Chapter 6: Your weakness

Kalandra's eyes widened as she stared down at him coolly.

"You don't mean that," she said.

Michael leaned in and kissed her lips, "I said whatever you want and I meant it,"

"You'd really make me your wife for this stupid little box?" Kalandra stared at him in disbelief.

"Well, we'd have to leave the demon world first," Michael stood up with a cunning grin, "What do you say, my beautiful bride to be? Shall we go home?"

"You're serious?" Kalandra looked baffled.

"We only live once," Michael shrugged, "If not you then who else?"

"And what are you going to do with that necklace?" Kalandra gazed at him suspiciously.

"I can think of a few things," Michael inspected the box soberly, "You know, the title of wife is quite nice, but wouldn't queen sound much better?"

"What nonsense are you talking?" Kalandra's brow furrowed.

"Fancy taking over the world with me?" Michael grinned.

For a moment Kalandra was completely speechless. He was serious. Serious and probably mad. Nevertheless, Kalandra felt drawn to him. Even if it was a lie, in that moment she wanted to believe. Kalandra threw herself into Michael's arms. He caught her with a laugh. Then spun her around playfully in his arms.

"Where shall we spend our honeymoon?" Kalandra held him tightly.

"I don't know," Michael said quietly, "Somewhere far from here,"

"In that case, we'd have better leave right now," Kalandra smirked. "It won't be long before Clover realises it's missing,"

"But how will we get back without Clover?" Michael answered.

"Oh, don't worry about that," Kalandra smiled, "I know another way back,"

"Mmm," Michael inhaled deeply, " You really are beautiful,"

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Ace turned restlessly in his bed. Once more, he found himself unable to sleep. He was sharply called from his bed by a rapid knock at his door. Ace pulled himself up dragging a hand over his face. He felt more exhausted than usual.

He dragged himself to the door. Immediately Bird rushed inside.

"We were eating dinner and it was fine, but then I got the note. I couldn't believe it. He's honestly insane. I can't believe him! I don't know what to do. If we tell Clover, they'll kill him, won't they? Oh, Gods! Why has this happened? " Bird released in a flurry.

"What are you talking about? "Ace yawned.

"It's Michael! He's gone!" Bird cried.

"Oh?"Ace replied indifferently. "Maybe he found another way home,"

"It's not just that!" Bird exclaimed.

Ace stared at Bird with an eyebrow raised.

"He has the NECKLACE!"

"No..." Ace exhaled unsteadily.

"YES,YES,YES!!"Bird flustered.

"Shit!" Ace hurriedly followed Bird out.

They were greeted at the bottom of the stairs by a mob of demons holding torches and swords. Ace and Bird stared up apprehensively. Clover was standing with them with a cold and hostile glare.

"Where is Michael?" Clover asked roughly.

"He's..." Bird hesitated under the intensity of their blood-red eyes.

"He's gone," Ace said flatly.

Clover turned to the guards, "Go and search the perimeter!" they instructed.

Clover turned back to Bird and Ace with a stony stare, "Come with me,"

They began to follow as Clover led them to the great hall. Bird glanced at Ace apprehensively. However, his eyes were already set ahead with a sad resolution.

Once the door closed behind them. Clover turned to Bird directly.

"Tell me where Michael is," they demanded.

Bird's eyes widened, "I don't know..."

"Don't lie to me," Clover said coldly.

"He's not lying," Ace interjected. He passed the note Michael had left to Clover.

Clover glanced down suspiciously but began to read:

'Kali and I are going home. Suffice to say, we've borrowed a certain trinket from Clover so I can't tell you where we're going. But I know you can make your own way back. I'll come find you.'

Clover immediately balled the note and threw angrily on the ground. "They're not going anywhere," they said viciously.

"What are you going to do?" Ace asked stiffly.

"What I should have done in the beginning," Clover breathed wrathfully.

"Clover.." Ace began.

"No one steals from me!" Clover snapped irate.

"Is this about..."

"This is about me and Michael," Clover exhaled.

"Kali is probably the one who stole it..." Ace said in a low voice.

"It doesn't matter." Clover cut in, "I am the demon lord of swords. No one fucking steals from me,"

"What are you going to do if you catch him?" Bird asked timidly.

Clover glanced at him icily, "I've been much too lenient on all of you. Well, no more," they stormed out.

Bird turned to Ace quickly, "Is Clover going to kill Michael!"

"I don't know." Ace's jaw clenched, " I don't think I've ever seen them so angry,"

"We have to go after them and get it back first before Clover kills him," Bird exhaled uneasily.

Ace inhaled sharply and nodded. He didn't want to scare Bird, but if Michael managed to open that box before they reached him, he wouldn't be much help to anyone. They went back out to the courtyard. There were lizards being dragged into the grounds. The guards started to mount them one by one and set off. Finally, one more was brought as Clover reappeared.

"Let us go with you," Ace said to them.

Clover had already mounted the lizard and stared down unsympathetically.

"Do what you want, Ace," they said severely, "but if you get in my fucking way this time, i'll break your damn legs,"

They immediately yanked the reign. The lizard set off darting across the sand. Ace swallowed and began to call to the guards to bring more lizards. Bird looked over at him fearfully.

"Was that a joke?" Bird asked nervously.

"No," Ace inhaled deeply.

They both set off after Clover. They had learned from the guards that to the East of the palace for swords, there was a secret demon door. Lord Clover had destroyed all but the one that Kali was allowed to use to come and go as she pleased. It wasn't far but only Clover and Kali knew where it was.

By sunrise, Ace and Bird had caught up with Clover and were riding a distance behind.

"What are we going to do?" Bird whispered.

"I'm thinking," Ace bit his lip, "I have some magic left. I can try to steal it back..."

"No," Bird interrupted, "Michael will be expecting it. He can counter with his own dark magic. He claims he doesn't use it but I know he does. It will become a battle of wills. If you're not careful, you could destroy the necklace completely,"

"Well then, we'll just have to fight them. We have some magic, but so do they,"

"They don't have enough magic to fight Clover," Bird glanced ahead apprehensively.

"Michael must know that," Ace exhaled, "He never does anything without a plan. He must have had something in mind."

"He did say something strange at dinner," Bird reflected. "It was like he was already expecting this to happen, talking about what we would do when we got back,"

"Why didn't you do anything? " Ace admonished.

"I never thought he would do this!" Bird argued, "He's so unpredictable sometimes,"

"This is something we could have predicted," Ace sighed, "But it doesn't matter now. What else did he say Bird?"

"He didn't say anything useful!" Bird cried, "But he's been angry at Clover from the beginning. Even more so for the incident last month. And when he gets like that, I don't know what he'll do,"

"I do. I've seen it first hand," Ace stared ahead soberly. This wasn't going to end well...

Soon they arrived at the towering figure of the demonic door. It was sitting intimidatingly close to the cliff face. They rode up a distance and jumped from the lizards rushing towards it.

Michael and Kalandra were still standing by the door. It was already open revealing the dark swirling chaos within. Clover reached them first.

"Give me the necklace," they said unceremoniously.

Michael grinned, "This thing?" He stuck his arm through the door with the box still in his hand. It disappeared with the necklace still inside.

Clover glared at him savagely. "What are you doing?"

"Well we've been playing around with the door while we were waiting for you," Michael answered defiantly. "On the other side of this door is the fire pits in Karath to the north. Are you familiar with it?"

"You're lying," Clover said flatly.

"Only one way to find out. Take a step closer and I'm going to drop it inside,"

"Kali," Clover turned to Kalandra, "Give me the box. Don't you see this is pointless?"

Kalandra's harsh purple eyes set on Clover with unusual severity. She shook her head with a smile.

"Kalandra!" Clover snapped. "I'm not messing around."

Kalandra remained smiling but didn't answer. Michael gave a smug shrug, "Your approval means a lot to us, Clover. I do wish we could talk about this civilly,"

"My approval?" Clover gave a cruel smile, "What for?"

"We're getting married," Michael smirked.

"How can I give you my approval when you're both about to die?" Clover replied with a placid smile.

"That's not very nice," Michael replied mockingly, "It's almost like you don't want us to be together,"

"Together. Apart. One grave will fit you both," Clover said drily.

"Hmm," Michael cast an appraising eye, "I can see why you're upset. I have the box. I know how to open it. And I'm very motivated to open it. If I do, Ace dies, isn't that right?" he gestured to Ace apathetically.

Bird turned to Ace in shock."You said you wouldn't use that box!"

Ace averted from Bird's gaze and turned to Michael

"You'd kill me to get that necklace?" he said coolly..

"I'd prefer not to," Michael answered flatly, " but to teach Clover a lesson, I'd do it in a heartbeat,"

"Michael!" Bird exclaimed. "Don't do this!"

"What lesson are you going to teach me?" Clover scoffed, "You drop that box and you're dead,"

"I've been dead since the moment I met you," Michael answered with unusual seriousness. "I was thinking about what would be the best way to compensate you for everything you've done,"

"How long will you blame me?"

"This is the last time," Michael replied coldly, "Now, Clover. Time to choose,"

"You tried this before and you failed," Clover sniffed.

"Quite right," Michael agreed, "but I'm a fast learner. This time, I think you're going to let me take this box and go,"

"Why in the world would I do that?" Clover smirked.

"Because Clover I've found your weakness," Michael sneered.

"You're not making sense. If Ace is my weakness, why would I let you go?"

"He's not," Michael answered with a wild look in his eyes, "she is ,"

He turned to Kalandra and shoved her back with full force. Kalandra stared wide eyed in surprise as she flew off the cliff edge.

"Kali!" Clover screamed. They darted forward and dove over the cliff after her.

Michael stepped back into the demon door with a wave to Ace.

"Didn't I tell you?" he grinned , "Clover will never love you,"