If you read my profile earlier this week, you saw I wasn't going to update until the 13th. This changed when the chapter wrote itself without me paying attention, so you guys get to enjoy a consistent update. Yay.

The world seemed oddly quiet to Kuon as he moved as if on automatic throughout the room, checking on those that were trampled in the mass exodus, and doing what he could to clean up the mess. Lory and Kuu had hurried the fallen champions out of the room and into the clinic, in the hopes to save those they could. That meant damage control had fallen to him. A quickly stifled sob caught Kuon's attention. He turned to see his mother sobbing quietly into her hands, her body trembling.

Kuon walked over to touch her lightly on the shoulder. She looked up at him, face and eyes red and dripping. It had been years since Kuon had seen her like this and he had to swallow a lump rising in his own throat. Julie reached out and grabbed his hand tightly, as if she were afraid he would vanish.

"I was so afraid I had lost you." She whispered. "You weren't responding…"

"I'm alright mother." Said Kuon squeezing her hand in return. "I haven't gone anywhere."

"You're right." She said dropping his hand and rubbing her face several times, scrubbing the tears from her eyes and trying to smile.

"Mother you need to rest" said Kuon, "Please, go with the guards back to your room."

But the queen didn't listen. "I'm going to my husband." She said firmly. "I need to be with him."

The queen's face was still be blotchy and red, but she had that look that stubborn look in her eyes. Kuon quickly assigned a guard to follow her to the clinic. Honestly, Kuu could use the support.

Satisfied that his mother would be taken care of, Kuon turned his attention to the next woman in his life.

Kyoko was flitting around the scene, helping with small injuries and calming people down. He moved to get closer to her, or at least, he intended to. His path was blocked by a noble woman.

"This is your fault!" she yelled, pointing a finger at him. "How could you let this happen?"

"Lady Matsuni, please calm yourself." Said Yukihito, who was standing beside Kuon.

"My son was one of your champions!" Kanna Matsuni yelled at him, tears streaming down her face. "My son, and you let this happen to him! What are you and the king doing? Twiddling your thumbs and letting the accursed kill us all!"

"I know you're upset," Said Yukihito, his voice hard. "and this is a terrible time, but I suggest that you curb your tongue until you are able to speak more rationally."

"More rationally?" She shrieked. "My son is dead because of them and you expect me to be rational!? Why don't you risk your own lives next time!"

This was going to stop now. Kuon's anger wasn't hot, but cold, his voice frozen over with rage as it sharpened. The woman flinched at his anger, unconsciously feeling it sweep over her.

"You dishonor your son." Said Kuon shortly. "He chose to take this burden, knowing full well that he was risking his life. He was willing to fight against the darkness, in the same way that my father has. Remember Matsuni that your king just returned from a brutal battle against one of the accursed, where he bled and lost a great friend." Kuon looked her straight in the eyes. "So do not speak to me of risking lives."

The woman swallowed, shame now accompanying the anger swimming in her eyes. She glanced around, only now realizing how many people their argument had attracted. Everyone was staring at them, Kuon hyper aware of their eyes. His own moved through the crowd, making eye contact with many of them. He saw confusion, hurt, anger and fear.

"Do not confuse who the real enemy is." said Kuon, raising his voice so it carried through the room. "Do you not remember what your king said? We must come together to fight the accursed. If we quarrel against each other, then you are letting the enemy win. Do not let the lives of these that fell here be in vain by tarnishing their memory with your misplaced anger. Honor them by renewing your resolve and directing your anger where it belongs; with those that caused this to happen."

No one cheered for his impromptu speech. Instead, he saw teeth clench, resolves strengthen and people crumple in distress. Kuon walked closer to the distraught mother, his fury abating and filling with sorrow instead.

"I am sorry that this happened." Said Kuon. "But your son's death will not go unavenged. We will defeat those that brought about this madness and destroy them."

The anger completely left her, the woman sobbing harder in response. A guard came over and assisted her out of the room. Kuon looked over, locking eyes with Kyoko who was kneeling beside a woman. He saw concern and a question in them. He gave her a small grimace, then motioned her shadow guard over. The man had come out to protect Kyoko when the threat had first appeared. He approached, a head wrap and hood shading even his eyes from view. Long daggers were strapped to his thighs, the black leather jerkin exposing thick strong muscles. He looked fierce, even here in the light. Kuon pitied anyone that met him in the dark.

"Make sure she gets back safely." Said Kuon, motioning to Kyoko. "And her friend as well." They still couldn't be sure something else wouldn't happen and he'd be more efficient knowing she was safe.

The man bowed, and walked over to Kyoko talking quietly to her. She looked up at Kuon, frustration obvious. She argued for a moment with her guard before bowing her head grudgingly. She was then lead out of the room with Kanae, both sending Kuon worried glances.

Satisfied that those he loved were safe, Kuon turned his attention back to the task at hand. A migraine was slowly forming around his temples, but he resolved to push through it. His father had left it to him to clean up and he'd fulfill his duty.

He half expected the Djinn to show up again. It didn't, and he honestly wasn't sure if it had been a figment of his imagination. Kyoko hadn't seen it, and his father hadn't mentioned it before running off. Kuon wasn't sure what to think. As it was, he couldn't rest. Not yet.

"I'm sorry your majesty." Said Konoe. "But if you can't guarantee the safety of our soldiers, we just can't lend you any aid."

"I understand." Said Kuu, heart heavy. "Make sure to send your king my best wishes. We will let you know as soon as we have resolved the issues."

Konoe fidgeted, obviously uncomfortable with being unable to do more. He was only an ambassador from the Aquiteris kingdom, one of the countries boarding the northern area of Ashuron. They had developed a friendly relationship over the years, the king kind enough to offer his troops if needed. The assistance wasn't required yet, which was a good thing since it looked like Ashuron wouldn't get any until they found a way to stop the seeds from sprouting as well as this new occurrence.

"I'm sorry your highness." Sighed Konoe. "I'll do my best to speak with him, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Thank you." Said Kuu, extending an arm. "I wish you a safe journey on your way home."

Konoe shook his hand, sending Kuu one last sad look before exiting. The second he was gone, Kuu let out a sigh, his strong stance melting away. His wife snaked an arm through his own, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"It's not to be unexpected." She said. "You wouldn't risk your own people either if they were in the same situation."

"True, but it's still frustrating." Said Kuu.

He walked over to a seat and sat down, thankful to be off his feet. They were currently waiting outside the operating room; Lory having kicked him out when he stopped being useful. The phoenix had taken off soon after, no doubt scouting the area for any other events.

"I'm just frustrated." Said Kuu. "No matter what we do, the accursed have been a step ahead of us this whole time. We know too little, and the little we do know hasn't helped."

"You are being too hard on yourself." Said Julie. "We have had some successes. Have faith in your people and in yourself. You can't do it all. We are here with you."

Kuu placed a hand over his wife's own, closing his eyes and concentrating on her. He could feel her hands, smooth and calm, but he had felt them trembling before.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked.

"I am now that you've calmed." She scoffed. "Do not spend your time worrying about me. You take care of the kingdom; I'll take care of you. That's how it's always been."

A true Julie response. It was a mantra she enjoyed repeating. He smiled, kissing the back of her hand in gratitude. They both sat, quiet, waiting for Lory to emerge and give them his sentence on the champions. Julie had to tell Kuu to quiet his bouncing legs a few times, but eventually the man emerged.

Kuu stood up, followed closely by Julie, anxious to hear the news. Hirotaka was right behind Lory, both looked tired.

"Well?" asked Kuu.

Lory shook his head.

"All dead save two." Said Lory. "There was nothing we could do for them."

Kuu swallowed. Five people dead on his watch. Five citizens that had pledged themselves to assist in the destruction of the dark djinn. He needed to see them. He brushed past Lory, slipping out of Julie's grasp as he entered the room.

All the champions were laying on a separate bed. Five were covered by a white cloth, a single desert rose resting on each of them. Kuu's eyes slowly trailed around the circle of beds, taking a moment to remember each fallen victim. Then he made it to the two that were still alive.

One was still unconscious. Jelly Woods lay quiet, but not in a peaceful slumber. Her face was pinched, new lines of grief marking her once ageless face. Beside her on the other bed was a man Kuu recognized as Tsuyoshi Momose. He was awake, but his eyes were unfocused, evidently still dazed. Both had a mixture of light and dark magic about them, the light thankfully more dominant.

"Tell me more about their condition, and about the magic that did this." Said Kuu. He knew the others had followed him. Hirotaka came forward, his words tumbling out in a rush to explain.

"It really was a fascinating bit of dark magic." Said Hirotaka "For now I'm calling it invisible blight. It's completely undetectable to our magic tools, but once it activated we could see it all. Honestly all of them would have died if that Kanae girl hadn't been hurt from before. We learned a lot from that case, but this was very different than that. Each person was infected, much like a disease that silently spread in each champion. We guess based on the differing amount of dark energy in each champion that it grew in strength over time, again like a disease. We are not sure if it can be transferred from person to person however, that answer we still do not know."

"So are you saying that they were… infected with this magic before the ceremony?" asked Kuu.

"Indeed." Said Hirotaka, bobbing his head. "Brilliant idea really. Why plan an uncertain attack when you can guarantee a blow like this? The invisible blight only activated when it came in contract with the phoenix's magic. Then when it did, it lit like a fire bathed in kerosene. Poof! Overpowered the champions and burned out most of them like a leaf."

"Don't say it like that." grimaced Julie, glaring at Hirotaka. "These are human lives and souls your talking about."

"My apologies your majesty." Said Hirotaka. "But I've never seen anything like it before."

"You said that the magic grew over time." Said Kuu. "Is that why these two survived while the others didn't?"

"It's our best guess at the moment." Said Hirotaka. "Both Duchess Woods and Tsuyoshi were selected to be champions right before the ceremony due to internal conflicts. They may not have been infected before that decision was made, hence why their curse was not as strong. The boy was literally a last minute decision."

"Which means he would have only had contact with a few people before the ceremony." Said Kuu. "Someone would have had to infect him then. Lory, as soon as the boy wakes, we need a list of everyone he talked to after being selected as a champion."

"Already on it." Said Lory. "Though it might not help. I'm sure the accursed placed this blight on multiple people just to cover all their bases. He may have been infected before he knew for certain that he was going to be a champion."

"Still, it's the best lead we have for this." said Kuu. If there was another betrayer planting curses on his people, he wanted to know. "Were the contracts at least completed?"

"They were." Said Hirotaka. "These two are now officially champions, once they are up and about again."

That at least was good, assuming they still wanted the job. More than one soldier had lost their nerve after their first day in a real battle. It was hard to recover from trauma like this, especially for one as young as the Momose boy. He barely looked a day over twenty.

"You said that we couldn't detect this magic before," said Kuu. "Do you think after this we can prevent this from happening again?" They'd have to find a way to detect the curse as well as a way to purify it before selecting anymore champions. They wouldn't be able to hold another ceremony until then.

"Not yet, but I've thought of a theory of how we can do so." Said Hirotaka, already hurrying out the door and motioning for Kuu to follow. "I'll show you what I have."

Kuu moved to follow him out, but hesitated. He noticed Lory, silently watching Jelly as she lay asleep on the bed. His face was calm, silent, a perfect mask of nothing. Only his bawled fists showed any emotion he currently felt.

Kuu walked over to his friend. "Are you coming to see what Hirotaka has come up with?"

"Yeah." Said Lory, voice low.

He turned on his heel, marching out of the room without looking back. Kuu watched the back of his friend as it left, understanding the weight it carried. Both Kuu and Lory had the lives of everyone in the kingdom in their hands. Kuu dealt with the light - what was seen and what the public acknowledged- while Lory dealt with the dark, the secrets and troubles the public were never told. Together, they kept the kingdom safe, but they also put themselves and their loved ones in danger in the process.

That danger was the reason Lory had never gotten another wife after his previous one had died, murdered by a deranged man's final act of revenge against Lory.

He felt someone squeeze his hand. Julie was there again, bringing him out of his dark thoughts.

"It sounds like Hirotaka has forgotten all about you." Said Julie, nodding towards the doorway. Hirotaka's voice could be heard traveling through the open area. "He'd talk for days if someone would listen."

"Crazy magic obsessed man." Sighed Kuu. "But he is amazing. I envy his talent with magic circles."

"Dear." Said Julie quietly. "I think… it's time. For you to talk to Kuon."

Here, in the room surrounded by his fallen people, Kuu knew it was time. They couldn't afford to delay telling him the truth any longer, or discuss what they had learned.

"I think you're right." Said Kuu. "It's well past time for me to talk to him. About everything."

It was late, so late it was almost early. Kuon wanted nothing more than to stop and think, to rest from what had happened. His heart felt heavy, body tired from the event. He had just finished dealing with the last noble, talked to the last guard, and given his last impromptu speech about standing together as a kingdom.

Yukihito had gone some time ago, leaving Kuon with two other escorts from Dyrus. The man had insisted on the body guards, and Kuon hadn't had the energy to fight him. He wanted nothing more than to sleep and dream this nightmare away.

"Kuon."

Kuon turned, recognizing his father walking towards him. The king waved away the guards, signaling to give them space. As soon as they were out of ear shot, Kuon asked the question everyone had been pestering him with.

"How are the champions?" asked Kuon, keeping his voice down.

Kuu glanced around before motioning towards his son to follow him.

"Not here. I need to talk to you. Come."

Kuon followed, not sure what he was expecting. Surprisingly, Kuu lead them right back to the throne room. They left the two guards outside. The room was mostly cleaned from the disaster, the remnants of the curse still left on the ground. It was faded, like led on decade old parchment, worn away after the effects of time, an imprint, but the purpose not discernible to those that read it.

A cry came from the rafters, and Rosa soared from above. She circled the area, coming to rest on the top of the throne. His father walked towards the dais, stepping right over the runes. He held out a hand to Rosa, who took flight and perched on his arm. Then he turned to his son.

His face bore the years of a man twice his age. There was pain, heartache and sorrow in that expression. The years of being King had not been kind on him. It was not fair that Kuu, a peace loving man, was the one that had to rule during the era of the Accursed returning. It was a fate more suited to the previous king.

"All the champions save two are dead." Said Kuu. "Jelly Woods, and Tsuyoshi Momose both survived that attack."

Kuon couldn't help a breath of relief. At least a few had survived. It was selfish of him to be especially glad Jelly had been one of them. He knew Lory would have taken that hit particularly hard.

"Did you see the Djinn there?" asked Kuon.

"No, nor did Rosa." Said Kuu. "The champions all had some sort of curse that slowly infected them over time. It manifested much like a disease. It was easy to remove now that we now know what to look for, but the damage has been done."

"So the ceremony completely failed?" said Kuon.

"Not entirely." Said Kuu. "Jelly and Tsuyoshi retained their contract with Rosa and they are now her champions, but they will both need time to recover, Jelly more so than the boy."

Kuon ground his teeth. All but two champions dead. They'd been having problems getting people to volunteer, but now no one would want to become a champion. How were they supposed to defend their people from the accursed if they didn't have anyone that would be willing to protect the people? They would be too scared and untrusting of the Phoenix to try again. This was a complete disaster.

His mind returned to something else his father had said. If Rosa hadn't sensed the presence of the Djinn, then what had he seen? Had he been hallucinating? Or had it been something only he could see. A manifestation of the curse within him, tempting him.

"My son." Said Kuu, his quiet voice bringing Kuon out of his thoughts. "There is something else I must tell you. It's the reason I brought you to this room."

"What is it?"

"As you know, Rosa is a Demi God." Said Kuu. "She was summoned by the first king, Hikari Hizuri who called upon her to have the light magic needed to defeat the dark djinn, Vaith. She formed a special contract, a bond, and now any of his descendants will inherent the innate ability to use light magic as well as the potential to be selected as the next king by Rosa."

"I know this father." Said Kuon, wondering why he was being told something he had learned as a child.

"I tell you this so that you can remember." Said Kuu. "Because, I'm about to tell you a secret that many don't know about Rosa's contract."

The secret about Rosa's contract? Kuon had never heard of such a thing.

"Rosa's true form is not actually a phoenix." Said Kuu. "It's why she can change into anything she desires. The Phoenix is but a symbol of what she is. She is a Demi God, and as such, her true appearance cannot be contained in a physical form on this earth. To stay here, she has to have a proxy, a vessel with which to tether herself to this world."

"Is this not her Phoenix form?" asked Kuon.

"It is not." Said Kuu. "Rosa was summoned by Hikari into this world through the vessel, allowing her to manifest here as a Phoenix. Without the vessel, her form as the phoenix would disappear."

Kuon immediately saw why this was a secret. Rosa was ageless, able to be reborn from the ashes like a real phoenix from legends. But if her vessel was targeted and destroyed, then no amount of waiting would bring her back.

"Do our enemies know of this?" Said Kuon, recognizing the importance of this secret. The look on Kuu's face told him his answer.

"Who knows?" Said Kuon.

"My brother, Masato." Said Kuu quietly, "My father told him before he died, thinking he would be the next King. I learned only of this from Rosa soon after I became king."

Kuon's heart turned cold. Masato, who they were almost sure was the traitor, knew Rosa's biggest weakness. He could potentially destroy her.

"Does he know where it is?" Asked Kuon.

"No," said Kuu, "He doesn't even know what it is. Thankfully my father only told him that it would manifest itself when he became king. He does not have that knowledge, but he knows it's somewhere in the palace."

Kuon fell quiet for a moment, pondering what he had learned.

"Why are you telling me this father?" asked Kuon.

Kuu gestured around the room.

"Look for it." He said.

"The vessel?"

His father nodded.

"I'm sorry father, but if it were that easy to find, I'd be scared for our kingdom." Said Kuon

"Exercise a little faith in your father and try to find it."

Still skeptical, he humored the king and looked around.

Kuon's eyes immediately went to the throne. A bright red ruby was embedded into the head of the seat. It was infused with light magic, showering the area in its might. He knew it was a magnificent gem.

"Is that it?" Asked Kuon, nodding to the ruby.

Kuu shook his head. "You're doing it wrong. You're using your eyes and knowledge to try and find something of a higher plane. Try using your senses and your heart to feel out the phoenix's power, much like you feel out a person's aura."

Kuon tried again. He felt out with his magic, trying to sense what he could. He could feel his father there, light magic strong and kind. Rosa, majestic and burning with life. Then he could feel his own, tainted and churning within.

"I don't know where it is." Said Kuon. "If it is here, I cannot sense it."

"One more time son." Said Kuu softly. "This time close your eyes, and think... on Kyoko."

Kuon narrowed his eyes at his father. What was he trying to pull?

"Just trust me." Said Kuu, his eyes sparkling with determination.

Kuon couldn't deny his father of his hope. He tried again, this time closing his eyes and thinking of Kyoko. His heart immediately eased at her memory. He concentrated on her passion to succeed, her desire to help others, and her large heart, willing to accept someone as flawed as him as a friend.

As he stood there, he felt something tugging him in a different direction. It felt familiar, nostalgic, as if hearing a song from years ago he had almost forgotten. He listened to it, somehow knowing he could have sensed it long ago, but had never opened his heart to it.

He opened his eyes, following the feeling. It led him to the back of the throne room behind the chair towards the wall. The only thing there was a stretch of canvas and two oil lamps burning on either side of it. His eyes were fixed on one of the lamps, gold intricate designs weaving through the outside, a fire burning inside of it.

Kuon knew this was it.

Kuu stepped up next to his son, the fire from the lamp reflected in his eyes.

"As a boy, I always thought it odd that they had lamps with actual fire in the throne room." He said. "We had upgraded to runes so long ago, I thought it primitive. Then I thought it symbolic. Once I bonded with Rosa, I realized it was to cover in plain sight for the vessel of the phoenix.

"Why can I sense it?" Said Kuon. "Wouldn't anyone with light magic be able to find it? Couldn't Masato?"

"No." Said Kuu. "Only those that have a direct contract with the Phoenix can do so."

"Direct contract with the phoenix?" Said Kuon. That couldn't be right. He hadn't made any sort of contract with Rosa, yet when he glanced at Rosa standing on Kuu's shoulder, he couldn't help but feel it was right. The phoenix jumped down, form shifting into a woman.

Kuon had never been in the phoenix's presence without his father and she always took Julie's form. This time, she took the form of Kuon's heart. It wasn't a surprise the person that stood before him. Petite body, round open face with eyes and hair of a passionate orange. It was Kyoko's form with a few color differences.

"We do have a contract your majesty." Said Rosa. "You have forgotten about it, but I have not."

She stretched out her hand to him. Kuon hesitated. Despite living with Rosa since he was born, he couldn't remember ever touching the phoenix. He didn't know what would happen if he did. His mind imagined himself burning as a result of his curse. He glanced at his father, who was watching silently.

Rosa beckoned again, those eyes, that form pleading for him to reach out. It really wasn't fair of her to use that appearance.

He took her hand.

Kuon gasped. His skin was boiling, but not in an unpleasant way. It was a fire, a light that surged through him. Like with the vessel, he recognized this feeling from long ago.

"It was you." Said Kuon, understanding blooming in him. "You were the voice I heard."

Back when the curse first almost took him, she had been the one to bring him out of the brink of darkness.

"I couldn't let you be taken." Said Rosa. "I bonded with you early, yes, but you were always destined to become the next King. I'm sure the djinn sensed it and targeted you specifically."

"Destined to become the next King..." Kuon's eyes went wide, wondering if he had understood correctly. "Are you saying that you've already started the bond with me... The one that selects me as the next King?"

"I have." Said Rosa. "Originally it would have been around this time I would have selected you, but even I cannot see how everything will play out. Because of your contract with the Djinn, I cannot complete my contract with you, as he cannot complete his. Had I not interfered, you would have been taken by the darkness and become an accursed."

Kuon's head was reeling. It made much more sense, why he had not been taken over back then after making his selfish wish. He hadn't known what it was he was doing at the time, but after the meeting with the other council members, Kuon had fully understood what he had almost become.

Then he remembered his father was in the room, listening to the whole conversation. He was scared to look up, to see his fathers disappointed expression. Slowly, he met his father's eyes.

All he saw was pride.

"I already knew Kuon." Said Kuu. "We learned of this last night, and I learned about Rosa's contract with you this morning. It makes sense what happened now that we have all the information."

Kuon didn't know what to say. He felt vulnerable, horrible, and a little relieved to no longer have that secret. His father came over, gripping Kuon's arm firmly.

"Me and your mother are proud of you Kuon." He said. "The years have been hard on you, but you've pressed through it all, despite the circumstances. We've always known that you would be the next King, and a great one at that."

Gratitude swelled within Kuon. He couldn't speak again, no words able to express properly how he felt at his father's acceptance. He basked in the moment for a while, grateful for their help.

Kuon nodded his head, and his father removed his hand from his arm.

"It now becomes more imperative to remove my curse." Said Kuon. "Or break the half formed contract, now that we know for certain what it is."

"It does." Said Kuu, now more hesitant. "You do realize this means staying close to things that bring you light."

Kuon knew what he was getting at.

"So you wish to turn Kyoko into a tool, to return my light magic and banish the curse from me?" Said Kuon.

"That's not what I'm saying." Said Kuu. "She can help you Kuon. Don't push her away because it will not help either of you."

Kuon watched his father, knowing that if this had been a week ago he would have sent Kyoko away with what he had just learned. Using her as nothing more than a tool to propel himself would make him as bad as Sho. The idiot had used her feelings and thrown her away in the process. He had no desire to be like that man.

Except, that he had already accepted his feelings for her.

"I have already decided to properly court Kyoko." Said Kuon, and Kuu's eyes lit up. He was about to say something but Kuon cut him off. "but, I am only doing so because I love her. I do not wish to use her as a tool. Her help has nothing to do with my decision. I want to spend my life with her, as she is the only one that makes me completely happy. Also father, do not try to interfere. She, like me, has a few scars. It will be a while before I can make my intentions known to her. For now, I am content that she stays by my side."

The hope was visible in Kuu's face as he nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry to put another burden on your Kuon." Said Kuu. "But I felt that you needed to know. Because of this, both me and Rosa are weaker than we should be, especially with your curse growing stronger. She has to extend more energy to you to prevent you from falling. I want you to see if you can complete the contract with Rosa using the vessel."

"Alright." Said Kuon. Anything to cure his curse and help the kingdom. "What do I need to do?"

"Take the vessel in your hand and speak these words." Said Kuu. "I, Kuon Hizuri, bind myself to the light, promising to cleanse the darkness, to protect the people and to walk the path of life in the light."

Kuon felt himself shiver, able to feel the power in those words.

Carefully, Kuu took down the lamp from the wall, handing it to Kuon. He took it gingerly, marveling at the power he held in his hands. He could feel it now, the magic palpable, raging with a force as great as the skies. It was also calling to him, pulling him towards it.

Kuon opened his mouth to speak, to say the words to complete the crowning contract with Rosa. He found his throat stopped. He couldn't speak, unable to make a sound. He struggled for a minute, pressing, fighting against the force that opposed him, but he couldn't do it. It wasn't allowing him to issue a single sound.

His grip tightened as he mutely handed the lamp back to his father.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I can't."

The disappointment was brief, but Kuon saw it in his father's eyes as he took back the lamp.

"You will be able to take the power when it is time." Said Kuu. "I guess we must resume our roles for now."

"For now." agreed Kuon. He saw a flicker from the corner of his eye.

The djinn was back.

It stood there, not five feet from Kuon, watching.

Kuon's heart started hammering. He stared at it, unable to move from the shock of its appearance. He couldn't see its eyes, but he knew it was watching him. A hand stretched forth from beneath the cloak, a bony digits pointing at Kuon.

"I will get what I am owed prince." It rasped. "And you will receive your reward as well."

A hand grabbed him.

Kuon jumped, realizing it was just his father.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "You went white and weren't responding."

"Yeah." nodded Kuon. "Just… thinking."

He looked back to where the djinn had been. It was gone. Neither Kuu or Rosa had seen it. That solidified it. The djinn was completely in his head. The phoenix was watching him, an understanding behind the calm face of Kyoko.

"We both need to get some rest." Said Kuu. "Come. It's been a long day."

Kuon allowed his father to lead him out of the throne room, unable to get the image and feelings of the djinn following him out of his head. Rosa nudged him in the shoulder.

"Chin up Prince Kuon." She said, smiling at him. "The battle has just begun."

Thanks for reading!

And thank you to every person that has taken the time to review, follow and favorite the story. A special thank you to those that reviewed/pmed and sent their best wishes while I was traveling. I was in Guatemala for sightseeing/humanitarian work and wow guys, it was amazing! An experience I will never forget. But seriously, thank you so much for your reviews and words of encouragement!

Hopefully the link on my profile has been fixed so you can see the pictures. Word mage, I Love this one as well! (Funny, cause the last two lines were my fav). Guest: "Is the story coming to an end anytime soon?" short answer, no. Still got a long way to go. MWEH, I have a very good reason why Kyoko's mother does not love her, but it won't show up for a long while yet.

Im0ut0's story is posted so go check it out if you haven't already. XD

I'll see you all in two weeks! Updates are always on my profile if something goes wrong.

-Blushweaver

Let's hear it for Blushweaver! Traveling the world, and still getting chapters written! It's true that I have begun a fic of my own, and I guess you can read it and stuff! XD Hope you like the chapter!

-Imouto