Wilson sighed in relief as he climbed the rope ladder leading him up to the surface once more. He squinted a little as his eyes adjusted to the change in light but he was oh so relieved. He took a deep breath of fresh air, savoring that moment.

"Alright, the coast is clear! Come on!"

The first one out was Jenny who quickly pulled her sister up.

"Oh man, I thought we'd never get out of there!"

"Right?"

Wilson chuckled a bit.

"It was a long time for you all."

"Yep and man I can't wait to see Charlie." Winona grinned. "We'll see her soon, right?"

"Oh yes. I think the first order of business will be to head back to the Light Village. We need to regroup before we begin the hunt for Cato. We have some friends there that could be a huge help in finding him and detaining him."

"It would probably be wise."

Maxwell was the next come up, Walter helping him walk.

"Though don't expect me to join you there. I step in there I die."

"Are you sure?" Wilson raised an eyebrow. "You're standing in this light and not dying."

"Different type of light." He scoffed.

Besides… there's nothing welcoming there.

"If that's how you feel."

"And I need to find my OWN people."

Wilson blinked.

"Huh? I thought you were by yourself."

"I'll explain when we find them. Let's just keep moving."

"Good luck!"

They looked down below, seeing Laika, Robert, Andrea and Ciel waving to them.

"We'll be here if you need anything!"

"Thank you!" Wilson called, grinning. "Alright, let's get moving."

Everyone nodded, following behind him.

"Shame they couldn't come with us." Walter frowned, looking back.

"Robert has no pieces in this game." Maxwell retorted. "They shouldn't be involved if they don't have to - and Laika has a family who I'm sure miss her dearly."

Walter looked to Maxwell.

"Not to be intrusive or anything but… do you know them personally?"

Maxwell glanced to the side.

"I've known Robert since he was young man. He was one of the few humans who did research for me alongside his mentor. I made a deal with him awhile back to save his life in exchange he would explore the caves and map them for me and fill me in on what has been happening down there. Andrea, she was one of my subjects and Laika… don't know her personally since I just met her but she doesn't need to be involved this nor do her people. The last thing I want for them is more grief."

Walter raised an eyebrow.

"You seem to care a lot, for someone who finds being called heartless a compliment."

Maxwell flinched at this.

"I'm actually allowed to change. Do you not believe people can grow?"

"Most certainly." Walter's look turned gentle. "I saw that with Willow in a place where people kept telling me no one staying there would change. Yet she defied that." Walter looked to ahead. "Then again, you were the reason I got her out of there so… I still owe you my thanks. Even if things turned upside down for awhile."

"Well… what they were doing to her wasn't real healing. It was barbaric. Reminded me too much of things I saw in the past."

"Well… thank you."

Maxwell was silent, processing what had just been said. He had not heard those words in a long time.

"... You're welcome."

"SHRIEK!"

Everyone covered their ears at the sound of a high pitched shriek.

"What in the bloody world was that!?" Walter asked.

Maxwell's eyes were wide.

"Maggie." He whispered, pulling away from Walter, dashing towards the source. "Maggie!"

"H-Hey!" Walter chased after him. "Wait up! You shouldn't be running on your own just yet!"

Wilson shook his head before following after, finding it hard to keep up with Maxwell.

For someone still healing he's fast. And who's Maggie?

They soon came upon a clearing, seeing five people fighting against one person in a cloak who was surrounded by nightmare monsters. They were currently at a stand still, trying to find the next open opportunity to strike one another. What was notable was how strange four of them looked.

One was a young man with antlers and pure white hair. Another was a young girl with dark black hair and bug like wings on her back. The third was a boy covered in black and white fur and had long claws coming out of his hands. The fourth was a young woman with moose like antlers sticking out of her head and had wing like arms.

The fifth member of the group wasn't strange in the way the others were, but what was shocking was how much she beared a resemblance to Charlie.

"Sis!?" Winona gawked. "What she doing here? I thought you said he was back in your village, Wilson."

"She is." Wilson was dumbstruck. "I… I don't think that's her."

"Scarlet!" Maxwell ran towards the Charlie clone. "Scarlet!"

Scarlet looked to him, eyes wide before relief seeped in.

"Maxy…"

The cloak figured turned his attention to the two.

"So, you survived." They chuckled. "Impressive. Guess you're not like your old man after all, Magnus."

Maxwell growled, glaring at the cloaked figure, getting in a protective stance in front of Scarlet.

"Oh, of course you run to protect your useless knight."

"Don't talk about my QUEEN that way!" He snarled. "Or my family. EVER, Cato!"

The others were dumbfounded at what was happening before them.

"What… the heck happened while he was in hiding…?" Wilson gawked.

Maxwell… THEE MAXWELL. A family man!?

"I am so confused." Winona scratched her head.

"Me too." Jenny tilted her head. "I thought he didn't care for anybody."

"Well… like he said, people change." Walter crossed his arms.

Cato scoffed.

"I'll talk about you and your "family" however I like. Especially after what YOU did to ME so many centuries ago." He laughed. "I think I'm done playing. It's time you met your end, Maxwell. After all, nothing would be more satisfying than to murder you in front of your mutts, your dog and The Shadow Prince."

Maxwell readied his hands, summoning shadow flames to them.

"You want a fight, I'll give you one."

The other four people looked to him, worry in their eyes. Same for Scarlet.

Cato sneered, charging right for him drawing a sword.

"I'll cut you where you stand!"

Maxwell whistled.

"Time to practice what you learned boys and girls!"

The girl with fly wings came swooping down, claws ready.

"TAKE THIS!" She shrieked.

Cato smirked, whistling as a terror beak came to his aid, tackling the girl away from him.

"You forget, I'm not alone."

He grinned as he saw the other three charge him, having nightmare monsters counter them with ease with a simple whistle. He glanced to the bystanders, seeing them ready to leap into battle.

He clicked his tongue.

"I just want this to be you and me, Max. I'd rather not have interference. Thankfully, I have a way of making things easier."

He began to whistle a tune. Soon as it began, the others found themselves frozen in place, unable to move. All but Maxwell and Cato could move.

"W-What is this?" Wilson growled, trying to get his body to move.

Maxwell was wide eyed, looking to Scarlet, seeing she was struggling as well.

"What… did you do!?"

Cato laughed.

"It's amazing isn't it? I almost began to think trying to possess this human mutt was a waste of time but then… Oh, what powers lied within him were an amazing discovery. Who knew music could be such a powerful weapon!" He grinned. "And no worries, I can unfreeze them once I whistle a certain note. For now, they're just stuck for as long as I like."

Maxwell growled.

"You know, after all these years I didn't think it was possible for you to get worse… Yet, you've proven that all wrong. This is just down right vile, even for you, Cato!"

Cato laughed.

"Even for me? Oh, I don't think I've done enough." He told him, raising his weapon. "I think I can escalate it even more. First with you. Then with The Prince over there… and one by one your little family can watch as I slaughter them."

"You'll have to go through me first. It was our fight to begin with." Maxwell summoned a sword to his hand. "So, let's just finish this."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, Your Highness."

The two charged each other, swords clashing in an instant as they met. Maxwell sneered at Cato, while Cato grinned widely at him. The clashing of swords was all that could be seen and heard for those watching.

"Still spry for someone so old and not to mention fresh out of the Forge." Cato chuckled. "Guess you still have some tricks left."

"Plenty." Maxwell narrowed his eyes, trying to go in for a killing blow.

Cato grinned, dodging with ease, hitting his sword hard enough to knock it out of Maxwell's hands.

"Sadly." Cato chuckled, whistling a high pitch note that caused Maxwell to freeze up, a gasp soon leaving him as Cato's sword pierced through his chest. "I still have plenty of my own that you don't know about."

Everyone watched in horror as color left Maxwell's face. His eyes became lifeless before he fell to the ground, limp.

"NO!" Scarlet shrieked. "MAX!"

"FATHER!" The other four screamed.

Cato grinned as he pulled out his sword, stepping on Maxwell's chest.

"Finally… The old king is dead." He threw his head back laughing. "He's finally dead! Victory is mine!"

Maxwell… No… He… He can't really be…

Wilson was in total shock. He was the witness to something he never thought he'd ever see in his life. Something… he never thought he would feel so mortified to see happen.

Cato chuckled before looking to the rest all around.

"And you are all next." Cato pointed his sword towards Wilson.

"Starting with The Prince."