Run!

Ryelle's POV...

I don't believe this is happening. We've lost two team members, due to overall stupidity of Ronins and the Dynasty's got one hell of a lot stronger lately. I'm fighting back to back with Gaia, Sephy and Clio. The Ronins are in the most trouble. We at least are holding our own. They can't even hold back the simplest attack. I hope to whatever gods may be listening at this particular moment that Al and Di'll arrive soon. What I've heard of the Gargoyles doesn't make me want to be anywhere near them. It's also my most likely destination at the moment. Great. Fabbity fabby fab. Just marvy.

Five minutes later I'm fighting Kayura. Doesn't she ever just give in gracefully? She's winning now, though... I won't last much longer... Parry, thrust, block, swipe, jab, parry... This could go on forever and she's not even breaking a sweat. Her katanas always seem to be ready and waiting to catch mine. I can't win.

Kaz gives out. I can hear her screaming as they transport her to the Dynasty. One down. She's the first of us to go. The Ronins lost Cye and Rowen quite early on. Only eight of us left, now. Me, Sephy, Clio, Gaia, Cassie, Ryo, Sage and Kento.All of us against Kayura, Sekhmet, Kale, Dais... And tons of Tin Cans. Where the hell are Al and Di?

Kayura grins at me and sends me flying with a kick to the jaw. Owwwww. She turns around, only to find the rest of the quartet glaring at her. I try signalling to them as I'm picked up by a Tin Can. Get away! You can't beat them! Get away! Run!

I black out.

Alyssa's POV...

Running. I hate running at the best of times, but it's just so much worse when you're running to save your friends. It's so frustrating. You can never go fast enough.

We get to where we know the rest of our team is. Like I said, never fast enough. Ryelle and Kaz have gone. I don't care about the Ronins.

I melt down into water, and from the slight whisper I hear beside me I know that Di's switched into her Dryad form. We slip down the building into a side alley. We look at each other for a second, then I nod, and we round the corner and blast whatever comes to hand first. I get Sekhmet, Di takes out Dais. Two down. The rest of the Elements look round at us. Somehow I get the feeling they're not too happy with us. Too bad for them. They should have followed us.

The rest of the Dynasty disappears as it becomes clear they won't win. We get mobbed as soon as the last one disappears.

"What the hell did you think you were doing? Where were you?" Sephy really is angry, although I can't blame her. I'd probably be in a similar state if Di had been captured.

Kento picks up. "We've just lost four of us due to the fact that you weren't here!"

I narrow my eyes. I'll take it from Sephy because I respect her right to be furious about this, but he has no right to blame me for this."We weren't here coz we dislike being talked to as objects. I personnally couldn't care less about Torrent and Strata. The ones I'm worried about are Ryelle and ... Well, not so much Kaz."

Gaia looks at us searchingly. It's hard to hide anything from Gaia. She never tells lies, so you can't lie back to her. She can always tell. "To be honest, Sephy, I don't think I'd blame them as much as the guys. I was quite ready to kill them earlier and I know you were in much the same state. Clio was too. We can't blame them for actually having the guts to walk away and not follow Kaz, stupid bitch that she is."

Sage's turn next. "What! We told you what would be best because you asked us and if you chose not to go with it that's your own problem. This is your fault!"

Oh dear. Another argument. What a shame.

Cassie steps in. "Look, maybe we should think about how we're going to get them out instead of bickering about who's fault it is."

She promptly gets pushed out of the way by Gaia. We're all getting riled now. Ryo looks ready to kill, as do most of us elements. Kento and Sage look way past that.

So, five girls against three boys, since Cassie's refusing to take sides. No way we'll lose this.

Sephy starts to fade back into a shadow, a sure sign that she's about to blow. "You do what you like about your friends. We lost this fight coz you offended two of our team. You're on your own. We'll get Ryelle and Kaz back on our own. The other two can stay there to rot for all I care." She says coldly. "Come on, girls." She turns and walk off into the fog that's started to build up. We all follow her. No exceptions this time.

When we get back to our flat, Cassie collapses into tears. "God, you lot are so stupid! We can't afford to fight them! The entire world'll suffer if we do!"

Sephy crosses the room to her. "I don't give a damn about the rest of the world. I'm worried about Ryelle. I don't care about Kaz, seeing as it's her fault we're in this mess in the first place. She can go to hell. Oh, and another thing. If you think I'm ever going to go out with that complete bastard of a Halo, you've got another thing coming, girl." Oooooh, she's angry now.

Cassie looks slightly stunned. Can't really blame her.

Sephy turns back to the rest of us. "Ok, so this is bad. We're two down, and we have no idea how to get to the Dynasty. Any ideas? Oh, and the first person that mentions the Ronins will be sent down to hell to argue about it with my patronness."

We don't say anything for a while, then Clio breaks in. "The Dynasty has quite a lot of power in it, wouldn't you say?" We all nod slowly. "Then there has to be a break in their shield somewhere. Somewhere where we can open a way through."

Gaia raises her eyebrows. "That went by a little fast."

"All places of extreme power that have a shield around them need a... a hole to let all the excess energy out through their shield. All we have to do is find the loophole, open a portal and hop through."

Sephy rolls her eyes. "You make it sound so easy."

Clio looks surprised. "It is, though. Me and Cassie should manage it on our own."

Sephy looks back at her, a grin slowly forming on her face. "You're serious?" Clio nods. "Then do it. I'm not leaving Ryelle in there any longer than necessary."

And voilà, new chapter! Just so you know, I'm not putting the next chapter up unless I get two reviews on this fic. Flame if you like, I don't really care any more.You have been warned.

Carline