Vard realm
"I cannot reach him either, my goddess."
Winter's voice cracked like thin ice, her usual composure shattered.
Christina's gaze was locked on nothing, as if the very air before her might give an answer. Her breathing came too fast, her chest rising and falling under her jeweled gown. She rose from her throne in a slow, controlled motion, fingers curling into the fine fabric at her hips.
"I will have a word with you later, Winter."
"Yes, my goddess." Winter bowed low, then turned toward the other throne. "My king."
Areane gave only a curt nod.
Winter's footsteps echoed away until the vast chamber fell into a silence so heavy it pressed against the skin.
Christina's voice broke it.
"What did you do, Areane?"
She didn't turn. Her words were low, restrained, but they carried the weight of thunderclouds before a storm.
Areane's golden eyes narrowed slightly. She only used his name when the mask was gone — when the air between them was about to fracture.
His grip whitened on his scepter. "I did not do anything, Christina."
Still she didn't look at him.
Areane rose from his throne, the faint gleam of the golden floor reflecting his slow, deliberate steps. "Christina…" His voice was careful, almost reverent. He lifted his hand to her shoulder but stopped inches away, the distance between them suddenly a chasm.
"Why did you cut his link? His bond?" She turned to face him now, her dark eyes fierce yet wet with unshed tears. "Why did you sever my son from me? From me."
"I did not cut anything. I would never—"
"Then explain this!" Her voice cracked. "Bonds do not sever themselves, Areane. You never loved our son. You never even tried."
"Christi—"
"He suffers in silence. I see it in the way he avoids my gaze. I know it's because of you. Do you know how that breaks me?"
"My goddess—"
"Or is it that he's not enough for you? Tell me!" Her voice rose, trembling with rage and grief. "Look at me! I want my son back."
Areane's gaze dropped, a shadow crossing his face.
Christina's breath caught. That look… she had seen it only once before, on the day he had lied to an entire realm.
"I can't return Blue to you."
The words were soft, but they split the silence like a blade.
Christina's eyes fell to the floor, tears sliding free without restraint. She held her breath, afraid of asking what was stuck in her throat. She was not ready to receive the worst but there was no other choice."Why?" Her voice was hoarse, nearly breaking.
"He is not in our universe," Areane said at last, his voice stripped of its usual authority. "And I don't know where he is. The bond… the link… it's gone. He isn't even with the Wilster family."
She seized his arms, nails digging through the fine fabric of his robe. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," he admitted, shame dragging at every word. "He was supposed to be here. But he's not."
Her grip loosened, her hands falling to her sides. She stepped back, shaking her head. "You're not even concerned, are you?"
"What?" He reached for her, but the space between them only widened.
"Don't."
Her voice cut clean, and then she was gone, her footsteps fading into the cold expanse.
Areane stood alone in the hollow quiet.
I had no choice.
---
Elsewhere in the palace, Siren moved through the high-arched corridors, sunlight spilling in from glassless windows and painting his hair in shifting gold. Attendants and guards bowed as he passed, but he waved them off with the kind smile that made him seem less like a prince and more like a friend.
At the far end of the hallway, he spotted Winter.
She was pacing — no, prowling — her hands twisting together, brows drawn tight. The sight was wrong. Winter was the embodiment of calm, yet now her poise was cracked.
Why is she here at such a a time?... isn't she supposed to be at her grandparents reincarnation ceremony? Why is she prowling, nervously?.. doesn't seem like Winter. Something must really be off.
He wanted to ask what was going on but he couldn't bring himself to ask.
Siren hid his frown beneath a grin. "If it isn't my favorite goddess."
She flinched, then turned toward him, relief breaking across her face like light through clouds. "Reny?"
"We agreed you'd stop calling me that after I passed wind-crashing." His smirk was playful, familiar.
Her lips curved faintly before she stepped forward and pulled him into a tight embrace. He returned it without hesitation, feeling the tension wound into her frame.
"I'll quit when you stop having an adorable face," she murmured, holding on longer than usual. The warmth in her grip was edged with something heavier… worry.
He exhaled as they parted. "Didn't expect me back so soon?"
She studied him, as though counting every unchanged detail. "Not this early."
"I know. Olime's eldest sons got trapped with the demons they were sent to seal."
Her brow furrowed instantly. "Are they alright?"
"Probably. The army council led by Olime himself went to rescue them. Classes were dismissed."
Winter's eyes shifted away. "I hope they're okay."
Siren tilted his head. "You hoping they're okay… or he's okay?"
She giggled softly. "Gerald is just a friend. Blue is the only one."
"Who said anything about Gerald?"
They laughed together, the tension easing like the first breath after a storm.
"Come on," Siren grinned. "Let's surprise Blue before I report to my parents. I've missed pissing him off."
Siren turned, already walking to the direction of Blue's quarters. Suddenly he felt a firm grip on his wrist, causing him to pause in his tracks.
" Winter?" His tone demanded her to spill everything.
With a sharp exhale, Winter met his eyes.
" Blue is not anywhere in the realm."
"Oh, I thought he wasn't talking to Ralph anymore. Anyways, I'll go join them in the hunt"
Winter remained silent. Her gaze was fixed on the floor as she clutched on her gown. Siren observed her little reactions and knew that something was really wrong and she was trying her best to get it out.
"Hey, you can tell me" His voice was soft and his touch gentle on her arm.
"Blue was to be sent to the mortals as punishment " she started, her jaw clenching on each word.
"was?"
" But he ended up somewhere else, " she swallowed the stinging pain in her throat as her eyes became misty.
"where?" This time his tone was low and cold, his fists clenching into a tight fist.
"No one knows where he is Siren, even the king himself " she lifted her eyes to look at the frozen face of Siren.
She started becoming worried when Siren was quiet for a while. " Ren_"
"Father did it, right?"
"I__I__"
Without any other word, Siren walked away as his footsteps echoed in the quiet high-arched corridors.
______
The council hall
The high council was quiet, waiting for Areane to start of with even just a word. The silence was sharp and suffocating and no one dared to break it before Areane.
With a deep sigh that ran like thunder in the room Areane said, " Any ideas on what's going on?" His brows furrowed as his grip on his scepter tightened but it was barely noticed. He hated asking for help. Not understanding a situation felt like a drill running through his soul.
The council exchanged glances, relying on each other.
One them cleared his throat as everyones attention drifted to him. " I might have an idea on what is going on my king"
Everyone released a breath they did not have any idea they were holding. Areane gave him a curt nod to continue.
"Well..I think it has something to do with the Celestial vein"
Gasps were heard immediately after that statement. Areane furrrowed his eyebrows deeply as his breathing increased. The grip on his scepter became more than tight, making his knuckles lose their color.
Lenqing, the council member who brought this up, started having doubt if he should continue. His chest rose and fell as he watched Areane's reaction with everyone else's.
"What do you mean the Celestial Vein?" Areane's voice was sharp and echoed like danger.
Lenqing looked at his fellow members who shook their heads slowly, indicating him not to continue with that topic. He swallowed a gulp of saliva that seemed not to flow easily.
Slowly, he brought his trembling gaze to meet the golden eyes that were like a blade.
Areane stood from his position as the realm started losing its golden light, slowly turning to dark. The council members held their breathes as they stared at the supreme's anger swallowing their light.
" I asked you a question, didn't I?" His roaring voice was like a heavy weight pressing on each one of them .
"Father?" The soft voice echoed in the chamber drawing everyones attention.
"Son?" Areane said it like a calm whisper as the golden light started returning slowly. The atmosphere seemed to regain it's calm as everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
"Dismissed" he ordered and the members left with a bow both to the king and Siren.
The hall was clear and it was now the two of them.
"Father" Siren approached him and when he was close enough, he bowed a bit.
Areane's lips twiched upwards as he looked at him with his gaze now softened. "You are back early" he stated as he studied him carefully.
"Classes were dismissed early due to some problems." He said with no intention on dwelling on this topic.
When he saw his father's gaze had a little bit of concern, he smiled and said, " Nothing king Olime can't fix"
Areane clenched his jaw at that statement. He wore a tight smile then looked at his son and nodded, "yeah".
Siren read the distress on his father's face. He hesitated for a while before he mastered up courage and asked, " where is Blue? I have not seen him in his quarters"
Areane's eyes twitched , his gaze falling on the smooth golden floor. His grip on the scepter loosened and his eyes closed as he released a heavy sigh.
"I'm s__Sorry I lost him" guilt was all over his voice and face.
Siren's calm nature vanished as he felt his knees weak. Hearing from his own father was a whole different thing.
No one spoke but the silence was loud enough. Areane finally looked at his son whose gaze was everywhere but on him. He did not want to utter anything else, giving him space to take it in. The sight of Siren's tears was giving him a certain overwhelming feeling .
The next statement from Siren brought Areane to a frozen statue.
"What is a celestial vein...my king?"
Areane remained quiet, unable to answer the question that laid a heavy weight on his chest. He couldn't...not now.
"I have important issues to solve " with that, he turned his back to Siren and walked out, gripping his scepter as he hand barely shook.
Siren looked at his father's elegant figure as it disappeared into the wide glimmering corridors. He wiped his tears gently and took a deep breath.
I'm gonna find you Blue.