"Fabia! Please, its okay, Fabia!"
I knew that Dan was calling my name, but I couldn't think straight. I felt like all of the misery in the world had been dropped on my shoulders, weighing me down until my face touched the ground.
"Fabia, please,"
Dan was choking on dry sobs now, yet I didn't understand why. My face was streaked in tears, as if my eyes never ran out of them. But I also knew that I had to get out of this state of shock; I had too.
"Fabia, please snap out of it, we're right here, we know how you feel-" Dan burst into fresh tears, from what I could tell, as I slowly began to be pulled away from my world of sorrow.
I could make out the other brawlers huddled around in me in a big circle, as well as Dan holding me tightly in his arms.
"Dan?" I asked out loud hoping for an answer. Dan placed his hand on my forehead.
"Fabia! Are you okay?" Dan questioned me, obviously concerned.
"Is he really gone?" I queried my voice small and trembling. Dan took my hands in his and looked me straight in the eyes.
"Listen to me Fabia," Dan said sternly "Zephyr and Emerald are doing their best to find him, okay? But you don't need to worry at all, they'll find him, I'm sure of it" I pressed my face into Dan's shoulder, weeping, not even attempting to stop.
"Fabia," Dan crooned, stroking my hair with his hand "I know how you feel about him, and I know that neither of us can afford to lose him, but I have a plan" My ears perked upward, hearing those few words which started a spark of hop into my heart.
"Go on," I breathed heavily, not willing to let Shun slip from my fingers so quickly "What's your plan Dan?" He immediately covered my mouth with his hand.
"We can't talk here," He whispered, helping me stand on my feet. He pointed down the hallway and mouthed his room.
As we were walking down the hallway, I noticed little white paws trotting at my heels, and turned around to see Skylar looking up at me with her stunning eyes. On top of her back, Hawktor and Aranaut embedded themselves in her fur, pretty obviously trying to hide.
"Guys!" I whispered sternly "What are you trying to do?" Aranaut was the first to speak.
"Well," He began, letting out a deep sigh "Isn't it obvious I won't let the Prince get killed by some megalomaniac? Especially when you're in love with him?!"
Hawktor looked really confused.
"I thought she was in love with Shun" Hawktor commented, while I blushed a deep red.
"I am," I replied softly "Can you guys keep it down?"
"Then who's the Prince?" Hawktor asked, making Dan, Aranaut, and I turn to look at him.
"Shun!" We all shouted at once, continuing to walk down the hallway. While Hawktor still seemed dazed about the entire situation, Dan opened the door to his room and shut it tightly behind him. He clicked the lock on the door so no one could come in.
"Now look, this mission may be very dangerous, and I don't even know if we'll succeed, but are you sure that you want to go through with this?" Dan asked, a look of concern shinning bright within his eyes. I nodded, to show that I was.
"I'll do anything to save him!" I exclaimed, just as Aranaut leaped onto my shoulder. He nodded as well, in certain agreement.
"Okay," Dan whispered quietly "This is the plan. One of us, can teleport with a castle knight bakugan into the Neathian Forest." I mentally slapped myself.
"I had forgotten all about that!" I exclaimed "Aranaut, you can track him through your teleportation skills, can't you?" Aranaut nodded.
"Hawktor and I both" Aranaut replied, turning back to face Dan.
"Right, then whoever goes to find him, can just follow him for a little while, and then try to get him to come back. It's all that I can come up with" Dan continued, lowering his voice towards the end of his sentence.
"It's a great plot Dan," I told him "We have to get Shun back, no matter what happens" Dan nodded.
"Who goes after him?" Dan asked softly, as a hush of silence flowed into the room.
Silence, utter silence, was all that was left of our conversation. Who would go to find him? That was our question. I knew that I could persuade him to come back, just through our love for each other. And I knew just how I would do it.
"I'll go" I said at once "I know how to persuade him to come back, so I'll go"
"Fabia, are you sure?" Dan clarified, as I clutched Aranaut tight in my hands. I did my best to put on a glare.
"Of course," I answered "She won't hurt him" Aranaut squirmed inside of my hands, so I opened them and let Aranaut come out. He panted like a dog after a squirrel chase.
"If you wouldn't mind letting air into my lungs Princess" He choked out, pacing in my palms. I rolled my eyes, gently placing him on my shoulder.
"Alright then," Dan said quietly, as tears began to form in his eyes "Just promise that you'll bring him back, dead or alive" I nodded, as tears exerted from my eyes as well.
"I promise, I'll bring him back," I whispered, wiping the tears from my eyes "Let's go Aranaut" Aranaut hopped into my palm, beginning to glow a faint yellow color.
"I'll see you soon Dan," I told him, as I began to vanish into the air. The last thing that I saw of him was his hand waving goodbye. I smiled.
The teleportation didn't take that long at all. I remember being a in a bright blue portal in the first moment, but the in a dark forest in the next.
I looked down in my palm to see Aranaut looking up at me. He nodded his head at an angle upward, motioning for me to look at something.
A large hill was in the distance, but still in front of us. When I glanced over the top of it, I saw a bright Palace like building, except the inside of the windows gleamed in red, and the crowning around the building was a deep black. But except for that, the rest of the building was a beautiful crème color.
I looked back down at Aranaut.
"What is it?" I asked him softly, taking the time to glance at the building once again. A dark figure paced on the inside of one of the windows, while the doors were swung open in a flourish.
"Sapphirah's Palace," Aranaut answered lowly "Look, a few trees in front of us, hide Princess"
I dashed behind one of the trees next to me, and peered through a space created by the others. Another figure, wearing a long black cloak, with a hood over its head. The figure turned just a little bit toward us, just as I caught a glimmer of gold from the inside of the hood. A golden crown was sitting atop of the figures head, as its eyes radiating pure power.
"Shun," I breathed inaudibly, as the figure turned and continued through the forest. I sprinted and hid behind another tree, knowing from the point on, how I would follow him.
"So this is how we're going to do this?" Aranaut asked gently, looking into my eyes. I shrugged.
"It's the only way-" I slid behind another much larger trunk "That's the only way that I can follow him without being detected" Aranaut nodded, looking back through the trees.
"Hold on," I whispered, sprinting toward another tree trunk, and dashing behind it.
"Whoa, hold it Fabs"
That did not sound like Aranaut.
"Fabia, down here"
I looked down on my shoulder, almost jumping when I saw Hawktor sitting there.
"Hawktor, what are you doing here?" Hawktor looked up at me.
"I wanted to see where you guys were going, where are you going?" I rolled my eyes, keeping them glued to Shun. With every passing minute we were getting closer and closer to the Palace. It was making me nervous.
"I also didn't come alone," Hawktor continued, he looked downward making me look there as well. Skylar was sitting on the ground near me.
"Oh, Hawktor, how did you even get her here?" I asked, taking Skylar into my arms.
"It is quite complicated" Hawktor began "But… would someone just explain to me what's going on?"
I let Aranaut explain everything to Hawktor while I was tree dashing. From time to time Shun would look back, but I was well hidden in the trees. It would break my heart to look at his tear stained face, almost every time bringing me to tears.
"Fabia, come on," Hawktor urged gently "We need to keep moving" I could tell by the tone in his voice that Hawktor knew what was happening. I nodded, running to yet another tree.
We were getting so close to the end of the hill that even Aranaut noticed that I was trembling.
"Princess, are you alright?"
"Yeah," I told him "I'm fine, but we have to keep going"
I looked at Shun, who was making his way to the top of the hill. His cloak flowed behind him in graceful waves, with each step he took.
I darted to the bottom of the hill, not letting him get any further than where he was already at. Shun looked back, but thankfully he didn't see me.
I decided to stay there for a few more minutes and watch him, cautiously climbing up the hill.
I shuddered when Sapphirah burst through the doors, embracing Shun in her grasp. He stood there, silent and still, as he normally would. She lifted the hood off of his silken hair, gently stroking his face.
I couldn't stand to watch her do this to him any longer.
"Princess," Aranaut warned, but I wasn't listening.
I sprinted up the hill, using all of my strength to make it up in seconds. My spirit now controlled my body, no longer was it my fear. Sapphirah and Shun turned to see me in great surprise. Shun held his hands out, as if to stop me, But I ignored his warning.
Before I could protest, Sapphirah held her blade to Shun's neck forcing me to freeze. She turned her bloodshot eyes on Shun.
"I believe my dear," She began "We have a guest" Shun's eyes widened in fear, as his worried gaze turned toward me instantly. Sapphirah released Shun, turing so she could face my glance.
I realized what she meant a second too late.
I started to turn and run, but it was over. I was caught in her arms in a millisecond, while the blade of her dagger was lowered next to my face.
"Sorry Princess," Sapphirah whispered happily "But you, are merely a piece in my game"
Dan: Looks like I'm n charge of remarks for this chapter too. Um, I'm doing my best to keep it together here, uh... Just read and review okay! (Runs off)