I Reject.

Talen exited the Royal palace with Anthony, Alora, and Uriel behind him. After they barged through the castle's front doors, he turned, extending both arms.

"Welcome to Barronia! The Kismet Empire's Capital Kingdom!"

Tony laughed. "Wow. Can't believe you guys live here."

"Yeah. I'm sorta used to it though," Alora said.

Uriel shrugged.

Something about that infamous day one week ago couldn't escape his mind. Why? All he could do was ask himself that question to no avail. Tormented by something uncontrollable, the Prince silenced. Then, a hand entered the fray—grabbing Uriel's shoulder so his head would quickly turn.

"You alright?" Talen smiled. "You look a little pale." He removed his hand and stepped back. "Well, more so usual, I mean."

Perhaps he'd forgotten. By simply raising his head, the first thing saw noticed was their familiar faces. Talen and Alora smile. Tony's confusion. If nothing else, knowing he had at least these people to live for, made a small smile form across his mouth. The Prince nodded, grinning at his friend.

"Yes. I'm fine. Why? Is something wrong?" he asked.

Talen shook his head. "No, nothing like that. I wanted you to tell the story of how all this happened in the first place. After all, you're the one who suggested it in the first place… right?"

"That's right. It was when we set out to find you last week. The night we camped on the road to Arronsburg."

One week ago.

Gathered around the campfire outside their tent, Talen removed the joint from his lips. Smoke flew from his mouth to enter the atmosphere—momentarily basking the air in a hazy grey. He yawned, stretching his arms into the air. They cracked audibly.

"Tired?" asked the Prince, sharpening one of his many heavenly blades.

"Supposedly." Talen shrugged, carefully resting back into a rock. "That's what my body says by yawning, I guess. But I like ignoring it. The ladies love the disheveled and tired look, y'know?"

Uriel rolled his eyes. "Sure." His hands stopped sharpening.

The incessant sound of scraping metal caught Talen's attention. He sat up from the boulder and leaned over, pushing the joint into his mouth. Barron looked at Amit before carefully inhaling, removing the stick from his lips, and watching as the boy sat back on the dirt.

"Not that I'm complaining but—" Uriel released the smoke from his mouth. "What was that for? Don't we smoke enough already?"

"Sure. But you stopped your thing so suddenly, I thought you were overthinking and decided to calm you down by making you smoke. Smart, huh?" Talen smirked.

Uriel's eyes rolled again. He took another puff from the joint, letting the mist pour from his mouth while his azure eyes examined the burning spliff. As he sighed, smoky remnants infected the air; the Prince leaned over to Alora.

"Want some?" he asked.

Alora, snuggled up by the flames, turned and nodded. While they all shared a joint around the fire, a thought wandered into Uriel's head.

"Are we going to do this?"

Talen and Alora looked at him.

"They're asking us to kill a kid. Even if he is Monstrum's vessel, doesn't he deserve a chance at a normal life too? Who are we to decide if he lives or dies?"

Talen squinted. "Is that a serious question? You're the one who always says to trust in the King and whatever. What changed your mind?" he asked, resting on his palm.

The Prince put a hand on his chest. "I don't deny I said that. But Anthony's a teenager like us. Just because he was burdened by a stronger curse doesn't mean he should die. Normally, when Monstrum possesses someone, he overtakes them entirely. But not Anthony. His body was identifiable. Even if it's smaller than a gnat, I have to take this chance. If Anthony Whitlock can control the Disastrous and he doesn't want to die then—"

"We call it off!" Talen smiled. "I'm with you, Uri."

Alora sighed. She scratched her neck. "Seriously? We're doing this?"

Tal snickered. "Why? You scared?"

"Of course not. We'll be fine."

Back in the present, Uriel smiled—both eyes closed.

"We're indispensable. Both the King and the Amits know they can't thrive without us. We were never going to stand by and go along with your execution. Whatever you choose from here on out, we promise to protect your future. That—is justice."

Anthony's lip quivered. "I…" He thought back to childhood's hazy memories. "For as long as I can remember, I've always been normal. Going to school, coming back home, eating dinner, watching tv. The news was always on. I could see what was going on in the world.

Increases in crimes like violent attacks threatened the Empire but among those who vowed to stop them was none other than you. The righteous Prince. Uriel Barron was special. But what made him special? His long white hair? His beautiful face? I couldn't put it together. There was something about you that stood out to me. Something that made me realize I was entirely ordinary."

He looked at the ground. "I wanted to change that. I got a job, worked hard, and made enough money to get an apartment and live on my own. Nothing changed. Now I'm here. Cursed. In a sense, I'm special. No one else but me holds the Disastrous within them. I am indeed special, but at what cost? The one thing I always admired about the Prince was his devotion to saving others. But because I live, others will die. Before I make any sort of choice, I want to ask you three… was saving me worth it?"

Uriel and Talen shared a glance. Neither of them expected this. Amit stepped forward.

"Yes. It was worth it. Neither of us harbors any regret for the choice we made. It's an undeniable possibility that you could very well switch to Monstrum again and he'll slaughter each of us as brutally. If that were to happen, I would take the responsibility of ending you myself. But that will never happen. I reject it. In the future of a world where I exist, children won't be executed by an invisible judge. That's the truth all of us chose. Is that alright with you… Anthony?"

Talen's words were like feathers. The curse within him was the embodiment of evil. Even still, it was dormant. Before his very eyes were the very specialty he coveted for years. Prince Uriel Barron, the prodigy Talen Amit and his sister, Alora Illustrious. Because of them, he now had a future. But it wasn't just that, no… it was far deeper than the future he'd gained.

Tony smiled. "Yes. That's alright. You don't need to worry about me anymore, guys. Thank you…" The tears from his eyes upon raising his head poured down his face and stained his pale cheeks. "Thank you so much…"

The boy buried his face in Talen's chest and loudly sobbed tears of joy. Despite last week's tragedy and the King's imminent conflict, the trio looked at each other. In truth, they'd disobeyed superior orders and threatened to usurp the King, using Talen as a pretext. Nevertheless, that was nothing compared to the prideful feeling stirring up in their hearts. They all smiled.

Talen slowly hugged Anthony back, a soft smile across his lips. "It's nothing, Tony. You don't have to thank us."

'After all, it's… the right thing to do. Isn't it?'

Throughout the coming summer, Violator attacks, Displacement resurgences, and overall Fate-related supernatural crimes were advancing at an alarming rate. Once July rolled around, over 400 Fate-related crimes had been committed, the cause still unknown. The Syndicate and Metropolitan Center were busy that year. So much so that bags started forming under Talen Amit's eyes.

Walking through the Syndicate's headquarters in blackened attire fit for an assassin, the man blew smoke into the air, removing a cigarette from his mouth. For some odd reason, numerous Syndicate agents were sprinting down the halls. He shrugged. It didn't matter to him as long as he could relax. Even if it was for a second at most. Then again, that was before he saw who stood at the end of the corridor he was walking down.

"Uri? What're you doing here?" He asked.

The Prince was silent.

"Did something happen? I thought you were on an assignment. What, you get tired of the small fries so you wanna abandon the Syndicate? C'mon, just cuz no one's as strong as Monstrum's doesn't mean everyone else's weak—"

"Talen."

Just the sound of Barron's voice speaking his given name was enough to silence him completely.

"What is the truth? Does your strength define you or do you define your strength? Who is the superior in your relation with the Unconquerable?"

Talen stepped forward. "What're you talking about? Is something wrong?"

"If I had your power, perhaps I could change things. For a tiny amount of time, I thought everything was changing, but I was wrong. It saddens me. Everything and everyone around us is nothing more than puppets. They should all perish. You agree with me, right, Talen?"

Amit grabbed the Prince by the collar. "'All perish'? Even your sister? Even your father? No, that doesn't even matter. I don't understand, Uriel, what the hell are you talking about!"

"If I had your powers, I could make it happen. I could ensure justice was served without spilling any more blood. After all, that's the dream both of us shared. Right… Talen?" Uriel asked.

To protect the future and rebel against oppression. That was the truth of what Uriel was asking him. Within those eyes was something unyielding. Perhaps, if he dug even deeper, he'd realize the truth behind his dear friend's words and even more so than that: the unconquerable transgression raging within his eyes.

Anthony turned the corner. "Oh hey, guys!" Sorry to tell you this in the hallway and everything but I have an assignment. Alora's transfer is still in progress so before she becomes an official Enforcer, I figured she should go on one last mission with you guys. You should go now so you can get it over with quickly," Tony said.

Talen turned. The Prince simply nodded, uncaring to his words and the implications behind them. He thought back, watching Barron slowly walk away.

'It's been twice now he's suggested some sort of treason or coup. Does he hate his dad that badly? Jeez. I hate when he's moody like this. Whatever though. It won't change anything. If Alora's there, he'll probably cheer up. All we have to do is get through the day and by the time night rolls around, we'll all be together again… I can't wait.'

40 minutes later.

Removing the sword from his victim's back, the man sheathed it back into his cane, hiding it within his robe. He hummed, smugly smirking while walking down the street with bloody feet.

"They're late. Hasn't it been over half an hour already?"

"What, you got a hot date or something?" Talen emerged from the shadow of an alleyway, tightening the bandages spread across his arms. "Scum like you shouldn't be loving anyone anyway!"

"Is that so?" He chuckled. "Take me down then. But at least do it with the rest of your comrades."

The man's words were enough for the Prince and the Enforcer to reveal themselves. Aiming an arrow at their target from the rooftop, Uriel glared at his appearance while analyzing the attire. He was wearing an all-black outfit with a turtleneck for a collar. Why would that matter? Even to Barron, it didn't make sense.

'Why does that man… look so familiar?'

Unsheathing the sword within his cane, the man chuckled, sending shivers down Talen's ignorant spine. By simply pointing the blade at his chest from afar, Amit fell to his knees; Uri and Lora followed suit.

"What… is that..?" Talen strained to ask.

"It's my sword. Through it, I can manifest a Displacement's destructive ability and its sinister aura. They're formed from the fear of all sorts of chaos. Just drawing my sword was enough for you to feel that power and fall to your knees. You are all completely at my mercy. How pathetic."

"You're right."

Alora appeared behind him, slashing with an ax. The attack released a shockwave, sending Talen's arm raised to cover his eyes from the wind; Uriel leaning over the edge to spot Alora's whereabouts. Though the stroke of her sword was honed to perfection, something halted her. Something invisible.

Alora shivered in midair—her eyes widening once an unavoidable numbness infected her as Atlas's sword sliced open her stomach. Blood splattered from the wound to dirtied the schemer's cheek, his head turning and spotting both Talen and Uriel rushing at him from behind. He smiled.

"Alright then."

Atlas dashed, snatching Talen by the skull and slamming him into the road, destroying the street with the boy's powerless body until reaching a towering skyscraper. Amit was thrown through the literal front door before flailing out the back; face damaged and blood spilling from his throat.

'What the hell..? This wasn't in the report. He shouldn't be this powerful! No, that doesn't even matter anymore. Who the hell is this guy in the first place? And why… is his strength so—'

Before he could finish, Talen crashed into the ground, laying in a crater of stone and crushed cars. Atlas stood on his chest, slowly drawing his curved and blackened sword, glaring down at Amit's pitiful form. The ground he was standing on spontaneously detonated, leading the mastermind to jump back—wielding his blackened blade.

Once the smoke cleared, it revealed the attacker: Anthony Whitlock. Atlas needn't laugh. All he did was aim the sword at his chest, watching as Tony vanished from the street and reappeared before him.

'He's fast. To attain such speed using Fate after only training for two months… how impressive.'

Tony's fist shot through the air, eventually uppercutting Atlas's open chin. Before it could land, the sword moved, blocking the knuckles with a smug smirk. Anthony sucked his teeth, withdrawing his single fist and kicking at the side of his skull. Each new physical attack was imbued with Fate, however, it wasn't strong enough to match Atlas's prowess. What was he doing?

Atlas caught Tony by the wrist, backhanded him, and grabbed his throat, raising him into the air.

"What are you doing, boy? If you're going to fight me, at least try your best. Or is this some sort of distraction… Uriel Barron?"

Tony faded into golden light, slipping from Atlas's grip, leading the schemer to turn his head and raise his eyes, spotting the Prince standing over a rooftop edge. Tony reappeared beside Barron.

"You're smart. What's your name, old man?" Uri asked.

Atlas chuckled. "My name?" He repeated. "How ridiculous."

Atlas grabbed Uriel by the shoulder, turning him around, and tightly gripping his chaotic sword. Barron reacted instantly—swiftly summoning an angelic weapon and slicing behind to counter his superior speed. But, he was too slow.

Once Prince Uriel finished turning, Atlas lowered his sword, slowly sheathing it into the cane. In the face of true evil, they were all but powerless. None of them could land a single hit on their foe. Though that wasn't even the worst part of this battle. In a single invisible move, Prince Barron was sliced down the middle exposing his innermost innards and flesh. He couldn't even process his demise once his brain was cut in half.

Anthony's eyes widened. "U-Uri… get up. What the hell are you doing down there? Come on. STAND UP!!"

Tony's screams awakened Talen with a gasp. In an instant, his friend's desperate cries turned to agony. Atlas's eyes widened, recognizing the familiar signature appearing behind him. Amit's leg raised into the air, smashing it into the enemy's raised arm defending his skull.

"Better," Atlas smirked. "You are indeed powerful… for an Unconquerable of this era."

"What—?"

Talen tumbled forward as Atlas disappeared. Not a single trace of his signature or body remained. It was almost as if he'd never existed. He turned his head. Maybe it wasn't so bad. As long as he got away without seriously injuring anybody, it wasn't a problem. That was his hope. Then, he turned slightly. The incessant screams of Anthony's voice had all but ceased and idle beside him was Uriel's mutilated corpse. He blinked.

"What..?" He asked. "This can't be real. It can't be. We wouldn't go down like this—we're strong! We always have been. We can change things! We can protect people! I can protect people! Then why? Why are we so… powerless?"