Isaac walked up to Eleanor, and he can see that she looked like she was ready to cry. She looked at him with tears running down her cheeks, trying not to cry in front of him.

"I... I can be useful, I have to be useful...!" she said to him.

"I guess I'll have to choose you, just try and calm down" he said, as he took pity on her.

Caelum looked at Erika, and she seems like a kind grandmother, but beneath is a mad woman who delights in blowing stuff up. Her eyes are glassy and pale blue, presumably from old age. He felt unease by her, but her explosion type magic can be useful in the mission.

"If you choose me, then we can have lots of fun! Granny loves explosives, and games too!" Said Erika with a chuckle.

"I might as well choose you, because if the mission is about clearing a path in the ruins, you know what to do. However, if it's a negotiation or reconnaissance mission, just try and keep it control" he said.

"Alright, choose a second partner!" Emperor Terra announced.

Both brothers examined at each of the magicians, and they're not sure which one is more suitable for the missions. Caelum wanted to choose Acrab, but at the same time, he wanted to choose Isamu. Isaac wanted to choose Marcus, but he felt rather unease with Acrab.

"I choose... Acrab!" Said Caelum.

"So, you want to choose another psychopath? Are you sure?" Asked Isaac.

"Hey! I can be useful in any missions, you're just lucky that I haven't buried you in sand!" Exclaimed Acrab.

"I am certain that I'll try and rein in their destructive behavior, brother. If I were to curb their destructive tendencies, there won't be any casualties in public" answered Caelum.

"I hope you're right" said Isaac, feeling unease and worried for his remaining brother.

It's down to Markus and Isamu, for Isaac to choose. Markus might be the one who healed him earlier, but other than that, attendants are more focused in martial arts than casting magic. Isamu is an ink magician, from the far east. Isaac hasn't even seen ink magic before, in which it can be useful in distracting the guards.

"Alright, I made up my mind" he said.

"Then who do you choose?" Asked Emperor Terra.

"I choose... Isamu" he replied.

"You're sure you want to choose an ink magician? And your reasons on why you chose him?" Asked Emperor Terra.

"I'm certain, because the main reason why is: ink magic is rather a useful type magic for distraction. Sure, I was going to choose this attendant, but I don't think having someone who has less magic will be a good idea. What if he tries to pick a fight with a magician who will disintegrate him in an instant? I don't want anyone to waste their lives fighting on something they couldn't beat!" Explained Isaac.

"I see, however, I wouldn't care if you choose an attendant. If the attendant gets killed, no worries, we will bring him back by ritual magic" said Emperor Terra.

That line sent shivers down the two brothers spines, because it reminds them of how they died for the first time and were brought back to life inside clay vessels. The experience itself wasn't nice: having your body reforming from your ashes as the potion works while the heat from the sun bakes the clay vessel until it hardens and become brittle, then it becomes hard to breath inside the clay vessel, and you see nothing but darkness. Either you break free from the clay vessel, or someone else breaks you free would have a slight chance of driving you insane if the ritual is done incorrectly.

Emperor Terra motions the brothers, along with the partners they have chosen, to come towards the throne. When they approach the throne, they all kneeled before him. Then he placed three papers that each contained information on different missions, and each ones are rather dangerous.

"Here are the missions, and you have to choose one. Once you have chosen a mission, you two may not see each other again until the mission is completed. However, you can stay on contact with each other by writing letters" said Emperor Terra.

Caelum was puzzled when he looked at the papers, but is determined to reform the two magicians he had chosen as partners.

"Without further ado, let me tell you about the first mission. The first mission takes place at Leikios, the continent to the northeast from here. There, I want you to establish a base at the ancient ruins where the Apollo observatory is located. These ruins were once home to the Equinox, an ancient tribe of light magicians who studied the stars before disappearing, and they had built the Apollo observatory to harness the power of light to power their machines. Go there, we might as well use that power of light as a weapon for our advantage. If the trio of heroes go there, defeat them before they activate the Apollo observatory. If you fail, don't bother come back to report" explained Emperor Terra.

Isaac thought about choosing that mission, since the Apollo observatory has the element of light.

"The second mission is to infiltrate the headquarters of the Order Of the Nations, the organization that opposes us. You must bring me reports and plans from the headquarters, even if you have to eavesdrop every conversations. Stay vigilant, blend in with the environment, and don't get caught! As for the third mission, I wouldn't choose it until you complete at least one mission" Empower Terra continued.

Both brothers began thinking on which mission to choose from, since they won't be seeing each other for a while. Isaac chose the first mission to establish a base at the ruins, while Caelum chose the second mission to spy on the Order Of the Nations. The moment they choose, the emperor smiled in delight upon seeing this.

"You have chosen well, Noctua brothers. Now, go to the airship docks and await there as your selected partners get supplies and the like to prepare for the journey" ordered Emperor Terra.

Both brothers bow to the Emperor before leaving with their selected partners, but they had to get directions as to where the airship docks is without getting lost. The selected partners went to prepare for the journey, while the brothers went on to the airship docks and wait there. At the airship docks, two airships were docked as engineers and pilots scramble about.

"Isaac, even if we weren't able to see each other, I want to know that I will send you letters to let you know I'm fine. If I don't, you'll assume that I have died on the mission" said Caelum.

"Don't worry, I'll send in letters too. I'll let you know that I'm fine and my mission is progressing" replied Isaac with a smile.

Both brothers hugged each other before parting to the two separate airships, and they wait inside for their selected partners to arrive. When the selected partners board the airships, both airships lift off and went into opposite directions on their destination.

Authors note: this is the beginning of Isaacs journey to the Apollo observatory, what will he find when entering the ruins?