A flash of onyx and silver swiped across Zelda's vision. Something forced her to the ground and out of the danger zone. She blew her hair out of her face to see what the heavy thing was pinning her down.

"A-Abel-san?!!" she blinked up at the man on top of her.

He was all business, "Zelda-san, get out of here now. You shouldn't even be here."

"But I've got to protect the Empress!"

"Who, me?" a child-like voice called down to them. All three turned to see an unmarked, healthy Seth coming down the stairs. She motioned to the her bleeding double, "Ever since I heard your about your plans to create another me, I have been working on this. It was for a day such as this. I didn't realize you were so helpless without me Kain."

The light blonde Crusnik didn't smile. His nails grew out and colored black, his hair stuck out sharply, his eyes glowed ruby, twin fangs protruded out of his mouth and stunning, pearly wings unfolded from his back. Zelda stared at the sight in awe. He looked like an angel but his face revealed the cruel personality of a devil.

"Even now, in that condition, you still plan to fight us," the lady Crusnik whispered. "So be it… Kain." A great burst of wind erupted, causing the young girl to shield her face and close her eyes. When she could open them and lower her arm, in Seth Nightlord's place was an emerald being with the same colored wings flowing from her back. Her eyes were blood red; in her hands were identical weapons to the Seth Clone's. A distorted snarl rushed past her clenched teeth.

Kain decided to run away and wait for this battle another day, when the odds were in his favor. Up and up he soared, towards the ceiling hundreds of feet above them. Seth flared her wings and pushed off the ground with a tremendous amount of force that shattered the stone under her.

Abel rolled off of her and stood up. Turning his back to her, he commanded, "Get away from here and stay away. This is not a place for you to be in."

"But-"

He transforming into this midnight blue being, he followed after his siblings. She continued to watch as the wind from his take off died down. Slowly, not taking her eyes off the place they disappeared, she got up off the floor. After a moment, she pried her gaze away and ran up the long staircase, racing for the surface.

---

"You!... What's your name again?" Zelda asked the small, blonde vampire that once broke into Caterina's office.

"Ion."

"Ion, if you insist on coming with me then be prepared to take care of yourself."

His face contorted but he managed to bite down on his tongue. The other AX members were off amidst the giant plane of no man's land, fighting Rozen Kreuz vampires. Caterina and the Professor stayed aboard the Iron Maiden, unable to fight physically. Tres, Ion and her were left to provide backup for Abel and the Empress.

The three of them began running across the dusty wasteland straight for the bright multi-colored flashes in the cloudy sky. It was overcast and the clouds were heavy and dark with water and the wind tore right through you, but they continued on.

"T-Tres, if I don't live through this… will you tell me what you were going to say before the poison took affect?" Zelda yelled over the raging wind.

He responded, "This is not the time or place to talk."

She scowled, knowing he was purposefully putting it off. They could be dead by the time to talk would come around. It was too bad though, she really wanted to know what he was planning to tell her. If only that poison hadn't gotten in the way. Of course, if she hadn't been injected with the venom at all, she wouldn't be swaying on her feet right now. She was having trouble keeping it together and look like she was fine at the same time. At the moment, her vision wobbled around and her head was still fuzzy but she managed to run in a straight line.

A small looking figure dropped in their path. Green wings were attached to her back, giving her the ability to fly. The shadow cast over her eyes lifted and she raised her gaze to them. The Seth Impersonator clutched her twin swords and pointed them in Zelda, Tres and Ion's direction. Her voice produced the same innocent sound as the original, "I was sent to defeat you."

The black-eyed girl smirked and added a sarcastic lift to her words. "Hmph, I doubt it. You only look like the Empress but you aren't as nearly as strong as her. You couldn't possibly win against us."

That made her angry in a sense but being young robot with no people experience; she hadn't developed those kinds of mood yet. She did understand that she was being underestimated and compared poorly next to her doppelganger. To show them they were wrong, she focused and let ice form around the mouthy girl's feet.

She jumped back in time and ripped away what ice had stuck to her foot. She chuckled, "See? How pathetic. Right guys?"

Ion caught on first. "Oh yes! I know about her power and that's a sad imitation for it. The Empress has an ice-looking ability but she really melts things. Ha, with that talent you wouldn't be able to kill a fly, let alone us."

The Seth Clone frowned angrily and attacked the little vamp. He leapt to the side and mouthed, "I'll be back" to them before darting away, followed by his new pursuer. They nodded and stared to run again.

Twenty feet into their attempt to get ahead, another enemy blocked their way. This time, the familiar person flicked a stand of purple hair out of his eyes. "I doubt you'll be going any father than this."