Xiran was up on his feet like a flash of electricity and pushed Aselia behind, hiding her behind his tall frame as he snarled at the man who resembled him from his hair to his complexion down to his eyes.

"Who are you? Don’t you dare take a step forward or I will rip your head off," the threat in his voice made the mysterious stranger smile in a way that the whole space around him seemed to brighten. Although it was dark, he seemed to be emitting a light of his own.

Aselia peeked from behind Xiran, seeming stunned at the arrival of a newcomer but she didn’t feel threatened by him, the man had the same hair as Xiran did and he had multiple braids in them. His attire was pure white and the material didn’t seem to be anything Aselia had ever seen before. Everything about him screamed purity and serenity.

"I am not an enemy, I come in peace. Hear me out," he cheerfully replied, revealing the whitest set of perfect teeth to them. His ever-shining eyes darted from Xiran to Aselia.

"State your business because I don’t trust people, especially those who like to sneak up on others," Xiran’s hands balled up in fists and the veins popped out in his sturdy arms. His body had stiffened but surprisingly his tattoo remained dormant.

Aselia caught his arm from behind and rubbed it before speaking up:

"Hear him out Xiran."

"Accept my humble apology on that matter but I am new to your world and didn’t know I would stumble upon you like this," he apologetically replied but Xiran’s stance didn’t change. He kept glaring at the man with uncertainty in his eyes.

"What do you mean by our world? Explain yourself, you have two minutes, if you fail I will end your life," somehow the man reminded him of his mother and his heart ached at the mere thought. The resemblance was uncanny and it was throwing Xiran off. On the other hand, the ethereal being found Xiran’s threats amusing and his buoyant smile remained.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Sulran Azritus from the planet Tromalius. My younger sister Surilla went missing years ago and we never knew about her whereabouts. We lost all connection with her until a few days ago when I felt a presence which could have only come from her son, which I am assuming is you."

The world stopped spinning for Xiran and he was momentarily frozen in time. Every muscle in his body went rigid as his mouth flew open but no words escaped him for he had been rendered speechless by the shock that courses through his veins.

His mind struggled to process the words this strange yet familiar being had just uttered. Lines of disbelief etched themselves onto his handsome face, mirroring the profound astonishment that held him captive. A blend of emotions played across his features; surprise, confusion, a flickering hope, as he grappled with the unexpected turn of events.

"Xiran!" Aselia’s concerned voice jolted him to reality. She had shifted from behind him and was now holding his face in her firm hands.

"You alright?" She softly questioned with deep concern lining her face.

"I don’t know," he finally answered but his gaze was glued to the man in front of him as he gathered himself and asked:

"How can I know you are not some cooked-up lab abomination my father left behind to toy with us? What’s the proof that you are who you claim to be?"

"So are you her son?" A glimmer of hope lingered on his face as he expectantly stared at Xiran.

"Answer my question first instead of asking yours. I don’t trust anything you have said," Xiran glowered, pushing Aselia to his side to keep her shielded in case anything went wrong.

"I can show you if you let me," his tone was extremely gentle, and his voice was soothing to the ears, to say the least as he extended his hand towards Xiran. But Xiran flinched back. Aselia perplexedly watched the exchange.

"Let him show you," Aselia mumbled, squeezing his arm. She knew in her heart that the man was telling the truth, she could see it in his eyes.

"No, we are leaving. This is another of my father’s tricks and I am not taking any risks," he sternly answered, opening his wings and clutching Aselia by her waist, pulling her close.

"Wait! Don’t go. Trust me, every word I have said is true and I can prove it if you would just allow me," his radiant smile vanished for the first time from the moment he had arrived and his face almost seemed pained now.

And he took a step towards them making Xiran freeze and outcry:

"Stop, don’t force me to take your life."

Sulran understood that he didn’t trust him in the slightest and was apprehensive because of the girl with him. So he halted and raised his hands.

"I won’t come near until you trust me. If you want to talk to me just press the small star on your right arm and say my name. I know you have the markings, I have them too. You and I are more similar than you imagine. We are blood, Xiran. That’s your name, right?"

Sulran had picked up the name when Aselia had called him earlier.

The couple watched him dumbfounded at the revelations he was making. But Xiran’s eyes darkened at Sulran, his father’s words echoed in his mind that he would be leaving him with a surprise. Another attempt to hurt them and rip their lives apart.

"Stay away from us," Xiran snarled at him and without waiting for his answer he lifted Aselia and flew away with her in his arms. He wanted to put as much distance between them as possible. He wouldn’t let his father have that much hold on their lives.

Sulran simply watched them fading away in the darkness of the night, his arms crossed against his sinewy chest. His forehead was creased as he pondered on how he was going to make his nephew trust him.

He seemed hell-bent on distrusting and hating him. It made Sulran wonder about the kind of life he had. He seemed afraid of his father, so Sulran decided to stay in the shadows and find out the truth.