Me: -muffled, still within the dug out trench for some reason- Welcome to Chapter Eight! Kinda short, but you get the picture

Lucy: -smirking- Need help?

Me: Can't... breathe...

Lucy: -sigh- I'll dig ya out. Enjoy the chapter while I dig my hikari out of this trench. Oh dear me...

Chapter Eight: Counter Act

Judai felt himself slipping into blackness. His head was fuzzy and his vision blurred. His consciousness was fading, his life ending slowly and painfully.

Topaz Tiger gently shook Judai awake. Judai's choolate eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Judai-sama? Please do not give up," Topaz said. Judai nodded slowly. He glanced up at Vilander, who was busy shooting the others with his dark powers. Johan ran at Vilander, only to be thrown back by force.

A sneer crossed Judai's face. His lips curled into a scowl, and his eyes became poisonous.

"I will help them. No matter what will happen to me!" Judai yelled, grabbing one of the thorns. He snapped off one of them, using the 6 inch thorn as a knife. He hacked off a few more thorns digging into his body.

He lay on his stomach and dragged himself forward with one hand, leaving a thick trail of blood upon the ground.

"Judai-sama!! Please do not do this!" Topaz yelled, standing up to retrieve Judai.

Judai cast a dark gaze at Topaz, his eyes flashing red for a split second.

"Topaz, stay down until I call you," he hissed coldly.

Topaz reeled back, but reluctantly obeyed. He layed back on his gut and waited for Judai to call him for assistance.

Judai looked ahead, determintation flashing in his eyes, and dragged his broken body to the battlefield. Slowly, hissing in pain, he rose to his feet.

"I will... protect them all," he whispered, glaring daggers at Vilander.

SPIRITSHIPPING 4 EVER

Vilander laughed at the group. Almost all of them had severe injuries. Vilander cackled again loudly.

"So, this is the mighty group that will protect Judai?! Ha! What a jo-"

Suddenly, a thorn shot at Vilander, scraping his cheek. Vilander gasped and glanced forward. His eyes widened more than they were naturally. Standing in the hall was Judai, gasping in pain.

The thorns were still wrapped around his body, his blood ruining his clothes. Well, what he had left of clothes anyway. His brown hair fell into his face. His brown eyes were filled with faded tears, tears of pure pain.

"YOU!?" Vilander cried in disbelief. Everyone gasped.

"Judai!?" Johan yelled, racing over to the broken brunette. Johan wrapped his arms around Judai, ignoring the thorns that dug into his body as he did so. "Judai... what are you doing?"

"J-Johan... I'm okay now, really," Judai whispered, returning Johan's embrace gently. He glared up at Vilander, who growled at him in his throat.

SPIRITSHIPPING 4 EVER

"You... you're going to die!!" Vilander yelled, blasting a dark attack at Judai and Johan. Johan clutched Judai close, but Judai shoved him away.

Johan glanced back up and gasped as the blast hit Judai. "JUDAI!!"

Judai cried out in pain. He whimpered as the blast stopped. He slowly sunk to his knees in pain. Judai looked down and gasped.

The ground around Judai was turned into a black puddle. Thick, black, deep, and cold as ice.

Suddenly, the water transformed into the shape of tenticals and grabbed Judai around his throat, arms, legs, and torso. Judai cried out in pain.

"JUDAI!!" Johan yelled. The water in the puddle wrapped around Judai's body, slowly dragging him under.

"NO!" Johan yelled, racing to Judai, a hand outstretched to the small brunette. He felt like he was running in slow motion. He'd never get there in time to save Judai!

"Johan!! Help me... please!" Judai cried out, tears of fear streaming down his cheeks. A tentical wrapped around Judai's mouth, preventing him frome speaking. Judai reached his hand out to Johan in a pleading fashion.

"JUDAI! HANG ON!!" Johan yelled, speeding up. His legs felt like iron. They hurt so much, but he tried to ignore it! He had to rescue Judai!

Just as Johan's fingers touched Judai's skin, Judai was dragged completely under the water.

"JUDAI!!" Johan yelled, reaching for the puddle.

Just as he was about to reach in and pull the brunette out, the puddle vanished, leaving no evidence of ever being there.

--

Me: -gasps and climbs out of the trench- CLIFF HANGER!!

Lucy: You're welcome.

Me: -gasping- T-thanks...

Lucy: You're such a dork.

Me: -holds up amulet that is where Lucy's spirit lives- What was that!?

Lucy: KYAA!! Nothing, Mistress! Have pity on a poor, little Yami!

Me: That's what I thought. Please read and review

Lucy: You're cruel TT.TT