Hello all! (stomach growls) TT.TT So hungry...well, not really. Actually, food seems revolting at the moment. Here's your next chapter! Who are the demons that caught the boys? How did Touya get away? And who ate all my pickles! o.0 Whoops, never mind. There's going to be lots of changing views in this. First you'll be with this group, then that group...just a warning. Bis bald!

Disclaimer: I'm going to have Malia do the disclaimer...

Malia: (pops out of nowhere) She doesn't own it. (disappears.)

Me: What, no hello? T.T

Chapter Twenty-five

"How much farther?"

The Destinies double over in an attempt to catch their breath. Even the best hikers would be in trouble on this trail. Weeds snap out every other two seconds trying to bite at your heels, and rocks seem to appear out of nowhere. Sometimes the ground is hard and sometimes it is just a big oozing pile of mud through which the Destinies and Touya must wade. On the positive side, they are surely burning lots of calories. On the negative side, fighting will be much harder if they are worn out.

Touya seems to notice this because he gives them an encouraging smile and tells them that it's just around the corner. This makes them happy, and they run for it--the weeds and rocks and mud forgotten. It is indeed right around the corner. And as they round it, the Destinies see yet another castle--nearly the same as the one they were in when they fought Jaelyn. (a/n: Not Malia, obviously...)

"I suggest that we split up," Vanessa whispers as they draw even closer. "That way we'll have more chances of finding the guys."

"And trouble," Olivia points out.

"I agree with Vanessa," Touya murmurs. "This castle is apparently old. And older castles tend to have more rooms...and more death-traps. In situations like this it's wise to travel in small groups. It lessens the confusion. Teams of two, I guess."

"I'll go with Olivia," Meagan latches her arm.

"Me and Vanessa," Nissi shrugs.

"And I guess that leaves me with you!" Malia shakes Touya's arm gently. He smiles.

"Yes...I suppose it does."

"By the way, Touya...how did you escape?"

"I blended in."

"Eh?"

Touya laughs lightly, "I simply stood in the shadows and watched them fight it out. I would have helped, of course, but they sent me a look that I interpreted as: get the heck away. Probably so I could find you if they were caught...which they were."

"Good enough for me!" Vanessa punches the air with her fist. "So where are we all going?"

"We'll take the dungeon. Classic place to hide anyone, really," Olivia materializes her cloud, pulls Meagan on, and flies off.

"Should we take the highest room in the tallest tower?" Nissi suggests jokingly.

"YEAH!"

Another cloud appears under them and pulls them off to their destination. Touya stares at Malia questioningly and the two move off, supposing that the ground floor would be the best place for them to start off. And so, the raid begins.

With Meagan and Olivia

"Eew, this place is disgusting," Meagan swats at the air in front of her, testing for spider webs.

"Duh. It is a dungeon, Meg. Do you want me to lead?"

"Sure...catch all the spider webs for me."

"Gee, thanks."

The two walk in dreary darkness until Olivia whacks something like a door. "Oww! I should have let you lead..."

"You okay?"

"Yuh."

Fumbling, Olivia pushes open the door and takes a cautious step inside. Nothing. We really need some light...Touya's words of death-traps echo back to her. She pales, stiffens, then turns to Meagan and repeats what she had just thought. Meagan shrugs her shoulders,

"You're a psychic, right? Can't you just conjour up a fire for us?"

"It doesn't work like that!"

"Ugh..."

They move on, their eyes adjusting to the darkness slowly. After several moments of Olivia hitting every single wall in the dang tunnel, she shoves Meagan in front of her impatiently. I'm too old for this crap...

With Vanessa and Nissi

"The highest room and the tallest tower. You just had to pick that one," Vanessa moans. "Did you even think about how we're going to get back?"

"Hello, I was joking, in case you didn't notice!"

"What?"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you clue me in earlier!"

The two, long since departed from their dark cloud, walk up a case of spiraling stairs, becoming dizzy. Stairs can do that to you...And as there are no is handrail and the stairs are older than Kurama (a/n: Haha--j/k Kurama: We all love you. ) they must trek one behind the other, keeping to the center of the stairs as to not fall down 1,000 steps of stairs to their bloody deaths.

"What do you think will be up there?"

"...Bad guys?"

"I hope not."

"Keep hoping."

With Malia and Touya

"I feel sorry for the others," Malia whistles.

"Hm?"

"Olive and Meagan are probably walking into walls, and Nissi and Vanessa are climbing stairs. We have nice level ground and lighting."

"Yes...now, I think we should go this way."

"Huh? Why?"

"Just instincts, I suppose. And my instincts are never wrong."

"Never?"

"Never."

Suddenly Touya stiffens, grabs Malia, and pushes her into an open door. It's time. Grabbing Malia's hair, Touya forces her to look into the face of...herself?

"T-touya...what's going on?"

"Malia. Meet your sister."

(evil laughter) Oh yes, she has a sister! Am I evil or am I evil? I dunno when the next chapter is going to be up. Soon, but not too soon. It wouldn't be a cliffhanger if I give you the next chapter two minutes later, ne? Bis bald!