YAY! I STILL HAVE READERS! Thank you for the reviews.
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"There's more here!" Anna cried out, sliding from Noishe's back where she was riding. Denise and Kratos caught up with her, panting to keep up. It was daybreak and the sun was just coming up over the trees. They all knew they had to find Felicity and quick.
"Damn Noishe!" Denise exclaimed. "You bit her good!"
Kratos smiled to himself. At least he wasn't the only one talking to a dog. He looked up and noticed that they were at the very edge the woods...and something was moving.
"Anna," he whispered, gesturing ahead of them. Anna looked and her eyes flashed in rage and desperation. "I think we got her. But she's not alone."
"Wait here," she said. "Noishe," she called pointing up and Noishe came to her side. Anna stood on his back, balanced herself, and crouched low. "UP!" she cried, and Noishe reared and she sprang up through the air and grabbed a tree brach. With surprising strength, she pulled herself up, grabbed another, and continued to climb up until she was out of sight.
Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Where did she learn that?" he muttered aloud as Noishe crouched in a pouncing position, ready for a signal. Denise looked at Kratos and chuckled.
"Her parents were our leaders. Where else?" Denise asked and Kratos looked sheepish. "Her brothers Samuel and Edric were our top assassins and Adam was a superb healer. She could throw a mean right hook before she could walk. Plus she and Noishe have some special bond ever since he came to her." Denise looked at the ground. "A lot of her talent comes from Edric. He was the best of the best, better than her father. He taught her everything he knew and the two were so close. It was Edric who hooked her on twin blades and taught her hand to hand combat. He would have lead us had he not died."
"What happened to Felicity though?" Kratos asked. "Why did she abandon the Jalisa?"
Denise's face darkened. "When natives are twelve, they face their trial. They have to deafeat the youngest qualified member of the leading family."
"Anna?" Kratos asked and Denise nodded.
"Felicity wanted power. She always did. But when she went up against Anna, she was defeated. She had to wait until she was sixteen, but she finally managed it. That same year was the attack on the main village, Jalisa. Felicity and Anna alone survived. Months later, Ahmond's younger brother, Jason, turned twelve and had to go up against Felicity. He won, of course, being taught by Ahmond. And Felicity, who could never forgive Anna for defeating her years before, killed Jason. She fled."
Before Kratos could react, there was a loud cracking noise, a cry of "SHIT!" and without thinking, he dove forward and caught Anna as she fell out of the tree.
Anna looked at him in surprise that was mirrored in his own eyes. He had her in his arms and it felt wonderful to both of them. She wanted to kiss him so badly, so very badly.
"Well what did you see?" Denise asked anxiously.
Kratos set Anna on her feet.
"Here's the plan," Anna said. "This forest ends in a sharp downward slope that drops of at a cliff. Felicity is at the top with four Desians and Ahmond bound and gagged. We weren't fast enough, this is her trap. She's using Ahmond as bait. The only way she'll spare him is if she can have me instead."
"So what do we do?" Denise asked.
"I go in his place," Anna said with a grin.
"No!" Kratos shouted before he could think and the women stared at him. "What are you thinking? What use are you to the Jalisa dead?"
"None," Anna replied. "Which is why as soon as the switch is made, I will yell 'I can tell that you don't know!' You two take out the Desians with your magic attacks and then come out of the woods. I'll take care of Felicity."
"This is too risky!" Kratos argued.
Anna's eyes flashed. "This is the plan. Do it or I'll make you do it!"
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"Your mediocrity astounds me Felicity," Ahmond said as she retied his bonds. "Surely you know Anna can beat this small trap."
"Who said we were after her?" one of the Desians said. "It's that blasted Kratos!"
"Not to mention," Felicity said. "Either way, your going to die, so that quite finishes of your family doesn't it?"
Ahmond let out a roar and dove at Felicity who landed a heavy blow on the back of his head with her staff, causing him to fall at her feet where he was gagged.
"FELICITY!"
Felicity spun around and sneered as her sister came striding out of the woods. How she loathed Anna. She was an unfit leader who had no drive for power.
Watching from the trees, Kratos had to admit Anna's presence was powerful. Her long brown hair was blowing out behind her in the breeze as her black traveling cloak fanned out behind her. The early morning sus glinted off the fire in her eyes as she stood straight backed and defiant, staring down her former ally, her former friend, her former family.
"I knew you'd come for your friend," Felicity replied. "Honorable as ever. Weak as ever."
"As father used to say," Anna spat calmly, "it is not weak to value life, nor is it strength to disregard it. Or did you forget why we fought the Desians?"
"Our family was weak!" Felicity spat. "The whole clan was weak. Why do you think they all lie dead?"
"I could kill you for saying that," Anna said drawing her swords.
"Then Ahmond dies!" Felicity replied. "Unless you take his place."
"You don't have to do this Felicity," Anna said quietly.
"But I am," Felicity retorted. "Choose Anna! His life or yours?"
"I think you now my choice," Anna said.
"Ah faith in Martel for my sister being predictably nobel!" Felicity exclaimed. "Release him," she said to the Desians.
Ahmond's bonds were cut and he was thrown to the ground at Anna's feet. "Don't do this Anna!"
"Jalisa needs you Ahmond. Denise needs you," Anna said
"BUT THEY NEED YOU MORE!"
"If you don't get through those trees, I will kick your ass!" and Ahmond looked to the trees where he saw a glint of puple. Kratos's armour. Ahmond stood up.
"Hear me Felicity!" Ahmond shouted running to the trees, "YOU WILL PAY FOR JASON AND FOR ANNA!"
The Desians immediately tied Anna's wrist together and drug her over to the edge of the sloping cliff. "Take comfort in the fact that you at least got me tied up and dangling on the edge of death."
"What, you actually think you can escape this?" Felicity sneered.
"Yup!" Anna said. "because...I CAN TELL THAT YOU DON'T KNOW!"
WHAM! A combined photon attack came hurling out of the woods followed by two arrows then Denise, Kratos, Ahmond, and Noishe came running after that. The first photon attack took care of two of the Desians who flew backward, down the slope and out of sight. One of Ahmonds arrows pierced a desian through the eye and the other through the throat.
But Felicity was prepared. And Anna suddenly realized, as ten Desians came running out of the woods after them that this was no mere murderous plot.
Felicity still had Anna and she attempeted to push her down the slope, but Anna was too quick for her and always had been. She crouched low and thrust her back up, causing Felicity to filp over anna's shoulder and land flat on her back. But Felicity was not easily defeated. She leaped up and swung at Anna with her staff, which Anna kicked away from her.
"Ahmond!" Anna shouted, hearing the twang of his bow righ tbehind her. There was a slicing noice and the ropes binding Anna were cut by Ahmond, who immediatley turned to fight off three Desians. Denise was fending off two more and Kratos had already taken out two of his three.
Felicity swung simultaneously at anna with both staff and fist. anna leaped forward in a hand spring, catching her sister neatly beneath the chin, sending her up then crashing down, staff flying from her hand. A soft swish came from behind her and Anna ducked as two Desian blades slashed through the air where her head just had been. Crouched low, she swung out a leg and knocked their feet out from underneath them.
"ANNA!" Kratos shouted, neatly decapitating his third Desian and rushing to help Denise. He threw Anna's swords through the air.
Catching one by the handle, she spun around, slicing it through the air, catching one desian in the chest. She blindy caught her other sword and swung it around the other way, slicing the torso of the other Desian in half.
Felicit had recovered and charged at Anna. "RAY!"
"SHIT!" Ahmond yelled diving side ways as a bright beam of light came pelting out of the sky. He tackled Denise and they rolled out of the line of fire. Kratos mange to get his Guardian up, but he was still blasted back several feet. Anna dove at Felicity and they fell backward, rolled across the grass, and slipped down the slope.
'DAMN IT!' Felicity screeched as the slid down the sharp rock, but Anna reacted first, thrusting a sword straight into the rock and caught Felicty by her collar. They stopped sliding, dangaling dangerously close to fallin off the steep drop off.
"Wha- What?" Felicity gsped looking at the abyss just feet from her boots. "Why the Hell did you save me?
Anna's sword was slipping as she looked down at her younger sister. "I'm not like you!" she spat.
Felicity sneered. "You'll regret your mercy. This is in no way over," and with that, she withdrew a small remote. Pushing a button, a Riehard came zooming up to the edge of the cliff. Felicity sliced through her shirt collar, fell onto the Riehard and zoomed out of sight...just as Anna's sword slipped.
"KRATOS!" Anna yelled as she slid down the sharp rock and over the edge of the cliff.
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The Ray attack had finished off the Desians, who were too slow to move. Ahmond and Denise lay in a tangled heap, unconscious from the reverberations. But Kratos was running, running faster than he ever had before because Anna had gone over the edge with Felicity. He had no idea why, but his heart was racing and he felt as though ever second that he kept running towars the spot where Anna vanished lasted an eternity.
She can't have fallen...she can't have fallen...
A Riehard bearing Feliciy zoomed off into the distance just as he heard Anna's anguished cry.
"KRATOS!"
He jumped the last few feet to the slope just in time to see Anna slip over the edge.
Crouching low, he slid down the rock and upon hitting the edge dove straight downward at Anna's falling, screaming figure. The added momentum helped him to catch her around the middle, but she only screamed louder as they plummeted to the ground.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" she screamed, but his eyes had closed and he was concentrating harder than he ever had in his life on Anna's one hope, their one hope.
"KRA-" but there was a blinding flash of white light, causing Anna to sheild her eyes.
They were no longer falling but zooming back up through towards the cliff from where they had just fallen. Anna looked wildly around at Kratos and let out a fresh scream.
Two blue angels wings were coming from his back.
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As soon as Kratos set Anna on her feet, he ducked. Anna swung sharply at his head with her sword, but Kratos forgot her physical combat and recieved a kick to the head that sent him sprawling onto his back. Anna's sword tip was instantly at his throat and he could feel her rage and fear bearing down upon him.
"Who are you!" she spat. "The truth!"
Kratos sighed, unable to move, for she would cut his throat. "I am Kratos Aurion. A Grand Cardinal and a member of Cruxis."
"You...are one of them!" Anna whispered, her face paling. She withdrew her sword and backed away in utter horror. Kratos leapt to his feet and approaced her slowly. He threw his sword aside in a gesture of peace.
"It's not what you think-" he began, but she dove at him with her swords. He sighed, resigned to the fact that there was only one way to make her listen. He darted sideways, seizing her wrist. A sharp tug sent her other sword from her hand and Anna straight into Kratos's arms. He slammed her wrist down on his knee, causing her other sword to fall before he spun her around and pinned both wrists between his and her body. She attempted to flip up, but he slammed her to the ground and pinned her there.
"Listen to me!" he said as she struggled. "I am not your enemy! I left Cruxis. I have no intention of betraying you, or the Jalisa to the Desians or Cruxis. I am against them!"
"How do I know that!" Anna yelled. "You could be lying to me just like before!"
Kratos let go of her and she sprang to her feet. He grabbed her swords and threw them to her.
"There," he said. " Your armed I'm not. Will you listen now?"
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"My lord Mithos," Yuan said to Lord Yggdrasill. Yuan could barely contain his shock or glee. They had found Kratos. And Yggdrasil was right, he had much more to lose.
"You found him?" Yggdrasil asked.
"He's joined the Jalisa assasins," Yuan replied.
"And?"
"And seems to have formed a strong connection with three of the assasins, or so our informer claims."
"What value does the information have?" Yggdrasil asked, raising an eyebrow. What did he care if Kratos cared about a bunch of inferior beings? He just wanted him back and to find a host body for the Angelus Poject...if Kvar would ever finish the preparations.
"Because the two are top members of the clan Ahmond Senshi and Denise Robins," Yuan said with a sneer.
Yggdrasil rolled his eyes, remindingYuan just how young this half elf still was. "Either get to your point or stop wasting my time!"
"The third, who Kratos has just revealed his angelic form too in the interest of saving her life, is none other than Anna Jamison, the sister of our informer."
"So we now have just what we need to get Kratos to come crawling then." Yggdrasill grinned evilly at the thought of Kratos begginng for the life of a worthless human.
"What's more, she is the perfect host body for the Angelus project," Yuan said. "Her signature is the closest match we have ever, and probably will ever find. All we need now is to know just where to find them. And our informer is working on that as we speak."