Chapter 7

Layla would toss and turn in her bed, eyes opening seeing the stars shine through the window. Sitting up, her hand would slide up touching her swollen cheek. That skeleton had made a clear imprint on her to remember. Head tilting to the side seeing Piff sleeping in her little box on the side of the nightstand. "I wonder if he is alright?"

"Is who alright?" The faint soft voice of Flora touched the air.

Layla turning to face Flora seeing she accidently woke her up. "Oh sorry, didn't mean to wake you up Flora. I was worried about Alan they left right after getting back to the picnic."

Flora softly rolled onto her stomach, hands resting in front of her. Hearing what Layla was worried about she gently laughed. "I am sure he is fine. The way it looked I don't believe Princess Diaspro would let him stay hurt for long."

Layla nodded lightly, "Your right." A slight depressed sound caught in her voice.

"What is it dear?" Flora hearing the change in Layla's voice.

"It's nothing Flora, don't worry about it." Layla finding herself backing off the subject.

"So it is true, you do like him don't you dear?" Flora now sitting up on the bed.

Layla shook her head trying to fight off the embarassment on her face. "That obvious huh?"

Flora couldnt help but laugh. "It was obvious the other day. Now its just funny. You two seem so interested in each other. Yet each of you stay at arms length? I sort of feel like I am reading some romantic novel for forbidden love. Like you to cannot be together. Its sort of romantic."

"..." Layla would just sigh, hand sliding on her face listening to Flora's epic explanation. Wow so it was that obvious wasn't it. "Well maybe I can catch him in the morning before class starts. I want to see if he will go out to eat with me after class."

Flora smiled, "I wish I had your initiative Layla. I am not brave enough to do that." Then again she didn't have to worry so much. With her and Helia hooking up it seemed everything would be okay.

Layla turned to Flora before walking to her bed. "I think you are that brave Flora."

A sudden flash of lightning along with the loud crash of thunder made Flora jump a little. "I. I. Maybe I will be in the future."

It seemed the little pixie of chatter would wake up. "Huh what's going on Flora?" The usually loud pixie would rub her eyes a little seeing the rain. "Wow it's really raining hard."

Flora softly put her hand on Chatta's head trying to calm the usually loud pixie to go back to sleep. "Shhh now, yes it's raining pretty hard."

Chatta yawned a little, her hand covering her mouth. "I would hate to be out there."

Layla would nod, "I agree with you Chatta, I would hate to be out there in that storm."

Though it seemed destiny had a different fate for two people. The lightning flashing two figures in view. The rain pelting down on the forms, only for another crackle of lightning to reveal several things in view.

The shifting of the white colored phatom blade pierced the night, "Back off!" The tone of Alan cut through the night's moments of silence. His simple blue jeans clinging to his form. White muscle shirt soaked through with water. His shoulder wound was wrappd tightly. Blood leaking off his lip, free hand resting on the shoulder of Diaspro.

It seemed Diaspro was gasping for air, her breathing shallow, faintly hearing the words of Alan toward the attackers. Hand resting about her throat trying to force more air into her, failing miserably.

It had been a simple night, Alan having been patched up was walking with Diaspro outside of Cloud Tower. Though it seemed when the storm came several creatures appeared attacking wildly. Only to release a gas of some sort. Diaspro inhaling more than she should have became faint and short of breath. Alan however recieved a sharp pummeling from the foes which seemed to be stronger than demons.

With a lightning flash the Snake like creature would hiss, "Releasessss thessssss girlssss boysssss."

Alan glared at the foes his glasses long gone in the struggle itself. "Not a chance!" Concern in his voice, hearing Diaspro's faint breathing she needed a doctor. Who were these fools? Without waiting he stepped forward swiping at one of the random creatures.

This would end poorly do to poor vision and weather Alan easily missed the serpent like beast it's tail slamming into Alan sending him crashing into the arms of a large minotaur style beast. Which would quickly slam Alan into a tree, the tree itself shattering beneath the force.

Diaspro watched, but was unable to do anything, coughing again as her body was soaked in rain water. "...!"

Alan however felt the effects of being these creatures punching bag being bounced off the other. Only to feel himself used as a human ax to knock a tree down. Falling face forward in the mud and water. Coughing hard as blood leaked down his lip. Straining to get up, his arms a little shakey, having lost his katana in the action.

One of the serpents would quickly slide over to the slowly rising hero. It's tail rising up and slamming into his back. Using him like a human basketball, until his form would barely move in the mud. The serpent now shifting to move over to Diaspro. "Letss gossss.."

Diaspro would pull back as the hands of the serpent would try to pull her from the spot she was knelt down against. "Stop..." Her voice shallow and no fire to it.

Alan groaned his vision blurred by the watery mud seeing the serpents move over. Hurting so bad to even lift his form. They were going to take her away? "No!" His hand sliding down to his belt, the sudden ignite of a shuriken would be seen and thrown.

The sharp bladed star would slide into the hand of the serpent as it tried to pull Diaspro from the ground. "Grahhsssss." The green color blood leaked from it's hand, eyes cutting to Alan who was still straining to remain conscious.

There would be a heavy foot slamming into the boy's back. The heel digging into his shoulder. "Now boy you should calm down." Darkar would grin as his heavy foot forced the boy down into the muddy water a semi drowning noise heard. "Listen carefully boy."

Alan strained feeling his body unable to fight much more, lucky to even have thrown that shuriken. "...Stop.."

Darkar growled lifting his foot slamming into the boy's spine once more. "I said listen you fool. I know you can hear me. If you want your precious princess back, I will need you to gather those tasty little pixies from Alfea for me. Bring them to Shadow Haunt and I will release her. I know a strong hero like you can handle it. Now don't forget I will give you one day boy." With that Darkar would step off Alan's spine moving toward the weakend Diaspro.

Alan grabbing Darkar's cape to try one final attempt at stopping him.

Darkar's eyes glowed red witnessing the defiance in this boy, only to kick him across the jaw. The loud pop echoed like lightning watching as the boy fell face forward into the muddy water. Unconscious, bruised, and bloodied. "Now come my dear we have a warm place for you." Darkar lifting the girl by her wrist dragging her away with his snake servants.

Diaspro winced hearing the loud strike given to Alan, eyes widened as he fell lifeless into the muddy water. "Alan!" Her voice sharp, yet that was all, witnessing the glowing red eyed monster known as Darkar. With little choice she was drug away staring back hoping Alan was awake, he would save her wouldn't he?

The loud crackles of lighting and pittering of rain would be all that was left in the open area near Cloud Tower. Leaving the beaten form of Alan to lay in his defeat, what would he do. Could he do as the phoenix demon asked? Could he betray the ones he considered true friends? All these thoughts would pass in a dreamlike state leaving no true answers.