Chapter 7

Maka watched as Ches revealed his weapon form for the first time to anyone. It was a shield. It completely covered Gwen's right hand, her hand disappeared from view, half way up her forearm the shield opened up to reveal the rest of her arm while still creating a protective wall along the outside of her arm. It continued up past her head and was easily as tall as she was.

"What is that idiot doing now she has her own blade along with him as a weapon?" The eye in the base of Soul's blade expressed his anger for him.
Maka ignored him using her Soul Perception to observe the next events. Ches's soul seemed to stretch and expand over Gwen's ragged soul creating a wall, completely blocking off Asura's soul from its connection to Gwen's.

"Soul lets go." "Soul resonance!" She and Soul shouted as they used their linked souls and Soul's piano to boost their power. The blade of Soul shot forwards, bent at a ninety degree angle, and glowed a rainbow of hues and colors creating Maka and Soul's ace in the hole.

She leapt forwards with every inch of her determination and courage was being poured into Soul. Asura's soul realizing the threat she presented darted backwards narrowly avoiding a deadly blow and only got nicked.

Maka landed and looked concernedly back at Ches and Gwen. The girl had collapsed, was unconscious and was in Ches's arms. Her tears had finally stopped. Asura was fleeing.

"Maka go get Asura I got her." Ches yelled to her.

Maka nodded turned and ran after the soul using her Soul Perception to track him.
Ches looked down at the girl in her arms and saw that her face was covered in scratches, along with her arms and legs. He could tell she used to be well toned her muscles were now gone eaten away by her body so that it could survive. Not only was her soul being slowly eaten but she was being starved at the same time. Asura had done everything in his power to break the girl while still keeping her body alive for him to use once he had finished with her soul.

"You have been through so much." Ches whispered to her whipping away the tears of pain left on her face. "Rest you deserve it."

Her eyes slowly opened, looking up past him at the stars. Her eyes widened in remembrance of what had happened to her. She had seen everything that Asura had made her do. Going through the town killing everyone trying to make sure no one escaped, killer her friends, and killing her family. She screamed not one of pain but one of sorrow. She lunged at Ches pulling him into an embrace, and nearly breaking his back. He awkwardly put his arms around her looking a bit uncomfortable and not too sure what to do, and comfortingly patted her back.

Maka was desperately chasing the Kishin down. He was much faster than when he had a body or at least he could move easily it took no effort to go over a building because he no longer needed to jump. Maka was tiring fast and she had only been able to get in ten nicks and three good slashes, none of which were going to kill the demon.

"Quit running you coward!" Maka screamed as she chased the disembodied soul. To her surprise it turned around and spoke
"No why would I fight an insect like you when I can just run and have you tire yourself out?" As he spoke and image of his body formed and Maka no longer needed Soul Perception to see him. He turned back around and flew over another building.

Maka realized that throughout the entire fight that he was still collecting the scattered pieces of his soul all the time getting more powerful. He was just stalling for time. She put on an extra boost of speed with the realization. As Maka chased him she managed to cut his arms off a few times but they always regrew none of her attacks seemed to do anything. The entire time she chased him Asura laughed and mocked her, dancing around, literally bouncing off the building walls. Finally Asura came up to a church leaving Maka behind. As she came around the corner panting Asura just hovered at the top of the step laughing his head off.

"ASURAA!"
Asura stopped his dancing and in sync with Maka looked up at the top of the church. There stood Gwen on top of the steeple. Her blood shot eyes making her anger that much more fearsome. Her short black hair freshly cut using her own scythe blade with her blue irises so dark they were almost purple reminded Maka of a panther lurking in the jungle ready to pounce on its prey. In her right hand was Ches in his shield form, the moon's light reflecting off of the metal.

Asura grinned. "Well if it isn't little Gwen nice to see you, and thank you for all your help."
She just stood there silently staring which unnerved him.
"Well say something!" Asura's left eye was starting to twitch. "I just made you kill your family, friends, and your entire town. I WAS STARVING YOU TO DEATH WITHOUT LETTING YOU DIE! WELL? SAY SOMETHING!" Asura yelled stamping his foot on air.

Gwen tightened her grip on the shield's handle and jumped up starting to spin, her speed and power increasing with each turn and came slamming down.