Two More Disciples

Phillip's boots crunched on the dried ground as he approached Christopher, his posture a careful blend of caution and authority.

The two Beasts turned their heads to the vice commander.

Phillip stopped a few paces away, his gaze fixed on Christopher.

"Who are you, exactly?" He asked, his voice steady, though a flicker of unease danced in his eyes.

"Christopher Valhalla," came the reply, delivered with a casualness that only heightened Phillip's suspicion.

Phillip's brow furrowed. 'Impossible.' He thought. 'There's no way the Valhalla family's elder son, the one whispered about as a useless scion, could possess this level of power. He must be impersonating.'

He let out a measured sigh. "You are powerful, that I'll grant you... But taking someone else's name and title isn't a wise course of action."

"Huh?" Christopher's response was a simple, almost dismissive sound.

Not only Christopher, but even Lazarus, was taken aback, its golden eyes widening slightly.

"What are you saying? I am Christopher." Christopher reiterated, his tone unwavering.

Phillip's eyes narrowed, a coldness settling within them. "You!"

He couldn't bring himself to believe that the Valhalla's heir he'd heard about was the formidable figure before him. The idea that this "useless" son could now surpass him, a seasoned Vice Commander, was an insult to his experience and skill.

Before Phillip could issue the order to his soldiers to apprehend the imposter, a sharp, clear voice sliced through the air.

"Elder Brother!"

All eyes snapped towards the fortified wall, where Katherine, Adonis, Leyla, and four imposing bodyguards were rushing towards them.

"Huh?" Phillip's confusion deepened.

"..."

The soldiers, too, were rendered speechless.

"Did Miss Katherine just call him elder brother? Are you truly Christopher Valhalla?" Phillip demanded, his voice laced with incredulity.

"I don't like repeating myself," Christopher replied, his gaze shifting to his approaching siblings.

Katherine launched herself into Christopher's arms, her embrace fierce and relieved.

"We looked for you everywhere in the city, not knowing you were outside at the border," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Christopher chuckled, a warm sound that seemed to soften the air. "It's okay, I won't go anywhere without telling you guys," he said, patting her back gently.

"Hmm... Elder brother,"

Adonis called out.

The two separated, and Christopher turned to Adonis, who stood with a mixture of relief and apprehension.

"Yes?" Christopher asked.

"Hmm... Where are your car keys?" Adonis asked, his voice tight.

"Uh?"

Christopher's response was a moment of stunned silence, his hand moving to his jaw, a gesture of absentminded thought.

The seconds stretched, each one an eternity for Adonis.

"I lost them," Christopher finally said.

"WHAT?!!!!"

Adonis and Katherine exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with horrified disbelief.

"Brother, could you repeat that...? Did you say you lost the car keys?!!" Adonis asked, his voice laced with a tremor of shock.

"I lost them," Christopher repeated, his tone utterly indifferent.

"Brother... You just lost the keys to a car worth millions," Adonis said, his voice strained.

"Why are you so worked up? I have an extra key at home... In my bedroom." Christopher replied, his nonchalance only adding to their distress.

Adonis and Katherine exchanged bewildered glances.

"Really?" Katherine asked, her voice filled with a sliver of hope.

"Yes," Christopher confirmed.

The two siblings let out a collective sigh of relief. After a moment, Katherine's curiosity resurfaced.

"Brother, you got another Beast?" she asked, reaching out to tickle the blood wolf, who responded by licking her fingers.

"Aww... He's so cute!" Katherine exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

Phillip watched the scene, his mind reeling. 'If only she knew the power of that beast,' he thought, his gaze lingering on the wolf's cute form.

"Come on, Brother! Let's go back... It's almost 7 PM. We know what you told Mum," Adonis said, his voice urging.

Christopher nodded, his gaze turning to Leyla, who stood quietly beside him.

"You're also here?" he asked.

"My job is to look after you," Leyla replied, her voice devoid of emotion.

Christopher chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Don't be so serious, let's get going," he said, rubbing his ring and summoning Lazarus back inside.

With a final, lingering look around, he turned and walked towards the gate, his siblings and bodyguards following close behind.

"Get the sisters too," he said, his voice carrying back to the group.

"Already waiting in their car," Katherine replied, her voice bright. Christopher nodded in satisfaction.

"Vice Commander, I think we misjudged them," one of the soldiers said, his gaze fixed on Christopher's retreating figure.

"We did... And I have a strong feeling we'll meet again," Phillip replied, rubbing his ring and recalling his three Beasts.

____

[Cordelia.]

[Christopher's separate home.]

[6:30 PM.]

A sleek, black Lexus was parked by the side of the road. Christopher, Adonis, and Katherine sat inside, their gazes fixed on the two sisters, Advika and Sylvia, who stood near the gate, flanked by two more bodyguards.

"Who is she to you, Brother?" Katherine asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"And don't tell us she's your friend," Adonis added, his tone suspicious.

Christopher sighed softly. "She is a disciple."

"....."

The two siblings were stunned into silence. When did their brother acquire so much knowledge and skill about Beasts to take disciples?

"Ok, then I'm also your disciple... End of discussion," Katherine declared, her voice firm.

"Same!" Adonis added, nodding in agreement.

Christopher stared at his siblings, their earnest expressions causing a chuckle to escape his lips.

"Ok, my disciples, this is what you need to do," he began.

He proceeded to explain the intricacies of increasing their Beasts' stages and the complex process of mixing bloodlines, his explanation concise and clear. Within a minute, he was finished.

Katherine and Adonis blinked in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief. "How do you know all this? Even our teachers don't know how to mix bloodlines... And you explained it in the easiest way possible, and in a minute!" Adonis exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and horror.

"Wait, brother... If you're so good and knowledgeable about Beasts, why are you still joining the academy? You should become a teacher," Katherine suggested, her voice filled with enthusiasm.

"A teacher... That's good, we can ask the owner---" Adonis began.

"---No, I don't want to be a teacher," Christopher interrupted, his voice firm.

BUZZ!

A buzzing sound filled the car as Adonis pulled out his phone. He answered the call, his voice curt.

"Let them in," he said, and disconnected.

The three siblings turned to see Advika and Sylvia, who were now being escorted through the gate by the guards.

"Help me keep an eye on them... And I need to check the family library," Christopher said, his voice low.

"Now?" Adonis asked, his voice filled with confusion.

Thud!!

Katherine knocked Adonis on the head. "Now?! Mum and Dad are waiting for us, let's go!"

"You guys go, I'll be waiting for you at home," Christopher said, opening the car door.

"Uh?" Adonis and Katherine exchanged bewildered glances as Christopher stepped out of the car and closed the door behind him. The blood wolf, opened his red eyes and leaped out of the window, landing gracefully on Christopher's shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Adonis asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Just go... I'll wait for you in the House," Christopher replied, his gaze fixed on the distance.

After a moment of hesitation, Adonis and Katherine nodded. Adonis started the car, and they drove away.

Christopher flicked his wrist, and the shimmering golem's core appeared in his hand. The core pulsed with a faint red light. Reaper stared at the core, his red eyes wide.

"What are you looking at? Beasts can't absorb cores... They can only receive the life force to grow stronger from their owners... That is why; the stronger the Tamer, the stronger his or her beasts," Christopher explained, his voice calm. He thought about the runes on the core, and what they could mean.

"Come on, let's go to the house," He said.

He looked around the empty street, ensuring they were alone, then shot into the air, flying towards the Valhalla family's estate. As he flew, he thought about the information he was searching for in the library.

"Let's hope the library have the information I'm looking for." Christopher muttered, increasing his speed.

_____

[Christopher's Room.]

The soft thud of Christopher's boots landing on the plush carpet was barely audible as he slipped through the open window, the cool night air brushing against his face. He moved with a practiced fluidity, a silent shadow in his own room. With a gentle push, he eased the window shut, the click of the latch a mere whisper in the vast space.

"Can't believe I'm sneaking into my own room, like a kid," he muttered under his breath, a faint smile playing on his lips. The irony of his situation wasn't lost on him – the heir to the prestigious Valhalla family, resorting to clandestine entries into his own personal sanctuary.

Reaper, shifted its gaze around the expansive room, its golden eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. With a silent leap, it detached itself from Christopher's shoulder, landing soundlessly on the thick carpet. It began to prowl, its movements fluid and predatory. Suddenly, the beast froze, its gaze fixed on a dark corner of the room.

Christopher raised an eyebrow, his attention drawn to Reaper's sudden stillness. He let out a soft sigh.

"You are superb," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "If it hadn't been for Reaper, I wouldn't have detected you."

He walked towards the single-seater couch, and sank into it, his posture relaxed.

"Why are you sneaking inside your room? And I thought you were with Katherine and Adonis," a voice echoed from the shadows, its tone cool and composed. Leyla emerged, her figure materializing from the darkness like a phantom. Her eyes held a sharp intensity that belied her youthful appearance.

"Come on, answer," she pressed, her voice unwavering.

With a fluid motion, she walked towards a wall and flicked a switch. The room was instantly bathed in warm, golden light, illuminating every detail, dispelling the shadows that had concealed her presence.

Christopher stared at her for a few seconds, his gaze unwavering. He let out a soft sigh.

"Why are you in my room at this time?" he asked, his voice calm, but with an underlying edge.

"Uh?"

Leyla was taken aback by the question, her brow furrowing in confusion. She had expected a different response, a justification for his clandestine entry, not a counter-question. The unexpectedness of his inquiry left her momentarily speechless.