“WHAT?!” Zhang Cheng roared.

Joonmyun ducked away, cowering against the wall. “Yi…Yixing… He’s… He’s gone after… after them,” he stuttered, watching with bated breath as Zhang Cheng’s face contorted in anguish. Fingers clenched tightly onto Joonmyun's shoulder, so hard that he could feel nails biting into skin and then he was being hauled down the hallway, the healer’s voice hoarse with emotion as he called out desperately for the king.

Zhang Cheng's wife who had overheard everything was standing by the door, face in her hands as she struggled to contain her tears.

Joonmyun could only pray desperately that they would not be too late as he swung astride the horse that had been brought for him.

 

-

 

Yifan wiggled his fingers and toes, checking for broken bones before slowly pushing himself to sit up. From his position, he could see a woman’s long robes sweep the forest floor as she approached Yixing’s horse. His heart nearly stopped when he spotted his brother lying on his side, unconscious only a few metres away from Yixing.

The forest had fallen into an eerie silence the moment Raven arrived. She took no notice of the prince lying only a few paces from her, having eyes only for the beautiful being she had been waiting for.

Yixing looked at her warily as she approached him, pale hand outstretched. The pain from the arrow had outweighed the need to keep the sorceress from touching him and he remained still even as Raven’s cold hand brushed across his cheek.

“Look at you,” she breathed in slight awe, basking in the beauty of the young man. The resemblance to her son was uncanny and it filled her with such satisfaction that he had grown up so well.

Yixing flinched when her hand moved from his cheek to his sensitive neck. Her hand was so cold and he was seeing black spots dancing in front of his eyes.

Yifan struggled to his feet, resting a hand on Antares’ shoulder to keep himself upright. Cold fear trickled through him at the sight of the sorceress so close to his love. “Don’t touch him.”

Raven’s eyes him and she smirked at the sight of the prince leaning heavily against his horse. “Well, well, well. This is such an honour, Your Highness,” she purred, the thrall she had been in breaking as her fingers tightened around Yixing’s neck.

“Get away from him.” Yifan’s eyes flickered to his best friend, who looked appropriately terrified as the sorceress rested her other hand across his wrist.

Raven leered and with a sharp pull, she yanked the advisor from his horse.

Yixing cried out in pain and stumbled, forced to lean against the sorceress for support when the pain from his wound caused black spots to cloud his vision.

“Yixing!” Yifan started forward, furious.

“Uh, uh, uh. One more step and he’s gone,” Raven warned, a dagger made of crystal materializing in her hand. Yixing’s eyes flashed with fear when the weapon was laid upon his neck. Yifan froze, eyes flickering to look at Yixing. “I thought you should have known, little prince. Your brother’s curse is broken and it’s all his fault.” Raven’s lips curled into a smirk and she pulled Yixing closer.

“What are you talking about?” The prince had a hand on the hilt of his dagger, eyes slanting towards the sorceress.

Raven’s hand tightened around the advisor’s neck and she smirked. “Oh, I’m sure little Yixing would tell you.”

Yifan sent his best friend a questioning glance, who looked up at him with frightened eyes.

“The…the curse.” Yixing stuttered, terrified to the core. “I figured out the last sentence.” He breathed, more strongly. The prince cocked his head, encouraging him to continue. “In his impending doom, a kin’s love his only boon.” The advisor recited, watching as his best friend’s eyes widened in horror.

“No!” Yifan could not believe it. He drew his dagger, fury exploding through him. He would not allow this blasted sorceress to take his best friend away. He lunged forward, much to Yixing’s dismay, dagger in hand, determined to protect his love. Raven laughed cruelly and flicked her wrist, easily sending the prince flying backwards across the clearing.

Yifan gasped in pain when his back struck the ground violently for the second time that day and everything around him spun. His dagger had fallen from his hand, quite a distance away and the only weapon he had left was the quiver of arrows still slung on his back.

Yixing cried out, struggling to free himself from the sorceress’s arms to get to Yifan but a coil of black smoke s around him, pinning his arms to his sides. He writhed as the smoke tightened, pulling him to Raven’s side. “Let me go!” he yelled, snatching Raven’s attention away from the prince.

The sorceress’s eyes darkened and she grabbed the man by his shoulder, dragging him even closer to her. “You need to respect your mother,” she hissed into his face and Yixing flinched away, further igniting her anger.

“No.” Yifan breathed as he struggled to his feet once more, dizziness overcoming him. He took a step and his knees buckled before he collapsed onto his knees.

Raven paid him no mind, opening to chant a string of incantations as the advisor fought to free himself from her magic. All heads turned when a series of hoof beats sounded against the forest floor, moving closer and closer towards them.

“Blast it.” The sorceress snarled before yanking Yixing close to her. Scorpio reared, kicking out his front legs as he spun, teeth clamping down upon his rider’s sleeve, his senses kicking in when he realised before the prince did, what the sorceress intended to do. Raven sneered at the horse and lashed out with her hand, a tendril of smoke exploding across the white horse’s shoulder, causing the poor creature to scream and leap away in agony, the fabric of the advisor’s shirt tearing in the process.

“No!” Yifan screamed when Yixing’s terrified eyes met his and he heard his best friend cry out his name before the sorceress dissolved into smoke, taking Yixing with her.

“Yifan!”

“No, no, no!” The prince howled, staggering to his feet just as three horses burst into the clearing, sweating and panting.

“Yifan!” Yi Chen flung himself off his horse.

Yifan turned to him, fists clenched in fury. “She took him. She took him!” he cried, body trembling violently as his father enveloped him in his strong arms. He pressed his head against his father’s chest and wept openly, angry and scared that he had allowed his best friend to be taken from him by the kingdom’s most dangerous and powerful sorceress.

“Yifan.” The king held his son close to him, feeling terribly selfish that his son, no, both his sons were safe.

Zhang Cheng was standing by Yixing’s white horse, eyes wide in disbelief. “Where is my son?” he demanded, turning to the prince, his fists clenching involuntarily. Yifan could not meet his eyes, hiding his face into his father’s chest. The healer felt a heavy weight settle in his chest, his hands starting to tremble at the unspoken words. “Where is Yixing?” He breathed, terror closing his throat at the terrible thought that gripped him.

Joonmyun bit his lip, eyes tracing across Yixing’s beloved horse in the hope of finding any clues. His breath hitched at the sight of black symbols that still had smoke curling from them, that had been branded onto the horse’s snow coloured coat. Scorpio was trembling and sweating, breath huffing out harshly in loud pants as he eyed Joonmyun warily. “Doctor Zhang.” The lord exhaled, lifting a hand to rest on the horse’s shoulder. The creature side stepped, flinching when the lord’s hand came close to the marks.

Zhang Cheng turned and bile rose up in his throat at the sight of the ugly blackened symbols cruelly carved into Scorpio’s skin. “Oh my god.” He lifted his hands to cover his mouth and for a moment, Joonmyun actually thought he was about to throw up. “Easy boy, easy.” Joonmyun reached for the bridle of the horse as the healer approached the creature. Scorpio tossed his head, huffing, baulking and sidestepping when Zhang Cheng reached out a hand towards him.

“Woah. Hush now.” A new voice echoed from behind the horse and Scorpio calmed, panic quickly fading from his eyes.  Joonmyun took the chance to grab the strap of his bridle to hold him still as Zhang Cheng peeked over the horse to see a golden haired young man standing on the other side, hand smoothing over the horse’s shoulder and whispering calming words to the creature. The man was , body covered in a soft sheen of sweat as he petted the horse. There was no question who he was with the startling resemblance he had to Yifan.

“Luhan.” The healer whispered dully, and the prince bowed to him, looking every bit as regal a prince should be, even . Joonmyun shrugged off the cloak draped around his shoulders and held it out for the prince.

Luhan took it from him with a quiet thanks, shielding his body from the elements. “Raven took him.”

The moment the words were out in the open, Zhang Cheng felt his world fragment. When Joonmyun had come clean earlier, tearfully recounting everything that Yixing had told him about the curse, he had barely been able to believe what he had been hearing. The fact that his son had known exactly what would happen and still went ahead with his plan, broke his heart. “No.” His breath caught in his throat and a sob tore out of him. “NO!” he cried, knees buckling forward as he buried his face into his hands.

 

-

 

“Ah!” Yixing gasped, when the black smoke cleared and a hard pressure against his back sent him sprawling onto the stone floor. He lay there for a minute, panting as he tried to catch his breath. The pain in his chest was excruciating as he struggled to sit up, the cold from the black stones seeping into his bones.

“Where…” He started, looking around him for any landmarks or indication of where he was. There was barely any light, the only source of brightness streaming in from a tiny window across the circular room. A four poster bed took up most of the space, the bed frame made of dark oak and covered with black velvet sheets.

From where he was sitting, the advisor could see no doors or any indication of how he had gotten into the room. Cold fear rushed through him as he dragged himself to his feet painfully, using the bed frame to haul himself up. “Raven?” He called warily, one hand pressed to his wound as he stood in the middle of the circular room. There was no answer.

Wincing in pain as he managed to move to one wall, fingers curled around the bed frame to guide him, Yixing pressed himself against the cold wall, feeling for any drafts that could indicate cracks or loose stones but there were none, the stone unyielding beneath his fingertips.

The advisor wobbled over to the window and looked out, despair gracing his features when he realized that he recognized nothing outside. There were tall black iron gates topped with barbs on the ends and a courtyard with a fountain that was past its prime with mold and blackish green algae draped along the edges.

Pain from his wound made his knees weak and he sank onto the floor, eyes fluttering close as his breathing went shallow. The room was freezing cold even as he dragged his cloak tighter around him, the blue velvet cloak that Yifan had given to him. The advisor heard a soft puff of smoke and kept his eyes squeezed shut when he heard fabric swishing softly across the floor towards him.

A cold hand brushed across his cheek and he flinched, cowering away against the wall. “You are so beautiful,” Raven whispered, smoothing fingers into the advisor’s hair as he turned away from her, trying not to react to her touches.

“What do you want from me?” he whispered, petrified as the sorceress caressed his cheek. Raven smirked and bent her head, dark hair brushing across Yixing’s pale face before pressing a kiss onto his forehead tenderly. “I want you to stay with me of course. My son,” she purred and Yixing’s eyes rolled back, the room going black around him.

 

-

 

The air in the room was solemn as Joonmyun carefully untied the twine around the scroll that contained Yixing's last words to his father. The pain that had dulled somewhat tore through him anew when the parchment unrolled to reveal Yixing's neat scrawl in crisp black ink.

Yifan was staring silently out of the window, eyes glazed with unshed tears. Luhan was dressed in simple cotton clothes that Shinwoo had brought with him when he had left Castle Adfeilion, much preferring the materiel over the scratchy embroidered clothes that the palace had, fretting nervously as he awaited the servants to call him out to the throne room where the regents were explaining the situation to the court.

Raven’s weakness. It's something physical. No one in the world can contain that much power in one body. Find it and come for me. Luhan will find me.

Joonmyun sat bolt upright, the parchment crinkling loudly in his hands attracting the attention of both the princes.

“What is it?” Luhan asked curiously.

“Yixing.” Joonmyun read the words aloud, watching as Luhan’s eyes widened and Yifan turned his head to look at them.

“You know where he is?” The words were slowly and clearly enunciated as Yifan gazed at his brother.

Luhan shook his head violently, hands grasping at the silk sheets that covered the bed uselessly. “She was the one who found me that one time. I… I don’t think I could retrace my steps if I wanted to.”

Just then, a servant poked her head in, gesturing for the prince to leave the confines of the room. Luhan’s hands fluttered nervously as he got off the bed, tugging at the hem of his shirt incessantly as he followed the servant out.

“We’ll find him, Yifan,” Joonmyun murmured as Yifan’s blank gaze shifted back to the window.

 

-

 

“How can he be suited for the throne when he has been raised in the moors outside of human company?!” Re Shi, a lord in the king’s court yelled out from his place, shooting daggers from his eyes at the young prince that stood before them in simple cotton clothing so unlike his. Luhan flinched, feeling his father’s hand land heavily on his shoulder.

The king’s eyes were dark with anger as he gazed upon his court, all in chaos as they protested against the king’s decision in making his first born the heir. “Yes, how will he be able to rule over our people when all he knows is the forest and what predators to run from?” Another lord sneered.

Yi Chen’s fingers tightened. “He will be tutored and groomed into a ruler. He will make a fine king. My man tells me that he is bright and intelligent.”

Duke Junseo stepped in, seeing the dark cloud over the king’s face. “Then why has he been hidden from us? Why deceive us in the first place!”

Luhan shrank back, his father’s arms moving around his shoulders to shield him. “Would you have preferred I left him here?! As a beacon for the sorceress who cursed him in the first place? Would all of you have stood up to fight against one of the most powerful sorceress that has threatened our existence throughout history?!” Yi Chen bit out, curling his arms protectively over his son. All throughout the years, his love for his first born had never shifted and now that he held his son in his arms again, he was not willing to allow the people of his court to deface him in such a manner.

“Where is your advisor, milord? Surely he would advise against such drastic actions.” Yi Chen exchanged looks with his queen nervously and refused to answer. Zhang Cheng was currently in his chambers with his wife, searching desperately for a way to bring their son back.

 

-

 

Yifan slammed the book vehemently onto the table. “Useless! All of this!” he snarled.

Joonmyun exchanged glances with Luhan worriedly. The prince had stopped being himself, throwing himself into the archives of the library in search for anything that may help them pinpoint Raven’s weakness and his fiery temper flared often and too easily. Zitao and the other guards all loathed to approach him when he was like that, leaving Joonmyun and his brother to deal with his breakdowns.

“Perhaps the old history books give us much more help. Did my ancestors not defeat Raven before?” Luhan asked gently, as Yifan stalked out of the library, heading towards the stables as he had often done to spend time with Yixing’s horse, Scorpio, whose body was still lined with the black scars that Raven had branded him with for his bravery.

“The history books do not state her weakness. They only glorify the battle and Raven was never truly defeated, only terribly weakened,” Joonmyun answered, shutting his own book with a sigh. It was late at night and he was exhausted. He glanced across the table at Yifan’s notebook, which had been left open at a blank page. A piece of parchment much longer than the book laid across its pages, filled with spidery writing that looked nothing like Yifan’s.

Joonmyun frowned and leaned across the table, reaching for the paper. The parchment was much thinner than the paper they used and was old and slightly torn around the edges. The signature at the bottom of the page said: Zhang Wulian.

 

Zhang Wulian.

 

Joonmyun’s mind flashed. The man who had caused the uprising had not been a Wu. Perhaps they had been looking in the wrong places the whole time. He shoved his chair back, the wood scraping harshly across the paneling and Luhan winced. “I’m going to find Yixing’s father,” he said before running out of the library.

 

-

 

Zhang Cheng flicked the page of the old history book over, mind whirling as he thought. He refused to lose his only son to a sorceress that his own ancestors had beaten in the past. The book fell open, revealing an old faded drawing, with text scribbled in tiny lettering next to it. The drawing was of a crystal, carefully painted a purple that would have been vivid had the book been new but the colours had faded with age.

He stared at the crystal, eyes flicking towards the spidery handwriting in the corner of the picture. The crystal was sharp and wrapped in what looked like leather cord. The writer had described an almost eerie glow that the stone seemed to emit and right below that text, was the words: Once destroyed, the sorceress loses all power and may even cease to exist.

The healer’s eyes widened and his heart started to race, searching through the page for any more clues as to where the sorceress’ castle may be hidden. His eyes caught onto black bold lettering, runes drawn in black ink that looked similar to the scars his son’s horse now carried. There were tiny words written beneath the runes but they were so faded that all he could read were: May, find Rav, castle. Made of obsidian. Ravens, but they were all that he needed to know.

Zhang Cheng leapt to his feet, hope rippling through his heart. He snatched up a quill that had black ink crusted onto its nib and stuck it between the pages of the book before snapping the book shut. His fingers had just curled around the door handle when the door was forcefully thrown open and Joonmyun stood before him, face red and sweaty, panting heavily.

“Family…history…” The lord breathed, doubling over to clutch at his stomach. Zhang Cheng stared and wordlessly open the book in his hands, displaying the painting and the runes to the young man. Joonmyun’s eyes lit up and he cried out in relief and delight. They had done it. Yixing could be saved.

 

-

 

Yixing’s eyes fluttered open and he sat up, the black silk sheet that had been covering his chest sliding down to pool on the bed. His eyes dimmed when he realized that he was still in the same room he had been in ever since he had arrived. The pain in his chest had faded and when he looked down, he was startled to find that he had been changed into a white outfit that was similar to the one Yifan adored him in.

There was a tightness around his chest that he quickly realized was a bandage as he slid off the bed, grimacing when his bare feet came into contact with the freezing cold stone floor. The cold nearly took his breath away as he padded over to the window to look out hopefully.

A puff of smoke coming from the other side of the room startled him and he whirled around, hand reaching instinctively for his dagger. He was dismayed to find that his weapon was missing as the sorceress approached him, carrying a silver tray lined with food.

“It’s time for breakfast darling.” Yixing cringed at the sickly sweet voice that assaulted his ears and backed away when the sorceress the tray towards him. “You must eat.” Raven’s tone dropped and she was getting annoyed as Yixing refused to speak or accept the tray.

The advisor shook his head wordlessly and bit his lip nervously when he saw the look in Raven’s eyes darken. “You will eat.” The sorceress shoved the tray towards the young man and he jerked backwards, causing the tray to clatter onto the floor, soup pooling into the cracks between the stone.

“Leave me alone!” Yixing cried out, his voice cracking in fear when the sorceress’s eyes narrowed and she lunged for him. The advisor danced out of reach from Raven’s outstretched fingers, only stopping when the pain in his chest flared up. “Obey your mother!” He stumbled when slim cold fingers grasped at his shirt, dragging him back towards the woman.

“You are not my mother!” He gasped, yanking his shirt out of her grip and yelled in pain when a blast of purple light struck across his face, sending him onto the ground, a fresh burn across his white cheek.

The advisor’s hand trembled as he raised it to cover his cheek in shock and pain. Raven’s thin fingers curled around the collar of his shirt, dragging him up to his feet. Yixing’s breath hitched in fear when the sorceress’s eyes glowed violet and an invisible band wrapped around his throat, his hands going up in terror as the air seemed to be out of his lungs. He gagged, choking as the collar tightened.

“You will eat.” Raven said coldly, flicking her wrist. The soup spilled across the floor reversed its course, refilling the bowl on its own. Yixing’s knees buckled when the collar pulled him forward, his lungs fighting for air. He collapsed onto his knees, hands scrabbling forward as his vision blurred.

The soup splashed around in the bowl when he grabbed it roughly, draining the liquid as quickly as he could. Gasping and spluttering as the soup made its way past his throat, he looked up at the sorceress with desperate eyes and the collar loosened slightly, enough for him to breathe.

“You will obey your mother or be punished.” Raven rested a hand upon the advisor’s burned cheek and the red scarred skin faded back to white. Yixing kept his eyes on the floor as the sorceress vaporized into smoke, leaving him alone in the room once more.

 

-

 

Yifan’s brows furrowed as he brought his sword down upon the briars, the sharpened blade slicing a gaping hole through the plants. Yixing would be in anguish, chastising him that the plants had done him no wrong but Yixing was not here. The thought filled him with fury and he swung his sword again, sending another vine of thorns crashing to the ground. Yixing was on the other side of this monster and he would cut down anything and anyone that dared to stand in his way of his lover.

His brother was at his side, slicing the briars with more precision and thought along with Joonmyun. The guards they had brought with them were helping as well but Yifan barely noticed them, the edges of his vision glowing red as the last image he had of his best friend filled his mind. He remembered the terror written all over Yixing’s face and the helplessness he had felt as he swung his sword one last time, the last briar bush crashing into the ground inches away from his friends.

They stood together in the hole they had created in the monstrous bush, staring in awe and fear at the blackened courtyard and massive stone castle before them. The ravens circled above them, possibly alerting the sorceress of their presence but Yifan felt no fear. He stepped forward first, amber eyes glowing with hatred, moving across the courtyard to the heavy dark oak doors.

Without knocking, he dragged the doors apart, the wood squeaking loudly as it scraped against the stone. Joonmyun caught the prince’s arm before they could step in, pulling him away. “Yifan,” he said, suppressing a shudder when his friend’s fiery eyes settled on him. “Please don’t do anything stupid.”

The look in the prince’s eyes darkened and he turned around violently, pulling his arm out of the lord’s grasp. “Let’s go.” His tone was cold and his brother moved to his shoulder, murmuring gentle words that the others could not hear. They seemed to have no effect on the prince, his shoulders still tense with anger and worry.

Joonmyun bit his lip worriedly. Yifan had not been the same since Yixing had been taken, and in the days leading up to this expedition he had thrown himself into training, hatred and love fueling him. Now that they were here, Joonmyun feared that he may throw their carefully laid plans awry with one wrong, passionate move.

“We should split up,” Yifan said, his voice echoing through the eerily empty halls.

“We agreed that we would stay together.” Zitao interjected, eyes steely and hard. The prince’s eyes narrowed. “It would be faster.”

Luhan kept his hand on his brother’s arm, shooting him a look. “We will stick together,” he said firmly. Yifan made a disgusted sound and turned away, muttering furious words under his breath. Luhan’s face creased in concern but he said nothing more, following his brother closely as they travelled through the dark unknown castle.

Luhan’s heart was beating erratically in his chest as he kept a close eye on his brother. He knew it was a terrible idea to defy their father and leave the palace in search of Yixing but Yi Chen had wanted to organize the army together and wait for Junseo to send word for his men to join them. He agreed with Yifan that that would have taken too long and with Yixing’s life hanging in the balance, he organized this rescue mission with Joonmyun who surprisingly had been supportive of the entire mission.

He pictured the sorceress once more in his head, memorizing the exact position of her crystal so as to make things easier. Beside him, Yifan was growing restless as the castle seemed to get darker.

Suddenly, a high pitched scream pierced through the silence, all six men’s hands flying to the hilt of their swords at once. Yifan was trembling in fury as he recognized the voice.

 

Yixing.

 

The windows high above them shattered into pieces and ravens swarmed into the castle, squawking and cawing frantically. The oil lamps that the party had brought with them extinguished, leaving them in pitch blackness. Everyone in the party held their breaths as black smoke started to fill the room, congealing into the shape of a woman and a young man.

“Yixing!” Yifan could not control his despair when he saw his best friend. Yixing’s shirt was torn in several places and there were scratches on his face, startlingly red against his too pale skin. He was on his knees next to the sorceress, limbs restrained by invisible chains. Yixing’s lips parted when he saw the prince, as if to speak but no words passed his mouth.

“Look who dared to show up here.” Raven sneered, lifting a hand towards Yixing. The advisor bit back the whimper that threatened to spill out as the collar around his neck tightened. 

 

Yixing.

 

The windows high above them shattered into pieces and ravens swarmed into the castle, squawking and cawing frantically. The oil lamps that the party had brought with them extinguished, leaving them in pitch blackness. Everyone in the party held their breaths as black smoke started to fill the room, congealing into the shape of a woman and a young man.

 

“Yixing!” Yifan could not control his despair when he saw his best friend. Yixing’s shirt was torn in several places and there were scratches on his face, startlingly red against his too pale skin. He was on his knees next to the sorceress, limbs restrained by invisible chains. Yixing’s lips parted when he saw the prince, as if to speak but no words passed his mouth.

 

“Look who dared to show up here.” Raven sneered, lifting a hand towards Yixing. The advisor bit back the whimper that threatened to spill out as the collar around his neck tightened.

 

“Let him go.” Yifan’s eyes were cold as he surveyed the sorceress. The scrape of metal against leather was heard as the guards drew their swords, ready to defend the two princes from any harm.

The sorceress rolled her eyes and flicked her wrist almost lazily, to send the weapons flying to the floor but to her surprise, the guards only moved closer, her magic having no effect on them. Her eyes brightened at the thought of a proper fight and with another flick of her wrist, Yixing was relegated to a corner of the hallway away from them. Raven drew her crystal dagger as the men surrounded her, Yifan’s face a grim mask of fury. “Don’t you feel useless, little prince? Allowing me to take your precious friend away so easily?” the sorceress mocked.

Yifan’s face hardened. He lunged forward and Raven danced out of his sword range easily.

Yixing fought against his restraints helplessly as he watched Raven fling a bolt of magic carelessly in Yifan’s direction, slicing a gash in his pant leg as he stepped away. He watched with terror in his heart as Luhan tried to attack the sorceress from behind, his brother keeping her distracted. His sword caught onto her sleeve and the fabric tore, the ripping sound echoing in the dark hall.

Raven spun around, eyes flashing and Luhan found the ground beneath him vanishing, wind slammed out of his lungs and pain exploding up his spine when he crashed hard into the black wall with a sickening thud. “Royals always fight dirty.” The sorceress snarled, flicking her wrist and Sehun cried out when he flew backwards, his shoulder cracking hard against the wall. Jongin ducked away, running towards his fallen comrade and the prince.

Raven flung a magic bolt at his retreating back and lunged towards Joonmyun who was coming towards her at an angle. Jongin’s legs folded beneath him as he shrieked in anguish at the pain that shot up his spine. Yixing screamed when he heard a sickening crack and saw the lord’s face contort in agony as the magic shattered through his body, breaking his ribs.

“Joonmyun!” Yifan parried away the magic bolt coming towards him and ran to his friend’s side, leaving the guards to deal with the sorceress. Zitao ducked when a purple ball of fire flew at him, sizzling with intent. He dived for the sorceress’s waist, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Raven shrieked as the guard dragged her onto the ground, even as her magic burned through his gauntlets and clothing. Zitao howled when purple light blinded his eyes, hands releasing the woman quickly to shield his eyes from the searing light. Yixing dragged himself to his feet, the magical bonds having released due to Raven’s inattention.

He curled a hand around the sorceress’s hair, yanking her back before she could reach the prince who was rising to his feet, face dark with anger. The sorceress snarled in fury, reaching behind her to close her fingers around the advisor’s throat. With a hard yank, Yixing found himself knocked to the ground, all the air snatched from him. His hands jerked and he gasped when Raven knelt, pressing a knee to his chest, crystal dagger glinting cruelly.

“How dare you attack your mother!” The sorceress’s lips were twisted unnaturally.

Yixing’s hands closed around her thigh, trying to push her off. His eyes were focused on the terrifyingly sharp point of the dagger as it moved closer towards him. The look in Raven’s eyes was murderous as she brought the knife point down hard towards him. The advisor’s eyes squeezed shut as he twisted away from the knife as hard as he could, the pain flaring white hot throughout his body as the knife drove into his left side, a scream tearing past his lips as he shoved the sorceress off of him.

Yifan had come up right behind her, an arm locking around as he reached for the crystal hanging around her neck. He knew he was doing the right thing when he saw her eyes widen. His knife sliced through the leather cord and the crystal fell into his bare hand, glowing eerily.

“Destroy it Yifan!” Yixing cried out as the magic from the crystal curled into the prince upon contact with his bare skin, the young man staggering back from the force of it. It made his mind go blank and his best friend’s screams were becoming hazy as the magic took over him.

“Yifan! Yifan!” Yixing howled, dragging himself to his feet painfully when he saw the prince’s arm loosen, the sorceress in his arms taking advantage of his weakness to free herself, dagger moving swiftly towards the prince’s chest. He cursed himself in his mind as he struggled towards his best friend, the wound in his side slowing him down.

 

Twang!

 

A scream echoed through the halls and Yixing’s head jerked up to see a shaken Jongin with a bow in his hands, having made certain that both Sehun and Luhan were alright. His trembling hands raised the bow, ready for another arrow but the sorceress, though wounded, was faster. A purple bolt caused the weapon to explode, sending sharp little shards of wood imbedding into the guard’s flesh. Another flash of purple light and Jongin was curled over on the ground, eyes squeezed shut in agony.

Raven pulled the bloody arrow out of her chest slowly, watching with grim satisfaction as red dripped from its tip. “Fool!” She reached for the prince who stood in front of her, his weapon on the ground as he gazed at the crystal in his hand.

“Yifan!” Yixing was desperate now, as his legs gave out from beneath him and he crumpled to the ground, sobs tearing out of his chest as he watched the sorceress bring the knife down hard, eyes squeezing shut.

“Blast it!” She had forgotten about Zitao. The guard yanked the prince backwards just in time, the knife barely missing him as it sliced through his shirt. Yixing felt hope rekindle in his chest and yelled.

“Get the crystal away from him and destroy it!” Zitao barely had time to yell when the sorceress was upon him, intent on preventing him from touching her precious pendant.

Yixing seized his chance and dragged himself once more to his feet. Ignoring the agonizing pain that was flaring across his body, he snatched up Yifan’s fallen dagger and stabbed Raven hard in her back, wrenching away when she howled and reached back, her knife clattering to the ground.

He kicked the crystal away from Yifan’s hand, not stopping to see the cloud lift from his best friend’s eyes and flung himself upon the offending object, fury and pain racing through his body as he drove the knife straight through the crystal.

 

Crack!

 

Raven was upon him in an instant, even as her power dissolved away from her as the crystal lay shattered on the floor. She was howling and screaming at him, but all the advisor could see was the glittering shards of broken crystal and a sense of relief. As the sorceress bore down on him, her body dissolving into centuries old dust, the world spun and went black…