No Matter What It Takes Part Two

by KidHeart4

The Mighty Ducks continue their adventures in their new home on Earth. Along with familiar foes, a few new ones begin to rear their heads. Some new allies will be met along the way as well. In this part 2, Heart's locked away past will be unveiled, bringing on more adventures for them to tackle as a team.

8. 33 Missing the Real You

Duke:

"Gremana?" Heart read with a stirring intrigue in her voice.

"It's worth a try to at least get some rest an' food," I nodded along.

"Not to mention supplies to get us to Anaheim," she added.

With that Heart and I headed to the gate we found locked tight. Iron rods kept us from being able to slip by. However, we did see a guard inside a post just outside, looking rather shaky as he looked about. Heart tilted her head as she walked over with following close behind her.

"Sir, is everything okay?" she asked politely.

His armor clanged as he jumped in his boots and turned to face her. He was a young soldier with curled blond hair and frightened green eyes, far too young for a position such as the one given to him.

"W-What are you doing outside the gates miss, and so close to nightfall?!" he questioned while trying to control his chattering teeth and wobbly knees.

"We're actually seeking shelter and rest for the night," Heart mentioned calmly.

The guard looked to me briefly. He clearly had other concerns as he waved us forward.

"W-We can provide shelter of course, as for rest I am not so certain...not in Gremana," he offered apologetically.

"Why do you say that officer?" I asked with my own curiosity peeked now.

"Gremana has been under siege for weeks now by a strange curse that occurs at nightfall," he spilled, "If there were time I would strongly advise you seek shelter elsewhere...but I can't in good conscience turn you away now..."

He pulled a lever inside the post, allowing the gates to unlatch and open. Rather than being able to question further, he urged us through. Heart and I shared a bewildered shrug and walked through to hear the gates slam in place behind us.

"I guess I won't complain too much," I said, "Let's find the inn then?"

"I wonder if Borg knows about this?" Heart pondered aloud while taking in the warning of the guard, "I doubt he would just let a town of people go un-helped if he did."

"He may very well not know then, there must be other kingdoms outside of his own," I realized, "Jus' like our Earth an' it's many countries."

"I guess that does make sense," Heart replied, "I wonder what other kingdoms neighbor his?"

"This town doesn't seem to be a part of any though, or is at least on the outskirts of one. Though it doesn't really match the style of Anaheim, does it?" I pointed out.

The town itself had traces of activity in their winding roads. Footprints made by playing children, wagon tracks of merchants, and other such traces of busy life were scattered throughout Gremana. Yet now all those signs were all that remained of this. Windows were now boarded up, doors bolted shut, and only a few mandatory guards patrolled the streets. They too paid little mind to us being there, only pausing to give us directions to the inn. The iron clad soldiers were as insistent as the one at the post that we get inside.

Those at the inn were just as jumpy, closing the door as soon as they'd let us in. The homely woman and her husband then began shoving a cabinet against the door to keep us in or something else out.

"I'm not sure what we can trade ya for a room an' some food, but maybe we can work somethin' out? We're not from around here," I offered after helping them with their movement of the furniture.

"Oh, yes, yes, we'll take care of payment later, dearie. I'm afraid dinner will have to be warmed leftovers from the day's special, we don't have time to cook anything fresher," the gray bun topped woman dusted her hands off before hurrying to the kitchen, "Here, follow me!"

We did as we were told and followed her through the dismantled inn that we quickly realized was otherwise empty. Admits her cooking, she offered her name, "You may call me Mrs. Timbers, this is my homely inn. I'd love to give you a better welcome than that, but there simply isn't time. We were expecting to lock in for the night as it is."

"Most folks leave the area well before nightfall around here," the husband mused while securing some of the closed off windows.

As he did this, I went over to help him secure some of the boards. He seemed to appreciate the aid of a stronger, able body as he hammered in the pieces.

"Let me help with the rest," I offered while taking most of them and putting them in place with Heart's aid.

"We just wandered into town," Heart mentioned as she held up the next piece for me.

"Well, I suggest you eat quick and then get to your room," she answered sharply, "I'm sorry dears, it'll be better in the morning, I'm sure of it."

Heart looked to me with growing concern clearly showing in her eyes. All we could do was follow the advise and eat our warmed soup and bread, that was still pleasantly soft with a nice crunch to the crust. After not eating since we'd been at the fair about a day or so ago by now, it was quite uplifting to get a hot, home cooked meal in our stomachs. Heart was even given a cold glass of milk to enjoy with it while I sipped clean, cool water.

"Now up to your room, hurry now and keep the light off!" the wife ordered sternly, drudging up the sense of unease washing further over Heart and I.

"What's going on? Is there a curfew or something?" I asked, "A very strict one?"

"Surely the soldier at the gate mentioned the town curse?" Mr. Timbers inquired.

"Briefly," I replied.

"Well, you'll see soon enough then!" Mrs. Timbers sighed while handing us the key to the room, "Now go lock up and sit tight dearies!"

The woman looked to Heart, before turning to me, "Keep low, and maybe they won't see you."

"They-?!" Heart had exclaimed before we were pushed up to our room to find and then lock ourselves in as told.

Following the trend, I pushed the dresser up against the door and found an upturned table against the window facing the street below. Besides a bed, the room was otherwise empty of any source of light, or anything else for that matter. I looked to Heart, who was double checking the window before turning back to me.

Even in the dark, I could see her nerves jumping from the thickening tension of the town. I walked over to her and took her by the hand, "It'll be okay, Heart. We'll sit tight for now, an' get some needed rest in the meantime. Then maybe there's somethin' we can do to help them?"

"We won't know until we see what they're dealing with Duke," she replied.

"Jus' try to relax while ya can for now, okay?" I pushed gently while sitting her on the bed beside me.

"It's cozy at least, an' it's nice to have a bed to share again," I tried to tease her a bit to get her to blush, but it was clear she wasn't paying attention to this.

She was focused on that window.

"Ya can't do anythin' exhausted, Heart," I mentioned softly, "An' you used quite a bit of magic yesterday that ya haven't recharged yet."

"We should take turns keeping watch," she said.

I sighed, knowing she wouldn't give in otherwise, "Alright. I'll take the first watch. You get some sleep, sweetheart."

"Duke..."

"I'll be alright, Heart," I assured her before she tried to ease herself under the blankets.

While she lay there I sat up on my side of the bed, listening to the silence. I didn't dare let myself drift off, but I did allow my head to lean back against the headboard of the bed. A tired sigh escaped through my teeth as I glanced at Heart through the dark to find her still awake. Giving a slight smile, I rested a hand over her hair and wove my fingers through the burgundy strands as gently as possible.

For a brief moment, I found myself fighting the urge to lie there beside her. We'd been on the road, and away from home for a while now. We couldn't even get a message to the others of where we were, which I knew was worrying Heart, not to mention her eldest brother.

The bed itself was taunting me, as was the chance to have Heart so close after the day we'd had before.

However, I settled for stroking her hair when I saw again how tired she was, and how nervous. These weaving motions seemed to help as she gradually closed her eyes while whispering into the air, "Thank you..."

When she was sound asleep I smiled, "No problem, darlin'."

Then I sat and watched the dark for a good long while. Silence was my conversation with the night for a good hour or so to start. I began to wonder what all the rush had been for.

That is until, while listening on, the shambling and shifting of some unearthly movement caught my ear. At first it was so brief that I thought my mind was playing a trick on me to keep me from drifting off to sleep. Then I heard it again; and from then on, it grew louder and multiplied. Easing myself off the bed without a sound, I crept over to the window. Through the sliver of a crack in the boarding I peered out at the street below our room.

My eye widened as I bit my tongue to keep from exclaiming even a breath too loud.

In a growing march, in a shambling parade, was the procession of the skeletal undead, continuing on in nearly countless rows as though being commanded into battle. Clad in Gothic armor from several years ago, and wielding all manners of weaponry, they soldiered on in search of a bewildering goal. Almost all were on foot; however, one armored figure road upon the mount of a flesh-less horse, whinnying sharply to declare their arrival. This is what awoke Heart as she looked immediately to see I wasn't beside her. Her eyes scanned through the dark to meet my one as I motioned for her to stay quiet and move towards me carefully. Her being used to sneaking along with me through our missions made this easy as she slipped beside me to find what I already had, stifling a gasp of her own as she did.

When one of the soldiers looked up without eyes to see, I had already pulled her from that crack in the boarding and held her against the wall with me. Neither of us dared to breath.

At first, despite their horrifying existence in it of itself, they moved peacefully along the streets we realized. They seemed almost like phantoms, not even bothering to interact with the world around them. That is until they caught sight of a guard forced to patrol through the haunted road. With a horrid cry from the knightly armored warrior upon his loyal steed, they charged forth, quickly outnumbering the elderly soldier, clearly forced out of retirement from his shaky stance trying to defend himself.

"We have to do something!" Heart said while I was already breaking down the door.

Hitting our comms, we were relieved to see that they worked at last in this realm. This gave me my saber, and her the glaive she wielded. With our gear returned to us, we made short work of the barricade, and leapt out onto the roof. Hurrying down to the soldier, we jumped with blades swinging to defend him.

"Go take cover somewhere! We can handle this!" I ordered the elderly soldier, whose knees were hitting against each other. It was now that I realized, that among these skeletons were a few fresher bodies that had recently been forced to join the ranks.

Heart had noticed this too, and stepped back in horror when she did.

"We have to protect these people, Heart," I encouraged her, "There's no one else that can!"

"You're right," she said while energy began to spark around her in a defensive warning.

As the older soldier tried to stand his ground at first, I realized we were standing in front of the nicest house of the town by far. Despite being boarded up like the others, it certainly stood with some pride.

"I must protect the mayor's dwelling! He's researching a way to end this curse, and I can't let him down!" the elder insisted shakily.

Just then a skeletal soldier came lunging at him. The older gentleman quickly raised his sword in an attempt to defend himself, and the building behind him. Seeing how his defense would have quickly crumbled, I managed to slip between them with my saber blocking the onslaught. Easily overpowering the bony warrior, I gave a laugh, "Ya didn't put your back bone into it!"

With that, I easily shoved the soldier back into the crowd of his fellow warriors. Running from beside me, Heart blocked another attack headed for me with her glaive, "Get it through your thick skulls, we're not going to let you take anyone else!"

In this declaration, Heart's energy burst from her small frame as though she were simply shaking off a reflex. This forced them back a quite a bit as the bolts of electricity threatened to strike their metallic armor.

Though as we continued to fight, we would find the crumbling piles of bones reanimating however they could. Some of them merging together if they had to, they went on trying to attack, or as we came to realize, walk around us to search on for something. In fact, as an hour of battle passed by, so did they. It were as though something were pulling them along, as much as it was forcing them to march in the first place. They only had a short time before they're shambling was pushed to continue past us.

After blocking a shield from charging into Heart, I pushed the soldier back with a warning, "I'd back off if I were you, bone head!"

With another slash, he stumbled back into his comrades, before being pulled along with growing disinterest.

Then the last of them wandered after the bulk of the army, their marching grew distant, until it was finally silenced altogether. We could feel the panic and dread subsiding for the night through the town, despite the horrors just witnessed.

I could see it in her eyes before I asked, "What do ya want to do Heart? Do we stay an' help, or move on to Anaheim?"

"We have to try," she said as I smiled.

"Alright, but first let's rest up," I advised when I saw the fatigue from our travels finding her with the adrenaline washing away.

"You two were amazing! Thank you!" the elderly soldier then exclaimed, reminding us that he was still there.

"Oh, it was nothin', friend. We were glad to help," I assured while sheathing my saber.

"That wasn't nothing!" he pushed, "This is the first night we haven't lost a soul in almost two months! If it hadn't been for the both of you, I would have been marching on with those soldiers!"

"This has been going on that long?" Heart inquired in bewilderment.

"Does the prince know?" I asked.

"You mean the prince of Anaheim?" he asked, "We live far from his kingdom, and I doubt word has gotten to him of this. Our town lies between it's two neighboring kingdoms, in fact. Neither of which have been effected it seems."

"Do you fall under either one?" I questioned.

"The closest of the two is the kingdom of Elcipshade, but it's still pretty far from us."

"And the other?" Heart asked.

"The other is a fallen kingdom, really only referred to as a kingdom at all from old habit," he mentioned, "It was once called Dremare, when it thrived long ago."

"So it really is up to us," I said to Heart, "After we help the town, we'll continue our trek to Anaheim, I guess."

"You're certain of this?" the elder questioned, "What can you do to stop a curse?"

I gave a bit of a chuckle while glancing at Heart, "You'd be surprised, my friend."

"For now, let's get some rest," I suggested before bidding the soldier a good night.

With that, Heart and I climbed back up to the window we'd broken through, and found the bed waiting for us.

"I can take the first watch," she attempted as I shook my head.

"I get the feelin' the worst of it is over for the night," I assured her.

When she gave in and rested her body beside mine, I carefully rested a protective arm over her. She looked to me as I insisted, "This way we'll feel the other move if there's trouble."

"I wish the others were here to help figure this out," she mentioned tiredly.

"Aw, this isn't anythin' we can't handle," I chuckled.

She gave a slight smile as I insisted, "Honestly, it's kinda nice travelin' here jus' you an' I for once. It gives me a chance to see some of where your roots were once planted."

"You just like being here," she teased.

"Can't it be a bit of both?" I asked in a fake wounded tone.

"I love you," she couldn't help but give in and laugh a bit, as I'd been trying to get her to.

"I love ya too, sweetheart," I promised before kissing her.

"I wonder when you'll change back though?" she then pondered while looking over my still human frame.

With a shrug, I said, "I'm not worried about it at the moment. I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later..." I paused with a smirk curving my lips, "For now, I get to do this."

I kissed her once more before nuzzling my forehead against hers, which was something harder to do with a beak. Though we always found a way, it was a little fun getting to do this now. Especially when knowing she needed that extra bit of affection to ease her worries for the time being.

However, I refused to say that I simply wanted to keep her close to me; so I could rest easy after what we'd both witnessed, assuring me we were both safe and together still. Instead, I settled for her head resting against my arm as I lay on my side. My other arm remained over her as a shield of sorts, while that hand brushed against her cheek to get the hair out of her tired eyes. Instead, I said to her as she drifted back to sleep at last, "I won't let anythin' hurt ya as long as I'm able to protect ya, sweetheart. No matter what realm we're in together."

I lost against the urge to kiss her forehead just as we were both drifting off to sleep, while she in turn clung to me.

When morning found us we got to right to work, even through breakfast provided by the Timbers couple.

"This is on the house," Mrs. Timbers declared as she set our plates down, "Along with your room for last night."

"Wait, are you sure?" Heart asked in surprise.

"After what you did last night, of course I'm sure!" she exclaimed.

"Last night's guard told everyone of how you both jumped in and fended off that undead army! We'd never thought we'd see the day!" the husband informed us.

"I take it you got the answers to your questions last night?" he then sighed tiredly while rubbing the back of his neck.

"It only gave us more, actually," I replied, "For instance why does that happen? What are they tryin' to do? They seem to be lookin' for somethin'?"

"We're not really sure. Their march through the town started about two months ago. At first it was only a few stragglers, but their numbers grew each night. We can only guess they're looking to expand their army. Every night a life is taken and then they march along with them as though instantly commanded," Mrs. Timbers explained while bringing us a glass of milk and a cup of water, "Except for last night, of course."

"What about the guards; you're tellin' me you rely on a handful to try and stop them?" I questioned.

"They did at first, the skeletal soldiers would fall back at first...until they dug up more to help. They quickly grew to outnumber our forces. Now its down to those like our son guarding the gates, and the few volunteers who try and fight back," Mr. Timbers said gravely.

"They're being sent out to be slaughtered that way," Heart said, "From what we saw they'd be better barricaded inside with the rest of the town. They lose interest in conflict easily," Heart recalled.

"Mayor Graives insists on at least a guard or two patrolling just in case," the fatigued father mentioned.

"Wait, the mayor? What else has he said in all of this?" Heart asked.

"A lot actually," Mrs. Timbers grumbled, "That we need to be brave and patient until a solution can be found. That's why there's a strict curfew at sundown. All trade starts early so we can still make a living. However, those who have stayed to see our town's infliction have sense fled and no doubt spread word of warning to others to stay away. Our resources are starting to dwindle."

"Are ya sure there's nothin' we can give ya for our stay then?" I asked them.

"You've already given enough," the older woman insisted with a firm hand on her hip, "Now eat, and regain your strength."

"We'll need it if we're going to find out how to stop this," Heart encouraged me.

They both looked to us with eyes as wide as tea saucers. The mother stammered, "Y-You're staying here?!"

"How else can we help solve this problem?" Heart asked.

"We know you're brave, but you saw how dangerous it is out there at night! If you fall in battle, you'll end up joining them!" Mrs. Timbers protested.

"This is what we do," Heart pointed out, "Maybe we can find a way to put this curse to rest."

"Oh dearies, that's awful brave of you; but we can't ask you to do this," she insisted.

"Ya don't have to ask," I pushed back pleasantly.

"Well then..." Mrs. Timbers pondered, "If you really intend on this, we'll give you a bit of a deal."

"That's kind of you," I replied.

I then looked to Heart as she finished her milk and suggested, "So the mayor then?"

"You can try and speak with him, but I don't think you'll get much more out of him," Mr. Timbers shrugged, "he's been doing the same as everyone else."

"Other then sendin' young men an' women to their death on this patrol?" I mentioned while getting up, having finished my meal just as Heart had.

With that, we headed out, and I quickly took note of the footprints from the elderly soldier we'd saved. More so, where they'd been stationed, around the mayor's home. Giving a bit of a smirk, I said to Heart, "Where there's a guard, there is loot."

"You think he's hiding something, besides himself?" Heart inquired.

From inside we could hear someone walking up to the door before it opened.

Standing at the door with a rather assuming expression on his face, his brow raised in surprise before hand. He was dressed in rather fine clothes, making his station apparent to us and anyone else who saw him. His long grayed hair was combed back and oiled to stay in place as it hung just over his shoulders. Despite his older frame, he carried himself like an aged, but still able general who had seen a number of battles. He was dressed as such as well, wearing a clean and well kept tunic with leather armor underneath. Those old boots of his clacked against the polished wood of the floor. His grayed eyes looked down at us from his narrow, pointed nose, despite being just about as tall as me. When he clearly noticed Heart, he raised a gray, rigid brow again, "A spell-caster? Here, of all places?"

Heart didn't shy away from this remark, nor the presuming look in his eyes, "We're trying to get some answers about the skeleton army that marches through the town at night."

"We were hopin' you could answer some questions, clearly you've been dealin' with it more directly than your people have," I masked my contempt to try and give him the benefit of a doubt.

"I have," he retorted dryly, "And due to that, I don't really have time for this."

"Look, we just want to help. Perhaps there's something we can help find to calm their curse? From what we saw they don't seem to be on the warpath so to speak," Heart attempted.

The mayor looked to Heart as though she'd sprouted an extra head on her shoulders,
"Not on the warpath?! They take at least one soldier every night?! They destroy property on some insane hunt?!"

"Maybe they're looking for somethin'?" I suggested.

"Look could we just talk, maybe you could tell us what you've observed from them?" Heart tried again.

With a disgruntled sigh, he waved us in and closed the door behind us. He then lead us to his study, it's walls lined with several books, and a number maps upon the shelves. It was a smaller display than the baron from our Anaheim, or even our own fortune we had at the pond, but was still rather impressive. His desk was covered in forms to look over and sign, a few in regards on how to deal with the crisis at hand. Others were pulled files of retired soldiers and other more able possible fighters to be brought in to carry on the task. I couldn't help but notice the agreement to pay handsomely to the next of kin should they fall due to the circumstances.

"This can't go on forever, Mayor Graives," Heart said, "Sooner or later, you'll run out of soldiers, willing or not."

"You don't think I know that?" he bit back.

"Have you noticed anythin' about the army, anythin' that could help us search for an answer to their call?"

With a sigh, and a roll of his eyes, out of simply being too busy and stressed, he finally gave a reply, "The army began their march two months ago, growing in numbers ever since. They seem to be coming from the nearby burriel grounds based on their armor. Any I have sent to investigate have vanished, dragged into their ranks for not making it back in time. Those at their posts have recorded their march starting at sundown, though it is slow, and reaches here by 10, lasting until about midnight. Then they return to their graves to rest and start all over again the next nightfall. Anyone who has tried to fend them off have perished only to join them. Until last night as I've heard?"

A chill ran up my spine as I looked to Heart. Then the mayor added, "The only bit of comfort I have seen in all this is that these soldiers seem to respect their new recruits enough to dig up graves for their beds, pushing the boundaries of the cemetery grounds."

"None of them are left behind, they all end up there?" Heart asked.

"From what little reports have been sent back and found, yes," the mayor stated grimly.

"So others have escaped the grounds, but were attacked along the way?" I asked.

The mayor nodded.

While he'd been explaining, I'd spent my time looking around the room rather quietly. When he had turned to Heart, I slipped close to the desk to shift some papers back and forth soundlessly. I raised a brow at my findings, something about how to deal with the undead with charms and such. I made note of the talismans posted on the inside of his windows and over doors. Yet there were no notes on why he would need such measures. Though looking around I could see a few treasures from his days in battle placed and cared for with the utmost respect. Medallions from over the centuries, a few rings from fallen warriors, weaponry hung on the walls that were dulled but still sang of battles won and lost, a few treasures even worn by the mayor himself; such as rings to protect him and keep him at fair health, and a silver spiraling charm with rings guarding it's shape that hung carefully around his neck looking quite favored and worn, as though lovingly caressed often.

"Do you think they're looking for something?" Heart asked.

"That I could not tell you," he replied, "All I know is that they attack each night, taking lives and trying to break into the homes of the people here."

"Yet your home is the only one guarded?" I slipped to receive a hardening glare from the public official.

"If I fall, then so does the town. I have to manage this the best that I can, but in order to do that I have to rely on my guards to protect-"

"Protect you while they die at your doorstep?" I pushed a little.

"They protect this town so we can survive and then build into something far grander when this plague is over!"

"If it even ends! The way things are goin' ya won't have much of a town to build on if they continue to destroy it!" I snapped, "Ya need to find out what they're after!"

"You are speaking rather boldly for someone who's only had to deal with this a single night! Who gave you the authority to take this on in the first place?!" the mayor spat as he stood up from the arm chair he'd been sitting in.

"No one, but in my one night here I saw some poor old soldier nearly get dragged away into an undead servitude while you hid away in here! All this weaponry an' ya did nothin'!" I didn't back down.

"What exactly did you do then?!" he demanded.

Without a second thought I shouted while balling my hands into fists, "We fought back!"

"I would watch your tongue, before I remove it!" the mayor snarled while slamming his own fist down on the desk, causing some of the papers to scatter.

Heart leapt to her feet and grasped for my arm to pull me back as I said, "You're lettin' innocent people get killed! Your town is goin' to fall into ruin if somethin' isn't done!"

The mayor then took a step back and let out a scoff as he somewhat realized, or assumed anyway, "That isn't your concern though is it...thief?"

I paused where I stood, trying to calm myself down as he walked around me like a predator toying with a bit of prey, "You didn't think I'd notice your attire, or tools? I'm willing to wager that's how you lost your eye, isn't it? I've dealt with a number of rogues in my day to know how to spot one."

"Duke doesn't need to prove anything to you!" Heart snapped, "Concern of ours or not we're trying to help you!"

"How is a vagabond pickpocket and some wanna be magician going to help us? Can either of you turn the undead, cleanse them, or even fight them off for more than a night?" he asked, making my blood boil with every word.

"My suggestion for the two of you is that you both leave before I have him arrested, or the army of the undead claims you both in this reckless pursuit!"

"Lucky for me I gave that sort of life up a while ago, so ya have nothin' to arrest me for!" I assured in simmering tone.

"Do you think that would save you here in my domain? Who would believe a rogue like you over me?" he taunted.

With that we were shown out. When he reached for my shoulder to shove me along I assured him I could leave on my own, and did so with Heart's hand in mine. The door slammed shut behind us with a heavy bolt keeping him inside.

"Coward!" I hissed under my breath before I felt Heart gently tug on my hand.

"Are you alright?" I heard her ask.

Looking to her, I found those sapphires offering understanding, and compassion. As I always did in their deep blue depths. Though I almost pulled away from her with a rush of anger and shame trying to cloud my usual confidence and pride. Taking a deep breath and letting it go helped a little as I cleared my head a moment.

"Let him hide away in there. We don't need his help," she advised in a very quiet tone while meeting my remaining eye with hers, adding just as softly, "I'd rather adventure with a brave an' compassionate rogue than a cold spineless so called hero like him."

Again I looked to her and found I wanted to kiss her to breathe in those sweet words, but knew this wasn't the time or place. Though I did give in a little and brushed my lips over her hand, whispering, "Thank you, sweetheart."

"It seems we're headin' to the burriel grounds for answers," I suggested, "We won't find anymore here."

"We'll go together," she assured; and I found there was no arguing with her on this.

As we'd been warned, the road to the burial grounds was a bit of a trek. It was mid day by the time we reached the creaking gates that we were pushing open.

"We'll have to keep an eye on the time somehow," Heart mentioned.

To this I produced a polished silver pocket watch, and a playful grin to go with it, "Got that covered, darlin'."

"Where did you get that?"

I shrugged, "The mayor decided he wanted to help out in some way after all."

She bit her lip in an attempt not to smile, "Duke, you shouldn't bait him."

"Considerin' Borg would probably listen to us over him, I doubt I have much to worry about. Though even without our friend's help, I wouldn't be too concerned," I assured her.

"I think he has bigger things to worry about than a missin' pocket watch," I retorted while slipping the heirloom into my inner lined tunic pocket.

We then began looking over the graves and finding they were indeed turned up from various means. Some were dug out with aid, others had clawed their way up or used weapons to pierce an opening through. Then they were filled in once again like loose blankets of soil, dried grass, and dust. Several names were engraved in the headstones, while fresher graves we noticed had piled stones to mark them.

"There seems to be a sort of respect to all of this," Heart mentioned in a quiet tone.

Heart:

While we walked along the quiet grounds I noticed how unusually solemn Duke was now. Then again, seeing how many makeshift graves there were, I soon realized it was a quiet anger that ran through him.

"This isn't how ya look out for those that count on ya, if ya can't do the job then don't ask for it!" Duke growled barely under his breath.

We had come to the most recently made graves, Duke had examined them closely, and then lowered his head in a moment of silence.

"I know I left them, but I still..." Duke then started before trying to withdraw.

"Duke?"

"It's not important right now, we have precious time as it is," he then said instead.

Our search continued on towards the back of the grounds where a mausoleum stood. Upon examining the chains that attempted to keep others out...or in, Duke said, "They were unlocked not long ago. If they were broken out from the inside they would have just pulled apart from the strain. Someone was here; and was in such a hurry to get away, that they didn't lock it back up."

Duke then reached for the stone door's silver handle, and gave a steady pull to open it enough for us to slip inside. Once inside, I switched on the built in flashlight of my comm to grant us some light as we headed down the narrow steps that we soon realized had been well traveled recently. They lacked the caked on dust one would expect from such a place.

"They've been comin' up from here too," Duke observed as we reached the bottom and looked about the coffins, finding two side by side in the back center of the room.

"I think I found the commander?" I mentioned as I approached a recently opened coffin with the remains of a horse resting obediently at it's side in a sleep of it's own.

"Zarock," Duke read with the aid of the light, "This warrior fell in battle to defend his home and his love. May his sword and his soul be at rest and at peace knowing he was able to protect them."

"Something must have disturbed his rest then," I said while looking over the closed coffin.

"Do you think he's looking for his beloved?" I then asked Duke.

"Ya think she wasn't buried here with him?"

"I don't know...I'm just guessing at this point," I admitted.

"It's not a bad one," he pondered while looking around the darkly lit chamber.

He walked over to the neighboring casket, this one made of satin and glass, lined with silver. Without even opening it we could see the long since fallen loose strands of fair blond hair, rather than a sheer white with age. Their hand was nearly grasping at the rib cage that was their chest.

"Faith?" I read as softly as Duke had.

"Could this be them?"

"If so, then that's not what they're lookin' for," he mentioned.

Leaning forward to examine the long dead figure, Duke handled the casket with the utmost care. It was then that he realized, "This one wasn't a part of the march last night, but the casket has opened recently."

Both of us then noticed the slight indent left at where their hand rested beside upon their bony chest, the matching shape of the pendant we'd seen before that very morning.

"He took it," Duke breathed with a quiet fury.

"You think that's what they're after?" I asked.

He nodded, "I'm certain of it. We need to get it back an' return it somehow."

"We won't have time to get to town and back before they wake up," I mentioned.

"Maybe we can get it after their march an' return it in the mornin'," Duke pondered quickly, "We can help defend the town for one more night; but we have to get movin' then!"

"What time is it by the way?" I asked as we started to head back up.

Duke slipped the pocket watch and grew rather still with sudden dread, "It's nearly sunset?!"

Neither of us had realized how long our venture through the crypt had been, heading back up took just a good while too. Taking a breath, Duke then said, "Alright, if we get up there we can hide away from their path an' head back after them."

Then both our stomachs dropped when we heard the slamming of the stone door just above, the chains pulled into place, and the mechanism locked tight. Running up, we began trying to get the stone slab back open to no avail. We both pounded our fists against it, crying out that we were still inside to whoever it was we heard walking away.

Duke looked to me, catching my hand before I hit the stone again when he noticed the scrapes appearing on my knuckles.

"What about our blades?" I asked as we drew them, but found the stone doors unwilling to budge.

"We didn't bring any explosive pucks with us either," he growled in frustration.

Pulling me back from the door before I could try again, he said, "Maybe there's somethin' down there we can use to pry it open?"

I nodded and followed along back down to the crypt below. Yet as we met that final step we both froze, side by side, at what played out before us.

Duke:

From within the silver and glass casket we could both see the shifting of the satin. We could hear the bones cracking and shambling to life before pushing open the lid, the lock sliding off as though it were never there. Then the fair haired skeleton in soft blue robes and gowns now pulled themselves up and turned their head to face us directly, all the while giving off an otherworldly glow that was the shade of the sky's usual azule. They raised their hand, pointing at us as a voice emerged from within our heads, I knew as Heart's hand grasped mine tightly in that instant...the moment we both heard...

"Are you a thief...?"

That word stretched out as though searching our very minds for the answer. I was helpless to resist as I thought of the countless treasures I'd taken since I was barely 13 years old. Every run from an officer, every gem I'd ever swiped from a museum or jewelry store, every job done while leading my gang, or even every mission completed with my odd skill set, everything rushed through my head all at once for them to look over. Guilt racked my whole frame as I stood before this being that was seeing straight into my very soul I felt.

Before I could attempt even a word, an unearthly cry emerged from their barely hinged jaw for both of us to hear,

"The girl is innocent...however...you thief...you will not take anything else from here again!"

"I wasn't-"

I attempted before a sharp pain dragged my voice into a groan as I gripped my sides a moment. I vaguely heard Heart gasp my name as my whole body ignited with a rising heat from within and then stopped abruptly. Standing upright, managing the lingering pain through short breaths, I attempted to try and say something, only for it to speak instead.

"For your crimes, your fate will be swift and just..."

Before Heart could reach out to me, as I saw her starting to, I felt an odd pain in my hands, drawing my attention, and sudden panic, to them. What we saw made both our eyes widen, what we heard made my core begin to twist. Their voice grew more clear, calculating, and feminine as they must have had in their lifetime.

"As is custom for thieves, I will remove your hands, but replace them with the talons you will need from this day forward..."

At this, my fingers began to stretch, the skin hardening to the talons of a bird of prey as they were commanded to be. My remaining eye widened in horror as I watched them shift and change, from my forearms down to the claws that grew out from what were my fingers. Then the heat I'd felt a moment ago began to simmer within me as she cruelly continued.

"Your fate, thief, will be to protect this tomb from your own brethren! Use those claws, teeth, and horns to rend them apart when they trespass!"

Looking to Heart with a horror stricken eye, I could feel panic and horror gripping the heart in my chest. I attempted to speak again, feeling my canine teeth growing and sharpening in my jaw, "Heart! Please!"

I didn't know what I was begging her for. For help? For her to make it stop somehow? For her to stay beside me? What?! Before I could try to figure out my own answer, I would find myself collapsing to my hands and knees, hearing Heart scream my name, as my body obeyed the words given to me.

"For you, the frame of a wolf would be better than that of a bear that a guardian normally would take, as you are used to slinking through the dark."

Groans of desperation and agony mingled with my begging to Heart as I looked to her, "H-Heart...please..." what was I trying to tell her? "Heart...I...-!" Cries of pain drowned out the rest as my frame began to bulk up as directed.

"Duke!" I heard her cry, dropping to her knees before me now, as her hands tried to provide some sort of comfort to my shifting shoulders, "Duke, I'm right here!"

As I tried to grasp for her shoulders I found myself instead curling up, hunched over and trapped in that convulsing agony, my head in my talons as I begged for it to stop. Every memory of my life of crime back on Puck World was forced to the foreground in my head as I took on the form that was now the price I would pay for it all.

"Your tail will help you to balance your new frame, and an ebony coat will help you slip through the darkness that will aid you."

None of these words were a suggestion, I knew this, as my spine stretched out.

My whole body trembled as muscle and shifting bones tore at my suit, leaving me in scraps of cloth as I shivered and convulsed before Heart like this. Despite all this, I would become very aware that she could now see every hidden scar my feathers normally covered, every mark that I bore from over the years. Every slash from a blade, every shot from a blaster, every burn that marred parts of my flesh were there for her to see. I didn't even have a chance to speak to her in some strange attempt to console her before I felt a thick ebony fur beginning to cover them. My talons clawed at the ground to try and grip anything in my panic, fear, and rising fury. Still Heart's hands remained steady trying to reach out to me as I looked up at her with a blurred vision from the tears welling in my eye, "Heart?"

Only now did I realize that she had been yelling in my defense as this was occurring, "Stop this! Please let him go! He was trying to help!"

Yet she ignored Heart's cries.

"Worry not thief, for your form will remain swift and strong, ready to pounce on those you will hunt!"

Another groan seethed through my sharpening teeth as the bones of my feet shifted into a blend of lupine and human feet.

"Please stop!" Heart begged in my place as I grasped her hands still placed on my shoulders, trying to hold onto anything I could to stay as myself in some way.

"Wings will help you in your task, if you should need to guard the outside of our tome from above."

"No! No please!" I begged as my shoulder blades shifted beneath my flesh and growing fur I realized, the skin starting to rip and tear as I clung to Heart, "Don't do this!"

She wasn't listening...only Heart heard my cries, but was just as powerless as I was to make it cease. The very air around the mage warned Heart of a similar outcome should she cast her own magic to attack. Was I holding onto her to protect her from that possibility? I scrambled to try and get up, to fight it somehow, but only ended up collapsing into Heart's arms as I held her tight in what was left of my arms, those talons digging into her shoulders out of desperation, "Heart!"

An unwillingly scream of pain tore from my chest and throat as the wings I was commanded to have, ripped through my back in one swift, unforgiving motion. As they unfolded I gasped in ragged breaths, pleading to Heart without words as tears stained my face and her vest.

"Now the rest..."

"Please...stop..." I begged with barely a voice at this point as I clung to the woman I loved, feeling her tremble as she held me in return.

Again the heat rose in me; and all I knew was fear, panic, and that I was holding onto Heart for some shred of a chance that she could do whatever it was I trying to tell her, "H-Heart..please..!"

"Duke..." I heard her voice shake as she held onto me, withstanding my claws digging into her as I trembled.

As I writhed in her arms, I could feel the thick fur growing over most of my form, leaving my talon-like arms and wings bare, however. My ears began to grow and pull into a point, shifting to be more wolf like in shape and nature.

Then that fury I'd been fighting back with every shred of willpower I had, began to rise. In this rush of heat, I released Heart and tried to stand again, only to stumble onto my paws and talons in place of feet and hands, partially crouched and curled.

"Those who wish to claim what isn't theirs within this tomb will know the fury in your eyes."

"Duke?" Heart attempted as I began grasping at my own hair, trying to shake away this growing anger as I looked to her.

In this motion and fear, I vaguely felt myself pulling at the strap that secured my eye-patch. I would then hear a sudden snap and inhaled sharply to see the cloth fall to the ground at my knees. I then tried to cover my face, refusing to let her see, refusing to look at her. Only through those talons did I manage to see her gently pick up the covering for my deepest scar and tuck it away into the pocket lining the inner side of her vest. Then she went to reach for me once more, her voice trembling, "Duke...please let him go...!"

"He must pay for his crimes...and he will do so by protecting this tomb...lingering on to hunt all that would seek to disturb us, and take what isn't theirs!"

It was now that I felt a piercing pain at my temples and in my teeth as the canines lengthened into dagger long razor fangs emerging from the upper and lower lips of my screaming mouth. My talons were gently pulled from my face by careful hands, and I looked to Heart desperately, knowing that horns I was forced to have now began to spiral out like those of a ram from the sides of my forehead. Still I watched Heart, realizing I could see her with both eyes...or whatever crimson rage that was my sight now.

"Heart..." I started to growl rather than speak as I saw those wide open sapphires remain focused on me in her sheer horror.

"...Duke..." she started to reach for my shoulders to try and pull me back somehow, but I knew I was fading from the thief she knew so well...I knew it was only a matter of moments before I no longer recognized her as someone I held so dear to me.

Before I heard the mage's next command, I summoned up whatever was left in my core to cry out to my trembling beloved, realizing now what I'd been trying to beg her, "HEART, RUN!"

"Now my guardian, let out a roar through those jaws, warning all that come here what fate will have in store for them!"

"DUKE!" Heart screamed, too stunned to move as my cries grew further into growls.

I wanted to hold it in, I didn't want to frighten her any further. I didn't want this. I just wanted to return home to our teammates, to continue our missions with them, to help keep the world safe, to adventure alongside the woman that remained by me, to protect and help her, to see her grow into the magic she'd discovered, and help her to understand it anyway that I could. I wanted her...but now that was rapidly stripped away, along with what freedom I had.

Unable to fight it any further, I felt the structure of my own face shifting, my mouth snarling as it formed into fierce jaws.

I would stop anyone from taking anything else! I would hunt down anyone trying to disturb my domain! With my jaw setting into place, I could no longer hold back as I let out the only warning I could. as it merged with the roar I let out, "RRRRUUUNNNNNNNNAAARRRRRR!"

Then the heat began to subside, but certainly didn't die as I looked to the girl trembling before me, refusing to do as I'd begged her. Her hands were covering her mouth, tears welled in her wide open eyes that shimmered even in the dark; and she seemed to be trying to say something to me. Yet I found I cared little to know what it was. As I knelt down, hunched over in my new frame, all I knew was what was commanded of me.

"Now protect our tomb, inside and out will be your domain. No longer a thief, but a guardian against them. All who disturb our dwelling, may you show them no mercy as you seek them out...and rend them apart!"

Heart:

"Duke...?" I breathed in shock as I didn't dare look away from him.

Pained growls and gasps could still be heard emerging from his throat. Searing red light glowed where his eyes should have been, blinding him in a quiet fury.

"Please...please change him back!" I looked to the mage, trying to gather myself for his sake, "Let him go! He was trying to help!"

I tried to get to my feet only to stumble from the lingering shock. Again I attempted to stand to try and get their attention as the mage looked away, "Let him go! You don't know the hero Duke is in our world! How many people he's helped save! He's more than made up for any crime he committed! Give him back to me, please!"

He must pay for his crimes!

I barely turned around in time to see Duke preparing to lunge at me. My heart leapt to my throat as I tried to figure a way out for both of us. I glanced over my shoulder to see the imprint of the amulet left empty at the mage's chest. With this revelation I breathed, "I have to steal it back!"

Their eyes quickly focused on me, and so did his, when I uttered those words. Without a second thought, Duke leapt towards me in a more bestial manner than human, talons out to rend whatever he caught in them. Instinct kicked in as I jumped away from him, managing to evade those claws. Another roar shattered the silence around us as he glared at me. I stepped back a bit further, the dirt and stone shifting under my boots.

Only now did I realize that the light in my comm had gone out, probably due to the magic energy messing with it's signal. I looked to see as something metallic gleamed in the remaining light, before it went out. Hurrying to see find what it was, Duke focused on me once more and lunged at me, this time knocking me down under his strong frame.

I let out a startled cry as my comm hit the ground, cracking the device upon the impact and cutting out the light entirely. Now, while, lying on my right side, I looked up to see the rage in his eyes, wild and focused all at once. Though I'd managed to avoid his claws as they planted themselves at either side of me instead. Not letting me move away, he also didn't attack any further, seeming unsure of what to do next. Did he...remember...?

"Duke...? Are you still there?" I attempted.

A growl was his answer as he looked into my eyes. Holding my breath, I managed to pull a hand free from between his talons grasp at the item that had called out silently to me. Finally my grasp would managed to make a purchase, as I pulled the cybernetic eye he relied on into my palm and held it close to me, along with the sapphire heart I was wearing, as I had been for our date the day prior. The gem he might recognize.

Seeing me grab hold of these connected items, Duke let out another roar as I pulled the gem tightly against my chest. Clutching the necklace close to me, I knew my whole frame was trembling as he gasped with lingering pain. Still the sapphire glistened in my hand, catching his attention with a fury as he snarled with a voice that was an emotionless imitation of the rogue I knew.

"How dare you?!"

"Duke?!" I pleaded, my voice nearly failing me from shock, as he reached up a talon, ready to let it fly towards me.

"Give it back thief!"

What was once his hand dropped swiftly to my face as I cried out.

"DUKE!"

Grazing my cheek, his claws slowed to a stop before drawing any blood. His other hand firmly planted beside my shoulder trembled from hearing his name. Then he curled his talons into his palm before stroking the flesh of my cheek that he'd nearly slashed into, feeling the tears that stained my face as I attempted, "I just want you changed back Duke..."

After tucking the replacement eye into my inner vest pocket with the eye-patch I'd saved, I risked a hand to his face, the one not clutching the necklace, and brushed against his right cheek. He shuddered at my touch. The mage looked on over us, I now realized, and I heard her warning.

"The thief left in him will erode away soon. I suggest you leave girl before this happens, my fury is not meant for you."

"He doesn't deserve this!" I screamed at her while shakily getting to my feet.

Then I heard it...just as the light went out in the lantern, the shifting of the other coffin. It's marble stone lid grinding across the bottom piece as it was pushed aside from within. I stood there between them and the transformed rogue behind me, hearing above as similar graves shifted in the Earth. Looking over my shoulder I could see the lingering compassion in Duke slipping away as he gazed up at me in return. Then, reluctantly, I knew what I needed to do.

With that realization, I grabbed a hold of Duke's saber left on the ground near the door and darted up the steps. Behind me I would hear a harsh roar climbing up those stairs behind me. His frame shook the stone at my feet as I ran from him. Once again, I was knocked to the ground as I remembered the locked door before me. Duke's frame again came crashing down over mine, pinning me down to ask harshly,

"What are you after?! Why are you here?!"

I realized her words were true as his memory seemed to begin to break away. Still I looked up at him as he asked these questions and replied softly, "I want to save you. I want to keep you from slipping away...to keep you from being nothing more than a memory...I have to go and make this right...but I swear I will come back for you, Duke! I will not give up on you!"

We then heard the steps approaching from below, and the shifting metal of armor moving with the lingering warrior emerging from his crypt. Behind us the lock fell away, the chains falling free to allow the door to be opened if pushed. We also would hear the blade of a great ax being dragged along those steps, and then not as it rose up. I could only guess as to why with me still inside.

That is...before Duke swept me up in one taloned arm and pulled me into the corner of the shrouded corridor. His wings unfolded in a shield of sorts over us and his other talon closed over my mouth as his hand had the night before. I allowed myself to cling to him, clutching the thick fur over his chest to remind him of how I trusted him then and now. It was then that he noticed the sapphire hanging from my neck still. He didn't even growl at this. Instead he pulled me against him as we waited for the door to open, and the warrior passed by. Then the slabs sealed shut, but remained unlocked.

Only now did Duke pull away and look over me with pained eyes. Seeing the necklace he attempted to reach for it. In turn I unhooked it and placed it in the palm of his talon.

"If it would save you in any way..."

For a brief moment he clutched it in his claws before holding it out to me.

"Duke...?"

"Take it...an'...Forgive me...sweetheart...?"

His voice said to me before the emotion in it faded away. I carefully took the necklace and clasped it around my neck again, making sure it was secure despite my trembling fingers. Then I would hear in a more commanding tone.

"Leave, and do not come back here...or I..."

I realized he wasn't going to finish...not so soon. As I looked to him, I swore, "I will not give up on you, Duke, I swear it!"

Then with the door open I left his sword guarded as a post outside the crypt, and hurried out of the burial grounds. The army had already marched ahead of me, and I realized Duke had been holding me back for just that. Shreds of him were still left in that transformed frame, and I had to move fast if I was to have any hope of keeping him from slipping away, or to get him back at all.

Following after the army to the town took just as long as it had to get to the burial grounds in the first place. By the time I got to the gates they had already marched through, leaving further destruction and fallen weapons in their wake. Now the streets were still and silent as the residents in their homes and shops were now able to rest for the remainder of the night. Hopefully this would include the mayor as I made my way to his now unguarded house.

Seeing the evidence of tragedy in the dust before the large house, drew out a frustrated breath. I then looked over the building to find a way in. If the mayor had taken it in the first place, he was likely not going to give it back.

My observations took me around the house and to a low set window near the kitchen. It wasn't even boarded up as the other homes were, I realized; and I remembered the charms on the walls. That, and his sacrificial lamb, were sure to keep them too busy in the short time allotted to them to search the town for the amulet. However, it seemed that the talismans only warded off the undead which I very much wasn't. In fact my blood ran quite hot as I thought of why Duke wasn't there with me to steal it back. So breaking in at this point really didn't take that much convincing for myself as I pried open the window and slipped inside.

My first guess was the study, where the other treasures were kept. Again I found a vast collection of artifacts, weaponry, and other cherished trophies from battles once fought. Though in light of the situation I began to wonder just how many of these items were taken from battle, or robbed from the dead and claimed as victories. This brought my attention to something tucked away in a drawer I'd pulled open, a small velvet case hidden away. My heart leapt to my throat as I opened it, but then sank a bit when I found it wasn't what I was looking. However...something about the piece inside did keep my attention a moment. For looking back up at me was an eye formed of crystal and brown jasper that gleamed without light touching it. Without even commanding it, my hand reached forth and gingerly clasped the rounded gem in my hand and slid it into my vest, nestled in the eye-patch sitting inside along with his cybernetic eye. After slipping the notes for it into the satchel at my hip as well, I then closed the case and pushed the drawer closed again.

Continuing on, I found there was no sign of the pendant. This would bring me creeping up the stairs to his private chambers, holding my breath with every step it seemed. The tension eased slightly as I heard the deep snoring of the elderly man. His door, however, I would find locked.

I shook my head as I recalled Duke using the oddest items for keys and smiling with quite a bit of pride whenever it worked. However, he'd only begun to show me how to do the same, and my lock picks proved unfit for the task. So my answer was the next room, and out it's window to scale along the catwalk. Outside his window, I would find window opened just slightly to let in some fresh air. Once inside, I stepped lightly towards the bed and found my instincts to be correct. Wrapped around his wrist was the woven chain that held the amulet in place. I gave a bit of a smirk as I reached over and began unlatching it, and then pulling it free. In it's place I slipped a bit of rope around his arm, along with the other one before tying them.

I was about to step back and head towards the window when I pulled my hand back. I was about to when his eyes snapped wide open and a hiss of warning was heard from the retired soldier, "I should have known you'd come slinking in here, snake!"

His hand would have flown to grab mine had it not been for those ropes. Then he realized as his eyes darted from his wrists and back to my hands, the amulet clasped in one of them, "How dare you?!"

I didn't wait. I flew towards the window as he leapt from his bed. As he untangled himself I reached for the windowsill to try and leap back over onto the catwalk. Just as I did he caught my hand in an iron vice of a grip that yanked me right back through. With that same motion, he made sure to toss me into the nearest cabinet, my back buckling from the impact.

"I'm not going to let some vagabond and his witch of a companion take what is mine!" he insisted with vile contempt coughing out.

"We don't want it, and it's not yours to keep!" I bit back while stabilizing my stance, and keeping the charm clenched in my hand.

"Give it back to me right now!" he snarled with a few steps closer taken.

Even in his sleep, he'd been ready for a fight I realized, his leather armor worn beneath his bed tunic. What he didn't know was that I was about ready for one as well.

"Don't you understand this is what they're looking for?! If we give this back, they may cease in their march, and your town will be safe!"

"If I give it back, all I've worked for will be lost! That amulet is the key to what I seek!" he snapped back with another few steps taken.

"Your work has cost the lives of your own people!" I shouted, no longer feeling the need to stay quiet, "All of this would be over if you gave it back!"

"I will save the town my way, I just need a bit more time to complete the puzzle!"

"Your way is what started all of this in the first place! Your way is why Duke is trapped there now after trying to clean up your mess!" I yelled with a rush of fury rising in me.

At this he took a pause and raised a curious brow as he asked, "So the rogue was caught?"

My mouth went dry with disbelief, "What?!"

"You didn't think I'd let that worthless bandit ruin all my hard work did you? I figured his sentence would be death if he were ever arrested, so I simply sped things along," he said with a tone as though he'd simply crushed a bug under his boot while walking to the market, "And now you're here to avenge this petty pickpocket as he joins the army of undead?"

In this sliver of a chance, I felt something in me snap as my hand flew to his throat and clenched tight with a burst of energy sent through me to him. He choked on a snarling cry as he looked me in the eyes as I said in a voice drenched in fury, "What you have condemned him to is far worse than any of that, you wretch! Your hands are drenched in the blood of your crimes and you speak of his in such a way, while he pays for yours?!"

He scoffed despite the hold I had on his neck, "Why should I feel remorse for one less filthy thief roaming this Earth?"

I couldn't begin to list the ways one thief had done more good in my life than anyone else ever had. He would never understand Duke as our teammates and I did, how much he had changed from the outlaw this cretin saw him as. It would be useless to try and convince him, and I didn't have time for what was pointless.

"And why should I feel compassion for the accomplice that has broken into my home to free a vile criminal from his sentence by taking what she shouldn't even touch?" he questioned while looking down his narrow nose.

Ignoring his degrading remark towards me, I said in an icy tone, "This isn't a sentence, but torture and a curse you've forced on him! I will not leave him there like that!"

With that I felt another rush of energy surge through me, this one much harsher as it flowed into him from my fingertips that dug into his neck still. He let out a gargling yowl as his eyes rolled back and he slumped to the floor once I let him go. Short rapid breaths of my own were the only other sound I heard at first. Then I knelt down to check for his pulse and felt it still going. Using a bola puck, I tied the unconscious mayor to the bed post and slipped out of the room to the ground below. It seemed that the mayor was distrusting of people in general, for there was no one else in the house to hear the struggle I'd been lucky enough to survive I realized. This was also fortunate, I knew, due to how drained I felt after using as much magic as I had in this short time.

Still, I knew I couldn't afford to be tired. Every moment was possibly the last Duke really had.

So I hurried outside to find his horse in a stable towards the back and did what I could to carouse it into following me. One of these things was offering one of the apples I'd swiped from the kitchen, which seemed to help as I promised, "There will be more if you take me where I need to go?"

It seemed to work as I was able to saddle and climb on up without him resisting too much. I patted his mane to ease his snorts of confusion. Then I looked at the reigns and breathed, "Let's go!"

With a kick, we were off, and I ignored how exhausted I was by clutching the reigns to not fall off.

Riding a horse was quite a bit faster. Even if the mayor had woken up, it would take a while for him to get free and catch up, with or without a horse. Hopefully by that point this would be all over, and Duke and I would be able to deal with him together.

I tied the horse to the gate so it would not roam free, and offered another apple as a thank you. Then, making sure the amulet was in my hand, I started through the grounds. Only adrenaline and sheer fear could have pushed me along those gravestones without miss-stepping. As I walked, I noticed a few more had been added and shook my head silently. Again I found the crypt door unlocked, as well as a bit easier for me to push open from the recent uses. Without a light, I was left relying on careful steps all the way down. For I wasn't sure what would happen if I were to be seen by this point. As I realized this unnerving thought, I tried to listen for what was ahead down that stone stairwell. My hand carefully brushed along the cold marble for support.

When I found the chamber where the two coffins rested, I couldn't see him blending in with the engulfing ebony. Yet I could hear his breathing, and tried to search for crimson eyes that weren't open it seemed.

I carefully reached out a hand to rest against the glass casket, making sure I'd found the right one. Then I went to start trying to open it.

Suddenly I would feel harsh talons grip my shoulder from behind as I was pulled back with a force I couldn't begin to fight against. That strong set of claws then, with one swift motion, tossed me back against the unforgiving wall. My back collided once more, and only now did I remember the marks into my shoulder from Duke when he'd changed. Until now, I hadn't felt them somehow, even when fighting in the mayor's room. Now a rush of heated pain ran through them as my back buckled again, and I collapsed to the ground in a daze.

A sharp voice, that was and wasn't his, echoed in my head as a clawed talon gripped my hair at the nape of my neck to make me look up,

"What are you doing here, thief?!"

I trembled as I gazed up at him, trying to find some trace of Duke somewhere in this form before me. Still I answered, "I'm trying to return what was taken! I'm not trying to steal anything from them!"

His red hot eyes narrowed as though searching for an answer other than that. All I could do was gaze up at him and assure him, "All I want is you back with me, so we can go home...Duke?"

His eyes widened a few moments as though he'd heard a name he hadn't in eons, rather than hours. Then they focused once more as he asked,

"What do you have to return?"

I retrieved the amulet and held it out in my open hand. He looked over it carefully while still holding me up by my ponytail and neck. After several moments, he eased his grip, but not so I would collapse again. Instead he gently set me down, and I would hear him suggest,

"You may try..."

I nodded my head in a silent reply, and shakily got to my feet. Again I tried to push open the casket and found him giving aid as I struggled. Once open, I rested the amulet on the mage's chest and waited.

Nothing happened. Faith did not awaken, nor did Duke revert back to the form I knew. Exhaustion and fatigue was about to take it's toll as I demanded, "Why isn't it working?! I got your treasure back! Please let him go!"

Still nothing. Other than me sliding to my knees as I fought my tears that threatened to fall that is. I begged anything that would hear me, "Give him back! I got what you wanted! Please!"

I would then risk a glance at the figure crouched down in a partial lupine stance as he looked to me. I missed his playful smirk. I missed how confident he was when dealing with a problem. I missed Duke.

While he seemed to look at me without any trace of knowing who I was. To him I was a possible thief that he was told to watch for and dismantle. I wasn't the girl who'd needed him to save me that night...when I'd left this realm...

Why couldn't I do the same for him?!

"I'm sorry Duke..." I finally wept into my hands, trying to figure out what to do.

I tried to think, perhaps I had to wait until nightfall for Faith to awaken and see the amulet returned? Perhaps then, the mage would take back their curse. Yet that was several hours away.

I looked to Duke through a blurred vision as I pleaded softly, "Please...hang on Duke...don't slip away on me when we're so close...?"

As I knelt there in the dust of that crypt, Duke didn't look away. Instead, he crept closer to me as something seemed to catch his eye. A careful talon reached out to me before brushing the sapphire hanging from my neck. His claw tapped the gem as though trying to recall where he'd seen it before. Then I would hear in a wisp of his voice,

"...Heart...?"

I nodded my head, "I'm right here...I'm not going to give up on you Duke. Just hang on, okay?"

His answer was gently wrapping his talons around my back and pulling me into his arms, being careful not to catch me with his claws. I couldn't fight it anymore as I broke down sobbing into his chest. As I did I clung to him, trying to keep him with me. While he in turn echoed from before,

"Get some rest, okay?"

I found I had little choice as I wept myself to sleep there in the crypt, with what was left of my dearest friend, clinging to him out of desperation. If I had to fight for him still, I would need every ounce of magic I could conjure up. I vaguely realized that the mayor wouldn't risk locking me in if he wanted the amulet back. He would come to take it again. If he did, I'd use whatever magic I had left to keep him from stealing Duke's chance of returning to me.

At the sound of the shifting caskets, my eyes shot wide open. When they did, I would find Duke beside me, lying on his side with an arm over me as he had done countless times before while sleeping beside one another. As I moved, he awoke and looked to me with a confused look in his eyes, before pulling away and starting to turning his back on me. Before he got far I grabbed a hold of his arm, "Duke?"

He didn't respond as he had before, and my heart nearly froze in my chest. Was it already too late? Quickly I got to my feet to approach the opening casket, and held out the necklace. Yet as I did I brushed my hand against something of smooth leather left beside me. I looked even in the dark to see Duke's pouch from his shoulder strap left beside me, the one he carried his tools in. I gingerly picked it up, looked to Duke as he nodded solemnly, and secured it around my waist as a belt.

Then I turned my attention to the two caskets before me. As I'd hoped Faith awoke and took in their surroundings before looking to the coffin beside her. A distant, but growing chill filled the room as she sharply turned away and found me standing before her.

"Are you a thief?"

I froze as she pulled up memories from only the night before. In my core I could feel a heat beginning to rise, and I realized what Duke had felt in those first moments, that dread, that wanting to plead for forgiveness in order to make it stop. However, rather than beg for this, I instead held out the amulet and said, "It was to bring this back to you! I only wish to return this to get my beloved back! Isn't this what you were looking for?"

The heat rising in me paused, and she beckoned me forward. I didn't even take a breath before walking up to them. As they reached out, I placed the amulet carefully in the palm of their bony hand. Their cracking digits closed over the charm and pulled it inward to look it over. The fingers of their other hand caressed the ancient treasure. Even without eyes I could see the bewilderment in their expression, and I could feel the aching of loss. Before it flashed back into anger as they glared at me.

"What-?!"

Her voice raged on in a scream in both our heads, causing us both to tremble. Then the other coffin began to open as it had the night before.

"I don't understand?!" I stammered, "I brought it back to you! Please, take back your curse! Spare the town your wrath, and let Duke free!"

Faith still glared at me, refusing to look at the spirit beside her rising from his tomb. I tried to search for an answer that I was clearly missing.

"Please let him go!" I begged in continued confusion.

Then Faith pointed at the soldier, commanding him to march forward it seemed once again, and a cruel voice echoed through my head.

"Why should I return my guardian to the thief he was?! If you don't leave, you'll join him!"

A warning of that horrid heat flashed through me as I cried out and dropped to my knees. Then just as quickly as it had started it stopped, and I looked up to see her placing a finger to her chin as she mused in a tone that instead chilled my entire frame,

"Then again, why should I let you two be together?"

My eyes met his that blazed with a blazing inferno as they narrowed. A low growl emerged from his jaws, lined with elongated fangs. My core twisted as he watched me without a trace of who he was left. Yet I also realized that he wasn't about to pounce on me this time. Instead I could feel the stirring heat rising as he inhaled deeply on her command. In those seconds I barely managed to leap out of the way as he let out a fiery breath, the flames licking at my heels as I lunged back towards the door.

However, as the light of that blast illuminated the chamber I would catch a glimpse of the soldier marching towards the door. The armor clinked and resisted from rust and age, and yet still it moved. Only now I wondered just how, as I found the plated suit and chain-mail to be empty. Unlike his fellow soldiers, the bones that should have worn the armor was completely absent!

In shock by this discovery, I turned to Faith and breathed, "I-It's him that was taken from you...isn't it Faith?"

Before I received any sort of response from the mage, I would feel the sudden, unforgiving impact of Duke's reshaped frame lunging into me. Again my back would collide with a harsh surface that reminded me of the wounds I'd suffered already. I cried out as his talons gripped my shoulders while he growled at me. When I attempted to pull from that grasp, he reached back with his left claws and just as swiftly swung towards me. A scream tore from my throat this time, as those claws slashed into the left side of my face. I tried to ignore the warm flow of blood and the stinging pain in my face as I looked up at him still, fearing it was too late.

Suddenly his eyes widened, as though shaken from what he saw as he glared at me. He then tried to brush the palm of his talons against my face, almost as though trying to erase what he'd just done. He shook his head in a panicked manner as he recoiled. As he did I realized just why; for through the fur and crimson glow of his eyes I could see the remnants of his deepest scar, the one he hid behind a cloth with the cybernetic eye to replace the one he'd lost. Duke now brushed the palm over my eye as though making sure I was indeed looking up at him with both still.

My heart about tore to see him so shaken and twisted up. As he eased off of me to try and back away, I quickly sat up and threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. For a brief moment I would hear him thinly ask me,

"How could I...? Forgive...me...?"

I simply nodded my head as he hugged me the best that he could.

By this point, the soldiers had headed out, with the armor leading the way to find his missing remains. Reluctantly I pulled away from Duke to say, "I have to try again Duke...maybe I can find Zarock and bring him back?"

He looked to me and shook his head, the emotion in his voice exhausted as it echoed in my head.

"No Heart...I can't...I don't want to hurt ya again...stay away from here...please...its okay..."

"It's not okay!" I shouted, my voice ringing loud through the tomb, "Don't you dare give up! You don't deserve this! Please, just hang on! We need you!...I need you!"

Before Duke could say a word, we heard a cold chuckling emerging from the stairwell. Both Duke and I went to turn our attention, the two of us getting to our feet, and found ourselves facing the mayor.

"So, the thief has become a mere beast has he?" he taunted, "A fitting sentence for a criminal."

My hands balled into fists as I went to step between Duke and the retired soldier. Then I looked over my shoulder to see Faith trying to wave a hand towards the elder human and ask,

"Are you a-?!"

"Your magic will not work on me today!" he barked with laughter, "I've come prepared to gain what belongs to me!"

He held up a hand adorned with a jeweled bracelet hanging from it's wrist that was growing brittle from use, "Izzet's charm will dispel your magic long enough for me to claim my prizes and leave!"

"Prizes?" I questioned sharply.

He turned his eyes aged with battle and time to look over me like was an item just as Dragonus had. His gleamed with the same greed as he said, "I require that blood in your veins, my dear! My talisman's alerted me to it when you first entered my home, and I only needed to find a way to take it."

The armored former soldier took a step closer, and I quickly realized that my own magic also refused to ignite. He scoffed, "You didn't think I'd let you strike me again, did you monster?"

Just as I went to draw my glaive, he stepped closer. Then in a rush of black that flashed swiftly before me, I would hear the mayor cry out in rage, "Get off of me!"

My eyes went wide as I watched Duke growl at him, his jaws clenched in a growl as he gave his warning,

"You won't touch her!"

Graives quickly let a fist fly to attempt to strike at Duke, but he retaliated by clamping his fangs into that arm. The older human cried out in a snarl of pain as he attempted to wrench himself free. Duke held on like a vice, shaking his head rapidly to tear at his arm, still growling,

"I will protect this domain! You will not take anything or anyone from it!"

Hearing this, despite Duke initially protecting me, I felt a sense of sudden dread rush through me. If this kept going, he would lose himself to his given task. His very movements were giving further into the frame of the creature he now was trapped in. His outward growls grew much more vicious even with an intelligent mind still intact within.

However before I could try and do anything, I would hear the mayor snarl, "You won't save anyone, you cursed knave!"

I would suddenly hear Duke let out a pained cry as he was sent reeling back a bit, as though an unseen forced had knocked him off of the older human. Striking his mind as he collided with the wall. His strong frame collapsed to the ground, stunned by the attack.

"Duke!" I cried out as I hurried to him, kneeling down beside him to try and reach out to him, "Duke answer me!"

"Run!"

"What-?"

Before I could, the soldier grabbed a hold of my arm, yanking me away from Duke with that iron clad grip. No matter how I pulled and kicked I could not get free. My magic refused to break through the shield placed over it. My other hand tried to reach for Duke still, but to no avail.

"Duke!"

All he could do in his shaken state was let out a weak growl as he watched me be dragged over to the casket by my wrist. The human elder then snatched the amulet from the just as helpless Faith, and then proceeded to pull me up those steps. I kicked and fought with every fiber of my being, but found it useless. He'd come quite prepared to claim what he was after, and he scoffed knowing this, "At last the puzzle will be complete!"

"Duke!" I pleaded once more while mostly up those steps, looking over my shoulder in desperation.

This time I would hear Duke struggling to his feet and talons as he began to give chase. His momentum began to build, shaking those steps with his swift run after us.

The mayor did not wait for Duke to catch up as he hoisted me up over his shoulder and ran. Kicking his chain armored chest proved useless, as did trying to wriggle out of his grip with my magic still locked away.

"That beast can't help you, his domain is that crypt; a fitting prison for a thief if you ask me. His own chains that tether him here will keep him from being able to follow after us!" he chortled while hurrying to the gate.

As we passed them, my captor grabbed some of the loose chains to pull them off of the door. He then continued to run towards his horse, still waiting with it's stomach contently full of apples. Just as Duke reached the top of the stairs, I would see him burst through the door, and find us near the gate. Seeing us far away, he began to take in a deep, heated breath. Yet before he could let out that inferno again, the mayor spoke up, seeing the sparks of flame in Duke's jaws, "You'll only torch her, but by all means make it easier for me to claim that magic coursing through her!"

Duke clamped his fanged maw shut at this, the flame stifled into a thick black smoke filtering through his sharpened teeth. Our eyes locked for a moment. He darted towards us in a roaring fury that shook me more than the fear of my magic being drained away. The mayor scoffed as he ran, "Only a matter of time now before the boy loses himself entirely!"

By now he'd just run outside the gate with me hoisted over his shoulder still, and he cut his horse free of the rope I'd used. He was careful to step just enough passed those iron wrought bars to throw me onto the horse, chaining me in place as he taunted, "I wonder if it's you, or the charm he's after by this point? If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on the latter. Your blood is the only thing of value about you from what I can tell."

Our answer would be Duke charging towards the mockingly opened gate. The elder human turned slightly to watch as the former rogue was pushed back by his enforced boundaries, his talons reaching out as much as he could manage to try and reach his prize. He let out a roar that nearly deafened me,

"...Heart! Give her back...!"

My eyes widened, tears welling in them, to hear this.

This only made Graives laugh, "So there's still a shred of him left in that beast? I will say that is rather impressive; but it won't last. You seem to be the thin thread holding him together, how touching. Shall we pull at that thread then?"

At this I managed to kick him square in the jaw. Yet as I tried to jump to some sort of freedom, reaching my hand out to Duke as he roared in fury to see, as Graives let his hand fly. The harsh metal of his gauntlet met with my temple and everything instantly went black.

"I have the body, the bones, the soul, the mind, the army," the pride in his work slipping out as Graives hissed a snicker, "and at last I have the blood to finish the spell."

I moaned from the dull ache lingering in my head as I opened my eyes. I would find myself with my arms bound behind my back this time. The chains Graives had taken were used to form a sigil on the floor, connecting me to other pieces of an image he was creating. To my right was a pedestal holding the amulet, at my left was a slab with bones arranged carefully to reform the stolen warrior. In the center standing at a point before me stood Graives himself with a book in hand. Behind him was another pedestal holding a jar that he had the lid in hand for.

Focusing on the symbol of the tattered tome in his aged hands, I would recognize the sigil upon the cover with a startled gasp, "Asteroth's spell book?!"

"About time you woke up," Graives stated impatiently, looking down at me as though it were my fault he'd had to wait, "Do you like your new collar?"

I glanced down in alarm, but more so felt, rather than saw, a jeweled, thick silver ring clasped tightly around my neck. With it, I realized I couldn't even summon up a spark of energy, my connection to magic itself seemed to be severed.

"You should have made sure that jolt you gave earlier me was enough to finish the job," he scoffed, "for that was your only shot!"

With my head still aching from the impact before, I tried to remember what all had happened. Upon doing so, I felt a rush of panic grip my chest, "Duke?!"

"What a miss-given name for a vagabond," Graives said while looking down his nose at me, "a lowborn urchin who chose to steal what he wanted rather than work for it bit by bit. I worked my way to the top while knaves like him only know to take and take from society!"

"You don't know a thing about him! He's saved countless lives! He's helped to protect worlds, this one and our own!" I pointed out with a bit of venom, ignoring for a moment that I was from this realm of magic, "And that thief is more of a hero than a narrow minded cretin like you could ever know!"

"Yet he's cursed to spend an eternity guarding that tomb, alone in the dark he's grown up in? Not a fate for a so called hero if you ask me," he mocked.

He then gave a wide, prideful grin, "Although, I could shorten eternity for him with some given mercy I suppose."

Rather than hope, dread twisted my core as I looked up in bewilderment.

"Magic runs in your veins, and yet you understand so little about it!" he said with dripping disgust.

As he spoke, I had begun sliding the pouch on my belt bit by bit to where I could fish inside it. He maintained his smile of contempt during his next remark, "You see, dear girl, his curse has a small number of ways to end it; and there is even a way for him to revert back to the form you once knew. Although, if that is done I'm afraid he won't be going much of anywhere, except maybe his own grave that is."

I looked up in alarm at this grim remark as he snickered, "For you see, if I slay him he will certainly be free of the task he's shackled to!"

"No!" I gasped as I tried to keep my composure while he strolled towards me.

"Oh poor creature, do not fret. You're the only one that would miss this urchin, and you won't be around to anyway!" He insisted while setting the book on the center table.

"Now to begin the ritual that will make me the warrior this town, no, this world needs. Unending, resilient, strengthened by the magic that should have been at my disposal all along without the use of artifacts!" he stated while drawing out a dagger tucked into his vest.

"The bones to merge with my own to give me unending strength, a bit of my soul tucked away in hiding so I can not die if this form is somehow slain, my body ready to take on the change, the pages of the book engraved in my head, blood of a caster to cleanse my own and mingle with it, and the amulet to infuse it all into my one being," he began to chant as the chain linking all of these pieces began to glow.

Graives stood just before me now, his dagger held up and catching the light of the arranged candles in it's twisted blade. Without a second left to waste I finished cutting my binds with the file I'd slipped out, and balanced myself as I swept my foot under his stance. As he fell from the abrupt loss of balance, I quickly grabbed a hold of the chain along the floor, ceasing it's glow as the sigil's shape broke away, and wrapped them around him. At least I tried to as he grabbed a hold of my wrist and threw me down on my side, "You little beast!"

"I won't let you kill him!" I snapped as I managed to grab his wrist that swung at me with his dagger still.

"You do realize that by now the thief you knew is long gone! His body now holds a transformed soul, devoid of every lie he ever told you!"

Desperation became my fuel as I shoved him back off of me by kneeing him in the stomach. As he doubled over gasping for the air I'd knocked out, I pulled the chain up, wrapping it around the former soldier. With a sharp tug I pulled it tight enough to cause him to drop the dagger. While catching my own breath, I leapt back onto my feet and quickly looked around. Taking the end of the chain before he could gather himself I wrapped it around the pedestal with the amulet, swiping it back into my vest pocket in the process.

"How dare you?!" he bellowed, "You and that cursed thief will not steal away all my hard work!"

There wasn't time to say anything in response. Adrenaline ran through me as I hurried over to the stone slab and began trying to find a way to move the bones. With little time allotted, I had to get Zarock back to Faith. If Duke had to endure another day in that form he would slip away.

Yet how could I...?

No! There had to be a way!

The sudden cries of villagers defending their homes from the horde above caught my attention now. I could hear the choking of blood from the metal clad lamb sent to be slaughtered.

I looked back to Zarock's remains in a growing panic as I realized the book was useless to me even with this collar locked onto me. Then again I wasn't sure if my magic would even help in this. It was too new to me to even know.

My head raced for ideas when I retrieved the pendant from my vest and held it in my shaking hand. As though resonating with it's presence, the skeleton began to shift, almost as though it were sleeping and simply waking up. Eyes of a spirit lit up in those empty bone sockets. He turned his head and lifted a hand to reach for the necklace I held. Without question I handed it to him and he clutched it close to him. His stringy black hair had grown long passed his shoulders and down his face a bit, cut loose by a blade possibly from the wars he'd once battled. Those moving bones summoned a strength they'd once wielded as he rose and got to his feet. In my head I would hear the voice of a homesick warrior,

"I must return home...Faith needs me...beside her..."

I nodded my head as I began trying to help him find a way out, ignoring the disgruntled bellows of the older human still chained up behind me. Looking around, I would come to realize we were in a basement, well hidden from the townsfolk above. Zarock followed the sounds of his fellow soldiers and began his way up the flight of steps, still clutching the amulet in his skeletal hand. While he did, I took that book and knocked over the jar, shattering it to pieces as Graives snarled out, "You vile wench! When I get free, your own curse will be crueler than his, and I will make certain that beast suffers for this as well! His last roar will be a cry of death when my sword cuts into his heart! Mark my words!"

I didn't stop to contemplate any of his threats. I hoped without his book there was little he could do. As I hurried up behind Zarock I tucked the wicked spell book close to my frame, knowing destroying it wouldn't bring about anything good at the moment. When we got to the top, I quickly helped the warrior to get the door open and darted for the front door. With every step, Zarock regained his strength until he was charging with me out onto the streets.

In that burst of speed and adrenaline we shoved our way through the front door, the two of us stumbling out into the view of the army still searching and fighting before us. As soon as they saw me they reached out to grab me, a few of them actually grabbing hold of my arms as I tried to pull free, "No! No please! I'm trying to help!"

One of them went to rise up a sword, another pulling back a spear to force through me in this same instant. By now I'd dropped the book at my feet in this scuffle. As both weapons were being thrust towards me, Zarock swiftly held out his hand, stepping before me to block the steel. Both warriors came to an instant halt as their commander waved them off, and they stepped back in reply. Then the head of the undead army nodded to the two holding me, and I was released with a strong voice echoing,

"Thank you...I will return to Faith and calm her wrath brought upon this town in her search for me. Your bravery will not be overlooked."

"Take me with you!" I pleaded quickly, "There's someone I have to try and save!"

He looked a bit perplexed by this, his skeletal brow raising a bit at my request. However while putting on his armor and mounting the remains of his faithful steed, he nodded his head. Then, after I'd picked up the spell book again, he reached a hand down to me and helped me up onto the horse. With a kick, and a snap of the reigns we were off. I ignored the bruising I would gain for riding this steed of powerful bones now racing along the road.

However as we rode on I would feel a bit of panic return as the neighing of the mayor's horse cried out not to far behind us. Knowing he'd be even more armed than before I pushed, "Hurry, please!"

With another crack the skeletal horse darted forward in a burst of urgency. Behind us the army marched on, eager to reach their eternal beds at long last.

As we rode on, Zarock would weave their tale to me, in an attempt to explain Faith's fury.

"We once lived a happy life, back in our home land of Eclipshade. Faith and I were married just before tragedy brought that peaceful time to a sudden halt. Our king ordered an attack on the neighboring kingdom. I can't even remember what his reason was, what he wanted out of those he once considered to be his allies along with Anaheim. All I remember, was his cruelty when we returned empty hand, despite winning that battle. It didn't matter that a kingdom had fallen for his desire, just that he didn't have it. So, we were banished, not just from our home, but life itself with a wicked spell placed over us. We were cast out between Eclipshade and the now fallen Dremare.

However, our king had forgotten about my dear Faith, still dwelling in the castle as a caster in her own right. She'd been allowed to study magic there while I was away in battle. When she heard of this betrayal, she then betrayed him. She didn't care that it would cause her to be cast out as well, for at least then she could find me. Yet not before she made sure to make him pay for what he'd done to us. From within the castle walls, while the king slept, she took his life. Upon doing so, his last curse was then placed on her, pulling life from her as she was cast out. It brought her out here among the battlefield of fallen warriors and myself.

Before she collapsed though, she found me hanging on by a thread...praying to see her...to know she was alright. I would have half of that wish answered at least.

We died holding the other's hand, and were allowed to rest in peace together.

Until that human found us, and pulled me from my bed beside hers. He'd heard of the tales passed down through the years about us. An undying warrior I suppose, as I wouldn't until I saw my Faith again; and her magic that bound us together once again when we thought it was hopeless."

"You really love each other," I offered softly, nearly speechless from his tale.

"That we do..."

Was his reply, before adding cheerfully,

"And I can tell how in love you are, to be going through so much to save them?"

"I don't know what I'd do if Duke and I were ripped apart like that," I said with an ache in my chest, the heart inside ready to crack.

"I think you do,"

He assured as we neared the burial grounds. It was well into the night when Zarock jumped off of his steed and began orchestrating his soldiers in finding their rightful resting places. As he did this, we heard Graives galloping up. With this, Zarock directed me to head towards the crypt. I didn't question him as I quickly hurried inside those open stone slabs and down the steps.

In my growing panic, it hadn't registered that I was once again a thief in a way charging into that tomb. Nor did it matter what the cause, as I heard her chilling question, and the collar kept what resistance I might have had locked away,

"Are you a thief?"

My thoughts quickly conjured the recent memories of taking the spell-book now tucked under my arm, as well as the amulet to try and return. With the necklace not in her possession once more, her fury was thoroughly felt as a heat boiled the blood in my veins while I tried not to cry out. Looking ahead I found the glowing blue that was Faith's eyes gazing at me in an unforgiving glare,

"You don't learn do you? Perhaps you should share in his curse?"

The bones in my hands began to ache, claws tried to replace the nails of my fingertips. Before they could, I managed to cry out, "Zarock's here! Faith please, he's coming back to be with you! Once the army is at rest, he'll be right beside you as you've been longing for!"

Faith paused in her spell, and I felt some relief wash over me as she released me abruptly.

"Zarock...how?"

"He was locked away where your army couldn't go. I got him free so he could come back to you! So please, calm your anger, and release Duke from the curse you placed on him!" I pleaded.

It was then that I realized I hadn't seen him yet. I'd expected him to be down in the crypt with the mage as he had been before.

"Where is he?" I asked shakily.

Before Faith could answer I would hear a swift set of steps approach from behind. As I turned around Duke's eyes locked with mine. He gave a soft growl of a warning as he focused on me.

"You should not have come back again, thief!"

"Duke, it's me, Heart! Don't you remember?!" I questioned.

"Back to a thief?"

Faith would question in disbelief. To this I would look over my shoulder and say without batting an eye, "Yes! Not just a mere pick pocket or grave robber...but the thief that saw value in a strange creature like me that night...and did everything he could to encourage me when we met afterwards, to draw out a smile, and pushed our team to become the heroes we are now."

While Faith watched with widened, empty eyes, I looked to Duke again as he gazed at me with caution, ready to follow his given commands. I wondered if he would be able to stop this time. Not for my sake, but for the sake of finding some sliver of him holding on. I would hear her ask,

"The question, however, would there by anything left of him to bring back?"

I would hear her bones shift in some sort of given command, and I would feel Duke rush towards me. Again I was pinned, this time up against a wall as he growled at me, daring me to move. I didn't. Instead I looked right into his fury filled eyes. Yet deep in his remaining one, I would catch a glimpse of a soul searching for an answer that seemed out of reach. He would question sharply in my head,

"Who are you? Why do you wear that sapphire?! Why do you keep coming back?!"

"I-" his talons dug into my shoulders to keep me from pulling away as I tried to answer, "I...I'm Heart...remember? You gave this to me...the night we faced Falcone,...if it'll bring you back somehow, then just take it! Just please, don't slip away!"

At this he faltered slightly as he looked into my eyes, as though making sure what I said was true. He glanced down at my neck, and before I could move, he had talons pulling at the clasp still locked in place at the back of my neck. Then in an instant, I felt something unlock within me as he shattered the silver collar I'd been wearing. A rush of electricity flowed through my veins again as I gasped and nearly collapsed into him as he held me up by my shoulders to steady me.

"Duke...?" I barely had a chance to ask, before we heard the clash of metal, and then bones collapsing down the steps of the crypt.

Looking over, we would see Zarock trying to get up to his feet as Graives descended towards us with a deep chuckle in his throat.

With this approaching threat emerging, Duke let out a thunderous roar that caused the walls of the tomb to tremble. Without asking, the thief turned guardian was pulled into intervening on the fallen warrior's behalf. Duke slashed at the older soldier with wicked claws digging into his shoulder. In retaliation, Graives swung the sword he'd drawn, it's blade grazing Duke's chest. This drew out a growl of pain as he struck again, knocking the human back a bit.

"You deserve this fate, thief!" Graives shouted while clutching the hilt of his sword, "Turned into a monster, so that I can slay you!"

"I rend thieves apart when they enter my domain, you will be no different!"

As they words reached all who could hear, I would feel another rush of panic run up my spine. I stifled a gasp of dread, but he'd already heard it and turned to glance at me. The fury in his eyes raged on, as did his roar as Graives took the opportunity and swung his blade. This time the steel of his blade cut into Duke's right wing, drawing out a snarl of pain from his jaws.

"Duke!" I cried to get no answer to his name this time.

I shook my head as I ran forward, "No...you can't be...!"

As I reached Duke, I would notice Zarock watching us a moment from near the entrance of the crypt. Then he would look passed me at Faith, gasping in shock from behind me.

"Ah, the vile wench returns for her...what are you to him anyway? A one night stand that fell for his lies? Perhaps a pet to use at his disposal?" Graives scoffed while blocking Duke's claws with his sword this time and then sneering, "Or should I say...what were you to him?"

"I..." why was I so lost for words at this question as I stood there now?

I looked to Duke as he watched me in a passive manner. He was neither happy nor angry to see me, any familiar thread I once held seemed to be severed. It was only now, that I vaguely caught sight of the charm being held in Graive's hand out towards me. With it, a gripping sensation of dread drowned my thoughts. My very frame trembled as I started to realize, "I'm the one that couldn't save him...I'm not anything to him now...not his beloved...nothing...what good was this magic when it couldn't do anything to help him...?"

Duke looked over me as I shook with these words drawn out. I in turn gazed up at him as I tried to reach him, "Are...Are you really gone, Duke? Is it too late? Duke...I'm so sorry...I wish I could have stopped you from coming down here!...I wish I could take your place! I wish I could steal you back!"

Graives was holding up his charm as it glowed brightly in the palm of his hand. His thin lip curved into an amused sneer as I sank into a ball from the dread shackling me to the ground. I wasn't aware of his boots stepping along the dug up soil as I pleaded to Duke, "I would give anything to see you returned as you were...Your confidence to fight through and solve anything with your clever mind, your playful nature that made me know things would be okay as long as they ended with us laughing together, how protective you were when I needed you to be...your charm that drew me in and let me know that I could trust you without question...Duke please...please don't be gone..."

"Poor creature, let me end your suffering," Graives gave a feigned comforting tone as he took another step closer to me.

I looked up and couldn't even register the fear of a sword being drawn up above my neck. I knew I should be running, I knew I should be fighting for my life. Yet the only fear that would sink in was the dread of being too late to save him.

I also realized that he was sure to keep that charm glowing with me in it's view, amplifying the terror I felt for my lost thief. In that instant, the blade dropped towards me, before it and Graives were knocked back by the force of Duke sliding between us and swiping at him. The sword and his claws bit into one another, and Graives found himself looking up at the fury driven guardian snarling over him, a bit of his usual tone and voice heard through it as he snapped,

"You're nothin' but a coward!"

As Graives went to strike at Duke, he spat in a hissing reply, "Hardly! I've fought battle after battle to get where I am today! My mind has been just as sharp a weapon as my sword as I've unlocked magic to wield!"

He sneered, "Including the enchantment in this blade!"

The steel began to glow with a cold fury of it's own as he swung towards Duke, this time catching his forearm. Duke let out a roar of pain as he grabbed his searing arm.

"A radiant soaked blade would do wonders against you, wouldn't it?" Graives snickered as he went to lunge at him again.

"That's the true twist to this curse, isn't it? Whatever your ideals, your personality, your views, changed to a hero or not; they're all being warped to guard what you're commanded to. Regardless of the cost, you will see it to the end, either killing the offender or being slain yourself! It's quite a nasty curse indeed, twisting someone's core into an evil entity; however it also makes it so radiant energy is quite effective on you. Given enough time, you will finally give in to your new nature!" Graives taunted while taking another swing, "And as you do, you'll take her life if it's deemed necessary."

This time Duke ducked down to avoid the slash meant to disconnect his head from his shoulders and slashed back. His claws dug into the soldier's side. Graives retaliated by knocking Duke back, disorienting him, with a strong hit from his gauntlet wearing fist into his jaw.

"However, if I slay you in this battle, you won't have to worry about that happening will you? You'll revert back to the urchin you were before with some of your soul still intact!" he chortled while taking another swing, this time slashing across Duke's chest as he gritted his teeth in pain, "If a thief like you had one to begin with!"

"Duke!" I cried out, seeing his wolf like ears flinch in response to his name.

"Then I will take what I worked so hard to gain! I will become the warrior I deserve to be, endless with my own army to command once again!" Graives assured with a smug grin as he dodged Duke's next swipe of his claws, "I've memorized the book, I can gather the bones again, take that amulet, and the blood to infuse with my own is ripe for the taking!"

Lastly he commented, "And if you're wondering why that miserable, love sick mage can't turn me as she did you, I was wise enough to come shielded from her pathetic spells and curses. Her fury has no effect on a mind that feels no guilt, and even more so with a charm to protect it. This must simply mean that your crimes have caught up with you as they should have long ago!"

Duke stepped to the side to avoid the next bite of the steel, only to be kicked against the wall instead. Without thinking, I felt a rush of energy take hold as he went to strike again, and my hand flew out in a quick motion to allow a bolt of electricity to strike the soldier's back, "Stop!"

Graives cried out in a jolting snarl, before steadying himself and turning his attention to me. His body spasmed in brief twitches as the lightening claimed him still.

"I see I'll need another collar for this little beast! Or maybe I can just collect the blood I need now?" he hissed with contempt as he went to take a step towards me.

Only now did I realize that Zarock had lost the amulet to Graives in their own scuffle. Once again the enchanted pendant hung from around the mayor's neck as his claimed prize.

Yet as Graives did this, Duke quickly grabbed a hold of the glowing blade, it's enchanted steel searing and biting into his hand. Still Duke yanked it back before wrenching it from the human's hand entirely. In this swift motion he tossed it over to where Zarock now began to stir from his prone position. However, Duke was paying little attention to this as some part of him held on to make his promise,

"Ya won't touch her!"

Graives raised a brow in contempt mingled with amusement, "There's little you can do to stop me. The longer we fight, the more you lose yourself in that rage. Before long, you'll see her as a threat as well. She is a thief after all!"

Before I could say anything, he gave a scoff.

"You don't think I know what you took from my study last night?" Graives demanded with a lingering laugh, "I suppose it's natural for one thief to learn from another. However to this guardian, there's no distinguishing your intent. A knave is a knave in his twisted view, isn't that right?"

Duke looked to me with a fire in his eyes as I remembered the gem I still had on me.

"If you'd simply taken the amulet I supposedly claimed from the dead, who were no longer using it; I suppose that would be one thing, but you didn't, did you? Show him, show this guardian of this tomb that you're no better?"

"I-"

"You won't will you? You know the crime you committed, and the shame you should feel from it? You understand he'll tear you limb from limb as any other thief that crosses his path now, won't he? For what's to stop you from taking something from his given domain as you did from my dwelling?"

Faith's eyes focused on me, but I paid little attention at this point. I didn't even care when she asked again,

"Are you a thief?"

"Yes," I replied without having her spell search my memories, looking to Duke as I answered with an odd smile curving my lips...one that adored that side of his, especially when he shared it with me, "because sometimes that's what it takes."

Graives raised a brow at this defense. Faith raised a hand towards me and I looked to Duke still, retrieving the rounded gem I'd taken the previous night. The eye gleamed in my palm as I opened my fingers like a flower to show him. Without hesitation, I told Duke, "It was for you, in case we couldn't repair yours, or if magic ever effected it to where it wouldn't work?"

"Whatever the intent, it was not yours to take now was it?" Graives gave a slimy grin, "If my goal is seen as a crime despite the people it will save, then yours is just as wrong, if not more so."

A grimace twisted my face as a heat ran through my unshielded frame. I glanced up to see a rather stunned Duke looking over the gem held out to him still.

"Faith...I know why you're so angry, I understand you're hurt by Zarock being taken from you as he was! However, Duke does not deserve to be the one to pay for this! How does you taking him from me help you get Zarock back?!"

I then realized quickly, the truth forcing it's way out, "It never mattered whether he was a thief or not, did it?! You saw us both here, together, and used this thin excuse to rip us apart! You took him from me, just as Zarock was torn away from you! You declared him a thief because one came here and stole Zarock away, and now you're going to do the same to someone else!"

I looked over my shoulder at Zarock, and realized why he had said what he had when we'd gotten here...in regards to what I'd do.

"I'm going to get him back! No matter what it takes, I will not lose my best friend to you, or anyone else!" I shouted in defiance, energy sparking around me as I did.

"Heart!"

I turned just in time as a twisted blade was being raised over my head.

"Don't worry, pest, I'll slay you before you can be turned by her curse for those bold words!" Graives assured while walking up to my frozen form with a dagger drawn in his hand.

I realized that I was still frozen in place from Faith's spell, locking me there unable to get away. A lingering heat still trying to kick up within my frame for what I'd just confronted her over.

"The power to command this undying army, all at my fingertips at last!" Graives chuckled in near disbelief, "And nothing can even hope to stop me!"

My eyes would then catch the shimmer of the amulet gleaming in the dark. As he drew nearer to me, I managed to at least reach a hand out, looking as though I were simply trying to push him back. Until I was able to pull at the chain, hearing a snap that freed the charm from his neck, before I then tossed it over to Zarock, lying nearly still on the floor. With a seething breath, Graives grabbed a hold of my still outstretched arm just I closed my fist over the gem I was still holding again, barely managing to do just that. Then he shoved me to the ground as he shouted, "What makes you think a creature like you has any hope of stopping this?! That thief of yours is long gone by now, and I'm about to send you after him!"

In that moment he plunged the gnarled and twisted blade down towards me. Though Faith had released me from that frozen state, I had no way of moving out of the way as Graives towered over me. Just as I braced myself, Duke's strong frame swiftly slid between us as he caught Graives by the wrist, his wolf like form shielding me in the process. He then slipped his other arm around my smaller frame, pulling me against his bulked up shape as he growled,

"I'm still here, an' if I'm to be trapped in this form, I will guard her!"

"Duke?!" I breathed out as he shoved him back away from me.

"You won't get to decide that for long! That curse will eat away at you, and that hopeless romantic notion! You'll see her as the thief you were once were soon enough, and take her life for it. Let me save you both from this f-"

Before he could finish, we would hear a blade plunge into his back and he would begin to choke on his own blood in shock. Behind him, stood Zarock with the radiant blade glowing in his hand. Then he commanded in an eerily calm tone, "You wish to be apart of my army? Then by all means, join it! Only I will be the one commanding you!"

With that, he pulled back the blade and Graives dropped to his knees upon the ground. We then watched as Faith cast her hand upon the dying Graives and stated, "Go to your rest now, and a gravestone will be marked for you. Only if the others rise, will you do the same to take part in their battles!"

With that the light in Graives's eyes died out, and he rose to his feet. His movements shifting like a weighed down skeleton being forced to march when he should sleep. He'd be able to do this once he found room in the burial grounds above. He was lead up those steps by Zarock, and then we distantly heard the digging up of soil, before a collapsing thud gave Graives the sleep he now longed for.

Then it was grimly still and silent inside the dark crypt. Only Duke's growling breath filled the air around me as he held me against him still. Looking up at him, I would find his eyes growing distant as he watched me. Turning away as the fire in them burned on with an eternity trying to claim him.

"No!" I pleaded, grasping his shoulders, "Don't you dare slip away now! Duke!"

He watched me with crimson, ethereal flames for his eyes. In them, I could see him trying to remember despite still holding onto me still.

I looked to Faith, desperation causing my heart to pound hard against my chest, "Please let him go! You have Zarock back, you have your pendant! Please lift your curse!"

Faith looked over us both, seeming unsure of my request.

"Please! I beg you! He was trying to help you! He was trying to save the town too! Thief or not, he's still a good man!"

Still Faith watched us without a word. Taking in our battered frames. Clinging to one another, even if he didn't remember entirely why he was.

"Please...free him of this before it's too late..."

"You did all of this...for this one person? All your injuries, your exhaustion, your very life nearly put out by the one you're fighting to save? Is this thief really worth all of this to you?"

"Yes," I breathed out without batting so much as an eyelash while clinging to him.

She turned to Duke, and I would hear her say while casting a hand out to us,

"If you can remember who you were, and your connection to this girl , then I can lift your curse. However, if not, then your fate has already been sealed and this domain your prison to protect, and she will mean nothing from this point on."

Duke looked to her, and then to me as we heard these words. Still my heart raced against my chest as I tried to think of how to reach him, to begin trying to pull him back. The confusion in his eyes drowned any familiarity that I could find before. Seeing this, I reached up and rested my hands against either side of his face, my voice soft, but clear, "Duke...please...give me some sign and I can help you remember, I'll be with you every step of the way. I just need you to recall something to start with, okay?"

I then glanced down a moment as he stared at me, unsure of my pleading. Quickly I held up the sapphire in one hand, showing it to him, "What about this? Do you remember it? You never told me what fully happened, was it from a job?"

He started to shake his head before reaching a talon out to carefully grasp the gem in his palm. He started to tell me,

"It wasn't a job...not this one...aformer friend challenged me one night a few years ago. It was a few years before the invasion,...it was a challenge for leadership of our gang. That night, my best friend showed his true colors when I won. My prize was this stolen sapphire...along with the loss of my eye, an' almost my life..."

My own eyes widened a bit to hear this, but even more so when I saw his talons recoiling a bit, reverting back into fingers. Though not those of hazelnut, I quickly realized; but the warm gray feathered fingers I'd known far longer.

So I asked quickly, trying to keep him on the right track, "You've held onto it since?"

He nodded his head as his other hand followed after the first, gradually reverting back. Seeing this, I slid my hands carefully from his shoulders, down along his arms, and reaching his wrists. Then I gently took his hands in mine, grasping them tightly, "Stay with me, please?"

"If I hadn't been a thief than I'd still have my eye though."

His curse tried to reclaim his hands as talons, but I held them tight while focusing on him, "Nonetheless you were; but that's okay! You being a thief helped form who you are, Duke!"

"It did?"

I nodded my head with a bit of a smile curving my lips, "Duke, being a thief is just a part of you. It's given you skills that you've honed through the years, skills I can tell you're quite proud of aren't you?"

His hands continued to return as he looked to me and tried to smirk, but his fangs reminded him of what he'd become,

"I was..."

"Duke, we've been through this before, haven't we?" I reminded him quickly, "Wildwing wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you! I might not be as well!"

He relaxed his tensing shoulders a bit as I held his hands firmly in mine, "In any case, Duke...you don't deserve this."

"I don't? After all the treasures I've stolen, hearts I've broken over the years?"

"Tell me about those treasures, those adventures you've had?" I requested, "Like you did when we first met? When we'd find each other late at night back at the pond?"

"I...I want to...but everythin's so hazey..."

"Duke, tell me of your wanderings beneath the moonlight, and through the shadows of the heart of Puck World. Share with me the good times you've had with your gang, and acquaintances you've met along the way. Show your scars, and tell their stories, if you need to. Anything to help you come back," I told him.

He looked unsure of whether he wanted to smile or grimace at my request. In my hands I felt him shudder as he looked to the scarring over my face, but I didn't let him pull away when he briefly tried to. Instead I said quickly, "Duke, I love you! Please...I want to go back home to Anaheim with you!"

At this the furious crimson in his widened eyes began to die down. The dark fur of his coat started to thin out, showing some of his scars as it did. He tried to look away, but I quickly rested a hand against his cheek to keep from doing so, "It's okay; you surviving each one has shown how tough it is to knock you down, right?"

He decided on a bit of a smirk as the fire was replaced with the natural light of his eye. Before he realized that I could now see the deep scarring where his right one should have been. He quickly went to cover it with one hand, before I slid my hand up slightly and assured him, "Duke, you don't need to hide this from me."

He still hid it, but looked to me with his remaining eye, clearly a bit stunned by my words. Then his smile began to return as he asked me with a returning confidence as he caught a glimpse of the sapphire around my neck,

"After givin' a bit of myself for that one, I swore I would hold onto it...if I gave it away to anyone, they'd have to be someone quite important to me..."

His gaze returned to meet with mine as I felt the warmth of his words turning my face a bit red. I now realized that his ears were starting to revert back from those of a wolf.

"You must be someone very dear to me to wear it now...sweetheart...?"

"Duke?" I attempted softly, "Please come back. Please remember? You were the thief that found me me that night, and brought me to my brothers when I hadn't any family left to me. You gave me back the name I nearly lost with my memories by being yourself. You took the life you once had, and used it to drive us forward in a way no one back on Puck World may have expected from you. You've pushed us to be better than we set out to be upon reaching Earth. Going through all of this alone...knowing you could slip away...I... I wanted you there with me, making me laugh when I was unsure of things, or reassuring me that things would be okay somehow. I would have give anything to have you back. The thought that all that you are could be gone...I..."

"You're scared for a thief like me...Heart?"

My eyes widened to hear him use my name again, and a burning in my chest ignited. Yet I didn't have a chance to say anything further as a sudden pain jolted through Duke, causing him to collapse into me, "Duke?!"

I quickly wrapped my arms around Duke as his body began to convulse. As he trembled within my embrace, he grabbed a hold of me in return. His grip on my upper arms held like a vice. I ignored the pain pulling at my shoulders, and focused on him still, "Duke, Please hang on!"

"Heart?!"

"I've got you, and I'm not letting go!" I swore to him as my grip around him grew stronger.

His hands fully gripped me without a trace of claws at his fingertips. Still every fiber of him shook as he started to revert back in force. I was afraid to say much more, focusing on just holding him, until I heard him...

"...I need to hear your voice, love...please...?..."

"We need you back home, to finish our mission together! You can't do that trapped here in this tomb! You belong in Anaheim with our friends, and with me!"

His tail retreated as his spine realigned to that of a humanoid. With every change back he growled and whimpered in pain, but he didn't dare let go. Nor did I as I pleaded softly, "I want to hear the stories behind your scars, to know how those hardships molded you into the drake I know."

His pawed feet eased back and his legs shifted in structure as he collapsed further into my arms. He began to cry out as the extra bulk of muscle he'd taken on began to erode away, his lean frame returning bit by bit. I only tightened my grip, one hand at the base of his neck, and the other at his shoulder, "Use that strength and grit you've gained through the years to hold on now."

He nodded his head with a growl still in his throat as his feathers began to grow back in place of the fur he'd had, though he shivered through this transition as he held onto me.

"Don't let that fire that burns in you to fight and protect those in need die out! The world needs a thief to do what's right when so called heroes fail! I needed you that night, and I need you now! Please, Duke!" I begged from a deep pain I couldn't remember the original cause of, just the stinging feeling of it.

At his name, his grip grew like a vice as he buried his face into my neck, shifting it just slightly to look outward. As he did, I felt his jaws reverting back, and a growling scream tore from his throat as his face shifted back to the one I knew. I looked up to see his wings beginning to return into his back, his shoulder blades seemingly pulling them inward.

"I know Duke, I know it hurts! Just hold onto me! I won't let go! Just don't let these scars be the ones to break you!"

Another roar of a cry deafened my ears, causing them to ring as he clung to me. I looked to see them nearly gone, his shoulder blades raw and bloody. His breathing was short and rapid as he endured his bones in his back rearranging, as though the wings had never been there in the first place.

"Duke, you are my dearest friend...I have always trusted you without a doubt," I said to him, thinking back to when we'd first met, and our earliest encounters.

We'd been through things like this before...but these moments never faded in how clear and important they were with every look back on them. By just being himself, this drake had drawn out more of who I was with each shared adventure. From thrilling missions, to heart pounding conversations in the calm that followed. Through everything..., "By being the charming drake you are, I've found someone I can always confide in, who will listen to my fears, and then get me to laugh afterwards. You reached out to me, somehow knowing I wasn't sure how to myself, and you found a way to make me smile each time...please don't take that away...or the hope you've given me..."

As his wings finally melded into his back, and his bones shifted within to reform the frame he'd had before all of this; I felt his hands tighten on my shoulders once more. With one last sharp cry of pain the fangs he bore retreated and the rest of him followed suit to transform back into the lean figure of the rogue I knew. Then his grip eased up slowly as he looked to me through his wildly disheveled feathered hair, with a weak smirk curving his beak as he breathed out, "Thank you sweetheart..."

Before I could even attempt an answer he collapsed to the floor, with me somehow managing to catch him as his head landed in my lap, lying on his right side a bit. I kept one hand resting gently against his face, and the other at his opposite shoulder. He shivered from the cold and pain washing over his lean frame. The shock of no longer having a thick coat to warm him nearly caused him to curl up, even with his feathers returned to him. Though instead, he turned his head slightly to face upward, as though trying to make sure of who it was holding him. As he did, he attempted in a breath of a voice, "H-Heart...?"

I choked back a sob of near disbelief to see him so shaken. My hands trembled slightly as I carefully brushed his feathered hair, trying to smooth it into place for him. As I did, I said to him just as softly, "I missed you, Duke."

He gave a tired smile while trying to look up at me, a weak chuckle finding it's way out of him, "...Charmin' huh?"

I couldn't tell if my cheeks were red from him teasing me, or from my own crying. Nonetheless, I tried to regain my composure and offered a weak laugh of my own to encourage him. It seemed to work as he shakily turned onto his stomach and pushed himself up. As he did this, I offered what assistance I could by resting my hands against his shoulders in support.

Duke:

As I felt Heart place her hands against my still trembling, feathered frame, I looked to her to see the deep crimson shade of her face. Yet I also saw the fear lingering in her eyes as she tried to convince herself I was back, holding back the tears that welled in those sapphires of hers. It tore my heart to shreds to see her so frightened and exhausted. My very core shook when I realized just how much she'd gone through just to keep me from slipping away, to be replaced by the guardian that wouldn't know her from one person to another...her...Heart...the woman I reached out to now by resting my hand against the cheek I'd scarred with my own claws. She'd gone through all of this...for me? I shouldn't have been surprised after all we'd been through thus far, and yet I was quite stunned still.

"I owe ya more than I can ever say, Heart..." I finally managed to say, before leaning closer to her, and brushing that same cheek with a kiss.

"Duke?" she asked shakily.

"I love ya so much, sweetheart," I whispered while still that close to her.

"I love you too," I heard her breath, before kissing me directly.

After a few much needed moments like this, I then attempted to get to my feet before my body refrained from this movement. The shock of changing back and forth as I had attempted to lock me in place for a bit. Heart was there to catch me as I fell into her. I gave a pained laugh, "This will take some time to recover from...hopefully I should be fine before our next game..."

We then looked as we heard Zarock returning down the steps. He smiled a bony grin when he saw us and gave a nod. He then walked over to Faith and wrapped his arms around her as she did the same with him. Then, after kissing her forehead in a way, he rested her back in her casket before returning to his own. We would both then hear, from both of them.

"Thank you..."

Only when they were at peace once more, did I feel the lingering anger and confusion in the air of the tomb finally wash away.

Then Heart slid her arm under my shoulder as she began guiding me up those steep steps. We would find the former mayor's horse tied to the gate outside. With a promise of more apples, Heart was able to steer us back to town.

Once back, we were celebrated as heroes as our tale spread throughout the town. Mr. Timbers would be the stand in mayor to help rebuild their home, and bring it to prosper once again. We also informed them that we would spread word to Prince Borg of what all had happened, and to ask for his assistance in strengthening the town that his neighboring kingdom had neglected.

We were also visited by a magic caster, specializing in clothing and adventurer's gear. From them we were given a scroll that would repair two full suits of clothes or armor as though they were brand new. This gave me some relief, as I wasn't sure how I'd be able to remake my suit as I had back on Puck World. Nor did I wish to rely on my stealth suit that Heart and I used for specific missions.

So while Heart went to repair our gear, I had little choice but to rest up. Our room was also on the house according to the Timbers couple, giving me some more peace of mind as I drifted off to sleep.

Late that night, I awoke to hear Heart stirring from her own bed. She was sitting up with a sudden start, before looking over to me. Only when seeing me as the drake she knew, did she seem to relax from the nightmares I could tell she'd had.

"Hey, sweetheart..." I offered a smile to let her know I was awake.

She didn't hesitate in coming over to sit beside me, pulling a chair up to my bed as she did.

"After a day or so I should be good," I assured her softly, "Ya know, I'm a quick healer."

"Take the time you need to," she insisted.

I gave a nod and then tilted my head curiously, "Are you okay?"

I'd already noticed the bandage on her cheek, and hated knowing why it was there. So much that I recoiled from reaching out to her.

Heart nodded, before trying to say in a lighter tone, "Thank goodness for that scroll we were given, I know you'd prefer something other than the tunic you're wearing for now...especially without the high collar you're used to..."

Was she blushing? Despite my reservations I couldn't help but tease, "Not exactly the kind of attention I'd want. Even if it does make ya blush like that?"

She tried to laugh, but I could see the unease clinging to her. So I offered a hand to her, that she held tightly, almost as though she were keeping me from slipping away again. Then while resting there in the bed, holding her hand, I vaguely recalled something, "That creep...he accused ya of stealin' somethin' of his?"

Heart looked as though she'd forgotten until now as well. She then pulled away to retrieve the gem from her vest resting on the dresser. Only now did I realize that she was wearing a night gown, most likely given to her by one of the townsfolk, as it matched the style of this realm. It was a soft white sleep dress of light linen reaching her ankles.

Returning to the bedside, she opened her hand as though her fingers were the petals of a flower. Without hesitation, she offered softly, "I thought it might help you, if ever we couldn't repair yours, or if magic prevented it from working like with our comms?"

"Heart...ya didn't have to do this," I attempted before seeing the recoil in her stance.

I quickly sat up slightly as I looked to her, "No...I mean...Heart, if somethin' had happened to ya 'cause of this, I'd never be able to forgive myself. Faith's spell could have..."

This wasn't helping either of us, I realized as I paused.

Then instead, I said to her what I really thought of her gift to me, "Thank you so much, darlin'. It means more to me than I can say."

I watched as she blushed, and I found it to be a bit of torture. She then handed me the notes that went with the gem as we looked over them together, "This gem acts like any other eye, however it offers the gift of being able to see in the dark for it's bearer. I don't need it now, but if I were to lose one in battle, this eye could be rather useful in it's place."

Heart carefully handed me the gem, placing it gingerly in my outstretched palm as I closed my fingers over it.

"Guess there's only one way to find out?" I realized how nervous I was.

"I have yours safe and sound, but I'm not sure if it was damaged," she mentioned.

"I'd prefer to do this myself...it's not that I'd think you'd turn away..." I attempted to say, before requesting gently, "Please, Heart...?"

She gave a nod while she closed her hand over my other briefly as it rested over the blankets. Then she turned her head as I'd asked, and allowed me to place the gem where my cybernetic eye usually rested. It was comfortably smooth I realized. Then I simply blinked as I naturally would, and found I could see Heart sitting at my right with ease. I almost didn't believe it, and I think it showed as my remaining natural eye misted over from the shock. I watched as Heart waited for me to say, "It's okay now..." and offered a comforting smile while lovingly squeezing my hand again.

However, I found this simply wasn't enough. So I pushed myself to sit up better and pulled her into a hug as I silently breathed out, "I love ya so much."

She in turn answered what she did hear, "I love you to, and I'm so glad you're back..."

Heart then pulled away and retrieved something else from her pocket now. I soon recognized it to be the eye-patch I'd worn over the last few years. She noted that I was keeping my right side out of her view, and I mentioned, "I'd still prefer to wear it...I'm proud of who I am an' the skills I've gained, but the patch looks more appealin' than these gruesome scars."

She looked right at me to prove, "I wouldn't look away Duke."

"I know that sweetheart, but I'm also just used to it."

She then held the eye-patch out to me before noticing the torn strap from my panic before. Yet when she saw me recoiling a bit from this, she carefully waved her hand over it, and I would notice a small ring on her right hand glowing softly. As she did this, I watched closely when she placed the ends together, and they seamlessly wove back into place. You'd never know it had ever been broken.

"Another gift from Mrs. Timbers," she mentioned, "It's a ring with an endless mending spell. I thought it might come in handy."

"I might have to steal another kiss for all of this Heart, ya really know how to make a drake feel quite lucky," I told her as she handed me the patch.

I found I could easily see through the cloth, but she could not see the gem hiding behind it. Then I asked as I leaned forward, towards her, "May I?"

She blushed a bit, tugging at my heartstrings further, and asked, "Is it stealing if you ask?"

I gave a soft chuckle at this remark before brushing her cheek once more with a thank you that I knew simply wasn't enough. She seemed to agree as she tilted her head just right to kiss me directly in return, as she then whispered, "I missed this too."

I awoke the next morning with Heart sleeping soundly beside me. During our late night conversation I'd noticed her nodding off, and had used what strength I had to pull her up onto the bed beside me. It hurt far less than having her sleep in the bed across from me...without me able to hold her. It seemed she had felt the same way, for she'd been clinging to me in her sleep, albeit gently.

When I moved, she opened those sapphires of hers and looked up to find me giving her a sweet smile, "Mornin', love."

Kissing her forehead made her blush deeper than she already was.

I also found that quite a bit of energy had returned to me as I was able to at least get up out of bed with her. Though I had to take it slow, and plan some steps carefully, I found most of my stride rather quickly.

"Now we need to find a way home," I mentioned over breakfast.

"Well...we do have Asteroth's book now," Heart reminded me, "and he had to have used it when he came to our Anaheim. As much as I don't want to use it, we may not have much of a choice."

"We could head over to Borg's Anaheim and ask him for help?" I suggested, "We did say we'd spread word for this town."

"That sounds like a better plan," Heart agreed.

After declining another day's rest, assuring that we would be fine on our journey from this point, we headed out. We were at least gifted the horse we'd won over with apples, riding together for support and necessity.

Though as we rode on for several hours, we would find ourselves on the edge of what seemed to be a thick forest. We paused at a sign post, it's three main markings pointing towards the three kingdoms we now knew made up this land, as far as we understood anyway. Though Dremare's lettering was nearly scratched out, as though something had clawed across them.

"Anaheim seems to be a good day or so away," Heart mentioned while looking at the marker, and then to the map unfolded in her hands.

We were still mounted on our shared steed, with me reading over her shoulder to try and see if there was a path we might be missing.

"At least we have plenty of food an' supplies for the journey. I jus' hope the others are alright," I said, "An' not too worried...if your brother's feathers weren't white already, I'd swear they would be now."

"Well, we've been in this universe for 3 to 4 days now that sync up mostly with our Anaheim, but we don't know how time worked in the grove," Heart noted.

"Then the best thing we can do is try to get home and tell them what happened. Not much more we can do beyond that now," I said while gently rubbing her shoulders a moment or two, "It'll be okay, sweetheart."

I felt her shoulders relax a bit as a sigh escaped her lungs, "I missed you so much, Duke."

She couldn't see my smile as I was behind her, but I hoped she could feel it as I embraced her, "I missed ya too."

"As did I..."

A voice hissed that we couldn't find the owner of as we looked around. Beneath us, the horse raised it's head in sudden attention, pulling itself from the grass it had been snacking on. It's ears flicked to no avail.

"You've changed quite a bit since the last time I saw you..."

The voice called out with a hum to it. This time drawing our attention to the forest we'd paused at an opening of. A chill ran up my spine, and I felt Heart's frame grow rigid as well. She patted the horse's head, soothing it's unease and ignoring her own.

"You don't remember me?"

Heart chose not to answer, but looked to the forest for one. Still no one seemed to be there. At least that's what it looked like, before I glanced down at the ground near the horse's hooves. My remaining eye widened as I drew Heart's attention, "Heart, we need to go now!"

She glanced down, finding what I had. Nearing our shadows was a long hand of the same transparent ebony, reaching out from those of the trees closest to us. It's spindly digits warped and twisted into long claws trying to scrape at our own shadows.

"Go? I've only just found you again?"

The voice snickered, before adding.

"And I'm nearly starving after waiting...how long has it been since you ran from this realm...and joined this odd collection of companions?"

"Not long enough!" I warned as I gripped the reigns over Heart's frozen hands and snapped them.

Instantly we were off, galloping as fast as that horse would carry us. Though behind us we could hear the voice echoing out a twisted laugh that almost seemed to chase us as well. By now Heart had regained her senses, and was directing the horse through the thick brush and reaching branches of the outskirts of those woods. As some of their thicker limbs tried to catch us in their spindly grasp, I drew my saber and cleared the way for us.

Yet as I did, I would fail to notice in time, the shadow reaching out from the nearest tree grabbing a hold of my own and yanking me back. With this I found I wasn't able to pull free, and I went tumbling off the horse, rolling to a stop at least on the ground.

"Duke!" Heart called out as she felt me pulled away from her.

I was already trying to get to my feet when I felt something unseen trying to hold me there on the ground.

"Interesting...as I recall, you're the thief she yearned for so badly the last time we saw one another...?"

"Show yourself, ya coward!" I called out while trying to pull free as I stood up.

"Oh, I will," he insisted with a sickening snicker, "Though first, why not use you to lure her in?"

A sudden chill ran up my spine again as I looked to Heart, who was already turning the horse around to retrieve me. Still I pulled at my invisible restraints as I tried to warn her, "Heart, stay back!"

Yet after the last few days, she wasn't going to. I would see this as the energy in her began to spark around her frame. It grew more focused when she saw the shadowed hands holding me back, "Let him go!"

"You're not running...? How odd?" it hissed with laughter, "What else of you has changed I wonder?"

It was then that I noticed another tendril of a limb reaching for her as she drew to a pause, quite likely trying to spot where the being was hiding to draw him out. I would also see the electricity coming forth from her growing stronger.

"How odd, indeed?" he echoed.

I would then feel as though something were trying to merge with me, wrapping itself around my frame. That is before a bolt of energy lashed out from Heart's fingertips. A shriek of sudden pain rang in my ear as the jolt startled it off of me at the very least. I didn't look back yet to find out. Instead, I drew my saber and hurried over to Heart. Still he didn't waver in tone as I stood defending her now.

"This should be fun...I wonder if I should make a better game out of this..."

It paused, and as it did, I looked briefly over my shoulder at Heart to see the slightest signs of those scales once again.

"Heart?"

"I see...you need a little more time to make this more...fulfilling, especially after craving this for so very long...I can wait a bit more..."

"We need to go," I said, feeling for certain that fighting head on wouldn't get us very far.

Stepping back, I grabbed Heart by the hand and turned to find our horse.

"Then again...I am quite hungry...what if I had a bit of fun now...I simply can't decide...?"

I would feel that sensation at my heels. As I did, Heart would see the oddly shaped hands reaching for us this time. Surrounding us, we quickly noticed. When we did, I pulled her close to me, daring this cretin to try and sever us. Though I knew I wasn't at my normal strength, I also knew I wasn't going to let her go without a fight. Nor was she, it seemed, as lightening burst from her smaller frame in warning.

"So...he is the key then...?"

Heart would then retrieve from the satchel she'd been wearing, Asteroth's book as she decided rather quickly, "We need to get home!"

She began rapidly flipping through those pages, scouring it for anything that could help. As she did, I would happen to look over and stop it as I pointed out, "I think that's it!"

"Hang on!" Heart instructed as she began chanting the words aloud.

"Emoh ekil ecalp on s'ereht!"

With that, a blinding flash of light engulfed us both as I made sure to keep my arms securely around her. In seconds we found ourselves being pulled through a gateway, being sure to hold onto one another and the book so not to lose it. We'd heard our horse managing to gallop away, fortunately without our belongings that we'd kept on our person.

Then, in a sudden second flash, we were dropped onto the ground, and found ourselves looking up at the front doors of the pond.

"We're...we're home?" Heart stammered, "It worked?"

Checking my comm, I would find five other signals finally blinking near our position. And growing closer, I realized, by the second.

"We're about to find out," I chuckled with a fair bit of confidence.

Suddenly Nosedive and Grin burst through those double doors. Their worried and relieved expressions fell over us as the younger of the two exclaimed, "Sis! Duke!"

"Hey Dive!" Heart replied with her own relief escaping her lips.

"Where have you been the last week?!" the blonde drake questioned as the others came running up to find us as well.

"It's a long story," Heart warned as she shakily got to her feet.

"Start from the beginning," Wildwing said as he stepped into view.

"We missed ya too, Wing," I couldn't help but chuckle a tad nervously when we got a stern look from our leader.

Though this lasted only a moment or two before he eased up and sighed, "We missed you too, welcome home."