Hari was taken.

She had failed.

Someone had taken HER Hari.

They were going to die.

Shan knelt on the ground and stared at the grass before, still flat from where Hari had been kneeling on it just moments before. How had this happened? It had all been so fast. She should have been able to protect Hari.

For the first time in years, Shan felt her eyes threaten to fill with tears.

"Unnie!"

Haki's worried cry made Shan flinch. She looked up and watched numbly as Haki and Hiskaya flew up to the stable part of the island. Hari's younger sister was looking around frantically, Hiskaya clutching her hand tightly. When Haki's purple eyes landed on Shan's face, her face twisted.

"Shan…where is Unnie?" she asked fearfully.

The words were painful to even think, let alone say. But Shan forced herself to get to her feet and slowly approach the trembling princess.

"Hari was kidnapped by the cloaked woman," she said dazedly.

In response, Haki slapped her across the cheek.

Gasps from their group echoed across floating island. Shan's head jolted, but she was still in shock and didn't register any pain. She looked at the crying Haki and frowned.

"I'm sorry," Shan whispered.

"You said you would protect her when she couldn't protect herself!" Haki cried accusingly, the words a knife to Shan's already bleeding heart. Hiskaya hugged her from behind, but Haki didn't even register the contact. "And now…these people are controlling monsters." She looked past Shan to where Lofree was standing. "Who knows what they plan to do to her," she said thickly.

Lofree was shaking in her anger. "Haki," she choked out. "I have to do it."

Beside her, Jenna frowned in confusion. "Do what?"

Lofree looked at her closely. Then, to everyone's surprise, she pulled Jenna into a tight hug. The reserve administrator squeaked in surprise, but Lofree ended the hug before she could do anything else.

"Lofree," Haki said sadly.

"It's alright," Lofree said as she pointedly walked away from Jenna. She held out her hand and her nails grew. She looked at Shan. "In the end, this is my fault," she said grimly. "I failed in my duty, and I will bear the consequences."

Shan could barely process what the blood demon was saying. But her eyes did widen when Lofree sunk her nails deep into the insignia on her arm.

"Heres capta est," Lofree said ominously.

The words were like a punch to Shan's stomach.

"Lofree, what are you doing?" Jenna demanded. She tried to get closer, but was surprised with Yoshua restrained her from behind, Hanulim doing the same after a frenzied word from the small demon. "Let me go," she snapped. Her head whipped towards Lofree. "Lofree, stop that right now," she ordered. "What are you thinking?!"

All around them, the air began to thicken. Dark clouds began to cover the sky and thunder began to rumble dangerously. Shan felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as her sense of danger increased more by the second.

A moment later, Satan himself, Demon King of the Underworld, appeared in a bolt of lightning.

Everyone stared in shock as the strongest demon appeared out of the smoke. His dark aura was pulsing dangerously and the veins covering his strong body were visibly bulging. His white eyes slowly took in the broken land around them, and slowed to look at Shan's blank face before resting on Haki's grieving one.

"Hari is gone," Satan observed in a monotone. "Has she been killed?"

Haki choked back a sob. "We don't know," she cried out. "She was taken."

Satan visibly twitched as he struggled to rein in his temper. "And how were they able to do so?" he asked, the calmness of his voice not offering any comfort.

When Haki's sobs made it too difficult to answer, Shan stepped forward.

"Hari's heart was cursed three weeks ago by a woman cloaked in a robe like this one," she said numbly, gesturing to the unconscious Manoa. "It left her unable to use magic. And lately, it was draining her physical strength as well."

Now, Satan was barring his fangs in displeasure. "And why was I not informed that the heir is at risk?" he asked, his eyes drifting over to where Lofree was standing.

"It wasn't her fault," Haki cried. "Unnie begged us not to tell at first. But when she started getting worse, we were going to tell you once you returned from your trip."

Even Shan could tell that this did not soothe the Demon King's temper in the slightest.

Everyone watched with bated breath as Satan approached the stoic Lofree. She stood tall, but it was clear by the way her skin had paled that she was nervous. When he reached her, she knelt before him.

"I offer no excuse," she said clearly. "I have failed. My life is yours."

"What?!" Jenna screeched. Her struggles were futile against both Yoshua and Hanulim. "Lofree, what are you saying?"

"Jenna, don't interfere," Yoshua ordered through her tears.

"Yoshua is correct, Reserve Administrator," the Demon King said tensely as his eyes drifted over to her. "Don't interfere. The duty of the Blood Clan is to protect the royal bloodline. Lofree failed, and now by my rights, her life is forfeit."

Tears filled Jenna's eyes. "Please, don't!" she cried. "She tried so hard to protect Hari!"

"She's right, Dad," Haki pleaded as she pulled away from Hiskaya and ran to her father. She grabbed his arm and held tight. "Unnie wouldn't want this."

Satan looked down at her, his brow furrowing with sadness. He then sighed heavily and pulled Haki into a tight hug.

"Haki," he said regrettably. "I'm sorry."

Before Shan realized what was going on, Haki disappeared in a flash of purple light.

"Haki!" Hiskaya shouted. Her head whipped around frantically as she ran up to the Demon King. "Where is Haki?" she demanded.

Shan darted over and intercepted Hiskaya before she could be incinerated by the already incensed Demon King.

"Until Hari is returned, that makes Haki the heir," Satan said somberly. "And I will protect her."

Realization filled Shan as she clutched Hiskaya's waist tightly. "You sent her to Limbo," she said faintly.

Satan raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you know of it," he admitted. "Haki will remain there until either Hari is returned, or I can reassure myself of her safety." He looked over to where the unconscious Manoa still lied. "It unsettles me to see an Elyos wearing the uniform of the one you say cursed and kidnapped Hari." His eyes drifted back to Shan and narrowed. "Until I have proof that the Elyos are not responsible for this, I will not trust them with Haki's safety." His eyes locked with Hiskaya's. "Even if it means you never see her again."

Hiskaya's legs caved and she crumbled to the ground with a pained gasp. Shan let go and stood protectively in front of her.

"Please, send me there, too," Hiskaya begged. "Haki…her emotions…" she began to hyperventilate and she stared at him with glistening silver eyes. "She needs me!"

Her pleas did not move the Demon King.

"Limbo is perhaps the only place where Haki is safe from that," he said evenly. "You can rest assured that she will not be harmed by anyone while there, not even herself." He turned his attention back to the still kneeling Lofree. "For now, your life is spared," he decreed. "Return to Kwang-Sarang and report what happened. We begin the search today." He began to walk away from the tense Lofree. "But should Hari not survive this," he added. "Then I will revisit this decision."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Lofree said, her voice tight with her shame.

"Demon King," Shan began before he could leave. Her own chest was twisting with her grief at losing Hari. But she kept telling herself that she would lose composure later. Right now, she needed to focus. "I will join in the search," she said firmly.

He looked at her critically for a few moments. "I will not work with the Elyos until I know that this is not an organized act," he decided. "The only reason I am not striking you down and declaring war is because I know that there is information I do not currently possess." He grunted in annoyance. "And I suppose because that would only anger Hari." A sad smile appeared on his face for a moment before he wiped it clean. "You are welcome to conduct your own search," he said. "And I will conduct mine. I will share information with you, but no other Elyos."

Shan bowed her head in acceptance. "Thank you, Demon King. I will not rest until I find Hari and kill those who have dared to harm her."

Perhaps it was the deadly threat in both her words and her voice, but Satan grinned slightly and nodded. Then, he teleported away in a puff of smoke.

Once he was gone, Hiskaya began to sob. She hugged herself and doubled over. Seeing the grief at her separation with Haki only made Shan feel numb. She didn't have the energy at the moment to provide comfort when she didn't have any herself.

I don't even know if Hari is alive, she thought in her grief.

Thankfully, Yoshua and Hanulim rushed over to comfort Hiskaya while a furious Jenna raced to scold the silent Lofree. Eyes drifted to Shan, but they all winced at her blank expression and were unable to offer any words of reassurance.

"Restrain Manoa," she said numbly to Lofree who nodded miserably.

She walked away undisturbed, though she saw that everyone, bar the distraught Hiskaya, were offering her sympathetic glances.

Her footsteps took her deeper into the forest. There was no reasoning behind where she was going. Her entire body was on autopilot, unable to process anything other than the sense of grief that was crushing her. When she tripped on a root and fell to her knees, she didn't even bother to get back to her feet. She just stared at her hands as they trembled. Each breath refused to fill her lungs. Her eyes began to overflow.

Even as she sobbed out her failure, her fear, her loss, not a sound escaped her lips.

Hari.

Time was irrelevant as she knelt there, sobbing for the first time in years. The pain at having failed both women she had ever loved, it cut deeper than anything she had ever known. In that moment, Shan wished that she truly did have a heart of stone, if only to be rid of the agony of loss.

Then, she remembered Hari's eyes.

Every precious memory that she had made with Hari, both good and bad, flooded her mind. All of those moments that had slowly thawed the frozen walls that Shan had put around her heart. Each time Hari had been painfully patient, waiting for a reciprocated love that she had no way of knowing would ever come.

It was true, with love came pain. But it had been Hari who had taught Shan that the love they shared was worth it. Their time together was like walking in the sun, and this separation was a trip through a dark abyss. But Shan had to hold onto hope that they would reunite and be whole once again.

Wait, reunite…Shan thought.

Eyes widening, her hand went to her neck and she reached into her shirt before pulling out the small horn. She stared at her Sound of Wandering, fragile hope building in her chest. Would it work regardless of distance? She had no answer to that, but she had to try.

Her hands were trembling as she placed the horn to her lips and blew.

No sound came out, but she had been anticipating that. She did stare at the small horn in her hands. Fervent prayers were said in her mind, and she prayed with every ounce of her being. All she needed was something. A sign. A nudge. Just something that would help direct her to where her Hari was.

And then it came. A tremble. So miniscule that Shan worried it had been her own hands. But then it came again and Shan cried out a sob in her relief.

Hari was alive. Hari was alive, and she was calling for her.

"Hold on, Hari," Shan said as she clutched the horn tightly. "I'm coming."

*BREAK*

Hari didn't know how long she stared at the witch standing before her. There were so many conflicting emotions. This was the woman who Sora said was the only one who could save her, so that was a positive. But the last time she saw her, she had hexed Shan, so that was a negative.

So, she settled for feeling neutral.

"Where am I?" she repeated as she looked around the room.

The cell was made of stone and lacked any real luxuries other than a few thin blankets and a couple thin pallet beds. Besides the iron door, there was a small window carved out of the stone wall. There were bars on it, but they were have been useless as the window was much too small for either Hari or the witch to climb out of it anyway. But, judging by the water stains by it, it did provide another concerning element to her temporary residence.

"You are in the Underworld," the Witch of the East said. "In the Northwestern side."

Hari gaped. "Who would be foolish enough to attempt to hide out here?" she demanded.

"Foolish, perhaps," the witch conceded. "Were your captors not prepared for the hostilities of this area of your kingdom." At Hari's confused look, she smirked. "They had to practice controlling monsters somehow."

Anger filled Hari and she clenched her fists. Her conflicting emotions about the way the monsters were being used made her emotions bubble. She turned away from the witch and had to take several calming breaths before she grew overwhelmed.

"Oh, poor deary," the witch said sympathetically. "That royal blood still giving you a hard time since your demon is widening that crack you unintentionally created?"

Hari's eyes widened and she whirled around. "H-How?" she gaped.

"Sit," the witch said as she took a seat on one of the pallets. "My old bones are tired, and this drafty place doesn't help. And it looks like that curse is eating away at you."

Now Hari was doubly stunned. "How do you know these things?" she demanded. At the witch's look, she sat down on the opposite pallet. "I haven't told anyone about my inner-demon growing stronger, or how it's making my control more difficult."

The Witch of the East grinned. "Remember, Princess, I read your future." She winked at Hari with one dark eye. "I did warn you that you would have worries of the heart and the body."

Hari's eye twitched. "A little more of a heads up would have been appreciated," she snapped.

"Oh, but that's a big no-no," the witch cackled. "If I reveal too much, then the course changes and often not for the better." She smirked. "Well, seeing as we're cellmates, I might as well tell you my real name." She bowed her head, white hair flying over her face. "You may call me Chisato," she said.

Hari nodded. "Alright, so, are you a prisoner, too?" she asked dryly. "I didn't think witches were easily captured."

Chisato chuckled good-naturedly. "Oh, we aren't. I assure you that this situation is merely temporary while I waited for your arrival."

"You knew I was going to be kidnapped, too?" Hari said in annoyance. "Seriously, a heads up would have been great."

"Even if my efforts are going to prevent the next Darkest Day?"

It was like all the air was sucked out of the room. Hari's red eyes widened in horror and she stared at Chisato, face white. Her entire body trembled at the implications of the witch's words.

"That's impossible," Hari muttered. "There hasn't…it's been over a thousand years."

All humor left Chisato's aged face. "I know," she said sadly. "I was there for the last one." She exhaled sadly. "Thousands of Lost Ones, all attacking without prejudice, be it Asmodian or Elyos."

"It was the start of war between the Asmodian and Elyos," Hari whispered. "Great-Great-Grandfather blamed the influx of Lost Ones on the Elyos. Divine power had to intercede."

"Naturally, because everyone was going to lose in that war," Chisato said grimly.

Hari hugged herself tightly to try and stop the shaking. "Do you know if the Elyos were actually to blame?" she asked, afraid of the answer. "I know that they have…methods of creating Lost Ones." She looked wearily in Chisato's dark eyes. "Seeing as you know the truth behind becoming Lost, I'm assuming you know this. And if you were alive then, that makes you older than the royal decree."

Chisato bobbed her head in acknowledgement. "To answer your question, it was fault of both Asmodian and Elyos. The Elyos created a weapon to destroy the Asmodians, but its effect ended up turning them into Lost Ones." Chisato's eyes were sympathetic. "You have seen it in action, Child."

Grief welled in Hari's chest. She closed her eyes, but she couldn't ignore the flashes of gold and blood that danced across her memory.

"Are there more?" she asked in a monotone.

"Indeed," Chisato said grimly. "Just one, and the magic was lost to create more, but they remain. And our lovely captors possess it." Her eyes betrayed the weariness of her age. "Imagine, the Princess of the Underworld, becoming a Lost One."

"No," Hari whispered in horror. She tried to suppress her wayward emotions that continued to warm her blood. "Why are you telling me this?" she pleaded. "To tell me that it's hopeless?"

"No, Child," Chisato promised. "All I have done is to save you from that fate, and thereby save all of Heaven and Hell from your destruction."

Okay, now Hari was hopelessly confused. She was pretty sure if she kept getting anymore surprises, her curse would act out and kill her on the spot.

"You're going to have to explain that one to me," she said dryly.

Chuckling, Chisato waved her hands. She vanished in a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, instead of an older woman, there sat an attractive woman who appeared to be in her forties. Her hair was a dark brown that fell in luxurious curls down to her waist. A face, free of warts and blemishes, held piercing dark-grey eyes. Gone was the robe, and instead she wore a pair of black pants and a dark-red blouse. But that wasn't what Hari couldn't stop staring at. Her eyes were drawn to Chisato's head.

Namely, her pointed ears.

"You're Asmodian," she gasped. "But…how? You're a witch!"

Chisato grinned. "Oh, I'm much more than just any Asmodian, Dear," she teased. "Now, search your wonderful mind. You know me."

Now that Hari knew Chisato was Asmodian, she did remember something. From all those history lessons that Noel forced her through growing up. Something about fully understanding the history of the kingdom she was to inherit. One particular story about the Darkest Day stuck out. How her Great-Great-Grandfather had been unable to save his wife from being felled by a Lost One, prompting the start of the war as he placed blame on the Elyos in his grief.

Queen Chisato.

Hari blanched. "Grandmother?!"