"Alright, it's right up ahead!"

Cayenne and the others rushed towards the castle, ready to back up the royal siblings. The plan had been for them to grab AJ and get him out of here, but fuck it, plans changed. The kid wasn't going to play along, and Cayenne wasn't going to split the group up just to make sure he stayed put. She was keeping every single body she could throw at this.

"Are you sure we shouldn't split up so one of us can help Astro?" Junji asked, following closely behind Cayenne. "If we helped him out then he could-"

"Fuck that. We're not wasting time with the other one. We need to take care of the big fish," she said. Oberon was at the head of all of this. Dealing with him was priority. "Besides, prince asshat isn't going to need our help. He can handle himself."

Micah hummed and smirked. "Wow Cayenne, didn't know you had that much faith in him. He'll be glad to hear how much you care," he joked.

Cayenne scowled. "Don't make me hurt you Mikey," she said annoyed.

Dai Tai decided to cut in. "She's right though. Astro should be fine holding his own, but we have no idea how long Nia can hold out. We have to be ready to throw everything we got at Oberon," she said bawling her fist up.

They saw the castle doors coming up, and were about to burst through them, when suddenly a figure landed down in front of them. They all slid to a stop, looking ready to fight, but then looked up to see a somewhat familiar face. "Astro's dad?" Junji asked, confused.

Typhon towered over the children, a scowl on his face. "What the hell are you doing here?" Cayenne asked. The last time she saw this guy he was kicking Astro's ass up and down Townsville. Micah and Amber said he was alright, but she didn't exactly have much of an impression to go off of besides that.

The Titan looked over his shoulder. "Keeping you from making a mistake. Where exactly do you lot think you're going?" he asked.

"We're going to help out Nia obviously!" AJ shouted. "Now could you please get out of the way dude! We're sort of in a hurry!"

"No," Typhon said simply.

They all looked at him confused. "What the hell do you mean no?!" Cayenne shouted. "I know you know what's going down in there! We don't have time for your bullshit! Move!"

Typhon narrowed his eyes. "You all have no idea what you're getting into. You're not going to be able to help Titania. You'll only be getting in the way," he said. "She needs to do this herself. At least for now."

"That's not for you to decide you geezer! Move or else I'll kick your ass too!" Cayenne shouted, pounding her fist together.

"You're welcome to try," Typhon said holding his arms out. "If you can beat me, then you might actually be able to be of use to her there. But from where I stand, you're all ants standing among giants. You shouldn't even be on this island frankly."

Cayenne growled and looked ready to charge, but Micah put a hand on her shoulder. He looked up at Typhon. "You don't think we can help, fine. When why don't you go if you're so much stronger. We'll go help Astro and then come back," he said.

Typhon shook his head. "You can't interfere in his fight either," he said. "Your loyalty to my son and the princess are admirable, but you need to let this go on."

"Why?!" Junji asked, holding his arms out. "Why shouldn't we help them?! Is this a god or titan thing?! I don't get it!"

Typhon grunted. "Because standing aside for now may be the only chance we have of actually fighting our way through this…"

Years of fighting and honing his own skills had taught him one thing. The time someone truly found out just how far they could go, was when their back was against the wall…

The two swords clashed, the impact shaking the ground around it like thunder. Astro and Umbriel stood before one another, the former with a smile on his face as he tried to push the other back. Umbriel didn't seem like he was struggling to fend off the young titan. He looked more annoyed than anything.

"I must admit, you are a mystery to me, son of Typhon." He knocked Astro back and then charged at him, swinging his sword as his head. Astro leaned back just far enough to avoid it, then swung back with Ocean's kiss. Umbriel lifted his blade and parried it, disappearing and reappearing behind him.

Astro jumped out of the way before he could slash him, landing and sliding back a few feet. His eyes were locked onto Umbriel, the smile on his face making him look like a predator ready to pounce on its prey. "From what I had gathered, you came here for the sole purpose of rescuing your sister from my grandfather's grasp."

He stepped back as Astro lunged at him, blocking the flurry of sword strikes being swung at him. "But here you are, enjoying yourself in the thrill of battle. I suppose I may have overestimated you. You seem little more than an animal longing for a hunt. But such is the way of a titan I suppose…"

Astro didn't even respond to the insult. He just charged in again, this time throwing a punch towards Umbriel. He responded with one of his own. "Your physical strength is impressive. Enough so to stifle a god…" Their fists met, and the shockwave sent Astro sliding back again. "But I am no normal god. I am a blood relative of Oberon. Talented even among my own kin."

This time, Astro sent a blast of magic at him, but Umbriel shot one of his own. He easily overpowered the prince, hitting him in the chest. "Your strength, your magical abilities, your tenacity. It may be impressive among your own allies and enemies, but to me, it is nothing. You are nothing," he said, smirking.

Astro laid on the ground, and for a moment Umbriel wondered if he had accidentally killed him. But then he heard him chuckling. "I'm just nothing huh?" Astro asked, sitting up. "You sure did seem interested in nothing. Picking me out from the others earlier, and challenging me here. What was it about 'nothing' that made you do that?"

Umbriel narrowed his eyes. "Do not mistake my interest in you as some sign of approval," he said, shaking his head. "I was merely intrigued by the thought of Typhon's heir. Among the Titans, he stands without equal. I had thought perhaps this would be someone worth my time. But clearly, I was mistaken."

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Astro said standing up. He rushed at him again, flipping over him and then turning around and swinging his sword. Umbriel spun around and parried it. "The fight isn't over yet! So save whether you were right or not until later!"

Umbriel scoffed. "You don't seem to understand. There is nothing left for me to consider. My desire for a second bout was to teach you a lesson." He stepped forward, attacking with a barrage of sword strikes and putting Astro on the defensive. "For anyone to look at me as if they could stand against me, and after losing an arm no less? It is arrogance in its purest form."

This time, despite Astro blocking the blow, he was knocked back onto the ground. Before he could get up, Umbriel appeared over him and stepped on his chest. "Your chance to prove yourself as anything to me is over," he said raising his hand. He swung down, smashing his fist right into Astro's face.

"You have been weighed…"

He punched him again.

"...you have been measured…"

Another punch.

"...and you have been found wanting."

He threw his fist down one more time, shattering around ground beneath Astrerossa's head. Umbriel smirked as he looked down at the half-breed, who looked like he was out cold. "If my grandfather is gracious enough to spare your life, take this as a lesson not to challenge your betters," he said standing up.

Suddenly he felt something grab his wrist, and he looked back down to see Astro staring at him. Astro yanked him back down as rose up, heatbutting him in the nose.

Umbriel stumbled back, growling in anger as he grabbed his now blood nose. Astro got back up to his feet, spitting blood from his mouth and as he walked towards him. "Here's a lesson of your own. The fight isn't over..." He brought his fist back, and Umbriel raised his arm to block it. Instead of stopping however, he was sent to the ground, his arm throbbing from the impact of the punch.

"The fight isn't over, until I say it's over…"

Umbriel looked stunned. He sat up and saw Astro now had an even darker, fowler magic coming off of him. Astro tossed his sword aside, bawling both of his fists up. "Iron isn't the only weakness in your family, is it?" he asked, smirking. Umbriel blasted at him, but Astro countered with one of his own.

This time his blast one out, and Umbriel was sent sliding back. "It worked on Titania earlier, and it worked on you. Maybe in small doses you can stand it, but when I concentrate it like this…" He sent another blast of dark magic, and Umbriel quickly moved out of the way.

He got ready to send another blast at Astro, only to find the prince already in front of him, on the attack. He swung at him with a barrage of punches, each cloaked in dark magic. Umbriel was forced back against the wall of the court yard. He raised his arms to defend himself.

If he just had a moment, an opening, to counter attack. It didn't look like Astro was planning on giving him any such moment however. If anything he was getting faster and stronger. He grit his teeth. So he hadn't truly bared his fangs yet had he? Well, Umbriel would not yield.

He'd slay and defang this beast, just like the others…

Umbriel slipped to the side, and Astro smashed the wall behind him into ruble. He quickly turned around and went after Umbriel, who raised his sword and lunged right back. Astro charged headfirst, preparing to use his horn to gouge him. But right before they could collide, something struck the young prince.

Whatever it was had distracted and unbalanced him just enough for Umbriel to strike, and he drove his sword right into his chest. Umbriel grunted as he pushed him back, pinning him against the wall all the way on the opposite side of the courtyard. He twisted the blade, and Astro spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Pathetic…" he muttered, irritated. To let himself be distracted by something so trivial. It was disgraceful. He looked over his shoulder and then glared back at the interloper.

Cressida stood with her hand raised, a worried look on her face. "Did… did you get him?" she asked. She had come right before her brother had managed to slip away from his last punch, and had acted as quickly as she could to intercept him.

"I don't recall telling you to interfere with Cressida…" he said, annoyance clear in his voice. "Why did you do so?"

She flinched under her brother's gaze. "I… you looked like you were struggling."

Umbriel looked angry. "Excuse me? You thought I was struggling?" he asked as he turned around and began walking towards her. Cressida stepped back and looked down timidly. "Have you forgotten whom you speak to? I don't struggle, little sister. Grandfather withstanding, I am without equal."

"I'm sorry, I just thought-"

"You shouldn't have thought anything. Thinking is not what your role here is. Your role is to simply follow and obey orders to the best of your very limited ability. Why you're even here now is a mystery to me. Your part to play in this is over. Scurry off and hide in your hole, as you do best."

"But I just wanted to make sure-"

A burst of magic suddenly shut off for Umbriel, and his sister was knocking off of her feet. "Can you not even follow the simplest of instruction? I told you to take your leave," he said glaring down at her. "My patience is already wearing thin today, and I won't have you try it any further."

Cressida looked up at him nervously, wishing she hadn't even had come here. She had been shocked to see her brother actually being pushed back, and just reacted. She knew he was strong, but…

"That's your sister, isn't it?"

Both siblings looked up towards Astro, who looked towards Umbriel with a blank expression on his face. "You still breath…? Ah, that's right. You Titans are quite a resilient lot. Multiple hearts and all that," Umbriel said amused.

"That's your little sister…"

Umbriel raised an eyebrow. "So she is… though if one were to look at our talent and abilities, they'd never been able to tell. Is there any particular reason you mention this?"

Astro kept staring at him, then let out a sigh. "I guess… as a brother, it's a bit shocking to see anyone treat their little sister like that for saving them," he said, shaking his head.

Umbriel scoffed. "Do you not approve?" he asked.

"Not a bit. But I guess I should be thankful," Astro as he reached up and pulled the sword from his chest. The wound in his chest grew dark magic around it, and then slowly began to close. "I was having a bit too much fun just now. But seeing that has really soured my mood and cleared my head."

Umbriel laughed. "Oh, I had nearly forgotten. You consider Titania to be your younger sister, did you not?" he asked, amused. "How touching. But the fact remains that she's not of your blood, nor you of hers. She's someone who-"

"Shut up," Astro cut him off. "Just, stop. Stop talking. Every word that comes out of your mouth is nothing but warnicorn shite."

Umbriel scowled towards him. "You little…"

"You people aren't Nia's family. You don't even know what family means," he said reaching behind his back. He grabbed something from his pocket and then held it forward. "I won't let her be taken by someone stupid enough to think something like blood decides family, or that power lets you looks down on family. Not a chance."

Umbriel looked at what he was holding closely. "Is that… the little toy Titania was carrying around," he asked chuckling. "I see, she gave it to you. But it will be just as useless in your hands as it was in hers. Better off she threw it away though. A god has no need for such trinkets."

Astro gripped the wand tightly as it glowed and began to change form. "I'm going to use this little trinket to make you kneel…" Astro said evenly. Forget using his monster form to win this. He would rely on his magic…

A/N: Typhon's betting on an all or nothing strategy for them to beat Oberon! And Astro and Umbriel aren't about to hold anything back in the fight coming up! Astro is about to show off more of his magical arsenal. We'll get to a bit of his Rosetta side coming up! Meant to end this fight this chapter, but the way it was going it started to drag on, so I'm gonna end it next one. Titania vs Oberon will probably be two or three chapters too (depending on how it plays out. Don't quote me on this) so I think that's fine.

Hope you guys enjoyed!