I apologize for the lengthy time between updates. I've been watching Kuroshitsuji lately, and my imagination is back in business!

For those of you who are terribly good at fight scenes, please don't criticize this one too much, because I have little to no experience in this category.

Ace: Oh, and almost forgot~! Reviews please!

Allora: *Bows awkwardly* I would really appreciate reviews. The feedback really helps.

Boris: Also, for those of you haven't placed bets on the winner, do so! The poll is on Allora's profile page.

Blood: And for those of you who just realized that the winner will not be determined in this chapter, well.. You must find out by reading, yes?

Dum: Also, because big sister was in a good mood today, she has decided to respond to reviews! If you review for this chapter, feel free to ask questions for Ace or Allora.

Allora: I really can't say anything for Lucian, Mia, and Sia, because they're all real people..

Elliot: Anyway, first review! It's from Ms. LucianKnight! Hmm.. She says she's rereading the story because she's forgotten some parts of the story and is a little confused.

Allora: Not offended at all, Lucian! There are certainly quite a few key components in the beginning that may need to be reread because of my long update time..

Ace: And it looks like she's excited to see the battle between you and me~! Oh, I am too! *Wicked smile*

Allora: *Pales* Don't remind me.

Blood: *Coughs* Excuse me young lady, but I feel you're forgetting something.

Allora: Oh, right! *Scrolls down* Mythia, and Sia, thanks for your feedback once again. Sia, your blunt honesty is as great as always.

Boris: One more thing before we leave-

Dee: Onne-chan does not own J/C/HnKnA.

Boris: I wanted to say the disclaimer! That's not fair!

Allora: Boris, look! They're selling fried fish!

Boris: FISH!?

Quick Recap:

Sia and Lucian's mixed voices surprised me, and a bit shocked at the sudden noise, I looked up dumbly to their positions in a small box above the audience, nestled in the top row.

They were both smiling toothily, their raised thumbs shaking. Sia's icy blue eyes were switching from blue to green and then back again, Mia barely kept in check. Lucian's amber eyes were watery and shiny, as if desperately holding back tears. But even then, they were both smiling and cheering for me.

I leveled my sword at Ace. Oh, it was ON.

The Land of Spades

Part 1

Chapter 20

Lightning Strike

Ace leveled his sword at me as well, and the announcer finally spoke the dreaded words.

"FIGHT START!"

Closing my eyes, I focused on pooling energy into my sword, pulling the wind from the air, and making the sword even sharper, and faster. I heard the wind hum at my call, and I slowly reopened my eyes.

Ace hadn't moved either, and fire burst from every pore of skin, his entire body wreathed in a burning flame, hot and dangerous. My katana glowed, responding to the challenge almost like a living being, and pulsed with power.

I had to beat him. I had to beat him. I had to BEAT HIM! I needed to win. The stakes were far to high, and I couldn't afford to loose. I was thinking too much.

Breathe, Allora. Breathe. Empty your thoughts. Just stop trying to think. MOVE.

My eyes opened, but I didn't see Ace anymore. I was floating among the stars, his fire an pinprick on the ground. The stars swirled around me, beautiful and ever moving, paint strokes of purple, silver, blue, and white.

An star shot past me, giving a delicious sense of motion that rippled through me, an pure flash of joy and happiness.

A circle of stars, golden and brilliant, swirled faster and faster in front of me, and then flashed to form an figure, with burning red hair and gleaming silver armor with a insignia on the right breast that I recognized instantly.

NO. WAY. B-But she-

"Shouldn't exist? Haha, I have always existed in the plane of imagination. Nothing is impossible, after all."

"You can read my mind?! But we haven't gotten home yet! And why are you here?!"

She raised her hand to silence me, and then started chanting, her coal black eyes smoldering and spinning with tinges of grey.

Envisionist of old, envision your future.

Seek my power, Seek my soul, and Combine with me!

If you want power, I can give it to you.

If you want it. Reach for my hand, young wizard that has called for me.

Dancing streams of light weaved in and out of the red-headed figure, as she reached out her hand towards mine, the power crackling and jumping as it got close. Yes. Yes. I needed power! POWER to win.

I reached out my hand to hers, and grasped it firmly. A bright flash of light that blinded me, and then darkness. Absolute darkness. Something coiled around my heart, and squeezed it, making me scream in pain.

My hands were forced up over my head, and my feet entangled painfully with something that felt like thorns. I couldn't see anything. I was terrified and scared-

"Kehehe.. Another who has fallen, another beauty from above, another who is undeserving of the power of the dove. Another who wanted power, and got what she wants, but to what price? Oh the irony of the powers of loyalty and love!"

A singing voice interrupted my fear, the voice low and gravelly, a baritone that sounded quite young, and almost... Seductive.

My fear spiked as the sound got closer, and I struggled against my invisible bonds. I cried out in pain as the thorns dug into my legs, and my heart tightened and loosened.

"Oh ho ho, the merry merry things we know, oh ho ho, the merry merry things that were never meant to show! Oh, ho, ho.." The tune changed, and I barely comprehended through the blinding pain of the voice steadily getting farther away.

Relief made my pain lessen, but the thorns breaking skin did no less to help my fear. And then, suddenly, I felt an hand on my shoulder.

"Why, goodbye, old man of the risen. It's not my turn to work! I don't want to heal, I want you not to bleed, I don't wish that you could go away."

Wha..? Through my suppressed tears and burning pain, I was struggling to figure out the mysterious voice's meaning. Backwards? Um.. Why, hello... Young woman of the fallen. Um.. It's my turn to.. Play? I want to.. hurt..

Growing dread invaded my mind as I translated the rest of the sentence.

Why hello, young woman of the fallen. It's my turn to play! I want to hurt, I want you to bleed, I wish that you could.. Stay forever!?

Oh god, somebody save me! I hated being helpless, and this was the worst case of helplessness that I had ever had. Tears streamed down my face, unrelenting and cold. Lucian.. Sia.. Mia.. SOMEBODY!

Save.. Me...

Third P.O.V.

The stadium was silent. No one moved. The flames shooting up from Ace's form stopped, dying down into smoke. Lucian and Sia stared at the situation below them, their mouths wide open and not a single sound coming out.

Allora's body was encased in black, a darkness, a soullessness that made everyone shiver speechlessly at her still form. Black ribbons of space tied her hands above her head, and suspended her in midair.

Black spikes dug into her legs, causing a soundless scream as Allora's mouth widened and tried to speak, no sound coming out. She was shivering relentlessly, and salt water dripped down her cheeks.

Ace gripped his hands on his sword. Though he was a sadist, and not afraid the admit it, even he was shocked at the sight before him. Allora mouthed two words out, and then she slumped, her dull violet eyes closing.

Save Me.

Ace had the strange urge to do just that, to run up and tear the bonds off her wrists and get those strange spikes out of her legs. Then black flames encased her defeated figure, and a scream rose up into the air.

Lucian stared, horrified, and tried to run, tried to get to her in any way possible. Sia held her back, shaking her head firmly. Her grip on Lucian tightened and loosened as Mia struggled to take control of the body.

The strain caused Sia to fall back and slump into her chair as well, neither sister waking. Lucian, freed, turned to run out of the box and into the stadium, and then realized instantly what Sia had been trying to tell her. Nothing would change if she went out there, and Allora might even be disqualified. They couldn't take the risk.

But Lucian wanted to be irrational, to just follow her heart and go out there. But with Sia/Mia collapsed and Allora possessed by some sort of evil being that would probably be unresponsive, she beat down her conscious and returned to Sia/Mia's side, not completely sure if it was one or the other as she couldn't see their eyes.

Pushing their body up on the chair, Lucian prayed silently that somehow, someway, they'd get out of this situation.

Meanwhile, Ace rushed forward and found himself taking the advantage, shrugging off his heavy armor and surging forward as the sword bearded down on Allora. The dark flames suddenly subsided and Ace's rushing momentum slowed, and having no control over his body, Ace pulled back, motion sluggish and slow.

Black cloth like material encased her entire body, allowing another scream rise into the air, and then a flash of light blinded everyone in the arena, causing a silence.

When everyone recovered from the black spots hanging in their vision, they all gaped at the new view. Lucian and Sia were both shocked, getting up sharply and resisting the urge to go down and see what exactly was happening.

Ace himself was the most surprised, shaking himself out of the dizziness and trying to process the dark figure in front of him, cocooned in a night without stars.

The black night whipped around the figure and disappeared. Everyone got a clear look at the opponent, and a resounding gasp echoed around the stadium.

Ace stared at the figure before him, speechless. The reason being that he was looking at.. Himself!?

Who in the world has Allora turned into? Why? Wasn't being an Imagi a good thing? What was that black material? Who was talking to Allora in the beginning?

Find out in Chapter 21: Breaking Winds.

Hasta mañana,

Allora

P.S. Many thanks to Psycho333 who did a great beta-reading of this story.