Over the course of many full moons, the usual events unfold in the Western Encanto Capital of Hele. It has been 100 full moons since Aiden Maris agreed to teach Mirano Suri the basics of verbal communication and by now, it is evident that both young boys have grown well.

  The Heleian Encantos noted before the uncanny tie between the Water's Son and the Unknown Child. Wherever Aiden is, Mirano will not be far away. Whatever Aiden does, Mirano is surely doing the same thing; from learning the words of the scrolls, up to foraging on both sides of the Naga River. The Encantos have been used to interacting with Mirano Suri on a daily basis that his title soon didn't suit him anymore. They took note of his amiable character, often ready to lend a hand to any family and his playful attitude and curiosity over whatever Aiden has in store for him. Whether it is combat practice, academic learning, or simply playing under the sun, Aiden and Mirano have been together since then.

  It didn't take long for Mirano to get a good grasp of understanding the general rules of language and other things. With his developing vocabulary, he was able to express his thoughts better than before. Training under Rai Juni strengthened his already formidable fighting skills. Recently, the Lightning's Mistress gave him a set of twelve short blades and trained him to fight with it, saying the blades will make his choice for close combat more deadly, and will give him an advantage against long distance fights. Since Rai is out on a month long journey back to Solferino, Mirano has been training with Aiden in the Beda Rainforest.

  Unbeknownst to the Heleian Encantos, Mirano Suri's affinity with darkness has been prominent throughout his growth. Despite having numerous encounters with them, Mirano spends majority of his time in the Beda Rainforest or under the shades of the lurking shadows around the area. He explained once to Aiden how the dim and dark areas give him solace and strength, so it must have been the motivation for choosing this area for practice.

  Within the documented area of the Beda Rainforest, streaks of the morning sunrays peek past the thick boughs of the tall trees. Some of it hit the faded zigzag designs of the Juni Family's symbol embroidered on Mirano's cloak, tracing out his silhouette and casting off his slim image on the dirt path. The boy's eyes, still bearing its crimson sclera, scans through the area, his senses reaching beyond the first few trees near him, as if scouring the area in search of his target.

  A slight disturbance on his left alerts Mirano and he hops to a nearby branch. Right on time. The wind whistles from that direction and a blade comes shooting to his former position, getting stuck on the tree trunk with a loud thump.

  With a wet trail tracing the blade's origins, Mirano snorts amusingly at the tactic at hand. Looks like it's not just the sharp blade he has to look out for.

  A rain of water-propelled blades comes raining down the branch, weakening it to the point of breaking. Mirano dodged and knocked away the blades, almost losing his balance as the branch eventually fell on its own weight. Luckily, he was able to propel himself in the air, grabbing another branch and swinging down to a thick patch of bushes.

  Mirano eyes the damage the blades left in their wake and wonders: If he had Aiden's elemental capacity, he'll surely best out any other warrior out there. However, without seeing Aiden's movements, he is unable to copy his attacks. The boy runs a hand across his hair in contemplation. There are five blades discarded by the branch; one is stuck in the tree trunk. If Aiden is using all of the blades Mirano had received from Rai, there will be six blades left for him to throw. Will he wait for Aiden to attack or confront him in close combat instead?

  Somewhere in a different area of the Beda Rainforest, Aiden smiles to himself. Seeing Mirano Suri on the defense is a delight. With most of their combat training in the past full moons, it is always about close combat; getting down and dirty with your opponent in a fist fight. Aiden laments that Mirano always win under these circumstances and deduces that it's because Mirano only knows about and excels in that fighting style. Trying a new style to show the prowess of stealth and long range combat might give Aiden a chance to win against Mirano for the first time.

  Aiden watches the last trails of water from his last attack. From that point, it'll be easy for him to target Mirano. Holding the leather grip of one of the blades, Aiden begins to collect a small pool of glowing water on his palm, preparing to shoot the blade down to where Mirano had landed.

  As his thought drifts to triumph, Mirano appears from the bushes and dashes straight to Aiden's location on top of one of the tallest trees in the Rainforest, much to Aiden's surprise. He is able to throw the blade, but without the propellant of his element, has made it easier for Mirano to snatch its handle mid-air. The boy with ebony hair thrusts the handle towards Aiden, which prompts the Water's Son to raise both palms and bring a glowing water shield in front of his face as he falls backwards.

  Barely thwacking the water shield, Mirano lunges forward to catch the branch with one hand, while Aiden raises his hands around him, turning his shield to a protective water bubble hovering in mid-air. Mirano whistles in amusement.

  "I wish I can do that." He teases.

  "In your dreams, Ran-Ran!" Aiden scoffs, not entertaining the obvious teasing. "Still, it's a feat for you to know where I was hiding."

  Mirano hauls his body up the branch with one good swing of his arm. He chuckles, playing with the blade on his arms. "What do you expect? I've been following you for a while. Call it a skill, if you want."

  The sentiment is nice, but Aiden is more focused on their little sparring. Swirling his arms around, Aiden morphs some of the water on his bubble to thin streaks of water resembling glowing tentacles. With every stretch of an arm, the tentacle streaks shoot towards Mirano. In every attempt, Mirano brings the blade cutting the tip of each water streaks while slowly closing in to Aiden.

  Every missed or dodged attack made Aiden click his tongue. His bubble shrinks with every water streak he sends shooting, and his breathing gets rough, signaling that he's running low on Mana. Frustrated at the thought of losing, Aiden gathers the last of his Mana on his left palm, intending to use the remaining water on his bubble to send a massive geyser of water towards Mirano. Surely he won't be able to dodge that.

  Before Aiden could unleash his final blow, however, Mirano had cut past his protective bubble in a swift slashing motion. Their eyes meet in a blink as Aiden's mind declares defeat.

  "How..?" Aiden asks no one in particular as he anticipated the sensation of falling back to the ground. Mirano, however, grabs him by the collar of his blue wool poncho, smiling at him.

  "It's easier to move around the dark. Let's try again in the river bank tomorrow morning." Mirano remarks, his words and expression bearing no signs of contempt.

  The statement has snapped Aiden out of his daydreams. Seeing Mirano in his innocent triumph is one of the perks of losing to him, at least for him. He chuckles and taps Mirano's hand, signaling him to put him down. The other boy agrees and hops out of the branch and down to the ground. "It was a mistake challenging you in your home, huh?" Aiden sighs as he went to pick up the discarded blades.

  "It was nevertheless educational. Looks like there are benefits in this long range combat." Mirano rebuts as he joined Aiden in picking the blades up. "Though I realized that I still excel in close range fighting, after all."

  "Oh, yeah. So that's why you tried getting close to me? That's what it is, right?"

  Mirano nods as he receives the blades from Aiden. He chuckles upon seeing Aiden pouting, as though what he did was cheating.

  "How can I possibly succeed? I do not have the elemental powers to propel my blades across the air." Mirano adds with a shrug of his shoulders.

  Aiden rolls his eyes. "You're skilled at copying our attacks, yes? Plus, you're agile. I doubt there are other ways to get through this practice."

  At the mention of the skill, Mirano hides his face in his cloak, stuttering on his words. Aiden did not notice the boy's reaction for he has been busy trying to take the stuck blade out of the trunk. When he finally took it out, however, the sound of the low horn bellows across the area. The boys exchange looks and their faces light up in delight. Someone must have arrived home.

  They rush out of the Rainforest, making the short trip a race back to camp; with the loser becoming the winner's personal slave for the rest of the day. They both arrive to the graveled area, with Aiden missing a beat because he tripped on a stray firewood. They climb on the wooden fence to see past the crowd of Encantos gathering around the communal bonfire. Chatters of delight and wonder hangs in the air and Mirano and Aiden grins at the sight of Rai Juni and Loire in the middle of the crowd. However, Mirano is the only one fazed by the presence of foreigners.

  "Allow me to introduce two of the High Priests on the Intellectual Society of Solferino." Loire addresses the Heleian Encantos with a calm but powerful voice. She raise a hand to each of the visitor. "This is Seth from the Hearts Order, and his younger brother, Bela."

  There were two individuals towering Agua Carina, dressed in fine white robes, with both of their hair tucked away in what seems to be cream colored veils. The only way to differentiate the two is by the ornaments on their faces. The Priest introduced as Seth has a heart marking under his right eye, while the Priest called Bela has a large heart marking on his left cheek and is wearing glasses.

  "They listened well to our report with regards in the last expedition in Jigsaw Canyon and will be staying as we further discuss the possibility of another expedition." Rai reveals with a big smile.

  The crowd expresses oohs of anticipation at the proposition and Seth and Bela, as the High Priests were introduced, smile at the Encantos.

  "Please bear with our presence until negotiations are finished." Seth states with a bow.

  Mirano has taken notice of his discomfort towards the priests and decides during their introduction to hop down and exempt himself from the convention. As he did, he catches Aiden's back as the Water's Son apparently lost his balance the moment he decided to leave, and he pushed the Water's Son's back so he can stand properly.

  "Where are you going?" Aiden asks upon noticing that Mirano is leaving in the middle of a joyous event.

  "I do not find the topic entertaining. I'll retreat in the shades by the riverbank." Mirano turns to Aiden with a small wave of his hand. "You know where to find me, slave."

  Remembering his other loss, Aiden runs after Mirano towards the river bank. As he goes down the fence, however, he turns to his shoulders to find the priests staring at his direction. Aiden shudders as he run away from the graveled area, visibly creeped out of the unusual behavior. It could be the intricacies of Usor personality, but it is indeed strange.

  Aiden reveals this uncanny feeling to Mirano once they arrive in their shared tree spot by the banks of the Naga River. Mirano also remarks that he sensed the intimidating—no, the menacing auras exuded by both visitors as he climbs to a sturdy tree branch.

  "And I thought I was going mad!" Aiden exclaims.

  Mirano crosses his arms as he watches the currents of the Naga River. "I've never seen any of the other tribesmen pay Hele a visit before." He relays curiously.

  "Oh, you're not fully aware of the relations between ISoS and the other cities, are you?" Aiden looks up to Mirano as he slumps on the grass by the foot of the tree.

  Mirano shakes his head. Aiden hums. "You see; the early expeditions were exclusively led by intellectuals born and trained within the walls of the central post Solferino. However, with more people expressing their desires to unearth the country's history, ISoS opened the first academic guild to train people from all tribes in the collection, documentation, and preservation of ancient information."

  "What does that have to do with their visit here?"

  "When other tribes began leading expeditions to more dangerous locations, there were reports of calamities experienced by these teams. ISoS' personal visit means they are interested in pursuing expeditions in nearby areas and will arrange a larger party to ensure the excavators' safety."

  "But didn't you just mention that much of the academic resources are concentrated in Solferino? Why would they busy themselves crossing the country when they can easily form an excavation team within their walls?"

  Aiden scratches his head. In all honesty, even he is still in the dark for most of the academic processes in CANDEMARO. He has only been recently introduced to it due to his constant nagging for his mother to do so. It's not like he has an underlying interest in following in Rai's footsteps, but Mirano's presence pokes his curiosity all the more. In a sense, he desires to focus on what the Lightning's Mistress has begun, and not the overall system.

  "I... I, you know, why don't we just ask Rai or mother?" Aiden chuckles, sitting up. "Surely as academics serving in ISoS, they are more knowledgeable than I am."

  Mirano stares down at the Water's Son and hums. "I'd love to, but" he yawns as he stretches his arms out. "This sunny weather is perfect for lazing around."

  "I thought you dislike basking in the sunlight?"

  "It's alright as long as I'm under the shade~" Mirano grins.

  "Oh come on, I wish to go together and ask them." Aiden whines.

  "There you are!" a voice from afar hollers.

  Aiden looks over his shoulder and finds Rai across the grassland, waving a hand to him. Beside her is one of the priests visiting Hele. Aiden is unsure as to why the Lightning's Mistress was looking for him, but glancing back to Mirano, who has settled on the branch to sleep, has made Aiden pout in irritation and he leaves the tree's shade to go meet her.

  "Greetings, Aiden." the Priest in the white robe says in a solemn voice.

  Aiden bows to the priest and eyes Rai.

  "We noticed that you weren't around when the ISoS priests arrived, so we came to pick you up." Rai looks over the river bank then back to Aiden. "Where's Ran-Ran?"

  Aiden shrugs and crosses his arms. "Beats me."

  Rai chuckles at the underlying meaning of the pouty gesture. They must have got into another quarrel, she thought. "Well, no matter. You can relate everything to him later instead. We wish to get your agreement on joining the expedition."

  At the mention of the topic, Aiden's face brightens up and the priest finds the enthusiasm amusing. "Looks like you have a few promising young academics around here." he mentions to Rai.

  "It's a good sign, considering we still have plenty of things yet to know about our country, Bela." Rai nods.

  As Rai entertains the first of Aiden's questions, the priest known as Bela, looks back towards the thin group of tall trees near the river bank and squints. "It must have been my imagination." he mutters as he picks up the pace to join the two Encantos.

  Mirano considers the growing darkness as his alarm. When his body senses the creeping night enveloping the area he is staying in, he knows he had slept too much and needs to wake up. Aiden and the other Encantos say that afternoon naps are good for the body, so how come they condemn his late waking hours? The thought amuses the boy with ebony hair and he chuckles as he hops down the branch, the rough melodies of the Naga River's currents greeting him with much recognition.

  Mirano loves the sound of the waves hitting against the rocks and tips his head to the river out of habit before dashing through the grasslands back to Hele.

  With the unexplained strength the darkness has been giving him, Mirano does not have the need to nourish himself with food during dinnertime, but instead spends the time helping out in chores or simply lingering in Hele for a chat, so when he notices the dark tent of the Juni family, he finds it odd, considering that Rai had just arrived home.

  "If you're looking for the Lightning's Mistress, she is spending dinner with Agua Carina in the Maris' family tent." One Encanto explains.

  "Is Aiden with them?" Mirano further questions, but the Encanto simply shrugs in uncertainty.

  Mirano finds it unruly to be barging on a dinner table knowing about the Sequoia Council's visitors will be there too. He turns on his heels and walks back to the river bank.

  Halfway through the boy's journey, he bumps into Aiden, who is perplexed to see him leaving Hele so early.

  "What were you doing out here?" Mirano raises a brow at the inquiry.

  Aiden nonchalantly chuckles. "Well, I was looking for you since it was past dinner time already."

  Mirano would have been convinced if Aiden hadn't been avoiding his stare. Despite having only the moonlight to guide his eyes, Mirano is surprisingly adept with noticing everything under the dark. Even though he finds the behavior strange, he didn't bring it up and simply sighs.

  "And I was looking for you over in Hele. I figured that you'll be with Agua Carina and Rai for dinner."

  "Me? Oh no," Aiden shakes his head. "The Sequoia's Council meeting is a different kind of banquet. Trust me, you wouldn't want to join them as well." He looks around, as if fearing any of the members of the Council is near to hear him. Aiden bends down as he whispered his next words. "It's as boring as recapping the Redemption ritual."

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Mirano burst laughing at the retort. He has heard from Aiden multiple times how traumatic it was to watch the flames of the bonfire just to recap the Redemption ritual. Even if it has happened so long ago, Mirano felt as though it happened yesterday thanks to Aiden's relentless complaining.

  "If it's to know more about my origins, why not, right?" Mirano mutters in between laughs.

  Aiden follows it up with a couple more stuttering and nervous laughs, making Mirano squint at the growing strange behavior.

  "H-Hey, can I request another sparring for tomorrow?" Aiden pleads. "Try being in the offense this time. Yes, you saw how great long distance combat was earlier, right?"

  Mirano nods, furnishing a few of the blades he had stored in his belt. "Alright." he smiles at the Water's Son, momentarily forgetting his suspicion. "But you best be prepared."

  "As if I'd miss an opportunity to finally triumph over you!" Aiden harrumphs with a confident grin. "When I succeed, I'll make sure to spread the word."

  Mirano copies Aiden's cocky expression with a smirk. "As if anybody will believe you." He waves a hand to the Water's Son, as if nonchalantly bidding goodbye, but in reality, he is mostly eager to begin another practice with him. "See you tomorrow!" he shouts as he disappears back to the Beda Rainforest.

  Aiden remains by the opposite end of the river bank, silently staring to where Mirano had disappeared to, the words he heard from him a few seconds ago ring clearly in his head.

  'What does he mean by that...?'

  Doubt has never been an issue for Aiden Maris, especially when it comes to Mirano Suri; the Unknown Child.

  The Unknown Child. Aiden mentally repeats the title in his head, with each repetition echoing louder as if to emphasize its meaning.

  In a sense, there are still a lot of things unclear to him about Mirano: his origins; even his capabilities; despite seeing and experiencing his physical prowess up and close. The underlying possibility of Mirano hiding his real powers knocks strongly in Aiden's mind.

  Aiden's knees buckle at the weight of his thoughts. He tries to regain his balance, but ultimately falls on the grass, the soft night breeze blowing against his already cold face.

  'What does he mean, nobody will believe you?' 'Is it part of his uncanny powers?'

  Impossible. He grew up with Mirano and throughout the times they have been together, he was seen as an individual who closely resemble him; in action and in words. Mirano spent so much time with him and Aiden has had a good understanding of his personality; his humor, and his skills. Why is he doubting him now?

  Aiden slapped his cheeks twice, as if in an attempt to shake off his negative thoughts about his dear companion. "It must be the stress, yes,"

  Aiden gulps, reaching in one of his short's pocket to retrieve a folded piece of paper. Upon unveiling it, he slowly follows the texts written on it, as if savoring each word and taking in its meaning.

  "Academic Apprenticeship"

  Just below the cursive writing of the title is an embossed seal of the Heart Order of the Intellectual Society of Solferino; the crest of a soft-edged heart pierced with a rapier on the side. Aiden's eyes hover on the waiver on the bottom most part of the paper, asking for his signature.

  If he agrees to this apprenticeship, he will have to leave Hele for the central post, where he will spend a certain amount of time learning the ways of an academic; even a promise to rise up the academic ranks! Endless opportunities came to Aiden as he slumped on his spot: the recognition, the discoveries... maybe one of the answers behind Mirano's true existence lies within any of the expeditions he can join once he becomes an academic!

  At the thought of Mirano however, the daydreams stop and Aiden throws his head to the stars in wonder. If he leaves for Solferino, he will essentially leave everything behind; even Mirano. His companionship with the boy with ebony hair has given him more motivation to persevere and Aiden is aware that any challenge involving Mirano is sure to fire him up. Mirano will surely be devastated if he announces his departure so suddenly.

  His eyes returned to the paper. The High Priests leave for Solferino the day after tomorrow and has expressed their desire to receive an answer by that time. As much as the Water's Son wish to dismiss the matter until tomorrow, the weighing of his possible options was unbearable that resting isn't part of those options anymore.

  ---

  Aiden catches the sun waking up and groans loudly at its arrival. The previous night isn't enough for him to choose and the dreadful rays seem to remind him of his failure. He rolls around his sleeping bag, whining at his predicament, but makes no effort to improve it. Loire has yet to get up and knowing his mother's equal curiosity, Aiden slips out of the family tent with his wool poncho in tow, hoping to get to the river side to rinse himself off of the fatigue.

  On his way out, he notices that the two High Priests from Solferino are already up and are lounging by the tent prepared for them. Aiden admires how they look the same as they were yesterday; all regal and seemingly free of fault. He flinches when the two priests looked at him and waves, embarrassed that they had caught him in his morning state. He excuses himself with a small bow and hustles to the grassland and towards the Naga River.

  As he took a dip in the calmer end of the Naga River, Aiden's brows furrow the more he thinks about the invitation. Should he go or not? The strange sensation towards the High Priests still lingers and his resolve wavers at the thought.

  But last night...

  Right, before meeting Mirano by the river bank, he discussed the initial details of the proposed apprenticeship with Rai and the High Priests. There were several promises guaranteed upon his agreement... and there was even a suggestion to bring a friend for company. His first thought was Mirano, but as he expressed his discomfort with the presence of the High Priests, he knew at that moment that he will not agree.

  That's right... Aiden blinks at the realization. He was supposed to convince Mirano last night to join him in the Apprenticeship. Those promises of fame and discoveries will surely get the boy with ebony hair agreeing!

  With renewed excitement, Aiden finishes his little dip and pat his glowing palms on his wet inner shirt and shorts. The water seeps out of the fabric in two separate glowing globs and Aiden swung his arms to throw both globs back to the River. He wears his wool poncho, fit his black boots in his feet, and hops across the Naga River towards the Beda Rainforest in search of Mirano.

  Aiden knows that Mirano always lounges in the holy area where the Old Balete Tree is; for many Encantos consider it to be the dimmest area in the documented part of the Balete Rainforest. Aiden rushes across the dirt path, turning where it bends, until he arrived in the area. He carefully crosses the foliage and wanders to the large overgrown roots, looking past the hanging roots in search of Mirano.

  "Hey, Mirano! I have some great news!" Aiden calls happily. "I just remembered the detail I was supposed to relay to you last night!" He paces around the area across the altar. "The High Priests offered an apprenticeship in the central post and--" Aiden stumbles on a stone and lost his balance. Good for him, because a blade struck the root directly across him.

  Thinking that the sudden attack had caused his misfortune, Aiden irritatingly cocks his head to the boughs. " Serona*, I was trying to deliver the news!" He picks himself up and dusts his wool poncho. "This is a great opportunity for us to discover more about your origins!" Aiden dislodges the blade from the root and wields it on his right hand, crouching down in defense and anticipating another attack. "Let's go together, Mirano!" he hollers to the leaves.

  A series of soft thumps resonates from behind the Old Balete Tree. A few seconds later, Mirano Suri emerges from it, his face solemn. Aiden grins at his appearance, but the disapproving expression in Mirano's eyes quickly brushes away Aiden's enthusiasm.

  "Apologies Aiden, but I cannot join you." Mirano relates sadly.

  His soft voice irks Aiden more. "Why not? It'll be more fulfilling to go on expeditions together."

  "I know the joy of that, Aiden." Mirano nods. "Believe me, being with you and with Hele is an honor, but the strange feeling..." Mirano hugs his arms at the thought of the High Priests. "I-I cannot shake it away... it lingers... and it's telling me to not go."

  Aiden understands that feeling. He had felt it as well, but from their discussion last night, everything was well. He had no more doubts with the High Priests knowing that Rai and his mother both endorse their presence.

  "I understand we both had strange sensations towards the visitors yesterday, but I've talked with them, discussed the apprenticeship with them. They're all good."

  Mirano frowns at the statement. His heart pounds at the insistence of his mind that the High Priests are hiding something mischievous. He brandishes a couple of blades on both hands, bowing gently so as not to show his disappointment over his own verdict. "My decision is final."

  The opposition comes as a shock to Aiden. Despite their constant bickering, this is the first time he has been aware of Mirano's denial to join him in his endeavor. The thought of working alone, developing alone had scared Aiden. Showing his glowing palms, Aiden mirrors Mirano's stance, returning the Unknown Child's glance with a deep frown. "I shall not accept a no for a response."

  Drawing circles in the air with his arms, Aiden eventually sends a geyser of water from his hands towards Mirano, which the boy dodges by leaping to his left. Aiden catches this reflex and immediately and flexes his arms as he turns it to the same direction, chasing Mirano and damaging the nearby trees around the foliage.

  Mirano finds the attack to be a desperate one, since he is aware of Aiden's stamina compromising much of their sparring sessions. Having to use this much Mana at the beginning will be devastating in the long run. Looking over his shoulder as he breezes past the holy area, he notices the devastation at the wake of the powerful stream and finds it more dangerous than the ones he had seen in their practices. His jaw tightens as some of the water from the impact sprays over him. Aiden is dead serious to have him join the apprenticeship.

  Facing the incoming geyser, Mirano brings the two blades in front of him, bending his knees and propelling himself towards the pressurized water, just as how he had seen Rai propelled herself in the air. The sudden counter surprises Aiden that he was unable to control the pressure of his own attack to twist it in the opposite direction. His body continues to follow the geyser's motion for a few more seconds while Mirano had successfully penetrated past it. In an immediate somersault, Aiden begins shooting powerful bursts from his soles, all which Mirano slices head-on with his blades and closing the distance between them.

  Seeing the Unknown Child attempt to get closer to him, Aiden rams to Mirano as well, crossing his arms across his face and placing a glassy shield of water in front of him.

  The unexpected move has indeed surprised Mirano, for he had placed his blades down the moment he realizes what was happening. Dashing directly to the water shield can be detrimental. Seeing the determination ignited in Aiden's sea eyes, however, he concludes that the Water's Son has no intention of stopping. Another reminder of stubbornness, Mirano drops his blades and, in the few seconds between his impact with Aiden's shield, dives to the air above Aiden's head with a groan.

  Aiden was barely able to register what had happened, but he knew he missed Mirano when he continues to the path, hitting the large overgrown root of the Old Balete with such an impact that shook the leaves off of the ancient tree. He lies face up on the ground, heaving loudly as the speck of morning sunlight hit his face, as if in mockery of another defeat. His eyes begin to water at the futility of his efforts and not long after, begins sobbing at his loss.

  Mirano is visibly shaken by the prowess Aiden did in that brief exchange, his mind recalling the first time he had gained consciousness within the confines of this holy grounds. This rush of energy... the one that had awakened him... was it from Aiden too?

  Only Aiden's sobs echoes in the foliage. Mirano walks towards Aiden, at which point, the Water's Son weakly drapes his right arm over his eyes in an attempt to hide his sorry state to the Unknown Child.

  "Aiden..." Mirano calls, his voice cracking. "... do you remember what Agua Carina said in one of our studies with her?"

  Aiden answers with a brief purse of his lips before he was consumed by more sobbing.

  Mirano inhales. "She mentioned... that Hele is not our only world, that another world; full of new discoveries and challenges awaits us beyond the capital's boundaries... and I understand your enthusiasm for those adventures."

  Peeking past his arm and his tears, Aiden sees Mirano peeking over him, and while his face was blurred by the shadows casted by the dim sunlight, he still notices the small smile on his lips as he speaks.

  "I shall not hinder you from experiencing those moments. Go and learn from it and free yourself from the bounds of Hele."

  Aiden whimpers at the statement, sniffing sharply to get his voice out. "You... seem to have taken your own advice well." He pulls away his arm, facing Mirano with a pout. There are little changes in Mirano's eyes despite his different expressions throughout their friendship. Seeing how it crinkled as he spoke those words... the genuine smile... Aiden understands where the Unknown Child is coming from. The fear from the visitors is one thing, but...

  The Water's Son slowly sits up, rubbing away the tears from his eyes and looks up at Mirano. "Tell me, Mirano."

  Mirano flinches. It was the first time since their meeting that Aiden has called him by his name. He had gotten used to the Water's Son calling him by his nickname that hearing his name from Aiden's lips seems so foreign. Despite this, Mirano locked gazes with Aiden as he continues:

  "Did you discover something new from the world that bound you as its own?"

  Another wave of silence passes as the two continue to exchange gazes. After a while, Aiden notices that the little sunlight in the area is slowly disappearing and he was the first to break his stare to look up to the Old Balete Tree, where much of the sunlight is concentrated, and finds its leaves slowly closing on its branches, similar to that of a flower folding itself during the night. He looks back to Mirano, who, in the last seconds of the remaining light, nods as a reply.

  The darkness initially confuses Aiden, but Mirano pulls a white crystal glowing faintly from his short's pockets. Cupping for Aiden's hands, Mirano settles the crystal down on Aiden's palms.

  "The Ancients of this holy grounds came to me last night; as I was dreading the complications of my emotions. It has revealed to me of my incapability, and that I must stay in its care to educate myself; of what it knows about me, and what I need to know about the world yonder your people called CANDEMARO."

  Mirano smiles as he closes Aiden's fingers around the glowing crystal, bringing it close to his forehead.

  "In terms of intelligence and tenacity, I am not to be compared to you. That's why, I swear by the name the Heleian Encantos bestowed to me, that I shall spend the time we're separated in developing my weaknesses, so I may stand in the same pedestal as you do, worthy to reclaim this artifact in due time."

  Mirano then lowers Aiden's fist before his lips, gently whispering: "Duko'o."

  The Ancient Encanto word had resonated across Aiden's skin, as if the crystal had just vibrated in the acceptance of the vow. In the dimness brought about by the crystal's glow, he finds peace and Mirano's true intentions. While he momentarily felt bad for lashing out to his long-time companion, the last of his doubt disappears as he switches the crystal from his palms to Mirano, clutching his hands and raising it to his forehead this time.

  "Mystery aside, your adaptability and strength in combat are things I do not possess, yet I am most willing to dedicate my time away from you in developing my deficiencies, that in the event we cross paths in the future, I'll be most honored to return this artifact most beloved... Duko'o."

  Without missing a beat, the same fulfilling sensation surges across Mirano. The Crystal, now in both of their open palms, lights up at the completion of the pact, its glow running out of its bounds and across the two boys. They are now bound by the sacred ritual Duko'o; the fulfillment of a promise between individuals sharing a deep bond. The subsequent surge of the ritual drains the boys of their remaining energies and they collapse side by side, in a blissful slumber, on the holy grounds.

  ----

  Back in Hele, the Sequoia Council has been finalizing possible routes to take to get to the Beda Rainforest apart from the well-known, Heleian path leading to the documented area of the woods. Rai and Loire, among its members, look up to Seth and Bela, who had proposed the initiative a month prior.

  "Will those be the only viable ways, Lightning's Mistress?" Bela asks as he pushed his thin-rimmed spectacles back to the bridge of his nose.

  Rai tenses as she stares at the path she has drafted from the mouth of the Jigsaw Canyon. In the wake of the horrendous events she experienced, it is unsafe to rely on her memory of the journey. However, it is the best thing she can devise to put the Hearts Order's-- and ISoS'-- mind away from further questioning her of the discoveries of her expedition. After all, she didn't disclose the existence of the mummified remains (and the existence of Mirano Suri) she found back at the site.

  "This is all coming from my damaged senses back then," Rai admits with a sheepish smile. "Will this bring ISoS any closer to the truth?"

  "My, we should not question the possibilities before us." Seth assures with a rather enthusiastic grin. "It's a great opportunity to try out these paths!"

  "We have prepared ourselves in the event the worst occurs." Bela affirms, reaching to the orange agate stone hanging on his necklace.

  Rai nods at the gesture. There is no question why the brothers are one of the most recognized Usor ISoS officials. With their proficiency in Usor Sorcery at such a young age, they have already led the most successful expeditions in CANDEMARO and they continuously assist their fellow officials towards the completion of their own efforts. Despite acknowledging the brothers' expertise as she stares at them discussing with the Sequoia Council, Rai's stomach seems to flip dubiously at their intentions for immediately offering their help with the matter.

  "Then, as a recap," Loire begins, pointing to the forked path a few kilometers away from Hele. Rai follows her fingers with her eyes and listens intently. "All possible routes will begin at the mouth of the path leading to the Jigsaw Canyon. Prior to arriving here, Seth and Bela had tried fighting the Naga River's currents, which are the roughest on these parts." Loire has made circling motions where the river bends, just shy of the forked path. "but all efforts were unsuccessful. It is nearly impossible to cross this part of the river to get to the Rainforest."

  "Based from archived documents, as well as local tongue speak, the undocumented part of the Beda Rainforest is teeming with..." Seth pauses, as if considering his choice of word. "...creatures with inconceivable strength." he hums while looking at the blank part of the map.

  "Nomeos," Loire affirms the Priest's earlier uncertainty. "Encanto legend does not give a clear description of what they are, instead simply labeling them as malevolent beings."

  "A fellow official theorizes that it is the reason for many reports that made the Rainforest known for its status of being," Bela raises both index fingers, flawlessly scrunching it twice as he says, "alive". He eyes the drafted courses of the paths drawn on the map and coos. "It will be a major breakthrough if we ever come across one."

  Rai inconspicuously glances at Loire at the remark, quickly following it with a soft sigh. "None has been verified, though." She turns to the two High Priests, smiling. "I am placing faith in ISoS' efforts in the hopes that it will finally bring closure to this mystery."

  Seth and Bela nods in unison, returning the Lightning's Mistress' smile. "We have the same wish, Lightning's Mistress." Bela replies.

  "It's the very least that we can do to finally put your heart at peace." Seth grins.

  Watching and listening at the exchange, Loire finds the positivity in the air quite choking. As Agua Carina and Head of the Sequoia Council, she has been the one attending in meetings hosted by ISoS with regards to any official's academic undertaking. They have been vocal in their frustration of the initial failure of Rai's expedition yet, for the whole duration of Rai's disappearance, they have not approved of a single rescue operation for the team. As Loire bundles the map in a clean roll, she wonders if the same inaction will occur as soon as these paths are given to the public.

  The drawn hand of the Council of the Ground startles Loire, blinking for a moment before she hastily gives the map to him. Her attention returns to the two High Priests, realizing that they have bid their farewells to the Sequoia Council.

  "We shall embark in a few minutes." Seth announces with a small wave of his hand. "Do not busy yourself with joining us on our journey back."

  "I see, but" Loire tilts her head to the side. "Didn't you suggested the apprenticeship to young Aiden? Aren't you going to wait for him?" She asks.

  Traversing outside of the tent to watch Hele work under the country's sky, Seth chuckles. "We did, but it might take him a while to decide."

  "However, do tell the boy that he is welcome to appear before the ISoS office in Solferino when he made up his mind." Bela adds with a grin.

  Without another word, Rai and the Sequoia Council bow at the two High Priests as they traverse the path out of Hele, watching their backs disappear in the foliage of the far trees in the horizon. It has not taken a while to do, but for Loire and the rest of the Sequoia Council, it feels as if they were holding their breaths for a lifetime. Turning to each other after exhaling loudly in unison, the glint in each member's eyes seem to indicate that they have the same premonition about the Priests' visit and the sudden interest of ISoS in paving paths to enter the undocumented areas of the Beda Rainforest.

  "Guards up. Something feels off." Loire says in a hushed tone.

  "The Nomeos are not the least of their concerns, that's for sure." The Ground Council, a large heavy set man, crosses his tensing arms behind his brown poncho. "We are aware."

  The Elder Vatra, representing the Council of Fire, coughs in his rickety voice, "Nomeos and the life of the Beda Rainforest... two very unrelated things."

  Rai frowns at the confirmation of her gut feeling. "We must strengthen our resolves. It's a battle that we have to face head-on." She looks up the sky, the country's sun almost claiming its throne on the high clouds. A hint of melancholy swells in her voice as she remarks, "If only he was here..."

  Following the Lightning's Mistress' focus, the Sequoia Council smiles sadly in agreement. They relish the memories of their only ally within ISoS. The Ground Council taps Rai's shoulder reassuringly. "Fear not, he is still with us, tirelessly moving to assist."

  Loire nods. "As if a Rogue like him will be easy to track down." Turning to her heels, Loire walks back to camp, a renewed sense of hope washing over her at the sight of her fellow Heleian Encantos going about their daily tasks. "Perhaps we should have a feast for dinner." She looks over her shoulder, smiling as she calls to the Sequoia Council. "Together."

  The statement seems to reverberate excitement towards the other Council members and they follow Agua Carina back to Hele. Whooping with enthusiasm, the Ground Council roars, "Do not make me overstay my welcome, Agua Carina!"

  Knowing the Ground Council's affinity with brews and food, the Council members exchange a wave of laughter, temporary shelving their impending worries.

  ---

  To be Continued...

  *Serona (Expression) Ent.,: "damn it!"