Rab wasn't sure he was breathing, staring into those lovely hued eyes as she snarled at him. Fear and joy, an odd mix. She'd gotten out. She'd survived. And, like the disappearing man, she'd come back to fight. [i]Why?[/i] Rab wanted to touch her face, decired more than ever before the chance to speak to ask why she'd come back here instead of taking her freedom. 

The other won interrupted what he was sure would have been his murder, and he turned his eyes on the blonde at the same time as the elf before him. She spoke to him, asking about the disappearing man, and he gave her a single nod, making the noise again. Repeating the man's single plea for [i]help[/i].
The elf released him, and Rab inhaled, his lungs still aching from his earlier run, and he bolted down the corridor to lead the way.

[hr]

It all blurred. His desire and his hatred for the woman before him. The doll who bore anothers face. Ruli could see the destruction and burning of Ziad, the dead laying on the street, their blood staining the dirt, but, too, she saw her smile, felt her fingers on his face. Her lips on his. 
He swallowed as she approached and nearly touched him, tracing the lines she'd left to mar his cheek without every touching him. It tormented him, being this close, but not feeling her. Her cool skin against his sun-warmed flesh. He hated that he needed her touch. 

But when she said Envy's name, something cracked inside his mind. The hard shell that forced his mind to think of her and how much he was drawn to him softened, his memory of Envy flooding in. The goodness to her darkness. The elf who had cared for him when he was almost nothing, who had raised him, taught him, [i]loved him.[/i] Ruli swallowed, his eyes shifting to Gavin as the boy was brought forward. 

An Amrian boy. The Gemini, as they had guessed. He looked defeated, beaten, nothing like the man who had looked at Ruli with that hopeful glint in his eye before he'd lost all consciousness. Nothing like the man who had asked for Ruli to kill Akuma. Her magic held him strong. Gripped him so tightly Ruli could see the agony in his downturned face. If he would just look up, if he would meet Ruli's eyes, he would find a way to tell him it would be okay. 
Because the moment Envy's name passed over those perfect lips, Akuma had reminded Ruli just how much she destroyed him. And how much he owed her in return.

She addressed him once more, and Ruli turned his blue eyes on her flawless face. Pieces of his mind shifted, like it was trying to pull together the glamour that held him, but the shards were too fragile, too shattered. She wouldn't hold him again, Ruli realized with clear relief. 
But Akuma didn't need to know that. 

"She was going to lead me to you." Ruli said quietly, watching her mouth. "How could I resist?"

But her attentions shifted, and Ruli looked instead to Gavin as he stepped forward in blind obedience. The hold she held on him was strong indeed. Everything vanished from his face, as if seeing Ruli and Akuma address one another made him lose all hope. Ruli inhaled, debating on reaching out, secretly informing the lad that it would be okay, that he'd do as he was asked to do. 
But with Akuma's claws so deep in his mind, she'd know if he shook the foundation. 

"I will do as you ask, Gemini." Ruli whispered, offering his arm. A silent gesture that asked for trust just as he extended it. Ruli's gaze bore down onto the young man's face. [i]Fight it.[/i] He pleaded in silence, still not daring to rattle Akuma's hold. 

[hr]

Ysaryn's legs began to ache after the tenth turn through the mines. Or was it the fiftieth? Ah, she didn't know. All she knew was that she was tired of running. She glanced down at Kire's hand, itching to take it, to drag her into the shadows, making Kire lead them through the nothing in order to reach Rulitus faster. To put an end to this endless chase. 
But just before she reached out, the opened into the chamber. It was cold. The reek was different, but potent. Rab was half hidden in the shadows behind them, as if afraid to be seen, afraid to annoucne he'd led them here. She turned to look him over as Kire whispered to her, giving her orders. 

[i]Like hell she'd be leaving.[/i]

But she nodded, letting Kire focus as she took a step back, hiding in the shadows beside the half-breed. "You understand?" She whispered to him. He nodded, almost imperceptibly in the dark crevice. "Good. When I move, you're coming with me." Ysaryn turned her head to him to find him staring at her, wonder in his expression, curiosity in his eyes. "Did you really help me escape?" Another nod. Ysaryn smirked, and his eyes dropped to her lips. He looked like he was waiting for something. "Good. I'll thank you when we're out of this."

She turned back toward the chamber, Kire already shouting and in combat with Akuma. Ysaryn passed her gaze over the two, and then the dolls. Just as she took a step to move around the many, many dolls, to see if they moved or followed, all hell broke loose. 

Something threw itself at Akuma in a blur that appeared out of nowhere. Akuma, who had been circling Kire like a viper about to strike with its poisonous fangs, had not been expecting him. She and the blur toppled, rolling on the ground. 
[i]Rulitus.[/i] Ysaryn inhaled, and felt the half-breed stiffen beside her.

[i]What did you give me?[/i] He'd asked Gavin as he felt his heart race. He'd panted, even while standing still, feeling his muscles tense and shake. He felt the need to move. The inability to sit still. He could smell everything. Could taste more than he should in the air. He looked to Gavin, demanding an answer, and swore he could [i]hear[/i] the young man's blood flow through him. [i]What did you give me!?[/i]
Gavin had answered, but Ruli barely remembered. He'd caught the scent of Akuma, the trail that led into the other chamber, where he could hear Kire shouting. He let out a low growl and was gone, leaving Gavin to follow.

Grappling with her now, Ruli was barely aware of anything but her. He knew she had a sword, but ignored it. Knew she wore armour, but didn't care. He could smell her; the blood, the flowers, the plums. The scent that had left its mark in his head and toyed with him. Ruli gripped and clawed, trying to rip through the armour to no avail. He needed to get at her. Needed to spill her blood in exchange for all she'd done. He found her hair and made a fist in it, feeling the orchids crumple against his fist. His other arm swung in a strike against her flawless face. [i]Her face.[/i] Ruli inhaled and grabbed her face, and was about to force his commands into her mind when he found himself flung off of her. 

His eyes were dilated, teeth bared enough to show off his sharp molars as he snarled at Akuma and launched himself at her again. 

Ysaryn ran down the stairs, gripping Kire's arm to hoist her to her feet. "Found him." She smiled wickedly, turning to watch Ruli harass Akuma with a strength and speed she did not expect from the man. "Do we let him?" She whispered. Even the half-breed watched, mesmerized.