"Yes, 'hell' indeed," Rogers agreed. "She's destroyed a great deal of the castle, including the former dungeon," he added, knowing Derek had fixed it up.

Derek frowned a little, hearing that everything he had done had gone to waste. Odette put her hand on his, silently comforting him. "We have to go back," he said. "Not just for the castle. For the people too. Leda's a Guardian, there's no telling what she could do to those humans."

Odette nodded in agreement. "Yes, we will go back and get rid of her."

"Does that mean you'll reassume the throne, Derek?" Rogers asked.

"No," he replied. "I can't. There's too much danger for the humans there. If any demons knew where Odette was, and that she was among humans, they would attack for sure."

Rogers's eyebrows lifted in interest and a little bit of surprise. He'd never heard Derek so logical before. And he'd never seen Odette so regal before. They had changed. A lot. "Then who will take the throne?"

"Who was the next in line, should something happen to us?" Odette asked.

"Well, it was Derek's mother's cousin," Rogers replied. "Carlotta."

"I remember her," Derek said. "Do you think it would be a good idea to leave the kingdom in her hands?"

Rogers hesitated. "Yes, but no hands are better than that of the true heir's."
"We can't, Rogers," Odette reiterated for Derek. "It's too dangerous, not just for us, but for anybody near us, you and Bromley included. On top of that, we have our responsibilities here, and here, there are no other heirs. It's just Derek and me."

Rogers gave one short nod as his sign of understanding. "What do I say when people ask where you went?"

"Is there any one in the castle now, other than Leda?" Derek asked.

"No."

"Then we were never there. And just make something up. Use your imagination."

"If you've got one, old man," Bromley joked, clapping Rogers on the back. Rogers grimaced, but agreed to do as Derek asked.

"How are you going to get there without being discovered?"

"Leave that to us," Odette replied coolly. "Just stay here, and we'll get it all taken care of. And don't worry, you'll be safe here. No demon is foolish enough to come here." She turned to address her husband. "Derek, we should go as soon as possible. It's not late. We could go today."

"Alright, that sounds good to me. We can grab our swords and be off," Derek replied.

"Not alone, of course," Fiera interjected. "We're going with you."

"You don't have to," Odette noted.

"Yes we do. We have a duty to help you when and where possible," Angel replied calmly.

"And I've got a bone to pick with Leda," Fiera added.

Fiera and Leda hated each other with a passion. Leda had been out to embarrass and sabotage Fiera since the latter discovered she was repentant a half-demon, meaning she had shown kindness in her last moments of life as a half-demon – someone with a human parent and demon parent – and the deed had warranted a second chance at life and to be born to a Guardian mother. Although Fiera was generally well loved and accepted among the Guardians, despite her past, Leda had always detested the girl, thus earning the girl's hatred.

However, Leda disappeared on the very day Sabian was defeated. Upon Odette, Derek, Angel, Cassandra, and Fiera's return, Leda began to patronize the royal family, which she plainly was not loyal to. Fiera called her bluff and all but banished her from Elmswell.

Odette smiled knowingly at her best friend.

Within the hour, Odette, Derek, Fiera, and Angel were ready to leave.

"Odette, is something wrong?" Cassandra, her mother asked as they were just leaving. Odette had meant to tell her that they were leaving, but somewhere along the way it slipped her mind. She still wasn't fully used to having a mother around, so things were sometimes a little hectic with her growing circle of family and friends.

"Well, Leda's attacked Swan Lake, and she's basically holding the entire place under siege. We're going to chase her out."

"Wait, Swan Lake? As in Rothbart's old hideout, Swan Lake?" Cassandra asked.

"Yes. Derek defeated just before we were married. Rogers and Bromley can tell you the entire story while we fight Leda. I'll tell you everything they don't know when we get back."

"Just get back safely, and I'll be happy," Cassandra replied, understanding that Odette probably had a reason for not telling her about Rothbart. She too was not accustomed to having a daughter around. They were both working very hard to get used to each other, not that it was hard. From the start they loved each other. Odette found that her mother was everything she'd imagined as a child and more. "Fiera, make sure I get my daughter back in one peace, please."

"Hey, no problem," Fiera replied, smiling. "Sure, all hell just broke loose and there's a huge possibility that we could all die, not to mention the fact that Leda would probably enslave all the humans in the region and come back and attack Elmswell, but don't worry about Odette. She's perfectly safe with me."

With that thought in mind and laughter in their voices – Fiera was just too funny sometimes – the four that were on their impromptu mission left. It struck Odette that Fiera couldn't reply soon after they left the gates of Elmswell. "Fiera, how are you going to get their on foot?"

Fiera smirked.

"You've never seen her run at full speed, have you, Odette?" Angel asked.

"No, I haven't."

"Well then, get ready," Fiera said, dropping her knees and digging her heel into the ground for traction. Like a bolt of lightning, the next instant, she was off, a shockwave of energy left behind her where she took off with such potent force. Odette was impressed. Fiera was out of sight before the blast of energy had been dissipated. She was a dot in the distance before Odette could draw her next breath.

"We'd better catch up with her," Derek said. "We should arrive together, for safety purposes, right?"

Angel chuckled. "There is no catching up with her. I imagine she's already there, waiting for us. That's how she saved the two of you the day you met."

"Well then, without further ado…" Odette smiled as her wings appeared on her back. She immediately went in Fiera's direction, followed by Derek and Angel.

They arrived very quickly at Swan Lake, though none arrived so quickly as Fiera, who was scoping out the castle when they arrived.

"The highest concentration of power is there," Fiera informed them, pointing out the castle's great hall. "I'd bet anything that's where Leda is… nasty witch."

"Do we have a plan?" Angel asked.

"I hope not," Fiera muttered, obviously ready for a full throttle fight with Leda.

"Just get in there and get her out," Odette replied with a shrug.

"Be warned, Leda's gotten stronger, though I can't tell how much," Fiera said just before they rushed in.

Leda was easily found. Fiera was the first to attack her, letting all her previously exhibited demonic speed loose on Leda. Leda had not yet 'transformed,' as Fiera called it, meaning she was not bearing her wings, which would be a sign that indicated Leda was in her strongest form. However, when Fiera attacked, Leda easily blocked her – too easily. Even at a 'resting' form, Leda was quite powerful, which threw Fiera off.

At that moment, Leda transformed. She no longer had white, feathery wings. She had huge black bat wings, to the astonishment of everyone in the room. Her ears were pointed, visible through her white-blonde hair. On her face were two purple marks, like claws that had been dragged toward the center of her face. Her eyes were wily and bright, menacing red.

Stunning red.

Blood red.

"A Fallen Guardian…" Angel whispered in awe.

"A what?" Derek demanded, not believing his eyes.

"She's converted to darkness and evil! She's betrayed every Guardian alive, and along with that, she's much more powerful than a pure Guardian."

"Then she must be stopped," Odette concluded.

"Not as easy as you might think," Leda taunted, snickering. "Beware, little princess."

"Those were your parting words last time, and they'll be your parting words this time as well!" Odette yelled as she sprang into the battle. Leda jumped into the air just before Odette could reach her, but Fiera, who had recovered from her own initial attack, jumped toward Leda's back. However, Leda was quicker as well as stronger. She whipped around fast enough to catch Fiera in the air and slam her into the wall with one hand.

There was a crack in the wall where Fiera impacted, and several of the stones had been knocked inward.

"I think the whole point of this was to keep the castle in one piece and save it from Leda, not destroy it," Angel said as he helped her up while Leda was distracted with Derek and Odette.

"I think the whole point is to destroy Leda. If the castle gets in the way, then that's too damn bad!" she declared as she once again jumped to meet Leda in the air. This time, she caught her opponent's foot and managed, with all her demonic strength, to slam Leda into the ground.

In return, Leda blasted a white hot ball of energy at Fiera, sending her reeling back as the blast hit her in the stomach.

Derek and Angel, who were about to attack Leda from both sides, were thrown to the ground as well. Derek had never seen magic like this before – or had he? It seemed oddly familiar…

"Ah yes, the power of Hell's Might, better known as the Forbidden Arts by humans," Leda hissed, seeing the ponderous look on Derek's face. "Oh, and will the three of you stop struggling? If you haven't noticed yet, you're quite inescapably subdued. I'd bet not even Rothbart could have done that, the foolish human."

"How did you know?" Derek growled from his place on the floor. Leda was right; he couldn't move at all.

He thought he was done with the Arts. He thought it was over. He was wrong.

"I noticed a huge concentration of it the last time I was here. Where better a place to start my revenge than here? There are big changes ahead for the Guardians, and it starts here, with the end of the monarchy, a pathetic underling, and an abomination."

"Not happening!" Odette answered hotly as she charged Leda.

In Leda's hands formed a sword, composed of the same energy as the blast that hit Fiera. The second they collided, their swords locked. Odette was using all her force just to defend herself. To her disgust, Leda seemed arrogantly bored.

"You can't win, Odette," Leda taunted. Odette did not react whatsoever, her mind to heavily concentrated on the fight, rather than Leda's jibes.

Seeing the mental part of her assault wasn't working, Leda used one swift motion of her arm to throw Odette's sword to the ground about twelve feet away. She then used another energy blast to knock Odette to the ground.

"You've been a Guardian for all of two months, and you think you can defeat me?!" Leda roared maniacally. "Well, you're wrong, princess. So wrong…"

Leda began to bring the sword straight down on Odette. Derek and Angel had no hope of reaching her in time to save her. but just when Odette thought she was going to die, just when she thought it was over, someone had screamed.

"NO!"

It was Fiera. She broke the invisible binds that held her pinned to the floor. Once more employing her speed, she jumped in front of Odette and blocked the attack with all her body.

The sword was buried in her shoulder. Blood was everywhere, and light from the power that was being unleashed on one body forming all around, casting Fiera in a heroic blaze of glory.

"Not… this… time…" she growled just before screaming in pain. The Arts had taken their effect.

The blinding light increased. As quickly as it had formed, however, it had dissipated, leaving an empty spot in the ground where Fiera and Leda had been standing. The only thing that was audible was the echo of Leda's eerie laugh ringing about the room.

Leda had merely used the light as a cover for her escape.

Fiera was dead.