Sorry for the long wait, but finally I made it! Hope it was worth the wait.

They stared at the weeping form, unsure of how to proceed. The heartbroken cries had filled the air around them, with each one escaping his lips, the temperature seemed to drop further and further, and soon low enough for even the fresh blood from where the glass had dug into his knees, was starting to freeze.

Surprisingly, Bunny was the first about to move towards the weeping figure, but he stopped himself then, just before stepping out of his hiding place. It was not out of fear of what would happen if Jack (Jokull? What were they even supposed to call him now that their theory had been confirmed?) were to use the powers he obviously was in possession of, or out of fear from knowing Jack was indeed whom they had suspected for a while now, no it was something else that made him hesitate. Something was... off about this. He could not quite describe what it was, though.

"Jack—" North began, stepping away from his hideout, but Bunny signaled for him to stop. He did reluctantly so, though the troubled look on his face clearly said he was not much for doing it.

Bunny concentrated on the scene before them, trying to figure what it was that was throwing his sense of 'normal' out the window. He eyed the rapidly freezing room around them, how the windows were getting covered in frost, and how the fresh blood froze in mere moments after being spilled. And yet, for some reason—

"It's freezing but it's not cold."

North looked up at Bunny with the expression of someone who had been much too preoccupied in his own thoughts to hear what was being said. "Chto*?"

"The temperature!" Bunny exclaimed, gesturing to the room around them. "Tell me if you're feelin' any colder than before."

Blinking North took a moment. He looked from Bunny to Sandy, who was still very much crying, to the weeping figure of Jack and then the frost starting to cover near every piece of furniture in the room. "I feel a little chill, but it is not... It is too warm."

"Exactly," Bunny nodded. From his sleeve he drew a thin needle-sharp blade and turned back to look at Jack; He had not as much as glanced their way upon hearing their voices. Not even the tiniest of flinches had he made upon realizing he was not alone. Knowing him, and how jumpy they had known him to be, it made Bunny's skin crawl.

Sandy blinked away his tears and looked around the room, having finally managed to somehow drag himself out of his distress. He touched the ice spreading upon the wall beside him. It was barely more then the briefest of touches he needed for alarm to shine in his eyes. He spun around, gaze searching and confused as he looked at the source of the magic.

"Don't touch him," warned Bunny his friend when Sandy had taken a step towards Jack. "Somethin' ain't right 'bout this. Might be a trap."

North looked around the room with caution in his eyes. Apart from the rapidly growing ice around them, nothing seemed out of what to be expected. "You think they know we are here?"

"Could be."

A moment of pause unfurled between them. North's gaze settled on the large windows to the room's balcony. Towers wielding flags with the coat of arms hung limp from their posts from lack of wind. A frown formed between North's brows. "Is wind not always weird when Jack is upset?"

"It is."

The sound of the voice had them all jump. Each of them spun around to face the source but none were able to find it.

"Who's there?" Bunny exclaimed, holding his blade at the ready, his gaze searching the shadows. Behind him both of his friends took protective stances as well.

"Who am I? Who are you?" The source less voice wondered. "You sneak into a masquerade, pretending to be nobles from a House not existing. You are trespassing the Princess' private chambers. You have brought with you a traitor to the Crown. Why?" The voice let out a huff of air. "No answer? Tell my why I should not cut you down where you stand."

North cleared his throat. "We are lost guests—"

"Spare me. There is only so much of my patience before I will cut you down where you stand. Why are you here? To spy on her remains and tell the kingdom?"

"No! No, this is all very big misunderstanding. We should not be here. We will leave. Do not worry, no word will escape us," North tried for a calm smile to wherever the source was. "We will all four leave, you will not need to worry—"

"'All four?' Oh no, I believe you are mistaking your situation," the voice said. "You are lying to me, I know that. I know you are here to steal. You do not fool me. I have seen too many of your kind in my lifetime, but I will cut you a deal; I will let you leave and have safe passage to whatever you seek if you leave the boy behind."

"Why?" Bunny asked cautiously.

"I am finding myself in a good mood today. Do not worry about our dear Jokull. It has been such a long time since he last was home. I will make sure he will be reunited with his family the proper way. He will be of no concern of yours any longer."

"You mean he will be killed," said the Cossack in a voice dangerously low.

The voice hummed. "Perhaps. That is up for his grandfather to decide. You have more important things to worry of than what happens to the King-to-be, don't you? Leave. Let him stay and I will let you escape without ever being found out. Only a fool would dismiss such a generous offer."

Defiance shone off of Sandy as he stepped forwards. His hands had turned to fists by his sides. He looked around them, searching for the source but remained unsuccessful.

"Ah, look at who we got here. Sanderson Mansnoozie in the flesh. Your choice surprises me. You wish to decline? Why? You know what he did. You know he killed his parents in cold blood and then his sister. Your oldest friend is dead because of him, as is his wife. He near destroyed an entire dynasty in a single moment knowing the consequences of their bloodline ending. Do you really wish to protect someone with so little regard of the consequences, and so little love in his heart, that he killed his own family? His heart is as cold as the magic he wields. It is only a question of time before he kills again."

"I do not know who you are, but you do not know Jackson!" North exclaimed with a growl, feeling the familiar sense of protectiveness swell up inside him. "He is regretting everything that happened. He wakes up from nightmares crying many times while we traveled. He believes we sleep and do not know but we do. He wakes up in misery and is more anxious and regretful than any I have met even when hiding behind fake smile and tries for jokes. Look at him! Does this look like boy with no heart?"

A moment of quiet passed.

"Leave the boy and you will get what you seek. Stay with him and death will be all that is left for you. You will not see the coming day."

"Then so be it," said North, ignoring the look Bunny send him. "We can fight our way out."

"You wish to risk your life for one who lied to you from the day you met? The one responsible for the chaos that is spreading? For children going missing and citizens starving? Ah, yes, I see it in your eyes. You all know it is true. This boy is the reason so many children have been consumed by the dark creatures of the night. Their blood is on his hands."

"We've known almost from day one that he wasn't like us," said Bunny then, not without some hesitation in his words. "That he's the king-to-be ain't a surprise. We expected it to be somethin' big since he didn't wanna share, like bein' a noble or someone important's son on the run. Him bein' a Lunanoff ain't changing much. Even if he weren't the Homicidal Prince, givin' him up to someone while knowin' it would end up with him dead or worse ain't somethin' we'd do to anyone with clean conscience. It just ain't right."

"Hm. You wish to protect a boy who lied about everything about himself right from the moment you met. Whom you, Pooka, dislike the most. A boy who has not once shown you any trust in his time among you."

"Doesn't matter," said North.

"It does," the voice countered, finally manifesting behind them. It caused them all to spin around and face the source, finding Shadowbent stepping out of the shadows and facing them. His red eyes were squinting at them, his expression unreadable. In his hand he twirled a single colorful feather between two fingers, unnoticed by the lot of them. "But I wonder how willing you are to protect him."

Confusion had settled among the small group at the Shadow's appearance. It took them all a moment to collectively lower their guards enough to not be perceived as completely hostile.

"What do you mean," North began but silenced when Shadowbent walked past them to put a gentle hand on the Princess' remains. Only after a moment of pause did he turn to face them once again. He studied them in a way only millennia of years of life could do.

"I mean what I said. You may be unaware, but convincing these walls to allow you free passage, without you running into the General's nightmares, is not an easy feat." His gaze shifted from North to Sandy who seemed to interest him far more than North could possibly hope to do. "Sanderson. I see the years has been kind to you. I am amazed at your return. I thought they had banished you for good."

Sandy regarded Shadowbent before allowing his stance to relax with a brief shrug, still cautious of the ancient being before him but seemed a little more at ease.

"What do ya want?" Bunny asked. He did not allow himself the pleasure of relaxing his stance; still holding his thin blade at the ready in case of an attack. "Ya brought us 'ere. Clearly ya want somethin' from us."

"One would assume so."

"So?"

A tiny smile played at Shadowbent's lips though it was anything but friendly. "How far would you be willing to go to keep a friend safe from harm's way?"

"Far enough."

Shadowbent considered Bunny, his eyes narrowing. He made a gesture towards Jack. "Would you consider him among your friends?"

"No." Bunny kept his focus on the Shadow before him, ignoring the shocked, but unsurprised, protests from North at his answer. "See, I've learned a thin' or two 'bout that kid while travelin' with him and whoever it is ya got there," he tilted his head towards the weeping figure, "it ain't that kid. It ain't jumpy enough. 'Sides none of the ice is real. Forgot 'bout the temperature, didn't ya?"

Shadowbent let out a humorless near wolf-like laugh. It sent shivers down their spines. "I do believe you can count me as impressed by your perception. Very well." The twirling feather between his fingers came to a stop as he ripped it into two pieces. A burst of odd magics sprung to life, erasing the ice and the cold and blood and shattered glass on the floor. The figure of Jack disappeared into nothing but dust, its cries silencing in a hollow scream, leaving the room eerily quiet in its absence.

The room was left as it was when first they had entered before 'Jack' had arrived.

Bunny looked around the room unimpressed as the magic disappeared around them. Only when the last spark of ice disappeared did he look back to the Shadow looking at the ruined feather as it was crumbling to dust in his palm. "That's illusion magic?"

"In a way," responded Shadowbent. "I suspect you know of whom the feather originates."

"Possibly."

Shadowbent smiled. "You do. I know you're friends with Toothiana. From what I have understood, she is in quite the precarious situation. You are here because of her. But tell me, you are willing to sneak into one of the most guarded places in the kingdom for her, putting yourselves at risk. Would you do the same for 'Jack'?"

This time it was North's time to answer. "Of course. Jack is friend. But you are his protector, yes? Why are you asking us?"

"I have lived hundreds of lifetimes. I have protected the Lunanoffs for thousands of years, ever since Ruaidhrí and his people first settled in these lands. There are kingdoms now laying forgotten in the River of Time because I burned them to the ground to keep the Lunanoffs alive. Sometimes keeping them safe means sending them off on a path away from Nightlight's and my own, until it is time for them to return to claim the throne. What I need from you, is to be willing to burn down a kingdom if it meant keeping breath in his lungs."

"I ain't sure he's safer with us than he'll be with you," said Bunny.

"Trust me, he will be." Shadowbent turned to meet Sandy's gaze. "The General knows he is alive. He will watch Nightlight and I like a hawk would a prey, waiting for us to lure him to him."

Sandy paled in wide-eyed shock. He gave a quick nod, hoping to express the words he could not speak by the simple action.

"Now hold up just a moment here," said Bunny, "ain't we gonna be targets runnin' 'round with 'im? Ain't that like a big hole in yer plan?"

There was a moment of pause.

"It is a possibility, yes, but a small one." Shadowbent silenced, his attention temporarily going to the remains in the bed. A shadow crawled across his features. He looked upon the three of them again. "Let me put it this way; I am an agent of chaos. I thrive causing disarray and unrest, but since our creation, Nightlight's and my own main purpose have always been keeping Ruaidhrí's children safe from harm. Nightlight can agree to what I am saying to you now; sometimes people will be chosen to keeping the bloodline safe. You have already been marked for this."

North stared at him in confusion. "What do you mean 'marked'?"

"I mean what I say," Shadowbent spoke. "Toothiana's magic is more than merely changing and keeping memories. She has marked you for this very purpose."

"Oh yeah? And just why do ya think she's expectin' us ta help Jack run off'n hide?" Bunny asked annoyed.

"Is it truly so terrible to protect the heir to the throne?"

Bunny squinted at Shadowbent as were he trying to read Shadowbent's thoughts. He slumped his shoulders eventually in defeat when noticing the harsh stare Sandy sent his way. "Guess not."

"I thought so," said Shadowbent, "you should be aware, he found his sister this very morning. What I allowed you to see of what happened was but a downplayed version of how his magic reacted to the stress it caused him. His mental state is very fragile in regards to his family. If you agree to keeping him safe to the best of your abilities, I will allow you to take what you came here for and leave without Kozmotis ever finding out you were here. Should you fail to do so, I shall personally make sure you will regret it in any possible way that I see fit."

"And just why do ya think we're gonna agree to this?" Bunny asked.

Shadowbent gave a smile. "Oh, I already know you will." Barely a handful of moments had passed when Shadowbent gestured for them to follow him out of the Princess' chambers and into the hallway, strangely enough not the one from which they had entered.

They followed, though in various states of reluctance, unknowing of just what might await them where the were headed. The hallways quickly changed to downright ancient builds. Cobwebs were heavy everywhere. Dust clouds were formed with every step they took. No windows allowed them to see where they were, but the moist and stale air and coolness of the rock around them made them think it to be underground. Not long passed for Shadowbent to finally stopping before a heavy door, barely hanging on to its hinges.

Though one would suspect it to be loud and cranky and troublesome to swing open, it opened without the ghost of a sound, swinging open before Shadowbent without as much as touching it.

Behind it was what once might have been a well used study. Bookcases covered the walls from floor to ceiling, old worn armchairs stood by cracked lanterns atop little tables. A desk with moldy papers stood in the middle of the room.

What caught their attention, however, was the sleeping form laying on an old fainting couch.

Sandy made no hesitation rushing to Jack's side, near feverishly checking him to see if he was okay. Jack's hair, usually a dark brown, had large patches where it had turned nearly completely white. He looked paler, his lips almost a tinted blue. There were no peaceful expression on his sleeping face, instead contorted into a heavy grimace, pained and sorrowful and strangely curious. His lips moved gently as were he speaking in his sleep, but no sounds escaped him.

Sandy looked to North who had come to his side as well. "He is freezing."

"He will be fine." Shadowbent closed the door behind them. He barely spared them a glance as he pulled out one of the tomes from one of the many bookcases and started going through the pages with what could only be described as boredom. "He should awaken soon. He should not remember anything about having found his sister once he awakens."

"You're changin' his memories?" Bunny asked.

"Oh, I'm not. Toothiana is. She is, after all, the reason he has made it this far without his magic consuming him." Noticing the stares sent his way, Shadowbent let out an unimpressed huff of air. "She has kept him safe from himself the past few years. I can smell the spells she has used on him. The oldest one seems to correspond with when his magic near consumed him when he first went into hiding. It must have been around the same time she left her mountain to travel with you. Tell me, has she locked herself into the Dreaming Realm yet?"

Sandy gave a nod to which Shadowbent let out a deep sigh, seemingly troubled about whatever that might imply.

"I see."

A strange silence filled the space between them, strained with unspoken questions. It felt like a near eternity passed until North finally broke the silence. "You say his magic tried consume him, yes? Do you know why? If we are to help protect, we should know why things went wrong, yes?"

"I suppose," said Shadowbent, turning a page in his book, "though this is something neither Nightlight or I can say our suspicions about."

"Why not?" Asked Bunny.

Shadowbent shut the book. He turned to him, his red gaze burning. "Ruaidhrí was the one who made us. He had his secrets he did not wish for us to tell any living being. He paid a price to gain his magic, and with it he created both Nightlight and I. Neither of us are able to say more than what I already have about this as this is something he did not want us to. Ruaidhrí himself would be able to tell you, but his body has long since been turned to dust."

A pause hung in the air.

"How do you even know of Tooth?" Asked North eventually when the silence had reigned too long.

Shadowbent grew quiet, his body eerily motionless as not a breath was taken by him. It took near too unbearably long before finally he spoke. There was a curiously pained look in his eyes. "She's an immortal like Nightlight and myself. To assume we would not know of one another's existence would be foolish... Judging by your expressions I assume this is new information to you."

"I— We are surprised you know of it, that is all. We already know she is immortal. We know she is last of her kind."

"The very last." Shadowbent's voice was low. A frown ghosted his features. He looked to the sleeping Jack with an unreadable look in his eyes. "Her civilization was still thriving when Ruaidhrí arrived."

"Terrible thing what the Siren Pixies did to them," Bunny commented.

Shadowbent's game lowered but he said nothing.

...

"You're doing it again."

"I'm sorry."

He averted his gaze from her. It got harder each time.

A sigh escaped from her. She had her palms pressed against his chest and forehead. It felt nice, the pulsating soothing warmth emitting from the magics he knew she was using on him. He did not know why though.

He guessed it did not matter.

This was different.

"I know it is," she said, hearing his thoughts as were they spoken words.

He gazed up at the green canopy above them. The trees were young and tall. "Why are we here?"

She hesitated.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see her face turn to look at the scenery around them. She had said it had been her home, once, long ago. She looked at the golden buildings and shapeless figures in silence. The bright warm sun was shining through the trees, tossing colorful lights everywhere around them from the reflections of the gem covered structures. She looked sad, even behind the mask she had chosen to hide her face behind. "It takes a lot of my magic, but I thought you needed something different, considering—... considering everything that has happened today. You deserve a break."

He sighed and closed his eyes.

"What happened?"

She hesitated again. She did that a lot.

"Nothing you should worry about," she said, voice gentle. Her hand was shaking. "All you have to do is relax. I will take your worries away. There won't be any thoughts hurting you when you awake."

"But I am awake."

Gently she pushed a lock of hair away from his forehead. Something in the way she did it filled him with a curious pain deep within. He could not quite think of why. "Of course, Jokull. Rest now. Our friends will be there when you awake."

His eyes fell closed on their own accord. He could hear her shuddered breath leaving her. Her hands were trembling lightly.

A curious thought gnawed at the back of his head. One not quite his own, but felt as though a faint memory was trying to drag itself out of the depths of his mind. "I have met you before, haven't I?"

Silence reigned in the wake of his question.

She neither spoke nor moved for so long he nearly had drifted off entirely when finally she made her response. "I met one of your ancestors once, a long time ago."

"Who was it?"

"You should not worry about that," was her gentle reply. "All you have to do, for now, is wake up."

...

The last light of the evening sun had long since been replaced by the dark of night when Jack finally awoke from his slumber. He did not move beneath his blankets as reality came back to him and pushed any memories of the girl with the jewel-like eyes away from his mind.

He watched with silently how North stood beside Shadowbent, talking in hushed voices as if fearing to awaken him. North seemed upset about something; he kept pointing towards Jack and doing those large gestures he was known to do. Only few words were loud enough for Jack to catch on to, giving him just enough context to figure absolutely nothing out of what they were discussing.

Beside the two arguing figures stood Bunny looking out the window, idly twirling an old pen between his fingers.

It took Jack a good minute or two to figure out the whereabouts of Sandy; the small man having plopped down beside the armchair and was gently snoring away with an open journal in his lap.

Careful not to draw attention to himself he leaned over to skim the page visible. There was an illustration of a creature with a thousand eyes and tentacles. 'The World Eater' was scribbled at the top accompanied by a few notes about its supposed anatomy continuing on to the following pages.

Weird choice of reading material.

"I am certain his Highness would appreciate being informed of your opinion so he can make a decision for himself." Shadowbent's sudden loud voice drew Jack's attention from the book and back to the duo, both now having turned to him. Where Shadowbent seemed unsurprised at finding Jack awake, North looked taken aback when his eyes met Jack's own. Even Bunny turned to look at Jack with a curious look in his eyes.

"Jack- er, Your Highness," North began, looking torn for a second then took a knee with bowed head.

Jack blinked at the uncharacteristic show of respect. "North, we've been through this weeks ago. The fact that you still do this is ridiculous."

Confused North looked at him. "We did?"

"Duh, don't you remember?" Jack asked with casual amusement even as a hint of confusion hit himself. Somehow saying this felt like a lie. He just did not quite know why. "That day after we escaped the Misty Expanses? You asked why we could escape, and I told you all about who I am? How can you not remember that?"

North's frown deepened then flew up to his hairline. It seemed as though he was realizing something. He tossed a looked to Bunny and Shadowbent then back to Jack. He smiled, though there was something strange about it which Jack could not quite put his finger on. It seemed troubled somehow. "Ah yes, yes I forgot. I must be getting old surely."

"Ya think?" Jack grinned. He got to his feet and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders like a cape. He looked down at it, as though he was seeing it for the first time. "Shad, you couldn't have found one of the silk ones instead of this?"

"Shadowbent," the Shadow corrected patiently. "I am afraid carrying such one would draw too much attention towards my whereabouts. I am already missed at the party. Doing anything more would have had.. unfortunate consequences."

Jack stretched his limps until they gave a series of loud pops. He gently kicked Sandy's side to wake him up afterwards. "Hey Sandy. Come on, time to wake up! We got a mission to get on with—" he silenced and turned to North. "Eh, remind me again why we've snuck into my home? This isn't exactly safe, you know."

"Ah, eh, yes, we need to collect the King's Bane. Very important."

"Yeah, no. Can't do that. We can take whatever else in the vaults but not that."

"We have to. It is important."

"I can't just steal that!" Jack freaked. He looked to Shadowbent. "I'm already a traitor to my kingdom. I can't just steal the King's Bane, that's a crime punished by death."

"It is," Shadowbent agreed, "it is, however, also a necessity for the King's Bane to be taken away by you and your friends for future events to take place."

"Oh, right, sorry, my bad for not knowing the future like you do."

"You are aware I do not know the future, I merely—"

Jack threw his hands in the air. "I know! You just have these weird feelings about what's to happen and how to make sure my bloodline don't die out. I get it! I just—" He ran a hand through his hair with a deep sigh. Neither Shadowbent or Nightlight had ever failed his family. Not once, in near two and a half thousand years. The only times were when his ancestors declined listening to them, when they had to do things they did not wish to happen. Jack know, deep down, he had to trust Shadowbent and his guidance. That this was something he had to do. The First King had made sure to give them a way to always survive in the shape of the two immortal beings protecting their family.

Jack slumped in defeat. It seemed it was his time to do something he would regret in order to stay alive. "If I do this, you have to promise me you will take care of my sister."

Shadowbent agreed. "You have my word she will not know of you stealing the sword."

Bunny turned to Shadowbent with no small hint of accusation in his eyes when Jack's attention was being drawn back to North. His voice was low to not be heard by Jack. "His sister's dead," Bunny whispered at Shadowbent. "It ain't right lyin' to him 'bout it."

"It is for the best that he doesn't know." Shadowbent simply stated. "He has a fragile mind. I have seen the state he was in when first he found out what he did to his parents. Knowing the destiny of his sister would devastate him. He will most likely need Toothiana there to being able to control his magic when finally he remembers."

"It ain't right. He ought ta know the truth. If ya really care 'bout him ya would tell him."

Shadowbent's expression darkened. His red gaze burned. "My entire purpose since Ruaidhrí stole Nightlight and myself away has been caring for his bloodline's survival, which, you should know, is a thing we have done for the past two-and-a-half thousand years. Need I remind you I have burned kingdoms to the ground to keep his family safe? I know how to guarantee their survival. I have been with their blood longer than your kingdom have existed. You have been with one member of the family but a few months. Do not question my methods, mortal."

"Guaranteeing one's survival, and guaranteeing one's wellbeing, are two separate things."

"Not necessarily."

Bunny glared at him. "He has a right to know."

"And this is something he will in time. Now, however, any display of his magic will result in the shadows to be drawn to him. It was hard enough to redirect their attention to somewhere else when they first felt his magic. A second time may not be possible."

"Ya really got so little confidence in him ya think he ain't able to control it?"

Shadowbent turned to fully face him, and though he was but half a head shorter than Bunny, his gaze had Bunny feel small beneath it. "I know he cannot. Why else do you believe his parents fell victims to it? Because he truly wished them dead or because his magic got out of control?"

Bunny held a frown. He looked to Jack. Although he seemed fine, more than he ever had in their few months together - more at ease, happier, less stressed and filled with anxiety, there was a subtle uneasiness about him. It had been there since they had first met him, and Bunny had at first written it off as Jack merely being on edge about how they had 'acquired' him. All the subtle glances to his hands when the though no one were looking; the fear in his eyes and then immediate relief when ordinary snow had first fallen from the sky when winter finally came; the nightmares. It made sense when finally seeing the big picture of what had been going on. "It's not right to let him live in a lie. He's convinced his sister is alive and well. It's been one of the only things keepin' him sane, I reckon. Ya don't think things will be worse once he figure out the truth?"

Shadowbent regarded him with no small hint of regret. "It is not my choice to make whether I can tell him or not."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means if you speak as much as a single word about the truth to him before the time is right, the Lunanoff dynasty will officially end and with it so will you and your friends' continued survival. I will make sure of that."

...

"We're almost there," Jack's voice was quiet as they wandered down the empty corridor. His friends had been watching him weirdly since he woke up from his nap. They had asked him weird questions about things he remembered. He was pretty sure they had lost their marbles since talking to Shadowbent. Why else would they have asked 'what is the last thing you remember?' as if he had hit his head and lost his memory.

So weird.

"Ya said that a while ago," said Bunny.

Jack rolled his eyes and chose to ignore him. He stopped up as several corridors met. He considered each of them, trying to recall the way. It had been a long time since he last had had the need to go to the vaults. He would not deny it that he was reluctant with going through with what they were supposed to do. He may always have been a bit of a rebel and good at breaking rules, but he knew where the line went and stealing irreplaceable relics had never been on his to-do list.

Finally he decided on a way and continued to lead his friends down. He paused briefly to look out of the window out to the endless sea stretching beyond the cliff's edge on which the castle rested. It was strange how the sight was the same as it had been years ago, yet at the same time felt so alien. He began walking again. "I don't remember if you know but do you know what's hiding in the vaults of traps?"

"Not really," said North.

They walked down a flight of stairs that seemed to go on forever. A couple of incredibly well-done statues were put along the walls. They were artistic marvels.

Jack declined looking at them. They gave him the creeps. "Bad idea to try to steal stuff if you don't know what you're up against."

North shrugged. "We got you."

"Oh yeah and what luck you managed to find one of the only ones who can go in there without having to worry about Fluffy."

North grinned. "Thing named Fluffy is no match for me!"

They turned another corner and entered a darkened room filled to the brim with masterfully crafted tapestries of all shapes and sizes. There were no windows. Whatever light there was was from no natural source.

"What is this place," asked North.

Jack looked down the seemingly endless rows disappearing into the dark. "It's a record."

"Of what?" North looked at a tapestry. It was very old and depicted a woman with dragon-like horns wielding a black sword whilst standing victorious atop a slain gilded dragon.

There was a pause. "It's my family's history. Every one of them represents something the previous kings and queens did that defined their time on the throne. A few heroes through the ages has been honored with a tapestry in here as well." He looked at the tapestry having drawn North's attention. "That's Queen A'Riotsa, the Dragon Slayer."

North gave a low whistle. "Impressive title."

Jack shrugged. "It's up there."

"Who's this," sounded Bunny's question a bit away. It took Jack a moment to locate him among the countless of tapestries.

"Aideléhn. She was the only survivor of our family after the Battle of Black Sun. Shadowbent saved her from destruction because she carried the First King's magic. The rest of the family perished."

"Couldn't save the rest?"

"He could, but he didn't need to," said Jack. He looked at Aideléhn. She sat on her throne. By her feet lay pools of blood whilst behind her was a sun, though whether it was rising or setting was impossible to tell. Around her were nine stars circling her, one for each member of the then royal family who had perished in the war. "It's how it's always been. The one carrying the magic will always be considered more important than any other member of the family. That's the one who has to continue to survive no matter the cost. That's... It's Nightlight and Shadowbent's purpose."

Bunny looked at him. "That's insane."

Jack hummed. He guessed it was, from an outsider's perspective, but when you had grown up being taught this from a young age, and knew why it was how things had to be, it did not seem quite as bad. He walked away, already predicting what tapestry Sandy might have found to draw his interest. He was not wrong. It was the one of his parents.

He could not bear to look at it. He passed without saying anything.

Occasionally there would be more questions of who were on the tapestries. Jack answered what he could but would admit to his memory regarding these was far from perfect. The empty spot on the wall where his own was supposed to appear made him feel empty. He hoped his sister's would hang there instead one day.

"You got of the First King?" asked North after a while. He looked around them, searching for the oldest of the tapestries there were. "You got of everybody else, and your people is obsessed with him, yes?"

"We're not 'obsessed' with him," said Jack, ignoring the way his friends exchanged a look. It did not really matter. He had already found the tapestry he was looking for: the Juggling Fool's Crown. All the color had faded from it, leaving it bland compared to the sight it once might have been. The edges of it had been eaten by moths, and water had caused damage to it. "And we don't have a tapestry of him. He's the only one we don't have one of. We got of his daughter if you're really interested, but this isn't exactly why we're here."

"Somebody stole it?"

"Don't know," said Jack in response. He turned to the Juggling Fool. He pressed into the woven image on three of the stones on the fool's crown, as well as the fool's eye and on a coin above his ear. Barely had he removed his fingers for the tapestry to dissolved before their eyes, revealing a hidden staircase leading far down into the dark. "If any of you tell anyone unwelcome how to enter the vaults, a curse will slit your throats before you can take your next breath."

Bunny was about to make a snarky comment but seeing the seriousness on Jack's face had him remain quiet as they began their descent.

They reached the bottom of the staircase after what could easily have been an hour of walking. The eternal walking down would have been monotonous had it not been for the many wonderfully crafted statues placed in carved holes in the walls. They seemed to get older the farther down they came, but each was as detailed as the one before to the point of it almost being eerie.

Small globules of light had made their appearance within the first few steps down, having emerged from the walls themselves the moment the last of them had entered and the tapestry had formed itself behind them, blocking off their exit.

An eerie silence had been their only companion during the entirety of their decent.

He thought perhaps he saw shadows move unnaturally at the corner of his eye, but every time he looked nothing seemed off so he pushed it aside.

At the bottom a large cave met them. Stalagmites and stalactites of enormous sizes took up most of the space. Water had flooded the entirety of the cave floor. A platform (on which the stairs had ended their descent) was raised a twice a man's height above the water. On it stood at the ready an ancient pedestal on which lay an old and rusty bowl and old knife.

The globules of light all floated towards it.

Jack looked out into the dark, cautious of any movement. He moved to the pedestal. With a quick slash into his palm, fresh warm blood dripped into the bowl.

He heard gasps from his friends behind him but chose to ignore them as he watched his blood tickle down his palm. Only moments passed before his wound healed itself and the blood in the bowl began to swirl on its own. He took a step back when the blood changed to an icy-blue hue. Somewhere in the dark a monstrous wail cut through the air like thousands of dying screams. It disappeared so suddenly the silence that followed felt beyond petrifying.

"What the hell was that?" Bunny exclaimed frightened. He was looking into the dark, his blade at the ready. Jack still had no idea how he had managed to sneak that one into the castle.

Jack grinned. "You scared, Cottontail?"

"I ain't bloody scared, mate. What was it?"

"No idea," said Jack truthfully. He turned to the cave. It was silent. No movements could be seen. He gently tapped one of the globules which then floated to his palm. It was unnaturally hot, but not enough to cause his skin to damage from the exposure. He caressed it with a finger. Its glow flickered. He turned to his friends, "grab a light," and began to walk across a previously nonexistent bridge barely visible to the eye.

It took quite a few moments for Bunny to collect a globule (both Sandy and North managing it surprisingly easily) but soon they all followed his walk across, with a varying degrees of uneasiness of walking on a seemingly invisible bridge several meters above ground.

It would not be a far walk, Jack knew. He had walked this path before years ago. He had gone with his grandfather last he had been down here. It had been a good day.

He doubted he would ever share a day like that with him again.

They were halfway across the bridge when North broke the silence.

"What is that down there? Sandy, you see too, yes?"

Jack looked behind him. North had stopped up, and by doing so had stopped both Sandy and Bunny from continuing further.

"I ain't see anything," commented Bunny. He pushed against the Cossack, urging him on.

"No?" North said. He looked at the small light in his hand for barely even a moment before he tossed it out into the dark. Though the globule was small, it spread enough light to expose the silhouette of several statues spread out in the dark between ancient stalagmites and stalactites.

The globule slowly began its way back when Jack called for it. It zig-zagged between countless of statues hiding below them in the dark. The light from the globule being reflected in the water flooding the floor gave a near ghostly effect to the sight.

"What the—" Bunny leaned over the railing beside North. He turned to the other side and followed North's example of tossing his own globule as far out into the dark as he could. He stared into the dark and the sea of statues the faint light revealed. "What's with the statues?"

"Stop tossing the lights," Jack bit. He handed North's globule back then concentrated on recalling Bunny's. "They're hard to force back."

"What's with the statues," Bunny demanded. He had not moved his gaze from where his own globule was slowly making its way back to them.

"They're not statues."

"Huh?"

Jack shrugged innocently. "They're not statues."

"Whatcha mean they ain't bloody statues?"

"Nobody's carved them."

Bunny looked at him confused then turned to watch the globule again. He concentrated on the statues it passed, trying to make sense of Jack's lackluster response.

"What are they then?"

Jack gave a nondescript sound. He watched the light reveal more and more statues as it passed. Some of them were broken as if something big had crashed into them, removing arms or shattering pieces of them.

"They're people?" North asked. Something about his tone of voice exposed his wish for it not to be the case.

"Was," corrected Jack. "They're thieves— 'were' thieves."

"This is a bloody mass grave!" Bunny exclaimed.

"What did this?" North asked shocked.

Jack shrugged. "I don't really know. Could be the water covering the floor. Could be whatever monster is out there hiding in the dark. Maybe it's something in the air?"

"Jack, er, Jokull, you— you are prince, yes? Should you not know?" asked North.

"Jack. I'm not the one who designed the vaults," said Jack. "This place is more than a thousand years old."

"It's messed up turnin' people to stone, mate," said Bunny. He looked sick.

Jack shrugged. He looked out into the dark. It felt weird talking about them, the statues. Nobody ever talked about them. "It's no my fault people think there aren't any traps when trying to steal from the vaults."

"What else is down here...?"

Jack blew lip bubbles. He looked thoughtful. Bunny's globule had finally made its way back to them. He handed it over. "I think there's only Fluffy we have to worry about, but he should know not to attack since I'm with you."

"And what exactly is 'Fluffy'?"

"Scared, cottontail?"

"I wanna know what's out there!"

"Statues, mostly."

Bunny groaned. "That ain't what I meant."

"Oh, I know," grinned Jack. He turned to continue down the bridge. He could just make out the exit hidden away in the dark. He could sense something moving in the dark again. He hoped it was just whatever monster was living down here.

It did not take long for the last stretch of bridge was behind them. Barely had their feet touched the outcropping before the globules left their hands to circle the doorway leading to a small tunnel Jack knew would lead them to another chamber.

Someone mumbled something about freaky statues. Some statues clung to the side of the outcropping, having been about to pull themselves up from below when their final breath had been taken. Their last terrified expressions frozen til the end of time.

Jack had never known what caused them to turn to stone. He did not know if he really wanted to know. Some things, he thought, were best kept in the dark.

The globules did not follow them as they entered the tunnel, nor did they follow when they came to the next chamber. They did not need to. An unnatural sourceless light lit up the chamber the moment they set foot inside.

Large piles of bones took up the floor of the chamber with shattered statues filling the gaps. Bones broke beneath their weight when they stepped on them, even as they followed the path clearly made out between what very well could be that of a thousand people and creatures.

"This ain't a bloody vault, it's a mass grave," said Bunny again. "There's no way this many people have tried to break in here."

"History is painted by blood," Jack said, deliberately choosing not to look at Bunny. He picked up a femur. It was awfully small. He tossed it back into the piles surrounding them. Thankfully none of the bones seemed new. "And not everybody in my family's history were good people."

"Who caused this," asked North.

Reluctantly Jack ran a hand through his hair. "I think it was Ishmâel II who first used this place. He wasn't— He wasn't a good king. He killed a lot of people. Burned kingdoms to the ground over nothing. He has a higher body-count than a lot of my other ancestors all together. Mostly it was a lot of foreign nobility who met their fate by being forced down here to die. It's— A few regents after him used this place to execute people; Nobles who betrayed them, mostly, along with their children and servants. It's... It's not something we're proud of to have happened, but it helps scaring off intruders." He could see the disgust on their faces. He could not blame them. His family's history was not exactly one of innocence.

Sandy was the least affected by it, it seemed. He looked saddened but unsurprised.

Unsure of what else to do, Jack began making his way through the chamber. He could hear movement above them, and a single glance told him they no longer were unseen by Fluffy.

He hoped his friends would not spot it. He hoped more it would not come down.

The Gods had to be smiling upon him, he thought, when finally they had managed to pass into the final chamber without trouble. Jack tossed a glance over his shoulder just in time to see Fluffy disappear effortlessly within one of the larger pile of bones. He could feel it staring at him. He quickly turned back around to catch up with his friends who all stood open-mouthed and stared at the sight before them.

The room itself was a marvel of ancient architectural ingenuity, but were easily out-shined by the mountains of gold everywhere. Pots were filled to the brim with gemstones; chests were barely able to stay closed from pearls of all sizes. There were barrels full of jewelry, and rolls of the finest silks and cloth that sparkled as though the nightsky itself had taken a hold of it. There were golden statues encrusted with diamonds, and ivory armors on display. Ancient and newer weapons of the finest crafts hung on the walls. On either side of the room were side-chambers where in one were the crowns and scepters of each of the kings and queens of the past. The oldest, Jack knew, was but a copper circlet of simple make. It was possibly the most valuable of all the things down here. The other chamber contained their target among the other important relics.

"You're drooling," said Jack.

North did not as much as move a muscle. "This is the most treasure I've ever seen in my life."

Jack shrugged like it was nothing. "Near three thousand years worth of collecting."

"This is insane," said Bunny. "Ya got this much money and there are people out there starvin'. We've been starving'!"

"Oh yeah, my mistake for not dragging you here the moment I knew we didn't have any coin. It's not like I'm risking my life being here," Jack deadpanned. He looked at the ocean of gold before them expectantly. No sooner had he turned when a deep rumbling of gold moving filled the quiet space, and before any were the wiser, a giant golden serpent ascended effortlessly out of the treasure before their very feet with such force it near knocked them to the ground. It looked upon them unblinking, swaying slightly.

"I sssee intrudersssss. Why hasssss the boy princccce brought intrudersssss here?"

Jack grinned at it. "A serpent? Really?"

The Goldine* looked at Jack. There was but a hint of dismay in its glance. "Intruderssss in my treasssure... Are they a sssnack?"

"They're friendsssssss," Jack said, mockingly imitating the Goldine's voice.

The Goldine sneered. "Fluffy did not eatsssss them I ssssssee. Why did the princccce boy bring them here? What doesssss he need?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Can you change form? I think you're scaring Bunny."

A low dissatisfied rumble escaped the Goldine. Though the dismay was clear, within a few moments gold fell off of it as were it melting off the large form until all that was left was the semi-humanoid form of a golden naga.

"What doesss the princcce boy need?" The Goldine asked. Her golden form slithered around their small group expectantly with near hunger in her eyes. "He even brought the golden dwarf. Cassst away. Thrown out. Betrayer. Traitor he issss. What isss the princcce boy up to I wonder? What isss he looking for, rissssking coming back? Hisss friendsss wantsss my gold. The red one longssss to touch. To take."

"I need the King's Bane," said Jack simply. It drew the Goldine's attention from Bunny.

"The King'ssss Bane issss for the King. You are jusssst a princcce sssstill. You have not been crowned yet. Cassst out. Cassst away. Hiding he isss."

"I am still the Crown Prince. I am allowed to take whatever I want from the vaults."

The Goldine sneered at him. Her long sharp teeth were glistening in the unnatural lights surrounding them. She looked near as though she wanted to eat them for daring to take some of the treasure she was protecting. Not long did it take before she with a low hiss slithered off and returned with the shed sword in two of her hands. Her eyes lingered on them with an unnatural burn when Jack took the sword from her. A near fury showed when Jack told his friends to take a handful of coin to fill their pockets.

"It's my treasure," Jack reminded her gently when an inhumanly low sneer escaped her throat when she saw North grab for a small ruby. "I need it to survive out there."

The Goldine said nothing in return but he could feel her thoughts never the less and how her fury grew for every piece of treasure she lost.

"Can you show us the way out?" Jack asked her when finally North and Bunny seemed to have filled their pockets. They ought to have enough gold now to survive for a good long while without having to worry about money.

"Go back-" the Goldine began but Jack cut her off.

"The other exit."

The Goldine sneered at him and reluctantly began circling them, under her breath mumbling words in a long dead language, unintelligible to their human ears.

A harsh wind hit them as soon as the Goldine's voice silenced around them. A cold only the outside could bring met them as they found themselves standing by the sea not far below the castle grounds. The icy waters hit their feet as waves crashed against the coast.

The night had truly taken over the sky. Clouds blocked out the starlight and left them in near complete darkness, their way only lit by the faint lights of the city.

Jack looked back at the castle far above them where he knew his sister's room to be. Though he longed to see her and be with her once again, he knew what they had to do had been far more important. Still, a sadness he could not quite describe took a hold of him as they began their task of leaving behind the city to free Toothiana from the grasp of Proudwind.

Unbeknownst to them, as they walked back through the city, hurrying to gather their supplies from the tavern, the shadows had eyes upon them, moving in the dark as they stalked their prey through the night whilst he blissfully unaware celebrated the successful heist with his friends.

*1: "what?"

*2: "On the Topic of the Goldine: The Goldine is a mythological creature long thought to only exist within imagination, and as such not much is known about them. Though they share certain aspects with dragons, with their love for treasure, they are not to be confused with one. Where dragons collect treasure on their own for their horde, Goldines seem to be formed from the essence of treasure itself. No one knows why these suddenly appear, but scholars believe that once a dragon as left behind its treasure, whether it be slain or left it behind for other reasons, the magic of its presence is enough that after a couple of centuries, if the treasure stays put and together, the gold itself with take form of a vicious shape-shifting creature which will protect it from intruders, and only give to those it trusts, if at all. It is speculated, due to their natural connection with dragons, whether the Goldine has any magical cababilities apart from shape-shifting, but due to the lack of encounters with these creatures (if they exist at all) this is a mystery which may never be solved. (...) There are rumors such a creature may exist within the Lunanoff vault, but these rumors have never been denied nor acknowledged." ('A Collection of Mythological Beings and Legends', Gustav Clarke of Saker Keep, published 12:45)