The fight.

Dylan led the way into the forest, treading carefully so as not to make any sound. The full moon shone bright and cold, illuminating the silvery path ahead and chasing away the flickering shadows in the trees.

They emerged in a roughly circular clearing, and Massie flicked her fingers up to point at the respective positions that they would take. Massie stood in the dead centre of the glade, flanked on either side by two elementals. Claire and Cam stood on opposite sides, with Dylan and Anala hovering behind unobtrusively. Derrick and Kristen stood in the shadows of the trees, and Landon walked forward and lowered his guard.

Alicia gave a quiet nod of resignation when Landon drew away from her, and stepped into the shadows of the trees, keeping as far away from the force field as she could.

A moment later, there was a soft rustle in the bushes ahead. A figure flashed into being, then disappeared almost as quickly. The first sign of attack came in the form of an earthquake.

A man emerged from the trees. He was tan, with dark hair and severe expression. His palms were stretched out towards the ground, and he was staring directly at the group of assembled teenagers.

Almost simultaneously, Claire and Cam sent their own elements raging out at the rupturing surface of the soil, and Dylan and Anala quickly joined in. Before the man had a chance to defend himself, he was down on the floor, gasping. He quickly raised a hand towards a large rock, but nothing happened. He cursed quietly and fell backwards, joining his team, who had just emerged through the trees.

Josh and Chris entered first, stunning all of them. The tension was palpable, and Massie's eyes widened in horror as she took in Josh's dangerous grin.

"You! All this time. To think I trusted you!"

She hurled the nearest rock she could find at him, but a figure flashed out from behind him and grabbed the rock, hurling it back at her with tremendous strength.

It hit the force field and dropped onto the floor. The rest of them took an instantaneous step back as two people suddenly shimmered into being behind the assembled group.

Sudden yells in the forest behind them shook them out of their concentration. Layne suddenly burst into view, followed by a dark-haired, tan boy, and the Blonde Bimbos.

"Hey. Okay. What are you doing here, Layne?" stuttered Chris uncomprehendingly.

Layne stared back coolly.

"What are you doing?"

"I…uh…"

Layne pranced up to Massie, followed by the three girls and the boy.

"Mind if I join the party? Wouldn't mind some action against big brother Chrissy. Plus, Claire's friends are our friends."

"It's not like they'll let you leave anyways. Might as well." Answered Cam airily.

"Right." Massie sniffed in disdain. "Who are those losers?"

"My boyfriend, Blake, and the Queen B's. You know them. No time!"

She ran into position behind the four elementals, followed by her friends and boyfriend, just as the attack began.

Landon's shield held up really well, and Josh and Chris were pretty much useless against them. Dr. Hotz, however, was a completely different matter.

"Stop fighting right now, children. Please, stop the violence. This will not end well."

His voice was smooth and compelling, and Claire instantly felt all the fight go out of her.

"No!" Blake gritted his teeth. "Mind control through speech. Don't listen to him!"

Suddenly, all the sounds in the clearing were shut off, leaving the group in a soundless void.

Landon's calm voice came from somewhere in the trees.

"It's okay, guys. I negated sound with the force field."

"Elementals, let's target Dr. Hotz. Um, Blake and the girls, just pick off whoever you want to, but make it quick!" ordered Anala.

Four bright beams of light shot out through the force field, heading straight for Josh's father. Before they could hit him, the lights faded. Anala was struggling fiercely, holding the sides of her head and shaking it. Claire and Layne stared blankly ahead, unmoving, and Massie gave a small gasp and collapsed. Derrick was on the floor, writhing in pain.

Green vines sprouted out of the forest in a thick blanket, tangling their enemies so they could not escape. Suddenly, a man in the front line fell onto the floor, his breaths coming out in ragged, choking gasps. Blake was smiling maliciously, his dark gaze focused on the man on the floor.

"What – did you – do?" gasped Massie, her eyes fluttering open in surprise.

"Suffocated him." Blake replied grimly.

Anala seemed to regain control of herself, and she targeted Dr. Hotz again. She snarled at the same time Olivia took a step forward, her eyes blazing.

"Guys, there are six more in the trees!"

"Where?" growled Blake.

She didn't need to answer, because at that moment, a young woman charged out of the trees, heading straight for Layne, who was staring at her in a quiet fury. She collapsed mid-stride, hitting the floor with a scream. Cam took the chance to incinerate some of her pretty locks of black–and–purple highlighted hair.

Anala was sending out shafts of moonlight, blinding the enemy. They saw two men darting in and out of the blazing light, but none of them seemed to have a way to get in through the force field.

Massie fired a few chunks of stone at them, at the same time another figure emerged from the trees. Claire stood behind the ranks of the enemy, looking pleadingly at her before the rocks crashed and buried her in an avalanche.

"What?" screamed Massie.

"It's not Claire, she's here. Shapeshifter." Kori narrowed her eyes.

Massie fell onto her knees again as Kori flew out of the protective range of the force field and picked the little white-blonde girl out of the wreckage of the rocks. She flew overhead in a wide circling arc, then dumped her somewhere into the woods from a height of about ten stories. She zoomed back into the safety of the force field as more enemies emerged from the trees.

R.E.V.I.E.W!