Recalling the Spirit #36

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Miyazaki's characters and/or setting, nor do I own Ferio or Lantis.

Howl's Moving Castle is coming out soon; it's going to be such a good movie!

Review Replies

Ai Tennshi: I take no offence. Trust me, I look over Spirited Again and I wince. Not anything I'd really be into either. How do you feel about recalling the spirit part #2?

M.S.K.: Well, I guess if you want to consider that updating fast it's fine by me! Thank you very much for reviewing again! I really look forward to receiving your reviews.

Ebacusta: Oh, jeez. I'm really sorry. I had no clue that Romaji existed. Well, I did but I wasn't really sure what it was. I thought it was based on Kanji. I should have really known all the facts first. Arigato for the tip! I guess I learned something new. Thanks for reviewing, and persisting on doing so even with my stubborn pig-headishness. I feel like a right eejit.

Burningfate: What…curse…? What ARE you talking about? Is this just randomness…? Please, don't apologize. Honestly, if we keep apologizing for how we're acting odd, we will never talk about anything else! Seriously, though, don't worry about it. Loved your review. Is the character Caitlyn working out better now, do you think?

Sakura-Blossom-Cilla-85: Um…no I'm not basing this story on the outcomes of X, or characters from X or anything. The Dragon of Heaven and the Dragon of Earth vaguely influenced the Elemental of Light and the Elemental of Darkness, but other then that no.

Ahara Musici: No, no more happy…

Taiy-chan: Oh crud, did it? Whoops.

JOIN YOUR SIDE

Guenivere let out a small sigh of relief when the sun rose. The nightmares that had burst forth from her imagination had been banished by the morning's first light. There was no longer anything to fear.

Slowly she lowered herself to the damp ground, no longer caring if her clothes got dirty. She was trembling with exhaustion: she had not rested all night, afraid that harm would come to her in this unknown land if she let her guard down. Her eyelids felt heavy, and of their own accord they began to slide shut. Guenivere's breathing began slow and deepened as she dozed off in the warm morning sun.

Crack! Guenivere jolted awake, her wide eyes scanning the surrounding forest, like a deer that has sensed a predator stalking her. Frightened, she struggled to her feet, the tired aching of what seemed to be every muscle in her body was pushed to the back of her mind, panic welling in her mind. "Who goes there?" she called loudly, trying to hide the tremor in her voice. "Come out where I can see you! I'm warning you, I'm not what I seem!" Her mind through up terrifying images of what might be hunting her, and she shuddered. Don't let me die here, don't let some evil spirit thing be lurking behind me, some demon from the depths of hell…

Something touched her shoulder, and in a frenzied jolt of adrenaline that fear lent her, she whirled around, forgetting that she had powers as the Elemental of Light, and cracked her hand in a whiplash strike across her assaulter's face.

The young man who had been behind her took a step back, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. Guenivere noted that he had a blunt haircut, nut-brown hair falling softly to his shoulders. Icy blue eyes framed by dark lashes returned her gaze, and she saw that he was muscular and well built under baggy jeans held up by a belt and a loose blue sweater. Actually, he was quite handsome…

"You really aren't what you seem, are you." The man winced, wiped his lip again, and then lowered his hand. "I'm sorry if I startled you. I didn't mean to. Have you by chance seen another person around here somewhere?"

Guenivere blinked, completely speechless and confused by the recent turn of events. This guy…and what a cute guy he is too. Guenivere found herself thinking. He's uber hot. Totally dreamy…wait! I don't even know who he is! He could be a demon in disguise…a really good-looking disguise…no! Stop that thought! Omigod, am I drooling? I can't stare at him…but he's so HOT! This guy had appeared out of nowhere, and had started shooting rapid-fire questions at her. She shouldn't be trusting him, let alone finding herself attracted to him.

"Uh…" She began, flustered. She scrounged around in the deep recesses of her brain to find a sharp, witty remark to impress him, but none came. She finally settled with: "Who are you?"

"Kyu Kurasawa. I'm the…I'm kind of in charge around here. And you are?"

"Guenivere Braille. I just got here a little while ago." She added, gesturing at the scenery.

He flashed her a bright smile, his teeth white and even. "Right, now that we've got that over…I'm sorry to be in such a rush, trust me, if my time were my own, I would stay and get to know you better: you seem like a really nice person, but I just don't have time. Have you seen someone pass this way? They'd…well, I have no idea what they'd look like, but they might have a sort of aura of light around them. Maybe in the palms of their hands, or hovering around them."

Guenivere felt her curiosity growing. "There's nobody around here but me. But…about the glow. Do you mean, like, a flashlight?"

"No." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Like a magical power. They'd have the power to create light. I need to hunt them down." His fists clenched and unclenched.

Guenivere backed slowly away. She had thought this man was all right, and he was a killer? More important, he was after HER? "You…You're…hunting them…down?" She stuttered, taking a few steps away from him. He cocked his head, concern in his eyes.

"Hey, are you all right?"

"Why are you looking for her?" She managed to gasp out. He took a step forward to put his hand comfortingly onto her shoulder but she threw herself away from him.

Confusion flickered in Kyu's features. "What do you mean 'her'? How do you know it is a her?" He took another step closer and Guenivere could feel the panic rising in her. No, no, oh please, light don't reveal yourself…

In a hurry to back away from him she found her back against a large, solid oak. She cursed in her mind. He walked towards her again. "What are you afraid of?" he questioned her.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed, throwing up her hands in defence. There was a blinding flash of white light, and then, slowly, it faded.

A soft glow still emitted from Guenivere's hands. The power of the blast had knocked her back against the oak and she had collapsed, the wind knocked out of her. She pushed herself off the ground, panting slightly, leaning against the tree for support.

Kyu, who had took the brunt of the blast, rubbed his eyes to get rid of the spots that obscured his vision.

Pain exploded in his head, and he resisted the urge to groan. Realization hit him like a bullet through the heart. Standing up suddenly, he strode forward, and eyes wide, grabbed Guenivere's wrist and stared at her shining palm.

Guienivere drew back, afraid, and blubbered. "Oh, please, don't hurt me, I swear I won't do anything wrong, please just don't kill me."

Kyu's eyes bored into her own, his face unreadable. Guenivere gave an involuntary shudder. He's going to kill me. He's going to kill me!

"You are the Elemental of Light?" He questioned, his voice flat. She let out a squeak and nodded, unable to speak.

Slowly, to her surprise, his face relaxed, and he helped her to her feet and put a hand under her elbow to steady her. "Then I guess we have more time to talk." He said.


A large group of people was stalking through the forests, some holding flashlights and torches, others sticks. Many bore packs on their backs. They were of all cultures and ages, the oldest a man in his late nineties, hobbling along with the aid of two others of the group, the youngest a frightened looking girl, one sticky hand held by a middle aged woman and the thumb of her other hand was tucked inside her mouth. In the crook of her arm was a teddy bear, and dirt was smeared across her face.

A determined looking male led the group. He was tall, lean and muscular, with a shock of red hair. His skin had just begun to wrinkle, a few lines on his forehead and crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. However he seemed to be of boundless strength, and was impossible to deter once he had his mind set on something.

"Liam. Liam!" One of the members of the forty in the crowd called out, and pushed her way to the front beside the man. Though tall for her seventeen years, she still barely came up to the man's shoulder. "We need to stop. Many of the less fit ones are exhausted. Can't we rest? I know you have your ideals, but…"

"FELLOW ELEMENTALS!" The man, Liam, called out over her voice. "We are almost where we must be! We are almost to the Elemental of Fire! We can make it!"

The teenage girl ran her fingers through her long, curly, brown hair. This guy doesn't LISTEN! She growled inside. Liam turned back to her again. "Sorry, Megan, you were saying?"

"My name's Michelle." She replied resisting the urge to punch him. "Not Megan. Never mind, what I had to tell you wasn't that important." The sarcasm in her voice made a slight whistling noise as went right past him. She pressed on. "Where are we going anyway?"

He pointed towards elevated ground, where lights shone and buildings stood. "The bathhouse. There he waits for us."

"Right then. We'll just drag our sore, tired, aching bodies up the steep, high, hill. No problem. It'll be like a walk in the park."

The forty year old man gave her a condescending grin. "See. I told you. Easy."


­­­­­­­­­­­­­­"Ahhh. Yes! Oh YES! No more trees! I swear, I have had it up to here with trees!"

"What's wrong with trees, Caitlyn?"

"I BURN trees! Um, I mean…Linda, that didn't come out right…"

"Grr…."

Akira watched the four teenage girls spread their belongings around the general area of the bathhouse, near the bridge. They had all agreed to stay away from the main bathhouse building. There was something…wrong…about the burnt out, misshapen place. It was almost like it was not time to go near the bathhouse. Not yet.

He scrutinized them, realizing that they were acting light-hearted to hide the fear and tension that resided in all of them. Even so, they were far more solemn then usual, and not speaking near as much. They all had realized that with Ferio going to join Kyu's side that the war would be soon in coming.

It's out of my control now. At the beginning, it was just me and Tamiko in the spirit world, at odds against Kyu. But the story's grown bigger then the both of us. It doesn't revolve around us anymore. There's Nile, Pauline, Caitlyn, Morgaine, Taiy, Lantis, Ferio…they've all got their own personal stories going on, and they tie in and intermingle with our own. Will they all be able to handle the war? Will they all live through it? It's like a game of chess, and they're all pawns. Powerful in their own way, but easy to kill. Insignificant little pieces, because you've got so many on the board that losing a couple won't hurt.

But that's just a game. Here, they've all got lives to live, families to go home to, careers to enjoy and someone who loves them. Take Morgaine and Ferio for instance. They've both come from different parts of the world to here, and against all odds, found love in one another. They don't know it yet, but it's true. And what are the odds that both of them will live through this battle? Slim to none. Yes, they've all got lives to return to…and some of them won't. I know them all personally…will I be able to see them all as nameless, faceless soldiers that I can order into battle, into the slaughter? Can I do what needs to be done?

"Akira? Hey, Akira, you okay? Hello, anybody in there?"

Akira was only dimly aware of a hand waving in front of his face.

"Linda, stop it. I think he needs some time to think things through. Things are moving too fast…" Whoever was near him walked away.

What if I can't find the strength in me? Tamiko…I need you now more then ever. You always gave me that extra edge. A small smile of remembrance lit up his face. You were always there to encourage me, to help me, to fight by me, and to quarrel with me. The old, fond memories shattered under the weight of the new, more painful ones. And now you've joined them. But... and his tone was one of bewilderment. I'm not angry with you. He bit his lip. I could never be angry with you. I'm just…sad. I cared for you so much, more then you'll ever know. Not just as my love, but as my comrade and friend. I've lost you, but I haven't given up. If this is the path of life you want to take then fine, it's your life. But if it's not…then I'm going to try to get you back. In the meantime, I'll take control of the situation without wallowing in sorrow, like you would've wanted me to do.

Abruptly he stood, startling the four Elemental girls that were in the middle of cooking hotdogs over a firepit. Morgaine's fell of the stick she was using to roast it.

"Oh blast!" She cursed. Hurriedly standing to see if her hotdog was still salvageable, she poked dejectedly at the charred remains of what had at one point been her meal. "Great. This is the second time this has happened since we've gotten here. I'm running out of vege-dogs." Walking over to the area where they had stashed their baggage, she began rummaging through her knapsack. "Glad to see you're back with us, Akira." She called over her shoulder, and frowned again, digging deeper inside the stuffed recesses of her bag. "Jeez, where are they? Stupid things…"

Akira approached the fire, where the rest of the girls were sitting, laughing at their friend's antics. He sat himself down in between Caitlyn and Pauline, who had tears of mirth streaming down her cheeks. He turned to Caitlyn. "Why are you eating? We just had breakfast a little while ago!"

She gave him an odd look. "Um…that was six hours ago. It's noon now."

He blinked. "So I've been sitting over there for…"

"Six hours. That's right."

He blinked again. "Sorry. I was just…"

"…thinking things through."

His gaze when he looked at her was sharp. "Stop that."

She gave him a wicked grin. "I can't help it. It's obvious what you're going to say next." Her smile faded a little under his piercing gaze. "Look, you don't believe all of that 'twins can read each other's mind's' junk, do you? Anybody could've done what I just did." Then her grin was wiped away completely. "Do you have any plans yet?"

"Plans?" He questioned his twin, though he already knew what she meant by the look in her eyes.

"War plans." The Canadian girl answered, completely serious. Lowering her voice slightly so the others would not hear them and become discouraged, she murmured: "It's almost time. We have a couple of days at the most, until things start."

He nodded slightly. "We have to get the Dragons out of Kyu's clutches." He replied, just as quietly. "That's our top priority. We can't let Kyu sacrifice them."

"But he's got them locked away and hidden somewhere! We'd never be able to find them, even without the couple-day time span we have. It's impossible! He's only planning to let them out when it is time for them to be murdered!"

Akira took a deep breath, praying that he was doing the right thing. "I know. That's why we have to rescue them during the war, just before they're killed."

Caitlyn's mouth opened and shut a couple of times, her eyes searching his own, trying to find any hint, any little flicker in his face to show he was joking. There was none. "Are you crazy?" she screeched. Linda, Pauline and Morgaine looked over at them. Noticing, Akira shushed her hurriedly.

"Not so loud!" He hissed, putting a hand against her mouth. Her eyes were alight with anger, a burning gaze of sudden rage directed at his face. Slowly, she subsided, but her eyes kept their lit glow. He took his hand off.

"You must be stark raving mad!" She snapped in softer tones. "Do you know how many of us will die in the war, without the distraction of saving the Dragons? Akira, we'd be slaughtered, mowed down by Kyu and his group as we tried to get to our goal. It would be a massacre! We're not immortal! All it takes is one shot for one of our kind to die."

"I know, but it has to be done."

"No it doesn't! We could…we could look for them before the war."

"You said yourself there's not enough time." Miraculously, Akira was still calm.

"But…but…" Caitlyn spluttered. "There's got to be another way! I know that I might die, and I know…" Here her voice began to go hoarse. "I know that my friends might die too. They know it, and have prepared themselves for it. They've made their choice. But I am not going to stand there and let them needlessly throw their lives away for your stupid idea." She turned away from him. "Maybe your plan is the best course of action." She pronounced clearly. "But I thought that life meant more to you then that. I thought that you were kind and warm-hearted. I was wrong, brother. You're more like Kyu then I realized." Standing, she strode towards her friends, resolutely not looking back at him.

He looked down at the ground, trying to avoid showing that the barb had hurt him. Am I like Kyu? No, no of course I'm not. I wouldn't slaughter hundreds of people to gain control of everything. But is what I'm going to do the same thing? No. Caitlyn, my own twin, fostered away to Canada, doesn't understand the turmoil I'm going through.

His confused attempts to convince himself were interrupted by voices coming from the stairs that led down to the beach.

Glancing at the females that accompanied him, he realized they had stopped whatever they were doing, and were silently preparing themselves for a fight. He followed suit, bringing a small flicker of flame into his palm.

Ready? He mouthed at them. Keeping their eyes fixed on the staircase, they all slightly nodded.

The voices grew louder, and suddenly a tall, red haired man burst into view. "NOW WE ARE…!" he cried, but the rest of the sentence died away as he stared at the cold faces of the five Elementals waiting to shoot him down. A small strangled noise emerged from his throat.

Questions began coming from the group behind him, unseen on the stairs.

"Liam, what's holding us up?"

"Mister, is there something wrong?"

"Je ne parle pas l'Anglais. Sais-tu de problem?"

"Non. Je parle Français aussi. Excuse-moi? Monsier Liam?"

Liam held himself stiffly. Pauline spoke from her crouched position. She didn't make her words dramatic or fancy, sticking with the simple and direct, yet somewhat hostile: "Who are you?" However, those three simple words struck terror into Liam's heart. His mouth opened and closed like a fish, but he was unable to formulate words. It might have been something to do with five super-charged teens ready to blast him at a moment's notice.

"I'd advise you to start talking. We tend to…extract information from those who are silent in a very precise and painful way." Morgaine stated. "And Caitlyn has a bit of a mad going right now, so who knows where she'll aim."

A wicked grin slid on the female Elemental of Fire's face.

The man gulped. "I…I'm Liam. Liam Brookson. I li..live in Argentina. I'm the…the Elemental of Technology."

Pauline shot a sideways glance at Linda. "Technology? Is that an element? Sounds like they were scraping the bottom of the barrel on that one."

Linda shrugged. "Well, there are the main elements: Wind, water, fire, earth. That's me, you, Morgaine, Caitlyn and Akira. Then there are slightly less important elements that deride from ours: ice, stone and electricity. So we're the most powerful, then them, and then I suppose are the extreme lesser elementals like technology, and death."

"Where do Light and Dark fit in?"

"Well, there's best of the best I suppose. Since day represents life and growth and dark represents…"

Akira spoke up. "So sorry to interrupt girls, but is now really the time?"

Both teens winced guiltily, and returned their focus to the frozen Liam.

"What are you doing here?" Akira questioned the man, prepared to attack in case he made any sudden moves.

"Meandnsomeothersarelookinforelementalthatsgoingagainst…"

Akira could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on. "Slow down."

The man swallowed again. "Me and some other Elementals are looking for the Elemental of Fire that's going to oppose The Elemental of Ice. We've come to join him. We have travelled far for many days and ni-"

The flame in Caitlyn's palm gave a dangerous flicker. "That's about enough. We don't need your life story." She interrupted. The man shut himself up.

Morgaine nodded. "He's telling the truth. How many are with you, sir?" She questioned, straightening from her crouched position, extinguishing the wind that had been whirling weakly in her hand, wincing as her healing arm jarred. Akira, watching her, noticed she had dark, pronounced circles under her somewhat dulled eyes and looked unnaturally pale: at the brink of exhaustion. Her element, the wind, seemed to have faded with her, the breeze blowing in the forest wearily, reduced to almost nothing. However, with a sheer force of will, she kept herself attentive and sharp. She needs rest and rejuvenation. Soon. Akira noted.

Liam replied with more confidence now that he saw he was not in any immediate danger. "Seventy, ranging from ages five to eighty six."

Morgaine's gaze slid around her group of friends, lingering on Akira. "Well? Do we trust him?"

He gave a small nod. Pauline, Caitlyn and Linda piped up to voice their agreement. Morgaine let out a heavy sigh, and turned once again to the forty year old carrot top. "Very well. The Irish man you see here is Akira. He is the Elemental of Fire, the man you've been looking for. We are the Elementals of Wind, Fire, Water and Wood. We all hold camp here." She added, gesturing at the dirt path where there stuff was spread and at the small shops lining either side of the road. "You may join us to fight against Kyu. But remember: we haven't accepted you fully yet. We'll be watching you, and if we see anything suspicious…" She let the end of her sentence drift off, letting him imagine what gruesome things might occur.

He bowed, much to everyone's surprise. "Thank you, oh great ones. We will be honoured to fight under you Akira, and your generals."

Pauline glanced at Caitlyn and Morgaine. She mouthed Great ones? What a nerd. Morgaine's mouth quirked as she tried to stifle laughter, and Caitlyn giggled behind her hand.

Liam gestured, and people of all ages, races, females and males, began filing up the stairs. Many of them looked scared, others accepting, and all weary.

Akira stopped Liam, grabbing him by the arm while the various other lesser Elementals walked past. A head shorter then the other man, Akira looked boyish and young next to him, but still spoke with authority. "Tell your people to make their shelter in the deserted shops. They offer good shelter, and me and the four girls won't be using them."

Liam raised an eyebrow. He didn't know of the Elemental of Fire's power, having only heard rumours about the great powerful strategist. He had envisioned a muscular, tall, powerful man in his mid thirties, a natural captain. Needless to say he was a little speculative about a nineteen year old, barely out of boyhood. What kind of power and judgement could a teen have?

"Why not, if they have such good shelter? Unless…there's something wrong with them? Booby-trapped perhaps?"

"Of course not. Don't be ridicules. The girls and I are used to being outside, and the second thing…" He pointed at the stair. "If Kyu, the Elemental of Ice and his army…if he has one yet, decide to ambush us, we'll be able to sound the alarm right away, instead of being taken by surprise because we were in a shop. Plus, we being the five most powerful Elementals here, would be able to take down many more people then anyone else and would be able to hold our own until help arrived. Make sense?"

Liam was a little awed, but only a little. He gave the shorter boy a condescending look. "Yes, but you've missed something. You are the leader of this side." He said this disdainfully, as though Akira wasn't good enough to be the leader of a great army. "If you fall, everything will go to ruins. Do you think it…wise, to put yourself in the front, where you would be in the most danger? Surely it is better for you to stay at the rear and control things from there, where there isn't as much peril?" Apparently he was trying to appeal to what he thought of as the Irish teen's cowardly nature.

Akira's eyes flashed, fiery eyes portraying his anger. However, he fought to remain calm, and said sharply. "I will not stay in back while my fellow Elementals are slain. I am no coward. I fear death, yes, don't we all, but I will not have another's blood spilled in my place, while I stay safe. Now, tend to your people." And with that he strode off, disappearing into the crowd, leaving Liam to gape after him.

Pauline, Caitlyn, Linda and Morgaine dispersed into the crowd, talking to the newcomers, getting to know them better, and helping where necessary.

Linda stood to one side, talking to a fifty-year-old Vietnamese man in a wheelchair (obviously victim to some crippling accident). Though his legs were weak and shrunken, his able arms were strong and muscular. The man spoke in fluent Vietnamese, and Linda though also able to speak his tongue, found it a little hard to keep up. The man was obviously pleased when she spoke to him, even with her strange accent, for Linda didn't speak down to him because of his handicap, but chatted with him like an equal.

Morgaine approached a bony, too-thin young African woman who stumbled with the weight of various baggages and a bundle in her arms that carried a quiet, too-thin baby. It was obvious both were suffering from severe malnutrition. The copper haired Elemental of Wind smiled at the woman and fell in step beside her. "May I help you?" She questioned.

The woman's chin rose proudly, haughtily and she spoke. "I don't need your pity. I can do this myself."

Morgaine shook her head. "I'm not pitying you. I'd like to help. You've got so much stuff, and a newborn as well. I can help you find a good shelter if you'd like. I know the general area. I'll carry something for you."

The young woman's eyes searched the teens, and with a small nod, she handed her some of the bags. Morgaine turned. "Follow me."

She led her to one of the larger deserted shops. Entering the dusk of the dusty store, Morgaine dropped the bags on the ground. "There's no electrical light. There are some candles, but they're useless unless…do you have a lighter?"

The woman shook her head. Morgaine made a slight 'hmm' noise, and rummaged in her pockets, finally producing a small packet of matches. She handed them to the woman, and catching her disdainful gaze, she said "I swear, this isn't charity. I've got plenty more, and I have two friends that can light a fire for me in a split second. I'm all set."

The woman looked unsure for a moment, and then grinned. "Thank you."

"It's no problem, really." Morgaine gazed at the baby, still held in its mother's arms. Her features softened, and she held out a finger for the little one to grab.

"This is Mariah." The woman said, pride of her child radiating off her face.

"How old is she?" The teen questioned.

"Four months."

"She's beautiful." Morgaine whispered. "You're very lucky to have a child like her."

The proud mother laughed. "Yes, yes, she's beautiful all right, until she starts squalling. Do you like children?"

Morgaine nodded, her smile sheepish. "Very much so."

"You can hold her, if you like." The woman proffered the baby. Morgaine held the warm bundle, staring into the face of the tiny child.

"But why bring her with you? We are about to enter a war: it's not exactly a safe haven. Why not leave Mariah with her father?"

The woman looked away. "Her father's dead. He died of AIDS four months before her birth. My family died of the same illness, and my one friend is wasting away. There was no one I could leave her with."

Morgaine bit her lip. "I'm so sorry."

"It's all right, you didn't know. I'm Shanice, by the way. I'm from Malawi, Africa. I'm the Elemental of Metal, and I'm nineteen."

"Morgaine Faye." Morgaine replied, handing Shanice back her child. "Sixteen. Elemental of Wind."

Shanice's eyes widened. "Oh! I'm…I…I'm sorry for wasting your time, Miss." She averted her gaze, looking at the ground.

Morgaine raised her eyebrows. "Why have you suddenly become so subservient? I'm the same person I was five minutes ago."

"Yes, well…you're the Elemental of Wind. You're so strong and powerful, just like your friends. I've heard so many stories and rumours about you…not by name of course but by title."

"…so? I'm not your superior or anything like that. We're equals." She stood, brushing some dirt off of her pants. "I'd better go and get others settled. It was nice talking to you, Shanice." She exited the building.


"Okay, guys, stop it." Caitlyn said, running her fingers through her hair.

"But he called me fat!"

"She called me a whiny baby!"

"Did not!"

"Did too! AND you kicked me!"

"Only after you hit me!"

Pauline and Caitlyn were desperately trying to break up a fight between two kids. The elder was an East Indian girl who looked about twelve, the younger a European boy of seven with blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

Pauline had just about had enough. "Shut up!" She yelled. The two children went silent.

"Pauline!" Caitlyn exclaimed. "Don't be mean!"

"I was tired of the brats."

"Pauline! Sorry, my friend can't stand when kids fight. But honestly," she went on, bending on her knee and putting her hand on each of the child's shoulders. "Don't you two think that you should stop fighting? You're on the same side: save it for the enemies on the battlefield. Pauline stop swearing!"

The black haired Elemental of Water had been jumping up and down in the background for the past minute, cussing black and blue.

"What do you expect? You just stomped on my friggin' FOOT!"

"No I didn't!" Caitlyn responded, pretending to look shocked, innocence radiating off of every pore. Only the wicked smile threatening to creep up her face betrayed her guilt. "Why would you say such a thing? You two run along now." She told the children. They ran off, their fight forgotten.

"Yes you bloody well did!" Pauline hissed.

"Well I couldn't have you calling the kids brats. You really don't like kids much, do you?"

Pauline shook her head. "They're winy and annoying. Most of them anyway."

A sharp whistle sounded over the crowd. Pauline and Caitlyn looked up. Linda's voice drifted to them loud and clear.

"We've got another pack of Elementals here to join us!"

Exchanging wide-eyed glances: things had been going so slow and suddenly everything was happening at once, the two girls followed Linda's voice to the source.


The bright noon sun shone down on the white sand, warming it to the touch. The water lapped softly on the shore, and fluffy clouds drifted across the bright blue sky. But the beauty of the scene was wasted on the man sitting on the beach. The sand was cold to his touch, and the clouds, no matter how fluffy, didn't catch his interest. He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts.

"Hey…Ferio, isn't it? Can I sit here?"

Startled, Ferio looked up, not having enough time to hide the emotions churning inside him. A blue haired teen of about his own age stood in front of him. Ferio recognized him as one of the Elementals…the Elemental of Stone to be exact, which worked with Kyu. Wasn't he the one who had a history with Pauline? "Go ahead. It's not my beach."

The Elemental of Stone sat, looking out at the waves for a moment, seemingly infatuated with them. Then he turned to Ferio. "I'm Taiy. We met earlier, when you were introduced to Kyu and his followers."

No reply.

Taiy was not to be deterred. "Things are getting frantic, with all those Elementals coming to join us. They're swarming on the left side of the beach, on the other side of the stair. I had to come over here, to get away. There are so many people!"

No reply.

Taiy took a deep breath, and spoke in less jovial tones. "The war is about to begin at any time now." The statement sounded like a question.

Ferio gave a slight nod of the head, affirmation in the face of the truth.

Taiy's gaze drifted back out to the lake, and to the buildings, mortal buildings, just at the edge of the horizon.

"It's funny…we're fighting for the fate of the world, thousands of us Elementals will die for them, and they'll never know."

No reply, but Taiy glanced over and saw the green haired teen beside him, and his eyes, too, had focused on the distant skyscrapers and houses.

"Is it going to be hard for you to fight for something you don't believe in?"

Ferio's head snapped around, and his piercing look shot through Taiy. "What makes you say that? Why else would I come to this side of my own volition, if I didn't want to be here?"

Taiy shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is that when you came to our side, you wilted, and become almost like a wraith, whereas you used to be full of spirit and energy. Now you just kind of drift…"

"I've heard just about enough from you." Ferio said sharply. "What or who gave you this idea?"

"No-one. I've just seen it happen to others before." He braced his chin on his hand. "You don't believe in what Kyu does: you don't want to be here…but why?" He scrutinized Ferio, who automatically withdrew.

Taiy took a deep breath. "Look, if it helps…I know what it's like to be set apart from everyone else. Not in your way," He had obviously heard that his blood was half human, half Devil. Kyu had probably announced it. Curse him! "But...my mother…she was half spirit. So, when I was born…I had blue hair." This was obviously very difficult to say. "Growing up, I was teased a lot, because I was different. I had no friends. Then in grade seven I met Morgaine, Pauline, Caitlyn and Linda. They understood me. They didn't treat me differently because of my hair, or the way I acted. At last, I belonged. They brought me to parties, introduced me to other people. I finally made friends." A small, distant smile crossed his lips. "I have been very fortunate with my friends. We entered high school, and I grew close to them, especially Pauline. Then…" He paused, and then continued. "But that's not important. I'm just saying I know what it's like, kind of."

Ferio sensed the opening, the flaw that Taiy had accidentally left. "Yes, and then what happened? You betrayed your friends and girlfriend, and all for what? This? To work alongside Kyu? Or maybe it was the power that attracted you. I hear that you're pretty high among his ranks. Captain of the army, or something? You sold them out for that?"

"You don't understand." Taiy snapped. He was angry now, Ferio noted, a vast improvement over sympathetic. He was reacting exactly the way Ferio had wanted him to. He was tired of the empathy, and so had manipulated and toyed with the blue haired teen. He let Taiy continue his rant.

"I made my choices a long time ago, and at least I didn't mope about them!"

That stung a little, but Ferio wouldn't let it show how much. "I'm not moping." he said calmly, and realizing it wouldn't let Taiy hurt to know why he joined, he informed him in a calm manner. I joined Kyu because it is my destiny to join my appointed side. I am the Elemental of Darkness, and like it or not I belong here. If I fight it, all the Elementals except me, will die. Pauline, Caitlyn, Akira, Jake, Taiy, you…Morgaine." The last name he said after a small pause, as though it pained him. "All of them, and more. That's why I'm here. Are you happy now?"

Taiy seemed to sag in on himself. "I know you don't trust me, and I know that you might not listen, but I have to tell you this. You have joined in a sense of duty, sacrificing yourself for the better whole. But, trust me on this; friends are probably one of the most important, non-expendable things you will ever have on this planet. Especially to a person like you, when it is so hard to make them, for them to understand you. Don't cut them out of your life if you have no other choice. "

With that he stood up, and without another word or backwards glance, made his way along the beach to where the rest of Kyu's armies were massing.

Ferio stared out again at the waves, and without looking away picked up a large stone and with all his strength hurtled it into the lake.


It was a day later when Morgaine, Pauline, Caitlyn, Linda and Akira were meeting in one of the small shops, once a fine restaurant, now a somewhat dingy empty building, smelling slightly of rotten food.

Linda sighed as she lowered herself gingerly on a chair. "This is not what I call luxury."

"Linda, don't be so winy! We've got more important things to discuss." snapped Pauline. The war had made her tired, and stressed and worn thin. She was ill tempered; a bomb able to explode at any moment, and it was wise not to set her off.

Linda nevertheless opened her mouth to retort angrily, for she too was on the edge, but Caitlyn kicked her under the small circular table they were gathered around and widened her eyes at her friend. Now was NOT the time.

Akira cleared his throat: he too had sensed the tension in the air. "The Elementals gathered on our side are prepared and ready to do battle."

Caitlyn kept her lips tightly pursed, looking resolutely away from her twin brother. Morgaine, looking back and forth between the two, sighed. It seemed she would have to speak to Akira on Caitlyn's behalf as well as her own. Why on Earth are they not getting along? She kept her observations to herself, and, casting her eyes down as not to show that she had realized something was wrong between them, she said quietly and simply. "That is good. But do they really know that the battle will be so soon in coming? I have seen them, Akira, I have been among them. There are new mothers, decrepit elders, handicapped people, children. Perhaps they have become fatalistic, or maybe they just don't understand. Do you think it has registered, deep inside them that they must kill, and perhaps in turn be killed?" She kept her voice level, but inside she was torn, hurt.

She too, was easily annoyed, but she also suffered from her wound in her arm which had only begun to heal, and a deeper emotional wound. She could not bear to see people die, and knowing that in the oncoming battle she would have to face Ferio was too much for her. But she forced herself to stay calm, if only to keep the group from falling apart, from going hysterical. She could not let herself go, cry the tears that she so longed to cry, collapse to the ground in a helpless heap. No, she could not seek comfort; it was her place, as it had always been, to give it. Her friends called her Mother in jest, but couldn't fathom that they had named an instinct that was buried deep within her. From the beginning of her life, she had been mature for her years, and seeing those needing comfort, helped them. It was there she had first learned to mask her own emotions, so that the others would not add worry about her to their own problems. That only made the situation worse.

Caitlyn sneered, and said sharply. "I don't think he cares."

Morgaine shot a sideways glance at Caitlyn. Worried about her friend, concerned words rose to the top of her mind, waiting to be said, but Morgaine stifled them, realizing what Caitlyn needed most was to be left alone.

Caitlyn herself was in turmoil. So much had happened over the past week and a half. At first she was confused by her newfound twin, bewildered and distressed. Over the past three days she had begun to warm up to him. But now…

She looked at her three friends sitting at the table. Pauline looking ticked off, Linda likewise, and Morgaine somewhat impassive. They were her friends, and her emotions somewhat softened just by looking at them.

I can't let anything happen to them. I can't let Akira do this, make so many lose their lives…I won't be able to stand it if my friends are killed. I'd…I would die myself, to save them.

An idea occurred to her and she stood abruptly, addressing the group. "Instead of just trying to free the sacrifices, I think we should have a distraction. Someone could catch the enemy's attention, and while they do that, a selected few could go and discreetly free the Dragon prisoners. Attention wouldn't be drawn to them, and they and the Dragon's could escape safely."

Pauline snorted. "It does make more sense to do it like that and stem the loss of life, if only a little. But who would put themselves forward to do that, to be the distraction? They would face certain slaughter, instead of the possibility of death that they would have in the mad dash. Who would give that up?"

Caitlyn took a deep breath, readying herself. She knew what she was about to say would cause flares of turmoil and anger. This impasse would be disturbed…but it had to be. Her friends would hate her…but she was doing it for them.

"I would."

She wanted so badly to look at the ground, to avoid looking at their faces, but she kept her chin up, looking at each of them in turn. She had to show she was confident in what she said, that she was not afraid.

Pauline and Akira both had identical faces. Eyebrows quirked, they were disbelieving, thinking her joking. Caitlyn's gaze slid to Linda, who looked somewhat unsure what to believe, and Morgaine…

Morgaine's eyes shone with worry and fear as she looked back at Caitlyn. She was completely motionless, except for her hands. They were both laying in her lap, her thumb and forefinger on her left hand fidgeting with the Clauddaugh ring on her right ring finger, twisting and turning it, belaying her worry far more then could be perceived in her features.

She knows, thought Caitlyn. She knows I'm not lying. A small, sad, smile slid across her face, as she met her friend's gaze and then, unable to bear it, she turned away and addressed the others. "Think about it. It's only logical. Being one of the major elementals, I have enough power to distract Kyu's armies sufficiently. And…"

Pauline cut her off. "You're serious? Are you crazy? You'd die!" She exploded. Caitlyn stood silently, not responding as Pauline began to rage and weep. She could hear the fear mixing with the anger in the Elemental of Water's voice. "Do you know how stupid that is!" She stood, bringing her hands down, thudding hard on the table around which they were seated. Linda, beside her, flinched, squeezing her eyes shut tightly, but Caitlyn remained still. "Caitlyn, you can't do this! I won't let you! We won't let you! DON'T BE SUCH AN IDIOT!" Tears were streaking down the black haired girl's cheeks now unchecked.

Linda had been till that point staring at Caitlyn with her mouth wide open. Now her voice chimed in with Pauline's, both yelling and screaming. Still Caitlyn took it, though she was crumbling inside. Can't you see I'm doing this for you? She cried internally.

"Why do this?" The voice was Akira's, and Caitlyn focused on him. Her twin's face, her brother's face was affected, distraught, but he fought to keep his voice calm. His eyes searched hers, and Caitlyn was shocked to see small crinkles at the corners of his eyes. But…he's only my age! Is it the stress of being a leader my brother? Knowing that the lives of so many rest on your shoulders? No, it couldn't be that. You were ready to throw away so many lives in a dumb, cold-hearted strategy.

Instead of answering him, she continued with her reasoning. "As I was saying, being Akira's twin, he and I share the same power. Now, Kyu is a natural dictator, so it's almost certain he doesn't tell his troops, the Elementals fighting for him, much of anything. I think that all they know is that the leader of our side is a fire Elemental. I mean: Kyu knows what Akira looks like, Taiy knows, Jake knows and both Ferio and Tamiko definitely know." She saw the twinge of sadness in Akira's face, and in Morgaine's, and feeling slightly guilty, continued. "But the rest? I don't think so. Therefore, I can stand in lieu of you, Akira. They will think I am the leader. I will draw so much attention from their troops that you could free the Dragons, do hornpipe dances while singing at the top of your lungs, then proceed to parade around the battleground and they wouldn't notice."

"I knew it: you are crazy!" Pauline screeched, her face wet and blotchy. "I should tie you to that chair you're sitting in and leave you there when the rest of us do battle. Obviously, you won't be able to handle it! Caitlyn, how could you do this to us?" She grabbed Caitlyn's shoulders and shook her hard, a sad attemp to knock some sense into her. "Are you just going to die then? Is that it? Fine, take the cowardly way out!"

Akira shook his head. "She's right, Caitlyn. It's a stupid thing to do. Are you ready to willingly give up your life?"

Caitlyn didn't answer, unsure herself.

"Answer him Caitlyn!" Pauline cried hysterically, and suddenly, her arm whipped around and her hand connected hard with Caitlyn's face with a sickening smack. All went deadly silent.

She still didn't answer.

"Excuse me? I'm sorry to interrupt," Morgaine said quietly from her corner. "But I had promised a couple of Elementals that I would visit them at about this time, and it is imperative that I go, since I said I would help them work on their battle skills. So, I'd better go now." She stood, and walked to the exit. At the last possible moment she turned inside the doorway, making it seem like it was a sudden thought. "Caitlyn, you want to come? I could use your help."

"Sure." Caitlyn replied gratefully, and they both left.

Akira sunk his head into his hands. "She really will go through with it, won't she?"

Linda nodded dumbly.

Oh, god, what do I do now? My twin's committed herself to death…


Slowly, Caitlyn relaxed as they strode down the dirt road, busy with life. The makeshift army camp was as clogged as downtown Montreal. On the left, a woman hanging her washing, on the right a man sitting against the wall, reading a book. Back behind them, the two or three Elemental children played tag, running and laughing and screaming gleefully whenever they got caught.

She looked around, and realized that Morgaine was ahead, striding faster then expected. She jogged to catch up, and then paced her. "Where are we going?" she questioned, curious.

"Away from there." Morgaine replied shortly.

"You mean that was a lie? About visiting the Elementals?"

"Yep."

"I believed you."

"It wasn't fair what they were doing to you. I had to get you out of there. And, frankly, I had had about enough."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

They left the bathhouse complex and entered the forest. Morgaine leaned against the nearest tree for a moment, looking pale, then recovered and began walking again.

Caitlyn looked at her friend, concerned. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I just haven't completely recovered yet from my injury, that's all." Her voice was a little faint.

"Well, then, maybe we should go back."

"Really I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"No, seriously, Morgaine. The war's coming up, and if you're not completely rested then you'll be dead in a matter of moments. Come on, let's go back."

"I'm fine." Morgaine said firmly.

So they continued onwards.

Caitlyn finally bit her lip, feeling the tension between them, though both were pretending that it didn't exist. "Okay. Say it."

"What?" questioned Morgaine, pretending to act bewildered

"You know. I got everybody's comments on what I had said, except yours."

Morgaine cast her eyes downwards. "From a strategically based point of view, it's a brilliant plan. One life sacrificed would spare so many others from dying. I know that's the logical reason, and my head knows it has to be done. But, from a friend's point of view…" she choked up. "It's probably the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I don't want to lose you, or any of my friends. There will already be so many killings, and I don't want to bury on of my own friends." She stopped herself. This was getting too close to her own problems, and Caitlyn was under enough stress as it is. She took a moment to calm herself, and then continued, her voice level, though she felt anything but. "It's your choice: I can't stop you. I would plead you to reconsider, but I know you wouldn't sway."

Caitlyn nodded dully. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

There was a noise coming from the bushes. "Did you hear that?" Caitlyn hissed. Morgaine nodded slightly. Flames blossomed into life in Caitlyn's hands, and the slight breeze began to pick up in speed as Morgaine drew on its powers. Another crunch, coming closer.

"Don't attack. I need to speak to you." Lantis emerged from behind a tree. Morgaine narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want?"

Caitlyn let the fire in her palm fade until it was only a spark. "It's okay, Morgaine. He's on the other side, but he's technically neutral. He won't do either of us harm. What do you want to say, Lantis?"

Morgaine stifled a growl, and prepared herself for an attack. This was the man who had trapped her in a nightmare. He might have been doing it out of a sense of duty, but she could never forgive him for that.

His eyes glanced around the clearing. "I have two pieces of important, urgent news. The first I will tell to you both, the second, only to her." He pointed to Caitlyn.

"Uh…okay." Caitlyn said, curious now. Lantis looked almost frantic. He spoke quickly. "Listen. I've found the Elemental of Light."

"You what?" Caitlyn said, excited. "Finally!"

"Yes, but there's a problem. She's down by the beach, heading right toward where Kyu's camped out."

Caitlyn let out a gasp, and whirled to face Morgaine. "We have to go help her!" She cried. Morgaine, too, began to look a little panicky, but she said. "But what about the other piece of news? Can it wait?"

Lantis shook his head.

Caitlyn grabbed Morgaine's shoulder. "You go, I'll stay here and listen to him. He'll only tell me, remember? You go. Hurry!"

"But it's dangerous to be split up, to be by ourselves!" Morgaine protested.

"I'll be fine! Go help the Elemental of Light. Go!" She gave her friend a push in the right direction. Morgaine nodded, and she was off, sprinting down the hill towards the beach, calling up the winds as she dashed past trees and jumped over fallen logs.

Caitlyn addressed Lantis. "What did you need to tell me? Hurry!" Sudden realization hit her like a tidal wave. Morgaine was weakened from her one battle, barely healed. She was not in a state to walk down to Kyu's stronghold. She would barely be able to protect herself. She had to go help her! "Quickly, Lantis hurry!" She cried.

"The other piece of news? You've just been ambushed." Lantis said, and covered Caitlyn's mouth with his hand, stifling her scream. "You shouldn't have been so ready to send your friend away. She was suspicious of me."

Oh God…help!


Panting, Morgaine burst through the line of trees, and pale, leaned against one of them, grabbing at her arm. Swallowing the pain, she quickly scanned the beach line. There! A girl, dressed in white with long blond hair, her back to her. She ran towards her, and tugged at her arm. "Are you the Elemental of Light? I'm Morgaine, the Elemental of Wind. Come with me, it's not safe here." The girl turned, and Morgaine saw that a piece of cloth covered her mouth to stop her from talking. Morgaine let go of her arm as if it was a snake. "It's a trap." She whispered.

"Why, hello…Morgaine, isn't it? Fancy meeting you here."

The auburn haired Elemental whirled around, and she almost could've groaned when she realized who it was.

Kyu himself, Elemental of Ice, the leader of those who opposed her. Warning bells were pealing inside her head. Uh oh…I'm in trouble now…

"What do you want, Kyu?" She asked, all bravado, while inside she prepared herself to do battle.

"Did you know the war's about to start?" He questioned her, apparently in no rush to begin the fight.

"I'm aware of it, yes."

"Reason being, the Elemental of Light showed up to join her side. And we already have Ferio, The Elemental of Darkness."

"I'm not stupid, Kyu."

His eyes met hers. "You see me as someone evil don't you?"

"Corrupt was the word I was thinking, but close enough."

"I'm not, you know. I just have different beliefs. I think that us spirits and Elementals have been bordered away for far too long. Take the Elementals for example. We help mortals, we protect them, we preserve them, and what do we get? We're burned at the stake, we're hanged, and we're feared. We should be able to emerge into the light, to not hide ourselves, to not lower ourselves so much as to bow to every mortal's will. Instead, they will bow to us."

"That's not what Elementals exist for!" Morgaine cried out, unable to help herself and instantly regretting it.

"I know you think that way." He said softly. "That makes you an obstacle, in the way of our dream. All obstacles must be removed."

The temperature dropped suddenly. Morgaine shivered, calling up the wind around her. Small pellets of ice began to fly around her, hitting her like miniature bullets, ripping her skin. Letting out a cry, Morgaine's eyes closed for a moment, and the wind increased, swirling around her in a shield of a 10 metre radius. Her eyes shot open and Morgaine found that her world had turned into a freezing, moving white. She was in a blizzard! Though the ice pellets no longer caused her to bleed, they stung as the wind slung them around and she was unable to see or hear anything happening around her. Her eyelashes frozen together, her hair covered in ice, she forced herself to calm down. Kyu doesn't even have to attack me at this point, I'll just freeze to death. So he's probably just standing there, waiting for me to do exactly that. That leaves him weak, if I can get out of this thing. Now, there's the main question, how do I get out? Quickly. Decide. What's causing the storm? He was just throwing ice pellets at me, until…that's it!

Focusing, she stopped the wind entirely. The ice pellets fell from the sky, and the Elemental of Wind caught sight of Kyu, standing exactly where he had been, just like she had predicted. He was relaxed, unready for her escape, for who would think it was of their own volition that they were trapped? Their eyes met for a single moment Kyu's suddenly fearful, Morgaine's level, and then she lifted one arm, unfolded her fingers so that her hand was flat, palm facing him and suddenly, her eyes sparked with a green light.

A huge blast of wind picked him up off of his feet, and threw him into the ground some feet away. Morgaine smirked. Then Kyu sat up, and his eyes glowed a light blue, and he shouted out something in spirit tongue.

Nothing happened.

Morgaine began to laugh, but stopped when she looked out over the lake. The clear blue waters were being parted by something…a huge iceberg! He launched it at her with a movement of his wrist, and she ran. She tripped and fell, screaming. The huge chunk of ice missed her barely, thudding it's massive bulk in the ground right beside her. Kyu stood, and bent down to touch the lake. It froze, and he jumped onto it, and began gliding farther out. "Come and get me!" he called out.

I can't fly! I haven't recovered enough yet! Morgaine thought. I'm going to have to walk, though I have a bad feeling about this.

She stumbled to her feet and put one foot tentatively on the frozen lake, then another. She began to run towards Kyu, opening her mouth to call out an attack when she realized that the Elemental of Light girl was following them. "Why are you coming?" she cried out, and that was when Kyu attacked. Summoning thousands of icicles around him, he shot them all at her. She made a wind shield, and they all hammered off save one, which got through and sliced her right above her left eye. It begun to bleed, and she frantically wiped it off, afraid that it would impair her vision.

"Do you surrender, girl?" He asked.

Something twitched in Morgaine's face. "Wind blades!" She cried out, and the wind hurtled towards him in all different directions. One wind blade caught Kyu across the torso, slicing, causing him to bend over. Another one went for his unprotected neck…

"No!"

The girl, the Elemental of Light, was standing in front of him, protecting him, arms spread, her determined face glaring at Morgaine. A wind blade caught her across the cheek, another her leg, then her shoulder, ripping the soft fabric of her dress and tearing into the soft flesh beneath. One just went past her face, cutting the material that covered her mouth. "What?" Morgaine cried out, and terminated the attack. The blonde haired teen wavered for a moment, bleeding badly, than she turned and helped Kyu to his feet. He too was staring at her

"You…You're supposed to be on our side!" Morgaine cried out, bewildered. "You're the Elemental of Light!"

"I know, and I'm sorry. But I belong here, with them. I believe in what they believe. And…I can't let you hurt Kyu!"

"Guenivere…" Kyu whispered, shocked.

Realization swept over Morgaine. "You care about him."

She nodded. Kyu's mouth dropped open. She spoke again. "I'm sorry, Morgaine, but I have to do this. Kyu's right. You're in our way." There was a blinding flash of light, and Morgaine screamed, temporarily blinded, once again. A throbbing pain hit between her temples, a sudden migraine. Blinded, struck dumb by the pain, she faintly heard Guenivere say "Now, Kyu."

Tingling ran up and down her legs, and suddenly, she couldn't move them. She rubbed her eyes furiously, kneading them until she regained sight. When she did she swore under her breath.

Kyu had encased her legs in a huge block of ice. She was stuck to the frozen lake: she couldn't move an inch.

Kyu was on the ground, the large gash in his chest bleeding heavily, staining the white ice beneath him a crimson red. Guenivere knelt beside him, tears streaking down her face. "You're killing him!" She screeched at Morgaine.

"I'm…okay…" Kyu muttered, forcing himself to sit up, then to stand. His gaze fell on the auburn haired girl trapped in the ice a little ways away from him. She was abnormally pale, and her arm was dripping blood from a bandaged wound that had evidentially just reopened. Small gashes were over her eyebrow, on her legs and shoulder, and across her hip. She was breathing deeply, her breath visible as puffs of mist in the twenty below zero temperatures. She was dressed for a warm autumn day, with an emerald tank top and dark blue jeans, held together with a black belt. She was slowly freezing to death.

"Why don't you just escape?" Kyu called out. "That trap is pitiful. Fly away, little birdy!"

Her gaze rose and met his with barely concealed loathing. She spoke not a word, but Kyu understood. "You're pretty much drained, aren't you?" He said softly, dangerously.

It was true. Fighting again so soon after taking a war injury, enduring the cold climate, and using too much of her powers when they had not completely recovered had left her weak, feeble, trembling with exhaustion and only dregs of her power over wind remaining.

She shuddered with cold, her teeth chattering, and her lips blue. "Well?" She rasped through stiff lips. Frostbite had taken hold on her hand and ear, turning them a mottled grey-white. "Are you going to leave me like this, or are you man enough to finish it?" Pain wracked her body, but she fought not to show it.

Guenivere's eyes filled with pity. "Let her go, Kyu. Please? Can't you see she's suffering? I beg of you, let her go."

"I…can't." He replied.

Morgaine's laugh was harsh, bitter. "I don't need your pity, Elemental of Light. It's a war we're in, and my life is forfeit for making a stupid mistake. He has every right to kill me. I don't expect to get out of this alive. But how he does kill me shows what kind of man he is. Will he leave me here to freeze to death? Or will he find a more humane way?"

"She's become fatalistic." Guenivere whispered.

This is it. I'm going to die. Morgaine knew this, yet the idea couldn't get through to her brain. Was it just so shocking that it couldn't register, or was her brain being numbed and slowed by the cold? So…cold…I'm going to die a useless death. I have gained nothing by it. It hurts…so much…please, just end it.

Kyu sighed. "Goodbye Morgaine. You were a good opponent." He flicked his wrist, and the ice below Morgaine's feet shattered, and she was plunged into the ice-cold water with barely enough time to scream.

Underwater, time seemed to slow. Knowing she was going to die, Morgaine's mind was prepared, but her body was not. Her hands patted the surface of the ice over her head against her will, looking for the hole in which she had fallen through, but she couldn't find it. Where was it? Did she drift away from it somehow? Her brain was working sluggishly. It was far colder underwater then it was above. Her oxygen-starved lungs cried out for air that she could not give them. She began to struggle, trying to fight her way towards the surface, to break through the ice. It didn't work. I want to live! Her mind cried out, but to no avail. Her fists pounded on the sheet of ice, but it was solid and wouldn't crack. Her mouth opened, trying to breathe air that wasn't there and sucked in water insread. Slowly, she began to relax, to stop fighting. The fear that had filled her suddenly abated. What was that thudding she could hear? It's my heartbeat. She realized. Going slower and slower. Finally she was incapable of coherent thought. Her lungs were empty. Her world went black as she faded into unconsciousness.

She was unaware of the disturbance in the water as something jumped in through the hole she had fallen through some ways away. She didn't notice that someone's arm wrapped around her frozen, numb waist and started tugging her to the surface.

When her head broke the surface of the ice-cold water she took no gasp of air. She wasn't breathing. Her rescuer got her out of the water, pulled themselves out, then lay her down and put their ear to her chest. They were unable to hear her breathing, and her heartbeat was faint. "Oh God…no. Don't die on me! Please, Morgaine, don't die!"


Where am I? Morgaine thought. She was hovering in darkness, unable to see anything. But suddenly there was light. She was in a tunnel, a faint light coming from the end. She began running towards it, feeling the warmth, comfort and eternal rest it offered.

Why so ready to die? She heard the faint words as wind blew through the tunnel, playing with her hair. She stopped running.

It…it is my time. Morgaine replied, confused, and once again began towards the promise of rest, the end of the tunnel.

It is not. Go back. Go back. The wind told her. It gently turned her around, and behind her was a blazing light, painful to the eyes.

But…it hurts! She cried out in pain. It hurts so much! Pain exploded in her hand, her arm, her shoulder and legs. She collapsed, clinging to herself, tears streaming down her cheeks.

You must go back. The wind said gently. It will all be all right.

Who are you? Morgaine sobbed. Why do you wish me pain?

I wish you life, child of the wind. Get to your feet now.

Morgaine stumbled to her feet clutching her arm.

Now go. Remember what there is to live for.

Slowly, hesitantly, she took one step after another, gasping from the pain, and threw herself back into the bright light that was life.


Her eyes slid open slowly, to see a blurry face hovering a few inches away from her own. It backed away and she sat up, turned her head away from her rescuer and coughed up water violently. When she was finished, she lay back down weakly, her energy spent. Her vision cleared, and the face of her rescuer swam into view, once again bending over her, concerned. "Ferio?" She whispered hoarsely, which set her in another coughing fit that wracked her body. When she had finished she reached up her good hand weakly, almost as if to touch his face, but she was too weak, and her hand began to fall. The green haired Elemental of Darkness gently grasped her hand with his own and held it for a moment, before laying it on her stomach.

She struggled to sit up, and he helped support her. "How did you get here?" She asked quietly, shivering, cold and wet. He shrugged. She noted that he was wet and his lips were blue too. "You…saved me from drowning." He nodded. "Thank you." Her voice trembled as a wave of pain washed over her, and she winced.

"You're hurt." He said.

"I'm alive." Morgaine said, part in conformation, part in wonder. "But…I wasn't breathing. I know that much. How…" She trailed off when she caught sight of his blush. "You…" She too, began to turn red.

"Ferio! What are you doing?" An enraged voice came from a little farther across the ice. Morgaine looked across to see a very angry Kyu staring at the pair of them. "As for you, Morgaine, I thought you wanted an ending! I was merciful! Now I've had enough!" He prepared to attack.

Ferio stood, and helped Morgaine to her feet, noting her frostbite and wounds. "Are you recovered enough to defend yourself, or do you need me to protect you?" She pushed herself away from him, stumbling away.

"I'm perfectly fine. Why do you men always assume that women are helpless? I can protect myself, you know."

"Morgaine, that's not what I meant. I…"

"I'm fine."

Kyu shot ice at Morgaine, once again trapping her in ice up to her waist. She struggled feebly, but to no avail. Ferio slid over to her. "I thought you said you could protect yourself!" he cried out. Morgaine sagged. "I lied." She whispered. "I've only the dregs of my power left." She raised her tortured eyes to look into his own.

"Take this!" Kyu cried out angrily. A large ice dagger appeared out of nowhere and flew towards the immobilized Morgaine, aimed straight for her heart.

Ferio's decision was made in an instant. He jumped in front of Morgaine, spreading his arms to protect her.

The dagger made a dull thudding noise as it pieced Ferio's body and emerged through the other side right under his ribcage. Surprise and pain flickered across his face, and then he fell.

Morgaine heard someone scream, on and on, echoing in the sudden silence. Then she realized it was herself. She struggled against the ice bonds with newfound strength. It crackled and shattered. She was freed.

She collapsed on her knees next to Ferio, not caring that she knelt in his own blood. She pushed his soggy bangs away from his face. "No, Ferio, No…you idiot…" Tears began to streak down her cheeks as she sobbed brokenly, freezing partway down her face. She wept uncontrollably, shoulders shuddering.

Stop thinking with your heart…think with your mind!

Her eyes shot open and she realized what she had to do. Taking one good hand and one frostbitten one with the blood covering it with her open arm wound, she hovered them both under the hole in his chest. Focusing, she called up the last dregs of her power. "Healing Wind!" she called out.

A huge wind picked up, and began to whirl around Ferio and its mistress. The wound in Ferio's torso glowed with a light green light as it slowly sealed.


"What's talking them so long?" Pauline cried in frustration.

"Give them time, Pauline, just give them time." Akira said evenly. Pauline was getting on his nerves.

"I'm going to go look for them." Pauline said decidedly, standing up and heading out the door. "I still have to give Caitlyn a piece of my mind!"

"Pauline…" Linda started, but she was gone. She looked at Akira. "So…"


Morgaine could feel the last of her elemental powers being used up. Please work, oh please let me have enough power left to heal him…

His eyes opened, and he stared up into her face, searching her eyes. "What just happened?" He said levelly.

Her shields rose, and she answered him just as calmly. "You almost died, but I healed you." She slumped. "I forgot how much it takes out of me. I haven't had to do that in a while."

He sat up, his mouth opening to ask her something, but the question erased from his mind when he heard a scream. His head snapped around.

It was Guenivere who had screamed. Kyu had collapsed, the tool of battle and the wounds he had received too much. "Kyu!" She screamed again, and then jabbed a finger at Morgaine. "You! Heal him!"

"Why don't you?" Ferio snarled, partially curious, but mostly defending Morgaine.

"She can't. The Elementals who can heal are…" Her sentence stopped mid-sentence as she gasped from the onslaught of pain. "…few and far between. I don't know anyone else who can."

"That's why I need YOU to heal him!" The Elemental of Light shrieked.

"I can't." Morgaine said helplessly through clenched teeth. "I've nothing left. Nothing. I'm sorry. But he'll live. He just has to heal normally. Let him rest." And as if that short speech had drained her of her final strength, she passed out.

Ferio swore, slid his arms under her knees and back, and, standing, picked her up. He looked into her face, so peaceful without that look of distrust, stress, and thought. Guenivere walked over to him.

"You are the Elemental of Darkness?" She queried, unconsciously flicking her hair over her shoulder prissily.

Ferio nodded, taking a dislike to this girl.

She smiled. "Tell her when she wakes, that I cannot join her, no matter what the consequences. My heart lies here." She gestured at Kyu.

Ferio snarled. "Have you no sense of duty? I would rather be with the Elemental of Fire myself, but I cannot, or else everyone will die, the same as if you join Kyu. You know that, same as me! We have to join our si…" He stopped, seemed to think for a second, and then began to laugh, the laugh of someone who finally understands something obscured from them.

"What?" Guenivere demanded. "What?"

"The prophecy. '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.' It never specifies that you have to join The Elemental of Fire and I have to join Kyu, Elemental of Ice! I only assumed that because of our elements, since I'm dark and Kyu's "bad" that I would have to be with him, and you, being light, would be with The Elemental of Fire, as "good", but…"

"We can each choose our own side freely, as long as there is one of us per side." Guenivere whispered. "So be it. I choose to side with Kyu, Elemental of Ice." She said loudly, unsure what provoked her to do so.

"I choose to side with Akira, Elemental of Fire!" Ferio said in the same manner.


Pauline stopped in mid-stride, looking around, aware of something.

Shanice, the African woman who Morgaine had visited earlier abruptly halted rocking her baby back and forth, straining to hear a noise that was just beyond her hearing.

Taiy froze, the knife he had been using to carve a soapstone statue with hovering just above the chunk of oily rock.

On both sides, in both camps, everyone stopped what they were doing and tried to understand the change they had felt in their position.

Akira stood up from his chair. "The war. It's begun."


There was a loud cracking under the feet of the four Elementals on the frozen lake. Guenivere cried out "The ice! Kyu's knocked out so he's lost power over it! It's breaking!"

Sure enough, cracks ran all over the surface of the ice. Guenivere and Ferio's eyes met. "Run!" She cried out. Grabbing Kyu's arms, she began to drag him towards the shore, sliding quickly. Ferio began to run, careful not to slip, Morgaine still out cold in his arms. He made it to the sandy shore first, Guenivere and Kyu moments after him, and scant seconds later the ice shattered.

Ferio felt the climate warm to the twenty degrees prior to the battle, and let out a satisfied sigh. Looking out over the lake, he saw small chunks of ice floating here and there, buoyed by the water. The wind, which had stopped when Morgaine passed out, began to return slowly, starting out as an almost non-existent whisper to a slight breeze. The water began to form into waves, lapping the shore.

Ferio closed his eyes, and took a deep breath of the lake air.

"Um, you can let me down now. I'm okay. I can walk. Really."

Shocked, Ferio looked down to see Morgaine awake and blushing. He let her down gently. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"No, but I'll manage to get back to the b…where we stay." She finished lamely, all too aware that he was on Kyu's side and she couldn't tell him anything anymore. "What happened anyway? Where's Kyu and Guenivere? All I know was that I healed you, Kyu collapsed and then I was here."

"It's a long story, but…why don't you trust me?" He questioned her, teasing though she didn't know.

"Why can't I trust you? You're on the other side, unless you've forgotten." She replied serenely, distantly. Then something hit her, and her eyebrows furrowed. She cocked her head. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

He grinned, not bothering to hide his happiness from her. "It was all a mistake. I can join your side after all."

Morgaine's eyes and mouth widened, forming three perfect holes like a peach bowling ball. "You mean…" She drifted off, and turned away from him. "I'm glad." She said softly. They walked for a few moments in silence.

"Ferio?" Her voice was quiet.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you, for saving me. I'm sorry you were hurt." She stopped for a moment as they entered the forest, and leaned heavily against a tree, her eyes squeezed tight as she fought against the pain, her breath came heavily, scraping.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you?" He made his voice casual, noncommittal, though he writhed with worry for her, hating to see her like this.

"No, I'm good. But…thank you so much. This is the third time you've saved my life. I would have been dead long ago if it wasn't for you."

He shrugged. "You've saved mine twice. Let's just say you owe me one."

She nodded, once again so serious, and began to walk once more.

"Where are we going?" He questioned her.

"To the shops near the bathhouse. That's where our stronghold is. Caitlyn's probably already there, waiting for me to come back with the Elemental of Light."

Another pregnant silence.

"You're an interesting person to be around." Ferio said finally, compelled to fill the silence. "You've got so many lies hiding yourself. It's a challenge to perceive what you're really feeling. But you have a few flaws that break your composure."

She made a non-committal 'hmm' noise. "Like what?"

"You fidget with your ring when you're extremely upset."

Ferio heard a sharp intake of breath from the person beside him, and felt a slight satisfaction from figuring this out.

"What? Do you spy on me? Am I just a game to you, trying to perceive my every feeling?" She was angry now. "All the times we ever talked, did you just look for, as you said 'the flaws in my composure?'"

"No, that's not it…"

"Forget it. Please just forget it."

There was an uncomfortable tension between the two that neither could name. Ferio looked sideways at Morgaine to apologize and stopped in his tracks. The wind was playing lightly with her auburn hair, and her deep brown eyes framed by long lashes looked straight ahead, accented by thin, dark eyebrows, trying to hide the pain that was felt. Her cheeks held a slight flush to them still, and though she looked somewhat weary, she was beautiful. I've only ever been thinking of her as an Elemental. Never as a woman at all…

She realized he had stopped, turned, and caught his gaze. "What?" She asked, looking tired. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something wrong with my face?"

Ferio almost gulped, stopped himself, and shook his head, ever so slightly. "No. Nothing wrong." He said, trying to keep his voice level, but it came out hoarse. He was enamoured by her. What's wrong with me?

She took a step towards him. "Look, I know I'm a wreck." Though the near drowning experience had washed away most of the blood from her wounds, they were red and puffy, and her arm was still oozing the red liquid slowly. "There's no need as to be so rude as to stare." Does he think I'm ugly, or something? Why do I care what he thinks? Because…it does matter to me. Because he's good looking to me, and I want to be the same to him. Not like anything is going to happen between us anyway. Gah! Okay, calm down. She spoke feigning light-heartedness that she did not feel. "I'm fully aware that I'm not stunning in the first place, let alone after I've been in a savage life-or death battle. I get the picture!" She turned away.

"But you are stunning, now and in the first place!"

The comment took Morgaine completely off-guard, bewildering her for a moment. She whirled around, her eyes scanning his face. Is he teasing me? Flirting with me? Lying? Or, for once in his life, is he being serious?

"I hardly think…" She began, but let out a short, sharp cry as she moved her arm. Deftly, he stripped off the cold, wet bandage, wrung it out, and replaced it firmly. His face unreadable, he put a hand on her shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze, then began walking quickly, not facing her. "Come on, we'd better be going."

She stumbled to catch up to him. "Listen. About earlier, when I was drowning and you rescued me, but I wasn't breathing?" She took a breath, and then, not wanting to beat around the bush, asked quietly. "Did you give me CPR?"

He didn't turn. There was no reaction. "Yes I did." He replied after a moment. "But I had to. Or else you would have died."

Pink tinged her cheeks, as she lifted a hand and pressed it to her lips. She nodded. "I understand. It had to be done: it doesn't mean anything."

There was no reply.

"Oh, come on. You don't think of me like that! I'm just a fellow Elemental you happened to meet! I don't mean anything to you!"

He turned quickly, and before she knew it, he had grabbed her shoulders, and he was looking straight into her eyes, his face inches from her own. "Is that what you think?" He demanded, almost angry. Morgaine was breathless for a moment. His gaze softened, his arms circled around her waist and his face leaned towards hers. Morgaine's eyes half-shut, she put her arms around his torso, holding him close and she too leaned, tilting her head slightly…

"Morgaine! There you are! Oh my God, what happened to you? Are you all right?"

The two shot apart, red-faced, to see an angry, oblivious Pauline glaring at them, arms crossed. "Ferio…how dare you attack her." Water began spiralling around her aggressively.

Morgaine shuddered, feeling nausea coming upon her. "No, not water, not water, no…" She muttered under her breath on the brink of hearing.

Ferio took a step back, ready to protect himself.

Morgaine stepped up to defend the green haired man beside her. She could not face him, embarrassed beyond belief, but she would stand up for him. "Pauline, stop it! Kyu attacked me, not him. He saved me! It turns out he could choose his own side, and he's chosen ours…" She drifted off, coming to a sudden realization. "And Guenivere's sided with Kyu." She muttered to herself.

Pauline looked lost and confused. "What?"

"They've both picked a side. The war's begun."

Pauline stood stock still, completely in shock. Then she slowly moved. "Oh God, please protect us." She whispered. "So everyone can attack and kill everyone else now, openly?"

Ferio nodded deftly.

Pauline swallowed past a sudden lump in her throat, and she was suddenly overwhelmed with fear. "Have either of you seen Caitlyn?"

Morgaine forced herself to stay calm. "I thought she went back to the bathhouse."

"She never came back."

The Elemental of Wind bit her lip, and made a split second decision. "I'm going after her." She said, and began running, stumbling over the ground.

"You're in no state to…" Ferio began, watching her. She let out a small cry, and crumpled, hitting the ground with a dull thud. The green haired man and the black haired woman both ran towards her, the latter calling her name. They checked her pulse. "She's okay." Pauline nodded. "Take her back to the bathhouse, make her rest. I'm going after Caitlyn."

And with that she was off.

Ferio knelt beside her. "You little idiot." He addressed her calmly. Her eyes fluttered open. "I'm sorry." She replied, then looked around. "Pauline…?"

"She's gone. She went after Caitlyn."

A small smile crept across her face. "Good. I'm sorry. But, I had to help Caitlyn." The smile was gone from her face. "The war's begun and she's out there alone, with Lantis."

He helped her to her feet. "I'm worried about her." She admitted to him, not hiding what she felt from him as they once again began to walk towards the bathhouse. She was surprised to feel his warm, callused hand slip into hers and squeeze gently, reassuringly, giving her comfort.

She smiled gratefully at him and then looked away. Caitlyn, wherever you are, please be all right!


AUTHOR'S NOTE

Well, there's my next chapter. I need suggestions. Should I start making them shorter, half this length? Yes or no?

Okay, the war's begun. Finally we're getting somewhere!

I realize I put a lot of Morgaine in this chapter, after meaning not to, but she was necessary to trigger the war. Don't worry, she's pretty much out for the next chapter. Once again out of commission.

There are going to be a lot of flashbacks next chapter. Probably.

Later,

Mojo