Iris Eloclipse was trapped in her thoughts as the councilman spoke. Kaden had dissapeared again. The Darkness had invaded. The Order had expected their return. That was inevitable but Kaden was gone.

Had he made the deal with the devil. She thought referring to the dark god.

"So our suspicions are confirmed." Councilman Re-Liam stated to the small group of Knights that gathered in the large room that was now used for briefing. "This tratior that has infiltrated our ranks is after the dark power that hides within your protege."

"If the girl's words ring true," began Councilman Byrin. His hair was greyed. "precautions must be made to retrieve the boy."

"Problem is no one knows where he's run off too." Van chimed in.

"Do you think he has been captured?" The councilman asked.

"It's possible." Said Himiko.

"Iris." Said Berciel. The woman peered and added, "You've been awfully quite. You wouldn't happen to play a hand in the boy's disappearance, would you?"

Six Guns laughed. "Her? You're seriously​ questioning the woman who practically raised him?"

The dark skinned woman stayed quiet. She hadn't spoken since filling in the room on what Kariah-Belle had told her. A day passed since Kariah woke and Kaden went missing. No one knows where he ran off too but he was not in the underground city. Atlantis was enormous. Bigger than any capital, but search teams scoured every inch with no sign of him.

Iris felt tears threatening to leak from her eyes. She closed them as worry began to plague her mind. If he wasn't in Atlantis, then that meant he was on the surface, where the Darkness now dwelled.

Dammit Eliyah. The holy Knight thought. That boy is just like you.

After taking a moment to compose herself, she spoke, interrupting the back and forth between Himiko and Berceil. "Now isn't the time to accuse each other. True any one of us could be the mole but we won't get anywhere simply accusing each other. For now we need to focus our efforts on getting the Darkness off our planet."

Murmurs and whisper could be heard through the room. Iris wasn't surprised.

"You... What about your protege, Titannia?" Re-Liam asked.

"Wherever he is... Wherever he's gone, I'm sure he knows what he's doing. Our top priority should be getting rid of the Darkness before they find this place and kill us all."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Ratali questioned. "We just barely stand a chance with you holy Knights."

"She's right," Himiko chimed in. "If Phyro hadn't given me a hand during the evacuation, I'd be dead. How do you propose we fight them off Star?"

"With the key to Atlantis."

Gasps went around the room.

"Isn't that weapon just a myth?" A Divine Knight asked.

"Maybe, maybe not." Iris answered.

"You suggest we send a search party to find a weapon that may or may not exist?" Byrin questioned.

Iris looked around the room. "Does anyone have any other ideas? Besides, there is a city of Atlantis."

The room fell silent.

Councilman Re-Liam banged his gabble. "Then it's decided. A search team will be put into action to search for the fabled Key."

"Now, Phyro Felicity." Began Berceil. "You've received our report on Blizhaven correct."

Iris turned her attention to one of Aya's relatives, another holy Knight. She saw the white haired man nod. His eyes low and his poster was relaxed.

"We have put together a platoon that you will lead to investigate the sudden loss of communication."

"Loss of communication?" Said Two Guns. Iris knew how much Himeko loved her her home town.

Berceil nodded. "The day of the evacuation, the villages systems went down. Both communication and defenses. We haven't received so much as a messenger bird since. We suspect project black bird has gone awry."

The pink haired woman sprung to her feet. "Why wasn't I told?! I should be apart of this mission!"

Re-Liam shook his head saying, "We need you here to aid in training our Master Knights. Now more than ever we need our young Knights to develop as quickly as possible. Do you understand, Six Guns?"

Iris watched as the woman bit her bottom lip in frustration. Reluctantly, she nodded and sat once more. "Fine."

"We will be sending your next assignments to all of you shortly." Re-Liam then banged his gabble. "Dismissed."

Everyone filled out of the large chamber.

"So what are you planning on doing about Kaden?" Van asked as he walked beside her. Himiko Silvian next to him. Her pink eyes said she was curious as well.

"No idea." Iris responded.

She didn't even know if he was alive or dead.

"I know the guy likes to run off but with the Darkness roaming up there..." Himiko trailed off. Probably afraid to say what they were all thinking.

Holy Knights, rulers of nations and a select few of Divine Knights knew what Kaden held inside him. They also knew that the Darkness wanted it back. Badly.

"This is reckless." Van whispered. "Even for him."

Iris agreed. Kaden had done a lot of stupid things but this takes the cake. Dracula had been a gamble she needed to take. She regretted that gamble. She only hope Kaden wouldnt regret his. The foot soldiers were something Kaden could handle if the numbers weren't high. Especially with the ability to weild Darqus' power. Still, Iris knew how it worked. The later transformations were always weaker than the first time. That being said, if Champions were to surround him then even with the dark god's power, Kaden stood little chance.

Suddenly, her wristwatch began going off. She pressed it and a hologram of Aya popped up.

"Master, can you meet me in your quarters?"

Iris nodded. "Be there shortly."

"How's Aya taking the news?" Van asked. His voice and face held concern.

"She's... Coping. Looking after Kariah-Belle has given her something to do."

"How is Kariah-Belle?" Himeko asked. She hadn't met Kariah-Belle yet but her branch and the Nadire branch were close in the past. It wasn't uncommon for the two families to arrange marriage. It was why she'd taken such a liking to Kaden before she knew he was from the Nadire branch.

"Kariah-Belle is... Well, Kariah-Belle." Iris answered.

Van and Himeko exchanged confused looks. Neither knew not of Kariah-Belle's​ switch that would flip when she couldn't hold her emotions. The kind-hearted laid back girl became a whole different person then.

Eventually the three parted ways. Van wanted to grab a bite to eat while Himeko decided she'd go meet Kariah-Belle.

It was some time when Iris stepped through the sliding door and entered her quarters. The door closed itself and locked behind her.

Aya glared at her with icy silver blue eyes.

Iris watched her. She leaned against a wall in the small room. Her white hair braided down her back. Aya's glare reminded her of Memphis.

Iris raised a questioning eyebrow. "You didn't call me here just to stare, did you?"

Her eyes narrowed the way they did whenever she was sizing up an enemy.

That stung.

"Where is Kaden?" Aya asked.

"I'm just as lost as you on that one." Iris answered. She could hear the mistrust in her pupil's voice and felt a ping of guilt.

"Are you lying to me, master?"

"I am not, Aya."

Aya relaxed her posture a bit. "Why didn't you tell me you planned on handing Kariah-Belle over to Dracula?"

"Because I knew you'd be against it."

"Of course I would have!" she snapped suddenly. Iris understood her anger.

"The two needed to bring out the power hidden within them." The holy Knight answered calmly. Her golden eyes locked in on Aya who didn't back down. "I saw an opportunity and I took it. Now Kariah-Belle has learned how to tap into the goddess' power and Kaden can use Darqus as he pleases."

"Was it worth the lives we lost!? Thier blood is on your hands! You're lucky I don't tell the council!" The younger woman's icy eyes narrowed once more. "You're lucky I don't tell Kariah-Belle."

Iris knew that if Kariah-Belle was to find out about what she had done the rookie would never forgive her. She already was beating herself for letting her emotions guide her right into a trap. She felt she was to blame for the lives that were lost to save her from the vympiri lord, not knowing that she was captured because of her master's whim.

Iris watched her student who watched her back. Anger and rage could be seen in her eyes that usually were calm.

"Will you tell her?" Iris asked calmly.

Aya bit her bottom lip and clutched her fist. She looked as if she would yell again but composed herself by taking a deep breath. Now Iris could see a hint remorse.

Iris watched as the younger woman moved past her. She pressed a button and the door slid open. "No."

With that Aya left out of the room, the door sliding shut behind her.

Iris watched the door for a moment before walking over to sit on her bed.

She grabbed a flask filled with booze from the nightstand and opened the lid. She took a long swig. She stared at the silver wall for a moment before taking another swig.

She thought of Sir Jericho and the others that died during the confrontation with Dracula and his followers. Tears began to fall as Iris felt guilt seize her heart.

The veteran Knight knew why her protege decided against informing Kariah-Belle about what she had done.

Iris was already suffering.