Castle of Misfortune

Bad Luck, the pure embodiment of misfortune, stood upon the balcony, he smirked at how he had Anu-Oie spit out the group upon his castle, where all luck goes awry. He knew that with War and Illusion defeated, he had only Disease for help, who was, as usual, too into creating new toxins to kill the nearest planet. So here he was, finally ready to slaughter the children.

Bad Luck whispers to himself, "Welcome to my castle, I'm sure you kids will enjoy your last moments of living." He snickers to himself, "I'm going to make sure you do."

Zaiynde looked upon the castle, "Where in the damn hell are we?"

Kadan stares at the black castle, silent as usual, no response coming from him to Zaiynde's crude question. But Bravity spoke up, "We're at the Castle of the Secrets, the center of the Universe. This is where most of us were born, it is our home." He states, going on ahead to the large door, "Give me a second while I try to open the giant thing, it was always tough to do."

"That still makes no damn sense!!" Zaiynde throws his arms up in the air.

"Zaiynde, shut up." Kadan calmly states, before walking ahead, "If this will solve our problem, then we must be ready to do so."

Zaiynde sighs, "Whatever." He turns to Karma, "Have you ever heard of this place? I have never thought of anything beyond our damn planet, I don't care, but I'm curious, so enlighten me."

"My Master's only mentioned this castle a few times." Karma said. "I don't think there's anything I can tell you."

"Seriously?" Zaiynde groaned, "Man, what to do now...?" He mumbles to himself as he walks on ahead.

Bravity opens up the door, pink colored energy spills out, pooling at everyone's feet. "Yes!! I got it open!! Shall we go on in?"

"Ew..." Hecate groans, noting the flow of pink vapor. "I never liked the color pink..."

Bravity waited for no one as he ran on in, Kadan only walking to follow, Zaiynde lazes behind, waiting for the other three. "You guys comin'? Or no, and you're scared?" He teased.

"Scared? In your dreams!" Hecate said, flying in after the adventurous Secret.

"Wait! Hold on, that was a bit too sudden!!" Zaiynde followed Hecate right after, leaving Karma and Thirteen in their dust.

With everyone finally into the castle, they notice paintings placed upon the walls, each one a picture of a Secret, some picture depicting, funny enough, Arbiter and some other unnamed people with him. As well as Seya, it seemed as if the Secrets had redecorated the castle while Arbiter had last visited it's confines, as pictures now hold more happiness and joy than they were back then. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling as well as the added staircase, and countless doors that lead to who-knows-where.

"Wow." Was all loud-mouth Zaiynde could say.

"Yes, it's big." Bravity boasts.

Karma, wordlessly, walked over to a painting depicting her own master, Arbiter, standing with three other figures.

Bravity walks over to Karma, "Brings me back, though I never met them, my friends told me stories, great exciting ones of adventure! Evil and Good, Good and Evil. My family loved those four, but could never express it, The Seven Secrets don't feel, we feel, though one emotion." Bravity smirks, making what could be surmised a thumbs-up. "It never let them down though, and I'm proud of whatever things transpired."

Zaiynde looks at a few depictions, smirking at some, Kadan just waits in the center for everyone.

"Who are they?" Karma asked.

Bravity smirks, "As an emotion Secret, I know everything about everyone. These four are named, Arbiter, Inferno, Red, and Amnesty." Bravity smirks, "I've tapped into them plenty of times, I really, really enjoyed their fight against evils across the Multiverse." Bravity exclaims, "Of course, they each fell eventually. Three of them are gone."

"One of them is still alive?" Karma asked, suddenly hopeful that someone who knew her former master still existed. "Which one?"

"Red. Though she goes by new name." Bravity states, "Ever heard of Carmine? I'm sure you haven't," Bravity interrupts, "She had a daughter with Inferno, her name is Sangria. And Arbiter eventually had his own child as well." Bravity smirks, "This place is a treasure trove of knowledge."

"Arbiter did?" Karma asked. "Who-"

Before she could finish the question, she was interrupted by Thirteen.

"C'mon- there's a million things you could ask and if you do, we'll not get anywhere. Let's go- Zaiynde and Hecate are getting impatient."

Karma nodded, and went to rejoin the others with one last glance back at the portrait.

Bravity smirked, following slowly behind Karma.

Zaiynde looked to Karma, "What took so long?!"

Kadan poked Zaiynde, "Shut up." He stated, before walking toward the nearest staircase, Bravity surprised that Kadan knows which way to go, as the group continues up the staircase, they come across a doorway, this one has words on it that state 'Twilight'.

Karma looked up at the door. "Through here?" she asked, having no idea where to go.

"There's a child in that room." Bravity states, "Twilight, come on out." He knocks.

A few seconds later, the door opens up, revealing a small Secret, purple adorns it's cloak, as little violet embers flit off of it, licking the air as they vanish within moments of leaving the child's body. "Hi."

"He's... so... CUTE!" Hecate exclaimed.

Twilight
"Hi." Twilight repeats once more.

Bravity smiles, "Hey Twilight, where's your parents?"

"I don't know, they haven't been around." He replies, his voice sounding like that of a child, as he is still young.

"Oh." Bravity stated, "Well, uncle Bravity is here, so you're not alone!"

Twilight happily smiled, his dark purple eyes and mouth showing joy.

Karma knelt down and looked at Twilight face-to-face. "Can you help us?" she asked, unsure exactly how to address a child Secret.

"Help you with what?" Twilight asks, "I'm not sure if I can do any help unless you tell me what, I haven't got control of my powers, so I'm sorta useless."

"The pink one- the Secret of Misfortune... is he here?" Karma asked.

"Uncle Luck is here, he's been up at the top room for a while now." Twilight states.

"Thank you, er... young one." Karma said.

Twilight nods, then turns, floating up the hall at a faster pace than could be imagined. Zaiynde looks to Bravity, who responds from his quizzical look by stating that "He's always scared."

Kadan takes his slow steps up the staircase, though he seemingly is very far ahead already, Zaiynde runs up after the "old asshole".

Bravity laughs, "You guys are awesome, I think this is more exciting than the four heroes from before, you actually let me come along."

"Well... Bravity, is it? Sometimes, a little bravity is all one needs." Hecate notes, perching herself on the green Secret's head.

"Then let us continue, foreward and onward!!" He exclaims, taking the group up to what could be decided as the second floor, more pictures adorn the walls, as well as jewels placed within glass cases.

"Careful with what you bother in this room." Bravity states, "There are certain repercussions to bothering some of the ancient artifacts."

"Right, so just... don't touch anything," Karma said, keeping a subtle eye on Zaiynde.

Zaiynde smirks, "All this is cool, ever since I got my hands on the Jewel of Aharct, this room is just," He pauses, "A treasure chest waiting to burst forth."

Kadan stares at Zaiynde, then looks at some of the objects.

"Twilight? Where are you?" Bravity asks, to which he gets no response.

Zaiynde, on the other hand, who thought no one was looking at the time, began to write a symbol on the side of the glass of a black jewel.

"ZAIYNDE!" Karma shouted harshly.

"What?!" Zaiynde screamed back, "Is there something bothering you?!"

Kadan sighs, rubs his temples, and then speaks, "Idiot."

"Don't... touch." Karma said.

"Damn it." Zaiynde mutters, before moving himself away from the cases.

Twilight showed himself once more from behind one of the cases, "Yes? Do you like this room?" He asks Karma, "My parents collection reside in this room, each jewel dictates a form of Light and Darkness."

"Sure," Karma said, noting how the young Secret spoke. "Bravity says you are a child, but you speak more like one with years of wisdom."

"I existed long before your time, you are familiar with the fusion of Light and Darkness?" Twilight asked, only to continue, "I was born of this fusion of energy, I have been around, but I've had no form. Though I'm four."

"So... he's a kid, but he's old as... gah! This is confuddling!" Hecate thought aloud.

"I'm sorry, my cousins are younger than I." Twilight states, "One has powers over your abilities." Twilight states, pointing at Karma, Bravity though, scolds Twilight for pointing.

Karma nods. "I see."

Balance
The room suddenly gets darker, a deep voice is heard, "What are the likes of outsiders doing here? Speak now or be destroyed!!"

Zaiynde looked around, "What the f-"

"Children Zaiynde." Kadan states.

"ZAIYNDE, WHAT DID YOU TOUCH?!" Hecate shouted.

"I touched nothing!!" Zaiynde defended.

"I am Karma, daughter of Yakuro, disciple of Arbiter, and I have business with the Secret of Misfortune." Karma responded to the voice.

"Disciple of... Arbiter?" Light once again returns, suddenly, a gold Secret, a little shorter than Twilight appears next to the purple Secret, "You're Karma!! So cool! What'syourfavoritecolor? Wheredoyoucomefrom? Howoldareyou? Canyoumakeanautograph? Doyouwishtobemyfriend?" This little gold cloaked creature swiftly asks.

Karma was overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of questions. "I... er... one question at a time, if you don't mind..."

Twilight stares at the gold one, "This is Balance. He's my cousin, he asked if you could tell him your favorite color, where you come from, how old you are, if he can have an autograph, and if you can be his friend."

Balance nodded vigorously, barely able to contain himself, as if he'd burst into a billion pieces at any given moment.

Bravity laughs at the hyperactive child, picking up the smaller golden one. "Balance hasn't even messed with his powers yet, he can't, so he changes from Order to Chaos, rarely a single, simple moment."

"And you said I touched something, Hecate." Zaiynde folded his arms.

"Well, it's not my fault that you have a reputation," Hecate snapped back.

"Well, to answer the questions..." Karma began, addressing the golden Secret, "My favorite colors are clear and gold. I don't know exactly where I came from. I'm seventeen. I can't give you an autograph right now, and I'll be your friend if you so desire."

Balance laughed, "Yay!!" He excitedly clapped, adding to his already happy demeanor.

Zaiynde, after mulling over what Hecate said, spoke back, "I do have a damn reputation! I am Zaiynde, one of the most fearsome, evil thieves placed upon the planet of Thyria and I will-"

Kadan interrupted once more, "Shut up."

Zaiynde was silenced immediately.

"Are there any more young Secrets in here?" Thirteen asked.

Bravity looked to Thirteen, "Rebirth, the last child as of now. I don't know where she is."

Twilight tugged Karma's wrist, "Rebirth lives a little bit more upstairs. We can go there?"

"Sure, let's go there," Karma said.

Rebirth
As the now larger by two group walked up the steps, they came to the next floor, this one containing books, texts, and ancient, archaic records. Cute enough, there was also a smaller section, with a sign hanging over marked 'Kidz Ztuff', obviously written by Chaos, due to the hideous scrawl and the happy rawings on the walls, which were various colors. A table was in the middle of it, and sitting at a seat was the last child: Rebirth.

Rebirth noticed the whole group and immediately screamed, sending countless books to fly across the room, allowing the tiny Secret her getaway.

Zainyde, on one hand, got slammed in the head with one of the books. Kadan took his moment, "Most feared Thief of Thyria, getting hit... By a book." Zaiynde grew red, but ignored Kadan's tease, all the books suddenly fell down.

Bravity looks to Karma, "That was Rebirth."

"Heehee... I like this one," Hecate said, giggling at Kadan's remark.

"Hey, wait!" Karma called out. "We're not going to hurt you!"

There was no response, no sounds, nothing. Bravity sighed, "She scared. She always is."

Twilight began to follow wherever Rebirth ran off to, "Karma, come with me!" He calls as he goes on.

Balance is set down, as Bravity begins to pick up some of the books, placing them back on shelves, Kadan pitching in and eventually the hyperactive Balance.

Karma follows Twilight, leaving Thirteen and Hecate to pitch in with the cleaning effort.

They eventually come a door at the end of a long hall, marked 'Rebirth', the door shut, Twilight knocks on it quickly, "You in there?"

Though he gets no answers, rustling is heard from behind the door, meaning there was a living being behind the door's confines.

Karma waited silently, knowing that sudden action would terrify Rebirth further.

The door barely opened, revealing the tiny child, who looked at Karma, then Twilight, "W-w-what?" She asked, a loud explosion occured in the room, a ways behind her, she seemed unfazed by this though.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asks, to which she nods just barely.

"It's okay, you can come out," Karma said in the most gentle voice she could muster. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

Seconds later, an even more powerful, fiery explosion occured, before Rebirth barely made her way out the door, only to stick herself in between the door so as to be still in her own room, the fear of the child emanting so powerfully that it could possibly even overwhelm Seya.

Twilight smiles, "She's nice. Not mean."

"Not mean." Rebirth absentmindedly repeats twice.

Karma kneels down slowly, lowering herself to Rebirth's height. "Not mean," she confirms.

"M-my parents, Life.. A-and Death.." She stated, "I a-am Rebirth. Young-young-" Rebirth begins to cry, ectoplasmic tears spill out, onto the floor, burning holes into the sturdy surface.

Twilight backs off, fearful of getting hurt by the energized tears.

"Please don't cry," Karma said, unsure of what else to say.

Although the shrieks were loud, her cries died down and she calmed once more, though a tear or two fell every so often, she began again, "Youngest S-Secret."

"Don't cry," Karma repeated again. "I'm not here to hurt you. I want to help you."

Rebirth stares at Karma for the longest of time, searching Karma's soul, to which she finishes moments later, and barely nods, "Okay."

Twilight smiled, "Yay!" He clapped his hands happily.

"I'll be your friend, okay?" Karma asked kindly, extending a hand to the young Secret.

Rebirth does not move, "I can't be-be touched. I b-b-burn you." Twilight nods, knowing full well of Rebirth's devastating prowess that has no control.

Karma retracted her hand. "I'll still be your friend, if you want."

Rebirth nodded, "That will work."

Twilight cheered, then headed back toward the library, Rebirth following Twilight closely.

Karma stood and followed the two tiny Secrets back to the others.

Bravity was the first to walk over to Rebirth, "Hey!!" He excitedly exclaimed, "Rebirth, Twilight, and Balance, all of you are here, which is great!!"

All three tiny Secrets nodded, Bravity turned to Karma, "Do you need to exit this place for a short time, maybe rest up?"

"You can take us out of here?" Thirteen asked. "...why didn't you say so in the first place? We need to visit Chu-ya's home, remember?"

Bravity laughed slightly, "I get ahead of myself sometimes." With swift movements, a portal appear, showing the ruins of a home, on top of a mountain on Thyria, "I believe this is the place?"

"Yes," Karma said.

"Good. I'll leave this open so you can enter." Bravity states.

Karma stepped toward the portal, looking back to see if anyone else would follow.

Zaiynde, being rash, rude, and as usual, ready, pushed Karma in, himself following moments after, Kadan entering. Bravity laughs, "I must go last. So off you go."

Thyria
Zaiynde kissed the dirt, "Home Kadan, we can start ransacking the next damn town when you're ready!!"

"What makes you think I'm prepared for such an excavation when Karma is busy with an inter-dimensional demon that causes misfortune?" Kadan retorted, hardly allowing himself to lose his composure.

Zaiynde stared at Kadan, "You're getting soft old man."

"And you're getting to be annoying."

"Hmph." Zaiynde crossed his arms.

In front of everyone, was the smoldered remains of Chu-ya's home. Dead trees surrounded the crumbled, defeated abode, yet the garden, as she always had it, stood tall. Bravity finally entered through his own portal after ushering the triumvirate of Secrets out, Rebirth whimpering, Balance about to excitedly see if he could "sky-dive", and Twilight seemingly silent about the whole ordeal. After a few moments, of gathering everyone together, the group finds that someone is actually at the ruins, donning a white cloak, no hood to conceal their face, this person seeming is rummaging throug Chu-ya's house remains, until something piques his interest. He picks up what appears to be a diamond made of glass.

Smirking, the figure stuffs the object into his pocket, and begins to walk off, opposite to the group, as he had not noticed them even once.

"HEY YOU!" Hecate called out.

The person stopped in mid-track, not even bothering to turn around, a question was asked, "What?"

"What did you take?!" Hecate demanded.

"Nothing of your business." Was the seemingly cool response.

"As if." Zaiynde stated.

"It is ENTIRELY our business." Thirteen said.