Pascal held back the crying princess as tears poured down her face after witnessing the murder of her brother. The prince's killer stood triumphantly over the limp body, laughing, "I did it! I killed the prince!" He exclaimed as he ran for the door to get reinforcements. Asbel shouted for Sophie and Pascal to grab him as Asbel and Alice knelt down beside Richard's body.

"Richard..?" Asbel began, shaking his friend's body as he looked gravely up to Alice, wondering how she would react to his death.

Alice screamed, "No! Richard, please! You have to wake up, you can't be dead!" She grabbed onto his arm, "You just can't be gone!" Waterfalls poured down from her eyes as her tears hit the ground, creating small puddles by Richard's body. Suddenly, there was a strange pulse and Richard began to twitch. Asbel motioned for Alice to get back as they moved away from him.

Slowly, Richard got back up on his feet, throwing his head back as he smirked. Alice took a small step forward, "Richard…?" She said quietly.

The prince turned to look at the guard who stabbed him, his eyes glowing red as he lumbered towards him, You filth!" He growled. Pascal and Sophie jumped away as Richard grabbed the man, shaking him fiercely in the air. Suddenly, he threw the guard onto the large table in the center of the room. He landed with a loud thud as Richard climbed onto the table, standing over the man and reached for his blade, "How dare you… You disgusting bastard!"

Alice stepped forward as Richard slashed across the man's body. Pascal shielded Alice from the scene as the young girl hid behind her. Sophie turned her head away while Asbel protected her from witnessing the gruesome event as well. Although Alice couldn't see her brother, she heard his voice as Pascal kept a hand on her head, turning her away, "You'll pay for this! I'll make you feel that pain like no other!" She heard the slashes of his sword slicing the man all over.

"Richard!" Asbel yelled, "Stop it! That's enough!" He pleaded with his friend.

Richard continued on with slashing the man, "It… it will never be enough to pay for what he has done to me! How much pain I feel… I'll make him pay for all of it!" Alice flinched with every sound and shout she heard and she couldn't help but hug Pascal's neck to hide from it all.

"No," Asbel answered, "Stop it right now!"

Suddenly Richard's voice rose tenfold, "How dare you order me!" He yowled so loud that Alice jumped from hearing him shout like that.

Asbel still had a fierce look on him, "Look what you're doing to your sister, Richard. She's terrified of what you're doing…" His voice was growing calmer as Richard stopped attacking the man who was now long dead.

The prince had finally snapped out of his episode as he raised a hand to his head, "Wait… What's going on…? Asbel…" He looked at his old friend, "I didn't mean to say that…" He gripped at his chest as he yelled in pain; turning to his sister who still had her arms around Pascal, the older girl holding onto her as well for comfort.

"Are you alright!?" Asbel asked as Richard jumped down from the table, "Is it your chest?" He added.

Richard shook his head, "No… It's… No, I'm alright. We have the key now…" He straightened, "We need to get to the bridge now but…" He slowly turned to Alice again who hadn't let go of her friend, "Alice… Come here." He asked.

Alice let go of Pascal but didn't go to her brother. Instead, she stood there beside Pascal, only staring at her brother who moments ago, had gone insane. Richard's face looked saddened as he saw how Alice watched him, terrified of the one person that she had left to protect her. He held his hand out to her but she shook her head. Alice hated hurting her brother like this but there was something about him that kept her away from him.

"Are you sure we should keep going? What about that wound?" Asbel inquired as Richard took back his hand, looking down at the ground in frustration. He had damaged the strong bond he had with his sister. Richard now wondered if she could trust him after seeing that. He even saw her shaking from the fear he had placed in her.

Richard nodded, "Of course, he barely scratched me so there's nothing to worry about." He faced Asbel and the others.

Asbel couldn't believe it but when Pascal took a closer look at Richard she crossed her arms, "He's right! We all saw how deep that wound was but he actually looks perfectly fin! You should be dead, Richard!" The prince raised an eyebrow at the fact Pascal sounded disappointed almost.

'But…'Alice looked back to a pool of blood where Richard had been stabbed, 'His blood…' It didn't make sense to her but she ignored it for now as Richard put away his blade while he spoke, "That's enough Asbel… Let's go open the gate!" And with that, Richard had begun to walk off as the broken body lay still on the table.

Alice was staring off into space; oblivious to the party moving onward as she was lost in deep thought about her brother, 'He's fine now but… Just a few moments ago, he had gone mad.' She thought to herself, 'Richard… What's happened to you? I can't bear to see you in so much pain… Rejection your hand just now… Was the most painful thing I've ever done-'

A hand reached up and grabbed Alice's. The princess looked down to see Sophie holding onto her hand, "Alice? Are you okay?" She asked in her sweet, pure voice. Alice began walking off after Richard and the others as Sophie still held onto her hand, sensing that something was wrong as she hadn't stopped shaking.

As they walked towards the south tower, Richard, Pascal, and Asbel spoke with each other. Every so often Richard would steal a glance at his younger sister who refused to look up from her feet, following the others with Sophie as her guide. He began to wonder if what happened just now changed her permanently; he didn't want a sister that was afraid of him.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Sophie asked, looking up at her with caring eyes. Alice smiled at the other girl before shaking her head and telling her nothing was wrong. Sophie didn't seem to believe her, "Do you…? Still like Richard?" She added.

It took her a few moments to answer Sophie, "Of course I do, he's my brother after all." Alice replied, "I would never hate him; I love him more than anything. But right now… I just need some space from him, you can understand that, right Sophie?" The purple-haired girl nodded, sensing Alice needed some space and joined Asbel and the others.

They had reached the southern towers in no time at all and Richard went inside to activate the switch. Asbel and Alice remained outside while the others went to the other switch to open the gate, "Hey Asbel?" Alice began. Once she knew she had Asbel's attention, she continued, "Thank you… For staying by Richard's side, I mean. You're exactly what he needs right now to get him back up on his feet." She added.

Asbel smiled, "You know we've been friends for a long time," He replied, "I'll stick by him his entire life. I am- Er… Was a student of the Knight Academy. Everything I was taught was about serving the King."

Before she could say anything, Alice saw Richard come out of the tower to join them. The two siblings said nothing to each other as they began to move on, Pascal and Sophie joining them as well. The soldiers of Dalen's army came flooding through the gate as a war broke out underneath them as they walked. But only after a few small steps, a bladering went flying through the air by Richard and Asbel's heads. Asbel went stiff, "I know that blade…"

"And I thought I had taught you to never let your guard down until the battle is over." A familiar voice called out from above them. A large man jumped down in front of them as two guards ran up behind him, "It was quite the clever plan to come in a small team to lower the gates however…" He put a hand to his chin, "Your finale was weak and if I win now, it's all over for you. Isn't that right, your majesty?"

Alice looked up at the man as someone she had trusted and grown to admire over the years of having him as her former teacher, "Captain Malik…" She muttered, neglecting to prepare herself for battle.

Richard had already drawn his blade and Alice dreaded the fight more than any fight before. She didn't know how she would react if Richard gave the same kind of treatment to Malik that he had to the guard who stabbed him. The future king raised an eyebrow, "You would threaten us despite your knowing of who we are?" He began, "The Prince and Princess of Windor?" His sister looked down at the ground.

The Captain kept his eyes fixed on the princess for a moment as Prince Richard spoke. When he had finished, he looked up to the young man, "As a knight I side with the current King; Cedric. It's my job to stop you here, your majesty." Alice noticed that despite swearing loyalties to the tyrant Cedric, he still referred to her and Richard as 'your majesty'.

Now Asbel stepped forward, "I've dedicated my blade to Prince Richard and Princess Alice; I will do everything in my power to aid them against all who oppose." He then added more quietly, "Even you, Captain Malik."

"Then it has been decided…" The older man sighed, "Give me no mercy for you shall receive none in return!" He yelled, throwing his bladering through the air at Alice. She still hadn't drawn her blade but Asbel had stretched his own out in front of her, sending the bladering bouncing back to Malik.

Asbel looked over his shoulder at Alice as he slashed out at one of the guards, "Get it together, Alice!" He yelled at her. She quickly snapped out of her daze and drew her blade, countering the other guard's attack as he lunged for her. Pascal slammed the bottom of her staff onto the ground and conjured a line of fire straight into the first guard that was attacking Asbel. She didn't defeat him, yet severely weakened the man.

Sophie gave Alice a hand with the second guard while Richard fought it out with Captain Malik. The man threw Richard back towards the guard that his sister was weakening and the two switched targets. Alice ran at Captain Malik but sheathed her sword as she didn't want to hurt him too badly. Instead, she easily dodged his attacks and with every chance she got, hit him with the hilt of her sword but she had made a small mistake.

When Alice went for another hit, Malik side stepped the attack and as she turned around, Alice found that Malik had turned the blade to her neck. She let out a small gasping noise in surprise as she had almost run into the sharp weapon. Alice froze in her place and Malik looked down at her, "This is your end, Princess. I wish you well…"

But just then, Alice managed to spot Malik's own mistake. As he went to finish Alice off, he brought his arm back to ensure she would be killed painlessly and quickly so she was not to suffer. Desperate to hold on to life, Alice drew out her sword and the two blades clashed in a flurry of sparks. She let out a shout as the shear strength behind Malik's blow sent a sharp pain from her wrists up to her shoulder.

The two stood unmoving as they pushed against the other with their blades. Malik seemed fairly impressed by the girl's ability to match his strength as she pushed against him, "I won't die here!" She cried out. Meanwhile, Richard and the others were being distracted by reinforcement guards who had reached them in time to allow Malik to focus only on the Princess.

As Malik's strength was beginning to become too much for Alice, her legs gave out and she fell to the ground, her blade clanked against the ground with a loud bang and everyone froze as they heard her scream. Even the guards stopped at hearing the girl yell like that and it sent shivers down their spines.

Malik's blade had slipped from Alice's when she collapsed, slicing through her right arm. She sat in immense pain, blood dripping down her already blood-drenched arm and into a growing pool on the ground. She was breathing heavily as Malik kept a blade pointed to her forehead, "I'm sorry that it must end like this Princess…" He muttered. But just as he went to finish her off, Sophie tackled him from the side, his bladering falling over the edge of the fortress.

As Sophie got away from Captain Malik, she went to Alice's side where Pascal was inspecting the young girl's horrible wound. Malik hit the ground on one knee, out of breath, "She's gotten strong…" He whispered under his breath.

Two men of Duke Dalen's army then came running up the where they stood, "Your highness, Duke Dalen wishes to inform you that we have finally successfully taken over the fortress from King Cedric!" One exclaimed.

The bladering-wielder rose to his feet despite the pain he felt in his old bones, "I can see that my resistance would be futile in this situation. Richard stepped forward with a grim look on his face; it showed even in the way he held his blade.

"Knowing when you've been defeated is quite the honorable trait." The prince began as he took a step towards Malik.

Asbel attempted to stop his friend, "Captain Malik only thought he was doing the right thing! As being of the knight academy, he has to follow orders from the king!" He protested, trying to protect his old instructor, "Once this whole thing is over, he could be a useful asset to your kingdom."

Richard turned to Asbel, slowly going back to what he was in the central tower. Pascal felt Alice's muscles tighten as she had been holding onto the girl's arm above her wound, "I decide who I shall allow in my kingdom!" The prince yelled, "And a man who would hurt my sister like this is not someone I want to be living under my rule!" But at that exact moment, Richard collapsed, "What's happening to me!" He cried out, "This isn't…. this isn't me!"

The prince's friend went down on one knee beside Richard, "Richard! Are you okay?" He asked frantically, being reminded slightly of the first time this had happened.

"N-No, it'll be alright, I'm fine." Richard stood along with Asbel, "Please forgive me, I had felt unwell for a moment." He put his blade back into its sheathe. He then addressed the soldiers who had come up to inform Richard of their success, "I'll decide what the fate of these three will be at another time but for the time being, lock them in the fortress." He bent down beside Alice, "Come on, little sister, let's get you some help with that." He put out his hand to help her.

Alice looked over the edge of the fortress as she stood, "A relief organization seems to have arrived, you go see Duke Dalen, Richard. I'll get help from someone down there, okay?" She saw the worry in her brother's eyes, "Don't worry, it'll be fine." Richard hesitated then nodded, leaving to go see Duke Dalen.

Sophie and Pascal stood by Alice to make sure she was going to be okay with a wound as bad as that. Malik looked down at the ground with his arms crossed, "It seems I won't be dying today…I'm glad to be allowed to live for another day at least." He looked over at Asbel, "You've become a strong man, Asbel. And even though you never finished your training, you would've become a wonderful knight." He praised as he turned his back to him, "Serve this country and the Prince and Princess well, Asbel."

Asbel put an arm across his chest, "Thank you, sir." He nodded, "I wouldn't have been able to accomplish such a feat without your instruction." And with that, Captain Malik walked away. Asbel and Pascal began to talk after Alice assured them she would be okay. Sophie had looked over the edge of the fortress, watching the relief organization heal both enemies and allies.

"Cheria…" Sophia pointed out as she looked over the edge. Asbel and the others turned to look at her and wandered over to the edge, "See? It's Cheria down there." She repeated, pointing to a pink haired girl as she knelt beside an injured man.