It was difficult to take a breath. Not only had the room dropped considerably in temperature, it felt like all the moisture had been sucked out of it. Opal recalled Yue's explanation of using the water in the air to create his weaponry and could only assume this 'Kas', obviously another ice prince, used a similar method. Indeed the sword had started to swirl and pulse with bright blue veins and she was horribly reminded of the way the ground looked with Reugu's power was reabsorbed into the earth. Yue held one palm up, the long silver frozen whip he produced curled snake-like down his arm, ready to bite into flesh. Opal swallowed, allowing herself to be gently pushed backward by Proga.

Kas noticed his movement and shot him a smirk. "Proga. Kait. I'm surprised my brother kept you both. I know he favors... oddities, but I assumed he'd get over that quirk."

"What do you need, Kas." Yue's voice had dropped to a low rumble. "You clearly kept us here for a reason. If it is to kill me, I suggest you attempt it quickly. I'm rather sick of being underground."

"So ready to die? You remain no fun. Very well. Do you want to bring your cohort into a family argument? If so- ah, maybe you have picked up some interesting followers."

As he was speaking Opal felt the tell-tale heat spiking in the room and the light seize the space. Spark was starting to recognize his cues. She glanced back to see the same white and yellow hot flames rolling up his arms as before. Kas cocked his head. "And with minimizing bands... I think I'll take that one for my own."

Yue coughed. "Good luck with that."

"Eat shit." Spark confirmed for him.

Kas laughed in delight and nodded towards one of his demons, a female with disturbingly red eyes, lacking a pupil. She turned her glare on Spark and to Opal's horror his expression went slightly slack, the flames sputtering into nothing. "All brawn and little mental strength... perhaps you should have trained him in more than one skill? If only Kait would embrace her true powers... but judging by the fact none of us are on our knees, you haven't, have you?"

Kait's head dipped, avoiding looking at Yue who didn't seem the least bothered by this. "She's fine as a healer. Leave them be. If father wants me dead, it has nothing to do with them."

"No fun..." Kas repeated with a sigh. As the words left his lips the sword came up, almost too fast for Opal to see, he lunged at his brother. It came down in a fast slash to his left side, but Yue sent the whip spinning to his wrist, jerking the motion of the weapon just shy of his twisting figure. Kas dove forward again, knocking him back with each swing until Yue was nearly pinned to the wall. To Opal's surprise, the prince's antlers were not merely for show. Yue swung his head down, locking together with his brother. A snap echoed in the room as a surge of ice ran down his brother's back. He jerked his head, sending Kas crashing to the ground. Kas just cackled, regaining his feet and shaking off the ice that would have ruined another demon's skin and muscle. The sword swung again, this time switching from a high arc into a sudden jab. Yue hissed in pain as it ran through his shoulder but still managed to dart away from a more sinister attempt at his chest. Blood flecked the air and then the ground. He slammed a foot down, ice spiraling up from his feet to lock his brother's legs in place. Kas grunted, looking down with a grimace and narrowly avoided the whip catching him around the throat, using the sword to block the lash. He yanked and Yue was pulled to his knees, eyes wide. His chest was heaving from the intensity and speed of the assault.

"Yield?" Kas asked with a grin, the tip of his sword lifting Yue's chin.

Yue glared at him.

"Enough!" A voice boomed.

Kas' sword was ripped from his hands and the ice prince looked down in confusion and then raised an eyebrow at Proga who now held it in one massive hand with what looked like smoke surrounding the handle.

"I thought we weren't using cohort members." Kas tutted.

"I won't stand by and watch you slit his throat for your amusement." Proga growled.

"Kill him?" Kas put a hand to his chest. "My own brother? Proga, I'd think you know me better than that. But I have to say I tried. Father will be sure to question us, and as you know his interrogators easily identify liars. Why do you think I volunteered?"

"Because you like blood." Kait snapped.

Kas now held up both hands. "That... I can't deny. But dead things don't bleed, now do they?" He sighed heavily and reached for Yue. After a moments hesitation Yue took his hand and was pulled to his feet.

"Then why are you here, if not to kill me?"

"To keep you alive." Kas slapped Yue on his injured arm, causing him to grit his teeth. "Or did you want Fel or Ono to come for your head? What do you think your chances would be with them?"

Yue rubbed his arm. "Point taken."

Kas' grin slipped. "I admit, if Ren was alive this might have gone differently but I was surprised how much it hurt to lose one brother. A second..." he shook his head. "I'd prefer not to find out. Plus, it looks like despite my interference I got to you too late to make your death simple." He gripped Yue's hand and turned it over. "This mark makes it harder to justify without taking over the position."

"And you don't want it?"

"Gods no. Too much work. Not enough drinking or... socializing." Opal winced at the look he gave her and Kait. Gabbro returned his stare evenly but when his eyes went to Spark and he winked she had to stifle a giggle at the fire-demon's horrified expression.

Yue frowned. "I suppose I ought to be thanking you, then."

"Yes, I suppose you ought to. Father originally thought you had been the one to kill Ren, seeing as your reappearances and his death coincided." Kas snorted. "I think he's had too many children to bother remembering much about us. You've never had the stomach for murder."

"You say that like it's a bad thing I have no interest in being a kin killer."

"Not at all. If you did, I wouldn't have asked to go. I quite value my head. I know you wouldn't fight properly against one of us, just to wound. Considering how fast I had you on your knees, my theory was right."

"So you gambled? Perhaps I'm out of practice."

"And yet here I stand, unscathed. Even when you were at your worst I rarely left a spar with you without a scar or two. That temper of yours has certainly burnt out, little brother. One word of advice, if you are going to be a Guardian I'd develop a bit of a taste for gore and less for martyrdom. Proga- would you mind returning my sword now that you know I'm not planning on using it to decapitate your precious prince?"

Proga's jaw tensed but a moment later the same shadow passed over the weapon. Opal couldn't help but gape at his ability to manipulate it. Kas sheathed the sword on his back again and with a toss of his head the black antlers and cloven hooves disappeared. "Excellent. Well, now that I have bested you easily and you have been marked, shall we leave this... disconcerting territory? I miss the sky already." At the mention of this a number of winged demons in Kas' cohort nodded appreciatively.

----

The walk out of the territory was certainly different than their entrance. Kas and Yue took up the front, Kas chatting casually without much regard for the customs of the place. He certainly took on the role of arrogant prince more easily than Yue who continued to answer his questions in a whisper. Opal nervously had tried to keep herself in line with Kait but somehow managed to walk next to the red-eyed demon that had stunned Spark earlier. That kind of power was slightly terrifying. She could only imagine what kind of use Kas made of her. However she turned out to be quietly friendly, chatting about previous years with Kait in a low murmur. Kait seemed comfortable enough with her. Gabbro and Obsidian didn't talk for the entire trek. When they finally reached the stairs, Kas let out a bark of laughter when Spark went sprinting past them up into the sunlight. That seemed inappropriate but neither prince made to slow him. Opal hadn't realized it was still daytime.

Spark was bent in half panting as they reached the top, but looked less queasy than he had in days. To Opal's confusion, Kas shuffled off the shirt he was wearing and held out both arms. She winced to see his upper body was almost as scarred as Yue's with the notable exception that most of the old injuries were on his back. He grinned easily.

"Make it look like I put up a fight, if you please. I'd prefer that to whatever father has planned if I return home without that proof."

Yue grimaced but flipped a hand over and let the long whip coil into his hand. "Understood." He squeezed his fingers closed and the ice flickered between solid and liquid. He snapped it and Kas grunted, eyes squeezed closed, as a deep gash formed across one arm, and then his chest.

"A moment please." Kas gasped and looked up to his cohort. A pale demon with black hair and eyes rushed to his side, laying hands on him. The wounds closed, stopping the flow of blood and leaving a shiny scar. To Opal's surprise the healing seemed to cause him even more pain, unlike what usually happened with Kait's assistance. Did that have something to do with her additional abilities? "Alright, ready." Kas sighed and grimaced as he was lashed again.

Opal winced with each strike and Yue's face remained grim.

After a few minutes of this Kas held up a hand and Yue looked relieved.

"I appreciate your help." Yue told him quietly.

"More battle wounds." He grinned. "Makes me look formidable, yes? A last request... may I use Kait to finish the healing?"

Yue narrowed his eyes. "Your wounds are scarred. Any more and they will disappear."

Kas pouted. "But they still hurt."

"It's alright." Kait said in a small voice, looking at Yue with a little nod.

Yue wrinkled his nose but then nodded as well.

Opal watched in fascination as the small silver demon approached the other prince. To her slight alarm Kas snatched her hand as it was about to reach for his arm and placed it on his chest. Kait flinched but then looked determined. Proga made a low noise of annoyance but did nothing to stop this when Yue shook his head. Opal could see lines of silver flowing into his tanned skin and unlike the pained expression when his own healer touched him, his eyelids fluttered in what could only be described as bliss.

"Ah, much better. No offense, Floro." Kas nodded to the other healer who shrugged. "Delightful as always, Kait."

"Of course." She dropped her gaze, a flush across her cheeks as she scurried back to stand behind Yue.

"Is there anything else you require, brother?" Yue's voice was a little tight now.

"I believe I am sated for the moment. I'll do my best to convince father to leave you be, but I can't promise of course. Fel in particular seemed annoyed by your plans. I would encourage you to have a strong offense prepared should he be sent to track you." For once Kas didn't smirk and he and Yue shared a dark look.

"Safe travels. I owe you a favor once I am a Guardian."

"Oh, I absolutely plan to collect on that." Kas' unconcerned expression returned. "You best make good on your Guardianship in that case."

Opal was surprised to see the brothers embrace, if rather roughly.

"Your brother is weird." Spark complained as they began moving southward again.

Yue gave him an amused glance. "He grew up with all of his whims met, so long as he pleases our father with the edge of his sword. And since he is probably one of the best of us in combat, we are lucky he never intended to kill me."

"His only ambitions lie in bottles and beds, and he fights hard to keep them." Proga snorted. "If your life stood in the way of that, I have no doubt your room would have been bloody."

"No doubt." Yue agreed coolly.

"Where to next?" Kait asked, holding up her marked hand with the hint of a smile.

"We will follow the river to the human town, 80. That is where Pyrope was last seen."

"80?" Opal repeated, eyes wide. Gray's hometown was 84. Was there a possibility she had managed to make it back? "Will we have time to explore the town?"

Kait made a face. "You want to explore?"

"Looking for one of your human friends?" Yue asked her.

Opal was a little alarmed how quickly he recognized her interest. "Actually... yes."

"I like human towns." Obsidian chirped. "They make food with oil."

Yue glanced at him and then Gabbro. "You frequented human towns?"

"Yes!" Obsidian interrupted.

Gabbro pushed some hair from his face. "It occasionally made sense for some of the... requests we were given when I worked elsewhere."

Proga gave him a dark look at this but Kait and Yue looked vaguely curious.

"That could come in handy- ah- something to add, Obsidian?" Yue blinked down at the demon who had taken his hand.

"You wouldn't have died, prince." Obsidian told him seriously with a disconcerting grin on his freckled face. "If your brother truly attempted to end your life I would have simply removed him from existence."

Yue raised his eyebrows. "I... appreciate that but until you are well using too much energy seems unsafe."

Obsidian sighed and looked back at Gabbro. "He doesn't believe I could do it big brother. When can I show him?" He stuck out his lower lip.

Gabbro's expression remained bored. "As your prince says, not until you are well."

Obsidian looked back up Yue, blinking sweetly. "And oh would he suffer for the attempt. You're mine."

"Enough, Obs." Gabbro drawled, holding out his own hand. His brother lifted Yue's hand to his lips, giving it a quick, reverent peck, and then skipping back to hold onto Gabbro's hand.

Yue looked back at him, mouth slightly open. He shook it off fairly swiftly. Obsidian was staring at the sky. "Look brother- it might rain!"

----

The benefits of being a real guardian candidate materialized the night after leaving the cave. A cluster of homes outside the territory were more than happy to find them shelter, despite it's quaint nature. One demon family even offered to give up their entire house, but Yue insisted a few rooms would do- and even that seemed to make him slightly discomforted. He and Proga took up a shared space in one house with Opal sharing another room with Kait and the brothers and Spark were placed in two additional locations. After the adventures underground, and the slightly terrifying elder prince, it felt like she was finally able to breath normally again. Once she finished a homey meal she was having trouble staying awake.

It seemed like she had only just closed her eyes on the humble bed when a hand gently rocked her awake. Opal stared into the darkness.

"Leaving already? Aren't we waiting for the sun at least?" She complained.

A low laugh responded. "We're not leaving yet. Just stepping outside for a moment- like I promised you."

"Promised me?" Opal raised herself, curiosity once again getting the better of her. She could see Proga's metal-bright eyes in the dim lighting.

"Indeed." He offered her a hand, which she took, and followed his impressively quiet steps past a sitting room and out a side door. She shivered. The wind on the prairie tasted fresh and humid and sent her hair in a wild twist away from her face. "Look."

Opal followed his finger out to the distance. Nothing at first, but then a thin tendril of yellow split the sky far off from them. It took a long time for the low rumble to reach them.

"A thunderstorm."

"I said I'd take you back out once we had proper shelter. We'll have to wait a moment- but the wind is bringing it in quickly. Unless of course you don't want-"

"No!" Opal breathed in the almost metallic scent. "I want to stay in it. I can't believe you remembered that."

Proga fixed her with an odd look, his smile wavering from its usual relaxed grin. "I can't imagine ever forgetting it."

Opal smiled back at him. "Can we go a little ways from the house?"

"Why- need more room for dancing again?"

"And if I do?"

Proga laughed softly and motioned for her to follow. "Its probably better to enjoy not in the middle of the field though- from my understanding electrocution hurts. Although I will say there are ulterior motives for bringing you out here."

"Being?" With Proga she wasn't concerned about them being something unpleasant.

"Well for one- Yue did mention you were able to control the water a bit better with energy. A storm will have its own power in it. You might be able to feel a connection a little more easily that way."

"Really?!"

"Just don't tire yourself too much. I'm more than happy to carry you back to bed if needed, of course."

"And the other reasons?"

He winked at her. "A secret."

She huffed at him but was too delighted to truly be upset.

They settled under a copse of trees to watch the storm blow in. "When will you tell me the secret?"

"That's a secret too. But I'm also happy there is something we are able to do that is just for you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you have done quite a bit for all of us. Helping Yue in particular. I'm pretty sure you are a good portion of the reason Spark has been working so hard."

She shook her head. "That's all Kait."

"I don't think so. He wants attention from Kait- but he's afraid of her. As much as I love her, she can be... fickle. She isn't the easiest demon to hope to lean on."

Opal shook her head. "And I am? I'm barely able to do anything."

Proga glanced back out at the storm before looking back at her. "You're loyal. And brave. Not to mention whip smart."

"I... am not. Where is all of this coming from?"

"Mmmm trying to deny it doesn't make it untrue. You were very concerned after meeting Kas that you couldn't stand up to any of his cohort- I wanted to remind you are wrong about that. It's not all physical abilities, Opal. You've helped keep us all together at least as much as Yue."

Opal watched him, feeling warm despite the falling temperature. "You exaggerate."

He smiled at her again. "Do I? I haven't met many demons willing to risk their lives for others- especially those they don't know well. Never mind humans."

"You mean back at the camp."

Proga cocked his head, reaching out to tuck some of the fly away hair behind her ear. "I've rarely seen that kind of daring. You need to know that. You saved quite a few lives through that alone. Consider being proud of yourself." His voice was soft.

"You were the first one to agree to help me." She argued. "And you weren't even friends with any of them- or worried about humans. You're brave too. And strong."

"Hmmm... I certainly am trying to become so. Unfortunately, I have a history of bending to pressure." He gave her a sad look. "It's troublesome how easy it is to be a coward when you have enough strength."

Opal was going to continue to argue but the next flash of lightening and boom of thunder was so close together that she jumped, and moments later the rain started to tumble down.

"Your turn." She told him, reaching out for him as he gave her a quizzical look. "You let me spin before- its your turn now."

Proga looked thoughtful. "I think our height differences might cause an issue but I will do my best to be graceful." He certainly did try, but still barely succeeded in completing one twirl, having to bend far backward to avoid her arm. "That was definitely new- but I think I enjoy it better when you are the one moving." She didn't have a choice as he loosely gripped one hand and turned her around. Again and again. Fast enough the trees and lightening and the gold in his eyes started to blend together. He caught her before she fell, stumbling through her giggles- arms held out to try and regain her balance.

"This is fun."

It turned out that his suggestion for controlling the water in a storm was easier. Although she was not able to do anything near what Yue could, by the time the clouds passed she was able to keep about a handful of water afloat above the ground for a few seconds. It did cost her though and she was grateful for Proga's offer to carry her back. She yawned as he put her delicately back on her floor with instructions to change out of her wet clothes.

"Proga... would you be willing to do this again? I can't really... offer anything else-"

"It would be an honor to bring you back out for this kind of practice. You can repay me with another dance." He smiled broadly at her and held out a hand.

She took it. His grasp was gentle. "Deal."

************************

We are getting into lots of secrets soon! I'm excited for lots of this to finally come out and you will know who you are dealing with.

I am at the end of my treatment! I am going to try and start updating weekly once again. :)

Interesting fact for the week- rabbits and horsies cannot throw up. Which is problematic for certain illnesses but great for me because I find puke horrible!

Fingers crossed to be back next week with everyone! Thank you for all the support

-Andi