Vace came at Cid, wielding his great sword, but Cid dodged to the side and shot a jet of flame at Vace. Vace jumped back to dodge it, but Cid followed his attack with a wave of fireballs at Vace and the others to force them back.

OOC: STOP!!! It's Celes' turn.

Ark crossed his arms as he spun, unleashing a series of cuts that would've killed him had he not had the shield. And the backup would've worked....if he hadn't punched him.

Cid popped off a fire attack that hit Ark and burnt his cape a bit. The water put it out. However the cape was much more tattered.

Ark's sword cut across, hit the shield, and the dagger was caught under Cid's armpit. A head-butt knocked Ark reeling back. "Sob..."

OOC: Sorry Jad, had to get one post of fighting in.

Cid stood in the middle of the group. He started to chuckle, soft at first, then it grew louder.
"You fools really think that just because I am unarmed, that you can now defeat me?" He laughed and swung his arm in a large arc, incapacitating them with a large fire-based spell. For some reason, the spell was binding them... holding them fast to where they had been when he cast it. "It amuses me that you would go so far to stop me... to restore your princess to her 'proper' place as the rular of this kingdom." He laughed more, "Even to the point that you would give your very lives, much like your friend Gin did." He turned his awful gaze onto Cesia, who had basically been standing in the center of the group. She stared back at him, not allowing him to see the fear that had filled her body... the fear that was making her tremble, ever so slightly.

"But as much as I would like to kill each of you right now, I think it would be even more enjoyable to kill your precious princess right before your eyes." He then turned his full attention onto Cesia, "Princess," He said casually, "Aren't you honored that all of these fighters would come all of this way, just to help you. They would give their very lives just to see me gone and you restored to your rightful place as princess... no, as queen. Even Gin, my dear brother died, just to unarm me... so that you would all have the chance to kill me."

Cesia's heart sank as she started to recognise his words... his actions.

"What a worthless sacrifice." He sneered, approaching Cesia, "Truely worthless... after all..." Without warning, he lunged forward, wrenching one of the daggers from her hand, "I can take care of you without my sword."

Cesia glanced around frantically, looking for someone... something to help her. The spell was waning, but it wouldn't be gone in enough time... there wasn't enough time.

Cid chuckled, a sound that filled Cesia with fear and dread, "Well, Princess, I believe it's time to cut away the loose end..." He then lunged forward, the dagger arching towards it's target.

Cesia tried to stagger back, but Cid's hand was on her sholder, keeping her from escaping his blade.

Pain...

Time seemed to stop... Cesia gasped for air. It hurt, more than she would have imagined. Her head lulled to the side, and her knees threatened to give out... but she remained standing as long as she could. She took a shakey breath as she tried to give a reassuring smile to the others. Then she closed her eyes, <This is it Cesia.... just do this, for the others.>
She looked back at Cid, she saw his triumphant smile. Cesia then used all the energy she could summon up to swing her hand in a despirate effort to hit Cid, one last time.
Cid didn't pull back, he was too preoccupied to notice one small detail...

The remaining knife in Cesia's hand.

Meanwhile, Cid staggered... The knife had slit into his throat... He grasped at his throat, and then he collapsed onto the ground. He had been careless to ignore the 'harmless' princess' final desperate attack... and it would cost him his life.

Cesia didn't notice that her knife has made contact. All she noticed was Cids hand that had been on her sholder, the one keeping her standing suddenly loosened as Cid staggered back. She fell to her knees, trying to catch her breath...

OOC: May I completely destroy Cid's body now?

ooc: knock yourself out. but remember he's right infront of cesia.

Tamakatari's eyes opened wide, and his mouth fell open.

"NOOOO!" The spell wore off then. But too late. Cid had already attacked Cesia. His angel. He stomped over Cid's body, and grabbed his angel, trying desperately to keep her from falling dead to the ground. In some weird way, he thought that by holding her up, he could keep her alive.

"Selia! Please be all right. Selia."

The spell dissapeared. Ark hit the ground at a dead run, his dagger landing beside him. He skidded to his knees beside her, his sword, glaring painfully bright green beside him.

His eyes instantly caught on the wound. The sword throbbed painfully in his hand. He dropped it as he leaned back, and tore a strand from his cape to use as a compress.

"Cesia, you okay?" The sword ground painfully into his mind. The blade was painful to look at now.

He tried to think of what it wanted. Then he remembered. It was a protecter. It wouldn't heal her, but it would sure as hell hold her there.

He grabbed it, and brought it over. "Hold onto this, and do not let go."

He said, "I'm gonna' find Dawn." He snatched the dagger up, and hit the stairs at a record sprint.

OOC: Where the hell did Cesia get stabbed... And Raiden, he is patheticly in love with the pricness, not Cesia. Princesses name was Selia

Tamakatari took Ark's sword, and placed it in Selia's hands. He didn't know how it would help, but every little thing works.

"Hold on, Selia. We're gonna get Dawn, she'll heal you, and everything will be fine. God, why didn't you wear the Mythril I gave you. Why?! Please, don't leave. I can't lose anyone else. Please..."