Hey, next update here! Just a warning, cause I know I didn't give a formal one before, the will be multiple character deaths. Kheika is just the start. Just to warn you all now, so that you're not all like 'ERH MEH GURD DEHT CHUROOKTUR JURS DURD!' On to the chapter now!

Loss After Loss

Jeff stood in the main room with the other Sages, staring at the limp figure laid across the single couch, "What… Happened?"

Xerxes looked to him, unfazed, "She went out for a walk and got jumped."

They all looked at Xerxes stupidly. Setsuka shook her head and refocused her train of thoughts.

"There's no use dwelling on this, we need to take care of her and learn from this," Setsuka gave, taking charge of the situation.

Alexianna looked to her with a solemn scowl, "Are you kidding?"

Setsuka turned serious eyes on her, "No, I'm quite serious. It's unfortunate that Kheika has passed, but we can't sit here and mourn while Grace and her accomplices are out there, planning our deaths."

Alexianna stood from where she was defiantly, her face reddening, "How can you be so nonchalant about this? She's dead!"

Setsuka hardened her gaze and tone, "I know, and it's no thanks to any of us. We can't afford to be careless, because this," Setsuka gestured to Kheika's body, "Is what happens."

Jeff pulled his eyes from the dead girl on the couch and looked over to Setsuka and Alexianna, "Setsuka's right."

Everyone looked to Jeff, surprised he was even able to form words. He scanned the group, making sure he had all of their attention.

"From now on, no one will be alone. You will not leave here alone, you will not eat alone, you will not sleep alone. No one does anything by themselves," Jeff declared firmly, leaving no room for arguments.

Setsuka gave a satisfied look, and nodded in approval. Ryuusei gave a small nod, his stoic features unchanging as he leaned against the wall near Setsuka.

Cleotra, clinging to Kheika's limp hand, looked over the deceased girl's form, her eyes landing on Kheika's Sage mark.

"Guys," Cleotra called, signalling them all over, "Look at this."

Everyone gathered and leaned over to see Kheika's mark had changed. It was now a dark grey triangle with nothing inside of it.

"What does that mean?" Alexianna questioned the group.

"It means," Ryuusei began, "That they took her power. The fire symbol is gone, it's just an empty triangle."

Takeshi turned to the older male, "So, are you saying Zebel can now wield Kheika's powers?"

Ryuusei nodded.

"So he can produce fire?" Hino asked.

Ryuusei nodded again.

Everyone took a moment to let the information sink in.

"So our enemy is even stronger now. Marvelous," Setsuka uttered, annoyed.

The icy woman stormed off towards the staircase, halting at the top of it.

"Ryuusei," she beckoned.

Ryuusei sighed before following the Water Sage down the stairs and out of the building.

Jeff retreated to his bedroom, "Takeshi, could you please get rid of her?"

Takeshi frowned before lifting up Kheika's body and heading out of the building. He was followed by Cleotra and Alexianna, who remained silent the entire way out.

Hino turned to Xerxes, "This is insane."

"We just need to be cautious now, that's all," Xerxes replied, seemingly indifferent.

Hino shook her head at her friend's casualness, "How can you take this so lightly? Someone died."

Xerxes shrugged, "I'm no stranger to death. It doesn't bother me like it used to. Besides, I didn't really know her, wouldn't it be inappropriate if I showed more emotion than, say, Lex or Cleo over it?"

Hino frowned at her, "Still, you could at least take it a little more seriously."

Xerxes gave Hino a slightly perplexed look, "You don't think I am?"

Hino shook her head, "No, I don't. The way you're acting is really apathetic."

Xerxes repositioned herself in front of Hino and looked her directly in the eye, "I may seem calm, but trust me, I'm not. I'm not thinking of Kheika, I'm thinking of you. I'm thinking of Grace devising some sadistic form of torture to put you through as she slowly murders you. I'm thinking of any and every way you could die, and it's terrifying me. So yeah, I'm calm now, because I don't want to let my guard and have the next thing I see be your dead body."

Hino searched Xerxes' eyes, finding nothing but the naked truth beaming at her. She struggled to hold back tears as she practically tackled Xerxes into a hug, clinging tightly to the young, small frame. Xerxes gave a painful groan, hissing at the newly inflicted pain.

Hino pulled back, giving her friend an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Xerxes shook her head, "It's fine, I'll be okay."

Hino furrowed her brow at the ice haired girl and rolled said girl's sleeve up to see if she caused any bruises. Hino's eyes widened as they fell upon large, old, serious flesh wounds running up the slender, pale arm.

"Xerxes? What the-"

Hino rolled the sleeve up further to find even more wounds. She rolled her other sleeve up, and both pant legs after that.

"These can't be from Grace, they're too old. What are you keeping from me?" Hino interrogated as she observed the many, many scars, cuts, gashes and bruises.

Xerxes averted eye contact with Hino, "My parents…"

Hino produced a look saying she needed no more, she understood. Hino rolled Xerxes' sleeves and pant legs back down and gave the young girl a light, yet meaningful hug.

"I'm sorry…"

Xerxes shook her head, "How can you be sorry? You've been nothing but good to me."

Hino choked back tears as she continued to hold her dear friend, "I just am."

/

Setsuka crossed her arms as she walked about the cul-de-sac with Ryuusei, the chill of autumn presenting itself to her.

"I needed to get out of there," Setsuka explained.

Ryuusei nodded, "I think everyone wanted to leave that room."

Setsuka nodded in agreement as they continued to stroll around the circle of pavement. The scene was badly lit by a lone streetlamp and the natural lights in the sky. Ryuusei peered toward the ceiling of starlight in a wondering manner.

"Do you think she's just the first?" He questioned.

Setsuka slightly shook her head, "Unfortunately, yes. Some of those kids are positively idiotic. If Kheika fell that easily, then some of the others are guaranteed to get themselves killed."

Ryuusei slightly frowned, "Like who?"

Setsuka sighed, "Alexianna. Cleotra as well, most likely."

Ryuusei gave a surprised glance Setsuka's way, "Alexianna is the Spirit Child, you really think she's going to fall that easily?"

Setsuka shivered a bit before replying, "It's more likely than the others. Jeff knows what he's doing, which is the only reason why that Hino girl is going to survive. He practically worships her, there's no way she's going to have a shot at dying."

Ryuusei raised his eyebrows slightly, "You talk about it pretty casually."

Setsuka smirked, "Just giving my opinion."

Ryuusei gave a light chuckle, "What about me?"

Setsuka raised an eyebrow at him, "What about you?"

"Am I going to get myself killed?" He inquired, a hint of genuine curiosity in his voice.

Setsuka thought for a moment, "No. There's little to no chance of either of us dying."

Ryuusei nodded, "Both of us, eh? Somebody wants me sticking around," he gave sarcastically.

Setsuka rolled her eyes, "You know, you're quite the flirt."

He gave her a sceptic look, "I highly doubt that."

Setsuka shook her head as she gave the slightest smile, "You seem pretty forward to me."

"Yeah, to you," He replied, blurting the response.

Setsuka glanced at him weirdly, "What do you mean by that?"

Ryuusei shook his head, repressing any blush that threatened to surface, "Nothing, forget it."

Setsuka eyed him strangely but said nothing as they continued to walk about the dark street.

/

Grace sat lazily in her arm chair, gazing off into space. Zebel approached her, a smirk firmly planted on his face.

"You killed her," Grace randomly blurted as she kept staring into nothingness.

Zebel nodded, "Kaji, yes."

"Good," she replied in a glazed tone.

A loud thud sounded outside the spacious room, followed by Vanitas and Stephanie dragging in a wine-colour haired woman who struggled against her two captors.

Grace pulled out of her trance and darted her eyes towards the elder woman, a smile growing on her lips.

"I've been expecting you," the evil leader informed with satisfaction.

The woman managed to throw Stephanie off of her and into a row of seats. Vanitas grabbed her other arm with ease and scoffed at Stephanie as he easily restrained his hostage.

"Chiyo, right?" Aki asked.

Grace broadened her smile, "I'm glad you recognize me."

Grace stood and slowly meandered over to where Aki had been forced to her knees. The blonde knelt down and tip the redhead's chin up with her hand.

"Get your filthy, blood-stained hands off me," Aki growled.

Grace mixed a scowl with her smile and pushed Aki's head back sharply, causing the woman to hiss.

"You must be mistaken; you don't get to order me around anymore. I'm chancellor now, and the term resumes once I kill the rest of those idiotic Sages you managed to gather up," Grace taunted.

Aki's eyebrows shot up, "What do you mean by 'rest of them'?"

Grace let her smile turn into a smirk, "Oh, that's right! No one's told you yet about Kheika!"

Aki struggled against Vanitas with more intensity, the need to rip Grace's head off becoming prominent on her mental to-do list, "You demon!"

"Why thank you!" Grace gave gleefully as she put a hand to her chest, flattered.

"What should I do with her?" Vanitas questioned.

Grace put a pondering finger to her bottom lip, "Put her in her office for now, I'm going to need her later on."

Vanitas nodded and started dragging Aki to her office. Aki kicked and screamed as she was forced out of the auditorium to her new prison cell.

'Come save me Yusei!'

/

Jeff pulled his pyjama bottoms on in time for Hino to enter the bedroom they shared. She was dressed in some of his own clothes; a t-shirt and a pair of sweats. Hino blushed at his topless form, quickly dismissing any and all impure thoughts as they entered her mind.

"Ready for bed?" He asked her, perking up a bit at her presence.

Hino nodded and climbed in to the bed. Jeff followed suit and wrapped the sheets around both of them. He settled in facing Hino's backside and stared at her for a moment before wrapping an arm around her waist.

Hino turned over and gave Jeff a questioning look, "What'cha doing?"

Jeff propped himself up on his elbow, bringing his hand up to her face and gently moving a section of hair behind her ear, "Being paranoid."

Hino tilted her head at him, "By feeling me up?"

Jeff laughed softly at the response as he rested his hand on her cheek, "No, I was just wrapping my hand around you."

Hino raised a sceptic eyebrow at him, "Oh really?"

Jeff smiled slightly and brought his face down on hers, pressing their lips together firmly. Hino's eyes grew to the size of china as Jeff continued to kiss her. She placed her hand on top of the one that rested on her face, planning on moving it away but she ended up gripping it instead.

Jeff pulled away slightly and opened his eyes, gazing deep into her pair of orbs, "Just so you know for future reference; I always kiss a girl before I try to feel her up."

Hino didn't know what to do except nod in response and keep staring. Jeff closed his eyes and kissed her again, waking her from her frozen state of shock. She decided to kiss back after a few moments, surprising Jeff by deepening the kiss. He smiled into her lips, rolling on top of her as he did.

Hino smiled back into his lips as she continued the blissful experience, never wanting it to end.

/

"Takeshi?"

Said boy raised his head as he sleepily gazed to the source of his awakening.

"Yeah Lex?"

Alexianna rolled over in the bed to face him, keeping her voice low so that she couldn't wake Cleotra, "You don't think anyone else is going to die, do you?"

Takeshi rubbed an eye as he shook his head, "No, no one else is going to die."

Alexianna frowned worriedly, "You sure?"

Takeshi squinted at her, trying to keep his tired eyes open, "Positive." Takeshi leaned down and kissed Alexianna's lips briefly, "Now get some rest."

Alexianna gave him another kiss in return before nodding and rolling back over. Takeshi wrapped his arm around her and quickly fell into his slumber again.

"I hope you're right…"

END

A lot more romance than I planned for this chapter. Oh well, I guess I owe you guys so happy, fluffy moments since I just killed someone. Review please!