CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Holly Lynn was shy, but she'd been born to a Noble family. She knew how to dance, although she had to adjust her style a bit for Jason's unusual music. Raven was far too uncomfortable to dance in public, so she'd chosen to remain standing beside him against the farthest wall from the stage instead of trying to dance.

Emmaline stood nearby, trying to coax Tieran to join her on the dance floor. She was having about as much luck as Holly Lynn had been having with Raven. Unlike Holly Lynn, Emmaline refused to give up, and she finally dragged Tieran toward the dance floor, staying by the back of the crowd as she forced him to dance. As he looked into Emmaline's eyes, he relaxed a bit and began swaying naturally to the rhythm. They were undeniably cute together, and it was clear Emmaline was the one person who brought light into Tieran's dark world.

Holly Lynn watched Flynn dance with Cattie. He hadn't looked so happy in a long time. He watched the Princess with a look of extreme affection and Holly Lynn realized his feelings for Cattie might go beyond friendship and general protectiveness as a Knight. Little Liam's wet nurse had volunteered to watch over the infant for the night so the festivities didn't disturb him. That had freed Flynn up to do his duty as a Knight and also enjoy the party.

Walter was dancing with Hyacinth, an interesting development, as Holly Lynn hadn't realized the young Knight even knew the new mage. Her older sister, Jacinda, smiled shyly as Gunnar asked her to dance. Holly Lynn was glad to see the girls having fun. After all, she was going to be responsible for helping to train them come Sparrow's Day. They would be working very hard soon, and they deserved to have a night to relax before their full training regiment began.

"Lady Holly..." Casey called gently.

Holly Lynn snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at him. "Hello, Casey," she said with a warm smile. He wore his Knight's uniform and stood with dignity and poise, but his smile softened his appearance a bit.

"You look lovely tonight, M'Lady," he said kindly.

Holly Lynn blushed slightly. "Thank you," she replied.

"You look far too lovely to spend the entire night holding up this wall... I assure you, it shall stand without you." Humor flashed in his eyes, making them light up for the first time in too long. Casey was normally incredibly serious at all times, but his hidden playful side occasionally came out around Holly Lynn.

Holly Lynn laughed. "I've been keeping Raven company," she replied. "As you are well aware, he is a bit shy."

"I see. Is he your escort this evening?" Casey asked.

"Raven is always my escort," Holly Lynn replied with a laugh. "It's been this way for years."

"It is more like she is my escort," Raven replied. "The False King never permitted anyone to invite me to Royal functions, as I was simply a groundskeeper, but Holly insisted from the time she was nine that I be allowed to attend with her and he couldn't seem to bring himself to tell her no."

"You're my best friend, Raven. These events are simply no fun without you," Holly Lynn replied.

"Holly... I know you want to dance," Raven said. "You don't have to stay here all night. I'm fine."

"If that is the case..." Casey began a bit shyly. "Lady Holly, may I have the honor of a dance?"

Holly Lynn smiled at him. "Are you sure, Raven?" She asked.

"I'll keep him company," Isaiah offered as he approached them. "Go enjoy yourself, Holly Lynn. You and Casey both deserve a chance to relax."

Casey offered her his hand. She took it and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. He bowed to her grandly. She curtsied in response. Then, he wrapped his arms around her gently and they began to move in time to the music.

Holly Lynn felt safe in his arms, and soon enough she forgot her shy nature and lost herself in the music. She was mildly concerned about stumbling over her own two feet, but she knew Casey would never let her fall.

As Dante began performing a slow song, Holly Lynn allowed Casey to pull her closer. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, following his lead as they continued to dance. She looked up at his face and realized his eyes were locked on her intensely.

"Is everything alright, Casey?" She asked softly.

"Of course, M'Lady," he replied quickly. "It is just nice to do something that does not revolve around battle for a few moments."

She sensed there was more to it, but she didn't push him. They continued to dance for a few more songs until Serenity approached them.

"Pardon me, Casey," Serenity said politely. "May I borrow Holly Lynn for a moment?"

"You may, of course, Lady Serenity," Casey replied. He gently bowed his head as he brought Holly Lynn's hand to his lips. "Thank you for those lovely moments, Lady Holly," he said before walking away.

"Is something wrong, Serenity?" Holly Lynn asked in concern.

"No, sweet girl," Serenity replied. "I simply decided it was time to introduce you and Jennifer to someone. Follow me." She led her from the ballroom and headed down the hall. They entered a room which was cloaked by magic. "Our conversation will be private here," she explained as Jennifer followed them into the room.

A boy stood inside looking curious and a bit shy. "Girls, this is Rowan," Serenity explained. "He's my son."

"Your son?" Holly Lynn repeated in surprise.

"Yes. I had to leave him behind in Salem, as he was hidden with dear friends of mine who raised him to keep him safe. I very recently returned there to retrieve him."

"It's nice to meet you, Rowan," Holly Lynn said politely.

"It's great to meet you and Jennifer, too," Rowan replied. "Jennifer, I'm a huge fan."

"You can call me Jen," Jennifer replied with a smile. "I mean, you are my cousin, after all."

"Yes, which you all must continue to hide from those who do not already know. If the wrong people figure out the power has been properly reunited in the new generation, you will all be in terrible danger," Serenity cautioned them.

"We understand, Serenity," Holly Lynn replied.

"What does this development mean for us?" Jennifer asked.

"You three must train together, in secret, under my direct supervision. There is much about your powers which you do not know. We also have the complication that Jennifer has inherited her father's gift as well. It is a unique talent and a terribly heavy burden to carry. We will need to learn to work around the fact that her powers are stronger and potentially more dangerous than Haydee's were."

"Will it make things harder for us?"

"Each generation born grows stronger than the last, Jen. None of us are carbon copies of the previous generation. We will figure out how to adapt to your unique talent."

"You never explained the full story of this magic to us, Serenity," Holly Lynn said. "Will you tell us the story?"

"Soon, sweet girl... We will begin your training tomorrow. Tonight, return to the party and enjoy yourselves."

"Who wants to dance?" Rowan asked cheerfully. "I mean, Kwan Jason is here! I love K-pop! And Dante's pretty awesome himself."

"I would love to," Jennifer replied. "Come on, Holly Lynn. Let's go have some fun."

Holly Lynn nodded and followed them from the room, but she couldn't shake a bit of anxiety as she wondered what this might mean for the three of them once they started training together.

+

Despite his issues, Sphinx was trying to have a good time. He kept a smile on his face and danced with anyone he could grab. He gravitated toward dancing with Luna, but she was splitting her time between dancing with him, Herrick, Abaddon, Brad, and a few of the guys from the Twelve. She'd even dragged Regan onto the dance floor and forced her to dance a little as Reggie spent most of the night dancing with the birthday girl.

During those moments when Luna was otherwise occupied, Sphinx would dance with whoever was closest, particularly Jamie and Manny. The important thing was that he kept moving. If he did that, he didn't end up thinking about everything else that was on his mind.

He was back with Luna when he spotted Derek bowing to Queen Bethany and asking her to dance. She graciously accepted. Sphinx couldn't help but smile at how happy the Queen looked.

She deserves a bit of peace after all she's been through, he thought.

A couple of minutes later, Dante and Jason both suddenly walked into the crowd. Jason took Luna's hand. Dante searched until he found Collin, who had been hiding in the back of the room.

"Go ask Tori to dance," Luna suggested. "I can tell you've been wanting to all night."

Sphinx couldn't deny that much, but he'd hesitated because Tori was mainly talking to people and being a proper future Queen, overseeing her little sister's birthday party without drawing much attention to herself.

He watched as Jason and Dante brought Luna and Collin up on stage with them. They began dancing as they started a new song. Luna immediately fell into step with Jason, clearly enjoying herself.

Collin hesitated, looking nervous. "You're with me," Dante said soothingly. "I've got you." He gently encouraged Collin to dance. Soon, he became perfectly in sync with Dante. As they gazed into each other's eyes, it was clear no one else existed to them. Every move one made, the other followed. Sphinx had never seen anything quite like that.

He decided to take Luna's advice and went to Tori in one of the rare moments she was alone. "Crowned Princess Tori, may I have this dance?" Sphinx asked.

She smiled shyly. "You may, my good Knight," she replied.

He pulled her into his arms and guided her to the dance floor. Tori might not be able to see, but she easily followed his movements and began dancing with him. Sphinx was enjoying this very much when a slower song began.

Tori leaned closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder as they continued to dance. He liked having her there, safe in his arms. He focused on dancing with her and briefly forgot about everything that was lingering relentlessly in the back of his mind.

+

There were many spells warding the castle to keep unwanted guests out. They would prevent anyone from crashing the Duchess's birthday party. Requiem had never understood why, but no spell could keep him from entering the castle. He assumed that night would be no different.

He was proven correct as he walked right in through a back entrance. The Knights were taking turns guarding the entrances so all of them could enjoy the festivities. The two who were posted at this entrance tensed when they saw him. One was Gregory Parkin, who had been turned by the evil Flames for a time until Derek Javison and Queen Bethany had asked Sphinx to trap him in a labyrinth. His light had been restored recently, but it was clear he remained nervous and uncertain of his role in things.

Requiem didn't recognize the other Knight. He was one of the newer additions and was probably still in training. It didn't matter. He quickly severed his head. Gregory watched in horror as the head landed at his feet. The dead Knight's body fell to the ground shortly after.

"Gregory, do not engage him!" A voice said firmly as Gregory moved to draw his sword with trembling hands. An older Knight approached them cautiously. "I do not recall seeing your name on the guest list, Requiem," he said.

"Stand down and I shall not kill you, Albert," Requiem replied as he remembered his name. He should have just slaughtered him and Gregory and gone for his true target, but Requiem knew of Albert's reputation. He was a good man with honor. He would serve any ruler well, whether it be Princess Tori, Prince Sam, or Marcus. He always did what was best for the Kingdom. It seemed like a waste to kill him.

"Leave and I shall not kill you," Albert replied. He moved protectively in front of Gregory.

Requiem attacked Albert before either Knight could react, rapidly shooting him in the chest three times with a silenced gun before turning toward Gregory. "Do we have a problem, Gregory?" He asked as Albert collapsed in a pool of blood.

"N... No," Gregory replied.

"Good. Stay here and say nothing." Requiem moved deeper into the castle.

His target was dancing with the girl who usually watched over him, looking unamused by being forced to participate in the festivities but clearly suspecting nothing of the threat that was coming for him. Requiem watched, waiting for the right opportunity. He knew exactly where to hide until the time was right. Thanks to Barron's cloaking charm, no one would detect Requiem's presence until it was too late. All he needed to do was remain patient.

+

Gregory was staring at Albert in stunned horror when Azra came into the hall with Jeremiah. One of the new recruits had beem decapitated. Both men immediately tensed at the sight and rushed to the older Knight.

"Is he alive?" Azra asked, assessing their surroundings as Jeremiah checked for a pulse.

"His pulse is weak, but present," Jeremiah replied. He immediately began trying to stop Albert from bleeding out. "He's in bad shape, Azra... But he still has a chance. I may require Aaron's assistance."

Internally, Azra was extremely relieved that Albert wasn't dead, but he kept a stoic exterior. "What happened, Gregory?" He demanded.

"I... We were attacked," Gregory began.

"I can see that, Gregory!" Azra snapped. "Who attacked you? How many were there?"

"One... Just one... Requiem."

"Requiem is in the castle?"

"Yes... He... He told me not to tell anyone..."

"And you obeyed? You are a Knight, bound to protect this castle and this Kingdom."

"He would have killed me."

"Then you fall upon your sword and die with honor! Or you alert us the moment you escape him." Azra was furious, but he knew there was no time to waste yelling at Gregory currently. "Jeremiah-"

"Go. Alert Terros and the others," Jeremiah replied. "I will do my best to keep our old friend alive."

"Gregory, you are relieved of duty. Report back to your room. We shall deal with you later," Azra said. He hurried back to the ballroom.

He spotted Terros and Marta dancing at the back of the room. They looked so happy he hated to disturb them, but this was an emergency.

One look at his face made them both tense. "What's happened?" Marta asked.

"Requiem has breached the castle. He is somewhere within these walls... He killed one of our new Knights and severely wounded Albert. Jeremiah is trying to save him, but he thinks he may need Aaron," Azra explained.

"Marta, alert Aaron to the situation and report back to me. Azra, help me assemble the Knights," Terros said. "Do not draw attention to yourselves. Leave Reggie with the Duchess and have Regan cover them. We do not want to send Lady Taylee or anyone else into a panic. I will inform the Queen."

They quickly set to work on gathering the Knights. Despite the fact that they had been celebrating the evening and enjoying the party, they all stood ready to defend the castle now.

Terros gave everyone their assignments as the Queen got on stage and whispered something to Dante and Jason. They nodded and began performing again. Azra realized she'd asked them to kick their performances up a notch to keep those who were not Knights distracted.

Azra, what's happening? Jennifer asked telepathically.

Nothing to worry about, Azra replied. Just enjoy the party, Jennifer. We will handle this.

Please tell me the truth. There are so many anxious thoughts in the air I can hardly focus.

Azra sighed. Requiem has breached the castle's barriers. He is somewhere inside. Albert has been critically wounded. One of our new recruits is dead.

What can we do to help?

Remain calm, and watch over those in here. The Queen and the Knights are aware of the situation. Please tell only Hiro, Jason, Chris, and Princess Nat. You work best together, or I would have asked you not to upset the Princess with this news... You, especially, may be of some use, Jennifer. Try to listen out for Requiem's thoughts. Alert me at once if you discover his location or plan.

I will, she promised.

Azra began to focus on the task at hand as the Knights started searching their assigned areas of the castle. Wherever Requiem was hiding, they would find him.

+

Apollo Flowers had never really been invited to many parties. The members of the Faerie Nation were weary of him, and after his mother's death, they had mostly ostracized him until his banishment. He had almost no friends in the world, but after helping the right side on Owl's Day, he'd started to be accepted by the main Kingdom. He was even training to become a Knight, at Jamie's insistence.

Terros had split the newest Knights up carefully, not wanting any more of them to end up as casualties with Requiem on the loose. Apollo was one of the Knights Terros had assigned to remain in the ballroom keeping everyone safe.

Prior to the news of a threat, Apollo had been enjoying himself. He was normally very shy, but he loved music, and he moved with the natural fluidity of the Fae. Dancing was like breathing to him, and it lifted his spirits to lose himself in the music for a bit.

He didn't know many people well, but seeing him dance, several people had asked to join him. He'd danced with mages, sorcerers and sorceresses, Knights, former Pirates, and even Princess Nat when Helena had needed to tend to something. He was having a wonderful night. For the first time since his mother's death, Apollo felt completely accepted for who he was.

His instincts were strong, and they did not fail him now. He sensed trouble lurking too close. Apollo headed toward the far wall of the ballroom.

No one else seemed to noticed Tuck Dairing standing in a corner by himself. He looked even paler than usual, and it was clear he'd worn himself out. Tuck had serious health issues and was often sickly. Usually, Takeisha Brewster watched over him and took care of him when he was showing signs of having pushed himself too hard, but Apollo didn't see her now.

"Where's Kei?" Isaiah asked Tuck as he approached him. He paused as he got a good look at him. "Are you alright, Tuck?"

"I'm fine," Tuck lied stubbornly. "I asked Kei to..." He started coughing and took a moment to catch his breath. "-to get me some tea," he finished.

"You need to rest, Tuck. You don't look well."

"I'll be fine."

"Tuck-"

"Kei should be in the kitchen, Isaiah. Go find your niece."

Isaiah sighed but left Tuck to go find Kei. Apollo approached Tuck cautiously.

"Hey," he said. "Are you enjoying the party?"

Tuck seemed relieved he hadn't asked if he was okay. He shrugged. "It's not really my thing," he replied.

"So why did you come?" Apollo asked with a laugh.

"Look... Normally, I could care less about balls and all of that crap... But the thing is, Taylee's dealing with a hard time right now. I wouldn't normally care about that, either, but I guess I don't mind her so much since she renounced her title... The Duchess and I have an understanding of each other, and it seems to make her feel better that I'm here. I think she likes how..." He began coughing again. "-how blunt I am. She appreciates that I won't lie just to spare her feelings. I can..." He coughed harder. "I can manage one night for the girl."

Apollo smiled. "That's quite kind of you, Tuck," he said.

Tuck frowned. "I'm not a kind person. Don't tarnish my reputation with such lies." He coughed again.

"There is a big heart hidden in there somewhere, Tuck Dairing... But don't worry. I shall take that secret to the grave."

Suddenly, Apollo felt a bullet coming straight for Tuck. It made no sound, but Apollo could sense the threat. He dove in front of him, easily shielding Tuck's much smaller body with his own. The bullet pierced his abdomen.

"Did you have to mean that literally?" Tuck demanded as people at the very back of the ballroom slowly began to realize what had happened.

Apollo realized another shot was coming. "Stay down, Tuck," he said weakly. He forced himself to move, taking a second bullet. This one hit him in the chest. Apollo tried to ignore the pain, determined to protect Tuck no matter what.

+

"Oh shit..." Chris said as he hurried toward the small crowd forming at the back of the ballroom with Hiro, Jennifer, and Nat. Helena remained behind, trying to keep Taylee from noticing the chaos, and Jason was still performing with Dante.

Apollo was bleeding severely but still trying to fight. "Hiro, keep Jen back," Chris said as he assessed the situation. Hiro and Jennifer both had the capacity to heal, but Jennifer usually took on the injuries herself, and Hiro was still new to using the ability.

"Duck!" Hiro cried, pulling Jennifer to safety. Chris automatically hit the floor, knocking Nat down and shielding her with his body. Nat waved her hand in the air and the bullet that came toward them suddenly flew back toward its shooter.

"Not today!" Nat said with a grin.

"He's aiming at Tuck," Jennifer said in horror. "Tuck is his assignment tonight."

"Me? Why the hell is someone after me?" Tuck demanded.

"I'm not sure why he chose to target you, Tuck, but Barron Hyde gave the order... From what I can gather, Sam called for a ceasefire because it's his and Taylee's birthday, but Barron ignored that command."

"Great. So the bad guys are fighting amongst themselves?" Chris asked. "Maybe they'll do us all a favor and wipe each other out."

"We need to get Apollo to a healer," Tuck said. "He's in bad shape." It was obvious he was worried even if he was trying to act like he didn't care about anyone or anything. He started coughing and couldn't seem to stop.

Mari, Lillith, and Gabriel rushed toward them. "I've got Tiny Tuck," Mari said. "Lillith, help Apollo."

"On it," Lillith replied, kneeling beside the wounded faerie.

"Don't call me th-" Tuck began coughing harder.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch it," Mari teased him as she pulled him into her arms and started to try to open up his lungs.

"Is anyone else hurt?" Gabriel asked.

Before anyone could answer, another bullet flew through the air. "Okay, enough!" Chris said. "Time out!"

Everyone except Lillith and Mari froze. The room fell silent. The bullet hung in the air, unmoving, and headed straight for Tuck.

"I'll unfreeze Apollo and Tuck so you guys can keep helping them," Chris said. "I'm going after Requiem."

"That's what's going on?" Mari asked. "You can't take him on alone, Chris."

"I can if he's frozen. Help them. I've got this." He carefully unfroze Apollo and Tuck.

"Be careful," Lillith said.

Chris took a deep breath and headed toward Requiem. He found him standing in a dark passageway that was cracked open only slightly.

"How the hell did he know about the secret passageway?" Chris asked aloud. "It's for emergencies only... The Royals and the Head Knight are the only ones who should know about it... I only know about it because I was Tobias." He hesitated as he looked at Requiem. "You look familiar," he mumbled.

Requiem was frozen in place, so he didn't offer up any helpful responses to explain why that was. Chris carefully took the bullets out of his gun before realizing he had several others on him as well.

"Who is this guy, Scythe?" Chris mumbled. He decided he needed a better plan. He grabbed onto Requiem and teleported him into the dungeon.

Requiem unfroze as they landed in a cell. He stared at Chris in shock for a moment before pulling out another gun. "Hey, party foul!" Chris said before quickly freezing time again. "I never said time in, Bro."

He disarmed Requiem the best he could but suspected he might be hiding more weapons the way Scythe did. Then, he went in search of Terros, Marta, and Azra, knowing thanks to Jennifer that Jeremiah was busy trying to save Albert's life.

Marta and Terros stood frozen near the ballroom. Azra was several feet away. Chris focused and cautiously unfroze the three of them.

"Chris! What are you doing out here?" Azra asked in surprise.

"Requiem's in the dungeon on a time out," Chris replied as he carefully placed Requiem's guns on the ground. "I figured you guys would be the best ones to confront him. I took the weapons I could find, but he might have more."

"Good work, Chris," Terros replied. "Let's go pay him a visit," he added to Azra and Marta.

Chris returned to the ballroom, finally unfreezing everyone. The party resumed. Tuck leaned against Mari, still visibly weak but looking a little stronger. Apollo was fully healed, and he looked like he was going to be fine.

"What happened, Chris?" Hiro asked.

"I froze time and teleported Requiem to the dungeon," Chris replied casually. He watched Taylee, who was close to the stage and still dancing with Reggie. "At least we pulled this off without Taylee realizing what was going on."

"That's certainly a good thing," Hiro agreed.

"Mother cast a calming spell to keep people, including Taylee, from realizing the seriousness of the situation unless they were directly informed," Tori explained as she made her way over to them. "She asked me to help her with it."

"It worked quite well," Nat replied. She paused before asking, "Do you think Albert's alright?"

"I hope so, Nat," Chris replied. "He's good people."

"Albert is a survivor. He has always been strong and brave," Tori said. "If anyone can survive an attack from Requiem, it is Albert."

"Let's go back to mingling before the spell weakens and Taylee becomes suspicious," Nat suggested.

As Julian entered the ballroom, Chris waved him over to them. "How are things out there?" He asked.

"The castle is secure," Julian replied. "Requiem came alone."

"How's Albert?" Jennifer asked.

Julian tried to look stoic, but Chris saw the concern in his eyes. "He's gravely injured," he replied softly. "Aaron and Jeremiah were able to stabilize him, however, he remains unconscious. His heart is quite weak at the moment. They are hoping that, given more time, he will recover. Until then, however, we must simply wait for news."

"I shall inform Mother," Tori said. She slowly made her way over to the Queen.

Chris took Julian's arm and led him away from the others. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"I have known Albert for my entire life," Julian replied. "To see him looking so frail and vulnerable is unsettling."

"He's tough, Julian. He'll make it."

"I pray you are correct, Chris... He should have regained consciousness by now. Even Aaron looked concerned by the fact that he hasn't."

"What do you think it means?"

"Albert has been through a lot in his life. He lost his entire family. He's the oldest living Knight in the Kingdom. There is a possibility, especially given how the banshee affected him, that Albert simply does not want to wake up. His heart has been broken more than once. Perhaps the pain is too severe."

Chris shook his head. "You're right. That's possible... But Albert's all about honor. I don't see him quitting, no matter how much pain he's in. Don't give up on him yet, Julian. He'll make his way back to us."

"I sincerely hope you are correct," Julian replied.

"Alright y'all," Jason said into the microphone. "It's time for one last song. Dante and I call this one Duchess. Come on up here, Taylee!"

Dante bowed in front of Taylee and offered her his hand. She accepted it, allowing him to lead her onto the stage. The music began. It was intense but was layered over a great beat and Chris had to admit it captured Taylee's personality well.

Chris kissed Julian, calming them both for a moment. "Come on, my brave, handsome Knight," he said, offering him his hand. "You owe me another dance."

+

It was very dark. Albert struggled to make his eyes focus as he looked around the strange place he'd found himself him. A small fire in the next room provided his only source of light.

He began to walk slowly. He reached for his sword, ready to face whatever threat might be lurking in the next room. The creature that greeted him when he finally reached the light was rather unusual looking.

It had the head of a crocodile, the front legs and torso of a lion, and the rear of a hippopotamus. Albert quickly realized his sword would do him no good. "Ammit the Devourer," he said softly, recalling the mythology he'd studied as a boy. The Egyptian myths had always been his favorites. He paused, understanding what must be happening. "Have I died from my injuries?"

Someone came toward him then. He held a sword and was clearly a warrior. Albert drew his weapon as the man attacked him. He felt great pain in his chest as they battled, but he kept fighting. Somehow, Albert knew his life depended on the outcome of this fight.

He saw his wife, his daughter, her husband, and his beloved granddaughter watching him in silence. Part of him desperately wanted to be with them. It had been so long, and it would be easy to give in and join them in the Underworld.

Your Kingdom needs you, he scolded himself. You were there at the start of King Desmond's reign. You survived the reign of the False King, Girard. You were there the day Princess Tori was born. She still needs you. You must live to see her reign begin.

He fought with all he had, not giving in to the overwhelming desire to run to his family. He would fight with honor, as always. There was no other choice.

As the warrior attacked him again, Albert knew he had lost as his heart was cut from his chest... Yet he remained alive. This defied logic, and he was baffled for a moment. What was happening?

A figure came toward them. In one hand, he held an ostrich feather. In the other, he held what Albert realized must be the Scales of Justice. He took the heart from the warrior and placed it on one scale, placing the feather on the other.

The warrior bowed his head respectfully. Recognizing the God, Albert did the same.

"Lord Anubis..." He said respectfully.

"Albert Warton..." Anubis said slowly as he examined the scales. He smiled slightly. "You have a very pure heart. You have served your Kingdom well, Sir Albert. It is clear you have more than earned the right to be at peace with your family. This path is open to you, and you deserve it."

Albert nodded slowly. "I understand... I have died," he said.

"Not quite. Your body is alive for now."

Albert's eyes widened in surprise. "I do not understand, Lord Anubis. How did you weigh my heart against the Feather of Truth if I still live?"

"You remain unconscious, stable yet barely clinging to life. Your body resists waking up. You have another path you may follow. It is one of difficulty, battle, and quite possibly more pain than you have already experienced... But if you choose it, you may return to the fight... Or, you may be at peace."

"If I live, I must go back... I have a duty to the Kingdom, and to Princess Tori, and-"

"You also have a duty to yourself, Sir Albert. You may choose peace. There is no dishonor in that, as you have given all you have to your Kingdom for a very long time long." Anubis paused thoughtfully. "You have a choice to make."

Albert looked at his family. His wife smiled at him sadly. His daughter and her husband held their little girl, who waved at him innocently. His grief was severe, but as he considered going with them, he knew he couldn't do it.

"I am not finished yet, Lord Anubis," Albert said firmly. "My Kingdom is still in danger. I am still needed there. I shall fight until the very end to defend Gryphon's Glenn from the threat of darkness and evil."

Anubis suddenly shoved Albert's heart back into his chest. All of his grief returned to him full-force, but he breathed through it, looking at the ones he'd lost.

"I love you," he said softly.

They nodded before fading away. Albert felt their absence deeply but managed to hold himself together.

"I knew I made the right choice," someone said. The man who approached them had green skin. He carried a crook and flail.

"Lord Osiris..." Albert said in wonder.

"Sir Albert, brave and noble Knight of Gryphon's Glenn... It is truly an honor to meet you."

"The honor is surely mine, Lord Osiris."

"Are you certain of the choice you have made here today?"

"Yes, I am. It is difficult, but in my heart, I know it is the right decision."

Osiris nodded before pulling something from his pocket. It was golden and engraved with a crook and flail. "Albert Warton... I have chosen to guide you in the coming fight," Osiris explained. "You will come into a new role and will remain a great protector of the Kingdom. Will you accept this duty?"

Albert was stunned. He took a deep breath before saying, "Yes, Lord Osiris. I am honored you are entrusting me with this role. What must I do?"

"That will become clear in time. For now, return to your body in the world of the living. The talisman shall make the journey with you."

Albert closed his eyes as Osiris touched his forehead. He felt himself moving through space until he landed back in his body. After a moment, his eyes fluttered open. He felt the talisman in his hand and clung to it. As it pulsed in his hand, he felt stronger.

"Welcome back, Albert," Jeremiah said with obvious relief. He was sitting beside his bed and looked exhausted.

"How long have you been here, Old Friend?" Albert asked.

"Azra and I discovered you. I have remained at your side since. I was able to briefly stabilize you, but it took Aaron's assistance to fully heal you." Jeremiah paused. "For a moment, I was worried you would not wake, my friend."

Albert smiled at him sadly. "For a moment, I considered it," he admitted. "Then I realized I am not finished here quite yet."

Jeremiah returned the smile. "I am quite relieved to still have you with us, Albert."

"Thank you, Jeremiah. Tell me, has Requiem been apprehended?"

"Yes. Chris froze time and teleported him into the dungeon."

Albert laughed slightly. "Well, who needs Knights when we have the reincarnation of King Tobias to defend the castle?" He joked.

"Gregory has been confined to his room pending a formal investigation."

"I believe he simply froze in fear, Jeremiah. He is still traumatized from being turned evil and doesn't trust himself. He was useless, but I don't think he had any malicious intent."

"I'll pass that along to Terros, but we cannot be too careful. None of us understand how Requiem breached the protective wards around the castle, especially without alerting anyone to his presence."

Albert was concerned about that as well, although he highly doubted Gregory had betrayed them and conspired to allow Requiem to enter the castle. One way or another, they'd need to figure it out soon.

+

Strange flashes played through Requiem's mind as he found himself in the dungeon. Terros, Marta, and Azra had been interrogating him for a little while, but he had refused to say a word to them. He did not fear their tactics. They weren't the Hydes. They would draw the line at torturing him. Even if they didn't, Requiem would not give in to torture. He'd had plenty of practice enduring that.

"This is useless," Azra mumbled. "This man is a robot. We won't get any answers out of him. Perhaps we should see if Hiro has any insight into where he comes from."

"I'd rather keep our son out of this if at all possible," Terros replied. "Requiem is an assassin. He's deadly, armed or not."

"I'm not suggesting leaving them in the same room together," Azra clarified. "Hiro knows a great deal about the people of this Kingdom that he elected not to include in the anime or manga. It is possible he knows some seemingly random piece of information that will give us a clue as to Requiem's true name and how to stop him."

"None of the wards were broken. Serenity and Helena checked them thoroughly after the party ended," Marta said. "There is no way Requiem entered this castle undetected without someone directly allowing him inside."

Serenity joined them then. "Albert's conscious," she said. "He's going to be fine."

The relief was visible amongst the three Knights. Requiem was relieved as well. He had hoped Albert would survive. That was why he'd taken chest shots instead of going for his head. Still, he was surprised he hadn't died from the injuries. Most men would not have had the strength to survive such a direct assault.

"Thank you for informing us, Serenity," Azra replied. "Please tell Albert we will check on him shortly."

"Of course," she replied.

"Azra's right," Marta said after Serenity left. "We need to speak with our son. We won't get anything out of Requiem. Let's check on the children."

"Very well. Azra, please go and check on Albert for us," Terros replied.

"Of course," Azra replied. "However, I think we should assign someone to watch Requiem. Leaving him unguarded may be ill-advised, whether or not he is inside of a cell."

"I agree. Since we do not know how he got into the castle, we must be careful who we trust to watch over him... It must be someone we know is above reproach," Terros said.

"Julian," Marta replied automatically.

"Yes, he is an excellent choice," Azra agreed. "You two go. Send Julian down and I shall tend to Albert after he arrives."

Requiem watched Marta and Terros leave. He studied Azra curiously. Azra studied him in return.

"Do you ever speak?" Azra finally asked.

"When I have a reason to," Requiem replied.

"Your silence will accomplish nothing. We will figure this out, with or without your help."

"Good for you."

As Julian entered the dungeon, Azra hesitated. "Be careful with this one, Julian," he said. "At the first sign of trouble, activate the alert."

"I understand, Azra," Julian replied stoically.

Azra left and Julian stood watching Requiem. He seemed to realize engaging him was pointless, so he simply stood there in silence with one hand on his sword.

As the strange flashes started going through Requiem's mind again, he suddenly knew what to do. He focused his mind before touching the second bar on his cell door. It pulsed with power. He used his right index and middle fingers to tap it twice as he whispered, "Relitas..."

The door swung open. Julian reacted quickly, trying to stop Requiem with his sword while still using his other hand to reach out and activate the alert system. After narrowly dodging the tip of Julian's sword twice, Requiem knocked him out with one swift blow to his head. He could have killed him, but he saw no point.

He touched a stone in one of the walls. It opened a portal. Requiem entered it and emerged in the woods behind the castle. He took a moment to compose himself before escaping into the night.