I'm so sorry for how long this took! It's been nearly a month since this book has been updated and I don't want to keep you guys waiting any longer!

So here is a much-needed chapter. Be prepared for the next one, there may be a Seto, there may not. It really depends on how I write the next chapter and if I can fit Seto into it or the one after.

~~~~~

Sweet Desire

Chapter 6

"We're all in the same game; just different levels. Dealing with the same hell; just different Devils"

~~~~~

When Adam awoke he found several faces standing over him. At first, due to the light directly above them all, he couldn't really make out the owner of each face and he almost thought that the spirits of the dead had come to take him.

"Adam! You're awake!" Adam winced at Jordan's shout of relief. The crowd parted enough allowing more light in to see their faces. He recognized his brother of course, Ian, Wag and more of Jordan's friends.

There was a dull ache in his head and throbbing pain all over his body, but his mind felt too dreary to fully react and comprehend where he was.

He noticed he saw no signs of Mitch or Jerome.

King Mitchell has fallen in battle your highness!

He remembered that phrase so vividly and he panicked thinking the worse had happened, that despite his efforts Mitch had died.

Adam struggled to sit up. He groaned in pain, "Adam, calm down. Relax, you've just battled a long and hard battle. Don't worry, the war is won, you can rest easy now, all of Emedo's troops have surrendered," Ian placed firm hands on Adam's chest, just enough to halt his movements, but not enough to warrant harsh pains.

"N-no," he slurred, "M-Mitch?" his voice cracked.

"Mitch...is alive. He's alive, you needn't worry about anything else," Ian said.

"Wag! King Mitchell isn't moving! He won't wake up!" Adam stiffened, his eyes widened as he heard the news.

"I'll be there!" Wag yelled as he rushed over. Adam watched the man go, he glanced over at Jordan's worried face, Ian's tense gaze. Something terrible had happened and neither of them would say a word.

"Jordan...what happened to Mitch?"

"Not now, rest. There is a lot to discuss later." Jordan smiled.

Adam groaned, he didn't want to but he fell asleep once more and he didn't wake for many days due to exhaustion and extensive wounds.

~~~~~

Casualties over the 4 years this war raged were high, with Duhita's forces suffering the most. Was the war won? Yes, but how much of it was truly won?

The 2nd prince of Emedo was bedridden for weeks due to poison and his injuries. Whereas the King of Duhita would not wake, no matter the potion he was given or any medical treatment he received. He remained still but breathing.

But all was not yet in peace. Currently the Kingdom of Duhita was without their king, forcing the King's mother to take over until further notice. Jordan Maron had taken up a role in Emedo but refused all encouragements from friends to take up the throne. For reasons he would not explain.

Neim faced confusion and turmoil. No longer does the King of Emedo control them, however Neim's royal family made no moves at all. Keuta remained under Emedo as no royal family was present and Vragan. Vragan remained outcasted...

~~~~~

When Adam finally awoke he hardly recognized his surroundings. The feeling of bedsheets over his body and the sight of a foreign yet familiar room struck Adam with a feeling of shock and confusion.

He sat up and winced almost instantly. A dizzy spell washed over him. When it subsided he took a moment to glance around. His eyes widened as he began to recognize his surroundings. He was in his room.

The very room he grew up in when he lived in the castle before moving to Hyrrka to become the Emedo General.

Adam perked up as he heard the sound of his bedroom door opening, he turned to the noise.

"Adam, you're awake. How are you feeling?" Adam smiled as Ian rushed over.

"Never been better."

Ian stared him straight in the face and glowered, "Don't joke around, you nearly died!" Ian snapped causing Adam to chuckle.

"Don't worry...everything turned out fine..." Adam replied.

"Don't worry? Of course I was worried, it's my fault you came out of that fight in that condition. Had I not gotten me and Jordan turned around looking for the throne room, we would've made it there sooner. We were almost too late to stop Jason too!"

Adam's eyes widened. Underneath Ian's glasses he caught the slightest sight of guilt, his teeth gritted in shame, and his fist clenched in frustration.

"Ian..." Adam trailed off.

"I apologize, I shouldn't have let you go, I should've--"

"Ian, don't be hard on yourself. Look," Adam pulled the blankets off of him. He swung his legs over the side and stood. He wobbled but held out his arms to prevent Ian from helping him, "See, I'm fine. I'm fine Ian," Adam smiled.

"A-Adam, I think you should lie back down," Ian tried to coax Adam back into his bed.

"I'm fine Ian, I've had plenty of rest, I promise I'm A-OK!" Adam held up a thumbs up, "But enough about all of that, how long have I been out?"

"Erm...5 days. You overworked your body and lost an extensive amount of blood, you shouldn't be moving. None of your injuries have had a chance to heal yet... Not to mention that even though the poison has finally been drawn out you are still experiencing the after-effects."

"I see," Adam pondered, "Where's my brother?"

"He's currently taking care of matters since the end of the war. He's quelling the doubts and concerns of the people."

Adam smiled, "That's good to hear. He'll make a great king."

"About that--"

"What about Mitch, any word on his condition?" Adam asked.

Ian hesitated for a moment, "He...still hasn't woken up since the final battle."

"I see...Was it...?"

"Yes, all the doctors that have examined him and even Wag agree that it is."

Adam clenched his fists, "I should've realized how hard he was pushing himself. Being King, leading an army, raising morale, and fighting in frontlines with his men."

Ian remained silent. At last Adam resolved himself to move, "I need to go to Duhita immediately," Adam attempted to move past Ian but Ian placed a hand on him.

"Jordan wanted to see you as soon as possible, but we had to wait until you recovered enough to remain conscious."

"He does?" Adam sighed, "I guess I'll wait, but I need to head to Duhita as soon as possible. I need to see Mitch for myself."

Ian nodded, "I'll tell him you're awake. For now just take it easy."

"Sure..." Adam sighed and carefully sat down on his bedside. His body ached and he really wanted to sleep since his bed felt so comfortable, but his mind raced with more thoughts than he could comprehend.

He watched Ian give him a cautious gaze before turning and leaving out the door. The door closed softly behind him.

Like remembering a dream he was hit with the sudden otherworldly feeling that things had changed, and would never be the same.

He, should what he experienced after the battle against his father was real, now possessed powers given to him by a God that should theoretically help him bring Seto home. But he still had yet to judge whether the costs of the power were truly worth the benefits.

There was a knock at his door that interrupted his thoughts, "Adam?"

"Come in," Adam replied. The door opened and in walked his brother.

"How are you feeling?"

"Do you want the honest answer, or...." Adam smiled. Jordan gave Adam a pointed look and Adam chuckled, "Alright fine, I feel like a thousand horses have galloped all over my body...but I also feel glad to be awake."

Jordan sighed, "Are you sure you don't need more rest?"

"All I've done is sleep, I'm fine, more importantly I need to be in Duhita. Mitch needs me, I'm his friend."

"You'll tear your stitches if you try an extraneous movement before your stitches can be properly removed you'll worsen your condition--"

"That still doesn't mean I can't travel to Duhita."

Jordan sighed, "You're convinced...fine, but none of this is why we must talk. It's about Emedo."

"What about Emedo?" Adam watched Jordan tighten his frown.

"Emedo needs a king, and that king cannot be me..."

It took Adam a moment to process the meaning behind Jordan's words.

"Wh-what are you saying? Of course you have to be king, you're Jordan Azure, you're the 1st prince, the first in line for the throne--"

"No Adam, Jordan Azure died 14 years ago. I've been Jordan Maron since then. I am not the man the people here need, they need someone who understands Emedo better. Adam...they need you."

Adam's eyes widened, "Me? I can't, it has to be you," Adam shook his head.

"You're the prince this kingdom knows and loves, that isn't me," Jordan looked away, "Maybe it is selfish of me to push this responsibility onto you....but I know that you are the only one that can lead this kingdom."

"Jordan...I..." Adam's mind wandered to that day in the throne room. The thought of the kind of person he had let himself become, he couldn't imagine himself as anything but the worst choice to be king.

"I don't know..." Adam pushed himself up to a standing position, "I'll think about it, but I must see Mitch first, and right my wrong."

"At least wait another day, think, rest up--"

"I have something to do, it cannot wait," Adam turned away.

"Adam...is something wrong?" Jordan asked, "You seem a little off."

"I'm fine, just let me get ready. IF you could, have a carriage readied immediately...please Jordan. I promise once I've returned...we can discuss this more."

Jordan sighed and combed his fingers through his hair, "Fine, you were always stubborn anyways. Just don't hurt yourself too much."

Adam looked up and gave a quick smile, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Jordan simply nodded and with one last worried glance at Adam he left the room and closed the door softly behind him. Adam groaned, he still had no idea if anything that happened after he...he fought his father were real or just delusions caused by poison. But the only way of finding out would be to visit the place where Seto vanished from and hoping everything worked.

He really hoped everything would work out.

~~~~~

Only a few hours later Adam was in a carriage waving goodbye to his brother. Of course he had the company of Ian with him too.

"You know you could've stayed behind, helped Jordan looked after Emedo and what not," Adam chuckled.

Ian narrowed his eyes behind his glasses and responded, "Like hell I will. You think I'm leaving your side for even a minute?"

"Uh, maybe?" Adam smiled.

Ian lifted his hand up in a fist and muttered, "Be glad you're injured or I would've hit you by now."

Adam broke out laughing, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I'm glad you're coming with me. It's just like the good ol day you know--before the war."

Ian grunted, "Before Seto too..."

Adam winced from the pain caused from laughing, "Don't blame Seto, alright. You know as well as I do that none of this is his fault, you can't fault him in existing when that wasn't even his choice either."

"I know that, but you can't blame me for pointing out when everything changed. None of this awful situation would have ever occurred had Seto never come to Hyrrka."

Adam looked down at the carriage floor, the steady clop of the hoofbeats outside the carriage calmed Adam. In a way, Ian was right, if Seto had never entered into their lives none of this would have happened, but... "If Seto was never here, I would've died by Ty instead. And think of all the good we've done because Seto was here.

"We've helped create a lasting friendship between Mitch and Jerome. Mitch is now more open than ever to the idea of peace with Morvics. Ty has recovered and now helps bring peace to varying groups. Ian you've made leaps and bounds in trusting people other than me. I could go on with the list, but the point is, without Seto we would be living totally different lives. Would you be ok with that?"

Ian frowned, "I'm just concerned for your safety."

Adam smiled, "Thank you, just don't forget to look after yourself too."

"Hmph, only if you give me a chance to not worry about you."

"No promises."

~~~~~

Hopefully this was satisfactory to an extent. I will be working on the next GO chapter and the next SD chapter. I make no promises, but I hope to get back to a regular schedule of writing. Enough waiting for you guys, you guys deserve to see some chapters!

And of course, anyone willing to donate their souls to their friendly soul-devouring CAT? It would very much be appreciated. >:)

Theories? (Don't be afraid, many of you guys say you suck at theorizing, but they are just theories. I don't expect you guys to be right, I just want to hear your thoughts. It actually helps with writing. When I read theories I get excited to write more chapters because I can't wait to show you guys what happens, so don't be afraid to say what comes to mind. No one here is going to judge you on whether you are right or wrong. Heck, no one here will know if you are right or wrong, because I'm the only one with the plans.

Have a good day! :D

S O U L S