The morning sun beams hazy like shafts of light on to the very land of Taivas, it was a nice warm morning with the cool breeze nipping the very cheeks of mine. It wasn't like the warm wind of Lasair in Drakon where it was hot all year round with cold nights to cool down the scorching sand.

Sitting above the grass enjoying the lovely morning, I watched the two Ventus brothers duel each other with their wooden swords. Neil had held his position firmly, but Ben was a little sluggish however I didn't blame him since he had been bed ridden for the past month.

Ben went for a strike, digging his heel in the ground and pushed himself towards his older brother with a battle cry, swinging his wooden blade to the side to get a better angle strike at Neil. The silver air head had reacted quickly, sliding to the side and then to bring down his own wooden blade on Ben's.

The little brat lost his balance and stumbled but to quickly regain it again. "No fair big bro. Your supposed to go easy on me" Ben said, his violet eyes staring at Neil with disappointment.

Neil smirked, tapping the tip of his wooden blade on Ben's shoulder "A knight never duals in an easy manner" the air head explained, those silver eyes full of life again and not a single sight of emptiness and depression. "And beside if I wasn't going easy on you, I would have-"

The silver haired idiot pounced on Ben, putting him in a head lock and shuffling the little brat's shiny silver hair. Ben laughed hysterically enjoying the love and admiration from his air head of an older brother. "Had in you in this position" Neil smiled brightly.

A light chuckle left me as I watched the two have fun with each other again. It was nice to see them be like this again.

'Sorry Ariana but Neil isn't going to be one of your loyal dogs in the future. Neither would he join you to find the crystal that doesn't concern him anymore then to die because of your stupidity just like in the novel' the sudden words of the woman suddenly rushed back, ruining my mood again.

I felt my blood run hot from the frustration. What did she mean? Novel? Neil's death? Crystal?

It was sleepless nights that have had me up thinking of what that females voice has spoken in my head. I had brought myself to believe that it was Diana who spoke in my head after a whole lot of doubts and debating to myself.

It was the time I saw Diana in front of the giant doors of the palace that her eyes locked with mine and I felt that spark in my heart before it become more intense when she passed by but that time it had forced me to my knees, and I was able to read her mind for a couple of seconds.

That is what confuses me.

I had seen Diana a few times years ago at banquets and I was never forced on my knees. So why now? Why did everything happen now?

However, the trigger to the mind reading must have started with the spark. The same feeling of a dragons command that sparks a lightening feeling in the heart but the spark I felt was more overpowering like a dominance of an Alpha dragon over the smaller ones.

All this doesn't add up, it concerns me that maybe Diana possess an ability similar to mine. That also troubles me. No one except for the descendent of the first king and the Drakon's first emperor can possess the dragon's power and only one every lifetime.

There is no one but me, the dragon prince who is born with it. There is no such thing as an Isvandy from the lower class to be born with it, especially a title of Dragon princess.

My eye twitched from annoyance of not able to come up with a straight answer. 'Could she have used forbidden magic?'

I sat there dazed in my own thoughts when I heard Ben's voice call out for me.

"Brother Lykos?"

I looked up at the little prince staring down at me with his adoring violet eyes that had questionable gaze, his head tilted a little to the side.

I raised my hand and shuffled his soft silver hair and smiled. "It's good to have you back little airhead". An innocent laugh came from him.

The thought of losing Ben to the disease came to mind, and I felt the same tightened tug in my chest. I didn't want to think what would have happened to Neil if we did lose Ben.

I owe Diana for saving Ben's life. It's a shame I never got to tell her that maybe if I do meet her, I might tell her that and probably get my questions answered.

The sudden realisation of Diana made me stiffen 'If there is a possibility that Diana has come to have such power like of the King, she cannot go to Drakon. The bastard of a scum must never know she exist.'

'I must prevent her from going anywhere near Drakon don't want that scum to come hold of that power or war would definitely break out between the 5 kingdoms. Only the Gods knows what he might do, and I might have a clue'

I hurriedly stood starting the air head princes' from their spot.

Neil gave me a questionable gaze "Lykos is there something there matter?" he asked.

"There's nothing just some unfinished business I have to get back to" I lied. I don't want to get Neil in any mess or any danger. He already had enough on his plate, and I want him to relax before he gets back to his prince duties.

Neil's thin eyebrows come together to form a knot and he frowned. "I don't know the reason to your problem, but I do know there is something your hiding from" his tone was dangerous, and the air had changed around him.

I turned around to avoid any certain eye contact "You always think there is something wrong. Don't worry I'm just paying my dear scumbag of a father a visit" I waved off.

"Lykos" there it was, the tone of a king that had made me freeze and cock my head back. Neil wasn't pleased with the answer and his face showed it. The same worried look of a dear friend. "I can sense the very air from you. Your lying. You have nothing to do with your father but there is something else that your not telling me and I don't know why"

I stared at him blankly before turning away. "Even if I'm lying why would it matter to you what I'm going to do" I said shuffling the side of my red hair. Neil is my best friend and I always trust his word but after what I had heard, I've gone paranoid at the slightest thing and had clung myself to close to Neil. I think it would be safer if he stays in the safety of his palace.

Neither do I want him to worry about my business and get him worked up about finding Diana, it might just send him to his death not like Diana would kill him but the things out there would.
It would be safe if I just deal this on my own.

There was a shocked silent and I didn't see his expression. "Because I'm your best friend and I have always been by your side the very moment you were born." Neil spoke rather betrayed by my words. "You always stayed beside me when I was in trouble or needed help but whenever it comes to you..." he had choked on his own words.

I turned to the side and gave him a cold side glance. "You always bared everything yourself, your father, your mother's death, countless assassination attempts and everything else in that dreaded castle you call home, yet I was never there..." He balled his hands beside him "or when you I tried to do something you never wanted it, always shrugging it away and doing your thing to solve it"

I stood there silently. He was right about one thing; I had never gotten his help for anything. I just never wanted him to ruin his perfect life with mine. He grew up with a loving family, loving younger brother, a kingdom that didn't want him dead. So why would I let him ruin it for the sake of me.

It's the reason I always did everything myself, without anyone's help but my own. It never stirred trouble for anyone except for the people who started it.

I looked down at the very hand that rested on the handle of my blade, the same hands that was stained with blood at a young age.

Even as a kid I once tried to turn him away afraid he might got caught in the same trap as I have but being the stubborn air head he is, Neil didn't.

As a best friend I want him to live peacefully without me being there to ruin it, that's why I must deal with things on my own even if it is risky.

"Neil as a best friend to another, let me continue dealing with my problems like always have without you in the picture"

Neil's silver eyes twinkled, and he held back his tears. "Why can't you lean on me for once?" he mumbled loudly.

"Because if I did, I might lose the only person I call family" I said coldly before turning away.

A cold gust of wind blew towards me and held my feet firmly on the ground.

A hand had suddenly grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me back. I was face to face with Neil's threatening gaze.

"Even if you don't tell me what's going on, I will follow you to the ends of Alphyria. Just like you always have with me." The certainty of his voice made me shiver and I sent him a hostile glare that he too returned back "I won't let you deal with whatever that is going on, alone again. Not this time"

I scrunch my face into a scowl 'Neil you airhead bastard'.

~Artemis P.O.V~

I munched on a small loaf of bread while I fiddled with my kunai around my fingers. Admiring the wonderful craftsmanship of the black smith from Aureum while I waited for Jackal to finish destroying the evidence like I told him too.

"May I ask why I must do this?" he finally questioned since the past 30 minutes he looked like he was going to burst out with questions he was holding back.

"So, no one knows we were here" I said bluntly giving him a dead panned expression.

"But who though?" he asked.

"Anyone really." I said as I threw the kunai above my hand, watching it twirl gracefully mid-air before falling back down then to be caught by the middle of my two fingers. "You want to be like me don't you. Someone who can blend in the shadows and silently attack the enemy from behind"

He nodded his head without hesitation.

"Well then the to become one you must the learn the art of secrecy"

"The art of secrecy?" Jackal said a little uncertain. "It just sounds like your making things up just to prevent you from actually teaching me" the little brat crossed his hands and narrowed his eyes at me.

I sweat dropped at his snarky comment. "Listen here you little shit. I tell you what I want to tell you. I teach you what I want to teach you" I aimed the tip of my Kunai at him "And the first thing you need to learn is to keep your tracks hidden from anyone or anything. You can't let anyone know you were here or anywhere in that matter, or you have defiantly blown your cover"

His brow lifted up and the shape of his mouth changed to an 'O' "I see. The art of secrecy" he fisted his hand on his palm. "I must never reveal my tracks"

"Ugh" I rolled my eyes back. 'This kid is clearly stupid and annoying. How will I be able to train him to became a ninja. This is going to be a long and difficult journey'.

He was skinny little kid that looked very vulnerable and could be knocked out with just a slap in the face.

"What a stupid human cub" Homura said shaking his head with a sweat panned expression. "Very disappointing"

'I know right'

Me and Homura watched how Jackal placed the stones where we found making sure the black ashes weren't seen and hidden from view and when he was finished the only thing left was the black soot and the burnt away ground.

Now I had to figure a way to get rid of it. I don't plan on doing the grave thing because I have a feeling Edmond that douche bag had already seen it and might find it suspicious if he is still tracking me down.

Immediately I remembered what Demarcus had said to me once.

"No" Homura had suddenly spoken as if he had read my mind.

"Huh?" I rose an eyebrow.

"Pixies or Fairies never linger to near around human lands even if they are a few acres away. So, you thinking that the fairies would grow the vegetation back on where you had your campfire, your mistaken" Homura said getting up to stretch his tail and legs.

'Way to ruin my mood, Homura. Now I feel like an idiot'

"What did he say?" Jackal questioned, those brown eyes reflecting curiosity. I had told him I understand animals since after all he will be coming along yet I'm not planning to tell him about my real identity from a different world.

I didn't tell him anything else about myself and neither did I lie like I had with the witch. I'll just let it be a mystery.

"Nothing important yet enough to ruin my idea" I waved it off with a gesture of my hand.

Homura decided to snap back with his own snarky reply "I didn't ruin your idea, I just stopped you from making a fool out of yourself in front of the human brat. Not like your any better then him"

My eye twitched and I had the urge to strangle him and listen to him gurgle like Homer does to Bart.

Jackal hummed in response. "What was your idea?"

"Don't worry about it"