• Their blades flashed and they kept hacking away at the demon, it only blocked. Finally, when Dai and Kairlix were starting to tire out, the demon struck out with his left hand and sent Kairlix soaring through the air, only to land on top of Takeo; he grunted with the sudden weight.
    “Hey mate, would you mind getting off the injured person here?” asked Takeo as politely as he could through gritted teeth. “You should try and lose like five pounds…” Kairlix rolled off him and rushed to help Dai, who was parrying every blow that the demon sent at her.
    Finally, the demon roared out,
    “Enough of this foolishness!” The flames all over his body started to billow as if there was a strong wind. The noon sun that had been there moments ago disappeared behind a smoggy cloud. In an instant the entire field was full of smoke, they all started to cough. “You will all perish here!” Came the menacing voice from no where and everywhere at once. “I’ll take out your injured first.”
    Takeo suddenly felt it get very hot near him, he heard rather than saw the blow coming, he rolled to his right. The blow came only seconds afterward; he felt the wind rush by his face. The heat and the smoke was suffocating, he had to get out. He started to crawl towards what he hoped was the edge, when he felt something stab into his left hand. He screamed.
    “Trying to run away, are you?” asked the sizzling voice of the demon. “You really shouldn’t try that.” Takeo could feel the presence of the thing all around him now. “Now all of your futile dreams are forfeited to me!” With that he felt the claw rip out of hand and rise. Before it could fall the Demon screamed.
    Takeo opened his eyes that he had unconsciously shut, to see that the smog was clearing. He also saw why the fire demon was screaming. While it had been playing with him, Dai had snuck up behind it and shoved his katana through him (Dai had very good night vision).
    The demon was spewing fire instead of blood.
    “Do you really think that this wound will truly kill me?!” asked the thing, “My master’s plans are only stalled for the moment…But before I am banished from this place…” he paused and looked around, and then he looked up at the headmaster’s tower. “I will take care of at least part of my mission…” With that he gathered the rest of his remaining strength and hurled a gigantic fireball at the tower. It traveled faster than the eye could see and smashed into the tower, it started to burn and then it exploded!
    Metal and wood fell all around them. They all ran for cover. Dai pulled Takeo’s sword out from the demon and ran with the rest. Takeo’s hand was now bleeding freely. When they got into a building Dark ripper a strip of his shirt of and tied it around Takeo’s hand.
    “I’m afraid that won’t do much, but it should help the bleeding stop…”Dark looked at his hand concernedly. “Could be worse…” Takeo looked down at his hand; he could barely make it twitch without it hurting.
    “You know, for some reason that doesn’t make me feel any better…” said Takeo, “Well at least I’m right handed, so it won’t make to much of a difference.” He tried to smile, but only managed a grimace. “Hey L, how’s that girl?”
    “She’s better, but we should get you both to the medical building.” He looked concernedly over at him.
    “Shouldn’t we be a bit more concerned about the Headmaster and all the people in the tower?” She was looking at where the tower used to be.
    “You all right Dai?” asked Takeo getting up and walking over to her; he was still a little unsteady on his feet. When he reached her he slid down the wall and put his arm around her shoulders.
    “Yeah…I’m fine, I’m just worried about everyone else…” she looked around at them all and they all smiled back at her. “Let’s get a move on. We need to get these two to the medical building.” They all stood up; L put the injured girl on his back and they started back outside.
    “Hey, wait! What about Eureka?! We still haven’t found her…” shouted Kairlix at them, he hadn’t moved. Takeo looked down at his feet. He had completely forgotten about their friend.
    “He’s right,” said Takeo. “L, take her to the Medical building. We’ll go on.”
    “But what about you guys?” asked L, looking concernedly at Takeo’s hand.
    “Like I said, it’s my left hand so it won’t hinder me to much…” He looked over at Dai, “I’ll take my katana back now.” She looked startled and then she remembered that she was still holding his weapon. She walked over to him and handed it to him, and kissed him on the cheek.
    “Don’t cut yourself, its sharp.” They all laughed. Takeo sheathed his weapon. Takeo, Kairlix, Dai, and Dark headed towards the Arena. Suddenly Dark stopped in his tracks.
    “Um…Hey, shouldn’t people be running around screaming by now?” They all looked around and saw that he was right; there wasn’t a soul.
    “You’re right,” said Kairlix, “That’s kind of weird isn’t it…”
    “Hey, Kairlix, you and Dark keep looking for Eureka. Dai and myself will go look around to see if we can find anyone.” They all nodded and started running.
    The first place Takeo and Dai checked was the Dining Hall. When they looked in the only things they saw were plates of uneaten food, they saw no other signs that anyone had been there.
    Next, they checked the Dorms. They checked each room separately and all they found was piles of worn clothes and rumpled bed sheets. Everything was all too quiet. Where before the halls had been bubbling with life, there was now no one. By now both Dai and Takeo were creeped out.
    Suddenly out of no where they heard running foot steps. They each took a side of the hall and slipped into doorways. When Takeo thought the steps were getting close he unsheathed his Katana and jumped out of his doorway, only to find a white-faced L, still carrying the girl. He looked scared and helpless.
    “Weren’t you were taking her to the Medical Building?” asked Takeo.
    “I took her there, but…” He looked as if he were about to be sick, “There wasn’t much left of the doctors and nurses…” With that he set down the girl and ran into a room, Dai and Takeo stood in shock.
    “What the hell is happening around here?!” Asked Dai. Takeo didn’t answer; he slid down the wall, put his hands over his head and cried.
    “Who the hell would want Elnyse and everybody here destroyed!?” He punched the floor. “Dammit!” Dai sat down next to him and put her arm over his shoulders.
    “We don’t know that everyone’s dead.” Takeo looked at her, his face tear stained.
    “Yet…” With that depressing thought they sat side-by-side silently, until L came back out still washing his mouth out with water.
    “Sorry about that, guys, but just thinking about that,” he shuddered, “makes me sick…” Takeo stood up, and started to walk down the hall. He stopped at his room, kicked the door open, walked over to it, and laid down on it. Dai went in and laid next to him.
    “I’m kind of hungry.” said L from the doorway. The other two looked at him and burst out laughing; they laughed until they felt like they were about to explode, they lay gasping on the bed. L just looked at them. “Does that mean you guy’s are hungry too?”
    “Yes,” They replied, “That girl is probably too. We should try and wake her up…” said Takeo. With that L ran off to try and wake her. Slowly Dai got up to follow him; she walked over to the door and looked back at him.
    “Coming?” she asked. He stood up and took her hand. They walked down the hall hand-in-hand.
    When they reached L’s room, they saw the girl standing up for the first time. She was medium height and slender, with black hair running down to the middle of her back. She stood in a fighting pose and they now saw L lying on the floor with a red cheek.
    “Well L it looks like you did something to upset her,” said Takeo mildly. L mumbled something inaudible. “Say what?” He lifted his head and said,
    “I didn’t do nothing. I just shook her shoulder gently, her eyes snapped open, and she stood up and punched me.” The girl looked around; her eyes were blue and full or confusion and fear.
    “What happened to the demon and where am I.?” Dai stepped towards the girl.
    “My name is Dai Migoto. I took care of the stupid flaming Demon for a while, and you’re in one of the boys’ rooms at the moment. Now would you mind telling us who you are and what you were doing in that building.”
    “Um…My name is Raven Hendrickson and I was in that building because I’m new. Today was supposed to be my first day, but…It didn’t work too well. While touring that building the Demon attacked and killed our entire group…my clothes will be stained forever…” They all looked at her clothes and saw that she was right, “I ran up the stairs, I didn’t know where I was going, I just wanted to get away. I remember the demon towering over me and someone it and it went flying. I-I don’t remember anything after that…” L and Dai looked over at Takeo who was standing in a corner.
    “Well, the BAMF who saved your life was the crazy kid over there in the corner, Takeo. He rushed in and did something; none of us are sure what, because he hasn’t said much…” They all looked at him expectantly.
    “Well…All I did was rush in, look around, heard scream, ran up stairs, punched the flaming demon thing, burned hand, grabbed Raven, and then jumped out window landing on my back…”
    “So why exactly are we in a boys’ room?” Asked Raven, and then unexpectedly said, “You know I’m actually kind of hungry…” They all looked over at her. “What?”
    “See L, I told you, you should wake her up, ‘“That girl is probably too. We should try and wake her up…”’ I said, and look I was right.” Dai slapped him on the back of the head and shook her head.
    “You’re such an idiot Takeo…Come on lets go.” Takeo took her hand and they lead the way to the Dining Hall. “So, does anyone know how to cook? I mean, without anyone here besides us, there could be some problems…”
    “Hey wait. What do you mean? Aren’t there people in the kitchens?” Raven looked at them. They just looked at each other. Finally Takeo answered,
    “Well right now the only people we know of are we and two others who are heading to the arena right now…” He looked at the ground. “Actually I’m afraid that there’s no one else alive…”
    Raven’s head snapped around, “What did you say?” She stared at him until he looked up into her eyes. His eyes were streaming with tears.
    “They’re all freaking dead!” He yelled and punched the wall next to him. The other three stared at him as he slid to the floor.
    “Well actually we haven’t found evidence of them all being dead yet Takeo.” Dai said, as she gently put her hand on his shoulder.
    “But neither have we seen any evidence of anyone being alive,” said L from behind them. Dai glared at him in a way that said, “You’re not helping here!” L looked down at the floor, abashed.
    Raven looked at the three of them in shock, “B-but my brother…he was supposed to be here…” Now it was there turn to look in shock at her.
    “What was his name?” L asked in a whisper.
    “His name was James Tomoshibi,” she muttered, holding back her tears. L almost fell to the floor on astonishment.
    “Well how’s that for coincident,” L exclaimed, looking at Raven. “He’s my Dorm partner…” Raven and Dai looked at him. Raven ran over to him.
    “Then he’s alive!?” she looked at him with watery eyes. Her black bangs were hanging over one of her eyes.
    “Possibly, but we don’t know who is and who isn’t. After we eat we’re going to go find our friends in the arena. We hope the people are there…” L answered.


    * * *

    After they had all finished the food they had made individually, they started off to the armory to pick a weapon for Raven. After they had looked through the entire building she finally found a double dagger set of weapons that worked for her. They also found some clothes that fit her- which were found while Takeo and L sat up against the wall outside.
    When Dai and Raven came outside, Raven really looked the part of an adventurer. She had the two daggers attached to her belt behind her and she was wearing a plain white shirt and jeans, but she also had some leather armor on her chest. Dai had the same thing on. Takeo laughed at them, until Dai kicked him. L stood up and helped Takeo up.
    Now that they were all ready they took off for the Arena. Takeo led the party with Dai at his side, holding his hand. L followed behind them talking to Raven.
    “So what does ‘L’ stand for then?” Raven asked L.
    “Well, my real name is Eluminai Genkaku, but I prefer to be called L…”
    Takeo looked back at him, “Why’s that?” he asked in a sarcastic tone. They all laughed. As they walked they laughed and joked with each other. . .
    When they finally arrived at the Arena they weren’t joking anymore. The building looked dark and forbidding. The warm afternoon suddenly felt much cooler.
    As they approached the glass doors, Raven suddenly stopped.
    “I have a really bad feeling about this place…” she said looking at the doors with terrified eyes. She started to back up, and ran into L he caught her.
    “I’ll check it out guys. I’ll be right back.” said Takeo as he started stepped towards the door. Before he could take more than two steps Dai caught him by the shoulder.
    “Come right back, okay?” she looked into his eyes with worry.
    “Geeze, it’s not like I’m going far, but yeah I’ll be right back.” He kissed her on the cheek and ran towards the doors.
    When he reached them he looked through the glass to see if he could find anything out of the ordinary. Immediately he saw something. It was a large hairy leg, his gaze continued up the leg and his eyes fell upon the largest Spider he had ever seen!
    With sudden speed the leg flew at the door. Takeo jumped to the side barely avoiding the leg as it smashed through the glass doors. He quickly ripped his katana from the scabbard on his back.
    The rest of the spider quickly came after the leg; it was about ten feet tall and about six feet around; it toward over him. Suddenly the rest of the group was by his side. Dai had her falchion already out, L was back up against the building setting up his sniper, while Raven was trying to figure out how to handle her weapons.
    Without warning the spider struck out with its front leg, Dai ran to the left, Takeo jumped, and Raven ran for the stomach. Dai slashed out at its other front leg, cutting it cleanly at the joint. It gave a terrible screech and stumbled backwards. One of its flailing legs caught Dai and sent her spinning about ten feet. She landed off balance and stumble to the ground bleeding from the leg. The spider ran at her. Takeo jumped forward and slashed at its’ side. His blade sunk in, but it didn’t slow, L fired at its’ other side and the round went all the way through, barely missing Takeo, and Raven stuck both of her daggers into the spider’s belly. It finally fell, Raven rolled out from beneath it just in time.
    Takeo wiped his blade on the grass and re-sheathed it. He walked over to Dai and crouched down next to her.
    “You okay?” he asked looking at the cut on her upper leg.
    “Yeah, I’m fine.” She said smiling, but she grimaced when she tried to stand up and fell back down. “No, it’s going to be hard to walk, this really hurts.” Takeo ripped off his sleeve and tied it around her leg, he applied pressure to it to try and stop the bleeding, she bit her tongue.
    “Sorry if it hurts a little bit, but we can’t have you dying from blood loss can we?” he smiled down at her. She just looked at him.
    “You know you’re not really helping me feel a whole lot better…”
    “Yeah, I know.” He smiled again. While Takeo and Dai talked, L and Raven were working on flipping the spider to get her daggers out of it. They weren’t making much progress considering it weighed a ton…

    After they had finally managed to flip the spider over onto its’ back, the daggers were buried into its’ chest; they had to dig them out. When they got them out they were filthy with spider blood and other unknown liquids; they washed them off and all four decided they needed a rest.


    * * *


    Raven was the first to wake from their unbidden sleep. They had slept through the afternoon, and it was starting to get cooler. She hit Ls’ shoulder to wake him up. He jumped up looking around.
    “Holy Crap!” he exclaimed. “Did we really fall asleep?” He ran over to Takeo, who was lying back to back with Dai, and started to shake him; reflexively Takeo’s hand shot out and punched him in the stomach. He fell over gasping for air. Takeo’s eyes suddenly snapped open; when he saw what he had done he got up on his knees and leaned over L.
    “Oops, sorry mate…reflexes.” He smiled down at him weakly. Then he realized how low the sun was, “Oh…” And then he realized something. The spiders’ body was no longer where they had left it. There was a long blood streak going from where they had left it into the darkness of the building. When he pointed there was a sudden chill in the air.
    Why didn’t whatever it was kill us while it was taking the body? Takeo thought to himself. He looked around to see if there was any evidence of what had taken it, but he found nothing. He looked over at L, who had the sharpest eyes, and nodded at him and he nodded back. He stood up and began searching near the blood streak, his head going from left to right until he stopped and crouched down next to the streak. He waved them over to him.
    They stood around him as he pointed out a huge clawed footprint.
    “Well guys, I don’t think whatever took it was human…just an idea…” Dai’s hand tightened on her falchion’s hilt, Raven looked around nervously, L just looked into the hole where the door had once been, and Takeo stood there looking at the sky.
    After a length of time Takeo sighed and started walking towards the hole, startling them all out of their trances. Dai started walking after him, soon followed by L, leaving Raven standing there frightened. As soon as L realized that Raven wasn’t following he ran back to her, grabbed her hand and pulled her with him.
    As soon as they had all entered into the reception area, they found that they could only go to one other area, due to the fact that the other paths were blocked by the collapsed ceiling that just “happened” to fall only in the doorways. So they went the only way they could; into the Arena itself.
    They all walked quickly. Takeo and L led the way and Dai and Raven followed. Behind him Takeo heard Dai and Raven whispering and giggling with each other. He just didn’t understand how they could laugh at such a time; he just shook his head and sighed.
    Suddenly he saw something flash ahead of them, in a split second he yelled,
    “Duck!” just as they all threw themselves to the ground a shining object flew over their heads.
    L was the first back onto his feet; he stared into the darkness to see if he could see the perpetrator. In a flash there was suddenly someone in front of them; it was dark. His eyes where blank, as if he weren’t all together there. His leg suddenly kicked out and caught L in the ribs, they all heard the sound of ribs cracking and flinched, and he fell to the ground gasping for air.
    Dark didn’t stop there. He went after Dai, but she already had her weapon out and caught the blow with her Falchion. Dark was sent back a couple of feet before recovering. Before he could attack again he had Takeo on his back. What the hell is he thinking?! Takeo thought to himself. He hung on for dear life as Dark tried to swing him off himself.
    “What are you doing attacking us all of a sudden?!” Takeo yelled in Dark’s ear. When he didn’t respond and kept on swinging him around. Takeo lost it. He smacked Dark in the middle of the back, which made him fall to the ground on his hands and knees. Takeo grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him up onto his feet, with anger in his eyes.
    “Why did you attack us?!” When he got no answer, he yelled in his face, “What the hell is wrong with you!?” When he still got no answer, he pulled his fist back, but before he struck out everyone was holding him back. Even with the obstacle Takeo kept on struggling.
    Through it all Dark just stood there, not even blinking. L staggered towards them. He had tears in his eyes, both of pain and anguish. He grabbed a hold of Dark’s jacket and hung onto it.
    “Why?” he asked in a small voice, with tears in his eyes he fell to the ground.
    Suddenly Dark fell to the ground as well. He was suddenly a sack of potatoes. His eyes closed and tears trickled out of the corners. Takeo watched both of his friends fall to the ground and stopped struggling.
    First he ran over to L. He checked his pulse and his breathing; his breathing was ragged, but he was still breathing all the same.
    When he had finished checking over L, he went to Dark. He wasn’t sure how he felt about him. He had just attacked them and severely hurt one of his friends. But on the other hand Dark himself was one of his friends. He was so confused.
    He felt a hand touch his own. He looked down and saw Dark had opened his eyes and was looking around confused.
    “Where the hell am I?” he asked in a dazed voice. He started as he saw L on the ground and everyone staring at him with anger in their eyes. “What. . .” was as far as he got. Before anyone could restrain him Takeo had punched Dark in the stomach he doubled up in pain.
    “Why the hell did you attack us?!” asked Takeo in a voice that said everything he felt at the moment.
    “What are you talking about? Why would I attack you guys? I don’t even know what I did.”
    Before Takeo could say anything, they all heard a blasting noise. Suddenly from around a corner they saw a boy about seventeen with blonde hair come jumping around a corner. He saw them all and started to run towards them. They then saw the ten monsters that were chasing him.
    They were hideous creatures. They had Hyena like heads on a more or less human body. Their arms hung about three inches from the ground with long claws protruding from each of its 6 fingers. They ran with long legs and their tongues flapping in the wind.
    The boy dashed for them. Looking behind him to see how close they were getting. In an instant all of their own troubles were forgotten. Raven pulled L to the side and started to do something to him with her hands. There was a strange light. None of the others were paying much attention. All of their minds were focused on the oncoming monsters.
    “Damn. I think the science class has a little too much fun making chimeras for us to battle. . .” muttered Dai darkly. Takeo looked over at her and laughed.
    “No one makes anything love. Those are all found somewhere else and brought back here,” he thought to himself, “I do wonder where though.”
    A sudden movement brought them back to what was happening. The boy ran by them. They all drew their weapons as one and charged towards the oncoming creatures.
    The monsters were unprepared for such a suicidal attack that the first three fell to them. But they quickly regrouped and were ready to take them all out.
    Takeo, Dark, and Ichigo were all ready to fight when one of the monsters stepped forward and spoke in a high raspy voice,
    “My master congratulates you for surviving and is willing to offer you all a place by his side. If you turn him down he regrets to inform you that you will be made his slaves by force.” He flashed them a cruel grin, gave a quick nod of the head and was walking back when suddenly there was a flash, a gun shot and the brute was on the ground with a hole through his head.
    They all turned around to see L up on his feet with his sniper in his hands with the barrel smoking.
    “Well you can tell your master to shove a big one up his a**.” He said with a snarl and stood next to Dark. Takeo was so taken aback by L’s sudden recovery that he didn’t notice Raven on the ground. “Let’s take ‘em out then.”
    Takeo smiled and rushed in head first with the others following on his heals. He dodged and slashed. He knew the others well enough to know they wouldn’t get hit by each other. They were family and they all trusted each other.
    It was all over in five minutes. Takeo looked around and saw his friends all standing, a little scratched and worn out, but alive.
    Then he noticed Raven on the ground. He went over to her and reached out his hand, but before he touch her, her hand shot out and grabbed his hand.
    “Don’t touch me!” she said in a horse whisper. When her hand had touched him he felt pain. Her hand recoiled, “Sorry,” she muttered and slumped up against the wall. They all looked at her not understanding.
    Takeo stood up, “Let her be for a bit,” he didn’t understand at all, but he figured she would explain in her own time. So in the mean time he figured he’d see about the guy who had brought the creatures upon them.
    “So...what’s your story then? Don’t think I’ve seen you around here.” He looked him up and down. He noticed the school uniform, the holey pants, the scars, the cuts, and his matted blonde hair.
    “My name is