The palace gates groaned open.
Hakari walked in, two children trailing behind him—barefoot, quiet, and unsure. Akami strode beside him, silent as always.
"Clean them. Feed them," Hakari ordered. "They're not slaves. They're guests."
The servants hesitated, confused by the children's ragged appearance.
"NOW."
"Y...yes, my lord!" Hurriedly, they rushed forward to take the children to be washed.
"Come with us," the male servants said to Kage, while the maids reached for the girl.
Kage was pulled one way by the men, while Heena was led away by the ladies.
Inside the bathhouse, it was chaos.
"H...hey! L...let me go!" Kage, terrified, tried to run. "Sh...she is alone! Leave me alone! She... she is..."
Kage's breathing shifted into short, sharp gasps. "I... I said..."
Thud. The heavy door to the bathhouse flew open.
"Hey..." Hakari entered through the steam. He looked at Kage, who was stripped and being held down by three men to be washed.
"Wh...what the— Hey! Get off of him!"
"My lord, he is struggling—"
"I said... get off."
The servants immediately stepped back. "As you say, my lord."
Hakari knelt down to eye level. "Now tell me. What happened?"
"I... I need to see my sister," Kage said, breathless and trembling. "S...she is alone."
"Hey, hey. Look here. I'm here," Hakari said softly. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to your sister, or to you."
"But..."
"Believe me. I said just... relax. Alright?" Hakari gestured with his hand. "Take some deep breaths. Try it."
Hhhhhhhh. Kage inhaled with all his might, his chest puffing out.
"Is that it?" Kage asked, holding the air in his lungs, his face turning red.
"Don't hold it," Hakari chuckled. "Release the air."
Shhhhhhh. "Like this."
"Yes, exactly like that. Gosh..." Hakari stood up, unbuttoning his own cuffs. "Now, let's wash ourselves."
Hakari stepped into the large pool of warm water.
"Hey, why did you stop? Come inside."
Kage stepped his foot onto the water—"Aaah!"—and immediately pulled it back.
"Slowly," Hakari advised. "You take the step slowly."
Kage slowly lowered himself inside. Suddenly, a burst of relief and peace covered his mind. The warmth soaked into his bones.
"Th...this is good."
"Yes," Hakari smiled. "Yes, this is good."
"This f... feels..." Kage whispered, his voice barely audible. "This feels like heaven."
"Hmm?" Hakari mumbled.
"What did you say? Sorry, I couldn't hear you. Speak louder."
"I said... this feels like heaven."
"Sure. Sure it does," Hakari nodded,
."To some, this feels like heaven. But I say... what is the problem with this world?"
"What?"
"I mean," Hakari gestured vaguely with his hands, "why does everyone want to go to heaven? Why not stay here with their family forever? Here, in this world? It just always confuses me. Why do everyone want heaven? They haven't even seen it, but somehow they believe it's better than this."
"M... maybe it is," Kage whispered, looking down.
Hakari paused. "What?"
"I said, maybe it is." Kage's voice was small but steady. "For someone who has nothing... heaven is the only hope."
He hesitated, then looked up at Hakari.
"And besides... the family you are talking about... it also has an end date marked on it. So what people actually want isn't heaven itself. It's the idea of eternal peace. Eternity in happiness. And as you said... being with their family. Forever
"Uff, well, that was fun. Let's hurry now and eat something."
Hakari and Kage walked down the corridor toward the Great Hall.
"I wonder if your sister Heena and Akami are already in the hall? They must have started eating by now, I bet," Hakari chuckled.
"Oh, here we are." Hakari pushed open the massive doors of the Great Hall. "Looks like I was right."
Heena was already there, safe. Hakari sat beside Heena, while Kage sat next to Akami.
"Before we start eating, let's be aware of one thing," Hakari announced, pointing at the feast. "Eat as much as your heart contends."
They started eating. Heena and Kage devoured the food, whilst Hakari and Akami watched, smiles on their faces.
"Brother, I think I'm getting hungry now just watching them," Akami chuckled.
"Chuckles, sure. Well, seeing this satisfies my hunger."
After a while, Heena and Kage finished eating. The adrenaline of the day finally faded, leaving only exhaustion.
Hakari blinked, his eyes heavy. "Oh." He let out a long sigh. "So you guys are done? Good. Why not... not sleep now then? Look, I would have taken you to your beds, but I'm tired, so... sorr..."
Hakari fell asleep on the floor cushion before he could even finish the sentence.
.
After resting for a while.
Hakari led them to the audience chamber.
His mother sat gracefully on the platform, brows raised.
"Hakari… who are these children?"
"Children I couldn't leave behind. They're staying."
The girl looked down. The boy clutched her sleeve.
"What's your name, sweet one, the mother asked with gentle voice?"
"Heena…"
the little girl whispered.
"You're safe now, Heena. I'm glad you're here."
She opened her arms. Heena stepped forward hesitantly. The boy followed. She embraced them both.
Suddenly
Heavy footsteps echoed.
Their father, King yami, entered with armored guards. He stopped before Hakari, eyes locked on the two children.
He raised his hand slightly.
Two guards seized the children.
> "Let them go, hakari said, eyes red."
The guards didn't move.
"I SAID LET THEM GO!"
Akami said, voice cracking like thunder
He stepped between them, eyes burning bright.
> "I'm Akami Shinzowa."And I promise, if any of you lay a hand on them again... I'll cut it off."
A symbol surged on his right hand — shaped like a **Bow and Arrow**, glowing fiercely.
The guards immediately released the children. Silence filled the room.
Their father stared at Akami for a long moment. Then turned and left.
A soldier rushed in, kneeling beside Hakari.
"The King of Velvet has been killed. The crystal is… shattered."
Hakari's hands clenched.
"That means war…"
"We're not strong enough."
"Tomorrow… we start our refinement training."
---