Fear is a humbling emotion, grading you down to none, like the weakling we truly are. It's built within to warn us, remind us that there's always someone above us, someone mightier, someone superior. As the saying goes, there is always someone stronger, at all times. But for the child of only twelve, he felt it—the mountain he could never climb, the ceiling he could never reach, the man at the end, the sky no being could reach.

Call it instinct, call it a hunch, but he indeed felt it, making him acutely aware of what was, what is, and what will be. Being under his father's hand and all this immense pressure pushing him down by the person who just simply patted his head. His very own father. Or once was. He didn’t know what changed; he looked like him, talked like him, his manners following him to a tee. The only difference being that he was now healthy, able to walk nonetheless. The very person who was not able to even speak properly, just walked past him, patting his head.

Such feelings were unclear for a youngster like him. Should he be happy? Sad? Or just cower? He turned to look back at him. “…Father?” he called out, mustering every bit of courage he had, his voice still shaking with dread, hoping that his intuition was false.

The man indeed turned, his now crimson eyes gazing back at him like the sparkle of a star, looking upon him with unfounded kindness. “Yes, Aiden? You wanted something?” his father asked.

The boy, still in silence, tried to voice out, summoning all his courage once more. “…No… nothing, Father. Sor….sorry,” he replied with a tinge of dread.

He walked, not looking back at all, pacing to his room. He had just returned from his summer training, having received a letter from the house butler that his father, the lord, was reaching the point of no return. That his sickness had finally claimed him. Learning such dreadful news, he had left his training altogether, to see his father to his bitter end.

Aiden wanted to call their family butler, the main butler who managed their house and numerous businesses when his father was still bedridden. But the person in mind was with his now transformed father, his face joyful like he had never seen before. Before, He had felt the sorrow in his letters when he first received them, but now, the sight he saw when he arrived was only of pure joy. He wanted answers; it had been a week since the miracle they said. Yes, it was a great joy for their house that their lord was alive and well. But things were not natural. Life doesn’t give out lemons just like that; sickness doesn’t heal just like that; miracles don’t occur, just like that.

Entering his room, he gazed out the window, watching his now well father talking to Jason, the main butler. The more he watched, the more his suspicion gradually waned. It was flawless. He behaved just like his father would.

“…”

Staring down at them, he wanted to believe that his father was back. He wanted to be the child he really was and just hug his father then and there. After losing their mother, his father was the only parent figure he had left. Sadly, the sudden sickness had broken him to bits. So he wanted it, he wanted it more than anyone. He wanted this reality he was seeing right now to be true. But his intuition, his gut feeling, was raging, roaring the word ‘NO’.

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He gripped the hilt of his sword, "Can I do it?... Should I do it?" he questioned, his hands tightening around the hilt. "Haaaaaa..."

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself down. He knew he wasn't thinking straight, so steadily, patiently, he loosened his grip, withdrawing the sword from his waist. His grip was still tight, but not for shedding blood, but to drape it on the wall. This sword wasn't meant to be used until his father was alive and well.

He stared at it, his own sword, which he had carried for years, bearing the insignia of a three-headed dragon, its edge adorned with the décor of rising fire, matching the crimson design of its hilt. Such was the symbol of House OBSONIA, the same symbol etched into his own ring, blessing his forefinger. It reminded him that he was not just a warrior but a noble as well. Allowing himself to be driven solely by instinct was not fitting for someone who held the title such as his.

"That's what father said, but... let's see if his wisdom is still with him," he voiced, his gaze returning to the head of his household, who was already riding on the carriage, ready to join his council. It was the same routine as when he was still a little child, when his mom would bid him farewell every morning as he left for work. He would also give a wave from the window with his regular smile, but not now. Not until he knew what really happened. What happened to his sickly father, what happened to the burning fire in his eyes.

“Huh!”

He saw it, his father’s gaze at him for a split second. “Did he see me? Or was he just looking at the window…?”

Watching the carriage ride away from their home, finally, he started feeling a bit calm, his breathing now coming back to normal. Even though he wanted to calm down before, his thoughts were still running around, the feeling of having his hand over his head until he finally went away. It felt like he was around his great master. The sensation of his eyes, cloaking at him twenty-four seven.

Reaching his bed, he jumped in, finally relaxing his back on his comfy bed. “Wait, if father just left, my little dragons. They should have woken up as well.”

Bang!

“Big Brother!”

“Brother Aiden!”

Without knocking, both of his younger brothers entered with a bang. Their smiles twitched to see their big brother, the one who had taken care of them both since the incident. The very pillar they had rested upon for years. Seeing such joyful faces, the coarse mood that Aiden had before flew away like it never existed.

“Oohhhh… Ares….”

But before he could call them out, both of them crashed into him like an avalanche, trying to hug their dear old brother whom they hadn’t seen for a whole year. Their grip on him was as tight as possible, like a bond of strings coming together strong. Aiden couldn’t help but feel relieved; these many months without him didn’t change that much. His brothers were still his brothers.

“Haaa… I missed you guys too.” He said with a sigh of relief, placing his palm on their fluffy silver hair, their mere presence elevating him from the harshness of his heart which had consumed him before.

“Ares, Cronus, how have you been?” he softly asked.

The junior of them all, Ares, finally let his brother go, raising his hand in excitement, an old habit he had picked up, trying to get attention from his peers. An innocent act, for an innocent child. “Big bro, big bro. I will go first, I will go first. I did it, I finally reached one star!!” He proudly proclaimed, his hand patting his chest.

Aiden’s smile turned to shock upon hearing this sudden news, placing his own palm on his brother’s chest. Slowly sensing the ether flowing within. It took only a second to realize. Ares was right, he was certainly right. He had gained a star!! His younger brother, who was only nine years old, had obtained an ether star at such a young age.

“Woooooww… Ares!! You did it, you actually did it!” he shouted, grabbing him by his waist as he lifted him up high. “Hahaha… My brothers are geniuses.” He shouted in pride. “Wait, as a gift let me reward you something, I brought souvenirs for both of you.” He boasted in excitement, reaching for his backpack.

The same backpack which he hadn’t let any maid touch until he got to his room. The servants insisted on carrying his luggage to his room, but this one bag he wouldn’t let anyone of them even see, let alone touch. The precious gifts for his precious dragons.

“Haha… You lot are going to like this. I spent so much sweat and gold to get my hands on these; behold……”

Aiden felt it, a slight wind, a slight pressure reaching towards him from the back, forcing him to ever so slightly nod to his right, letting whatever came for his head pass through. He couldn’t help but smile, watching a nice and sharp blade pass through slightly by his cheek. Such speed, such accuracy, that it landed on the wall before him, like a knife piercing through butter.

“A great welcome indeed…” Aiden said with a grin, gazing back at his dear siblings.