Kaiser blinked rapidly as the memory faded, the cold rush of water and the cries of the crew vanishing. The warmth of the hot springs returned, steam rising around him as the memory drowned away.
The first thing he heard was Shizuka’s voice. “That cyan-haired girl again… She keeps showing up.”
Kaiser rubbed the side of his head, still feeling the remnants of the memory lingering in his mind. “Cyan-haired Gaians… Cryolites, most likely. From the Islands of Chuun. If she’s connected to all of this, maybe talking to them would give us some answers.”
Shizuka nodded slightly. “The Secrofantazia have good relations with Chuun. Perhaps the Raven of Death could help.”
Kaiser exhaled deeply, nodding in agreement. “I’ll talk to her. We need to figure out what’s going on.”
Shizuka’s gaze lingered on Kaiser before she spoke again. “That was also another Enfa and a Dirvah together… was this Apocalypse of Rewriting created even later in the timeline? Or…”
“It’s fake,” Kaiser said. “It has to be.”
“Something tells me there’s a lot more to it. That green jewel we saw in the second memory with the thieves—it’s the Divine Relic of the Tempest Clan,” said Shizuka.
Kaiser’s eyes widened. “Their Divine Relic? You know all of them?”
“Of course I do. I’ve spent significant time studying the Divine Relics—they are tied to us Ascendants.”
Kaiser’s eyes narrowed slightly as he listened. “I get it, but all twelve of them? I thought most clans and nations kept that information private.”
Shizuka nodded. “Nearly. I’ve made it a point to scavenge any information I can about each one. The Tempest Clan’s relic—the one we saw in the memory—is known as the Jeweled Hurricane. I know yours is the Sanguine Tree, and Sapphire’s is the Dead Kings’ Crown.”
Soon, the sun lowered, casting a warm hue over the Rogue District as the steam from the hot spring dissipated. Shizuka exhaled softly. “We’ve made good progress, but I think it’s time we take a break and process everything,” she suggested. “We’ll continue with the remaining four districts tomorrow.”
Kaiser nodded, rising from the water. Completely forgetting the Enfa customs around nudity, he reached for his towel without much thought. Shizuka, however, froze, her eyes widening as they traced over his muscular frame.
A soft blush crept onto her cheeks, and she covered her mouth with one hand, her emerald eyes sparkling. “Dare I say,” she murmured teasingly, “The legends aren’t the only grand things about you, Blood Phoenix.”
Kaiser blinked, realizing his mistake a moment too late. He glanced down at himself and then at Shizuka’s playful, blushing expression. “Right… Enfa,” he muttered, grabbing the towel and wrapping it around his waist. “I’m still getting used to it.”
As they stepped out of the spring, he turned toward Shizuka. “By the way, is it really necessary to do the same thing for the Revival District? That’s our current time era, after all.”
Shizuka tilted her head thoughtfully, her hands working to wring the water from her hair. “Fair point. There’s little to be gained from looking into something so recent. I’ll spare us the time.” She dried off and began gathering their things. “In that case, I’ll have a spare tea left over. Consider it a gift—use it for yourself or a friend in the future.”
Kaiser was slightly surprised by her generosity. “Thanks, Shizu. I appreciate it.”
She smiled, but before they could part ways, she looked at him with an unreadable expression. “Before you head off, could you accompany me to my room in the royal building? There’s something I’d like to show you.”
Kaiser blinked, glancing at the fading light in the sky. He had planned to explore Hisakizora with Kerisa, especially now that the day was winding down. “What for?” he asked, slightly hesitant.
“It’ll be quick, I promise,” Shizuka replied, her tone persuasive yet composed.
Sighing softly, Kaiser relented. “Alright, let’s go.”
They climbed into the car waiting for them, and it whisked them away toward the royal building.
The gentle drone of the car filled the silence as the city passed by. Shizuka sat beside Kaiser, now closer than before.
“So,” Shizuka began, her tone inquisitive, “I’ve been meaning to ask about your Divine Relic, the Sanguine Tree.”
Kaiser leaned back in his seat, his gaze drifting out the window momentarily. “There’s not much I remember,” he said thoughtfully. “But I’ve been told that they placed me under the Sanguine Tree when I was just a baby. That’s when I Ascended—chosen by the Blood Phoenix to carry the legacy.”
Shizuka listened intently while considering his words. “And the generational rule… is that true for the Sanguine Tree too?” she asked.
Kaiser nodded. “Only after two generations have passed since the last Ascendant died can a new one rise—if that’s the one you mean, then yes.”
A soft hum of thought escaped Shizuka’s lips before her gaze locked onto his. “Well, I guess it’s only fair I tell you about mine now, right?”
Kaiser chuckled. “I was waiting for that. So, what’s your Divine Relic?”
Shizuka hesitated, looking down at the small space between them. But as she looked into Kaiser’s eyes, that vulnerability quickly faded. “The Timekeeper’s Hourglass,” she finally said. “That’s the Divine Relic of Chrononfi.”
Kaiser raised his eyebrows. “Really? And how did you become the Ascendant?”
Shizuka smiled faintly. “Not as early as you,” she admitted. “I was a child when it happened. The Aizawas have a tradition—they gather all the families across the clan on the main planet, Chronos Major, inside this grand amphitheater-like arena. The Timekeeper’s Hourglass is placed in the center, and we draw names from a massive lottery. Every name goes into the lottery, even the children. We believe in fate and destiny, after all.”
Kaiser’s eyes widened slightly. “A lottery? So you weren’t chosen at birth?”
Shizuka shook her head. “No. I was picked by random chance… or maybe not so random, depending on how you look at it.” She paused. “I walked to the middle of the arena, barely comprehending what was happening. I touched the Divine Relic, and that’s when it all changed. I fainted right there in front of everyone. The next day, I woke up as the Chrononfi Ascendant and the Viceroy of our territory here on Terrarium.”
Kaiser stared at her, surprised at the weight of what she’d gone through at such a young age. “That’s a lot for a kid to handle. I can’t imagine…”
Shizuka wistfully smiled. “Yes. But I suppose fate doesn’t wait for us to grow up.” Her eyes flicked back to his. “You understand that, don’t you?”
Kaiser nodded slowly, his respect for her deepening as the car continued its smooth ride.
Eventually, they pulled up to the royal building, a towering structure that blended the old and the new—just like the rest of the Revival District. Modern surfaces intertwined with aged stone, reflective of Terrarium’s current state in the Revival Era.
Kaiser stepped out, taking in the grand building before him. Shizuka walked ahead, leading the way inside. As they ascended the stairs, Kaiser’s mind wandered. “I’ve noticed something,” he began. “Most of the Ascendants of today are pretty young.”
Shizuka glanced back at him. “Of course,” she said. “The Revival Era only started 32 years ago. The Ascendants born into this era are destined to lead it.”
They reached the top floor, stopping just before Shizuka’s room when Kaiser noticed a maid standing at attention. She had short pink hair and eyes to match, wearing a royal version of the typical maid attire.
“Welcome back, Lady Aizawa,” the maid said, bowing deeply.
Shizuka waved her hand dismissively. “Thank you, Sakuya.”
Sakuya’s eyes widened when she saw Kaiser, though she said nothing. Kaiser caught the maid’s reaction but remained silent as they entered Shizuka’s chambers. The room was grand, fit for royalty, with its high ceilings, intricate decorations, and a wide window overlooking the city below.
Once inside, Kaiser turned to Shizuka. “That maid… Sakuya, right? Who is she?”
Shizuka paused, looking slightly amused by his curiosity. “She’s my cousin—better known as my Guardian.”
Kaiser’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Both the Ascendant and the Guardian are women? That doesn’t align with typical Enfa traditions.”
Shizuka laughed softly. “I told you we’re not traditional like others. Fate doesn’t discriminate based on gender.”
Kaiser nodded slowly, still processing. Shizuka turned to him as her expression softened. “Give me a moment—I’m going to change.” She began to walk toward an adjoining room but stopped when Kaiser spoke up.
“Would you mind if I talked to Sakuya?” he asked, observing Shizuka’s reaction.
Shizuka hesitated, clearly unsure at first. “Sakuya isn’t the friendliest person,” she warned, then shrugged. “But if you insist, go ahead. Just don’t take it personally if she’s… cold.”
With a nod, Kaiser returned to the hallway where Sakuya had remained. She stood near the far end of the hall, her posture stiff and her eyes narrowed slightly. She didn’t seem like the type to let her guard down easily.
“Hey,” Kaiser greeted with a calm tone as he approached. “Sakuya, right? I wanted to introduce myself properly.”
Sakuya’s gaze hardened instantly, her pink eyes locking onto his. There was no warmth in her expression, only suspicion. “I know exactly who you are,” Sakuya said coldly, her pink eyes locking onto his with absolute, lethal focus. “The Blood Phoenix. The Heartkeeper of the wild lands.”
Kaiser didn't flinch. “You seem on edge, Guardian.”
Sakuya didn’t relax. Her hand rested casually near the hilt of a hidden blade beneath her uniform. “The Viceroy does not invite foreign Ascendants into her private sanctum. She does not brew Moon Tears for outsiders. You are a political anomaly, Dirvah, and anomalies are dangerous.”
“I’m not here to harm the Viceroy,” Kaiser said evenly, keeping his voice low. “We’re trying to decode the prophecy.”
“I do not care about prophecies,” Sakuya replied, her voice dropping to a lethal whisper. “I care about the survival of the Aizawa bloodline. Shizuka may find your barbaric clan amusing, but do not mistake her curiosity for safety. If you pose a threat to her reign, I will stop your heart before you can summon a single Bionfi blade.”
Kaiser didn’t back down. Instead, a dark, arrogant spark flared in his chest—the raw pride of the Blood Phoenix rising to the challenge. He smirked.
“Go ahead and try,” Kaiser murmured, stepping just a fraction of an inch closer. “But be careful. If you don't kill me on the first strike, I promise you won't get a second.”
Sakuya’s pink eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on her hidden weapon. The tension in the hallway spiked, thick and lethal, before Kaiser finally let the smirk fade, dialing back his ego with a heavy exhale.
“Relax, will you?” he added smoothly, turning the handle to Shizuka’s chambers. “I’m not your enemy.”
Sakuya didn’t respond. She merely gave a curt, dismissive nod, stepping aside to let him pass. The tension in the hallway remained thick enough to cut as Kaiser turned the handle to Shizuka’s chambers.
Kaiser stepped back into the room. Shizuka was seated on the edge of her bed, having changed into a loose, silken sleep-robe. Her long pink hair flowed freely down her back, and the subtle, intoxicating scent of a sweet floral perfume filled the room.
Kaiser froze. He was a Dirvah, driven by primal instincts and fiery passions, and the sudden, overwhelming wave of attraction hit him. His heart kicked into a heavier rhythm. His eyes betrayed him, wandering over the curve of her shoulder and the pale skin exposed by the loose silk before he forcefully wrenched his gaze away.
This is a trap, his rational mind screamed, fighting through the thick fog of his own biology. In the cutthroat world of High Enfa politics, a compromised Ascendant was a controlled Ascendant.
“You can relax, Kaiser,” Shizuka said smoothly. A knowing, amused smirk played on her lips as she noticed his rigid posture and wandering eyes. “I am not trying to assassinate you.”
“Forgive me if I’m cautious, Viceroy,” Kaiser replied, his voice a little rougher than he intended. He forced himself to walk over, deliberately pulling up a chair rather than sitting on the bed beside her, though the distance did little to dull the scent of her perfume. “Your Guardian made it very clear that I am an anomaly in your chambers.”
Shizuka let out a soft, airy laugh, picking up an ornate masquerade mask from her lap. It was the exact same mask the Aizawa girl had worn in the Mystic Era memory. “Sakuya is overprotective. But she is right about one thing. I do not do this for just anyone.”
Kaiser swallowed hard, forcing his attention down to the mask in her hands. “The relic from the memory.”
“It has been passed down in my clan for generations,” Shizuka explained, tracing the golden filigree. “Legend says it holds the locked memories of our ancestors. But no amount of Chrononfi has ever been able to breach the barrier.”
Kaiser leaned forward, grateful for the distraction. “When Sapphire and I first touched in Xa'nia... we both collapsed. It felt like an apocalyptic vision was being hammered into our skulls.”
Shizuka’s fingers stilled on the mask. “And the Xavier in the memory suffered a similar seizure mid-flight. But the Aizawa girl was fine.”
Kaiser nodded. “Exactly. Why didn't she feel it?”
“Because the Aizawa hold a fraction of Chrony’s divine essence,” Shizuka said, her emerald eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. “We are immune to divine visions. We cannot be mentally manipulated by the gods.”
Kaiser swallowed, trying to stay composed, but his right arm began to burn with a sudden, sharp pain. He winced, feeling the pulse of Necronfi beneath his skin. The reminder of Sapphire was a slap to his senses.
“What do you want, Shizuka?” he asked, his voice a little too firm as he tried to push past the sudden pain.
Shizuka set the mask down gently on the bedside table. She looked up at Kaiser, the emerald of her eyes darkening. The composed, aristocratic Viceroy vanished, replaced by a ravenous, almost reverent hunger that made Kaiser's markings twist in caution.
"I need you to kiss me," she stated, her voice dropping to a silken, breathless whisper.
Kaiser blinked, his heart hammering violently against his ribs. He gripped the armrests of his chair. "What?"
"The barrier on the mask," Shizuka explained, leaning forward so slowly. The intoxicating scent of lotus washed over him, thick and suffocating. "I cannot unlock it with Chrononfi. But the memory proved this mask belonged to a Chrononfi Enfa intimately bound to a Bionfi Ascendant."
Her gaze dropped to his lips, lingering there for a fraction of a second too long before slowly trailing back up to his eyes.
Kaiser’s jaw tightened, his Dirvah instincts warring viciously with his loyalty to Sapphire. "You think recreating the bond will trigger the relic."
"I think the universe is actively cursing your ancestry for uniting with Enfas," Shizuka murmured, closing the distance until he could feel the physical heat radiating off her skin. "If we kiss, and you trigger a divine seizure, it proves the gods are actively watching and punishing you. We unlock the mask's memories, and we get our answers about the prophecy."
Kaiser felt a cold pit form in his stomach, battling the heavy, primal flush in his blood. Sapphire relying on him. But what if this was the only way to find out how to save her?
"And if I don't get a headache?" Kaiser asked, his voice rough.
Shizuka’s lips curved into a slow, terrifyingly alluring smile. She reached out, her cool fingertips lightly grazing the shifting markings on his chest. A subtle, involuntary shiver ran through her at the contact, her eyes blown wide with fascination.
"Then we prove the curse is specific only to you and the Raven of Death," she whispered, her voice laced with a possessive thrill. "And we simply... enjoy the revelation."
It was a brilliant, terrifying gamble. But the way she looked at him—like he was a prize she had been waiting her entire life to unwrap—made Kaiser's instincts scream that this wasn't just a divine experiment to her.
"Well, Phoenix?" Shizuka asked softly, her breath ghosting across his jaw. "Satlynx got your tongue? Or are you willing to test the gods?"
