The door flew open and in stepped through the two men, barely wide enough for both to enter at once. Catherine came around the corner when she heard the laughter. The two billowing laughs of two men she loved dearly.

“Rin, my dear.” The one man said, Catherine stood in shocked excitement before running into his waiting arms and hugging with all her might. He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her with all the warmth he could muster.

Catherine pulled back and there were tears of happiness in her eyes. “Oh my, I’m so sorry, I wouldn’t have made myself more presentable if I knew you were coming.” She said. The man shook his head, looking over the paint stained smock that Catherine was wearing, and laughed.

“Nonsense. You’re just as beautiful as the day you married my lucky bastard of a brother.” The man said. She playfully punched him in the arm.

“I’ll have you know I love that man. I won’t tolerate hearing such things.” She said, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she broke into a fit of laughter and returned to hugging the man.

Argo walked around them and called up the stairs.

“Milo, come down here for a bit.” Argo yelled. The man gasped and walked over to the stairs. Milo rounded the bend in the flight of stairs and caught sight of his parents and a third person he vaguely recognized.

“Oh my lord, is this little lolo?” The man said.

“He’s gotten big, hasn’t he?” Argo said.

“Gods yes. I remember when he was just this big.” The man said, putting his hands together showing a size no bigger than an apple. Catherine pushed him jokingly and they all laughed.

“Uh… Hi?” Milo said. The man gripped his heart exaggeratedly.

“Oh, he doesn’t remember me.” The man said, feigning distress at the faux shock.

“He was just a baby when he last saw you.” Argo said. “Milo, this is your Uncle Nico. My brother.” Argo said. Milo’s eyes lit up, and he jumped into his uncle's arms. This time, real shock assaulted Nico, and he felt tears roll down his cheek.

“It has been so long lad, I worried I’d never see you before you were a man.” Nico said.

Catherine excitedly gathered them all and pushed them toward the living room, where she sat them down to talk before running upstairs to change quickly.

“So, brother, what brings you all the way out here?” Argo said.

“Is it too much for a man to want to see his brother after so long?” Nico said with a laugh.

“Of course not, and if that were the case, I’d have no problem. But something tells me this isn’t just a social visit.” Argo said.

“Damn, I wish I had someone with the sense you had on my roll sometimes.” Nico said, then he reached into his coat pocket and procured a letter in a red envelope. He handed it to Argo, who had an uncertain expression.

“What’s this?” He asked.

“Nothing untoward, I assure you.” Nico said. Catherine and Milo leaned into on Argo’s shoulder and read the letter as he did.

“I hope this letter reaches you in good days. This writer, Ferdinand Delerous, wishes to extend a pleasant greeting to you, The Lander Family. I have elected to exclude your family from the Royal Tithe, and by extension the draft. If any tithe has been collected before now, I am willing to grant a refund of 200% the price delivered.”

“There is one detail I wish to distinguish. Despite my shame in my failings towards your family, I wish you to know that this is not an extension of that. This decision was made at the behest of Arch Mage White, who wished me to personally deliver you from the struggles of these hard times. She wanted me to extend a greeting to you as well, and a bid of well-wishes.”

“Yours eternally, High Magister Ferdinand Delerous and Arch Mage White.”

They were in shock, even Milo recognized what this meant. “This… is amazing… but why?” Argo said, he hadn’t even meant to speak, but the words fell from his lips as naturally as his breath.

“It’s as the letter says, Arch Mage White has looked kindly on you.” Nico said.

“But… Why? I can’t imagine what such an important person would be doing thinking of us.” Argo said.

“Yes, I’m sure that can be confusing. In fact, it’s part of the reason I came here today.” Nico said. The tone in his voice put Argo on edge. More than anyone else, he knew when his brother was troubled.

“I don’t know what we can do, but I promise to try.” Argo said.

“Thank you brother.” Nico said. “First, I must ask that what we speak about remain a secret. One of the highest order, if it were to become public knowledge, then you might be put in danger.” They tensed at this, but trusted their brother and uncle.

“Of course.” They said.

“Good, first, I will reveal the identity of Arch Mage White, as that is the reason I am here.” He said, then he produced a piece of paper from his pocket. He flashed its contents to them, and they practically froze.

“Is that…” Catherine said, she covered her mouth with her hands and gasped.

“Her true name is Andromeda Reien Noelle. Origins unknown, place of birth unknown. A complete mystery in all respects. No matter how far we have probed, we have discovered no trace of her existence farther back than with you. I need to know as much about her as you can tell me.” Nico said.

“Bwuh?” They all collectively said, which is less of a word and more the sound of someone’s brain restarting, but it still counted.

“As far as we can tell, the earliest sighting of her was at this farm house, and when it was discovered who lived here, I was called to question you. As well as deliver this, now late, letter from the high Magister.” Nico said.

“You’re telling me that SHE is the new Arch Mage?” Argo said.

“That’s right, as a matter of fact. The first thing she asked of the High Magister upon being inducted into the organization was that your family be excused from the tithe.” Nico said.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“That’s…” Argo said, but before he could continue, he felt his words hit in his throat, and his eyes clouded with tears.

“Gogo? Are you alright?” Catherine said.

“I…” He said, trying his best hold back the flood of emotions in his chest.

“If he’s anything like he was when we were children, he has been letting the stress of the tithe eat away at him.” Nico said. Then to his surprise, Argo shook his head.

“N-No, I’m happy about that, I just can’t believe that even after all this time she managed to safe us again.” Argo said. Catherine’s eyes widened and she leaned on her husband and held him. Nico watched them, and he could tell something had happened before.

“Again?” Nico asked. Argo took a sharp breath and collected himself, then he leaned over and embraced Milo.

“A while ago, when we found out about the Tithe, we got into a fight. Me and her did. It got heated and I lost my head. I yelled for the first time in a long time and scared Milo.” Argo said, the tears rolling down his cheeks, but even through that, he looked his brother dead in the eyes.

“Nico, he ran into the fields.” Argo said.

Nico felt his entire being shatter, as the emotions and feelings he had long buried with his work came to the front once again.

“No…” Nico said.

“Yes, and the same thing happened.” Argo said. He pulled Milo in even tighter, as though he was afraid he might slip through his grip.

“Brother, I was scared. There was so much blood.” He said.

“What happened?” Nico said, not even able to breath at the sound of this.

“She… Andromeda… She healed him. She saved my boy.” Argo said.

“Wait, Argo, what do you mean? She isn’t a Medea.” Nico said.

“No, she’s not. But listen to me, I wouldn’t lie about this. I watched her do it with my own two eyes, I heard the screams of pain as she did it. I watched Milo’s leg pull itself back together. She healed him, brother, I swear on my life.” Argo said. He looked to Catherine for assurance that he was hearing his brother correctly, and the telling look in her eyes told him all he needed to know.

“Argo. I believe you. I don’t know how, but I believe you.” Nico said. Argo’s eyes cleared somewhat, and he nodded at his brother.

“Good,” He said, after a moment of collecting himself, “Now, what else did you need to know?” Argo asked.

“Any information about her background is preferred, there is currently a situation involving her our lack of understanding on her is biting us.” Nico said.

“Situation? Is something wrong?” Catherine asked. Nico eyed the room around them, then looked at they seriously.

“I’m not supposed to say this, but you’re my family and I trust you. Something has happened to Arch Mage White, er, Andromeda. She has become unresponsive besides basic activities like eating and sleep. Besides that, she has taken on some kind of strange morphing appearance, with her eyes, hair, and skin changing rapidly in uneven spiral patterns. She was found wandering the streets of Aeroae in Skysea Adalay like this, and this was after being missing for weeks.” Nico said.

“That is, well, I can’t say it’s anything less than terrifying. But I have some kind of idea. Maybe.” Argo said.

“Do you? The best mages and medea on the continent haven’t been able to tell us what happened.” Nico said.

“I know of something kind of like this happening before. When we got caught up in the explosion in King’s Grove Proper, I woke up and found her in that state. She wasn’t changing colors or anything, but she acted like how you said she was.” Argo said.

“Tell me more.” Nico said, producing a pen and notepad from his coat.

“It was like you said, she could move around and walk, she could even eat by herself, but she wasn’t all there. She didn’t react to sounds or sights, she never spoke unless spoken to, and she never expressed any emotion.” Argo said.

“Did this happen again, or was it just when you found her?” Nico asked.

“It happened one more time after that. This was after she somehow came to and walked down the stairs. She was just like any other person after that, and she had no memory of being in that state. The second time was after she healed Milo. She acted as though she was in terrible pain just after healing him, then she faded out over the space of a few minutes. She was like that for a few hours, then she was back to normal.” Argo said.

“Do you believe it’s prompted by “healing”?” Nico asked.

“The second time it almost definitely that, but I never saw her heal anyone before the explosion.” Argo said.

“But you were unconsious for a time, right? Maybe she did when you were out.” Nico suggested.

“It’s possible, but when she healed Milo, she didn’t seem sure of herself. I can’t picture her being that uncertain if she had done it before.” Argo said.

Nico jotted all of this conjecture down on his and returned it to his pocket.

“The situation is not good, besides her instability, there are also reports that she is the target of an assassination attempt, with further reports that a staggering number of people will die if she does not.” Nico said.

“What!” Argo said, almost rising from his seat.

“I know that hearing that can be alarming. But I need to stress that we really only have the testimony of one man. Regardless, we’re looking into it.”

“I won’t be able to sleep if I know she’s in danger. I need to know how serious this is.” Argo said.

“I’ll be completely honest, we’re not sure. There has been a rash of incidents throughout the island of betel in the last few weeks, so it's entirely possible that something outside our understanding is going on.” Nico said.

“I’m not asking what the reports say, I’m asking what you believe.” Argo said.

Nico was quiet, and he wrestled with the words he wanted to say. Unsure of what would best communicate what he was feeling. “I don’t think what I believe matters.” Nico said. Argo stood up, and looked at his brother.

“I need you to see something.” Argo said, and we walked toward the stairs. Nico looked to Catherine for context, but she waved him on after his brother. Nico walked up the stairs he hadn’t climbed since he was barely a man, and followed his brother to the master bedroom. The place where their parents once slept, and now he and Catherine do. Argo stopped at the door and took a deep breath before opening it.

Nico walked through at Argo’s insistence. The room was plain, without much more a bed and drawers for their particulars. But one thing that stood out was a coat stand that sat in the light of the window. Though, more than anything else, he knew why it was there. He knew what was missing.

“What are you showing me Argo?” Nico asked.

“When she, Andromeda, healed my boy. She was found here a few days later. She had to leave for the draft, so we didn’t get pinned for it. She barely even knew us, and she saved of three times now.” Argo said, he walked over to the bed and sat down on it’s side.

“Before she left, I told her how much what she did meant to me and the others. What I didn’t tell her was that while she was hear, it almost felt… real…” Argo said.

“Real?” Nico said, as he sat down next to his brother.

“When she would come around the corner, smiling and laughing with Rin and Milo, I sometimes forgot… I forgot the hole in my heart. It felt like she was here.” Argo said.

“Oh…” Nico said.

“Brother, forgive my weakness. I gave her Reine’s hood. I wanted my little girl to experience the world in some small way. She was a light in the darkness, and I let her go.” Argo said.

The room was quiet. Nico put his hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“I am not angry. In fact, I am in awe of your sense. That you could see the future of King’s Grove and gave her Reine’s hood. You could see her worth before anyone else. She is in the hands of an Arch Mage brother” Nico said. “I gave her everything I could, and twice over again, but you gave her one gift, and now she sits on the shoulder of a giant.”

Argo felt a tightness in his chest, not from the sadness in his heart, but something else. A feeling he recognized, he felt almost…

Drained.