“… did you do this to him?” I asked, she nodded “The knight barged in like it was nothing we mistook his sent for yours, a friend of us won't be happy however he is not on our list he could be saved if the arrow is pulled before it sinks, although that′s never being done” I looked at the rest of the group “guys can you take on the titan? This is between her and me now,” Carter winked “Kick her ass, Ozie!” Donna flickered her thumbs up “We train for this day, don’t worry about us” Niko nodded “We will finish the titan and then help you out, man!” I nodded and picked the staff up, I will not lose, not to her, not to anyone, as long as he is here “Pulse!” I yelled as the woman was thrown back. I moved in front of Higen to protect him. I will save him no matter what.

  Everything is cold, and it feels as if snow is falling everywhere. I stood up and looked around. I don’t remember much of what happened. I entered a labyrinth, and then something hit me, and I woke up here… wherever here is… I sighed, “I have to find the titan, and I guess my friend too, they can't be far” I started to walk. I was rubbing my arms, luckily I had the jacket Ozwald gave me… Ozwald, I know he didn’t mean it, it was just a hard day I hope he is okay, a low growl caught my attention I pulled my phone to activate my barriers but it was broken, just my luck, I pulled my sword and a shield and let the titan come to me, the snow was making it difficult to see a lot, but, in time a shape black as coal rushed me I managed to block the attack, that is not the titan that I saw it was a big and dark wolf “it doesn’t matter, now does it?” I slashed at it with my sword making a vertical cut it was surprisingly easy to cut like it was made of mist or something I was hoping that his core would be left in place and the labyrinth would disappear but instead more growls came from the two halves stood up and formed into two wolfs not only that but I noticed more eyes several dozens of burning red eyes, I put my sword and shield down, “has anything mattered? Have I matter?” questions I guess I will never have an answer for as the two wolves lounged to end my suffering, a dash of silver cut them down.

  “No… it can't be…” his golden hair, that kind smile that I would always trust, the cape moving in the cold air “Stand up, my brave Knight, Stand up, son,” my father asked me in his kind voice “Fa…Father!” I picked up my weapons and stood back to back to him “Kaledonian Wolves, I hate them relentless and strong, cut them down son!” at his order, I started to slash the wolves to ribbons after a while of fighting it was obvious they were not going to stop the flurry of claws and maws were endless “maybe more help would be good, say Higen do you have my Banner?” I pulled it out from my gloves and handed it to my Father, he used it first to strike some wolves down the flag unfolded as he used the pole to impale one wolf “Heed my call, Hero from the Banna hose, Aid thou Grandson here and now I call you” the banner illuminated with the same blue light all of my weapons have “Shiragi Banna!” My father yelled out loud the name of my Grandfather, and in a flash of light, clad in his old armour, holding a wolf by his throat was him.

  “Ruri, Higen” he sighed “Kaledonian wolves? Why can′t I be summoned into a” he grabbed the wolf he killed and used it to smash another to pieces “Nice place?” my father laughed “Same Old father” My grandfather was upset at the laughing a wolve growled at his face and it instantly backed away when my Grandfather roared back “Higen hand me my hammer, son!” I did as I was told and threw him a pair of heavy and big hammers bigger than the ones I normally use he gave them to me as a good luck charm, and we all lined up “Now, how about some quality family time” “your wife is not here Son” “Does anyone actually want her here?” they looked at me and smiled “right, heroes of the Banna house roll out!” we three jumped into fight I'm not sure what or how is this happening but for some reason being with them even in this situation makes me happy.

  After an arduous fight with the help of my friends, we managed to drive the woman away. They were battered, Carter lost all of his barriers, Donna had one left, and Niko had three. I was cut and had an arrow pocking out from my shoulder “Okay on three, one… two…” Carter pulled the arrow, and I yelled, “You bastard! You didn’t say three!” “It was for the best, so quick heal your shoulder” I shook my head. I can do that after we help Higen, “AAAAHHH”, Donna yelled. There was some smoke coming from her “That damn thing shocked me!” I got closer to Higen, but Donna was right, the arrow did shock you if you touched it “Ozie, can you use a divine word to pull it out?” I held the staff and thought for a moment, “Pull!” I said, but the arrow didn’t move, “Am…am…take out!” “Help?” None of the words I used made the arrow move, but it was sinking if we didn’t do something quickly… I knew what I had to do.

  I let go of the staff “Ozie… Ozie no!” Niko yelled as I grabbed the arrow with both hands. A horrible current of electricity was sent through my body “AAAAAAAHHHHH” I yelled with all of the air in my lungs. The Arrow moved slowly out “Ozwald let the arrow go!” Carter ordered me, “Yeah, we can find another way, I… I could rush him to Tartaros in a moment. “Ozie, please, you will die too!” “NO!!! He would nev…never abandon us, come on Higen, please live, you have to live!!!” “you morron!” Carter called and grabbed my hand to help me pull the arrow out “Uuuuuughhhh, you piss me off when you get this stubborn!” “Carter… let go” I felt the hands of Donna on mine, too “You are right, Hig. Come on, open your eyes, we are all here!” “Vamos! With all our might, Jalen!” Niko soon joined “Higen, come on, we are all here! We won't let you fall, we are your family!!!”

  “This has no end!” after more fighting there was an endless flow of wolves coming from all directions we were all tired and wounded we all recombined near the banner as all of the wolves fused into a single massive wolf, its cry resonated through the woods bringing us to our knees “any more ideas Son?” my Grandfather asked my Father “one but I need a hand, what do thou say Father?” my Grandfather laughed “Thou were always a sneaky devil when this is over you will get a big scolding from your old man” My Grandfather jumped in front of the wolf “make it quick mine body is not what it used to be!” “Father, what are we going to do?” he grabbed my hand and guided it to the Banner. “Listen, Son, we need more people to finally beat this monster” I nodded “Who are we calling from the Banna House?” I asked eagerly, but he shook his head “Not the Banna house you can only call for living people… when I saw you here I couldn’t bear the thought of joining me in an early grave so I jumped to the opportunity to help you, is the least I can do” “you didn’t do anything wrong is not like you wanted to go”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “sweet moment but faster please!” the wolves threw Grandfather near us “Higen, there are families with bounds far stronger than the ones made with blood, people that will stand next to you no matter how dark things get, You very own knights, that’s what we are, not just a title, or the image of perfection, we are heart, soul, we are light, now who will stand next to you?” I closed my eyes and pictured my friends. Although I wanted to keep them safe from everything, I really needed them. “I can't die here, there is so much I want to do and see” The blue light appears “I call upon the knight of the realms! Heed my call, Guys, you are my family, my light, I need you all!” Nothing happened for a moment I thought it didn’t work, but when I heard his voice, “Burts!” the Wolf was thrown back with an air explosion as Ozwald, Carter, Donna, and Niko were all behind me “Sorry for being late, we are here to help you, Higen” “Wow, who are the older men?” Donna asked, “Baby, drool over the older gentleman later, please” She nodded without taking her eyes off my father, “Give me a moment, I′ll support you all from the backline!”

  “you guys… came I′m so-” I felt the warm of Ozwalds body on mine as he wrapped his arms around me “I′m so sorry, I don’t know what I did but I never meant to hurt you” “me neither I wanted to talk to you about something and I-” “very kind and tender moment but there's a Kaledonian wolf to slay boys” we laughed and separated as my father pointed the danger of the wolf in front of us “Niko! Give us intel on the target” I ordered “It is not a Titan, but I sense a weakness I need some more time to find it” A claw tried to sweep at him but in a moment Carter punched it away before I was able to say something more Donna delivered a powerful kick to the wolf′s snout sending the wolf back into the snow “what a feisty young lass, pray tell, miss are you perhaps the girlfriend of my Grandson?” “oh… am… I…” “Hey, Grandpa, that’s my gal you are talking to!” Carter walked angrily at the pair “Oh my deepest apologies, I see you are betrothed to a fine gentleman just look at him, built like a fine knight” Carter′s face turned bright red to match his gauntlet. He was caught off guard by my Grandfather′s compliments.

  “I got it!” Niko called as he jumped out of the way of an incoming attack, “There's a point in between his neck and back where all of the malice that forms its body gathers, we have to strike it to put an end to this fight” Ozwald looked at me and smiled “, Are you thinking what I'm thinking, big guy?” I smiled back and nodded, “Carter, Donna, and Father keep the wolves busy”, I ordered them “Grandfather, can you throw me high into the air?” “Right on, son!” “You throst me right, Higen?” I held Ozwald′s hand “with my life” as we put our plan in motion, I summoned a shield to my feet and jumped for my Grandfather to hit it with all he had left I was launched very high into the sky everywhere I looked snow and gray skis meet my gaze I turned my body in the air and switched the shield for my lance “Accelerate!” the circle of light formed as I was going down making me speed up with a battle cry I pierced through the weak point Niko pointed out putting and end to this nightmare.

  “Good job, Son” When the dust settled, everyone else was gone. There was only my father and I, “wh… where is everyone else?” “It seems like they managed to save your life, don’t worry, you will see them soon” My father′s body started to become translucent, the snow that was falling now more gently phased through him “Wait!” I called him, “Don’t go, can't you stay a little bit longer?” I asked desperately fighting back tears, I just saw and fought with him I didn’t want to lose him again, he smiled kindly “In the end, it′s meant to be this way, don’t cry Higen, I will always be right by your side… about the Voloro Kid…” my eyes snapped what is he going to say, is he mad I′m dating a guy? that I won't be giving any more kids to the hose? Is he going to disapprove? “I′m happy for both of you… You look at him the same way I looked at your mother when I was your age, and the other three are interesting; you have found a rather fun family. I′m proud of you, son” whit his last words, everything went black as I awoke in the arms of Ozwald.

  “Higen! Higen! Answer me, Higen!” We pulled the arrow out of him, but he didn’t move, nor did he wake up “You promised me you wouldn’t let me fall, you have to keep your promise, you just have to!” I started to cry holding his body in my arms, the rest of the group was looking depressed Donna was burring her face into Carter′s shoulder, Niko was frenetically trying to call Lulu but she wasn′t picking up I felt something, something was tugging on my back “O… Ozwald” bigger tears started to form in the corners of my eyes “I′m back… I′m back, Ozwald” “HIGEN!!!” big tears rolled uncontrollably down my face and onto the ground “I′m sorry, I′m so very sorry I don’t know what I did but… but I and then you!” “It wasn’t your fault, now please don’t cry, I'm all right and I mean it this time, I won't run from you ever again” he took his hand and wiped my tears as the rest of our friends rushed to get in the hug.

  The next day, I knocked on the art room door before classes started. My teacher was already preparing the easels for the lesson. “Oh, Higen, good to see you. What's up?” I let myself in I have to admit I was a little nervous about this situation I bit my lip as I looked for the assignment he had given me “You were a little bit right… about what you asked me yesterday Mr. Cortes…” he motion for me to take a seat near his desk as I recounted “my father passed away a few years ago and I still grieve his lost I′m not good with processing it, and my relationship with my mother… let's say is not the best” “oh Higen I′m so sorry if the assignment brought back some bad memories it was not my intention in the slitless” I nodded and continued.

  “but… ever since I came here, I meet Ozwald, Carter, Niko, and Donna… and they… well they… just look at my work please” he unfolded my canvas I closed my eyes, I was shaking for the expectation that he would say the work is wrong or that he will think im crazy but inted I heard some sniffing sounds, I opened my eyes and saw Mr. Cortez clening his eyes “I like it, is a very good drawing of your family” this time I made a picture of me in the center, my father holding my shoulder, next to him my Grand father and on the other side, I drew Ozwald holding my hand, Carter and Donna blowing a kiss to the front and Niko next to Ozwald striking a pose, is not a conventional family, theres no much gold or fancy things, theres no expectation, they don’t want anything from me but for me to be happy, is a strange felling a warm and tender sensation like I never felt before, like I would do anything for them, this is the family I love with all of my heart.