Standing with in the room Aida waited... she felt a familiar pain serge threw her body... they had injured him..... Noriel was injured and it felt to be crippling... ignoring the phantom pains she glared coolly at the door. They were just outside, she could hear them. She could hear the frantic cries of a woman. Looking behind her to a hidden door she prayed D'meera would be safely hidden. This was her fight and her Garden. She would not let these insects invade her home and think they owned her.

Standing outside of the door Squall took a breath and kicked it in. rushing in the room Irvine and Jared followed.

"So, Knight, you've come."

"Where's the girl"

"She's not here", Aida replied coolly.

Taking a deep breath Squall moved closer, holding Lionheart in front of him. He gave the sorceress an icy glare, "This is the last time I'm going to ask where is the girl".

Beside him Irvine and Jared stood coyly just waiting. This wasn't going good at all. The last thing Irvine wanted for his boy was to have to face a sorceress. A movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention. His eyes widened.

"SQUALL WATCH OUT"

Jolted by Irvine's shouting Squall moved swiftly but not fast enough, he was hit in the chest with a dagger. From the corner emerged Noriel. His movements were painstakingly quick yet he stumbled and fell to Aida's feet in a pool of blood. Choking up the life essence he reached up to her. Tears stained her eyes and she grabbed for his hand only to be left grasping empty air as he lay limply at her feet.

Rushing to Squall, Irvine let out a barrage of gunshots. Screaming the sorceress lashed out with an Ultima spell. They would not go unscathed.

"Hyne damn it run, Jared, RUN!"

"DAD" Jared yelled out. Shoving Squall into Jared's arms Irvine shoved the boy out the doors of the chamber...

"Dad", Jared whispered.

"A'right you bitch, now ya ain't got anyone else to hurt but me", Irvine spat at Aida, "now you be a good lady and hand us over that lil' girl there and we'll leave ya alone".

Stepping over the body of her dead knight Aida laughed, "You stupid, stupid man, how dare you. HOW DARE YOU!" she screamed.

"No ma'am how dare you!" he said raising his rifle, he was tired he'd seen people he loved die this was going to end and end now. He fired and the gun shot rang out threw out the chamber, "How dare you attack us and take our kids", he shot again, "how dare you take innocent lives for your own wants", once again he fired at her, "and how dare you try to kill of my family and friends," again he fired, "and I'll be damned if I let ya try and kill us all".

Staring at where he had fired Irvine was shocked to see she was still standing. Bloodied but standing, and glaring at him. It wasn't until the gun smoke had cleared that he noticed D'meera standing beside the woman.

"Dee?!" Irvine gasped.

"Mister Kinneas, just who the hell do you think you are?" she asked coldly. Irvine had noticed she took on a more unearthly glow.