Chapter Nine

Salvador sighed. He had been working tirelessly for days. Still he wasn't making any progress. Everyone that he interrogated had the same story when it came to the little girl and her parents. They had been fleeing their village when they had come upon them. The little girl seemed pretty quiet and the parents kept to themselves. No one suspected that there would be people from the council in their group.

"One thing is for sure." Salvador said as everyone gathered around for an update. "That little girl has got them all fooled. No one will believe that she is the one working for the Council. Has the father woken up yet?" He asked.

"He regained consciousness two hours ago." Horace said. "However, it would seem that he doesn't want to talk. When I questioned him about it he got real quiet."

"I see. I don't want to have read his mind given his current mental and physical state. However, it doesn't seem like I have much choice." Salvador said with a heavy sigh.

"Has anyone seen Arabella?" Tamaki asked walking into the room.

"No. I haven't seen her since yesterday." Genova said with a frown.

"Dammit!" Tamaki cursed. "I told her not to wander off."

"Tamaki, I know that you are worried about her but there isn't much else that you can do. Arabella has always been this way. It doesn't matter how many times she gets hurt or how many times you try to reason with her. If she wants her space she is going to find a way to get it. You know this." Genova said shaking his head.

"I know but I am worried. She could be anywhere with god knows who. What if something happened to her?" Tamaki said with a frustrated sigh.

Arabella let out a quiet breath as she watched the woman on the ground below. She watched as the little girl once again showed up to torment her. Arabella's heart ached for her. As much as she wanted to interfere with the Council's plans she knew that she couldn't get involved yet. She would just have to bide her time until Lisbell left.

"This is stupid! Those despicable Vosat keep getting in my way." Lisbell raged.

"Please. You don't have to do this." The woman pled with her.

"Shut up!" She yelled smacking her in the face. "I thought that I made myself clear." She said glaring at her.

"Please, Lisbell. Just let us go. I swear that we wont say anything." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pled with her.

"I said to keep quiet!" The little girl raged. The woman flinched under her harsh tone. "Remember that I still have your children." She said with a snicker.

"Please." The woman pled with her helplessly. The little girl sneered at her as she glared down at her. "You won't get away with this." She said weakly.

"Oh shut up!" The little girl giggled. "I won't get away with it? I have everyone convinced that I am innocent in all of this. Who are they going to believe? You or me? I am a child! I am the pinnacle of innocence in this world." She hissed. "While you are the one everyone blames for being stuck here. God how much more stupid can you get?"

Arabella watched from the shadows as the little girl continued to belittle the woman. A frown creased her brow. The more she watched the more she realized that there was something wrong with the situation. The little girl seemed to enjoy torturing the woman to no end, but Arabella couldn't help but wonder why. What would the Council gain by harming innocent people like this? She asked herself.

"Well, I need to get back." Lisbell said. "A little girl shouldn't wander around alone by herself at night. Besides my daddy is waiting for me." She said with a snide giggle.

The woman tried to lunge after her but was stopped by her chains. Lisbell giggled and flounced off into the night. The woman wailed as she laid on the ground. Her hands clutching at the ground.

When Arabella was sure that Lisbell was gone she climbed down from the tree. She crept through the woods towards the woman. When she was sure that no one would see her she walked out into the clearing. Arabella knelt down in front of the sobbing woman.

"Look at me." Arabella whispered softly. The woman jumped startled at the sound of the sudden unfamiliar voice.

"Who are you?" She asked in fear.

"A friend." Arabella said softly.

"You can't be here. If she finds out then my children are dead." She urged.

"What if I told you that I can help you?" Arabella asked.

"The Council have my children." She laughed hysterically. "No one can help us."

"I can. We rescued your husband and are keeping him in the estate but I need your help. I can't help them if you don't help me." She said.

"How can I help you? I can't even help myself. In case you haven't noticed I am chained up out here." She said sadly.

"I have a friend that can help you but you have to let him into your mind." Arabella said looking around. "Can you do that?" She asked.

The woman looked at her doubtfully. She wasn't sure that Arabella could be trusted but she didn't want to be stuck there any longer. She wanted her children safe and sound in her arms.

"What do I need to do?" She asked.

"Nothing yet. I will be back later." Arabella said as she fished some food and water out of her pack for the woman. The woman looked up at her in surprise. Arabella held the food and water out to her. She accepted them gratefully and watched as Arabella darted back into the woods.

She had to get to Salvador. She need his help. Arabella used the trees as coverage to move through the woods without being seen. She silently sped past the little girl without being noticed. Arabella raced through the village under the cover of night. She quickly ran into the estate frantically looking for someone to help her.

"Where have you been?" Tamaki demanded as she raced past the sitting room.

"Thank god!" Arabella said breathlessly. "Where is everyone?" She asked.

"Sleeping." Tamaki hissed.

"Well, wake them up." Arabella ordered.

"Why?" Tamaki asked. "Wait tell me where you have been?" He ordered.

"Do not give me orders!" Arabella hissed. "I do not have time for this! I have to hurry back." Arabella said frantically as she ran up the stairs.

"Hurry back where?" He demanded following her up the stairs. "Where are you going? Where the hell have you been?" He demanded when she didn't answer.

Arabella stopped walking. Her jaw clenched in frustration as she tried to still the anger raging inside her. Her chest heaved as she tried to calm her breathing. Arabella turned on him and began to step towards him.

"Let me tell you something!" She said jabbing a finger into his chest. "I do not have to tell you a damn thing." She said annoyed. "I have something that I need to do and do not have the time to constantly give you updates on what I am doing. You can learn to wait like everyone else." She hissed with a final jab at his chest. Tamaki stared down at her in surprise. "Besides if you really want to know what is going on or what I am doing then just come with me." She said turning away. "Now where is Salvador? I need his help." She said.

"Salvador? Hes still at the holding cells." Tamaki said.

"Lets go." She said heading back down the stairs. "By the way I need you to heal someone when we get to where we are going." She said.

"Who?" Tamaki asked following her down the stairs.

"Don't ask questions. Just follow me and I will explain later. I don't want her knowing that I am on to her." Arabella's hand reached for the door just as the knob jiggled. Arabella jumped back and muttered a curse under her breath. "Shit. Tamaki, hurry we need to go out the back." She said running towards the back of the estate.

"Why?" Tamaki asked.

"Because that is probably Lisbell. She thinks that I have been avoiding her but I have following her the last few days." She hissed. "Is there someone with that man up there?" She asked.

"Yeah. I believe Horace is with him." He said softly.

"Okay. Lets go. Open a spatial portal inside the holding cell." She said.

"Really?" He asked her. "Why can't we just walk?"

"Because we don't have time. Will you please just do as I ask?" She implored him. Tamaki sighed and complied with her request. He carried her through the portal. They soon found themselves in the holding cells standing in front of a bewildered Salvador.

"You know that you could have walked here." He said with a mild chuckle.

"That's what I said." Tamaki said.

"We don't have time for this. Salvador," Arabella began as she climbed out of Tamaki's arms. "I need your help."

"I do believe that is why I am here." He said.

"No. There is some place that we need to go." She said. "Tamaki, please open a portal just outside the village." She said. "I know that you are busy but this is urgent." She said turning back to Salvador.

"Lets go." He said without asking questions.

"Why can't you do that?" Arabella asked Tamaki as he picked her up and stepped through the portal. Tamaki didn't answer her making Arabella frown.

"We're here." He said as they stepped out into the woods just outside of the village. "Where ever that is."

"This way." Arabella said as she climbed out of his arms and made her way through the woods.

The two men followed her without any questions. They stepped where she stepped and stopped when she stopped. Arabella motioned for them to stay put. She quickly scaled a tree. From there she could see the little clearing where the woman was laying on the ground. After making sure that no one was around Arabella jumped down from the tree. She motioned for them to follow her as she made her way through the trees and out into the middle of the clearing.

"What is this?" Tamaki whispered.

"This is the woman that left the village." Arabella whispered.

The woman lay on the ground softly crying. When she heard their footsteps and soft whispers, she looked up at them through swollen eyes. She backed up when she saw the three figures slowly approaching her.

"Please." She began. "I didn't tell them anything."

"It's okay." Arabella said softly.

"It's you." She whispered. "Oh thank god." She said sobbing

"I told you that I had friends that could help." She said softly assuring the distraught woman. "Can one of you please light a small fire?" She asked.

Tamaki grunted in response and went to gather wood. When he came back with a small amount of wood he set to making a campfire. Once it was lit Arabella covered her mouth to stifle the small gasp that escaped her lips. The poor woman was beaten badly.

"You must have been so cold." She said softly. "Here come get warm. Tamaki, do you think that you can heal her?" Arabella asked.

"Yes." He said. "Do you mind if I come closer?" He asked her. The woman trembled but gave a small nod of her head.

Tamaki slowly approached the woman where she laid on the ground. Arabella held her trembling hand as he reached out a hand towards her. A bright light shone around her. Arabella marveled at the warmth surrounding her. She could feel the heat from the light as if it was warming her to the core. When Tamaki was done the woman marveled at how her wounds had healed. She looked up at them in awe.

"What was that?" She wondered aloud.

"Healing light." Tamaki said.

"Are you-" She began.

"A Vosat? Yes." He said.

"I see... What do you want?" She asked fearfully.

"What do you mean?" Arabella asked.

"I mean, that you wouldn't heal someone like me unless you wanted something from me." She said.

"We don't want anything from you really. In fact, we just want to help you." Arabella said.

"Help me how?" The woman asked.

"Your children." Arabella said.

"What about them?" She sniffed.

"We want to help. That is all." Tamaki said.

"How?" She asked.

"We wanted to know if you knew where they were keeping them." Salvador said.

"No." The woman said sobbing.

"Of course." Arabella huffed.

"Can you tell me what happened the day that they took your children?" Salvador asked.

"I can't help you and you definitely can't help me." She whispered through her tears.

"We can." Arabella said.

"How?" The woman nearly screamed. "You don't know what they are capable of. The Council is full of monsters that feel nothing for anyone. What do you know about the Council?" She spat with disdain. Arabella's eyes hardened.

"I know more about the Council than you could ever imagine." Arabella hissed. "I lost my mother and nearly died because of them. Do you know how old I was? I was eight. Eight years old and I carry a horrible scar with me." Arabella raised her shirt up revealing the scar on her body. The woman's eyes widening in horror.

"I-"

"It doesn't matter." She said lowering her shirt. "We want to keep your children from this, from carrying a reminder of the Council and their atrocities for the rest of their lives. I know that you are scared. I understand better than you could know." She finished on a whisper.

"I don't know where they are keeping them. The only one that knows is that little girl." She said her eyes filling with tears.

"I figured as much." Salvador said.

"I told you it's pointless." She said sadly.

"No. It's not." Arabella said. "There is something that we can do but we will need your help."

"What?" She asked suspiciously.

"We want you to testify against the little girl." Arabella said. The woman began laughing hysterically.

"No one would believe a little girl works for the Council." She said laughing.

"Oh but they will." Salvador said.

"How? I mean she is child for god's sake." She said glaring at them.

"That is where you come in." Salvador said.

"What do I have to do?" She asked as she nervously licked her lips.

"You don't have to do anything right now. Just hold still for a moment for me to record your memories." Salvador said.

"Record my memories?" She asked doubtfully. "How?"

"We don't have time to answer all of your questions right now." Salvador said looking around. "We should do this before the little girl comes back."

"What do you need?" She asked him.

"Just hold still. This might hurt a little bit. Arabella, you may need to help hold her still." He said sadly.

The woman shrank away from his approaching hand unsure if she would be able to endure the pain. Arabella held her hand in assurance. The woman looked at them like they had lost their minds.

"I don't want to hurt you." Salvador said. "It won't hurt nearly as bad if you don't resist." He said soothingly.

The woman closed her eyes and nodded her head slowly in consent as Salvador placed a hand on her head. Once again she felt warmth fill her as he began to search her memories. Then she felt the pain begin to sear her body. Her eyes flew open glowing a bright blue. Salvador's eyes snapped open as well glowing a bright blue. Arabella held her hand as the woman before her began to shake. Her grip tightened on her hand as she tried to bear with the pain.

"It'll be okay." Arabella whispered. "It's almost over." The woman nodded whimpering in pain. Sweat beaded across her brow.

By the time Salvador was done the woman had become used to the pain. Arabella smoothed her hand across her brow as she slowly began to relax. Tamaki sighed and slumped down on the ground.

"How do you feel right now?" Arabella asked looking down at her.

"I feel a lot better." She said softly.

Arabella reached out a hand to help her stand up. The woman took it with a shaky hand and carefully stood up. Salvador ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"What's the verdict?" Arabella asked.

"That's the problem. What I got was really hazy." He said sighing.

"Was there anything useful?" Tamaki asked.

"Maybe. I will have to analyze it further before I can be certain."

"Alright we shouldn't stay here much longer." Tamaki said standing up.

"What are we going to do about her?" Salvador asked.

"What do you mean?" Tamaki asked.

"I mean we can't just leave her here but we can't really take her with us, can we?" Salvador asked.

"I can't leave here. She will get suspicious if she finds me gone." The woman said sadly with a shrug.

"You're not staying here. You're coming with us." She said not leaving room for argument.

"No. I need to stay here. My children could suffer if she comes back and I am not here." The woman said shaking her head.

"Listen, I have a plan but I need you to trust me." Arabella said. "By the way, what is your name?" She asked.

"Cora."

"Well, Cora, I promise that I won't let anything bad happen to your children." Arabella said with a soft reassuring smile. "I know that you don't really know us but we want to help you."

The woman looked at the three of them skeptically before she nodded her head softly. She wasn't sure what they would be able to do for her and her children but she knew that she had to trust someone to get them away from the Council's clutches. For that reason alone she would trust the Devil. They quickly put the fire out and made their way through the forest. Salvador helped support her on her unsteady legs.

"Okay this should be a safe enough distance to use the portal." Arabella whispered.

"Do you think that we should use it?" Tamaki asked.

"She's scared and exhausted. In order to get to the estate we will need to walk through town and run the risk of her being seen and that will be a problem." Arabella reasoned.

"Okay." Tamaki said softly.

"I am going to need you to hold on the me." Salvador said softly. The woman looked up at him with wide eyes.

"What?" She asked looking around. She was surprised to see Arabella in Tamaki's arms.

"Tamaki is going to open a portal. This way we can get you in the village without being seen." Arabella said. "In order to go through the portal without you getting lost or hurt you will need to make sure that you don't let go of Salvador." She finished.

Cora nodded her head in understanding. Salvador gently picked her up and followed Tamaki through the portal. When they arrived they were in the back of the house. Arabella quickly climbed out of Tamaki's arms. She quickly looked around the house then motioned for them to follow her. They made their way up the stairs and into the room where Horace was working on Cora's husband. When they entered the room a soft sob escaped her. Horace looked at the four of them in confusion.

"Who is this?" He asked carefully.

"This is Cora. She's this man's wife. Lisbell had her chained up in the woods outside the village." Arabella said softly. Cora quickly rushed to her husband's side. She gently clung to his hand as quiet tears spilled on her cheeks.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked sadly when he didn't respond to her.

"It would seem that he is in a comatose state at the moment. When Arabella rescued him he was beaten pretty badly." Horace said.

"When do you think that he will wake up?" She asked sadly.

"That will depend on him." Horace said.

"Please don't give up on him." She said looking at them with soft pleading eyes.

"We are doing everything we can for him at the moment." He said nodding slowly.

Cora thanked them with a nod and turned her attention back to her husband. Between losing her children and her husband's current state she was struggling to keep here wits about her. They stepped out of the room and quietly shut the door behind them to allow her some privacy with her husband.

Lisbell went back to the clearing in the woods before anyone was up. She didn't want to be spotted leaving the village as it would raise questions. She quickly stepped through the woods and emerged into the empty clearing. She looked around with narrowed eyes trying to spot Cora. When she noticed that she was gone she cursed under her breath.

"She had one job and the stupid cow couldn't follow through. I guess that her children don't mean that much to her. Cora, you stupid cow I will personally burn your children alive in front of your eyes. " She said seething with rage. "I warned her. I told her that she either works with the Council and her children will survive or she will watch them die. When I get my hands on her she will wish she never left." She huffed.

"I think that is more than enough evidence." Arabella said stepping out from the woods startling her. Lisbell turned her face paling in horror.

Arabella stood there with three men. Tamaki, Salvador, and Genova. Lisbell quickly began to run away from the group until something quickly wrapped around her legs causing her to fall. She looked up and growled in frustration.

"What are you doing, Arabella. You're supposed to be on my side! I thought you were just like me!" She screeched.

"Like you? No. I am nothing like you." Arabella said.

"But you are just a regular human like me. We should be working with the Council to rid the world of these vermin." She spat angrily.

"Why on earth would I ever work with the Council? How could you work with the Council?" Arabella demanded. Lisbell let out a throaty chuckle.

"You don't seem to understand the situation here. You have no choice but to let me go. If you don't then that hag's children die. Do you want to be responsible for their deaths?"

"I pity you. Tell me where you are keeping the children." Arabella said with disgust.

"You think that you can force me to tell you something like that?" She said with a chuckle. "You can't force me into anything. Besides, I am just a child. No one will believe a word you say against me."

"We won't have to convince them of much." Salvador said. "We recorded everything that was said. Now, since this village is now under our protection we have everything that we need to hold you for conspiring with the Council and threatening the village."

"But I am just a child!" Lisbell yelled. "You wouldn't kill a child would you?"

"No. Not if you were actually a child." Arabella said glaring at her. Lisbell's face fell for a moment. Before she threw her head back and began to laugh. Her shoulders shook with each cackle. Tamaki, and the other men looked at each other in confusion.

"Oh, you really are too smart for your own good, Arabella." She said glaring at her. Arabella noticed her brown eyes quickly flash yellow.

"Shit! I knew it!" Arabella hissed taking a step back and drawing her swords.

The girl's body began to shake as it changed form. Her yellow eyes gleamed against her black scaly skin. Giant claws protruded from her once small hands. Silver hair gleamed in the sun. Spikes protruded from her back

"What the hell is that?" Tamaki exclaimed, his eyes widened in surprise.

"What kind of magic is this?" Genova asked backing away from her.

"Why do you not recognize the magic of the Master?" She asked cackling. "You stupid fools. Did you think that I was seriously just a child? Now you will be the first Vosat to fall at my hands!" She said laughing maniacally.

Arabella growled in anger and charged at the black skinned giant before her. Her swords flashed in early morning rays. Genova followed suit with Tamaki and Salvador hot on their heels. The giant swiped her large hands at Arabella. Acting on instinct Arabella ducked down and rolled under her arm. Arabella jumped up and charged at her. Her swords slashed and hacked at her legs. Black blood seeped out from her wounds as the giant screamed in pain. Genova jumped over the hand and slashed up the wrist as her ran up her arm. Tamaki and Salvador followed quickly behind him. Swords slashed into the black skin. As the giant slashed and howled in pain.

"You will never stop the Master! This is just the beginning!" She cackled. Arabella grunted rolling out of the way as the giant turned and swiped a giant claw at her. Arabella raised her swords blocking her as her giant hand came crashing down towards her. Arabella used the giant's speed to her advantage and slashed the hand from her arm. The giant howled in pain as the hand fell to the ground with a thud. Arabella rolled out of the way barely avoiding damage from the giant hand. Blood sprayed the ground. Arabella stood up on the slick blood soaked ground. She knew that with the amount of noise being made that they were bound to attract attention. Arabella tensed her jaw trying to contemplate a quick way to bring the giant down. The less people around the less likely that someone would get hurt. Arabella sheathed her swords and grabbed her bow and arrow and strung it taking her aim. She watched as the giant was distracted fighting Tamaki and the others. With a careful breath she let the arrow fly. A loud howl echoed throughout the forest. The giant staggered back with its large hand clutching the right side of its face. It quickly grabbed at the arrow sticking out of its eyes. The giant looked around with its one good eyes and spotted Arabella. It grinned viciously as black drool dripped from its mouth. It's left hand slashing at the air around her. Arabella put the bow away and redrew her swords. With a graceful fineness she jumped in the air and landed on her arm. Her quick steps carried her up her arm. The giant growled and tried shaking them off. It's left hand grabbed at Genova and threw him across the clearing. Tamaki dodged her arm but slipped on one of the wounds that littered her body.

"Puny Vosat. Vermin and trash!" The giant roared.

Arabella grunted as she continued trying to shake her off. Each sway and shake feeling like a giant earth quake shaking the ground beneath her feet. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Arabella huffed with exertion but continued to climb. She refused to admit defeat. With a determined look on her face Arabella again dodged a blow as the giant made to grab her. Arabella jumped on the hand as it passed under her and managed jump in the air before she could spot her. Arabella took her swords and stabbed them into the side of the giant's head as she climbed up the side of her face. Arabella reached the top when she heard a yell. She looked down to see Salvador sailing through the air.

"Tamaki!" Arabella shouted. Tamaki looked up and spotted Salvador and quickly grabbed him through a portal. Tamaki made sure that he was okay and went back to fight the giant. Before he reached her a loud roar filled the air. It sounded pained and repeatedly echoed through the forest. Tamaki made it back to see Arabella on top of the giant's head . She hand one sword anchored in the giant's head as Arabella stabbed it repeatedly in the head. Black blood oozed out of the top of its head as Arabella struggled against the giant's thrashing. Blood soaked her skin and clothes. The giant's body began to sway but not before taking a swipe at the top of its head. Arabella rolled out of the way of the giant's hand. She began slipping down the back of her head until she stabbed her sword in the back of her head and pulled her self up using her hair. The black blood made the hair slippery and Arabella struggled to get herself further up. As she struggled to find her way back up Arabella felt her body begin to tilt backwards. Arabella looked behind herself to see the ground coming closer.

Arabella tried to time the fall before she jumped off of the back of the giant's head. She took a deep breath preparing herself to jump until she felt two strong arms close around her. Without a second thought she yanked the sword out the giant's head and let the arms pull her out of harm's way. She felt a thud and opened her eyes to see that they had emerged from the portal. A loud heart pounded against her ear furiously. Arabella looked up with wide eyes to see that Tamaki had pulled her through the portal and had tucked her body tightly against him as they fell to the ground.. Loud groans and howls of pain filled the air letting them know that the giant was not yet dead. Arabella jumped off of Tamaki and raced over with her sword aimed at the side of its head. Arabella charged towards it. Using her body and speed she rammed it into the side of giant's head. She twisted the sword as it lodged into the side of her head. With a final howl the giant shuddered one last time before its eyes closed.

Arabella let out a sigh and sagged to the ground. Her body was exhausted and ached. She didn't know how she managed it but she did. Her body trembled in exhaustion. Except for Arabella's ragged breathing silence filled the forest. When she stood on shaky legs and yanked her sword out of the giant's head, a loud cheer filled the forest. Arabella jumped in surprise and turned to find almost the whole village standing there.