Hey~

PCheshire- Yup that person will! Haha anymore sadism and Evan is going to be a scary person you know? There's this saying, the kind ones you shouldn't anger XD

MapleAnimal- Noooo the loveable pinkish beannnnn me want~ *Pulls pink bean away from you* Ah, but i can pass you Evan and Mir though *Throws the two towards MapleAnimal* Evan: H-Hey! Fang: Hehe, MapleAnimal wants you so there~ Haha who knows about Aria's fate though~

EK12- 1-14 Gb?! That is huge, and the new character seems interesting~ I can't read japanese either, but i understand some of it :p Yeah the song was not bad hmm~ Haha i don't see those type of videos so often though~

Pekiunai- *Points towards myself* M-me? I'm evil? *Mock sobbing* Oh lol joking joking~ But in my defense i'm not that evil~

Now then, on with the chapter~

Orchid snarled to herself, she was absolutely confident that she had slipped past the heroes who were more concentrated on the Black Mage. So how is it that he knew she was here! Her plan was flawless, go in and kill Shinsoo, obtain the jewel on its forehead to please the Black Mage and slaughter Aria as revenge for her brother, everything was aligned so nicely too! So why is it that it always failed! Damien shook his sword once and twice, ridding it of the blood that splat on his sword when he flew in to slash at Orchid's thigh, forcing her back. The commander suffered some burns too as the spell she was using backfired on herself causing an explosion.

The commander was clenching her wound while growling in a predatory in manner. Damien gave a confident looking smirk as he stabbed his sword on the ground, his one eye glaring at Orchid, behind was Empress Aria who was holding a interested looking Cygnus, Neinheart lay collapsed on one floor with a bleeding shoulder wound, the guards had all been knocked out easily.

Orchid seem to look less and less amused by the arrogant manner, the demon's brother held his head high and was more expressive then his brother but not as powerful. Damien maintained his look, all the while hoping it looked correct, inwardly the demon was quite nervous as he had never done that before but he saw the other him do it and it looked good on him so he imitated. Orchid was limping towards him, she was determined to try to kill the Empress and Shinsoo because if she failed now, the Black Mage would kill her anyway.

Damien's eyes held a tiny shred of pity, he was still young he couldn't help but feel that the girl's loyalty had been placed wrongly. Damien steeled himself though, Mister Leon had taught him that often to not he would have to take the life of another but for some reason he felt as if he done this before. Was he ruthless killer? To not have felt anything if he stabbed the sword straight through the girl's heart?

Orchid gritted her teeth as she could sense pity, she didn't need pity! The commander sprinted and took out her weapon in a pitiful attempt to slash her opponent, Damien closed his eyes and gave a short sigh as he side stepped it easily, he felt Aria staring at him as he parried and dodged, could she sense the pity that he felt? Or is it that she felt the same way? But when Damien turned around, he was met when pure blue orbs of sadness, Cygnus was no better, easily picking up her aunt's pain.

Damien came to a decision "I apologize before hand. Forgive me." Orchid became further enraged but it soon turned into pain as a sword stabbed her heart, a quick clean and swift death. She soon staggered and collapsed as Damien pulled his sword out and had his hands out to catch her before she fell onto the ground, gently placing the body down and used his hand to close the commanders eyes, giving a moment of mourning before standing up and facing the empress.

Aria stood up and knelt down beside the body, giving a moment of mourning as well, Cygnus and Shinsoo did the same. "This was one of my mistakes. Back then, I was a rather snobbish ruler, ignorant to the struggling of the world. When she and her brother came to me, I ignored them. It is my fault, I know that they will never forgive me, I deserved it." Damien nodded before giving a rather sheepish smile, tinged with a small amount of sadness "Well….I wouldn't know, I make mistakes too but learning from them is important right?" Aria seemed stunned before giving a nod as Cygnus went over to the demon giving him a curious glance because the demon was as tall as her but braver and stronger then she could ever be.

"You're nice mister." She said with a bright smile, Damien blushed slightly while a finger scratched his face as Aria chuckled at the expression, despite his demeanor at battle just now, this one was a gentleman through and through.

"Aria are you alright?!" The empress turned at the sound of Phantom's voice and saw him as well as the other heroes who were running towards her and panted when they stopped their sprint. "Yes I'm fine, thanks to that gentleman over there." The heroes look to see Damien having a hard time when Cygnus was curiously asking questions about him while tugging his fur coat. Valfor seemed rather shocked as did the other heroes.

"How did you know that a commander would have sneaked passed us?" He asked his brother "I not that sure, I just had an odd feeling like I really had to go somewhere and it led me to following Orchid back here." Damien said with a small shrug, Von Leon seemed pleased and proud at what Damien had done as he went over to pet the younger Damien with a smile "It seems you've put what I taught you to good use." Cygnus had went with the others to check the collapsed guards as the two had their private time.

"….Mister Leon?" Damien asked "What is it?" The young demon hesitated before burying his head into Von Leon's fur coat "I…just killed someone, but I don't feel any remorse. Am I heartless being?" Von Leon seemed startled before gently petting Damien's head "No child, it often isn't like that. You kill because you had to, but you didn't want to did you? And just now when you interacted with that young girl there, you showed a few amusing emotions," Damien blushed at that "you are a kind child, never forget that as it is your strong point."

Evan had called of them to gather in a semi circle in front of the empress, the young brunette had whispered something into Aria's ear, the empress was nodding with a serious expression. "Its time to take your oath. You guys didn't do that did you? The final battle is coming up, the Black Mage is recuperating, now is the chance to strike." Evan stated as he kneeled in front of the Empress.

The other heroes were confused at first but soon understood as they each began kneeling down, though the commanders were very hesitant. "That means you too Von Leon, Valfor and Damien. You may be once enemies but now you're allies." Aria said with a smile as the three finally caved in and kneeled down. Shinsoo stood beside Aria as the holy beast and empress said in a unison voice,

"Do you, brave warriors, who have started with different beginnings, different lives, different motives and have come together for a single purpose so swear that you would defend Maple world and all its people, be it family or enemy from harm?" the others glanced at each other, their answer was obvious, they felt Shinsoo giving its blessing to them which filled them with strength as they replied.

"We so swear it on our lives."

XXX

Evan panted and collapsed into his room in Lumiere as Mir hastily tried to hold his master up "Master what's wrong? You look pale." Evan waved his hand as he settled on his bed "No I'm fine Mir really! I just overexerted myself." The dragon stared in silence as golden eyes bore into light blue ones "Master you've been hiding something from me." Mir growled, sounding very predator like, making Evan flinch at the sudden fierce voice and its implication.

"I'm really fine Mir…" Evan said weakly. "Master, you're lying." The brunette gulped as Mir rested beside him on his bed while growling when Evan made a single movement. "…..Okay you got me. I'm definitely hiding something, but I promise, when this is all over, you'll know what it is alright?" Evan said with as much determination he could muster. Hearing that his master was telling the truth, Mir got off and went out but not before saying "Master I'll get something for both of us to eat! I'm know you're hungry!"

Evan chuckled "Don't empty the fridge! You know how mister Phantom is like when you do that!" his laughs soon turned into a deep sigh, when he was sure that Mir was already long gone he whispered "Mir…..I'm so sorry…..Please forgive me for lying to you this once….!" Evan sobbed as his hand gripped the glowing mark on his chest, it depicts a hourglass, a sign that someone has dealt with the usage of time. "I don't have very long left….I wonder, did I fulfill my task of making them proud..?" Evan murmured before shaking his head.

"No, now's not the time for this. We still have to make our final stand tomorrow at dawn." Evan said as he covered the mark with his robes and was shocked when he sensed another presence just outside the room. "Who's…there?" Evan said weakly had the person saw and heard what he had said? "What do you mean when you have not much time left?" Evan started in shock when he found out that it was EunWol who had entered his room.

"…You were listening in?" EunWol closed the door gently as he went up to Evan and yanked away the robes to examine the hourglass print that was dimly shining. "What does this mean?" EunWol asked as his hand traced the mark. "It…means the amount of time I have left….When this stops shining, my life will end." Evan said softly as his hand unintentionally wrapped around the pirate's waist, snuggling up to his warmth. "Why would you go so far? And what for?"

"You weren't here when I summoned the spirits of the dead heroes back here were you? I paid the cost of my time, I don't regret it just, the thought of death suddenly scares me…" Evan mumbled as EunWol hugged back and slowly brought the young brunette to rest near the bed, following suit as Evan tighten his hand around EunWol's waist desperately "Just….I need someone's company for awhile could you stay? I-I'll be fine soon." EunWol playfully flicked Evan's forehead while mumbling "You didn't have to ask, now go to sleep."

As the two soon fell asleep, EunWol vowed to get a word or two with the others, he just knew that it had something to do with them.

I really needed to stop twisting things hehe~

ANYway, i have an announcement~ I'll be a bit busy for awhile so i won't update till i get something, you could consider this a tiny break :D

Now then grumpy and easily angered, would you do the honor?

Black Mage and Magnus: *snarling* Review, there.

Fang: *Sigh*