The young boy awoke, his eyes immediately darting to various places, his senses alert. It was…peaceful. The greenery was beautiful, something he hasn't seen for a very long time. His partner nudged him up "Master, I think we're in Henesys." The boy nodded, the fields were familiar to him after all. He pulled out a black cloak and wore it, the edges of it was printed with a line of two small dragon wings, the sign of his profession and also…..the final gift from his mentor. He pulled down the hood and let it cover his eyes.

"Come on, we have a future to change." Wait for me guys. I'll change the future, i swear.

XXX

Phantom didn't know why, he just had a feeling something would happen very soon. But what would it be? The blonde shook his head as he appeared in front of his new love, Aria. "Back again I see." The empress said with a giggle.

"Perhaps only to gaze at your beauty." Phantom immediately took her hand and brushed his lips on her knuckle, making her blush much to the thief's satisfaction. "Are you sure its not for the jewel?"

"Hmm~ Now then it could be. For I only see one jewel in front of me." The empress chuckled softly as she strolled in her garden before sitting down on a bench there, Phantom following suit "A charmer as always Phantom." The thief said nothing as he presented her with a red rose, her favorite. "Ah but you love me the way I am."

"Yes indeed I do." She leaned on Phantom's shoulder as she glanced at the night sky. "Phantom, do you feel like something is about to happen?"

"You mean like us getting married?" Phantom purred and Aria hit him gently. "Be serious now. This could merely be a prelude to a horrible storm." Phantom didn't manage to answer as Aria's trusted attendant, Neinheart came yelling for the empress.

"Mi'lady! Oh where could she be!" Phantom stood and gave a curt bow with a whisper of his promise to be back before disappearing in a flurry of cards.

XXX

The first thing the young boy did was to find out the date and was shocked upon finding out. "But…..this was around the time empress Aria had…." A sudden thought came to mind, he was already trying to change the past why not change it into something better? The boy dashed back to where his partner was hidden "Are you ready partner? We need to rush to Ereve pronto." The hidden beast nodded and they immediately took off.

XXX

Aria sat in a crowded room filled with her closest advisers. "Empress, things are getting out of hand! The civilians are very worried and the black mage has already announced that he would attack Ereve should we not surrender! Please reconsider! We need to mount up a suitable defense and a reasonable attack force! This….meeting they've arranged is nothing more than a trap!"

Aria only could shook her head "No, if they are willing to negotiate terms peacefully I have no qualms. We should not always think that violence is the first thing that comes up when something happens."

"Please Empress! You should know that talking things out would work little against them!" Aria gave a firm stare "No we will negotiate and that is final." The advisers could only nod in agreement albeit very reluctantly. Aria gave a sigh of relief once the meeting has ended, she immediately went to the top of the palace where she knew Phantom was.

"That was a rather naïve decision is it not?" and there that man's soothing voice was. "Do you think its naïve? My thought of wanting peace?" She closed her eyes as she felt footsteps and a warm embrace. "Its not the thought of peace that I find naïve it's the fact you're risking so much to obtain it. Do you honestly think that they wouldn't just abandon any thoughts of negotiating at a moments notice when they see an opportunity to breach your defense?"

Aria turned her head around slightly "So you were at the room to hear our supposedly private discussion." Phantom just chuckled "Yes, but I have to relocate a few safes tomorrow and check them. I'll give you something that you can call me when you are in danger, I'll come as soon as I can." The warmth then disappeared and Aria found another rose and a carte resting on her palm.

XxX

"I'm afraid that these terms are far too one-sided, mister Lotus. If you cannot agree to the minimum which is the civilians safety then this deal isn't possible." Aria stated with a frown, the terms were only to benefit the black mage not the citizens of Ereve which was her top and utmost priority. Lotus smirked as he rested his head on his palm.

"Well….Negotiations are off then." He snapped his fingers and his escorts immediately charged forward, weapon aiming for the Empress only to be parried by Chromile. "Empress please make haste! You must escape, I'll hold them for as long as I can." Neinheart escorted Aria out dashing through the hallways and towards Shinsoo. "Mi'lady please wait here I will back up Chromile." Aria couldn't protest as Neinheart immediately dashed out. Her fingers unintended brushed against the Carte Phantom gave and felt it disappear.

Phantom knew something was very wrong. And it was only confirmed when the Carte he had given to Aria came back to him in a form of a crow. He didn't care about anything else as he disappeared using shroud walk to the nearest possible place Aria would be in. "Aria! Where are you?!" Phantom ran into every place he knew where Shinsoo could be resting only to find it empty. The thief gritted his teeth. 'Let me make it time!'

Aria stared in horror as Lotus walked in by himself. But it wasn't her life she feared for, if Lotus was here, what of Neinheart and Chromile? Shinsoo immediately casted a magic barrier and felt it easily dissipate. "No can do Shinsoo. Black mage has already given something to me to get rid of those annoying powers you have, though only temporarily it'll do."

"Stay back foul one!" Shinsoo stood to attack but Lotus was small and worst of very agile. The commander easily dodged the attacks and used every opportunity to counter attack, leaving the holy beast in battered state. Aria gasped and tried to run to Shinsoo side only to be stopped and shoved down by Lotus. "Farewell Empress, this is where you exit the stage." Lotus took out a dagger and swung it down with full force.

Only for it to be knocked away by a large Fireball.

Lotus yelped in pain and immediately doused the fire. "Damn it who is it!" Aria gasped as a hooded figure descended from what looks to be a dragon and leaped off, the empress could see a glimpse of brown hair and blue eyes as the cape swished in the wind. The figure said nothing as he lifted a wand and pointed it at Lotus, the dragon he came with charged at the signal but Lotus brought out his own weapon and felt the dragon easily snap it into two as a tail came and smacked him away. Lotus did a back flip and landed on the ground.

"It doesn't matter, just one more pest to take care of. Either way, the Empress will die today-" The commander gasped as something pierced and stab him countless of times mercilessly. Lotus used what energy he had to tilt his head to the side only to be met with enraged Amethysts orbs. "Aria will live, but you my friend will not." Phantom gripped Lotus's wrist tightly enough to prevent the commander from escaping while bringing back his cane and transformed it into a thick dagger, immediately thrusting it straight to Lotus's heart, twisting it before pulling it out slowly, causing a large amount of blood to splatter on his expensive clothing.

Phantom was about to continue torturing the body but Aria's fearful sobs stopped him. The thief dropped the corpse and his cane before running towards Aria and embraced her as he felt her cry into his blood-stained suit. "Its alright, I'm here. Thank god I'm on time." Aria lifted her head to reveal teary eyes and nodded.

"Wait, where was that hooded man? If not for him to buy you time, I would have….." Phantom turned and just as she had said, the man was gone.

XXX

The young boy fled, to as far a place as his partner could bring him and felt his partner nudge him shortly after touchdown. "Its alright Mir, I should be fine after awhile….."

"But Master, that was…."

"I know, but we still have the others to look out for. He may be my mentor, but not the one that knows me."


Please review~