Yay!

I'm back for an update!

Sorry it took long… I was supposed to update yesterday, but I got so absorbed in reading Beyblade fics… =D

Anyway, on with it!

Chapter 10

The Mistletoe

Masquerade didn't know what to do.

His mind was completely blank.

His sister was limp in his arms.

If his younger twin wasn't involved in this situation, he would have held his composure.

But this was different.

"Alice!" he kept on calling out her name in a desperate attempt to wake her up.

Ace's head snapped to Masquerade's direction. Mira, from the other side of the mirror also got alarmed.

"What happened?" asked Mira

Masquerade was too worried to answer. He placed his palm on Alice's forehead; her temperature was fine.

What could have happened?

"Hey." Ace called out as gently as he could "Don't panic."

"How can I not when I don't know what's wrong with her?" Masquerade snapped.

Ace didn't say another word. He knew how much Masquerade loved his little twin sister.

"Alice…" he shook her gently and turned to Mira "Mira, what should I do?"

Mira was alarmed "I don't know! I can't give her something that will just make her wake up without knowing the reason in the first place."

Masquerade gritted his teeth. What was he to do? He felt completely helpless.

His eyes started glowing red through his glass mask. He was trying to use his bond with Alice to look for anything that may serve as a clue to her unexplained condition.

Mira gasped as the Subterra mirror started to fade.

"Ace!" she called out for probably the last time.

Ace turned to the mirror and smiled sadly "I guess this is goodbye for now, Mira…"

Mira was silent. The mirror was quickly fading. She shook her head and said "I' sorry I couldn't help Alice…

Masquerade shook his head and said "It's alright… I'll find a way to help her somehow…"

Mira didn't speak anymore.

Alice is one heck of a girl to have such a caring brother like him…

"Ace," she turned to Ace now "I won't ask you to bring my brother back. Judging by what happened to you, I don't think he'll be happy to see you still alive…"

Ace laughed and said "Are you kidding? I may be a mercenary, but I don't intend to go back on my promise, Mira…"

Mira's eyes widened "You idiot! If you get yourself killed in trying to get him back what would you have me do?"

Ace smiled "Then let me assure you with another promise then."

"What?"

"I promise I'll stay alive." Ace replied "And bring your brother back…"

Mira was dumbfounded. She couldn't help but smile as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She opened her mouth to say something, but the mirror already faded.

Ace turned back to Masquerade who was examining the apple she ate. He had hoped that the apple was just poisoned and that explained her behavior, but to his dismay, it wasn't.

"What could be wrong with her?" Masquerade muttered

"Calm down, panicking won't get you anywhere…" Ace said

Masquerade wanted to snap at Ace on how Alice's life was probably in danger, but he kept his temper. He knew that Ace was right.

He nodded calmly and said "I understand."

Ace looked around and said "We better get moving."

"What for?" asked Masquerade

"We have to find Ren." Ace replied "We can at least make your sister's job easier by finding Ren while she's out."

"And when we find Ren, what do you propose we do?" asked Masquerade "I'm pretty sure he's injured like you were when we found you."

Ace bit his lower lip.

He's right. Even if we did find Ren what would we do?

"And who said that we have to find him anyway?" Masquerade's anger was reaching its peak "Alice shouldn't be burdened with him."

"It had been our original plan to look for Ren wasn't it?" Ace asked as he desperately tried to keep his cool. Arguing with Mira taught him one very crucial thing about arguing: never lose your cool.

Masquerade didn't speak at this. He knew Ace was right. He tried calmed himself down and said "I'm sorry…"

Ace grinned and said "Don't worry. I know how much she means to you so I can understand…"

Masquerade managed a small smile and said "Thanks Ace."

"Hey what are friends for?"

Masquerade placed Alice on his back as they continue looking for Ren and avoiding Spectra at all costs.

Shadow was getting impatient. He drummed his fingers on his lap.

How long is this guy planning to doze off?

Spectra had instructed Shadow to stay put and then he lay on his back flat on a fallen log with the Mistletoes in his hand and dozes off.

Shadow let out a long impatient sigh. He wasn't the type who would willingly sit down and wait for someone to wake up and give him instructions.

But with Spectra it was different.

How can he have the abilities that Knights aren't supposed to have?

The question still lingered in the Fool's mind.

If he wasn't so inexplicably strong, I would never obey him or wait for him to wake up…

Two sky blue pupils appeared from the eye area of the mask. Spectra was awake.

"Finally…" Shadow sighed

"We're moving now." Spectra said "Come on."

"Hey, what's your rush?"

"Nothing." Spectra smirked inwardly "I just prefer to play the pursuer than to be pursued…"

Shadow was dumbfounded. Knowing that his mind in probably in knots now, Spectra turned to him and said "Let's go, Shadow Prove…"

Shadow shrugged and just followed Spectra like a little puppy.

Alice's eyes fluttered open and gasped sharply.

"Hey, she's awake." Ace said without turning to her.

Masquerade stopped and gently put Alice down.

"Are you alright?" the older twin asked.

"Yes…" she nodded

"You look a little shook…" the Mercenary commented as he turned to her.

Alice took a few deep breaths. She was still trying to recover from what she just found out.

"Just give me a second…" Alice said as she caught her breath.

Masquerade waited. Ace folded his arms across his chest.

Alice continued "We have to find Ren. He's been poisoned like my brother."

"Where?" asked Ace

Alice stood up and said "He isn't far from here…"

Masquerade caught his sister's wrist and asked, "Why do you know?'

Alice pursed her lips and said "I was in a trance…"

Masquerade hesitated for a moment and then he released Alice's wrist.

His sister went to trances on a regular basis, but he was never able to spell the difference between a trance and a potentially life-threatening cause of her fainting.

While on a trance, a mage is rendered defenseless as they become one with their surroundings and by doing so, they can find out what happened in the area for the past few days.

Alice looked away from her brother's hidden eyes. He knew perfectly well if she was lying and she had no intention of helping him find out.

Alice stood up and started walking. Soon they found Ren, in a very pitiable state.

His was lying on his belly. A dart was on his back. His pupils were dilated. But his sword was still on his hands.

Alice produced the flower on her left hand and the chalice on her right. Like before, she diluted the flower inside a sphere of water hovering over her palm and put it in the chalice.

She uneasily turned to her brother and said "Brother, can you help me with him?"

Masquerade nodded and turned Ren on his back. He gently pulled Ren's jaw down as Alice poured the contents of the chalice into his mouth.

Ren blinked and coughed. He sputtered out some water and cupped his throat. He was alarmed to see three people hovering over him.

"The Darkus Mercenary, Stargazer and Mage…" he muttered "Well this is a surprise…"

"Was the Darkus Knight the one who did this to you?" asked Ace

Ren nodded "Yes… But he wasn't alone. Someone with gray hair attacked me…"

"The Fool…" The twins said in unison.

"You've encountered him too?" asked the newly awakened Hermit.

Alice nodded.

"Like you I was poisoned by him too…" Masquerade said "And because of that, we were able to know the cure to your poisoning."

Ren nodded. He turned to Ace and said "So this means that we all have a common enemy, then?"

They all nodded.

"I believe I haven't introduced myself properly," Ren started as he stood up "My name is Ren Krawler, the Darkus Hermit and a loyal servant of Princess Fabia Sheen of the Neathian race."

Ace did a double take "Neathian?" he echoed "But aren't you a Gundalian?"

Ren nodded "Even I thought that it was strange."

Alice's head jerked up as she remembered what Fabia asked her, but before she could summon her staff Masquerade turned to Ren and said "We talked to Princess Fabia a few moments ago. She said something about a Haos amulet…"

Ren stared at the ground sadly "The Knight took it from me. He was a skilled fighter, but he got provoked easily. I thought I could beat him easily, but he had someone else to help him."

Alice summoned her staff and said "I promised Fabia I'd let you talk to her once we find you." She smiled knowingly "She was worried about you…"

Ren smiled fondly "I never expected that…"

Alice turned to her brother and Ace "Once Ren's conversation with Fabia is over, I can tell you something very important that I just found out." Her face fell and became more serious "It's about those Mistletoes that Master Exedra asked us to find."

Masquerade nodded knowingly, but he couldn't help but feel worried about something. He had an uneasy feeling that he just couldn't shake.

Alice planted her staff on the ground and closed her eyes. A mirror with a yellow frame laden with intricate carvings appeared with Fabia's face on it.

"Hello, Alice." Fabia greeted with enthusiasm.

Alice nodded in reply "We've found Ren."

Fabia's face brightened up.

Alice stepped aside and Ren took his place in front of the mirror. He bowed as a form of customary respect and said "Forgive me, Princess, but I have bitter news to report."

"Bitter?" Fabia echoed with sarcasm as her face turned to a genuine smile "You are alive and well and to me that itself is good news."

"Thank you, Princess," Ren smiled inwardly "But the Haos amulet was stolen from me…"

"If you are worried that without the amulet, I will not accept you anymore, you are mistaken, Ren." Fabia said

"I did not imply that, Princess…" Ren's voice trailed off and he avoided Fabia's emerald eyes "The amulet was a sign of your trust and I valued it as such."

Fabia shook her head and said "The important thing is that you're safe. You can retrieve the Haos amulet anytime as long as you're alive."

Ren wanted to ask her if what Spectra said was true. He wanted to know if he was just a plaything to the Princess he served wholeheartedly.

"I wanted to tell you something important Ren." Fabia said as she cast her eyes away, like she was embarrassed for some reason.

"What is it Princess?" asked Ren

"I… haven't been completely honest with you…" Fabia's voice trailed off "There are some dreadful things that I haven't been telling you…"

Perhaps the Knight was right…

"I… was planning something cruel for you." Fabia started quietly and slowly "As a Princess, I had to think of what was best for my kingdom and my people. And when you came…"

Ren didn't wait for her to finish "I understand Princess…"

Fabia turned to him with emerald eyes filled with confusion and regret.

"You wanted to use me to force my people to surrender is that it?" asked Ren

Fabia nodded "I will not deny that…"

It hurts even more when she doesn't deny it…

Ren turned to Alice and said "Ms. Alice, you can dismiss this mirror now."

Fabia's eyes reflected sadness. She hung her head low and muttered "I am sorry Ren…"

Alice turned to Fabia who limply nodded in reply.

"He'll come to his senses…" Alice tried to assure the melancholic Haos Princess.

"I just need his forgiveness. But I don't think that will be something easy to attain." Fabia said whilst smiling with watery eyes "Thank you for letting me talk to him…"

Alice nodded "I'll see you I guess…"

Fabia just nodded.

The mirror disappeared in a rain of yellow sparkles.

Alice turned back to the threesome who shared an awkward silence between them.

She turned to Ren and said "Well, you've introduced yourself and it would be terribly rude of me not to introduce myself too." She extended her hand and said "I am Alice, the Darkus Mage."

Ren took her hand and shook it "Thank you for saving me Alice…"

Masquerade placed his palm on the top of their joined hands and said "I'm Masquerade, her older twin brother and the Darkus Stargazer."

Ren nodded in acknowledgement.

Ace put his closed fist on Masquerade's hand and said "Ace Grit, the Darkus Mercenary."

Ren smiled and nodded again.

Together they formed a new alliance.

"Now, what was it that you wanted to tell us Alice?" Ace asked

"Indeed, it had something to do with the Mistletoes correct?" Ren recalled

The red haired girl nodded. She sat on a rock and said "Yes… I've found out something about the truth hidden within those Mistletoes."

The tension was so thick around them. Anxiety accompanied silence as Alice chose her words carefully.

"To put it simply, those Mistletoes contain the Darkus power split into five separate entities." Alice said

No one reacted. It was like the whole thing was a lot to process.

"If one can get all five Mistletoes the test will end." Alice continued "That was Master Exedra's condition. Once all five Mistletoes have been gathered by one person, he will have complete control over the Darkus attribute power."

"So that's how that Knight got so powerful all of a sudden." Ace muttered "He was using the power of the Mistletoe to make him stronger and more powerful than he was."

"But how did he find that out?" asked Ren

Masquerade stood up and said "What matters now is the safety of the other two Mistletoes in our possession. If Spectra gets his hands on the last two Mistletoes, he will have complete control over the Darkus power and that may lead to his ascension as the Darkus apprentice…"

"But Master Exedra already said that gathering the five Mistletoes won't be enough to make someone his apprentice." Ace pointed out.

Masquerade nodded "But he also didn't tell us that the Mistletoes contained the power of the Darkus attribute. That means that we were supposed to be looking for the Mistletoes and not using them."

"I don't think that Master Exedra's decision will matter to Spectra at all." Alice added

"True." Ren nodded "If Spectra were to get all five Mistletoes; he will obtain the Darkus energy attribute even without Master Exedra's permission."

"Maybe if we mimic his tactics we can put up a fight." The Mercenary suggested "After all, confronting him won't be impossible at this point…"

Masquerade nodded and turned to Alice meaningfully.

The younger twin nodded. She opened her palm and summoned the Mistletoes in a flash of white light.

As the Mistletoes rested on Alice's open palm, Masquerade's eyes, hidden behind his glass mask started to glow a bright red.

He turned away from them.

"What's wrong?" asked Ren

"Nothing…" Masquerade said as he turned back to them. His eyes were no longer glowing.

Alice's face was etched with worry, but when her brother shook his head she sighed in relief.

The Mage pressed her other palm against the Mistletoes. When she lifted her hand, the stems became entwined with one another.

Masquerade nodded approvingly, but his mind was on other matters.

The Mistletoe… can save Alice…?

Whew!

Sorry the update took so long!

Thanks to those who reviewed and I hope you like this chapter too! =D

Anyway, I would like to thank Starless Skyline for the criticism. I really appreciated it! =D

Also, please do not hesitate to click the REVIEW button and feel free to convey your deepest darkest thoughts about the fic as it is greatly appreciated! =D

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