The First skipped over the body of the young knight and lifted the diary off the ground. Without reading it, he attached it to his waist and lugged the oddity over his shoulder. He stared long and hard at the faces of the two boys, engraving their unyielding wills into his memory. At first, he was worried about the item that the knight was going to give but his fears were crushed when he saw that it was only a book.

"For such a reason." he shook his head. "Still, you were quite brave."

The First started back towards the warehouse but felt a hand grasp his ankle. He looked down and saw that the young knight was still alive, his face planted on the ground but his hand still had enough strength to hold on.

"You should've stayed that way. Now I'll have to kill you." the First kicked free of Dylan's hand and started making a fireball.

His vision blurred and he stumbled back a step. Rainen, who was laying quietly across his shoulder, fell feet first to the floor. The First held his head with his intact hand, looking bitterly at the other arm that reached unsuccessfully at his head. He clenched his fist and walked towards Dylan's sword a little ways away leaving the oddity on the ground.

"I'll make this quick." he said as he bent down to lift the blade off the ground. But he felt his knees lose power and was forced to sit down. The world spun around him as he struggled to stay conscious. He used his right hand to feel at his stump, the pain was still immense, he couldn't tell whether the pain was keeping him from passing out or causing him to have such a feeling.

He sent mana back into his hand, testing how his mana supply was doing. It only served to increase the feeling of tiredness so he stopped. He stayed sitting for another few minutes, waiting until he was sure he could stand on his own two feet again.

He looked off into the distance over the empty buildings wondering if his companions had won. The sounds of battle had slowly gotten quieter as he rested, waiting for his strength to recover.

Understanding that his condition wouldn't improve any further without sleeping or having a healer, he lifted the sword off the ground and used it as a support. The First immediately stopped digging the point into the ground when he stood up, he didn't want to ruin the weapon. He limped over to the two boys on the ground wondering what kind of connection they had. Even if the knight and the oddity were of the same last name, that shouldn't be enough to trade a life for.

Horror was plastered across the First's face as he realized that the young knight was a member of the Yurfray family, the people who hired him. The description said to kill anyone who came so he felt a tinge of relief but couldn't help shaking the feeling that this boy wasn't an intended target. Killing a non target and selling off the real target, he unsteadily raised his sword trying to dismiss the thoughts in his head.

"Kill everyone who comes." he murmured to himself.

"[Fireball]!"

He heard the yell and flung his body to the ground. A ball of heat passing overhead where he was standing. The skin on his back crawled as he thought of the worst outcome, his fears came true. He looked up to find that the other magician accompanying them had arrived, not alone, but also with the dangerous swordsman he had been warned about.

"Hector!" the magician yelled. "I'll stop him from moving, heal Rainen!"

"No." Hector said. "I'll take care of him, he's too dangerous for you to handle, even if he his missing an arm."

The swordsman stepped closer, his whole body was covered in cuts and bruises. Much of his clothing had been burned off and tips of his hair were singed. His overall posture was lacking, his back was slightly slumped over and his body swayed, heavy breaths still seemed to come every now and then.

Getting on his feet, the First pulled Dylan along with him.

He put his hand close to Dylan's face and said, "Stay back or I'll kill him." ice permeated from the First's hand. He activated his chill touch, making sure to keep his hand a good distance away, if he brushed against the boy's cheek he knew that the boy would die but he also knew that his only defense would be gone as the boy would no longer be useful as a shield and his mana supply would run out. His mind once again spun but the new rush of adrenaline kept him from dropping both the boy and himself to the floor. He had to get away, if he did, then he could try again for the oddity.

His hopes shattered with the swordsman's next words.

"Go ahead." the First stared in shock. "He betrayed us anyways."

---------

Hector's heart beat rapidly, he could only watch as his words too effect. He took a gamble, he knew that Dylan had not betrayed them, but he couldn't let someone as dangerous as the man before him get away. He was missing an arm but was still able to take down two people, one a person who's abilities Hector recognized. He also wasn't sure that the man would let Dylan live either, so he took the only out he could think of.

Hector adjusted his body into a fencing stance, his balance was off but he needed a quick single strike kill. His battle against the other members of the Twelve left him physically and mentally exhausted, he only was able to get the upper hand when the inexperienced guards failed their attack and hampered the two members. The situation swung more in his favor there when the members slipped out the lines, "Don't let anyone get away! Kill them all!"

One of the frightened guards ran away from the battlefield and was killed by the Twelve. Hector thought back to it, none of the guards, except those from the Yurfray family and the knights, stayed loyal to them. The guards that were of the Yurfray family were only "fodder" as proof that the Yurfray tried to rescue their granddaughter.

The battle turned into one of a free for all after that. Each guard stuck close together to protect themselves and the members were distracted trying to stop them from fleeing.

Hector's body burned up watching the First's eyes dart back and forth. Tension grew when the First put his hand closer to Dylan's face. Hector reacted by stepping closer, moving faster and faster putting on more pressure. Success.

The First threw Dylan's body at Hector, he dodged out of the way, muttering a silent apology, and ran after the First. With his sword poised and ready, he thrust forward aiming at the heart.

The First twisted his body and the sword pierced through his skin, barely missing his heart. His icy hand reached for Hector's face, but was swatted away. They tumbled onto the ground. The First's eyes started to glow a deep red, fear spread through Hector but the ability wasn't enough to push through his adrenaline filled mind. Hector pulled out a dagger from his waist and with one hand pinning the First's down, he plunged the blade into his chest.

The First sputtered violently, his arm going wild, before he finally fell back with a both eyes glazed over unblinkingly staring at the moon.

Hector too shook violently and fell to his side.

"Hector!" Axel shouted running towards him. "Wha-what's wrong? What did he do to you?" Axel attempted to reach for Hector but was pushed away.

Hector started convulsing, "D-don't touch me!" he screamed. He used his hands to cover his face as if trying to hide.

"H-Hector?!"

"S-stay away!" he yelled.

"Sorry about this... [Paralyze]!" a small green light entered Hector's body and he fell silent. "I didn't want to do that."

From the edge of his peripheral vision he saw a figure stand up. Standing around six feet tall with black hair that blended into the night the person moved slowly towards the warehouse, his motions resembled that of a sleepwalker.

"Rainen?" Axel asked. He continued to move without looking back.

---------------

I'm back in the warm room again. I wonder if I'm dreaming, the world I know isn't anything like this, not one bit.

Maybe you should stay here for a while. something suggests.

Maybe I should stay here for a while. It's dark and I can't see but it feels really nice. Just a little rest here wouldn't hurt, I've been working hard.

S-someone... please save me.

Who's that? I think I know that voice.

It's nothing, just rest, you deserve it.

But they sound worried, shouldn't I go check on them?

No, you shouldn't. It'll only cause you trouble you know.

Oh. I guess that it would.

B-big brother...

Aisha? Is that her?

....

I, I've gotta go find her. Y-yeah, she was kidnapped. I can't stay here, I'm leaving.

You can't.

Why not?

You're too tired.

Can you go then? Can you help me get to her?

Don't you want to rest? I'll protect you here.

Thanks but no thanks. I'm strong enough to protect myself, at least, I think I am. Anyways, my little sister needs me right now so could you lend me some help until I wake up?

I won't let you go to her.

Why not? She's alone right now, she needs someone. No, she needs me. She's been alone for a while now you know? She's been through a lot, just like me. My master saved me, now I need to save her. Will you help me?

...I understand, I'll help you.

Thank you.

...

---------------

I wake up in a dark room, the place is cold, I like the cold. But, I really want to go back to that warm place. Warm place? What was I dreaming of? I, I can't remember well.

I push myself upright, my legs wobble and I can't see a thing. My first step sends me tumbling to the ground. How did I get here? The last thing that I remember, the last thing huh? I was talking to Axel and Hector, we were walking to go to a warehouse. Why?

Someone, please help me.

Aisha? I take a look around the room, it's filled to the brim with barrels just like our warehouse. I stumble around the room throwing barrels on the floor checking if she's inside one of them.

"Aisha!" I yell. "Where are you!"

After waiting a moment a reply comes, "I-I'm over here!"

I rush across the room dragging my half dead body with me. My body hits the door with a smack, I try turning the knob but it doesn't work. I reach into my bracers looking for a knife, I do my best to find the knife but nothing, I'm out. I'll have to resort to something else.

Pulling out my staff I instantly use it as a support. It's hard for me to hold it, it's too heavy for me to wield properly. But that doesn't matter right now. I lean myself against the wall and lift the staff high into the air sending a wave of exhaustion through my muscles. With everything I have, I swing the staff downwards onto the knob and break it clean off.

"Aisha." I drop my staff and begin to untie the rope binding her hands and feet.

"..." her mouth moves up and down with no sound coming out. Her unbreakable, unyielding face shatters and her jaw starts shaking uncontrollably, her head tilts to the side and tears start flowing down her cheeks. Short breaths follow, she can't stop her crying now. "B-big *sniff* brother... *sniff*"

I pull her into an embrace, "It's okay, I'm here now. I found you, you're safe."

She moves her hand to her chest, gripping a small object. "Yeah. *sniff* I've been waiting."