Author's Note:

I thought I'd try something a little bit different with the opening of this next chapter. Instead of picking up immediately where the previous one left off, I'm rewinding time a bit to right after Iggy said "Look, what happened back there was intense. Let's just…catch our breath for a second."

Unlike the last chapter, this one is going to deviate slightly and explore Junior's perspective now that we know what Larry, Iggy and Peach were doing around this time. We'll take a look at how Junior arrived at his ultimate decision, then move forward in the story from there. I included some repeat dialogue to try and make it easier to recognize where the story has caught up to present time. Hopefully it isn't too confusing. Just wanted to experiment with the pacing a little bit to try and keep things fresh! Hope you enjoy!

RECAP:

With Kammy defeated, Contemno turned his attention to the captive Koopalings and singled Junior out in particular as their leader. The Koopa Prince narrowly escaped execution by retreating into his shell. Thinking fast, Junior smashed the fallen throne and freed Ludwig from the rubble.

Contemno was distracted with trying to break through Junior's seemingly impenetrable defense, which allowed Ludwig enough time to free his siblings from their chains. With clever, decisive teamwork and help from Ludwig's teleportation spell, Junior and the Koopalings narrowly managed to escape from Contemno's wrath.

However, Junior, Roy, Larry and Iggy awoke in an uncharted forest to find the other four Koopalings missing. Larry and Roy butted heads over who was to blame for Kammy's death as well as what should be done about their malevolent new foe. With Junior shouldering the blame and Iggy struggling to keep the peace, Roy stormed off seeking vengeance.

Meanwhile, Peach came to terms with her newfound solitude in the aftermath of her own previous battle with Contemno. The princess vowed to master her sleeping powers and defeat the mage in order to reclaim her kingdom, avenge Toadsworth, and carve out a new sense of purpose for herself.

"Where are you going!?" Larry shouted after him.

"To do what our so-called king couldn't," Roy answered. "I'm gonna make that psychopath pay for what he did. And I'll do it all on my own if that's what it takes." Without another word, Roy turned and continued walking away. Larry began to give chase, but Iggy grabbed his shoulder; shaking his head.

"Let him go."

"But…Roy…"

"Can be a hothead. I know," Iggy answered. "When he's upset about something, nothing's gonna get through to him." Larry stared at Iggy with fear and frustration in his eyes. "Trust me on this, Larry. I've known him longer than you. He'll cool off. We just need to give him some space."

The pair looked over at Junior, who was curled up in a fetal position on the ground nearby; facing away from them. They could see his body twitching slightly. They knew Junior was crying and resolved not to call him out on it. Iggy sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Look, what happened back there was intense. Let's just…catch our breath for a second," Iggy suggested. His proposal went unchallenged as Junior wept and Larry looked onward after Roy, who was nearly out of sight by now.

Branches swayed ominously in the gust of wind. Junior hugged his legs tightly as tears ran down his cheeks. Larry swallowed his anger towards Roy in favor of consoling Junior, who clearly needed him more at that moment. The Koopaling reached out to place his hand on the Koopa Prince's shoulder.

"Junior…Roy didn't mean-,"

"Yes he did," Junior interrupted. "He's right. This is all my fault…," he admitted between sobs.

"No, it isn't. Don't be so hard on yourself," Iggy suggested. Junior immediately twisted around to look at him.

"WHY NOT!? Everything he said is true! I'm the one who slacked off in my training! I blew it! If I had just trained from the beginning like I was supposed to, I would've been stronger! I could've saved Kammy!"

"You don't know that," said Larry.

"Yes I do!" Junior contested. "My training was to make me a king! Kings are supposed to be strong enough to handle stuff like this, and I'm…not! I'm not strong enough to protect anyone!" Junior leaped to his feet. He began to take off into a sprint.

"So what, you're just going to run away!?" Larry exclaimed. Junior halted in his tracks and wiped his tears away with his arm.

"No…I'll never be that weak again…," Junior replied. The trio fell silent.

"We know," said Iggy at last. "Go on. We'll catch up with you in a bit." Larry's jaw dropped and he sharply glared at his sibling. Junior hesitated for a moment as if he had something more to say. But he resolved to swallow it, and immediately took off running deeper into the woods once again.

"Iggy, what gives!?" Larry objected.

"Simple. Junior's got a bit of hot headed-ness himself. He needs some time to cool off too." Larry crossed his arms.

"Hmph! How do you know he's not just abandoning us again like he did after the exam?" Iggy smiled, which only puzzled Larry further.

"Wasn't it you who asked us to have a little faith in him back then?" Larry paused as he recalled his own words.

"We don't need to do a thing," Larry declared. The Koopalings continued to stare at him. "Junior's fine. He'll be back."

"While we were all losing our heads trying to find him, you were the one who assured us he'd come back to the castle on his own when he was ready, right?" Larry nodded. "Don't tell me you're changing your tune about Junior now."

"I'm not…it's just…"

"Roy's right, Larry. Ya gotta stop babying him. He needs time to figure this out on his own," Iggy explained. "We can't afford to be reckless right now, and Junior knows this too. But we won't be of any help to him if we're always holding his hand all the time, right?" Larry sighed and looked away.

"Right…"

"So let's just be patient and trust our king to come up with something." Larry snickered and forced a slight smile.

"I thought you were a scientist, Iggy. When did you find the time to become this all-knowing guru?" Larry joked.

"I didn't. Unlike the rest of you, I just pay attention to the details," Iggy countered smugly. "Now c'mon. Let's try and find some water."

Junior ran deeper and deeper into the forest until he nearly felt his heart give out. The Koopa Prince collapsed to his hands and knees and stared at the grass beneath him.

"I can't…do this anymore…," Junior muttered. "I can't…be….so…weak…" Unable to support his weight any longer, Junior's arms gave out and he collapsed head-first to the ground as his sight and hearing faded away into shadow.

In the empty void, Junior heard faint echoes. Foreign sounds drifted closer and closer into his range. Gradually, they became clear.

The sounds were voices.

"I can't…do this anymore...," one of the voices spoke. "I can't be so…helpless." Concentrating a bit harder, the Koopa Prince was able to determine that this voice was female.

"I know, sweetheart," another voice responded. This new one was male and seemed slightly more familiar to Junior for some reason. "But you heard the doctor. All we can do is wait and…hope he finds his way back. We have to believe he's strong enough to get through this somehow."

Junior suddenly felt a startling sensation. Someone or something was touching him.

The Koopa Prince opened his eyes, but nothing came into view. He couldn't see a thing. There was nothing to recognize in this dark abyss.

"Please come back to us, kiddo…," the hoarse male voice pleaded. Immediately, Junior was able to pinpoint it. He knew who the voice belonged to. A blurry light cut through the darkness. At last, the Koopa Prince caught a small glimpse of the world in front of him.

It was impossible to make out exactly what Junior was looking at since his eyes were too fatigued to focus, but he identified the source of one of the voices. It was a large, blurry silhouette of green, orange and yellow. There appeared to be horns curving out near the top of the shape.

"Dad…?" Junior uttered before the darkness reclaimed his sight once more.

Junior regained consciousness and plucked himself up and out of the grass. He was still in the forest exactly where he had collapsed earlier. How long had he been out?

There wasn't a soul around. Everything seemed…peaceful. Junior sat up and placed a hand to his chin.

"Another one of those weird dreams…," he pondered aloud. "No… it couldn't have been a dream. Someone touched me and…I actually felt it. That doesn't happen in dreams. What is this?"

The Koopa Prince's head was pounding. He recognized this pain. He had felt this way on the day of his exam – when he first woke up that morning, and again during the exam itself. But what was the reason for this phenomenon? If these were indeed dreams, what did they mean? What was Junior's mind trying to tell him?

Junior shook his head as if to swat the sensation away. He couldn't think about this now. He had far more important things to worry about.

He no longer had a home.

His hands were stained in Kammy's blood.

He had failed his subjects, his father, and his kingdom.

Junior had failed himself.

He had been so selfish all these years. Junior only ever pitied himself and cared for his own well-being. He neglected his royal duties as the heir to the throne, so it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise to anyone that he fell short in the time when his strength mattered the most.

But…surely it couldn't be helped, right? After all, Bowser himself was just as self-centered and heartless. So it couldn't be that shocking to see that his son turned out the same way.

The Koopa Prince placed his hand over his heart.

Except, Bowser wasn't always so selfish. Despite his commitment to the Kingdom Council for the past decade, Bowser had done everything he could to love and care for Junior over the years beforehand. Junior himself knew this well in his heart. Bowser loved his son with every fiber of his being, and Junior couldn't bring himself to punish his father for that.

Thinking of his father just now reminded Junior of his conversation with Iggy.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe he's just trying to toughen you up for the role?"

"I don't think you're giving Bowser enough credit, Junior. Just because he's not here all the time anymore doesn't mean he's doing it to avoid you. He does care about you. A lot. You should feel grateful that he at least loves you."

"Exactly, you at least have your father's support and you don't have to do anything that drastic! So in comparison, is having to do a little hard training without your dad being home all the time to watch you really so terrible?"

"Remember when you were little and you used to tell us all the time how you wanted to be big and strong just like your dad? Don't you still want that?"

"Well, Bowser wasn't just born that way. He had to work for it and get there by himself. Don't you think it's fair that you'd have to do the same?"

Junior gritted his teeth and choked on the lump in his throat. He barely noticed the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Of course I do…," the Koopa Prince muttered to himself. "Gimme a break, Iggy. Even a dolt like me can't be that blind…"

Or maybe blind was exactly what Junior had been all this time. Suddenly, his mind was bombarded with the recollection of the last exchange he had with Bowser.

"I care about you more than anything else in the world, Junior."

"I know you do…," Junior sobbed.

"I know you need me, but you can't rely on me forever. I can't always come to your rescue when you need help. You're growing up, Junior. You need to learn how to pick yourself up when something gets hard and just…muscle through it."

"Dammit…I heard you the first time…" Junior pounded his fist on the ground.

"Ludwig was right."

"No…"

"You aren't ready."

"Shut up…"

"And you know what?"

…

"I doubt you ever will be…"

"You're wrong…," the Koopa Prince whispered. "YOU HEAR ME!? YOU'RE WRONG! WROOOONG!" he roared at the top of his lungs. Junior climbed to his feet and gazed at the gleaming sun in the horizon.

"You're wrong…and dammit, I'm gonna prove it. I'm gonna find you and make you eat those words!"

Junior took a single step, stumbled slightly, but kept his balance. All of the trembling and twitching from his uncontrollable adrenaline born in that moment made it difficult for Junior to do something as simple as walking. It felt like he was taking his first steps all over again, but with no fatherly arms to walk into this time.

The Koopa Prince took another step, then another. He gradually progressed from a stroll, to a jog, and finally into a sprint. Junior's legs carried him faster and faster; his heart raced and his breaths betrayed him. But Junior couldn't stop. Never again. He vowed to never stop racing forward.

Not until he became the king he was destined to be, and the son that Bowser deserved.

Junior's marathon came to an end when he spotted a river nearby. Racing over towards it, Junior cupped his hands together and slurped from the stream again and again until his thirst had been quenched and he allowed himself to breathe. The Koopa Prince examined his reflection in the water.

He still saw the same useless, lazy, insecure little child he'd always been, and Junior was absolutely sick of it.

Junior slammed his fist into the water with all his might and splashed the image away. He repeated this several more times. But the same reflection returned each time the water settled. The Koopa Prince groaned and took a seat on the rock behind him.

"What am I supposed to do!?" Junior exclaimed. "Gotta think. I need to get stronger! But how?" He laid back further on the rock and shut his eyes to block out the world for a moment.

"Think…Think…Think…"

Suddenly, he jolted back up when an idea struck him.

"Wait a sec…that's it!" Leaping off the rock, Junior bolted up the hill and used the river as a guide. As he neared the top, a gentle roar penetrated his hearing. At last, his destination came into view.

Junior hurried towards a waterfall nestled between two exceptionally large boulders. The Koopa Prince approached the thin wall of water, and gently cut through it with his hand. The sensation of the constant stream on his scales was hypnotic, yet soothing. Junior's idea was validated by the memory that was fresh in his mind at that moment. He vividly recalled what Ludwig had instructed.

"True mastery of the art requires a focused, disciplined mind; one that is not easily enraged, distracted, or manipulated. When you control other elements with an unstable mind, it can lead to disastrous consequences. Your mind must be clear. Otherwise, the destruction can be ruthless and immeasurable."

"I know you were talking about mental magic, Ludwig," Junior spoke aloud. "But the same's gotta be true for just getting stronger, right?"

The Koopa Prince carefully positioned himself directly under the path of the waterfall. The aquatic bombardment made him shiver at first, but he adjusted after a few moments. Yet…something still bothered him.

Junior looked down and realized that he was still wearing his old bandanna, which was now getting soaked from all of the water. Untying the knot behind his neck, Junior glared at the damp piece of fabric in his hands. For the first time in years, it looked hideous to him.

The mouth drawing was terribly smudged and faded, and it was littered with stains, holes, and other small tears all over. But what disgusted Junior the most at that moment was what the bandanna represented. It was his childhood; the very thing he often sought for refuge in blissful nostalgia. Well, no more. Junior couldn't wallow in his own pity over times that had long since passed.

Suddenly all of the complaints that Bowser, Wendy, and Ludwig had always made about the bandanna made sense to Junior. If he was ever going to change himself, he couldn't rely on this ratty old thing as an emotional crutch for his discomfort with change anymore.

He needed to draw strength from deep within himself.

The Koopa Prince twisted the cloth several times until it was a fraction of its normal size, and then tied the band around his bicep.

It didn't make the immediate, intimidating impression as Bowser and Roy's spiked arm bands, but maybe it didn't have to. Maybe - even just for now - this was a compromise, and a way for Junior to build a new identity of his very own.

Satisfied with the reassignment of his bandanna, Junior returned to the waterfall, eased his way into the center again, and slowly took a seat on a drenched rock as he crossed his legs. Junior shut his eyes and allowed the water to swallow his consciousness.

Moments later, he opened them to find himself standing on a large, circular platform made entirely of clear glass. This platform seemed to be floating in an empty white void of pure light. There were no indications of boundaries; no markers of the realm's actual size or scope. In here, light seemed to stretch onward in all directions into infinity.

Junior took a few steps across the glass as he scanned his surroundings. This place felt unfamiliar, yet somehow warm and inviting.

"…Where am I?" Junior pondered.

"It cannot be…," a voice whispered in the void. Junior glanced all around, but couldn't find a soul to attach it to.

"Huh? Is someone there?" Junior called out.

"So it is. You are indeed another pure light; drifting aimlessly through the shadows of our despair," the voice continued. Junior scratched his head.

"What are you talking about? Who are you?" Junior asked.

"Forgive me, young one. I'm simply overjoyed that your heart has reached mine. Clarity eludes me in the moment. But I wish not to lose our connection."

"Uhhh…you mind putting that in English for me?"

"Haven't you seen it? Our world has fallen to darkness. But just when I thought all hope was lost, your heart connected with mine."

"My…heart?" Junior repeated as he placed his hand to his chest.

"It is our mental magic that has brought us together here. I did not think there was anyone left who possessed the power to reach this place."

"Mental magic…? Oh! The waterfall!" Junior replied. "So, we're talking through mental magic?"

"Correct. It is an art form many believed to have gone extinct," the voice replied. "Why, even I was convinced that I was the last of my kind to practice the skill. Tell me, young one, who taught you to use mental magic?"

"Uhh…my brother, Ludwig," the Koopa Prince answered. "Do you know him?"

"Alas, I do not," the voice denied. "But he has my gratitude for instilling the power in you. Tell me, how might I repay this blessing?" Junior placed a claw to his chin.

"Well, maybe you can help me figure all this out," Junior suggested. "So, are you a real person, like me? Do you live in the real world?"

"I am indeed real. I have devoted myself to meditation ever since darkness blanketed our world."

"You keep mentioning this 'darkness,'" Junior pointed out. "What does that mean? What's going on?"

"I am perplexed as to how you have managed to elude it for so long," the voice replied. "A terrible monster has invaded our land. He hides his face behind a mask, and he has sought to claim our world for himself." The fog of confusion that clouded Junior's mind was beginning to fade.

"This monster…is his name 'Contemno?'"

"Ah, so you have encountered this menace?" Junior rubbed his arm and his eyes fell.

"Yeah…he took my castle and…killed someone I loved…," Junior explained solemnly.

"My condolences, young one. You do not suffer alone. Contemno has brought pain to people all over the world."

"But who is he? What does he want? I mean, I get the whole 'taking over the world' part. Believe me, that part kinda runs in my family too. But why does he want to do all of this?"

"I am unsure of these answers myself…," the voice confessed. "I have attempted to reach Contemno's heart through mental magic just as our hearts have done now. But he conceals much of his identity and thoughts in obscurity. He has closed his heart and mind out from the reach of others. Perhaps there is much about him that Contemno does not want us to know." Junior crossed his arms.

"Yeah? Well, tough," Junior replied. "That freak made things personal, and I need to take him down. But right now I have no idea what I'm really up against here. Isn't there any way you can help me?"

"Unfortunately, there is little aid I can offer you here in the Realm of Refuge," the voice answered.

"'Realm of Refuge?' You mean…this weird white place that I'm standing in right now?"

"Yes. This is a domain exclusive to those who can reach it with mental magic. It is a safe haven for magic users; detached from the physical world. The only way to enter is with careful concentration and clarity of the mind," the voice described.

"So when I meditate, I can come back here?" Junior proposed.

"Certainly. But the Realm of Refuge operates under certain principles that you must obey."

"Like what?"

"First, there must be another soul waiting in the Realm of Refuge before you can enter. If you are attempting to come alone, this place will be lost to you. Therefore, careful preparations between you and another person must be made first if you seek to return here." Junior nodded.

"Okay…I think I understand," he replied.

"Next, we must leave our physical bodies behind in the mortal world when we enter the Realm of Refuge," the voice continued. "As you might imagine, there are certain risks etched within this truth. I sense that your powers are still developing, young one. So, I urge you not to use your newfound power carelessly. If you seek to enter the Realm of Refuge, you must first ensure that your physical body will be left in a safe place where it will not be disturbed or harmed. If anything should happen to your physical body while you are here in the Realm of Refuge, the consequences could be fatal." Junior gulped.

"Got it. Anything else?"

"There is much more I wish to relay to you. But the distance between our bodies in the physical world weakens our connection. I have been meditating for far too long and must return to my body, so our time together is quickly expiring," said the voice. "We should leave this place now. When you return to your body, seek me out, young one. I believe I may be able to assist you in your quest to stop Contemno once we have met face to face."

Suddenly, Junior felt a strange sensation. He looked around, but he was all alone on his platform. He could have sworn he'd felt someone touching him and calling his name.

Before he could ask the voice about this phenomenon, Junior felt the invisible touch again, but with slightly more force this time. Was someone trying to reach him from back in the real world?

"Wait, hold on!" Junior exclaimed. "How do I find you? You never told me who you are!"

"My name is Merlon. Follow the stars and you will reach my home. I dwell at the point where the Mushroom Kingdom and Star Haven converge."

"Huh…alright. I'll give it a try. Thanks, Merlon," said Junior.

"Make haste, young one. Hope for our world dwindles with each passing day. Contemno must be stopped before it is too late." Junior closed his eyes once more.

"Junior…?" Larry called. The Koopa Prince gave no response. Larry nudged his shoulder slightly.

"Junior," Larry repeated. Still nothing. Junior appeared to be in such a deep trance that he almost looked as though he were asleep.

"Junior!" Larry exclaimed as he shook Junior's shoulder with more force. The Koopa Prince opened his eyes. He was back in the real world and still submerged underneath the waterfall despite his senses having returned.

"What? Did you forget to blame me for Kammy's death too?" Junior replied bitterly at last.

"What? No, I…," the Koopaling started; he was shocked at how brutally blunt Junior was being for someone who looked so composed seconds ago. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm meditating," the Koopa Prince answered.

"Is now really the best time for that?" Junior glared at Larry.

"Iggy said we should take some time to catch our breath. So I'm trying to clear my mind like Ludwig taught me," Junior explained. "I know I'm not rushing off to fight Contemno like Roy wants, but I figured I'd be a helluva lot more productive doing this than laying around crying like a baby and feeling sorry for myself."

Larry and Iggy were utterly speechless as they stood by in shock. They instantly remembered their last training session with Junior and how Ludwig had taught him to use water as a means of focusing his mind in order to harness mental magic.

Neither of them could believe that Junior was actively putting his training to good use on his own like this; and especially now of all times. His maturity in this moment knew no bounds. It was a night and day difference compared to how Junior had been acting as recently as the day before. Was this really the same Junior?

"Well, how are you feeling? Is it working?" Iggy asked. Junior stood up and stepped out from underneath the water stream; soaking wet, but utterly unfazed by it.

"Yeah, it worked. I know what we're going to do next," Junior proposed confidently as he walked right past the pair.

"And…what would that be?" Larry asked. Junior turned back to face him.

"Isn't it obvious? We're gonna take down that psychopath." Larry and Iggy continued to stare at Junior.

"But we're gonna do it my way."

"Sounds good but…what exactly does that look like?" Iggy inquired. Junior stopped walking abruptly and turned back to face the duo; wearing a determined, albeit slightly annoyed expression.

"I'll explain on the way. But we need to get moving," Junior answered. Shrugging simultaneously, Larry and Iggy hurried after him.

Contemno finished adjusting his replacement mask over his face as the Broodals hastily barged into the ruined throne room of Bowser's castle.

"Boss! Boss! We hoid what happened and came runnin'!" Topper expressed between breaths. "Yous okay!?"

"Yes," Contemno answered. "I lost my composure admittedly, but it hardly matters. Bowser's cowardly son wasn't exactly threatening."

"Did ya at least captcha him?" Harriet asked. Contemno released a small sigh of regret.

"No, he escaped with the help of some of his underlings," the mage described. "Regardless, it does not change what we're going to do."

"A-Are ya sure, boss?" Rango chimed in. "When ya told us ta take care of ol' Mario and Bowsa and dat otha girl, ya made it pretty clear that we can't 'flip any rocks' or somethin' like that."

"My exact words were to leave 'no stone unturned,'" Contemno corrected. "But the prince is the exception. Unlike Mario, Bowser, Peach, Rosalina, or anyone else we've dealt with, the child possesses no power. This I now know for certain. I've looked into his eyes. His fear runs far too deep for him to ever challenge me. But I had to test him first if I was to ever know this for certain."

"If he's really that weak, then wiping him out shouldn't be hard," a female voice inserted. The inhabitants of the room collectively glanced over at her.

To Contemno's side stood a curvaceous young woman in a black, elegant evening gown with her bare, tender shoulders left exposed. The woman brushed a lock of her honey-blonde hair behind her ear and smirked. Topper blushed and removed his cap when he found himself in the presence of such an attractive woman.

"W-well hello dere, sweet cheeks!" the rabbit began with a whistle. "Just what cloud in heaven did yous ride down from?" Harriet slugged her leader in the back of the head and glared at him. Topper smiled back at her sheepishly.

"Now who's dis broad!?" Spewart exclaimed.

"This is Eris," Contemno introduced. "She's my accomplice from the Rain Kingdom."

"Uh-huh…and just when were you plannin' on tellin us about 'er?" Rango asked.

"That's hardly important," the mage replied. Eris nodded.

"As I was saying, why not just kill off the toddler before he fully learns how to walk?"

"Even a wounded rat can still scurry," Contemno answered. "Junior may be weak, but as long as he can run away and hide behind the Koopalings or anyone else for that matter, killing him will be difficult."

"Then we'll just need to act with precision," Eris replied. She strolled over to Contemno and massaged his shoulders. "Why not send someone who can wipe the lot of them off the map in one fell swoop?"

"Y-yeah! Like us!" Topper agreed. Eris shot him an icy stare.

"No. I need you here," Contemno denied as he snapped his finger. Suddenly, a large purple bubble appeared in front of them containing an unconscious Morton, Wendy, and Lemmy inside.

"Aww, ya gotta be kiddin' me! Guard duty!?" Spewart complained.

"Take them to the dungeon and prepare them for the next phase," Contemno instructed. The Broodals groaned and exchanged disappointed glances with one another.

"NOW, YOU SIMPLETONS!" Contemno roared. Terrified, Spewart and Rango lifted the bubble and hurried out of the room with Topper and Harriet rushing close behind.

The mage sighed, shook his head and began his own departure. He stopped when he felt Eris wrap her arms around him.

"My goodness. You must be exhausted," she commented soothingly.

"Well…I didn't expect I'd have to kill my master and her colleague today. Nor did I anticipate that those stooges would stand in my way of getting to Junior. Regardless, there is still much to be done. I must get to work on summoning-"

"Leave that to me," Eris interjected as her warm breath wafted across Contemno's mask. "Rest. You've suffered far too much today."

"My entire life has been nothing but suffering. Or have you forgotten that?"

"I haven't forgotten, Contemno. Just as you should never forget I am here for you." Eris loosened Contemno's mask and gave him a tender kiss. "The only way we'll win, is together. Or have you forgotten?"

"Never…," Contemno whispered. Eris smirked.

"Good, then go rest up. I'll make preparations to send Prince Junior our little gift," Eris promised with a wink. Contemno turned back to face her one last time before exiting.

"After that, be a dear and check on how our prisoner back home is doing, will you? I'd hate to think what might happen if he and Maldeon were to meet," Contemno requested.

"Consider it done."