With a groan, Rose opened her eyes and looked around hesitantly. To her surprise, she was lying in a rather poor bed in a cell, covered with some kind of grey leather. The white-haired girl rose quickly, but immediately regretted it when a huge headache pierced her.

- Argh... What happened yesterday? - she asked herself, rubbing her forehead. She looked at her friends, who were also lying in bed unconscious.

However, after a moment, Flame also groaned in pain and opened her eyes. - Why does everything hurt me so much? - he asked no one in particular and rubbed his neck.

- Flame, do you remember anything from yesterday? - Rose asked.

- No... Totally nothing. - answered her and combed with his hand, his hair, which was in great disarray. The boy gasped dramatically. - My hair! It's ruined!!

His scream caused the others to also awaken with groans and grunts of pain.

- What are you shouting about! My head's killing me... - Ophelia hissed and rubbed her face.

- Ingrid... Do you know what happened yesterday? - Rose ignored her sibling's remarks and turned towards the nindroid.

Ingrid blinked a few times confused and looked blankly into space, searching the memory records in her system. - I'm not sure.... My system is now refusing to cooperate... It's... very disturbing.

- Great. - Ernest snorted and shook his head. - But one thing puzzles me... Why are we lying in bed? I... someone dressed us up!!?

- Don't scream like that, Skxawng! My head is about to explode. - Ophelia hissed and snorted.

- I don't look good in black. It's so... empty that colour. - Jake said, looking at his outfit. They were all dressed in black ninja kimonos, without masks. - I prefer the electrifying blue.

- Me too. - Eshter said.

- Hey! Focus! Hello, we're still locked in the cage! - Rose called out and got out of bed. - They must have done something to us yesterday!

- But what? I don't remember anything! - Ernest announced, now sitting on the bed.

- Just like us. - Eshter spoke up and leaned against the stone wall.

- We've got to get out of here! - Rose continued and approached the bars of the cell.

- How? There are undead all around, Ophelia and Atlas's crazy uncle, some guy on a horse and some creepy old witch. How do you even want to escape this cage? - Jake asked.

- Not to mention those scorpion-dragons! - Lily added. - They're probably being held without their will too. - She said in a sympathetic tone. - Poor little things.

- Ignore those dragons! Let's come up with an escape plan. - Ernest joined Rose and looked through the bars into the darkness.

- Okay... But how? - Eshter asked.

- That's what we need to figure out! - Rose growled, turning abruptly to face everyone.

- I'm going through my memory files. I'm going to try and remember what happened to us yesterday. - Ingrid announced to everyone, trying to calm down the sudden, hot, atmosphere.

- Do it, Ingrid. Because I don't know anything what happened. - Flame sighed, trying to fix his hair.

-------

Meanwhile, at the police station. Strickler sat in the interrogation room, with his hands clasped together and resting on the desk. The man looked at his hands with regret, without saying a word. His thoughts, still running around Polaris, his fiancée and her son.

(Y/N), Aaron, Saber and Lloyd with Vania came to the police station to question the man. They were all deeply hoping the man would tell them where they could find the kidnappers of their children.

The fate of all the teenagers, now lay in the hands of Cyrus's would-be killer.

The commissioner led the heroes into the interrogation room.

- Tommy and Simon tried to speak to the man, but he refused to talk. All he said was that he would only talk to those who meant something. Not inferior police officers, but real heroes. - the man with the moustache said exasperatedly.

- Well, that's a good thing. We have a better chance of him telling us where our kids were taken. - Lloyd said.

- And that they are safe. - Vania sighed.

The commissioner sent the heroes a sympathetic look. - I'm very sorry that this has happened to you. To lose a child is... I don't know what to think about it.

- Take it easy, commissioner. They will be safe. All I know is that they're still alive. - Saber said with conviction. - I'm a medium.... and I know when someone is dying or suffering. - He added in a sad tone and a thrill went through him.

The Commissioner muttered as the atmosphere suddenly turned grim. The man grunted unpleasantly and they stopped in front of the door. - It's here. Room 314. Good luck to you, I'll be behind the glass in the next room.

- Okay. Thanks. - Aaron told the commissioner and opened the door to the room. The prince entered first followed by the rest of the company.

Strickler raised his gaze slightly from above his hands and looked grimly at the heroes. Without a word, (Y/N) and Vania took their places in the chairs in front of Strickler, while Lloyd and Aaron leaned against the wall with their arms folded across their chests, looking emotionlessly at the man. Saber sat on the ground and stared at the man in silence.

- So.... Do you have anything to tell us? - she asked (Y/N).

Strickler looked down at his hands. Lloyd growled. - Man. You're supposed to tell us right now. Where. Are. Our. Kids. - he said through his teeth, sending the man a death glare.

- I'm not going to talk in such a group. I only want to talk to you two. - Strickler said, pointing with his eyes at (Y/N) and Saber.

- Oh, yeah? Why? - Aaron demanded.

- I said. I'm just talking to them. - Strickler snapped at the knight. Aaron and Lloyd growled furiously.

- Aaron, Vania, Lloyd. Please come out. - she said calmly (Y/N), not taking her eyes off the man.

- What, you can't be serious!? - Lloyd exclaimed in disbelief.

- Lloyd. - (Y/N) interrupted him and looked over her shoulder at him.

The blond man groaned in annoyance and walked angrily out of the room. Aaron snorted in disbelief and followed him out. Vania, however, hesitated.

- Go, Vanya. I'll tell you everything he tells us. - Saber said.

Queen of Shintaro sighed quietly and sadly left the room behind the other men. As soon as the door closed Saber jumped into the chair where Vania was sitting and sat down.

- So. Let's talk. - stated (Y/N) and crossed her arms on the desk. - What do you know about these kidnappers? Who are they and what do they want?

Strickler sighed. - I can't reveal too much, no matter how much I want to, I can't.

- Why? Is someone threatening you? - Saber asked.

Strickler sighed and looked over his right shoulder with fear. - He has eyes everywhere. He knows you caught me.

- Who was that?

- These kidnappers, they were trolls.

- We know about it. I know all kinds of monsters. Tell me who their leader is and who they work for.

- Their leader is Bular. The son of the troll king Gumnar of the Gumm-Gumms tribe. He is the one who gathered his best warriors and kidnapped your children.

Saber snorted a light laugh at the name of the tribe, but was met with an uncomfortable look from Strickler, which forced him to shut up. The lion grunted and rolled his eyes - Whatever.

- Why? Where did they take them?

- I can't say anything about the location. - Strickler definitively denied it. - I'll pay for it with my life if I tell you. If Basilisk finds out about this... I won't be the only one who suffers.

- Basilisk? - (Y/N)  questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Strickler growled. - Damn. I can't reveal anything more until my fiancée and her son are safe. He can't get to them, you understand me. - He growled at the princess.

- Basilisk is threatening to hurt your family, isn't he? If you tell us even a little bit about what happened? - Saber said simply and shook his mane.

Strickler fell silent and nodded imperceptibly. (Y/N) sighed.

- My friends have already gone to your house to move your wife and son to safety. So they are safe in their care.

- Can you promise me that the Basilisk will not touch them? - Strickler asked in a very serious tone. (Y/N) sighed and looked down. - See? The Basilisk knows ways to defeat you. He will find a way to catch my family and hurt them. And I won't let that happen.

- I understand, you are worried, but I'll add extra guards. Shintaro's army has arrived, I will add my guards. I will take them to Knighton if necessary. Please... Tell me where they took my daughter.... - (Y/N) began in a trembling voice. - She is my only child.  She all I have.

Strickler just swallowed hard and looked down. - Until my family is safe. I'm not going to tell you anything.

Saber and (Y/N) looked at each other helplessly.

- I say... Let's support Aspheera's idea and get inside his head. That's where we'll find out where the young ones are. - Saber whispered in her friend's ear, almost inaudibly.

(Y/N) wheezed quietly. - Are you crazy!? We can't use violence on him. This is not the way of the ninja, nor of the knight. - she shouted at him in a whisper.

- After all, this guy won't tell us anything! We still have to protect his wife and her kid. Don't you think that will take too long? And what if the kids get hurt? - Saber was now whispering exasperatedly. - Or perhaps worse. What happens if they kill any of them?

- Saber!

- What? I'm just saying what the possibilities might be!

Strickler looked at the two friends who were arguing in whispers and shook his head, rolling his eyes. - Idiots. - he said in his mind.

Suddenly, he hissed quietly and looked at his right arm, which had started to argue with him. Under the sleeve of his shirt, there was a dark mark. The same one the skeletons had. A connection between Basilisk and the followers of Nerath.

------

 Polaris in the Underground stood leaning against a stone wall, in a hall where skeletons scrolled by carrying a variety of crates and weapons. The tip of his tail was shaking like a rattlesnake's tail and his eyes had turned a fiery yellow. Polaris tried to contact Strickler in his mind, but he didn't respond.

- Pathetic human. - Polaris hissed furiously and aborted the attempted connection. - This task seemed to have overwhelmed him.

- Polaris! - the voice of a witch called to him from afar. Polaris sighed and turned his head to the approaching Destio.

- The Queen wishes to see you. - she informed.

Polaris snorted. - Why? Are you her secretary now? - he told her and slipped past her, heading for the Skeleton King's office.

Destio hissed at the cocky snake. - Your mother is a toad.

- Did you wish to see me, my queen? - asked Polaris as he entered the office. Nerath sat in a black chair resembling a throne and looked at him stately.

- Indeed. - She said, nodding briefly. - The Skeleton Commander told me a bit about your revenge.

Polaris raised his eyebrows and straightened up, hiding his hands behind his back. - And what's the connection to that?

Nerath snorted. - You are a mortal  who demands the impossible. You have little power to carry out your plan. - she mocked.

- Did I come here just so you could mock me, Queen? Because if so, I have slightly more important matters to attend to regarding the war.

- Wait. That is not why I called you here. - Nerath interrupted him.

- So, what is it?

- I have a proposition for you.

Polaris became interested. - What is it, lady?

- I am well aware that skeletons are valiant warriors, but.... Too easy to defeat and they don't sin with intelligence.

- It is not difficult for me to disagree with this.

- I want you to be my right hand in the war against mortals. I want you to be the leader of the ground legion, when we go on campaign.

Polaris's eyes shone sinisterly and a smile entered his face. - Really?

- Yes. You are a mortal with a heart as cold as your skin. I see in your aura a great wave of vengeance that you wish to wreak upon your enemies.

Polaris's smile widened. - Thank you.

- It wasn't a compliment, but whatever. All I need is loyalty to me. And power, which you definitely lack.

- Power I cannot obtain on my own, your highness.

- I see. That's why I'm ready... Make you a Death Eater.

- Death Eater?

- Yes. That's the name of my council. The Skeleton Commander and Destio belong to it. It's a collection of commanders and witches and dark wizards, I had during the war. But as you can see, there are not many of us left. That is why I need you in the position of second in command to carry out the assaults on the places I will assign to you. The mortal forces must first weaken before we can begin the attack.

- Well.... I am more than interested in joining this council.

Nerath smiled slightly. - Excellent. So... Let's add some power to you.

- How?

Nerath smiled more darkly. - You'll see in a moment. Follow me.

The Dark Queen rose from her chair and ordered Polaris to follow her, to a secret place. From this day forward, Polaris would belong to the Order of Death Eaters.