Two years later

Demios was sitting down on the floor with his brothers playing behind him as he muttered to himself "For two years straight I've done nothing but wake up, eat, try to train but fail. Then eat and sleep all over again. No information, no learning but at least the view isn't too bad,"

Looking on from the window Demios could see thick leaves embracing the vast forest covered in fog as the sun shone gently from above.

Lots of changes occurred within the two years for the family, the brothers now looked far more physically developed, despite only being a toddlers age. The change had left their uncles baffled, but their parents watched their growth with approval a comical sight to watch.

The family's troubles hadn't caught up to them. For the time being, and minimal changes have been made to the family's routine, so a sense of tranquillity was shared by them all.

But with that peace, Grey began to prepare the boys for a medicinal bath to improve the strength of their body as a precaution to any troubles that may arise.

"Little Black hurry and get the ring that I prepared for my children, it should be hidden within the cave beneath the house, where the valuables are hidden," Grey said.

"But Grey..." Hesitating slightly" Rose said we should use that for them when they get older, or they will be under immense pain." Black replied.

"They can handle it, and besides, they have divine bodies. Blessed by their element, my sons can overcome it trust me," Grey said, after some contemplation.

Black grunted lightly, muttering under his breath "You better stop with this before Rose comes back from her breakthrough" as he made his way to the cave.

Meanwhile, in the back garden, Demios and Hyde were practising 'martial arts' moves they learned from watching villagers fights in the back alleys. A route in-between the village and the Ether family's back garden which was far enough to keep the fight discreet from the other villagers but yet common knowledge for all the villagers. Because whenever someone had a dispute that couldn't be resolved by words, they would go to fight there.

"Walls of blood, they called it," Demios muttered to Hyde and Miko as he led them their first viewing (one of many). Which resulted in Hyde forcing Demios to participate in daily spars with him as he was enamoured by the men's manliness.

Their latest viewing led them to watch two men fighting for one-woman's hand in marriage, the woman being the referee and instigator of the men's fight. As she declared that only the strong deserve the right to marry her.

Demios and Hyde were able to imitate the men's fight perfectly despite watching the fight once. Although the fight wasn't really one to learn from as only a couple of exchanges happened during the fight because the two men were preoccupied with taunting their opponent and striking only when the angle looked good (for the woman to see how strong they were

Leaving Miko as the referee of the fight most of the time as Demios would regularly tag out with him in the hopes of sneaking out of the house. Causing Miko to be at a crossroads from the first spar to the last as he couldn't decide whether he should stop the sparring, join the spar or just let them spar and have their Uncles or parents yell at the two to stop.

"Boys come upstairs now it's time for you to bath!" Grey called.

"Yes, Dad" replied the brothers.

Running up the stairs, the boys entered the bathroom. At the same time, Grey poured some black blood, medicinal herbs, and several more materials into the bath. The medicinal bath contained materials warriors would kill for such as the blood of an Aquatic dragon. A material considered by most researchers as being extinct after the battles caused by the Great War.

Grey also carefully performed a decoction of the blood of other mystical beasts, making, the clear dark liquid look purplish red.

"Boys when you enter the bath, I need you to clench your teeth and hold each other's hands," Grey calmly said

As he meticulously reorganised the remaining herbs on the floor.

"But Dad, why is the bath that colour?" Demios asked while scrunching his brows.

"Yeah, and why do we need to hold hands," Miko added.

"Just do it!" replied Grey as he muttered under his breath, "we don't have much time

before they find out about your existence."

Hearing their father's reaction, the brothers felt they were left with no other choice but to enter the bath, so they held each other's hand and stepped into the bathtub hoping for the best.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"I would question it, but at this point, I genuinely don't care," Demios thought, following his brothers.

But what awaited the brothers was excruciating pain, pain, and some more pain.

"Argh! Dad, it hurts! It hurts!" screamed Miko

"I can barely breathe!" Demios said before screaming at the top of his lungs as he tightly holding on to his brother's hands.

"Bear with it! You are my children, after all, it should help you," Greys said calmly walking side to side as he could see the grimace on his son's faces.

"Dad! I want to go! Mommy!" Hyde screamed.

10 minutes passed, and the children's screams stopped, they looked to be adapting to the changes caused by the medicinal bath.

"Just a little bit longer and you can leave," Grey crossed his arms and tightly gripped onto his biceps.

"..." The boys couldn't respond as their bodies were being ravaged by the medicinal bath.

After some more time, the once strange-looking bath turned black, which led Grey to carrying the three boys out of the house as they fainted from exhaustion.

Taking them into the back garden.

Where he poured cold water into them to wake them from their sleep. Unfazed by the blistering cold water poured on them. Miko could see his hand still firmly locked with Hyde and Demios as they all looked around the back garden in confusion.

"Well done on getting through it," Grey said calmly, embracing the confused brothers in a passionate hug.

"He's done it now," Frey said, as he watched from the window.

"He may have rushed it, but at least the boys came out alright," Black laughed walking towards the group. While Frey remained rooted to the window watching on as Grey covered the brothers in blankets, hugs and kisses.

"Hey, guys can I go and change? I'm still naked here!" Demios shouted, breaking free from Greys hug.

"Yeah go, but this is only the start," Grey said.

A month passed by with Grey insisting the boys go into the medicinal bath, despite many protests from their Uncles and the brothers. Grey also increased the herbs and blood included in each medicinal baths during the whole month of medicinal baths.

~~~~

"This is your last bath," Grey said while thinking "Now their bodies will develop at an even faster rate so they wouldn't need to rely on their medallions (necklace was given at birth) as much I hope but It should buy us some more time,"

After the boys were carried out of their bath. They began a routine Grey taught them to get rid of their bodies dirty black stuff (waste nutrients). Which helped with their development of sturdier bones and healthy nutrients being more effective in their body.

"Make sure you pour cold water to wash out the dirt," Grey said, looking a bit on edge.

They responded by nodding their heads going through this procedure numerous times over the past month.

That same night Rose came back home after breaking through, her skin was looking like the most beautiful jade, her jet black hair tied up into a neat little bun; while her red eyes shone under the crescent moon.

She looked exhausted as she could barely up straight after opening the door.

Leaning slightly, she grinned "Demios, Miko, Hyde I'm home come down and show your mummy your cute little selves," Rose laughed.

She could see Miko and Hyde tussling to get downstairs eager to meet their mother.

"Mum, where did you go? What did you do? Why didn't you tell us you were leaving? "Miko cried.

"Aww, my boys were worried about me, hmm, what happened to you guys? You all grew taller, and your hair is longer, what did you get up to these past two months? Hmm, your bodies are different," Rose said, examining the changes in her sons.

Miko and Hyde then explained to Rose their experiences these past two months while Demios facepalmed himself in the kitchen.

After they mentioned the medicinal baths, Rose's face changed, and a large vein appeared on her forehead as her eyes turned.

"Grey!!!" We need to talk now" screamed Rose.

"I guess it's time for my death," Grey sighed internally.

~~~~~

Demios pov

Before Rose came inside

"Hey, you two, I've just seen Mom outside, so I want you to listen good, and listen well. Do not! And I repeat do not tell mom about the baths we took this month. Got it,"

"Moms home!" Miko and Hyde's eyes gawked as thy sprinted downstairs.

"Hey listen to me,"

Ugh, I should have done more, It's all over now. Dad's going to die.

"And Dad made us try these baths with yucky stuff it," Seeing a change in his mother's expression Miko held her hands "It didn't hurt that much, Hyde and Demios were with me,"

Wow a nail in the coffin, this woman is going to go berserk. Shes already clenching her fists, oh this guy going to get it today. I better get to my window before I miss this action.

"Grey!!!"

"let's take it outside," Grey replied as he swiftly picked up Rose in a flash and went to the front of the house.

I hear shouting outside; it seems they've already started—just a few more steps before I can see the action.

"Up we go,"

Hmm, I can't seem to make out what they are saying, but it looks like Dad is winning, though. From his stance at least

"You know we don't have enough time," said Grey

"I know that, but I've been summoned, and I can't ignore it again if I do, they will take it all away from me," argued Rose.

I don't understand why they don't just give us to a family in the village and run for it, coming back to pick us up when they gain enough strength to kill their pursuers.

Hold on; what this about being summoned, they've gone really silent now, Dad looks like he is consoling Mum about something.

*Clap* Clap* Bravo for the skills, although I have no idea what you did and said, but you look like you won that argument. It was an argument, right? It didn't sound like it from what I heard.

I should probably bring Miko and Hyde to console mother and tell her that we are okay because we are together or something corny.

What in the world? So sharp! How did these two know that this was the right time to go up to Mum? It's like they set Dad up without even knowing. Nah they shouldn't be that cunning, right?

"Deimos your late" Miko said.

"My bad, "I replied.

What is up with these kids, man?

And where the hell did Dad go?

"I have such good children, but promise me that you all will never seriously hurt each other and promise me. You will come and find me when you're older, but don't come too early or I will hide from you," Rose giggled while saying.

"Yes, mommy," Miko and Hyde replied.

"I want you to promise to my Little dem dem," said Rose

"Erm, yeah, I promise," I said a little shaky, it just seems like an odd request. I mean what with all these promises now, these two will probably forget this in a month.

Don't come too early or I will hide from you? What did she mean by that?

~~~

"You have to stop planting seeds Black," Frey grunted.

"He's the wisest of the three, it's best if he learns some truth," Black replied.

Little did the brothers know that would be the last time they spoke to their mother in this world.