Don't smile Yang. Don't smile Maria. Today is not going to be a good day for you two, little husband and little wifey. Don't look so happy. Aren't you supposed to be ruling your precious Kingdom of Fabul, great Karate Master Yang? Have you so easily forgotten the Siege of the Crystals that ended only three months ago? Obviously, you have because you are ever so happy. Don't laugh Yang. Don't laugh Maria. Things aren't going to go well for you. You don't remember those who died during the Siege of the Crystals, do you? From where I watch you now, it is obvious that you need not see or remember those times. You have your precious Maria still. Your precious Crystal of Air. Yet, your people still suffer. What are you going to do now, Yangy? Your Karate skills can't save you. Nothing can save you from grudges, from hate, from insufferable pain. You may not feel it, but it is all around you. Tend to your people, King Yang, think of them first! Without their support, you are nothing. You are already nothing but you will slip even further into nothingness. Why don't you care! Why didn't you console me? You have your precious Maria, and that is all that matters. Your kingdom, your fellow Karate men, are what should matter to you! We are your family. Don't kiss her Yang. Don't kiss him Maria. You don't deserve happiness. Do you think you are all high and mighty just because you are Royalty? HA! Edward of Damcyan could do a better job at being King than you. No, he is not a big strong, tough Karate man like you. But he is compassionate. He knows what it is like to lose a loved one. You don't, King Yang. You let others die for you and your Crystal of Air. They don't matter to you though, as long as you live! They give you their hearts and their souls! They put your before their families, and then they die! You don't show any appreciation. Yes, Yang. Clutch Maria's hand. Yes, Maria. Clutch Yang's hand. It will be the last time you will feel each other alive.

"Oh Yang!" Maria sighed happily, smiling at her husband. "It has been so long since we have been able to do anything like this together. I am so happy that you have recovered!"

Yang smiled back at his beautiful wife. "I too am thrilled to be back on my feet, Maria. I have been nothing to my kingdom and to you since I was hurt in Lugae's tower. I know how much you loved picnics, so I decided to surprise you with one today!" He held up the picnic basket that was filled with their favorite foods. Maria laughed happily and kissed him on the cheek. He held her hand as they walked towards their favorite destination, the huge oak tree where they had first met.

When they arrived, Maria took the blanket that she had been holding under her free arm and began to spread it out. Yang watched her as she proceeded to smooth it out. She had pulled her long, beautiful, purple hair back in to a bun. A few loose strands fell over her face, accenting her soft, supple cheeks. Unable to contain himself, Yang set the basket down and laid down on the blanket, interrupting her work. She giggled playfully as Yang rolled her on to her back.

"You are so beautiful, Maria," he whispered, looking into her eyes and stroking her cheek. She gazed back up at him lovingly and reached her arms around his neck.

"I have not seen you so romantic for a long time," she said back with a seductive smile on her face. "It is good to finally have you back my darling." She pulled Yang into a passionate kiss. Yang responded hungrily, realizing how much he had missed his wife, both physically and emotionally. Being hurt had kept him so weak for so long. After a breathtaking few minutes, Yang finally pulled away.

"I feel like we are teenagers again!" he said slyly. Maria smiled and ran her hands up and down his muscular arms.

"We don't have to be teenagers to have fun!" Yang proceeded to try and kiss her again but she playfully rolled out from under him. She tried to climb to her feet but tripped over her long skirt. With a laugh, Yang tackled her. Maria climbed out from under him again, got to her feet and sprinted into the tall shrubbery that surrounded the tree under which they had been picnicking. "Catch me if you can sweetie!"

Yang smiled and took off after her. As he plowed into the bushes, he was over come with joy as he felt an energy run through him that he hadn't felt since going into Lugae's tower. "Maria! You had better run fast because I am going to get you!" She had disappeared ahead of him but he was hot on her trail as she laughed playfully.

"That's what you think!" She suddenly turned and ran to the left. Yang could tell this because the brush stopped parting forward and started parting to the left. Looking left to where she had gone, sure enough, there was Maria sprinting away from him. With a smile he began to run after her. Faster and faster they ran. Yang had to make a quick turn when she went to the right. Slapping the bushes out of his eyes, he continued to pursue her. Suddenly, a figure in black burst out from the side and tackled Maria. She let out a surprised cry.

"MARIA!" Yang cried, shocked. Within seconds, though, Yang was upon her attacker. The glint of a knife in his hand caught his eye as he began to raise it above his head.

"NO!!!" Maria shrieked. With all of his might, Yang tackled the masked man to the ground. The knife flew into the bushes. The Karate man punched the attacker in the face but the man threw him off as if he were nothing but a fly. He landed on something hard and sharp. It dug into his back.

"Oh God..." he moaned, rolling onto his side. Opening his eyes, he saw the man in black rushing after his wife. With a burst of energy, Yang leapt to his feet. "ACHOO!" He jumped into the air and hit the man in the back. "Maria, RUN!!" With a terrified look on her face, she shook her head and proceeded to search for the knife. Yang had only turned his head for a second when the man speared him from the front. As the Karate Man hit the ground, he cursed himself for being so out of shape. He gasped for breath as the man straddling him pulled something from his pocket. Looking up in horror, he saw a pair of brass knuckles above him. Dizzily, Yang tried to get up but failed. The man leaned over and whispered something into his ear.

"This is for my brother, Yang, who died protecting your precious Crystal!" And the attacker brought the sharp metal down on his face.

Maria sat in a chair by the window of their bedroom. Yang lay in a coma in the bed beside her, his head covered in bandages. It had been two weeks now, since they had been attacked. She sighed sadly and covered her face with her hands. Thank God for the soldiers that were passing by at the time, or the man would have killed Yang. He had managed to get away though.

"Ahhhh!!!" Maria cried out and hit her fist against the wall. She looked at her wounded husband and wondered if he would ever wake up. Tears began to flow down her cheeks for only the seventieth time that week. She looked to the sky as it was beginning to darken. "This isn't fair God! He was getting so strong again and now look at him!" Choking back sobs, she went and laid down next to her husband, laying her arm across his chest. She whispered in his ears through the bandages. "Don't leave me, Yang. I love you too much to lose you. Please come back to me! We need to make those kids we have been talking about for so long." When she got no response, she just closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

The faster he tried to run, the faster the man in black got away from him. He cried out for him to stop. The masked man was dragging Maria away and she was screaming in pain.

"MARIA!" he cried desperately. Sweat ran down his face. It filled his eyes and blinded him. Damn you, Lugae, for making me weak. He pumped his arms and legs but just couldn't catch up with the man. The next thing Yang knew, the man had pulled a pair of brass knuckles from his pocket. With incredible quickness, he stopped. Yang too stopped. He screamed to himself to run, to pull Maria from that man, but he couldn't. He just watched in horror as he raised the knuckles above his head and smashed them into the side of Maria's face.

"NO!!!!!!" Yang screamed as he shot up in bed. Maria, who had been sleeping, rolled off. Yang cried out again and looked around. He couldn't see! Reaching up, he felt the bandages that encircled his head. Sweat covered his body as he flailed his arms around. "Maria! Where are you!"

Shocked, Maria pulled herself from the floor and jumped onto the bed next to Yang. She grabbed his panicked body and held it to hers. "I am here, Yang! I am right here!" He responded by clinging on to her as if she had just come back from the dead.

"Maria!" he cried as she rocked him back and forth. The blackness surrounded him, choking him. "You are here! You are alive! The masked man...he tried to kill you!"

"Yes, Yang, but I got away. One of your soldiers came by and helped me. You have been in a coma for two weeks now!"

Yang pulled back. "Two weeks?!" His mind flashed back to when they were attacked. To when the man held the brass knuckles above his head. "Oh God Maria. Why are these bandages on my head and over my eyes?" He began to pull at them desperately. Maria grabbed his hands and pulled them down.

"Please don't Yang. Let me get the doctor." She immediately jumped off of the bed and went to the door. She shouted for the guards to get the doctor. Within seconds, a rush of people had entered the room. Yang felt the doctor sit down beside him. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. Maria took his hand and began to stroke his arm.

"How are you feeling, King Yang?" the woman doctor asked him, checking his pulse.

"I am sore, that's for sure. Can I take these bandages off?" He felt the doctor feel his neck. A dull pain ached from where she touched. She proceeded to lift a small portion of the bandages up to look under it.

"I don't know, your Highness," she replied, putting the bandage back. "From the looks of it, your wounds aren't totally healed. I would be hesitant to recommend taking them off right now. They could get infected."

Yang felt a wave of frustration crash over him. He longed to see his wife's face. "Take them off right now!" The doctor looked at Maria hesitantly.

"That is what he wants, doctor," Maria said. "Please take them off." With a silent sigh, the doctor nodded, knowing that she couldn't disobey the King of Fabul. Slowly, she reached up and began to unravel the bandages from around his face and eyes. The process took so long for Yang. With each bandage that was pulled from his wounds, a sharp pain shot through his head. She soon stopped.

"Keep going damn it!" he cried. "Don't stop!" Everyone in the room was silent. He heard Maria swear to God as she clutched his hand even tighter. Yang's heart skipped a beat. His hands flew to his head. The bandages were all off. He was blind.

"Oh Yang!" Maria cried. He could tell that she had put her hand to her mouth by the how muffled her voice sounded. Yang pushed the doctor out of the way and stood up. He had only a loose pairs of pants on. He reached up and rubbed his sore eyes. It didn't work though. Blackness seemed to envelope his whole body. He felt dizzy. No. This wasn't possible. He couldn't be blind. He was a great Karate Master of Fabul! He could NOT be blind!

"Maria!" he choked out, reaching into the blackness for her. She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the bed. Slowly, he sat down on the bed. Maria motioned for the doctor and her assistants to leave. They obliged and left the couple, closing the door behind them. Now that they were finally alone, Maria turned to her husband.

"Yang, my darling," she said with tears in her voice. She reached up and stroked his cheek. He sat there, in shock, staring into an endless black space. He didn't even notice the pain that he was feeling.

"I'm blind, Maria..." he said slowly, reaching out in front of him in hopes of seeing or feeling something. He turned and faced his wife. Tears threatened to burst from his eyes. "I want to see your beautiful face, Maria. That is all I want to do. I don't want my last thing that I ever see to be a set of brass knuckles coming down into my face!" She reached down and put his hand on her cheek. He proceeded to feel her chin, her nose, her forehead, her two beautiful eyes, her full lips. A choked sob filled his throat. It left his mouth as a whimper.

"You will be able to see again, my sweet Yang," Maria said with hope in her voice. "We must just give your eyes time to heal!"

"Hopefully Maria, but what if this is forever? I will never be able to practice Karate again! How am I going to rule my kingdom! I have already neglected them enough when I was sick! I can't put the burden on you!" He cried out in frustration and pounded his hand into his fist. Maria reached over and turned Yang's head so it faced her. She met his lips with a kiss. When she pulled away, Yang lowered his head sadly. He reached up and felt the wounds that were beginning to heal. They were deep, long, and all over his face. "I must be hideous! How can you even look at me!?"

"Yang! How dare you ask me that! I love you! What you look like now matters not to me!" She ran her fingers gently across a clean part of his skin. "We will get through this, do you hear?"

Yang's heart sank. He knew by the feel of it that he now looked like a hideous monster. He could kiss his Karate good bye. Suddenly, a picture of the masked man filled his head. Anger and hate washed over Yang. "Did they find the man who did this, Maria?"

"No Yang, they didn't. He managed to get away from the soldiers that had come to our rescue."

"Damn!" Yang held his head in his hands, wracked with a throbbing headache. The blackness choked him, threatening to squeeze every last breath out of him.

This is for my brother, Yang, who died protecting your precious Crystal.

The words of the masked man suddenly ran through Yang's head. Alert, he stood up and pounded his fist into his hand again. Those were the words that the man had said to me before he hit me!

"What's wrong, Yang?" Maria cried, joining his side. The Karate man looked in the direction of his wife and told her the words that he had just recalled. She gasped in shock.

"You think he is the brother of one of your guards that died that day?" Yang nodded and his mind flashed back to that day. Cecil and Edward were helping him along with the rest of the tiny Fabulian army. He remembered the day like it was yesterday. The Red Wings swept through the Castle, swatting Yang and his forces aside like flies. Who died? Yang wracked his brain. How many of my soldiers died that day? He didn't think that many had. There was just so many injuries! Three of them died. Yes, that's it. Three. Two men and one woman.

"Get my records, Maria!" Yang cried suddenly. The royal record books would have a list of the men that died in that siege. It would also hold information about his family!

"Why?"

"Just do it! It could be the key to figuring out who it was that attacked us!" Saying no more, Maria ran out of the room. She returned a few minutes later with a semi-thick book in hand. They sat down on the bed together. Yang instructed her to look for the day June 10. He remembered that date very well. It was the day the Red Wings took the Crystal of Air. Maria found the day and scrolled to the section that listed the names of the people who had died.

"It says, 'God rest their souls, Sam Garin, Laura Salma and Jack Doral. Sam was a loving husband to Lania and a father to three small children, Jaque, Beth and Danny. Sam was also survived by his mother, Sara, and his father, Jonas. He was one of the top karate men in Fabul and died honorably for his kingdom. Laura Salma was a young woman who almost had her black belt in karate. She fought relentlessly for Fabul and her memory will never be forgotten. She is survived by her husband, Terran and her parents, Rose and Kent, as well as a few aunts and uncles. Jack Doral was one of the most skilled veterans that Fabul, as he was our head of security. He was a great fighter and passed away knowing how much he all meant to us. He is survived by his mother, Alexsis and his older brother, Matt. The services for these fighters were held on June 13."

His older brother Matt... The sentence rang loudly within Yang's head. "It's him Maria. Matt is the one that attacked us! That bastard, I will kill him!"

"Are you sure?" Maria replied worriedly, re-reading the brief obituaries. "How can we be sure."

Yang widened his wounded eyes and looked in the direction of Maria. "He is the only one that had a brother killed during the siege of the Crystal of Air. Maria, I can't believe it! It was Matt!" Confusion ran rampant through Yang as he thought back to when he had met Matt. It had only been once but he had seemed like a nice guy. He was something like, 29 and Jack was 25.

"It has to be Maria!" Yang cried and stood up violently from the bed. He felt so frustrated. "Who else could it be!" He suddenly felt dizzy. Stumbling back, the Karate Man tripped over something and fell to the floor. A pain shot through his head.

"Yang!" Maria was immediately at his side, trying to help him up. Feeling like a complete fool, Yang pushed her away and stumbled to his feet. Whatever he tripped on the first time seemed to make it's way under his feet again. Clumsily, he stumbled again, but caught himself. Maria was grabbing his arm to help but he just shook her off again. He finally stood up straight. With a loud cry, he kicked the object with horrid frustration. It rattled loudly as it hit the wall. Maria cried out for him to calm down.

"CALM DOWN?!" he screamed into the darkness, looking around at nothing. "Maria, how can I CALM DOWN? I am a blind man now! I know who the person is that tried to kill you and I can do NOTHING! I am useless now! USELESS!" He was out of control with the sudden rage.

"Yang," she said quietly with tears in her voice. She placed her hand on his shoulder but he cringed, indicating that he didn't want sympathy. She obliged and pulled away, hurt by her husband's sudden change of attitude. "We can go to Jack's family tomorrow, Yang, if you would like, and talk to his mother. We can try to get some information on Matt."

Yang laughed bitterly, running his hands across his scarred and wounded face. "Yea I can really do that. Jack's mother will be horrified to see me. I must look like a monster!"

"Stop it Yang!"

"Stop what? STOP WHAT? It's the truth Maria. It's the honest to God, horrible, cold, cruel truth, Maria." His heart pounded uncontrollably as the sweat gathered on his forehead. Not sure what room he was in, Yang began to feel the walls in hopes of finding a window. His fingers soon slid across the cool glass. Fumbling, he looked for the latch of the window as if he could still see. When his hands fell upon it, he unhooked it with eagerness. He pushed the window open and let the cool breeze soothe his damaged face.

"You will see again, Yang. You must have faith. Your wounds have yet to heal all of the way!"

Sadly, Yang stared blankly out the window. He could tell it was night by the temperature and by the silence of the village below. Closing his eyes, he imagined the twinkling stars and the bright moon shining down on him. Without moving, Yang responded to his worried wife. "Perhaps I will, Maria. I can only hope right now, isn't that right?" He heard her beginning to walk towards him. "Leave me, Maria, please." She stopped dead in her tracks. "I just need to be alone right now."

"Fine, Yang," she replied, her voice thick with sadness. "I will leave you now. But if you need something, please..." He interrupted her with the wave of his hand.

"I will be fine." With those words, Maria left the room. Yang took a deep, miserable breath of the Fabulian night air. Her words began to sink in. You must have faith. You wounds have yet to heal. He lowered his head. A single tear slid down his cheek, it's salty contents burning a cut on his cheek. "What if my sight never returns, Maria? What if it never returns?"