As you can tell, I'm rewriting currently. I'm only going back two chapters to change the outcome of the attack on Cresa since I wasn't happy with it. I like this new direction much better since I couldn't come with any ideas for the previous direction it went in where Mitch collapsed before even reaching the palace minutes before the attack happened that lead to Jerome, Preston, Jessica, and Nathan fleeing the city and to Wolfmaw Tribe.

You don't need to reread any chapters, just know that anything that happened in | Chapter Nine | The Attack and | Chapter Ten | The Magic Incident, are no longer canon to the story and mean nothing. The only thing that is canon is the people you met in Wolfmaw Tribe, Jerome's Tribe, who will play a part in the story later on.

Enjoy the new direction of the story! I think you will like this new direction since this means you all will see what happens when Mitch goes full out with his magic.

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"You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated."
-Maya Angelo
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It took longer than Mitch would have liked to make it to Cresa, but when they did, he was glad to see there was still time. Mitchell and Jerome headed home immediately after they had found out that Max and them rescued Prince Lachlan and Princess Susanne. Right now, the two are recovering at the campsite.

Mitch, Jerome, Preston, and the knights of Crerus all went through warping portals to get back to Cresa to warn of the coming danger.

Mitch's feet hit the stone pathway just outside the city walls. But once his feet hit the ground, his knees gave and he stumbled forward down onto his hands and knees, breathing heavily. Jerome immediately went to Mitch, touching his back in concern.

"You alright?" he asked worriedly.

Mitch touched his head and nodded. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine," he lied before he picked his head up, looking at the city. The prince closed his eyes for a moment, letting the dizzy spell that overtook him pass before he gets up. Jerome grabbed Mitch's arm, helping the prince up to his feet. "Come on!" he said before he took off running, the others following him.

Mitch ignored passerbys, needing to head straight to the palace, to his father. He was hoping that Harvey recovered enough to fight or to at least sustain a barrier. And if not, well, helpful Arnas is okay enough to help.

It took a few minutes for them to finally make it to to the palace courtyard, and once they did, Mitch didn't stop. He immediately went inside with Jerome and Preston on his heels. He turned a corner, abruptly stopping before he could collide with Marley.

"Marley!" Mitch exclaimed surprised.

She stared at Mitch, confused at her brother's rush and panicked state. "What's going on?" she asked concerned.

Mitch grabbed her arms, gripping them slightly. "Where's father?!" he asked her.

"Harvey's chambers--" Mitch bolted past her with Jerome and Preston following.

When he made it, he saw two figures stood outside Harvey's room. He slowed down to a stop seeing it is Arnas and his father.

"Father!" he said.

"Mitch? When did you--"

"That can wait! We have a big problem!" Mitch said before he started to explain everything that happened in Solis. He explained the state of the land, how Princess Adelena went after the throne, how she enlisted the help of dark mages who turned everything against Prince Lachlan, about how she is behind the attack on Harvey, and about how King Garrett was killed by Adrian Krutchz and is framing Mitch to justify the impending attack on Cresa.

He could tell his father was alarmed and displeased. He moved past Arnas and went into Harvey's room, along with everyone else who followed the king. Mitch looked at Harvey, who is sitting up with Gadius here tending to him. Mitch and Jerome went up to the footboard.

"How are you feeling, Harvey?" Jerome asked the wizard. Harvey looked at the two and gives them a soft smile.

"Better than I was..." he said.

"Do you think you can fight?" the king asked shocking everyone but Harvey who looked at the king.

"NO!"

"Harvey is still recovering!"

Harvey ignored his family's input, knowing that the king wouldn't ask if he had no choice. He lets out a shaky breath. "Why? What's happen?" he asked confused as to what he has been missing. The events that took place at Solis have then explained yet again, and the state that Solis had fallen shocked Harvey but it also did not. The wizard has never liked Adelena...she always rubbed him the wrong way.

Harvey looked away, thinking for a few moments before he spoke. "A dark mage army..." he mumbled before shaking his head. "I-If I was at my full strength, I would say that I can fight without hesitation. But...I'm not at full strength, it still hurts to move at times but the dizzy spells have stopped," he answered before looking at the king. "The best I could do is support and defense, but not offensive. I don't think me going on the offensive would be a good idea right now. I'm more likely to get myself killed if I go on the offense," he said. Mitch put his hand up to his mouth, thinking. The prince had an idea, as crazy as it was, he knew it could be the only way to win this.

Mitch's eyes flickered up to Harvey. "Then stay on defense and support. As much as I would love for your aid, I don't want you to put yourself in a situation you aren't confident you will be able to walk out of," he said before he looked at his father.

Jerome looked at Mitch. "You sound like you have an idea," he said.

Mitch nods. "Indeed I do, though you all might disapprove of it," he said.

"Out with it then," Jerome said.

"We evacuate all citizens into the citadel, seal the gates, and have it heavily guarded. We let the dark mages in, let them inside Cresa while we just go full out," Mitch said as he smiled a bit. Mitch's father smiled a bit as the others looked at him like he was crazy. But Jerome sighed, expecting this sort of thing from Mitch.

"Wait, you are serious?" Preston asked him. Mitch nods.

Jerome grinned. "We would have the home-field advantage, and for the prince and his powers...that's quite a dangerous advantage to have," he said.

"We won't let the dark mages past the upper town, I know the lower and middle towns quite well," he said.

"But what if there is more than you can handle?" Nali asked concerned.

The king just chuckled and crossed his arms. "Nali, it's rare that my son goes all out with his warping magic. I can see this going quite well..." he said before looking at his son. "And you won't be leaving out of this either--"

Mitch's expression softens as he shook his head. "No, father. You aren't--"

The king put his hand up. "I'm not letting you enact this crazy plan without me, son," he said making Mitch sigh.

He smiled. "Alright, fine. But can you keep up, old man?" he asked. The king rolled his eyes as he smiled.

Jerome lightly hit the back of Mitch's shoulder. "Let's hope the threads still fit you, if you are gonna go all out, you'll need them," he said.

Mitch nodded, agreeing. "Yeah, better head to the vaults for them," he said before looking at Preston. "Start the evacuation of the citizens and send scouts out to find the army. We need to know its size. Meet us down at the vaults after you are done," he said. Preston nods before he leaves.

"So you all are going t-to do this?" Harvey asked.

Mitch looked at the wizard and nodded. "We don't really have a choice, we need to defend the city and with you out of commission, we have to go on the offensive," he said.

Harvey bit on his bottom lip before he shook his head. "No, I'm not o-out of commission," he said making his sister and father look at him worried.

"Harvey, no," Nali said.

Harvey glanced at her before looking back at the prince. "I can't fight alongside you on the frontlines, but I can protect the citizens," he said. Mitch stared at the wizard for a few moments before he spoke.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Harvey nods. "I'm not gonna s-stay put protected when the people need me. I won't o-overstep my capabilities. I w-will just help the soldiers protect the upper town and the people while the rest of you take out the dark mages," he said.

Mitch smiled a bit and nodded. "Alright, but don't be ashamed to retreat when you need to. I don't want you to do more than you are capable of in your condition," he said before he looked at Jerome. "Let's head to the vaults," he said. Jerome nodded.

As the two headed to the door, the king spoke. "Mitch, fetch my regalia while you are down there," he said. Mitch nodded as the two left.

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*Time Skip*
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Mitch looked down the hallway seeing Preston coming.

Jerome looked at Mitch. "You sure about this?" he asked the prince.

Mitch nodded. "I've been considering it for some time now. I'm sure he can handle one, besides, he will need one if he is to fight alongside us in this battle," he said. Both Jerome and Mitch were in different clothes, wearing dark-colored armored clothing. Jerome's battleaxe strapped to his back and baring black leather armor on his chest and arms. The hybrid has turquoise jewels encrusted into his armor and wore a black hood cape that bared the Crerus emblem on it and was made of a type of tough material that made it hard to rip.

Mitch wore black leather armor as well but with red jewels encrusted onto the clothing in various parts of it. A quiver full of arrows strapped to his back along with a bow, knives are hidden in his boot and on his back, and lastly, his sword strapped at his side. Mitch also has a pair of black leather fingerless gloves that had red jewels on them as well.

He stood up from his spot against the wall, looking at Preston as the knight stopped a few steps away from him. "Thanks for coming," he said as Preston looked at the two, impressed.

He only ever seen the two in such armor once and that was during the last battle of the previous war. Preston pointed at the prince, confused by all the crystals on the two. "Um, what's with the--"

Jerome smiled a bit. "The crystals aren't for looks, Preston. They are magic crystals, they help keep the prince's powers under control when he is using his magic in large amounts. They stabilize him so he doesn't get torn apart by his magic. The ones on me store the prince's magic that allows me to use wind magic." he explained making Preston's eyes widen a bit surprised.

"Oh..." he mumbled lowering his hand.

Mitch gives him a little smile. "Don't worry, it's safe. My magic tends to be unstable at times. The crystals help stabilize it. But I called you down here for a reason. I think it is time you get a regalia much like I gave Jerome one," he said making Preston confused yet again. He looked at the demi-creature.

"What--"

"Jerome's battleaxe is a past regalia that was restored to full condition by the Middleton Family. His weapon allows him to use wind magic and the cape holds a type of barrier magic that protects him from direct assaults," he said.

Preston looked at the prince. "B-But aren't regalias the--"

Mitch nodded. "They are the weapons of past Hughes Royals of Crerus, yes. Their magic is stored inside the item to let the future generations use. Jerome's weapon and cape once were owned by a king of Crerus. But the weapon that I think you would benefit from was owned by a Queen who had possessed a powerful type of fire magic and a past king's armor that was made of dragon skin that should keep you from burning yourself," he said making Preston just stare at the prince, not knowing how to react. Preston knew that on rare occasions, the Hughes family gave regalias to only the most trusted people to use. After all, that is how Jerome got one because of his unquestionable loyalty to Prince Mitchell.

But Preston never imagined he would get one of the weapons of the past rulers of Crerus. Preston smiled, excited. "Great! But why fire magic?" he asked curiously why the prince picked that.

Mitch smiled a bit. "Just seems to fit you, I don't know why, come on. I need to bind you to the weapon and armor so it works off your mana," he said.

"But I have no magic--"

Jerome shakes his head. "Wrong, every living creature and thing has magic, even humans like yourself. Humans just don't have awakened lines like mages do, so they can't use it. But the prince just needs to give your mana lines a jump and you can use it. But you will only be able to use magic through your regalia, you can't use any other type of magic other than the magic that the prince has gifted you," he said. Preston nods, understanding.

Mitch looked at Preston. "Well, ready to receive a regalia, Preston?" he asked making Preston nod.

"100%, sire," he answered.

Mitch turned to go down the hall but stopped, he looked at Preston. "Oh, and this should go without saying. But if you do anything that would make me regret giving you this...I will cut you down without hesitation and take the regalias back. Regalias aren't toys, and if they were to fall into the wrong hands, they could mean the end of this kingdom. So let me ask you..." Mitch said turning to the knight with a serious look on his face. "Why should I entrust two regalias to you, Sir Preston? Why should I give you two royal treasures and trust that you will use them to fight alongside and not against me?" he asked the knight. Preston hesitated for a moment. He understood the prince's suspicion, after all, he doesn't believe he is worthy of this. But if the prince believes he is, then so does he.

Preston gives the prince a small smile. "Prince Mitchell, I swore an oath to Crerus, to your father, and more importantly, to you the day I was bestowed as a knight of Crerus. And I would do anything and everything I can, even if it means my life, to protect you and the people of this kingdom. Whether or not you give me such a gift is completely up to you, but know that I would be eternally grateful for blessing me with such tools that would allow me to better protect you and everyone around me," he said making Mitch smile at Preston.

"Good answer," the prince said before turning away and starting down the hallway. "Come on. Let's get you into your new threads."