Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Marvel. They belong to their rightful owners. I only own my OCs.

Chapter 33

The Fall of Xhyloria

"The true Queen of Xhyloria."

As soon as the words left his unseen lips, the world began to shift. A blurry image of black and white appeared before her and she felt the sensation of being pulled into a hole.

A scream of terror tore from her lips when she felt like her limbs were being torn from her body.

After what felt like forever, the pain vanished; the image stilled; sounds were muffled as she sat in an unfamiliar place.

She immediately stood up when she heard something from behind her; despite her dizzy state, she raised her hand to defend against an incoming attack but none came.

She heard a door being opened, and a couple of footsteps followed. As her dizziness slowly dissipate, she realized she was in an unfamiliar place that looked like a castle from Asgard.

"W-Where am I?" she asked herself.

"Why, princess, you're home."

She jumped at the sudden voice behind her. When she turned around, the same white aura appeared. "Bring me back this instant! There's a war going on!"

"A war, indeed. Yet you're no help to any of them…" he said. "Well, not yet, anyway. You are inside my memories, princess. For you to fully understand your powers, you need to know the origin of your being."

"There's no time. And stop calling me princess," she hissed; she lifted a finger to point at the floating white obstacle. "I swear if you don't bring me back right now, I'll—"

"Give greetings to the Princes, First Prince Carrion, heir to the throne."

Clio stiffened at the sound and suddenly just realized that she was standing behind a pillar that was overlooking what looked like training grounds with hundreds of guards training.

"I suggest you watch the show, princess instead of spewing ridiculous language to your guardian."

Clio scoffed and raised a brow at the white obstacle. "You're no guardian of mine." But despite that, she quietly tiptoed behind the pillar to see the event that was taking place.

"You don't have to hide," the white aura pointed out with his ridiculous scheming tone. "It's not like everyone will see you. This is a memory from the past. You're just here to spectate. So, if I were you, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show." The way he said the last sentence was full of meaning and sarcasm that despite his faceless figure, she could see the smirk in his tone.

She felt her cheeks reddened as she straightened her stance from behind the pillar and walked over it. "You can't tell me sooner?"

"Prince Carrion! It's a pleasure to see you here!" one of the guards said to the tall figure who just entered the training grounds.

"It's part of my duty as the eldest Prince to see how my people is faring," said the tall figure named Carrion.

She noted how pale his skin was with the sunray hitting it. His jawlines were well defined much like Captain America's jawline and if her observation were correct, she would mistake him to be not much older than her. He's probably in his late twenties or early thirties.

As if noticing her watchful gaze, the prince quickly glanced her way. Her eyes widened and flinched when his eyes met hers. His stormy, pupilless grey eyes were boring in her own. His long, obsidian black hair which was tied elegantly at the nape of his neck was swaying back and forth from the early morning breeze. A kind smile descended on his lips seemingly towards her.

"Y-You said they wouldn't see me…" I hissed at my companion who was standing next to me.

"So, what do you think, Carden?" the Prince velvety voice said.

Clio raised a brow and was about to open her mouth to reply when someone spoke behind her.

"Why ask for my opinion when you'll be the king anyway?"

She turned her head slightly and gasped when another figure was standing behind her.

He looked exactly like the Prince but only younger and smaller; almost the same height as hers. Instead of long hair, his were cut from just his shoulder; a frown residing on his face unlike the tall prince with a kind smile.

He walked forward and she thought he'd bumped into her but he just went through her. Her eyes followed the second figure with widened eyes; disbelief was written all over her face.

"That's not a nice attitude for a prince, Carden," scolded Carrion gently and turned towards the guard embarrassed. "I apologized for his rude behavior. I forced him to wake up early to accompany me in my rounds."

The guard laughed lightly and waved his hand in dismissal. "It's all good, my Prince. As for Prince Carden, I've set up someone to accompany you."

"I don't need a companion. I am fine on my own," said the youngest Prince coolly.

"Oh, but you'll be delighted with this one. He's about your age," he contradicted as he waved his hand over to someone.

Not long, a young boy who was wearing armor slightly bigger than his body quickly jogged up to them and bowed down. The clang of his armor echoed as he made his way to the three.

Clio's brows raised when the young boy glanced towards her way. Something about him felt familiar. Her brows scrunched when he winked her way before turning back to the two Princes.

"D-Did you see that? He—" when she turned around to her companion, she found him gone. She looked around and he was nowhere to be found. "What the… Where did you go?! Don't leave me!"

"My Princes, I am glad to introduce to you my son, Farrow. He's been training with me since he's learned how to walk. I am very much confident that he'll be able to protect you and accompany you, Prince Carden."

Clio growled in annoyance and crossed her arms on her chest. "Seriously though, you leave me here for what? To watch a drama sitcom?"

She sighed in defeat. There's nothing she could do but watch the event unfold anyway. 'I hope it's amusing.'

"It is a nice pleasure to meet you, Farrow," Carrion greeted with a gentle smile.

"Oh, the pleasure is mine, Prince Carrion," the young soldier greeted politely and grinned at his father. His eyes, then, landed on the youngest prince who didn't even bother to hide his irritation at the boy in front of him.

Slowly, Clio walked up to the group. "Even I can see that this little guy hates companion," she murmured.

"I hope you can be good friends with my little brother," Prince Carrion said to which his little brother grunted in displeasure.

After a few more moments of introduction and greetings, the princes bid them farewell and went on their way.

Clio was about to follow them when she noticed the little soldier named Farrow was staring at her intently. She stared back curiously. Could he possibly see her?

"Hey, you can see me, can't you?" She asked hopefully.

"Of course, why wouldn't I when I was the one who brought you here?" the young boy's voice turned to a grown man which she knew very well after living for almost a year in her head.

"W-Wait? WHAT!" She exclaimed, backing away from the little boy. "Don't tell me you're—"

"Glad you could catch up. Yes, I'm the little boy. Please— wa arh yu duwheng?! Stahp!"

Clio, who was holding both of his cheeks, continued to inspect him. "So, this is your face. I've been curious for a long time. I can't believe I was being bullied by a cheeky child," she murmured to herself which he clearly can hear.

He slapped away her hands earning a yelp from the Xhylorian lady. She clutched her hand and glared at the boy in front of her. He was no more like 18 years old.

"Wait," she paused and looked around as if realizing where she was. "You're not kidding when you said I'm back home… because I'm in Xhyloria."

"Gawd jowb," he grumbled as he continued to rub his swollen cheeks. He turned to me, his eyes filled with seriousness and solemnity for a kid his age. "This is my memory from the past before the annihilation of the Xhylorians by the Darks Elves. The two princes that you just saw are your family."

Clio's eyes widened and her head quickly turned to where the two made their exit. Her heart beating wildly and she could feel her hands shaking. Thousand of emotions were swirling inside her system but the most dominant part was fear.

"B-But… who…"

"Your father?"

She couldn't form a word nor move her head to indicate her answer. All her life, she had grown up having a father figure and that was Tony Stark. Never did it cross her mind to find out who was the one that abandoned her since she was a baby.

"Please, let's go back…" She found herself saying after some time. "I can't do this. I want to go back."

The boy went quiet before he sighed. He looked at the troubled lady in front of him. Of course, it won't be easy for her to just accept what's been thrown at her. "I can't do that unless you want Earth to be destroyed. The only way to gain your powers is to unlock these memories."

"These memories are yours, not mine." She spat angrily. "What does that have to do with saving Earth?"

"The events to unfold will be the key to unlocking your powers."

"I can't do what you want me to do," she murmured as she clutched her hand to her chest. Her heart was filled with remorse and guilt that she couldn't fathom. "Please, let's go back."

Farrow sighed dejectedly. "I understand your feelings, Princess but it needs to be undone. Sooner or later you're going to have to face this. And it has to be now because your world is in peril."

"Why do you care? You don't even like Earth," she spat. "You just want to be out of my system."

Farrow was quiet for a while before he heaved a shuddering breath. "I can't believe I have to say this to a royalty," he began to which made Clio raised her brow. "Princess, you are such a dolt!"

The words made Clio still and her mouth opened in shock. "W-What!" she sputtered; a blush crept to her face.

"That Scarlet Witch is right. You are too invested in your emotions," he growled. "The lock on your power is like a time gap. Your powers could only be unlocked by connecting them to a certain event that transpired. It's like what Stark does every time he connects a wire to a certain electrical charge to form a bridge," the boy explained.

She shook her head and turned to him angrily. "What makes you think I want to unlock my powers?"

"You wanted answers, right?!" He exploded matching the same fiery that she had. "It is what you desired to know and here it is. It is as the witch of Asgard had said—"

"Wait. The witch from Asgard? You mean Frigga?"

"Yes, she originated from Vanaheim. When she was trying to pull me out of your system the moment you were unconscious, she made a telepathic way for us to communicate."

"But why didn't she tell me all of these?"

"We both agreed that it was too soon for you. The stress could trigger your untrained Xhylorian trait and you could end up corrupting your mind and heart for it."

Instead of answering, her mind swirled with thousands of questions all at once but none could she fathom as of the moment.

"Why now? We're in the middle of human extinction and you just show me these now?" She asked angrily; despite trying to hold her emotions, she could feel the tears brimming in her eyes from all the events.

"I planned to tell you when you wake up after defeating the dark elves but something inside your body was holding my powers back. It's like whenever I'm nearing unlocking your memories, a great wall befalls on me. I had a hunch it was the locket that the Jotun Prince gave you," he explained.

At the mention of Loki's title, Clio went silent. Just like before, the ache in her heart never ceases but this time it was bearable. She remembered the day he died. The necklace was to keep her energy in line.

"When you were about to be squashed by the rocks a while ago, you somehow managed to free me, unlocking my powers. "

Clio absorbed all the information he was saying and for once, she began to connect the dots.

"The witch said it is important for you to unleash your powers. Your world is in great peril," he said. His eyes lingered to hers for a while and there was that hint of fondness in his eyes. "I couldn't protect him. Let me at least protect you."

Clio was stunned by his words. The sincerity in his voice left her speechless. He offered his hand to her again. Without any thoughts, she reached out and grabbed it.

They were both engulfed by white light which vanished as soon as it appeared. She noticed she was still standing in the same spot as before but instead of the early morning sun glinting on them, the ray of dusk was showing.

"You're holding to the sword is weak!" She noticed Farrow's voice quickly from a distance. That's when she realized that the young Farrow she was talking to a while ago vanished.

She turned around to see him with the same younger prince from before, only he had grown taller. He looked just like his brother, only he kept his hair short.

By watching them closely, she noticed they've grown matured. It must've been several days after the first memory she was shown. They looked like men in their mid 20's.

"I'm just doing what you told me to do!" complained the prince and swung his wooden sword forcefully back to the sword of Farrow. His eyes turning a shade lighter to white from stormy gray – a trait which only Pure Xhylorian possess indicating they're angry, she noted.

"Well, you're doing it wrong," scolded Farrow as he pushed Carden off him. Then with lightning speed, he lunged his wooden sword to Carden's making the latter yelp and drop his sword on the ground. "See? If you have a stronghold, you won't be able to let go of your sword."

Clio shook her head.

Carden growled and shook his head to clear his anger. "I'm done for today," he said with finality. "I'd rather be inside the library than train with swords, anyway. That's Carrion's specialty, not mine."

"Are you going to whine about that again?" taunted Farrow as he sat next to Carden on the grass. "You know it's also your job to protect your people like the prince."

"I think that is your job. We only lead," contradicted Carden. "Or be the face to stop the fear creeping from the people. You know it won't do good to us if we are overcome with negative emotions."

"You LEAD. If a war ensues, you should be the one in front of the battlefield with the others to lead them," Farrow lectured and bumped his shoulder to his best friend.

The young prince stared at the meadow they were in. Silence ensued between the two friends. An eerie feeling fell upon the young prince.

"It's been several years since Carrion ascended the throne. Do you think there will be a war?" he asked his friend after some time of contemplating. The setting sun's ray gently caresses their normally pale faces.

Farrow was silent as he, too, stared at the empty meadow they were training a while ago. "Carrion can handle it. I believe in our King."

"But allying to the elves is not going to settle the rift between Asgard and Xhyloria," Carden said solemnly. "Carrion may as well signed our death with what he has done."

"Maybe, I don't know but I'm confident that Carrion can settle the rift between Asgard and Xhyloria," Farrow said confidently. "Trust in your brother, my friend. With all the chaos that's been going on, Carrion needed your support."

"I can't get this sickening feeling out of my stomach," Carden said solemnly. "Like Carrion is hiding something. Something is about to come like our doom."

A hand patted his shoulder, shaking off the worry inside his head. When he looked up, Farrow grinned at him. "Don't look so grim, my friend. That's Carrion we're talking about. He can handle anything."

Carden sighed and stood up. "I don't trust the Elves as much as I don't trust Asgardians. There's something sinister about them, I just know it."

Farrow followed suit and stood up. "If you're fearing for your safety then don't be. I promised your brother I'd protect you till the end of the line-"

Carden furrowed his brows. "I don't need your protection," he spat. "Do you honestly think we can't handle ourselves? Who needs this stupid alliance? We're a threat to the other worlds due to the power that we hold."

Farrow sighed defeated. "They are our ally, Carden. We just have to accept it."

The young prince turned to his friend, eyes cold and solemn. "Accept? Correct me if you don't feel the thirst to slaughter the elves as they roam about these lands as they own it, the urge to rip their head out of their neck when they tried to hit the women and children at the market yesterday, or… or when they insulted Carrion's leading behind his back?"

Farrow was quiet and still as his gaze dropped to the ground. The silence between the two was suffocating as Carden gaze at him with coolness.

"You can't even answer me because it's true. You know we both hate the elves and yet you're lying through your nose to please them. What becomes you, my friend?"

Carden turned around his heels and walked away. As soon as he was about to walk past her, he stopped a few inches from her. Clio noted his eyes seething with cold and disappointment as he glanced back to his friend who did not move an inch.

Her heart skipped a beat painfully when she got to see his face. She already saw this face before. The familiarity was foreign to her.

"Give her a normal life, Tony."

"You'd be a better father than I will ever be, Tony."

"I am mostly sorry, my little Cliomeghria."

"You will forever be in my heart and mind, just like your mother."

"Always."

At that moment that the memories came flashing in, Clio could feel her eyes watering. The same face that she saw holding a baby… in front of Tony… crying his heart out for leaving his daughter… the same distraught eyes and heartbroken face in Wanda's vision was in front of her. Her hand clamped her mouth shut to keep her from gasping.

"Stupid, Farrow," the man whom she realized was her real father growled under his breath before he continued to walk away… from her again despite it being a memory.

She followed him with her gaze. The fear and guilt that she was feeling a while ago are now gone. It was replaced with something like longing, like a completed puzzle that she was trying to solve ever since.

"When you said you failed to protect him…"

Farrow was quiet for a moment to the point that Clio thought he disappeared, too. "I promised to protect your father till the end of the line."

"And you chose not to help him," her tone wasn't accusative but more as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

"There's a reason why I chose not to help him."

Clio glanced at Farrow who was now beside her. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Carrion had a vision."

Another white flashed before Clio's eyes and just like before, it quickly vanished. She noticed she was standing in the middle of what looked like a throne room. Sitting on the throne was a distraught Xhylorian that she quickly recognized as Carrion who was now the king. The elegance and grace used to surround him when she first saw him now gone. A feeling of dread and sullen hang around him instead.

"Your Highness, the vision that you speak of…" Farrow, who was standing in the middle of the throne room next to her, said. His eyes were full of sorrow.

"Yes," Carrion spoke in a low tone. "It is fast approaching. I tried to get as many of the civilians out of the planet without alarming the elves. But I can't persuade Carden to get out-"

There was a loud bang from behind her and a growl which made her flinch. She took a step back quickly when she saw Carden approaching. His eyes and stance were livid. He momentarily paused when he saw Farrow but after some time, shook his head and continued.

"Tell me you are not serious about this!" Carden shouted angrily.

"Hello to you, too, dear brother," Carrion greeted calmly then gazed behind him and nodded.

"Why did you agree to let the elves have control of the kingdom?" he asked; eyes glowing white in anger.

"Do not turn your eyes white on me, Carden," warned Carrion dangerously. "I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" spat back Carden and walked up to Carrion who didn't flinch when his younger brother grabbed the collar of his dress and pulled it up. As soon as he did, guards who were stationed near the king quickly grabbed their weapons to protect him but Carrion raised his hand to stop him.

"Do you know what's the elves doing to the city? They're stealing from markets, picking on our women, and no one would stand up to them because they will be killed mercilessly!"

With one swift movement from Carrion's hand, Carden let go of his brother in shock. Despite his distraught appearance, Carrion was still superior to his little brother in combat. He grabbed Carden by the throat and raised him in the air.

Clio gasped as she watched her biological father grabbed his brother's hand, struggling for freedom. She covered her mouth when she saw that Carrion's eyes began to turn white in anger. Black markings started to appear from his neck to his face. She recognized these markings for she also had one when she was ready to kill the leader of the dark elves. She thought it was just her veins but now she was sure it was a marking.

"Your Highness!" Farrow intervened and grabbed a hold of the King's hand. "Please, that's your brother!"

As if getting washed with cold water, Carrion dropped Carden on the ground and took a step back, horrified of what he'd done.

"Get out, Carden. Out of this planet, too if you don't like how I rule."

Carden stood up and dusted his clothing. He looked up at his brother with despair. "You know what will happen if you let the Elves take over, yet you did it anyway! You're not the brother I used to look up to. Where's my high and mighty brother? I don't even know you anymore."

Clio watched with a heavy heart as her father and Farrow made their exit. Despite not knowing the younger prince that well, she felt her heart goes to him sympathetically. She flinched at the loud bang of the closing door of the throne room had made that echoed the almost empty throne room.

This was the third memory of Farrow. She was fearing that the next one will be the last. She was waiting for the next blinding flash of white when Carrion spoke up.

"You've been watching for a long time now, my dear."

Clio froze.

"Fear not, child. This is but a memory."

Despite the reassurance, Clio's heart thumped wildly for being caught.

"Turn around. Let me see your face."

As if being in trance, she felt her body turning around to face the king to whom she was related to. Grey eyes wide when the same-colored eyes on her. He was back in his seat. His elbows propped and he was leaning his cheek on his knuckles. His face was expressionless.

"H-How can you see me?" she finally asked. "This is Farrow's memories."

"Yes, and so is mine and many other Xhylorians," he answered nonchalantly. "I know what the elves were planning."

"T-Then why did you let them take over?" she asked and stepped closer when he beckoned her over. She stopped at the chair next to him which was supposed to be for his queen. He moved his hand to indicate for her to sit on the throne beside him.

"This is a throne supposedly for my queen. But I have not yet taken a wife," he said in an amused tone. "So, even in the afterlife, I can finally meet my niece."

Clio's eyes widened to which Carrion chuckled. "You have the same expression as your father whenever he was caught."

"H-How did you…?"

"Know you? Farrow told you I had a vision, right? Only one royal can be bestowed with the power of sight in every generation. And it seems to me that you also have one, am I correct?"

"It comes and goes. I don't have full control of it," she admitted.

Carrion nodded. "It must be because you're not a full Xhylorian," he mused.

"Why are you doing this to him?" she asked after gulping the nervousness she was feeling.

"Carden was foolish. Whether I let the elves take over or not, the end of Xhyloria will not be undone. Had my father tried to gain more trust from the other planets, this would not happen. My goal is to keep Carden out of here before our doom. I have already confided my plans to Farrow."

Clio's mouth went dry as she continued to gaze at the solemn gray eyes of the King. "That's why Farrow won't abide by my father's wishes?"

"Wishes? You mean to create an uprising against the elves?" asked Carrion.

"That's probably what he wanted," she answered.

"Carden was still too young. He thought war as a plaything."

A small smile appeared on the King's lips, the same kind smile that she saw directed towards his little brother before, as he caressed her cheek and catch the tear that she had not noticed fell. "I fear the next event will not be as pleasing as before. If I could not save my people, the least I can do is to save my little brother."

"What about you?" she asked but even after asking that question, she already knew the answer. A heavy burden fell on her chest.

"Are you already shedding tears for my future demise, child?"

"I don't know why I'm crying. All my life, I've known one family. Now that I've found where I belong, I get to watch all of you die," she sobbed.

A croaky chuckle erupted from his throat. She stilled when he put his forehead to hers. "You are so much like my little brother. I am mostly delighted I get to meet his daughter for the last time." He lifted his head away from hers and put a hand on top of her head. "Thank you, dear one."

Clio wiped her eyes. "For what?" she sniffled.

"For crying over the dead, silly girl. Though, I have one favor to ask."

Clio looked at him and saw the soft smile on his lips. He rubbed her head gently. "Raise Xhyloria back to its glory."

Before she could answer, a flash of white appeared. This time, it felt a little longer than before. She could still see the soft smile of the King as it faded from the light.

The next memory she was shown was full of the horrific tragedy that turned her world upside down. It was like a movie that was fast-forwarded. She watched as Asgardians slaughter every Xhylorians in the streets. She watched as the military gets executed and die for their planet. She watched as Asgards invaded homes and destroyed markets and buildings with her people inside.

"Please stop," she murmured in horror. This was not the Asgard she knew.

Clio whipped her head in the direction when she heard children crying. Her heart dropped fearing for the children. 'This is but a memory,' she reassured herself. 'It already happened. Don't get involved. You need to find Farrow.'

But she found herself walking towards the sound despite what she had just thought.

"Help us!" someone called out in a foreign language that she should not have understood but she was able to.

"Please spare my little sister!" another one wailed desperately.

Clio rounded the corner and what she saw made her hands shake. There were two children cornered by an Asgardian. The older of the children was hugging his sibling desperately as if hugging him will protect her from the Asgardian's sword.

Despite the pleas of the two, it fell from deaf ear as the Asgardian raised his sword.

"Don't," she found herself saying as if the Asgardian will hear her.

"You need to die!" the Asgardian screamed.

"Please don't!" she screamed and tried to get in between the Asgardian and the children and closed her eyes. The crying ceased. The sound of sword tearing flesh echoed throughout the empty alleyway.

She could hear the Asgardian sheath back his sword and walked away from the scene. "Disgusting Xhylorians."

With a heavy heart, she slowly turned around praying that the children got away. Unfortunately, the scene in front of her made her fall to the ground on her knees. Her eyes were so wide with horror.

On the ground in front of her, the two Xhylorian children lay down dead as they bathe with their blood.

There was a ringing sound in her ears as the screams of the Xhylorians echoed inside her head. She wanted to avenge the children who were mercilessly killed in front of her. She wanted to rip the Asgardian's throat out of his neck. The bloodlust was too strong. Dark energy swirled around her.

But it was different, it felt like she could control the dark energy… tame it even. It was not like how the dark energy she produced back when she was in Asgard or when she saw Loki die. She wanted nothing more but to avenge the death of the poor children in front of her.

"These are my people," she growled under her breath. Something inside her snapped awake. A warm and cold sensation wrapped around her body. It was so much different from the sensation she felt with Loki's pendant. The cold sensation wasn't trying to tame her and her power. It was trying to lift her and free her from the sorrow and pain. Whereas the warm sensation was there to soothe her worries and fear.

"Princess!" she heard someone screamed in a muffled voice. She couldn't fathom who it was because she was seeing right now was the blood on the floor. She wept. "Princess! Get a hold of yourself!"

"Princess!" with a sudden jolt, she snapped out of her state of shock. She looked up with widened eyes and saw Farrow holding her shoulders, shaking her. "This is only but a memory! Don't let it get into your heart! You're going to corrupt your soul!"

"Farrow…" she called out in a broken tone.

"Shhh, I know. I know," he said; his tone filled with sorrow. He slowly pulled her towards him. "I'm sorry, dear one."

He let her cry for the two Xhylorians who died in vain.

The warmth of Farrow's body made Clio calm down. She wondered if this was how it would have felt she were to hug her father, Carden. The dark energy that she felt a while ago was still there but now it was calm.

"But there's no time, Princess," he continued after he pulled her away. "We need to get to your father and get him out of the planet while King Carrion is stalling Malekith and Bor. Can you stand?"

Clio glanced at Farrow and nodded. She grabbed his offered hand and pulled herself up. "I already drugged Carden to sleep," he explained as they both run towards the direction of the palace.

"What?" she asked in bewilderment. "Why would you do that?"

"Carden's too stubborn just like you."

The two reached the side of the palace. Farrow touched the bricked wall and pushed one. With that, a secret door appeared like magic. "W-Woah…"

"Come now, Princess."

The two continued in the dark hallway until they reached the end. Farrow opened a small door and beckoned her over. "You'll see Carden passed out on the floor," he warned.

When she crawled under the small door, Carden was really on the floor. Farrow was just behind her. "Where are we?" she asked as she gazed around a cold room. There were two pods at the corner and a big monitor on the other side.

"We are in the escape place made by Carrion himself," he explained as he walked over to the big monitor. "This is where he transported the other Xhylorians out of the planet without alarming the enemies."

"How can you do that?" she asked and watched him push buttons from buttons on the big monitor.

"The pods were made to be invisible until it passes through the atmosphere of the planet," he explained. "Carden should be able to sneak out."

"I think this is a coward's way out, Farrow."

"You think like your father," Farrow countered in amusement. "Just like what Carrion said, there's no way out. We need to get him out of here."

There was a loud clang from the door we came from. A shout from the outside that sounded like it came from a soldier in Asgard. "King Bor! I found a door!"

"They have found the door, Farrow!" Clio informed him in panic.

She could see the horror in his eyes. "Curses!" He left the monitor and pulled Carden towards the pod. With a loud thud, he hurled the young prince on the seat.

"Can you be careful?" Clio asked in annoyance; worry bubbled in her chest. But Farrow did not heed any attention to her.

"W-What's going on?" Carden, who must've been woken up by the sudden commotion, said groggily. "Farrow?"

"Hey, friend. I'm glad you're still alive after I hit your head," Farrow joked as he tied Carden's seat belt tightly. There was a loud bang from the outside which made the young prince flinch. His eyes widened when he realized what was going on.

"Farrow! Get me out of here!" he growled but the door of the pod started closing in. He was still visible as the door of the pod is glass. He pounded his fist on the door as Farrow continued to push buttons in the monitor.

Clio couldn't help but feel remorse at seeing her father struggle to getaway. With one last button, Farrow activated the invisibility of the pod.

"Pods launching in 15 seconds," the monitor warned.

"Farrow!" Carden's voice was muffled inside the pod. "Let me out!"

Farrow grabbed a knife from his pocket and sliced his hand. "Oh my gosh! What are you doing?!" Clio shrieked in panic.

But instead of blood that came out of his wound, a bluish-purple glob appeared from the wound. He grabbed a large vial and transferred the glob inside.

"That's what you were injected with," Farrow informed her as he throws the vial inside the other pod. "Carrion instructed me to do that knowing full well that it will lead to you."

"Farrow! Let me out!"

"10 seconds."

The door blasted open and a grunt escaped from Farrow's throat when an Asgardian shot him in the chest.

"FARROW!" cried Clio as he fell to the ground. She could hear the anguished cry of Carden as he watched his friend get tortured by the Asgardians.

"You don't need to watch this, Princess..." another voice said beside her. She turned around to see another Farrow, his arms folded across his chest as he watches how the Asgardians violated his former body.

"3… 2… 1…"

Malekith entered the scene with a smirk on his ugly face. "Such a shame. I hear he was a mighty soldier," he commented as he watched the fallen soldier on the ground.

Clio growled and felt her energy swirling from her palm. Bright yellow emitted from her skin and as she was about to blast away the smirking elf, a hand stopped her.

"There's no need, Princess," Farrow said with a smile. He glanced at her hands proudly. "How does it feel to be able to control your powers with your own?"

As if realizing it just now, Clio glanced at her glowing hands. "I-I didn't know I was doing it on my own…" she murmured.

"You already have unleashed your powers back in the alleyway. You were angry about what happened to your people. I was quite surprised when you were able to hold back your dark energy. The powers given to the royals were supposed to be for their people and not for revenge. You tried to protect them with your life," Farrow said proudly. He momentarily glared at the ravenous Elves and Asgardian before the scene shifted to the meadow he and Carden used to train with.

"You're now ready, my dear one," Farrow said again. "You don't need me anymore."

Clio glanced at him. "I still do, Farrow. You're a part of my life now. You saved him. Because of you, I am here," she countered and grabbed his hands to her. "You didn't fail to protect him. You did. And as his daughter, I am forever thankful."

Farrow was surprised by her words. "You have already pulled me out of your body, dear one. I can't go back."

Clio shook her head. "No, Farrow. You are my guardian and I know from the bottom of my heart if my father was alive, he'd want you to watch over me."

"I have nobody to go to. I'll die soon," Farrow explained and smiled fondly at her. "Thank you, child. I'll be staying with you for a little while but there's no stopping me from dying."

He offered his hand to her. "I believe that Earth needs your help, my lady," he said.

Clio glanced at his extended hand for a while before she nodded. She put hers on top of his hand and she felt a shift of gravity. A bright yellow light surrounded them just like the last time she was pulled. This time she knew where they were going. And that's back to Earth.

Author's Note: Oh my gosh! It's been a while since I uploaded the last chapter! I am so sorry for the delay! I've been mending my writer's block and the pandemic is not helping at all :(( I hope you're still waiting for the next chapter. I promise to upload them as soon as I finished them. I was also in the middle of sketching and drawing the faces of my OCs for you to have an image on your mind. I will be uploading them soon on my tumblr and on my Instagram account.

Stay tuned for the next chapter! Thank you!

-Leviidopa