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Barren left the house in the dead of night. He had waited long after Tornado’s room had darkened to evade suspicion. He walked through the still night with silent steps as his cape covered his body. The hood fell over his face so that he could just see under the hem.

The leaders had agreed to meet at Amunet’s home that night. Durza’s statement was all that he could think about. The stakes had risen higher with her mission to the Light. He entered the home and walked into the meeting room at the back of the house.

“Barren!” the enthusiastic voice called. Amunet flung herself at Barren as she whined, “Why did you have to come last? I would have had much for fun waiting with you than these two.”

“How cruel, Amunet.” Gathee laughed.

“Can we get started already?” Fatchna growled, “This is a serious problem. We don’t have time to be fooling around.”

“Set up the barrier, Amunet.” Barren commanded and she fluttered away. When she reentered they sat on the large red couches to discuss. Amunet sat with Barren while Gathee and Fatchna sat across from them.

“We have very nearly realized the Dark Lord’s target,” Barren explained as Gathee’s eyes narrowed with concentration.

“Is it the Light Realm?” he asked his tone grave.

Fatchna nodded beside him. “Durza told us she was sent on a mission to map out the capital city.”

“What’s more their princess, Aero, has recently been relocated there,” Barren explained.

“We can only fear the worst at this point,” Gathee stated, “Aero is most likely his target.”

“What should we do? The boy hasn’t been told yet,” Amunet pointed out.

“Keep it that way. Telling the boy now would just add more stress to him,” Barren explained, “We don’t want to start this war until he is fully prepared. Mentally he would become unstable if he felt the princess was in danger.”

“Isn’t she, though?” Amunet asked. “We have to do something to protect her. Tomorrow we should approach Beast. There are many creature ethereal who would be willing to help.”

As the meeting of the Leaders continued Beast had begun his walk to the Dark Lord’s fortress. His muscles were already tense under his fur. His leathery wings were folded tightly against his back as he trudged through the street. He trotted up the steps inhaling deeply before he entered the lobby.

The guards were instantly alert as his silhouette appeared across the foyer. “State your business,” one of them called.

“I have to report to the Dark Lord,” he grumbled, “It is Beast."

“You may enter.”

Beast could hear the doors slowly close behind him. His heart raced as the familiar adrenaline of a trapped animal flowed through his body. The predator sat above him across the room. He was far away but Beast already felt weak. His feet moved him slowly forward as his instincts unconsciously slowed his movements. His body shook as he forced his muscles to move.

The Dark Lord smiled at the sight of the large beast. Even when he had not been commanded Beast’s body knew to do as the Dark Lord wished. His control was too great.

“Come, sit before me, Caolite.”

Beast’s body trotted across the room and sat before the steps of the throne. He looked up at the Dark Lord with his ears tucked back. His eyes were mixed with fear and determination.

“What do you have to tell me, Caolite?” he descended steps to sit eye to eye with the Beast, “Tell me what you have learned from your trip to the Light Realm.”

“I was able to enter the palace. The guards were only stationed at the wall. It was easy.”

The Dark Lord shook his head disappointed. “You know that isn’t what I wanted to hear. Tell me about the girl!”

Beast curled in on himself as the power of the binding affected his body. He lay against the floor whimpering from the pain.

“Speak, Caolite.” The Dark Lord loomed over him angrily. “It is useless to defy me.”

“The girl was not there,” his voice shook as he desperately tried to stop himself from continuing, “There was evidence of a girls’s presence. One of the rooms had the clothing of royals.”

“Is there any evidence of this girl being connected to Tornado?” His face twisted with an excited grin.

The Beast looked up fearfully. “Why-”

“Answer the question.”

The Beast’s mouth opened but he shut his eyes tight resisting the words to leave in any more than a squeak.

“Caolite!” he shouted angrily.

“Yes,” he answered painfully. He panted unable to move from where he lay on the ground. “She is the girl.”

“Good boy.” The Dark Lord patted the defeated beast on the head. Beast didn’t have any strength to recoil from the hated hand. He could only repeat the thoughts in his mind.

I’m sorry Tornado. I have betrayed you and put the Princess in danger. Forgive me. There is no way for me to resist this man’s power. This man . . . this heartless man . . . this hateful man . . . defeat him.

The next morning Barren waited outside of the creature ethereal compound. The sentries recognized him and sent for escorts to lead him to Beast. A heavy weigh seemed to weigh over the ethereal in the compound. The escorts left after their duty was complete. Beast walked out of his den facing the ground.

“Bea-”

“Don’t talk to me,” Beast told him, “I’m still angry with you.”

The code. Barren knelt down hurriedly clearing a space in the dirt. He pulled his dagger from his belt and etched a note.

Beast waited until Barren stepped away from the message to look at what was written. As he walked Barren could see the trembling of his muscles under his fur. Beast sat as he read still physically exhausted from the affects of his binding. His ears bent back as he replied. A low painful whimper sounded in his voice.
“He knows. He knows that she is the princess. There was nothing I could do. I tried to keep her hidden, I tried everything in my power, I swear.”

Barren walked over and placed a hand on Beast’s large brow.

“I’ve failed you Barren,” he whimpered, “I’ve failed everyone and put Aero in danger. Tornado will never forgive me. I will never forgive myself!”

Barren wrote with his dagger once more:

I will not tell Tornado what has happened. He has too much to deal with at the moment. Aero’s connection to Tornado may keep her safe for the time being. I don’t believe the Dark Lord will inflict harm on the girl. Let us lay low for the moment and depend on his sense of humanity.

“You have always been too trustful, my friend.” Beast’s voice was strained. “What if he goes after her. How will we live with ourselves.”

Barren didn’t answer.

“I will follow what you think is right. The Dark Lord may well be planning to use Aero and Tornado’s connection but I don’t trust his sense of humanity. I have never met someone more heartless in my life.

Barren began writing before he was finished speaking:

If he can’t be trusted then we have to find a way to keep an eye on her. Do you have anyone who you can send who would be unnoticed by the Dark Lord?

“There isn’t anyone who he would never notice if he was nearby, but I’ll see what I can do. For now you should leave. I’ve reached the limit of my strength.” Beast turned and walked back to his den.

Barren left knowing that their conversation was over. He passed through the streets calmly but his mind was ill at ease. Anger, fear, and frustration whirred through his thoughts. When the door was safely closed behind him he ran up the steps to the kitchen bursting through the upper door. He didn’t stop until he reached the kitchen table. He held himself up with his hands that slowly balled into fists as the door rebounded off the wall.

“Barren?” Tornado stood in the door of his room startled by the noise. “Did something happen?”

“Nothing you need to worry about right now,” he spoke without looking up from the table hoping his voice wouldn’t betray him, “Shouldn’t you be at practice?”

“I was about to leave.” Tornado wasn’t sure what to make of Barren’s behavior. Even though his voice was normal Tornado could tell something was off. “Is it something involving the rebels?”

“It’s confidential,” he answered quietly. “Now go. You’ll be late.”

Once Barren heard the sound of the lower door shut he slumped into his chair holding his head in his hands.

Get a hold of yourself! You can’t go loosing it now. Concentrate. Everyone is relying on you to stay calm. If you keep faltering like this everyone will loose their focus. This has to stay hidden for Tornado’s sake. Beast will make sure she is protected. I just have to trust him.

He released a shuddered breath but held his calm. “Everything will be fine.”

Tornado hadn’t expected to hear much from where he hid in the stairwell but he still felt disappointed. If something was bad enough to bring that much of a reaction in Barren he wanted to know about it. After listening to the silence for a few more seconds he vanished into the darkness reappearing in the forest of the training grounds to join in with a few other stragglers.

When he reached the Kiva group the soldiers were all gathered around the master. “It’s never too early to start preparing for the Rank Testing. They are taking place midsummer as always. Be sure to put your best foot forward for the Dark Lord will be attending this year. Now we will split up and do some mock fights. I want you to face up with someone you wouldn’t ordinarily practice with.”

“Yes, sir,” the soldiers replied with little enthusiasm as they separated from their usual groups.

When practice was over the unit began the walk to the clearing. The land was still muddy in the low areas but dry enough to practice on.

“Rank testing time again,” Durza mused as she walked, “I almost miss it.”

Umbro caught her in a headlock and ruffled her hair. “Rub it in why don’t you, Miss Suul.”

She laughed trying to grab his hand to stop him. “You’ll just have to work harder to catch up.”

“I think I’ll get to move up this year,” Charizo exclaimed to the others, “I’ve gotten a lot stronger this year because of all of your help.”

“Good boy,” Ember smiled patting him on the head, “You’ll have to keep working hard to catch up, too. I'm definitely going to move up this year just you watch."

"We'll see," Pye smiled mischievously, "Hopefully this year there'll be enough spots for both of us."

“Oh, yeah. You’ll all be moving up, too. I’ll still be behind,” he spoke sadly at the realization.

“Not necessarily,” Tornado told him, “We still have to pass the test.”

“You’re all a lot stronger than most of those Kivas, especially you Tornado,” Charizo argued.

“Yeah, but the Dark Lord is going to be there. I don’t want to stand out,” he countered.

“I agree,” Umbro added, “I think it would be best for you to spend another year in Kiva. I’ll do my best to move on to Detumi. If we’re separated there will be less suspicion.”

“Wait a minute,” Durza intervened freeing herself from under Umbro’s arm. “You’re forgetting about someone, Tornado. If you don’t move up then the Dark Lord won’t let you see Aero!”

Tornado looked down. “I’ve already thought of that, but even so. I think it would be better this way. The Dark Lord is already curious enough as it is. If he finds out she’s living in the Light Realm now-” his voice trailed off leaving everyone to assume the worst.

Durza shook off the thoughts. “But-” Umbro put his hand out before Durza to silence her but she batted it away. “What about how Aero feels? Have you thought about it from her side? She won’t know what has happened to you.”

“I know.” He turned to her with a pained expression. “I’ve already thought this through. For her safety and the Rebel Army’s protection this is the right thing to do.”