(BTW, start the music now, but listen to it kinda quietly. It is meant to help the mood, but it can be kinda loud and distracting if you have it at full volume.)

Mansi shook in Linh's arms, Tam holding a frozen cloth to her forehead. Alexios was crouched by his childhood friend's side, looking at her nervously.

"It's not going to last," Alexios breathed. His sea-blue eyes glanced around in a flurry, his mind working at a million miles per hour.

"We need to get everyone out. Our men need space to work," Everyone cringed as a boom sounded against the wall of fire, and Mansi crying out in pain, barely able to keep it up.

"Where can we go? And how?! We are completely cornered." Tam asked. Alexios bit his lip in worry, but Lilac came running over, furiously shaking her poor brother by the shoulders.

"I got in contact with her! It can work!" Lilac exclaimed. Alexios snatched her hands off of her shoulders, but his face was in disbelief.

"Are you sure?! We will only have one shot to do this."

"The Everglen property is big enough to hold everyone at Foxfire. She says she can hold the gates open just long enough." Lilac breathed. Alexios thought for a moment, glancing at the Vacker family, and then put his fingers to his lips. He let out a whistle that got the Vacker's attention, and they all came over.

"What is it, Alexios?" Alvar asked, his parents and siblings right behind him.

"We need your help." Alexios breathed.

"With what?"

"We are evacuating Foxfire." Alexios breathed. Even though Alexios said it as quietly as possible, the elves seemed to hound their hearing onto him. They all started to panicking whisper, but Alden cut in fast.

"You need to use Everglen, correct?" Alden whispered, putting it together.

"I have a mental connection with Sofia. I was talking with her; she says she can help hold the gates open enough for us to get everyone in there and then shut the gates." Lilac explained.

"How does she have a mental connection with you? Are you a telepath?" Fitz asked, stepping forward.

"Lia set it up between her and me when she dropped Sofia off that night. Lia kissed her cheek to keep Sofia oblivious, and but it was just her entering her mind and linking the two of us together. Lia and I both agreed that it would be best if I could contact her in dire situations." Lilac explained.

"How are you going to get these many people into Everglen on time? It's impossible!" Della breathed. Alexios smirked, reaching into his side pocket and pulling out a crystal that was the size of a grape. Lilac chuckled as she spotted the gem. It was a small little thing, somewhat cracked and broken on the outside, but a beautiful sky blue crystal on the inside.

"How on earth-"

"I may have nabbed it off of Lia's desk at the Guildhall." Alexios coughed.

"She is going to kill you-"

"Are you going to snitch?"

"Depends, how much are you going to pay me?" Lilac asked sweetly. Alexios nudged her, and he turned his attention back to the small crowd.

"This is a Pýli spásimo krystállou, or a Gate Breaking Crystal in your tongue." Alexios started.

"Tongue?" Fitz whispered.

"In our language," Alvar answered.

"They are extremely rare, even for Vatarians. Lia found one about a year ago on an Assassination contract in the Deserts of Avrima. They can open massive portals that people can step through and step to a new location that is nearby. Since Everglen is so close to Eternalia, we can open a portal to Everglen and have Sofia open the gates and let everyone in. Once all the elves are safe, we can completely take over." Lilac explained.

"These little guys can only be used twice before breaking. Lia already used one portal to escape a... bad situation," Lilac snorted when Alexios brought up this mystery situation, "So we only have one shot at doing this." Alexios turned to the Vacker family.

"It is up to you," Alexios said. Alvar turned to his family, who stared at everyone in thought. Alvar took his mother's hand, and he smiled as she looked at him in surprise. He didn't say anything, but Della seemed to understand the message he was conveying.

"Okay. Let's do it." Della confirmed.

Alexios knew that people used Vatarians as the villains in their stories. He knew that as his Guild practically threw the elves out of Foxfire, that people were making wild stories behind their backs. How they were monsters, brutes...

Murderers.

But as Mansi leaned against Tam and Linh, her fire sucking her dry, he was willing to do anything to get the bothersome elven assholes away from the school. He would allow them to cower and spit on his boots; he would allow them to paint him and his family as monsters. Some gaped at his beauty, he heard the girls whispering about him behind his back, but he wasn't in the mood. Anything to get Mansi some form of relief. He felt Nour, Keefe, and Amalia were gone for too long, but there was no time for him to look for them. Another pound sounded against the wall, and Mansi slumped farther into the Song twins' arms. Alexios found an open enough courtyard to spin the portal. He held the small crystal in his palms, closing them together and shining light through his palms.

The warmth of his light calmed Alexios, made him feel at ease. Amalia always loved her shadows and cold lightning, the night feeling like a clean escape for her. Alexios was her polar opposite; he loved the sun and warmth. He was loud; she was quiet. It felt wrong for her not be at his side right now. Not to feel the balance of the cool night against his warm light.

Alexios felt the portal start to open, a tear through the open courtyard as worried elves gathered. On the other side, an open gated Everglen sat waiting.

"Everyone move carefully and stay together!" Maha called out over the crowd of elves. The Vacker's hugged Alvar tight, wishing him luck before guiding the elves through the portal to their estate.

"Hurry it up guys; I can't hold this forever-"

"I'm sorry..." Mansi panted. Alexios turned to Mansi with a panicked face. Linh held Mansi tight, and Mansi's eyes rolled back, properly unconscious.

And the fire extinguished.

"Shit..." Alexios breathed, his hands struggling as he held open the portal.

"Go!" Alvar cried out. The elves started to scream as the Mirthless creatures pounded their claws, and blood dripped from their fangs.

"GO! GO! GO!" Alexios roared. The Elves ran and herded through the portal, the Neverseen soldiers roaring and yelling in victory as they rushed past where Mansi's fire shield once held them back.

"Luram Bak! Doreah!" Alvar cried out. The Red-Headed general took the skies, her remaining Winged Warriors speeding towards the oncoming Soldiers. Luram Bak and the Assassins rushed forward, revealing themselves from their hiding places and hitting them head-on.

"HURRY!" Alexios cried out. They tripped over themselves as they sprinted through the portal. A crowd of elves near the back fell, elves running through and over them.

"No!" Tam begged as Mirthless towered over the group of elves. Blood dripped from the Mirthless's mouth as he roared at the cowering elves, paralyzed in their spots.

It lunged for their throats.

And stopped dead in its spot.

The sobbing elves look up to see Nour ramming into it at full speed, pure, unfaltering death shining in his eyes. The Mirthless practically flew with the weight of Nour ramming into it, hissing and screeching as its claws tore at the ground, trying to grasp what it up and down. Nour's eyes didn't soften as he glared at the kneeling group of elves, who looked at him like he was a savior sent by the gods.

"Get. Out." Nour seethed. The Elves hauled ass to the portal, which shook with Alexios's effort to keep open. The last of them flew through the wobbly portal, and Alexios gave the Song twins a look.

"Get her out of here. Make sure she stays safe," Making it very clear to the two of them what their jobs were. They both nodded, and right before they lept through the portal, Tam glanced at Alvar.

"Biana? Is she okay?" He asked. Alvar cocked an eyebrow but nodded.

"My sister is at our Guildhall, doing whatever Amalia assigned to her." He smiled slightly, "Why do you need to know?" Tam grunted as readjusted Mansi, holding her a bit higher.

"Just asking." He muttered. Alvar glanced at Mansi, hurt and worry plaguing his eyes.

"Take care of her, please, for me?" Alvar begged. The Song twins merely nodded, and they were through the portal.

Alexios released the portal with a groan, it instantly slamming shut without his stronghold and blinding light keeping it open.

The Elves didn't even get the opportunity to say goodbye to their school.

They all turned to their fighting allies and Assassins, who were furiously trying to hold the front.

"Lilac, I want you inside," Alexios muttered.

"What? Alex-"

"No arguing Hathlani." Alexios snapped. Lilac flinched when he used her full name, fully realizing how dire the situation was. She hugged her brother tight, before running at top speeds into the glass pyramid.

Alexios glanced at the small group remaining.

Nour, Alvar, Maha...

"Where is Sencen?" Alexios asked, pointing his head at Nour.

"He is... dealing with his mother." Nour trailed off.

"Is he safe?" Maha asked.

Nour shrugged, his face saying that he believed so.

"Then, we don't care." Alexios sighed.

The four of them stared at the battle, and then back together.

Gods above, where the hell was Lia?!

Alexios looked at all of them, not really knowing what to say.

Assassins and Winged Warriors were falling left and right as Neverseen barged through their numbers.

"Wreck shit up out there but don't die?" Alexios muttered to all of them.

Nour snorted. "Inspirational."

Maha elbowed him in the side.

The Neverseen soldiers met Alexios's steel, and the four of them desperately pushed them back and joined the front lines.

Ruy didn't bother to pull his hood back up as he hauled ass back to the Black Castle, Cato practically running to keep up with his long strides. He banged open the front doors, walked up the long staircase to the top of the tower he was staying and started to pack.

"Wait, are you... leaving?" Cato wondered.

"Don't tell the King. They are in trouble, she is in trouble. Even the reinforcements weren't enough."

"The King? Ruy... that's our father." Cato muttered. Ruy stopped dead and looked at Cato with a blank face.

"He isn't mine." Ruy spat. Cato visibly deflated, and he bit his lip as Ruy ran to grab his iPod from one of his strewn around shirt pockets.

Cato glanced at the leather book sitting on the desk, and he quietly opened it, simply trying to do something while his brother quickly packed. The book reminded Cato of something Ruy told him, when he was explaining his history with Amalia. The story of how he rescued her from execution, and how she left things behind for him that she was never able to gift him herself.

And inside, Cato would recognize anywhere... were lyrics.

Scrawled music notes and hastily scribbled lyrics littered almost every page. Noted about special people in Ruy's life, song titles and lyrics relating to them dotted the pages. Ruy glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes widened as he spotted his younger brother carefully reading through his lyric book. He snatched the book out of his hands, not saying a word as he stuffed it in his bag.

"She gave that to you, right?" Cato asked. Ruy didn't answer.

"When you went to rescue her, you said she left behind that music machine and a notebook for you, along with your cloak. Is that the same notebook?" Cato pushed.

"Yes." Ruy simply responded. The room looked more barren without Ruy's belongings in it.

"Cato?" A small voice called out. Both Cato and Ruy whipped around, staring at Kalem, who was standing in the door frame, visibly confused.

"Are you going somewhere?" Kalem asked Ruy. Ruy's face didn't crack as he and Kalem stared each other down.

Two Princes in a silent fight, the only weapons were their eyes.

Cato stepped between them, his shoulder-length hair tied up behind his head as he put his hands up.

"Ruy says the guild needs his help." Cato reasoned.

"That wasn't part of the deal you made with dad." Kalem reasoned, ignoring Kalem.

"I don't see him here trying to stop me." Ruy countered, hauling the bag over his shoulder.

"We sent our soldiers for you, and here you are, betraying us?"

"I'm not betraying anybody. I'm going to help your soldiers if anything."

"They are your soldiers now too."

"You seem to forget that I am half Vatarian." Ruy snapped at Kalem. The Prince went quiet.

"My home is in Inalia, my home is with my Guild. All my life, I dealt with my insane mother all on my own, no father there to help me or teach me anything. I tried to be here, to try to be a part of this. But you expect to much of me. Of a bastard." Ruy continued. Cato stiffened, listening to his brother, but something flashed over Kalem's eyes.

"Oh please," Ruy whispered, "Do you really think I haven't noticed how you look at me Kalem? An inconvenience, a bothersome detail your father had that is getting in your way. You fight for power in your own court, and then the threat of a new Prince gets in your way? A half breed bastard no less?" Ruy chuckled.

"I'm not dumb." Ruy pushed past Kalem in the doorway, "But don't worry. I won't get in your way. I have no want or need of the stupid crown." Ruy muttered. Kalem stayed in the doorway, his mouth slightly agape and his eyes full of white rage, but Cato ran after him.

"Cato. Don't." Kalem snapped, grabbing the young Prince's arm. Cato looked at Kalem's hand before pulling out of his grip. Cato looked after Ruy, and just looked at Kalem with heavy eyes.

"He feels like a brother, Kalem." Cato breathed. Kalem stiffened, just slightly, his eyes still full of anger,

"He felt like someone who has seen things in the world, he was kind to me." Cato glared at his elder brother, "Unlike you." Cato spat. Kalem's face didn't change.

"He felt like a real brother. Treated me like I was a friend, not like a nuisance." Cato muttered. The two didn't exchange any more words as Cato sprinted down the stairs, after his brother.

~~~

Ruy's veins were filled with determination and anger. Anger at Kalem, anger at his father...

Anger at the Dunmer, at them for even thinking he may be able to help them- that he was strong enough to be able to do anything for them.

"Stop." A voice commanded. Ruy stopped more out of curiosity than listening to a command. He lazily looked ever his shoulder and cursed under his breath as the King leaned against the door frame.

"I'm going. I did your stupid training; I waited in that stupid tower. I can't sit here and wait when my family is being slaughtered." Ruy said quietly. The King looked Ruy dead in the eye, his face unflinching. His hair was much looser when Ruy first met him, his golden tan skin complimenting the black streaks running up his face. His leather wings bristled as he readjusted the lapels on his black jacket.

Ruy heard Cato come flying down the stairs, but stop when he saw Ruy and the King staring each other down.

"And how are you going to get out of my cavern?" King Dorian asked, picking at his nails.

Though Ruy didn't show it, he cursed his stupidity for not thinking that far ahead.

His entire body was just telling him to go, go, go, and after seeing the image of Sophie desperately begging him for help, gods above he just needed to be on the battlefield next to her.

King Dorian simply hummed as Ruy stayed quiet, knowing he pointed something out to Ruy that was pretty important.

"Or how are you going to get there in time? If I'm correct, the little Foxfire school is in Eternalia? And that is a good two or three days ride away, and that is using the wings that you are too weak to open." The King sighed. Ruy glared daggers at his father, who looked plainly at him.

In the corner of his eye, Ruy spotted Queen Sarai come up behind Prince Cato, grabbing onto his shoulders and quickly pulling him away.

"Mom?" Prince Cato whispered.

"Your father is an idiot and is doing an idiotic thing. You are not going to be here when it eventually happens." Queen Sarai muttered, quickly taking her son back up the stairs.

"I'm not weak." Ruy snapped at his father. King Dorian simply smiled, ad finally pushed off the door frame. He casually put his hands in his pockets, walking towards Ruy.

Seeing him in his natural state, not presiding over a court, Ruy saw the simulates between them even clearer.

Their face structure, their skin tone, their stride, their casualness.

Ruy clicked his tongue, hating to admit how much of himself he saw in his father.

"I am." King Dorian shrugged. That got Ruy's attention, and he only readjusted the bag that draped over his shoulders.

"I am weak for letting your mother break me when she stole you from me. I am weak for not searching for you longer and harder. I'm weak for not having the courage to try to have a heart to heart conversation with my lost son in the last couple of days." He explained.

"I think we can both agree to our aversion to heart to hearts," Ruy muttered. King Dorian simply smiled, and Ruy just seemed to notice that no silver or gold crown adorned his father's head, no blue and silver cape.

"But you are weak as well," King Dorian sighed. Ruy gripped the strap of his bag.

"You can't open your mind." King Dorian shrugged.

"Is that so?"