Seth narrowed his blue eyes. "How about you die?" He moved forward, eying the cracks in the wall before swinging again. He would, if possible, crush the life out of this creature. "You aren't my brother!" Once again, he swung the bat. Somehow, anger and cruelty filled his gaze like a tangible monster. There was nothing that Seth wanted more than to see Ink Stain's lifeless body on the ground beneath his feet.

(GAH!!! I'm so sorry!!! I've been really busy lately T_T Please forgive me. I'll get a post up tomarrow. I don't have the time today T_T I'm sorry!!!!!!)

((The underlined text and speech is Calla being controlled by Inky-boy. I'll try to think of a better way to express/show this later on.))

Calla tried to stop Seth from attacking, but it really was no use. He was too angry to do anything else, and she wasn't sure she wanted to use force with him. "Seth stop!"
Calla started toward the male only to pause when she felt a very odd sensation. It was like when it was really hot out and you had just gotten up and your butt felt all wet when it wasn't.
Looking down at her ankle, Calla's eyes widened. She could have sworn that the bandage around her ankle was moving. Blinking and looking again, Calla sighed in relief when everything was normal. It was then that she felt a sharp pain shooting into her chest. It felt like her heart was going to explode. It felt as if she was drowning in the fountain all over again, only this time the water was ice cold and that cold feeling was squeezing her chest and making it hard to breathe.
Once the pain subsided, Calla found herself moving on her own toward Seth. "Hey Seth." Grabbing the male by his shoulder, Calla couldn't seem to stop herself from making a fist and swinging at him as she turned Seth to face her.

((*laugh* It's okay, Kiona-deary. Just wanted to let you know we'd started up again! LOL))

Seth stepped back from Ink Stain . . . and glanced at Calla as she touched his shoulder. He hadn't noticed her earlier reaction due to his attack. "What?" he asked, looking slightly confused. Was she hurt? The look on her face was . . . strangely sly. She never looked like that. The teen turned as Calla forced him to, confused.

The action caused him to step off balance, which allowed Calla to strike him. He cried out in surprise, looking completely startled. "Calla!" His blue eyes bore into the redhead's gaze, and he looked thrown off kilter. "What the hell was that?!"

Knocking her hand away, Seth looked pissed. "What the hell?!"

Stain smiled as he watched Calla attack Seth, sensing his Ink spread first from her ankle to her heart, and then from her heart to the rest of her body. For now, it simply allowed him to play puppet master... but if given enough time... she would become an inkling... a human inkling. He swiftly moved around the 'happy couple', saying, "Like I said, pick on someone your own size." He turned to look at Namine and Mother, saying, "Oh, dear princess, like I said, this is between Mother and I... go to your knight, battle him, defeat him, die by his sword, cure him, I care not... but get thee from my path, or I will kill him! ...then I'll kill you." He looked past her to Mother, saying, "How many are you willing to see fall to shadow before I am granted a one-on-one audience with you?"

Mother gave Ink Stain a fierce look. "How many can you control before you stretch too far, Valiant?" How long had it been since he'd heard that name? Mother could recall her own mom talking about the doll and how far he'd fallen. Still, there had to be a piece of him that still longed for what Valiant once strove for: Mother's attention.

"Are you so foolish as to destroy everything? If you want attention, shouldn't you just live like the rest of the dolls?" Mother stood from her chair, brushing herself clean. "Leave them alone, Ink Stain. It's my attention you want."

Lost stepped forward. "No." His black eyes bore into Ink Stain, and he looked much like a cat ready to pounce. His weapon was a single blade, long and powerful. Two-handed, yet Lost had learned to be quick enough. "You can't have her."

Mother frowned, shaking her head. "I don't want any more of you hurt. Stop, Lost." They had all vowed to protect her . . . but that meant they would be hurt. Her brown eyes moved to where Calla attacked Seth. Her own son. Everyone was going to get hurt. "Just stop!"

Lost refused to back down. He lifted his blade, focusing - and striking with a hiss of exertion.

Ink Stain was rocked back a step at the name 'Valiant' "That name... who is..."

"You still think I'm someone else, don't you?"

The memory of that voice echoed through Stain's mind, followed by him clutching his chest, letting out a hiss of pain as a loud thud-thump echoed through the room, the sound of a heartbeat. Ink Stain looked confused for a second, the expression turning to animalistic rage as Lost closed to attack. Letting out a serpentine hiss, Stain's body stretched upwards and he crashed down upon Lost like a black wave, twisting and turning, the doll not even discernible in the shadow of Stain's body before it reformed, Stain holding Lost's arm behind him in a lock, a shadowy tendril emerging from his body holding Lost's sword. With a triumphant cry like a falcon going for the kill, he raised the blade high, ready to bring it down on the Lost's head.

Selma heard the knock on her door and rushed to get up. Throwing on her clothing, and tieing her hair back. Opening the door, Life came into her view.

((Annnnnnndddd, Im not sure what to do xD))

Lost blinked - and everything shifted. Pain. Confusion. Darkness. The next thing he knew, there was the flash of steel as his own blade came down at him. Gritting his teeth, he struggled to escape - but couldn't. There was something in the way he was held that was inhuman - he couldn't stop Stain. Not like he could another doll.

"No!" The voice was a beacon. A flash of blonde and light came toward Ink Stain, knocking the blade from his hold with a sheer force of determination. Namine shoved them both, somehow managing to break Ink Stain's hold on Lost. Lost and Namine went tumbling to the ground. The sword rang beside them.

Mother reached out, grasping the shadowy creature before her. "It's me you want. Leave them alone." She didn't want anyone else to die. "If you want me so bad, then take me." The younger woman's smile was strangely sympathetic. "You were good once. I heard that. My mother said that you were her favorite."
-

"Thank the skies!" Life grasped Selma's hand and yanked her after him. "What happened? We were supposed to meet in Mother's room!" They walked faster than ever. It wasn't long before the sounds of battle reached their ears. Ink Stain's army was steadily growing, and the dolls were constantly falling. "I thought they'd gotten to you already!"

They ran toward Mother's room. "You okay?" Life's white eyes flashed to her, taking in her flushed features. He hadn't checked to ensure she was alright. . . .

Calla couldn't stop herself from attacking Seth. The way he was looking at her, it just...she didn't like it. She didn't want to hurt him. It was a good thing she didn't have a weapon on her, for she knew that whatever was controlling her would have used that instead of just her fist. Calla forced herself to glance at Ink Stain. He was controlling her, and it had something to do with the ink still inside the wound.
Calla turned away from the evil creature, ignoring everything else and focusing on Seth as she launched herself at him once more. She didn't want to hurt him and even though her expression remained twisted into an evil look, tears rolled down her cheeks. She couldn't give in. She was afraid of turning into a monster again, worse than how she had been before hand. Thoughts of almost killing Isis flashed through her mind, and the thought of hurting Seth cut deep as well. Something had to give and soon.

--

Isis fended off a few of the inklings, destroying them completely in a fit of rage. It was when she saw Lost in distress that set off, turning her into a little warrior. She hacked and jabbed, severing body parts as she ran to help Lost. The blonde thought she was too late, only to have Namine save him. "LOST!"

"Dr. Shoen.......oh i don't need a break." Briella said to him with weary eyes, a smile on her face before she went back to cleaning the wound, putting pressure on it to keep it from bleeding so much. "Thank you for your concern......but i really do need help with this." she said to him, as she had a arm around the male doll's chest, to help hold him up and in place as she worked. She knew she should take a break, that she should rest and take care of her self so that she could help everyone else in a better condition, but the fact was she couldn't stop. To her no matter when she seats down to rest and massage her leg, she just hops right back up and goes back to tending to wounds.

The sounds began to enter her mind at a rapid pace. Death, destruction, even screaming. It almost teleported back to all those years ago. Sitting in her room when the planes began to fly over. Dropping bomb after after. The glass shattered inward, followed by the sounds of soldiers. She almost did not hear a word Life said. It was not until he turned to look at her when Selma blinked out of her slight state.

"Yes, I'm alright." Selma said. Lying of coarse, but her small smile would be enough to deter Life.

A few Inklings rose from the ground. Coming right for the pair. Trying to hold them off from reaching Mother and the others. Selma knelt down, pulling a twelve inch blade from each boot and lasing forth. Pushing with one hand, and killing with the other. Only about three appeared, which were finished off quickly.

Ink Stain looked up at Mother as she grabbed him, his eyes wide with rage and... fear? "Don't... you... touch... me!" The rooms throughout the house all seemed to grow dim, their shadows longer before, before flaring to brightness as all darkness was drawn from them, every shadow... except for those within Mother's room. The room all at once appeared to go completely pitch black, Stain's voice seemed to whisper in every ear, "I... am Ink Stain.... a dead shadow."

In a flash, the light returned as all the darkness was drawn into Stain, now standing taller than Seth, his demonic horns scraping the ceiling as he glared at Mother, black eyes full of hatred as he screamed, "THAT'S ALL I'VE EVER BEEN! I'VE NEVER BEEN GOOD!" He backhanded Mother, knocking her away, "I'VE NEVER BEEN ANYONE'S FAVORITE!" His claws lengthened to resemble swords as he stalked to where Mother lay, "AND I'VE NEVER BEEN LOVED, NOT BY YOU, AND NOT BY HER!"

She was knocked to the ground. The very thought of not being able to see scared her. But . . . at the same time, she was hoping she'd touched a part of the doll that he'd forgotten.

"You've never deserved to be loved, Ink Stain. Valiant was not forgotten!" For a moment, she looked like the child that she once was. Seeing Ink Stain as the monster of her nightmares made Mother shiver. "She told me of you when I was a little girl. Mother said you were good," she tried to ignore the way he stalked toward her, "and that you were her first creation. She said that you were the best fighter, and the most creative. There was no doll more life-like than you were."

Swords. His fingers were like blades, cutting through the space in the room. Her cheek throbbed, but Mother forced herself to meet Ink Stain's eyes. "You were her friend. Then you became a monster that no one can love."
-

"Mother!" Seth turned his attention to her immediately. Shoving Calla away, he found her interfering a few moments later. With a hiss, he turned on her. "Calla, this isn't you! Stop!" He slammed her against the wall, hoping to knock some sense into her. Releasing the bat to let it hit the floor, Seth glared at Calla.

Her eyes were a contradiction.

Everything went black. Seth hesitated. He didn't want to hurt Calla. She was keeping him from Mother. He shoved her back once more, not wanting to seriously hurt her. How did he fight someone who wanted him dead when he cared for her?
-

Lost was already recovering by the time Isis got to him. He reached up and pulled her down for a kiss before meeting her eyes. "I'm not hurt," he said seriously. He wasn't. Just startled. His dark eyes moved to Mother immediately as she was knocked down. They were failing. How could a two-foot doll harm something as huge as Ink Stain was now?

The demon was nearly invulnerable. How could anyone stop him?
-

Life finished off the creature that came at him. Looking back, he saw that Selma had certainly taken care of herself. "We have to hurry." Just as he'd spoken, the darkness seemed to fade. Already? They couldn't have won already. It was far too soon.

The pale doll frowned, and then they renewed their race toward Mother's room. By the time they got there, Ink Stain had grown to the size of a nephalim - over seven feet tall, possibly eight. He was a giant. Even more so to the dolls. He was a behemoth. "Dear Lord."
-

Shoen watched Briella as she stubbornly continued. If she wore herself out like that, she might end up doing more harm than good. The doctor wiped blood from his face again before taking a needle and thread to the girl. "Stitch him up," he said quietly. He looked at her trustingly. "Just talk with him. He'll let you do it."

His smile was quick, for he had others to tend to. "When you're done, I want you to stretch your leg. Drink some water. Then you can help again." His voice was strict - he didn't want her being stuck with the wounded.

((Aaaaaaaand now I think we should wait for Kiona to catch up. She'll post tomorrow . . . though I work until Friday, and then I'm gone for the weekend. As usual. :/))

(I feel like my post doesn't work anymore but I'm going to do it anyway....Esmme, just do what you feel is nesacary XD)

The door opened just after one of Snow’s knocks, revealing a black clad Sakura. Leather armor graced her body; she had no patience for the restrictive metal-plated armor. Her feet were pushed into flexible black boots that reached just below her knee, the glint of knives sticking just above their edge. Black leggings covered her legs with the leather tied around her thighs back and front. A short leather skirt surrounded her bottom and unmentionables, a small dagger glinting from it’s sheath strapped to her thigh just visible underneath. A black weapons belt adorned her hips. Her two katanas rested at each hip and an oriental fan was tucked near her left one, a weapon that she rarely used unless the opponent was worthy of the sharply honed blades that graced the ornament. Black, breathable fabric covered her torso to just below her neck and all down her arms covered by more leather plating and black gloves fit perfectly along her slender fingers. Her very long hair was tied back in a braid that had leather plates along its center, a nasty, sharp surprise waiting for anyone daring to use it as an advantage against her. There were many more weapons along her person that were unseen,
All this only made her maroon eyes look more like blood, her skin ever more pale. The very same eyes regarded the man before her with a small twinkle that would surely only grow as she started the fight. “Then let us go, dragi. Mother could use us by her side once more.” She ducked under the frame and shut he door, not bothering to lock it behind her. If they lost, what did it matter that she locked her hidden room?

"I will be fine, Dr. Shoen." Briella said to him with a smile as she took the needle and thread from him, talking softly to the male in her arms as she began to sew him up carefully. After she told him what she was doing, she softly begin to sing to him, to help take his mind off of it. She smiled to him, giving him some pain killers and water as she helped him lay on the bed. "Rest for now." she said to him simple, she quickly looked around to see if Shoen was watching before she sneaked off to another patient to take care of, not wanting to take a break when there was so much work that needed to be done.

Isis ran to Lost, looking him over thoroughly, inspecting every inch of skin and clothing she could see. WHen he pulled her down for a kiss, one that really made her heart skip a beat, Isis knew he was telling her the truth. He was fine, but from the look of things, the dolls would be wiped out.

--

Calla couldn't understand why Seth didn't just fight back and do her some sort of harm in order to stop her from attacking him. She couldn't stand getting in his way. She launched at him again, getting a few punches in before things went downhill. Mother stepped forward and had now fallen back, Ink Stain looming over her. Rage filled her, a deep hatred consumed her. Ink Stain would go down if it was the last thing she ever did. Mother wouldn't die, not when the lives of all her creations was at risk.
Pain shot through her heart as she fought with the ink in her system. Calla grabbed at the bat Seth had been using and battled with the poison inside of her, winning against it for the moment. "Who could love...something as evil and undeserving...as you?" She took a swing, hitting Ink Stain as hard as she could with all the rage she was harboring. It felt as if her arms were covered and filled with lead. Even if it turned her into one of his creatures, she wouldn't let herself watch the others go down without having put some sort of effort in for her side of the fight. Calla dropped the bat as soon as the action was finished and fell to her knees, clutching at her chest as more pain coursed through her. It was a searing pain and she knew it wouldn't be long until the ink took over her completely.

Once they had entered the room, Selma froze. Wide eyed. She had never seen anything that big. Human.. or at least he was mostly. Ink Stain was about seven feet tall, even larger she guessed. One thing.. he appeared to use most of his power to switch into this new forum. For the darkness was residing... Could this be is flaw? Selma questioned herself within her mind. Glancing to Life for a second. Was this Mother's fight? Or do they intervene?

((-flails about- Where is everyone??))

((*cough* Es will post when she gets back from camping on Monday. LOL))

((lol, okay, I shall wait patiently! I hope you're having a good time!!))

At Mother's words, Stain let out a demonic cry, moving to cut her head off with his sword-like claws, only to be stopped as a loud, 'Thud-thump, thud-thump' echoed throughout the room, Stain falling to his knees with a very human cry of pain, clutching his heart as he weakly said, "W... what is this? It... it huts... no, I'm dead, the dead don't feel pain! GAH!" A third 'Thud-thump' resounded throughout the room, Stain's whole body spasming in pain.

Snow was anxious. He was about to knock again when Sakura’s door opened. Her armor-clad armor made John do a double take. The fact that she was prepared for battle made something within him twist in excitement. It felt as though something within him turned on.

You were a part of me.

His blue eyes narrowed as he followed the woman. How could he feel so fond of her so soon? He shouldn’t be thinking about his past. Not at a time like this. Not when Ink Stain could potentially call on his loyalty.
Snow wasn’t wearing much armor – he never had before. Other than a pair of black leather bracers that he’d found in his room, John was nearly bare of armor. The only other protection he wore was his boots. The twin blades were at his shoulders, as they always had been.
Always had been. Those words came to mind so often now. How could he to tell what had or hadn’t been? Snow followed Sakura, taking his place beside her. His fingers traced the strange scar over his chest as he thought of what might happen. This battle was a culmination of darkness against Mother’s forces. Ink Stain demanded loyalty in exchange for Snow’s health. Could John even ignore what the dark creature wanted?
As they entered Mother’s room, the pale doll watched Sakura closely. He would have to keep up with her. Snow drew his blades smoothly, his attention briefly lingering on Mother’s predicament. His focus remained on his “friend.”

((I’m guessing that Ink Stain will do something desperate? LOL, just reminding you that you have more than one loyal minion with your inky-ness. ;)))
-

Shoen had returned to his work. He eventually checked up on Briella. He wasn’t surprised when he found the girl helping another patient. If she kept going, she would hurt herself instead of helping.
”Bri,” the doctor sat down beside her. They were on the floor, and the woman was tending to a patient with a series of strange splinter-like wounds. ”Rest. Eat something.”
Taking her wrist, Shoen frowned. ”That’s the doctor’s order, Bri. Not just a friend.” His eyes met hers. ”I’m serious.”
-


Lost stood, and his black eyes shot over to the commotion. ”Mother!” He reached for his fallen blade, but was unable to reach it before Ink Stain screamed out in pain. The sound was so loud it made Lost cover his ears. Flinching, the male grasped his blade and stared at the giant before him. How on earth was a doll supposed to hurt that thing?
Looking to Isis, he reached for her hand. There was nothing they could do. It was up to Mother now.
-

Seth was startled when Calla turned from him. Releasing her, he watched in surprise as she swung her bat at Ink Stain. It didn’t seem to hurt him at all. In fact, he didn’t seem to notice the blow. Instead, the creature shrieked because of what Mother had said.
Grabbing Calla’s arm, Seth shook his head. It looked like whatever she’d done was hurting her. ”Calla!”
Grabbing both of her shoulders, he shook her lightly. She was grasping her chest as though something inside of her was twisting and writhing. Something was hurting her. Seth grasped her face in his hands, trying to make her meet his gaze. ”Breathe!” he said, blocking out the battle around him.
If he lost this girl, he lost his world.
-

Life met Selma’s questioning glance with his own. They’d arrived just in time to see everything reach its peak. ”Mother must know what she’s doing,” Life said, his pale eyes flickering back to Ink Stain as the creature screamed.
That scream echoed, making the pale-haired doll cover his ears in pain.
-

Mother cringed when Ink Stain cried out. ”You don’t have to fight to get my attention, Valiant.”

Namine climbed up on Mother’s shoulder, touching the woman’s face. Everyone was a bit freaked out, but nothing serious had gotten to them yet. ”This means you have a heart,” the blonde doll said, looking back to Ink Stain. She’d helped defeat him once. Now, they would destroy him.

Both Mother and Namine watched quietly as Ink Stain was wracked by tremors.

Another spasm of pain wracked his body as his heart gave another, audible beat, Ink Stain painfully moaning as some of the darkness began to drip like ink from him, falling to the ground only to disappear, "No... no, not Valiant... he's dead! He killed himself, stopped his own heart after his Mother crushed it!" He let out a pitiful cry of pain as his heart gave a series of three beats, Stain saying, "He died so that it wouldn't hurt anymore! Only the living feel pain... why would anyone want to live? Everything... everything should die"

Upon the battlefield, the dark host of Stain's creatures, altogether, let out cries of pain and rage as their formations broke, going from an organized army to mindless animals. While many continued to attack whatever was before them, many of them scattered, fleeing to the darkest reaches of the house as their will became their own... with one exception.

Villain clutched his head, giving a slight hiss of pain as the manticore beneath him writhed and began to attempt to buck him off. With almost contemptuous ease, he thrust his blade into the creature's back, not far enough to cause damage, but enough to cause it enough pain to bring it back under his control. He looked around as the army broke and frowned, giving the Manticore a kick to the sides to spur it on, the monster easily leaping over the doll's line of defense to rush to Mother's room.

As this happened, the word 'die' reached Calla's and Snow's ears, and reinvigorated them, each gaining the drive to kill their target, Calla to Seth, and Snow to Sakura.

The shriek coming from the darkness was painful. It reverberated through his entire body, making the crack-like markings on his skin sting. Snow felt the crystal in his chest burn in response. It took his breath away. He stumbled under the pressure he felt, and John pressed the hilt of one blade to his chest in an attempt to keep his heart from bursting. One word entered his mind. Die.

His white eyes flew up to stare at the woman he'd been following. Sakura. Silently, the male let his hands tighten on his weapons. He struck when her back was turned. Snow struck with a kick to the middle of Sakura's back, sending her falling forward. He followed, blades ready for her to rise. They rested lightly on her collarbones, and his pale gaze was deadly.

The smile that graced his lips was just as unnatural as the dark cracks in his skin. With his heart pulsing with darkness, Snow looked the part of an enemy. In moments he'd gone from friend to foe. And it wasn't like he was struggling with it.

This is what I was meant to be. This is my calling.

Snow let the tips of his blades draw blood as they nicked skin. He pulled them slowly up to the woman's throat, looking pleased with the sight of crimson.
-

"Mother got married, Valiant! She started a family!" Mother watched as the creature before her struggled. "She didn't try to forget you. She moved on to make herself happy." Her brown eyes slowly traveled over the dark form. "She returned. She brought a child. You meant so much to her, and now here you are destroying what chances of happiness you have left."

Namine spoke up, her whisper hardly audible. "You can be happy again, Valiant."