Wolfram lay on the ground for what seemed to him to be an interminable period of time. His entire body was numb with the effects of the houjutsu, rendering his limbs completely immobile and useless.

A fine way for a soldier to die, he thought bitterly. It was bad enough to be defeated by a human, it was even worse to be utterly helpless in what he thought was his final hour.

As he lay there, his mind desperately urged the rest of his body to move, but it was painfully clear that his efforts would go unrewarded. No matter how hard he willed his limbs to work they simply would not budge. He couldn't even muster enough strength to wiggle a finger and he soon found that the struggle to do so only exacerbated his condition. In fact, the entire ordeal left him feeling quite dizzy and he had to close his eyes for a few seconds to stop the sky from spinning. The fact that his eyelids continued to function at all gave him some respite, but did little else to restore his confidence.

Wolfram's normally iridescent green eyes were now glazed over as he cautiously opened them. They rolled around in his head like marbles as he tried to focus in on his surroundings. Something was off, yet he couldn't quite place it. Seconds passed by and the vertigo finally subsided. Beads of sweat had already begun their descent down the smooth curves of his face. It was then that it occurred to him. Sound. There was a horrendous battle taking place, yet the young prince could not hear a thing. This realization immediately caused his stomach to flutter, and a new sensation of dread washed over him.

Then a second, more comforting thought came to mind. Temporary. Yes, this was only temporary he chided himself. He had never been hit with this much houjutsu before. Conrad had once used a houseki stone against him and while he had suffered minor paralysis, the effects had dissipated quickly thereafter. His brother had warned him that a stronger attack would prove to be much more debilitating. Did that mean the effects would merely last longer, or did it mean there was a degree of permanency to them?

The blond managed to push these thoughts aside just as a large boot came down next to his face. His eyes slowly moved up to gaze at the shadowy figure looming over him. The man's mouth moved, but it was as if he were watching a pantomime. Unfortunately, reading lips was not a skill that Wolfram was particularly adept at and the words spoken were ultimately lost on him. He felt the tip of the man's boot nudge his face and narrowed his eyes when his head rolled, unbidden, to one side.

"I would have expected you to be a greater threat, considering you wiped out a good third of my men. Very disappointing Lord von Bielefeld." the man scoffed, drawing his weapon.

The sword glinted in the sunlight and Wolfram inhaled sharply as cold steel pressed into the small indentation where his trachea was located. On the one hand, this was a good sign as it meant he was starting to regain some feeling. However, he would have preferred it if the circumstances had been a bit more in his favor. The young soldier despised vulnerability, especially his own.

The man's lips moved once more and Wolfram decided that he was actually glad he could not hear him. Anyone that spent this much time talking instead of killing their enemy was obviously a fool unworthy of his time.

The boy continued to stare up at him, sheer defiance etched across his features. Whatever this man intended to do, Wolfram would not give him the satisfaction of showing fear even though a small part of him was terrified at the prospect of dying.

Emerald eyes darted back and forth in anticipation as he watched the man draw his sword, preparing to strike, but the final blow did not come. Seconds passed as the young mazoku awaited his fate. It was then that he distinctly felt the earth vibrate beneath him, and although his hearing was impaired, he didn't need to hear the hoof beats to know they were fastly approaching.

Without preamble, a flash of chestnut and tan briefly entered his field of vision. The young prince strained to see what was happening, but only caught a glimpse of reflected light from the blade of Conrad's sword. The ground beneath him shook with a slight tremor and neither sight nor sound was necessary to tell him that his adversary had fallen.

"Wolfram?!" Conrad cried as he leapt down from his horse. "Are you all right?" he asked, quickly looking him over.

Soft brown eyes met Wolfram's and had he been able to hear, he would have detected a small hint of concern in his older brother's voice. All he could do was look back at him, somehow managing a small nod. Conrad's eyes swiftly assessed his younger brother's injuries. Nothing too serious, he assured himself as he immediately helped Wolfram onto his horse. With his brother in place, he hastily mounted as well, seating himself behind the younger boy so he could support him in the saddle.

Wolfram couldn't help but slump forward. He still did not have full use of his body just yet and his hands trembled, trying to grip the saddle horn. Seizing the reins with one hand, Conrad reached around his waist and eased Wolfram back against his chest.

"Just lean back, you'll be okay," he said in a calm voice.

Wolfram felt the soft vibration of Conrad's chest and while he couldn't hear the words, instinctively he obeyed.

The battlefield was still awash with small skirmishes here and there, but for the most part the mazoku's numbers had been significantly depleted. Wolfram could only stare in horror as they rode past his fallen comrades. Where were they going, he wondered, where did Conrad intend to take them? They couldn't just leave, not when the battle was still underway.

He wanted to yell at his brother, make him stop or turn around, but when he opened his mouth no sound escaped his lips.

This new realization startled him and he quickly opened his mouth to try again. Nothing. He swallowed hard and a heavy feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. This can't be! Silent tears began to well up in his eyes and he stubbornly blinked them back. It will pass, he reminded himself. His hearing would come back, and his voice as well. He had to reinforce these thoughts as though they would not come to fruition if he doubted them.

Of course Yuuri would probably be more than happy if he didn't have to hear his voice again, Wolfram mused. That wimp! It was then he decided that he would definitely regain his vocal abilities, and after that he'd be sure to let Yuuri know exactly how he felt about his treacherous thoughts.

Lord von Bielefeld was abruptly pulled from his deliberations as the horse began to pick up speed. His body joggled up and down like a rag doll and he fervently wished he was able to squeeze his legs around the horse's barrel or at least get a better grip on the animal's mane. The rocking motion did nothing to aid his present condition and in fact was making him quite nauseous. As if in response to the boy's thoughts, Conrad's arms tightened around him, steadying him somewhat from the constant jostling.

"It is a shameful act to abandon one's troops, but if we stay, then we'll die here. And if that happens there will be no one to warn his majesty about this new threat," Conrad explained. "These soldiers are well aware of that and have pledged their lives to the Maou. So that they do not die in vain, we must make every effort to return home," he finished, spurring the horse on.

Wolfram painfully craned his head to the side; a deep feeling of remorse rose up in his chest. He knew why they had to leave, he was sure that's what Conrad was trying to tell him, but it still did not sit well with the young man.

Just as Wolfram managed to turn his head forward again, a small black blur whizzed past his right side. The arrow struck the horse's shoulder and caused the animal to rear. Conrad yanked the reins back, trying to regain control of the frightened beast as more arrows began to rain down upon them. Somehow, he was able to seize command once more and viciously dug his heels into the horse's flanks, sending the animal sprinting across the field.

The horse galloped wildly toward the far end of the field where a cluster of trees signified the beginnings of a forest. Conrad glanced back over his shoulder, noting four horsemen in pursuit of them, all equipped with bows and arrows. With no trail in sight, he blindly urged the large animal through the trees. Scattered branches whipped and tore at the horse and its riders as it weaved through the surrounding foliage. It came crashing through a thicket of bushes and narrowly slid over the edge of a tall ridge overlooking a large valley below them. Wolfram's heart leapt into his throat and Conrad yanked back on the reins, guiding the agitated beast away from the steep drop.

He immediately sent it into a gallop again as he heard their pursuers closing in. Wolfram wished he could do something, anything to help, but he was powerless. If he had full control of his senses, he could easily knock their opponents down with a wave of maryoku. However, before the blond had anymore time to berate himself, he was suddenly lurched sideways. He could feel his brother's arms tighten around him, threatening to suffocate him as the world flipped upside down. A single arrow had hit its mark, striking deep into the cannon bone of the horse's left front leg. This caused the animal to falter, as both riders were thrown haphazardly over the side of the cliff.

All at once the world seemed to move in slow motion as both men hit the ground and tumbled violently down the hillside. Conrad could not keep his grip on the boy for long and they were both forced apart as they continued their descent. Wolfram felt himself slam into something hard, and for the second time that day the wind was knocked from him. With no way to brace himself, his arms and legs flailed wildly as he continued to roll downhill.

Conrad tucked his arms in and tried to shield himself as best he could as the two plummeted down the slope, hitting all manner of rocks and shrubbery in their path. He felt more than he heard a sharp snap as his arm hit the ground at an odd angle, forcing all his weight onto his wrist. The brown haired man could only manage a small grunt as the horizon continued to spin. Then a sharp pain shot through his skull and darkness consumed him, bringing his surroundings to a grinding halt.

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A/N: Ha! Sorry everyone, but all my creative juices have dried up, so this is where I'm gonna end this chapter. I need to take a break and recharge. Not much to say about this one. I just hope there aren't too many inaccuracies in my descriptions. I also hope I'm doing a good job so far…at least it is somewhat entertaining right? Heh.

Eve: No, the enemy is not from the anime. Gee, I really hope I didn't screw up and describe an existing character. I like creating original enemies, because then I have freer reign over their personalities.

AngelSachiya: Thanks for the continued support! I'm always happy to get reviews. It gives me a reason to keep writing.