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Kastra waited until she got the go message. She took in a deep breath and did her three count. she would move with haste, and she would do as told. Bazzite was the main goal in this encounter. Get in and get out...of course and stay alive.

"3...2...1..." She rose from her hiding place and darted toward the youma. She could hear her leader and friend off to the side. She couldn't let herself get distracted. "Bazzite...focus on Bazzite, Kastra.."

She repeated this mantra to herself until she was within a suitable distance from her target. It was then, and only then that she fell into a strong, yet limber pose, calling forth the calming forces of the power within her. It would give her a small window in which she could speak with Bazzite, but she would take it.



Once she felt that calming aura begin she ran in and fell to a crouch before the youma 'Please let him be distracted enough..' She whispered the silent prayer in her mind before making eye contact with the youma.

"You need to come with me. It is not safe for you here right now. We intend to help you, as we promised, but first we must get you to a safe location." She kept her voice low, the soft, silken roll of her voice like a calming breeze in the creature's mind.

"Let us help you..."

Phact had not moved from her spot on point. His focus was on her and she was positive he had not forgotten...let alone forgiven...their last encounter. So as she watched him finally summon that spear, Phact gave a single nod.

The players were all there. The game was set.

Phact watched them move. Everyone falling into place and into the plan Sabine was directing. Phact was proud of them...of her court.

"Sabine! Stay low!" Phact finally called out as she finally began to move. It wasn't towards the General but in a large range around him to move towards Kastra and Bazzite. Just encase her powers didn't hold, she did not want to leave Kastra on her own.

"Don't forget he is a General." Hoping that would remind Sabine to stay smart, not to act on anger, Phact stopped just outside of the range of Kastra's attack and eyed both her and the youma.

The wave of calmness which crashed over the General was like a shock of cold water, unexpected and sudden, he still gripped his weapon but the urge to rip apart the white and red dressed senshi was...lessening and that wasn't something he liked. he knew it was magic, that senshi who was getting too close to Bazzite, they were the cause for it. He just needed to wait out the magic, as magic all seemed to last a short time, he would deal with this problem.

"Where do you think you are taking him?" The General questioned her. He might not be trying to take the long haired senshi's head off, which normally would be a good idea, but he was not at all pleased with the words she directed to Bazzite. Something had been promised and he didn't like this - this was planned. It wasn't even just some plan of four senshi's to close in on and attack him and Bazzite. It sounded like Bazzite himself was involved in this! Just what in the hell was going on and how was it that Bazzite was working with these senshi? Was that how Phact had survived against him, as she had taunted him about not long ago.

Not knowing the range of the attack he remained, for now, standing in it and letting it affect him. It was when he moved, a few steps, that he was unknowingly stepping out of the attacks range.

He almost didn't notice when the feelings of anger started to return, he was busy trying to figure out just what the ******** was happening...and he was certainly busy with the bat smashing into his side. Doubling over as he felt his feet wobble and locked his knees to keep his balance. He was not expecting that.Well...if he hadn't already been feeling his anger return he certainly felt it now. Like a blazing fire he turned his eyes onto the senshi with the bat. He knew he'd be bruised, his whole side ******** hurt, he did wonder if he had broken bones....he was going to need to find that out - later though. Now though he was surrounded and Bazzite was clearly out of commission.

Growling, something that one would not expect from him, he did just what he was good at - he teleported. One moment he stood there and the next he was gone. Reappearing behind the senshi with the bat he managed a less than friendly smile, something rather sadistic perhaps, as he swung at her with the bladed end of his weapon. "Now bleed." His words a harsh whisper as he sought to draw blood from the senshi, he would make good on creating a river of blood. He hurt, god did he hurt, and he wasn't standing to his full height but he was still standing and he still had a weapon. He would still do his best.

Before he could do anything further he stopped, listening to the words Bazzite spoke. They were...shocking and had him staring at the other. Some mix of horror, anger, upset, and other things, floating about in his slate hued eyes. "You planned this...with them." He stated, it wasn't a question. His tone made it perfectly clear that it was not a question - it was fact. Bazzite had set this up - set him up! he understood what the other was saying but he didn't like it....not one bit.

He would like Bazzite as he had once been, the other knew it, but not this way - not with them!

"You would trust them?" He questioned, his eyes focused on Bazzite, at least for the moment. "While I cannot grant you what you once had...I can grant the other. That would be better than going to the enemy - to setting me up." The hurt was there, the accusation was undeniably. He was not pleased, he was pissed, but he knew Bazzite would be the only one to pick up on the hurt in his voice. The other knew him well enough to hear it in his words, to hear the betrayal in his words.

"Bazzite....I'm going to kill them all....I'm going to carve them up and leave their mangled bodies here for the birds. Then we'll talk." He stated, voice dropping in volume as he shoved his emotions to the background. His voice going cold as he took in the scene before him. He could, and perhaps should, call for help. However he was convinced he could handle this matter...with words to Bazzite or with blood - their blood....all of it.

Even as her friends fought to protect her and the youma in her care, Kastra could not help but want to join them. she knew that it was not her job, she couldn't leave Bazzite's side, but there was a General threatening those she held most dear.

"Do not let him get the drop on you, guys!!!" She cried out to them as 'Trix's bat found home. She watched the pale man teleport away, watched as he threatened Phact. She had to do something.

Even as Bazzite cried out for them to stop, Kastra found herself praying. Focusing her mind on the one person that had always saved them when they were in need. 'Cosmos, we need you. Please protect us and this creature we are trying to save. Help us do what is needed...'

She tightened her hold on Bazzite's arm, letting him know that she was there. Even if he was alone in the darkness, he would not be alone in this fight. She only hoped that the others would be ready to fall back when the tine was right.

"Everyone...fall back toward me..! Encircle Bazzite and keep Phact on point!"

Phact caught the look at the words Bazzite was saying. Her red eyes met his and the trailed down to the necklace before going back to his face. She could see it there. The fear...the desire to be rid of this curse a General had placed on him.

"Bazzite..." Phact said, taking her eyes off the battle for a moment as she reached out a hand to him. "We will help you with everything we can..." Her voice was steady as she could make it while fear drove through parts of her. He truly wanted to be free of this form. Phact could no longer deny that he...wanted this more than anything.

"But I can't let Benitoite harm my loved ones..." Closing her eyes a moment, Phact felt sorrow within her core.

But that sorrow quickly changed with one word. Hearing Trix scream 'Bleed', Phact drew her attention back to the battle. Her two fire crackers were doing their best to keep the general's attention as Kasta did her's to guard them.

It was time.

Without another word, Phact stepped forward, Coming up in the center of the triangle formed by the other girls. Her hand raised upward and with a flash of light, it was no longer empty.

The wand of The Council answered her call and appeared before them all. They had two choices now...but that was up to Bazzite.

"General Benitoite, this ends now. We will free Bazzite from his curse and from you. Killing us only means he will lose any chance he has of freedom...stand down."

The youma swallowed thickly, guilt heavy and blistering deep inside of him. He simply wished to be human again, to feel again, and yet... Benitoite thought of this as a betrayal.

Maybe it was. The youma certainly didn't intend for such a thing. Breaking Benitoite's heart and the General's command of him wasn't done with malice in the youma's heart. Quite the opposite - now knowing how much his condition pained his blonde General, wishing to be free of such a curse, he thought, would be beneficial for both of them.

"I don't... I don't want anyone to be hurt. You're Kastra, right...?" In the din of battle, Bazzite had been trying to keep track of the senshi's names. He wanted to know who to thank once he was either vaporized or reborn. At this point, simply being aware that his very existence was a cancer upon the Earth was enough to foster self-loathing. Selfishly, the youma desperately desired relief. His clawed hand, while monstrous and dry and much larger than Kastra's, was gentle upon hers. "...do you really think you can... fix me? Even if you can't, please don't hurt Beni... He didn't mean for me to be like this. It was an accident, a long time ago. He didn't mean it..."

The sudden burst of light from the sky barreling down upon them made Bazzite cringe, leaning over to cover his face with his other arm. Instinct told him to flee whatever this was. It was deadly, it was white and pristine and its power signature made his skin itch and blister. Instinct was to hiss and spit and back away like a frightened animal.

Instinct had to be swallowed, buried.

It was clear the youma was terrified, almost hiding pitifully behind Kastra's smaller form. Insectoid wings quivered as the creature attempted to steady his breathing. Every cell in his body was screaming that this was death incarnate. Still, despite his body's stiffness and his near-overwhelming fear, the youma stood, still slightly stooped, to gaze at what had just arrived.

Someone he had never seen before, but with a signature that blistered his corrupted flesh. She was light, personified, and the other senshi seemed to resonate with her. "Please... don't hurt Beni... he didn't mean it. I was... I was just an accident."

Slowly did the locust beast take a few steps towards this woman and the whole of the Court. Easily spying the wand in Phact's hands, he knew it was time. Ears and shoulders drooped and he cast a sorrowful glance over his shoulder and towards his beloved General. "Beni, it's okay. They said... they can fix me, then I won't be your living mistake anymore. I don't want to be your dark secret. You don't deserve enslavement to me. And... maybe, if... if they think I'm worthy, maybe... maybe I can see the sun again..."

With a deep and defeated sigh, the youma closed his eyes and awaited whatever fate the Court may bestow upon him.

For Sabine, Cosmos' arrival could not have come soon enough. The soothing balm of her power aura washed over them all, and she let out a small sigh of relief. Not that she would dare let her guard down, but she could at least relax somewhat - knowing that if the worst were to occur - if he were to attack them while they did this - then the power would be controlled to a better degree than anything they could do.

"I will not harm you - tonight," Sabine agreed. "Bazzite has requested you walk away unharmed - and so I will honor that."

She turned her back on the General - to prove she did not fear him. And placed a hand lightly on Phact's shoulder. She placed her other hand on her chest, and focused.

For as much as she raged without - there was an even greater beast within her. One that she would have to concur and quell, if they were to have any hope of purifying the youma instead of wiping it from existence instead. There was a deep, buring malice in her heart for youma and their half-kin. A fear, rooted deeply in the night they had foolishly charged headlong into the mouth of hell.

She could remember them, swarming around them all, bearing down. How powerless and weak she had felt, her pail full of starseeds below her as she had sat there, unable to move from fear and panic. She could still feel the heat of that night even now. She often woke in cold sweat, a silent scream of terror on her lips, from recurring nightmares of that night. She was still a young girl - but she'd seen enough of this war to know it's horrors - and they were branded on her as much as her physical scars.

Her therapist told her it was okay to be afraid. That fear was normal. That such things were a part of the trauma she'd suffered. But, her therapist also thought she was seeing her because of a botched abduction and torture. But Post Traumatic Stress was Stress, after a Traumatic Event - and her therapist had taught her to focus on the memories when they came - and remember that it was in the past - and that she was stronger and still alive. That she was OK.

A part of her - an angry, hateful part, dark, brooding, and upset - wanted Bazzite gone. Wanted the youma dead, dusted, destroyed forever. This part of her - she knew, she had to face by herself. Nobody else could help her with it. The part of her that crowed with joy that the youma was so trusting to give itself into their care - so that they could wipe it off of the earth. So what if it was smart - had been a person. How many people had it killed? Was this not a just punishment? An eye-for-an-eye?

She gave an angry shake of her head, tears welling up in her eyes as she pushed the anger, the sheer malice, away. That is not who I am... She said to herself, feeling the heat of her tears as she crushed the malice down, pushing it away - denying it. This is not who I wish to become...

She chose instead, to focus her energy through forgiveness. If Bazzite lived - if they could return him to humanity - he would atone for his crimes. He would be able to make amends for the lives he had taken. It may not ever be enough - but he would be alive, and he would be able to try.

When her eyes opened again, they were soft, forgiving, welcoming. She poured her energy into Phact, through her, into the wand, imparting her portion of the power required to free Bazzite from his chains - his curse.

And all the while, thick, hot tears feel from forgiving eyes...

"You mean you were never the Slave." Ginger curled her lip, moving like an angry lioness toward the others. She saw the hate on his face, the fantasy of bloody wrath they'd never let him have. He was too used to blustering against the untrained, he'd never met anything like them, and they'd only continue to outstrip him as they got better.

"Everything coming out of your mouth is telling." She accused, her tone like a guitar string of rage, plucked and ringing. "I look forward to you getting what's coming to you, not just for what you've done to others but what you've done to someone who trusted you. But not tonight. Because He asked for you to walk away in one piece.

"Take what you need, Phact." She added.

Tonight was for Bazzite, tonight was to make sure he saw the sun tomorrow. Another night she could destroy this... this creature. This monster who was more corrupt than a monster. A betrayer of bonds, who'd chosen his own comfort, his own slave and let his companion continue to believe that they were friends. That they had a bond, that there was any kind of love there. The kind of relationship where they walked away with bruises and sighed that it would be different tomorrow, that the one who left the marks 'didn't mean it'.

How many times had Beni said he 'didn't mean it'.

She wanted to rush him, to hit him with her Bat until she made physical everything he'd ever done to anyone, but no.

Tonight was for Bazzite.

"L... Lets do this." She growled, trying to compose herself for her team, for Cosmos, For Bazzite.