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, books piled upon each other, 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."

Gatte
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.

"When will children learn?" Turning around, they find themselves looking at a very old man, bags hang over on his eyes, white hair barely visible, eyes a complete grey. "They never will."

Rebirth back up nad hides behind Karma, Twilight and Balance behind Bravity.

"Children? CHILDREN?! I am a goddess- watch your mouth, old man!" Hecate shouted.

"A goddess. What nonsense uttered from a child's mouth." The old man deadpanned.

"Hey! You dickwad!! Don't you dare insult anyone!! I only do that!" Zaiynde screamed, he summoned his scythe and ran straight at him, to which a giant, iron spear popped out of the ground, barely nicking Zaiynde, who then fell over, paralyzed.

Karma could almost swear Hecate was turning red with rage. "YOU DON'T GET TO HURT ZAIYNDE! ONLY I GET TO DO THAT!"

A massive pentagram glowing with blue flames appeared on the ground. The symbol of an eye was in it's center beneath the man's feet. The symbol suddenly exploded with power; a beam of energy blasted down on the center of the symbol, into the eye that the thief stood on.

"HECATE!" Karma called out, afraid that she might've killed the man.

After the powerful beam diappated, the man was still standing, albiet he was obviously hurt, parts of his body appeared damaged, wires were poking out and electrical energies were zapping outside. "I'm impressed, you damaged me at a moment I didn't expect." His head then fell off. Simply fell off, landing on the ground, there was a metallic inside, the whole body fell apart, revealing a black cloaked man, who's face was obscured by a shaul of sorts. "Chu-ya taught me much, I'm sure she did to you as well. I can feel the Balance emanating from you, girl. And the small cloaked one."

Karma said nothing, only glaring at the theif.

Taking off the black hood, a face, much younger than Karma's is shown, "I may have been taught by Chu-ya, but the old woman had no idea who she was teaching. I see..."

"Once again," Thirteen interrupted, "What did you take?"

"Nothing of importance. I'll give you one last chance, leave me alone. You started this fight. Had I not been attacked by maniac one," He stated, pointing to Zaiynde, "And crazy girl two, I'd have left."

"Chu-ya's dying wish was for me to collect something from the ruins of her home," Karma said. "I can't take the chance that what you took might not be it. So I'll repeat the question," Karma said. ''"What did you take?" ''

"Only Chu-ya's most powerful posession. The Shifting Sinew." The black cloaked boy spoke. "Able to morph into any weapon needed at the given time."

Thirteen and Karma looked toward each other, and nodded. Hecate fluttered forth.

"Well, let me put this as lightly as I can," she said. ''"Hand it over." ''

''"How about not?" ''Was the cruel reply from the now younger fighter. "I'm not going to hand over what I rightfully claim mine." Taking out what appeared to be a piece of paper with a depiction on it of a man with blades for hands.

Kadan froze, "Get out of here, I'm dealing with this." He stressed, barely whispering he added, "..So that's what happened to him..."

Bravity teleported Zaiynde over to himself, so as the paralyzed man would not get caught in crossfire.

"Kadan..." Karma began to say.

Kadan growled, "GET AWAY!! You have no idea what we're up against."

An explosion occurs, scaring the three child Secrets, Kadan continues, "Our first leader of Strazio died one day, we were only told that, nothing else, he died and then his body was taken."

The black fog vanishes, revealing a white cloaked man, who had blades for hands, on his shoulders were strange orbs, behind him, the young boy smirked, "Kadan, it's sad, you never got the balls to come out and find who killed your precious leader. It was me of course, Gatte, murderer of one thousand worlds, I killed him, he was my first Thyrian, almost as hard as my first assassination." Gatte laughs quietly to himself, seeing as he is the more powerful opponent. "One last chance children, leave or not?"

With confidence that surprised even herself, Karma stepped forth. "I'll fight you, too."

"I'll kill you anyways." The body leapt forward, spitting paralyzing poison into the air, jumping a far ways back, Gatte laughs. The body flies at Karma, blades ready to slice her to bits. Bravity though, gets in the way, and knocks the body away with the correct movement, narrowly dodging the blades. "I'm staying." He states.

Karma throws a crackling blast of chaos energy toward Gatte; to her surprise, about three times as much energy was released in her attack, with only a normal amount of effort.

Gatte smirks as the body blocks the whole attack, seemingly absorbing the whole move with some black energy orb, "Don't even bother hitting me, you'll get no chance with this guy protecting me." Gatte sticks his tongue out in a childish manner, the body once more returns to attack everyone with a gigantic dark sphere.

Bravity vanishes, to appear near Gatte, who turns to the dark green Secret, and with his own power, knocks Bravity toward Kadan, who was attempting to block the body, which then gained the chance to slice Karma to bits.

Almost reacting to her sudden will, a shield of Order energy rose from the ground between Karma and the body, blocking the attacks that would've killed her. It had never been this easy to tap into the Balance for Karma.

"Damn brat." Gatte muttered, watching as the black orb finally died down, the body then dives underground, Gatte smirking, "Kill her."

Kadan appeared almost instantly with his insane speed, and punched Gatte in the face, sending the seemingly young child rolling on the ground a hundred feet away, though Gatte got up right after, as if unfazed, save for a crack on his face. "Bastard." He muttered.

The body leaps from underground, trying to attack Karma once more, the two large blades growing.

The trio of young Secrets hide behind a large rock, seeming scared of the entire battle.

Karma flipped backwards and caused a great rift to split apart the ground, tearing up the earth in a straight path toward the body.

As the body had done before, it floated harmlessly over the attack, the swords growing in length as they shoot toward Karma.

Kadan, on the otherhand, was fighting Gatte, who was flawlessly dodging each move, being careful of each and every shot taken at him, in which he then took control of the fight Kadan was giving him and then used a sword, impaling Kadan and then throwing him toward where Karma's fight was happening, along with Bravity moments later, due to a energy orb.

Karma backflipped once more, leaping a distance away from the battle.

Gatte approached, and spoke loud enough to hear, "I told ya once, you can't just overpower me with my friend splitting you up. Try not to get ideas, kids, because I've got more than just my favorite." He snapped his fingers, winking at everyone and clicking his tongue.

The swords had stopped, retracting back to the body, the blank expression showing no mercy, but couldn't extend the swords any farther.

Kadan held his stomach, "He stabbed me.... That little." He kept quiet, the pain too much to bear, Bravity nodded, and healed his injury some.

Karma willed sharp blades of Chaos energy to shoot forth from the ground beneath Gatte's feet.

Gatte gets stabbed, falling down he lays motionless.

Karma stared, watching intently.

"That- That's it?" Hecate asked incredulously. "Poke him with a stick or something..."

The body blows to bits, being made of dirt.

"Are you about finished?" Gatte was standing near Karma, almost what seemed to be a instant. "I must say, nice work." He seemingly trades spots with the dead body through a black puff of smoke, which then backs up, seemingly ready to perform a powerful move. "I've grown tired of waiting, and unfortunately, if you have any more questions, I can't answer any more of your little quiz." A black portal opens nearby.

The dead body creates a massively large sphere, this one the size of a mountain, the drawback being that the body itself was falling apart, only to be absorbed into the attack, which it slowly fell down to Thyria's terrain.

Gatte, who single-handedly planned this out, smirked, "See you in Hell." He clicks his tongue and leaves through the portal, to which it closes.

Kadan noticed the orb after raising his head, "What...?"

Rebirth can be heard crying from fear of the powerful energy.

Karma frowned. "Coward..." she muttered distastefully.

Bravity held up an energy field over everyone, though he felt this wouldn't be enough.

With that, the explosion occured, seemingly shaking the whole planet, as black energy cascaded down upon the land, the mountains were blown apart, the land was destroyed, it was as if all Hell had broken loose, annihilating everything that stood in it's path within moments. After this fraction of a minute, the noise of the explosion died down, leaving everything quiet.

What was most peculiar, was there was a purple energy also assisting in protecting everyone, and keeping the rocks that were left of the mountain afloat, though Chu-ya's home was annihilated, along with the rest of the nearby land.

Kadan looked upon what was left.

Nothing.

A large crater, greater than the size of the Castle of the Secrets was what was left, all life within the land decimated.

"Holy..." Hecate breathed, in utter shock.

Kadan sighed, "That was not that man's power, that was our old leader's power."

Rebirth could be heard crying from behind the large rock, scared to death about the massive crater that was left behind, Twilight put down his forcefield that helped protect, along with Bravity.

Balance looked down, "So cool! We're floating!!"

Karma stared at the spot where Gatte had disappeared. "...dammit..." she muttered under her breath.

Kadan looks to Karma, "He got away." Stating the obvious, but signifying no one would know where he went.

The Last Night
Bravity uses his energy to float the rocks past the crater, onto a deforested land, due to the earlier attack. Once they land, Kadan picks Zaiynde up and shows everyone toward a building hidden underground. "That attack almost got to it. At least it survived."

Hecate meanwhile was muttering crossly under her breath.

"Every single one of 'em... they always have to tear up a castle, or a planet... why can't we ever get any easy ones...?"

"Because there are threats, psychos, freaks, you're lucky I didn't let myself lose control." Kadan gruffly responds, albiet his hardened gaze sat upon Hecate like a two-ton weight, he opens the door allowing everyone in, "Find wherever you wish to stay, there's enough rooms for each."

Karma had already strode ahead, entering a room and throwing herself onto a mattress without another word. She needed time alone with her thoughts.

Bravity took the three children Secrets to one room, as Kadan took Zaiynde, and began to force the muscles of the loud-mouth to move, causing, within moments, a shriek of pain from the cultist. "Kadan, watch it!!"

"Shut up." Was his immediate response.

Bravity came out into the room moments later, "Kids are asleep. Yeah!! High fives, come on!!"

"I take it you know of the soundproof rooms then." Kadan spoke, mainly to himself.

Thirteen cracks his knuckles. "Ugh... are we gonna finally rest? It's been awhile and we've been doing nothing but fighting enemy after powerful enemy..."

Kadan pointed to a room, "That's your's, dinner will be ready in one hour."

Zaiynde sighed, "Put me down."

Kadan drops him, and walks away to begin cooking.

Zaiynde sighs, "Bastard."

Bravity smirks, "You should watch your mouth around children." Bravity looks to Hecate, "Am I right?"

"Um, sure, but... aren't they asleep?" Hecate asks.

Bravity laughs, "I'm speaking of earlier. But they are asleep, and can be woken by this loudmouth."

"HEY!!" Zaiynde yelled.

"What?" Hecate said. "It's true."

Zaiynde grumbles to himself, Bravity smirks.

After what could be presumed an hour, Kadan's voice booms, "Dinner, if you're hungry!!"

Zaiynde of course, was the first who got there, finding it to be Kadan's regular soup, though that in itself was a joy to him.

Kadan went to Karma's room, "Dinner is ready, are you hungry?" His tone simple, to the point, yet somewhat demanding.

Karma nodded, and stood up. "Of course."

Kadan nodded, "Good. Eat when you feel the need, we have ourselves a big danger over the horizon." He then left, with Karma following.

Zaiynde came running down the hall, the bowl that had his soup was on his head, and there appeared to be wine in his other hand. He was laughing uncontrollably, with curses in between.

Kadan held back his snicker and continued on his way, he looked to Karma, "He was always a bit out there. Here we are, soup is for tonight. I shall get the others that are hungry." He then left her there.

Karma grinned slightly at the sight of Zaiynde and headed into the dining room, where Hecate, Bravity, and Thirteen waited.

Bravity saw Karma and pointed, "She's here! Cool!!" As excited as always, pointing out the obvious, "How are you coming along?"

"Well, I'm alive..." Karma said.

Kadan walked in and sat down, acting calm and cool as ever, seemingly peeved of something yet acts as if nothing occured.

Bravity nods, "Well, that's always a good start Karma."

Hecate stared at the soup. "That looks delicious... what I wouldn't give to be able to eat again..."

Bravity stared at Hecate, then at Karma, then at everyone else, being the weird type he is. Zaiynde, suddenly burst in, "Wher'ss the party?" He asked, completely out of it.

Kadan turned to, "You need to go to bed."

"Not without my teddy." Kadan punched the drunk Zaiynde's lights out, and dragged him out of the room.

Bravity laughed, "Wow, that's funny!!"

Hecate snickered. Thirteen was ignoring everything around him, ravenously devouring his soup.

Kadan stalked back in moments later, "How annoying."

Bravity burst out laughing louder, but calmed.

Kadan stared at everyone, "You know where your rooms are, make sure you get rest, once you're done eating."

"This soup is delicious!" Thirteen exclaimed. "I haven't had good food in ages... oh, sorry Hecate." The tiny fairy bit back a particularly nasty retort.

"Thanks." Kadan stated, due to Thirteen's compliment. "I try my best."

Bravity in this moment, vanished into thin air, no one noticing for a few seconds.

"A ninja-like Secret. Enjoyable." Kadan deadpans.

After the soup was devoured, Thirteen insisted that Karma get some rest, and so the two headed into their own separate bedrooms, Hecate perching herself on Karma's shoulder.

Kadan left to his own room moments after everyone else.

The Nightmare
Hecate simmered the entire way to Karma's room; Thirteen's remark had left her upset and irritable, but once Karma reached her bed, Hecate asked her a question.

"Karma... did that soup really taste that good?"

Karma nodded. "Yes."

Hecate sighed. "I miss eating... once I get my real body back, I'm going to eat a shitload of food."

"I'm sure you will," Karma said. "But... something I've been meaning to say... completely changing the subject... with your language and attitude, I'm afraid you're going to turn out like Zaiynde."

"Don't you fucking dare compare me to him!" Hecate protested angrily. "He's nothing but a petty thief and drunkard... I am a goddess!"

"You act rather... uncouth for a goddess..."

"Shut the hell up!"

Chuckling to herself, Karma plopped down onto the bed, which was uncomfortably solid, like a slab of rock. Groaning slightly, she stretched herself and twisted about, trying to find a comfortable position to lie down.

"At least I can still feel things," Hecate said. "But that bed looks uncomfortable as Hell." She flew down onto Karma's shoulder. "So I'm sleeping here tonight. Just don't toss and turn."

"That's fine, Hecate, I probably won't sleep anyway..."

Moments later, fatigue came over her, as if the exhaustion of their last few days caught up to her body, and she plunged into a dark, uneasy sleep...

"It's time for your operation..."

''Karma's eyes snapped open in the terror of hearing that voice. An iron fist suddenly seemed to crush her stomach. She lurched up to start running; but she could not move a muscle. Darkness pressed in invasively around her, and she was trapped, unable to budge. ''

''A face suddenly appeared; a horrible, twisted face, wrinkled and hideous, even more horrible than she remembered it. It's eyes and mouth appeared hollow, dripping with a tar-like substance.''

"You checked in earlier today... I am your Doctor, refer to me as such, please..."

''Karma tried to scream, but found that she couldn't, to her horror. Everything suddenly became red, as the feeling of a knife piercing her skin sent a jolt of biting agony through her body.''

''She felt something warm and wet slide by her arms and back. She knew it was blood. Once more, she tried writhing. She tried screaming. She tried everything, but could do nothing as the pain from being sliced with a knife wracked her nerves. Her mind was burning with madness, and-''

''Suddenly, everything vanished. She was suddenly aware that she was breathing heavily and tears were streaming from her eyes. She sat up. She was suddenly aware that she was in the midst of a number of bodies, strewn around as if dead. She knew who they were.''

''The bodies began to stir, pulling themselves up from their deathly state. The first to confront her was her master, Arbiter.''

"You've failed..."

''"No," Karma protested. "Master, I-"''

"You led us all to death, Karma," said Sangria's voice.

''More and more bodies arose, save for one, each pressing in towards her and each bearing the identity of someone she knew. Suddenly, Kadan confronted her. ''

"You haven't changed, Karma, yet that is how you will change... There is one body left... do you want to see what you will become?"

Karma couldn't look away, nor shut her eyes; she walked slowly towards the remaining body that still lay deathly still; suddenly, it shifted, and like a puppet on a string, rose up and faced Karma.

What she saw terrified her even more so than the Doctor.

''It was herself, but twisted and corrupted with darkness. It was horrendous to behold, but she could not take her eyes off of it either. It's blackened eyes and mouth dripped with blood and malice.''

''"No!" Karma exclaimed. "This isn't me! THIS ISN'T ME!"''

The twisted version of Karma lunged forth; Karma sank into darkness, screaming-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!!!" Karma shrieked, startling Hecate, who until then had been peacefully sleeping on her shoulder.

"Karma!" Hecate groaned. "It's the middle of the night; what's the big id- hey, are you okay?"

Karma was literally panting, as if out of breath. She was drenched in a layer of sweat and pale as death.

"Karma?"

"It's... I'm fine." Karma shivered. "Just... a nightmare..." She lay back down on her side, slightly curled up. "I'll be... fine..."

"If you say so," Hecate grumbled, perching herself on Karma's shoulder once more to sleep.

Yet try as she may, Karma could not fall back asleep.

Return to the Castle
Kadan, the next morning, woek everyone up, having woken up the earliest, also setting out a breakfast. He slammed three times upon each door that one of the heroes were sleeping on, so as to make sure that they'd wake up, every so often adding breakfast is ready and that they must leave soon.

Kadan stopped at Karma's door, and knocked upon it, herself and Hecate being the last ones. "Wake up." He gruffly stated, he opened the door, and walked in, "I hope you two at least slept." He grumbled tiredly.

However, upon entering the room, Karma was nowhere to be seen. Hecate was alone on the bed.

Kadan stared at the tiny fair goddess. "Where did she go?" He simply asked, awaiting what he hoped to be a simple answer.

A strangely loud yawn came from the fairy. Then she jumped up in shock.

"Karma?! Where the hell are you?"

"..." Kadan just stared at Hecate, he began to show expressions of confusion, and underneath, anger. "You have no idea?"

"No, I don't!"

Kadan left the room, though Hecate could see the floor caved in where he walked, his anger seemingly going over edge. A few moments later, Zaiynde was heard screaming and seen running down the hall, "Help help! The old man has lost it!!"

"GET OVER HERE YOU SCRAWNY LITTLE JACK-" Kadan seemingly pissed off, believeing Zaiynde had something to do with Karma's disappearance, he continually chases Zaiynde, at least until the younger, loud-mouthed cultist gets away.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On a higher floor, Karma stood alone, too busy thinking to herself to notice the commotion going on downstairs. Her nightmare had not only terrified her, but made her think... think about the course of action that she had taken and might take in the future.

Suddenly, the room became darker, and as he'd been there the whole time, Karma found Seya sitting in a chair in front of herself. "Hello Karma. How's your mother?" He randomly greets.

"What do you want?" Karma asked bitterly.

"I've come to see how you've dealt with the death of the old woman." Seya answered, "I'm also here to see how far you've gotten, you seem to be doing well with Bad Luck and Disease as the only two left."

"Why do you care?"

"I care for many things." Seya replied, "I have my reasons for what I do and when I do what." Seya smirked, "Too bad your inside a building, that gold arc thing won't be able to work on me in such an enclosed space."

"...you wanna test that theory?" Karma asked dangerously.

"Young child, why would I appear before you if I knew that it'd be a threat to me?" Seya questioned, "I know it's capabilities, it must be at it's largest size to have an effect on me. Perhaps that hag didn't tell you?"

Karma had no response.

"I thought so." Seya laughed to himself, "I'm also curious as to what makes you keep ticking and tocking."

"...Just go away." Karma demanded.

"How about that failure?" Seya questioned, "Gatte got away." Seya giggled to himself, "You'll have to figure out more about that hm?"

"Shut up already!" Karma roared, hurling a blast of energy at Seya.

"I'll help you just this once." Seya stated, absorbing the attack into an orb of energy. "I'll give you a hint, dear Karma."

"What?" Karma questioned. Her eyes narrowed. "What are you playing at?"

"You get mad too easily. You're like a cat when you're mad." Seya smirked, "Control your temper and you won't suffer your Strata ever again. And what do you mean what am I playing at? I have no reason to tell you, I just acted.""

...is that all?"

"What's the point it performing an action with no reason without any fun?" Seya questioned, he turned around, facing away from Karma, he raised his skeletal hands toward the ceiling, "I shall change the Multiverse for good." For a split second, Karma saw a black creature with gold eyes and a large mouth form from within the folds of Seya's cloak, though the image disapated. "And you shall see that change."

Karma had no response for Seya.

Seya turned back around, "I assume you will continue to surprise me, I look forward to your advancement. Hell knows your father got in my way too many times." Seya smirked, knowing the mention of an actual Father that Karma hasn't met would get her riled up.