First off, before I forget: Happy Birthday, Ammo! :D

Suddenly, a hand grabbed the hilt and Sly's hand, halting her. She looked back to see Sessu's red eyes looking back at her. "Don't get in my way!" She plunged a fisted hand at Sessu's face, which he dodged by moving his head to the side. He pushed Sly away, causing her to tumble to the ground.

"Why do you protect her?! She caused all of this!" Sly yelled, pushing herself up from the ground.

"Because we don't know what happened. She could be innocent, she could be guilty. You aren't the judge of that, Sly." Sessu grabbed Reiko's hands, pulling her up to her feet. Sly glared.

"Fine. We'll listen to her excuse," Sly sheathed her sword.

Everyone turned their attention to the battlecries they heard from across the room; The look-alikes. Sentinus and Shin.

The two ran at eachother, holding their blades on their right sides-- To where they would definately hit eachother if they swung at the same time. Anyone who got inbetween them would be given guaranteed death. Everyone watched as they closed in on eachother.

Finally, Courtney saw her moment. The elf ran out into the middle of the two in combat right as they began their strikes. She held her palms out towards the blades, and braced herself for impact of the sharp metal.

"Courtney!" Aidan called to her.

Far too late to stop, Sentinus and Shin noticed the kind girl infront of them. Before they could stop their attacks, the blades dug into the flesh on Courtney's hands. But then the swords halted. Blood dripped out of the new wounds on Courtney's hands. A split second later, light resonated from the cuts. Thelight's powerforced them back, sending both of the white-haired warriors flying nearly 10 feet away.

Sentinus dropped his sword, rolling on the ground. Shin landed on his back, leaving his Blood Sword to clatter to the ground beside him.

Courtney whimpered, kneeling onto the ground. Aidan and Sly both ran to her assistance.

"Courtney, are you okay?!" Sly asked, grabbing onto her hands, looking over the bloodied hands.

Courtney nodded, "It's nothing that I can't heal after a while."

Shin picked himself off the ground. He walked over to Sentinus, who was still floored. Sentinus looked up when his look-a-like was standing over him. He glared, but looked confused as Shin held his hand out for him.

The white haired warrior hesitantly took the hand, allowing his look-alike to pick him off the ground.

"I've decided. I'm letting you live. Afterall, you're going to be a father." The look-a-like smiled, patting Sentinus on the shoulder.

Sentinus smiled back to him, "Thank you."

Courtney and Aidan smiled. They managed to avoid the conflict between Reiko and Sly, as well as Shin and Sentinus.

Or at least they managed to avoid one. Sly stood back up, and marched over to Reiko.

"I want to hear your side of the story. Now." The woman demanded, putting her hands on her hips. Reiko sighed.

"Well... When I was back in the Elven Village a few years back... I was in love with someone. Not Sessu, but a man before him, named Auric. I had known Noru previously. He appearantly loved me, as he asked me on a date... But I declined."

Sly nodded. "So you shot him down?"

"... Yes. Then, Auric proposed to me. I foolishly accepted, even though I wasn't ready for marriage yet. I... broke Noru's heart with the action. He stole the Great Sword of Sha from the village temple, destroyed the village, and murdered Auric... He became evil. Because *I* broke his heart. Luckily, the sword broke into the shards we now have."

The group tilted all of their heads down. Sly looks at Reiko, and frowns.

"You mean to tell me... That was the only thing you did?" Sly asked.

Reiko nodded.

"Then it can't be your fault." Sly crossed her arms, turning away.

Reiko's eyes widened. "What?" she asked in disbelief.

"He clung onto his heartbreak and tried to use it as a reason to become the way he is. You may be responsible for the heartbreak, but you didn't make him cling to it."Soul spoke up for once.

"He did that himself." The Dark Wolffinished.

Sessu put his hands on Reiko's shoulders, "See? This isn't your fault, Reiko. Heartbreak is not a reason to become like him."

The blonde smiled as she looked up to her lover. Clapping is heard, as all attention goes to the cloaked figure.

"Bravo, you've all overcome the Mental Challenge; The challenge to test if your mind is strong enough to keep you from spilling the blood of your allies. You may advance to your main goal."

Stairs started appearing, attached to the wall of the room. They curved into a spiral, up to the top of the room.

The figure collapses. The cloak it was wearing fell off of its face as it hit the ground. Reiko walked over, and gasped as she looked at the figure's face. He had blonde hair that covered his face, with the same pointy ears that Reiko, Courtney and Aidan all had.

"Auric..." she kneeled down, looking over the dissolving body.

"No. Not Auric. I am merely an illusion, like most everyone you've seen while in this castle."Auric's illusionspoke weakly. Reiko's eyes watered up as she watched the illusion of her former lover fade into nothingness.