Chapter 33: Protection

*Purpura*

I glanced around as Seiya escorted me through the forest. We came at a stop by a moss-covered giant rock with several smaller boulders around it. Sou's brother pushed aside the boulder we had stopped in front of, revealing a set of stairs that vanished into the darkness underneath. Although, there appeared to be a dim source of light at the very bottom of them.

"Is this the place?" I asked, looking around as we descended the stairs.

He hung his head back and chuckled. "I wish! We still got us some distance to go."

Right he was, the entire underground complex was like a maze with various winding paths, including some that appeared to go into nowhere. But most concerning of all was that my powers felt weaker here than they did outside. Something about the rocks here were weakening them.

Strangely, it seemed Seiya knew where he was going. Or at least he pretended to if he didn't.

"You sure you know the path?" I asked.

He nodded as he lit the path ahead with a small torch he had gotten near the entrance. "I've done this since I was little!"

"Little?"

"Yeah. Dad and Mom used to work for the C.P.O. back in the day. They mainly did their missions during late autumn and throughout all of winter. That's when monster season begins. Their onslaughts only stop when the cherry blossoms bloom. That's why we called this chapter 'Dance of the Cherry Blossoms'."

Oh, so it wasn't such a stupid title after all.

"Ah, we're here! See those double doors with the cherry blossom insignia?"

I squinted. "Kind of." Truth was, I couldn't see much. Having come here a lot since he was a kid must've given him better 'night' vision than most. Ugh, but I grew up in a pitch dark room. Had I gotten so used to the light that I couldn't even see well in a dimly lit cavern?

Seiya stopped at the double doors and pushed. The heavy looking metal slabs shrieked, causing me to recoil. He would've done well to warn me!

On the other side of the door was a wooden table with several chairs encircling it.

A guy with long pink hair seated at the table smiled as soon as he saw us. "Welcome back, Seiya. I take it this young man is the one your brother spoke about?"

Souta was supposed to keep my existence a secret, yet he was suddenly yapping about me to others. He was too carefree for his own good

"Yup!" He patted my shoulder. "His name is Purpura."

"I thought his name was Mora."

I turned away. "Please don't mention that name again."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Sore point?"

I sighed. "Need you even ask?" My eyes widened. I didn't think I had told Sou that.  So, how did they know? "How do you know about my other name?"

A few snickers echoed from down the hall. "I told them," a masked boy said.

I narrowed my eyes at him as he removed the creepy all white mask. Sehun...

He shrugged. "My cousin kept calling you that over and over again."

"I didn't ask. Also, why are you here?"

"He's our liege," Seiya said.

I gasped. "You are?"

He nodded.

I chuckled. "Didn't think you would be led by someone so weak. Maybe we really are doomed."

Sehun pinned me into the wall and glared at me. "Says the guy who was crying in pain like a helpless rodent."

I smirked. Got him, hook line and sinker. Although, I've yet to break that stoic face.

"Enough flirting boys," a voice called out. Sehun moved aside and I looked over his shoulder to see the pink haired girl who had helped cut my hair.

"Ava?" I said.

She smiled. "Nice to see you again, Purpura. If Sou were here, he would be very jealous right now."

Sehun scoffed. "I have no interest in guys like him."

I laughed. "Feeling's mutual, Cuz."

Ava snickered.

"Sis, stop teasing him," Seiya's friend said, sighing. "You too, Prince Sehun. We brought him here to discuss his own safety."

"Indeed," a voice called out. A girl in a black dress walked toward us. The various 'petals' of her dress bounced with each step she stood. Her figure was slender and petite. Despite her appearance, she was no normal rich girl. The way she carried herself and the energy emanating from her gave her away. She had powers that some would deem broke the laws of the world.

The tall muscular man trailing behind her also had a strange vibe, but it was different from hers.

"Is this the one you wanted me to meet, Seiya?" I asked, glancing at Sou's brother.

He nodded. "Yes, Lady Davina." He looked down and chuckled. Was he infatuated with her or something?

She gave me a wide smile. "Nice to see you again, Princess of Quartz."

My head rung. What was going on?

Her smile faded. "Seems you haven't awakened yet to the events of the past. Hmm, that's if you are her."

"What do you mean?"

She gave me a stern look. "What Prince Sehun said leads me to believe you might be a clone of the princess rather than her."

"A clone?" Ava asked. "Wait, Princess of Quartz? So you're saying that Purpura's either the clone or the rebirth of the Sage of Amethyst?"

Davina crossed her hands together and gave her a solemn nod. "Yes, but as to which, I am not sure. But one thing is clear from merely being in his presence, he wasn't born via normal means like us."

I chuckled. "Wow. Way to make me feel alienated, Lady Davina!"

She gasped. "Wait that's not-"

I shrugged. "Not that I'm not used to it by now. Although, since when could the Diamond Clan pick up on such stuff?"

The hunk behind her narrowed his gray eyes at me.

Davina smiled. "It's nothing too special. Same way you could tell I was a member of the Diamond Clan, read. We can each sense the other's chakra."

I laughed. "Well, very few people would give off such a reality warping vibe." I narrowed my eyes at her. "But I'm sure there's more to it than that."

She held a hand out. "Seems no one can pull the wool over your eyes. My time powers are what allowed me to pick up on it."

I gasped. "How does that work."

Davina closed her hand. "We Diamond Clan members can't only rewind, freeze, and fast forward time a bit." She pointed to her forehead. "Our gift from the gods also allows us to pick up on the past events of people and things based on the chakra they exclude. The only exception really are the Citrine, due to the nature of their powers, and those who are outside of time."

Outside of time? Like the gods themselves?

She lowered her head. "I'm sorry, for prying into your past."

I sighed. If she could see everything I had endured, she probably would be in tears right now.

"Lady Davina," the beefcake said as he put his hands on her shoulders. His liege was crying.

Davina clung to him.

"What's wrong?" Seiya asked, running over to her. "Are you hurt? Did the food we make you not suit your taste?"

She shook her head and tried her best to smile. "I-it's nothing like that."

I turned away. Just how much of my life had she seen after all?

Sighing, I walked back in the direction we had entered.

"Hey, where are you going?" Ava asked, following after me.

"I just need some space is all. Plus, I don't know my way around this labyrinth, so not like I can find the exit."

"Nice try, but we all know you can teleport," Sehun said as he strode over.

I smirked. "Don't worry. I won't do that." My eyes darted to the black rock. It contained trace minerals like those of the walls of my old cell. The C.P.O. weren't stupid to bring in a potentially dangerous element into their midst without some counter measures. This guy had to have known that. Yet, why was he pretending? To see me try to laugh at my face?

"Lady Davina apologizes for her lost of composure," the valet of the Diamond Clan girl said as he stood by the door way. "We may begin the meeting."

I turned around. "Seems break's over."

Sehun sighed. "What's with your jokes?"

I shook my head. We couldn't possibly be related by blood, right? This guy was as stiff as stone. Unlike his boyfriend who was quirky and while annoying, fun.

We stepped back into the room and joined Ava's brother and Davina at the table.

"Is this everyone?" I asked, glancing at the empty seats.

"Not all of our members could make it. Granted, this is a bit of an improv gathering," Seiya said.

Ava's brother crossed his hands and nodded. "My father and mother are busy powering up the ward around the town. Seiya's father is busy training his younger son, Sou."

"True, but what about Sou's mom?"

"I rather not get her involved," Seiya said with a frown.

Why? Did he wish to spare her the upcoming battles?

He pressed his head against the table. "Truth be told, I rather Sou not have gotten dragged into this either."

"Likewise," Sehun said. "But that ship has already sailed. Knowing him, he won't take no for an answer."

I smiled. "True, he can be rather stubborn."

Ava grumbled. "And thick!"

Seiya laughed.

"Seems we're all acquainted one way or another with Souta," Davina said.

"How do you know the guy?"

"We had a chance encounter in a library. I was looking for a certain book, but I couldn't because of the crowd."

"Didn't think people here cared that much about a foreign princess. Not that the princesses of this country are anything to rave about either."

Sehun crossed his arms. "I'll have you know, Shika is very adorable!"

I chuckled. "Didn't think you were a siscon."

"Please don't start arguing again, boys. We already have a lot on our plate," Ava said, rubbing her temples.

"Sorry, A," Sehun said.

She smiled at him. "You're forgiven."

That easy? Huh, I was sure that she would have been harder to convince. Maybe I was mistaken. Or maybe Sehun had some strange power over people which I was immune to for whatever reason.

"Seems you're all as lively as the boys said," Davina said, giggling.

Sehun blushed a little and turned away. Guy sure loved putting on a cool façade. A non-poser would carry on as normal. Who cared what people thought anyway? 

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we? How do you plan to care of little old me?" I asked, leaning against my seat.

Sehun took a deep breath.

Davina giggled again. "Well, I do not mind 'cutting to the chase'. Two of us will escort you whenever you want to go out."

I sighed. That sounded no different than Sou's proposal to accompany me to the forest.

"That's it? That's why you brought me here?"

Seiya scratched his face and smiled awkwardly. "Well, it's actually that I wanted you to meet your potential guardians. Of course, my little brother is an option too! If anything, he and I are more accessible."

"For now. We don't know when we'll be pulled into a fight," Ava's brother said.

"True. But if I have to leave, Sou knows what to do."

"Wait, wouldn't Prince Suo just attack your place if he wants to retrieve him?"

"Yeah, but he knows he'll have a hard time. His attacks, while powerful, can be neutralized by Dad and Mom. With me here and Sou training, Purpura has an added layer of protection."

The only weakness were the kids. If Prince Suo were to manage to take one, my protection would go away.

"What if I stayed here?" I asked.

"I don't think that's a good idea. You've spent long enough in a cold, dark place as is," Davina said.

I bit my lip. So, she saw that.

"Fine. I'll continue with the current arrangement, but for now. I think I'll just continue to hang out in Sou's room."

Sehun narrowed his eyes at me. "That's where you've been staying?"

I smirked. "Yeah. Sou even made me feel good last night."

Ava's face turned as red as her hair.

"Eh? I didn't think your relationship with my brother was like that!" Seiya said.

"He's bluffing," Sehun said, shaking his head.

I frowned. He really trusted Sou, didn't he? Not that he was wrong to do so. Souta did his best to stay loyal to him.