As Ace was helped out of the hold by Burberry he started to have a flashback, He thought it must have happened when he was in chains. He hung his head down in pain and he heard a small laugh. He looked up to see the red haired man standing there. "Why are you here?" Ace asked weakly. "I've come to explain a few things." Asura said. Asura knelt down and lifted Ace's face gently by his chin. "Let's start with what's happened. You risked your life to save Maya's lost brother and in turn you were captured. But now is where we shall… unveil the grand scheme. Take a guess." Asura said. "I don't know. Get me out of here." Ace said. "Can't do that. That man, Shara, is the leader of the largest criminal organization but there's a reason he should have killed you outright. He's scared of you. He knows the power of the brand and thus wants to end you. But there is also a reason why he hasn't killed you." Asura said.
"Why is that?" Ace asked. "You won't believe me but… he wants you to join him, not as a grunt, as a leader like him." Asura said. "Why would he want that?" Ace asked. "You know your father Alvar? He had two children." Asura said. Ace's eyes widened at those words. "You mean…?" Ace asked. "Yes. He is your long lost brother. He wants to break you, make you join him, and use the power of the brand. Just as Harley said when you are desperate you do things others wouldn't. Anywhat when you were young, Alvar left and took Shara while leaving you with your mother. Alvar was taken from him and in an effort to get him back one thing lead to another and he was drawn in with the Hazlevale family." Asura said.
"Get me out of here. Please." Ace begged. "Now actually hearing that hurts me because I actually want to but can't. As cold as my heart is I actually want to but can't." Asura said. "Why? Get me out please." Ace asked. "If you were to leave right now there is a 75 percent chance you would be kill before you could leave the compound. If you did get out, Shara would hunt you down and then that would lead to a one sided battle where everyone you've been travelling with would be slaughtered and then he'd save you for last." Asura said. Ace slowly slumped back down against the wall. He wanted to get away but he had seen how large the forces were here and he would take a few extra torture events if it meant his friends would be safe. "Anywhat I honestly thought you'd last longer which is why I told you orange cakes. There's a safe which had a few baubles and the code was orange cakes. The security question was either, the best cakes, which was orange cakes, or the worst, which was lemon. Piece of shit doesn't know what cakes are the best." Asura said as he took a bite of a lemon cake.
"Any way when you do get out of here, head to Hildian quickly. Shara should start attacking in about… 3 hours." Asura said. "See you around." Asura said as he disappeared. Ace snapped back into reality and quickly grabbed Burberry's arm. "Wait. Maya. We need to go back." Ace said. "What? Why?" Burberry asked. "Maya's back there. We have to go back." Ace said. "No she isn't. She came back earlier with her brother without you and we came and got you. Although it seems it was a little too late." Burberry said. "But he said she was…" Ace started to say as he and Burberry got at their camp.
Everyone ran up to Ace and Burberry when they saw dried blood on his face coming from the eyepatch. "Ace! What happened!?" Maya asked. "Well if you are going to be surprised I retina this will be going on for a while." Ace said. "He's fine." Harley said. "I just did it to break the eyes." Ace said. "Please stop." Maya asked. "I'm a master of puns. You're just a pupil of the trade." Ace said. Burberry let him go and he dropped to the floor." Owwww." Ace said. "That was so cornea." Azreal said. "Thaaank you." Ace said.
Harley picked him up and sat him down on the ground against a tree and Maya came over and knelt down in front of him. Scars now made their home on his body and the dried blood caked under his eye. He was a sight for the worst and nearly two weeks ago he was living peacefully at home. Maya cautiously reached up and untied the makeshift eyepatch. "My god…" Maya said. "Ace…" Harley said as they were greeted by the empty eye socket. "Is it that bad?" Ace asked. "Are you alright?" Maya asked. "I'm fine. Just glad you're alright." Ace said.
As everyone took in the sight of the wounded Ace, silence endured. Ace broke it by asking. "You know what's funny?" "What?" Harley asked. "Not even a few weeks ago I would have never though this could have happened. In such a short span I've met fantastic friends. Maya, Burberry, and even you Harley. I used to be so distant from everyone. I would go to school, come home, go to bed. But now I've become champion racer, attended a royal masquerade, bedded a princess, received power that's taken me this far, traveled not only to a lovely snow city but also to a swamp where we were nearly eaten. I've infiltrated a maximum security castle, saved Maya's brother, tortured by my own brother." Ace said then got quiet.
"Wait what? Your brother?" Burberry asked. "Turns out… the leader of the Thorns is my long lost brother. That's why he didn't kill me." Ace said. "I would explain but I don't have the time to explain. We need to get to Hildian quickly. He'll be attacking there shortly." Ace said standing up. As Ace got up another thundering sound was heard and soon the Kyuubi tore through the trees. "Let's get moving. I have a feeling that this will be the nearing the end of our road." Ace said as he climbed on.
It was early morning and the group was racing through the trees to get to Hildian to stop the invasion. The rumble of the Archangels made morning dew fall. Maya drove hers with Azreal holding on to her waste and they were talking to each other about themselves because they had barely known each other. Burberry held onto one of the horns of the Kyuubi and Harley rode in the second seat.