Once we were a safe distance from the castle, we made a fire and Miko decided to explain. "The guards were loyal to my family. After the injustice, most of the guards have been scared into submission, but there are a few that work inside the castle and gather intel, providing me aid, if things get too far out of hand. The queen thinks she can twist the kingdom, but everyone is just lying in wait for the day we can take our freedom back."

"Then what can you tell us about Shirayuki and Amari?" Zen insisted.

My eyes grew wide. "They are here?!" Fear started to snare me.

Miko turned to me. "Do not give into fear. It will take you by the heart and turn you towards the darkness."

"I don't understand. If darkness can consume that easily, then why don't others succumb to it's alluring power?" That didn't make any sense to me.

"The feelings themselves do not, but if you allow it, it will consume you. You need to learn to wield the light within you. It will give you the strength to fight it." Miko explained.

"When can I start?" I stood up abruptly.

"Miko, as much I would love to see you get stronger, we need to find out where they are keeping Shirayuki." Zen urged.

Nosuke stood there sadly. "The island."

Miko's face flushed. "You mean she is… no…"

Zen's expression turned darker. "You mean the island where she practices her magic?!"

Nosuke nodded reluctantly at Zen's sudden outburst.

Kiki started to awaken.

"And I wouldn't blame Mitsuhide. The queen has been dancing around him for a while now. She is using some kind of powerful magic to restore the Mitsuhide that she lost in battle." Nosuke updated.

"How can we get to the island?" Zen urged.

"It is impossible. The island doesn't technically exist. Maybe it did once, but it has been shrouded in mystery, since then. If it was that easy to find, more of use would fight for the island victims." Nosuke hated to tell Prince Zen that there isn't a way. "I don't have anymore time. The queen will suspect me if I am gone too long."

"Won't she kill you when she finds out you helped us?" Kat seemed extremely worried.

I however was so confused about what was going on, so all I could do was watch. I knew that Kiki never took me to any island so I had no knowledge that could help them out.

"Not if I do this." Miko stood up and twirled her finger.

Nosuke then turned into a blue jay.

"Turn him back! Are you outta yur mind?!" Kat shrieked.

Miko smirked. "She knows that I would only turn my enemies into woodland creatures. You won't have to worry about him being sent to the island now."

Nosuke tweeted and whistled his approval and flew away.

"Nosuke, lead her to Wilant! She will believe you, after discovering our presence in Wistal!" Miko ordered and he tweeted in response.

"You are turning him back, right?" Kat pressed.

"I will in time." Miko answered.

"Or the queen will." Kiki finally found her voice.

Miko shook her head slightly. "Sorry, but the queen cannot reverse my personal enchantments. Neither can I, hers."

Zen panicked. "You mean if she does anything to Shirayuki, you won't be able to reverse it?!"

Miko let out a sigh. "That's correct."

Worry filled Zen's eyes. It churned him up, not to be able to do anything at this moment.

Kiki stood up and made her way towards the forest. "I will be right back."

Zen barely blinked in her direction.

Kiki didn't make it very far before she heard something approaching. "Zen!"

Out of nowhere, came a beast with black bat wings, hind dragon talons, a bear head, and spider pedipalps from arms. It came down on her in one swoop. Kiki fell to her knees and braced herself for the impact, with her hands out to shield her. A forcefield type shield appeared around Kiki and the monster blew away from its impact. Kiki pulled out her sword.

It quickly recovered and its pedipalp knocked away Kiki's sword in one quick motion. Its talon slammed her down to the ground hard and pinned her.

Zen and the others rushed to her aid, but Miko held out her hand to stop them. "She's got this."

Kiki reached for her sword but it was just out of her reach. She focussed on trying to get her sword in any way possible, as the beast's jaws came in for her throat.

The sword slide across the ground, right into Kiki's hand and she drove it in between her and the beast's jaws. The beast tried to rip her sword away from her, but Kiki held on tight. Kiki manage to get the beast's jaws away from her and she went to strike the beast, while everyone watched closely.

Miko suddenly screamed, "No don't!" She held her own palm towards the beast and sent it soaring backwards into the tree. It knocked the beast out.

Zen helped Kiki up.

Kat whipped towards Miko. "Why did you spare it?"

"Because… It is not just a creature, it is a person. They are villagers that have been punished for siding against the queen." Miko raised her hand towards it and the faintest of form appeared in it's place temporarily. "It's Minato."

Kat shrieked. "What?! Change him back!"

"I can't." Miko tensed.

"You can at least try!" Kat roared.

"I can't do it." Miko tensed even more.

"How do you know if you aren't even going to try?" Kat persisted.

Miko finally broke into tears and swung her arm in Minato's direction, using a spell. "I said I can't do it!"

Minato's form was filled with a momentary bright light that faded away with his temporary form. The beast remained where it lay.

"It doesn't work! I didn't cast the spell!" Miko cried.

I just stared at her. She was me, but I didn't know how to feel about her. It was just too weird. I just stayed quiet with Desti right next to me. I felt bad for Kat however. I knew that Minato was a good friend of hers. I wish there was more I could do.

Kat's tears came down, but she wiped them away. There wasn't anything Miko could do after all.

Kiki turned to Miko. "Thank you for the assistance. I don't know what would have happened if-"

"That wasn't me." Miko regained her smile. "I didn't do anything."

Everyone's eyes widened at Miko's confession.

Kiki reached out her hand and her sword made its own way to its sheath. "Very nice."

Kat then held her hand out towards Zen's sword and focussed her mind on summoning it into her grasp.

Zen gave her a displeased look. "Whaaat are you doing?"

Kat pulled her hand away. "Nothing apparently." She sounded awfully disappointed. "How is it only Kiki?"

Zen narrowed his eyes at Kat.

"What? Miko wanted us to practice with your sword." Kat defended weakly.

"Kat, use your own."

Miko smiled and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. "It is time for a little training. Prince Zen, you and the others should head to the camp and meet with Obi and the resistance. Kiki and I, are going to get in some training."

"Are you sure that is a good idea to go alone?" Zen asked in concern.

Kiki showed Zen her confidence. "We'll be fine. We shall meet up with you there."

"Alright."

Miko summoned a portal and then the two of them disappeared through it.

"What's wrong, Miko?" Desti drew closer to me. "You are not usually this quiet."

"Don't worry about me. It is just a lot to take in." I held my hands out to defend myself from their concerns.

"I'm worried about your Mother. We can't afford to wait here for too long. Are you ready to leave?" Zen gently helped me up.

"Of course. Mother needs us. We need to find her swiftly." I agreed and we didn't waste any more time and ran into the forest towards that said camp.

Shirayuki was offered the opportunity to stay for the time being in the cave with Swethyna. She looked over at Swethyna.

There was a neon blue, sparkling pool, that had a couple trickles from the crimson rock walls, pouring water gently into the little pool and the water must have an equal sized exit point, to regulate the consistent level it held.

Swethyna stood inside the pool and leaned her body gently back against the crimson rock walls. She looked like she was asleep, but she had informed Shirayuki earlier, that she was being watered and lulled into peace. That sounded a lot like sleep. Her flower petals extended from her body and bloomed nicely.

Shirayuki finally allowed sleep to take over. It didn't last long, because she was stirred awake by the sensation of something sliding up her legs and then around her waist and stomach and then around her arms. Shirayuki's eyes widened and she looked quickly to see that she was being wrapped in poison ivy. "Swe-hmmmummphh…" The poison ivy made its way into Shirayuki's mouth. Shirayuki panicked, but then she bit down hard. The ivy quickly retracted and Shirayuki could hear a rustling from Swethyna.

Shirayuki reached for a knife that was rather conveniently placed near her. It was put there, if she would have to defend herself against the beasts outside. Shirayuki never dreamed she would have to cut herself away from Swethyna. Shirayuki started cutting at the vines that held her captive. The energy was draining from Shirayuki, and she was certain, if she didn't act, she would be dead by morning.

Once she was finally free, she staggered towards the cavern door and saw there was poison ivy lining the walls. Shirayuki pulled the door open and ran into the darkest of night.

A beast roared from behind her. She looked back to see that the red eyes shown through the darkness and the silver stripes, gleamed of starlight. 'The Tiger!' It lunged at her, but she tried her best to run, despite the energy taking its time to recover and the itchiness of her entire body that she had to ignore to stay alive.

Shirayuki tripped on a tree branch and tumbled down towards the ocean front. When she stopped, she found that the tiger was not the only thing hunting her. She was surrounded by beasts of all shapes and sizes.

They darted at her and some lunged, but vines of ivy sprung from the earth and the creatures were hoisted into the air and were being constricted by the ivy. Their strength drained and then they were dropped before they lost their lives.

Once they hit the ground, Shirayuki saw that Swethyna was behind them, with her hands to the ground. She was frozen there for a moment, but then approached Shirayuki.

Shirayuki was petrified and shuffled backwards. Anything to get away from Swethyna.

Swethyna pulled back from Shirayuki at the gesture. "This was my fault, wasn't it? I'm so sorry, Princess Shirayuki. I didn't mean you any harm. You should probably stay away from me." She then ran into the forest, leaving Shirayuki to her itching.

Shirayuki knew that itching wasn't the answer, but it was too overwhelming to resist. Shirayuki felt her tongue was swelling. She realized at that moment, she could no longer speak. 'Zen… Where are you…?'

Queen Kiki stormed up to her guards. "How dare you let them get away!" She extended her palm at them and they cowered like field mice.

Suddenly, the two guards transformed into toads.

Queen Kiki felt like her energy had drained slightly. She felt a slight weakness rise inside. "This can't be…"

The horn blew outside the castle walls. It drew her attention immediately.

The guards in her own castle suddenly turned on her, when they noticed the fear in her eyes, however temporary it would be. Kiki held out her hand and knocked many of the guards down the stairs. "Traitors!" That weakness surfaced again.

The guards kept coming and soon the resistance was going to flood in too.

"MITSUHIDE!" Queen Kiki called out in desperation.

Mitsuhide ran down the stairwell and took her side with his own sword drawn. He struck down many guards who posed the queen any threat, which was all of them.

Queen Kiki ran into the room. "Hold them off! I need just a few minutes!"

"Hurry!" Mitsuhide defended against even more attackers. He was out numbered. He had to take on three or four at a time.

Queen Kiki disappeared into a room and emerged with a book in one hand and the infant in the other. "We need to get to the mirror!"

Mitsuhide knocked down two of his current attackers and they tumbled down the stairs and knocked the other oncoming men. Mitsuhide followed Kiki into the tower with the magical mirror.

Queen Kiki locked the door behind them and ordered Mitsuhide to prop stuff against it. Soon there was banging against the door and Kiki knew that they would eventually break through and she couldn't use any more magic, for it could drain more of her energy. She need to use it to form a portal. "Mitsuhide, we need to take the mirror with us!" Kiki pushed the book into her belt and used her free hand to summon a portal. "No one will ever find us here. Now go!"

Mitsuhide didn't ask questions and took the mirror with him through the portal.

Queen Kiki followed and staggered towards him. The portal then closed behind them.

Mitsuhide put down the mirror and caught the queen in his arms. "What happened back there?"

"An uprising…"

"Where did you find Prince Amari?" Mitsuhide glanced at the small little child in the queen's arms.

"Mitsuhide…? Would you protect me, no matter what the cause…?" Queen Kiki started to regain a lot of her strength now.

"I would die for you, Kiki. You are more important to me than anything." Mitsuhide's cheeks turned bright red.

"Oh, good. Then you won't mind this." Kiki placed the baby down gently on the grass and extended her hands to Mitsuhide.

Mitsuhide suddenly started to change form into a turquoise dragon and grew to half the size of the volcano.

"I shall infuse you with the elements of ice, fire, earth, and wind!" Queen Kiki felt her strength weaning on her. She put everything she had into this transformation. Her legs gave out and her body winced at her greatly increasing fatigue.

The beast finally took its new form and Mitsuhide was blowing fire into the surrounding forests.

As if she were talking to Zen and Shirayuki, she said, "You... lose." Kiki braced herself but her arms failed her. She fell to the ground and stared at the sweet innocent baby boy, who was smiling and reaching for her nose. "If I can't have you, Mitsuhide… No one will."

Mitsuhide burned down the towns and forests nearby, pushing the peasants far away to the north. The dragon then used his ice breath and formed an ice wall around the dormant volcano, making it safe for Kiki to recover her strength. Mitsuhide landed right next to her and wrapped his tail around her protectively.

Queen Kiki smiled at him, before her body couldn't hold out and She fell unconscious.