The Search For Peace

Chapter 19

"Run!" Harmony shouted as Alyssa did just that, toppling over the steps hastily, their guard hot on their trail. The two brunettes climbed as fast as their shaky feet could take them, the hefty amount of stairs ahead nothing to laugh at.

"He's gaining on us!" Alyssa cried when she dared to look over her shoulder, almost tripping on her own foot.

"Ah, this isn't working!" Harmony knew a race on stairs was getting them nowhere, leaving her all but one risky choice. With a good amount of hope, she turned around and met the glare of the furious, red faced guard a few steps under. Surprised, he stopped for a second, catching his breath. But a second was all she really needed.

"Arcane Ice Craft!" She screamed, pushing her hands in front of her. Alyssa watched in awe as a flurry of sparkling snowflakes twinkled at her palms, a cold mist slowly enveloping the atmosphere. It was good to know her powers were back, atleast. "Ice Berg!"

And, within a millisecond, those sparkles shifted into shards of glowing ice, that flowed out immensely in a jagged manner, until they completely covered the series of stairs between them and the guard. It was hysterical, really. A big, chunk of sheer ice, smack in the middle of a twisted stairwell. Although his bellowing from the other side could be heard, Alyssa knew there was no way the guard would get through that block of crystal anytime soon.

"W-wow..." Her teeth were chattering, and she rubbed her arms to defend herself from the sudden cold. "Is there anything you can't do?"

To that, Harmony smiled quite cheekily.

No longer in a rush, the girls trudged upwards, a wave of fatigue washing over them as they did. Harmony gazed up at the dizzying steps, hoping they'd end soon before one of them collapsed. Sure enough, there was an arched pathway waiting for them to their right, but it was too dark to see where it lead.

"Ugh, I can't do this anymore!" Alyssa's feet gave in the moment they landed on the flat surface in front of the eerie entrance, the moonlight casting weakly on her heaving form.

Sympathetic, Harmony kneeled down beside her, her legs aching and the soles of her feet sore. She attempted to sigh, but stopped when she realized her voice might echo and trigger someone's hearing. The last thing they needed right now was another angry guard. "I'm sorry you have to go through all this." She said to Alyssa as the girl sniffled, her head buried in her knees.

In response, she shook it lightly, and through a muffled voice, said: "It's not like you were the one that abducted me at a subway and locked me up like I'm some kind of criminal." Frustrated, she turned to give her a look of confusion. "What did I ever do to these guys anyway?"

"Who knows." Harmony shrugged slightly. "The Capricorns never really have a good enough reason to hurt people. You could even say they do it for fun." She looked off into the distance, bathed in the gentle light of the full moon dripping from the tall paned windows above, her delicate features appearing all the more fragile and prominent. She had the most perfect nose, Alyssa realized, just the right size, sleek and up bridged, not too pointy, not too flat. She could only die for a nose like that.

"Why?" The question suddenly slipped out of her mouth unintentionally, so she decided to finish it. "Why did you and Ultima come to save me? I mean, let's face it, even your friends don't go this far for you, and we're not even that."

To her surprise, the girl laughed an almost sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of her neck like most boys in her life did when they were embarrassed. "Why?" She gingerly stood, then held out a hand for Alyssa as well. "I'm just....trying to do for you, what I wanted for myself."

Alyssa failed to understand what she meant, but could not ask, as a faint flickering sound from the hallway behind her had gotten the tall girl's attention. In the dark mouth of the arched path, there shone a single yellow light, growing bigger and brighter as it neared. Footsteps and voices joined in, so the two girls dashed out of sight, clinging to the side of the entrance wall, Harmony in front.

Their hearts hammered in their chests as they waited for the moment of truth, and Alyssa couldn't help but notice that her impulsive companion had curled a fist. And, when whoever it was made it to the end of the hallway, Harmony welcomed them with a hearty punch, right in the nose.

A wail much similar to that of a hyena sounded from the victim as he staggered back and cupped his bloodied face, someone else now holding the torch for him. Only then did Harmony and Alyssa get a good look at his sandy hair, the rest of him folded inwards as he groaned in pain.

"Kevin?!" They cried out in unison.