Saving Soul

The execution would be simple. The girl would be led to the chopping block set up in the center of town, her state as a demon pronounced briefly, and then her head would be cut off by a freshly-sharpened sword. There was no need for anything fancy.

The Gales were all dressed in dark robes. Daniel was among them as the executioner, having even his face hidden away. They had not announced this execution under the Gale name to see if it would draw their traitor back here. If he knew they were there, he might not come.

"Bring the girl," Daniel announced, as the time drew near and the villagers began to gather in morbid interest.

Anja didn't resist when they forced her to come. She followed with her head bowed so her loose hair fell to hide her face. She faced the executioner's block with the same black expression that she had been wearing for the past two days. She looked up at Daniel, in his executioner's robes.

She knew it was him. There was no mistaking the frame of the bastard who damned her to her fate. She looked at him hauntingly before spitting on the ground at his feet. "The next time we'll meet will be in hell." She stated, as void of emotion as the Gales themselves. "And I Hope you get every last bit of suffering you deserve."

One of the lower Gales, still in his robe, walked onto the platform and unrolled a scroll. It was blank, just a prop. The Gale already knew all the said words without reference.

"Hear ye, hear ye!" the Gale announced loudly in order to catch the restless crowd's attention. "This being, Anja Wavella-"

A large shadow raced across the ground as a large bird swooped toward them, screeching angrily. Something flaming black-and-white jumped off her back and rushed forward. The crowd scattered in a panic, though some got attacked anyway by the bright-dark figure.

"Alright, this is a stick-up!" announced Voltaire, pulling out his gun and firing it a couple times up in the air to ensure further fear. "Give us the girl, and maybe we'll only leave you half-dead. Whaddaya say?"

If the sedative would have allowed, Anja would have been surprised. But as it was, she was still pissed. "Voltaire! Get him out of here!" She yelled. "The Gales are after him! Its a trap!" She stomped on the toes of the Gale that was behind her, making sure she didn't run, and headbutted him with the back of her head.

The Gales discarded their robes to reveal their cerulean armor and charged for Adair. If the redhead had any access to his emotions he would have retreated. But he was under the influence of Chiaroscuro, and fearlessly rushed forth to meet them instead.

"Shit," hissed Voltaire, as he and Ava sped forward to aid in the fight.

Anja wasn't much help with her hands bound behind her back. Even less help since she was unable to summon because of the drugs in her blood. None the less, she rushed forward as soon as she knocked her guard brainless, trying to help.

Daniel had been right when he had said she was hiding something, but he had been wrong when he was done questioning her. Her master had trained her with truth serum before, and even though she couldn't fight its effects, she knew how to answer so that is wasn't lying, but it wasn't the entire truth either.

Although Ava and Voltaire were fighting back with their fire (and gun blasts in Voltaire's case), Adair was the one best holding his own against the Gales. He didn't have a sword to slash or block with, but he knew their techniques and how to best counter them. He himself had been trained in them after all. The power of Chiaroscuro not only made him fearless but boosted his flame's effects, as well as his healing. Considering how many wounds he was getting that was a good thing. Right now he was dueling with Daniel.

"Hello brother monster," Daniel spoke, blocking his bright-dark flaming arms with his sword. "How long must we do this before you die? Or would you rather be a demon?"

Adair said nothing, which was always the case when in Chiaroscuro. He didn't even yell as he continued his attack and evaded more Gale assaults from the side. Ava quickly put a stop to that with her firebreath and talons.

Voltaire broke off from the fight to assist Anja, cutting her binds with his knife. "You're more trouble than you're worth, you know. Now go summon something."

"I would if I could" Anja snapped. "But I'm supposed to be sedated. Ankle's mostly better" she added, kicking an incoming Gale in the crotch with her bad ankle.

"I'd say their sedative sucks," answered Voltaire, shooting another Gale in the arm and making him drop his sword. "Well whatever, we need to get outta here. Ava! Get Adair!"

Adair was still in combat with Daniel, streaming blood but no less determined to fight. Daniel found himself defending more than attacking.

Dammit, why can't I beat him? he thought. He's...He's just a monster at this point. I...I have- Suddenly his chest tightened and his breath cut off. Adair took full advantage of his to beat his older brother to the ground, continuing to attack even when he was down. Daniel coughed until he spat up the soul in his throat, but his emotions went on rising and thrashing inside of him. The soul kept coming up even as he panted.

Suddenly he gave a heart-splitting scream, knocking Adair back with his own version of Chiaroscuro. He slashed at Adair furiously, black-and-white mist spilling from his mouth and sweating body.

Voltaire was dumbfounded. "The hell-"

"Move it!" Anja yelled. She rushed the two, Hero and changeling, and tackled Daniel with enough force to force him to stagger a few steps away from Adair. "Get out of here!" she yelled at Adair.

Adair hesitated his attack, mild confusion in his dull eyes. The Chiaroscuro must have started to loosen its hold on him.

Daniel did not hesitate. He immediately struck his sword through her.

Anja didn't stop. She drew her first back and punched Daniel in the face with enough force to break his nose. "THIS IS WHY I FUCKING HATE HEROES, MOTHER FUCKER!!" She screamed before crumpling to the ground, the adrenaline running out of her faster than her blood.

Daniel stumbled back and then fell to the ground, though more from sudden exhaustion than Anja's punch. Adair himself was mostly spent, the black-and-white flames fading as he stood there in a daze.

"Fuck Voltaire hissed, before fighting off more Gales.

"Going going going!" squawked Ava, before seeing Anja. "Oh no, Anjy!"

Anja couldn't move. Her limbs felt so heavy. She'd never felt like this before. So tired. Weak.

She watched, with morbid fascination, her blood staining the ground. Such a pretty read against the hard brown earth. Everything sounded so far away, like the sound was being muffled.

Adair staggered forward, the Chiaroscuro all but gone. He fell to his knees beside Anja, hardly noting the blood splashing as he did so.

"No...no..." he whispered, blowing white flame over the wound in a desperate attempt to heal. "Anja...Anja...God no..."

Anja coughed weakly, blood speckling her lips. "Addy?" She whispered, her eyes glassy as she tried to tilt her head to look up at him.

"I'm here, I'm here," croaked Adair, lifting her up so he could heal the open wound on Anja's back. He knew he couldn't stop the internal bleeding, but he wanted to stop the external. Maybe she would have a chance then. Deep down he knew it was unlikely.

Ava defended Adair from further attacks. "We're going!"

Adair picked Anja up and jumped onto Ava's back. Voltaire soon joined them, shooting and blowing fire at the pursuers as they took off.

Anja felt cold. That's all she could feel was cold. Tears welled up in her eyes and ran gracefully down her cheeks. "Addy" She whispered again. "I don't want to die"

Adair had already been crying for a while, tears streaming down his cheeks and sobs ripping from his throat as he held her closer. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

Voltaire kept his gaze turned away, his hands gripping Ava feathers painfully tight.

"Ava..." Adair choked out. "Ava, is there anything..."

The phoenix let out a concerned warble. "Maybe if she gave me her heart...make her a changeling. The boosted healing ability might help her..."

Anja was quickly fading away. She was barely holding on as it was. "D-don't....want to..." Her eyes flickered and she couldn't focus. "D-die...." She was shaking. At this rate, she would bleed out internally before they got to safety. She coughed hard and blood came up in a thick wave, dripping down her chin and onto her gray shirt. At best, turning her into a changeling would buy her enough time for them to get to a doctor.

(Sorry, had to make this as hard as possible for Anja. Her soul is almost totally black with almost no white. Which is why she has such a hard life. She won't resist if Ava takes her heart. All Adair has to do is tell her to trust him and everything will be alright. *evil giggle* she may even die for a minute then come back)

(true, her soul probably would have a lot of black in it considering her luck. However, remind me to give you a more detailed definition of the whole black-white thing later. And the whole dying-for-a-minute thing happens anyway when the heart's taken (hence why everyone gets KO'd when it happens), though she'll probably be out for a bit longer.)

"You believe in me then?" asked Ava, though she suspected that Anja's heart would be too weak to resist. She called to it, and the white light left Anja's chest with little resistance.

Adair watched the heart leave Anja with some dread, but he knew this was the only way. "It'll be okay Anja. Just hang on, hang on..."

Anja's eyes gently closed and her body stopped moving. Seconds passed into minutes, but still she didn't move. It was starting to look like it hadn't worked when Anja inhaled weakly with a shudder. She started breathing again, abet weakly, but still stronger than before.

Adair let out a sigh of relief, but he was still very worried. He knew she was still in critical condition. "We need to get her to a doctor."

"What doctor?" asked Voltaire. "The Gales are on high alert right now. We won't be able to stop anywhere near here. And then what are we going to say when she starts breathing fire?"

"What about the demon doctors?" suggested Adair. "The tournament's still going on."

"I doubt they'll let us back in. We lost."

Anja coughed again, her body starting to quiver again.

(would they really kick them out if they needed a doctor that bad?)

(they're demon doctors. they're not overly caring)

"Maybe we can go back as spectators," suggested Adair. "Or donate extra blood and soul. It's not like we're going back to our room at the tournament."

"...Guess it's better than nothing," answered Voltaire, though he didn't look too thrilled about the idea.

"Tournament then," Ava replied, changing course.