OK, I've decided I've been evil enough. After updating this I'm going outside! It's nice weather out today for January. I know that was random, but I'm tired right now…Anyway here's the chapter!

(written Fri. 1/20/06)

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It missed.

It just narrowly missed Ace's head.

Of course, that relief was short lived when she raised it again.

"Tech…" Rev said nervously.

"What?"

"Do-something." Rev said.

"Me? What am I supposed to do?"

"She-has-a-metal-weapon-put-two-and-two-together-here."

"My energy's too drained." Tech snapped.

'Try?" Rev asked.

Tech sighed. Focusing all his energy he was able to get somewhat of a spark. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. Then he was able to concentrate hard enough before throwing the sai blade across the room.

"Wow-Tech-that-was-really-amazing-I-didn't-think-you-would-be-able-to-do-it-but-when-you-put-your-effort-into-it-you-really-can-do-great-things!" Rev said.

"Don't thank me yet." Tech said as he watched Lexi grab Ace firmly by the collar.

"Lexi…Please. Come on. You can get out of this!"

"I told you Ace, I can't."

"Yes you can. Don't tell me what you can and can not do. Just put all of your effort into it, do it for me?"

"...I'll try."

Ace watched as it slowly seemed to be working. Then, it plummeted again when the entire crowd seemed to put all the effort they had into keeping Lexi from regaining control.

"They're starting to get their powers back! That's impossible! Hold them down, hold them down!" The woman kept on screaming at the top of her lungs. Screaming and yelling erupted as everyone tried to follow orders.

Soon a loud explosion came and a young girl appeared.

"SILENCE!" She thundered angrily.

Everyone did as they were told. Even the Loonatcis, who had managed to break free of their restraints due to all the chaos stopped.

"Let the girl go." Everyone stared at this young girl confused before letting Lexi regain control of herself.

Lexi glanced up at the girl and gasped. "You."

&&&&&&

"Hello." The girl said coolly.

"Alaizabel, what are you doing? I thought that you were under their control…"

"You're wrong. You see, they work for me."

"What?" She asked in utter shock.

"Of course, I thought I told them NOT to take control over you just yet! And I THOUGHT I told them to kill you and not keepyour powers. But everyone decides to do his or her own thing. And in the end no one listens to their own leader who could CRUSH THEM ALL IN A SECOND! Alaizabel thundered angrily.

The rest of the group shrank back in fear muttering apologies.

"So, that vision I saw, you made it up?"

"Yes. I knew you would probably pity me, and try even harder to break the Haunting. You can't of course. It's impossible. I made an eternity spell, so naturally it will last forever. And there's no way of getting rid of it."

"Well, we could just always try." Ace retorted.

"Go ahead. Get yourselves killed, it doesn't matter to me." Alaizabel said with a wave of her hand.

"So all of this, all of this was a trap? You used it to get to us?" Lexi asked.

"Yes." Came the blunt reply as Alaizabel disappeared into thin air.

"Can we kill them now?" One girl asked.

"YEAH!" The rest yelled in unison as they charged at the team.

"Great, now what? They're invincible." Danger said.

"I think we might be juiced up enough to beat them." Tech said.

"And-if-we're-not?" Rev asked.

"We don't really have much of a choice…" Tech said as the mob came closer and closer to them.

&&&&&&

2 hours later…

"We can't hold them back for much longer!" Ace yelled.

They had been fighting these guys and had managed to get down half of them, the other half was more difficult and the group was losing energy fast.

"I say we retreat!" Danger yelled.

"How? We're surrounded!" Lexi said as she shot a brain blast knocking over three burly looking men.

"We need some sort of a weapon." Ace said as he used his laser vision to blast at least 6 people away from them.

"There's a whole cabinet of guns I saw earlier." Tech called.

"And you didn't tell us this earlier because…?"

Tech sighed. "Rev, could you go get them?"

"No-problem." Rev said zipping away and returning 3 seconds later.

"Let's get this over with." Ace said grabbing one and started shooting randomly at anyone in sight of him. In fifteen minutes they were all down.

"Let's find Alaizabel and put a stop to whatever she's doing." Ace said.

"No-problem-Ace-with-my-GPS-system-I-can-tell-you-right-now-she's-in-Tech's-lab." Rev said.

Tech slightly paled as Ace yelled; "Let's move out."

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The group stood outside Tech's lab to hear no sound from the other side.

"Duck, teleport to the other side and see what's up." Ace said in a hoarse whisper.

"Of course, I have to do everything myself. I'll be back." Danger said teleporting out.

5 minutes later…

"C'mon where are ya?" Ace muttered.

"I heard punching on the other side." Lexi said.

"Duck's been hurt!" Rev exclaimed.

Ace's eyes widened. "Slam, knock down the door." Using his abilities, the door was down in two seconds flat with the group racing in.

They looked over to see an unconscious Danger who didn't appear to be in very good shape.

They turned to Alaizabel in complete shadow.

"What did you do?" Ace hissed.

"He's pretty weak, I must say. I could've done worse. He's reviving right now. He'll be fine." Alazabel said monotonously.

Lexi glanced up from gazing down at Danger. She heard something odd. Alaizabel's heart was slowing down. It was only going about 3 beats per minute.

"You're dying aren't you?" Lexi said. Everyone turned to her in surprise.

Alaizabel stepped out of the shadows to reveal her hooked up to all sorts of tubes.

"Why did you think I got away so fast? I can't be away from these tubes fro long. Besides, I have to decide who will be the new leader."

"But, you're a witch right? You can't die." Tech said.

"That's not true. Immortals can't die. Witches can only live up to 900 to 1,000 years. I'm 989 years old. Not bad for my age right? Even so, I am dying. I just want to see the final end to you and Acmetropolis before I say goodbye. My people will live on forever…The only hard part will be to find a replacement."

"Then, how did you beat up Duck?" Lexi asked.

"Magic." Was all she said.

"Magic did that? Holy crap!" Ace exclaimed.

Duck began to revive and started rubbing his head.

"When do you have to find a new leader?" Tech asked.

"I can't tell you that."

"Why? Is it because if you die by a certain time without a new leader then the Haunting will be gone?"

"…"

"HA! I was right wasn't I?" Tech said smugly.

"…How did you figure it out?"

"Simple, if you're 989 years old, and the Haunting's been going on for what? Between 1,000 and 2,000 years? Obviously you couldn't be the leader this long if you die when your 900 or 1,000."

"…We had a leader before. She died when she was very young, and she chose me to take over. I was the strongest, I was the best of the best. I cared for my people, and I would destroy anyone who crossed us if I had to. Now that I am getting old, I must choose a new leader. I must continue the legacy of our ancestors, so that the Haunting never dies."

"But because everyone here is stupid, you can't think of a new leader?" Tech asked.

"Correct."

"Well, then let's help you choose one." Tech said sarcastically.

Duck managed to stand up in a battle stance as everyone fired at once at the weakened Alaizabel.

The impact from all of their powers caused a deadly explosion and…

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(Written 1/21/06)

OK, I'm sorry if this chapter was a little screwed up. I'm not feeling well, and I have this pounding headache. So, I'm sorry if this chapter is a little rushed, I can never think straight when I have a headache. Anyway, please review to find out the shocking conclusion to The Haunting!