Grace Bridgewater-Edan/Grace and Caelum Part III

### The Showdown

It was pitch black but soon he materialized from the shadows, strolling across the gravel, a joint, or a cigarette who knew, dangled from his lips. His hands were shoved into pockets and he grinned at the group, "howdy," he said.

He clicked his fingers at Caelum, "always," he said, "I was actually sober for like the past three days. It was terrible. Anyways, the parentals are aware of what's happening, next thing to do is confront her, I suppose."

"How would I know? I told you to be here in an hour."

He shrugged, "doesn't bother me," he said, taking a drag, blowing it out through his nose, trying to direct it away from Caelum.

Seojun appeared in front of the Palace gates in a burst of flames. He took one glance around the place and raised an eyebrow. "Where's everyone else? I thought I would arrive last."

"DOn't ask me," he said.

"Didn't ask you," Seojun said, jutting his thumb at Caelum. "Was asking him."

"I don't think she'd be too unhappy there," he mused, "see, most people believe hell is all hot and boiling and since she's immune to it..." he trailed off with a shrug, "unless you believe hell's just ice. Then she'd be in trouble."

Seojun rolled his eyes at Nate and tsked. "How unsympathetic of you, *cousin*." He held up his palm and created two figures made of fire, facing each other. The figures bowed and then entwined hands, beginning in a simple waltz. The waltz slowly developed into a battle, one figure's light was dim and the other was bright. "Remind you of anything, Ky?"

He extinguished the dancing flames and patted Caelum's shoulder. "Metaphorically speaking," he said with a small smile.

He shrugged, "I was ready when I came, my parents are on their way. Now all we need to do is confront her."

He yawned and stretched, "Then what are we waiting for? As nice as this is, I didn't come to pose in front of the castle gates. I'm sure there are surveillance cameras somewhere, and if someone finds us they'll be a bit suspicious we're just standing here."

He glanced at Nate. "Well?" He also grabbed Akane's hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.

He shrugged before turning to walk up the driveway, expecting them to follow.

Seojun followed Erraline, keeping his pace casual, yet still happened to be walking faster than Caelum. Still holding Akane's hand, he lightly swung it as they walked and smiled at her.

He pushed the doors open, "come on, it's the switch over so we have a free path straight to her room."

"Makes everything easier and less of a pain in the ass."

His lips tugged, "exactly!"

"There's actually something we both agree on. I think this is a sign that Victoria might actually succeed. Quick, stop being reasonable!"

He laughed despite himself, "come on, don't have much time."

He nodded, "I almost forget we're supposed to stop the Fire Kingdom from collapsing by defeating Victoria who also conveniently wants to take over the world. Must be the scenery. Very pretty. Very distracting." Seojun like added a more humorous spin to the situation, despite the fact that it was life and death here. And also the fate of the Fire Kingdom. But it comforted him in the fact that he could joke around about the end of the world. "Well, you heard him. The switch in shifts is going to end soon."

"We're in a castle," he replied moving through the halls lit only by fire. "We're going to her private quarters, where she's usually hiding out in."

"We're currently heading to the basement where I shoot you all in the head," he drawled, patting his left chest where there actually was a handgun hidden underneath his jacket, "we're in the hallways if that's anything, about to hit a staircase."

"Fun!" Seojun chimed. "I want a gun too. Not to shoot any of you in the head, I just like the satisfaction of shooting it. It's fun."

Seojun pouted at Akane in return and then laughed quietly. "Chill, I'm kidding," he whispered to her, squeezing her hand.

"You're so quiet," he murmured. "And short. Stop being quiet and short."

He chuckled, his brown eyes sparkling as he laughed. "Touché."

"Hey Igarashi-san, when's your birthday?"

"Well then, happy late birthday. I'd give you a present but we're in the middle of a life-death situation here and I don't exactly have time to go back to the Academy and come back."

}

"Here we go," he muttered, reaching the section, pushing the doors open. "She should be in here somewhere..."

He finally reached her and frowned, "aren't we getting a little bit ahead of ourselves?"

"I want to think I'm Fred but I might be Shaggy. Seojun's the dog," he mused, "and you know you actually have to kill mum and dad to actually achieve it...right?"

Unamused by Nate's joke and uninterested in being the good guy anymore—for now, he let go of Akane's hand and stepped forward passed Nate and walked ahead to stand beside a guard. He whispered something to the guard, gestured to Akane and then pointed to Victoria before he dropped his hand and the guard nodded. "Well, can you... I don't know, hurry up? Fight her or something. This is going to take forever if you are going to sit down and have a family reunion. I didn't come here for that."

He sighed, "can't you just get down from there quietly? It's such a *drag* to fight," he said, rubbing his chin and glanced to the guards, frowning, "the king and queen are on their way along with the army. Give it up, Vic...you know you've lost. No one will accept you as queen. They'll give you mercy."

He cracked his neck and grinned, the anticipation of a fight fueling him with adrenaline. Something about violence just made him happy. Maybe it had to do something with all those murder fantasies...

He blinked as he saw them before leaping into action, using fireballs to distract them. Moving closer he said, "let her go, I'll kill you both if you don't."

"Jesus, it's Grace, isn't it?" He sighed, "I thought you were locked up? Whatever...come on Victoria, you're outnumbered and the knights aren't exactly under your jurisdiction either."

"He does have a point," Seojun commented, speaking up. "But the depends on how skilled the people defending him are. I mean, if we're going to be fair, no offense to Caelum or Erraline, your psyches aren't made for fighting. Which leaves Nate and Grace, and then the rest of these questionable guards." He smirked as he pulled the gun out of the holster from the guard beside him and pointed it at Victoria. "I could shoot you, end this and we could all leave. But that's not fun, is it?" Then he turned it on Erraline. "Or I could shoot one of you and see what happens."

"Slow down, princess," he said walking up beside her, "it's not like she's getting burned. Physically or verbally. Lets just tie her up, save your energy." A golem, in the shape of a lion, ermerged out of smoke behind him, stalking around him and snarling at Victoria.

He rolled his eyes and picked up the gun again. "Akane. You're an idiot. Just in case you weren't aware." Since everyone seemed to like using their fire powers, he decided to be unique and use the gun. He wasn't honestly shooting at anyone in particular, but just to cause chaos for his own enjoyment, he shot near Victoria.

He bristled with annoyance as the gun went off, "sure you will, no bullets in you for one, and two...well, it'll be a good marriage with a cute duke. Or duchess, I ain't judging. Three, if you don't give up, you'll either die now, under exectution, or you'll be jailed indefinitely."

Seojun was so tempted to yawn. If it was going to be this easy, it was pointless even coming up with a plan. All they did was waltz into the throne room and threaten Victoria. She didn't even have a scratch or anything. Seojun decided to change that. Quickly, he turned his gun on Victoria and pull the trigger, aiming for her calf.

He jerked back in surprising, paling at the sight of the blood, he turned to the knights. "Disarm him, disarm him now!" He yelled, pointing at Seojun, "on the name of Olivier Edan, I demand you listen to me."

The guards that followed the command would've slightly bothered Seojun, but the sight of blood gave him a weird euphoria of feelings. Happiness, confusion, anger, sorrow, shock... He'd killed people all the time... Why was this different? If he was going to follow Akane's request, he did it whether he had control of himself or not. He dropped the gun and collapsed, falling unconscious before he hit the ground.

He rocked back on his heels, "of course, we're also forgetting that our parents know about this...I don't think they're too forgiving really," he conceded, "whatever, though."

He winced, "well, I guess you don't...hey, one of you...take her to her room, don't let her out." He looked at the group of knights.