"Prince Zafir," Koukyuu said, grinning. She staggered toward the Mizu no Kin heir.

"Princess Koukyuu," Zafir said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll tell you later. First, we got to deal with this guy!"

"Tsk. More dove royalty," Satoru said as he pulled out the sword off of his back. "I hope that you're stronger than the princesses lying on the floor! Else, you'll be a disappointment."

Zafir flashed him a smug smile. "I already defeated one of your kind before coming here."

Satoru's chuckled, and he spun around, unleashing a wave of energy from his ice sword. Zafir sidestepped it. "Why do I get the sense that this was destined?"

The prince shrugged and smiled. "No idea, but I get the same impression too." He glanced over at Teresa. "Get the princesses and the others out of here."

"Sorry, but she dies!" Satoru said before snapping his fingers.

Zafir flashed in front of Teresa, shielding her from the ice with his body. Thankfully, he was unaffected by it. "What a dishonorable person you are!"

Satoru grinned. "Honor is for chumps!" he yelled as his tails reappeared. They broke through Zafir's armor before the prince could react. "You should've left the women and the peasant to die, now it's you who will perish."

Zafir winced as he felt the tips of the tails against his back. He let out a scream as the pain from his past injuries returned.

"Zafir!" Teresa yelled. She freed herself from the prince's grasp and picked up her weapon. She ran over to the tails and swung her weapon with all the strength she had, slicing them off. "Ya won't hurt Zafir nor my family!" She tossed the Yari at the shocked fox.

Satoru dodged the three-prong spear as tendrils of darkness emerged from his tails. "Die!" he yelled as spheres of darkness were flung from each of his damaged tails.

"Not on my watch!" a familiar voice yelled. The spheres were halted in midair by clouds of black shadow. Standing in front of Teresa and the others was none other than Serrano.

"Serra, you made it back," Tetsu said, grinning.

"Of course, Takeshi tasked me with protecting you three with the weapon he left behind. So consider this me carrying out his will."

Tetsuya averted his eyes. Mildly annoyed again that he wasn't the one his father had chose as his successor.

"Tsk. More annoyances. I assume that you're Takeshi's heir, correct?" Satoru asked as he gathered cold energy in his hands.

"Ya heard of my dad?" Teresa asked.

"Dad?" Satoru asked as he jumped back. "Ahh. That explains why you and that guy have those regenerative abilities." He snickered. "You two and your cousin here aren't too different from Roa and Etsuo."

"Huh?" the three asked.

Satoru turned right and raised his tails in front of himself as a diamond sphere was flung at him. The weapon tore through his tails, turning them into clouds of mist.

"What?" the fox boy yelled as he turned around. Standing behind him was the crown princess. "You... you will pay for this!"

"Try me!" the princess yelled. She jumped as icicles raced after her like bullets. She chuckled and swung Alma in front of her in a circle. The ice was reduced to tiny powder and landed in front of her. "Hmm, that was weaker than I expected. Is that all you got, fox-boy?"

The fox's sapphire eyes widened. He took a step back and covered himself in a veil of freezing wind. "Tsk. I need to go find the others..."

"Lightning Rain!" a voice yelled. Satoru gasped as lightning struck him from all sides, paralyzing him. "Hmph, this one is definitely not at the same level as that Collin guy."

Satoru glanced up at the one who had struck him. The red-eyed young man in golden armor pointed the spear at his throat. "Tell us, where are the others? The spies."

The fox boy gasped for air as his body started to deteriorate. "I wish, I knew..." he said, taking a deep breath. He was already exhausted from his last battle with Tetsuya and company. His power boost was also running out of time. He needed to get out, but his body was paralyzed in place.

"Satoru!" Roa's voice echoed. A dark portal appeared behind Satoru and pulled him in.

"Roa!" Satoru yelled as the electricity was absorbed by Roa. "Where is Etsuo?"

"That rifle brat took him. I would love to retrieve him, but for now, the mission comes first. Daisaru will make regaining Etsuo a breeze, though."

Satoru chuckled. "Finally, you're using your brain," he said as the two began to fade into the darkness of the portal.

"Hey!" Eiichi yelled as he stepped closer to the portal.

Serrano held him back. "Stop, it could be another trap. We have no idea where exactly that leads to."

Setsuko flung her weapon into the portal and felt it hit something or someone.

"That hurt!" Roa's voice called out as the portal closed. "It was a close one. We nearly died. Next time we meet, however, the tables will be turned. I only wish that this could've been done without fighting."

Setsuko yanked her weapon out of the portal. "What is your end goal? Why are you invading us?"

Roa snickered. "You'll find out eventually."

"Tsk." The princess threw thin, needle-shaped stones into the portal. "Like we'll let you!"

"It's over, for now," Teresa said, sighing.

"Where is Hideaki?" Serrano asked. "Kuroshi said that he was fighting Roa and Etsuo."

"Dad is here," Hideo said as he entered the palace with a bound Etsuo. "Where's the friend of the traitors?"

"He ran off with the snappy black haired spy," Eiichi grumbled.

"What?" Hideo shouted.

"So, he abandoned him?" Kiara said as she stared at the unconscious Etsuo. "That seems hard to believe." She looked around. "Could it be a trap?"

Serrano shook his head. "I don't think so, but it's best to be alert."

Kiara's older brother sighed. "What now?"

"We need to take him to the dungeon," Setsuko said, walking over to take Etsuo from Kiara. "Roa and the other one will likely return for him. I bet soon rather than later."

"As for what you will do now, you are to march north once the Agnes Knight has healed," King Osamu said as he entered the lobby from the front door. "Well, except for you, Serrano and Setsuko. You two are to stay here with Hideaki to guard the prisoner."

"Us? Why? We're the strongest ones here," the crown princess said, giving her dad a puzzling look.

"It's because of that. We left the weak ones here, and they nearly lost the palace. Plus, you're the crowned princess." He placed a hand on his blood-covered left pectoral. "If I fall in this battle, Kuroriku will still have you to lead them into the future."

Setsuko winced. This was the first time she had heard her father speak about the possibility of death. While the two might've butted heads, she didn't wish him ill. He and Rosa were the only immediate family she had left. If she were to lose them, she would be all alone in this world.

Osamu placed his clean hand on her shoulder. "Like my own dad told me once, there is a time when the sun sets on a monarch's rule. I hope that once it sets on mine, it will rise on yours or your sister's."

Setsuko averted her eyes. It felt strange, hearing these words coming from her father. He was rarely the sentimental type.

Osamu turned to look at the duke of the east. "Can I count on you to aid my daughter?" he asked.

"So it seems my stay here will be longer than anticipated," Hideaki said, sighing. "Of course, I will. I do owe her younger sister for saving my younger son here." He glanced around at the crowd. "Say, where are Suzuki and Reno?"

"Those two are healing someplace here," the king said. "They will be transferred back here once we've secured the palace. Everyone, move out and make sure that there aren't more of those invaders!"

Hideo stared at Tetsuya, who Serrano was helping stand up. "So, the peasant's team managed to fend off that annoying fox."

Osamu walked over to where Rosa was and picked her up. "It appears so. Though that knight isn't to be trusted."

Teresa bit her lip as she recalled Satoru's words. Were they really not all that different from those creatures?

***

[The Next Day]

Rosalba walked up to her father's throne room. She pushed open the now repaired doors and stepped inside. Waiting for her at the end of the room was her father. The king was reclining his head against his hand as if deep in thought.

"You called me, Father?" she asked, bowing before him once she had arrived at the throne.

Osamu raised his head. "What do you have to say for yourself, Rosalba?"

The princess lowered her head. She didn't say a word.

"Rosa, didn't I warn you about those two?" he asked, leaning forward.

Rosa's lip quivered. "I-I believed in them. I thought... I thought that they were good people."

He scoffed. "And look at what happened. Now listen to me and stay away from that peasant and his family."

Rosa lowered her head. "But I..."

"You what? You love him?" he shouted as his hands gripped the throne. He shook his head. "Such foolish words. Out of the two, I expected Setsuko to end up like your mother, not you."

She looked up. "Tetsu-Tetsuya won't betray us like those two did!" She placed a hand on her chest. "I know it!"

"There is no blinder person than the one who refuses to see," Osamu said, rubbing his brow. "You are too pure, Rosalba. You allow others to take advantage of you." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Listen, for a royal, there are no friends. Everyone around us wishes to use us."

"You sound as if you have experienced it yourself," Setsuko said, walking in along with Hyosetsu. Both of them donned their armor. Setsuko's armor consisted of tight-fitting copper-colored plates. Hyosetsu's, on the other hand, was made up of tiny platinum-colored scales and plates, all bound together by braided silk.

Osamu let go of Rosalba and chuckled as he sat up straight. "I never once had a real friend. All were around me for their own benefit. That is the curse we of noble birth live with."

"That is true," Hyosetsu said, looking up at the golden ceiling. He lowered his gaze to Rosa. "You would be wise to heed the advice of your father. In the end, you will only get harmed."

"Sounds like you two had a similar experience. While I have met my fair share, I have also made some true friends. So, dad, who was the one who hurt you to this extent? Was it Takeshi? Is that why you wish for Rosa to keep her distance from his son?"

Osamu scoffed and turned his head away. "Like I was ever friends with that happy-go-lucky fool. Either way, keep your distance from that young man, he will only hurt you."

Rosa nodded weakly. "O-okay."

"Rosa," Setsuko said, taking a step over to her.

"Enough, you should keep your distance from Rosalba as well. You have been a bad influence on her."

"It's not her fault!" Rosa yelled, looking at the king in the eyes. "I am responsible for the outcome of my actions."

Osamu pushed himself off of his throne. He took a deep breath. "Enough. We will talk about this another time. The others should be arriving soon. Can't have non-family overhear things. Just know that I wish for this is the last time you embark on a mission as a member of his group."

Hyosetsu smiled. "So, you consider me family?"

The king nodded. "Of course. You are Sofia's nephew." He looked back and forth between Rosa and the knight. A smile plastered his face. "Say, how would you like to-"

"Pardon the interruption," Tetsuya said as Hideo, Eiichi, and he entered the throne room.

Rosalba smiled at the shield knight who had the armor she had picked out for him. Though as soon as she felt her father's glare, she turned away.

Tetsuya seemed to notice this as he walked over to her. "Is something wrong?" He rubbed the edges of his lips. "I don't have drool, do I?"

Serrano patted his back. "Don't worry. You're fine. Though that reminds me, I have yet to show Rosa that pic."

"What pic?" Rosa asked, looking up.

Tetsuya laughed nervously. "N-nothing. Right, Serra?"

Serrano grinned. "You called me 'Serra' just now, you know that's basically begging me to show her."

The shield knight gulped. "Sorry. I won't call you that again! Please don't show her."

Rosa stared at the two curiously. "Alright, now I need to know what this 'pic' is."

The king sighed. "Seems that the apple didn't fall as far from the tree as one might've thought from first glance."

"Are you comparing me to Pa or Ma?" Tetsuya asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Both," he said, smiling somewhat as if he were reminiscing about something. He shook his head. "Anyway, it's about time that you head out. I'll catch up with you four soon. Setsuko, Serrano, I leave the palace in your hands."

Serrano bowed and said, "Worry not, we shall protect it and assure that the two abyssmals within our captivity do not escape."

"Two?" Eiichi asked, confused.

"He means the crystal that Zafir brought back from the north," Hideo said, putting his hands behind his head. "It belonged to that 'demon' that was terrorizing the land."

"Right, the one who Takuya was gonna hunt down," Tetsuya said.

"Where is it being kept?" the blond knight asked.

"In the dungeon along with Etsuo. Both have had chains put on them to restrict their powers," the king said.

Rosa looked down at the ebony floor. "I wish that I could speak with Etsuo..."

"He is currently unconscious. He hasn't woken up since his capture, according to Hideaki."

"Don't worry, I'll speak with him for you once he wakes up," Setsuko said, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder.

Rosalba smiled. "Thanks, sis."

"So, who is watching over him right now?" Tetsuya asked.

"My sis is," Hideo said, turning around. He shifted his gaze toward the rows of the amethyst pillars. "She wanted to stay with Papa and Dan, though it's for the best. She's safer here than where we're going."

The king nodded. "That is a correct assertion. Many of you may not return alive from this, and even if you do, there is no guarantee that it would be a better fate than death."

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed this chapter :3. A new arc begins next chapter! How do you think that Tetsuya and the others will fare in this upcoming battle?**