Recalling the Spirit 34

Hello again. I will try to keep this chapter shorter and better. Personally I really disliked the last chapter at certain points (I also liked it at others so there you go.) At times it was extremely rushed.

I will be replying to reviews IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!

Yes, I do realize that Tamiko was OOC at the end of the chapter, but there is a reason, so don't despair!

Hmm, upping the language just a little bit in this chapter. Nothing too bad. Basically one word used repetitively, mostly by Ferio.

TRUE SELF

Akira continued to pat Pauline's shoulder helplessly. "You're going to wake somebody up." He commented helplessly, trying to make his words as gentle as possible, a little bit of hysterical panic seeping into his voice. This girl was having a major breakdown, and he had no clue how to deal with it!

His words did the trick however. Pauline forcibly straightened, wiping her face of tears. "You're right. Sorry." Her voice was soft and lowered, and her gaze traveled over each of the sleeping figures. Caitlyn, breathing deeply, Linda sprawled on the ground, snoring, Morgaine leaning against a tree, slow breaths making her move ever so slightly, and that girl Tamiko…

Pauline blinked, looked at Tamiko's sleeping place harder, and then blinked again. She was sore and tired, both physically and emotionally, but she realized that something was not right. "Hey, where'd your girlfriend go?"

Relieved that Pauline had calmed, it took a little while for her words to register in Akira's mind. "Huh? What, Tamiko? She's NOT my…what do you mean where'd she…" He abruptly stopped as he looked over at the space where only moments before, Tamiko had been sleeping. He stood up quickly, straining his leg muscles to a painful extent. Ignoring the feeling of his legs being on fire, he stumbled over to the crushed grass where the Oriental girl had lain.

Pauline looked over the scene with a sharp eye. Tamiko had gone missing, that much was obvious. But was she just off for a walk in the woods, or had something more sinister befallen the older girl?

Speaking with strong authority, Pauline called out for her fellow Elementals to wake as she stood and peered around the clearing, looking for any clues to the absence of the teen.

"Girls! C'mon, wake up! Tamiko's gone missing!"

Morgaine was the first to react to her friend's calling. She stirred slightly, her eyes half lidded and lazy. Half awake, the auburn haired Elemental of Wind hadn't really heard any of the words that her friend had uttered. Groaning at the fact that she had been woken up too early from a pleasant dream, she yelled loudly. "Pauline, shut up! Go back to sleep." Her eyes slid shut as she finished, and seconds later she was fast asleep.

"Wake up! Tamiko's gone missing! Morgaine, Linda, Caitlyn, come ON!"

Caitlyn sat up, her hair tangled in a ratty bird's nest, her eyes slightly blurry. She was not chipper but seemed to be in a far more serious mood now. "Tamiko's gone missing?" She questioned of her black haired friend. "Was she kidnapped?"

"We don't know." Pauline replied. Akira started calling out Tamiko's name, his eyes searching the forest for any sign of movement that might be her. Pauline sighed, and rubbed her forehead. "We don't know."

"Why aren't the others awake?"

Pauline frowned. "Linda's hasn't awoken…and you know Morgaine." She shuddered slightly. Their auburn haired friend was a deep sleeper, and difficult to wake up. When shaken she would not stir, when punched, she would not wake, when sat upon, she would just continue sleeping…fortunately, Morgaine was an extremely early waker, so she would usually be up and about far earlier then any of her friends. But if they wanted to interrupt her sleep in the middle of the night…it was pretty much impossible. And the few times that she had been able to be woken up at sleepovers and such, she would give the person who had disturbed her an earful of screams and yells, telling them off for waking her up.

Caitlyn bit her lip, thinking. "One of us should wake up each of them…I'll take Linda." She added hastily.

Pauline swore under her breath, but didn't argue. They had to find Tamiko. She strode forward with purpose towards the sleeping figure that was Morgaine, her face lined with determination. Crouching beside her friend, she frowned trying to force her tired, sluggish brain to think quickly. How can I wake her up?

A thought surfaced, and Pauline smiled grimly. She wasn't sure if this would work, but it was worth a try. She bent down and whispered something in Morgaine's ear.

The reaction was sudden. Morgaine's eyes snapped open, and her bleary gaze travelled around the clearing, her right hand snapping out to grab her weapon, close at hand. "What? Where?" Her voice was filled with panic, but it drained away as suspicion dawned. "There's nobody attacking us. Pauline…" The last word was filled with menace. Morgaine opened her mouth to yell at her friend when Pauline cut in.

"Tamiko's missing."

Morgaine's mouth slowly closed as the words she was about to scream drained out of her head. She gathered herself together, and once again opened her mouth to speak, this time more calmly. As she did so she stood up, causing Pauline to have to follow suit.

"What? Surely she just went for a walk…?"

Pauline pointed at the blazing fire pit. "Akira and I were talking. She probably would have told us if she was going anywhere."

Morgaine rubbed her blurry eyes. "I still don't get what's going on!"

"Go talk to Akira, I'll help inform Linda." With that Pauline left her, striding over to Caitlyn and Linda, taking charge. At any other time, Morgaine would have called her bossy and pushy, but she was the most informed and now was not the time or place for name-calling.

She approached Akira hesitantly. She knew how he felt about Tamiko, and though she had never really been in a relationship before, she knew how he would be overwhelmed by fear and worry.

She stood behind him awkwardly for a moment, not knowing quite what to do, and then she spoke. "Akira? Um, Tá brón orm. I'm sorry. I heard what happened." She had heard him speak Irish gaelic before, and she had detected the lilt of his accent when he spoke English. Something had made her speak the phrase 'I'm sorry' in his native tongue.

He turned to face her, his eyes were wild, filled with strong, painful, emotions. They struck Morgaine like a wall, forcing her to avert her eyes. For that split second that their gazes had met, she had felt his pain, known what he was going through. She couldn't look anymore.

"How do you know…?" He rasped, but stopped when he caught sight of her Celtic jewelry. "You're Irish?" He forced himself to talk, but through the mind-numbing worry was a bit of curiousity. The girl's accent wasn't Irish, but foreign.

"No. Irish ancestors, but I'm from Canada. I'm learning Irish Gaelic." She shook her head slightly. "But this is not why I came to speak with you." She rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn, feeling weary. Every bone in her body was sore, and her eyelids felt heavy. It was hard to get a good sleep when you were afraid of being ambushed by the dark elementals. Pauline, Linda, Pauline and herself had been tracking across the spirit world for a week, looking for the Elemental that had battled Kyu, with no success. Now, against their wills, they had become involved with another group of mortals, deturing them from their mission.

Akira returned his gaze out to the forest, finding it difficult to speak. Worry seemed to close his throat, making it impossible to swallow.

"I don't know where she is." He muttered hoarsely. Morgaine bit her lip. She had two choices: She could play the unfeeling, cold character, continuing to question him for all the information she needed, or she could be the kind, caring individual who would leave him alone when he so needed to be alone. She decided to be a mix.

"When was the last time you saw her?" She questioned him gently, her voice kind, encouraging an answer from him. Her clear, level gaze staring right at him, penetrating him.

He shrugged helplessly, making Morgaine feel slighty guilty, but she brushed it away like dirt on a wooden floor: it was necessary she received all information untainted by bias.

"I…I don't know. About half an hour ago I suppose." His voice skyrocketed into a raspy soprano on the last word, and he broke off, turning away from Morgaine even more.

She nodded crispy, muttered an apology and a few encouraging words, and walked over to Linda who had awoken and been filled in on current events.

Pauline spoke out, her loud voice reverberating around the small clearing. "All right, everybody's awake. How should we organize a search."

"We should split up into groups: each group having a Fire Elemental. Either we can have either me, Pauline or Linda searching by themselves, or we can have a group of three." Morgaine frowned slightly as she said this, thinking about the best possible way of action. "It's better if we spread out, of course, but…"

"It's more dangerous to the individual." Caitlyn finished for her. "Are there any out of the three of you who would be all right if they travelled alone?"

In the serious situation, the four Elemental girls forgot about their ages, their teasing, or their lighthearted personalities. They donned serenity like a cloak, to be removed once the crisis was abated.

Linda nodded. "I'll go. We're in the forest: my element. It's probably safest if I am the one to go alone."

"I'll go with Akira." Pauline offered. "and you can go with Caitlyn, Morgaine."

"That's fine with me. I suggest that we stick to the directions where our own Elements lie. Pauline and Akira can go south and search the area around the lake, because Pauline's water powers will be strongest there. Caitlyn and I can take north, towards the bathhouse, because the wide open area feels the touch of the wind more then anywhere else here. Linda can take east and west…if she's up to it."

Linda had already picked up her battle-axe. "I'm fine. Okay, lets go do this thing!"


Plunk. Plunk. Plunk.

Sighing, the Dragon of Egypt picked up the pebble that rolled down to brush against her fingertips and threw it at the wooden door.

Plunk.

Her ebony black hair was in a blunt cut down to her chin, and her large eyes seemed orange-yellow in the darkness. Around her neck was a golden necklace, the pendant a scarab bettle, tucked under the dirty, torn white dress, the skirt damp from sitting, her back against the wall. It was her only ornament, all others being taken from her when she was captured to be one of Kyu's sacrifices.

She was in a small, moist dugout that contained the clotting scent of dirt. There was a door with small holes cut into it to allow the air to circulate, but it was sealed shut with ice. The only person being able to open the door was Kyu. There were many other such dugouts around, some filled with men, others with women. All Dragons of their homelands. The door put the Dragon of Egypt in mind of a cage for wild animals.

"Nile, would you please stop doing that? You're going to awaken Bou Lee, and I just got her asleep!" A young woman, wearing the uniform white dress that all female Dragon sacrifices wore, stood. Her name was Binti, and she was the Dragon of South Africa. Her hair was cropped close to her head, and she had silver hoops dangling from both ears, setting off her tall, dark skinned complexion.

"She's right you know. It's getting really irritating." Another voice snapped. That was the sharp tempered Dragon of Scotland. Wrinkles told of her age, and her long white hair hung loose around her shoulders. She was huddled in a corner of the dirt grotto, her face showing that she had given up on any chance of escape. Mariah was her name, and she was the oldest of all the Dragons, also one of the most foul tempered.

Nile stood, brushed off her dress as best as she could, and, ducking slightly as to not scrape her head on the surface, and walked over to Bou Lee, the youngest of all of the sacrifices. She was only a year and a half old, her tousled black hair still thin as it grew, still unknowing of how to walk, and was only just learning how to speak. As of now, her almond shaped eyes were closed, the lids crinkled slightly as the tiny girl frowned in her dreams. Her sacrificial white clothing that she had been given was not a dress like the others, but a kimono. The petite Dragon of China's mouth opened slightly to let out a yawn in her sleep. Nile shook her head slightly. Binti had been a mother to the Chinese babe ever since they had been tossed in this dugout.

Both of their stories were sad ones. Bou Lee had been orphaned in China, her unknown family unable to take care of her. Kyu had discovered that she was the Dragon, had 'adopted' her, and ripped her away from her homeland, throwing her in this dirt-hole with no-one to take care of her. All alone she had cried for days, starving and lonely. There was much food in the dugout, oh yes, Kyu made sure of that. He didn't want his Dragon sacrifices to starve, but there was no-one to feed it to Bou-Lee.

That's when Binti arrived, face scratched and her heart torn. At the age of twenty-three, she had been a single mother, her little daughter, the person that meant everything to her, being three months old.

One day she had been putting her baby in the cradle, singing her a lullaby gently to hush her daughter into sleep when the nursary door banged open.

It was Kyu, his eyes shining with an icy gleam, mist rising of his chilled body. Startled, Binti had no time to change into the couger that was her other form, or even partially to protect her or her child. Kyu had froze her from the shoulders down in a block of ice, plucking her daughter from her arms. Binti had screamed out.

"No! Don't hurt my daughter! She won't survive without me! I will go anywhere you wish, just please don't hurt Janice. Give me my child back!"

Her hystarical cries seemed to affect Kyu. The man had shook his head, his brown blunt cut hair making little crunching noises as it moved, dislodging ice crystals. His eyes were sad and pitying.

"You would not want her to share your fate, Dragon of South Africa. This little child will die with you or without you, both ways long, slow and painful. She does not deserve this."

Then he killed Binti's daughter. Her death was quick: the child didn't even have time to cry out. He had slit her throat.

Binti's eyes trailed across her baby child's mangled body, and then, with a look filled of loathing, up at Kyu. She did not cry for her child then: the pain was too deep, and she would not show weakness in front of her baby's murderer.

"I may not be able to move trapped in this ice. But one day, damn you, one day I will be free, and then I'll come after you." Her eyes glowed orange for a moment, and the wild cougar within Binti roared, begging to be free and hunt its prey, to get revenge for her daughter.

Kyu had paid her no heed, instead taking off the curtain hanging from the wall and sliding the curtains off to reveal a metal pole. He seemed to weigh it for a moment, then swung it at Binti's head, and her world went black.

When she awoke she was in a musty smelling earthen cave, all alone. There was that split second of how-did-I-get-here, and then reality hit her like a punch in the stomach. She cried then for her child, she didn't know for how long. Suddenly a baby's cry from the other side of the half lit dugout startled Binti. She stood, wobbling a bit, and walked over to the source of the noise. It was a Chinese baby, older then her Janice was…had been, she reminded herself, tears streaking down her face again. A band around her wrist stated she was adopted, and her name was Bou Lee. She had no surname. She had no family.

"You and I will be a family, little one." Binti had said. "Two lost souls, alone in the world." The pain of losing her only daughter was still fresh, but this child needed to be taken care of so badly.

"I will be your mother, and you will be my little girl."

Nile smiled gently at the pair, before sitting down beside them. "I wonder what happened to Karma." She said softly.

Binti shrugged. "She was brave to run away when Kyu took her for questioning. Hopefully, she still lives, though it is hard to tell how far a blind girl will get in an unknown world. What was that prophecy she told you?"

Nile looked away fom her friend and at the small holes in the door, their only glimpse at the outside world, and rehearsed it as best as she could, remembering Karma's far off expression when she had said it.

"Two will come to join the fight:

One from dark

One from light.

One each to be claimed by Ice and Fire,

Though each will start neutral, they will both conspire.

Light bright as the heavens,

Dark black as night.

Half spirit, half human, the both of them are,

Light a girl born from an angel afar,

Dark half devil, though his soul is not marred,

When each join a side, the fight will commence:

Let the war of the Elementals begin."

Binti frowned. "That sounds like a load of rubbish to me. Do you understand what's it's saying, Nile?"

Nile shrugged. "Well, let's dissect the prophecy. There's a War between Elementals arriving. On one side is Kyu, the elemental of ice who wants to sacrifice us so he can control the spirit world. On the other is Akira, the elemental of fire. I know him: he'll be fighting against Kyu along with my cousin's child Tamiko."

"Isn't your cousin Haku, Dragon of Japan?"

"Yes he is, but don't think he's captured yet. Now don't interrupt. So in addition to the four hundred and fifty elementals of the world who have already chosen a side, there are two more that haven't. The Elemental of Darkness and the Elemental of Light. The Elemental of Light's a girl, Elemental of Darkness is a boy. They're both half-spirit, which is interesting: all Elementals are human. Maybe their spirit sides lend them extra power or something. So Light is half angel, Dark is half devil and when they both join their sides, the War of the Elementals will start."

Binti was sensible. "How many will surivive the battle?" Nile shook her head in reply.

"I don't know. I really don't." Her voice was tinged with sadness. She knew the grief that would come of the battle, unknown by the normal mortals.

"Do Light and Dark know of their destiny?"

"I don't know. I should think they would."

"So when Dark joins Kyu and Light joins Akira…"

"Then it begins."


Guenivere stepped lightly over a thorn bush, her honey yellow hair spilling over her shoulders. She was wearing a sparkling creamy white dress with long sleeves, having just been at her older brother's wedding as the maid of honour before she was tugged out of that world and brought here. She had a very light, cheerful personality, and would every day make one wish.

Today she wished that maids of honour were allowed to wear slacks and a good heavy sweater to weddings and instead of carrying flowers they carried camping equipment.

It's dark here: probably the spirit world is a different time zone. She thought, half-jokingly. Frusturated that she was unable to see, she cupped her palms together, and light spilled from them, bubbling over like a stream.

Ah, that's better. The Elemental of Light thought, satisfied, and she continued walking.


"Caitlyn, light something on fire, please." Morgaine requested, her voice pleading.

Caitlyn was shocked and startled. "What? Are you, like, bored or something?"

They were in the middle of the dark forest, heading towards the bathhouse. They group had split up moments before, and Morgaine was already a little frusturated. How were they supposed to find somebody if they couldn't see themselves?

"I didn't mean like THAT. I meant light a branch for a torch. Not light up the whole forest!"

"Oh. I understand." Caitlyn picked up a branch and focused on it. The top burst into flames and a four foot radius around them was illuminated.

Morgaine sighed. "Much better. Thank you."

Caitlyn looked at her sideways. "What's on your mind? You seem preoccupied."

Morgaine shrugged off her friend's concern, trying to keep her face impassive. The truth was fear filled her body, burning and torturing her within like hot lead had been poured into her bones. She was scared that they would be ambushed, scared that Lantis would come and put her in another nightmare, scared that she would die for a needless cause, scared that her blood would stain the earth as Kyu slit her throat…

"I'm fine." She replied, her voice even. All her life she had built walls around her heart around her soul, made sure she would be able to control her emotions and no one had ever been able to break them down…

Except for one person. A certain green haired amber eyed man who had rescued her from Lantis's nightmare. Not for the first time Morgaine wondered why Ferio had been able to get through her defenses, breaking down the walls that surrounded and protected the real her, if only for a moment.

Caitlyn was slightly unnerved by her friend's silence, but she didn't comment on it becuase her emotions were also in turmoil, but for very different reasons. She had a twin. A brother. Yesterday she had tried to take it nonchalently, but inside she had screamed and yelled and gotten all confused. Could she trust this newfound sibling? It seemed that she had to, for the moment. Pauline and Morgaine both seemed to trust Akira, but it was always difficult to tell with Morgaine, who would act like someone's friend but be wary of them, and Pauline was always a bit of an act-first-deal-with-the-concequences-later sort of person.

Both girls were shocked out of their reverie when they heard a shout from the bathhouse, and saw a crackle of electricity. They looked at each other, not needing words. The electricity was Jake's. He was attacking someone. They both nodded and dashed as quickly as they could up towards the bathhouse, dodging branches, jumping over logs and pushing their was through bushes. One thin, whiplike branch caught Morgaine across the face, slicing her cheek, leaving an angry red line which oozed blood slowly. A particularily tough patch of thorns scratched Caitlyn's legs unnoticed.

The bathhouse came into view. Once magnificant, it now was a dead building, burned and blackened. Mist rose from from the ice covered building, making it appear creepy and sinister. Morgaine abruptly halted about five feet from the clearing and hid behind a tree.

"Put the fire out!" She hissed at Caitlyn, who complied, forcing the flickering orange yellow flames dancing on the top of the blackened wood to disappear. The Elemental of Fire could only see by the moonlight now, which illuminated her surroundings. She felt unprotected with her element not immidiently at hand. She shivered as her skin, not warmed by the fire, was exposed to the night. The stars and moon shone brightly, but they gave no warmth, and there was a cool breeze blowing through her hair, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. She glanced at Morgaine. The girl stood stock still, her eyes closed, taking slow deep breaths. The wind played with her auburn hair making her bangs tousled. Morgaine's lips moved silently, and she seemed completely focused on something else.

Caitlyn felt it, the breeze increasing slightly, and then more, until the trees started to creak, bending slightly under the force of the rising wind. Caitlyn shivered again, but this time not because of the cold. Morgaine's power was strong, but it could also be subtle, and her friend looked eerie in the night, calling upon the wind to be ready in case she needed it. Shadows flickered across her calm face as she spoke to her element. The wind whispered back in reply, the leaves echoing it's message.

Morgaine's eyes shot open, and Caitlyn jumped, a little startled. The Elemental of Wind nodded, and then motioned to proceed.

They both crept a little closer, making sure they were still hidden by the shadows, until they wer at the line of trees that seperated forest from bathhouse clearing. Once again they both crouched behind trees.

Jake was visible, as well as an undistinguishable figure hidden in the shadows, clutching its arm.

Jake called out in a teasing tone, electricity snaking around his hand. "I'm sorry, that's the wrong answer, half-breed. I'll give you one more chance to answer properly."

A male voice came from the darkened shadow. "I've already given you my answer: I'm not going to change it. And unless no means yes where you come from, I think you're going to be disappointed."

Morgaine let out a little gasp, recognizing the voice. Caitlyn looked sharply at her friend, her eyes demanding an answer, but Morgaine gaze was fixed upon the battle.

"Why won't you join us? There's nothing holding you back." Jake questioned sharply, and then something seemed to occur to him. His voice grew teasing. "Oooooh. I see. It's that girl, isn't it? That Elemental of Wind."

Caitlyn's eyes widened, an her gaze once again traveled to Morgaine. Was it just her, or ws there a faint blush on the girl's cheeks?

Jake continued, waving his hand around. "What was her name again? Migraine? Margarine? Oh. Morgaine. I don't see what you see in her, personally. She may be pretty but she's a cold-hearted bitc-"

The figure in the shadows yelled something indistinguishable, and shadows leapt into being at Jake's feet, dark tendrils winding around him, closing around his throat. The Elemental of Electricity made a croaking noise as he attepted to breathe and failed.

The voice from the shadows spoke again, and this time it resonated with anger. "You will never…"

"What?" Jake asked innocently, sweat beads rolling down the side of his face, his skin unnaturally pale as he fought to speak. "Did I touch a nerve? Seems like I found your weakness! Who would have thought it? Do you love her?"

"Shut up!" The man was flustered, angry, losing his cool. A mistake, as it turns out.

"Lantis! Now!"

The tall imposing man strode out of the shadows behind the darkened sillouhette, and with a curt nod, shot one of his nightmares at the man in the shadows, illuminating him for a split second before he was enveloped in the nightmare, the white opaque light hiding him from the girls' view.

There was a moment of complete silence, and then the light disappeared, the man standing there once again hidden by the shadows. He spoke to Lantis, all his focus on the taller man.

This is REALLY tedious. Thought Caitlyn violently. Who IS that guy?I can't see him! How does Morgaine know him?

"You know your nightmares can't capture me. Why bother?" the voice seemed light and friendly, with a dangerous undertone. Lantis shrugged.

Behind the man in the shadows, unnoticed, Jake was freed from the binding shadows. When the man was distracted by the nightmare Lantis had put him in, he had forgotten about the Elemental of Electricity behind him. Grinning evilly, Jake summoned lightning into his palms, preparing to shoot it at the figure in the shadows from behind. A coward's act.

Jake let fly his lightning attack, crying out. "He was a distraction! If you don't join us, you die, Ferio!"

There was an angry yell and a bright flash, blinding all those in the clearing.

Caitlyn rubbed her eyes hard, and, once her vision came back, looked over at Morgaine. "What…" She hissed, and then stopped. She wasn't there.

Morgaine stood in front of Ferio, her arms held in front of her, rage showing on her every feature. The wind shield that she had called up to protect her and the Elemental of Shadows faded. The speed of the wind picked up to match the girl's anger, blowing chunks of wood from the bathhoue everywhere; from deep in the forest the crash of a tree uprooting in the gale could be heard. Her eyes glowed with a greenish hue, her hair whipped around her face and she trembled with rage.

The electric attack had made small fires on the grass and on the smouldering building, lighting up the battle area with flames.

Ferio's eyes widened. His left arm was burned badly, and he grasped it with his right hand as he stared at the back of the Elemental of Wind. He was in shock. He was in no fighting condition, and he thought he was about to die and then suddenly she was here.

"Morgaine? What in…"

"Are you all right?" She called over the rising wind, not tearing her eyes away from Jake.

"Yeah, but…"

"Caitlyn! You take Lantis! Try to find out if he knows anything about Tamiko's disappearance!" She yelled, and then her angry gaze landed once agan on Jake.

Caitlyn ran out of the clearing, passing by Morgaine and Ferio to get to her opponent who was still disoriented by the flash of light. Ferio grabbed her arm to stop her.

"What's going on?" He asked her hurriedly.

"Tamiko's missing." Caitlyn replied hurriedly. "Now let me go! I have to-"

"What's with her?" He said, nodding in Morgaine's direction. The grin that Caitlyn gave him was wicked, full of menacing glee. Ferio felt like backing away. This girl had an evil glint in her eye.

"She's about to have a firecracker moment." The Elemental of Fire replied happily. "He's not going to know what's hit him!" With that she broke out of his grip and ran to meet Lantis, fire already sizzling on her open hands, her peppery spirit dropped like an actor's mask to reveal a far more serious personality.

"Oh, so it's you again?" Jake said, a little surprised at the appearance of the Elemental of Wind, but his voice changed into one of anger. "Do you have a death wish? I mean, I know you think you're strong and that but you're a girl. Girls are weak."

Something like a growl came from Morgaine's throat. The wind suddenly stopped, and Morgaine's words, each quiet and full of anger were heard clearly.

"Say. That. Again."

Jake shrugged of her temperment, firm in his beliefs. "I said 'all girls are'…"

The gale, with more force then it had possesed before, returned, surprising Jake, making him lose his focus. With a screech of rage, Morgaine thrust forward a hand, and a tornado of wind hit the teenage boy, throwing him back over fifty feet, landing with a crash. With another cry of rage Morgaine launched herself into the air, and flew after him. Hovering a few feet in the air, she yelled at him. There was no flicker of Morgaine in her eyes, only the rage.

"GET UP! YOU HEARD ME, YOU LOATHSOME PIECE OF COWARDLY DUNG!"

Jake stumbled to his feet. "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?"

Morgaine's voice got louder if that was possible. "I'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH MURDERERS! BUT YOU, YOU WHO WOULD KILL WHEN A PERSON WAS DESTRACTED, YOU ARE THE BOTTOM OF THE HEAP! A COWARD! GANGING UP ON FERIO LIKE THAT! YOU UTTER, UTTER COWARD!" The anger flowed through Morgaine's veins like hot lava, affecting wherever it touched. She couldn't stop herself if she wanted to now. She was out of control. Rage filled her every pore.

On the other side of a somewhat bewildered Ferio, Lantis had finally regained his sight. "And who are you?" He asked calmly, directing the question at the Elemental of Fire clothed in red that stood before him.

Caitlyn smiled grimly. "Me, Lantis? I'm your worst nightmare."

Summoning flame into her palm, she blasted a torrent of flame which he dodged easily. "Afraid to fight?" She asked.

"No." he replied and indeed, his face showed no fear. He was a man of few words. "Should I be?"

Caitlyn grinned. "Oh, yes. Yes you should." She ducked as one of his nightmares sailed over her head, and shot fire back at him, scorching the top of his hair.

In the meantime, Morgaine had swooped down, landing on the ground and punched Jake in the gut, a move that was completely unsuspected. When he bent over in pain she grabbed him by the neck and pinned him against the tree.

"Where's Tamiko?" She hissed at him. Jake shrugged and she tightened her grip. "Where is she?"

Jake's voice was pitying though he feared for his life. "You're like an animal. Just a savage, enraged animal."

He pulled out a hidden knife from his sleeve and stabbed her arm that held him. She let out a cry of pain, and he backed away from her.

"I don't know where your stupid friend is." He called out to her.

Morgaine bit her lip hard, forcing herself to calm down. All right, it's useless fighting with no mind. All right. Deep breaths. She realized that his dagger hand struck bone and that her right arm was now useless, bleeding heavily, blood staining her clothes and pooling around her. I'm going to have to be careful not to slip in that. Ow, that really, really hurts. She embraced the sudden pain, using it to pull herself back to her senses.

I'm fine. Anger is a vice, not a virtue, anger is a vice, not a virtue…

"What, have you given up?" Jake yelled at her.

Morgaine realized she had little time left to work with. Exhaustion and pain were overwhelming her and her world was starting to turn black.

Lifting her left arm, wincing as she slightly shifted her right, she summoned up the last dregs of her power.

"WIND!" She cried out, and speeding air hit Jake like a torrent. He was blasted off his feet and thrown into a tree, rendering him unconcious.

That's all right then. She thought, and succumbed to the darkness and the thought of rest that nagged at her mind. Her knees gave way and she collapsed, hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

"Morgaine!" Caitlyn screamed as she looked over and saw her friend on the ground, lying in a growing pool of her own blood. "Morgaine!"

She turned, met the even gaze of Lantis and realized something. "You don't really believe in what you're fighting for, do you?"

Shock registered on the Elemental of Dreams face. "What…how…"

Caitlyn smiled at him. "You don't want to be here. I can see it in your eyes." Lantis gave her a small smile in return, taking a liking to this sparky young individual.

"So, why don't we just stop here. You can tend to your friend, and me to mine."

Lantis nodded. "You can tend to your friend. I don't care about him." He replied, nodding at the tree where Jake lay tangled in it's branches. "He'll take care of himself once he comes to. I'll see you later." With that he turned around and left, walking towards the bathhouse ruins. Caitlyn raised her eyebrows, made a well-that-was-a-little-strange noise, and, remembering her friend, turned on her heel and sprinted towards the mangled figure.

Ferio was already there, bending over her, deep concern showing in his features. When he saw Caitlyn, it vanished from his gaze as if it had never been. "She's alive, she's just unconcious." He said, as if it was a complete stranger lying on the ground in front of him, wiping the relief from his voice.

Caitlyn knelt on the other side of Morgaine, and gave him a penetrating stare. "What was going on here?" She asked.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "You were here. You saw everything. Morgaine went tempermental." He said the last word a bit unbelieveingly. "And you fought with Lantis."

"I don't mean like that." She said, frusturated with the evasive teen already. "You're avoiding my question. Why were YOU being attacked?"

"Because I was. Do you have anything that I could use as a bandage? Her arm's a mess. Poor girl. I noticed that you and Lantis weren't really fighting."

"What do you mean?"

He gave a half shrug. "I mean that you weren't actually trying to hurt each other. It was interesting to watch."

Caitlyn looked away. "He's nice. I didn't expect him to be nice."

"Why were you out here anyway? At this time of night you all should be asleep."

Caitlyn bit her lip. "A friend of ours has gone missing. We've been searching for her everywhere."

"I haven't seen anyone around this area, and trust me, I would have noticed someone."

Having successfully bandaged the unconcious Morgaine's arm, he looked up. "We should take her back to your camp."

Caitlyn agreed. "But how are we going to get her back?" Damn, he's good. She swore in her mind. He got me completely off-track. He hasn't answered any of my questions.

"I'll carry her." He offered. He bent down to pick up the auburn haired girl when her eyes shot open.

"I am carried by no one." She said forcibly, struggling to sit up. "I am perfectly capable of walking." She caught sight of Caitlyn. "Are you okay?"

Caitlyn nodded. Morgaine's attention turned to Ferio. "Are you?"

"You're more hurt then I am." He replied.

"Right then." She looked down at herself, noting the blood splattered on her clothes, and the bandage around her one arm. "I'm a mess." She strugged to stand, pushing herself up without the use of her right arm. It took her a couple of times before she was sucessfully upright.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. She was a firm believer in independence, thinking that the main person someone would have to rely on is themselves, but Morgaine was just being downright stubborn.

Something occurred to the Elemental of Wind, and she looked around wildly. "Caitlyn, where's Lantis?"

"Oh, he left."

Morgaine blinked, registering shock. "He….left. Just like that. Up and went."

Caitlyn frowned. "I know it sounds weird, but it's true! I don't think he really cares about what's he's fighting for. He's actually really nice."

"Nice." Morgaine shook her head, remembering Lantis's blank expression as he had captured her in a nightmare. "If you say so." She caught Caitlyn's expression and felt a rush of lighthearted energy she hadn't felt in a while. She knew what she was going to say was false, but she felt like saying it anyway.

"Caitlyn….you like him don't you!"

The Elemental of Fire stared at her friend. "What! No I don't!" Where did that come from? That was completely random!

"You do!"

"Don't"

"Do!"

"Don't!"

Morgaine stuck her tongue out at her. "You do!"

Ferio watched them both. Caitlyn was obviously startled by the sudden accusation and teasing, and was defending herself with all her might. Morgaine seemed to be enjoying herself, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Ferio gave a small smile. She was masking her obvious pain, hiding it behind the teasing.

Caitlyn bared her teeth. "Don't!"

Morgaine snickered. "What, you can't trust me with your secret? You know you do!"

"I don't!" Caitlyn punched her friend on the non-bandaged arm.

"Hey! What was that for?" Morgaine questioned and thumped her friend back, using her good arm.

"Ow! Hey!" Caitlyn punched again.

"Stop punching me!" Morgaine cried out, punching her back, stifling her laughter.

"You started it!"

"I did not! You did!"

"NO, YOU…I did?"

Both girls burst out laughing. Morgaine stopped first, shaking her head. "That was really sad. Oh well, there's my random immaturity for the day."

Caitlyn's face split into a grin, and she burst out laughing again.

Morgaine raised her eyebrow, back to her mature self. "Caitlyn? What's so funny? The joke's over."

"It's….Ferio's face!" Caitlyn gasped out, and burst into laughter again.

Morgaine turned, and smiled at Ferio's expression, holding back a laugh. "I'm sorry if we frightened you. I think it's nervous tension or something."

Ferio chuckled. "That was one of the oddest things I have ever seen. Now, hadn't we better go?"

Caitlyn nodded. "Yes. We'll take Morgaine back to camp and then I can go help Linda."

An expression of slight anger was expressed in Morgaine's frown. "Leave me back at camp? Why can't I come with you?"

Caitlyn's gaze sharpened slightly. "Morgaine, don't be stupid. Look at yourself! You're elemental powers are pretty much drained, you're arm's bleeding badly…you're not coming!" Morgaine made a face and Caitlyn added "Don't worry, Mother. I'll bring you back a lollypop."

"Thank you ever so much." Morgaine said dryly. "And I'm not old-looking."

She teetered a couple steps forward, feeling as week as a newborn, and fell forward, Ferio catching her in the last second.

"You okay?" He asked, helping her up, being careful of her arm.

"Yes…thank you." Morgaine replied, and looked down at his hand. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I got my blood on you!"

"It's fine, don't worry about it."

She smiled at him, and he grinned in reply, saying "Hey, you're really cute when you smile!"

Morgaine startled, blushed a deep crimson, turning away. Caitlyn rolled her eyes yet again. "Ferio, you are such a flirt."

He laughed. "I know: it's in my nature. On that note, you're pretty too: just not my type." He turned his attention to Morgaine. "Are you sure you want to walk? I can carry you if you want."

"I'm fine, I just got a little dizzy." She wouldn't meet his eyes, embarrassed. To prove to him that she could walk she took a few long strides. "See? My legs aren't hurt in the slightest."

A small smile lit Ferio's lips. This girl was not going to give up. As they walked through the forest, he watched how she careful she was that nothing bumped against her arm.

"Why is your hair green?" Caitlyn asked bluntly, ever direct. She jumped over a log that barred her way.

"I dyed it." He replied, an outright lie. "I wanted it to be different." He realized after he had said it that Morgaine knew the truth, that she knew it was natural. Would she tell her friend? What reason was there not to? And even if she did, would Caitlyn catch the lie? He didn't know how to distract her from the truth. He swore inside at his sloppiness, struggling to keep his poker face on.

Morgaine turned back to Caitlyn, speaking calmly as she walked. "Do you remember when Violet dyed her hair purple?"

Caitlyn grinned. "Do you remember when Miche' straightened her hair?"

"Oh my gosh, yes. It took me forever to realize."

Ferio let out a breath he had been holding in. I don't believe it. Not only didn't she tell, she distracted her friend from the truth. But why? Without realizing it, he had been staring at her sideways. Morgaine caught him looking at her, smiled, and gave him a small, almost imperceptible nod.

There was a minute of uncomfortable silence in which nobody knew what to say next. This was interrupted by a yell from behind them.

"STOP!"

Vines slithered out of nowhere to wrap around the three wanderers' arms and legs. Morgaine let out a small cry of pain that she couldn't hold in as one tightened its hold around her wounded arm. Caitlyn struggled to get free, growling, and Ferio began to summon shadows to fight the bonds.

"Linda, you dolt, it's us!" Caitlyn cried out.

"Oh. Omigod! Sorry!" The vines instantly dropped away, and Linda came out from the shadows. "Are you okay?" She first caught sight of Ferio. "What are you doing here?"

She looked completely bewildered and out of place. Ferio opened his mouth to explain when she caught sight of Caitlyn and Morgaine. "Oh my God! What happened to Doeby!"

"No big deal, Linda. Don't worry about it." Morgaine said, her tone calm, though pain was shooting through her arm in waves. "Tamiko's not in the bathhouse area. Have you found her yet by any chance?"

"Nope. I checked all through the West side."

"Then all you can do is go check the East. Caitlyn can go with you: I have to go back to camp."

"You sure you're okay Morgaine?"

Morgaine gave her a half smile. "Yep. Go ahead, and good luck."

Linda gave her a nod, and tugged on Caitlyn's sleeve. "C'mon, let's go."

Together they left Morgaine and Ferio, Caitlyn filling Linda in on what had happened.

Morgaine began to walk, but stopped abruptly when she realized Ferio wasn't following her, but instead leaning against the tree, scrutinizing her with his amber yellow eyes.

"What?" She asked, fixing him with her level gaze.

"You are such a liar." He stated, amusement in his voice.

A flicker of shock ran through her eyes, before they went calm again. "Lying? About what?"

He gestured at her arm.

She shrugged. "What makes you think I'm lying?"

"How long were you watching up at the bathhouse?" He asked instead.

"How long were you there for?" She retorted, amusement sparkling in her eyes. He almost laughed. So, an evasive game: asking only questions, dancing around the answers they wanted. Sure, why not?

"Why did you protect me?" he asked.

"Why did you need protection?" She countered, eying his burnt sleeve.

"How much did you hear?" He questioned, wanting to know the answer.

"Why are you worried that I would hear too much?"

Ferio couldn't think about anything to reply to that, so he took a moment thinking up a question. One finally came to him.

"Why do your hide your emotions, and your true self, from everyone around you?" He said softly, his face suddenly serious.

Morgaine took a step backwards, unprepared for this. She stumbled over her words for a moment, finally coming out with "Why do you care?"

He smiled, putting up his hands in defeat. "I give up. You're very tricky."

"Better then being easily tricked." She replied levelly, shifting her weight from one leg to the other, in turn jarring her arm. Biting to inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying out, she swallowed hard. "I'd better go back to camp now and rebind this. Thank you very much for bandaging it in the first place."

"It was no problem." He winked at her, and turned to leave.

"And….thank you for defending my name against what Jake said."

Ferio froze, his back turned to her. She had seen that? He thought. His features relaxed, and he called over his shoulder as he walked off. "You're not cold hearted. I thought you were a little shifty at first, but now I see you're kind of a babe!"

Morgaine turned crimson, turned, and walked back calmly to the camp. Flirt. She thought to herself. It didn't make the colour fade from her face, but it made her feel a little better.


Tamiko shivered, feeling the cold seep through her body. The body that was not her own. She was slouched on the chilly ground, watched the opposite cave wall, hearing the dripping water falling from the slowly melting ice throne. She could see and hear, but could not control her own actions. Something else did that for her: something had climbed in the driver's seat of her body, shoving her to the side.

She had watched as she brushed her hand along a cliff of rock, and stared as it faded away, leaving a cave entrance. She had seen Kyu, sitting on his throne of ice, (did he think himself a king of the spirit world?), she had watched as she bowed to him, pledging her service to him.

She knew the force that used her body. It wasn't Kyu, no, not this time. She didn't carry the same feeling that she had while under his sway. It was almost like…switching places with a friend on a long drive somewhere to share the burden of the driving. She knew the familiar force that had guided her here, that had promised herself to Kyu.

It was herself.

She had felt it once before, when she had arrived in the spirit world for the first time. Her mortal self had been weakened, and her Dragon self, a brutal beast, had taken over.

The reading of Caitlyn's mind must have weakened her mortal side somehow, making it so that her dragon side was able to regain her body once again., showing it's possessiveness only through her now green dragon eyes.

She was furious at Akira, for lying to her, for saying that he had loved her when he really didn't. He had shown his true colours when cheating on her with Pauline. The anger and sense of hopelessness had swamped upon her then and there, tipping the balance just enough so that the Dragon could come into power.

A noise in the darkness brought her mind back to the present. Kyu stepped out of the shadows, cold radiating off of his body. He knelt beside her and cupped her cheek with one hand.

"Taiko, there are several Elementals approaching our placement. I personally will go deal with the Elemental of Light that comes unwary. The other two are searching for you: you will go to them, with Taiy…and kill them. Understood?"

Searching for me? It must be one of those Elemental girls…or Akira! Not that I care about that cheating jerk anymore, or Pauline, but if it's one of the other girls…

She watched in horror as her nails turned into claws and her incisor teeth elongated into sharp points.

"I will deal with them." Her voice replied, and her body stood.

No! Tamiko screamed in her mind. No! This can't be happening! No!


Damn. Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn!

Ferio walked through the forest towards where he had set up camp, a frown on his face, deep in thought. Guilt writhed in his stomach like a pit full of snakes. He grimaced as he replayed what had just happened in his mind.

He was a wandering spy, a sneaky traveller. However you wanted to put it, it all added to the same thing: he was dishonest.

He had leaned early in his life that it would be easier if he were a quick liar, if he could manipulate people to trust him. It was easier to extract information from them, to use them for whatever purposes he needed. He made it easy for people to trust him with his naturally charming personality and kind words, but deep down he was calculating on what he would need to do to get them to do what he wanted. At the same time he had learned to keep his own emotions hidden, and not trust anyone else. He had made a vow to himself that he would trust no-one completely, especially those he was weaving in a web of lies. He was completely a cold-hearted trickster, caring for no one.

He stopped walking and looked down at his hands, still stained with Morgaine's blood.

"I'd better go back to camp now and rebind this. Thank you very much for bandaging it in the first place."

"It was no problem." He winked at her, and turned to leave.

"And…thank you for defending my name against what Jake said."

Ferio shook his head. He had needed to get information on the female group of elementals, Akira and Tamiko. The first time he had, well, spied on the group, it was when Linda, Pauline, Morgaine and Caitlyn had just met Tamiko and Akira. Looking at their faces, he soon realized they would end up travelling as a group. It was then he began a plan to gain information about the 'good' side of the soon-to-be war of the Elementals.

He figured his best chance at divulging information lay with one of the Elemental girls. The Irish man and his Oriental girlfriend were older, and had obviously learned how to keep secrets hidden, impossible for an outsider to discover. Realizing this, he had scanned over the four younger teenagers, and his eyes landed on the level face of Morgaine, the Elemental of Wind. He had grinned at the time. She seemed to be kind of like himself, trusting practically no one, hiding her true self from the world around her. She would be difficult to crack, but not impossible, and he was bored. He had never been able to resist a challenge, and suddenly decided to pick her to be his source of information. He told himself that it was just the want of a challenge that had made him choose her, but there was something deep, deep down that drew him to her, though he refused to acknowledge it. When they had met, he had pretended to be enamoured by her, flirting with her, trying to gain her trust.

She was wary, untrusting of him at first, but he could see against her better judgement that she was beginning to accept him. For God's sake, she had protected him today!

And for some reason that made him feel guilty.

He had never had problems like this before when using various other people. They had just been people: he didn't think twice about lying to them, manipulating them, using them for his own means. He was able to separate himself from them, not become involved in their lives. But Morgaine was different.

He rubbed his face with his other hand. Gods, what's wrong with me? He tried to calm down, let his mind settle on anything other then the matter at hand. He found himself worrying about whether Morgaine would be all right. Her arm was really badly hurt, and she had obviously been hiding most of her pain from him and her friend…

Jesus! Why can't I think of anything else! He cursed silently, furious at himself, unknown emotions churning within him. She's just another person I can use! So what makes her so god damn special?

Images flashed through his mind, swamping the barriers he had tried to build to keep ideas of her out: like a dam under too much pressure: Morgaine thanking him after he had rescued her from Lantis's nightmare, Morgaine's level, calm gaze sparking out of her large, dark, chocolate brown eyes as she questioned him endlessly, Morgaine's face twisted in anger as she yelled at Jake for trying to kill him, Morgaine apologizing to him on numerous occasions, Morgaine's smile lighting up her face, Morgaine accidently showing him her true self for only a moment, Morgaine turning a cute shade of red as he complemented her…

Oh no…He dropped both of his hands to his sides. I know what's happened.

That was another rule. He couldn't let what he was doing backfire on himself. He had to make people like him, but he couldn't allow himself to like them back. He had always had that rule under control. He had never slipped up; cared for the person he was trying to fool…until now.

Just as he had gotten through some of Morgaine's defences, she had unwittingly gotten through some of his own.

She had broken half of his barriers, found her way into his heart. He found it difficult to lie to her, hard to evade her, and impossible to think that someday in the near future he would have to betray her. He shuddered at that thought. That had been his objective since the beginning, but now it seemed less attractive to him then it ever did.

It was now impossible to ignore: he cared about her. It was that simple, and yet that complicated.

Well Ferio, he thought to himself, you've really gotten yourself into trouble this time.


Caitlyn heard a crunch in the woods. Whirling around, she focused, and fire blossomed in her palm. "Did you hear that?" she whispered, her eyes flickering around the trees.

"Huh? What did you say? Speak up, you're talking too softly." Linda said, the loudness of her voice making Caitlyn wince.

"Shhhh! I think somebody's coming." The Elemental of Fire hissed at her friend. Linda's reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened, and then unfocused as she summoned up her power. The trees around them began to creak.

The crunching noise was louder now, definitely coming towards them with purposeful intent.

When a figure stepped out from behind a tree, Linda let out a gasp, and her whole body began to tremble. "Oh my God." She whispered in horror. "No. No! I won't go through it again!"

Pauline and Akira walked in an uncomfortable silence, and had been for the whole trip.

The black haired Elemental of Water was beginning to harbour her suspicions on Tamiko's disappearance. There had been no sign of a struggle where Tamiko had been sleeping, and she would have put up one, wouldn't she have? Wouldn't anyone struggle if they were being abducted? And either Akira or she would have heard some noise.

More and more, it seemed if Tamiko had snuck away…but why? She didn't know the reason, and she didn't want to approach the idea with Akira until she knew the whole story. Telling would cause him more suffering then he was already in, and there was a chance she could be wrong. She didn't want to cause him so much misery unless she was certain.

Akira felt swamped under emotions. Remembering every time that he and Tamiko for some reason had went two different ways in the Spirit World he realized something bad had happened every time, nearly costing one or the other their lives.

Tamiko, hang in there.

Ever since Morgaine, Pauline, Caitlyn and Linda had arrived on the scene, everything had gone haywire. They had taken over, saying that they needed to find the Elemental that challenged Kyu. Akira couldn't seem to get a word in edgewise amongst their chatter that he was the one they were looking for. So only Pauline knew. And he had found out that he had a twin sister, and that she had known their mother. AND he found out that there was going to be a huge war that would wipe out more then three quarters of the Elementals in the world.

Pauline growled, having just stubbed her stubbed her toe on a large rock. The darkness of night surrounded them, and the Elemental of Water was getting frustrated. She wasn't able to see where she was going!

"Akira…would you mind? Dawn's a good five hours away yet, and a cloud's covering the full moon. Can't you, like, light a piece of wood on fire or something?"

Not pausing in his stride, Akira scooped a large thick stick of wood from the forest floor and waved his hand over it. Flames burst into existence, lighting up the area surrounding the pair.

Pauline sighed. "Thank you. Now I can see where…" She stopped speaking as Akira came to an abrupt halt. "What is it?" She asked, instinctively lowering her voice.

Akira didn't answer. He had a feeling that there was somebody watching them. He raised the torch, peering into the gloom that lay ahead of them, where the warm comforting glow of his fire did not reach.

There was a creaking noise from the darkness, and suddenly the fire went out. Pauline stifled a scream as the black of night engulfed them.

"I can see you…" A cold, whispery voice came from behind them. Akira whirled around to find himself face to face with a pair of glowing green eyes. Pauline let out a terrified shriek.

The moon emerged from its cloud cover, illuminating the scene. A strangled noise escaped Akira's throat as he saw who stood before them. His voice when he spoke was raspy and hoarse with pent-up emotion.

"Tamiko…" It was an unbelieving whisper. He spoke again, louder. "Tamiko. Thank God, you're all right!" He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to him close, burying his face in her sweet smelling hair. Resting his chin on top of her head he whispered, "I was so worried about you. I thought I had lost you. Are you all right?" He cradled her in his arms, trying desperately to hold back the tears that he could feel welling up in his eyes.

Pauline's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. There was something wrong with this sweet reunion. She was trying to figure out the problem, to find the catch.

There! Tamiko's face seemed harder; angrier then it should when meeting her loved one, and there was something strange about her hands…

Pauline backed away, taking one step, then another. Oh. My. God.

The Oriental teen's nails were long sharp claws, glinting dangerously in the moonlight. Hysteria swept over the girl, impairing her judgement.

"Akira!" she screamed. "Get away from her! She's a demon!"

Akira had just long enough for one thought to run through her head before pain exploded in his shoulder. He pushed himself away from Tamiko and caught the look in her almond shaped dragon eyes. "Why?" he asked her helplessly as he clenched his shoulder with his other hand, blood pouring from the wound.

Tamiko smiled a cruel, twisted smile and nodded at someone behind Pauline. Pauline screamed as she felt two powerful arms clench onto her shoulders.

"You see, The Elemental of Stone and I wish to have revenge." Her tone was odd…it took a moment for Akira to place what it was, but it sounded oddly formal…like how Karma's dragon Mathus used to speak before he had died!

Pauline let out a gasp, and whirled to find herself face to face with the steely blue gaze that belonged to none other then Taiy. "You…" She whispered, feeling like she was about to cry, but then she hardened her heart.

"We were both wronged by the ones we loved. We both long for payment of that wrongdoing." Tamiko continued, cracking her fingers one by one. "So shall we begin?"

Pauline forgot that she had elemental powers. She forgot that Akira was behind her, confronting Tamiko. She forgot she was in the Spirit world. All there was was herself and Taiy, the man who had betrayed her to Kyu so long ago. The man who she had trusted in completely, and who had almost gotten her and her friends killed. The boy she had cared so deeply about, once upon a time, long, long ago.

She curled up her fist and punched him in the face, breaking his nose. The non-magic attack had startled him, and she took that split second of surprise and punched him in the stomach.

The blue haired Elemental of Stone winced, and grabbed both of her wrists. "What are you doing? Afraid to use your elemental powers against me?"

Pauline noted dimly that she could no longer punch. She also noted that her legs were free. She kicked him hard in the knee, freeing herself. He stumbled back, and she raised both her fists, going into an aggressive stance.

"C'mon, bring it! I haven't got all night you know!"

Taiy shook his head. "Just as hot-headed as always, Pauline." With a wave of his hand, tiny pebbles rose from the ground and pelted at her. She dodged out of the way, but one hit her, ripping her cheek open like a shotgun bullet. Blood began to stream down her face. She raised an unbelieving hand to her cheek. A quick glance over at Akira's battle showed that he wasn't faring so well either. He seemed unwilling to fight, whereas Tamiko slashed at him relentlessly with her long, sharp claws.

We're going to die…

Tamiko's eyes blazed as she struck the Irish man again and again. "Strike me BACK, fool!" She screamed.

Akira's eyes searched hers as she pulled away, shaking his blood from her claws, hoping that it was like last time, that she was being controlled. But no. It was Tamiko, his Tamiko that was doing this to him.

"Why?" He asked softly.

"Why? WHY? The Irish two-timer asks why!" She growled, slashing at him once again. He winced, but met her gaze.

"Don't you realize that I care about you?" He whispered.

Something in Tamiko's eyes flickered, and they suddenly changed from the green to the nut brown with golden flecks that they once were.

"Akira, Pauline, RUN! We'll kill you!" She cried out, panic and worry seeping into her voice.

The brown of her eyes seemed to be swallowed by the emerald. "Yes," she hissed. "By all means, run! Run, and we shall catch you."


Author's Note

Well, didn't mean for this chapter to end up so long, but there it is. I think they are getting longer because I'm nearing the end.

Please, I'd like imput, good or bad. TAMIKO AND AKIRA WILL BE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER A LOT MORE THEN THIS ONE! I put line breaks in but I'm not sure if they will work, becaus they didn't in my last chapter.

Until I write again, (which may be in a good month or so)

Mojo