AN: So, I tried getting this right but. . .Does it seem too. . .I dont know. . .Forced?

Tell me what you guys think of this one.

I feel i need a second opinion.

Oh, yeah, remember to rate, review and comment on whatever you like.

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Lyle ignored him.

" So. . .Im guessing that those things. are . ."

A'daire looked behind him.

" The Mage Kings? Yup. Damn things creep me out."

Lyle felt it too.

The shadows seemed to stare at him, and the way they moved was chilling.

"Actually those are the taint of the Mage Kings. Not the people themselves. Not exactly. I can't explain it but they are similar to spirits. The tendrils, at least a few of them, are...Sins. Corruption and insanity given form. The epitome of Curse magic. Perhaps they're even stronger than the Mage Kings. You can't truly tell them apart from the Mage Kings until you see them up close. " Father spoke with a peculiar light in his deep blue eyes, a light that made him weary.

" So, how are we going to move them?" Lyle asked cautiously.

Father and A'daire looked at each other, a silent message passing between them.

Father turned to his children, while A'daire moved behind them.

Lyle's muscles tensed, feeling something was wrong.

"Father?" Iris called out.

The man didnt speak until A'daire was by his side.

Father spoke then, cold, unfamiliar.

"Do it."

A'daire scratched his head. " Ai, those two are gonna hate me for this. Well, better to ask forgiveness . . ." He sighed, a bit distraught.

But he complied.

He pulled out a knife he had strapped to his side and slashed it across father's outstretched hand.

Then father, under the confused gaze of his children, touched the circle with his wounded hand.

Instantly the thing lit up with a fierce red glow.

A rumbling was heard, making Lyle and Iris feel their bodies shake.

The silvery bars slowly opened and once it raised more that ten feet the dark tendrils began to slowly seep out, feeling.

"What are you doing?!" Lyle shouted.

"Sorry 'bout this, kid." A"daire sent out a sincere apology. "We dont see any other way."

Then he moved, using his superior strength and speed that was far above normal, and appeared by their side.

. . .And grasped Iris, flinging her small body towards the tendrils of shadows.

The man's speed was much, much faster than normal, and Lyle had no time to react.

As the girl entered the other side father lifted up his hand and the glow of the circle retreated instantly, the silver bars dropping again with tremendous force.

"Im sorry, but this is the only reliable way to move the mage kings. Dont worry, you wont feel a thing."

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Two sets of dark tendrils wound their way around a certain body, their cool touch licking at the figure's face and slowly entering inside of her mouth, nose, ears, eyes, aiming directly for the girl's mind.

It was cold, and dark, and there were things that surriounded her body.

She was only half conscious of what was being done to her but there was a feeling of an unnatural invasion and fear that spread througput her body and mind.

She only saw two things before she entered this dark, cold place.

Her father's calm, composed face as he watch her being thrown inside and the disbelieving eyes of her only sibling.

She didnt know how long she had been there, it could have been seconds or hours or days and she wouldnt have known.

Soon a hot, boiling pain spread throughout her body. It felt like her veins were being slowly ripped out.

The girl screamed..

In such a state the girl was constantly calling out in her mind,

Big brother. . .Help. . .

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"LET ME GO!"

"Dammit boy she'll be fine! Trust us, she wont have a hair on her head out of place. " As he saw that his efforts to talk sense in the boy were futile he looked at the father of the two. "Oi, you tell him. He wont listen to me!"

"Son, it's true, simply calm d--"

The struggling stopped, only to start up again with a fury. " SHUT UP!" the boy shouted. " She's your daughter, how can you simply let her inside with those devils! Dammit, let me go already! Iris! "

The father shook his head tiredly.

Lyle was frantic, stuggling to get out of A'daire's bear-like grip.

The man was well able to keep the boy suppressed, but even still one could tell that it made even him strain a bit. This boy, he was stronger than A'daire imagined. A'daire felt a bit put-out. He didnt want to do that, but he truly didnt believe the girl would be hurt. Otherwise how could he do it? He himself has a sister, and a daughter.

Lyle was half-crazed, his golden eyes somehow seeming slightly tinged with red. His normally attractive face was twisted in anger and his body itself seemed to exude a strong malicious aura that made the two other men slightly wary.

--Boy, that girl's body is weak, her bloodline too diluted. . .She's going to die. Such a shame, to see such a pretty flower wilt before she has time to blossom. Truly lamentable. Do you want to save her? Are you willing? If so, you need only ask . . .

A voice, soft, soothing, almost seductive but definitely feminine, slipping into his mind like a snake, just now entering his awareness. This voice, who. . .?

Look, her body is already beginning to crack.

Suddenly his vision was enhanced--an amazing thing that he gave no attention to when he was able to see what was going on. What he saw was a small, familiar figure through the dark shadows.

He was able to make out vague lines of blueish light along the girl's entire body, even through her red gown.

They were vein-like things that were almost like cracks, There were even some that sparked here and there, others that let out a slightly more reddish glow that seemed to show signs of tiny fractures.

Those things, what--?

--Those are magic circuits, the things that allow a person's mana to flow inside their bodies and learn to mold their knowledge of magic into spells. Here, they are too strained, breaking. Leaking out life energy. If they break completely, her mind will shatter to pieces while her body will know nothing but pain before a slow, eventual end.

Her body does not appear to have the Grayborne ability to seal those things inside her. Even if she did, she could only hold two at a time. That was probably his plan, to have you take two each then save the last for himself. But they dont have to fear being sealed inside her, so they fight for who gets control. That battle is tearing the girl apart from inside out.

A different voice now, rougher, harsher and commanding like an old general.

Lyle shook his head.

Lies!

Father wouldn't.. . He wouldnt let something like that. . .

--Your father gave the command to throw that girl in with the most powerful, evil beings in history. . .Does he deserve such faith? You, yourself, know this. Even if that girl was safe and sound could you condone the simple fact that she is being invaded by the spirits of such beings? Your father is a fool. He shouldnt have thrown in someone whose blood is diluted by those of inferior quality. This girl, her time is coming to an end.

This third voice was smooth, silky, spunding inherently arrogant.

What were thesee things. . .?

And diluted? He didn't understand. Lyle's head hurt, not quite believing in the words, not wanting to. . .

His grit his teeth and tried to appeal to his father. " Father, dont do this, please! Let her out, now!"

"Dont fret, she's fine." He seemed unsure.

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"How do you know? She could be dying!"

He shook his head. " She's a Grayborne, her body wont give out. . ."

A'daire spoke, a thought occuring to him.. " She isnt a normal Grayborne. The abilities of your family, she hasnt shown any signs of them. She has no superior combat instincts nor any strengthened physical traits. . .Rather, she would likely take after her mother's family. " He frowned. If they were wrong, if she couldnt handle it, then. . .

"That . . ." Father couldnt deny it.

Lyle sucked in a cold breath.

So, was it true?

Though he said it himself, he wanted father to deny the possibility, to offer reassurance.

--Even he isnt sure that she will survive. Ah, it seems that she wont last much longer. Our question still stands: Do you wish to save her? We can do that. If you invite Us inside, then We can give you the power to save the girl.

Lyle looked back, unsure.

Even now, this thing, how did he know it was telling the truth? It could easily be playing on his fears.

Iris, father wouldnt do this unless he was fairly sure that--

A loud, piercing scream made the hair on the three men stand on end.

"Iris!"

Lyle redoubled his efforts, fighting out of the older man's grip.

"Iris!"

His breathing went rough, straining his muscles.

But A'daire, who was he?

One of the strongest in the continent, a retired adventurer that had fought things few people have the chance to see even from a distance.

Although the boy was far stronger than many given his natural abilities, it was still able to be contained by him.

"A'daire, damn you, you heard her! Let go, help me! My sister, she's. . .!" He raged.

"Boy, dammit, even if you go what could you do? Even if your father opened the seal again, how can you get her back without being devoured yourself? " He knew that even if it were himself, getting her back would be but a pipe dream.

Lyle snapped. "Bastard! I dont care . . . She's my sister! How can I do nothing?!"

His sister who always followed him around, who smiled everytime he patted or praised her, that sweet and adorable little demoness who pouted if things didnt go her way, how can he stay calm? How can he stand aside and let whatever was causing such screams to continue?!

"Both of you, are simply cowards! Dammit I said . . .LET. . .ME. . .GO!"

Lyle felt a sudden burst of strength and broke free of A'daire's grasp.

The two mens' faces were a mask of disbelief and surprise.

A'daire was very intimate with the boy's strength. Though it was very abnormal, though his combat skills were rather extraordinary, in no way should he have the ability to throw him, a man who had formal training as an Elemental knight, off.

Elemental Knights, those who had contracted with spirits that align with one of the elements of nature, they are considered among the powerhouses of all the varrying type of Knights in the world.

Though he was not currently drawing power from his own earth attribute Elemental, how can a mere 15 year old break his hold? Even a man with three, maybe five times their normal strength couldnt hope to break free.

Lyle made no wasted time, merely darting off at a nearly inhuman speed toward the silver bars.

There was a large gap between the bars, big enough for two men to fit through,.

Although the two men were still in a state of shock, only a few seconds had passed and Lyle was already at the bars and his figure was trying to pass through the gap.

Boom!

But an invisible force drove him back, shocking him in a most literal sense.

His muscles spasmed.

"Boy, this is why I held you back. You cant enter that place without your father undoing the seal. He is the only one authorized, as the current head of the Grayborne family. Try again and the pain will probably double."

"Then open it! Now. Cant you hear her?!"

Even now, there were screams that echoed throughtout the room.

One could only imagine what was happening.

Father clenched his fists. "It wont change anything If I do. But we dont know anything for sure. We can only wait and see what happens."

Lyle looked at him, mouth agape. "See what happens?! Do you even hear yourself? That's your daughter screaming in there! You cant--!"

"It doesnt matter because if there is even a slight chance that this place will be found, that those things might be unleashed, then her dying in there is much better than what could come! If she cant handle it then the two of us will have to pick up the slack and do it ourselves! " His breathing was rough, his deep blue eyes holding both unwavering conviction and heart-wrenching anguish.

The two opposite emotions made him look half mad.

-- See? He is unraveling himself. He is torn between keeping those things locked away and saving his own flesh and blood. Well, his fears are not unwarrented. Even now We sense an approaching danger. Yet after hearing her cries he still wont even try to help his own daugher. But you. . . you need only invite Us inside and We can unleash your full potential momentarily. The seal will reform completely after a few seconds but that will be more than enough time to save that girl.

Then once you leave this place. . .Of course. . . We will come with you. A good deal, no?

The first voice offered a laugh that was neither pleasant nor un-pleasant but merely resounded in his ears.

Why couldnt anyone else hear it?

Who. . . What. . . Was this?

Can it really help? Whatever it wants, it cant be good. I cant--

" Big brother . . .Help. . ."

That sweet, lovable voice that rarely left his side, called out to him.

And that did it.

--your time is running out, boy. She wont last another minute. Your answer?

The voices asked in unison.

Whatever came after could be dealt with later, but if he paused to think now she would die!

His sister who propably cared for him more than anyone he knew, whose constant desire for his attention was both irritating and endearing, he couldnt simply leave her like that.

Didnt he say he would protect her here? Didnt he decide that he wouldnt let anything happen to her?

He failed miserably at both, but he couldnt let her suffer while he wrung his hands in hesitation!

"Fine, whatever you want, just... help her!"

The sudden, unexpected words caused the two other men to look at him oddly.

At once the three different voices answered him.

"Good, boy. Remember our names! Etain, Nakir, Azamat!"

The voices didnt come from his head anymore, but from the depths of the darkness.

They caused the two men to stiffen, alert for any danger.

As soon as the last wordd fade there were three tendrils of shadow that shot out from behind the silver bars, the invisible force somehow not even trying to impede them.

The three pitch-black tendrils were outlined with a different color each.

The first was traced in a deep, startling green whose glow was akin to resentment.

The second was a bright, almost wrathful shade of red which ignited the desire for violence.

The last was a dark violet that tried to outshine the others, the color nearly appearing disdainful.

As they flew out like lightning the tendrils had apparently set their sights on Lyle.

A'daire reacted fast and placed himself in front of him, a pale yellow aura amanating from his entire body as he sent an open palmed attack that seemed overbearing and unstopable.

But as the palm struck the first tendril his entire body was sent flying away like a rag doll.

With a sound like thunder, under the horrified gaze of his father, they struck Lyle's chest and caused his skin to emit a gray light for several seconds before he dropped, appearing lifeless.

Then, with a glorious burst of golden light, his body disappeared.

The next instant a sound of something shattering was heard and the mysterious force that blocked the way before had become visible, like broken glass, slowly regenerating itself.