The Five

19. Together At Last

Freya and Akashi's feet barely touched the ground before they broke into a run. Ignis towered before them, eerily silent, which was not a good sign. They burst through the doors, coming to an abrupt halt as they closed behind them. Bodies lay everywhere.

"Oh no," Freya said, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had never seen so many dead people. She closed her eyes, guilt flooding through her. They were too late.

Akashi's hands balled into fists. He banged them against the wall. Pain surged through them but he didn't care. "Kusa will pay for this, but there's nothing we can do for these people now. We need to look for survivors on our way to find the others."

She nodded in agreement. "If they're still alive." Though if the massacre in the lobby was any indication, their friends may be somewhere among the carnage. The thought of them losing their lives made her sick.

Akashi moved closer to her. "I want you to stay with me."

"Don't worry." Her voice was quiet. "I won't be letting you out of my sight any time soon."

"Good."

The two of them began to walk at a brisk pace. They hadn't gotten very far when Freya stopped dead in her tracks. Akashi frowned as he stopped just a few feet ahead. A shiver ran down Freya's spine and her blood ran cold. This feeling was familiar. Dread pooled in her stomach.

"What is it, Freya?"

"Akashi, something is coming. I can feel it."

"Is it Kusa?"

"No." Her expression became dark. "It's Malvado." It was the same sensation she remembered from her vision. "He's close."

"Which means Kusa is close."

"Maybe...but I can't sense him. Only the demon."

Akashi glanced around, but nothing was out of the ordinary. Freya had never been wrong before. He didn't doubt she felt something. A gasp from her turned his head. She was staring straight ahead. He followed her gaze and froze.

The bodies on the floor were no longer dormant. One by one, they were getting up, and as they rose their faces were changing. They were all becoming Kusa. Freya and Akashi moved, back to back, against each other.

"What's happening?"

Akashi scowled. "They're twin shadows, remember? Clones of Kusa are slowly surrounding us."

"Which means they have his power," she said with a gulp.

"I'm afraid so." He took a deep breath. "We're going to have to fight them."

Freya felt her muscles tighten. "Then we will."

"Be careful," he whispered.

"You too."

With those words exchanged, they sprang into action. Akashi used the same lightning spell he used to save Freya the last time they faced shadow clones. It seemed like a distant memory now. So much had happened since then. The clones were bursting into pieces before his very eyes each time he hit them. It was almost like he was throwing sticks of dynamite at them. Some were able to dodge his attacks, but not many. Still, the numbers did not seem to dwindle.

Freya started pretty well. She used her kinetic powers to fling any clones who got too close to her. It wasn't enough to defeat them though. She whipped out her wand the second she was able and used the one thing she knew would defeat them: light.