Cassandra often found herself in the darkness… alone. Rudger seemed to have been distancing himself from her since he showed her the Nightmare Toxin. She could remember how he acted that night, or day. There was no record of time here in the darkness.

When he came home, he seemed quite unhappy, but as Rudger usually does, upon seeing Cassandra, he gave her a charming smile. Then Cassandra remembered the fact that since he returned alive, he certainly had vanquished his foes. But why was he angry?

"I was in a tag duel with the Star Princess and Doctor Fudo's son. Little did I know… one of my puppets turned on me and I lost the duel as a result," Rudger had explained in a rather angry tone. He then regained his composure as Cassandra had never seen him so frustrated.

"Oh," Cassandra uttered meekly, "So they're ok?"

"Yes, for now. I suggest you abandon any sympathy for them, however. They are simply pawns of Rex Goodwin, meant to do his bidding," Rudger told her. Cassandra could imagine that Rex would be doing this to Sidney and the others, feeding them lies as he had done to Bommer. They weren't really pawns, as they probably believe that they're in the right.

"Where is it?" Rudger wondered aloud, drawing Cassandra's attention to him as he rummaged around his desk with a candle to light the dark room.

Suddenly, a glint behind a set of books in the bookcase caught her eye. She pointed to it, and Rudger removed the books. Hidden behind them was a black box with a mark of an Earthbound Immortal on each of its faces. On the top panel was a Dark Signer insignia in the shape of a condor. Cassandra knew none of the Dark Signers had that mark. There was a whale too, and nobody had that either. Were there other Dark Signers that Cassandra didn't know about? There was a lock surrounded by golden trim. The lock itself, on the face of the spider, was shaped like a malevolent, unearthly face. He pulled out a gnarled key from a pocket in his cloak.

"This was what I was looking for. Thank you," he said gratefully.

"What is it?" Cassandra asked as she came up behind him to peer over his shoulder.

He concealed a quiet laughter as he slid the key into the lock. There was a series of small clicking sounds as the box popped open, revealing blood red velvet interior. Wrapped in a delicate silk cloth, was a clear corked vile. The liquid it contained was deep in color like red wine. Rudger and Cassandra gazed at it.

"There are indeed things Rex has not yet told the Signers. I know that for a fact. That shall be a fatal weakness to them," Rudger said outloud. Cassandra backed up and folded her hands. "This is a gift to me from the King of the Netherworld. If all of the Dark Signers fall… If the Signers do not defeat us by sunset tomorrow night, the gateway to the Netherworld will open and the King shall appear to drag the world into his realm.

But more so… is what lies here. You see Cassandra… this drink is meant for the Star Princess. It is known only as the Nightmare Toxin," He explained. Cassandra gulped.

"Somehow, the Star Princess will come to consume this liquid. Should they succeed to defeat us all by sundown… it shall have no effect and be rendered useless. But, if they fail, the toxin will slowly sap the energy of the Star Princess…"

"Does this mean…?" Cassandra stopped, choking on the words.

Rudger continued, "When it has finished sapping all of her strength, the Star Princess will die! …And so will the Crimson Dragon. When this is done, the King of the Netherworld will taint their energy when he absorbs it into his body…thereby completing the absolute corruption of the world. No amount of purity will remain."

Rudger scared her. He wasn't the same anymore. Ever since he left the first time he came back changed. She wanted to object to him leaving so he wouldn't change anymore but it was already too late. She hardly saw him anymore and when she did, he wasn't himself and she didn't want to see the other man. She wanted to see Rudger.

Then there was the time when she had fallen asleep in his study, staring at the box with the Nightmare Toxin inside it. She woke up and found herself staring into its many faces, so ominous. She sat up and wondered if the Nightmare Toxin would indeed only affect the Star Princess. She believed Rudger with all her heart, but maybe even he was being lied to, like Rex to Bommer.

"Are you unable to sleep, Cassandra?"

Rudger must have seen her up as he was walking down the empty hall. She remembered him snatching the box from the desk and hiding it under his robes. Then he stroked her head, and Cassandra wished he'd kiss her but she knew he wouldn't and refused to look at him.

"It will all be over sooner than you think. Don't let it weigh on your mind so much. I'd much rather see your smile, Cassandra," he said to cheer her up, and it worked. He helped her back to her room where she could fester in her own thoughts and feelings. Rudger hadn't had her sleep her room since the first day she came here. She'd always sleep with him in his room. Something was wrong, Cassandra decided.

Rudger had opened the doors for Cassandra to get some sunshine but unfortunately, the sun never shined here. It was always dark and cold, like death. Cassandra stood at the entrance of the tunnel and stared up into the sky to see the image of the monkey Earthbound Immortal shining brightly. Suddenly, Cassandra felt a chill go through her and she pulled her cloak tighter around her.

Rudger stood nearby, enjoying the sign in the sky. When he saw Cassandra's dainty figure shiver, he walked up behind her and wanted to embrace her lovingly and keep her warm, but he stopped short and instead touched her shoulder gently.

"You should go back inside, Cassandra. It is not your time yet," he told her quietly before going back down through the tunnel.

As Cassandra reflected upon his words, she was suddenly frozen with fear. "… My time?" she repeated breathlessly.

Rudger slammed the door of his room and collapsed into his big red chair. Why did he think he could play with taking her as a hostage? Tricking her to make her think he loved her and then he actually fell in love with her! What a fool he was! Now with Rex's arrival imminent, he doesn't want to lose her. He wants her to stay with him forever. He was considering making her a Dark Signer.

But she would be so confused if he was to do that. She is already probably confused about the way he had been acting recently. If he was to take her to the center of the Momentum and make her a Dark Signer, in those last fleeting moments of her life, she may develop resentment towards him and never love him again. She would seek his total annihilation. That was a risk he didn't want to take.

He should just let Cassandra be Cassandra after all.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and her small pale face appeared in the crack of the door as she opened it. "Rudger?" she called quietly.

"Come in my darling," he said gently. He loved her so much, he couldn't bear to part with her.

Yay! Chapter 51. Sorry for the long wait. This isn't the end by the way. And even in the end, there is always a new beginning. ;)