Reunion

"Raito?" Keita couldn't help but ask.

Until now, he only thought the Shinning Sun team as fellow Militia soldiers. Maybe they would make some threats and try and pressure Keita into giving them all the credit but that was all. But now, a name that shouldn't have been known has come out of that man's mouth.

'How does he know that name? Is he a friend... or was this question a threat.' Keita thought. His mind set, completely changed gears. 'These people are enemies.' he decided.

"You are Keita Raigon, correct? Then this shouldn't be a name you don't recognize." Kaito got up from his seat and approached Keita.

His stance was intimidating. The way he was walking, his center of gravity was stable. He could move quickly in any way he pleased. There was no needless tension in his body.

'He has no openings.' Keita thought as the man got closer.

His face, rugged from the years, his conspicuous muscles that could be seen even through the clothe armor. This was unmistakably a veteran who has fought in the front lines for many years.

"What's wrong? Why won't you answer?" Kaito asked. His eyes shifted from Keita to Maltra who was standing behind him. "You did tell him didn't you?"

Maltra answered with a mischievous smile. "I thought it would be more interesting if it came from you. Besides, he was so cute, being skittish and prepared for the worst, I didn't want to spoil the surprise."

"You damn sadist..." the younger swordsman, Raijeto muttered.

Maltra licked her lips, not even acknowledging this as an insult.

"Haah..." Kaito let out a long sigh. "I see, no wonder I felt killing intent..." he muttered in a voice that Keita couldn't hear.

Keita never dropped his guard. Neither did he avert his eyes from Kaito's even for a moment.

'Now that I take a closer look, his eyes look like fath-' he's thoughts were interrupted by Kaito's voice.

"My name is Kaito Raigon. I ask you again, is Raito, my brother still alive?"

Keita stayed silent. It took a few moments for him to process the words.

"Brother?" he finally asked with a confused expression.

Kaito nodded in response.

"We haven't seen each other for about twenty years now, since he left. Is he still alive?"

"Yeah..." Keita answered. His mind still felt dizzy, trying to process the information.

"I see.." Kaito said. He smiled and looked down. In Keita's eyes, he seemed more saddened by the news than happy.

"That damn idiot. He didn't even sent a letter or show his face..." Kaito turned around. He was wiping something from his face. Raijeto slightly smiled in sight of that.

"Ah, that's right. Your mother. Do you mind telling me her name?" Kaito suddenly asked, as if he remembered something.

"Mary." Keita answered.

"I see... So you really are..."

While the two were talking, a Priest came and started healing Keita. It was clear how uncomfortable this was for him, intruding in this family reunion.

"Ah, this is rude of me." Kaito turned around and smiled. "This is Raijeto, your cousin. There is also Rey and Keicha, my two daughters. And of course, I am Kaito, Raito's little brother and your uncle." he said with enthusiasm.

Raijeto waved his hand and Keita did the same.

***

After exchanging stories and talking for a while, it was already late noon. Kaito kept asking about Keita's father and mother and Keita didn't hold back in asking about his father's childhood. Their conversation has at some point turned to themselves.

"How long you've been with the Aerch Militia?" Kaito asked, passing a leather pouch full of ale to Keita.

"Six months now. Since the Orc raid at Atestari." he answered, accepting the drink.

"And you are still Bronze?" Raijeto asked.

Keita stopped drinking and looked down.

"Yeah, it's my fault really. My team has completed many quests but there hasn't been a promotion yet. When we first started, we went on our own to hunt down the leader of the invasion. We came back with the head of the chieftain responsible, but some weird rumors that we fought against a Demon and we were lying about it started spreading. Well it's not only the rumors. Since we have a Half-elf in the party, we all knew that people are hoping to see as fail.

"Hmm. How stupid." Raijeto said and started drinking.

"Indeed. I wouldn't worry too much about. You and that Defender are strong. I can only comment in what my eyes saw so I can't talk about your other comrades, but your strength will let you rise through the ranks soon enough." Kaito said and smiled. "By the way, was it your father that taught you?"

"What? How to fight?" Keita almost laughed out loud. "No, father is a farmer."

Raijeto and Kaito looked at each other.

"That doesn't make sense..." Kaito said.

"What doesn't?" Keita asked, reading the weird atmosphere.

"At that time, when you dashed to your Defender friend, you used the Heaven's Path didn't you?" Raijeto asked. His tone was more serious than before.

"How do you know about Heaven's Path?" Keita asked.

"You, really don't know?"

Keita nodded at Kaito's question.

"So your father never found the Heaven's Path..." Kaito said.

"Why would he? What do you know about Heaven's Path that I don't? And what does it have to do with father?" Keita couldn't take it any more and started to get agitated.

"Well, Heaven's Path is a secret set of Skills from the Raigon house. At least it was. I found the scrolls in an abandoned estate that belonged to our family long ago. I was sure that Kaito found them first and kept it a secret... No one else from our family knew anything about it. Only me and Raijeto learned the Skills. If you didn't learn the Heaven's Path from Raito does it mean you don't know the whole story? More importantly where did you..."

"Something's happening." Raijeto got up from his seat and looked to the far off battlefield.

"There is more noise than before... At that place too." he turned around and pointed where the regular soldiers were fighting.

"Keita, we'll talk later. You best go back to your team now." Kaito said and also got up to look around.

Keita nodded and ran.

'That was close...' he thought. He let his guard down. Even though they are family, there are secrets that Keita couldn't tell anyone. Reveling about Heaven's Path was a mistake that he couldn't afford.

As he approached the place his comrades where resting, the sounds of battle became ever so deafening. Screams, metal clashing against metal, the Undead, howling like mad dogs.

"Keita!" he heard Lia's scream.

They were fighting. At this place that was supposed to be safe, the Undead had teared their way to them.

'It's not even nighttime yet...' Keita thought.

"Heaven's Path: Haste!" Keita shouted and dashed towards his comrades, passing injured soldiers and Priests that were trying them to move them to a safer location.

"What's the situation?" Keita asked as he crushed an Undead's skull with the hilt of his sword.

"Something is wrong. They are too energetic. They are all rushing here." Nao explained between breaths. He and other Militia soldiers have made a defensive line, standing shoulder to shoulder while others attacked from behind them.

Keita stopped a moment to look around. Just as Nao said, all the Undead seemed to be rushing to this location.

'Why? What's so special about this place? What are they looking for here?' Keita tried to find the answer.

"It can't be... us?"