Pre-War Phase 1

(Aerglo)

Soon after the King's unit found us, Mother hugged me as tight as she can. Tears gushing out of her eyes.

"Aerglo... please... don't ever do that again..." She said.

"Aerglo... son... what are you doing here?" Father asked me

"Nothing... I was just trying to investigate..." I answered

"Your highness... something is not right..." Hilal informed everyone

"What do you mean?" Father asked

"I can sense a faint aura of powerful lupus around the perimeter."

Father looked around while Mother Hugged me tighter and not letting me go like a small child.

"This place does feel strange... tell me, Aerglo... did you see someone here?"

I gulped, trying to calm myself and not make any wrong move. "No..." I said

"Hilal..." Father said, and just like that, he went to investigate the entire area within our territory.

I do not know what to do. There are still so many unanswered questions in my head right now, and I want them answered right away.

"Mother... I am ok, so you can let me go..." I said to her while she is still hugging me like there is no tomorrow.

"Why did you go off like that? Didn't you hear what your father had said earlier? What if another one of those monsters who attacked you before attacks again? " She asked a series of questions.

"Amaris... don't be so hard on him..." Father said to my Mother. Telling her to ease up a bit.

"No, Atlas!!! I am not gonna ease up until every last one of those abominations are gone. I have to make sure that none of that monster is left alive." She said, never letting go of her hug.

I can feel her strong and authoritative aura. She will not back down even in front of Father the King.

"Your highness!" Hilal said after scouting the entire perimeter. "I still do sense a powerful aura, but it is no longer in our territorial land. As far as I can discern, they are now in the Signus area. We cannot risk igniting another spark now that Skoll had already declared war against us." He further explained.

"It would be a wise choice as a king not to ask for another enemy from the unknown land." Elder Oberon cited. "Also... Amaris... heed your husbands' words and ease up. I can assure you there is no such monster in our area right now. They are not stupid enough to come and attack. Now that they know we are prepared for them and just look at the surroundings, it is pristine and peaceful." He continued to say to my Mother.

I felt the breeze of the air surrounding me as she finally let go of her death grip hug. I looked at Arche and the others and gave them a slight nod. We have to be careful, especially now. If I want to understand everything that is happening, I need to tread carefully and plan each step that I must take. It won't be easy as consulting Juno Helga. Though she is neutral in terms of the Skoll-Hati issue, she is a known confidant of the King and will do his bidding in a snap of a finger.

We immediately traveled back to Ilmor. Something is not right back there. I am still confused as to how did we both end up meeting at that place? I am deep in my thought when "Alpha" Io called me and handed me something, and based on her action, it is clear that she does not intend to let everyone else know about this. I took it and looked at her. No words are coming out of my mouth, and she just told me that it has already been masked. She knew the risk of bringing something to a place full of highly trained lupus that can catch a scent from a mile away. I took it and hid it inside my clothes in the meantime.

After arriving in Ilmor, Father asked me if I could spare some time to talk with him alone as an Alpha and Beta. I wanted to decline, but at the same time, I also want to ask something, and also I don't want him to have any more suspicions. I cannot have any of them in my back every time I make a move.

I agreed, and he called to talk to me alone in the hall of the kings.

"Aerglo... tell me the truth..." He immediately said to me when we entered the halls.

"What truth?" I asked again

"I know you are hiding something. I know you. You wouldn't make any drastic moves without planning. Aerglo, you are my son and the next King of Hati, the next Alpha, and hopefully the next ALPHA PRIME." He said without breaking a sweat.

I, on the other hand, am struggling with making straight eye contact. Father, saying that he is now hoping for me to become the next Alpha Prime, only means that he too plans to end this long separation of the tribes by going to war.

"Aerglo... if you really insist on keeping what you found on the border. I cannot force you to. I cannot extend any other support or help if you do not want to share that information. So think about it, help me, and I will do everything in my power to help you." He continued to say, trying to convince me.

I was about to make the most difficult decision in my life when... "Your highness!" Hilal abruptly came breaking the awkward aura surrounding Father and me.

"Your highness! we found something!" He said with an urgency in his voice.