Opposites Attract

Kasey

They were nearly to the "palace" when Kasey caught up with them. Molly watched her cautiously. She was carrying Cain across her back, unconscious but still alive, though barely. Her eyes were red-rimmed and Molly couldn't help but feel a tiny bit bad. She'd attacked him out of anger (and self-defense, but mostly anger), and here he was, dying across her little sister's back.

She made hesitant eye contact, relieved when she found no anger, only exhaustion.

"He'll be dead within a few hours. There's nothing we can do now. He asked me to put him to sleep."

Her voice was choked up, and she sent David a long glance as if daring him to question her decisions. He didn't, except to say, "Can you carry him the whole way?"

"Yes. I'm strong enough. He said the villages are being kept on the lowest floor of the palace, and that Mira will be on the highest. I suggest the ones with the most magic go for her, and the rest of us can get the villagers. I don't have the energy for a long fight."

"Who goes with who?" Leah asked, "We're almost there now."

David gestured for them all to stop walking, and he looked at each of them.

"Alright... Molly, you can sense their stores, right?"

She nodded, and he replied, "You pick then," with his hands in his pockets.

"Hm... David, you'll go for Mira. Evan, go with David. Leah, you have plenty, but I don't know how effective it would be. I think you'd be more helpful with the villagers. Mei, villagers. Kasey, villagers for sure, you're trashed. Kia, you'll be fine going for Mira. Jax, you... You're fucked up, but I doubt you'll willingly leave this fight. And me... I think I can manage to go for Mira."

They all nodded, and David gestured for them to keep moving, all of them silent as they let Kasey mourn.

---

Timeskip brought to you by feels yet to come.

---

They reached the palace with little difficulty, as everyone was too focused on their own fights to notice them moving through. The doors were bolted shut from the inside, but it was simple for Kia to knock them down with a large hunk of earth she lifted. They entered the building and were faced with a crossroads, or more specifically two staircases. They exchanged hurried goodbyes, splitting off from each other and moving to their respective staircases.

---

Layla felt her stomach start to twist as she heard the doors broken down. If Mira was afraid, she didn't show it. She kept her eyes on the door to her throne room, as if waiting calmly for the death these magicians would dole out. 

Footsteps became louder on the stairs, and Layla couldn't help but whimper.

"Calm yourself, Layla. No one likes a coward."

A retort burned on the tip of her tongue, one that would get her killed for sure, and she kept her mouth shut.

The door opened, and Layla nearly fainted.

---

Kasey was beginning to struggle under Cain's weight. If the other two women behind her noticed, they kept their mouths shut. They walked down the stairs in silence. When they reached the bottom they were faced with rows of cells, some of them packed and some with only one person in them. The people inside of them shrunk away, and Kasey and Leah both used their magic to calm them.

"It's alright," Leah soothed, "we're here to get you out."

A young man moved forward a bit, toward them, stopping a ways back from the bars.