As soon as Lea came around outside, she was greeted with a glare so piercing. It was a glare from none other than the recovered Fatima.
Glancing to her surroundings, only the younger ones were out and about, making her conclude that the others have yet to feel well enough after days of starvation. Their King would need to compensate for his cowardice at a later time.
She noticed another pair of eyes on her. A pair of eyes with similar colour to her brother's, Kiel Fang's brother. She made contact with his eyes, only to be snubbed. She decided to ignore his attempt of intimidation and proceeded to confront Fatima's glare instead.
She was neither bothered nor displeased, she simply did not want the misunderstanding to spread around. She was not used to being paired with her brother despite her affection for him.
With a smile, she introduced herself, "Lea. A pleasure to meet Kiel's fiancé."
Taken aback by Lea's assumption, which was simply intentional, Fatima took Lea's offered hand and smiled sweetly with a blush.
"F-Fatima... I didn't know you thought of us that way... The pleasure is mine, Lea."
Seeing the spectacle, Imhe rolled her eyes and swished her tail side to side. She was growing bigger and more refined by day, but it was all oblivious to herself. Being a cat brought her back to a simple life, but in exchange for her human desires. Meeting her beloved Kiel once again did not affect her.
As Lea briefed Fatima on the situation in Eden, she noticed the latter was not a simple lady. She has her head on her shoulders, and Lea was pleased to know such a person was beside her brother.
Kiel joined them right after, throwing a bomb to Lea.
"Lea. Whatever happens, you'll always be important to me. That will never change. Fatima,"
As soon as he said his words, Fatima distanced herself from Lea. The latter was feeling rather queer. She felt pleased with Fatima, but it seemed that Kiel was much too dense to notice. Thus, with a slight fiddling with the essences, she caused Kiel to trip, kissing the ground in a moment's notice.
Ashe was amused at the spectacle, while Fatima and Kiel's brothers rushed to save his pride, only to fail miserably. And with a 'phummmmph', Kiel could not finish his next words.
On his back, Lea's feet stomped, revealing a flawless leg. With her ruby eyes, she glared at the back of his head and said, "Don't make it sound romantic. And you are not my brother!"
Her attitude so strong, Kiel's brothers changed their impression of her. From a beautiful docile lady to a viscous violent woman. They were clearly taken aback by her crassness.
They were brought up as nobles through and through, thus they could not help but discriminate Lea's treatment to their brother. But they also lacked courage to go against her due to a certain fox who seemed to be glaring at them, his aquamarine eyes expressing the threat: 'Do not interfere.'
They could feel cold sweat sliding on their skin by the minute, until Lea moved away and gave Kiel a moment to stand. They were confused why their brother did not appear angry nor annoyed, but rather portraying an appearance much like their's: confusion.
Then she dispelled everyone's thoughts, "I'm the leader of a group working against the Apostles. We call ourselves Phantom Rebels because we do not want to be exposed. Saving you was an exception."
Catching her drift, Ashe thought of the consequences, and he could not stop himself from musing over the imaginary rebel group.
Victor at the side yawned with his might. He was back to his harmless appearance, like a dog waiting for his master to finish her business. But despite his careless appearance, his senses were as sharp as can be.
Bright was distracted by a weird insect on the ground and was thinking of sketching it out. Deciding he would, he grabbed for his pen and paper, and begun his small endeavour. He was completely detached to everything else, and was at his own pace as usual. Imhe could not help but observe him with her curious eyes.
"Phantom?" It was Kiel who asked, ignoring the footprint on his back.
She gave a nod, but said nothing else.
Kiel sighed, shrugging Lea's complex plans. "Aside from making the citizens of Eden understand machines, which I might add would take at least a year to become effective, what other things should I keep in mind from you?" He queried, still unable to find the word to describe Lea in his life.
"Time is not a problem."
Kiel frowned, then she continued. "The start is important. Be the hero of your nation, Kiel Fang."
"Not to destroy your fantasies, but you want me to battle it out with the Apostles using a pen?"
"Yes, but not quite." She stopped. When Kiel was about to say something again, her hand stopped his attempt. It was quiet for a minute. Then her expression changed to a frown. "They are diligent...."
"Who? The Apostles or what?"
She looked to Kiel with her blank gaze. "Indeed they are. Their target---"
"......" Everyone waited with baited breathe, only to express relief at her next words.
"Drakon."
Then she was shocked at a newfound realization. Her imaginations running wild. Then it was Japatu who answered her thoughts.
Everyone's eyes was on a pristine youth who suddenly appeared in a blink of the eyes, and announced, "Lea, the Apostles are not so simple.. there are----!!"
She frowned at his frantic thoughts. "So they are not myths....."
She turned to him and inquired, "Can I really pull this off?"
"Well... if you can't, why not with..... them?" Then all around Lea, butterflies of different hues appeared.
With every flap of their wings, white dusts shimmered down.
She expressed another frown to another surprise.
It was Ashe who answered the others' questioning gaze, "The Spirits.... Did mother....?" he looked at the sight with intensity. He was starting to feel anxious, but he did not know why.
Then a representative of the group transformed to a being akin to a bird with three tails and wings. It looked heavy in the eyes.
"So you are the girl she mentioned.... Peculiar indeed. What can you do to serve this world?"
Lea felt intimidated with their words, then she replied, "You ought to express your words less arrogantly, foolish ones. Nevertheless---"
"Insolence!"
"Silence!" She loudly chided, startling the butterflies and the birds. As well as Kiel, his companions and Bright. The latter dropped his pen on the ground as he looked at Lea with surprise in his blue orbs.
"...We should have ne----"
"Foolish as ever. Japatu, help your fellow Spirits. I shall take my leave. Kiel, you ought to know what to do. Your significant people are in your hands to protect and be of use."
She was growing impatient with her surroundings, and in an instant, she was gone, causing surprise to everyone but Victor, Japatu and Ashe.
The young man with long black hair was gone as she did. And Victor was left to groan to himself before briefly glancing at a direction and left the vicinity without further ado. [A/N: .....You stalker......]
Silence took over the place before every Spirits disappeared one by one, following right after Japatu who changed locations. He did not care for anyone else.
Then it was just Ashe, Bright, Imhe, Fatima, Kiel and his brothers. The unconscious people in the tent has yet to reveal themselves to the outside.
With a turn, Kiel made his way to his mother's tent.
He was ready to go back to Eden. What would welcome him, however, would be something he'd never expected. With Duran around, Eden was in for a solid newfound future.
All around the world, gathering of future leaders that would change the continents were held one at a time. For the sake of a future they all desire.
Wern, Eden, Felicity Domain, Yatsohara and Drakon.
Schemes after schemes, who ought to get to the bottom of greed?
🦋
Hours later, a strange spectacle in Drakon was taking place. At a higher elevation, Lea observed the deceptive Apostles that were far different from their scientist counterparts.
In their arms, weapons bejewelled amassed their battle power. She knew they were deadly in an instant, but when the front lines attempted to inspect within the dark purplish mist, none came back even after an hour.
They were much more hesitant then, and seeing all these, Lea could not help but feel reluctant at confirming her guess. She had thought he was witty, but not a reformer.
Raize was not the type of person who would bother with changing the world. He could care less for an apocalypse.
Then she was much too curious to stop herself from instantly appearing in the room where Raize was peacefully asleep at a sofa. While Nia was dazed by the lantern. Her almost soundless arrival did not stir both men.
What brought Nia to reality was her approaching shadow that caused his bright eyes to glow in alarm, only to feel delighted at her sight. His fondness of her unrestrained, he attempted to reach out for her body but was met with the floor. He could not understand what had had happened.
Lea managed to dysfunction Nia's lower legs to stop his approach. But it seemed the wolf was much too dense to notice anything. Instead, almost immediately, he was on his feet and approaching her fast once again.
"Lea, Lea..." He repeatedly called, causing Raize to slightly move.
Then a horrendous hand choked his neck, causing him to pale and quiet.
"I told you to keep quiet while I sleep for an hour...." his words trailed off as soon as his obsidian eyes saw her equally expressionless face.
He felt thirsty and excited all of the sudden. Then a frown played on his forehead.
"....Real or not?"
"Real."
Then Drakon was once again a bright afternoon. The world of darkness gone in an instant, and Lea immediately regretted appearing before Raize who appeared expressionless, but..... his eyes and thoughts only spoke of one thing: relief.