Chapter 20

"Harley is the only one left," Dr. Baker said.

"A little more patience and it will all be finished," Dr. Rooney responded.

"How long will Harley keep us waiting?" Mr. Ton asked as he struts his way into the laboratory and saw the three members currently floating inside their tubes.

"Maybe one or two more days. They're currently in the kingdom of Queen Aurora," Dr. Baker replied.

Mr. Ton held the bridge of his nose for he knew how the ice queen is very much entertained in playing with other people.

"Just be sure that he'll be here as soon as possible. We do not have much time," Mr. Ton said.

"Yes," Dr. Rooney simply replied.

The man in the black suit smiled as he gazed at Monitor Lizard, Emperor Scorpion and Nephila. Just a little more and he'll be able to see his S.A.B.E.R squad again.

"Only Vespid and Octopus are missing," he thought before taking his leave.

"It feels like we're going in circles," Harith commented.

"No, we're actually being played," said Harley as he realize that they had been walking past the starting point.

"Let me just try this spell if it works."

"What spell?" Lolita asked.

"A spell that reveals hidden objects," replied Harley. He brought out his wand and stretched out his hand.

"Revelio!"

The wind grew stronger and the snow had become more and more. Slowly, the ice castle is being revealed.

As they watch it unveil, they heard someone clapping.

"A true genius," the ice queen commented. "But you realized it a bit late. What else can you do, little Vance?"

Harith and Harley stepped forward to make sure that they are not going to be harmed.

"Queen Aurora, let us pass through your kingdom," Harley stated which made the queen smirk.

"Why, little Vance? Don't you want to find the heart of the Enchanted Forest?" the queen asked which made Harith join the conversation.

"We're on our way there," he stated, "Kindly let us go our way."

"Oh little Leonin. I admire your courage and bravery in trying to go back into your hometown but if I let you pass, you'll be finding nothing else but the exit from the forest," she replied.

"Damn it!" Harley cursed in his mind. Harith and Nana looked at him with a puzzled look.

"Is she saying the truth?" Harith asked with his brows almost meeting at the center of his forehead.

"Yes," Harley replied.

Harith grabbed him by the collar and landed a jab on his face.

"Harith, stop!" Lylia yelled as she tried to grab Harley away.

Nana grabbed her by the hair with rage.

"You stay away from this!" she said with gritted teeth as the dark magician struggled.

"Enough!" Lolita yelled as she pulls Nana away from Lylia. "You two better stop!"

Harith continued to pummel Harley who has no intention on hurting him back. Lolita summoned her hammer and swings it, hitting Harith away from Harley.

"Using violence to solve this is not a good choice! Harith, Nana, let us just hear Harley's explanation," she said calmly as she helped Lylia and Harley get back up.

The genius mage wiped off the blood on his mouth.

"It is better for you two not to go back in your old hometown," Harley started. "It's for your own good."

"Who are you to decide what is good for us?! Stop acting like you know everything!" Harith yelled and tried to attack him again but Nana stopped him.

"It would be you who'll face the devastating consequence! The reason why they erased your memories is because it's traumatic and it possibly would leave you disabled for life!" Lylia explained.

Her hands shook in nervousness and her knees trembled as she gathers her courage to confess what she did.

Queen Aurora is currently enjoying the scene on the sideline. It's going according to plan.

Harley did not want Lylia to say something about her past so she grabbed her and was about to speak but the dark magician did not let him cover her up.

"I was with the abyssal demons when they destroyed the heart of Enchanted Forest. Torture, punishment, and merciless killings were the things I witnessed. Harley knew it would be too much for you to handle so just get out from the forest!" Lylia added.

"You were one with the demons?" Nana mumbled as she balled her hands into fists. "Harley, why are you trying to cover her up?"

Harith and Nana summoned their powers, Lolita turned her hammer into a shield and got in between the four. Lylia grabbed Harley's hand as she summons dark magic to protect them.

"Freeze!" Queen Aurora chanted and they all turned into solid ice.

"A perfect position for my decoration," she said as she snaps her fingers and her soldiers came out.

She turned her back and walked towards her castle, together with her soldiers carrying the iced state of Harley's group.

"Bad news," Dr. Baker said as he grabs his coat from his swivel chair as he gets no more signal and response from Angela.

"Go to Mr. Ton, I'll take care of Nephila and Scorpion," Dr. Rooney stated as he takes over his colleague's work.

Dr. Baker hurried to their boss' office. But as he tried to enter, the guards stopped him.

"I need to talk to Mr. Ton, tell him my name, Dr. Baker," he said and waited for 10 minutes before he could enter.

"What is the matter, doctor? This better be urgent for you are disturbing my time with Miss Moon," said the CEO.

"It is more than urgent. Vespid and Octopus are taken in by the ice queen," Dr. Baker said which made the CEO mad in no time.

"Miss Moon, I apologize but I have to cut our time together short," he said.

"I understand," said the lady before taking her bag. "I will take my leave and I hope your work goes well."

As the lady leaves the room, Mr. Ton grabbed Dr. Baker's collar and looked down on him with his death stare.

"What happened?" he asked furiously. "Aurora is the hardest royalty to deal with. How did they meet her?"

"They headed to the snowy land for trying to take their exit from the Enchanted Forest. Queen Aurora was impressed of Harley's magic and decided to take them," replied the helpless doctor.

Mr. Ton released him and held the bridge of his nose out of frustration. He never wanted to deal with the ice queen for she is selfish and witty. Taking Vespid and Octopus would mean a heavy trade for him.

"Go back to the lab and do your work. You better prepare Vespid's and Octopus' tube for I shall bring them to you tomorrow. You better not fail or else you will die by my hands," Mr. Ton warned.

Dr. Baker left after that and along the way, he bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry," said the black-haired girl.

"Kagura, hurry up," said another man.

"Yes, yes," replied the girl.

"Those people are Nephila's colleagues," Dr. Baker thought. "I apologize, young people."

"Hanzo, what happens next? We have located Natalia, when will we capture her?" Hayabusa asked.

"When the right time comes," Hanzo simply replied. "We'll have to enter the castle and talk with the princess."

"And that is the opposite of this secret mission," Hayabusa contradicted.

"Haven't you heard? The princess is asking the chief village to join forces to defeat whatever is there in the Land of Dawn. We'll deal with her using that alliance she has always asked for," Hanzo stated.

"Wouldn't that anger the chief?" asked Kagura worriedly.

"I'll deal with him after this. Just trust me on this and I will take care of the rest," said the akuma ninja.

"What about Hanabi?" Hayabusa asked which made Hanzo flinch. "She's been missing for weeks, aren't we going to find her?"

"Can we focus on our mission first? I will find Hanabi for you after this," he replied.

Hayabusa left for a while, leaving Kagura and Hanzo alone.

"Why are you being stubborn, Hanzo?" Kagura asked, "Why do you pretend not to care about Hanabi when it's so obvious that you are so worried about her?"

"Letting personal matters interrupt my work is never in my list," he simply replied before leaving.