Black pants and simple black long-sleeved clothing were what he wore. Allen is his name and the name of Ares' wife's younger brother. His handsome face was dirtied by the loving intimacy with the ground.

Seating in a kneeling position, Allen had his head lowered out of shame, "Why are you always so mean to me, brother-in-law? Are you also like this with Little Akko?"

"Of course not; this treatment is exclusive to you, so be flattered. Mia also asked me to make sure you are set straight, and seeing how you are now, I won't be changing my methods soon."

"Wait, does that mean you'll treat me like this forever?"

"Hey, you sister's words, not mine. Hey, if you stop acting like a child, that alone should be enough for me. I'm not as strict as Mia." Ares answered as he sat on the protruding roots, "Let's get to it now; in your letter, you mentioned something about the thing?"

Sniffling, Allen reluctantly got up. He made sure to gauge if he could, and after, Ares nodded, allowing him to get up. Allen took a deep breath and tossed Ares a wrapped wooden box, "As I promised, I got you the Five Ring Ashes. Even after placing all the favors they owe me, I still had to bring out five hundred Spirit Stones."

Ares opened could feel the energy coming from inside the box. He didn't dare open its container in fear of the ingredient's efficacy dropping, "Thank you, Allen, with this… we can silence the Gem for another five years, with that amount of time, we should be able to find a Bronze Dragul-Sangre. By then, Akko's treatment will be complete."

An expression filled with hope took over Ares' stern self. His worries were lifted. For ten years, his son has suffered and been in pain, but now, after searching for so long, Ares could finally give his son the respite he had never felt before.

Maybe, he could finally give his son a night where he does not groan in his sleep.

Watching his brother-in-law, Allen was just about to say something, but, after much consideration, he stopped.

A sense of peace finally set in Ares' heart, "Thank you, Allen…."

"Don't worry, brother-in-law, this is the best I can do to help you… well, I'll contact you again if I find an earlier batch of Dragul-Sangre." Allen waved his hand as he turned his back on Ares.

Watching the lonely back of his wife's younger brother, Ares could not hope but feel the sadness he carries on his shoulder, "Allen, why not come home with me for lunch? I have dried Moon Fish prepared, and Akko wants to see you as well."

Allen paused his steps but continued walking away, "Thank you, brother-in-law, but… the other brothers and I just received a contract to protect a merchant in the coming week. I still haven't finalized the payment, so I must take care of the matter quickly. Hehe, to be a premier protection agency, I cannot stop to hustle, gahahaha! Thank you for the invitation, though."

"I see…." Sighing, Ares watched Allen walk away with such a somber tone. Scratching the back of his head, Ares' nose flared, "Then, speaking of your protection agency, do you think you can place your men around my village? I hear there's going to be an irregular Blood Moon coming. I can't come out during the Blood Moon while helping cure Akko."

Allen energetically turned around, his smile as wide as it could possibly be, "Of course—ahem*—I mean, yeah, I can probably squeeze you in my list, and because it's a request—"

"If this rambling is going to take any longer, then forget I said anyth—"

"Stop! I already have the plan, so I'll have to make you pay for the cancellation fee! See you!" Allen left to ensure his brother-in-law could not say anything else.

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Allen disappeared from Ares' sight with lighter steps.

'I don't think even he understood what he was saying. His words were all over the place.' though he was smiling, Ares held a heavy heart for his brother-in-law.

Even with this, Ares was aware that Allen wouldn't appear before Akko. Allen doesn't want to even approach Akko as he fears being "smelled" by his nephew.

The stench of blood that doesn't exist longed bothered Allen. Though Ares was the same for he too killed like Allen, and more than him. Unlike Allen, it wasn't Ares who killed their most loved person in this world….

'If only you can mature and stop blaming yourself for Mia's death, then I'd be able to stop treating you like a child, but… I can't say that to you.'

He does not have the right to spout something like moving on to Allen.

For the first two months of his wife's death, Even Ares blamed Allen for her death.

Ignoring him and lashing out, blaming him like a fool who couldn't see that the one he was shouting at was a person who lost his only blood relative.

Ares may have Akko'Isa, but Allen didn't have anything other than Ares, and for two months, he pushed him away rather than comforting the boy.

'…I can only be patient.' This was his mistake, now Ares could only watch the younger brother grow as per his wife's wishes. He looked at Allen with stoicism, but as he once again felt the touch of the box in his hand, Ares clearly felt his heart in trepidation. With adrenaline pumping throughout his body, Ares ran back to his village, his feet as light as a feather.

***

When Ares returned to the Village, he did not immediately return to his home; instead, he went to see Old Mikal. He excitedly knocked on the door and shouted, "Old Mikal!"

"Wait a damn minute, boy!" A grouchy voice sounded out from inside, and when the doors opened, Ares was taken aback as he saw a hunched-back old man with his face whiter than chalk.

Ares looked down at the old man with a pained expression, "I see… Old Mikal has fallen because of his old ag—ouch!"

Ares yelped as Old Mika kicked him on the leg, "Stop playing, boy, it's getting old."

Ares laughingly brushed his leg, "Well, it's still freaky seeing you with that weird ointment of yours. Especially during the day, don't you put that on at night?"

"Well, I have an obligation to take care of my skin, and doing it while the sun is approaching its peak. It's a special ointment I created when I was still at the sundering peak. It keeps me youthful and full of energy."

"I can see the energetic element, but youthful? I don't know about th—ouch!"

"Well, you wouldn't believe me if I explain it in detail anyway." Old Mikal said as he went back inside.

Ares followed even without his permission and saw the old man sit on his favorite rocking chair. Old Mikal asked him, "So, what got your feathers so ruffled, boy?"

Ares didn't waste any time and showed Old Makil the wrapped box. Old Makil saw the box, and with widened eyes, he could smell from two meters away. His sharp senses awakened, and then, Old Mikal shot up from his seat, "You got your hands on some Five Ring Ashes!?"

"Yes, my brother-in-law managed to get his hands on this. With this, we can extend the hold of the Crimson Heart Gem, right?"

Old Mikal furiously nodded, "Yes, yes, of course. The Five Ring Ashes is more than capable of burying the poisonous attribute of the Crimson Heart Gem. I thought I asked you for Eight Ring Ashes, but it appears you went above and beyond, my boy."

With confidence, he smirked, "If it's for my son, then I'll do anything."

"I know, and if this ain't for that kid, I'd already been running away with that box."

Ares heard what Old Mikal said and instinctively moved his body to the side to protect the box.

"Hehe, be careful; I might just steal from you and keep it for myself." Old Mikal let out a burst of teasing laughter.

But Ares' scowl effectively managed to get across what he wanted to say without saying anything.

Old Mikal raised his hands and just laughed it off. He knows very well how much Ares cares about his son and how he wanted nothing more than to save his son from the torture he had endured for the ten years he had been alive.

But he wasn't lying either. If it was anyone else, Mikal would make it so to steal the ashes and keep such a treasure to himself, 'But really, the Five Ring Ashes aren't that easy to find in this kind of place. Even at the Sundering Peak, we didn't have an abundance of them.'

He was honestly surprised.

"So, Old Mikal, how are you going to use this to cure Akko?" Ares inquired.

"That's not what you should be asking. It is whether there would be a Blood Moon or not. We can only do this during the night when the Moonlight is at its peak. The Blood Moon's energy is unfathomably corrosive, but Moonlight cast away the crimson chaos. We can use it then. But we do not know if there's going to be a Blood Moon or not.

"Anyway, if by midnight and there is no Blood Moon, we would begin the suppression of the Crimson Heart Gem. But, to make preparation, we must cleanse Akko of any foreign spirit energy. That means, even if there's a possibility that there's a Blood Moon tonight so we cannot use the Heavenly Blood Oil or it will neutralize the effect of the Five Ring Ashes."

"But if the Blood Moon arrives and Akko's not applied the oil, then—"

"The Crimson Heart Gem will run rampant and try to devour Akko."

"No, I can't risk that. If the Heart Gem is to run rampant again, you said it yourself, then Akko's lifeblood would be mortally wounded. He could die. Tell me there's another way."

Ares wanted to hear something different.

"Can't we wait for next week, when the threat of a Blood Moon no longer exists?"

Ares was no longer trying to negotiate; he pleaded for Old Mikal to tell him another safer way.

But Old Mikal could not say anything to please his ears, "…you know the risk, Ares. If we waited for a week, then the Five Ring Ashes' efficacy would have dropped considerably. From the temperature of the one you acquired, only two days would take for the quality to drop… by then, the success rate would drop considerably."

At an impasse, he arrived.

To risk it all and bury the Crimson Heart Gem within Akko'Isa, in a gamble that the Blood Moon does not arrive, or not, and let the Crimson Heart Gem become stronger. It took Ares an hour to finally consider everything.

He sat on his knees on a prayer mat as he finally made the decision, "… let's do it."

Ares decided to risk it all so he could free his son from his pain.