Alex dragged Ella by her proud ponytail down the halls. She couldn't resist, she couldn't move. Consciousness had failed, and if she was awake, she would wake up in pain. He pulled her behind him, one hand in his pocket.

He was bored. Their first face off showed promise of an interesting battle but when it all came down to it, her magic had failed her. He wasn't surprised about it. That was how things always were for him. But, he was still bored.

His magic never failed. As he grew stronger, his opponent grew weaker. It took time but, sometimes, the best strategies do. This was no exception.

He had almost reached the center of the maze when he heard a faint growl. Ella's body was starting to grow heavier and was becoming more difficult to drag. Without a second thought, Alex swung her over his shoulder and continued walking.

Then the growl came again.

This time, Alex was sure he heard it. It wasn't human. It was like a wild animal. He glanced behind him and saw nothing. There was no one there. He rolled his eyes and kept going, frustrated at the delay.

"We need to find Ella! She might be in trouble," Lucy told Gray once the laughter finally subsided.

Gray nodded, determination in his eyes.

They took off running down the hallway. They turned blindly and found a hallway they knew. It was the entrance to the maze. The pair peered down the hall to try and see something.

There was a small light racing towards them. It was glowing and shifting. The light grew larger as it got closer.

Lucy and Gray took on a defensive position, preparing for the worst.

Alex felt a weak kick on his chest accompanied by another growl. This time, he could tell where it was coming from. It was coming from right next to his ear.

It wasn't just the moan of the unconscious caused from pain. It was primitive. It was a noise humans had pushed past.

He stopped to look at Ella. Her eyes were still closed. Nothing had changed. She was still lifeless.

With a confused look, he started back up again. There was nothing else for him to do. It was time for him to report back to Nathan anyway. And, while he was there, Alex planned to ask why he bothered to lure Ella there in the first place. She was a waste of time.

Sure, it had been fine to drain her magic power, but there were other, more powerful Flies to go after. The only reason they went after her was because she was most susceptible to the process- starting with some screams.

He was jarred from his train of thought by a firm kick to his diaphragm. It knocked the wind out of him and he had momentarily lost his breath.

Ella's eyes opened to reveal slightly glowing pupils. Her hair cascaded over her head and onto the floor clearly revealing her guild mark. It was a demonic black.

She elbowed Alex in the center of his back. He arched his back forward, bending unnaturally. Ella took the opportunity to leap free. She flipped away and landed gracefully on the floor, ready for a more intense fight. This time, she would not lose.

The wind was her domain, not his. The wind would only listen to her. All she had to do was ask.