[A tad Earlier]

"I'm going to go call Zyuuni and the others to eat," Ryonoko said as he turned around. He stared at his phone. "He doesn't respond to my call at all. Hope that he's alright."

"We'll help," Akane said as she jogged toward Ryonoko. Maki walked behind her. He was covered in sweat. They were the only members in our group who had continued training while the rest of us prepared lunch.

"This is harder work than I imagined," he said, gasping for air.

Tetsuya chuckled. "You're out of shape."

Maki glared at me. "Yeah, so what?" he snapped.

"You sound just like Hideo," Tetsuya said, chuckling.

"He does!" I said.

The prince of Kasai no Ki turned away and mumbled something to himself.

"Maki, if you're tired then sit down. Ryonoko and I can take care of calling everyone to lunch," Akane said, rubbing his back.

"No, if the others aren't responding to our calls then it could mean trouble. I can't leave you alone," Maki protested.

Akane sighed. "You're quite overprotective, aren't you? I'll be fine," Akane said with a grin. She spread out a pair of red wings and took to the skies. "Bye! I'll leave your sister and Zyuuni's group to Ryonoko while I go find Hyosetsu's group."

Maki ran a hand through his white hair and sighed as he watched her fly off.

"How about we have a spar once you're feeling well?" Tetsuya asked, trying not to laugh.

Maki looked over his shoulder and chuckled. "Alright. I accept."

"Really?" I asked. My face reddened as the stares of the two boys fell on me. "Uh, I thought that you would say no."

"Having sparred against Akane, I realized that I am lacking in certain areas."

"Aren't we all?" Tetsuya asked, swinging his hands behind his head. "As long as you now know what you need work on, you can begin to amend it."

"Yeah, he's right. I'm actually the same way too. I still have a long ways to grow to become a proper knight."

"A knight, huh?" Maki asked. He smiled. "Perhaps, it would be best if I battle you. We're both royals who wield angel tools of our nations respective Orders of Seven."

"Orders of Seven? Are you referring to the Seven Hills and the Seven Flames?" Tetsuya asked.

"Yeah, that's what they and the Seven Light and Seven Seas are collectively called," I responded.

"I see," Tetsu said, turning around. "Well, I'm going to go get some new clothes before eating." He stopped and glanced back over to us. "Will you be fine without any girls around?"

"Me? I'm not the only girl around. Lady Saya is over there," I said, pointing at the Celestial Queen who was reading a book next to a giant green tent. "While Sabine is inside the tent."

Tetsu jumped. "Since when was she there?"

"I didn't notice her either," Maki said, chuckling.

"Wait, who is Sabine?" the two boys asked.

"She's a girl that Eiichi and Hideo found while we were looking for Serrano," I responded.

Tetsuya gasped as he turned around completely. "They found her in the abyss? Is she an abyssmal?"

I raised a hand to my chin as I prepared more hamburgers. "Hmm, well no. But she was one when they found her."

"Huh?" Maki said, scrunching his nose. "How does that work?"

"Was it like with Kiara?" Tetsu asked, crossing his arms again.

"From what I was told, it sounds like the darkness corrupted her," I said. "She was in the abyss for who knows how long."

"Corrupted?" Maki asked, raising an eyebrow.

I put down the bottle of ketchup in my hands and nodded. "Yeah. When one stays in the abyss for too long the darkness apparently starts to affect one's psyche. We Kuroriku have a resistance to it, thankfully. That seems to be the reason why Lady Saya relied on our country to mount the war against them."

"I see," Maki said, glancing up at the sky. It was now less cloudy than before. "Then that means it's up to the rest of us three to watch over the home front while you attack Abyssia head on." He lowered his head and crossed his hands together. "Though is it a good move to do so?" Attack them in their territory I mean. You've already faced some losses from those endeavors based on what information was given to us. Fighting in a land one barely knows is a fools errand. Kasai no Ki managed to defeat Kuroriku by drawing it into unfamiliar territory as well."

I turned to look at Tetsu who also seemed to be pondering what the prince had said.

"So, King Osamu might be repeating the mistakes of his father," Tetsuya said, looking over his shoulder at the prince.

"Yes, but the scale of the battle at hand is larger. The unfortunate thing is that we don't even know the extent of the enemy's resources."

Tetsu crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. "Perhaps, Hideaki's interrogation of Etsuo and Roa will be able to give us a general picture of that."

"That is if we can trust said intel. Didn't those two pretend to befriend you?"

I nodded solemnly.

"See, they have a history of lying. They could give us a mix of real and fake stats in order to trip us up. My people did that in order to push you back too," the prince said, tapping his hand against the table. "If we wish to defeat them then we have to use other means than simply raw power. As they showed us in Xeleria, they can defeat us in terms of power. Similarly, Kuroriku was more advance and had stronger soldiers than us. We lost against you when we attempted to fight head on."

"I see," Tetsuya said as he sat down on the table. "If we can learn where they might attack next, we could have the upper hand."

"We have one clue," Maki said with a grin on his face.

"You mean the Ziz in Xian?"

"Another attack in Xeleria?" I asked as I picked up put a slice of tomato on each of the hamburgers in front of me.

"Don't worry, I'm certain that Nuying has several plans should they attack," Lady Saya said as she stood up from her seat. "Plus, I plan to send a few of you there to reinforce Xian's forces. I'm also certain that my little brother is cooking up something as well."

"Nuying?" I asked.

The Celestial Queen smiled. "She's the oldest granddaughter of the previous Magus Maximus and High Priestess of Xian. She's actually the current High Priestess. Not to mention, she's my best friend."

"You have a Xelerian as a best friend?" Maki asked, gasping.

Saya chuckled and nodded. "Yes. I care little about the prejudices that this world might have against them. For one, I am a Xelerian from my father's side."

Tetsuya stared at his silver and gold bracelet. "Xian, huh? I take it that she was the one who provided the wood used to create Agnes?"

"Indeed. She also managed to secure the quantity of Orichalcum I had asked for from Mina. While it might seem as if the only one invested in this war is Zionia, it extends well beyond."

Growl

The queen glanced at me and smiled. "Seems that someone is hungry."

I lowered my head. This was so embarrassing.

Tetsuya chuckled. "Just like when we met," he muttered. He picked up a hamburger from the table and offered it to me. "Eat if you're hungry. The others will likely take a while to return." He stared at the burger which was dripping with ketchup. "Though, I think that you need to work on putting them together."

I glared at him as he tried his best not to laugh.

I sighed and took a big bite off of the hamburger. While messy, it was tasty.

Tetsu picked up a napkin from the wooden table. "You got some ketchup here," he said, wiping my mouth.

"Seeing you two sure brings back memories," Lady Saya said as she sat down next to me.

"Master!" Yuko yelled, running toward us like a dust storm. She came to a halt as soon as she saw us. In the distance were the others.

"Hey, Yuko!" Tetsu said, putting my hamburger back on its plate. He picked up a plate and raised it up for her to see. "We're eating hamburgers! Uh, though Rosa here sort of put too much ketchup, but then again, you also like it with a lot of ketchup."

I turned away and thought about what I had seen in Hideo's house. Yuko had kissed him and he didn't even seem bothered by it. Was it because he liked her? Or because he had no feelings for her?

Yuko slowly walked over and sat down on his left. "Thanks, Master," Yuko said, smiling. Her smile gradually faded as she noticed he was wet. "What happened to Master? Did Tetsu fall into the river? The older princess was also wet."

Tetsu chuckled nervously. "Well, I kind of did, and just after I had finished taking a bath too!"

"Why did you decide to bathe so early?" I blurted out. I cupped my hands over my mouth and turned away.

"I... I needed to calm my mind down," he mumbled. "I couldn't focus on training."

Calm his mind? Why? Wait, was it because of what had happened before? When I snapped?

"I see," I said, continuing to look away.

"Master should change," Yuko said. "Might get sick if not."

"Right, I'm going to go do that," he said. I turned and saw as he stood up. My face heated up as soon as I realized that his shirt was still see through due to the water, allowing me to see his well sculpted chest and abdomen. I had been trying to avoid staring there all this time...

Tetsu smiled before flicking me lightly on the forehead. "You're a little pervert, aren't you?" he whispered as he leaned close to my ear.

My face felt as if it were on fire. I hated when he decided to become all flirty... though I also liked it. Ugh, why were my feelings when it came to him so... messy. Though, it was said feelings which led to him being accused. If I hadn't followed him around like a lost puppy... if only I had stayed in the ball while he went to sleep, then perhaps he could've avoided going through the pain he did.

However, what would've been my fate? Would I still have been attacked? Or would I have been spared from that trauma... I'm still unsure as to how far the actual perpetrator went. Had I... truly been taken advantage of? Or was I narrowly saved by Tetsu?

"If princess plans to return with Master then she should cherish him more," Yuko whispered as she kept her head down.

My heart broke as I heard her say those words. Was she giving up on him? Just like that?

"Though, Yuko doesn't plan to give up," she said, locking eyes with me.

I grinned. "Nor do I."

"So, that guy and you two are part of a love triangle, interesting," Lady Saya said with a large grin as soon as Tetsu was far away. "I do feel bad for him, though. Choosing between two people one is close to is hard."

The way she says it sounds as if she has been in that situation or known someone who was. Hmm, perhaps she means her parents. Kushina was in love with Hanketsu after all.

"Sure seems like Serra is caught up in the same predicament," my older sister called out as she arrived with Akane, Hyosetsu's group as well the rest of Tetsu's group, minus Serrano, Eri, and the tall white haired guy whose name I didn't catch.

"I would say it proves that those cousins aren't serious about you two," Hyosetsu said in his usual 'matter of fact' tone.

Setsuko nodded. "Perhaps." She gasped and looked around. "Where is Serrano?"

"You got separated?" Maki asked.

"He dropped me off with Tetsu's group and went to look for Hideo with Eri and the tall, white-haired guy from Wynaga, Shin, I think was his name."

"We're here!" Serrano's voice echoed. We all looked up and saw Serrano waving at us. Behind him were Zyuuni, Eri, Hideo, Koukyuu, and several others who I didn't know.

Suddenly, a dark portal opened up and from it emerged my father and Tekeshi's generation of Seven Hill knights.

"There you are!" Hideo screamed.

Tekeshi smiled and waved. "Hey! Nice to see you too."

"The mission was a success," Zyuuni said, grinning.

"Wait, what mission?" Setsuko asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll like to know what this mission you gave my nephew is," Saya said, crossing her long slender fingers together.

"It was to awaken Hideo's Second Heaven form," Zyuuni responded.

"Second Heaven?" Hyosetsu asked.

Kohri walked over to his brother and snickered. "You don't know what it is?"

My older cousin crossed his arms together and narrowed his eyes at his little brother. "And you do?"

"Yeah. I used it during the battle with Daisaru," the younger brother responded, grinning.

Hyosetsu gasped. "What?"

"It's rarely known these days. Most who can use it and the higher forms tend to belong to an Order of Seven," aunt Miyuki explained as she walked over to her sons. "It's a form that expands one's spiritual power. One's body becomes covered with mana and one gains an extra pair of wings."

Lady Miyuki took in deep breath. "Step aside, everyone or else you might be frozen alive."

Everyone stepped away from her except for her sons.

"You too!"

Kohri jumped back several feet. Hyosetsu, meanwhile, scratched the side of his face and took a step back. "Is that good enough, Mother?" he asked.

"More!"

He sighed and took another step back. "There?"

"Alright, think that'll do," Miyuki said. "Though, you might feel a tad cold." She took another deep breath and released her wings. They were light blue and shimmered in the sunlight as if they were crystal. Suddenly, a great amount of mana was drawn toward her.

I hugged myself as the air rapidly grew colder.

"Hold it, Miyuki! I think that it's too dangerous!" Tekeshi yelled. He snapped his fingers, creating a translucent violet barrier around her. "There!"

The cold air though continued to persist. The outer side of the barrier became covered in a layer of frost.

Suddenly a beam of cyan light shot out of the barrier and ascended into the sky. Flying overhead was a four-winged Miyuki covered in a cyan aura. Even her white hair seemed to have become Cyan. A dense fog began to form around her as the temperature of the air rapidly dropped.

"Such power," Hyosetsu said, his eyes wide. "I know that she's strong, but this is... at a different level!" He looked down at his hands and saw that ice was starting to form on them.

"So cold!" Eiko yelled, rubbing her arms.

It really was cold. The others were starting to gather around Maki, Hideo, and Koukyuu who had each started small fires in order to keep warm.

"Oi, Miyu, control it better!" Papa yelled. "Or do you plan to freeze all of us?"

Auntie took in a deep breath, drawing the cold air inward. "Sorry about that! It's been awhile since I've used this form."

"Wait, did he just call her 'Miyu'?" Serrano asked as the temperature returned back to normal.

"Auntie is the only one of the seven who father is close with," Setsuko responded. She snickered. "Though, it is odd to see him speak in such a friendly manner."

"Yeah, it is," I muttered, trying not to laugh.

"Hmph, not sure why Osamu prefers her," Eiko said, turning away. "Perhaps, I should use my Second Heaven form here too."

"I think that we should let Kohri, Serra, or Hideo show it off," Auntie said as she returned to normal. "You'll probably zap them."

Lady Eiko scoffed and flipped her long blond hair. "Hmph, you think that my control is as crummy as yours? Please!"

"No, yours is worse," Sir Eiji mumbled.

Eiko gasped. "How dare you? I'll show you that I have better-"

"Eiko, Miyuki is right," Papa said, placing a hand on her shoulders.

Her scowl vanished like ice in the height of summer's heat. "Alright, I guess it would be a shame to use said form merely for demonstration purposes," she said, chuckling.

"Ugh," Setsuko said. "She really is as annoying as her son."

"That's Eiichi and Eita's mom? Now I know why Eita didn't seem so fond of her," Ximena whispered.

"Can't blame him," I whispered back.

"I can hear that, young ladies!" Eiko yelled, causing Ximena and me to jump.

Setsuko just turned toward her and flashed her a smile. "Perhaps, you'll learn to be less, hmm, what's the word?" My sister asked while trying not to laugh.

Lady Eiko sighed. "And you've yet to learn manners, so don't go throwing rocks, missy."

Setsuko put a hand on her hip and chuckled. "Touché."

"Enough you two," Papa said.

"Hmm, what's going on here?" Tetsu called out as he walked out of the front porch.

He had changed into a pair of well worn blue jeans and a red and black flannel shirt with a white undershirt. I turned around. If I continue to stare, he'll just call me a pervert again.

"So, why are you all here? The table was over there a moment ago," he said, pointing at the frozen patch of grass. "And why did the temperature suddenly plummet to that of Kuroyuki no San and northeastern Ryuussia?"

"It was my mom," Kohri said, grinning.

"Lady Miyuki?" He glanced up at the sky and saw auntie in her four winged-form. "Woah! What's the intense aura? She looks like someone out of one of those mangas that I used to read as a kid."

Serra chuckled. "I thought of that too when I awakened the form."

"Huh, you can use it?"

"Yeah," Serrano said as he spread out his wings and took to the skies. He closed his eyes. A powerful wave of energy flew toward him. Blue sparks began to crackle around him and a smaller pair of black wings appeared below his existing pair.

"Since when could you use it?"

"Since..." He turned away. "Since my brother died... I awakened it by accident. I haven't really used it in battle apart from when I fought against Satoru, Roa, Reno, and Man-kin."

"You're a beast," I blurted out.

"Yeah, he sure is," Tetsu said, grinning. "Now I'm wondering how much more work I'll need to put in, in order to catch up."

I looked down at my burger. Was I the only one of us who couldn't use Second Heaven?

A small gasp escaped my lips as I looked up at Hideo. "Wait, so you can use that form too?"

Hideo puffed up his chest and nodded. "Yup, aren't I amazing?" he asked, nodding his head.

"Weren't you angry at me a moment ago for having Zyuuni pressure you into activating it?" Tekeshi said, smiling. "You certainly change your tune fast."

Hideo grumbled. "Yeah, well I'm still mad at you. That was a cruel trick you pulled."

"Yeah, I admit it was cruel. But now you have awakened a new power. One that will hopefully help you save Dante. Ahhh, that's right! When we first met I promised that Donato will give you the power to save him. Back then it was against your aunt Zaki. While I took care of Lorenzo and her for you, I would say that Donato can serve the purpose you obtained it for."

"Right, I did accept Donato to save him," the emerald eyed knight said, looking down at his necklace. He gripped it and closed his eyes. "I will use it. I will use Donato and this new found strength to rescue him from the darkness."

Zyuuni slapped him on the back, almost causing him to trip. "That's the spirit! You know, you almost are starting to sound like a hero," the heir of Xeleria said, chuckling.

Hideo rubbed his back and grumbled as he directed his glare toward the prince. "You're really getting on my nerves, Mr. 'anti-hero'."

"He has a talent for that," Ryonoko said, nodding.

"Yeah, but he is dependable when he needs to be," Eri said, also nodding his head.

"Yeah, he sure is," Maki said, grinning at him.

"Is this gang up on Zyuuni time?" Zyuuni snapped.

"If so, allow me to join," a red haired girl in tight black clothes said.

The future Magus Maximus pouted. "Ayumi, you're the president of the anti-Zyuuni club, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Ayumi said with a sly grin as she leaned toward him.

Zyuuni's face reddened the closer she got to him.

"I knew it," he mumbled as he turned away from her.

Ayumi grinned. "Anyway, do you know how to use that form?"

"Me?" Zyuuni asked. He scratched his head. "Uh, no. I'm not sure if I can use it as I'm only a fourth-Zionian."

"Same," Ryonoko said, furrowing his brows. "Plus, my wings are oddly shaped."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Lady Saya said, grinning. "You'll just need to focus on awakening it. It might take some time and lots of meditation, but I'm sure you'll get there."

I smiled. Perhaps, one day I could too!

"It can also awaken in times of intense strain, be it physical, spiritual, or emotional," Tekeshi explained. "In some ways, one can say it's a sort of defense mechanism."

Tetsuya gasped. "Wait, when I was kicked out of the castle I unleashed a shockwave of energy... Was I on the verge on entering Second Heaven?"

"Hmm, perhaps! Actually, given everything that you've been through, I'm surprised that you haven't entered Second Heaven. Though, it is rare to enter it outside of battle by accident. Usually it's done on purpose."

"So, my situation was abnormal," Serrano said as the aura around him vanished.

Tekeshi smiled at him. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Wait a moment, you used Second Heaven during our spar with him last time we were here, didn't you?" Tetsuya asked.

Serrano snickered. "Well, sort of. I didn't use its full power. Though even if I had, I doubt that I could've defeated uncle."

"Still, you were impressive," Tekeshi said. He turned his eyes back at his son. "Close your eyes and try to draw in the mana around you. Remember the emotions after having been kicked out of the palace."

Tetsuya expanded his black wings to their full wingspan of fifteen feet and took to the skies. He closed his eyes like how Serrano had done and began to draw in the surrounding mana.

The plates, food, and even the table itself trembled as well. Meanwhile the atmospheric pressure rose, pushing away surrounding clouds and warming up the air around him. Thunder rumbled on the eastern side of the mountains overlooking Tetsu's house, likely the result of a low pressure building up there.

Anis gasped. "This energy, isn't it more than he should be able to call upon?" she asked as she turned around. All around us, the shadows came to life and moved upward to meet him in the air. Massive amounts of energy continued to accumulate above, shaking heaven and earth in the process.

Is this the result of Tetsu's latent power, or the rage that has built up inside of him? Or both?

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed chapter :3. Think that Tetsu will be able to transform?**