Fauna smiled sheepishly as everyone stared at her strangely. Vadrian turned to Bram, who stood far away watching calmly. Their eyes clashed; however, Bram looked away almost in fear.
'He knows.
"Haha~ Yes, they are my sons.
Bram and Nuit flinched at that statement. In contrast, Misha's eyes widened in disbelief.
Asier rolled his eyes and walked toward Bram, who rushed over and held him tightly, as if afraid he would be snatched away.
Still pinned to the dirt, Misha struggled to find his footing. White-hot agony shot from his broken leg and arm, radiating through his entire body and leaving him violently trembling; the brutal shove had shattered what little strength he had left.
Vadrian rushed to his side, lifting him with a fierce tenderness, his eyes softening as he gazed down at him. Without breaking his gentle hold on Misha, Vadrian's voice turned ice-cold as he looked up.
"Bram, Asier needs to learn some manners-especially when it comes to his older brother.
Bram glared back at him, his expression a volatile mix of deep-seated fear and Visceral disgust. He realizes that Vadrian- being a psychopath- is completely deluding himself. The man honestly believes he can feel normal, human love, but Bram knows Vadrian actually views Misha as a loyal, weak animal to keep on a leash.
"You always did have a soft spot for the defective ones, Vadrian. Asier has nothing to learn from a boy who breaks like glass just for trying to be kind. If you want a polite son, keep coddling the broken one. Asier is meant for bigger things than manners.
Misha didn't like where this argument was heading, whereas Asier was a bit entertained.
Misha trembled in his father's arms as he caressed his small pale face. He might be frightened of Bram; at least he was used to his papa's terrifying expression, but with this man, he felt as if his life hung by a thin thread.
Vadrian wasn't fazed. Instead, a slow, terrifyingly serene smile spread across his perfect face. He didn't stop stroking Misha's hair, but his dark eyes locked onto Bram with a predatory stillness.
"Bigger things than manners?' Like running away?'
Bram sweated internally. He looked away, his skin prickled with cold air.
Vadrian chuckled, the sound dripping with mockery.
"Look at me, Bram. You calculated for many years. You used all your little tricks to slip through my fingers, to steal my sons, to vanish into the dark. And yet… here we are. Your brilliant mind brought you right back to my feet.
"Vadrian…
"If your supreme logic couldn't save you from me, why on celestial galaxy would I let you teach it to my son? Asier will learn manners because I command it. And if you try to poison his mind with your insistent 'superior' philosophy again, I won't just break his arm, my love. I will break his mind. And I will sit and watch your masterpiece shatter.
Bram was gritting and glaring hard, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. Now his cover is blown; Vadrian won't let him disappear easily.
An oppressive, heavy silence settled over the room. Bram held his tongue, refusing to give Vadrian the satisfaction of a reply. He glanced at Asier, who looked bored out of his mind by the martial warfare.
"Get it over with,' Bram murmured coldly.
With a brief, icy nod, Asier stepped forward. Beside him, Misha's lips twitched awkwardly- it was a pitiful yet pathetic sight.
Asier took several agonizing seconds, his eyes dark and cold as if calculating the words for a proper apology.
Finding none under the suffocating weight of their stares, Asier muttered a half-assed, "Sorry.
Misha was a little sad that Asier was being forced by their supposed parents; however, Asier didn't care about his situation.
"Now that's settled, I hope it won't happen again?'
Asier frowned, clearly annoyed at Vadrian's tone. He sneered at him before turning away in disgust.
Fauna shifted awkwardly; she wasn't expecting to witness a family dispute on her rescue mission. She couldn't help but stare at the ethereal, petite male who kept a perfectly stoic expression yet always flinched now and then under Vadrian's glare.
Now everyone had gathered, including Carl, who had disappeared long ago in the groves.
"This is Fauna from the Winter clan; she's here to help us find shelter.
Wearing a mask of serene sweetness, Vadrian introduced Fauna to everyone.
Fauna gave a shy, hesitant wave.
"Hi.
Her warmth evaporated instantly against the wall of cold hostility radiating from the others. No one smiled; their glares were sharp enough to cut.
"Hello~
Despite the sharp ache radiating through his body from the fall, Misha forced a smile. Before him stood a creature completely out of a fairy tale- she was otherworldly, resembling the ancient, pristine white dove he had gaped at in his picture books.
Ever the optimist, Misha groaned a bit, fighting through the pain and the terrifying pressure of his father's arms wrapping tighter around him just to project warmth.
"Heard you all are in a dire state.
Fauna casually stated, looking around for any threat.
"We were…, but now we need a place to keep our heads.
Nuit gave a faint smile as he walked up to her. "May the Celestial deities bless your heart.
"I'm Nuit Ashford; this is Carl, and this is our capable butler. I am certain our commander here has already briefed you on our recent ordeal fending off the relentless Crokun attacks.
Fauna blinked in confusion.
"Crokun?'
"Yes, it looks similar to the one the commander killed hours ago.
Tan confirmed. Bram and the rest stiffened at this revelation.
'The Crokun is here?'
"Oh, you mean that creature you guys killed recently?' We call them Melabroods. They have been here since the beginning of the end times. My people called those times "Modern Era".
Everyone had a bewildered look on their faces.
'Modern Era?'
They all thought it was just a work of fiction, a book written for the commoners to educate themselves.
"What planet are we on exactly?'
Nuit huffed in disbelief. Just their luck, from frying pan to fire.
'Is there no safe planet he can stay on without being worried about the Crokun or whatever the name is?'
"We will need to leave as soon as possible. The Melabroods are very active at night and impossibly powerful.
Fauna urged urgently.
Everyone immediately starts gathering the few supplies around them.
Bram stood watching the commotion with uneasy eyes. The fact his cover is blown over meant planning ahead of Vadrian and second…
The pale fog in his eyes shifted, blurring his glimpse of the world for one agonizing heartbeat. Cold terror gripped his throat, but he swallowed it whole, masking the fraying thread of his sanity.
Bram trembled a bit, gritting his teeth as he turned away, covering his face in agony. Without the small vials that had perished in the twist of steel and smoke behind them, there was no stopping the eclipse.
He turned his blurring gaze towards the disappearing sunlight, saying goodbye; the shadows were closing in, pulling an irreversible veil over his eyes, and he knew he was looking at his final sunset.
'Of all times.