The room remained heavy with silence as Yuki wiped the tears from her cheeks, her voice soft yet steady as she prepared to relive the harrowing events of the Legendary Battle of Prince Kairo: The Resistance.
Sylvia, Peggy, Arson, and Glacius listened intently, every word sinking deeper into their hearts like a blade.
Yuki's voice trembled slightly at first, but she pushed through.
"It all began when we tried to escape the Sand districts," she said. "Kairo carried me — not just because of my blindness, but because we needed to move fast. He knew Dune would never stop chasing us."
She clenched her hands tightly, remembering how Kairo had effortlessly carried her — her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her legs tucked around his waist — as he tore through the endless dunes.
"We thought we could escape." she whispered. "But we didn't expect to be surrounded — not just by the Sand tribe... but by Kairo's own soldiers from the Aqua tribe."
Sylvia's brows furrowed. "His soldiers?"
Yuki nodded. "Yes. They were once loyal to him — men who respected him for his ambition. But this time... they stood against him. Kairo told them to leave, said he was disbanding his war faction, that they should return to his sister and protect the peaceful alliance. But..." she swallowed hard. "They refused. They said Kairo abandoned them — that he was no longer the prince they once knew."
Peggy's fists clenched. "So they turned on him?"
"Yes," Yuki replied. "The Aqua tribe had joined forces with the Sand tribe... a temporary alliance driven by a shared goal — to capture Kairo. Dune, rather than slaughtering Kairo's former soldiers, imprisoned them, but allowed them to fight alongside the Sand warriors, hoping their combined strength would overwhelm Kairo."
Arson's flames flared slightly at the mention of betrayal, but Sylvia placed a calming hand on his arm.
Yuki's voice grew quieter, but more intense. "Kairo didn't back down."
"He fought... carrying me the entire time."
Sylvia's heart ached at the image — Kairo battling two tribes, all while keeping Yuki clinging to his front, shielding her from every attack.
"He told me to hold on — that as long as I stayed close to him, nothing would hurt me."
Glacius's jaw tightened. "And he still managed to fight?"
Yuki nodded. "Kairo was... incredible."
Her voice grew softer, as though the memory still haunted her.
"He moved like a storm — every attack they threw at him, he countered. His water clashed against the Sand tribe's relentless waves of grit and stone. His old soldiers used their attacks against him, but Kairo... he was faster, stronger, and more determined than ever."
Sylvia's mind raced — this wasn't the story of a power-hungry conqueror. This was the story of a man fighting not for domination... but for love.
"Dune was there too," Yuki added. "And even he looked surprised by Kairo's strength. It was as though... Kairo's will to protect me fueled his power. Like the more danger we were in, the stronger he became."
Arson crossed his arms, muttering, "He really fought off two tribes at once?"
"For three days," Yuki said, her voice shaking. "Kairo kept me safe. He never let me go — not even once. Even when his own soldiers called him a traitor. Even when Dune mocked him for protecting someone like me — an 'undesirable.' Kairo didn't care."
Peggy's lips parted slightly, realizing the weight of those words.
"But," Yuki's voice broke, "on the third day... the Aqua tribe used a dirty trick."
Silence.
Glacius's gaze sharpened. "What did they do?"
Yuki's fingers curled into fists on her lap. "While the Sand Tribe were distracted fending off against a huge wave Kairo launched at them, the Aqua soldiers pretended to retreat."
Sylvia's eyes widened.
"Kairo thought they were finally giving up — that we could escape. But the moment he relaxed his guard... a group of Aqua soldiers used their water powers to create an illusion."
Peggy's heart sank. "An illusion?"
"Yes," Yuki said bitterly. "They made it look like there was a sandstorm coming — a massive one. Kairo couldn't tell it was fake... and in the confusion, they struck."
Her voice trembled again.
"They blasted him with a combined water strike from behind... forcing him to drop me."
Sylvia flinched at the thought.
"I hit the sand," Yuki whispered. "And they grabbed me — tore me away from Kairo's arms."
Tears spilled down her cheeks again, but she kept going.
"Kairo roared... I've never heard him so furious. He fought harder than ever — but now he wasn't just fighting to protect me... he was fighting to get me back."
Her voice cracked.
"But Dune was waiting for that moment."
Peggy's knuckles went white. "What did he do?"
Yuki's head hung low.
"Dune... gave Kairo an ultimatum."
The room was deathly still.
"Surrender... or they'd kill me right there."
Sylvia gasped softly, her hand flying to her mouth.
"Kairo froze," Yuki whispered. "He looked at me... and I could tell... he wasn't thinking about himself anymore."
Her voice broke into a sob.
"He dropped his weapon."
Even Arson's flames seemed to dim.
"He let the Aqua soldiers chain him... just so they wouldn't hurt me."
Yuki could barely speak now.
"He told me to run."
Sylvia's voice wavered. "And you escaped?"
"Yes," Yuki whispered. "Kairo made sure of it."
Her face crumpled.
"And now... they're going to kill him for it."
The room was silent — the weight of Kairo's sacrifice pressing down on every heart. Even Arson, ever proud and brash, remained still — his flames flickering lower as if mirroring the tension.
Sylvia, her heart aching, gently placed a hand on Yuki's shoulder. "We're not going to let him die," she said softly but firmly.
Peggy's expression darkened, her usual sharpness sharpening even more. "If Dune thinks he can just execute Kairo without consequence, he's wrong. Dead wrong."
Glacius folded his arms, his icy aura flaring ever so slightly. "But we need a plan. Storming in recklessly will only get Kairo killed faster."
Yuki lifted her head, her face still wet with tears but her voice steadier now. "We have less than two days... they've lied to the people, saying Kairo escaped, but he's really imprisoned somewhere in the Sand district."
Sylvia's mind spun. "If they've told the public he escaped, that means they're hiding his execution. A secret death sentence."
Arson clenched his fists, flames licking at his knuckles. "Cowards. They want to kill him quietly so no one questions it."
Peggy nodded. "Exactly. If the people found out Kairo surrendered himself to protect a blind girl—"
"—they'd start asking questions," Glacius finished. "It would shatter Dune's reputation."
Sylvia's gaze shifted back to Yuki. "Do you know where they're keeping him?"
Yuki hesitated, her sightless eyes searching for something in the darkness of her mind. "I overheard one of the Aqua soldiers talking about a hidden prison beneath the main fortress... a place where high-profile prisoners are kept."
Glacius's eyes narrowed. "A secret dungeon... sounds like Dune."
Sylvia's mind worked quickly, forming a strategy. "We need to split up. Arson and I will confront Dune directly — we'll keep him distracted. If he thinks we're just here for political reasons, he won't suspect anything."
Peggy smirked. "And Glacius and I will sneak into the fortress and find Kairo."
Yuki spoke up suddenly. "I want to come with you."
Sylvia frowned. "Yuki—"
"No." Yuki's voice was firm. "Kairo fought for me. He gave himself up for me. I won't just sit here while you all risk your lives."
There was a long pause before Peggy, with a half-smile, muttered, "You've got guts, I'll give you that."
Glacius nodded. "She comes."
Sylvia's jaw tightened, but she didn't argue. "Fine. But you stay close to Peggy and Glacius at all times."
Yuki nodded. "I will."
Arson cracked his knuckles. "And when we're done, Dune's going to wish he never crossed Kairo."
Sylvia shot him a warning glance. "We're here to save Kairo, not start another war."
Arson smirked, but his eyes blazed. "Depends on what Dune does."
The plan was set.
Two days.
That was all the time they had to stop Kairo's secret execution.