She lowered her leg and then calmly walked over to where he had fallen to the ground. She knew not to underestimate him, that he would not stay down for long. She glanced sideways at Kyle, wondering if he was going to try anything but he seemed to be frozen in place. That was good.

Maria? What's going on? Michael demanded again impatiently.

I'm just kicking a little ass, she replied smugly, keeping a sharp eye on her father as he began to crawl to his feet. You guys want to join in on the fun?

How? Max asked.

Try giving me your powers again! I have the power of the community and you guys are welcome along for the ride.

She felt surprise from the others and then felt them concentrate on giving her their powers again. This time, it took no effort at all. Almost immediately, they were in.

"You impertinent, ungrateful little bitch!" Nacerro bellowed as he continued to attempt to get to his feet.

Maria narrowed her eyes and kicked out her foot, crashing it into his soft gut. "I try," she remarked, lifting her leg again and crashing it down on his back.

He yelped in pain and then took a deep breath and quickly crawled to his feet, his cruel eyes glowing. "You're going to pay for that, Maria. You are nothing!"

"Wrong!" she countered and ducked as he threw a punch her way. The punch never connected and Maria smiled. The others may be with her but her words were her own and she instantly reverted into one of her spunky moods. Hell, she was having fun! "Wow, you suck! Wanna try that again?"

She circled him nimbly, taunting him. His hateful eyes were as dark and threatening as a wild beast, his mouth turned up in a feral sneer. She had a moments warning as she noticed his leg twitch, giving her an indication that he was going to spring to her left. Instinctively -who's instincts, she didn't know- her body reacted. Deliberately, she stepped into his attack, deflecting his attempted blow by striking the soft inner flesh of his arm. He cried out as his hand fell to his side, numbed by her attack.

Was that what it was meant to do? She wasn't sure but it had worked so she wasn't going to question it.

There was one problem; she was getting cocky, letting her defenses down instead of staying alert. "How does that feel?" she teased arrogantly, not realizing that he had raised a foot up in a straight front kick until it was too late.

Her head snapped back and she saw stars swimming before her eyes but she never fell. She shook her head to clear it and then jumped back slightly, moving her jaw around to asses the damage. It was fine - a little sore - but altogether fine.

She narrowed her eyes and lunged towards him, snapping her leg out at the last possible moment but this time, he blocked it. His forearm countered the attack, sending a wave of pain to flash in her leg but not enough to cause her to throw in the towel.

She ducked as a fist came flying her way and brought her own fist up against his jaw with a uppercut. His head flew backwards but immediately he throwing his own punches. They traded blows for a while, some connecting, some not before Maria finally got tired of it all and took him by surprise by catching one of his fists in her own, absorbing the blunt blow and then twisting his arm so that he was defenseless. He tried to do the same with his other arm but she caught that one and then butted heads with him, marveling at how little pain it actually caused.

Nacerro's nose erupted in blood. Thick and black, it spouted from his nostrils, running over his bared teeth and blinding him. She didn't hesitate before leaning down in a crouching position and whipping her leg around, knocking him off balance and causing him to fall flat on his back with a snapping noise.

He was down but not out for the count and she knew not to make the mistake of letting her guard down again. Immediately, he reached for her foot which was still extended his way and twisted it to the side.

Maria cried out as she felt it snap, her entire body crashing down to the ground. It was broken. She curled it up close to her body to rub it and once again he slammed a foot into her jaw. This time, it sent her flying backwards and she stared at the ceiling in a daze.

Maria? Are you okay? Liz's voice cried.

What should I do?

The dagger! a completely new voice hissed into her head and it took her a moment to place it.

Mother Essie? Is that you?

Yes child! Now, get the dagger! You are running out of time!

Maria nodded and struggled to crawl to her feet, her eyes searching in the dim room for the glint of the blade. "Where is it?" she muttered.

She felt Nacerro pulling on her broken ankle and she cried out but didn't allow it to deter her from her mission. She needed that dagger!

She used her other leg to try to kick his hands away, crawling towards the place where he had left her to die just minutes before, her hands scrambling for it but coming up empty.

Just then, Nacerro pounced on her back, knocking the air out of her lungs and crushing her small frame at the same time. So, she wasn't indestructible after all, she thought absently, still fighting to find the dagger.

Nacerro whipped her over and sat himself on her chest. "I told you that you didn't have the power to defeat me, bitch!" he swore and clutched his hands around her throat, choking off her air.

Maria's eyes bulged from their sockets as she started to suffocate, her hands now reaching on the floor for anything to get rid of him but there was nothing. She could feel the others trying to help her, to feed her a method of defense but in all of her hysteria, she couldn't focus enough to defend herself.

She clutched his wrists and tried to make him loosen his hold but it was no good. She looked around, knowing that the cruddy, charred ceiling of the old soap factory was going to be the last thing she ever saw when suddenly, Kyle came into view.

They locked eyes and Maria saw him point down. Still choking, she looked to where he was pointing and then saw that his foot was resting by the dagger. She looked up at him in confusion for a moment, realizing that he was trying to help her and she nodded.

His drew his foot back and then kicked the knife over to her where the handle came to rest in her palm perfectly. Knowing that time was running out, she wrapped her sweaty hand around the dagger and drew back as far as she could before landing the thing directly in the fleshy indentation of his shoulder. He never saw it coming.

He released his hold on her neck, his eyes widening in horror as he realized what had just happened.

Maria whooped in a solid breath, filling her lungs with the delicious air that greeted her. She continued to gasp and wheeze but kept a steady eye on Nacerro.

"Kyle? Help me!" he pleaded, crawling backwards towards one wall. He tried to pull it out himself but he couldn't, the entire blade had dug itself into his flesh. "KYLE!"

Kyle met his eyes and shook his head, nervously. "Not this time," he said clearly, defiantly.

It seemed to take a moment for Nacerro to comprehend what Kyle was saying. Enraged, his mouth twisted and his eyes bulged. He gasped and held his hand forward, lighting the entire room as he shape-shifted into 'Camille Valenti.' "But Kyle," a distinctly feminine voice cried out from the blonde woman that Nacerro had shifted into. "But I'm your mother! You don't want your mother to die, do you?"

Maria's eyes darted to Kyle, wondering how he would react? He had to know that this was all a rouse! He did.

Kyle shook his head and softly said, "You are not my mother. You are pure evil. I have to do this."

Maria was proud of him. She looked back to the woman in front of her, seeing her pretty face twist in rage and they become slack as a bright light shot from the dagger. It was the same as it had been for her but more brilliant. Both she and Kyle raised their hands to their eyes to block the blinding light, and Maria gasped as she heard him wail and suddenly, she felt her powers coming back, joining to those of all the others she already had. His joined as well, powers much stronger and more forceful than those she already possessed; powers so terrifying that her own body was racked with trembles.

Kyle knelt down by her side and called her name. She could hear others calling too but it was all too much for her to answer.

Nacerro continued to scream as the powers fed into her and before she knew it, she was screaming too. What's happening?!

Go with it Maria, an encouraging voice told her. Take it in, don't resist it. It's much more painful when you resist!

Maria stopped screaming, trying to force herself to relax as the remainder of his powers soaked into her.

A thousand voices cried in triumph as she took the last of it in, his cries weakening and then disappearing all together. She sat up to look at her father and gasped. He was gone!

"Kyle! Where did he go?" she cried, fearing that he had gotten away.

"I was...he just disappeared," he gasped in wonder.

"That's impossible!"

"No, I saw it! He turned into thin air!"

Maria swallowed, trying to moisten her dry throat and then looked back at Kyle. "Thank you, Kyle! Thank you so much for helping me there!"

"You're welcome," he replied smiling sadly. "I'm so sorry. About all of this." He reached out a hand for her and she accepted it, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

Maria?

She smiled. I'm okay Michael. I'm alive and he's gone!

She could hear their rejoicing thoughts in her head as she began to stumble on her wobbly feet towards the exit. "Let's get out of here," she told her brother, sagging into his side.

"Sounds good to me," he agreed.

"So, Kyle. I..." Maria began but her voice trailed off as she heard a distinct beeping noise. Her eyes widened and she looked down at her watch. "NO!" she screamed. Her back up plan! She had totally forgotten about it! "Kyle! We have to get out of here! Now! The whole place is going to blow!"

"What?"

"GO GO GO!!!!"

Kyle looked around and then stopped to pick her up into his arms. He lifted her up with a grunt and then began to run towards the entrance as fast as he could.

Just as they neared the exit, Maria heard the pace of the beeping grow and she screamed. "HURRY!"