Arthur's Note: Dammit, Merlin... why'd you have to get yourself trapped in a stupid magic cave? Man.. I always knew your only weakness was a babe... Tomorrow's gonna be no fun... Guinevere had to go and cheat on me so now I have to behead her. It'll be so messy...

Author's Note: Ahem... Okayz... Oh, Disclaimer: I do not own MapleStory. I do not own anything having any relation to MapleStory that might be copyrighted. I hate disclaimers... Oh... I'm not making money off of this... Soooo...

NcMage: Yeah, like ten minutes after I finished it I thought: Hey, that sounds like that anime with the ninja... and the demon... and that obsessed guy who wants to kill his brother... Oops! I watch it sometimes... Sometimes...


Alexei darted through the underbrush, his Colonian Axe trailing by his side. The forests of Ellinia was frought with young magicians testing their new abilities on the Slimes that lurked below. They stopped and gawked at him as he past, a veteran Crusader was rare in Ellinia, most were in Orbis. Some pursued him, hoping for some quick training, while others bragged to their friends that they had seen a Crusader. Alexei sighed and drove onwards, past the hordes of magicians into the deeper sections of the forests.

The light grew sparse, and he caught glimpses of halos, before they quickly moved out of view. Alexei slowed, catching his breath. He looked up and saw a banana peel lying forgotten on the ground. A faint cry sounded in the distance, followed by the sound of the trees being disturbed. He glanced quickly through the clearing, the leafy vines blocking most of his vision. A flicker- something darted past, vanishing instantly. Alexei tightened his grip on his axe, awaiting the moment that he anxiously awaited.

The light faded. Another flash, a screech of impatience. The shadows of the trees suddenly expanded, then flooded into the open. Figures emerged from the darkness. They were monkeys, Zombie Lupins, their hideous faces alight with a grotesque fascination, their snouts twitching in a false smile. They were disgusting beasts, though they were no different from simple zombies. Their features were demonic, but their eyes were the most disturbing part of their being. They were empty, windows that opened into a dark abyss. They sucked in the light and returned only darkness. Ancient knowledge lurked in their fathomless depths.

Alexei flexed his knuckles. The demons tilted their heads, necks cracking with an ominous echo. Alexei disappeared. The demons, still with the inane smiles, stayed where they were, almost as if oblivious to the seeming flight of their enemy. "Combo Attack!" A wind blew through the clearing. Almost invisible, Alexei whirled within, striking death with each blow. The demons died, but with each death more appeared in its stead. Alexei continued in his dance, unaware of the lack of effect he was having upon the Zombie Lupins. He paused, only a fraction of a second, but he seemed to take in his surroundings. Then, turning a different way, he slammed his axe into the ground. Shockwaves rippled through the forest. The Lupins stumbled, knocking them off balance. Alexei twisted through the air again. He turned upon a group of Zombie Lupins, attacking them with relentless force. "Panic!" The demon's eyes widened, then it evaporated in a cloud of shadows.

The monsters converged again, taking the offense. They swarmed upon Alexei, crushing him in an overwhelming pile of their bodies. Alexei clawed for air, his hand the only visible part of his body. The hand went limp.

XxX

"Alex!" Akuji awoke from his stumblings in the past. The demon lazily flicked through his vessels dreams with distaste, though somewhat eager for a deep secret that he could use for more control over his soon-to-be new body.

Alex? Whose that?

Nobody...

Ha... That's why you woke from your stupid memories with his name on your lips. Might it be? No! Couldn't be! Your brother?

Shut up...

Ah... Guilty... He's dead, isn't he?

Dammit! Shut up!

Hmm... Your reaction tells me it's your fault. Too bad...

"Akuji! Akuji! Snap out of it! Jeez, ya wake me up in the middle of the night screamin' bloody hell and then ya pass out on me! Athena and Aradia have been, like, swooning in worry! Then ya wake up and shout 'Alex' and then ya go into a trance... and... Hell, you're pretty messed up man...," Ryker remarked as he watched Akuji shake himself awake.

"Wha?" Akuji asked drowsily.

Aradia stood from where she sat in the corner of the room. "Who's Alex?"

Akuji looked up and glanced at her chocolate-brown eyes. "Nobody," He answered, averting his eyes to the floor.

"Do you not trust us?"

"What?" Akuji asked, shocked. The question had surprised him, Aradia had never been that forthcoming.

"Do you trust us?" She repeated, impatience wearing in her voice.

"O-of course I do... I just..."

"You haven't told us anything of your past, and you haven't really told us much about your run-in with Kronos!"

Akuji's eyes darkened. "What gives you the right to demand answers! I keep my past to myself! And why should I trust you? You obviously don't trust me enough to have told me that I've a demon in me!"

Aradia stumbled back, confusion on her face. "How did you..."

"That man told me... He serves Kronos, apparently. He told me how Kronos marked me, sealed a demon inside of me..." He broke off, lost in his thoughts. "Its name... It says it's Kane..."

Aradia frowned. "You shouldn't be talking to it, it just gives it more purchase over..."

"Don't lecture me! Dammit, you don't know anything!" The demon, Kane, smirked in his prison. The boy was molding to him. Soon, he would be identical to Kane's temperament and it would be a simple matter to take over his mind.

"I don't know anything because you won't tell me!"

Ryker tried to stop the fight. "Aradia, just let it go let him--"

"No! I promised to help you, Ryker and I both! We can't help you if you don't tell us--"

"I don't need your help! Leave me the hell alone! You think you can help me, but you can't! You don't understand me! You've never seen your brother slaughtered before you, then dragged off to the far-reaches of hell! You've never seen an innocent person die, right in your face. My brother died because I couldn't help him, but Tatum... Tatum died because I didn't help her! Do you know what that guilt feels like?"

Aradia was silent, her face aghast at Akuji's words.

"You've never been alone... Truly alone... You've never been pressured to be a hero, while all you want to be is normal... You've never been forced into a quest you don't want any part of! Why don't you go out there, and learn what all that feels like, then you can goddamn well come in here and lecture me! But don't you dare... Don't you dare try to understand me!" Akuji wrenched himself from his bed, grabbed his robe from a chair and stormed off, his bow hanging from his back along with his quiver.

Ryker sighed. "That went well. Who'da thought that Akuji was such an emo--"

"Ryker! This isn't the time for jokes! This is serious! The demon is getting more and more control over him... When he said what its name was... That means he talks regularly to it! Who knows what twisted ideas Kane's put into his mind... And what he said... They were his words... But in his eyes... That was Kane..."

Ryker frowned. "Yeah... Well, I say you're looking at his eyes to much. I didn't notice anything. Just seemed like one pissed off, emo hero to me," He remarked.

Aradia sighed. "I should know better than to try and be serious with you!" She walked from the room.

Ryker shrugged again. "Man... Everyone's so tense..."

XxX

The Zombie Lupins plodded around the clearing, filled with a demonic energy. A ragged body lay discarded on the forest edge. An axe lay beside it, just out of reach. A rustling in the woods announced another person's prescence. The Lupins stood to abrupt attention, their mangy fur bristling with tension. Caden stepped from the shadows, his Hellslayer trailing beside him. The Lupins relaxed and continued what they were doing. "Hmm? What do we have here?" He asked quietly, shuffling over to the ragged form. "Who are you?"

"Alexei..."

"Alexei? Huh... What happened to you?"

"Damn... Zombie... Lupins swarmed..."

"Ah, that would do it... If you don't mind, Alex-- May I call you Alex?--, I have to say that's almost sad for a Crusader of your stature..."

"There... were hundreds... Couldn't hold them off..."

"Ah, of course... Well, that certainly is bad luck, as it appears they're still hungry..."

"What?"

"Good-bye---" Caden tensed, his eyes squeezed shut. What?

Don't leave him there... And watch the tone...

Of course... master...

Take him with you. He might be a valuable asset... You never know...

Very well. "Here, let me help you up!" He said cheerfully.

Alexei took his hand warily.

"So, what are you doing in these parts?" Caden asked.

"Looking... For someone..."

"Really? Who?"

"My younger brother..."

"Oh? What's his name? I may have heard of him..."

"His name... Is Akuji..."

Caden tensed. Amazing, what a coincidence...

Dammit, Kronos!

Watch the impudence!

Sorry...

We may be able to use him to draw out Akuji's demon.

Yes... Caden payed little attention to Kronos's ramblings about what good fortune the meeting with Alexei was. He had a plan forming in his mind.

"Alexei, why are you looking for your brother?"

"I must get revenge..." Alexei blacked out.

Caden smirked. This was perfect. If he could get Alexei to kill Akuji, he could stop Kronos with the least amount of pain on his part. He glanced at his new traveling partner.

Strange things seemed to be happening...


AN: Was it good? Ack... I'm outta school for the summer so I might be writing more... Anyways, please review! Please! Pretty please! Supah please!