"Mercy?" Susanne whispered, sinking to the ground. "Do... doishte?"

"There's too much at stake here," the blonde girl answered. She ignited her lightsaber and stepped toward Susanne.

Meredith silently leapt in front of Mercy, sword raised and eyes blazing. "How DARE you!!!!!" She cried. "You act like her friend and then you betray her!"

"Mercy..." Tears ran down Susanne's cheeks. "But I... I thought we were friends..."

Mercy said nothing.

"I got you away from Celly and Nyx... we healed you when they beat you up... dammit, I helped you when you were fighting Nyx when I first found you!" The tears on her face were now tears of rage as she stood up and moved next to Meredith, aura sparking brightly.

"Your power is nothing compared to that of theirs. You will lose, in the end. I'll be on the winning side."

"You'll be in hell!" Susanne screamed, raising her glaive and charging Mercy.

"Stop!" Susanne paused and cast a glance behind her, but did not allow Mercy to leave her field of vision.

Meredith stood, eyes wide. Celly had snuck up behind her and had grabbed her sword away from her before she knew what was happening, and held her fast with her obscenely long sword at her throat.

"She cannot stand against you. You know this," Celly said menacingly. "Just as your friend here cannot stand against me."

Susanne narrowed her eyes. "Let her go," she whispered.

Celly tightened her grip, and Meredith gave a tiny frightened gasp as the cold blade pressed against her neck.

"I said, let her go!" Susanne raised her glaive to Celly, then turned briefly to Mercy. "I'll fix you later," she said.

"Is that a challenge, Hothori no Otaku?" Celly said.

"Damn straight! Now, let her go!"

Celly tossed Meredith aside and pointed her blade toward Susanne. "Now, that's more like it!"

"Meredith, watch Mercy!" Susanne cried as she charged Celly.