Awakened II

Instead of drifting off for the umpteenth time though, Adel decided to walk around the mansion - with intention, of course. He searched through rooms and chambers - in hopes of finding his dear companion - but returned to the Viridescent Chamber after a few hours; empty-handed and disappointed.

"No…" he whimpered, tormenting his hair. "Why isn't Elysium here?!"

As the seconds turned into minutes, his fingers itched with fury and agony. He needed it, now. Elysium, Elysium. Elysium. Elys-

Distressed by his want, Adel stormed off with one last location in mind.

The Treasury

As he arrived at the large, wooden entrance, his entry was blocked by two patrols.

Both gripped a poleaxe in their arms and pointed its sharpened tips at Adel's neck.

"State your identity," they said.

He eyed the blade - glaring at its bright silver sheen - then huffed.

They continued, "My Lady, anyone who wishes to enter must-"

Adel reached up to his cloak and pulled the hood down, revealing his golden blonde hair, "Not a lady." purposely ignoring their question.

The patrols weren't regular mercenaries for-hire, and were usually treated with respect. And though he knew that, Adel couldn't help but want to tease them a bit.

"Well then, sir, do you have permission from Lord Artin?"

"To enter my own treasury?" he sighed, then brushed the blade off his right shoulder. He twisted the one on his left, using its blunt side to shove the other.

"You must state your iden-"

Adel stuck out his tongue and winked. "And I, have no identity!"

And with a light push, he slammed the door - only barely missing the patrol's face.

The treasury in his palace started as a tiny storage room - used to store his instruments - but quickly expanded as gifts started to pile up. The chamber was filled with precious relics and jewels and ancient texts, but to Adel, none could ever compare or come close to his prized possession, Elysium.

As he took the flute into his hands, he couldn't help but remember many fond memories.

"Janis, I composed a new song! Do you want to hear it? Never mind, I'll play it anyway!"

"Dimor, I dedicate this song to…us!"

Adel's fingers shook as he lifted the instrument. The cold jade touched his bottom lip, and he began to blow hesitantly.

Though was he still worthy of it?

After testing a few songs on the instrument, he silently rejoiced: thank goodness he remembered how to play!

Out of all the instruments he learned - whether it be the harp or lyre - he thought the flute was the most challenging to master. Organs required a player's operation on their hands and feet, while a lyre or a harp - string instrument - produces music by vibrating and making soundwaves through the player's plucking. A flutist, unlike trumpeters who had their own mouthpieces, had to correctly position their lips on the instrument and rely on memory to produce a powerful sound.

Adel almost cried at the thought of learning his most prized instrument from scratch.

He rubbed its smooth jade, and rubbed his face against it, exhaling in relief.

As he left the treasury, the patrols who had blocked his entry were now bowing frantically to him, begging for his forgiveness.

"Now, now, it's not your fault," he chuckled. "Your reluctance to let me in shows that my brother has selected excellent guards,"

The patrols' eyes shone; how lucky were they to serve such a merciful deity! As he the inner palace, they whispered to each other with sparkling eyes:

"So the rumors about his beauty were true…no wonder no one ever suspected,"

At that moment, Adel chose not to be merciful.

"And-mhph, mhm!" they struggled to muffle through their sealed lips.

The patrols shall not open his mouth for the rest of the day.

The outer Palace, the Garden

Now, instead of being addressed as "her highness" or "my Lady", he was "his highness" the Lord of Fate. He glanced at the sign above the Palace and blinked.

"..."

The engraving on the flowery golden banner had also been replaced by a bolded font which spelled: "Lord's main palace"

His whole "identity" had been changed. Just like two centuries ago - except this time, for a better. Familiar faces were replaced with aged or new ones, and the signs and insignias had also been renovated.

And it felt nice - to be known as yourself by the world.

Truthfully, it wasn't difficult to adjust to this sudden change.

Ever since he found his true gender, getting dolled up and addressed as "her highness" was the only difference. After he ascended to the Divine realm, Adel almost stopped wearing dresses altogether.

As he played the flute, he spotted a familiar figure from afar. The figure also stopped, before looking in his direction.

"Artin, I'm back," he laughed out loud as his twin ran to him.

Immediately, Adel was pulled into a bone crushing hug.

"Aye, did you miss me?"

Artin glared at him, "Maybe,"

Adel raised an eyebrow. "Maybe? Was ten years that long?"

He twisted Artin's fingers until the other loosened his grip around his shoulder and smiled. "Now, why were you meeting with the Guardians? They rarely gather together after all."

"Care to fill me in with the details?"

"Though," Artin seemed to hesitate. He glanced back and forth between Adel and their surroundings. "Let's go somewhere else,"

.

.

.

"The Guardians of the Chaos Barrier are missing?!" Adel stood up from his chair. "But aren't they the sons of the Divine Sovereign?"

The Chaos Barrier was the realm and hell of destruction, so dark and evil that it required two deities to govern. The deities were children of the ruler of the Divine realm, gifted and bright enough to be chosen as Guardians for the most dangerous realm of all four. It was said that no life - even those blessed by the flower deities - dared grow near the Barrier, as it's surroundings are heavily contaminated.

Artin wrinkled his forehead, "Furthermore, the realm of Chaos is expanding, while the barrier is slowly thinning."

"Delphis told me not to worry, yet this matter…"

"Do not worry, you just woke up," Artin rested his hand on his twin's shoulder. "We'll find the, sooner or later. The problem will be solved."

"How could I not?"

"Then it's my fault for telling you,"

He scoffed, "It was a recovery, not a coma."

"Still, you are the-"

"The princess of the Faes? Lady of Fate? I am none of those." Adel sighed and rubbed his temples, "As part of the Divine realm, I have the right to know - to be concerned,"

Seeing as Artin had stopped speaking, he continued.

"You said not to worry. Well, a missing deity is a big concern!" he scolded. "Your problem is not mine, but the Divine's are ours."

Artin was his older twin - by a few seconds, that is. He was strong and handsome, which was why he also ascended, though he tended to fail to recognize a problem beneath its surface. Anyhow, he was still capable of fending himself and dealing with minor affairs in the three realms.

Maybe it was because he was his sibling, but Adel felt Artin was slightly irritable to look at. Only slightly, though.

Two centuries ago, the kingdom of the Faes was attacked by the Constantia Empire; the closest human Empire to the Beast realm. They had used Nether - an element from and fueled by the Chaos Realm. When the Empire was destroyed, Adel and Dimor ascended, and shortly after, Artin did too.

Said twin was now glaring at the jade flute strapped on his waist. "Why?" he questioned.

Adel hissed, gripping his flute as if to shield it from Artin's scowl, "What do you mean why? Respect my instrument!"

"You and your-"

"Anyhow," his voice softened, "It's a gift from Dimor."

A century ago, Dimor had gone on an expedition to a chasm in the Northern region. When he returned to attend their ascension celebration, he brought with him an ancient mineral and used it to craft two of his most prized possessions: the jade flute and his tassel earring.

Most, if not all of Janis' traces were gone, but he was still here, everywhere Adel looked or felt - as if they never fought. As if it never happened in the first place.

"I should've broke it when I had the chance…" his twin muttered, cracking his knuckles.

"Shut up! It's not like you can find anything better than it!"

Artin looked offended, "How dare you-hey, do you love that damn rock more than your brother?! And I thought you missed me as much as "

Adel's heart softened at his twin's words, but still - to spite him - he smirked, "Rocks don't bicker with you, so maybe,"