Two Worlds, One Heart

Chapter 4

 Darian stalked along the corridors, a frown creasing his forehead. He could feel something was wrong in the castle, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It didn't help that he could still feel Selena's distress, even when he was awake-over the past week since he'd first seen her in his dreams, their connection had grown, to the point where he'd been able to help her in the tree earlier that day. Stubborn, gutsy woman. She was going to turn his hair grey at this rate, and he was only five years older than her!

 Not that he minded, really. He liked that she had stuck to the course she had taken, refusing to go back down before she had completed the challenge she'd been set by that male. What was his name? Ah, yes-Alex. Darian's lip curled a moment, then he stilled, his eyes narrowing. Now that he thought about it, Alex looked a lot like... no, couldn't be. He highly doubted that the boy could be who he thought he was, even if he did have the right looks and age for it. After all, the probability that he had survived all this time in that world were pretty low.

 But what if he is...? Then Darian needed a way to get both Alex and Selena back here, in this world.

 It was the scrape of metal that alerted him, and he whirled around, drawing his own sword as several masked men appeared around him. He cursed violently-he knew better than to let his enemies sneak up on him like this! And not only that, but he'd left Carlo in his rooms with only a single layered shield to protect him! The thought of the shield he'd made for Carlo reminded him of his powers-even after all these years, his first reaction in a fight was to draw his blade-and he smiled tightly. He had the advantage, simply because he could control all six elements-where these men couldn't.

 The men all leapt at him at once, and he simply swept one hand forward in response, causing the breeze in the hallway to strengthen into a gale-like wind that set the tapestries fluttering  and sent the men flying backwards all at once. He stepped towards the jumpled pile of limbs, intending to find one who was still conscious and question him, only to discover that they had been expecting this tactic from him-two more men jumped out of hiding with their swords drawn and attacked, their blades flashing in the torch light as Darian dodged them-he couldn't risk a cut, as he had no idea if the blades were poisoned or not.

 Poison. He stilled, eyes wide. The word rang oddly in accord with the distress Selena was feeling. Had someone tried to kill her...?

 He paid for his hesitation, only noticing at the last moment that a sword was whistling through the air towards his stomach. He leaned backwards, using the air as a support to keep from falling, as the sword whistled past him, just catching the fabric of his clothes with the tip. Quickly getting himself back onto his feet, he examined the cut with a raised eyebrow. "Marian isn't going to be happy. She made this specially fo-whoa!" He ducked under the other man's blade, his attention back on the fight, and then attacked himself, his blade flashing as he connected with his attacker's with a loud clang!

 Calling on the flames within himself, Darian ignited his hand, then used the flames as an extra blade to attack the other man, slicing through his clothes to reveal metal underneath. Darian smiled tightly-he didn't need to worry about that one anymore. The flames had caught hold of the fabric he was wearing, and the man was now frantically trying to out them out-despite the fact that Darian had already fanned them to a heat and ferocity that none of the men had expected. Realizing he was out of his depth, his other opponent turned tail and ran-not that it did him any good. Darian stamped on the stone floor once, and one of the blocks rose up, causing the man to trip and fall on his own sword.

 Darian sighed. What a waste of life. Striding over to the other men lying unconscious still, he began making sure that they couldn't escape by using the stone in the walls to pin their hands above their heads before checking them over for weapons. He was just about finished when Carlo appeared around the corner, the Palace Guards on his heels. "Darian! What happened?"

 "Lord Darian, are you all right?" The Captain of the Palace Guards, and General of Fire, a man named Eric Fireshall, approached him calmly. He was a tall man-not as tall as Darian, naturally-with the stature to show the training he'd had throughout his life as a fighter.

 "I'm fine." Kneeling, Darian scooped Carlo up and deposited him on one shoulder-a spot Carlo often sat in. "These men, however, are not. Captain, how exactly did they get in here in the first place?"

 Eric had reached for the mask on one man, and only paused from his task to reply in the same tone of voice as before. "Probably through the servant's entrance, Sir. It isn't as well guarded because of how many people enter and leave each day. I shall set a proper guard there immediately, however, and set up a check system. That way, we should keep anymore intruders out of th-" he stopped, gaping at the man he'd just unmasked, then cursed violently. Darian moved closer to find that the man's face was literally melting away, as if from within, and he turned green as he looked at his other attackers. They, too, were melting away before their eyes, leaving them with nothing but a load of slop on the floor, some clothes, and the pile of weapons Darian had removed from the men.

 Silence reigned for a moment as Eric scowled at the place the men had been in just moments before. "Sir. I think you need to have a personal guard with you from now on." He stood, backing away from the remains of the men.

 "No." The word was firm as Darian scowled at the other man, who turned dark green eyes onto him.

 "You aren't thinking, Sir. They kill you, they kill the Princess. And our world needs her more than you realize." Eric folded his arms, a stubborn light coming into his eyes. "The Palace Guard is here to protect the royal family, whether they like it or not. Now that you have been confirmed as the Princess's male, you are as much a target as she is."

 The two of them glared at each other. Usually, they got on well, but this one subject had caused trouble between them before. Finally, Darian sighed-he knew that Eric was right. He couldn't risk Selena's life simply because of his own pride. "Fine. Two men."

 "Four, and another two outside your rooms."

 Darian felt like growling now. How was he going to be able to anything at all with four men following him around...? Still, he would give in-this time. He respected Eric-the redhead was one of the few men that were able to fight Darian on an even level. "Very well. But when Selena returns, she is to be their first consideration at all times."

 "We would not act in any other way, Lord Darian." Eric smiled tightly, knowing Darian hated the title.

 With a growl, Darian turned on his heel and stalked off as four of Eric's men separated from the  group behind Eric and fell into place behind him. On his shoulder, Carlo stirred, his tail flicking in annoyance. "It wasn't us they wanted dead, Darian. It was Selena."

 "Yes. Now, the question is-who, exactly, are they? And why are they so desperate to kill her that they would even point a sword at us?"