He had not realized how dependent he would be on the soldiers. The more that were killed, the quicker his energy was sapped from him.

It will not end this way—he had worked too hard to become corporal for it to be a disaster.

The three children were no longer huddling together in the corner, frightened and whimpering for their master. They had begun to race at the bars, kicking and shoving the metal until finally it looked dented and bent in some areas. The roundest one started to yank while the other two aimed more kicks. Soon, they would be out of the cage, and one of his only bartering coins gone. But no matter…he still had the Boogeyman as a last resort…

And as he thought it, a smile crept onto his twisted face. Yes, he did have that one thing left, and the Nightmare King’s loyalty to his friends would prompt a rescue. That is, if he had survived that most fatal stabbing by his lieutenant followed by the fall. Darkness did many things to good souls, and the king’s soul shone pure. No matter the outcome, he would bare a tainted mark on him for the rest of his days. One day, it might even…overwhelm him. He let out a giddy laugh; oh, what he would pay to see this beloved king wreak havoc on his own people!

Yunho would rather die than betray his people.

“Quiet, you!” he hissed, and the prisoners looked over, startled.

You severely underestimate my king. The love he holds for his people cannot be cut down by any foe or beast. You can’t win. You will fade away, and the realm will be as it once was.

“And pray tell how exactly he would manage this with a darkened soul,” he said in Pitch Black’s voice, his own too weak to continue using.

Darkness is strong. But there is deeper and greater magic at work here, the likes of which you can’t fathom because you are only darkness. Yi Xiang’s voice trailed off, and the impostor thought it was gone forever, but no. It came back a minute later, even stronger than before. Why do you think we creatures slowly dwindle away into nothing? The world changes so rapidly…it is hard to keep up. Humans rule the lands now. And they are not as pure as freshly fallen snow. They hold darkness inside each of them, something that can spring out at any moment.

“No,” he moaned, covering his ears. Surely that would work. Anything to silence him—

They love, they hate, but they live. They let one side balance out the other, and those that cannot balance bear the consequences. Humans have learned to keep their goodness with their worse traits, and they have evolved into something so great, the rulers and the powerful ones of the realms have followed suit and taken their form. You cannot win, shadow, because you cannot adapt. You will always be the shadow behind us as we walk our streets, the creeping enemy that is only a trifle thing. You are nothing.

“I am everything!” he roared, tearing at himself maniacally, taking some skin as he clawed away. The children in the cage gasped. His eyes went to them, and his mind spun. He could take them in, too…he could use their life energy to regain his strength and best these insects…

If you dare touch them, you will feel a wrath unlike any ever seen before. The voice was much too loud. I am night itself. I am feared and respected across the world. I am the original Boogeyman, and I will go nowhere!

His nails clutched at the throat that was tearing as wide as the original gash on his face. He was not falling apart, no…he just…needed a new form…the children…surely…

HARM THEM AND I WILL SPEND MY EXISTENCE HUNTING YOU FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE. I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL I HAVE DESTROYED EACH AND EVERY PIECE OF YOUR FILTHY KIND, AND THEN I SHALL MAKE YOU SUFFER A WORSE FATE THAN WHAT YOU INFLICTED ON THEM. I AM MORE THAN SHADOW, MORE THAN THINGS THAT CREEP AFTER DARK. I AM GAO YI XIANG, THE STRONGEST KNIGHT OF THE KING OF NIGHTMARES, AND I WILL HAUNT YOU UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE.

A new hole tore open in his chest, and black ooze began to seep out. Foam bubbled and frothed from his mouth. He looked positively mad. “SILENCE! I will not fall! Your king shall die! His realm will be mine, and there is no man on this plane of existence who can stop me!”

The last word had barely rang from his mouth when the cold blade of a claymore found the back of his neck, and his eyes saw his body fall back onto the stone floor. No, he…his head wasn’t even attached to—

Lock, Shock, and Barrel screamed shrilly, a few mild swears coming out of them. Changmin panted heavily as he stood over the decapitated body of the impostor boogeyman. “Technically speaking, I’m not from this plane of existence,” he murmured in a low voice. “So there goes that plan, wouldn’t you say?” He let the sword drop to the floor with a clatter and ran to the cage.

“Prince!” Shock said, trembling with relief. “Oh, for once it is so good to see you!” Her eyes fell on the dead impostor behind him. “Is that it? Is it over?”

Changmin pulled on the door of the cage, scowling when it wouldn’t budge. “No, I don’t think so. His corporal form is gone, but he was powerful. I think we may see him again.”

“Are you serious?!” Barrel exclaimed while Lock and Shock cried out their worry.

“Forget about it, you lot. I need to get you out.” They pointed to a weakened spot in the bars, and Changmin’s fist closed around it. He focused on the iron, and how coarse it felt in his hand. Freeze. Freeze this metal and let me help them. Power he thought lost surged through him. Very quickly, ice crackled along the bar; he waited until it covered about a foot of the iron before he yanked hard. It came off loudly, but now there was enough space for them to squeeze out one by one. “Good…that takes care of that…and…” He gave a laugh and collapsed to the floor; the children screeched and scrambled forward. Barrel stayed with him while the other two ran for help. He called out to the prince, but received no response.

All around him was dark. It was eternal. It was absolute. The pitch blackness was the horizon, the ground, and the sky. He felt nothing now. The dark wrapped around him like a blanket swaddled by a loving mother; it brought him comfort and safety, and he knew peace would follow. Sleep…I should sleep…

Yunho curled his arms around his knees tighter and felt nothing but cool air across his back. This would be his eternity forevermore. And that was okay. The others would win the battle and honor his memory. Yi Xiang could take over Halloweentown and give the people his all; he was a great person, and Yunho knew that a good man hid inside him.

“Stay here forever? Are you crazy?”

“No,” he groaned, shutting his eyes and ducking his head into the cradle of his arms. “Leave me alone.”

“I’d rather not. Imagine what kind of trouble you’d get into without me by your side.”

“Stop…I’ll be fine here…it’s safe. There’s no one around…but you can’t be here…”

All right, let me put it this way. Imagine the trouble I’d get into without you by my side. Do you want that for me?”

“Hurts so much…”

“That’s life, Yunho. We chose human form long ago, knowing that they feel pain and suffering, and we undertook those risks because we wanted to.” The image was blurry and flickering, but suddenly Changmin stood before him, towering tall and glaring down at him. “Didn’t you once boast that you were stronger than me, that you could easily outlive me? Prove it. Come back and prove just how strong you are. Don’t let the darkness take you where I can’t follow.”

“Stay away from me, then. Let him rule…I failed the citizens…I don’t deserve to be king.”

“Neither of us deserves the thrones we inherited, Yunho!” Changmin stooped down and roughly shook his shoulders. “But we have them, and we can’t turn our backs on that. We both took oaths that we would give our lives for our kingdoms and our people. If we had to fade away, we would do so with honor in our last breaths. This isn’t honor, Yunho. This is forfeit. Surrendering is the least honorable thing a king can do. This is what the imposter wanted. He wanted to make you feel doubt, right as he killed you. I am not going to let that stand be your last.”

A second figure appeared in a mist. Yi Xiang wore that damned wicked smirk of his. It was the one Yunho loved most, a smile filled with secrets and knowledge that spelled trouble. He said nothing, but he extended a hand to Yunho—and waited.

Changmin exhaled slowly. “Come back to me,” he whispered. His fingers dug into Yunho’s shoulders. “Please don’t succumb to the darkness. Let us help you.”

Yunho covered one of Changmin’s hands and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you,” he said simply, pouring all the love and gratitude he felt for his prince into those two words.

“While this is quite a touching moment, we have several lifetimes to enjoy it out of danger. I suggest we hurry.” Yi Xiang nodded, hand still outstretched to his king. “Hang on tight. Don’t want to lose you on the way back. This is my second time here, and I really don’t feel like coming back a third.”

“I’m surprised you’re even here,” Yunho wondered aloud as they both lifted him to his feet. He could sense the shadows trying to smother them, but it wouldn’t work. Not this time. “Thought you would try to leave me here and make a bid for king.”

“Thirty seconds into an attempted rescue, and you cut me with your words already, your Majesty.” Yi Xiang’s free hand flew to his chest, and he wore a mock frown. “But I? I, Gao Yi Xiang, steal the throne right after your truly tragic departure? That would be inconsiderate of me! I would wait at least a week out of respect. Your manor is hard to resist. Too bad it has to be this way, though.” Before Changmin or Yunho could stop him, he leaned forward and opened his mouth against Yunho’s neck, lips lingering for a moment before Changmin cleared his throat. He stepped back, throwing the Winter Prince a swarthy look. “Use your magical candy cane or whatever and get us home, McFlurry. I haven’t got all day.”