"I stole it out of my treasury." Oliver said with a plain look, as if what he'd said was of the same importance as a stroll in the garden. The rest of the heirs couldn't help but stare at Oliver with their mouths hanging open. Stealing from the treasury of one of the 4 families regardless of whether it was their own family, wasn't easy in the least. The reason was simple, it was more than just theirs, it belonged to the entire family, the subordinates, the branching clans and many more subsidiaries. Thus making it highly protected even from the closest of clan members.
"It's called [Heaven's Pan]. It's a legendary artefact that is supposed to grow with the user, it's a growth type tool. I don't know much about its uses but according to the pedestal I took it from, it's great for cooking."
Valerio was flabbergasted by the fact that Oliver had taken this out of a pedestal. Pedestals themselves were 6th Plane treasures! How had he casually taken this pan? As Valerio was thinking of refusing the gift somehow, Oliver spoke again. "Take it, it's been in my family for generations, no one ever used it, it's better with you than in that old treasury."
Valerio, though speechless, came to a compromise. It would only be rude to reject Oliver now. "Thank you man. I still can't believe I'm going to be the first to turn 18, I'll have to get equally good gifts to you guys somehow."
"Guys can we agree to not use pedestal treasures for the next birthdays? I don't think our treasury has enough." proposed Felix with a sheepish smile on his face.
"I second that." Oliver raised his hand, earning him questioning looks.
Aurora and the rest responded with a nod, prompting Felix to release a breath of relief.
"Valerio"
He snapped his head to the right, seeing Maximus gesturing to him to come over.
Valerio quickly excused himself and left for the adults table, which sounded ridiculous.. But in reality all of their parents were at least thousands of years old, so maybe the 17 year olds could be regarded as teenagers.
"Yes, father." Valerio had a curious look on his face as he looked at Maximus.
"Clarence's asking about Aurora, have you guys started dating yet" though Maximus seemed to be redirecting Clarence's words, he couldn't help but notice a small glimmer of interest in his eyes.
Valerio let out a chuckle as his eyes couldn't help but glance over Clarence and Serena as he met his father's eyes, "Nothing's happened, we're just friends, though I am 18 now. Maybe the future holds something interesting for me."
Maximus and Clarence's eyes met as they both grinned. Maximus and Clarence moved on to clink their glasses together, downing the ridiculously alcoholic Vulu in one go. It was surprising that his parents had brought out Vulu. It was a highly alcoholic beverage made from 6th Plane materials, it fair to say they the 4 families wouldn't make it to bed tonight.
Valerio barely had time to settle into his seat when a deafening sound assaulted his ears, threatening to rupture his eardrums. He looked up instinctively, spotting a massive matte black starship cutting through the atmosphere. The sleek, angular ship dwarfed the others that had arrived for the gathering, its wings stretching for kilometres like the ominous wings of a predator.
Before Valerio could fully process the sight, a voice—grating and mocking—boomed across the plaza.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? The great families having a drink together?" The laughter that followed was sharp and filled with contempt. Valerio's eyes scanned the skies, but he couldn't pinpoint the speaker's location. He shifted his gaze to the adults' table.
Maximus was already standing, his eyes locked on the starship. His calm demeanour was a stark contrast to the tension that filled the air.
"It's the Orions," he said quietly, though his words carried the weight of an enmity that transcended time.
At once, the four families rose to their feet, a palpable rage igniting around them. Vermillious and Veronica erupted in flames, runes danced around Vincent and Maria. As if rehearsed, the air around Clarence started becoming brighter as if he was a lamp, Serena pressed a hand to his back, imbuing vitality into him. Only Maximus and Isadora seemed to remain composed, though a dark mist, laden with the stench of alcohol, began to leak from the others, pooling around them like a poisonous fog. Some of the adults closed their eyes in deep concentration, while others glared at the intruding ship.
A figure emerged high above them, his presence swallowing the plaza as though the very air bowed under the weight of his aura. Then, abruptly, the tension snapped as he broke into laughter. It was a cruel, mocking sound that only lasted a few seconds, yet it seemed to stretch for an eternity, echoing in the eerie silence that followed.
"To think you'd dare have heirs. Is that why you all ran to this pathetic corner of the universe?" the man sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "You cowards. You even abandoned your own race for this?" He gestured to the manor and the gathering with a dismissive wave. "To play house?"
The man sighed dramatically, his smile twisted and unsettling. "Happiness, it never lasts long, does it?"
Then his gaze shifted to the heirs.
"A throne full of thorns, huh?"
Valerio felt it like a physical blow, a suffocating wave of killing intent crashing into him. The man's words, deceptively casual, sent a chill down his spine:
"Weak."
Their eyes met, and Valerio's heart froze. An overwhelming sense of dread crawled into his soul, suffocating him under the weight of the invader's gaze. His mind was flooded with twisted visions of death and destruction, so vivid he could feel the warmth of blood on his hands.
'I need to die.'
His body relaxed, muscles slack as his mind began to shut down. The fear was unbearable, and surrendering to death seemed a mercy. His eyelids grew heavy. 'I'll just… close my eyes for a bit.'
But the sharp sound of metal clashing snapped him out of the stupor.
'What the hell was that?'
Valerio shook his head, blinking away the haze, his senses returning. He turned to see Maximus standing face-to-face with the intruder, an unnatural silence blanketing the arena. His father's expression was unreadable, his voice cutting through the stillness.
"Where are your masters?" Maximus asked, his tone calm but cold.
"Scared?" the man mocked, but there was a trace of tension now, like the calm before a storm.
Maximus remained silent, his gaze locked onto the intruder. After a beat, he spoke again, this time his voice was as sharp as a blade.
"You've come to die."
The intruder's twisted smile faltered for a brief second before returning. "No, no, no," he shook his head, chuckling, "Today, you will die. And so will the rest of you."
Before anyone could react, more figures poured from the ship, descending like comets toward Maximus. Their speed was blinding, and for the untrained eye, it was impossible to follow. Valerio could only track the movements because of his father's glasses, the world around him moving in slow motion.
***
Diego and Estelle stared at the spaceship from inside the manor, an almost invisible aura of grief and guilt spread through the manor, an uncharacteristically sad smile on Diego's features. If it had been anyone else, they wouldn't even have sensed it, but Estelle would never miss it.
A whisper made it to his heart, gentle and soothing, "Let'go dear, you've carried this burden for far too long."
Diego knew she was right, it had indeed been long… too long.
The sombre atmosphere disappeared as he clapped his hands, a resonant sound echoing throughout the room, as if priming their senses. Then they both took a step forward.
***
As the figures of the invaders closed in, Diego and Estelle appeared beside Maximus in a flash. And in an instant, all hell broke loose.