How did they take down the inhibitor so quickly? Thought Kuu. The room had only been breached a few minutes ago. They needed to get out of here.

"Councilmen." Said Kuu, almost yelling over the other voices. "The palace is under attack. We need to evacuate immediately."

There was a split second before they reacted. Everyone started asking questions, only a few smart people listening and started for the door. Kuon stood, staring steadfast at his father through the chaos, confusion gone, replaced by determination

Kuu knew what that look was for. They had talked about this. Discussed what would happen in the case of an attack. They would stay and protect the palace. The people. Fight until their last breath against the accursed.

"What do you mean, the palace is under attack?" one of the men asked, obviously not taking Kuu's warning seriously. "How do you know-"

The ground rumbled.

Several of the men let out started yells while others grabbed tables and chairs to steady themselves, their skepticism turning to disbelief. Kuu widened his stance to balance himself, waiting it out even as his heart beat faster.

Then it stopped, and another horror began.

Magic, like dark lightening shot from the ground. It impaled several of the councilors, causing the men to cry out in pain. One hit the man who had been talking to Kuu.

The man clutched his chest, face screwed up in pain. Kuu rushed forward to place a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Are you alright?" said Kuu, readying his light magic to help.

The man screamed.

Then his form shifted.

Kuu recognized the fluctuating aura. He quickly backed up, watching with grim disgust as the seed inside the man sprouted. His bones began popping, twisting in strange ways. The flesh melted from his body, heat and smoke radiating from him as he was reborn as a monster. A creature completely made of contorted bone.

The skeletal undead rose from where it stood, eye sockets dark and empty.

There was a mad rush for the door as the few councilmen that hadn't sprouted realized what was happening.

The king had already drawn his hilt, magic flowing into his light sword. It wasn't even needed.

Rosa descended from above. Her beak opened wide as fire engulfed the skeletal undead along with the others. The creatures cried out in fear and agony, unable to fight against the pure light of Rosa. The room was already nearly empty, everyone rushing to escape. Only Kuon, Dyrus and his guards stayed.

"Dad."

Kuon was there, his own sword out. Not one made of light, but steel.

"Kuon... your light magic." Said Kuu, instantly alarmed. Was he being taken by the contract?

"We don't have time to worry about that." Said Kuon firmly. "We need to start helping the evacuation."

"You're right." Said Kuu, thought he hated to say it. He was shaken at seeing his son's current state. Those worries needed to be pushed aside as he turned his attention to what was currently happening. He quickly found Dyrus, who had gotten caught up in the scuffle. The captain jogged over to them.

"How many men do we have?" Said Kuu.

"Five your highness." Said Dyrus. "Six including myself."

"Then we will move out." Said Kuu, looking around the room. Something else hit him. "Where's my brother?"

The man wasn't there. Kuu had distinctly seen Masato before the shots of magic appeared. Had he already run away with the rest of them?

"I don't know." Said Kuon, also looking around.

Kuu didn't like it. The second they were attacked, Masato had look too calm. Collected. As if he knew exactly what was happening.

"Rosa." Said Kuu. "I need you to do something for me."

The phoenix swooped down, transforming into Julie. "What do you command of me?"

"Find my wife." Said Kuu. "Protect her and get her out of the palace. Once you are sure she is somewhere safe, return to my side."

Kuu wouldn't risk Julie getting hurt. If Kuu knew his brother, and he knew the man well, he would try and use anything he could against Kuu. That included his wife.

Rosa bowed, again changing back into the phoenix. She swooped out of the room and down a hall, her cry echoing through the palace.

"Father." Said Kuon, his face grim. "Kyoko…"

Kuu turned to his son. He knew the fear Kuon was feeling. It was the same panic that had shot through Kuu the moment he thought of his dear Julie in danger.

"Kyoko will be fine." Said Kuu. "Her shadow guard knows she's to be evacuated, and he knows all the routs"

"But I can't just leave her." Said Kuon, already desperate with fear. "What if something happens? The accursed have already gone after her once."

Kuu put a calming hand on his son's shoulder. It was hypocritical of him to do this, especially since he just sent the phoenix to guard his wife. It was too late to call her back now.

"Son." Said Kuu softly. "She has many people set to guard her. They are talented fighters that will give their life to save her. Have faith."

The frustration was evident in Kuon. His body was radiating irritation as he ground his teeth, not backing down.

"I'm going to go find her." Said Kuon.

"Wait! Kuon."

Kuu grabbed Kuon's wrist, but his son shook it off with a growl

"Kuon, do you even know where she is?" Said Kuu. "You'd be running around blind."

Kuu knew his son wouldn't listen. The man was just like him. Stubborn, and willing to give up too much for what he loved.

Sounds of fighting begun echoing through the corridors. Through every wall and window in the palace, the sounds of fear could be heard. Kuu opened himself, sensing the chaos around him, noting all the magic and darkness that hung in the air. His very soul cried out in pain at the destruction. He needed to stop this.

"Dad."

Kuon had stopped, his anger still present, but it had turned into a more controlled simmer. He was listening as well to the sounds of destruction. The death and fear that was happening around them. He took a long shaky breath before returning his eyes to Kuu.

"Let's go. We have to protect the people."

Pride for his son rose in Kuu. He understood his duty. Kyoko would be safe.

Kuu marched quickly from the room, his son and guards trialing behind them as they entered the fray.

The skeletal creature advance on the party, emanating its eerie rattling call. It was hunched over, fingers elongated to look like sharp claws. Three other such creatures crept behind it, each misshapen in some inhumane way. The leader screeched out again, and the group attacked.

Kanae jabbed at the monster. It jerked out of the way, closing the distance between them. Her spear whipped around, catching the creature's side with the shaft. It pushed the creature aside, but another one was coming from behind her. She stabbed behind her without looking. She heard the satisfying crush of ribs as the magic in her spear tore through the bone. It fell to the ground in pieces.

There was another clatter, and the other skeletal undead bodies accompanied the leader on the ground. Shadow was already withdrawing his dagger, Chiori her blade. Where had she stashed that sword?

It had been minutes since the inhibitor went down, but they had already run into several dark creatures. The other civilians in the area were still fleeing. A servant who had fallen earlier nearly stumbling to the ground again as she fled.

"We need to get Kyoko out of here." Shadow said to Kanae. The physician had hung back in the small tussle, staying out of the way. "You've been taught the best escape routes correct?"

Kanae nodded, going back to Kyoko and grabbing her wrist. Kyoko immediately shook it off.

"Kyoko, we need to move." Said Kanae in irritation.

"But Prince Kuon-" said Kyoko.

"Will be fine. He's a good fighter and has lots of people to help him. Our top priority is getting you out of here."

"That's not going to be easy." Said Chiori with a grimace. She had pressed her hands on a seemingly normal mural on the wall. It was now radiating magic, probably relying her information. "The monsters are everywhere. Everyone that was infected with a seed has changed." Her attention turned to Shadow. "I could contact my team. Get them to help us escort Kyoko out."

"There's no time." Said Shadow. "We don't know if she's a target again."

Shadow nudged Chiori out of the way, pressing on the mural. It glowed even brighter, shimmering with light. Lines of magic shot out, and soon a large map was shining in the air in front of them. Kanae stared, completely shocked at this device. It was a 3d model of the palace. The foundation was outlined in blue, several black and white dots of different sizes and clusters moving around. They approached the map, Chiori muttering something about 'higher clearance' under her breath.

"These lights are the people and monsters in the palace." Said Shadow, pointing to a small group of white dots. "This is us. We need to make it down this path and out of the side passage. If we hurry, we can side step this group of monsters before they get there."

Kanae nodded, then grimaced when she noticed the amount of black on the map. It was slowly spreading as individual lights flickered and disappeared.

"Where's the prince?" said Kyoko.

"It only shows sources of light and dark." Said Shadow. "It doesn't distinguish who or what they are."

The entire map vanished as Shadow waved his hand. He turned to Kyoko.

"Mistress." He said, an undeniable force and grimness in his voice. "I know you are worried about the prince, but it is for his safety as well that we prioritize getting you out of the palace."

Kyoko squeezed her hands together, no doubt conflicted.

"Let's go." Said Kanae, deciding for her. She took Kyoko's wrist, and this time the physician didn't bat it away.

The party sped down the corridor, hitting another opening. People were milling about this hall, unsure what was going on. The guards were trying to ushering them out, but they weren't listening. A few even walked back into their rooms, seemingly uninteresting in whatever was going on.

Kyoko started slowing down, but Kanae tugged at her wrist to keep her moving. The physician sent Kanae a pained expression.

"Kanae…"

"We can't stop to help everyone Kyoko." Said Kanae. "You have to get out of here."

The girl picked up her pace, but the worry didn't leave even after they had passed the previous hall.

"We're almost there." Said Shadow, but sounds of fighting could be heard ahead. The group automatically slowed down, on guard for any trouble.

When they reached the next entrance hall, they were greeting with a completely empty space.

"It's coming from below." Said Chiori.

Indeed, Kanae could now place the location of the noise and magic. It was all emanating below here feet, no doubt an incredible large battle ensuing. Screams and blasts of magic were audible, shaking the ground and making a nearby vase rattle on its stand.

Shadow kept moving, Kanae following his lead and tugging on Kyoko's wrist. There was no reason to pause here.

A particularly loud rumble came from below, followed by a gurgling cry that Kanae recognized. It was louder and deeper than any she had ever heard.

Before she could mention the sound to the group, something burst from the ground behind them. Kyoko's wrist was ripped from Kanae's grasp as their footing upheaved, sending them tumbling to the ground. Kanae quickly righted herself, staring at the creature.

It was a sand wurm, the creature many times larger than average as its girth exceeded the length of two horses. It kept ascending, it's gaping mouth colliding with the ceiling and finally stopping. Those numerous rows of sharp teeth now turned towards the group.

Shadow appeared, grabbing Kyoko by the waist. "Scatter!" he yelled.

Kanae jumped out of the way just in time. The wurm lunged at them, destroying the floor in the process. Kanae whirled around to watch as chunks of brick were eaten greedily by the monster, saliva sizzling like acid as it touched the ground. So gross.

Kanae tightened her grip on the spear. This thing was enormous. They were annoying enough to kill when they were smaller, forget some steroid ingested overgrown maggot. She glanced to her side quickly. Good, Kyoko was with Shadow.

"I'll draw its attention." Said Chiori, standing up beside Kanae. "You attack from the other side. It's body's so big it can't move around well in the small space."

"Alright."

Chiori took off in the other direction, sending blasts of magic at the monster to get its attention. Kanae went the other way, weaving strengthening spells on herself and her spear. The wurm teetered between the two of them, not committing to either side. Then it went straight for Chiori. Kanae took the opening to push forward, slashing her spear at the wurm's flesh.

A shock went straight up Kanae's arms, making her head rattle. It was like trying to cut through stone! The spear had sunk in a few feet and then stopped, getting stuck in the monster's blubber.

Kanae swore, trying to yank her spear out. This thing's hide was ridiculously thick.

There was a groan, and the wurm now shifted its attention to Kanae.

Shoot!

The wurm started to twist, the spear still lodged in its body moving with it. Kanae made a split-second decision, hoping she wouldn't regret it. She tightened her grip on the shaft, lifting her legs to brace them against the thing's body. A moment later she was whipped around as the wurm kept twisting.

Everything rushed around Kanae in a whirl. Her hair slapped across her face as the wurm swayed back and forth, trying to throw her off. She held on, feet scrambling to keep her footing. Then the monster stopped. Her vision focused as the world stopped spinning.

Still hanging from the monster's body, Kanae could survey the scene. The ground where the Wurm had sprung from had been torn apart, revealing the floor beneath it. Kanae's sweaty hands gripped the spear harder. It was the only thing that stopped her from plunging fifteen feet below.

Hovering over the opening, she could clearly see the scene in the first floor. It was a slaughter. Monsters had overrun the place, wurms and skeletal undead littering the floor. A few vigilant guards were still fighting, trying to keep them from entering the adjoining halls.

Kanae's heart went out to the soldiers below. She had seen situations like this before. Where a few dedicated men were willing to give their lives for their job and honor. But the outcome was obvious. There was no way they would be able to survive against those numbers.

Kanae's attention was drawn back to the wurm as a shudder ran through its entire body. It made Kanae's shake, then she lurched as the thing sprung forward.

The wurm crashed into the ground again, no doubt attacking one of her comrades. The attack had thankfully brought her back to the ground. She'd have to move quickly or else risk being stuck on its side again.

Kanae concentrated on the tip of her spear, weaving a spell.

The area around her spear exploded, ripping at the flesh. Kanae pushed off the body, yanking her spear free as she jumped back onto solid footing.

The monster barely seemed to notice, twisting several different directions.

It suddenly plowed into the floor at Kanae's right, sending even more brick onto the chaos below.

Kanae moved back to escape falling as well, noticing Shadow and Kyoko land nearby. The physician immediately stepped back, moving farther away from the chaos.

"Our exit has been compromised." Said Shadow, pointing to a hall on the opposite side of the room. The floor between them and the hall was completely gone.

"What do we do now?" said Kanae. "That wurm's got skin as thick as Kyoko's head. How are we going to take it out?"

"We've got that covered." Said Shadow pressing on something at his side.

Blasts suddenly sounded, each one exploding in a line on the wurm's side. They were timed right below each other, increasing the damage made by the previous blast. The creature thrashed, writing in pain as it crashed against the floor, furthering the destruction of their footing. Kanae retreated, not wanting to fall into the chaos below.

Dozens of slimy tendrils rose from the mouth. They swayed in the air, twitching along with its dying body. Then they shot towards them.

Kanae barely managed to slice the nearest before they could wrap around her. Gosh she hated this thing. Blue blood sprayed around her as she sliced through the tongues. Shadow was in much the same predicament,

"AHHH!"

"Kyoko!" Kanae yelled, slicing at another tendril. One of the tongues had shot past them, managing to wrap around the physician's ankle. The thing tugged, flinging Kyoko to the ground as dozens of other tongues extended to help bring her closer. Kyoko was scrambling to find an anchor, but it was useless. She was quickly being pulled towards the wurm's mouth. Kanae cursed, still fighting her own onslaught as she tried to get to Kyoko.

"Not so fast you ugly slug!"

Chiori appeared from the side. She dashed between the tendrils, a magic assisted jump helping her clear the opening. She grabbed the lip of the monster to keep her steady as runes circled around her knife. She threw the weapon inside the creature's mouth, a solid stream of light magic slashing through its insides.

The creatures wailed, this time a cry of death as it squirmed. The movement unbalanced Chiori, who held on desperately to the creature to prevent herself from being sent flying. Kanae danced backward, eyes fixed on Kyoko who was still bound by several of the tongues. Shadow was already running towards her, but she was so close to the edge.

The Wurm started falling, straight down as it began to die, and Kyoko was going down with it.

"Kanae!"

Kanae ran with all her might, magic humming in her veins. But she knew she wouldn't make it in time. She watched, helpless as her friend was dragged away, slipping below the brick.

Lory climbed through the wreckage, noting the scattered pieces of the inhibitor. It was completely destroyed, not a single portion of it salvageable. The accursed had done their job well.

He spotted what he was looking for. Lory hurried over, carefully rolling the bloodied man onto his back. Two fingers pressed against the neck. There was no pulse. No life.

Hidehito was dead.

Lory's fingers moved from the neck to the eyes where he gently closed the lids, allowing Hidehito to find rest.

Thank you, for your sacrifice for the kingdom. Lory silently prayed.

A dark form appeared from the shadows. Sebastian, covered in his customary garb kept his head bent as he saluted with a fist across his chest.

"How are the rest of the defenses?" said Lory, still kneeling.

"The outer barriers have been destroyed." Said Sebastian. "As have many of the wards. For now, it appears that the seeds have only activated in the palace, but we cannot be certain that will continue to be the case."

That they did not. If the monsters and panic spread to the city, it would cause other seeds to sprout, making a continuous loop of activation, spreading and activating.

Thankfully none of the accursed had shown up as far as they knew, but it was only a matter of time. At least Maria and her father were gone from the palace for a shopping trip. They wouldn't have to witness this tragedy.

"The other inhibitors?" said Lory. "The ones stationed at the corners of the city?"

"All standing sir. Extra security has already been activated to prevent any more from falling."

"Let's hope it will be enough." Said Lory. He finally stood, walking away from the wreckage and into the hallway. The accursed had somehow managed to bypass and destroy every security measure they had to get to the inhibitor. They had purposefully kept Masato out of a lot of the detains, so how had they known? Had someone else higher up betrayed them?

He pulled out a talisman, activating it's magic to pull up a map. The light shone, outlining the area of the castle and showing dots where people were. The monsters were everywhere, especially clustered around certain areas.

They're blocking the exits. Thought Lory, his anger growing. Even some of the secret ones were being monitored. How did they know about those? The accursed planned to kill everyone in the palace it seemed. Well that plan wasn't going to work. Lory and Dyrus had already sent out a good portion of their troops to assist those areas. Hiou, the only now living and battle ready champion was also helping at the main entrance.

"Let's go help at the clinic." Said Lory. "We'll help them clear an escape route and see what ever areas need assistance."

The clinic was still mostly clear of monsters, but it was still full of patients, many of whom could not move quickly. They would need extra protection to escape. If Kuu needed Lory, the man would send word.

Lory shut down the spell, the image disappearing. There was one patient in the clinic he was especially interested in protecting.

Kuon grunted with effort as he shouldered aside a large piece of fallen brick. The person previously trapped beneath was helped out by one of the soldiers, crying from relief. Once they were gone, Kuon released the brick, letting it fall to the ground.

He followed behind the two, pulling out his sword as he walked. They were in one of the main antechambers next to the northern entrance. Kuu and Dyrus along with a dozen or so guards were fighting back the mob of dark creatures trying to slaughter the people as they fled.

"Take her this way." Said Kuon, motioning to the guard. "There's a passage that leads to the outside where the other civilians are."

The guard nodded in understanding, but before her could take the poor woman away, she had grabbed hold of Kuon's sleeve.

"Thank you." The woman managed to whimper.

The grip on his sleeve slacked, and the guard hurried her away from the scene. Kuon's heart was heavy as he turned to go help more trapped and injured victims. They were everywhere, and the palace didn't have enough man power to help them all and keep the stream of monsters from killing everyone. Kuon passed dozens of other victims just like the woman, hobbling along with guards or family members helping them escape.

Someone nearby let out a scream.

A man fifteen feet from Kuon was being stalked by a nightcrawler. The black spider scuttled towards the man who had fallen backwards in his terror.

Kuon hurried forward, quickly slicing the front two legs of the creatures. Before it could back away, two pulse shots skewered through three other legs, immobilizing it. Kuon easily plunged his sword through the head, the wound oozing green blood.

Kuon yanked his sword from the corpse, anger growing. With each life he took, he couldn't help seeing the face behind it. A citizen of Ashuran who had been cruelly turned into a monster for the benefit of the accursed. It made him sick.

"Hurry along with the others." Kuon said to the old man, who managed to scramble to his feet. Kuon didn't check to make sure the man had listened. He stomped forward to find his next opponent, furry burning silently within him.

"Kuon, over here!"

Kuu was hailing him. The prince hurried to his father's side who was taking a break from the fighting. His sword had been retracted, sweat and blood staining the circlet on his brow.

"This area is almost clear." Said Kuu. "We're going to set up a couple barricades and traps for the troops to establish a post before we move on. We've sent a team to get us some medics to provide support."

"Where do you want the barricade's placed?" said Kuon.

"Here, and next to the pillar. We'll herd the monsters coming from the corridors away from the exits." He motioned to two of the guards that stood by him. "You two will be assisting Prince Kuon as he sets up the barriers. Once you've-"

Kuon's hairs stood on end. Dark magic activated near them.

Without thinking, Kuon yanked his father back with him, covering them both with a protective barrier.

Dark spears of magic extended from the air, impaling the nearby guards. Two shots rammed into Kuon, who grunted in pain. The barrier had saved him from being skewered, but he still felt the impact.

One arm still gripped Kuu's, ready to pull them away if another sneak attack appeared. Kuon scanned the area, trying to identify the source of the magic. It didn't seem as if Kuu had been able to sense that attack.

"Now that is a surprise."

Kuon looked up.

Sitting on one of the decorative dais, sat an accursed. Plated armor covered most of its body, a purple haze drifting around it. Across its knees lay a blackened staff. The tip curved around a dark amethyst.

"You're the one that attacked the arcane syndicate." Said Kuon, recognizing it from the description others had given them. He noted the absence of the accursed's left arm. It ended in a stump just below the elbow.

"Indeed." Said the accursed, its lips turning down into something almost akin to regret. It was hard to gauge with the dark mask covering the upper portion of its face. "Sorry about that. I was still getting used to my powers."

Kuon watched the Accursed with a sense of unease. This behavior was not accurate with the report he had been given. The accursed was supposed to be aggressive and violent, almost animalistic in its reactions, yet it was sitting calmly on the platform, appearing content to observe the still ongoing battle below.

Beside Kuon, the king moved from his grasp, pulling out his hilt. Light spun into a shining blade that hummed with power as the king radiated an angry majesty.

"You killed my friend Accursed." Said Kuu. "As well as many others. You will pay for your crimes."

"I already apologized." Said the accursed impatiently. "What more do you expect of me Kuu? To raise the dead?"

The ease and familiarity with which the accursed called out Kuu's name ignited Kuon's anger. How dare the villain address the king so casually!

"It is no matter." Said the accursed impatiently, either ignoring or unaware of the anger now emanating from both royals. "The important thing is you Kuon. How were you able to dodge my attack?"

"You will not speak his name with your cursed lips." Spat Kuu, glowing in indignation.

"It's important!" said the accursed, snapping with sudden fierceness that ignited a fire of instability within the monster. It calmed almost instantly, but left behind a sense of unease within Kuon. There was no doubt. That was a glimpse of the violent nature of this accursed.

"You shouldn't have been able to sense the attack at all." The accursed continued with impatience. "Not unless… no, that would make sense. And of course your partial contract with the Djinn would give you that possibility…"

At the mention of the contract, Kuon stiffened. The area was mostly clear of civilians, but there was still a scuffle ensuing near them. Not all the soldiers were engaged in battle. Some were watching the exchange with open mouths as they gaped at the accursed. Thankfully, it seemed most were too shocked to process what exactly the man was saying.

The accursed was still muttering to itself, distracted with its own thoughts. Kuon glanced to his father, who returned the looked with a meaningful nod. Kuon understood. The king gave three subtle taps with his head. On the third, magic ignited in Kuon's chest.

Spells of light and arcane wove into existence. Though Kuon's light magic was currently weak, he added what he could to his spells, the magic a natural opposite to the darkness. A hailstorm of spells thundered down upon the accursed without any warning. The ensuing blast was so enormous, it covered the area with a cloud of magic and dust.

Did we get it?

As the haze began to clear, Kuon's hope sank.

Dark circles hummed magic just above the accursed, creating a protective ring. The accursed was untouched, the area around him completely obliterated.

"That one is on you Kuu." said the accursed, pointing to the newly formed craters. "I don't want you blaming it on me."

A wariness now accompanied Kuu's anger as he examined the dark circles hovering around the accursed. "Those are some complicated circles. We'll have to work together to take him out." He said quietly.

Kuon silently agreed. He channeled his own magic, enhancing his strength and speed. This was going to be a tough battle.

The accused's attention was on them. Though he was too far away to hear them, based on his uncovered smirk, he knew the nature of their discussion. The Accursed stood.

"I see the pleasantries are finally done, good, I'm anxious to try some of my new spells."

Thick black wings unfolded from behind his back. He stepped calmly off the dais, slowly descending with the help of his wings.

The moment his feet touched the ground, Kuon and Kuu rushed forward. What Kuon didn't expect was for the accursed to do the same. The monster ran, the tip of his staff dragging as he approached. Then he suddenly stopped, swinging the staff around with the end skating across the ground. A curtain of purple fire shot from the line he had drawn, cutting off Kuon and Kuu's vision in a wave of heat.

Kuu quickly doused the fire with a spurt of light. The flames were pushed aside, but the accursed was gone.

Kuon felt a dark presence behind him. He spun around. The accursed was behind them, hovering in the air as it swung its staff.

"Look out." Called Kuon, pushing his father out of the way. He threw up a shield right before it hit.

A blast of magic slammed into Kuon, pushing him backward. He dug his feet into the ground, skating to a halt as he pressed a palm to the floor for balance. His father had taken the opportunity to push towards the accursed and attack. The accursed was backing up slowly, his magic twisting and shooting at Kuu nonstop. His father was advancing slowly, but was unable to do much else than block the attacks

Kuon ran forward to rejoin the fray.

The accursed noted this. His staff stabbed the floor again. Hundreds of lines snaked across the ground in a circle around the accursed. They extended outward, exploding the second they made contact with anything. His father, being so close to the accursed when the spell launched was hit by dozens of the lines. They exploded around him, forcing him to throw up his hands and concentrate on defense.

Kuon didn't have time to worry about his dad. The lines had reached him, twisting erratically across the ground. His shield held against the ensuing blast, but he could tell his father was in trouble.

The others in the room had noted the fight - Not that it was hard to miss a battle between an accursed and the king - Dyrus and two of his men had taken the intuitive to attack the accursed from his exposed back. The monster turned, concentrating his spells on the new attackers.

While he was distracted, Kuon hurried to his father's side.

"Are you alright?" said Kuon.

"Fine." Said Kuu, a hand on his shoulder as he healed it. "I wasn't expecting that shot. His magic is incredible."

Trust his father to appreciate someone's spell casting in the middle of a death match, but even Kuon had to acknowledge this accursed was different for the rest. It didn't fight close combat like the rest, using its staff and spells to keep people at bay. Even with one arm, the accursed was shooting out high tier spells with ease.

"Come on." Said Kuon, giving his father a short slap on the back. It was time to get back to work. They couldn't leave Dyrus and the other two alone to fight the accursed for long. They were already being pushed back.

The two of them ran forward, forming their magic as they went. Twenty feet away from the creature, a circling orb of light flashed. Kuon ducked by instinct, a stream of flames passing over head. Several other balls flashed as well, shooting automatically at Kuon and Kuu. The two of them dodged and blocked the spells, but the orbs were hampering their advance. If they wanted to get closer, they were going to have to take out those spells.

Kuon skidded under the next stream, activating a disenchantment spell in his sword. He attached it to the blade, swiping it though a nearby orb.

It split apart, then burst into a ball of flame that didn't disappear. It kept hovering in a wide circle around the accursed.

It looked like the spell worked. Kuon kept pushing forward through flames, slicing through orbs along the way with ease. Kuu was already ahead of him, putting pressure on the accursed from behind.

Kuon held his sword out and channeled. A solid stream of magic shot towards the accursed. One of the shields caught the spell, shaking as it took damaged from the attack. Kuon increased the power in the spell, noting the cracks that were staring to take place. One of the other guards imitated Kuon. Another shield occupied by their magic. It left the accursed more vulnerable to Kuu's and Dyrus's attacks.

The two men attacked in sync, shooting at a singular point on the accursed transparent dome shield. The accursed held his staff high, pushing back with his magic. Loud cracking sounds told Kuon the shield was failing. They were starting to break through.

"Five against one is a little much for me I think." Said the accursed, raising his voice for them to hear. "I think it's time for me to leave."

"Oh no you don't." said Kuu, putting more pressure into his spell. The accursed grimaced, but swung his staff in an arc.

The floating flames and orbs around them started the spin. Kuon ducked as one nearly took off his head. The spell distracted him, causing a break in Kuon's attack. It looked like he wasn't the only one. The flames were picking up pace, trailing fire as they spun around the accursed. Kuon immediately realized they were about to be caught up in a tornado of fire.

He broke off his attack, heading for the nearest guard. The man had already been hit by one of the orbs, his side now on fire. Kuon threw a shield around them, enlarging it just in time. The flames slammed at them from the left, heat radiating through the shield.

Kuon dug his feet into the ground, sweat drying instantly from the heat as he fought to keep his shield up. There was nothing but fire all around them. His arms started to ache from the effort of keeping the spell up. His shield was starting to melt away.

The fire suddenly died, vanishing completely. Kuon dropped his shield and took a deep breath. That had been close. He had felt seconds away from bursting into flames himself.

Kuon now examined the man he had protected. The flames on the guard were gone, but he was unconscious. His entire side was burst and scarred, skin bubbling into angry blisters. Kuon quickly bent down to check the man's pulse. It was thready, but present. The man was alive.

Kuu hurried over to them, looking worried.

"Are you two alright?" said Kuu.

"He needs help, or else he won't live." Said Kuon, placing two fingers on the man's forehead. He carefully channeled his light magic, encouraging the body's natural healing capabilities. It was the most he could do in the state he currently was in. He could just discern a reduction of redness in the flesh.

Dyrus and the other guard had arrived as well, the latter sporting a burn on his shoulder. The royal guard knelt beside Kuon, carefully cutting away at the burnt clothes. Kuon recognized the man was preparing to heal him and stood up to get out the way.

He watched for a moment as the guard healed his friend before his eyes swept to his father. Kuu's attention was focused back towards the smaller battle with the monsters. Most of the creatures were dead, but a few persisted even as they hobbled around with the shafts of arrows sticking out of their chests.

"Father, what's out next move?"

Kuu now turned to his son, a determination in his eyes.

"Son, I think it's time."

Kuon blinked in confusion. What was his father talking about? He opened his mouth to ask when with a sudden shock, it hit him.

"It's not going to work." Said Kuon, his mood dropping. "I tried it a few days ago."

"It will work." The man said it as if it were fact. He gripped Kuon's arms, confidence lighting his face. "We need you Kuon. The accursed are too strong and we need the phoenix at full strength. Your strength. I know with your power, we can defeat them."

"I'm not sure…" said Kuon. He hadn't felt this far from being worthy in a long time. His light magic was dwindling, his curse on the verge of eating away his soul. How could he bond with the phoenix under these circumstances?

Dyrus was watching the conversation, his confusion evident. "Sire, what are you talking about?"

Kuu didn't answer the question. He kept staring at Kuon, silently pleading with Kuon to try, to have faith. When his father looked at him like that, he couldn't help his heart from stirring.

"Alright." Said Kuon. "We can try."

Kuu broke into a relieved smile. The man really had too much trust in Kuon.

"Dyrus, we're moving out." Said Kuu to his guard. He had already turned, his stride confident as his cape fluttered behind him. The power of the man was visible in his stance as he walked with the confidence of a king.

Kuon and Dyrus caught up with him, the latter looking confused.

"Where are we going sire?" said Dyrus.

Kuu gave Kuon a subtle smile before answering. "The throne room."

Thanks for reading!

And thank you for all your thoughtful reviews! They really help me stay motivated/know what was good or needed help.

I waaay underestimated the amount of words I would be writing for each scene. I've split the next chapters up (even more) to keep me sane. That being said, I've decided to update once a week until further notice. (Mostly for the sake of your sanity. Some of those cliff hangers are going to suck.) Wish me luck!

It does seem rather hopeless, that darkness is stronger than light. You do have to remember, the phoenix's power is diminished. Her contract with Kuu is disrupted because of Kuon's incomplete contract with her. Let's hope Light will save the day in the end.

I also reserve the right to kill anyone I want to. XD

If any of you are interested in what any other characters look like, let me know. Otherwise I probably won't draw any more pictures.

Thanks again! Until next week. Any changes will be on my profile.

-Blushweaver