Right folks, this is the last chapter...enjoy!

!-Begin Chapter Seven-!

All's well that doesn't end well

I was woken up by Rei. His gold eyes boring into mine. Then I felt it, sticky sweat all over my body. There was a strange taste in my mouth, and my stomach felt weak. Rei placed the back of his hand on my forehead, until he did that and I felt a coolness of his flesh I hadn't realized that I was warm. I felt a strong flush on my cheeks.

"Rei?"

"You were moaning in your sleep again." He paused and bit his lip, showing a brilliant white fang that I could make out even in the dark, then he continued, "and convulsing."

I shook my head, trying to sound reassuring, "I'm not sick, if that's what you're thinking."

Before we could continue, there was a faint scream, coming from the room Dimetra was using. I ran to her room, and opened her door. Rei was following me, so I turned to face him. "Rei, stand outside for a bit longer."

Without waiting for a response from him or another word I quickly slammed the door shut behind myself and quietly locked it. I went over to the bed, where Dimetra was lying, shivering in her sleep. Gently I shook her shoulders to wake her. Her blue eyes quickly opened. Her eyes widened in terror before they rested on me.

"Mari-san?"

I smiled at the nickname she had given me. "Yes?"

"What happened?"

"You had a bad dream, you were screaming in your sleep."

Dimetra blinked and suddenly broke down in tears. "That's right," She began when she was able to, "it was awful, Mari-san," she broke into tears again, "all those people were dead, and you...you were there as well Mari-san, but you were alive."

I stared at her before holding her gently as I had learned how by babysitting in my old village. "It was in the amusement park, wasn't it?"

"What?" After a pause she answer my question, "yes it was Mari-san. How'd you know?"

"I had the same dream." I had a sudden insight for a moment when I realized both Dimetra and I were the only ones who had survived the panther's attacks, and so far, we were the only ones that knew of the attacks in advance. I knew, we would live like this until this conflict ended one way or another. Looking back I think I should have wondered why I knew of the attack on my home village earlier before I survived the attack.

I took her out of the bed and forced her shoes on her. "Dimetra, you me and Rei are going to the amusement park."

"But what about the bodies? What if its true? I don't want to see that, Mari-san."

I tousled her hair, "Its okay, come on. If we hurry there won't be any. There isn't anyone in the park yet." I knew what I was saying to be the truth. In the dreams, it was the opposite time of day in real life. It was still night, we had some time; the panther wouldn't strike just yet.

She believed the confidence coming from my words and nodded her head in agreement. When I opened the door I forced myself to have a more serious expression then how I felt, I was weak and frightened on the inside, but I didn't, couldn't, show it.

I felt Rei's hand's clamp on to my shoulders and he stared into my eyes.

"What's going on?"

"Rei, I don't know why, but that panther, Nezz, is forcing me and now Dimetra to picture his next attacks. And picking places I've been to. I...I need to go stop him. Dimetra's going to come with me."

Rei nodded, very slowly, "Alright, but I'm coming too."

I bent my head to look at the ground. "You can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't want you to get hurt. You aren't involved in this. Its my problem."

Rei moved one of his hands to lift my chin up, his face was stern. Something about his honey colored eyes froze me still until he had pressed his lips firmly against mine. I felt some other emotion besides the strong love he felt for me, but I couldn't discern what it was at the time. I wouldn't know until later that he had done that because he didn't want to loose me.

After nearly a minute, I wasn't quite sure how he could hold his breath for that long, he released me, "Mariah, I can't let you go by yourself." Something about his eyes, I just couldn't say no to him. I smiled and nodded at him and looked down at Dimetra.

"We're going now." She was not making any point of hiding her disgust at our openly showing affection. I smiled down at her and ruffled her hair. We walked quietly out of the apartment, although if Tyson and Max didn't wake from our discussion earlier, silence was irrelevant.

In less then an hour we reached the amusement park, night vision helping Rei and I immensely, although Dimetra had some trouble. I had to give her credit, she was being extremely strong willed for a seven year-old, I guess her crying like she had had been just a fluke.

I eventually spotted where the fence ended, and the forest began. I motioned for the others to follow me silently as I plunged into the forest. I heard Rei silently walking through the brush, as he had when we were children, but I nearly winced every time Dimetra broke a twig, maybe bringing her along hadn't been such a good idea after all, but I had a feeling pulling at the back of my mind that she needed to come with me.

I noticed large breaks in the woods we were in, and followed them, it would be easier and faster to move now. The three of us came to a clearing, it was still dark. I was sure no one had been harmed yet. Shivering I remembered his previous attacks, and the recent one that had been all over the news in China. People didn't seem to care about the White Tiger's village.

Suddenly I heard it out in the woods. "Dimetra, duck quickly!" I shouted at the girl, she did as I said and Nezz just whiffed her body by mere inches, she was safe for now.

The panther padded around silently, I was amazed I had heard him at all. He stared at me, trying to look me in the eyes, but I avoid direct eye contact, I knew from past experience it would result in instant paralysis. "Don't look at his eyes, you'll freeze." There was a roaring sort of laughter that came from the destructive animal in front of us, "What do you want with us?"

"When talking to me, you could at least look at me." The panther quickly shifted on his paws to lunge at me and I moved to dodge, doing so successfully considering I had control over my muscles.

There was a phoenix cry above us, I looked up to spotted the fiery red bird Dranzer. In a matter of moments Kai rushed through the woods, slate bangs seemingly glued to his face by sweat. He was panting hard, there were several bruises on him.

"Kai." Rei looked over at Kai.

"You were right, Rei. I just got back, Boris did experiment on that creature."

I looked wildly over at Rei, confusion clear on my features, what was Kai talking about? "Mariah, remember when we went to get our bit beasts in the village?"

"Yes, I do, why?"

"When I choose Drigger, I know the elders were surprised at my choice. I heard a few of them talking about how they had given so much for the perfect bit beast, and I didn't choose it like I was supposed to."

"That's correct. I was put through thousands of tortures for nothing." Somehow I got the feeling that this animal was lying. I think it was enjoying itself immensely, "Then again, now I'm free to use this power without the consent of anyone, and I can kill. I think I'll enjoy killing you all."

The animal went after Dimetra, I could tell by her petrified expression that she was scared stiff. It was fast, but I was faster. I ran over to her, and managed to pull her out of the path and dodge myself. I didn't have enough time to adjust my balance to the fact that I was holding her and I fell into a seated position. Nezz turned around and looked at me. My breath caught in my throat, my body was frozen, I couldn't move.

It charged at me, when it got close enough it jumped at me. I thought that was the end of it all, a flash of teeth, but as blood splattered on my face I realized it wasn't my blood. No, the creature of the night had bitten hard into an arm, Rei's arm. I stared at the back of Rei's head in shock and horror.

"Don't touch her!"

"Fine, then I'll just take care of you first." Its white teeth sunk further into Rei's arm and then he tossed my beloved into a tree. He chased after Rei, and repeated the process. With each toss I grew angrier at Nezz for treating Rei so.

"Mariah," I looked up at Kai, "I found out something when researching it. Light hurts it, nothing else" I just stared at him, how was that supposed to help?

Dimetra wriggled out of my arms and launched her crystal 'blade at it. "Obega! Sun's rays!" A surreal light shone from her blade, it was almost as bright as the sun. I saw a large phoenix made out of diamond gleaming just as brightly in the sky.

The attack landed on Nezz as he chased after Rei again. Nezz roared in pain as Dimetra's blade went flying into a tree and the bird disappeared. There was a hole in its chest. It faded into nothing, save for a few strands of black fur that burned away. I got to my feet and ran over to where Rei was resting.

"Rei!" 'Please be alive.'

!-

Well, sorry if the ending was abrupt, I just sorta lost interest in the thing. My apologies.