She tries to convince herself that it's not a prison.

She reassures herself that Xavier and Nicholas are right out the door.

And so as she rests her head on the pillows of her large bed, she tries to relax. Until her back feels like it's on fire. And so she screams for help. She expected Xavier and Nicholas to come bursting through the door and she was right there. However; it went differently.

Outside, Julian jumps up and runs at the door, trying to help Lily. In a single motion, Nicholas has him by the throat as Xavier barges in followed by Zachariah. He disappears, formalizing with Lily's throat in his hand and her feet dangling off of the ground. His pitch black eyes look into hers with a certain hollowness to them, she can't begin to comprehend.

"X-xavier-." She croaks weakly. Her once curly red mane of hair caresses his hand and maybe the soft feel of it would have triggered something in it, but it was a light straight blonde now. Her once large emerald eyes frantically search his black pits and that too may have been a trigger if they hadn't become a color so light her eyes almost appeared white.

"X-xavier! P-put her d-down!!" Julian yells at the top of his lungs, still in Nicholas' hold.

"I dare you. I dare you to try anything." Xavier says hollowly, tightening his grip on her neck. Tears stream down Lily's cheeks. Zachariah looks at Xavier with an expression so vague and unwavering until he sees drops of blood sailing to the ground in perfect drops.

"Release her." Zachariah commands. Xavier releases her and she falls to the ground. Zachariah approaches her only for her to start screaming again. However, they are not screams of fear. Lily wraps her arms around herself, clawing at her skin and trying to reach her back.

"It burns. It burns!" She cries desperately. "Put it off! Please! Xavier! Julian! It burns." Zachariah lifts her up gracefully and turns her around to find the back of her tee-shirt soaked in blood. He quickly pushes her front to the wall, grabbing the hem of her shirt. Desperately, Julian makes a kick at Nicholas, surprising him. He uses that moment to free himself and runs inside the chamber. He lunges at Zachariah only to find all the breath knocked out of him as his back collides with the opposite wall. Xavier's hand goes to Julian's left eye. His index and middle fingers rest on his upper eyelid and his thumb on Julian's bottom eyelid.

"I ruined one eye, it's not that hard to do the same to the other." Julian snarls at him then looks at the scene ahead of him. Zachariah makes a rip in the hem of her shirt, then pulls it apart, revealing her bare back.

In dark maroon jagged writing, dripping with blood, radiating intense heat lie... zeros.

00:00:00

Zachariah sees them then releases her, storming out of the chambers. As if released from a trance, Xavier jerks himself away from Julian like his skin had burnt him.

"What the hell?!" He yells out to himself, looking around frantically. Julian ignores Xavier's odd behavior and runs to catch Lily before she collapses on the ground. He eases her pain and makes her almost happy. Gently, he lays her on her bed.

Nicholas slowly walks in the chambers, feeling like a stranger as he listens to Lily speak.

"Now? Now Julian? Xavier? Nicholas?" She begins. Nicholas looks towards her and meets her eyes, surprised at her calm voice. "Now can you explain this to me?" Xavier whips around and looks at her with so much confusion and distortion. He ignores her and looks at Nicholas and narrows his eyes.

"You." He growls angrily. "What just happened to me?" Nicholas casts Xavier a sharp, dark look and somehow it silences him.

"Lily. Remember that book I made you in Center Coast? I said it had everything you needed to know about us, but I lied."

"Werewolves and Vampires are real?!" Lily screeches, jumping up and down with excitement.

"Sit down child." He jokes, pointing to the chair opposite him. Lily pouts.

"I'm not a child." She points out. Julian raises an eyebrow and laughs.

"To me, you sure as hell are." He points out.

"Huh?" Julian gives her a pointed look. "Oh yeah! You are thousands of years old. But you look so young." Julian shakes his head and pulls out a large book, slamming it into the table.

"This is your guide. I put everything in here. Go ahead, open it." Julian pushes it towards the small redheaded girl whose emerald eyes shine so brightly.

"Vampires." She reads the title, flipping through the book. She scans it all with her eyes, giving approving sounds. "This is so cool! Next is werewolves." Lily pauses and looks up at Julian with concern filling her eyes. "Jules." She calls.

"Yes, Lily?" Julian says, resting his chin on his hand.

"Is-is Xavier a werewolf?" She whispers, her eyes looking around carefully. Julian's eyes widen as he bursts out into laughter, toppling off of his chair. Lily looks at her friend with concern as rolls around laughing.

"W-what-why would you think that?" He manages in between laughs. Lily shrugs.

"They're always angry and on edge. They're dark and gloomy and scary and-and Xavier is all of those." She summarizes. Julian chuckles as he stands up and walks behind her chair. He leans forward to the book and flips through the pages, finding the one he wants.

"Don't be afraid of werewolves, they're not the monsters you're referring to. They're simply obnoxiously loud. Here. This is what you're talking about." Lily's eyes take in the large bold letters then looks up at Julian's jolly face. Having ditched the glasses, his eyes are a shining violet.

"Geminds?" He nods then turns around and sits on the edge of the table. Lily reads through the pages about Geminds. The ones about they're inscriptions and the powers they have, the pages about they're fearsome true form, all of it.

"But don't worry. Xavier and the ones in Center Coast are all good guys. Know why?" She shakes her head. Julian smiles. "What makes Center Coast the best place for me and for Xavier is something we call The Identity Mark. It's like a pattern that appears on the person's face, it means that they have good intentions. It limits us in some ways but that's exactly what makes us good." Lily nods, but a look of fear remains on her face.

"Lily, do you trust me?" Lily's head shoots up and looks at Julian so sternly, a foreign expression on the carefree girl's face.

"Of course Jules!" Julian smiles at her innocent jolly features.

"You're safe Lily. Don't be afraid of anything, because there is nothing to fear. Nothing except Geminds can ever do you harm, and even then I promise you, you will be safe."

"I told you Geminds were the monsters. That's not really true. Minor Geminds aren't what everybody fears, but Major Geminds are. Esdith and its Lords are the real beasts and you have become they're prey."

***

"How could you?! No-No, not how could you, how dare you?!" Julian yells at Xavier, his eyes shining with such pure unconcealed rage, he can barely hold back his powers. Xavier narrows his eyes and looks at Julian's flustered figure. Running a hand through his hair, he takes in the empty hallway and whispers a warning to his friend.

"Calm down Jules." This seems to anger Julian more as a blackness begins to devour the whites of his left eye. Xavier flinches as droplets of pain begin to gather in. He clenches his teeth and takes in deep breaths.

"Jules, my brothers will have your head. Please stop." He croaks.

"Lily, the only person who ever trusted you despite your attempts of keeping everyone away, that Lily's neck was in your hands!" Xavier gasps then gulps. He pulls off his cloak in a swift motion and throws it in between him and Julian, confusing him then disappears.

Xavier runs through the hallways of Esdith, trying to reach Lily, trying to understand. Everything blurs past him, until his head collides with a wall, creating a dent in the stone.

Zachariah holds his brother against the wall all while taking his appearance in. As if in the simple hour between visiting the Tick Tock's room and now, he had completely changed. Became smaller, weaker, stiffer, and more in pain. Xavier, with his eyes shut, lifts his hands up slowly and rests them on his hair. Zachariah wearily backs away, letting Xavier fall to the ground in a heaped mess. He groans a little then lifts his head and opens his eyes, looking at Zachariah.

"What did you to me Zachariah?" He says weakly. Lord Second looks down at him emotionlessly. "Back in the Tick Tock's room, I never would have willingly joined you like that. What I did to Lily and Julian, those were things you'd want to do! Not me! I-I don't know what's happening to me so tell me Lord Second, tell me!" Zachariah raises his hand and lays it on Xavier's cheek gently.

"You lack." He says slowly and swiftly then he jerks Xavier's head to an angle snapping his neck.

"Come here." Zachariah says pointing to the space in front of him. To anybody he would seem like a madman speaking to himself. "Must I repeat myself, Niklaus?" From a hidden corner emerges Niklaus with his head down. He rests where Zachariah points then submits to one knee.

"My sincerest and humblest apologies, Lord Second." Nicholas mumbles rigidly. Zachariah looks at Niklaus, at Xavier, then groans. Zachariah pulls off his cloak, discarding it nearby and runs a hand though his hair. He squats mere centimeters away from where Niklaus kneels, so close he can feel his breath. Zachariah reaches out, and puts a finger under his chin, pushing his head upwards. Niklaus takes in his sharp features all while subconsciously holding in a breath. What is he doing? Lord Second never bends himself low for others. Zachariah looks into Niklaus' distant eyes, knowing he's wondering what he's up to which means he doesn't notice Zachariah's other hand slowly reaching for the collar of his shirt. As soon as he makes contact with the cloth, he grabs hold and shoots up to his feet, pulling Niklaus up with him. Gasping, Niklaus's feet dangle off of the ground and his hands grab hold onto Zachariah's as he holds him up high. Full of fear, he looks at Zachariah's face and immediately begins to tremble. His features are all contorted in fury and his eyes seethe with rage.

"You-you- how dare you?!" Zachariah booms. As Niklaus shivers and whimpers, Zachariah lowers him down so that he stands on the tips of his toes, and his face is directly parallel to his. "Are you telling me it was all in vain? All of it?!" Niklaus, stunned into silence, searches Zachariah's face, unable to utter. "Speak!" He shakes him.

"Za-Zachary." He whimpers. "Please." Zachariah tightens his grip on him and gulps.

"Do you know what I suffered through? Do you comprehend the toll your release took on me? I do not speak of the physical and mental pain or agony, but the pain of destroying what I built. I was out of control. I destroyed the east side of Esdith, I attacked my brothers, I put a world that belongs to not only myself in disarray because of the release you asked for." Niklaus shuts his eyes and lets go of Zachariah's arm, letting his hands hang limply.

"I-." He begins, but Zachariah cuts in.

"However that's alright. You were my aeternus, the other half of my soul. Your wish I could never have denied." Zachariah whispers, lowering his head and putting Niklaus down. His eyes flutter open and he reaches out for Zachariah's figure, compelled to comfort him only for him to cry out as he flies towards a wall and slams against it, knocking all the breath out of him.

"So why are you here now?! Why do you come back as a lie?! Why?! Why do you still harbor your ties with me?!" Zachariah disappears, reappearing in front of Niklaus with his fist in the air. Just in the nick of time, he moves away.

"Who do you dare think you are? Holding on to the bond we had? Rebuilding it? Imprisoning me in it against my will!"

"What-." He begins only to be silenced by another attack that he only half manages to maneuver. He falls sideways and Zachariah lunges at him again.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! ZACHARY!" Lord Second stops just before he makes contact with Niklaus. He closes his eyes for a minute then straightens himself, opening his eyes.

"Stand up." He says calmly. Niklaus does as he says wearily. "Show me the imprint, the seal Xavier gave you." Niklaus rolls up his sleeve and looks at the bite mark where swirls and lines emerge from.

"It's gotten smaller." Niklaus whispers. Zachariah simply nods then walks around him and stops by his shoulder.

"And mine Niklaus. Show me the imprint I left many years ago when you were my aeternus." Zachariah commands.

"It's faded. It's not-." Zachariah ignores him and puts a hand on his shoulder, then rips his shirt apart, bearing his skin. Niklaus turns his head to look at his shoulder. Zachariah hadn't seen it in years but he knew anyways. He felt it. He watches as tears sail down Niklaus's face. The scar that remained from his teeth hundreds of years ago is faint, almost invisible, but there clear as day are black lines and swirls, forming a small seal.

"You are to remain here until my brother wakes and from there you are both to appear before the thrones of Esdith." Zachariah says threateningly. Niklaus grits his teeth, feeling himself panic.

"Yes, milord." Niklaus grits, bending his head, almost hiding away. Zachariah turns around, giving Niklaus his back but doesn't move.

"You should know by now, yes?" Zachariah says, turning just his head to look at his ex-aeternus. Niklaus refuses to look at him. "You are ruining him." Zachariah nods at Xavier. Niklaus staggers with shock and topples sideways, truly looking at Zachariah now. Zachariah almost smiles. "Of course not as much as you did me, but it's getting there."

***

Xavier pushes the large golden doors open and strides in with as much dignity as he can muster. Nicholas trails behind Xavier sheepishly, still shivering from his encounter with Lord Second. He keeps his head down, not willing to look at his face no matter the price. Xavier steps into the circle of thrones where his brothers sit. Instead of going to his own throne, he stands in the middle, as if he were the one in trial. Tucker chuckles then looks towards Colton.

"One point for me. I told you he'd be smart enough to sensibly not sit on his throne. He's too proud to have us force him off it and into the middle." Tucker says knowingly. Xavier scowls at Colton who raises his hands in the air apologetically. He then turns to Zachariah and sighs.

"Am I expected to kneel?" He whispers weakly. Jonathan frowns at Xavier's weak state.

"Would you be willing to?" Allen asks with a humorous grin.

"Of course not you imbecile! You are a Lord, straighten yourself." Jonathan exclaims. Niklaus having knelt as soon as he stepped into the circle feels his stomach churn with nausea. Zachariah casts Xavier an irritated look when he ignores Jonathan.

"Brothers. I call your attention to the purpose of this trial which abashes the name of Esdith." Tristan calls out. Tucker nods at his brother then looks back at Xavier.

"Speak. Speak of everything that has occurred between the two of you." Tucker says, motioning at Niklaus. "Describe what is happening to your bond." He commands. Xavier gulps and opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted.

"Everything you know, Xavier. All of it. Make no mistake, for we will call out for the truth at the end of this trial. Understood?" Jonathan threatens, leaning forward. Zachariah crosses his legs and leans back into his throne, keeping his heated gaze on his youngest brother, distracting him. Xavier meets Zachariah's warning eyes then turns back to Jonathon and nods.

"Of course." Xavier proceeds to explain how Niklaus does not feel entitled to follow him and how their seal which is meant to grow out of Xavier's bite on Niklaus' skin is shrinking. He explains his theory where since Niklaus is Zachariah's ex-aeternus, he may have been raised to level higher than his. Niklaus too is questioned. They both come to the conclusion where Niklaus is overpowering Xavier. After some discussion they come to a decision.

"We'll raise you above. You fled Esdith a thousand years ago where you took refuge in small isolated areas. You hid your identity and rarely used your abilities. It truly is no surprise that this is the level to which you have stooped." Jonathan says rigidly. Xavier's eyebrows dip, not quite understanding.

"I don't understand. I thought I would have been ordered to release Nicholas." Niklaus grits his teeth and Zachariah narrows his eyes.

"If possible, we would like to refrain from preforming any releases for a while." Zachariah confesses. Xavier remains in the dark, his understanding of the situation becoming more nebulous.

"In other words, baby brother." Allen calls onto Xavier's attention eagerly. He leans forward slowly, his curly black locks falling onto his face. "We will train you." Xavier chuckles sourly then turns his body to Zachariah. Lord Second tilts his head to the side, daring his youngest brother to object.

"Regardless of the fact that you have no say in this, it would serve well if you came into our training willingly." Jonathan says dismissively, waving the matter off as he turns to Niklaus who remains kneeling. "As for you. You may not feed, not from Lord Twelfth, or anywhere else. You are to remain under our direct monitoring if possible." Tucker clears his throat, shuffling in his seat.

"And if we are too engaged into something else and are unable to do so, I humbly ask for your and Zachariah's permission for Niklaus to tag along Angel's and Julian's daily activities. I'd like for the tension between them to disperse before the Grand Ball." Tucker explains sternly. Jonathan turns his head to look for Zachariah's approval, finding nothing but indifference. Sighing, he nods in agreement. Once that is settled, they move on. Jonathan runs a hand through his hair, flustered and confused. True to his word though, Jonathan stands up, and stands in front of Niklaus' kneeling figure. He asks him to rise, then calls upon the truth, confirming that all Niklaus had spoken was truth. Next, Jonathan moves, about to approach Xavier, and call upon the truth, making sure of his story when Zachariah stops him.

"Have a seat brother." Zachariah calls out coolly. Jonathan frowns in confusion, but obeys his brother nonetheless. "Xavier." Xavier looks at Zachariah again and approaches him slowly, stopping right in front of his throne. Zachariah stands up gracefully and Xavier steps back unconsciously. Zachariah's arm whips out and rests on the back of his brother's head. He takes a step forward and looks directly into Xavier's icy blue eyes. Xavier searches and searches, knowing there is something he's supposed to catch from his brother's shadowed gaze. Slowly, very slowly and carefully, Zachariah raises his gaze a few centimeters above Xavier's eyes.

"Vheet." He breathes. Surprisingly, he feels no tug, no blankness, and no compulsion to tell the truth. Then and only when Xavier realizes that he has in fact not called upon the truth does Xavier understand what Zachariah is trying to convey to him.

"Have you spoken of everything that concerns this matter?" Zachariah asks quietly. Xavier gulps.

"Yes." He feels Zachariah's grip on the back of his head tighten subtly, almost praising him for understanding his message. Having acknowledged the end of this trial, the Lords stand up and begin to shuffle out of the hall. Xavier tries to move away, but is warned not to by a tug on his hair. Zachariah resumes his lingering gaze on his brother's eyes until the hall is empty with the exception of the two brothers and Niklaus who awaits his master. He releases him then steps past him and towards a kneeling Niklaus. Resting by his side, Zachariah finally speaks.

"You are becoming my aeternus." He announces.

"I know." Both Niklaus and Xavier utter at the same time. Niklaus jerks his head upwards and looks at Xavier with so much confusion. Xavier strides towards Zachariah whose back faces him and puts a hand on his shoulder. Niklaus, stunned into silence simply stands up.

"Which one of us?" Xavier asks desperately. Zachariah turns his head to look at Xavier's hand resting on his shoulders, then looks at Niklaus's pallid figure.

"Both of you." Zachariah turns his body and faces them both. "Niklaus's bond with me is coming back to life, as in I exist as his Master once again. And you, you are being overpowered by him, almost as if you were submitting to him. In other words, your bond with me is transitive through his. It explains why you acted the way you did in the Tick Tock's chambers." Zachariah turns his attention to Niklaus' heartbroken looking face.

"What do we do?" He asks desperately, grabbing onto the front of Lord Second's robe, pulling him to himself. Zachariah widens his eyes with anger, looking at Niklaus's hands. Xavier clutches his hair when Niklaus pales, and pulls away from Zachariah, immediately falling to his knees, kneeling. Niklaus can't believe he just felt anger and disapproval that's not his. But Lord Second's.

"What to do? You must let go. Stop harboring our bond and accept the release. That way I will no longer be involved with the two of you. Afterwards, we will make Xavier stronger and he will be your master." Zachariah says simply. Niklaus shakes his head.

"I didn't do this on purpose. I can't just do that!" He yells out in frustration. Xavier staggers towards his throne and falls into it, overwhelmed. Zachariah turns to the large golden doors and begins to walk towards them.

"I should kill you, Niklaus. Eliminating you from the equation solves it." Zachariah says, stopping by the doors.

"Zacha-." Xavier begins tiredly.

"But I can't do that. I should, but I can't and shan't."

------

A/N:

Greetings!

1. It's been a while. 2. This chapter isn't my best, nowhere near my best in fact. 3. Esdith will remain on hold, but I may still update occasionally. And I apologize for all of it.

Your feedback is highly encouraged and appreciated!