Riding on the wave of terror that had gripped her when she had been entrapped by the earth, Summer had initially been partially relieved when she had been freed, encased in a new prison.  The total darkness of traveling underground was equally frightening though, since she knew what it felt like to be stuck in the earth.  For several long moments after being yanked under into a world that she did not feel she should have been able to survive in, it was a struggle to breathe.  The neutralizer had to force each breath into lungs that tried to close in a genuine panic attack as her heart beat madly against her ribcage and she experienced alternating hot and cold flashes.

                Her panic was further fueled by her inability to react physically due to a persistent numbness in her limbs.  It took her a few seconds to finally realize that the screams she was hearing were coming from her when she was able to draw enough breath to do so.  At eternity later, the distressing feelings finally began to subside and her breathing slowly returned to a more normal pace.  Fear remained lodged in her belly but she became coherent enough to actually think about what had happened and, more importantly, what was going to happen.

                The urge to reach out and unmake the construct was persistent but so was the knowledge of what would happen.  It was unnerving though, being held so close to something that she could take apart in a second and absolutely unable to do anything.  Tentatively, she plucked at the threads that wove it together, feeling the creature shift and slow when she did so.  It was at those moments too, that the earth seemed to press closer, the barrier around her not quite so substantial.  Panic would begin to creep upon her then and she would freeze, pressed close to the belly of the creature and as far as she could get from the surrounding earth.

                Her sense of the passage of time was completely skewed as well.  She knew well enough that it had been nearly midday when she had been taken but there was nothing to indicate any sort of change.  The ground surrounding her exuded a perpetual chill but never got to the point of cold or warmed even a little bit like the ground would on a normal day.  She had no appetite to speak of so that would not work either.  After an indeterminate amount of time, the lack of light actually started to cause her eyes to play tricks on her.

                Summer became aware of bright dots that kept appearing in her peripheral vision but every time she turned her head, they would disappear, as if they’d never existed.  “There’s nothing there,” she told herself quietly, her voice small and hard to hear in the space surrounding her.  “It’s nothing…” she murmured again, shaking her head with her eyes closed, not that there was any difference.

                If she could ignore the grip of the construct, short limbs that grabbed her upper arms firmly, she could almost imagine she was floating.  She laughed nervously at the slightly delirious thought.  Of course she wasn’t floating…  You didn’t float in the earth, that was just absurd.  No…  “Get a hold of yourself,” she murmured quietly, her hands clenching tightly into fists so that her nails dug into her palms, the pain a welcome sensation.

                Frustratingly, she didn’t know whether she wanted to laugh or cry at her predicament.  Over and over again, her mind ran in circles about what she had done or not done and she kept veering away from the fact that she would be seeing Enrhyll soon if she couldn’t get out of this.  And she couldn’t…  Well, not without leaving herself trapped anyway.  It wasn’t as if she could manipulate it into something else.  She could only unmake the thing that carried her.

                Out of habit, she rubbed her sweaty palms against her legs and felt her arms brush against something hard that was attached to her body.  With a start, she realized she was still wearing the sais she had been given by her father before they had left.  Carefully, she felt over the hilt and traced the scabbard, recalling what they looked like from memory.  That fact alone made her feel not quite so helpless.  She was still armed, even if she had no useful power right now.

                The presence of the sais also drew her mind to focus on Eunhyuk who used the same weapon.  She wondered how he was doing.  The last she saw was him in the back of the cart looking back at her.  Had he escaped capture?  Maybe?  What about the minstrels?  Henry had been in trouble.  Her mind clouded over with worry as she replayed the last few seconds she could remember before being dragged under.  Unfortunately, the memory trailed too close to what made her panic initially and in following the thought, she recalled her own intense feelings just before she lost sight of them.

                Her breathing started to quicken and shallow out again while helpless tears spilled from her eyes.  “No, no, no, no, no…” she breathed quickly, cursing herself under her breath.  Angrily, she grabbed hold of her sais in both hands and stabbed at the construct ineffectively.  She knew well enough that her weapons weren’t going to kill it…she wasn’t even sure if it could feel it for the most part, but it felt better than doing nothing and losing herself in the darkness.  Her range of motion was limited since it held her firm, the front of her person faced towards its belly, but she could reach the sides well enough.  It was exhausting though and while she did not quite lose consciousness, her arms became leaden over time and she clung to the handles of the sais still plunged into the body of the construct.

                “Let me go,” she pleaded at last, when the darkness became too much.  “Just let me out!” the neutralizer whimpered while she placed her forehead against the smooth chest of the construct and simply cried.  Even when the tears stopped coming, she felt the sobs lodge in , a persistent pain throbbing every time she swallowed.  So caught up in her own misery, she almost missed the fact that the construct appeared to be slowing down.  Immediately, her entire demeanor changed as she took a shuddering breath and looked around.  There was nothing new to see, but she was certain now, that she had felt a change.

                With bated breath, she waited while the earth shifted around her slowly, becoming aware moment by moment of a powerful presence drawing closer.  It was a mixture of elements, hard to sort out, but there was really only one person that it could be.  “Enrhyll,” Summer breathed darkly, her focus shifting to his existence entirely.  “Where are you?” she breathed heavily, her teeth clenched so tightly her jaw hurt.  Fiercely, she pulled the sais free and altered her grip slightly, feeling their weight settle in her palms with a comfortable feel.  “Show me…”  This close to him, it was hard to think on anything else.  For making her endure this and for the others…she wanted to kill him.  She was going to kill him…she just needed to see his face first.

~~~~~~

                Patience had never been one of Kyuhyun’s strong points.  He thoroughly disliked waiting and he hated even more not knowing what was going on.  When Hana and Eleanara had been called away, it had taken a great deal of effort on his part not to follow despite Kwan’s presence.  “Hey!” he called as the two women headed for the door, his companion wearing a very uncertain expression.

                “You’ll get your turn,” Hana sneered with one brow raised.  “Now be a good boy while we’re gone,” she smirked, actually petting Eleanara’s hair before shoving the younger woman the rest of the way out of the room and slamming the door shut behind them.

                The fire elementalist was on his feet and more than half-way across the room before Kwan had been able to catch up to him, the sword drawn and ready.  “Just calm down, Kyuhyun,” he urged patiently, his expression neutral.

                “Why?!” Kyuhyun snarled as he whirled on the captain and glared at the blade.  Kwan just looked at him, that same implacable expression unchanging.  In annoyance, Kyuhyun shoved the blade of the sword down and stalked back to the chair at the table, not even looking at the other man to see how he’d react.  That at least confirmed what he had suspected earlier.  The captain did not want to hurt him which was a far cry from that Hana.

                “I’m sure Eleanara will be fine,” Kwan explained as he sheathed his sword and followed the young man, his posture resigned.  With the neutralizer gone, these might well be his last moments…  Either Enrhyll was trying to get rid of him or he trusted Kyuhyun far more than the captain would have if the roles were reversed.

                Kyuhyun sent him a scathing glare and muttered, “And what makes you think that?” as he crossed his arms defiantly across his chest.  Briefly, he seriously debated incinerating Kwan and just following them, but that wouldn’t help him in the long run.  If he showed up anywhere without a chaperone, he’d likely be attacked or something equally unpleasant and gods forbid he actually run into Enrhyll when that tyrant expected him here.

                “Considering you’re both still alive, I would imagine that says a great deal,” Kwan answered simply, his shoulders shrugging in an equally mystified response.  With years of practice, he appraised the young man across from him.  The more time he spent around him, the more he understood why he continued to act as he did.  He was still not happy with the young man’s outburst on the road which had resulted in the destruction of most of his patrol but he understood why.  “He was actually angry when he thought that you and your friend might not make it here,” he added softly, waiting to see what sort of reaction that would bring.  For just a second, he wondered if he should tell Kyuhyun about the circumstances of his being brought here…then the moment passed and he remained silent.

                Disbelief was the first thought that flashed across the elementalist’s mind.  “I’m sure,” Kyuhyun scoffed before he realized the other man was serious.  “And how the hell do you explain the constructs and the patrols?!” he demanded heatedly, remembering vividly the two they had fought on their way here and the men they had destroyed or turned away.  Involuntarily, he shuddered despite himself and looked away, feeling very much as if there was something else he should remember.  He knew there was, but it was beyond him to recall it.

                “And how do you know those were sent to destroy you?” the captain asked pointedly.  He wasn’t trying to defend Enrhyll, but it was valid question in his mind.

                “Weren’t they?!” Kyuhyun demanded immediately as he hit the table with his fist.

                Kwan shrugged and responded, “There have been dissenters since he rose to power.”

                That simple admission made Kyuhyun pause.  They were still very new to their powers and Yoogin had told them that Enrhyll had been waging war for over a year by the time they came into their heritage.  Shrewdly, he looked at the captain again and had to reevaluate his impression of him.  Kwan was not as neutral as he had first thought.  No.  The man looked tired.  There was a weariness to him that had nothing to do with his age, which was likely at least twice Kyuhyun’s eighteen years.  Intently, he focused his sharp gaze on the captain and leaned forward over the table before he quietly asked, “Why are you helping him?”

                Unexpectedly, Kwan chuckled and ran a hand over his hair before he took a deep breath.  He had been wondering if he was going to get that question.  “Do you know what happens to those who don’t die immediately when their lord is overthrown?”  Patiently, he waited for Kyuhyun to respond and when the young man shook his head slowly, his gaze wary, the captain explained.  “The survivors are usually given a choice, depending on the usurper’s mood.  Serve the new lord faithfully…or die.  I’m sure you can imagine which choice I made.”

                “Coward,” Kyuhyun scoffed after a moment before he sat back in his chair and frowned at the captain.

                It was a word he had called himself many, many times since he had made that choice.  “Maybe,” he nodded at last, his gaze focused on the table between them before he looked up and added, “But I’m still alive.”

                “For now,” the elementalist mocked.

                “Indeed,” Kwan agreed with a quirk to his mouth.  “We both know that you could change that at any moment, don’t we?” he asked softly, his gaze calculating.  “Why haven’t you?”

                “Because you’re not worth it,” Kyuhyun grumbled immediately, though fire danced in his eyes.

                Kwan glanced at the flickering flames in the room and smiled despite himself.  “It looks like we agree on something after all,” he tipped his head to the young man, to his confusion.  The flames calmed down with the uncertainty and he sighed to himself.  “But you now.  You and your friends are worth much more.”  For just a second, his eyes focused on the elementalist, hopeful.  “For all his power, he does not have much control,” Kwan sighed, as if to himself.  He wasn’t sure if the young man would take the words at face value, but maybe…

                “And what is that supposed to mean?” the elementalist retorted, annoyed by the indirect statement.  If he had something to say about Enrhyll, why didn’t he just say it?

                 The captain’s expression shifted again and his eyes clouded over once more.  He sighed as he looked at the table top and then back at the young man.  “Considering I’m still alive this evening, I would imagine that Enrhyll will be summoning you and I a bit later.  Might I suggest you get some rest in the meantime?” he offered, pointing towards the bed.

                “I’m not tired,” Kyuhyun responded grumpily, though he recalled the bed was quite comfortable.  It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Kwan, not that he did, but he didn’t think the Captain would hurt him regardless.  At least not any more than he already had thus far.

                “Suit yourself,” he sighed with another shrug.  “Just be ready,” he warned softly, his gaze intent and focused before he resumed the neutral expression and sat back in his chair to continue waiting.  He had also gotten very good at that since Enrhyll had taken over as well.

                Disconcerted by their conversation, Kyuhyun eyed Kwan critically.  While it was true that he still did not like the man, he was pretty sure that he wasn’t serving Enrhyll because he wanted to.  And what did he have to be ready for?  Of course he would be ready…  That was a stupid warning but why give it at all?  He was going to have far too much time to ponder it apparently.

                For hours, they were relegated to staying in the same room with nothing further to distract him and despite his earlier talkativeness, Kwan remained close lipped for the duration of their stay together.  Kyuhyun was really actually getting worried about Eleanara as he had figured she would be coming back to this room when she was done with whatever it was that Enrhyll had summoned her for.  The not knowing ate at him, especially when there was a commotion later in the day that they only heard snippets through the door.

                Shortly after, Hana rejoined them looking considerably more perturbed than the last time.  “Looks like you were a good boy,” she sneered to the elementalist’s annoyance.  Even Kwan rolled his eyes at the jab and stood up.

                “Shut up,” Kyuhyun snapped while he got to his feet quickly, a severe frown on his face.  “What do you want?  And where’s Eleanara?” he muttered tersely.

                With a bored expression, she inspected her nails and looked up at the upset young man over her hand.  “Lord Enrhyll has summoned you,” she stated simply, ignoring the other part of his question.

                “I said, where is Eleanara?” he reiterated and took a step closer to the woman who dropped her hand and glowered right back.  Slowly, Kwan took a step closer to both of them preemptively and focused on the irritating Hana.

                Hana rolled her eyes and sighed, “She’s in her room, big brother.  Or maybe she’s your lover?” she prodded with a wicked gleam in her eye.  “No?” she queried with a raised brow, amused by the flush that sprang to his face automatically.

                Kyuhyun blushed at the accusation but it was a combination of embarrassment and anger that flooded his face with color.  Automatically, the flames in the room started to flicker wildly and the flush faded slowly, though his ears remained bright red.  “She better be unharmed.”

                “Stop that,” Hana stated in annoyance as she quelled his power.  “She’s as well as your friends are,” she added in an offhand manner, smiling maliciously when she felt the power stop altogether and his expression changed swiftly.

                “The others?  Who?” he demanded, taking another step towards her urgently.

                “Far be it from me to say,” she waved flippantly and grinned again, an unpleasant expression.  “I’m sure Lord Enrhyll would explain it to you if you ask him nicely.”  Her laugh was grating though she seemed thoroughly amused with herself.

                “Just lead the way, Hana,” Kwan prompted when he closed the distance between him and Kyuhyun, fixing the woman with a stoic expression.

                “Ugh,” Hana sneered with a roll of her eyes.  “Fine,” she relented with a yank on the door, not even waiting for them to follow before she stepped through.

                Quickly, Kyuhyun hurried behind her, Kwan in his wake.  He figured Eleanara was alright after all and was rightfully more concerned about the others.  Enrhyll had mentioned that they were on the way but he didn’t know how they were being transported.  Nor did he like the way that Hana had implied that there might have been something wrong with any or all of them.  Her response had been less than reassuring and he had no trouble believing that was what she had intended.  For once, she did not move fast enough for him when she was guiding them back to Enrhyll.  If he didn’t know better, he would say that she was taking her time just to toy with him.  It was not a feeling he enjoyed in the least.

                As they returned to the throne room, Kyuhyun felt his pulse quicken at the possibility that he might well see some of the others.  He knew something had to have happened to separate them and while he didn’t know how long they had been apart for, it would be good to see them again.  Even Enrhyll’s greeting, smug and condescending, slid over him effortlessly…well, almost.  “Kyu,” Enrhyll stood up and gestured at the young man.

                Kyuhyun did not like him calling him by that name.  Instead of a verbal response, he paused and bowed slightly, the action easier than calling him by a title he did not feel the man merited.  He didn’t merit the bow either but at least with that he could pretend it was someone else…

                “Come, come,” he urged, waving him closer to him.  “Look,” he pointed ahead towards the doors when the elementalist came within arm’s reach of him.  “My presence has frightened your friends so far,” he admitted with a semi-regretful shake of his head.  “Perhaps you can help them to understand as I am too much for them,” he admitted, almost sad.  Why they couldn’t see he was as benevolent as he was powerful was beyond him but hopefully Kyu would be able to calm this one better than that disappointing Eleanara had.  He was still mad at her for defying him and his will…

                “Are they coming through the doors?” Kyuhyun asked, sending a curious sidelong glance at the distracted tyrant.

                Lost in thought, Enrhyll missed the omission of his title and waved impatiently.  “Through the earth,” he grinned as he felt the construct approach.  “Watch,” he breathed, waiting impatiently for the thing to bring the woman closer.  On either side, Kwan and Hana shifted nervously as they waited for something to happen too.

                Kyuhyun watched closely as the ground under the carpet began to ripple before the stone work next to it shimmered and slowly, he saw a crocodilian head and then body rise from the earth itself.  His dark eyes widened in surprise and no small amount of disbelief as he saw a person appear with it, carried to the surface and he gasped when he recognized the red hair.  “Summer…” he whispered breathlessly, frozen in place.

                Tension filled her body as Summer waited, ready to act.  She was unprepared for the light that finally filled her vision when the construct pulled her back above ground.  It was only firelight from indoor sconces but after the darkness she had endured, it was painful and her eyes teared up as she blinked rapidly, desperately trying to locate the man she was going to kill.  Through blurry eyes, she noticed four figures standing in front of her, two off to the side and two next to each other.

                The two in the middle were well dressed and she determined that one of them had to be Enrhyll.  She did not know who the other was but if he stood by that tyrant, then he was just as bad.  Angrily, she reached back towards the construct and unraveled it swiftly, exultation running through her at her success.  Instantly, her attention shifted and with a desperate and angry scream, she tossed both sais at the figures in front of her, counting on surprise to aid her.  “Die!”

                “Summer!” Kyuhyun cried, comprehension of what she was doing coming too late.  The trajectory of the weapon was off which helped him to escape most of the attack, but he wasn’t able to avoid it entirely.  One of the outer prongs clipped his right arm, tearing through the flesh of his shoulder.  He screamed in pain and denial as he struggled to remain standing even as Enrhyll flinched away from the attack too, a hasty barrier flickering in and out of existence so that the weapon almost got to him.  “No!” he screamed as he saw the rage in Enrhyll’s eyes.

                Enrhyll had expected an attack.  The others had all followed that pattern thus far except for the water elementalist who had incapacitated himself and he was pretty sure had he been able to, he would have tried to harm the god before him too.  What he had not expected was for her to actually attempt to neutralize his power.  That was not acceptable.  He could not abide by such a challenge to his power.  Furiously, he overrode the blanket she threw over him, aware that her control was shaky at best and she could not focus on all six elements at once.

                Light flared into existence around him while the flames in the room roared to life; the ground underfoot trembled angrily and a fell wind howled in the enclosed room, shadows lengthened impossibly and the temperature dropped.  The woman’s shrill cry rang clearly through the room as the increased light further blinded her and she fell back, her control lost so that the elements responded fully again.

                Completely neutralized himself by Hana who glared between him and Summer, Kyuhyun had no weapons and no power, but he had to keep the tyrant from killing her.  He didn’t know where Kwan was or if he would try to stop him either.  He ignored the possibility of the captain’s interference and acted on gut instinct.  Frantically, he lunged towards Enrhyll and shoved him hard, knocking him back and into Hana who had moved to try and intercept him.  How tangled they might have gotten, he didn’t know, nor did he pause to find out.  With quiet desperation, he sprinted towards Summer, the pain in his arm temporarily forgotten as he threw himself down beside her and pulled her into his arms, “Summer!”

                Utterly blinded by the new light that had been upon her vision, Summer fell to the ground and cowered with her head in her hands, the splitting pain in her eyes and temples enough to debilitate her temporarily.  She felt the power building around her and heard a voice crying out but she couldn’t make sense of anything just then.  When she felt arms slide around her, she fought back on impulse, terrified of the constraint.  “No!” she cried as her arms flailed blindly, eyes tightly closed still.

                In response, Kyuhyun held her tighter and whispered hurriedly into her ear, “It’s alright, Summer.  It’s me, Kyuhyun.  I’m here,” he felt tears sting his eyes as worry flooded through him.  This was not the Summer he knew and he didn’t know why she was so terrified and disoriented.  “I’m here,” he breathed again, grateful beyond belief when she stopped fighting him.

                “Kyu?” Summer asked quietly, her voice breaking on the word as she hardly dared to believe.  Briefly, she tried to open her eyes but spots filled her vision so she clamped them shut and gripped tightly to the fabric of his shirt, clinging to him with a desperation she did not expect.

                Both became aware of the surge in power beyond them that drew the elementalist’s attention angrily.  He looked up with furious eyes as Enrhyll looked back at them, an unreasoning madness in his gaze.  “Stop this…” he growled wrathfully as he hammered against the suppression of his power, desperate to force Enrhyll to focus on his element.  Kyuhyun recognized that both of their lives depended on him just then and even as he thought this, the sconces along the walls rose higher with the addition of his power.  Despite Hana’s attempt to counter him, he was able to bring a ball of fire into existence before him.  It was not large and it would not be effective, but it forced Enrhyll to draw back from the other elements so that he could prevent his palace from burning down around him.

                The tyrant focused on the hungry flames around him and calmed their fury while the rest of the elements dissipated.  Furious now at being challenged again, Enrhyll narrowed his eyes at the pair across from him and he muttered darkly, “If you want fire so badly, you can have it.”  Imperiously, he waved Hana’s ability off and she looked at him uncertainly before she stepped back and the budding flame roared upwards so high that the tongues the ceiling.

                Kyuhyun blanched at the pillar before him, unprepared for the fear it still wrought in him.  Slowly, the monster of living flame curled down towards him and as his breathing started to increase, the air moving through his lungs fast and shallow, he felt the heat keenly.

                He was not the only one.  Summer became aware of the heat immediately in front of them as she felt the power surge.  It was also impossible to miss that Kyuhyun himself was heating up, his body and arms becoming uncomfortably warm.  Through the fog of her muddled mind, she understood intrinsically that if she neutralized Kyuhyun, they would both die, a possibility that was becoming more likely with each passing moment anyway.  “Stop it!” she cried and blindly reached to quell the power in front of them.

                Hana grinned at the power her lord possessed.  His glory was unquestionable and she could see that those who defied him would soon perish beneath the flames they had called.  It was a fitting end for them, she decided smugly.  It was not until Kwan stepped up to her with a questionable look at her lord and mentioned, “Is he flushed?”

                “Of course not!” she snapped immediately, annoyed that he would ask something so stupid.  Then she took another glance and noticed that Enrhyll was indeed beginning to get red and if she didn’t know better, she could see vapors beginning to rise from him.  “No,” she gasped in incredulity.  It was impossible.  He was perfect…  There was no way the fires would be able to harm him.  Her nostrils flared as she determined it was something they were doing.  She didn’t know what it was, but somehow they were making him more susceptible to the fire.

                With new determination, she focused her power on Kyuhyun and pressed back on his element forcefully.  If she stopped him, then Enrhyll would be able to finish it quickly and they would stop affecting him adversely.  Yes.  That was it.

                Enrhyll felt the interference almost immediately.  Hana was neutralizing Kyuhyun despite his order to leave him alone.  She was defying him directly.  How dare she do this…  Savagely, he pulled back from his pressing attack so quickly that the flames popped as they died.

                Hana felt her certainty falter when her lord focused an irate expression on her and she took a step back hesitantly.  “My lord?” she asked softly, her gaze flickering over to the two he had just been focused on who were now clinging to each other, huddled near the ground.

                “I told you not to interfere,” he whispered savagely, a cutting expression in his eyes.

                “But, my lord-” she started to explain before his expression transformed to a dangerous snarl with teeth bared and he lashed out to slap her across the face, the sound echoing loudly in the hall.  Painfully, she stumbled into Kwan who caught her firmly as she struggled to recover.

                “You do not disobey me!” he roared, an accusatory finger pointed at her.

                Frightened, Hana held both hands to her cheeks and nodded quickly, “O-of course my l-lord.  I-I mean no-no, my lord,” she stammered and dropped her eyes, unable to look at him.

                 After a few breaths, his expression changed again and he looked back at Kyuhyun and the woman he had called Summer.  So she was their neutralizer.  Already, she had been quite a pain…so much so that he debated getting rid of her right now.  He glanced back at Hana and narrowed his eyes in thought before he decided he would not yet.  Perhaps she would be more agreeable soon.  Her behavior was easy enough to explain since he had not anticipated the effect of traveling underground.  Perhaps she had been driven mad and then faced with his power, it had simply been too much for her.  That made sense.

                As for Kyuhyun though…the young man had defied him quiet openly.  He appeared particularly attached to this young woman; considerably more so than he had to Eleanara.  Stupid.  To let his emotions get in the way like that.  It was obvious that he had not been thinking about what he was doing when he had attacked him, so should he punish him for the transgression or forgive him for his error.  Hmm.  No.  A slap on the wrist never taught anyone properly.  For a lesson to be learned, they had to have something to remember it by.  But what…?

                Unaware of the thought process of the tyrant nearby, Kyuhyun and Summer were exhausted and nearly senseless for the amount of power they had expended, but they were alive and together.  Both trembled in each other’s arms as tears fell freely.  They had shifted slightly so that Summer’s arms were wrapped firmly around his chest and he cradled her head against his shoulder with the other arm looped possessively around her back.  “You’re alive,” she sobbed, too relieved to be worried now that the powers around them were quiet.  She was simply overjoyed at the revelation that he was here and well and she could hold him to her.  It was a dream she had not dared to hope for.

                “I’ve got you,” he murmured softly, his voice thick and full of emotion.  He had not imagined how good it would feel to see her again, to hold her close.  Nor was he prepared for the emotions he felt when he looked up to see Kwan approaching.  Anger, yes.  A small amount of despair he would not openly admit to, yes.  An overwhelming desire to protect her…that was new.  “Get away,” he hissed through his teeth, glaring at Kwan savagely.

                “You know I can’t do that,” the captain responded quietly as he gestured to the two guards at the door.

                Kyuhyun felt two pairs of hands grab his arms then, the right limb flaring to life in agony as they jostled the open, bleeding wound.  “Ahhh…no…” he growled painfully as he felt his grasp slip.

                “No!” Summer cried in denial as she desperately continued to hold to him.  When she opened her eyes, she could still see little more than bright spots everywhere, obscuring her vision.  “Don’t!” she heard from Kyuhyun before something hard connected with the back of her head and she felt consciousness desert her.

                Kwan replaced the dagger back in its sheathe as he watched Summer’s body crumple to the floor.  This encounter had not gone any way that he might have anticipated, unfortunately…  Carefully, he stepped over the young woman’s body and brought himself closer to Kyuhyun.  “Remember what I told you,” he spoke quietly before he bent to retrieve the neutralizer.

                “Kwan.  See to it that they are contained,” Enrhyll stated simply before he inspected his hands with a single minded intensity and then took his seat in the familiar throne.  He did not look at Hana who was now sporting a bright red hand print on the left side of her face, though she took her customary place until he waved her after them.  “Now you may see to that one’s power,” he waved in Kyuhyun’s direction imperiously.

                Disappointment flooded Hana as she wanted to stay near Enrhyll.  Why must she continue to babysit these despicable persons who continued to influence her lord in such unpredictable ways?  She convinced herself that they had blinded him to her support.  That was why he had struck out at her.  Somehow, they had made him think that her actions were unnecessary and therefor contradictory to what he wanted…to what he needed.  Very well.  She would just have to protect him better from now on.  He would see.  Soon, he would recognize that she did everything for love of him.  She just knew it.

(a/n:  Hello to my wonderful readers!  As you can probably tell, this one kind of got away from me.  >.>  I am glad I split the last update where I did.  And finally!  A reunion, albeit short lived.  Most of our players are getting in place and our stragglers are steadily making their way onward.  I am doing my best to keep updating as often as possible and I can only hope that you will continue to be patient while I get the next one together.  So many places to start from...  >.>  lol

I just want to thank you all for your continued presence and especially to my commentors who truly do make my day.  I look forward to hearing what you might have to say and I hope that you have an awesome day in the meantime!  Hwaiting!  <3 )