"Lord Ares!"

A young man with short, unruly dark hair and golden eyes, wearing a dress shirt, shirt, vest, a simple cravat, an overcoat, black pants, boots and white gloves looked up darkly from his book at a young servant that had interrupted him.

The servant, who was obviously tired, smiled sweetly at her lord "Your child has been born!"

Ares didn't say anything as he pushed past the young girl and strolled towards his bedroom, where he glared at the numerous people that had piled up to see the newborn. The crowd instantly parted when they noticed his presence and with a swift turn of the knob he had entered the room and closed the door behind him.

In the bed was a woman with beautiful ash-bronze hair and blue eyes, cradling a small bundle of cloth in her arms. Her eyes met Ares' and she smiled as she called out his name "Ares…you're here."

He said nothing as he walked right past the bed so that he could stare out one of the large windows at the wild storm that bellowed before them, the sun nearly invisible against all of the heavy snow that covered the land and sky.

"She is so cute. She is adorable. So small...so very delicate." His wife cooed at the small sleeping child in her arms "You should see her Ares; she has your eyes. She will be so beautiful, more than she already is. I'm so happy that I could have given birth to her."

Ares stiffened "Shizuka."

She looked up from her child briefly and smiled "What is it?"

"Have we brought suffering upon that child?" he questioned, his gaze still focused on the storm "will we be the cause of her death? I fear that I... will be the cause of your own death."

Shizuka looked at him surprised but returned to a relaxed face as she cradled her daughter "I know...it has been one year since his passing. Her birth is the mere reason I am allowed to exist. When I came to know who you truly were, they wanted to execute you and I, but her mere creation spared us. The rebirth of their saviour became our own salvation which guided us on our new path. Both you and her offered me a better life than a simple puppet...you needn't worry. Because we will remain with her no matter what. So…"

"But!"

Ares flinched and shook as if the weight of the world was being forced upon him "But with everything that will happen...I... I have no right… to hold that child… None…!"

Shizuka shook her head "I will not allow the Giou clan to take her from me. This child will be raised as my daughter - your daughter - our daughter. Takashiro has tried and failed to stop Reiga so many times, but that has only led to suffering. It doesn't matter who or what we both are marked as; she is the most important thing to us."

She shakenly got out of the bed, still cradling the child, and walked up to her husband "So take this child, Yuki, and hold her close. Hold her, and be proud...like any other father would be…"

Ares turned around and accepted the child, shedding a brief tear as his daughter's golden eyes met his own with a smile. He brought her close and Shizuka joined in the embrace as he whispered in her ear:

"We will be gone...before they know it."

(A few minutes later)

"Milady? Is everything alright in there?"

A servant pounded on the door of the Master Bedroom worriedly as she awaited the typical sweet voice of her mistress to respond, yet no such reply ever came. The servant began to panic slightly as she continued to pound against the door hoping for a response from either of the parents or even a cry from the newborn child.

"Milady! Is anyone in there?!"

People began to hear the commotion, but no one wanted to see what was happening apart from a young male with short white hair and golden eyes along with a female (his sister) who possessed longish ash-bronze hair and the same eyes, who appeared to be worried, as the servant continued to desire a reply from her constant pounding at the door.

"Is something wrong?" the girl asked carefully as he pulled the servant away from the door "Has something happened to our cousin?"

"She isn't replying!" the servant cried "Lady Shizuka isn't responding. But I also can't hear anything going on as well."

The girl's eyes widened "Tsukumo, can you-"

"On it!"

The boy pressed his ear to the door and focused. He urged his God's Ears to work and assist in finding whatever was happening behind the door but he was only met with silence...apart from the creaking of seemed to be an open window?!

"Touko...I think a window is open" He muttered as he strained for any other sounds "But I can't hear anything else…"

The girl, Touko, took action then as she pulled her brother away from the door and kicked it open swiftly before charging inside of it. However, she didn't want to believe what she was seeing and neither did her brother when he followed after her along with the distressed maid who was horrified.

"Dear God!"

The room was in perfect condition. Nothing appeared to be strange or out of the ordinary as the siblings checked around. Everything was the way their cousin, Shizuka, normally left everything. The only difference was the open window and necklace left on her beside. But where was Shizuka, her child and husband?

"What's going on?" Touko frowned "have then been kidnapped? Or worse…?"

"But there's no sign of a struggle…" the maid replied quietly as she glanced at the portrait of Shizuka that hanged above the fireplace "I know that her lover wouldn't have let them be kidnapped without fighting back...and neither would Milady."

"But then where are they?" Touko questioned.

Tsukumo then noticed something as he brushed his hand over one of the many bookshelves that resided in the room. He checked and noticed a letter was squeeze between two large books, he pulled at it gently in order not to tore at it "It appears someone left a note."

Touko eyes shone with worry "What does it say?"

Tsukumo cleared his throat "It says…

To whom this may concern,

I know that you must be very worried about me. But I have not been kidnapped and neither has my child nor my husband. None of us have been killed either if that is what you are possibly thing. In fact, we have left of our own free will,

With no intention of ever returning to what was once my home.

This place has become a prison for not only me but also my child. I understand what you think that this child is meant to do and the purpose you wish to place upon her. But I will not allow that to happen unless she decides to do so when she is older and/or finds out about this supposed destiny. I wanted to stay and be with you all until it was the end of my time but I refuse to help you make my child become something she may have no desire in doing.

Brother, when you read this or if you are reading this I understand that you will be furious. You will demand that I be found and brought back to you so that my child is raised to be what you think she should be. But I will not let you find me. Ares will not let you find us. And if you ever do, I will not let you kill him so that you can satisfy this hatred of Duras that has consumed you for so long. The Yuki prior to this failed in what you tried to make him become and even though Reiga was defeated it wasn't enough for you. The Duras are only our enemies because we do not understand them, I learned to accept them and my husband, Ares, is a Opast that you despise but allowed to live as he gave you another chance to fulfil your wasted ambition.

When Reiga comes back, I pray that you can deal with him or her in your own way. Do not force your petty rivalry upon any more generations of Zweilt Guardians that have already given up your life for you. I will always love you for if not for you I would not even be here...but you will not harm my child.

To Touko and Tsukumo, I named you as my child's godparents but before I ever let you see their beautiful face I want you to leave behind this failed battle. I do not desire to see you fall as did your comrades or Yuki himself. When you can find me and show me that you have left behind the war then you may see this beautiful child but until then this is our goodbye.

I wish you the best in all of your lives. But I can only hope that I never see you again. For Yuki's sake…

Farewell,

Shizuka Giou.

Touko turned away from her brother in shock "Why? Why Shizuka?"

Tsukumo frowned at the letter "There's more."

"What does it say?"

"I can't make it out" he replied, causing his sister face to crumble further "I think it's in another language the only word I can read is...Crosszeria."

Touko gasped "It's for him?"

"I'd imagine so" Her brother agreed, right before tearing the unreadable section off from the letter and placing it in his pocket. He then handed the rest of the letter to his sister who appeared shocked at his actions "Is something wrong?"

"Besides everything else that's going on...why did you rip that section off? Isn't Takashiro going to question where the rest of the letter is?"

"Because it's meant for only him" Tsukumo replied softly "Takashiro will get nothing from whatever it says apart from more anger or suffering."

"Then you better go give it to him" Touko smiled sadly "Do you remember where he is?"

"In the underground cellar" Tsukumo answered before he looked at the maid sharply "Go with my sister and deliver this information to your Master...is that understood?"

The servant bowed "Y-yes sir."

"Then off we you both then" Tsukumo said as he exited the room "You know that Takashiro doesn't like waiting around for news such as this.

The siblings then parted in different directions, with Touko and the flustered servant heading up stairs and Tsukumo heading towards the underground cellar where someone who Takashiro once considered an 'ally' was being locked up.

"I will never agree with how harsh Takashiro has become" Tsukumo thought as he descended down into the darkened areas of what was once the main residence of the Giou clan "But a part of me still fears visiting him alone with no protection other than the information in my pocket…"

Takashiro frowned "What do you mean she's gone?"

The servant shivered as the tension in the room became icy. Both of her master and the young lady standing beside her were staring at each other hatefully "When we went to go check on the Lord and Lady, both of them and the child had vanished. Most of their belongings had been left behind to...apart from the necessities."

"I knew that damned Opast would try something!" Takashiro seethed "He stole Yuki and Shizuka, my own sister, as well!"

"There was no struggle milord." the servant continued "It appears that Milady left quite willingly."

Takashiro frowned "I figured as much...Shizuka really couldn't see just how evil that thing is. But the major issue is that they took God's light from us...do we have any information on the infant? Any tracking devices?"

"They fled before the child was officially recorded in the Giou's files" the servant explained as she showed the empty birth certificate "And it seems that Milady and Milord- I mean...the Opast, took their records when they left."

Takashiro banged his fist against the wall, scaring the servant further "Damn, they've had this planned from the start...what's gotten into Shizuka's head."

"Mi-Milord?"

Takashiro sighed "You are excused."

The servant left but Touko remained, her concerned eyes focused on the strangely calm face of her superior "Lord Takashiro…"

"What is it?"

"Did you suspect that she would leave?" Touko asked "Did you think she was that willing to do something that drastic? I mean if you're her brother surely you could tell?"

"I may call her my sister, despite her being adopted, but I never truly got close to her" He answered honestly "It was only after he passed on that I truly focused on her as she was the last chance I could have at reincarnating Yuki."

"What do you mean?"

"The fact that Yuki was reincarnated as a boy meant that the war was indeed ending" he explained "I knew that as much, but I never imagined that Reiga would also be defeated in the process of Yuki's own sacrifice...however he is more powerful than I thought. When he died...he was still in the process of reincarnation."

"But then…"

"Even though we won the battle, we haven't won the war" Takashiro continued "Reiga was only getting closer to a perfect body that could contain his full power. Kanata was the prototype but I suspect…"

"That he will gain his true form this time round…" Touko finished as fear appeared on her face "What should we do then?"

Takashiro's face became serious "Truthfully, we can only hope that Yuki becomes known to us before the Duras find Reiga once more. Otherwise...I fear for not only our safety but for the world's as well. Those Duras will do anything to achieve their goal…"

"And what about, Zess?"

Takashiro snarled "I'll keep him alive for now, he's our best chance at finding Yuki later."

"Understood."

"But understand me Touko" Takashiro said as he stood up from behind his desk with a cruel gleam in his eyes "That thing is by no means our ally. He is a means to an end."

Touko flinched at the harshness in her leader's words but nodded "I understand. I await further instructions."

"Then leave me be. I need some time to think."

Tsukumo took a deep breath as he stood in front of the iron door that separated him and the Duras the lurked behind it. He could feel the immense power of the Duras attempting to bring him to his knees but he withstood it. He wouldn't allow himself to be intimidated by someone he considered an ally.

But if he was being honest, he was scared shitless.

He knocked against the door, sounding a loud echo through the empty halls of the underground cellar "I'm coming in."

Even though he got no response, Tsukumo pushed opened the door and entered into the dimly lit cell. He looked around a found blood splattered across the floor, cups strewn and thrown, walls scratched and damaged and finally a red eye that stared back at him like an animal stalking its prey.

Tsukumo swallowed "Zess…"

"Why are you here?" the owner of the red eyes replied "I thought that Takashiro forbade anyone coming down here unless they were sending in 'food'."

"That doesn't mean I wasn't going to tell you what's happened" Tsukumo said as he closed the cell door tightly shut "Especially when this involves you…"

"Well?"

"It's about...Yuki."

He was suddenly pushed up against the cell door with a loud thud that caused him to cough up a bit of blood. He looked down at the nails that were digging into his flesh and threatened to bring up more blood.

"Don't bring up that name"

"Tsukumo took a deep breath "You need to listen to me, Zess."

"I don't want to hear what you have to say!"

Tsukumo stared up at his ally with concern but his gaze soon turned to horror at he got a good look at his old ally. The right side of Zess' face was completely covered in bandages soaked in darkened blood that belonged to that of a Duras. His hair had become more wild and matted, his one visible eye flickered between their usual silver to a hungry red. His body was weak from hunger and a chain was wrapped around his neck, linking him to the wall where he had resided prior.

If Tsukumo wanted to, he easily could have pushed Zess of him and made a run for it. But the Zweilt had no intention of doing such a thing. He was going to make the Duras listen to him no matter what he tried to do to him.

"Zess you need to calm down."

"...why so you can mock me? Or do you wish to pity me for all the damage that my own brother did to me? Or do you really intend to torture me with stories of Yuki."

"I have no intention of any of those things Zess." Tsukumo answered as he gently pulled away from the weakened Duras "But I do need to talk to you about Yuki."

Zess stepped back "Why?"

"Yuki was reborn exactly an hour ago."

Zess' eye widened with disbelief "What?"

"Yuki was reborn to Takashiro's sister." Tsukumo continued "However, she has fled along with her 'husband' and Yuki."

"You me Shizuka had a child? And that child was...Yuki?"

"Looked exactly like him. Except…"

"Except what?"

"Yuki's a girl again."

Luka's body shook and he raised a hand to the broken cross he wore around his neck "Impossible...why? Why would he?"

Tsukumo then took out the broken section of the letter in his pocket and held it out to Zess "Shizuka left this for you."

"What does it say?"

Tsukumo shrugged "The only thing I could make out was 'Crosszeria."

Zess frowned but took the fragment and began to read:

Dear Luka Crosszeria,

Please forgive me. I have stolen the love of your life from you again only this time she is alive and well. My husband, Ares, demanded that you should be informed of this decision as he became quite close to you when you shared that disgusting cell of yours that I regret Takashiro placing you in.

We have taken Yuki away from this world and fleeing to hopefully live a normal life for as long as we can. I am aware that my husband will leave and that Reiga is going to come back and most likely look for my dear sweet Yuki...but you will not let any harm come to her, I know you will not.

I also fear that Yuki has a power akin to that of her Father. Unlike the previous Yuki's, she was born of the relationship of a human and an Opast (much like Reiga) and I can already sense great power coming from her. Power that I will seal away until she either unlocks it herself or I decide it is time. But I hope that this does not come to pass

So if the time comes, save my daughter and cherish her. Keep her away from Takashiro's ideals but if she must face her destiny stand by her and her new allies. Yuki will never forget you Luka...I know that is the truth. For you shall never betray her.

Yours,

Shizuka Giou and Ares Sagittarius

P.S. Thank you everything, Old Friend - Ares Sagittarius

"So it's true then, Yuki was born to them."

Tsukumo sighed "So it would seem."

Zess frowned "Do we have any idea where they would be going? Or why they would do this?"

"None" Tsukumo admitted "They didn't leave much of a crime scene to examine. They just up and left, taking their child with them. Though, since they left so quickly one can assume that they had this planned ever since they conceived."

Zess nodded before looking back over the fragment "I see. Thank you for giving this to me."

"You needed to know" Tsukumo affirmed as he took the piece back and shoved in his pocket "Takashiro wouldn't want you to know this since he thinks…"

"That I'm a threat" Zess finished with a sigh as he pulled at his chain "He made that plenty clear."

Tsukumo sighed "You weren't in your right mind when Yuki died. It was the only thing Takashiro could do to keep you from harming anyone else. Not to mention, you still haven't fully recovered yet."

"I think he has no intention of letting me recover" Zess snarled as he placed a hand over his bandaged right side "He said I was the cause of Yuki's death and let Luze do this to me, before you guys finally came to get me out of that hell hole."

"Well...he did just see the other six Zweilts get wiped out by Reiga in a last attempt attack" Tsukumo argued "Me and Touko barely saved that attack because Yuki managed to protect us enough."

He then noticed Zess' face darken again at the mention of their previous battle "But that's all I needed to say, I'll be going now."

"Goodbye."

Tsukumo started to head out before he remembered one last thing "Hey Zess."

The Opast glared "What is it?"

"I'm sure that you'll get out of this place soon because we're going to need you. You know Yuki better than any of us, even Takashiro knows that" Tsukumo said with a smile much to Zess' surprise "So just wait for her. Because I know that no matter who Yuki is she'll always love you and only you, Luka Crosszeria."