CHAPTER 11, TO THE ISLES AND THE TRUTH

As we returned to the palace where we were asked to stay, we all gathered in a large ball room. And as we were talking, we heard that my engagement to Lucia has apparently been made known. Geez... they really do things without my permission don't they. "I kinda want to see the Aerial Isles now... I never gotthe chance to go there." Alpha sighed.

"That can be arranged." I said with a mischievous smile as I looked at Hoshi-san who simply nodded his head.

"Let's go!" Tetsuya exclaimed as he came in for a hug. "Nii-chan."

"Hahaha, okay then." I said and snapped my fingers.

"Wha!! The castle?!" Lux-nii-san exclaimed as we were instantly teleported away from their castle and to mine.

It's the Hall of Heroes, a large room with portraits of the previous Heroes hanging on the wall. The countless portraits show the faces of the Heroes who came before me, each dated with their time and era as well as their great works. "A little off, I planned to teleport us to the Great Hall." I sighed.

"What did you just do?" Neph asked.

"Ah, that's called Territory, a kind of spatial magic. Though it's called it's magic, it's something more like a right." I said as I opened the door. "It's one of the Hero's Authority, like my Authority to control all the Familiars, even those of others, I can freely teleport to anywhere within my territory. What I see as mine and the lands that have relation to my family are covered by that."

"Wow! This place is huge!!" Clover exclaimed as we walked down the hall ways. "And you live here?!"

"Not quite. We live at a mansion owned by my family. This place is more like my office. Though I do plan to move in, when I'm ready atleast." I laughed stiffly. "By the way, there's a difference in time here, what is tomorrow back at the Crystal Empire is actually today here in the Aerial Isles."

"Really?!" Lux-nii-san exclaimed.

"Ah, and before I forget, the Aerial Isles is simply the Central City and home for the Royal Family, most of the nation is on the Southern Continent." I stated as I opened the door leading outside.

"Though you say that, the Southern Continent is technically completely a nation that has been unified by the countless generations of Heroes." Riku-san said as he laughed. "In terms of territory, economy and military might, there's not a nation that can rival ours!!"

"If Haru wishes he could crush any nation that went against him." Himari-san said with a calm expression while everyone just looked petrified. "It would only take a simple order and all the nations could fall."

"Not that he needs the country's military might to demolish a continent or two." Lita sighed. "With his power, he could demolish the world world if he wanted... thankfully he has no ambitions like that. Which is why, we as his fiancees better make sure they stay like that."

"I'm suddenly worried as to what would become of our children." Lucia said worried.

"Knowing Haru, they be raised spoilt to their hearts content. Look at how Tetsuya is, and they're just brother's-in-law." Asami sighed. "Perhaps we should raise the children away from Haru...?"

"Try and I'll destroy this world." I smiled as I opened the door. "Should anyone harm the people I love... who knows how many nations will be removed."

I said with a smile as I opened the door outside. Ah, it's great to be out in the Aerial Isles' air. "That reminds me, I should visit him later before we leave." I muttered to myself as I lead them outside.

"Whoa, so beautiful, the sky is so clear!!" Sky exclaimed as she saw the clouds up above. "This is the Aerial Isles? It's so beautiful!!"

"I have to agree. How do you keep the Islands above ground?" Zero asked curiously.

"A special kind of magic is imbued into the Island Cores and they levitate in the air due to that. We don't know much of its creation." Himari-san answered.

"The first generation Hero was someone who wished to live in the sky, he developed tons of magic that allowed him to fly. Though even I don't know how he did it." Lita answered with a sigh.

"The books written by him are in my Library by the way." Ray told me in Aerial Language.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask this but... Haru you don't give out the air of a noble do you?" Rose said as I turned my head.

"That's probably due to how I present myself." I answered as my hairtie came undone. "I don't want you guys to treat me as a noble, the title... it's not something I was given a choice to inherit after all."

"None of us nobilities do get to choose our futures..." Lucia said. "But, for some reason, it feels even more so for Haru... I don't know why though."

"A predetermined fate, a future set in stone, since before I was born, everything was already set in stone for me." I said as I looked at the sky. "No matter what I do, there's only one path for me... oh well, I'm thankful atleast that the thread of fate didn't tighten itself so much as to dictate how I had to live my life."

"Wait, didn't you get the chance to hand the throne to someone else?" Ryu asked me but I just smiled.

"As the sole heir to have carried the blood of all the clans and be blessed by the divine, I'm not allowed to choose a different path besides becoming the Hero." I answered him as the wind blowed my hair. "At least... this fate of my allowed me to meet the people I could call friends and family."

"That fate isn't something set in stone for you!!" Aria said as she got teary. "I'm sure... that you can choose a different one, you don't have to be the Hero if you don't want to!!"

"She's right, Haru, you don't have to be the Hero." Ginga-san seconded as everyone nodded their heads.

"Then I'd be betraying myself." I smiled sadly. "After all, my own brother is at deaths door just to keep me alive."

"What... do you mean?" They asked with grim expressions.

"I suppose it's time I tell you." I said and signalled them to sit down.

"Tell us what?" Storm asked.

"This Haru... is nothing more than a fake." I smiled as they all stared at me with shocked expression.