Hey Ralph! Come outside and let's play!" Zephyr excitedly ran into the house and went for Ralph. He made his way back outside with another boy in tow soon after.

"Look! He's our oldest brother Siegmund from the pictures! You think he's stronger than Hardin?"

Zephyr immediately tried provoking Siegmund but got no reaction.

Siegmund was busy looking at the boy by his side, he had black hair and had glasses on that made him seem smarter and adorable. His key feature was the crimson eyes that were just like his. He looked frail and weak compared to his other brother Zephyr but exuded an aura that made him somehow seem older.

"Has Zephyr awakened yet?" Siegmund asked his Father after fully examining his two younger brothers.

"No, but the aura he manifests is quite malevolent and is kind of something like an impending doom, even to me. He has the potential to be the greatest of all among you." Renault explained.

"Oh? not Hardin or me, but Zephyr? So what did he awaken to, four summons?" Siegmund was excited and asked.

"It is most mysterious, he awakened to book that he cannot use, yet from the times we opened it, we saw it recorded others summon from the spirit world. Our hypothesis is that maybe he can bring them out as well" Renault gave a short smile watching the two kids run around and play after not meeting in a week.

"That's interesting, mind if I take a look at him?" Siegmund wanted to experiment with Zephyr.

"Sure, but be careful he is still weak in every form, he just started his path."

Zephyr was grabbed away by Siegmund and was brought to the backyard with the other three present making for the audience.

"Zephyr let's have a quick spar." Siegmund spoke with a smile.

"You sure, what do I get from winning? Zephyr got hooked to the idea and immediately went into fighting stance.

"Hehe, I'll award you if your even able to touch me." Siegmund responded.

"Father...?" Hardin looked to Renault but was given a nod in response so he just stood there waiting. Ralph on the other hand cupped his hands and quietly cheered for Zephyr.

Zephyr readied himself and charged forth but before he could even get close a wave of fire blasted him away. A ring of fire surrounded Siegmund and black clouds enveloped the area. Streaks of thunder loomed over bringing a doomsday atmosphere with Siegmund in the center of it all.

"Here I come Zephyr, thunder strike!" He summoned lightning energy around his hand and sent it to Zephyr at a crazy speed. It sent him into a daze and he could not handle that single strike as he fainted.

"Whoops, didn't mean to one shot him, I should have held back a bit more, ow well I'll buy him some snacks for forgiveness." Siegmund struck his head with regret as he hoped to see the depths of Zephyr's powers.

"Father look!" Hardin pointed at Zephyr.

"What in the world? Has he lost control again!?" Renault gasped. Zephyr was surrounded by dark clumps of malevolent energy and his previous jade shell he cultivated from Shelly started expanding and mutating into ink black armor.

A helmet was formed and Zephyr slowly rose up in his new dark form with a demonic apparition behind him. Zephyr gave an animalistic roar and hurled himself towards Siegmund.

"Now that's more like it! That's your summoning? Excellent!" Siegmund got excited and cared little for the form Zephyr was in, only in the fight. Zephyr was sent flying back once again by the flames and thunder but after being attacked once more a change occurred. Black flames and black flashes of thunder started emerging in the same pattern as Siegmund and a magic seal appeared behind Zephyr.

"A copy huh, Thunder Blaze!" Siegmund breathed in slowly and with his left hand covered in thunder and right in fire, brought them together. After five seconds of keeping form, he shot it at the advancing, roaring Zephyr.

The column of fire and light caused a fiery explosion which caused everyone to cover their eyes for a moment.

"That's?!" Ralph said in shock. A black barrier covered Zephyr, a summon he had gained from observing Hardin.

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While being protected in his black barrier, he spread his hands out woth significant flair. In his left hand, clumps of black flames were being erupted while in his right was coursing black lightning. He imitated the form Siegmund had and dispersed the barrier, shooting the Thunder Blaze right at Siegmund in close proximity.

Siegmund took the hit and barely got out with only his clothing being scathed and ripped apart as he concocted flames all around him to help boost his defense.

All of a sudden a warped roar came from Zephyr's black form as he wasn't quite finished with his onslaught.

"IKRAR!" A humongous black dragon  made from energy emerged and started flying all around, issuing a dominating presence.

"Uh, Father! you might have to deal with this, anymore and I can't guarantee everybody's safety." Siegmund hurriedly called for his retreat and backed off. Renault stepped forward and summoned his own Ikrar. "Possession, Poseidon's might!"

The water dragon went into his body and with a wave of his hand, multiple tsunami's emerged and blasted Zephyr headfirst one at a time. After the water settled, what was seen from the clearing was unconscious Zephyr without his armor laying on the floor.

"Well fought Zephyr" Renault gave a smile as he carried the now unconcious boy back into his house. They went to their mother in her bedroom who had a crying reunion with Siegmund and made their way back to the Duke's house with her in tow.

"We're back!" Siegmund gave a yell. Zephyr was also awake by this time and nothing seemed off about him as he was his jovial self. He was munching on a couple of sweets abd looked pretty satisfied as he won the bet with Siegmund.

They met the Duke and his wife and they had dinner together while talking about a rather serious topic. "Renault, does this mean you are coming back to the army?" Duke Reinhardt spoke first.

"I believe that will be his Majesties wish, but I did this only so that the Prime Minister can have a look at Zephyr, he is... Special." Renault looked at his son in the distance eating his meal. "How so?" The Duke responded.

Renault explained his son's condition and weird behavior's when he is in the thick of the fight. "How interesting, allow him some rest for a week and after that, I want you all to move into this estate, I will personally look at Zephyr, don't mention old man Franz." Duke Reinhardt exclaimed, ending the matter.

If that is your will, also Siegmund!" Renault nodded and called for his oldest son.

"Yes father?"

"You will leave your part time mercenary job or whatever you became while waiting for a mission and become my adjutant." Renault spoke.

"No problem, but could you let my unit join me? They've become like family and we just lost someone important to us." Siegmund gave his heartfelt request.

Renault nodded and spoke no more, he instead turned to his family and explained their new living arrangements. Just like that they departed and after a week settled in after collecting all their stuff.

"Hey Hardin, when is your competition for the school?" Zephyr inquired.

"They are in three months but I guess I'm not needed so I don't partake until the one in a year." Hardin smiled and responded.

"Lad, c'mere!" the Duke came out of nowhere and took Zephyr and left immediately in his already prepared carriage. They were never heard from for a while aside from the notice the Duke gave the school.

***

"Hey lad's pick up the pace! We got precious cargo we gotta hustle oitta here by sundown, let's move!" A man was roaring orders to a bunch of people while two figures appeared in the distance.

"Leo, who is next on our headhunt?"

"Barnapart Acules, he is the head of this incoming mercenary group." A blonde man with reports in his hand spoke to a towering man covered in dark armor.

"Lord Obsidian, that man who just emerged."

"I see" the man went forth and announced his presence.

"I am here only for the head of Acules, anyone else can leave but to those who stay, you do so at your own peril."

The group of mercenaries started laughing at this man who came here alone against a stronghold fifty strong, especially when he came provoking their leader unwarranted.

"Brothers! Prey came to our doostep!" A man excitedly put ran first with his machete out and struck rapidly, aiming to slice apart the neck and settle everything immediately. Unfortunately a lance pierced his heart immediately and he collapsed soon after.

"Gungnir never misses its intended target, do not besmirch the name of Obsidian." The man swung the blood off his treasured lance.

"Charge!" Multiple men ran forth and attempted blitzing him but any who came within five meters had their hearts impaled immediately.

"Monster!" The ones who stayed back were terrified and ran for their lives.

"Hmph, I guess I'll make quick work of you" Acules walked up and immediately summoned his white panther. It was around three meters long and two meters tall. It gave off an intimidating presence and was already lunging at the enemy.

However, it was struck with a swipe of the spear and came back to its earlier position, proving ineffective. "Fine. Try this on for size, Possession!" Barnapart Acules became larger and more agile in his new form.

His original appearance was distorted as stripes started appearing around his body as he bolted towards the man with his claws ready.

Unfortunately just like the others, a massive lance impaled his heart and ripped him from his heart. Despite he and his men's attempts, a single spear still felled them all.

"What's next on our request's?"

"Aid a young noble named miss Selene to Liandry"

"..."