The party went into the city of Polisha, side by side. There were no guards in the slightest bit.

Akeru: This is odd...

Itsuki: It is odd...however, remember that the guards failed to catch us. She probably did kill them all.

Ci: More than likely.

They all reached the palace steps as Archerd was at the top, looking down at them.

Itsuki: Archerd...

Archerd: Oh, look who came crawling back. And who might this woman be?

Ci: I'm simply an ally from the country of Arezillia, nothing more.

Archerd: Is that so? Very well then, shall I tell the Sultana you are here?

Ravenbeard: Nay, we will welcome her ourselves.

Archerd: Fine with me...I have some errands to run.

Archerd walked past them as the four glanced at him. Akeru noticed a small golden snakehead slightly poking from one of his pockets. It had to be the Sand Beast Key! They made it to the top as Ravenbeard looked at them.

Ravenbeard: So everything you told me on the way here be true, that glasses-wearing snake be with them?

Akeru: Yeah, the AWF...it looked like he had the Key on him.

Ci: Best to let him keep it; for now, we first need to worry about Cleo.

They all nodded as they went into the throne room to see Cleo lying sideways on her throne. Her gaze, as she looked at the group, could kill.

Cleo: Not only do you come back to die, but you also bring my sister?

Akeru: Cleo we-

Cleo: Do not address me by my name! I am the Sultana or Sand Witch to you...and even then, those two titles are too pure for your filthy mouths! If only that damn sister of me had left me alone, I would have ended your miserable lives a month ago!

Ci: I see your temper has ceased to go away-

Cleo rushed at Ci and tried to claw at her with her long black nails, but Ci grabbed onto her arms.

Cleo: Don't you dare talk about my flaws like you are some perfect being yourself, sister!

Sand spears started to fire at Ci, but she blocked them by shooting small ice pellets at them and redirecting them to the ceiling.

Ci: Calm down; we are not here to fight you.

Cleo: Shut the hell up! You don't understand; I have nothing left because of these cretins!

Itsuki: Listen, we-

Cleo glared at him as Ci kicked her across the room. Cleo landed and rubbed her stomach, her teeth gritting together.

Ci: Hear them out, I thought-

Cleo rushed at her again, with sand flowing heavily around the two as Cleo kept trying to scratch at Ci's face.

Cleo: Stop talking! I'm going to kill you four right here and right now! Every one of you is a thorn in my side!!!

Akeru: Archerd is trying-!

Cleo: I said stop talking-

Itsuki: You idiot!

Cleo: What did you just call me, you damn brat!?

Itsuki: He is with the AWF!!!

Cleo stopped attacking and backed away from them. She had her head down as she started laughing hysterically.

Cleo: You fools...you could have come up with a better fake story to try and earn my trust!

Ci: Sister, where is the Key?

Cleo: Like I would tell you! It's been stolen from me by the pests!

Akeru: No! It's with-

Archerd: It's with who now?

Everyone turned to see Archerd enter the throne room. Cleo returned to her throne and smirked, crossing her legs.

Cleo: These poor fools were trying to tell me you were part of the Federation!!

Archerd: What a horrible joke...

Archerd returned to her side as sand suddenly blocked every entrance to the room, trapping them all in.

Akeru: Damn, she has us trapped!

Itsuki: It looks like we can't reason with her...Galewind!

Itsuki shot out his giant wind blade at Cleo, who just waved her hand, moving to the nearby wall.

Cleo: Did you really think you could defeat me with such a pitiful spell~?

Akeru: Come on Akeru, think! How can we get her to listen to us?! There has to be a way...

Akeru's eyes widened as she looked at Archerd and then at Itsuki. Itsuki looked at Cleo and nodded.

Itsuki: Yeah...I getcha.

Itsuki used Gale this time as he sent it towards Cleo, who just smirked at him.

Cleo: You damn fool, didn't you learn the first time?

Cleo went to blow it away again, but the Gale turned directions. It was heading right to Archerd. Cleo's eyes widened a bit as Archerd sighed.

Archerd: Barrier.

A Barrier appears before him and blocks the gust of wind from hitting him. Akeru came up from beside him and tugged on his suit with force. Archerd kicked her away as the suit ripped a bit.

Archerd: That was a costly suit; Sultana, would you mind if I killed her?

Cleo: Knock yourself out~ I'll kill the other two and deal with my-

Akeru: Hey, Sand Witch!

Cleo: What now, you-

Cleo looked over to Akeru, smirking, holding the ripped piece of the suit Archerd was wearing. Cleo's eyes widened as she saw the Sand Beast Key peeking out of the pocket of the ripped piece.

Cleo: Archerd...why was the Key in your pocket...?

Archerd: I was going to bring it back to you, Sultana. My apologies for not stating anything.

Cleo: Where did you find it?

Archerd: Oh, the caravan had it while I was out traveling. The clown fool was trying to sell it for profit. This was, of course, just before I returned to you.

Akeru: He's lying! He had this in his pocket-

Archerd shot a Pyro at her as Itsuki blocked it with his katana, glaring at him.

Itsuki: Cleo, open your eyes; he is with the Federation!

Archerd: How absurd...as if I would be with those band of hooligans. My loyalty is to the Sultana and only her. If anything, it sounds like you two brought the Ice Witch here from her tower to try and kill two birds with one stone, blaming it all on me.

Akeru: The Ice Witch?

Archerd: The woman that was fighting the Sultana is the Ice Witch, correct?

Itsuki: You're not wrong... it's just that, how do you know that?

Archerd: What do you mean? It's clear as day who she is. Now, Sultana...I will be killing this girl-

Cleo: Hang on a moment, Archerd.

Archerd looked at Cleo, who just gave him a death glare.

Cleo: She came from where, exactly?

Archerd raised his eyebrow a bit at Cleo.

Archerd: You once told me she kept herself away in a tower, remember?

Ci: You utter fool...you should know better by now; Cleo would never talk about her sisters to anyone!

Akeru: Meaning you slipped up; you are part of the Federation! Give it up-

Archerd appeared in front of Akeru in milliseconds as he grabbed the Sand Key and threw it at the sand wall covering the entrance.

Cleo: You damn traitor!!

Cleo sent a sand spear at him, but it went straight through him.

Archerd: Truly, I wish it wouldn't have ended this way...but I suppose my secret would slip up sooner or later.

Itsuki looked at the Sand Key, which vanished completely.

Itsuki: The Sand Beast Key!

Archerd: Yes, that and this body are fakes. Mere illusions, the same ones I send to the Sand Witch every single day of my existence. As if I would ever want to breathe the same air as a Witch.

Cleo: Archerd!!

Cleo screamed loud as the sand dissolved from the wall, along with the clone of Archerd. Cleo huffed with her head down, the sand surrounding her.

Ci: Sister-

Cleo: Not one more damn word!

The palace started to shake as she looked up, her eyes glowing red. Ci herself had never seen Cleo this outraged; the whole room was terrified of her current state.