A/N: Apologies. This chapter is basically a prelude to the next. It's like setting up the scene and all properly. The next chapter will take a while; although I have planned for the encounter, I have not quite decided on the details. So this will be it, at least for now.

xXx

"Happy families are all alike. Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

-Magister Negi Magi, Evangeline-

xXx

Chapter Six

Riful of the West

The Awakened whose flesh and blood were inserted into me had the name of 'Rosemary'. She was a former Number Two, and had died many, many years ago, apparently slain by the Number One then, or so Rosemary told me. She had her own mind, and though she never once fought with me for mental control, I was aware she could at any moment do so, and maybe even win. While still training in the organization's headquarters, it struck me that perhaps I could differentiate the ordinary Yoma powers from the boost the Awakening process gives the Claymore. In that way, I would be able to utilize Yoki just as any ordinary Claymore could, but tap the Awakened side if needed. Also, her mind would be given limited access to mine, hence protecting the possibility of her invading my mind at any unguarded moment. The differentiation process was long, difficult and nearly intolerable, but I managed to survive the mental blow it dealt, by detaching my mind completely from Rosemary's rage, leaving only a thin thread of connection that allowed me to tap the ordinary Yoma side of her strength. As the percentage of Yoki tapped increases, the thin thread expands, to accommodate the Yoki flow. And to tap the Awakened side, I would have to attach my mind fully to Rosemary's in order to utilize her full energy. Therein my mind would act as her subconscious, directing her attacks and such. But the one who would attack and move would be Rosemary. It was like giving Rosemary control over my body, but not my mind.

Rosemary is an offensive, but I'm a defensive. I've often wondered about this, and I still wonder. Are there any side effects to having both types in one body? If there are, then I probably haven't experienced it before. The only downside seems to be that when I detach my mind from Rosemary's, wounds that were healed in the attaching process reopen and bleed afresh. Oh, and the exhaustion afterwards as well. Then and again, I haven't really attached my mind to Rosemary many times. There have hardly been situations where I found that necessary… although I could've avoided painful injuries if I did so. I just didn't trust Rosemary that much with my actions for more than a few minutes, and all the more I didn't trust to keep attaching my mind to hers, since I have this paranoid fear of losing control to Rosemary…

xXx

Far in the North, a group of seven Claymores moved, unhindered by any obstacle. They were light-footed, swathed in black, and clearly headed for the South. The Claymores moved as fast as they dared, not stopping. They had saved Audrey and gang from the Abyssal One; they had drawn as much information as possible from her. They had dropped by Rabona; they had deduced possible occurrences for what the senses of their 'eye' picked up. Now they were on the move again. The twin Goddesses alone knew where they were headed for. But wherever their destination, perhaps they might be a tad bit too late.

Or perhaps, fate would turn the tables and the timing would be just right.

xXx

As Rado walked across the plain, Rubel tagging along, leading Numbers One through Five, he could not help but reflect on his brief conversation with Rimuto. As a handler, he was not meant to be feeling frightened. However, the thought of sending their top five warriors to almost certain death was unnerving. Not only that: it was just absurd. What was he thinking? Rimuto…

A sandstorm was brewing, fierce wind whipping the steady structure of the Organization's Headquarters. In the darkness of the main chamber, Rimuto sat upon a throne-like chair, his fingers folded neatly over each other. "Rado," was all the hooded man needed to emerge before him. "I was thinking… maybe it is time to test Alicia's full potential."

Rado paused. "What do you mean?"

"I think we should strike one of the Abyssal Ones with Alicia and Beth."

Bewildered, Rado spluttered, "just the two of them?"

"No, of course not. Perhaps we'll get Number Three through Five to tag along."

"That would still be suicide."

"Suicide for them; not for Alicia and Beth," Rimuto said, "if our intense training on the twins has had any effect."

"That's true." He could not think properly. Let alone formulate a rebuttal. But something popped into his mind. "If all three of them die, then the top five ranks will be empty."

"We'll just move the rest up three ranks. And get three trainees to fill in the vacancies at the bottom."

"How sure are you Alicia and Beth will not die?"

Rimuto pursed his lips, a visible frown forming. "I believe they should not have a chance of dying," he said calmly, "since we have trained them to the best of our ability. Having them stay here all the time to defend us is not good; even as we sit here discussing this, I'm certain the Abyssal Ones are not staying still at all: Luciela is dead, probably killed by her sister; Isley and Priscilla have not made any movements yet, but Riful of the West is the one I am most worried about… we should take her out while we have the chance. After all…" he paused, for the sake of a dramatic effect, Rado felt, "we do not want another apocalyptic event like the First Cataclysm, do we?"

Rado recoiled, as if stung. The First Cataclysm, the very incident that had turned them into what they were. "No," he answered, quietly but firmly.

"Then, prepare the twins, and inform Numbers Three and Five."

"Understood." He swept up his cloak, turned and walked away.

"What do you think, Rado?" Rubel asked casually. His words brought the hooded handler back to reality.

"Ah… about?"

"Their chances of survival."

He said it so unconcernedly that Rado was a little surprised. Drips and drabs of conversation floated to them from behind, interrupting his thoughts. "Rachel, I'm not very sure about this… if they're sending Numbers One through Five, then this must be nothing short of an Abyssal."

"So you're saying we'll be fucking sent to our deaths? And why's she tagging along with us?" Her tone was incredulous, and Rado figured he could guess who Rachel was referring to.

"I'm just stating what I think! And isn't it obvious? If she wasn't here, the little girl will blow up."

"Yeah right."

"Mama…"

"Uh, Miata? Don't… don't hug me so tightly, I can't walk…"

He leaned towards Rubel. "If it's against an Abyssal One… I'd say it's a single-digit," he said quietly, and paused. "You?"

Rubel snorted, a strange smile upon his lips. He adjusted his hat. "We'll just have to see, eh?" The two handlers came to a stop, outside the gaping mouth of a cave. The walls were lined with poles that pulsed with Yoki. It was unique, in the fact that it was the only cave to be found amidst lush greenery. This was the only known cave that resided within a forest. Riful had been last sensed, and confronted, here. At least, this was the general area.

"Well girls," Rubel said, turning kindly to them, "all you need to do is venture into this cave, and eliminate all traces of Awakened Beings," he explained calmly. "We'll follow you with Alicia and Beth. Audrey, Rachel, Miata and Clarice, please take the lead."

Unable to detect any clear flow of Yoki, Audrey silently cursed the pulsing poles, and glanced doubtfully at Clarice. "You go first," she said, prodding her with a finger.

"What? But I –"

"Well, Number Four is probably the best at detecting suppressed Yoki among us, right?" she interrupted. "Anyway, just go in! She's Number Four; she can protect you." Even if you can't protect yourself.

"Uh… okay… let's go, Miata," Clarice mumbled, clasping the girl's hand. Audrey followed them hesitantly, with Rachel beside her. Finally, bringing up the rear, was Alicia and Beth, flanked by the two handlers.

Several moments later, another handler emerged into the clearing before the cave, nodding to his charge, settling on a rock just outside the cave. "This will do. Let's begin."

xXx

The cave was dark, and a number of foul stenches assaulted the Claymores. But most importantly, Miata seemed to have latched onto a scent. She was leading them deeper into the cave itself; Audrey quietly prayed she had caught the correctone. Honestly the Number Three would rather start with the strongest Awakened and whittle the numbers down to the weakest. She could not control Miata, though, and despite Clarice's attempt to instruct the girl on it, she gave no obvious reaction. Another thing that Audrey could not comprehend was that the two handlers had followed them in. It was beyond anything she knew. Rachel and she had gone on so many Awakened Being hunts, the only difference being none of them took place in a cave, yet she had never seen a handler on the scene personally. That was certainly abnormal, and she would not consider her life very normal already.

Miata led them in darkness, for so long that Audrey was beginning to wonder if the girl was actually lost. The path twisted and turned, though recently it began to slope downward. Her senses were still being sadly confused by the disruptive, pulsing flows of Yoki along the walls, emanating from the poles. Alicia and Beth had barely spoken a word throughout the entire journey, and while Rachel had been rather talkative from the start, flavouring her words with colourful expletives, she had long fallen into a moody silence. Clarice's every movement announced fear. And just when Audrey thought she could take the walking no longer, Miata stopped.

"What is it, Miata?" Clarice asked doubtfully.

"Down there…" Miata said quietly. "Down the hole…"

"There is a hole?" Rachel exclaimed, brushing past the two. "Lemme – WAHHH!" She vanished. A moment later, the Claymores heard a loud thud.

"Ra – Rachel?!" Audrey gasped, stunned. Clarice tried not to smile.

"Ow, my butt. It fucking hurts… anyway, get down here, will you?"

"Guess it's not too dangerous a fall," Audrey said, prodding Clarice. "Go on."

Miata leaped down with barely a sound. Clarice eased herself down, but when she let go and began the brief free-falling, Rachel let loose a string of delicious expletives, and a louder thud resounded in the silence that followed. Audrey hesitated, then leapt down. Faint beams of light streamed in through cracks in the walls, revealing Clarice sitting atop an extremely annoyed Rachel. Alicia and Beth did not come down for a while; Audrey heard bits of conversation. Then, Alicia and Beth came down. "The handlers?" Audrey asked. The twins shook their heads silently. "Alright. Miata, Clarice, lead the way."

Number Four went on, and led them through a seemingly straight path. Finally, they emerged into a gargantuan chamber, where Miata stopped, facing a throne. Clarice looked, and blinked dumbly. Audrey, some distance behind them, saw nothing save for the back of the throne, but hanging nearby was a strange sculpture that seemed to vaguely depict two girls in a tight embrace. The ceiling of the chamber was extremely high; it was equally broad. Audrey felt that the chamber alone was probably the size of a town, and almost as high as a small mountain. It brought to mind another question: how deep into the cave had they gone?

"You've finally come…" a girl's voice said happily, "the top five of the organization. I'm actually quite interested in seeing the top two, whom I have not even heard about."

And a wave of Yoki struck Audrey's senses, so overwhelming that she took a step back. "Wha, what," she panted, shocked, "you – you're the one…"

A girlish laughter. "I see I've met some of you before. Looks like the org must want to kill me pretty badly."

Audrey and Rachel ran to Miata and Clarice, where they stopped. "Hell," Rachel breathed. Alicia and Beth stood level to the throne, with absolutely no expression on their faces.

"It is you," Audrey said, quietly, "the… the Awakened with that… insane Yoki from before…"

The girl smiled. "Shall I introduce myself? I am Riful… of the West."

"Fuck," Rachel yelled, "don't kid with me! An Abyssal?!"

Her smile broadened into a grin. "Do I look like I'm kidding you? Anyway… Duff?" A grunt, and a muscular, huge man stepped into view. "Entertain the four, will you? As for those two…" Riful stood, her head and subsequently body splitting, "I will take care of them."

The roar of an Abyssal One's Awakening ripped through the ears of the four Claymores. Then, bladed tentacles shot through the air, at amazing speeds, stabbing almost every pillar in the chamber, narrowly missing Audrey and gang. The Number Three wondered if the top two would be able to handle Riful all on their own. "We have to end this, fast, and help Alicia and Beth!" she managed to gasp, evading yet another tentacle. A scaled down version of Riful's Awakening followed, and a blue, armoured beast landed in front of them. The huge Yoki of yet another Awakened coming to life assaulted Audrey's senses briefly.

Alicia.

"You four are mine," growled Duff, "and I want to play with you!"

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Rachel chanted, over and over again, withdrawing her claymore. Clarice was at a corner, her sword out, but trembling so violently her weapon was visibly moving up and down. Miata tensed, claymore out, eyeing him with the look of an animal. Audrey withdrew her own sword, gripping it with both arms. As she had yelled just now, they had to end this as fast as they could, and lend their support to the twins. She was certain the rest knew the importance of doing so as well as she did. If we are to stand a chance of surviving this… they cannot die!

The battle, against both time and sheer strength, was on.