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It was an ordinary day for Katelyn. She went to college, work, and then came home exhausted. But when she went to sleep, she wasn't expecting what she would wake up to. When she awoke, she was in a different bed in a different place. The problem was that she did not know where. She got up quickly, realizing she was still in her nightclothes. She looked around trying to figure out where she could be but didn't know. She looked out the window, and didn't recognize her surroundings, but the place felt like it came from a world of fantasy. She started towards the door when she realized she should try to find a change of clothes. She went to the closet nearest to her and found a wardrobe with many clothes, most of them being made of cotton and leather. She chose a leather bustier and a pair of what looked and felt like leggings. She also found a pair of shoes that were a little big on her feet but would work for the time being.She walked out the door and didn't see any familiar landmarks. It almost looked like she was in a train station of sorts. The air was filled with a purple mist that worried Katelyn. It seemed like many people were ill and sluggish around her. But, she decided to press forward and went up to the first person she met. She asked the man if he could tell her where she was. The man looked at her like she was crazy before replying that she was in Greede Central Station. She didn't recognize the name, but decided to let the person go before walking towards the closest person who looked like they worked at the station she was in, and asked if they could tell her about where she was. The lady said with a large smile, "You are currently in the Free City of Greede, where the city rests on the back of a beast called the Demithor." The lady gave her a train pass and told her it would be the easiest way for her to travel the city. Still being very confused, Katelyn asked, "How far from the United States are we?" The lady just replied, "I'm sorry, but I've never heard of it, but maybe someone else may know." Katelyn, not taking that as answer, asked the lady, "Is there anyone in the city who may know how to get there?" The lady replied, "Yes, our current mayor should be somewhere around here. The Drisdall Manor is just outside the station and his name is Caesar Drisdall. He has travelled all over the continent and may be able to help give you directions." "Is there any way you could help me find him. I've never seen him," replied Katelyn. The lady said, "I'll page him over our intercom system. Hold on just one moment." The lady started paging, and Katelyn turned looking for who this Caesar person could be.A few minutes later, a tan skinned young man walked up and started towards Katelyn's location. "Hey, I heard the page. What's going on," the young man asked the lady. She assumed he must be Caesar, but he looked very young and dressed differently than any mayor that Katelyn had ever seen. He wore a red half top that left his apparent six pack exposed. He wore with the odd shirt a low-hanging pair of pants. Katelyn turned to talk to the young man, but when he saw her, he froze for a moment, then said one word in an astonished tone. "Kara..." Katelyn didn't know what to think so she said, "I'm sorry, but I don't know who that is." Caesar looked and said, "I'm sorry, it's just that you look almost exactly like someone I lost recently." Katelyn could tell that this girl Kara must have been a very special person to Caesar, so she said sympathetically, "I'm very sorry, she must have been someone very special. My name is Katelyn. I somehow woke up here but I'm from the United States. I don't know how I got here and was trying to get directions to home." Caesar looked at Katelyn quizzically and said, "I'm sorry, but I've never heard of that place. Do you think someone kidnapped you? I can file a report and get you a place to stay." "That would be much appreciated. I am not very sure of how I got here. Any help would be appreciated," Katelyn replied to him. Caesar said, "Let's get moving then. Hopefully, we can find you a way home." He put his arm around Katelyn in a gesture of comfort and started to guide her to the large manor that was outside the station.As Caesar started to guide her, Katelyn started to feel a sense of déjà vu. She couldn't place it, but she felt like she knew the young man when they just met. Katelyn decided to shrug off the feeling for now, but she would dwell on it more later. Caesar led her into the large manor across from the station. Once inside the huge mansion, he led her to an office space and told her he would be back in a few minutes because he had to consult with his assistant. He left her for a few minutes, so she decided to look around the large space as she waited. One thing she noticed was a gorgeous statue with gems in the eyes that looked like fire. She had never heard of the statue, but it looked like it could cost a fortune. She kept looking around at the books in the office until she happened to pass by a mirror. When she saw her reflection, she did a double take, not believing what she saw in front of her eyes. The girl looking back at her in the mirror was not the same girl that had looked back at her all her life.After making sure she wasn't imagining things, she took in her appearance. When she had last seen herself, she had brown hair and eyes, but the girl in front of her had light blonde hair with violet eyes. She also was taller in stature, standing at least four or five inches taller than she used to be. Katelyn could not wrap her head around the fact that she looked so different. Right as she went to sit down and think, Caesar came back into the room and said, "Sorry I took so long. There's been a strange illness sweeping Greede and it seems to be without origin. More people are being affected by the day." "It's alright," Katelyn replied, heading over to take a seat across from Caesar as he sat at his desk."So," he started, "can you tell me your story from the beginning? You said that you don't remember coming here or being brought here, but that you need to get home." Katelyn nodded her head and said, "One minute I was at home in my bed. The next thing I knew, I woke up in this strange city. The weirdest thing is, I also feel like I'm in a strangers body. I saw my reflection and didn't even recognize the person staring back at me." Caesar gave her an odd look and then moved to pull out a picture from his desk drawer. "Even though my head is telling me that your story does not make sense, I actually believe you," he told her, "But just because of a special power I hold, Dragonsight. You see, it wasn't long ago that the girl I loved died in my arms. I know that I will never see her again, but somehow, I held out hope, working day and night to keep myself from grieving. And suddenly you show up here. I don't think that you are a spy. I would sense it. But I do see a girl who is scared and doesn't know what is going on. You see, Kara was special. I feel that she has a connection to you, and that you being here now is no coincidence." Caesar then handed Katelyn the picture and she gasped at the sight. The girl in the picture was dancing on a stage but looked exactly like the body that she was in now. She appeared to be looking directly at the camera that had taken the photo.
"I can't believe it," Katelyn whispered. "But, if I've come back as her, then where is my actually body. What happened to me?" Suddenly, her head started to throb, and images started to float behind her eyes as she closed them. It seemed like a lifetime of memories were hitting her all at once. Many involved the young man in front of her, Caesar. One memory showed him on the ground with a sword at his throat.
Another memory showed him being pulled off a cliff by a monster, a Greaver, and her rushing to save him. The last memory she had was of her final moments as she knew she was dying in his arms, and he confessed that she was so much more than a friend to him. She remembered closing her eyes and letting herself drift off for the last time in the arms of her childhood love.
She opened her eyes as the pain receded, not believing what she had witnessed. The memories that she had gained were not her own and she didn't know what was happening, but that it must be the work of something magical. Something brought her to this world, but for what purpose she was not sure.Finally, coming out of her daze, Katelyn looked in front of her to realize that Caesar was no longer across the desk from her, but on his knees in front of her chair. He had his hands on top of hers where they rested, still holding the photo. She knew by looking into his eyes that he had seen all the same memories, but from his view. It seemed that there was a connection between her and Kara, but it would take some investigation to figure it out. She only hoped that it would help to lead her back to her own life. She couldn't imagine how her soul ended up in this world in a different body, but hopefully she could find the key to the body swap and get back to her normal life.Caesar was still looking into her eyes, and she then realized that tears were falling from his eyes. She knew that the memories were causing him to grieve, but she took the photo and put it into his hands and told him, "Here, this belongs to you. I don't know how to say it, but I now have memories that aren't mine." She slowly stood up and pulled him with her, "But I hope we can figure out how I ended up here." "Well," Caesar said, wiping the tears from his eyes, "I feel like the first place we need to start looking is going to be, Balandor. It is where everything began and we can meet some old friends. What do you say to a little road trip? Do you know how to swing a sword?" "I say that we rest tonight and leave first thing in the morning. I don't know how to fight. I've never even touched a weapon of any kind. But, I'm sure I'll learn quickly," Katelyn told Caesar with a determined glint in her eye. "Don't worry, I will teach you some things as we make the long trip," he told her. "But first, I'll show you to your room for the night and get you some proper changes of clothes."With that, Caesar led her to a large bedroom with a canopy bed. He told her, "This used to be my parents room, but they both passed away a long time ago. There should be plenty of clothes in the closet of both my mother's and father's. Hopefully you can find some things that fit to take with us. I'll be across the hall if you need anything." With that, he left her to start to look for clothes to take with them on their trip. A few hours later, he poked his head in after knocking and said, "Dinner's ready if you would like to eat with me." She replied, "Thank you, I'll be down in a few minutes." She decided to change into one of the nicer gowns that she found and put on a pair of the slipper-like shoes before heading to the dining room. She saw Caesar sitting at one end of the large table reading a book and started towards him. He looked up and looked her up and down and then said, "You look beautiful." She blushed a little bit and said, "Thank you. The clothes are different from back home." "Well, they suit you well," he said. "I hope some of the other clothes are to your liking." "There are many nice options that fit me. Thank you for being so generous," she said as he stood to pull out her seat for her. She sat and he pushed in her chair, then took his place at the head of the table next to her. She realized that the table had many kinds of foods on it."I didn't know what you might like, so I had the chefs prepare a selection," he told her. "It is so much food. I hope it all doesn't go to waste," she told him. "Well, what we don't eat will go the servants, chefs, and my assistant," he explained, "But we better dig in so we can get some rest." And with that, they did. As they ate, they talked a little bit about themselves. Katelyn told Caesar about her family, how she had a younger brother who was five years younger than her. She told him about the United States and how it was a continent divided into many states, along with having three countries being a part of it. He seemed amazed and told her the only places he had ever heard of were Greede, Balandor, Faria, and a smaller city known as Albana. After the talk about geography, the two broke into a peaceful silence as they finished their food. For having just met, Katelyn felt a great connection with Caesar. The conversation swirled easily between them, and she hoped that she could learn more about him in the future in whatever time she had left with him. He was a like a complex puzzle with many layers that she really wanted to solve and break down piece by piece.
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After dinner, Caesar and Katelyn parted ways and headed to their opposite rooms with a goodnight. Katelyn laid on the bed trying to process the long day she had, not knowing what kind of adventure was to come. She had always felt like her life had been boring, but she never thought something like this could happen. She laid on the beautiful bed and tried to sleep, but sleep continued to evade her. What she didn't know was that Caesar also could not sleep, knowing that a carbon copy of the girl he had loved was only a few feet across the hall. After an hour of no sleep, Katelyn got up and decided to get a glass of water from the kitchen. She put on a night robe over the sleek dress that she had chosen for bed and walked out of the room, tiptoeing as quietly as she could towards the kitchen.When she was running water from the sink, Caesar came up behind her and leaned on the doorframe of the kitchen. She turned and startled a bit as she saw him standing there. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to scare you. I couldn't sleep either." Katelyn felt bad as she knew that there were many heavy thoughts weighing on his mind just as there were hers. "It's alright. By any chance do you want to talk about it?" "It's a long story, but I can tell you some of it if you would like," he replied. So, Katelyn sat and listened to the story of Leonard, Yulie, Eldore, Kara, and himself. He told her about the White Knight, the Dragon Knight, the Black Knight, and Grazel's Knight known as the Sun God. He told her about the moments leading up to the final battle they faced and how the original Kara had turned against them for a short period of time. He then told her about how Kara had come to her senses right before she was stabbed in the back by Shapur when he attempted to steal her power of the Black Knight. He told her that the moment Kara died in his arms, he swore to avenge her. Caesar also expressed the guilt he held over leaving Kara's body in the temple as it collapsed, but that there was no choice at the time. He had tears rolling down his face by the end.Katelyn then stood and walked over towards Caesar, wiping the tears from his eyes, and hugging him. Even though she had only met him that day, she felt a connection with him that she had felt with no one else in her life. It was as though a higher power had brought them together to help each other, to heal each other. Katelyn then asked Caesar, "Would you like to take a walk in the garden outside with me? I've always found that nature soothes the soul." Caesar nodded, so Katelyn took his hand and led him out the doors to the garden. They walked out to a bench in the middle of the garden, and she sat there, putting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer and that is how they stayed for a while, just enjoying the quiet that overcame the area at night. Katelyn felt Caesar's breathing even out as they sat and knew that he had calmed down. But, she continued to sit with him in silence and let him process his thoughts.After about an hour Caesar asked, "I know it's a little forward, but we only have a few hours till dawn. Do you want to stay in my bed? I feel like it may help me to sleep having you close." Katelyn blushed a little at the thought of sharing a bed with the young man beside her but felt that it would be better for her to have company as well, so she replied with a hesitant, "Of course. It may help me to sleep as well with the unfamiliar surroundings." So, Caesar stood and held out a hand towards Katelyn and helped her up from the bench. She slowly walked with her hand in his until they made it to his room. He got under the covers and slowly patted the other side of the bed for her to join. She felt some relief knowing that she wore a full nightgown under the robe, but she still felt slightly exposed as she took off the robe and laid down in the bed next to him. She laid a few feet from him and looked into his eyes. Caesar studied her facial features for a few minutes, seeing differences in Katelyn's expression. These were things he had never seen in Kara. Katelyn said, "A penny for your thoughts." "Sorry, it's just unbelievable the number of differences I see between you and Kara when you are right next to me. Kara always seemed so hardened and cold. You could never tell what she was thinking by looking at her eyes. Laying next to you, I can see a mix of expressions in your eyes. You are so much more open. It may be partly the Dragonsight, but I feel like my soul recognizes yours," he whispered. "I hope that means that you trust me." He turned onto his back and said, "You wouldn't be here if I didn't already. Goodnight," he said. She said a soft goodnight to him before she started to drift off to sleep. In her sleep, Katelyn kept having different dreams that felt very real, making her think that they were more memories of Kara's past life. Caesar slept peacefully for the first time in forever, not having the recurring nightmare for the first time in a long time of Kara dying in his arms.Katelyn woke up around noon the next day, realizing that Caesar was not only beside her, but under her. Her head was on his chest and her leg was over his torso. His arm was wrapped around her body. She looked up to see his golden eyes looking back at her lilac ones. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. It seems the princess has finally awakened." Katelyn blushed a little and attempted to move, but Caesar's grip around her tightened for a moment and he whispered, "Just five more minutes... please." So, she turned just slightly to face him more while still laying on his chest and asked, "So, what are our plans for today?" "Well," he said, "We already are having a little bit of a late start, but I had the servants finishing the packing last night. So, we are going to start headed towards Balandor after we finish bathing and getting ready."The thought of a bath sounded nice to Katelyn. She hadn't had one in what felt like forever, even though it had only been a day. "Who are we meeting in Balandor?" "Well, we are going to meet some of my old traveling companions, Leonard, Eldore, Yulie, and Queen Cisna. From there, we will decide on our plan of action. Eldore usually was the one who came up with most of our plans, seeing as he is the oldest out of all of us." Katelyn nodded in understanding, recognizing the names of the people who he talked about in his story the night before. It's crazy to think that Eldore came from the age of the Dogma Wars 10,000 years earlier and that Caesar, Leonard, and Kara had been the infants discovered in Sinca Village from the Dogma Age.After continuing to lie in each other's presence for a little longer, Caesar let go of Katelyn's waist, but Katelyn still did not move from her comfortable position. She never thought she would feel this peaceful just laying with someone in her lifetime. Caesar looked at her with this look which she couldn't decipher, but it almost looked like lust in his eyes. But, before things could go any further, Caesar realized that the girl in his arms was not the same girl he had fallen in love with and started to sit up. Katelyn sat up too, feeling a little disappointed about having to leave Caesar's arms, but she got up and started to walk out of the room, looking back to see Caesar at the edge of the bed leaning over with his elbows on his knees and his hands on his forehead, looking almost brooding and very deep in thought. She then left to go run herself a bath and get ready for the day.A little over an hour later, Katelyn emerged dressed and ready to go. She headed down to the dining room to meet Caesar for a late lunch before they left. When she came down, Caesar was sitting at the table eating a sandwich with meat and vegetables. "Hey Katelyn. I had the chefs just make some easy sandwiches for us. I hope you are okay with that." Katelyn made a small nod towards him and continued towards the chair next to him. He got up to quickly pull out her chair and help her sit down. "Sandwiches are what I eat on a regular, so it's completely fine. Thank you." Then, she began to dig in. They enjoyed small talk and then after finishing their food got ready to leave. They each donned a backpack with their supplies. Katelyn grabbed the sword Caesar offered and then he grabbed his spear. With that, they began to walk towards the station to leave the city.They left the city on a flying contraption that Caesar called a gondola. On the way down, Katelyn was amazed as she saw the Demithor for the first time. The city literally stood on its back, yet didn't seem to move as the monster did. As they flew to Flandar Trail, Caesar taught Katelyn some basic incantations for healing, curing, reviving, and awakening, along with a few spells made to weaken enemies. He told her she would need to know them for wild beasts they would face. He also told her about a little bit of Greede's history and how the city came to rest on the giant monster in the first place. After the ride, the two departed the gondola and started to head down Flandar Trail, starting what would be many days of travel.
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After walking the trail for a long way, Katelyn and Caesar had yet to encounter any beasts or wildlife, which Caesar had commented was unusual. He told her that ever since the purple mist had struck Greede, even the wildlife around the city had been acting unusual. Caesar told her, "With the plague sweeping through Greede, I am worried that it could affect the wildlife too. But, I am happy about the wildlife being absent today. It has helped us a good deal because we are walking at almost double the speed we normally would. We are getting pretty close to the sand maze. I hope that we can set up camp right before we enter it. Then, I can teach you some basic self-defense moves. In case we do see any monsters, you will need to be prepared." Katelyn nodded and said, "I'm good as long as you are. I want to make this trip as short as possible." The two continued to joke and banter with each other as they continued walking, and Caesar asked Katelyn questions about her life in her world. She told him about how she worked in the medical field where she was from and that she was going to school to be a doctor. She also told him that she never had time for a life other than schooling or work. "I'm starting to think I had a heart attack and died in my sleep and ended up here after all the stress," she joked with him, but kind of felt like it could be the truth. She had been staying up late almost every night, pouring herself into memorizing all of her notes to ace her classes. She also worked more than forty hours each week, which added a lot of stress onto her already full plate.As the sun began to set, Caesar opted that they begin to set up camp, claiming they traveled a good distance for their first day. He began to set up a tent and light a fire as Katelyn sat on a large log. The sight in front of her reminded her of one of the memories she had of Kara and Caesar, so she decided to ask him about it. "So, the memory of you and Kara by the fire... what happened that caused her to hold a sword to your neck?" He looked up at her and then back at the fire he was tending and said, "It was when I found out she was the Black Knight. I had a suspicion before but didn't know until that moment. I decided to confront her about it, and she had me on the ground in seconds. I told her that I wouldn't fight her and that she could kill me if she wanted. She didn't hurt me, only threatened. I told her that day that all my Dragonsight saw in her was a friend."Katelyn laughed a little at that and said, "I'm sorry, but she held a sword to your neck and you saw her as a friend?" "She would have never acted on her threats." "Okay, whatever you say. Can we practice sparring?" "Sure," he replied, "But don't be mad when I whoop your butt." "Don't worry, I'm sure I can take you on," Katelyn replied with a glint of mischief in her eyes. They both prepared to fight and got into their battle stances. Caesar started to swing, and Katelyn dodged each hit perfectly. Caesar got closer to her until Katelyn sneakily dodged a hit and then struck him with a kick to his legs, landing him on his back. She crawled on top of him and held her sword to his neck and said, "I win." Caesar laughed at her as she put her sword down and told her, "You just made a mistake. A good lesson to learn from this is to never let your guard down in the presence of your enemy," as he flipped himself on top of Katelyn and started to tickle her sides relentlessly. She shrieked and squealed with laughter and then finally cried, "Okay, you win!!!! You win!!!! Please stop!" Then, he did. After the tickling stopped, Katelyn looked at the position of their bodies and how close Caesar's face was to hers.In the heat of the moment, Katelyn leaned towards him, closing the gap and placed a kiss on his lips. He seemed surprised at first but then started to move his lips against hers. The kiss was hesitant at first on both sides, but then slowly gained passion. The two continued to kiss while Caesar picked up Katelyn from the ground and placed her on the log that she had been sitting on before. He then sat beside her, facing her and slowly brought his face back to hers, savoring the kiss as if it were the last kiss he would ever receive. He slowly traced her bottom lip with his tongue, making her whimper and grant him access to the inside of her mouth, their tongues dancing in sync. Katelyn didn't know where to put her hands, but she went from running her fingers through his hair, to his shoulders, and down to his partially exposed chest. Caesar kept his hands locked around her waist, holding her against him. After a few more minutes of the two making out, Caesar and Katelyn pulled away from the kiss. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments, their foreheads resting together and their breathing heavy. "I'm sorry," Caesar whispered to her, "I got a bit carried away." Katelyn let out a small laugh and said, "I was the one who started it." Then they just both laughed together, and Caesar asked, "So what does this make us?" "Well," Katelyn said, "We could be friends that sometimes make out with each other." She looked into his eyes, wishing that she could fully read his expressions, before slowly placing one last soft kiss against his lips and pulling away.She turned towards the fire that was still burning a few feet away from them and asked, "So, who is keeping watch tonight?" "I will," he said, "after we eat you can get some sleep and then keep watch in the early morning while I get a little shut eye." With that, Caesar started to pull out some smoked meats from his bag, along with what looked like nuts from Katelyn's world. He said, "I know it's not much, but if we make good timing tomorrow, we can probably make it to Albana and have a nice meal and sleep at an inn." Katelyn said, "It's fine. I don't mind. We are blessed to have this food in front of us." He offered the bag to her, and she took out one of the strips of smoked meat and started to munch on it while he did the same.After having their fill of the food, Katelyn and Caesar just sat by the fire, enjoying the quiet. Caesar sat on the ground in front of the log while she sat on the log next to him. "You should probably get some sleep, so you aren't tired in a few hours," he said to her. She replied, "I don't know if I can sleep on my own." So, he said, "You don't have to sleep in the tent if you don't want. Come here." He raised his arm as she slowly lowered herself onto the ground with him and leaned her head against his chest. He then wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She felt content just resting like that and started to drift off to the crackling sounds of the fire. She felt a small kiss placed onto her forehead as she drifted off to sleep in Caesar's arms.As Katelyn fell asleep against him, Caesar recalled the kiss that they had shared. The passion that he felt between the two of them had been something that neither he nor Kara had shared before her death. This passion was all consuming, and even though he had just met her, he felt like his soul knew Katelyn's in a way that he had never felt with anyone else. But deep down he didn't want him or Katelyn to end up hurt because she was from another world, she looked exactly like Kara in his world, and he knew that Kara's death and her appearance were no coincidence. It seemed that even though Kara died, the universe needed someone to take her place to make things right. Katelyn had experienced some of his memories with Kara, which meant that their souls were connected somehow. He stared into the fire and contemplated sharing his life with someone other than Kara for the first time in a long time. Though he would always miss her, he knew that it was time to move on and make the change that he needed in his life.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
A few hours later, Katelyn awoke to the ground shaking and loud roaring noises coming from nearby. She looked around and noticed that Caesar was no longer beside her. She then realized that he was nowhere in sight. She stood and grabbed her sword, heading towards the noises that she heard. What she saw upon finding out the source of noises was beyond her wildest imagination. There was a large yellowish colored dragon and a large knight in red armor with large wings fighting it. It looked like the knight had the upper hand. The large dragon fell over on its side, and a last blow was struck by the knight before he leant on one knee and started to glow. When the glow stopped, Caesar stood in the knight's place.
Caesar started to walk back towards their little camp when he saw Katelyn standing there with wide eyes. He realized that he had told her the story of what happened in the past, but not about the sheer power that the knights possessed in battle. He also realized that the dragon was the first monster she had seen. He slowly walked up to Katelyn and noticed that she was shaking. He pulled her into his arms then picked her up bridal style and carried her the rest of the way towards the camp. When they finally made it back to the camp, Caesar carried Katelyn into the tent and held her in his arms, petting her hair. He decided to soothe her by talking to her in a low voice as not to frighten her any further. "I'm sorry to have woken you. We must have been too close to the dragon's lair, and it came charging towards our camp. I didn't want you to get hurt so I led it to the clearing and fought it. You see, I have the power of the dragon knight, one of the knights I was telling you about. I can transform into its form when I need to for protection. Not all the monsters are that size, but you will get used to it. I'm sorry that that was the first monster you had to encounter."
Katelyn finally stopped shaking and seemed to come out of the daze she was in. She then responded, "Sorry... it's just that the dragon was huge. I didn't realize that monsters... like that could even exist... much less be that big and scary. You seemed to have handled it well yourself though." Caesar said, "It's alright. Most of the monsters you will see are much smaller. There are other monsters of that size, but I won't let them hurt you." She nodded against his chest and seemed calmer than she had after seeing Caesar battle the dragon. "Now, how about we both get a little shut eye until dawn? We have a long road ahead of us tomorrow and I'm hoping we make it to Albana by nightfall." Katelyn whispered a quick, "Okay," before laying down on top of one of the sleeping sacks. She pulled one of the blankets Caesar had left over her body, but then realized she was missing the warmth of Caesar's body against hers with the cool night air. So, she asked him in a small voice, "Can you move your sleep sack closer to me, please?" He obliged, missing the feeling of her against him as well and moved his sleep sack against the edge of hers. Then, he pulled her close and covered him and Katelyn with her blanket.
He laid next to her made and sure that she fell asleep peacefully next to him. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe next to him. He knew that the next day would be a long one and that they only had about three hours left until morning, but he didn't wake her to get sleep earlier because he knew she wasn't prepared for battle yet. He hadn't seen any other monsters besides the dragon, so he hoped that they wouldn't have any other encounters before morning. He knew that he needed sleep to make the long trek the next day, so he decided to go ahead and sleep while it was safe. Before sleeping, he made sure his spear and her sword weren't further than arms reach in case of any other disturbances.
A few hours later, Caesar awoke to the sound of the tent that him and Katelyn were in unzipping. He was very surprised when he saw the face that peeked in. "I thought I recognized this tent," the intruder said. The intruder also happened to be Yulie. "Hey, what are you doing here? Is the whole crew here?" "Well, if by the crew, you mean me, Leonard, and Eldore, then yes. We were coming to find you," she said. Then she noticed the figuring curled under the blanket with him and gasped, then shouted, "Wait a minute, is that who I think it is lying beside you?" "No," he replied. "You won't believe the last couple of days we've had, but I'll explain after I wake her up. Give us a few minutes." With that, Yulie went back outside the tent and started talking to Eldore and Leonard at a very fast pace. Caesar slowly shook Katelyn and whispered, "We have visitors, Katelyn. I need you to wake up." She slowly blinked open her eyes and looked around, just noticing that it was morning. "Good morning. You said we have visitors?" "Yes," he replied starting to stand and hold out his hand. "I'd like you to meet a few of my friends who apparently were also looking for me." With that, Katelyn took his hand and exited the tent. He whispered to her before they fully exited, "Stay behind me until I introduce you, okay?" She whispered a quick okay back to him and did as he said, holding onto his shoulder with her left hand, her right hand on her sword that she had wrapped back onto her waist.
Caesar walked out of the tent and started with, "Hey Leonard, Eldore, long time no see. So, I have someone new I need to introduce you all to. She looks like someone we used to know, but I promise that she is someone different and I will explain why in a minute." They all looked on as Caesar slowly moved to the side and revealed Katelyn from behind him. Before she could even blink, the young man with reddish brown hair that she assumed was Leonard, pulled his sword out, and the girl who she assumed was Yulie, had drawn her bow and had it aimed at her. The older man who she assumed was Eldore just looked at her with squinted eyes as if trying to decipher the pieces of a puzzle. Caesar jumped back in front of her quickly and said, "Hey, guys, listen. She isn't Kara. Her name is Katelyn and she's not from here. Can you all please give her a chance and listen before making assumptions?" With that, she heard a sword being put into its sheath and the sound of arrows knocking together. Then, Caesar moved aside again, but this time grasped her hand and pulled her over towards the firepit from the night before.
He walked over towards the firepit and started the fire again, then took a seat on the ground, sitting next to where Katelyn had sat down. "So, Leonard, Yulie, Eldore," he spoke nodding towards each of them, "this is Katelyn. Somehow, she body swapped and ended up here from a different universe. I know what you are thinking, she looks exactly like Kara, but she's not." "Hello everyone," Katelyn finally spoke from beside him, "My name is Katelyn. You see, one minute I was in my bed and the next I was in Greede. I don't know how I was transported here and into the body I am in now, but I must have been sent here for a reason. I don't know if it's to help you all in your mission, but I really want to help however I can. I don't even know what happened to my body or how to get home, but I'm hoping with all the allies I heard that you all have that we can figure out exactly what's going on here." After her introduction, Eldore spoke up and said, "Well, if Caesar trusts you, then I do too, so welcome to the team. Hopefully we can all get some answers about the problems we are facing that brought us all to this point in time and are the reason for our visit."
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After discussions about the next move that the group should make, they decide to investigate the cause of the purple mist that had been invading Greede to see if they could stop it. Caesar said that there was a monument on Flander Trail that he had discovered a few weeks before that described a disease that was centuries old and an unkillable monster. He still had not figured out the exact cause of the disease, but there had been a black dragon flying along the outskirts of the city for quite some time that had not directly attacked. With that, the group decided the first place to start looking would be Greede itself. Katelyn and Caesar packed up their things and set off for another long walk back to where they came. Yulie and Leonard took the lead on the hike, Eldore followed them close behind, as Caesar hollered out, "Katelyn and I have got the rear." After the first few minutes, Caesar swung his arm over Katelyn's shoulders as they walked behind the group. Eldore kept looking back every now and again as they walked, still a bit baffled by the whole situation, but not letting his emotions show through his partially squinted eyes.After a few hours of uneventful walking, the group sat down on a few large rocks and ate a small lunch. Katelyn was talking to Eldore and Leonard, along with Queen Cisna through the help of the same bigelow bird from their previous journey. It was there that Yulie decided to ask Caesar, "Are you guys like a couple now? You seem really close for having just met." "Well, it's a bit complicated," he said, not looking Yulie in the eyes. "I do like her. We get along better than me and Kara ever did. But I also just miss Kara and she looks exactly like her." He let out a long sigh and said, "Can you give me some advice, Yulie?" "Well," Yulie said, "I wouldn't lead her on if you are going to end up hurting her. Also, get to know more about her and where she is from. You don't even know what she really looks like because you haven't asked. Maybe, before we leave Greede, if her real hair isn't blonde, I can help her dye it so that way she feels a little bit more herself." "I hadn't even thought of that," Caesar said, looking over in Katelyn's direction. "I need to ask her more about herself and get to know her for her." Yulie reached over and put a hand over his, "Look, we know it was hard having left Kara in the temple when it collapsed. We know that you hesitated and almost turned around, but we can't change the past. What we can change is your future. You can't keep pushing yourself like you have this last year. We all know that you haven't been sleeping or eating right, and don't try to fool us by telling us that you have." "I know it's going to sound crazy, but I've slept better the last two nights than I have in almost a year. It felt right having her next to me. I didn't have the nightmare and woke up feeling rested." Yulie gave him a concerned look and said, "After this is all over, we are all definitely taking a vacation and leaving the knights behind for a while." He laughed and said, "What would we do without you, Yulie." "I don't know, probably end up miserable or in an early grave," she retorted.At this point, Katelyn had begun to walk back over and said, "Hey, no one is ending up in an early grave on my watch." "Well, it's good to know that there are two of us," Yulie said to her. Katelyn walked behind Caesar and put her head on top of his while looping her arms around his shoulders. Yulie decided to ask, "Hey Katelyn, what did you look like in your world?" "Well," Katelyn replied, "I was about your height with brown hair and brown eyes. I had very pale skin because I never had time to go outside. I always carried a little bit of extra weight in my hips and chest area, and because of my shorter stature, I was a little on the curvier side. My hips were definitely a bit wider. I have never been as skinny as I am right now." "Well, I am sure that you were beautiful where you were from." Katelyn looked at Yulie and said, "It may sound like it, but where I was from, stick skinny was always the definition of beauty. I was just average. I didn't attract attention or anything." Caesar cut in and said, "Well, I am sure that every person who didn't get to know you was a fool. You have an amazing personality that any person could love." "And don't beat yourself up. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the soul is what matters the most when it comes to true beauty," Yulie said. "Thanks, Caesar, Yulie." "Anyway, there are ways to dye your hair if you'd like. I can help you," Yulie told Katelyn. "I know it may not help much, but it could help you to feel a little bit more yourself." "That sounds wonderful, Yulie. Thank you for offering. We can do that after we figure out what is causing the plague in Greede." "You're welcome. I hope we can become great friends." Katelyn let out a slightly forced smile at that, not knowing how long she would be able to stay in this world. She never really had friends in her own world, which made her feel lonely at times. It was nice being surrounded by people for once.After they finished eating and resting for a bit, they packed up the rest of the food and continued up the trail. As they got closer to Greede, there were some huge insects, which shocked Katelyn. She thought that the bugs in her world were big, but never in her lifetime did she think that bugs could be the same size as her. Luckily, the giant spiders and wasp-like creatures that the others called Vespids, were easy to kill. In the evening, the group arrived back at the station in Greede. They went into the manor and walked outside to the gardens to discuss their next steps when a giant black dragon flew overhead. Caesar immediately ran after it, saying, "Damn, I have to keep it away from the city." He called upon his transformation by saying, " O Larvayne, Vermillion Drake, Leveler of Ancient Lands, Grant Me Your Power! Verto!" He then flew after the black dragon and started to strike it so many different times until it collapsed. Katelyn, Yulie, Leonard, and Eldore watched in awe as it seemed that Caesar had defeated it by himself. But then, the black dragon got up in a swirl of purple smoke and flew away. Caesar began to transform back as Eldore whispered behind them, "The deathless monster." Katelyn told Caesar, "You did amazing. We thought you had it, but maybe we are missing something. Didn't you mention your father crossed paths with it forty years ago?" "Yeah, he did. He might have known something, but there is no way to get that information now." "The Retrospecticon," Yulie yells out. "The retro- what," Caesar asks. "Wait, didn't you guys get that in Faria?" "It's a book that allows us to step into past events. We may be able to learn more about this Netherwyrm." "Okay, well, you guys better get reading. Katelyn and I are going to bathe and take a nap before we do anything else."With that, Caesar grabbed Katelyn by the hand, quickly pulling her from the room and towards his. She didn't know his exact plan, but then he brought her into the bathroom that was inside his bedroom. The tub was way bigger than the one that she had bathed in on her first night. It was like a pool that was big enough for four or five people. Caesar started to run the water inside of it and added some type of bubble bath and other things into the bath. He then turned to leave the room and said, "I'll leave you to bathe." Katelyn looked at the tub and back at him before saying, "Let's not waste the water. We can both bathe in there. The tub is huge." He blushed a little and said, "I don't know..." Katelyn started to take off the clothes she was in and Caesar looked away. She got down to the corset and Victorian style underwear that she had borrowed. She asked Caesar who was still in the doorway, "Do you mind untying this? It took me forever to tie it up." She heard him start to move and then felt his hands on her back against the corset strings. He started to undo the ties on the corsets and pulled the strings loose. He then leaned his head down leaving a small kiss on the back of her neck. Then, he trailed his lips down to the top of her shoulder and left another small kiss there. Then, made his way towards her shoulder blade, leaving a kiss there as well. Finally, having had enough of the teasing, Katelyn let the corset fall. She then turned and pulled Caesar towards her, kissing him on the lips with force. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him, returning the kiss with fervor. After a few minutes of the heated kissing and exploration of hands, Katelyn pulled off his shirt, exposing his full chest to her. She trailed her kisses across the top of his chest before meeting his lips again. Finally, the two of them broke apart, gasping for air. "Katelyn, I really like you and want to see where this can go, but we have to stop here. I want our first time to be a little more romantic than this." "Okay," she whispered, placing one more kiss on his lips, "but how about we take that bath. The water is getting cold. We can keep our pants on if you want."With that, she stepped into the water of the bath with the long underpants still on. Caesar followed her into the tub but sat on the tub edge opposite her. He offered her shampoos, conditioners, and body washes, and even offered to help her with her hair. She ended up moving next to him, allowing him to take a small bowl and pour the warm water over her hair before washing it thoroughly. She then did the same for him, taking the time to run her hands through his hair. "How do you dye your hair here," Katelyn asked him, recalling her conversation with Yulie earlier that day. "Well, there are many kinds of dyes, some of them natural and some of them chemical. I can get you some and we can do your hair after we stop the Netherwyrm." "Thank you," Katelyn said. "You wouldn't believe how happy I am that I met you." After finishing his hair, Caesar handed Katelyn a soap bar and allowed her to clean herself on all her other body parts. She finished quickly and then rinsed in the now cool water before stepping out of the tub and grabbing a towel from the side. She then handed Caesar one as he followed behind her and asked, "I'll join you for that nap after I change, alright?" He then pulled her towards him and gave her a parting kiss on the lips and said, "Don't keep me waiting long."After dressing in a nightgown from the closet in her temporary bedroom, putting on a robe, towel drying her hair as much as possible after brushing it, and brushing her teeth, Katelyn made the trek out of the room. She ran into Yulie on the way out of the room who gave her a bit of a knowing grin before asking her, "Is it okay if we all get some rest in the guest bedrooms while you guys naps?" "Sure, go ahead. I'm sure Caesar won't mind," Katelyn replied before heading into Caesar's room. When she entered the room, the lights were dimmed, and she could just make out Caesar's form on the giant bed in the center of the room. She walked up towards the bed, taking off her robe. "Hello beautiful," Caesar said as she made her way next to him on the bed. "Hello handsome," she whispered back, placing a kiss on his lips.She curled up against his still bare chest and asked him, "Hey Caesar, I know that it's not the best moment to ask this question, but how do you think I ended up here? Do you think that book that you all were talking about could show me my past so that I could find an answer?" Caesar started to slowly run his fingers through her hair and said, "It should be able to show any past event if you want to use it. It may give you an answer, it may not. But if I could, I wouldn't want anything to change." "I know, I wouldn't want to change the fact that I met you or the others, it's just that I miss my mom, my dad, and my little brother." "How about after our nap, we go and look at the Retrospecticon before we go after the Netherwyrm?" "Okay, I'll see you when I wake. Goodnight, or well, afternoon." "Goodnight," he replied before placing a kiss on Katelyn's forehead and laying back, closing his eyes. Katelyn snuggled up to Caesar and did the same, letting the exhaustion from the last couple of days take over.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Caesar and Katelyn slept through most of the night after the exhaustion from the previous days, waking at the crack of dawn. Upon waking, both said their good mornings and shared a few kisses before Katelyn got up to get dressed across the hall. After getting dressed, Katelyn walked down to the dining room to meet up with the others. Upon walking in, breakfast was already on the table at her place next to Caesar. The Retrospecticon was laid out on the center of the table. "So, what are our plans for the day," Katelyn asked as she started to eat the food that had been laid out for her. "Well," Eldore started, "We are going to use the Retrospecticon to step into the past and find the secret to killing the Netherwyrm. We also are going to use the book to see if you can unlock the secret of how you ended up here. Which do we want to start with?" Katelyn looked around, waiting for an answer from the other three people sitting at the table, but didn't get an answer. So, she asked, "Can I try and find out how I ended up here first? It shouldn't take too long. I know the exact point of when I need to go back to." "Okay, well, let's get started then," Eldore said. Eldore showed Katelyn how to use the book and with that the group got started. They moved to the foyer and Katelyn opened the book, reciting the incantation, "It was the best of times, it was the worst..." Before she could finish the sentence, the group that was gathered around her and herself began to glow and then transferred to a different point in time that occurred in her world.
When she opened her eyes again, Katelyn noticed that the group had appeared in her living room on the night that she ended up in Greede. Eldore told her that they could not change the events of the past, so she could only watch and wait for something to happen. Finally, she noticed something out of the blue. There was noise coming from her room, but she didn't remember getting up the night before the incident. She rushed towards the room that her sleeping form was in and noticed a figure coming in the window. She watched from the doorway as the figure started to chant some words above her and then her body disappeared. The figure then pulled off her hood, revealing a face that she was familiar with because it looked back at her every day when she looked in the mirror. Then, the blonde figure chanted again and morphed to look exactly like her in her real form. Katelyn slowly shut the door and turned to see Caesar and Eldore behind her. Caesar said, "Kara was alive all this time but took your place and put you in hers. She literally body swapped with you without your express permission." "Caesar, you said that she was injured horribly by your enemy. Maybe she needed time to heal or something else happened that made her need to perform the switch. Do you want to speak with her and see what we can find out?" Caesar let out a small nod and Katelyn turned to open the door again. The three entered the room, determined to confront the elephant in the room.
The figure in her bed, also known as Kara, sat up and looked at the three of them wide eyed. "You found me so quickly," she said. Katelyn looked at her confused and asked, "Why did you do this to me? Why did you send me to your world and take my place?" Kara said, "I was injured badly in battle and died. But then there was a voice telling me that my purpose had not been fulfilled yet. I awoke in Faria with Father Yggdra and still had this," she said holding out the pact to the Black Knight, a black sword. "But I could not use it. Father Yggdra said I could not go into battle ever again, but that there was another person he could sense that would be able to take my place. I know that I did not ask for permission to take your place, and I'm sorry that I didn't. But I knew when I traded body and memories with you that you would be happy in Greede and that I could have a peaceful life here. So, I did what I had to do to protect us both. I failed once by letting down my guard and following the wrong path. Please do not do the same." Katelyn nodded and said, "I understand. At least I now have an explanation for how I ended up in Greede. I know what I have to do, Kara. But could you at least make me look like myself?" "I'm sorry, but as you can see, I look like you used to. I can't change that, and you can't change your appearance. I'm sorry to say, you are stuck looking like I used to. I do have this for you. You will need it for the war ahead. I made sure to take it before Shapur could when he stabbed me," she said handing Katelyn the pact of the Black Knight. Eldore said, "Well, we have other matters to deal with, so we must be going. At least Katelyn has her answer, and we now have the Black Knight on our side." Katelyn looked one last time at Kara as Caesar and Eldore left the room and said, "My family, take care of them for me. Make sure that you tell them you love them at dinner every week. Make sure my brother has a good role model to follow. Please promise me that you will love them as much as I will miss them." "I promise," Kara said, nodding to Katelyn and reaching out to shake her hand. "It was good meeting you. I hope you are happy in Greede." Katelyn nodded back and left the room, shutting the door behind her for the last time. After that, her body started to glow, and she was teleported back to Greede.
Katelyn opened her eyes to see everyone around her looking at her sympathy. She then realized that she had tears rolling down her face. She realized that with her returning to Greede, she would never see her family again, and it hit her hard. She hoped that Kara would uphold her end of her promise. Caesar pulled her to him and held her as she let the tears fall. She then felt tentative arms wrap around her from behind. She looked behind her to see Yulie had wrapped her in a hug from behind. Then, Leonard came and joined the group hug, with Eldore following him. "I know it's hard, but she will take care of them. I am sure of it. She lost her sister because of the Magi. She won't let anything happen to your parents or brother," Caesar said to her, "But we have something important to do. We need to cure this plague. Are you up for it?" Caesar wiped the tears from her eyes, and she gave him a small smile and a nod. "Okay, Eldore, it is your turn," Caesar said, being the first to pull from the hug and going to grab the Retrospecticon. Katelyn thanked the others for being there to hold her as she cried and then went over to grab her sword holster. She wrapped her holster around her waist, slid the black blade into her holster, then rejoined the others, ready for the next journey with the Retrospecticon. The small group formed a small circle around Eldore as he began to recite the incantation. They all began to glow as they did the first time they teleported, and then traveled to a time from Greede's past.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After teleporting back in time, the group ended up in front of the Drisdall Manor in the middle of purple mist. After teleporting and looking around for a moment, Caesar said, "So, this is the past?" "Look at the purple mist," Katelyn pointed out, "It's just like in the present time." "So, this must be forty years in the past," Caesar stated, "That was when the last cases of pyrexia were recorded. I need to try something real quick." Caesar started to walk up towards the guard at the gate and asked, "Hey, is my dad home?" The guard looked at Caesar suspiciously and said, "Huh? And who might you be?" "I'm Count Drisdall's son, duh. Ring any bells?" Katelyn just shook her head at Caesar's comment and smacked her hand to her head, letting out a sigh. "His lordship, the Count, doesn't have any children," the guard said. "Ooo, trippy," Caesar said, walking towards the back of the group. Eldore approached the guard and asked, "Excuse me, could you tell us if Count Drisdall is in?" "Who's asking," the guard asked him. "We've come with information about the fever sweeping through Greede." "Have you really? That's good news. But I'm afraid the Count is in the Bunker Lode Caverns undergoing the Dragon's Trial." "The Dragon's Trial," Yulie questioned. Caesar started to take off, pulling Katelyn with him and said, "So that's what's up. Let's head for the Caverns. Follow me everyone." With that, the group took off towards the Gondola Station to go to the Bunker Lode Caverns.Upon arriving at the entrance to the Bunker Lode caverns, Caesar explained how the Dragon's Trial was used in times of need to borrow the strength and wisdom of the Armored Dragon. "Borrow it how," Yulie asked. "Look, let's just find my dad further in. Then it should all click." With that, the group began to walk into the Bunker Lode Caverns. On the way, Katelyn asked Caesar how to use the power of the Black Knight if it was needed. He told her, "As far as Kara had said when she used the incantation, it should be, O Dinivas, Deliverer of Dark and Dread, Ruler of the Ancient Shadows, Grant Me Your Power! Verto! Then the transformation should take hold of you. You should try it when we see one of the large enemies up ahead. I'll transform with you, and we can take them down. I'm sure there will be some large direspiders and dragons throughout the Caverns." With that, Katelyn said, "Okay. I'll follow your lead. Let's go kick some monster butt." They caught up to the group who had wondered a little way ahead of them. Leonard asked Eldore, "So the Armored Dragon can tell us how to stop the Netherwyrm?" "Well, if you want to know about dragons, ask a dragon." Leonard nodded and said, "Head's up. Monsters up ahead." The group started running towards the group of fire lizards, red scorpions, and firespider sprogs. Katelyn pulled out the black sword from its sheath and felt the magic coursing through the blade. She started to approach a fire lizard and swung at it. Her body felt different in a way that she could not explain. She felt as if muscle memory knew the exact ways to swing the sword, even though it was her first time trying to defeat an enemy on her own. After a few swings, the fire lizard collapsed and Katelyn had a huge smile on her face, realizing she had just defeated her first monster. She said a quick heal incantation because of the scratches the monster placed on her skin, then moved in to help Caesar defeat a red scorpion. After he swung at it, she felt a surge of energy and words flew from her mouth before she swung at the scorpion. A surge of light spread over the scorpions body and small cracks spread over its surface. Katelyn realized that she weakened its shell but didn't remember the exact words she used to cause it to happen.With another swing of his spear, Caesar defeated the Red Scorpion. Him and Katelyn looked around for any more enemies but saw that the group had finished defeating the other enemies and began to move on within the Caverns. Caesar and Katelyn started to follow behind them before Caesar asked Katelyn, "How did you learn the shield breaker incantation?" "I don't know, the words just slipped from my tongue." "Hmm, maybe it's Kara's memories slipping into yours again." "I don't know, but it was almost like muscle memory fighting the monsters back there." A few minutes of walking later, the group made their way to a large direspider and many other small monsters. Katelyn nodded at Caesar and then pulled out the black sword, reciting the words, "Oh Dinivas, Deliverer of Dark and Dread, Ruler of the Ancient Shadows, Grant Me Your Power! Verto!" She started to glow and then stood higher off the ground. She realized that the magical power that had coursed through the sword had turned her into the Black Knight. She looked to her left to see the Dragon Knight beside her. She ran towards the direspider and swung her sword towards it. Her sword crashed into one of its hind legs as Caesar attacked its front legs with his spear. They continued to take turns hitting it until finally it collapsed. Then, they attacked its belly until finally it stopped moving. Katelyn and Caesar both realized that it was dead and transformed back after taking a knee. Katelyn looked up bewildered from the place that she kneeled as her and Caesar were directly beside each other and back to their human forms. Caesar leaned into Katelyn and took hold of her face, placing a kiss on her lips before they stood. "You did amazing," he said, standing up and holding out a hand to her. She grasped his hand and he pulled her from the ground. "Okay, enough of that lovebirds. Let's go," Yulie yelled out to the two upon seeing their public display of affection.After a few more groups of small monsters, and one more direspider, the group attempted to make their way onto the elevator. But, when Eldore went to pull the lever to make it work, he muttered a quick, "Damn it, it's jammed. We must need to restart the generators like the last time we were down here." "Of course, anything to keep us from getting to my dad," Caesar muttered. Caesar said, "I guess we could split up to try to cover more ground. How about me and Katelyn head to try to turn on the farthest generator and you three can turn on the two closest." Eldore looked at the two for a moment before nodding and said, "We will split off at the fork in the path up ahead then." With that, the group continued forward until they reached a split in the path like Eldore mentioned. But, before they could split, they had to defeat a fire dragon. With the five of them working in tandem, it did not take long for the fire dragon to fall to the ground in defeat. Eldore said, "Okay. We will turn on the two down this way. You guys be safe. We will regroup by the elevator." With that, Leonard, Yulie, and Eldore started down the first path. Caesar and Katelyn started down the second. As they started walking, Katelyn asked, "So, Caesar, how bad are the monsters down here?" "Hopefully, no worse than what we have already seen with the last few groups. We should be able to make it back around the same time as the others because this tunnel is slightly longer." Katelyn grabbed Caesar's hand, slightly scared that it would be just the two of them relying on each other instead of the entire group. She knew that she wasn't that great of a swordsman, but she wanted to make Caesar proud.As they made their way towards the generator, they encountered a few small monsters. It wasn't until the opening where the generator handle was that they saw any large monsters. Of course, when they got there, they were shocked to not see one dragon, but two. They hid behind some crates and came up with a plan. "So, what I want you to do is get to that lever before you call on your transformation. But please be careful. The earth dragon can control the ground and make it move from under you, and the fire dragon can breathe fire. I will transform and distract them while you run around them and pull the lever." "Okay, but you be careful too. I don't want you to get hurt either." With that, Caesar called on his transformation. Katelyn waited until he distracted both the dragons before attempting to sneak out from behind the crates and running to the lever. She pulled the lever with all her might, but it took her a good minute before it moved all the way to the right. Then, she pulled out the black sword and called on her transformation for the second time that day, "O Dinivas, Deliverer of Dark and Dread, Ruler of the Ancient Shadows, Grant Me Your Power! Verto!" She transformed into the Black Knight and then joined Caesar in defeating the two dragons. It took a lot of energy from them both as the two dragons put up quite the fight. Katelyn towards the end of the battle tried to swing but ended up unable to move as she transformed back into her human form. The fire dragon fell, but the earth dragon was yet to be defeated. As the earth dragon attempted to scratch at the Dragon Knight, Katelyn jumped in front of the Dragon Knight. She cried out as the claws tore at the skin of her shoulder area. Caesar yelled out her name as she fell in front of the dragon to her knees. He lunged at the dragon above her and quickly put his spear through it. Katelyn began to stand shakily as Caesar took a knee and transformed into his human form. Katelyn felt very tired and almost collapsed after his transformation wore off, but Caesar caught her. "Whoa, I knew you liked me, but I didn't realize that you would be falling for me so soon." "I would laugh, but I feel so tired," Katelyn said. "I'm sorry. This is all new to you still. It's probably because your body is not used to the transformation, and you took a pretty big hit. Let me heal you." "It's okay. Can we just sit down for a moment while you do that?" With that, Caesar sat down and pulled Katelyn onto his lap for a quick rest. He began to say a small healing incantation, hoping the wound was shallower than it looked, but it did not close all the way. He took a moment to breathe and then said a stronger healing incantation, which finally let the wound close.After a few minutes of sitting, Katelyn said, "I feel a little better. We should try to get back to the elevator." Caesar maneuvered Katelyn off his lap and stood up, then held out a hand to her. "Okay, let's get back before the old man yells at us for being late." "Hey, he wouldn't be an old man if it weren't for him coming forward in time to save our butts, if what I heard from your story was correct. I wonder how old Eldore was before he traveled here." Caesar laughed and said, "I'm sorry. I know I'm being a little insensitive. I think that we will beat them back to the elevator. The generator makes a loud banging noise when all three switches are turned on. We could hear it the last time." The two continued forward and finally made it back to the elevator. It was right as they were arriving that they heard the loud banging noise that Caesar had mentioned, which meant the others would be back soon. Caesar and Katelyn took a seat on the stairs and waited for the others to arrive at the elevator below. Caesar said with a cheeky grin on his face, "You know we have at least five to ten minutes before the others get back." Katelyn leaned her face up towards Caesar's and placed a kiss on his lips. Slowly, their lips moved in tandem, and Caesar leaned Katelyn's back against the stairs and moved above her. Caesar slowly moved his kisses across the side of her face and along her neck before moving down towards the exposed part of her chest above the leather armor she had chosen to wear. "Do you know how worried I got when that dragon struck you with its claws," he asked. "I'm sorry. It felt right to jump in front of you." "Please, don't do something that can get you killed like that again." "I won't," she whispered as he pressed a knee between her legs. She held back a moan before deciding that things had gone far enough for the time being.She grasped his hair and pulled his face back towards hers and said, "The others will be back in a minute or two." "It doesn't matter. I want to worship every inch of you." "Well, it will have to wait for another time... soon. Just not here... and preferably in a bed." "Okay. I'm sorry. I got a little carried away." "We both did for a minute. But the others... are here," she said looking at the group approaching from below. "Hey guys, you took forever," Caesar said, getting up and rushing with Katelyn back down the stairs. "Okay, are we all prepared to move on," Eldore asked. "Yes, let's get going," Katelyn replied stepping onto the elevator. Yulie looked at her funny for a moment and asked, "What is that on your neck? It wasn't there earlier." "What do you mean, Yulie? Is there a wound that didn't heal or something?" "Wait a minute, is that a hickey???!!!" "What do you mean a hickey? Caesar!!!" Caesar looked at her and said with a smug grin, "What, like we both agreed, we got a bit carried away. At least everyone knows your mine." "You dog! I can't believe you," Katelyn said, crossing her arms on her chest and moving away from him as Yulie started laughing and the elevator started to move downwards.
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After reaching the basement level, the group began to hear shouting in the tunnel up ahead. They all started running forward at a jog to see what all the commotion was about. When they got to the shouting, they saw what looked to be a man hovering over a wounded soldier saying, "You've been badly hurt. Stay here and rest." The soldier groaned in pain before laying back against the wall. "Count, are you alright," Eldore asked. The young Count asked, "Hmm? Who are you?" Eldore replied, "Just a band of humble travelers seeking to bring an end to the fever afflicting Greede. Your man watching the gate told us we could find you here." "And so, you did. Your concern for Greede is appreciated. Might I trouble you to share with me what you know." After a long explanation about the Netherwyrm and how it was the cause of the pyrexia affecting the citizens, Drisdall said, "Fascinating. So, a deathless black dragon is the cause of our misfortune. I might have known. There have been sightings of such a beast." Caesar stepped up and asked, "Okay. So, what are you going to do about it?" His father replied, "Continue on to the palace. I must face the Dragon's trial." "Alone," Caesar asked, remembering how it took the five of them in the past to take down the dragon. "Of course. Anything to find out how to stop that black dragon." "Let us help you," Caesar said. "That's a kind offer, uhh... Forgive me, I don't think I caught your name." "It's Caesar." "Caesar, that's a strong name. Good to meet you, Caesar," he said while holding out his hand. Caesar looked taken aback for a momwnt, but took his father's hand and shook it with a firm grip. "Well, let's be off," the Count said to the group.After walking for a little bit, the group reached a large clearing that looked to be old ruins. Caesar whispered to Katelyn, "Be prepared to bring on your transformation. It is going to take all of us to defeat the Armored Dragon. We all nearly died the last time." Katelyn nodded to him and said, "I'm ready." Lord Drisdall shouted out, "Here me! I am Drisdall, Lord of Greede. Mother of Dragons, I summon you to fulfil your pact and grant me your power!" The ruins started to shake and crumble as a large red dragon covered in armor appeared. She flew to ground in front of them and let out a vicious roar. The dragon spoke and said, "Drisdall! If it is power and wisdom you seek, then power and wisdom you must first show!" Katelyn immediately called on her transformation and said, "O Dinivas, Deliverer of Darkness and Dread, Ruler of the Ancient Shadows, Grant Me Your Power! Verto!" Caesar said beside her, "O Larvayne, Vermillion Drake, Leveler of Ancient Lands, Grant Me Your Power! Verto!" Leonard said from the other side of the group, "O Wizel, White Warrior, Wielder of the Ancient Sword, Grant Me Your Power! Verto!" All three began to transform into their respective knights and began to glow as the suits resonated with one another. Eldore, Yulie, and the Count began their attacks, trying to weaken the attack and defenses of the dragon.After many minutes of fighting, the Dragon Matriarch backed down from her fight and said, "Lord Drisdall, ruler of Greede. You have proven your strength is true. Drisdall, you say it is your wish to rid Greede of the Netherwyrm's corruptions." "That's right," the Count said. "I must caution you: black it may be, and draconic in appearance — but the Netherwyrm is no kin of mine." Caesar asked, "It's not a dragon." "Correct. It is not a dragon. Thus, it will neither heed my pleas, nor will it answer to those of dragonkind. The Netherwrym is a living, undying weapon, crafted in ancient times by the Yshrenian Empire to fight in the Dogma Wars. Its indestructible flesh was made from my brethren's armour, allowing it to weather countless battles, and yet never know true defeat." "So, how are we supposed to fight it off," Katelyn asked the Dragon Matriarch. "There is one way but know this. The power is far too great for a mere man to wield without cost. Drisdall. What price are you willing to pay?" "Any price. My city's well-being falls squarely on my shoulders. I stand before you unafraid." "Very well. Then to you, I present this. The divine lance Wyrmbuke. Use this weapon to run the Netherwyrm through." Drisdall reached for the lance and then the group around him began to glow. Caesar muttered a quick, "What the..." The group then teleported back to the Drisdall manner in present day Greede.Eldore looked at the book and says, "The Retrospecticon ends there." "Aw, come on. Things were just getting good," Caesar said. Leonard asks, "So that lance - did Count Drisdall use it to defeat the black dragon?" "Presumably," Eldore said. "Well, let's figure it out in the morning," Caesar said, "You can crash at the mansion tonight." With that, Caesar began to walk towards the kitchen. Katelyn followed after him, sitting at one of the barstools at the counter inside the kitchen. Caesar had a sad look on his face as he got a drink out of the refrigerator and sat down beside her. "It must have been hard seeing him again," Katelyn said to Caesar. Caesar nods as he takes a drink and says, "I was a bit of an ass to him as I got older. I wish I could take it back sometimes, make him proud of me, you know." Katelyn held back her own tears and said, "I would give anything to have my parent's back. So, I know how you feel." Katelyn got up and said, "I'm sorry. I need a moment." She walked outside onto the balcony as the tears started to fall from her eyes. Leonard was standing out on the balcony and saw her as she came outside but didn't say anything for a few minutes. He knew that this new life was a hard adjustment for her and that it would take a while for her to get used to.Caesar came out a few minutes later and stood on the other side of the balcony overlooking the gardens. He wanted to give Katelyn a few minutes of peace, but still felt the need to be close to her. Leonard asked Caesar, "Not sleepy, huh? What's going on?" "It was just weird seeing my dad so... healthy, y'know? He was badass. Who knew? And I hit a sore spot when I was talking to Katelyn about it. She really misses her family." Leonard nodded and asked, "So what do you think happened to the lance. Maybe the Count kept the lance - left it somewhere." "That's part of what's keeping me awake. There was some serious power coursing through that lance. A weapon like that doesn't just go away." For a few minutes, Caesar thought and then remembered something from the past. When he was young, he was following his dad who was doing something important. He remembered being upset because he couldn't find his dad. But then he spotted him at the end of a tunnel in Greede's Underbelly. "Caesar, are you okay," Leonard asked, shaking him. "Yeah. I remember now. The lance is down in Greede's Underbelly." "Okay. We will leave in the morning. Have a good night, okay." Leonard then pointed at Katelyn and said, "Oh, and I think she is ready to talk." Leonard left the balcony as Katelyn approached Caesar. "Sorry about earlier. It's been an adjustment. I used to talk to my mom every day and it's hard not hearing her voice and going to her for guidance." "I understand. I've been trying to rule a city with thousands of people and have no clue what I am doing." "Well, Caesar, or I guess, my lord," Katelyn started, "Maybe we should start with some rest and then think on that in the morning. Maybe I could help you in the future if you would like." "That would be awesome. Let's get to bed," he said. He scooped her up in his arms bridal style and started towards his room. "Do you want to get changed first," Caesar asked her as they made their way to the bedroom. "No, I have other plans for you tonight," Katelyn said cheekily. Caesar looked a little wide eyed, then rushed to the bedroom, quickly opening, shutting, and locking the door.Katelyn quickly found her back against the door, as Caesar kissed the life out of her. "You don't know what you do to me," Caesar said to her. "I feel like I do," Katelyn said, "Because you do the same thing to me." Caesar quickly pulled the strings to her armor and pulled off the bustier armor. He then pulled off her sword sheath and slowly undid the buttons to her skirt and pants combo. Soon, she was left to her underwear, while Caesar was still dressed, though half his chest was exposed. Katelyn undid the buttons on the front of his shirt and started to undo the buttons to his pants when he broke them apart and asked, "Are you sure about this?" Katelyn answered by kissing him again, a little slower than before, as Caesar moved them to the bed. The night was long as the pent-up tension between the two of them was released into passion. Caesar and Katelyn both fell asleep in each other's arms somewhere between four and five in the morning, feeling happier than they both had in a while. Katelyn felt that she finally knew the meaning of home as she lay in Caesar's arms, whilst Caesar finally realized that Katelyn was the person he was meant to be with. He knew that after this was all over, he would make her his Lady, his Countess. He just wanted to get this final battle over with so that he could do that and so much more.
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In the morning, Katelyn slowly opened her eyes to see Caesar's golden ones staring back at her. "Good morning," she whispered, captivated by his gorgeous eyes. "Good morning," he whispered back, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Last night was... well, let's just say you blew my mind," he said. "It was amazing," Katelyn said, but then winced as she tried to move her lower half. "Are you alright," he asked. "Just a little sore. A hot bath would be nice." With that, Caesar gave her a small kiss on the lips and got out of the bed. He went over to the adjacent bathroom, and she could hear water running as she slowly sat up and stretched. Caesar came back to the bed and said, "The bath is ready. Do you want me to carry you?" "Yes please. That would be wonderful," Katelyn said, holding her arms out to him. When Caesar lifted her from the bed, Katelyn looked back and said, "Oh gosh. I'm sorry about the sheets." Caesar looked over and saw some blood on the sheets and realized, "Oh my gosh. I was your first," as he looked between her and the bed. "Yes," she said, looking a little embarrassed. "I was waiting for that special someone. Then, I found you." "Well, I have something to admit. You were my first too. And don't worry about the sheets. I have plenty. I just wish that I would have known to be a little gentler with you last night." "Don't worry, you didn't hurt me. Now, how about that bath. It sounds lovely right about now." "Yes, my lady," he said, whisking her away to the bathroom. Katelyn blushed a little at him calling her his lady. She knew that what they did last night meant that she would be the lady to his courtship, but it still made her feel funny. Caesar slowly walked into the tub with Katelyn in his arms and sat down, placing her on his lap.After sitting in the hot water, Caesar grabbed some different salts and bubbles and added them to the bath. Then he asked Katelyn, "Would you like me to wash your hair for you?" "That would be lovely," she replied. He started by helping her to run some bubbly shampoo through her long hair and gently scrubbed at her scalp. "Gosh, that feels amazing," Katelyn said as he kneaded the tension from her scalp. He then said, "Put your head back for me." She slowly leaned her head back and felt his hand rest against her hairline. Then, he filled a small bowl with water and washed it through her hair. He did this over and over till all the suds rinsed out. He then grabbed some conditioner from the side of the tub and slowly worked it through her hair. He then grabbed a brush and worked it through her hair, slowly detangling all the knots and tangles. He finished by rinsing her hair thoroughly one last time before she turned and asked, "Can I do your hair?" "If you want to, sure." With that, he turned his back to her, and she started by grabbing some shampoo and working it through his hair before slowly rinsing it as he did to hers. She then conditioned his hair before rinsing it one last time. After finishing, she asked, "Do you have any soap I can use?" "Of course," he said, before reaching over and grabbing a bar of soap. Katelyn took the soap bar that he offered and then sat next to him, slowly running it over his chest and back, cleansing him of all the dirt from the last few days. Then, he took the bar from her and slowly started to cleanse across her chest and back, then helped her to rinse off the suds from them both. After rinsing off all the suds, Caesar stepped out of the tub and started to towel dry himself before wrapping the towel around his waist. He then grabbed a second towel and said, "Come here so I can dry you off."Katelyn obliged and stepped out of the tub water, letting him wrap her in the towel. He then grabbed another towel and helped her to dry her hair before asking, "Do you want me to go get you a change of clothes? It's going to be a long day." "How about you change and then you can help me pick an outfit? I need some advice on what to wear." "Okay, just give me a minute," he said before going into the closet and coming back out with an armored shirt and pants on. He then asked, "Are you ready to go look for something to wear?" Katelyn grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his as he guided them across the hall. After showing him the clothes, she had chosen that had fit from the closet, he told her it would be best if she wore a metal armored top and a pair of pants that she could move well in. So, she chose a bustier that had a metal plating over the front. Caesar helped her to wrap and tie it and then pull on a pair of leather pants. He then helped her to put on her sword sheath, boots, and a cape. He then found a pair of earrings in one of the dresser drawers and told her, "These were Kara's from the time we were in Greede. She had swapped them at the time for another pair of earrings. They are known as sharp earrings. They have a magical defense system that helps to protect you from monsters." Slowly, Katelyn took them from his grasp and clipped them into her ears. "Okay, I'm ready to go. Let's go find the others."With that, they left the room and walked down to the kitchen to be met with Yulie and Leonard eating. Eldore was leaning against one of the counters sipping on a cup of coffee. "Glad you two are finally awake," Yulie said, "Did you two sleep well last night?" The two looked at each other and both gave a quick, "Yes." Katelyn went over to sit down and Eldore handed her a cup of coffee saying, "You look like you need it." "Thanks, Eldore. Coffee sounds amazing right now." She started to sip on the coffee as Yulie said, "Hey Caesar, mind if I steal Katelyn for a few minutes. I need to talk to her in the dining room." "Sure, I'll have food out for us in a few, okay." "Okay, we will be back," Yulie said, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the room. "What's up, Yulie," Katelyn asked after they sat down at the dining room table. "Fine, I'll admit. I wanted to have girl talk. I've been around too much testosterone for way too long. And I have the room next to Caesar's, so I heard the noises coming from his room last night." Katelyn blushed a little and said, "I didn't realize we were loud." "So, you guys did the deed last night? Tell me, how was it?" "Well, I'll spare you all the dirty details, but it was amazing. And I realized something last night." "Ooo, what did you realize?" "I realized that I am in love with Caesar and that I started to consider here, Greede, my home." "Oh my gosh, did you tell him?" "No, we didn't even tell each other after what we did last night. I feel stupid for not saying it, but he didn't say it either. I mean, are we ready for that step? Is it too soon? I really don't know," Katelyn said, shaking her head.Yulie looked at her for a moment and said, "Maybe you should tell him today. Before we leave. We don't know what kind of threats lie ahead of us in Greede's Underbelly and we don't know how hard the Netherwyrm will be to fight." "You're right Yulie. Thank you for lending an ear." "You're welcome. I'm going to finish the shopping before our trip today. Do you need anything?" "I don't know. Caesar hasn't told me about anything I may need. Is there anything you suggest?" "I can pick you up some necessary supplies that you should always have. But I must get going. See you in a few." "Thanks again, Yulie," Katelyn said as Yulie walked out the door. A few minutes later, Katelyn was finishing her coffee when Caesar walked in with two plates of food. "I made food for us. Hope you are hungry." "Starving, thanks," Katelyn said, taking a plate from him. They sat down to eat and talked about the trip ahead and the things that Katelyn would need to know about Greede's Underbelly. "There are skeletons down there that can attack you. You can't damage them with your sword. You must break apart their bones and then cast a holy light spell. That way you won't end up being cursed. I need to teach you that, how to remove a poison spell, and how to remove a curse before we go down there. Are you up for a quick training session in the gardens before we leave?" "Of course. Are you going to cast the spells and teach me how to remove them?" "I'll teach you how to cast and remove them both. Don't worry. You'll learn quickly." "Okay," Katelyn said, quickly finishing the rest of her meal.After finishing their food and cleaning their plates, Caesar led Katelyn out to an opening in the garden and began to teach her the five different incantations she would need to know. After a few tries, it seemed that she understood and started to deflect the curses and poisonings that he threw at her. It seemed like she was doing well until a poisoning spell her threw at her made her feel sick. She fell to her knees for a minute and then felt her stomach swirl. She said the incantation, but it didn't seem to work. "Damn, I must've forced you to use all your magic power. Here, eat this," he said, holding out a handful of herbs. She took it and started to munch on them, and slowly her stomach started to feel better. "I will have to teach you to not spend all your magical energy too quickly and how to use potions to bring it back up," he said. She leaned into him for a few minutes and then said, "I need to tell you something before we go underground today." "What is it? Are you okay?" "I just... I know it may be too soon, and I don't know if you feel the same way about me yet, but I really want to tell you... I love you, Caesar. And I felt that I needed to tell you in case something happens to either one of us in the coming days." She then pulled him in for a gentle kiss. "You heard what Kara said. Our souls are connected. We are literal soulmates. I've loved you since the moment I laid my eyes on you, Katelyn. It only took a few days to connect the dots, but I hope we get to spend a long time with each other," he said as the kiss broke. He then stood and pulled her into his arms and said, "I love you so much more than you will ever know."
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After finishing their training session and having their moment together, Katelyn and Caesar entered the mansion to finish packing. Caesar showed Katelyn each of the potions and herbs he packed for her and told her how and when to use them. She listened intently and repeated back each one, making sure she knew what each one did. After placing them in a special pouch on her belt, Katelyn waited by the front door for the others. Eldore, Yulie, and Leonard readied themselves at the door as Caesar talked to his steward about where the Lance could be located. After discussing the past event that he remembered the night before, Caesar joined the group and said, "Alright everyone, let's go on a treasure hunt. The lance is most likely under the Merchant's Quarter in Greede's Underbelly. It will most likely be in the sealed off third level, so we will have to flip the two levers on the second level to unlock the door." "Alright," Katelyn said, "To the Merchant's Quarter we go. Lead the way." Katelyn wrapped her arm in Caesar's arm as the rest of the group followed behind them. They made it to the train station and Yulie commented, "I feel weird saying this, but Count Drisdall was buff." Eldore added, "And he had a firm grip on what it takes to be a leader." Leonard added, "But he kind of reminded me of Caesar too." "But? What do you mean, but," Caesar questioned. Katelyn laughed and said to him, "You're just you, and that's why we all love you." Caesar huffed quietly and said, "Alright, let's catch the train." The group quickly boarded the train to the Merchant's Quarter.As the train pulled up to the Merchant's Quarter, the group got off the train and started heading towards the entrance at the back of the Quarter. Caesar remarked, "I'm glad to see the place hasn't crumbled into pieces without me. But we have to stop the Netherwyrm and this fever before it spreads any further." With that, the group rushed through the streets towards Greede's Underbelly. When they reached the door, Caesar pulled out a key and unlocked the heavy lock that hung from the door and threw it to the side. The group rushed in, and Caesar started to lead the way through the tunnels. Within a few minutes, the group met a Greede defender who asked, "Lord Caesar? What are you doing here?" "I'm looking for a lance," he replied. "Sir, I'm afraid I don't know anything about a lance. However, I believe the Count once had something stored in the main reservoir. It should be somewhere in level three, but right now, the whole area is completely sealed off." "Thank you. I figured as much," Caesar replied to the guard. He said, "Follow me everyone." The group continued through the Underbelly, making their way to the hole that dropped from the first floor into the second floor. The monsters they met along the way were quickly killed as they continued through the tunnels.After about ten minutes, the group reached the drop-down point and started to jump through the hole in the floor. Katelyn waited until Leonard, Yulie, and Eldore had jumped and told Caesar, "I hate to say this, but I'm terrified of heights." "Hey, it's alright. Just close your eyes. One of the others will catch you." "Okay," she whispered, giving him a small kiss on the lips. She then said, "I'll see you down there," before hollering about her coming down. She was caught a few seconds later by Eldore. After making sure she was alright, Eldore pulled Katelyn to the side for Caesar to jump down. After hitting the floor in a crouch, Caesar said, "The lever should be in the next room." With that, the group made their way to the room and opened the door, only to be met with a Direspider. Caesar, Katelyn, and Leonard looked between each other, and Leonard said, "We don't need a knight to defeat it. Let's wait until we reach a bigger battle." With that, the five charged into the room and started swinging at the Direspider. It took about ten minutes to defeat with the five of them working in tandem. After defeating the Direspider, Caesar said, "There's the lever. Let me pull it." With that, he headed over and pulled the lever and said, "Okay, on to the next. There are two steps before we can get to the next lever." The group started again through the catacombs until they reached the area where the second lever was. First, they fought their way to a small room with a lever that would unlock a set of three levers in the next room. These levers would unlock the door to the second lever. They reached the next room where the three levers were and Caesar said, "We only need to pull the right switch to unlock the door." He pulled the lever and said, "Alright, let's get to the next switch. The door should be unlocked." They went to the unlocked door and opened it to find another Direspider. The group quickly defeated the Direspider, and Caesar pulled the last lever. A loud clanging noise reverberated through Greede's Underbelly, and he said, "The door's unlocked. Let's go get that lance."After one last run through the catacombs with a few monsters the group had to defeat, they made it to the elevator. Katelyn pulled the call lever for the elevator and the group waited for it to appear. They all piled on the small elevator and made their way down to the third and final level. A large door with faded inscriptions read, 'Area off limits...' Nothing more than that could be read. After walking through the door, they were met with a lever with a warning that it could restore all switches under its control to their default positions. The group looked and one side said, 'Main level,' and the other said 'Main Sublevel.' Eldore said, "This is the sublevel, so let's pull it towards that side." Caesar pulled it towards the sublevel side and said, "Alright, let's go to the next room." Upon walking through the door to the next room, the group was met with an iron golem, multiple skeletons, a few spider sprogs, and a few remoras. Katelyn and Caesar looked between each other and knew exactly what to do. They each called on their transformations, quickly turning into their knights. They started towards the iron golem while the other three of their group started towards the smaller enemies. Within a few minutes, all the enemies were defeated. Katelyn and Caesar took a knee as they detransformed, then rejoined the group for the last set of rooms. They made their way to the farthest room that said, 'For emergency unlock, use the four levers...' The rest they were not able to read. "Okay, so you guys go into the four rooms and pull the levers. I will open the door," Caesar said. The group split into the small rooms and pulled the levers. Caesar opened the door and held it open as the group began to walk through it.As the group walked through, many gasps were made as they took in the scene. "Check it out," Caesar yelled. There were claw marks on the walls and floor, pipes were shattered, and chunks of concrete were missing everywhere. "This must be it, where the Count faced the black dragon," Eldore said. "Caesar," Yulie yelled, pointing ahead. In the middle of the room where Yulie pointed, the object of their mission was standing from a hole in the floor. Caesar walked up to the lance that stood in the middle of the room, glowing a bright orange color. He reached out for it and said, "Thanks, Dad. I'm just gonna borrow this." After Caesar grasped the lance and pulled it from the floor, Eldore said, "The Netherwyrm flew towards the Bunker Lode Caverns, I believe." "Alright, let's make our way back to the surface," Katelyn said, beginning to walk back towards the exit. "Let's gear up in the city before we go," Caesar said, beginning to walk with her. "Right," Leonard said, as the group began to follow behind them.The group made their way back to the surface of the Merchant's Quarter and back to the Drisdall Mansion. Caesar said as they got back to the mansion, "It's getting late. Let's head out first thing in the morning to defeat the Netherwyrm. We need to get some rest before we head into a major battle like that." "You're right," Eldore said, "Everyone should get some rest. We will have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Let's eat and then all get some sleep." With that, he walked into the kitchen to start making some food. Caesar, Katelyn, Yulie, and Leonard all followed to help him prepare the food.After cooking a meal meant for an army, the group all sat down at the dining room table to eat, quickly devouring the meal. They were all making small talk until the conversation turned towards what Katelyn would do with her life after the war. Yulie asked Katelyn, "What do you want to do with your life? Do you want to travel, to settle down, to become a leader, a healer, a merchant?" Katelyn sat for a moment and thought about how to answer the question that, but looked at Caesar and said, "I might stick around Greede for a bit. I'm sure there is a long adventure here that I've yet to discover." She took Caesar's hand and said, "Plus, someone needs to keep an eye on this one. The people in his city think he is crazy and a bit out of his mind. He needs someone to help him rule this giant city, like an assistant or a partner." Caesar smiled at her and said, "I don't know what the future holds for us, but I do know that after all this craziness settles down, I want to explore our feelings a bit more. I feel like a lady deserves to be courted properly. And you're right. I need someone to help with the people in this city." Yulie said, "Well, you are always welcome to visit Parma." Leonard said, "You can also visit Balandor at any time. I'm sure you and Cisna could become great friends." "I'm really glad that all of you have welcomed me as you have. I never had this many friends in my past life," Katelyn told the small group gathered around the table. She started to tear up a bit and said, "I feel so much happier here than I ever did in my world." "Well, as long as we are all alive, you can count on us to stand by your side," Eldore said."Thank you, Eldore. And, I actually have a question I have been meaning to ask you." "Go on," Eldore replied. "How old were you during the Dogma Wars? No one here seems to know that answer." "Well, I actually was eighteen years old when the Dogma Wars first broke out. When the queen died, I was had just gone on nineteen years. I made a deal with Death himself to give half of my remaining time traveling here. Then, I spent eighteen years looking for the Queen Mureas' reincarnation and it has been a year since I found her." "I wish there was a way for you to be our age again." "Me too. I'm an old man who has little time left. But I wouldn't change it." Katelyn nodded and said, "With all the magic in this world, I guarantee we could find a spell to make you younger or help you live longer. There are in many of the fairytales from when I was young." "I don't know. I haven't had the time to look," he said. "Well, after this war is over, I will research every book and spell there is. You deserve a chance at happiness, too." "I will help you, but I also want to live freely in whatever time I have left." "You will, Eldore. And I intend to help you do it." "Okay, well, after this conversation, I feel that we should head to bed. Everyone needs a good night's sleep before our journey tomorrow," Eldore said, standing from the table before saying, "Goodnight, everyone." He then left the room. "He's right. Let's go to sleep," Caesar said, grasping Katelyn by the hand and walking her out of the room as they called out a quick goodnight to Leonard and Yulie. Yulie yelled after them, "I'm sleeping in a different room tonight, so I will have a goodnight." "Yulie," Leonard yelled out, looking embarrassed. Katelyn blushed as Caesar pulled her towards him and planted a kiss on her lips.As they started walking through the hallways, Caesar gently pushed Katelyn up against the wall, kissing her with fervor. Katelyn wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closed. He ran his hands down her back and gripped onto her butt and whispered, "Jump." Katelyn jumped upwards and wrapped her legs around his waist. With her wrapped around him, Caesar started to walk towards his bedroom. "I can't get enough of you, do you know that," he asked her. "I feel the same about you. I'm drawn to you in a way I have never been drawn to anyone else." Their lips met again and they finished making their way back to Caesar's room. As soon as the door was closed, their clothes began to shed. Caesar had Katelyn down to her undergarments quickly and pulled off his shirt. As Katelyn reached for his pants, he said, "Wait." Her fingers grazed the Ark of the Dragon Knight around his waist without a problem. He looked on shocked as he was able to unclasp it and his pants and pull them down, leaving him in his undergarments as well. "I don't know how you can touch it. It's almost like it recognized you." "I don't know. We can talk about it another time, though." Caesar pulled Katelyn in for a kiss on the lips as he pulled off her chest cover and slowly walked backwards towards the bed. He laid back when his knees hit the edge of the bed and pulled Katelyn on top of him, letting his lips travel across her body that was still partially covered in front of him. Katelyn slowly removed her corset with Caesar's help and began to remove her other undergarments. She then removed his undergarments, leaning down to kiss down his chest. Caesar shifted them further onto the bed, leaning over Katelyn and whispering, "Let me worship you." Katelyn let out a whimper and said, "I'm yours."*** The next part of this chapter contains smut, please read at your own discretion. There is no other plot continuation in this chapter. Thank you. ***After that, it was like the dam broke. Caesar kissed her lips, savoring her as if she was a fine wine that he was addicted to. He let his tongue sweep across her bottom lip, which she reciprocated by opening her mouth and sharing a slow, passionate kiss with him. After the kiss broke, Caesar let his lips trail down to her breasts, placing a kiss on the tip of each one. He then slowly made his way across her chest, kissing and licking different sensitive places until he took her left nipple in his mouth. He sucked on it slowly, then let his tongue swirl around it. Katelyn let out a moan and ran her fingers through his hair. Feeling the encouragement, he trailed one of his hands up her body to her other nipple, letting his finger rub along its peak before taking it between his fingers and pinching it. He then switched his mouth's attention to the other nipple, while switching his hand that was teasing and pinching. He trailed his right hand down her body to her nether regions, teasing along her folds. He slowly inserted one of his fingers while teasing her small nub with his thumb. He kept like this for a few minutes until Katelyn pulled his head back and said, "Caesar, I need more. Please." He slowly kissed down her body, letting his tongue across sensitive spots before stopping right as he reached her nether regions. He slowly inhaled, letting himself process the beauty laid before him. Then, he slowly leaned down and trailed his tongue over her most sensitive place, watching her head fall back as she grasped his hair. He slowly found a rhythm as he kept pushing her to the edge, but not letting her fall over. He let his hands join the game, slowly tweaking her nipples and inserting his fingers into her. After many minutes and a desperate cry of, "Caesar, please, I need... I need you to take me... make me yours... anything, please..." He then lifted himself from her, before finally giving her what she wanted. He ran his tongue over her a little faster and with a little more pressure, letting her fall over the edge as her orgasm hit her. As she fell over the edge, he leaned over her and entered her, slowly prolonging her orgasm as he inserted himself inch by agonizing inch. Then, after her orgasm finished, he kissed her and asked, "Are you ready?" "Yes, Caesar, please, make love to me." He slowly drew back and thrust in over and over again, not changing his speed, but angling his body in a way that he knew she would enjoy. He grasped her right hand with his left, and trailed his other hand to her face, running his thumb across her cheek. "I love you," he told her, pulling her in for a kiss that was slower than the first ones they had shared. "I love you, more," she said when she pulled back. He didn't know how long they kept the slow speed up, but they both continued to climb until they finally reached their point. "Caesar, please, I'm so close." "Me too, let's let go together on three, okay?" She nodded at him as he said, "One... two... three." On three she let out a cry of his name as he rolled his hips against hers, then let his body collapse against hers. He slowly rolled over so that they were facing each other. Katelyn curled up against Caesar's chest, beginning to fall asleep in contentment. Caesar looked down to the beauty falling asleep in his arms and said, "I love you. Goodnight." A small, "I love you, too," was whispered back by Katelyn so quietly that he barely heard it, but he did. He smiled and placed a small kiss on her forehead and let himself drift off to sleep, knowing that she would be there in his arms when he awoke.
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The next morning, Katelyn woke up feeling extremely warm, and not in a good way. Her head hurt, she felt like she had a fever, and her stomach was churning like she had never felt before. She slowly turned over to see Caesar still asleep next to her. She started to shake him, but with every movement of her arm, she felt weaker. "Caesar, wake up, please! I don't feel good," she whined at him as he slowly woke up next to her. He sat upright upon noticing the state she was in. "What's wrong? You said you don't feel good?" "I don't. I feel weak, my head hurts, I feel warm, and I feel like I'm going to throw up." He held a hand to her forehead and said, "Oh no. I think you caught the pyrexia." "How did I catch it," Katelyn asked. Caesar quickly got up and started to pull on his clothes. "I don't know, but we don't need it to get any worse. Let me draw up a cold bath." He quickly went into the bathroom and turned on the water, filling the tub with cold water. After letting the water start to run, he went back out to the bedroom and lifted Katelyn from the bed, glad she was not in any clothes from the night before. "Come on, wrap your arms around me. I need to get you in a cold bath right away." He walked back into the bathroom with Katelyn in his arms and set her down on the side of the tub so that she could slide in. "I'm going to get one of the maids to help you today, but for now I need to keep your fever down. I also need to get the others because we need to kill the Netherwyrm. I can't lose you." "You won't," Katelyn replied, "You need to help the people in this city, including me. I'll be here when you get back. After I'm done soaking, I'm going to see if I can find a fever medicine of some sort. We have medicines in my world to cure fevers, they must have something in yours too." Caesar said, "Alright, I'll get one of the maids to help you dress. I love you." He placed a kiss on her warm forehead and turned, looking back at her once more as he left the room.With worry plaguing his mind, Caesar rushed out to the kitchen area to find the others gathered around the kitchen. "Good morning. Where's Katelyn," Yulie asked Caesar, noticing his frazzled state. "She's sick. She caught the pyrexia. I need to go get one of the maids to help her today and then we need to head out. The Netherwyrm must be stopped." "You're right," Eldore said, "Go get one of the maids and then we will make haste." Caesar dashed back out of the room and found one of the maids, Rosa, who was an older lady who had been around for almost his whole life. When he told her about Katelyn, she said, "Of course my lord, I will look after the lady Katelyn while you are gone." "Thank you, Rosa," he said, "You have no idea how much this means to me." With that, the old woman dashed towards his room where Katelyn awaited. By the time that the maid found her, Katelyn had already managed to get out of the tub after washing her hair and was working on brushing the knots out of it. A small knock on the door made her jump before a kind voice said, "My lady, can I come in? I was sent to help you dress." Katelyn replied with a quick, "Come in." The door opened to reveal to Katelyn an older lady who looked like a grandmother figure of sorts. Rosa said, "I'm sorry I took so long. Lord Caesar filled me in on your condition. He asked me to stay by your side today to make sure you don't get any sicker." "It's okay. I know that the group will be leaving in a few minutes, but I was thinking about doing some research while Caesar is gone. Is there any way you can help me with my hair and choosing an outfit to wear? My body is just feeling very weak." "Of course, my lady. Let me go grab you an outfit and I will be right back." The maid rushed across the hall to where the past lady of the house's dresses were and chose one for the young woman, along with a corset and undergarments. She then went to Caesar's mother's jewelry box that still sat on her old dresser and pulled out a few pieces she thought would complement the outfit. Finally, she grabbed a few hair clips before heading back over to the young lord's room. She knocked before reentering the room and said, "I have brought an outfit I think you will like. I also chose a few jewelry pieces and hair clips. Would you like to get dressed first, or start with your hair?" Katelyn thought for a moment before saying, "Let me get dressed first. I don't like sitting in a robe very much."The maid, who Katelyn learned was named Rosa, helped her into the corset, undergarments, and lovely day dress before starting to work on her hair. She helped to pull her hair up with a few small pieces curled around her face. She then placed the large clip in the center of the hair to give it extra support and pinned a few small remaining pieces in place. She placed a pair of earrings on Katelyn's ears, a necklace around her neck, and a bracelet on her arm before turning the young girl towards the mirror. Katelyn gasped at her reflection and said, "I look beautiful. Thank you." She turned towards the older woman in her chair, only for the older woman to say, "You remind me much of Caesar's mother when she was young, except for she had darker hair and eyes. She was truly a beauty. I'm glad that Caesar found someone much like her in personality to be by his side." "Tell me about her," Katelyn said, motioning for the older woman to sit on the couch across from her. "Caesar has not told me much." "Well, one thing I admired about her was her drive towards adventure, looking forward to whatever life would bring her, wherever it might be. I also admired how much she loved the Count. When the Count and Countess adopted Caesar, she wanted her son to be as adventurous as she was in her youth, and he was. But then she became ill and passed away, and with her, the light and life that was in this house died with it. The Count mourned her until the day he died and wanted nothing more than for his son to settle down and become the leader he wanted him to be. Caesar wanted adventure in his life, but also wanted to impress his father." "It seems like Caesar has become a great leader. I haven't seen a reason to doubt his abilities," Katelyn told her. "It is because he has become the leader his father wanted him to be, but he also has gotten a taste of adventure and continues to explore it. And even through the hard times, Caesar's father loved him. I don't know if you saw the statue on the dresser in the other room." "I did," Katelyn replied, nodding at her. "Well, the statue you saw on the dresser in the other room was a statue that the Count and Countess saw at a gallery long ago. It is called the Goddess of Lepanne. After the Countess' death, the Count made it his priority to obtain it. Caesar hand crafted a fake one that looked so much like it, and the firestones were dangerous to obtain. He really wanted to give his father peace with the one thing he truly wanted until he could find the real one. Your friends found the real one and brought it here, which caused the Count to kick Caesar out for his lie. The Count passed away before he could apologize to his son for his harsh treatment, which was very sad." "That is sad. I wish they could have made up before the Count passed away," Katelyn said. "The Count wrote the young Caesar a letter, apologizing for his treatment, but Caesar took his father's passing hard. Then he lost one of his friends and that caused him to fall into a depression. He worked hard day and night to take care of this city and tried not to let his hurt show. Then he met you. Now it seems like he has awoken for the first time in a long time, and he is happy. He was so worried telling me about you. I can tell that he has fallen in love with you, and it makes me happy for you both. I wish you both happiness." "Thank you, Rosa. I really hope that we can become close. Do you have any children of your own?" "No, I don't have any children. I never wanted any of my own. I spent much of my life looking after lord Caesar and that was enough for me." "Well, I know it sounds crazy, but neither of us have a mother figure in our lives. I was wondering if we had any questions, could we come to you for advice?" "Of course, my dear. I would love for you to come to me about anything." "Okay, well how about we get some lunch and then start to research this fever. I feel slightly better after the cold soak, but think I need to find a cure for fevers. The others may be the entire day defeating the Netherwyrm, and who is to say that its defeat stops the fever? There could also be lasting side effects that need to be treated." "Of course, my lady. Let us go to the kitchen and eat. Then, we can look through the library and lord Caesar's office bookshelves to find some medical texts." With that, the older woman gently pulled Katelyn from the chair and helped her to walk through the hallways as each step took a toll on her fever-ridden body. Katelyn had fevers in her past life, but she never felt as though her life was being sucked from her body every time she moved while she had one. It was as though a virus of some sort was attacking the muscles throughout her body as she tried to control them.After making their way to the kitchen, Rosa set to making a quick stew. She set down the food in front of Katelyn and said, "I'm going to go get those books for you now." "No," Katelyn said, "Please stay. Eat with me. You made plenty of food." "Are you sure you want me to," Rosa asked her. "Yes. I really need the company right now." "Yes, my lady," Rosa said. "And please, call me Katelyn." "Yes, Katelyn," she replied with a wink. The older lady sat down and started to eat with Katelyn. As Katelyn ate, her arms began to shake a bit as the effects of the fever began to hit her with full force. Rosa looked at the girl with a sad look before asking, "Would you like me to help you?" Katelyn looked at her, slightly distraught that she was unable to even feed herself. Finally, she asked Rosa, "Can you please help me to eat?" "Of course, Katelyn. Let me help you." She began to feed Katelyn spoonfuls of the stew until the bowl was empty. "Would you like some more, my dear?" "No, thank you. That stew was amazing. You will have to teach me how to make it." "Thank you. When you are better, I can surely teach you a few recipes." "You can finish your food and then we can set to work." With that, Rosa finished the rest of her soup. After she was finished, she cleared the dishes from the table and came back. She asked Katelyn, "Are you up for a short walk?" Katelyn nodded and replied, "I may need some assistance. I hope that is alright." "It is perfectly fine my dear. Would you like me to grab one of the butlers to help you?" "No, if you could just hold my hand, I feel that will be all I need." Rosa nodded at Katelyn and said, "Of course my dear. Whatever you request." With that, she took Katelyn's hand in hers and helped her into a standing position. It took a moment for Katelyn to gather her bearings as she felt like her body weighed ten times more than usual. But, with Rosa's encouragement, she slowly began to walk and made it to the door before she felt that she needed a break. She leaned against the doorframe for a moment and said, "Okay, let us push onward." Rosa slowly started to walk with Katelyn, holding her hand in hers and offering her other arm as support for the young girl. She could see the struggle in the girl's eyes as she continued to push onward on this small journey, but she also saw the determination written on her face. She knew with determination like that, the girl would be a great leader over Greede someday with lord Caesar by her side. She slowly walked along the hallway with Katelyn and helped her lean next to the doorway of the library when they made it. She opened the doors and slowly took the girl's hands again as her legs fought against her and walked her towards one of the large desks in the library. Finally, when they made it, Rosa maneuvered Katelyn's body into the large chair and said, "You did it my dear. I must say, you have determination that many do not have when fighting the plague symptoms." "Thank you," she said, breathing deeply as her body finally got the chance to rest. "So, are there any books about the past plagues, medicinal herbs, and medical treatments used on past plague survivors?" "There are a few, let me go fetch them for you." Rosa went through the shelves of the library pulling any books that she could on medicine, plagues, and the specific plague that affected Greede in the past. After giving them to Katelyn, she started to look at the books with her. Some of the books were in Katelyn's native language, but others were in a language she could not decipher. "What language is this," Katelyn asked while looking at one of the books. "It is the language of the Ancients. Luckily I can read it and let you know if there is any information that is relevant." After reading for over an hour, they both looked at the many treatments used in the past, along with the medicines and herbs used. It seemed that almost every option for treating fevers in Greede had been used on the patients and none had worked against the fever. Katelyn shut the current book she was on and said, "I feel like this is all for nothing. I've learned a lot about horticulture, botany, and herbalism, but nothing that can help cure the plague. It seems like the only cure is the disappearance of the Netherwyrm." "Sweetheart, we've have been pushing ourselves to try to get impossible answers. Why don't you take it easy and hope that the others defeat it soon, hmm? If the fever doesn't go away, we can worry about finding a cure then." "Okay, Rosa, you are right. Let's not worry. Do you think you could teach me some of the ancient language while we wait?" "Of course, my dear. Let's get started," Rosa said, pulling out one of the books.At the same time, Caesar, Yulie, Eldore, and Leonard had all reached the lowest level of the Bunker Lode Caverns. Eldore commented, "The beast will have a nest somewhere with access to the sky." A few miners affected by the plague were ahead, groaning in pain from the fever. "P-please, you have to stop this fog," the first miner commented. The second asked, "Are you here to kill the dragon? He's... up from here. Take the central elevator to get there. Please, take him out." The group rushed towards the central elevator and quickly boarded it, knowing thousands of lives were on the line. Leonard asked Caesar as they went up the elevator, "Are you ready for this?" "My dad never flinched, and neither will I." "That's the spirit, lad," Eldore said to him, patting him on the back. "Psst, when did Caesar get so serious," Yulie whispered to Leonard. "Just when he needed to. He is worried about Katelyn, his people, Greede. It's about time we taught that "deathless monster" how to die." As they walked into the cave where the dragon's hideout was, the group flinched back as the Netherwyrm flew down into the opening from above, landing in front of them with a loud roar. "Nasty little thing, ain't it," Caesar commented. Yulie yelled out as the Netherwyrm began its first attack, "Get ready!"The group fought tooth and nail against the Netherwyrm before Caesar was finally given an opening to stab the Netherwyrm in the middle of its head armor. But, when he stabbed, the lance barely sunk into the armor. "Crap, note to self... stab... harder!" The Netherwyrm shook its mighty head. Caesar and the lance, went flying across the room. Leonard called on his transformation as Yulie yelled out, "Caesar!" Leonard caught Caesar in the palm of the White Knights hand. "Nice catch, Leonard," Caesar yelled as Leonard placed him on his shoulder. The dragon came charging at the White Knight as Leonard yelled out, "Caesar! Now!" "Second time's the charm!" With that, Caesar jumped off the White Knight's shoulder and slammed the lance down into the Netherwyrm's head. Caesar did a backflip and landed on the ground as the Netherwyrm's armor cracked open and emitted a bright light, which was then absorbed by the lance. As the lance lowered to the ground, the Retrospecticon tied on Eldore's waist opened and hovered in midair, taking Caesar with it. At the same time at Dridall Manor, Katelyn began to glow in front of Rosa, and cried out as she did not know what was happening. Then, she was beside Caesar in what looked to be a vision of some sort. In front of them stood Count Drisdall, who turned to face them both when they appeared. "Dad?" "Caesar, you did it, son! I knew you would keep Greede safe." Caesar started to approach his dad and said, "Hey... I've got to now that I'm the guy in charge." "You have become a greater man than I ever was, Caesar. I never managed to finish the dragon off. I am so proud of you. I have a gift for you." The Count held up a glowing sphere as Caesar asked, "What's this?" "It's called the Dragonroost Insignia. House Drisdall has passed it down for generations. I have faith you find a good use for it. Caesar... take care of your friends. They are your greatest treasure and will give you strength in the hardest of times, when Greede, and our people, need you most." "Don't worry, dad. I won't let you down." "Also, Caesar, one last thing before I let you go. You have found a great woman to stand beside you. I have been watching from the other side, along with your mother. We are both proud of the man you have become. Hold onto her tight, and never let her go." As Count Drisdall said those words, Katelyn came up and leaned against Caesar's arm, grasping onto his hand. "Katelyn, I am glad that I get to meet you one time. Stand beside my son and help him to be the leader that Greede needs. And know, I am proud to call you daughter. Know that Caesar's mother and I are watching from the other side and will be waiting to see you both again one day." "Thank you, Count Drisdall, or should I say father," she said, holding out her hand to grasp his and shake it. "Take care, the both of you," he said as they both started to glow. With that, they both ended up in the Bunker Lode Caverns with their friends.After talking to the group about the vision of Count Drisdall and the insignia they acquired, the group headed out of the Bunker Lode Caverns and back to the Manor. Upon arrival, Rosa came running out shouting, "Lady Katelyn! I am so glad that you are alright. You gave me quite the scare with how you started glowing and disappeared." "I'm alright, Rosa, and feeling so much better now. Has the pyrexia stopped?" "Yes, my lady. It has. Everyone with the fever is cured." "And I am happy to say, it will never happen again." She looked over to Caesar who was in conversation with his steward about how he would stay with the group for a little while longer. Just as he was telling the steward, a man came running up in a hurry, panting and out of breath. "Sir! There's been a battle in the Lagnish Desert, in Albana! Balandor's royal army has been rerouted by the Yshrenian forces! Albana has surrendered and is now under Yshrenian occupation." "What," Leonard asked. "Well, where is the royal army right now," Caesar asked. "We've lost all contact with Balandor. What little news we receive now comes with snippets and rumors." "Not good," Caesar said. "Let me go grab my things and change," Katelyn said, rushing into the manor to change into armor and grab her sword, pack, and potions. "Better see what's going on in the Lagnish Desert. If we're headed to Balandor, we'll have to pass through either way." With that, the group dispersed to quickly replenish their supplies before they would meet at the train station to leave.
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Caesar followed Katelyn into the Drisdall Manor, needing to tell her about Albana. He knew that her identity would need to be hidden for the next part of their journey, seeing as she would be an important piece to defeating the Yshrenian army. The only problem was breaking the news to her. He knocked on the door to her room and heard a, "Come in." He walked into the room and asked, "Hey, are you almost ready?" "Yup, just finishing getting dressed. What's up?" "Well, I was going to tell you, Kara was from Albana, and with the Yshrenians there, we can't risk your identity being exposed. We need 'Kara' to come in later to help us defeat their army," he said, raising finger quotes around Kara's name. Katelyn looked him for a moment and said, "I'll need to pretend to be her, won't I?" "Yes," he answered, nodding at her. "Didn't she have an accent?" "She did, and we can practice on our way to the Lagnish Desert, but we should wrap your hair and maybe have you wear a face veil until we need your 'identity' to come into play." "So, I get to look like a modern-day ninja, great," she muttered to herself. "Okay. I think your mother may have had scarves, but where will I get face veils?" "We can run down to the Merchant's Quarter underground and see about getting some at one of the exotic clothing shops. Are you ready," he asked. "Yes, let me just grab those scarves," she said. She ran around the room, grabbing her things along with the scarves, and started to head out with him. He grabbed his stuff by the front door and slung his spear over his shoulder, ready to head down to the Merchant's Quarter. When they got to the Merchant's Quarter, Caesar grasped Katelyn's hand as they walked, holding onto it as they greeted people throughout the city. He wanted everyone to see them as a united force in Greede and know that she was his one and only. As they made their way to the underground markets, he stopped at one of the more exotic shops that he knew sold clothing and items from all over the world. When the lady who ran the booth came over to talk them, she greeted them both and asked, "My lord and lady, what can I help you find today? Something unique, maybe? Or, perhaps a specific item you are in need of, hmm?" The lady reminded Katelyn of a fortune teller from her homeland. She was dressed in multiple layers of exotic, draping clothes and had a wrap around her head. "I am looking for face veils of some sort," Katelyn began. The lady replied with a twinkle in her eyes, "I have a fine selection of exotic face veils, all made with the finest of materials. Would you like to have a look?" "Yes, please," Katelyn replied to the lady. The lady guided her over to a chest of drawers and opened one, letting Katelyn examine inside. There were many kinds inside, some with glitter and others very thick, but there was one kind that caught Katelyn's eye. "What about this one, here?" She pointed to a flowy black veil that she could tie around her face, very sheer in the fabric. It reminded her of the veils that belly dancers would wear during performances. It would be perfect because she would be able to easily breathe, but also keep her identity a secret when her hair was wrapped. "That one is a fine choice my dear." "Do you have any others like this one?" "Yes. They are very hard to come by, but I have one in a navy color, one in red, this black one of course, and one that is a blue color." "I'll take all four," Katelyn said. "Of course. Shall I discuss payment with you or lord Caesar?" Katelyn motioned over Caesar who was looking at items on one of the tables and said, "I want to make sure that he likes them for the journey we have ahead." "Of course, my dear." Caesar came over and asked, "Did you find any you like?" The lady showed him the face veils and explained the details on the fabrics and colors. He said, "We will take them all." "Okay then," she said, " Feel free to look around for anything else you may like and come see me about payment when you are done." Caesar and Katelyn browsed for a few more minutes before Caesar saw something he thought Katelyn would like. "Hey Katelyn, how good do you think you are at throwing a shuriken," he asked, holding up one of the small weapons in his hand. "I don't know. Aren't those for self-defense?" "Yes, they are. They could work in a pinch if you needed to get away from someone." "I could definitely practice with them." Caesar picked up the small pouch of them and went up to pay for the face veils and the shurikens. They left the little shop with a farewell to the owner and made their way back towards the train station. Katelyn stored three of the masks with the scarves in her pack and added the small pouch to her waistband, then had Caesar help her to wrap her hair and face. By the time she was done, she felt that her clothing gave off more of an exotic vibe then a ninja vibe. Her bustier was armored and had gems in different places. The fabric of her pants flowed out into a skirt that almost brushed the ground behind her as she walked. With a black scarf wrapped around her hair and the black flowy mask around her face, Caesar said that the only noticeable thing was her eyes, which there really was no way to hide.
They made their way into the train station and heard a whistle as Yulie flagged them down. "Wow, Katelyn! You look so mysterious," she commented when she saw Katelyn's outfit change. "Do you think the Yshrenians will recognize me?" "If you stay covered like that until the right moment, I don't believe so. Grazel and Shapur are too focused right now on conquering the world." "How about we test out this disguise? Leonard and Eldore aren't here." "Oh, good idea. Go sit down on one of the benches over that way and I'll ask them if they can pick you out of the crowd. You can get up and move through the crowd as well to throw them off your trail." Katelyn went over to the other side of the crowd and sat on one of the benches. A few minutes later, Eldore and Leonard exited the elevator. They walked towards Caesar and Yulie but didn't see Katelyn. "This is weird," commented Leonard. "Where's Katelyn at? You two have been attached at the hip since she showed up here." Eldore just made a grunting noise behind him in agreement. "Let's play a quick game. Katelyn is hiding somewhere in the crowd. See if you can find her." Leonard looked around for a moment, but didn't see the long, blonde hair Katelyn sported anywhere. "I don't see her," he said. Eldore had already spotted the figure sitting on the bench dressed in a way that was slightly unusual for these parts but didn't comment to Leonard. Katelyn stood up and started walking into one of the more crowded areas of the station, walking towards where people entered the elevator. "Wait a minute, is she disguised?" "Yes. Why? Have you spotted her," Yulie asked. "I think so. She was on the bench out that way," he said, pointing towards the bench she was sitting on a moment ago. She was gone, which threw him off for a moment, but her outfit had been what drew his attention. "That was her," Yulie said. She motioned Katelyn over and Leonard asked, "Well, where is she now?" Right then, he turned as a small object flew past his head. Caesar caught it in his hand behind him. He turned to see Katelyn approaching behind him. He said to the others, "Man, Caesar let her out of the house in that outfit? She's bound to get a few stares." "It's alright. She can wear what she wants as long as I get to... nevermind. Let me keep that comment to myself," Caesar said as she approached and leaned up against him. "What was that comment you said a moment ago? I didn't catch the ending," Katelyn questioned playfully. He leaned towards her ear and said, "As long as I get to rip them off of you at night." "Let's see if you act on those words later tonight then, hmm? I'm sure if we stay in Albana tonight, we can stay at an inn. Hopefully the Yshrenians left the town by now." He groaned a bit as she leaned up against his ear and said, "We'll see, won't we?" They started to walk towards the gondola station to leave Greede. The group boarded and took off towards Flander Trail. They got off when the gondola landed and started to walk down the trail.
Katelyn looked over to Caesar and asked him, "So, how exactly did Kara talk? You said I could practice an accent for impersonating her, but I don't really know what she sounded like." Caesar said, "The easiest way would be to look through your memories and see if you can remember snippets of conversation she had. Do you remember any of her conversations?" Katelyn thought back to the memories she gained and continued thinking until she remembered a pivotal moment. In this moment, she could remember the moment Kara turned on their small group.
Katelyn stopped for a second and pulled out her sword. "What are you doing, Katelyn," Caesar asked as she held the sword to the side of his neck. She schooled her face into a blank stare, looking directly at Leonard, Yulie and Eldore ahead. "You should have known better. Remember? Only the pact maker is able to touch the Knight's Ark. If anyone else wants to take the Ark, the only way is to break that bond and kill the pact maker." Caesar seemed to have caught on to what she was remembering and said the same words he had said the last time Kara had a sword to his neck. "Right, silly me." "You're a sweet man. Too sweet for your own good. It's time for you and Leonard... to die. You all really are far too trusting." Leonard and Yulie had caught on to the situation after hearing those past words and gave a small round of applause as Katelyn finished speaking. Katelyn removed the sword from Caesar's neck and put it back in her holster. "Kara faked the accent. She didn't actually have an accent at all." "Right, well... that's enough of trying to give me a heart attack today. Let's go back to loving each other, at least until we reach Albana," he said, holding a hand out to her. She put her hand in his as Yulie came and looped an arm through Katelyn's on her other side and said, "You are good at impersonating her. I want to see Grazel's face when he sees you." The purple haired girl doubled over with laughter, which made Katelyn start to do the same. "Ladies, don't worry you're pretty little heads. I'm sure us men have the situation covered," Caesar said. "If only," Katelyn whispered to Yulie, which made then both start laughing again. "Up ahead guys," Leonard yelled as monsters started to charge at the group. Yulie knocked her bow and started to aim as Katelyn pulled out her sword, running towards the small battle. She knew that her sword skills had gotten slightly better, so she hoped for the best when fighting the vespids and boars. One of the vespids flew towards Katelyn and dug into her skin with its stinger. She started to feel sleepy, like she couldn't stay on her feet. She fell over and her vision went black for a few moments. Yulie ran towards her, hitting the insect with an arrow before starting to shout out the incantation of awakening. Katelyn's vision started to come back and she lifted her head from the ground. Yulie held out a hand to her, which she took as she got off the ground. "Thanks, Yulie. That bugger got me good." "You'll be fine. It's stung you with a sleep poison, but the effects should be gone now." Katelyn nodded and said her thanks one more time before rushing to help Caesar defeat a wild boar. A few minutes and a few healing incantations later, everyone was back to normal and kept going down the mountain trail. As they walked, Katelyn decided to ask Eldore, "Eldore, I have a question for you. You know a lot about the Knights and their powers. Have you ever heard of someone who wasn't the Pactmaker of a certain Knight touching someone else's Ark without any repercussions." "No, why do you ask?" Leonard and Yulie looked at Katelyn questioningly as Katelyn walked back over to Caesar and said, "May I?" Caesar said, "Just don't hurt yourself." She then touched the Ark around his waist. Everyone watched as her hand grabbed the buckle without a problem. Eldore said, "I've never seen anything like it. It's like his Ark recognizes you." "I don't know what to make of it," Katelyn said. "Well, let's keep this information to ourselves for now. We don't need anyone to know about it." Katelyn nodded and said, "Agreed." With that, the group continued their walk.
After another mile of walking, Katelyn could see desert sand blowing her way. Down the road, there were two toads standing on the end of a wooden bridge. The group started to approach them as Leonard asked, "Hey, don't we know those toads? Pedro and Padro, right?" Katelyn whispered to Caesar, "I am still fully covered, right?" He looked over her, held his thumbs up said, "Yes. All good." "What's the matter," Yulie asked as the toads stood at the end of the bridge. "What isn't?! We've been forced from our beloved Albana and chased all the way across this frog-forsaken desert," the frog named Pedro said. "Then it's true that Albana is under Yshrenian occupation," Leonard asked. The other toad, Padro said, "As true as we are blue. And they got poor Boss Phibianacci, gods bless him..." "Farewell sweet boss. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten," Pedro yelled out dramatically. "Oi, oi, don't get ahead of yourself. Boss Phibs got captured, not drawn and quartered," Padro said. "Oh, shut up you. Can't a fellow punch up a story? Anyway, we'd best clear out before those Yshrenians show up. I reckon they were right on our tail vestiges," Pedro said. Behind the toads, footsteps were heard in the sand, along with the rolling of wheels through the sand. "You reckon right," Eldore said. One of the soldiers yelled out, "There they are," as the two toads hid behind the group in fright. "Who the hell are you punks," the soldier questioned. "Hey, take it down a notch man. You'll scare these guys' warts off," Caesar said. "Our orders were to apprehend any toads that escaped from Albana. Don't interfere," he said. The group charged towards the guards, as the guards began to run towards them. The giant tank started to spin its wheels towards them. Caesar and Leonard transformed as Katelyn, Yulie, and Eldore spread out. Katelyn had never killed a person before, and it terrified her fighting against people. She decided instead of fighting a person, she would deactivate the biggest threat by hitching a ride on the machine's back. After she jumped on it, she worked to see if she could cause it to break down. With some assistance from Caesar's Dragon Knight, she was able to pry the metal off the back. The engine was left exposed, which she quickly cut the wires to. The machine stopped in its tracks and couldn't shoot anymore from its turrets, which meant that the battle was over. She hopped down front the back to see the group gathered around the machine. The group walked back over to where Pedro and Padro were hiding as Pedro hollered out, "You lot are as tough as nails!" "We've dealt with worse than that before," Caesar said. "Thank you! How can we ever repay you," Padro asked. Leonard asked, "How about you tell us what happened to the royal army stationed in Albana?" "Hoho, Balandor's forces you mean," Padro asked, "Well, last I heard they scurried off to the Nordia Tunnels." "That's right, they retreated north, and Yshrenia won't be far behind them," Pedro said. Eldore said, "Then we haven't much time. We must reach the tunnels as quickly as possible." "Well... you are not going to get anywhere without passing through Albana first," Padro said with a shrug. "There must be some way," Yulie said. The two toads began to whisper back and forth to each other as Katelyn whispered to Leonard, "I don't like the sound of this." "Sorry to keep you," Pedro said. "After much discussion, we think cutting through Albana is your best chance!" "Cut through! It's going to be swarming with bad guys," Caesar cut in. Padro said, "Now hold on! You did hear us mention the Yshrenian army has marched off to destroy Balandor? Well, what does that mean?" Pedro said, "I'll tell you what it means! Yshrenia can't very well be in two places at once." "I get it... fewer soldiers patrolling the city," said Leonard. "You are forgetting something, how are we going to get into Albana," Caesar questioned. "Leave that to us. We'll risk life and limb... oh, dear me... we have one small problem. When we skipped town, we got separated from our associates," Pedro said. "We'll need every toad we can get to sneak into Albana. They must be hiding out somewhere in the sand maze. Reckon you can track them down? Course you can," Padro said. "We're missing three associates. You just got to find them, tell them to meet us outside of Albana's south gate, come back and join yourselves, and bob's your uncle! Best of luck, now," Pedro said as they ran off. "They really need to work on their people skills," Leonard said, shaking his head as they ran off. The group began to walk towards the sand maze. Leonard said, "Let's go find those toads who got separated." "Ugh, toads! Always getting you to do the work," Yulie yelled out in frustration. "Those two were quite rude, how did you put up with them in the past," Katelyn asked, laughing at the situation they were in.
As the group reached the destroyed ruins in the center of the sand maze, there were footsteps in the sand leading up to the ruins, and voices up ahead. "I recognize this place," Katelyn whispered, examining the ruins. Caesar nodded and said, "Go on." "It's where Lena was killed... during the battle for the argent shield that the White Knight possesses." Caesar said, "We can hang back for a minute if you want." Katelyn sat down and said, "I'll wait here. Go find the toad." "We'll be right back," Caesar said. The group went ahead for a moment to find the toad while Katelyn sat there and replayed the memory of Lena's terrified eyes when she was sacrificed by the Magi. She wished that Lena could have survived and wondered if that is what caused Kara's mind to be fragile enough for the Magi to penetrate in the first place.
By the time the group returned, Katelyn had tears rolling down her face. She wiped them away when she saw the group approaching. "So, there are toads to the northeast and southwest. What do you say, we split up? Me and Katelyn can head north, and you guys can head south. We can meet at Albana in a bit," Caesar asked the others. "Yeah, just make sure you guys don't get killed out there," Yulie said. With that, the group split. Katelyn and Caesar headed north. Caesar put his arm around Katelyn and asked, "Hey, are you okay?" "Yeah, I just wish that Kara's little sister could have been saved. Her terrified eyes are all that keep replaying in my mind. I wonder if this is how Kara felt after seeing her sister sacrificed." Caesar took Katelyn's hand in his and said, "Let me share the pain, please. Let me in." Katelyn looked into his eyes and knew that his dragonsight was looking into her mind. "Gosh, that's just awful. I can't believe that the Magi sacrificed an innocent little girl to try and prove a point." "I know. I wish that Kara never had to feel this amount of pain. I didn't even know Lena, but I feel like I'm mourning her loss." Caesar and Katelyn at this point heard voice coming from the east, so they started to walk towards them. "Do you think that we will be able to push onto the Nordia Tunnels without an issue? Or that we will rendezvous with Balandor's army," Katelyn asked Caesar. "I hope that we can. I plan on joining the front lines if Grazel has joined their forces." "Wait, so you are going to leave me, us?" "No, I'm going to protect you, us. I need to keep you and our people safe while you help Yulie to find the third insignia. We will need it if we are ever going to defeat Grazel's Sun God." "I understand, I just didn't think we would have to talk about separating on these terms." "We can talk about it more later. There are the toads, on the other side of that Megalo Tigris who looks angry. Get ready!" Katelyn transformed and swung at the Megalo Tigris as it ran towards her. She began to leave gashes all over it's body with her sword, but it didn't seem to be slowing down. After a few minutes, Katelyn was feeling weaker, but continued to swing. The Megalo Tigris leaned backwards on its hind legs before lunging toward her knight's stomach. Her knight fell to its knees and transformed back to her human form. She collapsed from exhaustion as the Megalo Tigris towered above her. "Katelyn!" The Megalo Tigris swung one of its giant paws towards her stomach. Caesar transformed quickly and plunged his spear through one of its heads, drawing its attention. He continued to fight it until it collapsed in defeat. He then transformed back and ran towards Katelyn.
When he got to her, she had blood coming out of multiple gashes on the exposed part of her stomach and she had yet to awaken. He uncapped a strong healing potion and poured it into her mouth, forcing her limp form to swallow it. He pulled her to his chest and whispered, "Please come back to me. I can't lose anyone else." He sat there for a long time, listening to her breathing as her body healed internally. One of the the toads slowly walked towards the two of them and asked, "How is she?" "I don't know. She hasn't woken up. She got hurt badly." "Well, I will leave you two. I am going to head towards Albana." "Meet Pedro and Padro at the south gate," Caesar said. "Thank you," the toad said before walking out of the area they were in, the other toads following behind him. Caesar stood up and picked Katelyn up bridal style. He began to walk towards Albana, knowing it would be best for the group to find them in case they got attacked again. As he started to get worn out from carrying Katelyn through the sand maze, Caesar heard voices coming from behind him. He turned around and saw Yulie, Eldore, and Leonard approaching. "Guys, I need help. Katelyn and I were attacked by a Megalo Tigris. She hasn't woken up. I'm getting worried." He looked down at her peaceful face as he leaned down onto his knees. Eldore ran to them first, leaning down by Caesar and looking over Katelyn's form. "This isn't a normal sleep spell or exhaustion. You said she was wounded?" Caesar showed him the scratches that were still healing on her abdomen and asked, "Do you think the injuries caused this?" "How much blood did she lose?" "I don't know, there was a puddle under her. She had open gashes for at least seven or eight minutes before I got to her." "She needs time to heal then. The toads outside Albana can keep an eye on her while we head inside and scope the place out. We need to find a place for her to rest and heal. She may be asleep for hours or days before she comes to." "Gosh, I think I'm going to be sick. Let's hurry and see if we can find either a safe place to hide, or a way to make it through Albana." Eldore nodded and led the group the rest of the short distance to Albana's south gate. Leonard took over carrying Katelyn for a few minutes until they reached the gate. Pedro, Padro, and the other toads waited outside the gate. After listening to them for a few minutes as they blathered on about the soldiers stationed in front of Don Phibianacci's mansion, they entered the gates. When they went inside, Caesar entered one of the small, abandoned houses. He placed Katelyn on the bed and placed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be back for you in no time," he whispered as he rejoined the group. When he rejoined, he peered around the corner at all the Yshrenian soldiers set up and said, "Yeesh, that is a lot of soldiers." "How are we gonna get through? They'll cream us before we go ten steps," Leonard said. "Perhaps we should fall back and rethink our strategy," Eldore asked. "Yeah, you're right," Leonard agreed. At the same time, the group did not realize that Pedro had started to very dramatically sneak away. When he got a good distance, he took a deep breath and yelled, "INTRUDERS! INTRUDERS IN THE CITYYYYY!!!!!!!" "Hey," Yulie yelled out as Pedro turned and ran away. "Those damn toads! They tricked us," Caesar yelled out. "Well, we have to fight now. Come on," Leonard yelled, charging at the Yshrenians.
The group fought tooth and nail against the soldiers and their watchtower that they built in the center of the town. After using both Leonard's and Caesar's knights, all the soldiers and their watchtower were defeated. After the two transformed back, Pedro and Padro ran up to Don Phibianacci's mansion while yelling out his name. Caesar ran back towards the small house he had placed Katelyn in, while the rest of the group entered the mansion to check on the Don. "Boss! Say they didn't hurt you," Pedro cried out. "Fear not, my dear sweet toadlings! You came back to rescue me, didn't you? I might have known you'd find some way to turn the tides." By this point, Caesar entered the mansion and said, "More like dump the tides! All over us, thank you very much." Pedro replied, "Well, what else were we supposed to do. Nice work, by the way." "You got a lot of nerve, wart face," Caesar replied. "Now, now, that's enough. We have other things to worry about," Yulie said, motioning to the girl still asleep in Caesar's arms. "Really though, there just aren't any words for your sort of heroism. Once again, I am indebted to you, my friends. You've saved me from a fate worse than my wife! And for that I thank you. Gladly, I would have allowed you to select one of the many fine treasures that made up my collection. Sad to say, however, those Yshrenian scoundrels made off with every last item of value. This little bauble is all that I have left to give. But by all means, take it. Accept it as a token of my most heartfelt gratitude," he said, handing it to Eldore. "Tell me my friends. Will you be returning to Balandor, then?" "Yes, after our friend awakens. Can you set us up at an inn for the night and send a doctor for her," Leonard asked. "I see, very well. I will get that set up right away. When you leave, whatever you do, beware the Sun God. Not even the combined might of Balandor's royal army was a match for him on the battlefield. It pains me that I can offer so little in the way of assistance, but I nonetheless wish you a safe journey home to your kingdom." With that, the group left towards the local inn. Caesar just hoped that Katelyn would be able to join them on their adventure, if only she would wake up.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After the exhaustion of the day and getting settled at the inn, Caesar anxiously waited for a doctor to come and look at Katelyn. After he brought her into their room, he untied her mask from her face, but left her hair wrapped. He took a small bowl of water and rags and began to slowly cleanse away the filth of the day from her body, taking off her armor and extra layers. He untied her boots and placed them to the side and took off her socks. Then, feeling that she would be a little more comfortable in her sleep, he started to sit there, and for the first time in a long time prayed to a higher power that she would wake up and show him her beautiful eyes. "I know I haven't asked you for anything in a long time, but please, I beg of you, don't take away my one shot at happiness. I have fought tooth and nail to protect everyone around me, yet it always seems those closest to me are taken too soon. I didn't get to say goodbye to my father. Kara died in my arms as I held her. I can't lose Katelyn too." He held onto her hand as tears fell from his eyes. A few minutes later, a small knock on the door was heard. Caesar said, "Come in," knowing it was the doctor. A middle-aged woman walked in carrying a bag of medical supplies. "Hello, my lord. I heard you had an injured woman who seems to be comatose after healing, is that right?" "Yes ma'am. She hasn't woken up, and it's been hours. I really need to know why." She walked up and rubbed his shoulder reassuringly and said, "Let's take a look and see what I can find out." The woman approached Katelyn who was laid on the bed. She started to examine her, taking her temperature, checking her pulse, blood pressure, and respiration rate. "Her vitals appear stable, though her blood pressure is a little low. But that could be from blood loss," she noted. She then checked Katelyn's pupils with a light and said, "It seems that she may be comatose. Did she take a hit to the head?" "No, she fell sideways. She just collapsed." The woman made a sound under her breath and asked, "May I check her scalp just to be sure?" "You may," he said. The woman unwrapped the girl's hair and checked her scalp for abrasions and swelling but found nothing. "Okay, you said the slash was to her abdomen?" He nodded. The woman lifted Katelyn's shirt and pressed on different spots of her stomach. "There is no swelling, tenderness, firmness, or bruising. It seems that the wound may have left a small scar, but there is no damage. This case is really stumping me. I wonder, has she had any past traumatic experiences? Something that her mind may have a hard time processing. It could be the cause of her slumber." "So, you are saying that the need to process this information could have caused the comatose state." "Yes, my lord. If she does not wake within the next 24 hours, please send for me, okay? Just make sure that until she wakes, you turn her every few hours, so she doesn't get sores on her lovely skin, okay?" "Yes ma'am. Thank you for your help." "You're welcome, dear. Have a good evening." With that, the woman gathered her things and left the room. A knock was heard a few minutes later. Yulie peeked her head in and asked, "How is she?" "The coma may have been caused by a traumatic experience. I wonder if the knight caused this or what happened today." "Don't beat yourself up, Caesar. I'm sure you did everything you could. She will wake up. Just give her time. I'm going to get you some food. You've lost weight and it's starting to show." "Thanks Yulie. You always care for my wellbeing." "Well, someone has to," she said as she left the room. Caesar removed his shirt and sat next to Katelyn on the bed. He pulled her body against his, leaning her head against his chest. He then closed his eyes as his back laid against the headboard. He wished that he could see where her mind was, but it seemed that his dragonsight couldn't even tell him.In her comatose state, Katelyn could not tell what parts were dreams and what parts were reality. It seemed that something inside the Black Knight's sword had awakened a memory bank from the Dogma Ages. Katelyn's mind hadn't been able to process all the information, so it put her into a slumber. But, through her slumber she still remembered the ever-present light in her life. In one dream, her and Caesar were happily married with two kids and had the perfect family life in Greede. In another, they were in the middle of their wedding with Eldore walking her down the aisle. They were in a place called Faria, which she guessed came from Kara's memories. In another, she was just finding out she was pregnant with Caesar's child. There were some dreams that were sad, with pictures of her, Caesar, and her family. There was even a dream where her and Caesar adopted Kara's little sister, Lena. Finally, the dreams stopped. She was in an empty void of darkness, standing on what seemed to be a stage of some sort. Then, a shadow-like creature appeared in front of her. "I am the Guardian of Dinivas, Deliverer of Dark and Dread, Ruler of the Ancient Shadows. To earn your right to hold my power, you must prove to me your worth." Katelyn then realized that she would have to fight this creature, similar to how they had fought the Dragon Matriarch with Caesar's father. But this time, she would have to fight alone. Her sword appeared on her hip, so she pulled it out and ran towards the Guardian who awaited her first attack. She ran up to it and swung her sword. Then, it started to attack back. She used the incantations she had been taught by Caesar to weaken its attacks and defenses, then made another swing for it. A magical bolt of darkness struck her, and a curse set in. She said an incantation to remove the curse and continued her attacks. It took what felt like hours of the back and forth, but was only minutes before the Guardian said, "You have proved your worth and have unlocked the deeper powers of the Black Knight. Use these powers wisely for the greater battle ahead. You will not see or hear from me again. I release you." The creature raised its hand towards the sky, its palm started to glow, then the Black Knight's Ark appeared in its hand. It held the Ark out for Katelyn to take, then raised one of its hands and snapped its fingers. Katelyn started to glow before leaving the dark void. Then, she opened her eyes.When she opened her eyes, she felt an arm wrapped around her abdomen and the intense feeling of needing to use the bathroom. She slowly wiggled free and made her way to the bathroom, then came back and crawled into the bed again. She made her way under his arm and turned towards him. "Caesar," she whispered. "Caesar," she said again. He slowly opened his golden eyes and looked into her lilac-colored ones. "You're awake," he said with a grin. "My prayers worked. Are you okay?" "I am amazing," she whispered. "I earned the right to the knight's powers. And I had some of the best dreams about you." "Really, what were those dreams about?" "You, me, married, starting a family of our own. Which got me thinking, what if I get pregnant?" "Well, if you did, I would completely accept it and would be ecstatic that I get to be a father with the most beautiful and kind-hearted woman in the world." "Do you want kids?" "Yes, I definitely want a bunch of kids to fill that empty mansion back home." "Do you need an heir or a successor to rule Greede?" "Yes, I will in the future need an heir." "Does the heir have to be a boy?" "No, of course not. Girl or boy, I will be the best father I can. I want to teach my oldest to be a fighter, yet peacefully lead my homeland. I want my younger children to be strong and to do whatever they want to do in life." "I'm glad to hear you say that. We didn't even talk about it, and I know it's been a couple of days now." Caesar silenced her with a kiss on her lips and said, "Well, back to our original topic. You worried me today. I thought I lost you. Seeing you collapse like that brought one of my worst fears to life." Katelyn kissed him and said, "Hey, it will take a lot worse than that to get rid of me." Katelyn rolled her body on top of Caesar's and started to kiss him as if her life depended on it. "Marry me," he said when she pulled away for air. "What," she said, looking at him with wide eyes. "I know its sudden and very fast, but I know that I want to wake up next to you every day for the rest of my life. I want to have kids with you, grow old together, rule Greede together. I want everything with you. So please, will you marry me," he asked her. She looked at him a bit stunned for a moment, never imagining in a million years she would fall in love with a person so kind-hearted. "Yes Caesar, I will marry you." "I actually have something for you if you don't mind me grabbing it very quickly," he said, rolling her to lay beside him for a moment. He stood and reached into his bag, pulling out his mother's engagement ring. Katelyn stood up behind him, not knowing what he was going to grab. He turned and kneeled in front of her, "I want to do this a little more properly, so ummmm... Katelyn, will you do the honor of becoming my wife, my lady, and the Countess of Greede? To be by my side from this day forward, forever and always." "Yes, Caesar. I will." He stood and pulled her in for a kiss, sliding the ring onto her finger. She looked down and said, "Caesar, it's beautiful." "It was my mother's. It's crafted with diamonds and firestones, her two favorites." "I love it, too," she said, pulling him in for a kiss.He picked her up in his arms as she wrapped her legs around him. He sat down on the bed with her in his lap. As their kiss continued, she ran her hands through his hair and down the sides of his face. She then ran her hands down his neck, to his shoulders, and to his bare chest. She started to move her kisses down the side of his face and to his neck. She stopped her lips at different places, leaving small marks as her lips traveled down to his shoulder. Caesar then pulled her face back to his and said, "Take off your shirt." Katelyn obliged, pulling off her shirt. "Wait a minute, what happened to my corset," Katelyn asked. "I took it off so the doctor could examine you. She was a nice lady, by the way." "I'm glad to hear it. Maybe we should send her a thank you gift." She leaned down and continued leaving little bites all over him. "Are you trying to get revenge for me leaving a hickey on your neck the other day," he asked her as she continued to place marks. "It could be that," she said, as she continued to his chest with her kisses, "or it could be that I want to leave marks of my own for everyone to see." After deciding that her teasing was enough, Caesar rolled so that Katelyn was under him. He placed his lips on hers in a soft kiss, then trailed his lips to her neck. "Well, how do you feel about having marks all over for everyone to see," he teased. "As long as you have them too," she said. As Caesar sucked on a particularly sensitive spot on her neck, Katelyn scratched her fingers down his back. He continued to trail kisses down her neck and to her chest, leaving love bites in different places. The two took turns exploring each other's bodies as the night drew on. In the morning, they were both falling asleep as the sun was rising. About an hour later, there was a knock on the door and Yulie yelled, "Caesar, are you decent?" "No," he yelled back. "Well, hurry up and get dressed. I need to talk to you. Meet me at the bar across the street." Caesar got up and held his hand out to Katelyn who had just woke up with all the yelling. They both got up and started to pull on clean clothes after quickly washing themselves in the small shower in the bathroom. Katelyn opted to wear the red face veil that she had bought with a pink and red colored scarf wrapped around her hair. They both packed up and left the room. They walked downstairs and to the local bar across the street.Upon seeing them both walking in, Yulie got up and ran towards Katelyn, pulling her in for a hug. "You're alright! You had us all worried." "I'm alright. Just needed some time to rest and recuperate," Katelyn said. "That's good. Do you want some food? I'm sure that you have to be starving at this point." "Yes. Food sounds great. By the way, me and Caesar have big news," she said while holding up her left hand and pointing to her ring. Yulie shrieked with glee and said, "He asked you to marry him. Oh my gosh. I'm so excited. I get to be the cool auntie to you guy's kids, right?" "Yes Yulie, but that is a long time from now, " she said. "It doesn't matter. Your children are so going to be spoiled by me." Just then, loud voices were heard from behind the curtain on the stage in the center of the bar as someone yelled out, "What are we supposed to do without a dancer? We won't make any money today! That's what!" A man stormed out and said to whoever was behind the curtain, "Find me another dancer." Music started to play on the stage, which Katelyn felt that she recognized. She stood up and said, "I know this song." She made her way up to the stage and felt nervous at first in front of so many people. But it was like her body knew exactly what to do as she started to dance, performing moves that she couldn't remember having ever learned. She wondered if this was the same stage that the picture of Kara had been taken. The crowd went wild as Katelyn danced, and Caesar was captivated by the beauty on stage. "I wonder who that is," one man in front of the stage said. "She reminds me of someone," another said. Everyone watched as Katelyn finished the dance and took a bow on the stage. She then walked off the stage to her friends.A few minutes later, someone approached her from behind. "Kara, is that you," someone asked from behind her. Katelyn schooled her features and said, "Who's asking?" "An old friend. Surely you remember me." Katelyn turned to see a woman around her age behind her. The woman had a similar build as her, with long black hair and icy blue eyes. Katelyn searched her memory and came back blank. "I'm sorry, but I recently had a case of amnesia. I don't see to remember who you are. We know each other?" "Yes, I used to watch your sister, Lena, while you worked here. Surely you remember me. I'm Sapphire." "I feel like I recognize you, but I'm having a hard time remembering the details. Please, sit, eat with us. Let's catch up." Katelyn motioned to an empty chair across the table from her. The girl, Sapphire, took a seat across the table and said, "Kara, I thought both you and Lena were dead. What happened when you left?" "My sister was killed by the men who took her. She was killed right in front of me and I couldn't stop them. I left with this group here to avenge her. We are still fighting to take down that same enemy." "That's awful. I'm so sorry, Kara." "It's alright. I can't change the past, though I wish I could." "Do you guys need help," Sapphire asked, looking around the table. "Kara's not the only person in the parts that trained with a sword. I could join you, help you to take down this enemy." "We appreciate the offer, but you have no idea what you are asking for," Caesar said. "Kara doesn't have all her memories at this moment. We are just trying to defeat Grazel, who is currently ruling the Yshrenian Empire. He is trying to take over the world." "I won't get in your way. I want to avenge Lena by putting a sword through the person who caused Lena's death." Katelyn sat at the table in silence and said, "You can join us, but first I need to tell you a story. But first," she said, turning to Caesar. She took his hand and said, "Is she trustworthy?" "Yes, she is. My dragonsight sees a concerned friend." "Okay, so, would you like to hear that story?" "Alright, what's it about?" "You see, about a year ago now, Kara was tricked into joining Grazel's side. She didn't know what was right or wrong as she was being brainwashed day after day. She finally came to her senses and saw that her brother Grazel had gone too far. One of Grazel's henchmen got very upset when Kara decided to betray their leader and put a sword through her heart. She ended up dying in Caesar's arms. She was resurrected just a few days ago and switched places and bodies with me, knowing her days of battle would be shortly numbered." Sapphire looked into Katelyn's eyes and said, "So, you're not actually Kara." Eldore said, "That is correct. This is Katelyn who is from another world. Kara took her place and left her here to start a new life." "And this beautiful woman managed to steal my heart the first day that I met her," Caesar said, taking her hand with the engagement ring on it and placing a small kiss on the back of it. "So, do you still want to join our ragtag group here?" "Yes. Lena deserves to be avenged, and I will make sure it happens." "Don't worry, I plan to do the same. I'll hold Grazel down for you to kill. And he is not the only person on my list. The person who killed Kara, Shapur, deserves to die as well. As they say where I am from, an eye for an eye." "I like the way you think. I think we will be good friends," Sapphire told her, "I'll go get my things and meet you guys in a few."With that, the group finished their food and grabbed their things. Caesar asked, "Is it okay if we visit the Don one more time before we leave?" "I guess that will be alright," Eldore said. "Yeah, but what do you need to see him about," Leonard asked as the group started to walk. "He wants to ask if the Don can officiate a small private wedding for us before we leave," Katelyn said. The group followed as Caesar and Katelyn walked in to talk to the Don. Upon hearing about the wedding, the Don readily agreed and called on his toadlings to fetch proper clothes for the bride and groom. Sapphire joined the group at the mansion and agreed to stand on Katelyn's side of the small alter that was set up. Katelyn approached Eldore who was standing against the wall on the other side of the room and asked him, "Will you please be the one to give me away?" "Of course, my dear," Eldore said, "Go ahead and get dressed. I'll be waiting outside the door for you." Katelyn left the room quickly to change into the white dress and heels the toadlings had brought in. The dress was short and simple with a body-hugging bodice and a skirt that flared out slightly. Then, she was handed some flowers by one of the toadlings. She removed her mask and scarf and let one of the toadlings fix her hair quickly before she was deemed ready. Eldore joined her at the entrance of the grand room. Katelyn in her nervousness practically begged him, "Please don't let me fall." "Don't worry, I've got you," he said, looping his arm through hers. Music began to play and the doors were opened. At the end of the aisle stood Caesar in a suit. He broke out into a deep smile when he saw her walking towards him. She felt a happy tear fall down her face, which she quickly wiped away. Then, Eldore and her started to walk. She saw Leonard on one side of the alter next to Caesar. Yulie and Sapphire stood on the other side of the alter where she would stand. When Eldore and her got to the end of the aisle, Eldore placed Katelyn's hand in Caesar's and said, "Take care of her, son." "I will," Caesar said. Katelyn stood across from Caesar in front of the Don. The Don had each of them repeat their vows to one another, but when they got to the ending, they both decided to change it. Instead of saying 'until death do us part,' they both agreed to, 'forever and always.' After the vows were said and rings were exchanged, Caesar dipped Katelyn and kissed her. A camera shutter went off and Yulie said, "This one's a keeper." After a quick wedding party, Caesar and Katelyn changed and thanked the Don for his hospitality. The group left with their new married couple and their newest member in tow. It seemed that their small group was slowly growing in numbers as time went on, which would help with the final battle that happened to be just around the corner.
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The group headed once again through the Lagnish Desert, but this time, the stakes were higher. The Yshrenians knew that their small group was after them, which meant luck was not as easily on their side. Even with a new member, the dangers that awaited them would try to strike them down. Eldore said, "Let's proceed to the north road," and Leonard said, "I hope we can pass through unseen." As the group proceeded up the north road, it seemed that they would have to fight their way through as there was a large blockade built across the desert road. "What's that," Yulie questioned. Caesar answered, "The Yshrenian army. They're blocking the road to the Nordia Tunnels." "We'll have to break through. There's no other way," Eldore said. "Works for me," said Leonard, gearing up with his Knight's Ark. "Okay everyone, Katelyn and Sapphire, I want you two to break down the enemy cannons. Yulie and Eldore, work on clearing out the crowds of soldiers. Me and Leonard will take out the watch tower. Any questions," Caesar asked after giving orders. Katelyn said, "Works for me. I'd rather not fight people if I don't have to. I can disable the cannon if I can get a look at its panels." "Then I'll keep it distracted," Sapphire said. The group ran through the middle of the blockade and started to pan out. Katelyn made her way to the back of the automatic cannon as Sapphire made her way to the front of it. Katelyn quickly ripped off the panel while using the end of her sword as leverage and started to pull at the wires on the inside. After two or three minutes of pulling out wires, it seemed that she finally found the one that could disable it. At this point, the Yshrenian soldiers had been defeated and the watch tower was leaning over from where it had been smashed. It seemed that all the group's tasks were accomplished.Caesar and Leonard reverted to their human forms and the group rejoined for their small victory. Caesar wrapped his arm around Katelyn and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You seem to be pretty great at working with machinery," he said. "Oh, it's nothing. I just learned a lot at home about wires and how they make things work. Pulling them out is no big deal." "Hey, you aren't giving yourself enough credit. You took only minutes to do that while we would have taken much longer." "Thank you," Katelyn said, pulling up her face veil to lay a kiss on his lips. "Okay, enough PDA, newly married couple. Let's get moving," Yulie yelled from behind them. "Let's head into the Nordia Tunnels and go to the Greydall exit," Leonard said. "If they have many more of those weapons, we are in trouble," Eldore said. "I've got to get back to Cisna," Leonard said. "Are you going to keep blabbering on about this Queen, or are we going to see some action today," Sapphire questioned with a sassy attitude. With that, Katelyn and Caesar both started to laugh as Leonard blushed. Yulie looked on with a slightly upset look. The group ran through the tunnels, quickly defeating the spider sprogs and basilisks they encountered along the way. They made it to the ending in no time. Looking out of the tunnels, Leonard asked, "Do you think they know we're here?" "I think so. Look how their soldiers are positioned," Caesar said. "And if they don't know now, they will soon enough," Eldore said. "Right. Let's assume the worst," Yulie spoke. "Well, Balandor's right around the corner," Leonard said. "Forget the south road. We'll save time by swinging around to the west," Eldore said. "Okay, sounds good," Caesar said. "Let's avoid those troops as long as possible," Katelyn said. "We definitely don't need an entire army to come after us," Sapphire said.After many minutes and talk of getting closer to Balandor, a Yshrenian monoship flew overhead and none other than the Sun God flew overhead. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Caesar said. Grazel did not land, but Shapur jumped down from the ship and landed in front of them. War tanks and soldiers started to file in behind him. He laughed and asked, "How long has it been?" "Not long enough," Caesar said. "I must say, I expected you to suffer in the Lagnish a while still. But then I forgot, even little men like you have Knights. Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to cause his Excellency any more headaches. It is time I destroyed you." "Oh, he did not just say that," Sapphire said. "His ass is mine," Katelyn said. "Oh, who are these two pretty ones you guys have got with you. I'm sure it will be a pleasure to fight against them." Katelyn pulled her sword and charged at him and said, "Enough talk. It's time for you to die." Sapphire followed her as Leonard and Caesar transformed into their knights and started after the war machines. Yulie and Eldore started with the soldiers on the ground. Katelyn swung her sword at Shapur, but he countered. They continued in this dance until Sapphire joined from behind. With the two working against him, Katelyn finally saw her opening and struck him. Her sword went into his back. He grunted in pain and asked, "Who are you?" Katelyn ripped off the scarf wrapped around her hair and untied the veil that was over her face. Shapur looked on in horror as Katelyn twisted the sword and said, "Kara, I thought you were dead." "I came back to atone for my sins. Seeing as you put a knife in my back, I assumed it's only fair that I do the same to you." Katelyn twisted the sword once more before pulling it out. Shapur collapsed on the ground and Katelyn put a foot on his back. "And this here is Sapphire. You had a hand in my little sister's death, and she wants to help me avenge her. So, I told her she could deliver the killing blow." With that, Katelyn lifted Shapur from the ground. Sapphire asked, "Any last words?" "I hope Grazel kills both of you," he spit out through the blood in his mouth. Sapphire said, "That definitely will not happen," as she slashed her sword across his throat. Katelyn made sure to take his weapons as he lay on the ground. Even though he looked dead, Katelyn had learned the lesson from Caesar to never take your eyes off of an armed enemy. She felt sick to her stomach seeing the blood on her hands and knowing that she helped kill him, but she also knew that he was nothing but pure evil. She then turned with Sapphire to look at the rest of the battle around them. It looked like most of the enemies had been vanquished, but Leonard looked like he couldn't keep up. He was beginning to shake, which worried Katelyn.She ran towards him as his shaking turned to glowing and caught him just in time as he turned back to his human form and collapsed. "Woah. Are you okay," she asked Leonard. She heard Yulie yell out Leonard's name. Yulie and Eldore ran over towards them and helped Katelyn to support Leonard's limp form. Eldore yelled out Caesar's name to get his attention and said, "We need to get Leonard back to Balandor as soon as possible." Caesar transformed back and joined the group in carrying Leonard towards the city. They quickly rushed him through the city with the six people supporting him and made their way to the castle. Upon their arrival, the guards ushered them in and alerted Queen Cisna that Leonard was injured in some way during the battle. The doctor was brought in, and Yulie was allowed to stay, while the rest of the group was left in the parlor to wait for news on his condition. After what felt like hours of waiting, the doctor and Yulie finally came out of the room. "Thank you, doctor," Yulie said to the doctor before he walked away. "How's Leonard doing," Caesar asked when Yulie walked up to them. "Is he alright? What happened out there," Katelyn questioned. "He is in bed sleeping. He was in a lot of pain. What happened that caused this," she asked. "Perhaps he relied too much on the Knight's power," Eldore questioned. "Hey, this is Leonard we are talking about. Once he's had a nap, he'll be back on his feet. In the meanwhile, we've got to find a way to stop Yshrenia," Caesar said. "The royal army and Yshrenia's imperial army are facing off in the south of Greydall Plain," Eldore started. "A bloody battle is coming, and soon." Caesar looked over to Katelyn and said, "I've decided to fight on the front lines with Balandor. They'll need my help." "I'm going too," Yulie said. "No, I'd rather you stay here with Leonard. You know, keep him from doing anything crazy," Caesar said. Yulie looked torn between fighting for her people and staying behind, but said, "Okay." She turned and walked back into Leonard's room, shutting the door behind her. Caesar turned towards Katelyn and said, "I know that this is not the wedding day you imagined, but I probably need to get going to the front lines. Please keep an eye on Yulie for me, will you? I'm worried about her mental state at this moment." "Before you leave, we can we talk in private for a few minutes?" "Of course, let's go to one of the guest rooms for a few minutes." Katelyn leaned into Caesar as he took them to the guest room. When they arrived, Caesar took her into his arms in front of the small fireplace in the room and said, "What's on your mind, my love?" "I'm just scared of losing you. I want you to know that I love you, and though we will be separated for a short while, I'll see you on the other side of all this craziness." She placed a kiss on his lips, which he responded to in earnest. "You know that I'll stay safe out there. I'm not letting you go anytime soon." She said to him, "Show me how much you love me before you leave. Please." "Of course, my dear wife." Hearing the words coming from his mouth, Katelyn swooned a little bit. "Please, my husband, make love to me," she whispered to him. Caesar picked up a large blanket and quickly laid it on the ground in front of the warm fireplace. He pulled Katelyn to him and the two quickly became entangled with each other. Katelyn melted into Caesar's touch as he removed her clothes with ease. She took of his shirt, pants, and underwear as he removed hers. Caesar picked Katelyn up and carefully laid her on the blanket. He touched her in every way that felt as if he were savoring the moment, almost as if he would never get the opportunity again. When they made love with each other, it felt as if they were both saying farewell to each other, but that they would be reunited soon. After it was over, neither of them wanted to leave as they lay there in front of the fire in each other's arms. Finally, after some time passed, Caesar said, "I'm sorry to say, I need to get to the front lines. Keep Yulie safe for me, please. She's like a little sister to me. And please, make sure Leonard doesn't do anything stupidly crazy like trying to throw himself in the line of fire." Katelyn nodded against his chest and watched him as he got up to leave. He put on his clothes and leaned down one more time to give her a kiss before he left. Katelyn waited until he left to let the tears fall, praying with all her being that he would be safe. She got up as the tears fell and put her clothes on. She threw the large blanket inside a dirty linens basket and made her way to the parlor. She wiped the tears from her eyes when she began to hear voices not far from her. She opened the door to find Eldore, Yulie, and Sapphire. They all looked up at her as she entered the room. Yulie said, "I guess Caesar left, huh?" Katelyn nodded and said, "Yes, and we've got work to do. How is Leonard?" "Not well. Queen Cisna has been keeping an eye on him," Yulie replied. Eldore said, "Also, that blue stone that the Don gave us may have some significance. Framboise is looking into it for me." "Why don't me and Yulie go check on Leonard," Katelyn said. Yulie looked hesitant for a moment but agreed with a nod. The two walked down the hall and Yulie said, "You miss him, don't you? You don't have to hide your tears from me." "I need to be strong for him. I have faith that he will be safe in his absence. My job now is to keep you and Leonard safe." "You don't have to keep a watch after me. I promise that I can keep myself out of danger. You can wait out here while I go check on him," Yulie said as they reached the room. Katelyn stood outside the door and waited for Yulie to return. Inside, Yulie went in to ask Cisna how Leonard was. Cisna said, "The physician examined him again. But we couldn't determine what's ailing him. I feel awful, pushing him to the limit like this. If we hadn't... hadn't forced him to carry so much of the burden..." "Forced him? It's always been his choice. Right from the beginning. He saved his kingdom. Now he's trying to save the whole world... But me? I just... When have you ever heard him complain about this? You haven't forced him to do anything! You didn't have to! He fights because he wants to... because he wants you!" Yulie ran out of the room in tears and ran past Katelyn. Katelyn asked, "Yulie, what are you doing?" She then looked back into the room and saw Queen Cisna for the first time in person, and she appeared to be very upset. "I'll take care of her, Your Grace. You can count on me," Katelyn said with a small bow. Katelyn went down the hall until she found Yulie sitting in a patch of moonlight. She sat down against the wall next to Yulie. Yulie said, "So much for coming to grips with it. This wouldn't happen... if I was stronger." Katelyn said, "You are strong, Yulie. You try to never let your weakness show, and it's hurting you." Yulie looked up at the moon in thought for a moment before she shouted, "MOON!" She then whispered to herself, "Maiden?" She got up and dashed towards the front door, grabbing her stuff along the way. Katelyn grabbed hers as well and went after her. As she started to walk down the front steps of the palace, Eldore stood behind them and said, "You two plan to do it alone?" "What," Yulie turned around and questioned. "Faria, I presume? I have the Shagna all ready. Let's go." "Thank you. All of you," Yulie said, looking at the group that had formed around her. Sapphire, Katelyn, Yulie, and Eldore made their way to the Shagna, which Katelyn found out was Balandor's monoship. They all piled in as a small bunny-looking man named Rocco made his way to the controls. He got the ship off the ground and into the sky. This was not only the start of a new journey for the small group far from home, but one to find Yulie's purpose in the battles ahead.
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After boarding the Shagna and starting to head towards Faria, Rocco told the group to get some sleep. He told them they wouldn't be to Faria for many hours. Everyone obliged, taking a seat, and leaning back to get some rest. Katelyn drifted off but had horrible visions as she tried to sleep. "Hey, I'm outnumbered," she could hear in her head. She saw Caesar in danger on the battlefield and knew that this vision was happening at this moment. "I could really use some help from anyone," he said as he was tossed to the ground by a Gigas. Katelyn awoke to find that everyone, but Rocco was still asleep. She turned towards the small man and said, "Caesar is in trouble. I'm sorry, but I must go. Please tell everyone to take care and I will see them in Balandor, would you?" "Of course. Take care of Lord Caesar. You can use the side hatch to jump out if you would like." "Thank you. See you soon," she said as she jumped then called on her transformation. She took to the skies as Ebonwings and flew towards Balandor, hoping she wouldn't be too late. She made her way to the castle wall that the battle was occurring at and saw Queen Cisna standing outside the gate. "Queen Cisna, where is Caesar?" "He is out there fighting, but I can't see him through the smoke. I'm starting to get worried," she said. "I'll find him. I had a vision where he called out to me for help." "Go, be with him," Cisna said. With that, Katelyn bent her knees and took to the skies again. After a few minutes of grappling with Wyrems, and Gigantes, she spotted Caesar's Dragon Knight on the ground with a Gigas pinning him down. Before her feet hit the ground, her sword was through the creature's back. It howled in pain before disintegrating. "What the," Caesar said before noticing who stood above him. "Katelyn, what are you doing here?" "I got your message, dummy. It came to me while I was asleep. I knew you needed my help. So, here I am." "Hey, I'm not a dummy. I thought you agreed to take care of Yulie." "Don't worry, she is on her way to Faria to find the Moon Maiden's Ark. Rocco, Eldore, and Sapphire have got her. Now, ready to kick some Yshrenian butt," she said, holding her Knight's hand out to his. "Always, my lady," he said, taking her hand. They turned towards the battle around them and she said, "I feel I can be of more assistance if I am on the ground. I can disable their machines that way. Do you think you can follow and cover me?" Caesar nodded as Katelyn called off her transformation. She pulled her sword out and began to swing at the soldiers who approached her. She knew that it was kill or be killed, so she struck each blow to kill. After many minutes, she made it to the row of war machines that were firing. She nodded to Caesar and said, "I'll see you in a little bit." With that, she started to pry off the back of the first machine and pull apart the wires that held it together. The first one was down within three minutes. She continued until ten machines were no longer firing on the battlefield below. After that, she made her way down to the Yshrenian army tents that were unoccupied and started to break them down, untying them and lighting them on fire with the fireball spell Caesar had taught her. After the unoccupied tents were burning, Katelyn continued until she had Caesar back in her line of sight. She saw him fighting another Wyvern, but he seemed to have the upper hand. So, she continued towards the siege towers built with cannons on the horizon.She grabbed one of the enemy axes and started to chop at one of its thin legs. She knew that she could break the towers down if they toppled over, so she started to chop at it until the corner leg split. She continued to the second leg on the same side and watched as the tower toppled over next to her. She ran towards the next one and started to do the same, until the second large tower fell. She looked back over towards Caesar and saw he was fighting two Gigantes, so she called on her transformation and made her way back over to him. She started to fight one of the Gigas as he fought the other. They continued to swing and chop until both monsters collapsed and disintegrated into piles of dust. "Caesar, do you need a break," Katelyn questioned. "I could use some food, but they just keep coming," he said. "Go, I've got this. I knocked down two siege towers and destroyed ten war machines. I also burned a bunch of unoccupied tents. They will probably be scrambling in a little bit." "Okay, I'll see you in a few. Stay safe," he said as he flew back towards the castle. Katelyn flew towards one of the monoships in the air and started to attack its engines with her sword. She knew that if she could destroy at least one, the odds would be further in their favor. After many minutes of chopping at its engines, one of them started to smoke and catch on fire. She continued to the one on the other side and did the same. She flew out of the way as the ship began to crash towards the ground. With the odds slightly leaning in her favor, she made her way back to the ground.She detransformed for a minute in a safe spot and took a mana potion to fuel her magical energy. She then made her way on the battlefield and joined the Balandor troops that were fighting against Yshrenian troops. She swung her sword in many directions, hitting each target that she aimed at. "Who is that," one of the soldiers from Balandor questioned when he saw the woman on the battlefield. "Lord Caesar's wife," one of the other soldiers replied. "She must be well trained. She has taken on more soldiers by herself in a little over an hour than all of us have. She also destroyed some of their supplies, weapons, towers, and machines. She also knocked that monoship out of the air." "Good, let's help her," the other soldier replied. After what felt like an eternity, the battle slowed for a few minutes. "Lady Drisdall, if you feel the need to take a rest, now is your chance. The enemy won't be back in full force until after sunrise." "Okay, I'll be back soon," she said, exiting the battlefield. When she made it back to Balandor's gate, Caesar was sitting with Queen Cisna. It looked like he had brought the Queen food that she had already eaten. He still had a basket full of food that Katelyn assumed was for them to share. Queen Cisna stood at her arrival and looked up at Katelyn. "I must thank you, Lady Katelyn. If it weren't for the Black Knight's power, the war would never have turned in our favor," Queen Cisna said as she arrived. Katelyn took a bow and said, "It was my honor, your Majesty. Is it okay if I take a short break to regain my strength?" "Of course. Our troops are still out there fighting in your absence." Katelyn joined Caesar who sat against the wall with the basket. "So, what did you bring," Katelyn asked Caesar. "I brought a variety. We have a few hours until sunrise if you want to retreat to my tent for a little bit." "I would love to. Where's your tent," she asked as she stood up. She helped him up and started to follow him as he walked towards the tent that she recognized from their previous travels. They made their way inside and sat to eat some food. They caught up on what they had done in each other's absence. After eating their fill, Caesar asked her, "Do you think Yulie was the fifth child found in the ruins? It's just weird for her to go after the Moon Maiden's power if she is not the pact maker." "I am certain it is her. She looked up at the moon and seemed to have a memory of sorts. I think she remembered something." "I wish I could remember my childhood. I only remember fragmented images and mostly of Kara and Setti. Our memories were sealed away to protect us, but it sometimes feels weird not being able to remember." "We could always try to unseal them after this is all over," Katelyn said. "I just don't know if it is worth remembering," he replied. "I'm sure your childhood is worth remembering. It is what made you who you are today," she said. She turned his face towards hers and placed a kiss on his lips. "Now, how about that nap? We could both use it." "You're right, I'm bushed," he said. "Well, goodnight, my love," she said as she laid down on his chest, placing another small kiss on his lips. "Goodnight, my wife," he said, closing his eyes and almost immediately drifting off.A few hours later, the two awoke to horns blaring in the distance. Caesar said, "That's our cue. The Yshrenians are rallying and heading this way." "Let's go get them," Katelyn said. The two departed their tent. As they did, a bigelow bird flew towards Katelyn and landed on her shoulder. A hologram appeared in front of her of Eldore, Yulie, Sapphire, and another male she had not seen before who was clad in full body armor. "Hey, guys, how are you? What's up," Katelyn asked. Eldore huffed and said, "You left without telling us and nearly gave us a heart attack with all our worrying. Luckily, the Queen took your side and assured us that you came in the nick of time to save Caesar's butt. I would be much more furious with you if it hadn't been for that." "I'm sorry. I told Rocco to give you the message of why I left early. So, who is the new guy behind you?" "I am General Scardigne of Faria, my lady. I am proud to repay my debt to Balandor during its time of need." "I am Katelyn Drisdall, Count Caesar Drisdall's wife. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Tell me, have you all found the Moon Maiden's Ark?" Yulie shook her head and said, "We have a lead, but have not found it yet. An old poem that Medius taught me resurfaced. 'Underneath the earth it hides, where a circle moon lights the waterside – there the silver bow doth bide.' We believe the Ark is in the Van Haven Waste." "Okay, well, be safe. I will see you all when you get back to Balandor. My husband is requiring my assistance on the field, but we can talk later tonight. Have a good day. Keep Yulie safe Eldore, Sapphire, Scardigne. I am counting on all of you." With that, the hologram faded away and the bird flew off. Katelyn ran towards the battlefield which looked as bad as it did the day before. It seems that the Yshrenians were stopping at nothing to take Balandor by force. She ran out to the field to see that the war machines from the day before had been removed, the fires had been put out, and the tower remnants were removed. Instead, there were many more soldiers and Gigantes in their place. Katelyn called on her transformation and took to the skies. There were four monoships overhead filled with soldiers. She spotted Caesar's Dragon Knight's red armor on the battlefield. There were many knights from Balandor fighting alongside him. He looked to not be overwhelmed, so she flew towards one of the monoships and started to do the same thing that she did the day before. She swung at its engines until it started to fall from the sky. With one ship full of soldiers defeated, Katelyn made her way to the ground. There were many artillery cannons that were brought onto the battlefield. She called off her transformation and ran up towards them. She started to work on disabling them, quickly pulling wires to stop their firing. After a few cannons were disabled, Yshrenian soldiers began to take notice of her presence on the field and started after her. Katelyn readied her sword and began to take aim at the soldiers surrounding her. She swung back and forth and even managed to grab a second sword from one of the fallen enemies, but there were many soldiers surrounding her and she could see that she was drastically outnumbered. She called out Caesar's name but didn't have him in her sights. She realized that the soldiers must have realized that they were stronger together and purposely separated them, so she continued to fight. After ten soldiers lay on the ground around her and she had a few scratches, she began to feel dizzy. But there were many soldiers still surrounding her. She felt that she needed to escape and fast, or she would be captured. She looked around and saw a few soldiers from Balandor not far from her position. "Help me, please! I'm surrounded!" She yelled out with all her might. One of the soldiers from the day before took notice and said, "Lady Drisdall is in trouble. We must defend her." Katelyn continued swinging her swords until soldiers arrived to take over the fight for her. She thanked the soldier who had spotted her on the field as he helped her towards the gates for a quick rest. Katelyn didn't know how Caesar could keep going the way he was. The Queen spotted Katelyn and the soldier as they approached the gate and said to the soldier, "I've got her from here. Please continue fighting. Here, lady Katelyn, allow me to heal you." Katelyn sat on the ground and said, "I hope we can send these bastards running soon." "We are attempting to hold them off as long as possible. They want my throne and my head, but I won't let then have either." After bandaging her wounds and casting a strong healing spell, Katelyn felt the cloudiness in her head recede. Katelyn then pulled out a mana potion and drank it before thanking Cisna. "I have to find Caesar. I think they are trying to keep us separated because they know we are stronger together." "Go," Queen Cisna said as she helped Katelyn from the ground. "And good luck," she said as Katelyn made her way back onto the field. Katelyn noticed that hours must have passed since she first entered the field, for the sun was beginning to set.Katelyn called on her transformation and made her way back towards where she last saw Caesar. The knights and him were still fighting off multiple Gigantes. She joined them and helped to fight one of the Gigas. After the first one fell, the crowds on the ground froze and the Gigantes bowed as someone walked across the field. Katelyn realized that this man must be Grazel. She detransformed and moved behind Caesar knight, not allowing herself to be seen. "Grazel," Caesar said angrily, seeing the man who had brought about all this death and destruction. "That's no way to say hello, now. Is it, brother? I hear that I need give congratulations to the new bride and groom. You mind if I meet this new sister of mine." "Over my dead body," Caesar said. "You know what, enough is enough," Katelyn said, moving towards Grazel. "Kara, I thought you were dead," Grazel said, taken aback by the girl walking towards him. "Yeah, thanks for that, you ass. You let Shapur kill me. But don't worry, he has been disposed of." "It's not my fault you threatened my reign." "When are you going to realize that you've been tricked, brother?" "Ha, listen to you. Come back from the dead to give me a lecture?" Katelyn looked up with sweetest eyes she could and said, "Please Setti, my older brother. We can talk about this." "Don't you dare call me by that name. I am Grazel, Emperor of Yshrenia." "Except you're not. Emperor Madoras was not reincarnated. He is still living somewhere, tucked away, waiting for you to bring the five knights together." "Enough of this nonsense," he said, pulling out his sword to swing at her. Katelyn jumped backwards and opened her arms. She said, "Then, come here and kill me if you wish. Don't interfere, Caesar. This is between me and Setti." She pulled out her sword and readied it. But, just as she did, a streak of light across the sky caught her eye. Then, one of the monoships exploded above their heads. The other ones still in the sky also blew up, followed by the Wyverns flying. "We will continue this at a later time," Grazel said before turning and making his way back to the last remaining monoship on the ground. "What was that," Caesar said. Katelyn looked up towards the sky and said, "Help has arrived." Her and Caesar made it back to the gate. They were met by Eldore, Scardigne, Sapphire, Leonard, Queen Cisna, and another young man that she has not met before. "You guys are back. I take it that you found the Moon Maiden's Ark." "We did. And just in the nick of time. Meet the Moon Maiden," Eldore said, gesturing towards the Knight still in the sky. Yshrenian troops were retreating off the field quickly as Yulie took aim repeatedly, destroying everything that her arrows hit. "Well, I guess this means it is time for a well-deserved break," Katelyn said to Caesar. "Yes, let's retreat to the castle and talk strategy after we get some rest," he said.
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When they made it back inside to the castle, Caesar brought Katelyn to one of the guests rooms. Katelyn said, "I'm getting a bath. Do you care to join me?" "Sure, if you get the water running, I'll be there in a few minutes." Caesar left the room as Katelyn went into the bathroom to see a huge claw-foot tub in the center of the room. She started the water nice and hot, added some bubbles she found in one of the cabinets that smelled good, and started to strip out of her clothes that she had been wearing for the past few days. She grabbed some washcloths from the linen closet, knowing it would take a ton of scrubbing to get both her and Caesar clean after the days they had. After a few minutes of the tub filling and brushing her teeth, Katelyn made her way back into the room to find a partially undressed Caesar lounging on the bed. On the table there was a bottle of wine and two glasses. "Is the water, ready," he asked her as he turned around to face her. "Woah, you look gorgeous standing there right now." "Caesar," Katelyn said playfully, while giggling a little bit. "No, really. You look like a Goddess. You have no idea how much I would love to paint you some time." "I forgot that you like art. That statue of the Goddess you built was amazing and so close to the original. You're very talented," she said as she approached him. "It's just something I picked up from my father. He had an appreciation for art and so do I," he said as he stood and pulled her into his arms. "Now, how about that bath for me and my goddess?" "Sounds amazing, my husband," she said as he lifted her into his arms bridal style. He brought Katelyn into the bathroom and set her in the water that she had prepared before undressing the rest of the way. He went back into the room and grabbed the wine and glasses. He sat the wine bottle on the side of the tub and poured each of them a glass. He handed her one of the glasses and took the other for himself before he got into the tub behind her and let her rest against his chest. "This is looking more like the honeymoon I had in mind," he said to her. "Hey, I know our small ceremony was rushed and we didn't get a honeymoon. But we can have a big wedding with all of our friends there wherever we like when this war is over. I can wear a fancy dress and everything for the occasion. Then, we can have a long honeymoon to make up for it. But first we need to defeat Grazel," Katelyn told Caesar. "I just wish we could put a rush on it. Leonard seems like he may be unable to fight." "I think there is something wrong with his Knight. I sensed it when I got near him today. Almost like pure evil leaking off him," Katelyn said. "Well, maybe another Retrospecticon trip is in order. We need the third insignia from King Valtos, too." "I'm sure it will be in order. But there is one other thing. I think that no matter what happens, we cannot all transform into our Knights at the same time. Something bad is bound to happen. Promise me that, Caesar." "I don't know what to think of it. But, if you feel that is so, then I promise." She said, "Good, now let's finish this wine and get ourselves cleaned up for bed." They both sipped on the wine for a few minutes before Caesar asked Katelyn, "Can I wash your hair for you?" "As long as I get to return the favor," she said. She leaned against him as he took his time gently rinsing and brushing her hair that had become entangled with dirt from the past few days. After her hair was cleaned, he took one of the washcloths and set to work on cleaning her body. As he went, he set Katelyn's body afire with his teasing touches that she knew were very purposeful.After what felt like an eternity, Caesar deemed her clean. She told him to turn around and she sat up in the tub behind him. She grabbed the shampoo and set to work on washing his hair. She slowly scrubbed at his scalp and massaged as she went. She then moved to massage his neck muscles before moving onto his shoulders. "You have so much built-up tension," she told him. "I've been ruling a city on my own for a year and now am involved in a full out war. I say that it's my body's way of hating me for what I am putting it through." "Don't worry. I'm sure it will all end soon," Katelyn said as she rinsed the shampoo from his hair. She added conditioner to his scalp and let it sit for a few minutes as she grabbed a washcloth to clean his body. She told him to turn around again, and he obliged. She took some soap and ran the washcloth down his chest and torso, cleaning the dirt off him as she went. As she got lower, she allowed herself to tease him back for his touches earlier. She continued under the guise of cleaning him before she deemed him clean. She then took a small bowl and rinsed through his hair. After the conditioner was out, she said, "I think we are both done." He stood and pulled her with him. He stepped out and grabbed a towel, drying his hair and face before wrapping it around his waist. Katelyn pulled the tub drain stopper as he then came over and wrapped her in a fluffy towel. He helped Katelyn out of the tub before wrapping her hair in another towel and helping her to wring it out. "I know I may sound a little crazy, but can I help you with your hair tonight," Caesar questioned her. "Do you know how to braid," she asked. He nodded and she said, "Alright. Let us dry off first." After a few minutes of drying off and changing into nightclothes, Caesar had Katelyn sit on the bed in front of him. First, he worked slowly to detangle all of the knots from her hair. He then started from the top of her hair, twisting it back into a French braid. After many minutes of twisting and maneuvering her hair, Caesar tied it off and said, "All done. What do you think?" Katelyn walked towards the mirror across the room and said, "Caesar, you did amazing. Thank you, my love." She turned back to him and said, "I know it sounds crazy, but the one thing we have never done is danced together. Do you perhaps want to dance with me?" "But there is no music to dance to." "There is in every part of the atmosphere. There is music between you and me. You just have to reach down deep and feel it." He walked towards her, brushed his lips against hers, and told her, "Tell me how." She leaned against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her and said, "Your heartbeat works as the melody. The rest, you just have to imagine." Then, he took her right hand in his left and let the other rest at her waist. Katelyn began to guide Caesar across the room. As they danced, they both could feel the magic between them. It was as if there was music between them that only the two could hear. After many minutes of dancing circles around the room, Katelyn stopped and curtsied to Caesar, ending the dance. Caesar pulled her to him and placed his lips on hers, dipping her into a kiss that would make any woman swoon. When they pulled away, Katelyn looked at the man she had fallen in love with in such a quick time. She thought herself lucky to have found a love that she could also call her best friend.Caesar lifted her up into his arms and said, "How about a short walk through the gardens before we sleep? The gardens here are even more beautiful than those in Greede." "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I always have admired nature and it's resilience. How it continues to grow and change, no matter what is thrown at it. There have been so many different climates that we've encountered since I have been here that vary greatly from the ones where I am from. Here, it can be snowing and the next moment you are in the desert. Where I am from, temperatures are warm a good portion of the year. They get hotter in the summer and colder in the winter." "We have seasons here, but unless you are in one place all year round, you won't be able to tell. Hopefully, we can get you acclimated to Greede's weather after you stay there awhile." Katelyn made a small noise of agreement as she grabbed a dressing robe to put over her nightclothes. Caesar took her arm as they left the room and started to walk towards the gardens. "So, I know we haven't really broached the subject yet, but as the Countess of Greede, what kind of duties can I expect to do daily? Is your work with the people more hands on or is it mostly paperwork that you do while sitting at a desk?" "It's a bit of both. You see, I work with many different factions of people in the city and help during mining season with operations. There are many types of people who help keep Greede running, ranging from merchants, miners, black market sales representatives, soldiers, and so many more. With all the different factions, I must make sure that each is pulling their weight to keep the city running smoothly. Then, I work out the financial plans for the city so that way we can keep our independence. There also are times, kind of like during the plague, when I will jump in and help to find causes of certain illnesses and severe weather changes, but that doesn't happen often. Along with that, during mining season each year, monster hunting is a sport in Greede's Underbelly and in the Bunker Lode Caverns, so I must make sure that no one gets hurt. I know it sounds like a lot now, but once you get used to the hustle and bustle of daily life, it grows on you." Caesar finished speaking as they made it to the gardens. They began to walk through the gardens until they reached a small bench in the center under a beautiful tree. Katelyn pulled Caesar to sit for a moment and told him, "I don't know much about running a city, but I am great at mathematics and financials." "You said that you were studying to be a doctor where you were from, right?" "I was. I'm sure that illnesses here are very different from anything I've studied back home, though. I also used to do nature studies on the side. I would set up experiments with wildlife to see how changes in the environment would change how populations of bacteria, insects, and animals changed over time." "I'm sure that the healers, researchers, and scientists in Greede would love to chat with you. You could probably handle a lot of the scientific side of running Greede. I can never understand half of what they say." "What kind of work do scientists in Greede do?" "There are different kinds of scientists. Some work on creating inventions to help with everyday life, some study diseases that come along and work on cures for them, and others study the nature of Greede, monitoring things like temperature changes, climate changes, animal population changes, and other things. One of our biggest study topics to this day is the Demithor." Katelyn nodded and said, "I would need to study some books and do some reading to understand the scientific culture of this world. I'm sure that almost nothing will be the same as it was in mine." "I'm sure that you will learn quickly. I will get you as many books to study as you like." Katelyn was excited at the prospect of learning about her passion, but then asked, "What else can I do? Surely there must be more to do in Greede." "Well, I'm sure other things will come. You could help me with financial plans and give input on things to help the community. I just really want you to do what you love." "I'm really happy to hear you say that. We can figure things out once we are back home. I do have a question while we are out here?" "Okay, hit me with it," Caesar said to her. Katelyn stood and asked, "Does anyone tend to come to the gardens in the middle of the night, or is it just us?" She looked around the garden as Caesar said, "I haven't seen anyone else out here. Why are you asking?" Katelyn pulled Caesar up from the bench and said, "I want to play a little game, is all." "And what does this game entail?" Katelyn giggled and said, "It'll almost be like a game of hide and seek, but you'll be pleasantly surprised by your reward when you find me." "Oh really, and what is this reward?" "Me," she said, placing one of his hands on her chest. "Oh, so it's that kind of game. Someone might see us, though." "Don't worry. I'll find a very hidden away spot. Now, close your eyes and count to one hundred, then come find me." Caesar said, "Okay." He closed his eyes and began to count out loud as he heard Katelyn's light footsteps dashing away. He kept counting to himself, wondering where she would hide away until he reached one hundred. Then, he looked around to see if he could spot her. Katelyn found herself in a hedge maze that spanned across the gardens. She was walking around, looking for a hidden away spot. She ended up finding the perfect spot completely hidden from view. It was surrounded on three sides by hedges taller than herself, so there was only one way in. At the end, there was even a bench, which she sat on and waited for Caesar to find her. Caesar looked through the gardens and thought to himself that Katelyn would most likely hide in one of the hedge mazes, but he didn't know where. He took a left and started to walk through the hedge maze, looking for her. After many minutes of walking in circles, he finally called out, "Katelyn, if you can hear me, can you give me a hint?" His call was responded to by her giggling. She sounded not too far, so he continued.******* Sexual content below this line. Do not read if you are uncomfortable with the material. Thank you. *******Finally, he turned the corner where she was sat and started to walk towards her figure on the bench. "I found you," he said. "That you did, with a little help," she said as she placed her lips against his. Then she said, "I think it's time for your reward." Caesar looked at her with lust in his eyes and said, "Where do you want me?" "I want you to sit right here," she said, motioning to the bench. He sat down on its edge and asked, "Now what?" Katelyn untied her robe in the front and pulled the sash from around her waist. She then said, "I want you to lean back and enjoy," she said. She felt a little burst of confidence as he stared at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She slowly let the robe fall and then started to take off her nightgown. She pulled it upwards slowly to reveal to him that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. "You little tease, you aren't wearing any underclothes," he said to her. She walked up towards him and said, "Just for easy access." She kneeled in front of where he sat on the bench and started to take off his night pants and underwear. He helped her by lifting his hips and taking off his shirt. She leaned up and left a trail of kisses down his chest, getting lower. She made her way across his abdominal muscles. She pulled back for a moment and took in her beautiful, naked husband that sat in front of her looking like a God. He said, "Please, don't tease. You're killing me." She replied, "You've gotten to taste me a few times. I feel it's only fair that I get a chance to taste you." He looked down at her as she ran her hands over his cock, slowly feeling him up and down. He groaned a little bit, and she took that as a sign of encouragement. She then placed a kiss on his tip and let her tongue trace around his head before slowly opening her mouth and taking him inside. She didn't really know what she was doing, but he continued to moan as she moved her mouth up and down. She continued for a few minutes before she felt his hands grip onto her hair, guiding her head gently as he did so. She felt the need to come up for air, so she let go and changed tactics to licking him up and down before taking him into her mouth again. Many minutes passed of her changing tactics and allowing her hands to tease his body before he tensed up and said, "I'm going to cum." She continued until he let out a loud groan and warm liquid filled the inside of her mouth. She swallowed, not knowing what to do before pulling away. He looked down at her and said, "That was amazing. I think I just died and went to heaven. Come here," he said, holding out a hand to her. "So, did you like your reward?" He pulled her to sit beside him and said, "I did. Now, it's my turn." He laid her back against the cool bench and lowered his face to her lower area. He let his tongue lick up her folds and slowly ramped up his pace, finding her little nub. He inserted two fingers into her and started moving them against a spot inside of her that had her squirming. She yelled out, "Caesar, right there. Yes, please. More." He took that as encouragement and continued to move his fingers inside her and gently let his teeth scrape against her clit. She saw stars as her orgasm hit her with full force. She called out Caesar's name and pulled on his hair as he continued his ministrations until her orgasm subsided. "If no one knew we were out here, they will now," Caesar joked. Katelyn blushed and said, "That was the best orgasm ever." She pulled him into a kiss and said, "Now, for the main event." She leaned up and said, "Sit back down on the bench." He moved so that he was sitting, and she sat on top of his lap. She felt his erection against her and said, "I take it you are fully recovered." "That I am," he said. She slowly took and let herself slide down on his length, taking him to the hilt. He grabbed onto her waist and helped her to move up and down on him. As she moved against him, he took her nipples into his mouth in between kisses. The two tried to stay quiet as they moved against each other but continued to moan out words of encouragement. After many minutes, Katelyn felt like she was about to fall over the edge and asked Caesar, "Are you close?" He nodded to her and said, "Very. Are you?" She nodded as she leaned her face into his neck. Her movements became sloppy as she started to crest. He helped guide her over the peak and came inside of her as he felt her walls quake around him. "Gosh, I love you. We should do this more often," he said as she leaned against him. She said, "I love you too. And I'm sure there will be many places in Greede that we can sneak away to for some private moments." She slowly pulled off Caesar and started to gather her clothes. He sat there, watching as she dressed. Then, she tossed him his clothes that were still on the ground and said, "Get dressed. We don't need anyone to see us." "I would, but my legs feel like jelly." "Get up or I swear I will leave you out here by yourself." "Okay, I'm moving," Caesar said. He got up and shrugged on his clothes before starting to walk with Katelyn. They both exited the hedge maze and made their way back to the castle. They headed back to their room, and both finished getting ready for bed. After getting ready, they both made their way to the bed. Katelyn laid on the bed before Caesar did. She faced the large windows across the room as he got into bed. "A new sleep position tonight, huh?" "Can you please just hold me," she asked him. He obliged, wrapping an arm around her waist, and letting one of his legs entangle with hers. She leaned her head back to place a kiss on his lips and said, "Goodnight. I love you." "Goodnight. I love you, too," he whispered against her hair. He felt like something was wrong with her, but he couldn't place it. He let himself drift off to sleep after she did and decided he would ask her in the morning.
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The next morning, Caesar woke up as the sun was first rising, but felt that the bed next to him was empty. It was unusual, so he called out, "Katelyn, where are you?" Katelyn came out of the bathroom and said, "Good morning. I'm sorry, I just had the sudden urge to use the bathroom this morning," she said as she strode back to the bed. She laid next to him and said, "We need to get ready to meet Queen Cisna." "We can in just a few minutes. We need to talk, first. Something is bothering you, and I just don't know what." "It's nothing. Just a feminine thing that I was thinking about." "No, tell me. I felt your worry last night and now I'm worried." "Okay, so, my period may be late by a few days and it usually never is. I don't know if it is my body adjusting to its new surroundings or..." He looked at her and knew what her fear was. "You're worried you could be pregnant." She nodded a little and said, "I just don't want to be fighting if I am. Along with that, we don't know how long this war will go on, and I don't want to bring a child into the middle of it." "You don't need to worry. No one will be upset if you sit out on the fighting, but you don't know just yet. Doesn't it take a few weeks to know whether you are or not?" She nodded and started to tear up, "I just feel like I'll make a horrible mother. I feel like I should be worried about its safety and put it first if I am pregnant. If I'm not, I wouldn't have to worry so much." "Hey, hey," he said, pulling her into his arms, "There is no need to worry about that. You will make an amazing mother. And you don't need to worry about it just yet if you don't want to, but we could see if a mage or healer can sense a second life force inside of you if you want." "They can do that," she asked. He wiped a few tears from her eyes and said, "Yes. Do you want to find out?" She nodded and he said, "Well let's get ready, then." They both got themselves washed and dressed for the day and made their way to the castle infirmary. After being directed to a room, a young nurse walked in and asked them, "What is the reason for your visit today?" Katelyn and Caesar looked between one another, and she said, "I'm worried because my period is late." "Okay, how late is it?" "Well, it's about four or five days late now." "And have you and this young gentleman been sexually active?" She said, "Yes, he is my husband. I'm just worried about getting pregnant while this war is going on. We are both on the front lines." "Okay, can you lay down for just a moment?" Katelyn laid back as the nurse moved to lift her shirt. She said a quick incantation and said, "Your period is indeed late my dear. I feel a small presence, but not fully developed yet. It is just starting to come together. It may develop into a pregnancy." "May," Katelyn questioned. The nurse nodded and said, "It's up to you, but if things proceed as they are, you have about a weeks' time before we would declare you to be officially pregnant." Katelyn felt a little bit nauseous at the words and Caesar said, "That means I'm going to be a father." "Yes. Now, I would just make sure your abdomen is always protected and do be careful if out on the battlefield. Make sure you sleep a proper amount of time each night. I also can get you some vitamins to take if you would like." Katelyn took in the news and said, "I will take them, please." "Okay, I will be right back with that bottle. Oh, and I guess, congratulations are in order." Katelyn sat there, still not fully processing that she would be a mother. "Do you need someone to talk," Caesar asked. Katelyn nodded and said, "Can you get Yulie and bring her here please?" He nodded and said, "I'll be right back, my love." She nodded as he left the room.After about ten minutes, the door burst open, and Yulie came in. "I came as quick as I could. Caesar said you were in the infirmary, so I bolted down here." "And she didn't listen to anything else," Caesar said as he came in behind her out of breath. "I'll be right out here talking to the nurse about those meds, okay?" Katelyn said, "Okay. I'll see you in a few." "Okay, spill. What is going on?" "Well, I may be at the beginning stages of pregnancy. Like literally just starting to develop. But I noticed my period was late and now I'm freaking out because I feel like I shouldn't be on that battlefield. I feel like going out there puts me and it at risk and that I'm just going to be a horrible mother if I can't even protect the child inside of me." Yulie could see the fear in Katelyn's eyes. She pulled her in for a hug and said, "Hey, you aren't going to be a horrible mother. Who knows if you are actually pregnant if it's barely even began? There's still a small chance that you won't become pregnant too." "I know, but who knows how long this war will drag out. I'm worried about bringing a child into a war." "I wouldn't worry because I feel like this war will end within the next week or so. Yshrenia is losing ground fast, and it is showing." Yulie rubbed soothing circles against Katelyn's back as she talked that made her start to feel more levelheaded. "You're right. It could end tomorrow for all we know. I shouldn't worry is what I'm hearing." "No, you shouldn't. Now, Queen Cisna postponed the meeting a little because of your trip down here. Let's not keep her waiting any longer." Katelyn nodded and said, "Let's go." Caesar was leaning against the wall and asked, "Are you good to go?" Katelyn nodded and said, "I love you, you know that, right?" Caesar pulled her to his side and placed a kiss on her lips. "And I love you too. With all my being. And if you do end up being pregnant at your follow up, I will be there every step of the way." The three went to the kitchen to grab food quickly and ate it as they walked towards the throne room. Upon arriving, they were announced. Caesar made his way over to Leonard, Eldore, Scardigne, and Sapphire as Katelyn and Yulie made their way up to where Queen Cisna sat. "Lady Katelyn, I heard you were in the infirmary this morning? Is everything alright?" "Yes, Your Grace. I am in good health." "Alright, I also have a question? Were you and lord Caesar in the gardens last night?" Katelyn blushed a little and said, "We were. Is there a problem?" "No. We just had some guards hear some strange noises last night, but they couldn't find the cause. They described the noises they heard, and I told them that it was most likely the newly married couple getting into some shenanigans." Katelyn blushed and said, "Sorry to have caused you trouble. It won't happen again." Cisna gave her a wink and said, "No trouble at all." Yulie stood next to Katelyn and couldn't help laughing at the poor girl as her face turned an even brighter shade of pink.The boys came over and Caesar commented, "Why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?" Yulie started laughing even harder and said, "No, your activities from last night were heard by the Castle Guard." Caesar then blushed and said, "Sorry, Your Grace." "Okay, everyone. Let's change the subject now and get this meeting started. Yulie, Caesar, Katelyn, you all fought brilliantly yesterday against the Yshrenian forces. If it weren't for you two joining Caesar on the battlefield, we never would have gained the upper hand. But we've managed to stave them off for now," Queen Cisna said. " It was nothing, Your Grace. I'm sorry I ran off like that... without your permission," Yulie said. "Nonsense, your actions saved us all." The man who Katelyn had found out was Cyrus said, "Your Grace, the battle may have been won, but the war isn't over yet. Yshrenia will be back once they've had a chance to regroup. I must return to Greydall Plains to ready the troops." "No, Sir, allow me. I can take command of the front lines. You should stay here with the Queen," Cisna's guard, Elvee, said. Cyrus looked at her for a moment before saying, "Very well." "Right, well me, Yulie, and Katelyn belong out on the field." "Agreed," Yulie said. Katelyn nodded at Caesar in agreement. "That is very kind of you," Elvee told the three. "Excuse us, Queen Cisna. We must be off," she said. Cisna nodded and told the four leaving, "All of you stay safe out there." So, Caesar, Yulie, Katelyn, and Elvee took their leave. As she began to leave, Sapphire pulled Katelyn to the side and said, "You are going out there? You were just in the infirmary this morning. Are you alright?" "Yes, as I told Queen Cisna, I am in fine health. Just a minor issue I needed to talk to someone about." "Okay, well I expect details later tonight." "Yes ma'am. Will do. See you tonight. All of you stay safe." "We will. You all do the same," Sapphire told her with a quick pat on her shoulder. When the girl touched her, she jerked back for a second and said, "Woah, that was crazy. Sorry, I just had a vision of sorts." "What did you see?" "I'm sorry, but it was very blurry, but you, pregnant. Are you..." Sapphire trailed off and Katelyn said, "I have to wait a week or two before I can find out officially. But I want to tell everyone about my plans to leave battle later tonight. Can you not tell anyone just yet?" "Don't worry. I know how to keep a secret. Go kick some Yshrenian butt." "Will do." With that, Katelyn turned to follow the path the other three had taken.Katelyn grabbed her armor to wrap over her shirt, strapped on her sword holster, and made her way out to the field for the third day in a row. After looking around, she spotted Caesar and Yulie who were both transformed standing a few feet from Grazel. She walked closer but kept out of eyesight. She could hear Grazel say, "I have a proposition for you. Why not end this struggle and join the Imperial army?" "Let's just say we don't like the management," Yulie said. "It's the right choice you know. The Knight's power was created for the sole purpose of serving Emperor Madoras. You belong with me, your brother," Grazel said. "Sorry, but I've got a whole city of people who disagree." "Then this discussion is over. You two will just have to be put in your place." Katelyn watched as Grazel called on his transformation and started to battle with Yulie and Caesar. Grazel's soldiers and Gigantes stood and watched the battle, not interfering while the Knights were fighting. After many minutes, she could tell that the transformations had taken a toll on Yulie and Caesar, but Grazel seemed to not even be affected by the might of both of their Knights. She was worried that something would happen if she didn't intervene, but she didn't want to jump into the middle of the battle. After many more minutes of fighting, Katelyn watched as Grazel lifted his hand and shot fire out of it at both Yulie and Caesar. She took in a gasp of air as both Yulie and Caesar flew through the air before hitting the ground across the field in their human forms. Katelyn was relieved when she heard Caesar yell out, "This is nuts." As the smoke cleared a bit, Katelyn could see Leonard walking across the field towards Grazel. "Oh, good. Glad you could join us, Leonard," Grazel said. Leonard only replied with an acknowledgement of, "Grazel." "I must say you look like hell. You really intend to challenge me in that condition? Your funeral." "Not this time," Leonard said and then called on his transformation. After Leonard transformed, he yelled out, "Come forth, Falcyos, holy blade!" He raised his Knight's hand, and a golden sword came down from the sky and landed in his palm. "What," Grazel questioned. "Bring it on, Grazel," Leonard said. Leonard and Grazel started to battle, but Grazel quickly realized that he did not have the upper hand. A few minutes later, Grazel said, "That sword. My armor is supposed to be indestructible." He readied to launch himself at Leonard, but Katelyn had another idea in mind. She came out from where she hid and threw herself between the two of them. "That's enough," she yelled out as she held up her arms to separate the two of them. "Sister, come to try to make me change sides again." "Please, brother, we don't need to fight. We can work things out. I found out some exciting news today and was hoping to share it with my family. I still consider you family, even if you are working against us." Grazel lowered his sword for a moment and said, "Have you decided to join me and the Imperial army?" "No brother, I can't. I just wanted to let you know that you will be an uncle soon. I am pregnant." "Well it's too bad you won't live to birth your child. You wouldn't join me, and this was your last chance, for I am Grazel, Emperor of Yshrenia." Katelyn watched as he swung his sword at her and her life flashed before her eyes. She closed her eyes as she heard Caesar yell out, but she didn't feel the sword hit her. She opened her eyes to see Leonard in front of her with his sword against Grazel's. Grazel then flew up into the air and said, "Damn you all! Leonard, I'll be waiting on Redhorn Isle. Then we'll finish this, once and for all."Grazel flew away as his monoship followed. Caesar ran over to Katelyn as Leonard detransformed. As he started to tip over, Yulie caught him. "Are you okay," Caesar asked Katelyn as he looked her up and down for injuries. "I'm fine. Leonard saved me." "Why did you confront him again? You knew it was dangerous." "I thought he would have some compassion, or an ounce of humanity. He didn't even flinch when I told him. He just tried to kill me instead. There is no hope for him. Setti is dead." "He has been for a long time," Caesar said, rubbing circles on her back as they started to walk towards the castle. "I hoped for the best, thinking that I could fix him. I wanted to see if I could change him back to the brother you were raised with." "Unfortunately, that brother died a year ago. So, you just told everyone on the battlefield we're pregnant. I'm sure there will be questions later." "It's alright. Like I told Sapphire, I am going to be leaving this battle altogether. I may go back to Greede and wait until this is all over. I just don't want to fight anymore." "I'm sure that Redhorn Isle will be the end of this battle. Let's all go get some rest and then see what Queen Cisna thinks in the morning." "Okay, but I did promise a tell-all to Sapphire over dinner, so let's go get some food." "Alright. Dinner for my lady it is." Caesar picked Katelyn up bridal style and she said, "Hey, put me down." He looked at her and said, "Nah. I am much more comfortable with you here." Katelyn laughed and said, "Okay, maybe I enjoy it a little too." She kissed him on the lips as he continued carrying her into the castle and to the main dining room.When they got there, they were greeted by Eldore, Sapphire, Cyrus, and Scardigne who was revealed to be a very handsome young man with blonde hair similar to Katelyn's. "So, news spreads fast. It's time for you two to spill," Sapphire said. Just then, Queen Cisna, Yulie, and another girl with green hair walked through the doors. "Hello everyone. Mind if we join this dinner party? We heard some interesting news from guards on the field regarding Katelyn and Caesar," Cisna said. Katelyn felt nervous, but said, "Of course. It is your castle. By the way, I don't think we've met, I'm Katelyn Drisdall, Countess of Greede," Katelyn said to the woman with the green hair. "I am Archduchess Miu of Faria. It is nice to meet you. We also wanted to discuss a peace treaty between our three kingdoms if you don't mind." "You don't mind, right, Caesar?" "No, a peace treaty sounds amazing with all this war going on." "Amazing, let's all sit down and eat then," Miu said. After sitting down and the food being served, Cisna asked Katelyn, "So, I heard from Elvee about what you told Grazel on the field today. Are you with child?" Katelyn said, "I am not officially pregnant because I caught the signs in the first week. So, I am in the beginning stages of development." "Do you plan to help finish this war?" "I have not decided as of yet. I am scared to potentially get hurt and lose the child. I was talking to Caesar about potentially going back to Greede for a while." "Well, I guess congratulations are in order. But I fear that we will need the Black Knight's power to defeat Grazel and that you are the only one who can use it. We think this war could be over in the next few days. Do you think you can hold out a little bit longer?" "Yes, I believe I can." "I'm glad to hear that. Now, me and Miu have been discussing a peace treaty between Balandor and Faria for quite some time now. We were thinking with the current instability in our world, that you and Caesar may want to join the peace treaty with us and add Greede to it as well. Would you like to be a part of the future peace between our kingdoms?" "We would really appreciate it if you would," Miu said. Katelyn looked to Caesar and said, "What do you think?" "I think that sounds perfect, but I would like to add a clause to the treaty and also have a suggestion." "Okay, Caesar. What would you like added," Cisna asked. "Well, the first thing being that Greede cannot lose its independence if it falls short on finances during periods of hardship. After the recent fever, the city is just catching up and we need a little bit of a recovery period to catch up financially. And the suggestion I have is that I would like to ask the people of Baccea to join. They have been a tremendous help since the Yshrenian invasion." "We can add that as a clause to the agreement and we can definitely call on Osmund to see if he would like to join in on the peace treaty as well." "Okay then, if you can have the scribes write up a draft, we can look over the agreement," Caesar said. Katelyn nodded and said, "Let's all just hope that we can destroy these Yshrenians so we can get on with our lives. I tried to see twice now if I could persuade Grazel to turn back into Setti, but today he crossed the line. I was telling Caesar, there is not even an ounce of humanity left in him." "Unfortunately, it seems Setti was lost for good over a year ago. We fear that he will never surface again. If only there were some ways to see inside the inner workings of his mind, we may be able to figure out his plan," Cisna told her. "I was telling Caesar; I don't think the five Knights should ever transform at the same time. I fear we are all pawns in an evil scheme and that if what I heard from the story was right, something evil could be released if it were to happen," Katelyn replied. "We don't know for sure what happens when the five Knights meet, but my father said an evil entity lived within the White Knight," Cisna told Katelyn. "I think I know what, or should I say, who the entity is." "Go on," Cisna said. "I think that the entity could be Emperor Madoras. It seems like a good place to hide out until the perfect time. I fear the worst for Leonard if he continues to use the Knight. I felt an evil entity attached to him wh5en he wasn't even using it that day on the battlefield." "If what you say is true, Leonard should not be using the Ark at all. I feel like we should have it locked away like it originally was, but this time, it should not be allowed to resurface," Cisna said. "I think that would be for the best. We should discuss this with Leonard when his condition is better." "We should," she said, "But I must bid you a goodnight. We have an early morning tomorrow. I will have to get together with my team to figure out the best entry point for Redhorne Isle." A round of goodnights reverberated around the table. Miu said, "Queen Cisna, before you go, know that Faria fights alongside you. I will return home at once and ready our troops for war." "Thank you, Archduchess Miu. I only grieve that it took so long and such trying circumstances for us to forge this alliance." "No, I believe this was fate. That the two of us achieved your father's and my grandfather's dream. Stay safe, friends. May Yggdra's blessings be upon us." With that, Cisna left the dining room. Miu then turned to Katelyn and Caesar. "I just wanted to let you both know, Father Yggdra would also like to meet with you both in the coming days. His power helped to bring Katelyn here, so I feel that he would appreciate if you both paid him a visit." "I heard Faria was beautiful. Would it be nice for a vacation," Katelyn asked. "Yes, my homeland is beautiful and very peaceful. After the war is won, I can set you both up with a wedding ceremony and honeymoon there if you would like." "The offer is very kind. We accept," Caesar said. "Okay. I must return home, so goodbye for now." Everyone around the table said their goodbyes to Miu. She left the room, leaving the group of six.With Katelyn and Caesar both finished eating, Katelyn said, "I feel like a walk in the gardens sounds nice before bed. Caesar, do you care to join me?" "Of course. Goodnight, everyone," Caesar said as Katelyn got up to leave the table. "No funny business in the gardens tonight, you two. You don't need to upset the Castle Guard again," Yulie called out. "Keep it in the bedroom," Sapphire also yelled as they both left. Katelyn walked quickly to the garden door and opened it, almost rushing outside to get some fresh air. She placed her hands against the edge of the fountain on the balcony of the garden and took a few deep breaths. When she finally felt a little better, she turned to see Caesar leaning against the door she had exited. "You know, I think I owe Father Yggdra a big tree hug when I see him," Caesar said. "Why is that?" He started to walk towards her as he said, "You heard what Miu said. He brought you to me. And I couldn't be happier that he did." "Today has been a lot to process," Katelyn said. "It has. You don't have to feel like you are alone, though. You have me, Yulie, Eldore, Sapphire, Leonard. You just haven't seen how clingy we all can be yet. When I was in Greede, Eldore visited me often and we had drinks together while catching up. I received letters from Yulie and Leonard every few weeks. I never had to feel like I was alone, and you don't either." Katelyn grabbed his hand and told him, "I'm glad I met you. I always felt alone in my world. I lived by myself and was very independent. Though I like my independence, it's also nice to have someone to be by my side every step of the way. Just imagine, in nine months, we could have a little you or me running around." Caesar gently pulled Katelyn against him so that her back rested against his chest. He placed his free hand over her abdomen and said, "It just doesn't seem real yet. I can't wait for the next few weeks to pass, to see it start to grow." "Gosh, I feel like I will look like a whale." "I don't know what that is, but I'm sure that no matter what, you will always be the most beautiful woman in the world to me." Katelyn turned her face towards Caesar and placed a kiss on his lips. "I love you," she told him. "I love you, too," he said. After that, they stood out there facing the gardens, just enjoying the moment as it passed between the two of them.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After standing overlooking the gardens for a little while, Caesar said, "We should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." Katelyn nodded and said, "Can we stop by Leonard's room for a minute and check on him before we go to bed?" Caesar said, "Sure. Let's go check on him, see how he is after the fight today." The two walked through the halls of the castle until they reached the door of Leonard's room. Katelyn knocked on the door and slowly opened it. She walked into the room with Caesar in tow and walked up to the bed in which Leonard laid. She could see that he had dark rings around his eyes, his skin looked even paler than it did earlier that day, and he was sweating as he mumbled and groaned in his sleep. "He looks worse," Katelyn said. "I have to agree. I thought he would be better after resting, but he just looks worse." Katelyn asked, "Where is his Ark?" Caesar pointed to a table across the room where the Ark of the White Knight sat on a cushion. Katelyn walked to the table and said, "I wonder what kind of secrets you hold." Caesar said, "Don't try to touch it. We don't know what is hurting Leonard, and if could hurt you too." Katelyn said, "I feel something evil and it is scaring me. We are losing Leonard." "Don't say that, Katelyn. We won't lose him." "Not if I can do something about it," Katelyn said as she reached out to touch the Ark. Caesar yelled, "Katelyn, don't," as she placed her hand on it, closed her eyes, and said, "Emperor Madoras, I know that you are hidden in the Ark. I would like to have a little chat about what you are doing to my friend. Reveal yourself." She felt lightheaded for a moment as she felt her conscience being pulled somewhere else. When she opened her eyes, Caesar was no longer beside her. Instead, she stood in front of a throne where a man sat. "You," she said. "Hello. I've been expecting you, Fury. I found it interesting that you wanted to have a chat about your friend, Leonard. Please, have a seat and we can talk," he said, motioning to a chair that appeared out of thin air. Katelyn sat in the chair and said, "You are Emperor Madoras, right? And what do you mean by Fury? "I am, child. And you don't know what you are by now. You are able to touch all of the Arks, penetrate my mindscape. Only a Fury is able to penetrate the minds of gods. There has not been one in over ten thousand years, but they are powerful creatures, able to pass judgment for wrongdoing." "Okay, Madoras, why are you doing all of this? Hiding in the White Knight's Ark, hurting my friend." "I am only waiting for the Final Awakening, my child. I was cursed into this wretched Ark and I will escape it. Then, I will arise again, stronger than all, and destroy Queen Mureas. You pact makers are just pawns of war. And as for your friend, Leonard, his soul will be cast into eternal darkness." "That won't happen. We will stop you from arising," Katelyn said. "There is no stopping me. The future is already set in stone." "I have a proposition for you. If you were to rise, you won't kill Leonard. You could have your empire, but you could rule peacefully beside the other three rulers of our world." "No, blood will spill the day I rise. Everyone who stands against me will be killed." "Okay. I will deliver your message, but we will do everything in our power to stop you." "You can't kill a god," he said. "If I know anything from my world, it is that nothing is impossible." "Fine, have it your way. But you have been warned." With that, Katelyn closed her eyes and when she reopened them, she was in Caesar's arms.She looked up to find Caesar's worried eyes looking at her. "Katelyn, you zoned out for over twenty minutes. Are you alright?" "Emperor Madoras plans to kill Leonard during the Final Awakening. He's going to rise if all five knights are brought together. He also called me something, a Fury. I don't know exactly what that is, but he said I am very powerful and don't even know it." "The only time I have ever heard of Furies, it was in stories of the gods. How could he think you are a Fury?" "I am able to not only touch, but use all the Knight's Arks he said. I can penetrate minds of gods. I also had visions of you when you were in danger on the battlefield. Should we talk to Eldore?" "We should see if he is still awake. I think we need to see what he knows." With that, Katelyn and Caesar left the room and headed down the hallway to Eldore's room. Katelyn knocked on the door and waited for a response. A little over a minute later, Eldore opened the door and said, "Katelyn, Caesar, has something happened?" "Do you mind if we talk in the parlor? We have news and it is urgent," Caesar said. Eldore nodded and said, "Let me get dressed. I'll be there in five." With that, he shut the door. Katelyn and Caesar walked down the parlor and sat at the table in the center of the room. Eldore joined them a few minutes later and asked them before sitting down, "Does this news pertain to the Final Awakening?" Katelyn nodded and said, "I had a chat with Emperor Madoras. He told me that I am a Fury and that is why I was able to penetrate his mind. He plans to arise and take over the world. If he does, Leonard will die. We can keep it from happening by not allowing all five Knights to be brought together." "A Fury? Emperor Madoras? Katelyn, are you mad? All the Furies died ages ago. How could you possibly be a Fury." "I can use the other Knights, touch all of their Arks, penetrate Madoras' mind, have visions of others in danger. There are many powers I have not discovered yet. He said I can pass judgment, but I do not know what that means. That I am powerful." As Katelyn began to get frustrated, she felt a surge of power go through her body. Eldore's eyes fixated on Katelyn's hands and said, "I haven't seen power like that in over ten millennia." Katelyn looked down to see her hands glowing a golden color that looked like sunshine. She held up her hand and asked, "What is this?" "Something we need to research. You see, the Furies used to give council to the gods. When the gods left this earth, Queen Mureas and Emperor Madoras were the only immortal creatures left. They would seek council from the Furies during times of hardship and war. When the war broke out between the Athwani and the Yshrenians, the Furies persuaded Emperor Madoras to end the war and seek peace. He didn't like that answer, so he killed each and every one of them. They swore that one day they would be reborn and brought to this world and that Madoras would finally listen when they did. And you must be the first of the Furies, born with power only matched by that of the gods. It would help to make sense of why you were brought here." Katelyn took a few deep breaths and the glowing dissipated. "So, am I immortal? How do I unlock or learn about my powers," Katelyn asked. "Wait, so I'm married to an all-powerful Fury who may or may not be immortal," Caesar asked. Eldore said, "I have absolutely no clue to be honest on how Furies age or how their powers work. We should search the library shelves tomorrow and see what we can find. But I would keep this to ourselves for now. We don't need anyone else to find out about your powers. They could attempt to use them to our disadvantage." "What about Cisna, Mureas? Should she know?" "No, not at this moment. Let's keep this between us three. The only other people I would trust with this information is Yulie and Sapphire. Okay?" Katelyn nodded and held her hand up to her mouth, imitating a zipper and said, "My lips are sealed. But I have one more question? When me and Sapphire killed Shapur, I felt strength in me that I didn't know I had. I felt triumphant and good about his death. Do you think that was a judgment that I set forth?" "It could have been. You sought to punish him for a murder he committed," Caesar said. Eldore added, "That makes me think that you could be the Fury who was called Tisiphone, Avenger of Murder. This is all based on speculation of course, but it could be possible. It just makes me wonder, who will the other two Furies be." "I don't know. I feel like I should sleep on this and all of us meet at the library in the morning," Katelyn said. "Yes. Let's all get some rest and research everything tomorrow. I'm beat after today," Caesar said. "Agreed. Let's all go to bed. See you both in the morning." "Goodnight," They both said as Eldore left the table to return to his room. Katelyn said to Caesar, "I don't think that I can sleep after what we learned tonight. I may stay up late and do some reading. It wouldn't be the first time. You should get some rest and I'll see you in the morning." "No, you should sleep tonight." "I would, but I'm scared, Caesar." "Scared of what?" "Scared that I will hurt you. Talking to Madoras unlocked some power in me. I can't seem to control the power now flowing through me. I want to research and see if I can learn what the power is." "How about this, I'll sleep on one of the couches in the library while you read. I'm not leaving you alone." "You really don't have to do that." "But I want to," Caesar said, taking her hands in his. Okay, then let's go to the library.The two got up from the table. Caesar held Katelyn against him as they started to walk to the library. They reached the doors within a few minutes and Katelyn took a deep breath before pushing open the doors. As she walked inside, Katelyn took in the library that had to house thousands of books. "Is there a catalog of some sort," Katelyn asked Caesar. "I don't know, I've never actually be in this library. I wonder if there is a bookkeeper or librarian here." As they walked towards the large desk in the center of the entryway, a little old man came up to the desk and said, "Ah, Lord and Lady Drisdall, how can I be of assistance tonight." "We are looking for books on the ancient gods and the furies. Do you know if there are any here," Katelyn asked. "There are quite a few in our historical section. Would you like me to show you to it?" "Yes, please. Caesar is going to rest while I do some reading if that's alright." "Of course, Lord Caesar, make yourself at home. Find a comfy couch to rest on. There are many." "Thanks... uh... sorry. I didn't catch your name." "That's alright. My name is Bernard. I'm one of Balandor's scholars." "Thank you, Bernard." With that, Katelyn walked with Bernard to the historical shelves. "So, what information are you looking for exactly? It may be able to help me narrow down books for you to read." "I'm looking for the history of the furies, their powers, their lives. I'm just really interested in the subject." "Let's see. I should have a few books on the Furies. Let me fetch a ladder really quick." With that, Bernard grabbed a rolling ladder and quickly grabbed eight books from the shelves. Katelyn's arms quickly became overloaded by the heavy books, but Bernard told her, "This is all the books we have here. If there is anything else I can help you, please let me know." "Thank you, Bernard. You have been a great help." With that, Katelyn made her way across the library to find where Caesar sat. She saw him laying on a couch near the entryway, so she brought her book pile over and sat it next to the couch. She then lifted Caesar's legs and sat, placing his legs in her lap. "You find anything good," Caesar mumbled in his half-asleep state. "A few. Go to sleep. I'm going to be reading for a while." "Okay. I love you," he said. "I love you, too," she whispered to him. As he fell asleep, Katelyn opened the first book and began to read. Katelyn made her way through the first book and the second. She was partway through the third when her eyes began to feel heavy and closed. She tried to fight sleep, but it took her anyways. She finally drifted off with the books still in her lap while partially leaning on Caesar.A few hours later, Katelyn awoke to the sound of a book slamming shut. She realized that she was laying on the couch that she had fallen asleep on and that Caesar was working on the fourth book. Eldore was across the room reading another. Upon noticing her awake, Caesar smiled and said, "Good morning, my love. How did you sleep?" "Like the dead," Katelyn said after sitting up. "Did you move me this morning?" "Actually, I woke up to you lying beside me this morning. You must have moved in your sleep." Katelyn made a small humming noise and said, "So, let's go over what we've found out so far. I finished reading two books last night and a part of a third. I learned a lot about their history. There were three sisters who were daughters of the Earth, born to punish sinners. The first sister was Allecto, the second Tisiphone, and the third Megaera. Allecto was the leader of the three sisters. Her role was to punish those with unceasing anger by punishing the body. The second sister's role was to avenge murder and affect the mind. The third sister's role was to punish those who held grudges or were jealous of others and affect the soul. It is said that they were immortal, older than the earth itself and that the only things that could kill them were the gods and their weapons. They also had superhuman agility, speed, strength, and healing. They were recorded as being able to fly and shapeshift. They could choose to live a human life, die, and return to the Underworld to be reborn if they so wished it, but none of them ever did. They were killed by Emperor Madora's weapon, his sceptor, which was said to be crafted with magic of the gods. So, his weapon is the only thing that can truly kill me aside from the five Knights, which were also crafted with magic of the gods. It says that the Furies were injured badly enough to kill a normal man many times, but even when they were disemboweled or dismembered, they would not die. They would heal quickly and exact revenge. So, after all this reading, I still don't have many answers to my questions. What did you guys find?" Eldore said, "The book I am reading is actually a journal written by one of the Furies during her lifetime. The entries date over a hundred years. So far, it doesn't talk much about powers, but of the struggles of the immortality she faced. What have you got, Caesar?" "I've got information on their powers, but not exact spells or incantations. It's more just explanations of their abilities. Maybe we should try to do some training to see if Katelyn is capable of any of the powers on the list." "If you do, I would keep it to your private chambers. We don't want the whole castle to know about the powers she is unlocking." "Agreed. Katelyn, would you like to return to our chambers. We can bring the rest of the books we haven't read." "That's fine. Eldore, do you mind if I steal that book from you? Nothing against you. I'm just a fast reader." "Here you are. Go get some rest. I will meet with Yulie and Sapphire to discuss our next course of action." Katelyn said a quick thanks and took the books. She picked up the few she was still reading and told Caesar she would meet him in their room in few minutes. She headed up to the desk to ask about borrowing them. Bernard was still at the desk and said, "Lady Drisdall. So good to see you this morning. Were the books to your liking?" "They were. I absolutely love history and the lore in these books was amazing. Do you mind if I take the few I didn't finish to read and bring them back when I'm finished?" "Of course. Let me just write down their numbers on my log and you can be on your way." "Thank you, Bernard. You've been a great help." Bernard took the books and logged them then handed them back and said, "Happy reading. I'll see you soon." "You as well. Take care." With that, Katelyn left the library to take the books back to her and Caesar's chambers.She made her way down the hallways to their room, but felt like someone was following her. She didn't like the feeling, so she continued moving, looking over her shoulder every few seconds. After a few minutes, she shrugged off the feeling and started her way back, only to run into someone. She dropped the books all over the ground and looked up to see Queen Cisna in front of her. "Queen Cisna, are you alright," Katelyn asked. "I am, but my question is, are you? You're acting a little strange." "I'm sorry. I thought I was being followed, but I'm alright now. I'm sure it was nothing." "Hmm, well, let me help you pick up all these books." Cisna leaned down to help Katelyn with the books and said, "Interesting subject. You're studying the Furies. May I ask why?" "It's a hobby of mine... I love divine lore and history. I was a big fan in my world." "Are you sure it has nothing to do with your powers?" "What powers?" "I am the reincarnated Mureas, remember? I know a Fury when I see one. Call it intuition, I know, but you indeed are a Fury. May I ask, why would you hide this from me?" "I was scared and didn't know if it was actually true. Much of the lore talks about their immortality, superhuman abilities, punishments. I'm not able to do any of it." "It is because you have not been reunited with your sisters yet. The three sisters must meet in order to gain full access to their powers. I know you must be confused, but may I escort you back to your chambers to drop these off. Then, we can have a little chat over tea if you would like." "Thank you, Queen Cisna." "Please, it is just the two of us. Call me Cisna." "Thank you, Cisna. Let's get these back to my room, then we can have that chat." The two women walked back towards Katelyn and Caesar's room. Upon entering the chambers, Katelyn saw Caesar lounging on the bed and said, "Cisna knows about my powers. I'm going to have a chat with her over tea. Would you like to join us?" "I think I'm going to get a little more sleep if you don't mind. It's still early and I'm exhausted from the last few days." Katelyn walked over to the bed and placed a kiss on his lips. She said, "I love you. Sweet dreams." "I love you, too. I'll see you in my dreams," he told her. With that, Katelyn walked out of the room and shut the door behind her. She exited the room to see Cisna standing outside of it waiting for her. "I didn't get to ask you yet, but how did you and Caesar meet?" As they started to walk, Katelyn told her, "Well, I woke up in Greede in a bit of a panic. I didn't know how I got there, so I asked a nice lady there for directions back to my home. She called in Caesar because she never heard of my homeland. When he showed up, I was drawn to him from the moment I met him. We had our moment where he thought I was Kara and I was just confused, but he was very comforting and welcoming. We spent two days together and were comfortable in each other's presence. The first night, we shared dinner together and when we both couldn't sleep, Caesar took me for a walk in the gardens and we slept next to each other in his room. The second day we started our journey towards Balandor because we were trying to meet Eldore, Yulie, Leonard, and you. We shared a kiss that night and it was like fiery passion blazed between us. I slept next to him in the tent that night after a rude awakening from my original place by the fire when a dragon attacked. The next day we met everyone when Yulie woke us up. I was still a bit confused on my feelings and wanted answers, and Eldore brought up the Retrospecticon. I used it and met Kara in person in my world on the night before I woke up in Greede and she told us that Father Yggdra knew we were soulmates and that I would be happy in this world. I accepted my feelings after that and knew that I wasn't imagining anything. I'm glad that I met Caesar, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I just can't wait to have a bigger wedding with everyone invited and have children with him." "Where were you planning on having your wedding? I would love to officiate your wedding, and I'm sure that Archduchess Miu would love to attend as well." "I would absolutely love for you both to be there and you officiate. I would love to have the wedding in front of Father Yggdra in Faria. He brought us together and I would love for him to see us at the altar." "I'm sure that Miu would be delighted to arrange the wedding for you. I can bring in any designer you wish for your dress, though you may want to have the wedding as quickly as possible," Cisna said, motioning to Katelyn's stomach. Katelyn laughed and said, "We should kick some Yshrenian butt and then have that wedding quickly. I don't want to not fit in a dress because I'm growing a baby." By that point, both women had made it to Cisna's personal chambers. Cisna said, "This is the most private area of the entire castle. We can talk in here. I will have one of the maids bring us some tea." Cisna opened the doors to reveal a sitting room with other doors on opposite sides of the room. Cisna went up to an old-time intercom system and asked if someone could bring tea for two to her chambers. She then said to Katelyn, "Have a seat wherever you like. The tea will be here shortly." Katelyn sat and said, "So, seeing as you have Mureas' memories, what do you know of the Furies' powers? Do you know who the other two sisters are?" "Well, I can tell that you have the spirit of Tisiphone inside of you. I believe that Sapphire is the spirit of Allecto. I don't know who the third sister is as of yet. I wonder if the third sister is someone we know or a random person." "Do you think Kara's sister could have been the third sister?" "It's possible that she could have been, but it is impossible to know now." "I also read that Furies are able to change Fate. Do you think if we used the Retrospecticon we could save her and bring her back here?" "I'm not sure. We haven't the slightest idea who Megaera is, so it's worth a shot. We also need to start the siege on Redhorn Isle. How quickly do you think you could finish the task?" "I don't know. The problem is we would need Leonard there." "You may be able to do it without Leonard. He would still be there, but it would just be a piece of his past self." A knock was heard on the door. Cisna yelled out, "Come in." A maid walked into the room holding a platter with a teapot and two cups. "Anything else, your Grace?" "That will be all. Thank you," Cisna said. The woman bowed and left the room. Cisna served the tea and gave Katelyn her cup. Katelyn then asked, "Okay, how do I use my powers? My hands seem to glow when I’m frustrated, but I can't focus the power. I also don't know what the power does." "Your power is able to drive murderers to madness. It makes people take their own lives because of guilt." "How do I focus the power to target someone? Do I have to touch them?" "No, you can do it with just your mind. But we can try to focus on your powers through a meditation exercise if you would like. Here, take my hands," Cisna said, placing her teacup on the table. Katelyn placed her teacup down and watched as Cisna held out her hands.Katelyn took Cisna's outstretched hands and said, "Okay, what now?" "Now, close your eyes and concentrate on the feeling of the magic coursing through you." Katelyn took a few deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly. She focused on the feeling of magic she felt yesterday. Then, she focused the magic towards where her and Cisna's hands were joined. She felt the power flow to the other girl. She asked Cisna, "Do you feel the power?" "I do. Now focus the power to your mind and open your eyes." Katelyn focused the power away from her hands and focused on moving it to her mind. It took her a moment to focus, but she felt the power and knew that she succeeded. She opened her eyes and saw that Cisna looked different than she had before. It was as if she glowed like sunlight. Cisna said, "You are seeing an aura, aren't you?" "Yes, what does it mean?" "If it glows golden, the person is pure of heart and has not killed anyone with malice. If the aura is dull or has turned black, they are guilty of murder with malice intent. That was what Tisiphone told me ten millennia ago." "It makes sense. Your aura looks like sun. What about casting my power on someone? Do I just concentrate it away from myself," Katelyn asked. "Yes. The power can flow and strike any target that you desire to punish. You just have to learn to control it. But that will be almost impossible without the other two Furies. Would you like to talk to Sapphire and look into the Retrospecticon?" "Yes. I will. Thank you for your conversation today. It's been nice." "It has. In the future, please do not try to hide things from me. I want to have trust in you and have peace between our nations." "I won't. I just didn't know if it was true and was trying to do some research before coming to you with a crazy story." "I admire that as well and I will excuse it because of you not knowing. Now, you can go talk to the others and see about looking into the Retrospecticon. I'll see you all later tonight for a meeting after I discuss with my generals how to proceed with the attack on Redhorn Isle." "Thank you, Cisna. I hope we can become good friends." "I hope the same. Now, let's get going. We have a lot to do." With that, Katelyn got up to leave the room and find the others. Her stomach growled, making her realize that she hadn't eaten anything yet. She decided the kitchen would be the best place to check for the others.Katelyn made her way down to the kitchen and found her friends seated around the table. Caesar was with them and already had a plate of food ready in the empty space next to him. "I was hoping she wouldn't keep you too long. How did it go?" "Well, we all have a lot to discuss. She says that she knows who Allecto is, and it is someone who is seated at this table. Katelyn looked over to Sapphire and said, "It is you, Sapphire. You are the chosen reincarnation of Allecto, punisher of unceasing anger." "Me? I don't have that kind of power." Katelyn said, "We will discuss that part later. Also, the third sister may have been Lena. A Fury can change the events caused by Fate. She suggested we make one more trip to the past without Leonard. She said a memory fragment of him will still be there to aid us." "It is risky, attempting to change the events of the past so drastically." "I have the power and I will use it to change the past. She did not have to die and she won't. Here is the plan." With that, Katelyn went over the memory from the past and the things they should change. Caesar would stay behind when they entered the ruins. Katelyn would pull a knife and hold it Leonard, telling Belcitane that she would kill him if he gave her Lena. After Belcitane handed over Lena, Caesar would take her to safety while she would rejoin the group to defeat the Magi. After everything was planned out, the group decided it was time. Katelyn pulled out the Retrospecticon and said the incantation to take them to the past for the final time.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The group opened their eyes to find themselves in the Lagnish Desert at the entrance to the ruins. Leonard shouted out, "Over there. It's them." A monoship rose up from the ground of the ruins. Katelyn looked around and saw that Caesar was already in position around the corner, but out of sight from everyone else. Katelyn nodded to Eldore, Yulie, and Sapphire. The group ran up to the ruins towards Belcitane, the Magi, and the then Princess Cisna. "Cisna," Leonard shouted. "Leonard," she shouted back. The man, Belcitane said, " Oh. On a first name basis, are we? You're more persistent than I thought, I am impressed. And look! You've picked up a new 'friend' in Albana... Why hello there, Kara. Hmm. It appears that you failed to carry out my orders. Whoopsie!" "Where's Lena? Where's my sister," Katelyn spoke up. "You'll meet her soon enough. All in good time. Well, in any case, I'm so glad that you're all here. I need help persuading this foolishly stubborn Princess to cooperate. I know you have the power to break the seals of the Athwani. You will unlock the ancient relic that is hidden within these ruins." "I told you, I don't know how," Princess Cisna shouted at him. "Oh, I think you do! You knew more than enough to unlock the seal of the White Knight in Balandor. Now do as I say! Or your friends here will be the first to suffer the consequences," Belcitane said. "What," Princess Cisna said. "Your answer, please," he said. "But... I'm telling the truth! The White Knight, it had nothing to do with me!" "What do you take me for? A fool?! You're trying my patience. I could snap this arm of yours like a twig!" "Stop that! Damn you, let her go right now," Leonard shouted. "I have a better idea. Why don't you give me the Knight's Ark like a good little boy, hmm?" "I'll do you one better, Belcitane," Katelyn said, pulling out her knife and holding it to Leonard's back. "Kara, what are you doing," Eldore asked. Katelyn said, "I'll kill him and the Ark can be yours. All I want is the Princess and my sister back. You have to kill the Pact Maker to take the Ark for yourself." "Smart girl. Kill him first, then you can have your trade." "No, Belcitane. I don't trust you. Give me my sister and the Princess, then I will kill him. I'm not losing my bargaining chip." "Fine. Bring out the girl." Lena was brought out by two Magi. "Let her walk," Belcitane said. Lena walked towards them with her hands still tied and made it behind Katelyn. She grabbed Katelyn's arm that wasn't holding the knife with her two hands. "Now, the Princess. Let her walk." "Not until the knife is in his back," Belcitane said. Katelyn hesitated for a moment before whispering, "I need you to pretend I stabbed you, Leonard. Fall to your knees." She then said loud enough for everyone to hear, "Any last words?" Leonard said, "I thought you could be trusted. At least I die knowing Cisna is safe. Katelyn reared her arm back and then pushed it forward, turning the knife to the side so that it rested against his back. Leonard cried out with perfect timing and fell to his knees as Katelyn continued to hold the knife at an angle against his back. He dropped the Ark on the ground and pretended to collapse to the side as Katelyn let go of the knife. This gave them the opportunity that they needed as Belcitane let Cisna go. As Belcitane touched the Ark, he was thrown back. Katelyn pushed Lena towards Eldore and ran to grab the Princess. She grabbed Cisna and moved her towards the back of the group. She took Lena and cut the ties off her wrists. She pulled the gag from her mouth and said, "I have someone waiting to bring you to safety. Let's go." "Sister, what happened to you? You are so different." "I'll explain in a few minutes. Come with me." Katelyn held onto Lena as they walked down the steps of the ruins. Caesar met them around the corner as they planned. "Lena, I know this may sound strange, but my name is Katelyn. Your sister, Kara, was killed in battle a little over a year ago. She was resurrected but found she no longer had a purpose here. So, she switched places with me. We are actually from the future and came back to save you. This is Count Caesar Drisdall, my husband. We met when I first was brought here and didn't know what was happening." "You’re crazy, Kara. Have you lost your mind?" "You'll see in due time. We are just waiting for the others to return and we will teleport back to Balandor. But, first, I need to channel my power to you so that I can bring you back." Katelyn grabbed Lena's hands as the girl trembled against her. Katelyn took a deep breath and focused on the power, letting it flow to Lena. The words came to her, a spell, as she held the smaller girls’ hands. As she finished, a mark appeared on Lena's wrist and hers. She realized that it was a binding spell that would bring Lena back to the present with the group. "It is finished. Now we wait," Katelyn said as she pulled Lena against her. A few minutes later, the monoship flew off. Eldore, Yulie, Sapphire, and Leonard approached. As the group came together, everyone except for Leonard started to glow. Katelyn knew that the mission was successful. When she reopened her eyes, they were back in the kitchen where they had started. The only difference was Lena was with them. Lena opened her eyes and looked around for a moment before finding Katelyn's eyes. "So, it is true? You are not Kara." "I am not. But I would still love to be your sister. Me and Caesar could adopt you. You could live with us in Greede." "I don't know what to say. I have learned I was killed today, been brought back to life, and am now told my only family is gone." "I'll tell you a story if you would like. But I think we can move this conversation to somewhere more private if that is okay with you." Lena nodded and said, "Okay." "Would you like some tea? I can bring some with us." Lena shook her head. "Okay then. Let's go back to our room," she said to Caesar. He nodded and walked with her and Lena as they walked through the halls.The three made it back to the room and sat down on the two couches. Katelyn sat with Caesar and Lena sat across from them. "Would you like to get cleaned up and changed into some fresh clothes," Katelyn asked Lena. Lena nodded and said, "I didn't bring anything with me." "Don't worry. I'll go grab some clothes from the closet. The Queen stocked the rooms with many different sizes in each closet." Katelyn walked into the closet and after looking through the clothes found a pretty sundress with flowers on it that looked nice. She grabbed an underwear set and corset that looked like it would fit Lena. She brought it out and said, "What about this?" Lena looked at the dress in awe and said, "It's more beautiful than anything I've ever worn." "Okay, let's get you to the tub and clean you. Then, I will help you dress." Lena looked excited as she made her way into the bathroom with Katelyn. Lena let out a gasp as she looked around the bathroom. "It's nice, isn't it. I almost had the same reaction when I first saw the bathrooms here. I'm going to fill up the tub for you and will help you brush your hair if you would like." Lena said, "Thank you." Katelyn started to fill the tub, checking the water temperature and adding some bubble soap to it. After the tub was most of the way full, Katelyn said, "It's ready. Do you want to get in?" Lena nodded, but looked shy. Katelyn said, "Sorry, I know you are probably uncomfortable changing around me. Let me turn around while you get in." Katelyn turned and heard Lena say, "It's not that. It's just, Kara used to help me bathe when we got the chance. It wasn't often we could afford the luxury. Kara used to dance a whole night just to afford a trip to the bathhouse." "That's sad. She was a great dancer, but it wasn't fun for her. I actually inherited some of her memories and remember how hard she would work for tips. It sickens me that you guys had to scrape by like that. You won't live like that anymore my dear. I promise you that. Would you like me to help you wash your hair?" Katelyn heard clothes hit the floor and the water splashing before she heard Lena say, "Yes, please." Katelyn turned and walked towards Lena. The girl was covered in a thick layer of bubbles so that the only thing visible was her head. Katelyn walked over and started to rinse clean water through Lena's hair to wet it. Then, she took shampoo and scrubbed it through her hair. After scrubbing her hair thoroughly, Katelyn rinsed the girls’ hair. As the dirt rinsed off, the girl's natural blonde color was shown. Then, Katelyn took conditioner and rubbed it through Lena's hair. She grabbed a wooden brush and started to work out the knots as the conditioner soaked. It took about fifteen minutes of brushing carefully before Lena's hair could be brushed through without tugging on any knots. Katelyn rinsed the girls’ hair one more time before deeming it clean. Katelyn went to the linen closet and grabbed a washcloth. She pulled out the body soap and soaked the rag with water before placing soap into it. "Do you want to clean yourself?" "Yes. Thank you for doing my hair." "Would you like me to style it for you?" "After I dry, that would be wonderful." "Okay. So, I just wanted to tell you a little bit about myself if that's alright." Lena nodded, so Katelyn said, "I was from another world originally. I had a mother, father, a younger brother. When Kara switched places with me, I lost all of them. It has been very hard to accept and I still can't wrap my head around the thought. I met Caesar, and he is amazing. I fell in love with him so quickly. He is literally my soulmate, but my family is still in my heart. I know Kara is watching over them for me, so I feel it's only fair to watch over you for her. If you would like, me and Caesar can adopt you. I have never had the chance to care for anyone or anything other than myself. But you would have a little brother or sister within the nine months. It could be like a test run on raising a child for us and for you to become close to someone. You could be our family." "I need time to think about it, but I think I would like that." "Okay, I can accept that. Are you ready to dry off, get dressed, and do your hair," Katelyn asked as she noticed the girl was done scrubbing. "Yes." Katelyn grabbed a towel from the linen closet and wrapped it around Lena as she stood in the tub that had started to empty. Katelyn grabbed another towel and helped to towel dry Lena's hair and wrapped her head with it. After she stepped out of the tub, Katelyn pulled out the underwear. "I hope these fit you. I tried to guess how big around you were. Lena pulled them up. They seemed a little big, but they stayed on her waist. Katelyn then took out the corset and said, "Are you okay with wearing a corset?" Lena nodded and said, "I've worn one since I was ten." "Okay, let me help you with this one. It's made of a flexible fabric without a lot of boning, so I hope it won't be uncomfortable." Lena nodded and held the corset up as Katelyn started to tie the back. After a few minutes, it was laced and tied. Katelyn then moved over to grab the dress. She helped Lena step into it and button it up. "Okay, let's move out to the bedroom to do your hair. I haven't done hair in a while, so I may need some help from Caesar. He is, to tell you the truth, better at doing hair then I am." Lena said, "Okay."Katelyn walked Lena out of the room and noticed that Caesar was reading a book on the couch while sipping a cup of tea. "Hey, girls. All done with the bath?" Katelyn said, "Yes. She is all cleaned up. Do you want to help me with her hair? I don't know how I should style it." Caesar nodded and got up from the couch, stretching his arms above his head for a moment. He then walked over to Katelyn and placed a kiss on her lips. "Okay, Lena. Let's get you sat down and look at your hair." Lena sat on the stool. Katelyn and Caesar looked at her hair and both of them seemed to notice the same thing. Katelyn decided to ask, "Lena, who used to cut your hair?" "Kara tried, but she always had a hard time. Why?" "It's just a bit uneven. Do you want a haircut by any chance? We can get someone with practice to do your hair." Lena thought about it for a moment, then asked, "Can I cut my hair shorter? I've always wanted to do curls in my hair, but I wanted to do shorter curls." "Of course, whatever you want. It's your hair," Caesar said. Katelyn nodded and said, "Let's see if I can find someone in the castle or if we will have to go into town, okay?" Lena stood and said, "Can I come with you? I want to see the castle." "Sure. How about we get some food for you before we leave? Are you hungry?" Lena's stomach answered the question before she could. "Okay, food it is," Katelyn said. Lena sprung up from the chair and asked, "Do you have a new pair of shoes that can go with the dress? My shoes are just a bit old and dirty." Katelyn looked across the room and saw that Lena had an old pair of boots that looked like they had seen better days. Katelyn said, "Here. Let's go look in the closet and see." Lena walked with Katelyn to the closet and started to look through the variety of shoes sitting at the bottom. Lena saw a pair of ballet style flats sitting on one of the shelves and decided to try them on because they looked to be about the same size as her feet. She slipped one on and realized that they were the most comfortable pair of shoes she had ever felt. She decided to put the other one on and said, "I really like these. Can I keep them?" "Of course. Now that we know your sizing, we will make sure to get some proper fitting clothes made for you." Lena decided to look in the mirror at herself and said, "I look like a princess!" Katelyn said, "If me and Caesar adopt you, you would be the daughter of the Count and Countess of Greede. You would be like royalty in Greede." "Really? That's so cool. Are you both ready to go?" Katelyn walked over to Caesar and took his hand in hers. She held out her other hand to Lena and said, "We're ready if you are." Lena walked over and took her hand. She said, "I'm ready. Let's go." The three walked out of the room and Lena let go of Katelyn's hand, skipping and twirling down the hall. Caesar looped his arm over Katelyn's shoulders and said, "She is sweet and kind. She has had a hard life, but she hasn't let that affect her attitude. I know she is only a few years younger than the both of us, but I would love to adopt her as our first daughter. We could have an official adoption after our wedding if you would like." "I don't want to pressure her just yet. I'm scared to even tell her the real reason we went back in time. Let us all enjoy today before we tell her." "Okay. Let's go get some food for her, then find someone to cut her hair." With that, Caesar and Katelyn walked down to the kitchen with Lena.When they made their way into the kitchen, Katelyn asked Lena, "What kind of foods do you like? Is there anything you don't eat?" The younger girl looked at her for a moment and said, "I've never really eaten anything fancy in my life. Me and Kara could never afford it. Anything is fine, truly." Katelyn said, "What do you recommend, Caesar? I'm still not very familiar with the foods here. I need to learn eventually." Caesar looked in the large fridge and found some meats, so he asked, "How about sandwiches?" Lena said, "Okay. I'll eat that." Caesar pulled out some makings and put together a quick sandwich as Katelyn watched. He placed it on the counter in front of Lena. She started to eat and said, "This is probably the best thing I have ever eaten." Katelyn and Caesar shared a look. Caesar decided to ask, "Lena, what did you used to eat in Albana?" "Kara and I survived mainly on oats, old bread that had started to go stale, and porridge. We always just scraped by." "Do you want to try some dessert after you finish that sandwich? I'm pretty sure there's a cake around her somewhere that the others were eating earlier." "I don't know if I can eat all that. This sandwich is already a lot of food," she said. Katelyn just sat there and said, "If you can't finish your food, don't worry about it. You can always wrap it up for later. We will just have to work on your appetite. Let me find that cake. We can share a piece." Katelyn went over to the fridge and saw the leftover cake in a container. She pulled out the container and cut a small piece for her and Lena to share. It looked like chocolate, but Katelyn didn't know if that was actually the flavor. She sat next to Lena and cut a small piece, holding it out to Lena on a fork. Lena sat down her sandwich for a moment and took the bite Katelyn offered her. Her eyes widened as she said, "That's amazing. You said that it is cake?" Katelyn said, "Yes. Do you want some more?" Lena nodded and said, "Let me try to finish my sandwich first, please." Katelyn said, "Okay. Let me try this cake and see how it tastes." Katelyn took a bite and said, "Oh my gosh, I need the recipe for this cake. It's to die for." Caesar said, "That good, huh?" She cut off another piece and held it out for him to try. He took the bite and said, "Wow. That is amazing. I wonder who baked it." "I don't know, but I could eat the whole cake. Okay, ignore that, it's just my hormones talking." Lena watched as Caesar started laughing and said, "Hey, if you want cake, you can have all the cake you want." "I don't want to get fat," Katelyn whined. Lena decided to ask because she remembered Katelyn mentioning a little brother or sister, "Are you pregnant?" "Well, let's just say I noticed my cycle was late by a few days. I went to the infirmary yesterday and they said that it seemed my body was starting to show the very first signs of pregnancy." Lena nodded and said, "Have you thought of any names yet?" Katelyn looked over at Caesar and said, "I hadn't really been asked, but I was thinking we could name a boy after his father who passed away. If it's a girl, I'm not entirely sure as of yet." Caesar looked shocked at her statement and said, "My father's name?" Katelyn nodded as she reached out to grab his hand and said, "I would love to honor his memory. I only met him once, but I know he was a great man who also had to make sacrifices to keep his people and family safe. He loved you so much, Caesar. I would love to name our son after him." Caesar looked a bit teary eyed at Katelyn's proclamation and said, "I'm sure that he is proud of the both of us and would be honored by us naming our future son after him." Lena watched as Caesar placed a kiss on Katelyn's lips before holding her close to him. Katelyn motioned for Lena and said, "I also thought of a name for a girl. Karalina. Pronounced like the Carolinas where I was raised, but spelled with Kara in the beginning in honor of your sister. If it wasn't for her, Caesar and I would never have met. I know she is still alive, but I feel it's fitting because of her presence no longer being with us." Lena looked at her and threw herself at Katelyn with a hug. "I love it," she said. Caesar pulled both girls into a hug and said, "Well, I'm happy either way with the gender of our baby, but for now I have my two girls." Lena pulled away from the hug and said, "I'm done eating. Are you both ready to go?" Katelyn looked down and noticed that Lena had eaten the entire sandwich. "We can in just a minute. I'm not letting this cake go to waste," Katelyn said eating another bite. Lena asked, "Can I have another bite?" Katelyn held out the fork to her so she could take a bite. The two took turns finishing the cake and then put their dishes in the sink. Lena grasped onto Katelyn's left arm and Caesar held her right hand as they made their way through the castle. Katelyn suggested they ask Cisna about where to get Lena's haircut and to tell her their mission was a success.After a little walk, they made their way into the throne room. Cisna did a double-take at the young girl that was still clinging to Katelyn. She said, "You were actually able to bring her back?" With the question hanging in the air, Katelyn said, "My time jump was a success. Lena is just getting acclimated. We are going to need some more clothing, shoes, and other things for her. We were also wondering if there is anyone able to trim her hair a bit?" Cisna looked a bit weary and said, "Yes. Let me call in the palace stylist to look over and measure her. She will send the measurements to the tailors. She also knows how to cut hair. Has she been introduced to Sapphire yet?" "Not as of this moment," Katelyn said. Caesar chipped in, "We also came to ask about your plans for Redhorn. Have you decided when the siege should begin?" "The day after tomorrow. Our guards are resting today after the long battle they fought. We are going to go over plans and strategy tomorrow. You both should meet with Sapphire later today. For now, get some rest. I'll send for the stylist in a few minutes." With that, Katelyn said, "Then we will take our leave. Have a good day Your Grace." "You as well. There is much to prepare for. Get your rest today. It may be the last day for a short while." With that, the three made their way back to Katelyn and Caesar's bedroom.Upon entering the room, Lena asked, "Aunt Sapphire is here? Why do we have to meet with her?" "Well, I found out a few days ago that I have magical powers I did not know of. I actually have the power of one of the three Furies from the Dogma Age. Sapphire is the second, but we haven't figured out who the third is. It could literally be anyone." "Do you think it could be me?" Caesar looked between the two girls and said, "We aren't sure. I think Kara held the power originally, but it transferred to Katelyn when she died a while back. That's why she searched for Katelyn to take her place. Sapphire is from Albana as well. Could the third girl be from Albana? Does it have to do with the bloodlines?" "It's possible," Katelyn said, thinking for a moment. "Are you related to Sapphire, Lena?" "She's a cousin by blood, but she has been like an aunt to me my whole life. Did any of the Furies have children?" "We should ask Eldore or Cisna later. They may know. But I think you and me," Katelyn said, motioning to Lena, "should sit and see if I can tap into the power you may have." Katelyn sat on the large bed and Lena sat across from her. Katelyn concentrated the way Cisna had told her to. She focused on the power as it ebbed and flowed, then took Lena's hands in her own. She felt a connection to the girl as her hands glowed. She said to Lena, "Do you feel the power?" Lena nodded and said, "What is it?" "Concentrate on the feeling within you and let it flow to meet my hands." She saw the young girl close her eyes and focus, but instead of her hands glowing, her whole body began to glow. Katelyn felt the power and said, "The power to affect the soul." Caesar said, "Katelyn, your eyes are glowing. Should I get Sapphire?" "Please, do. She is the missing link." Caesar left the room and came back a few minutes later with Sapphire in tow. When she saw the two girls on the bed, she said, "What is this craziness about?" Katelyn let go of one of Lena's hands and held it out. She said, "Sapphire, join us." Sapphire walked up to the bed and sat beside the Katelyn and Lena and took each of their hands. She took in a gasp of breath as she felt the power and said, "Sisters for eternity, connected by blood and the earth, arise once more." The three began to glow a bright light that Caesar could not look at. He held his arm in front of his eyes as he watched the glow until it blinded him. Finally, the light faded. The three women in front of him looked different as well. All of them were clad in white flowy dresses. He also noticed that Katelyn's features had changed drastically. The once blonde hair that had belonged to Kara now flowed around her in a reddish-brown color that reflected different shades. Her body size was about the same, except for she was a little curvier than before. Her eyes were a striking brown that swirled with different colors of copper that he was entranced by. He finally broke the silence and asked, "Is it safe for me to come over there, or should I stay here?" Katelyn made her way off the bed and walked over to him. She gracefully moved across the room in a way that enticed him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she moved and watched as she approached. He said, "You are beautiful." She looked over towards the mirror across the room and said, "I'm not the exact same as I used to be, but this is closer to my real appearance. Somehow, the magic allowed me to break the spell that made me look like Kara." Sapphire said, "I look the same, but different. Good different. Did we unlock the power of the Furies?" Katelyn didn't have to think twice before the power flowed from her hands. Her eyes glowed as she nodded. "I believe we have the upper hand now." Caesar said, "We will stop Grazel. I have faith." A knock was heard on the door as Caesar yelled out, "Come in." A lady came in wrapped in measuring tape and said, "I'm here to measure a Ms. Lena and to give her hair a trim." Lena chirped from across the room, "That's me." "Alright. Let's head to my studio down the hall and then I'll send you back. It will be easier to get your sizing there. Would any of you like to come?" Sapphire said, "I'll come with you, Lena. These two need a few minutes to talk." With that, Lena and Sapphire followed the lady out of the room.*** Sexual content from this point forward. Please read at your own discretion. Thank you. ***As soon as the door closed, Katelyn moved to lock it. Caesar said, "Is this going where I think it is?" Katelyn grabbed the dress she was in and pulled it over her head. Underneath, she was naked. Caesar felt the blood rush to his groin as he saw her standing in front of him. She looked womanly, with larger breasts and wider hips. Her dark hair flowed around her, contrasting against her milky white skin. "Like what you see," she said. Caesar nodded as he ached with every fiber in his being to make her his. She whispered one word, "Strip." He stripped quickly, pulling off his clothes with lightning speed. He held still as Katelyn walked towards him, her hips swinging with each step. "I'm so ready for you. I want you to be rough with me, make me yours." Caesar said, "Tell me what you want." "I want you to take me hard, fast. Show me your wild side." Caesar said, "Okay, I want you to kneel on the rug." Katelyn did as he said, waiting for him to approach her. He said, "You look so majestic. And I guarantee you are soaked for me." He kneeled behind her and felt her entrance, feeling the wetness there. He grinned and asked, "You are enjoying this, aren't you?" Katelyn just moaned as his fingers dipped inside of her. "I don't hear words," he said, pulling away from her. "Please, Caesar, take me." He said, "Mmm, I'll think about it." "Please, Caesar. I'm begging you, take me, please." He then lined himself up to her entrance, placing a hand against her back. She leaned forward and placed her hands against the carpet beneath her as he said, "Alright." He pushed into her tight heat and felt her envelope him in all the right ways. Katelyn felt the stretch deeper than she had before in the position she was in. Caesar inched into his way into her until he reached the hilt. He asked, "Are you ready?" Katelyn said, "Yes." Caesar began to move against her in short, fast thrusts. They both moaned and groaned against each other. Within a few minutes, Katelyn felt her orgasm approaching as Caesar hit against a sensitive spot inside of her over and over again. "Caesar, I'm so close." He pulled her up against him with an arm across her waist, placing kisses against her neck and shoulders. His fingers reached down and flicked against her hidden nub, helping her to reach her peak. She cried out his name as her walls convulsed around him and she would have fallen forward if not for his arm supporting her. He flipped her onto her back and continued to move against her, slowed than before to prolong her high. As she came down from her peak, Caesar kissed her and continued his relentless pace. After many minutes of moving against each other, he finally said, "I'm close. Are you?" Katelyn nodded, unable to form words. "Okay, ladies first. Cum for me, my love." Katelyn came again and Caesar followed shortly after. After catching his breath, he rolled onto his back beside her and said, "Wow." "Agreed," Katelyn said as she finally caught her breath. "We should do this more often," Caesar said, laughing. "You literally blew my mind." Katelyn leaned on her elbow and said, "I don't know what came over me, but I'll let that side out more often if it means mind-blowing sex." She then placed a kiss on his lips and whispered, "I love you." "I love you, too," he said back. They both got up from the floor and found their clothing, knowing that Lena and Sapphire would be back soon. They both got dressed and sat cuddled on the couch, waiting for the two girls to make their reappearance.
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Katelyn looked into Caesar's golden eyes, contemplating how she had gotten so lucky in life, to have met the man of her dreams. Caesar brushed a piece of hair from her face, placing it behind her ear. "So, tell me the truth, do you still love me now that you see the real me," she whispered as he looked into her eyes. He said, "Katelyn, I knew that you weren't Kara when I met you the first time. You looked a lot like her yes, but you were so strikingly different. Your personality is warm, happy, familiar to me in ways that she wasn't. I fell in love with you. The curious girl. The one who stopped to look at wildflowers when we walked along the trail, who gasped at the sight of the Demithor under Greede, who had a sparkle in her eyes as she saw walked through the city of Greede. The girl who literally fell for me while putting up with my corny jokes and personality. I never cared about how you looked because you could have been any shape, size, or color, and my soul would have recognized yours. I can say, yes, I was physically attracted to you when you looked like Kara. I am still physically attracted to you now. You were beautiful either way in looks, but your personality is what made you the most beautiful woman in the world to me. I loved you then, and I still love you now." Katelyn teared up a bit and said, "Gosh, how did I get so lucky to meet you?" She kissed him on his lips before he could respond. Caesar deepened the kiss, pulling Katelyn against him. "Well, you are stuck with me now," Caesar said as Katelyn pulled back from the kiss to get a breath of air. "I love you, Caesar," Katelyn said. "I love you, too," he said back, "And I will run through the streets yelling it to the entire world if you ever don't believe me." Caesar wiped the tears from her eyes that had fallen and said, "I also can't wait to raise Lena, have a mini you or me running around. I want to show off my beautiful wife to every person in Greede." Katelyn said, "I can't wait to start our own adventure, either." Just then, a yelp was heard down the hallway that made the happy couple jump in alarm. Then, laughter was heard as the door burst open and Lena ran into the room laughing, her hair shorter and curly, trying to shut the door before Sapphire could make it. A foot jammed the door and Lena tried to hold the door. She yelled out, "Katelyn, Caesar, help. Sapphire is trying to tickle me to death, but I won't let her take me alive." Katelyn got up and moved in front of the door when Lena let go. "And what do you think you are doing, ma'am," Katelyn said in a sassy tone. "The little bug started it! I took her for a walk in the gardens and she tackled me and knocked me into the fountain. Look what she did to my dress." Katelyn looked to see that the dress was soaked with a big smear of dirt across the back of the once white dress. Katelyn stepped aside and said, "She all yours, then." Lena looked at Katelyn wide eyed as Sapphire came charging into the room after Lena. Lena ran into the bathroom and locked the door. Sapphire tried to open the door to no avail and shouted, "I will get revenge when you least expect it, Lena." She then walked out of the room in a huff, muttering about needing to change her dress.Caesar said, "Well, we know a good babysitter who can tire Lena out for us when we need it." Katelyn started laughing and said, "Gosh, I remember when I used to get involved stupid antics like that as a kid. I would chase my brother around the yard until one of us ended up covered in dirt, mud or leaves." "What made it end," Caesar asked, sensing more to the story. "My brother got bit by an ant when we were playing one time. He was a little older at that point and had to be rushed to the hospital. It was really scary. He broke out in a rash, his airway closed up, he almost didn't survive." "That's awful. But I have a question. What is an ant," Caesar asked. "Well, all the bugs in my world were tiny. An ant is a tiny red or black bug that live in hills made of dirt or sand. They live in colonies with hundreds to thousands of other ants underground. They are so small that they are smaller than my pinky nail even. One small bite almost killed him." "Wow, so what happened after that?" "He had to go to a doctor called an allergist. They treat allergies in people so that they eventually become immune to them. He had to get a shot every couple of weeks to take away the reaction he had to ants. He wasn't cleared for two years. By then, he wouldn't go outside to play. He was too scared that he would die from a tiny bite." "I never had a lot of friends going up," Caesar said. "One of my favorite games I would play with my father was hide and seek. I would stump him with some of the hiding spots I chose. I could hide for hours, he would call in the cavalry, and they still wouldn't find me. There was one day it took fourteen hours to find me after I ended up in the Underbelly." "Wow, that's crazy. I'm sure your father loved searching every nook and cranny to find you all the time," Katelyn said with a hint of sarcasm while laughing. Finally, Lena emerged from the bathroom and asked, "Is it safe to come out now?" Katelyn said, "Come here, sweetie." Lena looked at Katelyn and said, "You betrayed me. You let Sapphire loose after me." "Well, she was only trying to get even. And you will apologize later to her," Katelyn replied. Lena said, "Okay. Now, can we go explore the town some? I want to see the city. I've never been outside of Albana before." Katelyn said, "I suppose." Caesar then got up from the couch and said, "Let's go." Katelyn grabbed her shoes and placed them on her feet as she walked out the door. She realized that not only had her gear changed earlier, but also her shoes. The dark leather boots had turned into delicate, white ballet flats. "It seems that both Lena and I may need a new pair of boots while we are in town." Caesar looked down at the flats and let out a laugh at the sight of her flats. "Come on. We will get a pair for the both of you." Katelyn put her hands over her face and said, "I can't believe that the magic took my boots away. I liked those boots, even if they were a tad too big." "Hey, don't worry about," Caesar said, taking her hand. "Maybe it was the fates telling you that we can get you a pair that fits right this time." Katelyn just shrugged as she squeezed his hand and replied, "Okay, to town it is." With that, the three left the room and headed towards the exit of the castle.Katelyn didn't realize how large Balandor was until she started to walk through the town with Caesar and Lena. There were many shops and hundreds of people walking through the town. "There are so many people," Katelyn said to Caesar, in awe of the city. "Just imagine, there are probably three times this amount of people in Greede at any given time." "Gosh, how do you rule over so many people?" "It just takes time," he said to her. A little way ahead, Lena stopped to look at a table with many different types of odds and ends. "Do you see anything you like," Katelyn asked as her and Caesar caught up. Lena said, "I was just looking. My favorite part of Albana used to be the market." Caesar said, "If you see anything you want, just let us know. We should be close to the armory." A few minutes later, the three walked up to a shop on the corner that had armor displayed around it. They walked in and the woman running the counter asked, "What can I do you for, today?" Caesar said, "I'm looking to buy these lovely ladies some new boots, the best you've got." The lady nodded and wandered from behind the counter. She said, "Of course. Would you ladies like to have a seat on the bench so I can size your feet?" The lady pulled out a measuring device and set to work on measuring both Katelyn and Lena. "Okay, I've got both your measurements. Let me go get some boots and socks for you ladies to try on." The lady made her way to a small back room and the three could hear shuffling as the lady attempted to find what she was looking for. A few minutes later, the lady came back with two pairs of boots with socks. "Okay, these are for you," the lady said handing Katelyn the pair. "And these are for you," she said, handing Lena the other. Katelyn and Lena both tried on the boots and found that they were comfortable. "Do they fit right," Caesar asked. Katelyn nodded and said, "Much better than the last ones. What about yours Lena?" "They fit great. I can walk forever in these." "Okay, we will take both pair," Caesar said to the lady running the shop. She nodded and said, "I'll wrap them up for you when you are ready." Both Lena and Katelyn changed shoes and brought them up to the counter. Caesar went over pricing with the lady and paid. After leaving, Katelyn decided to ask, "How does money work in your world?" "Well, we have a system called Guilder. Small items can cost a few hundred Guilder, while larger items can cost thousands. I just paid for the best boots in the shop, and they cost about 6,000 Guilder, but they were made of the best material. Good armor is very expensive. It can cost close to 100,000 Guilder for a good set." "Wow, that's crazy. I thought the money system where I'm from was crazy. You said there were also ways to earn money, too?" "Yes, actually. The Guild is right here across the street. You can pick up bounties and earn Guilder, weapons, and potions for their completion. Usually, you start small and work your way up." Katelyn nodded and said, "You will have to show me how to collect bounties when we are back in Greede. I don't want to sit around and work on paperwork all day. There are bounties in that area, right?" "Yes, in the Bunker Lode, the Underbelly, and Flandar Trail. And the system is connected at all the different Guilds. That way, no one else can claim the same bounty mission as you." Katelyn nodded and asked, "So, what else is interesting around this area?" Lena asked, "Can we go look at the area of town where they keep the horses?" Caesar nodded and pointed in a direction for them to walk. He said, "It is right next to the main gate." So, the three continued walking through the town towards the main gate. Katelyn asked Caesar questions about the different shops and the goods they sold in each of them. After about a mile of walking, they reached an area where people were tending to horses.When they reached the gates around the horses, Lena got excited to pet the gentle creatures. Katelyn went up to the biggest of the creatures and began to rub her hand down the side of its head. A man behind her said, "Well, I'll be. He's never been that gentle with anyone before." Katelyn turned and said, "He is tame, isn't he?" "That one usually tends to bite the hand that feeds it. He won't let anyone ride him. He got the name Nightmare because he earned it." Katelyn replied, "Nightmare. I quite like it. Can I take him for a ride on Balastor Plain?" The man looked skeptical and said, "If you can mount him, you can have him if you like." Katelyn said, "Bring me a saddle and I will." The man left and came back a few minutes later with a saddle. He handed it over to Katelyn and asked, "You know how to strap a saddle?" "Yes." Katelyn hopped over the fence and grabbed a stool, strapping the saddle onto Nightmare. She whispered encouraging words as he held still for her. Then, she put one foot into the stirrup and jumped, placing her legs on either side of Nightmare's back. She held onto the horse, placing her hands against his strong back, running her hands over his mane. "You're a good boy, Nightmare. Just misunderstood." The man who had given her the saddle said, "He actually listens to you. Would you like to ride him?" Katelyn nodded and glanced over, noticing Caesar and Lena were getting on two other horses. Katelyn said, "Yes. I will go with my husband and little sister if that is alright?" The man said, "Happy riding. The horse is yours if you want him." Katelyn gave the man a nod and said, "I'll see after the war is over. My home is Greede and I'm not sure if it is meant for horses." The man said, "Well, happy riding." Katelyn watched as the man opened the gate and motioned for her to move Nightmare through. Katelyn pressed her legs into Nightmare, grabbing hold of his reins. The horse moved forward and met up with the other two horses. Caesar said, "They say you tamed a beast?" "I don't think he is a beast, just misunderstood. Isn't that right, Nightmare?" Lena said, "He is huge. How are you riding him?" "I actually have ridden large horses in the past when others wouldn't. They were scared to and thought they were beastly, but I felt that they just needed a caring touch. Do you think we could keep him? That man didn't seem to want him." Caesar said, "There are stables outside of Flander Trail next to the Gondola Station. We could board him there. But you would have to take care of him daily and ride him down the trail to get exercise." Katelyn said, "Then, I will do just that." "We get to keep a horse," Lena shouted out with excitement. "As long as that man was true to his word," Katelyn replied. Lena squealed in excitement as they all started to trot through Balastor Plain. Katelyn laughed as she rode down the trail. She then yelled, "Last to Parma has to clean the horse's stall the first week!" She then whipped the reins and Nightmare took off at a gallop. Caesar yelled out, "Hey, you cheat!" She heard Lena and Caesar speed up their horses behind her, but she already had a head start. She laughed joyfully as the wind whipped through her hair. A few minutes later, she realized there was a problem as she continued. She didn't have a sword with her and she was steadily approaching a troll. She pulled back on the reins and turned Nightmare around. "We don't have any weapons," Katelyn yelled out towards Lena and Caesar. Caesar spotted the troll and yelled for Lena to stop. They both stopped their horses quickly, but the troll spotted Katelyn. She whipped the reins against Nightmare and said, "Go boy, go!" Caesar and Lena started behind her as she took off again. The troll ran after the three, but stopped after a little way, realizing it wouldn't catch up. When they got back to the castle, Katelyn let out a breathy laugh and said, "We are all idiots!" Caesar said, "Idiots? Says the one who took off through Balastor Plain without a weapon!" Lena said, "That troll was scary. We are lucky we got away." Katelyn said, "Very. Now, let's put the horses back and get some food. I think we have earned it." Caesar laughed at Katelyn's flustered state, noting how embarrassed she was to not realize that even the wilds around Balandor Castle weren't safe.They got back to where the horses were kept, and the man tending the horses said, "Back so soon? What happened out there?" Katelyn said, "We realized we forgot our weapons back at the castle and came upon a troll. We rode away from it as fast as we could and came straight back here, but we still had fun." The man nodded and said, "The offer still stands on the boy you are riding. You can keep him, take him off my hands. He hasn't ever let anyone else ride him. He senses something different in you, I reckon." Katelyn said, "I am going with the group tomorrow for the siege on Redhorn Isle. We will probably be the full day, maybe two. Can you hold onto him for two, maybe three days?" The man said, "I didn't realize you were one of the soldiers. What is your name?" "Countess Katelyn Drisdall. The man over there is my husband, Count Caesar Drisdall of Greede." "Ahh, I heard the Count was in town, but hadn't heard of your nuptials. Congratulations to you both!" "Thank you. We will be having an official wedding in Faria after this war is over if you would like to attend. I can have an invitation sent to you if you would like." "I would... but I have my horses to tend to. Congrats to you both. Nightmare is my present to you. You can get him whenever you are ready to bring him home." "Thank you, sir. I will take great care of him, I promise that. Caesar and I will make sure to send some supplies to you when we get home as thanks." "Okay, have a great day, dear. I must be off. Need to finish tending to the other horses before the sun is down. I'll see you in a few days. And once again, congratulations." Katelyn rejoined Caesar and Lena who were finishing up with their horses. Lena said, "Let's go get food. I'm hungry." The three walked past the different shops, trying to find a restaurant that all three of them could agree on. Finally, they found a small restaurant that seemed to have a variety of foods that could please any picky eater. Katelyn sat next to Caesar, leaning against him as he went over the different foods on the menu with her. Lena chose a meal right off the bat after barely looking at the menu, even though it was her first time at the restaurant. A waiter came with drinks and to take their order. Katelyn decided on chicken, seeing as it was a meat that she was familiar with. Caesar put in an order for a steak of some sort. Lena decided on a kid sized chicken meal. The three sat at the table, talking to each other about different topics until their food came. When the food came, Katelyn was surprised by the large portion of food that was placed in front of her. It looked like a giant chicken breast with potatoes and some kind of vegetables that were unfamiliar to her. Caesar had a large portion of some kind of steak that didn't look like beef, pork, or any kind of meat from her world. His meal came with potatoes and greens as well. Lena had small chicken cutlets that looked to be breaded and fried with fried potatoes on the side. The three dug in, and Katelyn found that she thoroughly enjoyed all the foods in front of her. After a minute of eating, Caesar asked, "Is everything good?" "Everything is delicious. Are you enjoying yours?" "Yes, would you like a taste?" Katelyn nodded and took a small bite that he offered her. "Wow, that is good as well," she said to him. "It is very nicely seasoned. I haven't had a good meal like this in a while." Katelyn thought about the time she had spent with Caesar, and realized it was one of a few hot meals she had while in his world. She looked over towards Lena and asked, "Do you like the food, Lena?" Lena nodded with her mouth full and held out a thumbs up. The three continued to eat until all their plates were clear. The waiter came over and Caesar paid before they left. On the way back to the castle, it looked like a small festival was going on. There was live music and there were people dancing. "What are the people celebrating," Katelyn asked Caesar as they made their way through the throngs of people. "The accomplishment of forcing the Yshrenians to retreat." Katelyn nodded and said, "I would love to dance. Do they have a dancing space?" Lena said, "Over there, look!" She pointed at a small elevated area near the live band that was playing. People were dancing, drinking, and having a good time. Katelyn grabbed Lena's hand and pulled her towards the dance floor, yelling out, "Then, let's dance." Lena seemed shy at first until she realized Katelyn was just dancing to the rhythm of the music. She pulled Lena in different directions and twirled her in time to the music. Lena seemed to catch on after a few minutes and danced with Katelyn.After a few minutes, the music changed to a slower song and Lena said, "Caesar wants to dance with you." Katelyn looked out towards the crowd to see Caesar. She motioned for him, and he followed. He pulled her against him and said, "We finally get that dance we were talking about a few days ago." Katelyn said, "It seems that we do, though our first dance was magical." Katelyn moved with her body held close to Caesar as he held onto her hand and one of her hips. Their faces were inches apart as they danced, looking into each other's eyes. Part of the way through the song, Caesar spun Katelyn and pulled her back to his as they danced, holding her around her waist. She turned her head towards his face, still looking into his eyes as they danced. She heard a camera shutter go off, but ignored it for the time being. As the song started to close, Caesar spun her around again, slower this time and pulled her to his chest gently, kissing her as the music faded. Another shutter went off, and finally the two turned their heads to see Yulie handing Lena a photo. The two made their way off the dance floor. Yulie said, "You two looked so adorable, I had to get some pictures. Look!" She handed them the two photos she had taken and Katelyn said, "They are very nice. We should have them hung in our home in Greede. Can you take one more?" "Of what," Yulie asked. Katelyn pulled Caesar and Lena against her and said, "Our family, of course." Yulie said, "Alright, smile." A shutter went off and she held out another photo that printed. "Aww, that's a nice one," Caesar said as he saw the photo. "Thanks, Yulie. Are you enjoying your day?" "I am. I got out of the castle for a while and just walked around. Took a walk on Greydall Plain. It was a peaceful day." "That's good to hear. How's Leonard?" "Still no better. He hasn't gotten out of bed yet. I wish there was something we could do." "I wonder if our power could help him," Katelyn said, looking at Lena. Lena said, "What's wrong with him?" "He has an evil spirit affecting him, clinging to his soul." Lena said, "I can probably help him, but I'll need you and Sapphire." Katelyn could see an ancient knowledge in the young girls' eyes and knew that it was Megaera's memories guiding her. The three followed Yulie back to the castle and into Leonard's room. Leonard was unconscious and squirming in his sleep. Katelyn asked, "Yulie, Caesar, will you both look for Sapphire? We need a few minutes to come up with a plan." Yulie nodded and said, "We will. Come on, Caesar." Caesar placed a small kiss on Katelyn's lips before following her out of the room. Lena took Leonard's left hand and said, "I can feel the dark entity weaving itself around his soul. It's been there for a long time." Katelyn said, "It is Madoras that we are up against. Do you think we could ease up his hold on Leonard or remove it completely?" "The Ark needs to be destroyed to remove it, but I hope our combined power can remove the dark magic from around his soul. It is trying to consume him." "Plunge his soul into darkness, as Madoras said." Lena sat and closed her eyes, concentrating on the dark magic. Katelyn moved behind her placing a hand on her shoulder, allowing the young girl to use her as a source of energy. Sapphire walked in a few minutes later and Katelyn motioned her over. "We need to give Lena our strength," Katelyn said. Sapphire placed a hand on Lena's other shoulder and grasped Katelyn's hand with the other. She could feel Lena pulling magic to try to undo the magical bonds that Madoras had tied around Leonard's soul, but the trio could only use give so much energy before they began to feel weakened. After about ten minutes, Katelyn let go and staggered back a step. Sapphire did the same. Lena let go of Leonard's hand and said, "It is slightly better than it was, but not by much. I hope that I eased his suffering some." Katelyn said, "I also have something to give. I want to give him peaceful thoughts." She placed a hand over Leonard's forehead and words in another language flowed from her mouth. Sapphire said, "I will ease his pain." She placed a hand on his chest and said another series of words. When she let go, Leonard's body relaxed. He seemed to be at peace for the time being. "How can we undo all of this," Katelyn asked. "I don't know, but we should get some sleep tonight, then maybe try again in the morning. We can't use too much power at once," Sapphire said. "We have to leave tomorrow for Redhorn. We may have to wait until after we get back." Sapphire nodded and said, "Well, goodnight. I will see you both in the morning." With that, she left the room. Katelyn and Lena went back to their bedroom to find Caesar already in pajamas, reading a book. Katelyn said, "We are going to change and wash up. We will be out in a minute." "Alright, see you both in a minute." Katelyn guided Lena to the closet and helped the young girl change into a soft pair of sleep shorts and a shirt before pulling on a night dress herself. She then guided her to the bathroom where she pulled out a new toothbrush and handed her the toothpaste. The two girls brushed their teeth, Katelyn washed her face, and then the two girls made their way back to the bedroom.Upon entering, Lena asked, "Where will I sleep?" "Well, we can share all share the bed or we could take the couch and you can have the bed. It's up to you." Lena looked for a moment before saying, "We can all share. It is a huge bed." Katelyn made her way onto the bed and next to Caesar. Lena made her way onto Katelyn's other side and pulled the covers over herself. "How did it go," Caesar asked as they settled down. Katelyn shook her head and said, "Not as well as we hoped. Maybe we can do more tomorrow." "Okay. Goodnight, my love. I love you," he said placing a kiss against her lips. Then he said, "Goodnight, Lena." Lena mumbled out a goodnight from under the blankets she had almost covering her head. Katelyn said, "Goodnight, Caesar. I love you, too." She then turned and placed a small kiss on top of Lena's head and said, "Goodnight, Lena. Sweet dreams." Katelyn laid against Caesar as he turned out the light. She said a quick prayer in her head that the war would end peacefully the next day before she drifted off to sleep in Caesar's arms.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The next morning, Katelyn awoke to find Caesar next to her. She smiled and said, "Good morning, my love." "Good morning," he whispered as he kissed her on the lips. "How did you sleep?" "Good. Where is Lena," Katelyn asked, looking over to find the other side of the bed empty. "Already up and about. She didn't want to disturb your sleep." "Mmm, I guess we need to get ready for the final fight, today?" "Yes. It will all be over after today." Katelyn sat up and stretched her arms above her head. She slowly moved her feet to the floor and walked into the bathroom to freshen up for the day. She ran the tub water so she could get in, then went to choose a set of clothes. She decided to wear a pair of armored pants with an armored bustier that wrapped around the midsection. She grabbed her boots and socks and sat them with the outfit on the couch, then went to get in the tub. She walked into the bathroom to find Caesar already in the tub water waiting for her. She stripped from her night dress and joined him in the water. She sat next to him in the tub and put her head back as he started to wash her hair. He quickly shampooed and conditioned her hair, rinsing it gently. She turned to him and did his hair, running her hands through his hair. After she finished his hair, they both cleansed themselves before stepping out of the water. Caesar grabbed a towel for himself. He then wrapped a towel around her hair, then grabbed another and wrapped her body. After they were dried off, Katelyn brushed her teeth and applied her deodorant before moving to the bedroom to put her clothes on. Caesar went into the closet to put his on. A few minutes later, he came back with a set similar to hers on, except it was made for his sizing. Katelyn pulled a brush through her hair, then asked Caesar, "Can you help me braid my hair? I really don't want it to be in my face today." Caesar sat her on the bed and quickly worked his way through her hair, tying it off. Katelyn grabbed her Ark and wrapped her holster around her waist. Caesar grabbed his spear and tied it to his back. Katelyn went over to grab her shield, then handed Caesar his. "Are you ready," she asked him as he finished tying off his boots. "As I'll ever be," he said. They made their way down to the kitchen to find the others as prepared as they were. Lena was even dressed in a set of armor that looked to be crafted to her size with a short sword on her hip. "You look so grown," Katelyn said to Lena as they approached. "I don't know if I am ready for today. Eldore and Sapphire taught me some sword moves, but told me to leave the fighting to you guys." "We will all be fine. There will be a group of us working against the Yshrenians, so you shouldn't have to intervene. Have you eaten?" Lena nodded and pointed to a plate with a mostly eaten sandwich on it. "Good, let us grab some food and then we will be ready to go." Katelyn moved to join Caesar where he was making sandwiches. They both ate them quickly. Eldore said, "We should get to the throne room. It's almost time for the Queen's announcement." The group headed down the halls of the castle to the throne room, where a large crowd was gathered around Cisna.As the group approached, Cisna made eye contact with Katelyn and nodded to her. When they stopped, she started to speak. "We have won a great victory against the Sun King. I thank you for your valiant efforts." She nodded to Cyrus who said, "The tides have turned. Since we drove them off, the Yshrenian horde has reportedly withdrawn to their stronghold on Redhorn Isle." Cisna continued, "But Grazel, he has no intention of backing down without a fight. Either we strike, and settle things once and for all as he has demanded... or face another invasion. It falls upon us to make the effort. We must bring this age-old war to conclusion. Close this chapter of history. Sir Cyrus, gather all our forces! We will bring them the full might of Balandor!" Cyrus and the soldiers gathered around him rushed off to prepare the troops. Cisna then turned towards the small group still remaining. "Eldore, might I count on you just a little while longer," Cisna asked. "Of course," he said with a nod. She then said, "I'm concerned. Leonard means to finish things with Grazel. But we cannot allow him to transform any longer." Caesar said, "You know Leonard. If you want him to stay in the castle, tie those ropes tight." Cisna nodded, so Katelyn asked, "How is he this morning? We tried to alleviate some of his pain and worry last night. Is he better?" "He is up, but not going anywhere. Not until he is better." Yulie asked, "Your Grace, could you keep him with you? As long as you're close by, he won't do anything crazy." Eldore saw the look on Cisna's face as she thought it over and said, "That does sound like a wise choice." "Alright. If that's settled, we will depart for Redhorn Isle at once. You may follow in the Shagna as soon as you are ready." Everyone nodded their heads and headed towards the Shagna.When the group arrived, Rocco was in the driver seat of the Shagna. "Ready to go, everyone," Rocco asked as he booted up the ship. A round of "yes" went around the room as Rocco pressed the button for the door to close and started to lift the ship off the ground. Below, Balandor's naval fleet was in the water with Princess Cisna in the large middle ship. Around the ship, the Windwalkers were in flight, ready to protect the air. Cisna began to speak over the intercom as the troops spread out. "To all those who fight in Balandor's name, hear me well. These waters will soon become a battlefield, as the Yshrenian fleet meets us with all their might. I know your fears. You fear our battles thus far have not prepared us for the violent clash to come. Nonetheless, we MUST survive this trial. We must put an end to our conflict with the empire and secure a victory that is ten millennia overdue. And I tell you we will. It fills me with pride to know my kingdom stands together. Now let us drive Yshrenia's vile ambitions into the ground! Forward!" As soon as the words were said, shots began to fire on both sides. Quickly, ships were taken out on both sides and many Windwalker airships were hit from the skies. After many minutes ticked by of casualties on both sides, Katelyn said, "There are even more of them than I imagined." Caesar let go of his hold on her and walked up to Rocco, asking, "Hey Rocco, can't you put us on the front lines?" "Oh n-n-no! If we get any closer, we will be blown to smithereens!" "Well, we gotta do something," he said. "Look, over there," Yulie said. The group looked as a Farian ship came out of the mist with a giant cannon, blowing up almost the entire Yshrenian fleet. Many minutes later, it seemed that the tides had turned and the fleet began to move forward once again, but suddenly a large cannon emerged from Redhorn Isle and fired into the water directly in front of the ships. Everyone staggered as the airship was rocked from the blast. "What the he'll was that," Caesar yelled out. "What just happened," Yulie asked. Katelyn's eyes widened as a memory hit her and she said, "It can't be..." "Just tell us," Eldore said, looking at her. "The Act of God. It's a giant cannon installation on Redhorn Isle. Kara thought they'd never complete it." Caesar looked to her and asked, "And that's... what it's capable of?" "That rules out bringing the fleet closer," Eldore said. "The Act of God has tremendous range to go with all that firepower. Balandor's ships don't stand a chance against it," Katelyn said. "We can't just give up," Yulie said. "We fight to the death," Sapphire said. "How well did Kara know Redhorn Isle," Eldore asked. "The island has been developed heavily since she was last there, but the basic layout should be the same." "Good. Rocco, connect me with Queen Cisna." "Roger that," he said as he began to hit buttons.Cisna's voice came through the intercom a moment later, asking, "Eldore, is everyone alright?" "Yes. Never fear, Your Grace. I would like to suggest a plan." "You want to infiltrate the island using the Shagna and attempt to destroy the Act of God," Cisna asked. "Yes," he replied. "That's far too dangerous," she said. "Aye, perhaps. But what other choice do we have?" "Very well. Just promise me... that's you will all come back alive. In fact, I command it." "We will. Once we've destroyed that giant turret, our army can come ashore." "It's time to end this once and for all," Caesar said. "Take us in, Rocco," she said. She then turned to the group and said, "Once we land, we need to be prepared for anything." "To glory," Sapphire yelled out. As the ship flew forward, Katelyn hugged Caesar and Lena for dead life. Sapphire came and rested her hand on Katelyn's shoulder, seeing the struggle in her eyes. As they flew into the might of Yshrenia, the ship got hit several times by fire from ships and cannons alike. Katelyn could see Osmund on his small ship next to theirs. Finally, the ship hit the ground as the group held on. It then slid to a stop. "Well, it looks like we are still in one piece," Caesar said as they walked off the ship. "Hang on," Yulie said as she pinched herself. "Yup, we actually survived that." "We've not much time! To the cannon, on the double," Eldore shouted. "Right," Yulie said. "To the Act of God," Eldore said. "Hurry, before they fire that thing again," Katelyn said. As the group walked into Redhorn, Eldore said, "We're going to make it through this alive." "Because the Queen ordered us to? Or just because," Yulie said sarcastically. "Eldore's right. We've come too far to die here," Katelyn said. "Right. The power of positive thinking makes us invincible," Caesar said. "In your dreams," Sapphire said. Finally, as they were getting closer to the turret's power source," Yshrenian soldiers started running towards the group. Everyone but Lena ran towards the group. They each worked to make every hit count. An Elite Black Knave came running their way. Sapphire pulled out a small spinning top and yelled, "Verto." She opened it and spun it in front of her and transformed into a beautiful blue knight with a silver sword and a red shield. The group quickly worked to destroy the Black Knave, which didn't take long. Then, they continued up the trail towards the cannon. "So... that's the Act of God," Yulie asked. "Conventional weapons won't do us any good. Any ideas, Katelyn?" Katelyn pointed and said, "You see those pipes snaking out over there? Those are its power supply. The Act of God needs a vast amount of magical energy to function. If I remember correctly, those pipes supply the whole cannon." "A weak spot! Boy, you gotta hand it to those engineers. They sure make it easy for the good guys," Caesar said. "Indeed. If we follow the pipes, we can find the three Zore Crystals which produce the cannon's energy. We'll need to take out all three." "Right. Let's get cracking. Let's hit that cannon where it hurts. At the source," Caesar said. "If the cannon needs magical energy, this island has plenty of it," Eldore said. As the group walked, they came across two Magi who turned into Gigantes. The group worked to fight them and dispatch them before figuring out their next steps. There was a fork in the road with two Zore Crystals on one side and one down the other trail. "We should split up. Me, Caesar, and Lena go down the short trail while you guys start up the long one. We can meet after the first two are destroyed. There aren't many more bad guys down this way." Eldore said, "Okay. We will meet in a few. Be safe."The group split, and Katelyn held onto her sword like it was her lifeline. She worked with Caesar to take down the enemies as they worked their way to the Zore Crystal. She said to Lena as they approached a group of enemies, "Stay behind me." After defeating the many enemies, they finally made it to the Zore Crystal and started to work to destroy its core. After many minutes of attacking the Zore Crystal with both magic and their weapons, the contraption cracked. Just then, a bolt of lightning flew from the contraption and hit Caesar. Lena ran towards him as Katelyn angrily let a burst of magic hit the machine, causing it to break. Katelyn ran towards where Caesar had fallen. She saw he was awake and was being healed by Lena. Katelyn joined her in saying healing incantations that slowly healed him. After he was healed enough to sit up, she pulled him to her and placed a kiss on his lips before pulling him in for a hug. She then threw her other arm over Lena, pulling her into the hug as well. She grasped onto Caesar's shirt, letting the tears fall from her eyes. "I almost lost you," Katelyn said. "You didn't lose me. I've been hit with much worse." "You're wearing metal armor and you flew backwards. You could have been killed. I can't raise two children alone, Caesar." "Hey, it's alright. I'm good. Come on, we have to meet the others." Katelyn pulled Caesar from the ground, but didn't let him or Lena go. "I can't lose either of you. Do you hear me?" Caesar said, "We will all make it out of this." "I'm not going anywhere, sister," Lena said. Katelyn said, "Okay. Let's get going." Caesar held Katelyn around the shoulders while Lena held onto her waist as they walked to where the others were. When they made it, Eldore asked, "What happened? Is everyone alright?" "A close call, but we are fine. Let's go destroy the last Zore Crystal," Caesar said. The group continued to the last Zore Crystal to find that it was completely surrounded by many Yshrenian soldiers. Katelyn called on her transformation, knowing the stakes were against them. She quickly disposed of many of the soldiers. The thing she didn't realize was that two of them would turn into Gigantes in death. Two Gigantes rose to fight her as the others were busy with the soldiers still on the ground. Katelyn started to fight against the Gigantes, hitting them in their weak points with her sword. They were strong, though. She continued swinging at them as the others finished their fights. By that point, she ran out of magical power for her Knight. The Black Knight fell to its knee and Katelyn transformed back. Luckily, as the Gigantes went to swing at her, the Dragon Knight intercepted and killed one of them. Caesar continued to fight the second one as Katelyn moved to the side and drank a mana potion. The rest of the group joined Caesar to finish off the remaining Gigante before they targeted the Zore Crystal. Katelyn rejoined the group, letting the sheer force of her power crack the contraption holding it in multiple places. Finally, the machine broke with one of Eldore's mighty swings and the Act of God shut off. Less than a minute later, the group could hear the ships hitting the shore and the marching of thousands of soldiers. "Our troops have made it ashore," Eldore said. "Should we go back and join up with them," Yulie asked. "No. Let's press on. We should settle this ourselves," Katelyn said. Caesar shrugged, then said, "Heh. Fair enough. Just a question, Katelyn. There are no other giant cannons, right?" "I'm sorry. I had no idea they'd have any." "It's alright. They knew that we didn't know what to expect," Yulie said. "Or they know what you were expecting, which gives them an advantage," Eldore said. "Come on. We've got to stop the Sun King," Caesar said. The group started to walk towards the interior chamber where Grazel and Ledom were. As they walked, Eldore said to the group, "I'm sorry. I have changed all of your destinies in a most terrible way." "You're bringing that up, now," Sapphire asked. "Seriously, Eldore, our destinies were messed up long before you got ahold of them," Yulie said. Caesar added, "But you can whine about your mistakes like an old fart after we win. Sound good?" Katelyn punched him in the shoulder and said, "That wasn't nice." Caesar just laughed and said, "Sorry. Just saying." After many minutes of walking and encountering no more Yshrenian soldiers, the group made it to the central fortress.The group walked into the central fortress and looked across a giant lava pit to see Grazel and Ledom. "Warmest greetings, friends," he said. "Grazel," Caesar yelled out. "My, it's been a while. I can't even begin to thank you for collecting all the Knights for us. You've spared us from so much extra trouble," Ledom said. "Sarvain! You murderer," Yulie yelled at him. "Really now, you wound me with such prickly words. I thought you loved me," Ledom said. Eldore let out a huff at his words. "Why is young Leonard not with you," Ledom asked. "What do you care? I'd be more worried about us if I were you," Caesar said. "Very well then. Since you're so insistent," Ledom said, walking towards Grazel and whispering into his ear. "Excellent. I couldn't agree more. Release Brimflamme," Grazel said. The ground began to rumble and a massive door in the wall below Grazel and Ledom opened. "What," Eldore questioned. "What is that? This looks like something we won't like," Katelyn said. "This island shall be your final resting place," Grazel shouted as he walked inside the fortress behind him. "Come back Grazel! You forgot your giant monster," Caesar shouted. The monster started to hurl rocks at the group as many assassins jumped down to attack. The group began to attack, striking to kill as the assassins attempted to land a hit on them. Suddenly, a giant fireball came from Brimflamme and hurled towards where Lena was standing. Katelyn moved and quickly push Lena out of the way. They both landed on the ground as the fireball flew over their heads. Caesar yelled out her name as Sapphire pointed to a door and yelled, "This way, everyone!" Katelyn was hit with a memory as she was walking through the door. "Listen. I think there are some devices they use to restrain that thing." "Alright! Let's find them," Caesar said. The group passed through one room and another filled with more assassins before they reached a balcony that faced the firepit. As the group started to run across, Brimflamme struck his massive hand and hit the wall closest to the door they needed to go through. The monster turned its attention towards the group. Sapphire and Yulie called on their Knights, while the others attempted to hit its hands. Katelyn moved towards the door, keeping Lena behind her as she hit the monster. When she got close enough to the door, she pushed Lena in and said, "Wait there for me." Katelyn pulled from her power and struck Brimflamme with a ball of it that she manifested. The monster stumbled backwards, which gave the group the chance to run through the door. As they all stumbled through the doorway, Katelyn said, "The first restraint should be in that room ahead. Then there is another balcony between each of the next two restraints." Eldore said, "Then let's be prepared for the worst." The group made it into the next room to find a few more assassins, which they quickly fought. Lena pulled the lever as the others fought, which made the room shake as the beast let out a roar. They continued on to the next balcony, which was a bridge. Brimflamme did not turn their way as he fought against the restraints. The restraints kept him from fighting them again, but there were a few more assassins. They quickly fought them off and pushed them into the lava below before they continued to the room with the second restraint. Inside, there were a few Yshrenian soldiers who didn't stand a chance against the group. Lena went to pull the second lever as they fought and the beast let out another roar. The group fought them off and prepared to get to the last lever, but upon walking to the balcony noticed it was blocked by a large fallen pillar. "What do we do," Caesar asked. "Look for a key. There was a locked door in the last room. Maybe one of the guards have it," Eldore said. Each of them began to root through the dead guards when Katelyn noticed one under the fallen pillar. She ran towards him and searched his pocket until she triumphantly held up a key. Brimflamme turned towards her as she began to run back to the room and launched a fireball at her. She threw the key towards Lena who was standing in the doorway before looking towards the incoming fireball. She let a shield of her power block the fireball from hitting her, but didn't see the tentacle coming towards her. The tentacle grabbed Katelyn around the waist and lifted her from the ground and over the lava pit. Yulie let out a yell as she knocked and launched an arrow at it. The tentacle was hit, which made it let go of Katelyn's waist. Katelyn called on her transformation as she started to fall towards the lava pit below. She flew up from the lava as Ebonwings and landed back on the balcony that she came from. She called off her transformation quickly and followed Yulie through the doorway. Katelyn leaned against the wall of the tunnel for a moment, taking deep breaths in and out. "Did they see Brimflamme grab me?" "Lena did, but I told her I would handle it. They are headed towards the final room." "Good. Let's hurry. We need to restrain this thing before it kills one of us." With that, she continued through the tunnel and towards the door that up until a few minutes before had been locked.As they made their way to the room with the last restraint, Lena locked eyes with Katelyn and rushed to her, wrapping her in a hug. "I was so worried," Lena cried. "You don't need to worry about me, Lena. I can handle myself." "I thought the monster would throw you in the lava and I would never see you again." Katelyn held Lena as Eldore pulled the last switch. The group walked out of the room and to the last balcony to see that Brimflamme was not restrained as he should be. He was shaking against the restraints until the ones around his wrists snapped. He then turned his attention to them. The group realized then that they would have to fight Brimflamme, or at least die trying. Katelyn and Yulie called on their transformations, fighting Brimflamme with the increased strength the Knights provided. Even with all their blows, it seemed that the monster was not budging. Katelyn and Yulie changed back to their human forms just as a flash of light went across the horizon. When Katelyn looked up, she pointed, "Look!" Then, Leonard landed on the ground as the White Knight in front of Brimflamme. "Leonard," Yulie questioned. "Are you... are you sure about this," Caesar asked. "You can worry about me once we take down ugly here!" "Right. You got it," Caesar said. With those words said, Caesar and Sapphire called on their transformations to help Leonard fight against Brimflamme. The three Knights fought hard until they were all tired. But it seemed that all their efforts had paid off as Brimflamme let out a loud roar, turning and running back through the doors that he had come through. The whole island started to shake underneath their feet. Eldore looked on in horror as the island started to crumble around them. He turned and started towards the door of the central fortress with Sapphire on his heels. "We cannot stay here! Run," he yelled. "Right," Caesar said as he grabbed Katelyn and Lena. The three turned and began running after them. Yulie turned and yelled, "Leonard! Hurry," as she started running as well. Then, Leonard turned and began running out of the central fortress. The group made their way back to the Shagna and boarded, taking flight as the island exploded around them. The air was filled with smoke as they flew towards the combined fleet still on the waters. "Let's cut it a little closer next time, huh guys," Caesar said. "Let's not and say we did," Rocco said as he flew the ship. The water around the ships started to shake as the island collapsed inward on itself as they flew away from it. The Shagna landed on top of the deck of the ship Queen Cisna occupied when they reached it.The group watched as the island went up in flames and smoke. Eldore noticed that the smoke started to swirl around the island. It seemed unusual, until he realized that the smoke was hiding a flying fortress underneath. Then, the group heard Cyrus through the intercom shouting, "Alert all ships! Target that fortress! Have them shoot it down at all costs!" "No," Eldore said, looking on in horror. "They're on a collision course! They're going to crash into Balandor," Rocco yelled. "What," Caesar said as the fortress started to move closer to them to look out the windshield of the aircraft. "How do we stop them," Yulie asked. Then, a giant crash was heard and a loud roar. The group whipped around to see none other than the Demithor launching itself from the water to hold onto the flying fortress, stopping it in its flight path. It started to glow blue and turn into a solid stone as it held on for dear life. "The Demithor," Caesar asked. "It turned itself to stone to stop that thing," Eldore said. "But look. It won't be able to hold out much longer," Katelyn said as cracks started to form on its body. "Come on! Let's bust into that fortress," Leonard said. "What? That is insane! Very not sane," Rocco yelled out. Just then, the door opened and Cisna walked in, accompanied by General Scardigne. She said, "It's what has to be done. I'm going too. It is my fight as much as yours." Osmund walked in behind her and said, "Step aside, Rocco, so I can show those Yshrenian nincompoops who owns the sky!" "Yes sir," Rocco said, moving out of the driver's seat. Osmund took the wheel and started to lift the Shagna into the air. Katelyn said to the group, "I just hope we can take him down and not have to worry anymore after this. We really all need a vacation." The group around her nodded in agreement as they started to fly towards the fortress in the sky.
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The ship flew towards the Garmatha as shots fired through the air all around it. The group held on tight as Osmund swerved and turned the ship upside down to evade the obstacles coming towards them. Then, the worst happened. The ship was hit in the left wing. The ship tilted as the wing fell off and Osmund yelled put, "Hold onto something. We are going in for a crash landing!" The ship landed between two pointed rocks on the edge of the floating fortress and everyone took a breath of relief as they realized they didn't die a burning and fiery death. As the group departed to look around, Leonard said, "Grazel is in here somewhere." "It's the final showdown. There is nowhere else to run," Caesar said. "Yeah," Katelyn agreed. She felt the need to vomit from the flips they had done in midair but was trying to hold her stomach. The smell of the fortress wasn't making things any better, because to her it smelled like death. Just then, a chirping came from Sapphire's Ark. She looked at it confused, shaking it a few times before a hologram of Framboise popped up in front of her. "Hey," the hologram crackled. "Can you hear me," Framboise asked. Sapphire said, "Yes. What's going on?" "I know you are heading into the Garmatha, so I took the opportunity to load your Incorruptus with some new weapons that are more powerful. Try them out and let me know how they work later." "Thank you, Framboise," Sapphire said with a nod. "Over and out," Framboise said as her hologram disappeared. The group began to spread out as skeletons, what appeared to be undead soldiers, and a Wyvern headed their way. Katelyn told Lena, "Stick close to me. I don't want anything to happen to you." Lena nodded and said, "I will. Let's go get them." Katelyn pulled out her sword and raised it, ready to strike the first skeleton running her way. She struck it, shattering the bones before casting the holy light spell she had been taught. She continued with Lena following her. Lena helped her to defeat the enemies as they made their way towards the Wyvern. Katelyn called on her transformation to attack the Wyvern as Caesar did the same. The two started to attack the Wyvern as the others finished off the smaller enemies. The Wyvern fell as Katelyn and Caesar dealt it deadly strikes. They both called off their transformations as the group gathered around them. They all started to walk towards the door that separated them from the heart of the Garmatha. Eldore asked, "Are you all prepared? This is the one fight that matters most." Yulie said, "I hope this is finally the end. I pray it is." "They won't escape us again. It ends here," Eldore replied. Cisna said, "Now is the time to protect the lands Archduke Dalam, Count Drisdall, and my father loved. One last battle and this war can end." "Everything we’ve fought for comes down to this," Leonard said. Yulie replied, "Yeah! If we don’t stop them, no one will." Eldore said, "Ten thousand years’ worth of struggle is now hinged upon one fight." Katelyn said, "Either we win it, or we die trying. But we will come out victorious." Sapphire said, "Works for me." Caesar replies, "Right. So… no pressure." Yulie said, "Balandor would have been destroyed if they Demithor hadn’t shown up." Katelyn and Caesar both looked at each other as Caesar said, "Thank you Demithor! Just hold out a little longer." Before they went to open the door, Leonard took a last glance back at their ship and commented, "We have put the Shagna through a lot, huh?" Sapphire laughed and commented back sarcastically, "Oh yeah. Destroying it sure is a lot, isn't it?" Eldore opened the door and said, "Okay everyone. Everything rides on this battle! Gather all your wits!" Yulie walked through the open door and said, "This mobile fortress has to be their last stronghold." Cisna followed, commenting, "We’ll topple the Yshrenian Empire together." "Come on, this is it," Leonard said as he walked through the door, motioning for the others to follow. "Grazel, I'm coming for you. I'll try to bring Setti home." "It's so hard to think that Setti is family, so he is our responsibility in a way," Caesar said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. The rest of the group walked through the doors to find the Yshrenian's next surprise.As they walked through the door, the group was faced with a Pyredaemos Rex a couple of meters ahead of them. It was much like the one that part of the group had encountered in Balandor on the night of the Princess' eighteenth birthday. Yulie and Sapphire called on their transformations to fight it, pulling on the power of ice to defeat it. After many minutes of fighting, an arrow of Yulie's hit the creature in the eye. The group continued to fight it until it collapsed onto its side and its turrets went out. That is when they knew it was dead. "What is with all these monsters," Lena asked. "I don't know. Let's hope that is the last of them," Katelyn replied. The group continued onwards through a tunnel, finding themselves at a magical transport pad. "Is this the way in," Katelyn asked. Scardigne kneeled on the pad and said, "I believe so, my lady." "Right. No stopping now. Not until we finish this," Caesar said as he pulled Katelyn and Lena onto the pad. "This war will rage on as long as Ledom draws breath," Cisna said, walking onto the platform. Sapphire walked onto the platform and said, "No hell is deep enough for Ledom." "Leonard, are you okay," Yulie asked, seeing that he was having a hard time even walking straight. He walked onto the pad and said, "Yeah... I'm in this till the end. I won't transform again after this, Cisna. I promise," Leonard said as he walked onto the pad. "I believe in you, Leonard," she told him. "Now, remember, we should not all transform into our Knights at the same time. It could have dire consequences," Katelyn said. Eldore stepped onto the pad and said, "Let's listen to Katelyn. We don't want Madoras to rise if we can help it." Scardigne activated the transport pad. The group disappeared from the pad and reappeared in the heart of the Garmatha. They looked up to see Grazel and Ledom standing above them. Grazel was sat on a throne with his elbow resting on the side. His chin was propped on his hand like he had been waiting a while. "You certainly took your time, friends," Grazel said as he looked down upon the group. Cisna stepped to the front of the group and told him, "Grazel. Your evil ambitions end here!" Ledom stepped up and outstretched his arms, saying, "My goodness, if it isn't Princess Cisna. Oh dear... now where are my manners?" He closed his hands together and said, "I suppose now we all ought to be calling you Queen Mureas?" Cisna then turned to Ledom to say, "And you! You were behind all of this, Ledom. You have been trying to revive the Yshrenian Empire all along." Ledom let out a laugh and said, "Of course. I am an Ancient. I crossed through time and waited for this moment. And now, my wait is nearly over." Eldore whispered, "A fellow traveler." Cisna said, "So where does this stop? How many more lives are you willing to throw away?" Ledom began to laugh and said, "Throw away? Any life ended in the name of my master is a life well spent." "So much for moral gray area," Caesar said. Ledom then turned to Grazel and asked, "Wouldn't you agree, Grazel?" "Indeed. Friends, you have my deepest thanks for bringing the Knights together. Truly. However, they belong to my empire. They always have. And you will give them back," Grazel said to the group. Leonard stepped in front of Cisna and said, "Please, Cisna, find some place safe." He then turned to face Grazel who still stood above the group and said, "Grazel! We didn’t come here to talk politics with you. Let’s just skip to the end. Your stupid war is over!" Grazel countered back, "The end, Leonard? Oh no. This is a new beginning. The sun has risen again on Yshrenian history!" He pulled out his Ark, placing the mask on his face as he said, "Verto!" He jumped down as the Sun King in front of the group. Then, Katelyn noticed she was not in control of her arms. She looked up to see Ledom chanting a spell and said, "He is forcing us to use our Knights. We have to fight him!" But, no matter how hard she tried, her arms felt like they were being controlled by someone pulling the strings. She then was forced to say her transformation phrase at the same time as Yulie, Leonard, and Caesar. They all cried out, "Verto!" The five Knights all were transformed at the same, which could only mean one thing, "We all lost. Madoras will rise." As she said the words, a shift happened in the air around them and Katelyn could feel a dark power awakening.The Knight's began to shake before the power poured from the Black Knight, Dragon Knight, Moon Maiden, and Sun King into the White Knight. Katelyn could feel pain throughout her body before her transformation wore off and she collapsed to her knees. She saw Caesar on the ground not too far from her and crawled her way towards him. Each movement felt like knives were carving into her skin. Leonard let out a scream as a black sphere enveloped his Knight. "Oh no," Eldore said. "Leonard," Cisna cried out. Katelyn was finally able to stand as Scardigne and Lena pulled her from the ground. "Where is Grazel," she asked. They pointed towards where he was still on his knees on the ground. "Lena, get me to him," she asked. Lena helped her to hobble next to him. "Grazel, please, let me speak to Setti. Madoras is rising and I need to speak to him." Katelyn could see a flash of recognition in his eyes as they battled to change colors. Ledom came down the steps as he said, "Figured it out, have you? Well, you can't stop it. At long last my ten thousand year wait has reached its glorious conclusion." Grazel looked towards Ledom and asked, "High Priest Ledom, what is the meaning of this?" "You are one fool of a boy. You heard the girl! He is returning to us! Emperor Madoras is about to awaken!" "But... I thought I was the reincarnation of the Emperor." Ledom just laughed as he walked past Grazel and Katelyn on the ground. "Please, Setti. Speak to me," Katelyn whispered, using a hand to have him face her. Grazel's eyes shifted color again, and he said, "I'm sorry, sister. For the pain I have caused." "We can fix this. Join us, Setti. We can talk later, but the time has come for us to work together." Grazel stood and pulled Katelyn with him. His hair didn't change, but his eyes did. They were the bright green that she remembered Setti having. It was like the two sides of him had merged. "I will join you, sister. Let us kill this monster." Katelyn pulled Setti towards the group that stood before Ledom. Ledom said, "Soon, my most ardent wish will be fulfilled. Your roles have come to an end. I shall sacrifice your lives in the name of Madoras." He pulled out his sword as the group pulled out their weapons. Cisna joined, pulling out her sword as well. The group started to gang up on Ledom, trying to weaken his power to the best of their ability. Cisna ended up pulling out an Ark that was created by Framboise and called out, "Verto!" She threw the spinning top as she transformed into a Knight. It was different shades of ivory and pink. Katelyn said, "The Ivory Empress." Cisna pulled out the Knight's sword and sliced Ledom across the stomach and chest. He fell to the ground with a cry. She transformed back and he asked, "You mean to kill me? Go ahead. But the future has already been written. Emperor Madoras had descended from on high to rule us!" "You killed my mother, my father, Archduke Dalam. What did you get out it? Absolutely nothing. You are a pathetic excuse of a man," she said as she took her sword out of her holster. She was about to swing it towards him when the giant sphere of darkness faded. There was now a man standing there and it was not Leonard. There was no way to describe how evil he looked. Katelyn realized who he was, whispering, "Madoras." She stepped back and grabbed both Sapphire's and Lena's hands. "Your Excellency," Ledom cried out. With a wave of his staff, he said, "Ledom. Rest now. You have borne your burden well." With that, Ledom disappeared in a flash of purple. Madoras turned towards the group and said, "Now that the pawns have been scattered from the board... Greetings Mureas." "What have you done," Cisna asked. "Whatever I please. The pact makers are merely pawns of war." "Where is Leonard," she asked. "He took his body. His soul has been plunged into darkness," Katelyn said. "We must save him from this evil." Madoras said, "Greetings Fury. I see you have found your sisters." "You will not win," Katelyn said. "Give Leonard back," Cisna yelled out. "You mean to defy me, Mureas. You cannot win," Madoras said. "I will stop you," Cisna said. "Is that so? Then by all means... come and stop me," he said, raising his staff. The staff started to glow before enveloping Madoras. A larger shape began to form in his place. The group realized that it was the White Knight, but it had a sinister appearance. Its face was black with a glowing purple mouth and eyes. "No," Cisna cried out. "Stay back, Your Grace! This is our fight," Yulie said, stepping in front of her. "We must prevail at all costs," Eldore said, stepping to stand beside her. "Right," Caesar said, moving to Yulie's other side. Setti came to stand beside Caesar, saying, "I will join you in this fight." Katelyn, Sapphire, and Lena held onto each other, forming a barrier in front of Cisna. Power flared between the three of them that they let loose towards Madoras. "Leonard, man. I know you are still in there," Caesar yelled out as he ran towards Madoras. "We'll save you Leonard, I promise," Yulie said, knocking her bow and letting loose her first shot. Eldore said, "Madoras, I will fight you to my last breath. "All the world's misery began with this man," Katelyn said, letting loose another shot of power from her body. "And the misery will end without him," Sapphire said. The group fought tooth and nail without any Knights, working to take down Madoras. Madoras was powerful, but with the numbers against him, it seemed that he would lose this fight. After many strikes from the three Furies powerful magic, and the attacks from the rest of the group, Madoras' Knight took a knee. One more strike made his Knight fall over as he transformed back into his human form. Cisna's hands began to glow as she walked around the three Furies blocking her from the battle. She let out her ancient power in a stream that hit Madoras in the chest. Madoras let out a roar of pain and yelled out, "Mureas... You she-devil!" Cisna continued with her power, separating Leonard from Madoras. Both Madoras and Leonard yelled out, "Cisna!" "Leonard," Cisna whispered. Madoras was on his knees while Leonard was unconscious beside him. "Mureas... must you always... stand in my way," Madoras said. He let out a yell and disappeared in a puff of black smoke. "Leonard," Yulie yelled out, running towards him. Cisna looked at Leonard and smiled before passing out as well. Eldore caught her and picked her up bridal style. The place started to crumble around the group. Caesar helped Yulie to pick up Leonard and yelled, "Hey guys! We gotta go! Like now!" "Quickly," Eldore yelled out as he started toward the exit. Katelyn, Sapphire, Lena, and Setti ran after Eldore as Caesar and Yulie carried Leonard out. A ship was waiting at the edge of the fortress, which the group quickly ran to. The ground behind them caved in as they ran. They made it to the ship just in time as the fortress completely fell into the water. A big wave hit the side of the ship as the group looked back at what had been the Garmatha. Now, there was nothing in sight but water.The group headed back to Balandor intact. Katelyn held Caesar and Lena close to her, glad that they were all safe. Setti was sat to the side by himself, looking more like the brother Kara and Caesar had known growing up. "Will you come back to Greede with us, brother," Katelyn asked him. "I don't know what I want to do, yet. He is still there in the back of my mind. I can hear him, but I feel that I have merged with him now." "We can help you. You just have to trust us. We are family," Katelyn replied. "Were you telling the truth when you said you will be a mother soon," he asked her. "I was. You could be a part of my children's lives, be their uncle." "Thank you, sister. The kindness you have offered me, after everything. It warms my heart," he said. His hair started to turn from white to black, the true Setti shining through. The boat made its way back to Balandor, where the people cheered for their return. Cisna and Leonard were both conscious, but out of it as the group got off the boat. "Come on, everyone. Let's go get our things and go home," Katelyn said. They all headed toward the castle where doctors were already waiting to check on everyone. Doctors checked over everyone and said that they were all fine. Cisna and Leonard were told to rest and not push themselves for a few days while they healed from the exhaustion. Yulie said she was going back to Parma for a while. Eldore said he would escort her safely to her home. Sapphire said she would join Caesar, Katelyn, Lena, and Setti until she reached Albana, for all she wanted was to go home. So, the groups set off after saying their goodbyes. Katelyn didn't know what her home would be like without the Demithor, but what she did know is that her family could finally rest and put this whole war behind them.
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Before leaving Balandor, Katelyn picked up Nightmare. The same man she had met a few days prior was happy to see her return victorious from battle. A day of travel went by and the group dropped Sapphire off in Albana. Katelyn, Caesar, Lena, and Setti continued onwards until they reached a good stopping place to camp. They continued their travel the next day until they returned to Greede. Upon returning to the Gondola Station that flew to Greede, they could see the city was in a dreary state of what it had been when it was on the back of the Demithor. The city was laid on the ground at the bottom of the mountains. Katelyn dismounted from her horse and led him over to the stables next to the Gondola Station, leading him into one of the stalls. Lena looked down at Greede and asked, "How did the city get off of the Demithor?" Caesar said, "In case something happened to the Demithor, Amir had a ramp of sorts added to its back to protect the city from being completely destroyed." Katelyn looked to Caesar as the four boarded the gondola and remarked, "We will need a new system for transporting people and materials to and from the mines." "We will have a lot to figure out. I'm sure the people are waiting for us to return before making any changes." As they flew through the sky to the city, Katelyn noticed people below gathered in every part of the city, even after the death of the Demithor. The four landed in the train station next to the manor. Katelyn couldn't wait to explore the manor that she had only been inside of for a few days. "Is that the Drisdall Manor," Lena asked as they approached. Katelyn nodded and said, "It's huge, isn't it? I haven't even had a chance to fully explore it yet." "I'll show you three around the manor and find Lena and Setti rooms to stay in. There are plenty for them to choose from, but I know there are a few that are more girly than others." Katelyn nodded and leaned towards his ear, whispering, "We also need a bit of privacy after the Yulie situation the last time." "We definitely do," he said back to her. When they arrived, the steward of the manor came out and said, "Lord Caesar, welcome home. I see that you have guests as well." "This is actually Katelyn. The spell keeping her identity hidden broke while we were away. This is Lena, Kara's sister. We are going to be adopting her. And this is Setti. Me and Kara were raised with him as children, so he is like our brother." "Lady Katelyn, it is a pleasure seeing you again. Your appearance has changed drastically since I last saw you. And Lady Lena, Setti, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. The royals and leaders of the different factions have been waiting for you all to return from battle. With the Demithor gone, the people have much to figure out." "Yes. I know there are a lot of things we need to discuss. Let us get settled in. We will hold a meeting over dinner later tonight if you can invite them all and have the chefs prepare a feast for everyone. We have news to share." The steward looked down as Caesar grabbed Katelyn's hand, noticing the ring glinting from her finger. He said, "Ahh... I guess congratulations are in order. When is the big day?" Katelyn said, "Well, the big wedding will be soon. But..." Caesar continued and said, "The Don married us when we were traveling through Albana." The steward gave Caesar a knowing look and said, "You are much like your father in that aspect." Caesar said, "What do you mean?" "He married your mother before their actual wedding because he was just too impatient. That wedding was only attended by a few close friends." "That's exactly what we had. It was when we were on the way to Balandor." "I'm assuming there is other news as well." Katelyn asked, "Why don't you join us at dinner? There is a lot to discuss and we could use your input on the future of Greede. You've known it for more years than either of us." Caesar nodded and said, "That sounds like a great idea. I trust you. You were one of my father's best friends and it would only be right for you to join us. You have kept Greede running in my stead, so you know the ups and downs." The steward replied, "Yes, sir. I will get the preparations started and will join you tonight. See you in a little while." With that, he made his way inside and towards the kitchens.Caesar wrapped his arm around Katelyn and said, "Do you want me to call in a nurse to check on you, or do you want me to call in an old friend who knows a few tricks?" "What old friend," Katelyn asked. Just then, Rosa came running around the corner and pulled Katelyn in for a hug. "My dear, you are back. And you look so beautiful. You are positively glowing," she said as stood back to take a look. "I think I found that old friend of ours. Rosa, it is so good to see you. You recognize me," Katelyn asked her. "Of course, my dear. Who else would this boy be with other than you? Oh, and who is this darling little princess," she asked, moving towards Lena. "This is Lena, Kara's sister, my sister. We plan to adopt her." "Oh, that is so wonderful. Another beautiful girl to dress up around the house." Lena giggled as Rosa moved to part and fluff her hair. "I have a question, Rosa. Do you know anything about pregnancies?" "I was a nurse in my younger years. I know a few things. Oh my gosh... do you think you are expecting?" "Actually, I am certain that I am. My period was late when we were in Balandor. A nurse there saw me, but said things were just starting to come together." "Okay. Well, let's get you to your room and I will examine you," Rosa said. She started to lead Katelyn down the hall and towards the room her and Caesar had been sharing. "Okay. You get settled and changed into something more comfortable. I will be in after I get my instruments." Katelyn made her way in and decided to change out of the armor she had been wearing for the past few days. She grabbed a loose-fitting shirt and pants before going to wipe off some excess dirt from her body in the bathroom. After cleaning herself as best she could with a rag, she applied extra deodorant before heading back into the room. She sat down on the small couch and waited for Rosa to return. Rosa knocked a few minutes later with Lena in tow. Katelyn could see that Lena had changed into a dress with the same slippers she had found in Balandor. "Okay, my dear. I am going to teach you a few things about pregnancy while I look over Mrs. Katelyn, alright?" Lena nodded and said, "Yes ma'am. I am ready to learn." Rosa said, "Katelyn, I am going to start by taking your vitals if you don't mind." Rosa pulled out a small watch and held onto Katelyn's wrist, checking her heart rate and respirations at the same time. She then pulled out a device to check her blood pressure that looked very similar to one's in Katelyn's world. After that, she said, "Your vitals are perfect. Now, if you would like to lay down for a moment so I can see your abdomen." Katelyn turned and laid back on the couch as Rosa gently pulled her shirt up a few inches. Rosa placed a palm over Katelyn's abdomen and said to Lena, "Listen closely to my words. This is an old incantation used to detect pregnancy. You will feel the life force of the individual and the growing child respond." Rosa said a few words slowly and closed her eyes as she let the power rush through. Lena said, "I feel it. Is that three life forces?" Rosa nodded and said, "Something is growing inside of you. Not just one something, but two." Katelyn looked down at her stomach and asked Rosa, "Twins?" Lena ran out of the room with a shout of, "I'm going to get Caesar." Rosa lowered Katelyn's shirt as she sat up and said, "Yes dear. It appears you are pregnant with twins. Double the fun." Katelyn looked down and rubbed a hand along her stomach, whispering, "How long do pregnancies last in this world?" "About 35 to 40 weeks typically," Rosa replied. Katelyn said, "I am probably a little over a week in. It seems unreal." Caesar came into the room and said, "Lena said you needed me. What's going on?" Katelyn said, "You may need to sit down for the news." Caesar sat down then asked, "Rosa, what is going on? Is everything alright?" "Everything is amazing, dear. It seems that Katelyn has just found out about a surprise." Caesar turned to Katelyn and said, "Really? What is going on? It's good news, right?" Katelyn took one of Caesar's hands and placed it on her stomach. She said, "Well, it seems that something we talked about has turned out to be double the surprise. They will be expected in a little less than nine months." Caesar took his second hand and placed it on Katelyn's face. "You mean twins? We are having twins?" Katelyn nodded with a scrunched face and said, "Double the dirty diapers and double the trouble. We need to get this wedding over with before I get much bigger." Caesar hugged Katelyn to him as a few tears fell from his eyes. He moved off of the couch and sat in front of Katelyn, lifting her shirt. "Hey there little ones. I'm your dad. I know that you will be in there a while longer, but I want you both to know I love you and can't wait to see you in nine months." Tears fell from the corners of Katelyn's eyes as she watched Caesar talk to her stomach. She looked up towards Rosa who nodded at her before leaving the room. Finally, Caesar stood and said, "You have made me the happiest man alive. I can't wait to tell everyone the news." "We should probably bathe and get changed into some nicer clothes for the dinner later this evening. I am sick of wearing armor constantly." "I really hope you won't have to wear it all the time now. For now, let's go get that bath." With that, Caesar picked Katelyn up bridal style and carried her toward the bathroom.No matter how long they would be together, Katelyn would always love how Caesar treated her like she was fragile, even when he knew she definitely wasn't. Caesar ran the bath and let Katelyn choose what bubble bath to use. They both stripped out of their clothes and walked into the large tub that Katelyn would never get tired of. Caesar let her lean against his chest as he washed her hair and body. After he washed her, Katelyn took the time to wash his hair and body before rinsing the both of them off. They both sat there and enjoyed the water for a little bit, enjoying the time that they now got to spend together. When the water started to feel chilly against her skin, Katelyn said, "We should probably get out." Caesar said, "We should. I guarantee people are going to start looking for us if we don't." Caesar got out first and towel dried his hair and body before wrapping the towel around his waist. He then held a towel open as Katelyn got out of the tub, wrapping it around her. Then, he towel-dried her hair, wringing the excess water out before wrapping her hair in a towel. He asked, "Do you want me to get Rosa to help dress you?" Katelyn said, "Yes, but I think I want to wear a specific dress." Caesar said, "Lead the way."Katelyn went into the closet that she had stowed a few articles of clothing in and found the dress she was looking for. It was different from many of the others, with a velvet body and a lace netting around the shoulders and all the way down the arms. It hugged around the midsection before flowing to the ground. "What do you think? Should I wear this," Katelyn asked Caesar. "It's beautiful. I think my mother wore this once," he said, heading towards a trunk and pulling out a photo album. He flipped to a page and said, "My father had a shirt and pants made to match. I wonder if I can find them." He pulled out a photo of a much younger Count and Countess. In the photo, Caesar's mother was wearing the same dress that Katelyn was holding. "She was beautiful," Katelyn said while admiring the photo. Caesar's mother had an exotic beauty that not many people possessed. "And they looked so happy together." "They were. This photo was taken a few years before I was brought under their care. I wish I could have known my mother for longer. She passed when I was just a kid, only a little over a year after I came here. She really loved my dad and she really loved me." "And I am sure that one day we will both meet them again," Katelyn said, hugging Caesar, "But not for a long while." "Agreed," Caesar said. "Now, let's get ready for that feast. Do you want me to help you into the dress, or do you want to do your hair first?" "I think that I am going to put on some makeup. Can you get Rosa for me and make sure Lena is ready?" "Yes. Though you are beautiful without any makeup." "I don't like a lot of makeup. Just a natural look to go with the dress. And make sure to put some clothes on first," Katelyn said. Caesar laughed, walking into the closet, coming out in a shirt and pants a few minutes later. He went over and placed a kiss on Katelyn's head, whispering, "I'll see you later, my wife." With that, he left the room. Katelyn applied some blush, eyeshadow, mascara, and lipstick while she waited for Rosa.A few minutes later, Rosa burst into the room. "I'm here, my lady. Lord Caesar said you would like my help getting ready?' "Yes, Rosa. I was just wondering if you could do my hair in an updo?" "Of course. Sorry I'm a bit out of breath. I was just wrangling your munchkin. She is washed and dressed." "Oh, you didn't have to do that," Katelyn said. "Oh, yes I did. That child had so much dirt on her. It was a sight to see. I also had her boots sent to be cleaned. The poor thing had them caked in mud." "We had a long journey back. We walked all the way here from Balandor. It took us three days to return. I can admit that none of us washed in that time." Rosa laughed and said, "Now that explains it. Let's get your hair finished and get you dressed." Rosa started brushing and working Katelyn's hair, pulling strands in different directions, pulling it into an elegant bun. She had Katelyn turn her head different ways to make sure that it would not fall throughout the rest of the day. After tucking pieces in with bobby pins that still hung loose, she finally said," It's done, dear." Katelyn looked and said, "It's beautiful. Will you help me into the dress as well?" Rosa said, "Of course. Where is the dress?" Katelyn said, "Right there." Rosa went over to the dress as Katelyn stood and said, "I remember when the Countess wore this dress. She only wore it once long ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. She would be so proud to call you her daughter." "Thank you, Rosa. It means a lot to me to hear you say that. You aren't upset about me wanting to wear the dress, are you?" "No, of course not. It's a beautiful dress. You definitely do not need a corset with it. Let me get you the right undergarments. Give me just a moment." Rosa left the room and returned a few minutes later with a bra and panties that matched the color of the dress, as well as a pair of velvet shoes that matched the dress. "These were originally made to be worn with the dress, but the original Countess didn't wear them because she wanted to tease her husband. They are still brand new. You both seem to be the same size in the bust, so hopefully this will fit." Rosa helped Katelyn to try on the bra and it fit like a glove. She pulled the panties up and said, "It is so weird that we were the same size." Rosa held the dress out for Katelyn to step into and helped guide her arms through the holes. Then, she zipped the back up. Katelyn stepped into the shoes before turning to face the mirror and gasped. "The dress is beautiful. It fits like a glove." Katelyn turned to admire herself from different angles before saying, "I look so much like her when I wear this. It's crazy." "You are beautiful my dear. Come with me. I want to see Lord Caesar's reaction when he sees you in the dress." Katelyn followed Rosa to where Caesar was.When the two women found Caesar, Katelyn couldn't help but stare as Caesar wore the same outfit his father had in the photo. "Wow. You look amazing," Katelyn said. Caesar turned towards her and was left speechless at the sight before him. Caesar came towards her and took her hand, placing a small kiss on the back of her hand. "My lady. You look even more gorgeous than usual in that dress," Caesar said. Katelyn blushed as Caesar pulled her against him. Katelyn heard a camera shutter go off as she lifted a hand toward Caesar's face. She placed a kiss on his lips and heard another shutter. She then turned to see Lena holding two photos out for Rosa to look at them. "They look like two people in love, don't they dearie," Rosa asked Lena. The young girl replied, "Absolutely. Can you get a photo of me with them?" Lena ran over in a light blue dress with a short poufy skirt. Katelyn wrapped an arm around the young girl as Rosa took another picture of the three. "You all look amazing. Are you all ready for the feast?" "Yes. I believe we are as ready as ever," Katelyn told her with a nod. Caesar said, "They will all love you. You fought for this world when you didn't even know it. I'm sure that alone will win them over." Katelyn grabbed Lena's hand in one of hers and Caesar's in the other. She said, "Let's go." "Thank you, Rosa. For everything," Katelyn called out as the three started towards the grand dining room. Setti met them on the way, dressed in a pair of khaki pants and a button up shirt. "How do I look? I would like to make a good impression after my other hall's mistakes." "You look dashing Setti. I'm sure the ladies will love you," Katelyn said. "You look beautiful sister. Are you ready for this," he asked her. "As ready as I will ever be," Katelyn replied. With that, they walked to the door of the grand dining room.When they arrived, a man at the door asked for their names and titles before opening the door and announcing, "Now introducing the Count and Countess of Greede, Lord Caesar Drisdall and Lady Katelyn Drisdall, accompanied by the Honorable Lady Lena and their brother, Lord Setti." The four walked into the room with many sets of eyes following them. Caesar sat at the end of the large table. Katelyn waited as Caesar pulled out her chair beside him. She sat and allowed him to push in her chair before he did the same with Lena on the other side. Setti sat to Katelyn's left. Caesar then sat and said, "I welcome you all to my home today to go over plans for the future of Greede, as well as to introduce my new wife, Katelyn. I also would like to introduce her sister who we will be adopting, Lena, and our brother, Setti. Does anyone have any questions before we dig in?" Many different hands raised at the same time. Caesar gestured to the person sitting closest them, a woman a little older than Katelyn. "Go ahead with your question," he said. She said, "I would like to congratulate you both, but I'm sure we are all dying to hear the story of how you two met and when you eloped." "We actually met here in Greede. Katelyn was a traveler that was trying to get directions and I just happened to be around. This was during the plague, so it wasn't the best of times here. It turns out Father Yggdra sent her here, but didn't tell her the reason. The reason was because he knew we would have a connection. Even though she wasn't a fighter before coming here, she stuck by me through defeating the Netherwyrm that was causing the plague and the war against Yshrenia. We grew close and decided to elope with our friends present in Albana. We caught up with her sister, Lena, in Balandor during the war. The two don't have their parents around anymore, so we decided that we would adopt her." The lady nodded and said, "I respect your decision in marrying her. If she can stay by your side during the worst of times, then she will surely stand by your side during the best. It means that she is loyal, which is the most important part of being a Countess. Being loyal not only to your family, but your people." "Any other questions," Caesar asked the table. Another lady raised her hand. She was a slightly older woman who looked to be of a high status, so Katelyn responded, "Yes ma'am. You can go ahead with your question?" "There was some news that was circulating and I just wanted to know if the rumor is true. Are you pregnant with Lord Caesar's child?" Katelyn nodded and said, "I actually am, but only by a little over a week. And it appears that we will be expecting twins." "Twins. That is quite the blessing. Have you both decided who would be the future heir to Greede?" "We haven't discussed much on the subject yet. If we were both to pass suddenly before our children were of an old enough age, I would wish for Lena to take my place if she wanted it. If not, a friend of ours would surely take over. But, like I said, it is not a question that we have discussed." "And it is really not a good question to discuss when there is other happier news to discuss. We will be having a more official wedding in Faria soon, with both Queen Cisna and Archduchess Miu in attendance. If anyone wishes to be at the wedding, we will surely have travel plans made. Any other questions?" A man raised his hand and Caesar pointed to him. "How did the war with Yshrenia end?" "It's a complicated story because there were a lot of unexpected twists and turns in the events that took place," Katelyn started. Caesar said, "We didn't need to defeat Grazel. He was not the orchestrator of the events. Ledom was trying to bring back the reincarnation of Madoras. Ledom and Madoras are both dead after a long battle. Grazel was actually the evil side to a two-sided coin and joined us in their defeat." Setti looked down at his lap and then said, "I would like to start by saying that I am sorry about the war. You see, I actually grew up with the pact makers. I was the eldest, but had a problem with my personality. I have two sides, one good and one evil. Grazel was my evil side and he is currently disposed of. I don't believe that he will ever resurface after learning that he was not the Yshrenian emperor. Katelyn reached through and helped me at the end of the war when I thought all was lost. I will be staying by my family's side for as long as they will have me." Everyone at the table started murmuring between themselves and Caesar said, "Okay. Now that there are no more questions, let's start the feast." With those words, servers came out from the kitchen with heaping platters of different foods. Talk about the future of Greede began, and soon everyone had worked together to concoct a plan crazy enough to keep the mining business in Greede a thing. It would just take time to see if their plans would work out. After talking about the future of their city, talk about wedding dates, themes, and dress code started between the women while most of the men opted to move to the lounge to have drinks. Katelyn was happy to have so many women to interact with and found that she may actually enjoy being the Countess of Greede if this was how the future would be. She felt that somehow, Caesar's mother had granted her blessing for Katelyn to take her place and knew in her mind that she could be the perfect leader as long as Caesar was by her side.
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A few weeks later, Katelyn stood in a Farian dressing room as Yulie and Sapphire helped her to dress for her big day. Rosa had already finished her hair and makeup, so she left to help the rest of the wedding party finish getting ready. Katelyn held the dress to her front as Yulie and Sapphire finished buttoning it up the back. Looking at herself in the mirror in the body-hugging wedding gown, Katelyn could see the changes in her body from the pregnancy. After almost two months of pregnancy, she had grown a small bump that was definitely accentuated by the dress. It had taken three fittings to get the dress to fit her perfectly for the big day, and she was thankful for all the help she had received in making it happen. After Yulie and Sapphire finished buttoning up her dress and helping her into a pair of white flats, a knock was heard on the door. A head peeked through that Katelyn was not expecting to see at her wedding. "Kara, what are you doing here," Katelyn asked, rushing over to hug the girl who had walked through the door. "I still pray to Father Yggdra daily and he answered. He told me you were getting married to Caesar. You look beautiful by the way. Your family found me out when you broke the spell keeping our appearances switched, but it didn't matter to them. They accepted me with open arms, happy that you were happy here. When they found you were getting married, they knew that they couldn't miss your big day. They are waiting to see you." Katelyn asked, "Wait, my parents and brother are here?" Kara nodded as Katelyn said, "Lead the way." When she made her way to the main foyer, she saw her parents and immediately dashed to them, pulling them into a hug. "Mom, dad. I've missed you so much." Her mom said, "My baby girl, you look so grown." Her father said, "You definitely spread your wings. We couldn't be prouder of you." She then turned go find her younger brother who had grown taller in her absence and said, "You look older than me at this point. Come here." He pulled her into a hug and said, "You look beautiful, Kate." "How did you all get here? I'm so confused." Kara said, "A little magic gifted by Father Yggdra brought us here." "I'm so glad you all are here. Have you met Caesar, yet? Or any of my friends?" Her mother said, "No sweetie. We haven't yet. We just got here." Katelyn told Yulie to go grab the others so that she could introduce them. Yulie came back with the whole gang in tow. Katelyn pulled Caesar to her as he said, "I thought I wasn't supposed to see you until you walked down the aisle?" "Well, plans have changed. We are already married anyway. These are my parents and my brother," Katelyn said, gesturing to where they all stood. Caesar instantly bowed to them and said, "It is a pleasure meeting you. I hope you are not angry with me for not asking for permission to marry your daughter." Katelyn's mother took Caesar by the hand and pulled him into a hug. "You have made our little girl happy and that is all we can ask for." Katelyn's father held out a hand to Caesar and said, "Welcome to the family, son." Caesar shook his hand, then turned to Katelyn's brother. Katelyn's brother said, "If you ever hurt my sister, they will never find your body." Caesar held his hands up in surrender and said, "I would never think about it." Katelyn then said, "Let me introduce everyone else to you guys. This is Eldore, a knight who came forward in time ten thousand years to help us with the recent war. This is Leonard, originally a wine maker's apprentice who became a knight and is now dating Queen Cisna. This is Queen Cisna of Balandor, who is the reincarnation of a queen from ten thousand years ago, Mureas. This is Yulie, originally from Parma. She is an ace when it comes to using a bow. This is Archduchess Miu, the leader of Faria, which is where we are now. This is General Scardigne, one of her top warriors. This is Sapphire, originally from Albana. Great with a sword and good at dancing. She was originally friends with Kara. This is Setti, the eldest brother who was raised with the pact makers. He has changed for the better and rejoined our family. You met Kara in our world. Where is Lena," Katelyn asked looking around. Rosa came down the hall and said, "I lost her after dressing her. Where is that little munchkin?" "Lena is alive," Kara asked, looking around wide eyed. "It's a long story, but yes. She was brought back by me with the power of the Furies." "We must find her," Kara said. "She is probably outside running around the gardens. That child loves to be mischievous like someone else I know," Katelyn said, looking towards Caesar.Katelyn walked towards the garden doors and opened them to find Lena sitting on the fountain outside. "What in the world are you doing, child," Katelyn asked. "Watching the fish. Look," Lena said pointing. There were small fish in the fountain swimming around, probably due to it connecting to the stream. "They are pretty. Oh, someone is here to see you," Katelyn said, glancing back towards the door where Kara stood. Lena looked over and gasped at the sight of her sister. "Kara, you are back!" "Have Katelyn and Caesar been taking good care of you in my absence?" "Yes. They've been the best. I get to wear pretty dresses, learn to fight, read, ride horses, and everything. They even adopted me while you were gone." "Gosh, I've missed you," Kara said, pulling her sister into a tight hug. "Okay, now that everyone has been introduced, we need four more chairs added to the front row and a dress for Kara to wear. We need to get this show on the road before I feel sick again. Let's go," Katelyn said. Caesar laughed and said, "That's my girl. Taking charge." Everyone started to rush back inside and Kara was ushered into the dressing room. Katelyn followed her into the room and asked, "Would you like to be one of my bridesmaids? We did have an extra bridesmaid dress made in your size." Kara said, "Of course. Let me get changed and I'll be out there shortly." Katelyn's mother and brother went to sit down in the extra chairs that had been placed, while her father waited for her by the opening to the Numenshire. Eldore joined and asked, “Can we both walk you down the aisle?” “Of course, Eldore. You’ve been like a second father figure to me,” Katelyn said, holding an arm out to him. She held her other arm out to her father Kara joined the wedding line up paired with Sapphire. Music started to play a few minutes later, which was the cue for the wedding party to start walking. Yulie walked first with Leonard. Then, Miu walked with Scardigne. Then, Kara walked with Sapphire. Lena walked down the aisle, tossing flowers on the ground as she walked. Then, Setti walked down the aisle holding the rings. Everyone took their places on either side of the altar. Katelyn took a deep breath and said, "I'm ready.” Her father and Eldore began to walk her down the aisle as everyone stood. Katelyn saw Caesar at the end of the aisle and couldn't help but stare at the man who was her husband. A few tears fell from her eyes as she thought about everything they had been through together. Caesar let tears fall as well as Katelyn walked down the aisle to him. As she walked towards him in her wedding dress, she looked like an angelic goddess. He felt that he was the luckiest man alive to meet a woman so pure, courageous, and kind hearted. Katelyn finally made it to the alter and her father placed her hand that he was holding in Caesar's. "Take care of her, son," he said. "I will," he said with a nod. Eldore let go of her other arm and gave her a small hug, saying, “I am proud of who you have both become.” Katelyn said, “Thank you, Eldore.” She joined Caesar in front of the alter, hand in hand in front of Queen Cisna and Father Yggdra. Cisna began, "Please be seated. We are all gathered here today to witness the joining of two souls who have found each across a great distance through time and space. With a little help along the way, they have witnessed trials, battles, and hardships, yet have stuck by each other through everything. If anyone had any objections to this marriage, please speak now or forever hold your peace." Cisna stopped speaking and looked around before continuing, "Caesar, please repeat after me: Katelyn, with this ring, I thee wed, and I do promise to love, honor, and cherish you, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part." Caesar repeated the words, taking the ring from Setti and placing it on Katelyn's finger. "Katelyn, please repeat after me: Caesar, with this ring, I thee wed, and I do promise to love, honor, and cherish you, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part." Katelyn repeated the words and placed her ring upon Caesar's finger. "Caesar, Katelyn, having proclaimed your love for, and commitment to one another in the sight of Father Yggdra, Archduchess Miu, me, and these witnesses, it is my pleasure to pronounce you, by the power vested in me husband and wife! You may now kiss your bride." Caesar pulled Katelyn to him and dipped her in a kiss as everyone around them cheered.Everyone began to exit the Numenshire, but Katelyn stayed behind with Caesar to have a moment with Father Yggdra. After everyone except for the two had left, the happy couple walked up to Father Yggdra. Katelyn said, "Father Yggdra, I had a bit of a rough beginning here, not knowing if I belonged. I faced a lot of obstacles along the way, but I just want to say thank you. I wouldn't be who I was today without your gift." "You are very welcome child," he spoke to her. "I am happy to finally meet you. You are one of the three Furies who helped to end Madoras. I knew that you would fit in well here and that your soul was the perfect match for the young Count before you. You felt like you never had a place until you found yours here with friends and family, and for that I give my blessings to you. Please, come visit when you have a chance. I have been alive for over ten thousand year and don't know how much longer my soul will remain on this earth with the threat of Madoras extinguished. I feel that soon I will take my final sleep. I do know that I would love to see the new lives created from my meddling if I am still here when they arrive." "Of course, Father Yggdra. I will grant you this request when the time comes. Thank you, again, for everything," Katelyn said, placing a hand against one of his mighty branches that hung down to her. "Thank you, Father Yggdra. You have brought the light of my life to me and people. I will be forever grateful to you," Caesar told him. "You are welcome, wielder of the Dragon. I must rest now. Enjoy the festivities that the Farian people have put together in honor of you both. I wish you both many blessings in the future." Katelyn and Caesar left the Numenshire and headed towards the palace where the reception was being held.After a party filled with laughter and happiness among the people, Katelyn and Caesar were ready to leave the party, but there was one thing Katelyn needed to discuss with her parents first. Katelyn went to her mother and asked, "Do you plan on staying in this world?" "We haven't decided yet, honey. We know that you are grown, but we would love to be with you. You are family." "You could stay in the Drisdall Manor if you wanted. Or we could have a smaller home built for you guys." "We aren't really prepared for a world where you have to fight for survival just to get from one place to another," her mother told her. "We could always visit, though." Katelyn gave her mother a sad look and said, "Actually, Father Yggdra won't be around much longer. He is preparing to take his final rest soon." "Oh," her mother said. "If you can give us a few days to think about it, we will have an answer." Katelyn nodded and said, "Alright. I love you, no matter what your decision is. Now, I must find my husband." Katelyn walked back into the crowd to find Caesar.After looking for a few minutes, she found Caesar leaning against a tree, talking to Leonard. "What's going on here," Katelyn asked the boys as she approached. "I was asking him when the best time would be to propose to Cisna," Leonard said. "Oh, that's great news. Do you have a ring picked out?" "Actually, I do." He pulled out a small box and showed it to Katelyn. The ring was heart shaped with a large center diamond, a row of pink sapphire surrounding it, and another row of small diamonds on the outside. "It's beautiful. She will love it. You know Faria is a beautiful and romantic place. You guys could go for a moonlit stroll, dance under the stars. It would be a beautiful proposal," Katelyn said. "I just had a great idea. I could recreate the moment we danced together during her kidnapping, except in person." "Great idea. Go get her," Caesar said. Leonard ran off in search of Cisna's whereabouts. Katelyn asked Caesar, "The party is winding down. Do you want to take our leave?" "I think I very much would. I want to rip this dress off of you and worship you like the goddess you are" he said. "Mmm. Where are we staying here in Faria," Katelyn asked. "We have our own little private cottage near the Lost Forest that I am dying to show you. Come on," he said, taking her hand.The two walked through the gardens towards the Lost Forest, stealing kisses from each other along the way. Katelyn was leaned against a tree as Caesar pressed himself to her, rubbing his hands along her clothed body, kissing her as if his life depended on it. "Gosh, I love you so much," he said. He placed a hand on her stomach and said, "You are the mother of my children." He ran his hand up to her neck and said, "You are the most beautiful, kind, caring person there is." He brushed her hair from her facing, placing a hand over her cheek. "I want to give you the world," he told her, placing a kiss against her lips. Katelyn said, "You already have. You have given me friends, a family, children. There is nothing more that I could ever want. I love you so much and I fall in deeper every day." Caesar lifted Katelyn bridal style and said, "Me too." He turned and walked forward with her in his arms, gesturing to a cottage lit by fairy lights. "We are here," he told her. Katelyn gasped at the sight and said, "It's so beautiful. It looks like it came straight out of a fairytale." "You haven't even seen the inside," Caesar said, carrying her towards the entrance. He opened the door and carried her over the threshold, placing her feet on the floor inside the door. Katelyn looked around to see that the cottage was small, decorated with fairy lights and flower petals of all different colors leading towards the bedroom. Katelyn grabbed Caesar's hand and pulled him with her. In the bedroom, there was a large canopy bed with lights spun around the top railing and beautiful drapes hanging down. The bed itself looked like it was handcrafted with wood from the Farian trees.***Sexual content from this point forward. Read at your own risk.***Katelyn felt Caesar wrap his arms around her waist, placing a kiss to her neck, her shoulder, and her back right above the buttons of her dress. He slowly started to unbutton the back of the dress, placing small kisses as he went down. As he reached the last button, Caesar kissed his way back up Katelyn's spine until he reached the nape of her neck. Katelyn stepped out of the dress as Caesar took it off of her, tossing it onto an armchair on the side of the room. He undid the pins that held her hair, letting her hair fall loose around her shoulders before turning her towards him. He placed a kiss on her lips, admiring her in the low lighting. "You look like a dream," Caesar said, placing a kiss on her lips before letting his hands venture her body. He moved the fabric of the loose lingerie down her body, letting the slip fall to the floor. He slowly leaned down, placing kisses down her neck, slowly letting them move towards her breasts. He took one side in his hand, the other in his mouth, toying with the peaks of her nipples on both sides. Katelyn let out a moan at the feeling, grasping Caesar's hair in her hands. "I feel that it is quite unfair that I am almost unclothed while you are still dressed, my husband." "We will remedy that in a moment," Caesar said, continuing his way down her body. He stopped at her bump, leaning his forehead against it for a moment and leaving a small kiss. He then continued downward until he reached her clothed mound. He slowly pulled the bands on both sides of her hips downward, baring her to him as the last garment slipped down her legs. Caesar took in a deep inhale at the sight of Katelyn before standing back up to his full height.Caesar allowed Katelyn to pull his shirt and pants from his body, placing kisses down his chest. She placed kisses on his abdominals before making her way to her knees, pulling off his last garment of clothing. Caesar gasped as Katelyn eagerly grasped his cock in her hand, rubbing up and down gently. She placed a kiss on his tip before running her tongue up and down his length a few times. She then took him into her mouth, swallowing as much of him as she could. She leaned back and continued forward, letting her hand move up and down the part of his length she could not swallow. After many minutes, Caesar pulled her from him, saying, "I believe it's my turn to taste you." He picked her up gently and placed her back against the bedding, leaning down to her mound. He slowly leaned to place a kiss against her inner thigh, before letting his tongue sweep through her folds, teasing her in a way that he had perfected over the past months. "Please, don't tease me, Caesar." "I'm just getting started," he said, before gliding two fingers into her depths. "I think you should put your mouth to better use," Katelyn said, tugging on Caesar's hair. Caesar continued his ministrations with both tongue and fingers, playing her body like a violin. After many minutes, she let out a loud moan, calling out his name on the throes of her climax.Having had enough of his teasing after her orgasm, Katelyn flipped them both over on the bed, straddling Caesar's hips with her legs. She placed herself over him before letting herself slide down onto his cock. They both let out a moan as their bodies joined together. Caesar sat up, holding Katelyn close as she continued to ride him, kissing her delicately even in their sexual haze. A few minutes later, Caesar said, "I'm close, Katelyn." "Me too, Caesar," she said, roughly kissing him on the lips. Caesar let a hand run down her body towards where they were joined to toy with her clit and bring her over the edge. He followed right behind her as he felt her walls clamp down on him like a vice. "I love you, my husband," Katelyn said, still joined with him after the intensity of her second orgasm. "I love you too, my wife," he said, brushing the hair back that had fallen over her face. "I don't think I can move," Katelyn said, laughing as she buried her head in Caesar's neck. "We really should clean up. Let me just get up and get a washcloth." He slowly lifted Katelyn off of him and laid her on the bed, heading towards the bathroom. He came back not even two minutes later to find his wife asleep. He knew it has been an exhausting day and he didn't blame her. He cleaned the both of them with the cloth gently before tossing it into the bathroom sink. He headed to the bed and pulled Katelyn towards him, wrapping her in his arms and placing a gentle kiss on the back of her head. He then proceeded to follow her example and sleep, knowing that the next few days they would get to spend time together during their honeymoon and rest before their trip home.
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A little less than seven months later, Katelyn was busy walking the streets of Greede's Merchant's Quarter, saying hello to all of her friends when she felt a pain in her abdomen. She brushed it off and continued walking, not paying much mind, for carrying twins always caused a slight bit of discomfort when they moved or kicked the wrong way with her so heavily pregnant. She started to walk down the stairs to the lower levels of the Merchant Quarter when she felt another small pain that she again brushed off. As she made her way around, she met up with the owner of the exotics shop that she met during her first days in Greede. "Mrs. Tatiana, it's good to see you. How are you today," Katelyn asked, walking over to the woman. As she took in the woman's outfit, Katelyn was once again reminded of the fortune tellers they used to have at the pier when she was younger. "Amazing, my child. Another blessed day. And how are you and the husband?" "Very good. Looking forward to these two being out of me very soon," she said, patting her stomach. Just then, she felt something unusual. Another sharp pain shot through her, this time causing her to double over. "You are in labor, dear," Tatiana said. Katelyn said, "Nonsense, it is probably just false contractions. My water has not broken. They are not due for two more weeks." Tatiana took Katelyn's hand and said, "Let's take the elevator and get you to the manor. We will have you looked at to make sure you aren't. It will make me feel much better." Katelyn nodded and said, "Okay. Let us go." Tatiana yelled towards her husband at the shop, "Take care of the shop while I escort the Countess back to the manor." Her husband gave her a thumbs up and blew her a kiss as the two walked away.They made it to the elevator in time for Katelyn to feel another contraction. She said, "The pain is coming at a faster rate." As the elevator ascended to the ground level, the two quickly made their way through the train station and to the manor. As they approached the gates of the manor, Katelyn could see Rosa running towards them. "My dear, are you alright? You look like you've taken ill." Katelyn said, "I just need to be assured I'm not in labor. I'm having contractions, but they could be false." Rosa said, "Let's get you to the birthing chambers and I will check you out." Katelyn began to walk when she felt something wet drip down her leg. "Rosa, that won't be necessary. They are coming. Please, find Caesar and bring him to me. I'll go change." Rosa dashed off, announcing to everyone that the Countess was in labor. Katelyn turned towards Tatiana and said, "Thank you for noticing the signs of labor. I must go deliver these two now. I will see you in a few days, I'm sure." Tatiana said, "All the luck to you. Blessed be." Katelyn made her way inside to the birthing chambers to find the family doctor already inside sterilizing her tools. "Are you ready for delivery, Countess Katelyn?" "I am. But first, I need to get out of these wet undergarments. And please, call me by my first name." Katelyn walked behind the partition and stripped from her clothes, grabbing the robe that she had special made for this occasion from the drawer behind her. She wrapped it around her from to protect her modesty and made her way to the bed in the center of the room. She laid near the edge of the bed like she had practiced, propped up on a mountain of pillows, waiting for the doctor to exam her. A few minutes later, the doctor finished sterilizing her tools, washing her hands, and put on fresh gloves. She walked over and said, "Okay. Spread your legs for me so I can take a look at your progress." Katelyn pulled her knees up and spread them, letting the doctor take a look at her. "Wow. How long have the contractions been going on? Almost five centimeters dilated." "Less than hour. Maybe a little more, I think. Have they found Caesar yet?" The doctor took off her gloves, tossed them in the trash, and moved to the door. She opened it to speak to whoever was closest.After a few minutes, the doctor said, "It's alright, dear. He was in the underground working on repairs. They said that Amir went to fetch him." "Oh no! Not Amir! He is afraid of everything," Katelyn said with a shake of her head. Lena came into the room, followed by Kara. Lena bounced over and asked, "They are coming today?" "They are. How are you both doing?" "Better than you," Kara joked. "It's been over six months since you chose to stay with us and somehow you always know when to make a sarcastic joke," Katelyn said to Kara. "Do you take offense, sister dearest," she asked with a sarcastic tone. "Never. Please, come sit. You are family." Kara sat on the plush couch near the head of the bed and talked to Katelyn for a while. Setti knocked on the door and peeked his head in next. He asked, "Is everyone decent?" "Yes, Setti. You can come in?" Setti came in and asked, "How is my sister doing on this fine day?" "Birthing two children. Thanks for asking. How is yours going?" He laughed and took a seat next to Kara. "Well sister. Your parents are freaking out after hearing the news. Our younger brother is outside pacing the hall, but doesn't want to intrude. And it seems they sent Amir to fetch your husband." "Tell my brother to come say hello before the babies are here. He won't get much of a chance to afterward. And please, can you all send someone else to fetch Caesar. I want him to be here for the delivery." "I'll fetch your brother. Don't worry," Lena said, running out to the hall.After the wedding, Katelyn's parents and brother moved to Greede. Her brother and Lena met the first day and within the first week had become thick as thieves. She knew that her brother was smitten with the girl who was only a few years younger, but knew he would only be her best friend until they were older. Her brother was a gentleman in that aspect at least. Her brother came in with Lena. "Hey sis. Are you alright," he asked as he walked towards the bed. "Fine and dandy for now. These contractions are a bitch, though." "Okay. Me and Lena are going to wait by the entrance to the manor for Caesar to arrive. I love you and I'll see you later after the twins are here." He quickly left the room with Lena, leaving Kara and Setti. "Those two are so going to get married in the future," Katelyn said. "Hey. You aren't allowed to say that. She is my sister and he is like my little brother too," Kara said with a swish of her hair. "Not by blood, and that's what counts," Katelyn said back. "Alright girls. No fighting on this day. Kara, let's go make sure that we get Caesar here," Setti said taking Kara by the hand and pulling her from the couch. "Please do. And tell him if he misses the twins' birth, he will be sleeping in a separate room for the next three months." Kara laughed and said, "That makes me want to fetch him even less. Let's take our time, Setti." They both left the room, leaving Katelyn with the doctor who was sat in a corner reading a book. She sat down the book and said, "Let's check on your progress now that everyone has left." The doctor examined Katelyn after she spread her legs and said, "You are dilating fairly quick. Just about seven centimeters now. Three more to go." "It's only been about two hours. Caesar needs to be here for the delivery." "It's alright, Mrs. Katelyn. I'm sure that he will be around shortly." The doctor walked towards the window, looking out towards the front of the manor. "You can go back to your book if you would like," Katelyn said. "You don't have to worry so much. I'm just a little overly emotional with the twins coming early." "How about I fetch Rosa for you? I'm sure she is dying to see you." Katelyn nodded, so the doctor left the room to track the older woman down.A few minutes later, a familiar knock sounded at the door. Katelyn yelled out, "Come in!" Rosa came through the door and said, "I just heard that Caesar is nearing the train station. He is rushing to get here as quickly as possible. How are you doing, dearie?" "I'm terrified to be honest. The contractions are painful and I was worried Caesar wouldn't make it. I'm dilating quickly the doctor said. It's only been a little over two hours and I'm at seven centimeters." "Consider that a blessing. The faster you get through the pain, the better. I told you that I used to be a nurse. There were many women who would be in labor for over a day and would just feel completely defeated by the time it was over." "Gosh, that sounds awful. I wouldn't want that," Katelyn replied. Another contraction hit that made Katelyn hiss in pain. Rosa took her hand and said, "I'm here for you, dearie. I'm sure that in a little over an hour these two," Rosa said, placing her other hand on Katelyn's stomach, "will be out of there and ready to meet the world." Finally, Katelyn heard yelling and the sound of something falling in the hallway. An apology was yelled out as Caesar barreled into the room looking like a sweaty mess. "You are lucky that you got here when you did," Katelyn said. Caesar looked up and said, "I literally just ran for almost three miles to get here. I can assure you that I did my best to get here quickly." "Well, I'm already seven centimeters dilated. They say the labor is progressing quickly. Please, will you take my hand?" Caesar sat down on the opposite side of the bed from Rosa and took Katelyn's hand. The doctor came over and gave a quick greeting to Caesar. She took a look to see if the dilation had changed any and made the comment, "Almost at eight. These two will probably be here within the hour. Are all the preparations finished?" Katelyn pointed to the large bassinet in the corner and said, "Their temporary place for them to sleep after they get here. The miniature bath is ready over there for them to be washed after they are born. I'd say that we are as ready as we can be. You have vaccines to give them after they are born in your office as well, right?" "Yes, ma'am. Everything is ready, then. I will get back to my book and will check on you in about twenty minutes." With that, the doctor took her book and sat back down to read. Caesar said, "So, seeing as we will know the genders in a bit, have we decided on names?" "I don't know. Kara told me not to name the baby after her, so that idea is out. What about Carolina, like my home for a girl? And for a boy, Vincent? Named after your father. If there are two girls, we could name the second one Lily after my grandmother Lillian? I'm not sure about a second name for a boy." "We will wait and see then. I'm sure we can come up with one more name if need be." Caesar kept Katelyn busy talking to keep her distracted from the pain of the contractions that progressively worsened as they became closer in frequency. He let her squeeze his hand to the point it was almost painful as she yelled out curses when they hit.After another thirty-five minutes, the doctor checked Katelyn again and said, "It's time. Are you ready to get these twins out of you?" Katelyn let out another yell, gripping Caesar's hand tightly and said, "Yes. Please." The doctor said, "The first baby is crowning. When you feel the next contraction, I want you to push as hard as you can." Katelyn nodded, looking towards Caesar and said, "I am never doing this again!" Then, another contraction hit and she yelled as she pushed with all her might. The doctor said, "Almost there. One more push and the first will be out." Katelyn waited until she felt the contraction, then pushed with all her might. She heard crying and let out a sigh of relief. "We have a boy," she said, passing the first baby wrapped in a towel to Rosa. Rosa held the baby and worked to clamp and cut the umbilical cord while Katelyn felt the next wave of contractions hit. She then took the baby to the sink to start washing him. "The second is crowning. Give a push with the next contraction," the doctor said. Katelyn waited and pushed like she had the first time. After two contractions, the second baby came out. "We have a girl," the doctor said. Rosa came and placed the baby boy in Caesar's arms, saying. "Careful with his head." The doctor then handed the second baby to Rosa to wash. The doctor said, "We are almost done. Time for the afterbirth." The doctor pressed on Katelyn's abdomen and said, "I want you to push with the last contractions here as well." Katelyn continued until the placentas were out and then the doctor said, "Alright. Everything looks great. Let's get you cleaned up and get you your babies so that you can practice nursing." After a few minutes of cleaning and getting Katelyn situated comfortably, the doctor handed the baby girl to Katelyn. "So, what are their names?" "She is Carolina Lily Drisdall," Katelyn said, admiring the beautiful baby girl in her arms. Katelyn pulled down the top of the robe and held the baby to her chest. Caesar gave her their baby boy as she said, "He is Vincent Alexander Drisdall." "Beautiful names," the doctor said. "I will record the names and have an announcement made later this evening." The doctor left the room, saying, "Let me get those vaccines to give these two precious babies. I'll be back."Caesar sat on the bed next to Katelyn and just took in his small family. Even tired and disheveled, Katelyn looked beautiful as she held the twins to her chest. Katelyn turned to Caesar and asked, "Would you hold Carolina for a moment?" Caesar took the small girl from Katelyn and watched as she held Vincent up to one of her breasts, whispering, "Please latch." After a few failed tries, Vincent finally opened his eyes long enough to notice and latched. Katelyn let out a sigh of relief as she watched the baby takes his first drink of her milk. Caesar watched fascinated and asked, "So soon after birth?" "Yes. It's best to start babies right away so that they get to drink the first milk. It's called colostrum. It has antibodies and vitamins in it to help them not get sick. Can you help me with Carolina, now?" Caesar lifted the baby girl and delicately put her on Katelyn's chest. He did the same as Katelyn had with Vincent. Carolina took notice after a second and latched. Katelyn held the babies to her and said, "Good. Everything is perfect. They are perfect. I love them so much already." "I love them both already, too. What was that statement earlier about never doing this again?" Katelyn glared at Caesar and said, "Contractions are painful. Imagine breaking all your major bones in your lower body. That's how bad the pain is." "Ouch. Well, two are good enough for me," he said. "I would punch you right now if I wasn't holding two babies." The doctor knocked on the door and said, "Oh. You got them to latch already. Amazing. I have those vaccines drawn up whenever you are done." "I think they are just about done. Vincent seems to be getting tired." Caesar sat with Katelyn for a few minutes, just watching the twins drink. After a few minutes, Vincent let go and let out a small yawn. Carolina let go and looked up at Katelyn with bright golden eyes. "She has your eyes," Katelyn said. "And Vincent has yours," he said, looking toward Vincent who had his brown eyes open, looking at his mother. "Doctor, I believe they are ready, now," Katelyn said. The doctor came over and took the first of the twins. Caesar took the second and walked with her. Katelyn decided to get up and put on a nightdress with buttons down the front and a pair of underwear. Rosa changed the sheets while Katelyn changed and asked, "Would you like me to invite everyone in to meet the babies?" "Who all is here," Katelyn asked, sitting down on the freshly made bed. "Your parents, brothers, sisters, Leonard, Yulie, Eldore, Sapphire, Queen Cisna, Archduchess Miu, and General Scardigne." "Wow. Everyone got here quickly," Katelyn noted. "They came as soon as they heard. They took a monoship here." Katelyn nodded and said, "Let me get the twins back, then we can invite everyone in." Katelyn covered herself with the sheets of the bedding and laid back, waiting for the doctor to finish up with the babies. After the doctor was finished her examination and giving the babies their first vaccines, Rosa brought the babies back to Katelyn, placing them delicately in her arms. Caesar scooted onto the bed beside her, allowing her to curl up next to him. "Alright. Let them in," Katelyn said, preparing for all her friends and family to come in.Rosa opened the door and ushered everyone in. Katelyn's mother took one look at the twins and had tears streaming down her face. "Gosh, I can still remember the day my baby was born. She's now a mother herself. She has grown so much," she said to Katelyn's father. Her mother said, "Remember the song that came on right after she was born. You sang it as you held her for the first time." "With arms wide open," her father said. Her parents approached the bed. Her mother asked, "Can I hold them?" Katelyn passed Vincent to her mother and said, "His name is Vincent Alexander." Her mother said, "A strong name. He looks so much like you." Katelyn passed her father Carolina, telling him, "Her name is Carolina Lily." Her father teared up as he held his granddaughter for the first time. Katelyn's father held the baby to his chest and walked to the window. He began to sing softly the same words he sang to Katelyn when she was born, a song that she had grown up hearing him sing, 'With Arms Wide Open' by Creed. Her mother joined him at the window with Vincent in her arms. He moved to hold him as well, singing to them both. Katelyn teared up at the sight of something that she had become so accustomed to in her childhood being passed onto her children. Katelyn's father finished the song and brought the babies back to her, "We are so happy to be grandparents. I really can't wait to show them everything. We are so proud of you baby girl." "Thanks, Dad," Katelyn said, taking the babies. "Who else wants to hold them?" The babies were then passed around for everyone to hold, everyone marveling at the tiny babies wrapped in bundles of blue and pink.After a while, extra couches were pulled in for everyone to sit and talk. Cisna told everyone about wedding plans for her and Leonard. Yulie told about how she met someone and that things were going well, but they were taking it slow for now. Miu admitted that her and Scardigne were exploring their feelings that they had discovered. Eldore talked about his travels to different remote regions and about the people he met. Katelyn excitedly brought up a potion that she had been working to possibly reverse Eldore's age, telling him about how it was almost ready. Kara, Setti, Sapphire, and Lena were laughing and bantering like siblings, which was something Katelyn had found more normal over the past months. Everyone was happy, which was a big turn from how things had been when Katelyn had first arrived in their world. Everyone's wounds were healed, even some of the deeper ones, and piece by piece they were all finding their happily ever after. After a while, Katelyn said to Caesar, "It's so nice to have found a family so big and crazy." "Agreed," he said, as she placed a head on his shoulder. Her eyes were starting to droop as Caesar took the babies from her and placed them in the giant basinet for the first time. "Alright everyone. It's been a long day. We should probably let Katelyn feed the babies, then get some rest." Everyone agreed and started to leave the room, taking the extra couches with them. Caesar shut the door and asked, "You seem tired. Do you want to feed the babies then turn in early?" Katelyn nodded and mumbled in agreement. Caesar laughed and said, "Alright. I'm unbuttoning your dress. Hold still." Caesar gently undid the buttons at the top, exposing her breasts. He gently picked up Vincent and allowed Katelyn to hold him in her sleepy state while taking Carolina and holding her to her other breast. The babies suckled on Katelyn's breasts as she started to drift off. A few minutes later, the babies started to doze off as well. Caesar shook his head at the sight of the three as they began to fall asleep. "I think everyone is tired. We should let mommy rest," he said, taking the twins and moving them into their bassinet. He rolled the bassinet next to his side of the bed before gently giving both twins a kiss on their head. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching them sleep peacefully in their bassinet for a few minutes, whispering, "Hey you guys. Now that mommy is asleep, I wanted to say, I'm your dad. I'm so glad you are both here. I can't wait to raise you both, to teach you everything, to watch you run through the halls, to teach you all my secret hiding places around the manor. I love you both so much already." He picked up Carolina and held her to his chest, placing a kiss on her head. He placed her down and did the same with Vincent before whispering, "Sleep tight. I love you both." He then turned to Katelyn who was sleeping curled up on the bed beside him. He helped to button up her nightdress and laid beside her, so proud that she had been so strong while giving birth. "Goodnight, my love. Sweet dreams," he said, placing a soft kiss against her lips. He pulled her towards him and hugged her body to his, letting his eyes close as he drifted off to sleep beside her.
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Katelyn awoke a few hours later, feeling soreness all over her body. She sat up to look for the babies, looking for the bassinet in the room. After looking around, she realized that they weren't in the room. "Caesar," she said, gently shaking him. "Where are the twins?" Caesar sat up groggily beside her and said, "They were right... here. Maybe our family has them. Let's go check." Katelyn got up quickly, not caring how sore she was, worrying about her babies. She pulled a robe over her nightdress and put slippers on her feet before making her way out of the room. Caesar followed behind her as they walked down the hallway. When they made their way to the living room, they found Kara and Setti holding the twins. "There they are, all safe and sound with their aunt and uncle," Caesar said. "You both had me worried," Katelyn said, taking a sigh of relief in knowing that her babies were okay. "Sorry. We wanted to let you sleep," Kara said. "We didn't want them to disturb you. You won't be getting much sleep in the near future," Setti said. "Thank you both. Where are the others?" "Everyone else turned in for the night. They are all in the guest rooms. We told them we would keep first watch. Actually," she said, pointing towards the door. Eldore strolled into the room in just a sleep shirt and pants, looking the most casual that Katelyn had ever seen him. "Eldore. Let me guess, you had second shift," Caesar asked. He said, "With Yulie, wherever she is." "Right here," Yulie said, coming in from the door on the other side of the room. "Well, Eldore. While the twins are still asleep, I was wondering if I could take a few samples from you? The potion seems to have worked in all my trial runs to reverse aging." Eldore said, "I suppose. Lead the way." Katelyn took Eldore to her small lab. Inside her lab, Eldore looked around at the many jars filled with liquids, specimens, and powders as she moved to her workstation. "How much research are you doing," Eldore asked. "I've been working on three main projects with a few smaller ones. It may look like a lot, but it is not. This room holds all the research I've worked on so far. I've learned so much since being here." She took out her supplies and asked Eldore to sit. She performed a skin scrape test, took a small punch biopsy, and took a saliva sample from him. She then treated each before letting them run in their different test environments. "Alright. I'm going to let these sit in the solution and run. We will know within the hour if it will work for you." Eldore nodded and said jokingly, "Let's just hope I don't turn into a Direspider from your magic potion." Katelyn laughed and said, "Its not magic, it's science." Eldore grunted and said, "Magic, science, all the same." They both walked back to the living room to find Caesar and Yulie talking back and forth. "Alright. My turn with the twins," Katelyn said, holding her arms out. "You both need fed, don't you? Oh yes, you do," Katelyn said in baby talk. She took them back to the bedroom and took off the top of her dress, letting the twins latch on to drink. As she held them both to her, she marveled at how she had brought the two small bundles in her arms into the world. "I'm so glad to have met your father, Carolina, Vincent. I never thought I would have this, but now, all my dreams have come true." She looked out the window as she cradled her twins, looking up to the moon that was full. She thought back to all the moments that had brought her to where she was now and realized that she really had blossomed. She felt tears fall from her eyes, happy tears, as she thought about her large family. Caesar knocked on the door and said, "Almost done? Wait... are you crying? Are you upset?" "No. I'm so happy. Just a little overly emotional from the hormones." Caesar nodded and walked behind her, wrapping his arms around her. They stayed that way for a while, watching the skies and gardens outside the window. After a little while, the babies were done, just resting against Katelyn's chest. She handed Vincent and Carolina to him, buttoning up her nightdress and pulling her robe back around her. She took Carolina back and said, "Alright. Let's go find Eldore and Yulie. I'm sure they are still waiting on us." The two walked back to the living room to find Eldore and Yulie sitting on the sofas talking. Yulie saw the babies and said immediately said, "Alright, it's time for them to get Auntie snuggles." Katelyn shook her head but obliged, handing Carolina to her. Katelyn sat beside her, just watching her baby girl look around, taking in the sights around her. "She is so cute. I can't wait for her to wear some of the baby dresses I got her," Yulie said. She looked over to where Caesar was still holding Vincent and said, "I also brought some adorable outfits for that little man over there. I had a feeling you would have a boy and a girl." "Thanks, Yulie. I'll make sure to send pictures to you in my letters so that way you don't miss out on anything," Katelyn said. "Well, you actually won't have to write letters anymore unless you want to. The guy I met lives here in Greede. We've been getting along pretty great so far, and who knows. Maybe we will end up living together." "I'm glad you met someone that makes you happy. And, I would love for you to live closer to us," Katelyn replied. "Who is this guy," Caesar asked. "Do I know him?" "You might. His name is Ace. He is one of the people from your Adventure Guild. We went out on a few missions together and get along really well." "Ace... I know who that is. He's a nice guy. But, if he hurts you in anyway, you tell me, and I will make his life miserable." "Caesar," Katelyn scolded. "What? She's like my sister," he said, shrugging his shoulders. Katelyn turned to Yulie and said, "Well, after everything is settled here in a few days, maybe we can host a dinner. I would like to meet this guy who has won your heart." Yulie asked, "You guys just want to embarrass me, huh?" "No. We are your family, and we want to meet him," Katelyn said. "Okay. I'll let him know that he is in for a future interrogation," Yulie joked. Katelyn nodded and said, "I can't wait." Caesar came over and sat next to Katelyn, placing Vincent into her arms. He began to fuss a little and squirm in her arms. He squinted his eyes and little nose, which made Katelyn realize, "He needs a diaper change." Then, similar sounds started coming from Carolina, and she said, "They both need a diaper change." Caesar grabbed Carolina from Yulie and made his way with Katelyn to the other room. "So, who's in charge of diaper changes," Katelyn asked. Caesar looked at her and said, "I don't know how..." Katelyn shook her head and mumbled, "Should've known." She then walked over to the changing table and took out two newborn diapers. She pulled out some wet wipes, powder, and dry cloths and began to unwrap Vincent's diaper. She said, "This is how you change a diaper. First, you unwrap the old one. Then, if it's pee, you just wipe them clean and replace it. If it's poop, you wipe them with a wet cloth like this and then wipe them dry with another cloth. Then you put a new diaper under their butt, put a little powder like this, then wrap the new diaper into place." Caesar asked with an amazed look, "How did you learn to do all this?" "My parents used to leave the house for a few minutes here and there when I was younger to run to the store. It used to be around the corner from our house, so they left me alone with my baby brother. I used to change his diapers when he was a baby when I used to watch him." "Wow. That's a lot for a kid to learn." "It taught me a lot. I used to love caring for him when we were alone for those short periods of time." Caesar nodded and said, "I guess that it is my turn." He brought Carolina to the table and unwrapped the diaper, making a face at the sight. He quickly disposed of the dirty diaper and cleaned her before wrapping her in a new diaper. Katelyn nodded and said, "You did good. I'm sure you will get even better with time." He said, "That's a lot. I didn't know children were so complicated." Katelyn said, "Alright, I believe it is time for these two to lay down. Let me place them in their bassinet, and then I will check on my work in the lab." She brought the babies to the bassinet and asked Caesar, "Watch over them while I'm gone for a few minutes?" He nodded and placed a kiss against her lips. "We will be waiting right here." She left the room quietly, shutting the door carefully behind her. She made her way to the lab to check on the samples and marveled at how well the potion had worked. The cells looked as if they were from another person. She said, "Only one way to find out if this truly works." She pulled up the liquid version in a syringe, grabbed her supplies, and went back into the living room where Yulie and Eldore were talking about their travels. "It's ready, Eldore. Are you ready to test it and see if it works?" Eldore looked a little scared but nodded and said, "Like I said, you better not turn me into a Direspider." Katelyn shook her head with a laugh and said, "I don't even think that is possible. Do you want me to give it to you here?" "Yes, I suppose." Katelyn walked over and pulled out her supplies. She first swabbed his arm with some disinfectant, then gave him the shot. She disposed of the needle, then placed a bandage over the little drops of blood that began to bleed out of his arm. "Alright. Now we wait," Katelyn said. The three sat down, and Katelyn listened to Yulie talking about some of the bounties she had hunted in the last couple of months. After about twenty minutes, Eldore placed a hand to his temple and said, "My head is feeling a little dizzy. I think I need to lie down." Katelyn pulled out a notebook as Eldore laid his head back on the couch he was on. She took notes of the time and the symptoms as they appeared. "Are you feeling anything else," Katelyn asked. He said, "My stomach feels a little nauseous as well." She jotted that down before walking over and kneeling on the floor next to the couch. She checked his pulse and found that it was slightly faster than normal, but otherwise strong and steady. She checked his blood pressure, and it was normal. She said, "Alright. Everything seems fine for now. We will check back in another twenty minutes and see if anything has changed." So, the three sat and continued to talk while the potion took effect. Throughout the next three hours, Katelyn noticed changes in Eldore's body that were miniscule but seemed to be the signs she was looking for. His skin filled out and was no longer wrinkled. His hair changed back to his natural black color. Finally, he was able to stand. Katelyn noticed that he was taller in stature, and his muscles seemed to have more mass and definition. It seemed by the time that the effects diminished that Eldore was in his late twenties. Katelyn said, "I can't believe that it worked. This could put years back onto your life. I wonder if the potion is done working." Eldore looked into a mirror and said, "I look like I'm young again. I can't believe it." He then did a double take as he realized that his voice had also changed slightly. "Dang, Eldore. You are going to have all the ladies chasing after you," Yulie said as she noticed the changes to his body. "Everything seems sharper and more in focus. I feel like I could run a marathon and not be tired. My body doesn't hurt anymore." Katelyn said, "Well, it is almost early morning. You guys should go get some sleep, and we can check on you later tonight and see if anything else has changed. I would like to get some measurements before you sleep Eldore so that I can compare them later tonight. I don't want you to turn into a young child again." Eldore shook his head but obliged, walking over to Katelyn. She measured the circumference of his arms, legs, chest, waist, and head. She also measured his height and weight and noted everything in her notebook. She then said, "Alright. I will check with you later tonight to see if anything else has changed. After this is over, I will destroy this research. I wouldn't want this information to fall into the wrong hands or anything. "That is probably for the best. Go and be with your children and Caesar. I'm sure they are waiting for you." Katelyn nodded and gave Eldore a hug. "I'm glad that you are my friend, Eldore. Thank you for being like a father figure to me and a good mentor to everyone during our times of need. I'm sure that no one has told you that enough." Eldore gave her a hug back and patted her back. "Thank you, Katelyn. You have no idea what this all means to me." She nodded before walking out of the room. She made her way to the dining room, which was where she found Caesar, the twins, her parents, Kara, Setti, Lena, and her brother. Her parents were holding the twins with looks of awe on their faces. When Katelyn walked into the room, everyone turned to look, most likely knowing what she had been working on. "The potion I have been working on was a success. Eldore has turned back the clock by at least twenty-five to thirty years. He has his whole life ahead of him." Everyone let out a cheer which startled the babies. They started to whine, which made Katelyn realize, "It's feeding time." She took the twins to the other room and quickly fed them before returning to the kitchen with the others. Caesar sat a large plate of food down on the table in front of her and took the twins, passing them back over to her parents. "Time to feed you now. Can't have you hungry." Katelyn pulled him in for a kiss before turning to her place. She started to dig in, having not realized how hungry she had become over the past hours. "Thanks for this. I can't even remember the last time I ate," she said. "Yesterday morning. You skipped at least two meals," Caesar said. "Oops. Just got a little sidetracked. But the train is back on the tracks now." Caesar shook his head at her with a small smile on his face, remembering how often she would forget to eat when caught up in other tasks. It never failed to amuse him. "I'm glad that I'm here to cook for you. Sometimes, I wonder how you survived on your own for so long." "I would eat eventually when I started to feel it. I wouldn't starve myself." He laughed as she took a piece of food and flung it at him. " Food fight," her brother yelled. "No, don't," Katelyn said as a big gob of food hit her in the face. She pulled out a napkin and wiped her face, throwing a chunk of food back at her brother. Her parents decided to move the twins out of the room as a free for all started. Kara was the first to leave as her hair became saturated with juice from Lena's cup. Setti left with her, covered in what looked to be jelly or jam. Katelyn ducked behind one side of the table with Caesar as Lena and her brother flung food at them. "How do we end up in these situations," she asked. "You mean chaos. I think it's just our lives. It's how we live and a part of everything we do. But I couldn't live in this chaos without you," he said, pulling her in for a kiss before standing and making his way over to the other side of the table. He ended up covered in food but laughed as he picked up Katelyn's brother and Lena and deposited them both in the fountain outside. Katelyn walked up next to Caesar and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in for a kiss, saying, "I couldn't survive this chaotic world without you either." Right as she went to pull Caesar in for another kiss, a bucket of water was poured over both her and Caesar's heads. She didn't even react to the water soaking her hair and clothes. Instead, she said, "Alright. We should teach these two a lesson on who to pick a fight with." Caesar took her hand and said, "As long as you are by my side, my beautiful Countess." And with that, the two lived happily ever after with their chaotic found family.