The Prince and The Pauper

Chapter 24

~.Human POV.~

Yuma was just as relieved as Black Mist to have Astral awake and alive. He stroked his hair with a smile. "I'm glad that you're okay," he said. "I thought you were dead."

Astral smiled up at Yuma. "Really? I thought so, too."

Yuma laughed. It was like the time he rescued the prince the first time. He even was in the same state of mind! "How can you think you're dead when you're asleep?"

Astral shrugged. "I don't know."

The boy smiled at the prince. "Astral, I know you're a little delirious, but did you really mean what you said back in the tree? That you had a crush on me?"

Astral thought for a while. "Yes. Yes, I did. Also, I'm not completely delirious. I can still think straight."

Yuma felt a blush come to his face. Astral chuckled, earning a smile from the boy.

"Yuma, I don't remember looking at your face like this..." The tone of his voice, sleepy and slurring, told Yuma that he was once again delirious and on the verge of sleep.

Yuma chuckled. "Go to sleep, Astral. You need it."

"I don't wanna," he whined slightly, reverting back to his childlike self. "I wanna stay awake..." His eyes closed as he finished the sentence. His breathing told him that he was now asleep.

Yuma planted a small kiss on his forehead and exited the tent.

~.Royal POV (Black Mist).~

Black Mist managed to track them down by following their energy and the flattened grass they left in their wake. They didn't seem too keen on hiding their trail since this was probably going to be their final battle.

He didn't understand what they were doing, but he knew it probably had something to do with THEM. After all, they weren't about to kill a bunch of humans! They weren't that cruel. Speaking of humans, where did they all go? It wasn't like they could just suddenly disappear.

As soon as he finished that thought, he felt a searing pain go through his shoulder, he stopped moving and clutched the wound only to find that it was bleeding.

"What the..." he mumbled, feeling the slick, black blood on his fingertips. "How did I get hit?" Then, he realized how far out of the shadows he ventured with a sickening feeling.

"I got him!" one said.

Black Mist turned around to see humans in their silly camo outfits celebrating. He stuck his tongue out in a childish manner and scampered off, throwing his cape and adornments off as well. He didn't need them revealing his location right now with the humans chasing him and all. Besides, he himself was chasing other people: his father and his army!

~.Royal POV (Godith).~

Godith made sure he had the electricity and water under control. Seeing as though he didn't originally control these elements, it took a little more energy to control it than using his own. He only used this sword to remember his own father by. That blade was passed down from the father to the heir during the coronation.

Black Mist turned around to see humans in their silly camo outfits celebrating. He stuck his tongue out in a childish manner and scampered off, throwing his cape and adornments off as well. He didn't need them revealing his location right now with the humans chasing him and all. Besides, he himself was chasing other people: his father and his army!

~.Royal POV (Godith).~

Godith was in the back of the group for some alone time and to make sure he had the electricity and water under control. Seeing as though he didn't originally control these elements, it took a little more energy to control it than using his own. He only used this sword to remember his own father by. That blade was passed down from the father to the heir during the coronation.

He heard a familiar sound. The sudden shot of a gun in the distance. He turned around and stopped to see if there was any human pursuing them, but to his relief, there wasn't. It would be a real dick move to have them chasing them when they were trying to help them.

Relieved that there was no one chasing them, he continued to catch up with the group. He was starting to rethink this whole thing. What if his sons were left orphaned? Astral wasn't of age yet, not for a few more years. Who would run the kingdom then? He sighed. He would have to not die then.

~.Royal POV (Astral).~

Astral woke up again that day. He had a very foggy memory of what happened when he first woke up, but he knew that Yuma and Black Mist were there. He smiled. At least they were alright. He didn't know what he would do if he lost them both or even one of them!

He sat up, but the moment he did, he started feeling woozy. He groaned and propped himself against the wall of the tent. The wall started leaning back with him, making him lose his balance. He bolted forward to keep from falling, an instinct he became all to familiar with whenever Black Mist would push him with the sword when they were sparring.

"Oh, geez..." he mumbled. "What else can go wrong?" Astral sighed and looked around the tent. There was many poles with eagles and other animals carved into them. A nest-like thing was at the corner. Other than that, there was really nothing much.

He got out of the tent and into the sunlight. It was peaceful in that tent town. That peace was sudden;y ruined by rumbles in the ground. They were all thrown off balance, even Astral, whose balance wasn't so great to begin with. He fell on his hands and knees and tried his best to get up. He managed this as soon as the ground below him errupted.

~.THEM.~

Lady Shila meowed in satisfaction. "More! More! Make them suffer!" She giggled.

The dogs howled in agreement while the cats yowled, adding to the noise. The cacophany continued for what seemed like ages.

"They're sure to be dead!" she cackled. "That'll show 'em!"

The smoke didn't clear for the longest time.

Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!!!!