All right, here's the next chapter. I know that the suspense is high, but I'm not too sure that it will be completely resolved. It always seems to be a good place to end a chapter where I do, which always seems to be on a cliffie. It would seem weird if I stopped somewhere else, believe me. Anyway, here it is enjoy!

Chapter 9: More Trouble

Storm and Anna arrived in Altamira well before anyone else. She and Anna had talked to Sheena's group a while before Mithos talked with Lloyd's group. They wanted to make sure that they arrived pretty close together. Mithos did; however, want Sheena's group to arrive first so they wouldn't have to fight their group with Kratos and Yuan. Storm, Anna, and Mithos were all very strong, but that would still prove to be impossibly difficult for them. Mithos just hoped that during the coming battles Storm wouldn't lose her rage at all. If she did it could prove to be disastrous for his plan, but he was pretty sure that he had control over her.

Anna and Storm flew all over Altamira, looking for any sign of Regal or the children. Storm flew down to where the camp site was once hidden, but she could only find a few remains scattered about the place. She decided that Regal had followed the group of people there and left with the children. Storm looked over to Anna who was wondering if there was any other place they hadn't checked yet.

"Regal must have been worried when no one showed up after so long. He must have taken the children somewhere else, but where?" Storm wondered as she looked around the camp searching for anything that could provide the whereabouts of their target. After scanning the area several times, Storm looked at Anna like she'd given up. Just as she was about to say something to her though, Mithos flew down from the sky in a hurry.

"Where are the children?" he asked anxiously. "Someone is bound to arrive eventually."

"We can't find them, we believe that they have gone in search of a new hiding place," Anna reported to the seraph.

Mithos almost burst out in frustration, but managed to retain his calm attitude. He took in a deep breath and looked to the two angels in front of him. "Sheena's group was close behind me. They'll be here any second now. Let's go and wait for them, just follow the plan like we talked about, we'll find the children later," he ordered them as the two revealed their wings as the took off to their new hiding spots while they waited for the first group to arrive.

"I don't see anyone here. Do you think we're too late?" Genis asked as he looked at the deserted resort.

"They've got to be here somewhere, I just know it," Sheena replied desperately as she frantically searched for her son and daughter.

"I just knew that Storm wouldn't completely leave Cruxis and now she's proven me correct," Raine said for about the hundredth time, trying to get everyone to see how accurate her prediction had been.

"I just can't believe that she would do something like that. There must be another explanation," Colette said almost pleadingly.

"Raine is correct, Storm's character points towards her return to Cruxis," Presea told the blonde as she helped look for any sign of anyone on the island.

"I see that you have decided to show up for the little runts," Mithos laughed as he appeared on top of what appeared to be the remains of the large hotel. He looked out over the group as they all faced him angrily, ready to fight and defeat him at all costs.

"Give me them back or else!" Sheena yelled at him as she pulled out her cards threateningly.

"Unfortunately, we don't even know where they are. Apparently whoever was taking care of them decided to leave and take them with him," he informed her.

A small sigh of relief came from Sheena as she heard this news. She'd have to remember to thank Regal later for that one. "What do you need with them anyway?" she asked him.

"You'll find out in good time, but for now we'll take you pact maker," he told her. "Storm, Anna are you ready?" he asked as Storm appeared from behind him on one side, with Anna on his other side. They both looked down at the group in anticipation for what was to come. "You know what to do," he ordered them as they both jumped from the building, falling towards the ground. Just before they both hit the ground they each brought out their wings, as they soared over the ground towards the group.

"Take out the healer first," Storm ordered Anna as they both rushed towards Raine who tried to defend herself against them. Anna was able to hit her with her Leonasium attack causing her to fall backwards, landing hard on the ground from the blow. Storm was about to come in and attack her with her Rejection attack when she was violently hit from the side by Presea's Damnation attack. Fortunately, Presea couldn't bear to hit Storm with the blade of her axe, but hit her with the side of it. The blow didn't slice her, but did throw her into another pile of rubble from the building. Storm crashed into it and ended up under a pile of rocks. She managed to throw them all off of herself as she rushed back into the battle.

Raine was just getting up when Anna managed to make a U-turn and come back at her once again, hitting her with her Dark Sphere attack. Raine managed to dodge this attack and countered with her own Photon attack, hitting Anna directly. Anna slammed onto the ground from the attack, but was able to get herself back up. Raine though wasn't watching while Stomr came around from behind, managing to dodge Sheena and Presea as they tried to attack her. She hit Raine head on with her Beast attack, followed by her Rejection attack. Raine fell to the ground blacking out for the remainder of the battle.

Anna and Storm looked for their next targets. Storm had a score to settle with Presea, and Anna decided to take on Colette. Colette wasn't quite sure how to deal with the situation in front of her. She was very close to Anna and Storm and she wasn't very comfortable with fighting them. Presea; however, had gotten past those feelings after watching the two take down Raine, she had to protect the people they had left.

Presea was now definitely on the offensive as she moved after Storm seeming like she was trying to slice her in half with her axe. Storm tried her best to dodge the attacks, not really wanting to lose any of her appendages. Presea's axe managed to catch Storm in the side slightly, causing her to move back in pain and hold her side. It wasn't too deep of a cut, but she was hit nonetheless. This only increased Storm's rage as she moved toward the pink-haired woman. Storm managed to teleport behind her quickly and attack her with her Outburst attack, causing Presea to fly backwards. Presea didn't get up at first, but seemed to struggle with the action. While she was down, Storm decided to take the opportunity to prepare for her next attack as she started to chant a spell.

"Prism Sword!" Storm screamed as Presea was surrounded by rays of light as she was pierced by several blasts of bright and colorful blasts of mana from all around her. Presea dropped finally after this attack as Storm moved onto her next victim. She looked towards Sheena.

Anna was fighting with Colette, but it wasn't turning out to be much of a fight. Colette just couldn't seem to bring herself to fighting her own friends. Anna came at her and used her Agarasium attack as rings of mana and light lifted her in the air before slamming her back into the ground after absorbing her mana. Colette was about to get off when Anna finished her attack with a Leonasium attack, throwing her backwards, but Colette managed to land on her feet. Colette came back as she attacked Anna with her Angel Feathers attack as her attack caused Anna to real back in pain. Colette then began to chant her most powerful spell. Finally, she finished the spell just as Anna came up to attack her.

"Judgement!" Colette yelled as the sky grew dark and the rays of light rained down over the field. Colette wasn't able to see the outcome of her attack as Anna finished her off with her Dark Sphere attack, knocking her to the ground. Just after Colette was knocked out both Storm and Anna were hit by Colette's Attack with the attack Genis had been working on.

"Meteor Storm!" he yelled as the fiery boulders fell to the ground. Storm and Anna tried their best to dodge the attacks, but Storm was hit by a large meteor, but was able to blast it apart with her Outburst attack. Anna was hit by Colette's Judgement attack ad was knocked to the ground. Suddenly. Just as the two were about to run out of energy, they felt a surge of relief spread through them as they realized that Mithos had healed them with his powers. They both jumped up, ready to finish the battle.

Storm went after Sheena while Anna went after Genis. The half-elf was in big trouble because he couldn't gain any space between himself and Anna as she came at him quickly and swiftly. He was left to defend himself with his weapon, without any magic. Anna was able to bring him down quickly as she attacked him with her Dark Sphere attack followed by her Leonasium attack, sending him flying into a pile of rubble. She then flew at him, slamming him further into the wall by tackling him. After getting rid of Genis, Anna looked towards her mother who was trying to fight against Sheena.

Sheena threw card after card at the angel as Storm came in closer to her. Sheena was all alone and she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold her off. Storm came at her with her Rejection attack, but Sheena was able to defend against it as she released her Pyre Seal attack, knocking Storm backwards considerably. Storm shook off the attack, coming back at her. Anna came in next by attacking the ninja with her Agarasium attack while Storm got ready for the final spell. Finally, Storm let loose her final attack.

"Indignation Judgement!" she called as Sheena was absorbed by an immense amount of mana, taking everything out of her, ending the battle.

Storm walked over to the ninja and picked her up, ready for the other group to come. Mithos walked over to her and whispered in her ear once again.

Excellent job, this part of the plan will soon be complete. You will have your revenge soon.

Storm's rage flared up after he said this, leaving no trace of emotions that she felt for the friends that she had completely betrayed. Unfortunately, the Storm they all knew and loved was buried somewhere beneath this enraged surface, crying to get out.

Mithos looked out as he saw Lloyd and the others arriving as he ordered Storm to hide herself once again. Storm went behind the rubble pile as she took the unconscious Sheena with her.

Well, that's the end of this chapter. I know, another cliffie, but I think I've written enough already. I wasn't really planning on the fight to be that long, but everyone had to get defeated. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews from last time. Glad that you're all enjoying this. Please review this chapter and tell me what you thought. Thanks for reading!