Chapter 22: Thrown in the Fire

{Western District: 6:59pm}

Guren skidded back from the hit that came from the brunette girl who slid to a halt, her form strict, and eyes focused. Akane had stopped playing with him and every time he saw her strike he saw confliction in her eyes. He knew why she had started attacking to hurt him – Ferid was off playing with the other vampires as they tore through buildings like they were butter, but he was still keeping tabs on her. When she bypassed his sword, and cut him in his shoulder she had begun crying. Now she was wiping her eyes as she tried to calm herself – she didn't want to do this, and she didn't have to – but how could he even help her when he didn't know who she was looking for? He had a suspicion, but it seemed so farfetched that it had slipped his mind moments ago. Now he was trying to grasp what to do with her if he was nearly killed or if she were to die.

"Hey, if you die…." She shook her head and prepared to attack.

"I'm not going to die! I can't afford to!" she said, her voice strained with barely contained tears as her hands shook.

"If you were to though, I could help! Tell me who your family is, and I'll make sure they're safe." She felt tears well up in her eyes.

"I have to see them! I've waited four years to see my brothers again… please… there's no other choice… I have to survive… even if it crushes my heart to kill someone like this I have to see them again even if they hate me!" Akane snapped as she charged, and he felt her sword hit his side and he gripped it momentarily.

"Do you not think I don't understand that? But you realize what you are! If your brothers are still alive you may attack them at some point. You don't even know if they…" she cried harder.

"They are alive, I have pictures of them from only a few weeks ago. I still have a photo of them with me. I carry it everywhere, so I can remember why I'm here!" she shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and looked at him.

"Then why fight? Surrender," he said.

"If I do that Ferid will kill me… Krul will be pissed at him but he won't let me leave here alive." Her tears started again. She was breaking apart at the seams and he knew that. How could he help her? Why did he even want to help her? Because he realized that beneath the façade of a vampire was still an innocent human girl who was pleading for someone to help her? Yes, he thought, that was why.

"Then what are you going to do? If you leave and he follows your brothers will get killed. He'll do it just to spite you," Guren stated.

"I know! That's why I have to fight even if it is breaking me…even if they see me and hate what I am now! If I can save them… even if I die… it'll make me feel better knowing that they're safe…." She set her eyes on him in a glare.

"Then come after me with all you have Akane."

{Near the Western Wall: 7:00pm}

"Hurry! Keep running!" said Mitsuba as they ran down the street towards the area where Guren's team was supposed to be.

The others before leaving the building they had been in had decided to go over further planning. They would encounter possibly several Nobles there and would need to stick to their first plan for Mika to copy off one of the Nobles so he and Yuu could tag team some of the vampires. It was risky, but they would have to put the two of them as the vanguard until Mika was able to do that – then they would have to swap out between them in twos. Shinoa and Mitsuba would be teaming up while Kimizuki and Yoichi did the same leaving Yuu and Mika as a team to come in with them. If that plan failed though another and higher risk was present that Shinoa didn't feel comfortable with; relying entirely upon Yuu and having to also rely on the pills.

"If this plan of yours doesn't work Shinoa what should we do?" the periwinkle haired girl looked at Kimizuki.

"Honestly, so far my only backup idea is to rely on Yuu's Psychometry – and take the pills. But that still is a big risk. There's no telling what the outcome will be regardless of what we do. Remember your teammates and don't separate," she said.

"Considering we don't know how bad it is… that's a fairly good plan…" Shinoa glanced at the two boys running hear each other. Their plan wasn't the best, and she knew it but there was little to no choice.

"Thanks for the confidence boost Yuu," she said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Not a problem – just please tell me your next plan doesn't mean running away?" she glanced his way.

"Once we get there all of us need to abandon any ideas of running away because even if we do or if we have to… we're going to be fighting going in and going out unless we subdue them," she stated.

"Then we'll just have to subdue the fangs. If we don't then we're going to lose Shinjuku and Shibuya will be next."

"Right…so we have to give it our all," said Mitsuba. The group kept running towards the western wall and then they heard the loud explosion causing them to freeze as smoke bloomed from the area.

"What do we do?" Yuu looked at them.

"Run faster!"

It felt like their legs were made of led the second time they took off running. It had been nearly an hour of running that the group had to stop and breathe despite wanting to rush towards Guren's team. All of them knew that if they tired themselves now they would be useless in the fight and from the moment they paused to when they started up again they had all agreed to walk rather than run knowing that the walk would conserve their energy. As their steps grew closer the group felt their hearts begin to speed up.

Mika glanced to his brother, momentarily recalling something for the first time they'd been exposed to a demon, and how horrible things had gone. Quickly, the blonde shook the thought from his mind, knowing that focusing on it right now was a bad idea. He needed to keep himself set on the mission, even though deep down within, Mika wondered how much the others knew about how different he and his brother were. Taking in a deep breath, Mika turned his focus forward, and the group continued their fast pace walk all the while hoping that the others would be okay. If they could help it none of them would be dying today – Mika could only hope that it wouldn't change them if something happened to where they had no choice but to fight and something happened to Yuu. It scared him, but he knew he could bring him back and hopefully Shinoa could as well.

{Western District of Shinjuku: 7:20pm}

Guren gasped as Akane sliced his side again – deeper than the last cut – and the girl gritted her teeth against the action. He knew she had no real choice because of Ferid watching her even while he was reveling in slaughtering the other soldiers present. However, he couldn't let himself die here. Despite them being able to take care of themselves, and being excellent fighters Yuu and Mika were still his brats and he wanted to be there for them – he wouldn't let this girl take him from them. Guren parried her next attack and the girl growled in irritation. She was slipping up despite herself and he knew that there was a chance she would never see her brothers again.

"Tell me more about your brothers," he said as he went after her and she blocked.

"They're both incredibly kind… and stubborn… they always want to protect the ones they love…" she swung, and he felt the blade slice his shoulder.

"What else?" he questioned as he managed to nick her arm. The girl had remarkably good sword skills.

"They're willing to do anything for their family. They stand up for them and take everything on by themselves… something I've always hated for them to do alone… I was too weak to help them… now I have a chance to save their lives." Guren sighed as he struck her in the leg and she hissed before stepping back.

"Sounds like someone I know…." He slashed at her again and she managed to avoid it.

"Both of them are something I would die for, but I can't let you kill me Lieutenant Colonel Ichinose…I have to kill you if I want to see them again…" she got him several times after that statement and his body flexed a bit in strain.

Guren was beginning to think it would be a hopeless endeavor to try and save the girl's life so she could find her brothers, but she was adamant that she would live. Akane was astounding him with her fighting spirit despite herself. It was as they locked blades again that Ferid came back to watch them. He sighed as he saw that the man was still standing. What was this girl doing now? He frowned as he watched before looking at the wounds on Guren and then some of the ones on Akane.

"Are you playing with your food Akane?" he asked.

"No! He's good though…" she lashed at Guren and he felt the blade nearly catch him.

"I can finish him for you?" he offered.

"I can do it by myself! I don't need your help!" the silver haired vampire sighed.

"Those other Moon Demon Company members sure are tough, they're laying into us like we're softened butter," he stated as Guren nicked the girl's cheek. It healed and she cast the silver haired vampire a glare.

"WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP FOR ONCE?" she screamed as she swung and caught Guren in the left arm. He hissed in pain before gripping the wound.

"Oh? Alright, I'll just watch…."

"Damn you Ferid… I hope you die."

Guren smiled as he looked at Akane, and saw her will and determination as he had in Yuu and Mika. Not just courage but the will to fight, to win, to grow stronger and protect those they cared for – that was their will. He laughed a little confusing both Akane and Ferid. Of all the things he had remembered since his fight began with the brown-haired girl he had remembered Yuu's will to be stronger – for some reason he found it highly comical that an at the time thirteen- year-old child had known more about the will of humanity than even he an adult did.

"You know, I think he's lost his mind Akane," Ferid said.

"No, it's not like that." She shook her head.

"The girl is right Noble, or should I call you Ferid Bathory? I have not lost my mind… if anything I just realized something about why I am fighting. I too have precious people to protect. I have four boys, and two girls I have to make sure live to see another day and their coming to fight alongside me because we're family, because we've formed a bond thanks to two of my boys – a overprotective one and a stubborn one, both of those brats have the power to bring people together and let people remember something priceless," he stated.

"Oh? And what's that?" Ferid tiled his head with his smile favoring something knowing and a little cruel.

"The humans have an amazing gift that each of us share, and that stubborn brat reminded me of it just now. It's our will to live that keeps us going: our will is something you can never take from us. So long as we have the strength to carry on even if it's brittle, we can still kick your asses back to the shadows where you belong. So, bring it on Akane – I'll take you on full force," Guren said as he allowed red spiral marks to form up his face. The girl felt her eyes soften.

"I understand…" she posed to attack.

Time was running out, it was on no one's side – not the humans struggling to maintain their hold on the city of Shinjuku nor the vampires that crawled through the streets soaking the stone of the place with the blood of hundreds who would lay their lives down for the sake of their freedom. And it was not on the side of Akane who knew now that she was going to have to strike the man who had been trying to coax so much information out of her during their fight.

"It's gone on long enough… I have to end it or stall somehow… I'm sorry…" Akane locked blades with Guren once more this time with the intent to end the fight.

{20 Miles out of Guren's Location: 7:31pm}

"That stubborn brat reminded me just now. It's our will to live that keeps us going,"

Yuu narrowed his eyes as they walked closer to the noise – avoiding some of the vampires that were prowling the streets – he was sensing something that he currently despised. Just then he could have sworn that Guren was talking to someone about a stubborn brat – which happened to be the very thing the man always called him – and could only roll his eyes as they crept along the alley ways. How much longer could they avoid the vampires? They were going to run into one or multiple ones at some point and it made him anxious. He looked at the others and took in a deep breath as he steadily walked along the way towards an opening where Mitsuba had said a vampire was. Yoichi was next to her and had stepped out before shooting the hooded vampire before it could alert the others.

"Good job Yoichi," said Mika.

"Thanks….how much further are we from Guren and the others?" Shinoa held up the pocket watch – complete with timer and tracking device – before looking at its screen.

"Not too far – apparently he's fighting one of the vampires….but there are several around them still….see the red markers? Those are vampires, the green ones are us, and the blue ones….those are Nobles," she said as she held it up for them to look at.

"So….just one right now, but that Crowley guy is a Noble as are the two females with him so if they were to show up…" Shinoa nodded.

"Yes, there would be four Nobles there atop several hundred normal vampires. Once we arrive we'll assess the situation. We'll probably be ordered to take one of the pills soon after we arrive so be ready to do so. On top of that I don't know how bad it is going to be or how many we've already lost but….Yuu? Mika? You've encountered this Noble before right? What was his name?" she asked.

"Ferid Bathory, he's the one who killed our family…" Shinoa felt a slight sting for bringing that up.

"What was he like?" Yuu glanced to her.

"Brutal, he enjoyed every second of it, acted like it was a fun game. Challenged us to run away and most of us did – they all died. Ferid is strong and fast – the seventh progenitor, and if that doesn't make matters worse he's probably the leader so he's brought the offspring of Nobles with him," he said.

"Wait….they can reproduce?" Mika nodded.

"We've seen a handful of vampiric children – not many mind you – but a few. On top of that they're just as strong as their parents by now and they're going to get stronger because they drank human blood," the blonde told them.

"I have a question…..if we were too….fight with the demons nearly possessing us during the entire fight what would happen?" Shinoa looked at the others.

"It could take us over because we'd grow weak and tired. However, that might happen. Yuu? How long can you use your Psychometry?" she questioned.

"Twenty minutes if I push it….if I had the boost from Asuramaru and the pill? Maybe twenty-five to twenty-six minutes if we're lucky." Mitsuba looked him over.

"What about without straining your body to the point your ill?" she inquired.

"Sixteen minutes at best….not much time at all….with the pill boost maybe twenty without a strain that great, with Asuramaru helping I'm looking at twenty five without massive strain….but the backfire will make it worse than the tram way – from what I've gathered I could lose consciousness or go into shock there's a long list of things that could happen." The others went stiff.

"I can probably use my own Psychometry gift for sixteen minutes as well if I try. I know I'll have just copied, but I can try and if I can do it I can lessen the strain on Yuu. With a little help from Fenrir and the pill if we're requested to take it – twenty minutes tops," Mika said.

"But that could kill you!" the blonde shook his head.

"Thanks to Guren's training – even if was for just three days – I should be able to do this much. But that's it…..by the time our sixteen minutes runs we'll have to pull back and get our bearings…." He said. Yuu glanced to his brother.

"We can use it at full force for sixteen minutes with minimal strain – after that it'll be relying on Asuramaru and Fenrir with each of you and your demons….and if we're asked to take the pills then that as well for an additional fifteen minutes." Shinoa looked at them at the same time that Mitsuba looked to Mika. They were both so worried, there was so much risk involved.

"So sixteen minutes and then fifteen minutes before we're completely vulnerable….in total that gives us thirty-one minutes to take down as many vampires as possible, assist Guren and get the hell out of there," said Kimizuki.

"Pretty much – but you'll have to wager a small time frame that we won't be able to fight…." They looked to Mika who had a regretful expression.

"How long?" asked Yoichi.

"Sixty seconds at minimum depending on how bad the rebound is? Both of us could be out of commission for five minutes." Shinoa nodded. Sure, it didn't seem like much in normal means, but on a battle field five minutes could make or break the outcome of the fight. It could also result in mass casualties in no time at all. It was a greater risk than some of they were positive they could handle.

"Then we need to be able to hold them for five minutes while you recuperate. I doubt it would be good for you to be caught in the middle of the recover stage and have to take something that could put more strain on your bodies. We'll try to give you guys the first go so we can hold them off for a bit with the rest of the Moon Demon Company – when you two are ready take the pills and join us – Guren will give the order," Shinoa said.

"Okay, so that's our plan now…." They looked at each other.

"Don't die," said Yuu.

"We won't…" the group nodded.

"Everyone ready?" asked Shinoa.

"Ready!"

"Then let's go! We have some fangs to slay!"

{….}

From your halo…

{….}

Author's Note: Short chapter, yes, I know, but for this I kind of needed it to be seeing as I might have made a slight error, but I feel like some of the chapters were way to long, and this was one of them, which originally maxed out at over 40 pages. Well, tell me what you think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.