A large garden within Pamana Island.

A young woman with snow-white and waist-length hair, blood-red eyes, and pale-white skin was tending to the flowers around her. A pair of small shears in one hand and a watering can in the other, she seemed to be with momentary bliss before a young man, similar in appearance, embraced her from behind.

"Sister!" shouted the young man as he surprised the young woman with a hug, "Didja miss me?"

The young woman held the young man's arms around her and lifted them away. She then turned to the young man behind her, and returned the hug.

"A fair bit, Malachi." she said, "Father had me become busy due to a sudden slip up by some of our siblings. Where's Ismael, by the way?"

"Brother is in his room, as usual." replied Malachi, "Taking a bath, probably."

"What about you? Have you bathed yet?" she asked.

"Later." he answered, "I still need to finish up taking inventory of our equipment and repair whatever needs repairing. By the way, Carmel, what's this slip up?"

Having heard that Malachi hadn't taken a bath yet, she swiftly released him from her embrace and took a few steps back. Placing her gardening tools on a nearby table, she had Malachi follow her into another room.

"You know of the coalition formed in Japan, yes?" she asked him, "Well, Father ordered some of our siblings to get rid of them."

"This is while Ismael and I were out harvesting, right?" he replied, "Then, what's the slip up?"

"Before that, you also know of the gift Father received from Mother, no?"

"That magic flame thingey? That thing that could create and recreate items deemed impossible for this current era? Yeah, of course, I do. Does it have something to do with the slip up?"

Carmel went towards a monitor and switched it on. On the monitor was a menu of items and commands. Carmel waved her hand on the monitor, and the displayed items blurred before slowing down to a stop with another wave of her hand. Carmel touched an item on the list, and the monitor's display changed into a video feed of a horde of black monsters and a small squad of mechs laying siege to a fortress.

Malachi watched the feed with a curious face, and had his jaw slacken by the time the feed reached the middle and the end. After that, Carmel switched the monitor off and turned to Malachi.

"What...?" he said.

"A group of people that I believe are not from this world eliminated many of our pets and some of our siblings effortlessly." she told him, "It's also the reason why Father had us expedite the Project. I fear... or he does as well... that these fantastical beings may become a hindrance to our goal."

"Fear?" wondered Malachi, "I dunno, but... I would believe that he's excited. I mean, knowing Father, it won't be surprising if he was."

"'Knowing Father'?" she said, "Or is this just an understanding between Father and child?"

Malachi smiled and approached Carmel. He placed his hands on her shoulders, and pulled her closer.

"Just because I am of his blood, it doesn't mean that you and the others aren't." he told her, "I... You are my beloved sister, even if we are not of blood. Ismael as well, he may be taking a bath right now, but I would say the same to him as I did to you."

"I still remember how Father adopted all of us." she said, "Then, being his only son.. his true so—"

Malachi covered her lips.

"Shh, not a 'true' son." he interrupted her, "But a son among many others."

"Thanks, Malachi."

Carmel embraced Malachi, and buried her head in his arms. Just then, another man seemingly a little bit older than the two, entered the room with a towel slung around his neck.

"What's this? A bit of family bonding without me?" said the man, "I'm hurt."

"Oh, shut up." said Malachi as he released Carmel, "By the way, Ismael, have you heard about the incident in Japan?"

"Yeah, the others filled me in along the way here." replied Ismael, "Still, to think it would happen while we were out. What did Father say?"

"Apart from doubling our time on the Project?" said Carmel, "He's been locked up in his room with Mother since then."

Ismael placed a hand on his chin.

"Hmm, still, I expect a bit of action soon." said Ismael, "What do you think? Will the new players wait for us, or will they come knocking on our doorstep?"

"Does it matter?" answered Malachi, "We will always be prepared. Anyway, I've dropped off the report about our jobs earlier in the office. Do check them, okay?"

"Yeah, now go take a bath." replied Carmel, "You stink."

"Ouch." commented Malachi, "Rather than a bath, how about a spar?"

---

Yggdrasil and the others who were awake had slackened jaws. Their gaping mouths were due to the flaming black cat hanging on Aiko's shoulders. This black cat had fur as black as the darkest night and eyes as red as fresh blood.

When Aiko and Hideki woke up, a flame went out of Cavaron's body and formed into the very same cat.At first, Aiko ignored the cat, but its incessant rubbing on her face ticked her off, and it was thrown off. Right then and there, Cavaron awoke from his stupor.

"Who... What is this... cat?" asked Yggdrasil, "Is this the flame?"

"Hnngggahhh..." groaned Cavaron as he stretched. He then got off the platform where he slept and kicked the cat on the floor, "His name is Blake. Get up."

"Nroww... That hurts, yo!" said Blake the cat. Blake stood up on his hind legs and did a peace sign and placed his other hand on his hip as he introduced himself, "Haha! The name's Blake! I am a fragment of the Flames of Chaos! Sup, kiddos?"

This time, it was Hideki's water acting up. Water poured out of his body to his side. It kept pouring out until it was at knee height, then transformed into another animal. A silver-blue wolf appeared by Hideki's legs. When Blake saw this, he immediately hid behind Aiko's legs but was kicked away to Cavaron.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Th wolf glanced at the cat but bowed before the others and introduced itself.

"Greetings, my name is Cyan, and I am a fragment of the Water of Tranquility." she said with a serene voice that complemented her regal appearance.

Cavaron and Hideki didn't seem surprised by this as if they already knew. Only their companions were the ones staring at the talking animals.

"Blake, Cyan. Assume your true forms." said Cavaron.

Blake did not hesitate and did a backflip. When he was at Cavaron's height, flames erupted around his body and formed a human shape. Once the flames receded, Blake turned into a man wearing a tuxedo, a top hat, and a mask that covered his eyes.

"Blake of Fire, at your service." he said as he bowed.

Cyan, however, didn't obey but only looked at Hideki. Hideki noticed her gaze and nodded. Only then did Cyan stood upright with water veiling her feral body. The water grew up to Hideki's shoulders then receded, revealing a young woman in a silver gown and wore a similar mask.

"Cyan of Water. A pleasure." she said as she did a curtsy.

"Right. Blake here took control of my self as I got careless." said Cavaron, "Every time I used the flame, without acknowledging his existence, a portion of my consciousness gets taken over. Well, a portion, then Hideki here knocked me out before he fully controlled me."

"Blake and Cyan are the fragments that had become acknowledged by the host." said Hideki, "I only helped Senior in acknowledging Blake. Fortunately, Blake here was the easiest to control, or so he said."

"Haha! Indeed, I am the easiest to acknowledge." said Blake, "Sad to say that being so 'easy', Cavaron here got careless and hadn't noticed my existence since then."

"It was because of my experience in Edeortha." explained Cavaron, "Although the fragment had become a part of me, somewhere deep within my thoughts, I refused to acknowledge Blake thus he was like a cancer gnawing at my very self."

The others listened attentively at the fragment holders and their, well, fragments. The first to speak up from the spectators was Maguro.

"Tell us, by the way, how did you earn the fragments?" he asked, "Why were you, out of all people, the ones given such things?"

Cavaron and Hideki looked at each other then at the two people beside them: Cyan and Blake. When the two holders looked at the fragments, the fragments themselves looked at one another and shrugged.

" " We have no idea. " " said the two fragments.

"We just happened to be there?" said Blake, unsure of his answer.

"It is unclear how us fragments came to be in the first place, apart from pissing the gods off." added Cyan.

"One thing is for certain, though." said Blake, "We were born to break the chains of fate that bind our hosts. Maybe, if there was a chance to meet 'Him', we could find out more."

Yggdrasil was the next person to speak up.

"The two of you... You acknowledge that you are 'fragments' of the Flame, the Water, and the Earth." he said, "I must ask, then, is it possible for you to become whole with other fragments?"

Once he asked this, the air around them changed. Cyan and Blake revealed strange smiles that contrasted their appearance. Cyan and Blake stood by each other and whispered to one another.

"A smart lad, isn't he, Cyan?" said Blake.

"Indeed, he is, Blake." said Cyan.

"Shall we tell them about it, Cyan?"

"I would love to but I think 'He' would rather be the one to do so when the time is right, Blake."

The sight of two fragments quietly discussing between themselves was disconcerting to the others around them. Only when Cavaron was about to speak did the two fragments return to their former places.

"It is possible that something will happen when we become whole." answered Blake.

"However, it is not our place to say whatever it may be." answered Cyan.

"And it's quite strange to see two opposing fragments in sync with one another." said Cavaron.

"Indeed, it is, Senior. I would think that everything earlier was a mere act." said Hideki.

Cyan just did a curtsy to Hideki while Blake bowed before Cavaron.

"That said, as a fragment, I can say that there is another of my kind in this world." announced Blake, "As a fragment of the Flames of Chaos, I can detect those of the same origin. Cyan, too, can detect carriers of the Water of Tranquility."

Blake bowed and placed a hand on his mask. As he stood straight, he removed it and the top hat, and revealed red eyes and white hair.

"Seem familiar?" he asked.

"Alexander Dalaram's children." said Aiko.

"All who receive us bear the Mark of Chaos." said Blake, "Cavaron as well, once he utilizes me, changes his appearance to bear us."

Blake waved a hand over Cavaron's face and revealed a single red eye. Cavaron didn't flinch but merely showed his eye to the others. Blake reverted it back to its original color afterwards.

"Does that mean, all of his children have the fragments?" asked Maguro, "I find that preposterous."

"Worry not." consoled Cyan, "There can only be a maximum of three fragments and a minimum of one fragment being born in a world. It has been since the first Cipher and will always be until the time has come. One to three fragments of any origin: Flame, Water, or Earth."

"However, like in Edeortha, we can be broken down to more minute fragments to be granted upon others." added Blake, "We were already a part of a whole, so do not be surprised if we can fragment ourselves further. It will be so until whenever the holder itself wishes it."