Locating Sol wouldn’t be too difficult from Hendrix’s description of the place, it was merely Junko having to put up with the antics of the twins as their presence threatened to blow their cover. The ship they traveled to Abed on had a few dead bodies on it which she would have to shove overboard to keep them from being found out. But Keres and Samyaza were making it difficult; their fascination over this new world they hadn’t seen for ages stroked at their fancy. And by that, it meant doing what they were the most skilled at- being terrors to those that crossed their way. She wasn’t too sure of what her master was thinking when he decided to let these two out, but at least they were to assist in capturing the most troublesome son of the lord.

Junko was used to travel through the thicket of night, silently making her way from the ports to the route Hendrix gave them to travel towards the city’s underbelly. Calmly she took the lead while the siblings took their sweet time, likely looking for more people to kill for no good reason. She kept her tongue bitten to voice her displeasure on their antics.

—–

Over the last few months, Sol had gained a stronger footing in this underworld, laying to waste to anyone that stood in his way and gather more followers, using the little charm he had or intimidation to get his way. Undine had been an essential towards his plannings but he didn’t know that the events that were about to unfold would prove that it was a double-edged sword. Junko tracked down the new establishment that Sol held and snuck around the building, her blades ready to be drawn once she entered through the window but soon she would hear a small explosion followed by the sounds of fighting and men getting killed. She snarled slightly learning that the twins had taken things into their own hands. Sol immediately stopped what he was doing and rushed down to see plenty of his followers slain and two individuals standing in the midst. One was a woman of white hair and crimson eyes. The other was a male that held the same eyes but his hair was divided- one side held the same color as his sister, but the other carried black. It took a brief moment but he, unfortunately, recognized the two. “Keres…Samyaza…what are you…”

“Father’s pretty mad if he was willing to break us out, right Brother Sol?”, the woman asked with slight giggles. “He wants you back and sent us to escort you, big brother. Now come along. “Yeah, yeah, come on Sol. You’re gonna get locked up again”, the man said, singing the taunt towards him. Junko crept inside through the window and calmly made her way to the main room where the bloodbath occurred and the three siblings were conversating. “Stand down, Sol”, she spoke from behind him, drawing out her katana.

He turned slightly and rose a brow, “Who the bloody hell are you?”

“Oh her? She’s the help. Father’s assassin or something”, Keres stated sweetly but her eyes were venomous as they latched onto him. “Surrender and come with us now.” Junko’s attention was near entirely on him, but she wasn’t stupid. She would keep her senses open for Undine, who was still absent. Had she abandoned him or was she still lurking somewhere?

Undine had been curled up wherever Sol had been working. She was sleeping and everyone in the little circle they had knew not to wake her up. When he ran out her eyes popped open. They were irritated and red in color as her power poured out like a waterfall that was out of control. She had been rather well behaved because Sol had asked her too and now someone was ruining everything.

The power died down as she stood up and made her way down. Her outfit was much more akin to a dancer's in dark blue. There were golden shells in long dark hair. Her steps were calm but the moisture began to hang in the air as she got closer.

“Lady Undine…” There were whispers. It was never good when she was agitated but much like how Sol liked them they weren’t scared of her but they did respect her alongside their master.

“I was attempting to cat nap,” her voice rose high as she came down the stairs slowly. “I smell my blood on top of it.” There was a growl from her throat as she put her hands on her hips. She stood just above Sol as her red angry eyes stared down at Junko. “You have some nerve storming this place when I was asleep.” The water in the air twitched. She was pissed. “Now which little one are you of my remaining living siblings? I don’t remember your face… You must have been born after my father put me asleep for nearly destroying the outskirts of Abed.”

Her eyes faded back to their blue as the moisture all at once dropped to the floor. “Shall we leave Sol?” Curious blue eyes looked towards the leader of this group. “I could get us out of here all you need to do is ask.” It was the water. That would be their freedom. She came over and put her arms around his arm looking up at him with curious eyes. What would the prideful man do?

Junko’s attention was finally off Sol when another woman came down from the stairs. It didn’t take long to see that it was the sister she had never met, and Undine responded in the same sense. “Junko”, she simply responded, slightly lowering the blade. But it wasn’t due to weakness, but instead to turn it against her own blood if needed, though it wasn’t a comfort that she took to. She wanted to protect her family which included Undine. She of all people would have known what happened to other corrupted by the yearning for power. Yet here she was with that brat. Junko would keep her guard up just in case.

“Oh relax, she at least came down as quiet as a church mouse”, Samyaza teased, waving off the matter, “It was the glorious duo that was us that disturbed your beauty sleep.” He bowed so flamboyantly while his sister giggled some more. “Go back to sleep child, and let us deal with Sol. Unless you want to feel like a fish that’s hooked up against a wall. Then we’d be happy to oblige.”

“Enough, deal with Sol as you wish, but leave her be. I will deal with her if needed”, Junko said bluntly as Sol crossed his arms. Clearly, he was pissed to have to deal with his family and now even Undine’s had gotten themselves involved in this mess. Sol was readying himself a fireball in his hands when he immediately snuffed it out and held onto his throat, his expression was that of pain as he looked to Undine.

“Oh? Cat got your tongue, Brother Sol?”, Keres asked as she held up her closed hand in front of him. “By the way, Father was kind enough to give us back our power at full force. Seems as though yours haven’t come back to snuff just yet.”

“Normally you’d be stronger than us, but now right now”, Samyaza jeered before looking to Undine. “Sorry darlin’, the prideful lion’s no use here. Or should I say kitten?” Junko shook her head, displeased once more in the disregard for the family they had. Even if their brother was foolish. Sol fell onto a knee the more he felt suffocated. “Undine, stand down. This has nothing to do with you. By the will of my lord, Xunatar, he’s coming with us.” Junko slowly made her approach, carefully eying her and was within feet of them when several more followers burst out from out of nowhere. It was a clear enough distraction for Sol and he shook at Undine’s leg hastily, waiting for her to do what she needed for them to get away.

“Is all your family annoying as all hell?” Remembering the white-haired one it made her bite at her lip as she turned the question to Sol. She was oddly calm now as she stood with Sol. The pained expression that Sol had on his face was alarming to Undine but she didn’t show it. Her blue eyes moved back to the group below them.

“I don’t need Sol,” Undine said with much disdain. She waved her hand and the water began to freeze as spikes began to shoot up as a warning but it appeared rather lazily done as was in her character. Still, it was impressive for this place wasn’t cold. “I’m stronger than he is at the moment.” It was true that on any given day they would probably be on equal terms. That meant that she was staying because she could. Undine gave him some comfort as he fell and caught him.

“I’m sorry Junko but our family reunion will have to wait. Goodbye for now.” Sol and Undine turned into water and splashed against the ground. They appeared outside of a cove as Undine took Sol into her arms. “How are you fairing?” Her blue eyes were watching him with interest. “I am afraid that dispelling spells isn’t my forte.” There was a deep frown set to her lips as she stroked his hair.

“Abed isn’t safe for now Sol. You might not want to hear this but I think for the time being we should evacuate from Abed.” She pressed her lips to his forehead. “Until you are strong enough to fight against them.”

The older and smarter twin stared out at Undine, “You are associated with the kittycat over there, deary. He didn’t tell you of how many siblings he has. He has a smorgasbord of us.” Samyaza’s jaw dropped slightly at Undine’s words, “Annoying? I’m entertaining. Sissy said so.” Neither of them were afraid of Sol nor Undine even as she prepared her attack. While they were ducking and dodging the barrage of attacks, some of them landed on their mark and cuts were littered on their limbs. “Ow, ow ow”, Samyaza went while Keres took the pain and observed the wounds, watching her blood flow from them. How long had it been since she had seen it coming from her? Hell, it had been a long time indeed. Freedom came with a cost but it was a minor cost for her as she smiled towards the crimson that seeped all over her.

Junko fell into a stance and blocked whatever stray ice spikes came her way but then in the middle of the chaos that was that along with the followers coming out like rats, Undine and Sol made their get away. “Dammit”, she swore as she started to cut down the men that came to their defense. Samyaza gleefully joined in the carnage and before long a small group of men ran with their lives while the majority of them were slain. “Quick, let’s go after them!”, he exclaimed as he waved on with a severed hand but Junko slapped it out of his grip and he rubbed his hand. “We have to go after Sol.”


“Relax woman, my brother has a very keen nose. He can sniff them out.” Samyaza nodded vigorously and started to sniff the air. Once he had their scents, there was no way he couldn’t track them down.

Sol fell onto the ground, able to breath and speak again. In the middle of coughs he looked to Undine with some disdain towards her words. He was not so weak that he could fight them, but he knew he had no chance against the three of them. Not yet anyway. “Fine, but we should do so quickly. That buffoon can track us with ease. That pair are no better than wild animals that even Father can’t fully control.”

“Found you!” Samyaza waved at them from behind, his grin showing sharp canines as he was joined by the ladies. Junko brought out several shuriken from her hand, “The water! Don’t let her get near it!” Sam charged right for her while Junko followed suit by throwing her blades at them.

By the look on Undine’s face, one could tell that the twins had no idea how much she knew. It didn’t shock her because she had heard it herself. The Rosenite families were just as large together so it didn’t matter how many of them there were.

Once they had made their escape Undine gave Sol a smile. He had grown some and gotten smarter about it all. “I’ll just need a couple seconds to create a jump point for us using the water.” It wasn’t as easy to transport Sol as it was herself. However, she hadn’t the time to even think about it as Samyaza’s voice echoed.

Undine’s arms tightened around Sol as she held him and looked up at Junko. “I’m close enough to the water.” Giant waves started to form as the power she had hit the air with an immense pressure. It was the same way she had destroyed Arri and the islands. “Do not tempt me Junko. I don’t want to hurt you.” There was a warning but suddenly the waves she was creating got hit by an equal force sending them back.

“WHAT?!” Undine’s voice flared in shock as her magic was canceled out. She knew only one person was capable of it. The sea and land near them shook as a large bodied blue man rose himself from the sea. Midnight blue kraken like tentacles came from the water and grabbed Undine as his orange eyes stared at her. She was fighting him. “NO! Put me down Father! I HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING WRONG! SOL!” Her hand flailed out towards Sol as She was dragged away into the ocean.

“Sol Norcross… You’ve lost the right to have my daughter by inviting this danger.” His voice was much more booming thanks to his size. His hair was much the same color as Undine’s. Undine was beating her fists off the large tentacles begging to be put down by Eliagos tightened his grip on her knocking her out. “I will be taking custody of her back from you. Your pride is going to get her killed.” The demon sunk down into the water dragging Undine with him. The sea calmed down and there was an eerie silence as the giant being disappeared into the depths of the dark ocean water.

“And I don’t wish for this either, but he’s too dangerous to left be”, she spoke, even as she watched the giant waves form. So this was some of the power that Undine had gained, the same one that their foolish mother had tried to acquire. Her gut felt twisted as her sword hand gripped tightly around the hilt. Her accomplishes took the threat of the waves differently; while Keres held a deep frown, her brother looked at it excitedly. “Guess we are all going bye-bye”, he snickered before the waves were pushed back. “Eh? Where they’d go?”

Sol himself looked over to see if Undine had changed her mind, but from her reaction, it wasn’t so. “What…” A creature the likes he had never seen before rose from the ocean and took Undine. “What the devil are you? Put her down now!”, he growled while Junko threw a shuriken at his feet. “You fool, do you not know who that is? That is her father, Eliagos. He can kill you and any of us with the greatest of ease.” She scolded him coldly while sheathing her blade, there was no need for it.

“Sissy, look! It’s Calamari!”, Samyaza looked on with glee, “It’s been forever since I had some good seafood.”

“I wouldn’t, dear brother. He already seems pretty upset”, Keres responded in a rare moment of seriousness. “But it does help us out in the end- Sol will be by his lonesome…” A smile was painted on her lips as she watched Sol continue to argue with the sea demon. “You can’t take her away! We made a deal!” He summoned black fires from his hand in protest, but to no avail. “I find you, mark my words!” What was he supposed to do now? Without Undine and many of their followers, he was back to square one. It only fueled his temper as he turned to look at the three that were still left. “I will end any of you should you come near me again!” As much as he wanted to kill them, he had to get Undine back first and so with that, he teleported away, far to the other side of the city.

“Hey, he ran away again!”, Sam said, slapping the back of his head, “Is he a lion or a fraidy cat?”

“It doesn’t matter which, we failed to capture him”, Junko said as she left them. “I’m staying here to find him. Do as you please, but try not to leave a trail of broken bodies to me.” She left those hyenas and ventured back to the city. Xunatar wasn’t going to like this news.

Meanwhile, Sol slipped into one of the houses and snuffed out its residents while he tore apart everything that was in it. When there was nothing else to destroy, he threw himself back first against the wall. Panting, Sol let himself think in the silence as he schemed to get Undine back somehow.