"Sis," A voice demanded. "Sis, wake up!"

Aqua tossed and turned on her bed. She waved her hand and continued to snore as she dug her face into her pillow.

"Five minutes," Aqua groaned and immediately went back to sleep.

A few minutes of silence passed before Aqua was suddenly knocked off her bed. She screamed and landed on the concrete ground side first, resulting in pain shooting up her hips.

"That hurt!," Aqua screamed from within her tangled sheets. "You jerk!"

Aqua grumbled and pulled the sheets off herself. She wobbled to her feet and spotted Ari, who was standing across her with crossed arms as he leaned on the wall. He stared back at her with a piercing gaze.

"Was that necessary?!," Aqua whined and rubbed her aching neck. "You could have shaken me awake instead?!"

"Can you not tell that I have tried that?," Ari scoffed. "Kicking you was a last resort."

Aqua groaned and ran a hand through her messy dark hair. She then raised an eyebrow at her twin brother. "Why are you up this early, even? Training does not start in two hours."

Ari didn't say anything, instead he continued to stare at Aqua with that same blank yet piercing stare. His expression remained as blank as a slate.

Throughout the years, Aqua noticed a significant change in Ari as they grew together. He was no longer as noisy and cheerful— instead he was reclusive, quiet and way too serious.

Aqua was pissed by this— mostly because Ari would no longer side with her whenever she decided to do something exciting.

Then Aqua noticed Ari's get up. His silver hair was parted to reveal his forehead. He wore a black body suit with some paddings on it— something to prevent him from getting actual injuries.

Aqua laughed. "You're all dressed up already? It isn't even—"

When Aqua turned towards her room's wall clock, she froze. The ticking filled the silent room as she read the time over and over again. Ari just stared at her with that same blank gaze.

"As I was saying," Ari shrugged. "I did try to wake you up. Be glad that I still did even after—"

"Move!," Aqua screamed as she pushed Ari away from the door.

Upon the realization that she had barely half an hour to prepare for magic training with her father, Aqua went into a frenzy. She stormed into her closet and tossed her clothes around.

Ari simply stepped to the side and dodged a black jacket that zipped passed him. "You're making a mess. Do you not have consideration towards the palace cleaners?"

"You're not helping, Ari!," Aqua screamed into her pile of clothes. "Aha! There you are!"

Aqua threw her training suit to the ground and closed the closet door— at least, she tried to. All the scattered clothes on the ground was preventing it from closing. She grunted and pushed.

"May I suggest you move the clothes first?," Ari suggested.

"Quiet!," Aqua screamed as she dashed into her bathroom and slammed the door shut before Ari could comment further.

To Aqua, everything was a blur. She quickly took a shower and used a wind spell to dry her hair as she put on her training suit. When she exited the bathroom, Ari was nowhere to be seen.

Aqua glanced up at the wall clock. Her eyes widened when she realized she had less than ten minutes left until training officially. Just before the princess could walk out, she noticed the mountains of clothes on the ground.

For a moment, Aqua debated whether she should at least tidy up her room before leaving or not. She glanced at the wall clock again and swallowed hard at its ever ticking hand.

"Mother is going to kill me for this," Aqua mumbled as she put on her robe and flipped her spell book open.

After taking a deep breath, Aqua raised her hand and wiggled her fingers. Clothes floated in the air and shoved themselves into the closet. She slammed it closed and ran out of her bedroom.

Aqua panted as she ran through the hallways and swiftly greeted the guards standing firm at the corners. The princess screamed when she nearly bumped into a familiar face.

"Aqua?," Shay asked with a raised brow. "You musn't be too hasty at this early hour."

Shay's short dark hair barely reached her shoulders. Atop her head was a white lacy headband patterned with black crisscrossed thread. She wore her casual dark off shoulder dress.

"Good morning, Aunt Shay," Aqua bowed deeply, her dark hair falling over her face. "Apologies but I am about to be late for training with my father."

"Oh," Shay's expression shifted drastically. She stepped aside and nodded. "In that case, go ahead."

"Thank you, Aunt Shay," Aqua bowed again before she continued to sprint. Shay's eyes never left her figure.

Aqua didn't know how much time she had left but kept running towards the throne room at full speed. The princess turned a corner and spotted the large marble doors and two guards standing at each side.

"Open the doors!," Aqua screamed loudly, her boots tapping loudly on the marble floor.

The guards immediately opened the doors, which screeched loudly as they slowly moved. Aqua barely fit herself un between the two large slabs and stumbled as she entered the throne room.

Aqua held her knees and took deep breaths. During those few seconds, she glanced around the throne room. A large red carpet was strewn on the ground and lead to a set of marble steps. Atop it was her father's throne.

Behind the king's throne was a large tapestry of the royal family. Aqua eyed the portrait.

Her father, King Taehyung, stood tall and mighty at the center of the portrait with his snake staff in hand. Standing next to him was her mother, Queen Sky, whose mid length silver hair fell just below her shoulders. They both wore golden crowns lined with purple diamonds.

Aqua glanced at her own figure. She stood in front of her mother with a bright smile spread across her face. Her wavy dark hair flowed down to the middle of her shoulders.

Next to Aqua was her twin brother, Ari. He stood in front of King Taehyung, who had a hand pressed on his shoulder. The prince wore an expression barely similar to that of a smile, his lips tightened into a thin line.

"Close your mouth, Aqua. An insect could fly down your throat."

Aqua slammed her mouth closed. It took a while for her to realize that King Taehyung was seated on his throne the whole time. His leg was crossed over the other, fingers curled under his chin. The darkness gem, encased in a ring, glowed powerfully.

"Father!," Aqua exclaimed and bowed immediately, her robe fluttering as she did. "I apologize for my tardiness."

"It's okay, Aqua," Taehyung smiled. "What matters is that you are here."

Aqua sighed and slowly stood up. She watched stiffly as Taehyung rose from his throne and walked down the marble steps. His long dark cape followed behind him and brushed the stone stairs.

Taehyung stood in front of Aqua with crossed arms, the shadow of his tall figure nearly consuming her. They stared at each other in a moment of tense silence.

Aqua couldn't hold it in anymore. She ended up clutching her stomach and laughing out loud. Taehyung was the same but he was chuckling quietly under his breath.

"I am sorry, Father," Aqua wiped away a forming tear. "I could not hold it in much longer."

"I know," Taehyung smiled and turned to the side. "It was enough. They are gone."

Aqua followed her father's gaze and spotted a slightly opened door at the throne room's side. "Ah. They were checking on us again."

"It seems so," Taehyung nodded with amusement. "Your mother always told me that I should be stricter when it comes to your magic training."

"Stricter?," Aqua squinted her eyes. "Why?"

Taehyung shrugged. "Eh, I think she and Ari are very alike when it comes to that sort of thing. But do not worry."

Aqua smiled when Taehyung gave her a playful wink.

"It's our little secret."

Aqua giggled a bit at her father's playfulness. Her ears perked when she realized something and she immediately dug into her robe's pocket. The princess fished out a purple spell book with Hel's logo printed on its cover.

"Father," Aqua raised an eyebrow. "I have been meaning to ask you something."

Taehhung tilted his head questionably. Aqua flipped through her spell book and stopped a page that had an enchantment scribbled on it with dark ink. She tapped it.

"Among all the spells Aunt Shay locked, this one feels different," Aqua stared at the swirling enchantment. "I was wondering if you knew about it."

"Hm," Taehyung hummed. "Let me see."

Aqua handed the spell book to Taehyung, who stared at the page for a few moments of silence. She studied her father's expression and noticed that his calm demeanor faltered ever so slightly.

But Taehyung put on a smile before Aqua could process it. As the spell book was returned, his aura changed. Suddenly the princess could feel how serious his next words were going to be.

"That's a forbidden spell, Aqua," Taehyung spoke calmly, his stern tone slightly terrifying. "Something only the most powerful sorcerers can cast."

Aqua pondered for a moment and pocketed her spell book. "Didn't you and Aunt Shay cast a forbidden spell years ago, Father?"

It took a while for Taehyung to reply. "Yes... but there was a huge risk. Your aunt and I were lucky that we didn't die as a consequence."

Aqua thought about it for a moment. She remembered the stories her father would tell her and Ari about their days on Earth and the battle they had in one of those cities— What was it called again?

Still, Aqua was a bit disappointed that Taehyung wasn't giving much details about their journey. The only interesting fact she knew was that Uncle Yoongi used to be with her mother.

"Aqua, please listen," Taehyung strangely pleaded. "No matter what happens, do not cast a forbidden spell."

For a moment, Aqua pondered. She was curious about the effects of a forbidden spell, at the same time interested in what it was like to cast one. The princess glanced at the spell book in her pocket.

"I promise, Father," Aqua replied with a smile.

Taehyung sighed in relief. He put on a boxy grin that immediately lightened up the mood. "Do you remember what I told you yesterday?"

Aqua squinted her eyes. "I will be honest, Father. I do not remember what I had for dinner last night."

Taehyung laughed at that. He shook his head in amusement. "I promised you that I would teach you a more advanced magical technique today."

Aqua's eyes sparkled. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Taehyung smiled. "Come, let us head to the training room."

Aqua excitedly followed Taehyung as they exited the throne room and entered through a hidden door in the back. She glanced around the familiar training area with a smile.

The walls were padded with soft cloth, some parts scorched by hot flames and cold ice. Smooth marble coated the floor, which was covered by a carpeted layer of red cloth. At the room's center was a training dummy that had seen better days, its figure barely resembling that of a person.

Aqua watched as Taehyung snapped his fingers. His large cape flew off his shoulders and hung on a rack at the side. The princess gaped in awe.

Taehyung turned around and stood next to the training doll. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Let us go back to the basics. Where does magic come from?"

"It comes from the life force of Vredeians born as magicals," Aqua answered within the span of a heartbeat. "And is harnessed through spells."

"Very good," Taehyung nodded approvingly. "Do magicals need weapons to harness magic?"

Aqua paused. It was a question that Taehyung has not asked her before. "Do they?"

Taehyung chuckled at the obvious confusion on Aqua's face. "No, they do not. Weapons are optional and help enhance our magic."

As if out of thin air, Taehyung produced his snake staff and held it upwards. Aqua stared at its intimidating reptilian eyes and gulped at its sharp gaze.

"This staff used to be your aunt's," Taehyung explained with a solemn look. "Certain... circumstances brought it to my hands."

Aqua wondered what that meant. She wanted to ask but seeing the sorrowful expression on her father's face made her think she shouldn't.

"Father," Aqua spoke instead. "When can I have my own weapon?"

Taehyung tilted his head at Aqua. "You do not choose your weapon, Aqua. Your weapon chooses you."

Again, Aqua had no idea what that meant. Besides the instructions of spell casting itself, she felt like all the other things her father was teaching just went through her ears.

"Besides," Taehyung smiled. "Only the most powerful magicals are deemed worthy enough to wield a weapon."

"Oh," Aqua replied in disappointment.

"Do not worry," Taehyung reassured and tapped his staff on the ground. "I am sure that you will find your weapon one day."

Aqua pouted. She knew that training was a slow and painful process of learning every day. Still, the princess wished that she could quickly become one of the most powerful magicals Hel has ever seen.

At the same time, Aqua was scared. What was she going to do with all that power?

"Alright," Taehyung stepped aside and leaned on the padded wall. "Aqua, I want you to show me all the spells you've learned so far."

"Yes, Father," Aqua beamed with no hesitation.

Aqua took a deep breath and whipped out her spell book. She expertly flipped through the pages and paused when she found the spell she was looking for.

Glancing up at the training dummy, Aqua inhaled deeply. She raised her hand as mist fluttered around her fingers. The princess' eyes glowed a powerful purple.

After Aqua recited the chant in a whisper, bright flames started to burn on her fingertips. She raised her hand confidently.

"Laaien!"

A large fireball formed out of thin air. Aqua opened her palm and it was sent flying towards the poor training dummy. Taehyung brushed the cinders that showered around him.

"Good," Taehyung nodded. "Your flames look realer than before."

Aqua smiled at the praise. She flipped to the next page and smiled at the bright text. After quickly chanting, her fingertips glowed in a cold blue hue.

"Stromen!"

A wave of water splashed out of Aqua's palm and extinguished the flames on the training dummy. Taehyung nodded again, his expression fueling the princess' drive.

Aqua flipped a page again. With a big smile stretched across her face, she started to chant another spell. A gust of wind started to spiral around her and made her dark hair flutter.

"Winden!"

A powerful pillar of wind shot out of Aqua's palm and blew on the training dummy until it was completely dry. Taehyung was unfazed by strong gust that blew on his face.

Aqua felt more powerful than ever, so much so that she turned to the page of a brand new spell, one she had practiced on her own. When she raised her hand, with electricity dancing at her fingertips, Taehyung glanced at her in surprise.

"Flits!"

Bolts of lightning sparked around Aqua's hand. Her smile faded when the sparks started to fly out of control. The princess immediately canceled the spell and lowered her hand slowly.

"Aqua," Taehyung called out. "I have not taught you this spell."

With a shaky breath, Aqua slammed the spell book shut. "I practiced on my own."

"I see," Taehyung hummed. "And were you able to cast it perfectly?"

Aqua looked up at Taehyung with a tight smile. "Twice— okay, maybe once. But I can do it."

Taehyung's calm demeanor faltered again and this time Aqua was dying to know why. He slowly slipped his hand off the princess' shoulder and exhaled loudly.

"Aqua, you know how dangerous it is to cast spells without proper training," Taehyung spoke in a whisper that Aqua could barely hear. "You could have gotten hurt."

"I know, Father," Aqua beamed. "But I can cast it! Watch!"

Before Aqua can cast the electric spell again, Taehyung gently grabbed her wrist. "Aqua, enough."

Aqua shamefully looked away and slipped her hand off Taehyung's grip. "I am sorry, Father. I just wanted to learn more spells."

"Time will come when you are ready to do so," Taehyung spoke sternly. "But pushing yourself past your limits will not help."

Somehow, Aqua instinctively glanced at the darkness gem. It's powerful purple shade pulsed ever so slowly, almost intimidatingly. She could see something swirl in the gem, almost as if it was—

"Aqua," Taehyung spoke and snapped Aqua out of her thoughts. "Do you understand me?"

Aqua was a bit stunned by how serious her father looked. "Yes, Father."

Taehyung stared at Aqua for a few seconds, his intense gaze making her swallow dryly. He tapped his staff on the ground again and walked closer to the the training dummy.

"Today, I will teach you a more advanced spell," Taehyung explained, his back still turned towards Aqua. "One you cannot find in that spell book of yours."

Aqua's eyes widened. "An advanced spell?"

Taehyung nodded. He twirled the snake staff in his hands, its reptilian eyes glowing brightly. "Do not worry, I am sure that you can pull it off."

Aqua watched as Taehyung took a deep breath and stepped in front of the training dummy. Whn he closed his eyes, she immediately noticed a change in atmosphere. Her father's aura was almost terrifying.

Taehyung opened his powerfully glowing purple eyes and pointed his weapon forward. A ball of energy swirled in the snake staff's open mouth and blasted the training dummy. It exploded into pieces of rock and cloth.

Aqua's jaw dropped as the training dummy crumpled before her. Despite this, Taehyung calmly walked to the side and pulled a lever. A hatch opened up on the ground and revealed a brand new training dummy replaced the broken one.

"Now, you try," Taehyung stepped to the side once again, the mouth of his snake head staff still smoking.

Aqua clamped her mouth shut and turned towards Taehyung with wide eyes. "Father, I do not think I can cast this spell without a weapon."

"It is possible," Taehyung crossed his arms over his chest. "My staff only assists me. This spell was originally casted through a magical's hands."

Taehyung slowly set the staff aside and walked closer to Aqua. He slowly opened his hand. The princess watched as her father's palm started to glow purple. Soon, there was mist dancing in the air.

"To cast advanced spells, you must first learn mist manipulation," Taehyung slowly twisted his hand. Mist spiraled around his wrist. "Mastering this technique is the key to becoming a great sorceress."

Aqua watched as the mist formed into the familiar smiling face of her mother. Taehyung smiled to himself, his expression full of fondness. The princess didn't know whether to puke or coo at how loving her parents were.

"Gather your energy and focus it on your palms," Taehyung closed his fist. The mist faded almost immediately. "Do not worry, I assure you that it is as easy as breathing."

Easy for you to say. Aqua was dying to say that. Since her father was one of the most powerful Helian magicals to date, she wanted to grumble at how he thought it was just easy to cast spells.

Despite that, Aqua closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She clasped her hands together and grunted as she tried to focus. Taehyung continued to stare at her eagerly.

Aqua stopped clenching before she could end up doing anything regretful. She sighed. "Father, I do not think it is working."

Taehyung tilted his head. "Were you thinking of anything?"

Aqua raised an eyebrow at her father in confusion. "What do you mean, Father? I think of casting the spell?"

A few seconds of silence passed before Taehyung released a low chuckle. "You are just like your mother."

"I am?," Aqua tilted her head.

"Yes," Taehyung nodded with a big smile. "When I first taught Sky how to use magic, she said the same thing."

Huh. Aqua remembered the stories her mother would tell her. "You also had your first kiss with Mother that day, right Father?"

"Oh?," Taehyung explained in surprise as a smirk slowly cracked on his face. "Sky told you? And she calls me cheesy."

As Taehyung continued to laugh, Aqua glanced at the darkness gem. She squinted her eyes at how it continued to pulse and for some reason, the rhythm matched that of the king's laughter.

"As I was saying," Taehyung cleared his throat and put on a stern expression. "Magic is not something you think of. It is something you feel."

Aqua tilted her head again. "What exactly am I supposed to feel, Father?"

"That is for you to find out," Taehyung held Aqua's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Feel the magic within you. Only then will you be able to cast the most advanced of spells."

Although hesitant, Aqua nodded. She took a deep breath and clasped her hands together again. The princess chanted her father's words— Feel the magic. Feel it.

Aqua felt like her chest was on fire. A flame lit up inside her, one so strong that she felt like she'd explode into a pit of eternal flame. Goosebumps ran across her skin. Power pumped through her veins.

And when Aqua looked down, her hands were coated in purple mist. She raised them and stared in disbelief. The mist danced around her fingers.

"You did it, Aqua," Taehyung spoke proudly with a big smile plastered across his face. "Good job."

Aqua stared at her hands for a while before she looked up at Taehyung. "What do I do now?"

Taehyung laughed. "You really are so eager. Now is where the thinking part comes in. Imagine yourself shooting out a laser beam from your hand."

Aqua nodded and raised her hand, her palm facing the training dummy. She felt Taehyung walk up behind her and shivered slightly at his presence. His footsteps rang in the silent room.

Eyes closed, Aqua imagined the skin of her palm opening up to shoot out a beam. She really hopped that it wasn't the case.

Aqua jumped a bit when a purple beam suddenly shot out of her palm. The force nearly knocked her over but Taehyung's figure supported her from behind.

The beam completely missed the training dummy and instead carved a large hole into the wall. Aqua flailed in panic and the beam pierced upwards and created a line in the ceiling.

Thankfully, Aqua was able to figure out how to stop the laser. It faded and left her palm smoking. Strangely enough, the princess did not feel her skin burn.

Aqua looked up at her father with a sheepish grin. "Oops."

Taehyung laughed. "Let us work on your aim. Try again."

Nodding, Aqua licked her lips and shot out another laser beam from her palm. It missed the training dummy again and blasted another part of the wall.

Aqua laughed awkwardly. After numerous attempts and fails to hit the training dummy, the princess sighed loudly and lowered her hand.

Taehyung narrowed his eyes at Aqua. "Are you giving up already?"

Aqua didn't say anything, instead she just stared at her smoking palm silently. Taehyung nodded and quietly stood next to the training dummy.

"Try again," Taehyung said simply.

It took a moment for Aqua to realize where Taehyung was standing. "Father, if you stand there, you might get hit by—"

"I know," Taehyung replied with a smile. "But I trust that you will not harm me. Try again."

Aqua swallowed hard. She was already thinking of the worst possible outcome and how she'd live her life after shooting a laser beam through her father's chest. Shaking those thoughts away, the princess nodded.

"I know you can do it, Aqua," Taehyung gave Aqua a reassuring grin.

After swallowing the lump in her throat, Aqua raised her hand and pointed it at Taehyung. Her palm glowed as the laser beam formed. The princess closed her eyes before she could see what she had hit.

Aqua could hear her heart hammer against her chest as a few seconds of complete silence passed. She gathered her courage and slowly opened her eyes.

There was big gaping hole at the training dummy's core, its cloth crisp and smoking. Taehyung stood next to it with a smile, his face void of any sort of worry.

"See?," Taehyung tilted his head. "I told you."

Aqua ran towards Taehyung and engulfed him in a tight hug. She held in her tears. "Thank Macht you are safe, Father."

Taehyung smiled fondly and held Aqua tightly in his arms. A moment of silence passed before he whispered. "Why don't we skip the remainder of your training today?"

Aqua pulled away and tilted her head. She initially thought it was a joke but smiled at the familiar mischievous expression on her father's face.

"Father, we have barely behun," Aqua smirked. "And both Mother and Ari will not be so fond of that."

"I know," Taehyung winked. "But I heard that a new flavor is being released today. Thought you might want to try it to celebrate your progress."

Aqua's eyes sparkled. She was honestly glad that her father was not as uptight and strict as one would initially think— after all, he was the King of Hel. It was comforting to know that she had the freedom to do things some royals couldn't.

"A new flavor?," Aqua exclaimed. She hummed. "Perhaps I could practice my teleportation magic, too."

"That's my girl," Taehyung laughed. "And don't forget—"

Aqua smiled. "It's our little secret."

-

"I must say, Ari," You smiled and ran a hand through your hair. "You have gotten much better."

Ari took deep breaths. He ran a hand through his silver hair and balanced himself with his wooden staff. The prince looked down and saw other broken staffs laying on the ground.

If Ari were to be honest, he was extremely tired, so much so that he felt like he'd collapse if he continued to train for a few more hours. Still, he knew he couldn't stop. He had to train.

"Thank you, Mother," Ari panted. "It is all because of you."

You shook your head with a laugh. "Do not downgrade yourself, Ari. Your natural talents contribute greatly to your progress."

Ari slowly walked towards the table at the side and set down his wooden staff on top of it. He grabbed a water bottle and nearly chugged the whole drink down.

At the same time, Ari went through his thoughts. He remembered sneaking around with his mother and spotting an intense moment between Aqua and their father. It made the prince wonder what has been going on.

"Mother," Ari asked as he gently placed down the bottle. "Do you think I can become a good swordsman one day?"

"Of course, Ari," You replied with a smile. "There is no doubt."

Ari didn't say anything else. Instead, he turned around and leaned on the table, arms crossed over his chest as he sighed. The prince thought about her twin sister and her natural magical abilities.

Unfortunately, Ari thought back to the day both of them had their magic evaluation. He could still clearly remember everyone's joy as Aqua was declared to be one of the most powerful magicals in the Bristene bloodline.

Then there was Ari, the lesser of the two siblings.

"Ari?," You asked slowly, tone now filled with worry. "What's wrong?"

Ari looked up and saw his mother's worried face looking back at him. For a moment, he wondered if he should explain everything to her, how he felt and all that. But that expression she wore— the prince couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Nothing, Mother," Ari replied with a smile and picked up his wooden staff. "Shall we continue our training?"

You just stared at Ari as he stepped back onto the training mat and raised his staff in a fighting stance. The prince wondered why she was looking even more worried than before.

"Ari," You spoke gently. "I think we have had enough training for today."

Ari scrunched his eyebrows together. "That is nonsense, Mother. I intend to spend a few more hours in combat training."

"A few more hours?," You raised your eyebrows. "You have been going nonstop since this morning."

"And it is not enough," Ari spun the staff in his hands. "Practice makes per—"

A silence fell when the staff spun out of Ari's hands and clattered onto the floor. Both he and his mother stared at it for a moment. The prince swallowed dryly.

"Alright," Ari sat down on the mat with a straight face. "Maybe a five to ten minute break is viable."

You laughed and walked towards Ari before sitting down next to him. "You remind me so much of your father."

Ari raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Taehyung used to be so serious," You smiled and leaned on the wall. "Would never smile or laugh. He always glared at us. Never spoke to us unless absolutely necessary."

"That does not sound like Father at all," Ari deadpanned.

You laughed. "He has changed for the better, yes, but believe me— your Father was a lot different in the past. In fact, we all were."

Ari stared at his mother as she solemnly glanced up at the ceiling. The details of his parents' journey on Earth was rather incomplete— all he knew was the Big Battle of Seoul and the way they met and eventually fell in love.

It made Ari wonder if there were a lot more details both he and Aqua did not know about.

"Mother?," Ari asked and ran a hand through his silver hair. "What was it like on Earth?"

You looked at Ari in surprise. "I am sure that your planetary lessons have taught you that Earth is a land with no magic. People there relied on other things, like wealth or weaponry."

"Wealth," Ari hummed with a nod. "So they have gold and diamonds as well?"

You laughed at that remark, which made Ari tilt his head curiously. "They do but it is considered a rarity. Instead, they have paper currency that is named differently in each country."

"Interesting," Ari nodded and stroked his chin. "Mother, what was it like living as a human?"

A short silence passed, which made Ari wonder if he had asked a sensitive question. He was about to apologize when his mother turned towards him with a smile.

"It was strange," You glanced at the ground. "I had no idea that I would play such a big role in another world."

Ari stared at his mother with interest, head cocked slightly as he rested his head on his knees.

"Everything changed when I met your father," You spoke with a loud sigh. "Suddenly I was the guardian of the seven wonders and in my hand was a katana I have never wielded."

"So you were not a trained warrior," Ari's voice trailed off.

You laughed at Ari's blank expression. "Believe it or not, I had no idea what I was doing in the beginning. Taehyung eventually trained me with my magic and I had to learn everything else myself."

Ari fell into deep thought. His fantasy of his mother being this born warrior shattered almost immediately. Still, the fact that she had to cope herself was something almost unbelievable.

It made Ari promise to himself that just like his Mother, he would become a great warrior himself— no matter how long it was going to take.

Ari opened his mouth to speak when a knock came from the door. General Jisoo appeared at the doorway, her dark hair tied in a ponytail under her silver helmet.

"Your Highness. Prince Ari," General Jisoo bowed formally with an arm crossed over her chest. "The King and the Princess have gone missing. Should I dispatch a search party?"

To other people, that sort of news would have been grave. Both Ari and his mother, on the other hand, knew exactly where the two of them went.

"It seems that they left early," You laughed and shook your head. "Do not worry, General Jisoo. They probably went to get ice cream again."

General Jisoo paused before she put on a smile and sighed in relief. "I see. I apologize for disturbing."

"It is alright, we were taking a break," You nodded. "Thank you for the information, General Jisoo."

Ari watched as General Jisoo bowed one final time before she closed the training room's door. He spotted the shadows of other soldiers tail behind her.

At the same time, Ari fell deep into thought. He couldn't understand why Aqua on their Father did not take magic training as seriously as he did.

"I do not understand, Mother," Ari cupped his own face with his hand. "Father and Aqua rarely finish their training."

"Your father just wants to have fun," You explained. "...Which he did not have long ago."

Ari tilted his head at that. He and Aqua knew very little about their Father's past, only that they had a Leveian grandmother who passed away early. They had no inkling about their late grandfather.

"Still," Ari sighed. "How will Aqua learn magic if she does not get proper training?"

"Trust your father's guidance, Ari," You gave Ari a reassuring smile. "Besides, there is nothing wrong with having a little fun."

Fun? Of course Aqua can afford to have fun. Ari turned away and held back a scoff as he glanced up at the wall clock. He held his knees and stood up before cracking his knuckles.

"Mother, it has been ten minutes," Ari picked up his wooden staff. "Let us continue our training."

You sighed and stood up before taking a wooden staff as well. "Alright, Ari. Whenever you are ready."

Ari watched as his mother went into formation, one obviously filled with much skill and experience. He skid his foot backwards and pointed his wooden staff forward.

"I want you think that these are swords," You raised your wooden staff and tapped it. "Get hit by this and you are dead."

Ari nodded and glanced down at his wooden staff. "I am assuming that the objective is to dodge?"

"Precisely," You nodded. "The moment you give your opponent an opening means you already lost."

Ari nodded again and spun the wooden staff in his hands. "Mother, will you go easy on me?"

"Of course not," You replied with a laugh. "Your opponent will never go easy on you."

With a chuckle, Ari held his wooden staff like a sword. "I see. Then I shall give my best as well, Mother."

A short yet tense silence passed. Ari stared at his mother and was almost taken aback by the sudden stern expression she wore. He would have been if it wasn't such a familiar sight.

Ari barely dodged the wooden staff that swung towards his face. He could feel its tip brush against his cheek as he ducked and rolled to the side.

You skid across the mat, wooden staff stabbed onto the ground like a sword. "Your reflexes have improved. But you have to be faster."

Ari was not even given time to speak. You dashed towards him and spun in the air with the wooden staff striking downwards.

With gritted teeth, Ari raised his wooden staff and was nearly knocked over by the force of the two weapons clashing.

"Mother," Ari spoke slowly. "I apologize."

Ari kneed you in the gut, which then caused you to stumble backwards in both shock and pain. He swung low and aimed for your legs.

You noticed and immediately teleported away. Ari's eyes widened as he fell to the ground face first with a loud thud.

Ari groaned and turned around to see his mother appear behind him. You then poked his back lightly with a wooden staff and laughed.

"Mother," Ari retorted. "That was not fair."

A light laugh left your lips as you reached out a hand to Ari. "Opponents never play fair in a fight. I learned that the hard way."

Ari stared at his mother's hand and looked up at her silently. "I see."

The tension in the air thickened as Ari slowly grabbed his mother's hand. He smiled before tugging you forward and flipping you onto the mat. You groaned as your back slammed onto the ground.

"Touché," You smirked as Ari poked your back with his wooden staff.

Ari stood up and cracked his knuckles. He reached out a hand. "I am sorry, Mother. Did I hurt you?"

You grabbed Ari's hand as he pulled you to your feet. "I am alright, Ari. And what you did was right, do not hesitate against your opponent— even if it is me."

Ari was a bit shaken by those ominous words, especially because his mother was smiling at him like it was nothing. Still, he decided to put on a straight face as he nodded.

"Of course, Mother," Ari withheld a frown. "A true warrior never hesitates."

You nodded proudly and tapped the wooden staff in your hands. "Good. You must always remember that."

Ari was still bothered by how creeped out he was by the advice but figured that it was some sort of warrior's code. He turned around when he heard the door to the training room screech open.

Two heads peeked from behind the metal slabs, one taller than the other but both having dark raven hair. His father put on a boxy smile. Below him, Aqua had on a big grin.

"You two busy?," Taehyung asked sarcastically as he stepped into the room with both hands behind his back.

Ari raised an eyebrow when he saw a very giddy Ari standing behind their father. She was rocking on her feels with a stupid grin on her face. Besides the cream smeared on her lips, there was not a single scratch on her.

This made Ari look down and glance at his dusty and worn out training suit. He even had to patch some holes himself. But Aqua's was perfectly fine and almost looked brand new.

"And where did you two run off to again?," You raised an eyebrow and crossed your arms over your chest.

"The usual," Taehyung raised his hand from behind him to reveal a pint of ice cream. "And I bought Dewberries and Cream."

You smiled brightly as Taehyung showed off the pink tub. "You always know what I want."

"Of course," Taehyung wiggled his eyebrows and gave you a peck on the cheek. "Why wouldn't I?"

Aqua started to fake gag behind their parents, which made Ari notice that she too was carrying a pint of ice cream behind her. The prince watched as his sister slowly walked towards him.

"Brother," Aqua turned away from their parents and put on a grin. She handed Ari the pint. "Mint Chocolate. Your favorite!"

Ari stared at Aqua's ice cream stained lips and teeth. He slowly took the pint from her and replied in a whisper. "Thank you, sister."

"I still do not understand," Aqua shook her head in disgust. "Why is that your favorite? It tastes awful."

"It is called taste, Aqua," Ari retorted whilst hugging the pint. "Something you obviously do not have."

Aqua fake gasped and put a hand over her mouth. "Excuse me but Bubble Gum is a great flavor!"

"You really think so, hm?"

"Brother, do not be mean!"

"Ari," You called out from next to Taehyung and held the ice cream pint tightly. "Let us wrap up today's training, okay?"

Of course, Ari wanted to protest. He still felt like he barely scratched the surface of today's training and wanted to spend a few more hours practicing his swordsmanship.

"Alright," Ari sighed softly and placed the ice cream on the table. "I guess we have had enough training for today."

Ari noticed that Taehyung sighed loudly in relief— maybe because he didn't protest this time. He raised an eyebrow when Aqua cheered in her place and hopped a bit on her feet.

"Brother!," Aqua balled her fists excitedly, her eyes sparkling. "Let us walk Yeontan in the palace courtyard!"

"Of course," Ari replied with a smile. He then bowed to his parents. "Mother, Father, please excuse us."

Both you and Taehyung nodded. Ari opened the training room's door first and let a still excited Aqua run out first.

"I shall fetch Yeontan," Aqua grinned and ran through the hallway as she waved. "See you after we change, brother!"

Ari laughed at Aqua's loud echoing footsteps before he made his way to the bedroom. He frowned upon noticing the trail of purple mist his twin sister left behind. The image replayed in the prince's mind as he changed.

With a loud sigh, Ari slowly closed his bedroom door. He was about to head straight to the courtyard when he caught sight of the portrait room's entrance. The prince pondered for a moment before walking towards it.

As Ari passed through the portrait room in his royal suit, he glanced around. Hanging on the walls were paintings of his ancestors, former kings and queens of Hel. At the very end of the hall was a portrait of his father, King Taehyung.

Ari wondered what his parents were thinking. Surely, it would be difficult to choose between him and Aqua. After all, only one of them could sit on the throne.

At the same time, as Ari stared at his father's portrait again. He glanced at the darkness gem encased in his ring. It's dark purple hue pulsed even in the painting.

"Ari?"

Upon hearing his own name, Ari turned towards the door. He spotted his Aunt Shay standing at the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I figured you were here," Shay walked towards Ari with a smile. "Aqua is waiting for you."

Ari nodded at his aunt and turned back towards his father's portrait. Shay stood next to him and stared at the painting as well.

At that moment, Ari remembered the stories Shay would tell him about the past, when she and Taehyung were enemies. It made him wonder what kind of situation would lead to siblings going against each other.

"When Taehyung first became King," Shay spoke suddenly. "He was nervous. He did not think he deserved the throne."

Ari tilted his head at Shay. "Why not? Father is a great king."

Shay exhaled loudly through her nose. She fiddled with her thumbs. "Our father did not leave a great legacy. It stained his image, made the people think he was the same."

With that in mind, Ari turned towards the portrait hanging next to his father's. There was a painting of a grumpy old man who somehow still had a very intimidating aura around him. Above the portrait was a name etched on a golden plaque— King Michael.

To Ari, his grandfather was a mystery. Although he was curious about him, he also noticed that both Taehyung and Shay would become tense whenever the late King Michael was mentioned. So the prince decided not to talk about him.

"Father proved them all wrong," Ari broke the silence with a whisper. "And he will continue to do so."

Shay glanced at Ari in surprise and nodded at him. He lightly tapped his arm. "Come now. Aqua is waiting."

Ari nodded and followed closely behind Shay. The two of them exited the portrait room and passed through another long hallway. Seeing numerous guards stationed around the palace, the prince greeted each of them.

Once they reached the palace entrance, two guards slowly opened the main doors. Ari watched the marble slabs open as light from outside casted on his face. Next to him, Shay waited patiently.

The moment the doors fully opened, Ari was greeted by a screaming Aqua.

"Brother!," Aqua pouted. Yeontan's three heads barked happily in her arms. "What took you so long?"

Ari couldn't help but laugh at Aqua's expression. "I apologize, Aqua. Do you have Yeontan's leash ready?"

Aqua nodded and gestured at the leash attached to the three collars on each of Yeontan's head. The princess set down the dog and it immediately pounced at Ari.

Ari smiled as all three of Yeontan's heads licked his face. "You are still as lively as ever."

Yeontan barked as a reply. Ari put down the dog and it obediently sat near the palace steps. Aqua cooed at the little creature whilst holding onto its leash tightly.

"Who is a good boy?," Aqua spoke and nuzzled all of Yeontan's heads on her face. "Yes, you are. Yes, you are! So are you!"

"Aqua," Ari called out sternly. "Are you sure you can handle walking Yeontan?"

Aqua visibly huffed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well," Ari sighed. "Do you not remember what happened last time?"

A short silence passed as Aqua's face contorted. Ari remembered how his twin sister was dragged across the courtyard by a speeding Yeontan and ended up getting a few stitches.

"That will not happen again, Ari!," Aqua spoke triumphantly. "This time, I am prepared!"

"Prepared?," Ari raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Aqua grinned and dug into her robe, which she wore on top of her royal dress. She pulled out a spell book and happily showed it off to Ari.

"I have mastered a certain spell," Aqua winked and tapped her head with the spell book. "One that can perfectly aid me with walking Yeontan!"

Ari glanced at Aqua's spell book and narrowed his eyes. He could still remember the day she first received it and nearly set the palace kitchen on fire. It made the prince think about the Scroll of Lucina given by his aunt.

"And what spell is that?," Shay asked from next to Ari and tilted her head.

"You will see," Aqua giggled and sprinted down the palace steps. Yeontan followed happily. "Brother, come on!"

Ari smiled and folded his hands behind his back. He carefully followed Aqua with light steps and watched as she laughed around a very excited Yeontan.

The prince took this time to glance around. Red deco-stone bricks lined the center pathway, smoothened to avoid anyone from slipping. At each side were rows of bushes decorated with a variation of flowers.

Ari glanced forward when he heard Aqua giggle. She was stumbling around the courtyard's fountain and was nearly being dragged around by Yeontan.

"Aqua," Ari called out and stood next to the fountain, the sound of running water filling his ears.

"I am fine!," Aqua called out from somewhere in the courtyard. "Okay, maybe not!"

Ari laughed when he heard Yeontan's barking mix with Aqua's screaming. His smile faded when he realized that his twin sister was starting to sound panicked. Even the guards turned tense.

That was when Ari noticed the cloud of smoke rising from the pathways and a dark fluff-ball just ahead of it.

"Aqua!," Ari sprinted across the courtyard. "I am coming to help!"

"No!," Aqua replied. "I got this! Stromen!"

Ari was confused at first then he saw Aqua surfing on a wave of water. Now she was giggling and was smoothly following behind an excitedly running Yeontan.

For a moment, Ari took in what he was seeing. Only after a few seconds did he realize that Aqua was using a water spell. The guards in the courtyard were no longer as tense.

"Look at me, brother!," Aqua cheered and swerved, barely missing a bush. "I told you I have mastered this spell."

Ari was proud of Aqua, really, but he couldn't help but feel bad as well. He put on a tight smile and responded to his sister with a wave when she gave him that same gesture.

A few minutes passed. Ari sat at the fountain's base and watched Aqua surf around the courtyard. He turned around and saw his reflection in the water.

Look at yourself — Ari could almost hear his own voice taunting him — So pathetic.

Ari released a shaky sigh. He stood up slowly and eyed Aqua's figure. She was surfing far away, almost out of view. The prince kept his eyes on his sister as he walked towards the palace entrance.

Although Ari could feel the guards' eyes on him, he didn't say anything. The prince paused when he realized that his Aunt Shay was standing just next to the door.

Ari stood on the steps and looked up at Shay with a stern expression. She stared back silently, almost solemnly. The prince disliked the pity he could see on his aunt's face.

"You will overwork yourself at this rate," Shay spoke and shook her head.

"Overwork?," Ari couldn't help but scoff as he walked passed Shay. "There is no such thing."

Ari walked into the palace as the doors opened loudly with a screech. He passed the same route without looking back and ended up in front of his bedroom.

With a deep breath, Ari entered and stripped off his royal clothing. He wore his training attire and paused when he caught sight of his own reflection— dirty, worn-out, pathetic.

Ari turned away from the mirror and headed to the training room. He silently closed to door and eyed the area. The tub of mint chocolate ice cream was gone and made him assume that his parents brought it to the kitchen for him.

His wooden staff was laying on the ground. Ari picked it up and went into a fighting stance. He had to work hard and train hard, no matter how much it would cost him.

There was no other choice.

-

A/N — finally the first chapter is up! what do you guys think of the twins so far? :0

I am literally so excited for this sequel. You guys have no idea how much I have in store! My children are so lovable I swear, each of them are different and just!! I can't wait to show them to everyone!

And a clarification— Ris is born female but identifies as non-binary! This means they do not see themselves as a girl or boy. Rather it's neither, hence the pronoun they

That's it for now! Please support ToW! Thank you and see y'all in the next chap!