Slay the hopelessness, a bright new beginning arises

Year 1025, 31st of December

Time: 1:30 P.M.

Winter has been taking effect at last in the northwestern territories that were occupied by the forces of the Sapphire Phoenix. The normally blue, sunny skies had been blanketed by white and gray clouds as the chilly breeze blew silently over the landscape currently dusted by light snow. The soldiers within the encampment were more focused on keeping themselves warm and packing away resources than worrying about some war. After all, the memories of events that had occurred over the past few weeks still reverberated within many minds that had compiled these forces deterring many from the thought of fighting. Despite the obvious impact that wars on a grand scale can have, the event that was most prevalent in their minds occurred just about 6 days ago when a petite blonde female that was mistaken as a child thoroughly embarrassed their fearless leader.

The Primordial Goddess of Time versus the self-proclaimed Gravity Queen; though it sounded like an interesting confrontation, the matter of titles alone would easily paint the picture of the obvious outcome. The time manipulator known as Lucy not only bested Hestia, she essentially did so without much effort. In fact, she blatantly brought out the true colors of the woman by briefly converting her into a young girl thus showing off exactly how much of a child her actions conveyed the leader of the Sapphire Phoenix to be. The irony of it all was that it took just that one measly memory for the forces under the rule of the white-haired woman to realize who she truly was and as a result, it all began to fall apart.

There was not going to be another war, nor was there going to be a great battle that will decide the fate of this country; at least, not as far as the soldiers that compiled this coalition was concerned. What was the point anyways? With all of these insane events that have been going on since October, there was no way that a conventional war could be fought. If Hestia had been smart, she would have made her move before the Pandora Conflict came to fruition; but she didn't do it. With the knowledge of other universes and divine existences being confirmed, she should have abandoned her vision and sought out a different goal to help protect the world but she didn't do it. How could anyone honestly find themselves following after a woman who cared more about her own desires over the well-being of those that elected to follow her? It was completely insane to even fathom and it only took one small confrontation to expose these facts. As such, enough was enough.

Slowly but surely, there were scores of troops abandoning the encampment leaving behind the idea of serving the Sapphire Phoenix and heading out to find their own path. Peace had once more settled in the land to a certain extent though concerns about the other countries had spread quite a bit. Regardless of this, men and women who fought for Hestia Arashi still took solace in the thought of leaving this place. A cruel fate in the wilderness was better than serving the blind ambitions of a tyrant. No one even bothered to stop the deserters as they left by the hundreds. In fact, some wanted to applaud them but others mainly wanted to know what their respective generals were thinking. As for the leader herself, she had not been seen very much since her showdown with Lucy.

"I have to think of the next step. I have to think of the next step. The time is now, the Empire is still weak, it is just begging for me to takeover. My dream is within my grasp! No, no, no, that's not right. I have to let this go. It is all just a waste of time. I cannot afford to lose my son…not after everything I have sacrificed! No, this world is just a waste. It needs someone like me to reshape it!" ranted the white-haired woman of pride and beauty, Hestia Arashi. Though referring to her character as one with pride and beauty would be a falsehood if one were to see her at this current point in time.

The regal atmosphere born of sophistication and grace that she communicated through her mannerisms and clean appearance was shucked away. The long train of immaculate, pristine, white hair that she kept well brushed and maintained was disheveled and thrown into disarray. From one person's perspective, it seemed like she had recently encountered the consequences of static electricity in which the locks decided not to settle back down or that she had a rough night of sleep. That sentiment carried irony as well for the woman had not gotten any sleep in days; this was further emphasized by the dark circles that shadowed under her eyes along with the strained, bloodshot look that had nearly conquered her corneas. Her soft facial features were lost as her visage carried gauntness to them. Add the fact that her body was thinning out slowly due to the lack of consumption of a proper meal along with her purple dress being smudged with dirt and sweat and that was the current state of the fearless leader of the Sapphire Phoenix. Nearly all sense of her rationality was gone as adrenaline and paranoia kept her locked in a stagnant battle of consciousness.

"What do I do? Oh what should I do? How should I go about leading my troops? No, no, there is no point to this. I have to get my family back. Surely there is a place where I can have peace with my son right? And, and, Mercer will come back. He is only being distracted right now by that little girl. Yes, that is it. Hahahahaha," the nearly mind-broken woman raved struggling between right and wrong. The debate of whether to pursue her long-standing ambition of rule was deadlocked against the notion of abandoning such ideals for a peaceful life. The determination of proving her worth as a woman versus the desire of having her son and the man she loved back in her life; both fought fiercely like two dragons warring over the same mountain, but it was a lost cause either way.

Hestia Arashi let her pride get in the way of her ability to be humble; her selfishness and greed had all but robbed her of any opportunity at a normal life. She was failing to realize this and refused to come to terms with it. Although one could respect someone trying to forge their own path, the method she chose was too erroneous to sympathize with. How did it come to this? Where did this vanity begin? It all came down to one main issue that she absolutely abhorred.

"You may be my daughter and you may be exceptionally skilled. You may have the cunning and ruthlessness necessary to carry the prestige of our clan but a woman will never again lead the Order of the Blood Wolves!"

Those were the words that the young Hestia heard around the age of 18 years old when she was told that she would be forced to marry before she could succeed as head of the legendary assassins. Actually, saying that she would be able to succeed as clan leader is a poor choice of words; rather, she could not take her place unless a suitor was chosen to become the proper leader with her at his side. Then the first male child born between them would be destined to lead. Yes, that was when the seed of resentment which led to the ambition that would later rule her began.

She was the best killing machine any assassin could ever hope to become thanks to her training from a young age. Despite the days when she complained about the difficulty of her harsh training, she continued to press on. She had to prove herself and become greater than anyone before her and set the foundation for those to come. Obeying orders without question, completing assignments and nailing marks without fail, knowing what to do in any given situation at all times, all of these things and more were ingratiated into Hestia's mind. However, despite all of that hard work, a forced marriage was all she received.

"Father, please! I'm your only child! Let me take your place and lead our clan. There is no one with my skills nor can anyone ever hope to match me among my generation. Do not let the folly of the First be the catalyst that clouds your judgment!"

"You forget your place, Hestia! It is because of the First why women are not allowed to lead in the first place! Do you forget your lessons over our history? Did you not forget how she sought to destroy our livelihood and lead us to dissemination before our legacy could truly begin?!"

"No Father, but I am not her!"

"You may have better wisdom, but you are almost identical to her. The only difference between you two is the matter of skin tone; why do you think the elders are so skeptical over you?"

"Then let me go before the elders, let me prove myself to them!"

"Enough! It has already been decided that you will marry the best male candidate within the clan!"

This led to Hestia marrying Raiden Ikazuchi which the man had later changed to Arashi when they were married. The woman fought tooth and nail against this yet her fate could not be changed. With their marriage, Hestia had to abandon her role as a prominent assassin to a dutiful wife that would produce an heir; however, the woman delayed that as long as possible by refusing to lie with the man. As such, their relationship became one of a false nature. To those on the outside, they were the newest head family of the Blood Wolves; in reality, it was just a necessary image that Hestia sought to keep going until she felt like she was able to seize power for her own sake or until fortune gave her a way out.

Some years passed before fortune answered in the form of a wounded man whom Hestia came to know as Alexander Mercer. When she stumbled upon him, she had fallen in love at first sight but she pushed aside said feelings. Through provocative manipulation of words, Hestia convinced Raiden to let the man stay until he recovered. During this time, the woman spent all of her time taking care of the man and getting to know him as well as who he was and where he came from. Though the concept of other world lines and such were initially lost on her, she became engrossed in the notion and infatuated even more with him. As such, one thing led to another and eventually she gave herself to the young God Hunter. The blossom of their love soon formed in the shape of a child growing within her womb some weeks later but that news made her scared.

Yes, fear was what motivated Hestia to push Mercer away. Fear compelled her to tell the man that made her feel appreciated and loved for the first time in her life that their relationship was only satisfying her own fantasy. If only then she knew that being with him would change not only her life, but the life of the child that was to be born then she would not have had to deal with the Hell that she established for herself. A voice of necessity told her it was the reasonable thing to do, that her time as a queen would come but the result became the current situation. She not only failed in her quest but she failed everyone she ever held dear to herself.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!!!!" she screamed aloud within her quarters. The past coming up now was merely her inner voice of reason telling her what she did to put herself in this position at this point in time; although, her ego strove to deny it. The high and mighty woman refused to accept the consequences of her actions, but little did she know that her suffering was only just beginning.

"Damn, it really has gotten cold up this way hasn't it?" Raizo remarked walking onto the camping grounds of the Sapphire Phoenix. The cold air around him did not exactly serve as particular nuisance. Wearing the double-breasted coat that previously belonged to his father aided in keeping his body warm along with the fact that the electrical current naturally coursing through his body thanks to his powers also generated heat in his body.

"I guess you could say winter has finally come," Adena replied unfazed by the chilling winds and faint, falling traces of snow around her. For the redhead, this weather was nothing but just a passing occurrence. It was simple for her to ignore the cold season as her body was constantly generating heat at an abnormally high rate—chalk that up to the benefits of Agni's Radiance.

The pair walked side by side onto the grounds making their way towards Hestia's tent. As usual, the soldiers who saw them stopped what they were doing immediately saluting them and paying their respects to the heroes of this world. There was more respect shown to them for their heroism than they had ever shown for Hestia during their collective time of service. All of the praise being displayed for the pair could not overshadow the unnerving feelings of doubt that some in the crowds clearly displayed. For those who could not help but convey these emotions, they merely elected to bow in reverence to the duo before their expressions could be read.

"Something's not right around here," Raizo mumbled towards his female companion while peering out at the crowd from the corner of his eye. Adena took a glance around as well taking notice of what the male was referring to.

"Yeah, I can sense it too. It just feels off. I mean, if I had to compare the tension around here to somethin', it's like I'm at a funeral," the normally upbeat redhead replied with caution.

"I wonder how much the mood will sour when word spreads out about what we're doing here."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure the guys I'm in charge of knew this day was going to be coming eventually but this time I'm making it official," the woman remarked pulling out an envelope from her breast pocket for a second before pushing it back down.

Today marked something significant. For starters, it was the last day of the Year 1025. A lot of major events have happened within the past 12 months from major shifts in this civil war to having guests from other universes, wars with god-class beings, world-ending events, along with time alterations and so on. With all of these events now in the past, one would be grateful to give this year a peaceful send-off but there was one last thing to do before starting the New Year tomorrow; something that Raizo and Adena mutually felt was a necessity before turning their attention towards the future.

"Well, well, well, surprised seeing you two here," spoke a condescending yet optimistic female voice. As the pair stopped to look to see where the voice was coming from, they saw the appearance of a dark skinned female with golden gauntlets walking toward them accompanied by a man that could be regarded as a giant in dark armor like a body suit donning a large blade on his back.

"Zephy, Gen, good to see you guys!" Adena greeted cheerfully upon the sight of her colleagues.

"Good to see you as well, Adena," Genesis nodded with a small smile before turning his attention towards the Stormbringer, "I trust she hasn't been giving you too much trouble right?"

"Eh well, you know how she can be. Trying to get her and Vesta to get along is like trying to keep two rival danger beasts from killing each other over territory," the red-eyed male marked with a cheeky tone.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean Raizo dear?" Adena inquired with a hint of irritation in her voice as she put both hands on her hips and leaned over the youth with a slightly chastising stare.

"Hey, don't take that tone with me. You two are always arguing over things."

"Well if the little girl would learn her place as your sister and not try to be your side-fling then it wouldn't be a problem. But no, she wants to play the whole "Stormbringer connection" card."

"C…Can you not talk about that in public?!"

"Oi, you started it dammit!" Adena yelled taking hold of Raizo's face with two fingers from the left side and began to tug on his face as a result.

"Ow! Don't pinch my cheek, id…idiot!"

Zephyria and Genesis merely looked at each other and shrugged before chuckling at the sight of the two messing around like this.

"You two really do provide some rather interested entertainment," the giant remarked with an additional chuckle.

"I agree," Zephy added.

The quartet shared a brief session of laughter before the moment faded. Genesis cleared his throat and began to speak towards Raizo with a serious, yet sincere tone.

"Raizo, I wanted to say thank you again for what you did during the war. You freed me from that gruesome mind control and even managed to save my life. I would also like to thank Akame as well if she was here," the raven-haired male stated with a bow.

"Yeah, thanks for that Raizo…" Zephy added though she didn't exactly seem comfortable saying it. It wasn't because she was ungrateful for it or anything but it was just awkward for her for some unknown reason. She could only scratch her cheek and look to the side trying to avert her eyes as a result.

"Hey, I'm just glad the effects weren't permanent. No one deserves to be enslaved by some self-righteous asshole," Raizo responded.

"Speaking of assholes, where's Orion? I don't see him lurking around. Is he still sore about his arm?" Adena interrupted taking a look around. Genesis and Zephy shook their heads unsure of the man's location as well. Releasing a sigh, Adena fixated her attention back to the conversation at hand.

"So what's going on around here? Everyone is acting like they are all going through a depression phase," Adena spoke bluntly.

"Well, to be frank, a lot of the soldiers are unsure where to go from here. Given recent events and a lack of faith in Hestia's capability to lead, many people have been talking about desertion or have been leaving left and right. They are tired of dealing with the notion of war and want something different or a cause to believe," Genesis explained observing the behavior of the cold souls around him.

"I agree with them. It's hard to really see the point in fighting a war for one woman's sole ambition when the land knows of Team AKARA. One false step and the Sapphire Phoenix will be held as the new tyrants. Though, considering the mindset of our leader…that notion isn't too hard to believe," Zephy followed.

"That is why we both have reached a decision for not only our own sake but for those who follow us."

"Yeah, we decided…"

Before Zephyria could finish speaking, a loud shriek leaked out in the distance and a violent shake of the land surrounding the area caused everyone to jump into high alert. In the distance, Hestia's tent released a mysterious wave of aura before disappearing. Unsure what had just happened, the four individuals immediately set off to investigate.

"Useless, useless, useless!!! Why do I bother? What should I do?! No just shut up, shut up, shut up!" cried out a distressed Hestia crouching down in the midst of her quarters clutching both sides of her head trying to shut out the noise of her mind. It was at this point when Raizo, Adena, Genesis and Zephyria burst into the tent discovering her state.

"Mother! What….happened…?" the former blood wolf shouted out at first; upon seeing the mess inside the tent, his words soon trailed off to a silent gasp. The trio behind him could only stare in shock at the condition of the space.

Bookshelves had been toppled over with various texts spilled about; torn pages from maps and scrolls were scattered all over the place as well. The furniture that she had used was flipped over with pieces of wood broken off and small piles of shredded fabric from linens and bedsheets were thrown all over the place as well. In the center of it all was the visage of the disheartened woman, her primrose colored eyes gaped open soullessly muttering incoherent sounds with each breath she took.

"Mother?" Raizo called out softly while gradually approaching her trying not to cause a reaction in which she'd lash out with her powers again. Hearing the youth's voice echo out to her, she came back to her senses and was surprised to see her child and company standing before her. Realizing the state of affairs at this point, she instantly stood up and started brushing herself off.

"Raizo, you're here? Oh and Adena, Genesis, and Zephyria too? Do excuse me for a moment," she responded before tucking behind one of the shelves to clean up her appearance a bit by patting down her hair and adjusting her tattered clothing.

"I apologize for the mess; it has been rather strenuous for the past few days. From what I have gathered, it seems that recent events have left the Capital in utter chaos. Onest has finally lost the support of the people and has been confining himself in some makeshift fortress alongside Esdeath and her horde. I have received word from my spies that the citizens are constantly rioting and that there is social upheaval going on throughout the Empire's territories. With the New Year upon us, it would be perfect to take over and set up the new regime. Thinking on it has been keeping me awake for days on end trying to determine the best way to execute the final phase of my plan and what to do next. At long last…"

"Mother please, just stop," Raizo interrupted before she could continue her ravings over the situation at hand. Hearing her words gave pause to the Stormbringer as visions of Shatterpoint flashed within his mind. He remembered the details of how the Ulrick Empire was formed and the battle that laid the foundation for it with the incursion that took place during the celebration of the New Year. The despair that ensued afterwards amounted to endless strife and torment for the people. He could not let that happen in this timeline; he refused to.

"Having thoughts about this new world order needs to end right here and now. There is no point in it. The people are finally getting their own voice and standing up for what they desire. Team AKARA has brought them the peace they have longed for. Sure it may not be a perfect peace because the Empire still exists but the Revolutionary Army will be able to handle them. Instead of trying to derail the events that are about to unfold, why not try to help out and turn your attention to the activities of the other territories? I'm sure you've heard about the Kingdom of Neveir and their leader right? It's only a matter of time before a war breaks out with them. We need to come together now more than ever to be ready," the Child of Thunder explained.

"Why do you think I want to rule? Under my leadership I can easily bring everyone together, focus on the matters at hand and guide the land to its proper place!" the Gravity Queen countered.

"You don't understand, Mother…"

"What do you mean? Are you saying that you doubt me, your own mother? Have you not seen my abilities and my leadership skills?! What do I have to do to make you understand child?"

"That's not the point, Mother!" Raizo stood upright yelling aloud. As his voice boomed like thunder, he found himself clenching his fists with little arcs of electricity spiraling around his body. Concerned over his state of mind, Adena reached out to pat him on the shoulder to calm his nerves. Feeling that warmth, he took a deep breath to ease his nerves.

"I saw a world under your rule and it's not something that I want to see come to fruition again," the boy sighed heavily while casting a glance of dismay toward her.

"What are you talking about?" Hestia inquired tilting her head slightly in curiosity of the meaning behind those words.

"I…I went back in time and changed the fate of our clan by killing Aquilo before he had the chance to betray us. By doing this, an alternate reality known as 'Shatterpoint' came to fruition. When that came about, you had your wish and became the ruler and I was the prince. Raiden…was the leader of that world line's Night Raid known as Phantom Siege. During that era, hundreds of thousands died and you…you were just drunk on power."

"Is that so?" Hestia spoke taking in the words that she just heard in her mind. It made her think albeit briefly about her path but rather than respond in a way that would dictate a change of heart, she trudged the opposite path.

"So what makes you think that I will fail? That version of me did not have nearly as much experience or possessed insight as I do. I know how to rule without being a tyrant."

Hearing that statement, the Stormbringer sighed heavily in utter disappointment and disdain over the state of affairs with his mother. It was both shocking yet not surprising at the same time over what just transpired. As such, Raizo knew he could no longer afford to deal with this.

"It would appear that I cannot deter you from this path. If you choose to travel down this road then I refuse to take your side."

Hestia's face then went from one of curiosity to one of agitation and silent fury.

"Are you saying that you would stand against me and my elite members? Be careful son, just because you had an upper hand when we were being mind-controlled does not mean that you…"

"I'm sorry Hestia but I feel the same way," Adena spoke up before pulling out a letter from her shirt pocket and handing it to the woman before her.

"I hereby relinquish my position as a general in the Order of the Sapphire Phoenix."

Wide-eyed, Hestia opened up the envelope and took out the sheet of paper inside scanning over its contents. The letter was a formerly written statement of resignation that declared the former dragon princess' intention of leaving the Sapphire Phoenix and severing any other ties to Hestia and her cause. The white-haired leader could not help but stare at the paper with both astonishment and bewilderment. She never would have thought that Adena would leave her side, especially since they have such a long history together. Not only was her son leaving her side but the girl she thought of as her daughter made her intention to leave as well. Before being given a chance to speak upon raising her eyes from the paper, Zephyria and Genesis both approached handing her envelopes like Adena's as well.

"Sorry Lady Hestia but in light of recent events, I too wish to surrender my position as a general in this army," the dark-skinned female expressed as she handed her letter of resignation over. Genesis motioned the same.

"As a knight, one's oath is viewed as sacred and isn't finished until the day he dies. However, further continuing my service to your cause would continue to stain what little bit of honor I have managed to keep recently. I can only pray that you heed the words of your son and that you change before it is far too late. He's the one who helped me see the truth after all so I shall be optimistic that you will one day as well," the giant knight explained before turning to walk out of the tent. Zephyria and Adena follow after leaving Raizo alone with the speechless woman.

"I suppose I'm not the only one who has grown tired of your delusions, Mother. It's sad that we have to part with this but such is the way fate has decided to work," the Crimson Harbinger vocalized with a hint of chastisement before turning on his heel to leave. Hestia looked at Raizo's back wearing that coat and for a moment, she saw Mercer's visage.

"R…Raizo, would you really turn on your own mother?" she asked with some disbelief and pain in her voice; her heart feeling like it was throbbing in her throat. The male cast his crimson gaze back to her.

"You haven't been my mother for many years, what's the point of you trying now? As far as I'm concerned, the woman who gave birth to me and carries the maternal instinct necessary to be my mother is dead. She perished with the Blood Wolves. I don't know who you are at all."

Swiftly, he navigates his way to the exit leaving his mother alone to deal with the onslaught of the past 15 minutes or so to settle inside her mind. No words could be uttered from her nor was there any counterargument. Once again, she found herself being rejected but this time, the best part of her entire life just walked out on her. Her ambition for power has finally caught up to her and robbed her of the one thing she loved more than anything in this world—the last of her family. Silence washed over the room that she was standing in before she collapsed to her knees. Tears welled up in her eyes then began to stream down her face crashing like raindrops around her. Inaudible sobbing noises reverberated ever so slightly within the chamber. However, just outside the tent, Orion had heard the entire exchange but he kept quiet and stayed out of sight for now.

Raizo rejoined the now former generals of the Sapphire Phoenix going towards the entrance to the area as Adena was ready to depart. Now that they were free, it was time to part ways to find new walks of life to pursue. Though Adena had already made up her mind to devote her time and effort to doing everything she could as a member of Team AKARA, it was unknown to Raizo what Genesis and Zephy planned to do. Before leaving, the youth had to satisfy his curiosity.

"So now that you both are free of your responsibilities here, what's next for the both of you?" the Stormbringer inquired. Taking a moment to think about it, Genesis took the opportunity to answer first.

"As you heard back in Hestia's tent, my vow to be her sword and shield as a former knight of the Order of the Amethyst Lotus was something I held in high regard for many years. However, I feel that after the events of the Pandora Conflict along with the Second Primordial War, continuing to be in her service would be an insult to what you and the rest of Team AKARA have done for this world. In addition, hearing a brief synopsis of what you experienced in that Shatterpoint universe only makes me feel that much more uneasy. The last thing I want to do is become someone who slaughters people for the sake of one person's ambition. I could only imagine what kind of monster I would become or…what kind of person I was in that world line you witnessed," the giant male explained.

Raizo peered down at the ground as the visions of what Genesis was in Shatterpoint came to his mind. Calling him a monster in that world was an understatement. After all, he single-handedly killed more than 800,000 soldiers on his own. And it was all for the sake of preserving Hestia's empire.

"I'll leave it to your imagination on what you were like in Shatterpoint…but for what it's worth, I'm glad you're making the decision to leave," the Red-Eyed Stormbringer declared with a nod.

"Indeed. Despite this though, I feel like it isn't enough. I need to pursue my own form of redemption and do whatever I can to make amends for the damage the Sapphire Phoenix has caused the land in my own way. I was thinking of taking a portion of soldiers from this military force—perhaps the ones who served under me—and heading south to assist the Revolutionary Army," the knight decreed.

"Yeah, I'm sure Chelsea would welcome the extra assistance. Why don't I send a letter to her and vouch for you? Besides, being a member of Team AKARA has its perks when it comes to putting in a good word for someone. At least in my mind, it should," the male smirked.

"I'm honored and truly grateful for the help," the taller individual nodded bowing his head in gratitude.

Just off to the side, Zephy's face was filled with doubt as she felt the queasy feeling of insecurity stir inside her heart while anxiety had its way with her nerves. Seeing this, Adena slid over towards her direction and patted her former companion on the butt jokingly to get her attention.

"Eh?!" the wind user jumped from the sudden sting.

"What's goin' on in that pretty lil' head of yours girl?" the fiery alpha female teased with a smile yet showing genuine concern for the tanned warrior. Zephy rubbed her rear for a second to ease the slight irritation before answering.

"Heh, honestly I'm just feeling lost. When I think back to the Red-Eyed Hero said to me a few weeks ago, I realize how useless I truly feel. I mean, I don't know where my place is in life or if I deserve to really exist. I need to rediscover who I am and find my purpose in life. In order to do that, I'm going to head home…back to the Alexandria Desert that is. I'm going to take everyone who was once a part of the Order of the Iron Monkey with me as well. You along with the rest of Team AKARA have inspired me to do this so…please tell the others thank you. Especially Akaro," Zephyria smiled shyly.

"Heh sure thing, but you know you are really bad at hiding how much you find Akaro attractive. Careful girl, ya don't wanna wind up one cut by Akame," the enthusiastic fist fighter jeered while patting the girl on the back.

"H…hey, I'm not thinking of things like that dumbass! Stop playing with a woman's emotions!"

"Heehee, sorry ya know I gotta tease ya before we part ways. But seriously, I'm proud of you and I wish you nothing but the best," Adena cleared up with a direct tone of sincerity.

Zephyria nodded with a smile of her own before gazing over towards Raizo, who was still engrossed in a conversation with Genesis. The former nomad monk turned her attention back to her longtime friend and leaned down a bit to mumble something in the redhead's ear.

"Are you happy?" Zephy asked.

At first, Adena didn't understand what she meant but her cobalt hues caught a glimpse of Raizo and saw how the tanned woman made a gesture with her head towards the boy. She placed a single hand over her heart and felt a strong jump in the beating of it when looking at the boy in question. Unable to immediately form words, the girl merely nodded yes. It was then that Zephy took it upon herself to approach the heterochromia tsundere for the first time ever.

Genesis feels the monk approach and steps to the side a bit unsure what the heck was going on. Raizo on the other hand merely stands there looking up at the woman standing over hip as their eyes locked for a moment. She leans a little closer which begins to make the boy annoyed. Adena didn't care for the angle given the way the dark-skinned warrior likes to dress but Raizo was unfazed by that.

"So…can I help you?" the youth asked with a slightly agitated tone. The woman before him didn't respond and just kept starting silently at him for a few more seconds. This caused the Stormbringer to yield a completely emotionless, deadpan expression.

It was then that the curvy female stood up straight lifting her hand and gently patting the boy on his head gently like she was his older sibling.

"I understand now why she cares for you so much; it's easy to see in your eyes. Be sure to take care of her, Stormbringer."

"Uh…huh," the male began while rolling his eyes, "Why does everyone feel the need to pat me on the head like I'm some little kid?"

"Because you're the baby out of everyone…well you and Vesta but she even acts like a big sister to ya," Adena interjected while watching the adorable display of Zephy patting her boyfriend's head and rustling his hair.

"For some reason, that was awkwardly satisfying to do," the girl commented upon stopping the motion, "Is that what it felt like to have a little sibling?"

"This is literally our first direct conversation. What the hell are you even on right now?" Raizo whined.

"So cheeky," Adena chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure I'd have to lean down to pat any of you on the head," Genesis noted.

"Yeah, how's the weather up there anyways?"

"Addy, you had to go there with me?"

"Ya know me Gen, I had to get one last pun in before we part or separate ways."

"Fair enough, I'll let that slide then."

A brief respite of laughter is shared between the four of them as a result of the scene that had just finished playing out. For the four warriors, this moment was a breath of fresh air and relief. However, the smiles soon faded as the time came for the parties to move on.

"Why does this feel like such a painful goodbye?" Adena asked clutching her chest again feeling like her heart was going to break.

"I don't know but it does feel like I have a knot in my heart right now," Zephy responded.

"We've been together for so long that we never really thought of the day when we all had to go our own way. I suppose it was because of the assumption that under Hestia's guidance, we'd be together for a long time," Genesis noted.

"Yeah, but times have changed," Adena spoke in a meek tone, her two compatriots nodding in agreement.

Raizo observed this and felt the sense of camaraderie that these warriors shared. In his eyes, it was like the moments he shared with the other members of Team AKARA. Before Adena came back into his life, all he really had was Night Raid and that only lasted for a brief period of time. When they came around, it was like he had a place he could belong; every time they had to part ways, it felt like his world was being taken away from him. Even when he met the Mercers for the first time, it was heart-breaking to say goodbye since he finally found a true family to be a part of. Feeling himself becoming sentimental, the Child of Thunder had to speak.

"I'd like to think that there comes a point in people's lives where it is inevitable to part ways. Even though it hurts, the bonds one forges with someone can last forever regardless of the massive distance that lies between the two," he stated with affirmation.

As the words resonated with the trio, the former generals felt the growing hurt in their hearts subside. It bothered Adena a bit since she was the first one who put distance between herself and the others of the Sapphire Phoenix when Raizo and eventually the other universe visitors came around but she always felt her ties with Genesis and Zephyria. But they all had new roads to travel and as such, the journey with one another has finally come to an end.

"Best of luck to you two in your endeavors. Genesis, I will send word to Chelsea as soon as I can. Zephyria, I hope that you find the happiness you're looking for," Raizo spoke with a positive and reinforcing tone.

"Good luck to you too, Stormbringer. And you as well, Adena," Zephy nodded with a smirk.

"I look forward to our next meeting," Genesis waved.

"Goodbye guys," Adena said.

After that, Raizo and Adena took off to head back home leaving the duo to prepare to travel their own ways.

*****

After returning from their trip to the Sapphire Phoenix base, Adena and Raizo had arrived at the fortress now used as Team AKARA's home base. The pair walked inside the massive structure possessing free time to relax. Vesta had not returned from her rounds in which she elected to check on any settlements between this location and the rebel army location in the south which left them alone.

"It's so quiet without having everyone here, isn't it?" inquired Adena as she walked around the foyer of the large structure. She gently swept her fingers across the walls feeling the stone texture still fascinated by the beauty of her new home. Sure one may just dismiss this place as just the everyday structure for figures of importance but it carried more weight for her and Raizo. This was their home. This was the one place where they could escape the world outside and just enjoy their own peace and relish in the Zen of this household.

"It is quiet but it's not like I don't mind it. Actually, I haven't performed any meditation exercises in a long time," Raizo spoke in a distant tone as he merely stared at his hand for a moment feeling this overwhelming power inside of him. Without warning, a sudden discharge of static sparked off his body and struck a nearby vase causing it to shatter.

"Oops…" the youth said jumping in surprise.

"Are you feeling okay love? That's twice in one day you've had some sort of incident," Adena expressed in concern walking over to the boy and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just feel like I'm barely able to contain myself lately. I don't understand what's going on with me. Like ever since I visited my Dad, there's been this strange power surge welling up inside of me and it's been rather hard to control. Even when I'm fighting I feel like I've been using too much energy. I mean, how can I call myself a trained assassin when I've been fighting like some cocky superhero or whatever? It's frustrating."

"Hey, hey, don't go beating yourself up over something as trivial as that. How do you think I feel with my own abilities? Have you ever wondered why it took me until that bullshit with The Architect to unleash my Dragonheart form? I may not show it but there are times when I'm honestly terrified of my powers. Fire can be a very destructive force and when you're beings like us, it's not hard to seriously damage the world around us. However, I dedicated myself to training every day and not just typical strength or endurance training. I work on controlling my energy flow and how to transfer the right amount of energy in my body to my muscles exerting a controlled portion out at a time. It's not hard to do, it just takes time. I can show you if you want."

"That sounds like a good idea. When can we start?"

"Well, we have a training yard so how about now? Just know that I'm gonna drill the concept of control into ya even if I have to get a little rough to do it~" Adena winked wrapping her arm around the youth's neck before pecking him on the cheek with a teasing kiss.

"Eh? Wh…whatever, d-don't be stupid," Raizo responded with a light blush, "Let's go already…"

"Hey babe no needs to rush okay? We've got the whole place to ourselves for a while."

At this point, Raizo was dragged off to train with Adena which she did not exaggerate on being rough. First off, the use of any of his Primordial Armaments was forbidden. She wanted him to be able to use his pool of strength without having to rely on his special skills. The redhead analyzed that he was strong with those powers but if he had to keep relying on special effect based abilities then he would only drain his stamina faster than he probably would have liked. After all, the point of those special moves was to be used as a last resort against a strong opponent. Therefore, Adena thought it would be necessary for Raizo to refine his raw strength and channel his energy better.

Secondly, the use of transformations was cut off as well. These two rules tied back to when they trained together last time but once again, Adena wanted him to learn how to use his power without having to channel the transformation energy. She shared insight with him on this regard since their powers were structured in a similar fashion in which their strength and potency grew with each stage they unlocked; however, the redheaded princess wanted to instruct him the way she learned how to channel her abilities. By putting limits, the alpha woman wanted Raizo to figure out how he could get creative with himself and what he could do.

With those conditions set, the afternoon that the two shared was filled with the pair going at it head-to-head in a non-stop training bout. Adena, being more skilled in this regard, easily had the advantage over the youth but she pulled her punches here and there so as to not completely overwhelm him. She wanted Raizo to experience this scenario and challenge his ability to think on his feet when those conditions were possibly satisfied in case he finds himself in a situation where he would not be able to use his strength in the way he'd like.

For hours the pair went against each other. As the sun began to set, the two concluded the practice session by meditating together in the middle of the training square until the sun disappeared over the horizon. With dusk's arrival, the two gathered their things and went inside. The time was roughly 7:00 P.M. and it was at this time that Vesta had just returned. Adena and Raizo were soaked head-to-toe in sweat seeking to get cleaned up before sitting down for dinner; that was when the white-haired Stormbringer appeared before them.

"Well then, aren't you two a sight for sore eyes? Or should I say a smell for sore noses?" the girl chuckled while pinching her nose not afraid to signify that they both carried a less than pleasing aroma.

"Hey, we just finished training okay? No need to be rude about it ya little shit," Adena responded with a slightly chastising tone about the state that she and her boyfriend were currently in.

"Oho, I forgot how cute you could be when you get teased there Addy," Vesta winked deviously towards the female.

"I can't believe you're supposed to be the Stormbringer of another universe. Gosh, you're nothing like Raizo at all."

"Well that's because we aren't the same person, if anything I'm his half-sister so of course we'd be different personality wise."

"True, but Raizo's cuter anyways so ha!"

"That's not what you were saying when we first met and I teased the hell out of you with that kiss~"

"Oi, don't make fun of a maiden's heart!"

"I'm every bit of a maiden as you are hothead."

"Shut up sparkplug!"

Great, here we go…I'm just gonna take off…

While the two females began to have a friendly name-calling argument, Raizo swiftly dashed away from the scene and went upstairs to the bathroom to bathe. That was definitely a fight he did not want to be involved with even if it was an immature war of words. Thankfully they were so caught up with each other that they didn't immediately notice him vanish but it probably gave them some pause.

"Well then, I guess he didn't want to stick around smelling like you any longer," Vesta sneakily uttered without exactly trying to hide her words.

"Or he just found your voice too damn annoying to deal with any longer," Adena alternatively stated as a swift counter. It was then the two females shared a brief spout of laughter for a moment.

"You should go get cleaned up though. After all, I'm sure none of us has eaten so I'll fix us something to eat," the Rose-Eyed Stormbringer offered.

"Yeah, working out that much has definitely worked up quite the appetite. Plus we gotta do something to usher in the New Year at midnight right?"

"Exactly, I picked us up something special to wear too."

"Oh really?"

"Yep, but I'll let you see it after we eat dinner. Now go spend some time with that tsundere brother of mine~"

"Hey…don't spoil my ideas."

"Adena please, you and I bathed together all the time in my universe. Though sometimes I wonder if we ever really got clean…"

"Oh my, sounds kinky."

"It's right up your alley you know."

"True, I won't deny it. Anyways, I better hurry before I miss out on my chance."

"Try not to break him too much."

"Heh, I think I already did enough of that during training. I'll be good I swear."

"Sure you will dear."

A sly smirk was shared between the two as they both slapped hands gently giving each other a high five. A slight shake passed through the building but not enough to warrant too much attention. Vesta went ahead to the kitchen to prepare a meal for all three of them to enjoy while Adena stealthily marched upstairs to surprise her male partner.

Meanwhile in the midst of the large bathroom, Raizo had been standing in an open shower area. Water poured out from the silver showerhead down upon the heterochromia-headed youth while he rested a singular hand on the white, marble stone of the shower wall. Surrounded on the left and right by similar colored walls to isolate the station, the naked male sought to wash away the sweat that accumulated through training as well as the doubt that filled his mind.

The male took a deep breath before exhaling to calm his nerves. His mind was racing through all kinds of thoughts ranging from his issues with his powers to deciding what would come next for him and the others. To add to this stress, the visual of Hikari's face filled his mind along with the prospect of Neveir. What was going to be her move? And what did she mean when she said that he would seek her out? He did not understand what all of this meant but as his mind dwelled on that, he felt an indescribable amount of fear seize his heart. Observing his other hand, the male saw the nerves jump wildly causing his hand to jitter.

Damn it all…what am I supposed to do now?

Suddenly, the youth felt a slight tickling sensation slide up his spine like a trickle of water elected to flow up his back as opposed to going down. It was then that this sensation increased to being something warm pressing against the back of his shoulders and a puff of air trace against his nape. After that, he heard a faint whisper in his ears.

"Mind if I join you love?"

"A…Adena?!" the boy yelped as the engrossing sensation of the woman grew to the point where she completely pressed against him from behind and her arms wrapped around his front. This insurmountable amount of warmth registered in his mind as he came to realize that she too was naked with the full intention of sharing this space with him. Of course, the naïve male had become flustered from this fact and began to pursue with his dense train of thought as to why she was here.

"H…Hey what are you doing? U…Um, there's other shower stalls in here you know…" he stammered.

"I know, but I wanted to get in this one with ya. Think of this as me making up for what I did to ya during training today~" she cooed before pecking him in the crevice of his neck on the left side.

"A…Adena, y…you really don't have to…I…I mean what if Vesta catches us?"

"Oh please. She's downstairs making us dinner. And besides, she knew I was gonna come up here anyways. She actually encouraged it~"

"Tch…you two really are just…"

"Heh, you're so cute when you're not honest with yourself."

"I…I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Uh-huh, just like if you were really against this, you'd be fightin' me off of ya~"

"That…tch…"

Adena merely chuckles before pressing against the boy even more hugging him close. Even though he was embarrassed by the situation at hand, she was right about him in this moment. The Stormbringer was not trying to fight her off. In fact, it was a pleasant distraction and an effective method to pull him back to reality since he was almost having a near mental breakdown just a second ago.

"Thank you, Adena."

"Hm? For what?"

"Just…being here right now; I was almost lost in something."

"I understand but try not to overthink things and take the time to actually enjoy the peace we have right now. Besides, with our lives there's no telling when another big conflict will break out."

"You have a point…"

"Right, so that means we need to enjoy every moment we get with each other too~" Adena spoke softening her tone with a seductive whisper. It was then that the female slid her right hand down the youth's toned frame down to the lower region of his body. Becoming alert of this motion, Raizo tensed slightly.

"H…Hey, watch where you're….eh?!!" he spoke in a slightly elevated tone.

"Hmm, I'm just feeling a little curious. Heh, were ya this squirmy when Vesta got a hold of ya?" she playfully stated still inching her way lower and lower.

"I…I don't wanna…talk too much about that," stammered the embarrassed individual.

"Precisely, so ya need not fight me on this. I told ya I called dibs next~"

"W…wait…you mean…you want to do THAT…n…now?!"

"Although the idea is indeed enticing, I'll pass…for now. BUT! That doesn't mean I'm not gonna take this chance to…familiarize myself with ya a bit~"

"W…well…f-fine, if that's what…you want and all…I guess…"

Soon enough, Adena reached down a little bit more feeling something cylindrical between Raizo's legs. She began to manipulate the item slowly in her warm hand massaging the muscle gently in a gradual fashion going back and forth. The party that it was attached to felt tension well up within him as the blood in his body began to redirect itself in that general direction.

"Ah…" he whimpered a bit trying to control his own sensitivity as a result; however, that noise wasn't escaping Adena's ears.

"Heh, listen at you making cute noises~" she uttered in his ear trying to stimulate his excitement. It was then that she reached for some of the liquid soap that was in the area in which they were showering and drizzled some upon her bountiful chest before rubbing against his back.

"Here, why don't we add a little more fun to the mix?"

"A…Adena…aha…"

"Shush, just relax~"

The redheaded female was now doing two simultaneous actions upon the youth. She continued to use her hand to attend to the lower muscle in the same motion while also maneuvering her breasts in an up-and-down motion on his back lathering the soap while she was at it. Being slightly taller, the alpha female's body nearly dominates the body of the Stormbringer but it wasn't weight that was getting him. The dual stimulation had gotten to the point where his knees began to buckle. His breathing became heavier as well due to the intensity of what he was feeling. He leaned forward ever so slightly keeping himself standing by extending both arms against the marble wall as support.

"Oh my, look at this reaction here~" Adena commented as she felt the object in her hand swell up and stiffen. She had to adjust her grip starting from the bottom of the shape grasping it firmly but not too strongly. It was then that she stroked it up and down in tandem motions with the way she was moving her breasts against his back. She continued to do this to the male more and more trying to resist the sudden excitement building in her. If she let those instincts take control…well she did not want to think about that or even acknowledge it.

"Adenaaa…p…please…you gotta…st-stop before I…" Raizo protested in broken words muffled by his own groans trying to escape his parting lips but he bit his bottom lip to quiet himself.

"It's okay Raizo, just let it go. You'll feel better if you do babe~" Adena uttered promiscuously. She amplified her stimulating hand motion as well as the coordination of using her soft orbs of flesh against his back until eventually the youth's body gave in. Some moments had passed before a thick substance emerged from the muscle she kept working in a result. A slight convulsion came from the male as he exhaled heavily from the result. The mysterious liquid coated Adena's hand but was slowly being washed off thanks to the jets of water above them flushing away all of the contents that burst from her hand as well as what splattered everywhere else down the drain.

"Wow, you really had quite a lot there. So that's how it is for a guy eh? My curiosity is satisfied but…looks like further investigation will be needed for another time~" Adena winked suggesting that she was only done with the boy for now.

Raizo could not really say anything back to her because of how drained he felt and the fact that his mind was relatively muddled at the moment. He tried to adjust his position but wound up leaning his back against the wall trying to catch his breath. Seeing this, Adena merely leaned up against him once more but this time from the front.

"We should probably get ourselves cleaned up you know, but then again…you kinda built up my own excitement. So why don't you treat me this time?" she suggested lifting the Stormbringer's chin up before pressing her lips against his. Raizo merely placed one hand on her face accepting it at this point knowing that he didn't mind this time right now but he wasn't honest with himself enough to say it. As their lips parted, the male blushed once more before nodding.

"It's…only fair so…"

His girlfriend only gave him a slick smile before grabbing his other free hand and leading it towards her lower space where her heat had been concentrated. Guiding him and shaping his fingers to her liking, she then began to instruct him on what to do by moving her hips on his hand taking advantage of this time they had in the shower.

After a good twenty minutes or so, the couple finished with their 'quality' time and managed to finally shower off the sweat they worked up during their joint training session as well as each other's 'excitement' of spending time together in that intimate setting. Now wearing their casual wear—a white shirt and black pants for Raizo and a blue tank-top and brown shorts for Adena—the Stormbringer and Benihime found themselves in the dining hall of the large estate where the Godspeed just finished preparing their meal.

"You're both right on time. I just finished making dinner," she spoke warmly as the dishes were all aligned on the table. A wide variety of seafood dishes had been presented on the table along with servings of rice and some vegetable dishes to balance the diet out.

"I see sushi, I'm already pleased," Raizo said bluntly eyeing the rolls of rice and raw fish on the table. The male had to wipe his mouth a bit as the raging sound of hunger echoed out in the room.

"Damn babe, you're really starvin' aren't cha?" Adena snickered elbowing the boy in his side gently.

"Heh, I had a feeling you'd like that Raizo-san. Let's sit down and eat," Vesta spoke invitingly. As the children of fire and thunder sat down respectively, they clasped their hands together.

"""Thanks for the food!"""

After the trio enjoyed their meal, more time had passed. Time was drawing closer and closer to midnight as the closing minutes of Year 1025 ticked away. To get ready for the New Year to begin, Vesta and Adena went upstairs to their bedrooms to change into something more festive as per the Godspeed's request. Meanwhile, Raizo merely grabbed a black haori to wear then entered outside into the back garden that sat along the riverbank gazing up at the luminous full moon hovering above surrounded by the glistening of the stars.

"Beautiful…" he mumbled aloud to himself as the sight of the heavenly bodies above gave him pause. A few minutes passed before he was joined by the two women.

"Raizo-san~" Vesta called out.

"Yeah? Oh…wow," Raizo replied turning around before being awestruck by the sight that awaited him.

Adena and Vesta were currently sporting traditional festival wear in the form of yukatas. The redheaded woman's hair was tied neatly in a long braid tight-knit in a double-helix pattern having on her bangs draping down on both sides of her face. The navy blue dress had white lotus petals printed upon the fabric as it adhered to her well-defined yet curvy figure. From top to bottom, she went from being this alpha female presence to appearing like a dutiful wife or a holy maiden. The moonlight captured her cobalt hues as the radiance made her allure glisten that much more causing Raizo's heart to nearly skip a beat.

Vesta was dressed in a similar dress except hers was a lavender shade with rose petals printed on them. Her long, white hair was neatly tied into a pony tail that draped from the top of her head also leaving her bangs free. Though more petite than Adena, her body was not without generous curvature as well forging the sight of being a bride-to-be.

"How do we look?" Adena inquired in a warm, inviting tone that was more feminine than she normally spoke. Both she and the female Stormbringer both posed a bit trying to gauge a reaction from the male before them.

"G…Gorgeous," Raizo spoke honestly without delay. He felt like his heart was in his throat again and found it difficult to breathe. He also didn't expect to reply so quickly so embarrassment soon flowed as his face heated up as red as his eyes.

"Well then, someone really enjoys what he sees," Vesta remarked winking at the boy.

"I…um…well…heh…"

The Crimson Harbinger had become speechless at this point so he just turned away to try and catch his breath. As he did so, both girls sashed up to the left and right of him rubbing his back at the same time to calm him down. Going from the moon's position in the sky, it was almost time for the Year 1026 to come in.

"It's almost midnight. Shall we count down from ten altogether?" Vesta asked.

"Then set off some fireworks at the same time?" Adena followed.

"Sounds good to me," Raizo nodded in agreement.

"""10…

9…

8…

7…

6…

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"""

While they were counting down, Raizo and Vesta charged lightning in their right hands while Adena charged fire in hers. Upon reaching '1' in the countdown, they discharged the energy simultaneously causing a massive collision of light in the sky. With that, the three warriors had dismissed the previous year and welcomed in the new one with a big bang. With all of the hardships and heartaches of the Year 1025 officially over, it was time to make new memories as well as work towards a brighter tomorrow featuring the Year 1026.

"Oh and one more thing," Adena spoke looking down at Raizo then over to Vesta.

"Yeah, that's right," Vesta nodded toward the redheaded female.

"Er…what's up?" Raizo inquired with a tilt of his head confused by the words of the two.

It was then that both females leaned in and kissed the youth as close to his lips as space would allow causing the male to instantly dive into embarrassment. Pulling away slightly, both girls smile at him.

"Always start the New Year with a kiss, Raizo-san," Vesta winked.

"Otherwise you'll have bad luck~" Adena added on yielding a similar action.

"R…right…" the former blood wolf nods having no room to protest against them.

With that, the three set their eyes towards the sky to relish in the beauty of the night ready to face the dawn of a new day tomorrow.