After Fiera defeated her clone, she could see that the demons were retreating – that or being killed by well trained Guardian soldiers.

She, Angel, Derek, and Odette met in about the center of the battlefield. Odette was a little taken aback by Fiera's fangs.

"Don't worry," Fiera assured her. "I won't bite… you, at least."

"Good to know," Odette replied, still shocked.

The surprise and chaos around them faded away as they decided what to do next.

"Let's go after Sabian," Odette proposed. She didn't need to persuade the others very much. Fiera was ready and willing to end Sabian and Angel and Derek were ready and willing to follow the ones they loved till the end of the earth.

Quickly, they made their way to the great wooden gate that blocked off the stairway entrance to the castle. Derek and Angel tried to break the doors down, but, for some strange reason, they didn't budge.

"Step aside, guys," Fiera said as she strode proudly up. She walked right up to the door, and looked it up and down, examining it. She grinned. "Well, this door was made to keep Guardians out. But I think I can get in…"

"Are you sure?" Derek asked skeptically.

As if she had not heard him, Fiera dropped her knees into a lower stance and formed her right hand into a tight, white-knuckled fist. Then, like a hot geyser, her fist suddenly sprang up, and she landed a powerful uppercut in the center of the door on the left. A huge crack split right up to the top, and splinters flew everywhere, causing Fiera to protect her eyes by shielding them. The door was knocked ajar, leaving a wide gap through which everyone could get in.

She then turned to answer Derek's earlier question and smirked again. "Well, it was either that, or we just needed to knock politely."

With that, she rushed in, followed by Angel, Odette, and Derek, bringing up the rear. The stairs were left unguarded, and the four of them flew up the steps with ease. Finally, they reached the entrance to the main keep, where Sabian was doubtlessly waiting.

They ran into a few demon guards before even getting their bearings in the place. However, this wasn't much of a hindrance, as the demons were dispatched quickly.

"There's probably more of them around here," Fiera noted. "You all go ahead, I'll handle whatever guards I find."

"But I thought you wanted a piece of Sabian," Odette said, wondering why the sudden change in heart.

"It's your fight, Odette. You have more of a reason to hate him than I ever could. Besides, I think it's fate that you're the one to beat him. I'm just here to help."

"Thank you, Fiera."

While everyone else went in search of Sabian, Fiera went down a different hall. She combed through every hall, trying to find demons to clear out.

Kicking open one door, she felt something draw her in. Confused, but still curious, she walked in, taking in everything in her surroundings. The room seemed normal enough – for one that hadn't been used in years, that is. But there was something wrong about it. Fiera could feel a chill in the air. But then, her eyes settled on it…

Meanwhile, Odette, Derek, and a very worried Angel found what would have been the throne room. They assumed he would be living up his false victory inside. Odette was happy to give him a surprise he so desperately needed. Derek threw open the door for her, and she sprang in, fast as a bolt of blonde lightning.

But Sabian was strong, and although the other demons were easily killed, he made it very clear from the beginning he was not like other demons.

"I'm actually surprised you came at all," he taunted. "I thought you'd be wise like your father and just run away, like a good little girl."

Odette said nothing in retaliation. When he dodged her first attack, she immediately went into the motions of a second one. Out the corners of her eyes, she could see Derek and Angel getting ready to strike.

Despite their superior number, Sabian seemed to be everywhere at once. He could easily catch one while still defending himself against the other. It was useless. After ducking around several times, Sabian's fist finally made contact with Odette's face.

It hurt.

A lot.

She wondered briefly if he had broken anything. But then she decided she didn't care. Before she could act on her new attitude though, Sabian's great claw swept across her face, scratching her eyes across her nose. Three long scratch marks burned and bled across her face.

"Not impressive, not like your mother," Sabian taunted again. Somewhere in the back of her mind, some part that wasn't totally concentrated on the fight, imagined how mortal her mother and this demon must have been as enemies for him to taunt her this way.

In a fit of rage, Derek sprung at Sabian. His attack was a little more successful than Odette's, as it had caught the vicious demon off guard. Derek managed to cut Sabian on the arm as he brought his blade down from somewhere high above his head. Blood washed down Derek's sword and spilled from the large wound.

Sabian cried out in pain and stumbled back. But Derek was fooled into thinking he had severely wounded the demon. With a wide arc, Sabian swung his very large arm and hit Derek in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him as he flew into the wall.

XxX

Fiera stared at the statue. She'd never seen it before. It was not on any kind of pedestal or other base that an artist would have used. It was free standing, something that she couldn't imagine was very often done, as it would take an exceptional sense of balance to make sure the sculpture wouldn't fall.

Which was why it had to be something more than just a statue. Fiera looked around and investigated once more. It was dressed in clothes worn by Guardians. The face was very familiar. It looked a lot like…

Odette's face.

"Cassandra?" Fiera wondered aloud. Then, instinctively, she began to say words she had never even thought would begin to work when trying to examine a sculpture to prove whether it was real or not. "By the power of demon, human, and Guardian, I command this statue to reveal its one, true form to me. My will be done…"

As if from a dream, the statue's face began to twitch. Soon, the rest of its body did the same thing. Then, the grey, stone color was replaced by skin tone and the blues and blacks of the clothes. Fiera could hardly believe it. When the statue was fully animated, she quickly gave it the full salute.

"Stand up, there's no time for that!" the former statue scolded her lightly. "We need to find a way out of here."

"Wait, Queen Cassandra, your daughter is here."

"Odette? Why?" Cassandra was taken aback. She'd left Odette in the care of William before she left to fight Sabian. Why was she there, of all places. Had she been captured? Or had it been so long that Odette was old enough to fight Sabian. The second thought scared her a little. How sad it was that she might have missed her own daughter's entire life.

"She's fighting Sabian. And I think you're the only one who can help her."

Truly, Fiera's answer broke Cassandra's heart. When she first set off to fight Sabian, one of the few hopes that kept her will to fight strong was the hope of returning home to see Odette grow up. But if Odette was fighting, then that meant Cassandra had to have been gone for far longer than she thought. She felt like a failure, being defeated and captured, then stuck as a stone for a very large amount of time.

But she got over the feeling, if only for necessity's sake. She needed to be able to focus on the battle ahead without the guilt. She nodded and led the way out the door. "None of that 'Queen' stuff, alright? Just Cassandra, if you please."

"Yes, ma'am." Fiera was immediately reminded of Odette. Galatea was right, the two were just alike. Odette hated to have any reference at all made to her royalty. It was quite funny when people called her things like 'princess' and 'your highness.' Her temper would never be short, but she would get more than slightly frustrated after a long day of it.

"And what is your name?" she asked as they ran through the castle. Fiera thought it a little bit wasteful to be asking such trivial questions, but she answered anyway. It was important that they knew each other, to show they were on the same side.

"It's Fiera. I'm First Captain of the army."

"My, how long have I been gone? Last I heard it was Galatea." She turned and got a good look at Fiera, who was catching up. "Come to think of it, you look just like her."

"I am her daughter. My mother had me after you were trapped here."

"I remember that! She was excited because she and I were going to have babies who were the same age. So it's been more than twenty years. Tell me, how is Odette?"

Fiera smiled. "If my mother tells the stories correctly, she is a lot like you. She looks like you. When demons attacked her and I brought her here, that was the first thing my mother said."

Cassandra smiled as well, warmed by the feeling of having a daughter after being separated for more than two decades. "And her father, William? What do you know of him?"

"I'm sorry, he passed away. Odette was there, so she would have to give you the details. If we survive this."

"You make it sound like Sabian has already won and there is no point in fighting."

"Pointless or not, don't worry, I'll always fight."

They continued to run toward the sounds of clanging adamant swords. The castle seemed endless as they tried to pinpoint the cacophonous noise. It was taking forever to get there. It was taking time they simply didn't have.

Finally, they reached the throne room, where a huge battle was already taking place. The room was an absolute wreck, a disaster area. Derek and Angel were trying desperately to find a weak spot in Sabian while Odette faced off head on with him.

Fearlessly, Cassandra strode into the battle.

"Hello, Sabian."