[center]Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [/center]

[u]Emily[/u]

Emily barely registered the blade piercing it's mark. Her mind already raced to the next step of cushioning Fran, unaware her hand left the weapon behind. Nor had she seen Steve's vanish and a clear sign of Sean's passing. Everything was slow motion. As if someone had gummed up father time's watch, caught in an invisible river. Up until the moment Fran's body connected with hers. 

Her mind was ripped back into the present.

The woman's front drove into her own, their figures twisted together briefly when Emily hit the sands first. Time snapped forwarded like some forced gear clock, Emily's senses and awareness jarred into overdrive. Despite the ground not being completely solid, it wasn't as soft a landing as most would assume. Sands really were nothing more then finely grounded rock after all. 

Crack! A muffled but hard to dismiss sound filled her with dread. Her fear was followed up by a wave of searing ache, likely one or two fractured on impact. However that didn't stop her arms from wrapping about her fellow holder and trying to bear most the landing. The million sharp grains scratched on her exposed flesh and clothes, sleeves budded signs of blood seeping through in patches. Emily was pretty sure she looked like a complete mess. 

After she had hit the ground, Fran rolled off and away from her crumbled figure, allowing her lungs to gather back air lost. They seemed to be useless in assisting her tries. A fresh scent, one she knew to be blood, filled her nose with its rustic smell. Pain...was the first thing her voice gave life to when air finally found her heart. A strangled cry like a wild, wounded animal realizing her weakness. Tenderly she shoved her body onto her belly and tried to rise. 

Cerberus stood stone still beside her. His eyes, voided of pity or compassion, watched his holder's stirring of life. Only when she failed once did he break his composure. Slowly he lowered his muzzle close to her ear causing Emily's eyes to jerk to the side and finally noticing him there for the first time. Green flames licked his lips with each inaudible word he spoke into her ear. When he finished, Emily's face looked sick and her head jerked to Fran's still form in the opposite direction. The woman hadn't moved. 

Cerberus mumbled one last sentence then backed away. Emily's fists balled tightly as her face lowered to the ground. Bitting back another scream she struggled to stand upright with greater determination. Her right leg slowly edged underneath her form and with it, another pain wave washed over her. Her dark eyes glared at Valor, noting his fury, with his chains rose high above and ready to slam down upon her. Strangely, despite her pissed expression, Emily felt completely in control. Where hate, fear and sorrow should've been only a sense of emptiness resided. 

Warmth of her blood dripped down her lip. It wetted the gritty sand in her mouth and filled it with a nasty, rust taste. She wasn't going to die. The recall of Cerberus's words caused Emily's curiosity to sway, her eyes briefly sought where her spirit's form lurked within her mind. Was it even possible he could carry it out? Ignoring her building questions and unsettled worry, she slowly righted herself only to find her torso reeled against it. 

Dammit...Emily inwardly cursed, she needed more time. 

That's when two unlikely saviors, Octal and Eight, decided to tackle the wrathful armor. Emily's eyes widened at the unexpected aid. The ghost holder took hold of the chains while her spirit knocked in about Valor's waist. Without thinking about her injuries and the pain, Emily let the dagger vanish -as it seemed not to obstruct the spirit's vision at all- and pulled her hand back in a familiar posture. Her bow once more formed within her grasp, the familiar smoke wisps surfaced and her eyes narrowed upon her target: Valor's shoulder. The area had been cleared of any the scale like armor and was likely the weakest point, a fact she wanted to capitalize on. Blood dripped from her wounds while her ribs shifted unnaturally, breathing as difficult as it was painful, failed to distract her focus.

"You should've listened..." Emily managed to say in strained voice. Her fingers released and once the arrow cleared her bow, her leg gave out underneath her.