Bridging the Void
Note: I must apologize yet again for the wait. I hope you like this chapter! Please review!
ChapterTen (I have no idea for a title!)
I held my head and swayed a little from the rush of pain that was hitting me. My vision blurred and I recognized the scent of something burnt.
"What's burning?" I asked, slurring the words and breathing heavily.
"Well… you, really. Mostly it was just your hair, but-"
"MY HAIR?"
I was agonized by the realization that my hair was burnt to a much shorter length and was uneven and ruined. My skin, as far as I could tell, was also very damaged, but that wasn't my pride and joy. I'd always been so very proud of my hair.
"At least you're alive, Lily," Seto whispered into my ear, gently caressing the side of my face.
"It hurts… a lot…" I said faintly, feeling as if I was going to pass out again.
"I know… and we're going to get you out of here, I promise."
I mumbled something, that even I don't know what it was, and buried my pained face in his chest. He would make everything okay. I trusted him completely.
"You actually managed to break free," Chris said, leaning towards me before Seto slapped him away. He didn't even flinch. "You are even more amazing than I first thought."
"Shut your trap, you over-cocky fool. She's in love with Seto and nothing's gonna change that. Nothing."
I wanted to tell her that she was only daring him to try, but I couldn't speak.
"Oh no? You have no idea of the things my magic can do. You think a strong spirit like yours just broke on its own?"
Steph's fist tightened into a ball and she pounced on him. "All this time, I though I was weak… but it was a spell. I'm gonna kill you, Chris!"
Marik pulled her off him before he could do anything to her.
"I don't think you realize just what you're dealing with," he said, his voice layered with menace.
"I don't think you do, either," I said at the same time as Seto. He smiled at me before gently letting me slide to the ground as he stood up. I followed, though shakily, and there the four of us stood, all glaring at Chris.
"You're all fools, and I tire of your insolence!"
"I… I tire… of your cocky attitude. You think you can just crush us beneath your foot like bugs, but I've got some news for you. It doesn't work that way."
I slapped him with a magically powered hand and watched with satisfaction as he hit the dirt. But the instant he fell, I felt my own legs give way and hit the ground beside him.
"You really think you can win?"
A pain more terrible than anything I had ever felt ripped through my body and I let out a cry. I tasted my own blood in my mouth. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. And the only thing I could see was Chris.
POV Kaiba:
She fell to the ground alongside that slime and she didn't even try to get back up. I called out her name, but she didn't respond. When I tried to go to her, Steph held me back.
"This is Lily's battle. Let her fight it"
"But-"
"But nothing, Kaiba. If you love her, you'll let her do this. If you save her, she'll never get over it. Just trust me."
How could I just stand by while she was lying there like that and he was saying something to her? I just knew it was something terrible… something that would haunt her dreams forever. And I knew that Steph was right. I had to let her handle this alone. But it wasn't going to be easy. I loved her too much. And it had been so long since I'd really let her know it.
"Lily," I whispered, hoping beyond reason that she could hear me. "I love you more than anything in the world (A/N: Not meaning to say that he doesn't love Mokuba. He just means this in a different way. He loves Mokie as a brother, but he loves Lily… well, like a guy loves a girl, you know.) and I know you can do this. I just have to let you know… that I'm always here for you. Always."
End note: I know it's short, but I have writer's block, and this makes a really good cliffie!
