ᴀ ɢɪʀʟ's Dᴇᴍᴏɴs

| F O R T Y |

Shiro's Point of View

      "Shiro." Shuya hissed, "Don't irritate them.
We need them to think they have the upper hand!"

My face scrunched up as I opened my mouth in protest, only to find a hand covering it. Chiyo stood next to me, facing the pair of summons, her hand over my mouth, "Shiro, please."

"Those summons have been watching our every move. However, Shiro...they've been watching you the most. I don't know why, but you have to be careful." Shuya said, glancing behind me to where I assume Sensei's summons awaited.

I removed Chiyo's hand and said, "Wait...why are they just standing there waiting? Why aren't they attacking us?"

I saw Chiyo's eyes widen, and I whipped around to face Maaya and Toru. There they stood, still as statues, but racing towards us was ice.

"Back! Get back!" I shouted, pushing Chiyo behind me, "Hurry!"

Across from me, Maaya watched impassively as the ice shot towards us. Her chilling gaze was devoid of emotion. In the seconds I'd wasted looking at her, the ice had reached me with impossible speed.

"No--!" A large gust of wind whipped past me. Standing there in shock, I watched as the ice changed course just before it could slam into me. Instead, it shot out to the sides. I stumbled back as I saw what was happening.

"Please...!" I closed my eyes, and slammed my foot on the ground. A ripple of cracks formed in the floor of the cave, racing towards the ice. I watched with hope it would stop the ice was continuing any further, as there would be no ground for it to cross.

"What?!" I exclaimed as the ice merely glided across the gap I'd created. It should have at least slowed it down...

"How...?" I heard Shuya mumble from behind me. I turned to him, gesturing frantically at the giant wall of ice before us.

"Well! Look what your wonderful idea gave us!" I laughed bitterly, "Chiyo, don't you ag--"

She wasn't there.

I spun around on my heel, my eyes scanning the room immediately. At first I didn't see it, but soon my eyes locked onto a silver head. Trapped under Maaya's claws and pinned to the ground, Chiyo lie inches away from the wall on the other side.

I ran at the wall, "What are you doing?! Let her go!"

Maaya's gaze shifted to me, her sharp claws still pressed against Chiyo's neck. I felt panic settle in as I beat relentlessly at the solid ice, "Don't you dare hurt her!"

"The tables sure have turned, haven't they Shiro?" Maaya purred, her tail swishing back and forth behind her, "I don't believe you're in any position to be making demands."

"I'm warning you...!" Pain shot up my arms, but I couldn't just stand there doing nothing.

"Warning me? Just what can you do? You've lost, Kamasaki. Simply...turn back. Wait for the time to elapse, and miss the Chunin Exams." Her gold slitted eyes sparkled mysteriously, "And at the end of the day, she'll be returned back."

"We can't turn back...we can't!" I shouted, my shoulders trembling, "Now give her back!"

"Why not? Will you put your own selfish desires over the life of your comrade?" She paused, her gaze switching back to Chiyo, "Do you think I'll allow Mizuko to go through any more pain on your behalf?"

My fist froze midair, my eyes widening, "What...? No..."

I jerked back as a hand clamped down on my wrist, "Calm down! She's toying with you!"