As soon as Teresa and the others were gone, I returned to training in the now empty field the kids had used as a soccer field.

I kicked the air, creating a slight gust as my right leg cut through it.

"Neat moves," a voice called out.

I looked over my shoulder and saw the white-haired boy, Alex. Seated beside him in the grass was Nat.

"Hey," I said, turning around. "Need something?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Just watching you fight," he said with a wide smile.

"You look really cool!" Nat said.

I laughed even as my ears warmed up. "You think so?"

Both boys nodded.

I beamed. Maybe the kids saw me how I saw my favorite boxers in the manga that had inspired me.

"Would you two like for me to show you some moves?" I asked.

"Yeah!" they said in unison.

I smiled as I backed away from them. What I was about to do required a decent amount of distance. "Alright. Watch closely. Let me know if you wish for me to slow down."

"Okay," Nat said with a broad smile.

I pulled my right arm back and dashed forward before delivering a swift jab and then turning around and throwing another with my left fist.

The two boys stared at me in awe as a fierce wind threatened to blow them away. Maybe I should've put less strength into my punches, or at least moved further away from them.

"Are you alright?" I asked, rushing over to them.

"Yeah," Alex said, removing some grass leaves from his forehead.

"That was cool!" Nat said, jumping to his feet.

"Though it was too fast for me," Alex said.

"Want me to do it again?" I asked, jumping back.

"Sure!" Nat said.

"What are you guys up to?" Amun asked as she walked over to us.

"The mister was showing us his moves!" Nat said, pointing at me.

"Call me 'Nico'," I said.

Amun smiled. "Anyway, Mom sent me here to tell you two that we're going to go have a picnic."

"Okay!" Nat said, running on ahead.

"Wait for me!" Alex yelled, running after his little brother.

"Want me to help set things up?" I asked.

"You can go and set the table," Anis said as she walked out of the house with her sister. "We plan to dine on the hill where you met the Celestial Queen."

"Huh? Queen Saya was here?" Rene asked, eyes wide as she carried a tub filled with what appeared to be mashed potatoes.

"Yeah. She came to personally oversee the training of the knights."

Rene leaned her head against her right hand. "I hope that Hide didn't embarrass himself in front of her."

Anis laughed. "Seems ya know ya son well."

She sighed. "Yeah. Hide's a nice kid once you get to know him, but he can also be a braggart even when he can't exactly back things up."

"Hopefully he's changing." Anis chuckled. "Actually, he kind of reminds me of how Tetsu was when he was a kid. I think Serra overtaking him helped him mellow out a little."

Rene giggled. "Right. I remember he was quite the troublemaker. Say, why did his dad decide to make Serrano his successor instead of him?"

"Well, he had other plans for Tetsu. The shield being part of that."

Rene gasped. "And I thought Hideaki was very prepared."

Anis smiled sadly. "Well, Shi could see glimpses of the future. He knew what was coming."

Her younger sister gulped. "Do you think he foresaw his own imprisonment at the hands of his father."

Anis shook her head. "I'm not sure, but I'm certain he knew something was going to happen to him in this war." She lowered her gaze. "Shi didn't tell anyone but us Seven-Hills and the king, but he'd been gradually losing power. When we thought he had died, it turned out that he sort of did. His core was partially damaged, causing energy to leak out gradually."

She stared at the forest.

"I didn't get to tell the kids, but the reason their father kept his distance was that he feared killing us."

"How?" I asked. I bit my lip. It was improper of me to have asked so suddenly...

Anis smiled. "It's fine. I don't mind telling you. His special ability is energy absorption, but following his near-death experience, he could no longer control it. It's why he didn't use it in the battle against Daisaru. Only if the Monkey King had truly intended to destroy us, would he have used it."

"I see," I said, recalling that desperate fight. "So, that's why he didn't return to his family."

"Yes. Once I can, I'll tell Teresa and the boys the truth." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I didn't wish for them to live feeling like their father could die at any moment."

"Is it akin to a terminal disease?" Rene asked.

"I'm not sure. The other Seven-Hill provided him with energy to keep him alive." She gulped. "It's possible he might not survive for long in the abyss."

"I see," I said, clenching my hands into fists. Perhaps, it was best Teresa wasn't around. She would only have worried more about her father.

I gasped.

"Wait, who was the one who hurt him?"

"I'm not sure, he never said a thing." She rubbed her arms. "Part of me thinks it's amnesia from the damage he had sustained. Though, my suspicion is that it was a creature he couldn't absorb the energy of. Or at least couldn't bring himself to absorb."

"What kind of being would that be?" Rene asked.

"A demon," I mumbled, lowering my eyes.

"I think so too. Absorbing demonic energy would naturally corrupt a person, turning them into a demon."

"Why do you seem sad, as if it were your fault?" Rene asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I closed my eyes. It was because I was part demon. My kind had done a lot to hurt those I loved.

Suddenly, I felt a surge of energy behind me. It was coming from the direction of the mountains. I opened my eyes and spun around—a reddish aura had formed over one of the mountains in the distance.

"How strange," Rene said, hugging the tub of mash potatoes. "Why is the sky red there when there's no dust?"

"Could it be an abysmal?" Anis whispered to herself as she looked uneasily at the sky.

"I'll go check it out!" I yelled. "Go back indoors and hide. It could be dangerous."

"Wait, you shouldn't go alone!" Rene yelled.

"I'll be fine! Besides, you two got kids to take care of!"

"Alright, just be sure ya come back safely!" Anis yelled. "Else, Teresa would be sad."

My face warmed up as soon as she said that. I wasn't sure why, as Teresa would be sad regardless of her feelings toward me.

"I will!" I yelled as I rushed off. Whatever it was, I couldn't allow it to get close to here.

***

Once I was a decent distance away, I spread out my wings and took to the sky. They were gray bat-like wings—the kind a demon would have.

I shook my head. Now isn't the time for me to feel sorry for myself.

Every muscle of my body tightened as I saw a blond-haired man dressed from head to toe in dark purple armor casually walk down the mountain.

I'd never seen him before, so he likely wasn't part of Kuroriku's knights. Then again, it wasn't like I knew every single knight in the country.

The man's dark blue eyes looked into mine. His eyes followed me even as I passed by in an attempt to not arouse his suspicion.

He held out a hand and formed a sphere of indigo-colored energy.

I dove down and kicked the sphere out of his arm. Suddenly, a large chunk of the forest around us was gone as an explosion tore through the trees like fire through tinder.

"You withstood my attack," the man said, staring at my bare right foot.

The energy had ripped through it, but it could've been much worse. I could've ended up like the forest, for example.

He snickered. "Most impressive." His eyes widened slightly as he noticed my wings. "A demon?"

"I'm actually a hybrid," I said. "Much to my dismay."

"A child an angel and a demon? My, what a rare specimen. Now, what brings you here, young man?"

"I should be the one asking you that. What is a demon doing here?" I asked, landing next to him.

"I came here to get something my mother asked for."

His mother? I'd been told that demons didn't tend to be overly attached to their families.

"What is it? Maybe I can help," I said.

"Help? What do you want in return?"

"Do I need anything?"

The man laughed. "You're an odd one, half-breed. Demons don't 'help'. We only do exchanges. Plus, weren't you suspicious of me?"

"I was, but I thought you were here to cause trouble."

The man snickered. "Who said I wasn't? Anyway, if you must know, I came here to retrieve the legendary Zangetsu. Heard its owner lived around these parts. Know anything about it, half-breed?"

I jumped back. Zangetsu? If I wasn't mistaken, Tetsuya owned it.

The man grinned. "I take it that you do know. Now, tell me, where is it?"

"You won't find it here," I said.

His smile vanished. "Oh, why is that?"

"The owner isn't here. So, you're better off somewhere else."

The demon clicked his tongue. "I figured as much. Perhaps, he's in Xeleria. In that case, Audrey has an advantage over me."

Is he in some kind of competition with this 'Audrey' person?

He turned to look at the dusty trail leading down the mountain. "Though, perhaps I can draw him toward me."

I dashed in front of him and threw a punch at him, but the demon blocked my fist.

"My word, weren't you going to 'help' me? Why the sudden change of heart?" he asked, giving me a cold look.

"I know what you're thinking. You won't get anywhere near his family!" I yelled, pulling my fist free from his grip.

He laughed. "Oh? Who will stop me? You? Your punches are nothing. Now, step aside, or I'll kill you in the most gruesome way I can think of."

"No," I said as I appeared behind him.

"Such speed," the demon said, turning around in time to block my attack with his right arm.

I dashed around and struck his left side, sending him flying into the destroyed part of the forest. "I told you that you were better off elsewhere!" I yelled as I flew after him.

The demon smiled as he held out his arms and cartwheeled away before he could touch the ground. "I don't mind a match against a fellow hybrid."

"Huh? You aren't a pure demon?" I asked as I came to a halt.

"Why did you stop? You feel some kind of camaraderie just because I'm a hybrid like you?" He laughed. "It's not like I'm part dove like you. I am an abysmal." Suddenly, dark beams shot up from the ruined forest.

I held out my hands and formed a barrier out of darkness mana. Damn it. I let my guard down.

"You're struggling already? I'm not even warmed up yet," the demon said as he looked up at me. His eyes narrowed. "How strange."

"What is?" I yelled as I tried to push back the darkness.

"Your mana, it reminds me of my little brother's."

My eyes widened. "Your brother?" Was this man related to my father? He did give off a similar vibe.

"Yes, but he's no longer around. In fact, he was much younger than you. He was a teenager to be exact. Mind you, his death was but a few days ago. Yet, your mana has such an uncanny resemblance to his prana," he said, giving me a perplexed look.

That was strange... Why would my mana resemble his recently deceased younger brother's prana?

"Do you have a brother by the name of Sato?" I asked.

The man's eyes turned more piercing than before. "I had one we would refer to as such. Why do you ask? Is your father called Sato?"

"Yes."

"I see. But that's impossible, as Sato is my deceased younger brother."

I gasped. Just... who is my dad? Why does he share the same name and prana as this guy's deceased teenage brother?

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter ^_^. Thoughts? Theories?**