Chapter Twelve
After waiting for hours, nighttime finally came and the people began to clear the streets and roads. Before long, the gang was alone in the dark streets. The streetlights lit up one by one after five minutes. "Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious." Kid ordered. "Misao can't be hard to spot now."
"Maybe we should split up and look around the town." Liz suggested.
"I agree." Blood responded quickly, pushing off the wall he was leaning against. "It's better than just sitting here."
"No, we stay together." Kid said in a stern tone, keeping the same blank facial expression. "We just have to be patient. It's still too soon for the murder to happen. If we search the town now, we search together." Kid then froze for a moment. His breathing slowed down as he looked around the area.
Liz and Patty noticed their meister acting strange and went to his side. "Are you okay, Kid?" Liz asked. "You don't look so good."
"She's close."
They all turned their attention to Stein. "Hey, what's going on with you two?" Patty asked.
"Misao's soul. It's giving off a bit of energy. Kid and I can both sense it." There was a short pause as a cool breeze passed through them. "She's not alone."
"I had a great time with you, Misao." Alex said, taking both of her hands in his. "I'm glad I met you today."
Misao couldn't look him in the eyes as she took back her hands. Tears attempted to fall once again, but she fought them back. "I did too." Her voice was soft and cracked in some areas. "But…our relationship ends here."
"What do you mean?" Alex attempted to lift Misao's chin to see her face.
"She means your soul belongs to us." Noah and the others appeared out of the shadows and surrounded Misao and Alex. Noah and Gopher stood behind Misao and gave Alex a sinister smile.
Struck with fear, Alex grabbed Misao's wrist and backed away slowly. He turned around to see a man with blades around his legs. "Who…are you?"
Misao released her hand from Alex's grip, walking over to Noah.
"Misao, what's going on?"
"This was a trap." She answered in the same soft tone. Her head was still tilted down with her eyes closed tightly. "Your soul will be taken and given to Lord Asura."
Giriko approached Alex, ready for his bloodlust to be satisfied. He raised his leg into the air, blades spinning around it. As his leg came down, a blast came from behind Noah and Misao. A quick flash passed them and hit Giriko's leg just as it was inches away from Alex.
Misao looked behind her and shed tears the moment she saw Blood, Stein and Kid standing a few feet behind them. Liz and Patty were guns and Kid pointed them at Giriko. The shot caused Giriko to miss his target and make a path for Alex to escape. 'Is it really him?' Misao couldn't take her eyes off of Blood. Her heart raced faster and faster the longer she gazed at him.
"Misao!" Blood called out her name, and ran to her.
He got about half-way when Noah put his arm around Misao, causing Blood to stop dead in his tracks. "Blood, glad you could make it. Along with your friends from DWMA." Noah spoke with a casual tone and a smirk. "To be honest, we didn't expect you to take this long to find us."
"Get your hands off of Misao!"
Misao stood there silently, her throat drying up every second that went by.
"I'm not doing anything to her. She's perfectly fine. Not a scratch on her."
Misao could hear Blood growl with rage. She then saw Stein stop him from doing anything stupid that would get others killed.
After a short while, Stein confronted Noah. "You all work for the Kishin, correct?"
Noah chuckled. "That's right." He kept his smirk planted on his face to show Blood and the others that they were powerless as long as Misao was there in the center of things. "We serve him with no questions. In fact, he gave us the order to go out and find more human souls for him to devour, in order to regain his strength after being imprisoned for so long. Thanks to Misao here, we've collected more than enough to sustain him." A sinister chuckle came out after that explanation.
"You bastards!" Blood yelled, causing Misao to flinch. "You forced Misao to lure those innocent people to you so you could slaughter them for their souls!"
"That's right, pal."
"I've heard enough talking." Giriko stepped up next to Misao, just as Noah released her from his hold. The moment Noah backed away, Giriko transformed himself into a chainsaw and flew straight into Misao's hands. Normally, a chainsaw would be heavy. Especially if the weapon and meister aren't connected. But in this case, Giriko fused his soul energy with Misao's and allowed her to hold him with no complications. "I'm going to enjoy tearing you all apart! Misao, just a little tip: if you say a single word to them, I won't hesitate to kill you and personally rip that orb from your body." Misao stood still with Giriko in her hands, holding back any other tears that attempted to continue to fall. "Now, hurry up and attack them!" His voice merged with the humming his blades made as they spun around and around.
"Misao, you don't have to so this!" Blood yelled to her.
"They're not giving her a choice." Stein said.
"Brace yourselves, she's coming!" Kid stood with Blood and Stein as Misao charged at them.
Misao lifted Giriko over her shoulders and attacked them. The group dodged the attack just before impact.
"Blood, hurry up and transform!" Stein instructed as they landed. "Kid can't fight on his own. Do it now!"
Misao watched Blood transform into a spear and land in Stein's hands.
"What're you waiting for!?" Giriko exclaimed. "Hurry up and attack! I want to see their guts spill across the floor!"
She did what she was told and attacked once again. The chainsaw revved faster and faster as Misao drug the tip of it across the pavement while running towards Stein and prepared to attack. As she was inches away, she lifted Giriko and attempted to split Stein in two. He blocked at the last minute with Blood. The blades spun and spun but made no dent on the handle. 'Blood's made out of old-fashioned material.' She thought as she continued to try and get at Stein. 'No matter how many times I attack, Blood will remain invincible.' She whipped Giriko around and around, still in control of the momentum of the weapon. He laughed the more she slashed away. 'I'm sorry Blood.' Misao let a tear fall from the corner of her eye, knowing Blood would notice it.
"Stein, we have to think of something!" Blood exclaimed while feeling the pressure of Giriko's uncontrolled wavelength hitting him repeatedly. He looked to Misao to see her shed a tear while continuing to attack them. 'Misao…I'll get you out of this. I swear.' He lost his sense of location and only saw a glimpse of the memory when he and Misao first met. It made him smile and strengthened his spirit a little more as his mind returned to the battle. The only thing on his mind was getting back the warm comfort of him and Misao living peacefully together like they did before this hell broke loose.
"I agree!" Stein grunted, attacking and then quickly switching to defensive mode. "They're trying to wear us out." Stein leaned back to avoid being cut by the chainsaw. "Blood, I'm gonna do something you'll hate me for. But it's the only way I can stall them for now."
"What're you gonna do?" There was hesitation in his voice as Stein remained silent while launching himself in the air and kicking Misao in the back, causing her to lose her grip on the chainsaw and fall a few inches away from it. "Misao!" He watched her struggle to get back up.
"I did say you'd be angry with me." His tone was casual as he adjusted his glasses.
"What the hell, Stein!?"
"She's fine." He told her. "Look, at this point she's a threat. If we don't want to hurt her, the least we can do is slow her down. All we have to do is make sure that she can't reach the weapon and is unconscious. Once that happens, we create a diversion, kill these guys, rescue Misao and then return to DWMA. But this plan will only work if you as the weapon hold noting back against your former meister."
"She's not my former meister. She is and will always be my meister." Blood defended.
Stein exhaled while exposing a small grin.
"What the hell is taking you so long!?" Giriko yelled as Misao regained her balance. "Get off your ass and start killing!"
"Forgive me, Misao." Stein charged at Misao the moment she reached for the chainsaw and defended herself. She was pushed back but was able to stay on her feet.
"You're holding back!" Stein and Blood watched as Giriko increased his own wavelength, shocking Misao and causing her unimaginable pain.
Her scream practically tore Blood apart. "Stop it! Leave her alone!"
"If you don't like what you're seeing, then do something about it." Noah mocked, sitting back and watching the battles go on endlessly.
Stein ignored Noah as he rushed towards Misao just as her pain ended. "We have to separate them before Misao is put in anymore harm! Get ready Blood! Increase your power!" Blood did what he was told as Misao revved the chainsaw and launched herself into the air, lifting it above her head. 'Here she comes.' Stein waited for Misao to get in the right position until he could make his move against her. In his eyes, everything ran in slow motion. Even his breathing and heart beat slowed down. Finally the moment came and Stein quickly used Blood to block the attack. "Do it now, Blood!" Blood released his wavelength the moment Giriko came into contact with him. The energy blasted through the weapon and into Misao, causing her to let go of the chainsaw and fall farther away from it than before. Misao lost consciousness just before she hit the ground.
"Stein, throw me towards her now!" Blood demanded. The second Stein released him, Blood transformed back into human form. He was in direct course towards Misao, picking up speed. He held out his arms out in front of him just as he was a few feet away from Misao. His target was lost when Gopher quickly got in front of Misao and used his wings to fire endless rounds at Blood and knocked him down on the ground. He didn't take too much damage, but he was shaken up as he tried to stand up.
"You will not get to her." Gopher said, giving Blood a menacing glare.
"That's my line, you bastard!" Blood charged at him until Kid stepped in and fired shots at Gopher. "Kid."
"Didn't I say not to do anything stupid!? I'll rescue Misao! Go back and help Stein!"
"No, I'm staying here and helping you! I have my uses without my meister." With a swoop of his arm, Blood's hand transformed into a spear head the same size as it is when he's in his weapon form. "I vowed to protect her with my life. Nothing you say is gonna change my mind."
"Two against one does not matter." Gopher said in a low growl. "I do as Master Noah commands me. You will not get near her." He used his wings again and fired rapid feathers at Blood and Kid who rolled out of the way in opposite directions. Kid rolled onto one knee and fired shot after shot at Gopher while Blood rushed to the side to catch him by surprise. "You think you can slip past me!?"
Blood smiled as he jumped over Gopher and Misao and headed for Noah. "If you're so loyal to your master then come and save him!" He aimed his spear-head arm directly at Noah, who stood there with a calmed expression.
"You really think I'm not capable of defending myself?" Noah smirked while pulling out the Book of Eibon. He opened its pages and brought out a giant golem that blocked Blood's attack before knocking him back down. Noah let out a sinister laugh while watching Blood roll on the ground. "Pathetic! All of you! You can't even protect one girl! And you call yourselves meisters and weapons." He glared at every single one of them, seeing that they were low on stamina. "Gopher, grab Misao and let's get out of here!" Instantly, Noah pulled the golem back into the book and summoned the griffon and flew off just as Giriko jumped onto it and flew away with Gopher.
"Come back…Misao!" Blood yelled just before he fell unconscious.
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