Ascension of the Nephilim

The past life of Kyros was full of tribulations. Even when his family was a Duke, they were still being attacked not only by other Dukes and Earls, but even Barons and Viscounts had evil intentions towards them. Normally, such a situation should not be possible. Barons and Viscounts would never have risen to attack or do harm to a powerful Duke, but Fate was leading the nobles to harm them by coincidence, grudges, and even being used as scapegoats.

Yet even in that scenario, where the kingdom itself was against them, Branze Steele, together with Diana Steele, could lead and protect his family. 

The only mistake was that Branze never expected a secret alliance with orcs which caused their kingdom to fall.

Kyros thought of several ways to hasten it. But he never thought that it would have been love that will send his family to that stage.

"So Fate activated this new Limiter because my family still has Aron and Mezal. Think about it! My father and mother reach that same level of power now! But the difference is my grandfather, who has Fate Challenger, is alive! Not to mention my uncle is also here. And most of our men are following us loyally." Kyros explained to Calaminus.

"I get it. So you plan to make the most out of it? To push them to love each other?"

"Right. Dad has been very awkward even when they got married. I think the problem was mom was far too cold and prideful to ever admit it. She loved dad but really communicate it. And my father had the same problem. So I have to fix it."

"Gotcha."

"I need your help."

Oh? You need my help?"

"Use whatever you know to help me create a poem or song or something. Use whatever your other incarnation knows!"

"Ah... Of course!"

Kyros continued to interrogate his father.

Back in Airom Vagat, Petra kept relaying Kyros's question.

"When did you first met her?"

"Why is this important?" Branze couldn't help but ask with an embarrassed expression.

"Cornerstone believes that you are very awkward in expressing your emotions. The fact that you know her favorite stone is a diamond proved long ago to him that you paid great attention to your wife. He plans to help you."

"Help me?! I don't think I need help from a young boy for matters that adults need!"

"Cornerstone says that Martha Bowheart has agreed to be Master Aron's wife and has even claimed her right as an Aunt before Kyros. She is also quite excited to meet Aron, whom Cornerstone has always portrayed as a gallant figure of justice. Cornerstone also adds that Martha ought to be more aggressive in trying to win Master Aron's heart."

"My story with Diana began when we were very young." Branze immediately began his tale.

Aron and Petra rolled their eyes at how Branze changed tone.

"I'm not sure if she remembers or if she chooses to disregard the time when we first met. I believe that it was the latter. Due to the circumstances of our first meeting, I never revealed myself as a Steele. Father was not a Baron yet. And since our first meeting, I was already in love with her." Branze finally admitted it.

Aron smiled and slapped his brother's back.

"I never thought you were the dramatic type. So Diana's actually your long-awaited sweetheart?"

Branze reluctantly nodded.

Petra then turned to Branze.

"What are the details of your first meeting?"

"Several men were chasing me. At that time, father made me serve as a Knight's Shadow."

"Oh! Right! That's why we had to go into hiding back then! You were a little boy at that time. I was already a Knight-in-Training, and you still were a knight's errand boy, shadowing that knight on whatever he was tasked to do. Didn't that knight that you shadowed get assassinated, and you were the witness? That brought a lot of pain and trouble to our family!" Aron laughed.

"Yes. He was killed, and I was supposed to die with him as it would uncover a terrifying conspiracy. I ran and ran as those people chased me. I hid in one of the largest manors in the kingdom. There was a party, and all the Baron nobles and their sons and daughters were in attendance. I attacked some random noble and his clothes. I blended around the crowd and pretended to be a noble as well. Of course, I couldn't fit in, so I pretended to be this cold and arrogant noble and went outside a balcony and spent my time throwing pebbles and making them skip in the fountain below." Branze sighed.

On the other side of the connection... Kyros and Diana were still running on the last part that the Coven marked to take away the last sets of Salanite stone that was found. Of course, most of the Coven except Martha was asked to move on and fulfill other specific missions where they were to reveal themselves in nearby villages.

Calaminus was now in his old man form, floating right in front of Kyros.

But as they moved, he had a peculiar expression.

"So... they were both young when they first saw each other in the middle of a party... And he was at the balcony throwing pebbles? Was it summertimes? Why does this sound like a Taylor Swift song?" Calaminus scratched his head.

"N-no it's not. I'm sure it's not..." Kyros denied.

Branze continued to tell his tale.

"She came out to meet me. Perhaps curious at the odd noble throwing stones like some ruffian. She was still a Shieldlet then."

"A shieldlet?" Petra asked.

"Only the richest Barons and Viscounts could afford this. That refers to the honor given to young nobles to train as a Holy Knight at a very young age. Diana had already wanted to be a Paladin then, and the Shieldlet path was one that assured her rise to Holy Knight class. I tried to pretend to be a noble... But father never really had instilled to us how nobles should act yet. She immediately caught me on my act, and I asked her not to rat me out."

"She ratted you out, right?"

"No. Back then, she used to smile a lot. She didn't and began to talk to me, disregarding her call. Call me delusional, but in those few moments, we quickly became friends. I was at ease, and she finally had the chance to cast off her noble facade and talked to me without worrying about dignity, honor, and those crappy things we had to put up when we became nobles. I guess she had so much fun that she said she wanted to run off with me and abandon the noble prestige to live freely. I joked that I would take her once I became a noble. I was really pushing my luck, but she smiled and said dared me to try."

Aron's former cringing expressions had turned to interest as he realized something.

"Wait! I know! That was the time you began sneaking out every day! Dad and I thought you were feeling guilty for implicating our family and was going out to resolve it!"

"I was. But those attempts would always end up with me meeting her near the outskirts of town." Branze sighed.

"Dad was so mad at you. He knew Fate was moving and was using that instance to harm our family! And you risked both your life and even our family!"

"Yes. I will admit it. I kept sneaking out to meet her. What can I say? I was in love..." Branze sighed.

"But wait... That's a rather poetic meeting. Why didn't she recognized you the next time you met?" Aron asked.

"You know what happened next. Our family got implicated and blamed as those trying to kill us pushed the blame of that knight's death to us. Dad was very paranoid and tried his best to hide how I became a knight's shadow and you a knight-in-training. But even those concealed connections that father left were revealed, and they found who we were. We had to leave abruptly, and that boy that Diana waited for never appeared outside of town to meet her. We were even forced to fake our deaths. It was lucky that we weren't known as the Steele family yet since we had no nobility then."

"Why didn't you tell her?"

"I could have sworn that she recognized me when we met at that time in that competition. But I didn't dare to do so. Our name was very much a stench to the kingdom, even as Barons. Fate had once more acted to make us look like evil swindlers. So when I saw her angry eyes, I couldn't help but retreat."

"Do you think she liked you?" Petra asked.

"I'd say... that she probably liked me too." Branze couldn't help but blush.

"Cornerstone is worried that you were just delusional and just kept thinking that she liked you. Do you have proof that she liked you?" Petra asked immediately.

Branze nearly coughed up blood.

"Oh. Sorry. Cornerstone said that I was a bit too brutal with my words. He meant to say if there were instances which proved that she felt that way towards you."

"She met me every night! In fact, her father was the one who might have made our family known because he caught me meeting with her daughter! He realized I was a knight's shadow and told me to stay away from his precious Shieldlet!" Branze explained with passion.

"Despite what her father said, we kept meeting and even used that balcony where we first met as a new spot! And that was despite being unable to tell each other where to meet. I headed there hoping to find her, and I did! We spent many nights meeting there. And I vowed to be the prince that will save her from this chained life." Branze explained.

As Branze kept explaining, Kyros and Calaminus had a strange expression.

"Your father was knight's shadow. He was throwing pebbles. Mom's father said, 'stay away from my Shieldlet.' Was your mother crying on the staircase, begging your father not to go? Did she sang, Knight's Shadow take me somewhere we can be alone?"

"N-no. Probably not."

"Well... I mean... Your dad did vow to be the prince and your mother would be the princess. It's their love story, Kyros. Just say yes."

Kyros turned to his mother.

"Mother. Did you love someone else other than dad?" Kyros asked.

Diana was startled at the question.

"Why?"

"Erm... No reason. I just want to believe that you and dad are each other's first true love." Kyros chuckled.

"...No. First true love is a fantasy." Diana gave her harsh answer.

"I did have someone you could say I loved. A young knight's shadow who..." Diana spoke no more.

Kyros was silent but Calaminus was rejoicing.

"Ermmmaggggahhhd! It's really him! This is like... those typical shojo romances with that cliche childhood friend, long-time-crush, true love thing! Kyros! Your dad has to sing that song!"

"No way."

"What do you mean no way! Are you looking for more signs to make your father sing that song?!"

Kyros ignored Calaminus.

"Who... who is he? And what happened to him?"

"He... was gone for a long, long time. I got tired of waiting. I do wonder if he ever would see me on the outskirts of town one day. But eventually... my faith in his promises faded like the memories that we had." Diana could not help but smile. But it was a smile full of regret. She maintained her silence as the Coven finally met outside the mines.

"...Well???" Calaminus pestered Kyros.

"Fine... I'll make my dad sing that song..." Kyros grumbled. He would be an idiot if he didn't use that song to tie up the melancholy and pain of her parents. Kyros didn't underestimate what a song could do to awaken love.

And so, Kyros sent a series of instructions to Petra.