If there's Guns n Roses!
Why not Blades n Roses?! - Nana 2017

Hope you guys enjoy today's chapter!

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Back into the past, when Yun Zhao was still young. He dared to take a step inside the bedroom of his sick mother. His eyes glancing at the syringe that the Elf Doctress was holding. "What are you doing to my mother?" He asked, curious yet suspecting at the same time. The Elf Doctress turned her head to look at the young Crown Prince, placing her syringe into her pockets. She forced a plastic smile on her face when in truth she is disappointed that he didn't drown to his death. "Your Highness, you must be the Crown Prince. I am the Elf Doctress that the Imperial Doctor sent to help your mother." The Elf Doctress answered with a graceful curtsy to show him respect. "Oh! Were you going to inject that thing into my mother's body earlier? What is it?" Yun Zhao asked again, more curious this time. The Elf Doctress suddenly had a twisted idea popped into her mind. The plastic smile on her face turning into a grin, she gestured him to come closer.

Yun Zhao raised an eyebrow, taking a step further until he got stopped by one of the guards who was guarding the door. "Your Highness, forgive me for interrupting, but his Majesty will punish you for getting too close." The guard spoke gently, carefully grabbing his hand and took him back outside of the room. "Tell his Majesty that his highness is just here to help me. His beloved mother needs company, it will make her Majesty feel better to have her son beside her." The Elf Doctress sad in a monotone voice. She walked over to Yun Zhao and grabbed his hand, gently pulling the young Crown Prince inside. "If it makes her Majesty feel better, then we will report it to his Majesty that his highness is keeping her Majesty company." One of the guards said before quickly going to where the Dragon Emperor is.

The Crown Prince looked up at the Elf Doctress to face her. "Is there anything else I can do for my mother?" He asked a slight frown on his still adorable face. The Elf Doctress hung her head to look at Yun Zhao. "Of course. I feel quite dizzy and her Majesty must immediately take her medicine. I fear that I might make a mistake while injecting this to your mother." She said, pulling out the syringe that she had out earlier. Yun Zhao looked at it with curious eyes, grabbing it out of the Elf Doctress' hands. "If it means saving my mother. I'll help! Where should I insert it?" He asked with a bright smile on his adorable face. Yun Zhao was quite naive when he was young, so he didn't know that this Elf woman was tricking him. He was so easy to control that it made the Elf Doctress chuckle. "Just carefully insert the syringe's needle there. Don't worry, this syringe isn't an ordinary one so it shouldn't cause a problem for you." The Elf Doctress instructed. She touched the spot where Yun Zhao is supposed to insert the syringe's needle. The Crown Prince carefully and slowly inserted the needle into the spot where the Elf Doctress touched. He let the liquid that was inside the syringe's container quickly go inside Mia's body. In a matter of hours, the poison will take effect and instantly kill Mia's life without anyone noticing.

The Elf Doctress grinned mischievously, wanting to let her laughter out. "Well done, your highness! Can you stay here and watch over her Majesty carefully? I need to bring more medicine that only comes from my homeland." She requested, her grin becoming a  smile with a meaning behind it. Yun Zhao nodded as his answer, pulling the syringe out and gave it to the Elf Doctress. "Please hurry, my mother might need you while you're away." He said while holding one of Mia's hands tightly. Such innocence and blindness were adorable to this Doctress. He can be easily tricked by an outsider! How can this Crown Prince become the Emperor one day? Let alone have an Empress by his side. He might not be able to protect her. "Thank you, your highness. I will come back as fast as I can" The Elf Doctress said before leaving the room. She'll ask his Majesty for permission to go out and falsely grab some medicine for the Empress. Of course, Ju-long would say yes and allow this Doctress to go back to the Elven Kingdom without having any trouble of running away. She allowed her dirty work to be done by the Crown Prince himself. He killed his own mother without realizing he had done it.

Back to the present. In the magical forest of an unknown realm. The young female smilodon quickly stood up to her feet. Her face showing off doubts and bitterness. "My brother will never die because of me! You're talking none sense!" She said loudly, clenching her hands into tight fists. Hilda faintly frowned, standing up. She expected her to become upset, but not this upset that Irithel looked like she was about to cry. "It depends on one's actions whether it happens or not. But please, be careful." Hilda said softly, trying to calm her down but it sadly did not work.

Leo quickly ran into the scene, walking in front of his beloved sister. He looked intensely angry, his growl making both Hilda and Lapu-Lapu walk back in fear. "You dare threaten my sister after she saved your pathetic life?!" Leo questioned Hilda, making her eyes wide in surprise and fear. She hasn't seen a talking animal before. It was intriguing, yet terrifying since Leo was showing his large set of deadly fangs that will easily chomp anyone's head off. "No! I was just telling her to be careful of her actions. Forgive me for offending your sister." Hilda said, a frown on her face. Hoping that they'll forgive her.

"It's fine, thank you for the fortune telling thought. Let's go, Leo." Irithel said, accepting Hilda's apology. She walked over to her smilodon brother, gradually climbing on top of his back. "Wait! Can you tell us the nearest town or village?" Lapu-Lapu asked before the two smilodons could run deep into the forest. Leo growled at him, not wanting to waste any time on humans. His growl terrified Lapu-Lapu that he took a step back. "Calm down, Leo," Irithel cooed, gently petting his brother under his furry, white chin. "There's no town here, but a nearby Headquarters. It's for Wolf Huntsmen and Huntresses. Follow the moon's direction and you'll find their Headquarters. I'm sure they'll allow you to stay for a couple of days and take you to a town." Irithel answered before signalling her brother to quickly run towards into the forest. Leo got this and instantly ran deep into the magical forest, their figures disappearing into the shadows.

"I heard what you've said earlier. That I'll never die because of you." Leo suddenly spoke while running, keeping his speed at an average pace. Irithel let out a sigh out of her lips. She lifted her head high to look at the sky above them. Her eyes showing sadness that Leo couldn't see. "We've already lost our mother. If I lose you too, I don't know what place I can call home" She replied, letting her body collapse into his soft, white fur that kept her warm in the night. "I will never let my sister die, even if it cost me my life. You have a better chance of survival in other realms than me anyways. If I were seen they would instantly imprison me and probably make me a circus animal." Leo said as he continued to run. Feeling his sister's arms around his neck made him calm and peaceful. He was glad to still have her alive. "Don't say that. Promise you'll stay alive for me or else if you die, I'll die beside you as well." Irithel said, sincerity in her voice. Leo immediately stopped running after hearing her say that. "Don't you dare kill yourself if I die! You have to live on!" Leo argued as he slightly growled at his sister. He didn't want to scare her, so he faced away so she couldn't see his angry expression on his face. "How could I let you die alone?! If you're dying I'm dying as well and that's final!" Irithel argued back. She crossed her arms and looked away as well. The two rarely ever have fights, and now they're fighting about a sensitive subject that's death. Leo would die for his sister, of course. But Irithel would stop him at all cost from saving her life, she would rather die instead than him dying. The male smilodon let out a groan before beginning to run towards into the forest once again. "Let's end this arg-" He suddenly got shot on one of his front legs that felt like bullets plasma. Leo let out a loud scream of pain, immediately collapsing into the ground. Irithel quickly leapt out before her brother could collapse on her. "Leo!" She called his name frantically. Irithel quickly lifted her crossbow up and aimed at the direction where the shot came from. "I'll have you killed for harming my brother!" Irithel said fearlessly, holding her crossbow tightly.

She heard a soft chuckle somewhere. It echoed through the forest, making Irithel very cautious. "Such weaklings. One down after one shot from my nightmaric spawn." A deep, male voice said. He gradually revealed himself as he walked towards to the light and out of the shadows of the forest.

The creature looked like a demon. His four, red eyes staring into Irithel's pure soul and life. "I sense powerful beings around here. You won't mind answering me where their coordinations are?" The creature grimly spoke, a hint of a desire of taking the life out from these powerful beings. Irithel did not show any signs of fear, instead, she fired her crossbow. Her arrow hitting the horrific beast behind the demonic-like creature. "I'm assuming that's a no. Well then, forgive me for taking away both of your lives. I, Zhask, the King of the Kastiyans will dominate and kill all species and beings."

Meanwhile, the Abyss continued its ruthless storms. In the castle of the Queen of Doom. Moskov locked himself in his room. He fell into Vexana's little plan and currently wondered how he fell for it. Was it his anger? His bitterness for her? Whatever it was, it blinded his sight. He groaned at himself for failing Velia. Moskov was so frustrated earlier that he broke fragile items around his room such as vases and glasses.  Sharp fragments and ripped off cloth scattered around his place, making the room look immensely messy and disastrous as if a typhoon passed by. Only silence and his aura of wrath filled the room until Moskov heard wings flapping towards his direction. He gradually sat up, turning his head to glance at the bird flying through his window. The bird returned the glance, their eyes sharp like piercing knives. It let itself land on the ground, slowly transforming into a female figure. She held her staff tightly in her hand, her eyes covered by a grey cloth. "Greetings, Fasha." Moskov greeted as he stood out of his comfy bed. He kicked the fragments of a vase away from his path, walking over to the bird transforming woman. "Greetings as well, Vexana's marksman." Fasha returned the polite greeting. Her face blank and her voice monotone. "It's very rare to see you here. What is your reason?" Moskov asked while flipping a spear with his hand. He quietly stared at Fasha's bird companion who was flying beside her. They stared at Moskov with hawk eyes, looking like they're about to attack unexpectedly. "It's my business. Just take me to Vexana and I'll be out of this castle's barrier." Fasha answered, her voice hinting a sign of dislike. "Very well then, follow me." Moskov instructed. He walked over to his room's door and opened it for Fasha to walk outside first.