In which the Seekers awaken...
Dante stirred, wincing when he felt a sharp rock jutting into his side. He pushed himself into a sitting position with a groan, seeing his companions already awake and moving around the rocky beach they had landed on. Zhalia was leaning on a nearby tree watching Sophie and Lok as they tended to the minor burns that Exiel had received from the lightening; his hands were now tightly wrapped in ice white bandages from Lok's satchel. "Dante. Have a nice sleep?" Dante turned to see Alice sat cross-legged on a rock beside him, eyes glittering in the sun.
"I guess." He shook his head in a vague attempt to clear the headache from it. "Any idea where we are?" Alice smirked, showing her teeth.
"Other than on an island? No." The man sighed, getting to his feet. Alice mimicked him, dusting herself off. "But I do know that there's a village a way into the forest over there."
"And how do you know that?" Zhalia asked, moving closer to the duo.
"I was going by the past over there and the wisps of smoke above the trees. Does it matter?" The other three had noticed the exchange and wandered over in time to catch the heated glare sent to Zhalia.
"There's no need to be snappy; she only asked." Sophie said hand on hip. Alice turned her dulled eyes onto the girl, her glare never fading.
"Why would you care Princess?" The Casterwill opened her mouth to retaliate but Exiel stepped between them.
"You're usually in a good mood after you've passed out." He stated, looking down at his friend. Alice crossed her arms turning away.
"I don't usually have to deal with the Foundation when I wake up. So are we going to the village or not?" Dante nodded slowly, waving a hand ahead of him.
"Lead the way."
//
I had taken the Seekers nearly half and hour of walking in stony silence but finally they stood on the fringe of a small village that consisted of a cluster of wooden huts. "Doesn't look like there's anybody home." Lok said moving further into the village, flanked by Dante and Exiel.
A primal roar filled the clearing and a large man dropped from the trees, clad in snow-white fur.
"You dare to return? To desecrate my village with your presence?" The man seemed to direct his rant solely at Exiel.
"Whoa. He hasn't been here before. None of us have." Dante replied moving forwards slightly. The fur-clad man growled forcing the Seeker back.
"Which one of you has the six tails?" He demanded glaring at the three young men. Lok frowned.
"Six tails? Well Springer has two tails."
"I did not realise Abominations were named." The man sneered. "Men." At least a dozen muscle-bound men, dressed in the deep brown pelts of bears leapt from the shelter of their huts and restrained the male Seekers. Sophie and Zhalia started forwards only to be stopped by Alice.
"Wait." She hissed, watching the exchange intently, a hint of a smile playing about her lips as the Chieftain continued to speak.
"Release the females from your wills." He barked when Dante, Exiel and Lok were pushed to the ground at his feet. Alice marked a beat before dropping to one knee.
"Thank you my Lord. I had feared my soul lost to the Tailed Ones." She said breathlessly, unable to restrain a smile. Sophie and Zhalia shared a bewildered look before kneeling too.
"You are safe now young ones." The Chief twitched his head to one side and his men dragged the Seekers away. "Please. Come with me."
//
The Chief led the trio of women to a larger hut in the centre of the village that was clearly his own. "What are your names friends?" He asked, taking a seat.
"I am Alice Astra and these are Sophie Casterwill and Zhalia Moon." Alice replied calmly hanging back as the other two took the remaining seats.
"My condolences for your friends. I imagine they were fine men." The Chief seemed almost regretful as he mused on the fate of the male Seekers.
"What do you mean 'were'?" Zhalia's voice was sharp.
"Once they have been taken they are never returned."
"What the Hell is that supposed to mean?" The blue-haired woman flew to her feet but the Chief remained calm.
"Be still Miss Moon. Your friends were lost the moment the Abominations stole their bodies." Sophie stood beside Zhalia defiantly.
"Let our friends go." She demanded green fire in her eyes.
"I'm afraid I can't Miss Casterwill." Both women raised a hand coated in a brilliant red Dragonfist glow.
"Let. Them. Go." Fear shone in the Chief's steel grey eyes at the show of power and he sought out Alice for help. Silently she slipped forwards and crashed a fist into each of the Seeker's skulls, turning them to crumpled heaps on the floor.
"I'm sorry my Lord. They had been with the men longer than I. They must have been further under their control as well."
"No harm. No foul." He smiled at the spiky haired Seeker who seemed unconcerned with just having felled her friends. She turned away from the Chief leaving the hut.
"Not yet anyway, my Lord." She muttered. "Not yet but soon."
//
Dante sighed heavily turning Caliban's amulet over in his hands. He, Lok and Exiel had been thrown into a large metal cage and all powers they had thrown at it had merely bounced back at them. Even Springer couldn't find them a way out. "It'll be ok. Sophie and Zhalia'll get us out." Exiel said attempting to reassure hi cage mates.
"What about Alice?" Lok replied, watching Dante warily; it must be bad if Dante had already sunk into a low mood.
"Huh?" Exiel followed the boy's gaze concernedly.
"You said Sophie and Zhalia would get us out. What about Alice?"
"Oh. She prefers people to rescue themselves or leaving it to the last second." The fur clad man outside their cage turned to face them.
"The young ladies are no longer yours Tailed Ones. They will not rescue you." He smiled victoriously.
"Why do you keep calling us that?" Lok asked, grasping the bars.
"Because it's true." The guard replied simply. "But it seems I was wrong about your concubines." He admitted watching two of his friends stride over, the limp forms of Sophie and Zhalia in their arms. Dante flew to his feet as the cage door opened and the young women were tossed in, Zhalia landing in his arms, Sophie in Lok's. Carefully the duo laid them onto the floor.
Zhalia began to stir, groaning as she put a hand to the back of her head.
"What happened?" Dante asked softly, kneeling beside her as she forced herself into a sitting position.
"We were in the Chief's hut. Me and Sophie told him to let you go…" She trailed as the Casterwill stirred.
"Alice knocked us out." She supplied, leaning against the bars as she sat up.
"She wouldn't." Exiel insisted shaking his head. Zhalia glared icily at her ex-colleague. "She wouldn't betray us."
"Well. She did."
Are captured, betrayed and have the current Mistress of their Fates during this story beg for reviews.