[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights II: The Shadow of Justice

Episode 2: Kiss of Death

*Third Pov*

Tetsuya opened his eyes. His head ached, it felt as if he had been asleep forever. He could barely recall what had happened. All that he could remember from the battle against the Monkey King was getting blown away.

His head turned right. Rosalba slept on a chair beside his bedside.

How long had she been there? She couldn't have been waiting all this time, right?

Sitting up, he tip-toed out of bed, careful not to awaken her.

"Good to see you awake," Serrano whispered, grinning as he stood by the door. "I thought that you wouldn't wake up."

Tetsuya walked out of the room and leaned against the doorway. "Hey..."

Serrano looked at him with concern.

"Here," he said, offering Tetsu a can of coffee. "Use this to recharge."

Tetsu smiled slightly as he took it into his hands. The can's coolness alone made him feel a tad better.

"I... couldn't do a thing against that beast..." he finally said after some time.

Serrano averted his eyes. "Well... if it makes you feel any better. Nor could the others. Even the king had difficulty. Plus... I failed to prevent Etsuo from escaping. Even worse, I couldn't stop him and the others from taking Hideo's siblings."

Tetsuya gasped. "Wait, Etsuo took Kiara and Dan? Is Hideo alright?"

"Yeah. He's been taking his training more seriously since then," Setsuko said as she walked down the hall.

He snapped the can of coffee open. "That's good... hopefully, we can get them back soon." His golden eyes shifted to the purple carpet. "Poor Dan, the first kidnapping left him a mess. I can't imagine how he must be feeling right now. Say, are my older siblings fine?"

"Takuya and Teresa are fine, as is aunty," Serrano said. "The three stayed back to seal the portal those creatures used to get here. It's proving to be a difficult task, even with all the extra help they have there. That Monkey King really seems to have done some damage to the fabric of our dimension. Also, Takuya said he will likely stay there for a few days, even after the portal has been sealed. Said he has something to do."

Tetsu raised an eyebrow. "Something?"

Serrano fidgeted. "He didn't say what it was, but it must've been work. A demon hunter can only rest for so long."

So he wants to make sure that he has money for our family... Of course, after seeing how lame I was, he knows he can't count on me. Satoru and Eiichi were right, I am a lousy knight... Argh, why am I allowing their words to affect me again?

"What about Kohri?" Tetsuya asked.

"He too stayed back to help with the sealing, as well as the restoration to Shirayuki," Setsuko responded. "Actually, the only members of your team still around are Eita and Rosalba as everyone else stayed back in Shirayuki, is missing, or betrayed us."

Missing? Betrayed?

He touched his head as he recalled a smiling little girl holding a cookie.

Who is that?

"Anyway," Setsuko continued. "I came to inform you that we're having a ball this afternoon to celebrate our 'victory'."

Victory? What victory? We lost... The king and the Seven Hills, minus Serrano, were the ones who managed to fend them off.

A hand touched his shoulders, snapping him out of his thoughts. He glanced up, expecting Serrano but saw that it was Setsuko.

"Don't let it get you down," the first princess of Kuroriku said. "We won't win all battles. Plus, there was a reason why Father went to aid you. The leaders of those creatures were just too strong. Rosalba said that it was one of the four 'governors' of that realm of darkness who shot you. So lift your chin."