Chapter 31: Resistance

Kalandra stared up at the red sun burning strong and lifelessly in the umber sky. The glint of the blade reached its zenith. Suddenly, both Michael and the blade hit the floor. He was lying very still beside her as if dead. For a moment, her heart raced as she listened for his breath.

He was breathing ever so lightly. Not dead. Just knocked out. Kalandra stared down with difficulty. The hand outreached to her was not who she expected. Yet she reached forth and grabbed it with the remainder of her strength.

Coming to her feet she cradled her stomach and stared up in disbelief. Ace glanced down coldly at Michael who was lying passed out beneath them.

"I admire his cunning," Ace remarked, "but his anger leaves little to the imagination,"

He glanced at her wounds.

"So this is why you came here?" he went on, "what did you do to piss him off so badly? He would have killed you,"

"I..." Kalanadra's lips parted. She stared down Michael once more then back to Ace. "Why did you help me?"

"Because I couldn't sleep with all the damn racket." Ace stated flatly, "It sounded like that fight wouldn't have stopped until one of you was dead."

"So why me?" Kalandra rejoined. "Why did you save me? Did you save me because I'm a woman?"

"Because you're a woman?" Ace let out an incredulous laugh, "You just happened to land one step below him on a scale of who I hate the most. Consider yourself lucky,"

"But you hate me!" she protested.

"But I hate him more," Ace stated flatly, "Are you really complaining that I saved you right now?"

"No, i was just surprised," Kalandra said in a low voice, "I had everything under control,"

"Yeah, the two of you trying to kill each other really seemed like you had it under control," Ace said drily.

"I wouldn't have killed him," Kalandra glanced down apprehensively.

"No?" Ace looked at her doubtfully.

"No," Kalandra said with more certainty. "I won't kill him. Not now, not ever,"

"Really?" Ace replied with less interest, "Then you really did get lucky because it didn't look like he felt the same way,"

"He's just angry," Kalandra said slowly, "better anger than nothing,"

Ace stared at her intently as if to question her more but Kalandra lurched forward on her own.

"Can you walk?" Ace asked, observing her for a moment.

"Well enough," Kalandra winced with pain but took a step. Ace let out a sigh.

"Come here," he said with irritation and threw her arm over his shoulder. "Better?"

Kalandra was taken back by his offer but nodded quietly. Once more her eyes were drawn to Michael but she forced them back ahead. They made their way back inside the palace of cups. Ace set her down in the great hall. He put a hand on his hip and glanced at the doors pensively.

"You're not going to bleed to death are you?" he said without looking at her.

"No," Kalandra answered annoyed, "he didn't hit anything vital,"

"Okay," Ace started down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Kalandra breathed angrily.

Ace glanced back condescendingly, "Don't worry, i'm not going to finish Michael off if that's what your worried about,"

Kalandra stared back with a dark smile, "fine, but what do you think you're going to do if you go out there?"

"This is my palace now right? I suppose I should fight a little,"

"Against Clover?"

"Against anyone who gets in my way,"

"Good luck," Kalandra exhaled with difficulty, "I actually mean that,"

Ace smirked and left the hall. Before setting off to the battlefield he went back around to the inner courtyard and flung Michael over his shoulder. Better to get rid of him before he woke up and kicked up a fit.

It was strange. Though he hated Michael, at least he was honest. His rage was real. Anyone on the receiving end could feel it in their bones. It was the anger that only someone who had been without power could know, Ace understood it well. He always had.

Ace stepped onwards towards the battle field. It wasn't much of a battle now. It was quiet. The red wasteland was almost black with the blood spilt. He walked through the bodies silently. There was a shroud of red dust like vaporised blood in the air. The wind changed bringing in a coldness like only the demon world could offer.

Finally, the heavy and thick silence was broken by a desperate and raw scream. Ace found it's source soon enough. Varseille was pinned under Yashtara's foot as she continued to carve into his arm some derivation of what was inscribed on her own arms.

Clover was standing over with a look completely devoid of sympathy. Albaric on the other hand was whispering something adamantly to Rena as though he looked fit to burst with displeasure. Ace threw Michael at their feet causing them to look up with start.

"What are you doing?" Ace asked coldly.

Clover looked up at him with a smile, "Didn't I tell you? He gets what he deserves,"

Ace stared down at Varseille's tearful face. Varseille met his eyes and reached out desperately.

"Ace!" he cried.

"Oh, Varseille," Ace laughed, "you look really ugly when you cry. Don't you know, demons aren't supposed to cry?,"

Varseille stared up with tears still streaming down his face, "help me!" he sobbed.

"He's not going to help you," Clover laughed.

Ace's eyes came back to Clover darkly, "Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?" Clover dismissed. "I'm not doing anything,"

"Okay then," Ace turned to Yashtara, " take your hands off him,"

Yashtata looked up with a smile, but spoke only to Clover, "Your human wants me to stop but I haven't finished yet,"

Albaric let out a sigh, "Ace is right, Clover. Enough is enough. Just kill him and be done with it. Ace is here now,"

"Kill him?" Ace stared at them both, "who said you could do that?"

Like a flash Ace came behind Yashtara. He snapped her neck like it was nothing more than twigs. Her body hit the ground as everyone stared in shock. Ace went on to break the piece of stone pinning Varseille's hand to the ground. Varseille came up to Ace's side clutching hold of him desperately like a child.

"What are you doing?" Clover said with an irritated smile.

"I should ask you the same thing," Ace replied, "What do you think you're doing, Clover?"

"I'm going to kill him," Clover smiled coldly, "hand him over,"

"What for?" Ace said flatly, "he doesn't have what you want,"

"He doesn't have the necklace?" Albaric said slowly.

"As if I would hand it over to him," Ace scoffed, "and don't you think he would have used it by now if he had it?"

"I don't care," Clover interrupted brusquely. Their eyes glowed a maleficent red. "Give him to me," they demanded.

Ace glanced down at Varseille who was still snivelling. He turned back to Clover with a blank expression.

"I don't want to,"

"Oh don't you?" Clover smiled but their eyes were furious.

"No, I don't. So what are you going to do about it?"

"Fine," Clover smiled. "There's no point of talking to you like this anyway,"

They launched forward and ripped Varseille from Ace's arm. Ace's fist flew at them vengeful. However, Clover ducked under, grabbed him the arm and threw him over their shoulder. Ace hit the ground with crash.

"Clover!" Albaric exclaimed, "this isn't what we agreed!"

"This is exactly what we agreed!" Clover breathed as they continued to pin Ace to the ground. Varseille began to try and pull at Clover to prying them off. Clover immediately struck Varseille with such ferocity, he hit the ground and didn't rise again. They turned back to Ace. He was still pinned under them with their knee on his back.

"I didn't want to do this," Clover exhaled with a sigh, "but you've left me no choice,"

"Go ahead," Ace said in a low voice .

"Sister," Clover called, "If you would,"

Rena had since been healing Michael but did as Clover instructed. She left Michael still passed out on the ground and knelt down beside them apprehensively. She glanced up at Albaric then back to Ace.

"I'm sorry but this is going to hurt," she said softly as she laid a hand on Ace's back.

He didn't say anything. He just stared up at Clover with dark eyes. The place where her hand met his skin began to sizzle. Yet, Ace didn't let out a cry. He merely clenched his fist and with quickened breath whispered:

"You're going to have to do better than that, sister," he said viciously.

Sister Rena immediately pulled her hand back.

Clover stared at sister Rena apprehensively, "what's the matter?"

"I..." Rena swallowed, "I've never seen resistance like this before."

"Just do it, sister," Clover inhaled sharply.

Once more she put her hand upon him. The holy magic glowed a faint rush of gold. It continued to burn. Though Ace convulsed under Clover's grip, he did not cry out once. Clover let out an unsteady breath.

"Why isn't it working?" they asked, "It's holy magic. It should be enough to make any demon relent,"

"The resistance is too strong," Rena shook her head, "If I go any further, I might damage his soul,"

She pulled her hand away slowly. Clover flung Ace back over and dragged him up, "Stop it! You vindictive brat" they cried with their tears in their eyes. "Why are you so damn stubborn?!"

"Get your hands off me," Ace said in a low savage voice.

"Clover!" Albaric rushed between them and pulled Clover off. "It's not working! We need to try something else!"

Ace came to a stand and dusted himself down. The others looked back with uncertainty. Ace stared back with absolute severity, "Are you satisfied now?"

"You think I wanted to do that?" Clover covered their face.

"Ace," Albaric entreated, "I know that you..."

"Let me stop you there." Ace held out a hand, " The Empire is here for the necklace, right? I'll tell you where it is. Take it and fuck off."