Where the marriage is over, but new troubles are on their way to agitate Geno once again.

No one's POV:
-

Geno watched the 2 as they stood next to each other, mostly silent and letting Pyros and Atalanta talk. Only at times they would glance at each other for seconds but in these few seconds they seemed to communicate and exchange hidden messages. Alter and Tefra I mean.

The small skeleton was secretly staring at them and couldn't understand what communication they had out of this. But he was just listening and looking, whether at his company, whether around. At times he would stare at the brides. Skate seemed to have gone sobber while Fuku looked like she was dying.

As it seemed she hadn't vomited the wine. Grillby had her sitting on his lap and hitting her back gently as if she was a baby that had finished eating and needed to burp. The flames on her body were a more pale green than before, not vivid. Her wife was standing near, looking at her worried.

"Guido." Geno tucked Alter from his sleeve, getting his attention.

"Yes mi bambina?" He asked. For someone who was having such serious conversation a while ago, seem and sound all happy and cheerful now was oxymoron. Sometimes that ability to swing moods at will was scaring Geno. But he didn't pay attention to that and kept talking.

"I'll go walk around for a while. Just so you know. I'll be back." He said quietly. Alter hummed but he just nodded and pet the smol skele bean's skull.

"Of course. We'll be on the same spot waiting." Geno turned his back, but instead of just walking around and going through the crowd of monsters, he went straight for the stage, where all musicians were just talking to each other and laughing. Amongst them, Danarei's laughter was heard louder and more rich, standing in a straight posture.

For a moment Geno hesitated to approach as he looked at the much taller monsters. But he walked closer and stood nearer them. He stayed silent just standing awkwardly. However Danarei noticed him. She talked to her company for a few seconds rather in a hurry. She suddenly then walked away and approached the small skeleton.

"Eugenia!"

"Hey." Geno did first, waving lightly at her.

"Is there something you wanna tell me?" She asked him grinning wider. The skeleton looked away.

"It is not immediately important. But..." He looked up to her. "... Thank you."

"For the music? Oh, it was pleasure to cheer and entertain the monsters by helping you in the dance!" Danarei said cheerfully. Geno took a deep breath.

"Aside that, generally." Danarei looked at him raising eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Geno looked at her stably.

"Before Guido, my papa, there was someone... a monster, who would entertain me greatly with music. He was grabbing his guitar and suddenly... it was as if even the nature was following his rhythm when he would play and sing to me. He knew many songs and knew how to narrate many stories, accompanied by music. When I asked him if these songs and stories were his, he revealed to me that these were... yours." The Tiefling's ears perked up but seeing Geno ready to keep talking she waited. "I grew up listening to songs and stories mostly yours. Through him, you... gave me a good part of childhood and to be honest, it took me a while to remember and realise that you're here, the one who became part of it. And I thank you for that, miss Danarei."

That was what was bothering Geno when Danarei stepped on the stage from that day in the tavern and sang. He recalled hearing her songs again, but he was so very little. These memories however were strong enough to stay in his skull luckily. The tiefling smiled softly.

"I'll be honest young one, I've heard and met people and monsters congratulate and praise me for the music and heroic stories I have sang and told after achievements. But you're the first one to ever thank me for all that." She leaned forward and the grin returned. "That guy must have been very important for you, wasn't he?"

"Well, yes. He made me love music and dancing." Geno admitted lowering head. He felt suddenly Danarei's hand on top of his skull rubbing it gently and looked up to her surprised and shy.

"You certainly received positive memories. What was the name of that monster?" With a voice that was almost ready to reveal his emotion, Geno smiled and placed hands behind his back.

"Stephan."

~

Skate was much better and soon announced she was ready to talk. Fuku was still very dizzy and Grillby was now worrying. She hadn't spitted the wine out, she had fully assimilated it. Well, some purple girl was going to have a VERY passionate night-

readers: T\\\\\T O/////O X/////X I\\\\\I

"I don't want to keep you all any longer awake, so, I'll try to keep it short." Now Skate was standing in the middle of the white circle.

Everyone was silent, focused on her. Once again Geno was on Alter's shoulders because he a smol short bebeh- ahem. Somehow similar were also Pyros and Tefra: sitting on Atalanta's shoulders, even though they didn't ask for it. Oh well, tall and strong mermaid wife privileges that is 🤷🏽‍♀️

"Is she going to give us a speech?" The small skeleton thought staring at Skate.

"First of all, I want to thank you all for cheering and supporting me and Fuku through the whole marriage. Preparing and practicing for it wasn't easy and then having to do everything for real, gosh. There were times I thought I wouldn't make it! I am especially happy and forever grateful for Mr Grillby's acceptance, to let me marry his daughter, without his allowance, there wouldn't even be a marriage ever." She looked down as the monsters clapped while Grillby just nodded looking at Skate. The purple girl kept talking as she gradually got a little more serious and looked again up when the applause died down. "In the era and society we are, times for us are many times difficult and challenging. Before the 3 Aces even, we were still under the humans' thumb. These 3 blessed Lords, they tried and gave it all they got to support us, monsters, fix the relationships between us and humans and make a better, hopeful future. But... it wasn't meant to last for long..." Many monsters had started sighing and shaking their heads with sad expressions. Alter moved carefully to not drop Geno and crossed himself 3 times.

"..." The small skeleton could feel the heavy mood but was at the same time feeling awkward.

"... But what I'm trying to say here, my bad for bringing this up, is that... with all difficulties, with all our fate hits us and despite what the humans do to break and divide us... I have never complained or cursed my luck for being a monster. Our community, this little town we're allowed to have, in which we still can feel like ourselves and keep our traditions and habits, what really makes us monsters, I feel it like a big family. I will say now and mean it as long as I live and breath... that in this night, mainly mine and officially my wife's, that despite everything, I realise now how proud and happy I am, to be called a monster."

The monsters bursted in loud applause.

~

Geno was laying on his side, facing the wall, but not sleeping. Thousands of thoughts were rushing through his skull. Thinking about all days in Lisbon. All important that had happen. First, the fact itself he and Alter had entered without getting caught.

He had reunited after so long with Edge and Red. He met an uncle he didn't know he had but couldn't be more happy for that. He had seen Vilanterna and learned from the witch, Echo, important details from the past and what was yet to come for him.

And then, even though irrelevant with the mission, he had witnessed a traditional monster marriage. Amazing experience, from which all monsters had left and return to their homes an hour now to rest. Then there were the stuff he found intriguing and interesting, but was none of his business.

Underneath the humans and monsters' feet a rebellion was planned. 4 years ago something horrible had happened and the monsters had ended up in worse conditions, the 3 Aces fell and failed to help human and monster kind unite. What exactly again? This question...

Up to this point Geno almost didn't care that it wasn't his business. He just needed answers. He wanted to know. Something about this land... Something from this still not completely unfolded for him story was dragging him, luring him, as if he was a mere mortal called by a pretty siren's song.

"Come to think of it. Ain't Alter Portuguse himself?" Even though the tall skeleton had stated that his origins were from a village far away from Lisbon, only now Geno realised and thought of it. He assumed from what he said that he lived the events of Lisbon. He had learn from letters of Bernard's all that was happening. "He could tell me more. Maybe. But will he want, or will he find another impossible way to avoid the questions?" He thought again, who was still having his spite for Alter's secrecy.

Especially from what he saw and barely understood when he was talking with Tefra. What did they discuss, why was she crying, why did he give her the pink gem? Why why why, constant whys. Eventually, the wonder and constant questions inside Geno's skull made him dizzy and before he knew it, he had closed his eyesocket and succumbed to sleep.

~

He opened his eyesocket. He was met with... a familiar place. He looked ahead. A familiar boat was resting on the sand, a few meters away from the sea. White, red and yellow. The water was calm, but on the horizon there were clouds darkening the sky, sign of a rain coming soon.

Geno looked behind him. A familiar sandy beach surrounded by tall rocks. And there was build a spacious house, protected from the waves and strong wind. The pupil inside the small skeleton's eyesocket dilated. His bottom jaw started shaking as he slowly walked towards the house.

"My old house..." He started pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. But nothing changed. How? There was no way! He was in Lisbon, why was he now here? HOW was he here?! Something small exited the house, crawling towards him. Geno looked down and almost fell backwards. "FRESH?!" A small skeleton baby with barely purple, almost white, blank irises was coming towards him, but his look wasn't quite nailed at him. He was looking ahead, focused. Geno stared at him as he crawled-passed him. He was going towards the sea. "Ah. Right. He liked the sea a lot more than us all. That's one of the very few safe things we could assume he liked." By "we" he meant his family.

However as the baby skeleton was crawling closer and closer to the sea, at the same time, something was crawling out of it. Geno felt his soul stop beating. A human-looking woman with pale white skin, and dark blue tail made her appearance.

Her long black hair were falling in front of her face. Not for long as suddenly she threw back her head and her face was revealed. A cold, plain as ice expression, with black eyes even colder were nailed at Fresh with the attention of a predator. Fresh stopped crawling and just stared back at the woman.

Her eyes suddenly did the most freaky thing, which could have almost made Geno vomit. The dark of her eyes contracted and from round became thin like a snake's. Veins 'decorated' the plain white of her eyes. She started hissing and showing her sharp teeth. Fresh didn't budge a bit.

"All these years..." She started talking in a low scary voice as she crawled closer to Fresh. "... All these 8 years and the princess of the Loyals was HERE! I sense her disgusting appearance somewhere near. And I sense a part of her in YOU!" She stood above Fresh all threatening, but Fresh still wasn't even attempting to get away. He wasn't showing the slightest fear. He couldn't, for that matter. "You are her spawn! I will get rid of you first and then!"

"NO!" Geno yelled ready to run, forgetting on his panic that he probably could do nothing at all to stop this. He felt he had started understanding where was this going.

"Then I will find the princess and get rid of her too! All hail Queen Morganna!" The woman said and raised her hand, ready to deal a blow on Fresh. Before she could do that, something small fell from the sky screeching. It attacked her and started scratching her face. Nadine.

It all came together to Geno. He remembered.

It was that day.

It was that year.

7 o f A u g u s t 1 5 1 9

In fact, it was one day after... his 7th birthday. The day that would change everything forever. They were discovered. His mom was discovered. They had found where she was hiding. The mermaids. Yes, they were searching all this time for her to stop the prophecy from coming true. Geno watched, unable to look away.

He watched as his mom exited the house, leaped on the mermaid, started wrestling with her on the sand and rolling, they ended up in the water. Suddenly he was teleported in the house. Surprised he watched as little him and little Error were trying to watch what was going on, scared and concerned.

Error was hugging little Geno, shaking and muttering "Mamá... Mamá..." Nonstopping.

Their father, he was trying to tell them to stay down and not to come out of the house, as he ran upstairs, where Geno recalled, in his and mom's bedroom he kept secured some of his weapons. He watched from the window as CQ was thrown out of the water and fell backwards. Her tail was bitten.

The dark-haired mermaid crawled on top of her and pinned her down, making her unable to move. Geno caught a glimpse of something standing next to him. He looked down. Little him was watching, he had climbed on a chair and looking outside.

"GENO, COME BACK, I'M SCARED!" He heard Error screeching and sobbing, who was hiding under the table. But little Geno... didn't seem to respond. His eyesocket was nailed at his mom and the mermaid, who was ready to hurt her. Geno looked at little him and saw him clencing his fists and teeth.

"¡Nadie lastima a mami!" He said angrily and suddenly teleported out of the house.

"GENO!" Error screeched.

"LEAVE! MOMMY! ALONE!" Little Geno screeched as the mermaid flew off his mom and tasted the sand.

"YOU FLIPPING FUNKING-! YOU WANT TO DIE FIRST?!" The mermaid dashed towards Geno, who fell backwards surprised and scared.

"¡NaDiE lAsTiMa GeNo!" Error had come to watch out of the window and he was suddenly filled with anger too. He walked out of the door literally breaking it from its hinges and the moment the mermaid jumped to kill Geno, upon his anger, his eyesockets went empty and strings, many strings were everywhere! They wrapped around the mermaid. He clearly didn't know what he did, because even the little black skeleton was surprised with his attack. It was his first time using such magic. But when the mermaid started struggling to break free from the strings, as if he was doing it for years, Error grabbed the strings, pulled and started slamming down the mermaid. "StAy AwAy FrOm My BrOtHeR aNd My MoM!"

The strings broke, and then Stephan came up holding a shotgun. The mermaid next started insulting all members of the family, calling names CQ's children.

And then the inexplainable attack of the purple hands which grabbed the mermaid and after crushing a few bones on her body threw her in the sea like a broken doll. The whole family had only a little time to relax. CQ whispered to Stephan.

He sended the children in the house. Geno walked outside and approached his parents. His mom crying, blaming herself for the mess, that the mermaids would come to kill them all, without any hope to defend themselves for long or escape.

At that moment, the princess of the sirens, she was so powerless to think clearly. But Stephan... that mortal landlubber, so calm and peaceful most of the time, so gentle and so loving with his family, he was ready to do anything for his kids and his love.

And there came his sacrifice. He offered to act as decoy for CQ and the kids, to buy them some time to get away. That they didn't want him, but her and the kids. Oh, how CQ had tried to get that idea out of his head, crying, begging to think for another solution.

But Stephan had think of that plan with clear mind. He was ready to do this. Geno watched as his parents kissed and hugged tightly. CQ had accepted with a very heavy heart. But then something else would happen to shock the small skeleton.

"Do you have the dagger?" CQ asked Stephan. Although he looked at her curious, the very next moment, as it was tied on his belt, he took out a big dagger and gave it to the siren. As Geno saw, on the blade of the weapon there were 2 letters inside a beautiful heart. S and C. He remembered. From what she had said when he saw the dagger, CQ had given it as a gift for Stephan on their anniversary. In return she had gotten a pearl necklace. "In order for this plan to work... you just becoming the decoy won't be enough. The mermaids must get tricked into thinking I'm near the boat before they just sense me swimming away with our children. If what I've heard from the animals is true, they will immediately get triggered by... my blood." She continued as she held the dagger. Although Stephan got more pale and gulped, he nodded. The pink-haired siren opened the palm of her right hand and while holding with the other the dagger, she slashed it. Geno's eyesocket widened up.

"Holy sh*t."

"You will have to let the dagger get immersed in the water. The mermaids will smell the trail and go to your boat first. Until they realise they've been fooled... we will be far away enough." She said with more tears ready to come. Stephan held her hands and kissed them both while staring at CQ melencholic but with deep tenderness.

"So that's how we got away so easily." Geno thought, who was feeling something tightening his soul seeing all this. Wait, that part of the conversation between his parents, he hadn't hear it. Why was he seeing it now-?

Suddenly all icons wiped away, but for justa moment. The small skeleton blinked a few times. The sandy beach and the sea were the same. However no one was here.

Except from Stephan who was pushing the boat towards the water. Geno walked closer. He hadn't see that, he was with his mom and brothers, swimming away, leaving Stephan alone with-... and then the small skeleton saw that the boat was filled with weapons, guns and- dynamite.

"No way..." The pupil inside his eyesocket shrunk. "¡¿Está loco?!" His mind screamed as he watched Stephan sighing and watched the open sea, which with any second was growing wilder and wilder.

"Estoy loco..." He said to himself as if he was answering Geno's previous question. He placed hands on his hips and closed eyesockets. "¿A quién estoy engañando? ¡No tengo miedo, estoy aterrorizado!" He admitted to himself. Suddenly he raised his hands and clapped gently his cheeks fast many times. Eventually he clenched his fists. "Si, estoy loco. Y estoy orgulloso de ello! For CQ and our sons damnit!" He looked behind him.

Geno looked there too. CQ was coming out of the house, small sacks on her back. Little Geno was walking next to her, holding Error by the hand. Fresh was in mom's arms. She was calm but silent, expressionless and cold.

"Where are we going mami?" Little Geno asked. She hadn't reply. She only looked away. Stephan however knew how to reduce the tension and negativity. He walked towards his family and kneeled in front of Geno.

"Genito, mi poco alevín." He started with a casual smile. "You, your brothers and mami are going to get a few days... vacation. You will have to move somewhere else for a while. After the... unexpected guest, it had better you cool your heads off."

"And what about you papá? Aren't you coming to cool your head off?" Geno looked down as he recalled the next answers Stephan gave him, which he so easily believed then.

"Where you go, I won't be able to come find you. At least immediately, but I want you to follow your mom. Now. And don't look back, no matter what."

"¿Por qué?" The small pale skeleton asked again.

"Because... aside the vacation there's a surprise. And you know, it would get ruined if you saw what it was."

Oh, what a bad liar he was. He could only fool little children and that was why Geno and Error had believed these lies then. Exactly because they were little. Even like that however, although Geno didn't ask any more questions, there was an inexplainable worry and concern bothering him. Error, even more.

Their father kissed one by one his sons' foreheads, as for CQ, he pressed his forehead against hers for a few seconds. Eventually, CQ walked towards the water, Geno and Error following behind. Once they were under the water's surface, that would be the last time, little Geno would see Stephan.

Geno watched as mom, him and his brothers dissapeared under water, leaving Stephan alone, who didn't waste any time, as he jumped in the boat. Geno hurried to jump in the boat too and sat. They were already getting dragged further in from the waves.

Stephan used the paddles to get away from the sandy beach as fast as possible. As Geno was sitting facing him, he could see how serious he was. A few seconds later he took out the dagger, which was stained with CQ's blood. His hand started shaking. But then he just let the dagger fall in the water, falling and disappearing slowly.

"Oh sea, that I love so much, please, secure mine and my CQ's love forever. May you have mercy on me." He said out loud as he stood up and took out his shotgun. 2 smaller guns were hanging from his belt. He looked down on the water and waited, focused and on high alert. But soon he smiled softly. "I feel myself about to become a dead skeleton. Since I'm going to accept this, at least let there be a good fight with some music. Now, how did this little song go? The one that Norwegian human would sing so well?" Stephan stayed silent a little more. And then he started singing out loud, as if he had an audience to impress and entertain.

My mother told me
Someday I will buy
Galleys with good oars
Sail to distant shores

Stand up on the prow
Noble barque I steer
steady course to the haven
Hew many foe-men
Hew many foe-men

He was about to keep singing. But then something in the water caught his attention and stopped. Geno stood up trying to see what Stephan was seeing. Suddenly the armed skeleton targeted with his shotgun and shot. Geno almost fell off the boat surprised. The corpse of a mermaid rose prone on the water's surface, blood coming mainly off her head coloring the water.

"Alas. How I used to rescue you. But you're not the same anymore." Stephan said with a genuinely hurt tone in his voice as he loaded his shotgun again. The battle didn't take long to become intensive.

The mermaids were coming from all directions, a few of them managing to hold onto Stephan's boat if he wasn't seeing them on time to shoot them and shaking it hard to make him loose his balance. Other were jumping out of the water trying to grab him, take him in the water and drown him.

Luckily the skeleton was fast enough to avoid them, even the mermaids that were attacking him from behind. He was keeping up bravely, as he was singing. Yes, he was singing! Upon his fear and agony, knowing that he would eventually run out of bullets, he was trying to entertain himself.

At this moment, seeing him like that, Geno admired him, he admired his greatness and bravery. But as said, the bullets were running out, as much as Stephan was trying to save some by killing with knives too. Eventually, as he tried to load one of his small guns with the last of his bullets, tired and dizzy from the boat jolting, he lost his focus for just a moment.

Just enough to turn too late to face a mermaid that had jumped out of the water and managed to pin him down. Geno recognized her. It was that same mermaid that saw Fresh and would have killed him if not for Nadine. She didn't seem like she had broken bones anymore. She was fine. The weapon escaped from Stephan's hands and the mermaid pinned his arms down.

But he didn't struggle much, as he knew it was futile to fight a mermaid's strength. Now the mermaid was e n r a g e d. Saliva was coming out of her mouth and falling on Stephan's chest. As much as Geno wanted to do something, he knew it would be pointless.

"NOW I UNDERSTOOD YOUR GAME YOU FILTHY BASTARD! YOU LAND DIRT!"

"Took you long enough ma'am." Stephan talked back sarcastically as more mermaids were gathering around the boat and looking at him hissing with hostility.

"Where is the princess you filthy landlubber?!"

"You know, I don't understand you mermaids. You call us, the landlubbers, filthy and most of all dumb. But like now, when they outsmart you instead of admitting we're clever when we wanna, you just call us even more filthy and shower us in more insults?"

"WHERE IS SHE?!" The dark-haired mermaid avoided to answer as she insisted on her own question.

"It's too late. She's far away. Our sons are long gone. Even if you start swimming now, you will not manage to catch even a glimpse of them-." The mermaid slashed his cheekbone deeply. Stephan grunted in pain but clenched his teeth stoically.

"What direction did she take?!" Instead of answering again, Stephan said something in Spanish that made Geno's eyesocket widen up and jump shocked.

"No way he said that!" We don't need to know what it was.

Just something very heavy that made the mermaid scream, even more angry and hit Stephan a lot harder. One blow on his face again and a punch on his chest. A creepy crack was heard and Geno groaned silently at the same time with his dad, feeling his pain. Probably cracked a rib. The mermaid grabbed Stephan's face, purposely shoving her nails in the slash of the skeleton's cheekbone.

"One last chance landlubber! Tell us where is the princess and your death won't be slow and painful!"

"At least you're honest that you're going to kill me." Stephan said smiling in pain as a soft rain had started falling. "Since I have no hope to live, since this is my last day in this world, here's my answer, mermaid."

"Finally you're cooperating." The dark haired mermaid said rolling her eyes, relaxing just a tiny bit her grip on Stephan's face. "Where is the-?"

"HASTA LA VISTA!" Stephan suddenly screamed and before any of the mermaids could react, as his hands had been freed seconds now, he grabbed his gun that was barely close to reach it. He pulled the trigger and shot somewhere behind him, on Geno's feet.

Where the dynamite was.

Before Geno could realise what was going on, he felt getting thrown away, the icon of the open sea, the sky, the mermaids, literally everything, getting wiped out of existence. The small skeleton landed on his back on hard ground. He looked around. Only black around him. He stood up slowly and lowered his head.

"Dad..." He thought bitterly and still shocked. So that was how he died. He had literally gone kamikaze. Seeing that anyway he was going to die, he must have done that to kill even more mermaids. The less of them, the less persuadors for CQ and the children. "You crazy skeleton..." Geno smiled lightly as he recalled how his mom would also call Stephan "Her crazy.", everytime he would narrate impossible stuff he would do years ago, or when he would suggest crazy funny ideas in simple stuff for funcies.

But soon the small skeleton's smile dropped, as a new thought emerged. How did he see... that? A while ago, all these details which he had no visual contact with years ago. If he wasn't present then to these memories, how come he saw them tonight?

"YOU!" A scream interrupted Geno's thoughts. He turned and at the very last moment bended and avoided the hand of a figure that tried to grab him. He stepped back and looked. His eyesocket went empty.

"Oh no... not you, not you again!" He said slowly. There was again the mermaid with the black hair. However this time, instead of a blue tail, she was standing on legs, wearing a long blue dress. The left side of her face was covered by her hair.

"You saw everything now huh? YOU PIECE OF SH*T! YOUR BASTARD FATHER DID THIS TO ME!" She screamed enraged as she revealed her whole face. Geno covered his mouth. Half of her face was burned and her left eye had gone completely white. The small skeleton started stepping back terrified as the other approached in a fast pace. "I barely managed to jump back in the water! These should have healed! But whatever is burned, it can never heal on a mermaid! I'LL STAY F*CKING UGLY FOREVER!"

"How did you get here?!" Geno asked ignoring her rambling.

"If my queen can get in your dreams, then with her blessing, I can too! But now, instead of talking, I'll act! For what you father did to me, GUESS WHAT?!"

"You're gonna give me a slow painful death? Lady, it ain't anyone's fault except yours for getting burned and falling for my dad's trick-." If only Geno hadn't run his mouth like that, although speaking facts. The mermaid's eye twitched and screamed loudly. Geno decided it was time to run.

"YOU BETTER BEG YOU ARE RUNNING FAST ENOUGH WITH THESE LITTLE LEGS OF YOURS YOU $**÷@[>$*$#&×[÷>/[×!!!" That mermaid definitely had a problem with swear words.

The small skeleton was terrified. He didn't even dare to look behind, he felt the mermaid's breath on his back. For how long he run, he didn't know, but his chest had started hurting badly. He wasn't used running at such intensity. Plus his fear, he was breathing deeply, almost gasping for air.

He was loosing strength and was simply begging to wake up soon and escape that crazy mermaid. Suddenly he felt a tight grip on his right shoulder and nails almost piercing him. He screamed and stumbled. The mermaid had caught him. She threw him down on the floor. Geno started crawling back as the other approached him.

"Wake up wake up wake up..." His mind screamed.

"You're done for! You useless piece of sh*t! You are no real siren but also can't act like a landlubber! So easy to catch, WAY more useless than a mortal! Stop getting away, it's useless!" Geno was already feeling dead from fear.

He was breathing fast. He felt he was going to collapse at any second. The pain on his shoulder would only constantly worsen, although he wasn't bleeding from there and his soul was rapidly beating, ready to break out of his chest and ringing in his head. Was he about to get a serious panic attack?!

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" He stretched his left arm and attempted to throw bones at the mermaid. Only one scratched her cheek lightly. She scoffed.

"Is that all you got? After all, you're EVEN more pathetic than I first thought."

"HEEELP!" Geno screamed.

"Scream all you want. Your precious mama isn't here to protect her sweet baby bo-." Before she could finish that sentence, a golden aura threw back the mermaid away from Geno. "WHATEVER THE F*CK JUST HAPPENED, JUST YOU WAIT SON OF CQ, JUST YOU WAIT! SOON I'LL COME FIND YOU! YOU WILL NEVER MAKE IT OUT ALIVE! LISBON WILL BECOME YOUR GRAVE!" At the very next moment the small skeleton felt something wrapping around him and the floor swallowed him whole.

~

"Alter?"

"Nord?"

"Brothers?!"

"Please... help me..."

"It rea l l y h

u

r

t

s..."

Alter's POV:
-

I wake up breathing heavily, avoiding to yell. I place my hand on my chest, soul beating rapidly and exhale. I was dreaming again that. About my brothers. Especially Samael. The day I saw him dying. That memory will never get out of my skull and haunt my sleep. Him dusting in front of me-

God, could have I seen it coming? Could have I prevented it? Could I really do anything then? Not knowing myself the answers to all that, I cannot stop blaming myself. A promise shattered and broken, as if it was stepped on many times hard. I promised... I promised to protect him!

And I failed...

A loud thud to my left interrupts these memories. I turn my head. Geno... is squirming in his sleep. While on the floor!

"Oh no..." I stand up quickly rubbing my eyesockets and approach him. Curse you Alter, how long was he struggling like this and didn't realise it until he fell on the floor?!

"Get away from me!" Geno says quietly and suddenly stretches his arm. Bones appear in the air and fly to all directions. 2 almost got me. They get stabbed on the walls. Is something or someone attacking him? Is it like the last time where he ended up with clawed neck? "Help..."

"Oh Lord..." This is familiar, he seems ready to have a panic attack! I have to stop this immediately. I sit near Geno and just scoop him, putting him sit on my lap and closing him in my embrace.

Whatever is trying to harm him, whatever is going on in his sleep, if it's the same like the last time, touching him will help him escape. A few seconds later he gasps, but still doesn't open his eyesocket. Instead he tries to free himself from me, spasming and struggling.

"Let me go..." He repeats that constantly while trying to push himself away from me. I insist on holding him, not too tightly, close my eyesockets and start humming a melody as I'm used to do so.

"Only 10 seconds of a tender embrace is capable to reduce stress and relieve one's pain. The gesture is so simple, but the power of it is even able to increase the healing process, both physical and psychological. The real, genuine loving embrace can be understood by the one who's hurting and needs help."

As I've heard it from mother. I look down on Geno. His expression is filled with so much fear and agony. He's clenching his fists tightly and shakes whole. Poor boy. I hold his left hand in mine, so small and cold, massaging gently for a few seconds, then place it on my chest. He still resists a little.

Mother had also told me, after hearing from someone else, that between 2 monsters, when the one is agitated and hears or feels the other's soul who is being calm, the beats of its soul will synchronize faster, ending up relaxing too. In fact the agitated monster ends up wanting more of this feeling.

I wasn't sure if that actually worked like that. Or until now. Geno's breathing gradually slows down, he doesn't fight and in fact, he leans his head against my chest. Now his expression is so serene... it almost brings me to tears. It is not on purpose, it's my mind playing tricks...

But sometimes I really wish he didn't remind me of Samael.

...

I had told myself from the very beginning that I shouldn't bond with him much. But like the sensitive skeleton I really am at times and the way he is, this little one, he has already managed to walk the paths of my soul that only very few have ever found. Maybe also because of the siren symbol that binds me with Geno.

I really don't, I can't get hurt like that again. How do I allow myself to do that-?

I feel something tugging my shirt and I look down. Geno is staring at me with a big open eyesocket as his hand is gripping gently my shirt. All calm and relaxed now, thank God. In the position he is, as he's mostly laying on my lap, he suddenly rises and wraps his arms around my neck, hugging me. He rests his head on my shoulder, catching me slightly off guard.

"... Thank you..." He says gently. I sigh and hug him back. I hear a discreet creak, of the door opening. I look up.

... Her.

She's standing to the opening looking at me and Geno worried. She seems like she wants to say something. She must have obviously heard the hustle.

"Everything is fine." I only move my mouth. Good thing she can read lips, as she nods and looks around one last time.

The bones Geno accidentally summoned didn't do much luckily so there was no noticeable damage. At least in the dark. In the morning, who knows what holes the walls might have? Tefra leaves as quietly as she appeared and I just stare at where she was.

"Pst, what are you staring at?" Geno's voice gets my attention. He looks at the door's direction, then at me with raised brow.

"Just thoughtful." I reply while standing up.

I approach the window and look out. Once the sun has risen high, it's going to be perhaps a really difficult day and dangerous. Raymond is coming to cause hustle and bustle. But I have faith in Echo that if that man dares to harm a single monster, he's going to get in big trouble. Or at least buy time.

The rebels will be ready. Then again, on such time, I can't help but feel... pessimistic. I don't know, I feel a clutch in my soul, an unease in my whole body, that... my hours are coming to an end. I really wish it's just me worrying for the risk and danger, but... I look at Geno.

God, what if I can't get us both out of the monster town to find the church from which we entered Lisbon? No matter, my goal is to protect him, no matter what. I gave him my promise to not leave his side, to protect him. Even if that means taking some lives, hasten declaration I made and wish I don't have to actually fulfill.

The regrets I'll have to live with will be unbearable. Or, even if it means loosing my own life. Maybe I'll deserve it. I've failed many, if I fail Geno too, cursed or dead may I end up be. I sigh and still carrying Geno I walk for my bed. I lay on my side and wrap an arm around him.

"Uuuh, Alter? Why did you take me on your bed?" He asks me quietly and confused.

"As you've heard and realised, once the sun is up, it's going to be a difficult and dangerous day." I look at him. He nods and I look at the window's direction again. "I can't have you being restless and stressed if someone attacks you again in your sleep." He doesn't say anything at first. Instead, he turns to face me and snuggles closer to me.

"Alright..."

We both stay silent again. As much as I don't want to, my worries rise up again, that we might not both make it out of here and alive. If that happens, let at least Geno make it, God please! I feel Geno moving and when I look at him, he's staring at me.

"Sleep son."

"Well I don't see you do that." He says. I exhale quietly and just hold him closer. "What's wrong Alter?" He asks.

No one's POV:
-

"Geno..." Alter begun, but he stopped talking again. He seemed to think of how he would say whatever he wanted to say next. Eventually he sighed and looked towards the window again with a cold expression.

"... As I mentioned days back, ever since Samael was born and my mother Calisto died, I had to live in the village to raise him, leaving the ascetic life in the monasteries..."

7000 words. could it be? is alter about to keep revealing stuff from his past??? next time we meet, you'll know. see you on the next chapter smol cute bambini👋🏽. stay determined and happy. *pat pat pat pat pat*