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All was silent in a room deep within the castle Burr was bathing in one of the many chambers in the castle, the water was warm, steam calmly rose from the water filling the room as it escaped through a stone vent. Burr felt his body was taking ease, the water felt so nice, but then he noticed that tiny ripples formed heading his way, and saw that a head was emerging til he saw the eyes, the nose, mouth, until the mysterious person was revealed from the waist up, showing to be completely bare. However Burr recognised the person to be his best friend.

"Hello Burr," Amai greeted her friend.

Burr didn't react, he felt that he didn't have control over his whole body, he just sat there relaxed in the water, even when Amai approached him, he didn't move. Not one muscle, he just watched her as she drew closer until she was standing right in front of him. She then slowly sat down, not in front, not beside him, but right on his lap, but she didn't sat on Burr's lap sideways, she didn't had her back turned to him, no, she was facing him with her chest pressed up against his. She drew her lips closer to Burr, they both closed their eyes about to give each other a kiss until- *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

"Burr! time to wake up," Raider called out knocking on his door to his guest room.

Burr shot up from the sheets now fully awake and was thrown into confusion looking around his surrounding, he then realized that it was all just a dream, but when he lifted his sheets he saw that he needed to change. A couple of minutes later Burr came out of the room with a new set of undergarments and had his sword at his side, he hid the other ones so no one can find them, it was too embarrassing.

"Morning Burr, ready to start the day?" Raider said and Burr nodded his head, "you should go find Princess Amai, I bet she'll love to spend time with her best friend on her birthday."

It was so bright today, the clouds were far off in the distance out of the way of the sun's view as the rays shine down on the castle like the sun wanted to be part of the festivites too. Burr saw guests coming in bringing gifts for the princess, it was no surprise for Burr for he knew that Amai is the most kind hearted person he ever met, even the citizens of Ashfeld hope that the throne will be passed down to her instead of her older siblings. Burr also saw that people from the Myre has come to Amai's birthday.

Burr tried to find Amai in this maze of a castle, he came up to courtyards, flower gardens, ballrooms, stalls, but he can't seem to find her anywhere. He wandered down the hall, but didn't pay attention to a door creaking open behind him, two hands poked out, and snatched Burr right out of the hall dragging him into the room. Pinned to the wall Burr though it was a total stranger, but no it was only Amai giggling at the sight of Burr's face as she yanked him in.

"Got you," Amai said with big smile, "I saw that you were trying to find me, but it looks like I got you before you did."

Burr watched his friends as she just giggled right in front of his face, both kids were dressed in there nicest clothes; Burr wore a tunic with gold trimmings, boots, and a belt that covered his midsection; Amai was wearing a red velvet dress with depiction of gold leaves on it and was also wearing Burr's gift, the feathered crown.

"Do you like my dress Burr?" Amai asked waving the bottom half of her dress back and forth.

Burr took a good look at his friend head-to-toe, she is indeed beautiful so Burr nodded his head to which Amai jump and squealed for joy hugging him tightly as her arms wrapped around Burr's neck it became harder for the boy to breath. She may have not be the strongest, but she had the deadlist bear hugs not even realizing she was cutting off Burr from oxygen.

"C'mon, Burr, let's go have fun," Amai cheered finally releasing Burr from her grip, she grasps his hand, and drags him with her to the party.

Running through the halls with the wind in their hair they even almost crashed into a servant, Burr couldn't see where he was going because Amai's hair was flying right into his face blinding him, and he could only hear her laughing happily.

Hours Later

So far the two friends spend their times playing games and watched plays til the sun went down, in the throne room everybody was gathering around as they all focused on the throne as a jester tried to make everyone laughed, but failed at every attempt, so he tried another trick. Imitation.

"Look at me I'm a big a scary berserker," he tried to catch everyone's attention, but still only silence greets the fool, so he moved onto the Raider, but only to be stared down on by the giant, and so he skipped him.

"That's enough jester, you can leave," Warden dismissed.

The jester turned to the door to leave and everybody clapped as not to be rude.

"We're clapping because it's over," Runa shouted out making everyone hold in a laugh.

"Alright Amai time to open your gifts," Momiji called to her daughter.

"And since you're turning twelve today you can sit on the throne," Warden offered her and Amai's eyes lit up.

She then walked over to the throne where her father has sat in, she wanted to run and jump right onto it, but she restrained herself showing that she must be mature. When she sat down she could feel the grandeur the chair possessed, that only her father and her mother during a small period ruled while Warden was away while she was pregnant with Hana & Owen.

Nineteen Years Ago

In the castle Queen Momiji was trying to help look out after everything while her husband was away doing business, so being left in charge to a whole kingdom was a very nervous time for her, especially when she's pregnant.

"Uh... So, what should I do? I'm sorta anxious," Momiji asked sitting on the throne with her belly bulging with the twins.

"Relax, Stone and I will do our best to guid you though this," Mercy assured her as she stood by Momiji's side, "right Stone?- STONE!?" she yelled at the conqueror who was off in a corner sleeping on the wall, "on second thought forget him, I'll guide you."

"O.K, but I was never given this kinda of responsibility this big before," Momiji mentioned.

"Don't worry, we got this," Mercy swore.

Thirty Minutes Later

The castle was a complete mess, sets of armor were scatter all over the floor, banners were everywhere, and all they were trying to do was move a love seat sofa. But luckily Warden and Holden came back in time to fix everything.

Back To The Present

Amai sat on the edge of the throne swinging her legs and then she was presented with her gifts, there were jewls and gold, rings for her fingers and ears, bracelets for both her wrists and even ankles. She received the most adoring clothing made from the finest of materials, she was given treasures from the seas like a conch shell and some pearls, she was even given a small telescope to see the stars better. As everyone assume that was all of the gifts Ayu stepped up to give Amai her gift.

"Wait, I still haven't given my gift yet," Ayu announced, "listen carefully Amai, because it is a very special gift, you understand?"

"What is it," Amai asked on the edge of her seat.

"You'll see, you can bring it in now Okuma," Ayu called out.

Okuma walked across the room caring a medium size box in his hands with a lid that loosely held onto the top, he then placed the box on Amai's lap, the weight of the box felt weird, like it was trying to balance itself, and that's when Amai heard a faint little cry inside. She slowly removed the lid and when she looked inside she was in total awe at the sight of a fox kit.

"Huuuuh... She's beautiful," Amai said so awe struck, she lifted the fox out of the box, and placed her on her lap, "is she really mine?" she asked cuddling her new companion, Ayu gave a big smile, and nodded, "then I'll shall name you Momo," Amai proclaimed the fox's new name, and the fox replied with a bark.

"Alright that's all the gifts have been opened," Momiji noted to all, "and we can move on to the dance."

The bands soon started playing the guests started to dance to the tunes, Warden and Momiji, Raider and Runa, and the others joined in. Burr tried to navigate through the crowd, bumping into people, accidentally stepping on other people's feet, until he finally found the person he was looking for, Amai, Burr found her playing with her fox seeing it run around Amai in circles. The fox then took notice of Burr, then ran up to him trying to climb up his leg, Burr rubbed the fox's ears and scratched under her chin.

"You ready for our dance, Burr?" Amai asked and Burr nodded his head.

Amai handed Momo to one of the servants and then grabbed Burr by his arm, dragging him into the crowd of dancing guests until they found an opening to stand in. She wrapped her arms around Burr's neck, he placed his hands on her hips, Amai took the lead, and Burr followed each step closely, but accidentally poked Amai with the pommel of his sword.

"Ouch, why'd you have to bring that with you?" Amai asked about his sword, which Burr only shrugged.

Standing off on the side Raider and Runa saw their son dancing with Amai.

"Look at that Runa, our son is growing up so fast," Raider pointed, holding his wife at his side.

"When are we gonna tell 'em?" she asked, talking about the arrangement for their son.

"You think the Warden told his daughter?" Raider brought up.

"I'm not sure yet," Runa admitted not knowing.

"Then maybe we'll ask him another time," Raider suggested.

Outside

They continued to watch the two dance as the room was filled with joy and laughter, for the most part it was turning out to be a wonderful birthday party. All was well, but everyone was oblivious to the approaching threat that's drawing near; outside of the castle walls one guard was minding his own business patrolling from on top of the wall, until suddenly he started to hear what sounded like the pounding of drums.

He looked out to forest where the sound was coming from, the trees shook and bent, the guard was becoming frighten, and then he heard it, it was the sound of a monster.

"What was that!?" said another guard near by, and there they both saw it.

They saw what looked like a single eye glaring passed the trees, until finally it was right at the wall, and both men screamed in terror.

Back Inside

Burr and Amai were having a fun time dancing together, Burr spun her around, Amai's hair was flying everywhere while she laughed with glee. Taking this moment Burr thought now may be the right moment. He broke off the dance and reached into his pocket to fetch the rose, Amai didn't know what he was up to, but when Burr was about to pull out the flower-

"MONSTER!" a guard screamed bursting through the doors.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, the music stopped, Warden and Momiji turned their full attention to the guard.

"Monster? don't start playing games, soldier," Warden told the frighten guard.

"No, my Lord, we're under attack!" the guard insisted.

It was then, Momo the fox, jumped from the arms of the servant who was carrying her, and ran towards Amai, barking continuous at her, like she was trying to warn her.

"What's wrong, Momo?" Amai asked concernly taking her fox in her arms.

Then, Enogre came. Sounds of men screaming, shields breaking, armor getting smashed, and an inhuman cry because smashing its way in was the cyclops. He stood as big as an elephant, he broke though the door sending the guard flying with a swipe of his arm, Everyone screamed in terror when they all saw the monster. The guest scrambled in fear while Enorgre scanned through the crowd until he found what he was looking for, Amai was frozen in place at the sight of the monster, too afraid to move, and Momo barking at Enogre.

Enogre made his way through the crowd stomping on those who were unfortunate enough to get trampled by him, Burr stood in front of Amai, and drew his sword, Enogre reached out to snatch Amai off the ground, but out of nowhere a hand axe struck Enogre on his knuckles making him to yank his hand back. Burr looked across the room and saw his Uncle Helvar has taken an axe from one of the many armor sets.

"PROTECT THE PRINCESS!" another guardsmen shouted from the top of his lungs.

More soon came armed with pikes and shields, Warden was the fastest to react when he heard that his daughter is in danger, he grabbed a sword from another set and ran towards Amai, soon everyone else grabbed a weapon to fend off the monster. Runa grabbed a pike and with all her strength threw the pike at the beast striking it in the shoulder, Enogre, roared and broke it off while the pike men hold him back. One guard tried to rush the monster, but Enogre grabbed the pike and grabbed the guard, lifting him high, holding him by his arms in one hand, his legs by the other, and ripped him in half.

Enogre swatted his way through the shields, stomping the guards, Amai still hasn't moved from the spot still traumatized, Momo jumped out of her arms and started pulling her on her dress, Burr had to move his friend out of the way so he hoisted Amai onto his shoulder, and ran. The cyclops reached out for them, but his hand was only met with a blade by the Warden.

"You will lose a finger if you lay hand on my daughter," Warden warned waving his sword at the monster.

Momiji wanted to go and grab her duaghter out of harms way, but was pulled back by Ayu.

"No! you stay here, I'll get Amai," Ayu ordered her.

"I'm getting my daughter," Momiji protested.

"I'm faster than you, so stay clear," Ayu told her.

She ran passed the scrambling crowd consumed by terror as the cyclops rampaged inside the ballroom, Warden stood infront of the two children defending them from Enogre's clutches, but the monster managed to grab the knight by his hand, and throw him across the room crashing into the wall.

"DADDY!" Amai screamed in distress when she saw her father fly across the room.

The cyclops approached the two, but then the twins got in the way, both armed with swords.

"Not so fast!" Owen called out, "if you want our little sister."

"You have to go through us first," Hana added threatening the beast.

Both twins slashed at the monster, Owen cut the cyclops on his hand, while Hana ran under between his legs to slash his legs at the back, the monster screamed out going down on one knee. Owen tried to drive his blade right in Enogre's single eye, but the cyclope rose his hand in the way of the incoming blade letting it hit his palm instead, it was painful, but he wasn't dead. Hana jumped on the monster's back stabbed him many times as the cyclops tried to reach for her, Owen saw his chance to kill the monster, and tried stab its eye again, but the cyclops quickly caught him.

Enogre stood back up which made Hana lose her balance and the monster caught her too, Enogre looked at them both and gave out a roar to them, but then another roar was heard, but it didn't came from the cyclops, it came from a raider. Charging from behind with axe in hand, Raider, struck the monster in the back, Enogre roared in pain dropping the twins, and falling to his knee again.

"DIE BEAST!" Raider roared raising the axe.

As Raider was about to drive the blade of the axe into the monster's skull, the cyclops twisted his body in a heart beat swatting Raider across the room, and crashing into the wall.

"RAIDER!" Runa screamed seeing her husband fall.

Burr's eyes shot wide and shined with anger, he rose his sword, and charged at the monster managing to drive his blade deep into the leg, with blood leaking onto the floor. Ayu came running in, taking Amai up in her arms and ran out of the ballroom.

"Aunt Ayu! where are we going!?" Amai cried out feeling scared as she held onto her aunt for dear life.

"We need to get you out of here Amai!" Ayu shouted out.

Burr tried sticking the monster again, but the monster caught him, Enogre stood back up planing to crush Burr, but noticed that his target was getting away, so he dropped Burr, and chased after Ayu and Amai. Seeing that the monster was actually chasing after Amai, Stone rushed in playing to cut it off, but Enogre grabs him and quickly throws him at Okuma. Burr slowly got back up seeing the chaos the monster caused, but was drawn by the scream of Amai.

Running down the halls Amai was looking over her aunt's shoulder as the monster was hunched over to fit in the hall, the monster ran as best it can in the hall, and Ayu ran fast as she could. A group of guards came running down ahead of them, Ayu ran passed them, and the guards charged at the monster, but Enogre just smashed them against the walls or stomped on them. Ayu ran and ran trying to find a way out, Burr trying catch up, he passed the dead guards, but he didn't have time to linger he had to find Amai.

"*Bark!* *bark!*"

Burr looked back and saw that the fox, Momo, was also trying to catch up, following the boy.

Ayu was trying to find the stairs down, it's too small for the cyclops to fit, too long to reach his hands in, and too far deep in the castle to break down the walls. Turning one corner Ayu came to a dead end, finding both Amai and herself on a balcony.

"Amai stay behind me," Ayu told her setting her down behind a stone bench, but when she turned back there stood Enogre.

Burr and Momo followed the giant footprints until it finally lead him to the balcony where he saw Ayu laying on the ground, Burr quickly ran to her, dropping to his knees.

"Burr?... " Ayu spoke weakly, "I couldn't protect Amai... It took her," she told him before losing consciousness.

Burr looked around seeing the monster was nowhere to be seen, but Momo's ears were perking side-to-side, until they both heard Amai scream, Burr got up, ran to the edge of the rails, and saw the cyclops jumping down from roof top to roof top.

"BURR!" Amai screamed while in the clutches of the cyclops.

Burr looked around, he had to get to her.

"To the stables! we must get to the horses!" Mercy yelled out.

Burr looked back and saw troops running passed while a couple of soldiers helped Ayu, Burr saw that Mercy was assembling troops to chase down the monster to save the princess. Before Burr and the fox followed the troops down to the stables, Burr went to his family's guest room to fetch his gear, his boots, leather wrist guards spaced with pelt, and his shield; but you're probably wondering why does someone bring armor and weapons to a birthday party? Remember, they're Vikings. They never leave home without them.

Burr ran out running on the outer most part of the wall, but saw that he was too late the horses were already out, Burr and Momo watched as they ran out of the castle meaning that the monster was getting away. Burr looked back at some of the riders passing under the exit and so he decided to do something drastic, he started at one end of the wall, taking deep breaths, he looked down and saw Momo scratching at his feet, he sensed that she wanted to help, so Burr picked her up in one hand. With as much speed he can muster, Burr ran and jumped, falling through the air, he felt his stomach sink, and his whole body becoming weightless, but luck had it he landed on a moving horse.

"WHA-!? Burr!?" Mercy shouted and the one to reply was the fox, giving a high pitched bark, "forget it, just sit back."

They rode following the destruction of trees and they can faintly hear Amai's screams.

"AMAI! WE'RE COMING!" Mercy shouted.

Soon they finally caught up to the cyclops.

"HEEEEELP!" Amai cried.

One rider pulled out a bow and tried to shoot the monster, hitting it in the back, the arrow didn't slow the cyclops down, but the monster found it annoying, so he bashed into a tree breaking it in half, and for the top half to land on the rider. Another rode up too close and was smacked away and any other who got close, so Mercy came up with an idea.

"Get its attention," she told the other riders, "Burr I have an idea so listen closely, when that thing's distracted, I'm gonna ride up behind it, and... I'm gonna need you to jump on, I know it's way too much to ask form a child, but-."

Before she can finish Mercy felt hands on her shoulders, she looked back, and saw the silent Viking prince standing on the back of the horse.

"I'll take it that you're on board with it," Mercy quiped, "alright, get ready."

Two riders gone ahead in front of the cyclops getting his full attention, Mercy and Burr came close as possible, Burr stepped over Mercy until he was in front of her. Watching his footing and watching the monster take its every step, Burr timed it for the right moment, and he jumped with a knife in his hand, he dug the blade into the monster's back to hold on. The cyclops screamed in pain knowing that someone was on his back.

Mercy pulled away for a bit as the cyclops flail its free arm trying get Burr off, Burr had a plan to drive his sword into the back of the beast's neck, but out of nowhere the cyclops jumped high in the air. Mercy and the other riders skidded to a halt, the cyclops jumped over a giant chasm that seemed to appear out of nowhere, but it seemed to act as a boarder between Ashfeld and Valkenheim for on the other side of the chasm was snowy mountain tops. The cyclops landed on the other end with a loud crash and enough force to knock Burr off landing on snow.

The monster kept running, scaling up the mountains, leaving Burr far behind.

"BURRRrrrrr!" Amai cried, but faded away.

The boy soon felt his back ache from the fall, but soon felt something warm and wet slithering across his face. He opened his eyes and to his surprise he saw Momo, she probably hopped on him at the last second when he jumped off Mercy's horse.

"BURR!" Mercy called out from the other side, "WAIT THERE! WE'LL COME BACK WITH MORE HELP!"

Burr looked at her standing on the other end of the chasm, but he turned back to the mountains where the cyclops took his friend, but noticed a red color sticking out of the snow. It formed a trail, Burr followed it down, and saw that red color starts right where he stands, that's when Burr figured out that it's blooded and he remembered. He stabbed the monster pretty badly in the leg and now he has a trail to follow it.

"BURR!" Mercy yelled out again.

Burr turned back to her and Mercy saw it in his eyes.

"What is he doing?" one rider asked.

Mercy locked eyes with the boy, and found out what he was planning to do.

"He's going after it," Mercy concluded.

"That's crazy! it's suicide," the rider stated and soon all the riders yelled out to Burr to stay, warning him not to go, all except Mercy because she knew there was no stopping him. Burr turn his back to them, facing the mountain. He didn't care if he has to go in alone, but then he felt his leg getting tugged, he looked down and saw Momo barking up to him as if reminding that he wasn't alone, and so they went fourth to save the princess.

"KID! COME BACK! YOU'LL GET YOURSELF KILLED!" the rider yelled and was gonna yell out again, however-.

"The boy made up his mind, he's not gonna stay put," Mercy told her men, "c'mon, we have to tell the lord."

Mercy and the other riders turned back and rode to the castle to tell the Warden that the monster took their little girl... But Burr might be their only hope in saving her.