When Sehun came to, he found that he was holding a bundle. Gazing down, relief flooded him, and he couldn't help dropping a kiss to his son's forehead. Jae was back in his arms safe. Sounds caught his attention and he looked at where it came from. There were so many creatures, some he'd seen before while others he was seeing for the first time. One species caught his attention and grabbed it. They were called Tora, another extinct species. They were used in battles during the first era of Varal, and one of the reasons the dragon queen was feared and made it easier to unite the races under her banner. The long limbs, hunched backs, sin-black skin, and wide faces weren't so bad, but the fangs behind their feral lips dripped venom and the barbs on their tails held even more poison. If that didn't scare you, there were twisting horns atop their heads that they loved to use to gore people and the knife-sharps claws they could sprout from both hands and feet whenever they felt like it. Sehun had never heard one who wasn't in the mood for some claws but then again, he'd also never seen one until now. They were scary as history books described. One thing all the creatures had in common was: they were altered just like the ones sent for him, something he now knew for certain was his sister's doing. It wouldn't take a genius to figure she had wanted him away from help, lured him with the illusion of her younger self to take his heart. Yet again she was using the creatures to get what she wanted. The creatures were trying to tear the people around, the people Sehun cared about deeply. Scanning the other side of the room, Sehun realized Seung-Wan was gone, no sign of her whatsoever. He had hazy recollection of what happened when he allowed his beast to take full control. Fear had promoted Sehun to let out the beast, knowing it would do better in protecting Taeyeon and Yuri more than the sentimental human part of him. His fire had burned away the foul magic around the barrier like it was nothing and had extended into the other side, causing a portal merge. Something he'd heard about only in legends. And knowing he could do that, Sehun had a suspicious of what his sister would do with his heart. He would've burnt his sister to death for real this time if Kai hadn't been there to stop him. He would've wanted to capture her instead. But he didn’t know if he could do it without seriously injuring her—and despite everything he didn’t want to do that. But from the look on Seung-Wan's face, she didn’t have the same compunctions. Nevertheless Sehun was grateful to Kai for his interference. Reasonably, It would be better to end things once and for all, yet a foolish part of him was hoping for his sister's redemption somehow no matter how impossible it seemed. He believed– no wanted to believe there was some good in Seung-Wan, even if a tiny bit and was hoping to reach that part. Or maybe Sehun was being foolishly delusional and there was nothing worth saving in her. Anyhow, she should be given a fair fighting chance even if she didn't deserve one. It would be the last thing Sehun could do for her for sharing the same womb. Taking her life at that moment, would make him no less than her. A growl had Sehun jerking to his feet with a start, clutching his son. It was the same dog like creature he'd seen on the night of Irene's wedding that attacked the palace. It was coming for him and Sehun swore when he realized he didn't carry a weapon and for some reason his beast wasn't interested in helping, not the slightest. Thus, he kicked it and nearly fell when his leg went through nothing. Managing to stabilize himself, he searched for the dog, it was no where in sight– not until something caught his attention on the floor. Looking closely, It was a vague shape of a dog below where his shadow was. . A shadow creature, which meant the dog was created with fire-hound magic and Sehun didn't want to think of how many fire-hounds lost their lives in the process. It also answered the question of how they were able to rage the palace without being seen until it was too late. Turning on his heel, Sehun shouting for Baekhyun. The fire-hound was the one with the most chance to end it, because just like the dog, Baekhyun was also a shadow creature, that could enter and exit the shadows at will. Baekhyun who was fighting alongside his mom, turned sharply toward Sehun. "The dogs are shadow creatures." He shouted, jerking his head down where the shade was chasing him. "Hold onto this." Baekhyun threw his weapon and Sehun caught it swiftly. Getting out of the way, he watched as his friend disappeared into the shadows, emerging the next moment with the dog's head. That was quick and expected from the champion of the goddess. "Use the gun to defend yourself." He told Sehun. As Baekhyun made to return to the battle, Sehun stopped him to ask."Baek, are there human souls in them?" He could never forget the guilt his best friend still carry for what occurred that time, just because he didn't know those animals had people's souls in them. "Not that I can feel it." Which meant there was none, or Baekhyun wouldn't be calm. Sehun was certain he'd checked beforehand. Without more words Baekhyun snatched his paladin sword from his back and went back to discarding the creatures that didn't seem to be dying or staying dead easily. Several guards rushed inside the room to help fight the beasts. With one hand Sehun shot the creatures coming his way– careful not hurt anyone in the process– but there were too many of them, that it appeared as if they were fighting a neverending battle. He shot at a Har aiming for Rue's neck while she had her attention on another creature. The flower guard, paused to nod Sehun's way in gratitude before she carried on. A strangled shriek had Sehun snapping to the side, where Lan Zhan had frozen monkey like creature before shattering it to peices. His father smiled at him before leaping to where Zach was surrounded by multiple creatures, each one trying to get a piece of the black cat, but Zach's magic was preventing them. Sehun let out a shocked sound when he saw Zach disappeared and emerged behind one of the creatures. He could teleport. Using his deadly claws, Zach dragged it down the wendigo, severing it's spinal cord in an instant. Holy . Was there any magic the black cat didn't have? Sehun wondered. The hair at the back of Sehun's neck suddenly tingled. Danger. His instinct warned. Turning carefully, Sehun nearly slipped for the second time when he came face to face with a basilisk. Damnation. There was another? With so many monsters, Sehun hadn't noticed a basilisk until now. His sister was impressive. With Seung-Wan's ability to revive extinct species, she could have used it for something amazing. It was a shame her abilities were wasted on revenge and evil. The basilisk neared him, its hideous tongue coming out to its mouth and Sehun backed away. Quickly, Sehun glanced to where the royals were, and sure enough each one, Heechul, Jumnyeon and Kai were engaged in a fight with other basilisks that wanted a taste of them. Luckily a magical dome had been erected around Taeyeon and Yuri that were still unconscious to keep out the monsters, that were trying and failing to get to them. The guards behind Sehun let out a series of strangled sounds, but he could not take his gaze off the giant basilisk looming over him, eyes fixed on the royal baby he was holding. It was calculating and deliberating its move. However the bear next to it wasn't as patient, it rose onto its hind legs, massive paws up in the air ready to strike Sehun dead, but the fierce roar of a tiger drowned out its bellow. A shadow soared over Sehun's head, and he scurried back as Tao's tiger plowed into the bear, sending it stumbling back. Tao snapped his jaws, sharp fangs plunging into the bear's neck. He tore at its flesh as the giant bear flailed and swiped its paws at Tao, catching him on the flank. The skinwalker roared at the pain. Baekhyun leaped, executed a radical shift midair, and landed gracefully on all fours, still running as he darted in, snapping at bear's ankles and feet, tearing into the flesh and shaking his head fiercely to cause as much damage as possible. Baekhyun might not have the size of a tiger, but he had deadly canines and could easily tear through flesh. Sehun had often wondered if the tiger was something significant to the skinwalker, because Tao seem to like taking that form a lot. The basilisk had finally decided to attack and it was coming for Sehun, its hungry eyes solely on Jae, that had Sehun subconsciously tightening his hold. The dragon fire he had was useless against the basilisk, considering it was Kai's magic. But before it could grab him, the fire-hound and tiger were on it. The basilisk screamed and roared, batting at Tao and Baekhyun, who did their best to stay away from its claws and very sharp teeth. "Handle the bear, we got this," Minseok appeared next to Sehun, lightning ignited around his fluffy tails, he was still in half Kitsune form with his tails, claws and fox ears. Despite the situation Sehun was tempted to one of his tails, and he didn't realize his hand was extended until the Kitsune snapped at him. "Don't you dare touch my tails." Like a child caught doing mischief, Sehun pulled his hand away, disappointed "You're no fun." Of course Minseok ignored him, readying to attack, a sword in each hand. Striking down a monster with both his gun and shotel, Luhan soared in the air, his wings fluttering as he landed beside Minseok. The fae prince nodded at Baekhyun and Tao. "Xuimin and I will handle the basilisk." He said to them, lacing his shotel with more paladin magic. They quicky took the task of dealing with the basilisk as Baek and Tao went back to the bear. The bear knew what was coming its way and it attempted to retreat. The two didn't let it, though. It faltered, and Tao reared on his hind legs, slashing at it with his razor-sharp claws. Tao's body was sleek and powerful, his ears flattened against his large furry head, and his heavy tail thumping against the stone floor. Parts of his white fur were sprayed with the bear's blood. Baekhyun rushed in again, twisted himself between the bear's back paws, and tripped it. The huge bear fell back toward the ledge of the parapet.Tao soared through the air and struck the bear with all four paws. He used it's body as a springboard, pushing off and twisting in midair to land on his paws as the bear tumbled over the stone edge and didn't move again. After watching Baekhyun changed back to human and picking up his discarded sword, while Tao jumped on another creature nearby, Sehun turned his attention back to his other two guardians. Minseok and Luhan were still on the basilisk, which was of course hard to kill and most likely the hardest to eliminate among the creatures present. But from the look of things, it wouldn't be long before they killed it. The injures on its body were getting fatal and they didn't give it a chance to spew fire by piercing a dagger in its throat. With a swiftness that only a fox possessed, Minseok elevated off the ground, and with a resounding cry, he brought his sword down, cleanly taking its head off. Wow. Sehun was impressed. In the past, Minseok might not be able to easier do that. Killing a basilisk take a lot. The difference was clear, between Minseok's previous ability and what he was now. Without the curse keeping his powers suppressed, he was five times more powerful than he had been in the past, thus making it easier to discard the basilisk. The basilisk's headless body trashed madly as the head twitched once before stilling,  Pressing his leg on the body, Luhan sliced its belly open, to pull out its core. The core was a shinny orb of red. The fae walked to Sehun and offered him the core. "It might come in handy some day" he said, urging Sehun to take it. "Thanks." Sehun accepted it. It was pulsing with magic as he tucked it inside his satchel. It was a gift from Blink the day the babes were born and Sehun cherished it. The magical satchels hold crazy amounts o