Running towards the castle proved to be a more difficult task than we had expected considering the portal threw us right in front of the main gate. Bodies littered the ground, some badly injured and others no longer with us. I tried my best not to look at each fallen mystic as soon as I started recognizing some of them from a past life. There will be a time for mourning losses, but we had to save our kingdoms first. Another painful twist squeezed my heart when I remembered that none of this would have happened in the first place if it weren't for my cousin.

A swift movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention and I managed to dodge the attack at the very last second. I was too busy running and trying not to trip over a body to notice the small group of Grim ones heading our way, a rush of excitement ran through my veins and my fire leapt forward. I didn't even think twice or hesitate before lighting them up all at one and the power that surged through my veins both excited and terrified me.

The mystics that were fighting around the castle halted their movements and turned to stare at us. Relief coated their features as they realized what happened, followed quickly by surprise and shock as they took notice of me.

"Just keep running." Chanyeol said. "We have to get to the royals."

"I know."

Whispers quickly erupted around us as more and more people noticed Chanyeol and I. Some bowed for him first, not quiet figuring out who I were yet. But those who did couldn't hold back.

"Is that...?"

"No, it can't be."

"I thought she died."

"That's her!"

I tuned them out, running even faster as we made it through the gates and headed towards the throne room. I'd deal with the curious glances and shocked faces later, for now we had to get to the royal family.

Right before we made it inside, dodging fallen bricks and curious mystics, a familiar face popped up from the shadows. I slowed down just a bit to take a closer look and was surprised to find Sooyeon engaged in a very animated conversation with a man I didn't recognize. Both of them looked like they were faring a lot better than the rest of us. Barely any scratches or tears, their coats – although covered in ash – seemed intact otherwise. The man looked young, his hair a lovely shade of lilac and his eyes dark as night. Sooyeon raked a hand through her blond hair and was about to say something else to him when she finally noticed us. She narrowed her eyes at me, as if trying to decipher what was happening, before they widened in shock.

"Ahri?" She gasped

"Sooyeon." I sighed in relief, happy my sister was alright.

"How?" She looked between Chanyeol and I.

"Long story, I'll explain everything later."

The man standing next to her cleared his throat and as I looked at him, I had a feeling he wasn't very happy to see me.

A portal sizzled into existence right behind them and as three Grim ones materialized, he turned around swiftly and set them on fire.

Sooyeon glanced towards him, her gaze disapproving, before she turned back to me.

"Throne room." She gestured towards the castle. "Our parents need you. We got it here."

I nodded and once again, Chanyeol and I set off towards the doors.

The castle was not faring any better than the rest of the kingdom. Stone walls had holes the size of planets in them, chandeliers shattered on the grounds, fires sizzling in random corners. As we ran, I summoned my water and put off the flames that looked particularly out of control, trying my best to salvage whatever was left from my childhood home.

The throne room loomed in front of us, darker than I remember. We slowed down a bit, catching our breath and preparing ourselves for whatever waited for us behind those gigantic doors. As we were about to go in, the stench of death surrounded us and those creatures appeared from several corners. A quick headcount revealed we were outnumbered by four Grim ones but right before panic reared its ugly head two of them were nothing but ash. I turned to see Chanyeol smirking.

"What?" He asked. "Did you think you were the only one who can fight?"

"No, of course not." I shrugged right before summoning my fire back up. "You just took me by surprise that's all."

As the rest of them were vanquished, an unsettling feeling took over my body. Outside, the battle was still raging, mystics fighting for their lives and their home with everything they've got but here, the castle seemed all too quiet. My shield flickered, as if agreeing that something was not right.

"Stay behind me." I motioned to Chanyeol, widening the span of my shield to cover both of us.

He was about to say something when a loud crash erupted in the throne room.

Without wasting any other minute I rushed through the throne room, Chanyeol right behind me. As we made it inside, I couldn't help but hold my breath, the acrid stench was even heavier in the once magnificent hall. Everything was entirely destroyed, windows were shattered, the chandeliers that once decorated the ceiling were demolished, the red velvet curtains torn apart and ripped, and even the pillars that once held the throne area were broken and covered in the blood of the mystic guards who had fought with their lives to protect my parents.

My brain stuttered for a moment as my eyes took in the presence of the shadow like creatures that to my terrible revelation looked different in size and radiated a much stronger and wicked flow of black magic. It was no wonder that I managed to pick up an eerie feeling earlier, those monsters were unlike the ones we fought.

"Ahri !" my brother's gasp snapped me out of my sudden frozen state. I saw the shock register on his face before he could hide it, his eyes raking over me from head to toe as the rest of his body froze in shock. In the second that took him to process my arrival, one of the Grim ones seized the opportunity and dashed towards him, leaving a blurred trail of black smoke behind it.

"Watch out !" I yelled at the top of my lungs, but it was already too late. The creature flung him across the stone wall with one quick swoop and as Sungmin collapsed on the floor, the Grim one readied its final attack. The sphere of black magic flickered like lightning, a tiny storm encompassed in between the creature's shadow like hands, and as my brother struggled to get up, the sphere advanced towards him.

My fire flickered even brighter as if urging me to take action and I obeyed, sending bright, sizzeling flames towards the creature. Its attack halted as the sphere met with fire and exploded in the air, but the Grim one was –to my shock- mostly intact. Another burst of flames flung from my hands towards it but he managed to deflect it and it was once again left unharmed.

"What the hell?" I panted. "What are these things?"

"Higher ranking Grim ones." Sungmin managed to let out as he finally found his balance again. "Kind of like the supreme leaders of the shadow wo