This was war and the people I loved most were going to be fighting, possible even killed. I shuddered and jerked away from the window. But I can't stay away for long. There was just a part of me that needed to know what was going on no matter how bad it got.

There was no unearthly silence before the battle like there is in many action stories. No. Instead, I watched in a type of horrified fascination as the wind demons as one leaped into the air or ran across the ground heading like a dangerous storm towards the water demons at some unseen signal. I saw the water demons-led by Jin-who from what little I could see of him, looked ferocious, deadly, and somewhat beautiful. The sounds of war cries drifted up to me and I watched as the two sides met and converged upon one another. In the chaos that ensued, it was hard to make out who was who.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away. I watched as Jonghyun and Jin met on the field. Jin apparently had the power of flight as well. I wondered bizarrely if all demon princes could fly. Jin was fluid, moving with a rippling grace that could have seemed to anyone like he was simply taking a stroll in the park. He danced out of reach of Jonghyun’s sword at every turn. However he didn’t have the advantage. Jonghyun was just as quick, and just as strong. Every time Jin tried to use his double blades, Jonghyun would perform amazing air acrobatics and evade him. They were a flurry of leaps, twists, flips, and twirls. It was entrancing. If they hadn’t been trying to kill each other, I could have sworn they were dancing! They were graceful, beautiful, and lethal. Their eyes never left each other’s.

Glittering silver and Ember-red. Both eyes blazed as they fought, both frustrated that they couldn’t seem to get the advantage.

A sudden outbreak of movement drew my eyes away from the dueling princes. I watched as a few water demons broke free of ranks and charged toward the palace. I recognized them as the lieutenants under Kame: Ueda and Nakamaru. I didn’t know them very well. When I had seen them at Jin’s palace, they had bowed and been very formal. A sudden thought rushed into my mind.

Were these some of the twisted demons Key was talking about? The ones who wanted me for themselves?

I wasn’t sure, but I was greatly relieved to find their advance pulled up short by Onew and Taemin. Taemin was in his wind form now-the form of a man, but made up of wind. I couldn’t wrap my mind around how utterly unreal this scenario was. I saw Ueda hesitate slightly, but only for a moment before he followed Nakamaru charging at them. I inhaled sharply as they started fighting. Onew spun and dived aside-barely avoiding Nakamaru’s blows. Taemin laughed at the startled expression of Ueda when he realized that his sword could slice right through him but not kill him.

 Taemin was the essence of wind, I almost started laughing hysterically at the thought of trying to kill someone when your opponent is nothing but air-air that’s out to get you back. Ueda and Onew both started tiring. Nakamaru was drawn on by some strange force, some energy that just didn’t seem to deplete!

Frozen, I watched as