"Dawn."

The girl snapped back awake from her daydream. Her dreary eyes shifted from the floor towards the male standing in front of her. Tall, blond, and voice that was coarse, she didn't like him at all. But for his sake, she put up with him, the leader of Humans.

"Yes?"

The two had made eye contact. It didn't take an idiot to notice that he was clearly upset about something, Dawn had assumed it was by her presence. His eyes were red, his nose and ears were tinted a light shade of pink, and there had been dried snot on the front of his nose. She couldn't help but shuffle back on the bed a bit, it had looked quite unsanitary to her. She took a breath and continued, "What is it?"

"Do you know the location of the Sorcerer's Palace?"

Dawn bit her lip, "Why do you need to know?"

"Me and a small group of individuals plan to invade it with one goal in mind."

"That being?"

"To save Seto."

She snickered, tilting her head back a bit and breaking into an outburst of laughter. The infirmary was quiet, but then was suddenly bubbling with Dawn's voice, soft and silky. Brice stepped back a bit, clutching onto his messenger bag. The photo was being crumpled in the process; one of Brice's many accidental habits since Seto's disappearance.

"What's—" he took a short pause, "—what's so funny?"

"You think that you can easily take him down?" Dawn shook her head, gaining back her composure. "You don't know him, don't you?"

Brice was hesitant on replying to that. Dawn continued, "By your expression, I suppose you don't know him like I do."

"Nothings impossible."

"Have you seen him use his full strength?"

That question caught Brice off guard. He contemplated to his last battle with the brunet, which happened to be the first battle. The memory sent chills down his spine, the School of Creation seemed to be all that he had back then. The most he had actually seen Seto use was about eight percent, and with the other ninety-two being unknown, he didn't necessarily want to know what was hidden behind those fists of his.

"Let alone Headmaster Hayes," Dawn interrupted Brice's thoughts. The blond still shook his head.

"I'd do anything for him," he concluded, frowning. "Now, please tell me where the Sorcerer's Palace is."

"Don't you pay attention in school? You learn geography at a very young age, you are a Hybrid after all," Dawn shook her head. "Japan."

"Japan?" Brice contemplated about their location. He knew that he was currently in a place they had called 'Europe' a long time ago, and crossing the border to Asia would be a difficulty, considering it is Sorcerer territory.

"Yes, the island off of the coast of China," Dawn replied, smiling a bit. "You can build a base on the Philippines, that island has been abandoned."

"Are there any other ways to get to the island besides foot and water?" Brice questioned.

Dawn frowned, looking like she too was questioning that idea, "Teleporters."

"Tele-what?" Brice blinked, scrunching his eyebrows.

"I thought you were suppose to be smart, but since you're blond it's no wonder you're dumb."

"Hey!"

"Ask Isaac and Kyle about it, they should know the location of the Royal Teleporters."

"What about you? How come you don't know?"

"I was raised as a Mage, I can teleport where ever I want to."

With that, Brice turned around and headed towards the door of the infirmary. He held the silver door knob in his hand, and as he turned it, her voice that was laced with poison filled the air. Brice didn't like Dawn, not at all. It mainly the jealousy factor—Brice couldn't imagine his Seto proposing to that witch.

"One more thing, Brice," Dawn sneered, "if you love someone, you have to let them go."

Brice scowled, slamming the door behind him.

***

"The Royal Teleporters?" Kyle asked, biting into his sandwich. "Yeah, I know where they are, why?"

"Can we go there?" Brice questioned.

"Eh—" Kyle released an exasperated sigh, "it's too much work."

Tyler scowled, slapping the other in the arm, "Oh come on Kyle, you always say that!"

"Ow! Tyler!" Kyle had shouted, rubbing his arm.

"You both fight like an old married couple, makes me sick honestly," Zek rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

"You're just jealous because Bodil's with Simon," Kyle teased, snickering.

Zek's face went tomato red. He stood up from the dining room table, slammed his chair, and exited. Brice shook his head, laughing as the raven haired male faded out of sight and towards his own office. "Yeah, he's jealous."

"As I said earlier, it's going to be a lot of work trying to get there," Kyle repeated. "You see, they're called The Royal Teleporters for a reason."

"And that reason is...?" Brice rolled his eyes.

"They aren't particularly guarded. Once you enter them, they teleport you straight into the palace. It's pretty bright and it does make a lot of particle sound effects and noises, so someone will spot us right away. We can't just walk into Sorcerer territory either, especially the Sorcerer Palace since its filled with Royals. They'll notice a Hybrid like you right away."

"Then what can we do," Brice frowned.

"I honestly have no clue," Kyle repeated. "Since they think I'm dead, as well as a traitor, I don't think it's wise for me to come."

"What about Isaac?" Tyler questioned, butting in as usual.

"Don't know. Considering what Dawn had told us, I don't think he will be ready to go back there after what happened to his family and friends," Kyle shook his head. "It'll just have to be an organized team of Humans, specialized."

"I plan to bring Zek with me," Brice suggested, "I don't know who else would come, though."

"Ah, maybe I can?" Tyler volunteered.

"You're weak," Kyle rolled his eyes. "Take Mitchell and Jerome with you, they're pretty strong offensive fighters."

"I'll suggest the idea to them," Brice shook his head, "but we need a Sorcerer."

"Chill, dude," Kyle smiled. "We'll be talking through earpieces. I'll track you and tell you where to go. Since I grew up as one of Seto's close friends, I can guide you through the halls."

"So, that's Zek, Mitchell, Jerome, and myself going," Brice nodded his head.

"Take Adam and Ty with you as well, Adam's good at defense and Ty can use his bow," Tyler suggested.

"Right," Brice nodded. "So, when do you think we can invade the palace?"

"Judging by Isaac's future vision..." Kyle's train of thought had wandered off, "...the final battle between you and your father is scheduled sometime next month. It's pretty much destiny for Seto to come back to us, along with Jason."

"And where are we going to find Jason?" Tyler interrupted.

"Don't know, but if destiny said so, then it's going to happen," Brice snickered. "It's like someone's writing this all out for us, it's so damn easy!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself just yet," Kyle shook his head. "It's not like someone is writing out our fates, some external force sitting at some monitor twenty four seven. This is real life we're talking about, Brice, don't get too cocky. We can die at any moment, just like that Xiao Keji kid had."

"Don't remind me," Brice rolled his eyes. "It's just—this all seems too simple, like there's something missing."

"What's missing?" Tyler and Kyle had asked in unison.

Brice shook his head, smiling to himself as he pushed his chair back and stood up. He released an exasperated sigh, "Nothing. Thanks for talking with me, I'll be off."

"See you," Kyle waved. Brice nodded, giving a short wave back before heading off towards the Northern Hall.

It was quiet in the base. From time to time there would be an occasional trainee, saluting to the blond, then running off, hoping they would not miss training. Brice contemplated as he walked down the bland halls, listening to nothing but the chattering within the rooms that had opened doors. Everyone was so filled with hope—so excited for the future and the peace that was bound to happen.

Brice kept telling himself that—it was destiny for everything to play out like this. It had appeared to him as someone just writing it out for them, it didn't feel like reality, it felt like a story. As a leader, it was his job not to think about these things and remain positive for the sake of others. Yet, being only sixteen and still having those shitty hormones, he had doubted that he'll be the stoical leader that he himself had dreamed about.

Dreams.

He reached back into the messenger bag and took out the photo of him and Seto smiling. He'd always find himself, reflecting on things of the past. Seto's smile was always something bright, like he was a star, or a present waiting to be opened. An excited puppy perhaps? Yeah, something poetic like that. Brice wanted that sappy relationship back in his life.

Between him and Seto, their first kiss had felt ultimately like their last kiss before they had plummeted into war. Brice always found himself, wondering how life would be like if he did follow Seto to that mission to save Jason. Or maybe how it would be like if Seto didn't leave the School of Creation at all. The brunet would be his, and only his, permanently, then.

He placed the crumpled photo of shattered dreams back into his messenger bag. The thought of Seto marrying someone else always was scratching at the back of his mind. Brice physically knew that Seto was brainwashed by the Headmaster, and he knew that Seto was just oblivious, but why did it hurt so fucking much?

He sniffled, wiping his eyes. He was always crying lately, always on the verge of tears like the weak person he had always been. Tears were something that Hybrids shouldn't release; that's what his father had always told him. But he didn't consider himself as a Hybrid anymore, he was nothing but a Human. Everyone in the base is a Human—a wonderful being filled with emotion and freewill, as well as no zaps, gizmos—electricity laced in their veins.

Brice looked down at his own hands. His Elementals were Electricity and Draco Slayer Ark III. He was anything but Human, but he didn't care. He had read in the books that Humans were creatures of peace—or at least that's how the stories depicted them to be.

Human.

It had a nice ring to it.

Ring.

God dammit—his mind always drew back to that wedding!

Dawn never seemed to be the type that was open with her emotions. Well, Brice assumed she had no emotion in the first place, she didn't even cry when she had talked about Seto and his "betrayal against her." Brice attempted to imagine Seto bending down on one knee to propose to that witch, but it was never vivid enough. It was probably the Headmaster's doings. At least, that's what Brice told himself every time he had thought about their shitty marriage.

As he continued to make his stroll down the hall, he stopped back at the infirmary. Dawn was situated in the Western Hall's infirmary, this was the Northern Hall's. Brice wondered who was behind that door, if there was anyone at all in that matter. He decided to take a quick peak in, just quietly enough so that he wouldn't be noticed.

As he turned the doorknob and peaked his head through the crack in the door, he noticed Sub, sitting at Ethan's bedside, vigil and awake. He was grasping on his pale hand, which seemed to be lifeless and cold. The heart monitor laid silent, the line was flat. Sub looked to be crying, silently of course, like had always had.