It was eerily quiet among the group.

"If you all don't want to go, it's okay, this mission is very dangerous after all," Brice's hands were shaking as he said that. He gripped his jeans and gritted his teeth. The anxiety was building up within him.

It was now or never.

"We've talked about this," Mitch shook his head, smiling. "We're willing to do this if it means winning the Rebellion. I mean—what do we have to lose?"

"Our lives," Jerome muttered, rolling his eyes. Mitch frowned, giving a shove to the other. Jerome returned the favor, snickering as he did the same. The two proceeded to burst into laughter.

Brice frowned at their behavior, but then spoke, "We just need the word from Kyle and Tyler, then we'll be off."

The thought of death settled into Brice's mind. If the Royal Predictors were wrong about Seto and Brice being the true leaders of the Rebellion, then what are the odds that Isaac's future vision was incorrect too? He bit his lip, gazing down at the floor. This mission could either be disastrous or successful.

Brice was willing to take a gamble on his chances.

"Okay, we're here!" Tyler yelled as he rushed to the group. He began to pass everyone earpieces. They were small with coils that were attached to some kind of small black box. "We'll be talking to you all through these, so if you get lost just listen to our instructions."

"My instructions," Kyle interrupted as he strolled towards the group.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Tyler hissed, snickering a bit. "But yeah, I'll be there listening and cheering you all on. This is all Tyler approved—Tyler supported! Tyler—"

Kyle slapped a hand over his mouth, then handed Brice a map, "The Royal Teleporters are only a couple miles away, just follow this map and you'll be lead right to them. I don't know, maybe it should take you about an hour to get there on foot—unless you use something to get there faster. Anyway, there are only three teleporters, so two of you per teleporter. Also, Zek, remember to give them the invisibility potion that lasts ten minutes. Since the teleporters take five minutes to teleport you, on average, no one should spot you until the potion runs out."

Zek nodded. Brice gulped, "Anything else we need to know?"

"You may lose your life—but knowing that Seto is coming back to our side, there may be a chance he can revive you," Kyle took another short pause, thinking. "Then again, revival is a complicated process, but it can be simplified since you're just a mutated version of a Sorcerer."

"God, get to the point, we don't have all day you know," Ty rolled his eyes. Kyle glared.

"I wish you all luck," Kyle concluded. "And Brice, make sure Seto comes back, I miss him as much as you do."

Brice nodded, "I promise."

***

"This feeling—what is it? You're beginning to fade, everything's fading!"

"You're beginning to wake up, Seto."

"I don't want to wake up from this nightmare; reality is too harsh on me. Everything's changing too fast—you're the only one who understands my situation. Please, help me, don't let me wake up!"

"I've been through it—father is a manipulative person. I just hope you remember that when you wake up. Everything will be okay, I promise."

"How do you know that everything is going to be okay? Will I ever get to see you again, Jason?"

"I don't know the answer to that, but you'll always be my younger brother. I'll always be in your heart, no matter how cheesy that sounds. Be safe and be careful."

"Please, don't let me go."

"I'm sorry, Seto—it has to happen."

Seto felt his eyes snap open. A sharp pain pulsated in his right eye. He hissed, covering it while wincing in pain. His vision was blurry, he didn't remember where he was. In that fact, he could remember what happened in the hours that had occurred previously. He frowned, sitting up and getting out of the bed he was laying in.

It was completely quiet in the room; normally his father would be vigil on occasions were Seto was injured. Now, he was gone, which was peculiar. The brunet strolled away and headed towards the bathroom—or where he thought the bathroom was. He opened the door, making sure to be quiet and not cause any noise.

It was the bathroom.

He sighed with relief and headed inside, quickly shutting the door behind him. He wanted to freshen up—he felt sticky and dirty. He vaguely remembered going into some kind of basement and falling, but that seemed impossible. Seto gazed at his appearance in the mirror.

The first thing he noticed were his eyes. A scar was over his right eye—one that was surgical and deep. That eye was no longer brown, it was a shade of purple. His left eye, however, was his normal shade of brown. He furrowed his eyebrows and washed his face in the sink; maybe he was hallucinating again. Alas, when he gazed back into the mirror, his eyes were still divergent.

What happened? His eyes couldn't magically become inverted—that was impossible!

He shook his head and headed out the bathroom. It was all coming back to him now; he fell in some kind of tank. Or, was he tortured by his own father? He vaguely remembered his eyes being ripped out, but that was impossible. His father would never do that to him—a simplistic child that was heir to his throne.

As he slammed the door behind him, Seto took further inspection of the room. Though it being blurry in his vision, it appeared to be a recovery room. The bedsheets were a lime green color, and the walls were a soothing shade of pale white. The window was open, giving a light breeze and fluttering the curtains. The sun was close to setting and the sky outside was a shade of pink.

Pink—Dawn.

His memories felt like lies. Nothing made sense—wasn't he kidnapped by Dawn? No, Seto lived here; Seto had always lived here. What was going on?

His attention was drawn away when he heard a loud crash in the lower level of the palace. Danger; some Hybrids must be invading. He immediately headed out the recovery room and into the hallway. He stood, breathing and attempting to remember how to get to the lower level. That's right—go straight and make a left.

Seto bolted foreword, then made a sharp left turn. He proceeded to jog down the staircase and head towards the Royal Teleporters. Grunts and screams; clashing of swords and explosions. It smelled like fire and smoke. Sorcerer blood was staining the ground, along with footprints that were in multitude. A group of people were here, that was a definite.

Seto proceeded to follow the footprints. A group of Hybrids, or Humans, all quiet and standing in the middle of the hallway. He paused, taking a deep breath before launching his attack. He figured he would only use 15%, he didn't want to blow up the whole palace after all.

He lifted his right arm and casted a purple flame ball, then launched it foreword. The group of Hybrids didn't move—instead the ball had burnt through them. Seto widened his eyes; his Analyzation proceeding turning on. This was a trick—an illusion casted by none other than a Hybrid. How stupid was he to fall for it!

He felt his mouth being covered with a cloth. This couldn't be happening—not to him at least. He elbowed the Hybrid in the stomach, then launched himself foreword. He felt lightheaded, but he could still fight. A blond; he noticed a blond with blue eyes. The Prince of Hybrids—what a pleasant surprise.

He crackled his knuckles and began to summon his signature move—the purple dust arms. They unraveled from his back; four of them bursting and grabbing at the group of Hybrids. It was successful. The grip was strong enough to keep them all in his hands without them falling out. He walked towards the group, the arms still having its grip.

"Seto! It's me—Brice!" The blond shouted, struggling in his grasp. Seto sneered.

"Invading this palace—my home? You think you could get away with this, pathetic Hybrids," Seto gave a small chuckle. "I have to admit, the one who had casted that illusion has great power, I fell for it. But alas, all jokes shall perish in the end, do they not?"

"Jerome, now!"

Seto's guard was let down as he felt a sharp pain in his back. He gasped, the arms dissipating and disappearing. He could feel the blood seeping out from the wound and staining his attire. He coughed up blood, then fell to his knees. Defensively, a purple dust ball surrounded his body.

"He should pass out any moment," one of them had said. "Good thing you suggest to lace our weapons with that sleeping potion."

"God—he won't die right?" Seto felt his eyes getting heavy. The purple dust ball collapsed. He felt his body being picked up.

Seto felt like a failure to let himself be taken. His eyes eventually shut, and the noise around him silenced.

***

"We got him, let's go," Brice sternly said. He gazed at Seto's body—it was the same as he last remembered it.

"Don't we have to find Isaac?" Zek questioned.

"There's no time for that!" Kyle screamed at them within the earpiece. "With all the ruckus you did, the guards are coming your way. God, you all are idiots!"

"I don't need to hear anymore of your god damn scolding, Kyle," Adam rolled his eyes. "Let's hurry it up."

"Right," the group replied in unison.

They quickly bolted down the hall; following their bloodied footprints that stained the carpet. They stumbled back upon the Royal Teleporters.

"Not so fast," Brice froze as he heard a voice behind him. He didn't turn around. Mitch was quick to jump towards the man—quickly slashing his axe towards the Sorcerer. He teleported away from his messy swing and appeared in front of Brice. The blond gulped, stepping back and widening his eyes in fear.

"So you're the one behind this all," he put quite the emphasis in you're. Brice shook his head. "Why, don't you know who I am, Hybrid?"

Jerome was next to attack. Swinging his diamond axe in an upward motion, the Sorcerer had teleported away once more. Brice listened to the sound of his voice.

"You're stealing my son, and quite frankly, I wouldn't want you to do that. He's quite dazed after the surgery after all," Brice bit his lip. Could it be—Seto's father?

"Everyone, you need to go, now. That's Headmaster Hayes!" Kyle repeated screamed through the earpiece.

Something in Brice had snapped.

Headmaster Hayes — the one behind this stupid mess. The King of Sorcerers himself; the one who ruled above all. The one that Seto had despised and wanted to kill.

Brice placed Seto down on the floor, then turned towards the Headmaster's direction. Hayes smirked at his reaction, "Is the Hybrid going to start a fight? I would be careful, pretty boys like you may get hurt!"

Zek quickly strolled to his side. Focusing his elemental, he gathered the darkness. His clothing began to become ripped as arms, much like Seto's, began appearing from his back. The Headmaster sneered.

"Charge up your energy," Zek said to Brice for a brief moment. His head turned towards the others, then gave them a quick smile. "I know I'm going against my job, but protect Brice while he charges up."

They nodded.

Zek gulped, feeling the beads of sweat behind his neck. It was now or never—weakening the Headmaster for Brice was his job now, and if he died while doing it; there was nothing he could do.