Okay, I can honestly say I've been busy. Cramming a big social studies project into three short days doesn't leave you with much spare time.

Disclaimer: Guess.
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Videll tried to sum up their situation as she and Ivan ran back towards the fight. Isaac was down, he was the only one who could revive. Quartz and Dew were the only two reviving Djinn, and Mia was down, too. There was no time to try to use water of life; their enemies would just strike them down as soon as they started to get it out.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a shower of flame. Her reflexes were fast enough that she got out of the way in time.

Ivan had already made it back to Garet, who wasn't looking too good. Ducking behind another statue, she sent Blessed Wind his way. At this distance, it wasn't fully effective, but it was enough. Garet took advantage of his recovery and hit Agatio square across the chest with Murumasa.

Agatio howled in pain and wildly struck out at Garet. His blow connected. The force he had put behind it in his pain threw him right across the top of the lighthouse and into one of the railings. Videll, running back toward Ivan, willed him to get up.

He didn't.

***

Ivan was no match for both the Mars Adepts. Where was Videll? Suddenly he was thrown back by the force of Inferno.

Videll dove. She caught Ivan inches away from a large statue by the stairs. His presence in her mind, that steady, comforting warmth, was fading. Quickly she cast Blessed Wind once more, and she felt him returning. His eyes opened, then widened as he looked over Videll's shoulder.

Pushing Videll gently out of the way, Ivan concentrated. Luff materialized on his shoulder, its aura leaving Ivan and surrounding Agatio. The wall of flame that had been about to engulf them faded.

Karst was quick to follow with her own spell. Fireballs showered around Ivan and Videll, causing a red, fiery hue to envelop the whole lighthouse top.

Videll searched frantically for Ivan in the sea of flame. She found him, and they huddled together at the base of the statue, as close and small as they could get. It wasn't enough. Videll threw up her shield, protecting them from the searing flames. She squeezed Ivan's hand tighter as she felt the unbearable heat tearing at her.

It felt like ages that she lay there against Ivan, pain reverberating through her. Finally the flames faded, and she let the shield drop. Karst looked truly shocked that her attack had not totally obliterated them.

Taking this opportunity, the two Jupiter Adepts raised their joined hands to the sky. The power of the lighthouse coursed through them, with a will of its own. Massive bolts of lightning seemed to tear the sky in two as they struck down their enemies.

The Mars Adepts' pain was evident as they emerged from the storm of lightning. "We have to seperate them!" hissed Karst. "Keep the healer away from him!"

Instinctively, Ivan and Videll joined hands, drawing closer together. A cruel grin slowly spread across Agatio's face, and he held out one hand. A blast of flame shot up between them, forcing them apart. Karst then sent Videll flying to one side of the lighthouse, flames blinding her.

Suddenly, Videll was surrounded by a red bubble of light. She tried to rejoin Ivan, but the bubble kept her trapped inside. Getting desperate, she aimed Shine Plasma toward the enemy. Her power was simply absorbed when it reached the wall of the shield. All she could do was watch helplessly as the two closed in on Ivan.

It was torture watching the battle. Twice she instinctively cast Blessed Wind, but the spell was trapped inside the shield. Then they started hurting her, as well. The shield repeatedly filled with flames, and her own shield could only do so much. Soon both Jupiter Adepts were as weak as the Mars were.

Videll dropped to her knees as the flames surrounded her once more. The pain wouldn't let her concentrate enough to bring up her shield, and she was sure she would die right then. Finally the flames ceased, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Then despair filled her as she saw the scene before her.

As the flames that had been showering Ivan faded, she saw him waver. Then he collapsed on the floor of the lighthouse, pain and exhuastion clear on his face.

She felt herself going too, and Blessed Wind was sucked up by that awful shield as soon as she cast it. She sent a prayer up to the god of Jupiter that her friends would be all right. The world was blurring together...

Then everything snapped back into focus. When she looked up, she was nearly blinded by the violet light that was everywhere. The beacon was glowing and expanding, sending its power into her. She rose to her feet, eyes glowing with the very essence of Jupiter. She saw the brilliant lavender form that was Ivan rise up also, and she knew then that they had won.

She pressed a hand against the shield that had so cruelly imprisoned her, and it shattered. She ran to Ivan, faster than she had ever been before, and took his hand.

No words exchanged, the two turned as one, and called lightning from the sky. The power of Jupiter cascaded through them, through the lighthouse, and through the sky as they cast Spark Plasma.

The lighthouse split, and Agatio and Karst finally fell. They fell all the way, into the lighthouse like Saturos and Menardi before them.

As the light began to fade, the two powers of Jupiter saw Felix hiss something to Alex. Alex looked hesitant, but Felix held up his fist, and Alex obeyed. In the blink of an eye, the prisoners and their guards were gone.

Videll turned to Ivan. The lighthouse's power was leaving her, and she realized how tired she really was.

She was too tired to speak. *Water of life?*

I have two he replied. He dropped to the floor of the lighthouse, and pulled the golden liquid from his robes.

Videll had one as well. Tiredly they revived their friends.

After everyone's questions were answered, the Adepts were too tired to move. Curling up on the floor of the lighthouse, they fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

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Finally done! That took a while. Please review!!!

And all of you who haven't been updating, UPDATE OR ELSE!!!