Paimon couldn't move. He was simply standing there with his mouth wide open and his hands slightly shaking.Eve continued to show him the phone and on the screen there were diagrams and numbers. Paimon wanted to cry. Not because of Eve stealing his phone,that was an everyday joke in comparison to what had happened in the past year but in truth,he wanted to cry for a while now,ever since all of this started but he tried to appear strong for his brother,who accused him bluntly of putting his personal feelings above the welfare of his family.

Needless to say,his emotional control right now was at its lowest and he chose anger instead of appearing vulnerable.

-I don't believe it,Eve! I am gone for two minutes and you search through my phone! You had no right to do that and frankly no reason either! You didn't steal my phone when we were together and you do it now?! What are you trying to do? Find out where your lowest is?

That last part was unnecessarily harsh and Paimon decided to stop talking after that but Eve wasn't going to let his outburst go unanswered.

- To answer your question,I don't know what my lowest is but I do know that my instincts are still at their peak. And since no one bothers to inform me what is happening outside of these walls,I have decided to take matters into my own hands. And this data isn't just problematic,it is downright alarming.

-Everything is under control,Eve.

-Good to know that the third class being on the brink of collapse is not something to concern myself about.

-You are overacting. In modern society,the third class is the most stable of them all. Of course,being stable and staying healthy are two different things but nevertheless...

Eve stopped listening to him and started scrolling down again which annoyed Paimon who tried to get his phone back but Eve raised her hand removing the phone from Paimon's reach.

-From the little I have seen and taking into consideration that I did all the calculations in my head,the average number of third class carriers that have requested transfer,which is always accompanied by a detailed report on why the bond they were in control of is beyond saving,has risen by 75%.Couples that were perfectly happy with each other are now filling up for divorce

-Oh Eve,for Spirits Sake,you know how they are. The carriers of that class are the most dramatic and emotional ones. This "crisis" you speak of is probably just one of their collective tantrums.Honestly,you would expect that after the humiliation and degradation the concept of romance has endured from humans in the past century or two,they would have become more resistant but no. They are still behaving like spoiled brats.Where are you going?

Eve had moved to the window and was looking outside with a worried look on her face. Then she sat down again and started accessing some files

-If it is,as you called it, a "collective tantrum",then they must have been organizing it for quite a while because the majority of the reports mention the exact same thing.

-Which is?

-Sudden and unexplained loss of romantic feelings towards a partner.

-They lost interest,in simpler terms. Today,that is the norm rather than the exception.

-Paimon,what is wrong with you? The third class is in serious danger,the moon hasn't risen which means that someone has returned from the dead,and you try to convince me that I am overacting.

-You are

-They are under attack! I know it,I recognize the signs from history books.Whatever is happening it is affecting solely the third class which is extremely strange. Normally the problems should have influenced the other classes as well.The broken couple should be going to complain and cry or search for solutions to save their relationships with their friends and family, straining these classes as well. But this doesn't seem to be the case. I checked. The first,second and fourth class are not only protected but i stead they seem to be thriving. The central class of this century is collapsing and the others are seemingly unaffected.Does this seem normal to you? Also,my energy lines have been pulsing since yesterday nonstop and Luna is nowhere to be seen. Someone who has been dead is back and is punishing the third class. Paimon,what if...?

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

-No,dont say it.

-But what if it is true? What if they are back?

-I know how much you admire that category ever since you read about them and I understand your need for their return since you have some of the last remaining bonds but the chances of them returning are slim if not absent.

-There is a possibility however. And if it is indeed true,then the third class is in mortal danger. They never forgave them for assisting in their annihilation. They want revenge. They always have. Do you want to risk an interclass war?

-No war is happening because the eclipse category is not coming back.

-Then allow me to contact my sisters to find out for myself. With phone or telepathic. Come on,Paimon,Haures locked my telepathic access to the outside world and I haven't been able to talk to my sisters ever since. I miss them.

-You can't,Eve. I'm sorry.

-Why?

Paimon didn't answer. He avoided her eyes and directed his gaze elsewhere. But when he lifted his eyes once more,Eve was in front of him with a stern look on her face and repeated her previous question.

-Why, Paimon? Did Haures do something I should be informed of and normally wouldn't approve?

Paimon didn't get the chance to answer but he suspected his eyes betrayed the truth because in the blink of an eye Eve darted out of the dining wall and was running towards Haures's room. Paimon run after her because he suspected the dialogue between her and his brother would not be a pleasant sight.

Eve started climbing the stairs as quickly as she could with Paimon trying to follow her but failing to catch up with her. As she ran to the corridor towards Haures's room she heard his voice as she was passing by Thanos's temporary room and stopped in front of the door. Paimon hoped Eve would knock and thus wait long enough for him to prevent her from opposing Haures during one of the worst possible times.

But he was proven wrong,yet again. Eve did take a pause but only to adjust her body and use it to forcefully enter the room. Unfortunately for her during that time Haures was placing Thanos in his crib and the loud noise startled him and dropped Thanos. The baby wasn't hurt,the height of his fall was only two centimeters,but felt uncomfortable regardless and it caused him to start whining. Haures got scared because when he turned around to locate the source of the noise he couldn't remember if he accidentally raised the baby before dropping him and injuring him.

Thankfully,Paimon arrived just in time to remove Eve from the room before Haures unleashed his anger on her. Of course that didn't mean she was safe.While Haures was trying to calm the baby down by cuddling him on his chest and at the same time running his head down the spine to check for any injuries Paimon was waiting with Eve outside the room,he knew it would be pointless to hide her because Haures would surely find them and then they would both be in trouble.

-Shhh,it's okay,it's alright. I'm sorry,so sorry,are you hurt?Don't cry,please dont cry.Im here,you are safe. I would never hurt you. You know this don't you? It was an accident. That's it,that's my boy,sleep and by the morning you will have forgotten all about it.

Haures's soothing words seemed to have the desired effect and soon Thanos was fast asleep on his brother's chest. After that,Haures placed him very carefully back into the crib lying on his stomach to make sure any injury on his spine,however small,he didn't detect wouldn't be worsened during the night. He would call Johanna in the morning if it was necessary.

After he closed the door behind him all calmness abandoned him and literally threw himself on Eve lifting her from the top of her dress before Paimon had any time to react.

-Have you completely lost your mind? Or your manners? Or both? I swear to you Eve if Thanos is hurt because you made me drop him you will not escape my wrath.

When Paimon heard what happened he ran inside his brother's room frightened wanting to check on Thanos himself. Haures didn't stop him,it enabled him actually, because now he could yell at Eve without her protector being there to defend her.

-Put me down Haures because I too am very angry at you.

-Really now? About what? The meat was undercooked?

-Stop mocking me. You have been hiding things from me. Things I should know about

-It wouldn't be too hard to keep secrets from you but unfortunately you are making things up. Again.

-Then let me go home

-Oh,that's what has been happening? You are home sick?Too bad. When Fate leaves you can return. And it wouldn't be you that sends her away.

-Something is very wrong and I need to be there to help.

-Wrong? Of course something is wrong,your Majesty. Everything is wrong. Everything has been wrong ever since you left the throne and Fate claimed authority. And the sole responsible is you and your "deals" with the Dark Queen.

-You know what? I am tired of you accusing me and the way I handled her. You are as much to blame as I am. I told you years ago to claim full political authority over the Shadows because you had their full support. To remove the Dark Queen from power once and for all. But you refused and your exact words were:" She isn't much of a trouble anyway". Well,she turned out to be an immense trouble and your judgment was proven wrong. And instead of helping me to correct this mess,you insist on keeping me locked here because you believe the only thing I am good for is being present. You somehow expect Fate's power to collapse from within and then to use my return as a symbol of newfound political stability.

-You accuse me of your mistakes? That's why the only thing you are good at is breathing. You agreed on our plan when you first came here.

-The plan was to coordinate a revolution,not simply waiting for it to happen. The situation keeps turning and changing and we can't just wait for it to suit us. You surprised me. Passiveness was never a characteristic of yours.

-No it wasn't. But I had to protect my people and make it seem as if we are neutral to avoid a war.You cant go back.Not now,at least. It will only make things worse.

-And what will make it better? You are right,I was wrong. I am the Queen. Removing Fate from my throne is my responsibility and no one else's.

-Your sense of duty would move me if I didn't know it has no effect on your actions.Besides,think reasonably for once. The moment you set foot on that palace Fate will order your arrest and possibly your execution. Face it,Eve,your enemy has home advantage this time.

Eve didn't answer and started thinking of something. Then she left the corridor and started walking down the stairs towards the garden where she had left the book she was reading. Haures,whose anger has been replaced by curiosity, decided to follow her.

-Haures,you are right. As things stand Fate has full advantage.But there is one place she is at a downright disadvantage.

-Where?

-In the past. No, don't roll your eyes like that and listen to me. We have time portals here. All we have to do is go back into the past to the time Fate was simply my advisor and guide her in doing a mistake we will use in the present. Sign a document,create a scandal, anything will do.That way,I take full responsibility and no one will ever know you helped me. I am the Queen. I could do a time travel whenever I pleased. What do you say?

-.....Come upstairs to discuss it with Paimon.This may be your craziest idea yet. But unlike the others,at least it has a success rate.