Rhax's index finger remained suspended in the air, pointing directly at Haze.
Haze let out a weary sigh. "I know..."
"Send me back to Echo right now!" Rhax snapped.
"Young Master, please lower your hand," Haze's manservant pleaded.
Rhax glared. "Stay out of this!"
Haze shook his head and closed his eyes. When he reopened them, his ruby irises had vanished, replaced by an abyss of pitch-black darkness.
"It seems the two of you need to see the truth," Haze said.
Without warning, both Rhax and Ron floated off the ground, suspended in mid-air.
Rhax's eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing!?"
Again? Ron thought.
"If you are so eager to go home, then return to where you truly belong," Haze declared.
A pillar of radiant white light burst from beneath the ceiling of Nyx's manor, engulfing both young men in an instant.
Ron's eyes frantically searched the room, locking onto Nox, who remained unconscious. "NO—"
Before he could finish, Rhax and Ron vanished alongside the pillar of light.
Haze pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes once more. "Oelivert, follow them to my manor."
"As you command, Master Haze."
A thick white mist swirled around Oelivert before he dissolved into it completely.
Left alone, Haze looked down at the four individuals still deep in slumber. "Did my father-in-law deliberately keep them asleep longer..."
The ruby-eyed man stepped closer to Ron Eosvile's younger brother. "So he's the one..."
Turning on his heel, he walked away from the unconscious group. Honest, you truly left no loose ends...
Haze ascended the staircase, his footsteps echoing softly. Is father-in-law doing alright...?
He navigated the corridor—where gravity seemed inverted, keeping the ceiling above and the floor below—and halted before a solid teak door. Intricate floral motifs were carved into every corner, framed by a polished silver handle.
Haze knocked lightly. "Father-in-law, I have arrived."
"Just a moment, Master Haze," Pakis's voice came from within.
The door swung open, and Pakis immediately bowed in greeting. "Master Charon is expecting you."
Haze nodded and stepped past him, allowing the butler to shut the door behind them.
Approaching the master of the manor, the ruby-eyed man lowered his head. "My apologies, father-in-law."
"It is not your fault."
Haze glanced to Nyx's right side. "Why bring them into your study?"
Nyx turned his gaze toward Pakis.
The butler bowed. "They were involved in an altercation with the young masters."
BOOM!
A violent crack of thunder shattered the silence, the blinding flash splitting the sky wide open.
"Dandelion, is what you said true?"
"Yes."
Haze's eyes darkened into pitch-black once more. "Father-in-law, allow me to punish them myself."
A brilliant crimson light flared from Nyx's garnet eyes. "Pakis, clarify."
"It appears... the young masters struck first."
RUMBLE!
The second roar of thunder shook the room even harder than the first.
"Regardless, they must face retribution!"
"Haze Kazerin, compose yourself."
"But father-in-law..."
"Take them to your friend, Yurin."
"Yurin... yes..."
"He must take responsibility for these two."
"Pardon my intrusion, Master Charon, Master Haze," Pakis interjected. "The young master asked that you spare them from physical harm."
"Rest assured," Nyx replied. "You saw me bring them here, yet I haven't even deigned to touch them."
"Forgive my insolence, Master Charon."
"Enough, Pakis."
"Thank you deeply for your leniency, Master Charon."
Nyx turned away. "Haze, take them to Yurin immediately. I am sick of looking at the pair of them."
"Right away, father-in-law."
Haze approached the twins. A beam of light erupted, swallowing all three of them before vanishing from Nyx's study.
Nyx released a heavy sigh. "Pakis, bring the young man and the brown-haired girl to the right wing."
"Understood. And what of Young Master Nox and Lady Edelweiss?"
"I will handle them."
"As you command, Master Charon."
Pakis hurried out. The crimson glow in Nyx's eyes gradually faded. Now, how am I supposed to reveal the truth to that child...?
Outside, stars scattered across the night sky, far beyond Nyx's distant reach. Eight spheres floated in quiet orbit around a massive central sphere that dominated the midnight heavens.
A beam of light descended from above, depositing the two young men onto the ground.
Rhax stumbled up, his jaw slackened in disbelief. "No way..."
Ron remained seated, rubbing his eyes. "Am I hallucinating?"
"Ron... how are those things floating?"
"Ipsix... this must be their technology..."
Rhax helped Ron to his feet. "Still can't move properly?"
"Yes."
"What's with the attitude?"
"Nox..."
"Ah… relax, I'm sure he's—"
Before Rhax could finish, a blanket of white mist enfolded them. Oelivert slowly materialized in front of the two blonde youths.
What now? Rhax grumbled internally.
Oelivert offered a warm smile. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Oelivert Nigella. It is a pleasure to serve you both, young masters."
Ron fixed a sharp, searching gaze on the man. "Nox."
Of course Ron's sensitive about Nox again, Rhax thought with an internal eye-roll.
"He is perfectly fine," Oelivert reassured them.
"Where's the proof?" Ron pressed.
"Have you not already seen it, Young Master?"
"What do you mean?"
"Young Master Nox... was he not sleeping soundly?"
"You call that sleeping soundly!? That man named Pakis knocked us out!"
Oelivert's lips curled into a subtle smile. "And how do your injuries feel?"
Ron bit his lip, momentarily speechbound.
"Ron, what is he talking about?" Rhax asked.
I... the wound from being stepped on by that man named Aidin... Ron realized.
"It seems Young Master Ron has calmed down," Oelivert noted.
"Hey, hold on a minute. What are you two talking about?" Rhax demanded.
"Young Master Rhax, after the great earthquake, what transpired?"
Rhax froze. The rain... don't tell me that rain was...
A sudden tremor ran through Rhax's body.
"Rhax, are you alright?"
"Yeah, Ron."
"How did the injuries on my hand heal?"
"It was all thanks to Sir Dandelion who—"
"The rain," Rhax interrupted.
"Indeed. Young Master Rhax is correct," Oelivert confirmed. "Sir Dandelion utilized his ability to mend your wounds."
So it was him, Ron thought.
"Fine. Where are we now?" Rhax snapped.
Ron quietly surveyed the nine floating spheres above them.
"Welcome home, Young Masters."
Rhax's eyes snapped wide open. "Huh!?"
"Home?" Ron muttered.
The opal-eyed man let out a light chuckle. "This is the Kazerin Family Manor, currently presided over by your great-grandfather, Haze Kazerin."
"He's not my family!" Rhax rejected.
Ron remained silent.
Oelivert stepped toward Ron.
"Hey, back off!" Rhax barked.
Unfazed, Oelivert stopped directly before Ron and gently touched his forehead. His opal eyes shimmered with faint light. "Is Young Master Ron's body feeling better now?"
Ron slipped away from Rhax's support and gave a slight nod.
"Glad to see it," Oelivert said.
A cool night breeze swept past them, leaving silence in its wake.
"Young Masters, let us step inside. It is far too chilly out here for conversation."
Rhax and Ron exchanged a glance, nodding in silent agreement.
"Thank you. Right this way, please."
The white mist wrapped around the trio once more, transporting them instantly to the center of the main sphere.
"Why couldn't we just warp here in the first place?" Rhax grumbled.
"Did Haze do that on purpose, Sir Oelivert?" Ron asked.
Oelivert bowed respectfully. "Young Master Ron, simply calling me Oelivert will suffice. And before I answer Young Master Rhax's question, let us head to the lounge."
They walked along a curved corridor spanning a portion of the sphere. "Please, step inside and take a seat."
Rhax and Ron sat across from each other on the plush sofas.
"Would you care for a warm beverage?"
"Black coffee," Rhax said curtly.
"Espresso," Ron added.
"Understood. I shall fetch them right away."
Oelivert quickly exited the room.
Rhax crossed his arms and leaned back against the cushions. "So?"
"So what?"
"Our 'great-grandfather'?"
"Didn't you say your only family is your father, Sugar Brown?" Ron replied.
"I did, Ron."
Ron lapsed into silence.
An uncomfortable quiet settled over the room once more.
"You're one to talk—you were the one screaming and losing your mind earlier, Ron," Rhax grumbled.
Ron gave a faint, wry smile. "How would you feel if an earthquake in Echo took your father's life, Rhax?"
Rhax snapped upright. "Watch your mouth."
"See? You lose your temper instantly."
Rhax clicked his tongue and sat back down. "You're infuriating."
Ron let out a soft sigh.
Silence fell between them again.
"Hey... how are we even blood-related, Ron?" Rhax asked after a moment.
"Figure it out yourself."
"Why are you acting like this? You were completely different back at Nyx's place."
"You're imagining things."
Riiiiight. Just admit you're worried sick about Nox, Rhax thought.
Moments later, Oelivert returned bearing a tray with their drinks.
He served the rich black coffee to Rhax and the espresso to Ron. "Please, enjoy."
The aroma is so intense... Rhax thought.
"Is something wrong, Young Master Rhax?"
"It has a very sharp scent," Rhax replied.
"Ah, yes. These are the finest coffee beans in all of Ipsix."
"Oh," Rhax muttered.
"Young Master Ron, are you feeling alright?"
Ron merely turned to him with a slight, polite smile.
Rhax snorted. "He's just obsessing over Nox."
"Mind your own business," Ron remarked.
Oelivert maintained a polite smile. These two... despite sharing the same bloodline, their personalities couldn't be more different.
To be continued...