Alex was on her way to the mountains, heading into the dangerous territory of the bandit king, Moonglow, in search of her sister. Hachisuka was the younger of the two, yet the most brilliant and sharp-witted. In town, they called her The Scheming Princess due to her many conspiratorial ideas and her relentless curiosity about the historical events of Protopaterpolis.
Fortunately, they were not traveling alone. Bianchi had called in a couple of stragglers from the Skulk Gang, who joined them on their motorcycles, along with a truck carrying five automatons and another carrying the same number of soldiers from the Makoto Cloth Corps for protection.
—Do you think your sister will be alright? —Bianchi asked.
—My sister is much stronger and braver than I am —Alex replied.
—What? That’s impossible —Bianchi retorted.
But Alex truly believed it. Her sister spent more time with their mother, enduring the queen’s wrath and unpredictable outbursts. She was also the one most concerned with the palace’s affairs: handling state matters their mother was too busy for, welcoming guests, and overseeing any other duties requiring protocol. Compared to her, Alex had far more freedom, despite being the heir to the throne.
Seeing that Alex remained silent, Bianchi didn't press further. Alex appreciated that: she hated being contradicted. It was a flaw she knew she had to work on, as a princess needed to accept that others had different opinions.
A little later, they entered a small forest and had to slow down their motorcycles. The trees crowded the path, making it harder to advance. They were already close to the mountains; the terrain had grown steep.
—Stop! —Bianchi shouted—. From here on, we’ll have to continue on foot.
—Can you track my sister’s scent? Is almost like mine —Alex asked as she dismounted the motorcycle.
—I’m a werefox, not a dog. We don’t do that —Bianchi replied, slightly offended.
—Oh. I thought you’d have a stronger sense of smell, sorry. I mean, considering how much you always say you love the way I smell… —Alex said, teasing BIanchi.
The werefox flushed red. She loved seeing him like that, so she always found ways to provoke him.
—I'm afraid we won't have to search for long —Bianchi suddenly said, turning toward the trees.
—Princess! We're surrounded! —one of the automatons exclaimed.
—How many? —Alex asked, scanning the forest. She saw no one, not the slightest movement.
—Too many —Bianchi muttered.
The attackers emerged from the trees all around them. They wore tattered cloaks and wielded all kinds of melee weapons, deadly at close range. They were bandits.
Despite being outnumbered, Alex and her group fought fiercely. They repelled wave after wave of bandits, with no casualties on either side. The bandits sustained wounds and heavy blows from the monks but kept fighting relentlessly, as if pain didn’t matter to them.
One of them, in particular, managed to break through to Alex. He was massive, clad in full red armor, wielding a colossal greatsword with a single hand. His strikes forced the automatons to retreat.
Bianchi lunged at him without thinking, without any concern for himself.
—Leave Alex alone! —he shouted, slashing with his claws.
But the armor deflected all his attacks, and Bianchi had to jump back just as the greatsword nearly took his head off.
Alex pulled a pistol from her clothes. She was never unarmed, but she liked that Bianchi was so determined to protect her. She aimed at the armored bandit but hesitated. She knew perfectly well that if she fired, it could spark an international conflict—because her opponent was none other than Moonglow VIII, the King of Bandits.
—It's time to test my new toy! —Bianchi declared, activating a mechanism on his motorcycle.
The bike’s structure folded and reassembled around his fist, transforming into a massive combat gauntlet that, strangely, felt weightless.
Alex was impressed by the weapon, but she wasn’t the only one. Bianchi also stood there, momentarily mesmerized by it.
—Focus, Bianchi! —Alex shouted, firing at Moonglow.
The bullet ricocheted off his armor, even though she had aimed for a joint.
Unfazed, Moonglow charged at Alex again. Fortunately, Bianchi intercepted his sword with the gauntlet, deflecting the attack. But the bandit king didn’t stop: he continued slashing, trying to break through the werefox’s defense and reach the princess.
Slowly, as the battle raged around them, Bianchi began to weaken. Moonglow’s assault was relentless and devastating. And then, suddenly, one of his strikes cut across Alex’s face.
However, before the blood could spill, dark blue, viscous strands wove together over the wound, mending it as if they were living tendons.
Seeing this, Moonglow raised his sword with both hands, preparing to deliver a vertical strike that would cleave Alex in two.
—Thir’ahmh, get out of contro…! —Alex began to chant, calling forth the creature within her.
—Enough! —a voice interrupted. It was a girl, clearly younger than Alex herself.
Alex placed a hand on her chest, trying to steady herself. Slowly, the glow of the Jhrelth amulet faded.
The young woman emerged from the trees and, with Moonglow’s help, jumped onto his shoulder, sitting there as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Surprised, Alex crossed her arms.
—Hachisuka? You’re on command? What’s going on? —she demanded, locking eyes with her sister—. Are you allied with Moonglow?
—Not exactly. Follow us to our hideout, sis. We have a lot to talk about —Hachisuka replied.
Once there, under the cover of night, even if it was an artificial night, the two sisters finally had the long-awaited reunion.
Moonglow sat on a throne-like seat, though completely out in the open, alongside another man, thinner and frail-looking. They chatted familiarly, though the difference in status between them was evident. Around them, the bandits ate and laughed at the circular tables, singing and drinking. Meanwhile, Bianchi waited in a corner of the hall, his eyes fixed on Alex.
In the centre of the place, Alex and Hachisuka stood alone, though surrounded by people. But they could speak without interruption.
—Hachisuka, what are you doing here with these people? —Alex asked.
—What Mother couldn’t do: forging an alliance with the heir to the throne —Hachisuka replied.
—Him? Moonglow? —Alex frowned.
—Yes. Haven’t you studied any of our history? —Hachisuka sighed—. Many generations ago, there was… an altercation. That’s when our family, the Sansta, rose to the throne.
—I know —Alex said, lowering her voice—. I know what happened.
—Well, I don’t! Why don’t you tell me? —Hachisuka asked.
—Because… tradition forbids it. Is knowledge reserved only for those destined for the throne —Alex answered bitterly. She hated the idea of being the future queen, but as the eldest sister, she had no choice.
—Whatever! The point is, we stripped Moonglow’s family of their right to rule. Did you know he is a direct descendant of the first Moonglow? All his descendants have been male. And he has dragonoid blood! Thanks to that, there have only been eight generations in three thousand years! I’ve read everything there is to read about his lineage! Did you know the first Moonglow wasn’t actually called that, but his real name was Milli…? —Hachisuka spoke with enthusiasm, but Alex cut her off.
—It doesn’t matter where they come from! They’re…
Alex suddenly fell silent. Moonglow was approaching.
—Say it, princess —said Moonglow. His voice echoed through the hall—. We’re “savages,” we’re “bandits.” What did you expect? Your family stole the throne from us generations ago!
—Ignore my sister, Moonglow. She’s very rude —Hachisuka said, looking at Alex with a meaningful expression.
Moonglow growled and walked away. The man who had been sitting next to him approached the two princesses. Bianchi immediately went on alert.
When Alex saw him up close, she realized he was more attractive than he had seemed from a distance.
—Princesses —the man said, gently taking Alex’s hand. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the back of it.
—Get lost, Echo! You charlatan! —Hachisuka exclaimed, laughing.
The man called Echo stepped back with a mocking smile, laughing and taking small hops as he followed Moonglow.
—Who was that? —Alex asked.
—The king’s cousin. He’s also of royal blood, but from a different branch of the family. He’s a descendant of the sister of Moonglow I’s father —Hachisuka explained.
—His presence… is intoxicating —Alex admitted, still unsettled.
—He’s good with women, yes —Hachisuka didn’t seem indifferent to his charm either—. Now tell me, old sister, what are you doing here? And what is that sticking out of your chest? Why do you regenerate so quickly?
—You saw that? —Alex instinctively placed a hand over the amulet on her chest.
—Of course. I was the one who suggested to Moonglow that he attack you —Hachisuka said with a little laugh.
—But… he almost killed me! —Alex protested.
—I wouldn’t have let him, little sister. But, well, he would’ve been within his rights. After all, he is the true king —Hachisuka replied casually.
—Mother wouldn’t like to know what you’re doing —Alex warned.
—Mother caused this —Hachisuka replied, pointing at the sky, directly at the eclipse—. I know. I have spies in the Light Castle.
—If you know that, then you also know that I’m going to visit the other kingdoms to try to stop this stupid war —Alex said seriously—. And that Mother has allied with… let’s just say, a very dangerous man.
She couldn’t tell her sister about the other worlds. It was a secret she had to protect.
—Do you think it will do any good? The Dark Forest of Amonsulle and The Underwater Resource Business Federation were Father’s allied nations, but without him… I don’t think it will be that easy —Hachisuka commented.
—That’s why I need you to come with me, sister. If the two princesses of the Kingdom of the Light Castle show up, they might take us more seriously than if I go alone —Alex insisted.
—I can’t. Moonglow, who is usually sharp and cunning, has become a grumbling brute ever since the eclipse began. I fear he’s planning a coup, a frontal attack on the Light Castle with all his bandits. And I know this because Echo gets along with me and tells me everything. If it weren’t for him, we might already be in the middle of an all-out assault —Hachisuka explained.
—We must tell Mother —Alex said.
—And what good would that do? The Queen is just looking for an excuse to start her warmongering, no matter who the target is —Hachisuka sighed—. Listen to me, sister. I love Mother, but you can’t deny that she’s willing to do anything to rule.
She gestured toward the sky, where the eclipse cast its dark shadow.
—For the love of all that is sacred, look at the sky, Alex! —Hachisuka said.
Alex gazed at the eclipse for a few moments, realizing that her sister was right. The celestial shadow wasn’t just darkening the sky—it was clouding her own judgment. She had set out on this journey intending to stop the war, not to take her mother’s side. She had to find a way to secure peace with the neighboring kingdoms before everything spiraled irreversibly out of control.
—I have reliable sources who say that the political leaders of the neighboring kingdoms, Rucheel and Yggssei, are prepared to defend their territories from any threat. But if my informants are right, they aren’t a threat themselves. They don’t want war, but they will fight if it comes to their doorstep. There’s still time, sister. You can still stop all of this —Hachisuka said.
—Thank you. I needed to hear that —Alex replied sincerely.
—So, will you leave and continue with your diplomatic mission? I can write you several letters with the royal seal, both ours and Moonglow’s, so that the rulers of the neighboring kingdoms know your offer of peace is genuine and not a trap —Hachisuka said.
—You have the royal seal? —Alex asked suspiciously.
—No, but… I have my tricks —her sister answered with a mischievous smile.
—You’re unbelievable, Hachisuka —Alex said, shaking her head with a mix of disbelief and admiration.
—You’re the unbelievable one. You obtained the power of the Sacred Ruins, didn’t you? —Hachisuka said. Before Alex could respond, Hachisuka swiftly unbuttoned her shirt and looked at the gem embedded in her chest.
The glow of the gem illuminated both sister’s faces.
—I knew it! —Hachisuka exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement—. You have to tell me everything! Come on, if there’s one thing the people here know how to do, it’s cook! Let’s drink, let’s celebrate, and you can leave tomorrow… or the day after! But first, you have to tell me everything. Do you promise?
Alex looked at her sister. Sometimes, with how mature Hachisuka could be, she forgot that, deep down, she was still a wild-hearted young girl, eager for adventure. She was her little sister, after all.
"Just like me at her age," Alex thought. "Full of dreams, hopes, and the desire to live a life different from the one in the palace."
She let herself be carried away by Hachisuka’s excitement and innocence. Gill Lapis could appear at any moment and shatter her plans for peace, but this moment of intimacy between sisters might never come again. And that was something Alex wasn’t willing to miss.
No matter the cost, the two of them would have a moment to simply be a family.
The world could wait a few more hours.
