Rin stared out the window of the carriage as it traveled though the Daemon forest, his expression blank. He was too busy remembering what had happened only two nights ago.

Once he had passed through the large black oak door it had vanished and his grandfather exited his body.

"Why did you have to hurt her?" Rin's voice was a low feral growl.

"Oh calm yourself young one," His grandfather waived his hand dismissively at him, "She's only sleeping. Anyway, follow me."

As they walked down the large granite steps together Rin marveled at the small puff of fire that appeared to light their way, "You do realize I'm going to tell her everything anyway right? She's my betrothed, not to mention my best friend."

"I know," His grandfather didn't seem worried, " We all know how much she means to you, that's why we gave you that ring. The bloodstone in it was cut directly from the same stone as this brooch. She will always have our protection, just as the rest of your family does."

Rin couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. He reached out to grab one of the yellow puffs of fire. It was cold to the touch and as he carried it with him he could swear he heard it giggle. He smiled and wiggled his fingers only to receive a burst of laughter from the puff of bright flames.

"Rin don't torment the poor girl. Put her back." His grandfather scolded him. Rin put the fire back in the lineup of lights and quickly moved down the stairs.

"Who was that?" Rin inquired.

His grandfather pondered this question a while then shrugged, "It's hard to say Rin. Those little fire balls are the souls of children who were never born. We tend to lose track of which ones belonged to who."

"Really?" Rin looked back to where the little fireballs had been, "I guess they're perfect for illuminating things then."

His grandfather looked at him confused, "Why would you say something like that?"

Rin shrugged, "because they could have had such bright futures, all that untapped potential and nothing to do with it. I'm not surprised that they figured out how to use their magic even though they were never taught how to do so."

His grandfather just stared at him, "hmm… Anyway here is what I wanted to show you." He led him to the viewing pool and waved his translucent hand above the water. Rin watched as a figure appeared, angry and shouting absence words.

"That's Ernst Egin. He's king of Caelum," Rin was confused, why had his grandfather disrupted the celebration of his sister to show him a king throwing a temper tantrum?

"Listen to his words my boy," RIn's grandfather motioned back to the water.

"I don't care how you do it just kill them! I don't want a single member of the Daemon royal family left alive. You're really scared of the reapers? Please, they're nothing more than the glorified pets of Shiro. I'm telling you to do the job you were hired to do so do it!" Ernst slammed the telephone down onto it's receiver and tossed a few items from his desk.

"That family is the only thing that stands in my way. If I can get rid of them I can gain control of all three domains," He started to laugh manically, "oh what power I will have!"

"I've seen enough of this," Rin's fists were clenched by his sides.

His grandfather waved his hand over the water again and revealed a new scene, "This is what will happen if we rely only on your father's power Rin. He is a powerful man but he's not strong enough to take on the entire Caelum army on his own."

Rin stared at the water, baffled by the sight before him. It was his home, the Daemon palace, completely engulfed in flames. His father was trying desperately to fight off the intruders as his mother and siblings tried to escape to the chamber in which he was currently standing. He watched as the soldiers draped his father in chains, effectively grounding him as well as immobilizing him. Rin watched as his father fought the restraints helplessly as a man with a large executioner's blade approached. Rin waived the image away from the pool. He wouldn't watch his father die, nor would he allow it.

"Where am I during all of this?" Rin's voice was steady but under toned with self loathing.

"That depends on you my boy," his grandfather took the brooch from Rin's pocket, "You will receive the call from your father, he will ask that you stay away. He will tell you that your mother and siblings are safe and he will say his goodbyes to you. It's up to you weather you will obey him or if you will fight."

"What will happen if I fight?" Rin still stared at the now still water.

"Your father will live," His grandfather held the brooch up to the crystal that held his body, "But your wife will not."

Rin's snapped around to stare at the spirit, "what? You mean Shiemi will die if I fight for my family? How?"

"Because when you receive the call from your father, you will be face to face with Ernst as he holds a blade to her throat. If you choose to save your father he will kill her, if you choose to save Shiemi he will kill your father. But," Rin's grandfather used the brooch to unlock the crystal coffin, "your father won't really be leaving you." He tossed the brooch to Rin and searched the coat pocket of his previous self.

"I know that but still," Rin eyed his grandfather suspiciously, "What are you doing?"

"Here," The spirit handed Rin a small silver ring, "It may help you make your decision."

Rin eyed the thing, "How will this help me?"

"That's for you to find out," Rin's grandfather climbed into the coffin, "as for me, my time with you is up. Until next time." He waived and closed the coffin. Rin watched as the crystal lit up, he also noticed that the brooch had started glowing. So his grandfather was going back into the brooch.

Rin decided to take advantage of the situation and explored the cavern for a bit, nothing in there other than the viewing pool and the remains of his ancestors. He was about to leave when the yellow puff of fire from earlier appeared before him.

"Well hello there little one, do you have something to show me?" The little puff darted to the viewing pond. Rin looked down into the water expecting to see a vision but discovered that the water was clear. In fact it was so clear that he could see to the bottom of the pool. There he could see a large bloodstone.

"Is it the same one that made this?" Rin held the brooch out to the small flame and it flickeredbrightly, "How do I get to it?"

The tiny puff dove under the water and Rin dove in after it, worried that the water would put it out. He expected to get wet but was surprised to find out that not only was he completely dry, he could also breathe. What was this stuff?

The little flame led him to the large stone and then disappeared inside of hit. Rin touched the hard red jewel and was bombarded by voices, no doubt from his ancestors. Rin smiled and used his demonic energy to break off a small triangular piece of the stone. He then returned to the chamber above.

"I remember father telling me that if this brooch were to break, the individual who broke it would receive all of the souls within," Rin spoke to the tiny flames.

Rin looked around and found a large rock. After setting the brook on the ground he slammed the rock down directly onto the crystal, effectively cracking it. That small crack was enough. The souls contained within the brooch began to flow from it and encircle Rin. He felt small twinges of pain as each new soul found its way inside his body.

"You're getting so wise young prince", His grandfather's voice rang inside his skull, "Now we can always help you."

Rin smiled and grabbed the broken brooch. He used a bit of his energy and the new piece of jewel to patch up the old stone and then headed for the stairs. He needed to speak with Shiemi. She always had a calm head during emergencies and she would be able to help him figure out a plan.

As Rin came through the door he found Shiemi's black blade about his throat, "Give him back!"

Rin chuckled nervously, "Shiemi I'm fine, but I need to tell you something."

She slowly lowered her blade, "what?"

After filling Shiemi in on what had happened Rin allowed her to ponder the situation for a few minutes.

"This is a very complex thing Rin, we'd best forma a plan. Rin?" Shiemi caught her lover by the arm before he fell on his face, "Rin are you ok?"

He was completely unconscious. Shiemi shook her head and sat him down on the floor, "How can you expect to save anyone if you keep fainting from exhausting your powers." She sent out a small message to her father letting him know that that they were in the library and then laid on the floor. At least this way it would look like someone else had given her the burn on her hand.

"Rin?" Maphisto's voice shocked Rin back to the present, "Are you sure you want to live with us for a while?"

"Yes," while the original announcement had shocked his entire family it's what he and Shiemi had decided was best, this was they could have more time to plan, and have more time together in general, "I haven't gotten to travel much so this will be a very enlightening expierence for me," He picked up Shiemi's hand, startling her out of her absent minded thoughts, "and it will also give us time to plan our wedding." As Rin kissed her white laced glove Shiemi's face alighted with a fierce blush.

Maphisto chuckled, "Ah yes, so you've finally set a date then?"

"Yes, a year from now, on the exact date we met," Shiemi said proudly. Rin hadn't actually thought anything about the wedding until just now, because it was the perfect excuse to go. After seeing how Shiemi lit up he realized that she had been planning it forever. She probably already had everything picked out from magazines and hidden in a shoebox somewhere in her room.

Suddenly his grandfather's words came back to him, "If you save your father, you will lose your wife."

The fact that he had said wife instead of fiancée worried him. That meant that he had a set amount of time to plan for the war, and according to Shiemi he had at the very least a year and a few months.

"How romantic," Maphisto smiled, "You two will make the tabloids go crazy for sure. I can' t wait to see what you pick out for a dress my dear, no doubt it will be the latest fashion."

"Actually father," her voice was quiet, "I would like to use mother's dress.

Maphisto froze. The topic of his late wife was a tender one and he was very possessive about her possessions. Shiemi knew that this would be a hard decision for him to make and she wouldn't hold it against him either way.

Slowly a smile formed on his lips, "Of course you can use it. I'm sure your mother would want nothing else."

Shiemi beamed with happiness as she lept across the carriage to give her father a hug, "Oh thank you papa! And this way I can feel like she's included in the wedding." She gave her father a bug kiss and he swatted her away playfully as tears began to well in his eyes.

"Oh quit! You're making me cry," Maphisto hugged his daughter and Rin laughed at the silly display of family emotions before him. It saddened him to know that this happiness would come to a screeching halt in a short year's time, but he would cherish every moment until then.

Rin looked down at the small silver band that he now wore on his right ring finger. It was in scripted with the words Ego Tempore. He had no idea what that meant but his grandfather had given it to him for a reason. He twisted the ring to the right in an anxious manner. Suddenly the chatter of the other two passengers quieted. He looked up and noticed that they had stopped moving, in fact everything had stopped. He looked out the window and noticed a bird suspended in mid-flight between trees. He twisted the ring back to the left and everything continued on as if nothing had happened.

"Maphisto, you know Latin don't you?" Rin had hidden the ring in his pocket before asking. One of a reaper's duties was to confiscate objects that could deter fate.

"Yes, why?" Maphisto Straightened his overcoat as Shiemi returned to her seat beside Rin.

"What does Ergo Tempore mean?"

"It means I am Time," Maphisto's voice was cautious, "Where did you hear that?"

"Oh, some guy had it on a sign back there," Rin gestured out the window.

Maphisto laughed, "Some people are crazy these days."

The ride continued in much the same fashion as it had began but Rin couldn't wait to Shiemi his new trinket. Just as his grandfather had said, the ring had helped him figure out what choice he was going to make.

(Hi all. Hope you liked this one! If you did and even if you didn't reviews are very helpful! Thanks!)