Chapter 23: "The Curse"

The next day William and Rose left the City for the village where Zeph was last seen, William left Thomas in charge until he returned, it took them half-day to reach that village, and when they got there they met up with Francis.

"My Prince I'm glad you made it safely, your friend left about an hour ago and headed north," said Francis, "thanks we will catch up with him, come on Rose let's hurry after they were out of the village they heard some explosions up ahead as they drew closer they saw Zeph facing off with two members of the Dark-Hunters.

Zeph had caught up to Chace and Blaine and an intense battle was in progress.

Zeph was standing in the sky firing multiple Air Arrows at them, Chace's giant eagle flapped its wings and released a strong Whirlwind blowing away all of the air arrows, Blaine then fired some "Earth Bullets," at Zeph, and he blocked them with Solid Air Shield but some of the bullets got through the shield.

Rose then levitated to where he was quickly and said, "Repel" all the bullets were blown back, and with his sword drawn William then ran underneath them, towards the Dark-Hunters, while swinging his sword diagonally he said "Plunging Breaker,"

A roaring wave of water was quickly approaching them Chace grabbed Blaine and flu up into the sky to avoid William's attack, as they were going up above the wave Zeph was aiming them up to fire another round of Air Arrows, he then fired them as the attack drew closer to them Chace then uses Dark Energy Blast to counter Zeph's attack.

"So it was you who came and save them the last time, well this time none of you will escape me," said Zeph, Chace smiles and said, " I'm not like anyone you have faced off with before, don't underestimate your enemies."

"I see you guys have gotten stronger since our last encounter," said Blaine.

He then whispered to Chace "where is Hex shouldn't she be here already."

"Don't get distracted," said William as he was coming at them really fast, "when did he," said Blaine, "Water Slash," said William, as he slashed Blaine across his left arm, hitting him off the giant eagle, as he was falling William was coming down facing a falling Blaine, with his sword pointed towards Blaine and water wrapped around his sword, he was building up a Water Blast.

Chace was not too far behind William, "no you don't," said Zeph, he shoots across over to Chace in the blink of an eye and hits her off her bird, William then fires the Water Blast hitting Blaine into the ground.

William then does a full flip in the air and lands a couple of steps away from where Blaine landed, Chace landed a few meters away, taking down a few trees with her, and the giant eagle started to fall out of the sky, turning into a ball of Dark Energy, it then started to disappear and a Boomerang fell from it to the ground, the area where Chace had landed started to get windy then a strong shockwave of air went out from where Chace was.

Rose, Zeph, and William felt an overwhelming power coming towards them, Chace could be seen walking towards them cracking her knuckles with a glowering look on her face, she was also surrounded by dark energy.

"Now she is mad," said Zeph, she then appeared before him suddenly with raging fists of dark energy she started to punch him repeatedly, she then pulls her right hand back and hits him in the chest Dark Energy: Palm Release, Zeph was hit out of the sky to the ground, as he tries to stand up she then appears before him.

Zeph uses Blast of Wind to push her away but she stretches out her hand and parted the wind she barely got pushed back, Rose felt a strange power fast approaching from behind by the time she turned around to see what or whom it was, the person flew past hitting Rose to the ground.

"Hold on Zeph I'm coming," said William, Blaine who was thought to be unconscious said, "Ground Liquification," making the earth underneath William's feet very soft so he sank into the ground up to his knees, Blaine then used Solid Earth to make it hard again so that William couldn't move.

"Where have you been so long Hex?" asked Blaine, with a smile, she said, "Puppet Seal: Dark Manipulation," with her hand on William's chest he was paralyzed and then went unconscious, Zeph tried to make his way to him but Chace was keeping him busy, Blaine then got up and stabbed him and released him from the solid earth, he falls to the ground.

"Hey we want to control him not kill him," said Hex to Blaine, Rose screams out, " William, No!"

"It's too late missy so shut up!" shouted Blaine, Rose disappeared from where she was and appeared in front of Blaine, she uses the Mace to hit him away from William, she then swung it at Hex but she vanished and reappeared further away from Rose, "William wake up," said Rose as she used Recovery Light to heal him but he was still not responding.

"William?" said Rose, her teary eyes started to glow but the flow of energy was too much for her, before she passed out she said, "Teleport" a sphere of light grew around her, and William even reached out where Zeph was, it then just vanished with them inside it.

"That young girl is quite powerful but she has no experience with such power she is probably dead by now," said Hex, " I wasn't done with that guy, he really pissed me off," said Chace, "you might get another chance, so save it till then," said Hex, " that little girl sure knows how to hit with that mace ouch," Said Blaine while rubbing his stomach.

"I wanted to stab that other guy as well, he almost killed Jett and me that one time," said Blaine, "what's gotten into you Blaine, let's meet up with Shadow and the others," said Hex but before we go, Hex then summoned a black mirror, and said "Revelare," they all bowed down and Hex then said,

"The seed has been planted, the Prince of the Central Kingdom will be under your control soon enough my King."

"Well done Hex, I love it when a plan comes together, Agatha would be so proud to see how strong you have gotten," said King Darius, "thank you, my king, we are going to meet up with Shadow and the others and await further instructions," said Hex.

The king of the Dark Nation, King Darius has now made his move on Prince William.