Books and more books.

"What the fuck is that?" Annie asks.

Michael replies, his eyes swirling, "I think that's a book."

"Obviously, it's a fucking book!" She shouts, looking back at him, only to see his dopey smile. His eyes dripping before he falls, his face burying itself on her chest.

Annie grabs him, "Ah! Dammit! Don't fall asleep! We'll both fall."

Ahros watches it all as he mutters, "Oh my, how lovely."

Annie reddens, "Get him off of me!"

"I don't know. I believe you deserve this kind of fate." He giggles in his hand, "Draining him so much of his fluids. Ah! How unfortunate."

"Don't!" She glares holding his head as she tried to stand. "Don't say it like that!"

"Say it like what?" A cute voice jolts Annie out of her anger, her eyes turning to the voice in trepidation. To see her sister, wide eyed and excited.

"Sister Annie! You found a boyfriend!" She yells, her pink eyes filled with excitement.

"NO!" Annie shouts, forgetting to hold Michael's head, leaving it to slam against the floor.

...

"So let's start this again." Michael holds his head in pain, an ice pack to ease both the effects of his head slamming against the floor. He looks to his new accommodations, a wide living room filled with luxurious furnishings.

"Sure." Annie nods. Her head hung low, energy sapped out from her as Felicity sleeps on her lap, tucked in for the night.

Michael sighs and looks to the side, glancing at the two men as he asks. "How about both of you? Both of you are alright? No need for a medic?"

Ethan laughs, flexes his muscles at the question. "Of course, I seem to have healed pretty well."

John shrugs, revealing his shoulder. "It's done. Not even a scar left."

Ahros claps, "Perfect! Then let us speak with more civility, yes? As things stand, you now need me more than I would need you."

John glares. "I don't think we nee-"

"I disagree." Ahros slams various pieces of literature.

A series of novels that portray a woman, one with pink hair and eyes, bearing a charming smile while surrounded by men of various status.

John takes one look at the cover chokes. The familiar sight and smile. He took one look and opened it, reading its content in dawning horror.

Ethan looks at his friend and reached for one, turning the pages, each one revealing a story that filled the man with dread and an inextinguishable amount of anguish.

Annie sighs. The first page alone left her nauseous, the gruesome sight of her death and the ensuing insanity right after, left her in shock. "Is this really the future?"

Ahros nods, "Yes. Unfortunately, it is."

Michael puts down the ice pack and reaches for one, curious about their reactions. Curious about what could fill these hardened men with horror.

He opens it to reveal a simple story. A story about a girl's struggles through life and bondage, a story of manipulation, of a lost sister, a tragic story of a marionette held by her captors, using her charm and curse to hold the demons at bay.

A story of a girl named Felicity.

...

Annie comes back from her sister's bedroom, her face an expression of icy rage; her mind a storm of emotions, the world around her spinning as she rages at the thought of her uncle.

"That motherfucker! I'm going to fucking kill him!" She shouts. Her crimson hair exploding behind her, the mere thought of her sister's suffering, a fuel for her undying rage.

"Eh, killing him now might be a bit much." A voice takes her out of her stupor.

Her eyes blazing as she turns to the voice. "Fuck no! That bastard deserves the death that's coming for him." She rubs her hand as a manic grin comes into her expression. "His suffering will lead me to complete happiness."

Michael rubs that back of his head, a bit afraid of the attraction he was feeling. "Look. I'm all for murdering someone in cold blood. But doing it right now? You have to make plans."

Annie looks at him before scoffing, "Fuck that! If I kill him now, he won't get to do shit."

"Well, I'm sure you'll change your mind." He then walks back.

"What fucking shit reason could stop me!?" She clenches her fist, "There is no god on this earth that could stop me from having my revenge."

"I don't need a god." He gives her a smug smile. "All I need is your sister."

His words were enough for her to be doused in cold water, her eyes wide at the thought of what would happen to her as she silently stood in thought.

"Let's go back!" Michael chirps before skipping back. He then turns to her before speaking, "Also please kindly avoid my neck. I don't think I can take you draining another liter."

She reddens at the smug smile.

...

"I can't believe it." Ethan mutters. His shoulder slumps as he holds the book before him. The utter travesty of Felicity's life coming to him in full force, and what's worse, is that it was still the first volume. He even skimmed! yet he found so, so much.

The implication of which almost made him weep, the children he was tasked to protect, the children that he vowed to take care of suffered such travesty under his watch.

He looks to his friend, to see the same horror mirrored in his expression. Their eyes locking in resolve at the mere thought.

"So? What do you think?" Ahros asks. His feet up in delight as he reads through another page, an ever-present smile in his expression.

John sighs. "It is terrifying." He then glares, "But how can I be sure that you will not use those kids?" He clench his fist, "For all I know, all this could be a lie. Another ruse."

Ahros nods, "You're right." He gives him a malicious grin. "I might have lied about everything. Everything I've done was all to have you trust me."

He raises his hand. "I did not have you beneath my control, by any means." He shrugs. "You weren't unconscious. You weren't a hair's breadth away from a simple collar that would have enforced my will upon the four of you."

The two men shudder at the thought, reminded of their weakness. A teenager besting them in battle, besting them without a scratch.

Ethan sighs, his fist coming together as he gives another long sigh. "I understand."

The door blasts open. "We're back! Felicity is back in her room." Michael shouts, his proud smile making the two men almost forget who he was.

"Shut the hell up. You weren't the one that tucked her in." Annie bursts in beside him, her wrathful expression apparent as he pushes him off the door.

"Okay, okay." He raises his arm in surrender before he looked at the other three. His head tilts as he asks, "Hey, so what's the plan?"

Ahros crosses his leg. "The plan involves me shaping the three of them into competent magical combatants." He then nods to himself, "What I saw has left me disheartened, but I assure you, with my help, you'll be more than capable of handling threats."

Michael takes the ice pack back to his head. "Question! How exactly are you going to do that!?" He gestures to the three. "They're not exactly lacking in anything. My win was by all accounts, a fluke."

Ahros chuckles, "You underestimate yourself. You clearly took them down in the most efficient way possible, after all." He smirks at them. "They lost under a minute."

Annie fumes at the condescending tone, her eyes alight in red as she spoke. "Fuck that shit! I'm still going to kill that motherfucker!"

Ahros giggles, "Well, yes. Obviously you will. What we're talking about here is how you would."

She scoffs, "Stabbing him in the neck, obviously."

He then laughs, "Oh, that is a delight to hear." He locks eye with her, "Will you really be happy with that? Is that the extent of your revenge?"

"What do you mean?"

Michael chuckles darkly. "Have you read it?" He waves the last book, Eight men were here, you know? Eight men that she had to please, manipulate and trick to gain her freedom."

Ahros frown as he spoke up, "Eight men that'll do the same, the moment they lay their eyes on her. Eight men with enough wealth and power to crush you and whatever influence you have now."

Annie slams her hand on her lap, blood pouring from her fists as she grits out, "Then what the fuck am I supposed to do? What I have is what I barely got! How am I supposed to protect her!?"

Michael looks at her in confusion, coming to her side, before rubbing her head in delight. "Didn't I already tell you?"

Ahros nods, "Yes, I was quite sure you offered such."

"What?"

"Follow me to the Imperial Academy."