Doubt. That was the emotion spiraling inside his mind upon looking at the endless sea in front of them. So far, there was no storm, just nothing except for the salty breeze tickling their skin and the soft waves of the deep blue sea down below. An eventual seagull flew by from the scatter of islands they occasionally met. There was no sense of life in any of them except for the eerie silence and the creeping stillness. Shu was standing near the mast, the white cloth blowing in, leading them towards the Dark Continent which was rumoured to be. "Yo" Xander said, walking to him. The rest of the squad was scattered around on the main deck. It had been three weeks since they started their journey and so far there was no change in their course. They were grateful for the lack of challenges but at the same time, Shu knew half of the crew were bored to death. Still anyone was not wishing for any calamity this soon. As Zac reminded them every day, it was important to conserve energy.

"Hey" Shu said, folding his hands on the railing, looking out at the calm sea.

"What are you thinking?"

Shu shrugged, "Just wondering when we will reach the Dark Continent"

Xander reached for his hair, ruffling his locks. "IHard to say, really." He looked out at the sea. "I've got a bad feeling. It's like the calm before the storm"

Shu chuckled, "Literally"

"Where's Lui?"

"Probably in the Captain's cabin. Free and Lui had been studying maps and planning the whole day." Shu gestured at the awful stillness in front of them. "We entered the sea where the monsters are rumoured to be. Nothing so far though"

"Don't jinx it"

Shu grinned, "Yeah. I'm going to go and ask how it's going" Shu pushed himself away from the railing of the sea. "You want to come?"

Xander shook his head, "Nah. I'm gonna watch out for any danger. See you later"

Shu waved, taking the staircase down which led him towards the cabin. He knocked on the door and opened it, walking in. Both Free and Lui looked at him as he entered. The captain of the ship was too engrossed in the map and the storm detector in front of him. "Anything special?" Shu asked, walking towards them.

The captain rubbed his temples with a tight nod. "Seems like we're going to hit a storm. The days without storms are going to end it seems."

"Kind of expected, honestly" Free ran a hand through the map. "The closer we get to the Dark Continent, the dangerous the sea will become"

Lui nodded, "Even though there's no solid evidence, it's best to look out for any absurd moments at sea. We don't have to take chances."

Shu clasped his hands behind his back, smiling. It was the wisest decision to make both Lui and Free captains of the team. Even though the two of them often held contrasting ideas, they always found a way to put away their indifferences when the team was at a critical point. "Oi, Snowflake, stop spacing out and go inform the others. We're going to hit a bad storm"

Shu snapped out of his trance and looked at Lui for a second, blinking. "Oh" Shu nodded, "Ay sir. I'll go tell them" Shu saluted, walking out of the door and making his way towards the main deck of the ship. "Storm ahead" He announced, grabbing the attention.

Valt peered at him, "Do you think this has something to do with the oncoming storm?" He was staring at the water down below. Shu frowned, looking at the fishes down below, swarming in groups and jellyfishes, bobbing up and down in the water, thousands of them like the sea had covered with a layer of silver. Something was clearly up.

"No, I don't think this is normal even when there's a storm" Zac said, calling one of the crewmen. "Go and inform the captain about this"

Soon enough, the captain and the rest walked into the deck. "Something is down there scaring all the fish" He informed, looking at them. "The life in the sea is trying to escape. That's why they are here. We're taking precautions. Get ready with the weapons and balance the ship, moor the anchors. We need to keep the ship balanced until we find out what's down there"

The crew obediently scattered, doing as he ordered. Right at the cue, the sky darkened. Gloomy, grey clouds overlapping over them, thunder cackling in the sky, lightening eventually drawing stripes of colours across them. Shu looked around. The surroundings were getting darker but he could clearly make out the situation on the ship. This looked bad, Shu thought, instinctively summoning his axe. There was a moment of silence. No lightening. No thunder just the jellyfish on the water and their silvery layer. "There" Honcho broke the silence as the ship rocked to their right, a giant tentacle coming up from the waters, soon dropping to the sea splashing huge waves of water. The blood drained from their faces.

"It's-" One of the crewmates stuttered, "A Kraken, isn't it?"

"A what?" Valt asked, just as the flurry of water began to flow from the heavy clouds. They felt the chill of the drop in temperature as it hit them.

"Shit" Wakiya cursed, trying to balance himself as the ship rocked to the left this time, the tentacle barely missing the hull of the ship. "What's a Kraken? How are we doing to get rid of this?"

"Kraken is a giant squid like creature" Shu answered. He had to shout for his voice to reach the others. "There's only one way to get rid of this"

"We have to overpower this huge creature" The captain finished it for him, "Hitting one of those large limbs with his sword. "We need to show the Kraken that we are powerful than it. That's the only way it will surrender"

"In short, it's time to show who's in charge, right?" Honcho asked, grinning.

"Yes" Ruway said, passing him by a flash and landing a successful blow on the creature. It faltered for a second before regaining its momentum again. "We need a plan" He announched, trying to make his way towards the others.

Shu caught Ruway's eyes and the two came to a silent agreement. Spending time together planning all those strategies had obviously made their chemistry better. "We have to attack his body, not its limbs" Shu said, standing beside Lui. "Ruway will lead the others to attack the limbs. We'll take the body"

"Let's finish this son of a squid" Lui muttered and Shu could barely make out the words with the sound of heavy rain splattering against the wooden deck of the ship. The sea lurched violently around them both from the heavy storm and the giant creature splashing around in the water. The nightmare of fishermen. They kept the attacks steady and tried to drive away the long limbs of the squid from the ship. Honcho, Wakiya. Sisco and Gou were in charge of keeping the ship safe. The captain led the crew who were not skilled in fighting inside and guided the others to aid the princes on board. The creatures almost seem to back off from their taunts, but quite suddenly, Shu found one of the limbs coming behind him, sweeping the deck. The events occurred one after another in a motion of quickness. Before they could get a hang of the situation, the large limb swept them off the ship deck sending half of them to the water.

The icy coldness of the water chilled him to the bones as Shu fell into the water with a loud splash. Salty water burned his eyes, his lungs trying to gasp for breath. He shrunk back his axe and swam to the surface of the water. He gasped for breath, wiping off the drops of water dripping down his face. The ship was dangerously tilted to the left. "Shu" Someone called, grabbing his attention. He turned to see both Free and Valt in the water and Lui was swimming towards him from just a few feet away.

"We need to get that thing out of the ship" Shu yelled, out of breath. The heavy rain wasn't making anything easier. They had to try hard to keep on the surface. And Shu knew it would be ignorant to think he'd last long in this weather. He looked at the deck, "Ruway. Change of plans. Let's switch. We'd attack the limbs, you take the body."

Ruway yelled an okay, hardly audible from his location. "Snowflake" Lui said, reaching him. "You alright?"

Shu nodded, grimacing. "So far, I'm-"

A loud scream cut him off. The two whipped their heads towards their hazel eyed friend. One of the limbs was wrapped around him, pulling him under. Valt was struggling to push him away. "Valt" Shu yelped, trying to take a dive and almost crashing into the creature. Lui pulled him back.

"I'd go under and ice it's limbs. It should release Valt" Lui said, looking at the albino who was shivering. Shu nodded quietly, not resisting when Lui dived under. He pushed back, knowing his fire was futile in this situation.

"Any ideas?" Free asked. He was holding onto one of the ropes the crew had put down for them. But neither of them had any idea to climb back into the ship. They had to stop the Kraken from destroying everything before they arrived at the Dark Continent. Shu's eyes scanned the creature. Massive that for a second he felt helpless under those limbs thrashing around them. If they didn't stop it quickly, there wouldn't be a ship left to sail.

Shu's eyes slid into Valt who was barely holding to hos conscious. Both Free and Shu were stuck far away from their friend. Unable to reach him without getting caught themselves. Suddenly, the water grew chillier. Shu wheezed as his limbs felt numb, the coldness stabbing into his skin. Beside him, Free inhaled sharply. "That's Lui's ice making the water colder. But at least Valt is safe now"

Xander jumped into the water, taking a dip as he craddled their unconscious friend in his arms. The Kraken had let go of the male but no one was quite sure about the damage Valt had taken in it's tight grasp. "I've got an idea" Shu confirmed, "Free, can you immobilize that thing using your power draining?"

Free nodded, "I can but not for a long while. Maximum for three or four minutes. It's too massive and strong"

Shu hummed, "That's enough time. I need to get a bow and an arrow-" Shu thought aloud, then quickly shook his head. "No time. My axe would do."

"Wait" Free stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "That's your weapon. You might lose it to the sea"

Shu grimaced, trying to ignore the pain in his limbs. "Worth it, don't you think? It's a weapon. I need to use it when I need to." He looked over to Lui. "Lui, I need you to make a glacier, a tall one. I need to get into a higher position than that creature's head. We need to attack that eye."

Lui wrinkled his brows, "What about those limbs?"

"Keep them out as much as you can and Free, when the others can't handle it anymore, strike with the draining arrows. I'll do the rest"

Free nodded uncertainly. They could barely see the ones in the ship with the storm around them. There was no time to inform, they had to go through with the plan. Xander had taken Valt back into the ship to be taken care of. But Shu wasn't sure whether it would increase the risk or increase the safety at this point. Free gave Lui a smirk, "We're gonna die because of the coldness"

Lui rolled his eyes. "It's about to get colder. Ready, Snowflake?"

Shu nodded, pressing on his ruby ring, the axe summoning in his hold in mere seconds. He would be sad to see it go but then again, some things have to be sacrificed in order to achieve something greater. "Ready" Lui planted his palms on the cold surface of the salty water and focused his power. Shu knew the glacier was coming when the water grew even colder. Free shivered beside him, mouthing a curse as he felt it grow under his feet. Before he knew it, he was higher than anyone else where he could grasp the massive creature thrashing the sea. "Shit" Shu muttered when the creature noticed him. His black beady eyes focused on him, the limbs getting ready to break down the glacier. Before it could make a move, Free finally released the arrows. Shu couldn't hear anything despite the howling of the wind but out of instinct, he jumped into the air, when one of his limbs crashed into the glacier. The creature was intelligent than any of them thought.

Aim, Shu thought.Before he could take the fall, the white haired male aimed his best despite the circumstances around him and struck his axe. A pained scream echoed as the creature fell back. Shu could barely see that he had missed but the axe was planted just to the left of the Kraken's eye. The next thing he knew was that he was falling to the spiralling waters below. He clenched his eyes shut, bracing for the impact. When his body hit the water, it was like needles stabbing into his skin. In a moment of blindness, Shu went under, focusing on nothing but the stabbing sensation of the cold water and the sudden lightness of his body. An outstretched hand reached his own, pulling him out of the darkness of the sea. "Oi" Lui muttered against his ear, wrapping one of his arms around his waist. "Breathe. Keep breathing"

Shu nodded breathless as Lui continued. "The thing is going back. We need to get on the ship." Lui said, to someone beside him. Free, Shu numbly thought, hanging on to Lui as if he was his lifeline.

"Climb that rope" Free was saying and Shu felt the water spiraling around them, as if it was sucking them in.

"What's happening?" Shu whispered, trying to raise his head and open his eyes despite the stabbing pain in his skull.

"That squid is leaving. Hold onto me tight, okay?"

If Shu didn't know much, he would've thought this was someone else and not Lui. But after going through so much with the White Tyrant, he was used to this softness and the rare caring tone of the male. Shu nodded, gripping onto him. The water stopped moving but the storm continued it's torture as they climbed back towards the ship. Free was outright shivering and the blond looked around. "Valt?"

"Taken to the medics. Still breathing. It was the shock, he'll be fine" Honcho assured, rushing them into the ship out of the deck which was soaked in water.

Shu coughed into his hand, leaning against Lui. The latter didn't move his hands which were still wrapped around the younger male. Free leaned back against the wooden wall, still shivering. He looked at Lui, with half-lidded eyes depicted nothing but pure exhaustion. "I think he'd need a change of clothes" He gestured at the albino, coughing heavily.

"I mean, you guys took quite a fall" Wakiya walked in with a blanket in his hands. He knelt beside Shu and wrapped it around his shoulders. "This won't do. Shu you need to go and change your clothes" Shu didn't reply. Wakiya frowned, clearing the bangs off his face. "Is he sleeping?"

Lui blinked, turning to look at his face. He was coughing just a few seconds before. But Wakiya was right. His eyes were closed and he was leaning against Lui, with his full body weight upon Lui. He waved a hand in front of his face. Nothing. The only clue that he was breathing was the steady rise of his chest. "The hell" Lui muttered, turning to Free. "You're influencing him"

Free raised his brow with a smirk. "Maybe I am."

Wakiya let go of his wet bangs, letting them settle on his face still dripping with water. After a few seconds Xander walked in and everyone's attention was immediately on him. "How's Valt?" Free asked right off the bat not giving anyone else the chance to speak.

"He woke up" Xander grinned. "Don't worry. He remembered all about the giant squid. Took me some time to assure him it was not all a dream" He howled in laughter. His booming laugh echoing through the narrow inner room. Shu flinched beside Lui, opening his eyes.

"W-what happened?" The albino blurted out in panic, frantically looking around. Free cracked a smile, unable to stop himself. Lui snorted, reaching out to ruffle his hair.

"You fell asleep"

Shu frowned, "I did not"

Wakiya rolled his eyes, "You certainly did"

It looked as if Shu was about to protest, but he sneezed instead. The male winced clutching to his chest for a second. "What's wrong?" Lui asked, tightening the blanket around him.

"Just-" Shu muttered, "I think I'll just go and change"

"Finally" Wakiya rolled his eyes dramatically. Lui stood up, giving Shu his hand to stand up. The albino stumbled quite a bit before steadying himself. The flame-haired male grabbed him by the elbow, guiding him into the room. After a few seconds Lui appeared in the narrow wooden room again, defeated.

"That idiot kicked me out" He announced before anyone could make a remark.

Xander laughed, "I mean, it's Shu"

Free nodded along, "I'd be surprised if he didn't. Honestly"

"Well, the fact I reminded him about the time I actually changed him didn't help" Lui grimaced. "But worth the look on his face"

"Sadist" Wakiya mused, sitting on the floor. "It's weird to see you talking normally around us."

"Yeah" Honcho sat beside Wakiya. "You used to be explosive than this. Only Shu could keep you calm"

Lui cracked his knuckles, raising his brow. "Wanna try saying that again, blonde freak?"

"That statement offends half of the people in the ship" Zac said, walking in. He crossed his arms with a troubled look on his face. "Well, it seems like we faced our first challenge and it left us in this much trouble."

"It's like a reality check" Wakiya agreed. "We still had our doubts about the truth and those creatures. Seems like anything could happen"

Beside him, Honcho grinned. "Goldilocks, you've changed too"

Wakiya flushed and swatted him away. "Shut the fuck up, freak"

Honcho raised his arms, the creepy grin didn't leave his face. "You're adorable"

Wakiya attempted to kick him, "Someone take this creep away from me."

Free smiled, "Well, seems like we're in high spirits despite the things that happened. We'll get through it"

Lui looked at his hands, still cold from using his power. When they finally parted ways and walked into their respected rooms, Shu was already asleep. He was a quiet sleeper by nature. Instead of hogging the place, Shu had a tendency to curl himself into a ball while sleeping. Those were the little things he noticed while spending time together. Lui changed his clothes and slipped into the bed beside him. Shu murmured something under his breath. Lui smiled, running a hand through his soft white locks and cupped his cheek. He brushed his lips on Shu's forehead, feeling that soft skin underneath his lips. When his eyes finally slipped close, he had the albino in his arms, his chin rested on top of his head.

---

Shu opened his eyes in confusion, wondering what had woken him up in the middle of the night. He sat down, rubbing his eyes waiting for them to settle into the darkness in the room. That's when he noticed the crumpled sheets beside him. The empty space. Lui was not there. Shu pushed away the covers and stepped onto the cold floor. When he walked out of the room, everything was silent except for the sound of the sea. Shu climbed the stairs to reach the main deck. The storm had stopped, but the cold air brushed against his skin sending a chill down his spine. He unconsciously warmed himself, looking around when he finally spotted the male, standing near the mast, facing the sea. Shu quietly walked up to him. "Hey"

Lui turned, surprised. "Why are you awake?"

Shu shrugged, standing beside him. "That's my line"

"Just woke up" He said, averting his gaze to the ground. Shu tilted his head, confused. There was clearly something bothering Lui and knowing him, it wouldn't be easy to get him to open up.

"Okay"

"How are you?"

Shu nodded, "All good and fine."

"Anything hurting?"

Shu shook his head. "No. Everything's fine" The abino assured, frowning at the sudden questions. A silence followed, puzzling the shorter male even more. "Lui-" He started when Lui took Shu's wrist and pulled Shu to himself. The red eyed male stumbled into his arms, astonished. He didn't move when Lui wrapped his arms around him tightly, his chin tucking into the crook of his neck. "Lui?" Shu asked, again, searching for a reason for this behaviour. Lui just hummed, tightening his grip. "What's going on?" He asked, burying one of his hands in his hair.

"Nightmare" The taller mumbled, just barely audible to his ears. Shu kept quiet, waiting for him to continue. "It was just a nightmare"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Lui didn't answer right away. Shu almost thought Lui wouldn't answer. "It's just" He stopped, sighing. "Just a stupid dream. Doesn't matter"

Shu pushed away and looked at his face. Shadowed in the night but the lines of sorrow etched to his skin. "Lui, you're scaring me"

Lui didn't smile. "I didn't think the thought of waking up to a world without you would scare me this much."

Shu blinked, speechless. He waited, trying to search for words, anything that would console the male. Even so, the truth still hung in the air like a lone cry of sorrow around them. He had thought about this. Thought about him leaving this world. It was a constant thought, following him around since he was young. There was a chance that Lui would wake up to a motionless version of him, cold and stiff. Shu shook his head, dismissing the thought. He leaned against the railing looking at the sea, calmer than before. "If you had a nightmare about it, you could've just told me, you know?"

Lui clicked his tongue, "I did, didn't I?"

Shu hummed thoughtfully, "Lui, remember once you said to me, live in the present?"

Lui turned to him, his violet eyes catching his crimson. Shu continued, "You're doing the same silly thing I did for years. If we keep on thinking about a future we have no idea about, the present moments we share would just be useless, you know? I really have no idea how to console you about that dream. But here I am, aren't I? We're together, aren't we? I think this is enough for me." Shu grinned, closing his eyes. "I'm happy. I really am"

Lui stared at him without saying a word. He sighed, a smile painting on his lips as he reached down and flicked his forehead. "What am I gonna do with you, Snowflake?"

Shu shrugged, "I have no idea"

Lui leaned down and kissed him. Shu closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Lui's neck savouring the moments they shared in the present. Future had always been a mystery no one could uncover. But present is something we feel at the moment. It was worth it, Shu thought, enjoying the feeling of Lui's lips pressed against his. His warm, strong hands wrapped around him promising all the love and care one could imagine. This, right now was important to him than the thousands of dark clouds looming over their horizon of the future.

Next day they woke up to the happy cry of the sailors. When they reached the deck, they could see the faint outline of a land in the distant. "Is that?"

"That was surprisingly easy" Free said as an answer to Valt's question. The blond male watched in wonder at the land afar. It was a miracle, an astounding coincidence that they had found this place. It felt like child's play. Natsu had tried for years but found nothing. But here they were, seeing the mysterious island in the horizon at their first try.

"It's suspiciously easy" Ruway echoed. His eyes were narrowed on the scenery in front of him.

Lui and Shu were standing far behind the crew. The conversation last night had stirred a spark of fire among them. It was almost as if these little moments strengthened their bonds. The more open they became the deeper their love grew. "Snowflake" Lui said, taking his attention. Shu turned to him with a questioning glance. Lui pulled out a silver bracelet from his pocket and presented it to the albino. He watched, still confused. Lui slipped the silver band into his hand. Shu stared at it, the gem in the middle of it, a watery blue colour. Something he had never seen before.

"What's this?"

"It's my sister's" Lui said. "She loved crystal flowers. Father made this magic bracelet for her birthday." He touched the gem in the middle and it sparkled in white. After a second, a tiny version of a crystal flower bloomed. "It has to be given my ice powers every two weeks. Rather than that, you can just touch it when you need the medicine"

Shu just watched, awestruck. Was it okay for him to have it? He dropped his gaze to the bracelet once again, touching the small petals of the flower. "Is this okay?"

"It is" Lui confirmed, patting his hand. "Knowing Yuki, she'd be happy."

Shu hummed, "Thank you, Lui"

Lui leaned in and kissed his forehead in reply. Shu smiled, feeling the warmth creeping along his cheeks. "I love you" Lui whispered, pulling away. Before Shu could answer, Free walked to them, clearing his throat.

"Sorry to interrupt" He said with a dramatic eyeroll. "But I've got something for you too, Shu"

Lui scowled, Shu frowned. "Huh?"

Free opened his palm to show the familiar gold band with the ruby attached. Shu's eyes widened. "How did you even get it?"

Free shrugged, "Sent one of my arrows and picked it up before that giant thing left" The blond dropped the ring to Shu's open palm. "There you go, you're welcome"

Shu grinned, "Thank you, really"

Free smiled, bowing. "My pleasure"

Beside them, Lui was looking in between the two. "Oi, stop flirting with him" He pointed an accusing finger at Free who glanced innocently at him.

"We're not flirting" Free said matter of factly before he smirked, pulling on Shu's hand and wrapping one of his arms around the albino's shoulder. "Do you want me to?"

"Are you testing my patience?"

Shu chuckled when Free replied. "There's nothing to test. It had always been zero." He pushed Shu lightly towards Lui. "You're a beautiful person Shu, but not quite my type."

"Damn" Shu muttered, playing along. "I'm being rejected even before I express my feelings. Talk about a major blow. What's your type?"

Free crossed his arms and raised his brow. "Interested?"

Shu placed his hand on his hip, smirking. "Perhaps"

Lui scowled, "The hell is wrong with you two?"

Free looked at Shu, ignoring Lui. "Well, you can say I haven't really thought about it. Someone who won't yell at me and leave me in peace while I sleep, I guess?"

Lui snorted, "And they call you the heir to the throne"

Shu hummed thoughtfully when Valt intervened. "Guys, look!" He said cheerfully, pointing at the horizons. The continent was clear enough right now but they had entered an area covered with a veil of thick mist.

"This is as far as we could go" The captain said, looking at the princes. "The boats would be dispatched to take you to the continent."

In the next hour, all of them worked on the boats and got them down to the sea. After all the work was done, the captain stood in front of the squad and bowed deeply. "We wish you all the luck, my lords. Bring victory to our land. All hail!" He cried out. The rest of the crewmen followed his example, crying out loud and blessing the squad with all the luck they could muster. 

After everything was settled, they started their course towards the Dark Continent. Every boat consisted of four members from the squad. Shu found himself seated beside Lui with Valt and Free in front of them. "This is crazy," Valt mumbled. The fog grew thicker by the minute. But the fascinating thing was that amidst all this fog, only the continent was visible. It was like a gem glowing in the dark. The closer they got, the harsher they felt the aura of malice cascading through the whole area.

Shu rubbed his arms, frowning. "You guys feel that?"

Free nodded grimly. "This is not going to be a walk in the park."

"No one said it was going to be" Lui countered, feeling the chilling sensation running down his spine. "It's like they have some kind of a magical barrier"

"Maybe that's why the others weren't able to see this," Shu said thoughtfully. "But why us, specifically?"

"There's only one way to find out" Free grimaced, seeing the shore. White sandy beach right in front of them, a few feet away. They had guided their boats through the rocks precisely. Shu's map was accurate more than he thought. When the finally reached the shore, they all stepped out, looking behind them to see only the thick mist. Shu winced.

"Did we lose the others?"

"They are probably still on their way" Free murmured, bending and grabbing a handful of pure white sand. They were not brown, not even a faint yellowish colour embedded in these pure white grains. It was as if the whole beach was blanketed with snow. Pure white.

Valt excitedly looked around when he suddenly noticed the glint of an arrow from the corner of his eyes. "We're surrounded" He muttered, his grin fading from his lips.

The others were already in their positions. Cautiously looking around. There was no sign of the rest of the squad. It felt like they would have to handle whoever their opponents were all by themselves, despite the disadvantage they would surely face in numbers. The four males stood back to back. Each second was fraught with anxiety. That's when the screaming started all around them, drowning the sound of the waves crashing against the sand. Lui stomped his foot on the ground, freezing half the soldiers who recovered just as quickly. Lui clicked his tongue. The sand was not holding his ice but was dissolving them. "They're coming," Valt warned, launching himself at the first soldier.

"Where are the others?" Free cursed, looking around.

"Only we had the map" Shu reminded, wiping the sweat off his brow. They had pushed off almost twenty soldiers but they still kept coming. "Shit" Shu cursed when another made their attack. Seconds turned to minutes when they finally heard a familiar voice. It was Wakiya.

"Oh c'mon" The blonde groaned, drawing his sword. "Already?"

Honcho cracked his knuckles, grinning as he advanced to the battle. "Fun"

The enemy sensed the danger. They buzzed with murmurs for a few seconds trying to take quick actions. Shu couldn't guess what their intention was. What's the purpose of this attack? Free pushed off another warrior, with a laboured smile. "Took you all long enough"

"Sorry about that" Gou said, immediately ushering to help the rest. A sense of relief washed through them when the squad completed and the motivation of their enemies slowly drained by the growing numbers. Their leader called a retreat and everything seemed to be fine until there was a low whistling sound around them. The tune soldiers played before charging at the enemy. The turned to the source out of habit, thinking reinforcement was coming to these soldiers..

Ruway's eyes widened when he realized. "It's a distraction" He called out in panic turning his attention back towards the retreating soldier when he spotted Shu, seemingly unconscious. "Shu!"

"The heck" Lui yelled, trying to advance towards his lover when one of them dropped something to the ground. With a loud sound, the packed up bundle exploded, creating a smoke screen around them. Free coughed to his hand, straining to see what was around them. His eyes watering from the effort. He bumped into someone.

"Who's that?"

"It's me" A strained voice and Free immediately recognized it to be Sisco. "Can you see the others?"

Free shook his head, "Nothing. Shit, they got us"

It took at least another ten minutes for the smoke to clear. Lui was looking around, frantic. That's when everyone spotted the difference. Shu was missing. The footprints had disappeared, giving them no sense of direction of their enemy. Everything had dissolved into thin air. "Fuck" Lui whispered, running a hand through his hair unable to keep his face expressionless.

Valt crouched down, trying to trace the barest hint of trail but he was soon defeated by the lack of evidence on the shore. It was Ruway who finally talked to the dejected spirits in front of him. "There's no use worrying and waiting. We need to find something"

"Well, do you fucking see anything at all?" Lui snapped, anger seeping through each of his words.

Zac was the one who came to rescue. He walked to Lui and patted him on the back. "I know it's hard. We're all down but not the time Lui. We need to gather information first. Shu is a strong guy."

"Yeah" Gou added, "He survived Hyoketsu. We'll reach for him in time."

It was a bare, false hope but it was better than nothing. "All hopes not lost" Wakiya's voice echoed from the far corner of the shore. "We found something"

"Someone" Orochi corrected him, dragging in a figure with them. "He was hiding there and watching everything," He said, pushing him to the sand.

The figure groaned at the harsh contact. Zac kept an eye on Lui making sure the White Tyrant didn't murder the boy out of spite. But then again, Lui had experiences like this and after Zac's reassurance he might've felt guilty for not thinking Shu would survive this. Free unsheathed his sword and directed it upon his neck. "Talk" He demanded, "Who are you?"

The boy, whoever he was, was not a soldier. Everyone could notice the fear and panic etched upon his terrified emerald eyes. Brown hair tumbled out of the hoodie of his dark cloak. "I'm not with them" He blurted out, his eyes darting around.

"Not the answer we wanted," Sisco said, crouching beside him and tugging him by the cloak. "Who are you?"

"Kitt" He shivered. "Kitt Lopez. I-I'm not with those soldiers"

Xander crossed his arms. "Then, why are you here?"

"I saw the boats" He was stuttering. "S-So I thought I'd take a look. That's all. I swear"

Zac took a step towards him. The boy looked about thirteen. He crouched in front of the kid and looked into his eyes, choosing his words carefully. "Then, who are you with?"

"My home is somewhere else"

"What do you know about those soldiers who attacked us?"

"Not much" The boy answered, his voice seemed sincere. Upon the fear he was displaying, it would take too much courage to lie and what this boy obviously lacked was courage. "I just know they always steal people from the nearby villages. T-That's about it"

Zac sighed, "We have one choice" He stood, looking around. "We need more information. Let's find his habitation and hold him hostage" This was something the blonde himself despised. Holding someone hostage would not be the first thing he'd like to do on a journey. "We got no other option"

Orochi nodded, "And let's hope he's valuable enough for them to give us information."

"E-Excuse me?" The boy uttered, "I-I'm not going to- '' He started when Lui finally snapped. He walked to the boy wordlessly and extended his sword, glistening in dangerous wonder.

"You have no choice," He said. His voice held a sense of confirmation. "If you don't want to be cooperative, I'd slash you right here. We have no time for worthless slander"

Kitt visibly flinched at his rough voice. Zac felt a twinge of sympathy for the boy. He was just another curious young lad who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He stood up as Orochi held him, making sure their only way of information wouldn't escape and started their course towards the woods starting at the end of the shore.

---

They seem to walk into the thick of the forest for hours. The boy guided them reluctantly and at one point they wondered whether they were being misguided. Finally they stopped in front of a thick cluster of trees. "There" Kitt muttered, averting his gaze.

Valt blinked, "There's not-" He dodged instinctively when an arrow whizzed past his ear. Zac dragged the boy to himself and pressed a dagger against his throat.

"Another attack and this boy will lose his life" He said, looking around, trying to spot their attackers who were taking cover from the thick mass of leaves around them.

"Who are you lot?" A female voice asked. Soon enough, a girl dropped to the ground, balancing herself perfectly like a skilled acrobat. She kept one of the hand over the strap of knives attached to her hip. Her deep purple eyes were set to a dark glare. "What do you want with Kitt?"

"We just need information," Zac said, his voice taking a softer turn. When it came to negotiations, his talent was natural.

The girl frowned as several more attackers dropped to the ground around them, making a circle around them. But none of them were foolish enough to directly attack them while they had Kitt as their hostage. "Sasha" Kitt talked despite the threatening dagger on his throat. "They are not with the Scorpion army. They took one of their members away"

She frowned, "Huh?"

"So" Sisco said, glaring at Kitt. "You knew something more than you let us know"

Kitt averted his gaze to the ground. "I wanted you all to come here." He turned back to Sasha. "Let's hear them out"

"Well" Sasha snapped, "Obviously, because you're held hostage dumbass"

Lui was strangely quiet. He was watching everything closely. Free could feel the gnawing agitation of the ice prince. He nudged him with a reassuring nod. Lui just sighed. "The kid's right," Free said, "One of our close friends was taken away."

"Who are you?" The boy who stood beside Sasha asked. He was shorter but from the matured line on his face Free concluded him to be around their age.

"We came from across the seas," Free answered boldly. There was no point hiding information. From the clues he had gathered so far, there was no way that this squad was with the Scorpion or whoever the others were.

Sasha scoffed, "Across the seas? Don't mess with us"

Lui stomped his foot on the ground, sending a sheet of ice across the ground. "Know anyone who can do this?"

Sasha glared, "Okay. Let's say you came from across the oceans. But why? No one was supposed to know this land existed"

"The two demon lords made it clear enough that they are going to conquer our lands" Wakiya chided. "We came here in order to stop it."

There was silence. "So, the information is really true," The shorter male said. "The rumours are true. The demon lords want the lands across the sea"

Sasha looked at the ground thoughtfully before turning her attention back to Kitt and the squad. "How am I supposed to trust whether you're friends or foes?"

"Depends on you act" Honcho cracked his knuckles. "Honestly. We mean no harm as long as you remain friendly."

Sasha clicked her tongue, "As if I could trust the word of a stranger"

"Let's hear them out" Kitt said when Sasha shushed him with one of her significant glares.

"Let's stop wasting time" Ruway interfered. "This friend is really important to us. If you know anything, please help us." He looked at Zac and nodded. The blonde gave out a long sigh before pushing Kitt towards Sasha.

"We mean no harm, really"

The blue haired female looked honestly surprised. She thought for a long second. "No weapons inside" She concluded, "And your elements should be disabled."

Ruway and Zac shared a look and nodded at each other. This was a risk they were willing to take and besides none of them knew Free had his draining powers or that Ruway could summon weapons out of thin air. Both of those powers didn't control an element. The wrist bands they gave all of them wouldn't restrict it. Worth a shot. "Very well"

Sasha raised her brow, "I wonder what kind of friend got everyone of you to go to such a danger"

They all shed their weapons and let the outlanders gather them. Lui slipped one of the bands they gave him which was supposed to disable his ice power. Sasha locked the wrist band using a charm, making sure it would stay on his wrist. She continued the treatment with others and finally turned to the thick wall of trees in front of them. She raised her palm and muttered something under her breath then walked straight towards the blinding white light, disappearing. The others shared a look before following her. The rest of the soldiers followed them behind, still taking cautious steps, ready to attack.

Inside the magical barrier was a whole other world. Ponds were scattered around the ground and at each interval between two ponds were houses. Small thatched roofs lined up towards the far corner. There was a strange relaxation in this order. Valt peered at one of the ponds to see it filled with Koi fishes. Each pond consisted of exactly two. One patched with orange and the other black. They walked past the houses and the people watching them with curious, feared eyes. At the far corner was the biggest building in the whole place. It was built with wood and painted black and white. The structure reminded the crew of a temple. Sasha took off her boots and signalled them to wait. They watched as she disappeared into the temple. Soon, she walked out with another figure. An old man with aged lines etched upon his face. His dark eyes twinkled with a sense of family and welcome which the others lacked. "So, these are the outlanders"

"Yes, Raul," Sasha answered. "What are we going to do?"

The man grinned, then broke into laughter. "Let's welcome them. If they want to save their friends, as our guests, we ought to help them"

Sasha sighed, rubbing her temples. "As much as I like to do the opposite, something you've said never went wrong." She looked at them with scorn. "Come in. But behave yourself. This is the holy temple of our kingdom. Sadly, the only guest rooms are in here too."

"Our weapons?" Valt asked hopefully.

Sasha smiled sweetly, "Not now. You may have gotten his trust but not mine."

The squad entered. The interior was surprisingly well lit. Light flooded into the inner rooms from the long windows and the doors made of wooden squares and covered with paper. In the middle, there was an open roof with a pond beneath it. Two Koi fishes of the same colour swam freely among the lotus leaves padding the surface of the water. Sasha led them towards a line of rooms and pointed towards another door. "That way is the men's hot spring. You all can use it. But I'll leave two of my guards with you" She said, looking around for any objection. "We'd talk about the information later. Maybe after you all don't stink of salt water"

Valt instinctively sniffed himself. "She's right, we stink" But there was an edge to his voice. Everyone could realize that the hazel eyed boy was trying to cheer himself up.

"We're wasting our time" Lui growled, pressing one of his clenched fists to the wall. "We need to go and search for him."

"If we just rush in without any information or a plan. Everyone's going to meet their end before we even start our journey." Ruway calmly explained. "We all care about Shu, but sometimes we need to take a step back in order to take a step forward."

Lui turned to him about to snap but found himself at a loss of words. He storms out of the hallway and walks into a room, slamming the door shut behind him. Free sighed, reaching a hand to ruffle Valt's hair who was watching everything with a crestfallen face. "He's probably blaming himself for what happened."

"Aren't we all?" Valt silently murmured.

Zac hummed, crossing his arms. They suffered from a void caused by the albino's absence. At moments like this, it was Shu who planned everything and led them towards their win. Xander shook his head with a smile. "At this point, I'm not worried about Shu. I'm worried about us without him"

Ruway hummed, "You're right." After a beat he added, "Let's go and change for now. We need to get that information and plan an ambush. We got to save Shu"

Inside the room Lui listened to every single word of the squad. He sank to the floor, burying his head in his hands. Free was right, he was guilty. He was guilty because he broke the promise he made to himself. He vowed himself he'd never let them break apart but now look at them. They had only stepped into the Dark Continent and already they had faced an attack and he had lost Shu. He clenched his fists, willing with every inch of strength he had left inside his mind. Shu had to be safe, he thought, standing up. They were right. There was no point in lamenting and breaking down. Shu could keep himself safe until they go back to save him. If he didn't trust his love that much, there would be no point in their love. Thinking all that, the White Tyrant walked out of the room. He trusted in Shu and his abilities. Clouding his mind with grief and lamentation was not a choice if he wanted to be together again. He had to work rationally, as hard as it was, that was the only choice left to be chosen.

---

Shu groaned, opening his eyes. His sight was blurry and there was a sharp pain in his neck. He hissed, trying to move but found his hand bound behind his back. He waited a moment till his focus cleared and the pains subsided. He knew he had broken away from the squad. A sense of panic filled his mind but Shu pressed it down. Knowing his friends, it would only be a matter of time until they find a way to break into this. He'd have to survive until they do. That's when he saw the black bars in front of him and the stench of sweat and blood. He was inside a cell, and not alone. He frowned, seeing two males staring at him. And there was a significant similarity to the three of them. The same shade of crimson eyes they shared. "What is this?" One of them muttered, "Red Eye cell or something?" Shu didn't speak. He took a moment to take in their appearances. They looked younger than him. The blonde, red eyed male should be around fourteen he decided. The other looked even younger, thirteen? "You're staring" The sea green haired male uttered, uneasy.

Shu ducked his head, "I'm sorry. Can you guys tell me where I am?"

The blonde titled his head. "What do you mean? It's the Scorpion kingdom."

"The what?" Shu frowned. He was pretty sure his uncle hadn't mentioned anything about this. Then again, his information started from the main harbor. This was the opposite side of the island. The unwritten fourth books might've provided him with the necessary information if only he had time to write it.

"The Scorpion army. Where are you from?" The blonde asked, confused. "They are pretty popular here. For taking in slaves and selling them to the highest bidder and all."

"I'm-" Shu stopped. Would it be safe to tell them? "I'm from somewhere far away" Shu managed. "And you?"

"I'm from here" The blonde said, "You are not from this continent, are you?"

Shu pressed his lips tight, defensive over the question. "I know almost everyone around here." The blonde continued, "Your accent is different from what we use here."

This piqued the attention of the youngest among them. "You mean. He's from somewhere beyond the seas?"

The blonde hummed, "Probably, if it's possible that's all."

Shu sighed, leaning back against the wall. His ring was missing, he noticed, staring at his finger. His bracelet was still there, thankfully. He wondered whether they figured out it was a weapon. "Maybe I am." Shu found himself saying. "I'm Kurenai Shu" He revealed his name, trying to make a bond between them. He needed information.

"Fubuki Sumie"

"Delta Akane" The other answered. "Are you really from beyond the seas?"

Shu blinked, wondering why this information roused their inquisitive feelings to this extent. "I am." He decided to tell the truth. If they were prisoners here, they could be allies. "Can you tell me something? How did you guys end up here, and what's going on in this kingdom?"

Fubuki hesiated for a second, "Actually, we had a better leader before. But then one of the dark leaders sent by the demon lords put force upon us and started a riot among the people then eventually grabbed the throne. Well, some of us ran away and the rest ended up inside these cells." He looked eager to share the information which made Shu a bit suspicious at first. "Why are you here?"

Shu blinked, realizing his trick. It was a mutual way. A question from him and an answer from the other. "I'm here-" Shu stopped, hearing the footsteps closing in. Fubuki and Delta immediately took defensive positions.

"That's him" Delta murmured, glaring at the man who had stopped right in front of their cell. Shu sucked in a breath when his dark, menacing eyes focused on him. A feral grin appeared on his tanned face as he crouched in front of them. Only black bars separate them. Nothing more. Nothing less. The male looked as if he was in his early twenties. His dark purple hair fell over his face shadowing them into a deeper violet.

"Well" He said, leaning close that his forehead was almost touching the iron bars. I suppose we hit the jackpot today. "It's been quite a few times since we actually caught someone from the land beyond the sea."

One of the men standing behind him talked. His voice was gruffier and there were scars scattered across his body as if to show the year of violence this man might've undergone. "He can be sold into a fortune, master" He said. In spite of his short stature, the man somehow looked intimidating. There were stark differences between the master and the minions, Shu noticed. The man crouching in front of him was almost glowing, his skin untouched by scars. His skin was healthy and his face had not matured with his years of war. Shu frowned, puzzled. Isn't he supposed to be the leader? Shouldn't he be intimidating than many of them? But then again, who is he to say this was right and this was wrong? No one thought he could fight upon seeing him and hopefully, these people would underestimate him too. The man slipped one of his hands inside, placing it on top of Shu's cheek. He lurched back in surprise.

"Take him out of this cell" He commanded, his eyes still fixed upon him. Shu found himself being daunted by those beady eyes under the long eyelashes and furrowed brows. Just who is this man?

A key was pushed into the lock. The guard opened the door which grunted in response, rusted nails screeching at the attempt. He found himself being yanked out of the cell. That's when Shu noticed the rest of the cells lined along the neverending hallway to his left. The darkness concealed the far corner making it harder for him to see the amount. But for all he knew, there should be hundreds of people inside these square small rooms. The stench of the place and the patches of blood outside revealed the horrors that might've taken upon this place in these long years under this tyrant. The guards didn't untie his hand. Instead, the man walked to him and pushed him towards another cell. The bars rattled from the force. Shu winced, feeling one of them sinking to his back. The man closed the distance between them. His gracefully lined face right in front of him. "Who are you, stranger?"

Shu narrowed his eyes, keeping his silence. There was something awfully wrong with this man. He clicked his tongue, running a slender fingertip across Shu's jaw. "I liked ones who keep their silence" He murmured, "But you will have to speak in order for you to find salvation, dear" He waited a beat, and gave out a long dramatic sigh in defeat. He pushed away from Shu and the latter was glad to see the uncomfortably close man taking a step back. "Bring him to my room" He ordered, turning to his head soldier. "I'd like to talk with him in private"

The man bowed, "As you wish, my lord"

He looked over his shoulder, his long dark purple locks falling across his left eye. When the man gave him a soft smile, Shu felt his skin crawling with a sensation of disgust. He turned around, walking out gracefully with such grace a man would have to try hard to acquire in the first place. Shu sucked in a deep breath, too stunned to even speak. He'd have to deal with this, but he didn't like the way all of this was going. He was escorted out of the dark, metallic room and when he stepped out to the main castle wing, it was heaven. The walls were blindingly white, the marbles glistening brightly in different shades reflecting the sun. Shu winced at the sudden exposure to the lights but he couldn't keep his eyes closed. Crimson orbs darted around, from the chandeliers to the architectural beauty of the place. This was the dark continent his uncle had talked about. Blindingly beautiful. An exquisite predator, that's what he said about this place. He soon stepped into a grand bedroom. Shu self-consciously looked down at his own battered clothes which contrasted with the grand whiteness inside the room. From the bedsheets to the mere rugs on the floor everything was white. And there he was, wearing midnight blue robes, starkly contrasting against the white backdrop. He dismissed the two soldiers who left closing the massive marble doors behind Shu. The albino's eyes were trained on the cabinet just beside the bed. On it was a one single piece of accessory. A gold ring with a ruby attached to it. His ring. His weapon. If he could get his hands on it, things would be a lot easier.

His voice was singsong as he bowed deeply as he said, "Welcome to my grand paradise." His dark eyes swept over his entire body. Shu found himself frozen to the floor, watching the man approach towards him. He bended down, aligning his face in front of Shu's own. "You don't have to look terrified, my little prey" He purred, touching a lock of white hair. "I just wanted to have some fun with that beautiful body of yours. Be my little toy and I'll offer the freedom you desire."

Shu stiffened, "Freedom?"

The smile he gave Shu in return was serene with a mix of menace. "When I'm done with you, you'd never want to leave this paradise of luxury and pleasure." He announced, throwing his hands open. "Freedom is here, right now, in this moment darling."

Shu took a step back, "I'm not following you" Of course he was, this man was a monster. Shu had figured it out already.

He turned, his hand resting on his own chest with a mellow expression taking over his features. "Ah, such naive youth" He cooed, "I love young lads like you. So young, so pure" He took a step forwards, tapping Shu's cheek. "And so beautiful. Tell me, why'd you cross those monstrous seas to come into a menacing paradise such as this?"

Shu hesitated. "I was forced" He said, starting to develop his own story. "I didn't have any choice. I was betrothed to one of the merchants who deals with outer lands and this was my first expedition after marriage." His sigh was melancholic, perfectly to the moment. "That's my reason to reach this dark paradise" Shu cautiously looked at the man wondering whether he'd believe such a story.

The man obviously liked the drama. "Ah, the tragedy. A force marriage and forced to leave your own land in the liking of another man." He took another step, cornering Shu into a wall. His leg sliding in between Shu's. He gulped, stiffening at the contact. If it was two years ago when he was vulnerable, Shu would've given up and cornered himself into his own hell. But he was different now. He had people to love and people to protect. He had a resolve and he was stronger than what he was before. "What do you say?" The man asked, his eyes filling with lust, his fingertips twitching on Shu's shoulders trying to touch, search and satisfy his hunger for worldly desires. "I'd show you something beautiful" He muttered against his ear, hands slipping around his waist. "I'd show you how to drink this delicious poison of lust and pleasure." Shu raked his brain for an answer when the man kept saying. "Making love is an art, princess. I'd teach you to enjoy life without suffering."

Shu lightly pushed him away, "If it's an art, we shouldn't hurry, shouldn't we?" He gestured at himself, "Look at me, your highness. I'm still filthy, with blood and battered clothes. Dirt under my fingertips. Isn't art the purest form of divine pleasure? Shouldn't we take our time with everything?"

The man looked startled by his sudden display of affection. After a while he regained his composure. "My my, I knew you had it in you. "Let's dance together across this constellation of mystery of man." He glided across the floor in a motion of dancing. "I'd teach you everything from the start, princess. Show you the painful path to salvation. "But first," he clapped as two servants entered the room. "Take this young man to the bath and provide him with clothes and a room to rest. He must be tired."

Shu bites the inside of his cheek, preventing himself from blurting out that he's the reason for this exhaustion in the first place. Instead he smiled, "I am at your care, your highness." Shu decided he should play along as long as he could and when he finally decides to cross the line, maybe he'd attack and go back to that cell. A plan was already forming inside his mind. He had to get information from this man for as long as he could. This was a risky game and there's no way he could take off his whole kingdom by himself but if he was able to buy time until the rest arrived, it was a win. Shu walked out of the room, unbound with the two servants.

Two can play the game. 

Damn. Idk what I wrote up there honestly :D 

Anywaysssss, since my exams are delayed and all I might just publish that other Shui book as well. And if you guys have any WakiShu recs please tell me. I need to tingle my WakiShu senses which have left me. Aaand aside that, thanks for all the support for this book! Love you guys!

10,000 words go brrr

im crazy wnfownfwofn ahhhhhhhhhhhhh