Cain stormed towards the garden, a scampering Glitch behind him. He took a vow to protect the royal family. It may not have been a vow that was signed on paper, or a vow he swore with by swearing with his blood over a sacred relic, but it was a vow he had promised to himself in his heart.

The royal family was now like a family to him. He remembered what it was like to have his family hurt and taken away from him before, and right now he was swearing that he would never let that happen again.

Cain wouldn't be able to forgive himself if anything happened to any of them.

He burst through the remaining set of doors that led to the garden, breathing heavily. He heard Glitch stop behind him, panting in an attempt to catch up on his breath.

Cain's eyes scanned the group that stood there. His eyes first went to Ahamo and Lavender Eyes.

Ahamo was standing protectively infront of his wife, and across from about four men.

One of the men slowly turned towards Cain, and that's when Cain saw the familiar face of Zero looking at him. Zero's eyes seemed to dance with amusement as his eyes looked directly into Cain's.

Cain froze. There he really was, his old enemy staring him in the face. Cain was secretly hoping that DG and Glitch made a mistake when they said that they saw Zero there. Cain did not want to meet the man again.

Cain did not know how he would react to being in the presence of the man who tore apart his family.

Cain slowly brought his hand to his hip, pushing the coat away so he could take hold of the gun that rested in its holster.

There was a sudden eerie quietness as the man that stood in the center slowly turned to face Cain.

Cain felt a shiver travel up his spine at the instant the man's gray eyes looked into his steele blue ones.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you Cain…." Zero commented, extremely pleased with how Cain was reacting to the way the Sorcerer looked at him.

Cain felt helpless, as if he couldn't even move. It was as if he were suddenly paralyzed under the man's gaze.

Never had Cain felt so much evil, so much hatred pass through his and he wasn't even touching the man.

The man turned to face Cain, the bottom of his robe fanning out as he did so.

Zero stepped back slightly, so that the Sorcerer had a clear path to get to Cain.

The Sorcerer slowly approached Cain, each person's eyes not leaving the others. Although for Cain, looking away seemed like it wasn't an option.

Cain felt so overcome by evil with each step the man took towards him, that he collapsed to his knees. A roar of laughter escaped from the Sorcerer's mouth.

"Very good. I am most impressed…." The Sorcerer stated.

He stepped directly infront of Cain. "I would take great pleasure in killing you right here, right now with all my power….but that would be such a waster. You are so weak, but you try to be so strong. You….have nothing. No one to care for you. No one to….love you…" the Sorcerer hissed, before backhanding Cain across the face.

Lavender Eyes let out a gasp, before covering her mouth. She turned to look at Ahamo, horrified.

Glitch made to step forward, but Zero cut him off and held him back. Glitch struggled against Zero's hold. Glitch was no match for Zero, but Glitch didn't care. He didn't want to see his friend getting beaten like this.

"Stop! Let me go! Cain!" Glitch cried out.

Zero chuckled. "Oh, I don't think so. I've waited too long for this to happen…." Zero stated, referring to the blows that Cain was now heavily getting.

Ahamo released his protective hold from Lavender Eyes, and turned to face the man that continued to strike Cain.

"That's enough, Christophe!" Ahamo snapped. Christophe stopped, and stared down hard at a now bleeding, panting Cain.

"He has done nothing wrong. Its us you have the quarrel with…" Ahamo continued.

Christophe slowly turned away from Cain, and looked at Ahamo.

He let a wicked smile cross his face. "Quite right you are…" he said, before looking back at Cain.

Cain turned to show him a hateful glare.

Christophe let out a small chuckle. "That's okay. You have quite a…storm heading you're way anyway…" Christophe hissed. Christophe nodded at Zero, and Zero released his hold on Glitch.

Glitch fell at first, before scampering to help his fallen friend.

Christophe slowly turned to face Ahamo and Lavender Eyes.

"It's been many annuals since I've seen you, Ahamo…" Christophe stated.

"Yes, how unfortunate for us…" Ahamo stated, bitingly.

…………………………………….

Sapphire watched as Christophe began to have a conversation with Ahamo. Her eyes drifted over to the fallen Tin Man and his pathetic Zipperheaded friend.

She did a small smile to herself. Who knew that the people she was going to deal with would be so easy?

She then heard some commotion and she turned to see more people rush into the garden.

One girl had jet black hair that was slightly frizzed, and was wearing an odd combination of some blue type of pants, and some form of a black leather jacked. Princess DG

One girl had long dark brown hair that flowed slightly below her chest, the top part in slight curls. She was wearing what looked like a black travel dress that was made of leather. Princess Azkadellia.

She looked at the other two, quizzically. The young boy with dirty blonde hair rushed towards the Tin Man and The Zipperhead. Sapphire raised an eyebrow. So they must be the father and son that Zero told me about…Wyatt Cain and Jeb Cain.

She looked at the final girl. She had long red hair that was pulled back into a pony tail, and stood taller than Princess DG. She was wearing a red tank top, and black loose pants. Sapphire noticed that she also had a form of a brown leather boot on.

Also on her hip was a black slender gun. Sapphire sneered slightly. She hated guns. More to the point, she hated people who carried any form of a gun.

Guns didn't give her the pleasure of the fun kill that she desired to see. Sure, if you shot someone in the gut or the leg they would suffer and eventually bleed out.

But, oh….daggers, swords, sai's and bow and arrows made her so happy. She could get as creative as she wanted to with the kill. Since when could you carve your name into someone's back with a gun?

Sapphire crouched behind the bush as she watched the garden gulf into motion. She smiled to herself.

Once Zero and Christophe seized the King and Queen, and disappeared…she would make her move.

Christophe was leaving the other two men behind, unknown to them. They were going to be used as guinea pigs in making her story believable.

They were much too skilled for the party to handle, but not to skilled for her to deal with.

She waited, and waited, and waited.

Finally she watched as Zero knocked the Tin Man to the ground, before pushing Princess Azkadellia into the thorn bush. Christophe struck the Zipperhead with the black staff he had hidden in his robe, before turning to seize Ahamo.

She watched as Zero grabbed Lavender Eyes, and the two came together. She saw Zero turned to face her direction and show her a small smile, before he vanished with the Sorcerer and the two prisoners.

Sapphire smiled as the other two men looked around confused. She pulled her dagger out from its spot on her belt and smiled to herself.

She gave it a minute or two, before springing out of her hiding place and diving into the fight.