Chapter 10

Notes: I'm so sorry for the late upload! I've been out all day, and just now managed to get to my computer TT I hope you still enjoy this chapter!

"Ugh, why did we ever agree to babysit two babies!" Harumi whined as she changed Phoenix's diaper.

"If I remember correctly, it was you who agreed to this. I had no part in the decision," Lloyd had an annoying smirk on his lips. He was still feeding Caspian. Harumi wanted to slap him. Instead she just rolled her eyes.

"How can you say no to Skylor? She looks like she hasn't slept for months! And I didn't know Nya and Jay were going to go as well," Harumi argued.

Phoenix's tiny voice cried loudly. "No, shh, shh. It's okay, everything's okay," Harumi lowered her voice as she picked Phoenix back into her arms. "Mama will be back soon, shh..." Harumi cooed.

Caspian lifted his hands over his ears and yelled: "Enix is too woud!"

"I know buddy, but that's how babies let you know they need something," Lloyd answered.

"I want hew to staat speakin alely," Caspian crossed his arms across his chest.

"Spider's in the house, sleep, deep. Spider bit the mouse, sleep, deep," Harumi sang in a low voice, rocking Phoenix lightly. Her eyes drooped close and in a few moments she started snoring quietly. Harumi let out a silent breath. She carefully lowered her to the fold-up crib Skylor had given her alongside her baby as they were dropped off.

"Now we have to be really quiet, ok Cas?" Lloyd whispered, silently moving Caspian's empty plate to the kitchen counter.

"Ok," he whispered. "Can I sleep between you and aunt Wumi?" he asked quietly.

Lloyd glanced up at Harumi, and she gave him a small nod with a sleepy smile.

"Of course you can. Now let's get you into your pajamas," Lloyd answered, lifting Caspian out of the high chair.

Lloyd changed Caspian, as Harumi searched for his stuffed bear. She and Lloyd changed into pajamas as well and they all climbed into bed, Caspian snuggling between the two and wrapping his arms around "Mr. Cuddlywomp junior".

"Aunt Wumi, can you sing to me too?" his small voice asked.

A smile spread on Harumi's lips. "Of course," she said. "Spider's in the house, sleep deep. Spider bit the mouse, sleep deep. Don't wake up or else, you'll find a spider in your mouth," Harumi sang quietly. In a few minutes Caspian drifted off to sleep as well.

Harumi raised her head to look at Lloyd. He had a sweet, sleepy smile on his face, his gaze soft. In quiet moments like these, before the two of them drifted off to sleep, Harumi really felt like she couldn't be happier.

"I love you, sweet dreams," Harumi whispered quietly, placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"I love you more, sweet dreams," Lloyd smiled and turned off his nightlight.

Then Harumi drifted off to sleep.

The first thing Harumi registered was the sound.

Something was dripping. Water?

Somewhere, it echoed slightly.

Then she breathed in, smelling the stuffy cave air she had been inhaling for the past day.

Then she realised she was laying on something cold. It felt quite smooth under her, but as she moved her hand, she felt small bumps.

Then she fluttered her eyes open.

The dim cave around her took a while to take shape. But then she realised the most important parts. She was in a cage. An iron cage.

Harumi quickly jolted into a seated position, remembering what had happened.

The Skull Sorcerer. He attacked them. Back in the other cave, with the temple. The Skull had shot something toward her, and then... She doesn't remember anything.

Harumi frantically looked around herself as panic settled into her bones. She was in a small cave lit with green crystals. Her cage was on the ground, but the bars of it were placed too closely together for Harumi's hand to get through.

Then she noticed another cage next to her. A couple meters away, and there was a prisoner as well. But he was awake.

It was King Vangelis.

Harumi's mind spiraled. What had happened?

First her rage bubbled up, she wanted to attack the man. He had done all of this to his subjects, he needed to be stopped!

Then Harumi realised that he was also in a cage. Like she was.

A terrifying thought occurred to her. After she had been knocked unconscious, had the ninja defeated Vangelis? Then they had locked him up. But then...

Had Lloyd told the other ninja what Harumi had done? Had they decided she was as big of a danger as Vangelis and locked her up as well, waiting to decide what to do with her?

Harumi's breathing started to hitch, her eyesight blurring.

Everything she had feared had happened.

She had told Lloyd about the... the woman and... her mom and he... did exactly what she feared he would. Despised her. His whole perception of her changed.

She had lost him.

Harumi's breathing quickened and her hand started to shake.

But then, through her panic she heard a voice.

"Hey, hey it's okay. She's not here right now, you can calm down," the man's voice spoke. Harumi snapped her head up, her eyesight coming back to her. Vangelis was speaking to her.

"Don't talk to me! This is all your fault! This is all because of you!" Harumi yelled.

The villain looked taken aback, which confused Harumi. He looked... regretful...

"I know that..." he then said with a sad sigh.

Harumi's mind wasn't comprehending any of this, but then she heard a heavy clank of metal.

She snapped her head toward the sound, it came from her right.

There was an opening there that led somewhere. She heard steps. Light steps.

Then the Skull Sorcerer walked into the room.

Harumi wasn't sure if she was still dreaming.

She had to look to her right, to make sure Vangelis was still in that cage.

He was.

But then who?

"Ah, finally you woke up!" His raspy voice said, looking at Harumi. He walked toward her and Harumi backed away until the iron bars met her back.

"What's going on! Why are you making a mirage of yourself in that cage? Is it to fool me? To make me sympathise with you!?" Harumi yelled, her gaze shifting back and forth between the king and the sorcerer.

The Sorcerer was silent for a moment, but then he laughed loudly. The skull levitating next to him also laughed raspily.

"That's right! I forgot that I did that," he laughed, looking at Vangelis in the cage.

"I am onto you, you piece of shit! I know your tricks you can't fool-" "Oh, but I don't think you do. Know my tricks. See we don't know each other that well, yet," he interrupted Harumi's yelling. "You see I have done quite many tricks since you and the other masters showed up. My plan had been so simple, but then you started fighting back and it turned into this huge mess..." he sighed. "But I am proud of myself, for my improvisation skills," he laughed to himself.

"You're a coward, hiding behind that mask Vangelis!" Harumi yelled at the sorcerer.

"Did you hear that?" the sorcerer suddenly snapped his attention toward the fake-Vangelis in the cage. He walked closer to the cage, fake-Vangelis not lifting his gaze off his hands. "You're a coward, like you always have been. If you weren't such a wuss, maybe none of this would've happened. Or maybe it would have, but you would've died a hero," the sorcerer taunted the fake version of himself.

That was a fake version of him, right? The fake-Vangelis seemed to be crying, tears dripping down his cheeks.

"I know that isn't you..." he said in a weak voice. "I know it's the skull, I know you would never say something like that to me," he continued, but still not daring to look away from his hands. He squeezed his eyes shut.

The sorcerer grabbed the cage and shook it. "This is me! This is what you made me! I will always be the sorcerer and you will always be the king who failed his whole family! You will always be the father who couldn't protect his wife or his child! You will always be a coward!" the sorcerer yelled in his demonic voice.

Harumi didn't know what to do. Didn't know what to say anymore. The fake-Vangelis? The person sitting in the other cage was now shaking, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." he then started saying over and over again.

"Your sorry isn't good enough!" the sorcerer yelled, punching the cage once more, before taking a step back.

Harumi was paralyzed. All these thoughts in her mind, yet she couldn't do anything. It felt like her mouth had gone dry, like her voice had been taken away from her. She didn't know what she was witnessing, but she knew it wasn't good.

Or was this all part of some mind game?

The sorcerer sighed deeply and then turned his attention toward Harumi.

"Now, to you, foreteller," he said, walking to Harumi's cage.

Harumi pressed herself against the iron bars, trying to get as far away from him as she could.

"No need to be scared, I can't hurt you. You're too important," he said, and Harumi didn't understand.

"No person is important to you. Just your power," Harumi said quietly.

The sorcerer hummed. "That is true, but that's where you come in. You will protect my power from this day until the end of days," he said with a taunting voice.

"I will never do anything for you. Never!" Harumi said sternly.

The sorcerer bent closer to Harumi's cage. "Oh, but you will. You will tell me what you see. You will tell me every threat you see, every small thing that might affect my power, that might take it away from me," he said in a taunting voice, but Harumi still didn't understand.

"You're crazy! You're going to use me as a guard dog? Or as bait? I won't do anything for you!" Harumi's voice got louder.

The sorcerer chuckled. "In a way you will be my guard dog. Guarding my future," he said.

Harumi's head tilted slightly to her side, as she didn't understand. But she stayed quiet.

"Come on, tell me, what have you seen? Did you see all of this coming? Or maybe you didn't see all of it, otherwise you would've known to stay away from me..." the sorcerer taunted. "How do you get them? Do they come randomly to you, or perhaps with a trigger? Or do you need to be sleeping?" he continued and the confusion in Harumi grew with each sentence.

"You're crazy! Talking nonsense, I don't understand what you're talking about!" Harumi yelled at the man.

The sorcerer chuckled. "Sure, 'you don't know'," he mocked her. "Is that something the green ninja taught you to say? To act all innocent? To hide your powers?" he continued, pressing his hands against Harumi's cage.

"What powers!? I'm quite literally the only one without them! I don't have any, never have!" Harumi yelled.

This time the sorcerer stopped. He didn't press himself any closer to the cage. He actually took a step back. "You don't know," he said simply.

"No, I do know! I know that you are a crazy psycho obsessed with power and money and you're probably a pervert on top of that! What do you want, me to rule with you or something!? Or will I just be a toy to play with when you're bored!? I will never do anything for you nor will I ever let you do anything to me!" Harumi yelled.

The sorcerer was quiet for a while again. Then he breathed in sharply. "But I thought you pledged yourself to me?" he said.

"And now you've hallucinated as well. I've never pledged myself to anyone, let alone to you," Harumi spat.

The sorcerer stared at Harumi. "Not even to your queen?" he said simply.

Harumi was going to protest, but then the sorcerer lowered the skull to the floor. Suddenly the clothes on him started changing. As if a layer was peeling off. The dark outfit he wore changed into a white kimono, with light blue accents. The ragged bat wings changed into Shintarian golden wings. The hat and mask revealed porcelain white skin. Forest green eyes. Golden hair in a bun. And a doll-like appearance.

A ghost had risen. Risen from the lava, unburnt herself. And she was now standing before Harumi.

"Ah, this never gets old," her once sweet voice sounded corrupt now. "Seeing your reactions, the Lowly were quite shocked as well," she grimaced. "Though, not as shocked as you, you did see me die."

Vania's scream rang in Harumi's ears. As she had fallen into the lava.

"H... H-how?" Was all that Harumi could stutter out.

"Magic, it's quite powerful," she winked, with a horrible smile on her lips. "First time we got here? I just created a mirage of the skull sorcerer and pretended to be in danger. The Lowly accusing my father? Quick sleeping spell for all of you, then I altered their memories. And of course, the thing I'm most proud of. My death. You see I was getting fed up with you and I had other matters to attend to. So, I plunged to my death. Only I made an invisibility spell, while simultaneously creating a mirage of me falling into the lava. Now that's impressive if you ask me," she chuckled.

Harumi was sick again. She felt ill. The room around her spun.

"That's enough, Vania," Vangelis' voice said in the other cage.

"You don't get to tell me when I've had enough!" Her voice snapped, as she turned her attention to her father. She breathed heavily for a second. Then straightened herself, and smoothed her clothes.

"You're a monster..." Harumi whispered quietly.

"I prefer sorcerer, but call me whatever you wish, foreteller," she smirked again. "One thing I didn't anticipate though, is you not knowing. But I've gotten rather good at improvising, so that's what I'll do now. Improvise. First I have to see how my new pet is doing," she said, picking up the skull from the floor. Her outfit changed back into the black one, hiding her face and identity. "Please tell me if you have any interesting visions, while I'm gone," her demonic voice said.

Then she flew out of the room, leaving Harumi with Vangelis.

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Lloyd couldn't do anything else but stare anymore. He stared at the captured Geckle and Munce mining vengestone. Motionless.

They were captured in a cage made of Vengestone, hanging from the ceiling of the cave.

But now he wasn't alone. He had been thrown into prison with the others, Zane, Jay, Nya and Kai. It wasn't exactly the reunion he had hoped for.

When Lloyd had stopped crying in Nya's arms, they had shared their stories. Nya and Jay had ended up with the Munce, and after a gladiator fight, Nya was crowned as Munce queen. Kai and Zane ended up with the Geckles, and after a trial which included a Mino, Kai was dubbed the chancellor of the Geckles. Then the Munce and the Geckle arranged a meeting with each other, the others reunited and made a plan against the Skull sorcerer. Only to find out he had reawakened Grief Bringer, the dragon Cole's mom had defeated. They had escaped until they couldn't go any further. Then they had made a deal with the sorcerer, that he would just take the ninja as prisoner and leave the Geckles and Munce be. But to no one's surprise, he hadn't respected the deal, and took all of them prisoner.

Lloyd had explained their travel with the Lowly, telling them about Vangelis, Vania's death, Cole's mother and then his and Harumi's capturement.

None of it was pretty. None of it had gone according to plan.

And Lloyd blamed himself for all of it.

It was he who had decided that they should separate. It was he who decided they shouldn't slow down the damn minecart. And it was he who hadn't said "no" to Harumi.

When she had asked him if he despised her. Lloyd had been so shocked, that he had forgotten to say no.

That was the thing that hurt him the most. Harumi had pushed him away when he tried to help, because he hadn't said no. Harumi thought that Lloyd despised her.

Of course he didn't despise her. He still didn't quite understand what she had done to that woman in the warehouse, but he knew it could never make him despise her.

He knew Harumi and he knew he... loved her.

But that didn't matter anymore, not now that they had all been captured.

Lloyd wanted to scream. Scream at the Skull Sorcerer for how horrible he was, scream because he had killed Vania, scream that he loved Harumi.

Lloyd also wanted to cry, which he had already done. He wanted to cry because he had chosen all the wrong options. He wanted to cry because he missed Harumi. He wanted to cry because he had done the exact thing he was afraid of.

Some sick part of Lloyd wanted to laugh. Laugh at all he had done. Laugh at how miserably he had failed. Laugh at the fact he had slowly turned into his father.

He always knew his father tried to do the right thing, but he just kept making the wrong decisions. Choosing the wrong outcome. And that had led to his death. And now, Lloyd's wrong choices are going to lead to his.

Even though there were a million things he wanted to do, he did nothing. Just sat in the cage, and stared at the Munce and Geckle, analysing all that had happened.

The cage swung slightly as Nya kicked the bars. "Ugh!" She roared out in frustration. "The Munce had faith in me, and now look at them! Right back where they were, in chains..." she sighed as she sat back down.

"Yeah, I'm probably going down as the worst Chancellor in Geckle history," Kai said with a sigh.

"I do not see that we had any choice," Zane tried to comfort the others. "If we hadn't surrendered, the skull sorcerer would have destroyed all of them."

Jay sighed loudly. "At least we're still alive, for now," he said.

That did not comfort Lloyd, at all.

The Skull Sorcerer's voice boomed with a laugh. Lloyd turned his gaze off the captured Geckle and Munce and up to see the sorcerer had flown to their cage.

"That's the spirit! I especially liked the last part: 'for now'. Because, well, that's true," he laughed. "I've decided a demonstration is needed to show my true power over this mountain. So that I can squash any last ideas of rebellion. For too long, the Geckles and Munce have resisted my rule, but when they witness your destruction at the hands of the Grief Bringer, they will submit," he explained, his tone unsettlingly happy. He flew closer to the cage, now looking right toward Lloyd. "I have got to admit, your little trick with the Earth temple was clever. Like you said, I couldn't get inside, as only an elemental master of earth can open those doors. But I know Cole won't stay there forever. That is why I planted my troops to wait right outside the temple, ready to take him down," he laughed.

"What have you done with Harumi?" Lloyd asked, his voice shaking more than he would've liked. He quickly cleared his throat.

The sorcerer laughed. "I sensed there was something... special between the two of you... Don't worry she is safer than you. And she will stay that way, forever!"

"Is she going to become your queen, is that it? Or is she going to be part of some spell? Why her?! Take me and leave her be!" Lloyd said with as much determination in his voice as he could, but it came out more as a beg.

"You of all people should know she's special," the sorcerer laughed.

"You're a monster," Lloyd cursed.

"You know, she said the exact same thing," the sorcerer backed away slightly from the cage. "Enjoy your last moments before destruction," he laughed as he flew away from the cage.

"Just tell me one more thing!" Kai suddenly stood up, the cage swinging slightly.

The sorcerer stopped and turned around.

"The Blades of Deliverance. It was you who stole them," Kai more so stated than asked.

The sorcerer started laughing. "You already know, why do you need my confirmation," he said as he flew closer to the cage again. "It wasn't that hard. The Geckles and Munce are simple creatures, quite easy to fool. And I knew they would blame each other for it."

"Divide and conquer," Zane stated.

"One of the best war tactics, in my personal opinion," the sorcerer laughed. "I hope this brought you peace in your final moments," he taunted as he flew away.

Lloyd didn't know what to feel. One part felt relieved that Harumi was alive. But then again, sometimes death is the kindest fate. She could be tortured or held in a cage or... Lloyd didn't want to think of all the possibilities, but an image of Harumi withering away in a cage wouldn't leave his mind.

"Lloyd?" Nya's voice brought Lloyd out of his thoughts. But the picture stayed flashing in his head.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Lloyd said, his tone monotone.

"I asked what you thought about Cole. Could he have survived the sorcerer's army?" Nya asked.

Lloyd pushed the picture of Harumi away from his mind, and turned back to look at the Munce and Geckle. Last time Lloyd had felt this hopeless was... well during his father's reign.

But against all odds, there was a small sparkle in his chest. Even though all darkness tried to consume, there was one thing Lloyd knew. He could always count on his family. His brothers and his sister.

So against all else that was in his mind, Lloyd said: "I trust him."

Lloyd had gone back to stare at the captured Geckle and Munce, when suddenly he heard a gong. He lifted his head up to see that the sorcerer had returned and now flew over the Geckles and Munce.

"Listen to me, Geckels and Munce. You trusted these upsiders, you trusted them to help you!" he said, pointing at the cage Lloyd and his team sat in. "But they failed you! And now I will show you what happens to those who dare defy me! Release Grief-Bringer!" he yelled, pointing at a cage.

There were bars in front of it, a dragon's head symbol in the middle of them. Lloyd couldn't see the dragon, but he could hear its hungry growl.

"This is getting a bit too close for comfort..." Jay said, grabbing Nya's hand.

"Please, Cole," Lloyd pleaded quietly.

The cage door started to open up, but suddenly it slammed down! The dragon roared loudly.

The sorcerer turned around quickly and flew closer toward the cage.

It was as if Lloyd had seen the sun again, the amount of light that filled his chest. Cole jumped in front of the sorcerer, the Blades of Deliverance in his hands.

"Yes!" Lloyd celebrated.

"Kick his butt, Cole!" Kai yelled as the two began fighting.

Another sound filled Lloyd's ears. He looked down to see that all Geckle and Munce had broken free and were now fighting against the skeletons, Korgan and Fungus by their side!

"They're fighting together!" Nya exclaimed happily.

"We need to get out of here, I wanna start smashing some skeletons!" Kai said excitedly.

"I'm on it!" a familiar voice said behind them all.

They all turned around, Jay shrieking at the giant spider. But a small smile spread to Lloyd's lips as he recognised the masked man.

"I was wondering where you were," Lloyd said with a smile on his lips.

"Wait, who are you?" Nya asked, the rest of the cage confused.

"Plundar's the name. One of the Lowly. Except I think we're the 'Upply', now?" Plundar explained as he tinkered with the cage's lock.

"Oooh, so you're who Lloyd told us about?" Kai's voice asked, and Plundar looked at Lloyd.

"Word travels fast," he chuckled.

The cage door swung open and all five of them leaped out.

Lloyd quickly assessed the situation in the huge cave. The Munce and Geckle were fighting the skeletons, and Cole was fighting King Vangelis.

"Plundar, I need you to come with me," Lloyd said, lifting his gaze to Plundar.

"Where we goin'?" he asked, as the rest of the ninja jumped down to smash some skeletons.

"We're going to find Harumi, and she might be locked up somewhere," Lloyd quickly explained, as he already started running toward the cave castle.

"Right, right, I'm coming!" Plundar yelled behind him.

The two ran through the castle, running into a few skeletons here and there, but it was nothing Lloyd couldn't handle. His heart raced as they peeked into each room. But he also felt a stab every time he didn't find anything.

They had been through every treasure room, every armory, every study. But they still hadn't found anything.

"Are you sure she's in here?" Plundar's voice then asked, and Lloyd felt despair grow in him.

"She has to be, she has to," Lloyd said, panic in his voice.

His heart dropped as they reached the final room. The room that was on the lowest level of the lair. There were two cages.

And in the one on the left. A curled up figure, white messy hair.

"Harumi!" Lloyd lunged toward her, tears threatening to flow out of his eyes then and there.

"Lloyd?" Her tone sounded surprised, her expression shocked.

"Are you okay, are you hurt?" Lloyd's words were quick as he tried to scan Harumi for any injury.

"She didn't hurt me, but I need you to get me out of here," she answered, with an urgency in her voice.

"Look what we found..." Plundar's voice said behind Lloyd.

Lloyd snapped his head to the cage next to Harumi. He hadn't even registered that there had been someone else in the room.

But what Lloyd saw didn't make any sense.

King Vangelis. In the other cage.

"Please, Harumi told me what she told you, but I'm not the Skull Sorcerer!" His voice begged.

"What's going on?" Lloyd's confused look turned toward Harumi.

"Lloyd, I know this seems crazy, but the Skull Sorcerer is Vania!" Harumi's words didn't make any sense.

"But... but she... she-" "Yes, I know but she tricked all of us! Lloyd, please, I need you to trust me!" Her voice begged, tears threatening to flow out of her eyes.

Lloyd was quiet for a moment, his face focusing on Harumi. How she was alive. How she was right here. How she was okay.

"Of course I trust you," Lloyd breathed out, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Harumi's panicked breaths calmed down, as she and Lloyd looked at each other.

"Then I need you to get us out of here, right now," Harumi then said, her tone much more calm.

"Both of you? Are you sure we shouldn't-" "If she says he's okay, then he's okay," Lloyd cut off Plundar's doubts. He held a determined, yet soft look in his eyes.

Plunder glanced once more at the captured king, then breathed out. He walked over to Harumi's cage and quickly unlocked it.

Harumi leaped into Lloyd's arms.

Lloyd breathed in deeply, promising to never forget how she felt in his arms.

"I thought you hated me," Harumi said as Lloyd squeezed her in his arms.

"I could never hate you Harumi, I..." Lloyd broke free of the hug, the two locking eyes. "I..." the words tangled in his throat.

A small smile spread on Harumi's lips. She raised her hand to Lloyd's cheek and brushed over a scab with her thumb.

"You can tell me, once this is all over. Because I'll be here, and so will you," Harumi said calmly.

Lloyd let out one more tear, before wiping his eyes. Hesitantly, he let go of Harumi.

"There's a... there's a fight outside," Lloyd started, his rational brain taking over. "Cole came back with the Lowly. He's fighting the sorcerer as we speak. The Munce and Geckles were released as well, the others are fighting beside them," Lloyd explained.

"Where is Cole fighting Vania?" Harumi quickly asked.

"Uh... up on the bridge? The one that leads into here," Lloyd recalled.

Harumi nodded determinedly. "They need you, Lloyd. I'll be fine, I promise," She said, as she glanced at the king.

"You're staying here? With him?" Plundar wondered.

Harumi turned to look at him. "We have something to do," she said confidently.

Lloyd looked once more at Harumi, as she gave him a soft nod. Lloyd returned it with a sharper one. Then he lifted his gaze to Plundar.

"Let's go, they need us," Lloyd said and he and Plundar ran out of the castle.