CHAPTER 10 Flesh and Metal

Half an hour later, Amber opened the launcher door and tumbled from the opening. "Amber!" Mahrea cried out as she ran over to the armored girl. Rolling her over onto her back, she took off Thera's helmet. Her hair was matted with sweat, her breathing shallow and rapid.

"She is over heating from exhaustion." Kathy said. "Get that suit off of her." Darien and Gerard started pulling the girl from the unpowered armor as Mahrea steadied her head in her hands and lap.

Mahrea lightly patted on her cheeks, trying to get Amber's eyes to focus on her. "Amber, are you alright!"

After a moment, she responded. "Mmm, I will be as soon as you stop slapping my face." Amber said her eyes shut tightly.

Mahrea blushed and placed her hand quickly down at her side. "Uh, sorry."

"We gotta get you out of that suit." Jilleana said. "You two, out of the Pit." She pointed at the two men who wore faces of disappointment. As soon as the men where in the elevator, the twins started stripping Amber down, the skin suit peeling away slowly against her hot, wet skin. Amber hissed loudly as Jilleana began peeling off the suit from her legs, skin from her open wound coming along with it.

"By the Three." Mahrea winced and turned her head at the sight re-re-aggravated wound. "This is never going to heal right if you don't start taking it easy." She looked up at Amber's pale face.

A look of aggravation came across Amber's face as she looked down at the cut. "Well sorry, but when I know one of those…things is running amok, I want it dead." Amber had a scowl of revenge cross her face. Thoughts of her dead family flashed in her head and tears started welling up in her eyes. She tried to prop herself on her elbows but quickly slid back down onto the cold metal floor. "Ung…."

"See?" Mahrea said with a smirk. "Told you take it easy."

"We need to clean this." Jilleana said referring to the wound. "Help me take her up to the shower." Wrapping an arm around their shoulders, Mahrea and Jilleana helped a naked and limping Amber up into the elevator and through Carl's room.

"You got her changed alr-"

"Turn back around!" Mahrea interrupted Darien as she and her sister carried Amber across the hall and into the bathroom.

"Yes ma'am!" Darien paled at Mahrea's tone as he and Gerard turned quickly back around.

"Can you stand on your own?" Jilleana asked as Mahrea helped Amber lean against the wall.

"I think so." She hissed in pain again as Mahrea let go and the weight on her wound returned. She stumbled forward a step before Mahrea could catch her again.

"I think not." Jilleana retorted as she began filling the tub with water. "Looks like we are gonna have to do it the old fashioned way.

Jilleana sighed as she was cleaning out the gash in Amber's leg. "I told you to take it easy."

Amber rolled her eyes as she leaned her head against the wall, a light blue robe wrapped around her body. "Sorry, Mom."

Jilleana frowned as she dabbed rubbing alcohol around the edges of the wound. Her hand slipped and the cotton ball went through the gash, Amber yelping out in pain. Amber glared at her, Jilleana glaring back. "You mind being more careful?"

"I could ask you the same."

Mahrea watched as sparks flew between the other women's eyes and cleared her throat. Jilleana and Amber shot their eyes toward Marhea. "What?" They both said simultaneously. Eee, scary! She thought as she smiled nervously.

"Hmf," Amber sniffed as she pulled away from the green haired girl and finished dressing her wound with gauze and tape. "Didn't you say that you had Wisdom now?"

Frowning, Jilleana confirmed the statement. "Yes, it makes my head hurt, having all this knowledge going through my head now." She looked down at her right hand, the Triforce of Wisdom glowing blue through her skin. "I can concentrate enough to have one flow of knowledge go through at a time, like programs for Carl's rebirth. It will still take some time, though. We only have so much genetic material of his so it has to be nearly perfect."

"Genetic material?" Amber crooked her eyebrow.

"DNA. Most of it is from hair and skin, but some bodily fluids."

Amber sweatdropped and opened her mouth for a moment before shutting it again. "Nevermind, I don't wanna know you got it."

Mahrea nodded. "No, no you don't."

After an unsettling glance to her sister, Jilleana continued. "Anyway, the programs still have to be written and the machine to hold him and incubate him in until he is twenty again still needs built. Even at the fastest incubation, I can probably only get it down to a half year. Din only knows if we can hold out against a madman who has the resources of the entire kingdom of Hyrule."

Amber shuddered at this. Half a year, could she even wait that long to see Carl again? She guessed she really didn't have a choice in the matter. She silently prayed to The Three to guard them and keep them in safe harbor until Carl can finally come back to her. She began imagining the first thing she would do, maybe….cradle him in her arms and lean down and kiss him gently on his lips. He would kiss her back and hold onto her hips gently, then a hand would drift between her legs…..

The twins sweatdropped at the sight of Amber in dirty fantasy mode with drool running down the corner of her mouth and naughty laughter escaping from the same. Jilleana cleared her throat and Amber shook her head momentarily and looked over at her, a crimson hue to her face. "Um, you were saying?"

Mahrea softly giggled as her sister ran a hand through her green hair.

Lenard sat on his newly acquired throne, peering down at the men that had ransacked Carl's home. "Are you sure there was no-one there?"

"Yes, Your Highness, we searched every room. There was not one article that would suggest that Amber or anyone else was there."

"They might have gotten word somehow that we were coming for them." One suggested.

"Or they were lucky enough not to be there….Tanya."

"Yes, lover?"

"Would you be so kind as to search the house yourself? I have a war to plan."

Tanya licked her lips in anticipation. "Gladly, my king." She laughed evilly as her clothing faded away and her red armor formed over her skin once again.

Gerard was helping lift a sheet of metal with Darien when he dropped his end and clutched at his chest. "Ung!"

Mahrea rushed over to him and steadied him against her body. "Gerard, what's wrong!"

He had his eyes shut tight in agony. "E-evil, so much."

Jilleana grabbed Bombos from beneath her shirt. "Where?"

A loud crash followed by a pain filled scream came from the house. "Oh, no. Amber is up there by herself!" Mahrea realized with worry.

Amber was awoken as she felt herself being picked up her collar. Moaning softly from her sleep she slowly opened her eyes and gasped as her eyes met Tanya's. "You!"

Her sentence was cut short as Tanya threw her through the air and sending her crashing into the wall upside-down. Sliding down onto her shoulders, she now moaned in pain. Tanya walked over to her slumped body and kicked her in the face, spattering blood on the floor while making Amber scream out in pain. She tsked and frowned angrily when she looked down at her boot. "How dare you, getting blood on my boots!" She stomped on her chest, her eyes aflame with anger. Amber grabbed her ankle with her cybernetic hand as it smashed down onto her body again and flung her across the room.

Amber pulled herself up and shook her head. Growling, her flesh hand grew red as she began weaving Balefire. "So, is Lenard using his bitch to do his work for him?"

Tanya sneered and unsheathed her sword. "I'll make you pay for that."

"Do you take checks? I don't seem to have any money on me right now." Amber smirked as Kathy groaned and Tanya sweat-dropped. Looking over, Amber saw the four others coming out of the hallway from Carl's room.

"It's from her." Gerard gasped out, obviously still affected by Tanya's evil aura.

"You?" Mahrea asked as she grasped Ether in her hand. "I knew you were a bitch, but not evil!"

Tanya growled and rushed forward to the purpled haired girl and swung her sword out from its sheath and up at Mahrea. The thin blade met another as Gerard leapt in front. "You fight me demon." He said as he pushed her back with his blade.

Tanya smiled confidently. "Eager to die are you?"

Gerard rushed forward with a war cry and swung his sword at his opponent. She put hers up to block and shoved her boot into his midsection to knock him back. Gerard scuffled back a step and took a deep breath, fighting the nausea from the evil radiating from Tanya. With a shake of his head he charged and attacked her again.

The twins and Darien gathered around Amber, who's face had begun to swell from the abuse. Jilleana shook her head. "I can't leave you alone for more than an hour can I?"

Amber rubbed her face with an angry scowl, yellow energy flowing around her body. "Gerard better leave some of her for me." Mahrea hoped that Gerard just survived the fight.

Sparks flew as blades crashed against each other again. Gerard swept out Tanya's legs out from under her and drove his blade down at her heart. "Die demon!" Tanya rolled away and swung her blade up at him, the pommel catching him in the nose and spattering blood through the air. Gerard pushed her away again, letting his blood flow from his broken nose down over his chin and neck. With a fury, Gerard charged at the woman and bicycle kicked at her. The kick was blocked, sending the offending arm to the side and Gerard slammed his fist into her left temple.

Tanya was now the one to stagger back and hold onto her head. "You got lucky with that shot." She growled and shook her head to clear the throbbing away while her blade began glowing red, matching her leather armor. She rushed forward and leapt at the guarding Sheikah. "Raging Dragon Sword!" Her sword flared to life, fire licking up and down the blade as it struck against Gerard's rapier. Tanya smiled malignantly, her eyes glazing over in red as the flames formed the head of a dragon and poured from her blade and washed over Gerard's body. Amber gasped in horror and the yellow aura quickly flashed to blue as she weaved water. Water exploded from the sink in the kitchen and washed over the two fighters, dousing the flames and knocking Tanya away from Gerard.

Amber rushed over and stood in front of her Sheikan ally, her blue aura now replaced by yellow once more. "Guess maybe I should have kept my mouth shut."

Tanya, now soaked, growled and lifted a locke of wet hair. "You little metallic bitch, you got me all wet!" Tanya's sword began flaring up again. "You know how long it is going to take for me to dry and comb this out?"

Amber gulped and started wishing that she had the Master Sword in her right hand at this particular moment. "Kathy," Amber mouthed quickly. "I'm gonna need all the speed you can give me to stay away from the sword."

"Level three is the highest I can give you safely with out damaging your body." Kathy responded. Amber narrowed her eyes as she felt the power flowing through her body, waiting for Tanya to come and attack her.

And that she did, a swipe at Amber's head came so rapid that it cut off a number of strands that flew up as Amber bent back. How could she be that fast! Amber thought wide eyed as she rolled from another slash that came her way.

As the two women fought, Darien and the twins drug Gerard off to the kitchen and tried directing the water from the burst sink onto the burnt Sheikan. Brise's brother groaned in pain as his charred skin met the harshness of the running water. "No, stop pouring it onto him!" Mahrea said with urgency, it's only hurting him more!" She quickly pushed the water away and pulled out Ether and held it over Gerard's chest. "Help cool him Ether, so it won't hurt so much." She quietly pleaded.

The golden amulet shone bright blue and poured the soft light over his blistered body. As Mahrea was soothing Gerard's body, Jilleana looked over at the two fighting women. Amber had grabbed Tanya by the wrist and had her metal fist an inch from the sword wielder's elbow.

"Let go of the sword or I break your elbow so bad that you'll never be able to jack off that sleaze ball of a man you have again." Amber warned through snarling teeth.

Tanya's eyes grew feral at the remark and fought harder against Amber's grip, trying to put a blow onto Amber's cranium. Amber tsk'd. "I warned you." She said before punching up and shattering the bones in Tanya's arm, her sword clanking to the ground. The injured woman staggered back in pain as Amber quickly bent down to retrieve Tanya's sword. Amber stood over the woman, pointing the blade down at her head. "Any last words before I send you to your grave?"

Tanya's lips curled. "As a matter of fact, I have two." She closed her eyes. "Heilen! (heal)" White light emanated around her elbow for a moment and as it dissipated, Tanya moved it freely. "Now, for my second word. Ruckkehr! (return)"

Amber felt a tug at the hand that held Tanya's sword and pulled back against the unseen force. As it became stronger, she grasped it with her cybernetic hand as well, but the force proved to be too strong and the sword flew back into Tanya's possession.

Amber stepped back as Tanya smirked, the blade of the sword forming a flaming dragon head, snapping at its potential prey. "Who is the one that needs to be saying her final words?" The dragon head lashed out at her, Amber rolling to the side. She looked at the charred spot in the carpet where the flame landed and glanced back up to see the sword swinging down at her. Amber knocked the offending blade away with her metal arm and rolled up to the woman and rammed her fist into Tanya's gut. Kicking up while Tanya was bent over, Amber's foot connected with Tanya's chin, snapping back her head and sending her back, head over heels. Standing back up, Amber winced as blood from her leg wound stained through her pants. Tanya smiled as she saw the opened wound and knew exactly where to aim her attacks. She giggled gleefully before saying. "Wounded, little mouse?"

Gerard's breathing was getting shallower by the second as the cool glow of Ether flowed over his body. His sister's name came to his lips in a groan repeatedly, the smell of charred flesh beginning to permeate through the room.

Brise fell to her knees as a wave of nausea rolled over her, her retainer rushing to her side and supporting her with his arm. "What's wrong Brise?" Came his urgent question.

"G-Gerard." She managed to get out before emptying her stomach on the brown rock of the Sheikan city. "I need to get to my brother!" She said wiping the corner of her mouth. "I know where he is." She continued as she belting her rapier around her waist. Walking over to the other side of the room she grasped her ocarina, her long fingers curling around the cool wood. "Play the ocarina to send me to him." He gave her a doubtful look as she shoved the small wooden instrument into his wrapped hands. Sturm eyed her suspiciously again and put the wooden instrument to his lips and began to play. Golden spheres of light surrounded Brise and circled around her, whisking her away.

Amber stared down Tanya, gritting her teeth. She heard an agonizing cry from Mahrea, the sound caught her attention and she turned her head. Tanya took the opening, swinging down her sword at Amber's turned head. It would have cut her down if it weren't for another Sheikan rapier impeding it's progress. Her eyes followed up the blocking blade and saw the lavender eyes of Brise. A growl escaped her throat. "Another damn Sheikan! Just like rats, no matter how many you kill there is still another!"

Brise smiled through grit teeth at the insult and pushed Tanya away. "Brise!" Amber said some-what relieved.

"Go," She was interrupted by ducking a slash from the flaming sword at her head. "Go get the Master Sword while I keep the firebug here busy!"

Amber gave a quick nod and sprinted gown into the basement, diving to her stomach she reached under her bed and grabbed the ancient blue hilt of the Master Sword. Nodding at the feel and balance of the evil smiting sword, the black haired Hylian raced back up.

When she had returned, Brise had a bleeding cut above her left eye. She still held her ground firmly against an enraged Tanya, whose right jaw and eyes were already swollen. "You two look like you're having a good time." Amber smiled as the Master Sword sent her a wave of confidence up her arms.

"I hate to cut our fun short." She continued stepping beside the Sheikan ruler. "I'll take over, go see your brother, he's in bad shape. Thank you for running interference for me."

Brise gave her an unsure look and nod, turned and hurried to her brother's side. "Its time to end this."

Tanya giggled evilly. "Oh, agreed."

"Gerard." Brise said as she kneeled down beside her brother's head.

Gerard re-acted to his sister's call by opening his eyes slowly and hoarsely whispered out. "Sister?"

Steel rang as Amber and Tanya began striking at each other. Brise glanced over her shoulder then back at her injured sibling. "My dear brother, you will not live to see this night's moonrise." She said sadly.

Mahrea scowled. "Don't say that! All we have to do is get him to a hospital!" Jilleana lightly placed her hand gently on her shoulder.

"Mahrea, don't,"

Mahrea jerked her shoulder away angrily and placed Ether on Gerard's chest. "Ether will keep him cool and keep the pain away until we get him there!"

Brise grabbed the ancient amulet and flung it back at the blue haired girl. Her glare spoke volumes when she looked Mahrea in the face.

"Sister, she is only trying." Gerard said, using all his strength to talk. He looked up at Mahrea. "There is only one way to end my pain now." Looking back over at Brise he slowly took his hand and placed it on the hilt of her rapier. "Dieing in battle to protect the monarchy, there can be no higher honor for a Sheikah." His hand slid off the hilt. "Please end my suffering sister." He continued with his lavender eyes closed. "Let your blade be true." Gerard said bravely as Brise pulled her sword from the sheath.

"I shall miss you, my brother." Tears began falling down Brise's cheek.

"As I you, my sister." Gerard inhaled sharply and his pupils dilated as the thin blade pierced his heart. Soon after, Gerard exhaled his last.

Mahrea shuddered out a sigh, Jilleana wrapping an arm around her with Darien placing a hand on her shoulder.

Brise slowly wiped her brother's blood from the cold steel, making sure it was clean so it could easily taste the blood of the woman who made her end her brother's life.

As she moved her eyes back to the sword fight, it appeared that Amber and the Master Sword would be the ones feasting.

Tanya's sword was imbedded in the wall, the tip of the Master Sword pressed against her throat just enough to draw a tickle of blood. "Go to hell." Amber growled as she brought the saber down to Tanya's head.

Tanya winced as the blade came closer, but it never struck her. The sword hovered above her face, a perplexed look on Amber's face. She brought the sword up again, only to have it stop again, inches from Tanya's nose. What is going on? Why won't you let me kill her? Amber questioned the weapon.

A smile from Tanya. "What's wrong? Can't go through with it?"

Amber swung down the sword at her again, and then again, and again with the same result; the blade would not allow her to get more than a few inches from her face. Amber huffed out. "Fine, if you won't do the job I'll do it for you!" Her hair began rising from her shoulders and bright yellow light began dancing around her body. A look of horror came to Tanya as Amber reached out with her palm to her forehead and let out a stream of lightning at the woman.

Tanya screamed out in pain as electricity coursed through and around her body. Amber didn't let up, bringing her hand closer to the woman's head until it was pressing on her skin. She let the spell do its work for a moment more before ending the weave of magic, resting her hand at her side. Wisps of steam rose from Tanya's slumped form, her head slumped forward.

Brise stood beside her, looking down at their opponent. "Well done, you have avenged your brethren's deaths this day." Brise began walking back to her brother. "Come, we will be going back now."

Amber frowned and made a move to follow but a groan made her freeze in terror. Whipping around she saw Tanya moan, her eyes shut tightly in pain. Amber quickly began to weave her electric magic again and Brise quickly rushed back to her side. A short moment later, Tanya opened her eyes again.

"Wh-where am I?"