Without thinking I threw myself at Chung. We both crumbled onto the ground as the three arrows barely skimmed passed. I scrambled up to my feet and face Rena once the arrows had passed.
"Are you okay?" I asked, scratching a piece of hair out of my mouth.
"I-I'm fine." Chung stammered, helping himself up in haste.
"Looks like the Amethyst decided to take control of her again." I made a quick scan of our surrounding, but I couldn't catch the necromancer anywhere.
Rena drew her bow back once more and fired, releasing two arrows directly at us. We parted in opposite directions, allowing the arrows to zip safely by.
"We can't keep her like this," I said, averting my eyes back on the elf. "We should try to restrain her."
"I agree," Chung raised his fists up. "Try not to hurt her too much though. It's not her fault she's being controlled."
"Right," Eun's energy flared to life—gifting me with nine snow white tails.
Rena drew her bow back and aimed it at me. I bent my knees and growled lowly. Once sure of her shot she released the green arrow. I leaped to the side the instant her fingers left the string. Chung charged toward her at that very moment—I followed behind shortly after.
She continued to fire at us. We both jumped around to dodge, barely missing the flying arrows advancing toward us.
Once I was close enough I pounced, tackling her down on the ground. Before I could properly restrain her down a fist collided into my face, sending stars into my vision.
"Oof." Another bony fist collided into my stomach. I rolled off her, my vision still dotted with black spots.
"Ara!" Chung's voice sounded shortly behind.
I shook my head and blinked. My vision was still polluted with spots but they were gradually growing less dense as each second passed. Once I had regained most of my sight I instantly noted the rain of kicks Rena was launching at Chung—he barely blocked each of the assaults. Eventually one of her kicks successfully collided into his stomach. He hugged his arms around his new injury and staggered back.
I took that chance to pounce at her again," sorry, Rena." I said just as I collided my fist into the side of her head.
I flipped back the instant she retaliated with a punch of her own. With her face still void of emotions she drew her bow again.
"Super secret awesome ice orb!" Out of nowhere a glowing blue smashed into Rena's head, releasing a puff of white smoke once broken. The white puff swallowed her whole, like a snake engulfing its prey.
I readjusted my footing and kept my eyes locked on her. The white curtain disappeared as quick as it had appeared, underneath its cover Rena stood frozen in place. Glistening ice stuck onto her legs like glue, restricting any further movement.
"Yeah, that was totally cool!" Amos entered the fight on Yang's back. He carried an open backpack in one hand and another blue orb in the other.
"Amos?" Chung lowered his fists. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous out here."
"I'm here to help," Amos slid off of Yang's back and threw another orb at Rena. This time she leaned back, allowing the orb to pass by and break on the ground.
"Eve and Raven wouldn't like that." I warned, averting my eyes back on Rena.
"They don't have to know." He dug his hand into the backpack again.
Rena aimed her bow at Amos and fired. Yang took action almost instantly. With flames engulfing its paws it leaped forward, with a single swipe the arrow burned into crisps.
"Hehe they don't have to know about that either." Amos grinned sheepishly.
With her feet now restraint Rena had no other choice than to shoot arrows at us. Yang stepped in front of Amos, countering each arrow with a blazing breath. Chung and I was left to jump away from the consecutive attacks.
A flash of white and black zipped into the chaos, the two drones drifted over Rena's head and dropped two cyan orbs on her. Streaks of lights encirlced Rena the instant the orbs shattered. She screamed, clumsily dropping to her knees from the piercing force.
"Amos, what do you think you're doing here?" Eve popped into sight, the rest of our team followed shortly behind her. They were all breathing deeply, it was evident they had encountered some demons before reaching us.
"I-I came to help." Amos steered himself behind Yang, smiling shyly. "Umm you weren't supposed to know."
"Too late for that now, kid." Raven huffed, aiming his sword at Rena. "We'll deal with that after we do something about Rena."
Upon hearing her name Rena shot an arrow at Raven, he sliced it apart before it could make contact.
In the distance I could make a blurred line of demons charging our way. Like the demons in the temple, they were all armed with weapons and armour. Several Knights plunged into the group from the sidelines, distracting only some members. There was still a good handful of demons that slipped safely by the knights and continued their rampage toward us.
"Speka and I will take care of those demons," Elsword said in haste. "You guys try to calm Rena down before joining us."
Speka and Elsword took off toward the demons in a flash. Rena tried to shoot them down along the way but Yang interfered with the attack with another blazing breath.
Rena's body blasted with a fierce green aura, the ice encapsulating her legs shattered from the surge of energy. With her new found freedom she charged straight at me, assaulting me with another chain of kicks.
Her movement was quicker than before, even with Eun's enhanced senses it was hard to keep up.
Chung charged toward her from behind. She took a quick notice at his approach and steered herself to the side and jumped back. Chung cursed under his breath and dug his feet into the ground, barely saving me from his tackle.
Raven and Eve leaped forward to confront Rena. She released a fan of arrows at the duo. Eve snapped her fingers, summoning out Oberon to negate it. With their opponent now wide opened Raven launched forward to attack.
"Shockwave Cutter!" He sliced his sword vertically in the air, generating a crescent blue light toward Rena.
She tried sidestepping but her movements were just a second too slow. The blue light hit her square on the shoulder, she staggered back from the hit. Eve aimed her open palm at Rena, a sparking blue orb leaped out from her hand and pounced on Rena.
A puff of smoke rose upon contact. Raven and Eve landed back on the ground and jumped back from Rena in sync. Chung and I went to join them—Yang also rushed in while Amos stayed behind.
With our fists and weapons raised we began to encircle Rena. She was still swallowed by the cloud of smoke but there was no doubt she remained standing. We stood our grounds and began closing in, every step felt like we were drawing closer and closer to our grave.
Woosh!
A fan of arrows broke through the blanket of fog and darted toward us. We barely had to react and move out of the way. Rena leaped up from the smoke, dragging trails of the fog behind her, and drew her bow back.
She aimed it at Eve, Raven instantly took action and positioned himself in front of her. Just as she was about to release the string Rena made an abrupt change in target and fired, her single green arrow flying to the only inexperienced fighter on the field.
A child's scream ripped through the air, the world around us seemed to freeze at his voice. I turned my head to where Amos was standing, my legs melting into jelly upon seeing the glowing green arrow embedded in his shoulder. The backpack in his hand dropped from his hand, thumping lightly upon hitting the ground.
Amos squeezed his eyes shut and dropped to his knees, the arrow in his shoulder breaking into bits of green light at the fall. While the arrow was free from his body the injury it left behind remained.
"I-it burns," he cried. His tiny body shaking from the new injury. "H-help."
"Amos!" Eve and Raven both dashed to him. Instantly forgetting the fight with Rena.
"Watch your backs!" A silver haired figure zipped past us and charged straight at Eve.
Eve snapped her head back but before she could retaliate the demon attacked," Evil Claw!" Giant curled claw swiped across Eve.
Raven stopped in his tracks just in time to see Eve collapsing back, he shot on arm out to break her fall. Lu giggled and leaped back," such a gentleman. You remind me so much of Ciel."
"You alright?" He asked in a soft whisper, those burning eyes never leaving Lu.
"I will be fine," Eve readjusted her footing. Once she was safely on her feet Raven released her from his grip.
"You'll pay for hurtin' Amos and Eve." Raven boomed, taking a step toward Lu.
"Wow calm down there, big fella," Lu remained firm in the spot. "I wasn't the one who hurt her. It was your good friend Rena."
I took a quick glance back at Rena. She was back on the ground, with her bow and hands resting beside her. The emptiness still remained in her eyes but she was no longer hostile. Her awfully peaceful behaviour raised red flags in my head.
"She's attacking because of you." Raven's voice tightened.
"Ew, I do not want to deal with dead souls." Lu snorted. "Go complain to Amethyst because that is not my problem."
"Eve, go get Amos to a safe place," Raven ordered softly.
"I will," she answered equally as quiet.
"I wouldn't attack Lu if I were you." Ceil's voice piped in. I snapped my head toward his voice.
He was standing merely inches behind Amos, the large blue gun resting on a single shoulder. The young Ponggo was shaking from both the injury and threat.
"R-Raven, E-Eve," he turned his glassy eyes at the duo. "H-help."
"Amos, hold on!" Elsword's voice piped in. Speka and Elsword came sprinting into sight, both with weapons raised.
Ciel swept Amos into his arms in one swift motioned and pointed his gun against the Ponggo's head—Speka and Elsword skid to a quick stop. Amos screamed in his grip and collided his tiny fists into Ciel's arms.
"Don't worry." Lu chimed over the child's cries. "We won't hurt him if you guys lower your weapons."
I glanced at Rena one last time before dropping my fists, dispersing Eun's energy in the process. Chung cursed under his breath and followed my actions. Elsword and Speka held an unwavering gaze on Ciel for a second longer before obliging.
"You promise not to hurt him?" Raven asked lowly. Ciel mutely bobbed his head in return.
Raven exchanged unsure glances with Eve before sheathing his sword. Eve signalled both her drones on the floor.
"We have our weapons down," Eve gestured around. "Now let Amos go."
Metal clanged in the distance. Cries from demons and humans howled in the background, but that wasn't enough to rip the tension falling upon us.
"We never promised to give him back," Lu giggled. Raven flared his nose reached for his sword.
"Unsheathe the sword and the child dies." Ciel placed a slender finger on the trigger. Amos yelped and squeezed his eyes shut.
Raven's jawline tightened. He curled his hand into a fist and forced it down on his side.
"We came here to deliver a message." Lu skipped idly over to Ciel's side, her silver curls bouncing with each step. "Our Master has taken quite a liking to you all. They want to see put your power to the test."
"To the test?" Eve's eyes followed Lu's every step.
"Don't worry, it doesn't involve any math." Lu flashed her a toothy grin. "Our Master wants to invite everyone here to the very top of the temple for one final fight. Isn't that exciting?"
"All demons will be ordered to let your team pass." Ciel added. If only they did that earlier.
"What's the catch?" Chung asked.
"The catch?" Lu tilted her head. "There's no catch...well unless you count the possibility of dying as one."
"And if we refuse?" Eve challenged.
"Then we kill the child and offer his soul to Amethyst." Ciel's comment made the urge to kill strengthen its grasp on me.
I cracked my bruised knuckles, wanting nothing than to sock him in the face. The nice image I had of Lu and Ciel was fading with every word they spoke.
"So this isn't even an invitation." Elsword spoke up with tense muscles. "You're here to blackmail us into going."
Lu shrugged," I guess you could call it that."
"Fine, we'll go." Raven answered in an instance. "J-just give Amos back."
"You can get him back when you come to face us." Ciel's comment made Amos break into shaking sobs. "We will reassure his well-being until then."
"I-I hate you demons!" Amos tried clawing at Ciel's arm but not even that wavered the iron grip. "Y-you are all b-bad guys!"
"We'll be waiting for you all at the temple." Lu's massive claws contracted back into small human hands. She snapped her fingers together, Rena instantly went running to her side.
"Rena--" Chung grabbed her arm but she slapped him away. His shoulders slumped as she joined the two demons' side.
"Thanks for taking care of her." Lu tilted her head at Rena. "We'll be taking her back from here on out."
The group began retreating backwards. Raven and Eve stepped forward at their movements but it was soon halted as Ciel pushed the gun into Amos' with greater force.
"Do not try to follow us if you cherish his life." Ciel warned.
"P-please help me." Amos' voice was now a soft whisper. All the fight he once had in him withered into the sea of fear. "I-I promise I-I'll be good. P-please d-don't leave m-me alone w-with them."
"Try not to take too long though." Lu winked. "Our Master might get bored and give your precious kid here a few extra scars."
With that they broke off into a sprint in the opposite direction. Amos screamed in Ciel's arms. His cries slowly drowned in the sounds of battle surging around us.