Chapter 3

William woke, suddenly.

"Willy baby?" Xena moaned, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," William rubbed his forehead, "go back to sleep," he got up, and pulled on his shirt.

"Where are you going?" Xena sat up.

"I need some air," this was a lie of course, he didn't actually need to breath anymore, but Xena didn't have to know that.

It was a clear crisp night, perfect flying weather, but William didn't feel like flying. He rubbed his forehead; it always hurt, no matter what he did.

"You need some company?" Estelle came to stand beside him.

"Sure," he looked up at the stars, "is it cold tonight?"

"Not too cold," Estelle replied, "you have another bad dream?"

William was silent.

"Can you remember what it was about?"

William shook his head.

They were both silent for a moment, "you need hot coco," Estelle finally said.

"Okay," William nodded.

They walked back into the Castile, together.

The arrow cut though the air smoothly, and hit the bulls-eye.

Romulus pulled off his blind fold. He had started teaching himself to shoot in the dark; he was able to hit his target, when it wasn't moving. It was time to try a moving target.

The door of the training room opened, "hello Romulus," Baby came in, "what'cha doing?"

"Teaching myself to shoot in the dark," he replied, pulling his arrow out of the target, "what are you doing?"

"Looking for you," she pecked him on the cheek, "a little birdie told me you needed a moving target."

"You really expect me to shoot at you?" Romulus smiled.

"I bet you'd miss even if you tried," Baby teased.

"I don't know about that," Romulus smirked.

"Then what are you waiting for big boy," Baby pocked Romulus' chest, "prove me wrong."

The alarm went off: "We're being attacked!"

Romulus and Baby put on their Personas and ran out onto the Castile grounds.

William led his well organized children towards the unruly ranks of the crystal Castile; they were neither prepared nor willing to go to battle.

They'd better get ready, William smiled, I'm starting a war. He gave the signal, and his children ran towards the Castile.

"We ready?" Matsu looked back towards his army, they nodded; they may not be prepared, but they were sure going to pretend they were, "for Nightopia!"

They sped towards William's oncoming forces. The collided with them aiming to wound, not kill as they had been taught.

Baby's felt the world spin around her, she fell to the ground. She was lapsing, "No!" she pulled herself up, "I can fight it," she stumbled forward and fell over again, "I can fight it!" she gasped, trying to keep herself sane.

One of William's forces pined her to the ground.

"Please no," Baby cried.

"Aw," the boy said with mock sympathy, "what's wrong? You scared?"

Baby nodded.

"Good," the boy took his blade in both hands and prepared to strike.

"Karan!" William grabbed the boy by his ear and pulled him off of Baby, "what are you doing?"

"Aw, come on," Karan wined, "I was just-"

"What is my most important rule?"

"Bu-"

"What is it?!"

"Don't kill anyone," Karan grumbled.

"Don't. Kill. Anyone." William threw Karan on the ground.

"William," Baby gasped, pulling herself up again, "William, I'm Baby, your sister."

William looked at her for a second, "you're… my sister?"

Baby nodded.

William took a closer look at his sister, then laughed, "You're lapsing aren't you? Another child ruined by daddy's dirty genes," he laughed again.

"Stay away from her zombie," Romulus aimed his arrow at William's head.

"You really think that's going to kill me?"

"For just a few seconds, yeah, but that's all I need," he shot the arrow. The arrow was picked out of the air by Nights, "Ho! Don't hurt him!"

William stood, frozen. Here he was again, served up on a silver platter. All he had to do was… "Fall back!"

William and his forces fled back to their Castile.

"Nights!" Matsu marched up to Nights angrily, "what is wrong with you?"

"He was going to hurt my son!"

"You mean the one that was trying to hurt your daughter?"

"I-I just," Nights cried silently, "I don't want to see him get hurt when I know I can stop it."

"For heavens' sake Nights," Matsu groaned, "he's dead; he can't 'get hurt'!"

"I don't care!" Nights sobbed.

"Daddy?" Baby hugged her father's leg.

"Oh Baby," Nights crouched and held his fully lapsed child; "you tried to fight it again, didn't you?"

Baby nodded, "I almost won this time, I'm sure of it."

"Keep fighting Baby," Nights hugged Baby affectionately, "keep fighting."