Kingdom of Izdvojen

Castle - Nine

   Daniel was falling. He was falling to his death. As he fell, the air pushed his hair back and he squirmed around, still tied up, unable to properly move.

   He knew that any moment his life would flash before him. The memories he barely had with his parents before he was left alone. All those years,  taking care of his younger brother and the new memories with his lovely boyfriend. It's all going to play right before his death.

   He saw the grass, quite blurry by his tears but he knew that any moment, he would be seeing a bright light. He closed his eyes tight, not wanting tobsee himself die. Tears kept on flowing, rolling quickly past his face. He was going to die. He knew that very well.

   Well, he was really wrong.

   He felt arms carrying him. He was alive. As he opened his eyes, his heart melted. John. John saved him. They were both crying. Neither of them could seem to stop tears but that was okay.

   John puts him down, they both stand there, happily crying. Dan presses his lips unto John's. Their kiss is soft and filled with so much love and they stay there for a wonderful short while. When they finally pull away, John wipes Daniel's tears with the pad of his thumb and proceeds to wipe his own face as well. John wrapped his arms around him. Dan was enveloped in a warm and comforting hug.

   "I'm so glad that you're safe, love" he says while burying his head in Dan's shoulder.

   "Only because of you" he replies, laughing softly. They stayed there for a while, in each others arms until they were interrupted by Auryn clearing her throat. They pull away to look at her. Jacques laughs and speaks up.

   "I'll bring Auryn up and then I'll stay here in case anyone falls" they look at Auryn "Give me the signal when I can start bringing hostages down" they add and they all look at each other in agreement.

   "Let's give those Rogues the time of their lives" John says with a wickedly smirk.

---

   Daxton sat there, simply dumbfounded by his current situation. He just saw his brother being pushed off and tower, to his death. His heart ached at the memory, the only family left has died. One word repeated in his head while tears fell from his eyes. Why. He wondered why did this happen to them. Why he couldn't save his brother. Why did Daniel die. The word sent a chill down his spine and only made more tears fall. As he harshly thought, the Leader of the Rogues shouted about the crown again.

   "The crown, now! Or another person dies!" he said as the Rogue Shadow guarding them picked up a hostage and brought her to the edge.

   When he looked to the side, he could see the knights running back into the castle, shouting something about the king. The Rogue counted down again and as he counted down, memories of Daniel came back again to haunt him. There was no crown yet again, so the hostage fell and shouted. There was a sudden stop to the shouting, so he knew that another person has died. He just continued to cry.

   Like the heartless people they are, they just continued. The Rogue shouted yet again about the crown, making another person stand up to fall off the edge and die. He sat there, quietly sobbing, still unable to process what was happening. Though, as the Rogue Shadow brought the hostage to the edge he was greeted by surprise. It was a Cloud Runner, who seemed familiar. He just hovered there, with Daniel, who was alive. He was overwhelmed with so much emotion that he just blankly stared as the Cloud Runner spoke.

   "What the hell are you doing here??" the Leader said in shock. Everyone in that tower and the Rogues who guarded it, turned their heads to see the Cloud Runner.
  
   "Don't ever hurt my boyfriend" he said in an assertive tone.

   

   John dropped Daniel off on the tower. Dan was met by a Rogue Shadow which he decided to fight. They were both equally not that strong but still were able to hurt the other. Daniel gave him a black eye, but in return got a broken nose, which started bleeding. Daniel wanted to protect Daxton, from the Rogues. He wanted his little brother to be happy and safe. He has always wanted that. This time, wanting it more than ever before.

   As for John, he flew up and punched the Leader of the Rogues straight in his jaw, who spit out and tooth but quickly retaliated by a punch to John's cheek. The Rogue brought out and knife and swung it to cut John but he dodged and knocked the knife out of his hand. John was having fun,though he wouldn't admit it.

   He used to have fights all the time, usually to protect Jacques from being bullied but he never doubted himself. He mostly ended up victorious and in the rare occasion he doesn't, he wins in the rematch. This time, instead of being filled with the need to protect Jacques, it was for Daniel. Every punch filled with the strength projecting his passion for Daniel.
   
   John and Daniel were fighting, as best as they can. They both continued to fight the Rogues to give them what they deserve.

   Auryn was dropped off on a pathway where she was parallel to the tower where Daxton was in. She looked at the pathway, a Rogue Cloud Runner blocked the way. She reached into her bag and grabbed a patch to make him pass out.

   While she turned invisible, she ducked down because she was able to spot a Rogue Shadow who could see her whether she was invisible or not. She snuck up behind him. He was about to fly up to help the Leader but she placed the patch on his back. She watched him fall down and black out, she feels a bit of guilt but it was immediately removed by the thought of Daxton.

   She heard the Rogue Shadow call for someone to help the Leader, probably for the Rogue Cloud Runner she just put a patch on. As she looks up slightly to check, she makes eye contact with the Rogue and she quickly grabs the patch in her bag. The Rogue runs to her and they end up wrestling with each other. She tries to put a patch on her and the Rogue tries to avoid it and take it out of her hand. The Rogue ends up giving up and brings her knife out, but before she could get a swing on Auryn, she puts a patch on the Rogue and ends up victorious.

   She runs up the tower, each step excited to save Daxton. She wants to see him again. She misses him, even though they just saw each other, she just wants to see him happy and by her side. She wants them to be able to lean on him under the night sky.

   As she ran up the stairs, adrenaline filled her body, and then suddenly, she was overwhelmed with emotion and her eyes started to form tears. She didn't know what to feel but that was okay, as long as she could see Dax she would be okay.

   When she finally reached the top of the tower, she saw Daxton, tied up. She quickly went up behind him and started untying him while the Rogue Shadow was distracted by Daniel. As she untangled the rope that wrapped around him, Jacques proceeded to bring down the last hostage besides Dax. They would bring them down, untie the rope and let them to back home.

 

   Dax didn't know how to feel. People beside him were being taken by a Cloud Runner who looked too nice to be a Rogue but he wasn't even being touched. It seemed as if the Runner saving the hostages was avoiding him. On the other hand, Daniel was alive, he seemed to be saved by the Cloud Runner earlier who at the moment was beating the living out of the Leading Rogue. His brother was okay, and he doesn't know whether he wants to punch him for messing with his emotions or give him a warm hug because he was alive. He thought that maybe he could do both. He was still crying but it wasn't all sad tears.

    Auryn finally finished untying him but he still looked so shocked and he was still crying but she kneeled in front of him and have him a hug. She started crying as well.

   "It's okay, sweetie, I'm here" she says in between the sobs. He hugs her back tightly.

   "Thank... you" he replies, his voice still quite broken and her embrace tightened. He was still crying but now it was just happy tears.

   He feels like he has finally reached and from a storm in the sea. But then in the middle of the hug, he remembered the dream, the dark figure dragging Auryn down but now that Auryn is here, he wouldn't let that happen. He suddenly felt like he was boosted. They let each other go and she extends his hand as he stands up, which she takes and rises up as well. They look at Daniel, who currently had a needing nose and bruises everywhere. He lets go of her hand and walks up to the Rogue Shadow.

   "No one messes with my brother but me!!" he exclaims.