D.H. A.N.: I'm sorry it's been so long, Mhera and Rione have been stuck in that cell long enough to come up with a plan on escaping from that cell. As for Seto and Serenity , their position is a little more desirable, but important to the story all the same. Readers, please don't be mad at me if I skip in between the trio. But enough of the authoress' rambling, here's the Second part of Fate's Forces. Read, Review, and Enjoy!!!!!

Chapter Five: Fates Forces Pt. II

Mhera was silently contemplating how many possible escape scenarios there could possibly be. Unfortunately, unlike the last time she had been in this position, which had been an easier place to escape from, as she somehow possessed a thorough knowledge of the facility. This would be harder. Her mind somewhat sparked. When those soldiers come, that will be our only opportunity. But after we blitz them, with a hopeful success, then comes the even harder part; getting out in one piece. "This is so aggravating!" She fumed. Rione seemed to feel her displeasure at the situation.

"How many steps are you considering at once?" He paused as he got caught in an icy glare that only lasted about two seconds, but then softened as its caster realized that he was helping lighten the load. "I'll work on what happens after we get out of the cell. I know these places as well as you don't know them. Do we have a deal?"

"Yep." Mhera wasn't up to making a formal deal, as making agreements like those only led to more trouble. "So, our best plan is a blitz…"

Meanwhile Seto Kaiba was glaring icily at Noah, who seemed very happy to see him. "Hey Seto, Did you miss me?" A Mokuba-like grin was plastered to his face. "Come on, smile!"

"Not with you trying to make me. I don't know what you're up to, but I'm not falling for the whole "I'm a different person" thing" Seto Kaiba just glowered at the former heir of Kaiba Corp.

"But Seto, it's true!" Noah protested

"I'm not buying it." Seto Kaiba was not one to understand his own humor, but anyone else would get another meaning. His glare never softened toward Noah, but his tone became more inquisitive. "How did you get here?"

"I don't really know, but I'm glad I wound up here." Noah smiled yet again.

Felicity Kamiya wrapped a strand of jet black hair around her finger, watching the auburn teen soak up the calmness of the beach. Her emerald eyes somewhat smiled at the fact that she wasn't the only one who could find pleasure at the simplistic complexities of the shoreline. She loved the manner of it, how the air seemed to invigorate every fiber of her being, and could see that the other girl got something differently similar. She wondered if the auburn-haired teen would react if talked to. She decided that it was now or never.

Serenity stared at the raven-haired teen that was obviously contemplating something important. Serenity liked the emerald eyes of the other teen, something about them was calming, soothing, and friendly. She saw that the other teen was coming near and was somewhat nervous in her step. Serenity smiled, and the other girl gave a slight look of relief. If there was one thing Serenity was good at, it was putting others at ease with the smallest smile.

She smiled, man do I feel better! There is something about her besides her smile. though I can't quite put my finger on it. Felicity had to smile too. But it isn't safe for a newcomer; she could be one that the prophecy speaks about, and those goons from the fortress want anyone involved with that prophecy captured. I can't let that happen.

Two soldiers had come, and the two prisoners, who were very sullen faced, were waiting for them. But unknown to the two soldiers, that was all part of the plan. "Well, well, well, it appears the boy has a new friend. Maybe the reason why she's so sad is because the boy has told her that she'll never see the light of day again! I look forward to seeing what Master Noinreil has planned for them." The two laughed mirthlessly.

Mhera unknowingly tensed, because she knew that name. Noinreil not only was someone from the past that she would rather forget, but he fit the bill perfectly as someone who wanted to control everyone around him. She was certain he had not forgotten how she had "swindled" him out of a promotion in the ranks of the Rare Hunters, she had escaped his controlling grasp. He lost the duel. I think it would have been enough for him to lose, but my father just had to add insult to injury by giving me 'his' promotion. Mhera let a shadowy smirk cross her face, if only for a slight moment, at the fact that he thought everything was nothing of his own doing. She had followed orders, and in doing so made Noinreil the insolent unrespectable person she despised. She had only that as her regret. She was grabbed roughly out of her reverie by one of the soldiers.

"The Master said we were to be very gentle with you, girly." Mhera glared at them, for she wasn't the exact definition of 'girly'. The soldiers very quickly found out why. Deftly, Mhera rotated around the two soldiers, so that she was behind them, slyly removing the keys from the belt of one. Tossing them to Rione, who was still in the cell, Mhera began ducking and weaving in between the two soldiers. This was successful for about two minutes until Mhera let her tiredness catch up with her. One of her hands got caught around the spikes on the soldiers' gloves. She heard a snap that sounded as if it were her wrist breaking, but felt no pain. In fact she felt the opposite of how one felt when one broke something important. She had broken something, however.

"Mhera, one of your bonds has been broken, that means half of your powers are returning to you! You have to break the other one!" Mhera heard Rione shout over the scuffle. Mhera only nodded and proceeded to give the guards the notion that they had her; she was good at leading people on false pretenses. They grabbed her hands, binding them behind her. She felt the left bond hit a reassuring snag on a glove spike, and swiftly pulled. It was over in a flash, both guards were on the ground, unconscious. Mhera was giving the appearance of dusting off her hands, a glowing smile on her face at how easily the lackeys were taken care of. Rione had his mouth wide open.

"That was amazing. Remind me to stay on your good side, please?" Rione said.

"It's easy to do." A sudden noise jolted them back to reality. "Quickly, put these on." Mhera tossed him one of the soldier's uniforms, but she couldn't find anything that would help her blend in…or was there? Something brushed against her neck, apparently the person who had her placed in the cell hadn't checked her person; something that also fit Noinreil's personality. It was a pendant in the shape of a rose, black as night, and a gift from her brother. "Let me see if I can find something to remove your bonds, Rione." She checked one of the soldiers, finding a rusted dagger that would fit her purposes quite nicely. Rione had seen the blade and presented his arms to her. "Don't worry, I have a pretty good grasp on this thing." She reassured him with a small confident smile. Relieved that the bonds had a slight amount of slack, Mhera set to her task, carefully edging the blade against the leather-like bonds. But to her dismay, they were much stronger than leather. "Okay, Rione, when I tell you to pull, pull the opposite way of the blade. I think one final tug should do it for your left hand" There was stillness in the air as they both heard a satisfying snap. She then repeated the process, freeing his right hand.

"Alright, now here's where it gets tricky for both of us." Mhera removed the pendant from her neck "You have to keep this around your neck as we proceed." Rione gave her a very quizzical look. "Trust me." She finished. Rione started pacing with an undignified gate, and proceeded to fasten the pendant around his neck, but Mhera halted him. "Not yet. You have to walk like a trained soldier." She slightly arched his back, placed his arms at his side, and told him not to march like a toy soldier, and finally demonstrated how to do it correctly.

"It took me forever to learn how to do that right." Rione said when Mhera smiled, trying to put her friend at ease.

"It took you no less than a couple of minutes what it took me two months to finally get right."

"Really? Two months? You're joking!"

"Nope, not joking." Mhera responded

The slam of the door, as well as footstep's echoes, forced them to hasten their escape plans. Unfortunately it threw Mhera's planned explanation of her way out from her mind. "Put the pendant on now!" Rione did so, and Mhera vanished, but he could still feel that she was there. "I am serving as your shadow for the moment, but you have to be extremely careful. This is extremely risky, and, to quote an old friend of mine, if I haven't made that minor point important, then I have done a very poor job. This will probably be the last time I contact you until we're out of here."

Rione then began to sneak through the corridors, fortunately running into no one along the way. Until he reached the front, and almost to the door. Another soldier, who was keeping guard on the drawbridge, swiftly drew the pendant from Rione's neck, remarking, "That's pretty, but you should know that any form of jewelry is prohibited." Rione glanced beside him, his shadow and his friend were still one. The other soldier quickly dashed Rione's hope for Mhera's clean escape, when he passed the pendant to a seemingly common teen. The teen had black hair, a tan complexion complemented by cold gray eyes, and a handsome face. But his face hid a dark demeanor that even Rione could sense.

"I remember this; this object can belong to one person." He then seemed to be speaking to no one at this point, but his voice was very compelling. "He dies if you do nothing, my Arlomhe. If you come out of hiding, I may just let him live."

Mhera's voice answered him, "I am not yours." She stood beside Rione, glowering at the other teen across from her.

"You still have feelings for the Yagasawi boy even after he harmed you so badly?" The other's gray eyes shone with contempt.

"Don't speak of him like that! Sheon just needed his space! And I gave it to him."

"He doesn't love you anymore, why do you still hold on to hope that he'll take you back?" The other teen was getting the exact reaction he wanted from her.

"Because he saved my life at risk of his own. That is something you'll never be able to do, Noinreil. You would never be able to defeat my hope in the matter." Mhera was on the verge of tears.

"I have a proposition for you." Noinreil was in control of the situation, that much he knew. Also, he would be very laughable if he did not take the sweet opportunity for revenge when it was available. "Your friend leaves, unharmed. You, however, may not be so lucky. If you can defeat me in a duel, as you did so excellently that day, I will let you go. If you lose, however, you will stay here and be mine."

If it were in the real world, Mhera would have thought Noinreil a poor better, but here, he obviously held more power. I have to do this, but what if I fail. I just have to have faith that I will succeed.

"Alright, I accept your deal, but first, you let my friend go."

"Yes, Arlomhe." He smirked "Oh, wait I forgot you don't use that alias any longer. Of course, Mhera. You know me as a man of my word."

"Yeah, only if you benefit." Mhera muttered.

Rione just glanced at her, but, Mhera assured him that she would be fine. The guard then let the drawbridge down, and shoved Rione through.

Kaiba glanced at Noah, who was attempting to guide him to a resistance of this realm.

"No"

"But Seto!" Noah would not be able to sway the CEO. "There has to be a reason why you're here!"

"Yes, and that is to find someone and then leave" Kaiba replied firmly.

"The resistance can help." Noah was still trying to sway him.

"Alright, the sooner I can get out of here the better."

Serenity was talking with Felicity, who was telling about how the resistance had helped her by providing a home after her village had been taken by the dictator of the realm; also helping her look for her brother. "He hasn't been found yet." Felicity was sullen at the unfortunate fact.

Just then, a brunette with brown-gray eyes came running towards them. "Please help me; my friend is in trouble!"

D. H.: I hope this isn't too much of a cliffie. Merry Christmas!!!!! Got any ideas for the upcoming events in the story?" Toss 'em in a review!! Please review!!