Kaybol landed on the ground before rolling away quickly - just in time to avoid Bukon's dropkick.

"Oi, come back here!" Bukon said with a smirk. Kaybol couldn't help but laughter, too.

"Alright, If you insist." He said, before he launched onto Bukon. He tackled him hard, but the other was quick. He swapped into his Naiyatsu form in an instant, wrapping himself on Kaybol's arm. Kaybol flinched ever so slightly, before transforming too. The snake and the fox wrestled in the sand, exchanging blows and bites. Luckily, Naiyatsu contracts included a built-in ability that nullified a negative effect. A Naiyatsu will be completely immune to harm from another Naiyatsu - as long as it is part of the Naiyatsu itself.

The two eventually worn themselves out, switching back to their Vastoari forms. They were laughing.

"I hadn't gone a proper spar like this for ages!" Kaybol managed to chuckle between breaths.

The smaller boy laughed too, exhausted.

Hilliya was sitting on the back porch, watching into the dome that was the summer garden.

"You two are a menace." she sighed, leaning on the porch rail.

Kaybol stood up, offering a hand to Bukon.

"You're not bad, y'know." He said with a smile. Bukon smirked.

"You're not as rusty as I thought, either! We should do it more often!" the boy returned.

Hilliya groaned, and the two boys burst out laughing from her expression.

"Seriously," Bukon snickered, "where does a Kiadra buy a pair like you?"

Kaybol's laugh died down almost immediately.

Bukon looked at him, confused. Then, his eyes widened in understanding.

"Oh, you two are foundlings.." He said awkwardly. "I... see."

Hilliya rubbed her arm, not really revealing how she felt. "You could say it."

Kaybol sighed. He and Hilliya both agreed on this topic; The trade of Vastoaris as pets was one of they were never fond of in the Nyxian society. While the Nyxian treated the Vastoaris fairly, for Kaybol it felt too close to the Feedens. But he couldn't tell that to Bukon. He was his master's pet, not a cub like they were to Auraiiya. He won't understand.

"Achlys Jewels are not sold." He said instead, stating a truth.

Bukon looked at him, bemused. "Ah.. um... Jewels are super-rare, that's what I heard. Is that why?"

Kaybol raised his eyebrow. He expected the pet of a Glissao to learn a bit more. Unless..

"How old are you?" Kaybol asked.

Bukon blinked at the sudden question. "I'm 5, why?"

"No," Kaybol emphasized, "the real you."

"... 62." Bukon was visibly not happy to speak about it. He seemed like one of the pets that really always wanted to stay a child - a thing that happens often when you contract yourself to immortality.

Can't blame him. Kaybol thought.

If it wasn't for having memories from all his previous lives - he would've clung to his little child persona too. In fact, he tried - It just slipped too often. He could only try to minimize his knowledge in front of his mistress.

Kaybol put his hand on Bukon's shoulder, before he spoke.

"Achlys Jewels are... Special. We exist for far longer than the common souls, even with no contracts." He began. "The legend says Achlys herself made us from her blood and tears - designing her 'Jewels' to stay pure-hearted always. But... We reincarnate. Reborn over and over, with that pain carrying over and ever-growing."

The boy shook his head.

"We are cursed, and Nyxians see it as pure." He continued. "They won't sell us - it's a disrespectful treatment for a deity's creation, in their eyes."

Bukon gulped, seeming to understand. He looked like something was on his mind, before he nodded.

"I understand, but.." Bukon began, "Do Nyxians really just, never touch a Jewel?"

"Kinda." Hilliya spoke up. "You either take the Jewel in and treat them kindly, or leave them be. To go against it would be..."

Hilliya then paled. She took a moment, before regaining her composure as if nothing happened.

"...Disrespectful, to the Nyxian law and to Achlys."

She finished, standing up and approaching Kaybol.

The boys looked at her curiously as she leaned down for Kaybol's ear and whispered to it.

"Zu-Chan is in trouble. I have to leave. Could you keep an eye on Bukon?" she said in a low voice.

A concern flashed in Kaybol's face.

"The tracing?" he mouthed. Hilliya nodded. After the Ayalinn incident, Kaybol was grateful his sister did it, and requested her to put it every time Zu-Nii was outside.

"I'll go." He said decisively.

Hilliya was about to protest when Bukon interrupted them:

"Aaand you forgot to whisper. What's going on?"

#

Zu was shaken, stumbling across the forest. His mind was racing.

Nothing made sense anymore.

It could not be, did it? Auraiiya saved him from being melted. There is no chance Ayalinn succeeded, not without his mistress knowing. She must be wrong. She had to be. But what was that she said, about soul fragments? Everyone behaved weird. Like he had magic before Ta'ala helped him. But then again - something was wrong about him since that incident. Or maybe even before?

The mask.

Zu held it in his hands, shaking with fear and exhaustion. He remembered clearly Ayalinn having it, and himself reaching to grab it. And then... Fire. Beautiful, silver fire. Silver, like his circle. It ignited itself, and it was back in his hands almost immediately. But it didn't feel like a new thing. It gave him a feeling he had seen it happening before.

His hands still shook as he lifted the mask, studying it for what felt as the first time ever. His fingers traced the red markings of it.

That sigil... His finger hovered above the one on the forehead part. A circle, with another three quarters of a circles line above it with a spike on top. Another two likes resembling horns.

Is that a crest?

If it was, it didn't make sense. Why would Auraiiya-Sama let him use a mask that has someone else's crest on it? Why not give him a mask with her own crest?

Hesitantly, Zu touched the symbol. It glowed, and his head felt horrible. Memories he didn't know he had violently resurfaced, filling his head with sights of aggressive silver blazes.

He saw that overgrown squirrel charging towards him, he saw the silver flames spiraling around him. He felt the weight of his sword as he slashed through the demon's neck, severing its head from the body. He felt the decisiveness of his action as he and Neva fell off a cliff, and himself engulfing them both in flames as a teleportation method. He sensed that feeling as if a string is tied to his spine, guiding his actions when Hilliya attacked him, as he took a back seat in his own body. 

Zu felt sick, overwhelmed with memories he shouldn't have had at all. He couldn't stop it, or his own mind from fighting again it. His eyes flashed silver rapidly, blinding even himself. His body felt like it's boiling, silver flames erupted around him. He felt that same feeling of being puppeted.

#

Kaybol navigated through the forest, trying to track Zu by scent.

It was not easy. The forest was full of creatures, from animals to bugs to Rinklons.

Kaybol eventually found him sitting alone, his back facing a tree. His mask was on his face. He was sobbing.

"Zu?" Kaybol asked carefully. He tried to get closer.

Zu lifted his head slowly, his breath rapid and muffled from the mask.

"Too loud..." He mumbled quietly. "Everything is too loud..."

Before the boy could react, Zu winced and started coughing. His raw Magyo was bursting from his back, before lunging forward at Kaybol.

The boy summoned his sword of instinct, when a Nyxian girl tackled him off the flames course.

"Are you alright?" Neva huffed, not waiting for an answer. Her shoulder and sleeve looked scorched, but she didn't seem to be bothered. Neva only allowed that short grunt to escape her mouth, as she stood back up. She ignited her circles once more, like wheels by her feet.

"We need to help him." Kaybol began, "His Magyo-"

"Neva... Kaybol..." the rasping voice of Zu interrupted them. "It hurts..."

He was struggling to stand up, his eyes glowing in sliver visible through the mask.

Then, the silver faded. Zu collapsed, surrendering to another coughing fit.

Kaybol rushed to help him up. He removed the mask from his brother's face, as his eyes returned to their usual brown color.

Zu gasped for air, still struggling. He had tears in his eyes as he looked at Neva's shoulder.

"Did I..." He stuttered, "Did I do that to you?"

Neva looked at him worryingly, before nodding silently.

"It's not your fault, Zu." she said soothingly, but Kaybol noticed the nervous twitch in her spear hand.

He realized they were both thinking the same thing - He remembers.

Zu never remembered his own power bursts - something was different.

"The Startail." His brother continued in mounting stress, "I did it too, didn't I?"

Neva nodded, still unsure of what to say. Zu's eyes started to well with tears.

"And now I attacked you!" he said between sniffles. "I attacked by brother and my best friend... Nyx, what's happening to me?!"

"Zu-Nii," Kaybol said reassuringly. "You did nothing wrong. It wasn't in your control, little brother."

Neva nodded, squeezing Zu's hand. Kaybol noticed her slight wince from the pain.

A yelp was heard from the bushes, startling Neva and Zu. Kaybol, however, recognized the voice - and his sense of smell confirmed it.

"Neva, can you please take Zu back to the Zdiosllin?" he asked the Nyxian girl, "I need to get back - Auraiiya-Sama is with a guest, and we can't make a mess today."

He emphasized the end to the now silent bushes. Neva might've noticed, but it was more important to keep Zu calm.

Neva nodded, but Zu shook his head.

"Ayalinn tried to... Catch me again." He muttered, his voice still choking.

"I won't let her touch you, " Neva reassured him squeezing his hand just a little. "Promise."

Zu was still shaken, but nodded as Neva helped him up. Slowly but surely, Neva and Zu left, going back.

Kaybol sighed. He would have to confront Ayalinn later - she probably has no idea she's tempering with a soul fragment. For now, he got another issue to solve.

"Now," Kaybol began, after he leapt beyond the bushes to confront them, "why are you two here?"

He glared angrily at his sister, and the pet of Fijeris Gelo Viqroa, who was tied up at the soft assassin's feet.

Hilliya seemed just as upset as Kaybol felt.

"He snuck away; I tried to catch up in time." she narrowed her eyes at Bukon as well. "How much did you hear?"

Bukon shrugged, still in Hilliya's chains. "Considering you were hiding a sibling, I'll take my guess - too much. A third pet?" he said with an innocent smile.

Kaybol knelt down to look the boy in the eyes.

"We can't let you reveal him." He said sharply.

"Relax, unless Fijeris-Sama asks me directly, your secret is safe with me."

"Would you vow on your immortality?"  Hilliya intervened. Kaybol shot her a glare. That was a step too far.

"Release him, Hilliya." He eventually said. "we're going back home."

#

As the sunset grew nearer, Fijeris and Bukon departed from the Kiadra and her pets. As they made their way to the nearest portal point, Fijeris took a moment to appreciate the summer climate of Paiviaz. Despite the Kiadra of the Abyssal Element living in solitude, the forests around her were not particularly fancy.

"She seems to enjoy the simple life..." the reptile murmured.

"Master?"

Fijeris turned to look at his own pet, and his curious expression.

"Ah, sorry. My thoughts drifted for a moment." He smiled.

They continued to walk in silence for a few minutes, before Bukon spoke again.

"Did you learn anything useful, master?"

"Not much, I suppose." Fijeris answered. "The Kiadra Kagya is very suspicious to others, but she doesn't seem to show much ambition. She won't stand in the way, if we play our cards right." He added thoughtfully.

"I see." the pet muttered. He seemed to be unhappy with the aspect of manipulating a Kiadra.

Fijeris held back a smirk. His pet was a simple-minded specimen. He picked Bukon for being an enthusiastic fighter, and grew fond of him for the past 60 years.

"What about you, Bukon-Tan?" He prompted, "Did you learn anything new?"

Bukon nodded, thinking.

"Achlys Jewels... Reshrahita-Sama is one, right?" he eventually asked.

"Indeed, she is." the Nyxian confirmed. "Our Kiadra invested much time and effort to obtain her."

Bukon's frown deepened.

#

Auraiiya was about to go retrieve her cub, as she heard knocks on the front door. Ta'ala was there, accompanying said cub. They both been strangely silent.

Zutenko looked tired. Drained, even. His sleeves and hood were blackened, even scorched.

Possibly another Odd occurrence, possibly just shenanigans gone wrong. She mused. With Ta'ala here, it could be either thing.

She spread her arms wide and dawned a smile to hide her worry.

"Welcome back, Zutenko-Chan~" she greeted.

Zutenko hesitated for a moment, staring into a blank space before blinking and stepping forward for her hug. She could hear the boy holding back tears.

"I am sure you missed me, dear cub. I know you must have had a rough day." she whispered softly in the boy's ear, feeling him tense up. "However, you look exhausted. Go, dear. Take a bath, rest for a little bit. Alright?"

The cub nodded, and made his way stiffly to his room.

As he vanished from sight, Auraiiya glared at her old friend.

"Was it Ayalinn?" she inquired; her voice cold.

"That, too." Ta'ala replied ruefully. "Another power burst. Multiple, actually."

He then glared back to Auraiiya. "Did you know he is a soul fragment?"

"Naturally." she said after a moment of hesitation.

"Auraiiya," The fox warned, "raising a golem thinking he is a Vastoari-"

"He is not a golem." Auraiiya snapped. Clenching her fists, she glared into her old friend's eyes. He glared back, undeterred. Neither was braking eye contact, until Ta'ala spoke.

"He had another power burst." He spoke, his voice neutral. "The boy now remembers them."

The latter news was enough to make Auraiiya break eye contact. She took a deep breath - That was not supposed to happen.

"How much does he remember?"

"Did Hilliya try to kill him?"

Auraiiya paused at that question, again.

"A long time ago." she admitted eventually. "She had regretted it ever since."

"I see." Ta'ala said, before turning to leave.

"a word of advice;" He added, as he stood a few steps away from the door. "Whatever you plan to stop his fragment from fading - you better working on it faster."

With that, the fox left.

Auraiiya continues to watch him as he vanished in the distance.

"You should know, old friend, that I always do things at my own pace." she said quietly to herself, before closing the door.