The Earth After Rebirth

Kiro slept like a baby that night. Even though he chose the floor, giving Felix his bed. That's just how he was taught, you treat guests better.

He would've minded if the floor wasn't so soft and comfortable to sleep on though. It had only been a couple of months, but he was too used to his soft beds now. He couldn't even imagine how his previous one felt.

He wasn't going to pry but he guessed why Felix needed time away from the Black estate. Now that he had money, he could afford to buy himself and his father a house. But that would feel like he was leaving Nikolai behind.

That's how deep his loyalty ran.

He also knew that Nikolai wouldn't want to leave the estate, that's where his mother died, that's where she was buried. He wouldn't mind taking him with wherever he wanted to buy the house, but he had every problem with leaving behind with just his father.

He was lying on the bed, thinking about this. Even though he was away from them, for a whole day, he still hadn't reached a decision. He sighed deeply, he didn't mean to but it filled the room.

"If you're awake, make my bed." Kiro told him.

"I'm a guest, shouldn't you make it for me?" He asked with a stupid smile on his face.

Kiro simply threw a pillow which hit him square on the face. While he could've easily avoided it, he was too tired from thinking to try.

"Doesn't the hired help clean your rooms and make your beds? I mean even if you were originally from the lower district, surely you want to be treated like royalty."

"Not in this household. Everyone is responsible for their own space. Also, do you always talk this much in the mornings?" Kiro mocked him.

He simply smiled and mimed a thank you. He got up and made the bed. They went down for breakfast, and Felix ate it like he was being starved.

Kiro was checking his phone under the table as they were strictly forbidden on the table while they ate by his mother. He was lucky she was still asleep, as days neared to the birth of their siblings her sleep routines have gotten longer.

Their dungeon video had gotten a lot of attention. The good mostly, but there were bad ones accusing them of using cheats though they couldn't explain how.

"Are you on talkalot? Hehe, they claim we cheated on our last dungeon run."

"Idiots." That's all Felix could manage, he was having the best breakfast of his life.

It wasn't like he was starved where he came from but they didn't cook this amazing. Alora came down, already bathed by Vada for the day.

She ran to Kiro's side and whispered, "who's this?"

While it wasn't Felix's first time coming to the estate, they came in late. So they never really met Alora. And last night, she was sound asleep.

"That's rude Freckles, why don't you ask him yourself?"

So, that's what she did. She was frightened by him, but she gathered her courage and asked.

"I'm Felix, nice to finally meet you Alora."

She came closer as if she was inspecting an exotic species known to have gone extinct. She was also greatly fascinated by his bandages. She thought he was handsome.

"Why do you have those on your arms?" She asked innocently.

"That's because, I'm a mummy." He said, dramatically putting his arms out to grab her.

She ran out of there while screaming and giggling. Screaming for Loki to come help her.

"Cute kid."

"A handful too."

All that morning, Alora would follow them around in the shadows, at least that's what she thought.

"Dude, if my sister has a crush on you I'm gonna kill you."

Felix simply threw his hands in the air in resignation. They were waiting for Raul to take Felix home.

Kiro was still busy on his phone, he was creating a file that could only be opened by buying it with in-game coins. It was information about the Wintry dungeon. People would love this one, as it was great for anyone who wanted to level up.

He posted the document on their website then shared it on his talkalot account to gain more downloads, meaning more money.

Felix left. He told him at what time they should all login so they could talk about business.

They were seated in their meeting hall in-game. Ishaan was running late, as usual. They had started training and he complained about sore muscles a lot.

"Ishaan will just catch up, I don't even know which side he's on anyway." Kiro commented on his tardiness.

"What exactly happened? Felix didn't exactly fill me in on this." Nikolai asked.

Kiro played out the exact events that happened, leading up to them murdering the two guys.

"Area 51? Of course there's another area, why didn't we think of that!" Hiro cried out.

"But guys, I know the maps, I've double checked even, there's no free land within Sanctauri." Kiro said, trying to let him down gently.

"So, then, outside?" Nikolai threw the theory on the table.

Though they all shook their heads. There was nothing out there but barren lands. They had seen them, at least what the government had told them.

"Maybe they're lying?" Hiro tried to get them back on track.

"But why would they? It makes no sense, there's too many unknown variables. Let's say we go there and they didn't actually lie, wouldn't the air there kill us?" Kiro was trying to be the rational one, even though he wanted to go and check it out.

He wasn't willing to take that risk. He hasn't been with his family long enough, they came first to him, he didn't want them to be taken away from him, should he die.

"Kiro is right, we shouldn't go there blind. Let's gather information first, to know enough that the air beyond Sanctuari isn't toxic." Felix let his thoughts known finally.

"But how?" Both Nikolai and Hiro asked, almost at the same time.

Kiro thought for a moment.

"I think, I might know someone."

The eyes were all on him now, waiting in anticipation for him to reveal the mysterious someone he knew.