Aesir

Kor
He was serious.

I stared at him, forgetting the fact that his fun explosion had knocked me on my ass. He meant it.

What the hell?

Anna was having none of it. "Then why in the name of Zarquon did you burn me, and zap me, and kick me, and starve me, and-" she began irately, unafraid.

Rekard interrupted brashly, "I wanted you to live!"

I raised my eyebrow as Ana laughed derisively. "So you tried to kill me!"

"If I hadn't, I would've been reassigned," he defended.

Oh God, I wanted to believe him. I felt sick at the thought.

"Oh, yeah, so I see how you were looking out for my best interests then. Come on, let's be buddies!" she spat sarcastically, as she spread her arms out.

"You didn't want someone else to be in charge of you," he warned darkly which made me nervous. Someone made Rekard afraid.

"You are a lowlife, scumbag, egotistical maniac!"

"And you are a dirty-mouthed, obstinate, smartassed bitch!" He was looking dangerously angry now.

I smirked, only to frown. I was agreeing with him now...

"You mother*******."

I scoffed. What an 'Ana' comment. "Way to prove his point, Ana," I sneered, pretending that I might have been doing it to distract Rekard.

"Shut the hell up," she growled.

"Stay out of this," Rekard ordered at practically the same time.

I crossed my arms. Who did these people think they were? "No."

"Yes," Ana snarled.

"Now." Rekard interjected.

"Immediately," she added.

And now they were working together to oppress me? What dimension had we just been dropped in?

"Shut up Ana," I muttered, too confused to assemble a better attack.

"You shut up."

I blinked... And I thought what I had come up with was bad.

"You shut up," Rekard suggested.

I glared at him. "Both ya'll shut up."

"Mature." Rekard rolled his eyes.

I said the first thing that came to mind, "I know you are, but what am I?" And we were back in third grade again.

Rekard looked at me as if he had had better hopes for me at one time and gifted me with a contemptuous laugh.

"Bastard," Ana snapped.

"Skank," Rekard threw back.

"Douche bag."

"Shut up!" the mystery girl cried.

I turned to look at her instead of thinking of another insult.

"God!" she exclaimed. "You're acting like you're two- all of you. Shut up and come on, before we're dead."

She sprinted off between two buildings.

Ana soon followed, and Rekard did the same after a few more moments with a heavy suffering sigh.

I stood over Lya. "Coming?" I asked softly.

She sat up slowly and took the hand I offered.

We took a few precious seconds to look each other over.

"You're an idiot," she said bluntly.

I blinked, frowning. "No glad to see you? No happy you're alive?"

She glared at me, her lips trembling as she blinked rapidly. "I hate you."

I looked down as her hand tightened around mine, her knuckles almost white, and swallowed hard. "I hate you too."

She laughed though it sounded more like a cough. "Next time save me, huh? You can poof wherever you want... It took me a bit of doing to get here."

I smiled. "You got it. I'll sacrifice you next time."

Our heads jerked up as the hovercraft crashed into the ground and brought us back to the real world.

I took off at a run, not letting go of her hand.

"How is Ana?" she asked as we disappeared in the shadows of the buildings, still sprinting.

"She's amazing. She'll surpass my knowledge in months." I scoffed. "But don't let her know that."

Lya laughed. "No I wouldn't."

I glanced around for any unfriendly ears and whispered by her ear, "Do you have a surprise?"

She shrugged. "Not a big one."

I frowned at her. "Any would do right now."

She looked behind us. "I revived a tree, but alone, it's not that great..." She didn't finish, but I couldn't follow where she was going.

I waited a moment, and pulled her around a random corner, having lost Ana, Rekard, and the mystery girl. "But?" I encouraged.

"My red streak enables me to destruct."

I nodded. "I'm all too familiar with red's destructive abilities."

"I can take energy from one being, and ruin it that way."

"That sounds like a lot of effort."

She was waving her free hand around. "It's an extraordinary amount of effort, and it makes me very tired, but that's not the surprise..."

Again, she paused. I sighed impatiently. "I'm not sure if you fully understand our predicament. There's not time for me to guess here."

She cut a look at me that couldn't quite pass as serious, and I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't quite keep a silly grin from spreading over my face.

"I'm just happy to see you alive," she admitted before continuing as if nothing had just taken place, "I can transfer energy from one being to another." She wiggled her eyebrows. "That helps me very little out here where they have killed all life, but to someone who wields real power..." She gave me a pointed look. "Who was thought to have depleted most of his energy, not to mention..." She touched my bruised face. "Beaten and tortured for the past... twenty-four hours, that could be just the edge that we need."

I frowned at her. "What would that do to you though?"

She waved the thought away. "What would it matter? There's an importance list, and at the moment, I'm fairly low on it."

My brow furrowed even deeper as we slowed to a jog as my still tender joints began to complain. "How so?"

"Well, you're at the top because you can poof somewhere and save whoever's left. Then Ana because she's the reason we're in this mess. Then Danika-"

"Danika?"

"The girl!"

I looked at her like she was crazy. "Why?"

She paused to think for a moment and shrugged. "She's had it rough." She hurried forward without looking back. "Then me. Then Rekard who can rot in hell."

"Why though?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because I actually have a chance of being treated with mercy because I-"

I slammed my hand against her mouth, pinning her to the wall. "Don't even think it."

She looked at me with large confused eyes.

"Ana can read thoughts. She doesn't need to know that yet. Don't even think it." I looked into her eyes and murmured with a smirk, "You're thinking about it! Stop." I was kidding in the least opportune of times. What was wrong with me?

She giggled and pried my hand off her mouth. "I'm not thinking about..." Her eyes lost focus for a moment before sharpening on me. "I am processing what you told me about Ana."

I heard shouts from somewhere within the labyrinthine that was this compound, and we ran in the opposite direction. I was slowly feeling better. My legs didn't feel like they were lead. My head was clearing. My broken ribs were even less painful.

Lya stumbled, and I caught her, realizing what she had done as she plodded on. "You little sneak," I accused, a little angry.

She smiled triumphantly though she looked haggard and old. "Thank you."

Now it was my hand that was squeezing hers.

And that was when the gunshots began from one of the alleys.

Danika

I stared at the aircraft stupidly, vaguely aware that Rekard was switching sides, yet again, like the dirty little sneak he was.

"Then why in the name of Zarquon did you burn me, and zap me, and kick me, and starve me, and-" Ana started.

Zarquon. Heh. Douglas Adams. She reads.

"Oh, yeah, so I see how you were looking out for my best interests then. Come on, let's be buddies!"

I narrowed my eyes at the girl, trying to figure out how I had missed enough dialogue that it was her turn again.

"You didn't want someone else to be in charge of you."

"You are a lowlife, scumbag, egotistical maniac!" True, true, true...

"And you are a dirty-mouthed, obstinate, smartassed bitch!" Maybe...probably true...true.

"You mother*******." Alright, true.

"Way to prove his point, Ana," Kor sneered.

"Shut the hell up." Ana stated.

"Stay out of his." Rekard ordered.

"No." Kor started forward, into the middle of the brawl.

"Yes," Ana spat venomously.

"Now." Rekard supplied.

"Immediately." She's a thesarus too...

"Shut up Ana," Kor growled.

"You shut up." Ana retorted. Oh god.

"You shut up," Rekard suggested.

"Both ya'll shut up."

"Mature." Rekard rolled his eyes.

"I know you are, but what am I?" He did not just say that.

Rekard laughed scornfully. I couldn't blame him.

"Bastard." Ana spat. That's right. Lose a fight and then finish it all up with an insult. No one with any self respect will answer that-

"Skank." I rest my case.

"Douche bag." Dear god.

"Shut up!" I hissed, unable to take it any longer. They whirled around on me as if I had slapped them.

"God!" I shouted. "You're acting like you're two- all of you. Shut up and come on, before we're dead."

Without waiting to see if they'd follow me or not, I sprinted down a few alleyways. After a while I glanced back, and found Ana and Rekard following me- Kor and Lya were nowhere to be found. I cursed under my breath and continued running, huffing and puffing, with no real direction in mind.

After a while I had to stop, to catch my breath.

"Why are we stopping?" Rekard demanded.

"'Cause the fat chick needs a break."

"Both of us." Ana agreed.

"I was talking about you," I sneered. That was mean...and I don't mean that.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes, and glanced up into the air.

Lya
I frowned.

What?

I knew he couldn't. I had once been close, once been 'behind the scenes.' He couldn't have hidden that from me. I scowled and studied him for untruth, studied my memories for signs. I was drawn back into the conversation by Kor's voice.

"Way to prove his point, Ana," he sneered.

I rolled my eyes. He never could leave a conflict alone.

"Shut the hell up." Ana stated.

"Stay out of his." Rekard ordered.

"No." Kor started forward, into the middle of the brawl.

"Yes," Ana spat venomously.

"Now." Rekard supplied.

"Immediately."

"Shut up Ana," Kor growled.

"You shut up." Ana retorted.

I raised my eyebrows. Really?

"You shut up," Rekard suggested.

"Both ya'll shut up."

"Mature." Rekard rolled his eyes.

"I know you are, but what am I?" I winced for him.

Rekard laughed scornfully. I shook my head. Kor deserved it.

"Bastard." Ana spat.

"Skank."

"Douche bag."

"Shut up!" Danika hissed, angry. "God!" she shouted. "You're acting like you're two- all of you. Shut up and come on, before we're dead." She went off at a sprint. The others followed after a little hesitation except Kor who looked down at me.

"Coming?" he asked.

I accepted his hand and pulled myself up, scrutinizing him for any major injuries. Bruises, some gashes, some burns, great fatigue obvious in each line of his face. He looked like crap, and that made me a little afraid. "You're an idiot," I muttered to hide my unnecessary worry and release the frustration of the past twenty-four hours.

"No glad to see you? No happy you're alive?"

Oh yes. Very glad to see you, ecstatic. I could dance. I had been so afraid. It's selfish, but if you had walked out and Ana had not, I would have been joyous. I didn't think you'd come out alive.

I tightened my trembling lips and muttered instead of what ran through my mind, "I hate you." My hand tightened around his as though I was afraid he would disappear.

He looked down at our linked hands, but I couldn't quite make my hand relax, make it release his. "I hate you too," he whispered, attempting a wry smile.

I forced a laugh. "Next time save me, huh? You can poof wherever you want... It took me a bit of doing to get here."

His smile strengthened. "You got it. I'll sacrifice you next time."

Our heads jerked up as the hovercraft crashed into the ground and brought us back to the real world.

Kor recovered fastest, breaking into a run before me, and dragging me along without letting go of my hand.

Trying to get my scattered mind off of a possible demise, I asked, "How is Ana?"

"She's amazing. She'll surpass my knowledge in months." He scoffed, sounding pleased and annoyed. "But don't let her know that."

"No," I laughed, "I wouldn't."

"Do you have a surprise?" he whispered.

I hesitated and finally shrugged. "Not a big one."

He raised an eyebrow. "Any would do right now."

I looked back down towards the tree, moving my psi out to touch its life still throbbing powerfully. "I revived a tree, but alone, it's not that great..." I paused again, unsure if it could be of any help.

He tugged me around a corner. "But?" he asked after a long moment of silence.

I sighed, attempting to explain. "My read streak enables me to destruct," I stated simply.

He laughed disgustedly. "I'm all too familiar with red's destructive abilities."

"I can take energy from one being and ruin it that way," I continued.

"That sounds like a lot of effort."

I began using my hand to communicate, a habit I had never controlled. "It's an extraordinary amount of effort, and it makes me very tired, but that's not a surprise...." I tried to gather my thoughts, hoping he may see what I was getting at.

He sighed heavily. "I'm not sure if you fully understand out predicament. There's not time for me to guess here."

I glared at him but couldn't hold it. It was too nice to have Kor being Kor again to hate him for it. He rolled his eyes at me in return but let a grin spread over his face.

Suddenly, I had to let him know... something of my feelings. "I'm just happy to see you alive," I said grudgingly and continued on with my prior thought process, "I can transfer energy from one being to another." I wiggled my eyebrows at him playfully. "That helps me very little out here where they have killed all life, but to someone who wields real power... who was thought to have depleted most of his energy, not to mention..." I touched his battered face tenderly. "Beaten and tortured for the past... twenty-four hours, that could be just the edge we need."

He frowned. "What would that do to you though?"

The question I had hoped he would not ask. I waved it away in dismissal. "What would it matter? There's an importance list, and at the moment, I'm fairly low on it."

His frown deepened as we slowed to a jog for him. "How so?"

"Well, you're at the top because you can poof somewhere and save whoever's left. Then Ana because she's the reason we're in this mess. Then Danika-" I explained slowly, having thought on this carefully.

"Danika?" he asked in confusion.

"The girl!" I cried as though he had committed a crime.

He stared at me. "Why?" he demanded.

I thought, not having considered the explanation. "She's had it rough." I continued without thinking on it anymore, "Then me. Then Rekard who can rot in hell."

"Why though?"

That dratted question again. "Because I actually have a chance of being treated with mercy because I-" I gasped when he slammed me against the wall and stared at him, confused.

"Ana can read thoughts," I murmured, as if someone could hear us. "She doesn't need to know that yet. Don't even think it." He stared into my eyes and smirked. "You're thinking about it! Stop." His tone held the disconcerting note of jocularity.

I laughed at the unexpected joke. "I'm not thinking about..." Damn, I was thinking about it. Think about... Ana. "I am processing what you told me about Ana."

Shouting began somewhere within the alleys, and we began to run again. I touched the tree's life force and focused on the link between Kor and me. I was then the middle link between the tree and Kor, taking a minimal amount of energy from the tree to feed into Kor who was oblivious...

Until I stumbled... This was tiring work.

He caught me and studied me, realizing what I had done in a moment. "You little sneak," he accused.

I grinned. "Thank you." I looked down at his hand which was tight around mine.

Shots sounded from somewhere, and we looked back to see gruesome limping... things exiting the buildings.

I watched Kor go white. "Dear God," he murmured.

And my own heart quailed.

Kor
We looked back to see gruesome limping... things exiting the buildings.

I swallowed, my mind flashing to the monstrosity lunging at the window. "Dear God," I murmured and turned the opposite direction to see the same grim outcome.

“Kor?” Lya managed, sounding strangely muted.

I faced her slowly as if dreaming and studied her drawn face. “I wish you had kept your energy to yourself.”

She frowned and put a hand to my face. It was strangely cold. “What are those things, Kor?”

I shook my head. “Beings not meant to be unleashed upon this world.” Why wasn’t I terrified? Why didn't I feel the need to find some escape when none was possible? I stared into her eyes, strangely content.

“Kor, you’re scaring me,” she whispered, voice trembling.

I started at the cold fear in her voice, cupping the hand on my cheek, and brought it down to our sides. “We’re going to have to have a serious conversation after we survive this,” I mumbled and glanced at both mouths of the ally. We seemed to have slipped the monsters’ notice, but they still poured out of the buildings. We would not be leaving by the ground. I tipped my face up to stare at the hazy sky.

“Kor,” Lya warned, and I twisted to look behind me. A pale, bald creature loped towards us, awkwardly switching from a two legged stride to a four legged one. It opened a proportionally gigantic mouth full of rotten needle-like teeth and let out a piercing squeal.

This seemed to be a communication of some sort because dozens of abominations faced us with eerie quickness. I looked in front of me to see the same straights. I looked up.
It seemed to be the only answer.

Using my White skills, I pushed air up beneath Lya and I and landed on the roof a bit less gracefully than I had planned, resulting in both of us tumbling away from each other.

Lya was already standing when I began to my feet. She looked better, had a bit more color in her cheeks. She smiled at me and peered over the edge, shuddering. “I wasn’t aware of such nightmares, or I would have-“

I waved her sentence to silence. “I am no judge, Lya.”

She grinned in gratitude and backed away from the edge of the building. “That was quick thinking.”

I smirked. “I try. You’ve done some quick recuperating.”

She laughed a giddy, tinkling sound. “Trees are amazingly strong beings. I drew some of its lifeforce into myself.”

I nodded, and we stood there in wonderful silence. It was so comfortable, so easy and worn, but all things must be broken. “We can’t stay up here forever,” I pointed out.

She raised an eyebrow. “You can defeat all of these bastards?”

I didn’t have to look to know the ally was teeming with monsters. “That doesn’t change the fact, Lya.”

“It does make it a bit harder to do anything about though, wouldn’t you say?”

I opened my mouth, ready to reply in a similar state of sarcasm, and blinked when a scream sounded from only a few buildings away.

Lya stiffened. “Oh my God, Kor.”

“We forgot,” I breathed.

“How the hell did we forget her?” She was running before I could stop her, before I could ask her what she had planned. I cried out when she launched herself off the building and sprinted after her, relief hitting me hard when she rolled onto the other roof. I soon followed, and we raced side by side toward the scream.

Anastasia

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. I had expended all my childishness on Rekard, and wasn't in the mood to argue with her.

"What's your brilliant plan now, Ana?" Rekard sneered.

"Let me think," I growled, trying to ignore the hopeful, uncertain thoughts running through Danika and Rekard's minds.

"Yeah, like you're capable of-"

I whirled around on Danika, my fist very nearly breaking free of my control and busting her in the jaw. "Shut the bloody hell up!"

She seemed shocked. "Why you little-"

"Dear god," I whispered, my eyes wide, as a beast came out of the building beside us. More and more of the horrible beasts streamed into the alley.

"Wha-" Danika screeched as her eyes landed on the beasts. They all whirled around on us, snarling.

"Let's run!" I squeaked, as I punched Rekard and Danika, and sprinted down the alley.

They were quickly at my side, and we were running. "What's the plan?" Rekard yelled.

"We run!" I shouted, as I pushed him down a side street, and jerked Danika in behind us.

"Run? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do when a plan fails!" He bellowed.

"Sorry. Maybe if I hadn't been starving in your bloody prison, I'd have had more time to plan!"

"Maybe if you hadn't been sneaking around with Kor, making your own plans, you'd be ready for this!"

"Bah! You'd have killed me, if not for Kor!" I screamed. "On the roof."

"W-w-wha-?

"On the roof!" I bellowed, as I kicked a crate over, and threw Danika on top of it.

I leapt on the roof and tried my best to heft Danika onto the roof, but, in my state, her weight just flattened me out. Rekard scrambled onto the roof and reached down. I forced Danika's hand up far enough for Rekard to grab it, and watched as he hefted the hysterical girl onto the tin roof beside him.

I glanced down the alley way- the beasts were nearly to us, mere yards away. I leapt for the roof. My hand grabbed the gutter- but my fingers slipped off. I leapt again, and again fell.

"Here!" Rekard offered his hand.

My pride refused to allow me to accept it.

I tried once more- the beasts were close.

"Take my hand!" Rekard bellowed.

I grabbed his hand roughly, and scambled up, as he yanked me towards him- my heels landed on the roof half a second before a beast's claws took a chunk of the tin from the edge.

I collapsed next to Rekard, a few feet from the edge. I sighed.

"Dear god Rekard, did you have to wait so long? Ana? Are you alright?"

I opened my eyes to peer into Kor's face, which was flushed red. "Oh yeah, I'm great. Been on a stroll, and got chocolates, and-"

"Yep, she's fine." Lya's smiling, nervous face came into view.

Kor
Lya and I made our way over three roofs before seeing a hysterical Danika come over the roof with Rekard's help. I gasped as I saw white fingers grab the gutter and cursed when the slipped again, glancing at Lya who looked afraid as she lifted her gaze from the dark forms of the monsters flooding the alley.

We dashed toward Rekard who was bent over, his arm stretched out. He stayed there for a long time. Finally, we were close enough to hear, "Take my hand!"

By the time we had reached them, Ana was lying next to Rekard, a few feet from the edge.

"Dear god Rekard, did you have to wait so long?" I demanded, thouroughly scared out of my wits and immediately turned my attention away from his outraged face to carefully study Ana for any missing chunks. "Ana? Are you alright?"

Her eyes fluttered open, and gave me a very familiar, suddenly lovely sneer. "Oh yeah, I'm great. Been on a stroll, and got chocolates, and-"

"Yep, she's fine." Lya laughed giddily, converging on her anyway, and discreetly touched a shoulder to make sure Ana was truly okay and didn't need any healing, I was sure.

I frowned. "If it's not necessary, don't do it."

Rekard was complaining about something now, but I didn't have the patience to listen to the swine at the moment. The girl... Danika?... was getting involved, growing heated. Ana seemed a bit dazed but completely aware as always.

There was no slipping anything by that girl.

Lya rolled her eyes. "Yes, Father," she sang, fluttering her eyelashes innocently at me, and smirked as she saw my face relax ever so slightly. She closed her eyes for a moment and quickly withdrew, looking a little tired, but not as bad as she had when she had healed him. "I can take care of myself," she muttered.

"Remember what I told you about," I said, tilting my head towards Ana. "She overhears a lot."

Lya tapped her brow playfully, winking at Ana who was watching us sharply. "I'm thinking about butterflies and the vacation home I'm never going to leave if I survive this, right?" she asked.

"We might want to be worried about the monstrosities below us... maybe," she snapped drily.

Rekard finally shut up to nod. "That may be the one thing I can agree with her about."

I looked down at the river of monsters and the group that was looking up at us. It would only be a few more minutes before they figured out how to get up on the roof if one didn't already have wings in the crowd. Feeling a bit sick, I returned my gaze to Rekard. "You'd be the one to know the most about this place." I decided not to keep the venom out of my voice.

Lya moved to stand beside me, legs slightly spread, arms crossed. She looked slightly threatening that way.

We all waited.

Rekard ran his hands through his hair. "There's an entire section that should be monster free."

We all started at gun shots echoing around the compound so that it was impossible to tell where they came from.

He licked his lips. "It's a place where we've put people who've needed to... disappear." He glanced at Danika. "You know what that's like." He ignored the hatred that flamed in her eyes. "I can't promise there won't be any men that are trying to kill us, but it will give us a moment to decide what to do about these beast and how to get out of here."

Anastasia

Lya was feeling my shoulders. Kor frowned. "If it's not necessary, don't do it."

If what's not necessary? What's she doing? What's going on? I shuddered as I looked at the large, missing piece of roof, not three yards from my legs. That could've been my feet.

Rekard and Danika were arguing. I felt numb, all over. After all that, she's still aware...a bit dazed, but present. The unspoken praise felt nice.

"Yes, Father," Lya sang, as she did something strange that made my spine tingle.
"I can take care of myself," she muttered.

"Remember what I told you about," Kor said, jerking his head towards me. "She overhears a lot." Everything.

My eyes grew wide. He surely didn't tell her....

Lya tapped her brow playfully and winked at me. "I'm thinking about butterflies and the vacation home I'm never going to leave if I survive this, right?" she asked.

I cursed mentally.

"We might want to be worried about the monstrosities below us... maybe," I growled.

Rekard whirled around on us. "That may be the one thing I can agree with her about."

We all peered down on the beasts.

Whoa, that chick nearly died.

Oh man, Ana almost lost a leg.

I wonder what they could've done to that bitch? Maybe I should've run an experiment, not saved her... I sidled closer to Kor. I didn't want Rekard to change his mind.

It'll only be a short while before they figure out how to get up here...if one hasn't sprouted wings already. He suddenly felt less safe.

"You'd be the one to know the most about this place." Kor spat.

Lya stepped nearer to Kor and drew herself up to her full height, trying to look threatening.

We all waited.

Rekard ran his hands through his hair. "There's an entire section that should be monster free."

We all started at gun shots echoing around the compound so that it was impossible to tell where they came from.

He licked his lips. "It's a place where we've put people who've needed to... disappear." He glanced at Danika. "You know what that's like."

For a moment I thought that Danika might toss him off the roof, but she restrained herself.

"I can't promise there won't be any men that are trying to kill us, but it will give us a moment to decide what to do about these beast and how to get out of here."

"Oh, you mean..." I gasped dramatically. "Run?"

Rekard called me some foul names in his mind. "Yes, but for a purpose."

"A better purpose than saving our faces from a pack of snarling beasts?"

"...Are you quite through?" Rekard asked patronizingly.

"No...but you may continue."

He sighed, and more nasty names flashed across his mind. "It's North-West of here."

"And it's a damned shame that you'll never be able to see it." An icy voice said from behind us.

My breath caught, choking me, but no sound came from my tight throat- my chest was tight, hurting. The voice felt like a personification of my worst fears- all crammed into one. I believed that I wasn't going to see the safehouse.

"The Princess isn't even going to bother to turn around?"

I somehow knew he was talking about me.

"I don't think I want to." I breathed.

"Well maybe you should think about what I want. Did you ever consider that? After all, I am the man with henchmen, and you only have a crippled wizard, a school teacher, and a lab rat with you!"

Every fiber of my being was on edge. I couldn't breathe. "Do you want me to turn around?"

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"Hands up? Or down?" I asked, my heart racing.

"Down, we are civilized people, after all."

I dearly hoped that he couldn't read my thoughts. I turned, very slowly.

"That's better." He gestured, and suddenly there was a table with a chair on either side. A man in a tux stood on one side. "Please, have a seat."

Lya

I laughed at Ana's sarcasm, much louder and longer than warranted, in relief. "Yep. She's fine." I brushed her shoulder as casually as I could, making a quick check to see if she was truly okay.

She was a little battered from her incarceration, but it was nothing life threatening.

"If it's not necessary, don't do it."

I glanced up at Kor and fluttered by eyelashes mockingly and sang, "Yes, Father." I ignored him and healed the biggest worries.

"I can take care of myself," I sighed as I pulled away.

"Remember what I told you about," Kor said, jerking his head towards Ana. "She overhears a lot."

I studied Ana and tapped my brow, winking. "I'm thinking about butterflies and the vacation home I'm never going to leave if I survive this, right?" she asked.

"We might want to be worried about the monstrosities below us... maybe," she growled.

Rekard whirled around on us. "That may be the one thing I can agree with her about."

I looked upon the beasts and went cold. Oh man, Ana almost lost a leg. I shivered and dragged my attention back to the people on the roof.

"You'd be the one to know the most about this place." Kor spat at Rekard.

I came closer to him, feeling as though my presence could make some difference, and glared in an attempt to make my fairly small stature threatening.

We all waited.

Rekard ran his hands through his hair. "There's an entire section that should be monster free."

We all started at gun shots echoing around the compound so that it was impossible to tell where they came from.

He licked his lips. "It's a place where we've put people who've needed to... disappear." He glanced at Danika. "You know what that's like."

For a moment I thought that Danika might toss him off the roof, but she restrained herself.

"I can't promise there won't be any men that are trying to kill us, but it will give us a moment to decide what to do about these beast and how to get out of here."

"Oh, you mean..." Ana gasped dramatically. "Run?"

I stiffened out of habit more than actual fear and studied Rekard carefully for any violent actions.

"Yes," he sighed, "but for a purpose."

"A better purpose than saving our faces from a pack of snarling beasts?"

"...Are you quite through?" Rekard asked patronizingly.

"No...but you may continue."

He rolled his eyes. "It's North-West of here."

"And it's a damned shame that you'll never be able to see it." An icy voice said from behind us.

My hand squeezed Kor's again hard, having somehow found its way back to his hand. What may have once been somewhat threatening stance was pathetically weak. I felt him glance at me as I squeezed my eyes closed.

"The Princess isn't even going to bother to turn around?"

"I don't think I want to," Ana breathed.

Smart girl, I thought, breath coming faster than normal. He's going to- Remembering Ana's gift suddenly, I cut myself off, completely blanking my mind.

"Well maybe you should think about what I want. Did you ever consider that? After all, I am the man with henchmen, and you only have a crippled wizard, a school teacher, and a lab rat with you!"

Oh god! He was right! We were all- No, no, no. White, fuzzy, warm, whiteness.
I felt Kor's hand tighten around me, either in comfort or anger.

"Do you want me to turn around?"

"As a matter of fact, I do."

I hated that voice. Had I always hated that voice as much as I did right now?

"Hands up? Or down?"

"Down, we are civilized people, after all."

Ana turned very slowly.

Kor looked down at me and held my gaze. "Attack?" he mouthed

I shook my head hopelessly.

"That's better," our captor murmured, "Please, have a seat."

I heard a chair slide across the concrete.

Glancing at each of our party still turned away from the man, I felt despair grip, cold and hard as I saw the same emotion on each of their faces. Rekard looked as though he was about to faint, a pasty white that was the epitome of fear. Danika wasn't much better, a cold look of hopeless anger upon her face. I returned my gaze to Kor who was the only who looked the tiniest bit confident which almost made me feel better.

But he doesn't know! He doesn't know what this guy can do, what he has done...

I didn't know much more. I just knew of previous coworkers that had disappeared for doing the slightest wrong. I knew of his silhouette and his chilling, emotionless voice. No one even knew his name.

I betrayed him! What he could do to me...

"Now that we're more comfortable," he began, "Let's get to business."

Kor's death grip was hurting my hand, but I doubted my hand was doing any less damage to his. I focused on the pain, allowing it to blot out all other thoughts. I had probably given Ana more than I had ever wanted her or anyone to know anyway.

After a long pause, Ana asked, a slight waver in her voice, "What is your business?"

He laughed. "I'm so glad you asked that. My business is control. What is my business over?" He waited for a moment as I would have if I had asked a question during a lecture, as if he was waiting for an answer. "Everything," he answered for himself.

There was a silence.

My fingers were going numb. There was a pressure... mentally, I suppose is the best way to describe it.

I started in surprise. Was that Ana? Could she do that? Kor hadn't mentioned anything about her transferring her thoughts to another.

Kor frowned down at me.

"How will I help your business?"

He laughed again, making me shiver. "You will become my enforcer, dear."

The pressure continued. It was wordless, but made of emotions, rather an emotion of several smaller emotions melded together. It was somewhat similar to-

I gasped, drawing a worried glare from Kor. The tree!

I had never had a plant contact me, but then, I had never done as much with one plant as I had with this one. I tried to listen, tried to unravel the wordless language of trees.

"With you, I will finally root out all of the traitors and make them bend to my will. There are tricks, you know. Tricks to control another against their will."

There was the neverending feeling of patience which I was accustomed to, but there was more-

Kor reared back suddenly, exclaiming in shock, and slapped me across the face so hard that I fell to one knee. My cheek stung angrily.

I stifled a yelp, burying myself in the life force of the tree, not taking any just trying to decipher.

There was a hard unforgiving streak which was unusual for plants of any kind.

Why? I asked it, hoping it understood me better than I understood it.

"You can make people hurt those they would never hurt."

A horrified sound came from Ana.

"Wait!" Kor cried.

I looked up, blinking tears away, and tore myself from the tree for a moment.

He was dragging his feet toward the edge of the roof, the part the monster had torn off.

I felt debilitating fear rise up, and the tree called again, louder. I felt myself travel down the trunk, where the majority of its consciousness lingered, down to the roots.

It then gave me its 'eyes,' something I wasn't aware they were capable of doing.

I gasped. Thousands of plants lay, dead.

A horrific sound came from below the roof. The beasts seemed to know what was coming.

I reached out to one of the withered beings. The dead tree had not been completely dead what if...

I screamed as Kor jumped.

"You can make people do what they would never dream of doing," the man laughed.

Spoiler

I have no idea what Lya's history is. I just know she was on the bad side at some point. I made it confusing and vague on purpose because I have no goal. :/ Sorry.

Anastasia

I stared at him for a long moment, watching him suspiciously. He raised his eyebrows challengingly. I slowly, numbly, sat in the chair nearest me. I slid the chair towards the table- near enough it wasn't rude, while far enough I'd have a chance if I needed to bolt. Some chance of that.

But he doesn't know! He doesn't know what this guy can do, what he has done... Lya wasn't helping. I betrayed him! What he could do to me... At all.

"Now that we're more comfortable," he said, as he sat and waved a white-gloved hand at the table, making a single red rose appear in a vase- mocking. "Let's get to business."

Kor's hurting my hand. Oh god, what's going on with Ana? He's going to- no, my hand hurts. My hand hurts, because Kor's hurting it. No other reason. I've already thought far too much for Ana to hear as it is. My hand hurts.

Oh no. He's got some sort of a plan. Even Rekard's scared of him. I wonder what he's going to do to- no. No, Ana, you're fine. You hear me? You're fine, and you will be fine. Just fine. Kor was helping. Just stay respectful, and calm, and don't, for god's sake, be sarcastic. Play along with him.

I wet my lips and asked, my voice shaking, "What is your business?"

He laughed. "I'm so glad you asked that. My business is control. What is my business over?"

I was afraid that his answer included me. Don't let him get ahead of you Ana. You're a smart girl, and you've got tricks of your own. Don't let him win.

"Everything," he answered for himself.

Slowly now... Kor's constant coaching was the only thing that was keeping my mind present. Use your power.

I took a deep breath and felt for the man's mind- it was hard as steel. All I could feel was a strong urge, an eagerness, to continue. The man daintily removed his gloves and snapped, making a small, decorative plate covered in pastries appear.

He took one and offered the plate to me. I didn't want to refuse, but I was terrorfied to accept- Greek Mythology was running rampant through my mind. I cleared my throat. "How will I help your business?"

He laughed again. He seemed, almost, to admire my solution, and set the plate to the side. "You will become my enforcer, dear."

A chill ran through my bones.

"With you, I will finally root out all of the traitors and make them bend to my will." I glanced at the others, still turned away from us. Kor was bristling about something.

"There are tricks, you know. Tricks to control another against their will."

Kor suddenly slapped Lya so hard she fell to her knees, crying. He yelped- horrified. I nearly screamed.

"You can make people hurt those they would never hurt."

A strangled, choking noise came from my throat as I realized that I was no longer listening to everyone's thoughts, but participating. I was far closer to any of them than I had ever been before. It was...me.

"Wait!" Kor cried as he awkwardly started towards edge of the roof.

"Please," I begged, my tears prickling at my eyes, my voice no more than a whisper.

A horrible, eager, hungry noise came from the beasts below- as if they knew knew what was about to happen.

I screamed as Kor jumped. "No!"

"You can make people do what they would never dream of doing," the man laughed.

I leapt off the roof after him, driving my fists into the beast that happened to be below me, pushing another one to the side, trying to get to Kor. A beast flayed my back, making me howl in agony, and swing my fist around wildly behind me- catching it in the mouth. It's fangs tore the flesh on my hand open.

Rebel tears streaming down my face, I throw my body in front of Kor's. "Get up!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Get out of here!"

"Get up Kor!" I screamed. "I'm not leaving without you."

I jerked on his arm, which, judging from the curses that spewed from his mouth and across his mind, must've hurt.

"Damn it Ana! Get to safety!"

I ignored his protests, and started pushing him towards the wall- trying to keep from screaming as the beasts tore up my back, arms, and legs. I was whimpering, but I was fairly sure that the snarling of the beasts was covering it.

I choked on a sob that got halfway up my throat before I crushed it- and felt a wave of irritation that it was audible above...nothing. There was nothing to hide it. I looked around as someone pulled Kor onto the roof, and a weak, deranged chuckle sprang from my lips.

I laughed and I laughed, tears streaming down my face, as unbearable relief flooded over my body. Everything hurt so badly. I was scared witless. I was alive.

"Crazy bitch," Danika approached me. The girl's got balls.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, caught sight of the blood coating my arm, and broke into a new fit of hysterical laughter.

"You're crazy."

"Yeah," I chuckled. "I am. It's great. You should go mad for a while!"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm in pain like you wouldn't believe," I sobbed, my body shaking with laughter. "Everything...everything hurts!"

"What are you going do?"

"I haven't a clue," I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I wiped my face as I heard Kor shouting curses above us. "Hopefully, not get murdered by Kor."

"That sounds like a good idea," Danika agreed, smiling.

"I thought so..."

"You damned little fool." Kor hadn't even fully recovered his balance from jumping from the roof, and he was already yelling at me. Thank god she's okay.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"You look like shit."

"Thanks, you too," I giggled.

He was right in front of me. We stared at each other for a long moment, and then Kor started chuckling. I laughed too, and launched myself towards him, throwing my arms around his neck.

He wrapped his strong arms around me and squeezed so hard it hurt- my back burned, and ached, and throbbed, and my blood ran everywhere- plastering my shirt to my back, dampening my pants, making Kor's hands stick to the bare skin on my back, from where the beasts shred my shirt. Dark spots appeared in my vision, the pain was so great, but I didn't make any move to save myself- my back, from his frantic bearhug.

He suddenly seemed to find himself, and let go, and looked at his own hands- covered in my blood- horrified. A new set of hands was on my back, these cold, full of energy- harming me.

I twisted away.

"Let me see Ana," Lya was after me, like a worried mother hen.

"No! It's fine. Don't touch me!"

I twisted away from her again, yelping, and ran right into Danika.

"Hold her," Lya ordered.

"Let me go. I'll kill you," I growled. But, I suppose, I didn't sound too threatening- in my weakened state, at least- because her hands gently held me in place.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop! Ow- ah..." Lya's hands were making my back burn and itch, and, suddenly...feel better.

"Interesting..."

I whirled around at the Nameless Man's cold, withdrawn voice- as if he were observing an animal.

"What do you want with us?"

"Us? Nothing, nothing at all. I want you; I couldn't care less what happens to them."

That should've relieved me. My friends should be safe. This brute didn't want them. But, at the same time, I knew that 'not caring' didn't mean 'not killing'. I felt a pang of fear and dread-- not the first, or even the fifth, in the past few minutes.

"What-what are you doing with me?"

"I thought I had made myself perfectly clear. Or shall I explain it again?" He glanced at Lya, and I felt a tingling in her presence in my mind.

"No!" I screamed, pushing her behind me frantically. "No, don't!"

He smiled cruelly. "I thought not. Now...what other questions do you have?"

"What's your name?"

"None of your business. Next question?"

"What makes you think that I'll help you?"

He laughed a dark, souless, humorless laugh. "You don't have a choice."

"The hell I don't."

"You don't," the man assured me.

I felt a strong hand- Kor's- on my shoulder. "She does."

"Once I get these bad influences away from my little gem, I think you'll have no problem admitting your inability to fight."

"I'll never help you."

"Suit yourself."

I glanced around suspiciously, wondering what that meant. I knew that None-of-your-business wasn't the type of man to give up that easily. Suddenly the ground started to shake, subtly at first, and then violently.

A large gash appeared in the ground, beside my right foot. I looked at it curiously for a moment- until dirt started caving into it, and then jumped back. The gash got bigger, and ran further down the alley- the ground started crumbling beneath us- forcing us all apart.

The pallets everyone were standing on got smaller and smaller- everyone except for mine. I was cursed with having to stand and watch as my friends panicked, and tried to scramble away from the gorge.

"No!"

I threw myself towards the dark crevice, but an invisible wall kept me back.

"No!" I screamed, as the ground fell from beneath Kor, and he dangled from his fingertips- above the crevice. "No! Don't! Kor!"

I threw myself into the wall. It gained me nothing but a sore shoulder. Lya screamed as her pallet gave out, and she started to fall.

"No! Lya! Stop this! Stop this and I'll help you! Stop! Lya!" I screamed.

Suddenly Lya was hovering in the air, and the ground stopped falling into itself. I stood, panting, glaring at the man.

"What was that?" he gloated.

I swallowed and set my jaw. "Turn my friends free and promise never to hurt them- or kill them- or in any other way cause them trouble, and I'll do what you want."

"Really?"

"Yes."

He smiled, victorious.

Kor
"Oh, you mean..." Ana gasped dramatically. "Run?"

I could have burst with pride.

"Yes, but for a purpose."

"A better purpose than saving our faces from a pack of snarling beasts?"

"...Are you quite through?" Rekard asked patronizingly.

"No...but you may continue."

He sighed. "It's North-West of here."

"And it's a damned shame that you'll never be able to see it." An icy voice said from behind us.

A tingle ran up my spine. This guy was trouble.

Lya's hand clamped around mine with a sudden, panicked strength. I glanced at her in question. With her questionable history, did she know this man?

"The Princess isn't even going to bother to turn around?"

"I don't think I want to."

"Well maybe you should think about what I want. Did you ever consider that? After all, I am the man with henchmen, and you only have a crippled wizard, a school teacher, and a lab rat with you!"

I gritted my teeth at being called crippled and felt myself tense. I wanted to defend Ana, throw myself in her place, but there was no way for me to do so.

"Do you want me to turn around?"

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"Hands up? Or down?"

"Down, we are civilized people, after all."

I looked down at Lya, slightly worried at her color and the blind fear in her eyes. I much preferred the sarcastic, hopeful Lya to this one.

"Attack?" I mouthed though I had a feeling what her reply would be.

She shook her head, eyes wide.

"That's better. Please, have a seat."

A sound, like a chair against concrete, grated on the nerves.

"Now that we're more comfortable. Let's get to business."

Oh no. He's got some sort of a plan.

I followed Lya's glazed gaze.

Even Rekard's scared of him. I wonder what he's going to do to-

I shook myself, remembering I wasn't the only one who knew what I was thinking. No. No, Ana, you're fine. You hear me? You're fine, and you will be fine. Just fine.

I forced a calm tone. I could resent the invasion of privacy, the fact that I couldn't worry as much as I wanted later.

Just stay respectful, and calm, and don't, for god's sake, be sarcastic.

I would glare at her if I was facing her.

Play along with him.

"What is your business?"

I tightened my lips at her shaking voice, withholding the pity about to flood me.

He laughed. "I'm so glad you asked that. My business is control. What is my business over?"

I frowned at her silence, feeling her fear in the air. Don't let him get ahead of you, Ana. You're a smart girl, and you've got tricks of your own. Don't let him win. I kept my thoughts warm, encouraging, confident.

"Everything," he answered for himself.

Slowly now... I coached, hoping I sounded much more confident than I felt. Use your power.

Lya jumped and frowned at her, mainly irritated that she had almost interrupted my instruction.

She cleared her throat and asked, "How will I help your business?"

He laughed again. "You will become my enforcer, dear."

I closed my eyes, barely withholding a defeated, Damn. He was the one that really wanted Ana, and it seemed he would get her if we couldn't get the upper hand in a few moments.

Lya gasped, though it seemed a bit delayed to me. Worried she would give something away, I glanced at her meaningfully.

"With you, I will finally root out all of the traitors and make them bend to my will."

I blinked as I... I felt Ana in my mind. Ana? What the hell-

Spoiler

Wasn't sure what he was bristling over, so I made something up. Hope it doesn't matter.

"There are tricks, you know. Tricks to control another against their will."

My hand, completely of its own accord, jerked itself out of Lya's grasp and fell hard upon her cheek. I yelped in shock as my palm stung and Lya fell to her knees.

"You can make people hurt those they would never hurt."

Ana... sobbed? The sound was unrecognizable- a sound of grief and helpless terror- and I was past true observation.

One of my legs moved forward, and the other followed. I looked up to see where I was going and went cold."Wait," I cried in horror.

I heard nothing else as a blood chilling noise came from the monsters below. I looked down and felt nausea sickeningly within my stomach at their gnashing teeth.

I heard, "No!" which disorientingly sounded in my mind as well, and a scream as my legs sprung off the roof.

Spoiler

Assuming Ana is still controlling Kor and he can feel her doing so because that's really close to someone and he's blue anyway, I added that in on a whim. He can't suddenly read minds if that's what it comes off as.

I saw a flash of white and fell, my legs collapsing beneath me, and then a flash of blue.

My mind spun, and I stared uncomprehendingly as Ana was flayed by rabid monsters. I growled as she threw herself in front of me, realizing what she was doing.

"Get up!" she demanded.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I roared. "Get out of here!"

"Get up Kor!" she screamed hysterically. "I'm not leaving without you."

She jerked on my arm that I suddenly realized wasn't quite bent at the right angle. I must have fallen on it. I cursed as pain ripped from my shoulder.

"Damn it Ana! Get to safety!" I ordered, worried that I was in too bad of a shape to be saved.

Of course, she ignored me. Stupid, stupid girl. I hated her. I knew she was trouble. She was pushing me toward the wall. The snarling of the beasts throbbed in my ears.

I went froze at her pain soaked sob and took an offered hand with my good arm.

I stared at her as she began to laugh as she watched me get pulled up.

She began to cry from mirth, scaring me even more than I was.

"Crazy bitch," Danika muttered, walking toward her.

I watched her blindly, barely believing we were still alive, as she wiped the tears off of her eyes and smeared blood onto her face. The sight of blood seemed to make her laugh even harder.

"You're crazy," Danika observed.

And it hit me... again. She had jumped off after me like the brainless child she was. What an idiot, what a f****** little-

And then I was screaming at them, letting her know what I thought verbally though she probably heard my thoughts loud a clear. "Get her up! What are you doing you piece of-"

"Hopefully, not get murdered by Kor."

That registered. I growled. She better be hoping that. I was ready to strangle her. I continued my cursing, becoming more colorful as I did so, and tuned out the rest of her and Danika's words.

"You damned little fool," I muttered as I limped towards her as she was pulled up, and relief hit me hard in the stomach, making me stop my complaining for a while. Thank god she's okay, I thought and swayed a little, lightheaded.

"Yeah?" she asked, shoulders shaking every now and then with stray giggles.

"You look like shit," I said after a moment of quiet, worrying at her serious-looking wounds.

"Thanks, you too," she giggled

I stopped, right in front of her, and just studied her, making sure she was still breathing, heart still beating. I began to laugh too, shaky with the remnants of crazed, mindless terror and the beginning of unbelieving relief.

I caught her as she threw herself at me, her arms tight around my neck. I squeezed, not thinking of her wounds. My hands and arms were soon wet and sticky with her blood as I shook her, my arm throbbing dully.

I wasn't sure I'd ever let her go. I could feel her breath rushing against my cheek. She had scared me. I had scared me. Stupid, stupid girl. I would have to teach her to care about herself. That would have to come before any more magic lessons. I couldn't have a pupil that threw herself off buildings into man eating beasts.

She whimpered. I'm sure she wasn't aware of it, but that dragged me back into my sane self.

I let her go suddenly, staring at my blood soaked hands. I looked up, speechless, to see Lya, already at work, seeming to have gathered herself in the crisis. She looked like the old, dependable Lya I used to know.

But Ana twisted away, her face the image of fear.

"Let me see, Ana," Lya snapped. I watched, oddly detached, as Lya followed Ana as patiently as the situation could allow.

"No! It's fine. Don't touch me!"

Everyone except Ana seemed to pause for a moment at that. Did she realize how bad it was? She was likely to collapse any moment from pain or blood loss.

Ana dodged Lya again to run into Danika who seemed immovable at that moment.

"Hold her," Lya ordered. I smiled at her firmness, still a bit dazed.

"Let me go. I'll kill you," Ana growled.

I raised my eyebrows, moving forward to intervene, but Lya already had it under control, closing her eyes in preparation to heal.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop! Ow- ah..." She stopped her caterwauling when Lya's healing worked fully.

"Interesting..."

I swore and glared at the man, sizing him up immediately. He looked as threatening as he sounded, and... I really was just a crippled wizard...

"What do you want with us?" Ana demanded.

"Us? Nothing, nothing at all. I want you; I couldn't care less what happens to them."

"What-what are you doing with me?"

"I thought I had made myself perfectly clear. Or shall I explain it again?" He glanced at Lya.

I hurried toward them, ready to restrain Lya before Ana- I meant the man- could make her do anything.

"No!" Ana screamed, pushing Lya behind her as if to protect her, "No, don't!"

He smiled cruelly. "I thought not. Now...what other questions do you have?"

"What's your name?"

"None of your business. Next question?"

"What makes you think that I'll help you?"

He laughed a dark, souless, humorless laugh. "You don't have a choice."

"The hell I don't."

"You don't," the man assured her.

I put my hand on her shoulder, glad to see white, unmarred skin along her back. "She does," I growled confidently though I did not feel confident.

"Once I get these bad influences away from my little gem, I think you'll have no problem admitting your inability to fight."

"I'll never help you."

"Suit yourself."

I waited, unsure of what to expect, but expecting anything, everything. Suddenly the ground started to shake, subtly at first, and then violently.

I cursed. It took a lot of power to control the earth.

I looked down as Ana did to study a gash. I backed away before Ana realized what was happening, but she soon jumped near me.

Lya was on the opposite side of the gash, her lips set in a determined, white line.

The pallets everyone were standing on got smaller and smaller- everyone except for mine. Danika and Rekard scrambled away in another direction. Soon, we were all separated, making sure to keep a safe distance between the lip of the new canyon.

"No!" Ana cried as the earth between us began to part. She tried to throw herself at it, but I threw up a force field. She was blind to the risks. She would throw herself into the void before she actually made it across the ever widening gap. I didn't care if she never forgave me.

"No!" I flinched at Ana's screams. "No! Don't! Kor!"

I grabbed the edge of the earth and bit my lip before I screamed, aware the dirt could crumble from my grasp at any moment. Heart pounding, breath coming shallowly, my feet scrabbled against the earth for a nonexistent hold.

I had never thought I would die for nothing. I had always imagined a valiant death, but this was helpless.

I opened my eyes at Lya's scream and saw Ana throw herself against my wall. I didn't know what she thought she was going to do. The gap was too big for her to bridge alone, and she had learned no spell to help her.

"No! Lya! Stop this! Stop this and I'll help you! Stop! Lya!"

Lya shook her head furiously, and I thought as she cried, No! What are you doing? We aren't worth it! We've given ourselves for an event such as this. Think about what you're doing, Ana! We are dedicated to protecting you. Don't give yourself away to this monster. Stop! No!

But Lya was suspended in midair. I felt the earth firm beneath my fingertips but didn't trust my upper arm strength enough to pull myself up. I dug my feet into the earth that didn't crumble anymore to add a bit of stability and let the force fields down in disgust. I had already failed.

"What was that?" he gloated.

I sneered, resting my head against the warm soil.

"Turn my friends free and promise never to hurt them- or kill them- or in any other way cause them trouble, and I'll do what you want."

NO! I roared mentally, watching her flinch. How could I have ever thought her brave, ever thought her honorable? She was giving all chances of success and the freedom of Aesir away.

"Really?"

"Yes."

He smiled, victorious.

I closed my eyes as a strong wind picked up, recognizing the whir of an aircraft. Damn it, Ana. What was life worth living if it was beneath a dictator?

My eyes flew open as the drone sputtered, and a crack split the air. Two vines had grabbed the craft, fortified by other vines wrapped around each other. They seemed to have already bent the craft a little.

The man cursed and looked at Ana as I did. I threw a force field in his direction as he surely threw one in Ana's and couldn't stifle a cry as they collided, the impact hard on my mind. At that moment a vine picked up Ana from the island of earth she stood upon and threw her in the air. Another vine plucked her from the air and did the same.

I'm not sure how far Lya intended to throw Ana because at that moment the hovercraft was broken in half, its sparks falling towards us in a fiery rain as the explosion made its way to us, delayed by distance. The show distracted me from watching Ana's flight.

I looked up at Lya who was floating, looking like a goddess, her eyes blind to all but her plants as her hair blew around her shoulders.

Her eyes flew open as the man withdrew his spell, and she fell a stomach lurching height. I attempted to slide a force field under her, but one of her vines had already come to her rescue, grabbing her by the wrist to return her to solid ground.

"You bitch!" the man cried, seeming to lose his cool for the first time though it still seemed oddly muted.

This probably killed your plot plans. We'll see what happens?

Spoiler

I'll try to fix my mess.

Lya
I felt... powerful.

Okay, falling didn't make me feel powerful. Hanging in the air of someone else's will, especially his will, was no better. Watching Ana give because of me was humbling. I was completely powerless.

But, with the help of the tree, I could awaken an entire field of mostly dead vegetation with a touch of the mind. I couldn't honestly tell you what happened in that time. I just know I became aware again with the consciousnesses of thousands of angry, vengeful plants babbling beneath my own thoughts.

There was a drone, and I looked up at another hovercraft. The grass, braided into thick vines practically moved on their own will. They only needed my energy to attack.

Then I looked at Ana and merged my own thoughts with theirs. A vine flung her away.

I grinned. Finally. Finally, I had the upper hand. If only plants were as responsive everywhere. I could control the world. I could be where the man was now, secure in his ultimate power.

I shook my head to rid myself of that mad plot and turned to look at the man. I withheld a yelp as I dropped and called for a vine, but one had already come to my rescue.

I saw everything through a green mist, and when the man spoke it was barely intelligible.

"You bitch!"

I smirked, untouchable. "Already at name calling, are we?" I sneered, and suddenly my vision blurred.

Three hovercrafts buzzed around Ana who was being juggled between several vines. Two swept down, dodging vines, and dismembered three vines, one of which had held Ana. As the final hovercraft zoomed in, the two others guarded the plummeting Ana from any vines wishing to retrieve her. A blue beam of light hit Ana in mid-fall, and she vanished. A fourth, larger craft came from above as the other three hurried out from beneath it. A pink mist fell, and all was suddenly dark.

I blinked rapidly, trying to reach those vines, but it was all futile. "You bastard," I snarled, mourning for the dead vines almost as much as I did the loss of the possession of Ana.

He smirked, and the green haze faltered as the large craft soared over the compound, spraying the ground and the buildings. "Not name calling, Lya."

I shivered as my name fell from his lips and growled, "Just go."

He bowed. "Thank you for your permission, Queen of the Seedlings."

I sneered. "It only takes time for a seedling to grow into a tree."

He laughed as his form began to disappear. "But they are so easy to crush underfoot." And he was gone.

I stood there defeated. I felt for the tree, impressed upon it my sense of sorrow and apologized as well as I could in that wordless language. It seemed to embrace my essence for a moment, as if in comfort.

We will survive. We have hidden power, yes? it murmured slowly, seeming to stretch into minutes, and I could hear the drone of the craft.

Just defeat those who did this to us. We will be avenged. It sighed, and I felt it's heavy feeling of acceptance. The mist was cool on my- its- bark, and the connection was severed.

I believe this land is truly dead now.

I whirled on Rekard. "How could you let this happen?" I demanded angrily, blinded by the utter loss of thousands of lives. "How could you let it deteriorate to this?"

He blinked. "Ah..."

"What is the point?" I hissed.

"After you left we had no Green," he muttered.

"Because they're smart," she snarled.

"Ah... I'm not sure I'll be able to hang on for much longer."

I turned toward the abyss and cried out, hurrying toward Kor's white fingers. I helped him up, noting how he gasped when I pulled on his left arm. I would have healed it, but my knees were shaking with an exhaustion that I hadn't noticed before.

He crawled up and collapsed, arms trembling. "Thank you," he managed, looking utterly defeated.

I realized what had happened, what a blow it was to have Ana gone again. Suddenly, the grass and trees didn't seem like that much. I felt like sobbing, like taking Kor's hand and telling him to make us disappear... Forever. I felt like returning to Earth where such awful things were not possible.

But Kor was white and looked hurt, and I remembered how he had hugged Ana.

I staggered to my feet. "Get up," I ordered gruffly.

He moved a little. "What?"

"I said get up."

He looked up at me, miserable. "What's the point, Lya? He moved the earth. We both know how hard that is."

I nodded. "You can do that."

He laughed bitterly. "He had hovercrafts to spare."

I had no argument for that. "Do you understand what you're leaving her to, Kor?"

"She'll ruin the world, I know. I should have just-"

"Anything in his power he likes to ruin, to break before he releases. Rekard, me, any guard here is just a pawn, but Ana's important, and he'll make sure she doesn't fight him... ever." I knelt down to look him in the eye. "Without you, he'll break her, and she won't be Ana anymore. She'll be a monster, she'll be broken, and it will be because you gave up, on her, on me, on yourself."

I offered a hand and smiled in relief when he took it with shaking fingers.

Spoiler

Maybe this helps you a bit? I had a feeling this is where you meant to go before.