Hesitation stilled Dukes blade as he looked into Yuri's anger filled eyes. It was then that Karol stomped on Ravens foot making him loosen his grip and ran in between the fighters as the weapon began to descend. Through sheer skill and restraint, the war veteran stopped his blade centimetres from the terrified boys face.

"Stand aside..."

The fact that he was almost cleaved in half momentarily rendered him speechless.

"K-Karol, what are you doing?" Yuri breathed heavily. "Get out of the way!"

"...N-No...I won't..."

"Have you completely lost your mind, boy?" he suggested, inching Dein Nomos closer to his angelic face.

"I...I'm not moving" he whimpered.

"You would sacrifice yourself to save the very person after your innocence?"

"I don't understand what the hell you're talking about!" he shouted over the blizzard. "All I know is...that I can't live without Yuri!"

Duke stared into his hazel eyes in an attempt to discover if he was completely sincere in his emotions and words. After analyzing the shivering boy he was no longer certain that he had been brainwashed by Yuri.

"You do not truly understand what Yuri Lowell wants from someone like you"

"...Actually...I think it's you that doesn't understand"

Duke's eyes widened in complete shock from Karol's unexpected words before turning his gaze to Yuri who was still clutching at his blood soaked wound looking as if he was almost slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Please...just leave Yuri alone so we can help him" he begged.

"And what if I refuse?"

"Th-Then...as the leader of Brave Vesperia...I-I will fight you to protect a member of my guild"

Silence followed. In his mind, that should have come out in a more courageous tone but given the fact that he was speaking to a legendary war hero it came out in a rather meek tone riddled with uncertainty. Nevertheless, he had managed to surprise Duke to the point where he slowly began to relax the hand holding Dein Nomos.

"...You are an impressive child" he said, not releasing the boy from his intense gaze. "I am rarely wrong once I make a judgement...but you seem to have made me question what I once thought was a certainty"

Karol did not have a single clue what he was saying but he thought the safest course of action was to remain silent and let him speak.

"...Let me speak to Yuri, and then I shall leave you in peace"

The little leader was untrusting at first but if there was a slight chance he would leave then he would do whatever it takes. Hesitantly, he stepped aside letting Duke walk towards the fallen hero. He crouched beside him, brought his face dangerously close to Yuri's and looked into his pain filled eyes.

"Swear on the boy's life that your feelings are genuine"

"...I-I swear" he said through gritted teeth due to the immense pain. "I still d-don't understand why you're so bothered"

"As I said before; I made it my duty to protect what is pure and natural on this planet"

"Heh...sounds like an excuse to me"

Yuri could not be sure but he was almost convinced he saw a faint smile on Duke's lips even though his crimson eye's seemed to be in torment. Without saying anything the white haired warrior stood up and turned his attention back to Karol.

"If he speaks the truth, then he shall survive this and you can continue to work on your guild together in peace"

A great sense of relief washed over Karol when Duke walked past him and away from the group.

"Th-Thank you!" he shouted to the enigma creating more distance between them.

"Did you hear that Yuri?!" he said with excitement whilst rushing over to his side. "Everything will be okay!"

"Gl-Glad to hear it...captain"

With his last bit of strength he propped himself up against the ice with an elbow, leaned forward and caressed Karol's cold lips with his own before everything went black.

The world around him was nothing but a blur when he first opened his eyes, daylight pouring through a window did not help matters. Once his vision began to adjust he realised he was lying in his own bed in his own room.

"You're awake" said a soft voice.

He slowly turned his head and saw Estelle sitting beside him on a wooden chair. Trying to sit up was a big mistake because searing pain emanating from the now bandaged wound sent him crashing back against the mattress.

"You haven't fully recovered yet Yuri, just relax" her tone was serious, almost uncaring.

"How did I get here?"

"Apparently Duke left, Judith carried me and Raven carried you until we were all safely out of the blizzard and Ba'ul flew us here"

"But...why here?"

"...Karol thought you would like it if you woke up in your room"

That brought a smile to his face. He laughed a little but stopped himself after feeling a surge of pain. The princess quickly stood up and walked to the door.

"I'll tell him that he can see you now" she said turning the handle.

"Estelle...wait"

"He's been waiting for two days for you to wake up and told me to tell him the moment you do. We cannot disappoint the captain now can we?"

With that said, she closed the door behind her.

"Jealous much..." he whispered rolling his eyes.

Slowly he lifted his arms so he could rest the back of his head in his hands as he stared at the ceiling whilst lamenting on his encounter with Duke.

"I can't believe Karol managed to talk someone like him down...I will never understand what his problem was with us. Well...as long as he leave us alone from now on, I don't care. I guess if you want something really special then you have to go through hell and back to get it...heh, that's what it felt like anyway"

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in"

The wooden door slowly opened and a tired looking Karol meekly stepped inside the room.

"Y-Yuri...?"

"Hey captain" he winked whilst sitting up, enduring the pain for the one he needed in his life.

"H-How are you feeling?" he asked, fighting the incredible urge to rush over and lose himself in his hero's embrace.

Yuri's faithful hound slipped past Karol's legs and bounded to the bedside.

"Hey Repede, I didn't worry you did I?" he laughed stroking his fur.

The boy walked towards the opposite bedside, his hazel eyes filled with unreleased tears. Without speaking, Yuri extended his free arm and caressed his incredibly soft cheek with his palm.

"Sorry for worrying you"

"It's okay; it's not your fault"

A smile refuses to leave Karol's face; just seeing Yuri awake after not leaving his side for the better part of two days praying that he would open those beautiful eyes filled him with joy.

"You were amazing with Duke by the way"

"...N-No I wasn't he blushed. "If I did end up fighting him, we'd probably both be dead..."

There was a high probability of that being true, seeing as Duke won against Yuri without great difficulty, but Karol did not need to hear harsh truths right now.

"Don't think like that. It's done, it's over. Let's just concentrate on the future of the guild...and us"

"Do you really think he'll leave us alone?"

"He seems like a man of his word to me..."

Karol didn't reply as thoughts of impending doom raced through his mind. Yuri then gripped his chin, making their eyes meet.

"Just enjoy the here and now"

Yuri's logical words where almost hypnotic, this much was obvious as he looked like he was in a trance. Yuri's grin widened as he brought their faces closer and closer until their lips met in a tender embrace.

"I...I love you Yuri..." he whispered, looking down at the floor when their lips parted, tears began to trickle down his scarlet cheeks.

"Heh, right back at'cha...Karol"