It was a dark, brooding night. Most of the lights in Zurich were turned off, as if the residents of the city were hiding from Arine and Johan's eminent attack. Leading the way, Arine used the power of the Blue Sapphire of Alvara to light their path. "How much farther is it?" Johan asked, obviously anxious to take his revenge on the Jewel Summoners. "Don't worry, Johan," Arine assured the man. "We'll be there soon enough." At the French bakery, Jewel Summoners started pouring out of the secret elevator, ready to take in Arine upon her return. The leader of the retrieval team went to the door, unlocked it, and opened it. Standing in the doorway was a seemingly unharmed Arine Sylven. "Miss Arine," said the team leader. "Thank goodness you're all right." Arine simply stared at the Jewel Summoners, her expression full of malicious intent. Behind Arine, a tall, dark figure emerged from the darkness, his face bearing an evil grin. ---------- Sam, Pierre, and Yvette waited as the elevator ascended from floor B3. As the elevator doors opened, they saw that Felix, Giovanni, Fredrika, and Alana were standing in the elevator. "Lady Alana," said Sam, bowing slightly to his Clan Leader. "Lord Felix," said Pierre, bowing as well. "Uh, bonjour," said Yvette, waving nervously. Sam, Pierre, and Yvette entered the elevator. The doors closed and the elevator continued its ascent toward ground level. "This is very fortunate," said Giovanni. "We do not have to send anyone to retrieve the elf." "None of the Jewel Summoners have to put themselves in harm's way," Alana added. Suddenly, a strange expression came across Fredrika's and Felix's faces. It was a look of confusion and a feeling of impending danger. "Lord Felix?" Pierre asked. "Lady Fredrika?" Sam asked behind Pierre. "Something is wrong," Fredrika sensed. "It's not only the Sapphire," said Felix. "There's something else." A look of horror came across Fredrika's face as she realized what it was. "It's the Ruby!" she cried. The elevator doors opened at ground level just as the other Jewel Summoners in the elevator realized the danger that they were in. Now at the top floor, they were straight in Johan and Arine's path! Sam cried out, "Yvette, get down!" The Red Ruby in Johan's hand glowed red and fired a great force, throwing the Jewel Summoners of the retrieval team flying. Sam and the Clan Leaders dodged out of the way while Pierre grabbed Yvette and brought her out of the way before a Jewel Summoner flew headlong into the elevator. With Yvette out of harm's way, Pierre frantically tapped the "Close" button. As Arine and Johan attacked and killed the rest of the retrieval team, Johan happened to see his old "friend" in the elevator. "Pierre," he said as the doors closed. Arine made a dash for the elevator, hoping to press the "Down" button before the doors closed. However, she was too late. The elevator was already descending by the time she pressed the button. "Damn it!" Johan seethed as he approached Arine. "They got away." "Not to worry," the blonde said. "The elevator will come back." Meanwhile, Giovanni pulled out an amethyst crystal to tend to the injured Jewel Summoner that was thrown into the elevator. "What the hell was Arine doing with Johan?" Sam asked frantically. "Why would Arine turn on us?" Pierre wondered with equal bewilderment. "We must warn the others," said Felix. Felix, Fredrika, and Alana pulled out pyrite crystals to warn the other members of their clans. As Giovanni's amethyst stopped glowing over the injured Jewel Summoner, a somber expression came across his face. "He's dead," Giovanni said. "There's nothing I could do." Giovanni stood and took out his own pyrite crystal to warn the other members of the Valentino Clan of the attack on their headquarters that had just begun. As they reached floor B1, several other Jewel Summoners joined them in the elevator. "We got your message, Milords," one of the Jewel Summoners said. "Everyone is evacuating to floor B4." The elevator doors closed and the Jewel Summoners continued their descent. ---------- Meanwhile, Johan was losing his patience. "What is taking that elevator so damn long?" he asked. "For the elevator to take this long," said Arine, "it's either being held up or it's going to the bottom floor." Arine could sense Johan's frustration. "I can tell you're impatient." Looking back at the elevator, she added, "So am I." Tapping into her elfin strength, Arine balled her fist and knocked the elevator doors down with a single punch. The two elfin descendants looked down the elevator shaft. "If I were escaping to a lower level," said Arine, "what would I do with the elevators?" "Well," Johan suggested, "If I were escaping to a lower level, I would do all I could to keep my pursuers from getting to me." "They're holding up the elevators," Arine realized. "No matter." Arine jumped from the ledge, grabbed on to the elevator cable, and started sliding down like a firefighter sliding down the pole to get to his vehicle. Johan jumped for the cable as well and slid down after Arine. ---------- The elevator arrived at floor B4. Sam, Pierre, Yvette, the Clan Leaders, and the other Jewel Summoners that they had picked up exited the elevator. Yvette, Pierre, and the lower-level Jewel Summoners ran down the corridors of floor B4 while the Clan Leaders stayed behind. Holding up their glowing pyrite crystals, they contacted each of the Jewel Summoners that were not part of the retrieval team. "Good," said Fredrika. "Everyone's out." Giovanni, Felix, and Alana ran down the halls of floor B4 to get to the other three elevators. As soon as each Clan Leader was on one of the elevators, they all pressed the red buttons beside the doors, each one reading "Seal Off Floors". ---------- As Arine and Johan slid down the cable, they saw a floor open up from the walls directly below them! As they set foot on the ground that had suddenly appeared, they looked up and saw a ceiling extend directly below the ground floor. "They sealed off the floors?" Johan said, amazed. "I didn't know they had that option," said Arine. "Where are we?" the Finn asked. "We seem to be at floor B1," the blonde replied, "just below ground level. The lowest level is B4, three floors below us." "Is there any other way down?" Johan asked. Arine held the Blue Sapphire of Alvara in her hand and pointed it toward the ground. The Sapphire started glowing blue and Arine threw a powerful force toward the ground. When the blast dissipated, the floor was dented, but unbroken. "Shit," Johan said. "It only left a dent." "I know there's another way down," said Arine. "The Jewel Summoners wouldn't have sealed themselves in without an escape route back to the surface. We just have to find that route." ---------- Sam, Yvette, and Pierre continued their way through the corridors of the lowest level of the compound. As they walked, they came across a small band of Jewel Summoners, carrying Mia. "Mia!" said Sam, rushing to his friend. Sam and Mia embraced, thankful that they were all right. "Sam," Mia asked, "what's going on?" "Trust me," said Sam, "you don't want to know." "Please Sam," Mia demanded, "I have to know. Where's Arine." Sam had a solemn expression on his face. "It seems," he explained, "she's sided with Johan." Mia's eyes widened with fear. "What?" she stammered. "No. She wouldn't." "Arine and Johan have already killed everyone on the ground floor," Pierre said. "I know it's hard to believe, but Arine has turned on us!" "Stop it!" cried Mia hysterically. "You're lying!" "Mia, calm down," said Sam. The boy held Mia tightly and kept talking. "I won't let anything happen to you. I will protect you, no matter what. I'll make sure you survive, even if it costs me my life." As Sam spoke, Mia calmed down, her heart rate slowing to normal. "Thank you, Sam," she said weakly, before collapsing. Sam grabbed Mia and kept her from falling to the floor. Yvette went to Sam and helped him carry Mia. "We have to get Mia to the Array before Johan and Arine find it," Sam said. "We can't," said Pierre. "It's too dangerous. In her weakened state, Mia could be killed." Sam and Yvette both looked at Pierre, worried for Mia. ---------- Arine aimed the Sapphire toward the elevator doors and used the crystal's power to knock down the doors. Arine and Johan walked onto floor B1, thinking about how the Jewel Summoners would try to evacuate the compound. "How would the Jewel Summoners escape from four floors below the ground?" Johan wondered. "I don't know," the blonde replied. "They never informed me of what kind of escape route they had." "Could it be a tunnel of some kind? A staircase that leads to the outskirts of Zurich?" "My senses tell me that it's something more elaborate. More likely it's some kind of conveyer system. Possibly involving crystals." "What kind of crystals can convey solid matter?" "Well," Arine started listing the possibilities, "apatite has the power of location. It has the ability to pull Jewel Summoners in the direction that they want to go. Spinel has the ability to create physical manifestations. Jewel Summoners have used spinel to summon vehicles. Corundum can alter an object's velocity and trajectory, but only elves can use the power of corundum." "That's not entirely true," Johan said. "Remember what I told you about Erika Dagomar and my brother?" Arine nodded. "Well, after she killed Rikhard, Erika tried to escape. She fled out of the household where several other members of the Dagomar clan arrived on their spinel vehicles. I was using my brother's white sapphire against the Jewel Summoners. I thought I had the upper hand, but one of the Jewel Summoners used the Red Ruby of Alvara to counteract the effects of Rikhard's sapphire. They may not know how to use the full power of corundum like the elves do, but they were in possession of the Red Ruby and Blue Sapphire of Alvara for fifteen hundred years. After fifteen hundred years of training, they have realized some minimal ability to use corundum." "Could the Jewel Summoners possibly use corundum to help escape?" "Perhaps, if they knew enough about it to use it effectively." ---------- Sam and Yvette brought Mia to the emergency shelter on floor B4 and lay her down on one of the mattresses that they kept there. "Mia should be fine here for the time being," said Sam. "Come on. We should meet up with the rest of the Jewel Summoners." As Sam and Yvette made their way to the secondary meeting room on that floor, Mia regained consciousness. 'Arine,' the brunette wondered, 'Why?' ---------- All of the Jewel Summoners quickly convened at the secondary meeting room. "My friends," said Alana, "the Clan Leaders and I must admit that we have made a critical error. We did not anticipate all things that could have occurred. We assumed that Arine had escaped. We were wrong." "But we do not have the time to mourn our fallen comrades," said Felix. "Right now, we must decide whether to use the Array. We believe that after fifteen hundred years, we Jewel Summoners have learned enough to use the device effectively." "It may be painful for people sent through the Array," Fredrika explained. "It does involve the deconstruction and reconstruction of matter, which makes it the most dangerous device that the Jewel Summoners have ever created. If we send ourselves through the Array, we will most likely be weakened when we emerge on the other side." "However," Giovanni continued, "I do not believe we have another choice. The elevators are too dangerous since Arine and Johan are most likely waiting for us. The only other way out is through the Array. The longer we wait, the more time Johan and Arine have to discover the Array. If they learn enough about it, they may be able to use it to get to the lower levels. We must decide whether to use the Array to escape or to stay behind and fight." Sam rose from where he was sitting. "Sir Samuel Lancestor," said Alana. "We can't use the Array," the young Jewel Summoner said. "Mia is extremely weak. She won't be able to survive a trip through the Array." "Do you have an alternative, Sir Samuel?" Alana asked. "We need someone to stay with Mia to help her get back to the surface another way," said Sam. Pierre then stood. "Lord Pierre Doulin," Felix announced. "We should send everyone through the Array that we can," Pierre said. "The Clan Leaders have to stay behind until the last minute anyway to control the Array. Once everyone else is out, the Clan Leaders can reactivate the elevators just long enough to get to the top with Mia. If your timing is perfect, you might be able to get past Johan while he is far away from the elevator." "It is a dangerous tactic," Fredrika said. Alana then said, "But Arine and Johan certainly would not be expecting it." "But what about the elf's powers?" asked Felix. "Now that she has awoken, she has the ability to sense our thoughts. Once we reactivate the elevators, they may be ready for us." "Leave the elf to us," said Giovanni. "The Valentinos will use orthoclase to mask our presence. Orthoclase may only have a hardness of six, but with any luck, it will be enough to keep us from detection." Sam and Pierre sat down. "Does anyone else wish to speak?" asked Fredrika. "Alright," she said after a brief pause. "Let's move! Everyone, get to the Array." With that, all of the Jewel Summoners stood and started making their way to the center of floor B4. ---------- Meanwhile, Arine and Johan were still brainstorming. As they racked their brains for any possibilities, Arine had an idea. "I just had a thought," she said. "Go ahead," inquired Johan, listening intently. "I just remembered something I saw in my vision of Olivia," Arine explained. "In order for Olivia to escape, Alvara used the Ruby and the Sapphire to send Olivia far away. Olivia was sent through the roof of Alvara's Cave and landed at least a hundred meters from where she emerged." "Are you saying that Olivia's body passed through the roof of the cave? That she passed through solid matter?" "That is certainly a good possibility." "Could the Jewel Summoners have found a way to send objects through solid matter like Alvara did?" "Maybe that's their escape route." "But they are simply humans. They cannot use that power at will. They must have some kind of device set up in order to harness that ability. Where would they set up such a device?" Just as Johan finished asking the question, there was a flash of light from the center of the floor. Johan and Arine looked at each other for a moment and then ran down the hallway that led to the center of the floor. They arrived at the place where the hallway intersected with three others, one leading left, another leading right, and the third leading straight ahead to the other side of the floor. It was the center of floor B1. "Where did that flash come from?" Arine wondered. Johan then looked at the ground and noticed a complex pattern of different colored crystals in the very center of the floor. "Arine, have a look at this." Arine looked at the arrangement. The pattern was complex, with the crystals closest to the center of the arrangement arranged in a large circle. "What is it?" Arine asked. "It’s some kind of arrangement of crystals," said Johan. "It's not all that dissimilar from the arrangement of white sapphires in the machine that I used to identify your powers." "Those green crystals look like apatite," said Arine. "The red ones look like spinel. And the others ones..." Arine took a moment to try to identify the other crystals besides apatite and spinel. "My god," said Johan. "They’re corundum." "So the Jewel Summoners HAVE found out how to use corundum!" Arine walked into the middle of the circle to inspect the arrangemet. "But what would these crystals be doing in this kind of arrangement at the center of the floor?" she wondered. Just then, the crystals started glowing. A beam of white light extended from the floor, corresponding to the positions of the innermost crystals. The beam completely surrounded Arine as she looked around, wondering exactly what was going on. Then a bright flash came from the ground, flying upwards and to the ceiling. Arine cried out in pain as the flash went through her. As the flash subsided and the beam disappeared, Arine collapsed to the ground. "Arine!" cried Johan, rushing to the girl's side. "Arine," he asked. "What happened?" "Help me," said Arine, as if she felt like she would die from the pain throughout her body. "Arine, snap out of it!" cried Johan. Arine opened her eyes and looked at the man. "Please," Johan said again. "Tell me what happened." "It felt like a hundred swords passing through me at the same time," was the best way for Arine to describe the sensation. "As if hundreds of sharp objects impaled me through the floor and passed through me upward to the ceiling." "I sensed an unusual form pf mystical energy at the time of the white flash," Johan said. "I felt mystical energies from the apatite, spinel, and corundum spiraling around one another. A funnel of mystical energy surrounded the arrangement of crystals, as if meant to convey something upward." It was then that Johan had a realization. "This must be the escape device," he said. "An intricate arrangement of crystals meant to transport people upward through the floors, through the ground, through solid matter up to the surface." Another beam of white light came from the center of the floor. After the beam stayed unchanged for several seconds, another bright flash came from the beam and the beam disappeared. "Each one of those bright flashes must be a Jewel Summoner being sent through the conveyer," said Johan. "Be sure not to stand in the center of that arrangement when an object is sent through it," warned Arine. "It has a disruptive effect on solid matter. I doubt the Jewel Summoners felt it as profoundly as I did since they were not completely solid when they were sent through the conveyer." "If the converyer can send people to the surface," Johan wondered, "could others pass through it the other way as well?" Another beam of light appeared. "Wait here," Johan said. "Regain your strength. I want to try something." Johan walked toward the beam and held out the Ruby. Johan tapped into the Ruby's power and the crystal started glowing red. When the bright flash came again, Johan disrupted the power of the corundum crystals of the arrangement, causing the Jewel Summoner in the conveyer to rematerialize before he passed through the ceiling. Instead, he was slammed against the ceiling and fell to the floor as the beam disappeared. The Jewel Summoner groaned in pain and then looked up at Johan standing over him. "Hello there," said Johan, looking down at the Jewel Summoner. Johan swung the Ruby around, throwing a powerful force at the Jewel Summoner, sending him flying away and slamming him against the edge of where two of the hallways intersected. "If I can manipulate the corundum in this arrangement," Johan said, "it loses some of its efficiency at it can't send the Jewel Summoners through the ceiling." Arine, quickly recovering from her encounter with the conveyer, stood up and walked beside Johan. As the beam appeared again, Arine attempted what Johan ad just done. The Sapphire of Alvara glowed blue in Arine's hand, and another Jewel Summoner rematerialized with the bright flash, hitting hard against the ceiling. As the Jewel Summoner fell toward the ground, Arine kicked the Jewel Summoner in mid air, sending him against the opposite edge of the intersecting hallways. Johan and Arine smiled at each other, amused as if playing a game of Whack-a-Mole...with the Jewel Summoners as the moles. ---------- Meanwhile, in the emergency shelter, Mia had managed to sit up onto her knees. The brunette looked toward the ground, confused, frightened, and saddened by what was happening. 'Arine,' she wondered. 'Why are you doing this? What has Johan done to you to make you turn on us?' ---------- On the roof of the French bakery, the Jewel Summoners that had made it through the conveyer were waiting for their next comrade to rematerialize in front of them. "Something is wrong," one of the Jewel Summoners said. "How long has it been since the last one of us got up here?" "It's been about two minutes I think," said another Jewel Summoner. "We've been coming in intervals of about thirty seconds," said the first Jewel Summoner. "Why haven't any others come?" The second Jewel Summoner pulled out a pyrite crystal and used it to contact the Clan Leaders. At that time, the Clan Leaders were surrounded around a large arrangement of crystals on floor B4, about to send another Jewel Summoner through the Array. The crystals of the Array started glowing, sending off individual beams of light, which started spiraling around one another, reinforcing one another, climbing into a single pillar of white light, surrounding the female Jewel Summoner that was standing in the Array. Just then, the Clan Leaders sensed something. They stood up, letting the power of the Array die down, and took out their pyrite crystals. The crystals were glowing yellow. "Merde!" Felix cursed. "What is it, Milords?" asked the Jewel Summoner standing in the Array. "The last five that we sent through the Array haven't arrived at the surface," said Alana. "It seems," Giovanni realized, "that Johan and Arine have found the Array and are disrupting the mystical energies that make the Array effective." "I fear they will soon discover how to use the Array and will find their way down here," Fredrika sighed. "Step out of the Array, Madame Chloe," Felix said. Following her Clan Leader's orders, the Jewel Summoner stepped out of the Array and joined the other Jewel Summoners gathered around it. "Options?" Alana asked. "We can't use the Array," said Giovanni. "We can't use the elevators. Maybe staying and fighting is our only option left." "Everyone," Felix commanded, "stand around the Array. Prepare yourselves." All of the Jewel Summoners took out their spinel crystals and aimed them at the Array, ready to attack whomever appeared inside it. ---------- Meanwhile, Mia was becoming more fatalistic by the second. 'What's going to happen?' she wondered. 'If Arine and Johan get through, we're going to die. If the Jewel Summoners prevail, Arine will be killed, and my life wouldn't matter anyway.' Mia's hands started moving about her chest and abdomen. Feeling completely defeated, Mia said to herself, "What else can I do besides...?" Mia did not finish her sentence. Instead, she simply slipped her right hand into her pants. Mia started moaning as she rubbed herself, imagining that Arine was the one pleasuring her. ---------- "The flashes have stopped," Johan said after several moment of waiting for the next Jewel Summoner to be sent through the conveyer. "They must have realized that we've found a way to stop them from getting to the surface," said Arine. "Good," said Johan. "Now they have no way out. Let's see if we can figure out how to work this device." "Looking at it from here," Arine said, inspecting the arrangement of crystals, "it looks like the corundum is used both as a propeller and a matter reorganizer. It partially deconstructs the person sent through the conveyer, fires him upward through the solid matter of the complex, and reconstructs the person at the surface. The spinel and apatite most likely aid in the conveyance. Since the Jewel Summoners still have very little knowledge about the power of corundum, they most likely need other crystals to help them use the device. The spinel probably acts to create a mystical barrier around the person, protecting him from the effects of passing through the solid matter of the floors. As for the apatite, it most likely helps guide the person straight to the surface, keeping his course from deviating." "Probably all we have to use is the corundum," Johan stated. "With the Ruby and the Sapphire of Alvara, we should have enough power to get down there without the use of spinel or apatite." With that, Arine and Johan stepped into the center of the arrangement of crystals. They held out the Ruby and Sapphire of Alvara and attempted to use the conveyer. The Ruby glowed red and the Sapphire glowed blue. Reacting to the power of Alvara's crystals, the corundum in the conveyer started glowing as well. A beam of violet light engulfed Arine and Johan as they struggled to build up enough energy to activate the conveyer. A bright flash came from the device and the duo disappeared. ---------- Arine and Johan rematerialized at floor B2. As the beam disappeared, they both fell to their knees, moaning and crying in agony. "Oh, dear God!" cried Johan. How can anyone stand going through that thing?" As Arine and Johan recovered from the jolt they had just felt, they stood up and examined their surroundings. "Where are we now?" the Finn asked. "It looks like floor B2," said Arine. On one side of the room was what looked like a maze, probably used to test the Jewel Summoners' skills with apatite to guide them through the maze to the exit. On the other side of the room were mannequins, most likely used with the Jewel Summoners' training with spinel. "These mannequins must be for combat training." Johan held out the Ruby toward one of the mannequins, throwing a great force toward it, chattering the figure. "Not any more," he said with a slight smirk on his face. ---------- At floor B4, Sam was using apatite to home in on Arine and Johan, tracking their movements. "They're on the move," said Sam. Suddenly, the glowing green apatite crystal that Sam was holding jerked, moving Sam's arm slightly downward. The lower angle of the apatite's pull could only mean one thing. "They just made it to floor B3!" cried Sam. "Prepare yourselves," said Alana. The Jewel Summoners focused all of their attention on the Array, waiting for Johan and Arine to appear. ---------- Mia's left had had made its way under her shirt, fondling her breasts as her right hand continued working under her panties. "Arine," Mia moaned in pleasure. "I love you. I love you so much Arine." ---------- The corundum crystals in the Array started glowing. "Here they come!" said Fredrika. A beam of bright, violet light shot down from the ceiling, landing in the center of the Array. Arine and Johan appeared in the circle, slightly disoriented from their final trip through the conveyer. The spinel crystals that the Jewel Summoners were holding started glowing red and giant soldiers made of glowing spinel crystal appeared in front of them, looking directly at Arine and Johan. As they recovered, Johan and Arine noticed the soldiers charging at them. The two elfin descendants dodged out of the way and started throwing blasts of mystical energy at the soldiers from the Ruby and Sapphire. The soldiers blocked the blasts with their arms and continued attacking Arine and Johan. The Jewel Summoners struggled to keep up with Arine's and Johan movements. "Damn it!" said David. "Why can't we hit them? The Jewel Summoners destroyed all of the elves fifteen hundred years ago, why can't we do a thing against only two?" "We never thought we would be fighting elves again," said Antonia. "We never trained to go up against creatures so powerful." Within the fray, Antonia's soldier charged at Johan and Johan charged at the soldier as well. The soldier swung its sword and Johan blocked the strike with the Ruby of Alvara. In one swift movement, Johan ducked under the sword and threw the Ruby at the soldier's torso. The Ruby, with a hardness of 9, pierced through the spinel armor of the solder. Large cracks started forming around the soldier until it eventually shattered. With her manifestation destroyed, Antonia's spinel crystal lost its power and shattered as well. Johan caught the Ruby as it fell from where the spinel soldier used to stand and threw a great force at Antonia, throwing her against the back wall of the room. Arine was knocking down soldiers right and left by punching them to the ground. Arine managed to get by the soldiers to the Jewel Summoners that were controlling them. Arine threw her palm at one of the Jewel Summoners, hitting him square in the jaw with a force so great that his neck snapped. The soldier that the Jewel Summoner was controlling disappeared as the Jewel Summoner fell to the ground. Seeing that they were losing the battle, Julia cried to her son, "Run, Sam! Run!" "Come on!" said Sam, taking Yvette's hand and running down the corridor. Seeing them trying to escape, Arine chased after Sam and Yvette. ---------- As Sam and Yvette ran through the corridors of floor B4, Arine continued firing blasts of energy at them from the Sapphire of Alvara that she was holding. Doing their best not to be hit with an attack from the Sapphire, Sam and Yvette had to move quickly, ducking behind corners whenever they could. However, Sam 's strength was running out and he eventually tripped, falling to the floor and taking Yvette down with him. Arine approached Sam and Yvette, holding off from killing them so that she could see the fear in their eyes as they faced their deaths. Sam and Yvette backed up into a corner as Arine approached them "Arine," Sam asked. "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping Johan?" "I realize the truth now," Arine explained. "Johan showed me what it meant to be an elf. He showed me the hardships that the elves have been made to endure. He showed me how my grandmother died! Your friends, the Doulins, killed Olivia just because she wouldn't give the Sapphire back to them, the Sapphire that she rightfully deserved as a pureblooded elf! You're not one of the Doulin Clan or the Dagomar Clan, so your death will be quick and painless." Arine held at the Sapphire toward Sam and Yvette, intending to destroy them with a single attack. The Sapphire glowed blue and Sam and Yvette closed their eyes tightly, not wanting to watch the blast as it hit them. There was an evil grin on Arine's face as she built up the mystical energies from the Sapphire, ready to fire it at the two humans cowering before her. Suddenly, an image flashed inside Arine's mind. It was only for a fraction of a second, but Arine could clearly see Mia on her knees on a mattress, her left hand under her shirt, her right hand in her pants, her eyes closed tightly. Arine stood motionless for a moment with a look of startled confusion on her face. "Arine?" Sam said to himself, surprised that the 18-year-old had not finished them off yet. The glazed look that had appeared in Arine's eyes the night before started to disappear. A tear formed in the blonde's eye as she realized what the meaning of her vision was. A single word then came from Arine's lips: "Mia..." Arine made a mad dash down the corridor, running as fast as she could, tapping into her elfin strength to make herself run faster. ---------- Meanwhile, Johan was still fighting the Jewel Summoners. Johan had struck down several Jewel Summoners. Although it was difficult to stand up to the power of spinel, Johan saw it as an enjoyable challenge to engage in. Johan faced off against the Jewel Summoners. He looked at them and they looked at him. Johan took a stance and aimed the Ruby at the Jewel Summoners. The Ruby started glowing red as Johan prepared to attack again. However, the glowing of the Ruby suddenly started flickering. "What?" Johan gasped at the sudden fluctuation of the Ruby's power. Distracted by what he was sensing, Johan almost failed to notice the crystal soldier charging at him. Johan dodged before the soldier struck his heart. However, Johan was late to dodge the soldier's sword and it pierced his right shoulder. Johan cried out in agony as he felt the sword digging into his flesh. He fired a blast of energy at the soldier, throwing it away from him, its sword retracting from his shoulder. Johan grabbed his shoulder in pain as he tried to make sense of what had just transpired. 'What the hell just happened?' Johan wondered. 'What did I sense just then?' It was then that Johan realized that his partner was no longer in the room. 'Where's Arine?' Johan held up the Ruby and threw a powerful force out in all directions throwing all of the Jewel Summoners out of his way as he rushed down the corridor that Arine had taken. ---------- Arine followed the direction that her senses were guiding her. Knowing that Mia was in critical danger, she knew that she had to get to her girlfriend before it was too late. As Arine rounded the next corner, she found herself at the entrance to the emergency shelter. She stared in horror at the sight before her. Mia was squirming about on a mattress, masturbating. Her eyes were closed tightly and her teeth were clenched, showing that she was close to orgasm. "Mia!" Arine cried. Time slowed to a crawl. Seconds seemed like minutes as Arine dropped the Sapphire and ran toward Mia. Hearing Arine cry out her name, Mia opened her eyes and looked at the blond-haired girl running at her. "Arine?" she whimpered as tears came to her brown eyes. Arine leapt toward Mia. "I'm sorry," Mia said as Arine flew through the air toward her. Mia's eyes shot wide open and she gasped. A sense of disaster suddenly hit Arine and a look of absolute horror came cross the blonde's face. "Oh no!" said Arine, realizing that Mia's orgasm had just hit. Mia cried out in bliss and Arine landed on top of her, embracing Mia tightly. As they both hit the mattress, Arine got up onto her hands and knees and looked down upon Mia. The brunette was unconscious, she was not breathing, and all of the color had left her face. "Oh no," said Arine hysterically. "Not again. Mia!" Arine shook Mia frantically, trying to wake her up. "Come on Mia, wake up!" she cried. "Wake up, Mia!" Johan rounded the corner, his shoulder still bleeding. He saw Arine on the mattress, screaming in a state of panic. "Arine?" he asked, "What are you doing?" Arine was completely oblivious to Johan's presence. She simply kept screaming with tears gushing from her eyes, "Mia! Please! Don't die on me!" Johan saw the blue crystal lying on the ground in front of him. Suddenly, the Finn completely forgot the searing pain in his shoulder. 'The Sapphire,' he thought. 'It's mine!' As Johan reached for the Sapphire, it suddenly started glowing blue. Arine suddenly snapped up to a sitting position as she sensed something calling out to her. "The Sapphire!" she cried. Arine spun around and reached toward the Sapphire. Johan dove toward the Sapphire, but the crystal flew as if on its own out of Johan's reach and straight into Arine's outstretched hand! Swinging the Sapphire about, Arine threw a powerful force at Johan, sending him flying out of the shelter and back down the corridor. With Johan temporarily out of the way, Arine turned back to Mia's motionless body. 'What am I going to do,' Arine wondered desperately. 'If Mia dies, I don't know what I'd do.' Just then, Arine had an idea. 'Wait!' she realized. 'My powers!' Arine brushed Mia's hair out of her face, allowing her to put her hands to Mia's cheeks, putting herself in physical contact with Mia's skin. "Come on, Mia," said Arine. Come back to me. Live. Live! LIVE!" Arine brought her lips to Mia's and kissed the brunette passionately, trying to breath life back into the smaller girl. The Sapphire suddenly started glowing brightly. Sensing the power of the Sapphire, Arine looked at the blue Jewel glowing. For the first time, Arine saw Mia's hair sparkle brilliantly. 'What?' the blonde wondered, confused about the sparkling of Mia's hair. However, Arine quickly forgot about the grains of sand in Mia's hair as the color returned to Mia's face and she started breathing again. "Oh, thank God!" Arine cried, so thankful that Mia's attack was over. Johan stood up to observe what was going on. Then, as Johan reentered the shelter, Arine stood up and slowly turned around. She looked at Johan with an expression of complete, unbridled rage. "Damn you, Johan," she said. "DAMN YOU TO HELL!!!" Arine fired a blast of energy at Johan from the Sapphire. Johan held up the Ruby and fired a blast of equal power back at Arine. The two blasts collided at the two elfin descendants fought to overcome the other's power. Arine and Johan struggled to overpower each other, each of them fueled by the deep hatred that they had. As they poured all of the power they had into the blasts of energy that were battling in the center of the room, Johan happened to glance over at Mia. Because Arine had brushed Mia's hair out of her face, Johan saw the points at the end of Mia's ears. Johan's eyes widened in surprise and absolute astonishment. "Those ears!" he cried. Having lost his concentration, Johan's mystical energies were overcome by Arine's and Johan was again thrown backwards into the corridor. Completely bewildered and not knowing what to believe any more, all that Johan could do was flee the scene. Arine chased after Johan, not wanting to let him escape. As Johan rounded the bend, he saw the Jewel Summoners after him. "Hold it right there, Johan," said Felix, blocking Johan's path. Not stopping for anything, Johan threw another powerful force from the Ruby, sending the Jewel Summoners flying out of his way. Johan simply ran past them with Arine hot on his tail. The Jewel Summoners got to their knees and looked on in confusion. "What in God's name is going on here?" wondered Felix. ---------- Johan made it back to where the sortie had started and he jumped into the Array. He held up the Ruby and it started glowing. The corundum of the Array reacted to the Ruby and started glowing as well. Johan struggled with all of his might to activate the Array so that he could escape from Arine's wrath. Just as Arine entered the room, a beam of red light shot up from the Array, engulfing Johan. When the beam of light passed upward, disappearing behind the ceiling, Johan was gone. For a moment, Arine just stood there in astonishment. As she began to return to reality and realized that Johan had escaped, Arine fell to her knees, disheartened by failing to stop Johan. ---------- The Jewel Summoners rushed Mia to the infirmary where they connected her to a ventilator to restore oxygen to the unconscious girl's body. Not resisting at all, Arine allowed the Jewel Summoners to apprehend her, take the Sapphire of Alvara from her, and confine her to a prison cell. The infirmary was filled with the moans and cries of agony from the Jewel Summoners that were injured in the raid. Pierre, Sam, David, Julia, and Yvette were appalled to the point of near-nausea as they observed the situation. "Unthinkable that something like this would happen," David said. "Twenty-two of our comrades dead, thirty-four seriously injured," Julia disgustedly stated the statistics. "And Mia, again, fighting for her life," said Sam. "What would have caused Arine to turn on us?" Yvette wondered. Pierre explained, "Arine is being kept under guard. The Blue Sapphire of Alvara has been returned to Lord Felix's care. And she won't be getting any help from Johan any time soon. But it seems that Arine was not acting completely of her own free will. At the last minute, Arine ran to Mia and tried to save her. Mia would be dead now if Arine hadn't given her strength. And she showed no resistance when the Jewel Summoners apprehended her." "But still..." Sam said, looking at Mia, lying on the bed, unconscious. ---------- In her prison cell, Arine thought about the events that had transpired. She could not believe that she had aided in the murder of people that were only trying to help her. She was distraught by the fact that it was her fault that Mia had had another attack. Arine could sense that Mia was in critical condition and that the chances were slim that the brunette would come out of the ordeal alive. "Mia..." Arine exhaled. The 18-year-old stood up and walked to the wall of her cell. Overcome with guilt and rage, Arine yelled and pounded the wall with her fist. Arine left a large dent every time her fist collided with it. She kept pounding against the wall, over and over again, leaving dent after dent, until she finally tired herself out and fell to her knees burying her face in her hands, crying harder than she ever had.
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