They entered the elevator once it finally arrived. All the people that were inside, moved out of the way to let them in. No one went in with them.

Anciel noticed Label looks troubled.

"Listen, there’s no need to answer straight away. I have waited ten years. To wait a little while longer is no issue for me. The last thing I want is to pressure you into something you don’t want, but I do want you to know that it is an option."

"Tell me Anciel, what were you planning? Once you have the republic sorted out, I mean."

"…" The man stayed quiet.

A chime from a small bell marked their arrival as the door slid open. The terrace was at the very top of the highest building in the whole city and thus probably the top of the highest structure ever built by humans.

The kimono-clad man walked up to the handrail.

"Things are complicated. I do not wish to burden you right now."

The blond man joined him. He couldn’t stop gazing at all that could be seen from there. It felt like the whole world was in their palms.

"Anciel…"

"…yes?"

"Are you planning on… controlling the whole world?"

"…controlling the world is impossible."

"…" Label was not happy with the way he avoided the question.

"What I definitely won’t do, is sit by and watch while there are other forces out there, growing and multiplying. They may not stop on ‘controlling’. They may go from ‘conquering’ to ‘destroying’ the world.
You think settling somewhere for a quiet life is an option? Would you be able to hide, while other main pieces on the board are playing their moves? Because, whether you want it or not, Label, we are one of the kings in this game of chess. And I am playing to do a checkmate… on all the other kings."

Label frowned and kept looking at the distance. The sun was slowly going down. It may have already gone down for the rest of the people situated lower, but for the two of them at the top it was still shining.

"Who are the other ‘kings’?" Label asked reluctantly.

"The Emperor of Toukoku; Celehnius Caius, the King of Emnikatia; Rahn Lester the V, and last but not least; The Queen of Orgriash; Milenia."

"You plan on killing them?"

"If necessary, but like I said; things are complicated."

"Well, since you brought me this far, might as well tell me the whole thing."

"Before that, I want to ask you something," Anciel turned to him.

"Shoot."

"The sunset… how does it look?"

"What?" Label turned towards the sun, then back to the man, who had his eyes closed, like always.

Right… he can’t see. It’s so easy to forget that, with how well he is coping. But the truth is, Anciel can only see so far. There are things out there he can never see again, but only remember, like the sky, stars, and the horizon…

I wonder if somewhere deep inside, he can’t forgive me for what was done to him…

"It looks like it’s on fire," Label finally answered.

"…Thank you."

They slowly crossed to the other side of the terrace, to enjoy another view as much as possible.

"How far do you see?" the blond man was curious.

"I see ever further as time passes. I see now, more than I ever saw when I had my eyesight."

He turned to Label and opened his eyes. They were still the two beautiful green emeralds like they always were, maybe now even more so as his face traded its cuteness for handsomeness.
But Label couldn’t keep looking him in the eyes. They looked empty and maybe even frightening.

"I can see in all directions, far into the future, far into the hearts of people."

"And? What do you see?"

"If you saw what I see, you would understand what must be done."

"But I don’t, Anciel."

"Yes, you don’t."

"Maybe that’s for the best."

Anciel closed his eyes and frowned, looking puzzled. Label continued.

"Maybe it’s good that one of us can see people by meeting their eyes. To be able to see them only partially, to let them shift from good to bad inside, without anyone looking.
Maybe that’s necessary for the good to come out in the end. Perhaps judging people before they have a chance to prove you wrong is not the way things were meant to be."

"One more reason for you to be my eyes."

The blond man leaned on the handrail and went silent. He got lost in thought while watching the distant clouds.
Letting Anciel continue without him didn’t bode well. He was only gone for ten years and the changes his friend went through scared him. He wondered what would eventually become of the man had he not awoken at all.

"…I will be your eyes," he said reluctantly.

"Thank you," the dark-haired man replied, but Label had something to add.

"Let me just get this out of the way: when our former Master started training us, he made us promise to use the gained power only for benevolent purposes. He is no longer capable, but if you ever stray from the path he set us on, I will do what must be done in his stead."

Label turned to face Anciel, who already seemed ready with an answer.

"…Of course. I would do the same if you were to ever lose your way," Anciel answered calmly, "But I have infinite trust in you. You would never lose your way, no matter how long you lived. Unlike the one sleeping inside you…"

Label looked toward his chest.

"… but he was eternal. He lived so long, none of us can even begin to imagine it. Not even the immortals that lived, or still live here."

Anciel poked him in the chest and then said something peculiar.

"Actually, I have reason to believe we are immortal as well."

"What makes you say that?"

"Don’t you find it odd? Every immortal we’ve heard of so far was at the same time extraordinarily powerful."

"Hmm… I think it’s because they were powerful, that we heard about them. Who’s to say there are no little, quiet, shy immortal people out there, but we don’t know them because they prefer it that way?"

Label gestured with his hands, describing shapes big and small.

"You could be right, but then again, if you’re anything like me, you can feel it in your guts, in your soul," Anciel put a hand on his own chest.

"…" the blond man has beaten at the argument again. He did feel something of the sort. Especially now that he had witnessed the sensation in his dreams.
The feeling of unaging. It simply can’t be described to those who had never felt it.

"Before you ask, I will tell you what I think. Every immortal has their ‘prime age’ so to speak; the age their body grows to, before it stops growing," the man lifted some of his long dark hair, "It is the same as with our hair; it only grows to the length it is supposed to be, no more, no less."

"Darn… I really hope my ‘prime age’ is not being a grandpa," Label couldn’t maintain a serious face.

"I doubt it. If I had to wager, it is the most efficient age the body will stop at. The one that feels ‘right’ for that person. Yours would be in a little while."

"How’d you conclude that?"

"Because True Label looked just a little bit older and more developed than you are now. Just enough that no one can notice except me."

"What about you?"

"The same as you, like a mirror. We are brothers, after all."

"I consider you a brother, but…"

"No, Label, we are, most certainly, brothers," Anciel wouldn’t drop the idea.

"Okay…I feel the same way."

"Now, the reason I brought you here is to make you summon Albus again."

"Make me?" Label frowned.

"I find it to be the fastest of all possible ways, and if my future predictions are correct, we will need it soon," he started walking towards him.

"Still, what do you mean ‘make me’?" Label started backing up.

"You’ll see," the man was getting closer, as Label was walking backward.

"Hey, don’t fool around…" he touched the handrail with his back, "What are you going to do?" he couldn’t get an answer so he resorted to reading his mind.

There’s no use. You are far too untrained to see my intentions. You can only read my mind as far as I let you.

"Anciel, take one step closer and I’ll blast you off the roof," the blond man took a stance and put his serious face on.

"I want to see you try," the man smiled and took one more step.

"You asked for it!" Label put his arms forward releasing a white pillar of energy at Anciel’s direction erasing in its path the metal floor and leaving a hole in the handrail on the opposite side of the roof.

"You’re not holding back…" the dark-haired man appeared to have evaded it by jumping.

He’s fast!, the blond man watched Anciel’s kimono and long hair floating while he was thinking about what to do next.
He rolled away, dodging the incoming adversary and then separating them by creating a wall of ice in between.

"…such energy…It could have been the end of me," Anciel looked at the path laid by Label’s attack, then turned to him, watching him through the ice.

"Well…I trusted you won’t get hit," said Label with confidence.

"Then why shoot at me in the first place—" he grabbed the hilt of his sword, "—if you don’t intend to hit?" and swung the blade, cutting the ice wall horizontally, then with a fast motion of his other arm, he pushed it strongly towards Label.

"It was just a warning," blondie jumped over it.

Seeing him up in the air, Anciel turned the ice into water in order to grab him, but the water came clean through the man.

"A mirage?"

"You’re not the only one with tricks up his sleeves!" blondie came from his side, ready to punch him straight in the face.

"But I do have the larger sleeves," the dark man caught his fist into the part of his black kimono, wrapping it with a circular motion, "Now, it’s time to—"

"No!!!" Label screamed as he couldn’t get his arm out of the grasp.

"—Fly!" he used the man’s momentum to pull him in and then threw him off the building.

"Anciel!!!" Label was falling down, trying desperately to stop spinning and to breathe normally.

I trust you won’t hit the ground, the dark man sent a whisper from up above.

"Darn it!" he finally straightened up and then spread his arms now heading for the ground in a more controlled manner. He tried to stop his fall with a gust of wind from below, but it just barely slowed him down.

At this speed, it won’t work…

Next, he put his hands together and focused his energy.

Maybe I can slow down if I fire a burst of energy downward. The reactive force should push me up!

"Make way!" he yelled, but the people below were still too far to hear him.

I can’t risk all of their lives…there’s no other way… I gotta try and summon Albus!

"Come on!" he focused on it hard, but the dragon wouldn’t appear.

Albus, I need you. Why won’t you come out?!

He couldn’t figure it out. The last time he summoned his soul was ten years ago. Yet he had no problem wielding the other cosmic states, if anything, he felt his mastery over them had somehow improved, as if he could now control them with ease. All except one. What changed since then?

I see…Albus changed. He is no longer the dragon he was ten years ago. He is now ten years older!

The man assumed a lotus position, to help him concentrate, ignoring the fact that he lost any control he had over his free fall, now spinning in random directions, and yet, maintaining his inner focus by closing his eyes and controlling his breathing.

He was getting closer to the ground with each breath, but he chose to ignore that fact, leaving his fate in the hands of his trusted companion.

"…come Albus. It’s time to reunite."

And at that moment he felt as if he got enveloped by huge scaly arms. He opened his eyes and saw a giant white creature holding him.

"We meet again," Label smiled and the blue-eyed dragon answered with a loud roar.

Albus pulled his large feathery wings, spiraling in the air, throwing Label upwards, and then by leveling himself, he caught him on the large soft back.

"Thanks, buddy," the man slowly went forward, holding himself only by the feathers and scales, "but I’d prefer to be here if you don’t mind. I can hardly keep my balance on your back, now that they are so big."

"Rooooar!" the white dragon had no problem carrying the man on his neck, as both have grown. Still, in comparison to him, Label now seemed even smaller.

Before reaching the ground, they made a loop in the air, grabbing the attention of hundreds of people all around the city.

"Come, let’s go show that idiot that his plan worked."

He tapped Albus on the head, grabbing his long horns afterward. The dragon flapped his wings, now ascending between the towers.

* * *

"Mon Dieu… so that’s what the famous Label’s soul looks like."

Noix quickly wiped his shades and the large circular window immediately after, but to no avail, as the thing was dirty from the outside.

"Lalane! Make haste! I think you’d want to see this!"

"I’m quite busy now, professor. Can’t it wait?" a muffled voice could be heard from an adjacent office.

"Suit yourself, but I don’t think Label will be flying Albus around the city every day…" he smiled.

"Flying …what!" sounds of something spilling and being knocked down could be heard, before the assistant’s head peeked out the door, "Did you say Albus???" she struggled to find her glasses.

"Forget that now, here, use mine," he offered his blue shades.

"Thanks!" she came over and grabbed them, putting them on.

After staring out into a blur, he finally asked her; "So, what do you think?"

"…It’s…beautiful."

* * *

The large dragon almost reached the tallest building’s top, on which Anciel was waiting.

"…throwing me off the building…what an absolute idiot."

"It worked, didn’t it?" the man smiled.

Albus landed as gently as he could, with a few flaps of his great wings, making Anciel cover his face from all the dust, and barely keep standing as his clothes were lifted by the wind.

"Yeah, sure, but what if it didn’t?" the blond man frowned.

"Have you forgotten? I can see the future."

"With absolute accuracy? I don’t think so. You forget I know how it works. There must have been futures in which I fall down and become just a stain on the ground. You moron…"

"Wraaar…" Albus agreed.

"The chances of that happening were minute."

"But you took the risk anyway…"

"The risk was greater if you failed to summon him soon. Like I said, I have a feeling you’ll need him."

Label came down, tapping the dragon in approval.

"Well, if you think I’ll thank you for making me summon him like this, you can forget it."

"I didn’t do it for your gratitude. And I don’t regret doing it," the man was firm.

 "Whatever. So, what’s next?" Label asked.

"Next, you take me for a ride."

"Pffft!! You’ve gotta be kidding me. After what you just did to me? No way."

"Label, don’t be such a child. I’ve been waiting to ride Albus for what seems like an eternity. You know what that feels like. Grant me my wish."

Anciel sounded almost sad, making the blond man soften up.

"…Ah to heck with it. Alright. Jump on. Be careful, if you fall from this height, it would kill even you."

The dark man came closer, but the dragon immediately stood on his hind legs, spreading his wings as a warning.

"Relax…he’s not a bad person. He’s just a little bit crazy," Label caressed the dragon’s leg, "We’ll straighten him out."

"…..Mwrrrr," his big blue eyes calmed down and he went on all four, to give them access to his back and neck.

Label climbed up first, then extended his hand to his friend.

"Come, let’s fly together."

"Wouldn’t have it any other way," Anciel accepted with a smile.