Entangled (Narrated by Abel Lee)

However, before the witch made real of her threat, the hut's door was opened from the inside. One Asian teenager stepped out. He looked like he's not much older than Danzel. His face reminded me of Shyu's, but his was more square-ish, even though they shared the same delicate jawlines and high cheekbones. His eyes were also of almond shape, but more slanted than Shyu's. He styled his black hair in buzz cut, while his slender body wrapped in yellow coat with white Mandala patterns similar with Ayesha's. However, his coat had now unbuttoned and revealed a choker-like tattoo painted all around his long neck, just above his white T-shirt's collar. The tattoo was shaped like snowflakes and purple in colour, with only a shred of white curves and lines to connect one snowflake pattern to the other.

The boy laced his fingers to the second boy. The second boy who walked out from the hut was clearly a Caucasian. He was slightly taller than the first boy, but they were definitely of the same age. The Caucasian boy had his golden-bronze hair cut short, slightly above his nape, with fringes screened one side of his violet eyes. I was tensed when I realize that the boy had the same eye-colour with Campbell and also wear the same purple coat. His coat was also unbuttoned, just like the Asian boy. I could see magical pattern tattooed on his neck as well. This one was shaped like diamond fractal and yellow in colour.

"Please stop, Mother," said the Asian boy. His voice was soft, but assertive. He threw a plea glance toward Ayesha.

"Diyon…," Shyu called. The shorter guy promptly moved to hug his baby brother, who was much taller than he was.

"Brother? Shyu?" The Asian boy was surprised, but he finally returned the hug. He could not hide his happiness upon seeing his big brother, his eyes even got teary. We could see that the two brothers were close, but apparently weren't able to meet each other that often.

The other brother pair was also catching up with each other. Campbell had approached his baby brother. However, instead of hugging the younger boy, he grabbed the boy's collar and started to scold him.

"You damned brat, what the heck did you do? Why the hell did you mess up with…"

Campbell's words hung dead as he bugged his eyes, so wide, as if they would shortly pop out of the sockets. His gaze locked on the magical pattern on his brother's neck.

"You bastard!!" He cursed while his hand had slapped his brother, so hard that the boy's thin lips bled. Pats and Hannah gasped in shock. "Don't you have enough to see your big brother became Magellinian's lap dog for life that you also enslaved yourself to a Yarhaci, you, stupid brat?!"

Anger was lit up in the Caucasian boy's violet eyes. He pushed Campbell hard and yelled back.

"Never put me on the same level as you, Asshole!" Well, cursing trait was indeed equally shared by these two brothers. "You were bonded due to your own stupidity and inadequateness. As for me, I chose to be bonded with the person I love!"

Campbell had never been look more upset. He looked like he was about to burst into flame. His gazed fixed on the Asian boy who stood next to his brother and was busy wiping blood from his brother's lips with his thumb.

"Love…?" Campbell let out a strangled voice and got choked with his own words. "Do you mean him?"

Ayesha also let out a voice that similar with the voice of someone being gagged. Her hands were glowing, when she too, acknowledged the pattern on his second son's neck.

"Diyon…" She whispered in horror. "The pattern on your neck… Don't tell me that was…"

Diyon Aisingioro turned his face to stare his mother. "This is life-death bond I asked Viktor to cast on me. So, Mother, if you kill Viktor, you'll also murder me, because this bond will make me die with him." His voice was calm, but as assertive as before, and almost like challenging.

Ayesha could only gape speechless, as well as Campbell. Each of the witch's man had murder in their eyes, as if they couldn't wait to devour Campbell's brother to tiny bits. Now we started to understand. Most likely, those two boys met somewhere and fell in love with each other (then eloped?). Ayesha Aisingioro tracked them down and sent her men to kill Viktor Timofei and to bring her son home. This incident certainly was a slap in the face for Yarhaci Order and Ayesha felt the upmost necessity to avenge the whole humiliation caused.

"You ungrateful and unfilial son…! Alright, just consider I have son like you no more. My obedient son, Diyon Aisingioro, is dead to me!!"

Diyon's tears gushed out and dampened his caramel-coloured cheeks. He fell on his knees and bowed to his mother. "I'm sorry, Mother. But, I can't leave Viktor. I-I love him. Please, let us be together…!!"

Ayesha smiled bitterly. The magical energy on her hands had now formed into a golden ball that radiated a brilliant light.

"Very well, let me fulfil your wish. Go rot in hell with that Timofei boy!"

The golden energy ball shot to claim its prey. However, the ball not yet dashed very far when it was suddenly dissolved mid-air. Ayesha stared bemusedly and got even more furious in no time. She shot again, which was also dissolved in instant.

"What is happening?!" She demanded explanation, her voice thundering. Her eyes drifted over all of the first class sorcerers there fiercely.

Hannah stepped up and stared at Ayesha with her big and innocent green eyes. She flashed a sweet smile that made her face become even more doll-like.

"I'm sorry," she said nicely. "I can't let you kill Timofei's brother. Not only because he is our colleague's brother, but also because we need his help to find our missing partners."

"You are…Esper?" The witch had disgusted look on her face. She, then, laughed dryly. "I've heard about your preference with Espers, McAllen, so it was true. You do keep them in your pocket."

"Look who's talking," Campbell sneered. He glanced swiftly toward Shyu, then shifted back his gaze with a mocking snort to Ayesha, warranted a pointed glare from her.

"They are not my pet, especially not Hannah. She's my lover, and the rest of them are my respected colleagues, who are fighting Balin together with me. You, yourself, why don't you join us in this fight too? We all know how that craft was a grave mistake that need to be abolished for good!" McAllen's voice was calm, but his tone indicated that he was genuinely offended by the witch's remark. And…, did he just call Hannah his lover? Well, well… I wondered since when…

The witch snorted. "Save you speech for the annual Hegemony meeting, McAllen. I could care less about that Balin problem. Don't you dare to try to make me shift my focus from this issue in hand with all of that Balin talk!"

"Then, if you are adamant to hurt your son and Viktor Timofei, then my partners and I would not stand still. They are under our protection. Therefore, if you dare to lay a finger on them, then prepare for any retaliation from my Order and my Esper friends!"

The Queen's wrath had reached its peak, but she wasn't stupid and she'd done her math. She knew that our team consist of some first class sorcerers and powerful Espers. Even with her army ready in disposal, it would still be a battle with greater loss on her side. Her opal-coloured eyes burned with hatred before it eventually fixated on her second son.

"I expected so much from you," she said bitterly. "Not only me, but the whole clan and Yarhaci Order too. You disappointed us very bad, Diyon. I've opened a path for you in our community, yet you chose your own. Very well, you're eighteen, anyway. You could choose your own future. However, keep in mind: whenever our path crossed again, that'll be the day I take your damnable life, along with your lover's!"

Ayesha turned her body and re-entered her carriage. Her bodyguards promptly lifted her carriage and they flew back to the direction where they came before. The witch's goons saw their mistress left, hence, they also hastily fled, scattered around like sands blown by wind. I let out a relieved sigh. I was glad that the battle didn't get prolonged and ended bad for us. The two boys seemed relieved too. They were hugging and smiling fondly at each other. Shyu also moved to hug his brother once more, while Campbell still frowning at the sight of his baby brother and his lover. Cody McAllen finally opened a portal and asked us to go home before the witch changed her mind and return.