"A real man should never have to hide like that" complained Elfman while following the white haired young woman.

He was terrified at the thought that a guard could notice them while they slowly distanced themselves from the second group of bearers. However, as mentioned by Lisanna, the difference between the first and the second group was more than odd. In fact, their own group was composed of at least three times more people than the one which Evergreen had followed.

"A real man is ready to do anything to keep his darling safe" retorted Lisanna.

"It's not like that!" Exclaimed Elfman, though in a whispering tone to stay quiet, alarmed by the fact that she was thinking they might be together.

"Yeah right" replied the girl with an explicit look on her face.

Elfman wanted to argue a little more. However, he had to admit that he was in fact worried for the young woman, especially after Lisanna had explained the power within her ring. She had a sort of sixth sense allowing her to associate emotions with a situation... And the emotion she had felt when the first group left wasn't good at all. Of course, she couldn't point out why she felt bad about it neither how serious was that bad omen, but one thing was certain: she needed him. That last thought made him blush which made Lisanna giggle a little.

"What?" he said annoyed.

"You like her" laughed Lisanna a little more.

"It's not..."

He was interrupted by Lisanna's finger on his lips.

"Shush! The bad feeling is worst since we entered this hallway. We need to be quiet."

The young man nodded waiting for the young woman to indicate him what she planned to do next. However, she didn't have time to add a thing before her blue eyes opened wide. Elfman's blood also froze when he heard footsteps coming in their direction. Both of their eyes were scanning the surrounding in order to find some place to hide. The task wasn't an easy one, but considering his stature, the challenge was even bigger. They finally spotted what looked like a broom cupboard and hid in it.

The room was just like they imagined: dark, encumbered and small. However, despite the twilight, Elfman noticed that his new acquaintance had place a hand on her forehead as soon as she entered the closet.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"It's even worst in here. Whatever is happening, it definitely comes from the other side of this wall.

Elfman's eyes followed the direction that Lisanna pointed even thought looking at the said wall didn't offer him anymore information. But if he couldn't see, he could still hear some voices. Not able to clearly hear what they were talking about, the young man placed his ear against the wall when he heard a heartbreaking scream, giving him the shivers. The screams went on until the voice broke. An heavy silence took place until one of the voices was heard once more.

"About time" said one of them, full of energy in his voice.

"Stop bragging" growled the second man. "Now it's my turn".

"We already used two of them tonight. We should probably..."

"You can shove your opinion where I think! It's been months since my last time."

"Tch" grumbled the one that seemed to take the decisions. "A last one, not one more".

Elfman then heard footsteps, then the door opening and closing.

"What are you waiting for?" Complained one of the two man in the room. "Just go get a bearer already!"

A bearer? Thought Elfman. Definitely, he didn't understand a thing of what was happening behind that wall. But one thing was sure, noting good was happening there. He started to move, not able to bear waiting a second more, but was hold back by Lisanna's hand on his arm. She didn't say a thing but shook her heard, indicating they shouldn't move just yet.

"But..."

She indicated him to stop talking once more, pointing something else with her other hand. Elfman only noticed then a venting trap that could easily betray their presence if they talked this close to the wall. If they could hear those guys, they could certainly hear it Elfman of Lisanna talk as well. Against his will, he decided to stay put.

"How dare you treat a lady in such a rough way?" Exclaimed a feminine voice.

Elfman's resolutions to keep quiet vanished as soon as he heard her.

***

Evergreen only thought about one thing at the moment: punching the man in front of her. After being dragged to a sort of common room where they told them to wait, again, one of the recruits had been summoned. A couple of minutes later, a second one was called without the return of the first person. And now her...

Something was definitely off in this and the uneasy feeling she had since she got there kept growing while she found herself in a strange room where a second man was waiting for them. Except a single desk that didn't seem to be used very much due to his completely clean surface and a couple of cupboard that seemed empty as well, it didn't seem like noting particular was here... So why dragging her in such a place...alone? A shiver of disgust traveled down her spine while her imagination got a little too wild to her taste.

The one that brought her here pushed her without restraint in front of him.

"How dare you treat a lady in such a rough way?" She exclaimed, not able to hold herself anymore.

The man gave her a triumphant look, as she had just lost against him. A new shiver crossed her. At the moment, she only wanted to slap him and that was what she did. However, as soon as her hand made contact with his cheek, she jumped backwards. It was as if her energy was leaving her. The horrible sensation wore off as soon as the contact was broken, but the numbness remained a little.

"What the?"

The man's smile only grew more.

"Don't tease me like that" he snickered. "I want more".

Evergreen felt arms immobilise her in her back. She had completely forgot the guy already present in the room. The young woman didn't have time to react before the first man put his hand on her forehead. The sensation of emptiness was instantaneous while she felt once more all of her energy leave her body. A scream escaped her lips. At least, she thought she had screamed but in her state, Evergreen couldn't be sure of what was real or not. All she knew was that her energy kept vanishing from her while the numbness was more and more present.

"It's not fast enough" complained one of them. Meet me when you're done" he added in a jaded tone.

"I would have thought that a whole day of walking would be enough for her to be weak enough."

"Idiot"

"Don't worry, I'm on it."

"Be sure to pick up after" said the other one, leaving the room.

Then the hand left her head, but the relief was a short one when she understood he was about to hit her. She commended her arms to rise to protect her face, her body to move, but the energy needed to do so was lacking. She only had the strength and time to close her eyes before earing a crash. However, it wasn't coming from the fist against her face but from the wall. She heard another detonation and then the wall crumbled. The dust that blocked her view dissipated.

***

Elfman couldn't stand it anymore. It was already hard to not move when he heard Ever's voice, but the sound of her scream pushed him to his limit. He instantly was back on his feet, ready to destroy the wall separating her from him. He had new powers? Well he was about to use them to protect those around him.

"Out of my way Lisanna."

"Wait!" She whispered.

"There's no way I'm..."

"Listen... One of them is leaving. Just wait a little more. It's our best chance to save her."

Clenching his teeth, he nodded without however lowering the arm he was about to crash against the wall. He waited just enough time so the other guy was far enough and demolished the obstacle in barely two hits. Evergreen was there, laying on her back on the desk, seconds away from getting punched. He didn't let that happen and threw himself at her attacker.

His adversary fell under his weight but when Elfman was about to hit him, the man stopped hit fist with a single hand. How? Elfman was putting in all of his strength. How could he block it? Did his powers had a time limit? If that was not the case, his opponent definitely had the same powers as him or even worst. An orange tint in the man's eyes gave the shivers to Elfman. Worst, he could feel the guy slowly taking advantage and got pushed further with a punch next to his temple. The young Strauss got back on his feet, even though he was now dizzy, leaning on his knee to keep his balance.

"You don't know when to quit, don't you?" laughed the other one.

"A real man never gives up."

"Too bad you didn't let me time to be done with her. If that was the case the real man" he mimicked him with disdain "would be already dead."

On that, he threw himself at Elfman, ready to hit him once more. It was the young man's turn to block the blows, what he barely did, struggling to dodge until it studently stopped, the man collapsing on the ground. Elfman lifted his eyes on the silhouette above them. Lisanna had recuperated the heaviest debris from the wall she could lift and had smashed it on the guy's skull.

"That's worthy of a real man!" Exclaimed Elfman, making Lisanna laugh about the most bizarre compliment she had ever received.

Then he got up, rushing to Evergreen who looked at him with a new respect in her eyes. She was awake, seemed like she could move a minimum and didn't seem to have any apparent injury. Good, thought Elfman. However, it wasn't long to notice that she couldn't get up on her own. Without any hesitation, he took her in his arms, a hand under her knees and one behind her back. The young woman struggled a little at first but soon abandoned, raising her large brown eyes on him, the lather humid because of the tears that started to form in them.

"Why?" She only managed to say, still incredulous that he came to look for her.

"I already told you, we are partners. And a man never lets his partner down".

Merry Christmas to you wonderful readers!!!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter :D And since I'm now on Christmas vacation, I'll try to post chapter 8 in the next few days :)

Love you all!

Lily xxx