[Meanwhile, in another part of the forest near Tetsuya's home]

My team walked into a cavern on the base of one of the mountains beyond the river. If I had to guess, I would say that we were the ones who traveled the farthest from the hill.

"Since we're a small group, we should take the time to get to know each other," said the white-haired doctor who months earlier had saved Yuko's life.

"Let's make this fast," I said, putting a hand on my hip. "I'm Hyosetsu Kuroyuki no San, the next heir of my branch. My powers are ice and my weapons are swords."

"Meanwhile, I'm Kei Kasai no Ki," said a green haired young man. He was dressed in a green coat and black shorts with matching black leggings. "I can control ice to a small extent, but am mostly proficient in wind, something that I inherited from my father."

"You're the younger brother of Maki, aren't you?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. But out of my siblings, I am the most talented," he said with a smirk.

I smiled back. Good, I like self-assured people. Especially, those who can back it up. Only thing to do is see if this guy can back his words up.

I gazed at the quiet doctor. "I have to ask, why are you here? Did you not say that you hated angels? It could not have been at the urging of your Emperor, for you hate him as well. So, what motivated you to assist us?"

The young doctor closed his eyes as he began to pace around the cave entrance. "I am not required to answer your questions."

"Fine, then don't," Kei said.

"Though, I was planning to answer them from the start," he said, opening his eyes. "The first reason that I am here is to become stronger so that I may protect my home from the threat of the Abyss and others. Second, is to find out what happened with Behemoth. I can't allow that monster to remain in the hands of that man we met in Xeleria. Thirdly, I seek to discover just how strong the heirs of the three realms are."

I snickered. "Well, you don't have to worry about them. Both of them are losers. Zyuuni lost against a nobody while Ryonoko could barely manage with the dragon."

"Oh, and how did you do against Behemoth? Because last I heard, all who fought it got trounced," Kei asked with a smirk.

"True," said the doctor, nodding. He glanced over at me and snickered. "Oh right, I'm Yuri Yuki." He snapped his fingers, summoning a long bodied feathered white dragon. On top of the dragon's forehead, between two deer-like antlers, was a sky-blue jewel with golden scales around its circumference. "And this here is Sneg. Girl, say hi."

Sneg lowered her head and transformed into a silver-haired girl in a white dress. "Hello."

"You can transform?" I said, gasping.

The dragon woman snickered. "Yeah. Truth be told, this is the form that I'm usually in when in public."

"Sneg here in the queen of my country," Yuri said. Sneg snuggled up closed to him and reverted back to her dragon form. "She just prefers to stay in her dragon form when around me. Well, ever since I found her when we were kids, she decided to stay close to me as if she were my dragon." He smiled as he rubbed the jewel in her forehead. "Hard to believe that she's the mighty Sneg."

"Oh, so an actual ruler is in this group," Kei said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Uh, not exactly," Sneg said, reverting back to her humanoid form. "You see, it's more that I'm the legitimate Queen. My aunt you see, overthrew my parents..."

https://youtu.be/tW_FkaXeSwc

*Sneg*

[Ten years ago- Northeastern Ryussia: Nation of Kiryu-- Prism Plateau]

"I... need... Wah!" I said as I wondered in the snow. I glanced at my bloodied hands and knees. Tiny rocks were lodged on to them after the fall I had just taken. "To... get help... mom, dad... I can't... stay here..."

"Hey!" a voice shouted as something hit the frozen ground. Footsteps rapidly grew closer, which would've caused my heart to beat faster than it already was if it weren't already exhausted. "Are you alright?"

My vision was hazy but could still make out the outline of someone around my age. "Help... me."

"Hey!" the owner of the voice shouted once more.

***

A piercing pain ran through my head as I rose up from the bed that I didn't even know I was sleeping on.

"You're finally awake," a white-haired boy with tranquil, verdant eyes said. He seemed to be around my age and was dressed in gray trousers, white shirt, and a gray coat with several patches. The boy smiled slightly as he placed a mug of jasmine tea by the nightstand. "Are you feeling well enough to talk?"

"Talk? About what?" I said. My eyes narrowed. "And who are you?" I gazed at the small white room with no other furniture other than three beds and a nightstand. "Where am I?"

"The polite thing to do is to introduce yourself first. But if you must know, I'm Yuri Yuki. You're currently in my room. You've been unconscious since last night, after you fainted just outside of the castle walls."

The door swung open. "Hey, is the princess awake already?" A tall young man with arms as thick as a bear's entered the room. He had the same white hair as Yuri, but his eyes were deep crimson.

Princess? He knows? No one in this backwater should know.

"Why do you refer to me as 'princess'?" I asked.

The guy laughed and walked over to one of the beds where my fur coat rested. "This here is fur of a wolf, and not just any wolf, but the Velikiy Wolf. Ya're from some noble family, aren't ya?"

So, that's it. "Yeah I am... but I'm not the princess."

He snickered. "Of course, you aren't. What would the princess be doing this far from home and unaccompanied?"

I stood up from the bed. I was wearing a long white shirt and black shorts. "Thanks for everything, but I better get going."

"Where are you heading to?" Yuri asked, glancing over his shoulder as I put on my coat.

"It is not something for you to worry about."

Yuri crossed his noodle arms over his chest and stared at me. "Stay. Your body could use the rest. If you don't take care of yourself then you could end up fainting in the middle of nowhere."

He's right, but I really have to go. "I cannot delay my journey any further."

"Well, if you're going to go back out, at least take some food. Wait here, we'll go get you some. Help me pick some snacks, Viktor."

"Ya're giving our food to a stranger?"

"She doesn't have anything on her besides her clothes, she's exhausted. Remember what we were told at church? We need to help those who are needy."

"Yeah but... Alright, just don't give her the ones with chocolate," Viktor said, following after his brother.

"Wait!" I said, reaching out for them, but they had already left. "Those two are fast." Sighing, I sat back down on the bed. It wasn't as soft as the one I left back home, but it was far more comfortable when compared to what I have had for the past few days. Snow might look soft, but it's really not.

I jumped up and took a peek outside of the room. There was a narrow and short hallway leading to what seemed to be the living room.

"Hey!" Yuri said, waving. Viktor and he carried bags filled with what seemed to be crackers and juice. "We brought you these snacks. Hopefully, they'll last you for what remains of your journey. Though, I really think that you should at the very least rest today."

"I'm fine," I said, a little too loudly. "Don't worry so much about me. You don't even know me!" Those who worry always get hurt... To accomplish what I set forth, I must be alone. Having others to care for me will only make me become attached to them. Then they will get hurt... like my friends did in helping me get this far.

Yuri gave me a poker face as I walked toward the two. "Keep the snacks, I don't..." Suddenly the hall seemed to grow smaller and twist. "What's..."

"See what I meant, you aren't well."

I leaned forward and closed my eyes.

"Huh?" Yuri said, holding me in his arms like some sort of cat. "You're a... dragon?"

"No, well yes," Viktor said. "What I mean to say is that's no normal dragon. She's Princess Sneg!"

"Huh? Wait, so the legends about the royal families of Ryuusia being able to transform into dragons are true," Yuri said. I opened my eyes and saw him staring at me. His brow furrowed with concern. "Why would the princess be here, though?"

"Viktor, Yuri!" yelled a girl with light blond hair as she rushed into the house.

"What's wrong, Anna?" Viktor said as he gave her a worried look.

Anna took a deep breath before saying, "The royal family, they're all dead."

"Dead?" Viktor said. "Wait, that can't be..."

"It is true."

Yuri glanced down at me and sighed. "So that's why you were in a hurry to leave. Well, don't worry, your secret is safe with us. We'll keep you safe, Princess Sneg," Yuri whispered. He flashed me a smile that could melt ice if it took the form of light.

"I don't need..." My eyes shut close.

***

['Present']

I hugged Yuri tightly. It was all thanks to his family and him that I managed to live this long. I still had yet to retrieve my kingdom, but that hope still remained alive within me. And I knew just who would help me achieve it.

"Your aunt did?" Hyosetsu asked. "I see... well, that's one way to get the crown..."

"Yeah. Ten years ago, she killed my parents along with those who sought to protect me. There's another reason for why Yuri and I are helping your kind. We seek your help in overthrowing my aunt. If you can do that then you would not only guarantee our help, but that of an additional kingdom."

Hyosetsu chuckled. "I see. So, what you seek is revenge. Well, your aunt certainly wasn't an idiot to hunt you down. Unfortunately for her, you managed to slip through her net. Do not worry, we shall assist you in the reconquest of your homeland in the future." He glanced at his sheathed sword. "However, I would also like to ask you for a favor, if that's fine."

I smiled. "Thanks, Sword Knight—Hyosetsu Kuroyuki no San. And sure, I'll be glad to help you as well, though, what do you need help with?"

"It's about summoning a dragon," he responded as he continued to stare at Baldo.

A dragon?

"So, you want us to help you win a civil war. Well, if we do, we should aim for one that is short and quick," Kei said.

"I agree, it's best to avoid a large number of casualties," Yuri said.

"A stealth mission, eh? Hideo will for sure play an important role, if he were to join us that is. Well, let's save this for later," Hyosetsu said. "We still have our existential war against the Abyss to train for."

"Right, I do not desire to take your attention from this larger conflict for long," I said. "So how about we have a tag team match?"

"A tag team match, eh?" a voice called out from outside of the cave. The voice belonged to a handsome blond young man in a black and red leather jacket. He had beautiful icy blue eyes which reminded me of the blue gown Mama used to wear on special occasions.

"About time that you made it, Huang. My siblings and I thought that you had gone off to do your own thing," Kei said, glaring at the new arrival.

Huang grinned and walked over to us. "Sorry that I'm late, I had a few things to attend to first." He held both his hands out and summoned a pair of twin pistols. "How about we begin these war games, eh?"

Kei summoned a green scythe and smiled as madly as Huang was. "Alright. I'll show you why your country is below mine in terms of strength!"

"Tsk. As if," Huang said, sending a round of bullets at him. Kei spun the scythe, creating a whirlwind. Heaven and earth trembled as the weapons of the two clashed, sending dust in all directions.

"These guys," Yuri said, covering my nose and backing up further into the cave.

Hyosetsu smiled at the two fighters. "I like your enthusiasm, though fighting in a cave against someone with earth powers is foolish." He dashed in between the two sending walls of ice to split them up. "How about we take this outside?"

Huang lowered his guns. "Alright, I don't want to be told that I won because I had the advantage of terrain or some other excuse."

"Like I would do that!" Kei yelled, appearing behind the blond. He swung his scythe but the thing slashed through a boulder. "Tsk!" He spun around and saw Huang running out of the cavern.

Once outside, the prince of Mina shot another round of bullets at the young Kasai no Ki prince. Kei leapt back and ducked as one flew past his left arm.

"Come Yuri, let's join them!" I said, reverting back to my true form. I grabbed his hand and pulled toward the exit of the cave.

Yuri snickered as he followed me. "You sure seem awfully excited, princess."

"Of course, I am! We finally found allies to help us retake our country!" I can definitely do it...no I will do it! With Sir Hyosetsu's help and that of the others, I shall restore my kingdom to its rightful ruler, me!

*Character Section*

Sneg Kiryu: Sex: Female Age: 18 Home Country: Kiryu (part of the Ryussia Region which is in the realm of Wynaga).

Yuri Yuki- Sex: Male Age: 18 Home country: Kiryu

Huang Wudi- Sex: Male Age: ? Home Country: Mina (part of the continent of Tozan Hoshi which is the universe of Xeleria)

Kei Kasai no Ki- Sex: Male Age: 19 Home Country: Kasai no Ki (in Zionia) but currently living in Kyuu Seishin (part of the continent of Tozan Hoshi in Xeleria)

**Solar Note: What do you think of Hideo and Hyosetsu's teams thus far? Which of the two do you like better thus far?**