(Iris POV)

I sat on the floor in shock. Cyrus...?

Why?

He tried to kill me. He's been one of my closest friends for years. And yet, he tried to kill me...

Ken and Eric rushed after Cyrus, exiting the ballroom. Irene ran over, sitting down in front of me.

"Are you alright?!" She worriedly asked.

"I-Irene, h-he..." I muttered. I felt the hot trail of fresh tears roll down my face. Why..?

"I know. I know." Irene sadly said, bringing me into a hug.

"...Why?" I croaked out.

"I...I might know. But that isn't important right now. We need to get out of here in case any more assassins show up." Irene stated.

"Can't the Royal Guards take care of them?" Lily asked, suddenly appearing next to us. When did she get here?!

"Your presence concealment is on again." Irene stated.

"I know." Lily nodded. "In case someone does break through the Royal Knights, I can sneak up on them."

"Unfortunately that could be very likely. We can't trust any Royal Guard. Two have already defected." Irene explained.

The Royal Guards could betray us...? Like...Cyrus?

Then...Mother?! Father?!

"W-what about Mother and Father?! Where are they?!" I exclaimed.

Irene's eyes widened. "They haven't arrived to the party yet. They're likely still in their rooms finishing getting ready, unaware of the situation. We need to find them, fast."

I wiped the tears from my eyes and shakily stood up. Now isn't the time to cry. Mother and Father are in serious danger. For whoever these assassins are, our parents would be the prime targets.

Wait...Isaac...

I was never close to my twin, but still...

"And Isaac...?" I asked.

Irene looked around at the currently in chaos party. People were hurriedly trying to leave, not wanting to become a casualty. I saw Isaac flee with them.

"...He'll be fine." Irene slowly stated.

"Lily." Irene stated. "Can you help us?"

"Of course. I don't know you well, but Iris is my friend." Lily nodded. "I'll help."

"Alright." Irene nodded. "Let's go. Mother and Father's rooms are on the second floor."

The exit to the entrance and staircase was jam packed with fleeing people, so that wasn't an option. However, there was another staircase through another, smaller door.

We quickly rushed through the door, racing up the steps and emerging in a hallway. Despite the huge size of our Mansion, Irene and I knew exactly where to go.

We ran through the hallways, taking twists and turns. We turned onto the hallway to Mother's room, seeing a bunch of ninja-like people about to try to break down her door.

Just in time.

Irene's Arcana manifested into her hands. The giant war hammer Thor. Lily's dagger Hassan appeared in her hand.

I closed my eyes, reaching a connection with my Arcana. In my right hand a golden shield appeared.

My S Rank Arcana, Zeus.

Light started to gather into the hands of one of the ninjas. I stepped up in front of Irene and Lily. A beam shot out of his hands, heading straight towards us.

The beam deflected off of my shield, drilling a hole into the wall. Irene sparked with electricity, rushing towards them at blinding speeds.

In an instant one ninja was slammed into the wall by the hammer. Irene then slammed the hammer onto the ground, blasting the rest off of their feet.

Non-Arcana wielders have no chance.

I suddenly turned around as Lily smacked another ninja in the head, knocking him out. Thank god she was there...

"Thank you Lily." I smiled.

"No problem." Lily nodded.

Looking back to Irene, all of her enemies were knocked out on the ground, slightly twitching. There had to be at least fifteen of them...

Irene kicked down the door. "Mother?!" She yelled.

We ran inside the room, seeing it was utterly trashed. A scratched up and bloodied Mother stood across from another ninja. This one's garment was blood red instead of black, however.

Mother used to be an Adventurer. How was he giving her such trouble? Well, she is probably extremely rusty...

"Girls?!" Mother exclaimed.

The blood red ninja glanced towards us. He pulled out two katanas sheathed to his waist.

"Nothing personal." He stated.

"Watch out! He has a speed Artifact!" Mother gasped.

In an instant the ninja was in front of us. I wouldn't have enough to time to use my shield...However, Irene matched his speed and blocked the two katanas with her war hammer.

His speed was incredible. That's why Mother was having such trouble. The Artifact he was using must be an extremely high tier one.

He jumped backwards. Mother launched herself at him, a spiky yellow gauntlet in her right hand. That was her own Arcana.

The ninja seemed to glow as in a sudden burst of speed he passed Mother. Mother gasped, collapsing to the ground with a small blood pool gathering around her.

"Mother?!" Irene and I cried out.

How dare he?! How dare he?!

Irene rushed at the ninja and angrily swung her hammer, however he dodged the attack. He swung his katanas down, but Irene blocked them. She swung her war hammer over her head, slamming it down into the ground and sending shockwaves through the floor.

The ninja jumped over the shockwaves, landing back down uninjured. Being extremely skilled and with such a good Artifact made him an extremely difficult opponent.

And when he glowed...he also must have an Arcana. He's dangerous.

I dragged Mother out of the way as Irene and the ninja continued to fight. I checked the wound through her ripped dress. It's deep.

"We need to stop the bleeding." Lily stated.

I nodded. I ripped off the bottom of Mother's dress, wrapping it around the wound in her torso. We'll need to get her to a healer quick.

I looked back at Irene. She was matching the ninja in an equal fight. If Irene was outside right now, she'd be able to destroy him.

But some of her abilities are too destructive. It could cause the ceiling to collapse on us and kill all of us. And I can't help her either. I can't move as quick as him and Irene yet, and I doubt Lily can either.

"Get her out of here!" Irene ordered.

Irene...

Please, don't lose.

I don't want to lose you.

"Come on." I said to Lily. "Let's get her out of here."

We started to drag her away. The ninja didn't seem to care as he continued his match with Irene. He must believe Mother is finished.

Well, she can't be. Mother's strong. She'll survive this.

Footsteps echoed through the hallway. Please don't tell me-

Eric?!

"Eric?!" Lily gasped.

Eric ran through the hallway towards us, Excalibur clutched in his hand. He ran into the room, narrowing his eyes at the match between Irene and the ninja. He glanced back towards Mother, seeing her state.

"Don't worry." He smiled. "It'll be alright."

Eric...I saved you once, I didn't expect anything in return. But thank you.

Eric rushed at the ninja, swinging Excalibur overhead. The ninja quickly turned around, blocking the strike.

Irene appeared behind the ninja, swinging her hammer straight at him. He barely sidestepped it, only to have to parry an attack from Eric.

They now had him cornered. They were on his opposite sides, keeping him from getting a moment to attack. And with all fronts focused on defense, he wasn't able to move around with his intense speed anymore.

So Eric was able to keep up with him despite being a newer Arcana wielder.

Electricity sparked in Irene's hand. As Eric and the ninja clashed, she sent the electricity at the still ninja. It impacted his back, causing him to slightly stumble.

Irene used this chance to slam her war hammer into his side, sending him flying into the wall. He slumped down, completely unconscious.

"Eric? Is Ken alright?!" Irene worriedly asked.

Ken? Since when has Irene started calling Kage by his first name?

"He's fine, just knocked out. But Cyrus got away." Eric sighed. "But first..."

Eric then ran over to us. He grabbed Mother, putting her into a princess carry.

Eric...thank you...thank you so much...

"Come on, Aegis." He said. "We need to quickly get her some help."

Wait. This isn't right.

I placed my hand behind Eric's neck, electricity crackling in between my fingers.

"Who are you?" I ordered.

"Huh? What do you mean?" He asked innocently.

"Ever since I became friends with Lily I've had her and Eric call me by first name. So who the hell are you?" I replied, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Fuck...Of course..." He muttered to himself.

Another red flag. I've never heard Eric curse.

"Ken." Irene suddenly said.

I looked around, but I didn't see him anywhere. Where is he? Why did Irene say Kage's name suddenly?

Then as I looked back to "Eric", he was no longer Eric.

Instead...it was Kage?!

Kage?!

"Dammit. Every time. How'd you know?" Kage asked.

"Your smell." Irene stated.

"..." We all stayed silent.

"Did I...just hear you right?" Kage hesitantly asked.

"Yes." Irene nodded.

"Oh god..." He muttered to himself.

"I'm a failure...I didn't recognize that scent wasn't Eric's..." Lily muttered to herself.

Do you two girls memorize scents or something? Is that normal?

Wait, that's not important right now.

"Kage? Where's Eric?" I asked.

"He's fine, I promise. He's actually the knocked out one. I placed him somewhere safe before coming here." Kage explained.

"And Cyrus?" I asked.

"He got away. But I did get some info." Kage replied.

"What is it?" Irene wondered.

"Cyrus was being ordered. He didn't want to do it." Kage stated.

...

"I see." Irene nodded. "We'll talk about this later. For now, we need medical help for Mother."

"Right." Kage nodded.

We ran through the hallways with Kage carrying Mother in the princess carry. Princess carry...

And he was still keeping up with us despite the added weight.

Kage...

Why? Why did you save Irene? And then, why did you save Mother? Why do you save them, but act so cold to me?

Did I do something?

...

Kage...

Why can't I get you out of my head?