"You're friends with a Khun too!" I fired back at him, feeling myself slowly tearing up. This is the first time that we have gotten into a really aggressive argument. And as a brother who I've not seen in long years and I treasured dearly, it pains me.

"That's different," He remarked before again crossing his arms with his eyes still glued onto mine. "Hatzling and I are simply associated because we are teammates, and we are both part of Wolhaiksong."

Hatzling made a pained sound and put a hand on his chest. "Ouch. I'm just a teammate to you?" He sarcastically acted hurt.

His words were ignored as Zan continued in a demanding and authoritative tone. With his brows scrunched and eyes sharp, he continued. "Have you forgotten all the words father had told us? Or have you forgotten the information that Zen told you in the Workshop Battle?"

Zin stopped on her comeback at his response. She went back to past events and remembered all the words that their father, and Zen had told her.

"Treat the Khuns as if they are your family, and betray them in the end."

"The agreement that Jahad will marry our father's most strongest, capable, and beautiful daughter. The one who was born with a special ability. The so called chosen one."

At that Zin completely froze on her spot. Her face softened in despair as realization struck her like lightning. She completely forgot all of those things, well she couldn't help it after all the only thing she cared after the Workshop Battle was to be with her friends and Khun. Resulting for her to forget such important aspects such as these.

Her mind went back to the past when she would act distant and cold towards the Son of Khun, this is because just like what her father said she must treat the Khuns as her family and then betray her. But as someone who has been betrayed by the people she loved, she created this promise for herself to not do it to anyone. She had already felt the pain of betrayal, she doesn't want others to feel it, just like how Bam was betrayed by Rachel, it's something that really triggers her.

Now that she's thinking about it, she never thought about betraying Khun ever. Sure there were times that she thought of him as simply a companion and will most likely part ways from him once she achieved her goal, but after all these years they've spent with each other, the relationship they have built, how could she leave him? Worse even, betray him?

As someone who was taught about loyalty to the family, Zin is hesitant. Normally she would have picked her family, but then again her family betrayed her so what if she does the same thing? But after recalling the words of Zen about her meant to be married to King Jahad scares her, to which then leads to her conclusion.

Jahad knows about her existence, and if he finds out about Zin's and Khun's relationship, it will be a big trouble. Not only because Zin is breaking the agreement her father and Jahad made (despite them thinking she's oblivious to it), and the fact that a Klavis is dating a Khun. Who knows what outcome would come?

Kind of like a Romeo and Juliet situation.

Zan sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his platinum locks. "Look, I know you're deeply fond with that Son of Khun, I would've normally supported your relationship with anyone and whatever circumstances. But in this case......now that you're aware of the whole arrangement that father had made with King Jahad, please think this thoroughly. Your life, and even Khun's life may be on the line." He ended with a serious expression.

Gripping the ends of her dress' skirt, the sky eyed girl stared down on the floor with a deep and conflicted mind. It was unfair, she thought. She was just dating Khun and everything seemed so perfect and euphoric, until this whole thing came crashing to her and destroying everything.

However, anger first took over her. "I'm more curious that you know about the arrangement thing. How could you not tell me in the past?" Zin's voice laced menace, remaining low toned but the aggression could be felt.

Gulping, Zan's adam's apple was visibly rolling on his neck as he swallowed a lump that had formed out of his anxiousness. He had expected for this question to come so he prepared to reveal anything honestly. "The whole reason I joined in Wolhaiksong was so I could find out the mysterious scheming that our family had been doing." He revealed.

At that the female Klavis lifted her head in astonishment by his answers. "What do you mean? You've known for a long time?"

"Yes," he began. But before Zin could pounce on him, Zan lifted a hands and motioned for her to listen and stay calm. "But of course at first it was just a suspicion," he immediately clarified, bringing downs his hand back and Zin going back to her original position.

The male Klavis took a deep breath and released it and then carried on. "It was when Zen and I were still little. One day, when we were snooping around being the brats we were, we heard a conversation that changed our perspective on our family, and the whole 'chosen one' belief."

☂☂☂

A young duo of Zen and Zan were running around the halls of the Klavis estate at a late time. Wearing their nightwears and their bedheads making their young appearance extra adorable, Zen was hugging a crocodile plushie as he rubbed his eyes with Zan dragging him in the dark and echoed hallways.

Yawning lightly, the red eyed Klavis, Zen, asked his brother. "Big Bro Zan......why are you suddenly dragging me?" he finished with a hoarse voice.

The older green eyed Klavis, Zan, only cheekily grinned at him and his eyes glint with mischief. "We are going to go to an.........adventure!!!"

"Adventure??"

"Yeah!! Like those stories my mother told me about, she told me about different people's adventures in the Tower!!" Zan quietly beamed.

Uninterested, Zen only blinked his eyes and snuggled onto his crocodile plushie. "Mother never tells me any stories..."

"That's because your mother is a tyrant maniac."

"I....can't disagree."

"Hehe," Zan lightly giggled at his agreement. "Mother told me stories about father's journey in the Tower. The great adventure of Zynkedon Klavis and his other companions!!"

"But, Big Bro Zan...." Zen suddenly stopped on his tracks, resisting the pulling of Zan which caused for the red eyed boy to stop as well. He looked back with a puzzled expression plastered on his face as he observed Zen, who hugged his crocodile plushie tighter as a way to cope for his hesitation and fear of his upcoming question. "Don't you ever wonder, when father or the elders and our mothers talk about adventures and the outside world, they never go into details about it."

Zan made a face of cringe. "Eh? So what? I'm sure they do that in order to protect us! We're just kids after all, they probably think we're not that mature enough to know things about the Tower and beyond our location."

"But we're not normal kids, Big Bro Zan. They teach us how to...slay, to hurt, to manipulate others, and give us deadly weapons."

"Well.....you do have a point..." Zan scratched the his nape and completely faced Zen, a look of conflict now evident on his face.

The green eyed Klavis dropped a glance at the red eyed one before going back to stare at the floor and hugged his plushie tighter once again. "I think, they're hiding something from us."

"Hiding?" Zan tilted his head to the side quizzically.

Nodding, the younger brother continued. "Because whenever I would be just walking around when mother's talking to one of the elders, she would get mad at me and accuse me of being nosy when I'm not even interested on what they're saying."

Holding his chin, Zan nodded in agreement. "That's true. They do always act very defensive when they discuss things with each other, like a very simple walking by immediately catches them off guard..."

"Well I mean I get that there matters that us children shouldn't be peering about—!" Zen waved his hands a little agitated as a little blush formed on his cheeks. "But isn't it a bit too much to accuse a child like us? We're not capable of doing anything honestly, if we did we would've changed the system of this clan a long time ago right? That's why we follow the laws, we wouldn't try to scheme behind their back especially if it has nothing to do with us," a short pause emitted from the two before Zen carried on with his conclusion. "Maybe the thing they're hiding—"

"Has something to do with us?" Zan interrupted and pointed a finger on Zen as an action of him understanding him.

Fastly nodding, Zen pointed a finger back in excitement that someone had understood him, especially Zan the sibling he's the most closest with. "Exactly!"

"Well you see Zen, this is why we are going to go to an adventure! Just because of what you said I've become more desperate in making an adventure of our own. We will find out that secret your talking about." Zan suddenly declared and placed his hands on his hips, chin held high and chest out as he acted high and mighty.

Zen blinked his eyes in surprise. "W-Wait right now?!" He whispered yell.

Zan nodded gleefully, smiling widely. "Right now!" He whispered yell back.

^_______^ <------- Zan

O_______o <------- Zen

"Are you out of your mind?! Things like this should be planned out!!"

"Mother said that adventures are full of mysteries, if we plan things out, our adventure won't be full of mystery."

"But this isn't supposed to be an adven—!"

Both immediately held their breath and stopped their speaking once they saw a shadow on the clear ground of the hallway emitting from the slightly opened door beside them. They didn't even notice that they're actually close to the meeting room of the elders of their family.

The duo sucked in a breath as nervous took over their system. Zan was the first one to react and immediately went to cover Zen's mouth with his palm and pulled him to hide behind a large vase close by the door. The vase was very large it was able to hide their tiny bodies.

Muffled voices began to erupt from the slightly opened door and the shadows grew larger meaning that the people are coming closer. Zan crouched down and made Zen to as well. The younger Klavis, Zen, however was trying to tell the eldest that they should run away and go back to their rooms because they will surely get in trouble if they get caught.

But Zan quickly shushed him, not much to his surprise. "Shut it, Zen! What if this is the answer to your question? This is one of the very rare times where we get to hear what the elders are talking about."

At that Zen stopped resisting and understood Zan. Truly this is a great opportunity for them to find out what really is their family is hiding.

The brothers whipped their heads once the voices started speaking, having a conversation between two people.

"Ugh. A boy was born." The voice was disappointed.

"Well, to be fair, Lady Zinlester was the first one to come before Master Zonkiro. At least now the clan has two girls to pick from and to test with."

Both Zen and Zan widened their eyes in surprise. At this time Zon and Zin we're only newborns, Zin being older for a few months than Zon. They were surprised that they mentioned them since they are literally just infants who are not even capable of walking.

"But it would be still better to have more girls for more options, what if Zinlester turns out to be another disappointment just like Zyndira? That girl has not talent when it comes to shinsu, and yet she focuses on becoming a Wave Controller. Tsk."

"Now now, put some respect on their names. These are direct descendants of the great Zynkedon Klavis, you'll get in trouble if people hear you. Besides, Zyndira is still a child, she still has more time for progress, be patient."

"But King Jahad doesn't have any patient left!" The man aggressively responded. "We need a heir now!"

'King Jahad?' Zan and Zen wondered, their brows furrowed as they continued to peer onto these two grown men's conversation. They had no idea who the hell King Jahad was.

"Calm down friend," the other man tried to soothe. "I'm repeating these are children, even if they are born with unique traits for being born as direct descendants, they need growth."

The man clicked his tongue. "I just hope that the last child will be a girl, Lord Zynkedon has stated that he will no longer give any birth to any children after this one."

"Don't think too negatively. King Jahad stated that he will give us all the time we need, I know you're scared that he might get angry but I'm sure King Jahad is not immature enough to break an agreement."

"Our whole livelihood is on the line with these children, I'm just trying to make sure." The man puffed.

Then a brief cackle was then heard from the other man. "Don't worry, I heard King Jahad is not picky when it comes to girls. I'm sure as long as we raise a lady of etiquette, beautiful, strong and wise King Jahad will accept it."

The two young boys shoulder went up and their eyes widened than ever before in shock. Despite being young, both Zan and Zen are wise young boys with matured mindset when it comes to certain topics, and in this topic they're quite sure that it is 100 percent problematic. A dark scheme that has been going on for years and years in their family. A scheme wherein the innocents are being victims and powered are taking advantage.

Both of them felt their goosebumps rise in fear. They had never expected for any of this. But what mostly took their system was anger, why in the world that their sisters have to be treated this way? So are them, their brothers, used as a distraction and excuse to make things more natural to the public eyes? Is the people even aware of this? Because from what they all know and what their mentors had taught them, the chosen one is their savior, the one that will bring back their family's honor and pride.

But, is this what you call, saving? Offering an innocent child and grooming them to a mad king? They know that age doesn't really matter that much in their kind, especially since their father has been granted immortality, but still!—

"All we need is the 'chosen one', the one being offered to King Jahad."

☂☂☂

~END OF CHAPTER 23~

(MY DREAM ANEMO TEAM IS FINALLY COMPLETE!!!!)

(idk why my screenshot is low quality) My luck truly knows no bounds I finally have Xiao now I can forget the trauma I had developed when I first pulled on his first release and got Jean <3 however this luck of mine seems to not apply in the artifact domain :')

Lowkey I'm wishing for mihoyo to release another male teenage body genshin character that's anemo lol, I rlly regret getting lumine instead of aether ToT (no hate to lumine tho i just wanna make the 4nemo team :P)

Since we're in the topic of genshin, may I know what character is your main? (if you play) Mine is kazuha and now Xiao as well along with Ganyu, but mainly Kazuha :))

I apologize for any wrong stuff in this chapter and confusion it's unedited :<

Hope you enjoyed the chapter pls don't forget to vote!! Votes really motivates me a lot :))

-Ave