form blurred as I felt pain erupt from my abdomen. Looking down, I saw the same obsidian sword Seris had in her hand, now puncturing my abdomen as blood flowed freely. Realmheart deactivated as the colors returned to my vision.

The taste of metal invaded my mouth as I looked up to see Seris who had a horrified expression on her face.

As strength started to leave my body, knowing I failed to protect Caera, I pleaded, clutching on to the hem of her battle robes.

"Please Seris, he- cough help Caera. I beg you. Please. cough She's innocent. Plea-" I felt the rest of my strength vanish as I seperated from her sword and fell on my back, staining the ice covered terrain a bright red.

'Reminds me of her eyes.'

My vision lost its color once again as darkness slowly took over.

"GREY!" Caera's voice came out in a pained cry as my consciousness faded.

'I'm sorry, Caera'

What are those purple flames?! It even consumed my nullification magic which, even the strongest of Scythe's soulfire couldn't affect. It left an ominous feeling and I couldn't detect a shred of mana from it.

It had even started to consume his own hand which I had to cut off to stop it from eating more of his body. It seemed to work as I could see him come back to his senses as the sinister smile which he had plastered over his face vanished.

Now he stood there staggering as if contemplating something. He summoned the sword to his remaining hand as he stood there ready to strike. His gaze faltered as I could see him not looking at me, but at something in front of his eyes. But the next moment, he vanished.

It was primal instinct.

The moment I felt a presence behind me, my body automatically attacked it. It felt the same as my encounters with those pantheons. But how did Grey do it? It was more terrifying than that asuran technique. My blade effortlessly slid through his abdomen as if cutting through butter.

'What have I done?'

Emotions which I thought I lost back then flooded my senses as a mild stinging sensation attacked my eyes.

I felt him tug at my robes.

"Please Seris, he- cough help Caera. I beg you. Please. cough She's innocent. Plea-"

He couldn't finish as he fell to the ground as blood flowed freely from his severed arm and the hole in his abdomen. I could feel my eyes finally turn moist at his unmoving form.

'What did he mean by help Caera? Is she alright?!'

But before I could think of anything else, I heard her voice.

"GREY!"

Her presence dashed towards us in an instant as she pushed me away and knelt beside Grey with tears streaming down her face. Looking at her now, answered some of my questions.

She had manifested. On the sides of her head were a pair of beautiful onyx horns and I could see soulfire begin to manifest on her trembling body.

Today was the day my son and Caera are supposed to return from their week long training. Sylvie was the most excited out of all of us since she wanted to spend as much time as she could before they left for the academy.

Call it a mother's intuition but an eerie feeling lingered in the atmosphere which made me uncomfortable. Going over to the balcony, I could see the forests were slowly but surely regaining their luster ever since Sylvie was born. She seemed to be playing with one of the toys Grey had made for her which involved drawing pictures using mana.

Suddenly I heard a pained cry accompanied by a loud thud. Rushing inside the room, I saw Sylvie on the floor, curled up into a ball while clutching her temples. Tears stained the red carpet below her.

"Sylvie!! What's wrong dear?! What's happening?!"

"I-It's brother! Mama! I can't feel brother anymore!" she managed to cry out as her whole body shivered.

The uncomfortable feeling I had earlier seemed to only aggravate my worries at this new found information.

My heart raced as I hurriedly picked up Sylvie and placed her on the bed. Taking out a communication artifact which was linked to Seris, I placed a tempus warp on the ground which was anchored to her mansion in Sehz-Clar.

My hands wouldn't stop trembling at the thought of losing my son.

'Please Grey, my son. Please be alive.'