The six of them traveled by travel storm to the ice palace, landing not to far away. They could see that the doors where open. He could tell some of his minions where trying to hold back a shiver from the biting cold. Zero did not let his uncomfortableness of the area show. He would not show weakness in front of the Sorceress.

"They must be inside." Azkadellia said, smugly. "They will not escape us this time." Zero just nodded at this. He took one step towards the palace.

"Zero?" He stopped turning to look at Azkadellia.

"Yes, Sorceress?" He said voice emotionless.

"I know Cain is your friend and all, but if he leaves this castle alive, you will take his place, and I would not be as kind. Are we clear?" He felt the cold this time as he felt his blood run cold with dread but he did not show the shiver that ran down his spine. Zero was not afraid of death, but he was afraid of what the Sorceress would do to him, if he failed.

"Crystal." he said, trying to keep his voice emotionless but still a hint of anger slipped though.

"Good!" she said, smiling back at him, knowingly, as she started to walk to the palace, Zero and his men not too far behind her. They soon made their way within the walls. Zero and his subordinates scanned the area, looking, to see the place empty.

"She must be up stairs, in Mummy's room." Azkadellia, sounding almost childlike when she said that, but Zero knew better. They followed the woman upstairs and sure enough they could hear voices within the room she was leading them too. She stood outside the room for a moment, listening to what was going on before she barged into the room, Zero and his men close behind her. Zero motion to one of his men to Cain.

"Mother never could leave well enough alone." Azkadellia said as the man walked up to Cain. Zero could tell that Cain knew he was out numbered, so he opened his jacket, giving up his sidearm without a fight. But Zero could tell he was not too happy about this, as he stared directly at Zero, eyes filled with hatred.

'And you deserve that hatred for what you did to him.'

'I know I do and so much more for my crimes to him and his family.'

Zero just smirked back at Cain, trying not to show the fear he truly felt at the situation. Over the years, he had become a master of hiding what he truly felt behind a smile. You had to learn to do this when working for the Sorceress, showing the wrong hand to her can easily lead to your death, as he has witnessed over and over again.

Zero and Cain stared at each other for a moment, eyes never losing contact, even when the Longcoat handed Zero Cain's gun. He held it out to the side before placing Cain's gun within his pants, giving Cain a sexy smile as he did this.

'This is no time for flirting, Adrian.'

'Yeah, when you're planning on killing the man before you leave this place.'

'Can you really do that? Can you really kill, Wyatt?"

'It's between him and me.'

'Then let it be you, you know you don't deserve to live."

"Leave her alone!" Zero heard the Zipperhead say, voice low and threatening, as he tried to protect her from Azkadellia's words. This snapped Zero out of his self spiral. He was still looking at Cain, but he noticed something beside that anger within his eyes.

'Concern? Why would he be feeling concern unless...' Were his eyes betraying him, were they allowing too much to show to this man, who was now staring at him, more intensely then he had ever been stared at before.

'He is trying to figure you out. He is trying to see you for the man you really are, the monster you have become.'

'Shut up you!' Zero could have sworn he heard an evil laugh within his head at this.

"The emerald, you know where it is." Azkadellia walked up to the girl, Cain's eyes moved from him to Azkadellia, and then to the girl, watching almost, protectively.

'Protectively? What is going on there?'

'Maybe he has moved on.'

'Or maybe she is the only thing left that can stop Azkadellia from utterly destroying the O.Z. He wants to protect her so that she can save the O.Z.' Zero nearly laughed at this

'Not like there was anything he could do to save her if Azkadellia chose to kill the girl.'

'But I'm sure he would die trying, that is just the way he is. When he sets his mind to something nothing will change it.'

'Too bad he never treated you that way. Willing to sacrifice everything to be with you.' Despite the cold, he felt his blood boil at that thought.

"No, I haven't." Zero heard the girl say, pulling him from his thoughts again.

"No?" Azkadellia said almost disappointed, which was never a good thing.

"What did she whisper in your ear?" Azkadellia said, voice low and threatening. He could tell that the Sorceress was getting fed up with the girl. He could tell that things were about to get bad.

"I don't remember." The girl said, frustration running deep within her voice too.

"That a shame." She said before turning to walk away from DG. Cain used this moment to sneak another look back at Zero, and Zero just smiled down at the man. But in truth, he was worried what the Sorceress was going to do. He was worried that Cain was going to something stupid to get himself killed.

'He is going to end up dead anyway before you leave this Palace anyway.'

'But maybe..."

"How can I tell you what I don't know?!" The girl said which caused the Sorceress to turn to her. He saw Cain tense, ready for the attack. Zero also tensed slightly, not wanting to witness what he was sure was going to happen.

But instead of an attack, Azkadellia, placed her hands together, causing a viewer screen to appear. Zero was not sure what it was, but he could tell the girl did. The he heard the words of the last Queen calling out.

"DG where are you?" within the Viewer.

"Mother." she said leaning into the viewer. Then Azkadellia tossed the view at the girl. She caught it, staring it for a moment before she turned back to Azkadellia

"What have you done with her?"

"Put her away for safe keeping, like any good daughter would." Zero could almost hear the venom dripping off her words behind that sweet voice of her. He knew his sorceress too well, she was up to something, and whatever it is, he was not going to like it.

Zero saw Cain's eyes on him again, causing his a shiver.

'Even with the sorceress and the girl arguing in front of him, he can't keep his eyes off me.'

'You wish, he just trying to figure out the best way to kill you.'

Their eyes danced for a moment, Cain's full of anger and confusion, Zero's full of longing mixed in with that superior look he gave.

To his surprise and to the other's within the room, the girl threw the viewing box on the ground, shattering it, filling the room up with a purple smoke.

Zero heard Cain yell "Go" to his companions, but the voice itself was not moving. He could hear the other's leaving but he had a feeling that Cain was staying behind as a distraction.

'Stupid man, why couldn't you run when you had the chance.'

'Maybe he has a death wish or something.'

'Yes, he is dying to kill me.'

He grabbed two of his own men without thinking, pushing them towards Azkadellia, as they took the hint, taking the Sorceress out of the room as the smoke cleared.

He saw that it was three against one, him and other Longcoats against Cain.

'That's about even for Wyatt. He was always one hell of a fighter.'

He pushed the two remaining Longcoats towards Cain and with a kick and a punch they were on the ground. Instinct took over as Cain went charging for him. He went to pull Cain's gun from his belt, but he knew it was too late; Cain was on him in a flash. Cain grabbed his arm, then kneed it, sending a sharp pain through it and sent the gun flying.

'Wyatt is not fooling around, you better stop it yourself. Don't kid yourself in thinking that he still loves you. That he is going to hold back."

'But I can't kill him.'

'It's between him and you,' he thought as he saw Cain reach for the fallen gun. He went to kick at Cain, instinct or just self preservation kicking in, all he knew was he needed to keep Cain away from the gun, before he blew his brains out with it. Without thinking he swung back with his armored arm, knocking Cain off his feet.

Zero stopped then, he easily could have finished this, but he just couldn't go for the killing blow, but that is what he had his men for, to do the dirty work for him. All he had to do was watch, and that might be harder on him then he thought.

Cain slowly got up to his feet, as well as the other Longcoats. We all surround him, up against the window, not wanting him to escape. We had a job to finish. His men started to move in but Cain's word stopped them.

"Now I know why they call you Zero, still can't fight your own battles." Cain said angrily.

'He did not just go there.' he thought, blood now boiling at the comment, he had not heard since he was in school. That comment had always gotten to him as the boys teased him, but Cain had always protected him back then. Hearing it from that man's lips, was one of the most hurtful things he could have ever heard.

'And you deserve every second of it.'

'He is just trying to bait you; he wants you to do it.'

'If that is what he wants, then that is what he is going to get.' he thought, letting the rage take a hold of him again.

He stopped the two men from advancing anymore on Cain.

"I do my share." Zero said almost calmly, trying not to show how much that comment had angered him, but he could tell, Cain knew. Cain walked up to him, rage meeting rage.

Cain swung first, hard, but Zero blocked it, with his armored hand, but still he could feel the force of the punch. He threw two more, but Zero blocked them as well.

'Yes, no more playing around. It's time to finish this.'

'I'm not sure I can.'

'It's you or him, he will not hesitate to kill you if he gets the chance.'

He shook off that thought as he brought back his fist and punched Cain in the jaw, but it only stunned him for a second, before he pulled his own fist back, hitting Zero in his own jaw. The force of the blow cause him to fall back.

He was angry that his subordinates jumped in to take down Cain. This fight was between them now. But he knew they were just doing their jobs in protecting their superior officer. But it did not stop the rage from forming. One held Cain while the other threw several hard punches. But Cain soon broke free, kicking one of the men, elbowing the other to get free, then giving them both a knocking blow as he turned to face Zero.

But Zero was ready for him. He sent a hard blow, in the chest, where he knew it would knock the wind out of Cain. He was now just standing there, trying to get his breath. He was now at Zero's mercy.

Zero walked up to him, kneeing him in the face. He grabbed a hold of Cain's face, pulling him so that he could see in to his eyes that where filled with rage, and most likely madness as he smiled down at the blooded Cain. The man always brought out the best and worst in him and he wanted to share that, before he killed him. He moved to swing back his armored arm, moving it down to Cain's face with such force, causing the man to do a spin before he collapsed to the floor.

Zero could tell there was little fight left within the man. It was time to take him down. But his rage was not quenched just yet. He smiled, madly, as he walked to Cain's gun.

"No Iron Suit for you this time." Zero said as he picked up Cain's gun.

"No wife and child crying for years to free you from it." He said, venom dripping off every word. He knew his words would kill Cain inside, knowing that his family was 'alive' and there was nothing he could do about it.

"My family is alive?" he said desperation in his voice. He never even thought that Zero may have spared them.

'He thinks you're a cold blooded killer.'

'Yes, he does, and it's time to prove him right.'

"Hardly matters now." Zero said as he cocked the gun. Cain got to his feet as Zero let out a maddening laugh.

He pointed the gun a Cain with a smile on his face.

'I can't.'

'You can.'

'No, I can't' he felt the smile fade from his lips at his internal debate.

'Just pull the trigger, that is all it's going to take.'

'But...'

'JUST DO IT!' When the gun went off, it took Zero by surprise. He watched in horror as Cain stubbled backwards, breaking through the window, and falling to his death. The sounds of Cain's screams as he fell sent shivers down Zero's spine.

He walked slowly to the window, looking out as he saw Cain sink within that icy lake. He did his job, like he always did. But this time, he felt like he was never going to recover from this blow to his sanity. Thank God the world is going to end. He did not have much use for it anymore.

He turned and looked at the gun, the gun he just killed Cain with. It was still warm within his hands. He tossed it aside, not wanting the damn thing anymore and then looked one last time below before walking away from the window. He walked up to his blooded men.

"Smith, I want you to go check on the Sorceress, make sure she is alright." The man nodded, as he walked away. He turned to the other one. He was not sure what he was doing, but he just couldn't shake the feeling.

"Ward, I need to ask you a favor."

"What is it, Sir?"

"Cut the sir bullshit, this has nothing to do with orders." he said almost angrily.

"What is it, Adrian?" the man spoke.

"Pull him from the lake." Ward was a little shocked at the request. "I would do it myself but the Sorceress would never allow it."

"And what shall I do if he is alive?"

"Then leave him be, if he survived that fall, he deserves to live." Ward was again a little shocked, he heard the orders the Sorceress, he knew what could be at stake.

"Ok, but he must mean a lot to you, if you're willing to risk that." Ward commented.

"He means the world to me. Now, hurry." Ward just nodded before leaving.